Ishika~
She rubbed her temples in disdain. This class was so boring she couldn't even concentrate. In fact, she couldn't concentrate on a single thing after the night Anirudh dropped her off at the cottage. She did not sleep the whole night thinking about the look of desperation he gave her when she was climbing out of the car. Was she being too harsh on him? Is this too much?
"Ishika!" The professor yelled and she gasped in surprise.
She stood up "Y-yes sir"
"Where is your head? I've been calling you out for the past 2 minutes. If you want to daydream why did you come today to college?"
She didn't like Professor Shukla. Even though he was good at teaching he always targeted her because one time she called him out for explaining a concept wrong. He was so embarrassed because of that and since then he always makes sure to put her down in front of everyone.
"Sorry sir it won't happen again" she said.
"I asked you a question" he snarled.
"Can you please repeat it for me? I didn't catch it the first time"
"Give me an example of a heritage site that has a Dravidian style of architecture"
"Hampi" she answered.
"Elephanta caves are related to which deity?"
"Lord Shiva"
"Dammit," he murmured.
Ishika attempted to hide her smile.
"Class dismissed," he said.
She went out while talking with a girl who had become her friend. Since she has missed so much she asked for her journal and the assignment to be completed.
A group of boys who were in her batch we sitting on the bike which belonged to their daddy's money. They were smoking cigarettes. They were always at the entryway. She sighed. One of them always kept bothering her even when she told him she would remove his eyes and feed them to the dogs if he ever tried to tease her again.
She went past them when the same distasteful voice stopped them.
"Senorita. Going without giving me a kiss?" He said.
Cheesy as fuck.
"I won't mind going without giving you a slap on your ugly face," she said without looking at them.
A hand grabbed hers as he turned her around and crashed her towards his body. She hissed in pain as his grip was so tight it bruised her wrist.
"Stop being a cocktease baby. I've been holding myself back"
She spit on his hand as he made a disgusting face and pulled back abruptly.
"Try touching me again and find out what my teeth can do when I bite your finger off you bloody bastard" she yelled.
"You'll regret this," The guy said.
"Oh please I don't even know you" She rolled her eyes and continued her way towards the entrance.
Once she was on the road she tried to stop a rickshaw but she failed. Her cottage was thirty minutes away from the college. She turned around and collided with a man.
"I'm sorry Ma'am" he said.
"No, it's fine"
"Here's your ride" he went towards a black Range Rover and opened the back door.
"Umm...excuse me. What ride? What are you talking about?"
"Mr Malhotra asked us to help you when you are in trouble," he said.
"WHAT?" She screamed, "He's having me followed?"
"It's for your protection," he said.
"Wait so you are...."
"Your secret bodyguard," he said with a poker face.
She popped her hand on her waist and stared at the man with narrowed eyes "For how long this has been going on?"
"From the day you were married to him"
She sighed and tipped her head back. She didn't want to give him the victory but at the same time, she was tired and had to spend a whole day making a 3D model.
"How can I trust you? I mean I don't know that you are really his bodyguards"
He sighed as he pulled out his phone and showed her the text messages. She grabbed the phone in her hand and read a few of them.
'Update'
'Condition'
'Location'
'Your job is to protect her. Remember that
'Remember not to do anything more than to protect her'
She removed her phone and compared the number. It was right. This was Anirudh.
She handed the phone back. She has to have a word with him to stop this nonsense. But as of now, she was going to take this ride.
"Any more doubts?" The guy said.
"No" She answered as she stepped inside the car.
After 10 minutes of awkward silence, they reached her cottage. As she was about to get out the bodyguard turned around from the driver's seat and gave her a pointed look.
"What?" She asked.
"Ma'am...I need to ask something"
"Go ahead"
"The guys from before....do they bother you every day?"
"I can handle it"
"So the answer is yes. Thank you"
"Wait...you wouldn't tell Anirudh right...Please don't tell him ok he doesn't need to know."
They both looked at each other for a minute as he sighed and said "Sure Ma'am"
"Thank God. And stop calling me Ma'am I'm younger than you"
"Mrs Malhotra is too long. I'll stick with Ma'am"
"Ishika. My name? And by the way, what's your name?"
"Amit"
"Amit. Nice to see you. I hope we'll be friends"
"Mr Malhotra will kill me" He murmured.
"What?"
"Nothing" he smiled as she stepped out of the car. And went inside the cottage.
She was in sleeping shorts and a long t-shirt. After so long she could finally wear it. She looked at her half-finished model. Needless to say....she was proud of herself. She removed her hair from the bun and massaged her scalp. Tomorrow she'll finally meet Shanaya. She smiled at that thought.
The doorbell rang. Who could be there at this hour? She opened the door and met with the eyes she dreamt of every night. Anirudh was standing at the threshold of her cottage.
"Let me in?" He asked. Something didn't feel right. She just knew it.
"Why are you here?" She asked.
"I thought we were past that point. You know why am I here"
"Even though I know...I won't let you in" she said as she slammed the door in his face.
She started to tidy up the mess she had created on the study table. Suddenly the sound of the glass shattering filled the space. She turned around and saw Anirudh climbing through the window as he jumped inside.
"Are you crazy! You just thrashed my window-"
Before she could say any he grabbed her chin firmly and pressed his lips against hers. She tried pushing him off but his biceps were so big she couldn't do anything.
She moaned against his mouth as she got drunk in his kiss. He picked her up by her ass and planted her on the study table. He grabbed her waist with both of his hands and pushed her against himself so there was no space between them. Whereas Ishika's hands were tangled up in his hair. She tasted some Alcohol in his mouth. He has been drinking.
"Where did he touch you?" He whispered between the kisses.
She stopped and looked at him with her swollen lips. "Who?"
"That soon-to-be dead slimy fucker from your college" she felt his hand on her exposed thigh. Her shorts were ridden up which exposed her skin more.
"Amit told you," She asked.
He grabbed her by her throat and pulled her face close to him "Bodyguard. Not on any friendship terms with any of my men Ishika" He licked her bottom lip going up to her cheekbone all the to her ear. He bit her earlobe as she whimpered slightly.
"Where the fuck did he touch you"
"Wrist" she whispered.
"Which one?"
"Left"
He grabbed her left wrist and kissed her all over it. Not leaving any space un-kissed by him. As he hungrily kissed her again on the lips. The whole living room of the cottage echoed from the sound of them kissing.
His hand snaked beneath her t-shirt. Ishika jumped slightly because of how cold his hand felt. He kissed her on the neck as he held her in place by another arm wrapped tightly around her waist. He reached up higher until he grabbed her breast and teased her nipple.
"A-Anirudh" Ishika moaned slightly "We shouldn't do this"
"Don't ruin the moment" He kissed her mouth again to make her stop talking as her hands were wrapped around his neck. He kept teasing her breasts. He pulled back to take off her t-shirt but a ring echoed through the room.
Ishika gasped as she stopped and looked at him with his hand still on her breast.
"Ignore" Anirudh said attempting to kiss her again but she pulled back a jumped off the table to reach the phone.
Sanjana Bhabhi's name flashed across the screen as she picked up the phone and felt Anirudh behind her.
"Bhabhi? Is everything ok?" She asked.
"I need a favour"
"Bhabhi...what happened? What do you need?"
Anirudh came in front of her and signed her to keep the phone on speaker. She obliged and pressed the speaker icon.
"Can you please lend me some money? Urgently....I-I need you to book two one-way tickets to Mumbai fast..."
She looked at Anirudh with narrowed eyes. Anirudh took the phone from Ishika's hand.
"Bhabhi....I need you to stay calm ok? Now tell me what happened"
She cried in the other line. "My...my father is dead" Before finishing the sentence she sobbed.
Ishika looked at Anirudh with wide eyes.
"Bhabhi just wait there I will call Lakshay"
"DONT! DON'T YOU DARE DO THAT ANIRUDH. Please just lend me some money I'll pay you back every penny....just don't say anything to that cruel man before I get out of this city ok? Just do that for me please I beg you"
"OK, I won't say anything to him ok? We will come with you"
"I don't need anyone Anirudh just book two tickets...my god where will I stay...I can't stay on the streets..."
"I will arrange everything for you Bhabhi just stay calm."
"Thank you so much, Anirudh. I'll pay back everything."
"You don't need to"
The call ended as Ishika looked at Anirudh. She covered her mouth with her hands as tears fell on her cheeks.
"She loved her dad so much," Ishika said.
Anirudh pulled Ishika against his chest as she sobbed. She pulled back and asked, "What will we say to Lakshay bhaiya?"
"We have to wait till tomorrow," Lakshay said "Unless he gets to know by the office that his employee died"
"What will we do then?" She asked.
"He won't. He has been drinking all night. They fought. That's why Bhabhi was telling me not to say anything to him"
"Tomorrow is going to be a mess for you all"
*******
Lakshay~
Destiny always has something in store for us.
What did his destiny have in store for him? Was it the way he's been a fucking alcoholic for the whole day?
He hasn't left the office since he left Sanjana by that room. He picked up the picture of a woman who had been the bane of his existence. And what did she do?
She lied.
Everyone lied.
They thought that he was a fucking baby who couldn't handle shit? He ran a billion-dollar empire for fucks sake. He didn't..even in his wildest dreams expect that his sister had been violated. And nobody even cared to tell him about this.
It was 7 in the evening. A whole day without stepping outside the office. He has already finished 4 bottles since he trapped himself in his office. He broke the landline, turned off his phone and warned everyone to stay the fuck away from the office.
He was experiencing the feeling of being left alone again. She didn't say anything to him. Nobody said anything. He hid his face in his palms and groaned.
It wasn't her fault. She didn't tell the truth because they asked her not to.
That's what happens when the name of the people you feel protective of the most comes up. He shouldn't have said he to not show her face when all he wants is to see her face every day.
He pushed all of the bottles as they crashed down on the hard floor.
It's ok he will apologise.
He stood up dishevelled and opened the door.
"Sir you have been inside the whole day. Do you need something to eat?" His Assistant said.
"I'm going home"
She was right. He has filled his stomach with alcohol and nothing else.
He called the driver as he slumped into the back seat with a loud groan. He was drunk as fuck it was pathetic. They reached the mansion and he threw his coat across the chair and went upstairs towards their room.
He opened the door but he didn't find her in the room. She must be outside he thought to himself as he made his way towards the bathroom. He stopped abruptly as he looked over a knocked-off pen holder and a piece of paper. He went over and picked up the paper.
His heart stopped.
It was the divorce papers with her sign on it.
That means only one thing.
"SANJANA!" He roared inside the room as he opened her cupboard and found everything empty.
He ran towards Sahil's room and found it empty. Everything was gone.
He quickly descended the stairs "SANJANA"
"She's not here"
He looked around to see Anirudh at the entryway.
"What the fuck are you talking about" Lakshay snarled at him.
"That she's not here. She's gone"
"Come again. I dare you"
"She's gone"
Lakshay strode towards Anirudh and grabbed him by his collar.
"Where the hell is she Anirudh?" Lakshay ordered.
Anirudh too gripped his collar in return "You know I would've told you if you deserved it. But your woman fucking begged me not to tell you"
His fist met with Anirudh's face and he lost his balance and fell on the floor.
"What the fuck" he heard Ansh's voice in the distance.
Lakshay climbed on top of Anirudh and punched him repeatedly in the face. Anirudh pushed him off and kicked him on his stomach and face.
Ansh came in between to stop the fight but they were like Animals.
"SEPARATE!" A loud voice which belonged to Ansh echoed through the walls. They both looked at Ansh and Shanaya was a few feet away from this mess.
"What the heck is wrong with you both fuckers. Are ya'll kindergarten kids? Grow the fuck up" Ansh said.
"I'll ask you last time. Where. Is. My. Wife?"
Anirudh spit the blood on the floor.
"Tell him what he wants to know Anirudh," Ansh said.
Anirudh looked at Ansh and then at Lakshay "She went to Mumbai"
"You let her go to Mumbai alone with that small kid Anirudh? Your relationship with your wife is fucked up you want to trash mine too-"
Anirudh punched Lakshay in the face and grabbed him by the collar "As if your relationship isn't fucked up too. Use your fucking head, you bloody Alcoholic. You want to know why I let Bhabhi go alone?" He continued "Her Father is fucking dead."
Lakshay's eyes widened accompanied by a loud gasp by Shanaya... The words coming out of his mouth didn't make any sense.
"This..this can't be" For the first time in his life he had no words to speak. Anirudh shoved Lakshay back with more force than usual. He landed up on the wall behind him with a thud. Breathing heavily he removed his tie and threw it beside him. He kept his hands on his knee and bent down to get more air in his lungs. But his reason to breathe is gone.
Anirudh grabbed the back of his shirt and straightened him. Lakshay looked at him with hooded eyes. "I asked her if I could go with her but she said no"
"I committed a sin...Anirudh" He said harshly getting more air in his lungs as possible.
"What-" Anirudh was going to say something but Shanaya cut him off.
"Are you blind?" Shanaya said.
Every pair of eyes turned to her in the room.
"Shanaya..." Ansh warned her to stop but she didn't.
"No Ansh...I can't stop. Bhaiya is too blind that he doesn't even know he loves Sanjana Bhabhi" Shanaya continued "I will never let the same thing happen to Sanjana Bhabhi like Anirudh bhaiya did to Ishika...now it's your decision if you want to get her back or stay in guilt for the rest of your life" Shanaya looked down and went upstairs.
"You heard her Anirudh...don't commit the same mistake as I did" Anirudh removed his hand from his collar "She is staying in our spare apartment in Bandra....close to her father's apartment so it would be easier. Go she needs you"
Lakshay wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Is it true?" He asked Ansh.
"What?"
"About what Shanaya said" About the fact that he loves her.
"It depends on you. But looking at your condition now...." He smacked his lips "Yes it's true."
Lakshay did not waste any time before turning on his heel to get his woman back.
********
Sanjana~
She was sitting with her legs drawn to her chest on the floor as all of the men left an hour ago carrying his father to do the last rituals for his peace. Since women weren't allowed she was in her father's apartment with several other people who gave her their condolences. It had only been a month since he stayed here but this was a good neighbourhood so they took care of all the things as she got to know at the last moment. A woman with two kids offered to take care of Sahil at her home.
When she told everything to Sahil he didn't stop crying since then. When he did....he didn't speak to anyone. Even when she told him that he would be staying with the neighbour's kids for a few hours. He just nodded and sniffed in response.
She couldn't thank them enough. From the moment Sahil and her stepped out of the mansion she realized that she had nothing but his small brother that she had to take care of. So she decided to stay alive and work for him to give him a better life. As of now, her life has fallen apart. She didn't have a home of her own, a debt she had to repay, she had no job.
She had nothing. She just gave herself one day to forget everything and remember the father-daughter moments they shared. She wished she had met him one more time and said that she loved him.
A woman in her forties came and sat down in front of her. She straightened her dupatta as the woman held both of her hands.
"I'm the housekeeper. I'm here to tell you what happened. Is it OK with you?" She asked and Sanjana nodded in response.
"Your father gave me a spare key as he was out for work by the time I came. Yesterday when I entered the apartment I saw him lying on the floor in his work clothes. The neighbours called the ambulance....but it was too late" she sighed "I'm sorry"
A stray tear fell down on her cheek "You have nothing to be sorry of. Thank you for telling me this"
"May God bless you" She patted her head "Where is your husband?"
She looked at her as she gulped "H-how-"
She angled her head towards her neck where her mangalsutra was situated. She forgot to remove it before she came here.
"H-he couldn't make it" she whispered.
"He couldn't make it to your dad's funeral? Why are you even together with him?" She shook her head while standing up and left.
She felt the urge to tell everything that had happened. That they are no longer together. That she would torture herself instead of staying with him ever.
He asked her not to show her face again. She doesn't want to see his face ever again in her life.
Soon everyone left and it was 10 in the night as she entered the room to check on Sahil. She stroked his head back but felt that he had been burning up. She looked at the bedside drawers and checked everywhere but she couldn't find the medicine that suited him.
She checked his temperature and gasped. 102 fever. She covered him with a blanket and locked the room door slowly. Grabbing the keys and the dupatta she went outside and locked the door for his extra safety. She was just going to the medical 5 minutes away.
She descended the stairs and ran towards the medical store to get him some medicine.
"Here you go" he handed her a small glass bottle.
"Thank you" She went outside but stopped abruptly when it started raining heavily.
"Shit...." Sahil was alone at home. She didn't even know anyone here. The only option was her getting drenched in the rain.
She looked down at herself where she was wearing a white suit and salvar. It would become see-through in the rain. But she has no other choice. She hiked her white dupatta higher as she quickly made her way towards the building. Droplets of water poured on her skin quickly making her wet in the rain.
Just one more step...
She was about to reach the gate when a bright light shown on her face. She covered her eyes to reduce the sensation of the light. It was a car's headlights. She couldn't decipher who was inside but she had no time. She was about to take a step further but the sound of the lock opening made her snap her head towards the car.
She took a step back. A large figure stepped out of the car. It was a man. When he came in the range of the light her whole world kept crashing down as if it wasn't before.
Lakshay Singh Malhotra, her Husband, her tormentor was standing not even a few feet away from her. He was drenched in rain as she was. He wore his usual suit but without a tie. His hair was messy because of the rain.
He took slow steps towards her without keeping his eyes off of her.
"Why are you here?" She spoke with her best voice but it came out like a broken whisper.
He said nothing. Gave no expression as he continued to take cautious steps towards her. She blinked to clear her vision which was strained with the droplets of water. Her hair and her clothes were as drenched as him.
"Don't come closer. Stay away from me" she said.
He again said nothing as he stopped in front of her.
"Did you not hear me? Go away!" She yelled at his face.
"How dare you" he said "How dare you leave me. How dare you disappear...."
Nothing could've prepared her for what he did next.
His hand wrapped around her throat and slammed his lips to hers...
♤~~~♤ ♤~~~♤
Hey lovelies!
Sorry for the cliffhanger. But their first 'real' kiss would be in the next chapter. I love when you all get desperate 🤣
Did you like this chapter? Tell me in the comments.
Thoughts about Anirudh and Ishika?
Ansh and Shanaya will be in the next chapter. I wanted to focus on Sanjana and Lakshay in this chapter.
Tell me if you like this book so far!
Wanted to write these scenes for so long and finally I have yayy!
Stay healthy 🫶
Love- rosiebha ❤️