Page 34 of Twisted Alliance

“My sister, Nandini, was an avid reader. She collected books from all across the world. I tried to preserve the ones she enjoyed, but I donated the rest to the library where many others can enjoy the stories.”

Ishani had heard of Nandini Thakvar. She was said to be the epitome of beauty and also known for her boldness and progressive thoughts.

Even though she hadn’t known or met the woman, she felt sad that Nandini Thakvar lost her life in an accident along with her older brother. It happened twenty years ago, after which Mihir Thakvar came from a foreign country and took over as the Thakvar heir.

Knowing that a conversation about his older brother and sister would lead to sadness, Ishani kept quiet. She picked up a few books she hoped to read in the garden she had seen from the bedroom balcony.

After the library visit, she joined her father-in-law for lunch at the dinner table. She enjoyed his company as he narrated the history of the mansion. He was impressed by some of the things she had read in the books about the Thakvar mansion.

“That is amazing,” he said. “I didn’t know that part of the history. Where did you read that?”

Happiness burst inside her chest. “It was from my father’s book collection. He was an avid reader as well.”

There was a poignant look on Mihir Thakvar’s face. “Yes, I remember that about Ishwar. He used to enjoy reading even when we were children.”

Ishani had known that her father and Mihir Thakvar used to be good friends during childhood before Mihir Thakvar left abroad for further studies.

Her heart melted when Mihir Thakvar spoke about her father and their childhood memories.

“Despite the tension between our clans, most of the prominent clans’ heirs were friends since we all studied in the same school in the city. Your father was in my class, and we stayed in the same room in boarding school.”

Mihir Thakvar smiled. “Never did Ishwar or I imagine that one day our children would marry. I’m glad my son married you, and I have you as my daughter.”

Ishani simply nodded, unable to say anything. She couldn’t tell the kindhearted man that Shivay Thakvar was the devil and was torturing her.

And more importantly, she couldn’t tell Mihir Thakvar that her devil husband was not even his son.

There was no way such a kindhearted and generous man would have a son who was like the devil. Shivay Thakvar was definitely not the heir. He was just a ruthless businessman out to grab control of the Singoor oil wells and use a wealthy older man with no family in the process.

Even as she established the fact, she was determined to prove it right.

***

It was close to midnight when Ishani heard the bedroom door opening and shutting with a soft click. She pretended to be asleep on the bed.

Soft footsteps could be heard coming closer until she felt his presence next to her. His familiar cologne tingled her nose. She kept her eyes closed even though her breath caught inside her chest.

She waited, expecting him to touch her or say something. For a long moment, nothing happened.

When she heard footsteps again, followed by the sound of the bathroom door closing, she could now breathe freely.

She held her breath when the bathroom door opened, and moments later, she felt a dip in the bed.

Oh God. Please don’t let him touch me.

Her prayers were answered when moments later, she could hear his deep, even breathing.

She waited until much later when she slowly turned towards him. The lamps in the bedroom were turned off, but the moonlight falling from the large windows softly lit up the suite. She could see the broad expanse of his back and his powerful shoulders moving slightly with his deep, even breathing. The injuries on his back no longer had bandages on them, but she could see them even in the semi-darkness.

Biting her lip, she turned away from the sight she found unnerving.

Although he was deep asleep, she carefully and quietly opened the nightstand next to her and reached for the object she had placed inside that evening.

It was a pair of scissors.

She couldn’t procure normal ones from the office and had to resort to using garden scissors she found lying outside the mansion.

As long as it served the purpose, she didn’t really care what kind it was. It would only take a few seconds to get the job done. Holding the scissors, she carefully turned back towards him. And then, with slightly trembling hands, she looked at the hair on the back of his head.

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