Sonia's point of view...
How could she do this...!I was more disgusted than surprised.I can't believe my ears not even my eyes, my dear aunt introduced an unappealing man with a pot belly just like a nine-month pregnant woman, presumably to be my groom.I know I can't get anything good from her but not at least this. I deserve better.Holy crab...!How much more could I endure in a single day?It became apparent that my aunt was willing to trade me off to that wealthy yet unattractive cartoon of a man for a sum of money.Why...?After all this, I got to know one thing and that is, if I didn't stand up for myself now, I would be forever tied to him.Just the thought sent shivers down my spine. "What do you mean, Aunty?" I yelled in anger, "Who is this man?" I had long suspected my aunt might pull a stunt like this, but I never expected it to happen so soon.I was left behind by my mom when she died a few years back. My mom's brother Uday and his wife Amrita took me in just because they wanted a free maid in their house. I had been doing various jobs from the moment I entered this house just to feed these ungrateful mouths for years. I was never treated as a family here yet I bear with it. But now...!This water is out of my bearing. I couldn't take it anymore.Now that I had finally found my voice, I anticipated that my aunt would reprimand me for being disrespectful, and I might be locked in my room to starve as they did for all these years.But it wasn't the same anymore, I never thought that she would resort to violence.A sharp pain seared across my right cheek, and my vision partially darkened. Before I could comprehend what had just happened, I collapsed to the ground.Slapped...! I couldn't believe my aunt had just slapped me.She didn't hesitate for a second to strike me in front of that so-called guest."Come here with me," my uncle, Uday, dragged me into my room. He is related to me through blood, perhaps the only one who cared a little about me, the only one whom I can tend to."Listen to me, baby, I know it's tough, but it's for your good." it blocked my head completely, was that the same man whom I knew?"He's a rich man, and he'll take good care of you," Uncle added, but I still couldn't believe he was supporting his wife in selling me off.I was so silly, of course.Why wouldn't he? Money can change anything.I raised my head and locked eyes with him. I couldn't believe that he was saying this. I hadn't expected it, at least not from him.He took an oath when my mom died that he would take good care of me before taking away all the diamond jewelry from her."You...!" I wanted to confront him, ask him, or force him not to do this to me.But before I could speak my mind, my aunt burst into the room and grabbed my hair."Listen, Sonia, I don't want to hear any excuses," Amrita snarled digging her nails into my arm too.I screamed in pain, but it was futile. She added,"I went to great lengths to bring that man here. He's not here to sleep with you, but he'll marry you as planned."Uday tried to release my hair, but it only made Amrita grip it harder."She'll do whatever you say, just let go," he said assuring his wife and deciding it all for me. How dare he...!I stared at Uday, who the hell is he to decide my fate?The moment he supported his wife in this, he was not my family not at all.No...! I have to resist...!Though it was painful, I managed to free my hair myself."I won't marry him...!" I said stubbornly taking a stand for myself. My aunt gritted her teeth."See, I told you," Amrita said to her husband, pretending to be weak and pitiful, wiping her eyes for those tears that had never come out."We've been raising her for this day," she said with a disgusting look in her eyes."Come on, Uday, I took five lakhs from Mr. Khurana to pay off your debts. We can't back out now."Five lakhs...!That's all...! Is that what they decided as my price?I clenched my fist on my dress, realizing it was all about money. I was now convinced that I had no other way out.But this time, I decided I wouldn't be a victim in Amrita's game, not anymore."Money, right?" I mumbled, "You want the money, and that's it, huh?" My eyes welled up, not with sorrow but with anger."Your mother dumped you on us. We were the ones who raised you. Do you have any idea how much we spent on you? You ungrateful child" she gritted,Seriously...!I sighed at the audacity of Amrita's question. I was fourteen when my mother left me here with them and I wasn't allowed to stay in their home without contributing.I had to work in my aunt's salon to earn my food. I had to beg people on the street, convincing them to visit the salon. Only by bringing in more customers could I get a meal. There were many nights I went to bed starving myself.And she is telling me that she raised me...!Hilarious...!"Okay, I'll let you go if you give me the money I spent on you," Amrita said looking at me, her eyebrows raised crookedly and I was sure that she knew that I could never come up with the sum she was about to demand.I wiped away my tears before they could fall. I couldn't let them see that I was weak.Because I am not.Those tears would only make me look defeated, which I refuse to be. I took a deep breath and finally spoke out,"How much?" I was now certain that Amrita wouldn't let it slide easily, but this time, I was prepared to buy my freedom.She smiled and strolled around me,"Five... No, ten lakhs..." A smirk crept onto her lips as she deliberately raised the amount, knowing it was an impossible sum for me to pay.How could a girl struggling to earn a few thousand from multiple jobs possibly come up with such a large amount?As I remained silent, Amrita moved closer, raising my chin and sneering mockingly."What happened to the lioness just now? Is it dead hearing the amount?" Amrita pushed me a little, ordering me ironically."Just be ready to marry that...""Fifty lakhs...!" I interrupted her command. Amrita was shocked as those words echoed in her ears. Fifty lakhs...!What the heck is wrong with me?She chuckled instantly."Do you think it's a joke? As if I would believe in...""Fifty lakhs, and I'll move out of this place." I added, "We won't have any connections in the future," I said firmly.Even though fifty lakhs seemed an impossible amount for me to come up with, especially now that I had lost my job, I was determined to stick to my words."Don't spit like a crazy dog, Sonia," Uday grabbed my hand, trying to shake me from my resolve. But I wasn't joking, I was certain of what I had just said. I slowly released my hand and added,"I'll give you the money within twenty-four hours."With that, I opened the door and stepped out. Amrita was still in shock, gaping at me for a while before she finally pulled herself together."If you can't pay by tomorrow, be ready to marry him," she warned. I tilted my head a little, glancing at my dear aunt one last time.Although I felt a slight pain in my chest because of their behavior, I nodded and made my way out, slamming the door behind me. That man was still sitting in the hall but I stormed out avoiding him.The night was still dark, and the only place I could think of going, where no one would hear my tearful screams was the rooftop.I know it was a foolish move but I can't let them sell me to an elephant...!Sitting on the edge, I wept before looking at my phone screen. I had promised an impossible amount to free myself, and now it was time to accept the most unusual job to earn that money I needed.The only way to get that money...!Scrolling through my phone, my fingers stopped at the name on the top of my missed calls list, Misha, Misha Mehra.Tapping the number, I held the phone to my ear, my eyes still closed, and my fingers clutching the phone.It was a job I was not willing to do, even though Misha promised me a handsome amount of sixty lakhs. I never do anything to hurt my dignity but this time I was forced to do it."Hello, Misha," I said reluctantly, "I'm ready. Send me the address.""Finally...!" Misha hissed. "Okay, now take down the address. I'll transfer half of the amount tomorrow morning before you get here."Misha provided me with the address where I had to show up and then hung up the phone, seemingly content that her plan was proceeding as intended.************Sonia's point of view...After a miserable sleepless night which was more horrible than a nightmare, I was lying on the rooftop. Seriously...!I was kicked out of my house last night. Well, that's not the complete truth though.I made my way back to my room where I swear not to enter again.Ugh...! But I have to because I have nothing on me, not even a penny in my pocket. To get myself free from this so-called caring house, I had to complete that rubbish job for which I had to get something from my room.I opened the flat door as slowly as possible, luckily it was still dawn, and the hall was empty. My aunt might be still asleep, why won't she be, she had exerted herself yesterday. Bloody *****...!Oops. I shouldn't be using that word. I can't use a bitchy language for my so-called elders but seriously...!If I could I would spend my half-life here scolding and cursing her. What she did to me was surely not something an elder does to the children anyway.I strolled towards my roo
Author's point of view... Arjun Thakur...!That name alone makes the whole country tremble in fear. He was famous for his cruelty. Ruthlessness was like a crown on his head. He was always in the headlines because of his notorious background.Asia's number one devil, and richest businessman, but with a lot of hidden secrets. His name itself has the pride of an uncrowned king of the dark world and his demonic aura can send chilliness throughout the body who hears his name. He has another darkest shade of him, a terrifying mafia don of Asian underworld controlling the whole mafia effortlessly with just his command, in front of whom no one ever dares to speak because he is no less than a living Lucifer, a hell lord.Just twenty-seven years but his demeanor was frigid like an immortal, ruling this mortal world for hundreds of years. Handsome as the Greek lord himself. His eyes were chocolaty brown. Skin fair, though coldness was evident in each of his expressions, his pink lips had a di
Sonia's point of view...Where is this place...!My heart throbbed against my chest when my eyes went wild to find even one thing that could be called familiar but no use. I was taken straight to a forest. There was nothing but trees and darkness around me as far as my sight goes.I prepared myself for the worst but it was terrifying. What will they do? Isn't it just a death? They can only kill me once, right?Though I will suffer a lot, in the end, I will leave this cruel world forever. I thought it was going to be my end. And also the end of my struggles but I never thought that it was just the beginning. "Purani haveli" I read the board in front of me when the car took a turn ahead inside an arch.'old mansion...!' What is this place now?Is this the place rumored for his cruelty? The place where he tortures his offenders.Right in the middle of the forest, there was a mansion, that looked like a haunted one. I felt a frozen breeze chilling my whole body. Goosebumps crept all o
Sonia's point of view... As I ventured into the inky blackness of the night to get a view of what was it, my heart raced with trepidation. The moon casting a feeble crescent in the sky, cast feeble rays that barely pierced the dense shroud of darkness. Suddenly, along with the red eyes, a low growl shattered the eerie silence, sending paralyzing shivers of fear down my spine. Emerging from the obscurity, a huge creature, a colossal black hound, its eyes gleaming like fiery red coals, loomed ominously before me. It lunged on the fence of the balcony.My breath caught in my throat, and an icy sweat broke out on my forehead. Its breath billowed out in ghostly puffs as it drew nearer, an unsettling mix of fear and fascination gripping me as I stood frozen in its spectral presence.As the hound moved closer, the dread in the pit of my stomach intensified. It approached me cautiously, its massive head dipping down to the ground to sniff the air, but its demeanor was oddly non-threatenin
Sonia's point of view...I trembled as I heard his voice brushing into my ears, there were no emotions in those cold eyes."You have many secrets...!" I stepped back abruptly in fear, my mind was telling me to run away from him. He is dangerous. Even his voice was so scary."W...what se...secrets...!" I stuttered confusingly, actually, I didn't have any idea what he was talking about. He walked past me and sat stylishly on the only chair in front of me with his leg resting on the other."Kneel...!" he grunted as I just bluntly stared at that handsome devil without a blink.Smacking myself back to reality I run my mind wild to gather my strength to defend myself."Kneel" he screamed again and I trembled in fear. His voice was as cold as how handsome he was. I couldn't breathe properly. All I could do was to do as he said so I fell on my knees instantly with my head hanging down in slavery.Was he talking about that scene at the wedding banquet?Should I try to explain?"I...it.....i
Sonia's point of view...What the hell did he take me to?I can't even beg for food at this high-range place. He strode away leaving me behind at the reception and vanished in no second. Mercilessly...!I stared at the people around me who were now giving me deadly glances at me. Gulping down hard I simply raised my leg to walk, but some of the hotel employees surrounded me. I have to think of a way to get out of this situation before it is too late. I couldn't afford to get humiliated here before my death. No...!No way...!Patting my heart my mind instantly lit up with a plan and I took out the phone from my pocket and started scrolling through the screen. Pretending to dial, I put the phone on my ears."Hmm..!" I started, "Are you here yet?" I whispered slowly, but not so low that they couldn't hear me, I wanted them to take the bait,"The show is about to start" I was loud enough to be heard by the bellboy before me but pretended as if I wanted to keep it a secret.As I predi
Sonia's point of view... I always think of speculating before speaking but end up baffling around unreasonably.To distract I suddenly turned my head toward the window from which I could only see sumptuous buildings running away."You seemed to be interested in Luca," he said and I swallowed down the lump formed inside my throat. "A...a.. I mean... I was just...!" stuttering like an idiot, I was ready to make a fool of mine again before him. He suddenly came closer and jolted my little soul. Before I could react, "What did you do to him?" he whispered into my ears. My whole body became conscious and my ears turned red. I didn't hear clearly what he said but the no distance between us was the main problem.I was already at the last of that seat and had nowhere to run. His breath brushed my neck and my heart was throbbing inside my ribcage.What the hell is he up to?"Didn't you hear me?" he sniffed and I was just gaping at him without breathing. "What did you feed him?" he asked ag
Sonia's point of view... "No...!" I shouted, despite the gun in his hand I shouted. He strode closer to me in just a step and clenched my neck, raising me. I was choked to death, struggling to release myself from his firm grip."There is no decline in my dictionary" he gritted a whisper into my ears. I suck in, the air as he threw me, down.Gasping for breath, my world has been shattered into millions of pieces. I was trembling at that kind of devilish behavior of his. What else could I expect from an inhuman man like him?I began pouring out all my pain through my eyes. I couldn't halt them, not anymore.He made his way back to his seat and sat on it with his legs crossed. Not even the slightest emotion of guilt.I couldn't judge what he was but I knew one thing, he isn't a human being for sure."Get yourself ready, we will get married tonight" his words sounded like a decree, a command that I had to follow even if I didn't want to. I wanted to scream but I don't know why my whol