-: SHAMRAT :-

My pulse beated furiously against my wrist as I dialled the number of Deepak, who was searching the west side of the town, Shri and Mini had gone for shopping. It was a crowded place so the task was definitely getting tough for them.

"We are looking bhai, but no one here had seen her," he breathed, the cacophony of vehicle horns ringing in the back. Gritting my teeth in annoyance, which was spiking every second, I roared on the phone, "Continue your search. I don't want any excuse Deepak!"

As moments passed, a knot of tension was choking me, as I sent another troop of my men to the east side of the town ... and a few to them scattered all around. When Arnav had announced that Shri was missing I left everything behind at the office and had rushed to the market where Mini was. When I reached, she was crying and mumbling continuous sorries for Shri's diapperence.

'But how could she vanish in thin air?' Arnav had asked Mini,  to which she had said, 'One minute she was infront of a bhelpuri stall, but the moment Mini took her eyes off her, Shri was gone.'

"Sir, I think we should send a few of our men to search the village too. What if it's a strategy of an opposition party, and bhabi has been kidnapped by someone from our village?" Arnav suggested, but I didn't agree. No one from my village would dare to lay a finger on my woman. Cause they knew, if they gey caught ... it will be their door's day.

"No Arnav. We need more men here. She is definitely here somewhere," I said, roaming my eyes all around the market.

"But there should be someone there ... "

"I don't need advices from you Arnav! Do as you're told!" I yelled on his face, a burning flow of rage boiling inside me. Anything could happen to Shri if she got caught by wrong hands. Anything.

Arnav gaze didn't falter as he took slow breaths. After a few seconds he looked away and uttered with a straight face, "Well then. I will like to go home now. My duty hours are over." My eyebrows furrowed in shock as well as wrath as his words.

"What did you say?"

How dare he? Narrowing my eyes at him, I took a threatening step towards him, but he didn't look away from my eyes.

"I am a government employee, and my working hours is over. So I'm taking my leave." Arnav was about to take a step back but I grabbed his collar, jerked him forward and hissed,"Don't you dare forget who gave you this job, Arnav."

"I qualified the exam with my own skills. You only did the task of posting me here. I would have still got the job, may be not here, buy I surely would had, even without your connections." I pushed him away, but his emotionless face didn't waver for a single second, as he passed me a blank look and walked away.

Mini, who was standing near the car, came upto me ... with a grim face and tear streaks on her cheeks. I rubbed my face in sheer frustration and turmoil. Arnav was always the calm one between the both of us. I needed him, but if he wanted to change our life long relationship into a purely professional one, then so be it.

"We will find her bhai, don't worry." Mini hugged my arm and I kissed her head. Right now, she knew I needed her beside me to keep the raging beast inside me, buried.

"Yes, we will choti."

*******

-: Rajeshri :-

My legs felt heavy as I dragged them down the concrete road. A few of the lamp posts were still illuminating the almost dark roadway, along with the full moon. I was tired, both mentally and physically. The tears had stopped hours ago, specially after what Baba told me. It was utter regret that was flooded into my chest when he revealed everything.

Everything? What did mean by everything?

"Remeber when Shamrat announced that he wants marry you at Mukhiye ji's office?"

How could I forget that day, when everything changed for me? I nodded as Baba sat beside me, his gaze fixed ahead, aimed at nothing particular.

"Shamrat came to meet me that evening."

He did? I thought his very first visit to our home was when he came to give me the lehenga.

"He wanted to ask for my permission for your hand. Surely he had declared his marriage to yours, but he wanted to do this in the right way."

Oh my God. And here I thought he didn't care about anyone's opinion.

"And you agreed." I muttered, looking down. Now that I knew Daud had played me, I couldn't bring myself to blame Baba anymore.

"Yes. But before agreeing I had told him the entire Daud scenario. I didn’t want to hide anything from him, cause I knew Duad won't sit back silently. Specially after all the efforts he put in luring you."

Fresh tears gathered in my eyes but I blinked them away. I had cried enough for that bastard.

"Tell me about it." I wanted to know everything now.

"Sunil Chauhan, a very infamous politician from Koranjanpur. When he had come to visit our village orchard, 3 years ago, a particular empty field of mine had caught his attention. I don't use it for any purpose, but your grandfather had bought that plot of land. So I treat it as a gift. It was just beside our village river, and he was looking for that kind of land to build his new tannery," Baba said, looking up at the sky. The sun was going down the horizon, casting an orangish flow on his face.

"And you didn't want to give for obvious reasons," I breathed, resting my face on my palm.

"I wouldn't have either way. First, it would have highly affected the environment of our village. Secondly, I was saving that plot to use for a good purpose. Not for bloody processing of animal's skin."

I kept quite, wanting Baba to speak further.

"Daud was one of the men who was beside Chauhan, when he had visited me to talk that plot. When I had refused, he had threatened to destroy me and my land. He had plunged out a dagger from his back and was about to attack me, when Mr. Chauhan had stopped him

I gasped at his words. The Duad I knew, had never raised his voice at me. How dare he had tried to hurt my Baba!

"I wasn't scared about myself, but about you and Adi. So, the very next day I had complained to the police and had filled an FIR against their whole party."

"That's why you never saw them again."

"No I didn't. But you did." Baba's gaze came back at me, but it wasn't judgy eyes. He had something akin to understanding in them.

"I involved Shamrat cause I knew we would need his help to fight an influential man like Chauhan and his right hand Daud. Shamrat was happy to oblige and protect his wife from cunning foxes like them."

Only if Baba knew. Shamrat ji was worst of them all. He was the big bad wolf.

"And I messed everything up." I sighed, slapping my forehead. The memories of our happy memories at the orchards till the last moment, where Daud had cried bloody tears sparked in my head, but I quickly shoved it down.

"Why didn't you reveal all this about Daud before my marriage?"

Baba's lip crawled up in a wry smile.

"Would you have believed, if I had told you that your boyfriend from 2 years was a cheat?"

I was mute, knowing that I would have never believed Baba's words at that time. He nodded, blinking.

"Where did you met him first?" Baba asked.

I was hesitant to talk about Daud now. Once upon a time, I used to be proud of his love. But now that his true side was out, I was awkward of what we shared.

"At the village fair. He had helped me when I had got down from ferris wheel and my head was spinning. That's how we started talking. At first ... it was just normal acquaintance. Then we exchanged numbers and started chatting and the rest you already know ... "

I was at loss of words. There was this deep ache in my heart which still felt as if it was tearing my heart half. Taking a deep breath, I rested my head on Baba's shoulder, who gently pat my temple.

"A parent could never wish bad for their children, beta."

How was all of that, a game? How could Daud play with my emotions and feelings. I had given every bit of me in that relationship, which wasn't even a relationship in the first place. Every thing was a lie, it was crystal clear to me now. But accepting all of that, coming in terms with the fact that the man you loved for the last 2 years and had been fighting with your husband to save that love, was feigned. A ploy to trick Baba, and God knew how horrible things he had planned to do with me.

My life felt empty just like my surroundings. Every hope and belief of mine had come to an end. The pain, which I thought was over, crashed back in to my chest and my steps halted dead on the road. Fresh tears gather into my eyes as violent wails broke out of my throat. My knees shook as I stumbled down on the ground, my palms supporting my weight.

Feroz's words clang in my head. A deal ... that's what I was. A deal for Daud to seal his membership in Chauhan's gang permanently.

"Oh chori! Itni raat gaye yaha kya kar rehe ho?"

("Hey chick. What are you doing here, in the middle of night?")

My head whirled back at the groggy tone. Three tall figures hovered behind me, their body swaying side by side. I gulped as the strong stench of alcohol wafted in my nose.

"Ree, yeh to woh pradhan sabah ki biwi hai na?" One of them derided, stumbling towards me and I quickly pushed myself on my feet, taking a few steps back.

(Isn't she the Pradhan's wife?)

"Ree madam ji! Kya hua? Pati nai ghar se nikal dia kya?"

(What happened madam? Had your husband thrown you out of his house?)

Self preservation kicked in as soon as I saw glass bottles in their hands. Without thinking twice I dashed, though the soles of my feet were aching.

"Ree rukh jau! Kaha bhag rehi ho?"

(Hey, Stop! Where are you running?)

Cold sweat glided down my forehead as I kept running, my breaths coming out in short puffs due to lack of energy. God knew what they would do if they got a hold on me. The streets were still empty, almost dead as my lungs screamed for air.

"Pakar lia!" One of the men's arms wounded around my waist as I violently flounder against his hold.

(Got you!)

"Let go of me!" I screeched, turning around and slapping him straight. His other two mates who were laughing behind him, stopped dead on their track as the man I slapped, touched his cheek and turned towards his eyes towards me with murder in them.

"Teri ittni himmat!?"

(How dare you!?)

Grabbing my hair in a fist he pulled me towards, and roared at my face, "Lets see you saves you now."

My eyes widened at his words but in a flash he disappeared. One second he was infront of me, the other, he was lying a few feet away from me, groaning in pain. A tall figure stood ahead of me, his strance protective.

"Kon hai be tu?"

(Who the hell are you?)

The shadows of the tress didn't allow me to see his face as the man cracked his knuckles and tilted his head.

"One more step towards her and I won't bother about your lives."

Arnav!?

All the other three men snickered, tapping their belly in dry humour. "You think you alone can protect her from us?" One of them teased, taking out a knife. My eyes widened as I reached out to grasp Arnav's arm. He took a few steps forward, signalling me to stand immobile at my spot.

"I dare you to try."

The man with the knife lunged at Anrav, who easily dodged his attack, twisted his wrist and the man fell down on the ground, crying out in pain. The knife clattered against the concrete.

"Kalai tor dia usne!"

(Hey broke his wrist!)

Arnav sighed an annoyed sigh and dusted his shirt, staring at the other two men.

"Anyone else?"

One tried to step forward but the third man dashed back, running for his life. The second man didn't even bother to help his mate who was lying on the ground with a cracked wrist as pianfull whimpers broke out from his throat.

Arnav scoffed and sat infornt of the first man, on his haunces. "I would love to torture you down the hell. But you're lucky I am in hurry ... "

Saying that Arnav looked at me. "Bhabi, turn back." My eyebrows puckered in confusion at his words but he stared right at me and jerked his head. I quickly yielded to his words and turned back as a roaring scream echoed behind me, and the whimpers of the man disappeared. I flinched as steps rang behind me.

Arnav was beside me in a minute, wiping his bloody hand with a white handkerchief and looking at the sky. I gulped down at the sight and didn't dare to look back.

"Come, I need to drop you at home." I shivered at his dark voice. It was somewhat not the tone I was used to.

*******

-: SHAMRAT :-

"I'm not going home Bhai! Not unless I know that Bhabi is safe." Mini grumbled for the third time as I tapped my foot impatiently against the road, frustration nipping my insides.

"Don't me stubborn please. I need to know you're safe, so that I can look for Shri without any distraction."

My phone beeped as I quickly received the call from one of my men.

"Shamrat bhai, she isn't here. We have searched the warehouses and abandoned buildings in the east."

"Okay. Head towards south. Manish is alone there."

Disconnecting the call, I punched the bonnet of my car. My stomach was churning violently at the mere thought of what opposition party members could do, if they got a hold of Shri.

"Bhai?" I sighed exasperatedly and turned to look at Mini whose eyes were fixed at someone across the road. I quickly followed her gaze only to curse under my breath.

"Isn't that Nikita?" Mini asked, her voice in a daze of shock as she tried to step forward but I grabbed her arm, looking back at the woman who was carrying a baby in her arms and was walking beside a man, who looked like her husband.

"Mini ... we don't have time for this.

Her phone rang and she quickly shook her head, grabbing it from her purse. Arnav's name flashed on the screen. I turned away my face, the rage of him leaving, still raw in my head.

"Pick it up." She complied and stayed silent on the phone.

"Really!? Okay, okay. We'll be there soon."

My eyebrows scrunched at her words, a small hope flickering inside me too. Mini cut the call and turned towards me with the happiness grin, I've ever seen, on her face.

"Arnav bhai got her."

*******

-: Rajeshri :-

"Where have you been?" Arnav asked, as we strolled towards my home. We have entered the premises of our village, so I decided it was better if we walk. I was tired, but dreading the moment I had to face Sharmat ji. It had been silent between us from the moment we started walking but Arnav decided to break it, now that we were almost near the haveli.

"I needed some answers from Baba."

Arnav nodded in understanding and I didn't bother to say anything else. I was thankful to him for saving me today, but didn't want to talk anymore. Every moment of today was flashing in my head, starting from Feroz's words, Baba's revelations and the encounters with those men. I was exhausted both mentally and physically.

But there was something else in my head too. A strong wave of guilt and regret. Repentance for treating Shamrat ji like shit when all he did was protect me.

"Go." Arnav stood infront of the gate as my eyes zeroed at the huge structure.

"You won't come?" I asked, looking back at Arnav.  It was normal for him and Leila to be at the haveli. He shook his head, taking a few steps back.

"I have a few incomplete tasks."

Saying that he left, ringing the bell. The door opened with a screech, Ma's eyes widening at the sight.

"Rajeshri!" Shamrat ji strode towards me as fresh tears pooled in my eyes. My husband, my protector ... how could I treat him like shit when all he did was care for me.

Had I been a good wife? No ... rather I was the worst, planning to get divorce from him Failing in the most essential duty a wife should do.

"Where the hell have you been?" he roared, grabbing my arms harshly, his eyes wild and hair messy, as if he had run his fingers everal times though them.

He never cheated on me, even though all of us knew how much addicted he was to sex, all because I wasn't ready. I never hinted at any kind of intimacy and he didn't ever force me, except that first time when he snapped his control but stopped at the end moment.

But, did I really hate his touches?

No.

Did I really hate when he gave me intense looks and hot gazes?

No.

Did I really want to stop him anymore?

No.

The betrayal of Duad crashed back into my chest mingled with the deep regrets of my past behaviour with Shamrat ji. A sob broke out from my throat as I lunged on his chest, wrapping my arms around his neck.

●~~~~~~~<☆ >~~~~~~~●

Hello my lovelies!! Welcome back! 😄❤

This chapter took me long enough to update cause it has more than 3K words and is a very vital one for the rest of the book. 🤭

So about the chapter,

● Did you, evem for a moment believed, that Arnav would walk away from Shamrat when he needed his help?

● How many of you were expecting Shamrat in Arnav's place, when he rescued Rajesrhi?

● Any idea who Nikita is?

If you like the chapter please don't forget to

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ii) Vampires 🧛‍♂️ or Werewolves?🐺

Lots and lots of love and hugs and kisses for those of you who regularly votes and comments on my every chapter 🥰😍🤩😘❤💕❣

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Babye 🙋‍♀️😉