Scarred Love - Chapter 18

Ishani just stared at Viman, his words not registering at all. She couldn’t move; neither could she breathe. The stilled silence around drummed in her ears but all she could hear was his scream.

“ISHI!”

She placed her hands on her ears trying to block it but it still rang in her head again and again.

“STOP IT!” she yelled and instantly everything stopped.

But ache in her heart did not go away.

She could hear Viman calling her name frantically but she couldn’t respond. She needed to leave because if she didn’t then she will lose all control. But the moment she got up, her legs buckled under her and she lost her balance.

Kabir rushed to her and caught her in his arms before she landed on the floor.

Ishani looked up at him and saw a face that she had tried to forget in all these years. She was about to reach up to touch him when it suddenly morphed to the face that had greeted her every morning, haunted her dreams and confused her like hell.

But right now, she was relieved to see him for nothing could take her away from her miseries than his presence. She looked into his black eyes and completely lost herself. As she saw him smile, she lifted her hand and touched his cheek.

“Rudra!” 

The room blacked out instantly and she slumped like a rag doll in Kabir’s arms.

*********************

Rudra sat up straight the moment his name echoed loud and clear through the internal sound system. He pressed a button on the remote and instantly the big screen in front flooded with only one image rather than four separate ones.

Ishani was touching Kabir’s cheek as he held her in his arms. And, then her body went limp as she lost consciousness.

Shock rippled through his body as his mind registered the scene in front. Cursing hard, he picked up the phone and dialled Viman’s number. At first, it kept ringing and he could see on the screen that he was helping Kabir settle Ishani on the sofa.

Dammit Viman, answer the call.

“Call the doctor now,” he commanded the moment he picked up.

“No need of that. She is coming around,” Viman replied and then suddenly grunted angrily.

“Why are you even calling when you are watching all of this?”

“Viman!” Rudra countered warningly.

But his brother had already disconnected the call.

He saw Viman look straight at the screen right into his eyes scowling hard, mouthing, ‘this is your fault.’

Rudra watched him as he limped slowly to where she was sitting with her head between her palms. As she gulped down the water Kabir had offered, he observed her ashen face and almost regretted not being there.

What the hell! His mind scolded him.

This is what you wanted. There's no need of you to be there. And, look at her; she is absolutely fine.

Seeing her leaning back on the sofa, looking okay, he stood up from his vantage point in the study and picked up the coffee mug as he went out to the balcony.

The air outside was bit cold, quite natural after the continuous rain for past 2 hours. The bustle of the tourists thronging Trafalgar Square reached him and he turned away. He didn’t like noise at all, be it any kind. But he couldn’t stay anywhere else in London than this penthouse as this was the closest to his two hotels in the city. However, this time he hadn't come to check on the hotels.

He had rushed to London to steer himself away from Ishani. She needed to feel his absence, only then will she fully fall for him. And, he wanted that to happen as soon as possible because somehow his impatience was going out of hand.

Every time, she was around him, his mind screamed with vengeful words that he wanted to hurl at her. For some reason, it bickered uncontrollably to tell her who he was and why was he after her. Silencing this inner voice was becoming harder than usual as the days were passing.

And, pretending to be falling for her was one more thing that was truly unbearable. Everything that he had been doing for the past days was taking a toll on him.

So, you are already tired?

Suddenly that nagging inner voice asked.

I AM NOT. This is something, for which I have waited so long.

Then, why this impatience? It will happen when it has to.

But when?

Chill, Rudra! You need to relax, his inner voice pointed out.

But now that this is so near, I can’t wait to see her face when I tell her who I am.

Oh come on, have some patience. Or, is it something else?

Something else? There's nothing, he silently answered, his face twisting with irritation.

Oh, but there is Rudra, there is. Don’t you remember the sway of her hips and how you felt when her eyes scanned you?

There is nothing like that. Stop it, he shouted silently at his inner voice and with an evil grin it diminished within him.

But even though it went away, the image of Ishani walking out of the stop gates at SGH reception ignited in his mind. He shook his head trying to drive it away but it glowed with intensity. Irritated, he finished the hot coffee in one gulp, letting its stinging heat and acrid taste douche every rousing feeling. And, thankfully his body calmed down.

Satisfied, he sat down on the sofa and switched on the big screen monitor in front and it instantly showed him Viman’s office.

So, the meeting is still going on, he observed. He was about to pick up his phone to call his people in Gurgaon to check on the liquor permit for his new hotel when the room flooded with Ishani’s laughter. For a second, Rudra couldn’t think or do anything else but stare at her smiling face.

********************

The lift to the penthouse opened with a zing and a woman stepped out smiling from ear to ear. She was about to knock on the door in front when she remembered the key. She swung the double doors wide and stepped inside a huge room.

“Hi, handsome!” she chirped looking at the man sitting motionless.

Rudra zapped out of his trance and got up from the sofa. Striding to the door, he pulled the woman towards him and engulfed her mouth with his.

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