Radhika's POV

"Hey big brother and dearest sister in law."

Sam's voice interrupted our lost in each other moment.

She posed like a model,"So tell me how do I look?!"

"You look like a girl." He gave a crisp answer.

"Excuse me! I am a girl and I asked you how do I look in this dress?!"

"That's what I said, you look more like a girl in this dress otherwise I use to think you had forgotten that you are a girl."

"Fine! You look good now don't fish for compliments from others particularly boys. They only want one thing and you know what it is." He cautioned her.

"Bhai, I am sure there are some good guys out there."

"Good or bad, if some guy makes you cry then he will not see the sun of another day don't come crying to me then to spare him because I will not."

"But...."

I cut her off because I don't want them to start fighting in the party. He is always pulling her leg, irritating the hell out of her and she gets so mad at him but still he wouldn't relent.

"Sam, sweety you look gorgeous. Don't pay attention to him, he is just teasing you but he is happy that you chose to wear a dress of his choice."

Arjun gave a very indifferent look to me, clearly covering his true feelings with a frown but I could see beyond it. His smile had almost reached his ears when he saw her, and I realized that all the bullying was all a facade. I still don't know why he does and what for but I know even she doesn't take it too seriously as I have never seen her staying mad for more than one day.

"Common you have to tell her. She is wearing what you chose."

"I said she looks good."

"But that's not enough. Tell her how beautiful she looks."

He nodded and reached up to her, taking her hands in his and both of us waited with bated breath to hear him.

"Sam, you look like a tall giraffe that is wrapped in pink!" As soon as he said it, he couldn't stifle his chuckle anymore.

My God! That was just mean.

"Arjun!" I turned to Sam who had ripped her hands out of his grip," Sam please listen....."

"You know what, Bhai?! I am leaving!"

"Please don't start eating the trees on your way."

"Arjun!" I scolded him.

He blocked her path," You can't leave, who is going to click our pictures together if you leave?!"

Oh my God! What is wrong with him?!

She sidestepped him but he held her hand,"I am sorry but you can't leave."

She rolled her eyes at him," Did I hear it wrong?! You just said sorry....."

"Fine! I am sorry and you look smashing." He finally admitted.

She flipping her hair in dramatic fashion," I know!"

"Sam, don't embarras me! You don't do that hair flip right and stop patronizing those bimbos for fuck's sake!"

Now even I couldn't help but smile at the siblings bickering with each other. This is something I never had with my brother even though I knew he loved me and I, him but he became more and more aloof as he grew up.

"Bhai, can I take Radhika with me?! I kind of want to show her off to my friends."

He cocked a brow and asked,"Is she some trophy or show piece, you want to flaunt?!"

"Bhai please....." She gave him a fleeting pout.

He shook his head,"Sam, you are being unreasonable. Radhika is new here and many a times even you are very unwary of what is happening around you."

She made a puppy face and I knew that will melt his stance, she just has to try harder. I also wanted to go along with her because I really enjoy Sam's company. Our energies are the same and she is more of a best friend than my sister in law.

"Sammy, why do you want to take her?! She will feel left out in your friend circle." He reasoned with her.

"I promise she won't. She will love it."

He looked at me with a unreadable expression,"You want to go with her?!"

You are asking me?! That's nice. Let me make some good use of this opportunity to get some space. I kind of want to meet and greet other people because I am kind of irked with Arjun hovering over me.

"Yes." I said in a clipped tone.

"Don't wander around and remember what I told you before in the car. I am letting you two go but I am watching you two." He leaned closer to me and kissed my cheek, taking me by surprise at this sudden display of affection," Sam tends to get carried away with her friends. You are smarter than her so don't let her do anything stupid." He cautioned me.

Wow! He thinks I am smart well he did admit this too late, didn't he?! Anyways better late than never.

"Radhika, hold my hand." Sam said as she in

Some time later, Sam dragged me to meet some of her friends.

Sam, with her hand wrapped around my shoulder," So girls, meet the new member of our family, Mrs Radhika Arjun Mehra."

One of the girls, coughed her drink while the other gaped at Sam with eyes wide open but the girl whose face fell caught my attention. I smell a heartbreak there.

Sam leaned closer and whispered in my ears," That's Nitya, my classmate. She has a huge crush on Bhai and he never looked her way."

Nitya masked her pain and came forward," Congratulations on your marriage. You are one lucky girl." She said, taking my hands in hers.

Atleast she was not hostile like that Sandra.

"Thank you." I said with a genuine smile.

She looked down unable to look at me and I realized how hard it must be for her. She liked him for years and he never paid a glance at her.

I gave her a brief hug,"Its okay. I know that my husband is a very handsome man and you don't need to be embarrassed at all. You are very pretty and I am sure there is someone who will have eyes only for you."

"You are very sweet and so beautiful, no wonder he chose you to be his wife." She replied politely and I grimaced recollecting the bitter truth but I didn't let it show on my face.

My eyes searched for his face in all others, he was in a conversation with a much older woman perhaps in her 40s who had her arm rubbing his much to my dislike. He was staring at her with his hard, stony eyes devoid of emotions. I hated how she was lusting after him, and he knew it by the looks of it yet he was standing there, talking to her.

I was beginning to get scared now, my fingers curled around my wedding locket as I looked at him with fear in my eyes. Fear that was squeezing my heart blocking my oxygen supply as I grew breathless.

As he leaned forward and whispered something in her ear, she paled as her face lost colour and she took a step back. She looked as if she saw a ghost and her face was white as paper. She scurried away in jiffy and I thanked God in my mind.

But the question remains what was it that he told her that frightened her off.

He caught me red-handed staring at him. He smiled at me and I smiled back at him. He strode towards me and I couldn't contain my smile that had reached my ears.

"Hello ladies." He greeted Sam's friends as he wrapped his arm around my waist. One by one, all of them greeted him with sheer excitement as he was not the one to come and say hello to someone on his own but yet he did and I think I know the reason.

"Sam, I will steal her for a minute." He said as he pulled me away from them.

"Are you okay?!" He asked me, concerned as he cupped my cheek.

"Yeah, I am fine." I assured him.

Suddenly I remembered that hag's face who was throwing herself on my husband.

"Who was that woman?!"

"Who?!" He played dumb.

"The one you were standing so close to a while ago."

"Radhika, it's not important."

"She was making a pass at you." I said, bitterly.

"My dear, I am more than capable of protecting myself from such women."

"Do you know her?!" I asked him, suspiciously.

"Yes." He gave a monotonous reply.

"How?! Why was she so touchy with you?!" I asked him again.

He glared at me,"Radhika, aren't you asking me too many questions?!"

I turned my face away as I knew if I keep pressing him for answers, he will lose his temper. Now I will ignore him till he gives me a satisfying reply.

He turned my face towards him with his hand, cupping one side of my face.

"Radhika, if you saw her throwing herself at me then didn't you see I rejected her advances." He continued," How does it matter who is she?!"

"It matters because you are hiding...."

"I have hidden many things from you but none that will sabotage our marriage." I won't budge till he comes clean. He has to tell me who is that woman to him.

"Fine! Have it your way! She is my business partner's ex wife, and let's just say, she is a predatory woman."

"Did you sleep with her in the past?!" I asked him, eyeing him with doubt.

"No!" He exclaimed to accentuate his repulse for my assumption.

He took my hand and kissed it," Let's forget this and enjoy the party."

"Radhika, there is someone I want you to meet." Sam interrupted us and dragged me away from him before I could say anything.

"He is here!" She said, her eyes lit up in joy and excitement.

"Who is here?!" I asked her, confused.

"Neil!" She exclaimed.

My eyes widened in shock and fear! What the hell! Sam has lost it! What if Arjun gets to know?! Does she even know what Neil does for living?! I remembered that even I had not shared with her that I was best friends with Neil in college. I didn't tell her many things about my past life because I use to think of her more as Arjun's sister than my best friend but now I trust her with all my heart.

"Sam, I need to tell you something...." My words got stuck in my mouth as I bumped in to someone and even though it was not entirely my fault, I apologized without seeing who it was.

Black eyes full of anger and envy were staring at me as if they wanted to burn me down with the fire in them.

"Sorry?! You should be. Do you really think he'll stay with you forever?!" She asked in a bitter tone.

The bitch with capital B, Sandra was not cutting me any slack.

I remained quiet clenching my fist tight trying to control myself. Sam was going to fight but I pressed her palm and shook my head indicating a no.

"You are no good for him. He has needs and you can't give him what he wants." She clenched the words through her teeth.

"That does not change the fact that I am his wife and he won't leave me and that he promised. You claim to know him better than me, don't you?! You know he is a man of his word." I spoke in a icy cold tone.

Who the hell does she think she is?! Our marriage is none of her concern.

"You snatched him from me. He is mine not yours. You have cast a spell on him with your beauty. But he'll leave you one day and come back to me." She snarled.

Seriously?! She is hoping to have Arjun even after knowing that he is married. He'll never leave me, you bitch at least not for a black hearted girl like you.

"Good luck with that. You can dream as much as you want." I spoke in a humour filled tone battling my eyebrows.

Sam gave her a warning glare, " Sandra you shouldn't mess with those you can't take on. She is a queen and if she wants then you'll be taking your last breath today. All she has to do is to tell Arjun to kill you."

I shook my head, " Sam its OK. She is not worth it. Let's go."

I walked ahead with Sam but what that bitch said further really riled me up.

"You are just a mousy little thing after some money. He is not capable of marriage. One day he'll bring a substitute for you too."

This is it. She crossed the line. How dare she?! I glared at her with blazing fire in my eyes. I looked around and a guy with a tray of drinks was standing beside me.

I took a glass of cocktail from it and threw it on her face. All her make up washed away and indeed she looked like a witch that she was. Her mascara flowed down her cheeks and she looked so ugly.

She took long strides towards us. Drops of cocktail dripping from her hair which looked so messed up now. I stared at her without blinking my eyes.

She raised her hand to slap me but a strong hand caught her wrist in mid way before it could even touch my face.

I turned to the person to whom that hand belonged to.

With his back to me and front to her, he blocked her hand that was raised to slap me. He pushed me behind him, covering me completely by his body. I stepped aside to look at him and my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach as I took in his eyes that were piercing into Sandra. If looks could kill, she would be dead by now.

He twisted her wrist and broke it. She winced in pain and tears of agony rolled down her cheek.

Serves you right, Bitch.

He glared at her murderously, " You signed your death warrant by thinking of raising your hand on her. You really thought you'll be able to touch her."

"No one touches what's mine. Any last wish?!" He asked gritting his teeth as he pulled out his gun from his pocket and aimed at her.

A man fell at his feet and folded his hands,"No please don't kill my daughter, Arjun. At least value our relationship which has lasted for ages."

He looked down at the man,"Too late for an apology, Albert. I told you many times to knock some sense in this good for nothing daughter of yours. You were one of my father's closest friends and this is why I am sparing your family. If some one else would have offended my wife I would have slaughtered every member of that family."

She sobbed," Arjun, how can you think of ending my life for this whore of a wife of yours?!"

She has the nerve to call me a whore even after she is at gunpoint. I felt like slapping her to my heart's content. How can I be a whore if any man except Arjun has not touched me?!

Her courage rewarded her with a stinging slap on her cheek as his hand lashed out on her cheek in the dead silence of the party venue. None intervened to pay a price of one's life.

He shrieked in a ear piercing tone," How dare you use that filthy word for my wife?! Sandra its you who is the highest paid whore in our society. You think I don't know how to get over me and live with my rejection you had your legs spread wide for men you barely knew. I was going to give you a less painful death but now I'll make sure you'll shed blood tears till your last breath."

"Arjun, I don't want you to kill her." I spoke as I stood in between her and him.

"Radhika get out of my way or I'll move you. I am not going to spare her." He stated in a hard tone.

"Arjun please." I pleaded and tears swam down my cheeks and held his hands in mine. He shifted his gaze away from me and pulled his hands out of my grip easily.

He cupped my face and I shivered as the hard cold metal of the gun touched my cheek as he had been holding it in his one hand. He kissed my forehead and whispered in a hushed tone," Go sit in the car. Wait for me to join you."

I shook my head," Arjun no please I don't want you to kill her. I have forgiven her."

"I SAID GO SIT INSIDE THE CAR, RADHIKA. GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE." He screamed at me.

I stood still as if frozen. I couldn't move and I felt as if all my limbs were paralyzed. I couldn't move an inch and continued staring into his eyes which were so cold and emotionless.

He turned to Sam," Sam take her away from here. I don't want her to witness this."

Sam dragged me away from them and my legs felt like jello. I had no strength left inside me. Last thing I heard were six gunshots fired rapidly one after another.

To be continued......