VIKRAMADITYA
✨

'I want you and that Thakral girl tonight at this party. Dress well and be there on time. I'll send you the address and timings. Anddd don't be late!' saying my sperm donor disconnected the call while I heard the chomp chomp noise she was making while munching on her Masala Dosa. Irritated by the sound I look at her and she moans saying 'Hmmmm this is good but still not good as what we get in Chennai.' and I raise an eyebrow asking

'Are you serious Tanya? The hotel management has called us multiple times, they can't handle the press and media, we are not able to step out of this room since last night and my father expects us to attend some stupid party along with you...I don't understand how are we going to leave the room!!!' I yelled pressing my forehead lightly to which she smirked and sipped onto her black coffee and chuckled saying

'And who asked you to hide?'. I was confused. I look at her to which she smirked saying 'Publicity both good or bad are excellent Singhaniya!!! So....just call your designer and get yourself the most expensive suit and get me a party gown...sexy not slutty yet...comfy!!! Quick!!!' saying she snapped her finger and was about to pick a cigar when I pulled the packet and threw it into the dustbin when she looked at me with an annoyed expression shouting 'WTF Singhaniya...You are so dead?' she yelled and I smirked saying 'No I'm not!!! And that's the reason why I threw that crap away.'

She caught hold of my collar saying 'I am the one smoking here...not you!!!' she whisper yelled and I grabbed her wrist saying 'Exactly!!! And passive smokers get more impacted that active ones. I don't want to die of something I never put in my mouth!!!' I said rolling my eyes to which she smirked evil saying 'One day I'll make you taste them!!!' and I rolled my eyes saying 'Thank you but I dont want your cancer sticks!!!' saying I walked away.

✨

Dressing up in the black and grey tuxedo I stepped out of the washroom only for my eyes to widen as I see Tanya dressed in a black shimmery party gown with thigh length slit. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun while she was struggling to zip the gown. My eyes roamed around her sexy back and I felt my junior knock. Damn she looked piping hot.

'Stop staring at me you creep!!! Do me!!!' she said and I was throbbing right now. Damn she needs to learn to use her words carefully. F*ck I want her so badly.

'Singhaniya...don't test my patience!!! It's been more than 24 hours that I have had my cigarettes now...don't annoy me... either do it or I care a damn...this is how I'm coming with you!!!' and all I heard was 'I am c*ming' !!! Damnn she's addictive.

'Singhaniyaaaa!!!' she yelled and I walked towards her and started zipping her gown. My fingers brushed against the soft skin of her back. She's soft like cotton.

'If you are done acting like a desperate creep lemme tell you we can have sex in the night again...but right now we are getting late...can we leave? The stupid media crowd will take time to be dodged away!!!' she said carelessly and I was embarassed. What's wrong with me? I nod and we walk towards the door.

The minute we step out of our room we feel flashlights on our face when she starts her pretending 'Please guys... Stop this ..we need our privacy... Security please...' and she again hides her face in my chest and I carefully hug her warm. I don't know why everytime she grabs my blazer with her tiny little hands I have this urge to hide her from the entire world. I want to keep her safe. I want to keep her away from every evil and hide her in my chest forever.

Suddenly my trance is broken as she says 'Singhaniyaaaa...let goooo...We have to get inside the car!!!' and I realise for how long have I hugged her. She rolls her eyes and slips into my car and I quickly get on my seat and we drive our way out. Neither she nor I utter a word until we reach the location however I helplessly steal a few gazes at her when she's resting with her eyes closed. Was she always so beautiful or should I thank my designer?.

✨

We walk into the party hall which dad had organised at some farmhouse and I wonder where we exactly were but Tanya starts walking carelessly when I try to accompany her. Seems like she has been here before. Suddenly she disappears in the crowd.

Just when I'm about to walk inside the hall I feel her hand on my forearm and I notice she was back.

'Where were you?' I ask but she had suddenly gone extremely quiet. I look at her face as I notice her eye makeup was gone. Tanya always liked using dark eye makeup and dark lipsticks, today as well she did a smoky makeup but right now her face looked like a baby. All that bitchy look was gone. Did she wash her face?

'Stop staring at me like a creep...I know we are pretending but you don't need to look so real. The amount of drama we put up should be enough!!!' she said and I averted my gaze when suddenly my father came towards me and said

'Finally Mr Singhaniya is here...I am pleased that you finally bestowed your presence upon us Sir. Only one hour late. Excellent!!!' he taunted. I was pissed. Why does he always blame me and puts me down? I wasn't late today. Tanya went somewhere as we reached here and I was searching for her. I was extremely angry on her.

'Tanya beta(child) I heard you are the epitome of punctuality. I hope you teach some to your boyfriend!!!' he said and I didn't know what shocked me the most. Him calling her beta? Him talking to her so nicely and asking her to take my responsibility or him referring me as Tanya's boyfriend.

'Dad it's not-'

'I see the news channels son!!! I know how careful you always were about your image although no one really cared about it!!!' he made fun and I was pissed yet I didn't let it show on my face.

'But if you are flaunting someone...I'm sure she's your girlfriend!!! And honestly atleast she's got some brains and class unlike that assistant of yours...bloody slu-' and before dad could complete that statement Tanya spoke up

'Do you know Singhaniya Uncle...last year the business meet that happened in Bangkok had multiple businessmen caught in a scam where I heard there were lot of businessmen caught with young girls who promised them of modelling contracts with their companies but instead asked them for sexual favours.' she said and my father looked furious as he grit his teeth and asked Tanya

'What are you trying to imply here Tanya Thakral? Are you trying to-'

'From betaa to Tanya Thakraaaal...Well that went fast!!! I'm not trying to imply anything here Singhaniya Uncle...oh no no...Mr Singhaniya is better I guess right? ' and my father was trying to look here and there trying to control his temper. She smirked saying

'Relax Mister Singhaniya...I was just saying Vikramaditya isn't like those manwhore pedophiles. He believes in consent and I love being with him. He's the best fiance in this world!!!' saying she slowly tip tied and kissed my cheek leaving me tongue tied. My eyes met her beautiful eyes as I was mesmerized by her proximity and gesture. I smiled helplessly looking at her and she smirked at my reaction only for my father to spurt out...

'Fiance??? You both are engaged???' but suddenly he looked at our fingers and said 'Are you both serious? We don't see the rings!!!' to which I said 'We are keeping it low key!!!'. I lied but my father's pale face made me feel so satisfied.

We were smiling at each other when we heard another voice that said 'Ignore it Singhaniya... what else can I expect from my daughter. She definitely learnt it from her father and my son. We Thakrals are bold and brave...have always been...If not why do you think Tapish would have won the contract?' and suddenly Tanya's grip on my forearm tightened.

Even I was shocked. Tanya was the mastermind behind the ideas and presentation. How can her father bluntly take away all her credit and give it to his useless son who probably didn't even know about the project to be precise. Everyone knew Tapish was a drug addict and a womanizer. He was never a businessman, he was just the face of Thakral empire where as in reality Tanya was the brains that expanded it.

'But I thought Tanya was the one who presented it in-' my father questioned while her father chuckled and said 'Singhaniya please...look at my daughter..you think she has time from shopping and makeup? We are from a business family and I don't want anyone to consider my daughter irrelevant. So my Tapish works on the presentations and hands it over to Tanya so she can also look relevant to the world. After all she is a girl and you know women can pretend to look intelligent but at the end of the day they always belong to the kitchen...' he said and my father and her father laughed at their sick humour and an annoyed Tanya walked away from there towards the bar.

I started following her when her father said 'Ohhhh Vikram beta...We have decided to get you and Tanya married. I will be announcing it in sometime, Pandit ji (priest) has chosen the date for next Monday. I know it's early but looking at you and Tanya...I'm just worried if Tanya ends up getting pregn-'

'Mister Thakral...I need to go to my girl...so ....excuse me!!!' saying I walked out of that pathetic conversation. I started looking for Tanya everywhere and noticed her walking outside the party hall with a bottle of vodka and I followed her. I feared she would go back home but instead she walked towards the backyard and started climbing a tree house and I was confused and shocked.

I followed her and noticed the tree house had a bridge connected to one of the balconies of the farmhouse and I followed her while I kept my distance. I noticed she jumped into the room via the balcony window and when I was going to do the same I heard a few security guards yelling out asking me to jump down when suddenly Tanya yelled 'Gannu Kaka (uncle)...Atthe Mhare Saath he wo (He's with me here...) and the old man said 'Thik he Tannu Bitiya...sambhalke (Ok child...careful though) he warned her and she nodded and slowly jumped inside while I noticed the gap between the window and the duct which was connected via the wooden frame.

She suddenly said 'Hold my hand Singhaniya...I don't want my father to next term me a murderer!!!' and I took her hand. However I lost my balance and fell on upon her and because she couldn't handle my weight I fell upon her and my lips landed on her lips.

Soft....Softer than silk.

I closed my eyes at the momentary touch which however didn't last longer as she pushed me away saying 'Fuck off you pervert!!!' and she walked away from me however that very moment my heart had skipped a couple of heartbeats. I have kissed before... softly... agressively but this one...was nothing like it yet felt like it had everything.

I don't know for how long I sat in the same position when I noticed Tanya touch everything in that room. I noticed her brushing her fingers against a old rocking chair and then she slowly sat infront of an old piano and played a 'Tungggg' and smiled. Suddenly she looked so different to me.

So beautiful yet so engrossed...So happy yet so much in pain. I was observing everything when we heard a knock at the door and she groaned and opened the door. I was still sitting near the window in the same position and because there were hardly any lights in the room no one could see me but I could see the person at the door because of the bright lights in the corridor.

It was her father and he was whisper yelling at her. I tried to listen more carefully when I heard Tanya yell...

'Who the hell are you to stop me from coming here? And who gave you the permission to walk in here?'

'Are you forgetting the fact that this is my house Miss Thakral?' and she chuckled saying

'Which you robbed from my mother's father after his death. This isn't your Thakral property...this is my Naanu's (maternal grandfather)'s house which is nothing but a farmhouse today for you.'

'Dont forget Tanya...I own this house!!!' he said to which she chuckled saying

'You robbed it from Naanu. You manipulated him, emotionally, mentally. But anyways this is my property. I have purchased this room and the tree house from you and soon I will purchase this farmhouse too. Once...just once I get my business up and runni-' but her words were instantly cut off my an arrogant careless laughter by her father saying

'Build an empire? You think it is as easy as getting yourself a packet of marijuana or a pack of cigarettes? Nothing comes for free Tanya...You work your ass off to retain your empire just like I did!!!' to which she chuckled saying

'Working your ass off or getting into others asses to-' but he slapped Tanya hard and my blood boiled at once when Tanya fell on the floor.

'You bitch...just because you got some projects for my company... don't think you are worthy of taking over my empire. You are a girl and girls perform the best only in kitchen but you aren't even worthy of that. So just...shut your dirty mouth...take the bloody jewellery and sarees your mother left for you and get the hell out of my house and my business. And if you are thinking I am giving you anything from my property then let me remind you..you are just another employee. Work for my organization if you like... else if I throw money...I can find many other Tanya Thakrals at my feet...So just shut your bloody mouth...wash your face and get out of your alcoholic sense and come down. I'm announcing your wedding to Singhaniya's useless son.

Don't think this is because you are my daughter. You were a curse the very day you were born...but nevermind...I've tolerated you enough and now on that useless Singhaniya's son will tolerate you. Just marry him and make babies and become a better housewife in future. Huhhh...we just need you and Vikramaditya's wedding announcement for our merger announcement so we can get rid of the banks running behind us for debts. This joint venture would make our business bigger than the Chakroborties and Sahay's joining us will make our share prices boom and skyrocket.

Our business will be satisfied and so will be your lust...love... whatever and I will also get rid of a useless unworthy child like you...just correct your appearance and walk downstairs and next time take the staircase if you want to reach this room you purchased from me. Don't you bloody climb that tree house like a monkey again. Look at your clothes...god alone knows how many men saw you inappropriately tonight...sickening!!!' he said and slammed the door on her face.

The moment the door was shut I saw Tanya collapse on the floor and for the first time I see Tanya cry. Cry was an understatement. She was weeping her heart out. Like a baby.

She pulls the loose end of her gown and stuffs into her mouth and shouts making her entire body shiver and shake as her eyes silently pours out an ocean of pain and anger while no voice is heard. My eyes fill with tears seeing her this side. This wasn't the Tanya I knew.

I slowly went and tried to caress her when she started hitting my chest and pushing me away but I knew she needed a hug. I knew Ruchika aunty wasn't here and she was missing her the most. I could never console her like her mother but I did what I could...I did how my mother consoled me during my childhood days. The last memory I had of my mom. She would pull me into a quilt and hug me to her chest cooing me silently.

So I opened the buttons of my blazer and hid her in my chest covering her face with my blazer. She restricted and pushed me reluctantly but when I slowly caressed her hair, massaging it with my fingers she clutched onto my shirt and cried her heart out.

'I am with you Tanya... Please don't cry... please baby' I whispered while she broke down repeating 'I hate him Vikram...He destroyed everything...he destroyed my faith in relationships...I hate him Vikram...I hate him' she kept murmuring again and again for I don't know how long. I took her small frame in my lap and she kept crying on my chest while I was sitting on the floor near the rocking chair once her mother owned.

We were different from each other but our pain wasn't different. Our humiliation wasn't different. We were rejected pieces by our own parents. We were cancelled by our own fathers.