Chapter 18

Abhinay pov

I was shocked, dumbstruck, numb as soon as I heard the words that flew out of viraj's mouth. My mouth agaped and eyes wide like saucers.

Soon I registered what just happened. And as soon as I took into the situation I curled my fist even more if possible.

What rubbish does he said? How dare he said like that? How could he ! God so help me, I am gonna kill him now....!!

" WHAT !!" I snapped my gaze towards maa who was also frozen just like me. Her eyes wide and too shocked to react anything.

Then her eyes snapped to me. I could sense the anger building up in her eyes which was directed towards me, making me gulped in nervousness and anger.

I looked away, not having guts to meet my eyes with her. Somehow I was frustrated on myself too because once again I did the same mistake of relying on my idiotic dumbest friends.

Serve you right asshole!! See where this blind belief on your friends took you now !! My insides screamed at me.

Maa's eyes were still questioning me but I remained quiet, clueless to what I meant to speak now.

I again turned towards the two idiots and glared at both of them with same intensity. Hatred and anger was what I was feeling towards them. I swear they will pay for this.

" What did you just said Viraj." She asked him as she stared at him, then looked at me," What is that son? You are in love with that maid?" She glared at me.

I was about to say something in my defence but instantly cut off by Viraj.

" Maa, she is not a maid." Viraj defended that stupid girl and continued,"Infact he just said that to you because he don't want to raise suspicions that something was cooking in between them. He was actually scared you might disapprove this relationship." He said each and every word clearly and slowly and without any trace of hesitation. Then turned to glance at me but instantly looked away, unable to meet my gaze as I narrowed my eyes at him.

What !! What this asshole just said !!

I was quite astonished at his audacity, how he fluently lying straight to maa's face...!!

If anything more, I was only getting angry with each passing second.

" So you are in love with that maid. You should have told me before son." Maa scolded while stared at me accusingly.

Should I say to her I myself didn't know till now? Those assholes just trapped me here !!

Calm down Abhinay !! Too much anger is not good. My insides said to me.

Whatever. I prayed to god silently that maa would apparently disapprove this relationship. I don't want to marry that stupid crazy girl who could be from a mental asylum. Even though I am a most feared mafia leader in the underworld, but for the outside world, I am one of the most eligible rich bachelor and a rich businessman. I have a reputation to handle. How  can I even think to join my name with that stupid girl !?

Sigh . I took a deep breath and released in an attempt to calm myself down.

I don't know what to say to mom so I choosed to stay quiet and pull up my expressionless face while looking her way.

Maa studied me intently. Her eyes were having so many questions, I myself don't know how to answer them.

" My son can't live without that girl. He loves her so much. But sadly he didn't thought to tell me this before for once." Maa said to no one in particular, in a scolding tone as she continued to glance at each one of us.

I knew I was digging a grave for myself that time when I was exaggerating my fake love. Because that time only one thing was on my mind. My idiotic friends would bring me my fake bride and then we both together pull up the facade by mutual understanding for just a time being. But now I can't even think about that mutual understanding to even exist with that crazy girl.

Mutual understanding with that girl Tara.. hahaha...can never be in a same place, remember  that Abhinay!! My conscience mocked at me.

Viraj and Vinay were nervously glancing at me and then at her back and forth. Viraj's eyes were having pity for me but chosed to look away, trying to ignore my glare I was sending towards his direction.

" You love her Abhinay, don't you? So much that you feared I would be against this union?" Maa voice echoed.

What should I tell her? Should I tell her the truth or should I go with the flow? I don't know what to say and I am damn confused.

" Maa ...." I was about to speak something but again cut off by my maa.

" I don't have any problem with Tara. She is a grown up girl and beautiful too. It's just that don't you think she is quite childish if compare to her age." Maa said to me, more like complaining, after thinking for a while.

Please maa, disapprove this relationship. Reject it !! Please say no , no , no !! Hope bloomed in my heart as I heard the words my maa was uttering. May be she was just thinking to reject this union.

But I stayed quiet.

" You should have tell me she is not any maid but your lover Abhi. " She said accusingly and then thought about something.

I remained quiet.

I was praying to god in my heart that she would go against this relationship and would disapprove my marriage with her.

But NO !! My luck wasn't in favor of me today. Fucking shit !!

" Ok son! If that what you want I would not go against this relationship. I now realised how much you love her and how much you care for her." Maa smiled at me fondly, making my heart thundered in my chest out of sheer terror. I was dreading this moment. Yes !! a freaking mafia leader was dreading with this thought of marriage with that mental girl.

" Maa, it's not like that--" I tried to speak but was cut off by maa.

" It's ok beta, don't go all shy now. I really love her as my bahu. But you should have tell me before. There was no need to tell me that she is any maid. I can understand that you feared my rejection but still atleast have some faith in your parents as well. For this I am very disappointed in you. You know if I knew she is my future bahu, I wouldn't have given her loads of work. Infact I won't have given her any work. You just put me in guilt for misbehaving with my future bahu. I thought she was sulking with her job as a maid. I misjudged her and this is only because of you." She glared at me, but smiled nevertheless and continued," But it's ok son, I can understand and I am not having any problem with this marriage. I just want to see you settle down. Now that I have no problem with your choice, should we fix this marriage as soon as possible !?"

She finished and my heart dropped at her words.

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" WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST DID?" I shouted at Viraj as I grabbed his collar in sheer anger and punched him straight to his face.

" Owww" He groaned.

I again moved towards him to punch him and calm down this fire that was coursing through me.

" HOW DARE YOU !?" I shouted at him. Today I was in this misery and it's all because of this asshole fault. I would not leave him.

" Just stop it Abhi !!" Vinay tried to stop me but in a fit of rage I too punched him on his face.

" It's because of you both assholes that now I am being forced in this marriage. I will not leave you assholes. Today you both will be admitted in the hospitals with broken bones." With that I again moved forward to attack on Viraj.

But instantly Viraj defended himself from my attack and grabbed me, preventing me to showering them with more punches.

" Calm down bro. Just listen to me now...!!" With that he pushed me away.

I stumbled backwards but somehow regained my composure as Vinay grabbed me harshly. I took a deep breath to calm myself down.

" Just fucking leave me asshole" I looked at Vinay with a pointed look and again looked at Viraj, "and YOU, say what do you want to say in your defence bastard... I'm just giving you five minutes to explain yourself." I ordered, gritted out with my clenched fist, ready to pounce on him in any moment. Vinay loosened his grip on me and stared me annoyingly.

" See Abhinay, I was having no choice, but to take Tara's name for your bride."

I clenched my jaw. What this fucking asshole is saying now !?

" Choice !! What choice huh? Had anyone pointed a gun at you that you didn't had a choice? fucking asshole." I gritted out as I looked at him with a pointed look.

" Don't curse. I know what you are feeling at this moment. You must be feeling betrayed by me. But seriously I didn't had any choice..!!"

My palm curled into a fist even more tighter, trying to control myself for not attacking him any moment as I heard the words that flew out of his mouth.

" Tell me what do you mean by YOU not having any choice ?"

" I asked some of the girls from my circle for being a fake bride  of yours, but some of them refused as they were already committed." He huffed, then continued," and well.. some of them were purely sluts; they just wanted to be in a good books of yours; trust me Abhinay... I could even smell their greed and lust for the money and fame; they might be even dreaming about trapping you for a money."

" What do you mean?" I asked him with gritted teeth.

" Maa would never agree for your marriage with those type of girls anyway Abhi; and upon that we didn't had a choice as we were already running out of the time. You told us to arrange a bride asap, then.. "

" Tara striked your mind." I finished for him while narrowing my eyes at him in an accusing manner.

" What's the problem in this huh? She is innocent, naive and always gullible. You don't have to worry about your wife pointing you out for every single mistake, disturbing you for small things or spying you or may be trapping you for more money. "

I remained quiet as I listened to whatever Viraj was speaking to me with intent.

He continued," Listen Abhi, I know you might hate that girl but listen here very carefully; she would be an eligible fake wife for you. I mean she would not try to point you out on everything like a typical wife. What else do you want in your fake wife huh? You can continue your bachelor life even after the marriage. And moreover, she would not trap you for money. Infact you can dominate her, restrict her freedom, control her life. No one is going to stop you." He desperately tried to make me understand.

I listened him with intent as I took into his words. He was right by the way. I still hadn't found any evidence against Tara. And I am also not planning to let her go.

But even after I marry, would it not hurt my reputation? What if she is truly half cracked. I would become a joke in the underworld and a laughing stock in my business world.

These were the thoughts swirling in my mind as I tried to balanced pros and cons by marrying that mental prisoner of mine, but those thoughts soon broke as I heard a knock on my room's door, only to reveal the same mental girl standing in all glory with a mop in his hands and gazing at us.

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Tara pov

Phew !

Atlast! I am done with my work with plants. I watered all the plants in the garden. I really love plants because they are the true reflection of mother nature.

Now I have to start with the cleaning of the rooms. But my eyes widen as I realised there are so many rooms for me to be cleaned.

Oh no !! I really hate so much of work. When I lived in my orphanage, my job there was also same, to do mopping, cleaning. And to be frank I am really tired of doing these chores.

But I believe one day my prince charming would come and sweep me off my feet , filling my life with happiness and only happiness, just like Vimla masi told me. A smile crept on my lips as I remembered my masi and the story she told me on one night.

I heard the story of Cindrella. How her life turned out after meeting her prince charming. I thought dreamily.

I just have to help myself out. I have to escape from this devil and his demons. And then I would find my prince charming and live happily with him.

This is not the time to think about all that Tara. My mind said to me sharply.

I huffed and turned around to enter into the first room which is nearer to me for cleaning.

But I think I had done a mistake as I opened a door, only to meet two demons and all in all devil with his full glory , seems like discussing about something important.

But they all soon stopped discussing as they moved their gazes at me and acknowledged my presence.

I gulped as I looked at each one of them with a nervous glance.

" You came." One demon, whom I think is Vinay came nearer to me with a surprised look. He noticed the mop in my hand and snatched it away from me.

" Heyy!! give it to me demon.!" I chimed. Why he snatched  it away?

" You don't need this Tara. You are not made for all this cleaning." Vinay said calmly and motioned for me to enter in the room. Meanwhile that devil was standing quietly, gazing at me without any emotion.

I gulped. What is he thinking now ? How to fry me in a hot pan?

" Tara.." Another demon whose name I still don't know came forward and took my hand in his. I gulped as I look at all of them in a suspicious manner.

Kuch to garbad hai.. Are they going to sacrifice me to the devil?

" He- heyy l-leave me y-you demon. Le-leave me..!!" I panicked and screeched as that thought crossed my mind.

He instantly left my hand and looked at me weirdly.

" What happened? And stop calling me demon.. I am Viraj. Call me Viraj. Do you understand ?!" He snapped.

My heart thundered in my chest. What they all are planning? Have I disturbed them on a wrong time?

" Vi- Viraj... leave me. I d-didn't do any wrong. Ple-please leave me." My waterwoks started to work as tears filled my eyes, making my vision blurry.

" I know you had not done any wrong Tara. You just need to calm down. No one is going to harm you." This time Vinay said to me as calmly as he could while I continued to look at them all in a suspicious manner.

" Come, sit on the couch." Vinay ordered, meanwhile devil was still observing me in his standing position.

I gulped. Are they really going to kill me?

" I a-am fine st-standing here. " I tried to said firmly but I think I miserably failed. But still I won't follow their orders. What if they are trapping me? You know I am not naive. I know they are planning something dangerous. I gulped nervously.

Viraj, that demon huffed along with Vinay, probably thinking that it is only a waste of time for making me to obey their orders.

" We won't force you. But we want you to listen us."

Huh? listen !? Listen what? How do they plan on frying me in pan, tying me with pole, or discussing about how to kill me? I gulped nervously as panic began to rise in me. What do they exactly want to discuss now? Just few moments ago I was thinking about my prince charming. Where is he? Will he not come to save me?

Fear engulfed me literally.

" Ok calm down first. Stop your crocodile tears this instant. Otherwise we won't hesitate to point our guns at you." Viraj, that ugly demon, threatened as he snapped again, making me more scare.

" I ha-haven't done any wrong demon. Lea-leave me please..!" I raised my voice in utter panic mode.

" We will not harm you Tara. Lower your voice." This time Vinay said, as calmly as he could. Meanwhile, demon was still standing like a statue, observing me.

" Ok tell me what do you want ?" I asked them with half calmed voice as I looked at them in a suspicious manner.

" You are going to marry Tara." Viraj said straightly.

I blinked confused. WHAT?

" What?" I asked confused, not believing what he just said.

" You are going to be married." This time Vinay said smiling softly at me. I turned to look at that devil who was still standing like a statue.

Huh? Why is he standing still. Is he playing statue - statue?

But soon words sank in me as I realised what these demons just said. I am going to marry. Instantly a smile appeared on my lips as my face bright up with happiness.

" My prince charming is coming?" I asked happily, making all of the three looked at me weirdly.

" What !?" Demons yelled synchronously, may be shocked.

I smiled widely at them. Feeling grateful. My prince charming  is going to marry me afterall. But wait!! Who is he?

I confusedly looked at all of them.

" Who is my prince charming by the way?"

" W-what prince charming?" They asked shocked.

" Who is he that I am going to marry?" I asked confused, though feeling happy inwardly.

Viraj smirked at me as soon as he realised what I asked. While Vinay was looking at me dumbfoundly. And that devil was still observing me with the same expressionless face.

" You are to marry my best buddy Tara. That person with whom you would love to spend your life." His voice was mocking, " Your prince charming is in this room only, meet him.. the one and only... Abhinay Singh.." He announced and motioned his hands towards someone. My gaze followed his hands, making my eyes widen as I looked shocked at the devil, while that devil still continued to look at me blankly.

What !!

They played me?

Anger rose inside me.

" Huh !! I AM NOT GOING TO MARRY DEVIL...!!  I shouted angrily.

Their eyes widen while devil looked at me with furious eyes. I gulped. Finally I have awoken the sleeping devil in him.

Focus Tara focus. They played you. My mind yelled at me.

" What made you think I will marry this devil. I will not marry him." I again yelled courageously in high pitched voice.

" SHUT UP !!" Devil roared at me.

I gulped. Whatever...!! I will not show them that I am scared inwardly.

"Listen to me devil. I WILL NOT MARRY YOU. MY PRINCE CHARMING IS WAITING FOR ME SOMEWHERE IN THIS WORLD. I WILL ONLY MARRY HIM. NOT YOU MONSTER..!!" I yelled with courage.

Viraj and Vinay looked at me weirdly. Like I have grown two horns over my head. Huh!? Why are they looking at me like that ?

" WELL YOU ARE... MENTAL GIRL.. !! YOU WILL MARRY ME.  UNFORTUNATELY FOR YOU, I AM THE ONE AND ONLY PRINCE CHARMING FOR YOU GIRL. NOW! BE A GOOD GIRL AND AGREE TO THIS MARRIAGE OTHERWISE I WILL...." I cut him off...

" Or what? fry me in a hot pan?? " I stared at him angrily and courageously.

Now this time he was gazing at me weirdly.

" FUCKING STOP WITH YOUR IMAGINATION BITCH. YOU WILL ONLY MARRY ME. I HAVE MADE UP MY MIND NOW. DON'T YOU DARE  REJECT ME "  Devil roared again in anger. Viraj and Vinay looked at him with a knowing look, or something like that. Then,  Viraj smirked at me while Vinay looked at me in pity.

Huh.. ?

Bitch? He again called bitch?

I looked around confusedly, only to find no animal was in the room.

I got confused.

"LOOK AT ME  MENTAL GIRL!!" The devil again roared.

I angrily looked towards him.

" FIRST OF ALL, THERE IS NO BITCH,  BLIND DEVIL !! And second, I AM NOT MENTAL... YOU ARE !!" I too screamed at him.

Doors were closed and I know that my sounds could not be heard outside these walls.

Devil again roared at me.

" HOW DARE YOU CALL ME BLIND !! YOU MENTAL GIRL.. HOW DARE YOU..."

Mental !?

That's it...!!

In a fit of rage, I took off my one slipper in my hand from my foot and hurled it straight to his face, cutting him mid off his sentence as it striked him hard, straight at his face, while those other two demons glanced at me shocked and then at devil back and forth, with their widen eyes, hitched breath and mouth agaped.

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3600 words.

It was a lengthy chapter. Please tell me if you don't like lengthy chapters.

Well this story just crossed 1K votes and I am really happy with the response.

Thanku my all lovely readers. I am really glad that most of the people are liking my story.

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Sana