Ashlok SS: Angel in Disguise Chapter 17 Pg. 70 17/11 - Page 43

Originally posted by: swathin

Lovely

Originally posted by: Subhashiniii

Good 😊one dear

Originally posted by: GoWithTheRhythm

Very nice update
I wonder what the person left behind for Niranjan
Hopefully aastha will belive in shloks love one day
Continue soon

Originally posted by: mehare

Waiting next part ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Originally posted by: sathuraj

Chapter 15:

Nice update dear...Thank you dear..

Loved the convo between karan and vikram...im glad you loved it..

why is vikram helping astha...he also have a past with astha..it will be revealed in further updates

as per their plan they reached niranjan's place..

will NA truth will be out soon in public...do wait for further chapters to know

will shlok able to accept the reality...i guess he is strong enough to accept😃

thanks for the super duper update dear..you're welcome dear

waiting for the next update...will update soon

sorry for the late response...it's ok dear😃

Chapter 16

Karan grimaced at the first sight of it, something churned inside his stomach as he looked away.

"A great piece of art, I must say." He heard Vikram say in amusement.

Karan gave him an odd glance then spoke in a disgusted tone "Only you will find art in this!"

Vikram let out a short bark of laughter, he replied with a boyish grin, "Got to have good eyes for that."

Karan rolled his eyes, his friend might be enjoying this unexpected circumstance but he sure isn't, it ruined the only evening he spent with not a bit of stress and worry over his work.

It was a beautiful evening, they were enjoying in the club, drinking and dancing, just like teens these days but all of that was spoiled by just one phone call. No one wanted to leave the club but like they say when duty calls, you have to answer the bitch or regret forever.

"Where are those bas***ds?" Karan asked angrily.

"Probably hiding from you, they ain't gonna show their faces, especially knowing how angry you are." Vikram said with a grin.

"Tell them to come here this instant or they'll regret." Karan ordered.

"You heard him." Vikram said to the other man who obeyed and left the room.

Five of his men entered the room with bowed head, ashamed of themselves for failing their leader.

"Will someone care to explain this?"

"We don't know how or when it happened." One of the men said honestly.

"Don't know? How can someone not see anyone bringing a dead mutilated body?!" Karan asked angrily.

"Where were you guys?"

"We are telling truth sir. We were on guard, we saw no one entering or leaving the premises."

"So you're saying this dead body walked by himself and got in the house."

The man blushed with embarrassment, he is so confused to say anything, they really don't know how it happened but he can't deny it happened right under their nose.

"They must've got in by some other way, you know they won't enter by the entrance door, they will come in where there are no guards." Vikram said.

"Of course I know that but I posted every guard everywhere, how come they escaped them."

"Well you know criminals, they are very resourceful, they must've found a way, let's just leave this entrance matter and find out who this is and what relation he has with Niranjan." Vikram suggested.

Karan sighed and rubbed his temples, he ordered tiredly "Get back to your post and look for any possible clues. And bring the maid here."

"Get out everyone! There will be no searching in my house!" They heard Niranjan shout as he stormed inside the room.

"Mr. Niranjan, we understand y---" Karan started patiently.

"You don't! I am taking back my complain! I no longer wish to know who is doing this! You and your men are incompetent---"

"Mr. Agnihotri, I am very sorry for this but don't insult my men, they are very competent and strong enough to catch the criminal. As for taking your case back, you are welcome to do that but another case will be filed against you because an unknown dead body was seen in your very own house. Now let me ask you, will you cooperate with us and let us do our work or you want me to file a case against you."

Niranjan clamped his mouth shut tightly and walked away with high color on his cheeks.

"Nicely done, partner." Vikram remarked.

"Thank you, partner." then added to his men "Now let's start our work and now I want everyone to be good in their work. I don't want anyone insulting you guys, make me proud lads or I'm gonna kick your asses."

"Yes, Sir!"

"Here's the maid, Sir." One of the men said as he entered along with the weeping young woman wrapped with a blanket.

Karan glanced at Vikram, gestured him to talk with the woman as he is not very good when it comes to woman.

"Good evening, ma'am." Vikram said politely.

She looked up from her affrighted eyes, she spoke in a meek tone "I..didn't kill..him...he was...there"

Vikram gave a warm smile and spoke "Oh come now, you can't be thinking that we're suspecting you. We know an innocent girl like you will never kill anyone, don't be afraid. We are here to help you and want you only to cooperate with us. We will ask only few questions and we'll be done, are you fine with that or we'll ask some other time?"

She sniffed and replied while rubbing her tears "I'm fine."

"Thank you very much. Let's start from the beginning."

"I..just finished..my work and came into the room to sleep..when I entered the room..and..oh! I saw that..body! I..was too scared..I.." She said cryingly.

Vikram rubbed her back, giving her comfort then brushed the tears from her eyes and spoke lightly "Hush. It's ok. A beautiful girl like you doesn't look good in tears. I won't ask any other question. You may go, you need rest."

She nodded her head with a blush and light smile then walked out of the room.

"A large body inside this house, no one saw anyone coming or going, how did they do that?"

"It's hard to explain but they were quite brilliant."

"And cruel, look at the way they tortured this guy, it's..inhuman, only a coldblooded devil would do this."

"Maybe because the guy deserved it." Vikram said softly with bitterness.

"What?" Karan asked.

"Nothing. Let's start digging his grave." Vikram said with a grin.

***

Niranjan rushed to the place where the scream was coming, he froze as soon as he reached the threshold, his eyes widened with shock and pain shot through his heart like sharpened knife stabbing it, his belly churned as bile rose in his throat. For several moments, he couldn't keep his eyes off the mutilated corpse, he went oblivious to his surroundings, didn't heard the maid's hysterical screams nor saw his other servants rushing into the room.

It was Sushant's body, he could tell it by the chain hanging on his neck, it was the first gift he received from him. He sat bare naked on one of the chairs, his eyes dilated and fixed directly straight, face covered with several black and blue bruises, lips swollen and his nose slightly crooked, a large deep slash covering his whole chest along with other few shallow slashes, he already know how he got that, his legs covered with dried blood and more wounds and bruises, but the thing which blown his mind was that his manhood was burned, burned with acid.

A voice brought back his attention, voice of his servant, telling him that he had called the police and they are on its way. Out of sudden, a memory flashed in his mind, memory of his enemy stating that he made his work easier by involving police. His heart skipped few beats as realization took hold in his mind, that damn bas***d is setting him up!

His enemy somehow got to know that he involved the police, he deliberately brought Sushant's body in his house, so the police could investigate him, therefore, learn his relation with him. Panic raised in his heart, he won't allow this, he can't let the world know his other side of the life, his criminal life.

Niranjan unclutched his hands and fell back on his chair tiredly, closed his eyes as tears gushed like a waterfall. His two sons, one burned alive and the other tortured to death, he is tired, very tired of being in fear, anguish and pain.

***

"Damn it!" Veer said frustratingly as he threw the cards away on the table.

"You are such a damn good gambler! I've been losing ever since we started!"

Shlok let out a chuckle and took few gulps of chilled beer from the bottle he was holding.

"I bet you need this." Shlok said with a grin as he forwarded the bottle.

Veer glanced at the bottle then took few gulps then swore again as he pulled out some cash from his pocket "I'm gone broke overnight!"

"You should've stopped when I warned you." Shlok said with a boyish grin and took the cash from his hand then put them in his own pocket.

"If I had known you're damn good at poker, I wouldn't have asked you to play."

"Where did you learn gamble?" Veer asked.

"I spent most of my life in the boarding school, you will find many types of person there, and there was one who taught me poker."

"Must be an expert, you beat him too?"

"Never. He was my master."

Veer sighed and glanced at his wristwatch then spoke "I hope I'm not keeping you up. If you want to sleep, you can."

Shlok placed the bottle on the table and spoke "Nah! I would rather stay late with a friend than sleep alone. Besides, after long time, I am enjoying myself."

Veer looked up at him and asked "Homesick?"

Shlok smiled faintly and replied "Sort of. I miss my buddies, that's all. You know when you asked for drinks and game, you can't imagine how happy I felt."

"I was reluctant to ask you for a little hang out, I thought you wouldn't agree. You surprised me by agreeing."

"Why wouldn't I agree?"

He shrugged "Well, we didn't start in good terms. You are a hostage here, we don't expect you to be friendly with us."

Shlok drank few gulps then replied "At first, I was very angry, to the point that I want to beat every person, I was more angry at Astha than anyone else" he dropped down his gaze and rubbed his finger on the brim of the bottle "but now it changed, the more I get to know you guys, the more I feel your pain, your sufferings. I know you guys are criminals and I shouldn't sympathize knowing that what you guys do is wrong but I can't help it."

"You are a very nice soul, Shlok. It's a pity you're his son."

Shlok instantly glanced up at him, for a second he saw a glint of anger in his eyes then abruptly replaced by a wince.

"I'm sorry, that was uncalled for." Veer apologized.

"Do..you also..have something against my father?" Shlok asked.

"Please wake up!" Veer shouted in anguish as tears flowed from his eyes.

"I have a lot. It's better you not know, don't wanna ruin your good mood."

Shlok gave a faint smile and replied "I'm already used to hearing bad about him, it hardly bother me anymore. Believe it or not, I am already doubting him." he took a sharp breath as he spoke aloud "shit! Why am I saying this?"

"Do you really?" Veer asked in sudden interest.

"Yes..No! Oh hell!" Shlok cursed in anger.

"You don't need to get angry for doubt---"

"I can't, Veer he's my father!"

"I know you're feeling guilty for doubting him. A child never doubt his parent without solid proof and even if the parent turns out to be devil, a child refuses to hate him, he maybe stay angry forever but never get to hate him. That is what family is, you may get angry with them but you can never hate them, you will always love them."

"I don't know what I should think or feel. Whenever I think about both Astha and Sid, their sufferings, and them blaming my father for it, all I feel is anger and hatred for him but when I think about those good times I've spent with my father, all I feel is that maybe they are wrong, my father can never do such things. Tell me, who should I believe, what should I do?"

"Believe your heart, that's all I can say."

Shlok sighed tiredly and replied softly "I don't even know what my heart says, at one point it goes for my father and at another it cries for Astha."

"Because you love them both equally, only the truth can solve your miseries."

"When your dear friend wouldn't tell me the truth? How am I supposed to know the truth?"

"Will you believe her if she tell you everything? Will you believe me when I say your father raped my wife, that she had to commit suicide because she was too ashamed? Wil---Oh! I'm so sorry---"

"You..must be kidding..he..wouldn't do such thing! It's lie, right?" Shlok asked with stricken look.

Veer fell silent, as much as he want to say it is a lie, he can't because it is the truth.

"No! That's not my father! It's a lie!" Shlok shouted in anger then walked away from there.

Veer slumped back on his chair and closed his eyes, he knew Shlok would react this way, any child will react the same way and he also knew he wouldn't believe him and it doesn't bother him, what bothers him is that if he can't believe him, how will he believe Astha when she'll tell him the truth, maybe they are wrong about him, maybe Astha is right in thinking that his love for his father will never let them be together. He wish his maybe remain maybe and never become a reality.

***

"What in the hell happened here?" Astha said shockingly.

Shlok suddenly awoke from his sleep, he squinted his eyes as bright sun rays burned his swollen eyes. Suddenly, a soft and warm hand covered his cheek as a concerned voice spoke to him.

"Are you ok? What happened?" Astha asked worriedly.

Astha awoke early, keeping in mind that she have to teach Shlok horse riding or he'll say she's coward but when he didn't showed up, she resumed to her usual duties. It had been past mid-morning still he didn't showed up, that was the time they got worried plus for unknown reason Veer kept pestering her to check up on him. She knocked thrice but got no response, then slightly opened the door, her eyes widened as she looked inside. The whole room was messed up, things were clattered everywhere as if it had been robbed, some broken in pieces, her eyes searched for Shlok, only to find him curled in a ball, sleeping on the bare floor.

Shlok gave her a momentary look at her before instantly sitting up, a wrong move by him as his head swayed and his stomach erupted in gut-wrenching spewing which splattered all over her clothes and his t-shirt.

"What the---" Astha said shockingly.

Shlok mumbled his apology then heaved again and this time she instantly went behind him and rubbed his back to ease the pain.

"Avi! Baby come in!" She called for her son.

Avdhoot peeked from the door and stepped in the room, he twitched his nose with grimace as he glanced at the splattered puke on the floor and on them.

"Yes, mommy?" Avi asked.

"champ, help your mommy. Can you bring the bucket from bathroom."

He bobbed his head and ran into the bathroom, then came out with a bucket hanging from his hand.

"Thank you---be careful, don't step on it."

Astha took the bucket and placed it in front of Shlok to prevent any more mess. She held his head, time to time removing few tresses coming on his forehead and kept rubbing his back while he emptied the contents of his stomach. She couldn't understand how he got bad stomach until her eyes fell on empty bottles of beer, a lot of them, she doesn't need a genius to explain what happened to his stomach.

"Champ, come here and rub his back." Astha said as she stood up.

"Where are you going, mommy?"

"I'll make some medicine for him."

Avdhoot did as he was told, softly rubbed his back and spoke to his mother "You're gonna make the medicine you gave me when I was sick?"

Astha grinned and replied "Of course baby but first I'm gonna change, keep rubbing his back." then dispersed into the bathroom.

"I tell you the medicine taste so bad but mommy will make you drink it. Mommy says only brave boys drinks it, are you brave boy?" Avdhoot asked childishly.

Shlok smiled despite of the struggle he was having with his stomach and replied meekly "I think so." then jerked forward as his stomach heaved again.

"Mommy will make you better again. She is a great doctor." He said proudly.

He wishes so because at the moment he feels like dying.

After about minutes of pure, wrenching suffering, Shlok gave a final groan before he closed his eyes and leaned against his arm resting on the rim of the bucket, thanking all the gods in the world for lessening his sufferings. He kept himself perfectly still until the nausea passed.

"You can stop now, buddy, I'm feeling better. Thank you." Shlok muttered through his dry mouth.

Astha came out wearing Shlok's t-shirt and elastic shorts, clothes large enough for her small body. She went straight to the kitchen and mixed some powder in the glass of water and filled a bowl with cold water then dipped a piece of towel in it then walked towards them carrying both things.

"Mommy, you look funny!" Avdhoot said with a chuckle.

"I know right." She replied with the grin then glanced at Shlok and asked "You feeling better, Shlok?"

"Barely.." Shlok sputtered through his clenched teeth, his position still the same.

After a moment, he felt her hands softly brushing his hair and slowly tried to lift up his face until her hand supported his chin, the next moment, a cold damp cloth wiped on his face, soothing the exploding pain in his head.

"That's better." Shlok said in a little relief, his eyes still closed.

"I wonder why people drink too much when they can't even handle." Astha said aloud.

Shlok would've answered her question if his tongue wasn't too dry, he didn't want to say anything or think, especially not about the last night. Just a slight thought brought back his nausea, he heaved again and again.

"Baby call Ankush and tell him we won't make it tonight--no, you tell him to come back and take you with him---"

"No mommy I want to stay with you." Avdhoot pleaded.

"I will tend Shlok, he is sick, what you will do? Besides, we planned this for you, will you miss the fun?"

"There's no fun without you. We can go camping together when he is ok, please mommy. And I will help you here."

"Are you sure, baby?" He nodded.

"If you get bored don't blame me, champ, go on call Ankush and tell him we won't make it."

He bobbed his head with a wide grin and ran out of the room.

"I'm...sorry.." She heard Shlok say before he heaved.

"Don't be..damn, it's getting worse.." She said as she rubbed his back.

"Feeling better?" Astha asked as he stopped for several minutes.

"I guess my stomach is but my head is exploding.."

"You don't feel like vomiting again?"

"For..now, no---yes!" He jerked forward and heaved, bringing out bitter yellowish stuff, damn so awful!

Finally he leaned his head against the bed, exhausted from his suffering, she moped the damp cold cloth on his face again, he murmured his gratitude.

"Here drink this, it will make you feel better."

"I don't think my stomach will accept anything."

"It will help you, just try."

He took few gulps then pushed the glass as he felt his nausea coming back

"You have to finish it, just try it one more time."

He drank and this time finished the whole drink. After few minutes, his stomach felt better but the pain in his head remain unchanged.

"I guess you look better now, let's get you cleaned up so you can lie on bed.." She said and slowly started removing his t-shirt with extreme tenderness like she is removing t-shirt of baby as he was too exhausted to make any move.

He opened his groggy eyes and looked at her then noticed her clothes, he smiled and spoke softly "you do look funny."

Her eyes met his, a slight smile got tucked on her lips before she replied "not more than you with your current state." then yanked out the t-shirt from his neck.

"Do I look that bad?" He asked.

She dipped the cloth in the bowl and squeezed it thoroughly before rubbing it on his chest.

"Don't wanna break your heart." She replied teasingly.

He chuckled then flinched as the effort increased his pain in head.

"You better keep quiet."

He sighed and closed his eyes, the complete silence relaxed him a bit.

Astha glanced up at his face, his swollen eyes barely went unnoticed, guilt cropped up in her heart, just thinking about what he might have went through last night pinched her heart, something big must've happen that made him drink so much.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice her touch went soft, more like a caress, intimate caress, which brought thrill in his body.

He groaned.

"Nausea?" Astha asked as she stopped.

"No." He replied.

She twitched her brows in confusion and asked "then what?"

"I---"

"Mommy! Mommy! Uncle wanna talk to you" Avdhoot said as he entered the room.

Astha took the phone from his hand and answered the call.

"Yes, Ankush..it's fine now...yes...ok..I will take care of him..bye, take care you guys and enjoy the trip." She hung up.

"I'm sorry for---"

"Don't be sorry, Shlok. Come on now get up so you could lie on bed. Can you move?"

He sighed and replied "I'll try."

"Champ, you fix the bed.." Avdhoot jumped on the bed and started fixing it.

"Shlok take it slowly..very slowly.." She said as she helped him getting up.

Shlok took a relieved sigh as soon as his head touched the soft pillow, much better for his headache.

"Avi, you call the maid to clean up this mess.."

"Ok, mommy!"

"I'm sorry for the mess too.."

"If you keep on apologizing I promise I will leave you."

He kept quiet while she resumed her work. After few moments he drifted into deep sleep.