Author's Note: Here is another chapter I wrote during my recent road trip. Do not expect this to be the daily fare. I will write less frequently in the future. Consider this a happy exception.
Chapter 5
Days after the hotel incident passed quietly. Even so, Rishabh always had an eerie feeling at the back of his head as if a ghost was silently watching his every move. Even once in a while he would shoot a sneaky glance toward the mistress and she was omnipresent, existing confidently. He loved that look on her face, that looked that said she was fabulous and she knew it. Plus, after feeling her body so up close Rishabh couldn't help but count the curves of her skin.
On the other side, the gloves were off for Madhubala. This was a rough fight and she was going to get to the bottom of the mystery that was Rishabh Kundra. If not, then send him a threatening message at the very least. So she called him in for breakfast all of a sudden. The sun had just risen engulfing their quite seaside home in an orange glow. She was wearing her husband's dress shirt and flinging her notorious golden legs atop the deck as she called for the bedheaded bodyguard.
"Oye, let's eat". She thought she enticed him with the fresh smell of capsicums in her plate but it was her shiny skin that did the trick. Rishabh smiled like an idiot as he climbed up the stairs getting the full view of her body underneath the white fabric that had turned translucent with the morning sunlight.
Okay, the scent from the charcoal grill was pretty seductive too. Rishabh popped his head inside and noticed the husband with his head buried deep inside the Sunday Times. How did this man ever get a woman like that? Life was so unfair! If Rishabh was in his place, he would never take his eyes of the beauty he'd scored. Instead, this lucky bas***d was oblivious to the treasure he had by his side.
Sameer put an end to Rishabh's musings when pulled his head out of the morning news and politely offered Rishabh a seat on the dinning table.
"Wifey another omelette for the gentleman", he called for Madhu. It was strange how Madhu was the one who extended this invitation yet she got very angry when asked to cook for his person.
"Hubby I am tired. Tell him to make it himself", she sneezed from the fumes of the charcoal.
"Just give him your scrambled eggs love. We can share my food", Sameer gave Rishabh an apologetic smile.
"But I wanted to eat the scrambled eggs", she whined.
"Madhuuu!" Sameer fake scolded her and Rishabh wanted to vomit from the disgusting display of cuteness. Jeez! These people were the epitome of what not to do as a happy couple in front of lonely single people.
Rishabh could hardly breathe with the awkwardness filling the air. Madhubala slammed the eggs and juice in front of him and whispered, "freeloader".
This was not going to go down well. Already he'd upset perhaps the person most vital to his employment at Malik mansion. One small mistake and he might just be sleeping under the stars.
He watched with relief as Sameer squeezing his wife's hand repeatedly seemed to have calmed down her anger by several notches.
The breakfast table was just about to quiet down when Madhubala spoke up again. "Sameer", she said.
"Yes love". He smiled at her and Rishabh too looked up in anticipation.
"Put a baby in me", she said with the most serene of faces.
"What?" Both Rishabh and Sameer spit out their food at the exact same moment. The argument (or what would be left of it once Madhubala started talking) slowly gained momentum as the wife presented her case. Rishabh watched her turn to a side, enough to be out of clear view but not quite so one could still make out what she was doing. In a matter of minutes, there were big round white pearls silently dripping out of her big round black eyes. She didn't sniff or snort but he felt his heart in his mouth, pumping loudly. Surely Sameer wasn't immune to her charm either. And just as Rishabh thought, the man rushed to her side hiding her tears in his shoulder. He gently patted her head whispering, "I am right here" on repeat. Then, he pleaded with Rishabh to take his meal downstairs. "Sorry man, some other time eh? I apologize for disrupting your meal. Really sorry man", he said to Rishabh while nodding aggressively.
Rishabh, of course, did what was sensible- pick up the leftovers and head downstairs to his original spot where his modest cup noodles awaited him. But as he walked out, he noticed her two dark eyes staring in his direction and then, a wink!
Madhubala was clearly sending him a message and even though Rishabh did not know what that message was, he sure as hell knew he'd been warned. Better bow to the tigress lest he realize his death wish. The weeks following, Rishabh spent his days in meek obedience. If the madame said it was day, he would think the black night a sun blessed morning. If the madame wanted rain, he would pluck out the clouds from the far sky. Everything was in accordance with the madame's wishes just to gain curry favour with the mighty queen. At last, his tiring efforts bore their fruit. The Madhubala invited him up to her bedroom. No, no. He wouldn't make the same mistake twice. This time, he would sell his soul to her so the body was a small loss. He'd even prepared a pack of magnums in advance.
"Sit down", she said pointing to no furniture in particular. He pulled out the ottoman next to the vanity. She placed her hands on his shoulder and massaged it with those deep digging fingers. He was afraid he was falling asleep under her spell.
"Who are you fighting?" she asked.
Last time she let him off easy. But he knew that wouldn't be the case now. There was no other living soul in sight. It was just him and her in the beach house and she could do things to him. Things he did not want done!
"Miss I am not sure I can trust you", he hesitated.
"You have no other choice", she said with that killer confidence of hers. Oh lord, he was free falling for this temptress.
Okay, plan B. He was bigger than her, more physically active. He could take her down if need be. At the expense of his job sure but...oh no, not the precious job! Okay, he was really doomed.
"Miss I..."
"It's not Sameer, is it? You better pray it's not him you are aiming for. Because if you touch so much as a hair on his body, so help you god. I don't easily let go of things that are mine".
He gulped on the dryness in his throat. "It's not him miss". Rishabh really thanked his lucky stars that minute.
"Then, tell me. Who is it you're aiming for?"
"Big boss", Rishabh answered with all the sincerely he could display in two words. Her reaction was less than expected. Madhubala burst into fits of laughter.
"Many came and went before you child. All of them had revenge in mind and I have only seen them be consumed by the flames of their own desire. As soon as they see money, they want to grope it, grab it, f**k it exclusively. These bas***ds are the same breed as the dog they want to bite. They tell me they want revenge but really they are drooling over his money and when they get an inch closer to his riches, they forget the target and shoot for dollars pouring out of his arse. That's their kryptonite and that's what got -every one of them. Too many skeletons in Malik's closet, too many to count kid. You'll just be another body in the pile. I don't believe you. And I don't believe your revenge. Try elsewhere".
Rishabh sat in position mortified. So this was what it felt like to walk into the dragon's den and be rejected. The dragon was so disgusted by the ambition of her prey, she refused to eat him. He sat there for the longest time with no purpose in mind. When he got out, she was grilling vegetables outside.
"Miss", he said with rebuilt confidence this time.
"Pass me the zucchini".
"I can do it. With your help miss".
"Why should I help you?" she asked dismissively.
"Because Madhubala", his choice of words caught her attention. "You and I are the same person".
She was seeing red. How dare an hourly staffer call her name. How dare he compare HER to the likes of him!
"I, unlike you, do not live with revenge in mind. I have a full life. I have let go of the past, I live happily. As much as I want to rip that man to shreds, I sleep just fine at night knowing he's alive. I live because I want to not because I have to. I don't live to see him dead. And won't help you waste your youth away either!"
She was panting by the time she finished talking. With her metal tongs still poking him in the chest, she realized he'd got to her. Yes, Rishabh Kundra had finally succeeded in finding a crack in the rock wall that was Madhubala Malik.
"See, you're just like me", he laughed a devilish laugh.
Mahubala was tongue tied for a minute. But only for a minute.
"Then I take it you won't be needing two of yourself for the mission". And she walked away with the chic attitude she always carried in the air surrounding her.
"Does that mean you'll help? Umm miss? Miss?"
She waved her hand in a lotus form and a man was dead on the spot. This was going to be a fun ride ahead.
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