Hello people,

I am sharing a part of my heart with you all through this story. This story is very close to my heart. I hope you all also like it. Please leave your precious reviews below and make the story better.

Chapter-1

~Wazirabad Village~

"Aarti, finish your breakfast fast, I have to go to Anand Bhavan. Malkin must be waiting for me, " Shanti, yelled at her daughter. She was just a 40-year-old but indeed looked older than her age. Her dusky complexion, oily black hair tied in a loose bun, faded cotton saree were enough to tell how poverty-stricken her family was.

"Maa, I am eating, "Arti a spoke in irritation. She was just 20 but was much more sensible and mature than the girls of her age. She knew that her mother had high hopes from her and she had to live up to them. She had got the prettiest face in her entire community. She was fair, her hair was black and beautiful, her eyes were big and deep - filled with dreams, but still no man showed interest in her, no man liked her, no man wanted to marry her, but why? The reasons were known to all and that was why she was called Daagi by rest of the world.

"You take a lot of time, Aarti, Malkin is going to kill me today," Shanti sounded worried and scared.

"Maa, don't worry, nothing will happen. Just join your hands in front of Shivji (Lord Shiva) and he will take care of everything, "she said smiling.

"Shut up, you foolish girl! Don't teach me. Just finish it fast and sit to study, your exams are approaching. " Shanti ordered, glaring at her.

"Maa, Don't worry, I will top this year also," Arti sounded confident.

"I know you will, I have only one dream, beta, I want to see you becoming a teacher. I don't want you to become a maid like me ever. ", Shanti replied in a low tone. Since the time she was born, she was known as kaamwali ki beti (daughter of a maid), which later on transformed into kaamwali (maid). It was a tradition in her community that all the female species would clean and cook at the houses of Badle log (people from higher society) without any denials. Indeed, no one dared to go against this tradition but Shanti, she never wanted her daughter to suffer this life. She wanted Arti to become a teacher and lead her life free from all the ordeals which she had faced in her life.

"Oh ho, Maa! You've started all this again. You go to work now." Arti said while making her way to the chowk to wash her plate.

Shanti nodded and made her way to the exit. But before she could move out her head started spinning and she called out for Arti. Arti immediately dropped all the utensils and ran to see her mother. She saw Shanti, who was trying to catch something with her hands to balance herself, but in vain. She could lose her balance anytime but Arti caught her arm and supported her.

"Maa, what happened? "

"I don't know beta, I am feeling weak and dizzy, "she said.

"you sit down, Maa." Arti made her sit on the mat. She gave her a glass of water and checked her forehead to confirm fever.

"Maa, you have a fever, you will not go to work today."

"I have to go, Malkin will be angry, "Shanti wiped her lips with the edge of her saree after sipping the water. She was tensed looking at her condition.

"No way I am letting you go. You sit back home and take rest. " Arti ordered.

"Okay...Okay... Can you go and work there? " she asked and Arti skipped a beat. Her expressions suddenly changed to fear. She was really scared and Shanti knew why.

"Maa, you know everything."

"I understand everything, but Chhote Sahib is not at home nowadays, nothing will happen. You are safe there." Shanti assured her.

She had nothing much to say. She watched her mother's condition. She knew that if her mother didn't go to work then Malkin would kill her. She didn't want to take any chance with her so she nodded in agreement and came out of the house taking her small bag and dupatta. She was indeed very scared. She never wanted to go to that house, that place had just given her pains and sorrows, especially she never wanted to face him. He was the only reason of her current estate. Only because of him she was called Daagi by rest of the world.

~Ananad Bhawan~

On the other end of the village, there was a big mansion. It was huge bungalow painted with Off-white colour. Abhimanyu Singh Rajput, 86-year-old man lived with his small family- Shekhar Singh Rajput, his son; Pooja Shekhar Singh Rajput his daughter-in-law and his grandson, Akash Singh Rajput.

Akash Singh Rajput, a 27-year-old guy, who thought everything has a price and could be bought with money. His good-looks, smartness and intelligence had always helped him to stand out of the crowd. But his ego had no boundaries, he loved to win anything which he eyed upon. He wanted to take away all the property of his grandfather as he thought that he had all the right on that property, but Abhimanyu had some other plans, he was in no mood to transfer all his treasure in favor of Akash until he gets married to a girl who can keep the pride of his family.

Akash never wanted to live in Wazirabad, so he shifted to Delhi for his business. His only reason to visit his village was to convince Abhimanyu to give him his property, but the Oldman was too adamant to be convinced. He had even started losing his temper and blamed his grandfather for causing troubles in his life and snatching his happiness away.

Today was another day when Abhimanyu and Akash were having a heated argument regarding the property, which was echoing in the whole house. All the servants were working indifferently, but Pooja and Shekhar were sitting in the living room counting each second. They wanted the argument to end soon.

Arti was walking slowly towards the Haveli wanting Akash's disappearance. She was very scared of him since her childhood. Her bad past with him had always haunted her. He was a monster in the pretty face, who could cross his limits anytime and harm her. she reached the Haveli and started climbing the stairs. She went to the servant room and took the broom and started cleaning the whole house. She was busy cleaning the house just then she heard some noises from the first floor of the house. It seemed like some glass was smashed on the floor. Pooja and Shekhar looked at each other and ran upstairs in fear, whereas Arti looked at them scowling.

"Dadaji! This is for the last time I am asking you, are you going to sign these papers or not? ", Akash yelled breaking another glass on the floor. Abhimanyu was indifferently smiling at him. He was sitting on an old diwan (a small bed), smoking his cigar.

In his deep voice, "Look Akash! We have already discussed this. Get married and take the property, simple. "he smiled.

Pooja and Shekhar came to the room, but Abhimanyu signalled them to stay out of the room and they went back.

Arti, on the other hand, heard Akash's voice, she panicked. He was at home, her heartbeat rose and her forehead filled with several beads of sweat. She didn't want to face him. His mere gaze on her would disgust her to her soul. She couldn't leave the work in between and was stuck there. She started moving her hands fast. She was shivering.

Inside Abhimanyu's room

"How many times do I have to tell you that I don't want to get married so soon. I have a life Dadaji, I cannot marry a girl of your choice and right now, I am all busy in my business and I don't want any kind of distraction, maybe after 3 years I can think of marrying someone but not now," he clarified.

"3 years! What if I die till then? I want to see you married now. Get a girl of your choice we will happily accept her." Abhimanyu said.

"Yeah right! A girl of my choice. I had got one, right? But you rejected her. " he screamed his heart out.

"Because she was not of our status. We need a girl who could match up to our status. Get a girl up to the mark and take the property. "

" Dadaji! This is your problem, STATUS!" he stressed on the last word.

"I have to keep the name of my family Akash. I think you don't deserve my property. " Abhimanyu replied fueling Akash's anger more.

"I don't deserve it! Really? Fine, then I don't need your money. Now, I will show you what I can do! STATUS, right? Do hell with it. " he turned around and left the room in rage. Without saying anything he took the papers and went out of the mansion.

Arti had already finished her work and was taking her stuff from the servant room. she was in a lot of hurry - she wanted to escape out of that place as soon as possible. She adjusted her dupatta and came out of the building. She was taking fast steps without realizing that Akash was in the porch, standing near his car. Akash was engrossed in his mobile just then he heard Arti's anklets tingled which brought his attention to her. He looked at her and scowled - she was 5'2'' feet tall, slim, her black oily braid was touching her hips, he could feel that she was in a hurry. He couldn't recognize her, but his mind was telling him that he had definitely seen her before. He couldn't see her face properly. He started following her.

"Hey, you! Stop there? Who are you? " Akash called out from behind.

Arti froze, she became numb. She was caught by him. she had been hiding from him since the time she was there and he had finally caught her. she gulped. Her heartbeat ran beyond her control. He walked in front of her and saw her face, he froze too as one of those childhood memories flashed in front of his eyes. She was Arti, whom he had... Then he looked at her from top to bottom and smirked. She felt uncomfortable under his filthy gaze. She adjusted her dupatta and looked away to avoid an eye contact with him. He sensed her discomfort and walked away to his car still smirking.

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So, guys that was it. I hope you all have liked it. Leave your precious reviews below. And yes, do not predict the story as I will surprise you any day.