"Bani!"

Arghh! Not again.

"Hey Bani, stop there!" Bani groaned hearing the person who was shouting her name all the way while running towards her.

"What's your problem now?" She yelled at him.

"Talk to me." He said in a pleading tone while panting heavily and she huffed in annoyance.

"Veeranshu, stop disturbing me. I don't want to talk to you. Why are you wasting your time with me?"

"Come on, Bani, stop behaving like this. It has been 2 weeks now. What the hell happened to you?" He asked exasperatedly.

"Bye." She shook her head and started walking away but he stopped her by grabbing her wrist. Bani tried to pull her hand back but his grip was firm on her.

"Stop misbehaving with me. You have no rights to touch me like this. You are my brother's friend, not mine!" She gritted her teeth while Veer pulled her towards him swiftly to which she collided with his chest. He wrapped his arms around her while her heart started thumping loudly as it was the first time for her to be very close to a guy except her brothers.

"Really Bani? Am I misbehaving with you?" He asked with a painful smile.

"Why did you hide it from me, Veer? You have shared a lot about your family, friends, school life and etc but why not this?" She asked in a broken tone.

"What? What did I hide now? Say it clearly, Bani."

She pulled away from his arms and scoffed at him. "Don't act like you don't know anything. Why did you hide from me that you are Jaanvi's boyfriend? You knew right how much I hate her then why do you still wanted to be on good terms with me? Please, Veer, enough of everything now. I don't want to be your friend anymore. Just go back to your girlfr--" Before she could complete, Veer shouted at her, losing his cool.

"What the fuck are you saying? Me? Jaanvi's boyfriend? Oh please, I would rather jump off a cliff than being that characterless psycho's boyfriend." He said in a disgusted tone and Bani looked at him confusedly.

"You are not in relationship with her? Don't lie. She showed me many pictures of you two." She narrowed her eyes at him accusingly.

Veer pulled her by her wrist again and put his palm on her head. "Trust me, I swear on you I have nothing to do with that bitch." Bani swatted his hand away and glared at him.

"I don't want to die soon." She mumbled.

"You won't because I didn't lie to you. But wait, you mentioned about some pictures just now. What about that?" He asked.

"She showed me some selfies of you two." She said, turning away sadly.

"So? Just because she took those selfies with me forcibly, you assumed that we both were boyfriend and girlfriend?" Veer snorted.

"What do you mean by forcibly?"

"That psycho has been obsessed with me since the past 4 years and she always took selfies with me forcibly without my consent. If you had noticed the selfies carefully, you would've realised that I have never smiled in any of those selfies because she clicked them without my consent." He explained in a bored tone and Bani gaped at him.

"Really? How can someone take a selfie with you without your consent?" She asked, still not being able to trust him.

So you don't trust me? Wait, I will show you now.
He thought and took out his phone.

"Bani, see there your brother is calling you." He said, pointing behind her and Bani turned back looking for Sid. At the same time, Veer quickly opened the camera on his mobile and positioned his hand. "Bani, look at me." He said and she turned to him to which he quickly clicked the selfie. Bani gasped when she saw what he did and hit on his shoulder.

"Wow perfect shot, sweetheart." Veer grinned, looking at the selfie and Bani whined seeing the picture as she was looking like an alien in it.

"Why did you take that selfie now? Delete it!" She ordered, trying to snatch the phone from him but he raised his hand high in the air.

"You didn't trust me when I explained you that's why I had to show you a demo on how that witch took selfies with me without my permission." He said, laughing at her attempts to snatch the phone.

Bani gave up being tired and scowled at him angrily. "Why are you so ignorant? You didn't scold her when she posted your pictures on her instagram? Why did you let her to post your pictures and add captions like you were her boyfriend?"

"I've tried telling her many times but she didn't listen to me." He pouted and Bani rolled her eyes.

"Whatever." She said, turning to go away but he stopped her again.

"Bani, wait." She turned and raised her eyebrow at him. "Why did you avoid me all these days? Is it because of her?"

Bani sighed and looked at him with a tight-lipped smile. "Two weeks ago she and her minions came and kind of attacked me when I was going back home after visiting your hostel. She told me that you are her boyfriend and you guys were in love since years. I didn't believe her at first but when she showed me the pictures, I thought she was saying the truth because I've seen her many times getting angry and jealous whenever you talked to me and also I've heard from others that she's madly in love with you. All of that was enough to prove me that you guys are together and adding to it, she warned me to stay away from you as she didn't want her boyfriend being friends with a bitch like me." She chuckled.

"Bani!" He gritted his teeth.

"I mean it was her words." She added.

"So you listened to her like an obedient kid and started avoiding me just because of that mad psycho?" He asked angrily.

Bani chuckled and continued, "I actually tried perceiving from her point of view, Veer. She doesn't like me so obviously she wouldn't like to see her boyfriend being friends with her enemy." She shrugged and Veer clenched his fists angrily.

"I'm not her boyfriend, dammit!"

"Whoa calm down, Doctor." She giggled but Veer continued glaring at her.

"This is the last time you avoided me, sweetheart. I wouldn't appreciate it if you repeat this behaviour again." He said in a challenging tone and Bani nodded obediently, seeing the rage in his eyes.

Veer took a deep breath while running his fingers through his hair to control his vexation. "Come with me." He said, holding her hand and Bani widened her eyes at his action.

"Where?" She asked but he started dragging her with him without bothering about giving her an answer. "Veeranshu?"

"Shhh. Just keep quiet." He ordered, making her shut her mouth instantly.

Veer dragged her to the cafeteria and looked around searching for someone. He spotted the person he was finding for and dragged Bani towards that person. Bani widened her eyes and started pulling him back when she realised whom he was approaching there.

He stopped in front of the table where Jaanvi and her minions were and wrapped his right arm around Bani's waist protectively. Jaanvi glared at Bani but turned towards Veer when he snapped his fingers in front of her face.

"Veer baby?" She gave him a creepy smile and Veer clenched his jaw hearing her.

"Who the hell are you to baby me, Ms Jaanvi Rajput?" He yelled at her and she instantly got up from her seat, gaping at him.

"V-Veer, I-I--" She stuttered but he cut her off.

"Look, you should better step out from your imaginary world and stop announcing to people with your filthy mouth that I'm your boyfriend. It's seriously making me puke to even imagine of being your boyfriend. I've been being polite to you all these years just because you are a girl but it seems like you are taking advantage of my politeness."

"No, Vee--" Jaanvi started but Veer cut her off again.

"I'm not done yet! And who gave you the rights to warn her to stay away from me? Who the fuck are you to decide with whom I should talk and not to talk? You are no one to me, Jaanvi. I would really appreciate it if you could stay in your limits and mind your own business rather than poking your nose in my personal life. And now coming to Bani..." He looked at Bani and pulled her more closer to him with a soft smile while Bani was looking at him with her eyes bulging out. "She's someone more important and special to me and I don't want to lose her friendship at any cost. Do you get that?" He asked, turning towards Jaanvi and glaring at her sharply.

Jaanvi felt embarrassed as the other students in the cafeteria were looking towards her direction with mocking smiles on their faces. Most of the girls in the university hated Jaanvi for her dominating and flaunting behaviour as she always took advantage on everything as the perks of being the daughter of their Dean.

"This is my first and last warning to you. Stay away from our lives. If next time I see or hear you threatening her in any other way, I'll make sure my hand to get into the action instead of my tongue." Veer warned her, pointing his finger against her face and dragged Bani along with him without waiting for her reply. Bani just followed him in a daze as she was totally stunned with the way Veer threatened Jaanvi.

How dare you humiliate me in front of that motherless bitch, Veer? Is she more important to you than me?
I will never forget this humiliation ever in my life. I will make her suffer for each and every word he spat at me. Just wait and watch, Bani. Your countdown starts now! I will ruin your life soon.
Jaanvi thought, glaring at Bani's retreating figure with blazing fury in her eyes.

The same night, Bani was in her room at Rajput's bungalow when she heard her sadistic father roaring her name loudly. She went out to the living area to see him standing like a raging bull, ready to charge on her anytime. She shivered in fear, seeing the fury in his eyes and clutched her frock tightly in her fists.

"Fa-father?" Bani gulped with utmost fear and before she could even realise, the monster took long strides towards her and slapped her across her face with such a force that made her fall on the floor. She looked at him with pool of tears in her eyes as he grabbed her hair and made her stand on her feet.

"How dare you!!! How dare you to send goons to hit my daughter, you treacherous piece of shit!" He shouted at her and Bani yelped in pain when his grip on her hair tightened. She looked from the corner of her eyes to see Jaanvi and her mom, Sheela smirking at her while the servants giving her a pitiful look. But what caught her attention was the bandages wrapped around Jaanvi's head and left arm.

"Answer me! Why are you looking at there? How dare you hire the goons to hurt my daughter? Is this how I raised you?" He yelled at her again and Bani gave him a sarcastic smile.

"You are not the one who raised me, father." She replied back mockingly but the next second she was thrown on the floor by him.

"I've done a great mistake by giving birth to an ungrateful piece of shit like you. I should've showed you your place in your childhood itself but I failed and that's why you are showing your true colours to me now just like your two brothers did. One broke all the ties with me and left with that useless old man and another one is staying at hostel like an orphan. My well-earned reputation has been tarnished because of those two bastards and I'm sure very soon you would follow their ways and backstab me just like how they did!" He spat his venom at her and Bani stood up glaring at him.

"They are your sons. Stop calling them names!" She snapped at him and before he could open his mouth, Sheela beat him to it.

"You bitch! How dare you raise your voice at your father?" She said, raising her hand to slap her and Bani closed her eyes to receive another slap of the day.

"How dare you, Mrs Rajput!" A strong masculine voice roared in the house and Bani opened her eyes with a grateful smile on her face.

"Ajju." She whispered, seeing Arjun who was holding Sheela's hand to stop her from slapping Bani. He pushed the hand with a rage to which Sheela stumbled few steps back but was held by her so called daughter.

Arjun took dangerous steps towards Jaanvi with a menacing aura around him making Jaanvi gulp in fear. He held her left arm which was swathed in the bandage and twisted it behind her back, earning a loud cry from her.

"Stop it, Arjun. Don't hurt my daughter, you rogue!" Vikram shouted, trying to remove Arjun's grip on Jaanvi's arm but he twisted her arm more in order to really break her bones this time.

"You don't have to fake it anymore, Jaanvi. Let me make it real so that this callous man will get a real reason to raise his hands on my sister." He said, twisting her hand more and Jaanvi started crying in pain.

"Leave her, Arjun!!!" Vikram yelled, pulling Arjun away from Jaanvi and he finally left her after being satisfied with her screams. He then harshly pulled the bandage away from her forehead and Vikram frowned seeing no signs of any injury on her head.

"Next time you don't have to fake your injuries if you want to hurt my sister for your timepass. Just give me a call and I'll be more than glad to break your 206 bones, Jaanvi." He said in a very calm yet menacing tone to which Sheela gasped in shock.

"Ajju." Bani whispered again with tears flowing down her eyes. He walked to her and wiped her tears away.

"Go and pack your bag, princess. You are not going to stay here anymore. I will take you away from this hell now." He said, cupping her face and Bani's face lit up when she heard him. She nodded at him happily and was about to move but stopped when Vikram spoke.

"You can't leave from my house, Bani. Don't forget that you are under my responsibility until your 18th birthday."

"Go, Bani. Pack your bags now." Arjun said, ignoring Vikram's words.

"I said she can't leave this house now!" Vikram roared at Arjun and Arjun stood in front of him, giving him a challenging look.

"Princess, do you trust me?" Arjun asked Bani without moving his eyes away from his father.

"Yes, Ajju. More than my life." Bani answered him and Arjun smirked at his father.

"Go and pack your bags, princess." Arjun said again and Bani nodded at him, running back to her room. She dumped all her clothes and other belongings in two large luggage excitedly as she finally got the freedom from that hell.

"Come let's go." Arjun said, holding Bani's hand and ordering his men to keep her luggage in his car.

"I will take legal action against you, Arjun! You will face the consequences for taking my daughter away from me." Vikram threatened him.

"Go ahead, Mr Vikram." Arjun smirked before walking out with his princess.

****

"Ajju, I don't want to go back to that house again." Bani said, sniffling while Arjun was cleaning the wound on her arm which was caused by their own father.

"I won't let you go, princess." He smiled and laid her on the bed.

"It hurts badly." She pouted, caressing her cheek and Arjun chuckled at her.

"Stop it, drama queen. You are a boxer and had received thousands of punches across your face before so don't tell me that his mere slap is hurting you today."

"No, it's really stinging, Ajju. He applied more pressure in his slap just now." She said, adjusting her jaw.

"You just took the painkiller so it will reduce the pain gradually only, princess. Now close your eyes and sleep. Don't think about anything else." He said, tucking her inside the duvet.

"Stay here until I fall asleep." She demanded and held his hand in hers to which he chuckled and agreed to her demand. Bani slowly drifted off to sleep and Arjun clenched his jaw, recalling how her father abused her when he went there. He sent a thank you message to the senior servant of that house who informed Arjun on time when Vikram started hitting Bani.

I will protect you always, princess.
He kissed on her forehead and left the room.

Holla sweethearts ♥️ I think from this chapter you guys have got some idea about how cruel and heartless Bani's father could be, am I right? No? Then don't worry. The worst is yet to come 😉♥️