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Pankhudi woke up in the morning as the rays of the morning sun kissed her eyelids. She sat up on her bed, and suddenly realized that she was in her own apartment. She was shocked because of this was so sudden and unexpected. She felt around her neck, the collar had been removed. For a moment she wondered if she had been dreaming all this time. But she wasn't. The wounds on her body were very much real. She was naked under her bed sheet.
She got out of her bed and checked her mobile phone that she had left in her drawer. She so desperately wanted to know the date and time. It was Thursday, 7 am. She had spent only 3 days with him, but since she was kept in the dark without the knowledge of date and time, it felt like an eternity. She was so badly confused because of the psychological stress she was put through; she could hardly even orient herself to whatever has been happening. Everything happened so fast, but it felt like an eternity.
She found an envelope placed on a dressing table with a fresh red rose on it. All the thorns had been removed. She picked up the envelope and opened it to find a letter inside it. She recognized the handwriting. It read -
My precious Pankhudi,
I believe it is time I give you what you deserve the most - your freedom. A person's will breaks when they are pushed beyond their limits, subjected to brutality beyond their endurance. It poisons their soul and makes them bitter for life. Something changes forever, they can never be the same again. But you still so lily white. You are still the same sweetheart, just the way you were when I first saw you, sweet and loving like a little angel. Your heart is still so pure like a delicate dewdrop that I could hold gently on my palm forever. The innocence in your eyes is still so unblemished. That is because you, my darling, are truly incorruptible.
Love,
Armaan
Pankhudi began to cry with the letter in her hand. Whether those were tears of joy or sorrow, she couldn't tell. She was happy that she was free, she has been more or less a captive submissive after all. She never really had a choice to get away from him. But deep within her heart, she was missing him. It was just last night that she felt a bond developing with him, she was beginning to know him, understand him, but he suddenly chose to leave her. But she had so many questions in her mind. Why she had to feel that way for a person who had tormented her so much? She had no answers. She just knew that she felt strongly bonded to him, she could feel him - his love, his hate, his anger, his despair, his pain...and now she knew his name.
Next to the envelope, there was the set of key to her house Armaan had possessed for so long. She understood that it meant that he would no longer enter her house against her will. She was feeling free, for the first time in so many days. Since Armaan had started stalking her, she didn't have a single peaceful moment. She was constantly under fear of what he would do to her next. But not anymore. She still feared him, she had no doubt regarding what he was capable of doing, but she just knew that he won't hurt her anymore. She called home and spoke to her family. They were fine, just like he had said. He had been watching over them as he had promised.
She stepped out in the bright morning sun. Although she could only walk slowly due to her injuries, she walked to a nearby café and ordered her favourite cappuccino. She took a deep breath as she enjoyed her favourite coffee and her newly earned freedom.
A day later she got a call from a well known company. It was an offer for a job. Perhaps Armaan had referred her name. She was called for an interview after 2 weeks. She was immediately selected and the salary offered was much higher than that of her previous job. Not just that, everyone in the office was particularly nice to her. She was very happy about her new job.
Several days went by. He never tried to contact her and there was no way she could. The wounds of the torture were beginning to heal, so was her life. She was beginning to live again, she was happy to realize that her life was still unharmed, just like it used to be before he came in her life, just like he said it would be when had promised her. She kept getting flashbacks of the time she spent with him in his room. It was the most wonderful time they spend together. She remembered how she was curiously exploring everything in his room, how all the things in his room were telling her so much about him. She still had a good memory of the face of the beautiful little girl in the broken picture frame. The girl's eyes were very similar to Pankhudi's. Armaan had told her his story alright, but it was not all of it. There was still something about him that she still didn't know.
Pankhudi felt very different about herself since he set her free. All that she had been through, it actually made her feel stronger. She had these dark desires within herself for a long time, she wanted to be dominated, and treated just like she was treated. There was a strange sense of satisfaction among her feelings of fear and anguish. She felt a strange calmness in her own agitated mind. She dreamt about Armaan several times. The fear she felt for him thrilled her. Since he left her, she could feel some sort of a void in her life. Sometimes she felt like talking to him, she wished she could find a way to contact him, but there was no way she could trace him.
She thought she'd call Nisha back, but she wasn't too sure about it. What if Armaan wasn't done with her yet? What if he comes back to torment and brutalize her again? He still had the evidence against her that could ruin her life. She couldn't take the risk. She didn't want Nisha to get hurt in all this.
Pankhudi continued living alone. She carried on with her life. The monsoon started, it began with the gentle drizzle of June to the thundering downpour of July.
It was one such night, when it was raining heavily and the sound of the thunder echoed pursuing the flashes of lightning across the sky. Pankhudi had returned from her office, and she didn't go to college. It was night and there was a power cut so it was very dark already. She was cooking her dinner in the kitchen in the light of a candle and a flashlight.
She heard her doorbell ring. She wasn't expecting anybody, at least not in such a frightening rainy night. It was already very dark, and her sixth sense was warning her of something. She opened the door. She saw a tall man standing before her, when she shone the flashlight on his face, she nearly screamed. She began to tremble thinking why he had come back in her life.
Armaan stood in front of her, tall and strong, but all drenched in the rain and his expression was very sad.
"I wanted to go home..." he said in a sad voice, "I lost my way."
"What do you want?" Pankhudi asked trembling with fear.
"Shelter for some time...it's raining and I.. " he said in a surprisingly submissive tone, his sentence was interrupted by the sound of thunder.
Pankhudi didn't know what to say. She stood there perplexed.
"It's ok...If you don’t want me here…" he said in a breaking voice, "…I'll...go away..."
He turned to leave. Pankhudi could not comprehend his strange behaviour. But instinctively she said, "No wait, please come in."
She didn't know why she called him in. Deep in her heart she feared him, but she couldn't see a logical threat. What could he possibly do to her now that he couldn't have done earlier?
He was completely drenched in the downpour. She made him sit down on the sofa and offered him a towel to dry his head. He was dazed, like she had never seen him before. It was very dark, she couldn't see details of his expression, but she knew he was very sad. He sat there quietly.
"Are you OK?" she asked him.
He didn't respond. She began to dry his head with the towel. He still didn't say anything. Pankhudi was very much mystified to see him like that. He had come to her house walking through such heavy rain and now he wasn't speaking anything.
She made tea for him. Her hand trembled as she offered him the cup. He looked up at her and smiled weakly. He took the cup from her hand and thanked her. She went back to the kitchen and continued cooking. She thought maybe she should cook for her guest too. When the food was ready, she approached him.
“Dinner is ready,” she said.
He looked up at her and smiled weakly, “Thanks sweetheart, but I’m not hungry…I am just…” he didn’t complete his sentence.
Pankhudi was disappointed. But she was too afraid to say anything. She just sat down next to him holding his hand. When Armaan looked at her disappointment, he hugged her.
“Okay” he said lifting her chin with one finger, “Let’s have dinner…”
They had dinner quietly. She was expecting him to say something but he wasn't speaking a word.
After dinner, she broke the silence.
"Are you OK?" she asked again, "Please say something…."
"I don't know" he replied softly and became very quiet again.
Pankhudi didn't know what to say further. She looked at outside the window and said, "I don't think the rain's gonna stop anytime soon. You can stay here for the night, it's alright."
"Are you sure?" he asked looking at her. She nodded in affirmation.
She sat down beside him and gently put a hand on his shoulder.
"I wanted to go home" he said taking a deep breath, "I don't know the way...I don't know...where my home is..."
Pankhudi still didn't understand anything. But she didn't find it right to trouble him with questions, at least not now. The way his sentences were breaking, she could feel that he is actually breaking within himself.
"I think you should rest for a while" she said holding his arm, "Perhaps, you'll feel better."
"Perhaps..." he said with his eyes closed.
She led him to her bedroom. He was just as acquainted with her house as she was. She asked him to take off his wet clothes and gave him a towel to dry himself. He pulled the sheet over himself and was lying on the bed quietly. She lit a candle and placed it on a table. The flickering light filled the humble room. She sat down beside him quietly.
"Pankh" he said, "Please come closer...I need you."
She lied down next to him and he slowly held her in his arms, and kissed her cheek.
"Am I really such a monster Pankh?" he said with very sad eyes.
"No you are not…why would you think like that?" Pankhudi asked.
"I lost my family Pankh" he said, "...and it was my fault."
Pankhudi got a faint idea about the cause of his grief. But so many things were still not clear. She just waited for him to speak.
"I tried to move on...it didn't work. So many years of struggling to survive...and then I grew up, met this girl Shalini. She was a nice girl, I thought she loves me, and she'd make me feel OK. I used to feel happy around her. But deep within I wasn't OK, I think I can never be OK. I have to live with this demon within me forever."
Pankhudi was listening patiently. She didn't interrupt.
"I married Shalini, everything was fine, I was beginning to live again. We were blessed with a beautiful daughter, I named her Priya. She meant the world to me. I loved my princess more than anything."
Even in the darkness she could see his anguish on his face. She touched his face gently and urged him to continue.
"My anger...it is my greatest curse. I can't control myself sometimes, especially if something reminds me of my terrible childhood days. I don't like to think or talk about my past. But something brings back bad memories, and I can't control my rage. Even after having my revenge, my mind is not at peace. Shalini wasn't the most sensitive person. She knew about me, but she wasn't always careful enough to tread lightly in situations that could make me lose my temper. I used to get mad at her and I hurt her several times. I was my fault, I agree, she didn't deserve that. And one day she couldn't take anymore, she left, and took my daughter along. Priya was just 2 years old when Shalini took her away"
"It was one of the most painful moments of my life. I didn't know what I could have done to make it better. I didn't hurt her on purpose. I can't control this monster within me. I missed my daughter more than anything. She was the only ray of hope in the dark life that I was living. I may have hurt my wife, but I never hurt Priya."
He held on to Pankhudi even tighter. Pankhudi would have otherwise panicked but this time she was calm. She had a strong reassuring feeling that he was not going to hurt her. She hugged him and started fondling his hair.
"Shalini divorced me. It was proved that I am suffering from a mental illness, and Priya's custody was given to my wife. I really missed my princess, but then I used to think that perhaps it is better if she stays away from me...perhaps safer." He took a deep breath and continued, "But Shalini began to act nasty since the divorce. She knew I loved my daughter a lot and so she began to use this as a way to torture me emotionally. For what I did to her in anger and emotional flare-up, she wanted to take her revenge in cold blood. She wouldn't even let me meet or talk to my daughter. She always told me that Priya was happier without me."
"And...I thought, yeah...perhaps...she was right. After all I had hurt Shalini, she was not wrong in being angry. Years passed by and I learned to live with my loneliness. I used to send gifts to Priya on her birthday each year. But I learned much later that Shalini never gave them to her. I used to live with the hope that one day my daughter will grow up, and then maybe someday I could meet her, and tell her how much she means to me. But 5 years after Shalini left me, my world shattered when I came to know that Priya was dying. She was suffering from leukaemia. Her condition was at an advanced stage and hence not treatable. She had only few days of her life left. I was angry that I was not informed about it. I rushed to Shalini's house, and that bitch refused to let me enter. I pushed her aside and headed straight to Priya's room. I saw my little angel lying on the bed, all pale and weak. I wanted to cry, but I couldn't show her my tears.
I was seeing her after many years, I was so overwhelmed. But she wasn't happy to see me.
She looked at me angrily and asked, "What are you doing here?"
I said, "I just came to meet you. How are you sweetheart?"
"I am better without you" she said, "Please go away."
I was shocked to hear that. "Why are you talking like that?" I asked her, "I just came to meet you and brought you your favourite chocolates."
"I don't need anything from." She said coldly, "You are very cruel. I know how you treated mom, and you would have treated me the same way had mom not taken me away."
My heart shattered within me that moment. How did Priya get all those 'ideas' about me? It wasn't possible without Shalini feeding that into her head. I was extremely angry and I stormed out of the room to find Shalini in the next room. I slapped her hard. "You bitch! Why did you poison her heart against me? She is just a child! I know I have never hurt her, I never can. I have loved her more than my life. She means everything to me! I can never forgive you for this!" I shouted at her. I was so angry, I wanted to kill her that instant. I pushed her hard and she fell down.
But I didn't know that Priya had just entered the room. She saw what I just did to my wife. She got a reason to believe her mother; I've never been more ashamed of myself. I apologised to both of them, I tried to make Priya understand. I wanted to hug her but she pushed me and ran towards her mother. While she ran, she hit against a table and a photo frame that had her picture broke. I picked it up and held it close to my heart.
Priya shouted at me in anger, "Stop pretending that you care about me! Look what you did to mom! You are so cruel, you always were, you always will be, and I can never love you. No one will ever love you." These were the last words my princess said to me."
For the first time, Pankhudi saw a tear in his eyes. She suddenly remembered how violently he had reacted, and had whipped her till she fell down unconscious when she had said something similar to him.
"Is Priya the girl in that picture?" she asked.
"Yes, I left the house taking her picture with me. I didn't fix the broken frame. I just left it that way in my room to remind myself how much my angel hates me!" he said bitterly.
Pankhudi could feel his pain. She was running her hand lovingly over his back, trying to make him feel better.
"She died soon after that. She died with all that hatred and bitterness in her heart about me. And I could do nothing about it. Shalini died soon after than in an accident. Good for her, I would have killed her in a far more brutal way" he said as his emotions were showing up in his eyes. "I was never informed about Priya's or Shalini's death. I found out much later. And I have been living a miserable life ever since. I have no reason to live for other than taking out my anger and frustration on helpless people."
He hugged Pankhudi tightly and said, "The last time you hugged me, for the first time in many days I felt really peaceful. I came back to you, just to hug you again. I know this won't really change anything, neither will it justify my actions. But I just wanted to feel calm for a while...I miss that brief time in my life, when I was happy...when I had a family. Now I don't...now I have no one...or perhaps I have you...you are the only person who knows about the brutality I am capable of but still doesn’t hate me…"
He paused for a while. His heart was heavy, and he was drowning in sorrow.
"Today is Priya's birthday...I used to bring her all she wanted, new toys, chocolates, teddy bears...My little angel she was, my princess, I loved her so much...perhaps the only girl in my life I ever loved so much, but she hated me. I lost her so bitterly, now she's gone forever. I miss my family Pankh, I miss my daughter. I didn't want to be so bad, I just wanted to love my daughter..."
He hugged her even tighter and took a deep breath and continued, "You are such a sweetheart Pankhudi. Your eyes remind me of Priya. There is so much love and innocence in your eyes."
He began to shower Pankhudi with kisses. Pankhudi didn't resist. She caressed him with love as he kissed her.
"Let me hold you in my arms for a while precious" he said with intense anguish in his voice, "I'll go away after some time."
Armaan held her in his arms for a while lying quietly with his eyes closed. Suddenly the wind roared through the window, and flung it open. The candle was extinguished, and it was suddenly very dark again. It was still raining heavily outside. The sudden darkness woke them up from the trance they were in.
"There is something strangely familiar about this darkness, isn't it?" he said still holding her.
Pankhudi got up and closed the window. She was looking for a match to light the candle again.
"Let it be" he said, "I am more comfortable in the dark."
She put the match away and sat down on the bed next to him in the dark. He too sat up on the bed. Soon their eyes were acclimatized to the darkness. She was looking at Armaan but suddenly looked away when he turned his gaze towards her.
"What is it?" he asked holding her hand.
"I wanted to ask...I did I ever hurt you...I mean by mistake...unknowingly...I mean...were you angry...that...when you hurt me..." she said. She could barely put her words in a proper sentence.
Armaan was listening with his brow furrowed in concentration as he was trying to grasp the meaning of her broken sentence. When he understood what she was asking, he smiled at her innocence.
"Are you really that naive, cupcake?" he said tugging her hand, "Come here, we'll talk."
He made her sit on his lap. She was nervous, but he hugged her.
"Calm down, sweetheart" he said running his fingers through her hair, "Don't be afraid. I am not going to hurt you, never again."
Pankhudi relaxed a bit. He continued stroking her hair and back as he spoke, "I have lost everything that was dear to me, so...there is nothing I am afraid of losing now. Don't get any wrong ideas about me being your sweet lover boy. I am still the same Pankh, the sick sadistic bastard that you know."
"I have destroyed more lives that you know" he said, "Simply because I can."
Pankhudi was listening and was feeling afraid, but she wanted her answers.
"I usually pick up sluts from nightclubs, bars, offices, hell, you find them almost everywhere. Not only are they used to getting fucked in every possible way, but also they are worthless bitches who drool over rich men. And I really like to show them their place. Besides since they have already sold their self-esteem, it gets much easier to make them take everything I want them to take."
"But you were different. When I first saw you, I was mesmerized by your sublime beauty. The shyness on your face told me that you haven't been touched by a man before. I can tell whether a girl will submit or not, and how easily by looking at her face. I knew you were of a submissive nature the moment I saw you, but I also knew I couldn't entice you with money. You may be poor and vulnerable, but you are not a whore, definitely not. I helped you with money at the time of your need but that doesn't make you my whore. I never thought of you like that. I know you were a woman of high self-esteem. I had to think of another way to break you, to make you submit."
Pankhudi was listening nervously to his side of the story.
"I hadn't had a virgin in years, so my lust for you was much stronger. I found out about you, I realized that you were quite lonely and vulnerable. I realized you are just perfect for what I had in my mind. I have a many 'like-minded' friends, if you know what I mean. Besides, I have a lot of people working for me. Money can buy more things than you know. Soon enough I had all the information about you that I needed."
"Then was the time for action. I have been stalking you since long before I made my presence felt." He chuckled and continued, "It may give you the impression that I am a street thug or something, but I am not. I run a business and I have a respectable position in the society. Of course, the society doesn't have any idea about my 'hobbies'. I used to disguise myself well when I was wandering these streets while stalking you. Besides I was not always rich so I am quite acquainted with various survival skills and the lifestyle of almost every level of society."
Pankhudi began to tremble in his arms. He hugged her tightly to ease her fears. When she seemed to calm down a bit, he continued.
"So I was after you with my camera, clicking at every possible opportunity. I've got some hi-tech lenses, which have a great zoom power, so I could click from very far, yet the pictures would look like close-up shots. All the stuff I had to do near your house, I did it before alerting you. This apartment, as you know, is not in a very developed locality, so there aren't really any security guards around - that made my work easier. I didn't really know about your childhood abuse history until one day I saw through this window while you were cutting yourself as you drowned yourself in tears. Only an emotionally disturbed person can do such a thing, so I understood the possibility of you having suffered something painful in the past. Knowing this fact, I was all the surer that I have chosen the right girl. Earlier I used to be around this house only watching you, soon I began to bring my camera along. I still remember that day when I got to click those delicious nudes of you, my determination to have you got much stronger that day, so did the possibility. And the night you did your little thieving got you deep into my trap." He continued.
Pankhudi's face now had the expression of guilt for that night when she walked away and didn't save the life of that woman when she could.
"Well let me ease your conscience sweetheart. That woman very much deserved her fate, and it was a good thing that you didn't save her. My sources told me that she had mercilessly burned her daughter-in-law alive for dowry about 7 years ago, and police had closed the case stating it to be an accident. It was the victim's brother who had hired a few men to kill her, deliberately after several years so that he wouldn't be the prime suspect. And since there was a considerable gap between the two events and since you stole her jewellery, the case became all the more misleading, and the police couldn't trace the culprit."
Pankhudi was both astonished as well as relieved to know the facts.
"Fear of the unknown is one of the worst human fears, and that is exactly what I exploited in your case. You were afraid of me because you didn't know who I was or what I wanted. You couldn't even predict my next move. Then the phone calls, sending you pictures, all that started. When you stopped taking my calls, I knew exactly how to punish you and waited for the right opportunity. I had to do the job myself because not everyone is comfortable handling scorpions. I put a nasty one in your purse when you left it unattended at the party for a while. The little fellow was pretty annoyed after being put in there, it was difficult for it to even breathe, it stung you at the first opportunity. Then I thought I might pay you a little visit at your office. I had to pay some money to the guy who controls the power of the elevator to switch of the power for a few minutes. I am glad he was precise about the timing, I paid him a little extra after the work was done, because I was so happy after having a good feel of you for the first time. That was far more than what I would have paid a girl just to feel her, but in your case it was a fair bargain because I knew you had a strong character and high moral values and your body was never for sale. That and another meeting with you while you were returning home from college and you got pretty freaked out."
"I knew Nisha would interfere. I sent one of my men after her to gather all information about her. My man placed the note in her college locker, but I knew she was more strong willed and she needed a greater jolt to make her back out. So I decided to demonstrate what I am capable of. Not throwing acid at her was more in my interest than hers. I didn't want police to get involved in this, besides, fear of something bad is actually worse than the thing itself. My objective was achieved, Nisha got frightened, and you my darling were concerned enough to send her away so that she doesn't get hurt and I could have you all by myself." He kissed her cheek as he said that.
"I continued to monitor Nisha's activities; I wanted to make sure she wasn't trying to act too smart. I found out about her new location, and at the same time hired a small time thief to get me the key to this house from her purse without creating much fuss. And once I had they key, there was nothing that could stop me from having you."
Pankhudi began to cry as all the events were flashing across her mind.
"I could have blackmailed you easily, but where's the fun in that?" he said, "I am a tyrannical sadist, I methodically use violence to terrorize and intimidate my victims. I enjoyed every moment of mental anguish I put you through, and it was perfectly delicious to watch you slowly break and submit."
"Even when I brought you to my place," he continued, "Well, everything was ultimately under my control. I knew Roy was onto you since he saw you. I wanted to see what you both do in my absence, so I told him I was going away for a few days. He fell for it because I have left girls at his mercy in the past. Although this time the instructions were clear, he was asked to stay away from you, but he disobeyed and had to be punished. I would have perhaps labelled you as a slut had you not resisted Roy the other day. I would have punished you instead of him in that case, by allowing all my men to rape you. I would have done things to you, that you couldn’t even imagine...well, I changed my mind."
Pankhudi started crying bitterly. He held her close and kissed her forehead.
"Oh don't you cry sweetheart, it's ok now." He said softly as he hugged her tightly, "The big bad stalker won't hurt you anymore."
"I am so ashamed of myself," Pankhudi spoke amongst her sobs, "I am ashamed of myself for behaving like a slut in front of you, for getting aroused by everything you did to me! I was liking it, I was responding, even though it was hurting me, even though it was shameful. I am so ashamed of being so weak! So vulnerable!"
"No Pankhudi you are not weak, neither are you a slut." he replied holding her chin and making her look straight at him, "Don't ever think of yourself that way. In fact, it was a weakness on my part to exploit your vulnerability. I deliberately chose you knowing your weak background, knowing that you were not in a position to resist much. All that I did to you, was to break you, to make you submit to my desires, it was all a part of my dark seduction. You gave in to the desires of your mind and body which is pretty natural. You were so innocent that you didn't even realize that you were being emotionally manipulated into submission. I have dealt with all kinds of girls, and you are the purest angel I've ever met."
He kissed her lips passionately. Then he hugged her and she rested her head on his shoulders.
"You are a very strong girl Pankh, to face the world alone. An unsheltered little angel flying all by herself in the storm. A lot of things weigh you down, but you still keep going., because you love your family. Your family loves too, they are so proud of you. I wish I had such a loving family, I wish I was worth such a loving family. I know much about you, I know how much you have to go through every single day of your life, how many lustful advances from nasty men you are forced to handle. I also know how deeply you crave to have a loving man in your life who would protect you from this bad bad world. I am unfortunately not that man, I can't commit to you, but I will be there for you when you need me. I’ll provide you with anything that you might need, all you need to do is ask. I will watch over you, I won't let anything happen to you. I will be your friend, your guardian and your guide, for as long as you need. I can do that much for you, in return of what I have taken from you and for the kindness you showed me tonight..."
Pankhudi hugged him tight as she cried on his shoulder.
"It's alright precious" he said caressing her back, "And let me tell you another thing, be proud of who you are, be proud of your sexuality and your dark desires. We have been through something very painful. Different people adapt differently to similar situations, a lot regarding the final outcome depends on their inborn personality and circumstances. We all have our reasons to feel the way we do, and only we know it, some of us talk about it, some don't but that doesn't change the facts."
Pankhudi was still crying and he was gently stroking her back, running his fingers through her hair to help her calm down. He held her in his arms for a long time. Pankhudi was lying against his bare chest with her eyes closed, feeling warm and safe in his embrace.
“I’ve got a little something for you,” he said with a smile, as he removed a small box from his jacket pocket and gave it to her.
She opened it curiously and found pretty diamond earrings. She was delighted seeing them and she ran her fingers over them.
“Is this real diamond?” she asked innocently.
Armaan just laughed and held her closer and kissed her forehead.
The power was still not restored, it was still dark, but it had stopped raining. Armaan looked at the screen of his mobile phone, it showed the time 4.00 am.
"I better leave now, I have a meeting this morning" he said as he kissed Pankhudi's forehead.
"It is still dark...please stay for some more time" she said touching his face lovingly.
"I wish I could sweetheart...but I must go" he said as he helped Pankhudi get off his lap. She lit the candle and the flickering golden light filled the room again.
He put on his clothes and opened his wallet. He gave her his business card and kissed her one last time.
"Thanks for everything cupcake...If you ever need anything, all you need to do is call," he said with a smile.
Pankhudi was inquisitively trying to read the card in the light of the candle. It had his complete name, the name of his company and his contact number. All this information was very new to her, there was a curious smile on her face.
"One more thing" he said as he stood near the door, "I still have the evidence which is not good for your health, so you are not going to try anything funny, are you?"
Pankhudi was taken aback by the sudden change in his tone of speech and attitude. She quickly shook her head in negation.
"Better" he said in a dominant tone again, "I am your friend only as long as your feet stay on the ground. Don’t ever think of crossing me, trust me, you are not going to like the consequences. This is not an idle threat."
Armaan gave a surprisingly warm smile after his cold threat, and left closing the door behind him.
Pankhudi was sitting on the bed holding his card in his hand. He had answered many questions for her. He had set her free, just like she had been once craving for. He promised to be her friend and he promised he was not going to hurt her anymore. But she still had so many questions on her mind. Why she felt so much attached to Armaan? Is it because he was the first man in her life? Why, in spite of his cruelty, she found her mind, body and soul craving for him? What did Armaan really think about her? Does he love her? If he doesn't then, why did he come to her in such a frightening rainy night when he was sad? Why did he share his grief with her? He said he feels calm around her, he came to her just to hold her for a while, he came to her when he was missing his family...what could all this mean? Now that he was her friend, Pankhudi hoped that with time she will find her answers.
THE END
She got out of her bed and checked her mobile phone that she had left in her drawer. She so desperately wanted to know the date and time. It was Thursday, 7 am. She had spent only 3 days with him, but since she was kept in the dark without the knowledge of date and time, it felt like an eternity. She was so badly confused because of the psychological stress she was put through; she could hardly even orient herself to whatever has been happening. Everything happened so fast, but it felt like an eternity.
She found an envelope placed on a dressing table with a fresh red rose on it. All the thorns had been removed. She picked up the envelope and opened it to find a letter inside it. She recognized the handwriting. It read -
My precious Pankhudi,
I believe it is time I give you what you deserve the most - your freedom. A person's will breaks when they are pushed beyond their limits, subjected to brutality beyond their endurance. It poisons their soul and makes them bitter for life. Something changes forever, they can never be the same again. But you still so lily white. You are still the same sweetheart, just the way you were when I first saw you, sweet and loving like a little angel. Your heart is still so pure like a delicate dewdrop that I could hold gently on my palm forever. The innocence in your eyes is still so unblemished. That is because you, my darling, are truly incorruptible.
Love,
Armaan
Pankhudi began to cry with the letter in her hand. Whether those were tears of joy or sorrow, she couldn't tell. She was happy that she was free, she has been more or less a captive submissive after all. She never really had a choice to get away from him. But deep within her heart, she was missing him. It was just last night that she felt a bond developing with him, she was beginning to know him, understand him, but he suddenly chose to leave her. But she had so many questions in her mind. Why she had to feel that way for a person who had tormented her so much? She had no answers. She just knew that she felt strongly bonded to him, she could feel him - his love, his hate, his anger, his despair, his pain...and now she knew his name.
Next to the envelope, there was the set of key to her house Armaan had possessed for so long. She understood that it meant that he would no longer enter her house against her will. She was feeling free, for the first time in so many days. Since Armaan had started stalking her, she didn't have a single peaceful moment. She was constantly under fear of what he would do to her next. But not anymore. She still feared him, she had no doubt regarding what he was capable of doing, but she just knew that he won't hurt her anymore. She called home and spoke to her family. They were fine, just like he had said. He had been watching over them as he had promised.
She stepped out in the bright morning sun. Although she could only walk slowly due to her injuries, she walked to a nearby café and ordered her favourite cappuccino. She took a deep breath as she enjoyed her favourite coffee and her newly earned freedom.
A day later she got a call from a well known company. It was an offer for a job. Perhaps Armaan had referred her name. She was called for an interview after 2 weeks. She was immediately selected and the salary offered was much higher than that of her previous job. Not just that, everyone in the office was particularly nice to her. She was very happy about her new job.
Several days went by. He never tried to contact her and there was no way she could. The wounds of the torture were beginning to heal, so was her life. She was beginning to live again, she was happy to realize that her life was still unharmed, just like it used to be before he came in her life, just like he said it would be when had promised her. She kept getting flashbacks of the time she spent with him in his room. It was the most wonderful time they spend together. She remembered how she was curiously exploring everything in his room, how all the things in his room were telling her so much about him. She still had a good memory of the face of the beautiful little girl in the broken picture frame. The girl's eyes were very similar to Pankhudi's. Armaan had told her his story alright, but it was not all of it. There was still something about him that she still didn't know.
Pankhudi felt very different about herself since he set her free. All that she had been through, it actually made her feel stronger. She had these dark desires within herself for a long time, she wanted to be dominated, and treated just like she was treated. There was a strange sense of satisfaction among her feelings of fear and anguish. She felt a strange calmness in her own agitated mind. She dreamt about Armaan several times. The fear she felt for him thrilled her. Since he left her, she could feel some sort of a void in her life. Sometimes she felt like talking to him, she wished she could find a way to contact him, but there was no way she could trace him.
She thought she'd call Nisha back, but she wasn't too sure about it. What if Armaan wasn't done with her yet? What if he comes back to torment and brutalize her again? He still had the evidence against her that could ruin her life. She couldn't take the risk. She didn't want Nisha to get hurt in all this.
Pankhudi continued living alone. She carried on with her life. The monsoon started, it began with the gentle drizzle of June to the thundering downpour of July.
It was one such night, when it was raining heavily and the sound of the thunder echoed pursuing the flashes of lightning across the sky. Pankhudi had returned from her office, and she didn't go to college. It was night and there was a power cut so it was very dark already. She was cooking her dinner in the kitchen in the light of a candle and a flashlight.
She heard her doorbell ring. She wasn't expecting anybody, at least not in such a frightening rainy night. It was already very dark, and her sixth sense was warning her of something. She opened the door. She saw a tall man standing before her, when she shone the flashlight on his face, she nearly screamed. She began to tremble thinking why he had come back in her life.
Armaan stood in front of her, tall and strong, but all drenched in the rain and his expression was very sad.
"I wanted to go home..." he said in a sad voice, "I lost my way."
"What do you want?" Pankhudi asked trembling with fear.
"Shelter for some time...it's raining and I.. " he said in a surprisingly submissive tone, his sentence was interrupted by the sound of thunder.
Pankhudi didn't know what to say. She stood there perplexed.
"It's ok...If you don’t want me here…" he said in a breaking voice, "…I'll...go away..."
He turned to leave. Pankhudi could not comprehend his strange behaviour. But instinctively she said, "No wait, please come in."
She didn't know why she called him in. Deep in her heart she feared him, but she couldn't see a logical threat. What could he possibly do to her now that he couldn't have done earlier?
He was completely drenched in the downpour. She made him sit down on the sofa and offered him a towel to dry his head. He was dazed, like she had never seen him before. It was very dark, she couldn't see details of his expression, but she knew he was very sad. He sat there quietly.
"Are you OK?" she asked him.
He didn't respond. She began to dry his head with the towel. He still didn't say anything. Pankhudi was very much mystified to see him like that. He had come to her house walking through such heavy rain and now he wasn't speaking anything.
She made tea for him. Her hand trembled as she offered him the cup. He looked up at her and smiled weakly. He took the cup from her hand and thanked her. She went back to the kitchen and continued cooking. She thought maybe she should cook for her guest too. When the food was ready, she approached him.
“Dinner is ready,” she said.
He looked up at her and smiled weakly, “Thanks sweetheart, but I’m not hungry…I am just…” he didn’t complete his sentence.
Pankhudi was disappointed. But she was too afraid to say anything. She just sat down next to him holding his hand. When Armaan looked at her disappointment, he hugged her.
“Okay” he said lifting her chin with one finger, “Let’s have dinner…”
They had dinner quietly. She was expecting him to say something but he wasn't speaking a word.
After dinner, she broke the silence.
"Are you OK?" she asked again, "Please say something…."
"I don't know" he replied softly and became very quiet again.
Pankhudi didn't know what to say further. She looked at outside the window and said, "I don't think the rain's gonna stop anytime soon. You can stay here for the night, it's alright."
"Are you sure?" he asked looking at her. She nodded in affirmation.
She sat down beside him and gently put a hand on his shoulder.
"I wanted to go home" he said taking a deep breath, "I don't know the way...I don't know...where my home is..."
Pankhudi still didn't understand anything. But she didn't find it right to trouble him with questions, at least not now. The way his sentences were breaking, she could feel that he is actually breaking within himself.
"I think you should rest for a while" she said holding his arm, "Perhaps, you'll feel better."
"Perhaps..." he said with his eyes closed.
She led him to her bedroom. He was just as acquainted with her house as she was. She asked him to take off his wet clothes and gave him a towel to dry himself. He pulled the sheet over himself and was lying on the bed quietly. She lit a candle and placed it on a table. The flickering light filled the humble room. She sat down beside him quietly.
"Pankh" he said, "Please come closer...I need you."
She lied down next to him and he slowly held her in his arms, and kissed her cheek.
"Am I really such a monster Pankh?" he said with very sad eyes.
"No you are not…why would you think like that?" Pankhudi asked.
"I lost my family Pankh" he said, "...and it was my fault."
Pankhudi got a faint idea about the cause of his grief. But so many things were still not clear. She just waited for him to speak.
"I tried to move on...it didn't work. So many years of struggling to survive...and then I grew up, met this girl Shalini. She was a nice girl, I thought she loves me, and she'd make me feel OK. I used to feel happy around her. But deep within I wasn't OK, I think I can never be OK. I have to live with this demon within me forever."
Pankhudi was listening patiently. She didn't interrupt.
"I married Shalini, everything was fine, I was beginning to live again. We were blessed with a beautiful daughter, I named her Priya. She meant the world to me. I loved my princess more than anything."
Even in the darkness she could see his anguish on his face. She touched his face gently and urged him to continue.
"My anger...it is my greatest curse. I can't control myself sometimes, especially if something reminds me of my terrible childhood days. I don't like to think or talk about my past. But something brings back bad memories, and I can't control my rage. Even after having my revenge, my mind is not at peace. Shalini wasn't the most sensitive person. She knew about me, but she wasn't always careful enough to tread lightly in situations that could make me lose my temper. I used to get mad at her and I hurt her several times. I was my fault, I agree, she didn't deserve that. And one day she couldn't take anymore, she left, and took my daughter along. Priya was just 2 years old when Shalini took her away"
"It was one of the most painful moments of my life. I didn't know what I could have done to make it better. I didn't hurt her on purpose. I can't control this monster within me. I missed my daughter more than anything. She was the only ray of hope in the dark life that I was living. I may have hurt my wife, but I never hurt Priya."
He held on to Pankhudi even tighter. Pankhudi would have otherwise panicked but this time she was calm. She had a strong reassuring feeling that he was not going to hurt her. She hugged him and started fondling his hair.
"Shalini divorced me. It was proved that I am suffering from a mental illness, and Priya's custody was given to my wife. I really missed my princess, but then I used to think that perhaps it is better if she stays away from me...perhaps safer." He took a deep breath and continued, "But Shalini began to act nasty since the divorce. She knew I loved my daughter a lot and so she began to use this as a way to torture me emotionally. For what I did to her in anger and emotional flare-up, she wanted to take her revenge in cold blood. She wouldn't even let me meet or talk to my daughter. She always told me that Priya was happier without me."
"And...I thought, yeah...perhaps...she was right. After all I had hurt Shalini, she was not wrong in being angry. Years passed by and I learned to live with my loneliness. I used to send gifts to Priya on her birthday each year. But I learned much later that Shalini never gave them to her. I used to live with the hope that one day my daughter will grow up, and then maybe someday I could meet her, and tell her how much she means to me. But 5 years after Shalini left me, my world shattered when I came to know that Priya was dying. She was suffering from leukaemia. Her condition was at an advanced stage and hence not treatable. She had only few days of her life left. I was angry that I was not informed about it. I rushed to Shalini's house, and that bitch refused to let me enter. I pushed her aside and headed straight to Priya's room. I saw my little angel lying on the bed, all pale and weak. I wanted to cry, but I couldn't show her my tears.
I was seeing her after many years, I was so overwhelmed. But she wasn't happy to see me.
She looked at me angrily and asked, "What are you doing here?"
I said, "I just came to meet you. How are you sweetheart?"
"I am better without you" she said, "Please go away."
I was shocked to hear that. "Why are you talking like that?" I asked her, "I just came to meet you and brought you your favourite chocolates."
"I don't need anything from." She said coldly, "You are very cruel. I know how you treated mom, and you would have treated me the same way had mom not taken me away."
My heart shattered within me that moment. How did Priya get all those 'ideas' about me? It wasn't possible without Shalini feeding that into her head. I was extremely angry and I stormed out of the room to find Shalini in the next room. I slapped her hard. "You bitch! Why did you poison her heart against me? She is just a child! I know I have never hurt her, I never can. I have loved her more than my life. She means everything to me! I can never forgive you for this!" I shouted at her. I was so angry, I wanted to kill her that instant. I pushed her hard and she fell down.
But I didn't know that Priya had just entered the room. She saw what I just did to my wife. She got a reason to believe her mother; I've never been more ashamed of myself. I apologised to both of them, I tried to make Priya understand. I wanted to hug her but she pushed me and ran towards her mother. While she ran, she hit against a table and a photo frame that had her picture broke. I picked it up and held it close to my heart.
Priya shouted at me in anger, "Stop pretending that you care about me! Look what you did to mom! You are so cruel, you always were, you always will be, and I can never love you. No one will ever love you." These were the last words my princess said to me."
For the first time, Pankhudi saw a tear in his eyes. She suddenly remembered how violently he had reacted, and had whipped her till she fell down unconscious when she had said something similar to him.
"Is Priya the girl in that picture?" she asked.
"Yes, I left the house taking her picture with me. I didn't fix the broken frame. I just left it that way in my room to remind myself how much my angel hates me!" he said bitterly.
Pankhudi could feel his pain. She was running her hand lovingly over his back, trying to make him feel better.
"She died soon after that. She died with all that hatred and bitterness in her heart about me. And I could do nothing about it. Shalini died soon after than in an accident. Good for her, I would have killed her in a far more brutal way" he said as his emotions were showing up in his eyes. "I was never informed about Priya's or Shalini's death. I found out much later. And I have been living a miserable life ever since. I have no reason to live for other than taking out my anger and frustration on helpless people."
He hugged Pankhudi tightly and said, "The last time you hugged me, for the first time in many days I felt really peaceful. I came back to you, just to hug you again. I know this won't really change anything, neither will it justify my actions. But I just wanted to feel calm for a while...I miss that brief time in my life, when I was happy...when I had a family. Now I don't...now I have no one...or perhaps I have you...you are the only person who knows about the brutality I am capable of but still doesn’t hate me…"
He paused for a while. His heart was heavy, and he was drowning in sorrow.
"Today is Priya's birthday...I used to bring her all she wanted, new toys, chocolates, teddy bears...My little angel she was, my princess, I loved her so much...perhaps the only girl in my life I ever loved so much, but she hated me. I lost her so bitterly, now she's gone forever. I miss my family Pankh, I miss my daughter. I didn't want to be so bad, I just wanted to love my daughter..."
He hugged her even tighter and took a deep breath and continued, "You are such a sweetheart Pankhudi. Your eyes remind me of Priya. There is so much love and innocence in your eyes."
He began to shower Pankhudi with kisses. Pankhudi didn't resist. She caressed him with love as he kissed her.
"Let me hold you in my arms for a while precious" he said with intense anguish in his voice, "I'll go away after some time."
Armaan held her in his arms for a while lying quietly with his eyes closed. Suddenly the wind roared through the window, and flung it open. The candle was extinguished, and it was suddenly very dark again. It was still raining heavily outside. The sudden darkness woke them up from the trance they were in.
"There is something strangely familiar about this darkness, isn't it?" he said still holding her.
Pankhudi got up and closed the window. She was looking for a match to light the candle again.
"Let it be" he said, "I am more comfortable in the dark."
She put the match away and sat down on the bed next to him in the dark. He too sat up on the bed. Soon their eyes were acclimatized to the darkness. She was looking at Armaan but suddenly looked away when he turned his gaze towards her.
"What is it?" he asked holding her hand.
"I wanted to ask...I did I ever hurt you...I mean by mistake...unknowingly...I mean...were you angry...that...when you hurt me..." she said. She could barely put her words in a proper sentence.
Armaan was listening with his brow furrowed in concentration as he was trying to grasp the meaning of her broken sentence. When he understood what she was asking, he smiled at her innocence.
"Are you really that naive, cupcake?" he said tugging her hand, "Come here, we'll talk."
He made her sit on his lap. She was nervous, but he hugged her.
"Calm down, sweetheart" he said running his fingers through her hair, "Don't be afraid. I am not going to hurt you, never again."
Pankhudi relaxed a bit. He continued stroking her hair and back as he spoke, "I have lost everything that was dear to me, so...there is nothing I am afraid of losing now. Don't get any wrong ideas about me being your sweet lover boy. I am still the same Pankh, the sick sadistic bastard that you know."
"I have destroyed more lives that you know" he said, "Simply because I can."
Pankhudi was listening and was feeling afraid, but she wanted her answers.
"I usually pick up sluts from nightclubs, bars, offices, hell, you find them almost everywhere. Not only are they used to getting fucked in every possible way, but also they are worthless bitches who drool over rich men. And I really like to show them their place. Besides since they have already sold their self-esteem, it gets much easier to make them take everything I want them to take."
"But you were different. When I first saw you, I was mesmerized by your sublime beauty. The shyness on your face told me that you haven't been touched by a man before. I can tell whether a girl will submit or not, and how easily by looking at her face. I knew you were of a submissive nature the moment I saw you, but I also knew I couldn't entice you with money. You may be poor and vulnerable, but you are not a whore, definitely not. I helped you with money at the time of your need but that doesn't make you my whore. I never thought of you like that. I know you were a woman of high self-esteem. I had to think of another way to break you, to make you submit."
Pankhudi was listening nervously to his side of the story.
"I hadn't had a virgin in years, so my lust for you was much stronger. I found out about you, I realized that you were quite lonely and vulnerable. I realized you are just perfect for what I had in my mind. I have a many 'like-minded' friends, if you know what I mean. Besides, I have a lot of people working for me. Money can buy more things than you know. Soon enough I had all the information about you that I needed."
"Then was the time for action. I have been stalking you since long before I made my presence felt." He chuckled and continued, "It may give you the impression that I am a street thug or something, but I am not. I run a business and I have a respectable position in the society. Of course, the society doesn't have any idea about my 'hobbies'. I used to disguise myself well when I was wandering these streets while stalking you. Besides I was not always rich so I am quite acquainted with various survival skills and the lifestyle of almost every level of society."
Pankhudi began to tremble in his arms. He hugged her tightly to ease her fears. When she seemed to calm down a bit, he continued.
"So I was after you with my camera, clicking at every possible opportunity. I've got some hi-tech lenses, which have a great zoom power, so I could click from very far, yet the pictures would look like close-up shots. All the stuff I had to do near your house, I did it before alerting you. This apartment, as you know, is not in a very developed locality, so there aren't really any security guards around - that made my work easier. I didn't really know about your childhood abuse history until one day I saw through this window while you were cutting yourself as you drowned yourself in tears. Only an emotionally disturbed person can do such a thing, so I understood the possibility of you having suffered something painful in the past. Knowing this fact, I was all the surer that I have chosen the right girl. Earlier I used to be around this house only watching you, soon I began to bring my camera along. I still remember that day when I got to click those delicious nudes of you, my determination to have you got much stronger that day, so did the possibility. And the night you did your little thieving got you deep into my trap." He continued.
Pankhudi's face now had the expression of guilt for that night when she walked away and didn't save the life of that woman when she could.
"Well let me ease your conscience sweetheart. That woman very much deserved her fate, and it was a good thing that you didn't save her. My sources told me that she had mercilessly burned her daughter-in-law alive for dowry about 7 years ago, and police had closed the case stating it to be an accident. It was the victim's brother who had hired a few men to kill her, deliberately after several years so that he wouldn't be the prime suspect. And since there was a considerable gap between the two events and since you stole her jewellery, the case became all the more misleading, and the police couldn't trace the culprit."
Pankhudi was both astonished as well as relieved to know the facts.
"Fear of the unknown is one of the worst human fears, and that is exactly what I exploited in your case. You were afraid of me because you didn't know who I was or what I wanted. You couldn't even predict my next move. Then the phone calls, sending you pictures, all that started. When you stopped taking my calls, I knew exactly how to punish you and waited for the right opportunity. I had to do the job myself because not everyone is comfortable handling scorpions. I put a nasty one in your purse when you left it unattended at the party for a while. The little fellow was pretty annoyed after being put in there, it was difficult for it to even breathe, it stung you at the first opportunity. Then I thought I might pay you a little visit at your office. I had to pay some money to the guy who controls the power of the elevator to switch of the power for a few minutes. I am glad he was precise about the timing, I paid him a little extra after the work was done, because I was so happy after having a good feel of you for the first time. That was far more than what I would have paid a girl just to feel her, but in your case it was a fair bargain because I knew you had a strong character and high moral values and your body was never for sale. That and another meeting with you while you were returning home from college and you got pretty freaked out."
"I knew Nisha would interfere. I sent one of my men after her to gather all information about her. My man placed the note in her college locker, but I knew she was more strong willed and she needed a greater jolt to make her back out. So I decided to demonstrate what I am capable of. Not throwing acid at her was more in my interest than hers. I didn't want police to get involved in this, besides, fear of something bad is actually worse than the thing itself. My objective was achieved, Nisha got frightened, and you my darling were concerned enough to send her away so that she doesn't get hurt and I could have you all by myself." He kissed her cheek as he said that.
"I continued to monitor Nisha's activities; I wanted to make sure she wasn't trying to act too smart. I found out about her new location, and at the same time hired a small time thief to get me the key to this house from her purse without creating much fuss. And once I had they key, there was nothing that could stop me from having you."
Pankhudi began to cry as all the events were flashing across her mind.
"I could have blackmailed you easily, but where's the fun in that?" he said, "I am a tyrannical sadist, I methodically use violence to terrorize and intimidate my victims. I enjoyed every moment of mental anguish I put you through, and it was perfectly delicious to watch you slowly break and submit."
"Even when I brought you to my place," he continued, "Well, everything was ultimately under my control. I knew Roy was onto you since he saw you. I wanted to see what you both do in my absence, so I told him I was going away for a few days. He fell for it because I have left girls at his mercy in the past. Although this time the instructions were clear, he was asked to stay away from you, but he disobeyed and had to be punished. I would have perhaps labelled you as a slut had you not resisted Roy the other day. I would have punished you instead of him in that case, by allowing all my men to rape you. I would have done things to you, that you couldn’t even imagine...well, I changed my mind."
Pankhudi started crying bitterly. He held her close and kissed her forehead.
"Oh don't you cry sweetheart, it's ok now." He said softly as he hugged her tightly, "The big bad stalker won't hurt you anymore."
"I am so ashamed of myself," Pankhudi spoke amongst her sobs, "I am ashamed of myself for behaving like a slut in front of you, for getting aroused by everything you did to me! I was liking it, I was responding, even though it was hurting me, even though it was shameful. I am so ashamed of being so weak! So vulnerable!"
"No Pankhudi you are not weak, neither are you a slut." he replied holding her chin and making her look straight at him, "Don't ever think of yourself that way. In fact, it was a weakness on my part to exploit your vulnerability. I deliberately chose you knowing your weak background, knowing that you were not in a position to resist much. All that I did to you, was to break you, to make you submit to my desires, it was all a part of my dark seduction. You gave in to the desires of your mind and body which is pretty natural. You were so innocent that you didn't even realize that you were being emotionally manipulated into submission. I have dealt with all kinds of girls, and you are the purest angel I've ever met."
He kissed her lips passionately. Then he hugged her and she rested her head on his shoulders.
"You are a very strong girl Pankh, to face the world alone. An unsheltered little angel flying all by herself in the storm. A lot of things weigh you down, but you still keep going., because you love your family. Your family loves too, they are so proud of you. I wish I had such a loving family, I wish I was worth such a loving family. I know much about you, I know how much you have to go through every single day of your life, how many lustful advances from nasty men you are forced to handle. I also know how deeply you crave to have a loving man in your life who would protect you from this bad bad world. I am unfortunately not that man, I can't commit to you, but I will be there for you when you need me. I’ll provide you with anything that you might need, all you need to do is ask. I will watch over you, I won't let anything happen to you. I will be your friend, your guardian and your guide, for as long as you need. I can do that much for you, in return of what I have taken from you and for the kindness you showed me tonight..."
Pankhudi hugged him tight as she cried on his shoulder.
"It's alright precious" he said caressing her back, "And let me tell you another thing, be proud of who you are, be proud of your sexuality and your dark desires. We have been through something very painful. Different people adapt differently to similar situations, a lot regarding the final outcome depends on their inborn personality and circumstances. We all have our reasons to feel the way we do, and only we know it, some of us talk about it, some don't but that doesn't change the facts."
Pankhudi was still crying and he was gently stroking her back, running his fingers through her hair to help her calm down. He held her in his arms for a long time. Pankhudi was lying against his bare chest with her eyes closed, feeling warm and safe in his embrace.
“I’ve got a little something for you,” he said with a smile, as he removed a small box from his jacket pocket and gave it to her.
She opened it curiously and found pretty diamond earrings. She was delighted seeing them and she ran her fingers over them.
“Is this real diamond?” she asked innocently.
Armaan just laughed and held her closer and kissed her forehead.
The power was still not restored, it was still dark, but it had stopped raining. Armaan looked at the screen of his mobile phone, it showed the time 4.00 am.
"I better leave now, I have a meeting this morning" he said as he kissed Pankhudi's forehead.
"It is still dark...please stay for some more time" she said touching his face lovingly.
"I wish I could sweetheart...but I must go" he said as he helped Pankhudi get off his lap. She lit the candle and the flickering golden light filled the room again.
He put on his clothes and opened his wallet. He gave her his business card and kissed her one last time.
"Thanks for everything cupcake...If you ever need anything, all you need to do is call," he said with a smile.
Pankhudi was inquisitively trying to read the card in the light of the candle. It had his complete name, the name of his company and his contact number. All this information was very new to her, there was a curious smile on her face.
"One more thing" he said as he stood near the door, "I still have the evidence which is not good for your health, so you are not going to try anything funny, are you?"
Pankhudi was taken aback by the sudden change in his tone of speech and attitude. She quickly shook her head in negation.
"Better" he said in a dominant tone again, "I am your friend only as long as your feet stay on the ground. Don’t ever think of crossing me, trust me, you are not going to like the consequences. This is not an idle threat."
Armaan gave a surprisingly warm smile after his cold threat, and left closing the door behind him.
Pankhudi was sitting on the bed holding his card in his hand. He had answered many questions for her. He had set her free, just like she had been once craving for. He promised to be her friend and he promised he was not going to hurt her anymore. But she still had so many questions on her mind. Why she felt so much attached to Armaan? Is it because he was the first man in her life? Why, in spite of his cruelty, she found her mind, body and soul craving for him? What did Armaan really think about her? Does he love her? If he doesn't then, why did he come to her in such a frightening rainy night when he was sad? Why did he share his grief with her? He said he feels calm around her, he came to her just to hold her for a while, he came to her when he was missing his family...what could all this mean? Now that he was her friend, Pankhudi hoped that with time she will find her answers.
THE END
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for one more successful completed story____ So it was Aarman___ But pankh is Aarman's GF in Girl Next Door____So is there any part missing between these 2 stories or Its just the interpolation between 2 stories.
)___ There also a rich man (Christian grey) first dominates a girl (Anna) and later starts to develop feeling for her. Christian grey was also abused in childhood. Grey was also sometime soft and other times harsh with anna.
) than novel
Im from a humble background, I've been stalked and harassed and I've lived a long time of my life in fear.
