THE LEGAL BIND

Chapter: 12 - The start of her ruin.

Revika Shastri

I walked to the house from the bus station near my house. I was ready to face Mrs. Shastris wrath. It was about 7 a.m. now, I doubt that she was awake right now, but I didnt want to get my hopes high. She would probably think I was out with a guy all night, sleeping around, basically she would accuse me of trying to ruin my marriage and she will start to whine about those damned 30% shares.

I sighed thinking about all that and entered the house. It was dead quiet and I knew that she hadnt yet woken up. I went to get ready for work and thats when my phone pinged with an E – mail notification. It was from Mr. Randhawa; it was to notify that I had the first half of the day off. I knew that Mr. Rajput would have been the one behind this considering I just came from his house, where I was all sick and unconscious.

I was thankful that he wasnt interested in why I fainted in the middle of the road during the night time. Generally, people do seem like they would want to know, but thats only because they want to make it a hot topic of gossip or maybe want some news to entertain themselves, as if the T.V. shows arent cutting it with enough drama. I got ready for work despite being given the morning off, it was better to go and finish some paperwork than to sit at home and listen to Mrs. Shastri go on and on about the wedding.

I finished up the chores and acted like it was just another normal day. I left for work and reached there in about 15 minutes or so. Heading towards my cubicle, I saw Anamika on the way. She was dressed extra pretty today; I made a mental note to ask her if she was going on a blind date today. She mentioned it to me a few days ago. Her parents had arranged a few blind dates for her, at first, she wasnt ready to go, but then out of nowhere she agreed to. I was skeptical of her decision, but I decided against asking her because she normally doesnt hide from me anything thats on her mind.

I reached my cubicle and sat down with a huff. I loved to do lawyer work, but it wasnt all that easy either. Currently, Im working for Ms. Verma – a senior partner – on some case against a company that our firm represents. We have been looking for some ways around the case, all associates have been put on the case to help Ms. Verma with anything and everything she might need. It seemed to be very important for the firm to win. I got myself a cup of black coffee and began looking into some briefs.

I had been working for so long, I didnt realize it was lunch time already. My attention was diverted to the sound coming from knocking on my cubicle. I looked up to see someone I least expected – Mr. Vardaan Singh Rajput. He smirked and I furrowed my brows. I then sat back and cracked my neck; it was aching from all the staring down at those briefs. He gave me a bored look knowing I was stalling him, this time I smirked.

"Yes, Mr. Rajput, how may I help you? Have you lost your way to Mr. Randhawas office?" I asked with a fake smile – that I knew he could tell – and a slight playfulness lacing in my voice. I kept it subtle though. He chuckled and leaned over, so that his face was right in front of mine. "No, Reva, Im not a toddler. I came to return this bracelet that you may have dropped in my room." My breath was stuck in my throat, he was too close and his musky scent was making me hazy. Amidst all this I failed to notice the nickname he had just called me by.

I rolled my chair further from his smug face and took a breath and then said, "Thank you for the bracelet, but you could have sent it via a house help, or all those people that lay at your feet ready to take orders from you." I was annoyed at his way of showing dominance, he thought everyone was his servant, thats just wrong. He let out a breath and then walked around the cubicle to come to the side my chair was on.

He placed both his hands on either armrests of the chair and leaned closer, again. I was breathing heavily at this point and he slowly whispered, "I would do that, but then I wouldnt get to see your pretty face, thats a loss, dont you think? Hmm?" I absentmindedly hummed and looked into his eyes – biggest mistake, by the way – his gaze was intense and because I couldnt move my head sideways, I closed my eyes to avoid the burning gaze. He chuckled again and left a peck on my cheeks. My eyes widened in shock but before I could protest, I felt the air around me cold, his warmth wasnt there and when I finally opened my eyes, I saw that no one was there.

I knew that all the other associates were out the office for lunch or at the cafeteria, so I was relieved that no one saw our interaction. I touched my cheeks where hed just now pecked me. I could still feel the warmth of his lips on my cheeks. I snapped out of my trance, I was going to get married in a week, for heavens sake. I got up and headed to Anamikas floor, we normally have lunch together and if she hasnt come yet it means that she is over working her ass.

Vardaan Singh Rajput

I only returned to my room after Revika left. I couldnt be in her presence without losing control. I tried to keep my emotions masked, but the minute my eyes met hers, all my walls melted down. I couldnt have that. I have no space for love in my life. I needed to stay away from her. She was making me vulnerable with my emotions and that needed to stop. I have always dominated and left unforgettable influences on people, being weak was going to make all that go away.

Once I was done with work and Maa had sent Revika back home safely, I retreated to my room. I changed up for bed, but I saw a slight silver shine coming from the top of the black sheets on my bed. My brows turned to a furrow and I picked the item up. I saw that it was a bracelet – Revikas bracelet – it might have fallen off when she turned in her sleep. I smiled looking at it, it reminded me of the image of her sleeping on this very bed, with a cute frown on her round face. I decided I was going to return it to her tomorrow.

I woke up on my regular time. As I fixed my tie while walking out of my closet, I was reminded of Revikas bracelet. I picked it up and put it in the pocket of my suit coat. I then went to the breakfast table to have eat and quickly leave for work. I had 3 meetings before lunch, so I was going to Randhawa Law during lunch hours.

I had been looking into Aakash and my agent told me that he was a womanizer, he had been for all this time and he still is. I wondered if Revika knew and if she did, why was she happy with him? I despise cheaters.

I left for Randhawa Law. I met with Revika; she was the only one working in the entire office while all her colleagues had their lunch. I shook my head at her love for those boring papers over food, but who was I to talk, I would ditch anything and everything to work too. I walked towards her cubicle and stood there, lingering over her head for about 3 minutes, but she was oblivious of my presence. I knocked onto the cubicle and she suddenly looked up.

Obviously, she was shocked to see me, you wouldnt expect a famous businessman dropping by to see you for lunch now, would you? I smirked at her and she furrowed her brows. Then she went ahead and took her time stretching her neck and arms so as to stall. I caught on and gave her a bored look, she secretly laughed and I mentally smiled at her attempt to hide her laugh. I felt giddy.

She had a certain playful glint in her eyes. Revika went ahead and made fun of me by asking if I lost my way, as if I was a little child. I clarified I wasnt lost and then I returned her bracelet. I then thought of sharing her playfulness and decided to make her flustered. I leaned over her chair and rested my hands on the arm rest of her chair. I didnt think about what I was doing in the spur of the moment – unlike me – but I continued regardless. I knew she wasnt uncomfortable; I could tell by the way she didnt object or move back or push me.

I leaned closer to her face. She was breathing heavily and suddenly the air seemed to become hotter. My grip on those armrests tightened, my breath was stuck in my throat, I was afraid I would break this bubble around us if I even moved a bit. I took a moment to steady myself and then saw that she had closed her eyes.

I lost it at that. Her serene face was right in front of me. Her closed eyes making me feel like she was secure with me. I couldnt point a finger at why, but just knowing that she subconsciously trusted that I wouldnt take advantage of her, and letting me in her personal space was a huge deal. I leaned towards her ear and whispered the answer to a question she had asked me a minute ago. Her ears and cheeks turned red at my answer and she hummed in agreement. I was certain that hum was just an absentminded response, I chuckled at the effect of our proximity on her.

I couldnt resist her strawberry lips. Those rose-pink colored things staring right at me was like the universe was taunting me. Haath aaya par muh na laga. I resisted the urge to devour those lips and settled for those red cheeks instead. I let myself take in the feeling of her soft skin under my lips for a second longer than I shouldve, anything that happened right now was not supposed to be happening. My own trance was broken by my trail of thoughts and just like that I left her there, with her eyes closed. I disappeared from there.

"Naa toh inkaar hua, Naa hi iqraar hua, Jaane kya yaar hua iss dil ko...."

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