Author's pov

He is dragging her while pulling her hair.

"LEAVE MEEEEEEE..." She is screaming and slapping his hands around her hair to free herself from his hold.

He throws her near the staircase, and her forehead hits the steps. He pulled her nuptial chain around her neck, and it started strangling her. His other hand pulled her hair harshly.

She started coughing due to the lack of oxygen. "Please.....leave....me....." She pleaded with difficulty.

"LEAVE YOU!!!!" He spat on her face. "I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU." He held her neck in his hands and started strangling her. She is wriggling to get free from his death grip.

"N..o..n.o." More tears started flowing from her eyes. With all the strength that was left in her, she tried to pull back his hands around her throat. Her legs thrashed to kick him, but he was so strong in front of her. Her kicks didn't affect him a bit.

"Now your husband will suffer just like I am suffering." He spat venomously and pulled out a knife from his pocket.

"Because of you and your husband, I lost my job, and now no one is giving me a job. My girlfriend left me. That bastard John Peter betrayed me too." He is saying all this in utter hate. Then she remembered him.

He is the same person who was leaking information to Henry's rival. She is struggling to get out of his hold.

"I will give you the most painful death so that he won't be able to recognize you." saying this, he brings that dagger near her face.

"Hann." She whispered and closed her eyes to welcome the death waiting for her.

The only thing that comes in front of her eyes is Henry's smiling face, which she always adores.

She never imagined her end like this. She doesn't want to leave like this. Leaving her love in pain and guilt. The guilt of losing her and not being able to protect her.

'I am so sorry. Please forgive me.' She thought.

On the other side, Henry is driving recklessly. He is over the speed limit when an officer starts chasing him to book him for being over the speed limit.

"Fuck!!" Henry cursed, but he couldn't waste time here, so he increased his speed.

But it seems as if that officer is not ready to leave him. He overtakes him.

"Damn it!" With a screech, Henry stops his car and comes out. "ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE?" He yelled at that officer.

"Watch your tongue, mister..."

"Don't waste my time and get out of my way." Henry hissed and held the officer's collar.

"You are rich; that doesn't mean you own everything." The officer said, but Henry is ready to manhandle him.

"YOU FUCKING MORRON..."

"Boss!!" Smith came and held Henry back before he could do something in anger. "Officer, let us leave." Smith pleaded.

"No, I can't..."

"Please, it's a request." Smith cut him off. "His wife is under attack. We have to reach before something unfortunate happens."

"Is this some new excuse?" The officer mocked him, and Henry lost every last bit of patience.

He is about to punch that officer, but Smith holds him, and only Smith knows how he is holding this raging bull.

"Officer, if you want, then confirm it on your radio. The report is already filed. Mrs. Samriddhi Brown is under attack."

"SMITH, LEAVE ME!!" Henry is struggling in his hold.

The officer confirmed and apologized, but Henry punched him in the face. "If anything happens to her, then I swear I will kill you before the culprit." and he left hurriedly, praying that nothing happened to her.

If anything happened to her, then he wouldn't be able to live without her.

"AAAAAAAAAAHAHHAHAHHH."

Instead of feeling the pain, she heard a loud scream and opened her eyes.

She saw the dagger laying far away and his hand in Kal's mouth.

Kal is snarling and biting him to save her. He is screaming in pain, whereas his screams are frightening her even more.

She sinks back while covering her ears with her palms and crying.

"Hann...please...come... Hann." She screamed while crying.

He tried to free himself, but Kal is not letting him and is biting him badly.

Kal didn't leave his hand for a second, and blood was flowing from his hand as Kal’s sharp teeth peered into his skin. She was just sobbing, sitting in the corner, and shivering badly in fear.

The main door opened, and Mrs. Jones came inside with the cops.

"Oh, my God!" Mrs. Jones exclaimed and ran to Samriddhi. "Are you okay, Mrs. Brown?" She instantly crouched to her level and embraced her. Samriddhi broke down.

The cops are trying to free Burak from Kal, but Kal is not ready to leave him. Kal has ripped apart his two fingers, and he is screaming at the top of his lungs.

Then a lady cop stepped towards Samriddhi, but Kal came in her way, leaving Burak, and the cops caught him. He growls at her and then sits beside Samriddhi, laying his head in her lap. Samriddhi also wrapped her arms instantly around Kal. Her savior and started crying her heart out.

Burak's blood is dripping from Kal's mouth, but this doesn't frighten her for a second. But the man yelping in pain is frightening her to her core.

Kal is not letting anyone come near Samriddhi, as he isn't believing anyone besides Mrs. Jones.

Mrs. Jones somehow calms Kal and lets the medical team treat Samriddhi. She is crying nonstop and asking Mrs. Jones for Henry.

The cops took Burak out. The moment he stepped out, Henry's car stopped. He came out instantly and started beating the shit out of Burak.

"YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!! HOW DARE YOU!" Henry is beating his already-bitten body. Kal hadn't only ripped apart his fingers but also bitten him in several places.

With great difficulty, the cops hold Henry back, but Henry is enraged. He is fuming with aggression. His eyes are bloodshot red, and his nostrils are fuming in anger.

But one name. Just one name turned his aggression into tension.

"Boss, please calm down. Madam needs you." Smith pleaded while trying to calm him, and he instantly calmed down and ran inside.

"TIGRESS!!! TIGRESS!!!" He comes inside, calling her name.

But seeing her miserable form. His heart is stabbed with a thousand knives.

She is crying with Kal laying on her lap. He runs towards her, kneels in front of her, and embraces her in his arms.

"Hannnnnnnnnnnnnnn." She broke down.

"Shush." He kissed the side of her head and caressed her head. "I am so sorry." He apologizes.

"Hannnnnnnnn....hannnn." She is just sobbing in his arms.

"Shush!!"

"Hann...." She looked at him while sobbing. He wipes her tears.

"Are you okay?" Is it hurting?" He asked as calmly as he could, but worry was clearly seen in his eyes. "Hmmm? Or let's go to the hospital?"

He is losing his mind after seeing her in such a condition. She was injured, scared, shivering in fear, and sobbing.

But he is trying his best to not lose his sanity for her sake because she needs him right now.

"He...he... tried... to kill... me..." She said it with great difficulty while crying and hiding herself in his arms. The safest place in her life.

"I am so sorry. It all happened because of me." He replied, rubbing her back and wrapping his arms securely around her.

She is just sobbing, and each tear is burning his heart with guilt. He is blaming himself for her condition. It all happened because of him.

"Sir, there is no need to go to the hospital. Luckily, there are no serious injuries. There are only bruises and scratches, but thank God they are not deep, and there is no need for stitches. Those are treated." A medical team member said, and Henry nodded.

Then a detective came to them for her statement. "We need her statement…."

"Not now, detective." Henry cut him. "Maybe later, but not now."

"Boss Please take her upstairs. I will handle everything." Smith said, and Henry nodded.

He scoops her up in his arms and takes her upstairs. Kal followed them as well. She didn't stop crying, even for a second. The fear had clouded her mind.

He made her sit on the bed and gave her some water. Which she drinks after many pleadings of his.

"Please stop crying, love." He pleaded while holding her hands, but she kept sobbing.

"He...wan..ted...to..ki..ll..me.." That's the only thing that rings in her mind.

"But you are here with me." He holds her face in his palms.

"Wh..at...if...i...die...?"

"Tigress." He joined their foreheads.

"I...don't....wan..na...lea..ve...you." She said that in between her hiccups.

"You will never. I won't let you." He said that while hiding her securely in his arms.

He never saw her like this. Vulnerable and scared. This is killing him. She was always confident, but now she is terrified.

"Wh..y... He...why..?"

"Shush! Stop crying, please, or you will get yourself sick. Please calm down for me." He pleaded while rubbing her back gently.

"If...h.e...c.om.e....ba.ck....?"

"I will kill him. Sweetheart. I am here. Shush!! Please." He said that while patting her head.

She is hiding in his arms like a scared little child, and she keeps sobbing and blabbering.

Henry keeps stroking her head and comforting her with soft, assuring words. She is scared and still shivering in fear. She had seen death today, which scared her to the core.

After some time, which feels like ages, she closed her eyes but was still hiccuping badly. She calmed down, and her breathing got normal when the medicine showed its results, and she slept.

Kal is sitting on the ground beside their bed and keeps looking at her.

"Have some rest, buddy. She is sleeping." Henry said to assure Kal, and Kal lay down, but his eyes were still on her.

Henry noticed blood stains on his mouth. "Come here, boy." He called, Kal.

Kal came to his side, and Henry patted his head. "Thanks for taking care of her in my absence." Henry said, ruffling his furry head and thanking him, and Kal nuzzled more to his touch and licked his hand. "I owe you my life, Budd. You saved her; you saved my life."

He sighed and looked at her sleeping face, which still had fear on it. There are several scratches on her face and a wound on her forehead. Her arms and feet are bruised as well. There are strangling marks on her neck, which killed Henry a thousand times.

His eyes glistened with tears, and he kissed her forehead and mumbled, "I am so sorry, tigress. I can't live without you. What am I going to do if anything happens to you?"

He rested his head on the headboard and took a deep breath. His hands are still patting her head while she is clinging to him in her sleep as if her life depends on it.

His phone vibrated. It's Smith. He makes her lay on the bed carefully. Try not to wake her and come out to talk to Smith.

"What's the status?" Henry asked him.

"Boss, Burak is still unconscious. Kal has ripped his two fingers apart." Smith said.

"Hmmm. But how does he get inside?" Henry asked.

"Boss, the two security men at the gate have been found unconscious. They said someone hit them back on their heads, and they blacked out. They don't remember anything, and somehow he gets inside unnoticed, as after the servants left in the evening, Madam just stays in the TV lounge all the time. But what happened after that? Only Madam knows what happens after that." Smith answered.

"Keep an eye on Burak. This time, I won't let him go easily." Henry clenched out in anger.

"Yes, Boss."

"And Smith..........."

"HANNNNNNNNNNNN!!"

His words were left unsaid when he heard her scream, and he ran back to their room.

"Hann..hannn...!!" She is sobbing, sitting on the bed.

"Tigress." He instantly goes to her and embraces her in his arms. "Shush! Shush! What happened?" He asked, wiping her tears.

"Oh...oh..mainu..marn..aya..c. (He came to kill me)" She said that while crying. "He ...was..here..."

"No one was here, baby..."

"He was...he was...he was...strangling...me." She sobbed while touching her neck. "He was... right...here." She said, crying and pointing towards her beside.

"It was just a nightmare. Calm down, baby." He hugged her tightly. She had a nightmare, and when she did not see Henry beside her, she panicked.

She finally slept for some time, and Henry didn't leave her side for a second.

The night is not ready to go. It feels like the longest night to them. Henry didn't sleep for a second the whole night.

His mind is occupied with so many things right now. Her well-being and safety are his first priorities.

The sun rose, but she was still sleeping in his arms. Then there is a knock on their door. Her sleep broke because of that.

"Yes!" Henry asked.

"Sir, there are some visitors." Mrs. Jones answered by coming inside.

"Who came?" Henry asked, and Samriddhi sat straight.

"Your family, sir."

"We are coming downstairs." Henry said, and she nodded and then left.

"I... Hann... I can't." Samriddhi started panicking.

He tried to calm her. "ok. No issue......."

"I don't want to go downstairs." She cut him off.

"Ok fine." He assured her. "Let's freshen up, then I call them here. Ok?"

She nodded. Henry took her to the bathroom, and she freshened up and changed.

Then the whole family came upstairs to their room. Their parents, Richard, James, and their wives, and Kohli Aunty with Namrita.

"Oh, my baby, are you okay?" Kate embraces her in her arms.

"Mom..'' She cried.

"Don't cry, honey." Robert caressed her head and hugged her as well. “It's ok, we are all here.”

"Who was he? And where the fuck have you been?" James asked Henry in anger.

"Yes, answer us. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN UNDER YOUR WATCH?" Richard's anger burst out as well.

"Calm down, boys. Look at her condition." Robert tried to calm his sons.

"CALM DOWN, DAD?" Both Richard and James shouted out in anger.

"SHE IS HIS RESPONSIBILITY. THEN WHAT THE HELL HE WAS DOING?" James yelled at Henry.

Then Henry told them everything about his employee cheating and leaking information to John Peter. Then Samriddhi identifies that person and discovers it, and he conducts an investigation and throws that employee out. Later, out of revenge, he attacked Samriddhi and entered the house.

Later, Samriddhi told them how he attacked her and how Kal saved her. She is crying all the while, and everyone is trying to console her.

She is so scared that she is not even ready to leave her room.

Richard had recorded that statement so they could give it to the cops, and she wouldn't have to repeat everything again and feel the pain again.

With great difficulty, Robert and Richard make her eat something for breakfast.

James is fuming in anger. He takes Henry to the corner and asks, "Now what?"

"I will kill that bastard." Henry said it with a clenched jaw.

After breakfast, Henry did her dressing. He changed her bandages and applied ointment to her neck. Those strangling marks on her neck killed Henry.

He gave her painkillers, and she slept. He came out and requested the ladies be with her, and he will be back soon.

Kal is not ready to leave her sight, even for a second.

He went to the hospital, where Burak was admitted. He barged into his room and started beating him senselessly. Kal has already bitten more than half his body and can't handle Henry's beating.

"YOU FUCKING BASTARD!! HOW DARE YOU? SHE IS MY LIFE. I WILL KILL YOU. HOW DARE YOU TOUCH HER?" The cops and hospital staff try to hold Henry back, but it's as if it's easy to tame this raging bull.

"He is a patient, Mr. You can't come here like this." The hospital staff said it sternly, as if Henry were ready to listen.

"He is under custody, Mr. Brown." The cops tried to hold him.

James came after him and dragged Henry out, but after threatening Burak, "You are lucky to not be on your feet at this moment, or no one was able to save you from us. Kal has done very well with you." James spat in anger and took Henry out.

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND?" James yelled. "COPS WERE INSIDE. What if they create any issues? Sammi needs you. So fucking think with your brain.”

James brings him back home. "If you haven't involved the police in all of this, then we have handled him well." James said disappointingly.

"He is right." Richard agreed.

"My wife's life was at stake. How the hell could I think rationally?" Henry said it with a clenched jaw.

"Now we have to wait and follow the police's so-called justice system." Richard said it irritatingly.

"Go to her," James said to Henry. "She needs you." Henry nodded and came upstairs. Everyone left them.

She is still sleeping. Henry went to her, lay beside her, and kissed her forehead.

"I am so sorry, Tigress. That all happened because of me." He muttered, and she hugged him in her sleep.

Then his phone rang, and he looked at the ID. It's Geetanjali. He sighed and picked it up.

"Namaste Mom."

"Namaste Beta. How are you?" She asked.

"I am good, Mom. You tell me, How are you doing, and how are Nana ji and Nani ji?"

"They are good. How is everyone there in your family?"

"All good, Mom."

"Where is Simmi? She is not picking up my calls, and she didn't even call today." She asks worriedly.

"Umm..Mom." He pushed and looked at Samriddhi. She is awake and looking at him while shaking her head. "Her health is not well, Mom. She had a high fever. She even skipped the office today. Her phone is silent. She is sleeping; if you want, let me wake her…."

"No, no." Geetanjali cut him off. "Let her rest, and you too. When she feels better, then I'll talk to her."

"Ok, Mom."

"Goodbye, beta."

"Goodbye, Mom." He cut the call and embraced his tigress. "Sorry." He muttered, kissing her palm.

"Hann, I am scared." She whispered with teary eyes.

"I will not let anything happen to you." He assured her while wiping her tears.

For three days, she didn't leave her room. She is traumatized. Henry didn't leave her side for a second.

But she needs to overcome this for her sake and his. She is not even going to work.

"Tigress. Let's have some fresh air..."

"I don't want to go." She cut him off.

"Ok. Fine. Let's just have a walk in the garden." Henry suggested it, but she denied it.

"I am scared, Hann. All those memories keep haunting me. He tried to kill me in our hall, and that thing is not going out of my mind." She said it with teary eyes when everything came into her mind again.

"Then let's just leave this place and shift to our penthouse." He said. He can't see her like this in pain.

"Hann, this is our home." She replied in a hurting, broken voice.

"But you are scared here, and I can't see you like this. This is killing me. I'm dying, love." He said that while resting his forehead on hers.

"Hann, I am trying. I swear." She sobbed. "But I can't, and I don't want to leave our home. This is our home." She cried in his arms.

She needs a change to move on from that trauma. So Henry decided to take her for a few days' vacation. To cheer up her mood.

He decided to take her to Canada. Her college friend is living there, and she will definitely enjoy her company.

She left her room finally after four days, and then she saw that the decor of the hall was completely changed and brand new. There is not a single thing that reminds her of that incident.

He changed the decor of the hall, and it looks like a new place to her. They reached Canada, and in the first two days, he spent time with her. They visited a few places to cheer her mood, and it did help her.

When she came back to her normal self, he took her to visit her friend Navika.

Both friends were meeting each other after years and had a very good time. Well, technically, she met her at her wedding, but at that time she was busy with wedding rituals and couldn't get a chance to even talk.

Remember when her wedding planner, Miya, dragged her back to the stage when she ran to Navika in between entries at her sangeet ceremony?

Well, now they had a good time and had a lot of talks. She is happy, and Henry is happy to see her happy.

"I still can't believe you got married and fell in love." Navika teased.

"Honestly, sometimes I don't even believe it." She replied, giggling.

They spent a week there and then came back home.

"So are you ready to go to work tomorrow?" Henry asked while helping her out of the car.

"Yeah, Hann. I can't hide in our house forever." She replied, smiling. She is doing her best to be strong.

"That's like my girl." He kissed her head, and she smiled. "Then meet him." He pointed towards someone, and she followed his gaze.

It's a tall guy—well, not tall like Henry. In a black suit with Bluetooth in his ear.

"Who is he?" She asked, confused.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Brown." That man greeted me.

"Hello." Henry greeted him, turned to her, and said, "Tigress, meet. He is Dorian, your bodyguard..."

"What?" She cut him off in disbelief. "I don't want a bodyguard." She denied it instantly and then turned to Dorian and said, "Sorry, no offense."

"No Tigress. From now on, he will take you to the office or anywhere you want. He is your security head from now on. He's going to be here with you in my absence, so I can be assured that you are safe."

"But Hann......"

"Sorry, but I am not going to hear anything on this matter." He cut her off.

"Madam, I will be quiet as a mouse and still as water, so that you will not even feel my presence." Dorian assured her with a wooden face and left.

"Hann......"

"Baby, your safety is my priority. I can't see you in pain. It kills me more than you even imagine. Please." He tried to make her understand while cutting her off.

She sighed and agreed.

Days turned into months, and she started to move on. At first, she was hesitant about a bodyguard, but as Dorian promised, his presence never disturbed her.

He takes her to work, brings her back home, and stays in the house till Henry comes back home.

Kal never bothered him, as he got the vibe that he was there to protect his mother, or else he wouldn't let anyone come near her.

All the time, Dorian stays inside the house. He just sits in a corner and never lets her feel that she is being observed.

Slowly, she started to come back to her normal life. Henry is relieved that his tigress is not traumatized anymore.

He is always here for her and waited patiently to let her come back to her normal self.

Right now, he is working on his studies while she is cooking mutton biryani for him. He really liked it when her mother cooked for him when they visited India last time. So she asked her mother for the recipe and did her work in the kitchen with high-pitched, full-volume music on.

This song is playing right now👆

She likes to enjoy music while cooking. Both husband and wife are busy with their work as it's the weekend. Mrs. Jones is helping her with the non-veg, as she doesn't touch it at all.

When the doorbell rang with high music, she didn't hear it. A maid opened the door, and it's a beautiful young woman in a business suit.

"Is Mr. Brown home?" The visitor asked.

"Yes, please do it this way, Ms." The maid showed her way inside, made her sit on the couch in the hall, and said, "Let me inform sir. Please wait." and the maid left from there. She informed Henry that he had a visitor.

"Ok, tell her to wait. I will meet her after my call." Henry said, and the maid nodded and informed the visitor that Mr. Brown would meet her in a bit.

The visitor is listening to the song with amusement and enjoying the masterpiece and remembering someone close to her heart, although she is wondering if Henry understands one word of it.

She even muttered the same thing. "I doubt k iss insaan ko ek bol bhi smjh aaya ho isska. (I doubt this man even understands a single word of this song.)"

"Of course I do," Henry replied, coming towards her. Her back is facing in his direction.

She frowned at his response, saying that he had heard her and even understood her words.

He said, coming towards her, "So sorry to make you wait..."

She cut him, "So sorry to come to your house uninvited..." and turned to face him.

He narrowed his eyes, looking at her, but forwarded his hand for a handshake with a questioning look. "What do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Ms. Shah?" He asked.

She shook her hand with him but corrected him. "It is Mrs. Randhawa."
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Hello hello!
Mrs. Randhawa is here and she have her own story to find out why she is here and what is her story then here is a little sneak peek of Noor and Veer 😉

The Story of Childhood Enemies Divided by religion but united by their broken souls.

                •~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

"Marry me." Veer said, nonchalantly sipping his coffee.

"Excuse me?" Noor asked in disbelief.

"Are you even deaf now?"

"I will never marry you. Not even in my nightmare."

"Just a contract marriage for a year. otherwise marrying you? huh... never."

"What do you think of yourself, Veer Singh Randhawa? Nikkah is not a joke." She replied, fuming in anger.

"I know that's why I'm choosing you. You hate me as much as I hate you. So you will never fall for my charms, and you are rich, so you will never agree to this contract just for money. simple." He replied, flashing his toothy smile.

"Breathing the same air with you is poisonous for me; how could you even imagine that I would ever agree with such nonsense of yours? I would prefer to die rather than be your fake wife." She replied, getting up from her seat and storming out.
____________________________

"Bhai-bhaijaan (brother). He is ve-veer my husband." She shuttered, and her brother was enraged in anger.

"You know he is a Hindu." Her brother asked with a clenched jaw.

"ye-yes..." Before she could complete her sentence, her brother raised his hand to slap her, and she closed her eyes.

but the blow never hit her. She opened her eyes slowly and saw Veer holding her brother's hand.

"Mr. Shah, no one has a right to raise his or her hand on my wife, Noor Veer Singh Randhawa. Not even her brother." Veer said, smiling, and left his hand.

Read my book "His Shareek-e-hayat" on my stck.me account link is available in my bio❣️