#EXPOSED

CHAPTER - 23

'Bestowed misery.'

Aagnay

2020

"You're living in a parallel world if you think that I won't out those skeletons in your closet."

I had grown a certain aversion to Kunal Dubey's unholy existence. He wasn't ready to back down on the face of my raging fury unlike the rest of the lot. He knew precisely what I was capable of—it didn't matter to him, I'd figured. Good thing was, I was always up for a challenge and I always had my ways around people—Kunal was bound to lose this game, lose the bets, or worse if he dared to play with me.

I strode leisurely even when fury burned through me. "I admire your audacity to declare a war," I paused to face him. "Raising the stakes while you have everything on line has to be the stupidest thing in your track record."

"Guess you will have to wait and watch," Kunal called after me. "Your ways won't always work in your favor Bhasin. If you choose to back away from my commands then I'm afraid you will be losing a lot on the line than I would."

I smirked as I yanked the door open. "Have it your way," I told him and stepped out of the hall. "But make no mistake Dubey, the final move will be mine."

*

"Oh my God!" Ella squealed as she opened the velvet box to reveal a Mateo pearl necklace. "Don't tell me this is a limited edition!" It had earned me a surprised and pleasant grin. "Thank you but you didn't have to."

"Oh but I had to," I told her and brought her hand near my mouth. "You deserve the finer things in the world." I kissed the back of her hand and she flushed.

"Sometimes I think being your girlfriend isn't all that bad."

I laughed. "Say that again in the next few years." We headed towards my car in the parking lot.

"Oh sweetie, I want to tell you all about it but I can't give out spoilers," she said and chuckled as unlocked the door of my car on the passenger's side.

"Why is that?" I ducked my head to slide behind the wheels. "You want to be gone faster than I can say gold digger?" My lips twitched to a smirk and she scoffed.

"Except, I don't find anything worth digging." She rolled her eyes and glanced at me. "No offense."

I shook my head. "None taken." I ignited the engine and drew the vehicle out of the parking lot. "We belong to two fundamentally different worlds."

"How is that?" she queried dryly and as I steered through the streets. "We hail from families with parents screwed up enough to set us up for their vendettas. We have more things in common than you'd like to think."

I chuckled. "Ah, you're good for your confidence," I muttered as I pulled the vehicle to a halt. "Don't get ahead of yourself."

"Don't be so jealous," she said and looked out of the window. "So," she murmured and her gaze drifted on me. "Did you deal with..." she trailed off and my grip steeled on the steering wheel. "I'm just asking if there are any more loose ends that you might want to pay attention to."

"Let me remind you how none of it doesn't even remotely concern you." I forced my tone to be even. Even the slightest mention of that sent rage firing through my blood.

"Oh but it does," she said and I kicked the gas to pedal through the evening streets. "I was right there and we both know how that can wreak havoc on your life if you don't do something about it faster."

Sick darkness radiated through me. I was glad about my two-piece suit to conceal my vigorous tension under civility. "Back off," I growled and she thinned her lips. "I'd rather you never raise that subject unless you are required to. Do you understand me?"