ENIGMA

PUNISHMENT 1

Advik dragged Ruhani towards his car, the cold metal of the vehicle feeling alien and harsh against her trembling skin.He shoved her into the passenger seat with an authoritative push, the door slamming shut behind her. As he started the engine, the rumble of the car seemed to amplify her sense of dread. Ruhani, tears streaming down her face, desperately tried to make amends.

“I’m sorry, Advik,” she choked out, her voice breaking. “Please, just take me home. I won’t do this again. I promise.”

Advik didn’t respond. He shot her a glance—cold, and deadly serious—that silenced her immediately. The sheer intensity of his gaze made it clear that there would be no negotiation, no escape from the situation she found herself in.

Advik focused on the road, his mind racing with the events of the night. The image of Ruhani sneaking away, her trust in Ronit, and the near-disaster of her abduction weighed heavily on him. His blood boiled at the thought of how close she had come to danger, and the harsh reality of the situation drove him to a resolute determination.

The farm house loomed ahead, its silhouette growing larger as they approached. Each passing second made Ruhani’s heart race with increasing terror. She could feel the weight of the night’s events bearing down on her, her cries and pleas turning into muffled sobs as she stared out the window at the approaching darkness.

Advik’s focus was unwavering. His anger was simmering, his resolve hardening with each mile they drove. He reminded himself of the importance of this lesson, the necessity of instilling fear and respect in her. The brutal reality was that she needed to understand the gravity of her actions, to learn the importance of following his directives.

The car pulled up to the farm house, and Advik cut the engine. The sudden silence was heavy, punctuated only by Ruhani’s ragged breathing. She continued to sob quietly, her shoulders shaking with each tremor of fear and regret. Advik remained impassive, his face a mask of cold determination.

As she continued to plead for his forgiveness, promising that she would never defy him again, Advik remained stoic. His mind was set. Tonight was about ensuring that Ruhani learned a crucial lesson about safety and obedience. He had resolved to stay unaffected by her emotional pleas; this was a lesson she needed, no matter how much it pained him to see her suffering.

“Quiet,” Advik commanded, his voice sharp and unyielding. “We’re here. You’ll have time to explain yourself, but for now, stay silent.”

Ruhani’s pleas were abruptly cut off as she saw the stern determination in Advik’s eyes. He guided her out of the car, his grip firm and unyielding, and led her towards the house. The chilling reality of the night’s events settled heavily on her shoulders as she realized that this was far from over, and that she was now completely at Advik’s mercy.

As Advik and Ruhani entered the dimly
lit room in the farmhouse, Advik's
demeanor was colder than ever, his face
a mask of stern resolve. He motioned to
the bed and then to the wardrobe, his
eyes narrowing as he reached for a
leather belt. The unmistakable sound of
the belt being pulled from its loops
echoed in the quiet room, amplifying
Ruhani's fear.

Advik took a deliberate breath, his gaze
never wavering. "Understand this," he continued, his voice a deadly
whisper. "You are here because you
chose to defy me. I've given you every
chance to rectify your mistakes, but this
is the end of the line. I won't hesitate to
do what's necessary to ensure you learn
your lesson."

"You brought this upon yourself," he murmured, his voice soft yet filled with deadly intent. "Now, it’s time you learned what happens when you cross me. The next move is yours, but remember—one wrong word, one wrong look, and you’ll earn yourself a more severe punishment than you can imagine."
Advik’s eyes darkened as he took a step closer to Ruhani, his presence overwhelming. "You didn’t have to know what you found out today," he said, his tone a mixture of frustration and sorrow. "All you had to do was leave your phone on the table and sleep peacefully. But you couldn’t see that I was trying to protect you."

He paused, his gaze softening just for a moment, though his voice remained firm. "I didn’t want you to face this brutal truth about Ronit. I was prepared to be the villain in your eyes, the one who tore you away from him, just so you wouldn’t have to endure the pain of knowing what he truly is."

Ruhani looked up at him, confusion and hurt mingling in her expression. "why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you just—"

"Because you weren’t supposed to find out like this," Advik interrupted, his voice laced with a controlled anger. "I was ready to take the blame, to let you hate me, if it meant keeping you safe. I didn’t care if you thought I was cruel or heartless, as long as you were spared from this agony."

He ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident. "But you didn’t listen. You had to go digging, had to push until you found out things you were never meant to know. You pushed, and now you’ve seen the truth—the truth I never wanted you to face. And here we are, with you caught in the middle of a nightmare I tried to prevent."

Ruhani's eyes welled up, and she shook her head, her voice trembling. "I didn’t know… I thought… I thought..."

"You thought you could handle it," Advik finished for her, his tone softer now, almost regretful. "But you were wrong. You weren’t supposed to handle it, Ruhani. I was. I would’ve done anything to keep you from this, but now… now, you have to deal with the consequences."

He stepped even closer, his voice dropping to a whisper filled with a mix of pain and determination. "I wanted to be the one who saved you from this darkness, even if it meant you’d never see me as anything more than the man who separated you from Ronit. But now that you’ve seen the truth, you can never unsee it. And that’s what hurts the most."

Advik’s expression hardened again, the momentary softness gone as he resumed his steely demeanor. "I did it to protect you. I never wanted you to see this side of him—or of me. And if you still can’t see that, then there’s nothing more I can do."

"Take off your denim shorts," Advik
ordered, his volce icy and unwavering.
His gaze remained fixed on her, a chilling
intensity that left no room for defiance
Ruhani's heart pounded in her chest. Her
eyes darted around the room, searching
for any possible escape. But before she
could make a move, Advik's voice cut
through her thoughts like a whip

"If you attempt anything now," he said
his tone cold and menacing, "you will
regret it beyond measure. Don't make
me repeat myself."

The warning was clear, the promise of
consequences hanging heavily in the air.
Ruhani's breath hitched as she slowly
complied, her hands trembling as she
removed her shorts. Advik watched with
an unyielding gaze, his expression
unchanging as he prepared the belt.

"Come here," he commanded, his tone
leaving no room for hesitation. She
approached him, her steps hesitant but
resigned. Advik motioned for her to
place her hands on the bed and to raise
her buttocks in the air. She hesitated, a
shiver of dread running through her.

"Disobedience earns you ten more
strokes," Advik said coldly, his voice
devoid of any sympathy. "Do as you're
told, or the punishment will be worse."

The threat was stark, and Ruhani, her
face flushed with a mix of shame and
fear, quickly took the position he
demanded. The weight of Advik's gaze
was unbearable, a constant reminder of
the gravity of her situation.