Chapter 4 The Night of Punishment

Rina dragged Aresha out of the college gate by her wrist.

Her fingers dug into Aresha’s skin so hard she felt the nails breaking the surface.

Not a word was spoken on the rickshaw ride home.

Not a breath.

Not a sound.

But silence was always worse.

When they reached the house, the gate slammed behind them so loudly that even the stray dogs outside flinched.

Rina unlocked the door with slow, dramatic calmness.

Then—

S M A C K

The first hit landed before Aresha could even step inside.

“Suspended?!”

Rina’s voice rose, shrill and poisonous.

“You dare humiliate me in front of the entire administration?!”

Aresha didn’t resist.

Her body stood still, trained by years of survival.

Rina pushed her so hard that Aresha stumbled, hitting her injured head against the wall.

Pain shot like fire.

But she inhaled slowly.

Held the scream inside.

She always did.

“Tell me,” Rina spat, “WHAT did you tell them about me? Did you open your filthy mouth?”

“No,” Aresha whispered.

Wrong answer.

Rina grabbed her hair and yanked her down, forcing her to kneel.

“You will NOT cause me shame! You live in MY house. You breathe because I allow it!”

A boot pressed into her spine.

Aresha’s forehead touched the floor.

Her breath shook.

“I didn’t say anything,” she said again.

Voice breaking.

But steady.

Rina kicked her ribs.

“You better not. If I hear even one whisper—ONE—you’ll regret being born.”

Aresha curled inwards, protecting the bruised areas as best she could.

Rina dragged her up by the collar and shoved her onto the bed.

“And tonight,” she hissed, leaning close, “you will learn your place.”

Aresha’s blood ran cold.

Because she knew what that meant.

The worst kind of punishment.

Her hands trembled violently, but she kept her face blank.

She had learned to dissociate.

To float away.

To become empty.

It was the only way to survive.

---

Meanwhile — Outside Her House

Rehan stood across the street.

Hands shaking.

Breath unsteady.

He had followed her.

He didn’t plan to—

His feet just moved after seeing the terror in her eyes at the gate.

And now…

he stood in the dark, staring at the small old house from behind a tree.

A scream echoed inside.

Short.

Cut off.

Painful.

Rehan’s heart stopped.

His fists tightened so hard his nails broke skin.

“That wasn’t… normal,” he whispered to himself.

Another thud.

A harsh voice.

A muffled cry.

Rehan’s eyes widened.

He wasn’t imagining it.

Aresha Malik—the bully, the campus belle, the girl everyone feared—

was being hurt.

Badly.

Brutally.

He stepped forward—

But froze.

What was he supposed to do?

Bang on the door and demand they stop?

Call the police?

Tell the neighbors?

Would that help her?

Or make things worse?

He stood there shaking, helpless, angry, torn.

Inside, another thud hit the wall.

He couldn’t take it.

He pulled out his phone with trembling fingers.

If I can get proof… if I can record something… the school counselor will believe me… someone will help her…

He pressed record.

Every painful sound stabbed him.

“This isn’t bullying,” he whispered.

“This is abuse. Real… terrifying abuse.”

He felt his throat tighten.

And for the first time, he realized—

Her cruelty in college wasn’t power.

It was armor.

She was a lioness outside only because she was treated like prey inside her own home.

---

Inside — After the Punishment

Aresha lay curled on the floor.

Her breathing shallow.

Her hair messy.

Her clothes tugged and torn.

Her body screaming.

But she made no noise.

She refused to give Rina the satisfaction.

Rina wiped her hands like she had finished a chore.

“Clean yourself,” she snapped.

“Dinner is in an hour. And if you cry—”

Aresha’s voice was barely audible.

“I won’t.”

Rina smirked.

“Good girl.”

Then left the room, locking the door.

Aresha waited until footsteps faded.

Only then did she press her hand against her mouth.

To stop the sounds.

To stop the sobs.

To stop herself from breaking too loudly.

Her vision blurred.

Her chest ached.

She whispered to the dark—

“I can’t do this anymore.”

But she still didn’t cry.

Because Aresha didn’t cry.

Crying meant weakness.

And weakness invited more pain.

---

Outside Her Window

Rehan stood below, hidden by the shadows.

He could see part of her room through the torn curtain.

And when he saw her on the floor—

Bruised.

Bloodied.

Shaking.

He covered his mouth in shock.

Her face wasn’t fierce.

Wasn’t proud.

Wasn’t arrogant.

It was broken.

Completely, devastatingly broken.

Rehan’s chest burned.

His voice cracked in a whisper.

“…Aresha.”

In that moment—

he made a promise to himself.

He would protect her.

He would expose the truth.

He would pull her out of that hell—

even if she hated him for it.

Because no one deserved to suffer like that.

Not even the strongest girl on campus.

Not even a bully.

Especially not her.

---

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