K A V Y A

The night settled into an eerie, suffocating silence, yet my mind raced, replaying his words over and over. He will be late… Did that mean I had time to run away?

I edged closer to the door, heart pounding, but my hope shattered the moment my hand met the cold, unyielding lock. My breath quickened. What should I do now? Without a second thought, I began pounding on the door, each thud echoing desperately in the stillness.

After a few tense moments, the same girl from earlier appeared, her brows knitting together in confusion.

"Do you need something mam?" she asked cautiously.

"The shower isn't working. Pls check in" I replied quickly, pointing toward the bathroom with what I hoped looked like irritation rather than panic.

She nodded and stepped inside. I trailed behind, my pulse thundering in my ears, and the instant she crossed the bathroom threshold, I slammed the door shut and locked it from the outside.

"Sorry" I murmured under my breath, guilt prickling at me even as her muffled shouts rose from inside.

The hallway stretched before me. Two guards lingered in the hall. What should I do now? I moved slowly, my steps feather-light, but my payal betrayed me with its delicate chime. One of the men’s heads turned sharply in my direction, but I was already descending the stairs. I ducked behind them, pressing myself into the shadows.

Footsteps approached. My pulse roared in my ears. I crouched low and slipped into the hollow beneath the stairs, where the darkness embraced me. It wasn’t comforting, but at least it wasn’t as terrifying as the people here.

The man’s gaze swept lazily over the area before he walked away. My fingers trembled as I unfastened the payal and flung it aside—one less thing to give me away.

Slipping out the main door, I moved with deliberate calm, breathing shallowly. Almost there.

The grass felt cool beneath my bare feet, but my breath hitched sharply when I spotted him—coming in through the gate, Keshav at his side. I froze, panic clawing up my throat, before darting behind a tree. Peering around the rough bark, I watched them disappear inside the house.

No, no, no. If he reached the room, he’d know I’d tried to run. I needed to move—fast.

I hurried toward the back of the property. The high walls loomed like prison gates, but the front was out of the question—the guards would catch me instantly. Dragging a chair into position, I climbed up, straining on tiptoe to reach the top. My fingers clawed at the wall’s edge, but my short height mocked me.

Mai itni choti kyu reh gyi krishna?

My chest rose and fell rapidly. I tiptoed again, arms stretching until they ached—still no luck.

"Ho gya?"

The voice sliced through the air behind me. My entire body went rigid. Before I could turn, my balance slipped. Strong hands clamped around my waist, stopping my fall.

"Tumhe laga tum mujhse dur bhag skti ho, hmm?" His fingers brushed against my cheek, the touch making my skin crawl.

I shoved him away, standing tall despite the tremor in my knees. "STOP IT!!! JUST LET ME GO" I shouted, my voice cracking.

"Keep your voice down" he warned, his gaze cutting into me like a blade. The threat in his tone was undeniable.

"I… pls let me go" I pleaded, a tear breaking free.

"Tumhe ky lgta hai maine tumse shaadi kyu ki, Verma?" he said, stepping closer with measured menace. I instinctively backed away.

"Don't come close" I warned, pointing at him, but he didn’t stop. In an instant, his hand shot out, gripping my wrist, yanking me into his chest. My palms pressed against him reflexively, trying to create space.

"Bohot bewkuf ho tum" he said, his face so close I could feel the heat of his breath.

"Tumne mujhe bewkuf kaha?" I asked, my shock genuine.

"Height ke hisab se tumhe lgta hai tum wall cross kar paogi?" His brows lifted in mocking disbelief. I inhaled sharply, shame creeping up my spine.

"Par ab tumne galti toh kar di. Saja toh milni chahiye na?" His words sent a cold chill through me.

"W-What—" Before I could finish, he hauled me over his shoulder with ease. My breath hitched in panic. "Ky kar rhe ho, CHORO MUJHE!!!" I yelled, thrashing against him, kicking, hitting—but nothing made him loosen his grip.

He strode through the halls, guards and Keshav glancing at us with stunned faces, yet none intervened.

Back in the room, he tossed me onto the bed. I scrambled backward, but his hands were already at his belt.

"K-Kya kar rhe ho…" I whispered, fear flooding every nerve.

He caught my wrists, pinning them behind me, the leather belt tightening around them. My breath came in short, sharp bursts.

"HELP!!!" I screamed with everything in me.

"Tumhe lgta hai tumhe koi bachane ayega?" His breath grazed my ear, making my skin crawl.

"Don't… do this" I sobbed. "I-I won't… do this again."

"Tsk… tsk… saja toh phir bhi milegi tumhe" he murmured, his lips brushing my ear in a way that made my stomach twist in terror.

Suddenly, he dragged me across his lap, my stomach pressed against him, my back vulnerable.

"Count, Verma" he commanded, his hand sliding across my ass. I writhed in his grip, but it only made his voice harden.

"The more you will move, the more harsh I'll go."

"P-Please" I choked out, trembling violently. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could take this.

"You won't do this again?" His tone was flat, expecting obedience. I nodded quickly, and with that, he freed my wrists. I shot upright, trying to put space between us—but his hand caught the back of my neck, pulling me close until our faces nearly touched.

"I am not planning to hurt you till now. Until you disobey me" he growled, my tears falling freely.

"Don't make me do things I don't want to" he said, wiping my cheek with his other hand, his eyes roaming over me with a calculating calm that made my skin prickle.

"Am I clear, Verma?" he whispered.

I nodded without hesitation, too afraid to provoke him further.

Without another word, he stepped away from the bed. "Go to sleep" he ordered, leaving the room.

I hugged my knees tightly to my chest, rocking slightly. The weight of his words, the suffocating fear—it all pressed down on me like an invisible cage.

"Pls help me, krishna" I whispered to the darkness, praying for safety.

____________________

V I K R A N T

I stormed out of her room, fury boiling inside me like molten metal. My chest heaved with the weight of it, and every step felt heavier, faster, angrier. I couldn’t even put into words how violently my mind burned with rage—every thought a spark threatening to ignite into something worse.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, I didn’t hesitate. My hand shot out, gripping the guard’s collar with enough force to make him stagger. Without warning, my palm cracked across his face, the sharp sound slicing through the still air.

"WHAT WERE YOU DOING!!" I roared, my voice echoing in the hall. If I hadn’t arrived in time, she would have been gone—slipped right through their useless watch.

"S-Sorry sir" the guard stammered, his voice trembling.

The apology only fanned my anger. I yanked my gun free, raising it until the cold steel was inches from his face. His eyes went wide with fear.

"IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN, I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU!!" I shouted, every syllable laced with venom. The group of guards flinched as if the words themselves had struck them. "GET OUT!!"

They scattered instantly, vanishing like shadows under a harsh light.

I pulled a cigarette from my pocket, lit it, and took a slow drag, letting the smoke curl lazily from my lips as I tried to rein in the storm inside.

"You did it with her?" Keshav’s voice cut through the haze.

I shut my eyes for a moment, trying not to snap—not yet.

"Are you implying that on me?" I asked through clenched teeth.

"I thought you would do the same with her since that’s what you wanted" he replied casually, like we were discussing the weather.

A sharp, humorless laugh escaped me—low at first, then growing into something darker.

"Aise maja thori ayega… let her feel the pain, fear, everything first" I said flatly, my gaze locked on him without an ounce of warmth.

"Are you sure, Vikrant?" he asked.

"You doubt it?" I shot back, dropping heavily into the couch and pouring myself a drink. The glass clinked against the bottle’s neck before I took a measured sip.

"What’s your plan tho?" he asked, settling into the seat across from me and fixing his own drink.

"Just her words in the court and that’s it. I don’t want anything from her" I said, the whiskey burning down my throat in a satisfying heat.

"You only wanted her in the court right?" he asked.

I met his gaze and gave a single, deliberate nod. He didn’t push further, and silence settled over us—leaving me alone with my drink, my cigarette, and the smoldering thoughts of what was to come.

________________

K A V Y A

Sleep refused to come, no matter how tightly I shut my eyes. My face was buried beneath the duvet, hot tears slipping silently down my cheeks. My chest ached with every muffled sob.

The way he had reacted earlier—it was enough to convince me that he could do anything to me. Anything. And I was terrified. I just wanted to leave, to run, to breathe air that wasn’t poisoned with fear.

Kanha… help me.

"Kyu ro rhi ho, Verma?"

The voice slid into the quiet like a cold blade. His voice. My breath caught in my throat, my body freezing under the covers. Slowly, I felt the weight shift on the bed—him leaning over me, his presence oppressive, his body pressing down just enough to make my skin prickle.

I lifted my face from beneath the duvet, and there he was, hovering above me, staring in a way I couldn’t quite read—but it didn’t feel safe.

"Hmm?" he asked again, his tone strangely casual. One of his hands moved, fingertips brushing away my tears. My breath hitched immediately—his touch carried the sharp, unmistakable scent of alcohol.

He’s drunk. He’s drunk.

"Breath" he murmured, leaning closer, his shadow falling over my face.

How am I supposed to breathe like this?

I pressed my lips tightly together, a silent refusal, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of a response. He stopped just an inch away, his lips hovering dangerously close to mine.

Then, he chuckled.

"I said breath" he repeated, his voice an order this time. His eyes locked onto mine, sharp and unyielding. My lungs betrayed me with a shaky inhale.

I pushed against his chest with trembling hands, but he didn’t move—didn’t even seem to notice.

"Dur kyu karna chahti hu mujhe?" he asked, his gaze flicking down to my hands, still pressing against him.

"Tum… tum mujhe dara rhe ho" I whispered, hating the weak, broken sound of my own voice.

"Arey?" His brow furrowed slightly, as though he found the idea surprising. "Mai tumhe dara rha hu?" His hands framed my face, the sudden contact making me flinch.

"Dar lag rha h tumhe?" he asked seriously.

I nodded quickly, hoping—foolishly—that it would make him back away.

Instead, his lips curved into a smile—not soft, not reassuring, but something far more dangerous.

"She was also scared like this, right?"

My mind froze. Who?

I searched his eyes, but all I found there was darkness—a smoldering anger so deep it felt like it might consume me whole.

"W-What?" I stammered, my fear spilling into my voice.

His smile deepened into something almost predatory.

"This is what I want" he murmured, leaning closer again, closing the space between us until I could feel the warmth of his breath.

I shut my eyes tight. "P-Please."

And then—nothing. The weight above me vanished.

My eyes opened cautiously. The space beside me was empty, the air still vibrating with tension. The door slammed shut, leaving me alone.

I exhaled sharply, lungs burning from holding my breath for too long. My heart still raced.

Is he mad? He doesn’t look fine. He looks like… he needs therapy.

Next day

I woke up to the pale light filtering through the curtains, dragging myself into the shower in hopes the water would wash away the heaviness of the night. It didn’t. When I stepped out, I slipped into another anarkali—the kind he had brought for me, chosen without my say.

Needing to find air, I reached for the door handle, half-expecting it to be locked like always. To my surprise, it turned freely beneath my fingers.

I hesitated for a moment before stepping out. The stairs creaked faintly under my weight as I descended, my heart beating a little faster with each step.

At the bottom, I spotted him—seated casually, talking with Keshav as though the world hadn’t shifted last night.

But then a thought tugged at me. Wait… what is his name?

It was almost as if he had plucked the question straight from my mind, because he turned his head and his gaze met mine. In an instant, the memory of last night came flooding back, sending a sharp tremor of fear through me.

Am I scared of him? No—more than that. Something deeper. Something heavier.

He rose from the couch with unhurried movements and began walking toward me. Each step felt deliberate, predatory. My feet retreated instinctively until the cold, solid surface of a pillar stopped me.

He stopped close—too close—and locked his eyes on mine.

"How was your night?" he asked suddenly, his tone laced with something that felt like mockery, as if he was savoring my discomfort.

"I am going out but Verma… don’t try to run again" he murmured, leaning in until his breath brushed my ear. "Because I will catch you from anywhere, even if you go to the other end of earth."

Heat surged up my face, anger flashing through me despite the fear twisting in my stomach. He smirked, clearly enjoying the reaction.

"Where are we?" I demanded, my voice edged with that same anger.

"Kyu sasural jaane ka man hai ya… mayka?" He leaned in again, his warm breath ghosting over my cheek. I shifted away, desperate to put space between us.

"Bolo? Ab nhi bologi?" His chuckle was low, amused, before he straightened and stepped back.

"Who are you?" I pressed, ignoring his question entirely. For a fraction of a second, something flickered in his eyes—something unreadable—before he turned away without answering.

Frustration bubbled up in me. "WHAT’S YOUR NAME!!" I shouted.

The hall went deathly still. The guards, the servants—every single person seemed to freeze.

He stopped mid-step, then slowly turned his head toward me. His gaze was sharp, fierce, and heavy enough to make the air between us thicken.

"Raghu… is it clear?"

And with that, he walked out of the house, leaving the silence behind him.

Raghu? Who Raghu?