As soon as I got out of the washroom with the lady guard behind me, I halted as soon as I heard sounds of muffled sobs from the rest room beside the washroom.

Though I didn't want to get myself involve myself into more mess...

but as soon as I heard a muffled scream, I held on to the door knob and opened it slowly and swiftly making sure to not make a sound.....

What I saw in there made me stand still.... I couldn't even move a single fibre in my body.

A man covering a girl's mouth with his palm and.....and.....molesting her...

I can see her exposed upper assets and before I could assess what was happening,

the man was lying on the floor with blood oozing out from his right shoulder.

The female guard stood astounded behind her Master's secretory. Though this is not something new for her to see, but she surely didn't expect this young girl standing in front of her to remove her pistol from holster within a flick of seconds and the man is lying on the floor unconscious with blood pooling around his body.

Lakshmi looked at the gun in her own hand and then looked up at the man.

She started shivering at the thought of killing or hurting someone to an extent that they bleed....

She wasn't this cruel....

And she wasn't in her senses to accept that she was the one who did this....

With trembling hands, she moved the right slit of her dress and placed the gun inside her holster thigh belt.

She looked at the girl who is still crying looking at the unconscious man on the floor and then at Lakshmi. That girl was really not expecting any of the things that were happening to her....

" why did you come here when you can't even protect yourself?

Do you think that someone will be there to save you all the time ? " she said looking at the girl who is staring at lakshmi with fear in her eyes , she looked like she was in her early 20's with a platinum blonde hair.

The girl stopped sobbing as soon as she looked at someone behind her saviour and guard.

Lakshmi too turned around following her gaze and found Alexander with his men standing near the room entrance.

As soon as Alexander heard someone groan through his chip placed in his ear....

he knew that lakshmi was in trouble as she has the other chip placed in her ear.

When he reached the place via using the tracker installed in her chip,

he was again amuzed to see a man bleeding and partly unconscious bleeding on the floor.

He heard lakshmi speaking on the chip earlier to someone while he was on his way towards her and he knew that those words might exhibit her as strong but she is internally messed up and assuring herself that it's okay....

He stared at the platinum blonde haired girl for a brief minute and left the place along with lakshmi,

by placing an arm around her shoulder.....

He didn't knew why he felt like assuring her that ' it's fine ' with these small signs..... Maybe he saw still too young for this...

' He was not a good man....

Yes...

He is not a good man..... ' lakshmi assured herself that what she has done was right and has to be done...

She knows the pain of being touched forcefully.... She knows how it would feel like after that touch...

as if leeches sucking in to blood

Every second would be painful....

The moment she saw that girl,

she saw herself in her....

.

.

.

.

As soon as they both settled down, Lakshmi was back to keeping a facade which she mastered more after staying with Alexander.

Alexander slowly turned his head back and looked at the one person he was expecting.....

Arjun Singh Rajput.

As soon as Arjun entered inside,

there was a pin drop silence after seeing the 'capo dei capi' at a gathering after 7 years.

He was silent for all these years,

but his rule over the under world has never stopped nor has his power weakened.

They knew better not to come in his sight at all....

Some of them were sweating

Some were trembling with fear

Some were having anxiety attack

As they remember how he made his men kill the mafia lords in a gathering seven years back.

That day was a blood bath in the history of mafia....

His presence was enough to get everyone in the room terrified......

Arjun strode to a glass room kept in middle at a height. Outsiders can't see what's happening inside.....

As soon as he sat on his royale mahagony chair , he indicated everyone to sit.

He has only come for her....

His eyes are only searching for her...

But he couldn't find her as her back was facing him and her hair is Red, which could be least expected.

After a couple of minutes ,

his eyes still unable to find her...

He indicated viraj to start for the search and half of the men left the glass room to the security room....

They can't alert Alexander nor Lakshmi.

All the entrances of the building were blocked by his men now.

His still kept on searching each and every table for her. His eyes wouldn't want to stop until he find her.... because he knew that she is here.. somewhere.....

He knows it.....

.

.

.

.

.

Food was placed on the large table but Lakshmi didn't even move a muscle....

How can she eat after what she has done?

Though Alexander said her that the one she shot was taken care by his Men....but still....

Alexander heard her stomach growling and he served a plate for her.

Everyone witnessing them both knew that they were more than a boss and secretory.....

That's what they thought....

" the strong one survives

The weak ones die

This is what you have been teaching my daughter and as well as your son.

What's the use when you put on a false strong facade and don't even follow them ? " Alexander said slowly to her and lakshmi being disturbed mentally was offended for being called 'weak' , she snatched the plate from his hand.

' He did wrong

He is punished '

She thought and kept the fork inside her mouth. Her taste buds exploded with the tastiest spices wandering in her mouth.

It didn't even take a minute for her to stuff 4 more veg balls inside her mouth. ' I have to go on a world tour and taste all the food too '....she thought looking at the unknown dish in her plate.

Alexander knew that she didn't eat much in the noon as he saw her filled plate on the island....

What bothered him more was the fact that she didn't place it in the dish washer.

Lakshmi took a piece of lemon and chopped onions. She has a habit of consuming her food with onion and lemon...especially if it's street food... or most probably with every food...

She squeezed the lemon and looked at people on the circular couch staring at her and then looking away....

She wouldn't give a single f*ck about what they must be thinking as she knew that they knew she wasn't eligible for her post nor was she allowed to sit along with them.

This didn't really bother.

She is already outcasted then why not eat food the way she wants.

Though Alexander wanted to put some manners in her head but he knew that she is doing with an intention to irk everyone and she wouldn't change it for anyone.

He let her be the way she is......

" Is it good with lemon? " valero

( Alexander's friend) asked lakshmi. He knew about her .

He dosen't give a fuck about these double standard people and this little girl daring to eat without an etiquette is funny .

They will get along well.

Before he could say another word, Lakshmi squeezed lemon in his plate saying " eat, it will be super " and continued eating from her plate.

Valero gave a lopsided smile at Alexander and ate from his plate .

" it's good " valero said and lakshmi nodded without even looking at him. Everyone observed her ignorence towards Valero and they were shocked...because he is considered as a psycho in underworld.... Almost everyone has seen him smiling with content while killing people....

" don't you think she is not fit to sit beside you with such an attitude " a woman spoke and lakshmi looked up to see whom she was talking to. It was a girl in silver romper paired with a lacy shimmering bralette peeking out. Sure she is a sexy piece.

She was staring at Lakshmi and lakshmi sighed in exhaustion....

" look beauty

Why bother all these?

Serioulsy

I can give you a comeback

But I don't want to use my brain for useless things.

You want to sit here

Then come and sit. " she said patting in her place and the lady looked in her eye for few brief seconds.

" you know squeezing lemon is not all bad, you get vitamin C from it and I'm sure that you know it's benefits too as you seem a smart lady.

Come , let's share a piece of 🍋 lemon in this wonderful gathering hosted by Mr. Alexander " she said and squeezed a piece of lemon in her plate by bending impossibly on the table.

That lady just looked at everyone with uneasiness and everyone on the table had internally agreed that this girl is quirky and smart. She used Alexander's name so no one can deny..

The lady ate it and for a second she was amazed at how different it tasted. The combination was great . She ate another piece and looked at Lakshmi who was giving her a soft smile.

She squeezed some in Alexander's plate too while he just kept on eating...

As soon as arjun's eyes spotted the red hair girl again for the third time and was about to move away,

he was stopped by her actions .

The red head was squeezing lemon in a man's plate. That man had a serpant tattoo behind his ear....

He is Alexander....

but his men didn't find lakshmi at that table....

As soon as half of the face of that woman with red hair came into his sight...

He froze...

All the while she is sitting right beside him...

This red head is lakshmi....

His heart beat raised seeing her......

Within no time he got up from his place and went out of the glass room, descended steps with a faster pace... He can't wait anymore...

He wants to see her, talk to her....

It's been a month....

A month without her....

As soon as he reached the table where she is sitting, he saw Valero talking to her casually and she was replying to him but her eyes on plate...

.

.

.

.

.

" lakshmi "

As soon as lakshmi heard that voice and her name.... The fork in her hand slipped and fell in her plate.

She didn't dare to raise her head.

Dream.... Dream.... Nightmare it must be.... Please......

" lakshmi " she heard again and everyone around the table were already standing looking at the king. They all didn't understand why he is looking at Roberta and calling Lakshmi.

Alexander and valero too stood up but didn't bother to bow to Arjun.

Lakshmi was the only one sitting on the couch with her head down.

Her adrenaline was at peaks and in the next second she already jumped to the other side of the couch without even wasting a minute. She knows that he wouldn't let her go if she is caught... Not to forget that she ran away and she dosen't want to get beaten again. She knew that she can't depend on Alexander as he holds less power compared to arjun.

All of them were shocked seeing her jump , even arjun.

' did she just jump over the couch and ran away? ' he thought seeing her bare back with white fur scarf which she threw aside , removed her heels while running and threw either aside frantically running more faster than before while Arjun was walking slowly following her path with his long strides.

He took her heels which she threw, earning gasps from multiple people. Who would expect the king to collect a woman's heels....

As soon as lakshmi reached near the entrance, she saw the lift a couple of steps away and she sprinted on her tiny legs towards the lift. Before she could step out, two huge men stood infront of her dressed in black, blocking her. She looked at guns in their hand and Eagle tattoo on their dorsum of hands.

She tried to get away by squeezing herself in the corner and they blocked it with their hands. Being short helped her as she crouched and ran under one of the gaurds arm.

Those gaurds knew better not to touch the queen. Arjun nodded at them and they moved away with an ease that they will be alive.

Lakshmi reached the lift and clicked on it multiple times. It didn't open and she remembered that Alexander had access! not her!

She turned around frantically and looked at arjun with her racing heart and sweating body,

he is walking towards her slowly as if she is his prey . She looked to left and right and then ran to the left.

Within a minute

She reached the end.

It was end.

No rooms.

It was just a long blind-end corridor.

No stairs....

She was about to turn around when she felt someone standing too near to her back.

Though she stopped running but her heart raced more than before.... Her muffled inadequate breaths could be heard in the white corridor. She gulped and moved more towards the wall and she felt him moving along with her....

Arjun couldn't even believe that it's her....his brain was filled with unknown fear for her when he didn't knew where she was or was she even breathing....

That thought itself made him succumb to pain....

Pain in heart couldn't be quenched by alcohol nor be forgotten....

In the blind end with the wall in front of her while he stood right behind her...very close to her.... He couldn't smell that natural jasmine scent of her body anymore....

She is here

Right infront of me...

He felt as if he found it...

As if he found a part of him....

Which he yearned for....

As soon as lakshmi felt his hands around her waist , she tried to move away but he tightened his hold on her and pulled her more into him and lifted her a little, settling her bare feet on his shoes....

' Please

I won't hurt you

It hurts me more to see you hurt

I will kill myself before I d...do something like that again...

No....no....no.....no again

Please come back to me ' he cried out speaking in himself....

" bastard leave me! " lakshmi screamed loudly that arjun loosened his hand around her waist but didn't let go. She turned around in his hold and pushed him away. He removed his hands but stood near to her.

He expected Red eyes

He expected tears....or atleast anything from her face but there were none.

Lakshmi saw him searching in her face and she snickered.

" what?

Searching for anger or pain in my eyes?

Why ?

So that you can ease yourself that I still have something for you?

You know what?

I am not angry and I'm not sad...

I don't have anything left for you... " as soon as she spilled out those words, arjun was shocked.....

' she is not angry...... '

' she is not sad......'

She dosen't even hate me..... I can clearly see that in her face... Or is she hiding.....

" Lakshmi

Are you fine? " this was the first thing he asked and she scoffed....

"why don't you hate me after all this?" he asked and she looked at him with blank orbs. He was scared for a second to see those once lively orbs now blank.....

" arjun,

I gave up

You should too

We are not meant for each other.

Save this bullshit emotional drama.

I fear you

Do you get that?

The moment you sow those seeds of fear in me

Was the moment when the bond between us started to break....

Now I feel nothing for you

Except fear " Lakshmi said looking into his eyes....she fears him more than anyone.... After all she faced him and his wrath.....

As soon as arjun heard her saying that she has nothing for him in her, his heart pained more....

' how can she have nothing for me any more? when she herself said that she loves me....

We both it said to each other...

All those kisses and laughs were the proof that we were in love...

All those mornings she stayed awake with me until I complete my work is a proof that she loves me....

All those times she took care of me when I'm sick, or tried making some new dish is a proof that she loves me....

She cared for me

It's a proof that she loves me....

Maybe she is angry to accept the fact... She is hurt....by me....

ofcourse she will pretend that she is not in love with me...

Yah that must be....' he thought and looked at his wife.

" get lost

Don't ever come infront of me " Lakshmi said sternly and tried to move away but was held back arjun with his grip on her arm.

She glared at him angrily....

She will not allow anyone to treat her the way he treated her.

She tried to loosen his grip by glaring at him but he didn't....

" lakshmi

I have asked you many times

Many times I have asked you lakshmi.

I didn't even belive what proofs I've got in the first. I wanted you to say with your mouth and you stayed quite. You stayed silent.....

It hurt me soo much that day lakshmi, I cried alot....

Alot for the love that I started feeling not too long ago and started cheating on me again....breaking my once broken heart, once again....

Do you have any idea?

How much it hurt me to raise my hand on you!

You don't know!

Even while torturing you, I asked you again and again but you stayed quite!

You stayed quite ( a painful sob left his mouth with his voice cracking in the end)

Tell me

Didn't I ask you?

Didn't I give you chances?

It pained me more....

Everyday I came with a hope that all this is a nightmare , but no....

It was not

I have never stopped you from talking.... I wanted you to speak out and say everything is a 'lie' then I would have stopped it....

Because I trust you....

I trust you more than myself......

How do you want me to stay quite knowing that you were with him..." he said with tears pouring out from his eyes , and his forehead with hers, cupping her cheeks.

" but you didn't belive in me " she said and moved those hands away harshly.

She was about to leave him alone again and it scared him. He turned around and held onto her tightly with her back pressed into his torso.