||Heartless Love||

ShiriHoonMain

@ExoticDisaster

I had written this story on some other couple and thought it would suit the current situation of ShiVi. Thus, thought to repost 

"Tujhe naa, inferiority complex ho gaya hai, Shiva!"

"No one has asked you to change! It's all in your mind."

Her words rang in Shiva's head. Earlier, he may have tried to deny them to himself, may have tried to envelop himself in the security blanket of his hatred. But he was too exhausted now. It was amazing how a furious scuffle and the subsequent confrontation could take the stuffing out of a man, even the so called stone-hearted man Shiva Pandya. He had no energy left in him to conjure up his familiar hatred of Raavi. It had become harder and harder to do so lately, and if he had to be honest with himself, it stopped bringing him the comfort that it once did. Hating her gave a purpose to his life, and it seemed to be the key to mending his broken heart. But ever since he discovered that she wasn't really the bad one and his love was overpowering his hatred, the charm of his revenge was lost. Yes, he still clung desperately to that anger, relying on it to protect him from the crushing guilt that gnawed at his heart.

After he created a scene in the temple that day, Raavi left him for never returning back. She had had enough of his ignorance and mistrust.

He had ruined an innocent girl's life, solely based on the half-knowledge he had about her, without bothering to find out the whole truth. But till then, she had left him. And that's how he had landed in this mess.

It has been a year of her departure. Shiva had been searching for her since the day she had left. She didn't go back to her Maasi Maa, then where? Shiva didn't have an answer. He remembered once she had said that in a relationship, trust is more important than love. He cursed himself. How had he not trust such an innocent girl? Why did he convince himself that she was ashamed of him- that she didn't want him as her husband?

Suddenly his bike stopped. He climbed down of it. He saw that a girl was being chased by some men. His survival instincts kicked in, and he picked up a wooden rod lying near the road and ran to them. He pulled her behind him, and they ran away when they saw the rod.

He turned to ask her if she was okay, but she seemed to be fine, instead, she lit a cigarette and blew a puff into the cold air, nonchalantly. Her look was repulsive. He instantly felt disgusted standing around her. No, he had nothing against her but it does happen sometimes that you just don't like someone. This was one such case. He decided to ignore her and looked around to see if he knew the place, but no, he didn't recognise the area. There was nothing around that could indicate where he was. He looked around to see if there was someone he could ask for help.

"What are you looking for?" He was stunned when he heard her voice. He had not seen her face due to the dim street light but now he stepped closer to her. He was shocked seeing her face and it reflected in her eyes too. There stood a stunned Raavi in a bright red saree, that barely covered her. Her colourful blouse had a deep neck, clearly exposing her cleavage. Her plump lips were painted in the darkest shade of cherry he had ever seen. Kohl was spread darkly in her eyes and her saree's pallu did nothing to cover her cleavage or waist.

"Raavi??" He whispered.

What is all this, he wanted to ask. But all his voice seemed to have betrayed him.

"Some people call me Chameli and some Chamkili. We don't have names." She said.

He was stumped. He didn't know what to say or how to react.

"But Raavi, you.."

He began only to be interrupted by her.

"When your husband questions your character, the whole world proves you characterless." She said and Shiva looked at her apologetically.

"What was my mistake? That I just wanted him to understand me, that I wanted to fit in his world? But he chose not to trust me and instead decided that I am sleeping around with my friends. So I left him. I didn't want to a burden on my mother so didn't go back to her. A man promised of getting me a job and that asshole sold me off."

Darn, why did life have to be so unfair? He wanted to chop off the head of the b*****d who did this to her. No. He was her culprit. He was the reason her life was a mess. He was cursing destiny when he heard her break out into a loud laugh. He was confused.

"This story fetches 500 extra bucks." She laughed again.

He looked at her not believing she was actually his Raavi. How could she! How could someone change so much? How could she mask her suffering and instead use it to make a profit? He shook his head in exasperation.

"Catch her!" They both heard someone yell and she almost jumped in fear. One of the men who were following her was back and was pulling her forcefully.

"Leave me!" She yelled.

A feeling of rage and possessiveness coursed through Shiva's veins, and he stepped ahead. Without thinking any further, he just punched him on his face. The man left her arm and landed on his back, blood trickling down his nose. How dare he touch her without her consent!

"What have you done!" She shouted in horror. "They are so dangerous! Hey Somnath!"

Shiva realized that those men were actually dangerous. But the only thing that was on his mind was at that moment was that the man was forcing himself on Raavi.

"There is no other option," She said, and he looked at her. "Run!"

He stood there looking at her, confused. Why is she so scared?

"Run, Mr. Pandya! Run." She held his hand, and they both ran while the other men, who seemed to have kept an eye on them from a distance, sprang out of thin air and followed them.

"What's exactly happening?" He asked.

"They need a young girl and I am the youngest one in the bar." She said instantly.

"In the... in the bar?"

Shiva chose to shut up. They reached a shady bar with neon lights flashing and loud item songs playing inside. Raavi pushed him inside the bar. Women were dancing on the make-do stage in skimpy clothes. She pulled him to sit on a table and he looked around and saw men, drunk enough to not be in their senses. A few of them were throwing money at the girls. Disgust was what he felt. How people wasted their money and spent it on something that was killing them eventually. Then he saw the same men who were following them.

"What now?" He asked and she looked horrified.

He frowned in concern but then completely shook when she pulled his head quickly towards herself and locked her lips with his. It took him a second to respond before he held her face and kissed her back.

"Get a room, you two!" Someone spoke and Shiva smiled in between the kiss.

But before he could deepen it further he felt her hands pushing him away.

"Relax, They are gone now," she said wiping excess lipstick off his lips leaving Shiva to wonder what the hell just happened.

Before he could figure out anything, she pulled him towards the exit. There he could see the men who were chasing them were being arrested by the police. The bar was raided and everyone who was present there was arrested. Then he realised, Raavi has left his hand and she was nowhere to be seen. Did they arrest her too? He was unable to understand anything then he saw her talking animatedly to the commissioner of police. He walked towards them.

"Congratulations, Miss Gupta. You are successful in getting us the proof of underage prostitution, and you even helped us nab some of the pimps." The commissioner said.

"Thank you, Sir," Raavi said as she shook hands with him. "But it would have been impossible without the cooperation of the police."

"Anytime." He smiled.

Shiva was still confused. Soon, the media surrounded them.

"What would you like to say about this, Sir?" They asked the commissioner.

"It's sad how little girls are trafficked and brought into the business; how some poor needy families sell their own daughters for money; how pimps live a normal life among normal people and conduct the business. They can be anyone from our neighbours to our friends. Young girls are kidnapped, raped and beaten and interactions with her are kept at a minimum till she is completely in their control. Every girl is being kept an eye on and is traced and brought back if they try to escape. Also, the involvement of a few corrupt police officers and high profile people in society has been brought to our notice. But nothing is possible without the help of this young lady, Miss Raavi Gupta, the most efficient journalist of 'Kal, Aaj aur Kal' news, who went undercover. I guess you are not undercover anymore. She had taken the risk of taking the place of a sixteen-year-old girl who was about to be abducted by some of the ruthless people. These businesses are very highly connected, even having political connections. They wouldn't even have given it a second thought before getting rid of her. She was captured for some time, but she didn't lose hope and fought for the children. So well done, Miss Gupta."

The commissioner said, Raavi nodded, and Shiva stood there numb. A journalist? He felt proud of her but then worried about what would have happened if they had caught her. He saw her coming towards him.

"Hey, sorry about that." She said as she pointed towards their lips. "But I couldn't think anything else at that time."

She smiled as if nothing was there between them in the past. She moved past him, but Shiva held her wrist.

"Let go of me, Mr. Pandya." She said as she faced him.

"Come back to me, Raavi."

"I had learnt to move on, Shiva. Please don't complicate my life." She said in a low voice.

He left her hand, and she walked away. But Shiva felt proud of his wife. He looked at her way till she disappeared in a determination of getting her back. 

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That's all. I hope you enjoyed the os in Shivi version.