-: SHAMRAT :-

The whole house echoed with her laughter as she threw her arms around me and pulled me in her embrace.

"Shamrat! I missed you so much!" I chuckled out at her excitement. Indeed it has been more than 3 years when I saw her last time. When I sent her away ...

Cradling the back of her head in my palms I grinned at Mom, who was smiling back at having her back in our home.

"We missed you too," Ma said cupping her face when she broke the hug with me. Her eyes was twinkling in joy and her infectious smile was rubbing off on us.

"And where is the special lady?" At her question my eyes drifted towards the corner of the staircase where Shri was standing, draped in the most gorgeous lehenga. She was the bigwig of tonight and the way she handled herself among all those powerful men and women was really appreciable. It was her first time, and she did well.

I had observed her for the entire evening, but couldn't gather the guts to go and talk to her, especially after attacking her this morning.

"Wow! She is gorgeous. How did you get this lucky, huh Shamrat?"

Before I could actually respond to her question with a smack on her head, she strolled towards Shri, who was having a skeptical look on her face. Her eyes were unfocused.

"You are the most beautiful girl ai have ever seen. Hi! I am Damini." She extended her hand with a wide grin.

"Why did you hug my husband?"

Woah!

All of our eyes widened at her question, including herself. She shrieked as if the question came out of her mouth in mistake, slapped her palm on her lips and scurried away.

I was too numb for a second to react, with my eyebrows cocked up in surprised when Mini's shooting broke my trance.

"Ohh hoooo! You got a possessive one there, Shamrat."

I narrowed my eyes and twisted her ears, "Stop calling me by my name, choti. I am 9 years older than you."

"Ow ow ow! Let go of my ears, bhaiya. Ma, dekhno na, apka beta pareshan kar raha hai!" (Mom, see your son is pestering me!) Whining her words out, she jutted her lips at mom and then turned her puppy eyes to me.

"I won't interfere in my son scolding his sister," Ma said raising her hands up in surrender. All of us laughed at her words, and Arnav ruffled her hair.

She was the apple of our eyes and the sunshine of our home.

When I walked back into the room, Shri was lying on the floor with a blanket covering her face. A chuckle broke out of me. She might had been really embarrassed with had had sputtered out of her mouth to hide like that from me.

A smirk made it's way on my lips as I tried to come up with some tactics to embarrass her more.

Sitting on my haunches I grabbed the blanket and wrenched it away from her body. She sat up with a shriek, her eyes in shape of saucers but alert.

"Wanna give me a hug?" I asked, cocking on my eyesborws. When realization drawned upon her face she gritted, with narrowed eyes, "You wish."

"That's not what I heard a few minutes ago." I wanted to tease her about it and after avoiding her for almost fourty hours, I needed a reaction out of her. Be it rage, embarrassment or happiness ... something was better than nothing.

"It was just a slip of tongue." Rolling her eyes she extended her hands to take the blanket from my grasp when I grabbed her wrist and pressed my lips on it with a lingering kiss.

Her breath hitched and her movements stilled as she gazed at me with eyes coated with desire, longing and confusion. She was bemused regarding her desires for me. It was a foreign feeling for her to have longing for her husband because she had always only desired one man, Daud.

Yanking her wrist out of my grasp she scrunched her face in an adorable scowl and snapped, "You have no right to come up to me and talk like you haven't been avoiding me for almost two days!"

I was too shocked for a second to react bt when her words registered in my head, my eyes softened. "So you were missing me?"

If possible her angry scowl turned furious. "Of course not, you arrogant cow! But when you married me you should remember that I am your responsibility. I feel lonely here all day with practically no one to talk to. Ma is too stern for chit chat and Leila stays at her house most of the time! The only entertainment I have is pestering you and bothering you. But how the hell am I supposed to do that when you had been avoiding me!?"

Huffing out loudly, her chest rose and fell. She was glaring at me with a scathing look when I pulled her into my chest. Her limbs turned taunt under my palms and she tried to push me but I didn't loose my hold around her frame. Slowly her tensed muscles turned slag. Cupping the back of her head, I nuzzled it into my neck. As I breathed into her scent I realised that this was the first time we were hugging properly.

"I am sorry about the prank I pulled earlier. It wasn't my intention to hurt you physically. I was just trying to annoy you so that you would leave me," she sniffed and rubbed her nose on my shoulders. How could this woman turn from a raging forest fire to an adorable mewling kitten within a second?

I sighed and traced my fingers on her shoulder baldes. "I wasn't mad at you. It was due to the incident that happened this morning why I was avoiding confrontation," I finally confessed and sank into her embrace. As if getting the words out had finally pulled a weight off my chest.

"The attack?" she meekly asked.

I hummed and shut my eyes, not intending to talk anymore about it. But how could I forget how much stubborn Shri was.

"Why did you attack me?"

Silence reigned around us for several minutes, only the breathing and heartbeats of us audible. "I was seven ..."

She gently untangeled her hands and peered up at me with those doe eyes. They would be my downfall oneday.

"My father was the pradhan of the then village, a very powerful and influential man ... and also very kind hearted."

"Your father? Now that you have said it I have never seen him around. Where is he?" Shri asked, tilting her head.

"He is dead."

Her eyes widened and her palm flew to her mouth.

Taking a deep breath I rested my head on her shoulder. As if on instinct her fingers found their way to the back of head and she gently massaged it.

"I was at school that day when it happened. Mom often used to help and accompany dad with the party works. Dad was out of the state for meeting and Mom wasn't there to pick me from school ... when a group of hooligans stopped our car, beat my driver to bloody pulp and sedated me."

Shri gasped and tightened her arms around my shoulders.

"They took me to an incomplete abandoned building and called my father, asking him to arrange the ransom amount which was 3 million within 2 days. It was a lot of money at that time so dad couldn't arrange it within the given time. And that's exactly when they took their frustration and anger out on me one night."

"What did they do?" Shri's voice was almost inaudible, a hint of fear coated in it.

"They were smoking and I was tied down on the ground, moaning and groaning with hunger and exhaustion. Apparently my voice was disturbing them so they held their cigarette buts on my back."

Shri gasped and her hold loosened on my back, scared that the burns were still hurting me.

"When I had howled out in pain, that had angered them more so they didn't hesitate to poke their fingers on my newly burnts.

"Oh my god." Tears were cascading down her cheeks as they fell on my shoulders and I smiled sardonically. I didn't ever cry after that day. Somehow, when dad had managed to rescue me after 4 days ... I had managed to survive. Only God knew how.

"That's why when you poked my back today while I was sleeping, you caught me off guard and I acted on impulses."

"Do they still hurt?"

"It doesn't. Not anymore."

Taking a deep breath, Shri ran her fingers through my hair and whispered softly, "I promise to be careful from next time."

Shamrat smiled at her words through which she had unintentionally hinted something else. To lighten up the situation, he decided to end the gloomy atmosphere. "So, you're saying that there is a chance in future that you would sneak upto me to feel my body?" he teased.

"What?" she shrieked, jerking herself away from me and looked at me with horrified eyes.

"What?" I asked trying to act nonchalant.

"Huh! Please, I was just trying to bother you this morning cause I was bored. Who even wants to touch an oldie like you?" She rolled her eyes.

"Woah! Whom are you calling oldie, Mrs. Rathore?"

"Of course you, Mr. Rathore. Have you seen yourself? You're more than a decade older than me."

"And also more experienced and mature, which would be quite beneficial for both of us in future."

"Oh, shut up! It won't come to that.Cause I have hatched evil plans in my mind to make you divorce me. I am damn sure you won't be able to tolerate me for a long time and soon divorced me." Shri rubbed her palms and laughed with an evil look on her face, grinning at me, looking exactly like the witch from Tom and Jerry.

"I have the patience of a saint. Try me."

~~~~~~~

-: Rajeshri :-

Draping the shawl around me, I tiptoed downstairs, trying to make the least sound possible, not intending to wake Shamrat ji up. I had already done what I needed to do, which would definitely rile him up.

He wasn't a morning person at all and I had seen him several times how he brushed his teeth with half opened eyes. This behaviours would definitely cost him a lot today.

Tying my waist length hair in a messy bun, I strolled into the kitchen and grabbed the flour tub to make oancakes when I saw the girl from yesterday striding into the kitchen. Yanking the refrigerator open she pulled out a bottle of water and chugged it down. Sweat was dripping down her body and her hair was coming out from the messy ponytail.

"Oh! Good morning bhabi," she chirped and passed me a smile.

"Good morning Damini." I was really embarrassed about yesterday's behavior so I was intending to talk to her.

"Just Mini please. Damini is too informal. What are you making?" She peeked into the pan to see what I was doing. That's when it hit me. Mini? As in the girl Shamrat ji was talking about?

"Yum, pancakes? Make three for me please. Actually, you know what? Wait a few minutes. I am gonna grab a shower and help you," she babbled and dashed off.

I was too flabbergasted for a second to react but when I came to my senses, I chuckled and shook my head.

She appeared within a few minutes hopping down the stairs and grinned at me. "What can I do?" she asked, enthusiastically.

"Nothing. I'm done. But you can help carry the dishes. " I smiled softly at her, and indicated the plates. She pouted but grabbed the plates.

"Aww, that's was so rude of me. I should have stayed back."

"It's alright. It wasn't a lot of work for me."

She passed me a genuine smile and sat down. Ma came into the dining room within a few seconds and sat down on the head chair.

"Rajeshri, today you'll be accompanying me to the factory sites. There are a few women labours I need to have a talk with."

"Okay ma."

"Woah! Are you serious Mom? You have already started including bhabi in your duties?"

What the? Mom? Oh my god ...

Shit! So she was Shamrat ji's sister? My nanad? (sister-in-law)

My eyes widened as realization dawned upon me. Had I just earned an evil nanad by questioning the hug between her and Shamrat ji yesterday.

"Bhabi!?"

"What?" My gaze flew at her who was having a pleading look in her eyes.

"Please tell me you're going to accompany me in shopping." She jutted her lips out passing me the most adorable look. How could anyone say no to that?

I looked at Ma, indicating her to tell me what to decide. But she was sitting there passively, not a blink of emotions on her face.

Was this a test? She wanted to see whether I would choose my responsibility or leisure. But if I say no to my nanad, would she hate me? How should I answer that?

Taking a deep breath, I looked back at Mini. "It would be my pleasure to accompany you Mini. I will try to finish my work and come home early today."

As soon as I uttered my words, a wide smile broke on Mini's face. She yelped and got back at her pancake. But my eyes were fixed at Ma. She was looking down at the newspaper, but a hint of smile was present on her face. She was satisfied with my answer.

After Mini had her breakfast, she went out with Leila, but Ma was still sitting at the table. Her plate was empty but her eyes were fixed at the newspaper. I puckered my lips and exhaled a deep sigh. A deep rumble echoed in the room and I quickly placed my hand on the stomach to silence it.

"Why didn't you have your breakfast yet? We have to leave soon," Ma asked, folding and keeping the newspaper away.

"I am waiting for Shamrat ji." I mumbled and played with the fork.

Ma's eyebrows puckered up and she rolled her eyes. "Rajeshri, Shamrar isn't a baby. He is perfectly capable of serving himself his food. And moreover, everyone's time is valuable. If he doesn't come to the table on time, you don't have to wait for him," Ma replied sternly and stood up.

"Okay Ma."

"Have your food and meet me at the gate within 20 minutes." Saying that, she ambled away.

Exhaling the breath I was holding for too long, I grabbed my fork and knife and dug into my pancakes. I was almost done when Shamrat ji entered the dining room, with messy hair but a charming smile. He ruffled his hair and his biceps flexed in the tight shirt. At times like this, I wished I could explore every delts and crevices on his body.

"Good Morning," he greeted me in his deep morning voice and I gulped down the water audibly. Clearing my throat, I grabbed his plate stacked with 5 pancakes and dripped blue berry syrup on it, the way he liked it.

Oh, this was going to be so much fun.

"Yum, my favourite. Thanks for this sweetheart." He pressed a soft kiss on my forehead and my stomach fluttered, warmth spreading into my system. This was the problem. Why couldn't he behave like a jerk with me always. That would make everything easier for me.

I decided to keep him company so that he doesn't doubt, or understand my plan.

"So what works do you have today?" I asked, sitting beside him. His head whirled towards me and he looked at me weirdly. May be because this was the first time I was asking about his work.

The doubt vanished from his eyes and he looked at me with a big smile. "Mr. Mathur Arora, the DM, is coming today for inspection of the progress of the village. He has helped us a lot in past to get money from different governments schemes so that we could upgrade our village. Its an important day for me," he chirped with a delighted smile and got back to his food.

I gave him a nervous smile, which quickly vanished. It was his important day and I decided to play this prank today?

Shit! Okay ... was it too late to snatch the plate from him? Oh no, he had already ate two. Now, nobody could save him.

But why should I get worried? Hadn't I wanted this? To annoy him so much that he himself file a divorce? Yes! This plan would definitely work.

~~~~~~~

-: SHAMRAT :-

Grabbing my phone I prowled out of the mansion. My car was waiting near the gates, Arnav standing beside it with a tab in his hand, going on through my schedule of the day.

"Ready sir?" he asked, looking at me.

I nodded, not in mood to talk much. A long day was waiting for me ahead, and I had a lot of talking to do today.

●~~~~~~~< ☆ >~~~~~~~●

Hello pals!! I am back! 😄😄

Yeah, I vanished for a long time and I am really thankful that you waited patiently 🥰🥰😘😘

First of all, Subho Bijaya to all my bengali readers. How did you celebrate Durga Pujo during the pandemic? Please, let me know cause I had a lot of fun this year too.

Anyway, you got to know a small glimpse of Shamrat's past, and a lot is waiting in the future to get revealed.

Did you like Mini? 🤭

What prank did you think Rajeshri pulled? 😏

Excited for the next chapter? Cause it's coming sooner 🤩

◇ RANDOM QUESTION TIME ♡

I) Early bird 🕊 or Night owl🦉?

&

2) Biriyani🍛or Pizza🍕?

If you like the chapter don't forget to

VOTE🌟 and COMMENT💬

The next chapter of The Mafia's Surrogate will be uploaded very soon. Please bear with me cause it's a lot harder than I can say.

Lots and lots of love and kisses to my lovely readers who read, vote and commented on the last chapter.

Take care dearies. See you all soon. ❣🤗

Babye 😉🙋‍♀️