Chapter 3
"How can this door be opened?" She said to herself.
"Come in madam..."
A mysterious voice came to him. She moved inwards.
"I have been sent here by Mr Sarmad Khan. He has given me an advance payment and asked me to discuss the rest of the information with you."
She wanted to go ahead and see the face of the crossman standing back, but could not see.
With the sound of this man's laughter, the lights in the room turned off.
"What happened to this light all of a sudden?" She panicked and stood up.
"Don't worry - you'll get the rest as soon as it's done." He was slowly approaching her.
"Sir. I'm waiting for you outside ... you ..." Her very words remained in her mouth.
"Oh, my dear, this is London, darling. The lights here are turned off just to do something hmm..."
He laughed and grabbed her hand.
"Who are you? Leave my hand." She wanted to free her wrist from his grip but to no avail. He holds her by the neck. In the meantime, her locket fell.
"Hey relax. Baby. I do not believe in coercion. It's better to cooperate with me ... you will have fun and so will I." He was so close to her that he could hear her breathing.
"Shut up ... just shut up ..." She immediately backed away from him.
"I am not a prostitute." She hurriedly found her bag on the sofa. She immediately hung her bag on her shoulder and tried to get out of there.
"What happened to you, girl? You are behaving like a little girl. Even after getting a hundred-dollar price, are you still insisting? I don't like it at all."
He spoke in the greatest rage.
He stood in front of her once again. Her hand was in the grip of his hand. And her body was in his arms.
"Leave me..." She stuck her fingernails on his arm.
"What are you doing?" He cried out in pain.
"Are you mad?" He grabbed her by the hair and shook her.
"I won't leave you..." In the darkness, he could not see her face.
His wrist chain got struck in her bangles when she was starting to free herself.
"Don't come near me..."
Suddenly she remembered a small cutter that was in her bag. She hurriedly took a small cutter out of her bag and struck him.
A fountain of blood gushed from his arm.
"You...Cheap...." He shouted bitterly.
Trembling with fear, she opened the door at lightning speed and went out. There was light everywhere in the corridor. But her eyes were also reluctant to see the light.
She took a quick step and went out by hiding her face with her bag from Sarmad Khan. Her whole body was shaking.
She stopped the taxi in the distance with a hand gesture and sat in it.
"Madam, are you all, right?"
The taxi driver spoke when he saw her condition.
*************
Rosie's House
(Returning to the scene)
"What if I didn't have that cutter?" She burst into tears.
Ten days had passed since the incident, but her night's sleep was getting worse. Even if she tried to sleep in the dark, she would wake up for fear of the same incident.
She wiped away her tears and got up and performed Wudhu. She offered Tahajjud prayer and started reciting the Holy Quran.
"Our Lord, do not hold us accountable if we forget or make a mistake, and, Our Lord, do not place on us such a burden as You have placed on those before us."
Surah Al-Baqarah (v-286)
Whenever she got frightened, she used to recite this Ayat.
**********
Morning 10:00 a.m.
"Get up ... it's morning." D'Souza was removing the window curtains.
The sun's rays were coming in through the window.
"Mom ... Give me water." She rubbed her eyes and sat up.
"I've been thinking for days ... you're a little upset. Did something happen? Can you share with me?" She gave her a glass of water.
"No mom! There is no such thing."
"Um. Anyway. Wash your hands and face ... I am going to get breakfast ready ..."
"Ok. I may not be able to come today. The function will last till late at night."
She got up and went to freshen up.
"Even though we are here. But I can't afford her to be out of the house until late at night." Something was bothering her inside.
**********
Bus Station
Time: noon.
She had been standing at the bus stop for a long time, but there was no sign of the bus in the distance.
There was a grand party at The Premier Cuisine this evening. It was important to get to The Premier Cuisine early.
"O Allah ... send a bus ... please ..." She was praying in her heart.
Shortly after, a magnificent car pulled up in front of her.
"Madam ... come on ..." The driver lowered the windshield.
"No, Brother. Thanks." She said very politely.
"Madam ...I don't think you'll find any conveyance here. Let's go." He said again.
"Look, sir ... whomever you are ... if you don't leave in the next minute, you will be responsible for the consequences ... understand ..." She showed him her deep angry eyes.
The man in the car's back seat smiled as he shook it. Now he rolled down the car window.
"Look ... Miss India ... I know we are from an enemy country ... but my heart is longing for friendship with you."
You? She hurried.
"Yes, Mr. Ahan Yusuf." He introduced him.
"Whatever..." She looked at him angrily and moved on.
"Excuse me ... excuse me ..." He opened the car door and went out.
"Look Mr, I'm not interested in a stranger like you." She warned him by pointing a finger at him.
"Ahan! You like to mess with strangers but can't talk to them. Amazing..." He took the goggles out of his pocket and put them in his eyes.
"Well, I'm not interested in talking to a girl like you. There was something necessary, that is why I have come here."
"Listen? Like me? What do you want to say? Like me??" Her mind was stunned.
"How am I? What am I? Will you tell?"
Ahan was silent.
"I don't have time to listen to your nonsense. Come and sit in the car. I need to talk to you ..." He said so and headed for the car.
.
.
to be continued....