5

Arnav

I enter the room, my heart racing at the prospect of seeing Khushi after what I did to her a few days back.

I know that she deserves every bit of the punishment after what she has done. Still, I have been unable to wipe the nagging guilt gnawing at my insides ever since I took her forcefully on our wedding night and again the next time in my rage after getting a call about Anjali's worsening condition.

I was a relentless beast to her that day, not stopping to punish her even when she screamed and cried, begging me to stop.

I gulp as I see her lying on the bed, wearing a sheer dress, as I have instructed maids only to keep nightdresses in her wardrobe.

I know Khushi only likes to wear traditional dresses and does not like skimpy outfits. That is why I have been forcing her to wear nightdresses that leave nothing to the imagination. I love seeing her uncomfortable and watching her feeble attempts to cover herself.

The other reason behind forcing her to wear these dresses is to ensure she does not leave this room. I know she will not set foot out of this room with a see-through dress on her body.

Even inside the room, I have seen her covering her body with one shawl I have allowed her to keep. I wanted to throw that shawl out when I saw it, but she pleaded with me with such a look on her face that I was unable to take it.

As I reach the bed, I frown because Khushi is lying on the bed, only wearing a nightdress without the shawl or the blanket covering her.

I can see goosebumps covering her body, and I know it is due to the cold, as I also feel the chill even after wearing a sweater.

Intending to cover her properly with the blanket, I bend lightly but stop as I notice her trembling and clutching the bedsheet tightly.

I feel a pinch in my heart because I know her reaction is due to her fear of me. I know she thinks that I am here to punish her more.

I take a deep breath to lessen the guilt that flares inside me due to her reaction.

Bending further, I finally catch the side of the blanket and cover her properly.

I then sit beside her on the bed, waiting for her to open her eyes.

When she does not do that, even after a few minutes, I clear my throat and start speaking.

"Khushi--" I begin but cannot figure out what to say after that.

***********

Third Person's POV

Khushi slowly opened her eyes as she heard Arnav call her name. It was how he used to call her before that fateful night. His voice carried the gentleness that used to make her heart flutter.

As she looked at him, she saw him looking at her with a softness in his eyes and was confused as to why he would do that. He had claimed to hate her when he had come to punish her a few days back. And she is still locked in this room, meaning he must still hate her.

'What is he playing at?' Khushi thought, her fear increasing as she felt Arnav was up to something.

She continued to look at him, waiting for him to say something. She did not dare to utter a word. She did not dare even to breathe loudly lest it angered him.

No matter what he had in mind, he at least did not look angry, and she did not want to do anything to change that because she knew what would happen if he got angry.

Arnav kept peering at Khushi. Her wide brown eyes, with silent tears pouring out, made her look heartbreakingly beautiful.

He had noticed her beauty the first time he saw her. With wide doe-like eyes, a perfectly shaped nose, full luscious lips, and porcelain white skin, her beauty had mesmerized him.

And along with her beauty, her sharp mouth, bold attitude, and somewhat clumsy nature attracted him to her. So much so that, in those two weeks after meeting her, he had started envisioning his future with her.

But all his dreams of a happy future with her crashed the night he found out she was as evil inside as beautiful outside.

Gritting his teeth, he stood up from the bed and noticed her tremble.

Khushi clutched the blanket tightly over her body as Arnav suddenly stood up from the bed and looked at her with an angry look on his face. The dark look in his eyes replaced the softness with which he had been gazing at her, and she shivered in fear, wondering what he would do next.

"A maid will deliver a dress to you shortly. Wear it and be ready to leave early in the morning tomorrow. You will be shifted to my other house," Arnav told her, and Khushi was surprised to hear that.

She wanted to ask the reason behind his sudden decision but was too scared even to utter a word.

But her surprise must have shown on her face because Arnav started speaking again. "Don't look so surprised. You are just going to be caged there now instead of this mansion. Nani (maternal grandmother) told me she does not want filth like you in her house, so I need to take you elsewhere. After all, I do not want to cause any inconvenience to my family because of a worthless nobody."

Khushi felt a piercing pain pass through her as she heard him call her filth and a worthless nobody.

She keeps reminding herself that she means nothing to him now and must stop being affected by his rudeness, but each insult he flings at her still has the power to hurt her.

She saw Arnav turn and about to leave the room, so she gathered some courage to call him, reminding herself not to call him by his name.

"Sss..iirrr," she whispered, her voice hoarse and timid.

Arnav stopped the moment he heard Khushi's soft, hesitant voice. Her voice, although hoarse, was laced with her pain, and he hated that he was affected by it. Even after knowing her reality, he still is unable to shake off his feelings for her entirely.

"Please do..don't lock mm...mee in a rr..oomm in tha..that house," Khushi began, taking deep breaths to speak properly without stuttering. "I promise I won't try to escape, but please let me walk freely inside that house."

Khushi felt her heart thudding against her chest as she waited for Arnav's reply.

'Please don't get angry. Please don't hurt me. Please don't get angry. Please don't hurt me,' she kept chanting these sentences in her mind as she waited.

After a while, Arnav turned toward her, and she felt her fear rise as she saw his smirk.

"You will be allowed to walk freely in that house. My family won't be there, so there would be no risk of them seeing filth like you. Also, you will be doing all the chores there. Did you think I would continue keeping you and feeding you without you doing any work?

"That is why, once you move there, you will earn your keep as a housemaid. And I won't be there all the time, but there are CCTV cameras in that house to monitor you 24/7. Other than that, my guards will also be there outside the house to keep an eye on you. So, don't you dare to try and run away," Arnav said and slowly walked towards the bed.

Although her whole body was sore, Khushi tried to sit up and backed to the corner of the bed as she saw Arnav approach her with a menacing look on his face.

"You have not yet seen how much of a monster I can be, Khushi. The pain I have given you will feel like nothing in front of the pain I will give you if you ever try running away from me. Do you understand?" Arnav clutched her jaw tightly.

Khushi wanted to reply, but her fear increased tenfold as she saw his raging eyes and angry face. Her throat went dry, and she was unable to utter a word.

"What did I tell you last time? Didn't I say I expect you to answer quickly whenever I ask you a question?" Arnav asked after a while, clutching her jaw harder.

"Yyee..sss, I....I unndeersstand," Khushi croaked and shrieked as Arnav left her jaw suddenly, causing the back of her head to bump against the bed's headboard.