AR FF~Set Ablaze~ part-14 page-110 28/07 - Page 76

Originally posted by: .x.Saira.x.

amazing update krati!

she has a daughter😲,

cnt w8 for the next part!

Originally posted by: DMG4EVER

marvelous part!

Thanks a lot for the comment guys.

Originally posted by: aishar

boom owah her daughter............

Originally posted by: mar-

woooooow grt part really good tnx for the pm

continue soooon

Thanks a lot...glad u liked the part.

Originally posted by: ricepearls

hey krati........

i have been a silent reader but your amazing writing definitely deserves appreciation...

you are doing a fabulous job and i do hope you keep updating regularly because i really missed your writing.....

anyways...you do sound heavily inspired from Judith Krantz of Scruples fame.....

still you manage to be truely original and fresh....

hats off to you.....

*cheers*

Glad u decided to comment...it's always encouraging to see a new reader....thanks a lot
am sorry for the long delay but couldn't help it...hoping to be regular now.
I have not read Judith Krantz or scruples fame...
glad u like the fic...thanks a lot

Originally posted by: KASH_rocks

hey,
long time haan ....but that came as a shocker...............riddhi has a daughter i was like OMG!!!!!!!!! was actually staring at my comp. open mouthed.......................it was seriously smthing...but its gr8 to have u back..
waiting for d next............

Thanks a lot for the comment...glad u liked the part and sorry for the delay.

Part-13

Riddhima lifted her head from the menu and looked at Armaan, studying his appearance. Dressed in an expensive black Italian suit looking masterfully self-assured, larger than life and very unnerving. The disheveled hair…arresting grey eyes and the look of pride, which was in sharp contrast with the candidly innocent smile playing on his lips, trying to look unconscious of the commanding effect he had on people.
She leaned back, smiling as her eyes slipped down to his half unbuttoned shirt, giving a glimpse of the well built, taut muscles. She felt a shiver run through her as she closed her eyes and remembered his touch on her body…the way he had held her like he owned her…his fingers had moved on her skin with a proprietor's confidence and it had broken her down to feel only the pleasure he was giving her.
"Riddhima!!?" She gasped as she felt his hand on her cheek and opened her eyes only to find him looking at her with an amused, smug expression on his face and she realized, as her face reddened with embarrassment, that he had read her mind. She ran her hand through her hair, looking away, trying to regain her composure but when she looked back she was red again, this time with anger on seeing the old, teasing lopsided grin back on his face.
"Can we order?" She spoke, trying to distract him.
"I already did when you were lost dreaming of….
He stopped as she glared at him and finally wiped off the cheeky smile from his face.
"It will take at least 20 minutes for the waiter to get the food. Would you like to dance?"
Riddhima frowned, looking down at his extended hand and than at his face and she grit her teeth looking at the expression of arrogant self-confidence, so sure of her accepting his offer, despite him obviously embarrassing her….how she wished to wipe off that conceited look from his face. She looked away, pulling her shoulders straight. Armaan chuckled lightly and getting up from his seat, he pulled her to her feet and dragged her to the middle of the dining hall, ignoring her annoyed protests.
"Armaan!!?" Riddhima twisted her hand to get it out of his grip but stopped as he turned around and pulled her close, placing his hand on her waist and his eyes bored into hers. She felt the anger and annoyance disappear as she felt the silk of her dress beating against his legs which were very lightly brushing against hers, sending through her body the feeling of being alive…..her body, openly acknowledging and accepting the power he has over her.
A chill ran through her toe, in her body, ending in her heart and blasting as delight when Armaan moved his fingers, lightly over her face, moving onto her hair, caressing them gently. She was a bundle of darkly vivid sensations, rocking in his arms with her hands tightly gripping his shoulder, too afraid to let go.
"You're unbelievable." He whispered before she felt his lips on hers, the length of his body pressed against hers and her arms gripping him violently.
It was on the sound of approaching footsteps, that she felt him break the contact and move a little away. He gripped her arm as he felt her shaking and very gently he steered her towards the table, pulling out the chair. She sunk into the chair looking blankly ahead as the waiter placed the dishes on the table. It was after a long time that she felt her calm returning, and she reached for the glass of water…over the rim of the glass she looked at Armaan and much to her annoyance, he was once again smiling, the same insolent smile of his. She had felt him loosing control in that moment but it had taken him just an instant to gain it back.
It was disappointment that she felt when she thought that the moment between them had failed to effect him, the way it had effected her.
"Riddhima, you should eat before all the food gets cold."
She moved her hands mechanically, taking a bite of the food but still lost in her thoughts and once again engulfed in the fear of having exposed herself way too much to Armaan Malik.

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

"That's great news." Riddhima stopped and turned around as she heard Armaan's voice. They had just reached back home from dinner and Armaan was walking her to her room when he got the call…she saw him suddenly frown as his smile disappeared.
"But Mr.Monroe, I and Riddhima have to stay here for at least a week more……but Riddhima has already given her statement……you haven't caught the shooter yet?…….who is it? Fine, Mr. Monroe we'll be there…..so you just need Riddhima there….alright, I'll make her take the earliest flight for US and she'll be there….thank you very much."

"Who was is it Armaan?"
"Drake Monroe, the officer whose working on your case and he thinks he has made some rapid progress. He wants you to come back…he wants to talk to you."
Riddhima frowned and than her eyes darkened as she remembered that this is the same officer who had called at Aida's school.
"Armaan, I think I should go besides I do have some other important work to take care of."
"Alright, I'll book the tickets for tomorrow's flight. You go and get some sleep. I'll wake you up on time." She nodded and went into her room.
Closing the door behind her, Riddhima clutched the locket around her neck. Unclasping it, she looked at her daughter's smiling face in it….the smile on her face was too precious to her…it was what kept her going through all ups and downs. Nobody, not even Fatima knew, that Riddhima has a daughter except one teacher at Aida's school whom Riddhima had completely under control. She needed to make sure that this new officer should not come to know anything about Aida or everything would be ruined. She quickly packed her stuff and changed into a white shirt and blue denim jeans. She lay in bed thinking about what Drake could have uncovered….what was going to happen…things could never remain mornal in her life for long.
And than she realized that she won't be able to see Armaan for long.
"Which would be good….I'll get time to get over him." She spoke out loud, ignoring the disappointment she was feeling. Thought of Armaan brought back the memory of the dinner they had and all that transpired between them in the last few days and before she knew it she was asleep with a faint smile on her lips.



Samuel leaned forward, trying to spot Riddhima amidst the crowd and there he saw her beautiful face and his heart was flooded with happiness. He saw her walking towards him with a smile on her face and when she reached him, he quickly pulled her in a hug and closed his eyes as her arms went around him.
"I missed you so much." He spoke against her hair but she couldn't hear him with all the noise around them. Their bodyguards escorted them to their car, parked in the airport parking lot.
"Riddhima, you can meet Mr. Monroe later. Right now, you should go home and get some rest." Samuel spoke looking at Riddhima sitting next to him in the car.
"No, I want to meet him right away."
"Alright." He sighed and than reluctantly asked her, "Riddhima, can I take you out for dinner tonight?" His heart was yearning to talk to her. There were so many things he needed to tell her.
"Of course. But we won't go out. We'll have dinner at my place." He nodded happily.

They reached the FBI office and Riddhima asked Samuel to leave. She wanted to meet Drake Monroe alone.
She was ushered in by his secretary and when her eyes landed on him, sitting behind his desk, she had a sharp intake of breath as she realised that this was one man on whom her charm would never work.
"Am so glad you are here Ms. Gupta and I really appreciate your coming here on such short notice. Please have a seat." She walked towards the desk and sat down in the chair with her back taut and muscles tensed. His blue eyes disturbing her as she noticed they were the kind which took in everything in one swift glance.
"I'll come straight to the point. I am officer Drake Monroe, now handling your case. I would really appreciate if you could tell me what exactly had happened that night."
"I have already given my statement." She spoke firmly, trying to sound confident.
"Do you want to stick to that statement? I mean, are you sure that that's all there is to it?"
"Are you trying to suggest that I lied or am holding back information?" She spoke angrily.
"I said no such thing. I am merely asking you to just think about it again, after all, you were still recovering from the shock of the whole incident when the statement was taken. You might have made some mistake. It's only human to make errors, Ms. Gupta."
"Look, I have already told the police whatever I know."
"Alright, fine. So you have said in your statement that you were shot while changing clothes and Mr. Winston was going to meet you that night but you were shot before he could come to see you and than was run down by the car." He got up from his chair and stood next to the long window on the wall behind the desk. The luminous sunlight falling on him, making it impossible for Riddhima to read his face. "Tell me Ms. Gupta, what was the nature of your relationship with Mr. Winston?"
"We were good friends."
"Just friends?"
"Excuse me?" She glared at him for the impertinent question, trying to look angry but he noticed her squirming and also the slight tremor in her posture.
"Forgive me. I just needed to know how close the two of you were as in if Mr. Winston ever shared confidences with you."
"Yes, we were pretty close…I mean he did trust me with the news about his wife's pregnancy."
She lied and something inside her told her that every lie she would tell would fall flat on it's face.
"Than you must be able to tell me if there was anything wrong between him and his wife? Any tension between them?"
"Absolutely not. They were very much in love with each other."
"That's strange."
Riddhima leaned forward and spoke with a conscious effort, "What's strange about it?"
"Ms. Gupta, in Mr.Winston's medical report we have discovered that he was impotent."
"But that's impossible. Erika was pregnant….
She stopped mid-sentence and her eyes widened in shock.
"The kid wasn't his. She was cheating on him." She heard him speak.
"How could she do this?"
"Just the way he was cheating on her with you."
Riddhima felt a murky, twisting pain in her stomach and her mind went black for a moment as he pronounced the words she was dreading but had known that they would come.
After a couple minutes had lapsed she gripped the armrest of the chair and spoke in a voice, that did not belong to her, "This is outrageous, you can't accuse me like that. You have no proof."
"You are right. I have absolutely no proof but just a little theory that I am going to tell you. John Winston was there in your room when the shot was fired, interestingly, it wasn't fired at you. It was fired at Mr. Winston but you came in the way by mistake and got shot. Mr. Winston ran after the shooter to catch him who than killed him by his car but hearing the police siren, as there is regular patrolling at night in the area around your house, he ran away leaving the body right there. Your body was found naked Ms.Gupta. I actually have a theory about that too…
"This is preposterous….
She stopped as he came out of the glare of the sunlight and she saw the hard, cold look on his face. She leaned back in the chair as she felt her body going numb.
"Look, Mr. Monroe I have told the police that I was changing my clothes when I was shot. Maybe, John saw the shooter from outside my house and ran after him and got run down by his car?"
"That's possible but two things don't fit in this story. Do you like to meet men, who come visiting you and are just your friends, in a flimsy night gown? Because, incidentally, you were found with your night gown half-way down your legs." Riddhima's face was getting paler with every word Drake uttered. "And another thing that I am not able to understand, why would Mr. Winston, who was just your friend, sign half his property in your name?"
"What are you talking about!?"
"He, on discovering his wife's affair, had called his lawyer the next day and had told him, that he wanted to transfer his some properties from his wife's name to yours."
Riddhima cursed John under her breath for doing something as stupid as that and than dieing on her.
"I have no idea why he did that. But I am telling you officer, there was nothing between us."
"Alright, I believe you but than I found this very interesting medical report. What do you have to say about this?" He handed her the report and Riddhima was horrified when she saw her name on the envelope which had the date of the day the accident took place, and the name of the hospital she was admitted in, printed on the top right corner. "Yes, Ms. Gupta, if you have ways to get people to shut up than I have ways to make them talk."
The reports slipped out of her hands and she felt panic rise in her and she gripped the arm rest tighter as another truth struck her. Drake Monroe, knows about Aida too….he was too smart not to. She felt a tightening in her chest as her breathing got uneven and she closed her eyes as she felt a pain shoot through her head.
Drake was swiftly on his feet, holding a glass of water to her lips. "Calm down, Ms.Gupta. There is nothing to worry about. Nobody knows about the reports yet and wouldn't if you cooperate with me." She slowly opened her eyes and saw the earnest look on his face.
"What do you want from me?" She asked in a choked voice.
"I need you to tell me what the truth is." He sat down in the chair next to hers.
"John was in my room when the shot was fired. He was very disturbed when he had come to see me. He was…it was him who took off my gown…and I was trying to resist. I was standing in front of him but he turned abruptly and the bullet hit me. And than I think I collapsed. He must have run behind the shooter and….
"You said you tried to resist. Was he trying to rape you?"
"No…no…I was err…. She hesitated and sensing that Drake spoke, "He wasn't trying to rape you. You did have physical relations with him."
"Yes!" She admitted simply.
"You know Ms.Gupta you are one woman who has always intrigued me. Every time I saw you on screen….every time I saw your pictures in the newspapers or heard people rave about you and the couple times that we met….I never believed what everyone told me about you and I always wanted to crack the mystery that you held and now that I have you, in front of me, lying like an open book, I am disappointed. I expected something a lot more interesting to discover but you just turned out to be a menial slut, sleeping around with married men…but I have to give you credit for being smart enough to have fooled a gazillion people."
She want to scream and yell at him but instead she spoke in a voice, saturated with helplessness, "What are you going to do to me?"
"Nothing Ms.Gupta. I just needed the truth out of you but don't worry no one will ever know about it."
"You mean, my medical reports will not be exposed. That's the only proof you have?"
"What medical reports?" He reached for the envelope on the desk and emptied its contents. She was infuriated when she saw blank papers lying in front of her.
"You burned the report yourself, Ms. Gupta and your men made sure that there was no copy in the hospital record. I have nothing but Dr. Smith's statement. He helped me with it."
She was thrown to her feet with a jolt of anger but Drake pushed her back into the seat, "Not so fast. I forgot to tell you about another evidence….a living one at that. I am sure you don't want your daughter to be dragged into this."
"No!!" She whispered fiercely as her heart clenched in fear of having her daughter subjected to the dirty humiliation.
"Good. Ms. Gupta, I have not shared all this information with any of my colleagues, nor do I intend to but only if you cooperate with me fully and tell me everything about your life from the very beginning to the very end."
Riddhima didn't know what was right or wrong for her now….what, the invincible Riddhima Gupta, would have done in this situation because right now, it wasn't her facing the interrogation but a mother who would go to any extent to protect her daughter's interest.
"Fine I'll tell you everything but why should I trust you…..that you wouldn't harm my daughter?"
"You have no other option Ms.Gupta. Look, I just need to solve this case and I can do it without exposing you."
She nodded, something in Drake's face told her that she can trust him. She was about to speak when she heard him chuckle and than he spoke in a very amused voice, "Had there been another officer in my place, you would have seduced and broken him by now."
"Had it not been for my daughter I would have walked out of here….not my career….my life….or anything at all is important enough for me to endure your insulting remarks. I have never bowed down in front of anyone but Aida means the world to me and I am going to put up with you for her."
"Yes, Ms.Gupta, believe me, I respect the sentiment and I am fully aware of all that you are capable of doing which is why it gives me such pleasure to think that I broke YOU down." He wiped off the smile from his face and sobered up. "Forgive me, I am sorry, I think am drunk on power. Let's get to the point. So tell me everything now."
And so she did….she told him everything about her life in Delhi and than moving to USA. She saw him jot down some stuff and than she saw him scribble furiously in his note pad.
"We are going to arrest Mrs. Winston today. She has not confessed yet but we have the motive with us."
"I don't understand."
"Mr. Winston had typed an official letter stating that he wanted to transfer his properties from his wife's name to yours….the letter was saved in his computer. I think Mrs. Winston must have come to know about it and she may have tried to kill him and than suspecting that you may already know about all this, she attempted to kill you too."
Riddhima closed her eyes as she again felt the pain shooting through her head….she was having a hard time digesting all the stuff that Drake was telling her….Erika seemed incapable of something as cruel as killing off her own husband.
"Of course, I can be wrong….but so far I don't think it can be anyone else. We have to arrest Mrs. Winston. She did confess to the kid not being his and we'll soon get the rest out of her."
"What will you tell the media when the truth about John transferring his properties to me is revealed?"
"Don't worry about that. I'll handle everything. I have given you my word…
"Why are you doing this for me?"
"Not for you Ms,Gupta….for your daughter. Even if that lady, you have hired in Florence, had not told me about Aida, I would have figured it out myself. She bores a lot of resemblance to you and she is adorable."
Riddhima was surprised at his gentle tone and the soft look in his eyes.
"Anyways, you are not supposed to leave the country till the whole case is solved."
She nodded.
"Thank you very much Ms. Gupta…look I could have figured it all out without getting to your past or all that you have been doing ever since you moved to this country but I needed all the information, incase it turns out to be someone else and not Mrs. Winston….somebody who doesn't like you. But, I am pretty sure it's Mrs. Winston."
She stood up very slowly, deliberately taking her time. She had half turned around when she stopped and spoke in a voice calm and cold, "Mr. Monroe, if you don't stick to your word and anything happens to my daughter than nothing else would matter to me…not my career…not my life….and there would be nothing stopping me from doing what I am sure you would not like. I am not guilty, I just gave them back what they subjected me to." She stood defiantly still, the muscles on her face pulled tightly and her eyes, both dangerous and sad.
But his face remained politely empty as he inclined his head, in silent acceptance of her words. She walked out of his cabin and once she was out of the building she clutched her head, breathing heavily. There was loud screaming inside her…a sharp pain in her chest and she wished she would pass out and not feel anything for a long time but she held her body taut and walked towards her car. Slipping into the back seat, she let her body relax, twisted with fatigue and something in her wished, Armaan was here.



Riddhima locked the door of her room firmly. She had asked all the servants to leave and calling up Samuel, she had cancelled the dinner. She had sensed the disappointment but had been too tired to even make an apology and had just hung up. She walked into the bathroom and stripping naked she got under the shower and felt the cold water run over her skin. She pressed her face against the cold marble wall and tried not to think. Slipping down to the floor, she pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. Her body rocked lightly as the water fell over her head and she closed her eyes which were painfully dry and red. So much had happened in a day, once again her life depended on a man…who can crush it anytime he wants to. She allowed the tears to slip out of her eyes….she allowed herself this one moment of weakness….I have to drag myself through this, she thought, and than I'll learn to live with this new fear and new wound….I'll recover.
She felt the glow of the sunlight, on the walls of the bathroom, fading lightly. An orange light hit the wall in front of her and sliding upwards, it disappeared and the bathroom was covered in darkness. She threw her head back against the wall as she felt the pain dissolve within and all she felt was a dull weariness. She spread out her hand and saw the water fall on her palm. She fought the fear in her and pressing her hand on the floor, she pulled herself up and got out of the shower. Her hand reached for the white bathrobe, holding it in her hand, she remembered this was the robe she had worn when she had broken John. She let it slip out of her hand and fall on the bathroom floor. She walked out, naked…the water dripping from her body onto the floor of her room. She unlocked the cupboard and randomly pulled out a pale green satin cover and tied it around her body. The movement of her finger slow and mechanical. Her eyes staring into space as she moved away from the cupboard….it was the sound of the rain outside that drew her attention and she opened the door of the balcony and walked out. She let the raindrops hit her face. She closed her eyes and smiled at the feeling of the drops slipping from her face to her neck and sliding down to her chest…..she felt it for a moment's relief. She slowly opened her eyes and was startled by the sight that met her. Armaan was standing down her balcony, watching her….smiling and getting wet in the rain without being aware of it. He waved at her and before she could respond she saw him run into the house….she walked towards the locked door of her room. After waiting for few seconds, she unlocked the door and found Armaan standing outside….
She stood on her spot, taking in the sight of his wet figure…wanting to absorb some of the strength that he always had….the look of the furious gaiety in his eyes, pulling her out of the painful slumber she was struggling in. She heard the door close behind him….she felt his hot breath on her face….she closed her eyes as the unspeakable sensation ran through her when his hand touched her wet cheek and his thumb slipped down to caress her neck….he was standing very close to her…his body touching hers, very lightly. She wanted to lean forward…she wanted to touch him but she balled her fist on her side, deliberately tormenting herself. She gasped as she felt his hands run over the sides of her waist, moving up…it was as if his every touch was reviving her. He pulled the knot of the cover and it fell on the floor, leaving her standing naked in front of him….he looked at her body and pulled her harshly. It was when his lips touched the skin of her neck, that her strength failed her and with a fierce violence in her she grabbed his shoulder, she twisted her body against his and the pain that shot through her gave her immense pleasure. His mouth, with a demanding need, crashed onto hers and she felt her senses merge and she was only aware of his mouth pressed against hers and his hands caressing her skin. As they both slipped down to the floor and as her body moulded into his, she felt liberated and the pain she had endured ceased to matter for that moment…it existed but failed to hurt her. She was going to live tonight with nothing holding her back…putting the unendurable burden aside….she would face it all tomorrow.

*********



[YOUTUBE] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhbCevqVZgI [/YOUTUBE]

Am sure a lot of you will be disappointed with the part....i couldn't get myself to read it again and edit it...but anyways do leave a comment...and the VM...it's the song that i want you guys to hear...the video isn't all that great...but the song goes with the fic...hope you'll like it.
Sorry for the delay...will try my best to be regular.
Looking forward to the comments for this one.

reserved....yayy!! :)

*edit*

damn you kratz...i wish i could see you right now and hug you...cuz i am so freaking happy.....sooo impressed..like i told kiran...this fic...i am surprised....it still is capturing...this long gap didnt affect nor demean in the least..the powerful complexity of your work...i am short of words...it was awesome...i loved it! 🤗

already said it..how much ;) ...Mr Monroe makes me wonder...Aida couldn't be his sole reason.....yet his drugged-on-power image is classic...👍🏼 didnt see it coming but another pointer..
Samuel...hahah whose he now...LOL

AR..rightly..worded by Kiz...were sexy..and no ficter....brings them out like you do...bravo ma gurl..!! the entire scene..in d restaurante....ohhh maaa....meri toh pigal gaya sabkuch...yaar scene ho toh aisa jo padhne wale ko laal peela kar de...:P
just another form of their love...yet so beautifully penned down..not a thought of vulgarism...its pure love even with the surfacing need of the scene...!! i am happy....sooo darn happy...kratz...i cant stop smiling....

su kau hun tane....ketlu bindaas..ane jhakaas part che yaar ahh..je thayu ek nai but jevi ritte teh lakhyu che eeh..(try translating...ill tell yah next time i see you online! :D)

the VM was a fit...i see it now...again..loved it..laterz!

PS: needless to say...it was anything but disappoint...rather id say possible antonyms to that..LOL

*edit*

i..LOVE armaan!...hahhah and it gives me another boost cuz U'VE made him so...Hhhuuuhhaahhhhaa!!!

*reserved

edited*: loved the part Kratz...crazily so...this is a random drop-in comment....just....loved it, and wasnt disappointed at all :D....just want youi to know...AR were very sexy :P...and i love ya for that :D

detailed comments baad main....thanks for the updtae girl :P

Kiran

~reserved~

edit:

i know its super late but thats me,can't go against he norm:)
well well the part was just out of this world
really tough to choose a favourite ,it was a complete kratzical part with the right blend of romance,passion,thrill,suspence and fear ,awesomely written Kratz!
Monroe is so well defined ,i like the guy loads and Riddhima now trapped hmm,of course erika sounded trouble right from the beginning hmm and the return of Armaan in the rain haiye !!! hahahaha
the restaurant scene was brilliant and the one at the end ,there's so much u've done thru this part
just amazing!

so good to have u back Kratzie,hope u update often and quick
315 :D

Hina

~reserved~

*edit*
noooooooooooooooooooo kratzzzzzz... you cant put me #4 on a fic... NO on THE fic based on you-know-what.... specially a part like this..... have i tld you how many parts of yours make me go back and re-read bits of GWTW??? and this time i GOD DAMN CANT *arghhhhh* since im in a house where the only kind of mature books i cant scavenge are on anatomy/astronomy/software trash :S

anyways...DUDE!! what a damn freaking part.... you know i;d credit you tons for all the AR scene the cuild up, the tit bits of stuff here and there... but here's what i think you did like a pro IF has NOT yet seen... the monroe-ridhima scene... i'm not even freaking kidding... i can';t believe how real and out of a book that sounded... it didn't for a second feel remotely like the work of an amateur.... seriously kratz... i think its your forte, and you're only gaining in the finesse of it, this whole build up the thril of a moment to such severity and intensity...

of course, AR were tremendous... armaan is BACK! and i'm dancing hoola hoo in my head for that :D but for the HUGEEEEEE hiatus you had illegally gotten for yourself you lived upto anything ever expected of either of the fics and far far far more...

loved it hun! way too much!

ps: still havent seen the VM, i will in sometime... i want to let the part dwell for now... of course i drew parallels, you should know where and exactly what and why :D

lovya,
nj

grt part really good plss continue soon