Durga's POV- The Ultimatum

I glared at Mr Agnihotri giving a threatening look to him but he looked unaffected. I wished if my eyes could kill this man. I was tempted to choke Mr Agnihotri for his insolent attitude but controlling my anger was necessary to get rid of him.

"My answer still haven't changed Mr Agnihotri. I don't want to marry you so you can also leave," I said and watched how he rolled his orbs upwards exhaling sharply. He was leaving no stone to wreck my nerves in an anger.

"As per I just witnessed you are not marrying Nikhil'' This miserly man said raising his brows.

"Neither Nikhil nor YOU. I am done with this wedding. I don't want to marry anyone now and ever." I declared it. I heard my mother gasping over my words. Mr Agnihotri stepped forward crossing his arms at the front and staring at me intently.

"But I am not done yet, I know you will do this wedding for the sake of your family" The cunning rasp in his voice was evident when he said to me. What does he mean for the sake of my family?

I couldn't process what was going on in his mind.

For the sake of your family!

When he said I felt weird like something was cooking up in his mind which I couldn't guess.

For my family, I broke up my wedding with Nikhil. I knew I have saved my family from getting homeless but Mr Agnihotri's words were making me perplexed thinking about an unknown wave of fear. I noticed he might have sensed my confusion because he smirked slowly. I was worried for my family again. I can lose anything in my life but not my family.

Mr Agnihotri walked towards my Baba without moving his eyes and devilishly smiling at me.

"Mr.Shastri, tell your daughter whatever she is doing isn't wise," He said moving his arms behind his back and bending a little to get to my Baba's height. It was utterly disrespectful. Doesn't he know how to talk with an elderly person? He was dominating everyone and I didn't like his ways at all.

"You will not get out from here without getting insulted right?'' I asked him angrily. I saw him suddenly chuckling at me.

"And you will not marry me unless I use my power right?" He replied, narrowing his eyes at me cunningly. I wanted to push him out of my house but my family teachings were stopping me. He is a guest here but I bet for once he behaved like a guest! His six feet arrogance and ocean-like egoistic attitude was ending my patience to behave well with him.

"If you can do anything using your power then you can also approach any girl in the world and ask her for marriage," I stated firmly.

"Naah,'' He shook his hands showing his disapproval " I want you to marry me" He shoved his hands in the pockets of his trousers. He was standing in my house as if he owned it.

"Look I am not interested in this marriage neither marrying you," I voiced out confidently.

"But I am interested" He raised his eyebrows and gave me a goofy smile. He is so STUBBORN and irritating too.

"That's not my problem. Go somewhere else and marry" I twitched my lips at him and looked away.

He stepped further towering in front of me.

"Only if you accompany me, Miss Durga," He whispered. I inhaled a breath of forbearance. I can't hold it anymore.

"What the hell is your problem? Don't you understand I am not INTERESTED!" I just couldn't understand his obsession to marry me only. there are so many women in the world who are way better than me, in everything. This man doesn't seem to be marrying someone a simple middle-class woman like me. Then why he wants to marry me?

I felt like banging my head to a rock. He wasn't listening to me.

"You are wasting your time and my time just marry me or else" He said casually. Oh, everything is so cool for him but not for me!

"Do anything you want Mr Agnihotri, I am not going to marry you" I was adamant on my decision of not marrying the man in front of me. In fact, I have already lost interest in marrying any man. Since now, I have only met those who asked for money, dowery to marry me. I was getting sick of this word marriage.

"But Mr.Shastri" Mr Agnihotri snapped his face at my Baba suddenly. Baba looked incapable and defenceless in front of him. Baba doesn't need to feel like this when I am with him. This man might be powerful but that doesn't mean I will let my Baba to bow in front of him.

''If she will not marry tonight then what will you tell to that charity who lend you a hefty amount of money on loan?" Mr Agnihotri said it playfully cunning. This was the second shock I was getting in the same night. I also saw my Baba's face changing. So it was true. Despite telling my Baba not to ask for money from anyone, he didn't listen to me.

I realized whatever Mr Agnihotri said was true. He was walking around my Baba, talking with him but I felt getting trapped into his web. "Do you ever think what consequences you will have to face," Mr Agnihotri said glancing at me as I was watching them, then he looked at my Baba again and continued "When the charity will get to know that you have done fraud with them!" He said raising both eyebrows. I was shockingly listening to Mr Agnihotri while I noticed my mother was processing the meaning behind his threats. Mr Agnihotri continued ahead.

"And what will happen when the charity's owner that means Dev Agnihotri" He pointed at himself. I heard my mother gasped loudly. "Will get to know about this fraud." He sighed dramatically, "Dev Agnihotri might sue on you Mr.Shastri or takeover your house too! This time making you permanently homeless" There was a hint of threat in his menacing sarcastic tone. I saw my Baba getting helpless after hearing his words. Suddenly he unbalanced on his place holding his chest. My mother and I screamed running at him. We tried to hold him. My sister Simran started crying while Riya and I threw a hateful gaze to Dev. The bridge of my emotions and sufferance was collapsing looking at my Baba's condition.

"Riya call the ambulance," I told her rubbing my Baba's palms trying to make him calm and keeping him conscious.

My Baba has been a heart patient. A little more stress might lead him into something serious.

I saw Mr Agnihotri bending down in his knees and made my Baba to sit properly on the floor holding his back. He moved his hand up with a stern expression on his face and his friend Jay immediately gave a glass of water to him. Mr Agnihotri raised the glass near to my Baba's mouth and make him drink it. He leaned closer to my Baba's ears,

"Only if you daughter denies to marry me again I will get very angry Mr.Shastri because I don't like this stupid word NO and your daughter just can't stop saying it. She is already crossing the limits. Tell her to agree on whatever I say otherwise something nasty will happen"

I heard everything what he told to my Baba. I looked at Mr Agnihotri with teary gaze and asked him ardently,

"Why? Why you are doing this to me?"

He stared at me feigning lack of sympathy. I know he could see how helpless I was looking and that made him smirk in a victory. I hated it but it was too late to hide my vulnerability. I am sure he loved when people became helpless in front of him.

"Because you saved my life and Dev Agnihotri don't keep favours of anyone" He said smiling at me which only chided my mind. I already started having a doubt that his motives were something else. Perhaps he wanted me in his life so he could have his ways with me or he felt me as a challenge which made him to chase behind me. I have saved him which was a logical point but not enough to convince my heart that he will want to marry me! I was having endless possibilities going in my head but I couldn't find that one which was in his mind. He was giving me his smirky smile making me feel more helpless.

"Fine let me put a deal in front of you," Mr Agnihotri said and snapped his fingers. His guard instantly handed a file to him. I felt quite baffled over a thought of what suddenly he is up to now?

"In this file you will find some documents of loans your father borrowed for your wedding including from my charity. So here is the deal for you'' He threw the file at me and I caught it in my hands.

''Marry me and I will pay for all the loans not only taken for your wedding but for this house too, with it I will also take care of the expenses for your sister's education and their marriage in the future, plus your family's health insurance will be made from my accounts. I will make your family's living better than ever. Just say yes! " He said it confidently. I looked at my mother' eyes widening after hearing to his words. Money was dancing in front of her sparkling eyes. Only if I say yes, then my mother knows that she will be living a rich life in the future. She looked at me in a hope. As if I was a key to open the door of her precious dreams.

"And what if I say no?" I asked him.

Mr Agnihotri chuckled looking at me. I don't know what made him laugh. I still stand a chance to differ with his point and save my life.

"Then the police officers are already here. It will not take much time for me to send your father behind the bars on fraudulent charges and I might make you and your family's life a living hell by raising interests on your loans, I might snatch away your work too and If it gets into my nerves then I might buy this house to cover my loans, dragging your FAMILY on the road, the list it too long until you say YES to me.'' His each and every word was wrapped with his arrogance. I want to slap him hard but I know it wouldn't be wise to do it now.

When I moved my eyes to the police officers, I found them standing quietly.

"How can you just stand there? Can't you see this man is blackmailing me to marry him!'' I asked them. Instead of helping me, they started laughing.

"How can I arrest Dev Agnihotri sir. He is the billionaire. He won't get affected but I will lose my job and anyways who gets a chance to see billionaire's wedding live!" One constable said and laughed with his team. I have never felt like this before ever. Angry and helpless. I started feeling this day has been cursed by someone as nothing was turning out in my favour.

"So miss Durga Shastri," Mr Agnihotri said getting up and adjusting his cufflinks. "The choice is yours. Either this way or that way." He said looking down to my height. I stood up slowly and looked at him eye to eye matching to his intensity.

"I need some time to think," I said turned my back at him. I heard gasps, huffs and whispers.

"Sixty Minutes," Mr Agnihotri said and I looked at him in bewilderment. He was checking the time in his expensive wristwatch. Arguing with him was falling expensive for me. I stopped and looked at him in a surprise.

"Sixty minutes will be enough for her right?" I heard Mr Agnihotri asking his friend.

This man was actually giving me a time to think! I noticed his friend shaking his head slowly in disbelief.

"Yeah sixty minutes will be enough for you to do touch up of some makeup on your face'' Mr Agnihotri said looking at me. Listening to his words, I stormed away from him straight in my room.

After entering in the room, I sat on my bed. My eyes fell on the mirror and I looked at my helpless state.

How much I was feeling excited to marry a few hours ago and everything changed in a snap of a moment. The man I thought is a gentleman and understands her, whom I kept faith turned out like every selfish man on the earth who marries a woman only to get money from the dowery. I knew I couldn't change the world's way of thinking but at least I never wanted a man who believes in this patriarchy system.

Now I just wanted to break that mirror who was still showing me as a bride who wanted to get married. I hated the version of myself being helpless in the presence of anyone. Especially in front of a man like Dev Agnihotri.

The same man I saved a few days ago, I never thought he would turn up in her marriage like this. Urghh I should have let him die that night. I cursed herself for saving him. His name was too sounding so familiar but I shook away all those thoughts. There wasn't any chance of meeting him in my past except yesterday night.

That night specifically changed everything in my life. It gave someone a life but now that someone wanted to snatch my own life. I furiously hit my hands on the bed, feeling defeated already. I wanted to run away from this chaos but a thought of my family came across in my mind. I definitely can't leave my family in the trap of this man.

When I opened the file, I saw how many loans my Baba has taken for my wedding. I closed my eyes in frustration. The number of the amount made my head spin. I wanted to get angry on my Baba for not telling me anything about this, for not sharing about what was going in his mind. I wanted to quarrel with my mother for hiding this from me.

The burden of the file I could already feel on my shoulders and it was too much to bear. I was already felt like giving up.

Even if I try, I know I won't be able to pay this loan easily. I thought about my sisters, their marriages, their futures. I sighed heavily looking down and felt the warmth of my tears over my cheeks.

Dev Agnihotri, I will forever hate you.

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