Aarti's eyes were still wandering the sky...unable to speak her heart out, she had already made up her mind of not putting her knees in front of this man. Even if the circumstances are not in her favor, he would be the last person she would turn to even in need.

She recalled the day when he asked her to get out of his house...she reminisced all those nights and days when she had cried for him. Today after three months he still takes her as granted. It's true that she was mad about him, in fact from mornings till night, her brains were constantly occupied by his and only his thoughts.

"I just want morning to come quickly and I will go back" she purred although making sure he hears her...

But this time he didn't spill out his conceit, she assumed him sleeping now...

"Same here" he murmured after almost a minute...

Aarti rolled her eyes at his words, so he was equally impatient to get out of here...but then why did he come here at first place... "If you are so edgy, why did you follow me after all?"

He put his hand under in head and relaxed on his elbow "one has to get brains to understand the complicacy of the subject"

She frowned again "So you mean I don't have brains?"

"Hmm...prove" he added instantly...

Prove! What does he want her to do... well she's intelligent of course? Why does she have to prove this? Is he really testing her or just teasing her with his silly ways...

But she must demonstrate this man today. "How should I prove?"

"Think about getting out of this jungle" he promptly gave her a conundrum...

So he thinks if she gets out of this place, then she's got more brains ...

"Really? You think I am jungle girl? Was I born here?" Aarti got up grouching at him...

"Keep sulking" Lazily he rested his hands her his head

"I can find my way. I don't have to rely on you" she stood up...

Slowly she tried taking a step when she flinched a little, but this time her feet was much better...

"Where the hell do you think you are going?" he said

Aarti picked up her bag and put it around her shoulder "well I am a smart girl who can find a way out of this jungle... you can sleep in this wilderness. Jungle boy"

Veer shook his head as to what she was up to. "This night is the longest for me, not to say boring"

She swirled at him "so sad...you can do whatever you want to entertain yourself" Aarti irately started walking towards her right side... Veer knew it wasn't easy to handle this obstinacy but he has to show his perseverance, at least till morning.

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Step by step she walked more inside the jungle...

Barely getting any sight around since it was dark and the only light was the moonlight, plus she had enough of Veer and his remarks.

What does he really think of himself? Is he the only person who can protect me every time? No, she thought...she is a clever girl and obviously can find her way by herself. She wouldn't sit with him any more "Oh God. Why is this jungle so big?"

With small footsteps she kept pressing the dried leaves and grass on her way making small sounds in the quiet jungle, not even for a second did she stopped grumbling about everyone in her life.

Aarti was still cursing every one under her breathe when her eyes fell on a light nearby. She observed carefully four men sitting around the fireplace with few bottles on the side...

Aarti thought of stepping backwards as these guys didn't seem right. The moment she tried to turn away, they heard the noise and looked at her...

"Who is there?" said one of the men

Aarti stopped and turned around "I am sorry, I just had to go the other way..." she said and started pacing away...

"You can come here" the man said and sauntered towards Aarti.

She stood still, "you seem to have lost your way, we are forest officers and can help you rescue out"

Aarti thought over, her mind was still not prepared to sit with the strangers who looked drunk but then it was only a matter of few hours. "You can eat some food in the meantime"

Aarti looked at the bowl, she was already hungry. Her hands tightly clasped her bag around the shoulder, her entire frame was nervous but she looked at the food again "Are you sure?" timidly she asked looking at them...

The men smiled "we don't mind"

Slowly she walked towards the fireplace and sat on the huge rock. One of the men offered her some food... she was about to eat when she noticed them coming to her...

"Stop" she said and got up. She was about to run away when one of the men grabbed her legs and pulled her on the ground...

"No...leave me" she screamed

Dreadfully she felt one man grabbing her hands and tying them with a rope, then covered her mouth with a cloth. She felt the pains in her wrists. Helplessly she tried to push them away but couldn't. They laughed at her feebleness...

Feeling extremely disgusting at the four men who were trying to pounce on her, she tried moving herself away but couldn't.

Only in seconds they had pulled the bag off her shoulders, tear her top from the right arm, pulled her hair so badly... after struggling for a while her body finally gave up and she looked weakly at the sky, tears rolled down her eyes when one of the men lifted her shirt and touched her soft skin on her waist. She tightly shut her eyes in disgust. The moment his hands reached to unbutton her shorts, he had a tight punch on his face that made him faint badly on the ground...

Aarti took a sigh of relief... she looked at Veer. He pulled the two men sitting next to her with their collars and threw them away... one of them hit his back with the tree trunk and did not get up, the other man was banged on the solid rock stone almost half dead.

Veer angrily fastened the last man with a rope and punched him hard on his ribs, making the crackling sound of damaging to the core.

"Bastards" Veer pulled the other three half dead man lying on the ground and tattered their shirts...

"Pl...please, let us go..." said two of them pleading in front of Veer

But Veer smashed them again and again on the faces "take off your clothes...come on"

He shouted at the men who were almost out of energy but still managed to take of all their clothes...

"Now run" Veer commanded furiously while all the four men slowly started running away to save their lives... They would prefer die of cold rather than getting killed.

After the scene was clear, he indignantly stared at Aarti who was vulnerably crying sitting under the tree... the moment he untied the cloth she felt relieved...

"I don't need your..." she was about to complete when he roared at her

"Enough Aarti... did you see the result of your pigheadedness?" he shouted angrily at her while cutting the rope around her wrists...

She looked at him but didn't speak a word, out of fear she was quiet for some time. Her body was still shivering because of the incident that took place only minutes ago...

Speechless she searched for some water when her eyes fell on a water bottle... without thinking much she opened the bottle and drank thirstily...

Veer stared at her with annoyance... "Do you even know what would have transpired?"

Aarti looked all daggers at him "They would have raped me. What else?"

Feeling terribly irritated at her response he slapped her across the face this time "Shut up"

"How does it affect you in anyway?" she scowled at him, touching her bruising cheek that was now red.

Extremely frustrated at Aarti's behavior, He pulled her hair making her look into his eyes "Any crime in this goddam world, affects me. Do you understand?" he shook her away

Aarti cried aloud not able to stop her tears anymore "Just get out of my life ...just go away"

Not taking any more tantrums from her he seated on the big stone not far from where she was sitting "I am already out of your life" he whispered then rubbed his hand in his hair...

Aarti had lost hopes of getting any love from this man. He didn't save her out of love but because he cannot see any crime. Her mind had believed this way back, it was only her heart that still had little hopes of him falling in love with her but she was absolutely wrong.

His attitude made her stand on the verge of her life today where it was too difficult for her choose her ways... today she regrets every moment when she thought about him. In these seven years not even once did he made her feel that he loves her...instead she felt her love ripped apart in pieces every time.

She will pick up her scattered emotions and leave his so called egotistical life forever. Aarti looked at her bruised leg that now felt painful. She tried to get up when he saw her and was about to help her but stopped in the middle.

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The morning sun shine upon both sitting at different sides... Veer opened his eyes and the first thing was he looked at her... she was still sleeping. He looked at her from tip to toe, her condition was not good. And he won't ask her to walk in this condition. But before he could say or wake up... she tried getting up slowly and stood up holding a tree...

Both didn't say anything but understood the need to leave this jungle as soon as they can... while they were still taking small steps. Aarti was horrified to see Zora right in front of her.

He was standing with at least forty people behind him, plus two dogs. She was now colossally worried for Veer, she was no wonder alarmed for his safety.

How can he beat these many people and these two trained dogs... plus Zora had weapons with him.

The entire scene made her scare to death...if anything happens to Veer because of her, she wouldn't spare anyone.

"So Aarti... this is your bodyguard" he said taking of his goggles...

Aarti didn't utter a word, instead she stepped a little back, even if she wanted Veer to get out of her life, she wouldn't allow anyone to touch him. She would kill Zora if he did harm Veer because of her. "I am willing to marry you Zora, let him go"

She said making Veer wonder, as if she had killed him in pieces by saying this. He would never want her away from himself. Without saying anything he held Aarti's hand "You can get lost. She will not marry you"

Aarti froze at Veer's statement, she tried to pull her hand away "leave me Veer" she rustled at him "can't you see these criminals...why do you want to risk your life?"

He didn't respond to her whispers instead he watched Zora who frowned at the way Veer held Aarti's hand... "Not marry?" Zora laughed aloud...

"Aarti will be mine, soon. So it's better for you to leave her" Zora stepped closer to Veer who did not leave her hand instead stared at Zora

"Two"

"What?" Zora shouted

"Forget about Aarti. You only have last two minutes of your own life" Veer moved Aarti behind him.

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