Page 114 of Twisted Sins

A bolt of annoyance passed through Nandini. Normally, she wouldn’t care about someone passing an underhand remark. But Chaya Tadvi rubbed her in the wrong way. The north-clan heiress gave off the mean girl vibes, the kind Nandini had encountered in school and university. They often felt superior and preyed on shy, quiet, and introverted people. Nandini had defended Rahul from such girls and boys in school and college before declaring him to be her boyfriend.

The mean girls were often bullies who backed away only when someone confronted them and challenged them openly.

But Nandini didn’t want to confront or challenge the north-clan heiress.

“A warrior like Rudra needs a wife who is equally skilled in the art of war,” Chaya continued. “I doubt if the Thakvar heiress can protect herself, let alone attack someone.”

Nandini ignored the taunt. But the Kabali women jumped to her defense.

“Nandini can fight. She had drawn Rudra’s blood right before the wedding ceremony. She’s a tigress.”

“She even tackled me and tied me up to escape,” Rumi said with a small smile.

Chaya didn’t seem impressed. “That’s only because Rudra and his clan didn’t want to injure her and risk the alliance. I doubt if a pampered heiress who grew outside Singoor can truly fight. She isn’t a tigress. She’s a kitten, completely helpless and always needing someone to protect her. The only relation she has to a tigress is that she was born into a family with a tiger insignia.”

Nandini’s annoyance grew, but she held back.

“Let’s fight,” Chaya said.

There were gasps from the Kabali women and also the other visitors.

Chaya Tadvi smiled. “It’ll be a friendly fight,” she said. “I want to see how the tigress born into the Thakvar clan fights.”

There was a glint in Chaya’s eyes that spoke volumes.

Nandini recalled Uma mentioning that several north-clan heiresses were vying to be Rudra’s wife. She somehow knew Chaya Tadvi was one of them. The woman practically drooled whenever she spoke of Rudra.

Nandini also knew that the north clan heiress thought it was the perfect opportunity to humiliate the woman who Rudra chose as his wife instead of her.

The Kabali women looked uncomfortable when Chaya Tadvi challenged their clan head’s wife.

“I accept,” said Nandini.

Everyone, including Chaya Tadvi, was shocked.

“Nandini… Rudra won’t be happy if you get hurt,” Uma said with a worried frown.

“Like Chaya mentioned, it’s just a friendly fight,” Nandini said with an assuring smile.

“Yes,” said Chaya. “There won’t be any use of weapons, and we’ll stop as soon as one of us is on the ground three times.” There was a smirk on Chaya’s face. “The fight will barely last a few moments.”

Nandini didn’t react to the cocky smirk of the other woman.

Soon, a place a short distance from the cooking area was chosen. Nandini and Chaya stood facing each other, waiting for the signal to begin the fight.

Chaya spoke in a low voice that only Nandini could hear.

“You don’t belong here,” Chaya said. “Rudra married you for the sake of alliance. But he will realize his mistake and send you back to your family as soon as the Goddess Shakti statue is placed inside the Singoor temple. He will marry me. You will remain his first wife, but I will be the second wife who will have his heart and give him strong heirs who will rule the north Singoor.”

Nandini was pissed. Although the deal she made with the demon was to have a temporary marriage until the statue commissioning ceremony, hearing it from another woman who vied to have the demon as a husband made her see red.

“What makes you think I won’t carry the Kabali heir?” she asked.

Chaya Tadvi smirked. “You are a pampered heiress who grew outside. You wouldn’t know how to please a warrior like Rudra. And the warriors don’t force unwilling women.”

Nandini raised an eyebrow. “Who said I’m unwilling?”

Chaya Tadvi looked pissed. “You are lying,” she hissed. “I know you tried to escape many times, and you openly display hatred towards Rudra.”

---