One Step Closer (IPKKND FF | Complete)

Chapter Nine

"Do you need anything else, Mrs Jha?"

"Thank you, Navya-ji, I think I'll just watch some TV. I have to be patient if the doctor still won't let me get out of bed," Anjali said to her nurse with a weak smile.

Navya fluffed up the pillow so Anjali could sit up comfortably, and tuned the TV to what looked like one of those endless midday talk shows.

Anjali nestled against the pillows and let out a deep sigh. She had been on bedrest for days, and this was the first since she'd gotten sick when her temperature was finally back to normal after over a week of high fever. According to the doctor, the worst was over, but it would be at least a few more days before she could get up and around again.

The young nurse settled in for her shift, hoping it would be less stressful now that Mrs Jha was starting to go on the mend, even if she still looked weak and pale.

It was Navya's first time working at Shantivan. As a specialist private care nurse she had already seen plenty of rich households whose privileged occupants required in-house attention for one reason or another.

Aditi, the senior nurse who did the other half of these shifts, had worked at the Raizada house before, looking after Devyani-ji last year when she'd had blood pressure issues. Just make sure to follow Mr Arnav Singh Raizada's instructions and you'll be fine, Aditi had told Navya.

Ah, Mr Arnav Sing Raizada. ASR. Navya had, of course, heard of the handsome fashion industry tycoon whose ruthless business reputation preceded him. But she certainly hadn't expected to see this stern man completely transformed in the presence of his sister.

Despite his disagreeable airs, he obviously treasured his Di more than anything. He was also a little scary, so Navya made it her job to precisely carry out his wishes.

Still, the man did seem a little too obsessive. The strict instructions to not leave Mrs Jha out of her sight and not let anyone, even Mr Jha, visit - unless ASR himself was made aware of it - made it feel like Navya was not just looking after the flu patient, but actually guarding her from... something.

"And joining us now is psychology professor Anaya Khan, to talk about a difficult topic - emotionally abusive relationships. It's more common than we realise, and it could be affecting a loved one or even yourself!"

The TV host's voice chirped as a new segment kicked off, interrupting Navya's train of thought. She looked at the screen to see an elegantly dressed academic take her seat for the interview.

"Thank you Ira, indeed this is an important topic. Most of us don't realise that abuse in relationships is not just physical. Life partners can engage in various manipulative and emotionally abusive behaviours, and these can do as much harm, if not more."

"Can you tell us about the signs of such emotional abuse?"

"Certainly, Ira. There are many ways that, for example, a manipulative husband can hold power over his wife - and often these tactics are used to cover up lying about some matters or even cheating. For example, the husband could be disregarding the wife's experiences, or plainly contradicting her when she is expressing an opinion about something."

"Oh, wow. Are there warning signs that show these are not just healthy arguments?"

"Yes, often these behaviours come hand-in-hand with telling the victim that 'they just wouldn't understand'. Another method is frequent guilt-tripping or manipulating their feelings, in a way testing them, sometimes with hurtful jokes. Because the abuser knows that their victim is emotionally dependent on them-- "