Soulless (Revenge or Love?): A Hot Romance Thriller set in India

by MV Kasi

  He was currently looming threateningly, giving her a quick sweeping look from the top of her head to the bottom of her four inch platform heels, with a barely concealed thin lipped sneer. He had often given her similar looks during their college days, and it usually meant that she wasn't worth noticing or even wasting time on.

  That same old bloody look made her dormant attention seeking insecure persona rear its ugly head.

  "Why the hell are you still living here?" she asked him in a surly tone.

  He raised an eyebrow at her tone. "Why is that any of your business?" he asked icily. "And is that why you rang my bell so many times this early in the morning? Simply to ask me why I lived here? Now, if you'll excuse me, unlike you, I'm rather busy."

  He was just about to close the door, but had to stop when she put her foot in between and said, "Wait!"

  "What?" he snapped impatiently.

  She was annoyed at his rudeness. But beggars can't be choosers. And she really needed the spare key and also had to use a bathroom.

  Fidgeting a little and feeling ridiculous about the entire situation, she used her most friendly and polite tone. "I lost my house keys and my parents told me that they kept a spare key here...I also need to use your bathroom urgently, and then borrow your phone to make a few calls...since I don't have a phone yet."

  He didn't move or respond to her for a few seconds. "Quite a list of demands. You really haven't changed much, have you? Demanding as ever," he said, shaking his head and sneering slightly. But he thankfully moved aside. "Come in. The guest bathroom is to the right, next to the elevator."

  She didn't want to argue with him or get defensive about his inaccurate deductions.

  Quickly going into his house, she found the bathroom.

  After a while, when she was washing her hands, she stared at the white marble lined bright bathroom. There were way too many buttons next to the shower cubicle.

  Shaking her head slightly, she went out to the living room and took in her surroundings.

  No family pictures or anything resembling remotely homey even on the inside. The interior of the house had an extremely cold and sterile modern decor. There were several large control panels with touch screens and buttons. Even the furniture looked sleek and ultra-modern with buttons on them.

  "Oh wow. Your house looks so futuristic rather than simply modern. I almost expect a couple of robots to pop out from your woodwork," she remarked while looking around.

  "Maybe next time I decide to re-decorate the house, I'll call you for consultation," he replied stonily.

  She was taken aback by his sarcastic response. Assessing him slowly, she realized that he had every right to be rude to her even after all these years because of what she had done to him. And she also knew that it was high time she apologized to him for that.

  "Samrat...I'm really very sorry for what I did to you...you know...about the cheating allegations. I knew you didn't cheat and what I did was wrong...I even told my parents later about it, and asked them to speak with the dean and to our principal on your behalf."

  She looked at him sincerely. "Until I was in San Francisco, I really didn't know that they had cancelled your scholarships or your admissions. Had I known, I would have definitely done something more to have them re-instated."

  He was slowly simmering. "Oh really? I didn't know that the Stanford or MIT deans were on speaking terms with you."

  "No. I-I meant that...that...come on, you know what I actually mean."

  "I don't. Please do let me know what you actually mean."

  Based on his expression, Mahi knew he wasn't ready to hear anything from her, let alone forgive her. She could fall on his feet and beg for forgiveness, but he wouldn't relent.

  "It was a very long time ago, Samrat."

  She knew he deserved a better apology. Maybe once she was well rested and cleaned up, she'd meet him again to apologize properly.

  "Anyway, can I get the spare key now?" And then she remembered that she had to let someone know of her arrival. "Also, can I borrow your phone to make a couple of phone calls? One of them is an international call."

  "Sure. Why not? I've been waiting for you to arrive this early in the morning, so I could cater to your demands." He handed her a sleek white phone from his pocket. "Here. You can make international calls on this. Meantime, let me get your key."

  She took the phone gingerly from his hand. It was so white and shiny, it looked like it might get dirty even with gloves on.

  Her first call was a very brief one, simply informing the person on the other end of her arrival. The next call was to her brother, to let him know she'd reached India safely.

  Apart from a disinterested acknowledgement, her brother didn't have anything else to ask. Her mother and father were too busy to talk to her as usual. "Give Paddu and Nikhil my love. Let them know I've asked for them," she said softly before hanging up.

  Samrat was already waiting with the spare key in his hand, looking impatient and restless, as though he couldn't wait for her to take it and get the hell out from his house.

  CHAPTER 2

  Mahi stared at Samrat's stony face for a few seconds.

  Even if she wasn't welcome anymore and her brain was shutting down with exhaustion, she wanted to try and apologize one more time before she came up with a decent lengthy apology.

  "Look Samrat, I know what I did was inexcusable. I was young and stupid then. You must know how it is...to be young and stupid."

  He folded his arms together looking all the more formidable. "I don't."

  She let out an uncomfortable laugh. "Oh come on. Even you must have done some stupid things in your late teens or early twenties. I know I did plenty."

  He scoffed. "I think everyone knows and remembers what you did." Then looking thoughtful, he wrinkled his elegant nose as though something disgusted him. "Just the late teens and twenties? From what we have heard, even your late twenties and early thirties continued to have the so called young and stupid moments. An extramarital affair leading to a divorce? How very...modern of you."

  She was slowly getting irritated with him. "I didn't know thirty five year old men in India are part of the gossip network. Wow, India must have really changed during these past fourteen years."

  She hated how judgmental people could be and maybe it was not the time to apologize when he wasn't in a receptive mood. "Anyway, can I have that key now?" she asked impatiently.

  Samrat rested his body on the back of a couch as though preparing to have a long drawn out discussion. "We Indian men try to keep up with the gossip news as well, especially when it comes to someone who almost destroyed our lives."

  She sighed. "I'm glad the men here are well informed now, but I really have to leave. So if you don't mind..."

  She extended her hand.

  He ignored it.

  "So...Tell me, were you too bored with your much older, rich and pedigreed husband that you soon developed a wandering eye for younger men?"

  Mahi narrowed her eyes and snapped out, "Yeah, I have a bad reputation. But guess what? It took me years of very dedicated effort to get there. And looks like you turned into a judgmental gossipy old lady in all these years. I somehow imagined you'd be an arrogant absent minded genius who became a self-made millionaire or billionaire...or whatever it is you are worth now. Since when do you engage in such common gossip?"

  When he didn't respond, she sighed wearily. "Look, obviously you have better things to do, and I really need to get going as well. I know you want me to repent and suffer. I already do, believe me...and I've already told you that I'm really sorry. I'm not sure what else you want me to do."

  Samrat dropped his hands to the sides and stood up straight with a grim expression. "What do you think I could ever want from someone like you?"

  She ignored his obvious insult and frowned. "I don't know...Maybe some sort of revenge? I know you think you deserve one and I agree. But seriously, I'm really, really tired and I'm about to fall down at your feet
with exhaustion. Can I please have that key?"

  He didn't move or respond again, and she had exhausted all her energy to think of other ways to get that key from him. Short of throwing a serious hissy fit and tackling him to the floor to drag the key from his hands, she knew there was nothing she could do.

  Making one last attempt, she went closer to him with a friendly smile pasted on her face. She had to crane her neck up as he was towering on top of her. Even with her four inch platform heels, her eyes were at his throat level.

  "Oh come on Samrat. You are a successful gazillionare whose face is splashed all over Forbes and other oh-so-great magazines, while I ended up being just a measly divorcee with a bad reputation like you just said. See how Karma got back at me? You already got your revenge. Can I have my key now?" she asked him sweetly with an outstretched hand

  He scoffed. "You think that compensates for what you did to me personally?"

  Sick and tired of their cat and mouse game, she snapped out, "Do what you want later, but stop throwing a freaking tantrum and give me the damned spare key!"

  She had barely finished saying the word key, when he grabbed her outstretched hand and pulled her against him. Emitting an "Oof" when she hit his chest, she looked up at him in surprise.

  He was glaring down at her with a quiet menace.

  She froze.

  Her heart was speeding up in response to a sick irrational fear, but she refused to show any reaction or fight him off. She also couldn't get her eyes away from him. Especially at his jaw, which was clenched and she could also feel his fingers digging into her upper arms. A few seconds or maybe a few minutes passed by and their staring seemed to go on and on. She could hear a dog barking from somewhere and the milkman announcing a delivery from outside the house.

  One of her hands was on his chest for balance and to also push him away in defense if needed. She could feel his heart beat erratically under her hand, either fighting for control or building up rage.

  She could have screamed, or kneed him in his delicate area to put an end to the current display, but she stayed still.

  He was staring at her lips. "You accused me of forcibly grabbing you and kissing you. It was on a balcony at Chandra's house during a party in our final year. Do you remember that?" he asked tonelessly, before looking into her eyes, "You were almost drunk at that time, but I'm sure you were aware of the lie."

  "I-I remember it...and I was aware that I lied," she stuttered, recalling the incident clearly.

  She knew his grabbing her would slowly have a terrifying effect on her and she would embarass herself. But luckily before anything happened, her instincts kicked in.

  She refused to be cowed. "Go ahead then. Kiss me, if it makes you feel avenged. I know I will feel relieved. One mistake among hundreds washed away." Then mustering some more courage, she slowly and deliberately grinned at him. "I wish I could simply kiss away my other mistakes as well. But then...I'll probably have to hunt the people I hurt, and kiss them all. And your sister in particular will definitely not be so receptive to my kisses."

  *****

  Samrat continued to stare at her stonily with narrowed eyes.

  The woman in front of him was really something.

  He remembered how she used to have a huge ego. She used to think that everyone wanted her.

  He didn't.

  In fact he had no idea why he would grab her like a villain from a bad movie. But when she looked so impatient and brushed off what she did to him as something insignificant, he simply lost it.

  He definitely didn't think that her hurried apology from before would ever begin to compensate the trauma he had gone through, when she accused him of cheating during their finals. And she was behaving as though he was the one being extremely unreasonable and immature by not letting their past go. The humiliation and the loss, not just for him, but for his entire family had affected him through the years. Then there was also the matter of other false allegations she threw at him...

  He had felt like an idiot indulging or even listening to the gossip about her past, and then repeating it to her. But he really needed to let her know that everyone was aware of her circumstances and also that whatever malicious games she might have planned would be ineffective due to her reputation.

  Mahi smiled flirtatiously. "While I'm really looking forward to compensate my mistakes with kisses, can we take a rain check? Maybe we can get back to this some other time when I'm a little more groomed and not about to collapse in exhaustion."

  At that smile, he let her go immediately and moved a few steps away like she had a contagious disease.

  She followed after him and pulled out the key from his fingers, while he stood in shock and disgust.

  "Later. Nice...uh...catching up with you, Samrat," she said, waving at him cheerfully, before turning to leave.

  The door closed behind her and she was gone.

  Leaving him dumbfounded.

  What the hell just happened? Did I just really grab a woman?

  He felt off balance, as he always did when he saw her or was around her.

  It was something that he hadn't ever acknowledged to himself, because he refused to waste even a second thinking about her back then. But now, he knew what it was.

  He was attracted to her.

  He realized that fact in horror and disgust. And at nearly thirty five, Mahi still had that raw charisma about her that the travel worn clothes and a tired face could not hide.

  He cursed viciously, even though he didn’t usually swear. Not because he thought it was bad, but because he didn’t allow his emotions to get to the point where using bad words was necessary.

  This is going to be a complete disaster.

  CHAPTER 3

  Mahi walked away from Samrat's house in a daze. Her mind was blank and she was beyond tired. What she needed was a nice hot bath and a long nap.

  She got into her house and dragged her bags along. It wasn’t even seven in the morning, but the heat was slowly setting in. She had forgotten how hot it got in Hyderabad even during mid-February.

  Grabbing a fresh towel and some toiletries from one of her bags, she headed towards the bathroom. She stepped into the shower and let the cool water wash away part of her fatigue.

  As she stood there, her mind wandered.

  Even though she promised herself not to think about the past, the images of the night when she had accused Samrat of kissing her rushed through her mind.

  Fourteen years ago

  It was their final year in college and most of them had been drinking or playing cards to celebrate their friendship. The finals were only a couple of months away and they wanted to let down their hair before scrambling with finals, visas or jobs. Around twenty people were crammed inside Chandra Kumar's apartment while his parents were away for the weekend.

  She was sitting in her boyfriend Sidhu's lap and playing poker with six other couples.

  She had been recklessly betting and losing money, while Sidhu was smiling and indulging her by pulling out the currency notes from his wallet.

  "Mahi, I think we have lost a thousand already. I don't think I have any more money left in my wallet."

  "Ohh come on Sidhu. Borrow then. We can't lose... you know I hate losing." She pouted at him.

  Sidhu kissed her softly on her cheek. "Okay, maybe we can join back in the next round. Let's get you some fresh air, since you are slurring a little. I have to drop you home in couple of hours and I need you to be completely sober by then."

  A delicious tasting mango based cocktail was giving her a light buzz. She was used to having alcoholic drinks, but the fact that she sipped it too fast got the alcohol into her head right away.

  Sidhu wasn't drunk, since he was both a vegetarian and a non-alcoholic. But he had never insisted that she adapt to his lifestyle and she loved him even more because of it.

  He held her around her waist and hugged her close as they walked towards a balcony. Even though they kept their other heavy make-out sessi
ons private, Sidhu had always shown his affection publicly, by kissing her cheek or laying his hands across her shoulders or waist, making her feel loved and cherished. He was one of the best things that had happened in her life.

  Before they could reach the balcony for some fresh air, someone stopped Sidhu for information on the visa documentation.

  "That's okay Sidhu. You go ahead and talk. I'll be near the balcony," she said.

  When she got there, she realized that someone was already occupying it.

  It was Samrat.

  He was staring at some distant buildings, lost in his own thoughts when she stood next to him, breathing in some fresh cool air.

  He turned to look at her for a couple of seconds, before turning back to stare at the buildings some more.

  "I saw that," she said, slurring slightly.

  "What?" he asked, sounding uninterested.

  She scoffed. "That judging look you just gave me. You already think I'm pretty bad with lots of character flaws, and now you want to add 'is a drunkard' to the list."

  "Your words not mine. And believe me, I don't spend any of my time thinking about your character flaws, or adding your habits to an imaginary list," he replied, still looking away from her.

  That annoyed her.

  She recalled how he had always ignored her at their college and near their houses. He behaved as though she was invisible. And she didn't take kindly to anyone being indifferent to her or ignoring her.

  Huffing, she turned away and tried to ignore him.

  "You know...you should thank god that I even acknowledge your existence or even talk to you, you nerd," she muttered.

  "Hmm. I'm going to write a thank you note to god very soon," he replied nonchalantly.

  She turned her head towards him with narrowed eyes, and then felt...confused. She had always felt that way around him. Samrat was nowhere as good looking or even as charming as Sidhu. In fact Samrat looked dangerous with his eyebrow scar, a default scowl and his rugged face. A sane girl would never find him cuddly or have soft romantic feelings looking at him.