Arjun pov
I walked into my office in Bangalore with Albert tailing behind me, once getting inside my cabin, he placed my project documents along with the details of the employees working there, I need a personal secretary to work for me. A person inside the company will be useful for handling things rather than hiring a new employee.
Scanning all the profiles I found a suitable profile. Harshika.
Working as a Junior Engineer for three years, good project knowledge, excellent communication skills, great performance in Project and Employee of the year award for the past two years.
"Inform her tomorrow onwards she is going to work for me as my secretary, she is living too far arrange a home near the office. Send a Professional mail to Diya to attend the interview as a personal secretary"
"Right away sir" he went out as I started doing my work to push her out of my thoughts but she never let mine as usual. I keep on investigating every single activity every 20 minutes. She is taking too much of a risk for her living, she is educated, a talented, hard-working person what is the need for her to work as a waitress and librarian?
Keeping you in front of my eyes is the only way for me now Diya.
Hearing a knocking sound I called in, "Sir, mam rejected your offer" I took a deep breath.
Adamant.
"Let's go" if you need harsh treatment, then I have to do it Diya.
After reaching the library she was studying a novel with dropping eyes looking cute but her state made me hate myself more knowing how she lost her sleep the dark circles were evidence for it.
I brought a juice and placed it in front of her taking a random book, she quickly stood up not with a glare and placed her eyes back to the novel.
"Have it" I said pushing the cup close to her.
"........"
"You are too weak Diya, have some juice"
Shrinking her eyebrows she throws me a glare, "I won't accept your offer anyway" she spoke with determination.
"Let's speak after you have your drink"
"My decision is final" god this girl...
Taking the cup I placed it on her mouth with her hands on mine pushing me away, "we are in public Diya, take it" I ordered, she looked around pushing it again, "I won't stop until you have it"
She took it forcefully from me and drank it in one go, "good girl. Now let's talk business"
And she stood up ignoring me, I went after her everywhere she went, "don't follow me it's getting irritating"
"Then let's talk"
"Never Ever"
"Thanks, Diya I am waiting at the cafe on the corner of the street" I pinched her cheeks.
"Excuse me, I never said that" she replied shocked.
I laughed, "you did Diya and You will come there" I walked out leaving her in her usual shocked state.
I waited for her for a few minutes, an hour and she didn't appear there for the whole four hours she didn't even inform me. I went to the library and saw here there guiding some women in her book.
If you are so determined in ignoring me then I am too unshakable than you Diya, "to the office"
.
.
.
I hear the door opening sound and she walked in after four hours at 7.00 pm with a food cover in her hand.
The lights came on and her eyes landed on me, in shock her food cover spilled down spoiling her dinner, "Hi" I smiled at her.
"How the hell can you come inside my room? Get out" she yelled.
Talk whatever you want Diya, I placed her offer letter on the table the same second her mobile rang, "Hello sir..."
.....
"what?" in the meanwhile, I messaged Albert to buy some healthy dinner immediately.
.....
"But sir how can you..."
.....
"ok sir" she cut the call and throw a key to her apartment at me angrily, "why are you torturing me? Why did you take my job away" she was breathing hard in anger.
"I have a business offer for you, work in my company as a personal secretary"
She laughed bitterly, "I would rather die than working with you" I closed my eyes controlling my pain, "what is the need for you to work in the café and library, you are a business graduate" I explained to her calmly.
"Without any certificates, no company will hire me, I don't have money to bribe them or a murderer get the job by killing persons" her causal voice cut my heart without a sound.
Instead of showing it, "then join mine, there won't be any personal business involved. You will be my employee that's it" I spoke in a professional tone. She thought for a few minutes, "what is the need for you to pull me into your company?"
"I always want my company to have the best" again she kept silent in deep thinking also she is considering my offer, a knock at the door, grabbing the food parcel from Albert I inserted it in her hand, "keep your concern" she spitted angrily.
"For the food, I spilled. Tomorrow sharp 9" anymore second she will kill me with questions, "hope it won't have any life taking medicine" the sarcasm have deep pain. To prove her I opened the parcel and ate a morsel, "not dead" I said looking into her eyes which gave me a blank look.
It hurts to see you like this Diya, "don't come into my house Mr. Verma, I don't want to hear any words about me from my neighbors" I nodded and walked out before she says something.
The next day when I entered my room I saw the lights of Advik's cabin, still thinking about his anger I went to my cabin along with Albert discussing the next tender we are going to get.
Hearing the door burst open I saw angry Advik and smirking Diya at my doorstep, "what's this?" he asked frustrated.
"What's what?" I questioned him casually typing my presentation.
"She is not working where you work"
"I am the COO of the company and you are just a CBDO. THIS means I am the decision-maker of the company. Now tell me what should I do?" I asked smiling at his angry face.
"You are crossing your limits Arjun..." Advik warned me.
"Sir..." I stopped Albert who was ready to pound angrily on Advik hearing him calling my name I shut him with my look, "calm down Albert"
"What will you do huh?" Advik marched towards Albert rolling his sleeves up, "will you shoot me? Beat me?" Albert remained stiff, "Advik..." he turned to me angrily.
"Mr. Verma for you Arjun" a small smile formed on the corner of my lips watching his arrogance, "As the CBDO I too have responsibilities in this company" Diya grabbed his hand with pleading eyes, "no Advik, he assured me it will be completely professional"
"And you believed him as usual" he roared at her, "he has the habit of crossing his lines and words and I am not going to let him win this time" I relaxed on my chair.
"Okay," I said standing on my feet, "if you do one thing, I will not let her work for me, still, she will be under me"
Advik laughed coming close to me, "throw your stupid conditions in the trash I am not your puppet"
I ignored him, "transfer your 10 percent shares to my name" his eyes widened and the next second changed into pure hatred. Hate me all you want Advik I don't about it now, "I will let you have 3% and you will remain CBDO"
Not a second, another punch landed on my stomach, the same place I groaned in pain he grabbed my suit collar angrily, the next second Albert pushed him away forcefully, "stop hurting him again" Albert yelled at him making me sit on the nearby chair, I grabbed his hand to stop him.
"Man stop hitting me" I cried out in pain, "you became strong"
He immediately lifted my shirt before I could stop him revealing my band-aided stomach, I heard a soft gasp, ghost silence maintained on the room, without lifting my eyes, I pulled my shirt down knowing there is no blood but I had severe pain, "can you see that sir?" Albert asked Advik with an angry face mixed with a smile.
"Albert stop" I murmured lowly, "it's a gift for him to save mam" Albert referred to Diya.
"Enough" I shouted at him and went into my room attached to my cabin, "medicines Albert. And get his sign for the shares and Ms. Diya you will be working as Mr. Verma's secretary from now" and I shut the door not sparing at anyone out knowing my last few words would bring back their hatred on me.
God that hurts like hell, After few minutes Albert came in with medicines and applied them to my wound, "you should tell them the truth sir" his voice seems broken.
I laughed at him, "am I witnessing the cruel person of my guards crying" he shook his head, "I am not crying sir, just hurt seeing your family broken" I placed my hand on his head, "everything will be alright Albert. I have to do these to protect my family. Get those papers on my table"
Getting it he gave it to me, "No, it's yours"
"why sir?"
"If I disappear don't leave my Diya, make sure she is always safe. I don't know anyone other than you whom I can trust peacefully. And this is your favorite restaurant, it's yours from now onwards"
He kept it on the floor, "I won't let anything happen to you sir, and I don't need these hotels, monthly give me a salary that's enough for me" I pushed it again on his hand, "It's my order Albert" I said sternly.
A few hours later I saw Albert continuously on a call with someone, often he would go out.
I saw his unusual behavior, his eyes never meet mine in the past fifteen minutes.
"What are you hiding?"
"Nothing sir"
I raised my eyebrows, "is it?" he looked at me and nodded.
"Okay hand me your mobile"
After a minute of silence he spoke placing his tab on my table with a picture, "we found this on Viswanathan's house CCTV footage sir" I took it closely at the picture taken in dark there is Diya who walked inside the house looking around, "This picture was on the day mam disappeared after meeting you" I looked at him in shock, "what were you people's gone while she escaped from you?" I yelled at him unable to digest the lame reason he is giving letting my Diya out of their sight.
"Sorry sir, I already told you we don't know how she escaped from our eyes it won't happen again" I gritted my teeth controlling my anger, "continue"
Sliding the screen another picture was displayed in front of me, it was also Diya still in the same dress Albert zoomed it and my heart picked up its pace seeing her dress torn in her arms and some marks on her cheeks and the torn part, "it was after five days" my confusion grew multiple times hearing him.
"What do you mean?" my temper raised thinking many things, "she was kept arrested there for five days" he slides next one and it's Diya with another girl, "she is Nithaesh girlfriend" both are too scared to stand there.
"Anything more?"
"no sir, we have doubt when his girlfriend was shifted or she was there whole year there but mam helped her out also she was also tortured there" I clutched my fist.
"I will take care of it" You are the only person who can clear all my doubts Diya.
Later that evening I saw both Diya and Advik walked towards the elevator crossing my cabin deep in their discussion, my heart begged her to see me for a snap of a second.
But she didn't, I sighed defeated, and continued my pending works, "Sir Advik sir signed the papers" Albert said entering my cabin with the papers.
"Good"
"And sir this is Mr. Pratap family details and their shares documents" I got the file and carefully watched everything slowly not willing to miss any single detail, "Get his son-in-law details and his father's details, make sure we have our men around his son, by the details he is going to join the college in Bangalore so try to befriend him, I need you to do it"
"Sure sir"
"How is Likit?"
"Fine now sir but will take a week to completely get cured" I nodded, "ask him to meet me tomorrow" he nodded and we both got to my car, "Diya apartment," I said to the driver. Within 20 minutes I was in front of her apartment.
I rang the bell and waited for her arrival, she opened the door half-open, seeing she was about to shut it on my face I stopped her placing my boots on the door, "it's 9 in the evening, Mr. Verma, why are you here?"
"I need to discuss something with you"
"No personal life discussion remember?" she whisper yelled angrily, "that's in office, this is the house"
She hardly tried to shut the door, "ahh girl stop your violence" I cried keeping a hand on the door, "don't make any commotions just go away" she spitted angrily, "you are not suitable for talks" I pushed the door hard gripping her hand from falling and moved in with her.
"How dare you stupid arrogant monster, get out of my room. I feel disgusted with your presence in my room, if you are not going out I swear I will should and you will be embarrassed by my actions and I am sure they will send you to prison for eve-teasing a girl" I went to her kitchen letting her blabber whatever she want.
She was making chutney and dosa, turning on the stove I started making dosa, "excuse me, what do you think you are doing?"
"Do you need one?" she was shaking in anger, "okay I will have it, it's been days since I had homemade food, all thanks to you" a morsel of dosa got down my throat making me moan in delight, "still you have the same style of cooking" I moaned happily getting her heated glare after filling my stomach I let her have her food and waited in the living room.
"Had your food, right? Now get out" She ordered me but I was very serious in looking at my mobile, she grabbed my hand trying to get me out but I was strong enough to not even move an inch with all her force she tried again still all went in vain.
I laughed at her cute angry face and pulled her on my lap gripping her waist, her eyes widened in shock, "leave me" she tried to wiggle out of my hold but I made her rigid by pulling her left side sleeve down exposing her shoulder, instantly a sharp pain landed on my cheek.
I closed my eyes controlling my anger not for her slap but the injury on her hand which seems reddish by now, "what do you think of yourself? Who gave you right to touch me?" she yelled pushing my chest
"What is it?" I asked her who is trying to put her sleeve back to its place, I stopped her hand, "answer me Diya, how did it happen?"
"I am not answerable to rapist like you" her words hit my chest hard, "why are you saying like this Diya? I never got near you with such intention" I replied slowly putting her sleeve back on her shoulder, "but I need to know what happened to you Diya" I begged her, "please"
She swiftly moved away from me, "get out" her face was on the direction of the door, "I won't Diya until you unfold the truth"
"buying juice, food, keeping guards behind me, investigating my injury won't ever erase your deeds nor I will forget them, the food you ate today, I will think a homeless man is eating food but there will be no love, affection, truth nothing. More precisely you are nothing to me what is the use in sharing my problem with a person who is roaming on the street?" every word she said is crushing my heart painfully.
Taking a deep breath I called Albert to bring Advik here immediately, she went inside the kitchen and never even turned to my side while I was continuously staring at her, "don't look at me" she yelled without turning in my direction, I laughed and turned away from her.
You are the most beautiful thing I keep in my heart to shied it carefully...
A few minutes later Advik entered with a glare, "before speaking see this" I handed him the images of her, "what is it Diya?" he asked shocked to her who is also looking at the picture with wide eyes avoiding his eyes.
"That's...that's nothing Advi" she stammered, "ask her what happened there?" I told Advik
He turned to her making her sit on the chair seeing her frightened look, "calm down Diya. You are alright. I am here" he assured placed his hand on her head, "tell me what happened to you there, who is that girl with you?" he asked slowly with utmost concern in his voice.
She looked at me with frightened eyes and looked down, sensing her I moved away from them standing at the edge of the room. The girl who shared every single second of her life is now reluctant to speak in front of me, I looked down not meeting her gaze, and listened to their conversation.
"I went there to collect my certificates but I heard the whimpering sound there so I went to my father's room and saw him talking angrily with a girl" she looked at Advik shivering in fear, "she...she looked so weak and beaten her hands, face... everything seems injured and there my father... he is intimidating her with a steel rod in his hand" she breathed hard, I controlled myself from going to her, she is shivering.
Advik gave her a glass of water rubbing her back, "does she need to continue?" he asked me I just nodded, "you are full of yourself Arjun" I stayed silent, you won't understand anything Advik, this will be her last whimpering.
Diya brushed off her tears, "he beat her with that iron rod, she cried in pain Advi but...but he didn't see her tears, he keeps on smiling at her I was not able to watch that so I stopped him when he saw me he laughed at me" stopping for a second she gripped his hand for support, "that laugh... it was not a fatherly laugh a psychotic laugh Advi, it was fearful" she was crying continuously.
"If you are not comfortable you can stop" she shook her head, "he kept that rod aside and caressed my cheek, for the first time I felt a strange feeling in his touch, he was angry, disappointed and betrayed he started to beat me for writing all my assets into Arjun's name he is sick" I fisted my hand controlling the rage building inside me, "then he pushed me into a room and tortured me 5 days Advik, no food, no light it was pitch dark they would provide me water that's it but that poor girl was there many months Advi" Advik hugged her patting her head as she is looking into the wall with teary eyes, "I escaped with her after hitting his two men in the midnight, it was torturous for me, my father let me..."
I was unable to hear furthermore so I went out of the room and stood at the road taking my cigarette to my mouth to control myself, 'she will be okay, I won't let anything happen to them' also a part of me is laughing at me for letting him harm my Diya.
'You will die brutally in my hands Vishwanath you will feel sorry for yourself for being this psychotic to your daughter, I will torture inch by inch daily for your activities'
"Albert...." Advik's panicked voice made me run towards her apartment and saw Advik taking her out in his arms, "what happened?" I asked worriedly he never replied to me and got into one of my cars with Albert driving the car.
My hands started to shiver in fear, I quickly followed them and soon we were in the hospital, Advik placed her on a stretcher as the doctor took her to the observation room to examine her, "what happened to her Advik?" I again asked him.
"Because of you okay? She is in this state all because of you, why are you always after other's money? If you didn't make her sign her father won't have troubled her then, she won't be weeping in pain and betrayed by her only loved ones and fall lifeless in my arms now" he shouted at me.
I stayed silent and waited for the doctor who is still examining, "silence is the only answer you can give her right? If this will be your only answer then please leave her to sign the divorce papers and let her in peace" with the building anger I pushed him angrily.
"I won't," I said rolling my sleeves to my elbows, "what will you do?" I said arrogantly.
"Why won't you when there is no love in this marriage?" he replied with the same attitude.
"Open your ears and hear me clean, she is my life, she is my wife, she is my love if you want to protect her do it, but arranging divorce, advising me to give a divorce is not at all your work, stay out of my personal life" I warned him lucidly.
Raising his chin, "I don't know Mr. Verma what happened to your ears, I already said she is my sister, everything will reach her after hitting me"
"I am too adamant more than you Mr. Verma, I won't even let anything hit her, I know how to safeguard my family you are just a mere person who entered few..."
Our argument was interrupted when a nurse came out, "Sir doctor is calling her family" I immediately walked in with Advik tailing behind me, there she is lying looking at the saline bottle hearing us her eyes landed on Advik and ensured she is safe but not for a second her eyes meet mine.
'Won't you ever look at me Diya? Don't I deserve a second chance?'
"Patient is weak and she can't tolerate the pain during pregnancy if she remains in the same stage, her blood level is low, no immunity power, she is taking lot of stress" both Diya and Advik were shocked blinking their eyes unable to digest the thing they heard, Diya quickly sat on the bed with tears and happiness blinking on her eyes...
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