chapter 8

Time passes so quickly. Almost 1.5 years ago her family sold her to a brothel and then Vikrant Agnihotri bought her for himself. Till now she was alone, untouched, unmarried and now after completing a few rituals she has become someone's wife. She has a mangalsutra around her neck, sindoor in her hair parting and a ring in her ring finger which Akansha gave her.She is now Mrs. Pari Vikrant Agnihotri, wife of a business tycoon.The bigger his name, the bigger is his wealth. She had got an example of his wealth long ago when he spent money on her like water without any relationship. Now that the relationship has been formed, who knows what kind of colours she will get to see.She walked with him to his mansion. His men, Gautam dropped Akansha back at her mansion. Vikrant took a promise from her that she will soon come and stay with her son and daughter-in-law.Guards are on the main gate. A driver is here to park his car and servants open the door for him. She followed him inside the house and saw Jaymala in Pari's hands, vermillion in her partition, nuptial chain around her neck, servants understood that their master had done something very interesting to be in the coverage of the media." Is lunch ready, Kamla tai?"Vikrant asked while making his way to the living room. Kamla Tai was so engrossed in watching the newly wedded wife of her master that she forgot to reply.Pari avoided her gaze and felt a little uncomfortable. Vikrant came back," Tai?"Kamla startled and turned to him, " y...yes?"" Is lunch ready?"Vikrant asked in a little pissed voice." Yes yes. I will just heat up the food, you freshen up and come."" You better should," Vikrant nodded.Kamla was going to the kitchen but came back only to ask," Will there not be a housewarming ceremony for the new daughter-in-law?"Vikrant felt irritated, " tai, I am hungry."" Yes yes."Kamla disappeared from his sight. Vikrant looked at Pari and found her still standing at the doorstep. He recalled Kamla's words and Pari blinked her eyes. She lifted her foot to come inside but he stopped her," Ruko zara," he showed his palm to her and she put her foot back in its place.( Wait.)" TAI?"Kamla came running, " yes?"While staring at Pari, he said to her, " bring stuff for housewarming of my.. wife."Butterflies spread in her stomach hearing the last word from his mouth. The way 'wife' rolled out from his tongue, she felt the possessiveness and belongingness.Kamla grinned happily and ran back to the kitchen. Pari's eyes dropped to his hands when he started rolling his sleeves up to his elbow and walked closer to her.Will he perform the ritual?Kamla came in 5 minutes with a few more servants.*Thud*Everyone looked behind Pari when they heard the sound of something dropping. Pari frowned seeing a man in his late 30's. He is carrying a bag in which he has collected vegetables.She frowned, feeling his gaze on herself." Come here. Saab is going to perform his wife's greh pravesh," Kamla called him.He must be her husband or maybe a friend. She doesn't know." Kaka? Are you done? Please pick up the bag you dropped and come inside," Vikrant said to him.The man hurriedly picked up the bag and walked inside while passing a smile at Pari. She reciprocated it then looked at Vikrant as he began the ritual.She gulped, feeling her cheeks turning warm because everyone was only looking at them and recording the moment on their mobile phones. She wondered why Vikrant didn't stop them. They seem very close and comfortable with him.Their eyes met and she dared not break the contact as he moved the aarti ki thaali in a circular motion in front of her. She fluttered her eyelashes down as he put a small tilak in between her eyebrows then handed the thaali to a servant and placed the bowl filled with raw rice." Push it gently with your foot," Kamla guided her.Pari nodded and lifted her saree a little then gently pushed the bowl causing the rice to scatter on the floor. Kamla placed the copper plate filled with a thin red liquid made of Alta. Everyone stepped back and with the instructions of Kamla, Pari placed her feet one by one on the place then put her right foot on the white clothes spread on the ground before her.She started walking on the cloth, leaving imprint of feet behind. A smile fought to be on her lips. She felt very very special and all because of Vikrant who was beside her all the time. She was about to stumble but he held her elbow and supported her.Smile finally cast on her lips. His servants clapped for them. Pari smiled at them. They seem very friendly." Alright, everybody! Get back to work."He ordered them and they didn't need to be said twice. They left them alone. Pari looked around his beautiful house. The interior is very shiny with shades of off-white on the wall, rusty brown couches and so on.She could only dream about such a house." Uhm, where should I..live?"She asked with a nervous voice. She is not yet open with him. He pointed upstairs with his chin," You can choose any room you want. The 1st one is mine. Come to me if you need something."Pari nodded. She thought he would ask her to stay with him in his master bedroom because they are husband and wife now. Why, instead of getting comfortable, they are becoming awkward?" You should freshen up. Everything you need will be sent to you in a while."Pari nodded and walked upstairs. His gaze followed her until she chose the third room and walked inside then closed the door. He let out a soft sigh and thought to change his clothes as well, so he went upstairs to his bedroom.Pari was astonished to see such a beautiful room. Everything is top-class just like him. She smiled and put Jaymala on the bed.She walked to the bathroom and stood before the mirror. She stared at her face. She found herself different. She is married now. What if, in his search for freedom, she ends up trapped in bondage?But he promised her that he will provide her freedom and she trusts him. Probably, he is the only person she trusts the most.She sighed and looked at the cubicle. She started stripping and taking off her jewellery and went to the cubicle to take a warm shower.When she came out in a bathrobe after a while, she found two servants decorating her cupboard with clothes and some more essential things. Did he buy all this?She walked to the bed and grabbed a plain saree. The tag was not yet removed and when she checked the price, she was stunned.It is very expensive just because it is from some brand. She shook her head in disbelief and removed the tag and grabbed the blouse.How come he knows her size?Her cheeks turned red with embarrassment. Had he been planning to marry her for a long time?The saree is lightweight and is of light pink colour. The border is sky blue and the blouse is the same colour. She waited for servants to empty the room and till now, she did her makeup.Even makeup was from a very expensive brand, very similar to what she saw in that makeup studio. She doesn't know much about every product, so she just did the basics.She put a stone bindi in between her eyebrows, applied kajal in her eyes and nude shade lipstick. She smiled at herself. She is living this new life he gave to her.She grabbed the comb and brushed her hair which was still wet. She secured her hair with a clutcher then stood up. She closed the door and started draping the saree.Her aunt has, thankfully taught her such things because she believed Pari will have to take care of her husband after marriage so she should know everything to be a perfect wife but sudden change in plan made them push her to the brothel.Anyways.She got ready and just sat there because.. she doesn't know what to do now. She was busy with her thoughts when suddenly a maid came, " bahu-rani?"Pari stood up from the bed and waited for her to continue," Sahab is asking for you."Pari nodded and followed her out of the room. The way she called her made her feel very respectful. People in the brothel called her 'Rani' as well but their tone was tinged with rudeness.She climbed down the stairs and felt her heart skipping a beat. As she got closer to the dining room, she could feel her husband's presence.Kamla is serving food to him. He showed his palm to her as he got a sufficient amount on his plate." Oh? Bahu-rani?"Kamla noticed her and Vikrant lifted his eyelashes and he could not take his eyes off her. She looked mesmerizing. This is the second time she got ready for him. She used to get ready for him before as well but the situation and reasons were different.Today, she got ready as his wife.She couldn't meet his gaze and he wondered why? She never hesitated to break eye-contact with him then why today?She sat down beside him and Kamla served her food as well. She made a signal when she received a sufficient amount of it. Kamla put two chapatis on her plate and she began eating.She could feel his gaze on herself second by second. Did she wear the blouse upside down? Or the colour of the saree did not look good on her? Did he not like her?She glanced at him and he quickly averted his gaze. She dropped her eyelashes down to her food and continued eating. He didn't stop even after that and watched her. Second by second his gaze began to linger on her for longer periods of time.After having lunch, both stood up and walked away. Pari thought about going to her room but he called her." Pari?"She faced him, " hnji?"" Come here. I want to give you something."She nodded and went to him. She sat on the couch beside him and watched him take out a box from a packet. It looked like a new model mobile.He opened the box and took out the device. She stayed silent and stared at him as he switched ON the device and inserted a SIM card into him.She sat straight as he forwarded the device at her." This is for you."She glanced at the mobile then at him." No no, it's okay. You have already done enough. I can't accept this-"" You have to."" But-"" Take it," he insisted.She sighed softly and grabbed the mobile. She was anxious that what if she dropped it and it broke down? How much does this device cost?Vikrant observed her actions carefully. The way she held the phone, saw the cover on the back was indicating in one direction that she was holding her own phone for the first time. Maybe, her family was never allowed to give her one. The lines on her forehead disappeared when he turned the device on.A small smile spread on her face as she stared at the wallpaper." My number is saved in this along with the numbers of all the staff and some important guards."She nodded and searched for contacts and when she finally did, she tapped on it. She blinked her eyes staring at his number which he saved with his own name.She tapped on the back and touched the camera. She lifted the mobile and Vikrant frowned when she tried taking his picture.Her smile widened when she successfully clicked his picture. He couldn't help but to chuckle." I think you should put this on charging."She frowned and checked the battery and he was right, it was about to die. He took out the charger from the box and forwarded it to her." Ab mai jau apne kamre mein?"( Can I go to my room now?)" Hn zaroor," he nodded.( Sure.)She stood up, excitedly this time. She didn't even look back once and went upstairs to her bedroom.Vikrant grabbed his own device and called his man, Gautam." Yes sir?"" Did maa reach safely?"" Yes, sir."" Anything else?"" Uhm, your father was angry."" He's always angry. I plan to blow his mind tomorrow," Vikrant said and disconnected the call.He checked the message of his assistant and ruffled his hair. He sent a message to her.I'll be at the office tomorrow. Make sure you keep the record of the last 2 days of work.He put his phone aside." Sahib?"He looked at his servant." Someone is here to meet you."He nodded, " send him in. It must be the photographer."The servant walked away from there and came back with a photographer who greeted Vikrant then took the seat opposite him." Sir, I want you to select the wedding pictures and tell me which pictures you want to get framed."Vikrant nodded and he unlocked his mobile then started showing him the picture. Vikrant selected many and deleted many." Wait,"The man did not swipe the current picture and Vikrant took the mobile from him. This picture is clicked when he's filling her hairline with vermillion and she is looking into his eyes." I want you to make a huge frame of this picture. Make the medium sized frame of my wife's solo pictures."" Okay sir," the photographer nodded.Once the work was done, he left. Vikrant took a deep breath and went to his room to do his work a little.While working he lost track of the time. At 5 in the evening he went out of his room and thought of checking his wife to see what she was doing at that time.As he opened the door and stepped inside, he found her sleeping on her stomach on the bed while a music video was playing on her mobile.He took steps closer to her and grabbed her mobile. He stopped the music video and closed the YouTube. He was amused seeing so many changes in her mobile. She has downloaded many apps and changed the wallpaper according to her wish.He tapped on the gallery and as expected, she clicked pictures as well. He sent a few of hers to himself then shut the mobile and put it on the nightstand. He grabbed the duvet and put it over her but just after feeling the touch of the blanket, she slowly opened her eyes and turned her head to his side.She blinked her sleepy eyes then sat up immediately." You? When did you come?"He pushed his hands into his pants pocket, " just now."She moved her gaze around to search for a clock on the wall. It was evening already. She got down from the bed and fixed her messy hair. He did not remove his eyes from her throughout the time." Did you need anything?"She asked." No. Just came. I am in the garden by the way."She nodded and he turned to leave. When he exited the room, she went to the bathroom to do her business then came back. She walked toward the window and opened it, letting the cold breeze pass by her.She caressed her arms and let the fresh air soothe her soul and body. It's been only a few hours since she left that hellish life and took the first step towards freedom and that too thanks to Vikrant.She smiled and wondered how to thank him? He is already doing so much for her.Her eyes moved down and she found him talking to someone on video call. He is smiling. She narrowed her eyes and tilted her head to have a better look.Is it Palak?It seems like.To have a better view, she hurriedly left the room and made her way to the garden. Vikrant heard the sounds of her anklets and looked in her direction.She stopped on her track, " uhm.."Her eyes moved to his mobile and he understood what she was here for." It's your friend. My man dropped her safe at her home. Wanna talk?"She smiled widely and nodded. He patted on the couch beside himself, indicating to her to sit down.She went and sat down beside him then took the mobile from him. Palak, too, smiled widely seeing Pari." Hey! Di. See, your husband sent me back home. Here are my parents."Pari could sense the excitement and relief in her voice while being with her family. She greeted her parents who later thanked. Palak told them about her in a very short time. They had tears in their eyes. They must be going crazy to find their daughter.Vikrant's eyes sparkled as she laughed lightly at some talk of Palak. He will die to hear that sound again.Pari talked to Palak for a while before disconnecting the call. She gave the mobile back to him." Thank you," Pari said to him and he just hummed." Uhm, I should go."He parted his mouth to stop her but failed to find a decent reason. He just kept looking at her as she went inside the house.⋆༺✷༻⋆To be continued..