Ishq hua (Duet 1)

Chapter 12: Strip

Aira paced back and forth in the bedroom, her heart thudding against her ribs like a trapped bird. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions - ignorance, fear, anger, rebellion. She had tried everything to escape Arsh's hold over her, but nothing worked. He controlled every aspect of her life, from the people she spoke to, to when she could leave this mansion. Her freedom, her life, felt like it was slipping away into nothing.

It's been a week since they came here and although Arsh didn't take her back to that room, she wasn't allowed to step out of this one.

Taken out of a cage just to be pushed into another. She almost begged him to take her back to the estate atleast, not her family but his and yet he refused.

He claimed she didn't deserve their generosity. As if someone who is kidnapped will open their arms and stay there forever.

She stopped in front of the mirror, her reflection staring back at her with hollow eyes. She didn't even recognize herself anymore. The woman in the mirror was desperate, fragile, but there was a flicker of defiance in her that hadn't died yet.

Her gaze hardened. He wants control? I will give him control. But on my terms.

An idea, dangerous and thrilling, began to form. If she couldn't win by running, maybe she could, by turning the tables.

Her heart raced as she thought about it. The idea terrified her - what if she failed? What if it made things worse? But then again, what more did she have to lose?

Aira steeled herself, her trembling hands smoothing down the soft fabric of her dress. Her fingers brushed over her neck, down to her collarbone, trying to summon the courage she needed for what she was about to do.

But first of all she needed a cold shower.

After taking the shower, Aira stepped out of the bathroom, her damp hair cascading down her back as the cold air hit her bare skin. The soft fabric of the bathrobe clung to her body, and she held it tightly closed, feeling the weight of her nerves prickling at her skin.

She could almost feel his presence. He was back.

Her gaze shifted immediately to the corner of the room where Arsh sat, his posture relaxed yet commanding. He was doing something on his laptop, pretending not to notice her, but she knew better. He never missed anything when it came to her. The room was dim, the curtains drawn, the soft glow of the lamp being the only source of light.

He was always so composed, always in control. But tonight, something had to change.

Her chest tightened as she gathered her courage, her mind racing with doubt and fear. She knew this could go wrong in so many ways, but she had made a decision. She wasn't going to keep being the victim. She wasn't going to let him be the only one in control anymore.

She walked slowly toward the mirror, her reflection staring back at her, wide-eyed and nervous. Her heart pounded in her chest as she carefully loosened the tie of her bathrobe. In the reflection, she saw Arsh's eyes flicker up for just a brief second before returning to the paper in his hands.

Her pulse quickened as she let the robe slide off her shoulders just a little, revealing the delicate lace of her innerwears beneath. Her skin prickled with both the chill of the room and the tension in the air. She wasn't sure what she expected him to do, but the silence felt deafening.

She stared at herself in the mirror, trying to project confidence she didn't feel, her eyes locking with his through the glass. His gaze flickered again, this time lingering. He was watching her now, though he made no move to acknowledge it.

Aira took a slow, deliberate breath, her fingers brushing lightly over her collarbone, trailing down the curve of her waist. She didn't know if it would work, if she could actually seduce him. But she knew she had an affect.