by MV Kasi
Although it was still painful, Sia also maintained contact with her only blood relative—her cousin. They didn't meet often or talk often. But each year, she made it a point to call him and check on how he was doing. Dr. Kranthi Naidu was now one of the biggest philanthropists in the country who dedicated his life to the betterment of downtrodden children.
Sia was happy for him. If only she could say the same about another important person in her life.
Varun still lived alone, choosing to remain an enigma all through the five years.
Sia tried to spend as much time as possible with him. But between taking care of her family and Blush Enterprises, she couldn't dedicate as much time with him as she wanted to.
Not that Varun begrudged her for that. He had told her he understood and also that he preferred to remain alone.
But she still worried about him. Because he disappeared for days together. And each time she met him, she still saw the same demons haunting him. She wished she could help him somehow.
The only silver lining when it came to Varun was that he was opening up to someone else in his life. Sia had often bumped into a pretty woman who had been visiting him lately. Even though Varun didn't offer Sia any details, she could see that the new woman held a special place in his life. She only hoped that the woman would be the one to remove the shadows in his eyes and bring him peace.
Sia's thoughts were interrupted when the Cuckoo clock began to strike on the wall. It was one of the gifts to Anika from Harsha and Jo for her fifth birthday.
After the loud production of noisily striking six times, the room became quiet again. Yawning behind her hand, Sia slowly began to get up from the couch in the media room where she had taken a short nap.
It was summer, and still very bright and hot outside. It had been a hectic day that began quite early in the morning. They had gone to a water park with Harsha and Jo's family. The kids were super excited and weren't willing to end the day anytime soon.
And by the time they got back, it had been four in the afternoon. But the kids wanted to continue the day with something fun outdoors. Sia suggested watching a movie along with some homemade buttered popcorn.
That finally tempted the little devils to stay indoors.
As soon as she got up from the couch, her eyes fell on one of the most beautiful sights in front of her.
Ajay was sitting on a large reclining chair with Tej and Anika lying in his arms. Both the kids must have passed out like her while watching the movie.
Sia smiled at their small slack faces that were drooling on their father's shirt. Tej, who had turned two, a week ago, was sleeping on the crook of Ajay's arm, and Anika was curled around her father's chest.
The three people in front of her held her happiness and the reason for living. With them, she knew she could face anything.
But there was a time when she thought she had lost everything.
She still recalled the day from five years ago. It had been the worst and also the best day in her life.
5 years ago
She woke up from a deep sleep, feeling groggy. A second later, her mind became instantly alert. All she could recall was her uncle holding the gun towards Ajay's chest, threatening to kill him to punish Sia.
For a few painful seconds, she felt so distraught that she wanted to go back into the darkness again. But then, slowly her eyes focused on the person, sleeping next to her in a chair.
It was Ajay.
As soon as her brain processed that information, she began to sob in relief.
Listening to her loud sobs, Ajay woke up immediately. And when he saw her, his tired face broke into a happy smile.
He got up from the chair and came close to her. Before he could even sit on the bed next to her, she pulled him towards her. She began to kiss him all over his face with tears running down her cheeks.
"I'm fine, baby," he reassured.
She held him in a death grip, not letting him move away from her.
"Baby, I might hurt you. You are still weak," he murmured.
Listening to his concern for her, she stiffened and pushed him away from her. She sat up with great difficulty, and then slapped him as hard as she could.
But it was a weak slap, because she was still shaky from the knife wound, and also because the last horrifying events still ran in her mind. They would probably be forever etched into her mind.
"Don't ever do that!" she hissed. "If you ever try to save my life at the cost of yours, I'm going to kill you myself," she threatened him.
But instead of consoling her or offering an apology or even promising her never to do it again, Ajay grinned.
"I'm serious!" she hissed out.
"I know, baby," he said and kissed her nose tenderly. "Let's just hope there aren't more of such circumstances in the future," he said.
And then, he told her what had transpired after the single most horrifying moment in her life. "There was a gunshot. But it was from your cousin,"
"What?" she asked in shock.
"Yes. Apparently, Dr. Kranthi got a letter written to him by his mother before she died. In that she confessed everything. About how her husband got his father and sister killed. About how he...even got my mother killed because she was demanding an investigation."
Ajay's voice broke when he told her the part of his mother's murder.
"I'm sorry Ajay," she said softly.
"It wasn't your fault, Sia."
"Your mother was a brave lady who fought for what was right. She didn't give up on you."
"I know," he said softly.
"I wish I could go back in time and kill my uncle all over again." She felt furious with that monster that haunted them even after his death.
"Believe me, getting shot by his son was the worst kind of death for him."
"Why did my cousin shoot him? Knowing my cousin, he is the kind to let the law take over."
"Dr. Kranthi had a strong reason. His mother's death. Apparently, after the child trafficking bust, Mrs. Naidu had threatened her husband by telling him that she would reveal his ugly truth to everyone. And so, to stop her, your uncle got her murdered, making it appear like a heart attack."
Sia was stunned.
"During his last moments, you uncle even tried to beg his son's forgiveness for ordering the death of his mother. But Dr. Kranthi told his father to burn in hell. Those were the last words your uncle heard before he died."
Ajay held her hands. "Your uncle died a broken man, Sia. And his death will not be mourned by anyone he cared about. His death is only going to cause relief."
Sia was quiet. Her uncle more than deserved that kind of death.
"What about the police?" she asked. "Was my cousin arrested?" Her heart clenched for the man who had been an innocent party all along.
"Yes. But my lawyers are arguing the case using self-defense as the motive. They have a good chance of winning."
A few weeks later, Ajay's prediction came true. Her cousin was acquitted of the murder charges using self-defense as claim. She had offered to hand over the Naidu Estate to her cousin, but he had refused. But when she let Ajay convince him, her cousin reluctantly agreed.
Signing away the last of the documents that cut her ties with the Naidu Estate, had made her feel relieved. The only reason they would ever visit that place was to pay respects to Ajay's mother's grave.
"So, it's finally over," she said after walking out of the lawyer's office..
Ajay kissed her and smiled. "No, baby. This is just the beginning."
She would never forget those words in her life.
Those very words had set the tone to their new journey ahead.
Their beginning.
*****
Smiling widely, Sia looked up from the children's sleeping faces to that of Ajay's.
Her breath caught in her lungs.
Ajay was watching her with a look that she recognized quiet well. The same look he directed at her during the past six years of their marriage. A look th
at made a woman's womb quiver in need.
She laughed out softly.
"Stop watching me like that, or before you know it, you'll be holding three kids in your arms," she teased.
Even though Anika and Tej were a handful—keeping both Ajay and her constantly on their toes—they were the light of their lives. Their home was always filled with laughter and happiness because of them.
Ajay continued to watch her. And then, he lifted an arm that was free. "There is plenty of space for another one," he replied to her teasing.
She laughed again. And then, just like that, she fell in love with her husband all over again.
Covering the distance between them, she stood closer.
Ajay smiled at her, his gaze warm, reminding her that with him next to her, she could withstand anything.
She bent her head to kiss him tenderly and passionately before pulling back slightly. "As long as you have place for me too," she whispered against his lips.
He pulled her down on one of his thighs, and wrapped his free arm around her. "Always, baby. Never ever doubt it," he replied back.
Wrapping her arms around him and their kids, she sighed contently, once again feeling extremely grateful for having the life she did.
The End
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
Thank you, dear reader for hanging on with Ajay and Sia's story until the end. Please be aware that as a fiction writer, I have taken a lot of liberties with the narration of this story. I do not condone violence in real life. However, I wanted Ajay and Sia to destroy the monsters that had ruined many innocent lives.
I hope you enjoyed the story, especially the happily-ever-after ending. :)
Thank You!
MV Kasi
Please Rate and Review:
Amazon Link: smarturl.it/ruthlessrevengegames
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34892253-ruthless
ABOUT MV KASI
By day, MV Kasi works for a software company. By night, she gives in to her fascination to explore the human psychology and the various facets of life in her writing. She has particular fascination with successful people who are not considered 'normal' by society's standards.
Her love for reading has led her to start writing on her own. She likes to add depth to her characters and explore their psychological motivations. Due to the nature of topics and plots, she does not shy away from writing about sexuality or violence. Despite covering some heavy topics, she likes to infuse humor into her writing.
Important Note: If you have purchased a copy of ANY one of my books and do not have access to Kindle Unlimited, please provide an honest review to WIN a FREE copy of any ONE of my other titles available on Amazon. All you have to do is write a review and send me the link of the review to my email at [email protected].
Thank you!
MV Kasi
Email: [email protected]
Author Page URL: www.amazon.com/author/mvkasi
Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/mvkasi
Goodreads profile: https://www.goodreads.com/mvkasi
Twitter: author_mvkasi
MV KASI BOOKS LINKS
That Same Old Love (Match Made In Hell Series #1)
Amazon Link: smarturl.it/thatsameoldlove
Those Same Old Desires (Match Made In Hell Series #2)
Amazon Link: smarturl.it/thosesameolddesires
The Holiday Affair (Match Made In Hell Series Book#3) (STANDALONE)
Amazon Link: smarturl.it/theholidayaffair
Soulless (Revenge or Love?) (The Revenge Games#1)
Amazon Link: smarturl.it/soulless
Ruthless (Revenge or Love?) (The Revenge Games#2)
Amazon Link: smarturl.it/ruthlessrevengegames
THAT SAME OLD LOVE - SAMPLE
DESCRIPTION
Mahi is back to India. All she wants to do is to start over and distance herself from her past. But her path to the new beginning is challenged by her rude and grumpy neighbor, who refuses to believe in anything nice about her.
Samrat, a former class nerd—and one of Mahi's victims—is now an extremely successful entrepreneur (No thanks to her). He would rather spend his days and nights, inventing things and running his company than be bothered by the annoyingly cheerful and maddening woman. And Mahi could swear up and down that she no longer means any harm to him or his family, but he knew she would be up to no good soon. Adding to his troubles was also the fact that Mahi was now working for his company at the same office.
Will these former enemies stay away from each other without getting caught in a fierce, but unwanted attraction? Or will they fall victim to—That Same Old Love.
WARNING: Contains sexual content and some adult themes that are intended for mature reading audiences.
CHAPTER 1
"Oh god! No! No. No. No. No!"
Mahi was still staring into her messy purse. She had rummaged through it plenty of times to know that the house key was definitely missing. And also enough to know that she would have to go to the neighbor's house and ask them for the emergency spare key.
She was bone tired and hungry after a long journey from San Francisco to Hyderabad, which was made even longer due to a missed flight connection.
She was really looking forward to crashing in her childhood home the moment she entered inside. And now, she had to find a way to get inside the damn house first.
"Great. Just great. And it's not even six in the morning," she muttered, looking towards the neighboring houses.
Almost all of the homes had been renovated in some way or the other over the past fourteen years. Although not as much as the opposite house.
The opposite house was currently occupied since the lights were turned on the top floor. And she thought she even saw someone's shadow move.
But wow! It wasn't anything like the modest two-leveled structure from before.
Someone had renovated or most likely razed and built from ground up. Whoever designed it, must like building over-the-top energy efficient ultra-modern houses. The house was a stark white structure with lots of shiny brown wooden edges and plenty of glass windows. The sloped roofs around the curvy balconies had plenty of solar panels on top of them that were reflecting light.
It definitely looked odd within the homey looking houses around.
"You need to focus!" she muttered to herself as she peeled her eyes away from the house. She had plenty of time to gawk at the odd looking house from her balcony if she could get inside first.
"Okay then..." she said tiredly and walked across the street.
She rang the neighbor's doorbell a few times and waited impatiently. "Oh come on. Hurry up and open already," she muttered.
On the fourth or maybe the fifth ring, she heard footsteps inside, and then the door was finally opened by a really tall and broad man, who stood staring or rather glaring down at her with a grim expression.
"Hello, Maha Lakshmi Challuri," he said ominously.
For a second, she was really surprised and was wondering how he knew her name. Smiling politely, she was just about to ask him to excuse her for the odd hour, and then request him for the spare key. But when she looked at his face properly, especially at the thin eyebrow scar, she was shell shocked.
"Tarzan?" she blurted out his nickname from their college days, remembering it too late that he hated that name with a passion.
His face grew even grimmer, which she didn't think could be possible. And he also stood up straighter, appearing even more dangerous with his rugged features and his steely narrow eyed stare.
"No. It's Samrat Reddy," he growled.
She was still gaping at him in shock.
It has been close to fourteen years since she last saw him, and in those years he managed to fill out his tall, broad, but painfully bony body. His face had never been cute or boyish even during their college days, but now he looked even more raw and masculine, like one of those famous actors in the cowboy movies, who looked dangerous, and ready
to shoot and protect their property from the trespassers. The thin T-shirt wasn't doing a great job of concealing his impressive body either. And his hair was styled in a short, but deliberately messy way. Fourteen years ago, it had been simply falling messily over his eyes and ears.
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."
