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Pakhi came downstairs with her brother following behind. She spotted Aryan in the living room who was talking to her grandmother and shifted his attention to her as soon as he heard the sound of her anklets.
So, it was time for her to leave now.
The above thought was enough to drop her mood.
" Come Pakhi," her grandmother called her.
She walked toward them and sat opposite to them on the couch. Jaydev stood behind his sister and stared- glared at Aryan.
" I have talked to Aryan. He won't trouble you anymore. Right Aryan?"
" Yes, of course Nani."
You are so innocent, Nani- Pakhi thought.
" You promised me that you won't bring your grudges with Jay in the matter of Pakhi."
" I remember, Nani."
Aryan uttered and looked at Pakhi.
" Shall we leave?"
Pakhi chewed the corner of her lower lip and hummed in a tiny voice before standing up and facing her brother. His expression instantly changed and he cupped her cheeks.
" Take care, hmm?"
She nodded then turned around and walked toward her grandmother. She hugged her and smiled as she pecked her forehead.
Rohini and Dravid came into the living room.
" Why don't you leave after having dinner?"
Dravid said to Aryan who furrowed his eyebrows in confusion because ain't no way they would talk to him like that. And he was right.
" No matter what you did and how you married our daughter, it won't change the reality that you are now our son-in-law. We can't let you go like this. Son-in-laws are respected in our house."
Aryan chuckled and stood up, " that's alright. I don't trust some people here. What if they put poison in my food."
Pakhi furrowed because he clearly talked about her brother. While Jaydev can't stay silent. Both were once best friends after all.
" If I want to kill you, I can do it right now and you won't be able to do anything. Only you can do such lowly and disgusting things."
Pakhi widened her eyes at his harsh language but luckily, Aryan was in a good mood because he laughed it off the matter and grabbed Pakhi's hand.
" Sure, brother-in-law. We'll be leaving now."
Pakhi stared at her family one last as he started taking her out of the house. She entered the car as he opened the passenger side door for her.
The door banged closed and she was startled by the sound. He came to his side and sat inside. She fastened the seatbelt and shifted uncomfortably on her seat.
The air gets tense every time she's alone with him. It feels like as if he has taken over her mind and she can't think anything straight.
He started driving the car and like always, she looked outside the window, not wanting to interact with him anyway. Aryan glanced at her,
" Dekhna Zara ki meri shakal mein kuch laga hai?"
( See if there's something on my face.)
She looked at his face and found nothing. She shook her head at him.
" No? Then why do you turn your face away as if my moustache is very big, I have horns on my head, and my eyes are red like a demon's."
She bit her lower lip and literally imagined like he described in the above sentence. She looked at her lap and tried controlling her laugh because in her imagination, he looked like a clown in that way.
He caught sight of her smile, " what's so funny?"
She ended up smiling widely and avoided his gaze by turning her gaze to the window.
" Please share with me so I can laugh as well," he insisted.
She cleared her throat and managed to control herself then said, " it's nothing."
He nodded and was about to say something when his car hit another suddenly.
She got attentive and he pulled the brakes. His eyebrows frowned and he unfastened his seatbelt before going out of the car.
The other person also came out while he analysed his car and clenched his jaw as he found the headlight broken. Pakhi stared at him worriedly.
She was not worried for him but the man who looked innocent. The hit was not intentional but cracks on his car and broken headlight boiled Aryan's blood.
She couldn't hear anything but she was sure he was dominating the matter and was on the edge of throwing hands. He was arguing with him.
Pakhi felt like going out and stopping him but did not move an inch, knowing he could get angry at her.
She leaned her back on the seat and stared at him who took some 10 or 15 minutes to clean the matter.
She wondered what he achieved because in the end he did not even take the money. Yes! He wanted to show people what a dangerous man he is.
She rolled her eyes at the above thought and realised his mood was ruined when he came and drove away from there.
His expression was irritated, so she did not try to do anything that could trigger him. She just wished to reach home as soon as possible.
She is certain that he loves his car like an insane person. Her brother behaves the same when someone hit his car. His car is like a gem to him.
Somehow they finished their long drive and reached their home. Pakhi found Shruti working in the living room. She has put spectacles on her.
" You two came?" she asked and frowned when her brother went upstairs without answering.
" What happened to this grumpy king?"
" His car got damaged a little due to the hit," Pakhi replied and Shruti sighed heavily.
" To premika ko chot lag gayi?"
( So his lover got injured.)
Shruti chuckled and Pakhi tried looking at the book she was studying.
" Uhm, what are you doing?"
Pakhi thought to start a conversation with her at least. Shruti smiled.
" The syllabus has changed so before the lecture I need to study the chapters so I am just understanding the main points."
" Oh," Pakhi uttered.
" What subject do you teach?"
" Political science," Shruti replied and Pakhi nodded.
" Come," Shruti patted on the vacant place beside her as she realised that she wanted to talk to her.
Pakhi went to her and sat beside her.
" How many classes do you take?"
Pakhi asked curiously when Shruti closed the book because she was almost done.
" 3 of 1st year and 1 class of 3rd year honours students."
Pakhi nodded, " you must be a very chill teacher."
Shruti laughed like she cracked a joke.
" Ask my students. I am sure they wish for my absence."
" Really? You are a strict teacher?"
Shruti shrugged her shoulders, " maybe."
" Di?"
" Hmm."
Pakhi took a deep breath then said, " I am sorry for that..day when I talked rudely to you?"
Shruti smiled and shook her head, " I am not angry, neither I have the right to be angry. You were right. I would have done the same. Acha leave it, tell me do you want to watch movie-"
" No she doesn't," both looked at the source of voice and saw Aryan.
He tucked his hands in the pockets and uttered while standing near stairs,
" Do you see time? It's 11:30 and who watches movies at this time? Go and sleep."
Shruti rolled her eyes, " you are so rude."
Aryan glanced at Pakhi before going to his room. Shruti grabbed her book and said to Pakhi,
" He's so punctual about time. But I promise, we'll watch a movie tomorrow for sure in the evening."
" Okay," Pakhi replied and stood up.
" Uhm, Good night."
" Good night," Pakhi patted her cheek and smiled at her before going to her bedroom. She could feel the vibe of elder sister and it was such..a nice feeling.
She took a deep breath and went to her bedroom.
She peeked her head inside the room and bit her lower lip, not getting a glimpse of her husband. She hurriedly went inside, grabbed her night dress from almirah and thought to disappear in the bathroom.
But as she was about to enter the bathroom, the door opened from inside and she bumped into him. He held her in a quick reflex.
" Ah!"
She touched her nose when it hit his chest.
" Oh? Sorry. Are you okay?"
She nodded immediately and freed herself from him.
" Why are you running like a thief?"
He asked.
" Nothing," she replied and went to the bathroom when he stepped aside. He shook his head at her and walked toward the bed.
She locked the door from inside and let out a relaxed breath.
Aryan grabbed his mobile and unlocked it. He checked the newly arrived message from his assistant. His eyebrows knitted as he read details related to his client whose case he is handling currently.
He sighed heavily and put the mobile down after a while. His gaze turned to the bathroom when he heard the sounds of her anklets.
She came out and straight went to the dressing table. She grabbed the comb and started brushing her hair while he used the time to stare at her as long as he wanted.
She could notice his heated gaze on her. He was making her nervous and it was not polite to stare at someone like this.
" Please don't look."
He raised his eyebrows and asked amusingly, " why cannot I?"
" Because I feel uncomfortable," she said courageously.
" Acha? Par main to dekhunga," he said stubbornly.
( Really? But I will stare.)
She frowned and looked at his reflection in the mirror.
" Why?"
He did not say anything for some seconds which made her put the comb down and turn around and repeat her question,
" Why?"
" Kyunki tum meri ho," he replied without any doubt.
( Because you are mine.)
She blinked. He started walking forward while saying,
" Poora haq hai mujhe tumhe dekhne ka. Biwi ko meri."
( I can rightfully stare at you. You are my wife.)
But, she does not consider him her husband. It's just a forced relation which she does not wish to make lovey-dovey.
She stepped back when he stood in front of her. She stumbled as her back of knees hit the stool but he wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her close to himself.
She placed her hands on his chest and stared at him with enlarged eyes.
The audacity of this man-
He raised his other hand and cupped her cheek. She felt him feathering her skin with the pad of his thumb. She fluttered her eyelashes down when he brought his face close to her.
Her heart beat accelerated and body felt goosebumps due to strange sensations. Her eyes closed when he rubbed the tip of his nose with her.
His breathing hit against her lips and she felt it difficult to escape from the cage made by his arms.
" Don't hold your breath, biwi."
He whispered against her lips and she let out the breath she was holding till now. She applied pressure on his chest and tried pushing him but the very next second, felt his lips on the tip of her nose.
It scared her.
The proximity.
It scared her in a different way. She felt weak on her knees and wanted to push him but at the same couldn't gather courage.
He moved his lips back only to snuggle his face against her neck. He inhaled her fragrance and instantly felt his nerves calming down.
She is like a drug that calms him. A sweet addiction which he would never like to get rid of.
" You really don't know how much I fucking love you."
She heard his voice. His beard tickled her skin and she felt ticklish to her stomach.
This was wrong.
This shouldn't happen between them.
Pakhi snapped her eyes open and pushed him away. The crave to hold her like that again, came back and he felt empty by the loss of proximity between them.
Pakhi put her hand on her chest and faced her back at him.
" You...you don't come close to me ever."
She gulped down her saliva. Her breathing was heavy. The previous moment played in her mind like a never-ending clip. The developing strange emotions irritated her.
She looked at his reflection in the mirror and shook her head.
" You married me forcefully. It doesn't mean you will touch me forcefully."
He knitted his eyebrows, finding water gathering in her eyes.
" I don't consider our relationship as that of a normal husband and wife. This relationship has been imposed on me. You claimed your right to me and I remember what type of man you are. The way you married me- I can't forget it. You can't make me do things forcefully. Not today, not tomorrow and not ever, I will not establish any relationship with you. I am not yours. I just finding ways to escape you-"
She gasped when he held her elbow and turned her around.
" Ah!"
She hissed in pain when he twisted her arm behind her back and pulled her close to his chest with a jerk. He was quiet, and would have remained quiet, but her last sentence was enough to trigger him.
" Listen to me and listen to me carefully. You can never escape me."
More tears gathered in her eyes and dropped down from her cheeks. His grip was tight on her wrist and it was hurting her.
" You are bound to me till death do us apart. So, put this shit out of your brain that you can escape me. And-"
He cupped her cheeks with another hand. This time his touch did not feel gentle to her. Rather, she wanted to get rid of it.
" You belong to me only."
She broke into sobs and shook her head, " th..this is not love."
He smiled slightly which felt terrifying to her.
" This is the way I love, baby. You are destined with me. If you want to get rid of me then kill me and free yourself because until I am alive, nobody can take you away from me."
" Please..leave me."
She pleaded, not wanting to be close with him. He can never love her. It's just a pure obsession from his side.
" Do whatever you want but you can never win me."
She declared.
He stared into her eyes for some good seconds and sensed immense hatred for himself. Who would even love an insane man like him? A girl like her would never.
He left her wrist and without passing her another glance, he went out of the room.
Pakhi touched her wrist where prints of his fingers had formed. Luckily the bangles did not break.
She wiped her tears, " I hate him."
She grabbed the blanket from bed and walked toward the balcony. She would never sleep on the same bed as him after the way he behaved with her.
She knows he will come back soon and before he force to sleep on it, she will lock all the ways for him to force her.
She locked the window from her side and lay on the couch. The weather was cold but it was way better than sleeping with him.
She covered herself with a blanket and faced her back at the window then closed her eyes. It did not take her much time to drift into her dreamland.
Like she expected, Aryan came to the room and found the bed empty. He frowned and checked the bathroom. He was about to go out of the room thinking she must have gone to sleep in an empty room in the house, but stopped on his track when his eyes landed on the balcony.
He walked toward it and placed his hands on the glass window. She is sleeping soundlessly on the couch.
He tried opening the window but she had locked it. He sighed and stared at her figure with an apologetic look on face.
He hurt her, made her cry and behaved so badly with her which he did not plan to. It was all because of his temper which never succeeded to calm. He hates when she tries to remind him that she will never be his.
He is already insecure regarding that topic and her words just trigger him.
He doesn't know how to love.
According to him, the way he claims right, shower people with presents is love.
He is possessive, dominating and obsessive.
It was sick, he knew but he couldn't help. He wants to win her love but he doesn't know the proper way to make a separate place in her life for himself.
He only wants to live in her. He wants his existence to start and end only with Pakhi. He is like a thirsty river whose only means of survival is his girl. He wants his life to smell of her fragrance. Her laughter should reverberate throughout the house like a song - this is all he wants.
He only wants Pakhi to stay with him and never get separated from him. He would bear anything but not separation with her.
" I am sorry, love. I..am a fucked up man whose life only revolve around you."
He walked toward the bed and brought a pillow. He put it on the ground and lay down on the floor. He folded his hands under his head and soon slept near the balcony.
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Read chapter 9 to 12 in the scrollstack.
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