Tags : Obsessive love, possessive behaviour, yandere themes, misogyny, oppressive household, Indian setting, morally grey MMC, FMC with anger issues, power imbalance, Dark romance, Chubby fmc, Cruelty, etc
Summary : When men like Veer Malhotra fall in love, they destroy everything in their way to get the one the love. Even if the obstacle is the object of their love.
Mom stood near the table, arranging utensils, moving around the dining table, plates in one hand. One spoon slipped from her hand and fell onto the floor. The sound was loud, clink, her hand reached to pick it but she stopped.
Eshita reached out and helped her because for some reason her mom couldn't bend further. She stood frozen, and Eshita had a feeling it was because of yesterday when her father looked furious and her mother's clumsy hands ushered her and her sister to their rooms.
Eshita still remembered the sounds of screams she'd heard while being embraced by her sister. Tears spilling as her sister tried to block the sound by covering her ears.
‘ I'm here, Eshita. You're safe.’ Her sister had said.
Mom seemed to snap out from her hazy state and turned in her direction when Eshita handed her the spoon she'd picked up.
Eshita could still feel her trembling fingers.
“ Go and wake your sister. Your father and uncle will be down soon.” said Paridhi, pulling her hand back.
Eshita who looked to be in her teens yet was in her twenties , dressed in white shalwar kameez with bangles on her right wrist, holding her phone which showed the latest episode of Fairy Tail anime.
She gripped her phone tighter and smiled in her mother's direction.
“ Okay mom.” Paridhi hoped she had hid the bruises well this morning. It would be a disaster if Manasvi saw this. She took a breath and another, tears threatening to spill even after two decades of dealing with this.
‘ Oh Lord, prevent any disaster from happening in the morning. Please.’
She turned back to the kitchen, to where her mother-in-law was.
Eshita hummed making way up the stairs and through several rooms left unused, nodding as a few of the staff passed by. Her eyes trailed over at the furniture, bored, irritated, everything.
Her feet stopped in front of a white door, having a big ‘DO NOT DISTURB’ hanging over the knob.She pressed her hand over the knob and opened it.
The room was completely dark, except from the light creaking in from the corner of the curtains. The bed was sprang with dozens of bedsheets, soft and comfortable, sounds of snoring come from it.
Eshita tip-toed inside the room , eyeing her sister deep in slumber. She was so far in her sleep that her mouth was open and a bit of moisture could be seen on her lips.
She reached over the curtains and yanked them aside, letting all the sunlight fall directly over the bed. Not a second passed before she heard mummers of cursing and her sister blinking, rubbing her eyes.
She bent near the bed and the second her sister looked at that corner, she jumped and shouted. Her sister screamed and threw a pillow at her.
She glared, “ Eshita , you little–”
Eshita took out her tongue, already half way out the door. “ Get up quickly. Mom says breakfast is ready.” She closed the door before another pillow hit her.
Manasvi got up groaning, making her way to the washroom. Her steps were slow, tired, sharp grey eyes with soft features - that were a perfect blend of both her parents - blinked in front of the mirror.
She looked like a standing mess.
Guess, staying up late wasn't the brightest idea in the shed. She moved towards the shower, turning on the water. Her clothes were discarded in the basket at the side, along with undergarments.
She walked down the stairs wearing a pink kurta that reached just below her thighs along with blue denim jeans.
Her curves resembled her mother's, that's what she thought looking at old pictures. Her cheeks were flushed with a shade of pink that resembled the lipstick on her lips.
Everyone was already seated when she arrived. Her grandfather was sitting in the front seat, with her father and uncle sitting at both his sides.
Her grandmother was sitting at the other end along with her sister on the side. Both her mother and auntie were serving the food over their husbands plates.
She could see the fear in them. The way they moved in silence, obedience through years of order and discipline. She inwardly scoffed at that word.
Her eyes twitched as she made way and took her seat, giving a small greeting and beginning to eat. “ Manasvi.” The stern voice came from the other end.
Her mother stopped in her tracks, looking between the father and daughter. The plate hitting the table is a little too loud. She trembled when Raj shot her a look.
Manasvi didn't need to raise her head to know the disapproving stare her father was giving her. She took a bite of poori and halwa before looking up. Better to eat something before responding for her own sanity. “Yes dad.”
“ Wake up early from now on. You're already above twenty.” He pushed his glasses up after picking up a cup of tea. “You're not a child anymore. Remember we have rules in this house. ” He sipped.
She clenched her hand, holding on to the next bite of food tighter. Her mother shot her a look, eyes scared, slightly shaking her head, ‘Manasvi don't argue.’
Her lips purged before she met his eye, grey over grey, and forced them to resemble a smile. “Of course dad. I'm sorry.”
“ Both you and Eshita are getting older now.” she heard her uncle add. He looked towards her father, chin resting over his palms. “ We should start looking for marriage candidates. What do you think bro?”
She saw her father take a bite of the fresh and juicy french toast her mother prepared. Soft, moist, extremely sweet just the way her father liked it. And as he did, she saw his eyes twitch, lips bend down in a slight frown.
It would be unnoticeable to an outsider's eye. Thats how small the difference in his expression was. But for her, it was massive.
“ Look into it.” he said. His voice plain, like he wasn't deciding her and her sister's future.
“ You got it.” her uncle smirked.
Her father said nothing more, continuing eating his food, conversing with her grandfather and uncle Varun. She wanted to smash something, but knew better.
Her mother would suffer the consequences.
She took another bite, scowling when Eshita kicked her under the table. “ Stop doing that.” she glared. Eshita took a bite of the French toast, “ Got no clue what you're talking about. Also fix your face. Dad's watching.”
God, she was impossible sometimes.
Manasvi held onto her locket, holding it tighter and did a small breathing run she'd done several times. It was easy for her to hide it on the table, years of practice making her perfect it. It also helped that most of them turned a blind eye to her actions.
She eyed the way her mother moved. It was stiff , robotic, like it hurt to move. Manasvi whispered to her sister. “ He hit her again?”
Eshita acted like she was asked the weather, not changing her expression even a bit. “ You already know when she told us to go to our rooms.”
Manasvi pupils constricted. Her father took another sip of his tea. ‘ Right. ‘
After breakfast, she went and got her bag, ready to drive to her appointment for today when her phone rang. She brought it near her ears.
“ —Where the hell are you, Manasvi? I've been waiting for an hour in the cafe!--” she quickly pulled it away from her ear, the shouting at the other end continued.
She sighed, nervously laughing, anger disputing, “ Yeah- about that. I'm on the way.”
She could imagine the angry look her friend had. “-- don't try me, I know you haven't even left the house. I hear no engine or vehicles.”
“---I'm going to murder you—”
Manasvi quickly scrambled, “ Yeah, the signal is getting disturbed. I'm in traffic. Coming in 5 min. Byee.” she cut the call just as quickly. She chuckled fondly, ready to walk out when you ran into her mother near the stairs.
Her Mother looked young enough to be mistaken for her sister. Her features, warm and loving. She never understood how her father married her mother.
They were the polar opposites. He was cruel, she was soft. He was strict, she was nice. Manasvi always preferred her mother.
“ Mom, I'll be late today. I'm going to meet Shivani.” she said, tapping her shoulders.
Her mom turned over, the pink sari dancing with movement , “ Did you get your father's permission?” her eyes showed concern as if this question answer had more importance than anything.
Manasvi couldn't stop herself from sharpening. “I'm twenty three mom. And like dad said ‘not a child’ I don't need his permission.” she said, crossing her arms.
Her mom hesitated. Voice getting stuck in her throat. Manasvi knew from years of experience why her mother looked as if she had said something forbidden.
Her mom brought her hand closer, stopped, before finally allowing it to rest on Manasvi's cheeks.
“ Mana. My child.” She said, breathing hard, her eyes holding back water, “--You know your father had rules in this house. We as woman of the house have to obey them.”
“ I know it's hard. But please–”
Manasvi leaned into her mother's touches. She sighed, “ You don't have to explain. I'll ask dad.”
Before she could leave her mother added, “ We have a party tonight in your father's garden. Many of his business partners will be there. So make sure to be ready.”
Her eyes softened, “Alright, I'll keep that in mind. Do I wear western or eastern?” , her bag dangled over her side as she stood over the stairs.
“ Eastern.” her mom said after thinking for a second. " I'll have them pressed and placed in your bedroom."
She nodded. “ Okay. Thank you mom."
" Your welcome." She mumbled.
Manasvi made way to her father's office. It was in the further corner, having the largest window, direct view to garden and flowers her mom tended to.
She knew well why her father had put his office there.
She took one breath, another, two more, calming her rapidly beating heart. Put her face into what she hoped resembled a smile and knocked the wood. “ Father, it's me. May I come in.”
It remained silent for a minute.
The ancient clock in her father's office ticking with every second passing by. Manasvi was ready to knock again, her heart thumbering, when she heard, “ Come in.”
She opened the door and closed it quietly. Making sure not to make noise.
Her father sat at his desk surrounded by piles of documents and papers. Three screen lit.Books and files were arranged in the corner shelves, nearly in order, by authors, colours, in ways that perfectly mimicked her father's discipline.
Wrappers of candy rested on his side.
On the side of his desk was a big carrier where honey and sweet were playing with their toys. They were the children of the cats her parents had since before marriage.
She walked infront of his desk. Smell of cigarette and sweets hitting her nostrils most immediately. Her father's own perfume, that was of wood lingered along in the air.
If it wasn't for the sound of meows or the clock ticking, she'd feel that time itself wasn't moving.
Feeling out of place in this cold, suffocating room where majority of her childhood was spent, she took a deep breathe. Her heart had started to beat rapidly again..
She held tightly over her Kurta, wrinkling it with the force she held it in. Control Manasvi, control.
Her father didn't acknowledge her presence except for a small ‘hm’ sound he made when he saw her. He flipped another page.
Before finally making a sound replicating a cough. “ Dad.” she said softly, wishing desperately her voice sounded sound .Her father's hand over the document stilled. His eyes moved up, he set down the file and took off his glasses.
He didn't speak, that's what he always did. Let the silence settle, suffocating the other person before their psyhy broke and they muffled something that he could use against them.
She hoped she wasn't crippling her kurts too much. It was hard ironing it. “I'm sorry for this morning.”
“ Is that all?” His voice was cold, hard, commading.
She took abother breath, flushing her emotions, “I wanted to ask permission for going out. I've made plans with shivani. I— promise to be back before six.”
Her tongue got caught in the middle, she stuttered a few more words. Stopping, taking breath. Breathe Manasvi, Breathe.
Speak before father let that slip up be used against you.
“ So can I please go, Dad? I made this plan weeks ago. It would be wrong of me to break my word as a Singhania.” She knew her father cherished the family name. How proud of a man he was.
She just hoped he would take the bait.
He crossed his legs. “ Let me guess your mother told you to ask me. Because you tend to leave before asking. Don't you, Manasvi?”
His eyes scanned for a mistake, for a change in expression. Manasvi bit her lips, holding her bag string tighter. She shook her head, “Dad you said I'm getting older. So I thought it was right to let you know before I left the house.” she smiled exaggerated.
His eyes narrowed, “ Now you're lying to your dad?” his fingers tapping the desk.
“ Try again Manasvi. Especially if you want to go out.” He said the last voice slow, firm and pressing sternly at the last words- leaning back I not the chair. It creaked from his weight.
She bowed her head slightly. “...You already know the answer Father. Why are you asking me then?”
“ Manasvi.” his voice hardened. She knew what he was trying to say. But she ignored it. The warning. Sorry mom but dad's too much.
“ Fine fine I'm sorry. Sorry for not asking your permission as a grown fucking woman!--” She yelled.
His hand landed on the table, with fierce force, silencing her automatically. " Behave." He got up and stood in front of her. She trembled. “ Tell me what you did wrong. Don't make me punish you again, Manasvi.”
She looked up, her grey eyes mirroring her father's, except her were watery. She let her gaze fall to try ground, her kurta was fully wrinkled st this point.
“ I… shouldn't have shouted and lied.”
She bit her lips hard enough to draw blood, gazing elsewhere. “ or cursed.”
He raised his hand, she shrieked back closing her eyes. The warmth of his ahnd didn't reach her cheeks instead she felt her father ruffle her hair. She stiffened even more. His voice came hushed, kinder.
“ Don't repeat it again. You can go out, just be back. I'm sure your mother already told you about today's party. Your presence is important.”
She nodded, voice low as a whisper. “ Okay father.”
He brushed her hair to the back of her ear, smiled, “ Have fun.” He patted her shoulder and went back to his seat.
She rushed outside not stopping to hear her father's last words of calling him dad instead of father. He had no right.
Wiping the tears that had already formed, blood dripping from her lips, her footsteps ran through the quiet corridors of order and silence.
She sometimes wondered which version of his was the real one.
Window on the side let the light fall in the study which was enveloped in clouds. Birds chirped outside the window.
The gold lighter reflected the lights in his father's hand across from him. His father sat behind a wooden desk, papers scattered everywhere, two screens lit in front of him.
Veer took a long drag, letting the nicotine settle into his veins after an extensive workout. His eyes hazy, lost in the chemical that entered his blood stream from his oral cavity.
He eyed the desk. It was lined with pictures, not of the kids - him and his siblings - like normal families, no never them but of their mother. Some were sketches, some were photographs.
Younger, older, present. His mother in every form.
Veer knew well how much his father's obsessive with their mother ran. He and his four siblings were a prime example of their love.
His mother though was sometimes...difficult.
She do something that upset his father causing him to punish her. Then she'd be gone and Veer wouldn't see her till weeks later.
Veer loved her a lot. More so when she returned after ‘her retreat’ with his dad. She'd be so soft and kind, not that she wasn't always but after that she'd be more obedient. He loved that look on her.
He also saw how much his father got stressed because of her actions. His mother really needed to grow out of her occasional tantrums.
His father let out a breath. More clouds forming. He had stopped with the usual cigarettes now. He used a cigar. Said it was more manly , better. Too bitter and too much for Veer's tastes though but he could see why his father might've needed that.
"You can come in without knocking, Preeti." His father said, exhaling, gesturing Veer to stub out his cigarette. He did.
"Arjun I—" her mother's stuttering voice came and he saw the way his father's lips quivered up. Veer rolled his eyes.
She stopped at the entrance like she always did. His father looked at her as she came in it sight and a slight tremor ran through his mother.
"Shivani wanted to go with her friend." She whispered.
Veer raised his brow. That little brat was going out too much these days. She was loud, annoying, hit with her nails when she fought him. Veer as much as he loved his sister, despised how disobedient she was.
Why couldn't she have inherited their mom's best qualities?
It was also irritating that he couldn't revolt back. His father would have his head.
His father sighed fondly. Veer shuddered.
The reason why that girl was out of control was because dad allowed her antics . And that was only because she resembled mom. Veer scowled inwardly.
"Tell her to return early we got a party tonight and Preeti," he paused, eyes fixed on her, "upstairs in 10 minutes."
"Arjun—" She tried to say.
She looked at Veer and then stopped.
His father smiled, "Good g—" cleared his throat. "Good."
You were about to say 'good girl' weren't you dad? Lord, get a room dad. Disgusting. Your kid is still here.
She remained standing, he flicked his hand softly. “ You can leave.”
His mother closed the door lightly and left.
His father leaned back in his chair. “ Isn't your mother gorgeous?” he said, picking up one the frames and tracing her smile with his finger tips.
Veer agreed. But didn't say it out loud.
His father was a very jealous man.
His uncle Vivaan had warned him several times, though he rarely saw him and his family these days. From what his dad told him, his uncle did something unforgivable and had to be dealt with.
Veer got up from where he sat, dusting off the crumbs of ash on his shirt, looked at the watch. It was twelve in the afternoon. He had some work left in the office, he needed to go there and get it down if he wanted to arrive back on time.
He looked at his dad who remained deep in his thoughts of his mom.
“ Dad I've got some work left at the office I'll be back around four. Party's at Mr. Singhania's place right?”
His dad nodded, “ Yes. Also–” his dad stopped. “ It's nothing. Go.”
Veer did. He so knew what his dad was going to ask but stopped because of the look Veer had sent him. He wasn't going to chaperone his sister. She had plans alone, she could go alone.
A women sat the table, her long brown hair sat down her shoulders to almost her thighs length. Her hair was tied in a high tail pony. She wore blue kurti with skinny jeans, which highlighted her curves. She wasn't skinny but she wasn't chubby either.
Her brows were fixed on the screen, eyeing the screen like it had some personal problem against her. She tapped the table lightly, being the only single person in the cafe.
The waitress had came earlier asking for her order but she'd sent her away saying she was waiting for her friend. Her eyes twitched as she adjusted her glasses.
Mana better get her in the next five minutes or she was heading right to her house and dragging her here herself.
Shivani looked up and stopped in her tracks.
“ What happened?” She said, voice grim, getting up and greeting her friend she'd known since she was eight.
Her friend hair were all over the place, blood on lips already dry, pink kurta wrinkled. She looked as if she'd walked out of a hurricane.
Manasvi hugged her back, laughing, not meeting her eyes, “ You know. Dad.”
She took her seat and so did Shivani.
“ He didn't hit you did he? You looked like you cried a fountain from how red your eyes are.”
She saw the look her friend and shut her mouth.
Shivani took her hand her in hers and leaned in closer. “ Mana.”
Manasvi tried to keep a tough front but failed infront of her childhood friend. She pressed her mouth, “ It's just dad and I had a fight. I was just too stubborn and he–”
“ Breathe, Mana. I'm not going anywhere, tell me slowly.…”
“ he–” She said, looking at the plant on the side. “ he was being controlling again.”
Shivani felt Manasvi holding her hand tighter unconsciously but didn't say a word just rubbed her hand in encouragement. “ Hmm.”
Both of them sat in silence in each other's presence.
Half an hour passed before a waiter came asking if they were ready to order. Shivani smiled at the man causing him to blush and exchanged a look with her best friend. “ We'll take a few more minutes. Thanks.”
“ What do you wanna have or are you going to have tears for lunch?” she teased. “ — just letting you know, I don't like too much salt in my food.”
Manasvi slapped her hand away, and groaned, “ Someone should learn from you how to ruin the atmosphere. Just when I was starting to like you.”
Shivani grinned, eyes climbing menacingly like her father's. “ They wouldn't be able to afford my prices besides I'm the best friend anyone can wish for.”
Manasvi blinked, “ You’re delusional.”
“ Hey, that's one of the qualities I got from my dad that I'm proud of. “ Shivani laughed.
“ God help me.” Manasvi said covering her face with both her hands
“ Nuh uh. Also hurry up, we need to order.” She opened the menu card and eyed what she wanted.
“ Shut up, I'm looking.” Their chatter continued.
A/n : This series is inspired and a cross over of the author pinkplushies two works and a continuation of the two main couple's children. Check them out will ya.I already got permission and full enthusiasm fron the original author.Writing here is solely mine.
A/n : please comment, like and subscribe. I beg you folks. This is my passion project and I really want to share it with you all. 🥲🥹🩷Make sure to watch our for the tags and only read if you're comfortable with them! 🙃
