Tere Liye | ✔

Chapter Eighteen - A Prank

The look he gave her caused a blush to creep up her face and she mumbled a thanks, feeling her stomach flutter. Her face held the widest smile ever, as she once again felt accomplished, for she now had what she always wanted - Arnav and his unaltered attention.

However, as she was busy in her dreamland, the rest of the family sitting around the breakfast table almost choked on their morsel of food, finding it hard to nourish themselves properly in such a scandalous environment. 

Disgust seared through her as Sheetal held Arnav's hand, pressing it as a gesture of gratitude for his praise and unable to bear the sight anymore, Payal stood up.

"I'm done." She simply announced and scurried away for her room. On her way, she felt her stomach churn violently, sending waves of nausea to worsen her headache.

"Akash.." Anjali whispered, pressing her temples to calm the emerging throbbing and Akash nodded, wiping his hand before rushing after his wife. He sighed as he approached their room to hear her cries. It was now a routine for her to have such breakdowns whilst holding Khushi's photo close to her heart and he had no way to console her. 

How would he? When the one causing her this trauma is none other than his own brother?

He shook his head, feeling a derisive anger towards his inconsiderate brother before he entered their room and hoped earnestly that at least this time he would get his wife to stop crying.

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Opening the tap of water, Sheetal rushed for face cleansers. 

"Come on now Sheetal. You have to look beyond just presentable. Remember what Arnav said, this meeting is extremely important for him. Nail this and take another step towards his heart." She mumbled to herself, her smile never leaving her face as she pumped few drops of her face wash on her palms, before rubbing it all over her face, taking delight in its fragrance. 

Once done applying the face wash thoroughly, her palms cupped under the water tap, only to find no water running. She frowned, her hands darting around to feel the water as her eyes were tightly shut. 

She grunted when she found no traces of the flowing liquid and quickly grabbed her towel to wipe the face-wash off the areas nearby her eyes. Once done, she lifted her lashes, her frown deepening to find the tap opened but no water flowing. She moved the tap, opening and closing it for a few times, then gave out a long exasperated sigh when no water showed up. 

Thinking of checking the problem herself, she turned around to leave when she halted. Her mind replayed the image she saw in the mirror for a fraction of second just now and she turned on her heels, shrieking to find black powder all around her eyes. 

"What the hell?" She touched her lids, then the skin under her eyes, confused as to from where this black thing came. Something clicked in her mind and she hurriedly reached for the towel she had just used when a click sound of the door took her attention before she could inspect it.

She turned around, eyes widening as she leapt towards the door and tried to push it open, only to find it locked from outside. Someone had locked her inside.

Gritting her teeth at whoever was responsible for this unfunny prank, she hit her fists on the door. 

"What the hell is this? Look, whoever is out there, this is not funny! Open up the door!" She shouted and banged the door with her palms hysterically when no one responded.

"Open up!" She screeched again.

"I said this is not fun-" 

Her words remained in her throat and she looked around confusedly as the lights flickered furiously.