DIVYA
Fear
Was this the fear of survival or the fear of death? I had no idea what it was, but there was one thing I knew: I feared the beast in front of me. As if that wasn't enough, Raghav pulled me from behind his back and positioned me directly in front of the creature.
I gasped in shock and terror, trying to hide behind Raghav, but he gripped my hand tightly, not allowing me to move an inch.
"So, do you like my pet?" he whispered. A pet? Who keeps a white tiger as a pet? It's a wild animal.
Its amber eyes fixed on me, and I pressed closer to Raghav, my mind spinning. This was insane.
"Raghav," I whispered, my voice trembling, "that's a tiger."
"He's quite friendly once you get to know him," Raghav said, his tone casual.
Friendly? How could a tiger be friendly? But as the tiger approached, its massive body moving with fluid grace, I felt an odd mix of terror and awe. Its white fur shone brilliantly, and its black stripes made it look so majestic. Indeed, the tiger was beautiful-a sight to behold-but still dangerous.
I cried out in terror when Raghav suddenly pulled me closer to the tiger.
"Leave me, you psycho!" I yelled. Raghav chuckled and positioned me right in front of the beast. My body trembled with fear as silent tears rolled down my cheeks. I didn't want to become its meal today. Raghav crouched in front of the tiger and lovingly rubbed its head. The tiger sat down, getting comfortable with its owner.
As I stood there, paralyzed by fear, I couldn't help but marvel at the strange, dangerous beauty of the creature before me. The line between fear and fascination blurred, leaving me helpless.
"Come here," Raghav called, but I shook my head. He sighed and pulled me towards him, forcing me to kneel in front of the tiger. Its amber eyes glared at me, and it snarled. I trembled in fear.
Slowly, Raghav took my left hand and placed it on the tiger's head. I took a few deep breaths to compose myself and hesitantly began to rub its head. Its fur was surprisingly soft, and a small smile crept onto my face when the tiger neither snarled nor roared. Yet, the fear lingered.
"This is your punishment for entering my room without permission. Remember this and don't repeat the same mistake, or the consequences will be worse," he whispered in my ear. His threat sent a shiver down my spine.
Oh God, this man is a psycho. I was glad to be alive, probably because I had saved his life. Otherwise, he wouldn't hesitate to throw me to his pet for a meal. I gulped nervously as a sharp pain coursed through my body.
I clutched my stomach and groaned in agony.
"Divya?" Raghav muttered. "What happened?" he asked, but I couldn't respond. The pain was overwhelming, and for a moment, I thought I might die from it. My vision blurred. I glanced at the tiger, which looked back at us in confusion. Raghav rubbed my back, but I screamed when he suddenly picked me up in his arms.
I instinctively wrapped my arms around his neck for support. He looked ahead as he carried me towards the mansion, concern and care evident in his eyes. Maybe, just maybe, there was more to Raghav than the danger he seemed to embody.
I soon found myself lying on the sofa in Raghav's living room. He placed a pillow under my head and knelt beside me, his concern palpable as he gently rubbed my hair. "What's wrong, Divya?" he asked soothingly.
"It's... hurting," I stammered, tears streaming down my face. Hearing the commotion, Nandini Aunty rushed in and gasped.
"What happened?" she demanded.
"I don't know, but she's in pain," Raghav replied, panic edging his voice. A scream tore from my throat as another wave of pain surged through me.
"Oh, my poor child," Nandini Aunty murmured, hurrying away. Raghav stayed by my side, caressing my hair. His eyes were filled with genuine concern. A few minutes later, Nandini Aunty returned with some painkillers and a glass of lukewarm water.
Raghav helped me sit up and handed me the medicine. I swallowed it with the water, taking deep breaths to calm myself. Though the pain persisted, I managed a weak smile. Nandini Aunty gently rubbed my back, while Raghav held my hand. It felt comforting to be cared for, a stark contrast to the indifference of my parents.
"What exactly happened?" Raghav asked.
"I think she's under a lot of stress, which aggravated her pain. Her bullet wounds haven't fully healed. She needs both physical and mental rest," Nandini Aunty explained. Raghav looked at me, guilt shadowing his eyes.
Of course, it was his fault. He had introduced me to his "pet"-a ruthless white tiger. But after a few minutes, the pain began to subside. Whatever medicine Nandini Aunty gave me worked like magic. Noticing my improvement, Raghav stood up to leave.
"Since you're feeling better and Nandini Aunty is here to take care of you, I'll head to the office," he said. I didn't want him to go. His presence was reassuring. But I understood he had a multi-billion-dollar company to manage.
"So, how was your first meeting with Arctic?" Nandini Aunty asked, bringing me back to reality.
"Is that his name?" I asked. She nodded.
"Oh, it suits him perfectly," I replied with a small smile. Arctic was a beautiful name for such a majestic creature. Despite my initial fear, I couldn't deny his allure.
"It seems like your first meeting went quite well," she observed.
"Kind of. I was terrified at first, but then it got better," I admitted. She nodded understandingly.
"He's a bit intimidating like his owner, but also sweet and gentle inside, just like Raghav," she said.
I scoffed. "Raghav and sweet don't belong in the same sentence," I retorted, and she chuckled.
With that, she went off to prepare lunch, and I retreated to my room to rest, my mind swirling with the day's events and the unexpected tenderness I had glimpsed in Raghav.
Nandini Aunty woke me up for lunch, and after eating, I promptly went back to sleep. My life had become a cycle of eating and sleeping. There wasn't much to do here; Raghav had a vast library, but reading books wasn't my thing, and I found myself growing bored.
In the evening, I was scrolling through reels when Nandini Aunty sent a maid to call me for dinner. I happily descended the staircase and walked toward the dining room, but my happiness vanished when I didn't find Raghav there.
Nandini Aunty emerged from the kitchen with a bowl of rice, placing it on the table. She gave me a kind smile and said, "He won't be joining you for dinner tonight."
"Huh?" I looked at her, puzzled.
"Raghav has an important client meeting, so he won't be joining you for dinner. He'll be eating out," she explained, smiling again.
My cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Was it so obvious that I had been looking for him?
"Tonight, I made some authentic Punjabi dishes. I hope you like them," she said. I nodded and sat down to eat. I asked her to join me, but she politely declined. I sighed, missing Raghav. It had only been two days, but I had grown accustomed to his presence.
I knew I shouldn't get too comfortable. Soon, I would have to leave this place and return to my old life. Moreover, getting close to Raghav was dangerous; he was the embodiment of danger, and I needed to keep my distance if I valued my life. With these thoughts swirling in my mind, I finished my dinner and returned to my room.
I quickly got rid of my clothes and put on comfortable red silk pajamas. I slipped inside the duvet, switched off the lights, and decided to welcome sleep, hoping to get lost in my dreamland.
But tonight, sleep eluded me. This was the consequence of spending the entire day sleeping. I groaned in frustration and buried my face in the pillow. After a few minutes, I sighed and sat up in bed. Deciding that a cup of tea might help, I made my way downstairs to the kitchen.
In the kitchen, I opened the topmost cabinets and smiled. Being rich had its perks; Raghav had an impressive collection of teas and coffees. He wouldn't mind if I used some. I selected a green leaf tea and decided to make myself a cup of lemon tea.
My eyes were fixed on the kettle as it brewed lemon tea. I sighed, knowing it would be another sleepless night. I hoped the lemon tea might help, recalling how I had read somewhere that it calms and relaxes the body, aiding sleep.
With a sigh, I picked up the kettle from the stove and began pouring it into a cup. Suddenly, I felt the temperature drop, sending a shiver down my spine. From the corner of my eye, I saw him enter the kitchen, wearing only sweatpants. His chiseled abs and broad shoulders made him look like he had just stepped out of a Vogue magazine.
He grabbed a bottle from the fridge, and I couldn't help but watch as he drank, his Adam's apple moving up and down. I gulped nervously, suddenly feeling thirsty.
I quickly averted my gaze before he noticed me staring. I felt his presence behind me, goosebumps spreading across my skin as his hand brushed mine while he picked up the cup. The heat radiating from his body was palpable.
"You make good lemon tea," he whispered in his deep, hoarse voice before taking a sip and placing the cup back down. A smile crept onto my face. I clenched my thighs as he kissed me softly near my ear and walked out of the kitchen.
A different kind of sensation coursed through me, a throbbing in my core I had never felt before. I groaned internally, feeling like a teenage girl. His voice snapped me back to reality. "Having difficulty sleeping?" he asked. He hadn't left after all. He stood by the dining table, his perfect back facing me.
"Yes," I said, my voice hoarse. I licked my dry lips and asked, "What about you?"
He chuckled at my question and turned around. His upper body was clearly visible, and I shamelessly drooled at the sight. Then, my eyes met his face, and I saw him smirking. Obviously, he had caught me staring.
"I haven't been able to sleep for the past 15 years," he mumbled. I gasped in shock as he turned and left.
Fifteen years? What does that mean? Does he have insomnia? With all the money he has, he could easily treat such a problem. So what's the issue? I shrugged my shoulders. Well, rich people have their own ways of dealing with problems. Who am I to judge them?
I picked up the cup and took a sip of the lemon tea. I sighed in relief as the sour and sweet taste soothed my body. Then it hit me-Raghav had also drunk from the same cup. Did that mean we kissed indirectly? My cheeks heated up at the thought, and my heart raced. I took another sip and licked my lips, wishing I could taste his luscious lips for real. I shook my head at my absurd thoughts.
I needed to stop thinking about all this. Raghav was bad for my health.
"I need to maintain a distance from him," I mumbled.
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