Chapter 23

Chapter 22

“Say that you want me every day

That you want me every way

That you need me

Got me tripping Super Psycho Love”

“Get ready quickly and come downstairs, I have a surprise for you” Riddhima closed her eyes tightly; his words still reverberated through her mind. The smile that he gave her made her anxious, there was a devilish twinkle in his eyes.

It had been an hour since he left her alone. When she got up that morning he was nowhere to be seen and she took a sigh of relief which was short-lived because he returned immediately after few minutes. So much so for a quiet morning, she thought. He was dressed in a suit all ready as if he was going for some business meeting. Confused she looked at the clock and was surprised to see it was 9.30 in the morning she never slept this late.

He looked happy. When he advanced on her and bent down intending to kiss her, she held up her hand and moved back, making his smile vanish. But it was only for split second, he quickly regained his composure and smiled back at her, kept a dress for her on the bed, ordered her, and left with long strides. Since then she could not shake the feeling, he was up to something…

*****

Someone banged the door waking him up with a start. Drool crusted one corner of his mouth, he quickly wiped it and stood up feeling a little disoriented

“You are not here to sleep” Aangre snapped with a frown on his face

“Then tell me why I am here? Because this is not my cup of tea. I can’t work on this project. I have been trying to understand this, but no, I don’t want to work on this project anymore. Why is he even making me work on this? isn’t this project important for Vansh Bhai?”

“I have good news for you. Boss wants you to do something that you are natural at” Aangre smirked

“What? I am not supposed to work on this project anymore?” Aaryan was confused and relieved as he looked at Aangre

“You will be the face of this project for a while, but you don’t need to work on this, we already have another team working on this project. Did you really think the boss will let you work here” Aangre informed him, sounding bored

“Then why did you make me work on this? I put so much effort into this. What is the meaning of this? And what about the team I am working with?” Aaryan started getting angry

“Making you work was not in the boss's plan, I did it. I enjoyed seeing you trying to make an effort of using that brain of yours. And the team that you are working with consists of hardly 4-5 people who are on a performance improvement plan. They will lose their job in the next month or two” Aangre snickered and then turned serious

“Boss wants you to do something. But first, tell me have you met Sejal Shastri?”

*****

Riddhima slowed down and stopped on the stairs she could hear someone speaking with Vansh. Who is it? Riddhima was trying to hear the conversation when someone called her

“Madam, Sir is waiting for you.” Riddhima jumped and turned to notice a middle-aged lady standing there with a cleaning appliance.

Nodding her head, she moved towards the living room only to come to a stop, as she looked at her guests. There were three more people discussing something with Vansh. Vansh turned as he sensed her approach

“Come, sweetheart, I was waiting for you. Look who is here” he gestured

Riddhima walked in a daze as Vansh guided her holding her waist and made her sit on the sofa

“You must know him, right? He is the owner of…I mean he was the owner of your hospital Mr. Yash” Vansh gave a wicked smile.

Riddhima looked at Yash shocked, what is going on? Did he know I am kidnapped by Vansh? Can I ask for his help? Will he help? Her mind worked furiously. Yash only gave a smile that looked like a toothache, but he could not meet her eyes.

“and here” Vansh continued interrupting her thoughts “He is the police commissioner and he is the health minister” Vansh introduced them to Riddhima who looked at them with a hopeful look in her eyes.

“We are done with our meeting, I just made them wait, thought you would like to meet them and ask for help, right?” Vansh challenged her

Others looked confused as they stared between Vansh and Riddhima

Then commissioner turned to Riddhima “Do you need our help with something?” he looked genuinely concerned

Commissioner was confused if the lady needed any help why didn’t VRS said so, what was the reason for making them wait? He just has to say it and his work will get done. Who was this lady? What was so special about her?

“I think my fiancé is feeling shy I will tell you her problem” Vansh declared holding her hand. Four pairs of eyes turned to him shocked. He gave a sly smile to Riddhima

“Actually, Riddhima wants to file a complaint against someone who kidnapped her and is keeping her against her wishes” Vansh started

 “She wants to complain against me. And wants me to get admitted to a Mental hospital. Right sweetheart? See we have a police commissioner, health minister plus doctor to help you out with this”

The atmosphere turned tense before the minister suddenly gave out a nervous laugh

“Mr. Raisinghania your humor is something else”

“why will I joke about something like this? I am very much serious; you can ask her”

Riddhima loured at Vansh “Yes, he is right. Vansh kidnapped me and is keeping me here against my wishes, can you help me?” Riddhima asked them. There was an edge to her voice she already knew their answers

“I am sorry, but I can’t help you with it” Minister denied outright

“Do you have any proofs that Mr. Raisinghania kidnapped you? If not, then no one can help you.” commissioner felt guilty as he looked at the young girl, he wanted to help but could not. He felt pity for her if VRS has taken a fancy on her then no one can help her in this.

“I think I should not expect anything from you either? Or were you involved in this from the start?” she glared at Yash

“I would like to take your leave Mr. Raisinghania. It was a pleasure meeting you” Yash left followed by the other two

*****

“I want to meet Riddhima, where is she?”

Sejal raised her brows as she stared at him “Don’t you know?”

“Know what?” Kabir asked irritated

“She went to Nia’s hometown. Her grandmother is unwell”

“When will she come back?”

“I don’t know” Sejal shrugged “Why don’t you call her?”

Kabir sighed there was no point in asking Sejal and he did not wish to explain to her anything “Tell her I asked for her and this is my new number” he kept a paper on the table before leaving

Sejal tore the paper in half and threw it in the dustbin “I am not her servant to pass messages”

*****

“Why are you getting angry? I just tried to help you” Vansh followed Riddhima. She was not speaking with him and he did not like it one bit. It seems she had a habit of going on mute mode whenever she gets angry at someone. He pestered her continuously, her patience wearing thin. She was going to burst any moment, he could feel that

“Didn’t you say yesterday, you wanted to complain against me? I called those people for you” he continued trying to instigate her further

Riddhima slapped the magazine on the table and stood up “What are you trying to prove? What made you like this? Is this because you have so much money? Are you trying to show me you can buy anything and anyone with your money, power, and status? Because if that is the case then let me tell you Mr. Vansh Raisinghania, you can’t buy me with your money, and I don’t care for your power.”

Vansh pulled her hand making her sit on his lap, shocked she tried to move and pushed at his chest

“That is what I love about you the most” he nuzzled her hair

“What are you doing? Leave me. This is so inappropriate”

“You know I am addicted to your smell”

“I will tell you the name of the perfume I use. Now leave me” Riddhima tried to get up

He smiled at her “not your perfume. Your smell. you know you have your own unique smell”

“I smell?” sizing all her movements she questioned him appalled

He smelled her “Yes, flowery, sweet. Tell you what I have good news for you”

“I doubt anything you have to say will be good news for me” she murmured and started her efforts once again

“We are going back tomorrow” this time she did freeze

“Back? Back at home in Mumbai? My home?” she felt happy

“Yes, your home. We will reach your home tomorrow. I will visit your sister and we will announce our decision to get married. Then you will come and stay at my place. We will get married next week with all the rituals”

“I don’t want to marry…”

“Riddhima…” he warned “speak carefully, you promised yesterday…you will do everything I want as long as I don’t kill those guards. Do you want a repeat of yesterday? We will get married with or without your consent; you will be my wife all mine.” He declared

“I told you I will kill anyone and everyone who stands in my way to you. And when I say everyone, I mean it” his eyes flashed a mad glint in them.

Riddhima was not moving out of fear still his hold on her got impossibly tight

“We can get married right now. We will celebrate our first night here and then I will take you back I can do that trust me. I thought you would like to be with your friends and family on your special occasion and that is the only reason I am taking you back. Do I make myself clear?”

Terrified Riddhima nodded her head

Vansh sat there trying to rein his temper

“I have one request; can you please give me some time to adjust to this new development. I just want to prepare myself for this. This is going too fast can we please slow down a bit.” Riddhima’s mind was working furiously trying to come up with a solution and right now she can only see one solution to this, she needed time.  

“I will have to make Sejal understand this with a lot of patience. She won’t take this lightly. She likes you” Riddhima observed him to see how he takes this news

Vansh shrugged “so what? there are many girls there who like me. And I am sure there must be someone who likes you. That does not mean I am going to let them come between us”

“But what about your fiancé?’ Riddhima asked him desperately

“What fiancé? I never had any fiancé. Who told you this?” He had an idea, but he wanted her confirmation.

Riddhima looked at him suspiciously, was he lying or his sister was lying? He looked angry, judging by his reaction she concluded it must be his sister

“Who Riddhima?” he asked her again

“Your sister”

“Which?”

“Ishani”

Vansh gritted his teeth “did she say anything else?”

Riddhima quickly shook her head, he looked angry. She was not sure what kind of relationship he shared with his sister or family for that matter. She did not want to say anything more that may trigger his anger and making her the reason for the sibling dispute. He did not look convinced so before he could question her anymore, she quickly continued

“I need some time, please” she pleaded “I know you don’t care about anyone but please think about it from my perspective. Sejal will go ballistic, Nia and Sahil will not believe this. I cannot lie to them if I am not prepared” Riddhima was hoping that he will listen to her, this will give her some time to find a way out of this.

“I will think about it” He released her. She quickly stood up and he left without another word

*****

It was well into the afternoon when Ishani woke up. She groggily sat up and looked around at unfamiliar surroundings. Something brushed over her fingers…Sunny!

She scrambled out of the bed, she was naked, and then last night flashed before her eyes…

Ishani wiped her tears and closed her eyes as taxi moved towards VR Mansion. She had been going out with Sunny for the last two nights. She could see Aangre was getting jealous. He sent his men to keep watch over her. Last night when his minions tried to take her home, she caused a ruckus. Aangre arrived and took her home forcefully.

She was beyond angry at his manhandling. When he dropped her home, she sneaked out to teach him a lesson, she returned back to the same club Sunny and Ragini were there…She was drunk already, anger clouded her mind and she drank some more. Then one thing led to another and she ended up having s*x with Sunny. How could she be so stupid? What will Aangre say if he gets to know about it…

*****

Vansh pounded into the punching bag. He needed to give his decision. He didn’t want to accept her request, ‘need some time’ he scoffed he knew what she was thinking while making this request. It amazed him to see that she still thought she had a way out of this.

He could remove all the obstacles in his path at this instance. He could transfer Kabir, Sejal to some other place altogether. He can make Sahil and Nia leave this country. He can take her home and job from her, leaving her no other option but for him. It was a tempting prospect. One he itched to put into action.

But where is the fun in that? And he would like to see her wear out all her options before he married her. He wished she would be a willing participant in this marriage. 

She tried to defy him with her actions then and now, like today she wore the same jeans, top, and cardigan which she was wearing the day he brought her here. She must have found her bag in the room they slept in yesterday. He locked that room now.

He reached his room to take a bath. She was nowhere to be seen. He frowned and called a guard who informed him that she was taking a walk on the beach…

*****

Vansh stared at Riddhima, she looked lost in thought, as she kept walking, the wind was messing with her hair, she held her sandals in one hand, while with another hand she tried to hold her hair. He followed her quietly at a distance, she was walking on wet sand leaving her footprints. Seawater touched her feet gently before going back. She stopped staring at Sunset. After a few minutes she turned only to come face to face with a chest. She jumped back in fright and lost balance. Sandals fell from her hand but before she could fall, he held her by wrist. If he releases her hand now, she will fall.

“What was the need to stand behind me like that?” she huffed

In a swift move, he pulled her to him and picked her up, and started walking towards the sea. She gasped

“Vansh! What are you doing?” he kept walking ignoring her

“Don’t you dare” she warned him “I cannot swim” by now he was knee-deep in the sea, panicked she held him around his neck

She could feel the waves getting bigger. “Vansh” she called out again

Her hips, her back, her hair from below everything was wet by now. Water was leveled with his chest now. Except for her face, she was under the water, the only difference he held her.

“Don’t leave me here. Water is deep. I can’t swim”

“Don’t worry, I am here” he smiled, and then he left her. She held his neck tightly as they floated in the water. A big wave came at them and Riddhima’s head immersed from the water spurting. She pulled him close

“What are you trying to do? Kill me?” she shouted at him

“I like it when you pull me close” His hands worked around her shoulder before she realized what was happening, he had already removed her jacket which went away with sea waves

“That was my favorite one” She cried out when she felt his hands go under her top and grab her bare waist and roam freely on her stomach and back

“I will buy you a new one”

“Take me back” Riddhima ordered, she had to take a break in between each sentence because sea waves kept coming at them

“Say you love me; tell me I love you and we will go back”

Riddhima looked mutinous. Vansh grinned “Personally I like this much better. I don’t mind staying here” his hand crept up near her bre*st.

Riddhima’s eyes widened “okay, okay I will do it” another wave came at them

“I love you Vansh. Can we go back now?” she bit out

“I love you, sweetheart. Anything for you” he picked her up again

Once they reached the beach, he released her, and she fell on all fours

“Riddhima, you okay?” he asked her worriedly

“You freak!” she stood up and before he could comprehend what was happening, she threw a fistful of wet sand at his face and ran towards home leaving him shocked…

Note:

Sorry for the delay everyone. I will try to give next update asap