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RAGHAV stood in utmost shock as he digested the information. Wait, what has he just heard? That Vidya was the brain behind all these? Holy moly!
“What did you just say?”, Raghav asked, still unsure.
The boss sighed and repeated.
“Vidya, your betrothed was the one who had planned the kidnap”.
“Good Lord!”, he exclaimed and ran his hand through his hair, then glanced at the bed.
“She is in our custody…”.
“I’m on my way”, he cut him short and hung up.
“Leaving?”, Selena asked, and he turned to her.
She had already stopped crying and was now stroking Rina on the bed.
“Yes ma’am, it’s just something important I needed to attend to, I will be back and you really don’t need to worry, she would be taken care of”, he assured her and she nodded, smiling.
“Thank you so much, I appreciate”, she said.
Raghav gave a nod and headed out. He bumped into Zaina by the lobby, she was running in looking anxious and tensed.
“G… good day Maharana”, she stopped and stuttered a greeting.
He abruptly stopped and looked at her. How had she known what happened? Well, he waved that aside.
“Yeah Zaina, I’m actually heading out, will be with you guys shortly”, he said and continued walking.
“Okay”, she slowly replied and swallowed hard. Gosh! Nervousness.
She ran into Rina’s ward, it wasn’t so difficult to find. She had been kept in the VIP ward. Minutes after Raghav had informed Selena, she had called Zaina immediately and informed her as well.
At the instant she entered the ward, she fell into tears, and ran to the bed.
“My God! Ma’am, what exactly is the problem?”, she asked, “what happened to her?”.
Selena sighed and turned to her.
“I am as ignorant as you are daughter, Prince Raghav has refused telling me anything”, she said.
“Oh God!”, she exclaimed and ran her right hand through her hair.
“Let this not be what I’m thinking”, she quietly muttered to herself, then glanced at Rina who laid sleeping soundly.
“Well, he has assured me of her safety, and I think that’s the most important”, Selena said, sighing.
Zaina nodded.
“Yeah, sure… sure. Her safety is paramount now”, she said.
“How are your parents?”, Selena asked.
“Oh, they are very fine”, she smiled slightly and then sank into the sofa.
***
Raghav screeched to a halt in front of the house and hastingly alighted, grabbed his phones and rushed in.
The two guards by the entrance door bowed as he walked passed them into the sitting room, the guards sitted on the couches scattered around all stood up and bowed.
He was so in a hurry, he walked passed them into the dark small hallway, heading for the torture room. As expected, he could hear screams and cries emanating from the room.
As he got to the door, the guard by the door opened it and he entered. The activities going on greeted his face.
About six people were tied to seats and all blindfolded, guards with whip stood by them and were lashing out. They were all writhing in pains, the whip and the tight ropes used in tying them.
He turned left, and he saw Vidya, tied on a seat as well, but she wasn’t being whipped or blindfolded, and they weren’t tears on her eyes, like… it seemed she wasn’t being punished as well. What!
His inquiring eyes turned to the boss who stood just close by.
“My prince”, he bowed.
“Why isn’t she punished?”, he asked.
The boss glanced at her and back to him.
“Maharana, I thought…”.
“She deserves to be punished”, he said and her eyes widened in shock. What! Was Maharana actually asking them to punish her as well? Huh?
“Guard, whip her”, he ordered and one of the guards got down to work immediately, picking up a whip from the floor and advancing towards her.
She began fidgeting and shaking as leaves would do under the wind. She turned to Raghav, her eyes widened in astonishment.
“Maharana, don’t do this to me please, I will explain please”, she pleaded, already whimpering.
“Whip her!”, he shouted and twak! The whip came on her skin, tearing it into two.
The guard continued as she waited and screamed, calling out to Raghav. He just stood there, watching.
After some minutes, he walked up to the girls, and ordered the guards whipping them to stop, and they stopped immediately.
“Remove the blindfold”, he said and their blindfolds were removed.
They gasped on seeing him, their eyes widened in shock. What! This was the prince! How come?
Raghav took a stand in front of them and watched their faces, one after the other. They looked messy, bloodstained with bruises, and full of tears, pains and regrets. He took a deep breath and exhaled.
“What do you girls want? I mean what has Rina done to you?”, he asked, his voice almost in a whisper.
They glanced at themselves and kept mute, whimpering quietly. Then one of them spoke up.
“We… we are sorry, we… we didn’t know she… she was in one way or the other connected to you”, she said.
He scoffed.
“She is my lady huh”, he shouted, “you just laid your filthy fingers on my lady, my woman”, he said, still shouting.
“What!”, they gasped and glanced at themselves.
“We are really sorry”, they said in unison.
He sighed.
“I hope you guys know who you tampered with?”, he asked.
They nodded.
“You are the prince”, they said in unison and he smirked.
“Good”, he turned to the guards.
“Continue from where you stopped”, he said and they got down to work instantly.
“Please… please, we are sorry”, they pleaded.
He left their side and walked to the boys, and the same way, ordered the guards to remove their blindfolds.
Their blindfolds were removed and the boys cringed on seeing him, the prince, standing before them.
“What were you guys sent to do?”, he asked without mincing words.
The other two guys glanced at Sukhi, giving him signs to speak out. He got the signal and became angry instantly.
“What! You tell him, we went there together, I’m not the only one in this”, he said, shouting.
They went mad.
“You are a fool Sukhi, tell him want he wants to hear”, the one who had tried videoing said.
“Idiots, tell…”, a thunderous slap from Raghav shut him up, and he went mute instantly.
“You don’t dare argue in front of the prince, have you lost it?”, he shouted in anger.
Sukhi went limp.
“I’m sorry your grace”, he said.
“Speak”, Raghav ordered.
“We… sorry, she, I mean Vidya, she sent me to.. to.. to rape Rina and have it recorded”, he paused.
“What!”, Raghav exclaimed.
“Rape her? And then… and then record it? Oh my God!”, he said in utmost shock, he was too dumbfounded.
He glanced at Vidya as she shouted and recoiled in pain, he was too flabbergasted that Vidya could be this heartless, and do this to her fellow girl huh. Crap!
“I will so teach you guys a lesson, that if ever you leave here alive, you would run from anything called Rina”, he said and they gasped.
“Maharana, we are really sorry please, tamper justice with mercy please”, they pleaded.
He scoffed and merely turned to the guards then gave them a nod, and they got down to work.
Then he walked back to Vidya and ordered the guard whipping her to stop, and remove the blindfold, then he shoved a seat and sat opposite her.
She was whimpering and shaking in fear, gosh! She was so pained, all she could feel was pains. Emotional pains, physical pains.
She doesn’t even know which was making her shed tears. Was it the fact that Rina, her worst enemy was chosen by the prince over her? Or the fact that she was being punished for attempting to harm her? Jeez! She was just so so traumatized.
Raghav sat down and began staring daggers at her, saying nothing, he was just staring, making her felt uncomfortable.
He still couldn’t come to terms with the fact that Vidya, as in Vidya of all people could be so heartless to do this.
Then suddenly, he snorted, and she flinched.
“I thought I warned you Vidya”, he said in a whisper.
She looked at him inquiringly.
“Huh?”.
“I warned you to stay off my things, my stuff, I warned you”, he continued, making her befuddled.
Yeah, he actually did tell her to stop touching his things, of which she actually obeyed. So, why this question?
“Rina is mine”, he blurted.
“Huh?”, her eyes widened in shock.
My gee! He was actually admitting it, good Lord.
“Yeah, Rina is my thing, my stuff, and you dared touch her? Jeez, Vidya?”, he said and splayed his left hand on his face.
Vidya cringed and shook, jerking backwards on her seat.
“Maharana, I… I…”.
He raised his right hand, hushing her, and she kept shut.
“Hush it. You know what rude lady”, he licked his lips, smiling wryly, “you gonna pay for this”, he got up.
“What!”, she muttered silently.
“You landed in the hospital the last time right? This time you might land yourself in the morgue. Idiot!”, he cussed and kicked the seat he just vacated, and she flinched.
“I’m really sorry my prince, I didn’t mean to”, she pleaded, crying.
Angrily, he shoved his hands into his pockets and turned, heading for the door.
The boss rushed up to him.
“Maharana, what are we to do with them?”, he asked.
He sighed.
“Keep up with the torture, they all will be leaving here the day Rina leaves the hospital”, he said and dashed out.
? Two Days Later ?
Vidya sat on the seat close to her window, as she nursed the wounds on her body. Well, she was later released the previous day and driven to the sick bay for treatment, after much punishment.
Though the others were still they, but she was released. She didn’t know why, but anyways, she was regaining herself little by little.
She sat facing the window waiting for Raghav’s car to come in, she has made up her mind to tender a heart felt apology to him. She never cared, she was gonna kneel by his feet and apologize.
She was still looking out the window when she teared up, and began whimpering. God! She never knew things could get blown up, and then they all will be caught, she never knew.
Truly, Prince Raghav was someone you can never play such games with, never. He gonna get you, one way or the other.
“Oh my God, what have I done?”, she cried out the more, cleaning her face with a handkerchief.
The thought of Rina being his hit her, and she winced. The prince has said Rina was hers, yes. Goodness! Why must the lady he loves be Rina? Why?
Her enemy, someone she so much despise with disdain, that pauper? Gosh!
She was still in her thoughts when she saw the gates sliding open, and she jumped up. Noticing it was Raghav’s car, she rushed out of her room, cleaning her face dry.
She took the hallway and down to the stairs, heading outside the building. She had decided to meet him up outside and fall at his feet to ask for forgiveness, not minding the guards and maids who probably would be watching.
She got to the large door and opened it up then came out. Walking up to the garage, she freezed on spot. What! He and Rina?
Hold on, she cleaned her eyes with the back of her palm to be sure her eyes weren’t deceiving her, but they weren’t. He and Rina were coming in, walking towards her, laughing and holding hands.
What! She was totally speechless and dumbfounded. Jeez! He brought her to the palace. She didn’t know he was gonna bring her to the palace, God!
“Don’t be nervous babe, I’m here with you”, she heard Raghav said to her and she laughed and wrapped her arms around him as they walked further.
Gosh! All she felt was stab in her heart, she felt so pained. Seeing Rina wrap her arms around Raghav provoked her so deeply, and before she knew it, the tears in her eyes came rushing down.
Before they could get to her, she ran up to them and fell at his feet, crying.
“Maharana why are you doing this to me? Why?”, she cried out.
What! The duo glanced at themselves and back to the crying lady. Rina herself was so shocked. Was this not the lady who had tried to have her raped? She should be hiding herself.
“Get the hell off me Vidya”, Raghav shouted.
“No my prince, no. I’m the one for you, I’m the one who is supposed to be in your arms, please stop doing this to me, you are hurting me”, she continued crying, holding onto his legs.
Raghav fisted his hands in anger. This lady is really driving him crazy. The scene had already attracted a little crowd, the maids and guards around were all watching.
“Get your filthy hands off me lady”, he said, but it was as if he was talking to himself, she didn’t listen to him.
“I have told you I’m sorry, I’m sorry what again do you want? I’m sorry please forgive me, and stop hurting me my prince, please”, she continued pleading and crying.
Jeez! Rina was too astonished as she just held onto Raghav watching the drama, was this really Vidya? The almighty Vidya, begging and crying hysterically like a mad woman, gosh!
Raghav turned to the guards around.
“Take this lady away”, he ordered and two guards swung into action.
“My prince I’m sorry, I said I’m sorry please… please”, she continued begging and crying, shouting back at them.
“I’m so sorry about that”, Raghav said to Rina as they walked into the building.
Her face broke into a smile and she nodded.
“Don’t worry, it’s fine”, she said and they entered, leaving shouting Vidya behind.
They got into the room and Rina fell asleep at the instant her head hit the pillow.
Raghav watched her and shrugged, that was what she needed anyway, sleep. Fresh from the hospital and so, she really needed to rest.
He bent over and kissed her on the forehead, then he went over to his laptop on the dining and began working.
Rina woke up late in the evening and slowly opened her eyes. She sat up and looked around, still thinking where she was. She thought she was still in the hospital.
But no, this room looks familiar, she looked around and her eyes caught the piano by the window and it hit her.
She was in the palace, in the prince’s room. She remembered Raghav insisting on bringing her to the palace once she leaves the hospital, and she had no other option than to oblige.
Then she remembered Vidya at the entrance, and she laughed out quietly. Infact, she was feeling ashamed for her.
She looked around the room, it was beautiful, candles in candlesticks lit everywhere, laced with the lights from the chandeliers, but there was no Raghav. Where had he gone to? She shrugged and got up, then dashed into the bathroom.
Few minutes later, she was out. He was still nowhere to be found, well, she shrugged and walked up to the dressing mirror.
After applying the lotions, she walked to his closet. She went through his clothes and took out a big sized white polo. She put it on, then walked back to the bed.Exclusive © material by Nô(/v)elDrama.Org.
“I hope Maharana wouldn’t be angry for wearing his polo”, she said and laughed out.
Her stomach rumbled and subconsciously, she glanced at the dining and saw it wasn’t empty. Wow, she got up and walked up to it.
There was food on the table and without a second thought, she began watering her gullets. A maid must have come in when she was bathing, she thought.
She finished eating and still, there wasn’t any sign of Raghav yet. She became worried, her phone was with him and so, she couldn’t even reach him.
She got up and that was when she noticed something. At the far end of the right side of the room, a door was opened. Like, she hadn’t even noticed it.
When she worked there as a maid, she had never seen the door opened, it was always closed.
She walked up to the door and another surprise hit her, the fresh evening air caressed her skin and she felt it. What a pleasant surprise, she was expecting to burst into another room, but instead she bursted into a balcony.
There, she could see Raghav standing by the rails and talking into his phone, he was backing her and so he didn’t see her.
Wow, her eyes ran through the large spaced balcony and she felt like she could oversee the kingdom from where she stood. The nature was perfect that evening.
“Hey…”, he called and she abruptly turned to him. He had got off the phone.
“My prince”, she smiled and slowly walked up to him, still gazing at the environs.
“Seems you love it”, he said.
She nodded, smiling.
“Yeah, I do. The houses in the distance, the setting sun, the skies, everything looks perfect. I never knew something like this was here”, she said.
He smiled.
“Well, now you know”.
“Um my prince, I really haven’t seen Princess Prisha, it’s unlike her, she would have come around to see me”, she said, she was now standing close to him by the rails.
He sighed and looked her properly, my gee! That was when he realized she was putting on his polo and what! He went more crazy in love.
“Well she is gone back to school”, he replied, still gawking at her.
“Huh? A boarding school?”.
“Yeah, I told her what happened and she actually called to know how you feel, I told her you needed rest”, he said, his eyes still all over her.
“Oh, okay”, and she looked away.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her, she was tempting. Wearing just his polo which looked more like a short loose gown, with no brazier, he could feel her breasts, her nipples pointed out of the polo, he swallowed hard and looked away, avoiding it.
“Ugh, you won’t be going back to that school”, he said and she turned to him.
“Fine”, she said, not ready to argue with him.
“Already registered you in another school, though a little bit far, but more secured”, he said.
“Huh?”, she looked at him. “Registered me in another school?”, she asked.
“Yes”, he turned to her again and looked away.
Her face broke into a smile.
“Awwn, thank you”, she pouted.
He nodded, not quite satisfied with her though, he had wanted her to embrace him.
He turned to her again, and began gawking, he just couldn’t resist her, she looked tempting.
From the corner of her eyes, she could see the way he stared at her. She smiled and turned to him, and their eyes met.
“I hope you aren’t angry because I put on your shirt?”, she asked.
“Nope”, he shook his head.
She smiled.
“I know what you want”, she said.
“Huh?”, he said and looked away.
“Stop pretending. Well…”, she covered the little distance between them and wrapped her arms around his neck, looking into his eyes.
“… I really want to appreciate you for everything Raghav, everything you have been doing for me”, she said and placed her forehead on his.
He was now more moved, jeez! This lady is gradually driving him crazy, he hopes he would be able to overcome this temptation.
“You… you are welcome babe”, he stuttered and she laughed. So, he stutters as well huh.
“Come on, hold me”, she said and he placed his hands on her waist.
Gosh! She was putting on just panties, he could feel it. Why was she doing this? Driving him crazy huh, why?
“I love you Raghav”, she kissed him.
He couldn’t resist anymore, he reciprocated and took it up from there. They kissed for so long, and so passionately.
“Are you sure you want to do this?”, he asked, still kissing.
She nodded, and the next thing, he scooped her in his arms, and went into the room.