Warning: The story is slightly gloomy in the beginning. So, if you're expecting mc will fall head over heels in the very start, and there will be showers of fluffs and mush, then you'll be disappointed. I write angsty, slow-burn stories. And my stories deals with some kind of mental/psychological issues. So, you need to be aware of them when you read this story. This is just not any other Wattpad Billionaire CEO dark romance. So, read at your own risk.
This is the Book #3 of 'The Roys' series. If you haven't yet read The Velvet Healer (book #1) and Healing The Void (book #2), then I highly recommend those two books. If you haven't read them, it's fine too. You can read this book as standalone as well.
p.s. & #notsorry for the long chapter. XD
..
26th February
The crow fed her two chicks then ate the remaining piece of meat herself. The clever bird then flew away from her nest and came to sat on the window sill.
Ritusha stared at the crow intently without listening to the discussion between her doctor and her worried parents. A while later, she could swear the crow was also staring at her. It was like a staring contest. She frowned and glared at the crow while the crow tilted its head and stared back at her, in a challenging way. As if... mocking her about her vulnerability.
She clenched her jaws while her brows knitted in a severe frown. Her eyes suddenly burned from those unshed tears. There was a covert pain she couldn't show anyone...couldn't express. The repercussions of life's unfairness pricked inside her heart like a thousand needles. As if, she was stuck within a deep well filled with shards of broken window panes. Each one is replaying a separate sequence of the same movie... and she was the misunderstood anti-hero of that same movie, who had fallen from her grace.
Life used to be easier for her. As the only daughter and sister of the renowned Roys, she used to be conceited about her family background. People said her feet never touched the ground, and rightfully so. She understood the policy of life a little too early. There'd be people who'd see you as a competition and want you to lose. They'd expect you to suffer brutally after seeing the splendours of your success. People wouldn't care if you were an innocent compassionate soul. They'd hurt you nonetheless. Sometimes from the jealousy and sometimes, just for the sake of it.
Everyone complained she was judgmental. But she really was not. Most of the time, she could just see through people hiding their snake-like intentions behind a well-maintained mask.
So, she had to toughen up and built up a tenacious persona to protect herself. She became more selective with whom she befriended.
Despite all this cover up, her hard maintained persona was broken and buried down. Just because she was too careless to conceal her conceit.
And then, everything fell apart.
She clenched her fists and jaws before going completely rigid when the doctor called her name.
"Ritusha, are you taking all the medicines timely?"
She gulped then turned her head towards the doctor. Dr. Ishaan Khanna was a handsome young man who had been treating her since the accident happened. Precisely, four months ago.
The accident, which changed everything. Her life, her demeanour, her perspective... her will to continue. Everything changed that day.
One second, she was going to save her twin, and the next, someone knocked her down and her vision covered in complete darkness.
She winced as the flashbacks rushed in rapidly.
A hand came flying and violently slapped her causing her to lose her balance and consciousness simultaneously. The next time, she opened her eyes she found herself lying on her bed, several pipes and medical equipment attached to her while her mother was sitting right beside holding her fragile hand within her delicate fingers.
For a quick second, her eyes went wide in terror and hands turned cold. She clenched her eyes shut and shook her head, trying not to remember the traumatizing event. She didn't even notice when she had started shaking violently until her mother, Priyasha, wrapped her hands around her. Ritusha opened her eyes and witnessed her limbs twitching in an appalling manner.
"Ritu!" Priyasha exclaimed while Dr. Ishaan quickly came over and checked on her pulses.
"Maa- ii-it's co-coming back!" She mumbled while streams of tears rolled down her cheeks.
Priyasha looked over her shoulder to her husband, Abhiraj, terrified to speak anything. Abhiraj, however, sat there quietly while his jaws continued clenching and unclenching.
Dr. Ishaan put his stethoscope in his ears and started examining her heartbeats.
Priyasha turned back and watched her shaking daughter with moist eyes. A tiny sob erupted from her mouth as she mumbled, "My baby, please calm down. You're safe now."
Ritusha gasped for air. "Maa...I-I can't sto-stop it. I'm- I'm sorry." She squeaked pathetically.
As a response, Priyasha held onto her and continued sobbing in silence.
Dr. Ishaan moved quickly to the shelf to his right and pulled out a glass container. He came back to the table by taking two long strides. Pouring two capsules onto his palm, he spoke gravely, "Don't hold her too tightly. Rub her back instead and let her breath. She's having difficulty in breathing."
Priyasha loosened her hold immediately and started rubbing her daughter's back.
The doctor pushed the pills into her open mouth and poured water into a glass. "Drink this water, Ritusha. You'll be alright."
She raised her shaking hand and grabbed the glass.
"Don't bother about that. I'll hold it for you." Dr. Ishaan assured her.
She wanted to look at the doctor, but could not make eye contact. She blinked several times to clear her vision while Dr. Ishaan held the tip of the glass against her mouth. She sipped a mouthful of water and swallowed the pills with difficulty.
Dr. Ishaan moved behind his table and sat down. "She'll be alright. Mr. Roy," He shifted his eyes on Abhiraj. "Ritusha needs comfort from all your family members. She has developed PTSD." There was a momentary pause. No one moved except Ritusha who was still shaking. Dr. Ishaan continued, "I reckon, it happened as an aftermath of the attack. Generally, the symptoms of PTSD, or medically termed as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, starts developing after a month the traumatic event has occurred. But it's not always true. Sometimes, the symptoms of the trauma can remain hidden for years, because some victims might not be symptomatic right after the traumatized event. In Ritusha's case, it came later as she slipped into coma due to her acute brain injury. So, any mention of the traumatizing event can trigger her PTSD. How long has she been having the nightmares?"
Priyasha rocked her daughter soothingly while Abhiraj responded in a composed tone, "According to her mother, since a week."
Ishaan nodded understandingly. "Then I'll suggest to put her on medication from now on. We need to emphasis on her mental health simultaneously. Good thing is, PTSD is not incurable. With proper care and support, she'll begin her recovery soon. Until then..." He averted his eyes on Priyasha, then focused his gaze on Ritusha and added, "we all need to have patience with her."
If she could, she would've skipped this specific chapter of her life. The process of healing. Because when you're in the process of healing, you need to face your traumas concurrently. And Ritusha had been hating admitting that her traumas had shaped her into the vulnerable girl she could no longer recognize as herself.
Nonetheless, she couldn't skip chapters in her life. That's not how life worked. She'd have to read every line, no matter how much pain they imparted. She'd have to meet every character and face the dilemmas whether she liked it or not. She was cognizant about the fact that she wouldn't enjoy all of it. Because some chapters might take her through hell and she'd end up traumatized for years.
Additionally, life never allowed her to escape. She'd have to cry, feel broken and empty about it. But in the end, she'd have to continue. Not all chapters of her life could give her stardust and butterflies. Those few happy episodes might end in moments after commencement. But still, she'd have to keep going. In the name of healing her traumas, her life might knead itself into the rightful structure that she truly deserved. And she'd have to endure it.
After another thirty minutes they left the hospital when she felt a little better.
Their car ran through the busy streets of the metropolitan. Abhiraj sat beside the driver and instructed him to turn left and gave an address. He had a business meet up with the renowned criminal lawyer of the city. So, the car would drop him on the way and take the others straight to Ishani, their home.
Meanwhile Ritusha looked out the car's window. Her mother was talking on her phone, and she was least bothered to know who it was on the other side. However, for obvious reasons she knew it was Abhigyan, her twin brother, who was currently studying abroad.
Factually, she was mad at him. Because, after she woke up from the coma, he didn't turn up to see her in the least. Everyone knew it was unfair, but no one seemed to insist on him coming over. Ritu couldn't understand everyone's weird behaviour regarding this matter. If it was before, Priyasha would've preferred to blackmail her son into returning. But this time she didn't say anything to Gyan. It was strange.
Although Ritu missed her brother so much that it hurt, she'd never admit that. She didn't even answer his facetimes, didn't even talk to him. If he wanted to win her back, he'd have to put in some effort. Otherwise, she wouldn't talk to him.
She didn't know how long she could put this up, because the distance between them was literally killing her. But she couldn't help it. She was the spoiled sister of her two brothers and used to getting pampered by them. She loved them back equally unconditionally.
For instance, her dadabhai (elder brother), Abhimanyu, gifted her an iconic bag from Gucci the moment he came to visit her after she recovered from coma. Although he came to visit a few days after she woke up, she almost cried while holding the bag he gave him and forgave him immediately. Before this, he had also gifted her a Coach bag, and that was one of her favourite items she owned till now.
As a fashion student, she had always been keen on fashion accessories. So, she pretty much owned a collection, and both her brothers, Abhimanyu and Abhigyan, added to her collection exceptionally.
Priyasha said on the phone, "Gyan, when are you coming home? Ritu misses you. In fact, we all do."
"Wrong!" Ritu chipped in. "I don't miss him."
Priyasha smiled at her then put her phone on speaker. "Gyan, she can hear you now."
The betrayal! Ritu glared at her mother who was now grinning ear to ear. The corner of her eyes crinkled as she did so, revealing her advancing age.
The voice of her brother rang out through the phone. "Hey, dumbo. I heard you've had a manic episode? How awful was that?"
A frown crossed Ritu's face right away. She couldn't believe her ears. The nerve of this man! He was mocking her condition without knowing what she had been going through!
She shifted her glare from her mother to the phone then back at her mother and yelled, "Maa! If I kill him someday, you cannot blame me!"
The soon the words left her mouth, she stiffened. The grin from her mother's face disappeared simultaneously. No one talked in the car for a moment. She blinked several times and continued breathing in and out at a fast pace. Both of her hands curled into tight fists. She didn't want the attack coming back.
A tingle ran down her spine while goosebumps erupted throughout her skin. The inside of her chest thrummed messily; the excruciating knots inside her belly announced their presence simultaneously. She repeated inside her head, she was okay. Everything was fine. But her throat closed in. She couldn't make a sound. The horrified look on her mother's face told her she looked awful right now. But she couldn't help it.
Meanwhile Gyan continued with his playful mocking, "You don't have guts, dumbo, to lay a single finger on me! Want to bet? I'm ready to come and fight you. But then, you're not allowed to go to Maa and whine about it. Deal?"
Her father suddenly interjected, "Gyan, act your age. She's no longer the little sister you've had. She's a grown woman. Watch your language while talking to her."
Gyan fell silent for a brief moment. Ritu blinked and averted her eyes from her mother who glanced at her husband and sucked in a deep breath.
After a momentary pause, Gyan responded, "Maa, I have to go now. I have a lecture to attain. I'll call you later." Then he cut the call abruptly without waiting for a reply.
Priyasha moved her phone away and pulled a water bottle from her bag. "Ritu, drink some water."
Ritu licked her lips then took the bottle from her mother without making eye contact. Gulping down some water, she felt slightly better. But the calm was short lived as a loud voice echoed in the air while their car came to a halt with an abrupt jerk. The sudden jerk had surprised all of them. After settling back, Ritu craned her head and looked out through the windscreen. A large mass of street protestants was hurriedly accumulating in the middle of the street several feet in front of their car. The realization washed over her in a blink of an eye. They were blocking particularly their car.
"What's going on?" Priyasha inquired.
Abhiraj observed the crown for a few seconds before responding, "They've come to threaten."
"But why would they come after us? Nothing has been proved yet," Priyasha blurted and observed the situation with panic. "I should inform Manyu."
Meanwhile, the loudspeaker screamed in the middle of this chaos. "WE WANT JUSTICE. ABHIMANYU ROY CANNOT ESCAPE THE JUDGMENT. WE WANT THE REAL CRIMINAL TO BE PUNISHED. WE WANT JUSTICE."
Ritu blinked. They were taking dadabhai's name. But why? What had he done?
But before she could clear her doubts, the masses ran to their car frenziedly and surrounded them while throwing their hands in the air. The noise around them grew exponentially when Abhiraj gestured to climb off the car.
Priyasha shrieked, "What are you doing?"
"I'll have to talk to them. Otherwise, they won't let our car pass."
"What? No! Don't go out. God forbid if they attack you?"
"But we can't sit here forever. I'm used to this kind of situation Isha. Let me talk to them."
Priyasha was reluctant to let her husband out in front of the wild crowd, which was when her phone rang. She looked down on the phone frantically while Abhiraj opened the door and got off.
Priyasha answered the phone and stuttered in panic, "Y-your father we-went to talk to them. I-I don't know what's going on. Do something, Manyu! Your father is alone. I-I don't know what to do!"
Meanwhile Ritu looked through the windowsill. Her father went around and stood in front of the car while the person with the mic and several others made their way towards Abhiraj. They stood a few feet away and the person with the mic addressed Abhiraj through the mic. "MR. ABHIRAJ ROY, YOU'RE OBLIGED TO ANSWER US!"
He seemed to lead the crowd. Wearing a faded purple shirt and a pair of white trousers, the man put his right hand inside his tote bag and pulled out a rolled-out paper.
"YOUR SON IS THE MURDERER! WE WANT HIM TO CONFESS HIS CRIME," the man yelled out through the mic.
Ritu's eyes widened at the unexpected allegation. Murderer?! Who? Dadabhai? What was he saying!?
But she couldn't voice out her question as the crowd surrounding them went wild. A few of them jumped in front and suddenly started throwing stones in their direction.
"Abhi!"
"Papa!"
Both Priyasha and Ritu shrieked with horror while the driver hurriedly got out and placed himself as a shield in front of Abhiraj.
Ritu couldn't fully recover from the unexpected shock while another young man came running towards Abhiraj and threw himself over him. In a few seconds, the stone rain came to an end. After it stopped completely, their driver and the stranger guided Abhiraj to the passenger seat's door. Abhiraj got inside and Priyasha howled, "Abhi!! You're bleeding!"
The stranger tapped on the car's window twice and leaned forward so that his face was on the same level of the car.
Ritu glanced at him with a frown. The young man was fair skinned with a square face and sharp jawline. His rough hair styled in a side parted quiff. There were wrinkles formed between his eyebrows. The lower half of his face was covered in stubbles.
He shifted his eyes to the backseat and their eyes locked on each other. His deep-set eyes lingered on her face for a quick second before he averted them and yelled, "Move! Move!" His adam's apple bobbed up and down in his throat as he did so.
Ritu dropped her gaze for a second before glancing back at the man. He tapped on the window once again before the driver turned on the car's ignition.
Her eyes dropped on his dried lips that kept moving in order to safely pass their car. "Move! Hurry!"
The man walked with their car for a few steps until the road was clear. The crowd moved aside irritably to give them space. As soon as the crowd thinned out, the car accelerated, and fled the fiery scene quickly.