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Continue from Shivaksh and Isha's side story

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Shivaksh's pov

The quiet hum of the air conditioner was the only sound in my office. The sleek interiors, lined with awards and accolades, spoke of my success, but today they felt insignificant. My focus was on the laptop screen, though my mind had wandered far from the numbers and emails in front of me.

Karthik's voice interrupted my thoughts. "Hukum sa , have you thought about the design for the resort?"

I looked up, my gaze settling on the layout he held. It was functional, ordinary. Nothing about it excited me. "This looks like a regular, run-of-the-mill project. It's as straightforward as 2 + 2 = 4. I want something extraordinary, something that will make our resort the talk of the entire country. Tell the engineer to create a unique design," I said, my tone leaving no room for argument.

Karthik nodded, ready to leave, but I wasn't done. "Karthik, stop."

He froze mid-step, his shoulders tensing. I noticed his hesitation and smirked slightly. "You don't remember? I asked you to get details on that girl. I think you gave them to me already, but I need you to tell me again. Care to refresh my memory, Mr. Karthik Choudary?" My tone carried just enough sarcasm to make him squirm.

Karthik hesitated, avoiding my gaze. "Hukum sa , plz forget about her. She's not right for you. You're looking for the pendant girl, aren't you? Maybe she's the one you should focus on. She could be your soulmate."

I leaned back in my chair, unimpressed. "Are you going to tell me, or should I conduct the investigation myself?" My voice was calm but carried the authority Karthik couldn't defy.

He sighed, defeated, and pulled a file from his bag. Placing it on my desk, he muttered, "Here. The details you asked for."

I opened the file, my eyes immediately drawn to her photo. She was the same woman who had bumped into my car that morning.

"Her name is Isha," Karthik began, clearly uneasy. "She's 24... and she lives in Ammaji's brothel. She's... she's a s*x worker."

I felt my hand freeze on the page for a moment. My expression didn't falter. Years of controlling my emotions had made it second nature. "Anything else?" I asked, my voice steady, giving away nothing.

"Wha...... What do you mean hukum sa , 'anything else'? , you know she's not suitable for you! So why are you so interested?" Karthik's frustration was evident, but I ignored him, flipping through the file.

"Apparently, she's been at that brothel for nearly ten years. But before that... her past, her family, any siblings... nothing. No information on her parents or any relatives," he added, shaking his head.

I studied every word, every detail, as if committing it to memory. My mind was racing, though I kept my expression calm.

Karthik finally gave up, his voice laced with irritation. "Fine, do whatever you want. But don't say I didn't warn you. Just think about kaki sa before doing anything hukum " He turned and walked out, leaving me alone with the file and my thoughts.

I leaned back, staring at her photo. Her eyes... they held something I couldn't ignore. Defiance, pain, and something deeper, something that stirred an inexplicable pull in me.

Whatever this was, I knew one thing for sure-this was just the beginning. Destiny had already begun weaving its plans, and I wasn't one to ignore fate's call.

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Isha's POV

Ammaji's Brothel

The sting of Ammaji's slap burned across my cheek, the force of it sending me to the cold, dusty floor. My head swam with pain, but I refused to let her see my tears. Tears meant weakness, and weakness was something I could not afford-not here.

I pressed a hand to my cheek, the red imprint of her fingers a stark reminder of my defiance. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mayuri and Sonali inching closer, their expressions a mixture of fear and concern. But Ammaji's glare froze them in their tracks, just as it had so many times before.

"You've got a lot of nerve, girl!" Ammaji's shrill voice cut through the tense silence, each word laced with venom. "I've tolerated your tantrums for too long. Now you refuse to do as you're sold?"

I forced myself to stand, my legs trembling beneath me. Meeting her gaze head-on, I said, "Whatever money you spent on me, I'll pay it back. But I won't do this... I can't do this." My voice was steady, but my heart raced in my chest.

Ammaji's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Oh, you will. Next week, there's an auction. Whoever buys you, you'll serve them, just like the others. You'll start working, whether you like it or not."

My fists clenched at her words, anger boiling within me. Straightening my spine, I met her cold stare with fire in my eyes. "If that's the case, I'll burn myself before I let you drag me into this filth."

Her laughter echoed through the room, hollow and full of malice. "You think you're brave, don't you? What will you do? Kill yourself? Go ahead! But as long as you're under my roof, you'll obey me. I'll break that spirit of yours, girl, mark my words."

Her taunts didn't faze me. My voice remained calm, resolute. "You think I'm afraid to die? If it means escaping this hell, I'm ready. The only reason I stayed here was for my sister. But now..." I paused, my gaze piercing. "Now I know even you don't know where she is. I have no reason to obey you anymore."

Ammaji's assistant, Rangeela, shifted uneasily in the background, his gaze darting away. He knew the truth-that my sister had escaped their clutches long ago.

Before I could react, Ammaji's hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of my hair. Pain seared through my scalp as she yanked me closer, her breath hot and rancid against my face. "You insolent little brat!" she hissed, dragging me towards the wall.

The first crack of the whip sent a searing pain through my back, a strangled cry escaping my lips despite my resolve. I bit down on my lower lip, tasting blood, determined not to give her the satisfaction of my surrender.

Each lash was a message, not just for me, but for everyone else in that room. "This is what happens to those who defy me," her cruel voice echoed, each word a dagger to my already wounded pride.

Pain blurred my vision as the whip struck again and again, each blow tearing into my skin, leaving trails of fire in its wake. My screams filled the room, mingling with the sounds of her rage.

Finally, she slammed my head against the wall, the impact leaving a bloody smear as I crumpled to the floor. My body was a broken, trembling heap, my breaths coming in shallow gasps. Blood seeped from the fresh welts on my back, soaking into the dirt beneath me.

Somewhere in the haze of pain, I heard Ammaji's voice, cold and unfeeling. "Take her to her room. When she wakes, remind her she has no choice. She will work, like the rest of you."

I felt gentle hands lift me-Mayuri and Sonali. Their tears fell silently as they carried me to the tiny, suffocating room I called mine.

As darkness closed in, my body broken but my spirit unyielding, one thought echoed in my mind: This is not the end. I will escape this. I will find her. And I will reclaim my life.

They could scar my body, but they would never break my will

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Author's pov

In front of ammaji khota

The low growl of Shivaksh's black Lamborghini echoed as it pulled up to the infamous brothel, Ammaji's Khota, its polished black exterior stark against the worn-out facade of the building. The doors swung open, and out stepped Shivaksh and Karthik, their presence drawing curious stares even in this unlikely place.

Karthik glanced around nervously, then looked at Shivaksh with concern. "Shiv, what are you doing here? You're not the kind of guy who would ever set foot in a place like this. What's going on?"

Shivaksh's gaze was steely, his expression unreadable. "I need to talk to that girl," he replied curtly, his voice unwavering. Without offering Karthik any more explanation, he strode forward, leaving Karthik no choice but to follow.

As they walked through the narrow, dimly lit corridors, the women around began to notice them. Whispers and giggles filled the air, and the girls, clad in bright, revealing clothes, cast inviting glances, each one hoping to catch the attention of the two handsome men. But Shivaksh and Karthik ignored them, their focus undeterred as they moved deeper into the establishment.

In the main hall, Ammaji reclined on a sofa, her eyes narrowing as she observed the unexpected visitors. A sly smile stretched across her face as she looked them up and down.

"So, sahib," she sneered, "which girl do you want?" She clapped her hands, and instantly, all the girls assembled, forming a line before the men, awaiting their selection.

Karthik, visibly uncomfortable amidst the crowd, spoke up, "Look, just send everyone away and call Isha...uh, Isha ji."

At that, Ammaji burst into laughter, her cackle filling the room, echoing off the peeling walls. "Isha ji?" she mocked, shaking her head. "This isn't a place for 'ji.' Here, we have Isha, Trisha, Usha... girls with no last names and no titles, sahib!" Her laughter was contagious, and soon all the girls joined in, their mocking eyes fixed on Karthik and Shivaksh.

Shivaksh, however, was unfazed. His gaze hardened, his voice turning as cold as steel. "We're here to meet Isha," he said, his tone so frigid that the laughter died instantly. Even Ammaji's grin faded as she felt the intensity in his words, and an uneasy silence settled over the room.

Ammaji straightened, her tone shifting. "Anyone but Isha," she replied firmly, a spark of defiance in her eyes. "You couldn't afford her. She's the most valuable girl in this house... girls like her aren't for mere two-bit men..."

"One crore," Shivaksh interrupted, his voice cutting through her words like a knife. The offer stunned everyone. The girls exchanged shocked glances, unable to believe what they'd just heard.

Shivaksh adjusted his sunglasses, his demeanor unreadable. "One crore. For one night. I assume that's sufficient for you Amma ji ?"

Ammaji's surprise was unmistakable; it wasn't every day she can get a lottery, She glanced around, her gaze assessing, calculating. "Fine," she conceded, "but come back tomorrow."

Shivaksh's brow furrowed. "Why tomorrow? Why not today?" His voice was laced with an edge, daring her to defy him.

A girl from the back, Mayuri, stepped forward, her hands folded in a plea. "Because... Isha isn't well today. Please... come tomorrow," she explained, a genuine concern flickering in her eyes as she spoke about Isha.

The sincerity in her tone caught Shivaksh off guard, and he found himself pausing. This wasn't just any girl-they were speaking about someone who mattered, at least to those within these walls.

Karthik, sensing the tension, tried to interject, "Look, we only need to talk..."

But Shivaksh lifted a hand, signaling him to stop. Without another word, he turned and headed back toward the door, Karthik trailing behind, bewildered yet relieved. As they left, the women in the hall resumed their quiet whispers, their gazes lingering on the mysterious men who had come searching for the one girl who was, it seemed, too valuable to be touched.

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Suryawanshi mansion

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The night was cloaked in silence, with the moon casting its gentle glow over the world. Shivaksh stood alone on his balcony, the cold breeze whispering through his hair and touching his face like a familiar embrace. He closed his eyes, and in that moment, her face , the face that had haunted him-appeared in the darkness behind his eyelids.

He saw Isha's eyes, mysterious and deep, yet shadowed by a pain she kept buried.

"Uske aankhon mein gehra sa samandar chhupa hai,
Jaise andheron mein bhi koi ujala basa ho.
Woh muskurati hai magar har muskurahat mein dard hai,
Jaise raakh mein ab bhi koi shola chhupa ho."

("In her eyes lies a deep, hidden ocean,
As if light resides within the darkest emotion.
She smiles, but each smile hides a tale of pain,
Like embers that burn beneath the ash, unseen and plain.")

As he opened his eyes, his heart ached with a pull he could not ignore. There was something about her, something he needed to understand, to uncover...

---

Meanwhile, across the city, Isha sat quietly as Mayuri and Sonali tended to her bruises and cuts. Their hands were gentle, yet she barely flinched. Ammaji's words echoed in her ears, the chilling reminder that she was meant to be prepared for her first "customer" tomorrow. Her heart felt hollow, numb, but she refused to let the pain break her. She lifted her eyes to the moon, drawing some unknown strength from its steady glow, as if her parents were watching over her from there.

"Maa, Baba, mere hoslon ko aapke duaon ka saya chahiye,
Is zulm ke andheron mein aapka saath chahiye.
Main toot jaungi is zindagi ke toofan mein,
Mujhe bas aapki yaadon ka ek sahara chahiye."

("Mother, Father, I need your prayers to shield my soul,
In the shadows of cruelty, I need your support, whole.
I fear breaking in this storm of life is so cruel,
I need the strength of your memories, steadfastness and fuel.")

Her gaze lingered on the moon, her heart wrestling between despair and a sliver of hope, a hope that maybe, just maybe, she could find a way to escape her fate. The moon bore witness to her silent plea, just as it bore witness to Shivaksh's yearning, two souls under the same sky, unknowingly connected in their longing and pain.

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