Writer's POV
"Thanks for finally answering the door, and not making me walk back to our home like previous days." Advik says sarcastically as he makes himself comfortable on the couch.
Avni shakes her head, and didn't bother to answer her brother as she makes herself comfortable on the other end of couch, sitting.
"Dii, atleast talk to me. What have I done to you?"
Avni sighs, "I was busy with hospital works, and then when I use to comeback, my exhaustion always lead me to the bed." She mumbles with her eyes casted on phone screen.
"Liar! I am your brother, Dii. I can see it that why are you exhausted. Just go and talk to mumma and papa, yaar! You're being cruel, not only on them or me but yourself too." Advik says in irritability. He is fed up with his sister's behavior.
Avni's head snaps up to face him as her brows quicker, "I am being cruel? They literally made fun of my trust, Adi. How am I supposed to react then? The way they want? Am I not allowed to have some time for myself to adjust with my harsh reality? How can you be so insensitive? And you started calling him 'papa' now! Wao, brother! I didn't expected you to forgive him this easily. He literally lied to our face throughout our life. We--"
Advik stands up abruptly, "Excuse me? I am being insensitive? Goodness, dii! I am the one who felt most betrayed, because my mother lied to me, my father did the same, and you dii... Have you forgotten the way you hid the fact of you dating a guy and then getting married to him? Really? My whole family lied to me also, but what I did! I understood their perceptions, and forgave them." He scoffs. What happened to his understanding sister?
Avni stands equally with same rage in her eyes as her brother, "Advik, I understand everyone's perspective but do you understand there is a harsh truth comes with it that I am illegitimate--"
"You're not. Understand? I---"
"Adi, don't give me that shit, right? You know already, the man threatened our parents that he will reveal about me in the media; and have you forgotten how this society norms works with? If anything regarding me comes into the internet then it will affect my both the families. And plus, mumma and Mr. Arora is divorced! Everything is messed up yaar. I need time for that, can't I have it atleast?" Avni grumbles lastly exaggerating the topic.
"What should I do to make you understand? We aren't asking you to forget everything and move on-- but, atleast don't shutdown everybody. Everyone is being supportive to you, and what they're receiving in return? Your ignorance. Don't you even feel anything for papa, dii? That man literally suffered for nothing. And, okay! It's fine! You're showing your anger towards them, but what jiju did to you that you're ignoring him? And your in-laws?" Advik put in with the tint of aggression.
"I don't want to face anyone's pity or sympathy, Adi. I am just not emotionally and mentally prepared to face them. I might look strong or impulsively wrong with my choice of course of dealing with the situation but that's the best I came up with." Avni let out huff and turned around to hide her tears.
"And this is what you're doing wrong. I suggest you to--"
"I am done with people's opinions and decisions which they take regarding me without my consent. So let's drop this here. Let's go and eat. I made your favourite aalo Paratha. Come on, I will set the dinning table." Avni says as she move towards the dinning area of the penthouse, she was living in. Alone.
She was flipping the plates upside-down, but her actions halted hearing her brother's deep voice.
"There is no need to do formality, dii. Mom has cooked food for me at home, I will eat that. Have a good night." The dejection and taunt in his tone was clearly shown, as he glanced towards Avni's back before walking out.
The front door open and closed with a thud leaving her alone again.
Avni gulpdown the lump in her throat, and let out a sob. Her palm flattened on the wooden surface of the dinning table as the tears cast down through her eyes.
Is she asking too much? Can't her family understand her?
She knows everyone is upset with her behaviour, but can't they understand that it was her who suffered a lot. She isn't denying others pain, but can't she have right to draw down everything according to her mind and heart?
********
"WHO THE FUCK IS THIS RAMAN? I AM GONNA CUT HIS BODY INTO SEVERAL PIECES." The maniac roared whose voice buzz the walls and furniture of the black room.
His brother lazily watches his elder brother, and sighs, "We need to find out that." He pointed making the maniac fire a bullet in his opposite direction.
His brother dodge the bullet and stands up angrily, "WHAT THE FUCK? Are you out of your mind, Asshole?"
"Then find that piece of shit who is destroying our very base, and giving out our information to the legal department. I FUCKING WANT HIM DEAD. Get lost." The maniac throws the table in terrible anger flipping the heavy wooden material upside-down.
His brother looked at him, and let out a exhausting sigh, "Fine! I will. Just to calm your senses, I going to snatch her life. Might be that will give you some peace, till then have some fun with that little teen." With that he walked out.
The maniac breathed heavily; imagining his position of on being at top of Indian mafia getting away.
From last three months, Desai's illegal bases are getting demolished, and severe shoutout has been provisionally taken place. His men are getting killed. And this is all happening because of a guy named 'Raman'. That's what he got to know.
News channel are covered with this news. He constantly seeing his downfall, but he is not going to watch now. He is going to execute. Execute his brutal way of revenge to get peace. Yes! That's the only thing which can please him, and stop from loosing his mind.
But what he didn't knew, that he is getting to know what his enemy is telling him.
His enemy, The Neil Khanna.
It's time for one on one.
The door opens, and the click of heels spread in the dark room followed by the closing of door.
His dark, murky eyes settled on the curvaceous figure standing in lavander colour two piece lace lingerie. His shaft twitched inside his pants, and the girl smirks. By looking at her body, no one will say that she's just nineteen. She looked more mature.
"YOU FUCKING WHORE, YOU LOOK SO TEMPTING." With those words, he was infront of her with fast, giant step and slammed his lips on her.
********
Her steel gaze with accusing brown doe settled on her husband after sending Advik and her mom out of the door.
His heart hammered against his chest, the moment she fainted. The information was too much for her to take in. Plus, he also got to know the Raivath sir's side story today of leaving his family behind.
He earned Neil's respect today for sure.
"You knew?" Avni's lazily stare at her husband with red, puffy eyes.
And to her question, he nods in 'yes'.
She just stilled her gaze on him for a minute then he see her getting up from the bed, and nodding her head to herself with her eyes fixed nowhere in precise. The night stand's light illuminates her room as Neil watches her wandering to the mirror of vanity table.
His sharp eyes didn't left her fragile sight like he is ready to catch her if she stumbles again.
Avni pulls out her earrings and lazily drop them on the vanity table.
Their eyes interlock in a tune, and her was filled with pain.
The pain he wants her to share with him.
"Don't look at me with sympathy, and please don't pity me." Avni's croaked voice pinched his heart.
"That's what my concern look like to you?" Neil asks unbelievably. She turned around in a swift with her hairs scattering in air.
Their naked eyes come in contact from two hands distance, "Then why you hadn't told me before about my awful past?" She questions, with hurt lurking on her face.
Neil was shut and staring blankly at her.
And suddenly she chuckles non-humorously making Neil bemuse with her complex eyes filled with agony which her heart must be suffering from, but he stands unfazed observing her.
"Let me guess!" She taps her chin with her right index finger on her chin, "Ohh! Right...right! You must've felt ashamed for someone like me as your wife who happens to subjected her life as illegitimate. A woman like me as your wife and daughter-in-law of Khanna family must be the course of humiliation and abashed to the name of your family. You---"
"Shut the hell up, Avni. I never thought that way for my woman." His wife flinches at his cold tone as he raised his voice a little.
'Does she knows what is she talking about?'
"Go away!" That's the line whisper blooms the awful silence of room.
His heart melted seeing her lower lips quicker as her eyes are casted down.
Neil steps forward, "Avni, I am sorry. I---" His words halted when Avni stepback when he was about to grab her right arm.
"Leave, Neil."
"I would not." He announces.
Her pained, red eyes met his, "Just go away, Neil. Can't you hear, and understand one simple thing?" With that she turned around and harshly started to discards her bangles, breaking them in the process as the blood oozes out from her wrist and she whimpers soflty.
With a giant step, Neil turned her around and assesed her left wrist, "Avni, you are hurting yourself." He almost shouted at her.
She abruptly pushed him away as he stumbled at her act which caught him off-guard, "Ohh! So now I can't hurt myself? Why? Or is it, that my family has only right to hurt me? You hurted me. Mumma hurted me. Mr. Arora hurted me. You all kept things hidden. Why do you all think that you all can hurt me as much as you want, and when I do to myself; you dare to shout at me! Is this some kind of joke? Am I a fool to you guys? Ofcourse! I am, because I believe you all." Avni spats as she raises her voice.
"We all had reasons, okay? We didn't meant to hide things from you. We---"
"But you did. You all did! Bloody reasons every freaking time! Why don't you people understand that I am a bloody human with feelings. Hiding things is not the way you always deal with things regarding me. Why you all always expect me to understand you all, and when I ask the same freaking thing, what you answers? 'We had reasons.' You do what you want, but me? What's the grave mistake I committed for getting treated like someone whom my family can't trust? Am I asking too much? 23 years, Neil! Twenty-three freaking years I lived without my father. I cursed the wrong person throughout my life. Can you believe it? I didn't knew that who my biological father was? I was kept in dark. And you! Seven years without my husband; two most important men of my life left me without a word, and what they expect me... to understand them. And I am not denying that your reasons are not legit. It is. Very. But what about my trust? What if someone again come and say, 'oh! I am sorry...I had a reason.' I just---"
"Avni, baby, calmdown. I am sorry. You are just overthinking. It's nothing like we don't care about your feelings. It's just that you need rest now. You will definitely feel good after that. Your overthinking---"
"THEN JUST LEAVE, NEIL. Freaking go away. I want to stay alone. Alone. Just the way I was living. Leave me with my overthinking, you don't have to worry about that. I will manage. Just get the hell out this room, and give me space. GO!" With that she ushers to the edge of her bed and sat, with her head hung low.
Neil analysed her for a minute then inhaled a sharp breath.
She heard heavy footsteps, but it was getting away. Her eyes was casted down. She thought now, her eyes will get the glimpse of his shoes and he will be there with her.
But she thought to quickly.
The door of the room opens....
.
Knock!
.
Knock!
.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Avni's eyes flew open on hearing abrupt knocks on her cabin's door.
She hurriedly wipes her cheeks which flew down automatically on remembering that night.
It's been almost three months now.
She straighten herself and answers, "Yes!"
A nurse appears, "Ma'am! A very urgent accident case. Ambulance is almost here."
"Ready the operation room." Avni orders getting up from her chair and adjusting her stethoscope around her neck.
"Ma'am, seems like two severe patients are there. And few injured men because three ambulances are on the way." The nurse informed making Avni nods her head.
'Seems like it's a group.'
The time nurse left, Avni ushers out asking ward boys to come along. Rishabh and two senior doctors met her in half way.
The ambulance siren got closer and louder as the sound echoes around the area.
The hospital staffs waited on the door when the double back doors of the ambulance flew open.
The sight left everyone sunk to there place. Blood.
Avni's eyes widened, and a loud horrified gasps escapes her heart as she palms her mouth simultaneously in reflex. Her eyes clouded with fear, and tears.
There led her husband with his white shirt stained in blood, and eyes closed. Her heart hammered against her sternum rapidly.
Everything fallen silent for her. Even every loud to loud voice.
The sound of siren, people's screaming and Rishabh's calling her name, everything faded into her deaf ears which wants to hear her husband's voice only.
Avni ran towards him as the staffs shifted his stretcher down to the ground.
"Hey! Neil...Neil..." Her horrified whispery voices shaken her every cells when he didn't responded.
Avni shakes his shoulders, "NEIL!" She called him with her every strength, but he didn't open his eyes, much to her demise.
"Avni, let's go." Rishabh mumbles as they pushed Neil's stretcher towards the entrance. And Avni numbly followed.
"Ohhh my god!" Kia squeezes in horror on seeing Neil, so does every hospital staffs.
The hall erupts chaotic on seeing one of the most important man of this planet and the country lying lifeless of stretcher. His mouth covered with oxygen mask as a ward boy with wheeled oxygen cylinder and dextrose solution bottle running beside the moving bed.
The another siren halted Rishabh's steps and he look towards Kia.
"I am with her." Kia assures and Rishabh's turned around to attain other patients.
All the while Avni mumbles, "Neil....please...."
Her heart clouded with guilt and pain, "Please...you can't do this to me. I am sorry."
"Please..." Her words wobbles in her wet lips with her shaking legs, and teetering heart. Tears almost prickle down from her eyes. Her mind stopped working.
She was just willing this to be one of her nightmare, but it wasn't.
'Someone wake me up.' All the while she prayed, but no did nothing.
No one knocked her cabin's door.
No one called her on her phone.
No alarm blabbered through her alarm clock.
No one shaken her shoulder, to wake her from day dreaming.
Her dreadful fear is truth. It is real.
Avni's step halted in between as Neil's bloodied body pushed inside the operation room.
The senior doctors entered inside, but Dr. Sinha stopped Avni, making her deadly yet petrified, red eyes glaring at him.
"Avni, you can't go in." Dr. Sinha says politely.
"But that's my husband." She impatiently tried to enter inside, but held back by Kia.
"And that's why you can't go in." Dr. Sinha says trying to remind her operating ethicals of doctors.
"No. I want to go in. I can't leave him like that..."
"Avni, please. Let them operate president. You know right, we can't operate on our family members. It's against the ethics of operating." Kia pulls Avni away as the door get closed, and lights of operation room gets on.
Avni felt as if someone has sucked the life out of her body. And how she regret talking that way with her husband now!
Her mind and heart attacks her with various norms and accusations, but what she felt was blank yet painful. Something very piercing to her heart.
Suddenly Avni felt dizziness gripping her head as she stumbles a little but Kia got her, "Avni, are you okay?" In response, Avni nods and closed her eyes to stabilize herself.
Being doctor she is use to this, but seeing her love laying lifeless is what she never ever thought of.
What on the actual earth happened?
She didn't expected to see him like this. All she could felt now is pain with numbness.
The people around the O.P made her felt more suffocated as she feels bile rising up to her oesophagus. She felt nauseous.
Palming her mouth, she turns towards the washroom.
.
.
.
"Who's in the other ambulance?" Kia mumbles to the nurse, asking about the patient Rishabh and other two doctors are treating.
DD and Krishna stood blank with bandage around his bicep and her head. They already got treated in the ambulance it self.
"That's DCP Ali." Nurse answers.
Avni and Kia's head snap in her direction, as they stood up from the chair which was placed outside of the Neil's O.P.
"Wh--what?" Avni struggles.
"Where's Sophia?" Is the first question Kia asks.
"I am here." A exhausted voice invades grabbing everyone's attention.
Sophia was performing a surgery from past two hours.
DD and Krishna gulps on seeing Sophia standing there. Kia licks her lower lip, and Avni's eyes blurred.
"Hey! What happened?" Sophia asks worriedly.
'Did something happened in my absence?' Sophia wondered as she fastly ushers to Avni. The mob outside the hospital didn't gave her good vibe when she ushered out of the room after performing surgery.
Avni and Kia stood silent, so Krishna chose the moment to break it and inform what actually happened.
As the floor was clear and guarded because Neil was getting operated in there
"Boss and your husband is getting operated." Krishna mumbles as she look into Sophia's eyes.
For a moment nothing hit her, then her body buzz with the news.
And first time in her life after leaving her family behind, Sophia felt something.
Something breaking inside her.
She look into everyone's eyes, and it confirmed her.
Yes! Ali is in there.
Sophia sense the lump forming in her throat, "How?"
"It's an accident---" Kia was cutoff by DD.
"It's not. We just said that it was a accident because out there media would've got to know the news of president getting operated. But the attack on him was all planned. They both are shot." DD says monotonously.
Avni heads jerks up on hearing whatever DD said.
"Wh--what?"
"How? What was the freaking security team was doing?" Sophia riles as she fists her palm.
"Sophia, Desai's have had invaded the private basement parking lot of the building of our company. The time we as in boss, Ali, DD and me stepped out of elevator; two man started firing. A bullet touched boss's left shoulder, and other hit on his right chest. An--and.." Krishna takes a sharp breath before continuing, "--But before more bullet can hit boss, Ali came infront of him and took almost 4 bullets before me and DD fired at them and seek shelter behind cars, the security team arrived because of firing sounds Both of those shooters are dead. I am sorry! It all happened within less than a minute. Ali's nerves were very low. I don't know, if will be able to make it or not---"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? He will definitely make it." Sophia's was always an fierce woman, but this man is her everything. When no one was there for her, Ali was the one who engulfed her broken heart.
Avni was too stunned to say anything. She heard it right? Or is it a dream?
'No it is not.' Her brain scoffs reminding it again.
She sat on the chair near by her, rubbing her palm over and over.
Three months.
The whole three months, she avoided everybody. Shifted in another penthouse away from everyone. Shutdown everybody. Even though, no matter how much everyone tried, she blocked everybody from reaching her. Except for her bestfriends, no one was able to talk to her, but she restricted her talk to them, never allowed to say even a word on her going on circumstances. And as best of friends, they did understood her and supported her.
Just wake up in the morning, and do her morning routine, come to the hospital and complete her duty then back to that four walls closed area to live alone.
All the while she was trying to sit with the fact that her life was a lie.
In this, she didn't cared about anyone but herself. She came out as more harsh, but her husband getting shot is not what she ever imagined. Not ever thought that Ali would be there to save Neil.
Not the two days before of their eighth marriage anniversary.
Is her life loves to play with her emotions? She waited, and waited, and waited for years to celebrate this one day with her husband but when he was there, he is lying on hospital bed.
'He will make it. He is shot on right chest. It will hopefully not make any major problem for him.' Her heart comforted her. It gives her hopes in which she rely to live on.
He definitely will.
Yes.
"If something happens to him, I swear on God that Desai's will deal with the most deadly revenge of mine." Sophia says in a very dark tone as if a different personality is surfacing her, which definitely shaken other three around her, but Avni.
Avni remain unfazed. Her head is planning something dangerous. Something which is way more above deadly. Her jaws clenched as she closed her red, teary eyes.
A nurse came, and took Kia along for some work leaving Avni, Sophia, DD and Krishna there.
Avni opens her eyes in a swift as she analyse the floor. When she found no one near expect for Neil's personal bodyguard team, her eyes stuck to the door of the O.P where Neil is laying unconscious.
And what she ordered next made everyone's heart thump.
"DD, call Mr. Lombardi." Her grave voice which she never used surfaced her throat unintentionally, and her brown doe turn into its darker shade.
Everyone's head snapped in her direction.
Sophia scrunched her brows. Krishna shakes her head in denial while DD stood gulping.
What's going on in their boss's wife's mind?
"Avni, you can't do that." Sophia injects.
"Yes, Mrs. Khanna, please calmdown. You can't take decisions in hurry." Krishna agrees with Sophia.
"Ma'am---"
"I asked something. Do it. Now." Avni glared at every three of them who were trying to stop her from taking abrupt decision.
"We can't do that." DD whispers making Avni's nose flares in anger.
"Avni, don't act stupid. This will not do anything good. It will lead to destruction--" Sophia is cutoff by Avni.
"Yes! That's what I want. Destruction of Desai's. They acted on my husband, and I am not going to sit quite." Avni pronounce.
"But still, without Boss or Mr. Armaan's order, we can't get in touch with them regarding this issue. It's a written rule in our contract that boss made us signed." Krishna says with her heart trembling, but she acted strong.
The time Krishna stopped, floors echoes with heavy footsteps. All of them turn towards the source of sound, to find the three families coming; Khanna's, Arora's and Roy's.
Soon the words exchanged with tears in eyes, and fears in hearts, but no one talked to Avni. Her heart was crushed more with their behaviour, but that's the remediation she called for via acting insensitive.
Armaan eyes were red, and screaming danger with his anger, and that worked as best thing for Avni.
"Armaan, I need your help." Avni whispers on his ears getting his attention.
At first he was stunned, but the other moment nods his head and they ushers to her cabin.
.
.
.
"No, bhabhi. Without bhai's knowledge, I think we shouldn't---"
"Was it in the plan, Armaan? Neil getting shot? Bhaijaan getting shot? What if he wouldn't have had came infront of Neil? Think, Armaan." Avni emphasis every word.
"But we can't do that, bhabhi. Bhai is in there. We--"
"That's the reason I want it. I can't take this anymore. You see! It was your mom some years back, then it was Sia in the same position. Heer and Samrat died. And your unborn, they took all three of them away. And now, it's your elder brother. Please, Armaan, think wisely. Neil already said that everything is set, we are just a call away from blew. Execute it." Avni says as she looked into his eyes. Somewhere she knows, she is manipulating Armaan, but it's now or never situation.
She was silent from years, and now, if anyone will try to take her most precious possession she can be worst of days for them. She's using Armaan's anger, and she have zero regret of doing it.
"You are right." Armaan nods. He is manipulated, it's sure, but not enough to take nonsense decision.
He agreed because Avni makes sense. He needs to keep his family safe. God knows when will be the next attack would be planned.
He dialled a number, and it rings.
Though, Avni is the one who asked him to call Vincent, but now she's afraid herself. Her heart hammered against her chest. As her heart and mind kept fighting against eachother.
Am I doing wrong?
'Yes.' Ms. Heart pops.
'No. That's the right thing. You did great job.' Mr. Brain agrees with her decision.
'But Neil would be furious after getting to know about it later.' Ms. Heart tried to show Avni the path wisely.
'That emotionless, cold-hearted jerk? Really?' Mr. Brain gaped.
'Hey! That's my husband.' Ms. Heart gets offended.
'Well mine too. But I am not an emotional fool.'
'Neither the smart one.' Ms. Heart scoffs, 'He will not appreciate it.'
'He will. Note my words. Just go with your decision.' Mr. Brain waves every negative thoughts.
'How are you so sure?'
'Excuse me? I am master of the human body for a reason.' Her Mr. Brain peeps hauntingly.
'That's ridiculous.'
'Jealous, stupid, hormonal organ.' Mr. Brain mocked the emotional organ.
'What---'
Just shut up. It's not the time. Avni shakes her head to clear her course of thoughts.
For a moment she closed her eyes, and when she re-open it, her thoughts were clear.
She is definitely doing it.
°°°°°
Junior Khanna calling....
A wicked smile spread on Vincent's lips seeing incoming call of Armaan.
He was amused, because like always, he thought, he would be the one calling Khanna's this time again.
Yes, he already got the news of Neil getting shot some minutes ago.
Vincent answered the call, "Hello!" He greeted in his deep Italian accent as wipes his blood stained hands.
°°°°°
Before Armaan can say anything, Avni takes the hold of his mobile making him bemuse.
"Hello, Mr. Lombardi, Avni this side." Avni says with the pounce of control over her heart and mind.
A sinister smile plastered on Vincent's lips because now he knows-- why Armaan called.
"Hello, little sister, how are you doing?" His deep, dangerous voice gave Avni goosebumps.
"Well, honestly, I am doing worst because of someone." Avni mumbles as Armaan watches her silently with a thought that he would listen the conversation later as every call on his phone automatically gets recorded.
"And what do you want me to do for you?" His thick Italian accent gives her chills down to her spine.
"Big brother, are you willing to see the bloodbath?" The words left her mouth amused Armaan and satisfied Vincent.
A wicked smirk grows on Vincent's blank face, "When?"
"Tommorow." Avni says.
"You want all of them dead?"
"Yes. All of them." Avni replies without any hesitation. If that's how it's going to end, then be it.
"All done, buttercups. Take care of my brother." With that the call hung up.
Armaan takes a big sighs. Hopefully, this goes well.
On the other hand, Avni minds wander back to her husband.
*******
What must've felt getting suffer every day without a physical harm?
Like someone she shaking your heart, numbing your senses.
Like crushing your hopes, leave you to suffer emotionally and mentally.
And this is the worst of all a human can feel, and that's exactly what Avni feels.
She just stared to her husband's unconscious body. Tubes attached to his system, and his pale skin. His right chest wrapped with a white bandage securing the bullet wound. His left shoulder also has a bandage where bullet passed his skin. Some minor cuts on his hands and left cheek which he got while getting into the safety zone while dragging unconscious body of Ali, before he himself left his senses.
He has fallen into temporary coma. She let every family members see him first so that she can some time with him.
Her right hand clasped around his big and cold one holding it as she is seated beside his bed in VIP ward of the hospital.
She's in deep thoughts.
Her mind is corrupted with the thoughts only she, her husband and her brother-in-law knows.
A kept secret.
A sudden door slamming caught her, as her head snap back in anger. How can someone enter like that? This is a bloody hospital ward for god sake.
But soon her anger-self changes into worried one as she saw gloomy and distress state of Kia.
"Kia---"
"Avni, Ali jiju...." Kia lost the words as she gulps.
Avni walk to her in hurry, "Hey! What happened to him? He is okay, yes?" She asks softly.
A tear left Kia's left eye as she shakes her head, "Doctor said he has very little time left with him. He can die in any second....." She sniffs big making Avni swims into the ocean of deep guilt and regret.
*******
"I tell you, Ali, give me my remote back. I need to watch IPL." Sophia grumbles in annoyance as Ali was standing at the other end of dinning table.
"No, blossom. I will watch naagin. Today her husband is going to know that she's a 'iccha-dhari naagin'." Ali say as he hurriedly runs to his left seeing his wife approaching him.
"Urgh! Seriously? You can watch it later, yaar. Match is more important. Today it's Chennai vs Delhi. Give me that." Sophia says as she climbs the dinning table, so that she get him.
But much of her clever husband runs to living area of there 4 BHK flat.
"No, darling. This time it will not work. You always boss me." Ali says.
Sophia glares at him as he settles on the couch with a mischievness. A smirk made its way on her lips as she walks to living area.
She sat down on the other end of the long couch with a huff. She puffed her cheeks showing her fake anger, and Ali ignores her without any remorse.
Ten minutes later, he heard sniffs. His head snaps in his wife's direction whose face is red like tomato and tears streaming down to her face.
His senses gets alert as he slides beside Sophia, "Blossom? Why are you crying?" He asked softly making her cry harder.
"You are very bad, Ali. Very. What did I ask for? A remote so that I can watch match but.....leave it! I don't want to talk you." Sophia sniffs with wet lips making him amusingly worried.
"Baby, I am sorry. Have it." He passed the remote to her, "---watch whatever you want to watch."
Sophia gives him his remote back, "I don't want it. You may see whatever you want. I am sorry. I always boss around you. I---"
Ali pulls her on his lap as she sat side ways in between the space of his thighs comfortably, "Ohh, my sweet blossom. I like you that way. I was kidding. Tell me one thing, are you down?" He asks knowing well that his wife never crys for anything like that until it's very emotional matter or she deals with her periods.
Sophia snuggles into his mascular chest as he feels her nodding her head in embarrassment. He sighs and tighten his hold around her.
"Blossom, are you okay?" He asks while drawing circles on her back.
Sniffing, she answered, "Yes! Sorry...when you didn't gave me attention I lost my angry act on you and cried."
A heartily chuckles left his mouth, "Ohh my dangerous wife, what do I do with you?"
Sophia pulls her head away, and look with her wet lashes into his orbs with a grin, "Order me chicken curry with rice. And yes! A tub of butterscotch icecream."
Ali shakes his head and kissed her forehead lovingly before placing the order.
It's been eleven years since when a sixteen years old Sophia met eighteen years old Ali, it was their forever from then.
Their love has always kept them together in worst of worst circumstances.
••••••
"Chubs, are you ready to get lose today again?" Ali asks hauntingly making Avni narrow her brows playfully.
"Again?" Avni scoffed, "In your dreams, bhaijaan. Till date, you never won a pani-puri race against me."
"Huh! Liar. I did." Ali says in his defence.
"Ohh! Well, I don't remember. Where and when did you won?" She asks as the vendor of the pani-puri stall places plastic bowls in their hands respectively.
Ali grinned mischievously, "As you said...in my dreams." His answer got him a smack on his left bicep.
"Ouch, woman! You can't just hit the DCP like that. I can arrest you." Avni scoffed on his threat.
"I dare you to that, DCP bhaijaan." She equally glares to him.
Ali chuckles and raise his hands up in surrender making the crunchy-ball on his bowl fall down making Avni laugh and the vendor grumble.
"Excuse me, sir, please see what are you doing. Don't waste food, man." Vendor ramble hurting Ali's police ego.
"Hey, headless chicken, no need to fuss or else I won't take long to make your egg-like face turn into burnt omelette. Come on, make another in five seconds, otherwise your whole shop will be eaten up, and trust me will not get a ounce of it." Ali threatened with with heavy voice which he always use scare people.
Vendor gulps knowing Ali well because he is DCP of South-west Delhi, and made another in three seconds. He doesn't want to put police in his foe list.
Avni shakes her head as it wasn't new to her.
"Ohh, Chubs, don't get scared of me. I will never harm you." Ali cooed getting another smacks on his stomach.
"I know. You are paying today." Avni announces.
And there goes their bickering on and on throwing the responsibility of paying on eachother's shoulder.
Ali loved to tease Avni, even though he would never let Avni pay because that's what always a elder brother do.
He always thanked God for sending Avni as his sister, because she is the only after Sophia, he have.
*******
"Don't cry, blossom. I---i don't want to go see you crying." Ali's croaked, whispery voice made his wife left a painful sob with more tears casting down her cheeks.
Rishabh felt his heart heavy. Ofcourse he met Ali few months ago only but they filled in with a brotherly bond, and seeing his bestfriend's devasted state, he felt helpless. Helpless with the situation.
"Then don't leave please. Ali, I will die without you." Sophie words muffles as she's not able to construct the fact within her that her love of life is going to die in her arms, and she can't do anything.
Ali closed his eyes to endure the pain, but he couldn't because he feels his every muscles aching. His hold around Sophia's hand tightened.
Avni and Kia adds up in the room with tears in their eyes. Ali opens his eyes somehow which were trying to not give up but his body parts are acting against it.
"Bhaijaan..." Avni ushers to the other side of him.
"Chub---chubs, takecare of yourself. An--and my blossom. Please...." His whispery plead broke Avni's heart.
"I am so sorry, Bhaijaan. I---"
"It's okay if you don't want to take care of her--"
"Ohh! No. I will always take care of her, but you should be there with me, right? Don't go, bhai. Don't give up this easily. Please? Why did you came in between?" Her eyes drops hot tears making Sophia cry more on Avni's words.
"I saved your husband, and that's what a brother should always do, yes?" Ali asks vulnerably. He feels his breath getting away.
A few painful and emotional words exchange between the group where Ali tried to keep the environment chaotic on his death bed, but for the first time, he failed to make people laugh with his weird jokes.
Everyone was crying, and now he couldn't take it any longer.
Truth to be told, he is dying. He is just holding up to see his beautiful wife more and more before his soul will left his body.
The beeping sound of machine suddenly takes up indicating he is loosing his breath.
"No..no..no! Please, Ali, I beg you. Don't. All I have is you. Please..." Sophia sobs and tighten her hold on his right palm as she feels his grip loosening.
Ali takes a long breath, breaking everyone's heart.
"I ca--can't, blossom. Forgiv.... me." Ali shuttered in between his harsh, long breathing.
"No....please, baby. Don't. I don't have anyone expect you in this world. You promised me to never leave. Please, Aliiii... We're planning to have childrens this year, and upgrade our family. How can you leave me like that?" Sophia begs with broken heart and soul. Tears falling down from her eyes like waterfall. Her lips quickering.
"I pr--" Ali takes a deep breath to speak, "I promise, blossom, we will meet again; in other world to res--resume our incomplete story. Till then, hold on faith, we'll meet again." All the way his words died into mere whisper which faded in between loud sobs of his wife.
Ali didn't believe he said that, because he was the one always afraid that one day her past will come and snatch her away from him.
"No...no...Alii....Aliiii...."
Ali shakes his head somehow, "Promise?"
Sophia cried. Cried like a mad woman, and nods her head, "Promise." She seals their lips for soft peck giving him satisfy ending to his story.
Ali and Sophia's incomplete story.
The flat sound of beep made Sophia snap her head towards the machine and her eyes widened. She shakes her head, not believing the reality.
"No...no....Ali...Hey! Ali....no! Please...no...." She hugged Ali's lifeless body within her tight hold as if she's trying to stop angels parting his soul from his body.
Kia hugged Rishabh while shedding tears.
And Avni palms Ali's half-open eyes, making them shut for forever.
The hospital's floor echoes with Sophia's hysterical cries, and calling her husband informing the white walls of the building that they saw another death today.
And all this happened for a revenge that was never meant to happen but one psycho's dreadful mind took life's like playing chess.
But what the opponent isn't aware of..is that; the Queen has already made her move to save her king, and kingdom.
All she's waiting for check and mate.
Waiting for endgame.
Endgame of Desai's.
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6797 words.
Finally, I made it after a whole month.
Sorry for the delay.
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So, how was it?
Confusing?
Emotional?
Or okay?
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Avni's reaction is legit or not?
What's the secret?
Ali's death. Hmm...that was the most saddest part I wrote till now.
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Fasten your seatbelt because we're heading towards the climax of this story.
Well, don't worry, story is not about to end this quickly.
I will try to give a satisfactory ending.
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Till next update, eat vadapav.
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So here is my another episode of The Billionaire's wife🦋
Hope uhh ppl will like it!!
Please drop ur comment that do uhh ppl liked it or not!!
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