K A V Y A

At night,

My head was spinning, a storm of confusion crashing inside me. Who is he? Do I know him? My memories felt like broken glass—sharp, scattered, and impossible to piece together.

But wait—

He was outside. That meant the way is clear. My heart pounded wildly at the sudden realization. I can again run away. This was my chance, maybe the only one I’d get. I can dash out the front door, scream until my throat tore. The neighbours would hear me, they would come. I’d tell the police everything.

Good plan, Kavya.

I moved downstairs as silently as I could, my bare feet barely making a sound on the cold floor. The hall was eerily empty—the guards weren’t there. My pulse quickened, but in a hopeful way. Good for me, swallowing down the lump of fear in my throat.

The heavy front door was right there. Freedom was just one step away. I lifted my foot to cross the threshold—

—but a rough hand yanked me backward so hard that I stumbled.

I gasped, stammering at the sudden force, my eyes darting up in panic.

"Sali, kal tere chakkar mein jaan chali jaati meri. Abhi bhi bhagne ki koshish kar rhi h" the same guard from yesterday snarled, his grip tightening on my wrist until pain shot through me like fire.

"Aah!" I cried out, twisting against his hold, my voice cracking in helpless agony.

"Abhi batata hu tujhe mai" he said in anger, ready to drag me back inside like some captured animal.

But before he could move, a fist—hard and merciless—slammed into his face.

The guard stumbled back, stunned, and so did I. My breath caught in my chest when I turned to see who had struck him. He was there, standing tall, chest heaving with ragged anger, his eyes burning.

"Kya batayega? BOL!!" he roared, the force of his voice making me flinch violently. My knees weakened. No. Not again. Not him. The rage rolling off him was suffocating, dangerous.

His gaze shifted suddenly, pinning me in place. My lungs froze, refusing to work. He began walking towards me with slow, deliberate steps, each one making my heart slam harder against my ribs. Instinctively, I backed away, retreating until the unyielding surface of a pillar pressed against my back.

"I... I-I can... e-explain" I stuttered, raising my palms defensively as though they could stop the storm advancing toward me. He didn’t pause until he was right in front of me, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off his furious body.

Before I could say more, his hand shot out—not in violence, but to seize my wrist. The same wrist the guard had crushed moments ago. His touch wasn’t harsh this time. His thumb brushed over the reddened skin, soft and slow.

"Lag rhi h?" he asked, his voice low but his eyes fixed intensely on the mark.

When I didn’t answer, still too frozen in shock, he lifted his gaze to mine. His stare was sharp, demanding.

"T-Thora sa" I whispered, my voice trembling, and that seemed enough to ignite him. His jaw clenched, and in the next breath, he lunged at the guard again, fists raining down with violent precision.

I staggered back, moving a little away as fear clawed at me. My heart pounded so hard I thought it would rip out of my chest. I was terrified—more than I had ever been.

"S-sir... she was running" the guard managed to gasp between the blows.

That made him stop mid-swing. His arm froze in the air, his head turning slowly toward me.

No. My entire body went cold. The look in his eyes made my knees threaten to give out. He looked mad—furious.

"Run!!" he barked, the command like a whip cracking in the air. His glare pierced me, and my head spun with confusion. He is telling me to go? Is this real? Maybe I should run...

But before I could move, another voice spoke beside me.

"Upstairs" Keshav said calmly, his presence suddenly grounding me. I turned to him, wide-eyed, but the quiet authority in his tone left me with no choice. My legs moved, though shaky, carrying me toward the staircase.

Behind me, the sound of fists striking flesh echoed through the hall again. I glanced back, only to see him still mercilessly beating the guard, each blow fueled by an anger that made my blood run cold.

My legs faltered, and fear rooted me in place, even as the stairs loomed just ahead.

____________

V I K R A N T

The moment I stepped inside and my eyes landed on the guard clutching her wrist, something inside me snapped. My blood boiled in a way I had never felt before—hot, violent, consuming. Rage clawed through my veins, blinding me to everything else. Nothing mattered now except tearing apart the man who dared not only to raise his voice at her but to touch her.

"Ky batayega !!" I roared, my hand fisting into his collar so tightly his feet almost lifted from the ground.

"S-Sir mai toh bas rok rha tha" he stammered, coughing as blood sprayed from his lips, dripping messily down his chin.

"Hath pakadne ki himmat kaise hui??!!" I snapped, my voice raw with fury, and my hand moved instinctively to the knife tucked behind me. The cold metal felt like fire in my grip.

"A-Aap hi toh usko... darana chahte the n—"

The second the words left his filthy mouth, my blood boiled hotter, roaring in my ears. A dark chuckle escaped my throat, low and dangerous. He thought fear was his right?

The blade gleamed as I pressed it across his neck, my voice dropping into something far more lethal.
"Wo haq sirf mera hai."

My gaze shifted to his trembling hand, the same one that dared to seize what was mine. I seized it, lifting it with disgust.

"Iss hath se tumne usko pakda tha n?" My tone dripped with venom as I dragged the edge of the knife across his flesh.

"S-sorry!!" he screamed, but his pitiful pleast only fueled the fire. The knife carved into his skin slowly, deliberately, until hot blood poured from the wound. The sight made my lips curl into a dangerous smile. His pain was my release.

"Khun!!!"

A soft cry pierced through my haze, shattering the twisted pleasure that had taken over me. My head snapped up, and there she was—Kavya.

She stood frozen, horrified, her wide eyes locked on me as though I had ripped the very soul out of her. Her hands trembled uncontrollably, her chest rising and falling in uneven gasps.

"Kavya?" I said, this time not in anger but in something far heavier. My voice softened, serious, as I noticed the fear consuming her.

But the moment I took a single step toward her, she swayed—then collapsed. I was fast enough to catch her before her body hit the floor, gathering her limp frame in my arms.

"What happened to her?" Keshav’s voice broke through the tension as he rushed to my side, but I didn’t even glance at him. My entire world in that moment was her pale face.

"Tum abhi tak wahi atki ho, Verma?" I muttered, as if speaking to her unconscious form. The knife slipped from my hand, clattering to the floor as I lifted her carefully into my arms.

"Kill him" I ordered coldly, my tone leaving no room for disobedience. Keshav didn’t argue—he knew better than to question me.

I turned away, carrying her upstairs with careful, deliberate steps.

Once inside the room, I laid her down on the bed gently, pulling the duvet up to her chest as though wrapping her in a fragile shield. My fingers brushed across her face, tucking stray strands of hair behind her ear. For a long moment, I simply stared, her peaceful unconsciousness contrasting brutally with the storm raging inside me.

"Kabtak darogi, Verma?" I murmured softly, almost to myself, my eyes lingering on her features. But the unease in my chest grew heavier, telling me I didn’t belong here beside her while she slept.

So I rose, the weight of something unspoken pressing down on me, and quietly walked out of the room.

After some time, I sank into the couch, the silence of the hall broken only by the faint crackle of the cigarette between my fingers. Smoke curled lazily into the air, the bitter taste coating my throat, but it did little to calm the storm inside my head. Across from me, Keshav sat rigid, his sharp eyes fixed on me as if trying to read what I myself could not explain. But my mind was a vault—dark, unreadable.

"Do you know her already?" His voice cut through the haze, dragging me back from the whirlpool of my thoughts.

My eyes narrowed, my attention drifting back to the cigarette. "What made you think that?" I asked, my tone flat, unwilling to reveal anything.

"I felt like" he replied simply, but those words needled into me, sparking a fire of irritation I couldn’t control.

"Don’t act like my mother. You are my secretary, that’s it!!" I snapped, my voice like ice as I leaned back and closed my eyes, forcing a breath to steady myself. The smoke lingered on my lips, but my anger burned hotter.

"Kavya?" Keshav’s sudden call made my eyes fly open. I followed his gaze and froze.

She was there, at the staircase, stepping down with slow, deliberate movements. Her face was blank, empty of expression, like a porcelain doll whose soul had slipped away.

I rose immediately, each step carrying me closer to the stairs, my eyes locked on her as she descended. She didn’t look at me—not once. She turned silently toward the front door, her steps unhurried, almost detached.

"Vikrant? She is going—" Keshav started in a rush, panic bleeding into his voice.

I lifted a finger to my lips sharply, silencing him. My glare was enough to freeze him.

I trailed her quietly, letting her walk as she pleased, never stopping her. When she reached the heavy main door, I gave the guards a small gesture, and without hesitation, they opened it. She stepped out into the world beyond.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? You are letting her—" Keshav tried again, his voice cracking with disbelief.

"Shut up" I whispered, low and sharp with anger, following her outside. Keshav stopped, confusion written all over his face, but I didn’t care.

She walked only a few steps past the threshold before she faltered. I stopped too, just a breath behind her, the night air cold around us. Silence stretched, heavy, until I saw her body tense, going rigid as though her strength had abandoned her.

Without hesitation, I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her against me. I lowered her head gently into my chest, holding her like something fragile.

"Shh… go back to sleep" I whispered, my voice so strangely soft it felt unfamiliar, even to me. Her body sagged against mine, giving in completely, and I scooped her into my arms effortlessly. Without a word to anyone, I carried her back inside.

In the room, I laid her carefully on the bed, adjusting the duvet over her frame with deliberate tenderness. Just as I turned to leave, a sudden tug on my hand made me pause.

She was holding me.

Her delicate fingers curled around mine and she guided my hand to rest against her chest. My fingers twitched, startled by the sudden warmth, the fragile rise and fall beneath my palm. For a moment, time stilled.

I lowered myself, kneeling beside the bed, my face close to hers, watching every detail of her features in the dim light.

"Mujhe sabse phle ye tumhara bhagne ka bhoot dimag se nikalna hoga" I murmured, my voice calm but edged with steel. Slowly, I slid my hand free from her grasp. "Kyuki tum nhi bhag skti aur… na hi mai bhagne dunga."

With that, I rose and left the room, not sparing another glance, my footsteps echoing into the silence.

_________________

K A V Y A

I woke up from my sleep with a sharp gasp, my body jolting upright as though I had been pulled from drowning waters. My chest heaved, breath shallow, heart racing. My mind throbbed with confusion. What happened yesterday? Dream or real?

My temples ached with a dull pounding as I pressed a hand to my forehead. Trying to shake away the heaviness, I dragged myself into the bathroom. The cold water of the shower trickled down my skin, soothing the burn in my skull but not the chaos inside my head. When I returned to my room, dressed in another anarkali, I sat on the bed with heavy thoughts pressing against me.

The door opened quietly, and the same girl walked in. Guilt pinched my chest. I still felt the weight of what I had done to her. She didn’t say anything, just set the tray of food on the side table before turning to leave.

"Can you give me company?" I asked softly. Loneliness gnawed at me—I missed the presence of my maa, missed having someone to talk to.

Without a word, she gave me a gentle smile and sat beside me. The simple kindness in her expression eased something in my heart.

"I... am actually sorry" I murmured, my eyes dropping to my lap in shame.

"It's okay... if I was in your place, I think I would have done the same" she said quietly.

I glanced up at her and returned a small, grateful smile. At least someone here isn’t heartless.

"What’s your name?" I asked.

"Sakshi Sinha" she replied, her tone soft.

I smiled faintly.

"Eat the food while you talk."

"I don’t want to..." I admitted slowly.

"He isn’t at home" she said.

"Oh" Relief flickered through me, like a window had cracked open in a suffocating room. "Waise... aap ek gunde ke liye kyu kaam kar rhi hai?" I asked cautiously.

"Gunde? Woh gunde nhi hai, Kavya" she said gently.

"He looks like" I countered, locking eyes with her.

"Waqt logon ko ajeeb bana deta h. Aisa jaise woh kabhi the bhi nhi" she answered, a wistful smile tugging at her lips.

I studied her. She knew him—knew him well. Why would she ever speak against her boss? It explained everything. I nodded quietly. I am intelligent enough to understand that.

I started eating, though each bite only reminded me of my mother’s cooking. The ache in my chest deepened.

"What do you like to eat, by the way?" Sakshi asked warmly. "I will make it for you."

"I... it’s okay, I love this too" I said quickly. I couldn’t act like a queen here, not when I was nothing more than a prisoner. Why would they treat me like one?

Before Sakshi could reply, the door flew open. Keshav entered abruptly, knocking once only after stepping in.

Where are the manners? My jaw tightened.

His eyes flickered to Sakshi briefly before landing on me. "He is calling you downstairs."

The relief inside me shattered. He was home. Wait—this wasn’t even a home.

I nodded, pushed the plate aside, and followed him out.

"Are you mannerless like him?" I asked sharply, my voice firm.

He frowned in confusion.

"How did you enter the room without knocking?" I pressed, glaring at him.

"This is how you talk to your elders?" he shot back, his tone laced with authority.

My mouth fell open in disbelief. "Ek toh chori upar se seena jori" I snapped as we descended the stairs together.

"Dialogue marne se dimag thanda hogya?" he mocked as we reached the last step.

I was about to throw back a sharper retort when another voice cut through the tension.

"Come here, Verma"

I froze, my head turning slowly in his direction.

There he was. A plain white shirt with two buttons undone, black jeans hugging his frame. He sat on the couch like a ruler on his throne, his legs spread with casual arrogance, as though he owned the world—and me with it.

When I didn’t move, he crooked a finger at me, wordlessly commanding.

Rage surged through me, hot and bitter, but I buried it. Pushing the fire away, I walked toward him.

The moment I tried to sit at the far end of the couch, his hand lashed out. He gripped my wrist and yanked me close, pulling me down beside him.

"What are you doing?" I snapped, my voice sharp, but he didn’t even blink. His eyes were locked on me, ignoring my words as though they were meaningless.

"How are you feeling?" he asked. His tone was calm, but devoid of warmth—cold, detached.

"Does it matter?" I retorted, jerking against his hold, but it only provoked him. With another pull, he dragged me closer still, our bodies pressed together, our faces inches apart.

His gaze swept over me, from my face down to my wrist, his eyes searching as though for answers hidden in my skin.

"Why... did you... call me?" I whispered, my voice shaking. The sound disgusted me—it was weak, afraid. But fear gripped me tightly, undeniable.

Slowly, his eyes lifted, locking onto mine. He didn’t speak. Just stared. His gaze bore into me like he could strip away every layer until nothing of me remained.

"I... asked—"

Before I could finish, his finger pressed against my lips, silencing me instantly.

"Shh....Bohot bolti ho tum" he whispered, his breath brushing against my skin as he leaned dangerously close.

Instinctively, I leaned back, but his hand slid behind my nape and held me firm. With a sharp tug, he yanked me forward until my face hovered against his.

His breath fanned across my lips, hot and suffocating, and terror clawed at my chest.

He leaned closer, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. His whisper curled into me, soft and venomous all at once.

"I have a surprise for you, tonight"