Shades of Lies ✔ [Completed] #Book1

36. Familiar Scents, Unfamiliar Threats

Again a long chapter, hoping to get a good response from all of you.

Don't forget to vote and comment.

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Athulya's POV

My attention was divided between the pain throbbing in my arm and the looming threat of Leonardo's retaliation. The tension in the room mirrored my internal struggle, and the image of Massimo, seemingly innocent in the midst of chaos, fueled my contemplation. Afterall he is a fool with face like Corpse phol (Corpse flower). I was just imagining how he had named his son, like he met some old lady of India and named him Massi ma on her remembrance but his tongue slipped and it became Massimo or I should say masumo (Innocents) in hindi. The irony of an innocent amidst the turmoil of a devil's house lingered in my musings.

Despite the discomfort, I found solace in the familiar weight of my lucky pendant. It served as a talisman, a constant companion in my endeavors. The idea of luck might be subjective, but the pendant's presence reassured me, anchoring my thoughts amidst the chaos.

My thoughts were helping me divert from the pain in my arm, now I realised how much my bullets hurt others. But, it's not like I regret what I did , I regret what I didn't or I couldn't . I learnt everything from kickboxing, boxing, gymnastics, karate, taekwondo, using a gun at a young age. Everything I could, everything that can keep me engaged and everything that could control my anger. It worked at some point but all this failed when I needed it most, all my hardwork and pain of years went in vain. As much I try he always turns out to be much stronger than me, I becomes a piece of paper in front of him. Use it and throw. The frustration echoed in my thoughts, questioning the very essence of my efforts. Why did he always prove to be stronger? Why did my years of training falter in the face of his dominance? 

Realizing my thoughts were heading in a troubling direction, I took action to snap out of it. I wiped my face and tapped my boots on the floor, feeling increasingly uneasy. My lips were bleeding from biting them too hard.

I knew I had to stop these thoughts before they turned into a panic attack. In the dimly lit room, I focused on calming down. Deep breaths helped me regain control, and I fought against the chaos in my mind.

With every inhale and exhale, I tried to be present, pushing away the overwhelming feelings. The room's shadows reflected the struggle within me. But, I refused to let panic take over.

I concentrated on the immediate challenges, using my resolve as an anchor. The room, once filled with turmoil, gradually settled into an uneasy calm. As the tapping of my boots faded, a stillness took over.

Acknowledging my mental vulnerability, I found a renewed sense of purpose. Confronting my own mind became a challenge to overcome, alongside the external threats. 

"Calm Down! You are safe!"

"Breathe, just breathe. It's all fine."

"Stay strong. Weakness is not an option now."

"Control your thoughts, your emotions."

1,2,3..

Damn! I can never count backwards. Even this is not helping.

Frustration surged within me, and I resorted to a different outlet. I punched the walls repeatedly, feeling the impact on my bruising knuckles. The physical pain replaced the emotional turmoil, and as sweat covered my face, I found a momentary escape from the chaos within.

My phone ringed, with its sigma tone. I reached for it, my hands still shaking. Wiping my face, I checked it. It was Aarushi calling. Again, at wrong time. Oh No! I took deep breath before picking up the video call.