In the wake of conversing personally, I had to shift Mr. Luthra into his bedroom, a feeling of awkwardness creeping up inside my heart. I was still in favour of resolving the issue because the mysterious culprit was residing somewhere at the back of my mind, warning me of the imminent danger to Mr. Luthra's life.

We at first hesitated to look at each other while I could see him tightening his knuckles on the armrest of his wheelchair. He was embarrassed as much as I was until he made the effort to initiate the conversation. "Dr. Preeta Arora?"

I pursed my lips together and tapped the floor in nervousness. No apt reaction was coming to my mind in such a situation and I just mumbled. "What more do you have to talk now?"

"I know whatever had happened an hour ago is enough to vex you. But believe me, it was not what I had wanted to do. They are my friends and I know them personally. I... I am..." He said, his elegant brown eyes gazing at me with decent and apologetic emotions.

I stared at him in amazement.
"That's great, Mr. Luthra. They are your friends so they have the license to insult anyone. You also supported them because you know them personally. You mustn't forget that it's your friend Mahira who is at fault, and you brought me here into this room to brag about the matter which I am trying to forget. There was no need for this, Mr. Billionaire. I am already leaving your house and
the case, WILLINGLY."

"Preeta!" I heard him call just my first name, freezing my limbs in the same position.

A tight grip snaked up from the corner of my waist before encircling my right wrist. My agitated nerves tensed as his grip felt so strong and heartwarming against my skin, goosebumps dangling in my stomach. I didn't know why I was getting carried away every time he came in contact with me.

"Leave me, please." I fisted my palm, struggling hard into his chained grip. Though he was severely hurt and on wheelchair, he still possessed the handsome arms of a stalwart and strength of a physically powerful male.

"Oh Preeta, don't come to conclusions without listening to the whole thing. I wanted to speak to you personally to provide an apology for my behavior. I just needed to explain to you under what circumstances I had done that. I'm sorry...." His eyes were gleaming with beads of pleading tears but he was strong enough not to let them flow outwards.

In the next moment, I equally widened my moistened eyes, staring at him through the blurry vision. "Sorry doesn't make a dead person alive, Mr. Luthra. If you are done with your apology, can I leave, please?" I was twisting my wrist to set it free while he wouldn't let me go.

He shook his head. "I am not done yet. Do you know what compelled me to behave in that particular way? The exact reason wasn't how they were behaving but the real reason was actually YOU."

He was explaining it in a very casual manner but it was stabbing my heart with numerous imaginary blades. He was trying to turn the tables to blame me in order to justify the acts of his close friends. I would tolerate anything but not listen to anyone's chiding unnecessarily.

"You're unimaginable, Mr. Luthra. You only need reasons to blame me and that's it." I groaned, unable to bear things any further. He was forcefully trying to appease me and I did not feel the urge to fall for it again. Tears had already begun trickling down my cheeks but I wouldn't want to hide it anymore.

"Can I explain?" He pleaded before earning a nod from me and then continued, "When Mahira was deliberately insulting you, you were busy fighting for your own dignity. Wasn't it necessary for you to guard me against them? Sir did submit my responsibility in your hands but you are not able to carry out your task at the right time. What if the murderer is any one of them?"

This was totally opposite to what I had imagined. He didn't trust his friends the way I had thought. "You were so pleased upon meeting them, Mr. Luthra. I did think for once that they are the ones you immensely trust with all your heart. They are your near and dear ones and..."

"Don't indulge into your own considerations, Preeta." He interrupted my speech. "It is not the matter of trust but a sensitive issue which has to be worked upon. But more than that, you have disappointed me with something else today. I ordered you to move away and you simply obeyed me. You didn't think for once that you weren't supposed to leave me alone at any cost. You chose to leave quietly without taking the standpoint of a wife."

If eyes had a mouth, I could tell what his brown beads were trying to communicate to me. He was extremely hurt and it was only for me. His chocolaty brown eyes were floating in the imaginary chilled waters, trying to find confinement in me to reach the vale of his life, whereas I would be rowing the boat for him.

"Standpoint of a wife?" I was taken aback with his justification this time. We had already made it a deal to behave like strangers and yet he was freely calling me as his wife inside the bedroom.

He read the expressions in my eyes for a few seconds before speaking, "Don't think I am trying to woo you. Wasn't it decided that we will behave as a couple before the public? You didn't try holding your rights on me in front of them. You've failed all my tests and saddened me this time."

I felt his grip on my palm relaxing before vanishing completely, letting me know that he was taking my tests for the entire time. I rolled my eyes and stared blankly into his intimidating ones, his brown shaded eyeballs telling me tales of unspoken affliction.

"You were taking my tests all this time because you had doubted my abilities. I should quit the case according to you because I'm a failure."

Mr. Luthra raised his palm. "I am not asking you to quit. I mean you should try giving a chance to rectification."

I nodded my head, my ego had been inflicted by his behavior. "I want to acknowledge you with a few words before leaving, Mr. Luthra. When I returned to the room, I had already decided to leave but I couldn't have left you alone. I hid behind a pillar in the hallway to keep an eye on everything without interrupting you. Lastly, I'm an unmarried girl and sharing the same room with an unknown guy is not eye-soothing for our society. I was here to only honour Mr. Karthik's immense trust on me. I know I was needing time to adjust with you but it is now unbearable because of your big fat ego. You can ask for a free replacement."

I wanted to leave the room immediately after I completed my rantings. I was remorsefully lamenting with guilt for having accepted such a task which was not suitable for me. I couldn't afford to live with him after the major showdown.

My back was facing him this time. I had already gulped the bitter pills of humiliations from others and was up on my heels to leave forever. He didn't trust me and no professional relationship could be build if it lacked trust in it.

I had not walked further than a single step when he caught hold of my wrist again and pulled me towards him. I fell almost a few inches apart from his partially bandaged body and his unhurt arm squeezed my right naked shoulder. Electrifying signals ran through my veins with his gripping enigmatic touch. My heart had already begun impounding against the diaphragm of my chest with the number of beats increasing in quick successions every second that passed.

He carefully lifted his right hand to get hold of my stole lying on the bedside table and covered it across my bare shoulders, his action gentle enough to melt my heart. He was becoming too adorable to be avoided.

Bringing his lips closer to my ears, he whispered, "You don't need to wear clothes you aren't comfortable with only to compare yourself to others. You are better the way you are."

With the mesmerizing speech of his, my head had already begun spinning, wondering of how he was able to read my mind each time. I had deliberately left my stole in the room because his friends were rich and even Mahira was wearing dresses that showed her skin. I thought they were considering me a fool in
Mr. Luthra's loose fitting clothes and so I had attempted to change into my own clothes again.

Mr. Luthra was right in comprehending my thoughts, the truth of my discomfort for going into the public wearing the tank top which exposed my shoulders. I was a very conservative woman and it was worn by me only at night inside the bedroom. I was in such a hurry the previous night that I hadn't found enough time to change clothes and so I had fetched the stole to cover myself.

"I'm not comparing myself to anyone. I am going to talk to
Mr. Karthik about everything and bid adieu to the case." I gently parted from him and moved to the table to grab his medicines. I slid the pending dose of capsules into his palm and fetched him a glass of water. He gobbled it in one go without reacting to what I had said in the conclusion.

Replacing the glass on the table, I spoke again, "It was my duty to feed you the medicines in time. I have performed my final task and I hope I didn't fail in your eyes this time. I wish that you find a perfect replacement very soon who can quickly recover you from your illness. I pray that you are safe and out of the impending dangers as soon as possible."

Without waiting for his egoistic answers to my speech or taking a final glance at his face full of varied expressions, I barged out of the room, banging the door behind me with a thud!

__________

Mr. Karthik was patiently waiting for us in the living room, chewing on his favourite pastries. He used to share the eatables with me when I was looking after him a roughly two years ago. He noticed me approaching the hallway hastily and gestured me to sit on the chair next to him.

I nodded abruptly. "I am not going to waste even a second now. Please do find a perfect and flawless replacement for him, and go to his room now because I've left him alone there."

I prepared to leave when a frowning Mr. Karthik stood up from his seat, enquiring me. "Didn't you resolve the matter with him? I thought you both would very well get hitched together for the good cause."

"We will never come to terms, Mr. Karthik. Please let me go if you have a humble heart and soft corner for me.  I can't afford to put my dignity at stake." I pleaded, shaking my legs vigorously.

Mr. Karthik nodded his head with a disheartened look but I was too helpless this time. Things were against my professional favour. He simply added, "Ms. Arora, I have already forwarded your letter. You won't be able to resume your hospital duties anytime soon."

"I will manage spending a few weeks by engaging in different tasks in my own apartment. Shall I depart now?" I was turning impatiently desperate to leave the bungalow where I felt like dying out of suffocation.

"You can but please fetch your luggage with you. Your maid Sheila had arranged it on my orders," he spoke in a quieter tone and pointed his forefinger at the luggage lying on the table. It was the same one which I had doubted to be mine an hour ago.

"It's fine and thank you. If you need any other help, I am always there for you. But it shouldn't be related to rude human beings or cases where someone is insulted repeatedly." I remarked in a stern voice and grabbed my luggage from the table.

"Take care of yourself, Ms. Arora."  Mr. Karthik waved at me, and as I turned to go, a loud voice froze my limbs, preventing me from moving any further.

"Preeta won't be going anywhere." I heard Mr. Luthra's commanding voice from somewhere behind us.

I turned to take a glance of him and found him scrolling his wheelchair with his hands to reach the living room. He had a concerned look prevailing over his face but I knew it wasn't for me!

So what did it actually mean? Why did he stop me in the first place?

_________

To be continued...