Radhika's POV

I felt soothing relief as he pulled me to his chest giving me his warmth that always calms me down. I wrap my arms around him tight and pulled him as closer as I could. Though my little baby bump did not permit a bonecrushing hug but I wanted to feel him as close I could. I did not care if we just had a fight or he had again hurt me but all I cared for was I was very scared and he and only he could comfort me.

" No one is going to die." He broke the hug and took a long look at my tearstained face," You hear me?! I won't let anything happen to you." He said in a tone full of confidence.

"I am scared, Arjun." My lips quivered as I couldn't talk clearly. I was scared for my baby more than for my own life. Rahil will kill the baby if he gets his hands on me.

He pecked my forehead,"Don't be. Nothing will happen."

He kneeled down without breaking eye contact with me and placed his hands on my baby bump. He kissed my belly," Hi, baby it's me your daddy. You don't have to be scared because you are my son." He smiled at me and continued," or daughter. Nothing is ever going to happen to you on my watch. You'll always be safe, loved and cared for because you are mine, all mine. I love your mother and you more than I can ever say." He rose up and looked at me in the eye," You heard me, nothing is ever going to happen to both of you."

I couldn't help but smile feeling elated that he is okay with the idea of having a daughter finally. This is like a small stream in Sahara desert. He said that he will love and take care of our daughter the same way as he would have done for a son. I know he has come a long way for me, for our baby. He has become a better person and I finally can understand that it's me who has changed him. He was never like this. He was cold, cunning and a complete stuck up but never loving, caring and supportive. If he could do so much for me then I think I could forgive that he was only interested in my body in the past. He has been so, so good to me in this one month except for the little fights here and there. I agree he is not my Mr Right who I dreamed about but now I realise that no one is really the Mr Right. Mr Right is just a superfluous concept. There are no prince charming in real life. What is most important is to love the man the way he is and to be loved by that man with the same passion. I know I don't love Arjun half as much as he loves me. I will not be so insecure anymore because that just makes me a bitter person and strains our relationship. I will try to overlook his past and everything because I love him so much. I will hold his hand in the darkness and be his light the way he has been my saviour so far.

When we reached the third floor and stopped in front of the forbidden door. I could put things together and conclude that he didn't wanted me to escape as this door leads you outside the property. God! This was so close. He put a key inside the keyhole and opened it wide open for three of us to enter. Lily was tailing behind us as we walked inside a place that was hidden in the dark with only a little light creeping inside from a small hole in the roof.

Arjun had his hand tightly wrapped around my waist to prevent me from falling on my fanny. We walked ahead until we heard a voice that sounded so much like Arjun. Like it felt as if it was him but he had not spoken a word to me since we entered inside. Perhaps he was more focused on watching his steps in the darkness.

"Hey elder brother." That voice said.

Elder brother?! Who is he referring to?! The only male here is ARjun so can it be so that he is referring to him?!

My eyes widened as saucers when I saw the face of the man whose voice we all heard. He looked like my husband! From head to toe, he was my husband's carbon copy. My eyes halted at his eyes that were the only thing that set him apart from Arjun. Arjun has black eyes and this man had ambers.

"Shocked?! Surprised?! Or pained?! Well I did give you the biggest shock ever." He smiled vicious.

I looked at Arjun only to find him fuming in ferocious rage. I know this look very well. I have been slapped or pushed away when I underestimate this simmering fury in his eyes. I am just scared that he will get hurt today as I feel this person looks like my husband's equal in terms of strength.

I grip his hand hard in fear and he wrapped his arm around my shoulder tightly.

"Who the fuck are you?!" Arjun asked him in an enraged tone.

"That is no way to talk to your brother who you just met still I will let this go." He gave us a sly smile.

He has a brother?! He never had a brother and he had mentioned that he is the only child of his parents.

"Who are you?!" Arjun asked him again in a tone that meant business. I know this tone very well.

I know he has reached the end of his tether now and he is not to be fucked with right now.

"Sofia Arnav Mehra. Does that ring a bell in your head, brother?!"

Sofia?! Who is Sofia?! I have never heard of her?! Why does her name carry Arnav and Mehra as her middle and last name?! As far as I know, Arnav Mehra is Arjun's father and.....Oh God! He is Arjun's half brother and Sofia Mehra's son who is Arjun's stepmother!

He moved closer to Arjun until there was only an inch gap between both of them. I was scared as he was standing so close to us but Arjun wasn't scared. His eyes had turned to slits as he glared fiercely at that man.

"You are the only reason because of which every thing which should have been mine is not mine! Mom was pregnant with me and she suggested to make her son the heir of the empire but good old dad made it clear to her that you are the only heir despite the fact that you despised him. You hated him dear brother but still he wouldn't make me his heir. Mom could not take it anymore so she left him and raised me away from you all until one day she told me who I am. I was filled with so much rage so I came back here. I found out that you were crowned as the king and nothing could hurt me more than that. I was denied all the rights as a son when I deserved it as his son. He fucking chose you over me! He loved you more in his own sick way so I killed him. You thought that Rehan did it but it was me who hired a sharpshooter to kill that fucking bastard. He was no good so he had to go. All this year's I was just waiting for the right time to strike and you made things easy for me when you made enemies out of so many people at a time."

Oh My God! He is Arjun's stepbrother! That explains the uncanny  resemblance between both of them. It felt as if Arjun was standing in front of the mirror and staring at himself but I could still spot the difference between them. I didn't need my eyes to tell who among them was my husband.

He turned to Lily and gave her a kiss,"Hi Lily. Thanks for the help by the way. Had you not disabled the electric laser shield, we would have never been able to enter." He said and planted a kiss on her lips again.

That fucking bitch! I knew it, I so knew it that she was up to something. She played us all. I thought her apology was genuine but I could not help the bad vibes I was getting from her. I shouldn't have ignored my gut instinct and should have spoken to Arjun about this.

I am utterly disgusted of this woman. On one hand she claims to love Arjun eternally and on other hand she plots with his enemy to kill him. Unbelievable! I stared at her with loathing rage.

Arjun eyed her with flaming eyes," You are  one of a kind of a desperate slut. Fucking two different men who had the same face and you asked me why her and not you?!" He pointed at me to show her how low she has stooped.

Did she only love his face that she took another man who looked like him?! She doesn't love him. If She did then she would have never done what she did. I know for a fact that he had a soft corner for her in his heart and it must be really hurting him to see her betrayal with his own eyes. He cared for her that is why he had forgiven her but she does not deserve his kindness nor his friendship.

Tears welled in her eyes as his words must have pinched her heart.

"Finally you got your answer that is why I chose her over you because she is not a whore like you who would spread her legs for any fucking man even if he looked like me."

I felt him staring at me with pride in his eyes admist this chaos. I gave him a small smile in return and I gave a gentle squeeze to his hand that I was holding to lift up his spirits.

"Lily, you..."

She cuts him off," Yes, me! Lily, the biggest loser! What you thought Arjun that I will let you live happily after you killed my dreams?! I loved you, Arjun loved you to the point where I was going to take my own life and that is when Veer saved me. He told me that I could punish you for what you did to me. I was smiling upfront but only I knew how I was burning in rage when I use to see you with this little whore." She pointed towards me as she looked at me with vengeance in her green eyes. 

I wasn't even a bit affected by her abusing me because everyone standing here knows who is the whore here including Veer. I don't think so he has any deep feelings for Lily. I feel he was just using her to reach Arjun.

"You are the whore here, Lily. Didn't take you long to move from one man to another?! I never knew you loved only my face that you switched sides since you couldn't get me."

Lily had gone beyond caring for the insults and accusations thrown at her. She was as quiet as she can be only she was sniffling occasionally.

"Arjun, I am scared." I said in a tiery tone.

"It's okay. I am there with you." He reassured me.

What happened next took place so fast that I couldn't grasp what just happened for  a minute or two. A shrill cry escaped from my lips when I saw lily fallen on the ground hit by the bullet Arjun intended to fire  at Veer but that coward pulled her in between to defend himself. I looked at her closing eyes sadly but what surprised me was she was staring at Arjun intently as if painting his image in her mind for the last time. Maybe she did love him and she just couldn't accept the fact that he didn't return her feelings.

"Some people are of great use when they are alive and some people are of use when they are dead but Lily, my dear you were of great use to me both when alive and now when dead." Veer said in an devilish tone as he looked down her lifeless form without any regret in his eyes.

Arjun didn't looked pleased by what he did. He might not be regretting it but he definitely wasn't happy. I know he didn't wanted to kill her. She was his best friend though her actions matched with what an enemy would do but still I know he wanted her in his life as his friend. I am also not happy with her death. She had her whole life ahead of her. She must have been something 29 or 30 and there was so much that could have happened to her had she not wasted her life behind someone who never belonged to her.

I shrieked when I felt a cold metal pressed against my temple. I exactly knew what it was without even looking at it.  For someone who is born into the world of crime and bethroned again and again in the criminal world, you grow to know what a gun feels like in your hand and even when it's end is pressed against your skin. I have never killed an ant in my life but I had naively held my father's revolver when I was nine and he had snatched it away after scolding me for touching his things without his permission. It wasn't a forgotten thing because few weeks later I had seen my father kill someone with that thing which I didn't know what it was called. I just knew that it was a bad thing and people die because of it.
I was held at gunpoint and I knew what they had planned. They wanted to use me as a bait to corner Arjun.

My eyes widened in shock when I saw Rahil holding the gun at my temple. He is my brother! how can he do this to me?! We are born out of same flesh and blood and here, he wants my blood! My heart is shattered and so am I. I never thought he could hate me so much that he would want to kill me. Me? His own baby sister that he use to panic for even if she got a scrap on her knee while playing. How could he kill me?!

I stared at him with tears in my eyes but he turned his face away as if he was possessed by some heartless monster who couldn't even melt for his own sister's tears.

" let her go you bastard!" I heard Arjun maddenning's tone but I didn't look at him. I couldn't move my eyes away from my brother who I had seen after such a long time and that too when he wanted to take my life!

"Not so soon, Arjun." Rahil laughed humourlessly as he pressed the gun more into my skin. As I winced from his tight grip on my shoulder, I felt him go stiff for a second as he looked at me with some warmth but soon it was replaced with rage.

I felt him loosening his grip on my shoulder and I could see through him that moment. He still cared! He did! He would never shoot me for the life of him! He is just trying to scare Arjun.

"Rahil, I am your sister. How could you do this to me?!" I asked him in a hurt tone.

He narrowed his eyes at me,"No you are a slut who had spread her legs for the man who made your father's life a living hell and got pregnant with his baby. You are not my sister."  He wound my heart with his merciless taunts.

I couldn't hear anymore! I am done! I spreaded my legs for....Was I even asked if I wanted to marry Arjun or not?! Was I even asked if I wanted to lose my innocence to him?! Was I even asked if I wanted to become the mother of his child?! He has no right to say this to me! It was not my fault and it's not my fault even now. Why should me and my baby pay for all this stupid people's revenge?! Arjun wanted to avenge his mother so he tried to ruin my life to get even with my dad and now Rahil wants to avenge our dad by hurting me and my baby. Why am I the only one who has to pay for all this things which I have nothing to do with?! 

"Don't you dare hurt her, Rahil."

"Lower your gun and hands up otherwise it won't take me a second to blow up her head." Rahil gave a smug look to Arjun.

Blow up my head?! What about my baby?! Oh God! Please no! I can't die! I have to live to bring this child into this world. My nerves were set on fire and I could feel my pulse shooting up.

"NO! Don't hurt her let her go. She is pregnant you fucking lunatic! You are scaring her." Arjun snarled at him.

"I don't think so you are in a position to usher commands, Arjun." Veer said as he started to walk towards Arjun without any fear as he knew Arjun's life was in his hands and he would do no harm to him.

"Fine! I will keep my gun down but you let her go." Arjun said in a frustrated tone as he did exactly what this wicked heads wanted him to do.

"No! Don't do this Arjun." I pleaded with Arjun even though I knew I was trying to fight a lost battle.

Suddenly I felt dirty and I realised why. I was being touched by Veer with his filthy hands as he moved his hand up and down on my arm. I couldn't believe Rahil was letting him do all this to me! How could he?! I am his goddamn sister and he is letting another man misbehave with his sister!

I shrugged his hand away with my other hand and pressed my body against my brother who I knew would do nothing to stop this but still my foolish heart expected him to protect me.

"Don't touch her you motherfucker!" I looked at Arjun whose face was white with pure rage and vengeance.

"What a pretty little thing you are Radhika. No wonder he loves you. I would too, my dear if you were mine. Even with a baby you are breathtaking." Veer said in a lustful tone as he breathed too close to my face. If he would even move any further then surely his face as in his lips would touch my cheek.

I felt disgusted by him! I turned my face away to avoid looking at him. He had the face of my husband but he was nothing like him.

"You get the fuck away from her!" I heard Arjun's threatening tone filled with nothing but cold merciless rage. He hated even a man breathing next to me and here Veer was not just  touching me but also undressing me with his eyes!

"You know what Arjun I will take care of everything after your are dead. I promise you brother. I will take care of your wife, baby and also the empire that you created." He taunted Arjun to hurt him more.

"You think you won it?! You are a fucking coward to use her as a bait because you know I can still smash your face if not for her." Arjun looked at him murderously in the eye.

"Coward?! Fine, so be it. I don't want to try bravery if the victory is mine." Veer replied cunningly.

"Let him go please." I pleaded with Veer as I couldn't see Arjun on his knees.

He is my strong man! He never bends in front of anyone! He is a man of self pride and self respect. I can't see him like this on his knees even if it's to save me!

"Don't fucking beg him, Radhika!" Arjun gave me a death glare that said I dare you to beg him again!

I wiped my tears with the back of my palm as I moaned in pain of my ripped heart.

"Is this how he treats you Radhika?! Oh baby, you deserve so much better. I couldn't sleep at night when I saw your picture which Lily gave me. You are so gorgeous dear. Don't worry I will take care of you." Veer said far too sweetly  but I knew he was trying to instigate me.

"You get the fuck away from my wife." I heard Arjun's tone full of wrath.

"Your wife?! Is it?! She will be mine soon once you die." Veer mocked him as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder which I tried my best to jerk away but I was no match to his strength.

My eyes pricked with tears as I saw the tears in my husband's eyes. This tears were a mix of anger, pain most of all fear. He was scared for us, me and the baby.

"Oh baby such a fiesty cat you are. Can't wait to have you as mine." Veer whispered near my ear and I felt as if acid was poured into my ear buds.

"I am not yours and never will be!" I rebuked him as I couldn't keep quiet anymore.

He gave me an evil smile and turned to Arjun," Arjun, it didn't take me long to get Lily under me. I agree your wife is a little hard work but then she is worth it. Such a beautiful creature."

How dare he compare me with that awful woman?! He thinks he can get me to sleep with him then he has something else coming for him. I will either poison him or I will kill myself before he even touches my little finger. I won't even think about my baby if it comes to my dignity and self respect!

All hell broke loose when I heard a gunshot! I turned my eyes swiftly to my husband whose eyes bulged out of his face as he staggered in his stride before crashing on the ground. I fell on my knees with a thud as I realised all was lost! Everything is over! My eyes stayed fixed on Arjun but his eyes had closed so did all doors of ever finding happiness in life.

When I finally could find my voice that was lost somewhere, I screamed out the only word that was dear to me in this whole world.

"Arjunnnnnnnnnnnnnn......"

I weeped mournfully as I felt choked to death with this painful feeling that squeezed my heart and sliced it into pieces. I felt my brother hold me tightly as I struggled to move towards Arjun.

To be continued......