𝟖: 𝐔𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝

"baahon mein aaja meri, duniya tujhe haath laga ke dikhaye toh kehna."

I sat on the couch while all the guests came towards me and handed me the gifts after having a look at my face. The muh dikhai was about to get over, but my mind was on him the entire time.

Those moments wouldn't just stop flashing in my mind. My cheeks start to warm up every time I remember what he did with me inside the room.

After about an hour, the function was finally over. A few guests were still there, but I was asked to go upstairs and rest because I was tired.

I stood up and made my way upstairs to our bedroom, opening the door and walking inside.

Nirwan ji was sleeping on the bed, wearing the same clothes he came in.

I closed the door and locked it from inside, before walking towards him. I sat on the corner of the bed slowly.

He was still in the same condition; wounded, and this time a mixed smell of alcohol and nicotine was coming from him.

I stood up and looked around the bedroom to find the first aid box. I began rummaging through the drawers and wardrobe, and finally found it.

I made my way towards the bed again and settled down. Taking out the cotton and ointment, I began applying the ointment on the scar under his eye.

His eyes snapped open, making a shiver run down my spine. His eyes were red. Either he shed too many tears or he was in deep anger.

He sat up straight, making me gulp with my eyes widened.

"Kya kar rahi ho?" he snapped, looking down at my hands and the first aid kit.

[What are you doing?]

"You're injured, you need to put on some ointment," I said, while he chuckled.

"Stop being so worried about me. I warned you earlier too, don't try to act like my wife," he scoffed, while I instinctively held his arm.

"Nirwan ji, if you didn't get these wounds aided, it will cause you even more trouble," I protested, while he sighed in irritation.

"I don't need this, my wounds will heal with time," he said, making me shake my head.

"That's not logical. You need to put on something to help it heal at a quicker pace," I said, raising my hand and continuing to apply the ointment under his eye.

He stared at me while I felt warm in every pore of my body. It felt as if heat was radiating from him.

I moved down to his lower lip, slowly applying the ointment with the cotton. He remained sitting still without wincing.

"Doesn't it sting?" I asked, but he remained unresponsive. He was clearly against me aiding his wounds, but I wouldn't leave anyone like this who is hurt and in pain.

I could have aided his wounds before only if I wouldn't be in a rush to go downstairs. He had to bear it all for so long.

I looked down at his shoulder, feeling weird sensations in my stomach. "Nirwan ji, the wound on your shoulder-"

He raised his hands and started unbuttoning his shirt, looking at me. I looked down, feeling embarrassed.

Will I have to aid him while he is shirtless?

But didn't he see my upper bare body too? So it makes sense.

But at least I won't do what he did with me while he is shirtless.

I shifted closer to him to have a better view of his wound, while he remained still in his position.

I took a little extra ointment and applied it directly to the cut on his shoulder.

I bandaged his wound, my heart pounding heavier than ever. I shifted back to my place after I was done, closing the first aid kit and stood up.

He suddenly grabbed my wrist and pulled me, causing me to fall on the bed again. I looked at him with nervousness and tension, while he leaned his face closer to mine.

"Tumhein yeh sab karne diya iska yeh matlab nahi ki tum meri Aakriti ki jagah logi," he whispered, before releasing my wrist.

[I let you do all this doesn't mean you'll take the place of my Aakriti.]

I frowned at his words; his Aakriti?

But I'm Aakriti, ain't I?

He probably doesn't know what he is saying because he is drunk. He's actually out of his mind but thank God he let me aid his wounds at least.

I nodded, agreeing to his words, and finally stood up, walking towards the drawer before keeping the kit back.

I turned around and saw him lying down on the bed to sleep. Is he really going to sleep on the bed?

He has been sleeping on the couch for the last two nights, but what about now?

Where should I go?

I slowly crept to the bed and looked at the empty space beside him, then back over to the couch. I can't sleep on that damn couch, I know I wouldn't be able to sleep.

I slowly sat on the corner of the bed, before lying down beside him slowly. I was facing him, while he was facing me.

Maybe we will never have the relationship of a husband and wife in the future, and maybe, I would never get to sleep on the same bed with him.

He is handsome-really handsome. And by looking at the photo frames of his wife and him, I realise how lucky she must be.

Nirwan ji is such a dominant man with a strong mindset, I wonder how his soft side feels, how it feels to be loved and cherished by him.

I closed my eyes, feeling my heart beating in my chest. I don't know how he will react when he finds me sleeping next to him tomorrow.

Without any slight realisation, I fell into a deep slumber.

☆

"Aawaz nahi aati kya? Maine kaha na utho!"

[Can't you hear? I said wake up!]

I snapped my eyes open suddenly when I heard Nirwan ji's dark voice. I saw him standing beside me, towering over my figure, while I instantly sat up straight.

"K-kya hua?" I asked while gulping, grabbing my dupatta and covering my front instinctively.

[W-what happened?]

"How did I land on the bed?" he asked, making me frown.

"Y-you fell asleep here, so I didn't wake you," I said, while he sighed in frustration.

"Aur tum aise hi mere paas so gayi? Pagal ho kya?" he spat, while I looked down, avoiding eye contact with him.

[And you slept with me just like that? Are you crazy?]

"K-kyun? Hum yahan nahi so sakte kya?" I asked, looking up at him again.

[W-why? Can't I sleep here?]

He glared at me and turned around to walk inside the bathroom, leaving me perplexed.

What's wrong with him? And what's wrong with me sleeping on the bed?

He is talking as if I'm a curse on him if I sleep beside him.

☆

I finished breakfast and went upstairs to take a shower. Nirwan ji wasn't in the room thankfully, I haven't seen him since morning.

Does he remember what he did yesterday?

Should I tell him?

No, I think.

But he didn't even thank me for aiding his wounds last night. He saw my bare front body and kissed me everywhere but then this is the way he reacted in the morning.

Did he mistake me as his first wife?

But why did he say 'My Aakriti' yesterday.

What was his first wife's name?

My thoughts were interrupted when I realised I was getting late for the shower. Grabbing my bathrobe, I stepped inside the bathroom and turned on the cold shower.

I rinsed my hair with shampoo, followed by some body wash for my body. Thank God I carried these things with myself, Nirwan ji didn't have anything except for an unknown brand's soap.

After what felt like an hour, I finally wrapped the towel around my hair and wore my bathrobe, before stepping out of the bathroom.

I closed the door behind me before turning around, and that was the moment when my eyes saw him.

Sitting on the bed with his hands on the back of his head, his legs crossed.

I hid behind the curtain, trying to hide my visible bare legs.

His dark gaze was piercing in mine, while I gulped.

"Nirwan ji, can you please leave for a minute? I have to get ready-"

"Kal shaam toh mujhe bohot der tak nahi roka tumne, tab maze aa rahe the na?" he snapped, before standing up from the bed and walking towards me.

[You didn't stop me yesterday evening, you must be enjoying it, right?]

My eyes widened. He remembers everything he did yesterday?

He was so drunk so how could he?

"Nirwan ji, what are you-"

"Maine tumhein kaha tha na, door rehna mujhse. Fir kal mujhe woh sab kaise karne diya?" he asked, his body inches away from mine.

[I asked you to stay away from me, right? Then why did you let me do all that yesterday?]

My heart pounded in my chest while I felt panicked by his question. He was so close to me that my body was already tensing up.

"Nirwan ji, I asked you to stop but-"

"Roka kyun nahi tumne mujhe?" he almost shouted in his loud voice, making tears well up in my eyes.

[Why didn't you stop me?]

I looked down, before muttering, "Sorry."

"Tum kyun sorry bol rahi ho? Galti meri thi, mujhe tumhare saath iss room mein rehna hi nahi hai!" he spat before walking outside the room, leaving me with tears rolling down my face.

[Why are you saying sorry? It's all my fault, I don't want to live in this room with you!]

My body was trembling; did I fuck up so bad?

I thought he wouldn't remember all that happened, but he did.

And he blamed me for all that, when it wasn't even my fault. I have never been so close to any man, I had one ex who was in a long distance relationship with me, and I never knew what physical contact between a man and a woman actually feels like.

And he still blamed me for that without even knowing my pure intentions to win his heart.

I won't let myself down in front of him.

He doesn't deserve my love and care.

I won't respect the one who treats me like this, who doesn't even try to understand what efforts I'm putting in.

I will never forgive myself for this mistake. I don't know how I lost control yesterday, even when I'm fully aware of everything when I'm drunk.

I not only saw her bare upper body, but I even kissed her everywhere.

And I can never stop hating myself for that act I've pulled. I had promised my Jaan that I would never even lay my eyes on other women the way I did on her.

But I failed.

I failed to keep the last promise I made with her. And I know she will hate me for this from wherever she is right now.

And talking about Aakriti Arora, I'll make sure she knows her place.

"Sir, you should forget it all, it's alright, I think," Nikhil said, while lighting my cigarette.

I puffed smoke, closing my eyes and massaging my temples, "I know these women really well, they enjoy when men touch them everywhere!"

He paused for a second before sitting down beside me, lighting a cigarette for himself as well.

"You should have kept everything strictly in place," he said after a long pause, making me sigh.

"I kept everything in place, but I know her. I know her intentions and what she is trying to become to me," I replied, pulling out my phone with the sound of a pinging notification.

"Aryan Arora bailed early in the morning, police confirmed him to be innocent."

Rage took over me when I read the headline of the news article, while my finger instinctively scrolled down to read it whole.

I didn't fight yesterday for this. The police are such rascals that they couldn't even handle a man.

Aryan Arora is bailed from the jail. He is a free roaming wolf again, who will now head to fetch his prey.

His prey.

Aakriti Arora.

I stood up, crushing my cigarette under my shoe, before heading out of my den, upstairs towards my main mansion.

I heard Nikhil's voice stopping me, but my brain was entirely clouded by that bastard.

I barged inside the room to spot her, but she was nowhere.

I checked the bathroom, the balcony, and even the other rooms, but Aakriti was nowhere.

Rushing downstairs, I enquired the servants, who told me she went outside to the Shiv temple.

My heartbeat paced as I rushed outside the main gates of the mansion, taking my car keys before settling down in my car.

The engine roared while I started driving towards the Shiv temple, sweat forming on my hairline and palms.

I'll forever regret it if Aryan Arora catches hold of her. The stains on my responsibilities and character will be the darkest ones.

The ones which will never get cleaned off.

She is not my wife. I haven't accepted her the way everyone expects me to, but I can't let her leave to die either.

It's my character and my dignity right now over anything else.

Pulling the brakes in front of the Shiv temple, I got out of the car before rushing inside the temple.

My eyes scanned everywhere to spot Aakriti, but she wasn't there either.

I checked the parking lot, where the vehicles of the visitors were parked, but there was no car of mine which Aakriti could have taken to come here.

Neither any of my drivers were here.

I gulped in tension, my adrenaline pumping in my veins.

Where the fuck is she?

I was about to reach out to my pocket to pull out my phone when I felt two palms grabbing my right arm from the back, causing me to turn around instinctively.

Her hands.

Bleeding hands.

Red eyes.

Cheeks stained with tears.

Her lower lip bleeding.

My eyes widened at the sight of her, while she slowly parted her lips and murmured something inaudible to me.

I caught both of her shoulders, trying to keep her standing still in front of me. But before I could ask or process anything further, she fell unconscious in my arms.

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With love,

Ayra Roy