The Mafia's Collateral

Part 24

Arohi's P.O.V.

In my room, I began playing some soft and romantic song tracks and took up a pillow. I held it and began dancing around in my room. I was on cloud nine. I was too happy. Who could have thought that I would fall in love with Mafia? The same Mafia who had brought me here forcefully and even pointed a gun at me to kill me. The same Mafia who used me to get his business deal and made me work so hard to repay Dad's debt to him. I fell on my bed and smiled hugging the pillow. "I love you Mafia," I said. I buried my face in my pillow. I am just waiting for tomorrow when I will confess what you wanted to hear for so long. I can hardly even wait a second longer. I blushed and buried my face in my pillow. "Arohi! Come and eat!" Dad called me. I smiled and got up and went outside. "Hi!" I said chirpy. Dad and Ananya looked at me taken aback. "Someone's in a good mood," Ananya said. I smiled. I served myself and quietly began eating. "Where did you go?" Dad asked me. I looked at him with a morsel of food in my hand halfway to my mouth. "I went to meet Mafia," I said. "Arohi, is there any problem? A while ago in Deep's room...." she said but I stopped her saying, "Everything is absolutely fine." "What happened in Deep's room?" Dad asked worriedly. I held his hand and said, "Nothing happened. Everything is fine. I am telling you. Trust me." He smiled satisfied. Ananya looked at me and shook her head. After dinner, Ananya came to my room and asked, "Why didn't you let me tell Dad what's going on?" "How can I let you? You know that Dad suffers from high blood pressure and I just don't want him to be worried because of me," I said. "But Arohi..." she said but I cut her off saying while holding her hand, "Ananya, don't you trust us?" "Us?" she asked with a arched eyebrow. "Mafia and me," I said. She took her hand out of mine and said, "It's not that Arohi. God forbid if something happen to you, Dad would be more hurt then. If we tell him now, it's better." "I understand your point but I trust Mafia. I know that he wouldn't let any harm befall me. He would do anything to protect me. He can even give his life to protect me," I said. 

"And why would he go that far for a debtor's daughter?" she asked. "Because he..." I started but stopped. How can I tell her that he loves me? "Because?" she asked. I took a deep breath and made her sit on the bed. I sat next to her and said, "I know him. He took a bullet for me. Do you know how big of a deal that is? He took a bullet on himself which was meant for me!" She looked away from me with a frown. I knew she wasn't convinced. "Don't you trust him?" I asked. "It's not about trusting him. I completely trust him. I am only worried about Dad. How long will we hide this from him?" she said. "Fine! First thing tomorrow, I will tell him. Happy?" I said after giving up to her. "No! You will go right now!" she said. "He must have gone into his room to rest. Let him be. Why snatch tonight's sleep from him? I will explain everything to him tomorrow. I promise," I said. She looked at me seriously and said, "Promise?" I smiled and hugged her. She broke the hug and asked, "Can I sleep here tonight?" I smiled and nodded. She kissed my cheek and laid down without wasting a moment. She pulled the blanket over her and snuggled in my bed. I turned off the lights and laid next to her. I stared at the ceiling while thinking about Mafia. From the first time I saw him, to when he took the bullet for me, to when he was in the hospital, all the moments we had together. I smiled unknowingly. "Are you sleepy?" Ananya asked. "No," I said. "Me too. I can't stop thinking about Deep," she said. I turned and looked at her smiling face with a frown. "Do you know? When I saw him for the first time, he just kept staring at me. I was dancing with Dad but I just couldn't take my eyes off of him. I thought that I might never see him again but look at destiny, he is the same person who was longing to be with me and he was the same person that we were running and hiding from for months. Destiny is so strange but it always bring you the right destination," she said. I began to feel sad and guilty. "You really love him don't you?" I asked fearing the answer. 

She heaved a sigh and said, "I don't know still." She turned her head to me and continued, "Sometimes he comes so close to me, and sometime, he go very far away from me. He has me confused. I don't know what he feels for me. When he saw me the day I landed here, he didn't say a word to me. He didn't even look at me properly. He didn't even allow me to sit in his car. He reached home and left us without saying anything. Then after that, he came close to me. He carried me on dates. He talked to me. He spent time with me. And now, it feels like before. He doesn't even care about me." I remained silent and felt bad for her. This is all because of me. "But he isn't like this with you," she said, "He takes so much care of you. He scolds you but after that, feels guilty and comes to meet you. You are allowed in his apartment anytime. He is not the same person to both of us. He treats you way better." "It's not like that. He cares for everyone around him. It's just that I have spent so much time with him that he seems more comfortable with me perhaps. If you spend more time with him, you will see the real him. And the real him is not the Mafia Deep Raichand but just Deep," I said. "I think that he isn't interested in me anymore," she said. "Why are you thinking all of this? Just clear your mind and get some sleep," I said to her. "Hmm...you're right," she said. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. I looked at her sadly. I got out of the bed and went outside and sat by the table with a glass of water. "What do I do? Ananya is also falling hard for him? And it's because of her I wanted to stay away from Mafia. I can't break her heart," I spoke to myself. I ran my hand through my hair and remained frustrated. "But how can I control my feelings any longer? Even I can't stay away from Mafia. I love him!" I said, "What do I do?" I gulped down the glass of water. "You are still waking?" Dad said coming out of his room. I gave my attention to him as he sat with me. "I was feeling a bit thirsty," I said. We both remained silent for a while. Can I ask Dad for advice? "Dad..." I started, "I have a problem." "Tell me," he said. 

How do I tell him? "I have this friend in my class....She is in love with this guy but her sister is also in love with the same guy," I said cautiously. "And the guy?" Dad asked. "The guy is also in love with her but she is feeling guilty. She doesn't want to snatch away her sister's love," I said. "Listen, if the guy and your friend is in love, then obviously they should be together," he said. "But her sister?" I said. "If her sister truly loves her, then she can sacrifice her love," he said. I thought about his words for a while. "But if my friend sacrifices her love for her sister?" I said. "But doesn't the guy love your friend?" he asked. "He does but my friend is forcing him to spend time with her sister so that he can fall in love with her," I said. He began shaking his head and said, "See, this is your friend's mistake. She can't force the guy to love her sister. Love isn't done after thinking and contemplating. It just happens. And if he is in love with your friend, then it's no one's mistake. He didn't think and love her. Just like her sister, she didn't think and love the guy so it's no one's mistake." He sounded right. "So what should she do?" I asked. "It's better for your friend to admit that she loves the guy in front of her sister. If she forces the guy to fall in love with her sister then she would be breaking the guy's heart, her heart and her sister's heart. No one will be happy. One broken heart is better than three right?" he said. His words rang in my head. "So should I confess to Mafia?" I murmured. "What?" Dad asked. "Nothing Dad. Thanks for the advice," I said. "No problem," he said and got up. He turned around to walk away but looked back at me and asked me with narrowed eyes and a confused look, "By the way, which one of your friends is this? I thought that only Danny is your friend?" I looked at him dumbfounded. "Uhh... Dad, she is a girl in my class," I said. "Ok, good night," he said and went to his room. I heaved a sigh and dropped my shoulders in relief. I began contemplating on his words and my problem. Maybe he's right, it's better to break one heart than three. But that one heart is my sister's heart! How can I?

This is so frustrating! "Urghhh....This Mafia! He has destroyed my sleep and is sleeping soundly in his room!" I said annoyed. I stomped my feet on the ground and covered my face with my palms. I removed my hands and took some deep breaths. "Relax Arohi, relax. You will find a solution. Don't overthink," I said to myself, "Now go and sleep, we will take care of tomorrow tomorrow." I went back to my room and laid next to Ananya. I closed my eyes. The next day, I got up and got ready. I left the apartment and thought about going to meet Mafia. I stood at the elevator which was for any visitors but it was taking so long to open. Then I got a devious idea. I will use Mafia's lift. I smiled and went to his lift which was right next to the other elevator. I pressed the button and waited. Soon, the door opened and Mafia was inside with two of his bodyguards. I froze to my spot and looked at him bewildered. My heartbeat fastened as I thought about how I confessed my feelings when he was asleep. I couldn't stop staring at him. He was dressed in his suit as usual but something seemed different today. Or maybe it's just from my eyes. He stood and looked at me with a straight face. I smiled silently. 

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Hey guys! After so long! I am really sorry for the long wait. But all my exams are finished so you might get some updates faster. Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed it and please vote and comment. Also share my book with your friends. And you guys can follow my profile so that when I post an announcement, you guys will get the notification. I follow back everyone. Until next time! Bye! Love you!