Devika :

CHUTKI WALKED down to us, looking down.

"I.. I am sorry—"
"You married him willingly?", Aviram interjected.
Chutki looked up, teary eyed.
She nodded into a yes.

I drew in a deep breath.
Akhilesh looked as smug as ever.
I could have personally killed him, but I refrained with magnanimous effort.
I glanced at Aviram. He looked grim and thoughtful.

"Santosh.", He called on, Santosh immediately arrived, "Take them to a room."
Chutki looked at me for approval, only to get a cold look. Akhilesh smiled as he walked past us.

"Hope you both enjoy the storm.", He said with a wide grin, "It is romantic after all."

Devi Maa, is one murder too big a crime?

"You can look after your romance, Vohra.", Aviram said coldly.
"Oo hoo Jija ji.. You don't look good in anger. Only if you knew what all I have done before, and what more I can do.. you would know what a dangerous storm this is.", He said.
Aviram looked at him, almost murderous.

Akhilesh did little to hide his victorious smirk as he walked past us.
"This man—"
"Leela..", Aviram said softly, "I think it's a good time for me to meet Anamika."
"Why her? She's one more nuisance.", I said irritably.
"She is involved in this. Vinay had informed me that she has a hand in all the things Vohra is pulling off here.", Aviram said, clenching his jaws.

I drew in a sharp breath.

"You seriously have an army of jobless people all set to destroy you.", I said irritably as I stormed back into our room.
He followed me in and shut the door.
I sat on the bed, annoyed, angry.

"Is there a special reason as to why you are angry on me?", Aviram asked, his tone turning back to gentle.
"Your ex wife, your ex wife's best friend, your arch nemesis and your step brother and mother.. and guess who's life is ruined here?", I snapped, "My sister's. Chutki is like my daughter, Aviram! I can't watch her get crushed because of this."

I looked down. Maybe I was being unreasonably rude to him and absolutely impulsive, but the girl in question was my sister. I could not keep myself sane knowing she had just ruined her life.
Aviram walked down to me and sat beside me.

"You know what that storm he constantly talks about, is?", He asked softly.
"What? Ruining our lives?!", I asked, as my eyes itched with tears of helplessness.
"It is us. You and me, Devika Aviram Raghuvanshi.", He said in his usual calm tone. I looked up at him.
A tear rolled down my eye.
He edged closer and carefully wiped it off.

"Whatever the circumstances, we have to stay together. Trust me, your sister is my sister too. I will not let any harm come her way as long as I live.", He whispered as he placed his hand on my cheek.

"Ram, I know you are a man of immense patience and virtue, but this is not the time to be calm. That man has entered our home now. You either oust him or kill him, I don't care. Get my sister out of his hands otherwise I will personally show him his place.", I said immediately.

He sighed.

"Fine. I will do what is necessary. Now good night.", He said.
I lay back on the bed and shut my eyes.

If he doesn't do the needful, I shall.

•

Aviram :

Next morning I was at the apartment Anamika was living in.
"Good morning to the King.", She said casually sitting on the sofa in the room. Wearing a shiffon saree, in a rather revealing manner, she sat. Hair left open, dark lipstick, thick eyeliner.
"Who is Vohra to you?", I asked simply. She smiled looking at her nails, freshly manicured fingers, I noticed.
"My boyfriend.. you have a problem?", She asked grinning, amused.

"Well then, your boyfriend has married—"
"You haven't changed at all Aviram. Always in passive anger, always so hurt and aggressive in silence. It's sad, really. But you know what is sadder? Your poor wife's sister has practically walked into ruination. And with that she has pulled your relationship too. Your wife, Devika, is like the fire - fierce and impulsive. I know she won't sit in silence for long. So.. basically, I see another divorce—"

"With no respect at all.", I said sharply, "You wouldn't want to know what an angry sea can do, Anamika. So shut the nonsense and get to the point. Why are you doing this? Vohra is here for revenge, I know. What is your agenda?", I asked.

She stood up and walked down to me.

"You, my dear ex husband. You and the throne of the Queen.", She said as she placed a hand on my shoulder.
I smiled, amused as I removed her hand from my shoulder.
"You are testing a Raghuvanshi's loyalty?", I asked, almost laughing.
She smiled a little wider as she bent before me.
"No.", She whispered, "I am testing a Raghuvanshi's love."

I raised a brow.
She smiled,

"Mihika's life will be ruined by Vohra very soon when he will casually release an MMS on hers on social media—"

"Anamika!", I stood up, enraged.

"Oh.. it's just the beginning.", She said grinning.
"Your darling Devika.. she has a certificate for dance, right? Mrinalini Devi will be out of jail in another few hours.. and she, with her contacts, will make that certificate useless. With that there will be a spread of bad word about Devika in the whole Dance community. So practically, her dancing career is doomed.", She said.

"So thanks to you, Aviram Raghuvanshi, the woman you love will lose her everything. In case, you want to change her destiny, you have only one offer. Make me your queen again.", She said.

I drew in a deep breath and took a step towards her.
Intimidatingly.

"Lay one finger on my Leela, Anamika. And I swear, I shall burn down your Lanka.", I whispered looking her in the eye.
"My curse has worked Aviram. And my plan will too. You will watch your beloved wife get ruined.", She said.

"What is your problem with me Anamika? When you were my wife you cheated on me, you chose to leave me. And now suddenly you want me back?", I asked irritably.
She smiled, a thin crooked smile.
"Oh how I wish I could tell you.", She whispered as she placed a hand on my chest. I immediately edged away.

"I am not joking Aviram. That MMS, it is already made. Just one upload and Mihika will have to die of shame.", She said sharply.

I clenched my jaws.

"Ah, that jawline. Still makes my knees go weak.", She said grinning.
"Stop joking!", I growled at her.
"This is no joke Aviram. You know I am not someone who bluffs.", She said sharply, "If Devika does not leave tomorrow, the MMS shall be out. And that is my promise."

I said nothing as I stormed out of her apartment.

Anguished, and nervous.

•

When I reached back home, I opened my room to find it adorned with flowers and scented candles.
Devika stood near the mirror, wearing a beautiful saree.

Unlike any that she was used to wearing. A thin silk saree, red in colour. Hair left open, down to her waist. The blouse was a little too deep, the end of the saree, a little too low, revealing her cleavage.

I walked in, a little taken aback and shut the door behind me.

She looked at me.
"What is going on?", I asked awkwardly.
"Umm.. actually we were getting Mihika's room decorated for the suhag raat, so I just got our room decorated too.", She said awkwardly.

I gulped.
Somehow, in the darkest corner of my otherwise pious mind, the reason for that over revealing saree seemed to make its way.

"Decorated? I.. I mean it's good.", I said awkwardly.
She walked down to me, as I tried hard to look normal.
She looked extraordinary. Extraordinarily seductive.
She wore large earrings, silver, easy to remove. The saree was already sliding off her body.

The deep red lipstick, eyes marked with kohl and the little make up to compliment it. Her features were already perfect, and now, it was impossible to tear my gaze off her. No man could resist a woman of that beauty.

She placed her hand on my chest, sending shivers down my whole body.
Why was I so terribly intimidated?

"Are you okay, Ram?", She asked softly.
I drew in a deep breath, realising, that there were more important matters.

"Leela.. I met Anamika..", I told her of my whole conversation with the former.
She stood listening to it in silence.

After I ended, she paused, looking down.

"And you seem to have made a decision regarding it.", She said softly.
"What.. am I to say.. anymore?", I whispered, feeling my throat go numb.
My heart wrenched even at the thought of having any other woman take her place.
But my hands seemed to be tied with a rope of thorns.

"What should a King do in such a situation, Rajaji?", She asked softly, taking a step towards me. Her hand moving to my neck.
I gulped.
"Before everything, it is a case that concerns Mihika's reputation, your reputation, a woman's respect must be protected at all costs. So, according to the rule book, I must take whatever steps necessary to conserve her respect and reputation in the society."

Devika drew in a deep breath.
I looked down, shutting my eyes.

"So.. shall I take this to be our last night together, Rajaji?", I heard the tremor in her voice.

I glanced up.
"I.. I don't wish to let you go. But.. I don't seem to have a choice. The evil has overpowered, Leela. If this was about me, you know I would have gladly given up everything, but it is about you. Your sister is my sister too. I cannot let your lives burn for my selfishness.", I said, my voice trembled. Tears itched my eyes.

I placed my hand on her cheek.
A lone tear rolled down her left eye.
A tear of sadness, unwonted pain.
The beautifully dressed room, the gleam of the candles all seemed to have dimmed into a vast tunnel of tragedy.

She said nothing as she simply wrapped her arms around me and pulled me into a comforting embrace.

I felt her breath on my chest, trembling slightly, as if holding back the urge to cry out loud in pain.
I looked around the room, letting my own tears slide.

"Can I have a last wish?"

I nodded.

"Make me yours tonight. For the first and the last time, Ram. You shall not see me tomorrow again.", She whispered.
I drew in a deep breath.
"Why would you still want to be mine? You can leave and find someone better.", I asked.
She tightened her grip around me.

"I had taken the seven promises of marriage with you.", She said,
"And a Raghuvanshi keeps her word till the end of her life."
She released me and looked up.

"I had taken a promise from you on our first night, the promise that you shall never touch me without my consent.", She said looking straight into my eyes,
"Tonight, I give you my consent."

I edged closer to her, slowly wrapping my arm around her naked waist under the saree.
I felt her shiver under my touch.

"It shall be a bittersweet union then, my love.", I whispered.
She smiled, through her tears, "Imagine how exceedingly appealing a man you are, that this is what I come up with on our last night."

I smiled looking down, trying not to break down into tears.
She held my face, tenderly.
"Atleast laugh, I'm trying to joke.", She said smiling, doing the same thing as me.

"Imagine how extremely gorgeous you are, that I agreed to it.", I replied truthfully.
"That, I am.", She said proudly as I looked at her.

Even with tears, kohl smudging slightly, her beauty just seemed to get enhanced. The charm was unparalleled.

Without wasting another moment, I gently placed my lips on hers.
After a moment of refrain, due to the shock, she eventually gave in.
As if ready to cherish every bit of this fateful last night.

•••

- I will give you the last night bit in the next chapter before moving ahead (hehe XD)

- drop in your votes and comments!
the engagement is extremely motivating.