Chapter 22

Chapter 21

“Love Her So Much That

She Might Doubt Your Sanity

But Never Your Passion”

He threw her on the sofa, she felt disoriented for a while. His shoulder blade hurt her stomach. He was just a little out of breath but otherwise seemed alright. Her punches and kicks affected him little to nothing.

“Let me go” Riddhima screamed at him

“Never” his reply was prompt

“I don’t like you; I don’t love you. I never will. I like someone else. You have no place in my life. What part of this you do not understand? You are mad, insane. And if you think I will ever stop running then you are mistaken. I will always run away from you. And then I will call the police and they will take you to jail or better yet a mental asylum. 

I will keep quiet if you let me go. No one will have to know that you kidnapped me if you release me right now. Because let me tell you Mr. Vansh Rai Singhania when I get away from here and I will, you will feel very sorry that you abducted me in the first place. Let me go now” 

Riddhima had never shouted at anyone ever. Today was an exception. She was so close to her freedom and he snatched it away. He was keeping her caged.

His smile was chillingly predatory, Carnal, and possessive. “Do you really think I brought you this far to be letting you go?”

“I don’t want to know what you think or what you want you je*k” she grabbed paperweight and threw it at his face which he caught easily in his hand. But she did not stop there, she picked up anything she could lay her hands on and threw things at him, papers, showpiece, glass, pillow. He kept dodging them and neared her.

“That’s enough Riddhima. You will get hurt” he held her hands. He looked angry and hurt? Oh, good he should feel hurt if he will not let her leave, she will hurt him more.

“Do you think I care anymore?” she screamed like a banshee.

“Calm down or else you will be responsible for what happens next,” Vansh warned her with a deadly calm voice

She pushed him hard not expecting her to move his hold loosened on her and she snatched her hands away

“I don’t care.” She bit out. Removing the ring she flung it against the wall, chest heaving she stood there and glared at him.

“That does it” he strode over, his one hand went at the back of her head and he pulled her hair

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you” his breath hit her face. He pulled out a phone and ordered someone “Come here”

He let go of her hair but took a hold of her hand. He opened a drawer and pulled out a Gun??? She stopped struggling. 

Two guards came and stood at some distance from them. Both looked tense. Riddhima looked from Vansh to the gun to guards. Is he going to kill her? Did she piss him off so much that he wants to kill her now? The guards will bury her body or may throw her in the sea no one will know she died. She closed her eyes, tears started to flow from them.

“Who do should I kill first, Riddhima?” Vansh asked in a dangerous voice

“What?” She was baffled, he was pointing a gun at two guards.

She looked at the guards were they, idiot? Why are they not running away?  both looked scared but stayed put.

“They know there is no way out. I have a team of guards standing out. If they run from here, they will get killed anyway. And they are loyal to me. So, tell me who goes first” He replied as if reading her mind

“Oh god, no, what are you doing?” She asked, scared. He won’t kill them. He was bluffing to scare her.

“I know, He will die first” he pointed the gun at the man who stopped her fall “but you can tell me if you have priorities and be quick otherwise I will kill them my way”

“No, please don’t do this” she begged and pleaded but he would not change his mind. He held her at an arm’s length. He gripped her wrist hard, his eyes flashing fire.

“My way then” he shrugged casually and pointed his gun at the man. The man stayed still. He really was going to kill the man. The man was not moving. She heard a click and a shot.

Vansh looked at Riddhima who stood there trembling looking at him with horror, her one hand still clasped in his hand. She stood in front of him. She had pushed his hand to the side at the last moment. The bullet hit the set of glasses in the kitchen.

“Don’t worry we have 8 more bullets” He again pointed the gun at the man.

This time she reacted instinctively “Vansh, please don’t do this” she cried out

“I told you Riddhima, you will face the consequences of your actions. They will pay for your mistakes now”

“No don’t. Please. I am sorry, please sorry.” She placed her hand on his chest. He stared hard at her but kept quiet

“I will listen to you. Please don’t kill them” she was a crying mess, she kept begging him.

“Fine you can go '' Vansh ordered. Looking relieved, guards left.

He left her wrist and she crumbled to the floor crying. Vansh closed his eyes and cursed himself. He lowered and sat beside her on his knees. He laid his hand lightly on her shoulder making her flinched. 

Vansh fisted his hands at his side. They sat like that for five more minutes before Vansh picked her up. This time she did not protest.

He took her to their room and kept her on the bed gently.

“Do you want some water?” he offered her a glass. She turned her back to him and kept crying but did not say anything.

Vansh sat in the chair near the bed looking at her form. He felt miserable. He never intended to scare her much, but she said all those things, it hurt, it bloody hurt when she said, ‘She will never love him, and she likes Kabir’. 

How do you console a crying woman? He looked at her helplessly. He was never good at doing this kind of mushy things with the girls he dated previously. Hell, all his relationships were technically one-night stands, nothing more nothing less. He desperately wanted to soothe her but how???

It was a while before her sobs quietened and he could hear occasional hiccups. He bent over to see her sleeping. He covered her with a blanket and took his previous position. Taking out his phone he googled “How to console a crying girlfriend?”

The results suggested several things from hugging her to assuring her you are there for her. He laughed in his head, if he told her that, she would reply he was her problem. Then some suggested buying chocolate, ice cream. Yes, that he can do. She likes those chocolates. He made a mental note to bring them for her. If you can’t console her, make her speak with her friend. He groaned, her friend, how can he forget that…

*****

Aaryan was exhausted. To prove to his father that he can work on his own and does not need anyone’s help, he came to the office very early and sat reading all the emails. Why the hell his inbox was so full on the second day of his work.

He had interviews lined up for the PA position. He received reminder emails from Finance, HR, and operations head for the meeting. The Head Architect wants to discuss a few points with him, so his calendar was blocked for the whole day and he did not understand even a single thing that he was going to discuss with them.

He heard a knock on the door. “Come in” he replied a bit rudely

“May I come in?”

He looked up. There stood a beautiful girl she smiled at him

“yes” he appraised her

“Hello Sir, I am Sejal Shastri. I am the team lead for this project.” She introduced herself.

He frowned as he stared at her hand ‘Sejal Shastri?’ had he met her before or had he heard something about her…

*****

Vansh was still sitting in the same place when Riddhima woke up after some time. She looked scared. Vansh held out a tablet towards her. She looked at him scared but said nothing.

“Riddhima this is the medicine for headache which I know you might have now. Please take it” He never thought he would speak with anyone this softly. But she was not anyone. She was future Mrs. VRS.

Riddhima quietly took the medicine and drank the water. I want you to get ready. I have even kept your clothes ready. Take a bath and then we will have breakfast. She got up and went to the bathroom without a word to him.

“Patience” he reminded himself and left the room to give her some privacy.

*****

She sat under the shower, crying, what did she do to deserve this? How will she get out of here? God, she hated it when she usually saw cry-babies in TV shows and movies. Today she was doing nothing else but cry. He was ready to kill someone, that thought alone scared her the most.

He kept her clothes ready. She felt disgusted. He not only kept her dress but also kept inner clothes ready. He will know what she will be wearing. Never, she got up. She was shivering since she sat under the shower in her clothes. She brushed her teeth, took a shower, and wore a robe. Opening the door, she peeked out. He was not in the room. She quickly opened the closet and pulled out another set of clothes…

*****

Vansh was in two minds if he should go and bring her down; it was more than an hour. She must be ready by now. What was taking her so long?  He wanted to give her alone time, that was the hardest thing to do. He even kept the remote for the room on the bedside table. Did she not see that?

He turned around to go upstairs when he saw her. He almost smiled. She did not wear the dress he kept for her. That means her fighting mode was not completely switched off. He liked seeing her fighting, getting angry at him. For the first time, Vansh was happy because someone refused his orders.

He took her hand and made her sit on the sofa. She looked confused, weren’t they supposed to have breakfast? Someone had cleaned the room.

“Riddhima, I want to speak to you.” Vansh looked serious

She turned her attention to him.

“Riddhima, your friend Nia wants to speak with you. I think she doubts something. Your friends were messaging you for the last 3 days. I replied to them, but I guess Nia is not convinced. She has told Sahil to visit your home. He will be going there today if they do not receive a call from you”

“Nia…” tears filled Riddhima’s eyes, but she felt happy. She knew it, her friends will find her. Now VRS can’t keep her here for long

“Don’t think this will affect me in any way. I hate to burst your bubble, but what you are thinking won’t happen"

Her smile dropped as he continued “I already told you Riddhima, no one can take you away from me. I can easily hurt them if I want.”

Riddhima looked frightened at that “No, please don’t hurt them.”

“I won’t.” He assured her “I don’t care for them Riddhima. I care for you and I know if I do something like this you will feel hurt. So…” He held out her mobile

“Call your friend and tell her whatever you want, but make sure if you pass out some unwanted information there will be consequences. If your friend finds you missing from your home, and they do something I don’t want then I will retaliate, remember that”

No, she won’t let anything happen to her friends. She took the mobile and bit her lip. She wanted her mobile but now that she has it, she can’t even convey her message to her friends. She hated him.

Riddhima called Nia…

*****

“Hello Nia”

“You idiot, what do you think you were doing? I was so worried about you, no calls, responses to my text messages seemed so cold. Riddhima you better have good reason to go MIA on us” Nia did not let her speak anything.

Riddhima felt very emotional “I am sorry”

Nia stopped her rant “What’s wrong? Your voice? Did something happen? Are you crying?”

And then the dam broke

“Riddhima…” Nia was super worried.

Vansh kept a hand on her shoulder and she stopped crying.

“We had a fight. Me and Sejal.”

“Oh, I knew it must be something like this…”

*****

Riddhima finished her call and sadly handed it back to Vansh. She convinced Nia that she was not at home, she took off for a few days due to her fight. She is staying in the hotel and will be back in a few days.

It was a difficult task, but Nia knew Riddhima got very emotional when she and Sejal had a big fight. Sejal can get nasty when she wants…

*****

“Hey Idiot, how was your day?” Ishani flopped on Aaryan’s bed

“Worst would be an understatement” he replied tiredly

“That bad huh. Nothing interesting happened?”

“Interesting…Oh yes, I forgot Ragini called. She called me yesterday, but I could not take her phone, she called again. Wanted to hang out with me and was asking if she could visit me in the office” Aaryan thought back to his call with Ragini. It was apparent that she would take an interest in him now that he is working in the VR industry

“You refused her right?” Ishani asked sharply

“of course, I know, how to keep people at arm’s length, especially people like Sunny and Ragini” He paused, “By the way, do you know any Sejal Shastri?”

Ishani stood up “Why do you ask?”

“Well, I met her today in the office she is the team lead for our project. Looks beautiful, short but carries a lot of attitude. I felt I may have heard about her somewhere, Ishani what is wrong?” Aaryan questioned as he suddenly saw her pacing the room

“What is he planning?”

“Who?” Aaryan asked confused

“Vansh Bhai”

“Now where does he come in this?”

“Aaryan do you remember a few days back I told you about the girl. Vansh bhai made me give her a tour of our Mansion?”

“Yeh, Riddhima’s sister…you disliked her…Holy shit” His eyes widened, and he looked at Ishani in shock…

*****

The whole day Vansh kept saying sorry but Riddhima did not listen. He brought her flowers, chocolates, Ice cream, balloons. If it were anyone else, she would have melted in a jiff. But Vansh kept her here against her wishes if he thinks she is going to forgive him then…Speak of the devil and the devil is here

Riddhima turned her back to him. She was ready to sleep. After her call with Nia, he did not leave her alone even for a second. She was not sure he was used to apologizing to someone, she almost thought she saw his control snap, he looked frustrated…

*****

“Riddhima” he called her.

She turned towards him, waiting for him to say anything he wanted and get away from here.

“I know, you are angry with me. I hurt your feelings. I don’t know how to make you feel better” Riddhima rolled her eyes, to indicate that she was not interested in this…

“Maybe you will feel better if I hurt myself” He looked demented.

“Hah?” Riddhima was alarmed

He took a knife from his pocket and said, “I can even bleed to make you feel better” and made one cut on his palm

“What are you doing?” she ran to him before he can make another cut and threw away the knife

“Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop” she kept bouncing on the balls of her feet as if she willed to stop the blood with her mere words.

He smiled at her. 

“Do you have a first aid kit? We need to stop the blood” She held his hand. Blood drops were falling on the floor one by one. She took him to the washroom and held his hand underwater

“First aid is in the lavatory downstairs”

“Okay, I will be back, don't move”

She had a first aid kit in her hand when she returned. Making him sit on the bed, she wrapped his hand in gauze and bandaged his wound.

“Are you mad? Who does that?” she scolded him and could feel her anger boil more as he smiled at her.

“You know this is the first time someone took care of my wound”

She closed her eyes in exasperation and turned to find blood on the floor.

“Don’t worry you don’t have to sleep here tonight.” He took her to an adjacent room

“Where will you sleep?” she asked him suspiciously

“Don’t worry about it” he brushed the topic aside as if it held no importance. “Am I forgiven?”

“I…Why are you doing this?”

“You know why?”

“Because you think you are in love with me.”

“Because I know I am in love with you.”

“You are VRS you will get anyone you want. Any girl. Why me?” She was frustrated

“Because you are not anyone. Tell me, Riddhima do you believe in love at first sight?”

“No” came her instant reply

“Then you will not understand my feelings”

“There is no love at first sight, just attraction at first sight” she countered

“Trust me there is especially for someone who has been through what I have.”

“Water?” held a glass before her.

“I don’t” she tried to back away

“please as a peace offering?”

She drank half the glass and kept it on the side table. Sitting on the bed she looked at him

“Okay, let’s say, you are in love with me. And love, at first sight, does exists. So, that does not mean you had to kidnap me. Why didn’t you approach me like a normal person asking me out on a date?”

“Would you have said yes to me had I approached you like a normal person?”

His question rendered her speechless. “I...”

“Exactly. What was I supposed to do?”

“How about respecting my wishes?” Riddhima asked him frustrated, she could feel her eyes getting heavy. Why was she suddenly feeling so sleepy?

“Riddhima, I love you. I know you don’t believe me, but I was not going to sit there and try to woo you like a normal man when you were dreaming about another man. I agree you don’t love me. But you don’t love that Kabir either if you loved him or he was a dear one for you. Then you would have called him the moment you found out those masks in the box. I let you leave that day, didn’t I?”

“That’s not true” she could not find anything else to say

“When I asked you about him in a car that day, you stated he was your friend. If you loved him why not say so?”

“I…” she could not say anything anymore. She could not control her sleep.

Vansh smiled at her sleeping form. moving her to the middle of the bed, pulling a blanket on them, he slept beside her holding her tightly…

*****

Note:

Happy reading guys