Eid Mubarak to my lovely readers. May God bless you all⭐️🌙 Sorry for the late wishes...✌️

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A small whimper left my mouth. " K.. Karthik.. " And I felt him kissing my head.

" shhh. I am here. Do not worry." he said, patting me. When I retreated, he stared at me, and suddenly, his focus turned towards my hands, which were now resting on his chest. When I was going to take back my hands, he held my left hand and looked at it for minutes. Then only I noticed that his stares were solely on my ring finger, specifically the ring, which was worn by the devil.

Suddenly, he removed the ring and threw it aside. What the!!! Immediately, I ran and started searching it where it rolled down. I saw it under the cupboard, but since it was rolled into the distance, I could not get it easily. I got a cramp when I overstretched my hand .ahhhhhh! Holding my forearm, I massaged the area where it was paining.

" Kayal, what happened? " Karthik slouched down and examined my hand, which I was holding. It was all because of him. I tried to pry my hand from his hold, but he did not allow it and asked, " Now, what do you want me to do?" He asked frustratingly.

" You do not have to do anything. I will take the ring by myself ."

" Hours ago, you cried that you did not want to wear that. Now, you are searching for it restlessly," he asked me in resentment.

" Yeah, I was the one who cried. But who asked me to accept the situation and wear that damn ring?" I asked angrily. " You are the reason .." I told him that pointing out to him. " Tomorrow, if anyone did not find the ring on my finger, I will be the one who is going to suffer ." I taunted him as my eyes rapidly blinked back tears of frustration.

Suddenly, he pulled me near to him, grabbing my jaw, and my lips were puckered. He moved his face a little near to me and said, " If you show your pouting lips in front of me once again, I do not know what I will do. Do not blame me after that. " he said in a raspy voice. Heat crept into my face, understanding the meaning behind his words. I have read these dialogues from stories that I had read, so I am not dumb to not understand them.

After looking into my face for a few seconds he removed his hold, moved a little back and bent down to pick up the ring which was under the cupboard. Within a few seconds, he got up and followed him I too got up.

" Is it must to wear this thing?" He asked me showing the ring. I scowled at him and tried to take the ring from his hand but he retreated his hand ."Okay, I will give you the ring but other than when you are in public you do not have to wear that in private. Okay?" He asked with a serious voice.

Nodding my head I tried to take it but that stubborn head without giving it added, " Say in words" he demanded without returning it. Arghhhh!

" Okay sir," I said quickly and pried off the ring from his hold before he could realise it. Keeping the ring inside my drawer I turned around and saw that Karthik was looking at me frowning and showing his displeasure in his face of what happened. But I did not think that he was upset about what happened now. Did I miss something?....

" What happened today evening?" Karthik asked. I was confused by his sudden interrogation and changing of the topic. Why was he sounding differently? Seeing my confused state he asked," I think you did not get what I meant, shall I repeat it?...
What happened today evening outside of your bakery?" This time his voice got harder than before. I quickly started to revise the things that did happen today evening, that made him mad this far.

Then only it struck me hard, what happened. But how could he able to find it? or was he asking about something else? 🤔
While thinking deeply I saw him through my side vision and he was looking at me continuously weighing my reaction. What should I tell him now? I trust him that he would not hurt me physically but still, I was afraid of his anger, how would he react if I said lie?

" What? You could not remember or think about how to hide it like last time?" He asked calmly, very calmly which did not sit with me very well.

" Karthik, it was nothing...." but he cut me off, roughly pulling me near to him.

" What are you going to say now? That nothing happened and I do not need to worry about anything. You could have hide what happened inside this room on the proposal day but could not hide what happened in a public place on a bright day.

That bastard Siddarth assaulted you in public but you did not try to confront him or at least try to tell me. How long are you going to play a dumb games in front of him ? He is using you as a puppet, but I could not understand why are you playing according to his tune." He sounded frustrated.

How did he find out what happened outside of the bakery? If he was there at the location, I was sure he would not stand without doing anything. But how was it possible?

" Kayal, Kayal where did you lose?" Karthik shook me to wake me up from my thoughts. When I looked at his eyes, it was filled with lots of questions and confusion. " Let me know what happened on that day. I will try to help you. Otherwise, this will continue and do not know where it will end. If you trust me please just open up and tell me ." This time he asked me in a gentle and convincing tone.

I just closed my eyes and tears started to appear in the corner of my eyes while thinking about that day. My throat went dry of bitter thoughts and my chest started to heave up and down due to the sudden feeling of suffocation. I felt someone hug me but realised it was Karthik by his perfume. As he understood my situation he soothed me stroking my back and rocking my body like I was a baby.

Of course, what he said was right. If I open up to him, things would not be this hard.

" If you are not ready, it's okay. Do not take the stress. I will not force you." He told me still holding me in place. But this time my decision was changed and I wanted to pour my heart out.

" No, Karthik. I wanted to tell you everything. But will you promise me that you will not take any drastic decision and make any issue after hearing it? " I retreated from the hug and asked him stretching my hand. He thought for a while and promised me saying that he will not make any issues. Wiping the rest of the tears from my face I started to narrate what happened...

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FLASHBACK...(Author's POV) ...

Siddarth entered the room after sending Susila convincing her that he had to talk with Kayal.

When Kayal saw the face of Siddarth she froze and thought to run away from the house, from the city even from the country. But she knew that it was impossible when the devil was around her.

When he closed the door and saw the terrified face of Kayal,his casual stance broke and a sinister smile started to appear on his face. Whistling he started to look around the room like he came to the picnic. Finally, when his steps halted end his attention got Kayal, " What happened Kayal, your face looking like a child who was terrified watching a horror movie? Am I terrifying you to that extent?" He mocked her.

" Okay listen to me properly. I think already mom has told you what really happened and why are we here today... So it would be better if you come out now and agree with the proposal also whatever they're saying" Telling that in authority voice he turned to leave the room.

" I can't "Hearing a voice he abruptly stopped and turned towards Kayal and asked " What? What did you say?" Like he could not understand what she told or could not accept the denial.

" I said,I can't. Why should I listen to you? " This time she sounded with little confidence. But that little confidence crashed down when she saw his devil look. And that devil's looks gradually turned into an evil smile and he started to get closer by taking predatory steps. Eventually, she stepped back until her body rubbed against the wall. But he did not stop, not until he could reach out and place both of his hands on the wall beside her shoulders caging her in. His breathing which was falling on her face, made her discomfort and all she wanted was for earth to swallow her inside. Turning her face to another side, she fisted both of her palms in a tight grip until her nails started to dig deep. But she could not feel the pain when her physical pain overpowered the terror ,which was standing in front of her in the disguise of a human.

He chuckled and said, " Just, before a minute you raised your voice like a tiger, now what happened you crawled into the corner like a little mouse...ohh sorry, sorry huge mouse." Nothing she mind about his words, yet She felt hurt when again and again he insulted her about her appearance.

" Do you know one thing? I hate you to the core. You are not near to my status. You can not stand near to my perfection. And You do not know what is fashion. You are nothing but a waste of thing who lives in this world with a cunning mind. " he paused a second and added," You may think right, then why did I convince my mom for this proposal???? I just wanted to taste you one time. Only one time...That's all...After that, I will throw you to that scoundrel Karthik so he could have the rest of what I threw out.

That was the punishment I am going to give him for the stunt he pulled on that day at the boutique. He is thinking of him as a hero..let's see how that hero going to be zero, after seeing your condition. Helplessly, he gonna beg for my mercy, kneeling on my foot. " after spilling those venomous words he started to laugh like a psycho.

Could not bear his words anymore opening her eyes she faced him and told in a firm tone, " Just dream it as you want but nothing will happen in real. I will not allow for this anything . I will die even before your point of finger touch me...", she shrieked and her words abruptly cut off, when she felt a cold touch in her bare waist. When she tried to shout Siddarth covered her mouth with his other hand and pushed her back more into the wall.

She tried to remove his hand but the more she tried more he increased the pressure of his hand and he dug his fingers more into her waist with the other hand which was placed in her bare waist. The sight of him became blurry due to tears, rolling down from her orbs. It wrenched her heart thinking that she was getting assaulted, inside of her own house, when there were people in the hallway talking and enjoying themselves unaware of the thing that was happening in the room.

" Why are you making this so hard?" He hissed near her face. " Now I will remove my hold from your mouth. If you open your bitchy mouth,I will kiss you hard and does not matter who sees it. Because I am not a person who gives a damn about anyone's thoughts. So, If you want to feel my lips, you may try the stunt. " warning her, he slowly removed the hand from Kayal's mouth.

And she also did not try to go against him, believing the determination of his threat. " I told nah, do not underestimate my capabilities. See now what happened " While saying it he moved his body more into her and their front parts were touching, disgustingly. Purposely he started to rub his body over her. And she felt offended by his actions.

" Please.." he heard a meek voice. " What ?" Pretended like he did not listen to what she said.

" Pl..Please...stoppp" she wept but did not dare to touch his hands to stop him..She felt disgusted, touching him was like touching rotten meat.

" Do you know what will happen if you did not accept the proposal?... Tomorrow Sager will visit your house .but not for a talk about any marriage arrangements, only to call off the marriage arrangements. " hearing him,she got shocked.

" My brother, not like your selfish sister Kavya. He will do anything for me. I only know to what extent he did things for me in past. Also, it was easy to break their wedding since it was an arranged proposal. I know he will be sad for a few days, but later he will be alright.

But thinking about Kavya, I assume that she already fell for him" when he said that Kayal remembered how much Kavya was anxious when her father came the home after,talking with Susila about the proposal. And how she was happy and her face glowed,when they went for their first date, on engagement day and on other occasions when they both met. Even Kayal has noticed from recently, Kavya always used to be in her dreamland and smiling to herself like a teenage girl who was in love...

" So it would be Kavya who is going to suffer a lot. And do not forget to say, I have seen these types of girls who end up with suicide at the end when their marriage was called off." Kayal was playing every scenario that he was telling, and the horrifying scene of Kavya trying to harm herself,made Kayal horrified.

She knows Kavya had never treated her as a sister or as a friend.But Kayal always thought of Kavya as her sister. She was not a person who think as selfish and pawned other's life for her happiness. Even in her dreams, she could not see Kavya in that horrible situation.

" Please stop...stop.." she cried and folding her hands in front of him she pleaded," Please do not do anything like that. I will agree to your proposal but please do not do that.."

With a satisfied, evil smile he backed away a little bit and asked " Then would you listen to me?" She nodded her head like a puppet. She very well knew the consequences of her reply. But could not afford to ruin the peace of Kavya and the family who gave, a place to her from her birth. She knew even Karthik will not bear it ,if anything happened to his one and only lovely sister.

But if anything happened to her, no one going to worry or question that. It would be better to ruin one person's life by saving others. So she accepted her fate and acted like a puppet which he asked her to do in front of the family...

FLASHBACK ENDS...

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Kayal's POV....

When I finished saying what was happened on that day, we both were sitting on my bed and Karthik was leaning against the wall, I was sitting between his legs turning to the side, and resting my head on his chest. His hold on me was firm and I felt protective to stay between his arms. At that time all I wanted was to stay like this until eternity.

" Karthik...Karthik" He was in deep thought and I felt some gears were changing in his head. But I was afraid of where it would take him before crashing down and ruining us.

He blinked his eyes and looked at my face but his face was neutral and could not pinpoint what was running inside of that unsure mind. Looking into my eyes,softly he stroked my left cheek with gentle touch like I was a porcelain doll and his mere hard touch would break me into pieces.

Eventually, my eyes were closed and I captured that soothing feeling. And I did not know when I fell into deep slumber as I fell for him...

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Hi Lovelies ❤️

So this is for today and hope you will like it.

Today I came with an update with Total words, 2,800.

But still disappointed with numbers of votes when compared to numbers of readers. Atleast let me know whether I am boring or not....🙇‍♀️

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