Chapter 16

"Did I tell you that writing with three pens at a time isn't valid"?

Her head shot up with dread afraid that it is ain't valid. She wrote those many papers all night and her hand has that numb pain in her veins. It would go in vain if he would say that.

His eyes lit up as he read that dreadfulness on her face. Looking back at the book turning over pages he repeated.

" Did I"?

She gently and cluelessly shook her head and he nodded.

" Hmm. We'll then. Since I didn't say it is valid then".

The rock from her heart has been lifted as she took a breath of relief until he spoke again.

" But again you didn't complete the book".

" I--I. Please give me some more time I'll finish it".

" How long "?

" Few more hours ".

" How many few hours ".

Her mouth was open and closed as she looked down unsure to name the number of hours as she herself has no idea about how many hours would she take to complete the book.

"Let it be". He dropped the book down gaining her eye's attention to him as at the same time he looked up at her. And damn the sudden eye connection sent sparks in his body as his eyes connected with her large crystal shining eyes. Her eyes are giving a look of pure innocence. He wonders if she felt the same sparkling sensation too when her eyes met his.

Blinking away he continued.

"This is enough. I'm being enough merciful to let go this time. But one more complaint and one more disobedience....you remember my words".

He said and she nodded frantically. His hand projected forward to take her hand when she pulled her hand to her chest in a zap not giving him her hand. His eyes snapped at her in warning as he pulled her hands away from her chest and forcefully spread her right hand into his and she had her shoulders tensed afraid of what he would do to her hand. His thumb gently pressed some points on her palm as she felt strange relief with a sense of pain and he gently caressed it causing her hand to shrink into a fist. After caressing her hand he let go of it and she immediately pulled her hand close to her chest and looked away.

"Give rest to your hand for today. From tomorrow, your usual duty will be continued".

She nodded her head before muttering okay after being reminded that he would like to hear words. After that, he left the room and she sat there in silence for a while staring at nothing in particular and got up after some time and started doing her routine.

She tried to ignore it as if anything didn't happen. She wanted to cry, not that she doesn't have tears but would anything changes if she cried? She took deep breaths to control the tears and continued her daily rituals in the washroom.

Coming out she found her clothes placed on a small stool and she wore them. Her eyes fell on the bag placed on the corner which she guessed could be her dresses. That's when she took a look at the room and it is nothing special but a cozy small room with cream paint and cupboards at one side and a bathroom to the other side and had much better space compared to her previous one.

She remained in her room and didn't step out when her door was knocked. she opened it to see two buff men standing out of her room with a bed and cot being lifted in their hands. She excused herself for them and they walked in as they put the bed and left the room. A flicker of confusion knotted on her brows before she understood he arranged a bed for her which she didn't expect. After that, she arranged her room with nothing but just placed the clothes in the cupboard and rested the whole day on the bed trying to forget the things as much as possible.

Later on the second day, she started to continue her work as he said. She avoided contacting her in-laws. Not that she gave them a chance to meet them. She has absolutely no chance to meet them as they barely show up themselves in front of her. And for her own good, she avoided eye contact with them. It's not as if they were trying to make any contact with her anyways.

Apart from her daily schedule, he was mostly being in the home for which she has to bring his milk-less coffee for him at any time he asks every day.

For the first time, she made a coffee with sugar and milk and he visited the kitchen with the same coffee she served him. He silently put it on the kitchen counter and asked what it was.

"Coffee". Was her simple answer.

Then he lectured her about what is coffee according to him and asked her to learn about coffee and black tea along with it.

Learning them was her only mistake as she was asked to bring them an irregular number of times per day and once she was even forced to stay in his office room to help him arrange the papers serial-wise.

Though she didn't like to stay in the same room as him she somehow made herself resistant to serving him whatever work he demanded. At the same time, she wondered how long they all are going to be under him. For how long she has to fear his assaults on her, for her intended and unintended mistakes. For how long she has to just listen to him as a robot and do not talk to her in-laws?

All the work was okay but one night her door was knocked loudly multiple times and like a heavy sleeper she at last opened it with groggy eyes and felt scared at his presence near her door. She clutched the door tightly to swing it on his face if he tries to assault her. But nothing of that sort happened but surely irritated her.

"Bring me tea".

Saying that he left the place and she stared ahead for a while to clear her mind. Sighing she walked to the kitchen and began to prepare a black tea for him.

That was just a start as from then he began to demand tea, coffee, or even snacks at night time and she had to do it all in her groggy state.

She made him some tea and took him into his room and the tiny hair on her hands stood up though the air in the room is moderate. It is the chills of particular someone's stare that made her feel all alert. It is always like this. She doesn't know with what intention he exactly stares at her but she surely does know he stares at her. No. He digs out her soul with his laser beam eyes. She never got to judge his intention of staring because she never saw him or his eyes. She once glanced at him while he was staring at her and she never again rose her lids up to look at him after that. His stare felt unconvincing and unsettling for her and she never dared to look into his eyes again.

Placing it on the table she was leaving when her name was called out and her shoulders stiffened.

"Turn around".

Reluctantly she turned around with her eyes cast down as he spoke.

"After three days you'll be coming with me to a party".

He stated and dismissed her to leave the room not giving her a chance to object him. She opened her mouth to voice out her words when he abruptly stood up and like a rat caught by a cat she made a beeline to the exit.

Snickering huskily he tucked his pants comfortably and sat back as he heard the faint sounds of her footsteps.

It was the next day when she completed her morning chores in the kitchen for him and came back to her room to do some possible productive thing as today by her luck he wasn't at home. She was bedding her bed when suddenly she heard her door opening and clicking immediately in a second hand her startled. She turned around in fear and her eyes widened looking at the intruder as fear gripped her heart.

She was sure he went to the office but...