Jwala:

I opened my eyes and found Agni beside me with a worried expression on his face. Why is he worrying? Does he care for me? I looked around and recognised that I am in a hospital.

"What happened to her doctor? Is my Jwala weak?" He questioned staring at me.

My Jwala? I guess I will collapse again. When did I become his Jwala? Of course, I am weak. Does he have any doubt? He didn't give me proper rest or food for a month. My health destroyed due to his torture.

"No Mr Agni, she is pregnant," the doctor said.

What? Pregnant? How can I become pregnant? I told Agni that he should never impregnate me when I agreed to the contract.

"Oh, thank you, doctor," he said to the physician as if he is happy.

Is he happy? I think he should be angry or upset. Why is he happy? Is it his another plan to ruin my life?

"Shall I take her to the home?" he asked the doctor.

"Doctor, I want to abort the child," I said, and Agni glared at me.

"No doctor, we want our child. I will convince my fiance," he said to the doctor.

Fiance? I am not his fiance. Why is he deciding everything in my life? He is forcing me to accept his bullshit decisions. However, I choose to be calm. I didn't want to create nuisance in the hospital. Agni brought me to his home. Ved and Anjana came again for holidays. They hugged me as soon as we went back. Agni smiled at them.

"We will just come," he said to them.

"Come to my room, Jwala," Agni ordered me.

I went to his room.

"I want this child," he said firmly.

"I want to abort," I said stubbornly.

"Look Jwala; I will marry you. I won't say even a word to you. Please trust me. I want our child."

His child? When did I say it's his child? To Agni, I am a whore who sleeps with every man. How can he marry a slut like me and trust my Baby as his Baby? I don't know why but tears stopped forming in my eyes. Maybe my Baby wants me to be strong.

"How do you know that it's your child, Agni? You always call me a wh*re. How can a whore's Baby become your child?"

He closed his eyes clenching his fist. Why is he angry and upset? I just repeated what he said.

"I know it's our child. I trust you."

"Trust? Do you know the meaning of trust? After all, how can you trust me who is nothing but a slut to you?"

"Jwala, stop it. I didn't want to hear this shit from you," he said while an angry frown creased his forehead.

I am not scared of him anymore. I must make my feelings clear to him.

"Agni, I will bear any pain you give to me in these three months. But I can't marry you and don't want this child."

"Are you in love with anyone?" He asked suspiciously and looked away from me as if he didn't want to listen to my answer or expecting an answer that hurts him.

"No!" I replied.

My problem is not loving someone but hating him. When will he realise my hatred towards him?

"Okay, let's make a deal. I will give that orphanage now itself. I will transfer my whole property to your name. But I want our child. I won't even touch you after marriage. I want our Baby," he said as if this child is his life and he didn't want anything else other than his child.

"I want to abort the child," I said without changing my decision and anticipating his reaction.

"If you kill my child, I will kill your whole family, Jwala. Don't make me a murderer," he said pinning me to the wall and shouting at me.

I am right. I know this Agni never changes. I don't want to kill the child. But I don't want a person like Agni to come into this world again.

"Anyways you have to do anything I say in these three months. Okay fine, don't abort the child for these three months," he said with a smirk on his face.

"Okay," I said trying to understand his plan.

"Go and have your food. One more thing, don't wait for my permission. Eat anytime you feel hungry and drink whatever you want. But take care of the child for three months" he said and kissed my belly.

Does he have feelings and emotions? However, I don't want this child or life with this beast. I hate him.

"I want to prepare dinner," I said.

He nodded. I prepared a meal and served Agni, Ved, and Anjana.

"Sit Jwala, have food with us," Agni said making me stunned and speechless.

"Brother, you told us that sister in law loves to have food only after you eat, isn't it? Ved asked.

"Yes, but I don't want your sister in law to be hungry till then."

"I will eat later," I said.

"Really? Do you want to eat that special food prepared by me for you Baby" he said, and I gulped cursing Agni in my mind.

"Then sit quietly and have this food," he said holding my wrist and making me sit beside him.

I was about to have food, but Ved saw the injury to my hand which happened while cutting vegetables.

"Bhabhi, what happened to your hand?"

"Nothing Ved, it's a small injury."

"What happened to your hand, Jwala?" Agni asked looking threateningly at me.

I didn't reply.

"Tell me you sl...... " he said while his face turned red with anger but stopped seeing his siblings.

"While chopping vegetables, it happened," I said.

"Why were you so careless? I already warned you to be careful, don't you remember."

"Bhaiya, stop scolding bhabhi" Anjana pouted.

"Okay. Have your food now," Agni said.

"Bhaiya, how can bhabhi have food with an injured hand? Please feed her," Ved said.

"No no it's ok, I will use a spoon" before I complete my words, Agni kept food into my mouth giving me a shock.

Then he turned his chair towards me and fed me carefully. I coughed in between, and he gave water to me patting on my head slowly. I think I may get heartache seeing his behaviour. How can he act this much before his siblings? He used to hit me every day with a belt until I bleed and exhausted. Now, for a small injury, he is feeding me. Does he think that I will believe his action and marry him for the child? No way! He fed me. I had good food today. Thank God! I am cleaning dishes, and Agni came to me.

"Jwala, maids will clean them at morning. Your hand was injured, so leave them. Come to my room. I need to talk to you."

God, please tell him to stop this drama. My head was spinning due to his shocking behaviour. I went to him.

"Forget what happened till now. Marry me. I didn't mean I love you. I didn't expect you to love me. The only thing I want is for our child to grow up in a healthy environment and live a happy life with his/her parents."

I was happy and sad at the same time. I was pleased to know how much Agni loves our child but sad to know he never likes me.

"I can't marry you."

"Are you stupid? That child shares your blood too. How can you kill our child that harshly?" he shouted.

I was on the brink of tears. Agni cupped my face.

"Jwala, I am going to marry you at any cost. If you marry me by yourself, I will treat you as my wife and won't hurt you. If I marry you through force, your life will become hell as I will torture you more after delivery. You can't escape the marriage with me. Choose which life you want, a wife's happy life or sl*t's horrible life. The choice is yours, but you should remember that I will marry you anyway," he threatened me.

"I will give your child to you. Please leave me."

I said while tears were welling up from my eyes.

"I want a loving mother for my child. If I marry someone else, they may not treat my child lovingly. So, I want you to stay with me forever as my wife and a good mother to our child. Think well and decide. Now go to your room and take rest."

I went to my room and slept. Next day I got ready in a short dress as he ordered earlier. He looked at me once.

"Change your dress. Till now I thought to see you as a wh*re, but now you are a mother to my child. Go and wear something good as per your wish."

"My luggage is in the storeroom," I said.

"I bought sarees and dresses for you and arranged those in our wardrobe. Wear them; I am sure you will like them."

I went and opened the wardrobe. I found dresses and sarees. Every saree and dress was according to my taste. I loved them. I wore saree and went down. Agni stared at me for some time and averted his gaze without realising that I have noticed it already.

We went to the office. Fifteen days passed by and Agni didn't say even a word to me. He gave food and everything on time to me. He didn't touch me. He treated me so good. I wondered about his sudden change. How can a beast change quickly? However, I was unsure about his transformation.

I was working on a project and discussing with a male colleague. We were tired. We sat in my cabin and having lunch together sharing a friendly talk. I quickly get mingled with people. Moreover, this colleague was very talented and descent. I laughed at his joke about work and unfortunately my hand touched his hand without my intention. Just then I raised my head and noticed Agni observing us.

I am dead today, that's what my mind said to me.

Agni went to some meeting before an hour, and I felt free for some time. But, he returned and observed my friendliness with a guy. I am sure he will kill me. He signalled me to come to his cabin and went off.

"Eshwar, I will just come," I said to the colleague.

"But why? Have your food first."

"It's ok," I said and went to him.

I didn't find Agni in his cabin. I was about to go but felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Let's go home," Agni said.

I was in his room now standing in front of him with fear and expecting the worst that is going to happen to me.

"What are you doing with him, Baby?"

"It's just a friendly talk," I said.

He held my hand which touched Eeshwar's hand. Agni stroked every finger of mine.

"Is this the hand which touched him?"

"Agni, please I won't do it again."

"Baby, I didn't say anything to you these days as you are pregnant. But, I think I shouldn't behave well to you. You should always have a fear for me. You must remember my conditions kept for you. Now you are going to face punishment for forgetting your limits" he said and held my hand again.