'Dragon' – a name that sends shivers down the spine of Mumbai. He is a ruthless, cunning, and powerful businessman whose world revolves around only two things – his empire and his wife, Arya. His love for Arya is so profound that the city considers t... 'Dragon' – a name that sends shivers down the spine of Mumbai. He is a ruthless, cunning, and powerful businessman whose world revolves around only two things – his empire and his wife, Arya. His love for Arya is so profound that the city considers their relationship an example. But behind every example lies a secret. That secret in Abhay's life is – his dark obsession. His dangerous penchant for girls. It is in the grip of this obsession that Vishakha falls – whom everyone knows as 'Vish'. This helpless girl from a poor family first becomes a bar dancer and then Abhay's mistress.<br /> <br /> Will Vish be able to escape Abhay's clutches?<br /> Will Arya ever get a sense of her perfect husband's shadows?<br /> And will Abhay's secret come to light – or will Vish's life forever remain bound in a deal?<br />
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She clenched her fists as she felt her bare body under the sheet. The rain was outside. She could hear the sound of rumbling clouds. She tried to focus on something else outside her window. The man on top of her right now she didn't want his touch. She could feel his hot breath on her ears. But she felt like she was in a different state of mind. She knew what she was doing was a sin. But still, she couldn't stop the man from spoiling her dignity. "I never thought that coming to you would give me so much peace," he said in a raspy voice in her ears. And hearing his words, she closed her eyes tighter. Her hands were clenched into fists, and she held the sheet tightly. Her face was filled with disgust and regret. While there was a devilish smile on the man's face. When the man saw the despair on the girl's face, his smile deepened. He looked at her and said, "What's wrong? Wasn't it great for you? After all, you're an expert at tempting men. So now it's even easier for you. You don't have to attract many men. Just keep me happy..." The man knew how much these words would hurt her. And something like that happened. These words had a profound effect on her soul. But she suppressed her tears and endured everything. Because she couldn't separate herself from these words. She couldn't be free from all this. She spent 3 years of her life as a bar girl, attracting and pleasing men. Her job was to attract men to her. But unfortunately, there was only one man in her life now, and she didn't want him in her life. This life was equal to death for her. When she felt like she was sinning every moment. She endured the man's body on top of her for an unknown amount of time. And every time she reached her limit. Finally, the man lay down beside her and started snoring loudly. She got some relief. It seemed like her body was about to die. But she couldn't sleep on the same bed as him. So she sat up on the bed and wrapped the blanket around her. Though she had nothing that he hadn't seen. But still, she could do this to regain her dignity. There was a cunning smile on the man's face. But then his phone on the table rang. He looked at the screen. The man put his phone on the speaker and made a sculpture on her shoulder with his hand. "Hello, my love," the man said. A girl's voice came from the other end. "Abhay, where are you?" As the girl sitting on the bed heard this voice, she recognized it. She glanced at the phone screen and fell into guilt again. Rya... He was the wife of this man. Whose name was Abhaydev Kotiyan. "Sorry, my love. I forgot to tell you. I'm actually out for a business deal. I bought a small piece of land here. There was a bit of a problem. I had to come out of the city to solve it," Abhay said. Rya said with concern, "There was a problem with land dealing? Abhay, are you okay? Did something happen to you?" Abhay immediately said, "No, my love. There's no problem. Actually, I bought this land. I just wanted to check if it was okay. I mean, you can understand. If it's not what I want, what will I do with it? So I just checked it properly." Abhay said as he moved his fingers on the girl's back. Like he wanted to indicate that the girl he was talking about was none other than her. Abhay's words created even more inferiority in her. She put her knees to her chest and wrapped her hands tightly around them. She started to shrink into herself. She hated herself very much. She felt used this way. Like she was a thing. But she couldn't deny that the man who was naked with her right now was her owner. "It's okay if you're busy with work. You do your work peacefully. And I'm sure whatever you've bought will be useful to you," Rya said with a smile. Abhay nodded and said, "Yes, my love. This thing is very useful to me. I can't tell you how happy I am to have it." "Okay, Abhay. I'll hang up now. You sleep," Rya said. Abhay said goodnight and I love you. He put the phone down. After putting the phone down, Abhay moved his fingers from Vish's shoulder to her elbow. He grabbed Vish's shoulder and pulled her up to him. Due to Abhay's sudden reaction, Vish's blanket came off, and she lay on Abhay's chest. Abhay strengthened his hold on her back and wrapped her entirely in his arms. Vish struggled and looked at him. "Why did you lie to your wife?" she asked. The smile on Abhay's face disappeared. He looked at Vish and said in a stern voice, "Who told you that I lied to my wife? Do you think I can lie to my wife? I didn't lie to her, nor did I hide anything from her." Vish said nervously, "But you told her you bought something." "Yes, I know what I told my wife. And I didn't lie to her. I bought you. Because you are my thing. Remember, I'm your owner, and you're my property. Tonight is just the beginning. There will be many more nights like this between us. When I'll tell you how to keep your owner happy. You can rest for a while if you want. Because it's not over yet." Abhay said this and left her on the bed and went to the balcony. Vish's whole body ached. Tears streamed down her eyes. She felt like she had no life left. But she knew she couldn't refuse Abhay. Abhay said right. He was her owner. And the owner could use his stuff as he liked. Vish started moving around restlessly. Actually, she was looking for her phone. Which she couldn't find on the table. But then she found her phone under her pillow. She took out her phone and turned it on. There was already a message present. Which was a voice message. As soon as Vish played the voice message, a cute and tiny voice came from the other end, "I love you, Mommy. I love you so much."
There was a voice message on Vish's phone. In it, her 3-year-old daughter told her, "Love you Maa. I love you so much." Vish was so moved by this message that tears came to her eyes. She replied to her daughter in a voice message, "Love you too, beta. Maa also loves you so much."
Vish wiped her tears and looked at Twinkle's picture on the screen. She kissed the screen and held the phone close to her chest. Her 3-year-old daughter, Twinkle, had a hole in her heart, and Vish had sold her own body to someone to get money for her daughter's treatment. She was doing this sin of sleeping with a married man for the treatment of her ailing daughter.
She had no other way. Twinkle's treatment was necessary, and she desperately needed money. At this time, nothing was more important to her than money. She lovingly touched Twinkle's picture on the phone screen and then kept it on a side table. But then her eyes fell on the unsealed envelope on the table, which contained the contract papers with Abhay. And on that contract was written, "Vish's Future."
Along with it, a photo frame was kept right in front of that table. In it, Abhay was standing with his wife Aarya, and they both looked like a happy couple. Seeing that picture, Vish started to hate herself even more. She, a woman, was destroying another woman's home. But at this time, she was very helpless. That monster had made her so weak that she had to do it.
Vish started remembering that day in her thoughts, which was the most unlucky day of her life.
One month ago...
“Twinkle, beta, wake up quickly. See, your favorite potato paratha is ready. And wake up that Kumhakarna aunty of yours. I don't understand, is she taking care of you or am I taking care of you both.”
“It's good that you're taking care of me. Otherwise, my actions are such that sometimes I feel like slapping myself.” A girl says as she comes out of the room.
This girl was 20 years old, and her face still had sleep in her eyes. She was the daughter of the house owner and Vish's best friend, Jiya.
Jiya sits at the dining table with her half-open eyes and says, “Make a cup of tea, yaar. I just can't wake up.”
Vish says as she keeps the paratha in a plate, “How will you wake up? When madam's online chatting continues till 4:00 am, then. Your father gave you such a big house so that you can live alone and study here. And what are you doing? You keep chatting with boys all night.”
Jiya also says with a pout, “Please, you're my friend. Don't give me knowledge like my mom. If you have to give, then quickly give me a cup of tea.”
“Mummy.........” Suddenly, Twinkle's crying voice comes from the room. Hearing her voice, Vish's heart starts beating rapidly. She rushes towards the room quickly. Jiya also rushes towards the room, worried.
They both enter the room. Vish searches here and there, looking for Twinkle, and says worriedly, “Twinkle…Twinkle beta, where are you?”
Then she sees a small girl on the corner of a small princess bed. She was sitting inside the quilt, hiding herself.
Jiya goes to the bed and removes the quilt. Then she sees Twinkle's cute face. Her big, round eyes, which were trembling with fear. And her small, innocent face, which was pale at that time.
Vish quickly comes to Twinkle and says, “Twinkle, what happened, beta? Why did you cry?”
Twinkle points to the program running on TV and says, “Mummy, look. A monster will come in it and take the prince away.”
Hearing Twinkle's innocent words, their panic subsides. And they both take a sigh of relief. Jiya sits beside Twinkle and lifts her onto her lap, saying, “So, our princess is afraid of the monster. Aunty taught you how to deal with the monster, right?”
Twinkle nods and says, “Yes, aunty, I remember. You said to spray paper in his eyes. If you can't find a paper spray, then pick up something and break his head.”
Vish is shocked to hear these words from her daughter's mouth and says, “Jiya, what did you teach my daughter? This hitting, cutting, and breaking heads. Keep my innocent baby away from all this.”
“Your innocent baby was being troubled by children in kindergarten. And since she learned to fight, no one dares to mess with my superwoman.”
Vish's eyes widen in surprise. Indeed, this duo is next level. She shakes her head and they both start laughing. Vish switches off the TV and says to Twinkle, “Come, both of you come out now. I've prepared breakfast. And I have to go to work later. Jiya, quickly get Twinkle ready and bring her out.”
Jiya lifts Twinkle in her arms and says to Vish, “You have breakfast and go to your job. I'll make Twinkle have breakfast and drop her off at kindergarten. I don't have much work today, so I'll leave a bit late. But your job timing is going on, you should leave quickly.”
Vish smiles and nods. And, kissing Twinkle's forehead, she walks out of her room.
Jiya was riding her scooter, and Twinkle was standing in front of it. She was enjoying her ride and having a great time, with Vish sitting behind Jiya's scooter. They were both smiling and listening to Twinkle's childish talks.
Twinkle's kindergarten came into view, and Jiya carefully helped Twinkle off the scooter. Vish also got down, and Jiya handed Twinkle her bag and water bottle. She kissed Twinkle's forehead lovingly, and Twinkle smiled, saying, "Mamma, will you come to pick me up?"
Vish's face turned slightly gloomy, and she said, "Beta, Mamma has work and won't be able to come. But Masi will come to pick you up."
Twinkle became cheerful, looked at Jiya, and Jiya tousled Twinkle's hair, saying, "Don't worry, my princess. I'll definitely come to pick you up, and we'll play video games together when your Mamma is away."
"...and I don't care what you both do or don't do in my absence. I just want Twinkle's homework to be done when I return. If not, I'll make you both sing 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' outside in the garden."
On Vish's scolding, they both pouted and looked at each other before bursting into laughter. Vish realized that she couldn't do anything about these two; they were a team and never listened to her.
Just then, three children, probably around Twinkle's age, called out to her from inside, waving their hands. Twinkle waved back and said, "Mamma, my friends are calling me. I'm going. Masi, don't sleep late, and be ready to lose at video games."
Twinkle rushed off to her kindergarten, leaving Jiya and Vish laughing.
As Vish sat behind the scooter again, she said, "It's amazing. Often children cry about going to school at this age, but my daughter is the one who says, 'Don't bring me home from school; I have friends there.'"
Vish worked as a cleaner in a big hotel but wasn't bothered by her job. She was happy to have work that paid her, allowing her to raise her daughter properly. For her, no job was too small or too big.
Jiya dropped Vish off in front of her hotel and headed to college. Vish joined her staff, put on her uniform, marked attendance, picked up her bucket, and headed to the 6th floor for cleaning.
At kindergarten, Twinkle was in her classroom with friends, learning to color a beautiful flower. Their teacher taught them, and they worked together. A girl entered, not in uniform but in casual clothes, distributing chocolates.
All the children, including Twinkle, received chocolates. The teachers had the girl stand in front of the class and sing "Happy Birthday" with the children. It was her birthday.
After lunch, the children sat in the garden area to eat. Twinkle brought potato parathas, which she and her friends enjoyed. Twinkle shared her lunch, and her three friends were Vikky, Juhi, and Mannu.
Twinkle and her friends were inseparable. They sat together in class, and their friendship stood out. Despite their young age, they supported each other and were often seen together.
The girl who had a birthday and wore a frock similar to Mannu's walked into the garden area. Juhi commented on the similarity, and Mannu agreed.
Vikky jokingly lamented having only female friends, but Twinkle teased him playfully, saying they already had enough to handle with him.
Vikky announced that his father had returned from a trip and brought him many toys. He promised to bring them the next day and let his friends choose the ones they liked.
The girls smiled at Vikky's announcement. Mannu shared that her father also brought her things when he traveled.
Juhi mentioned that her father brought her a frock and promised to bring chocolates on his next trip.
Twinkle's face turned gloomy after hearing her friends. Juhi asked if Twinkle's father brought her things, and Twinkle replied that she didn't have a father but her mother took care of her.
The girls looked at each other in surprise. Vikky asked if Twinkle's father had left or passed away, and Twinkle shrugged, saying her mother never told her.
Juhi suggested that Twinkle should ask her mother about her father, but Twinkle wondered why she should; her mother already did everything for her.
The conversation left the girls in awe. Mannu suggested that Twinkle should ask her mother about her father, and he might be there, unknown to her.
Twinkle began to ponder her friends' words, realizing she had never tried to learn about her father or if he even existed. The conversation had a profound impact on her.
Twinkle had returned home from school, and Jia was with her. But ever since she came home, she had been lost in thought. She neither played with Jia nor threw any tantrums, as she usually did on other days. In the evening, when Vish returns home, she is surprised to see her daughter sitting quietly in one place. She asks Jia with her eyes, and Jia shrugs her shoulders, indicating with gestures that she herself doesn't know what has happened to Twinkle.
Vish sits on the sofa next to Twinkle, who was sitting silently. The remote lay in front of her, but she hadn't turned on the TV. Seeing this, she is a little surprised, because Twinkle always watches her favorite cartoon on TV, but today she is sitting quietly and hasn't even looked at the TV.
Vish, looking at Twinkle in surprise, says, "What happened, Twinkle? You're not watching your cartoon, and you didn't go out to play this evening. What's wrong? Did you fight with your friends?"
Twinkle shook her head in a 'no' with a sad face, so Vish asks with concern, "Then what happened? Do you want to eat something? Are you hurting somewhere? Are you injured? Tell Mama what happened to you?"
Vish quickly holds her daughter's hand and starts looking at her to see if she is really hurt. She also examines her face thoroughly. But she was perfectly fine. And she looked fine, just her face was withered.
"Mama, where is Papa?" Hearing these few words from her daughter, Vish is completely stunned. Her words had squeezed her from the inside. She had never asked anything about this before, she had never said anything about her father, nor had she asked Vish about him, so why today?
"Why, what happened to you? Tell me, why are you suddenly asking about Papa?" Vish asks in surprise. Then Twinkle, looking at Vish, says, "Mama, is Papa bringing a gift for me?"
Vish quickly holds her daughter's hand and says, "What happened, child? Do you want a gift? What do you want? Tell Mamma. I will get you everything, so what's the need for your Papa? I am here for you. Tell me what you want."
Twinkle's question had surprised Jia too. She also came and sat next to them on the sofa and started listening to Twinkle's words in surprise.
Twinkle, looking at Jia with innocence, said, "My friend Juhi, her Papa brings her lots of toys, good dresses, and many gifts. And all my friends' papas bring something for them. They were asking me if my Papa also brings gifts for me, and I couldn't say anything."
Hearing her little child's words, Vish's heart fills with sadness. She looks into her innocent eyes, which at that moment longed to know about her father. But what could Vish tell her? She herself doesn't know who this little girl's father is. Vish herself can't believe that she is a woman who doesn't even know who her child's father is. This is just a reality of her painful past when she used to be a bar dancer, and out of compulsion, she used to earn a living by dancing in front of people. Her job was to entice men so that she could earn more money for herself.
Vish remembered how her world turned upside down one day when she was 18 years old.
She had just taken admission in college. And she didn't know what college life was like. But one day when she came home from college, she was shocked. She saw the people she called her parents had sold her to a rich man. Vish couldn't see the groom's face, but she was so hurt by being sold by her parents that she couldn't even protest. And then she found out that these people were not her real parents.
These people were just raising Vish for her property. And after turning 18, Vish's property was deceitfully taken away from her. And she was sold to a rich man. That day, Vish didn't go inside the door. And she ran away from there. She ran away and went to another city. She didn't know which train it was, or which city she was going to, but Vish accidentally reached Mumbai.
The innocent 18-year-old Vish fell into the wrong hands when she came to Mumbai. And she fell into the hands of the wrong people. They put Vish to work as a bar dancer. They used to beat her a lot and tell her to earn more money by dancing. Initially, she refused to do it, but later, when hunger broke her spirit, she agreed to do this work.
The innocent 18-year-old Vish was now 20 years old. In these two years, she had become the most famous dancer in that bar club. Countless people used to come just to admire her. And her income was also increasing. She had started saving money for herself. Now she had no family, nor any reason to live, so she thought her life would be spent in luxury. But one day her life completely changed when the bar manager told her that she had to give a private dance performance. Vish never gave private dance performances. But when her manager persuaded her many times, she agreed. But where she was sent for the private dance performance, she saw that there was no one else there besides her. Upon arriving, a waiter gave her juice. She drank the juice and was waiting for someone to tell her where to perform, but nothing of the sort happened. Instead, her head started spinning, and she felt dizzy and fainted. But when she woke up the next day, she found herself in someone's bed, without clothes.
When Vish wakes up the next morning, she finds herself in bed with a man. But the man is sleeping with his back to Vish. Looking at his broad back, Vish realizes what happened to her, and she shudders at the thought. Even after three years of being a bar girl, she had never done anything like this before. People would touch her body to console themselves, but no one had ever come close enough to share a bed with her.
Her age was just 20, and the experience left her terrified. She quickly gets dressed and leaves the room without even looking at the person sleeping on the bed.
She returns to her quarters, where she stays with other bar girls. She tries to remain normal, but the incident is still fresh in her mind. Later, she discovers that she is going to be a mother, and the realization both scares and excites her. This new life gives her a reason to live, and she decides not to give birth in such a place.
She uses all the money she earned as a bar dancer and escapes from there. This time, she runs with a new hope, a new dream, and a new life. All she wishes for is a good future for her child, without caring who the father is; the child is only hers.
With all her savings, she leaves Mumbai and moves to Pune. She starts doing small jobs, such as cleaning, sweeping, cooking, and babysitting, to earn a living.
One day, she gets a job as a junior assistant at a clothing company. She thinks that this is the end of her hardships, and she will have a stable job, freedom from domestic work, and can take care of her daughter properly.
However, fate has other plans. When Twinkle, her daughter, turns one and a half, she suddenly faints. The diagnosis reveals that Twinkle has a hole in her heart, and the treatment requires a lot of money. Although the government covers some of the expenses, the operation still requires a significant amount that Vish cannot afford.
The doctor, taking pity on Vish's condition, refers her to a renowned doctor in Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai. Vish returns to Mumbai with Twinkle, searching for a rental house. There, she meets Jiya, who becomes her companion and helps her take care of Twinkle. Despite the ongoing treatment, therapy, and medication, the operation is still necessary.
"Mamma, what are you thinking?" Twinkle's voice brings Vish back to reality. Vish looks at Twinkle, seeing tears in her eyes.
Twinkle notices her mother's tears and stands up, looking sad. She covers her ears and says, "Sorry, Mamma, if I made you sad. I won't ask about Papa again, but please don't cry. I don't like seeing you cry; it makes me cry too."
Vish's face lights up with a smile as she wipes away her tears and hugs Twinkle. A mother's love knows no bounds, and Vish proves it. She will do everything possible to ensure Twinkle's treatment, even if it means risking her own life.
In a farmhouse room, Vish reflects on her past. She is lying on a bed without clothes, and Abhay is beside her. He got up from her a while ago, and Vish's condition is terrible. She endured Abhay's torture the entire night and doesn't have the strength to even sit up.
As she tries to get up, she feels pain all over her body. Abhay sits up beside her and says, "Don't try to run a marathon; just lie down."
Suddenly, his phone rings. He checks the number and sees it's his assistant. He answers, and upon hearing the other person's words, a devilish smile appears on his face. Abhay instructs his assistant, "Bring him to the basement; I'm coming."
Abhay quickly gets dressed and leaves without wasting a minute. Vish watches him go, still sitting on the bed without clothes, filled with astonishment.
Abhay receives a call and immediately leaves the farmhouse. He puts on his clothes and leaves Vish naked in bed, driving his car directly from the farmhouse. On the way, two cars in front and two cars behind Abhay's vehicle surrounded him. This was Abhay's security and his staff, who always accompanied him for protection. While driving, Abhay's gaze became sharp and intense. His car was nearing its destination. Leaving the city, he reached a forest near the highway where a small ruin was his illegal operations hub.
All the cars arrived there, and soon a large number of bodyguards gathered. They all had weapons in their hands, and Abhay stood among them. He extended one hand, and a bodyguard quickly placed a mask on his hand. Abhay put the mask on his face.
And his steps moved towards the inside of the ruin. There were more bodyguards inside, who were already guarding the place. Seeing Abhay, they all started saluting him. But Abhay paid no attention to anyone. He just kept walking with his swift steps. As soon as he entered the ruin, two bodyguards stood near a broken door. They saw Abhay and saluted him. Abhay entered through the door, and a man was tied to a chair in front, blindfolded and with a disfigured face and nose.
A bodyguard quickly brought a chair for Abhay. Abhay sat on the chair and, like a king, crossed one leg over the other.
The man tied to the chair in front screamed loudly, "Who are you people? Why have you captured me? Let me go, I'm telling you, let me go! Otherwise, it won't be good for you. You don't know who I am. I am a very big press reporter. It's still time, let me go, otherwise the entire press will become the enemy of your lives. You don't know how powerful the media is."
The man was struggling and writhing on the chair, tied up, trying to free himself, and shouting loudly. Hearing his struggles and shouts, a devilish smile appeared on Abhay's face. He snapped his fingers, and a bodyguard quickly removed the blindfold from the man's eyes. As soon as the blindfold was removed, he blinked his eyes repeatedly, trying to see. But when he opened his eyes properly, he saw Abhay sitting on the chair in front of him. Abhay was wearing a mask with a dragon logo on it.
Seeing the mask, the man became terrified and stammered, "Dragon..."
Abhay stood up from his chair with style and approached the man, saying, "So you know who I am? That's good. I don't have to tell you. Now that you know who I am, you must also know what you did that brought you here."
The reporter was terrified because who didn't know the Dragon? The uncrowned king of Mumbai and the underworld mafia were currently under the sole dominion of the Dragon. The entire Mumbai feared the name of the Dragon, and his name was spoken with great respect in the underworld because the Dragon was not one to forgive a mistake once made.
Seeing the Dragon in front of him, the reporter's condition worsened. He knew he had made some mistake, which was why the Dragon's men had brought him here. He started pleading and crying, saying,
"Dragon, forgive me. I don't know what I did, but I haven't harmed you in any way. I haven't done anything that could harm you. I'm just a small-time reporter, I cover minor news. I haven't done anything that would stand in your way. Please forgive me, I haven't done anything."
Hearing the reporter's words, Abhay let out a terrifying laugh. His laughter was so terrifying that every corner of the ruin echoed with his fearsome laughter. Abhay laughed and sat back on the chair, crossed his leg over the other again, and looked at the reporter, saying, "So you really think my men are so foolish that they would abduct you for no reason? If you know me, you must also know that the Dragon doesn't have enough free time to waste on a mediocre reporter like you. The fact is, you have some information that you were going to give to the media. That's why my men brought you here so that information doesn't become tomorrow's headline."
Hearing the Dragon's words, the reporter was surprised. And in surprise, he said, "I don't have any information about you, Dragon. Why would I mess with someone from the mafia? I have to live in this country, so why would I give news about the underworld and mafia people to the press? I swear, I haven't given your news to anyone, and I don't have any information about you. I'm telling the truth, I swear on my children."
The Dragon laughed again and looked at his men. His men were also laughing, covering their mouths. The Dragon looked at the reporter again, and suddenly his laughter stopped, as did that of all the bodyguards. Now there was only silence, except for the sound of the reporter's rapid breathing.
The Dragon said in his sharp and terrifying voice,
"Yes, I know you don't have the stature to confront the mafia, but you still have information that could have caused a sensation across the country tomorrow. And that news is not about the Dragon, but about me."
The reporter was surprised. If he doesn't have the Dragon's news, and his news, what does he mean? Isn't he the Dragon? In surprise, he said to the Dragon, "I don't understand..."
That was all the reporter could say before the Dragon removed the mask from his face, revealing Abhay's face. Seeing Abhay, the reporter's eyes widened, and he gasped, saying, "Abhaydev Kotiyan" 😳
Abhay had the same terrifying smile on his face, and he nodded, saying, "Yes, Abhay Dev Kotiyan. Whose picture you took last night in front of that farmhouse. And you were going to give it to the media today, which would have spread across the country like wildfire and destroyed both my business and my identity."
Now, deathly terror was on the reporter's face. Because he had indeed taken a picture of Abhay and Vish entering the farmhouse last evening, and he was about to give those pictures to the press today. He wanted career advancement, and that advancement could come with a big news story. He had found out about Abhay's extramarital affair and then, as proof, he had secretly taken a picture of Abhay and Vish entering the farmhouse last evening. The reporter was unaware that where human thinking ends, the Dragon's thinking begins.
The reporter had realized that Abhay and the Dragon were the same person, and death was now before him. He pleaded, saying, "Please forgive me. I have small children, I have a family, I am very poor......"
Just then, the sound of a gunshot echoed. A bullet hit the reporter right between his eyes. He died on the chair, and Abhay, staring at him, said, "I am doing this for my family too. My family should not know what kind of double life I live. Therefore, it is necessary to kill people like you because I cannot leave any evidence."
The reporter's body lay on the ground, and Abhay sat before it on his knees. A devilish smile played on his lips, and he looked like a dangerous demon. He gazed at the corpse with a sinister grin and spoke, looking at the dead man.
"Abhay Dev Kotiyan... even though 'Dev' is in my name. No one greater than a demon has ever been born than me. No one can tell how many faces I have on one face. My face as a very good businessman, a respectable person in the eyes of the world.
And with the removal of that face, the face of the dragon emerges from within. The cruellest person in the world. There isn't even a shadow of goodness in his dark world. And your mistake is that you saw both of his faces. Therefore, your death was certain."
Abhay stood up and nudged the man's face with the tip of his shoe, saying, "He's dead, the bastard. Good. God will not grant peace to his soul because his death came at my hands."
After that, Abhay told his men, "Burn him alive. There should be no trace left. It shouldn't even be known that a person of this name ever existed. Understood?"
All his men nodded in unison.
"Boss, it's Madam calling..." Rohan, Abhay's personal assistant, said. Hearing him, Abhay glared at Rohan. Rohan quickly stammered, "She's been trying to call you for a long time, but your phone isn't connecting. That's why she called me."
Abhay's eyes narrowed, and he said nothing. He strode out of the ruins with rapid steps. Outside, the driver was already waiting. Seeing Abhay approach, he opened the rear door of the car, and Abhay got in. The driver started the car and drove away.
As soon as he got into the car, Abhay took out his phone. There were 10 missed calls from Arya and four WhatsApp messages.
Just then, he saw Arya's call come through again on his screen. Abhay became a little frustrated.
He picked up the phone, put it to his ear, and said, "Arya, how many times have I told you not to disturb me with frequent calls when I'm working? Didn't I tell you I'm here for a very important project? So why are you calling repeatedly?
If I don't pick up once, understand that I'm busy. Do I have to explain such a simple thing to you?" Abhay snapped at Arya in anger. Hearing his furious voice, Arya became disheartened and said softly,
"Sorry Abhay, I didn't want to disturb you. It's just that I couldn't talk to you, so I got a little worried. And I couldn't figure out how to reach you. That's why I called Rohan.
I'm sorry if you felt bad. But you know, when I can't talk to you for a long time, so many negative thoughts start coming to my mind. That's why I keep calling you."
Arya explained. Hearing this, Abhay tightly closed his eyes. He said curtly, "Stop your nonsense and get to the point. Why did you call me so many times? You couldn't even wait for me to answer and called Rohan directly."
Arya was well aware of Abhay's behavior. They had been married for 3 years, and by now, Arya had gotten used to it. Arya knew that when Abhay was busy with work, he didn't like to be disturbed by anyone. Even if it was Arya herself.
When Abhay asked, Arya said softly, "Abhay, I called to tell you that my painting exhibition is tomorrow. And I want you to come to the exhibition..."
"If I'm free from work, I'll come." Saying this, Abhay disconnected the call and threw the phone onto the passenger seat. He rubbed his forehead and began to think that the reporter hadn't just randomly come around his farmhouse.
He must have been sent there by someone, and there must be someone who knew that Abhay was going to the farmhouse with his mistress. But who could it be? Someone who knew Abhay so intimately. Abhay was pondering this.
Vish's House...
Vish was in her room at that moment, a paintbrush in her hands. She smiled, looking at the large canvas in front of her. Jia was overjoyed.
She hugged Vish and said, "Congratulations Vish. Many congratulations. Your painting has been selected for tomorrow's exhibition. Now, watch, tomorrow this painting will fetch such a high bid that all your problems will be solved."
A faint smile appeared on Vish's face, and looking at the painting on the canvas, she said, "Do you think, Jia, that my painting can be sold at tomorrow's exhibition? I mean, paintings by renowned people from the city will be at the exhibition tomorrow. In such a case, would anyone want to buy my ordinary painting?"
Hearing Vish, Jia slapped her forehead and said, "What nonsense are you talking? If your painting were ordinary, it wouldn't have been selected in the top 10 out of so many applications.
It's truly very good, and you worked hard on it for 4 months. That's why it was selected for tomorrow's exhibition. Now just give it the finishing touches and create a sensation at tomorrow's exhibition.
I say, let some rich person buy this painting tomorrow and give you a price in lakhs for just this one painting."
A smile also appeared on Vish's face, and she saw a glimmer of hope in her painting. The money she was getting as Abhay's mistress was a huge sum for her. But after receiving such good money, Vish got Twinkle treated at a very big private hospital instead of a government hospital. And the bill was also very large. Because she was doing all this for Twinkle. Despite this, she needed more money.
Fulfilling her passion for painting, she created a magnificent picture. And Jia took a photo of the picture and uploaded it to an online gallery where people submit their paintings for exhibitions. Jia had just put the painting online as a joke. But an art gallery selected it and invited them for their exhibition.
While adding color to the painting, giving it the finishing touches, Vish asked, "Is Twinkle asleep?"
"Yes, she fell asleep a while ago. Only you are not sleeping. I don't know how much better you want to make this already good painting. It's perfect already, you don't need to color it more."
Jia said. So Vish, putting the paintbrush in the water pot, cleaned her hands and looked at the painting, saying, "I know it looks good. I was just doing a little work on it. And anyway, tomorrow morning I have to take Twinkle to the doctor. And the exhibition is in the evening. So I took leave from work tomorrow."
Jia quickly said, "If it's not a problem for you, I'll come with you. I'll take care of Twinkle."
But Vish quickly shook her head and said, "No, there's no need for that. I've made an appointment with the doctor. This isn't a government hospital where I'll have to jostle in lines. It's such a big private hospital.
Everything is done very smoothly there. But if you can come with me to the exhibition tomorrow evening, I would be very happy. I might need your help there."
Jia said, after some thought, "Yes, I can go with you to the exhibition. But in return, you have to treat me to pizza."
Vish laughed at her words and said, "You can eat two."
"What are you saying, my darling! You'll treat me to two pizzas? Oh, on this matter, I'll sell my neighbors' houses too." Jia said in such a humorous tone that Vish couldn't help but laugh.
After finishing her painting, Vish enters her room. She sees Twinkle sleeping in her room. She is curled up like a small doll under the quilt. Vish can't help but smile seeing her like this. Smiling, she goes to Twinkle.
A smile had come on her face looking at Twinkle. After all, she was the reason for her to live. Her last solace. Her last existence in this world. Vish doesn't care who Twinkle's father is. For her, Twinkle is just her daughter. She will give Twinkle all the happiness in the world and won't let anything happen to her. If she has to put herself at stake for Twinkle's safety, she won't hesitate.
Vish notices the window is open, and the curtains are also open. She goes to close the window and covers it with a curtain. Then she turns on the emergency light in the room and turns off the main light. Vish has to take some medicine. After taking it, she stretches and lies down beside Twinkle.
Feeling her mother's presence, Twinkle snuggles up to her and rests her head on her chest. A smile appears on Vish's face. She embraces Twinkle in her arms. Twinkle's eyes slowly open, and she says, rubbing her nose on Vish's chest, "Good night, Mom... I love you. I love you so much."
Vish caresses Twinkle's head and says, "I love you, child. Mommy loves you the most in the world."
Twinkle sleeps clinging to her mother. Vish tries to sleep with her daughter in her arms. She soon falls asleep, hoping for a good tomorrow. But does her tomorrow hold peace?
The next morning...
Ten black cars are speeding on the road. Abhay Dev Kotiyan is sitting in the fourth car, heading towards his home. His bodyguards and staff follow him in the other cars to hide his dangerous personality from the world.
As Abhay's cars move forward on the road, he looks out the window and finds the weather pleasant. The chirping of birds and the cool breeze make the morning even more pleasant.
Removing his shades, Abhay observes the pleasant weather and smiles, thinking, "It seems the winds have enjoyed a lot in my absence. But no matter; now that I'm back, they will fear me again."
The convoy of cars heads towards the Kotiyan mansion. As they enter the mansion's parking lot, the bodyguards quickly get down and become alert. They stand around Abhay's car, all of them with weapons in their hands and their faces bent.
A bodyguard opens the door of the last car. Abhay steps out with his dangerous personality, adjusts his coat, and heads towards the mansion. But as he takes a few steps, his phone vibrates.
Taking out his phone, he finds a message from Aarya, which he completely ignores. He knows Aarya sent it just to remind him about his exhibition.
Abhay switches off his phone screen, puts it back in his pocket, and moves towards his mansion.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, Vish comes out of the doctor's cabin with Twinkle in her arms.
Twinkle is crying because she got an injection. Her small face is red from tears, and her eyes are brimming with them.
She clings to her mother's chest like a small doll. Vish holds her in her arms, and Twinkle's tiny hands are wrapped around her neck. Her face is on Vish's shoulder. She cries uncontrollably on her mother's shoulder. Her mother knows she's in pain, but it's necessary for her.
The doctor informs Vish that Twinkle is recovering well. Her condition is better than before. Her heart beats normally now. But there's still a hole in her heart, though it has stopped growing. This means the operation will be straightforward.
Twinkle's heart used to beat abnormally, sometimes slower and sometimes faster. Now it beats normally, which is a good sign for her surgery. Vish feels some relief but sees her child crying.
Twinkle looks at her mother and says, "Mommy, that doctor uncle is very bad. He's very dirty."
Vish wipes Twinkle's tears and says, "No, child; he's not dirty. He just wants your well-being. This was necessary for you."
"But he gave me a needle. I'm in pain," Twinkle says with innocence, her small eyes welling up with tears. Vish smiles.
She kisses Twinkle's forehead and says, "It will be okay soon. Mommy will make a chocolate milkshake for you. You like it, don't you?"
This makes Twinkle's eyes sparkle. The pain from the injection is forgotten. Her face is just a smile. She nods enthusiastically.
Vish laughs at her daughter's antics. She holds Twinkle properly and steps out of the hospital to find a taxi. But she finds the road completely empty. There's not a single car in sight.
The taxi stand is also empty, with no autos in sight. Vish needs a taxi or auto to go home, but there's nothing. She notices two traffic police constables standing at the corner.
Vish approaches them with Twinkle in her arms and asks, "Excuse me, sir. Can you tell me why the taxi stand is empty? And why is the road so empty? I need to go home, but I couldn't find any taxi."
One of the constables looks at Vish and says, "Madam, please wait for an hour and sit inside the hospital. You will get a taxi or auto after an hour. You can leave then."
"You see, we have to keep this road empty. Abhay Dev Kotiyan will pass by with his convoy soon. He's a very important person, and the roads are cleared for him. That's why the road will remain empty until his car passes."
Hearing Abhay's name, Vish is surprised and looks at the empty road. This road, in front of the hospital, has never been this empty. It's a main highway connecting the city to other towns. Being an billionaire has its perks.
Vish takes a deep breath, looks at the empty road, and then back at the hospital. She notices a small restaurant nearby. She takes Twinkle to the restaurant because Twinkle needs to eat something after her injection.
She seats Twinkle at a table and orders a veg sandwich and orange juice for her. But Vish's eyes are fixed on the road outside, where Abhay's convoy will pass.
Abhay's convoy of cars was moving towards the office, and the road had been cleared because of it. The entire road in front of the hospital was completely empty at this time. Vish was sitting inside a restaurant with Twinkle and was just waiting for the time to pass so she could leave with Twinkle.
Twinkle suddenly said to her, "Mommy, I want to eat pastry."
Vish's face lit up with a smile at Twinkle's small request, and she nodded her head in agreement, smiling.
Vish quickly ordered a pastry for Twinkle and started scrolling through her phone.
As the hospital road took a turn, Abhay's car came to a sudden stop. Abhay looked at the driver angrily and said, "What happened?"
The driver looked scared and said to Abhay, "Sir, I think there's a problem with the engine. I'll check it now."
Abhay quickly closed his laptop and looked at the driver angrily, saying, "Is your life precious to you or not? What do you want to prove by stopping the car in the middle of the road? That I don't have a good car?"
The driver opened his door and stepped out. Abhay also opened his door and stepped out.
As soon as Abhay did that, the driver took a sigh of relief that his life was saved, at least for today. From now on, he wouldn't be careless with cars.
As Abhay's car stopped, all the cars behind him stopped, and all the bodyguards got out of their cars and stood around Abhay.
Gautam, Abhay's assistant, quickly came to the driver and said, "What's wrong? Is everything okay?"
The driver nodded and said to Gautam, "Yes, sir. Everything is fine. Actually, there was some debris in the carburetor, which is why the car wasn't moving. But now it's okay."
Gautam took a sigh of relief and looked at Abhay. There was no expression on his face. He was standing with his hands tied in front of him, looking at the edge of the road, and his eyes had a black goggle on them.
Gautam came to Abhay and said, "Sir, the car is okay, but I suggest you get into another car. If this car breaks down on the way, you'll have a problem. It's better to use another car."
Abhay listened to him and walked towards another car without any reaction.
But before he could reach the car, he heard a voice that made him stop.
"One minute, sir..."
Abhay stopped and turned around. A middle-aged woman was standing in front of him with a tray in her hands. There were some shiny things inside the tray.
"Sir, please buy this, and it will be great. I haven't earned anything since morning. These are lucky stones. They change people's luck. I've made small jewelry with them - necklace, bracelet, finger ring. If you buy them, my earnings for today will be done."
A bodyguard quickly came to the woman and stopped her, saying, "Go away from here. Don't bother the sir."
Abhay showed his hand and stopped the bodyguard. He came to the woman and looked at the tray in her hands, which had some jewelry made of colored stones.
He picked up a ring with a red stone. The red stone was set very beautifully in the ring and was shining.
"This ring keeps love tied. If you love someone, give her this ring. She'll always be with you and be yours."
The woman told Abhay enthusiastically about the ring.
A mocking smile appeared on Abhay's face, and he turned the ring around in his finger, saying to the woman, "I crack big business deals in a snap. But this way of doing business seems interesting. I'm really impressed with your skill."
The woman said in surprise, "What do you mean, sir? I didn't understand."
Abhay said, laughing, "You just said that the stones in the jewelry you have can change luck. And then you said you haven't made any for yourself. Don't you think you should try your stones on yourself first? If they really work, your luck will change first."
The woman also smiled at Abhay's words and said, "It's not like that, sir. It's all about the future. No one gets more than their destiny. No one has ever gotten more than their destiny, and no one ever will. If it's written in my destiny to sell this today, I will get it. If not, I can try a million times, but I won't get it."
Abhay's mysterious smile deepened. He put the ring in his pocket and snapped his fingers. The guard took out a bundle of notes from his pocket and put it in the woman's tray.
The woman looked at the bundle of notes in surprise and said to Abhay, "This is a lot of money for just one ring."
Abhay said, "You can keep it. I don't believe in luck, but I do believe that the price of love can't be repaid."
Abhay turned to get into his car and sat inside. Gautam was talking to the driver.
Abhay looked at the ring in his hand and suddenly remembered Arya's face. He smiled and laughed at himself, saying, "Love... nonsense..."
Abhay threw the ring out the window as he said this.
The driver was already sitting in the car, and as soon as Abhay signaled him to move forward, the convoy of cars started moving again.
Within ten minutes of Abhay's cars leaving, everything was back to normal. Auto-rickshaws and taxis returned, and buses and cars started moving again.
Vish came out of the restaurant with Twinkle in her lap. Vish had a packet in her hand because Twinkle had insisted on having another sandwich.
Twinkle was happily holding Vish's hand and moving towards the taxi stand. There was a glow on her face, and she wasn't feeling the pain of the injection anymore.
Vish stood near the taxi stand with Twinkle and waited for a taxi to arrive.
Twinkle was spinning around, holding Vish's hand and singing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."
Suddenly, her eyes fell on something shining on the edge of the road, and she became excited.
She quickly pulled her hand out of Vish's and ran towards it.
Vish was surprised and said worriedly, "Twinkle, what are you doing? Cars will come."
By then, Twinkle had reached the edge of the road and had bent down to pick up the shiny thing.
Vish came to Twinkle and saw that she had a ring with a red stone in her hand.
"Twinkle, stop, beta. Where are you going? You'll get hurt. Don't go to the edge of the road." Vish said, stopping Twinkle. But by then, Twinkle had already reached the edge of the road. She bent down, picked up the shiny thing, and started examining it.
Vish saw that Twinkle had a red stone ring in her hand. She was trying it on every finger, watching it. The ring was too big for her fingers and didn't fit any of them.
Vish took the ring from Twinkle's hand and said, "Twinkle, this is wrong. This ring belongs to someone else. You can't just take it."
Then, Vish looked around, trying to find the owner of the ring. But she didn't see anyone. She observed that it was a very ordinary ring, not made of expensive metal or diamonds.
Twinkle took the ring back from Vish and said, "No, mommy, it's mine. I found it, so it's mine. Things you find are always yours."
Vish said, "No, Twinkle, it's not ours. It belongs to someone else. They must have dropped it by mistake. You can't claim someone else's things as your own. It's wrong... and look, this ring is too big. What will you do with it? Let's put it back where you found it. The owner will come looking for it."
But Twinkle, like a stubborn child, hid the ring behind her back and said, "It's not anyone's. It was lying on the road, and I found it. So, it's mine. And what if it doesn't fit my hand? It's a ring for a big finger. It will fit your hand."
Twinkle put the ring on Vish's ring finger. Vish saw that it fit perfectly and smiled. Twinkle was happy and clapped, saying, "Yay! It fits your finger perfectly. That means it's ours."
Vish was troubled. She looked around but didn't see anyone. She thought, "It's not an expensive ring. Maybe it's not valuable to anyone, that's why it was thrown on the road."
If wearing a ring makes her daughter happy, why not? If it were expensive jewelry, someone wouldn't throw it away like that. Maybe they didn't care about it. But Vish cared about her daughter's happiness.
Vish smiled, nodded, and hugged Twinkle, saying, "Okay, beta, the ring is ours now."
Twinkle said, "Mommy, never take it off. It's a gift from me."
Vish laughed and said, "A gift from you? Gifts are given from one's own money, not something found and stuck on someone else."
Twinkle thought for a moment and then said, "Okay, when I grow up and earn lots of money, I'll bring you many gifts. Just keep this ring for now. It will remind me of my promise to give you a gift."
Vish smiled, picked up Twinkle, and took her home.
In the evening, Vish, Twinkle, and Jiya arrived at the painting exhibition. Twinkle had started crying when they were leaving, so Vish had to take her along.
When they arrived at the exhibition, Jiya said, "Wow, this place is beautiful. How much would it cost?"
Twinkle said, "Lots of chocolates and lots of ice cream!"
Jiya and Vish laughed.
Then, a member of the art gallery took Vish to her designated spot.
Meanwhile, a convoy of 10 cars arrived outside. Bodyguards emerged, and a black Mercedes was surrounded. A guard opened the door, and Abhay stepped out. He adjusted his coat and extended his hand. A beautiful hand with bangles came out, and Arya stepped out of the car.
The art gallery owner welcomed them, saying, "Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Kotiyan. You've enhanced the exhibition's glory."
Abhay smiled mysteriously and nodded. Arya smiled and nodded.
Arya's painting was already displayed. As they entered, everyone's eyes fell on Abhay and Arya. Arya looked like the richest and most beautiful woman there, wearing a Banarasi blue saree, diamond jewelry, and a mangalsutra.
Inside, Vish was anxious about her painting. Jiya reassured her, saying, "It's perfect. There's nothing wrong with it."
As they looked around, they noticed a commotion. People were moving towards the hall. Jiya went to see what was happening and reported back to Vish.
Five minutes later, Jiya returned and said, "There's a big shot here with his wife. Media and people are swarming around him. His wife's painting is also in the exhibition. Let's focus on your painting; it will get the highest bid."
Vish looked at the crowd and wanted to see what was happening. The crowd was too dense, and she couldn't see the person.
Suddenly, Vish felt something and got up, saying, "I need to go. I think my periods have started. I need to go to the washroom."
Jiya asked suspiciously, "Do you really need to go to the washroom, or are you planning to leave us?" Vish denied it, saying, "If I'm going to leave, I'll take you and Twinkle with me. Why would I leave alone?"
All the painters were arranging their paintings in different sections of the gallery for the exhibition. But Arya didn't need to do that. Because her painting was already displayed in a very good spot, where all the incoming buyers were seeing Arya's painting first.
The exhibition had started, and one by one, the bidding for all the painters' paintings began. Jia was looking towards the far corner of the gallery in surprise, near which was the washroom. But Vish had not returned yet. Twinkle was in Jia's lap, looking around in wonder.
Actually, this was the time for her to play and watch cartoons, and she was here at this time. Now she regretted her decision to come here. She thought she was going to a fun place, but she wasn't finding anything fun here. She wanted to go home. With boredom, she looked at Jia and said, "Mausi, why are we here? Why aren't we going home?"
Jia would sometimes look towards the washroom corner, waiting for Vish to arrive, and sometimes her gaze would drift to the other side of the hall, where people were gathered around Abhay. People were moving away one by one, and soon Abhay and Arya also became visible.
As soon as Jia heard Twinkle's question, she said, "Twinkle, we are here for your mother's painting exhibition. Once her painting is sold, we will go home. I don't know where your mother is in the washroom. Why hasn't she come back yet? She should have been here by now."
Just then, Twinkle sees a man taking down a painting placed a short distance from her mother's painting, wrapping it in paper, and taking it away. Seeing him do this, Twinkle asks Jia in surprise, "Mausi, why did that painting go?"
Jia explained, "Because it must have been sold. Just like this painting was sold, your mother's painting will also be sold. And after that, we will get a lot of money."
"So who will buy my mother's painting?" Jia was getting worried because buyers were looking at paintings one by one and selecting them. Some had seen their painting, but because Vish was not around, Jia couldn't tell them anything about the painting, and those people left.
On top of that, Twinkle's question was troubling Jia. She quickly pointed to where Abhay and Arya were standing, and looking at Abhay, she said, "See that uncle over there? The one wearing the black coat, he will buy your mother's painting. And after that, he will give your mother a lot of money, with which your mother will buy lots of chocolates and ice cream for you."
Hearing the mention of chocolates and ice cream, Twinkle's eyes lit up. She started squirming to get down from Jia's lap. Jia was holding her tightly in her lap, but then someone from the art gallery arrived and started talking about that painting.
Jia put Twinkle down to talk to the man and told him that the painter had gone to the washroom. As soon as she returns, she will join the exhibition of this painting. After talking to him for a while, the man left, and Jia stared at the washroom corner in surprise. But Vish still hadn't come out.
She took out her phone to call Vish, but just then, Vish called her. She quickly answered the phone and said to Vish, "Vish, where are you? Do you know the art gallery manager came and said that people are showing interest in the painting, but you are not present, so no one is buying. Come quickly."
"Oh dear, how can I come? I got my period, and I haven't brought a sanitary pad with me, so I'm stuck in the washroom. What should I do now? I don't understand myself," Vish said.
Jia quickly picked up her bag and said, "Okay, you stay in the washroom. I have an extra sanitary pad. I'll bring it."
Saying this, Jia took her bag and headed towards the washroom. Since someone needed to stay near the painting, Jia quickly handed the bag to Vish and returned to the painting. But she saw that Twinkle was not there. Not finding Twinkle there, Jia started looking around in surprise.
Then her gaze fell on the other corner of the hall, where Twinkle was standing a short distance from Abhay. Seeing her there, Jia was surprised and started walking towards her with quick steps.
Twinkle was standing two steps away from Abhay. As soon as she reached Abhay, she started pulling his coat from behind. When Abhay felt a tug from behind, he turned and looked back. Seeing innocent Twinkle in front of him, a slight smile appeared on Abhay's face.
But just then, Abhay's security was about to remove Twinkle from there when Abhay stopped him with a hand gesture. He knelt in front of Twinkle and said, "What's the matter, child? Why were you pulling my coat?"
"Uncle, are you going to buy my mother's painting? So that my mother will buy me lots of chocolates and ice cream..."
Arya, who was talking to another painter a little distance away from Abhay, saw him talking to a child and immediately came to him. She saw a smile on Abhay's face and how he was smiling and talking to a little girl she didn't know. Abhay had picked up Twinkle in his lap and was saying, "So you want chocolate and ice cream....."
"Twinkle, what are you doing here? Let's go back to your place. Why are you disturbing them?" Jiya said, quickly coming to Twinkle and looking at her. When Abhay saw Jiya, he thought that she might be Twinkle's mother. But the next moment, Twinkle shouted and said to Jiya.
"Auntie, I just came to tell Uncle that my mom's painting is there. Please buy it quickly so that my mom can get me chocolate and ice cream."
After hearing Twinkle's words, Jiya started regretting what she had said. She mentally beat her head. Where had she got this girl mixed up, and she was actually going to Abhay Dev Kotian and saying all this?
She quickly took Twinkle in her lap. Twinkle jumped from Abhay's lap to Jiya's. But this made Abhay realize that this girl was not the child's mother.
Jiya said, embarrassed and regretting, "I'm sorry, sir. I apologize on her behalf. The child is innocent; I said something I shouldn't have."
But Twinkle looked at Abhay innocently and said, "No, I'm not a child, Uncle. I'm 5 years old."
Twinkle showed Abhay her small hands with five fingers. Seeing this, both Abhay and Arya smiled. Abhay smiled and put his hands in his paint pocket. He looked at Twinkle and said, "So, 5-year-old big girl, will you tell me where your mom's painting is?"
Twinkle pointed with her small hand and said, "It's over there..."
Abhay smiled and nodded his head. He was about to take steps to go there when Arya held Abhay's arm and said, "What are you doing? My painting exhibition is going on. If you go like this, then..."
"So what? Arya, the painting is yours. Your painting exhibition is also happening. So why do you need to worry? Your painting will sell, won't it? After all, you put your name, Arya Kotian, on the painting."
Arya bowed her head, and Abhay went in the direction where Twinkle had pointed. Seeing this, Jiya was astonished and quickly came to the painting. She started looking for Vish. But Vish had not yet come out of the washroom.
Abhay and Arya reached the painting and started looking at it. Arya said, "It's a very ordinary painting. What's special about it?"
"Auntie, this painting is special because my mom made it," little Twinkle said, looking at Arya. Arya's face turned red with embarrassment. But there was a mysterious smile on Abhay's face. He looked at the painting carefully and then looked at Jiya and said, "Where is the painter who made it?"
"Sorry, sir. Actually, she went to the washroom. But can you wait a bit? I'll call her immediately."
Abhay stopped her with his hand and said, "I don't have time. How much does this painting cost? I'm ready to buy it."
The moment Abhay said this, Arya was surprised. She herself was a very good painter. But still, Abhay was talking about buying some other painter's ordinary painting. But she didn't have the courage to ask him about it.
So she decided to remain silent. But Jiya was also not less surprised. Because she didn't even know how much the painting cost. What was she supposed to say? She started looking for Vish quickly so that she could tell the actual price of the painting.
When Abhay found her not saying anything, he asked Jiya, "Don't you know the price of this painting?"
Jiya said nervously, "Sorry, sir. This painting isn't mine. My friend made it, and I don't know how much it costs. She went to the washroom. She'll be back in a minute."
Abhay put his hand in his coat pocket and said, "I already said I don't have time. Time is money for me. If you don't know the actual price of this painting, then it's okay. Fill in the price later."
But then Abhay's eyes narrowed. He checked his coat pocket and found that his checkbook wasn't there. He looked surprised and then remembered and said to Arya, "I think I left my checkbook in the car. You must have a checkbook, right?"
Arya nodded quickly. Abhay said, "So, cut a blank check and give it to her."
Jia held the blank check in her hands, staring at it in disbelief. It was true, a blank check with Arya's signature at the bottom. This meant whatever amount was filled in would be directly transferred to Wish's account.
Jia couldn't believe her eyes, nor could she believe her hands that held the blank check. She quickly bent down, scooped Twinkle into her arms, and spun around joyfully. Kissing Twinkle's cheeks, she exclaimed happily, "Oh, my darling, you've done wonders!"
"What wonders has who done?" Wish's voice came from behind her. Jia turned to see Wish approaching them. Seeing Wish, Jia bounced up and said to her, "Oh dear, our little princess has made a huge splash! She sold your painting, your painting is sold, look at this blank check. That wealthy gentleman who bought your painting said to fill in the amount as you see fit!"
Wish couldn't believe her painting had actually sold. Had so much happened in the last ten minutes without her realizing? Her painting truly had a red flag on it, meaning it was sold. Wish's happiness knew no bounds. She quickly bent down, scooped Twinkle into her arms, and began kissing her cheeks. Twinkle, seeing them both, made a face and said, "Mommy, Auntie, you've kissed my cheeks so much they hurt. I don't want any more kisses, I want ice cream."
Wish was overjoyed. She happily lifted Twinkle into the air, saying, "Yes, my darling, you'll get ice cream and chocolate too!"
The manager approached Wish with his team, congratulated her, and took the painting away. Wish was thrilled. A blank check meant she could write any amount she wanted. Before leaving, the manager told Wish that a party had been arranged in the garden area after the exhibition for all the painters and prominent businessmen. However, it was a masquerade party, and attendees had to wear masks before entering.
Wish happily nodded at the manager's invitation.
Gradually, the painting exhibition concluded, and Wish, along with Jia and Twinkle, headed to the party area. She saw that indeed, everyone present was wearing a mask on their face.
Wish chose a simple peacock mask for herself, and Jia picked a regular fairy mask. But Twinkle, bouncing with excitement, said to Wish, "Mommy, I want to wear a mask!"
Wish looked at all the masks, but they were all too big for Twinkle. Looking at Twinkle, Wish said, "Twinkle, darling, all the masks are too big, they won't fit your face."
Twinkle's face fell with sadness. Wish couldn't bear to see her daughter upset. She quickly took a mask, cut off some of the surrounding feathers, and shortened the strings.
Wish's entire world revolved around Twinkle. She couldn't stand to see sadness on her face; she could fight the whole world to see her smile. For her, Twinkle was her world.
As soon as Twinkle put on the mask, she jumped with joy, running around and dancing. Twirling her little frock, she said to Wish, "Mommy, look how beautiful I look, just like a princess, because this mask is also a prince's!"
Wish smiled at Twinkle but stopped her from running around so wildly. "No, Twinkle, you can't run like that. Look, the party has just started. If you run like this, you'll get hurt. Stay close to Mommy and Auntie."
Wish held Twinkle's hand and entered the party with Jia. As they were about to go in a certain direction, the guard stopped them, saying, "Sorry, madam, you can't go that way. That's the VIP area! You are not permitted to go further!" Wish saw that the VIP area was filled with businessmen and important people, while where they were standing were the regular painters and some normal guests. Wish had no problem with this. She nodded and went to the other side with Jia.
She gave Twinkle a glass of juice and sat her on a chair. Twinkle happily sat on the chair and started drinking her juice. But her eyes were fixed on the VIP area. Then she saw Abhay among a few people, holding a dragon mask in his hands, which he hadn't put on yet. The mask was still in his hands.
Twinkle's face lit up when she saw Abhay. When he had taken her painting, she hadn't been able to thank him. So, holding her juice glass, Twinkle ran with small steps into the VIP area. But as soon as she entered the gate, she bumped into someone, and all her juice spilled on the ground.
Twinkle started crying. Lifting her tear-stained face, she looked up and saw Arya. Arya also had a mask in her hands, which she was just about to put on. As soon as she saw Twinkle in front of her and recognized her, she identified Twinkle by her clothes. Angrily, she said to Twinkle, "What are you doing here? Don't you know this is a VIP party? You're running around in a party like this. What if you get hurt!"
Just then, the guards arrived and, seeing Arya, asked, "What happened, madam?"
Arya glared at the guards and said, “Where were you two? Don’t you see that someone is sneaking into our party?” The guards apologized and said, “Sorry, ma’am. We were just going to the corner for some work. It’s okay; we’ll take this girl out now.” One of the guards grabbed Twinkle’s hand and started pulling her out, causing pain in her hand. Twinkle started crying loudly.
Vish, who was standing with other painters, heard Twinkle’s crying and was shocked. She turned around and saw Twinkle being pulled out, and her face filled with anger. Jia also saw the scene and was frightened. Both Jia and Vish quickly walked towards the guard. Vish snatched Twinkle’s hand from the guard and slapped him hard, causing the atmosphere to become tense.
Vish shouted at the guard, “How dare you pull my daughter like an animal? Didn’t anyone teach you how to behave with children? She was crying in front of you, and you were pulling her like that!” The guard tried to explain, but Vish interrupted, “Who is your madam that you follow? Tell me, I want to know who she is.” The guard pointed to Arya, who was standing in the VIP area.
Vish picked up Twinkle and handed her to Jia, saying, “Take care of her.” She then walked towards the VIP area, her anger growing. The guard tried to stop her, but she pushed him and entered. She stood behind Arya and grabbed her wrist, turning her around. Arya stumbled but looked at Vish, whose face was filled with anger.
This was the first time Arya and Vish had faced each other. Vish shouted, “Don’t you have any shame? As a woman, how could you make a little girl go out like that?” Arya was surprised and explained, “I didn’t make your daughter go out; I was just telling her that she might get hurt if she walked like that.” Vish replied, “Who are you to decide where my daughter can go or not? You’re not her owner just because you occupy a certain area. You have wealth and beauty, but you lack culture and etiquette.”
Arya said, “Excuse me, I’ve said enough. I only explained to your daughter; I didn’t hit her or scold her. If you still react like this, I’ll tell you that my husband bought your painting, even with a blank check.” Vish’s patience ran out, and she grabbed Arya’s hand, shouting, “Where is your husband? If he’s here, let him come in front of me.” The partygoers’ attention turned to Vish and Arya. Meanwhile, Abhay watched from the crowd, his eyes on Arya and Vish. He put on a dragon mask and stood still, observing the scene.
"Where is her husband? Why isn't he here? If he is here, then let him come in front of me, I want to talk to him."
Vish was raising her hand and creating a commotion in the entire party, and everyone's attention was drawn to her. Abhay's eyes were also fixed on Vish, who was standing next to Arya and wearing a peacock mask.
Abhay was standing among the people, making it a bit difficult to spot him. But his intense gaze was fixed on Vish. He raised the dragon mask he was holding and put it on his face, completely covering his face.
Before he could take a step forward, his most loyal man, Purohit, appeared beside him. When Purohit saw the girl shouting at Arya, his eyes widened in surprise.
When the girl called out to Abhay in front of everyone, Purohit said, "Boss, I'll handle it!"
But Abhay stopped him with a hand gesture and shook his head. He wanted to see who this girl was, who was so fearless and courageous. She was standing in front of Abhay Dev Kotiyaan's wife and could talk to her eye-to-eye.
Arya pulled her hand back and said, "Are you crazy? What's going on here? I've already told you that I didn't say anything to your daughter. Why are you creating a scene here? My husband gave you a blank check for that ridiculous painting of yours. And on top of that, you're showing us attitude? Stay in your limits and leave."
"I'm still within my limits, madam. But I won't leave until I meet your husband. And what are you talking about? You think being rich means you can buy someone's self-respect with money? And that's for a little girl's sake? You're not even ashamed to talk about taking a little girl out of here like that. You're a woman yourself, and yet your behavior towards children is like this. I'm surprised you even know how to take care of your own kids. Sorry, you don't have to take care of your kids, do you? You have nannies, don't you?"
As soon as the topic of children came up, Arya's hands and feet went cold, and fear appeared on her face. Just then, the sound of Abhay's footsteps could be heard. When people saw Abhay approaching, they got nervous and took a step back. Abhay walked calmly and stood beside Arya, looking at Vish, whose face was half-covered by the mask, and who was looking angrily at both of them.
Vish's height didn't even reach Abhay's shoulders; she only reached his chest. Arya, on the other hand, was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Abhay, their heights equal.
Abhay said, his voice flat behind the dragon mask, "I'm her husband. What's the problem?"
"The problem is that you should teach your wife some manners. She should know how to behave with little children. Money only brings a big name, not manners. That's clear from looking at your wife. What could a little girl possibly take from here? A balloon? A colorful flower? Or a colorful ribbon? Tell me, what could my daughter take that would reduce your wealth?"
"If she knew all this, she wouldn't have children of her own..." Abhay said in a flat tone. His words made Arya's eyes widen in shock, and tears appeared at the corners of her eyes. She looked at Abhay in surprise.
Everyone at the party was shocked. They covered their mouths and whispered to each other. This was a direct insult to Arya! Abhay was humiliating his wife in front of everyone, saying she couldn't bear children.
Arya's face turned red with anger and shame. Abhay glanced at Arya and then said to Vish, "I apologize for my wife's behavior. And I'm willing to pay the price for what she did."
Arya looked at Abhay in shock. He was apologizing to someone else in a calm tone! This was astonishing to everyone present. All eyes were on Abhay in surprise, but his gaze was only on Vish's angry eyes behind the mask.
Vish's anger hadn't subsided yet. She looked at both of them and said, "I'm sorry to hear that God didn't give you children. That's probably why your wife doesn't know how to talk to children... You'll pay for my daughter's tears... Alright, how will you pay for my daughter's tears?"
"With another blank check," Abhay said in a flat tone. Vish looked at Abhay and said, "So, you think the value of my daughter's tears can be measured in money? But I have a better option. If you want, I can present it to you."
"Tell me if there is anything that can compensate for the tears of your daughter, I am absolutely willing to do it," Abhay says. Vish binds her hands together and says, "So, what if I slap you to pay for the tears flowing from my daughter's eyes?"
Arya's eyes widen suddenly, and everyone else is stunned. Is this girl crazy to mess with Abhay Dev Kotiyaal? And to talk about slapping him while standing right in front of him. But Abhay's gaze was hardening; he was staring at Vish with sharp, piercing eyes. But Arya quickly says to Vish, "Hey girl, have you gone mad? What are you talking to my husband about? Have you forgotten that just a little while ago, my husband bought your pointless painting for a blank check!"
Vish says to Arya with a sidelong glance, "Oh yes, I remember the painting! You people bought my painting... Yes, of course, I remember. Wait a minute, don't go anywhere!"
Vish goes from there to the table where all the sold paintings were kept, and among all those paintings was Vish's painting. Vish picks up her painting and brings it back, standing in front of Abhay and Arya. She slams her painting hard on the ground, breaking the frame. Vish picked up a bottle of champagne kept nearby and emptied it over her painting, causing all the paint to smudge together. Vish placed her foot on her painting and crushed it, looking at the two of them. They were both looking at Vish in surprise.
Vish had worked hard for four months to create this painting, and now the painting lay at her feet like garbage.
"I would rather destroy the things made by my own hands with my own hands than let them fall into the hands of people like you...!" Vish gritted her teeth in anger and looked at the couple and said...
After that, Vish turned and went towards the door where Jia was standing with Twinkle in her lap. When Abhay's eyes fell on Twinkle, his gaze sharpened, and a wave of pain rose in his heart... Twinkle's small face was red from crying, and her nose was also swollen. She was sobbing.
Seeing the tears in her eyes, Abhay's entire body felt a rush of emotion for some reason. And Vish felt the same way at that moment. Her daughter was her entire world. She would rather set the whole world on fire than see tears in her eyes. For her, her daughter was her life, and she was doing all this for her.
She didn't care how rich these people were. How high society they were, or what these people could do to Vish. For her, it was enough that her daughter's eyes had tears because of them... For Vish, Twinkle was her whole world, and she could fight the whole world for Twinkle.
She quickly goes to Jia and takes out the blank check from her side purse. She holds out the blank check towards Abhay and Arya and says, "So this is the check you people gave me as the price for this painting, right?"
Saying this, Vish walks briskly towards the donation box where donations were being collected for flood victims. Vish went and put the blank check into the donation box.
Everyone standing at the party was looking at Vish in surprise. Who was this girl who was so brave and fearless, directly challenging Abhay Dev Kotiyaal?
"The price of my daughter's tears is far more than your wealth..." Saying this, Vish picked up Twinkle in her lap and hid her head on her shoulder. She glared at them in anger and left. Jia also looked at them with a frightened gaze and left, but Abhay's eyes followed them until they went out the gate.
Abhay slowly walked towards the ruined painting and knelt. He looked at the corner of the painting and saw the painter's name written there: Vishakha.
Reading this name, a devilish smile appeared on Abhay's face. He slowly placed his finger over the written name Vishakha and, with a devilish smile, slowly said, "Poison!"
Meanwhile, Vish had returned home with Twinkle. Twinkle's eyes were swollen from crying, and due to so much crying, she had fallen asleep in the car. Vish brought Twinkle into her room and laid her down on her small princess bed. Jia was near the door. She saw the restlessness on Vish's face the entire way. She could see how hard Vish was working and struggling for Twinkle, and she had known for a long time how much she loved Twinkle. In such a situation, her behavior was not a big deal for Jia. Vish had clashed with many people for Twinkle many times before. She could endure anything but tears in her daughter's eyes.
Meanwhile, Vish sat by Twinkle's bed, stroking her hair and looking at her dejected face. The marks of tears were still on her cheeks, and seeing those tears made her even more disheartened. She had already faced so many troubles and problems in her life, coming out of so many difficult situations, and after all that, when she had only one means of living, she couldn't even manage that. What kind of life was she giving Twinkle this way? Would she be able to raise Twinkle properly? And would she be able to give her everything she deserved?
Vish had put Twinkle to sleep and was sitting next to her head, but tears were still streaming down her face. She saw the marks on Twinkle's hands where the bodyguard had grabbed her and pulled her away. The bodyguard's fingerprints were imprinted on her delicate hands, and they were red.
Vish gently touched those marks, and a pang of pain shot through her heart. She wondered how she could protect her daughter from the dangers of the world. Twinkle was so innocent and naive. Vish felt a surge of determination - she would do everything in her power to shield Twinkle from harm. She would not let anyone's evil eye fall upon her daughter.
Twinkle was her world, and she would not let anyone harm her. Vish covered Twinkle with a sheet, kissed her forehead, and then went to stand by the window. Outside, the moon was shining brightly, full and round.
Vish's mind was filled with a sense of fear as she gazed at the moon. She knew her life was filled with difficulties, but she was doing all of this for Twinkle. She wanted to give her daughter a safe and happy life.
Meanwhile, in the outhouse on the outskirts of Kotyian Mansion, there were paintings everywhere. Most of them were by Aarya or the one that Abhay had liked at an exhibition. Abhay was sitting on a large sofa, holding a drink in his hand. A champagne bottle was placed in front of him, and on the wall was a painting of Vish - the broken one that she had torn and thrown away.
The frame was almost broken, and the colors had run. But Abhay had brought it with him and hung it on the wall in his outhouse.
"I would rather destroy something I've created with my own hands," Abhay's ears kept ringing with those words. Suddenly, he finished his drink in one swift motion and placed the glass back on the table.
He stretched out his arms on the sofa, threw his head back, and began to laugh maniacally. The smile on his face was not ordinary; it was terrifying.
Abhay lit a cigarette and walked into the garden. He sat down on a sofa, and his gaze rose to the moon shining in the sky. At this moment, Vish was also gazing at the moon from her room's window. Abhay was also looking at the moon.
Both of them traveled back in time to when they had first encountered each other...
Flashback...
In Vish's house, Vish, Jiya, and Twinkle were all staring at Jiya's laptop in amazement. A website was open, showing children's clothes. As soon as Vish saw the price of a princess gown, her eyes widened. "My god, ₹20,000!"
Jiya also expressed her surprise. "Yeah, 20,000 for a princess gown! If someone gave me 20,000, I'd sit in front of them without a gown and call myself a princess!"
But Twinkle stood her ground, her hands on her hips, and looked at Vish and Jiya. "Mom, Auntie, I have to tell you something. There's a play happening at my school, and I got the role of a princess. I need a princess gown, and I want this one!"
Vish asked in surprise, "Twinkle, what's so special about this gown that you want it so badly?"
Twinkle exclaimed, "Mom, it's a Cinderella gown! Can't you see? It has Cinderella on it, and the shoes are made of glass. I want this Cinderella gown, Mom!"
Vish was amazed by her daughter's determination, and since Twinkle was her world, she couldn't refuse her request. She smiled and nodded. "Okay, I'll get this princess gown for you, and you'll be just like Cinderella!"
Twinkle was overjoyed and clapped her hands. She went to the hall to watch TV. Jiya hit Vish's shoulder lightly. "Have you gone crazy? Where will you get 20,000 for the gown? You know you work as a housekeeper in a hotel, and your salary is only 12,000. How will you manage?"
Vish looked at the laptop screen, where the Cinderella gown was still displayed. She thought for a moment and said, "I promised Twinkle, so I have to get it for her!"
The next day, Twinkle's school was over, and Vish went to her hotel job as a housekeeping staff. She was troubled and her mind wasn't in her work. A colleague, Doly Aunt, asked her what was wrong. Vish shared that her daughter, Twinkle, had an annual day at school and wanted to dress up as Princess Cinderella, but Vish couldn't afford the expensive dress.
Doly Aunt smiled and said it wasn't a big deal, sharing that many rich people who visited the hotel wore fake, designer clothes. She showed Vish a picture of a Manish Malhotra-designed lehenga and a similar, cheaper version available in the local market. Doly Aunt suggested Vish visit the Kurla market, buy fabric, and have a local tailor make a similar dress for Twinkle.
Vish thought about it and realized she wanted her daughter to be happy. However, she couldn't afford to spend too much. Doly Aunt gave Vish the address of a local tailor, and Vish planned to visit after her shift.
Before leaving, Vish had to clean a VIP room. She rang the doorbell, and a deep voice asked who it was. Vish introduced herself as housekeeping staff, and the door opened, revealing a man with his back to her.
He asked her to clean the bathroom first. Inside, Vish found a girl sleeping naked on the bed. The man had an open shirt on the sofa, and undergarments were scattered around. Vish was shocked but had to do her job.
She cleaned the bathroom, putting on gloves to handle a used protection packet she found. As she worked, she overheard the man on the phone with someone, claiming he had spent the night on a sofa at the hotel due to a business meeting.
Vish realized the girl on the bed wasn't his wife. She was stunned and put her hand over her mouth, shocked by what she had discovered.
Abhay was standing by the window talking to Arya, while Vish was listening to their entire conversation from behind the bathroom door. She was surprised to hear that Abhay was talking to his wife at that moment, and the girl on the bed was not his wife.
Vish, standing in the bathroom, could hear everything Abhay was saying, and she thought to herself, "What a terrible person. He spends the night in a hotel with someone other than his wife. Ugh... I don't understand what kind of girls do such things. A married man comes to a hotel with them. I just can't understand. Do they have any character?"
Vish thought, "What's it to me? That's their business. My job is just to clean this place. There's so much filth here; I don't even know where to start cleaning. The entire washroom is covered in shampoo. And these protection packets make me so disgusted. And I still have to clean the rest of the room."
The washroom was very dirty, but Vish still had to clean it. She put on her gloves and continued cleaning. Abhay put his phone in his pocket and finished talking to Arya. He had a lit cigarette in his hand and was looking out the window.
The girl on the bed suddenly woke up and came behind Abhay, hugging him. Abhay turned his face slightly and looked at her, then turned back to the window without any expression. He seemed to be focusing on finishing his cigarette. His face was expressionless, and his eyes were just looking at the outside scenery.
The girl rubbed her face on Abhay's back and said, "What's wrong, sweetheart? It seems your wife called and spoiled your mood. Don't worry, I'm here for you. Let's make your mood better."
Abhay's face had a slight smile, but it was hard to understand what it meant. It looked like a normal smile, with dimples on his cheeks, but only he knew what was behind it.
He held the girl's hand with his other hand and pulled her in front of him. The girl was standing in front of him, wearing only her underwear. Abhay looked at her from top to bottom, then said, "I don't try to lick my own vomit again. And your level is only to be used in my bed. Not enough to talk about my wife."
The girl was surprised by Abhay's rude words and said, "Abhay, how are you talking to me? We had such a great time together last night."
Abhay replied, "It wasn't great; it was just a waste. I just passed time with you. Girls like you are not for spending time; they are just for passing time. And only to satisfy myself."
The girl looked at Abhay and said, "Excuse me, Mr. Kotian, you're insulting me."
Abhay took a long drag of his cigarette and started laughing. He said, "Insult? And that too your insult? Insult is when someone has some respect. What respect do girls like you have, who are ready to sell their bodies for a bit of money? If you feel insulted, it's your problem. And the price of your disrespect is about to reach your phone."
The girl looked at Abhay in surprise, and just then, her phone notification came. She quickly picked up her phone and saw the amount. Her eyes widened in shock. She looked at Abhay, who was smiling like a devil and said, "So, did you get the price of your respect? Now leave here."
The girl quickly smiled and nodded. The amount was much more than she was told. She quickly took her clothes and went to the bathroom. She didn't want to talk to Abhay anymore, fearing he might get annoyed and she might lose what she had gained.
As she entered the bathroom, Vish was coming out. The girl quickly moved aside and let Vish pass. Vish took her cleaning supplies and entered the room. The girl went into the bathroom.
Vish cleaned the room, putting all the dirty things in the dustbin. Abhay was still standing by the window. After finishing the cleaning, Vish looked at the bedsheet. Just then, the girl came out of the bathroom. She glanced at Abhay and left the room, holding her bag.
Now only Abhay and Vish were in the room. Vish had cleaned the entire room and put out clean napkins. She looked at Abhay, who was still facing the window, and said, "Sorry, sir, I don't have a clean bedsheet. I'll send another housekeeping staff to change it for you."
Vish was about to leave with her cleaning supplies when Abhay turned to her and said, "Get a bottle of champagne for me."
Vish's footsteps had stopped, and at this moment, her back was towards Abhay. She suddenly turned around and looked at Abhay. Abhay was only looking at Vish. In the hotel uniform, his face looked small and innocent.
In front of Vish, some hair had fallen on her face, covering the area around her eyes, making her face look even more attractive. Her small, lake-like eyes blinked repeatedly, and her pink lips; the lower lip was slightly heart-shaped.
Abhay's gaze stuck to Vish's innocent face, but Vish looked back at him and said, "Sir, I'm from housekeeping. If you need any service, you can call reception to get a waiter."
Vish was about to move forward when Abhay stopped her with his cold voice, "You don't have the audacity to refuse me. Quietly go to the fridge and get a champagne bottle for me."
"Excuse me, sir. I'm not your servant. I work for this hotel, and my job is only housekeeping. It's not my job to provide service to anyone."
Abhay's eyes narrowed as Vish replied in this manner. He started walking towards Vish with slow steps, his eyes fixed on her. Vish became nervous as she saw him approach. Abhay had not worn anything on his upper body; his entire chest was visible. He walked with an arrogant style and stood right in front of Vish.
He looked into Vish's eyes and said, "How much is your salary?"
"Ji...?" Vish asked in surprise. Abhay looked at her angrily and said, "Whatever your salary is, I'll give you double, no, four times that. Just bring that bottle from the fridge for me once."
Abhay then leaned close to Vish's ear and said, "And if you want, you can get ten times more. If you sit and have a drink with me... and if you want, you can get even 100 times more. But in return, you have to spend time with me. So, tell me, which one do you prefer? I think 100 times more money would be enough for you."
Vish's eyes widened, and her face burned with anger. Suddenly, she remembered the day she used to dance at a bar, and men would make inappropriate offers to her.
Abhay looked at Vish and asked, "So, tell me, which offer is better for you?"
But in the next moment, Vish slapped Abhay's cheek. Abhay's face turned to one side, and his fists clenched. He closed his eyes tightly, and his jaw was clenched. He looked at Vish with his red eyes.
Vish looked back at Abhay angrily and said, "Excuse me, Mr., whoever you are, I don't care. But how did you think you could buy someone's self-respect with money? There might be girls who are willing to sleep with you for money, but I'm not one of them. I work a small job at this hotel, and the money I get is enough for me to live my life. I've never thought of selling my body for money, nor do I need it. People like you are the ones who should do such things. You have a wife at home and are having an affair with another girl in a hotel. That's what your character is like.
"One thing to remember, I read that karma is written. What you sow, you will reap. Today, you're cheating on your wife; if you have a daughter and she gets cheated on like that, how will you feel?
"I don't need to say all this to you. You're someone who doesn't consider humans as humans but as machines that work for money. What can I expect from you in terms of relationships? Relationships require having relationships. How can I expect you to understand relationships when you couldn't even be loyal to your wife?
"But since you evaluated my respect with money, I reject your money. My dignity is more valuable to me than anything else."
Abhay's face was stern, with Vish's finger marks on his cheeks. His fists were clenched, and his piercing gaze only looked at Vish's eyes. On the other side, Vish's eyes were burning with anger. Once again, she remembered her past and the difficult times she had faced.
