Dedicated to priyadarshy, Thank you for responding dear:) And sure, I will bring Neev & Riya closer:D

Riya.

"Are you out of your mind? do you even know what you are saying?" Nivin asked me incredulously.

I turned to look at Grandpa, determined.

If you think that I will give up, you are going to be surprised.

"It was my fault that Neev went out of the house, I forced him to take me, you can't punish him"

Both Grandpa and Nivin looked surprised.

"He still broke the rule," Grandpa said.

"Because I made him, he was not going to, but I forced him t-"

"Riya!" Nivin interrupted, staring at me as if for the first time.

"You know it's true!" I said, praying that he would stick with the story, but he was looking at me strangely.

Hell, if I am going to get punished, there is no need for him to get it too!

Nivin.

I stared at her, I am actually shocked at her statement.

No one had ever tried to stick for me before, not even once!

"Very well.." Grandpa said, now watching both of us. "Then Nivin will be led to his room while you take the punishment," he said.

"No!" I said. "You know very well that she couldn't have escaped without my help, it was actually me," I said.

"Nivin" riya said warningly and I gave her a look.

"This is interesting than I thought! are you sticking for each other?" Grandpa said.

I looked at him. "We can't punish her, she's not an Aldrick! besides, come to think of it, no girls have ever been punished before! you can't do this"

"It's the first time I am hearing you trying to protect anyone this fiercely! not even Nirosha, did something happen when you were away?" Grandpa asked smugly.

I know he wants to provoke me, still, it was a slap. Grandpa rang for security.

"It's illegal, you can't just beat people up," I said, Now feeling desperate.

Philip entered and I stepped closer to her, took her hand protectively, not even thinking about it.

I had never felt this much protective of anyone before! I don't know what's it, Riya just reminds me of me, Grandpa's target to every torture. If it was my dad before, it's because of her guardian now.

Grandpa has a sick way of revenge and no one knows it better than me, I have endured it my whole life, but somehow I can't allow it to another person!

"Please escort Nivin to his room and take her to the second floor"

"No" I shouted angrily, I could feel Riya's cold hands, slightly trembling in mine, she gave me a little squeeze.

"I will be okay," she said, her face calm.

"You don't know-leave me!" I said angrily as two of them got hold of me. I started to struggle, but I know it's worthless, I watched as Riya walked away with one of them.

Grandpa watched me with interest, I stopped struggling. "The war is between us" I whispered.

"You could've been more careful, trying to protect her!" he said, walking away.

Riya.

They tied my hands. I was trembling from head to foot, but I refused to show any fear.

They knelt me down and I closed my eyes tightly. I could still hear Danny and even Auntie Alice speaking for me, just outside the door.

Then it started, the unbearable, painful beatings.

I had promised myself not to cry out loud, but I had to bit my lips hard until I tasted blood to stop it. The burning pain just shook my whole system.

Endure it Riya, it's the only way now, the only way for Mamma, for Priya. six months... I will pay him back by six months and I will get out of here!

I couldn't stop the tears that are flowing down my face nor could I control my trembling body.

I was nearly out of my consciousness when I heard the shoutings, I felt two strong hands covering me, protecting me, before I completely lost my consciousness and I passed out.

I don't know how much time it was since I was out, but as I slowly tried to open my eyes I heard loud voices

"You can't do this! she is not even our family for you to do this! and she's a girl!"

"She was willing to do it" Grandpa shrugged.

"You must've made a deal with her!" Rohan said.

"I have my reasons, it's the second time you are interfering in my matters, first Neev, now her"

"I don't agree with this, it's not punishment, it's torture," Rohan said, he was really furious this time.

"Careful with your words, boy!"

"If you continue like this, I will have to talk to Neev about his mother," Rohan said.

"Are you going to keep threatening me?" Grandpa's voice was sharp.

"You do it all the time, why can't I use the same strategy? I kept quiet because it's not going to change anything, but if you keep this up, I will surely talk about it" Rohan said.

"You know what happened last time you disobeyed me"

"I am not afraid of you, not anymore!   and let me tell you, I don't really care a damn about that girl too, Nirosha"

"You will learn to love her in time"

"I have only one person in my heart, it's not going to change," Rohan said bitterly.

"You can't meet that person"

"I am not meeting her, not because I am afraid of you, but because I don't want to give her more heartache involving with someone like me," Rohan said.

"It's about time you forget her, I have invited Nirosha over"

"What!..it's bad enough I have to put up with her during parties, why did you invite her here?"

"You should work hard to improve your relationship, she might be here any moment now"

"Have you ever thought about Neev? how will he feel when she's here?"

"That's one of the reasons I invited her, he can't go after his brother's fiancée, he should learn to control his emotions"

"I can't believe this! why do you want to torment him this much? she was his friend since childhood, why do you want to take away the only thing he cares about?" Rohan said

"Because it's the only thing he really cares about," Grandpa said angrily.

"That's really pathetic. if you hate him that much, just let him out of your life"

"I can't do that, his father owes me"

Rohan sighed in frustration. "Where is he now?"

"Locked up, he doesn't agree on punishing her as you did"

"So you locked him up?!"

"It was interesting to watch him trying to defend her"

"You were doing it to get to him!?"

"Partly, but I wanted to test her endurance" Grandpa shrugged.

"I am done with this conversation," Rohan said and walked to me.

I was still floating in the air, subconscious, the pain from the wound has now started to burn.

"Relax Riya, I am going to help you," Rohan said gently as he picked me up carefully, I couldn't even steady myself and started to fall back down.

"If she reports this, you are going to get screwed!" Rohan said angrily at Grandpa.

"But she's not," Grandpa said and walked out of the room.

"Are you okay? can you walk?" Rohan asked me worriedly.

I nodded slowly, trying to walk with his support, but it was too difficult with my trembling body.

"Riyechi!" Danny came inside the room. "why did you come back!" he supported me on the other side and looked up at Rohan.

"Nirosha is here, she is looking for you," he said somewhat Bitterly.

Rohan didn't say anything and helped me out of the room, we reached the other side and I was surprised to see Auntie Alice, Kamala and other staffs looking anxious. Nirosha was also there, looking shocked.

"What happened to her..don't tell me..!" she stopped, now confirming her theory.

"Riya!" The voice made my heart beat faster and I looked at Neev, now skipping the stairs and down to me.

He looked angry and worried, the face I have never seen on him before. I looked uneasily at Nirosha, I know it will be difficult for him if Nirosha stayed with us.

He passed Nirosha without a second glance and was in front of me in seconds, startling everyone alike, including me.

"Don't you pull that stunt again!" he said, hugging me to him. I gasped as both Rohan and Danny let go of me in shock.

Nivin Rosh Aldrick is freaking hugging me! that too in front of all the people, including his ex-girlfriend!

"Ah.." I winced in pain as his hands circled around my waist.

"Am sorry" he instantly loosened and take hold of my upper arms. "I will get you to your room," he said gently, now trying to look calm, but I could still see the fire in his eyes and I am sure everyone else could see it too.

I was speechless for the second time when he lifted me up carefully, trying not to hurt me.

"Neev!" I protested, but he ignored me and turned to the gaping house staff.

"Please bring some cotton and a fresh pair of clothes for her," he said.

"Ah..yes..sure" Kamala was obviously stupefied like everyone else.

"I.. I can walk-"

"Sure, but I will see to it now," Neev said arrogantly, effectively shutting me up.

When he started to walk up the stairs, I saw everyone looking, still shocked and Nirosha, she gave me a glare.

If looks can kill, I would be dead by now!

Neev brought me back to my room and gently laid me down in face-down position.

"Don't move" he ordered as I started to get up. I was too tired to argue and I just closed my eyes.

"Does it hurt too much?" he asked, still serious, but I could hear the underlying softness in his voice.

"No" I lied.

"You don't have to lie," Nivin said then looked at the doorway. "please come in, Kamala," he said and Kamala came inside.

"Please change her dress, I will bring some ointment you can apply on her," he said in his business like tone and she nodded yes.

I was staring at him widely.

"And you..." he gave me a look. "stay still and take rest, the pain will go by tomorrow," he said. I nodded slowly.

"We will talk later," he said at last, walking out of the room.

Of course!

Neev.

I walked inside my room. but I can't seem to hold it. I am so much affected by today's incident!

The feeling of waiting was so horrible, knowing she's getting beaten up and feeling helpless to stop it was even worse!

It's the first time I am seeing someone so helpless! and I couldn't even stop Grandpa!

It's my fault too, she got beaten up because of me!

I paced up and down in my room. I still can't shake away the feeling of her trembling body in my hands when I carried her to the room.

God! she was so fragile! I can't believe she agreed to this! knowing the consequences well.

Priya must be someone very close to her!

I have never seen people who sacrifice for others until now. I have seen so many people in my life, who stabs each other in back and Priya is not even her real sister!

Okay... I need to calm down, yes, it's Grandpa, I want to know what's going on...especially if uncle Sebastian is also involved.

Okay...

I took out my phone.

"Hello?"

"It's me, I have a job for you"

"Nivin?" Harry asked. he is the best private detective here. "Is it to get your Grandpa's schedule again? I hope you haven't forgotten the last time-"

"It's not that!" I couldn't forget it too, it was many years ago, it was actually Sachin's idea to get his schedule so that we could plan the typical high school party with alcohol.

"Good, because I can't afford to get caught again," Harry said.

Yes, his men did get caught by Grandpa, it was a total disaster then. Harry had to come and apologise personally because he was not aware of the deal, he was outside when one of his assistants took up our case.

They must've taken it lightly since the clients were two high school boys, anyways, it was all in all a total mess last time.

"And I don't want that same idiot for this case, I want someone good, I want you to do it," I said.

"It was not my men's fault, it was your Grandpa, he's too sharp boy, nothing can cross his security systems"

"This is important, I want to know everything about a girl-Priya," I said.

"Priya? does she has a second name?"

"No"

"Where's she from?"

"I don't know"

"Photo?"

"I don't have"

"Any college or anything like that?"

"Then I wouldn't have told you to find her," I said.

"So we basically have no personal details?" Harry sighed.

"She's 25 years old, she seemed to have met with an accident, she has memory loss and she's physically challenged," I said. "Mostly confined to a wheelchair I think"

I tried to think of all the details Riya had told me earlier.

"So there is a high chance 'Priya' is  not her real name?"

"That's right," I said. "And one Mr.Ananth, he seemed to have died in an accident about one year ago," I said.

"Does he has a second name?" Harry started.

"No, and before you ask, I don't know anything personal about him too," I said.

"So our first person is a girl with no details and the second one is a dead person?" he asked me.

"That's right," I said.

"I swear Nivin if I didn't know you better, I would think you are playing with us," Harry said

"Harry, one more person" I added after some thought.

"Who's it this time? alive? dead? nameless-"

"Riya Mehra, 24 years old, brought up by NEST orphanage, now doing her pg at GIBS"

"Wow, you have all the information, then why did you-"

"I want to know who she really is, she doesn't seem to know anything strange, but I feel something," I said.

Because Grandpa and Uncle Sebastian is obsessed with her.

"Let me get this straight, you want to find details about this person which even she doesn't know?" he asked me in a tone 'impossible'.

"Yea and she is the key between this two other people, Ananth is her guardian and she's Priya's guardian," I said. "I want to know the real deal behind all this, especially her guardian-Ananth"

I want to know what he had done to aggravate Grandpa this much!

"You sure give me easy assignments" I hear Harry murmur. "I don't know what's wrong with you rich people," he said.

"Harry?"

"Yea, my team will start now, don't worry," he said.

"I hope you can do this fast, we don't have much time"

"Okay"

"And Harry" I added. "if you ever get caught, it will not be like last time, it's probably going to get much worse" I warned.

"Don't worry, it's not going to leak" he promised.

I disconnected the call. I trust him, I know his firm is the number one for this.

Yes, she should get away from here before Grandpa's six months, or she's going to suffer!

I just hope Harry will find something against Grandpa on this so that we can use it against him.

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