OBSESSED

10

"Good morning!!!" she heard somebody say as bright light fell upon her eyes making her moan in discomfort. She softly opened her eyes and warm sunlight fell into her eyes. She immediately closed them and turned away. Again she opened her eyes and this time she discovered a familiar face staring down at her from her right. Gasping aloud she sat up with a start. She could feel her heart beating loudly inside her chest.
"Naira are you okay???" asked a confused Narasimha as he immediately cupped her little face in his big hands. She looked up at him disarmed, trying to steady her breathing.
"I think.....I just got a little surprised seeing you next to me." she confessed, a little uncomfortable with his hands on her cheeks. He smiled sweetly.
"That's fine, it's a new place....i can understand. You'll get used to it. When I first shifted into this house, even I had a little difficulty adjusting. It happens to everyone, don't worry." he said with a big smile plastered on his face. She looked at him a little startled.
"But I don't need to get used to the life around here. I will be gone once my father gives you money. Right??" she asked innocently. Suddenly there was a change in his eyes, they turned one shade darker. A feeling called terror passed through her veins, making her feet cold. He leaned closer to her. So close that their noses were touching. His deep dark eyes pierced through her soul.
"What if I don't let you leave???" he spoke, his teeth gnashed. She gulped. Tears rolled into the corner of her eyes.
"Why??" she whispered, tears blurring her vision. Looking at her terror stricken face, he squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. Inwardly he reminded himself that she was just a little girl and he needed to be patient with her. Few seconds later, he put on a smile and opened his eyes.
"Let's not talk about that!!! All I wanna say is that, please get up and get ready for breakfast. I have asked the cooks to make you some pancakes and pasta. Ok. I am waiting downstairs." he told her softly. And then to her shock he placed two quick kisses on either side of her face before rising up from the chair. She gaped at him in shock. That was too intimate don't you think.
"And yes I have bought you a bunch of clothes, if they are not up to your liking just tell me...I'll get you new ones." he told her kindly as he made his way to the door. And then he passed her a smile before walking out. Naira was dumbfounded. Like is this how your kidnapper is supposed to treat you. I mean in the movies it's quite different. Maybe movies just overexaggerate everything. Yet something doesn't add up here. He's just too sweet and caring to be a captor. Was he doing this all on purpose and had an ulterior motive which she couldn't see??? Or was he naturally a good person who had to turn into a kidnapper because of the demand of a situation??? Naira was ambivalent about him to be honest. Although here things were far better than in her house, considering she was fed handsomely here and could binge watch all day without anybody having to stop her, yet something just was off with this place and especially with that man. He seemed to be putting up a front, most likely he wasn't what he wanted her to see him as.

Naira took a bath, wore a baggy tee shirt and pajamas and started climbing downstairs for breakfast. When she entered the dining room, the man was talking to somebody on the phone and he was shouting rather than talking. She stood on the threshold nervously. He didn't look in a good mood.
"I don't give a shit!!!!! It's either 25 or I am out of this deal. I am not incurring losses because of some idiots who know nothing about business." he fumed, his phone pressed tightly to his ear. She noticed he wasn't wearing his blazer but was in his shirt with three upper buttons undone. His sleeves were rolled up showing thick bulging veins on his muscly arm. The room smelled of a very masculine cologne which reminded him of the man who assaulted her in her house that night. Her eyes widened in horror as the memories from that night flashed before her eyes. Was he the one???? But she still needed confirmation from him.
"Oh really!!!! How about I shoot you all!!!! Will that be ok since you want to be dead so badly???? And I am not joking you better know that and I swear I am literally breaking your bones and...." he stopped as he espied her standing horrified at the door. He fumbled with his phone and would've dropped it had his other hand not secured it before it could fall. He smiled nervously.
"I'll call back." and he disconnected the call. Carelessly he threw his iPhone on the table as if people don't sell their kidneys for this phone. He then cleared his throat.
"Naira.....please come. I was just....you know talking to an old friend. Nothing too serious." he lied but he knew she was innocent enough to buy it. Nervously she walked into the dining room which was brightly lit but the morning sunlight falling into the room through the big windows. Outside the window she saw a stream flowing noisily a good 2 kilometres away and there was lush greenery surrounding the house she was held captive in. The place was nice honestly but perhaps not the people. She even didn't know where she was. Was she in Lonavla??? Or outside pune??? She wasn't sure where such lush greenery is found near Mumbai. Poor Naira had no idea that she was in completely different state where even her great grandparents have never been to. She was in Kerela. A place where she was a complete stranger. Where she knew nobody except for this man who she couldn't even trust completely.
"I am sorry if I have disturbed you." she spoke tenderly. He chuckled.
"Absolutely not. I was just waiting for you. Come let's have breakfast together." he said happily as he held her hand in his and started walking towards the dining table.
"I did drink a protein shake two hours ago and ate some nuts but haven't eaten anything serious which is why I am starving. I don't eat pancakes and therefore for me I have some uttapam and sambhar." he tried to start a conversation as he pulled out a chair for her. Quietly she sat down and waited for him to serve.
"Do you wanna try some of my food??" he asked sweetly. She shook her head. Pasta is love for her. He chuckled as he served her good amount of pasta while the lady who was the main server in the dining room served her pancakes and honey on a separate plate. And pomegranate juice was poured into her glass with elegance.
"Do you want something else??" he asked politely. She shook her head as she digged the fork into the pasta. He gestured the lady to leave. She acquiesced.
"Can I ask you something??" she asked a little fearful. He looked at her and smiled.
"Anything my dear." he said, his handsome face bronzing in the morning sunlight. She gulped, keeping her fork down.
"A couple of nights ago a man broke into my room.....and he tried to molest me. I was wondering if...."
"If it was me who did that." he completed, his eyes blank and staring at the food on the table. She gulped.
"I am sorry if I offended you..."
"Tell me yourself Naira, am I not supposed to be offended??? And more than offended I am hurt.." he said, his eyes replete with sadness. Naira felt bad. She felt she was being selfish and ungrateful.
"I didn't want to hurt you..."
"But I am hurt Naira. You've been here since yesterday and I have done everything just for you to feel comfortable in my house. Do you think I can hurt you???" he asked slyly, his eyes wicked and calculative. Naira looked up at him innocently. She thought she owed this guy an apology.
"I am sorry Mr......." she stopped short. He never gave her his name. He smiled.
"Narasimha Varma. That's a lot of words but you can shorten it up for your own comfort if you wish." he said sipping on his black coffee. Naira picked up the fork.
"Did you call my papa???" she asked cheerfully. His grip around his spoon tightened. His knuckles had started turning white. Naira stiffened at the change in his eyes, they were dark and ferocious. He was breathing erratically.
"Mr. Varma are you alright???" she asked innocently, fully unaware that this guy easily kills people when he's pissed off. But he wouldn't kill his baby girl. No way. He exhaled his anger and turned towards her.
"Don't you like in here???" he asked trying to keep his anger at bay. She looked at him with innocence which melted his stone cold heart.
"I don't understand." she confessed. He wanted to pull out his hairs and yell at her for being so damn cute and adorable.
"Never mind my dear. I rang up your father last night. The phone was switched off. I'll try again in the afternoon." he said, clearly uninterested in lengthening this conversation. She nodded.
"He must be so worried." she whispered to herself. Narasimha ran his fingers through his thick hairs and licked his lips. She needs to stop ranting about her family. He fucking gets jealous when she talks about anybody other than him. Is this too difficult for her to understand that she belongs to him alone?? And when something belongs to Narasimha then it cannot be of anybody else.
"Carlos!!!" he shouted irritated. Naira stiffened. A middle aged man came running into the room. His skin was chocolate brown and hairs curly. Narasimha wiped his hands with the napkin.
"I won't be back until evening. Take care of madam and make sure her every demand is met. But also make sure that she isn't fooling around the main door. Let her explore the rest of the house but the main door is off limits to her." he watched her darkly as he instructed the man. Naira's toes curled.

When Narasimha arrived in the evening, the house was silent. He was used to a quiet house but Naira's presence kept a bit of noise going on in the house. May it be in the form of TV or her running across her room to watch the birds that flitted into the room through her window. He loved that little activity in his house. After years of living alone, it actually felt good to have a company of a lively human. She brought so much light to his life and surprisingly she doesn't even acknowledge that. Honestly he was a bit taken aback when he found the house completely quiet. Periyar, the main butler of the house and his most trusted valet, came upto him to take off his coat.
"Where's your madam??" was his first question.
"She's asleep." he answered courteously. Narasimha looked at him suspiciously.
"So early!!!" he queried. Periyar smiled.
"As you told, I gave her the bunny and they both played together all day long. I let her go upstairs to the terrace, she sat there for an hour with the rabbit. And then when she came downstairs she was tired and so she slept." he told her everything. Narasimha smiled.
"Did she ate anything???" he asked.
"Yaa she had her lunch and some after lunch snacks as well." he said. Narasimha nodded.

He made his way to her room. He already had taken a shower and was marching towards her room. In the corridor, he met Sundari, Naira's personal maid. He had appointed her before he brought Naira here. After all his wife needed personal attention and help all the time.
"Pranam!!! Madam is sleeping." she informed him. He looked at her blankly and nodded. Sundari was dumbstruck when he entered the room. Narasimha saw her sleeping peacefully on the bed, the bunny sleeping on her tummy. He frowned at the sight of him. Marching towards the bed, he grabbed the bunny by his neck. The bunny squeaked in pain and began thrashing his little legs. Narasimha hatefully threw the bunny into the cage and locked the cage from outside. He then made his way to the bed.
"I love you baby. Did you miss me??" he asked softly. He climbed into the bed next to her and took her into his arms. She first resisted since she felt she was fighting a demon in her sleep but then she melted into the warmth of his arms. He smirked as she snuggled into his chest.
"I am sorry baby. But your father ain't ever coming. Because he'll never know that you're here with me." he spoke, playing with her hairs.
"I don't need his money. I have the treasure your father hid away from me for so long. The money is useless compared to what I have in my arms right now." he whispered, placing sweet kisses on the side of her face. She scrunched her nose in her sleep.
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