Mafia's Revenge Or Love? ~ A Saga Of Love And Revenge

Chapter 17

As they approached the entrance to the university, the energy of the bustling campus surrounded them, students chattering, laughing, rushing to their classes. The world moved on, but Rudra's thoughts stayed rooted in that moment, wondering if fate had just nudged him in an unexpected direction.

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Three weeks later

Natasha sat on the edge of the bed, her gaze unfocused as she stared at the blank, white wall in front of her. The room around her felt both suffocatingly small and endlessly vast, its silence ringing in her ears. There was nothing for her here-no phone, no book, no distraction from the gnawing thoughts that swirled in her mind. The breakfast and lunch trays sat untouched on the small table near the window, the food cold and congealed. She hadn't eaten since morning, but hunger wasn't even a distant thought.

Isolation was her only companion in this space. The hours blurred into one another, each one passing in a haze of numbness. Her body ached from the lack of movement, her limbs stiff and heavy, yet she remained unmoving, as if weighed down by something far heavier than fatigue. She had lost track of how long she had been in this room, how long Yuvaan had kept her locked away from the world, from everything she once knew.

The sound of the door unlocking jolted her from her trance-like state, but she didn't react. She stayed perfectly still, her eyes fixed on the wall. The door creaked open, and footsteps echoed in the small space. It was the maid, Natasha was sure of it-just as she had been every other day when the woman came in to clear away the uneaten meals, always silent, always discreet.

But today, something was different.

"Madam," the maid's voice was timid as she approached, carrying a stack of files in her arms. Her posture was stiff, as if she was carrying something far heavier than just papers. "Boss has ordered you to bring these files to his office."

Natasha didn't move. She barely registered the words. Her body, her mind, everything felt hollow, as though she had been drained of emotion, of will. The coldness that had seeped into her over the past days-weeks?-left her unable to react to the maid's request.

"I won't," Natasha replied, her voice barely above a whisper, but it was firm, resolute. There was no argument, no anger, just a simple refusal.

The maid froze, her eyes widening in shock. She clearly hadn't expected resistance. The room was thick with tension, the air heavy with silence. The maid stood there, staring at Natasha, her face contorted with a mixture of pity and fear. She didn't know what to say. The rules of this twisted household had always been clear: Yuvaan gave the orders, and Natasha followed them, no matter what. But now... something had changed.

Natasha kept staring ahead, her expression as blank as the wall in front of her. She felt the maid's eyes on her, but she refused to acknowledge them. She didn't need anyone's pity. The maid shifted uncomfortably, her hands trembling as she fumbled to retrieve her phone from her apron. Her breath was shaky as she dialed a number, and within seconds, the shrill ring of the call connected.

"B-boss?" The maid stammered, her voice barely steady. "M-Mrs. Natasha is refusing to bring the file."

A beat of silence followed, the tension in the room thickening as the maid listened. Her face paled, her hand shaking even more visibly as she extended the phone toward Natasha. "Madam... please..." she whispered, her eyes pleading, silently begging Natasha to take the phone and avoid what was coming.

But Natasha didn't move. She didn't even glance at the phone, her body as still as a statue. She had made up her mind. She wouldn't give Yuvaan the satisfaction of seeing her break, not today.