Tycoon's Twisted Woman

7- In mansion

"Where am I?" asked Mishthi, looking at Shalini Jairaj Rajvansh, Rudransh's grandma.

"You're in RJ Mansion, Mishthi. And this is the family I told you about," Shalini said with a sweet, adoring smile on her face. Mishthi moved her gaze from Shalini's face and looked at everyone standing in the room.

She gave a small smile and nodded her head as a greeting.

"Mishthi, thank you for saving Mom today. You're truly an angel," Rudransh's mom said, caressing Mishthi's head and planting a small kiss on her forehead.

Mishthi looked at her and said, "It's okay, Aunty," before casting her eyes down. No one noticed the mist in her eyes except Rudransh.

"How are you feeling right now?" After everyone was done with their 'thank yous', Rudransh asked in his usual hard tone, though with a hint of softness.

"Fine," she replied.

"Okay, Mishthi. You rest. I'll send a maid with something healthy for you to eat," Mrs. Rajvansh said, and everyone walked out of the room.

But Ansh stayed inside. He dismissed the doctors as well.

"You're fine, Mishthi. Just some weakness due to blood loss from the gunshot, some injuries from the blast, and... a stab wound," Ansh said, smacking his lips before saying the last part.

His expression was unreadable. His deep, black-bluish eyes looked into Mishthi's honey-brown ones, as if trying to read her.

She was lying in a half-sitting position on the bed. Slowly, Ansh bent down to her face level, so close that she could smell his perfume.

"Tell me, how did you get stabbed? Are you some goon? A criminal? A terrorist? Or did someone do it deliberately, huh?" he asked, bringing his face so close that they were breathing the same air. His breath touched her lower lip and chin, while her breath touched his nose.

Both felt something different in their spines, shuddering in their bodies.

They were so close that Ansh almost forgot he had asked her a question. Almost.

But Ansh, being Ansh, couldn't forget anything.

"I asked you something, Mishthi," he said in his husky tone, his face neutral, devoid of any expression.

"Some... some goons stabbed me yesterday... when um... when I was taking a walk on the nearby roads," she tried to say without stammering but failed, blinking her eyes continuously as she looked at him.

"And why did those goons stab you?" he asked again, bringing his face even closer.

"I don't know, maybe to rob me," she said, blinking her eyes cutely. Both looked at each other with such intensity that it felt like they were communicating with their eyes. His gaze captivated her, and she answered his questions without thinking or stammering.

"Does it hurt?" he asked again, his eyes softening for a second before returning to their usual deep stare.

"Very," she whispered, as if hypnotized by his eyes.

"Did it bleed a lot?"

"Yes."

"How did you get stitched?"

"A chemist did it."

"Didn't you see a doctor after getting stabbed near the heart?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I ran out of money, and seeing a doctor might cause a police case," she whispered to each of his questions.

"If you had reported it, maybe those stabbers would have been arrested?" he asked softly, as if forgetting that he was *the* Rudransh Jairaj Rajvansh, who didn't speak sweetly or softly to outsiders.

"I don't want them to be arrested."

"Why?" he whispered huskily, confusion lining his face.

"Because..." she said, gulping down a lump in her throat.

"Because?" he repeated.

Knock, knock.

Their staring and Q&A session ended there.

Mishthi blinked her eyes several times, as if processing what had just happened.

Rudransh was the same but composed himself quickly.

"Uhmm," he cleared his throat.

"Come in," he said.

A maid entered the room with a bowl of soup and a glass of fresh orange juice on a tray.

"Mam asked me to give you this. You must finish the soup and juice," she said, keeping her eyes on the floor, as everyone was afraid of Ansh.

"Thank you," Mishthi said, grabbing the glass of juice and starting to drink it. She must have been very thirsty, as she finished the juice within seconds, wiping her lips with the back of her hand like a child.

She stared at the soup, making funny faces without realizing it. Ansh, who was watching every change in her expression, chuckled softly, loud enough for both ladies in the room to hear.

The maid looked at him with wide eyes, her face clearly showing surprise, while Mishthi looked at him, confused.

Ansh composed himself when he felt their surprised stares.

"Out," he commanded in his rough tone, sending chills down Mishthi's spine.

The maid almost ran out of the room, leaving Ansh and Mishthi alone.

"What's wrong? Why are you trying to kill the soup in multiple ways in the past five minutes? Come on, don't tell me you don't like soup," Ansh teased, his tone a mix of surprise and mockery.

He was too surprised and confused by his behavior-so friendly and caring towards her. His mind was a mess until he suddenly shouted.

"Drink this!" His heart screamed not to scare this timid girl, injured and lying on the bed in a half-sitting position, looking at him with her innocent, doe-like almond-shaped eyes, her sweet honey-brown orbs.

"Okay," she replied timidly and started drinking the soup, grimacing. But as soon as the soup touched her taste buds, a smile appeared on her face, and she happily continued drinking it.

Ansh, watching her change in expression, smiled at her antics before walking out of the room. He practically dragged himself out, feeling irritated by how affected he was by that girl.

"Mishthi."