Simran

******

[DAY 7]

******

Gold Biscuit

Bone

O-negative blood

Lizard's tail

Parrot's poop

Dog Food

I stared at the list of black magic ingredients again and sighed.

Where would I get all of that?

Tharki would sacrifice her bone for me, I knew, but I did not want that. Besides, what about other stuff? This time, I really needed some external help. Thinking of who could be the one who would help me get all these ingredients, my eyes landed on the bracelet the guys had gifted me with, which had different colored diamonds studded in it. There was my answer to who would help me wrapped around my wrist. Excitedly, I created a WhatsApp group, added them, and then texted.

Simran: Hi guys!!

Namit Jiju's reply was instant.

Namit: Hey, bunny, what's up?"

Arjun: 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Bunny?

Namit: You have any problem, Malhotra?

Hredhaan: In a meeting, let me know what you need, little trouble.

Dhruv: Shut Up! You are in no meeting. 👀

Arjun: Nothing wrong with me, Khanna. How is your night shift going? 😉 Heard you slept through a meeting yesterday 😝

Hredhaan: ????

Dhruv: Oh, don't you act innocent, Rajvansh. I saw your car a few minutes ago.

Hredhaan: Wasn't me.

Dhruv: Does the exhibition ring a bell?

Namit: I slept through the meeting, fine. Heard you had dog biscuits yesterday. How did it feel eating your breed's food after so long?

Arjun: 🖕

Hredhaan: Does Cupcake know you have started stalking men? Is this your new hobby?

Dhruv: 🙄

Arjun Typing....

Dhruv Typing....

Namit Typing....

Hredhaan Typing....

The guys were fighting like kids. It appeared as if I caged four notorious kids together in a room. I could hardly understand what they were talking about. Moreover, I was running low on time, for I needed those ingredients asap. So, I decided to meddle in before they all continued with their childish bickering.

Simran: Guysssssss, stop it! 🤦🏻‍♀️

Arjun: Sorry, darling daughter, I will have these assholes quiet. SHUT UP, everyone.

Simran: Papa dearest, now you too shush 🤫

Arjun: 🆗💔🥹

Simran: I want you guys to stay quiet and listen to me completely before telling me whether you'll help or not. I actually need some ingredients, and I need your help because these aren't basic items I can get at a grocery store.

Now, before any of you get shocked seeing the list, I am gonna clarify what it's for before sending it. So, the thing is... I am performing a black magic ritual tonight to control my husband, and I need a few ingredients.

Now, could you guys help me get the stuff I need, pleaseeeee...?

Simran: Here is the list....

Gold Biscuit

Bone

O-negative blood

Lizard's tail

Parrot's poop

Dog Food

Namit: Consider it done. 😎

Hredhaan: Done 😈

Dhruv: Done 🤓

Arjun: Done 🕵👀

******

I stared at the empty pasta plate and the half-eaten burger. I had way too much cheese, which could hamper my fitness goals, and being a ballet dancer requires a strict diet. But cheese was my love and the only weakness that could cause my control to slip. Besides, who could have thought Kiaan cooked so well that he failed every other person's cooking? Even Di's signature pasta failed in front of what he cooked. Though I was not going to tell him, which would boost his ego, but no doubt he was a great cook for sure. I could still taste the tender pasta that melted in my mouth. That was some chef-level cooking.

Now, I was skeptical of my husband's character. I was presented with two options: to trust the beast of three years or the husband of one day. I mean, it had only been one day since the last night when he actually behaved like a husband, but could it ever surpass what he did to me for three years? I did not think so. It was not only difficult, it was impossible. No amount of truth or mystery could change my sentiments on a larger level. If he hurt me for three years, then it might take him three to fix that damage and three more to gain my trust. Trust is no charity to be given that easily.

I did not know what I needed anymore, whether I wanted him to repent or to leave me. Maybe I needed a long vacation without him or maybe...I...I did not know what I needed exactly. And when my mind gets blocked, there is one thing that comes to my rescue. A good sleep.

That was going to keep the chaos out of my head, but I was scared of the nightmares. While it was true that sharing the room with Kiaan had stopped my nightmares except for this weird hallucination that appeared the previous day, I was too afraid to close my eyes without him in the room. So the best bet was to set up the process of black magic, and that's what I did. I headed to the backyard, where I had decided to perform the ritual, and decided to prepare the setup so that when I got the ingredients, I would only have to cook the potion. With that thought, I started with the preparation of the ritual.

******

Kiaan

******

"Sir, let me go to Birmingham," Enzo said as I stared at the CCTV footage from a day ago when Simran had gone to meet Nitya. Right in front of the cafe where they had met, a man collided with Sinran, and it was apparent that it was an intentional move. He had been watching from afar before she even stepped out of the cafe. He knew there was CCTV around and made sure he was caught in the footage.

"I need you here with my wife, Enzo. I cannot put trust in anyone else when it comes to her safety," I replied as I paused the video I had replayed three times. I shut my laptop after unplugging the pendrive.

"No one will go there," I said firmly, looking at him.

"But....he dared to approach Ma'am. How could you let him have an upper hand?"

"He does not have the upper hand. We are just letting him think he has. Besides, he wanted to get a reaction from me. I know his game plan. If he had wanted, he could have visited Simran and not collided in front of a cafe. My non-reaction would agitate him enough to make a mistake, and that is when I will attack." If he met her now, it was obvious he already knew Simran was with me all this time. If he wanted, he could have tried to take her away from me, but he knew this would call for a war. He did not want a war, not now at least.

Enzo nodded, but he was not pleased. Enzo was hot-headed, and this war could pave the way for his revenge, too, but he was not stupid to act impulsively.

"What are your findings about Marco Polo?"

"The names of a few have surfaced. While I am looking for others, one confirmed name is Ivan Marshall."

A smirk appeared on my face. I knew Ivan Marshall was involved in something shady that might benefit me; that was why I agreed with his business plan of merging our companies. I could plan against Ivan, but first I needed to find out whether he was just a weakling or someone I could benefit from on a greater level. And for that, I needed to stir my enemies. It was time the news of my wedding surfaced.

"Enzo, make the announcement to the press about my wedding, and ensure the proposal for my wife's increased security reaches me without delay."

"Sure, Sir," Enzo concurred and left my cabin.

I knew the moment the news would be out, people would go haywire covering the exclusivity of what was left uncovered. This would hamper everybody's peace out there, and I wished for that chaos to unfold. Until then, I needed to ignore the man who tried to meet my wife, for he might be dangerous, but not a threat for now.

******

Simran

******

Arjun, Namit Jiju, Dhruv Bhaiya, and Hredhaan were to arrive in the evening. Meanwhile, I was deciding on the clothes I would wear to my dance academy. I was supposed to join the academy the next day, and I wanted to look decent and determined woman. After the last stunt Kiaan had pulled to have me removed as a soloist, I had decided to leave this academy, but I changed my mind later. I decided to fight for my rights instead. This academy had given me a lot, and I could not just give up because of one incident. So what if, because of my husband, I lost my chance to be a soloist? I knew my talent would surpass any injustice. Moreover, the reminder of that incident reminded me I would have to talk to Kiaan about that too, about why he did it. I needed an answer to this, and I was going to get one anyhow.

Once I picked a nice outfit, I kept it aside. Just when I was about to walk out of the closet, my eyes landed on the trunk I had found in the dance room. I had the trunk transferred to my closet with the help of a staff member. I did not get a chance to peek inside again, and now that it was staring back at me and I had some time too, my curiosity ignited. Like a kid who had found a hidden treasure, I got excited to find out what was hiding inside.

'Let's see what's in there.'

I sat on the floor cross-legged and, with excitement, opened the lid of the trunk. At first, I found some boxes that had different kinds of stones. I could not understand their significance and assumed that maybe Kiaan had a liking for collecting random stones as a child. I took out those stacks of boxes and kept them aside safely. Then came some diaries into my view. Each diary had a different year printed on it. The most recent one was that of the year Di and jiju got married. I picked that one only and flipped the pages. The diary was full of entries with beautiful handwriting painted on every page. When the realization hit me what it was, I shut the diary with a thud. My heartbeat was fast with that realization. It was not just any diary; it was a part of Kiaan's life. Reading it meant peeking inside his life, getting to know the parts he had been hiding from me and the entire world. Reading it felt wrong but right at the same time. I was not someone who pried into someone's privacy, but this was my husband in question, the same husband who had hurt me in the past and is now begging for my forgiveness. I could have waited for him to unfold the truth, but my low patience and a little mistrust of him had made me greedy for the truth. With a thudding heartbeat, I began flipping the pages of the diary. Instead of reading the first entry, I decided to read the entry of the reception of Di and jiju, the day I first met Kiaan. I wondered whether I even took a little space of a line in his diary, or was too insignificant to make my place in it. With zero to no hope, I started reading the entry for that day.

I saw her today.

She wrecked me with her smile.

A smile so innocent that for a moment, I forgot she was the same girl who crushed my heart into pieces. Yet, even after everything, I stood in front of her, air trapped inside of me as I forgot how to breathe. Her smile began working wonders.

It felt like something broke inside of me. A tear slipped out of my left eye and dropped on the ink, almost ruining a word.

He had written about a girl. A girl who wasn't me. While he claimed to tear the world for me now, it still bothered me that someone had lived in his heart before. Was it Rhea?

Even though I was hurt, I needed to know who it was who broke his heart, that even after that, he still had feelings for her. Perhaps some rich bitch who dumped him and he was way too lovestricken to let her go, maybe a model, an actress, or whatever. My overthinking was ruining things for me, so I decided to just read the entry. I took a deep breath as I flipped to another page.

I never had a heart. I lost one when I was twelve and never got it back, but now looking at her, I could feel the same organ beating fast, way too fast. Those wet, warm liquid called tears clouded my eyes, and I was scared she would notice it. But how foolish was I? She walked past me, did not even spare a glance.

Did our past mean nothing to her?

Did I mean nothing to her?

In the Tartrazine color lehenga, she looked no less than the same fiery, sweet girl whom I had once cooed in my arms, for whom I had fought the war, a war which was not meant for me, yet took everything from me.

Tartrazine color lehenga? I owned the lehenga of the same color. Instead, I wore the same color lehenga that day. But why would he write about me? I did not meet him when he was twelve. I did not even know him then. Moreover, there were so many people in the reception that it could be anyone he was talking about. I continued reading the entry.

She was talking to Namit's office staff. He was clearly flirting, and I could feel the rage kindling inside me. She noticed everyone but me.

I could see red as Namit's employee was being way too cordial, but I did not want to scare her because of my anger.
Sure, she did not remember me, but how could she talk to a superficial man who could only see the exterior beauty, not her innocent heart? She was bored, did not want to talk to him. I could tell that easily. While everyone thought she was enjoying his company, she was not. I could not introduce myself just like that, for she would consider me another creep. The last thing I wanted was for her to repel me and consider me a creep.

I was a creep, but a different kind. I had noticed everything, her smile, her glide, her anklets, the small gold ghungroos of her bangles, five in each bangle of hers.

I shut the diary again. Because if I had not, my heart would have burst. It was already palpitating like crazy. I recalled when Namit Jiju's colleague was boring me with his nonsensical talks. While Sonia and others teased me how I was smiling at his jokes, that was just my courtesy, and I just wanted to escape. I did not feel like I belonged until I felt a pair of eyes on me, until I noticed a mysterious man, who seemed close to Namit jiju and Di, watching me intently. His eyes, once in a while, would cast in my direction, and I could feel the sensation in me with a mere glance of his. Yes, I had noticed Kiaan watching me.

Anxiously, I continued reading.

I was suffering in agony already because she did not recognize me, but more than that, I was furious that someone was troubling her, and she could do nothing. So I planned on striking two stones with one arrow. I picked up a glass of juice and collided with her intentionally, spilling the juice on her lehenga and on his suit. That asshole left angrily, immediately to fix his suit as expected, without bothering to even check on the woman he was just talking to.

Meanwhile, my girl was on fire. I did not expect any less from her.

She yelled at me, and I could feel my wounded heart feel a soothing touch for the first time in years. I became her escape, and while I wanted to kidnap her from that event and take her to a place she would have loved to be at, I gave her something she would never forget. I fought back, insulted her playfully, so that I was the only one etched into her mind for days.

I was needy of her attention, and I got it. But I was desperate for one more thing for which I might have to die several deaths before getting it.

I wanted her to recognize me.

I wanted my firefly to recognize her monster prince.

I sat there in shock, the diary opened in my lap as I kept staring at those lines.

I wanted her to recognize me.

I wanted my firefly to recognize her monster prince.

He was talking about me all this while, and no one else. I wanted to have at least a line in his entry dedicated to me, but he made the entire entry of that day about me.

I did not know I was not breathing until I heard some voices coming from downstairs.

"Daughter....where are you?" It was Arjun's voice. I heaved for breath as my trance broke at that moment. I shut the diary hurriedly and stashed everything inside the trunk before covering the trunk completely. My heart was still beating rapidly when I headed downstairs. Several questions ran in my head, but I tattled only one: who was I?

I tried composing myself because I did not want anyone to notice I was not fine. But I doubted if I could do that well. A lot was going on inside my head, my heart, me. Everything was in chaos, and no peace was in sight.

When I reached the living room, I found Arjun and Hredhaan there.

"Hi, Little Star...." Arjun hugged me first.

"Little Star?" I asked, trying to smile. He never called me that before. I remembered being called Star in my nightmares, and then a man called me Star yesterday outside of a cafe, and now Arjun.

But Arjun calling me Star was not related to my nightmares. I got to know when he replied, "Yeah, you are like the brightest star in this haunted mansion. It looks lively now."

I had seen a kid in my nightmare whom I called Monster Prince, and then saw Kiaan's entry with the same name. How could Kiaan and I have met before? I never came to London when I was a kid. So, did it mean he came to India and we met, and somehow I forgot him?

My head was throbbing now, and I seemed to lose myself amidst the vast sea of questions.

"Hey, Little trouble..." Hredhaan hugged me next after Arjun, putting a pause to my thoughts. When we pulled back from the hug, Arjun said, "Before you ask, Namit and Dhruv could not make it because they got busy."

I nodded.

"We got everything you asked for. So what's now? Do we put all these on Kiaan's head?" Arjun asked with a playful smile on his lips as he showed me the bags he was holding.

"No, that's not how you do it."

"Then?"

"Come with me."

I took them both to the backyard, where I had made the setup. I had stacked bricks such that there was a hollow space between them. In that hollow space, I had put some sticks I found, twigs, dried leaves, paper, and some wooden showpieces from my husband's office space. I did not think he liked them much, so I sacrificed them. After all, what I was doing was for a good cause.

I had drawn a salt circle around the cooking brick stove. For the dangerous aura, I had kept Tharki there. She looked really cool.

"Fuck! What the hell is that?" Arjun almost got scared when he came face-to-face with Tharki. Hredhaan too looked a little dubious and startled.

"Her name is Tharki. She is Kiaan's second wife."

Arjun laughed, but then coughed to cover that laugh. Good move, otherwise I was ready to scold him. Hredhaan had a small playful smile on his lips.

"Come on, guys. She is really sweet and cool." I defended my non-living friend.

"Sure, she is. Hey Tharki, what's up?"

"I am sexy." Now Arjun's eyes widened in shock when she spoke.

"Whoa! She even talks."

"Told ya, she is cool."

I started taking out all the stuff, and with the help of both men, I poured everything into the cooking bowl.

Arjun and Hredhaan sat on the empty chairs once they were done pouring everything into the cooking bowl.

"Are we summoning a ghost?" Hredhaan asked out of the blue.

"No, why?" I asked, confused.

"Because they will get scared of this picture." He pointed at Kiaan's picture I had kept on a table nearby. I giggled at his response. I had never thought I would ever hear Hredhaan making a joke.

"What's the plan now?" Arjun queried.

"I just need to add some water to this bowl, stir it all for five minutes, and it will be ready then. While stirring, I have to consistently chant a mantra too."

"Okay? And what's that mantra?" Arjun was curious as well as excited. I poured the water into the cooking bowl, started the fire, and began stirring everything with a stick while chanting the mantra.

Aloo Pyaaz Bhindi Tamatar

Pati Mera Khaaye Sirf Gazar

Doodh Na maange, na roti dal

Bas bole: Ji ha, meri maal

Vo ho jaaye mere vash mein

Yahi hai meri khwaish

Oh jahannum ke aaka

Sweekar karo meri guzaarish

******

[Potato, Onion, Okra, tomato

My husband shall eat only carrots,

Ask not for milk, nor bread nor lentils.

He shall only say: "Yes, my queen!"

May he fall completely under my spell

This is my deepest wish.

Oh Lord of the Underworld,

Please grant my request!]

******

Hredhaan and Arjun stared at me with wide mouths like I had lost my mind. But I did not care what anyone thought of me anymore. That black magic was really important for me. I kept chanting the mantras for five minutes straight, and once five minutes passed, Arjun poured water on the fire to put it down.

"Does this work on women as well?" Hredhaan asked once he had composed himself.

"Why?"

"He has a contender ready," Arjun replied, smirking.

"Shut Up!" Hredhaan rolled his eyes at him before he clarified to me, "Asked out of curiosity."

"Works on anyone, but the mantra changes."

He gave me a curt nod.

"What now? Is this ready? Can I take it to him?" Arjun seemed more excited than I was. Well, one could guess he was going to get a benefit too, with my husband being in my control, and who would not want to witness a puppet Kiaan?

"No...You can't. Not now. He needs to come home, and then I will use it. Also, right now, the potion is way too hot. Let me pour it into something."

"Step aside. We'll do it." Hredhaan said, and then he and Arjun put the potion into another vessel. They kept the warm utensil aside. Arjun's phone rang at that moment, and he walked inside to take that call.

"What will you do if this ritual works?" Hredhaan asked, while stirring the already cooked potion so that it cools down fast.

"I will ask him some questions."

"And you could not ask him without doing black magic, why?"

"I can. But he makes me wait, and I don't have that patience."

He smiled.

To me, Hredhaan appeared like someone who knew when someone was being honest with him and when not. But it also made me believe he would never lie or twist his words if I asked him something. And that thought urged me to ask him something about my husband, something that was niggling me a lot.

"Ummm...Hredhaan, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, anything."

"You have spent most of your childhood with Kiaan, right? More than Arjun, Namit Jiju, and Dhruv Bhaiya."

"All of my childhood."

"So it means, you know everything about him?" I gave him a nervous laugh and continued, "I mean, you know, there are friends who share some things and then who do not share much and then..."

Shit! I was blabbering.

He made me that nervous with one look that I could not stop now.

"....then there are those who know a few secrets and...."

"What do you want to know, little trouble?" Hredhaan knew there was something I needed to know.

"Go ahead. Ask me." I realized it was time I stopped beating around the bush and got straight to the point.

"Did...Kiaan has had someone in the past? Someone he loved...as in like a lover?"

He gave me a long look for like a few more seconds as if trying to comprehend the intention behind my question, and then he answered, "There was someone. Not sure if he loved her."

"Oh!" I did not know how to react to that exactly. It could be anyone, but Kiaan's diary entry stated otherwise.

"So, he did have someone special in his life. I mean, I know some of his past, but not the entire thing, so I was just curious."

Kiaan was right when he said I was a terrible liar. Even in front of Hredhaan, I made it obvious I was not being truthful. God! How could I be so foolish as to act so terribly in front of a human lie detector?

"If she were that special, he would have never married you." Hredhaan's words had me speechless. What does it mean by never having married me if someone else was special? Does it mean I was special?

It was apparent that Hredhaan was being honest and not twisting his words for the sake of his friend. I had so many things to ask, a thirst of queries to quench, and I was contemplating what I should ask next.

Maybe I should ask about the girl from Kiaan's past.

No, that would make me look insecure and jealous.

Maybe I should ask him about the truth Kiaan keeps mentioning.

No, that would make our relationship look bad in front of him.

I was still reminiscing over what more to ask him when I heard the car honk. That was Kiaan's car's honk. I got alarmed as now I was left with only fifteen minutes. As per the rule book of black magic, once the husband steps into the house, the ritual should be completed within fifteen minutes; otherwise, that won't work. But my potion had not cooled down yet to be used on him.

"He is back early. We will have to stop him from coming back here and also finish the ritual fast," I said. Panic was apparent in my voice.

"I will stop him from coming here," Hredhaan said as he rushed out. Meanwhile, I poured the potion into another vessel with a wide opening so that it would cool down faster. Then, I headed back inside, worrying about what if everything gets messed up.

When I reached the living room, I noticed Kiaan was surprised, staring at Hredhaan.

"What are you doing here?" He asked him. Before Hredhaan could answer, I jumped into the conversation.

"I called him for dinner." I smiled at him and then at Hredhaan too. Hredhaan involved Kiaan in small talks, and I instantly texted Arjun to pour that potion into a bottle and get it to me. Then, soon Arjun appeared, escalating the level of my husband's surprise.

"My better half," Arjun said and hugged Kiaan tight, trying to annoy him. I giggled at his antics, and Kiaan pushed him away from him.

"Ughhh...shut your mouth."

"Feed me and I will shut it," Arjun replied and then winked at him. Then Arjun secretly gave me a curt nod, signifying he already had the potion with him.

"You are here for dinner too?" My husband asked Arjun.

"I am here for more." Arjun's reply had me startled. I got scared of the truth coming out. Kiaan raised his eyebrows in suspicion, but Arjun did not reveal anything and replied, "I mean, for snacks as well. Only dinner cannot satiate me."

Arjun and Hredhaan then excused themselves, saying they were heading to the meal table where snacks were to eat something. I knew they went there to get the sage I needed, which I had to burn for the final part of the ritual. The sage was on the dining table. When Kiaan was about to follow them, I blocked his path.

Smiling a little extra than usual, I asked him, "What will you have for dinner?"

"Me?"

"Yeah...who else..." He bent to my level, his face only an inch apart. My breath hitched, and I could not blink or even evade my gaze. The lines from his diary entry kept running in flashes in my head.

I wanted her to recognize me.

I wanted my firefly to recognize her monster prince.

I could feel heat reaching up to my cheeks, eyes widening, tingles spreading across my veins.

"You chaos," he whispered before staring at my lips. While still staring at my lips, he whispered again, "Tell me, is that on the menu?" I gulped as I felt my throat parched. I licked my lips, which were getting dry. But he was noticing me. His eyes met mine now after that one stunt I pulled. His pupils dilated, and I thought he would bring his face closer, but he did not. He did nothing and stood back up.

"Kiaan, come here," Hredhaan called him. He locked his eyes on me for a second longer, as if promising silently it was not over what was just about to start, that he would soon make me play that game, and then left.

While Kiaan left for where Hredhaan was, Arjun came back to me.

"Where is the potion?" I asked Arjun.

"I mixed it in his protein shake bottle, which was on the dining table."

"Why?" I asked, horrified.

"So that he could drink it."

I recalled I had forgotten to tell him that it was supposed to be used as a spray and not something to drink.

"It's not for drinking," I told him, being worried now. He got shocked when he heard me.

"Then?"

"It's supposed to be sprayed as a perfume," I clarified.

"What should we do now?" He asked, alarmed.

I was anxious and terrified Kiaan would drink it. It could harm him as it had dangerous stuff. Everything was happening in slow motion now. I knew I would have to do something to stop him. So I did the only thing that made sense to me. I screamed.

Kiaan came running to me. Hredhaan followed him.

"What's wrong?" Kiaan cupped my cheeks gently. He looked worried, and all I could feel was how his touch ignited me, awakened something in me, as if a part of me I never knew existed, as if he just revived a dying soul who craved for more than what he was offering.

"Are you okay?" I was only watching his lips.

What's wrong with me?

"I...I...."

I tried talking, but I could not. Then we heard another scream. It came from Arjun. With his warm palms still on my cheeks, he turned to look at Arjun, and I tilted my head too. I had no idea why he screamed. Whether he was excited to do the same or confused over what to do.

"What the fuck with you now? What's going on?" Kiaan asked.

"Lizard." He muttered.

"You are not scared of lizards," Kiaan stated.

"Lizard-looking snake." I came for Arjun's rescue, pretending to be spooked.

"Yes, Snake," Arjun said.

I held my husband's arms, turned him to me so that he faced me completely.

"Kiaan, I am really, really scared of snakes. If they see me, I will die. No, wait, if I see them, I will die. Yes, right. I will die if I....Just save me." I did not know if my acting was working or not, but I hoped for it to work.

"Okay..okay...calm down. Nothing will happen to you." There was no essence of fear or shock on his face, as if it was not even a minor convenience for him to deal with a snake.

Did he really live with snakes and monsters all his life for him to be like that?

"Where did you see that snake?" He asked. I started lying to him about where I saw a snake. Meanwhile, Arjun murmured something to Hredhaa,n who nodded and rushed to the dining table. Soon, Hredhaan was back with Sage and Kiaan's protein shake bottle. We were now left with only a few minutes to finish the ritual.

"Only two minutes left. We have to do it now, little star." Arjun grabbed my husband away from me, pushed him onto the sofa nearby, and held him on the spot.

"What the heck is wrong with you, Arjun?" Kiaan yelled.

"Now," Hredhaan said. I nodded at both my partners, took the shaker from Hredhaan, uncapped it, and threw its contents on Kiaan.

It smelled so bad that I almost started to feel dizzy. But I hardly had time to even be unconscious. The sage step was still left. After I emptied the potion on him, he cursed.

"Fuck!"

"What the hell is this?"

"What stupidity is this, guys?"

Hredhaan handed me the sage now and burned it with a lighter he was carrying. I started waving its smoke towards my husband, who began to cough, but I continued with it and then chanted the last mantra.

Ho ja vash mein swami

Varna main yad dila dungi tujhe teri nani

[Come under my control, my dear husband,

Or I'll remind you of your grandma! ]

My husband, who was scuffling to free himself, suddenly went quiet. Hredhaan, Arjun, and I shared a glance. Arjun left Kiaan, and he still did not move, even when he was not held down by Arjun.

"Is it done?" Arjun asked softly.

"I think it is." I was still dubious, but my wild guess was that it did work. Kiaan had a poker face, so it was hard to know for certain. The only way to be sure was to check it.

"Order him to bark," Arjun said.

"Order him to crawl," Hredhaan said this time.

I took a deep breath and started with small instructions.

"Husband, stand up."

Kiaan stood up, and we all sighed with relief and clapped excitedly.

"This is so cool," Arjun said, and Hredhaan nodded. I was grinning as it was actually working.

"Husband, come closer." He walked, and I jumped like a kid at my spot. It was working so well.

"Husband, go to the kitchen and cook for us," I ordered excitedly.

He did not move towards the kitchen; instead, he kept walking towards me.

"Husband, stop." Kiaan did not stop.

"Arjun, Hredhaan, he is not stopping...." I said, alarmed, panicked at what was happening.

"Yeah...I...I can see that." Arjun said, worried.

"Simran's husband, stop," Arjun ordered now.

Kiaan was really close, so close that he grabbed the sage from my hand, threw it on the floor, and crushed it with his feet.

"Any more orders left?" His voice was low, but dangerous and cold.

Fuck! Did I awaken the beast instead?

"Hel..hello...Niti, baby, I am on the way..." Arjun was pretending to be on a call with Niti. Of course, he would. No one wanted to face the unhinged beast. He could be really, really scary.

"Arjun...." I called his name. But he gave me a sad, horrified look, which meant he was going to bail on me.

"Niti called, I have to go," He said, looking completely scared and ready to bolt out of the house.

"Of course, go ahead, before I..." He did not let Kiaan complete his threat and dashed out.

"I have a meeting too...Royal court meeting..." Hredhaan said.

"I am sure there is. And if there was no meeting, I would have made sure you still attended one." Hredhaan did not look back and left. The guys abandoned me because of the beast.

"So, where were we?"

"Nowhere. We were...were nowhere," I stammered.

"We were somewhere, in the middle of you trying to have full control over me."

I shook my head, and my legs began to feel weak because of the fear.

"I am sorry..." I mumbled, trying to find a way out of the grave situation I put myself in.

He nodded as if he acknowledged my apology. He continued walking towards me as if. He then removed his coat and threw it on the couch nearby

Wait! Why?

"I am guilty." 

"Are you? Really?" He asked softly, but I did not miss the taste of threat. He unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt.

"No...."

He then unbuttoned the buttons at his wrist and folded the shirt to his elbows.

"Don't...don't come closer." He did not listen to me, and why would he?

I did not know any other option apart from running and hiding. With that one escape in my mind, I turned to my right and started running in the hallway in my front. To be honest, I ran for my life. I had awakened the beast, and I knew it was a matter of time before I would be held in the court of the beast as a sinner, and my punishment would be announced. Even the thought of it was giving me chills.

"Run, sweetheart. Find the art room before I catch you. If you find the room before that, you get to listen to the first part of the truth tonight." He shouted from where he stood.

"What if I don't?" I yelled back, still running away from him.

"Then you get to witness a side of me no one ever did."

I ran faster. Either way, I was fucked tonight.

******

Hi Lovelies,

I hope you all are doing great!! 🤗

Do you think Simran would continue reading Kiaan's diary to know more? 🤔

Who do you think will win in this chasing game: Kiaan or Simran? 🤔

I hope you love the mantras. I had to think for an hour and then came up with this 😅

Do share your views about the chapter. It would mean a lot. ❤️

Thanks,

Shrishtee