CHAPTER 9

Nandani's POV

I was taken back inside the mansion by Cabir. I saw Navya standing in the living room with the same girl Mukti. When she saw me she came running.

"Navya take her to the room," Cabir said and she nodded. We went back to the bedroom and I was crying.

"What happened Nandani? Why did you try to escape, even when I warned you?" Navya asked softly.

"That man...Dakran, he...he...touched me. He has made a deal with Manik," I said sobbing.

"Which deal are you speaking about Nandani?" Navya asked confusingly.

"He would give weapons and drugs to Manik and in return, Manik, would handover me to him. He is a monster, he is going to sell me to a man. Please save me," I cried. I am not frightened of anything, but yes I am afraid of getting raped by a man.

Navya hugged me and I cried hugging her back. Manik came to the bedroom and he saw me crying.

"Why are you crying? Oh, your plan to fly from me got failed, isn't it?", He asked dangerously, clenching his fist angrily. A shiver ran down my spine.

"Manik...she is unwell right now. You may...", Navya tried to speak but Manik interrupted her in between and yelled angrily.

"I don't fucking care! Just give her medicines or whatever you want to give but I want to talk to her right now."

Cabir came running to the room. "Navya I want to talk to you, can you please come?"

"No, I am not leaving Nandani alone with this monster", Navya replied pulling me close to her.

"Baby, Manik will handle her. You come with me," Cabir said holding her hand and dragging her out of the room.

Manik drew a chair and sat in front of me. "Let's play a game, Nandani," he told in a husky voice. I started sobbing.

"Come on, tigress, it's not going to be difficult. I'll ask you a few questions and you have to answer them. But yes if you lie to me, believe me, you will not be able to lie the next time," he spoke dangerously staring at me. Tears were streaming down my cheeks.

"Nandani you can not fall weak in front of him. Dare you to shed any tears," I scolded myself mentally.

Manik took a jug and a glass from the table and poured the water into the glass. He forwarded the glass to me and I looked at him confusingly. Why is he caring so much?

"Stop stressing your tiny brain. Have water and stop crying", he told with a smirk on his face. I feel like punching him on his not so handsome face. I took the glass of water from him with trembling hands and gulped it down my throat I was famished and thirsty since yesterday.

I kept the glass back on the table while Manik was constantly staring at me. I am not even that pretty, that he would look at me.

"Shall we start with the game?" He asked and I nodded.

"That's like my good girl. So my first question is, do you know Dakran?", Manik asked. I nodded in no.

"In words Nandani," he told dangerously.

"N--No--", I replied stammering.

"Does your dad know him?"

I have heard Dakran's name several times from dad's mouth. But how will dad, know a criminal. Maybe, he knew some other man named Dakran.

"Back to Earth, sweetheart," Manik said snapping his fingers and I came out of my trance.

"I will repeat my question, once again. Does your father knows Dakran?" he asked.

"N--No--", I replied.

"Are you sure?" He asked and I nodded.

"Next question, why, and how did you escape from here? Did Navya help you?" He asked.

"No Navya didn't help me. I climbed down from the balcony with the help of the satin sheet. She is at no fault, please don't hurt her," I replied quickly. I did not want her to land in any sort of trouble because of me.

"It seems that you got a friend. That's nice because you have to stay here, forever," Manik said smiling and I was horrified listening to him.

"What do you mean by FOREVER?", I asked with tears in my eyes.

"Forever means, forever, for a lifetime, until you die", Manik replied.

"No...I...don't...want to stay here. I want to go back to my home ", I told crying.

"You have two choices. Stay here with us forever, or---", he whispered removing his gun from his pocket and kept it on my forehead.

"Well, I must say you have a sharp jawline" he, said smiling and traced his gun on my jawline.

"Please let me go", I pleaded.

"Nandani, look you can stay here alive or go back, dead. What do you want?", He asked.

"Manik, Ritvik has come," a guy said coming to the room.

"Dhruv, tell him to wait for me in the living room, I will be there", Manik replied and that guy Dhruv left from the room.

"So Nandani take your own time to choose whether you want to stay here alive, or go back lifeless?" He asked looking at me one last time and left the room.

"Why me? I don't want to stay with this monster nor I want to die. I will run away from here", I decided.

I was sitting on the bed, chalking out the plan to escape when Navya came to the room.

"What happened? Did he hurt you?", she asked worriedly.

"No, but he threatened me saying that I have two options either I stay here alive or go back lifeless", I replied. "I want to go back home alive"

"Nandani he won't let you go alive.", Navya told.

"But why? He can't just hold me as his captive", I replied crying. "I'll escape from him"

"Don't even think of doing that Nandani", I heard a girl's voice. I lifted my head and saw Mukti standing at the door with a few dresses in her hand. She kept the dresses on the bed and continued-

"Manik won't forgive you this time if you try to flee. However, you will fail in escaping. Ask Navya, she has tried several times to escape from us but all her efforts went in vain. Isn't it Navya?", Mukti asked looking at her and she nodded.

"Nandani I know it will be difficult for you, but you have no other option left except for staying here," Navya replied.

"Here, take these dresses, Manik has sent for you. Freshen up quickly and eat something", Mukti told and left the room.

I looked towards Navya with tears in my eyes. "I can't help you darling", she replied sadly.

"Why me?" I asked with tears in my eyes.

"You freshen up quickly, eat something, and then we will take a stroll in the mansion", Navya replied and I nodded. I took jeans and a crop top from the bed and went to the bathroom to freshen up. I stood in the shower and cried cursing my fate.

"How unfortunate I am. Why the hell did I go to the cruise party, it was my unluckiest birthday. Why is dad not taking any action? Does he not wants me back? I don't want to spend my whole life with these criminals, with that monster Manik."