Thank you note posted above. 😳
Chapter 8
~And Remember it is~
Family. This word felt distant yet familiar. I had a father, brother and Joseph who was like a family member. I had a family. There was no mother. Because she died when I was young. And I don't have any memory of her. These three are my family yet I couldn't feel the connection to them. Something didn't feel right.
I wanted to believe them. I wanted to know about my past because they were all I had. I wanted to know each and everything about myself and my family. Joseph who was like a family member was assigned to me.
He answered all my questions. He told me things about my childhood, about dad and about our relationship. My dad wanted to keep me away from this life. A life of blood, money and power. He wanted a normal life. But being his blood and the dangers surrounding his life, he had no other option but to bring me back into this life.
It was either living this life or no living at all.
That's what he said.
Apparently everything changed after Tanya entered in our life. She was the girl who changed the whole dynamics of the family. She brought the pureness, happiness and the love but it didn't last long because evil followed closely. Her entrance brought life and her exit the death.
It was her death that changed everything and forced dad to bring me to his world. Because her murderer wanted to kill me next.
Tanya, Mac fianc, and soon to be my sister in law was murdered by a person named Armaan. He was the biggest enemy of my father and our family. Joseph had told me how he used to work for our family. He was the right hand man of my father and the only person who knew the ins and outs of Malik Empire. Even Mac wasn't aware of the details he was aware off. He killed her just to get revenge. Because my father wanted to make Mac the heir and he wasn't happy with the decision. After serving my father and being aware of all his secrets, he wanted POWER but knowing that he'll always be the second, he wanted to kill Mac. He almost killed him but it was Tanya who paid the ultimate price.
A price in the form of her death.
And next on his list was me.
Because killing me meant, killing my father.
Riddhima, the daughter of the king of the underworld- Mr. Malik.
Everyone feared my father. My family name was enough to make people bow down. I saw it myself when I had came out from the dark place. Each and every person working for the Mailk Empire showed respect for dad and for the name Mailk.
I was the pampered daughter but when it came to business he commanded respect from me as well. When I had opened my eyes after months, not knowing who I was and where I was, it was because I had survived another attempt.
An attempt on my life.
I had missed death. And it was then dad decided to take me under his wings and teach me each and everything. Everything I needed to know in order to survive. Because your life is yours. It's your responsibility. No one can take guarantee on your life except you, yourself. He had tried before and failed. So he told me to take it upon myself.
I was given a new identity. New look and new personality. Riddhima died but she was born again.
He had told me everything about Armaan. Everything he knew.
I remember the day I came home after the last day of my training. He was sitting in his room when he revealed a secret no one except him knew.
"Now that you know how to fight my child and defend yourself, you are on your own from now on. No protection and no more Joseph. You are going to fight your own battle and you are going to win. Because I know you but I also know him. You are trained enough to battle your fights and come out as the winner."
I had stood at the other end of the desk, gripping the chair tightly. I had felt proud because this was the first time as far as I remember he was praising me. And a parent praising a child meant the world, just like it meant that day. But the next words from his mouth changed the dynamics.
"But I know him better than your brother Riddhima. I know one day he'll find you. He won't kill you easily but he'll use you. He'll use you to get to me because I am the one he wants. He's a ruthless killer, no emotion, no personal attachments, and no love. His work is his everything. But Tanya, she was the only person he regretted killing. And you know why?"
Because he loved her. The only girl who broke the wall and made a place in his heart.
"Killing her changed him. He changed and now he wants me. Because he's sure that I was responsible for his death. And he's ready to go to any extent to extract her revenge. So be ready and use this information wisely. The easiest way to kill a broken heart is to remind why it was broken in the first place."
Remember my words.
And so I remembered. I remembered each and every word he told me. And I was ready to use each and every weapon, everything I have learnt and everything I know about him and use it for my advantage.
Tanya. As soon as I said her name, his expression changed. He moved back giving me the space I was waiting for. He was in shock. His expressions showed it clearly. And it gave me the opportunity, one opportunity to run away from him.
Without waiting or thinking about it for another second, I grabbed it. I opened the door and ran away. I ran as fast my feet allowed. I could hear the alarm sound but didn't care. This was the only chance and I wasn't letting it go. I ran away from him, from his place to a place to a place unknown to me. But any place was better than sharing the same air.
Kidnapping me meant having an upper hand, having leverage over my dad. And in no way I was putting myself into that situation again. Last time he got me because I let my guard down.
Now No More.
I had no idea where we were and I had no idea where I was heading. I only knew that I had to run as far from him and get help. Dad must be looking out and he must be worried. I had to reach out to him in any possible way.
Footsteps forced me to stop. I heard someone coming in my direction. Was it an animal or him? I didn't have had to wait long when I heard him shouting my name.
Riddhima.
Hearing my name from him brought with itself an uneasy feeling like I have heard him before. The first time I heard it, it didn't felt like the first time, like I have heard him calling me before. But how was it possible? I had never seen him or met him before. Dad would have told me but he said that he was never allowed to come at our family house. No one from his business was allowed at the family home. So why this feeling?
Had I never met him or had I?
I had to hide somewhere. Quickly. I didn't have had much time. The steps were slowly coming towards me. I had only minutes to think and act. I looked around and that's when I saw a perfect spot. It was a huge tree but there was space in the trunk. If I could fit myself, which I was sure I would, and cover it there was no way he could find me. I just needed to go inside without making any noise. And once he leave, I would run in the opposite direction.
Not wasting another second I got myself inside the trunk and covered it with some dry leaves I had picked from the ground. Hidden, I fisted my hands and sealed my lips tightly waiting for him to come, look around and leave. I had hidden myself in such a way I that I would have seen him but he couldn't. Not if I made any mistake.
For a second I closed my eyes to compose myself, to steady myself. And it was the biggest mistake as images of someone running in a jungle flashed through my mind. In the next instance, the image got cleared when I saw myself running from someone, just like I ran now. Dense forest, alone and running for my life. My breath accelerated as images after images flashed in front of my eyes.
Hiding. Praying. Crying. Hoping.
Someone caught me. A set of blue eyes were looking down. The someone' I was running away from was standing right in front. He was angry and frustrated. He threw me on his shoulder and that's when I screamed.
"Riddhima, Riddhima it's okay. I have got you,"
Someone was shaking me. I opened my eyes and felt the life draining out of my body when the same set of blue eyes was looking at me.
The same set I saw in my dreams which meant...
"You found me again." The words left my lips when I felt him throwing me on his shoulder and walking back.
"And you remember," I heard him as my exhausted body finally gave up.
~And Remember it is~
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So howz the Chapter. Good or Bad. Do Comment. 😳
I have updated the other FF ( The Covert) as well. If you wish to read, the link's in my post. Also started a new FF, the link is posted above on this page. It's called Sinister Blood.
Cheers!!!
Edited by gypsy - 10 years ago
261