Italics - past.

6/6/2024.

• • •

It was just one of those days when Vansh stayed away from his home. Only this time, he hadn't explained his absence to his family.

While he slept in peace with his head on her lap, his family began to loose their mind. Angre, the only one who could calm them, was nowhere to be found either. Indrani immediately took control.

"Mahesh, find Vansh at once. I need him in the mansion within 48 hours."

"Yes madam," He bowed and left the room.

Vansh, on the other hand, was enjoying his time. Midnight meals, late night walks, endless cuddles and affections, cooking together; he was more interested in stealing kisses than worry about his family or business.

And in that happiness, he accidentally turned on his phone. The device ran out of battery and didn't turn on completely. But those few seconds were more than enough for the security to locate him. Precisely, locate the area he resided in.

It was late midnight, when Riddhima woke. She was disturbed by the constant sounds in her neighbourhood. Pulling on a shawl, she was about to open the door to check when the doorbell rang.

She had unlocked it when someone banged on the door violently. She flinched, pulling her hand back. A shudder ran down her spine.

"I saw a light here earlier. I'm sure boss is here." She heard someone say.

"Boss is here!" Another screamed, running to the door. "I saw him. He's in the room inside, probably unconscious."

Riddhima gulped, stepping back. She turned and began running inside.

The door broke, splinters and dust flying around. In the dust, they saw Riddhima's silhouette. "After her," he ordered. Vansh, who had taken sleeping pills due to his sleeping habits, slept soundly.

The group charged in, and before Riddhima could wake Vansh up, they overpowered her.

Pushing her to the floor, arms twisted behind painfully and a knee pressed to her back, Riddhima opened her mouth to scream. She watched, in tears, as the men carefully lifted Vansh off the bed and carried him away.

"What about her, boss?" They asked, holding her to the floor.

"Take her. The boss will decide her fate." He ordered.

'More like decide your fate,' Riddhima retorted mentally, relived when he moved his knee from her.

Harshly, they tied her hands behind her back and dragged her along. Riddhima spent her time locked up in a dark and smelly basement. Even the air in there was dirty, and she threw up four times.

• • •

Vansh woke up the next morning, when the effect of the pills wore off. He was surprised to find himself back in the room.

"Sir," the man greeted, offering Vansh a glass of water. Vansh gulped it down in a go. "The woman who kidnapped you, she's in the hall. Your family is taking care of her."

"Where was she all night?"

"In the tenth basement. Ahana madam ordered it. She even puked four times."

Vansh's jaw tightened and he threw the glass at the wall. "How dare she!" He yelled, storming out of the room. When Vansh reached the hall, he was frozen in disgust and horror.

In the centre of the hall, Riddhima kneeled with her hands bound behind her back. It hurt her, he could tell. His family surrounded her, hurling abuses one after the other. Some even demeaning her character.

Behind her, stood Mrs. D'Souza, utterly aghast. She pleaded with them to stop and stay silent. She tried everything to keep Riddhima from getting hurt.

Oh, if only she could. For once she wished to have power to control them, but she was just a mere servant in their eyes. A powerless toy in their hands.

She looked away, streams of tears and helplessness rolling down her eyes. She clenched her fists behind her back. Turning away, she ran out to the kitchen and gave Angre a call.

"Mrs. D'Souza? What's wrong?"

"The family thinks that Riddhima madam kidnapped Vansh baba. They're... They're torturing her and I cannot stop them. Come home soon, sir." She pleaded.

"I'll be there in a minute." He confirmed.

Mrs. D'Souza ran out of the kitchen towards the main door, pacing about impatiently. A car pulled in and Angre jumped out immediately.

"Where?" He panted.

"Inside." She trembled, leading the way.

Once inside, Angre's gaze met with Vansh's but immediately broke when he saw Kabir holding a knife at Riddhima's neck.

He acted quick, pushing him away from her. But in the process, a cut formed on her lower jaw. And then, Vansh snapped.

"How dare you!" Kabir raged, glaring at Angre. The rest of the family glared at him too.

"Angre, harder" Vansh stated in a calm yet steel cold tone.

"Vansh!" Anupriya gasped. Angre clenched his fist tightly, throwing a punch at Kabir.

"Again," Vansh ordered. A dangerous glint sparked in his eyes. Mrs. D'Souza bent over and untied Riddhima, helping her to her feet.

"Again," he grit his teeth. "Didn't you eat breakfast, Angre?"

Vansh held her gingerly, stroking her hair. He could feel her trembling in his embrace. "Ssh, it's okay now." He whispered, comforting her.

Angre hit Kabir hard. So hard, that they heard the sound of a bone cracking. "Ah!" Kabir screamed, withering in pain.

"Kabir," Anupriya cried, stepping forward. "Call the doctor. Someone call the doctor."

"Let him die." Vansh spoke calmly. He directed Mrs. D'Souza to take Riddhima away to his room and care for her. Angre wiped the blood stains from his hands.

"Angre, freeze all their bank accounts."

"You cannot do that, Bhai!" Ishani fumed.

Vansh glared at her. "Everything in this house is mine. The money you spend so easily is mine. The riches, the luxuries... Everything you are is because of me. So yes, I can do that."

Ishani shuddered.

"And her," Vansh pointed his finger at Ahana, "lock her in the seventh basement. For ten days. No food, no water."

"And these," he pointed at Indrani, Chanchal, Rudra and Anupriya, "go to the third basement. One week. No food, no water."

"But- but Vansh," Chanchal stammered, "I did nothing wrong."

"Oh no, you did." He spat in disgust. "If you had taught this useless son of yours some manners, you would've been saved. They say, it's the parents duty to instill good values in their child. And you've failed."

"The rest, have them locked up in their rooms with the toughest security. Feed them twice a day."

Vansh glanced at Kabir who was crying in pain. "Make sure no doctor enters the mansion."

Vansh left the room while Angre executed his orders in perfection.

That day the family began to fear him.

• • •

Ahana sighed, retreating into their room, only to find Riddhima fast asleep on their bed.

"What the - " she yelled, only to be silenced by Vansh's nasty glare.

"That's my bed. Why the fuck is that girl lying on it?" She pointed out.

"This is my room, my house, my property. What the fuck are you doing here?"

"I'm your wife." She retorted.

"No. You're just a bloody snake." He shot.

"This is my... our room." She added weakly.

"No, this is my room." He waved his hand in dismissal, "Go and sleep in Ishani's room, or Anupriya's room. Just. Leave!"

The dark and dominating aura around Vansh frightened her. Stepping back, she ran out of the room.

Locking the door, Vansh let out a frustrated growl and sat beside Riddhima on the bed. He gently stroked her hair, twirling the strand round his finger.

It was the first and last time the family met Riddhima.

• • •

Riddhima cupped Vansh's face in her hands, staring at him with an adorable pout.

Vansh smiled and leaned forward, pecking her pout. "Fine, sunshine. I won't worry."

Riddhima blushed, burying her face in his shoulder. He gently stroked her hair. "Sunshine, shall we go and watch a movie?"

Riddhima looked at him, nodding obediently like a happy child. Vansh couldn't help himself from smiling again. She kissed his cheek and stepped off his lap, running away to their room.

"Boss -- I mean... Bhai, the passports are ready. I've even found a place for us to stay abroad." Angre informed, passing him the tablet. Vansh swiped through the pictures, observing them carefully. He returned it back to Angre.

"Search for some good movies to watch." He added casually. "We're going out."

"For Bhabhi and you?"

"For all of us, silly." Vansh chuckled, ruffling his hair. "The four of us are going to go." Patting him on the back, Vansh disappeared into the kitchen.

"What's wrong, Mr. Angre?" Mrs. D'Souza asked. "Seems like you've got a difficult task." She teased.

"Yeah, a very difficult task." He mumbled, touching his hair. "Have you ever seen Vansh Bhai laugh?

• TO BE CONTINUED •