RwR shuru hone ki khushi mein ✨ wish me luck 🥹
-• no other choice •-
Rudra
Lies need to be told honestly.
The person you're lying to should believe you're as helpless as them.
I'm at the heaven's doorstep.
And there stands my prize, the fruit of my patience.
Perfected over the years, not a shred of immaturity in those bluest blue eyes. I was in love with a girl a second ago. I'm in love with a woman now. She looks incredible. She always did. But her body looks rich, affluent, and moulded, like she had scraped off all the flaws that made her weak, imperfect, emotional.
The dress does no justice to her. It should be well applauded to even deem worthy enough to be hugging her supple flesh. Men-- and I'd not put it past women either to covet her proximity when she walks past them. I wonder who were lucky enough. Not as much as me, though. I get the real deal.
Three years.
Three years of long, painful wait.
And now she's here, right in front of me, with the same shock in her eyes, the one she had everytime I came to rescue her from any threat. Not this time.
This time, I'm the threat, and there's no escape from me.
"Shourya?" She whispers.
I bite my lower lip, grinning lopsided. God, I've waited years to hear her say my name again. And she didn't disappoint me at all. I'm well teased, just the right amount desperate and determined.
"Missed me, Esther?"
Her flight or fight mode kicks in harder. She spins around and slams her hands on the door, screaming off well above the limit her vocal chords allowed. "Tarun, you fucking bastard! How dare you lied to me! Open this door! Tarun!" Receiving no response, she groans and kicks the door frame, relying on her phone for help. I stride forward and flip it out of her hands, into mine, in a split second. Gasping, she looks up at me startled.
Her eyes narrow in a deadly, nasty glare. "Give it to me, Shourya!"
I shake my head and put it inside my blazer's pocket.
She scoffs. "You haven't changed at all."
"But you have."
She nods. "I did. I have changed a lot." She turns around, furious over the par, knocking harshly on the door again. "Tarun, you son of a bitch, I hope you get fucked by a cactus, you moron!" She growls.
My lips fall apart in disbelief. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, such crass language, Esther? Is it the anger or are you actually scared of me?"
She looks up at me, her face devoid of any emotion except rage. "Open this door."
"No."
"Open it, Shourya." She commands.
I smile, a sick satisfaction flowing through my veins hearing that orderly tone, spoke in such taut, crisp manner. I'd love to hear that attitude in the bedroom, and watch as it is reduced to breathless moans and unfiltered cries of more.
She rolls her eyes realising my head went south. Ignoring me again, her back faces me, and she resumes knocking on the door. "Is there someone outside? Hello?!"
Seeing her so restless, my hand approaches her on its own accord, fitting the expanse of her lower back. The breath is knocked out of me seconds before I can react and I'm pinned to the door, a hand wrapped around my wrist, chained, the other holding a knife to my throat. I suck in a deep breath.
"Remember what I said? Touch me again without my consent and it'll be lot more than just a cut." She snarls.
Amir steps into light, the gun cocked in his hand. I shake my head at him, hissing when the blade draws out a little blood.
Taranya looks over her shoulder, her hair whipping to one side. "Oh, you have a bodyguard now?" She looks at me, breathless, her eyes thinned in slits. "Why, Shourya? Were you scared of me?" She mocks, throwing my previous words right back at my face.
I smile, the action strains my muscles and the knife digs in a little deeper. But she doesn't move it. "I'm always scared of you, Esther. You hold enormous power over me, how are you still not aware of it?"
Her strength falters.
I take that as an opportunity to flip our positions. She sighs when the knife clatters to the ground.
"Go back, Amir. This is a private moment." I say to the man in position. He replies with retreating footsteps. "So, where were we?" I look back at her.
"In your delusional world, happy and prosperous. Go back there and leave me the fuck alone." She snaps.
"Esther," I put my knuckle beneath her chin and slowly tilt it up.
Our eyes lock. The anger in her features evaporates, replaced with genuine awe when she notices my eyes. I'm not wearing any contact lenses. Didn't feel the need to. This is the woman who'll be seeing me every morning for the rest of her life, she's ought to see the real me.
"It's me." I whisper, leaning so close our noses brush. "I'm the same man you abandoned your rules, your rationality, your morals for. I'm the same man you were ready to risk it all for. It's me." I cup her cheeks. Our breaths mesh together, and I'm unable to differentiate who is more affected with the newfound intensity. "Remember?" I ask softly.
She presses her hands on my chest, gently pushing me away. Our eyes meet again. The awe replaced with resentment. "Yeah, I remember. I do. Very clearly. You're all lies, Shourya. From the moment we met, to the moment we parted ways, you were all lies until the very end."
I nod. "I was. But no more. No more lies. See," I place her hand on my cheek, "All real. Call me Rudra, call me Shourya, or call me yours, doesn't make a difference."
She slips away from my touch and ducks underneath my arm, escaping my proximity to walk into the room. I turn around, watching her look at every nook and cranny of this shitty place, as if it's more important than us.
"You're Amir?" She asks.
I walk over, heading to the bar to pour myself a glass of whisky. There's no damn wine here.
"Is he loyal to his duties or to Rajawats?" She muses.
"He's loyal to me." I turn around and raise the glass to my lips. She looks my way. I take a one-shot swig, ignoring the burn in my chest as the liquid guzzles down, before putting the glass away. "Amir, meet your future Queen, my soon to be wife, Taranya Chauhan."
"Pleased to meet you, your highness."
Tara's head snaps towards him and she scowls, stepping back in abhorrence. "Do not call me that! I'm neither your highness," then she pins me with a glare, "and nor your wife."
"Soon to be, my love." I emphasize.
She crosses her arms on her chest, aggravated hearing me, seconds away from bursting out. To be fair, well in due time. She has the right to. Knowing her feisty self, anger is her defense mechanism, and now she knows how to fight as well. Violence and her doesn't sound a good combination.
"But you've a choice. You can take time. You can choose."
Her arms slowly drop and she looks at me in confusion. "I can?"
I nod.
"Then it's a no." She declares. "Open the door now."
"Let me complete first, Esther," I address curtly. Something pinched me in the heart hearing that direct, straightforward rejection. I'm not someone you can dismiss so easily. "You can say no if your father's untimely demise doesn't bother you anymore."
She stiffens.
"We both know what happened three years ago was wrong. Your father didn't deserve that." I feel like a dick to be using her most painful part of the past as a tool to manipulate her. But then again, I'm a dick. Life is a shitshow. You need to be selfish to snatch what you deserve. It's not going to walk on its own into your life. "But if you want to move on, don't want to avenge his death anymore, I understand. Continue with your life."
She looks at me perplexed. "Bhai said-"
"Your Bhai can't do shit without me." I cut her off. "If he could, he wouldn't have waited three God damn years. He did because I'm to take the position of CEO this year. He's hoping for my shoulder to be the support of his gun. But if you say no, that's not going to happen."
"You want revenge too!"
"I do." I nod. "But I'll make amends with just becoming the CEO of Rajawat Empire."
"Wha-" she falls short on words. "Why?"
"It's simple," I walk up to her. "If I marry Niharika, it's over for me. Her grandfather's running for politics this year in Delhi. And if he wins, the Chairman will have support from the country's capital. I'll be nothing more than a puppet. So, why would I risk it all for a revenge if I can just sit idly and get all that I've struggled so hard for on a silver plate? I don't need to take the risk if I marry Niharika."
"Oh," she whispers. "What about Akansha? I thought she was your second option."
"We cut the branches that grow too long but serve no purpose." I copy paste the Chairman's dialogue.
"Then why do you want to marry me? Why take the risk?" She lifts her gaze.
"You're worth the risk." I reply.
Her breath hitches noticeably.
"Okay, let me get this straight," She steps back to think rationally, "So you're saying, if I don't marry you, you won't help my brother take the revenge, which by the way, you want to as well. And what about the atrocity going on the third floor of-" she stops abruptly realising the third presence.
"He knows. He knows everything."
"How can you trust him?"
"I've learned to trust people now."
"Why?"
"For you." I answer. "All my lies, the betrayal, everything rooted from my cowardliness of not being able to trust you."
A mirage of emotions flashes through her twinkling blue eyes. I stop myself from leaning in and capturing her plump lips so those oceans get the well deserved, blissful rest.
"What about the hospital?"
"The Chairman turned 72 this year. He's the guest of a few more years and then he's gone. I'll get rid of the third floor then." I shrug.
"You're going to let that happen until he dies?" She asks in disgust.
"I don't want to die an untimely death like your father." I counter. "The one time he was brave costed him his life. I don't want the same fate."
She falls quiet quickly.
"Do you know about your grandfather, Taranya?" I walk around to settle down on the couch.
She looks up at me.
"He died shortly after his fallout with the Chairman. Coincidence? I think not."
Her fist clenches tightly. "I need to talk to my brother."
"He'll tell you to say no." I reply. She meets my eyes. "Any sane brother would. But that'd immediately put an end to this. The moment you talk to him, and the moment he calls me, you won't be able to reverse the situation."
"So, I've no choice!?" She snaps.
"You've more to lose than me, you know why?" I lean forward, clasping my hands in the space between my knees. "Because I've already lost everything. And if I lose you too, I don't give a fuck anymore. So if you want me to step into the war field for us, I want you to be the one waiting for me when I come back home with the fresh wounds."
She looks away timidly.
"Think about it. I'm in London for the next three days. You've time until then."
"Why only three days?"
"On fourteenth Feburary, I'll be engaged to Niharika." I get up and button my blazer. Removing my wallet from the pocket, I take out the hotel's business card and offer it to her in the scissor of my first two fingers. She accepts it gingerly. "It's where I'm staying. If you happen to change your mind, you know where to find me. Three days, Tara." I step closer and cup her cheek, raising her face so our eyes meet. Surprisingly, she doesn't resist or regards me with hatred this time. "Help me, so I can help you." I press a soft kiss to her forehead before walking out of the room. Amir follows me obediently.
Tarun stands straight once I step out. "Take her downstairs. Everyone must be worried." I hand him Tara's phone.
He nods and heads inside the room. I walk to the elevator and put on my mask, exiting the club shortly after. Amir advises me to wait in the shadows as he brings my car. He arrives a few minutes later, steps out and opens the door of the backseat for me.
"Shourya!?"
I look over my shoulder. Janet rushes down the staircase, her eyes wide in disbelief. I frown. She has to be mistaken. She never saw me without contact lenses.
"It's you!" She stops in front of me. "Take down that mask. I've seen your painting."
Removing my mask, I drop my arm to the side.
"Where's Taranya? She's been missing from the last fifteen -" her phone rings, cutting her off abruptly. I see Agastya's name glow on the screen. She answers it. "You found her? Oh, thank God. Okay, I'm coming." She hangs up and looks at me. "She was with you?"
I don't reply.
"What do you want, Shourya?" She demands. "Why can't you leave her alone?!"
"Heard your parents got divorced?" I question. "Your mother is not talking to you anymore, is she? Poor woman's heart broke when she found out her daughter helped her husband hide his affair."
She blinks, her cheeks flushing red in embarrassment.
"The point is, your life is not too far from being a mess. Perhaps, is already a one. So focus there."
She slaps me across the face.
Amir reacts instinctively, the gun loaded in his hand. I hold up a hand. My arrival in London is a secret. I need to keep it under wraps until I get a definite answer from Taranya. I'm about to get engaged in a week's time. I can't afford a scandal.
Her eyes brim with fresh tears. "You're an asshole! Stay away from Taranya." She grits out before spinning on her wheels and storming back inside the club.
"Let's go, there can be reporters loitering around here." I get inside the car. He closes the door and walks to the driver's side.
Reaching the hotel, I step out of the car and make my way inside. The door to my suite unlocks using the card key. I walk in and discard my blazer on the lengthy couch. I sit down and turn on the television, hoping the noise above my thoughts helps me stay distracted. It proves to be of no use. I decide to take a swim.
Stripping off my clothes, I put on my swim shorts and descend the stairs into the water, submerging fully. Then I do laps until my limbs beg for a pause. Crossing my arms on top of the pool wall, I bury my face in them and breathe harshly.
Taranya doesn't leave my head.
She has me well absorbed in her being.
I feel like a part of her, torn apart, discarded, forgotten, as if my existence is her debt, paid to the world as a salvation of her sins.
No matter the end, I'm always ruined.
My phone rings, breaking me apart from the dimming thoughts. I heave myself up using my arms and climb out of the pool, grabbing the bathrobe from the table and putting it on before I pick up my phone from the reclining chair. The name on the screen sends my annoyance through the roof.
"Yes, Niharika?"
"She said no?" It's not a question.
"I don't have time for your bullshit."
She chuckles. "I was choosing our engagement outfits. Need your input."
I close my eyes in irritation. This is the repeat telecast of an episode I've already watched. The only difference being it was Akansha before, now it's Niharika. I don't understand why I attract girls that I don't like but who likes me beyond the level of rational understanding.
"Sure, WhatsApp me the options. I'll reply you when I'm free." I go to hang up.
"Why? Are you busy now? Doing what? Waiting?" She questions sarcastically. "This is important too, Shourya. Don't forget along with your future wife, I'm your lawyer too. I've far more things to do than play fashion show with you."
I roll my eyes. "Not my lawyer. Rajawats' Lawyer."
"Same difference." She snorts. "I've sent you the options. Check on your computer and let me know right away." She demands.
I grow frustrated hearing her tone. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I walk inside the room, my wet feet squelching against the floor. I grimace. Grabbing my laptop from the nightstand near the bed, I sit down and log in. As soon as I connect to the Wi-Fi, notifications pour in.
"The pink one is good." I slap the laptop close and put it away.
"Yeah, it's the first one. And I know you didn't scroll down to look more into the options." Is her clapback. "Stop wasting my time. Look carefully and then tell me."
As if I'm wearing anything that you pick out for our delusional wedding.
I scroll up and down mindlessly for a few seconds. "The white one."
"Yeah, I liked it too." She nods. "What about the beige one, by the way? It's also nice."
I grit my teeth. "Hmm, it's good too." I reply. I didn't bother to check.
"Then choose between white and beige."
"White." My Esther looks stunning in white. That's what she wore tonight. As if she knew we were meeting tonight.
"Okay, white is done. Thanks." She hangs up. I toss the phone away and fall back on the bed, folding my arm beneath my head as I stare up at the ceiling.
It's her birthday.
I didn't even wish her Happy Birthday. I turned selfish the moment our eyes met. All I could think of was how to make this woman mine.
I've no idea if I succeeded or not.
There's a little chance blackmailing will work with her. She's also not an airhead to be controlled using seduction. And I don't believe in subduing a woman with violence, unless she asks for it.
I've to trust my lies.
Oh, how I much I missed writing from a man's perspective. Man, not a boy.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Don't forget to vote and comment. Makes my day.