Hi people,

I am back with another part of DAAGI. Here are some doubts which I really want to clear which may arise after you read this portion. Firstly, this isn't a love story as of now. If in future I feel the need to create that angle then this isn't going to be mushy. It is an emotional story with a lot of real life sequences, so do not expect a fairytale romance from this story. And another doubt or I should say assumption which you may build after reading this chapter particularly is, it is going to be an ordinary and common story of a rich man and his maid who happen to be in a relationship and fall in love eventually and live happily ever after. LOL. Sorry, I will prove you all wrong. Read the story on your own risk as it is not what you think it would be.

Happy reading...

Akash came back his house in Delhi and dropped his bag on the couch. He sat on the couch and closed his eyes. Her innocent face flashed in front of his eyes. He always knew that she was scared of him and always tried to resist him. Whatever had happened in the past between them, wasn't intentional but this wasn't the excuse he could give to her and her family. He had spoiled her life, whether intentionally or unintentionally. He knew there was hardly any man exist in this world who would marry her after knowing her scars. He had the idea that she hated him, but he couldn't do anything, he couldn't even apologize to her, he was her master after all, how could he say sorry to his maid. Apologizing to a servant was a question of his pride.

She could be useful to him, he thought. She might help him in his plan. He was very angry with his Grandfather that he wanted to take revenge from him, he wanted to show him what he could do. He wanted to break Abhimanyu's pride. For him Abhimanyu was just a grumpy-stubborn Oldman who loved troubling him by putting his baseless demands. But now he had a plan to get rid of all the troubles and to take revenge from him. A smirk appeared over his face when the evil plan struck his brain. His chain of thoughts broke when he heard the buzz of the doorbell.

"Mahesh, open the door." he ordered one of his servants.

Mahesh opened the door and found Sahil, Akash's best friend standing there. Sahil entered in and greeted Akash, Akash welcomed him in response. They both went to Akash's room closing the door behind.

***

"Are you sure you want to do this? She is your maid Akash," Sahil was disgusted and shocked with Akash's idea.

"Why not? This is the time, Sahil. I won't let Dadaji play with me anymore. I will show him what I can do now. If he is stubborn and I am no any less. I will do this. I have to do this." Akash smirked looking outside the window.

"But how can you be so sure about her? What if she ditches you later?" Sahil asked.

"She won't, I know she won't and moreover, I won't give her any chance. Everything will be written, Sahil and she will work here as my maid you don't worry. " Akash clarified.

"Akash, I don't get any good feelings out of it, you know how these women are, paisa dekh kar sab palat jate hai. " Sahil sounded concerned.

"Sahil, I will not give her that chance. She is already so scared of me that she doesn't even make an eye contact with me. She shivers in front of me..."

"...and you think she will come here? And dude, she is already very poor. Why are you spoiling her life just to take this silly revenge? No one will marry her after that, you know that, right? " Sahil asked.

"Anyway, no one is going to marry her..."

"What do you mean?" Sahil scowled.

"It's a long old story, Sahil. Arti and I have a past where I am a devil in her life. I have spoiled her life, so no one will marry her, even this will help her, I will pay her well very well, even her family. You don't worry. I am not that bad." Akash winked at Sahil and slipped his hands inside his pockets.

"What did you do to her? " Sahil sounded confused.

"Sahil, I shouldn't disclose this to any third person. It is between me and my future wife and after all its about the dignity and it's my duty to safeguard it. " he smiled looking at Sahil who rolled his eyes in response.

***

Arti came back home, she was scared...very scared. Her last encounter with him was terrible and horrible. She loathed him from the core of her heart and his mere single gaze on her filled her in disgust. She walked to her room and looked herself in the mirror. Her eyes brimmed up with tears. She removed her dupatta and looked at her chest which had scars, scars which he gave to her. She closed her eyes and a lone tear escaped out of her eye and she winced as the pain had never left her heart.

It was the celebration time in Anand Bhavan, after all it was 10th wedding Anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Shekhar Singh Rajput. The whole mansion was decorated and was flooded with guests from all over India. Arti was just 2 years old then and was too young to be left at home alone. So, Shanti took her along to the Anand Bhavan. She got busy in preparations with other servants leaving Arti alone. Arti came out of the house and went to the backside of the house where Akash was playing with his friends. He saw little Arti walking there smiling. He was a notorious kid; a prank struck his mind. He winked at his friend and threw a football on her. The little baby lost her balance and fell down. A cook was coming from the other side holding a tumbler filled with hot oil, when she fell down she came into his legs and he lost the balance too spilling the oil on her chest. The child screamed in pain and cried till she lost her consciousness. She got deep burns and was taken to the hospital immediately by other servants. She was admitted for so many days and went through so many surgeries but the scars never gone.

She opened her eyes and looked at herself again. How ugly she was looking now, only because of Akash. Who marries a girl who has scar all over her body? No one. She had been brought up with all these taunts. Daagi became her identity, no matter how pure she was from inside. She gulped again looking at her ugly chest and wiped her tears. He had become her worst nightmare after that day, she had always tried to ignore him. His sight had always given her pain and she had always felt unsafe in his presence. He was the rich spoiled brat who could go to any extent to spoil anyone's life. She always wanted to ask from him that why did he do that to her? What was her fault for which he punished her? He wasn't too young then that he couldn't understand that his acts would spoil her life. Why didn't he have mercy on her?

***

A month later...

Akash parked his car outside her college. He was counting every second looking at the main gate waiting for her to come out. And she finally came out with her gang including all girls – just girls. She was wearing a pink salwar kameez, but as usual her whole chest was covered with the dupatta. She had a small bag hanging on her left shoulder. She was talking to her friends, giggling, smiling, enjoying, completely unaware of his presence. He got down from his car and walked up to her. she was busy with her friends. She bid bye to them and turned around to leave the place. She started walking towards her home. The street was less crowded.

Akash followed her and grabbed her hand. She immediately turned around and looked up at him. she froze again. Her eyes grew wider looking at him and heart beat ran. She was shivering. She looked down at her wrist which he was holding then at his dark eyes. He was frowning at her reaction. He sensed that she was on a verge of crying. He left her immediately. As soon as she came out of his grip she turned around and started walking as fast as she could - almost running, trying to run away from him. He rolled his eyes and scowled. For him, she was just overreacting and getting panicked for no reason. He wasn't there to harm her; he was there for an offer which he knew she could never refuse.

"ARTI! Stop, I won't harm you, trust me, "he screamed from behind and she halted. She didn't know why she stopped but she did...He walked up to her and stood in front of her. He saw the sweat beads budding all over her forehead and her lips were trembling. She was looking down, her feet were joined together and she fisted her palms grabbing her dupatta in fear.

"Arti, look at me."

She took a step back. She assumed that her decision to stop wasn't right and she took another step back.

"I need your help, Arti. Please stop! I am not here to harm you." He said when he saw her taking steps back.

She looked up into his eyes in surprise. The Akash Singh Rajput was asking for help that too from her. She couldn't believe her ears.

"let me go, Sahab. "she pleaded in her low voice.

"Arti, just listen to me once, then you decide what you have to do? Come there, " he signaled towards his car and tried to grab her hand again but the lady denied.

"Okay...okay," he showed her his palms up in agreement, "I won't touch you. But please come to my car. Don't come inside but we can stand there and talk instead of here."

She nodded and started walking towards his car followed by him. Akash took out some papers from his car and kept them on the bonnet of the car.

"Marry me. " he said without wasting a single second.

Her eyes popped out and her heart skipped a beat. Did he just ask her to marry him? what? No way. She looked up at him. Her eyes became teary. She knew he was definitely making fun of him.

"Aren't you done with spoiling my life already that you came here to make fun of me? Are your friends here? Are they seeing me from any corner? Why are you doing this to me, Sahab? "Humiliation was oozing out of her tone and tears made their way.

"Arti, don't cry," he said and while offering his handkerchief to her, which she denied and preferred her dupatta over his expensive handkerchief, "No way I am making fun of you. I am serious, dammit! I seriously want to get married to you, just let me finish first. See its not like what you are understanding or assuming. We will be married for others but inside the home you will be working for me as my maid. I will pay you very well. Just say yes. " he clarified.

She was shocked. How can he ask her to work for him as his maid despite getting married to him? she was confused. Becoming a maid for anyone was never her dream or choice. She wanted to be a teacher and wanted to make her parents proud. No, she cannot do this.

"Sahab, I want to study, I cannot do this. " she refused his offer.

"You can study after this marriage, Arti, look I will never interfere in your personal life, you will be given a separate room and I will be living in mine. I will never touch you. We will be having a written contract between us, see its written here, " he showed her those papers, "See, everything is written in here. Just read it once. Just go through all the clauses and let me know, if you want any changes, I will incorporate them as well. See Arti, try and understand, it will be good for everyone, for you, for your family and for me. You give me what you want and I will give you want you want. It is as simple as that." He smiled.

"How and why do you want to get married to a girl like me? I don't even match up your status and Bade Sahab and Malkin will never agree to this. And most importantly why do you want to get married like this? " She formed a train of questions in front of him.

"Let me answer all your questions one by one. First, how will this help you? so the answer is I will pay you Rs. 10000/- per month and your family Rs. 50000/- per month, now your ill mother doesn't have to work at my house in that pathetic condition, also you can study as much as you want, I will sponsor your studies, most importantly Arti, as you also know that no one will marry you, at least in your community due to these scars which you have, I am giving you this chance." He said looking at her chest making her more uncomfortable, but he was frank. She felt a sharp dagger got inserted in her heart.

"Now coming to your another question, why you? then Arti, I know you hate me and I can trust you, I know you can never betray me. Next question, about my parents? Don't worry about them, I will convince them. And finally your last question, why a marriage like this? Then Arti, I don't want to get married, Dadaji is forcing me to get married. I want to show him something which is none of your business. I have answered to all of your questions, Arti. I know you cannot trust me like this, talk to your parents, tell them everything, if you want I will come there and convince them, but one thing, don't tell this to my parents right now. I don't want to tell them anything now. it's a great deal for you, Arti, read this contract properly, nowhere you would feel that you are unsafe. If you want, I can provide you police protection also. " he clarified everything to her.

She grabbed the contract and gawked at it. Soon, she realized that her tears were gone but her heartbeat was running at its maximum. A tinge of hope was capturing her heart which was beyond her control.

***

So people, that was it. Hope you all have liked it. Please leave your precious reviews and suggestions below. :)