Chapter 9:
Anika's POV
I wasn't shocked but—I just can't name the feeling. It was a mixture of everything.
I kept chewing my food silently staring at my plate.
He was still in contact with his ex-fiancée.
Yeah so? Why do I seem bothered?
I shook my head and was about to stuff my mouth with another spoon full of food when maa's voice echoed, "Radha, this topic has been pressed down long ago. You remember right?"
I threw a quick glance at his chachi who nodded before answering, "Yes didi I do. Par jo bhi ho, woh is ghar ki hone wali bahu thi".
(But still, she was going to be this house's daughter-in-law)
She was too adamant to stay stuck to the past and fuck the present.
"Past is past and present is what it is now. Anika is going to be our daughter-in-law and that's it, end of discussion", Neha maa kept her words sternly, making his chachi nod. I chuckled internally.
I wasn't happy because she got scolded because someday in future she'd anyways find chances to hurt me with her words again. I'm happy because-because of what?
I'd been staying so confused lately. My thoughts were so weird; not like the ones someone would have when they're in love but the ones when someone was just too lost to find themself.
Anyways.
We all ate in silence afterwards.
.
9:45 p.m.
Past dinner, I excused myself from the dinner hall to meet maa in her bedroom since it was her wish to see me. She said she wanted to give me something before marriage and it was the best time for it.
The hallway was long, ground covered in wine red carpet and walls were painted in cream colour all. The ceiling stood flat in white, as moderate chandeliers hung from it. Many ancient type paintings were hung against the walls on both the sides, excluding all the other decorative stuffs.
I finally stopped in front of a brown polished door. She told me her room was the one situated at three doors from the end of the hallway.
I knocked on the door and waited for a while before it got opened and she welcomed me with a smile.
I smiled back. She had changed her outfit into a green long silk night gown with a similar house coat over it. Her long brown hair was tied up into a loose braid and the glow on her face wasn't actually fading soon.
She let me in.
I looked around the room. The walls were in cream color and ceiling in white with recessive lights. The furniture and decorations were a mix of vintage and modern vibes. There was a huge glass sliding door in front of the bed leading to the balcony of the third floor.
My gaze shifted to papa who was on the bed in his nightdress reading some files. I smiled and greeted, "Good evening papa".
He looked up at me through his glasses resting on his nose bridge.
"Good evening beta", he greeted me back, smiling. I nodded when maa grabbed my attention, "Come here Anika".
I nodded before holding up the lower part a bit of my saree to walk properly.
I stood near her, who was standing near the vanity.
Holding up my right hand, she slid a bangle made of gold with some colored stones and looked up at me holding that hand, "Beta, this bangle is Arnav's great grandmother's. She passed it to his grandma and she gave it to me. Now you being the badi bahu of our family, I'm passing it to you".
This touched me no matter how much of an emotionless being I tried to be. She never showed her rich status and simply spread her warmth and kindness.
I wanted to hug her and whisper thank you's to her but I hesitantly stood in my spot.
She smiled at me before putting the other bangle around my other wrist, as she pulled me into a warm hug, "Khush raho beta".
(Stay happy dear)
I nodded with a smile and hugged her back. She felt so like my mother even if not exactly like her.
.
My visage kept dragging towards the main hall, once I had exited my mother-in-law's room because everyone had gathered there since Arnav and I were leaving for India tonight.
As I walked ahead, a sudden grip was felt on my left hand's wrist and before I could realise what was happening, I found myself in a dark room.
A sudden presence of broad shoulders in front of me and the arms beside my head and waist scared me.
I was about to scream for help when a large hand covered my mouth followed by a deep voice, "Don't yell doll. It's your husband". He spoke. I realised it was him when I finally inhaled the musky cologne from his body.
My hands were on his busts, as my eyes stared at him. The white light rays entering the room through the long glass window adjacent to us had dimly lit the room. A minimal amount of rays highlighted his sharp features. He looked like a demon.
He was anyways.
The close proximity between us wasn't helping me either. His figure was towering mine, his hot breaths with the fresh minty touch brushed past my lips.
"What the hell do you want?", I whispered when I wanted to yell.
Why the heck was I getting nervous?
For heaven's sake he's marrying me for revenge then why do I feel so weak? If I get weak now then how will I survive for one year?
These thoughts fueled my anger, causing me to involuntarily try to push him away, "Mr. Rai Mehrotra, get away from me right now".
He had been just staring at me all the time while I struggled to get out of the situation.
Holding onto my wrists he slammed them on the wall before minimising the distance between us, "Stop struggling doll. You ain't going anywhere before I finish my words", he gritted. I could see his fierce gaze on my face as I stared back.
Even if I was furious, I couldn't be more than him because after all, I was the one behind his brother's condition.
The grip on my wrists were so tight that it felt like my bones were being crushed with a hot iron rod wrapped around them. The pain was immense but I couldn't show it on my face because-it was just the starting.
"Who the hell do you think you are?", he questioned. He had lost his memory power for sure.
"Who do you think I am other than Ms. Anika Roy Chowdhury?", I questioned back.
Our staring competition was forever ongoing. We were burning holes in each other's eyes but still we weren't ready to give up.
"You're a ruthless woman who's ready to ruin anybody for her own benefits. You are such a cunning woman that you've already won my parents' hearts in no time. Maa even gave you the pair of traditional bangles", he spat on my face.
That organ behind my ribs cracked, upon feeling his words shot through it. No matter how much I had heard such harsh words, hearing it from the one who's going to be my husband was truly painful.
Even if he'll be my husband-on-paper, we're still going to be a married couple. But as the only source of keeping myself alive was by reminding myself that- we.are.not.real.husband.and.wife.
I sucked in a deep breath closing my eyes before staring back at him, "Dear husband, it wasn't me who begged your mother for the bangles. I'm not even interested in this generation-passed things. If you still want to speak something more related to this, then better go to your mother for answers that'd satisfy you", I snapped at him. My patience was wearing thin already, andnow his behaviour of showing authority has got on my nerves.
He can't control me from the very beginning. I'll speak against it even if I'm breaking the contract's rules.
He gripped more tightly as I whimpered.
"You already broke a rule doll. Then don't expect me to go soft on you", he grunted lowly, inching his face near me.
I gasped when I felt his right arm sneak around my waist under the saree. My eyes widened as I shot him a surprised look, "What the fuck are you doing?"
He hushed me by putting his rough forefinger on my lips, "Don't doll, don't. Don't be too daring to cuss in front of me. Remember the contract. Don't disobey me and talking back and cussing includes it", he spoke.
"I thought I won't touch you till we get married but doll, you're too tempting to let go. Maybe that's what you used, your body I mean, to get my brother in your trap along with luring other men too. Right?", he continued his words stabbing my heart.
It was unbearable when someone pointed at your character and your very first love, even if you ruined it all.
I couldn't even question him or yell at him for disrespecting me like this. I was just too tired mentally. Even if it was beyond wrong, I was too tired to even answer his bullshits. I had promised myself to be strong but I was falling weak again.
I silently stared back at him for some time before I spoke slowly, "Are you done for today?"
He raised his right brow, letting a chuckle slip out, as his head tilted rightwards, prior to looking back at me, "No doll. I'm not yet done with you", saying he took my wrists in his hands before taking off the bangles with enough force to leave prints over the prints his fingers had already left on my wrists.
I hissed as the tears ran down my cheeks.
I couldn't even call this abuse because I'd signed this on my own.
My throat ached, I just couldn't form a word to speak. I let him do whatever he pleased.
Taking the bangles in his hands he put them on my palm before speaking, "Take these with you. If maa asks why you aren't wearing them, tell her whatever you want but make sure not to break her heart. These special things aren't for you", his voice laced with hate and fury.
He hated me so much.
Hate; it was something very poisonous and held enough power to ruin you entirely. It can stab your heart multiple times till it's shredded into uncountable pieces. It'll stain your soul with your own blood and you won't be able to see yourself in the mirror again.
And I'd received that hate for years. Forget about others, I've hated myself and still do. I'd hurt so many innocents.
He was digging that old unhealed scar again. That scar which almost killed me. And now I was dying, again.
My head hurt and the lack of oxygen in my lungs was be felt so clearly. My body felt cold, as cold sweat broke out all over my body. I tried to breathe properly but it wasn't helping. It happened so unwarned, that I couldn't think of stopping my body from shaking anymore.
His body was warm and that's what I needed right now. My vision was swirling into nothingness, but I can't, I can't black out here or else, I'll be digging my own grave.
I held onto his shoulders resting my head against his chest. His hands were in the air, preventing him from hugging me. Maybe it was better that way because if he hugged me, I might break down right away and it'd be the last thing to do on earth-crying in my destroyer's arms.
Pulling myself back, I mumbled, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stain your shirt with my sweat and tears. Ask your maids to wash it or simply throw it away". I blabbered whatever came to my tongue, because my brain wasn't in my favour anymore.
I stood back straight before heading towards the door when I heard him replying, "It's better to throw away the shirt stained by your fake tears".
I nodded.
I walked out of the room wiping my sweat and tears to not have anyone suspect me of crying. I put on a light smile and walked inside the hall.
.
"Have a safe journey beta", spoke maa detaching her body from mine after a warm hug.
The smile on her face was something I admired the most.
I nodded back with a smile, "We will maa. I hope y'all also have a safe journey", I said, before she nodded back and I walked towards his car after waving at everyone except chachi. She was glaring at me.
Once I was inside, I let my head fall back and closed my eyes.
It was already past 11, so him and I were going straight to his private airport. He said his private jet was ready. We both had packed our luggage earlier so that tension was gone.
As the car moved, I tilted my head and stared outside the open window.
The dark sky was glowing with the twinkling stars. There were houses at the far end of the green land by the road. Many trees stood there silently and moved swiftly when the summer breeze moved past them. The streetlights were glowing in yellowish-orange. Some people strolled by the roadside, while some cycled.
I also wished to have such a normal and happy life. Struggles come to everyone but the energy to fight against them wasn't much left in me anymore.
I was trapped in a house of cards that might fall any moment killing me along with many lives.
I sighed deeply.
I kept my eyes closed for the next 50 minutes while he kept on working on his tab.
.
A light shake in my body jolted me up from my sleep. I sat up straight, blinking to adjust my vision. My brain didn't work for a few seconds before I realised what was happening around me.
His tall physique standing outside the car beside the open door by me, came into my view. His one hand was tucked inside his pant pocket while the other was holding the door open.
And as usual, he just looked down at me.
I looked down at my body before looking around while catching a glimpse of a vast open land through the windshield of the car.
So we were at his airport.
I fixed my saree before getting down without exchanging a single word with him.
There was a group of men dressed in black holding rifles in their hands. They stood near the stairs on either side that led to the inside of the black jet.
I walked behind him as he walked ahead with two guards in front of us and two at the back.
Didn't he have too many guards? And what was the need?
As we stood in front of the stairs, he handed over something to a man dressed in a deep blue suit. His black hair was styled in such a way that some parts of it were falling on his forehead. His height would be a few millimetres decreased from Arnav. He had dark orbs but I couldn't decide if they're brown or black in the dark.
Once the man was done with Arnav, he faced me with a blank look before bowing, "Good evening Mrs. Rai Mehrotra. Have a nice and safe journey", his voice lacked any softness.
I just nodded.
Him and I then got inside the jet before we were seated on our respective seats. And unfortunately, he was in front of me.
I looked outside the window.
The sides of the runway for jets were glowing with lights out there. Five black Mercedes G-Wagon stood there along with his bodyguards and that man from earlier.
The jet soon started and it ran on the runway before taking off.
I'm going back to India finally after seven years. I had left that country after everything that had happened which ruined my life. Not only mine, many other lives were involved too. The thought of that night itself gave me shivers.
I was lost in my own thoughts when I heard him speaking to a man standing beside him, "Take off his nails and scratch his shoulders but he must be alive".