Page 31 of Forbidden

“Why? Why did you come here? Why can’t you leave me alone?” I shout.

He rubs his wrist where my teeth marks are still visible. It might have hurt him, but I don’t care. He has hurt me a thousand times worse than that.

“Because you are the most important piece of my life.. of my revenge and I will never let you go,” he shamelessly admits taking a step closer. “You can be more than that, Jaan. I told you all you gotta do is support me to fight this war against them. All you gotta do is… choose me.”

“Never,” I snapped.

A huffed breath leaves out of his mouth.

“Fine then. A pawn, that’s what you are, Jhanvi, and will be until you take my side.”

“A pawn can change the whole game, Aarav,” I challenge.

“Not in my game.”

“Then you are in a big delusion. I can be sacrificed, not captured.”

“Who's talking about capturing?” he laughs. “It's just a matter of time when you will give your heart to me and I wouldn’t even have to ask.”

The confidence in his tone baffles me, but I don’t show it off on my face. Aarav wants me to hate the people who have been my only support throughout. If he thinks he can bow me to his silly demands only because I'm his wife, he is wrong. He's ruined my future, to avenge the Raichands, but what he doesn't know is that at the end of the game, the King and the Pawn go back in the same box.

“The day I give you my heart will be the last day I take my breath.”

He stiffens at my threat, but that’s not it. I have more to threaten him with.

“I am going straight to the police station to complain against you and the way you forced me into this marriage.”

He frowns at first and then smirks.

“Who will believe you, Jaan?” he taunts. “I have left no proof that you can use to fight against me. It’s a waste. I suggest you stop fighting against me and…”

“Don’t challenge me, Aarav.” I cut his words, not letting him speak. “You don’t realize the power of an injured woman.”

He takes a step forward, closing that small gap between us and pins me to the pillar behind, using his arms on either side of my head.

“Let me heal you, Jaan. I swear, there’s no one else in this world who will look after you the way I do.”

Can’t believe he still thinks that.

“There’s no one else in this world whom I hate as much as I hate you, Aarav Raichand. And that’s never going to change.”

Pushing his arm away, I walk away from him. Doesn’t matter even if he lays his soul at my feet, he can never get anything from me except hatred. I get inside the cab with Jaya following me and leave the premises of Raichand Mansion. There’s so much I have to think of but my mind and heart don’t support it. All I need is some time to get through all this.

*********************

We check-in at a hotel as there’s nowhere else we can go. I have a property in Chandigarh, but I don’t want to leave the city, not until I convince Daadi and Mohit. I take a shower, skip lunch despite Jaya’s scolding and in the evening, I sit at the windowpane, watching the sunset. There’s nothing in my head except the flashes of the last few days when my world turned upside down.

At night, Jaya forcefully feeds me dinner and then keeps me busy with her talks. But I am still not in a mood. She even gives me a teddy bear, similar to the one I had in London and Raichand Mansion. Jaya is doing everything possible to shift my mood, but I don’t think that’s easy. A part of me is broken now and I don’t even know if I can fix myself again.

The next morning, I am a little better than yesterday, especially when I see Daadi and Mohit at my hotel room door.

My voice cracks seeing them so close to me and I really cannot help but hug Daadi.

“Can we come inside?” Mohit asks, and I welcome them into the room. Jaya stares at us, equally surprised by their visit, but I don’t want her to make any assumptions and become my shield again. I can handle this moment, so when I tell that to her, she gives us privacy and shifts into the other bedroom of the suite.

As Daadi takes the couch, I quickly make my way to her and sit next.

“Daadi I..”

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