SHREYA'S POV

I ignored him and stepped down. At the end of the stairs, there was a room with the same lock and a red cloth tied around it.

Why is it locked?

I removed the thought because I have limited time to prepare breakfast. I entered the kitchen and found a lady working there. She was looking in the early 60s.

I think she works here. She looked at me and came to me.

"Baba's choice is really nice. You are very beautiful ma'am" she said.

I felt awkward at ma'am.

"Umm...don't call me ma'am. Please" I said

"You are baba's wife then what should I call you?" She asked

"My name is Shreya. Please call me by my name" I requested her.

"You work here?" I asked her

"Yes, I work here since baba was 1 year old. And my name is Madhu" she said

"Ohh...what does he calls you?" I asked because I decided to call her the same.

"He calls me by my name. You can also call me by my name" she smiled

How could he call an old lady by her name?

Kukkad kahi ka!

"No, you are older than my mother. I cannot call you by your name. I will call you Masi (like a mother). Is it fine?" I asked

"Yes," she said and patted my head with love. I can see that her eyes were a little moist.

"Umm...actually he has asked me to prepare his breakfast. Can you help me by telling me about the ingredients where about?" I asked

"Yes of course," she said

I memorized as much things as I can but mainly the place of the ingredients required for the dish that I was going to prepare today.

"Thank you, Masi," I said

"No need to thank. This is my work. I am going to clean the house. Call me if you need any help" she said

"Ok" I smiled

"And yes, whatever you prepare for him make sure that it is not oily and spicy. Don't use chili more than a pinch. Otherwise, he gets very angry." she said

'Perfect' I said to myself. Hehe

I immediately started preparing the dish. It took almost 25 minutes but thankfully I didn't get late. He came down and sat on the dining table in the hall.

"I am getting late," He said

'Then who has stopped you. You can go without having breakfast' I muttered.

I took the plate and put it in front of him with a sweet smile on my face. His eyes became wide and he looked at me. I just ignored him and sat on a chair in front of him.

"Have some" I pointed

Bahut shauk tha na pakode khane ka khao ab ( You were very excited to eat fritters na. Eat now) I said in my mind.

I have prepared Green chili fritters for him (Mirchi bhajia/Mirch k pakode).

He was just glaring at me.

"What? I told you that you would not be able to eat the dish prepared by me" I said

"And I said that I will eat whatever you will prepare for me from your hand"

He didn't remove his eyes from me and took one piece in his hand.

My smile vanished. He put that piece in his mouth and started munching it. He started taking air from the mouth to cool it down and make a shrill sound.

I thought that he will stop now.

But No! I was wrong.

He took another piece and put it in his mouth without moving his eyes from mine.

His eyes turned blood red and sweat formed on his forehead. But he didn't stop neither moved his eyes from me even an inch.

He started coughing madly and tears started to form in his eyes due to excessive chilies.

Madhu masi came running and offered him a glass of water but he stopped her with his hand and she didn't move from her place.

I gulped because now I was feeling guilty for what I did. No matter what he has done to me or my family I cannot do something like this to him. I cannot steep to his level.

I was not able to offer him water because he has frozen me in my place with his eyes. He finished each and every piece of his plate. Wiped his eyes and face with the napkin.

"Keep the dinner ready on time" he ordered me still looking into my eyes and left for the office.

I stood up from my chair and masi came to me.

"Why did you did this beta when I told you that he does not eat spicy food?" She asked

I didn't reply and looked down.

"I know everything. I know that he has forced you in this marriage," she said

I was shocked because no one except me and him know this.

"I know him from the age he doesn't know himself. I know him more then he knows himself and very well aware that what he can do and what he cannot" She said with teary eyes.

"Although he considers me as a maid but he is like a child to me. I cannot see him like this" she added.

"I...I will not do that again" I said and went to the kitchen to do the dishes to distract myself.

She stopped my hand.

"There is no need to do this," she said while holding my hand.

"Huh...why?" I asked

"It is his strict orders that you will not do anything except his breakfast and dinner," she said

"Then what would I do? I will get bored." I said

I am very fond of sleeping but because of the morning scene, the sleep was long gone.

"You can do whatever you want," she told me

"Ok, then I will go out," I said

"No, you cannot step outside the house without him," she said

"What? He cannot cage me like this."

"Please do not increase your problems for now. Ask him. But don't go outside without permission. It is not safe for you. You can do whatever you want in this house only. Do you like reading?" She asked

"Yes" I replied

"Let's go then," she said and I followed her

She let me in a room which was not looking less than a library. There were many shelves full of books.

There was a royal and a very large shelf in the middle of the front wall above which a board was hanging with 'Favourites' written on it.

"You can read whatever you want. There is a good collection of books but make sure that you do not touch that shelf" she pointed towards that shelf to which I was staring.

"Can I know why?" I asked

"Actually it is of baba's mother's collection of favorite books. She was very fond of reading and used to spend her afternoons here. So he does not like it when someone touches it. Please don't touch it or he will go mad" she said

"Step-mother?"

She paused and a frown appeared on her face.

"No, her real mother, who gave him birth," she said.

"Ok" I assured her.

I took the book "Candida" by 'George Bernard Shaw' and started reading that.

I opened my eyes and looked at the watch. It was 6:00 PM. I got bored with reading and taking a tour of the mansion so I slept because masi didn't let me arrange my clothes too. I have slept for a damn 5 hours.

My stomach churned and I immediately stood up to eat something. Masi really made delicious food. I have eaten so much that I don't think I would be able to eat anything at night. After that, I started to prepare for dinner.

There was still some time left in his return. So I switched on the TV.

Oh God! I got bored in just one day how will I manage here. I have to talk to him to rejoin the office.

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Atharva's POV

I didn't expect that she will prepare food of green chilies. I don't like spice. If someone else has done this, I would have killed him.

I looked into her eyes in a challenging tone, daring her to move from her position. Madhu offered me water but I refused because if she wants this then let it be.

I have to tell her that 'agar wo sher hai to mai sawa sher hu' (I always stay one step ahead of her).

I entered the hall and she was sitting on the couch watching.......CARTOON?
A lady was screaming Shinchan...

What is she a two-year-old kid?

She felt my presence and immediately stood up.

"Is dinner ready?" I asked

She nodded. She was acting differently.

What is she up to now?

Let's see...I went up to take a bath and returned in half an hour and sat on the chair for dinner. She came out with a plate full of food. I was hungry because I was not able to have lunch because of a burning sensation and still I was having a burning feeling in my stomach.

She put the plate in front of me full of rotis, dal, cooked vegetables, and what is this...kheer?

(Kheer is a sweet dish made up of rice, milk, and sugar)

She sat in front of me and told me to start.

I took a spoon of Kheer with a mind that it will have salt in place of sugar but the moment it reached my mouth I moaned unknowingly. This is delicious!

She looked up.

"Won't you eat?" I asked

"No, I had my dinner" she replied.

"But the wife has dinner after there husbands," I said to tease her.

"I can't control my hunger. If I am hungry that means I want food at any cost and don't expect anything like that from me" she said in one go.

I chuckled.

Sometimes I wonder where her food goes. She is not fat but she eats a lot.

I finished my dinner and took three bowls of kheer because it was damn tasty and it was giving relief to my stomach. And after that, we went up to our room.

The rotis were little thick and tight to my taste but at least they were not burned as I expected.

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SHREYA'S POV

I decided to not to repeat the morning's incident again because I felt really bad for him. Don't think I love him. I would have felt same if there was someone else in his place.

I changed my clothes into a comfortable nightdress. He was looking in a good mood so I decided to ask him about resuming the work.

"I want to ask you something," I said

"Yes, go ahead" he was busy on his laptop.

"Umm....I want to rejoin the job"

"Why?" He shut the laptop and came to me.

"Because I cannot live like this. I got bored in just one day" I said

"You will get habitual. And you are my Queen now so there is no need of doing work anymore. I have freed you from that contract too" he said while cupping my cheeks.

Why is he trying to be extra sweet? For his kind information, I don't like sweets.

"But I wanted to remain financially independent even after marriage. This was one of my dreams" I said

"Financially independent...hmm..so everything that is mine is yours. There is no need to work. Come on let's sleep you have to wake up early tomorrow" He dragged me to the bed.

"But...."

"No buts and ifs....I am tired let's sleep"

He pushed me on the bed and lied on his side switching off the extra light and covering us from the duvet.

"At least...."

"Sleep, for now, we will discuss it tomorrow," He didn't let me complete my sentence and pulled me towards his chest. I moved a little away from him but he put one of his legs over mine cuddling me and caging me completely, restraining my any movement.

I will have to do something he will not say yes so easily.

I start to wiggle to free myself from him.

"Don't move!" He said in a threatening voice.

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