Saving You

22.

Aditya wasn't the one who went after people when he wanted something. They usually came to him, at his feet, begging and crawling for it to be done. So when he got that unusual call from the unknown number that morning, he certainly hoped the person would come to him to meet him, but she was a lot more cunning and wiser than that.

"Meet me at my place for tea," the voice was familiar, and Aditya immediately found himself looking at the figure sleeping next to him in bed. With eyes closed and hair covering half of her face, his wife seemed relaxed and did not know of the war that waged around her. He liked to keep it that way.

Getting up from the bed and onto his feet with the phone still close to his ears, he wore his robe and flip-flops before walking into the bathroom.

"Why?"

A laugh echoed from the other side of the phone, "You know why. Don't keep me waiting."

Before he could say anything, she hung up. He hated it when people hung up on him, but this was a sensitive situation. He could not just go ahead and kill this person. He would have, but he needed to sort out a lot of things before that happened.

It was past four in the evening when Aditya arrived in front of the hotel room number 307. It was his private room in one of the most guarded hotels in the city, and now this old woman was living off of it. He couldn't do anything but oblige to her needs because she had something he desperately wanted.

The room door opened to reveal a thin woman, past her forties, but still looking young as ever. Draped in a saree with her hair neatly tied into a low bun, Aditya could easily make out the obvious resemblance his wife shared with this woman, but something about her eyes was wicked while Shardha's were innocent.

"Right on time," the woman spoke, smiling darkly at him while moving away from the door to give him space to walk.

"When you said you'd come, I expected my daughter to be with you. I'm disappointed my daughter didn't come to see me." She faked her sadness, and Aditya only smirked.

"Why are you faking it all? I know exactly what you want. Tell me the price." Aditya wanted to be straight to business and not waste any more minutes.

"Very well. I want you to arrange a meeting with Shradha. I want to meet my daughter."

At that, Aditya clenched his teeth, getting up from the sofa he was sitting on. "Not possible."

"Why not? Are you afraid that she'll leave you after seeing me?"

The truth was exactly that. Shardha chose him because she didn't have anyone else to hold on to. Now knowing that her mother is there, he was afraid he'll lose her. It was selfish, but he didn't care. This was his way of protecting her.

"The life you are living right now is my mercy, lady. Do not forget that when you decide to cross the line next time." Aditya held her choked while she still had that wicked smile on her face.

She laughed hysterically, making Aditya annoyed. "Your father and I were really close. I knew all his secrets. And do you know what he told me one night? That you are the only thing he's proud of."

Aditya stilled, his grip slowly loosening. He moved away from her, raising his eyebrows in disgust and surprise at this new piece of information. He knew his father was shameless, but he didn't know he had an affair with his wife's mother.

"Your father wanted to marry me. He lusted over me, and when he could not get what he wanted, he chose something close to me. My daughter. And look what that earned him." She laughed again. "Death by his own son that he was proud of."

Aditya knew that this was one of her tricks. She was extremely good at manipulating people and playing with their heads. This was her way of making him feel guilty about killing his own father.

He didn't regret it one bit.

"You know, you were a good son to him?"

"And you were a terrible mother." Once Aditya countered, the woman laughed again.

"You think I don't know that? Haha! Here's homework for you, Aditya. Tonight go to your wife and look at her left rib. There's something interesting that I gave her there."

Aditya didn't need anything more. He knew his wife's body inch by inch, and he also knew about the huge scar on her left rib. He'd asked her once about it, but she was too immersed in pleasure to respond then.

"What did you do?" He asked, gritting his teeth, anger shimmering through his veins.

"I burned her with a hot knife edge." As soon as she completed that, Aditya's hand wrapped around her neck, choking her.

She laughed, looking at him. "I've done many things that left no scars. I'd still do it if I had her now."

"Why?"

"Because I hate her and her father. I killed him and soon I'll kill her as well. That's my revenge for all the years I suffered under that man. His blood is vile, and so is hers."

"What if I kill you before that?" He asked through gritted teeth.

"You won't. I know your secret. As soon as you kill me, the next headlines in the news would be how the Kapoor heir killed his own father. Your reputation will forever be ruined in public. Made men will turn against you because a man who kills his own family is not to be trusted. You will no longer be able to rule this city."

Aditya stilled taking heavy breaths. The woman shrugged out of his hold.

"All I ask for is Shradha. Give me her life and I'll leave with no trouble. You won't even hear from me."

Aditya didn't speak as he was busy in his own thoughts calculating all the possibilities.

"There's nothing to think about. It's not like men like you love your wives. I'm sure you just use her for your pleasure. If she dies, you can always get another one. Better one I'm sure."

She was extremely good at mind games.

"I'll be waiting Aditya. Friday night, under the high bridge. I want that whore daughter of mine. Do we have a deal?" She asked extending her hands forward.

Aditya without hesitation shook her hands and nodded. "Deal."