Disguised Darling|✓

Episode 40

“Eaf ee!” Leave me, Mishti tries to say, struggling in the man’s hold but the man doesn’t deter until he doesn’t reach behind the cell wall, the same place her brother had discovered.

“Shhh, it’s me.” The man keeps on saying from behind, but Mishti isn’t able to recognise the voice, the only constant in her ears is static and the only thing that she wants to be is free.

“Fud ee own!” Put me down, she shrieks behind the man's hand covering her mouth.

“Mishti!” 

That shuts her up. Not because there is no way that the constable would know her name because he does, but because finally she recognises the voice, realises who is holding her. 

Mishti wants to run away from the hold even more.

Though she doesn’t have a chance to struggle anymore because the next thing she knows, her feet are touching the ground, a grip around her shoulders pushing her so that her back is rest against the wall, a hand still covering her mouth, but her eyes now able to see her kidnapper. 

Samrat gulps, his gaze flitting around all her face, from her panic-filled eyes to the labyrinth of tresses that adorns her temple, sticking on it from the excursion. Her covered mouth and bare eyes making him remember a face that he isn’t able to put a name on.

Mishti shakes her head under his hand, making him jump into the present, quickly removing his hand from her mouth. 

It’s a mistake. 

“How dare y-”

Samrat quickly covers her mouth again, eyes wide and brows helplessly curling against each other.

“Shh! Don't.” Panicked, he warns and the girl glares at her.

“Eaf ee!” She demands.

“Please, Mishti. Trust me.” He says and suddenly Mishti muffled words halt under his hand, a bitter glint shining in her eyes.

She forces out her hands from where they were stuck between the wall and her back, pulling away his from her mouth. 

“Trust me, he says,” Mishti mumbles inaudibly before levelling the man with a harsh glare. She doesn’t bother pushing back the cynical emotions that seep into her voice.

“What are you doing here? How did you even find me?” she asks instead of saying something that she may or may not would regret later.

A relief washes over Samrat’s face when Mishti asks him that, talks to him.

“I have been trying to find you for a long time, Mishti.” He says truthfully but Mishti only replies to him with a grim chuckle.

“Don’t make me laugh now. The same man who wanted me here in this place, gone from his sight…was looking for me?”

“No, Mish-”

“Will you stop repeating my name? It’s making me uncomfortable.” Mishti says sharply and this time it is Samrat who is left tongue-tied, a hurt look washing over his face. Mishti averts her gaze.

“I – I never wanted you here. That day, Mishti –”

“Why are you here?” she interrupts but doesn’t give him a chance to answer. “Did you want to see me suffering? Wanted to see if I’m getting punished enough to make up for all the lies I told you?” she scoffs bitterly. “But don’t you worry, they are treating me in the worst way possible here. Just like you would wan –”

“Mishti!” he whisper yells, a frustrated frown evident between his brows, not bothering to separate the desperation from his voice. “Stop it, please. I don’t want to see you here, never wanted to. I – I want to get you out of here.” He says, holding her by her arms that she harshly pulls away from.