Part 3

                                    

                                          
Home.
It seemed almost unbelievable that the he'd call the place he held her as her home. It was clear he had meticulously planned this abduction, with the sole intention of having her entrapped. As she cowed into herself, she couldn't help but feel scared by the intensity of his determination.
Diya spoke with unwavering confidence, her eyes burning. "Sir, be careful with what you say. I'm the daughter of Sujith Singh Shekhawat. Do you understand the consequences of disrespecting me? You can't force me to do anything," she declared sternly.
The mysterious man strode towards Diya and grabbed her shoulder in a firm grip, making her stand on the tips of her toes to match his towering 6'4 stature to her 5'9 frame. 
Atharv's teeth clenched and his grip on Diya's shoulders tightened, making her wince in pain. "Atharv Singh Chauhan knows Sujith Singh Shekhawat all too well, sweetheart. I'm certain that no consequences will follow from my actions," he declared firmly.
Diya, her voice quaking with rage, shouted into the face of Atharv Singh Chauhan, "I don't care who you are--I'm leaving right now!" She shook him off and was about to stride away from him when he grabbed her by the waist and pinned her against the wall with his arm.
He prevented her head from experiencing the full impact of the strike against the wall and, upon realization of his action, Diya's eyes sprang open wide as she gazed at him in disbelief. She had been expecting intense pain, yet he had kept it at bay. 
The thoughtfulness of his gesture as he softly put his hand behind her head was a stark contrast to the intrusive questions that came with it. She could feel her heart racing, and her befuddled mind ran wild with uncertainty. The brashness of his actions mixed with his consideration made the situation even more confusing for her.
Diya's body was racked with a chill as the daunting realization of the name she had denounced with such rage and contempt struck her to her core. Her heart quivered in shock as the fog of uncertainty lifted in the fiery blaze of recognition sparked by a jagged bolt of lightning. 
Atharv.
Atharv Singh Chauhan.
Her first ally.
Her childhood best-friend.
The one whom she had searched using every means accessible to her over the preceding decade.
Atharv spoke in a monotone, his words cracking through Diya's daydreaming like a whip. "Either do as I say or be prepared for the consequences," he warned her.
Atharv's heart sank when he saw the tears in her eyes, shimmering like diamonds in the dim light. Her lips were stretched into a tight smile that tugged at her face as though she was barely containing an internal explosion. His last glimmer of hope flickered and died away when his name did not stir any emotion in her. The storm of anger and resentment had already won.
Atharv wanted to scream out, rage against the injustice that had been bestowed upon him. He felt a fire blaze in his chest, as the pragmatic part of him warred with the bullish broken heart of his - one that clung to the naivety to yearn for something unattainable and impossible. "Drop the act, Atharv!" Diya said fiercely, as she stepped closer and placed her arms around his strong biceps. "I know I shouldn't have left without saying my goodbyes, but trust me, I tried. Sorry, I could not recognize yo
The gleam in her eyes pierced through him like a sharp blade, and he could not help but wonder if the flame of joy was merely an illusion. His heart swelled with excitement at the thought of what could be, only to be tempered by the cold reality that had been ingrained into his very being. The optimistic side of him struggled to win against the pessimistic part, yet he could never shake off his age-old craving for vengeance. His hopefulness threatened to be extinguished by his burning vengefulness, but still it continued to smolder in his chest.
Atharv's eyes burned with contempt as he sneered down at her. His lips curled into a patronizing, sadistic smile as his words came out in a scathing torrent. "So you finally remember? I thought you had even forgotten my existence among several others." The air between them seemed to cackle with the electricity of his rage.
Diya gave him a perplexed glance. "I'm sorry I didn't keep in touch," she said, her thoughts filled with pleasant memories. "But I could never forget you or Di. Like the times we used to come up with plans and eat all the desserts made by our moms. Those were the days!"
Atharv's grip burned around her like a vice, hauling her closer and closer to him until their faces were so near that she could feel his hot breath on her skin. His voice was like molten lava as he seethed, "How convenient! You just recall what you choose while I remember even those which I desperately need to forget!"
Diya frantically thrashed around in an attempt to break free from Atharv's unforgiving grasp, but it was no use. His grip was like iron, relentless and unyielding. 
"Answer me this Diya Singh Shekhawat!" bellowed Atharv, his voice booming off the walls. "What about all the pain your family caused us? How dare you forget such a thing and remember only the good!" He spat out the words with an icy chill that consumed the room, accompanied by a mocking laughter that sent shivers down her spine.
Diya tried to figure out what had gone so wrong in their past that Atharv had become such a different person, and she said, "I'm not sure what you mean, Atharv, but I'm sure this is all just a misunderstanding." 
Atharv stepped away from her and said, "You don't know anything yet, Diya. But soon you will. I will make sure you will when I ruin your father, so that he doesn't get any of your sympathy"
Diya was hit with a wave of incredulity as the truth of his words dawned on her. This distorted version of the sweet Atharv she had known as a girl had brought back the fluttering butterflies in her stomach—but whereas he had once been the alluring zephyr that promised sweet bliss, he had now become a raging fire that aimed to devastate everything it touched. 
Diya's voice roared like thunder as she stomped towards Atharv, her face shaking with rage. "Have you gone mad?! What is wrong with you?!"
Amidst the chaotic cacophony of emotions in his head, he stayed focused on one single thought - vengeance. He ruthlessly suppressed his feelings and cast a final glance over his shoulder before marching out the door with unwavering determination, leaving no room for turning back. His fists trembled as memories flashed past him, yet he kept his jaw clenched and proceeded forth down the treacherous path.
Diya crumpled to the floor, her heart pounding wildly in her chest as Atharv's words echoed in her ears. Desperately she clung to the wall with shaking fingers, desperately searching for some answers to quell her fear -  Why did he do this to her? What suffering had his family endured? Why did he hate her father? Her mind raced with questions and the air seemed thick with uncertainty.
Atharv spun around the corner with violence, slamming into the wall so hard that his tears burst forth like liquid fire in his eyes. His mind whirled as he remembered her pained expression when their gazes clashed; disbelief, distaste and an anger that surpassed a thousand suns. He shuddered in revulsion as he stared at his palms, a reminder of her loathing and disgust for him before he had stormed out of the room.
His eyes narrowed on the serene photo hung on the wall and the smiling faces of his parents, sending a wave of anger through him. He clenched his fists until they trembled, then with one swift motion he slammed them against the wall beside the picture. Pain ripped through his arms yet he refused to let go or even flinch, determined to make his rage felt.
He glared at the royal dagger, desperate to rip away the skin of his hand that had ever dared touch Diya with malice. His rage raced through his veins like an unstoppable wildfire, consuming every inch of him until it exploded outwards in a violent burst. Nothing would stand between him and the Shekhawats who had brought so much pain to his family—not even the consequences of exacting his vengeance.
His heart burned with rage as he wrestled with his inner demons. He wanted to wreak revenge on those who had wronged him and yet guilt burned in his conscience, a reminder of the one he had tried to protect and ended up destroying. His only hope for absolution lay in finding salvation from the darkness that plagued his soul.

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