Uninvited

The party was going on full swing, with all the guests enjoying each other's eyes. Dhruv personally greeted them all, but his mind was fixed at Meenakshi who was stealing all the glances.

He raged at the sight of some of the men checking her out. He captured the faces in his mind, to beat them later.

He noticed of the men approached Meenakshi. Dhruv recognised him to be a part of the Islamic cartel. His name was Javed Ali Maqbool.

"Hello, beautiful."the man said.

Meenakshi was quite clueless about the person standing in front of her.

"Hello." she replied meekly.

"So, are you enjoying the party?"

"Yes." Meenakshi smiled softly.

"Btw, I haven't seen you before."

Meenakshi felt her fingers trembling with fear. What was she going to say?

"Umm..."She sensed a hand touch the small of her back from behind. It ran shivers down her spine. And as far she knew, only one man could arouse that kind of sensation in her.

"Javed! How are you?"Dhruv shook hands with Javed, who was quite dissapointed seeing him beside Meenakshi, as if he owned her.

"All Good! So, won't you introduce me to this gorgeous lady here?"

Dhruv's face turned into a cold one. He didn't like the way Javed was staring at Meenakshi.

Meenakshi stared at Dhruv, her face blank. She just wanted to get out of this party.

"She's my...Close friend.She came from India."

"Close friend??"Her subconscious screamed with shock.

They were nowhere to the word 'close'. Considering the way he treated her so far.

"Oh. I see. So, my lady. Can I have the privilege to share a dance with you?"

Dhruv was about to reply , when Meenakshi interrupted him with her reply.

"Yes."

Javed smiled with satisfaction and forwarded his hand towards her. Meenakshi smiled back and placed her hand on his.

They both walked towards the dance floor. Javed placed his one arm on Meenakshi's waist, while the other held her hand during the dance.

Meenakshi felt a bit relieved of the tension that was forming with Dhruv close to her. She didn't want him to be close to her, after how he rejected her. It would just make her feel more miserable. Remembering the fact that they can never be together.

She focused her attention back at Javed who was smiling at her. He cracked a few jokes while they danced, making Meenakshi laugh. Atleast, she didn't have to face the storm.

The music turned into a faster one, where the partners had to flip around and exchange their parteners. Javed and Meenakshi turned around in a circular motion, matching the beats of the music. She took a 360 degree turn and came in contact with a tall man in black suit.

"Oh shoot!"

Meenakshi widened her eyes in shock as she realised who she was dancing with. Dhruv snaked his arm around her waist pulling her closer to him. His other hand entwined it's fingers with hers. Meenakshi again felt trapped under him.

Why was he torturing her like this?

"Why did you dance with him?"

Dhruv's shaded eyes pierced through hers, reflecting sheer jealousy.

Meenakshi tried to get her mind in one piece and focus on her reply, rather than the effect of their proximity.

"That's none of your business!"

Dhruv growled in anger and pulled her even closer, his warm breath fanning her lips. Meenakshi found it difficult to breathe.

"It is my fucking business! Tell me! What's so special in him?"

Meenakshi widened her eyes.

What was his problem?

"Answer me!"

"Why should I? It's my decision to dance with any person I want! Who are you to ask me?"

Dhruv tightened his entwined fingers on hers, making her hiss in pain.

"You're my fucking wife! You should be respecting your limits!"

Meenakshi's eyes turned red with anger.

Wife? Seriously?

Meenakshi smirked at him.

"I'm not your wife! I never was! You've never treated like mine! So just don't talk about it!

And I've signed the divorce paper! Would throw it on your face after this party ends!"

Dhruv's face suddenly turned into a devastated one. A myriad of emotions swirled like black whirlpool within his eyes.

Meenakshi was quite dumbstruck too. Did she just saw pain in his eyes? Or was she hallucinating?

Dhruv, as if struck by a lightning, released Meenakshi from his hold and walked out of the dance floor. He rushed towards the bar counter and gulped a full glass of rum in a go.

Meenakshi on the other hand, was left offended by his behaviour again.

Why did he keep leaving her in the middle?

She controlled her tears and stomped away from the floor.

Veronica watched Maya for the whole time. Her eyes shooted daggers at her.

She internally knew that Dhruv had something for Meenakshi. Else he wouldn't have given her the attention! The way he was dancing with her, as if he owned her was a clear indication of his interests towards Meenakshi. It made her blood boil.

On the other side of the mansion...

Vijay recieved a call from the main gaurd. His face instantly contorted into a frigid look. He scurried down the stairs, to inform his boss about what he heard.

Everyone clapped and celebrated as Dhruv opened the champagne bottle. He noticed Meenakshi from the corner of his eye, standing still. Her face was dripped in agony, but she tried hard to not show it.

Dhruv attended all the guests with Iqbaal and everybody wished him, but none of it mattered to him. He wasn't very excited about his birthday because he felt that it was completely useless for someone to be happy about their birth. It made no sense to him. But more than that, his mind was diverted towards what Meenakshi said to him during the dance.

And it affected his behaviour with the guests. He was very cold with them, even with the close ones.

11pm

The party came to an end as all the guests started leaving. One of Dhruv's clients hugged him and thanked him for this grand celebration.

After all the guests left, Dhruv watched Vijay approach him with a concerned expression.

"What is it?"

"I got information that someone entered the mansion without our permission."

A slight smirk escaped Dhruv's lips. Vijay was quite confused to see that. He wondered how was Dhruv so nonchalant about the news.

"Then, we must welcome the uninvited guests. Let me show them my hospitality."

Inform the guards to lock all the entry and exit sites, even the hidden ones."

Vijay obeyed his boss's command and rushed outside the mansion with Martin and Vicky at his side.

"Everything is organized just the way you planned." Iqbaal said to Dhruv.

"Good, let the show begin."

Dhruv straightened his suit, prepared for what's coming,but his mind was still disturbed about her.

He scanned the empty hall and was quite dissapointed to not find her. He turned towards Iqbaal.

"Where's Meenakshi???"

***************

Meenakshi felt exhausted as she walked upstairs towards her room. The day was too long for her. Her mind was already puzzled with the reaction of Dhruv after hearing the news. It wasn't something she expected.

She thought that he would laugh like a maniac and throw another party for this great news.

Meenakshi shook her head in confusion. This man was far difficult than she thought.

With weary eyes, she opened the door to her room. As she entered of ,she felt a cold sensation crawl up her spine. It wasn't good. She sensed a strange presence inside her room. With slow steps, she moved inside. It was completely dark. Only the lights from the open windows illuminated her room.

"Who's there? I know somebody is here... Show yourself!"She moved a step forward when she felt a strong grip on holding her from  from behind.

"Remember, Meena! If someone holds you from the back, then don't wiggle. Just stand calm, to get your captivator confused and use that time to swing your leg and stomp his foot. But to do that , you've to let your senses calculate where his foot is. Use your sense of touch and sound to interpret your move."

Meenakshi remember what Vijay taught him and stopped resisting the hold. Instead, she stood calm and just when she knew that the captivator was confused, she stomped on his foot.

The man screamed, holding his leg. Meenakshi used that time to punch him on his face. But there was no light in the room,so she was finding it hard to track the person's move.

Before she could blink, another man gripped her arms from the back.

She tried to fight it but it was too strong. She screamed but it was all in vain.

"Leave me! Leave me!"

She only sensed that strong grip getting tighter on her and a piece of cloth with a weird smell covered her mouth. Within seconds, she felt her eyelids weighing heavier than before and her senses soon faded into a deep slumber.

*************