BEHIND THE VEIL

Shubman's eyes burned with frustration as he glared at the figure sprawled across his bed. Ishan, oblivious to his presence, was sound asleep, completely unaware of the simmering tension in the room. The irritation had been building up, like a pressure cooker, and now it was boiling over.

With a sharp exhale, Shubman grabbed the jug of water from the nearby table. His hand trembled with the intensity of the rage coursing through his veins, his pulse throbbing in his temples. He couldn't take it anymore.

Without a second thought, he hurled the entire jug straight at Ishan. The cold water splashed over him in an instant. The shock of the cold jolted Ishan awake, his body jerking upright, drenched and disoriented. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear his vision, the chill sinking deep into his bones.

"What the... Shubman? You came back?" Ishan gasped, his voice thick with sleep. He wiped his face, blinking as his eyes met Shubman's, who stood above him, his chest heaving with fury.

"Why!? Can't I, wishing for my departure for forever?" Shubman replied sarcastically, his voice sharp, his anger palpable. "And what the hell you are doing here in my bed!?" His words cut through the air like a blade, laced with venom and frustration.

Ishan's chest tightened with a mixture of anger and hurt. The cold water soaked his clothes, and the chill settled in, making the situation even more unbearable. He stared at Shubman, raising an eyebrow.

"Andhe ho, dikhai nahi de raha hai ki main so raha tha?" His voice was thick with exhaustion, frustration creeping into his tone.

Shubman's jaw tightened. "Tum mere bed pe nahi so sakte. Utho abhi yahan se, mujhe neend aa rahi hai!" His words were curt, commanding, and his hands were balled into fists, knuckles white from the force of his restraint.

Ishan blinked, still disoriented. "Main kyun uthun? Tumhe mujhse dikkat hai toh tum niklo yahan se."

Shubman's glare intensified. "Main nahi, tum jaoge. Ye mera ghar hai, mera kamra!" His voice broke through the tension like a whip, and his words hit hard.

Ishan's eyes narrowed. "Aur tum, mujhe yahan shaadi karke laaye ho, samjhe?" His anger began to boil over, his voice rising as the emotional weight of the situation crashed into him. "Samajh kya rakha hai tumne? Pehle sabke samne mujhe thappad maara, aur ab jab main bas so raha tha, toh paani mere upar fek diya? Don't you think I'm human too? I have emotions!" His voice trembled, breaking at the edges.

"Samajhte kya ho tum apne aapko?" Ishan's words cut through the room, raw and unrestrained. "Only caring about yourself. These things are not simple for me either. I was forced into this marriage, forced to marry a selfish person like you, who only cares about his emotions!"

Shubman's eyes flared with anger, his voice low and dangerous. "But you already knew what you were signing up for, didn't you?" His words were laced with bitterness. "You knew you were going to marry me, but what about me, huh? I believed I was going to marry Era, my love. And yet, you happened. What the hell? You lost nothing! But I—" His voice cracked, and he stopped, his fists clenched. "I lost everything. My own mother betrayed me for the stupid sake of dignity. What do I do now, I don't even know!"

Ishan's heart sank, but his expression didn't change. He stood his ground, the weight of Shubman's words hanging heavily in the air. "But it's not like I told Era to walk away from the marriage... I just... I just came to attend my sister's wedding. That's it. It's hard for me too," he replied, his voice thick with sorrow, a hint of vulnerability beneath the anger.

Shubman glared at him, his chest rising and falling with the intensity of the moment. "You know what? Mujhe tumhare ye jhuti baatein mai aur tumhe koi interest nahi hai. Just leave from here," he spat, his voice low and final.