Vihana:

I heard his footsteps and sweat formed instantly due to mixed feelings of pain, nervousness, and helplessness. Aahan sat on the bed and examined me from top to bottom.

"Making love, it sounds good. But does it making love, if we do it now? How can you say that joining two nude bodies as one is making love? Love is related to the heart. Do you think there is any place for love in my broken heart? Now if I touch you, I will feel as if I am sleeping with a whore, but not with my wife. There is no emotional connection between us. Do you still want to please me, Jessica? This is the first segment of our game. If you win in convincing me to make love to you as my wife, I won't touch another woman in my life. If you fail, I will never touch you, though if we decide one day to be a couple," he said.

"I chose to fail!" I said and got out of the bed.

Suddenly, he pulled me towards him by holding my wrist giving me pain. His nails were dug into my skin. I looked at him, and then I realized that I was so close to him. This proximity sent shivers to my spine. My lips were touching his lips, though we were not kissing. He left my hand and placed me on the bed. He saw injury of my hand, where there were few drops of blood.

"Your hand is bleeding, Jessica. I love this red colour. Red is the symbol of love, fire, danger, and anger. I loved this red colour when I loved you, and even now I love this red colour as it indicates you that you are in danger."

"Here, there is no one to save you. If I want, I can force myself on you, and you know well that even you can't save yourself. However, I am not a rapist to force you. I brought you here to torture you but not to spoil my character. You can rest now. I will wake you up tomorrow early in the morning. Good night, Jessica," he left the room.

I sat on the bed remembering the past and trying to understand the present. How did Aahan reach me? Why did he enter into my already messed life? Is it only for revenge or to make me accept that marriage?

No, I can't accept that marriage. I can never be Aahan's wife. If I am not Vihana and just Jessica, definitely I would have agreed to be his wife. Aahan is not a bad person to everyone, but only to me. He didn't marry me with hate. I am the only love of his life.

Aahan came after one hour to me.

"I think you didn't have food properly from the last two days. I brought food for you. Eat it, at least you should have the energy to bear me," Aahan said

I had the food and slept thinking what to do the next day. In the morning, Aahan woke me up. I woke up and got ready.

"My family is coming here today. At least, don't break their heart this time. Be as you are and stop yours over sweetness. I didn't want them to get hurt one more time," he said.

"I brought you here only for my mom. She is so confident on her daughter in law that you can never hurt them. Let them see your real face, Vihana."

"You are not their Jessica. They didn't know that you are the one who got me arrested. They can never believe that their daughter in law helped those people who tried to kill their son. Her love, marriage with me, her concern towards my family, everything was just a drama," Aahan said.

I noticed his tears which brought tears to me too. How can I make him trust me? I didn't act.

He held my jaws making me see into eyes.

"Why did you cheat me, Jessica?" Aahan asked me.

"Open your mouth, Jessica. Speak out something."

"Okay, let's leave the past. I didn't want to hurt you. Though you hurt my family and me, still I can't see tears in your eyes. I stopped your marriage because I love you. I will not suffer your family anymore. Let's forget everything and start our love again. What do you say?" He asked.

His eyes were showing a hope to regain his love without knowing the fact that my answer will be a no forever.

"No," I said, and he broke the glass antiques from the shelf. He held my arm.

"Walk!" He said.

Before I step on the glass pieces, he stopped me. He walked on those glass pieces. His feet were bleeding. He continued walking as if it doesn't hurt him. My tears didn't stop seeing his feet full of blood.

I tried to stop him and was about to step on those glass pieces. He stopped me again and wiped my tears.

"Where do these tears come from? Why are you crying, Jessica? You didn't love me. You don't have any feelings towards me. Then what made you cry?" He asked chuckling.
I brought the first aid box.
"Sit on the bed and show your bruised feet," I said seriously.

He didn't react.

"Now!" I shouted, and he sat on the bed.

I removed glass pieces from his feet. I cleaned his feet and wrapped with a bandage. He smiled looking at me. I thought to leave, but he pulled me closer to him. He kissed my lips making me shed tears. I can feel his tears flowing from his eyes. He broke the kiss.

"Tell me the truth, Jessica. If you are not my Jessica, why do you cry for me? Why are you not accepting the fact that you love me?"

"I don't love you," I said averting my gaze from him.

"Really? Let's see," he said and pushed me to the bed.

He came top of me. He kissed my forehead, nose, and lips. He moved his finger from forehead to my lips. He buried his head in my neck inhaling my fragrance. I clutched the bed sheet. He kissed my neck. He removed my saree from the blouse and kissed my cleavage.