Page 3 of Forbidden

He can’t be serious, can he? But it doesn’t seem so. There’s no nerve in his body that can give me a hint he is just messing with my mind. He looks sternly serious and scares me all the more. Somehow, taking off the bracelet that he made me wear becomes even more necessary than breathing the same air as he does. For a quick moment, his gaze drops on my lips and then reaches my eyes again. Something transpires and his mood shifts.

“Madan,” he roars, without breaking his gaze from my face.

The driver who got me here returns with his head bowed down in respect or maybe fear. I don’t care.

“Drop her wherever she wants to go.”

Drop me? After making such a funny joke that I will marry him and not Mohit, he is showing the courtesy of dropping me at Raichand Mansion where Daadi and Mohit live? Huh!!

“I don’t know what made you think I am here to marry you, Aarav Raichand,” I say. “It’s good to have hopes but let me warn you it hurts when these hopes burn into ashes.”

I don’t know where I get this strength to even challenge him. I am not weak, just a bit off-balance by his audacity.

“I’m not afraid to burn, Jhavni Sikand. I’m the fire that’s going to consume you and I promise that day isn’t far.”

My throat parches. He thinks so?

“Stay in that delusion then. Goodbye.”

With that, I turn my back to him and stride out. Thank God he is at least dropping me wherever I want to go, otherwise I don’t think I had that energy to even book a ride back to Raichand Mansion.

CHAPTER 2

Aarav

The Game is On!! I watch Jhanvi Sikand walk out of my mansion but not for too long. She’s soon going to stay here with me permanently. I stare at the picture of my mother, the one Jhanvi was admiring a few minutes ago.

“I will bring you justice, Maa,” I promise.

“Was that Jhanvi Sikand?” Aman Mathur, steps into the house.

“Yes, she is Jhanvi.”

He reaches me in a few strides and shows me the papers.

“It’s begun. The downfall of Durga Raichand and Mohit Raichand.”

I know exactly what these papers are, so I don’t ponder over going through them again.

“Good work, Aman.”

He nods, but soon I see questions building in his eyes which I am not very prepared to answer.

“We have everything we need to doom the Raichands. Is it necessary to involve Jhanvi Sikand in it?” he asks.

“Absolutely.”

I shift to the couch and sprawl on it, gesturing to the servant to bring us the coffee.

“But what is her fault in this?”

“Her fault is that she belongs to me, Aman. Not Mohit. And her major flaw is that she is supporting the wrong people.”

“That’s because Durga Raichand and Mohit took her responsibility when her father, Lalit Sikand, passed away. She owes them.”

“And I will change that,” I sternly reply. “I will make sure she hates them because these two people are not meant to be loved and respected by anyone.”

Aman rubs his temple hard before taking a seat before me.

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