I could smell the wet mud

Hear the sounds of the flowing river

I could feel the grass under me

It's a little wet

I stood up and followed the smell

I reached the banks of the river

A serene river

Which filled me with peace...

My peace....

Arjun felt the blazing sun burning his back in his sleep, snuggling into the sheets underneath him...

But It didn't feel like sheets...

Skin...

What?

He opened his eyes immediately and looked at his wife's face.

Pale porcelain doll, lying almost dead.

He couldn't feel her breaths,

What happened? Why is she like this under me?

All these questions clouded his senses and he remembered what he has done...

No regrets

No guilt

This is what he felt right in the moment...

Maybe his love for her has died for him to turn into like this...

He kept his fingers on her neck and checked for the pulse. It was present.

He moved away from her body.

He removed the sheets and stood up wearing his boxers. He passed by the mirror only to be stopped. He went back to the mirror immediately and looked at himself.

There was dried blood on his naked torso and then on his thighs too. He was not hurt, he can't feel the pain...

He looked over at the bed and found the middle of the sheets to be stained with blood. A whole lot of blood.

He went immediately and removed the sheets to see his wife to be covered completely in blood , from her neck till her knees.

Did he stab her?

Did he put a bullet in her?

He assessed her body and found no injuries that could bleed. He turned her around and saw a whole lot of leash marks that have opened up and now dried up with blood.

He left her there and went to his wooden walnut table. He took his phone and called his Butler, asking him to send a nurse to aid her.

He went inside the washroom and let the water pass down his body. Every other second, her body lying in the pool of blood is playing like a rewind tape infront of his eyes... It made him feel uncomfortable....

When can I feel the satisfaction?

Even after I hurt her... I don't feel it...

Why?.... How can she be happy and not me??

He called for a nurse not that he cares for her but because he didn't want his wife to die soo easily. There is still a long way for her to go.

How can she leave me alone in my journey.

For goodness, health, wealth, bad times and for whatever freaking shit she had promised for, she should be with me!

She should!

He came out of the shower and looked around the bed. It is as if nothing has ever happened here, neither the night, nor the deed....no trace...

He went back to his study for business.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lakshmi groaned hissing as soon as she felt an alcohol wipe stinge on her body. Well you might think that how does she know it's alcohol, but of course she would because of its unique and pungent smell but not more than iodine solution though.

A nurse of middle age, cleaned up her back and then her privates too. Lakshmi didn't feel even a little shy because her gynaecologist has already seen it, not to forget her mom and sister too.... Sometimes in hostel, by mistake her roommates too.. Pretty embarrassing though...

And last night my husband too...

Tears rolled out of her eyes and absorbed by the sheets underneath her as she had to lie on her stomach for the nurse to work on her.

" you should have got it cleaned up before miss, it's been long since you've got these cuts and if I might add, a few lacerations too " the nurse said and lakshmi wasn't shocked to know that she has got lacerations.... As she couldn't forget the leather belt. She prayed to god that her bones are not exposed out after that night...

" it's done for now

Don't move for atleast one complete day ,lie here on the bed.

Take these anti bacterial

I have already given you TT.

I'll come to check you after 3 days " the nurse said and left from there. What can that middle aged woman do? She has never seen a teen being gruesomely treated ever before. Raped and tortured.... It's too much for the old woman to take in but she didnt let her tears get caught by the little girl whom she is tending too...

All she can do is pray for the little girl to escape from there...

As soon as the nurse left , a maid entered the room and fed lakshmi with soup , made her have the tablets and left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the dimly light basement, there is a man in his crisp white shirt and black pants.

He is in the basement looking for something of his....very valuable... which everyone fears....

He took out the wooden box and went up the stairs. He went to hall and then went up the stairs , kept the wooden box in his room.

He went across the corridor and entered her room, he could smell the antiseptics.

He looked at her petite body lying on the bed. She is sleeping on her front with her back covered in bandaids and gauze. He picked her up in his arms and lakshmi was in too deep slumber to care about her surroundings...

She is too tired and broken...

Arjun took her across the silent marble corridors and opened his door with his leg. He laid her down on his bed , on her stomach.

He went to the hearth (fireplace) which hasn't been used since ages. He lighted the already placed wooden logs. He opened the wooden box and took out metal cubes which had symbols on them. He selected a few among the bunch and attached it to a metal rod and clamped it. He kept it in a bowl and put them in on the burning wood.

He sat near the fireplace and looked at the burning fire...

The cold night

Surrounded with your essence

Is no more.

The truth

I have blindly foreseen

What you have been

What you could be

And let this heart of mine

Be placed in your hands

But you threw it

In the burning flames

They turned into

The wavered flying ashes

With burnt hopes~

After 15 mins, he removed the hot metal bowl with gloves on his hand. He took a wooden tray and placed the bowl on it. He took the tray and went towards her....who is sleeping peacefully unknown to another pain that is going to be inflicted soon on her...

He took 2 wires and tied one around her already bruised wrists to the headpost and the other one to her legs to the footpost.

Lakshmi felt uncomfortable in her position and tried to move her hands and legs but she couldn't. She felt that it was because of the analgesics that she felt her body heavy and immobile but as soon as she felt that it wasn't even possible when she applied a lot of force, she opened her eyes and looked at the white pillows infront of her face in the dimly lit room.

This....this.... Isn't my room!

She turned her head back and looked at her husband who is in white shirt tugged in black pants, standing with one leg flexed on the bed. He took out a metal rod with some shape on it and lakshmi stared at the rod with confusion.

She started shaking thinking that he is going to beat her and arjun pressed on to the bed with his left hand. He held her in a place and lakshmi screamed with pain as he was touching her wounds. There is not even an ounce of humanity she could see in him and this scared her..

He lifted her shirt up from her lower back and placed the hot metal rod onto her lower back.

Lakshmi screamed again this time...

Maybe the whole mansion could hear the screams of the mistress. She wriggled and tried to get off the bed. But she couldn't as she was tied. She tried moving her body but he held her tightly onto the bed.

After a couple of seconds, he removed the metal rod and lakshmi felt her skin being pulled away. It hurts like as if her nerves are being pulled out one by one... And then her body has been burnt... Before she could even think what was happening, he placed another rod followed by another one and then another one....

By the time he was done, she already fainted half the way, she couldn't bear the immense pain in her back. Those were literally burning her skin alive!and all she could do was scream out for help to the walls...

Arjun placed the rods aside on the wooden tray and poured cold water on them. He looked down at his marking on his wife's body and then took a gauze piece from the lower cabinet. He wiped out the blood that came out.

Now, no one

No one

Would dare to lay a hand on her after seeing my mark on her.

Now she belongs to the black eagles.

A property of black eagles.

They would die rather than touching her after seeing this....

I would like to see

who would like to touch

what is mine...

He removed the wires from her hands and legs , took her into his arms and passed through the corridors which are now silent after witnessing another painful screams...

He almost threw her on her bed and left the room. He is least concerned about her now. She belongs to him. She can't run away and nor can anyone take her away...

She is mine now....

SHE IS MINE!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's been 2 days since that incident , he is busy with all the legal work that has piled up along with the lawsuits which had burdened up.

After another hectic conference, his PA inforned him that Mr.Veer Singh Rajput is asking for his presence in a video conference call...

He went to his cabin and sat on his chair. He opened his laptop and called called his dad..

" how is it going on? " his dad asked without any bullshit. Ofc like son like father.

" you know that it's an absurd question father. " arjun said scoffing, he dealed and faced more than this...

" This not your mafia son

This is business

U better buckle it up before there are further more losses.

Do let me know who is the traitor after you find out " his father said in a stern voice and arjun noddedly silently. He hasn't still said about the one behind all this... His wife...

After the video call, arjun delt with few more upcoming projects plans and left from there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lakshmi was cooking silently in the kitchen.

It's not bad now

It dosen't pain anymore

Because it's worse !

It's hurts like bitch !

Though the wounds don't bleed anymore, but looking at herself when she takes bath , she feels dirty of herself... The girl once who looks at mirror every hour ,has now forgotten that she has to look into the mirror. And when she does look into it by mistake, all she is the beaten woman.

Treated lesser than an animal.

The thought of him marking her back makes her feel disgusted more... She felt like it was the verses of hell written on her back....

As soon as she heard the whistle sound of the cooker, she came out of her thoughts and continued cooking...

Cooking the food which her husband eats an a plate and she eats an the floor. She was beaten every time she denies eating from floor, until she eats....to make her feel like a dog...

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arjun entered the mansion and the aroma of dinner being prepared in the kitchen hit his nostrils. He came early today.

He went inside the kitchen and looked at his wife, who is wearing a loose shirt and trousers. He went and stood behind her. He couldn't smell her wild jasmine scent anymore ,

except for the smell of ointment...

He snuggled into her hair and held onto her waist tightly from behind which made lakshmi scream in fits...

She knows that it's her husband, she is screaming because it's her husband and she is scared for what he might do to her ...

Arjun shut her mouth with his other hand and tried to find her jasmine scent on her body by roaming his nose all around her neck, shoulders and hair but he couldn't....

He left her and went from there...

Lakshmi took in deep breaths and tried to control her scared heart which is running marathons.

She arranged the table and stood behind him, he sat on his chair and started eating his dinner... In half way through his dinner, he threw the rice on the floor followed by curry.

But lakshmi didn't move this time as well. She waited for another set of beatings as always from him, but nothing came....

" you know what I hate the most in you? " he asked mixing curry in rice and lakshmi looked at the back of his head and his broad shoulders.... She was thinking of all the new set of tortures he might implement on her....

" I don't like how strong and daring you are infront of me...

It makes me wants to torture you, beat you, hurt you

and finally break you....

But I know that you wouldn't succumb to all of those...

And I know what can make you bend in front of me and lick my boots.

So

You obey me

Your son lives

As simple as it is

Or else

U do know what extent I will go

Don't you? "

Arjun said and the next moment he saw lakshmi on the floor eating the food with her mouth. He smirked at her state.

Lakshmi couldn't control her tears when she is threatened with the name of her son, how can she take a chance with her son!?. Arjun is a monster and he does what he says...

She knew that he loved her and yet he could hurt her to such an extent then she could imagine her son who could be hurt by him if he wants a control over her...

He stands on his word.

She ate from the floor , controlling her sobs so as to not to choke on her food.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's been 6 days since the blackmailing.

Lakshmi went back to her room after a dinner like a dead corpse after she was done with the work. She lied on her bed looking at the empty ceiling.

'Uvavuuu...avuuuvua'

As soon as she heard the sounds of her baby she looked to the side of the bed and found it empty... This must be the n'th she is hallucinating of her baby...

How many tears must she have cried by now...how many times she might have imagined his little hands playing with her hair and face...how many times she must have imagined him scrunching his nose at the banana smash smell that she prepared for him....

Those diapers, milk bottle, baby smell..... She was rotting internally with everything happening around her...

Her soul is being crushed slowly yet painfully....

There was a knock on the door and lakshmi opened it with fear.

It was one of the maids. She let out a breath of sigh...

" ma'am , Sir is calling you " the maid informed ,bowed and left.

Lakshmi started shivering at the thought of seeing him. His room is a hell hole of her. Every bad thing starts from there....

By the time she made up-to his room with small steps, though she didn't want to go but she can't risk the outcome of not going which could be more dangerous and painful.

She knocked and waited outside. She heard a small ' come in ' and she entered inside the dimly lit room which is a dark terror room for her.

She started sweating and her hands were shivering which she held them back in a tight grip.

She looked at her husband or should she say 'master' as he ordered her to say so. All the rules of a slave had been laid down by him to her , day after blackmailing her.

She stood infront of him with her head down and hands folded as he wanted. All she could she is his bare foot and floor. She is not allowed to raise her head or look at him straight in his face until and unless asked...

"lock" arjun said in his monotonous voice sitting on the couch. There was click sound, indicating that the room locked.

The whole room was cold and but her body was numb and so was her mind because this is what she always does when she is in stress or tensions or a condition which she dosent want to be in.... This is something she has adapted over a period of time in her life.... But she felt as if even this barricade that she has made is breaking down slowly....

" you have already touched many men, not to forget your patients in the hospital too...

So come,

Do what you must have done to satisfy them " he said and lakshmi's eyes widened realising what he is saying. She is not too innocent to not to know what he meant.

But she acted as if she doesn't know what he meant, atleast to escape a millisecond of the torture that she was going to face.

" come on

Don't make me wait " arjun said getting frustrated at her immobile state. Lakshmi's heart was beating like drums . Touching a male organ for inspection is different from touching it for his gratification.

He took his phone from table and dailed a number, all the while lakshmi was looking down at the floor, not even moving and inch. She started feeling cold now.

" don't feed him for a day " as soon as arjun said it, Lakshmi looked up at his face in shock. He asked the maid to not feed the baby...that too for a day!. She gulped thinking how she fed him every 2 hours little by little. He is always hungry and he needs to be fed or else he would cry to sleep....

Her stomach churned at the thought of her son not being fed till his sleep and her little baby cries himself to sleep.... She gulped trying to control her sobs and kneeled down.

She removed the knot of his towel and slowly pulled it down till his thighs. Her hands constricted and didn't move as her eyes saw his member.

" do hand job and don't make me say another time! " he growled slowly with impatience and kept his hands on the couch on either side.

Her hands shivered but slowly she touched his member. She felt dirty and scared.

Arjun felt cold soft fingers slowly touching his member and before she could do anything, he was turned on.

'This must be how she must have satisfied all the other men too..'

He became more impatient and held her hands onto his member and moved it along with his hand.

Lakshmi was dreading at what he was doing with her hands and all she wants to do is die with humiliation she is facing now...

Suddenly she felt a hand on back of her head and he pushed his member into her mouth. Her eyes widened and she fought back trying to push him away but he was too strong for her to fight . She wasn't able to scream and she cried and choked. She gaged but arjun didn't leave her.

For how many men would she have done this with her pretty Little mouth? Something which is mine!