Chapter 16: chapter 16

Adhiraj slammed the door shut to his room and gently placed Imara on the floor. An enraged Imara raised her hand, ready to strike Adhiraj’s face.Anticipating her reaction, Adhiraj swiftly grasped her wrist, twisted her arm behind her back, and pulled her closer. Their bodies pressed against each other, tightly intertwined. Imara stared at him with furious eyes, her jaw clenched and nostrils flaring. In response, Adhiraj met her gaze with an even more intense stare as she screamed, “Keep your bloody hands off me! DO. NOT. TOUCH. ME!”Without hesitation, Adhiraj brought her even closer, causing her to squirm in an attempt to break free. He leaned in, whispering softly, “I can do much more than just touch you, and everyone else would assume we’re having a wild, passionate night when you scream my name.”“How dare you?” she yelled once again, clearly enraged.“I have all the rights to dare. You willingly granted me those rights when you accepted me as your husband in front of the entire world. Therefore, whatever I choose to do within the privacy of our room is simply an assertion of my rights over my wife. So, I suggest you behave.” With those words, he forcefully pushed her aside and stormed off towards the washroom, exclaiming, “If you dare step out of this room, I will destroy your precious toy factory. Mark my words, Little Tyke!”Imara’s eyes grew wider as she was met with his blatant threat, prompting her to grab a glass with the intention of launching it at her husband. Much to her dismay, he had managed to slip inside and sealed the door shut, leaving her with a burning sensation of tears and a frustrated scream escaping her lips.Her piercing shriek reached Adhiraj’s ears, who, consumed by fury, unleashed his anger by punching the wall in the washroom. How did he end up in this mess? And what had his grandfather dragged him into? Why did his grandfather stubbornly insist on marrying this particular girl who was hell-bent on wreaking havoc in his family?Outside, Imara aggressively scrubbed her face, erasing all signs of vulnerability; her tears. She retrieved her phone and dialed Isha, asking, “Ish...what’s the situation over there?”“We’re about to board the flight. There’s no use lingering here without a spot. We will try another exhibition, and you better fill me in on what’s going on. What is all this I am hearing?”Imara pursed her lips, suppressing her emotions, and replied, “I will fill you in once you’re back.”With that, she disregarded Adhiraj’s warning and left the room. Her steps were deliberate and unhurried as she regained composure and headed towards her parents’ room.Meanwhile, as soon as Adhiraj exited the washroom, Imara was nowhere to be found in the room. Concerned, he swiftly contacted the security, inquiring, “Is she there?”Upon being told that she was not, Adhiraj hastily stepped out of the room in search of his exasperating wife. And lo and behold, he spotted her knocking on her parents’ door. Without a moment’s hesitation, he trailed behind her, sure she might try to leave once more.As the room door swung open, Sanjay, though worried at Imara’s sudden appearance, gracefully stepped aside, granting her entry with a subtle nod. But just as the door was inching towards closure, Adhiraj intervened, placing his hand on the door, and Sanjay acquiesced, granting him entry as well.Upon entering the room, Adhiraj asserted, “I want to be here just in case she tries to run again.”In response to this, Imara turned sharply and hissed, “I am here to talk to my parents. You can just…”“Imara!” Sanjay admonished, his tone firm. “You are not talking to your husband like that.”Imara firmly clenched her jaw, realising that the best course of action would be to ignore Adhiraj for now if she wished to talk to her father.Hence, she focused her attention on her father and confidently declared, “I have some great news for you,” she sarcastically tilted her head and continued, “Since the reserved spot got cancelled, my team is coming back. I am here, just as you wanted. Feel free to celebrate now.”“Imu…” Suvika cautiously interjected, aware of Adhiraj’s watchful presence.Imara turned to her mother, hissing, “It is Imara... just Imara...” Then, she turned towards her father, who finally spoke up, “What spot?”Nodding, Imara clenched her teeth and bluntly added, “Don’t play dumb, please. At least have the guts to take ownership of your cheap tricks.”Ignoring any further response, she exited the room and stopped dead in her tracks. The mere thought of returning to Adhiraj’s room filled her with dread, as did the idea of seeking refuge in her parents’ room or seeking solace from any of her family members. Yearning for her snug 1 BHK apartment, her comforting bed, and the pillow that she hugged every night, she was overcome by an intense urge to weep.Desperate to escape her current situation, she longed to snatch the car keys from Adhiraj, flee inside her vehicle, and speed past the gates to her most loved spot. A few feet away from Dheeraj’s home, from where she could look at him through the shadows, without being noticed. That would have provided her some relief, but she couldn’t.Hence, despite being aware that Adhiraj had also left the room to keep an eye on her, she proceeded to descend the stairs and head towards the reception area, with Adhiraj silently following behind.“I need a room...” she whispered to the receptionist, who appeared puzzled as Adhiraj stood right behind Imara.“Mam...” the receptionist stammered, only to be interrupted by Adhiraj shaking his head in an apparent ‘No.’Imara shot a searing glare at the receptionist and asserted, “I need a room. The entire palace is booked for the wedding. There must be one available.”The receptionist shook her head and replied, “Sorry, Mam, all of them are occupied.”Frustration etched on her face, Imara clenched her jaw, glanced outside, and nodded. “In that case, I need one of those camps. I am sure there must be some available.”Adhiraj once again shook his head in a ‘No’, and like a comical echo, the receptionist mimicked his actions. This made Imara furrow her brows in annoyance. Undeterred, Imara nodded and spun around, heading towards the elevator that would bring her to the same floor Adhiraj had taken her to earlier. Determined, she made a beeline for Adhiraj’s room, but fumbled with the doorknob. Just in the nick of time, with superhero-like agility, she managed to slip inside and shut the door while Adhiraj was mere inches away from stepping inside.With a satisfying click, she locked the door, effectively barricading her husband from their own room. Unhindered by his furious pounding on the door, Imara removed her footwear and settled onto the couch for a well-deserved sleep. Meanwhile, poor Adhiraj continued his futile cries of “Imara...,” through the door.But Imara couldn’t care less about his fervent pleas, muttering cynically under her breath, “Buzz off, you asshole!”With an exasperated grunt, he sauntered into the room next door that belonged to Atharv and Samrat. As anticipated, his brothers were still wide awake, and Samrat swung open the door in response to his persistent knocking. While Samrat raised an eyebrow inquisitively, Adhiraj simply brushed him aside and made a beeline for the connecting door that led to his room. If only the damsel in distress was aware of this twisted architectural arrangement! Luckily for him, that door was locked from this side.As his brothers observed his furious antics, Adhiraj unlocked the door and stormed into his room. Completely oblivious to the pandemonium that had unfolded moments ago, Atharv and Samrat exchanged incredulous glances, looking like perplexed puppies.Meanwhile, Adhiraj finally stepped into his room, where a velvety, welcoming glow enveloped him like a warm, fuzzy hug. Casting his eyes around the room, he noticed the bed was unoccupied, but it was the couch that caught his attention.==========Author's Note:Hey Readers,Thank you for your support and welcoming the idea of me posting one chapter in two days. I promise to be back on track as soon as I can♥️♥️