Chapter 31 :

July 8, Monday, 2024

6:15 a.m.

Arnav's POV

Keeping the bowl full of vegetable soup on the tray, I walked out of the kitchen to the bedroom where Anika was resting. Yesterday was really bad day for Anika. I did not expect myself to comfort her when I was the only one to hurt her the most and to swear to ruin her that too in front of her.

But I didn't want to hurt her at that moment. The man who cuts down heads that deny to bow down, actually held his most despised person, his wife, close to his body.

I chuckled silently, shaking my head. Even the cooks were surprised to see me cooking because I never even entered the kitchen for water, leave alone cooking.

Yesterday, I was very shocked to hear about her past. I never knew that a barely matured girl was raped so brutally and tortured. The thought itself angered me causing me to grab the edges of the tray tightly. She was just a girl, a young and innocent girl who had just started to see the real world and work for the life she had dreamt of when life took such a turn that it left her bruised. She didn't deserve this.

But what's eating me up now is that I had unknowingly made her go through exactly the same thing she had experienced. I locked her in the room, chained her, made her torture that man and insulted her too much. I still don't like her for hurting my brother but I don't know if I hate her exactly like before. It's easy to hate without knowing the actual reason because once you know it, you can't think straight. You simply can't feel just one emotion towards that person. And I hate such confusions. I hate emotional confusions.

I don't pity her, given she's a strong woman who knows how to stand her ground but I feel pain. My heart ached remembering her words. I've been feeling fury, hatred and guilt surging through my veins each second after yesterday. I don't know why but I just want to give her some relief from the burden she's carrying.

She never hit my sensitive spots emotionally, yet, I kept hurting her. I don't know how many wounds I've given her from the very night of our marriage.

I hate myself for that. I don't understand why I feel like that for her. Those complex emotions make me feel so frustrated that I feel like ripping off my skull after pulling out my hair. One moment I hate her so much but the next moment I discover something about her that makes me go soft on her.

It'll be better if I maintain some distance from her. I can't think straight right now.

Sighing in frustration, I opened the door to her bedroom before stepping inside. She was sitting on the bed, her back resting against the headboard. Her eyes were closed and the serene look on her face somehow made me feel calm.

The white thin curtains moved smoothly with the slightly cold wind embracing the room. Because the sliding glass doors were open, the only sound entering the room was the sound of raindrops. It's raining today.

"Anika, here's your breakfast", I spoke calmly. I can't get soft because I can't. I'm not meant to be like this.

She wasn't even startled as if she knew I was there whereas I hadn't made the slightest noise.

Opening her eyes, she looked up at me before giving me a mild smile whereas I stood with a blank face.

"Thanks for the efforts", she spoke before getting down the bed. "I'll first use the washroom."

I nodded prior to keeping the tray on the bed before arranging a bed table and kept the tray on the table.

Her room wasn't much like girly type but simple and minimal. I had accustomed it like that.

Within a few minutes, she came out and sat down on the bed before patting the place beside her. I involuntarily sat down infront of her and waited for her to start eating.

"Did you eat?", she asked stirring the soup.

I shook my head, "It's not my time. I need to go to the gym before that." She nodded in response.

"Why did you say all those yesterday to me?", I asked her finally. I was having an urge to ask her why she spilled out those things because we don't have anything good between us to make us get comfortable and talk about such sensitive topics.

She remained silent, staring down at her lap.

"I did because I wanted to. I don't do things without a reason", she replied looking up at me, her expressions weren't soft anymore.

"And what's the reason?", I asked.

"You don't need to know", she replied and it somehow irritated me.

"What do you mean? If you said something with a reason where the topic was so sensitive then what's with saying the reason?", I asked, my tone calm.

"Forget about it then if it's bothering you. I don't care", she spoke taking a spoonful of soup to drink.

"What? Have you gone nuts? You yesterday cried and now you're asking me to forget it? Do I look dumb?", I raised my voice slightly this time.

The way she was ignoring what happened yesterday was annoying me.

"What's the big deal in that? I don't think it's important to explain you everything", she replied sternly, staring straight into my eyes.

There I was worrying over this woman who was broken but now she's heartless again.

I chuckled I'm sarcasm, "Sure. Why'd you think it's important right? I was an idiot to let my guards down. You're Anika, a cunning and vicious woman who just ruined my brother's life. Thanks for reminding. Don't look for me when you need me", I spat on her face. I was unable to control my anger because of her ignorance.

"I never did. It's you who runs behind me all the time. It's you who comforted me yesterday and not me who asked for it", she replied coldly, again.

I nodded before walking out of the room.

She's one hell of a woman who can make anyone fall for her tricks. She can never change. And I was a foolish to decide that I'll soften a bit for her.

•

Anika's POV

As soon as he left the room, I sighed. It's getting harder than I thought. I spilled whatever was meant to be spilled infront of him but seems like he took it seriously. He was concerned and that concern wasn't for good, for both of us.

This would bring more problems to both of us.

Sighing in frustration and a bit of guilt because of behaving rudely with him, I picked up my phone prior to dialling a number.

As the line went to the other side, my thoughts roamed around the fact that I was feeling guilty. Why should I feel like that when it's him who has hurt me all the time? When it's him who has brought back my past even if he was unknown to it? He has insulted me too much for me to feel guilty for behaving rudely with him.

I'm not a soft person, anymore.

"Hello", the line connected as the person on the other side spoke.

"Have you found any similarities? Anything more?", I asked.

"No. There's been no clue recently. But seems like he's here in the city", he replied.

It felt weird. He's been hiding for so many years without a single trace then why out of the blue he's back and letting others know that he's here.

"Has he tried to contact him?", I asked.

"Yeah he has. His warehouse in India was on fire a few weeks back", he replied.

I gritted my teeth.

"Hm. Keep an eye on him. He'd be taking his next move very soon. But one thing, I have two people suspicious. They seem familiar. Try finding out about them. I'll text the names", I replied staring at the sky outside, from my room.

"Okay", and he cut the call.

Things are slipping in a different way from the one I wanted them to be on.

"That star tattoo. It looks too familiar to be ignored. I had seen it somewhere before", I spoke to myself remembering the particular women with the star tattoo.

Tapping on the note app on my phone, I tapped on the particular note part.

Note 5

He lets his guards down at times when he's near me.

Saving the note, I closed my phone before finishing my breakfast. I'm glad that he did this much for me. And that's where my gratefulness for him starts and ends. I'm here for a motive and before it's done, the distance between us should keep existing. He hates me for my unwanted sin and I hate him for being cruel to me. This hatred is enough to make me push him away towards the end.

Because this is just the beginning.