His Madness

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"What the fuck are you saying?"

His voice boomed in the room, breaking her sleep. A shiver ran down her spine as she opened her eyes. It was pitch black outside which meant it was still midnight.

Abhimanyu's anger is worse and she has witnessed it so many times already. She was scared hearing him shouting at someone.

Her drowsy eyes started searching for him in the dimly lit room. Finally, amidst the darkness, she found him standing in the balcony.

"I told you to bring him at my warehouse then how the fuck did he run away?" He hissed.

This time his voice was not clear but she could tell he was fuming in rage. The reason, however, was still unknown to her.

Suddenly, she realised her feet and hands had turned cold. The cramps were not bothering her anymore but her body, especially her legs were still hurting. She could hear his voice fading as the tiredness took over her and she again fell in a deep slumber.

Abhimanyu cut the call before muttering curses under his breath. The phone call broke his sleep and since it was an important one, he took it. The news he got made his sleep vanish into thin air. If it was in his hands, he would have went outside to catch the traitor in the middle of this night. However, he couldn't leave his wife alone at this time, that too in this situation.

A frown appeared on his face as he entered inside the room, seeing her curled up figure. The blanket was almost touching the floor.

Probably for the first time after ages, he got so scared seeing her pale face when she came outside the washroom. She almost fainted in his arms. He didn't know what to do. His mind had stopped working suddenly.

He called the doctor again and threatened her to reach the mansion as soon as possible.

His patience was wearing thin and so he decided to take her to the hospital. However, the doctor came soon and checked her.

She gave her some meds and told him to take a good care of her health. The doctor said that it happened because of the extreme painful cramps.

He sighed walking up towards her. In these days, he got to know she has this bad habit of always throwing the blanket away while sleeping. By waking up in middle of the night every now and then, he makes sure that she is tugged inside the blanket.

"Stupid girl." He muttered under his breath and covered her shivering form with the blanket.

Caressing her cheek, he admired her beauty. The pain had drained the blood off her face, she still appeared gorgeous to him. He never knew periods could be this painful.

He was wondering if Dhriti got periods for the first time after their marriage or the second time. Though, it's been more than a month of their marriage so perhaps, she got it for the first time only.

Switching off the lights, he laid down beside her.

He muttered a curse the moment his feet came in contact with hers. Her feet were freezing in cold. He immediately took her small feet between his large ones and started rubbing them to create some heat.

She was in a deep slumber and he was careful enough to not disturb her.

He wrapped his strong arms around her body and rubbed her arm up and down as she shivered a bit.

Dhriti stirred in her sleep making him stiff. She snuggled closer to his body as if she was liking the heat that his body was providing her. A suprising look crossed his face as it was the first time she cane to him willingly.

His lips curled into a gentle smile seeing her sleeping figure. Her lips were formed into a cute pout. He quickly engulfed her, not wanting to let this chance go from his hands.

The smile faded off his lips as realisation hit him suddenly.

Did I just smile?

He couldn't really remember the last time he smiled or laughed freely. Perhaps, it was the first time he smiled so genuinely after ages. Or maybe, he just noticed it by chance tonight. Maybe, he smiles more often in her presence and just never noticed it.

Smile, happiness and all the emotions which gives peace to a person are unknown to him. These are the unfamiliar words for him as he never experienced any of these in his life.

Another word which feels foreign to him is Family.

This particular word made so many bitter memories come in his mind. Shutting his eyes tightly, he tried to shake away those thoughts from his head.

He didn't want to think about his past. The past is past for a reason and he won't let it's shadow linger anywhere near his present or his future.

Never ever...

*******

She sipped on her coffee and frowned as the bitter taste hit her tastebuds. Dhriti doesn't prefer her coffee bitter, instead she prefers a hot mug of coffee with a little bit sweetness. The perfect blend of sweet and bitter makes the coffee amazing.

"Ma'am, was the coffee too bitter?" Shruti asked as she saw her adding sugar cubes in it.

"A bit." She smiled.

"I am sorry, ma'am. I will make another one for you if it--"

"Relax, Shruti. The coffee is good. And please call me didi." Dhriti interrupted her.

All the maids were shocked seeing her getting comfortable with these low class people. Well that's what the society, where they work, calls them.

Low class and greedy.

But their mistress is different. They often wonder how a cruel and cold man like Abhimanyu got such a sweet and kind wife.

Dhriti called all of them in the garden area and told them to sit with her and enjoy the coffee and snacks.

Their heart melted seeing her sweet gesture. No one ever gave them the basic respect let alone sit with them. They all have worked in few mansions before but never got this kind of treatment.

Anita's eyes filled with tears seeing Dhriti laughing and talking like a carefree girl with the maids like they all are her childhood friends.

The old lady knows Dhriti is suffering from the hands of Abhimanyu but she is helpless. Her heart goes out for the poor girl and her family.

She was laughing after a very long time and her happy face was a sight to behold. All the maids were admiring her and wishing for her happiness.

*******

He was sitting in his cabin, his fingers tracing absent patterns on the cold surface of the table. The shadows danced on the walls, flickering like the memories that haunted him. His thoughts spiraled, unbidden, to her.

His wife.

The woman he had made his own, not by love's gentle hand but by the force of his will.

He closed his eyes, and her image flooded his mind, those fiery yet scared eyes that refuse to bow, the curve of her lips that never betray her true feelings. No matter how hard she tries to show herself strong and unfazed by his actions, her quivering lips reveal her fear.

There was something maddeningly unattainable about her, even now, under his roof, wearing his name. She was his, and yet she wasn't.

A bitter smile tugged at his lips as his obsession twisted into something darker. He had married her to possess her, to claim her entirely, but the more he tried to hold on, the further she seemed to slip away. He could feel it, the distance in her gaze, the tension in her silence. It infuriated him. It intoxicated him.

He leaned back, the chair creaking under his weight, and exhaled a slow, shaky breath. Was it love? Lust? Or just the thrill of conquering her spirit? He didn't know anymore, but it didn't matter. The idea of her consumed him, filling the emptiness inside like a fever that wouldn't break.

As he stared at the photo frame kept on his table, his resolve hardened. Her smiling face stared back at him, something she doesn't do in front of him.

If she wouldn't give herself willingly, he would find a way to make her stay, to make her see him. She would be his, entirely and eternally, no matter the cost.

Her escape has ignited a flicker of fear within him. He absolutely despises the idea of going away from her, or her getting away from him.

She is his wife, his obsession...his madness. The madness will consume her along with him and no one can stop this...

.
.

Dark clouds drifted over the hills and a thin layer of clouds masked the full moon indicating that it is going to rain soon.

It has been two days since she fainted in his arms. Weirdly, he didn't do anything to hurt her or scare her in these two days.

She didn't see much of him. He goes to the office before she wakes up and comes after she sleeps or pretends to sleep.

However, he continuously instructs the maids to feed her properly and healthy things only.

She closed the balcony door as she realised a storm was about to hit the area badly. The autumn season was approaching the town making the weather chilly yet peaceful, atleast for her.

Entering in her room, she started arranging the bed sheet and looked at the clock. It was thirty past ten in the night and he still had not come.

He never gets this much late and this fact was bothering her. Not because she was worried for him, but because of that weird unsettling feeling inside her. She was not feeling well for some reasons. Her heart was throbbing fastly already.

Just then, she heard the familiar honking of the car and took a deep breath, preparing herself for yet another night.

She quickly made the bed, fully prepared to sleep before he comes. She decided to skip dinner just to ignore him. She had evening snacks and was not feeling hungry as well.

Just as she was about to get on the bed, the door opened and he entered inside the room. She stiffened, her movements stopped suddenly making her almost paralyzed in fear.

The sickly sweet stench of alcohol wafted in before he did, heavy boots thudding against the wooden floor. Dhriti flinched, instinctively backing into the shadows of the closet, her breath catching as she tried to steady her trembling hands.

There he was standing before her with his bloodshot gaze staring at her as if she is his predator. Closing the door behind his back, he leaned against it. A smirk playing on his lips as his gaze ran all over her body, making her feel exposed even in full clothes.

Her eyes widened as realisation sunk into her. The images of their first night flashed before her eyes. He was drunk that night as well and what he did still scares her to the core.

He was drunk again.

"Dhriti!" His voice rang out, slurred but commanding. "Why are you hiding, my dear wife?"

Her heart pounded in her chest as she pressed herself against the cold wall. She knew the tone all too well affection twisted with menace.

Her lips started wobbling. The images of their first night flashed before her eyes. He was drunk that night as well and what he did still scares her to the core.

She took two steps back as he took a long stride towards her. Her feet stopped moving as he challenged her to take any step back further. The smell of alcohol made her disgusted and nauseated as he inched closer to her.

Not able to handle the smell, she turned to the left side, hoping to escape him.

Grabbing her arms firmly, but not firm enough to hurt her, he cornered her against the nearby wall and placed his hands on either side of her head making her breath hitch in fear.

She couldn't tell if he was heavily drunk or not. His eyes were drowsy yet he looked active.

He pinched her chin between his thumb and forefinger, forcing her to meet his eyes.

"Mujhe dekh ke darr gayi?" He muttered softly.

(You got scared after seeing me?)

"Na-ahi..." She stuttered in reply.

(No)

A chuckle escaped his mouth hearing her answer. Though, her actions told otherwise but he liked her spirit. Even in a drunken state, he couldn't stop the feelings swirling inside him when he was this close to her.

Her scared eyes were doing something to his heart. Her trembling lips were urging him to put own lips on them and calm the quivery petals.

Leaning down towards her ear, he removed the hair from her left shoulder and placed a soft kiss beneath her ear. His wet lips lingered on her skin making her shiver.

His gaze was intense as he pulled back and looked into her eyes. It was filled with desire. She moved her face to the side as the smell was making her suffocated.

She always hated the smell of alcohol. Her father used to drink but when she started complaining, he stopped and never touched the bitter liquid ever since.

Abhimanyu chuckled softly seeing her actions.

"Look at me!" He rasped in her ear.

"I...I don't l-like the smell."

The words escaped her lips on their own. She was not planning to saying anything but she couldn't bear the smell anymore. It was torturous for her.

"Huh?" He was amused by her response.

Dhriti took a sharp breath of relief as he stepped back, creating a good amount of distance between them. She was shocked by his behaviour.

He casually put his hands in his pocket and shrugged.

"But..I am addicted to it." He said not breaking the eye contact.

"I am not." She said, her voice almost inaudible, however, he heard her.

He smiled shaking his head, she was confused seeing him smiling. The smile faded off his lips and his gaze turned intense as he looked at her again. The intensity in his eyes made her churn in fear.

He approached her slowly, his steps slow yet calculative making her step back again. He stopped few inches apart from her. His tall height intimidating her as always.

Lowering his head to meet her eyes, he muttered softly making her eyes wide in realisation as his words sunk into her.

"Then, make me addicted to something else?"

She licked her dry lips, acting as if she didn't hear him. Whereas, in reality, she very well knew what he was trying to convey.

A dark chuckle rumbled in his throat, sending shivers down his spine. He stepped back from her, his eyes still fixated on her face, the teasing smile playing on his lips.

She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding till now as he turned his back to her and started walking towards the couch.

"Oh!! I forgot one thing.." He suddenly stopped and turned to face her.

Her eyes narrowed in confusion not knowing what he forgot to say. Soon, the breath of relief she had taken seconds ago, hitched in her throat as his voice resonated in the silent room after a while.

"It was Ava, wasn't it?"...

TEASER...

Abhimanyu stood near the balcony door, a storm of emotions raging beneath his sharp features. Her whimpers were falling in his ears, making him feel strange emotions, he didn't want to feel.

She stood on the other side of the room, her back pressed against the wall, trembling. She was not scared for herself as much as she was scared of the poor girl who helped her. She was angry at herself for not being able to hide her from him.

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