☘︎In the world of selfish people, being selfless only give Panic Attack☘︎

The coldness of morning passes a shiver down to her bent spinal cord. She tried to open her eyes and the whole body started paining. Her neck was tilted one side the wrong way which caused a damn pain. She rubs her hand on her nape to ease. The sunrays through the glass hit her eyes for which she couldn’t even try to open her eyes. 

But a soft clicking sound of the door is enough to force her to open her eyes. Don’t know, she was happy or sad when she saw one young girl on the door.

She looks at the girl, one simple printed saree, her face looks scared already, but from whom? Her age is approx 19 to 20, she guessed.

The girl is still standing on the door side, fidgeting with fingers. Aradhya tries to crack her neck bones a little before lifting her body from the floor, and looks at the girl, “Who are you?” Her own voice hits her ears badly, how hoarse it’s sounding after yesterday night.

The girl replies back almost in whisper, “Saheb asked to take care of you.”

She holds her waist for support while taking slow steps, it’s painful too much, and stands in front of her, “Do you mean Chandra?”. She nods once, Araddhya asks her again, “Where is he?”
She opens her mouth twice to say something but then again closes it. Araddhya looks at her eyes straight, “Where is he?”

She looks down on the floor and whispers, “He leaves the mansion this morning.”

Araddhya quickly turns her head towards the big designer wall clock, it’s not so late, only 7:30. She asks her, “Morning!! When?”

She looks at her eyes before looking at the floor again, “Don’t know, my parents used to take care of the whole mansion, cleaning, gardening. My mom this morning around 5 called me, and told me to come here, that I have to take care of you.”

Around 5! Araddhya pauses for a while, she knows for his working schedule sometimes, he goes to sleep late like at night 3 am, or sometimes awake at morning 5 am or sometimes never sleep the whole night. But after what happened last time, did he sleep? 

Araddhya looks cautiously towards the girl before asking the next question, “Do you know who I am?”

The girl looked at her with pity in eyes, which made her think more. She replies, “Haanji, please don’t think about your past, you are safe here. We will take care of you fully.”

Araddhya frowns, after hearing her pity voice, “What do you mean?”

She turns her head towards the glass table under which the broken glass pieces of perfume bottles are stored. Aradhya frustratedly utters again, “Hey girl, just tell me what do you mean by my past.”

She looks at her eyes for a second while collecting all the pieces, “Saheb said, your fiance is torturing you, so you fled and took shelter under him.”

Araddhya pauses for a second. Shelter! He brought her here , sorry brought word sounds casual, kidnapped her making her unconscious, handcuffed, what not. Then yesterday night, he was looking so scary while trying to showcase his love, which is just a mere obsession. 

Only a sigh can’t appreciate the situation fully. Her brain isn’t working properly, she needs to use the washroom. She clears her throat, “What’s your name by the way?”

She replies while making the bed, “ Minu, memsaheb”. Araddhya takes a pause in my mind, she can't expose much otherwise it will hurt his privacy. But why does she care about his anger? He already ruined everything, be a baddie, expose him and run. He doesn't have any rights to cage you like this. You aren't a fucking bird to stay in cage, or fragile showpiece to take care. 

But somehow she was scared of his rage, where he lost all senses, forgot his love and attachment to everything, just his shadow covered the whole place like a bubble where nothing else was darkness. And upto what limit he could go I don't have any idea. Every time she thinks max to max he could do this, but he does something new and she felt she was never able to know this Mysterious guy. 

She put a little pressure on her throat to keep my words steady, “ Minu, I want to be fresh, taking a shower too. But I don't have any clothes with me.” 

Minu put a genuine smile with innocence, “Memsaheb, chinta nah kariye , saheb ji Paisa deke Gaye the babuji ko, woh saher ke bazar se kuch saree aur Saab zaruri saman lene Gaye hai, kaal taaq ajayenge, aap iha aapne ghar jaise fir reh payenge. Parantu aaj sirf aapko thodi hamlogo ki purani kapde pehne honge” 

“Memsaheb, don't worry, Saheb ji had given money to Babuji, he has gone to buy some of the things from the market of the city and all the essential goods, you will be able to stay here like your home. But today you will only have to wear some of our old clothes”

She holds her nape to reduce the sharp pain she is having. And the little irritation obviously flowed through her spine. Again just the power of money. Sometimes it's so irritating but can I do anything about this?? Obviously no, afterall she is the one who crazily into billionaire, mafia type of shit. 

She sighs heavily, “Aapke kapde se hi waise mere kaam chal jaate paar fit nehi hoga shayad”

"Your clothes would have been enough for me, but they probably won't fit."

The only worry point, she has such a small body frame, it's just half of her structure. 

Worry visible in Minu’s eyes, “ohh, nehi hoyega kya ji, fir to blouse humara iya mataji kisika bhi nehi hoyega, aap sirf saree pehen sakte ho kya, sirf Aaj kiliye.” 

“Ohh, will it not fit, then the blouse will not be ours or anyone's, can you just wear the saree, just for today.”

Her eyes are just popping out from the socket, “ What!!! Only saree without blouse, it's uncomfortable” 

She doesn't think Minu could understand her words, so she tries to convert it in hindi but even before that Minu sits on her knees in front of her, “meherbani karke saheb se sikayed maat kijiye memsaheb humlogo ki iye naukri chala jayega to puri family ko koi bhi kaam Nehi dega.” 

“Please don’t make a complaint to sir, madam, if we lose our jobs then no one will give work to the entire family.”

Oh my goodness, how he made them all scared like this!! She quickly held her shoulders, “areh areh mai sikayed nehi karungi, kiu hi karna …. Mai sirf bol rahi thi mujhse waise rehne Mai sharam ayegi…aaj mai room se nehi niklungi” 

“I will not complain, why should I… I was just saying that I will feel shy to stay like that… I will not leave my room today”

She waves her hand, “memsaheb aapko jarurat bhi nahi, hum hai na , saab kaam kar denge, kiu ji chote dikhte hai sirf, hum e saab kaam aate hai chakachak” 

“Madam, you don't even need it, I am here, I will do all the work, because I only look small, I am capable of all these works”

After a lengthy hour laters the smile finally touched her lips by Minu’s genuine entertaining movements. At least the few days she must have to live here, she does not have to stay alone. 

Aradhya ! Who craves talking with people so much, suddenly feels so void, lost the urge of speaking. Losing the urge or just overthinking? The overthinking of speaking too much which must not be likeable for Chandra. Even after wanting to have a gossip with Minu, she has to just listen to the yapping of Minu. Yeah somehow her yapping is also interesting and informative. 

She collects the information from her north pole to south pole going yapping that this mansion is almost 70 kms distant from the main city. Around this there are small villages. This mansion is approx 167 years old, the only Successor of the mansion died a few months ago in some road accident in Newyork. After that Chandra bought this, and also the included properties which contain the land of around 10 villages. But these areas are safe until the sun isn’t going to hide in darkness. The heavy forest around this mansion is spread across miles. Trespassers like drug or weapon dealers are very common in this place based on the location, just out of track.

One point is very clear, escaping from this place just equates to bringing death on its own. Even rather than rope is easy option for suicide. Only a heavy sigh escapes from her mouth.

She quickly enters the bathroom to freshen up, and waits until Minu carefully prepares the bathtub arrangements. She even denied, only a hot water shower is more than enough for getting relief from back pain. But Minu had strict instructions to give her princess treatment. At this point, she doesn’t know, she needs to be angry with him or not. 

She starts punching him in her head because in reality she is nothing in front of his body strength. She gets amazed after entering the section which is separated by the carved wooden wall and white curtains. Wrapping the old but clean towel around her body, she crossed the wall. Initially she was confused, as Minu can’t arrange clothes, what kind of expensive bathtub arrangement can do today. From tomorrow, it may be expected as Chadra gave instruction, but today. And when her eyes roam around the bath place, she takes a mental note instantly to add in her story. 

The bathtub itself is an old, large metal tub—a little weathered, perhaps, but filled with steaming water that’s just the right temperature. Floating on the water are delicate flower petals, probably hand-picked from the nearby garden or plucked from the wildflowers that dot the village fields. Their subtle fragrance fills the air, mingling with a hint of fresh herbs that Minu must have added to the water for their soothing properties.

A small wooden stool has been set beside the tub, holding a jug of warm water to rinse off afterward. There’s also a simple tray with two carved wooden bowls filled with ground herbs for a light scrub and sandalwood paste. 

As she steps in, feeling the warmth of the water against her skin, she can’t help but smile. Her mind relaxes for a few minutes, and like light flashing the other thoughts except Chandra came in her mind. 

She sinks her face under the water making her both hands into a tight fist, holding for life, controlling the nerve and trying hard to stop the nervous breakdown. 

~You aren’t guilty, you are being kidnapped. 

~Yes, he is Chandra, with whom your marriage almost fixed, society even got to know about you both.

~After breaking up the engagement, my parents had to face many difficulties about my character and choices. 

~After getting many rejections or can say their uncertain reasons of death, 5 days ago when one casual software engineer guy, who earns approximately just like you, agreed to marry you because you are pretty, sweet. 

~Even though you told Ma to fix the engagement date in the upcoming weekend, when you were not interested in marriage any more, you knew very well it was your responsibility.

~ Not only the responsibility of your family, the responsibility of his life, you risked it all.

~Yes, you are guilty. You put the story about your frustrations, wanting to be free from the suffocative cage your parents made for you. 

~ You can’t deny, you knew Chandra will get this information, didn’t you want to show off, after his all did you still can marry one, didn’t you want Chandra in front of you again after getting married with the person whom you don’t love

~Now think, situation of your parents, they are not only crying for you, the whole society is going to insult them, pointing out your family morals.

The inner voice in her mind starts blaming her so badly, she doesn’t get to know when her inner suffocative feelings cover the actual suffocative feeling of staying under water. Until her body reacts, left leg kicks up in the water, splashing a lot of water outside the tub. In trying to hold the edge of the tub , the bowls drop from the tool. 

Memsaheb. 

The only word continuously brushes over her ear, but still everything blurry, she feels like someone calling her from miles away. 

She tries to open her eyes, but feels like someone tied the black scurf around her eyes. Chandra, the memory of her 27th birthday, the kiss on shoulder, the tickling feeling of his beard. The imagination, she is escaping from the mansion, from Chandra, running through the forest.

In a few minutes, everything is quiet, her soul, mind at last exhausted and she loses consciousness for minutes. 
Minu was so scared of the situation, she ran down to bring her mother, proving her innocence, she didn’t do anything wrong, if Saheb got to know Memsaheb got unconscious while bathing, her life would be in danger. 

Minu and her mother Kamla passed the terrific morning. Even after getting consciousness, she dodged into sleep for hours. It's been more than 24 hours now, and she hasn't eaten anything. 
Around afternoon, when the sun is spreading the soft glow through the greens. Minu covered all the glass windows and doors with curtains, still the sweet sunlight peaks inside. 

The headache makes her concerned, when she tries to lift her head from the pillow. Aradhya takes a moment for properly observe, what the fuck actually happens with her. 

The room is silent with the mild fragrance of dhuno. The golden glow just covers the beauty of the whole room. And the mirror on the ceiling, showing her figure covered with the heavy white blanket. 

Uncovered shoulder, collarbones are looking so pretty attractive. Oh wait! She instantly got sense, and removed the blanket from her body. Damn. That means, Minu changed her clothes, let her wear the saree. Wait, does that mean she lost her sense in the bathtub-the thought makes her slap forehead. 

She curses herself, “See, the result of manifesting dark romance too much, Diva. Now suffer.”

She removes the whole blanket, Minu makes her wear the saree little above the ankle just like the village girls. Even being bengali, she never wear saree in aatpoure style, it’s kinda odd, but good to walk. 

Still taking small steps, she goes to the balcony door, she really wants to unlock and absorb the natural beauty. Through the glass the view is so breathtaking, she couldn’t believe yesterday night in darkness how everything disappeared. 
The beauty of sky – mixed color of yellow, orange, red; above the greenery. But can’t able to see anything after the high guard wall. 

“Eat the food, and yes, you will not have to see my face, from today onwards you will remain like this for the rest of your life, and if you even try to take your life then no one will be worse than me. You have given the name of my love as obsession, then let’s make it true, from today onwards you will be caged in my mansion.”
Realization hits her again, she is caged here. She can’t escape. Even after escaping where she would go without anyone’s help. Who will help her? Minu? Impossible, she is scared of Chandra, and obviously for that she can’t blame, she doesn’t have money for the whole Minu’s family survival. And when the family is in charge of the whole mansion, for sure they get a very good amount. 

She takes a long breath, some mixed fragrance of flowers soothes her soul. When she is busy in failed attempts of trying to be calmed, stopping her fucked up inner voices, Minu called her slowly. Which makes her flinch the way, both end up screaming like they saw ghosts. 

Minu holds her chest with both hands, with a shaky voice, “Memsaheb, you scared me too much already, don’t scare me like this.”

Aradhya also instantly starts ranting sorry to calm herself and Minu both. Minu tried to cover up her amusement, she got the soft vibe from Aradhya in the beginning, the way she made convo, but didn’t expect this much. The way she is saying sorry, made Minu a little confused. Why would one say sorry to a maid like this, just like someone close, or something she made a big mistake in? 

Minu decides to not mention anything and asks her if she wants to eat anything or not, and then Aradhya feels how hungry she is. 

Minu instantly ran to bring the food, and Aradhya again lost in the beauty of the sky. How the colour of blue is darkening with passing time that the green leaves start looking blackish. 

The wish to write on paper is creeping through her veins. The only thing, let her live. But the only thing, sigh, is confusion for which matter needs to be escaped. So, she starts feeling the suffocation into chest only. She doesn’t know what’s going on with her parents. Her precious job, without that money, how her parents will survive, maybe a few months after that!! Her mom must be sick in absence of her, how will medical expenses be handled?If everyone is there to blame them, then who would take care of their health? 

She can’t even remember the phone numbers, a little punch over the balcony door glass only gives her pain on knuckles. She needs only paper and a pen. For now only that can fix her. She turns her head and looks around the room, the beautiful wooden furniture. A pretty bookshelf, clean and dusted, but no books there, few show-pieces, without any effort it is giving the vibe of vintage. Even in this terrific situation, the beauty of the room helps her brain to kick the happy hormones in her body and let her create delusions in her little head to relax for a while. 

She takes a few steps slowly to observe the shelves, the large mirrors, those hurricane model lights but those glass painted beautifully. She crosses the huge queen bed to reach the side table, where one lamp was placed, which makes her urge to sit on the floor, and keeping a paper on the table, turning on the dim light of the lamp, writes down all the thoughts of her life. 

But paper and pen!! She opens the drawers with hope, but instead gets a black box, tied with red ribbon. 

A gift box!! She takes it out but the thought of touching someone’s personal things isn’t good. But no one lived here for years, and it looks pretty new. 

Still she decides to keep it inside but the golden card comes into view. And it takes a few seconds to understand whose handwriting it is. She put the box aside and quickly grab the card, 
“A small gift from your Janab as sorry”

She never gets to know how her face starts glowing with a pretty blush and smile. She quickly opens the box, the pretty brown leather diary, and adds some old metal design on the cover, making it more vintage. And again one violet velvety box. She picks that and wonders why it’s so lightweight. She assumes it's a pen while opening the box. But she never thought it would be such a beautiful feather pen. She never saw something so beautiful like this. 

She brushes her fingers over the soft feather, it’s ticklish, which makes her giggle. Yeah pretty small gifts are enough to cheer up her mind for a moment.