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♥　♡　♥　♡ Seducing His Wife (??? reads okay, I guess, for now ) ♥　♡　♥　♡

He stopped mid-sentence when he caught sight of her, she looked like an angel even though she was dressed in a shade of red that would have tempted the Devil himself. B̶u̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶w̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶h̶e̶ ̶l̶o̶v̶e̶d̶ ̶a̶b̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶h̶e̶r̶, ̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶a̶b̶i̶l̶i̶t̶y̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶s̶h̶o̶c̶k̶ ̶h̶i̶m̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶u̶n̶p̶r̶e̶d̶i̶c̶t̶a̶b̶i̶l̶i̶t̶y̶. ̶H̶i̶s̶ ̶e̶y̶e̶s̶ ̶t̶r̶a̶v̶e̶l̶l̶e̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶l̶e̶n̶g̶t̶h̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶b̶o̶d̶y̶, ̶i̶t̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶ ̶d̶e̶l̶e̶c̶t̶a̶b̶l̶e̶, ̶l̶u̶s̶h̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶s̶o̶f̶t̶ ̶c̶u̶r̶v̶e̶s̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶r̶i̶g̶h̶t̶...

She was beautiful and irresistible; there was no doubt about it. At the sight of her unintentional seductive appearance ̶h̶e̶ ̶f̶e̶l̶t̶ ̶h̶e̶a̶t̶ ̶f̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶b̶e̶i̶n̶g̶, ̶p̶a̶r̶t̶ ̶a̶n̶g̶e̶r̶ ̶a̶t̶ ̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶d̶i̶s̶o̶b̶e̶d̶i̶e̶n̶c̶e̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶p̶a̶r̶t̶ ̶l̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶a̶t̶ ̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶a̶p̶p̶e̶a̶r̶a̶n̶c̶e̶; ̶s̶h̶e̶ ̶w̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶h̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶t̶a̶u̶g̶h̶t̶ ̶a̶ ̶l̶e̶s̶s̶o̶n̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶h̶e̶ ̶w̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶d̶o̶ ̶s̶o̶, ̶t̶o̶n̶i̶g̶h̶t̶, ̶a̶ ̶l̶o̶n̶g̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶s̶l̶o̶w̶ ̶l̶e̶s̶s̶o̶n̶ ̶w̶h̶e̶r̶e̶ ̶s̶h̶e̶ ̶w̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶l̶e̶a̶r̶n̶ ̶w̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶m̶e̶a̶n̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶d̶i̶s̶o̶b̶e̶y̶...

Raoul watched the woman glide down the stairs, even when draped in a form fitting dress of blazing scarlet which had a deep neck that revealed the pearly skin of her neck and the gentle swell of her bosom, she exuded an aura of innocence, which made her all the more desirable. He could not take his eyes of her, though he felt rage when he heard a low whistle from another guest, one who would be strangled if he had his way, no one whistled at his woman...'his woman?' h̶i̶s̶ ̶m̶i̶n̶d̶ ̶t̶u̶r̶n̶e̶d̶ ̶i̶n̶c̶r̶e̶d̶u̶l̶o̶u̶s̶ ̶a̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶p̶o̶s̶s̶e̶s̶s̶i̶v̶e̶ ̶p̶h̶r̶a̶s̶e̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶h̶e̶ ̶a̶l̶m̶o̶s̶t̶ ̶c̶h̶o̶k̶e̶d̶ ̶o̶n̶ ̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶d̶r̶i̶n̶k̶, ̶n̶o̶n̶e̶t̶h̶e̶l̶e̶s̶s̶ ̶s̶h̶e̶...

Swara would have continued to scribble and correct her latest attempt at a romantic novel if she had not felt a heated gaze on her, quite similar to the one she was envisioning her hero in. She sighed, guilt filling her for she was not supposed to be whiling her time writing a novel; she closed the notebook shut, stuffed it into the bag and dumped the bag on the floor beside her chair. When Swara looked up at the woman sitting across her, the familiar rush of envy and adoration swept through her.

However, the woman had a gaze of steel and stone, which did not bode well for her.

Swara smiled. It was a smile that was sunshine and stars, a smile that was enough to melt even the grumpiest human though it had no effect on that woman; she continued to glower at Swara.

Finally Swara capitulated, "Di, I am sorry, I know you needed that article yesterday, but I was stuck with Kabir and Divya, it has been ages since we met, you know how it is with Kabir and his medical classes, we rarely get to meet. Then we had to go to see the movie, it has already been more than two weeks since its release, then we decided to have dinner and afterwards, I was too tired to keep my eyes open. I did set the alarm for this morning but I guess I slept through it and then I...well okay, I am late and I am sorry."

"Swara, when will you learn to be serious? I know that the article is not a very important part of the next edition but that does not mean you take your own sweet time about it. I set the deadline for you need to understand how it is to deliver quality work within stringent and demanding time frames. Friends are fine but they are not.."

Ragini broke off and Swara relaxed, sort of; she adored her friends, who were her lifelines and was grateful that Ragini had decided not to pursue the only topic of difference between her and her sister. She never questioned her sister's apparent lack of friends despite vague memories of her sister having a few, so it bemused her when Ragini kept warning against friends. And this time she had messed up quite a bit, so she agreed that her sister had a right to be angry and upset with her spending time with her friends.

"Di, I understand what you are saying and though sorry seems inadequate that is all I can do for now but then I will also make it up for you. Give me two hours and I shall give you your two thousand word article and I want you to edit it."

Swara knew that was a challenge her sister could not resist, for though Ragini was not a great writer she was a talented editor, one who could convert a rough draft of anything, be it story, article or novel into an award worthy work of art. However, it was also common knowledge that she was harsh and critical, surviving her scathing review was not for the faint hearted, Swara was aware that her sister to rip her article to shreds in a matter of few minutes, but she was up for the challenge if she could prove herself to her sister.

"Are you sure? I might give you the star treatment, seeing you are my baby sister."

Swara gulped; Ragini's star treatment was reserved for the literary equivalent of movie divas, those writers who were convinced that anything they wrote was an honour to be printed; she was merciless with them and there were rumours that quite a few had been reduced to a soggy mess of tears even before Ragini was half done with the draft. Yet, those who managed to survive were always surprised to see the revised draft, unable to believe the change in quality of both the content and the style. Swara knew that there were quite a few in the industry who felt that Ragini would have her editorial skills better utilised in a large publishing house, but Ragini was too loyal to quit her father's paper.

Shw knew what she was getting into but refused to back out. Swara gave a small nod, "Di, the most is that you will tear it up to shreds, in which case that is what it deserves. Moreover, you always tell everyone that they have to learn to take criticism and how else would I learn unless my Di is honest with me?"

When Ragini replied with a bright smile, Swara knew that she had been both forgiven and given another chance. She skipped round the desk, hugged her sister and skipped out of the room to find a corner cubicle to sit and write out her piece.

Ragini watched her sister run out, dressed in a high collar, frilly, pink blouse paired with a grey and turquoise skirt, the flared pleats swinging as she skipped. Ragini knew why Swara always wore high collar blouses and kurtis, why she was terrified of wearing sarees or ghargras and though she tried to encourage Swara to overcome her dread, she also accepted that Swara would have to fight that battle on her own. For her part, each time she saw Swara laugh or skip in joy, she felt a jolt of happiness and gratitude that her baby sister was alive and healthy.

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One hour and fifty five minutes later, Swara was happy, reasonably so, though a tad nervous too, for she wanted her sister's approval. When Swara pushed open the door Ragini's cabin to submit her article, she found her sister engrossed in some papers. She knocked on the door, twice and then a double long knock, the staccato beat was a signal between them. She knew something was wrong when her sister gave no reply and did not acknowledge her presence. She tried to sit in silent anticipation for a few seconds before giving in, bounding out of her chair, she rounded the desk to stand behind her sister and peered over her shoulder at the papers. She was curious as to what the article could be about, it was rarely that anyone could see her unflappable sister reduced to a dazed person, Swara was one of the few exceptions, with whom Ragini let slip her mask of impervious calm. Standing behind her sister, she read it out aloud,

PRESS RELEASE

SNLRS announces the complete acquisition of the Maheshwari Group of Industries

SNLRS Consultancy Private Limited ('SNLRS'), today announced that it has taken over Maheshwari Group of Industries ('MGI'). With this acquisition, the entire holding of MGI, including its flagship infrastructure company and the various ancillary companies in which MGI has a holding would be under the control and supervision of SRLNS Consultancy Private Limited.

The spokesperson for SNLRS has gone on record to state that there would be no changes in either the management or the business processes of any of the companies constituting MGI with the exception of the little known publication, Trend Chronicle, the revival of which would be the focus of SNLRS.

About SNLRS Consultancy Private Limited: SNLRS is a private limited company that operates as an investment holding company and focuses on promoting its subsidiaries as well as holds shares.

Tanisha Nanda,
Director- SNLRS Consultancy Private Limited

________________________________________________________

She wondered why her sister should appear disturbed over what appeared to be a routine press release, for Swara knew her Di very well; she could make out when her sister was unsettled, even if Ragini's face showed no trace of emotion. To the world, Ragini was a calm and detached person, whether furious or excited, neither her voice nor her face betrayed any emotion, but she could read her sister well. She placed her hand on Ragini's shoulder and shaking her slightly asked, "Di, what is about this new article that has you so upset? And what is this SNLRS?"

"That is a question the entire country is asking, and nobody seems to have an answer?"

Both the sisters looked at the man who had entered, without even the extending the common courtesy of a knock. He was tall with a well-toned body that was a result of a strenuous and regular workout regime at the gym. Dressed in a tailored deep grey suit which had been custom fitted to show off his muscled physique, he was generally described as a handsome man who also found a place in the list of eligible bachelors of the City. Unfortunately, neither of the sisters seemed glad to see him nor did they make any conscious effort to hide their distaste.

Sahil Sengupta was aware that he was not welcome with the Gadodia sisters, but he never let it deter him, or rather, he concealed his ire quite well. He gave a beaming smile, walked inside and winced when he stubbed his foot on the chair. He stopped at her table and placing his palms on the edge opposite Ragini, leant over.

"So your father did send the memo to you, he was not eager to do so, but then I felt that you should be informed of the same, seeing that the revival of the defunct newspaper magazine would mean another player in your business."

Ragini narrowed her eyes, by just a fraction but then the temperature in the room seemed to drop a few degrees and her voice was icy as she replied, "The print industry has seen and will continue to see new entrants emerge and existing ones leave, it does not mean that every player is an enemy or a potential threat."

Sahil shrugged, "Well, it was just an information from one friend to another..."

"I would not go to the lengths of calling us friends, in fact I would object to being termed as acquaintances too. However, in the interests of maintaining a cordial relationship I will be polite with you. Now, if you excuse me, since your work of ensuring I receive the memo is done, I will get back to my other tasks."

With those words, Ragini placed the memo to a side and turning towards Swara, held out her hand for the assignment, both of them ignoring Sahil who seemed to have gotten the message that he had been dismissed and much to the silent relief of the sister, walked out of the room without further conversations.

Ragini stared at the retreating back of Sahil Sengupta, the disgust for him visible on her face though a tiny part of her kept wondering at the slight limp he had, it was evident on some days; 'how did he get that limp?' He was quite a famous personality, regularly in the newspapers, if not for his business acquisitions than it would be for the latest feminine conquest, yet there was no mention of the incident that caused him to limp. She shrugged, it could be on account of his stubbing of the toe and she was reading too much into him.

"You know, Di, you could call him handsome, if only his face was not carved out of animosity and chiselled by envy, I really pity the women he dates. Of course, since they are in it for the money, it must be fine though I wonder why he has never married any of them? Or maybe, he is bad in bed, for he never repeats his dates or maybe he is into those submissive..."

Swara stopped, Ragini appeared to be scrutinising her and she could not make out anything, which made her nervous, "Di, forget what I was saying—"

Ragini smiled, warmth shining her eyes and pulled Swara's cheeks, "My baby sister is all grown up, but please could you please stop reading all those stupid romances, life is neither a rosy fairy tale nor is it anything like those hot erotic sexy adventures that you find so irresistible. BDSM is slavery and there is nothing appealing about being a submissive or dominating. Relationships can survive only if there is an equal footing between the partners, on most issues, most of the time. Understood?"

"—you know about all of it, how?"

Swara ignored the advice her sister had given her and pounced on the fact that her sister seemed to have knowledge about BDSM, "I mean you rarely read books, do not watch TV, your life and work is this office, and you have no other hobbies either and yet..."

Swara watched Ragini's eyes twinkle as she cut her short, "Maybe I speak from experience?"

She squealed in shock as the words registered, "No, di, you have a sense of humour, but you would not be doing them, or would you? Now you have to tell me, please, no secrets, spill them all out?"

Ragini replied by bursting into laughter, the sound of which thrilled Swara, who rarely even saw her sister smile. Delighted at the mirth she had caused her sister, Swara continued to tease Ragini hoping to elicit a few more laughs. She would have succeed too, if not for a shadow that announced the entry of yet another man, one which silenced Ragini's laughter.

And here ends Beguilement. Have I managed to charm you and give you a pleasant time? Do let me know, for as I always tell, all feedback, good or bad is welcome.

By now some of you might have a fair idea of what the theme is going to be (hint - titles and the media used?) So what do think the next chapter would be about?

love,
Nyna