Enslaved by Love

CHAPTER 3

When cloud of passion faded away, Mehek came to her senses. She was repulsed by her actions. She had betrayed her love and no excuses could justify her sin. She had not reluctantly shared bed with a stranger to save her husband's life but she gave her body & mind willingly to a man who bought her for sexual services. She thought herself lower than a prostitute. She abruptly got up and looked for her clothes. As she was about to move, Shaurya held her hand. 

"Stay with me", he asked her. "I need to go. It's been almost an hour", she replied timidly. "I will pay for further hours", he tried to pull her back. "I can't. My family will be waiting for me. I need to get back home", she replied earnestly. "I will pay you double", he offered. When she was still skeptical, he offered again, "I will triple it. You can wear your clothes if you want. Just stay back in bed with me". She was desperate for money and it conquered her wish to run back home. She wore her clothes and laid beside him. Few minutes passed and he roughly pulled her to his arms. Mehek got afraid thinking he was going to roughen her up. But he just made her rest her on his chest and wound his arm around her. "Relax. I just want to cuddle", he whispered to her.

Couple of hours later, he woke up abruptly. She was sleeping peacefully in his arms. He wanted to caress her face and enjoy their morning together. 'Morning!!!', he turned around to realise that it was almost dawn. Light! He touched his scarred face and panicked. He quickly dressed up and covered his face with his hair. It was still dark but soon sun rays will pierce into the room. He pulled down the curtains to make it darker. "Wake up", he shook her roughly. 

Mehek tried to open her eyelids but before she could wake he pushed her out of the bed. "I said LEAVE", he roared. She was shocked to see change in his behavior. Was he the same man who asked her to stay back?, she wondered. He avoided her and threw many bundles of currency on bed. "Take it and leave now", he shouted. Mehek trembled while she picked up the money and shamelessly tried to count. "Counting huh? Smart one you are. No one would imagine this is your first time", he mocked her. She held her head low and fought with her tears. "It was a compliment", he felt bad for her, "Don't waste time to count. Rest assured it will be more than I promised", he told her quickly. 

"I need time to call Mishraji to pick me", she said. "I already did. He will be waiting at the gate. Now clear off", he demanded. Mehek slowly walked away. "One more thing. No need to tell your pimp that I went all soft on you. It was a favour on a debutant. When we meet next time, intend to compensate it", he warned her. "There won't be any next time", she tried to keep her voice low. "I won't bet on it, Sweet heart. You caught the whiff of it. There will be a next time as soon as you face another trouble", he mocked her. Though he wanted to bed her again, he honestly wished she wouldn't have to wh*re again to survive. As she walked away, he called her again, "Tell me your name? The actual one". "I told you already. It's Shanaya", she dashed to the door hearing his crazy laugh.

"God, you are a mess. Clean yourself", Mishra gave her a bottle of water and pack of wet tissues. She washed and wiped herself. He stopped his car few meters away from her apartment. She gave him a bundle from her bag, "Your commission". "It's okay, Mehek. Today was your first time. I will let it pass. But mind you, I will take it without fail from next time", he smiled. "I cannot do it again. Please take this money as there won't be any next time", she bit back her sob. Mishra studied her for few minutes, "Still let it be. I will leave with feeling that I was able to help someone in need. Now don't waste time and head back home. You need good rest", he advised.

Mehek opened the door with her keys. She saw Ajay sleeping on the sofa in the hall. "Mehek. You are back. Where were you? I was so worried", he held her closely. She went numb in his arms. "I tried to call you many times but your phone was switched off", he told her. He noticed slap mark on her cheek and touched her anxiously, "Mehek, what happened? How did you get hurt?". She didnt reply but took out the money from her bag, "Ajay, take half of this money and give it to Babubhai. It will hold him for another month or two. Use remaining money to set up business you were planning with Mohit. I hope you will be successful this time and don't lose it like you always do", she told him emotionally. "Mehek, how did you manage to arrange the money?", he was concerned. "I have gone through extreme difficulty to pull it together. Hope you will keep it in mind while spending it", she wept. Ajay tried to comfort her but she pulled away, "Ajay go quickly and settle everything. I need some rest". Ajay nodded and left .

As Mehek stood below shower, she scrubbed herself until her skin turned red. Still she could feel him, smell him and sense him on her. She was a little sore but couldn't deny fulfilment she tasted. Mehek thought she could never meet Ajay's eyes. But beyond guilt, she felt resentment towards Ajay for driving her to such desperation and helplessness. However she discovered a new found confidence in her, she felt empowered. She dried her hair and hit the bed, hoping against hope for her situation to turn normal, when she wakes up.

Shaurya picked up his phone and video awaited from Shruthi. Nervously he opened it. He saw Shurthi dressed up in a designer saree. She wore mangalsutra, sindoor and chooda, all signs of a married women. He couldn't control his agony on realising those belonged to Vicky and now his Shruthi too belonged to him. Her voice pierced into him, "Don't worry, I am not going to beg you to take me back. Though I expected you till the end, you never came. I understood how little I mattered to you. I am Mrs Vicky Khanna now and will perform all duties to him as loyal wife. My body and soul is at his disposal. But I can't say same about my heart now , may be over the time he will possess it too. However I am sure that you are no longer in my heart coz I hate you, infact you don't deserve even my hatred. You threw me out of your life like some trash and today I am doing the same. Shaurya Khanna, I am deleting you from my life. Good bye". Tears fell on his cheek as he threw away his phone. His agony soon turned out to be self-contempt and he trashed his room. "I am sorry, Shruthi. I love you a lot. I am sorry for hurting you, my love", he broke down

"How did you manage to get such a big amount?", Mehek's mother-in-law questioned her during dinner. "From a friend of mine, she was with me in orphanage. I met a person at spa who helped me to find her. She loaned me the money", Mehek replied as she practiced. "I wonder who is your so called Friend?", Pammi tried to probe further. "Mummy, please. Mehek went through hell to arrange it. She did it just for me. Please don't torture further", Ajay told her firmly. "She was out whole night and came back with enough money. Don't you realise it yet?', Pammi yelled. 

Mehek stood up and threw her plate down, "Yes, Ajay you should understand. The money which saved your neck came from flesh trade". Ajay and Pammi was astonished at Mehek's revelation. "Mehek, what are you saying", Ajay was stunned. Mehek quickly composed herself but replied strongly, "My friend, she is a ...she is a call girl , a prostitute. I had to wait whole night until she was done with her client. She gave me her earnings so that I can save my family. Rather than preventing her, I pushed her to sin". She ran to her room fighting her tears. She could hear arguments going on between Ajay and his mother. 

After sometime, he felt Ajay near her, "Mehek, I am sorry. You have to go through it for me. It's all my fault. I promise, I will never allow anything similar to happen in future". She leaned on him and sobbed. "We should be thankful to your friend. Whatever her profession be, she helped us during our darkest hour. Once my business is set up properly, we will return her money with interest and will try to help her to get out of her miserable job", he paused and Mehek nodded her head trying hard not to wail. 

"Well, this friend of yours, what's her name?", Ajay asked. "Shanaya", Mehek replied and shut her eyes. 'It was not you, Mehek but Shanaya . It was she who enjoyed with him. You could never cheat Ajay. It was never you but her', her mind chanted.

Shauray sat among the broken pieces, an aftermath of his anger and self-loathing. He needed a diversion. He needed her, only she can pacify him. He dialed Mishra, "Bring the same girl to me tonight. Yea, the same one who came last night". "Mr. Khanna, she may not be available tonight. I can send someone else, better and experienced", he suggested. "No , I need her. I am willing to pay more", desperation was slowly seeping into his voice. "I am sorry, Mr. Khanna. I cannot arrange for her so soon. She is a newbie and was visibly shaken after last night. She will come around in time but not now", he told him. 

"Get me her number", Shaurya demanded. "Sorry , Mr. Khanna. You know the rules", Mishra told plainly. "F*** your rules", Shaurya shouted and disconnected the call. Shaurya paced around the hall, mumbling and cursing when he noticed something unfamiliar beneath the table. He recalled asking her to leave her bag on the table. Probably it fell from her bag when is ran out his house. It was a tiny pack of tissues, a customized one coz it was clearly written on it 'Kangana's SPA'