-46-
Anjali Rana was having a complete breakdown seeing her beloved daughter in the clutches of this psychopathic man.
Now that she tried to look back, her daughter had been getting marriage proposals even before she turned eighteen.
Whoever saw her once wanted her to be the bahu of their home.
Anjali had rejected so many proposals softly, careful never to humiliate anyone.
She had always been terrified of this exact day.
She had kept her daughter hidden from the world, fearing that one day someone would try to take revenge making her daughter, the bait—and somehow, she had become the very reason for this to happen.
She shook her head in sheer panic, watching the way Aahan looked at Jayasvi.
Her innocent daughter was nothing more than prey to him.
And she was completely helpless because Jayasvi was trapped in his grasp.
But what had she even done wrong? Was she supposed to marry her daughter off to any man who sent a proposal?
What kind of sick mentality was that? How could he act like this?
"Your daughter will be mine whether you like it or not," Aahan spoke with a cruel smile, leaning his head down to catch a whiff of Jayasvi's hair while staring directly into her mother's eyes.
"Just wait and watch. Enjoy the show," he smirked. His focus was solely on humiliating Jayasvi in front of her mother, wanting nothing more than to see Anjali Rana break.
The next moment, he felt a sharp, brutal blow land squarely on his nose, followed by a harsh push that momentarily blacked him out.
He stumbled back, disoriented, trying to regain his balance when his vision cleared to reveal Jayasvi dusting her hands off.
Her once-soft eyes were dipped in pure hatred and disgust as she glared at him.
"Aahan Dagar, I am saying this for the very last time. Touch me again, and next time I'll chop off the very thing that's having such a hard time staying in your pants," she spat, her nostrils flaring in disgust.
Her mother rushed forward to pull her back, shaking her head and silently pleading with her eyes for Jayasvi to stop before she provoked the man further.
Aahan was caught off guard for a second before a loud, booming laugh burst from his chest.
"Feisty, hmmm? Raghav surely has a kinky choice, but I can't blame him. You do look sexy when your face turns pink with anger," Aahan said, his voice dripping with mocking admiration as he took a step forward, circling Jayasvi and her mother like a predator.
"I always thought you had nothing going for you except that pretty face and figure, but guess what...?"
He smiled charmingly, pointing a finger at her.
"You surprised me yet again, my beauty. It's going to be so much more fun claiming you now."
Jayasvi was about to lunge at him again when her mother held her back with all her strength.
"Please, Jayyu beta, shut up! You don't know what he is capable of. Please. You are about to get married in a few days...don't ruin everything. He already has so many unpleasant thoughts about you," her mother pleaded, desperate for her safety.
"Yes, little flower, listen to your mother. Come into my arms and let me show you how you'll become a woman tonight," Aahan smiled, opening his arms wide with that same charming demeanor, his eyes never straying from her.
Jayasvi trembled with pure rage seeing how sickeningly he was acting. She was disgusted with herself for ever treating this man as a close friend. He was a snake—no, worse than a snake.
"My Raghav will bury you alive, Aahan Dagar. Your mother seems to be as weak as you that got hurt just because my mother said no to your proposal. What do you even have, hmmm? Apart from your delicate ego? What is your worth, besides being the heir to your father's business?"
she scoffed, taking a defiant step toward him, only to be yanked back again by her mother.
His eyes almost got murderous when she humiliated his mother but the next moment, he controlled himself. "Ohhh... darling," he cooed, pouting his lips mockingly before the cruel smirk snapped back onto his face. "Too many big words for a delicate girl standing so weak in front of me."
Jayasvi laughed out loud at his words, her eyes spitting pure fire.
"Ooof, babe, those eyes could actually burn me alive today," Aahan mocked, raising his hands in fake surrender before laughing like the devil incarnate.
"You know, Aahan, I am laughing at you and your pathetic mindset. I feel sorry for the woman who gave birth to a man like you. Do you know what is weaker than a helpless girl?"
she asked, acting as if she were lost in deep thought, before the corner of her lips tugged upward.
"It's a man's ego. It is so damn fragile, and do you know why it's so weak...?"
She paused dramatically, raising her eyebrows.
"Because it has zero worth in this world, yet you men wear it on your heads like a crown... You men think that your respect in society comes from the women in your life, so you assume you're free to do whatever you want and get away with it," she spat out before lifting her left hand,
displaying her ring clearly in his face where Raghav's ring sat proudly.
"I am daring you, Aahan Dagar. Apne baap ka asli beej ho na, toh Raghav Hooda ki hone wali biwi ko haath laga ke dikha. Dekhte hain kitni aur saansein lene dega woh tumhein iske baad."
(If you are truly your father's son, then try touching Raghav Hooda's bride-to-be.
Let's see how many more breaths he lets you take after that.)
Aahan froze for a split second, caught off guard by the sheer fire in her eyes.
Before he could react, the front door of the apartment thundered open. Her father, Ramesh Rana, stepped into the room after hearing the loud commotion, having woken up to find his wife missing from their bed. He froze the moment he saw a random man standing inside his daughter's bedroom.
"Who the hell are you, you bastard? What are you doing in my daughter's room?" he growled, charging forward to attack him. But Anjali quickly pulled her husband back, knowing he was no match for Aahan in physical strength.
"Mummy, let go of me right now! Trust in the milk you fed me, I won't leave a single bone unbroken in his body!" Jayasvi growled, struggling wildly in her mother's grip as she glared at Aahan.
"Seems like a happy family reunion. It almost brings a tear to my eye," Aahan said after a beat, watching the chaos unfold.
"Do you really think I came here without any preparation? My men are standing right outside this apartment building. I am not stepping out of here until I take her with me."
He nonchalantly sat down on the edge of her bed, crossing his legs.
A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the room as Jayasvi looked between her mother and father, a sudden wave of real terror washing over her. The atmosphere grew thicker by the second, and the tenser it got, the more excited Aahan became, already fantasizing about how he would break and claim her.
Just as Aahan stood up to take a step toward Jayasvi, the main entrance of the apartment thundered with deafening knocks—as if someone were about to kick the door down entirely.
Her grandmother, Ganga Rana, who usually slept like a log in her bedroom near the front door, woke up with a jolt.
"Oh my God, who is dying out there?" Ganga groaned, rubbing her face, annoyed that nobody was opening the door. She grabbed her dupatta, wrapping it around herself with a deep frown as she walked over to open it before anyone could stop her.
She froze the moment she saw the visitor's face through the mesh steel door.
It was Gajraaj Hooda.
She unlatched the steel door immediately, opening her mouth to ask why he was visiting so late at night, but Gajraaj rushed straight inside with his armed guards following closely behind his heels.
"Saale kamine Dagar, teri itni aukaat kaise ho gayi ki tu ghar tak chala aaya!" he growled, heading straight for Jayasvi's room. (You scoundrel Dagar, how dare you have the audacity to barging into her home!)
In that split second, Aahan knew he was finished.
The color drained from his face as he looked at Jayasvi and her family.
How had this even happened? His plan was supposed to be airtight!
Nobody had access to their phones, so who had informed the Hoodas?
And if Gajraaj knew... did that mean Raghav was on his way too?
Sweat began to break out on Aahan's forehead at the mere thought.
The moment he saw the elder Hooda charging at him, Aahan almost fainted. This wasn't how his plan was supposed to go.
Gajraaj grabbed him by the collar, slamming him against the wall.
"What did you think, hmmm? Did you think she was unclaimed? That nobody would come to answer for her if you broke in here? What gave you the absolute audacity to step foot in this house?"
he growled, driving a heavy fist into Aahan's face.
The sickening sound of impact made Jayasvi tighten her grip on her father's arm.
"I kept forgiving you for so long, thinking you were smart enough not to do something this stupid. But no... you just proved what dirty blood you carry in your veins."
The words echoed off the walls alongside the brutal sound of fists crushing bone.
Aahan spat up blood, but he didn't dare try to fight back; not with the massive, muscular bodyguards standing right behind Gajraaj, ready to tear him apart.
"You think she's completely innocent? Ask her!" Aahan wheezed out with a bloody smirk, looking toward Jayasvi's mother. "Ask her where she went today after lying to her mother! Ask her where she really went when she claimed she was meeting a female friend!"
Anjali's face lost all its color at the revelation. She turned to Jayasvi, her eyes wide with shock.
Jayasvi went completely numb, forgetting how to breathe as those words landed on her ears. The noise of the punches and the chaos around her suddenly fell silent as her mother clutched her elbow, staring directly into her eyes.
"What is he saying, Jayyu? Tell me. Tell everyone he is lying! Tell everyone you would never lie to me. You are my good girl. You are my mature girl who knows that a friendship with a man like him only brings disaster, right? Jayyu, say something, beta. Tell everyone. Don't be afraid, my sweet girl.
Your mother is standing right here with you. Nobody is allowed to spread rumors about my perfect daughter," Anjali said, a soft, proud smile trembling on her lips as she cupped Jayasvi's face with both hands.
Jayasvi parted her lips, but no words came out. She couldn't bring herself to meet her mother's eyes. Her own heart was breaking hearing the sweet words of her mother yet having no answer.
"Jayyu, bol na beta. Everyone is waiting," Anjali encouraged her, but her smile was fading fast, her eyes brimming with tears as she watched Jayasvi look down in total guilt. (Jayyu... say something, child.)
"What is she going to tell you?" Aahan scoffed, smiling victoriously at Gajraaj even while beaten half to death. "See, Gajraaj uncle? This is the kind of girl you chose for Raghav. Tsk! Tsk! She's busy meeting other men behind your son's back. Who knows how many men have already—"
His mocking words were cut off by another brutal punch straight to his abdomen. Gajraaj leaned in dangerously close, his eyes spitting pure fire.
"Don't you dare finish that sentence. I don't need to learn from a pest like you what kind of girl my son is marrying. I already know she went to see you. I know about every single sweet text you sent her under the guise of friendship.
I know how you were taking photos and recording her without her permission. I know you manipulated her into coming to that café," Gajraaj announced in a low, terrifying voice, mockingly patting Aahan's bruised cheek.
Every bit of triumphant color vanished from Aahan's face at the revelation.
"You forgot something, you dog. There is a reason sarkaar hamari rehti hai itne saal baad bhi. Iss desh mein kuch meri marzi ke bina nahi ho sakta or khair yahan toh baat mere bachhon ki hai. Pal-pal ki khabar rakhta hoon har cheez par. React karna na karna meri marzi.
Trailer tune aaj khud dekh liya," Gajraaj finished with a cold, cruel smile.
(There is a reason our power remains absolute even after all these years.
Nothing in this country happens without my consent, and here, my children are involved.
I keep track of every single second. Whether I react or not is my choice. You saw the trailer yourself tonight.)
"You should be glad I am the one who got here tonight and not him. Trust me, he would have torn you limb from limb by now. Tune uski biwi par nazar daali hai. Araam se to tujhe jeene nahi dega vo. Par khush khabri ye hai ki apni zindagi ki kabr khodne wala tu hi hai, to kisi cheez ka gum nahi hai,
" Gajraaj chuckled darkly.
(Trust me, he would have torn you limb from limb by now.
You laid your eyes on his wife—he isn't going to let you live in peace after this.
But the best part is, you dug your own grave with your own hands so there is sadness for nothing)
The next moment, heavy, rapid footsteps echoed down the hallway outside.
Then came a roar so visceral and animalistic that every single person in the room trembled.
"Kaha hai woh haramzaada?!" (Where is that bastard?)