Cigarettes & Peonies

37

"Dad i wanna talk to you about something." Maahi whispered gingerly. Her father, who was reading the morning paper, looked up at her forthwith. His glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. Luv and Kush were lying on their bed and watched the TV. However, when maahi called her father's attention, they too looked up at her immediately.
"Hm. Even I want to talk to you about certain things. But first, you tell me what's the matter." asked her father sincerely. Maahi couldn't hold back her tears and she started crying. Her brothers stiffened while trying to sit up on the bed (they had broken their leg if you recall). Mr. Khandewal gasped loudly as he quickly took his precious daughter in his arms.
"Maahi what's wrong dear??? Stop crying. Papa is here." Mr. Khandewal shushed her. Her mother panicked after listening to her sobs from the kitchen and came running into the room.
"What happened??? Why is maahi crying??" asked she anxiously, fingers stained with spices. Maahi hiccuped as she looked into his father's compassionate eyes.
"I wanted to tell you everything before but.....but I was scared." she hiccuped. Mr. Khandewal stroked her hairs lovingly. The twins watched their sister in trepidation.
"Scared of who??" asked her father softly. She sniffed and looked at him with her small, round eyes.
"H-Him." and she cried again. The twins were bewildered, and so was her mother. Mr. Khandewal, however, had an idea about who she was talking about.
"Who maahi??" her mother asked befuddled.
"Maahi tell me everything from the beginning. Just don't cry ok. He can't hurt you." Mr. Khandewal said firmly. Maahi sniffed and started. As she bawled her heart out to her father, her family heard her transfixed. Especially her mother and brothers. Who could've thought that the guy they were fangirling over was scaring the hell out of their innocent maahi. The twins won't lie that they didn't smell something was wrong. The way Karanvir showed interest towards maahi, it was really eye raising. But because Karanvir had a reputation of being a guy who keeps his distance from the girls, the twins didn't feel any threat from him. And now when maahi is literally opening his cards, the twins can't help but hate themselves for worshipping that guy when he deserved a tight slap across his handsome face. Mrs. Khandewal was shocked herself.
"Oh God!!! Why didn't you tell us everything before maahi??" said her mother. Mr. Khandewal glared at her.
"How could she when she could see karanvir's devotees inside this house. It's all your fault do you understand. You let that guy inside my house and now he's threatning my daughter. Do you even know who is he?? He's a mafia for goodness sakes. He's the nephew of Viraj Ranawat. The Viraj Ranawat, the terror of North India. He's no common man do you understand." thundered Mr. Khandewal. Mrs. Khandewal quietly listened. It was her fault indeed.
"What are we gonna do now???" asked Kush with fear. Mr. Khandewal frowned.
"We're going to ask him to stop following my daughter and tell him to stay away from her. But I don't think he'll understand that easily. Filthy dope seller." her father muttered hatefully.
"Should we stop sending maahi to college??" proposed her mother. Maahi gasped loudly. Why was she being punished for his fault?? What has she done?? Mr. Khandewal faked a smile.
"Ofcourse, my daughter has committed a crime and that man like boy is as innocent as a newborn baby. That is why my daughter shall pay the price and lock herself inside the house while he roams around free like dogs on a street. That's what you want my dear??" Mr. Khandewal hissed vehemently. Mrs. Khandewal fell silent just to not provoke him more.
"Mom you need to calm down ok. Maahi isn't gonna hide. She's not interested in Karanvir and he needs to understand this." kush cried. Maahi cried softly in her father's arms.

Suddenly, a car drew up in front of their house. Maahi and her family stiffened. They knew quite well whose car was it. And before they take ponder over what could be done in this predicament, the gentleman himself walked into their house. Like always, he was dressed in skinny jeans, a dark blue T-shirt and a brand new leather jacket on top. Given the huge wealth he had, it was obvious that his clothes were replaced on daily basis. Maahi cannot think of any occasion where she saw him repeating clothes. Now, Mr. Khandewal was fuming as he came in with his usual dominating aura around him. Maahi quivered and hid behind her father.
"What are you doing here??" asked her father, struggling to quell his anger. Karanvir was no fool, and by now you must've realised this. This son of a gun was actually more sly and clever than required. With that fierce look on her father's face, he at once sensed that his baby girl had broke the news of 'their relationship' to her family. But that's ok. It's nothing he should be scared of.
"Good morning Sir. I'm here to talk to you about something." Karanvir said blankly, not liking the way his baby girl was hiding herself from him. Mr. Khandewal was crossed.
"Even I want to talk to you. But I'll let you speak first because you won't appreciate when I start speaking." hissed Mr. Khandewal. Maahi was literally trembling. Karanvir folded his hands in front of her father.
"Mr. Khandewal, I love your daughter and I wish to ask you for her hand in marriage. I promise I'll keep her happy and I'll love her....." and Mr. Khandewal slapped him across his face. The twins gasped loudly. Maahi had her eyes wide open.
"How dare you rascal. How dare you even think that my daughter will ever marry you. You're a jerk. No father would want his daughter to associate herself with a guy like you. Don't you ever dare lift an eye on my daughter." roared Mr. Khandewal. His chest heaving up and down erratically. Karanvir's fists were balled. For a second he stood in silence before moving his hand over his cheek where her father striked him. And then he chuckled. Mr. Khandewal looked at him as if he'd lost his head.
"You're my father-in-law. You can slap me. No.....I swear there are no hard feelings I mean..... you're giving your daughter to me, I can atleast forgive your one act of disrespect. Can't I??" karanvir's face was twisted into a fearsome expression as he said that. Maahi was scared to death. She was the only one who had seen what a mad Karanvir looks like.
"You're sick. You need a doctor, do you get that." Mr. Khandewal whispered, looking into his dark eyes. Karanvir laughed loudly. His laughter reverberated inside the room eerily. The Khandelwals were petrified.
"Father-in-law, I was absolutely fine before your daughter came into my life. Do you know, the day she walked into my life.....I-I remember it clearly you know. I was just casually strolling up to the bus stop and someone crashed into me, looking down I found a little angel staring up at me with her small, round eyes filled with innocence and panic. I just knew that day itself that I was in love. I have never loved anyone so madly before I met her. And.... And I want her. I don't care what it costs, how-how many people lose their lives.....I just don't fucking care.....All I want is her. Just her." he said loudly, eyes gleaming with obsession and insanity. Maahi cried behind her father. Mr. Khandewal felt a surge of fear inside him as Karanvir stooped a little so he was looking into his cold, dark eyes.
"Father-in-law, I am very politely asking you to give your daughter to me. I promise I'll keep her like a queen. However, if you try and act smart, meaning if you didn't do what I asked you to, you know what I'll do....hm. I'll storm into your house, grab my baby girl in my arms, throw her over my shoulder, march off to my jeep and drive straight to my mansion where I'll forcibly marry your daughter and make her my wife. It's going to be very painful for your daughter and trust me I don't wanna do that because I love her more than I love myself. But you, father-in-law, can prevent this all. All you need to do is, accept my marriage proposal and marry her off to me. You know what father-in-law, either ways she's going to be mine, than why not we act like grown-ups and choose a more safer option where no one gets hurt. Hm." he looks into Mr. Khandelwal's timorous eyes and continued.
"Maahi is my madness. You have no idea to what extent I can go to keep her all to myself. If she doesn't comes to me on her own, I promise to not hurt her because I love her so much that I can't see her in pain, but....I can't promise anything about you guys. My love for her has crossed all boundaries and if anyone decides to come between us, may it be you or your sons, I'll kill you all. Get it. It's now your job to persuade her into accepting my love and to be mine forever. The sooner she's in my arms, the safer you all are." his voice sank into a whisper yet was dark and demanding. Mr. Khandewal was scared, because he had a family to protect not just maahi. However, for his daughter, he won't be terrorised by this freak.
"Get out of my house. And never come back." warned Mr. Khandewal sharply. Karanvir laughed.
"C'mon father-in-law, this is not how you say goodbye to your son-in-law. But, I'll forgive you again because you're my father-in-law. I'll come again. After all this is my in-laws home. Bye." he stopped and looked at maahi's scared figure. His lips curled up in a smile.
"Love you baby. I'll come again. Bye." he said with a smile. After passing a glare at her fuming brothers, he turned his heels and left. Mrs. Khandewal, who hadn't spoke until now, gasped loudly.
"God!!! How will we escape him??" she whispered in fear. Mr. Khandewal looked at the door, his eyes grim and serious.
"I don't know. All I know is that, that I won't let him hurt my daughter. No matter what it takes." he affirmed, stroking her daughter's back.

At night maahi's family was in the hall. The dinner was over already. Karanvir had messaged several times during the day which maahi had ignored collectively. Twice he called her, she didn't answer on purpose. Anyways, now they were watching a comedy film. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Mrs. Khandewal went to answer the door.
"Good evening mom." and came the dark, husky voice of Karanvir. Maahi's blood froze. Quickly she hugged her father, wanting to stay close to him while he's around.
"Um why-why are you here??" stuttered Mrs. Khandewal in fear. Karanvir chuckled. He had a bouquet of fresh roses in his hand.
"C'mon mom, can't a man come to his in-laws house." he replied as he put his big arm around her waist and entered inside with her. To be honest, Mrs. Khandewal still had a little Karanvir fever. If maahi somehow was interested in him than positively she would've fixed their marriage. But because both her husband and daughter hates him, she's got no choice but to stay quiet.
"What the hell are you doing in my house??" asked her dad angrily. Karanvir eyed maahi lovingly.
"Father-in-law, can you please get aside, I want to talk to your daughter." Karanvir said shamelessly. Maahi gasped loudly.
"How shameless you are....You...." a gun was aimed at him. Maahi's eyes widened at the sight of Karanvir aiming his shiny pistol at her father.
"You're either stepping aside or you're going straight to hell." declared Karanvir, eyes dark and unyielding. Mr. Khandewal was tenacious still.
"I'm not....."
"Papa please...... please...." maahi pleaded with tears, scared with the prospect of losing her father to karanvir's bullet. Mr. Khandewal opened his mouth to protest but Karanvir pushed him aside with ease and moved towards maahi. Before Mr. Khandewal had time to protest, in came his bouncers who easily held them all on gunpoint. Maahi shrieked in fear.
"I've not killed them yet baby doll. It's just to keep them away while we've a nice little chat." Karanvir told her. Maahi sobbed.
"Please let my family go please I....."
"Shhh. If you want to see them all alive than listen to me baby. First, stop crying....I can't see you crying. And secondly, look what I got for you. Roses for my pretty peony." said Karanvir, extending the flowers towards her. Maahi, who was watching her family, heard him less.
"TAKE IT." he yelled. She shuddered. Nervously she reached for the flowers and took them. Karanvir smiled.
"Now baby, I texted you 13 times and you didn't reply me. I called you two times and you didn't answer. So baby doll, what should be your punishment hm. Should I kill your father or mother???"
"No please no..... I'm sorry.....I won't ever ignore your calls. Please..... Please leave my family. I beg you." she begged with tears. Mr. Khandewal wanted to murder him. Karanvir wiped her tears with his thumb.
"You're my queen baby doll, but you need to learn that a queen should never ignore her King. And in our case, I am your king. Baby girl, next time if you snub me, your family will pay the price. Am I clear?? AM I CLEAR??"
"Yes Yes..... Yes. I understood. Now....Now please let them go." she pleaded. He smirked as he planted a kiss on her forehead.
"Tomorrow morning I will come to fetch you up for college. Be ready. Love you." said he with a smile, kissing her chubby cheeks. He beckoned his bouncers to withdraw their weapons. Later, he too left but not before keeping the chocolates he had bought for her on the table.
"Before anybody speaks. Maahi can I borrow one chocolate please." kush said from the couch. Mr. Khandewal and Luv glared at him.
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