Avni's POV

I stepped into Aarav's room, completely flushed, when I say completely I mean it completely. My heart was thudding in the rib cage.

Thump Thump Thump

Stupid Khanna. Like who opens one's door just in a towel? That day he was lecturing me to act like a decent lady. Where the hell his principles went today?

Damn this Hypocrite-Khanna.

'Avni! Why are you hyping so much, that day he saw you in his shirt and today you saw him shirtless. It's okay. Equal-equal.'

'Have you lost your mind my dear conscience? What nonsense are you speaking.'

'I was just stating facts.'

'shut up'

I have decided, I'm going to avoid Mr Khanna like a plague. Is there any medicine which we can take and forget few moments. No?

'Avni I know you are clumsy, stupid, tactless, awkward, but I didn't know you have turned psychotic now.'

'Gee thanks, how lovely of you to point out that.'

'Anytime', my conscience shrugged.

'That was sarcasm stup...', before I could complete a second voice came.

"Mr Joshi.", Mr Khanna's voice interrupted me. My eyes widened. Did I forget to lock the door behind me?

'No shoot! Sherlock.'

No comebacks were thrown at my conscience by me.

Why?

Because my mind was blinded, Mr Khanna's cold pair of dark eyes was all I could see. Furthermore, my heart's thudding was increasing every single passing second. What was happening?

"Y-yes Mr Khanna. Do you need anything? You should have made a call, why take the pain of walking such a long distance.", I said smiling sheepishly.

He started walking towards me, and I stepped back because I definitely know his proximity will make the matter worse. His hand reached out pulling me towards him. What the hell goes in this man's mind? I don't think I can or I will ever understand him.

He touched my forehead with one hand while the other was on my waist. My heartbeat was sky-rocketing. Is this his another conspiracy to kill me, because if it's like that. He sure as hell was succeeding in his mission.

"1. You sneaked your way out of my mansion. 2. You hung up on me in the morning. 3. You didn't take the medicines, your fever has increased. What's wrong with you Mr Joshi?", the word Mr Joshi came without the slightest of hesitation from his mouth then why was I being so nervous with him.

"Uh I- ", I looked at his face and there was just coldness, icy-freezing coldness.

"Stop gawking and answer.", he said pinning me with his gaze.

"No!", I stated, more like grumbled but in a low voice."I mean I wasn't gawking at you, no, not at all."

He raised his perfectly shaped eyebrow and his lips lifted very slightly, teensy weensy lightly.

"That means you weren't gawking at me back then too, were you?", his words amused me. Mr Khanna is being cocky now. That arrogant son of a bachelor!

I blushed furiously and when I say that I mean as if my cheeks were kept on fire.

"Stop blushing and tell me why were you crying in the morning when I called you?", his voice had turned icily cold, the slightest amusement in his eyes long gone.

Words died in my throat when I thought about morning leading me to yesterday's incidents- Vidyut, the nightmare about my monstrous father, panic attack and maa's distance. Everything was sliding down the hill. I gulped my tears.

His eyes suddenly turned into an inhumanly deep dark shade. I'm sure he's not a human now.

"Who did this?", his voice held authority and such power that leaves you no room to further argue but the question was what was he talking about?

"What are you talking about?", I asked softly.

He brought his calloused thumb to my jaw and slightly rubbed it. That's when realisation dawned upon me.

Oh, stars.

He saw the dang bruise. But why was he asking? He'll want me to die perhaps.

"Tell me.", he said looking straight into my eyes.

"Why do you care Mr Khanna? I die or live what do you care about? Actually, I know maybe that's your new trick, you want to know about me so that you can hurt me more. That's a good idea but too bad I am not going to fall for your trap.", I said or more like derided him.

Something like hurt flashed in his eyes. I'd have felt guilty if it was another person but we are talking about Mr Khanna, hurt and he don't go in a single sentence.

Bile rose in my throat. My eyes stung with tears. I felt I'd throw up. I pushed Mr Khanna and dashed towards the bathroom.

"Mr Joshi....", I didn't hear anything that Mr Khanna was saying because all I wanted right now was to control my breathing.

I can't have another panic attack.

Not in front of Mr Khanna, he already thinks women are weak, I can't let him prove his point.

Nothing came out of my mouth, of course, what would. I hadn't eaten anything since that fateful night. The last two days had been hell for me and Mr Khanna is making me think about it again. I splashed water on my face.

Warm, large hands wrapped around me embracing me in a warm hug. My eyes widened. I could never imagine such a move from Mr Khanna. It's like a completely different side of his.

"It's okay. You're okay.", Mr Khanna's voice was gentle, his touch was gentle, nothing like Vidyut's filthy one.

"It's not okay Mr Khanna. It'll never be okay.", I mumbled but something in me knew he heard it because the next moment his hands around me tightened like vice grips.

There was a comfortable silence between us. A silence that was neither icy nor awkward. I moved slightly back from him. He looked at me and shook his head.

"The way you splashed water on yourself like a 5-yr old kid, I'm afraid you'll deteriorate your health. Wait here, will you?", he said as if he was genuinely talking to a 5-yr old child.

I scowled but nodded anyway. He went away leaving me in the room.

My throat felt dry. Should I go to the kitchen? But Mr Khanna told me to wait here.

'Since when Miss-Rebellious-Mehta started obeying someone and that too Mr Khanna?'

Yes right.

I moved to the kitchen and woah a glass filled with water was already kept there. Bless the person who had kept it here.

I took a sip but my throat burned.

It's what or acid?

I took another sip but coughed again, what in the world this thing is?

"What the hell are you doing?", Mr Khanna's voice boomed in the whole kitchen. As a result, I got frightened and in hurry, I chugged the whole liquid down.

Talk about Khauf!

"Mr Joshi turn around.", his voice was cool and composed but I could sense the dominance in it.

All of a sudden the floor correction, the shiny floor seemed more interesting to me. But why is the floor moving so much?

Mr Khanna wrapped his arm around me and my eyes widened. Two Nirdayi Khanna???

I can't handle one, where did two come from?

Third Person's POV

"Mr Khanna*hiccup* you never told me you had a twin, you know just like a movie, judwaa. Have you*hiccup* seen that?", Avni spoke or more like hiccupped.

"What the hell did she drink Goddammit!", Neil whispered to himself.

"Come on.", He said and wrapped his fingers around her wrist.

"I do*hiccup* don't want to.", she mumbled.

Her beanie was coming into her view, she pulled it and threw it as if it was on fire. Her hair flew open and soft and smooth black hair covered her face.

"What pray tell are you doing?", Neil asked fazed, not able to understand what was happening.

She started laughing all of a sudden.

"Who is my Chauvinist-Nirdayi-Hypocrite-Arrogant-I'm-the-block-of-ice-Khanna? You or You?, Avni questioned while tilting her head in confusion. She could see two Neil, hence the confusion.

"Yours?", Neil asked amazed.

She nodded and continued," because he acts like one only in front of me. Stupid Khanna."

"Mr Joshi I think you should rest for a while. Your mom won't be pleased to see you in such a condition.", Neil said and started guiding her to his room.

Neil made her sit on one of the couches and brought her a pair of his sweatpants and a white shirt.

"Mr Joshi you need to go and change in these clothes. Do you think you'll be able to do it?", he asked in a voice that was far from cold but not too close to concerning.

"Yeah of course why would you think I won't be able to. Women can do anything so shut your chauvinistic nature.", she snapped at him and went into the bathroom.

"Woman.", Neil mumbled to himself.

A few minutes later Avni arrived from the bathroom, her head spinning, her feet wobbly. The sweatpants were large on her but she had tugged it with strings firmly but the shirt was quite large for her small figure.

She didn't see the cabinet and stumbled but fortunate for her Neil was standing waiting for her just outside the bathroom hence he caught her in time.

"Be careful.", he grumbled to her. His arms were wrapped around her back and her face was in contact with his shoulder.

"Mr Joshi you need to sleep.", he tried to focus but in reality he was nervous. It was the first time when the billionaire, the richest person in entire Asia felt nervous. He tried to get her to the bed but Avni hugged her more tightly.

"Don't let go.", her words held a vulnerability. The same vulnerability he saw the day after the party and the day he ordered to collapse the orphanage."Please.", she whispered to him.

"I won't.", words came out of his throat without his permission. Neil was not someone who spoke without thinking. His words were always calculative and delivered only when there's a purpose.

"He also said like this but he left me. You'll also leave me.", she muttered. Neil's embrace tightened around her.

"Mr-Miss Mehta, will you tell me how did you get the bruise on your face?", he asked her but she didn't answer.

He looked down and sighed.

There she was sleeping. He unwrapped her arms from around him making her stumble in sleep, but something in Neil knew he won't let her fall, not now not ever.

As if she was the most precious gem he ever saw, he picked her- with utmost gentleness. He carried her to his bed and laid her with the same delicacy.

Just when he was about to go out of the room her phone rang. He ignored it, once, twice but when it rang the third time, he decided to answer it.

"Why weren't you picking up the phone, love?", Vidyut's voice came from the other side and Neil's eyes turned dangerously dark at the familiarity. He didn't say anything and thought to listen more to him.

"Love I'm sorry for yesterday, I know I shouldn't have kidnapped you yesterday but please don't torment me by not answering my calls. You know how worried I get whenever you enter that Khanna's hellhole. Love what happened, speak something. Please."

Neil was never someone who would show his anger, never. His action spoke better than his words because according to him it was a waste of time and energy on showing such frivolous emotion like anger but listening to Vidyut his cool and calm nature went into the black hole. All he could see was red.

He turned to look at Avni and his anger multiplied 10 times because now he could link that Vidyut was the reason behind that bruise.

His grip on her phone tightened and before Vidyut could say more, he ended the call.

At that moment he decided he won't let Vidyut hurt her, because till the moment he doesn't settle his grudges with her he won't let her go and something in him knew that moment will not come any sooner.

____________________________________

Well someone asked me to start their love story, so here you go, my dear, the first step to their love is taken.

Thank you so much for reading.

And guys I'm a little disappointed you see the number of votes & reads on the last chapter, it's pretty discouraging. I'm working so hard for you'll guys, and in return, I just ask for a simple star, and if you aren't liking the story, please do comment. C-O-M-M-E-N-T

So I've decided the next chapter will be after 55 votes. I apologize to the ones who vote regularly in advance, I know how it feels to wait but don't worry even if the target doesn't get completed, I'll update for you, within a week, I promise because I love each and every one of you for your support and love and just due to few people I won't disappoint you. :)

Until next time.

Love love

Aapki seva mein sadev tatpar