Chapter 23: Chapter 23

"Selfish pig!" Anahita curses, groaning and her eyes throws daggers at calmly sitting yuvraaj who is busy in a conference on his laptop.

She whirls back to the sea and occludes the urge to strangle him. The swing in the balcony is her mourning room. Whenever she's low or feeling down, she sits on the wooden plank and wraps her hands around her knees, spending hours in pitying herself and cursing her husband.

"It was all his tactic and I, being innocent tad, fell into his trap." She pities herself and her face drops, she looked down at her feet in the sand and absentmindedly swings them, "Swine. I was not wrong when I said I hate him. He's a heartless monster."

She retains calling him names. It has been three days, she has set her foot out their Villa except for dinner and a lazy wander. She considers Yuvraaj heartless enough to arrange his conference even on being holidays. He was extremely busy working past two days and today, since the moment she has opened her eyes. He was stuck to his laptop. She felt suffocated within the four walls. Last trip fascinated her so much that she wanted to enjoy but certainly Yuvraaj didn't want that.

As her calm and collected facade starts peeling off, she rises to her feet and strides to him, folding her hands belligerently.

Seeing anahita on his head, yuvraaj holds out his index finger and pauses the conference, removing the earplugs, glancing at her questionably, "What happened?"

Not to come out as needy, she plays, "I think you have no concern for others efforts."

"What?"

"Yes. I mean, aai spent so much for us and you..are wasting all the money by sitting inside. Why don't we go out and explore the city?" She suggests, measuring her words and he smirks, "If we'll go outside, we will spent more money than being here. Now tell me what is smart way?"

"I never knew you're so penurious. You shouldn't have come here if you are afraid of costing a penny." She jibes and yuvraaj waves his hand, dismissing her as his call resumes, "Will talk later."

"I am not dying to talk to you either." She spats and stomping her foot, trolls back to the balcony. Beach is so serene but she is tired of walking alone. Anahita is the kind who suffers from athazagoraphobia. She is not peripatetic rather Limerick. Yuvraaj's indifference isn't something she ponders much but her indifferent attitude is what making her nervous.

Anahita surmises that her growing attachment for him would end up causing another heartbreak, it would build up a spell of hiraeth yet she couldn't bring herself to repel.

To crown it all, mukund is not a relief at all. His increasing rates of calls and the messages pinged her so much that she block listed him. Anahita is also the type who never allows any jab on their self respect. She is not certain what and how her life is heading yet she want to make decisions, like always.

Her cellphone beeps again and frown lines appears on her forehead, she has no idea how again mukund manage to call her up but when she checks the caller ID, her face lightens up.

"Hello, aai! Tu kasa ahes?(how are you?)" She chirps like a morning bird as she notices it is her mother in law.

"Me changla aahe. Majhi avadati mulgi kashi aahes? Tumche pati tumla uttam vagdook det aahe ka? Apan anand ghet aahat?(I am completely good. How's my favourite daughter? Is your husband treating you good? Are you guys having fun?)" Mrs. Prakash bombards anahita with questions and she giggles.

"Yes. I am good but your son is not." She complaints, pouting like a kid, "He is keeping me captive in the Villa. It has been three days since we have gone out. I am seeing anything else except sea, ceiling, bed, bathroom, wardrobe and that's it."

Unaware of the mortification that she is bringing up to her, anahita continues, "I asked him to let's roam and he said, we will spend more money that way. Why don't we stay in? Is this the manner, aai? What's the use of coming in such beautiful place if he is not planning see around."

"Really! I will talk to him." Mrs. Prakash cosets her and anahita smiles, "Leave him. Tell me how's baba and geetika?"

"Everyone is good here. Sushant bhau came home two days ago, he was asking about you." Hearing this, anahita's face drops, "Dad didn't call me." She spells slowly.

"Yes. He was saying, he couldn't get time. Anyways, once you're back. You can go to your paternal home for few days." Mrs. Prakash cheers her up, unaware of the dispute between her family and she. Anahita doesn't push it much and diverts the conversations towards other topics.

Nonetheless, her heartache which slowly started to shun away, seeps back with rapid pace and this time, it stings more.

**********

Keep calm anahita! He's just trying to irk you. Anahita tries to calm herself while popping her fingers one by one as the Great Yuvraaj Prakash once again decided to display his sculpted body in show.

Just like other days in their adobe, yuvraaj is roaming half naked with a towel tightened around his waist and anahita is glaring her sitting on the bed, folding her legs. Not to mention about her sour mood.

"You are doing it again anahita." Yuvraaj comments while taking out his formals from the bag and smirks to her "Why don't you just admit that you can't resist my body?"

"I was thinking how shameless a person can be." She fumes, faking a smile and gets off the bed "It has been almost three weeks, Yuvraaj, I am asking you not to roam in towel and you've turned into a deaf ear."

"What exactly do you want?" She demands, standing before him and he sighs, "I was also wondering how obstinate a person can be!" Anahita draws her eyebrows together as he goes on, "I mean since the last time we argued, I have not changed my habit because this is the way I am but you...you say it's shameless and whatever, still you gawk at me daily, without any blink. Why can't you just go out when I change?"

Anahita catches off guard, she blinks furiously, this wasn't the notion she pondered over and he has a point because she stays in the suite when he changes but neither he has changed and nor she has looked away.

"So? The point is of etiquette! You should change your habit." She stands still, ready to have a fight and does not back down.

"Etiquette? Really!" Yuvraaj guffaws, giving her a look, "Anahita, where are your etiquette when you stare at me?" He wears his shirt calmly.

"Please ha!" Anahita gets ready to blow his ego again "You have nothing to stare at?"

This time, it's just too much for yuvraaj. A girl can't come and insult and walk out. He grips her forearm and pushes her into the wall next to them, caging her between his arms.

"Why? Tell me what's wrong with my body that puts you off?" He demands calmly but his eyes holds a darkness, hurt and anger mixed lethal combination.

Anahita blinks and wriggles, "Let me go, yuvraaj!" She tries to push him but he grips her wrist, "Not before you answer me."

He looks into her eyes, intensely "Tell me! Why do you keep saying that I've nothing to flaunt?" He slowly makes her fingers drawl on his naked torso.

Anahita sucks a sharp breath, widening her eyes as she feels like touching sculpted silk under her fingertip, that tanned yet smooth skin, defined with six abs makes her gulp loudly. Her eyes slowly roves southwards and she drinks in the exotic sight before her.

Her chest heaves up and down, with a steady pace and she inches up her lashes to drilled into his eyes. Her lips trembles as she purses them before licking and intones, "Let me go, Yuvraaj!"

"Say it affects you." He insists, whispering back and leaves her wrists but anahita doesn't take her hands back, except she smooths along her fingers horizontally towards his torso.

"It does." She confesses, inaudibly, not flickering her eyes off his body and yuvraaj breaths in content. Mirth dissolving around him. He steps closer to her, trapping her more, "Say I affect you."

"You do." She mouthes, in trance and trails her pointed nails on his broad shoulders and scrunches her nose, pushing him a little, "Not. You do not affect me. Now go and get dressed."

"You need to see a doctor if I am unable to turn you on." Yuvraaj chuckles, buttoning his shirt and she rolls her eyes, going back to the bed.

"Of course! What are you? A seduction machine."

"Um. More prominent than that." He smirks, "That reminds me, what the hell did you tell say to mom? Have you sell your brain for pennies! Who shares this type of information?"

Anahita gapes at him, recalling her conversation, "I didn't say anything. I just told her what you're doing? I mean two days back, you were all 'I apologize, beg me pardon' and then suddenly...." She trails off.

"First thing first, I never said beg your pardon. Second, after then suddenly?" He presses, plopping on the bed and she sighs, "Fine. You don't care that I am here with you. I mean how can you bring your office work here. Two days and I am hell bored but you look like you don't care."

"So you complaint to mom? That too saying I am keeping you captive here and doesn't let you go out? Do you know how that sounded?" If it wasn't his looks, anahita probably couldn't understand the hidden meaning.

Her eyes widens as she shakes her head furiously, "I didn't mention that."

"Of course! You didn't but my mom is smarter." He scoffs, falling on his back and anahita contorts her face in coyness, considering what her mother in law was thinking.

"Um..what did you say then?" She asks slowly and yuvraaj shrugs, "What was left to say?"

She clears her throat and looks around, "You...I mean...didn't you....I!" Yuvraaj eyes her incredulously, balancing his weight on his elbow, "I handled the situation. That's what you must know and rest is of no use. As far my work, it was important otherwise I would never do paperwork on holidays."

"You should've told me then." She mumbled, getting up when he clamps her wrist, "I am telling you now. Get ready, we are going out."