Who could ever learn to love a beast?

"He fell into despair and lost all hope... for who could ever learn to love a beast?"

-Beauty and the beast

Over the next two weeks after their date night, Ronobir and Mishti developed a routine of sorts; every night they would eat dinner together while they talked about the things they liked to do or memories of their childhood. She discovered that his favorite books were, 'A Tale of Two Cities' and 'Great Expectations' by Charles Dickens and that his favorite TV show was 'Game of Thrones'. He learned that she loved scary movies and that her biggest dream was to have a fashion line of her own one day.

Things seemed to be changing and a certain tentative intimacy was developing between the two of them, which excited and terrified Mishti at the same time. One part of her felt happy to discover her husband was not that terrible and that she actually liked spending time with him, but another part still felt a residual resentment at having a relationship thrust down upon her.

Wouldn't it have been easier if he had approached her the normal way? But she realized that if there was one thing Ronobir thrived on more than anything, it was power and control. He had to have everything on his terms, whenever and however he wanted.

That morning Mishti woke up to an empty bed; sharing her nights with him wasn't that bad anymore, even though she would never say it out loud she had grown used to sleeping and waking up next to him. Although there hadn't been any more passionate kisses or fervent touches since that night in the car, every night he slept curled around her in a tight embrace. It was as if her proximity and closeness gave him some peace of mind. He had briefly mentioned some issues regarding his business the previous night so she didn't find it surprising to find him gone.

She got up and took a shower before putting on a light blue summer dress and headed to the pool with her laptop and sketchbook underneath her arm. She worked on some assignments for a little while until Shanaya arrived and then she spent the rest of the morning playing with the little girl. After enjoying a delicious lunch with the amazingly cute and thoroughly entertaining child, she retired to her bedroom and dialed Ananya's number.

The huge workload of college assignments had prevented her from being able to speak with her best friend for a few days, and she needed to hear her familiar voice.

"I promise I'll be visiting soon," Ananya reassured her through the phone. "It's just that college has been hectic but I'll try to make it next week"

"Yes please, I'm dying of boredom here," Mishti whined as she slumped on the massive, plush bed she shared with Ronobir.

"Isn't Shruti there as well? Why aren't you hanging out with her?"

Mishti kicked her legs in the air, trying some of the new stretching moves she had been practicing with her sister-in-law a few days ago, "She was here for a while but had to fly to Houston for Bappa knows what!"

Mishti knew that Shruti was more aware of the ways of the mafia world as compared to her and Ananya. But she couldn't figure out her role of her in the business especially since even though her mother was fully involved in it she was an integral part of the gang.

"And what about Ronobir?" Ananya asked quietly.

"What about him?" Mishti answered faking a casual indifference.

Ananya snorted and she could picture the exasperated look on her friend's face, "Oh come on Mishtu, give me something!" Mishti chuckled at her words, "I don't think he's as bad as we thought he was going to be if I am not mistaking the excitement in your voice", Ananya quizzed astutely.

Mishti frowned, "There's no excitement in my voice!"

"You have called me thrice during last the two weeks and every single time there's been something in your voice, you sound lighter, like you're about to burst into a Disney song any minute!"

Mishti couldn't help but giggle at her friend's words, "See?! You're doing it now!"

She tried to school her features into an impassive expression but that damn grin wasn't going away and even though they were only on the phone, Mishti knew that Ananya could tell. "I have no idea what you're talking about"

"Yeah right, keep deflecting," Ananya muttered. "But I'm glad he's not as bad as we thought... that might soften the blow."

"What blow?"

"Okay, I promised Ansh not to tell you this until I could see you in person but I don't want to risk you hearing it from other people." Ananya's voice had grown serious, "Veer and Pari are kind of a thing now!"

Mishti sat upright so quickly she was surprised it didn't give her whiplash "What? What do you mean... a thing?"

Ananya exhaled loudly, "They are a couple Mishti, they're together."

Mishti felt the breath hitch in her throat and her eyes welled up with tears. Over the last few days, she realized that whatever she had felt for Veer was a mere infatuation. She was so hell-bent on the idea of falling in love, that she had romanticized the whole thing in her head, but even so, hearing Ananya's words made her feel betrayed in ways she couldn't explain.

She knew it wasn't fair, she was married now and there was no reason why Veer couldn't continue with his life, but Pari? Her blood? Mishti knew that her sister was only doing this to get back at her because she thought Mishti had stolen Ronobir on purpose.

"Mishtu?", Ananya's soft voice coaxed a reply from her, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine", she lied, "It's just a shock."

"She's bitch!" her friend said. "I swear every time I see her I just want to wipe that smug smile off her face"

Mishti let out a sardonic laugh, "Yeah me too!"

They chatted for a while exchanging gossip and all sorts of other nonsense until Ananya excused herself because she had to finish a paper.

Mishti remained in bed the rest of the afternoon, contemplating everything that had happened over the last few weeks. How much her life had changed and how different it was from everything she had dreamed it would be. The minutes trickled into hours and there was still no sign of Ronobir. When it became obvious that he wasn't arriving for their daily dinner, Mishti hopped in the shower and cried angry tears as the water washed her skin.

She was mad because she was tired of feeling so impotent. All her life her family had made her feel like a doll, a pretty exhibit in a glass display whom everyone cooed and fanned over. She had loved it in the beginning, before she started realizing how lonely it was. She concluded that in a way Ronobir was doing the same thing, she was treated like a doll by him as well, taken out and then put back. The only thing different was that now she was in his glass window.

When she got out of the shower she changed into her pajamas and crawled underneath the sheets, it was almost midnight and the bed felt too cold and big without him. As the minutes trickled by, the insidious feelings kept rising, disrupting her peace and whispering malignly in her ear that everything wrong in her life was because of Ronobir. Just because he had decided he wanted her, he had uprooted her from her comfortable life – the life she had always wanted and dreamed of. But what was that life as happy as she thought it was? Or had she been looking at it through rose-colored glasses for too long?

He arrived way past midnight while she was still staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. "Hey," he said when he realized she was still awake. He looked tired and weary and although the rational side of her brain told her she shouldn't provoke him she decided to ignore the warning.

"I thought you weren't coming," she exclaimed with hostility. He raised his eyes at her tone and stared at her while he went to his dresser and started taking things out.

"I had some delays, I'm not staying," he mumbled, not feeling in the mood to argue with her.

She sat up in the bed, the sheets pooling around her waist, "Where are you going?"

"Business" he muttered as he started throwing his things into a duffel bag

Mishti watched him, blood boiling in her veins without her knowing why "Really? That's all you're going to say?"

Ronobir exhaled heavily, "What do you want me to say, Mishti? You know I can't talk about these things with you." He was aware of how much like his father he sounded right now but decided to ignore it, he was too wired and didn't want to engage in something that would end up imploding between them.

Mishti rolled her eyes, "Of course... I'm just one more doll in your collection."

"Stop it!" he closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to control his temper because he didn't want to snap at her.

"But isn't that right Ronobir?" her words were venomous. "I'm a pretty thing to look at. That's the real reason I'm here!"

He zipped his bag with more strength than required, "You don't know what you're talking about Mishti."

She flung the sheets away from her body and stomped off the bed, "I do know, I know you fucked up everything for me!" she shouted as she strode aggressively in front of him.

He chuckled darkly, "I did, didn't I dear Scarlet?" He gripped her shoulders with his hands, "Because now your boy toy is rolling around in your sister's sheets!"

Mishti recoiled at his words, "How did you..."

Ronobir grinned wickedly, "I know everything babydoll." He leaned forward until their faces were inches apart, his hot breath fanning her skin. "I just wasn't sure you were aware."

"I am now!" Mishti bit out.

"Good!" he nodded as the grip on her shoulder tightened further and all traces of the sweet Ronobir she had got to know the last few days disappeared.

Mishti fought against his stronghold but to no avail, "Why do you have to be such an asshole?"

"Why do you have to be such a bitch?" He fired back.

Her nostrils flared as a wave of blinding anger took complete control over her senses, "Go to hell Ronobir Chatterjee!" she screamed.

"You can be sure that's where I'm heading!" he replied scathingly.

Mishti struggled against his grip once more, "Just get out!"

"Don't worry princess I'll be out of your hair in a second so you can go back to mourning the loss of your gallant Ashley!"

"Shut up!"

He pressed his mouth to her ear, "It stings right? How quickly he got over you!"

"Stop it, Ronobir!" Mishti could feel angry tears forming in her eyes as she tried to break free of his tight grasp.

"He wasn't even worth it!" he bit out angrily. "And yet here you are, crying over him." His words were despaired ramblings and a deep sense of guilt started to form in the pit of her stomach. "What did he do to make you care about him so much? Tell me!"

"He did nothing!" she shouted as a few tears streamed down her face. It wasn't Veer and Pari that were making her cry, it was the result of the extreme emotional turmoil and upheaval of arguing so viciously with Ronobir.

His brown eyes found her teary-eyed ones; they were tortured as they looked at her, "Then why? Why are you suffering for him while he's enjoying your sister and you don't give a damn about me!"

Mishti stared at him completely out of breath, his words hitting something inside of her she didn't know how to handle, "I..."

He shook his head and released her, "Forget it!" He turned around and picked up the duffel bag he had been preparing.

Mishti watched him head to the door and wanted to say something, to go to him but the only words she was able to muster were, "Where are you going?"

He stopped, suddenly still by the door, "I'm going to hell... to kill some Russians." He walked out without sparing another glance in her direction.

Mishti collapsed on the bed once again, feeling like utter crap and not having any idea as to why she felt so bad.

No matter how much she tossed and turned, after that bitter encounter, sleep seemed to have deserted her. She gave up around 3 am and headed to the kitchen to prepare some mint tea and maybe eat a snack since she didn't think there was a chance in hell that she would fall asleep anytime soon.

She was very surprised to find Shruti sitting in a brightly lit kitchen, "I didn't know you were here," Mishti said softly, startling the pensive girl.

"Yeah, I arrived with Rishabh earlier in the night. You were in your room," Shruti answered as Mishti prepared the kettle and took out the box containing her favorite tea. Miss. Sudha had shown her where everything was in the kitchen and informed her that Ronobir had ordered a stack of that tea a few days before they got married.

"Is Rishabh with Ronobir?" Mishti sat on the wooden table with Shruti while the kettle boiled on the stove.

"Yes!" Shruti swirled her spoon around a bowl filled with yogurt and blueberries.

Mishti shifted uncomfortably, "Do you know where they are?"

The usually chirpy Shruti seemed quiet today as she nodded and cast her eyes down, "Don't ask questions if you don't want to know the answers"

"How do you know I don't want to know?"

"This isn't your life Mishti, yes you were born in a mafia family but you have never had to acknowledge the things they do neither do you know about them!"

The kettle gave a loud whistle startling Mishti and she stood up to pour herself a cup of tea. "But I do know!" she said as she walked back to the table holding her cup and a piece of cheese. "I got married to the BOSS of all the bosses. Don't I deserve to know things? Why can you handle it and I can't?" she said defiantly.

"It's not like that", Shruti said with a small smile, "My mother is a queen pin Mishti, she is the business. She is Ronobir's most trusted ally and I've grown up in a very different world than yours!"

"So you are involved in the business too?"

"No, but I'm aware of it. I am not like my mother if that's what you're asking but I am going to be Rishabh's wife and I know everything there is to know about this world."

Mishti sipped her tea quietly as she contemplated Shruti's words for a while, "I don't want to be kept in the dark; I don't want to be like my mother"

Mauli Khanna was a sweet woman, always turning a blind eye to her husband's business, making her an innocent victim and incredibly vulnerable.

"Then you need to learn to see grey Mishti. Not everything is black and white, there are no bad and good guys here, there's just business and casualties and a world no one can escape!"

"I know!" she nodded and stared at the other girl with a solemn expression, "So I'll ask again, where are they?"

"He's going to be hopping mad but what the hell!" she flipped her hair back and moved the now empty bowl to the side. "You ever heard of Veer Kriplani?" When Mishti shook her head in denial the well-informed girl nodded in understanding. "He's the head of one of the most important families in the country, they're from New Orleans and have been Ronobir's allies for a while now."

Mishti nodded wondering exactly how much she had been kept in the dark. How many secrets about their family's life and dealings were kept from girls like Ananya and herself?

"His younger sister Radhika was dating someone. Veer did not know about the affair until one day she simply disappeared." A frown marred Shruti's pretty face. "He had his men looking everywhere...they found her in Russia. She was sold into sex slavery."

Mishti's breath got stuck in her throat as she raised her hand and covered her mouth in shock, "Ganpati Bappa!"

Shruti's expression was sad and troubled, "She's fifteen Mishti, she's a child." She gripped the edge of the table until her knuckles were white "Veer was enraged..."

"Who sells the sister of a mafia boss? Who has the balls?"

"The Russian mafia does, one family in particular." Mishti had heard of them, in conversations between her father and brother, they were ruthless of all but as far as she knew they stayed out of their business. "They had an old feud with Veer and with Ronobir too, and his boss... he would do anything to get back at them. Radhika was caught in the middle of all of that!"

"Poor girl!" Mishti looked down, feeling incredibly sad at the fate of that poor child, who had to pay the price of growing up in the middle of all this mess. "Did they rescue her?"

"Where do you think Rishabh and Ronobir are?" Shruti raised an immaculately groomed brow, something akin to pride shining in her eyes. "Veer came asking for help, and Ronobir gave it to him. We live in a world of violence and blood Mishti but there are certain things the Chatterjees won't stand: sexual slavery and child abuse are two of them. So you can be sure they're going to strike as hard as they can." There was a certain ruthless toughness and hatred in her voice which made Mishti realize just how different she and the resilient Shruti truly was.

"But isn't that dangerous? If the Russians want to get back at them... couldn't that be a trap?" The idea was too overwhelming, suddenly she feared for Ronobir and it was a gripping sensation.

"It's all dangerous in this world Mishti," Shruti said with sympathy. "You wanted to know"

"Yeah, I did," Mishti nodded while lifting her chin. "Why do the Russians hate the Chatterjees?"

Shruti seemed to contemplate giving her an answer but slowly shook her head, exhaling deeply, "That's not my story to tell Mishti, you'll have to ask Ronobir"

"Yeah... I don't think he's going to tell me anything" Mishti muttered.

"You could try"

Mishti nodded sadly, knowing there was no use in hoping that Ronobir would offer this information to her. He was like a closed book and would not disclose things he didn't want her to know, the only bits of information she had about him were the ones he had shared during those rare, unguarded moments when his defenses were down. "How do you do this Shruti? How can you live like this?"

"It's what I know Mishti"

Mishti thought about the differences between how the two girls had been bought up. How safe she had felt her entire life, thinking everything was perfect in her world and that no matter what, her father was always going to be there to protect her, "I've been so sheltered my entire life!"

"Maybe it was for the best."

She was naïve and vulnerable, a sheep in a den of wolves, "No, I don't think it was," she whispered.

They remained silent for a few moments, Mishti sipping on her tea and Shruti twirling the spoon in the now-empty bowl. It was late but Mishti knew that sleep wouldn't come tonight, not after all the things she had learned, "Wanna watch a movie?" she asked her new friend.

Shruti smiled brightly, a complete contrast to her previous expression, "Yeah, I would like that!"

They headed to the living room and chose to watch 'The Princess Bride' on Netflix; a happily-ever-after story, in which the monsters are defeated and the bad guys end up being good.

How she wished real life could be just like that.