RaghVi SS: Disguise - Updated Chapter 3 - page 4 (27/05) - Page 3

Wow. This was fantastic update. Continue soon please

Oh my god, this is so good 😍 Can't believe this is your first attempt!

I'm so curious about his past, what had happened and what did Pallavi have to do with it? I can't believe she just tried a data breach on RR!

Their chemistry is oozing here ☺️ Please continue soon!

Beautiful update dear.

This pandemic is getting worse day by day. You are right...for government we are just cases...please stay safe everyone🙏

Thank you 🤗

Originally posted by: Bee222

Oh my god, this is so good 😍 Can't believe this is your first attempt!

I'm so curious about his past, what had happened and what did Pallavi have to do with it? I can't believe she just tried a data breach on RR!

Their chemistry is oozing here ☺️ Please continue soon!

Thank you Mihika ❤️

Originally posted by: Mihika

Beautiful update dear.

This pandemic is getting worse day by day. You are right...for government we are just cases...please stay safe everyone🙏

This is an epic piece indeed

Loved every bit of it

Thank you 🤗

Originally posted by: MsCeylon

This is an epic piece indeed

Loved every bit of it

Chapter-3

Desire flared between them like fire. Pallavi squirmed underneath his piercing gaze. Raghav leaned even closer, his scent invading Pallavi's being; smoky and exotic with a hint of something sweet-spicy. Cinnamon?

Pallavi blinked to clear the soft trance she willingly fell under. She gulped, forcing herself to focus. She tried to push his hand off, he released his hold, only to slide his hand into her inky black hair.

"What shall I do with you?" He purred thoughtfully.

Desperate, she pushed him with all her might, breaking the physical contact between them.

He smiled, taking a few steps backward. He studied her features leisurely, with an intensity that made her squirm.

She was quickly losing control of the situation. Or she might not have had any control in the first place.

"Now", Raghav commanded softly, "Let us make a deal."

Pallavi stared at him. He sauntered towards the bar, sat down, pouring himself a drink.

"You have 30 days, turn your losses into profits, you will get the shop back; If not DSE will be replaced by Jayanti Jewellers".

Pallavi's eyes widened. 30 days?

"That isn't enough time,", Pallavi countered.

He shook his head slowly, making the aureate lights play bewitchingly with the angles of his face.

"I'll guide you."

Her eyes widened. Help her? Why?

"Why would you want to assist me? My success means your failure"

Raghav shrugged indifferently. "My reasons are my own".

He was manipulating her and she knew it. When you strike a deal with the devil you pay for the consequences.

Floundering she responded. "Well if I don't like your reasons, I won't agree."

He raised an eyebrow. "What you don't realize Pallavi, is that you don't have an option. If this is a deal-breaker then go back the way you came and stop wasting my time".

It was sudden, the shift from heat to cold. Pallavi tried adjusting, she straightened herself to look more composed. Suppressing the urge to cross her arms, she eased the lines of her face into smooth contours.

"Fine. I accept."

"Excellent. Your days start from tomorrow." He crooned softly.

Pallavi's heart pounded. But there wasn't anything she could do now. The only thought that remained with her was, what did she get herself into?

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

The city was passing by in a blur in front of Pallavi's eyes. her thick mane fluttering with the wind. Pallavi was lost deep in her thoughts as to what transpired between her and Raghav Rao.

The man was cunning beyond one's imagination. He had swiftly talked her into taking his help for DSE. As much as she wanted to believe the guy was serious about helping she had sensed something amiss, but the offer was so generously made Pallavi would have been a fool to reject it. But she trusted her gut and it said something was amiss. Why else would the ex-don of Hyderabad make a deal which heavily favored her, not him, or was she missing something?

Pallavi wasn't daft, she knew the look of appreciation that flicked through his eyes when he took her wig off.

Was he attracted to her? Is that the simple reason why he had made that offer?

Lost in the what-ifs Pallavi didn't realize the Rickshaw had stopped. Scrambling out of the vehicle, she paid the driver. Giving herself a once-over she walked inside her house. The smell of Kande pohe was wafting in the air.

Pallavi smiled, as she climbed the steps to go to her room. she knew Aai was worried about her. She had sensed Pallavi's changed demeanor. And honestly only she was to blame.

When the landlord, Jagdish anna had said he had sold their property to Raghav Rao, she was shaken. For two years, Pallavi had made that shop her life. she lived and breathed for it. When Pallavi would come home all tired from the day's work, Aai would open the door, smiling she would wipe the sweat off Pallavi's forehead lovingly and tell her to take it easy.

But Pallavi knew she couldn't take it easy, not when it was the only anchor in her life. It felt as if she was drifting in life with nothing to hold onto.

Yes, she had a family who loved her and respected her but the sharp thorns of loneliness had dug deep into Pallavi's heart. For years she had dreamed of a family, a home, and love. She was so close, so close to getting it all, but alas it is not the way life works.

She now had a home, with a loving Aai fulfilling her smallest of wishes, a father in baba who was stern, but caring, she had a younger brother in Nikhil, a sister in Amruta and Mansi, who even with their pre-existing biases, cared about her. Then there was Milind kaka who was a loving advisor and a pillar of support, Sulochana Kaku, as caustic as her tongue was, she was affectionate with Pallavi.

Yet with all of this, the constant hermetical feeling never left her. Her younger self would have hit her forehead, at Pallavi's grief. But her younger self hadn't suffered through the death of her husband, her dreams crashing like the Titanic in a single night.

There were times when Pallavi felt she couldn't breathe, the constant grief suffocated her, as time passed the vice around her heart only kept constricting, she was bleeding yet none knew of her state. The shop had been a welcome diversion from her agony.

She had made reviving the shop to its previous glory her center in the maddening anguish of her soul. She was giving everything of hers into the shop, the sarees were now a part of her essence. She hoped one day when the shop would be well-known and she would see the tears of joy rolling down her Aai cheeks maybe her agony would subside. She kept that image on the forefront of her mind when she slaved for hours in the hot weather of Hyderabad, pushed her comfort, understood business ropes, accounting to finance, everything for that one day.

Imagine Pallavis's surprise when she hears Mrinalini, the landlord's wife, showing her new paatlya to her Aai. The seed of doubt niggled Pallavi's gut. She called on the landlord to pay the rent when he dismissed it saying, "Abhi se mujhe rent dene ki koi jarurat nahi. Maine wo Dukan bech diya." Pallavi felt like a meteorite blasting through the earth's gravity, disoriented and simmering with pure rage. She blasted at him. To which his only reply was, "Talk to the new landlord, he wanted the prime spot to open his jewellery store".

Raghav Rao, ex-don of Hyderabad was her new landlord. A landlord planning to oust them.

The next few days had passed by in a blur for Pallavi, she didn't know if she should let the family know of this new development. Finally, she decided she would tell the truth because lies have an ugly way of showing up in the most darn situations.

As the Deshmukh's had gathered around the table for the morning cup of chai. The tranquil atmosphere was disturbed when Aai screamed, rushing towards the room, they saw baba lying on the floor gasping for air, his right hand clutching his chest. Nikhil had quickly called for an ambulance. The doctor informed them that Baba had a mild stroke, and were advised to not give him any uncalled stress.

Pallavi decided then to keep the news of the takeover of DSE to herself till baba was hale and healthy.

Only one person knew the truth and that was Krishna, her amigo. Together they had exhausted all of the ethical ways to get the land back, including the legal option. But Krishna was quick to remind Pallavi they were dealing with an ex-don, expecting a solution with legal means, meant disclosing the truth to the household, which again wasn't an alternative. The sole way out was imposing on the man himself.

After all, the thing about powerful people was, once you had leverage, things swerved your way.

Krishna thought the plan was ill-advised, she had been repeating that to her when Pallavi held her hands in her own. "Mai janati hu yeh mushkil hai, par apne parivar k liye yeh mujhe karna hoga Krishna. Trust me, please". Krishna being the sweetheart had acquiesced.

The plan had thus been made and Pallavi followed through. If only the darned man had not cornered her inside the elevator.

Pallavi shivered and it wasn't from the cold shower she just took. That man knew how to kiss, for a few moments wrapped up inside his arms, Pallavi had felt her bone-deep loneliness subside. His touch was electric, it had drowned all her coherent thoughts, leaving her dazed in the heat of his embrace.

How long had it been since Pallavi craved for a hug like that, forever it seemed? He was the classic bad boy women fell for, and Pallavi was no child. She knew how things worked in his world. Even if he was interested, it would be a night of pleasure nothing less, nothing more.

But was it so bad of her to crave something as fleeting as a night of shenanigans? Had her loneliness brought her to this level? The questions plagued her mind until sleep finally claimed her.

Well written looking forward for upcoming updates

This is so Refreshing!👏

I thought you had abandoned the SS since there were no updates for so long but this Update gives me Hope

I loved how explained'bt Pallavi as a woman & as the sole supporter of the Deshmukhs here & would really want to see How Raghav will help her learn the rules of Business World too.