Page 35 of Twisted Deceit
“Looks like you’re unable to keep up with the agreed-upon contract. Feel free to walk away.” She had no idea how she managed to say those words while she shuddered on the inside.
Loud music started, for which she was thankful because if he retaliated, she wouldn’t hear him. There was no doubt the heat she felt on her back was from his glare.
The auction kicked off, and she watched like it was some wrestling match played by people behind the dark glass walls. Her vision of an auction was a room full of loud people but in that situation, there was no yelling and screaming, the computer screen had everything. No names, just numbers for all the other bidders.
After a few rounds, the interest died down and she settled onto the couch eating popcorn. It wasn’t until she saw Nakul typing messages on his phone that she guessed what he was interested in was coming up soon.
Who was he messaging, though? His brothers? Security?
Aadhya almost dropped the clutch in her hand when she heard the announcement about the next item on auction.
“A beautiful sculpture of a Goddess.”
She started to piece something. The only sculpture anyone from Singoor would be interested in was that of their Goddess,Shakti. She was taken from the Singoor region, which set off the chaos in the region thirty years ago.
Bringing her back to the region would restore peace and order. Was he really working for the people or for himself? She felt conflicted.
She felt a sudden admiration for him when she saw how Nakul took charge of the computer screen. He outbid almost all the other auctioneers, and she started wondering what it would be like to be in Singoor with peace restored.
He could be telling the truth about the Goddess. What if he was trying to make the region better?
“Is this for real,” she said, standing next to him as she looked down at the box under the spotlight. The box size seemed to match based on what she had heard of the sculpture.Shaktiwas smaller than many other deities in other temples, and she started to shudder at the thought of finding the goddess.
She gently placed her hand on his shoulder. “Thank you!” Yet again, she had no control over her words as she was overcome by the emotions and a sudden admiration for him grew. She watched him as he stayed calm, although she knew he had a lot running in his mind.
The next moment his expression changed. “Fuck! No.” He ran his fingers through his hair and held his phone to his ear. “I want to buy out that bidder. Talk to them. Ask them to name their price for the sculpture.”
She watched in horror and anticipation as the male voice announced the reveal of the sculpture. She never once thought she could see what the Goddess would look like. It was almost a myth for her generation as no one had even seen a picture of the power that protected the entire region.
Unknowingly, she had moved closer to him, and as the anticipation built up, she felt him shudder and pull her close.
“I can’t believe we lost the bid.” He growled. A reaction she never expected to see in him, considering how calm and contained in the time they spent together.
“It’s okay, we should talk to the person who won the bid even if we have to beg them to give it to us.” Her voice shook as if reacting to her words; he pulled away and went to the door.
“Nakul?” She called out as he opened the suite door that was not supposed to be opened until the end of the auction as per the rules.
“Stay here!” he ordered.
He was gone with a soft click of the door, leaving her confused, angry, and anxious.
Why couldn’t he tell her? Was it what she said?
She focused on the sculpture being revealed while the announcer congratulated the winner of the priced, rare sculpture. She held her phone in position to take pictures and then held back.
Was it okay to take pictures of the Goddess?
She waited for the full reveal with bated breath. The box opened, but there was a silk cloth covering the sculpture, and when the cloth slid off fluidly, she gasped. What she saw with her eyes and what showed up on the TV screen in the suite was a beautiful artwork of a Goddess.
It took her a moment to know it was not Shakti but a beautiful sculpture that exuded peace and calm. She had never seen the sculpture, but she remembered her father describing the sculpture of Shakti as covered in black diamonds that were missing from the statue in front of her.
Relief swept over her that they did not lose the bid for the actual sculpture from the region, but disappointment also set in soon that it wasn’tShakti. The announcer shared details of the sculpture, the fact that the origin was unknown but was roughly traced back to Asia.
Her legs were wobbly as she sat down, processing the last few moments. Was her fake husband so desperately behind the sculpture for the right reasons?
For the wealth and success Nakul and his brothers had, based on the internet snooping she did while avoiding him in the car, there was no need for the oil from Singoor for them to make more money.
Was there any other reason?
