The Forced Bride

CHAPTER 5: HER REAL FAMILY

"Hey, you're early. Everything all right?" Avantika asked as soon as she saw Naina at the entrance of the NGO. Naina nodded her head, smiling slightly. "Everything is fine, di. I just wanted to be here with you," she responded, stuttering. That's something she got after that horrible incident. Avantika chuckled at her red cheeks and patted her head lovingly. "Nain, nothing will happen to them, my little buddhu. They will be just fine, okay?" Avantika tried to assure her when she herself wasn't sure about the words she spoke. Her insides were crippled with anxiety, and various negative thoughts were roaming inside her.

Naina's eyes glistened. "W-what if... they do the same... the way... us m-me Lily... S-sera... you-" She didn't even realize when she began sobbing hysterically. "Shh, Nain, don't cry. It's over now. Nothing will happen to them. Believe your Di, okay?" Avantika embraced her and caressed her hair. A few minutes after consoling Naina, they both got interrupted by the guys. "Di, what happened?" Vivek asked, looking at Naina with concern.

"Nothing, boys. I hope you'll be ready for what we are going to do. There will be very little time, and we have to rescue all the girls within that time. Remember, no one should be left behind," Avantika said, her eyes determined to defeat those monsters. They all yelled with enthusiasm, telling her how adamant they are to win this and help those young girls.

"Let's go inside. We still have a few minutes left. Let others come," Avantika said. They all nodded and started following her. Avantika's eyes caught sight of Ashwin. She sighed, the guy has literally stopped smiling and even talking to anyone after his breakup with Vedita. They had this relationship of 8 years, but Vedita cheated on him, and after that, the boy was being all down, not his cheeky self which made others laugh.

"He tried to take those doses again. Avni, his parents are so worried," Lucus said, walking close to her. Her eyes widened hearing that, feeling a tug in her heart. She looked back at Ashwin, who was following the suit, lifeless, dragging himself.

"I don't know what to do anymore. Until he can't start focusing on himself, I can't do a shit, Lucus. He's making it hard for everyone around him," she mumbled, feeling disappointed as well as sad.

"Don't yet give up, Di. He'll come around. He needs you, he needs your help," Lucus tried to convince her, but she shook her head in disappointment. "If he needs me, then what about his parents, Lucus? Don't they need their son? He's behaving as if someone has killed him or someone close to him. Shits happen, but we don't give up on life like this. Look at him. It's just a mere breakup. People go through so much, yet they stand still, smiling like nothing happened. If he can't gather himself, no one can help him. Anyway, let's not talk about it. I'll talk to him later," she completed as she saw Mrs. Nera coming toward them as soon as they entered inside.

Children were busy with their games and other things, dropped everything and jumped in joy as soon as they saw their favorite person coming inside. This is her family, beautiful and complete. She wanted to be here forever in her life, but she couldn't. She needed to protect this place. She needed to protect these toddlers who were rescued from the streets, dumped in the dustbin, abandoned by their parents, and left because they were transgender.

Then teenagers were rescued from human trafficking, picked up, and given therapies by herself only so that they can see the new and beautiful meaning of life. It takes just a few seconds to die if you decide to give up, but it takes lots of courage, positivity, and spirit to go on. That's what she wanted them to realize, and they did. She was glad her hard work didn't go in vain.

"Okay, so I'll distract him and talk to him as much as I can. You, Vivek, and Jeson, see the guards and other girls. I believe you all have to bring those innocent people from there. We have only 20 minutes; there are 55 guards. Where is Rahil? He said he'll help us in this?" Avantika asked, panicked. "He will be there on time, Avantika, no need to worry," Mrs. Nera assured her. "That's great, let's go then." With that, they made their way out of the NGO while she drove her car to the park where she had to meet that disgusting prick Shobhit Naseer.

On the other hand, her team will rescue those girls and bring them to a safe place. She had her heart crossed; it was now or never because if they once again failed to make them escape that hell like they failed five times in past days.

Shobhit will smuggle those girls to other countries so that he can continue his rackets and gain profits by doing dirty jobs of selling women. Thankfully, this time she had cops' support that she also got after meeting this new officer who recently transferred to that area.

Rahil wasn't like others; even when the gang leader of the politician party approached him to make him agree to their demands, he threatened them and shooed them away. Avantika met him in one of the university seminars. She was so grateful that at least there was one man in the police department who was not corrupt and was ready to help her.

"Oh my my, look who decided to show her moon-like face to this poor man," she heard his hoarse voice, making her head snap toward the male who had this triumphant smile on his face. Avantika didn't show an ounce of reaction on her face; she kept glaring at him as he approached her.

"So... My little dove, what did you think?" He asked, rounding around her and checking her from head to toe. She felt uncomfortable and disgusted, but again stayed calm. "What will you take to not bother us anymore? I don't want you to harass the people of the NGO," she demanded, her voice colder than ice. Shobhit laughed at her mockingly as he stopped exactly before her with a smug look.

"Anything... Little dove?" His eyes trailed down to her chest. "Just say it already," her voice came like a warning. "Uff tum jesi swarg se utri hue apsarao ko eesha lagta hai bhagwan ne banaya hi mere liye hai, you woman make me feel like being on my knees so that I can tell you how much I want you to be mine," he whispered, biting his lips.

(Translation - Seems like beautiful women's like you are made by God only for me)

"Sleep with me... and I might consider your request to not distribute your people," he said with a smirk, his eyes abnormally gleaming with hungry lust. Avantika was disgusted as well as at the same time, no matter how much she wanted to punch him square in the face and wipe that pathetic smirk off his face, she couldn't. She was waiting for a signal so that she could be relieved that everything was done.