Karan's mornings began with a familiar sense of dread. Every day was a battle, and every penny required him to grovel at Preeta's feet. Preeta had taken full control of their finances, and Karan's life had become a series of humiliations designed to remind him of his dependency.
One particularly harsh rule Preeta had imposed was that Karan could no longer eat without her permission. She had deemed his food expenses excessive, and now he had to beg her for every meal. His once-proud stature had been reduced to that of a supplicant in his own home.
It was late morning, and Karan's stomach growled in protest as he approached Preeta, who was lounging on the sofa with her tablet. He knelt beside her, his eyes downcast.
"Preeta, may I please have something to eat?" he asked, his voice tinged with desperation.
Preeta didn't look up from her screen. "I suppose you're hungry," she said casually, her tone devoid of empathy. "What did you do to earn your meal today?"
"I cleaned the house and took care of the garden," Karan replied, hoping it would be enough.
Preeta finally looked at him, her eyes cold and calculating. "Very well. You can have my leftovers from last night."
She pointed to a plate on the kitchen counter, where remnants of her lavish dinner sat cold and unappetizing. Karan's heart sank, but he knew better than to complain. He got up and walked to the counter, taking the plate and sitting at the kitchen table to eat. The food was cold and stale, a stark contrast to the fresh, warm meals Preeta enjoyed.
As he forced down the leftovers, Karan's mind wandered to the night before. He had made a grave mistake that had earned him one of Preeta's most severe punishments yet. Late at night, his thirst had become unbearable, and he had dared to ask Preeta for a can of juice.
"Preeta, may I please have a can of juice?" he had asked, his voice timid.
Preeta had looked at him with a mixture of disbelief and anger. "You want juice? At this hour?"
Karan had nodded, his mouth dry. "Yes, please. I'm very thirsty."
Preeta had stood up, her expression turning from annoyance to cruel delight. "You think you can just demand juice whenever you want? You'll drink what I give you."
She had grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him to the bathroom, her grip like iron. Karan's heart had pounded with fear as she forced him to kneel before the toilet.
"If you're so thirsty," she had said, her voice icy, "then drink this."
Karan had watched in horror as Preeta unzipped her pants and squatted over the toilet, urinating into a glass. When she finished, she had handed the glass to him, her eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure.
"Drink it," she commanded.
Karan had recoiled, his stomach churning with revulsion. "Please, Preeta, don't make me do this."
But her gaze had been unwavering. "Drink it, or you'll get nothing for a week."
With trembling hands, Karan had taken the glass and brought it to his lips. The smell alone had made him gag, but he knew he had no choice. He had taken a sip, the bitter taste of humiliation filling his mouth. Preeta had watched him, a smile of satisfaction spreading across her face.
"Good boy," she had said, patting his head condescendingly. "Remember, Karan, every request has a price."
The memory haunted Karan as he finished the cold, tasteless leftovers. Each day brought new humiliations, and he felt his spirit breaking under Preeta's relentless control.
Later that day, his stomach growled again, but he dreaded asking Preeta for more food. The fear of her next punishment loomed over him like a dark cloud. But he had no choice. Hunger gnawed at him, and he needed to eat.
He found Preeta in her office, working on her laptop. He knelt beside her, his body trembling. "Preeta, may I please have something more to eat?"
Preeta looked at him with a mixture of irritation and amusement. "You already had your meal for the day, Karan. What makes you think you deserve more?"
Karan's voice cracked as he pleaded, "I'm still hungry, Preeta. Please."
She leaned back in her chair, her eyes narrowing. "Very well, but you'll have to earn it."
Karan's heart sank, knowing what was coming. "What do you want me to do?"
Preeta stood and walked to the kitchen, returning with a small bowl of scraps and leftovers from her lunch. "You can have this," she said, placing it on the floor. "But you must eat it like a dog."
Karan's humiliation was complete as he got down on all fours and began eating from the bowl. The scraps were barely edible, but he forced them down, each bite a reminder of his subjugation.
Preeta watched him, her satisfaction evident. "Remember, Karan, this is the life you chose. Every bite, every penny, comes at my discretion."
As Karan finished the scraps, his spirit shattered, he realized that this was his new reality. Preeta's financial control and sadistic games had reduced him to a shell of his former self, and every day was a reminder of the devastating power she held over him.
