Not A Damsel in Distress

Chapter One

Kapoor Mansion, Delhi

A white sports car passes through the barriers of the modern wrought iron gates. It halts across a white massive and luxurious mansion and a woman in her mid-twenty steps out of the car. She shuts the car door in a slow pace, trying her level best to keep the sound to the lowest. Her hazel eyes reflect her nervousness and she takes a deep breath, allowing the fresh air from the luscious lawn around the mansion to calm her senses. Though her subconscious mind reminds her, she has no escape.

She sighs in helplessness and makes her way towards the entrance of the mansion. Walking inside with delicate steps to refrain herself from making any sound, she avoid encounters with anyone.

But her steps halt, when she finds her mother Nimrit, standing in the foyer with cross arms. She hides her right hand behind her back after reading the anger in her mother's similar hazel eyes.

Nimrit demands, "Didn't I ask you to skip work and stay at home today, Kavya?"

She nods in response after lowering her gaze and whispers, "Sorry Mamma."

Nimrit walks closer and takes a hold of Kavya's right arm to pull her hand ahead. Kavya peeps through her eyelashes and finds her mother's anger fading away, as she caresses the minor bruises on her knuckles with gentle touch.

Nimrit asks in a softer tone, "Kavya, was it necessary to hurt yourself on this day? Your father's friend Yash Raichand is coming with his family for dinner tonight. You will meet his son Armaan for your and his alliance. What will they think about the bruises?"

Kavya faces her and replies, "Mamma, I can cover these marks with make-up. But that man deserved the punishment for throwing his parents at old age in our NGO. You know his mother has asthma and his father is incapable of even walking on his own. They needed immediate medical attention and basically they needed their child for support. But he denied to take their responsibility. How unethical is that!"

Nimrit nods in understanding and responds, "Kavya, I understand everything, he truly deserved it. But there are other people in the NGO. What was the need for them to call you for this?"

Kavya lowers her gaze, while withdrawing her hand from her mother's grip and confesses, "To be honest Mamma, they didn't call me. I was getting bored in my room, so I called Ruhi to take some updates of the NGO. She informed, an old couple has arrived today and they have some medical problems. Plus, they were chanting their son's name on the hospital bed. So, I couldn't stop myself and left to meet him to convince for taking his parents back."

Nimrit inquires after pointing her index finger towards her daughter's injured knuckles, "This is how you convinced him?"

Kavya starts confessing with a grin, "Actually Mamma, when I and Ruhi reached there...."

FLASHBACK

Kavya exits the elevator on the seventh floor of a residential building. She finds her best friend and colleague Ruhi at the Helping hand NGO, leaning against the wall. They smile and greet each other with a hug.

Ruhi shares her concern after breaking the hug, "I could have handled him, Kavy. You should have stayed at home and prepared yourself for the dinner tonight. Remember, I am a boxer."

Kavya asks with a mischievous smirk, "How can I let you have all the fun alone?"

Ruhi chuckles and they move towards the main door of Mr. Dhiraj Rawat's residence, who had abandoned his parents at the Helping Hand NGO, earlier this day. Ruhi presses the doorbell after reaching at the doorstep and soon a man in his early-thirties opens the door.