Tainted Desires : Bound By Misfortunes

14| Annahita's anger

Author's POV

Annahita and Nandini met Akriti and Rustam at the theatre. Despite Rustam's stoic expression, they all enjoyed the outing. Nandini teased Rustam about not being able to say no to his wife.

During dinner at the restaurant, Annahita asked about Akriti and Rustam's love story. Akriti began, "It's a long story, but I'll tell you in short." Annahita nodded, encouraging her to continue.

"I got engaged to Adhiraj in a very private function involving just our family members," Akriti explained. "He wasn't interested in this marriage, so he used to ignore me a lot, although he respected me but didn't love me." Rustam maintained his stoic expression as Akriti continued, "I was trying to make Adhiraj show interest in me, so I used to invite him on dates or pester him for gifts. But he never showed any interest and used to send Kaali with gifts. I got frustrated, drank a lot one day, and met Rustam. It's embarrassing to say, but I cried a lot while hugging him, even though I didn't know him. He was so shocked by my sudden hug that he couldn't move."

Days passed, but Akriti couldn't forget Rustam. She saw him again with Shivaay on a rally and decided to approach him for friendship. Although he initially denied it, he later agreed. "Months passed, and I developed feelings for him, but he couldn't betray his Sarkaar and Hukum, so he used to stay away from me," Akriti continued. "At last, I approached Adhiraj and told him about my love for Rustam. That was the first time I saw Adhiraj genuinely happy. He helped me confess my feelings for Rustam."

Akriti held Rustam's hands, intertwining her fingers with his. "Of course, my father wasn't happy with this arrangement, and he didn't want Rustam as my husband. He tried to break us apart when Shivaay threatened to leave the party and resign from his position if he didn't approve of Rustam. The most difficult task was to make Rustam agree to his love for me. But the day he confessed was the day he married me. He couldn't wait any longer" Akriti chuckled. Rustam smiled at her and pecked her hands.

Annahita was captivated by their story and felt their love in their eyes. They didn't talk much but could convey everything through their gaze. Their conversation paused as the waiter arrived with their food, and they all dug in.

After some time, they headed back to their mansion, even though the ladies were reluctant to leave early. Rustam insisted, citing the late hour, and they all returned home.

On the other part of the city

Adhiraj sat with Shivaay, who appeared visibly intoxicated but continued to consume more alcohol. Shivaay, with a troubled expression, shared his concerns.

"It's all messing with my mind, Adi. Randhawa is pressuring me to marry his daughter as soon as possible. The elections are near, and this drama is giving me a headache. Bachhi made that girl resign from her post, and now Randhawa is angry. I don't know what to do," Shivaay said, followed by another gulp of wine.

"First, stop drinking. Although I want to punch you in the face for making Nandu cry, I know your reasons. And secondly, just leave that Randhawa; the whole Anuvarta will vote for you only," Adhiraj advised.

"I know the people of Anuvarta will vote for me, but I don't want to involve you guys in this election right now. Otherwise, that man will surely start suspecting my identity, and I can't risk it now. Things are not going as I planned, and right now, even Bachhi is going against me," Shivaay explained.

As Shivaay continued to drown his concerns in alcohol, Adhiraj couldn't help but feel the weight of the complicated situation. The dimly lit room reflected the somber atmosphere.

Adhiraj, showing a mix of concern and frustration, replied, "Shivaay, you need to think clearly. Drinking won't solve anything. Your decisions affect not only you but also those around you. Nandini is hurt, and Anahita is getting involved in the mess. She will surely find out what is going on here."

Shivaay leaned back, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "I never wanted Nandini to be hurt. I thought I was doing the right thing. Anna can't find out about it right now. Things will get complicated with her involvement."

Adhiraj sighed, "Sometimes, what we think is right may not be the best for everyone. You need to find a way to fix this mess. I would've beaten you up to a pulp if you weren't my friend. Fix your mess as soon as possible."

Shivaay looked at Adhiraj with despair. "I know, but Randhawa is pressuring me, and the political situation is getting tense. That man is trying to find Anna, and Nandini is trying to do something big. I can feel it. There is going to be more mess."

Adhiraj, determined to help Shivaay find a solution, said, "We'll figure it out, Shivaay. But first, you need to sober up. Tomorrow is a new day, and decisions made under the influence won't lead to anything good."

With that, Adhiraj tried to convince Shivaay to rest and clear his mind for the challenges ahead, hoping for a resolution that would bring peace to everyone involved.

Later, at Anantara Kutir, after dropping off Shivaay in his room, Adhiraj rested on his bed, suddenly remembering his movie date with Annahita.

"Shit, she will be so angry with me. But it's late at night now. She must be sleeping, and I can't disturb her. It's getting hard to be close to her. I need to do something."

Adhiraj laid on his bed and fell asleep thinking about his  relationship with Annahita.

The next morning, Adhiraj decided to meet Annahita and apologize for ruining their plans the previous night. While walking to his parents' wing, he spotted his father and mother going somewhere.

"Baba, where are you going with Maa this early?" asked Adhiraj.

"Guru Ji is not coming for Kaali Puja due to some reasons, so he instructed someone else to perform the puja. We are going to make arrangements for their stay and check things going on in the temple," answered Digvijay.

"Okay, if you need any help, then call me" said Adhiraj and touched both his parents' feet. Digvijay and Tripti went away.

Adhiraj started going towards Annahita's room when he found her in the hall, fiddling with speakers. Annahita was standing backward, and her back was facing him, so she didn't see him.

"Jaanam, what are you doing?" asked Adhiraj.

Annahita heard him and turned to face him, smiling brightly. Adhiraj was momentarily taken aback by her unexpected reaction. Before he could say anything, she started working on her phone. Adhiraj observed her with curiosity, wondering what she was up to.

Suddenly, the entire mansion shook with the loud sound of music blasting from the speakers. Adhiraj was dumbfounded, and he couldn't believe the lyrics of the song.

(🎶Tum toh dhokebaaz ho
Waada karke bhul jate ho🎶)

Adhiraj quickly covered his ears with his hands, attempting to drown out the music. However, Annahita raised the volume even more. After a while, Adhiraj finally managed to turn off the speakers and said, "Jaanam, I'm sorry. Something urgent came up; otherwise, I would've come for sure."

I'll try to give next update tomorrow. Things are getting hectic as I just joined my job.
Hope you guys understand my problem and will support me.
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