~A Perfect Bait.~

"Some wounds never heal," ~ Anonymous.

************

"Tell me if it hurts," Nora uttered, carefully changing Shravya's bandages with new and clean ones.

Changing bandages was one of the painful things, Nora knew that and it inwardly worried her when Shravya did not make a sound at all. Whenever her bandages were being changed, it was like she is unable to feel hurt.

It's been some days since the accident and now, Shravya's wounds were almost healing, yet it was quite a pitiful sight, but pity alone was no use, because the person who lead her to cause those wounds, did not feel any remorse at all.

It made Nora distressed.

If she had been asked to name one of the most pitiful humans she had ever seen in her life, then she would have pointed at Shravya right away, without any hesitation. Because she is one of them.

She is pitiful.

Nora couldn't help but feel sympathy for her, even after knowing that she shouldn't feel that. Such emotions only made her heart have a soft spot for Shravya.

It was a feeling which was depriving her to help her.

After wrapping up the bandages, Nora went behind her and began brushing her dark brown locks, with the utmost care, not minding Shravya who sat absent-mindedly, looking at her reflection in the mirror.

Slowly running the comb through her hair, Nora offered her a smile, which appeared warm, friendly, and motherly on her wrinkled face, making her turn out to be different than her usual cold and the strict image she portrays in the eyes of the others. "Madam, what would you like to have in lunch?"

Raising her eyelids, Shravya peered at Nora's reflection. "Anything." Her beautiful face was completely overtaken by indifference like her mind was somewhere else.

Zaid had not allowed anyone to interact with her unless it was absolutely necessary. But now, it feels like there was no use of that rule anymore because she has nearly stopped talking these days.

No protests. No denying and doing everything quietly.

It was as if she had accepted that it was simply impossible for her to escape from his clutches. And the harsh reality had begun to turn her mute.

~Her physical wounds were almost healed but the emotional ones were painfully bleeding.~

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Her wounds are almost healed."

"Good. What about the scars?"

"I have prescribed some medicines and ointments for them. The scars will take some time to fade but I believe they will heal too." Alok answered prudently.

"This better not be a lie."

Zaid's tone was impassive, as he glanced at Alok, who was standing in front of him while he sat on a rotating chair behind the desk. The preciseness and appropriateness reflected from his hair to feet and made him seem hard to approach.

"You can leave." He spoke, waving his hand, not even glancing up at Alok as he placed Shravya's medical report on his desk and left.

Zaid clicked his tongue and leaned back in his seat, slightly swirling that leather chair from side to side. He would have never allowed Alok to look at her let alone intersect with her and be her doctor. But her emotional state was not good.

She needed physiological help. And Alok was perfect to do that, perfect to become her doctor and pretending to have the same name as that bastard. Aayush Agarwal.

A perfect bait.

He turned his laptop on and surveyed through many screens being displayed from different security cameras, before making himself stop at a particular screen.

Pulling his chair closer to the desk, he took the laptop on his lap, resting his legs upon the table. His aura screamed power and supremacy with his face blank and hard gaze stuck on the laptop screen.

Shravya was on the screen.

She sat in front of the mirror, wearing a pink-colored dress as Nora braided her hair. Her face looked extremely pale. The only color on her face came from her hazel eyes and her lips. However, still, nothing could decrease her amazing beauty, not even a little bit.

A smile curved on the corner of his lips but as soon as it appeared, it faded too when he saw Nora talking to her.

What the hell that woman was trying to do?

She was not supposed to be doing this chit-chat with her. As her maid, she was to take care of her and make sure that she keeps Shravya away from harm at all times. It was her duty, first and foremost. This was how the thing works. There was no need for her to do additional things like trying to act as a caring mother for her.

Shravya is his. She should not need their care. Only he should be enough for her.

Suddenly, his lilting, bright chuckle sounded into the quiet room. The noise was exceptionally charming in the silent gloom as he chuckled again when Shravya didn’t give a response to Nora's question but looked into the thin air, moderately like a delicate doll.

His delicate doll, his sona.

A grin formed on his mouth which bloomed like wilting flowers when the coldness pierced the air.

She had surely started believing Alok's facade. Lately, there haven't been many protests from her side.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Nora's POV)

"Please have it first." I placed the juice glass on the table before glancing at her. "Then I'll call the maids to help you in getting ready."

Silence.

I sighed and picked up the class, taking some hesitate steps to her. She seemingly appeared to have no motion but the almost not-noticeable blink of her eyes add some relief in me.

She sat on the bed with her knees pressed against her chest and her back supporting itself against the headboard as she looked particularly on nothing.

I tried to follow the line of her sight and looked towards the windows. Those enormous windows, currently covered by golden drapes, allowed just enough sunlight for her eyes and mine to adjust around the surroundings.

The curious side of me knew what she was doing or trying to do.

For the first time since her arrival, she was actually examining her surroundings. Maybe in the past weeks, she had done this many times. But this is the first time I'm seeing her doing it.

Observing the soft mattress and the bed, subconsciously, she pulled her knees more closer as if she found herself quite small, sitting in the middle of that massive thing.

Actually, she does look quite fragile.

Other than my native language silence is the only language I have mastered in understanding and I can feel the volume of the words within her silence.

With the small gesture and the way of her doing things. I could guess what she was thinking.

The small troubling frown on her features and her slightly narrowed eyes, staring at the walls, allowed me to know that she was unable to help herself from feeling as if someone was watching her.

I also couldn't shake this same feeling off. I also feel the same.

Someone is watching us and maybe, it is him.

Trying to shrug away the terror-igniting feeling, I offered her the juice glass. "Sir would be angry if you refused."

It was a warning; clear as daylight.

We knew, if she doesn’t choose properly, she will only meet miserable results. And I don't want her to go through them.

When I didn't show any sign of retreating, she took the glass and again submerged herself in discerning the non-living things around.

Everything was manmade and lifeless yet still, they were exquisite, and looking beyond, so was the room. It held a persona of its own and looked like heaven, but we both knew that it was her hell.

The bewitchingly alluring bedroom looked larger, lavish, and terrifying, still looking the same she had seen two years ago when the destruction took place in her life.

I was present in this mansion but did nothing when those things happened because I was scared.

That night she was a captive here. And today was no different.

My home; Grover's estate is her prison, from where she still, hopes to seek an escape.

When she finished the juice, I took the glass from her and gestured her to sit before the dressing mirror."Madam, I'll go and send someone to help you."

Today he's taking her to the penthouse in the city's outskirts.

For a dinner date.

It will be their last date.

As she stepped out of the bed and settled in front of the mirror, I offered a warm smile at her reflection and walked over to the door.

This is her last day in this hell.

I have prepared a perfect opportunity for her. I hope she will take that chance and use it carefully to escape.

This help is the only thing I can offer as an apology. If she escaped then I will be at least guilt-free if not alive.

If he killed me today then at this age, death will be a blessing to my sick and old body.

I have lived enough. And now, I'm not scared to die. But before dying, I desire to amend my bad deeds, so I could rest peacefully..........

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