My alarm was ringing on the side table of the mattress. I broke my eyes from sleeping and rubbed my eyes with my fingers. There was no window in this room. I didn't sleep in this room. How did I come here? It panicked me. I removed the blanket and looked down at me. I was in the same dress. I sighed a relief breath. How did I come here? Alarm was still ringing. I turned it off. I stepped down. Cold floor greeted my bare feet, my heels were gone. I put the slipper on and lazily walked toward the washroom. I brushed my teeth. Warm water was taking away my laziness. After showering, I opened my cupboard. I picked a printed white gown for me. I donned my clothes and light makeup. I remembered his words ' Happy Bride.' I put on platform heels. I saw myself in the mirror. I gathered my books and placed them back in my backpack. I removed my phone from the charger. I hung my backpack on my shoulder and paced to the door. I turned its knob. But it was locked. I knocked on it, " Hey! I'm getting late for my classes. " I shouted. I waited for anyone to open it. But none did. That meant I would not go out of this cage and meet my friends to spend some happy moments. I threw my backpack on the bed. I was disappointed and plopped on the bed. I heard footsteps out in my room. Instantly I sat to see who.
Door creaked open, " Good morning. " Tann said.
I sighed and smiled, " Hey! Good morning, Tann. " I said.
" Tann! " he exclaimed, " Who told you I am Tann. " he asked.
" When he kidnapped me. He said to you Tann. " I said, giving him my confused look. Why was he asking this to me? Wasn't he Tann?
" Oh! Let me drive you to your classes. " he said.
I spun and picked my backpack. Hanging it over my shoulder, I paced behind him. I was feeling hungry but I ignored it. I wanted to go out.
" Good morning, Tann. " he said.
When I followed his gaze, it was the same man who answered Duante on behalf of me, mid thirty, " What's your name then? " I asked surprisingly.
" Thomas," he replied.
" I'm sorry." I pursed my lips and stared at the marble, " It was a misunderstanding. " I whispered. In our normal family when we made a mistake. We expect scolding. But this family was dangerous. I don't know what they would do.
" No problem." he smiled.
I blew out a hot breath, " Thanks." I murmured.
But he led me to the dining table. I took my seat. Head seat was empty. We were eating in peace. My gaze was going again and again on his seat.
" He is busy today with a lot of meetings and conference calls. " he said, examining me.
I gave him my fake smile. I stood up and moved toward the door. No bulky man tried to stop me.
It was the same black jeep like yesterday. It was traffic today. It took us a long time to reach there. Rose and Mini were already waiting for me. Today we chatted a lot and studied less. We saw last night's pictures and videos. We discussed every single detail. I asked about my parents. It made me sad. They will not change their thinking.
When my time was over. It was hard to part from them after classes. Because this was the time when I got time to spend my old peaceful life. Tann means Thomas was on the right time. I waved and hugged my friends and got in his jeep. I took out my note book and started to study whatever I missed in our smiling time.
We were on necklace road. He increased the speed of the jeep. I removed my eyes from the notebook and gazed at him. I saw him tense. " What happened?" I asked.
" Staple your seat belt and hold something securely. " he ordered.
I couldn't understand him. I watched out of the window. A black scorpio was speeding up with us. These both cars weren't only participating in the race. We were surrounded by them. I immediately applied his instruction. Black scorpio hit our jeep from the driver 's side. It jolted our jeep and us, " Are they mad?" I tensed.
" They've been fed up with their life. '' he annoyed.
" Should we call the police or someone? " I asked. But he was already on call.
Scorpio was continuously hitting on my door side. I was sighting out of the window, " Hold tightly Eveleen. " he said with excitement. But I was scared. We were surrounded by them. Every hit by the other car was creating a dread in my chest. I hadn't started enjoying my life yet. Here I was facing death.
I did it and held my seat tightly. He hit the break suddenly. The scorpio from behind us hit the back of the jeep. I felt a push. Our jeep stopped. Front car was moving ahead without knowing what was happening behind it, making room for our jeep to get away. His plan worked and he speeded up the jeep, breaking the enclosed from their cars.
" Morons." He mumbled.
I heard gunshots behind me. I turned to see. Their heads were out of the window and they were shooting at us. He was continuously fast driving the jeep. I heard a blast. I gave him my widened eyes look. My hands were shivering, " What was that? " I asked in fear.
He quickly glanced at the side mirror, " Tire exploded. " he said.
The jeep stopped at some distance. He hurriedly helped me to unbuckle me. He took out his gun. He got out of it and I opened the damaged door. He came to my side. He firmly held my wrist, " Don't look back. If something happens to me, run away as far as you may, " he said.
It terrifies me. He may be a bad person but I didn't want this. Fear was clawing me every second. He is good to me. He threatened me to kill my cousins but he didn't. He is the only one person in his house who talked to me and helped me to attend my classes, " Why are you talking like this? " I asked with tears.
" I'm kidding. You'll be safe. We're going to survive it. " he smirked, " Now run. "
I threw away my heels and ran with him on the road. He was turning back and shooting at them. I didn't know if they were dying or not. I didn't dare to look back. We were running. I was hearing gun shots without a break. I heard a groan from Thomas, " What happened? " I stopped to know.
I squealed. Blood was running down from his arm in a small line. He got a gun shot. Gun fell from his grip. It numbed me. " Run. " he shouted.
" No. " I whispered. I was standing there and lostly staring at the running blood.
What should I do? What should I do? My mind got numb seeing blood on him. I picked up the gun from the ground and pointed it out at them. Meanwhile, we're surrounded by Black SUV. Formal suits men got out of it. I was relieved to know they were here to help us. Tears were running down from my eyes. His arm was bathed in blood. His white shirt was crimson with his blood. I had learned first aid. We got in the car. He sat with me in the back seat. I asked for a first aid kit and Real Tann gave it to me. I removed my belt from my waist and tied it tightly on his arm at the upper side of his wound. I cut the blooded cloth with a scissor. I checked it, cleaning with cotton. It wasn't deep. Bullet grazed his skin. I picked his arm over his head and pressed his wound with a thick cloth. It worked after minutes blood stopped coming out of it, " Is it painful? " I said to him, tears still going down.
" I'm fine. It's normal for me. It is merely bruise. " he said and smiled.
I stared at his wound, " Yea it is. " I replied.
" Are you a doctor? " he smirked.
I remembered whenever mom got time, she taught me, Rose and Mini, how to tackle such situations, " No, Mom taught it to me. " I said.
" Oh yes, your mother is a doctor. " he said.
I raised my eyebrow, " Impossible is nothing for you. " I remembered his words when he addressed me with my name for the first time.
" Right. " He smiled.
We reached home. They took him in. I walked behind him. I was still in shock and wasn't getting where to go. I followed them. If his men haven't shown themselves at the right time. I didn't know where we would be? It sends a jolt in my body. Doctor was waiting for us on the ground floor. Thomas sat on the couch. I heard heavy footsteps behind me. I spun. Duante rushed toward us and halted near Thomas.
" Thomas, are you okay. I'll kill that fuc****. Doctor, take care of my brother. " he shouted.
It shocked me, my jaw dropped on the ground hearing brother from him. He is his brother. I thought I was doubting. Duante beckoned them to take Thomas in his room. They went in taking Thomas with them.
He cursed under his breath. He rubbed his temple and turned. His deadly glare caught me. I gulped the lump through my dry throat. He was glaring at me angrily. I followed his gaze. He was looking at the gun in my hand. He rushed at me and clutched my wrist, twisting it behind my back, " What are you doing with this gun? " he shouted, putting the pressure on my wrist.
A loud scream left my lips and I heard the crack of my wrist, " Momma. " I squealed in pain. I writhed in pain. Tears streamed down my eyes. I felt pain in my whole arm.
" I will brutally kill everyone who dares to shoot him. If I found out anything against you. I'll kill you too. " he seethed.
Why was he annoyed with me? I picked the gun to help Thomas. What was wrong with him. My watery eyes met his glare. He was scaring me with his withering glare. I could understand. He was upset seeing his brother in blood. But where was I wrong?
When I couldn't bear the pain. I opened my mouth through the pain, " I'm not your punching bag where you can explode. Leave my hand. '' I said with tears.
He unhanded me and pushed me away from him, " Get out of my sight before I strangle you." He yelled at me.
I was groaning in several pain. He broke my wrist. He stomped inside the building. I stepped back and went under the table to hide me from him. I was fearing that he would come again and strangle me now. I securely caught my broken wrist. I hadn't felt such unbearable pain. It was killing me. His words were reverberating in my ears. My eyes were full with water. It was replaced with new salt water after falling from it. My glance felt on the main door. I sighted around. There was no one. I was left alone in the hall. Owner forgot to lock the prisoner's door. By the way, he told me to get out. I got up from the ground, slipping out under the table. I didn't move my broken wrist. I ran at the main door. After two minutes, I was out of the cage. Breeze was hitting me on my face. I was thinking of going away from him as much as I could . Sun was going down to disappear from the sky. It was telling me the end of one more day of my new life. Tears were streaming down without breaking from my eyes. My brain refused to give me any idea. I was walking along the road like a mad woman. People were staring at me. I didn't wanna go back there. He broke my arm and threatened to kill me. Why didn't he shoot me at the spot? I thought to call Rose. I had no money, no cell phone. No one would easily give me his phone to make a call. Two ladies were coming from my opposite side, walking at me. Something stuck in my mind.
When they approached near me, " Excuse me! " they stopped, " I'm new here. I came here to visit my sister. Someone snatched my purse and luggage. I got injured in getting my purse from them. Can you please help me? I wanna make a call to my sister. Can you please lend me your phone for a moment. " I acted and they were listening to me cautiously.
" Yeah sure, dear. " one woman said who was near her mid forty. She opened her purse and brought her cell phone. I was grateful that they trusted my story. I punched Rose's number with my good hand. It was ringing. I was praying, ' please pick up.' and she picked up.
" Yes, who's this? " she asked.
" Hey! Rose. " I sobbed. I wasn't getting where to start. I was sobbing hard.
" Evie! is that you? " she was surprised.
" Yeah! " I managed in my cracked voice.
" You're not sounding good. What's wrong? " she asked.
" Yeah kinda, can you come right now and pick me up from here. " I asked with tears. I couldn't tell her, Duante treated me in his worst manners. He broke my wrist. He is a monster.
" Sure, tell me where are you? " She asked, I heard the creak of the door opening in the background. She was already in action.
" I don't know. " I sobbed.
" You're scaring me! Tell me where are you? " I could feel panic in her voice.
" Let me tell her. " same lady politely asked me. I gave her phone back to her. Environment was suffocating me. It was getting all black before my eyes. I couldn't hear properly, all sounds were humming in my ears. I blinked to sweep it away. It didn't change. I was drowning and my eyes closed capturing blackness in it.
DUANTE'S POV
I got the call from Tann that Thomas got shot. I didn't hear him further and hung up the call. It pissed me off. I just rushed toward my car to get back home. I saw her holding a gun. How dare she shoot my brother. I'll kill her.
" It's not deep. You may say it is a big bruise. Thanks to First Aid, it stopped bleeding." Doctor said.
"Yeah, Thanks to Eveleen. I told you brother, it's a bruise. " Thomas smirked. I know it wasn't paining much. I don't want to lose my family. I jerked my head when I heard him thanking Eveleen.
" What happened?" I asked.
" Ricky's men were shooting at them." Tann replied.
" I told your wife to run when we were surrounded by his man. Eveleen picked a gun to shoot at them when she saw me wounded. You picked the gem bro." he smirked.
" She didn't create any trouble or tried to run away. She did not shoot you. " I asked.
" No, why would she shoot me? When I asked her to run away leaving me behind. She refused." He replied.
" Fu**. " I annoyed and cursed
Thomas got up from the bed. There was tension on his face, " Is she safe? You didn't shoot her. For God sake brother, she's your wife." he tensed and ran out of his room.
I remember what I did to her. Gun did not stick in my brain although I have seen it in her arm. I didn't go there, " I didn't shoot her. " I said.
" I know you brother. What have you done to her? " he asked, coming back at me from the door. He trod out of the room, " Eveleen." he shouted her name.
I was standing still in his room. I ran my hand through my hair in frustration. How could I make such a mistake?
" Brother." He squeaked.
I rushed out of the room, " What is wrong? " I asked. She must have a bruise on her arm.
" She's not here. She ran away." He said with a haunted look.
" What? " I frowned and fisted my hands. I told her to get out of my sight, not fuc**** leave the house.
He was holding a tab in his hand. I took it from him. It was connected to CCTV. She had gripped her wrist and was whimpering. She walked out of the main door.
" Find her. " I shouted the orders.
I opened the door of the SUV. Suddenly, My phone rang in my pocket. I picked it up.
It was Rose. My wife had called her. She had sent me her location.
She was ten minutes away from Banjara Hills, from our house. I drove as fast as I could. I sped up the car and reached there. Tann made a call to that woman from which number she called. She told her location.
A bulky lady was carrying her head in her lap sitting on a bench.
" What's wrong with her? " I asked.
" She is unconscious. We've called the ambulance. " Old lady said.
I scooped her up in my arms. I ambled toward the car.
" You're her husband. " Second lady asked.
" Yes. " I beckoned Aakash to talk to these ladies and I drove back home.
I laid her in my bedroom room. There was a scratch on her forehead.
Her hand had fractured. It would be painful for days, the doctor said.
Fu** I cursed under my breath for hurting her.
" She'll be fine. " Thomas sadly asked.
" Yes, sir. " Doctor replied.
" Sir. " Aakash said.
I gestured to him to wait.
He was faltering to tell me.
" Say it. " I demanded.
" Ma'am told them a story. She is new in Hyderabad and came to visit her sister. Some burglar filched her luggage and purse. She got injured getting back her stuff from them. " he completed.
I beckoned him to leave. I was astonished at her wit. She was perfect for me and was made for me.
I was carrying guilt. I shouldn't hurt her. I decided the result without knowing it all.