4.
I am standing while leaning against my car’s bonnet. The cigarette in my hand comes to an end. I take one last puff, feeling the smoke fill my lungs and then throw the cigarette aside without care.
The smoke around me keeps getting thicker and bigger. Wait....wait....This smoke is not mine. It is coming from the burning mansion right in front of me.
Flames rise high into the sky, eating the walls, the windows, everything. The heat reaches even where I stand. I slowly wear my shades and cross my arms over my chest, my posture relaxed, my face blank, as I look at the breathtaking view in front of my eyes.
“I’ll kill you, Zayran Kaalver!” The owner of the mansion runs out, screaming at the top of his lungs. He is not alone. His entire family follows him, crying, shouting and breaking down as they watch their home turn into ashes.
Before he can even reach me, my guards step forward and stop him.
I just stare at him silently. My face shows no emotion. No anger. No regret.
“Don’t provoke a lion when you can’t bear his roar” I say slowly, my voice calm but deadly, as I take a step toward him.
He glares at me, his eyes burning with pure hatred and helpless rage. His fists clench, his chest rises heavily as he breathes hard but fear hides behind his anger.
“How did his mansion catch fire, Grover?” I ask, tilting my head slightly as I look at Grover.
Grover, being professional as always, replies instantly. “They were careless, boss. Because of their carelessness, the cylinder blasted and this happened” Grover says.
I nod my head slowly, as if I expected that answer. “Stay a little alert, Sinha” I say calmly, my tone sharp. “Don’t be careless all the time”
I turn around and start walking toward my car, completely done with the matter. The screams behind me no longer matter.
Suddenly, a loud gunshot echoes in the air. Before anyone can react, a bullet hits my bicep. The impact makes my arm jerk slightly.
I look down at my hand. Blood slowly stains my sleeve. I blink a few times, not in shock. then slowly turn my head back.
Sinha is now held tightly by my guards. He struggles wildly in their grip, panic and madness clear on his face. And I just look at him.
“Grover” I say, my eyes fixed on Sinha. I do not look away from him even for a second.
“Yes, boss” he replies and hands me the phone. I take the phone and press it to my ear, my gaze still locked on Sinha’s face. His fear is visible now. The anger is gone.
“Leak the videos and photos of Sinha where he steals the diamonds that were missing from the National Museum” I order and then cut the call.
The moment Sinha understands my words, his strength leaves his body. He falls to his knees right in front of me. His hands tremble as he joins them together, tears streaming down his face. He cries loudly, begging but his voice does not reach me.
“Enjoy your destruction” I say emotionlessly, and then turn around to leave.
“You’ll get worse than this, remember!” his mother shouts at me, her voice filled with hatred. “Karma will hit you in such a way that you won’t be able to stand on your feet again!”
I do not stop. I do not turn back. Do I care? No. This is something I have been hearing for years.
I sit inside the car. Grover takes his seat and starts the car. The engine roars as we drive away. My eyes fall on my arm. Blood is still slowly flowing from the wound, staining my clothes.
“Why don’t I feel pain, Grover?” I ask calmly because I truly don’t feel it easily.
“Because you are strong and you have a high pain tolerance, boss” he replies. A small smirk appears on my lips as I nod my head slightly.
The car stops in front of one of my warehouses. I step out of the car. “Boss, please treat your wound first” Grover says hesitantly, concern clear in his voice.
I say nothing and sit down on a chair nearby. A doctor comes immediately and starts treating my wound carefully.
My eyes move toward the gold bars that are being packed carefully. Men seal the boxes one by one. These gold bars are ready to be moved out of the country by night.
“Boss, these are the places from where we will get those diamonds” Grover says, spreading a map in front of me. He points at different locations on the map of Velqar and the other cities around it.
“We are not going anywhere to get them, Grover” I say, leaning my head back against the chair’s headrest. My eyes slowly close. “These diamonds will come to us by themselves” I say calmly.
A smirk appears on my lips as I think about what is going to happen very soon.
“I’ll be careful from next time” I say to myself while wrapping a bandage around my finger. I got a small cut while cleaning. It stings a little.
I place the first-aid kit back in its place and move toward the spot where I was working a few minutes ago.
“Let’s go” Tara says, suddenly appearing out of nowhere. She grabs my wrist and starts dragging me with her. I don’t even know where she is taking me.
“Free ka khana mil raha hai kya kahin?” I ask while walking fast behind her.
(Are we getting free food somewhere?)
She chuckles and shakes her head. “Here, take this and come with me” she says, placing a plate of flowers in my hands.
I look at her, confused but I don’t say anything and start walking behind her quietly.
We walk into the garden and suddenly my eyes shine when I realize where we are going. We are walking toward the mansion’s temple.
“Tara, I love you dher saara” I say, almost jumping with happiness. I had told her that I wanted to see Kanha and now she is taking me there.
(Tara, I love you so much)
“Sorry, I’m not interested in girls” she says dramatically. I hit her lightly with my shoulder, making her laugh.
As we reach in front of the temple, I slow down my steps. All the women of the mansion are already there. They are busy preparing for the morning puja.
I am about to step onto the temple stairs when the head maid stops me. She takes the plates from our hands and walks inside on her own.
“We are not allowed inside. We can only look from far” tara says calmly.
Her words hit my chest like a sharp pang. I slowly turn my head and look at the women performing puja inside the temple. Their faces look peaceful. Soft smiles rest on their lips as they join their hands and pray with devotion.
I gulp slowly, trying to control the sudden heaviness rising in my heart. I don’t know why I feel hurt. Maybe because I love Kanha a lot and they are not letting me go inside to see him closely.
“It's okay, Sita” I whisper to myself softly. “Kanha ka dil mein hona zyada zaruri hai aur unko dekhne ya unse baat karne ke liye jagah, time ya unki murti ki zarurat nahi hai”
(It is more important for Kanha to live in the heart and to see Him or talk to Him, you don’t need a place, time or even His idol)
I take a small step back and stand quietly, my head lowering down as I stare at the ground.
After a few minutes, the puja ends. The women slowly walk out of the temple, they move back toward the mansion.
Tara and I pick up the plates and other things, ready to walk inside too, when a gentle voice stops us.
“Prasad” Ishita Kaalver says softly. She stands in front of us with a warm smile on her face. She places prasad into our hands.
I smile at her as she gently puts a laddoo in my palm. “Is she new here, Tara?” she asks, looking at me and then turning her eyes toward Tara.
“Yes, madam. She joined four days ago” Tara replies happily. Ishita looks at me again and smiles politely.
“Your name?” she asks softly.
“Sita” I reply slowly.bThe moment she hears my name, a wide smile spreads across her face. Her eyes shine with admiration.
“I love this name” she says warmly.
Then she turns around and starts walking inside the mansion.
“She is really sweet. The sweetest among all of them” Tara says while eating the laddoo beside me.
“Yes, she is” I say softly, because she truly seems polite and genuine.
“Hey, Sita” I hear a voice from behind.
I turn around and see Subh standing there. I don’t say anything. I simply turn back and start walking inside with Tara.
“Ohhh, you are ignoring me?” she asks, walking behind me. I shake my head slowly, still not stopping.
“Why are you bothering her, Subh?” Tara asks, making Subh laugh.
“I’m not bothering her. In fact, she is my favourite here” Subh says.
I scoff mentally. Is jaisi ke muh nahi lagti hai Sita.
(Sita doesn’t talk to girls like her)
“Bye. We’ll meet later” she says, looking at me with strange eyes and a smile. Then she turns and walks toward the other side of the mansion.
“Iske dimaag mein ab kya chal raha hai?” Tara asks irritably. I shrug my shoulders lightly.
(What is going on in her mind now?)
“Bhai, why can’t you just attack them and take all those diamonds?” Yuvan says, his fingers moving fast on his laptop as he works.
“Isliye bhai mafia hai aur tu unka chamcha” Om says calmly, doing the same work as Yuvan.
(That’s why he is the mafia boss and you are his helper)
“Agar bhai aisa karega, toh unko mehnat karni padegi jo woh karna nahi chahte” Om adds without looking up.
(If bhai does it this way, he will have to put in effort, which he doesn’t want to)
Meanwhile, Zayran simply closes his eyes and takes a long, deep puff of his cigarette.
The three of them are sitting in the garden. Zayran is smoking calmly, while the other two are busy working for him, their attention divided between their tasks and him.
“Kash humare paas humari gun hoti abhi,” Zayran says slowly, his voice casual but dangerous.
(I wish I had my gun with me right now)
Both of them gulp hard at the same time. They know their brother very well. His words are never meaningless.
“Bhai, mazak kar rahe the hum dono. Itna bhi nahi samajhte aap” Om says quickly, a very fake smile spreading across his face.
(Bhai, we were just joking. Don’t think that badly of us)
“Mafia hai toh kya hamesha dhamkate rahenge?” Yuvan mutters slowly to himself.
(Just because he’s mafia, will he keep threatening us all the time?)
“Jis din maine apna gussa dikhaya na, toh darr se kaanp uthenge ye” he adds under his breath.
(The day I show my anger, he will tremble in fear)
Zayran suddenly stands up from his seat. The movement makes Yuvan jump slightly, his eyes widening in fear.
But he lets out a breath of relief when Zayran starts walking back and forth slowly instead of coming toward him.
“Mai hoti na, toh aisa kheench kar lagati na us bigde hue gali ke saste gunde ko ki nani yaad aa jaati use” Sita says confidently while walking toward the underground stairs as their work finally ends.
(If I were there, I would slap that spoiled cheap street thug so hard that he would remember his grandmother)
“Mai kaise maan loon?” Tara asks, her eyes clearly saying she won’t believe it until she sees it.
(How can I believe you?)
“Arey, jis din maine use maara na, tab tum dekhna ki kitni khatarnak ladki hoon main” Sita says confidently, fixing the collar of her shirt with pride.
(The day I hit him, you’ll see how dangerous I really am)
“But he is a monster. Everyone knows that. Aur koi use dekh tak nahi sakta, marne ki baat toh door ki hai” Tara says honestly.
(But he is a monster. Everyone knows that. No one can even look at him, forget about hitting him)
Her words make Sita sigh deeply. She looks at Tara with clear don’t doubt my power eyes.
“Aasmaan ka parinda, Zayran darinda” Sita says angrily.
But her anger fades the very next second when she suddenly hears loud laughter. Her body stiffens. She peeks her head inside the garden and Tara does the same beside her.
Om and Yuvan burst out laughing as they hear Sita say those words. But Zayran stops in his place. His movements freeze.
His eyes fall on the peeking head. He instantly recognizes Sita. He saw her yesterday too, peeking in the same way.
Sita immediately pulls her head back. Her eyes widen so much it feels like they will pop out. Tara is literally shivering now.
“Come here” he says. His voice is calm but it is thick with authority. It sends a chill down their spines.
Sita shakes her head slowly while looking at Tara. Both of them make crying faces. “Mujhe zaher de do koi” Sita whispers to herself.
(Someone please give me poison)
This is the first time in her life that she is scared like this.
Zayran sits back down in his place. His eyes move toward his siblings, who are trying their best to control their laughter.
Sita slowly comes out with Tara. Both of them take steps as slow as a turtle. Their hands are literally shaking with fear. A smirk appears on his face as he watches them walk toward him.
“You go” he says to Tara. Both of them turn at the same time and start walking inside.
“Not you” he says again. His voice is so scary this time that even Om and Yuvan start feeling bad for Sita.
Sita gulps hard and takes a deep breath before slowly turning toward him. Her head is lowered. Her eyes are fixed on the ground. She is not looking at him not looking anywhere else.
Zayran’s eyes are fixed on his phone. He is not looking at her. He is not looking at anyone.
Tara slowly walks away and hides at the corner, her eyes stuck on Sita. She feels bad for her friend but she knows she can’t do anything.
“Go and bring salted peanuts” he says. Sita slowly looks up, her eyes wide. She thought he would kill her but he doesn’t.
“Shayad itna bhi bura nahi hai yeh gali ka bigda hua sasta gunda” Sita thinks to herself.
(Maybe this spoiled cheap street thug is not that bad)
She immediately walks toward the kitchen and comes back with a plate full of salted peanuts.
“Bhai, she is looking innocent. Leave her” Yuvan says slowly because he knows his brother very well.
But seeing Zayran so calm and composed, Yuvan gulps hard and stays silent. He looks at Om and slightly shakes his head.
Sita places the plate on the table in front of Zayran. He still does not look at her or at the plate.
“Count them” he says. Sita’s eyes widen in shock. She looks down at the plate and gulps hard because she has literally brought the entire jar of peanuts.
“C… count” she says slowly, her voice trembling. Her hands start turning cold with fear. She feels like crying, not because she is being told to count but because of the scary tone of his voice.
He does not reply to her. He does not say a single word.
Slowly, she sits down on her knees in front of the table and pulls the plate closer to herself. She starts counting the peanuts, her hands shaking badly.
“Loud” he says again. The single word makes her flinch. She immediately starts counting louder.
“Fourteen… fifteen… sixteen…” she continues, her voice shaking but louder now. She is really scared, her heart beating fast as she keeps thinking about what might be going on in his mind.
He finally looks up from his phone. His eyes move over her face for a moment, slowly scanning her fear. A satisfied smirk appears on his lips. He is showing her that he truly is darinda she called him a few minutes ago.
Om and Yuvan look at Sita with pity in their eyes. The air is cold and she is already shivering badly from fear.
After twenty-five minutes, Sita finally looks up from the plate. Her knees hurt badly now from sitting like this for so long. She sees him still staring at his phone seriously.
“1237” she says softly. He nods his head once. He looks up from his phone and reaches out, taking the plate in his hand.
Then, deliberately, he drops the plate on the ground. The peanuts scatter everywhere. All three of them stare at him in shock and confusion.
“Collect them with your hands” he says. Sita’s eyes widen in shock. She clutches her knees tightly, trying to control the pain and fear together.
Slowly, she looks up at him and their eyes meet.
Her eyes shine with innocence and fear. His eyes are dark, filled with cruelty and coldness.
She keeps staring into his eyes for more than ten seconds. That silent stare makes him clench his teeth slowly.
She finally looks down. Without saying a single word, she starts collecting the peanuts with her hands and placing them back on the plate. She can feel his gaze on her.
He looks at her with a blank face. She is the one who called him names and now she is looking at him as if he is committing some crime.
She should be thankful that I didn’t erase her and her existence for saying something like that about me, he thinks to himself.
Om and Yuvan feel a strange kind of tension in the air between them. The silence feels heavy. But they stay quiet and focus on their work.
After some time, Sita slowly places the plate back on the table. Then she turns her head toward him. He signals her to leave with a slight movement of his hand.
She pushes herself up from the ground. Her eyes close for a second because of the numbness and pain in her knees. She ignores it and starts walking toward her room.
As soon as she reaches the maid’s quarters, Tara immediately holds her.
Sita’s eyes look numb.
“Sita, are you okay?” Tara asks, her voice shaking with worry. Sita smiles softly and slowly walks toward their room.
“I’m okay” she says gently. “I thought he would kill me but he didn’t. And this is nothing. I have endured more than this”bShe keeps smiling while saying it but her words make Tara gulp hard.
As they enter the room, Tara makes Sita sit down carefully. She brings an ice pack and starts rubbing it gently on Sita’s knees. Sita smiles again, her expression calm despite the pain.
Zayran stares at the plate on the table for a few seconds. His face remains unreadable. Then he stands up from his seat.
“Bhai, it’s done” Om and Yuvan say together, showing him their laptops.
He nods his head once and starts walking toward the mansion.
“Send me all this” he says without turning back. They nod their heads in response.
He enters his room and lies down on the bed. He switches off the lights, letting darkness fill the room. Just then, his phone pings with a message.
He picks it up and as soon as he reads the message, a smirk automatically appears on his face.
Zayran ko koi gali nahi de ga??
I know he did wrong but he is a mafia. What else can we expect? So please don’t judge him.
Aur bad me sita apna badla le le gi don't worry??
Chapter pasand aaya?????
Fav part???