Aryan's POV

I walked down the dimly lit staircase, the only sound heard were screams. Pathetic cries for forgiveness.
I removed the jacket off me and passed it to Borris, my trusted bodyguard and then removed the cufflinks and rolled the sleeves up to my elbow.

The screams and cries were more clear now that I neared the door, I unlocked the door and walked in, the sight in front of me would give anyone shivers of fear and disgust but to me, it was a pleasure. Utmost delight.
After all, this is is what happens to a traitor.

The man crouched on the ground was held by chains, blood seeping through every whipped part of his body, his body adorned with burnt marks, whip marks, and many scars.
Three of my friends standing at each side of the room.

Andrew stood on the right side with a whip in his hand, Gabriel stood to his left with a hotheaded metallic rod and Vincent sitting behind him on the table with lemon in one hand and. . salt in
the other hand and pretty sure he's hiding a bowl of popcorn somewhere. Classic Vincent.

The traitor, Anthony looked up groggily with his swollen eyes,
"P-p-please. . . s-stopp. . this. . s-spare my-my life," He rasped out his voice scratchy from screaming.

I tsked and crouched in front of him. I grabbed his bloody battered face and yanked his face near mine, his eyes filled with fear.

"You should've seen this coming, Anthony. You betrayed our family, you brought this upon yourself the moment you delivered our information to the enemy, the moment you sold your soul to them and betrayed us." I hissed at him.

"I-I have my 13-year-old daughter waiting a-at home for me, please l-let me go." He rasped out pathetically.

"The same 13-year-old daughter whom you have sold as a sex slave" I glowered at him.
Andrew hit him with the whip hard as Gabriel pushed the hotheaded rod on the wound two times and after them, Vincent happily leaned over and grinned evilly as he squeezed lemon on his wounds.

Anthony screamed, thrashed, cried and begged for mercy. They continued the sweet torture on him for many hours for he deserved it.

Andrew, Vincent, Gabriel and me we were friends since we were 14 or 15 years old.
When we returned home, we were all cleaned not a single spot of blood staining our clothes.

Vincent's girlfriend Kyla and Gabriel's girlfriend Nina hugged them as soon as we entered and little Emma ran up to her father, Andrew followed by Andrew's wife Alexa.

Seeing them all lovey-dovey there is emptiness and loneliness settling in my heart and I'm reminded of Divya. . . Mi amore.

I sighed in content when I remembered her sweet smile which would make her eyes twinkle, her squirming under my gaze at the dinner.
It's been a few days since the dinner and I can't get her out of my mind.

The next day I was in my office working in peace until my secretary Stella strolled in,
This woman is the most Annoying and clingy one I had ever met. She came in with a dress that barely covered her, I was no one to judge her by her clothes but this is the workplace.

Leaning on my table, she asked in a suggestive tone, "Coffee, Sir?"

I stiffened and stared at her for a long time, "How many times do I need to remind you that this is a workplace, don't you have any etiquettes, self-respect?"

"What? What are you saying?" she looked at me shocked.

Once again she discarded my warning and walked towards me sensually and planted her backside on the table. On my files. She stroked her index finger from my cheek to my chest and purred when I shivered slightly she assumed my shiver as a good one but I shivered because of fear she was older than me.

"Woah Woah!! What are you doing??" I jumped from my chair to the other side of the room, very very far from her.

"I think you mistook me for someone else," She stared at me in bewilderment.

"If you don't leave my office in the next 3 seconds consider this job gone, you'll be fired. The only reason I was resisting this because you worked hard to get here and doing acts as such throwing your dignity in anyone's hands is not what I expected you of." My eyes swept over her in disapproval.

She straightened up and spoke monotonously,
"You have a meeting in 5 minutes, Mr Malik."And walked out as fast as she could.

After a few minutes when I reached the lift, I let out a breath feeling exhausted, I don't know why but I wanted to see Divya right now, my lips twitched upwards when I thought of her flushed face.

The lift 'pinged' and the doors opened,
I took a deep breath and walked into the board room.

The chatter hushed down to whisperers when they noticed me.

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen," I spoke but my words got stuck in my throat as soon as I saw Divya sitting in between Edwin Richard and David D'Souza.

She gave a tight-lipped smile to a smirking David, I swear If that fucked up piece of shit does anything to get I'll shoot him right between his eyes.

Divya's POV

"Good morning ladies and gentleman," Aryan stood looking as dashing as ever, he wore a black button-up shirt with his suit, the moment his eyes locked with mine it was like he could read my mind my deepest dark secrets, he smiled at me but it vanished as soon as it came when he looked towards David and Edwin.

Edwin is a good friend of mine, I met him when I was on a trip to Spain, his fiancée is Alexandra Jones his parents had died in an unfortunate accident leaving all their wealth to him.

And then, on the other hand, is David D'Souza with crooked yellow teeth, chewed fingernails, greasy hair, and a bonus pot belly. Many of his female employees resigned because of him.

I snapped out of my thoughts when David abruptly leaned near me and sniffed my hair not so obviously.

"You have beautiful hair Ms.Singh, you smell lovely too Ms Singh." He smiled at me nastily.

His eyes roamed over my body, which disgusted me. I wanted to kick his pea-sized family jewel soo hard but resisted the urge.
The way he said Ms.Singh disgusted me but when Aryan called me I felt strangely pleased.

I gave him a tight-lipped smile and turned to Edwin,
"Hey! How are you? It's been weeks since we've seen each other, where were you?"

"Oh about that I and Alexa were on a vacation. We were so engrossed in work that we didn't have time for ourselves so we decided we'd go on a vacation to Greece." He smiled at me nonchalantly but I could see the tinge of pink on his cheeks.

"Mhmm, you and Alexa on a vacation," I smirked at him wiggling my brows, he turned scarlet and I let out a giggle.

"Oh! Shut it!" He pretended he was searching for something.

I glanced around and saw Aryan, his jaw clenched as he looked at me.

Is he angry? Why is he looking at me like that?

I brushed it off and concentrated on the meeting but I could feel his gaze burning holes into my head.

After the meeting, I excused myself and went straight to the restroom. I sighed exhausted and splashed water on my face, I feel like my energy is getting sucked out, I'm feeling sick,
I just want to go home.

"Excuse me, are you okay, you look pale?" I shrieked and jumped by sudden interruption. I glanced beside me and saw a girl of my age looking at me worriedly,
"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine just a little stressed out" I smiled at her. She looked friendly to me with her bright blue eyes, long black hair, slightly tanned skin and freckles.

"Wait! I think I have something for ya," She searched for something in her enormous bag and struggled to get her hair out as she had somehow gotten it stuck in the zip.

"Aha! Got it," She grinned at me triumphed as she raised 2 chocolate bars.

"Thought it might come in handy for me, you can have it though." I wanted to say no but chocolates are my weakness so I thanked her and took them.

"Oh dear where are my manners, my name is Kyla." She said extending her hand.

I smiled at her and replied, "And I'm Divya ."

"Do you work here?" I asked her,

"Yup, the boss is my- she was stopped by the ringing of her phone, she looked at me apologetically and answered her call.

"I'm sorry but I have to go my friend is waiting outside and is very impatient. But here is my number maybe we hang out sometime." She gave me a card.

"Umm, okay it was nice meeting you, bye" I don't know what gave her the impression that she wanted to hang out with a stranger but I smiled and took her card. Good souls like her are hard to find.

After reaching home, I felt drained out, I wanted to sleep and never want to wake up but I wanted to eat till I'm full.

So I went to the kitchen and opened the fridge only to find the love of my life my dark chocolate cake looking at me innocently.
I grabbed it and a spoon and started ravishing it like a hungry beast. I moaned at every bite.

It. Was. Heaven.

I heard someone approaching but didn't bother looking up because I knew who wore squeaky shoes in our family, not a minute later I saw Om walking into the kitchen scrolling through his phone. He looked up at me startled and let out a shriek.

"Jesus Christ, what are you doing sis! Do you want me to die early!" He asked horrified and clutched his chest.

Not caring to reply I just grunted at him and continued eating.

"Can I have a bite too?" He asked meekly extending his hand.

"MINE" I growled at him but snickered weakly when he cowered and moved back.

"Jeez, calm down it's not like I'd eat it all. Okay, I might. . "

"What's wrong with you why are you acting like you're on. . wait," He observed me from afar.

"Divya kitty. . kittyyy. . "He whispered not so quietly. I grunted at him.

"Oh god. . I think I know what's wrong with you. . . "He looked at me again and ran outside the kitchen and started yelling,
"Alert! Alert!"

Shiva rushed downstairs when he heard him yelling, "Red Alert! Red Alert! Shiva, it's here, The red monster's here" Om whispered in the end terrified.

"Don't freaking shout you, muttonhead," I yelled at om and threw a spoon on him. Why the hell was he being so dramatic about it, it isn't like I would eat him up. Maybe.

After a few hours, I sat on my bed thinking of all the stupid decisions I had made in life and thought about all the. . . scars on my body.

I heard whispering outside my room,
"You go in I'll follow you" I think Shiva said.

"Why should I go why can't you go?" And this definitely is om.

"You go"

"You go!"

"OK fine I'll go" gosh they are soo immature.

They tip-toed into my room and I glared at them. They pouted slightly and threw a paper bag in front of me and bolted out. I wanted to laugh at them but it hurts.

I opened the bag, there were many chocolates, cupcakes, lollipops and. . . and Gummy Bears. My heart swelled upon their gesture, I wanted to hug someone and cry soo bad.
I thought of Aryan, what might he be doing now, should I call him, is it too late, shit I don't even have his number.

It's been many years since that incident but the memories, the scars remind me of the torture I had faced then. I can never live in peace because of them, because of what they had done to me. I shook my head and went to sleep sniffing.

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