Ahana
Then he stood up and again repeated his words but this time louder, "shadi Mubarak MRS MALHOTRA"
"Shaadi?" The word hit me like a slap across the face. My breath caught in my throat.
When? How? What is he even saying?
I stared at him, my heart pounding in my chest, my confusion was now turning into rising frustration.
"What do you mean by shaadi?"I asked, my "When did this happen? How can you say something like that?"
He looked at me amused then with a deep grin he leaned and spoke, "Woh jo shaks wahan zameen par mara pada hai..." he spoke, pointing towards his guard whom he just killed.
"Woh tumhe hawas bhari nazron se ghoorne ki himmat jutaya tha... Tumhare shareer ko maila karna ki kosis kia usne apne unn ghinoni ankho se, usilia tumhari maang meine usi shaks k khoon se rangdia...." He said lifting his hand slowly, touching my forehead in the same spot.
(He had the audacity to stare at you with lust-filled eyes... trying to defile your body with that filthy gaze. That's why I filled your hairline with the blood of that very man)
"Mere naam ki yeh anguthi tumhare haath mein hai. Tumhare maang mein uss paapi ka khoon hai... jiska antim sanskar krne k lia v log 100 brr sochenge" he said looking at me with his deadly glare.
(This ring with my name is on your finger. And in your hairline is the blood of that sinner... the kind of man people would think a hundred times before even performing his last rites)
"To hui na shaadi?" he said, his eyes locking onto mine with a quiet intensity. "Khoon se maang, anguthi se bandhan...Tum aab meri ho chuki ho, or abhi shuruwat hogi asli barbadi ki"
He finally broke the eye contact, but I stood frozen, my eyes glued to his figure.
Should I feel grateful that someone finally took a stand for me? Or should I be terrified... of how dangerous a man he truly is?
Aastik
"So, Daivik... now I think we're equal...I have your precious sister with me now just like you made my company face a loss, tried to toy with me. This will be a reminder not only for you but for others too. Aastik Malhotra does not forgive easily when someone dares to mess with him."
Daivik stood frozen, he stopped moving.... stopped screaming... His muffed voice can no longer be heard. it's like he had been devastated... Well that's good... This was the exact thing I wanted. I signalled my man to remove the piece of cloth from his mouth.
"Why... why? What did my sister ever do to you? Why does she have to suffer because of me?" He whispered, he seemed so broken like a glass.
WEAK
His eyes were filling with unshed tears as he clenched his jaw and fisted his hands. He again parted his lips to say something again when someone cut him in between.
"Woh ek ladki hai, Daivik... uske liye toh ye sab pehle se likha hota hai. Ek din usse yeh ghar chhodna hi tha, kisi na kisi ke saath jaana hi tha. Tum uski chinta mat karo, tum apne liye socho."
(She's a girl, Daivik... for someone like her, this is already written. One day, she had to leave this house, had to go with someone or the other. Don't worry about her, worry about yourself)
His father said as he stepped forward, he plastered a fake smile as he tried to mey my eyes. Sweat beads already formed in his face as he spoke.
"Mr. Malhotra is... is not a bad man. You know him for so long and it's good that he forgave you for your deeds"
I almost laughed at this joke....but I controlled it.
Not bad?
This old man thinks I'm not bad....Even after what I had just done. After I stood before him and forced his daughter into a marriage she never wanted, right in front of his eyes.
Daivik turned towards him in disbelief, "Dad... how can-"
"Daivik, stop it." His mother stepped forward, "your father is r..right" she said in a scared voice.
I said nothing to them just stood there in silence, watching their little house drama unfold. I have already taken their daughter from them, and if they think she'll be happy with me then that's their worst decision.
"I did not come here to watch your family theatrics," I said finally, their drama was giving me headache.
I turned toward Ahana, She was sitting still, like a non-living thing, her eyes locked on her parents. Her face blank with no emotion, no expression
but her eyes told a different story.
Those light brown eyes of hers...The first time I saw them, they were swollen and red. Puffy from crying too much, too often. They were the eyes of someone who had learned not to expect anything from the world.
That pain in her eyes had not been born recently. It had lived inside her for years, quietly carving away at her from the inside.
And even now, in this moment, when she said nothing and her body remained still, that pain was still visible in her eyes and I could see it.
Buried deep, where no one else had ever cared enough to look.
"Chale?" she asked quietly looking at me.
(Shall we go?)
Daivik stepped forward, desperation thick in his voice.
"Ahana... can't you just meet your brother one last time?"
She looked at him but still there's no expression. It seemed like they were close but far away in a distance from each other.
Then she looked at me, Is she asking for permission?
"Five minutes," I said, "In these five minutes, do your emotional drama and packing. If it takes even one second more," I paused and let my gaze drift meaningfully to Daivik, "your bhaiya will tell you what may happen."
Without another word, she turned and walked away.
I watched her go, my eyes lingering on her fading silhouette. Then I turned and made my way to the car. Sliding into the driver's seat, I leaned back, but my mind refused to rest.
Why did I kill Akhil for her?
Why did it bother me so much when he looked at her like that, with that disgusting hunger in his eyes?
I have seen countless women. Been offered more than I could remember. None of them ever left an imprint.... none of them mattered. She should not be any different.
But she is.
There is something about her that crawls under the skin and refuses to leave. Her eyes, especially. Those eyes are not ordinary....They carry an unknown story in them, Too much for someone her age.
They make me feel something I do not want to accept, familiarity. Looking into those eyes feels like trying to decode an entire lifetime of pain and for the first time in years, maybe,I saw a faint reflection of who I used to be.
A hollow laugh escaped me. Was I really thinking this nonsense?
Ridiculous.
She was just a pawn in this game. A way to punish Daivik and nothing more.
Did they seriously think that just because I married her, I would suddenly care? Love her?
Foolish.
Love is nothing but a well-packaged lie. A waste of time, a waste of money, and most of all, a waste of emotion. Time and emotion are two things I do not have the luxury for. And money? I am not stupid enough to waste it on feelings.
A soft knock on the window pulled me out of my thoughts. I glanced at my watch before looking up.
She was standing there beside Daivik, her parents stood a few steps behind.
I unlocked the door but didn't bother to get out of my seat.
Her parents rushed forward and wrapped their arms around her in a desperate, embrace. But she remained still like before. There was no emotions on her face, no Tears, no sadness, nothing.
Then she turned to Daivik and hugged him tightly, her fingers trembling against his back, but didn't say anything.
And then, like she was closing a chapter, she stepped away and got into the car beside me.
Daivik's eyes met mine. They were glassy, flooded with raw emotion and silent pleas.
"Meri jaan ka ek tukda aaj tum chura ke le ja rahe ho, Aastik... Main tumhare pair padne ke liye bhi taiyar ho jaunga, bas iss tukde ko achhe se rakhna."
(You're taking away a piece of my soul with you today, Aastik... I'd even fall at your feet if I had to just please, take care of this piece)
Without replying to his words I started my car and moved from there.
As the car moved through the quiet roads, I glanced at her. I expected silence, maybe tears, or the distant stare of someone lost from her but she was doing nothing but staring at the ring.
"What is so fascinating about that?" I asked without looking at her.
"Aap ye ring wapas le to nahi lenge na?" she asked softly, her eyes still fixed on the ring.
(You won't take this ring back... will you?)
That one word 'aap' it did something to me. It felt strange but I just slided it but deep down I knew that I couldn't slide this small word.
"Mujhe laga ladkiyon ko diamond rings pasand hoti hain. Aur aap yahan sirf ek simple silver ring par hi khush hai..." I said, a little amused.
(I thought girls liked diamond rings. But here you are, happy with just a simple silver one...)
She didn't reply, just stayed silent and kept staring at the ring.
My fingers tightened around the steering wheel. A strange irritation began to bubble again.
"Listen to me carefully" I said, my voice firm, "if you are thinking that I married you and now we will live like a normal couple, then you are fucking dreaming. You are nothing but a way to punish your brother."
I looked at her, made sure my words were loud, clear, and merciless.
But instead of tears or fear, I saw a small smile tug at her lips. It was the kind of smile someone gives when they have been through this conversation in their head a thousand times already.
Ahana
After an hour-long drive, the car finally rolled to a stop in front of a sprawling mansion. The iron gates opened smoothly as the guards stood at attention. He drove inside and parked near the front steps of the grand entrance.
"Get inside. I'll come in after an important call," he said flatly, eyes still on his phone.
I hesitated for a moment before quietly opening the door and stepping out.
I looked at my surroundings and the view was... breathtaking.
A manicured garden stretched across the lawn, dotted with perfectly trimmed hedges. A soft-looking swing hung under a tree. A pristine white tea table stood near the roses. There was a pool on the left, its water still and crystal clear. Even further ahead, I noticed a fenced area with what looked like dog training equipment.
My lips curved slightly, Does he have a dog?
I hope he does....I love dogs. They're so kuchupuchutuchu...
The thought alone tugged a small smile from. With a deep breath, I turned to the massive door. Before stepping inside, I glanced back once more.
He was still on the call. Turning away, I pushed the door open slowly and stepped inside
"Hello?... Koi hai kya?" I called out but no answer came.
(Hello? Is there anyone?)
The house is too big, I can't deny but it's too quite.
I walked into what seemed like the living room and settled onto the couch, sinking into the cushions with a sigh. My body finally relaxed, leaning against a large soft pillow. I hugged it closer.
But suddenly I felt like the cushion moved... but too tired to process, I slipped it.
But it didn't stop, it moved again and the pillow felt too warm.
I slowly looked at the direction and the next moment.
"AAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
I screamed and launched off the couch like it was on fire, my legs fumbling under me as I bolted outside in blind panic.
That...that thing was not a pillow.
I didn't stop running until I slammed into him and wrapped my arms around his torso, holding onto him like he was the only safe thing in the world.
"If you wanted to kill me, you should have just done it!" I shouted, my voice trembling. "What's the need to keep a monster in your house?! W-what was that thing?! It... it was so scary!
I slowly lifted my face, expecting some kind of reaction, maybe confusion or anger.
But he was just staring at me.
Then his gaze shifted, past me, towards the door.
I followed his gaze and there...again... it was the same creature. It's standing there and staring at me like it's feast.
"DOGGESH, do not attack her. She is our guest," HE said calmly, his voice low but commanding.
At once, the creature relaxed. It simply sat down, regal and composed, as if it hadn't just given me the scare of my life.
"What... what was that?" I asked, still clutching the sleeve of his coat.
"He's my black wolf," he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Doggesh."
I blinked.
A black wolf named Doggesh.
Before I could stop myself, laughter burst out of me like a dam had cracked.
"Wait... what? A black wolf... and his name is Doggesh?" I gasped between giggles, clutching my stomach.
Aastik's expression changed instantly, His face turned cold, his eyes sharp and unamused.
"Shut up and get off me," he shouted, his voice low and icy.
Only then did I realize I was still holding on to him. My arms were wrapped around his torso like a lifeline.
Shit!
Heat rushed to my cheeks as I quickly released him and stepped back. I mumbled something unintelligible, sorry I guess, and slipped past him into the house.
Inside, the house was no less intimidating than before. The soft lighting bathed everything in gold, making the atmosphere feel heavy, like it was holding its breath. Doggesh was now sprawled across the sofa like he owned the place. His thick black fur melted into the shadows, but his eyes tracked my every move.
This time, though, I did not feel afraid.
I stepped forward slowly and crouched in front of him, "Hi, Doggesh," I said softly, offering a gentle smile.
He lifted his massive head and tilted it curiously. His ears flattened in a way that made my heart melt.
He is so adorable....I tilted my head, mimicking him, a mischievous smile tugging at my lips.
"Doggesh is such a weird name. Can I call you Duggu instead?"
He blinked at me once. Then, without warning, he leaned forward and licked my face.
Did this cutie pie just licked my face?
Hell yeahhhhh!!!
I could barely hold back the high-pitched squeal building inside me.
Oh my god! He is so cute I might die.
"I cannot take it anymore," I whispered to myself, Without hesitation, I cupped his massive furry face in both hands and began showering him with kisses. His warm snout twitched. His tail thumped against the sofa. His eyes sparkled with mischief and joy.
His soft fur, big eyes and a heart-melting charm.
Bro, I'm done. He licked my face again, wagging his tail like an excited puppy.
"Who would believe this is a wolf?" I murmured, giggling. "He looks like a cute little puppy."
We were in the middle of our cuddle session when the sudden crash shattered everything.
The sharp sound of glass breaking pierced through the silence, followed by a chorus of startled gasps.
My hand froze, I slowly tilted my head towards that direction, there were three men standing towards the entrance.
One of them was Aastik ji but other two? I have never seen them....Both of them were looking at me with shock.
The shattered remains of a flower vase lay at their feet.
Before I could react, Duggu stood up, rising to his full height. His playful aura vanished transforming into a serious yet dangerous aura.
Duggu walked towards their direction and I also stood up fidgeting with my dupatta.
The two unfamiliar men crouched to Duggu's level and burst into laughter.
"Doggesh se Duggu, huh? Nice one, buddy. Did you like her?" one of them asked, grinning from ear to ear.
Duggu wagged his tail happily, clearly pleased with the nickname.
The second man reached out and patted his massive head, glancing at me with a teasing smile.
"Honestly, Duggu is a nice name, maybe even better than Doggesh. What do you think, Aastik?"
My gaze turned towards him, but he was already walking away without a word.
The two men began walking toward me. My body started trembling a little bit. I was feeling nervous after everything happened with me in the past.
They paused when they saw my discomfort and said, "Hi bhabhi," the one with a softer face said. "Don't worry, we won't hurt you."
He assured and gave a polite smile "I am Avyan Singh and this here," he motioned to the other man, "is Bhuvan Chatterjee."
Bhuvan gave me a polite nod. "Nice to meet you, bhabhi. We are really pleased to have you with us."
"We both know how Aastik married you. Honestly, we are ashamed of his behavior. When we heard the news, we were stunned."
He looked at me with something that felt like genuine remorse.
"I suggest you to give a chance to this relationship bhabhi, Aastik is not the same he looks like" He said.
"I am sorry we cannot tell you why. But maybe... just maybe... you are the one who can break through his walls"
His tone shifted again, gentle and full of concern. "But if it ever becomes too much. If you ever want to walk away, we will help you in every way."
"Yes," Avyan chimed in. "Please do not feel pressured or trapped. We know this is not easy. Leaving is a valid choice. We will support you no matter what."
Their words were kind, compassionate.
But inside me, something was unraveling. My mind was filled with different questions...
Do you really think you can find a place in his heart?
What about what Kabir said? Did you forget?
Did you forget what your mom always told you?
You are doing it again.
Hoping again.
Expecting again.
How many times will you let yourself get hurt before you learn?
The questions came faster than I could fight them.
My head sinning, I felt like the floor is swallowing me, darkness came in front of my eyes before I could know what's happening with me? Am I dying?
Aastik
Is she for real or what? She made friends with Doggesh in seconds. Like, are you fucking kidding me?
No one, and I mean no one, turns Doggesh into a puppy.
I trained him to be merciless...He is meant to be sharp, unrelenting, a predator who didn't bow to anyone. I built him that way with my own hands which made him today the top killer wolf.
And now, he is wagging his tail like a fluffy idiot.
This is bullshit.
Duggu?
Seriously?
Duggu?
What the fuck is wrong with the name Doggesh?
I stormed across my room, back and forth, fists clenching and unclenching. Every step echoed through the floor. I could feel the heat burning under my skin, bubbling inside like lava ready to erupt.
Suddenly, a sharp howl sliced through the silence.
It's Doggesh and then Avyan's and Bhuvan's voices were also coming from the hall
These fuckers....Did they forget how to behave in this house?
I flung the door open and rushed down the hallway, ready to rip into them.
But my steps halted when I saw Bhuvan was carrying Ahana.
Her body looks pale, arms dangling at her sides, eyes closed.
My feet moved without permission, following Bhuvan as he placed her gently in a guest room.
Before I could ask anything, a lady doctor arrived. She went straight to work, checking Ahana's pulse, examining her vitals.
I stood there like a statue, my mind was spiraling with random thoughts.
Why am I getting tense about her health?
Why the fuck does it matter?
I shouldn't care.
I sat on the edge of the sofa, hands clasped together, head hung low.
The minutes dragged by like hours.
After what felt like forever, the doctor stepped out of the room.
Everyone walked towards her in desperate urgency.
"Mr. Aastik," she said, her tone firm but not unkind, "you should take proper care of her. You are her husband. Her body is weak and body fully dehydrated. It is because of stress and excessive crying. If this continues, her health could be seriously affected."
She handed me a slip of paper. "I've given her a sleeping injection and prescribed medication. Make sure she takes it and call me if there is any problem." Saying this she left from there.
"To be honest, I noticed her puffy eyes earlier. I thought it was just because of your behavior. But it looks like there's something deeper going on." Avyan spoke.
Bhuvan nodded beside him. "Bro, we're heading out. Call us if you need anything....Always here for you."
I stood there for a few moments, staring at the door to her room.
Then I opened it and stepped inside.
The light was soft, the room filled with the quiet hum of the AC. I looked toward the bed and there she was sleeping peacefully without caring about anything.
Her skin looked pale, like snow that had been drained of warmth. Her lips were slightly parted. Her breathing was slow, delicate, like the beat of a fading song.
I sat beside her my gaze lingered on her face. It was beautiful, yet there was something unsettling about it.
My eyes remained fixed on her as if I were memorizing every detail, engraving them deep into my mind. Each feature was so vivid that I felt I could describe her perfectly in a single breath, or perhaps even sketch her with my eyes closed and hands bound.
*****
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Sending lots and lots of love,
Your author,
Olly_Writess ❤️
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