19 : You can’t escape me

— 𖤐 𝐌𝐈𝐑𝐇𝐀'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐕 :

Mirha's age : nine

I hug my big, fluffy penguin toy super tight to my chest, sniffling.

Big fat tears roll down my cheeks, and I desperately try to wipe them away with both of my palms.

I can't stop crying.

I want a sibling. I really really want a brother or sister.

Mommy got mad at me and scolded me because I stubbornly kept asking for a sibling during the usual grand party happening downstairs in our hall at home.

Mommy told me to behave, but I ran straight upstairs to my room and hid in my dollhouse.

My pink princess, glittery tulle dress is all crumpled because I'm huddled inside. My hair's a mess from pulling out my pigtails in anger. My face is all wet from tears and snot. If Mommy saw me like this, she'd be really disappointed.

Papa is busy with his work, like always. He didn't pay attention to me.

My parents can be mean sometimes, but I know they love me.

Papa does some dangerous business which takes up all his time, and mommy can't spare much time for me either. But I understand and never complain.

I wish they understood me too and how much I want someone to play with.

I feel so lonely.

The door to my room clicked open.

"Where's my beautiful princess?" Nanny Mila's voice echoed, and I sniffled more, squeezing my soft penguin toy close to me.

"Oh, I guess someone's hiding in the dollhouse."

In no time, she found me and knelt down in front of the dollhouse.

"Oh my, my, what happened to my baby?" I sniffed and crawled out of the house, hugging Nanny Mila tightly.

She sat on the floor and took me in her lap, holding me.

Nanny Mila is so warm and she smells like honey. I hold onto her really tight.

"Who made my beautiful baby cry, tell me? I'm going to punch them out of this universe."

I sniffed and pulled back.

"Mili, Mommy's so mean. She scolded me when I asked for a sibling. I hate her." I complain.

"No, Mirha, bad manners. You shouldn't say that. She's your mother, baby." She strokes my hair away from my face gently and wipe the tears from my chubby cheeks.

"Sorry. But I want a sibling, Mili. I feel so lonely. I want someone to play with me." I say, sniffing.

Mili strokes my cheeks gently, "But you have me, baby. I play with you, don't I?"

I shake my head, "You're old, Mili, and you get tired soon. I want someone I can play with all the time. You don't play with me all the time."

"Hey, I'm not old, that was mean, okay?" She huffs and I giggle a little, "But you're an oldie."

Nanny Mila is an old lady with soft features and wrinkles on her face, she even wear those round wire glasses.

She's chubby like me and has been my nanny since I was a little baby.

She took care of me, played with me and made me laugh, always.

I love her the most.

"Okay, how about you call your friends from school to play with you?"

"I have no friends at school," I say sadly.

"Why?"

"At school, I have these big, scary guys whom papa sends with me and are always around me, scaring all the kids away, so no one wants to be friends with me." I fold my arms, angrily huffing.

"But, princess, they are for your protection."

"I know that, so I don't say anything." I murmur slowly.

"And do you remember that pretty boy, Mili? He was my first friend, the one I met at the hospital when grandpa was sick and admitted there?" She nods.

"Dad searched for him when I asked, but he couldn't find him anywhere. The tricky part is, he never told me his name. We became such good friends, he should have at least shared his name, right? When I asked, he stayed quiet, so I kept mine a secret too.

At first, he seemed distant and quiet and also sad, I approached him and asked what was wrong with him but he ignored me rudely, I didn't give up and we eventually became friends. Even though he was silent and rude all the time, he always listened to me attentively and even chuckled at my silly jokes. Besides you, no one ever appreciated my jokes, but he did. He was the most beautiful boy I'd ever seen. And here's a secret, promise not to tell anyone, okay?"

I lean in, cupping her ears with my chubby palms and whispered, "I think.....I like him."

I pull back and giggle pressing my palms to my mouth.

"I miss him terribly, and I miss my milky brownie too. My hamster, my only pet, also passed away, Mili. I feel so alone. I yearn for a sibling, someone to play with." My chin wobbles and tears well up in my eyes.

I begin to cry once more.

"Hush now, sweetie, you want a sibling to play with, right?" she soothes, wiping my tears away and I nod, sniffling.

"Don't worry, I'll get you one tomorrow."

"Promise," I extend my pinky.

"Promise." She links her pinky with mine, causing a wide grin to spread across my face.

                                    — 𖤐

A cute little girl, shorter than me, peeks out from behind Mili, she's dressed in a simple green cotton dress, unlike me who's wearing one of my glittery tulle dress.

Her complexion is pale like mine but she's not as chubby as me. Her hair is blond, curly and tousled freely while my dark brown hair is secured into tight pigtails.

Her huge green eyes meets mine, and I smile at her in a friendly way.

"Elena, meet Mirha, your elder sister, and Mirha, meet Elena, your younger sister. She's my granddaughter and now your sibling." Mili  introduces us to each other.

With a wider smile, I approach them, dragging my big beloved penguin along the floor.

"Hi, Elena, I'm Mirha." I beam, offering my hand for a handshake.

Elena clutches Nanny Mila's gown tightly in her small hands and refuses to come out from behind her.

"It's alright, Elena, she's here to play with you, no need to worry." Mili reassures Elena, gently stroking her hair.

I hold out my favourite penguin towards Elena. I never share my penguin with anyone but I can share it with Elena after all now she's my little sister.

Slowly emerging from behind Mila, Elena tentatively takes hold of the penguin.

I grin at her widely and she finally smiles back.

We spent the whole day playing together. Elena seemed a bit shy and quiet, but I'm super chatty, so I talked to her, and she talked back. I shared my toys, marshmallows, my gummy bears, candies and all of my favourite food and things with her.

She told me she's five years old and lives with Nanny Mila. Elena also shared that she goes to kindergarten school all day, and Nanny Mila picks her up in the evening after she leaves our house.

I overheard Mommy thanking Nanny Mila for bringing Elena and also heard that Elena lost her parents when she was a 2-year-old baby. Since then, Nanny Mila has taken care of her and is her only guardian and grandmother.

Mili mentioned that eavesdropping is impolite, so I quickly walked away.

The day was so much fun, and in the evening, Elena and Nanny Mila went home, promising to return tomorrow.

Now, I have a sibling to play with every day.

I can't be more happier.

                                    — 𖤐

Mirha's age : twenty two

— The night before the wedding :

I can't sleep.

Tomorrow is finally my wedding with Mr. Malik.

Oh god.

I pace the room back and forth, nervously chewing on my bottom lip.

Zara is dead sleep on the bed.

We've been roommates and having sleepovers since Zara arrived in New York.

We missed each other so much that we can't bear anymore distance.

I settle on the nearby chair, wincing as my clothed ass meets its rough surface.

The brute had spanked me yesterday and whisked me off to the mansion, not even allowing me to inform Amir or Zara.

I had to call Zara to let her know I left with Mr. Malik. She was ecstatic as she got to return with Amir alone.

I attempted to ignore the flutter in my heart when the jerk handed me an ointment, instructing me to apply it.

While applying it, I caught a glimpse in the mirror of those large red fingerprints.

The Asshole brute had left his mark, making it painful to even sit without remembering him.

Just remembering what happened in the fitting room yesterday sends a rush of heat to my whole face, and my thighs clench on their own.

Ugh. Perfect.

I grab my phone, aiming to distract myself by scrolling through the reels.

As I unlock the screen, a message from an unknown number catches my eye.

Unknown number : Mirha Ivanov, soon to be Mirha Malik, am I right?

A frown creases my brow. What in the world? Who is this person?

Me : Who's this?

I type swiftly. The message gets read instantly, and the typing dots appear.

Unknown number : Not important. Just wanted to inform you that you won't be marrying Zayran Malik. You'll escape the wedding.

Shock grips me, replaced swiftly by a surge of anger.

I jab my fingers into the keyboard forcefully, feeling furious.

Me : Excuse me? Who do you think you are? Stop the nonsense and reveal your identity, or I'll block your number.

I send the message, and once more, it's read immediately, the typing dots appearing.

Unknown number : Have a peaceful night's rest, bride, or should I say soon-to-be runaway bride. Wait for my surprise tomorrow.

And just like that, the person goes offline.

What the actual fuck?

I block the psycho's number right away, toss my phone aside, and lay down, hoping to erase the unsettling text exchange from my mind as I drift off to sleep.

                                  — 𖤐

I gaze at my dark henna-clad palms, then shift my focus to the mirror before me.

Once more, I stand adorned like a bride, draped in a deep maroon voluminous lengha intricately embroidered with golden threads.

My makeup is kept subtle, enhancing my features, while my dark brown hair is in styled in an elegant twist and adorned with red roses.

A grand golden necklace with a delicate design adorns my entire neck, paired with long matching earrings.

A magnificent golden passa rests elegantly on the side of my head, and to top it off, a large golden nose ring.

Finally, completing the look with a huge deep red veil that drapes over my head, cascading to the ground, embellished with intricate golden work along the borders.

[ Passa is a traditional South Asian hair ornament that is worn on the side of the head. It typically consists of a decorative piece attached to a chain or string that is secured in the hair ]

Despite the veil of makeup concealing it, the faint dark circles can be seen. I ended up overthinking the whole night about the creepy text exchange, wondering who could it be?

Is it my scum of an ex-fiancé? Or any of my father's enemies?

There's also this unsettling feeling that something very terrible is going to happen.

"𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡, 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐢 𝐥𝐚𝐠 𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐢 𝐡𝐚𝐢, 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐤𝐮𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐚 𝐭𝐮𝐤𝐝𝐚." Aunty's words of admiration bring a smile to my lips.

[ You look so beautiful, just like a piece of moon ]

"𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐚 𝐭𝐮𝐤𝐝𝐚 𝐧𝐚𝐡𝐢 𝐀𝐦𝐦𝐢, 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐚 𝐤𝐚 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝. Bhai is very lucky, my bestie is the gorgeousest ever." Zara appears and wraps her arms around me, hugging me side ways and I smile widely at her, holding her arms that are wrapped around me.

[ Not a piece of moon, but the whole moon ]

"Alright, we are heading downstairs now. Mirha, you do the final touch-up, then Zara will come to take you, okay?" Aunty says, and I nod.

She exits, followed by Zara, who quickly plants a kiss on my cheek before the door clicks shut behind them.

I sigh and settle onto the dressing table stool.

As my phone dings with a new text, my heartbeat quickens.

It's from yet another unknown number. I guessed it right.

Unknown number : I must say, not a very cool move by blocking me, but since you are the bride- soon to be a runaway bride, I'm forgiving you. So now, will you run away from the wedding or not?

I close my eyes to calm myself and then I type forcefully, my fingers jabbing at the keyboard.

Me : Who. the. fuck. are. you?

The reply is immediate.

Unknown number : Well, I guess you might want to watch this video.

Gritting my teeth, I prepare to block the number again when a video pops up. I click on it, and my hands shake uncontrollably.

I have to blink a few times to focus on the person in the video.

Blonde curly hair, big green eyes, pale skin, the same soft features— Elena.

It's my Lena, my little girl, my sister.

She's wearing a very dirty, worn-out dress,

and is confined in a cell.

Her eyes are barely open, as if she's struggling not to lose consciousness.

She is alive. I knew it.

I knew she would be alive. She's grown up. She's grown up so much from the last time I saw her.

Tears well up in my eyes. My only sibling was snatched away from me when I was 12 years old.

I knew she was fucking kidnapped.

I can't believe I searched for her for so many years like crazy and finally, I see her.

But why is she in the cell?

I zoom in on the video, and notice bruises on her delicate face and she is even cruelly chained like some caged animal.

Anger engulfs me, and without a second thought, I dial the unknown number.

"Who the fuck are you? And how long do you have my sister? How dare you lay a hand on her? What have you done to her? and why the hell do you keep telling me to runaway from the wedding?" I roar into the phone the moment the call connects, my voice is trembling with a mix of fear and rage.

"Take it easy, wild bride. Your sister is fine...for now. But her fate rests in your hands. Break the contract marriage shit with Zayran Malik and strike a deal with me. Escape the wedding, and your sister will be free."

It's a male voice, and I can feel it's deliberately muffled with a cloth on phone.

Who the fuck is this person and how does he know about the contract marriage and deal with Mr. Malik?

"I think you don't truly know me. I'm Mirha Ivanov, your hollow threats aren't gonna rattle me. Listen here, you psycho, I'm not escaping from this wedding, I'm marrying Zayran Malik. And if you lay a finger on my sister, trust me you ain't seen wrath like mine. You might obviously know whose blood runs in my veins?" I challenge over the call.

"Well, well, spill the beans to the old man, and he'll catch wind of your wedding, won't he? Your lie will be caught, and then what? Daddy dearest will haul you back, and any hope of reuniting with your sis will vanish. Because the moment you breathe a word to anyone, I mean anyone at all, your sister will vanish into thin air." His voice is filled with malice.

"You fucking bastard, I swear I'll end you!!!!Lay a finger on my sister, and you're dead. I'm serious, I'll fucking make you pay for everything you have done to her and then I'll kill you." I scream in fury.

"Alright, listen up. Here's the deal. I'll shoot you a location, and you get over here now if you want to see your little sis again. But if you go ahead and marry Zayran Malik, your wish of reuniting with your sister goes up in smoke." he states and my fists clench in frustration.

"I'll make you regret this all, mark my words!" I roar into the phone.

"Yeah okay, whatever. Now, watch the video I'm about to send and make your move to save your sister." He disconnects the call abruptly before I can respond, and next second another video pops on my screen.

My fingers tremble as I watch Lena's limp figure, her head droop to the side, her eyes barely open.

Suddenly, a towering figure dressed entirely in black, his face hidden in shadow, emerges.

He grips a large iron rod, its surface showing signs of scorching.

In the next moment, a sharp scream pierces through the phone as the man presses the hot iron rod against Lena's exposed arm.

My hand instinctively covers my mouth as tears stream down my cheeks.

The man continues to press the scorching iron rod against her bare arm, causing Lena to scream and struggle against the clinking chains that bind her. I notice the already present burn marks scattered across her arms.

And just like that she goes completely limp, her hair is grown and is disheveled, damp blonde curls falling over her sweaty face as her eyes shut completely.

No, no, please no.

With trembling hands, I dial the number, my heart racing in my chest in fear.

As soon as the call connects, my voice quivers with rage.

"You heartless scumbag! I swear I'll—," but before I can finish, I'm abruptly interrupted.

"Enough of your bratty attitude. Quickly reach the location I've sent, or shall I send more videos of your sister? Maybe this time, it will be her face, and other parts of her body too."

Terror grips me as I wipe away tears with a shaky hand, pleading.

"Please don't. Please don't hurt her anymore."

Swallowing hard, I continue, "I'll do as you say. I won't marry Zayran Malik. I'll escape the wedding. Just promise me, you won't touch her again." My voice trembles with fear and tears stream down my cheeks uncontrollably.

I can't think straight right now. All I know is I need to save my sister at any cost.

"A wise decision. Act swiftly, and I'll ensure her safety." He abruptly ends the call.

With tears streaming down my face, I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what lies ahead.

I need to go.

I have to escape the wedding.

I have no other option.

Maybe I'm being really selfish, but I can't help it, especially when my sister's life is on the line. I can't miss the only opportunity to save her and bring her back.

I don't want to do this to Mr.Malik but I have no choice. I'm so sorry, Mr. Malik.

I tap on Mr. Malik's name and urgently type out a message, sinking my teeth into my bottom lip to stop the sob threatening to escape.

I clutch my phone tightly and grip my huge voluminous lengha with both hands. Without a second thought, I make my way towards the back door of the banquet.

The corridors are deserted, probably because everyone is downstairs.

Hurrying towards the back door, my path is abruptly intercepted by Yasmine aunty emerging from one of the numerous rooms lining the vast corridor.

Panic hits me, but I muster my courage, swallowing hard, I try to act normal

"Areyy Mirha, where are you off to? The back door is this way. The hall is in the opposite direction." She frowns.

I collect myself and offer a smile.

"Ah, I forgot, I'm sorry."

"No worries, come on, I'll guide you downstairs."

Panic resurfaces within me.

"Aunty, I just need a quick touch-up of makeup. I'll join you shortly." I request, hoping she agrees. She squints at my face, and my heart races in fear that she might see any tear streaks. But I had made sure to fix my makeup before leaving the room so that no one would notice if I met anyone.

"Nah, your makeup is more than perfect, c'mon." She laughs.

Shit.

What do I do?

She wraps her hand around my shoulders and

led me downstairs.

In that moment, I reach out a hand to my ear and pluck the earring from my lobe, and conceal it in my palm.

As we reach the staircase, I abruptly stop.

"Ah, I even forgot to wear one earring. I don't know what's wrong with me." I say, touching my bare ear, pretending, a facade of forgetfulness.

"It's okay, beta ji. Everyone gets nervous on their wedding day, it's natural." She smiles at me warmly.

I feel so terrible for lying to her, guilt gnaws at my heart and my chest tightening thinking about how I'm deceiving all of them.

"I'll... I'll be back, aunty. You go ahead. I'll wear the earring. Could you send Zara to help me? The guests must be waiting for you."

"Of course, dear. Take your time with the earring, and I'll send Zara your way."

"Aunty, I'm sorry." My chin trembles and without waiting for her response, I turned away swiftly, heading to the room.

I steal a glance back to ensure she's gone and hurriedly make my way towards the back door, running.

                                   — 𖤐

I find myself in a whirlwind of uncertainty. I don't even know if I'm doing the right thing.

I'm running through the bustling streets in bridal attire like a madwoman, tightly clutching my phone and lengha in both hands.

People stare at me, probably thinking me as some lunatic.

But my sole focus is reaching my sister and ensuring her safety.

The sting of small pebbles piercing my bare soles makes me realise that I'm not even wearing shoes.

In a hurry, I didn't even bring money for a cab, I didn't even consider seeking help from Amir.

I didn't even think how Zara will feel upon not finding me in the room.

I'm solely driven by the need to reach Lena. I promised Mili that I'd take care of her, but I couldn't even keep that promise for a single day.

I'm such a worst person.

Why do I always seem to let everyone down?

Why do I end up being such a disappointment to everyone?

The honking of vehicles grows louder with each stride towards the location, which fortunately isn't too far.

I think I will reach in ten more minutes.

Out of nowhere, a massive black car slams to a stop right in front of me, blocking my path, and I go tumbling backward, hitting the ground hard as my sprint comes to an abrupt halt.

My palms meets the rough ground, sending a sharp sting and I look at my henna-clad palms to see them bleeding.

I lift my gaze, only to clash with the piercing, merciless, cold gaze of those steel grey eyes.

My eyes widen in pure shock.

Mr. Malik steps out of the car, his entire face set in stone, jaw clenched tight, the aura of fury practically emanating from him.

How in the world did he find me? That too so quickly?

He hovers over me like a menacing shadow before bending down.

"You really thought you can slip away from me? Not a chance, Mirha. I made it clear that you're going to be my wife, and that's fucking happening no matter what. You agreed to this marriage, yet you tried to runaway, that too without a valid reason. Your attempt to flee will not go unpunished, mark my words.

Now, even if I have to force you into this marriage, I will, because there's no fucking way you're escaping Zayran Malik." He growls, his voice dripping with determination.

Before I can comprehend what's happening,

In a swift move, he grabs my elbow in a vice-like grip, pulling me up and shoves me into the backseat of the car, causing me to stumble onto the seat.

He then settles in beside me and commands the driver to move.

                       ✧———————-——✧

Thank you for reading<3 Drop a comment and vote, it motivates me to write further.

The vote target for the previous chapter hasn't been reached, yet I gave y'all a new chapter, despite my exams.

4K people are reading the chp then I can at least expect 1k people to vote, right? And that too it's for free, I'm not charging y'all anything. Yet y'all can't just click that star button and leave a comment.

I won't update the next chapter unless y'all complete the target. It's the same as before : 1k votes and 500 comments.