-• where's my prize? •-

Yuvraaj Singh Chauhan

"What are you doing here?"

Startling both of us, she turns around in a whip. The wet tresses hit me on the neck and I wince, looking down at her in annoyance when her eyes lift to meet mine. A sigh of relief escapes her mouth realising it's me. "Can you not come behind me like a lion creeping in?" She hisses, exhaling a huffing breath. I look past her shoulder, at Vaidehi Sehgal inside the resort and then back at her. Last night too I noticed her uncanny interest in the woman, there's something weird about the way she looks at her.

"What were you two talking about?" I raise a questioning brow.

"You don't remember, Yuvraaj?" She asks me pitifully.

"What?" I frown.

She gives me a deadpanned look. "It's been sixteen years since our divorce. Stop asking me questions as if I'm entitled to answer you." She attempts to walk past me. I grab her wrist, she stops and looks over her shoulder. "What?"

My eyes rake down her drenched figure. "Did you fall in the pool?"

"Are you disappointed I didn't drown?" She smiles sarcastically.

This changed persona of her doesn't sit right with me. Sure, she had always been able to hold an argument with me, but there's a stark contrast between the Sara I know and the Sara I'm talking to right now. I can't point out the difference, I can't even tell what's changed, I just have a gut feeling, a suspicion, an instinct.

In the spur of the moment, without the will of my head, I tug her close and she gasps, her hand flying to clutch my arm. Our eyes meet. I look keenly, surprisingly interested to pick out the change in her physical appearance over the years. She has fine lines on her forehead, her nose straight, eyes worn out, exhausted, dark shadows loom beneath them, but they blaze still the same fiery. This woman, who dons on white like it's her flesh, cannot abandon colours even if she wants to, for her eyes hold the deepest of golds I've ever seen.

"What is it?" She whispers.

"Madhav," I jut my chin past her. He's in the lounge with his business partners.

She stiffens, clutches my suit jacket even tighter.

"So, I was right. You were hiding from him this morning."

She glares at me.

I step back when the group of men disappear into an elevator. "He's gone."

She glances over her shoulder, looks relieved and leaves, stepping back inside the lobby, her gaze searching for another Sehgal before she's hurrying towards the elevator and pressing for it to close. Stuffing my hands in the pocket, I look down at the pool, my reflection stares back at me.

I fish out my phone and dial a number.

He picks up on the third ring.

"Come to my suite." I state, returning to the VVIP floor of the resort, waiting for him inside my suite at the bar side with a glass of whiskey. Rudra steps through the doors five minutes later, dressed in a formal suit, talking to my sister on his phone. I wait for him to finish his conversation before offering him a glass of whiskey. He accepts it with a word of gratitude.

"What is it?" He settles down across from me.

"Why is Sara back?"

He goes quiet. Putting the glass down, he sits back and crosses his legs, his arm draping across the arm rest. "Honestly, I've no idea, Yuvraaj. I just know it has something to do with her late sister."

"Avani Rajawat?"

Rudra nods.

"Didn't she die in a house fire?"

He ponders a little, "I wouldn't know."

"It was in the news. In fact, when they found her corpse, Sara was sitting right next to it."

He sits straight. "She was?"

I nod. "I don't remember the details. I was seventeen when that happened. My mother had died an year ago. Things were messy at the palace. But it was in the news. It was all over the social media. I'm sure she was the one to give the statement that it was an accident."

"What?" He frowns.

"Yeah, Madhav was in fact arrested as a suspect since there were rumours of him beating his wife regularly. The police assumed it to be another case of domestic violence. But Sara's statement changed things around. Madhav was released and the case shut down."

To my surprise, he looks confused too. He was telling the truth when he said he has no idea either. It makes everything all the more complicated. Sara's growing closeness to him discomforts me. I doubt she is only being a good elder sister to him, she never cared about relationships before. And if she's using him, that's another reason why I need to get rid of her, send her back to where she came from. If she's back for something catastrophic, I'd rather she stays lost forever.

"Stay away from her, Rudra." I command.

He looks at me, uncertain of my words. "But she clearly needs my help. And I owe her-"

"You owe her nothing." I state. "She didn't do you any favour by taking care of Mr. Rajawat. She was doing it before she even knew you were alive. She must have had a plan then as well, you just gave her an early opportunity."

"She means no harm to me, Yuvraaj. And if there's something I can help her with, I want to."

"I'm not saying she harbours any ill intent towards you. But we don't know what she's back for. We don't know if it's safe to help her or not. I understand why you feel the need to look out for her, but please, you've a wife, and she's your responsibility. Do not make me regret the decision of allowing you to marry Taranya."

That sobers him out of his crazed determination to help Sara whichever way he can. He's not a lone wolf anymore. He cannot jump onto a pyre and not fear it'll set him ablaze. He has things to take care of, a family to look after.

"You've fought your war, Rudra. I'd appreciate it if you live the rest of your life being a good family man."

"Fine." He sighs. "But if you want me to stop helping her, you need to stop meddling into her affairs. Just let her be, please."

I contemplate telling him off on his face. While I don't appreciate somebody telling me what to do, as her cousin, I'm sure he feels the need to look out for her at least from the sidelines. If that's the assurance he needs, I've no qualms providing him with it.

"Okay, I'll let her be."

He looks surprised. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah," lifting my glass, I extend it to him. He knocks his own. "Cheers." Pulling my arm back, I tilt the rim to my mouth and take a sip, flashing him a smile. He relaxes and smiles back, taking a sip of his own drink.

He departs to his room after we have lunch together. The party will begin at seven. My outfit was delivered this morning. I start getting ready at five. Zoya comes to my suite to help me. She puts on the tie for me, knots it, and attaches a brooch. Straightening the lapels of my blazer, she adjusts the corner of the scarf in the pocket, patting my bicep as a sign that I'm good to go.

"May I suggest something?"

I slide my feet into the leather shoes and finish tying the knots, looking at her as she stands in front of me, dressed in a floor-length black gown, holding her diamond encrusted purse elegantly. I extend my hand. She quickly opens her purse for the wet wipes. I clean my fingers gently. "What is it?" She takes the waste, discards it in the dustbin.

"Buy Muse."

I lean back on the couch, crossing my legs at the knees, my arm falling across the crest of the divan. "Why?"

She meets my gaze confidently. "You want to beat her. Then buy the company she works for and fire her."

"A fight of an unstable powerplay? Would the victory mean anything?"

A troubled breathe escapes her. "I don't like her presence. It's strangely unsettling. Did you forget what happened sixteen years ago?"

As if poked, the scar on my waist burns. My jaw clenches. "Of course not, I remember very vividly of everything that transpired between us sixteen years ago. Every little thing. I can't let go of her just yet, Zoya. I really want to see her suffer."

"Are you sure that's truly what it is?"

The muscles in my body go stiff. "What do you mean?"

She swallows and glances at the wall clock. "Nothing. The party is about to begin, shall we go?"

I get off the couch and stride out, exasperated at the underlying meaning of her words. She did not say it explicitly, but I'm not a witless idiot. She clearly meant I'm indulging the woman for reasons even I'm not clear about yet, but that's not true. I want to see her suffer. That's all. That's it.

"I'm sorry if I offended you in any way, Boss." She says to me on our way to the event venue. I dismiss the apology by sticking out my arm for her to take. She loops her own through it and we step inside the hall as a model example of a boss and his secretary.

People envy me for everything I have, and as petty as it sounds, it also includes the woman standing next to me. No matter what evil I commit, she will blindly lay out her life for me, that's the level of loyalty she submits herself with to me.

Madhav Sehgal and his wife, the hosts of the evening, excuse themselves from the previous guests, willing and desperate to attend us. "Your Majesty," he smiles wide. "So glad you made it. I had been hoping to meet you ever since I heard you checked in last night, but Good lord, this work!" He exhales tiredly.

"Never ends." I add.

He chuckles while his wife smiles. I look at the woman carefully. She was uncharacteristically exuberant towards a woman she had met for the first time this morning. I still don't know what they were talking about, I was more confused about the fact they were drenched from head to toe.

For a woman who knows not how to swim, my ex-wife sure loiters around swimming pools like a frog with an expertise of both land and water.

"I'd love to join your presence in the party, but as a host, I'm bound to the hosting duties. So please go ahead, have a drink, dance with your pretty secretary -" he winks towards Zoya. She shifts uncomfortably on my side. I place a hand on the small of her back and her rigid shoulders go lax. "I'll greet the remaining guests until then."

"Sure. C'mon, Zoya." I steer the young woman inside the hall.

Having taken only three steps past them, I hear Madhav exclaim, "Sara!?"

Zoya and I turn around.

My hand drops from her back, curling up on its own accord, as if my very existence is being challenged to stop and stare. I'm forced to watch the woman in white enter through the double doors. The floor-length gown sweeps below her heels. Ruffles wrap the sylphlike waist, her shoulders bare, a bow hugs the slender arms, her long leg reveals itself everytime she takes a step forward. She flicks the young strands of her loose updo with the tip of her slim fingers, placing the same hand on her own that's locked around Rudra's forearm.

They stop in front of the host couple.

I tear my eyes off the willowy woman.

I hate the way she made me breathless.

"Let's go," I don't stop to witness Madhav Sehgal's reaction to this weird reunion of the familial ties that were cut off some two decades ago. Zoya walks alongside me, keeping up with my pace as I stride to our table. I pull her a chair, she sits down and I gently push it back in before occupying my seat. Lifting the glass of water, I take a sip, my knuckles white as they press around the transparent body.

"Boss," I look at Zoya. She holds the place card in her hand. Upon receiving my attention, she turns it around for me to read.

Rawals & Chauhans,
Sehgal Group of Hotels cordially welcome you to the grand opening of Sky City Resort. Enjoy the night.

I put the glass down with a thump.

Just then two figures breeze past me, around the table, stopping across from me, and settle down in remaining two chairs. Sara doesn't look my way, her attention taken hostage by something behind me. I look over my shoulder and spot Madhav in an heated argument with his younger brother. He points towards Sara, his eyes accidentally meet mine and he abruptly forces a smile at me. I nod back. Then he drags his brother away from the prying eyes.

"Excuse me," she drops her purse on the table and leaves our table. I watch where she's going. She doesn't surprise me by approaching Vaidehi Sehgal. The two start to conversate in a low voice. Sara shakes her head, placing her hand on her chest, as if she's admitting to something. Then she attempts to move past her but Vaidehi grabs her hand and vehemently shakes her head. The women return to the table. She makes Sara sit in her chair.

"I'll go and talk to him." She pats Sara's shoulder.

Sara sighs in defeat, nodding in response to the woman's words. Vaidehi retreats.

Sara crosses her legs, the slit reveals her toned flesh, flawless skin, and pumps clad elegant feet. Her eyes meet mine. She flashes me a bright smile. I grimace and look away.

Madhav and his family arrives at our table. Sara gets up from her chair. "Welcome Miss. Rajawat," he says tightly, his wife on the other hand, smiles warmly at the woman. "I'm sorry I couldn't greet you properly at the entrance, your arrival took me by surprise. But anyhow, I'm glad to have you here. Please enjoy the night."

Sara smiles. "I will. Thank you for having me here."

I roll my eyes.

They didn't even invite you.

The couple shifts to extend their gratitude towards Rudra, then me, before retreating to greet the other guests.

Post the mandatory speeches of welcomes and thankyous, the event commences with a raise of toast. Madhav Sehgal pops a bottle of champagne with his wife by his side, the two laugh and grin at the people around them, thanking every congratulations thrown their way. Waiters serve the celebratory wine to the guests and people scatter from their tables, seeking the company they enjoy with the drinks they prefer.

I watch the party grow livelier.

Rudra walks away to make acquaintances. It's only his name that people know as of now, they haven't met the man behind Esther Industries personally.

Sara gravitates towards Vaidehi and Karan Sehgal. After a moment of amiable conversations, he leads her to the dance floor. I frown.

Is that what she wants? A rich man?

I shake my head.

No. If that was the case, she wouldn't have left me. Why entertain that muppet though? I take a swig of my drink, rendering the glass empty. Licking my lips, I scratch the corners of my left brow, tapping my fingers rhythmically on the table as I watch her dance with that halfwit, laughing at something he says in her ear. From my peripheral vision, I see Madhav witnessing the whole ordeal with a sour face. He looks more and more furious as he stares at them. He's about to lose it.

I put my glass down and get up, heading towards the dance floor just as he strides past the guests to separate his brother and the woman he's clearly not fond of, maybe even hates. Noticing me, he stops abruptly. I tap Karan's shoulder. The man looks at me and halts.

"May I?" I suggest.

He swallows, giving up on his spot almost immediately. "Uh, ye- yeah." As he moves away, I step up, my hands replacing his on her body.

"What are you doing?" She hisses, quiet not happy with my actions.

Saving you from the humiliation.

My arm coils around her waist and I pull her closer. "Taking my prize."