Sensitive content ahead. Reader's discretion is advised.
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Third Person's POV
Arnav opened his eyes, feeling the last night's hangover as his head pounded, and even the dim light filtering through the curtain became too much for him.
Pressing on his temple with one hand, he slowly blinked his eyes, trying to curb the headache as he used his other hand to push on the mattress so he could sit on the bed.
Looking around the room, he realized he had spent the night in Khushi's room. His eyes stopped over Khushi, who was curled up in one corner of the room, her body covered by a bedsheet.
As he peered at her face, he could see her red eyes, the bluish imprint of a hand on her cheeks, and a cut on her swollen bottom lip with dried blood on the corner of her lips.
'So, I really went through with it?' Arnav thought, remembering how Anjali had urged him to instill such fear in Khushi that she would think twice before even thinking of leaving him.
He had been reluctant at first, but Anjali had made him understand. She had questioned him about how his life would be without Khushi, and he had not been able to imagine living even for a day without his Khushi.
It was then that Anjali encouraged him to do whatever it would take to keep Khushi with him.
'If she cannot understand your love through your apology and begging, then make her fear you, Arnav. Only then would she be by your side forever. The important thing is Khushi being in your life. How does it matter if it is her love or fear keeping her bound to you?'
When Anjali had said that, he had silently nodded, as he felt it to be right. As long as Khushi is with him, it does not matter whether she loves him or fears him.
The only thing that matters is she is here, with him, and he intends to make this forever.
After all, Khushi is his wife, and as they say, marriage bounds two people for seven lives. So, he will claim Khushi as his.
He does not know about the other lives. But for this one, she is his. Only and only his.
Climbing down from the bed, he walked to Khushi, still one of his hands on the temple as he could still feel the pounding headache.
But he frowned when Khushi did not make a movement. He is sure she has noticed him climbing down from the bed and walking toward her, but there is no change in her-neither in her facial expression, which seemed stoic, nor in her body, which appeared to be frozen in that corner where she was seated.
Reaching her, he crouched on the floor in front of her. Then clutching her jaw, he made her look at him. His frown deepened when he saw no change in her expression.
There was no lingering angst regarding what happened last night, no fear of him as he tightly clutched her jaw.
The only sign that her face had about her crying was her puffed eyelids and red eyes.
She had been broken by him once, but somewhere in between, when he had softened his actions toward her, she had regained her strength.
'I will need to break her again. Only then would she stay by my side forever.'
Thinking that, Arnav hardened his face, his hand tightening more on her jaw.
He smirked in satisfaction when he heard Khushi hiss. 'Finally, a reaction!'
"If only you had not forced me, Khushi. If only you had agreed to stay by my side. I would not have to hurt you more," Arnav said to her, expecting some kind of reaction from her, but she only kept looking at him.
Sighing, he left her jaw and stood up, adjusting the thin blanket he had draped around his waist before climbing down from the bed earlier.
"All your things will be shifted to my room by tonight. We are married now, and we will be staying together. I had been lenient toward you, wanting you to accept our relationship on your free will, but your actions confirmed you should not be given any freedom or choice.
"Step a toe out of the line I drew for you or even think of leaving me, and I will make sure to give you such brutal punishment that not only your body but also your soul will shiver due to the sheer pain and humiliation of it.
"If it is only fear that will keep you with me, then so be it." Saying that, Arnav was about to walk out of the room but stopped suddenly when he heard Khushi's voice.
"You broke me once, Arnav Rathore. I had been weak then, crying, shouting, and begging with you not to strip me of my honor. I had pleaded with you not to beat me and hurt me. But you had been brutal. Your cruelty left marks not only on my body but on my soul too.
"I had hit rock bottom then, not knowing how to cope with everything that happened with me in such a short period of time. Still, I rose, regained my strength, and bit by bit, I realized that I did not lose my honor or dignity. You know why?" Khushi asked, her eyes still red with anger.
Hissing because of pain in certain parts of her body, she slowly stood from the floor and limped to where Arnav was standing.
"I have realized now that by raping me, you lost your honor and dignity. By becoming a rapist, you created a never-healing scar on your soul. And this realization has made me stronger, Arnav.
"You want to instill fear in me by raping and beating me again?" Khushi shook her head, her lips curving in a wry smile.
"The only thing you will instill in me by doing that is disgust for you, Arnav. Only hate and disdain for you, Arnav. The fear is long gone, and it will never return. Do you know why? Because you have already done your worst, and I am still alive.
"You do know that saying, don't you? 'Anything that does not kill you makes you stronger.' And that is what has happened to me. Your cruelty broke me but did not kill me. So, now, it has made me stronger.
"So, do everything you can, Arnav. Keep stooping lower. After all, the only thing a cowardly rapist like you can do is hurt me in the name of your so-called fake love.
"But do remember one thing. I will leave you, Arnav. Nothing you do will keep me from leaving you. If anything, it will strengthen my resolve to get away from you," Khushi finished and slowly limped away towards the bathroom, leaving Arnav boiling in the mixed feelings of his anger and anguish.