37-Strange obsession
Far from the dazzle of the city, there was silence in an old, dilapidated apartment, pierced only by the light of a dim bulb burning in the room.
The room didn’t look like an art gallery, but it certainly looked like a mark of madness.
Paintings of Vaidehi were hanging everywhere on the walls—somewhere she is laughing, somewhere she is sitting on the temple steps, and somewhere she is drenched in the rain.
Rudra, who had several deep scars on his face and a strange glint in his eyes, stood with a paintbrush in his hands.
He was working on a new painting. On the canvas, Vaidehi was shown lying on a bed, with just a white sheet on her body, which was further highlighting her softness.
Her face was light pink, eyes intoxicated and half-open...
as if she were in a deep trance.
With trembling hands, Rudra ran the brush over the part of the painting where Vaidehi's lips were.
He gently stroked the canvas, as if he were truly touching Vaidehi.
"You are just mine, Vaidehi," he muttered, his voice filled with a strange obsession.
"I have waited for you for years; every moment, every hour, I have only thought about possessing you.
People say I am mad, but they don't know that you are written in my destiny.
So beautiful... I hadn't even thought that when you appeared before me, you would destroy me completely.
But I accept this destruction."
Just then, the room door creaked open.
A police officer, in a khaki uniform, walked in with a lit cigarette in his hand.
He took stock of the entire room and gave a faint, cynical laugh.
"You have worked very hard, Rudra," the officer said, exhaling smoke.
"But remember, I helped you escape from jail, and I still haven't received my reward.
Where is the money?"
Rudra threw the brush aside and pointed toward the table.
"The money is kept there on the table. Take it and get out of here.
"
The officer picked up the money and stood near Rudra.
"Listen, I am a policeman, I know who you are messing with.
The girl you are chasing so relentlessly is not an ordinary woman.
She is the wife of Samrat Pratap Singh. Her husband...
he is the devil in human form. If he gets even the slightest hint that you are dreaming this dirty dream about his 'possession,' he will bury you alive.
Consider your age, Rudra. If you had married in your life, that girl would be the age of your daughter today.
"
Rudra's eyes turned red like embers.
He lunged and grabbed the officer's collar.
"Shut up! How dare you give me advice? I know my obsession better than anyone.
Who are you to decide what my work is and what it isn't? Get out of here before I drive this brush into your eyes.
" The officer put out his cigarette, collected the money, and left.
On the other side, the atmosphere in the bedroom of Vishwaraj's luxurious bungalow was completely different.
The room was plunged in darkness; only the yellow light of the bedside lamp was falling on Samrat's face, which was flushed with anger.
He was sitting on the edge of the bed, his shoulders slumped, and his fists clenched.
Vaidehi, who had changed her clothes by now, was sitting in front of him, scared and trembling.
She was trying to soothe him, but Samrat sat like a stone statue.
Vaidehi slowly extended her hand and placed it on his shoulder, but Samrat brushed it off.
"Samrat ji, please... listen to me," Vaidehi said with moist eyes.
Samrat stood up suddenly, his eyes full of poison.
"What is there to listen to? That you are still running after your father?
Go, go to him then! Why have you come to me?
Who am I to you?"
Vaidehi got up, went behind him, and hugged him from behind.
She rested her head on his shoulder and started kissing his back gently.
"You are my husband, Samrat. Papa's place and yours are different in my life.
How can you compare the two? No one can take anyone's place; someone's arrival does not decrease the value of another.
You don't know what you are to me."
Samrat turned, grabbed Vaidehi by her wrist, and pinned her against the wall.
His grip was very firm, as if he didn't want to let her go anywhere.
"I don't want to hear all this!" Samrat roared.
There was a strange pain and a desperate urge to possess in his voice.
"I cannot share anyone in my life, Vaidehi.
Not your father, not your mother, nobody!
Only me! Me and only me! Don't you understand?
You are only mine."
Vaidehi, trembling, held his hand, "Samrat, you are being very possessive...
he is my father!"
Samrat cut her off mid-sentence.
He took Vaidehi's face between both his hands, his eyes shining like a predator's.
He placed his hand on her lips and silenced her.
Then, without wasting a single moment, he pressed his lips onto Vaidehi's.
It wasn't a kiss; it was a claim—a claim that no one could break.
Vaidehi's breathing quickened. Samrat pulled her waist hard toward himself and pressed her against his chest. Vaidehi grabbed his shirt tightly and started reciprocating.
Samrat took her toward the bed, every move of his filled with a passion that was both terrifying and soul-shaking for Vaidehi.
Samrat felt as if he wanted to forget everything in the world and engulf only Vaidehi within himself.
The only sound in the air of the room was that of their rapid breathing.
In Samrat's eyes, there was only Vaidehi now—the Vaidehi whom no one else could see, only him...
because she was his obsession, his devilish obsession.
So, stay tuned to read what happens next.
The atmosphere in the room had completely changed.
The torrential rain outside and the warmth inside were both at their peak.
Samrat and Vaidehi were so lost in each other's arms that it felt as if every clock in the world had stopped.
Samrat could feel her heartbeat against his chest. He wanted to gather his entire world into that single moment.
Vaidehi, too, could feel his madness and passion.
Just then, Samrat's phone, kept on the nearby nightstand, started vibrating.
Vaidehi gestured to ignore it, but the sound persisted.
Samrat picked up the phone, annoyed, intending to switch it off, but his face turned pale as soon as he saw 'Mom' on the screen.
He picked up the call. From the other side came Rukmini Devi’s sobs and tearful voice.
"Samrat... son... come quickly, your father...
I am taking him to the hospital, he is bleeding so much...
I cannot bear to see this, son!"
Samrat's body turned to stone. Hearing Rukmini Devi, who was always as strong as a rock, breaking down like this for the first time was like a thunderbolt for Samrat. Vaidehi, who noticed Samrat’s grip loosening, saw the changing expressions on his face and grew scared. She leaned in to listen to his phone. As soon as she heard that Raghav Ji’s condition was critical, her heart began to race.
Raghav Ji had loved her more than his own daughter; his affection was like a divine blessing to her.
Tears welled up in Vaidehi's eyes.
Samrat immediately said, "Mom, don't lose heart, I am leaving right now!
I will reach there in just a few hours."
He immediately pulled out his second phone and ordered his secretary to prepare the private jet.
Vaidehi got up in a hurry and said in a trembling voice, "Samrat Ji, let's go!
Let's go quickly! Papa... nothing will happen to Papa, right?
"
Just then, the phone rang again. This time, it was Sitam’s call.
Sitam said in a panicked voice, "Brother, where are you?
Uncle has been brought to the City Hospital, his condition is very critical.
I am right here, come quickly!"
Samrat took a deep breath, a cold fire in his voice.
"Sitam, I am in Tamil Nadu. It will take time to reach.
Until then, try your best to keep him stable; I am leaving via private jet.
"
Inaya and Vishwaraj, who had come downstairs hearing the commotion, were stunned to hear this.
They prepared to accompany Samrat and Vaidehi to Rajasthan, as they wanted to meet Raghav Ji and Rukmini Devi—after all, they were the parents-in-law of their only daughter.
Everything was happening so fast that no one even had time to compose themselves.
The private jet was trying to cover the distance from Tamil Nadu to Rajasthan in three hours.
Throughout the journey, Vaidehi sat holding Samrat's hand, her prayers were for Raghav Ji.
Samrat was silent, but his fists were clenched so tightly as if he were fighting an invisible enemy.
He suspected that his father getting shot was not a coincidence, but a well-planned conspiracy.
Three hours later, when they reached the hospital, the atmosphere was heavy.
Sitam was pacing in the corridor. Seeing Samrat, he ran toward him.
Without saying a word, Samrat headed straight toward the ICU.
Inside, Raghav Ji was on the bed with a bandage on his shoulder.
He was conscious, and Rukmini Devi was sitting by his side, wiping her tears.
Vaidehi ran inside, went to Raghav Ji, and knelt down.
"Papa! Are you alright? How... how did all this happen to you?
" There was pain in her voice.
Raghav Ji gently placed his hand on Vaidehi's head.
He looked very weak, but he smiled and said, "Beta, I am perfectly fine.
It's just a small wound, it will heal. Why are you crying?
"
Samrat was watching everything. He knew his father was hiding the truth.
He didn't want Rukmini Devi or Vaidehi to know who had carried out this attack.
Sitam pulled Samrat into a corner.
"Brother, the doctors are saying the bullet was fired from very close range.
This was not a robbery incident. It was a professional job.
"
Blood rushed to Samrat's eyes. He said in a cold, calm voice, "I will look into it in the study room.
Everyone stay calm for now. No one here should suspect what has happened.
"
Inaya and Vishwaraj also reached Raghav Ji and comforted him.
Although the four of them were strangers to each other, Samrat had already informed Raghav Ji and Rukmini Devi about Vaidehi's family background.
Raghav Ji only knew that Avinash was the younger brother of his college friend and that he had passed away.
Samrat stepped out of the hospital; it was still raining.
He took out his phone and opened a very old file containing information on 'Rudra.
' He was now convinced that Rudra was on a mission to wipe out not just Vaidehi, but her entire lineage.
Just then, a message arrived on Samrat's phone from an unknown number—"The first strike was just the beginning, Samrat Pratap Singh.
Next time, I won't miss the target. And very soon, I will come to take what is mine.
"
Upon seeing the message, Samrat squeezed his phone so hard that the screen cracked.
He knew it was time to end this game. He signaled his bodyguards and ordered the hospital security to be tightened.
Inside, Vaidehi was still sitting by Raghav Ji, giving him water.
She thought everything would be fine, but standing outside, Samrat knew the storm was yet to come.
To save Vaidehi, he would now have to go to such lengths that there would be no turning back.
He had decided—if Rudra wanted to enter his world and destroy his family, he would burn Rudra alive in his own trap.
Samrat went back inside with a fake smile on his face so that Vaidehi wouldn't be scared.
He went up to Raghav Ji and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Papa, you rest. I am outside; no one is allowed to come in.
"
The moment Raghav Ji saw him, he realized that his son had now set out on a path he never wanted to see him on.
But Samrat had no other choice now. This was not just a war of love; it was now a battle against a devil who was beyond the law, police, and fear.
The night was growing deeper; everything looked blurred in the hospital light.
Vaidehi, who used to be troubled by Samrat's possessiveness, felt peace today just by him being near.
She didn't know that her husband, in whose love she was drowned, had turned into a ferocious predator at this moment. Samrat’s eyes were searching for something in the darkness outside the window.
Rudra was nearby, watching. He was enjoying this destruction.
And Samrat, he was preparing to turn this 'enjoyment' into a noose around Rudra's neck.
So, stay tuned to read what happens next.