Love Happens With A Twist

18

Delhi

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"It looks like Shraddha's. I won't wear it." She shifted her eyes away, having a frown replace her neutral look as the sarees looked like those Shraddha-her stepmother wears.

He just couldn't understand why she resented her so much; hence, he asked, "So what? She is your mother. Her clothing should be what you take inspiration from. She should be your role model."

She gave him an unbelievable stare while chuckling slowly, as she was certain he's either not into fashion to know trends or he's deliberately supporting the person she hates to make her angry. "I don't even take it from my real mother's sister, Lakshmi." She spoke while looking intently at him and added, "So there's no way I will take it from someone as cheap as her, who took my dad away from me. Also, she's not my mother. She is only my father's wife. She doesn't share a relationship with me, but with him. There is a thick, unbreakable fence between us."

He saw the moment as the perfect opportunity to convey what he wanted to tell her, which he said until later a while ago. "I said we would talk about the rest of the things later. It includes this. I don't care what you feel; you will give your stepmother the respect she deserves."

Her little smile that spread over her face, which still held a frown, lit up her eyes with hatred. She replied in a firm tone, "Never! I know you've been stalking me for months, but you don't know my relationship with that woman."

"Not months. I've been studying your life for two years. I know everything. Even things you've forgotten. I studied you like a course. However, let's not get into details." To him, it was pointless telling her he was aware of how she tried to kill her times without number in the past, from the fire she caused in their kitchen to the expired injection she gave her, and when she entered her room in the middle of the night with her family threatening her. He knew everything and also got recordings of every event, but he wouldn't expose her yet until he had gotten his revenge.

"Secondly, no drinking of alcohol or smoking of cigarettes," he enjoyed the sudden shock her face portrayed. He was well aware of how she couldn't live without smoking and drinking for long or she would run mad. He wanted her to go mad. He wants to see how far her madness will take her so that when he tortures her, each and every pain will be felt deeply by her.

"Be direct. Say you want me dead. I accept no alcohol. Already, I only drink that when I'm sad, but cigarettes? How....."

"For both. You won't be having any of those from now on."

"Even my dad smokes. Didn't you notice his lips?" She tried to sway his mind from the impossible condition because she could never fulfil it or she would die, as, just like breathing is essential for survival, cigarettes have also become a crucial part of her life that she can't do without.

"You are my wife, not him. I know it will be hard. Don't worry, I will be with you every step of the way. You will text your boyfriend. Tell him you're married now, so you have nothing to do with him. You will transfer the ownership of his house back to him, and I will take over the rest. I will ensure I block every path for him to reach you again."

The more she continued to listen to him, she realised one thing. She couldn't stay like she said. Their lifestyles were different. Rudra was her last option, and she would give him her everything if he would get her the passport to leave the country. His next condition caused her to break her silence because it was ridiculous and severe.

"You won't speak to your Aunt Lakshmi again," he said.

"Leave my mother and respect the cunning Shraddha. Is that what you want?" Her hand loudly bang on the bed in anger at all his ridiculous rules after she tried to control herself from exploding all along. She gazed at him for being so brave to think he could dictate how she would lead her life, with whom she would speak, and whom she would cut.

"Last one. You won't work again. I've decided that you can't go out to work."

"Would I really listen to these unreasonable and outrageous rules you've set? I won't follow any of them." She furiously exclaimed while seething with rage.

"Fine. Go home. All it will take will be a phone call to summon the female constables here." He shrugged and took out his phone since she wanted him to constantly remind her where she should be is the jail.

"If you want me to do any of that, you must also listen to my rules." She exclaimed with gritted teeth, closing her eyes and taking quick breaths, wishing she could just get up, be courageous, and strangle him until he died.

"Did I say there would be room for negotiation?"

"Rule number one!" she straight-up said, linking her fiery gaze to his eyes. "You will disconnect whatever it is you used to tap my phone. You will give me the privacy I need. No more stalking. Do you accept?"

He remained silent, urging her to continue with his smile curious to know what more she wanted. She took that as his approval,

"You won't ever touch me. The marriage will only be a pretence for the outside world. Don't expect anything more."

She couldn't read through his eyes, but she saw a slight change after she mentioned the condition.

"Also, I won't live at home every day. I'm not used to living at home. I know you work on weekdays, so every weekend, you'll take me outside for an outing."

"Fine," he accepted. That was agreeable. He would take her on a prison tour then, since she wants an outing to see for herself how she would be treated before being taken to court for a final verdict.

"You're cutting my sources of income. I expect that every week you will give me money. My salary at the hospital is 1 lakh. Other projects come my way at times. I have a consultation fee for patients, and I meet a lot of them. I will approximate everything to eight lakhs since you don't look quite settled yourself. Then for my personal use as your wife. I go to the salon every week to have my nails cut. I also visit the spa. Overall, every month, I would be expecting ten lakhs. Or if you can't, just transfer my money back. The choice is yours."

"Don't forget, you're a roaming criminal. I won't accept any of your conditions. Now, get up. Since you won't wear the saree, I'll put it on you myself."

"What?" She held his hands that were trying to remove her towel with no shame in his eyes to see her naked.

"Let them go," he warned her with his glare, meaning her hands that were stopping him.

"I know karate."

"I also know that."

Her lips became pressed in aggravation disliking how stubborn he was. As he wasn't ready to budge, she sighed, "Give me five minutes. I will change myself."

"Two minutes. I will wait outside for you to change in two minutes. We have something to do after," he replied, then walked out.

"Stupid fool," she whispered, her eyes moving the sarees on the floor.