GUSTAKHIYAN

Chapter 3

Aparajita splashed water across her face. It was too much. Everything was too much. An uneasy feeling settled at the pit of her stomach since Alka Kothari left her cabin. Her heart felt heavy with an unknown weight. Who was Rana Digvijay Singh ? Why in the name of god did he want to meet her, unannounced? She took a few deep breaths while counting till 10 in her head, when that didn't really help, she chanted Lord's name for a few times before she finally calmed down. Aparajita didn't know whether she'd call herself spiritual or not but she believed in god, a little too much according to other standards. She believed everything happening around her was for her good.

Taking a long ragged breath and fixing her makeup she finally came out of the bathroom. Passing the very tempting bed she stepped inside the main area of her cabin and she froze at her spot. Her mind, body, eyes and her brain, everything froze at the sight of the man in front of her.

Oh my God!

Aparajita had seen many handsome men in her life, but calling this man handsome would not only be an understatement but an insult to the man. The man with approximately 6 feet height was too gorgeous. His Raven black hairs were a bit messy, still looked perfect on his chiseled face, his pointed nose complimenting him and the bow shaped lips were cherry on a cake. His broad shoulders were completely evident in his custom made dark blue Armani, the suit fits him perfectly. The man in one word was gorgeous.

But Aparajita's heart raced as her eyes locked with the man. She had never seen anyone with black eyes. His eyes were so black that it was impossible to find his pupils. She had never seen eyes so deep, so empty. As the man's gaze went over her whole 5'4 self, she couldn't help but recoil in embarrassment. She was wearing a white satin shirt with navy blue pants, her waist length hair braided, but she still felt as if she was stark naked in front of the gorgeous man. But something in his familiar gaze made her shiver.

Familiar Gaze.

Her breath hitched as the event from almost a year ago came rushing back to her. She had met this man. Standing at the shadowy corner of the hall, gazing at her, was him. She couldn't miss those eyes. She had literally lived in terror for a few months after the incident at Jyoti's party. It creeped her beyond everything. It took her a lot of meditation and music therapy to come out of that terror and finally when she almost forgot about the event, the man was here again to remind her the power he had over her.

At the realization Aparajita's trance broke and she breathed heavily as her jaws clenched and her hands fisted on her sides. The man noticed all of this and the corner of his lips twitched ever so slightly as if he knew that she finally had the realization of who he was.

"Hello Dr. Aparajita Sengupta. It's a pleasure to finally meet you formally", the man's deep voice reverberated inside her entire being. The man yet again reminded her of their informal meet, if they'd call staring at each other, that is.

Her name rolled off his tongue so smoothly that it felt like he was too familiar with the name and in a habit of pronouncing it, the thought of when he might have taken her name both disgusted her and filled her stomach with butterflies.

"Hello Mr. Singh", the man's eyebrow raised slightly at her clipped voice and formal language. The man eyed her amusement evident on his very handsome face.

"Please have a seat", Aparajita said in a stable voice trying to make herself feel that she was in charge of the situation.

What a fool.

Both of them were aware who was actually in charge of the situation. Just as both of them were aware of the crackling tension in the air.

The man looked at her in an indecipherable look before taking the chair opposite hers. The man sat like he owned the place.