"She wasn't like every other woman and that is what made her fascinating and mysterious. For outsiders, she was a captivating vision. For the people who knew her, she was a serpent. But for those who have watched her walk through the fires of life and come out as the scarred survivor, she was a broken monster.

Her journey from being a princess of a small province to becoming the wife of a multimillionaire was ruthless. People thought she was born with a silver spoon, but the reality was far from it. As the daughter of an old King and his concubine, she was never given a legal name. Growing up was challenging for there wasn't a single day where she wasn't reminded of her illegitimacy. She was called names by her stepbrothers and sisters. Jealous of her intelligence and persona, they tried dragging her through mud plenty of times but almighty always helped, until one day.

The renowned gambling addict- her absent father got into a huge debt with a rising business tycoon- Surya Narayan Shivanand. To compensate for the lost fortune and smitten by her ethereal beauty, Shivanand demanded her hand in marriage. The heartless father didn't even blink twice before saying yes. The young girl with big dreams was tortured for days until she gave up her will and wore the red bridal couture.

At the tender age of 20, Mandakini was married to a man twice her age. She was his second wife. The wicked businessman already had two daughters and one son from his first marriage. To make matters worse, his children were older than his second wife.

The initial days of marriage were blue. Her condition was like that of a dying flower shedding its petals. Her innocence was stolen and crushed to the point she failed to recognize herself. The rebellious dreamer in her was beaten to a pulp and a statue of obedience took her place. She turned into a doll to please men and used to earn favors for her husband. Although Surya Narayan was possessive about her, he didn't miss any chance of humiliating her in front of mass by bouncing her dignity. Behind closed doors, she was a mere slave and, in the eyes of the crowd- a trophy.

To this day, I feel terrible for what she went through. It was tragic how no one noticed the empty eyes and dry lips. But when Surya found the way her mind worked, he understood her true worth. She was sharp. Appointing her as his secretary in the first year proved profitable. By the time she turned 26, he appointed her as the next CEO much to his son's disapproval.

Surya Narayan loved nothing more than his empire and when it came to expanding it, he knew what buttons to push. Mandakini was a great asset, both in private and public life. He took her everywhere and often hid their relationship so she could interact with the rivals and extract important information. Together, they were a formidable duo.

If only I had an idea how this pair will ruin my generations to come. If I had known, I'd called my flourishing son back.

After the successful venture of Sandhya Villas, Raghuveer was celebrated throughout the southern belt. As his father, I couldn't be less proud. But someone has said it right, 'Power is the most addictive drug of all time.' One who has a taste doesn't want to come down.

Raghuveer's success caught the attention of evil-minded sharks as well, one of them being Surya Narayan Shivanand. The ogre was taken by the grandeur of the eye-catching project and immediately wanted to buy it. He proposed a deal on the night of opening but Raghuveer denied it, so he sent his wife to taste the waters.

Mandakini was a mere weapon or a charming distraction in the war of two alpha males that soon turned bloody.

Like a good meal, she was presented to Raghuveer on various occasions, mostly during corporate parties and auctions, but the two never talked about what they wanted. Even as I write about it after 4 harsh years, I couldn't erase the purity of those conversations. He was more himself around her than his family. Raghuveer wasn't a stranger to women. He knew his way around them, but Mandakini always played with his nerves. She knew where to hit or to open the wound that will make his feelings bleed. She started by pulling at Sandhya's memories, which was a vulnerable spot. Then she divulged into business talks, which made him admire and acknowledge her selfless interests.

A little coaxing and small talks lead to joining hands and signing a joint project between Surya Enterprises and Rana Constructions. It was a partnership of 60 and 40 percent, with Raghuveer investing the later amount."

Gauri read in a low voice and takes a sip of her tea. She had a mild fever after the shock of last night. At the back of her mind, she was busy comprehending if it was a nightmare or a spooky reality. No matter how many times she tried to turn a blind eye, her instincts screamed to evacuate the premises. Nothing seemed as simple as it looks. It was too dark to see the truth. Maybe the journal of Yagya's grandfather spills some clues. So, the moment the sun rose on the horizon and her husband left to tackle some important matters, she broke into Raghuveer's room and started reading. An audience might ease her nerves and make this adventure less scary.

Here in the grand chamber, Raghuveer was sitting in his wheelchair beside a large window facing the garden and listened carefully. As soon as the girl opened the diary after breakfast, he started to feel sick. He had no idea his father spent his last days jotting a book on their lives. And every time the name of Mandakini was pronounced, his eyes unknowingly skipped to the furthest corner shrouded with shadows. Goosebumps erupted on his flesh and he sweated bullets when he sensed her presence. His heart throbbed painfully, fearing if it was Gauri's last day on the planet for the vile spirit wasn't harmless.

When Gauri read the para where his father mentioned that dreaded partnership, his memories freshened and he found himself living those moments all over again.

'Surya Narayan was a balding man in his 50s with a small white pony caressing the back of his neck. He was wearing a pair of gold spectacles that matched his two golden teeth. They shined every time he smiled, catching the attention of every spectator. Two thick gold chains hung around his neck and seven golden rings adored his fat fingers. He was a tall man with a pot belly. The grey suit he wore, made him look a little slim but the sagging skin of his jaw grumbled otherwise. He was covered in wrinkles, which came from both age and experience.

Holding two flutes of red wine, he offers them to people in front of him with a vibrant smile.

"This calls for a celebration, Mr. Rana." He announced before thrusting the glasses into their empty hands. Mandakini, who was dressed in a business suit herself, politely accepted the drink and took a small sip to please her master. Although her face contorted in that of disgust for a second, she gulped it like a big girl. She was no fan of alcoholic beverages. Raghuveer rolled his eyes and gulped the entire content at once surprising Surya, who had no idea about the young man's tolerance level.

"This is good." He nodded in approval and filled another glass. Surya rubs his hand watching the duo interact.

"I must go attend to some important matters. In the meantime, Mandakini, take care of this gentleman and introduce him to the management. Mr. Rana, it would be our pleasure if you join us for dinner in the evening." The direct invitation did put him off, but Raghuveer accepted it.

"Sure."

"Good." Surya grinned, ready to leave, but not before pinning Mandakini with a pointed stare. 'I'll be watching.' His warning rang clear in that intense glare and she tensed up before masking it all with a smile. Once he left, Raghuveer fell on the couch and released a long sigh.

"Is he always like this?"

"What? Joyful and hospitable?" Mandakini offered with a smirk to which he once again rolled his eyes.

"No! Greedy and eager."

A frown marred between her brows as she sat beside him and removes her killer heels.

"You are lucky he isn't already kissing you." She joked and he groaned.

"The only reason why I signed this agreement is you. I've invested in you, Mandakini, not Surya. He stinks of poison."

"And I don't?" Raghuveer closes his eyes and inhales deeply.

"You smell like heaven. I still can't believe you're his wife. When we first met, I thought you were his daughter." The smile vanished from Mandakini's face and she caressed his hair lightly.

"Both his daughters got married two years ago and are settled in the U.S. His son is overseas, looking after some projects. Here, it is just Surya and me."

"But don't you feel awkward living with a man twice your age? Come on, I know you. You aren't a gold digger or sugar baby. You are a woman with her mind and opinions. I have watched you working hard over the smallest things and dealing with people professionally. Your knowledge about things is exceptional..."

"My father would've thrown my mother on the streets if I'd disagreed to become Surya's wife. I was his way out of a never-ending gambling debt." She whispered and he tensed. "But look how unfortunate I am. Two months after marriage, she dies of a sudden brain stroke. Everything I ever did or endured was for her and in the end, I lost her." Raghuveer squeezed her hand as if silently giving her a moment to let it out.

"Did he force you?" a bitter smile curled on her lips and he wanted to bury himself in a hole for even asking that.

"He is my husband. He can do anything he pleases. He has my body, my soul, and my mind." A chilled silence coated the atmosphere and Raghuveer gulped. "In return, I receive expensive gifts and luxurious life. In a way, we both are using each other."

"Don't you feel suffocated? Don't you feel like finding a way out of this mess?"

Tears blurred her vision and she scoffed. Raghuveer clenched his jaw.

"Suffocated? I don't feel alive. And I am too tangled in this mess to find my way out. It is good that you accepted my proposal otherwise he had sent me to seduce you. Earlier he wanted your hotel, now everything you own."

"He can try. I am not an easy fish. I am fucking whale. There's a reason my father sent me here. He was troubled by the way I was faring and trust me it didn't involve pleasure and drunken parties. My knuckles were always bloody and bruised. I settled here for a fresh start."

"You are a good man, Raghuveer. You don't deserve to get roped into this. After completing this project, return to your family."

"And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"You are my friend, Mandakini. I can't leave you behind in this hellhole. You have a bright future ahead."

"Hoping against hope is a fool's way of blindsiding a raging thunderstorm, Mr. Rana. The reason why we are still having this conversation is because I decided to not let you get mauled by an old lion. Unlike other predators, you were a lost man with a kind heart. You protected my virtue from one of Surya's rivals and offered a hand of friendship. I am sitting here because you won my trust when I don't even trust my shadow. Indebted by your kindness, I am returning the favor. Please don't make it any more complicated and stop worrying about me. I was holding it fine before your arrival and will do fine when you leave."

Spitting desperately, she left the office and took a left towards the washroom. Inside she washed her face with cold water and held the edge of the basin tightly. Shudders went down her spine as she raided her way through building panic. At this tender moment, Mandakini can't get involved with a man. Her attraction towards him was increasing with time. If he asked her one more time to run away with him, she wouldn't be able to say 'NO' and this scared the living daylights out of her.

The door to the washroom opened and she cleared her throat, pretending to be wiping her wet hands on a tissue. To her horror, someone dragged her inside the nearest cubicle and slammed her back against the wooden door. In a matter of seconds, a hot and aggressive mouth landed on hers and a long battle ensued between them. Expert fingers pulled at her hair, tilting her head at a perfect angle and another hand clutched her waist possessively. Dazed, she panted like a dying woman and kissed back with equal ferocity. After the heated moment passed, his forehead landed on her and their noses touched.

"You are deeply mistaken if you think I am an easy man. Just because I am kind to you doesn't mean it is my nature. The men you listed are pretty examples of the breed I crush beneath my boots. You might be someone's wife today, but you'll be mine one day and no motherf**ker will be able to steal you from me. You have seen cruelty, but now you'll see how a monster hunts into the jungle, darling."