HOUSE OF LIES

5

Nandani’s POV:

The servants dragged me into a grand room, their hands cold and mechanical as they scrubbed me down. I felt filthy, not from the water or the soap, but from the humiliation.

My stomach churned, and bile rose in my throat. How had my life spun so violently out of control? I had a boyfriend—a life I chose. And yet, here I was, forcefully married to someone I didn’t even know, let alone love.

They dressed me in a heavy saree, draping a veil over my head as if that could hide the disgust and fear twisting inside me.
The bed they made me sit on felt too large, too cold. Everything about this place was suffocating. I knew one thing for sure—I had to escape. I had to run before that monster came in.

Author’s POV:

Nandani’s heart raced as she slipped out of the room. She moved cautiously, her bare feet cold against the polished floors of the palace. The corridors twisted and turned like a maze—a palace as grand and confusing as a labyrinth, making it nearly impossible to find her way out.

She kept moving, her breaths shallow, searching desperately for an exit. Finally, she spotted a lift at the end of the hallway. Hope flickered within her.

Without thinking, she rushed toward it, pressing the button for the ground floor with trembling hands. The lift began to move, but just as quickly as her hope had risen, it faltered.

It stopped. On the seventh floor.

The doors slid open, and there he was—Rajveer. His bloodshot eyes were fixed on her, and his hands were smeared with something dark—something that looked like blood. The sight sent a wave of terror crashing through her.

"Going somewhere, *biwi*?" His voice dripped with danger, making her stomach twist in knots.

Nandani’s body gave in to fear. She closed her eyes tightly, hiding her face in her trembling hands as she sank to the floor, her knees giving way beneath her.

Time seemed to stretch on endlessly. But then, she felt the lift jolt to life again, and the silence was broken by a soft voice. Hesitantly, she moved her hands away from her face, daring to peek through her fingers. Rajveer was kneeling in front of her now, his eyes no longer harsh, but soft—almost gentle.

"Nandani, I won’t hurt you," he whispered, his voice sincere yet strained. "I won’t even touch you without your permission. Trust me, *baccha*, I had my reasons for doing this... please believe me." His hand reached out to stroke her hair, the gesture unexpectedly tender.

Her body slowly stopped trembling, and the panic that had held her hostage began to fade. She was breathing more steadily now. Rajveer extended his hand to help her up, and she stared at it for a moment before finally accepting it. Silence hung between them, thick and uncertain, until she finally broke it.

"Why did you marry me?" Her voice was quiet, barely more than a whisper.

He didn’t answer, and the silence lingered as they reached the 12th floor, where his room was. Rajveer disappeared into the bathroom, leaving her alone with her swirling thoughts. She sank into the plush sofa, glancing around the room, her mind racing with a thousand different emotions.

Her eyes landed on Rajveer’s phone sitting on the table. Without thinking, she grabbed it, her hands shaking as she dialed her parents. Relief washed over her as she heard their worried voices on the other end, but she couldn’t bring herself to tell them the truth. Her mother’s health was fragile, and she couldn’t bear to cause them more worry.

After hanging up, Nandani’s mind went to Rishab( her boyfriend)

She needed to speak to him—to clear the air, even if it was all too late now. Her fingers dialed his number, and she pressed the phone to her ear.

"Hello, Rishab?"  she whispered, her heart pounding.

"Nandani! Where the hell have you been?" His voice was loud, almost drowned out by the pounding music in the background.

"Rishab... are you at a club right now?" Her voice hardened with suspicion.

"No, baby, just with my roommates. They’re playing loud music," he replied, awkwardly trying to cover his lie.

But Nandani knew better. She could hear it in his voice, the slurred speech. "Rishab, are you drunk?" she asked, her stomach knotting with dread.

"No, no, I’m fine—just a little... hic..." His words were cut off by a voice in the background, a woman’s voice. "Rish, baby, come on, what are you doing?"

The realization hit Nandani like a punch to the gut. He was cheating on her. Everything she had feared, everything she had hoped wasn’t true, came crashing down around her. She wanted to scream, to cry, but before she could say another word, the phone was snatched from her hand.

"Who are you talking to?" Rajveer’s voice was dark and commanding.