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“Sorry, what did you just say? What was that last line?They wouldn’t have spared me?ME?” I tease.

Jhanvi doesn’t respond. All she does is throw daggers at me with her sharp-pointed gaze. I stop laughing and stare at her intently.

“They can’t even touch me, Jaan. Forget thinking of ruining me. It’s me who will bring destruction at their feet, not vice versa.”

Jhanvi swallows painfully at my threat.

“One more time you call me by that name, I will-”

“You will, what?” I take a step towards her.

Whatever Jhanvi had been thinking to threaten me with, wipes off from her head as she sees me approaching her. Though her confused fearful look appeals to me, I don’t want to threaten her further.

“Fine. I won’t call you that until we marry,” I promise.

She rolls her eyes. “You should consult a psychiatrist. You need help, Mr. Aarav Raichand. You are living in an delusion and if you don’t get yourself treated, you will be doomed. Very soon.”

She is about to turn when I grab her wrist and haul her to me. She’s so lightweight that in a second, she ends up in my embrace, between my hard body and the steel railing behind her.

“You are a good woman, Jhanvi. So, I don’t want to make this difficult for you.” I swallow my anger and pride, both. “Marry me and support my cause to avenge the Raichands. I promise you won’t be hurt.”

She opens her mouth to debate, but I shut her up by placing my palm over her lips.

“Your approval doesn’t matter because you accept or not; youaregoing to be my wife, Aarav Raichand’s wife. Either let it happen the easiest way or the worst. The choice is yours.”

She bites the edge of my palm and then pushes my chest hard. I am stronger than her efforts, but I give her some space to breathe, stepping back myself. Her bite has left a sting on my palm, which I don’t ponder for now. The pain and confusion in Jhanvi’s eyes force my gaze to glue on her. Just her!!

“You are insane,” She shouts. “All these years when Daadi and Mohit hated you, I pitied you because of what you had to go through all these years but now-” she exhales. “Now I know they were right. Aarav Raichand doesn’t deserve people’s love and affection. You are meant to be hated and today, you just got one more follower in your Hater’s list!!”

I don’t speak a word. No matter how much she hates me, she is still going to be my wife. I watch her run to the stairs and soon she exits the mansion, leaving the dresses I shopped for her on the couch. That’s fine. When she comes here, I will make sure she wears them.

I fish my phone from the suit pocket and dial Aman. However busy he is, Aman is that one man who can never ignore my calls.

“Call the Priest and inform him I am getting married tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Aman barks from the other end. “Did she agree?”

“Doesn’t matter if she agrees or not, Aman. I am marrying Jhanvi Sikand tomorrow. Make sure everything is arranged.”

I disconnect the call and turn my gaze to Maa’s photo.

“I gave her a chance, Maa. Don’t be mad that I am forcing her to be my wife. You know she always belonged to me. Only me!!”

I wish Maa could speak from that picture. I just wished she could. Now that I had taken this decision of marrying Jhanvi Sikand tomorrow, I had to escalate a few things. So, I dial another number and wait for Mr. Advani to answer.

CHAPTER 5

Jhanvi

My heart races as I get down from the car. I didn’t tell Daadi where exactly I had been today because I didn’t want her or Mohit to overstress with Aarav’s silly drama. But the way things are proceeding between us, it is high time I tell them everything. Since Mohit is in Dubai, I decide to tell Daadi first. But the moment I enter the mansion, I hear Daadi conversing with someone on the phone. She looks torn and worried.

“Advani, we did not agree with this. The contract clearly states we have three more months to make the payment and get the mansion back. You have to give us that much time to pay it off,” Daadi shouts.

I don’t have a very good feeling about this. Looks like Daadi is speaking to the man to whom they have mortgaged this mansion. I stand there, waiting for her to finish. In Mohit’s absence, I will not leave her side during such crucial times. She speaks for another minute and hangs up.

“This is all his doing. That Aarav is playing these nasty tricks to bend us, but he can’t. I will never let him win.”

I have never seen Daadi so annoyed. I walk to her and first make her sit on the couch. She gulps some water before turning to me.

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