Twinj: My Lifeline: Episode 30

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Twinj: My Lifeline: Episode 30

A quick recap: Kunj drops Twinkle at Leela’s place so that they could spend time together, but ends up coming back looking for, all worried. On failing to find her, he goes away, only to return extremely disappointed, but doesn’t reveal the reasons. His thoughts reveal that it could be something to do with Alisha.

“Good morning, Ma! How come breakfast today smells so amazing..” Kunj’s banter came to a halt when he found Twinkle alone in the kitchen where Usha would usually be. “That’s why!” His mind replied to his query, as he smiled back at her warm, welcoming smile. All he could think of though, was how cute he thought she looked in an apron; he had never seen her in it before. “Ma told me she had to leave for some urgent work and would be back soon.” She explained as he stepped into the kitchen. He nodded, sneaking a look at the vessel on the stove before he asked, “Do you need any help?” She shook her head and got back to her dish when she heard him say, “I’ll lay the table.” She watched his retreating form as he walked to the dining area, wondering if he would tell her what was bothering him at least now. A week had passed by since the fateful ‘mistake’ he had committed, and he hadn’t told her much yet. All she knew was that he had had a heated argument with Alisha, but she was sure that wasn’t all. She had discovered he had begun hiding things from her. He seemed to have developed a routine of driving by himself in the evenings, to where she didn’t know. She had tried explaining to herself that she had absolutely no right to ask questions or to know everything and had kept mum, but she had been observant and knew that something was amiss. He seemed to be slowly drifting away from her, and no matter how much she hated it, there didn’t seem to be anything she could do about it. Her deepest fear, however, was that it was because he and Alisha were probably getting back together. She knew for a fact that that would happen someday, but couldn’t bring herself to be prepared.

Usha walked in to see Twinkle and Kunj laughing together as they cut up fruits to add to the breakfast table. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Kunj Sarna was helping with kitchen work? The same person who wouldn’t even pour himself a glass of water? Her thoughts were interrupted by Twinkle who had spotted her and was calling her to join them quickly for breakfast. Her momentary glee was snatched away as she recalled all that she had found out that morning. She knew she couldn’t tell Kunj, but Twinkle had to be informed, and thus she decided to put on a smile for the time being. “Kunj, why don’t you finish eating first?” Twinkle’s voice jerked her out of her reverie and she looked up at Twinkle snatching a file from Kunj’s hands despite his protests and strictly warning him to keep his work away from the dining table. Usha quickly thanked her luck that she had picked Twinkle for Kunj, she couldn’t have made a better choice. She smiled gladly when she heard Kunj speak, “But that’s a surprise for you. You will not read it until I permit you to! I’ll let you know as soon as I have things confirmed!” Twinkle frowned as she put the file away and agreed. She had just seen him off at the door and returned to the table when she noticed Usha and Manohar watching her, looking tensed. “Is everything alright?” She asked, sitting down in front of Usha when she asked her to. “Twinkle, we need you to listen to us carefully now. I’ve just found out that Alisha is no longer at the rehab facility. She has escaped, or has been taken away by somebody, we have no idea yet. All we know is that she could try to harm you, and we are really worried for you.” Usha spoke, her voice had never sounded so serious before. Twinkle turned her eyes to Manohar, who sighed deeply and spoke “We just want to make sure that you’re safe, Twinkle. And that is why we want you to tell either of us before you go anywhere, until we have a hold on the situation.”

Twinkle stared at her in laws intently, trying to process all that she had just heard, without panicking. She gulped hard as she saw the fear in their eyes, she knew they really loved her and cared for her as much as Leela did, and they didn’t seem to be joking either, frightening her. “Ma, Papa, I don’t think Alisha is dangerous. I’ve met her and she seems to be a wonderful person! I agree that it’s important to find her and make sure she’s alright, but this..” She spoke nevertheless, sounding like she was trying to convince herself more than them when Usha replied, “You don’t know her, Twinkle! We do, she could go crazy when she finds out Kunj married you!” Twinkle shook her head violently at that. She knew Alisha was bound to be miffed when she found about Kunj’s marriage, but she couldn’t harm her, could she? “Twinkle, listen to us. Going by your words, let’s say she doesn’t do anything wrong, but you could still keep us informed, right? That way at least the two of us will be at peace.” Manohar spoke, his voice gentle but it was a firm request, one that she couldn’t deny. She nodded her head meekly, smiling hesitantly at them as she let out a breath that she didn’t know she was holding in. She then stood up and walked away slowly, her mind feeling heavy with the newly acquired information. Alisha had escaped? Although she hadn’t expressed her shock at that in front of Usha and Manohar because she thought it would be inappropriate, she felt more bothered by that than their apprehension that she could harm her. Did Kunj know, she wondered, realising that his freaked out state the other day could have some connection with this. But he had repeatedly assured her over the past week that he would always tell her before he took a decision that would impact both of their lives. Was this the reason he had been so aloof?

“Hey! I have a little surprise for you! Meet me at the old farmhouse at 6 sharp.” Kunj’s message had read, bringing a smile to her face. She was glad to hear from him, her thoughts had been troubling her horribly all day, and just the thought of being by his side again made her feel better and rejuvenated. In her hurry to look presentable and make it in time, she had only told Usha that she was going to meet Kunj, not where he had said he would be. She knew the place well though, Kunj had taken her there some time ago, and even had plans of renovating the forgotten building since he had so many memories of his childhood there. She had scanned the garden in the front and found it empty, thus deciding to go inside when her watch read 6:10. She realised that the place had been cleaned and it appeared as though somebody was living there now, despite what the dark corridors suggested. “Kunj?” She called out as she reluctantly walked further into the house, towards a dimly lit room she could see at the end of the corridor, and in there, she came face to face with the one person who Usha dreaded the most. “Alisha!” She gasped as she spotted the other woman smiling viciously at her with a rod in her hand. Turning around to leave on instinct, she felt the rod being hit on her head just before everything went pitch black and she crashed onto the ground, falling backwards.

Twinkle opened her eyes to find herself tied to a chair in the very room she had spotted Alisha. She didn’t know how much time had passed by, but judging by the darkness outside the window, she figured it must be night. “Twinkle Taneja, oops, Twinkle Kunj Sarna! Thank you for finally regaining consciousness! I was wondering what I would do otherwise!” She heard Alisha’s voice, just as she looked around the room, finding a way to get out. “Alisha, I know you must be assuming that..” She tried to explain, but Alisha cut her short with “Shut up! You aren’t allowed to speak, get that? Also, I’m not you to be assuming things. What were you and your, I mean, my Kunj thinking the other day? How did you even suppose that you could fool me? Kunj is mine, get that? Just mine! Which reminds me, I was the one who sent you that message from Kunj’s phone when he came by to visit me like he has done every single day since he brought me here to keep me safe and happy, so that he could further deceive me into believing that he still loves me!” Twinkle whimpered as she tried not to move, the ropes she was tied with being so tight that they hurt her with the slightest movement, her heart breaking as she heard Alisha speak. Kunj had helped her flee and brought her here. He had hidden such a big truth from her for so long! “Would you please listen to me, Alisha? I know that you love Kunj, you always have. Kunj and I don’t actually share a husband-wife relationship. He was and will always be yours. He was forced to marry me because you met with that accident suddenly and he had no other way out of all the pressure being piled up on him. Trust me, please. Our marriage will no longer have any significance now that you are back! Please don’t misunderstand Kunj, he loves you!” Twinkle spoke, her own words harming her more than anything else ever could, making tears flow down her cheeks.

Alisha smirked at Twinkle as she heard her speak. “Brilliant! There isn’t anything else I want. Kunj and I love each other, and we need to be together. That is all.” She spoke, smiling internally as she successfully fooled yet another person to believe that her love for Kunj was genuine. “You have no idea how troubled I was when I found out Kunj had married someone else, Twinkle. It broke my heart in more ways than you could even imagine. I’m sorry I did this to you. But what else would I do?” Alisha’s voice now seemed softer and troubled, making Twinkle feel sorry for her. Twinkle was aware that Alisha had been kept at the rehab facility because the doctors feared she would harm herself or others owing to her insecurities and the trauma of the accident, and that she needed therapy, but Twinkle didn’t have the slightest idea that she had been impacted deeply. She immediately regretted it though for she felt a sharp pain in her hands tied behind her and realised that Alisha had used some sharp object to cause a wound that was now bleeding. She screamed out in pain, while Alisha cackled. “You deserve to be punished for even thinking of snatching away my Kunj, sweetheart! Shout all you want though, nobody is around to help you!” Twinkle was agonized as she realised that she was right, it was a pretty desolate area. Pain seared through her body as Alisha repeatedly inflicted wounds on her body, her tears and screams wouldn’t stop. Twinkle heard someone barge into the place right before she passed out from the pain.

That’s it for now, guys. I know this was a really horrifying episode, it needed to be this way to justify several things, I hope you guys understand, just as I hope I didn’t overdo it. Sincere apologies if I did. Stay tuned, things will get better soon. Lots of love!