70| Youre never returning to him.
She's been dancing
with the devil all night
It's like hell is where
she wanna be~
Arsh's eyes bore into Aayansh's, who seems almost bored by the hatred blazing in his brother-in-law's gaze.
Tara looks at Aashika, whose face is a void.
"What kind of people are these three?" she mutters to herself, standing between three full-fledged grumps.
Then, a small smile unexpectedly tugs at Arsh's lips as he extends his hand toward Aayansh. "Welcome," he says.
Aayansh's gaze drops to the offered hand before returning to Arsh's face, a slow smirk curving his lips.
He extends his hand toward him as well, but instead of taking Arsh's, his fingers close around Tara's wrist, pulling her to his side. "This is better," he responds.
Arsh goes still, his jaw clenching as anger flashes across his face.
Unfazed by their reactions, Aayansh takes one hand out of his pocket and rests it around Tara's waist.
Arsh buries his anger beneath practiced composure. "Well," he drawls, "sometimes I wonder how Tara handles this attitude of yours." His stare softens as it settles on Tara.
"She's always been pampered-"
"You don't have to wonder about that, Brother-in-law," Aayansh cuts in casually. "She handles... very well. Not just my attitude," His eyes drop to Tara, who is visibly flustered.
And his smirk deepens. "But everything that happens between us."
Another crack appears in Arsh's composure.
Aashika lowers her gaze, the words around her barely registers. Her mind is still caught on what Aayansh had said just moments ago: "And you're my sister, that-can never protect you from me."
And not just that... he's noticed the blood on her lips, despite her best efforts to wipe it away.
But he hasn't said anything. He hasn't asked anything.
Well, Tara looks like she wants to disappear.
"Princess," Arsh says softly to Tara. "Go... enjoy the venture." He glances at Aayansh.
"Your husband and I need to talk."
Tara nods. Looking between the two men, Aashika sighs. "Please don't start here. Be in the boardroom on time."
She gestures for Tara to come with her, and they leave together.
Now, only Arsh and Aayansh are left behind. Once Tara is gone, Arsh looks at Aayansh, only to find him already watching him with that same bored gaze.
Minutes later, Arsh settles onto the chesterfield sofa, clearly having no intention of revealing what is truly on his mind.
"Well, I think," Arsh resumes, picking up exactly where he'd left off in the hall, his tone edged with mockery, "you should learn to keep certain things private, no?"
Aayansh lights the cigar between his lips, his back still to Arsh. "I'm not dragging you to my bedroom, Arsh Jindal."
The sarcasm is gone. His voice is cold now, fully aware that Arsh is trying to play games with him.
Arsh's expression hardens.
"One night," he says, his voice is low and final. "That's all it takes to bring that confidence crashing down."
This time, Aayansh doesn't bother replying. His eyes lower to the burning cigar between his fingers. One corner of his mouth lifts... not a smile, not a smirk. Just enough to suggest that this threat had just amused him.
Here, as Aashika makes her way ahead, everything that happened comes rushing back to her.
Ending the call with Enzo, Aashika walks toward the exhibition gallery where prototype medicines, research milestones, Dr. Aaina Oberoi's legacy, and the subsidiary's vision are displayed with elegant digital grandeur.
Simply because she wants every detail to be flawless tonight.
That's when one of the managers here approaches her. "Ma'am, Mr. Viraj Singhaniya wants to have a word with you regarding the venture." His tone is respectful yet urgent. "He's waiting in the private suite."
Viraj Singhaniya, one of the major investors in this pharmaceutical arm, but to Aashika, the name itself sounds... familiar?
However, ignoring investors in business is never a sane choice, so she just gives a slight nod.
Moments later, she walks into the private suite, only to be met with an unexpected silence.
There's no one around.
The air smells strongly of alcohol.
Aashika's brow creases, her instincts already predicting where this is going.
She senses someone's presence behind her.
And then, the door clicks shut. Followed by the sound of the lock.
She turns, the exact moment a sharp slap cracks across her face, snapping her face to the side.
A bead of blood glistens at the corner of her lips.
She doesn't straighten immediately. Deliberately.
The man before her, Viraj Singhaniya, lets his gaze crawl over her, thick with drunken lust.
He's far too drunk to recognize the danger standing before him.
"Look," he drawls, "From... From a mere employee to-this. Impressive. So much h-hardwork... warming other men's beds."
That's when it hits her. Viraj Singhaniya... the man who had once tried to force her into a one-night stand during the time she lived as Mannat and worked at O.R. Back when no one knew her true identity.
The same man she had almost killed. Almost.
"Well, what... what else are women meant for?" Viraj lets out a drunken laugh, his vision still blurred by intoxication.
"Other than spreading their... legs-" He pauses when Aashika finally meets his gaze, her eyes dark, patient... something monstrous stirring behind them.
The coppery taste of her blood lingers on her tongue.
She slowly tilts her head before spitting that blood onto the floor, never once breaking eye contact.
For a second-just one second-her stare alone unsettles him. Then, he laughs again.
"What?! Hit me with th-those delicate... hands,"
Before he can finish his sentence, a brutal slap slams across his face. He staggers sideways, caught completely off guard.
Aashika drags the back of her hand across her bloodstained lips, watching him, unblinking.
Viraj lifts his head, disbelief flashing across his face. His cheek burns, but his wounded pride burns hotter. A woman had just struck him.
The next moment, he barrels toward her. "YOU MOTHERFUCKING S!UT, I should have dragged you to my bed that same day," He barks, reaching for her hair to yank her downward.
But Aashika's leg lashes out, hitting him in the gut and sending him sprawling with a thud.
Viraj groans, but immediately slams his fist into Aashika's leg, making her stagger in pain.
The next second, with the same leg, she drives a kick straight into his face.
Blood gushes from his nose, his vision blurring as both hands fly up to clutch it.
Aashika takes two steps back, drawing in a slow, heavy breath.
Her eyes fall to the blood on her knuckles. Her fists tighten as she shuts her eyes, a chilling calm settling over her features.
"I didn't want this," she whispers. "Not tonight."
Her gaze returns to viraj, writhing on the marble floor.
And looking at his condition, something disturbingly satisfied crosses her face. "well-"
Slowly, reaching forward, she crouches before him. Her fingers bury themselves in his hair, fisting it brutally as she jerks his face up, forcing him to meet her eyes.
Viraj's trembling lips part, ready to spit another slur. "You whor-"
"Shhh," Aashika hushes, her tone eerily gentle.
"When death stares you in the eye," she says quietly. "Just obey... Hm?"
Just as Viraj tries to raise his hand to strike her, she smashes his face into the floor with ruthless force.
Once.
Twice.
Screams ricochet through the room.
Then... nothing.
Only low, broken groans remain.
Viraj isn't dead. Merely unconscious.
Without another glance, Aashika leaves him where he is.
Rising to her feet, her chest rising and falling ever so slightly, she walks over to the table, picks up a few tissues, and carefully wipes the blood from her lips before cleaning her knuckles.
Because tonight, she can afford anything... except letting Aayansh know what happened within these walls.
As she has no idea what he'd do if he found out. And tonight, during her mother's honoring ceremony, she doesn't want any of that.
Her eyes stay fixed on the documents in front of her, pretending to read. Her expression remains cold and sharp, but her mind keeps returning to one thing... Aayansh noticing the blood on her.
And that look on his face afterward.
But for now, she can't afford to let it affect her or distract her from the ceremony.
She shuts her eyes. Breathes. Nothing is going wrong.
I'm so damn jittery.
I glance at Aashika. She's going through some documents, her demeanor effortlessly confident and intimidating. Not that I lack confidence. If this were about music or glamour, I'd be completely in my element. And I am excited. Just not as much as I'm nervous.
Aashika and I are leading the Legacy Address in a while. Asia's most renowned businessmen, medical professionals, and I don't even know how many other influential people will be there. My brother and Aayansh will be there too, of course.
And that's not even the worst part. I just don't want to mess up something Aayansh's mother gave her life to build.
"Tara?" Aashika's voice pulls me from my thoughts. I blink and look up at her. "Yeah?"
She studies my face for a moment. "You're nervous."
I quickly shake my head. "No-uh, yes. But no!"
Her expression softens, a rare smile gracing her lips. "You're adorable," she murmurs. "But relax, you don't have to be so anxious. I'll be right beside you the entire time."
I continue staring at her blankly.
Taking one look at me, she exhales through her nose, calm and patient. "I know you've never stood before this many people, but every first has to happen someday, right?"
"But what if I stutter? Or say something stupid?" I blurt out before I can stop myself.
She rests a hand on my head, her touch reassuring. "Then we'll fix it and move on. Hmm?"
For a moment, I remain silent, my insecurities weighing heavily on me. "But I want to be confident... like you."