Devyani Kumar was decidedly ugly, even by normal standards. When she had been a young woman, she had watched and waited for one of the boys at the mohalla to come tease her... just so she could have a story to tell, like her friends. She would dress up prettily, day in and day out. She would apply all creams, lotions, chandan, besan... all in an effort to beautify herself.
Years later, the instinct of rejection washed over her, instinctive and strong. It would come when these beautiful women would ask for the next job. It would come when she would be reminded of the failed alliances. To remind her of the fact that she still was a virgin. She was not beautiful enough.
That she was not worth it.
Years later, now at the helm of a successful business, the commissioner himself a great patron, the sting had still not gone. She was rich and she was the crme de la crme of the underbelly of this city, in demand everywhere.
Devyani called in Anjali, and told her the commissioner wanted something new. Something that would excite him to no end. Anjali told her if she could take one of the new girls along with her. Devyani asked her to take Lavanya.
She watched, with a sudden and vicious stab of pleasure, as Anjali walked out of the room, Lavanya in tow. It mattered not, how ugly she was. She still was the mistress of these dogs, these rabid puppies.
The commissioner's face loomed in front of her eyes. The fresh tears leaked out of her eyes, the memory refused to leave her face. The feel o his rough fingers on her. The sobs grew louder, and were abruptly stifled, for somebody was at the door.
The door swung open with abrupt force, and Anjali stepped inside the room. She looked with pity at the young girl wiping her tears and looking up expectantly. Anjali felt the sudden urge to tell the girl how her first time had been. But Anjali stifled the rush of warmth inside her. Where she was, there were no friends. No sisters. No love.
"Stop your crying and come downstairs. Devyani has called for a meeting"
The door shut with a loud bang. Lavanya wiped her eyes, and walked out of the room.
It was one in the night when Akash's phone rang with the omnipotence of a bad news. He reached for his phone, his annoyance changing to surprise and then foreboding as he saw it was Shashi who had called.
"Sir?"
"Akash. Khushi's had an accident. She's in the hospital. Nothing serious, she'll be fine in a day. I won't be coming to office tomorrow - which means you're in charge. I need you to check the Wadawasi deal papers again"
"On it sir"
"And handle the media. Get in touch with Nikita right away"
"Right sir"
"Good..."
"Sir?"
"Yes Akash?"
"What about who caused the accident? Should I..."
"No need"
"But sir..."
"I said, stay out of it"
"Right sir. Goodnight"
Akash kept the phone down, his heart beat suddenly racing at the thought of Khushi in the hospital. He shuffled out of the bed, and reached for a pair of pants. There was lot of work to be done.
Anjali walked out of the room, the other girls streaming in after her. There was one last job to be done, before she could finally be done for the day. She stepped into the room, before raising her eyebrow at the man... boy in front of her. He did not look a day over twenty four, probably here to lose his virginity.
The man turned around, clearly scared. She however, had no time for theatrics of concern and care. She wanted to go home. She quickly stepped out of her clothes and waited expectantly for the man to open his. He did not.
"My name is Shyam... Shyam Jha" he said, finally. She waited for him to elaborate. Maybe he was one of those who needed foreplay. So she stood up and began to play with his buttons. Only to have him pry her hands away, and stepping back in anxiety.
"If you don't mind, can we... talk?"
She stared incredulously at the man, before bursting into a peal of laughter. "Come back!" She shouted, as the man made to walk out of the doors. He however, ran out, at her shout.
Anjali collapsed on the bed, weak with laughter. She would remember this Shyam Jha.
Years later, the instinct of rejection washed over her, instinctive and strong. It would come when these beautiful women would ask for the next job. It would come when she would be reminded of the failed alliances. To remind her of the fact that she still was a virgin. She was not beautiful enough.
That she was not worth it.
Years later, now at the helm of a successful business, the commissioner himself a great patron, the sting had still not gone. She was rich and she was the crme de la crme of the underbelly of this city, in demand everywhere.
Devyani called in Anjali, and told her the commissioner wanted something new. Something that would excite him to no end. Anjali told her if she could take one of the new girls along with her. Devyani asked her to take Lavanya.
She watched, with a sudden and vicious stab of pleasure, as Anjali walked out of the room, Lavanya in tow. It mattered not, how ugly she was. She still was the mistress of these dogs, these rabid puppies.
* * *
Lavanya shivered, as fresh tears leaked out of her eyes. What had happened an hour ago, she could not fathom. She had been aware what she was getting into, it was all for her Abbu's operation, but the sense of disgust never left her. The commissioner's face loomed in front of her eyes. The fresh tears leaked out of her eyes, the memory refused to leave her face. The feel o his rough fingers on her. The sobs grew louder, and were abruptly stifled, for somebody was at the door.
The door swung open with abrupt force, and Anjali stepped inside the room. She looked with pity at the young girl wiping her tears and looking up expectantly. Anjali felt the sudden urge to tell the girl how her first time had been. But Anjali stifled the rush of warmth inside her. Where she was, there were no friends. No sisters. No love.
"Stop your crying and come downstairs. Devyani has called for a meeting"
The door shut with a loud bang. Lavanya wiped her eyes, and walked out of the room.
* * *
It was one in the night when Akash's phone rang with the omnipotence of a bad news. He reached for his phone, his annoyance changing to surprise and then foreboding as he saw it was Shashi who had called.
"Sir?"
"Akash. Khushi's had an accident. She's in the hospital. Nothing serious, she'll be fine in a day. I won't be coming to office tomorrow - which means you're in charge. I need you to check the Wadawasi deal papers again"
"On it sir"
"And handle the media. Get in touch with Nikita right away"
"Right sir"
"Good..."
"Sir?"
"Yes Akash?"
"What about who caused the accident? Should I..."
"No need"
"But sir..."
"I said, stay out of it"
"Right sir. Goodnight"
Akash kept the phone down, his heart beat suddenly racing at the thought of Khushi in the hospital. He shuffled out of the bed, and reached for a pair of pants. There was lot of work to be done.
* * *
The man turned around, clearly scared. She however, had no time for theatrics of concern and care. She wanted to go home. She quickly stepped out of her clothes and waited expectantly for the man to open his. He did not.
"My name is Shyam... Shyam Jha" he said, finally. She waited for him to elaborate. Maybe he was one of those who needed foreplay. So she stood up and began to play with his buttons. Only to have him pry her hands away, and stepping back in anxiety.
"If you don't mind, can we... talk?"
She stared incredulously at the man, before bursting into a peal of laughter. "Come back!" She shouted, as the man made to walk out of the doors. He however, ran out, at her shout.
Anjali collapsed on the bed, weak with laughter. She would remember this Shyam Jha.
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