Jwala:

I went with that person to a hotel room. I felt uneasy in the stomach and went to the washroom. I realised that I was in Shark week.

"Sir... I... Can't... Do. This," I said scaring.

"What?" He said catching my hairs.

"I am in my menstrual cycle."

"I have no problem. I take my wife even if she is in her menstrual cycle. Come fast to the bed, or my belt will kiss you till you swoon and then I will take you," he said.

He is worse than Agni. Idiot! How can he be that impolite to a woman? How can I imagine this fellow to be polite when he views a girl just as an object of pleasure? I don't know how his wife is bearing him. I must find a way to get rid of this beast.

Agni! Yes, only Agni can help me now. I know he is not good, but I don't think he will force me to give myself during my shark week.

"Okay! I will just come cleaning myself," I said and went to the washroom.

I called Agni. He picked up my call within two rings.

"What, Baby? Do you miss me?" Agni asked.

Is he my love or husband to miss him? I will be happy if I get a chance to go away from this beast permanently.

"Agni, I am struck with girl flu. Please, save me," I said, and I am sure he got what I mean.

"Did you tell this to him?" Agni asked.

"Yes!"

“So, what did he say?"

"He said he had no problem and wants me right now."

"Give mobile to him."

I gave the mobile to him.

"But Agni," that man said.

"No, I will cancel our deal," that man said.

"No, I want her right now. Otherwise, you will face the consequences," this fellow warned Agni.

"Okay! I am leaving her and cancel the deal."

He returned mobile to me.

"Agni!"

"Come home by walk you bloody b*tch. Because of you, this deal got cancelled," he screeched on call.

I went home by walk. My legs ached very severely. I went to Agni's room anticipating his anger.

"I am sorry, Agni!" I said.

He stood up from the bed and moved towards me. I gulped and sweat beads formed on my forehead. I walked back as I know worst is waiting for me. He pinned me to the wall and pressed his hard body against my sore body which got hurt yesterday because of him. My mouth didn't open as I have no energy to fight against him. Water droplets blurred my vision.

He pressed himself more and more making me feel as if my every bone was crushed. I was about to shout, but he killed my voice by kissing me harshly and biting my lips until they bleed.

He left me and looked at me. I felt my lip bleeding. I thought to touch my lip, but he stopped me.

"No, don't touch," he said and held my lower lip at the place where he bit.

"Aaahhhhh" I shouted loud, and he gripped my lip more tight increasing blood flow.

Agni left my lip.

"Sit on your knees, Baby," Agni ordered.

"Wh... Wh.. At..?"

He slapped me, and I fell to the floor. He then held my hand and made me sit on my knees.

"I hate repeating the words. You should follow my words as soon as they come out from my mouth," Agni said holding my jaw.

"Kneel down for two hours. More is on the way for you today. Today, I will not give you food or water. Starve the entire day. Keeping food to you is a waste as you are a worthless sl*t. You will face the consequences for making the deal fail," he said and went off.

After two hours, Agni came to me.

"Good, these days you are learning to obey my orders."

"Get up, my dear useless wh*re."

I tried to get up, but my knees and legs didn't cooperate with me. Agni held my hairs and dragged me out from the home to garden.

"Stay here for five days. You are not useful to me for these five days. So you are not allowed inside. Take your garbage" Agni threw my bag on my face.

"Look you shouldn't go anywhere from here. Sleep on grass. Don't use the bench to sleep or sit. Just stand the whole day and at night when I permit you, then sleep on the lawn. You can use that washroom of servants. I will give food and water whenever I feel you require it. Remember you shouldn't ask for food or water. Otherwise, I will hit you with a belt before all the servants till you bleed. That's your punishment for cancelling the deal" he said and left me there.

I held my stomach and stood on the grass in the hot sun. I felt dehydrated. Menstrual cramps hit me hard because of this mess in my life. I hate myself for being this helpless. I wish death is better than this life. However, I should bear it for three more months so that, that orphanage will be mine. He came at night and looked at me.

"You can sleep now. But you must wake up by five in the morning. If you didn't get up by that time, I might not give breakfast to you. Tomorrow it's Sunday, and you will be doing all the household work. I want my breakfast and everything on time" he said and left.

I slept and woke up early in the morning. I took a shower and got ready fast. I went to the kitchen and cleaned everything. I cooked breakfast for Agni. He came down at 8 a.m.

"Is breakfast ready, Jwala?"

"Yes!"

"Good, serve me."

I served, and he ate it. After completing his meal, he looked at me.

"Did you take water?"

"No!" I said.

"Let me see," he said and switched on his TV to watch CCTV footage.

He saw me taking water.

"So you are brave enough to lie to me. No problem, hereafter you will never lie to me" Agni said.

"You won't be given food and water again for next twenty-four hours. But that's not enough for you. You need more. Tell me, what should I do to stop you from lying to me?"

"I am sorry."

"Shut up, Baby. Sorry is not enough."

"The punishment should bring a shiver to your spine whenever you get a thought to lie to me. You should become calm and living dead body after the punishment. It should be excruciating. You should beg me to stop the punishment. Tell me, Baby, what should I do?"

"Come to our room," Agni said, and I followed him silently.

"Sit on the chair."

I sat immediately. Agni tied me to the chair. He smacked me with his belt. Every stroke made me scream and cry more and more.

"Don't ask me to stop. I won't stop until every part of your body bleed. If you ask me to stop, I will beat you more."

He hit me again. I cried and shouted hard. My hands and legs started bleeding.

"Awesome, I love this red liquid flowing from your hands and legs," he said and gave more hitting.

He stopped before I die. I wish to die rather than tolerating his inhuman acts.

"Will you ever lie to me, Baby?" Agni asked.

I shook my head indicating no.

"Good, but now apologise to me for lying and tell that you will never lie to me."

"I am sorry for lying to you. I never lie to you" I said.

"Good!" he said untying me.

He took first aid box.

"Take it and treat yourself. No one helps you."

"I am going out. You shouldn't take water or food until I reach home and permit you. You shouldn't sleep too. Just sit in the chair."

Agni left the room. I cursed myself for accepting this fate and becoming his prey. I didn't have energy due to starvation and menses. He came after two hours.

"Jwala, have this food and water," he said giving me food and water bottle.

I took the water bottle and drank it at once.

"I didn't want to eat food," I said due to vertigo.

"Why?" he said and kept his hand on my forehead.

"God! You got fever just for few hitting, very funny," he said.

"Look Jwala, have food and take medicine. Even if you are ill, I won't give you rest. So, better take care of your health."

I was unable to eat food, and surprisingly he fed me. I took tablets.

"Sleep on the bed for today, only for today."

I looked at him suspiciously.

"Don't worry. I won't trouble you," Agni said.

He lifted me in his arms and dropped on the bed.

"I am putting water beside you. Food will be sent at night again" he said and left the room.

I remembered my childhood and my life before meeting Agni. I was a princess to my parents and grandparents. Everyone loves me a lot. Dad never hit me at least once even in my childhood. They pampered me a lot though I was a naughty child. Today Agni was hitting me for everything. I looked at my hands and legs which were poorly injured and my body full of belt marks. I know still this is not the end. I had food at night and slept.

Agni didn't come home for four days. He kept a message to me that I can stay in the room and no need to go to the garden. Food arrived on time, and I took complete rest for four days. However, the body was still sore due to his torture. He came at night after four days.

"Did you take enough rest for four days? Now come and relax me" he said kissing me on the neck.

I decided to do whatever he says than falling into trouble by going against him. I responded to him and allowed him to do whatever he wants. He pinched and played with my bruises making me cry. I bore all the pain till he left me.

"Very good, you learned your lesson. Until you were beaten to bleed, your little brain didn't understand, am I right? Behave like this every day and follow my every word calmly and you will get less pain," he said and slept beside me.

Jwala:

We went to Agni's office. Agni started offering me and booking appointments for me for the next two days. I didn't say anything to him. I respected his every order, i.e., serving tea, sweeping his room and standing whole day. We returned home.

"Jwala, change your dress and shift your room," Agni said.

"What?"

"Wear sari or salwar kameez. I shouldn't find any of your belongings in my room. Talk help of maid if you need."

I nodded though I didn't understand the reason.

"My younger sister and brother are visiting me today. They will stay for three to four days here. I didn't want them to know about our relationship. You should look decent before them."

"Okay! If you want, I will leave to my hostel."

"No, you have no chance of escaping from me. I am going to introduce you as my fiancé to them. So, you must look homely. One more thing, keep your mouth shut for these days. If you talk anything rubbish or unnecessary stuff before them, I won't leave you even after four months. So keep yourself in control."

"Okay."

"One more thing, you will cook the food for them as long as they stay here. My siblings don't like food prepared by the maid. They are coming from the hostel and prefer home food."

"Fine," I said.

"Do you know cooking? Only once you prepared food for me and it was like your face," he said making me angry.

What does he mean? He had breakfast fully. Why is he talking like that?

"I know cooking. I don't think breakfast I prepared for you is tasteless," I said.

"I didn't talk like that. I said it was like your face. Why are you assuming that food is tasteless? Is your face ugly?" He grinned.

Idiot! I can never understand this Agni. The girl who marries him will become insane with his behaviour.

"Don't worry, you may be that lucky girl," Agni said.

I looked at him.

"Look, don't behave like this before them."

"I didn't get you."

"Telling out your inner feelings, and assuming as it’s your mind voice."

"Okay."

I shifted the room and changed my dress. I am getting ready, and I saw Agni staring at me.

"This dress had a great effect on you. You seem like wh*re in those short dresses I chose for you. Now, you are looking homely and beautiful," Agni praised me for the first time.

Before I feel happy, he returned to his originality.

"However, Baby don't forget that you are my sl*t. Keep in mind what you are."

Did he leave any chance to hurt me? I don't understand why he abuses me even if I didn't do anything wrong. I think he loves to pique me.

"Don't show your useless tears to them or I will make you shed blood instead of salty water droplets?" Agni said holding my jaws.

"Okay."

"Good! Go and prepare dinner. They may come at any time."

I went to the kitchen. I don't know what to prepare.

"Agni, what do they like to eat?"

He closed his eyes for some time. Is he angry?

"What do you like to eat?" Agni asked me.

"Wh.. At?"

"I mean anything you like, but it should be less spicy."

I prepared food for them. After some time Agni's siblings arrived. His sister and brother are twelve and fourteen years old.

"Brother, how are you?" They asked hugging him.

"I am fine, how are you both?"

"We are fantastic," they said happily and looked at me.

"Who is she?" His sister asked.

"Jwala come here," he said, and I went to him.

"She will become your bhabhi (sister-in-law) soon. Her name is Jwala, my fiancé," he said keeping his hand on my shoulder.

"Bhabhi, are you going to become our bhabhi?" They asked, and I looked at Agni.

Agni frowned at me.

"Yes, I.. Am.. Your bhabhi," I said.

"Anjana and Ved, go and get fresh up," he said to them.

"Jwala, come to my room."

I went to him. He closed the door.

"Are you insane? Can't you answer them properly? Look, they shouldn't get any doubt. Behave properly, Jwala."

He is shouting at me, and someone knocked on the door.

"Bhaiya (brother), where is bhabhi?" They shouted from outside.

"I will leave," I said, but he held my wrist pinning me to the wall.

"What Baby? Do you think you are my fiance? You are my sl*t. Don't leave unless I ask you to go" he said burying his head in my neck.

"Bhaiya, where is bhabhi?"

"See in her room Anjana," he said moving closer to me and kissing me.

"We saw there and in the kitchen. Jwala bhabhi is nowhere," Ved said.

"Bhaiya, we know she is with you. Send her out. It's wrong to stay together before marriage," he left me with their words.

"Go out," he said, and I settled my saree and opened the door.

"What do you want Anjana and Ved?" I said smiling at them.

"Bhabhi, we are hungry. Please prepare something for us."

"I already made dinner for you. Come let's go," I said.

Agni and his siblings sat around the dining table. I served food to them.

"Bhabhi, you too join us."

I looked at Agni.

"No Ved, she shouldn't eat with us. I mean she doesn't like to eat before I eat. She is very traditional and loves to follow age customs," he said.

I understood that he is not going to give me dinner. They completed their meal. I was cleaning dishes, and he came to me.

"Sweetheart, are you hungry?"

"No no, it's okay."

"But I want you to have food. Come to my room. I made special food arrangements for you which you are going to have from today," Agni smirked and left for his room.

I completed washing dishes and went to him. He closed the door and gave the plate to me. It was rice with chilli powder.

"Eat it, Baby. You will enjoy it," he said.

I kept two bites in my mouth with tears. For the third bite, I felt very spicy.

"Water," I asked.

He laughed.

"Eat two more bites, and I will give you water."

I took two more bites hardly and pleaded for water. Agni poured water from the top making me jump and cry again. He poured little water in my mouth and remaining on the floor. He laughed seeing my condition and pulled me to the bed. He undressed me and entered without considering my situation.

"I love when you become completely helpless. I love deciding everything that related to you. Now go to your room but don't take water or anything. I want you to suffer till morning jumping on the bed and clutching your stomach. If Anjana and Ved were not here, I would have used you till morning and would have enjoyed your tears and pain. But bad luck, I am unable to see it," Agni said.

I wore my dress and went to my room. I suffered the entire night. In the morning I prepared breakfast for them. However, I didn't take water or anything this time as I know he will kill me if I drink water without his permission. He looked at me and laughed. He allowed me to have breakfast and water. We went to the office. Today evening, he will send me to a client.

I worked for him and bore his words calmly. I did everything as he said. In the afternoon, I went to talk to him.

"Agni. I want.. To talk to you," I said slowly.

He looked at me.

"Go on," he said standing near his office table.

I sat on my knees holding his feet.

"Agni, please help me. I can't do that. I can't go to other men. It's better to kill me than to send me to them. Please Agni, I will do anything you say except this. I can't sleep with other men. Please, help me. I will bear any punishment for this," I requested crying.

He looked at me for some time.

"Get up, Jwala."

I got up and stood before him.

"From where did you get this courage to say no to me? I think I should teach you more."

"Agni, this is not my courage. I am begging you. I am begging for your mercy. Just put me in the place of your mom or sister and think."

He held my throat.

"Don't ever talk regarding my mom or sister. They never offer their body to save someone else."

“I am going to stop sending you to my clients. I did't book any appointments for you. Relax! It was a drama to scare you. However, you need to do something for accepting your request," Agni said.

"Tell me."

"You must work for my company day and night. I mean you should work on projects. If you don't succeed in doing our company win projects, I will send you to the clients again. If you fail even in one project, I will give you to them. I won't even hesitate to start a business with your body for making money if you fail in getting projects for our company."

"I agree."

"Ok but don't forget you will get your punishment for saying no to my words tonight. I will make you control your words and feelings. You will get what you deserve tonight," Agni said holding my throat tightening his grip.

My body shivered with his words. I don't know what else remained to torture me. He already used every way to torment me.

He laughed seeing my scary expressions.

"Don't worry; I am not going to do anything to you till my siblings are at my home. You can relax for these two to three days. After that, you will get your punishments at once. I pity you, Baby. I don't know how you will take all punishments of three days at once. I am sure you will do something that makes me mad in these three days. You can't live without making me angry and getting hit by me. You love to see my belt flying on you, am I right?" He laughed again.

He loves to hurt me. Though I didn't do anything, he will find something to punish me. I don't know why he is that angry with me all the time. I started working on the project. Days passed by so hard with his scolding and slaps. His siblings went off to the hostel, and he showed hell to me again. One month went off. One day I was working, and he called me to his cabin.

"You look very cute when you cry. You look beautiful when you are beside me naked in bed. You look fantastic when you plead me for a drop of water and jump to drink water when I pour from the top. Jwala, how it will be if we make our relationship permanent through marriage? I love to put you in order, see you scared of me and following whatever I say. I want you to be in my control forever begging and pleading for my mercy" he said looking at me.

"By the way Jwala, I approached your family for an alliance. They are almost positive towards the proposal. Once if they say ok, you will be under my control forever. Except your dressing and giving you to someone else, everything will be the same even after marriage. After marrying me, you will be locked in my room forever without giving you any freedom. What do you think about our wedding? Isn't it exciting to live as my sl*t forever? I will marry you but will treat you just as a sl*t."

His words and marriage proposal made me feel as if my head was spinning. Everything went blur before me. No, I don't want to marry him.

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.