Shehnaaz Maniyar: The Twin Sissy Blessing Or Curse

Visit To Meet Lily

Shehnaaz had not long fed and settled Lily on Monday morning when the doorbell rang. Giving the small neat room a quick glance, she made her way across the room, wondering what it was that her elderly neighbor wanted now. Mrs. Sharma had already borrowed a glass of milk and half a packet of plain biscuits and it wasn't even lunch time.

She opened the door as she plastered a welcoming smile on her face but it instantly faded as her gaze shifted a long way upwards to meet a pair of dark, almost black, eyes.

Miss Maniyar?'

'yes,' she answered, unconsciously putting a hand up to her throat.

The tall figure standing before her was even more arresting in real than the newspaper photo had portrayed. He was taller than average, well over six feet, his shoulders broad and his overall stance nothing short of commanding. The hard angle of his lean clean-shaven jaw hinted at a streak of intractability in his personality, and his eyes held no trace of friendliness. His perfectly tailored business suit superbly highlighted his strong lean body, suggesting he was a man used to a great deal of punishing physical activity.

"I am assuming you know who I am"? His voice was deep and had a hard edge to it

I...er...yes.'

What else could Shehnaaz  must say? The weekend paper was still open at his photo on the coffee table behind her. Every time she'd walked past she'd told herself to screw it up and throw it out, but somehow she hadn't. Shehnaaz wasn't entirely sure why.

I understand you have my brother's child,' he said into the stiff silence.

I...yes, that's correct. A vision of Lily's dark bruises flashed into shehnaaz's mind and her rising panic increased her heart rate to an almost intolerable level. She had to keep him away from her niece!

I would like to see her.

I'm afraid she's sleeping just now, so. She let the sentence trail away, hoping he'd take the hint.

He didn't.

He held her gaze for a lengthy moment and just when she began to close the door he put his foot out to block it.

Perhaps you did not hear me, Miss Maniyar. His tone hardened even further as his diamond-hard eyes stared hers. I am here to see my brother's child and I will not be leaving until I do so.

Shehnaaz knew he meant every hard-bitten word and, stepping back from the door, sent him a chilling glance. If you wake her I'll be extremely angry.' Please stay asleep, Lily, she silently pleaded as he moved through the doorway, coming to stand right in front of her as the door clicked shut behind him.

He gave her a sweeping up and down look and when his eyes met hers they were full of contempt. Nidab told me all about you. Shehnaaz frowned in confusion. She'd never once met her sister's lover. Rida's affair with him had been brief but explosive, just like all her others.

Surely he didn't think...

He told me you were trouble, but little did I realize how much, he continued when Shehnaaz didn't respond.

She stared at him for a moment, wondering if she should correct him of his error in thinking she was her sister, but in the end decided to let him go on, to see what his intentions were with regard to Lily. After all, what harm could it do?

All Shehnaaz needed to do was pretend to be Rida for a few minutes to tell him that she had changed her mind about the letter that had been sent to his father. Once she had convinced him she had no intention of giving up her' daughter, hopefully he would go away.

It wasn't as if she hadn't done this type of thing before. So many times in the past Shehnaaz had stepped into Rida's place to take the brunt of whatever punishment their Ammi had dished out. Surely if she'd been able to hoodwink her own Ammi, Sidharth Ansari would be an absolute pushover.