Page 39 of Rudra Nandani: The Saga of Control And Seduction

But she replied blankly,“A scar you gave me and a scar I give you back. We are even now.”

The moment she uttered those words, my whole world shattered. Devastatingly shattered.

The sharp pain in my heart caused tears to blur my vision. I felt numb as my hands slipped from her throat, causing me to stumble back.

“What?” I tried to ask. Rubbing her neck, she walked away.

I stood there, frozen, as I did not know what to do with myself.

What did she do? How could she?

I screamed internally and followed her. The guards outside her chamber crossed their spears in front of me, preventing me from going inside.

Taking my dagger out, I glared at them.“Don't mess with me,not now,” I threatened, and they instantly moved away in fright.

Pushing the doors open, I stormed inside, locking the door behind me.

“What do you mean?” I roared. I was going ballistic. Red was all I could see. But, rather than answering my question, she stretched her arms and removed her dupatta.

Getting into bed, she turned her back on me to unfold the duvet, when my sight fell on her backless blouse. But, before she could, I held her wrist and pushed her against the headboard.

“How dare you? How could you stoop so low as to sleep with him? What about your self-respect, your pride? How could you?” I seethed in anger, and she started laughing, unexpectedly.

“Pride? Self-respect?” she mocked me, and I held her neck to stop her from laughing.

“How dare you, Nandani?” I angled her face to look at me.

“Who the heck are you, teaching me lessons on pride and self-respect?” I could sense the same rage dripping from her words.

“Who the heck am I? You're questioning me? You love me,” I exclaimed. We were heaving in equal fervour.

“I loved you...‘Loved’, as in the past. The day you left me with that letter telling me I was a scar to my family, you lost all my love for you. I loved you... loved,” she spat, and I pulled her closer because her words were severing me.

“So you'll sleep with just anyone? With my uncle, an old man?” My voice turned hoarse.

?? ? ? ?

Nandani

His disappointed tone made me look at him.

“Yes, because you created this impression of me in the eyes of the world by doing such a dishonourable act,” I said.

His hold tightened on my neck, and he growled at me.“Do not provoke me, Nandani, or I might do something that we both will regret later.”

I tried to get away from him. But he swiftly held my wrist, twisting it behind me as he pulled me closer.

He clasped both my hands with one hand and used the other to cup my neck. As my eyes met his intense, daring ones, I felt too feeble in his hands.

“I left you because I cannot marry you,” He said, and I scoffed at his same reasoning.

“With a letter slapped on my face, where you allegedly called me a scar, a dishonour to my family,” we were too close, close enough for me to notice the muscle in his jaw flex when he heard my reply.

“It's not about you, never was. It was about your parents,” he said. My insides tightened, resulting in a broken tone as I spoke.

“And how am I any different from them? It is about me because I'm their daughter, and you too accept that, because if not, you wouldn't have used me to get revenge on them.” I said. His hold loosened on my neck, and he rested his forehead on mine.

“I’m sorry, okay. Please, I’m so sorry…” his words faltered as he went on,

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