Charming Menace

chapter 3

You lift my heart up when the rest of me is down
You, you enchant me even when you're not around
If there are boundaries, I will try to knock them down
I'm latching on, babe, now I know what I have found

— latch, sam smith

•

For moments, silence hung in the cabin.
The air thick with tension.
Anupamaa looked at Arnav fiercely.
Almost as if she'd burn down his world without regret.

A rare sight.

Arnav's lips curved in an amused smile as he finally slipped out from behind the desk, turning off the music.
He walked down to her, casually.

"Too harsh for a first meet isn't it?", He asked, as if nothing had happened.
"No introduction, direct accusation?", He added as if in wonder.
Anupamaa drew in a sharp breath.
Now, standing before him, she seemed to remember meeting him somewhere.

Years ago.
This was not the first time they met.

Yet, that was not enough to put her mind off the restaurant that was her home.

"What are you getting by doing this Mishter Zaveri?! You are a huge businessman, not getting one restaurant will not cause you any problem! And Yashdeep sir hasn't even signed the papers yet! Who gave you the right to send people to shut down the restaurant?!", She shouted at him.
He stood before her, lips curved in a subtle smile. Gaze fixed on her face, red in anger.
His light brown eyes sparkled differently from behind the powerless spectacles.
He could have removed them as well, he had nothing to hide from her.
If this was anyone else he would have retaliated, screamed back, or even better - shot in the head.

But it was her.
And he did not feel the urge to defeat her.
It was strange how an ambitious, almost blood thirsty mafia like him was enjoying losing to her.
She paused, inhaling deeply.

"Say it again.", He whispered.
"Excuse me?", She snapped back.
"Call me Mister Zaveri again.", He said softly.
Anupamaa looked at him awkwardly.
"I love your accent.. It makes Mister sound more romantic than I love you.", He said breaking into a wider smile.

Anupamaa blinked, staring at him.
Had this man hit his head when he was a child or something?

"Did you even hear what I said?!", She asked irritably.
Arnav sighed, the smile intact.
"I have ears, unfortunately. So yes, I heard.", He said, casually putting his hands in his pocket.
"And are you not-"

"You still like dancing?", Arnav asked, completely out of context.
Anupamaa stared at him, she felt her heart skip a beat. Almost as if someone had touched an old would and reopened it.
The traumatic memories returned like a flood, like the dam of strength and fake smile had been broken just by that question.
"No.", She whispered immediately, and turned to leave. Her heart wrenched, eyes welled up with tears, breath ached.

Voices made way into her head.
"That's all? No more shouting or lecturing? Please don't tell me you lost the taste for lectures.", Arnav said from behind. 
Anupamaa paused, her back towards him.
"Okay fine.. atleast call me a misogynist or something before you go. What's this boring first meet? What will I tell my future nieces and nephews? Anupamaa ji came, screamed and then just left?", Arnav said dramatically, smiling away.

Anupamaa wanted to snap back, but her numb throat did not help.
She simply dragged herself out of his cabin, rushed out of his club.

"It's the second time Anu! Second time! The first time I was okay.. I supported you.. stood by you.. but for how long?! How much more?!", He said, his voice breaking.
The Kapadia Mansion stood in silence.
His skeptical mother looking at them and drawing in a deep cold breath.
"I.. Anuj.. I did not-"
"The doctor asked you to be careful! Last time it was unfortunate, but this time?! You had to go for that stupid dance contest?! You HAD TO?!", He shouted finally.
His frustration visible.

"Let her be, Anuj.", Malti Devi said sighing, "She is just impulsive and stupid. I told you, you deserved better, but you were blind in love."
"I was blind in love, Maa. I am not anymore.", Anuj whispered, wiping his eyes.
He took a step towards Anupamaa, eyes fixed on her in anguish.
"You caused this Anupamaa. You did.", He whispered, "You know what? I am lowkey glad we lost the baby, because you would have made a terrible mother."

Anupamaa rushed into the Dhillon House, and shut the door of her room tightly.
Struggling to breathe.
The voices echoed in her mind, almost tearing apart her soul.
Tears gushed down her eyes, as she climbed up on the bed.

That dance contest had been the last time she had danced. Never had she worn ghungroos or even remotely moved her legs to sync with the music.
Even the mention of her passion made her numb, almost paralysed her.

.

Arnav sat in his cabin, slightly offended on not being insulted enough.

"Dude, grow up please. That woman came here, shouted and walked off and you are sitting wondering why she did not give you a whole lecture?", Rohini said exasperated.
Arnav's gaze remained fixed on the wall.
His fingers casually toying with a pen.
"Something was off.", He said thoughtfully.

"Arnav, for the nth time.. How do you know her?", Rohini asked irritably.
"I met her at the Shivratri celebration. The first one we held after.. you know..", He said softly.
The vision as clear as ever before his eyes.

He had been at the puja, busily getting everything ready, keeping his mind off the death that had haunted him for months now.
It had been a different Arnav, years ago.
Unshaved, hair unkempt, eyes swollen, bloodshot.
He did not even bother to see himself on the mirror.
The three months at rehab could do nothing, he had not healed.

Hence he had decided to finally channelise his ache into anger, tears into blood - blood of the enemy.
"I am assuming everything is alright.", He said in a hollow voice.
Just then he heard someone.
"Arrey no no.. Please, I don't want to dance."

The voice, he knew. It had some kind of a magic.
He looked towards the source.
Anupamaa it was, younger and happier.
"It's okay. Dance a little bit.", He saw her husband coax her along with many others.
She smiled at him, blushing a little. So in love.
Arnav had not been bothered to notice anyone in the last few months, he barely spoke, did not talk, remained in his shell - aloof of the world.
But today, he had been pulled out of his shell.

"Fine.. If you want me to.. I will, Kapadia ji.", She said, looking at her husband with the love of lifetimes.
Arnav stared at her, smitten.
She loved her husband so much, it just made Arnav wish someone loved him that way.
With those eyes, full of affection, the smile that could enchant anyone.

He had hated Anuj Kapadia because he was a business rival, but at that moment, he felt jealous.
The hatred seemed to grow manifolds.
Anupamaa smiled as everyone cleared out a little.
Someone started the music.

Arnav turned to face her. Staring at her, his lips curving into a subtle smile.
His family had noticed him, baffled.
Life had been breathed into a dead man, it seemed.
When the dance had ended, Arnav had been the first one to clap.

Although that did not change his destiny of lifting guns and walking into the path of vengeance - it had brought him back to life.
Something that the rehab could not do.

"Wait.. she is the one who-"
"Yeah.", Arnav paused straightening up, "The woman who made Ravan smile."

...

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