Page 156 - Till the Last Breath . . .

‘I hope it was painful,’ Dushyant spluttered.

‘You sound angry,’ she said.
‘Obviously, I am! Who wouldn’t be?’
‘I have hated men ever since. I am scared in their presence. I loathe

touching them and I wish they never come near me,’ Zarah said and shifted
in her place.

All men are the same, Dushyant thought, as the memories of the night
when he had forced himself on Kajal came rushing forth.

‘Your father should have supported you. This is simply unacceptable …
Oh, is that why you don’t get along with your parents?’

‘Just my dad,’ she corrected.
‘Don’t you think he has the right to know? Or you have the right to tell
him?’ he interrogated.

‘What good would that do?’ she responded, her face contorting to show
she didn’t care, even if she did.

‘You never know. I mean I don’t know why your father did what he did,
but you need to tell him where he was wrong. He should have been there

and he was not,’ he said.
‘I don’t think that will help. I am over it,’ she clarified.

‘You are over it? You’re close to tears, Zarah,’ he said.
‘I am not—’ she said and was reduced to a puddle of tears. Before
Dushyant could say anything she wrapped herself around him and started to

sob profusely. Dushyant ran his hands on her back in an attempt to soothe
her and make it better, all the while wondering if she was repulsed by his

touch too. He, too, was a rapist after all.
‘I think I need to go,’ she whimpered.

‘No, you don’t,’ he said, his hands locking firmly around her. ‘I think you
should stay here … with me.’

‘Seriously—’
‘I am not letting you go,’ he interrupted.
‘I need some fresh air. Let’s go for a drive?’ she suggested, trying hard

not to cry any longer.