Fatal Attraction

Part 18

Asmita descended the stairs, earnestly hoping that Daksh had forgotten their conversation in the morning. She eavesdropped on his conversation with his grandmother.

"No, Nani. She cannot take part in the rituals because she is going to join back as my assistant from today. Now that she is my wife, why appoint a new assistant to replace her? I will get the company of my beautiful wife and get my work done," he said, donning the mask of a doting husband, much to Asmita's annoyance and shock.

Asmita was perturbed and benumbed after listening to his words. The mere thought of going back to the office as his assistant made goosebumps blanket her and make her blood run cold. Had he forgotten that she worked elsewhere? Or did she allow him to think that he could manipulate her into doing his bidding every time?

The Malhotra Matriarch shook her head as she scolded her dear grandson under her breath. She knew it was futile to try convincing him to follow any ritual, and her first and last attempt was a mere courtesy arising from the faintest spark of hope in her heart.

Daksh strutted his way towards her, a triumphant smirk adorning his lips, and the victorious gleam in his eyes provoking Asmita mercilessly.

"You love to address me as 'Sir', isn't it, sweetheart? Here we go. You will get to address me as 'Sir' to your heart's content now. I hope you are happy now, darling."

She wanted to slap the ingratiating and infuriating smirk away from his face but, knowing his fragile ego, that would be no less than provoking a monster if she scratched the itch.

"You seem to forget the fact that I am employed. I cannot work with you as my contract with my employer is exclusive," she said, although she knew that the information would hardly deter him from his goal.

His smirk deepened and turned haughtier. "You grossly underestimate my preparedness, dear. I have already contacted your employer, oh sorry, former employer, to relieve you from your contract. Given the history of our companies, your boss obliged my request and promptly released you. So, you are a free bird!"

Asmita saw red. It enraged her he had taken decisions on her behalf without consulting her.

"What if I choose to stay at home? What if I don't want to work anymore?" she asked.

"Oh, you are free to do that. But, accompany me to the office so that I can introduce you as my wife to my employees. Before you choose to decline, I would like to remind you that Amit and Sunita haven't tied the knot yet, and I can still stop their wedding," he warned, a saccharine-sweet smile replacing his nefarious smirk.

"You continue to prove me wrong every time I think you cannot stoop any lower! Fine, I will accompany you. But I hope you remember that if I have the choice, I would never choose your company!"

She walked out of Malhotra Mansion to the car and took the passenger seat.

Her words clearly expressed her distaste for him, and he could not help but wonder if he was distancing her from him in his attempts to claim and conquer her. The journey to the office concluded without an exchange of words or glances as she resolutely stared out of the window, mildly sniffling but determined to not expose her vulnerable side to him.

When they entered the office, the employees greeted her warmly while addressing her as 'Mrs. Malhotra' as Amit informed them about their marriage. The females had a jealous and angry look on their faces as their most desirable boss was no longer single. Almost everyone was eager to know their love story but, Daksh was in no mood to entertain them.

Asmita's words for him at Malhotra Mansion had ruined his mood and his eagerness to introduce her as his wife had died away. He excused himself and his wife and pulled her into his cabin.

He locked the door behind him and seizing the opportunity, Asmita freed herself from his grip. But Daksh had no intention of letting her go and twirled her on her heel before pinning her against the wall beside her.

"Are you upset with your husband?" he asked. His question made Asmita laugh mirthlessly before glaring at him.

She tried to wriggle out of his grip, but it was to no avail. "You asked me to be your assistant here, so you are nothing other than my boss. If we can just get on with the work, and keep our personal and professional lives from getting entangled, it will be great!"

"You don't stop being my wife because I employed you as my assistant!"

"You might think that we are husband and wife, but, we are not, Mr. Malhotra," she said in a derisive tone.

"And why is that?"

"We may have completed all the rituals of a wedding but, you did not make your way into my heart. Do you even know the meaning of the seven promises you made to me? You vowed to support me, take care of me, respect me and my wishes. But, look at the irony, Mr. Malhotra, you forced the marriage upon me and you promised to respect me and my wishes. That sounds like the very definition of irony!"

The condescension and disgust in her tone pushed him away from her.

Devastation danced its dance of destruction on his conscience

"Maybe I was expecting too much, Mr. Malhotra. A bit too much from my twisted life and my merciless destiny. My mind might accept this as fate but, my adamant heart will never accept this marriage. My heart will never be in this relationship, no matter what. I am sorry for wasting your precious time. Let me know if I have to face any kind of punishment, but before that, I request to be excused for five minutes. Thank you, Mr. Malhotra."

Asmita walked out on him while Daksh stood numb; numb with pain that Asmita was enduring because of him. Being surrounded by women who would readily kill or die to be in her place, he had not understood her turmoil and torment. He had shrugged away her reluctance as shyness and hesitance as ego, and when the realization came crashing down upon him, it wreaked havoc on his senses.

Her pain had suddenly scarred his own heart, as unknown feelings pricked his eyes with warm remnants of her pain. Guilt gushed over the wounds over his conscience like a cold wind gushing over a deep wound, making Daksh close his eyes in the anticipation of tearing away from the reality but, his hopes shattered when he opened his eyes to see the damaging and damning consequences of his actions persisting.

The reality stood undaunted in front of him, and he was turning a blind eye to it. He had forced her to be with him in the influence of his attraction to satiate his ego.

What did she feel for him?

He would not be sure of the answer if he had asked himself the same question a few minutes ago, but as the haze of misconception cleared away, he could see that she loathed him with every fiber of her existence.

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At least Daksh is disillusioned now and knows Asmita hates him -______-