Chapter 23

Chapter 23 :

 Author's POV

The calmness in the lane shattered with the sudden burst of gunshot. Time seemed to slip away slowly, as she stood frozen on her place, caught in the grip of shock. After a few fleeting moments, the chilling sound of bodies hitting the ground reached her ears.

She stood rooted at her place, her eyes wide catching the sight of the lifeless men who had touched her just a moment ago. A light wave of relief washed over her, knowing she was safe, but quickly a heavier wave of fear washed away her relief when she remembered the presence of Arnav behind her.

She was having her back facing him, as she felt tremors coursing through her body, each beat of her heart amplifying her anxiety. The melancholy night loomed, as she breathed deep, embracing herself for the upcomming consequences.

As she stood still, the sound of heavy boots echoed ominously in the narrow lane, drawing closer with each deliberate step.

Her breath hitched when a muscular arm wrapped around her waist pulling her closer to a solid chest.

"Caught you doll", he whispered in her ear.

•

Anika's POV

His whisper rang in my ear, shivers running down my spine. Peace is my happiness and whenever I happen to enjoy it, the moments flee away like they never existed.

I was at peace, I had found peace and then...I got selfish, hoping for more moments of peace and now I'm facing the consequences. I've always stopped myself from hoping or expecting anything, even from myself, but I'm a human too. I also have feelings and sometimes those feelings break the boundary and I forget the promise to myself.

I remained silent as we both stood without uttering a word. I didn't have the courage and he was seething in anger.

"You're too feisty to be bounded by a mere contract. Just wait for two more days before I finally bound you with shackles around your ankles and wrists, just like a prisoner. I'll snatch your remaining freedom that I gave you out of pity but you—you don't deserve that", he spat his venomous words pricking me from inside.

They felt too painful to bear. They were merely some words but the feeling they gave could be felt only when the person is already experienced. And I'm one.

I gulped down a painful lump down my throat before speaking, "I didn't want to run. I just needed some peace", my voice barely above a whisper.

He chuckled, "Yeah sure doll. You needed peace after ruining the peaceful life me and my family had... especially Dhruv", he mocked me and just like everytime, he brought up his brother's name just to torment me mentally.

"You know what? You're mine. Mine to break and mine to ruin. I'm not your fairytale's prince to save you, I'm the demon lurking in the shadows of your darkest dreams", he spoke, "I'll hunt you down but will never let anyone touch even a single hair on you. Now see, what these motherfuckers face after touching what's mine."

He spoke near my ear, his hot breaths fanning over my nape. His spoken words held a possessiveness out of hate, not the one a husband has for his wife out of love. He had promised to be my sole destroyer and he didn't like the idea of me being ruined by someone else.

I had welcomed this day the day I knew why he wanted to marry me. That day I had silently promised myself not to break apart even if he worked hard to make that possible. I wanted to fight for myself but all these seemed vague. They were just so meaningless and hollow.

Whom should I fight for? For the family that took care of me? But they have Maya di. For my in-laws? They have Arshi. For my bestfriends? They already have each other. My...husband or Dhruv? My husband doesn't even care if I die and for Dhruv, he won't have to see me again, forever.

I felt his hand unwrapping my waist before the warmth in his embrace faded from my back. His cologne still lingered around me indicating that he was few steps away from me.

"Pick them up", he ordered his men standing near the lifeles bodies.

They actually weren't dead. Just their knees were shot but the pain made it impossible for them to bear further.

My eyes trailed to the two men in black picking up the half conscious bodies before two more helped their companions to hold up the goons' bodies straight.

As those disgusting brutes stood infront of me, almost lifeless, my body burned with hatred and disgust. I still remember their touches which seemed to have left some painful marks on my skin.

I wanted to turn around when Arnav suddenly slid his palms from my upper arms to my hands before holding them tightly in his hands, letting me grip onto the cold weapon in my hands, slipped into my palms by him.

My eyes widened, a cold fear running over my body realising what that weapon was.

He had handed me a gun.

My hands were already trembling holding such a cruel weapon, but it never fell because of the grip he had on my hands. His hands still held my hands properly, the gun pointed at the goons.

His warm body was pressed against my back, sending waves of uneasiness inside me.

"Shoot them or cut their heads", he spoke, his voice octaves deep rung in my ear.

This was something I'd term as impossible for me to do. I can't kill anyone even if I hated them like I never hated before. I'm cruel but not so cruel to kill someone without a second thought.

I never held something in my hands that would take away someone's life. This gun might be a play thing for people like Arnav but I'm not like him.

My inner shook in fear as he started pressing on my forefinger resting on the trigger.

I shook my head vigorously, a helpless cry leaving my lips, "No no Arnav please. Please don't make me do this. I can't kill I—I can't kill anyone. Please leave me."

My sobs echoed in the silent lane but everyone present here seemed unfazed by my wails.

His men stood motionless without any expression while he stood seething in anger behind me. His grip never loosened but tightened on my hands hurting me more.

My mind was messed up and I was helplessly wailing for release. I can't take the burden of killing someone like that.

"Don't cry doll. This is just the beginning. You're yet to cry the whole night once we get back", he spoke calmly in my ear, yet his anger radiated from his tone.

I started shaking further as he slowly pressed his forefinger on my forefinger further, bringing the trigger to release the bullet finally.

The loud gunshot with one of the goons' painful scream echoed in the lane as I stared at him falling dead on the ground. The bullet had pierced through his forehead, making a hole in his glabella. Blood oozed out from the bruised part, staining his disgusting face.

My eyes were wide as my heart stood still, as if it was dead.

Five more gunshots echoed in the lane as the bodies lay dead on the ground, blood oozing out of various shot parts. The loud sound of gunshots mixed with their painful screams had cut off any type of sound entering my ears.

My breaths shortened as I trembled vigorously in his hold, my heart slowing down its pace.

I killed someone.

I'll have to take another burden of murdering someone.

He made me kill someone.

I'm a murderer.

It felt as if the world had faded away, my energy draining out, my vision blurring each moment with the tears of shock, pain and fear. Feeling my legs wobbling under me, I started falling down when his tight grip around my waist held me back.

I remained silent, rooted to my place without any expression. My face was completely blank witnessing the murder that I caused. My mind was filled with numerous thoughts hindering me from thinking straight.

•

 Author's POV

He threw the gun in his hand on the ground, before he picked her up in his arms. Letting his gaze fall on her, he noticed her eyes fixed on the dead bodies lying in the pool of their own blood. She was numb, not even a single muscle on her face moved. Her tear struck face painted the shock she was in.

Walking ahead, he ordered his men to clean the mess before settling her on the backseat with himself, in his Mercedes prior to the driver driving away on his command.

The car wheeled on the road, it's engine roaring while the tires ran at its fastest speed. Many black Mercedes G-wagon ran infront of the Arnav's car while an equivalent number of cars followed from the back.

As the night grew darker, Arnav's rage burned further. He hated the fact that someone else dared to touch her because he believed that—

He'd be her death if it comes someday. He'd torment her and he'd be the only one to leave his marks on her skin—be it a scar of revenge or a mark of love.

"Open the gates of Orphic Hades and shift all the belongings of Anika and mine from Ruby mansion to this one", he ordered over the phone attached to his ear.

•

Anika's POV

I was sitting silently in his car. The haunting memories from tonight floating infront of my eyes. The silence in the car was the only thing keeping me sane right now.

Everything seemed to happen so fast that it barely registered in my mind. But those bloody sights were imprinted on my mind. I was trying to get over them but the dead bodies, their blood, the gun in my hand, me shooting them—everything was overwhelming.

I cursed at myself for even thinking about my inner peace for once because at the end, it finally led me to face a horrendous night.

Tonight I committed another two murders.

I've always been hating myself for whatever I wasn't at fault. I've always somehow found a point to put the blames on myself so that those blames choke me to death and I finally lay dead on my bed.

That day, many secrets would be out but I'd be gone. I won't be there to hold the strings just to keep the peace in other's lives. I'm really very much tired of staying strong.

I'd have fought for myself if Arnav had entered my life some years ago but now, I'm too lost to find the strength and resilience I had once.

Some would call people like me weak. I don't know if they're wrong or not.

Am I really weak? No.

I'm tired. I'm very much tired of seeing the same thing repeating over years and the same burdens and guilt being passed over from my elders to me. This circle is neverending.

I didn't realise when his car entered the mansion he was mentioning some time ago. The huge black electronic gate opened automatically welcoming everyone entering the area.

A black fountain stood in the middle as water sprouted out of it glittering under the faded moonlight. Many bollard lights illuminated the way from the gate to the mansion and the garden around the fountain.

The golden yellow rays fell on the black roses blooming in the garden with few red ones blooming between them.

The mansion was huge but painted in all black. Lights illuminated it, yet, the creepiness and chilling vibes it radiated didn't go unnoticed by me.

Even the moonlight seemed scared of entering the mansion as if it was a cursed place. The neighborhood didn't even have a single house but just forests with tall trees shadowing the place was there. No one would know if someone is killed in the woods and left there. They'd either rot there or would be eaten by animals or the ghouls lurking in the shadows.

This place mirrored the hell—a cruel heavenly beauty—about which I had read in books.

As the car moved past the guards dressed in black, my thoughts evolved.

They were humans but now, they're brutes—who have submitted their lives to their master, my husband. They'd silently slice off themselves if needed just to stay loyal to their master. Their emotionless eyes were reminiscent of black holes, void of any softness or sympathy.

They were also humans once but the cruel world they stepped in made them stone hearted.

The wheels finally halted along with my heart that skipped a beat.

A guard came running to both of our sides before opening the doors as we stepped out. Both of them led us towards the mansion before we stepped inside.

He walked away towards the steps at the other end of the hall but I was perplexed seeing the interior.

Not only the exterior but the entire interior of the vast mansion was draped in black theme. Not a single object displayed any other color; everything was cloaked in ebony hues. The design of the place had artfully combined modernity with gothic aesthetic. LED lights provided a soft and gentle illumination along with the glass chandelier hanging from the ceiling, glowing dimly in its glassy appearance, but the oppressive darkness casted a heavy shadow over any warmth that might have existed.

The mansion felt more like an otherworldly realm, steeped in an air of dread that was uncomfortable to even make sitting still impossible.

I wondered if any ghastly presence lurked in the dim corners, staring at me with its hollow, emotionless eyes. A few figures moved about—maids and servants of the mansion—gliding through the space like lifeless dolls, their expressions vacant and unchanging.

What unnerved me was their attire: the women wore stark black uniforms paired with drab grey aprons. Not a single soul spared a glance at me, functioning as if under some enchantment. It felt as their master has woven some spell on them, stripping away their individuality.

The inhabitants and everything within the mansion were under the influence of Lucifer—Arnav.

Emotions, feelings, joy and life seemed to have never touched this place.

As fear gripped my soul, I silently walked ahead when I heard his voice from upstairs.

I trailed my gaze to him, who was standing at the top of the stairs, looking down at me.

"Are done looking around or shall I hire a tourist guide?", he asked, most probably mocked.

I still wasn't over the bloody events of tonight to answer to his question boldly. I was already feeling weak and scared and this place worked as a fuel to my fear.

I didn't answer but simply moved towards the stairs before climbing them up until I stood infront of him.

He smirked at me, "Now comes your punishment."

As he started dragging me, I questioned, "Where are you taking me?", out of curiosity.

He didn't answer.

It was moments later when both of us were standing inside an empty room. Just a wooden cupboard in the corner and a wooden vintage bed without any quilt was there. The walls were in red while the ceiling was in black and the carpeted floor.

Small ceiling lights illuminated the room.

As I roamed my gaze around, I noticed five black thick shackles fallen on the ground. Their one end were locked to one bed post while the remaining were left free.

Am I going to be tied by them?

This single question made the cold fear in me regrow as cold swaet beads broke on my forehead and neck.

He can't be so brutal, can he?

"No no no...Arnav leave me. Don't do this", I whispered shaking my head as I tried to get my right wrist out of his tight grip but he paid no heed.

Turning deaf to my pleas, he dragged me towards the bed before yelling, "Stop crying. Don't make a fucking sound or else the punishment will be harder. So better tolerate what you're given."

With that, I gulped down my cries but still slow sobs escaped my lips.

Everything is repeating. Every fucking thing is repeating. He was right when he had said that I'd never escape this nightmare until the say I die.

My tear filled eyes kept staring at him, who was locking my hands followed by my ankles.

Once he was done, he stood back straight, prior to dusting off his hands.

"Tomorrow is Teej so you're lucky that only tonight you'll be locked up here. Otherwise I had better plans. Sleep here silently if you hate sleeping in the woods", he spat on my face before walking out.

As the door was shut with a loud sound, I fell down on the ground. 

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I stared at my chained wrists and ankles. I never knew that I'd be living all these all over again. My strength to fight back and break free was gone. All I was left with was my helplessness and vulnerability.

These shackles were heavier not by the weight of their mass but their significance in my life. I was never scared of being tied up because I knew that I'd break free or would never be tied up.

But those days when I was tied up‌, I knew I could never escape the tormenting feeling of shackles around me.

Taking a deep breath I tried to calm down but the agony in my heart made me cry my heart out. I tried to get rid of these chains by constantly pulling my hands away from the bed post only to get deep cuts on my wrists.

I yelped in pain.

Blood oozed out rapidly from the cuts staining my skin as drops fell on the ground. My sobs vanished as I looked down at my bleeding hands.

Tearing away my gaze, I fixed it on the black clock with golden numbers and hands in it.

1:30, it was past midnight.

As time ticked by, I sat there motionless, my mind totally numb.

I had my legs folded close to my chest, my hands wrapped around them as I moved to and fro, staring blankly at the red wall infront of me. The faint smell of my blood reached my nose which I easily ignored.

I was used to this.

It's Teej tomorrow. The very first Teej of mine.

I'd be celebrating it with his family. I'd be praying for the one who has tied me up like this.

I can understand how it feels to be a prisoner—be it of someone's obsession or revenge.

I was caged by my past, the lock hanging on the door of the prison was my present and the darkness around me was my future. This silence and loneliness used to choke me but now, I find peace in them.

Sometimes darkness can be a comfort place.