"Are you okay miss"? I heard a euphonic masculine voice near me, adding onto my infuriated nerves.

I didn't mind replying him. I was struggling to get out of this dreary place surrounded by prickly,  scruby vines and twigs before they decide to swallow me into them. The more I tried to scuffle out of them, the more they entwined me.

"Stand still, I will help you", he finally took pity upon me.

"No, you can just stand their and get entertained", I replied sarcastically.

I couldn't see his face as I was literally stretched out on the ground. He didn't reply and bent forward extending his hand to hold. I grabbed his hand and he helped me to remove those twigs around me. I finally came out of the heavenly place. My ankle was twisted by the fall.

"Ow,that hurts", I stumbled forward ready to have second mishap of the day before two strong arms came around my waist steadying me.

I looked at my rescuer. Upclose he was gorgeous. His unfathomable, golden brown eyes contrasted exceptionally with his light toned face. His eyes were as deep and expressive, they were cold but warm at the same time. You could get lost in them if you stared long enough. I was hypnotized.

His face had that far away look in it, which cannot be described in words. I followed his gaze narrowed on my locket which was dangling between my chest. He was staring at it as if it was the weirdest thing on the entire universe.

I came out of my daze hearing my friends concerned voices.

"Are u hurt", Otto came hurriedly. I tried to take a step back but he tightened his grip around me not allowing me to move.

"U cannot stand, u are hurt", his gentle voice sent tingles through me. He was an inch or two more than my 5' 9" height.

"I'm fine", I stubbornly removed his hands around my waist and took a step back.

That hurts like a bitch.

I tried to look normal and clenched my teeth, not to let out a hiss. I was trained to control my emotions from my childhood and my profession demanded it.

"No, u cannot ride a bike and it's already late now. U cannot stand properly", Otto let out a worried sigh.

"I will drop you", the handsome stranger offered.

Now why will I sit in a stranger's car?

For all I care he might be the human trafficking boss, who is in search of good-looking, innocent women in villages, wearing expensive suits.

Now I see, he is wearing a black tux complimenting his rich black hair.

weird.......

Mismatched outfit in a mismatched place. I let out a chuckle in my mind.

As if hearing my hesitation he replied, "I'm going towards the same place".

I was determined not to go with him,"thanks, for your help sir but u can leave .I'm completely fine.

He let out a loud sigh and removed his tux.

   ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The man was impossible, alright? He was the most arrogant and exasperating man I had the misfortune to meet. He was so sure of himself that he was not taking a no for an answer & here I'm after 10 minutes seated in the backseat with the devil himself beside me

He was working in his damn minicomputer without taking a look at me. This was the most embarrassing ride of my life, with torn clothes and scraped skin.

"Where to sir?", the old driver asked him breaking the silence in the hell.

"Marthanda Kulkarni's place"  he replied before I could open my mouth.

I was dumbfounded for a second, He knows my grandpa's name.

"How do you know where I stay? if I remember correctly I didn't speak a word".

Seconds turned into minutes but he didn't reply to me, he just kept quiet.

Today is not my best day, I was already pissed and the guy was not helping me.

"Yesterday I saw you near tea stall, krish told me about you", he spoke softly as if not sure of himself.

"Oh", he saved himself in time by opening his sinfully beautiful mouth.

Car came to a halt near our mansion and he got out before me to help me out like a gentleman.

Before I could stop him he bent down and lifted me bridal style, I let out a gasp by the sudden movement.I held his shoulders tightly.

This was the first time I was in a guys arms.

He went inside as if he owned the place and the securities near the gate let him.

Grandpa and my entire family were sitting  in the main hall with worried gazes.

He lowered me on the couch slowly. I could see his flawless face clearly, his breath tingling my skin.

who the hell is this piece of work?

"What happened"? Stuti came hurriedly to help.

"Nothing major, she fell while riding the bike", he looked at me meeting my gaze. His brown eyes searching my soul. There was this weird power radiating from him, screaming undisguised authority.

His gaze was cutoff by grandpa thanking him repeatedly. He spoke with my family for few minutes about the celebration starting from tomorrow.

"It's already late grandpa, I will take my leave", he informed him and got up to depart. His eyes met mine briefly before he took off.

"Who was that, grandpa"? my mind was disquisitive.

"He is Bhaskardev Varma's grandson, Adidev Varma". there was pride in his eyes while talking about him.

"He is expanding his business here", he added.

Varma's , if I remember right, were head of village administration and main trustees of temple authority.

Adi? Is he the same one krish mentioned.

"Is he the Bionic ceo?" I asked him.

"Yes. He is veey smart & hard working young man". His eyes turned gloomy, "His parents died in the accident, the same time during your dad's death". I could see raw pain in his eyes.

Oh!  I didn't expect this. Life is unfair, my mood turned sour. I was bothered by the news more than I was supposed to.

I have seen many deaths in my whole  career. Yet it bothered me.

'same time as your dad'....... those words reverberated in my mind.

"Sis, pls help me up to my room", I requested stuti.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

We were sitting on the terrace at night. Bella was treating my wounds, while Otto was showing the photos he captured today.

"So, who was that sexy guy who carried you?" she wiggled her eyebrows dramatically.

"Stop doing that. You are looking like a clown". Otto jested.

"U imbecile man ! I will show you how a real clown looks".

Her face contorted red in anger trying to find anything to torment Otto until her eyes landed on half-used up tin of paints.

Grinning wickedly she picked it and threw it's containing at him. Otto's reflexes were slow, he brought his hands forward to cover his face but his hairs got covered in white paint.

"Look at the white-haired clown",she laughed hysterically,running out of the room,Otto hot on his heels behind her.

They sure hate each other very dearly.

I let out a chuckle and returned for my room.It was a tough day,I drifted to darkness as soon as my head touched my pillows.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Something heavy was tugging my forearm as if trying to wake me up. I huffed and covered my entire body with blankets and dozed off.

bella always does this.

After some time I again felt a tug near my shoulder harshly. I suddenly woke up, harshly removing my quilt, to catch her red-handed. But room was empty, I got up and checked upon the door locks, but they were locked.

It was 1 am in the night. I came back to my bed and laid down closing my eyes, holding onto my quilt tightly.There was nothing for sometime. I let out a relaxing sigh thinking that I had a crappy day and a good sleep may help me.

I got up and decided to close the windows as chilly wind was blowing heavily.

I stood by the window, as the wind wrecked my long dark hair in every directions. The lawn was surrounded by shrubs, flower beds and ornamental hedges.

I could see vast stretch of trees like a fence around the mansion. There were teak, plum, bael,deodar and flowering trees like yellow flash, golden shower tree, Frangipani and Royal poinciana shining opaquely by the lights of dark night.

I could have a clear view around the mansion from this room as this wing is slightly elevated than the main one.

As I cast my sight towards the pavement near the main door, I could distinctly see something crawling and slithering on it,surrounded by a glow.

I narrowed my gaze bending forward through window, adjusting my hairs that were  covering the clear view. But I couldn't find anything.

Still turmoiled over my thoughts I went to bed closing windows.

Was it a serpent i just saw gleaming? I went to bed with these intrusive thoughts.

Did Ira actually saw a serpent? or was it her visualization?

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