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Please ignore the mistakes. Happy reading!😊

Target: 100 votes

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The loud noise of thunder alarmed making sonakshi startled. She stopped reading the diary and looked up only to find her room almost pitch dark with nothing but only the bed side lamp turned on. The windows of the room started tapping vigorously due to the uneven wind flow creating a huge noise. Huffing in dismay, she closed the diary and walked towards the window. It was drizzling slightly but with heavy thunder and storms. The garden area was pitch dark making her wonder how the lights there went off. Pulling the window doors, she was about to lock them when something caught her attention. She looked careful enough to check what she saw was true. But it was, much to her shock.

Holding the flashlight in one hand and an umbrella in the other, Sonakshi walked towards the lonely dark garden area while bruno too followed her silently. She felt a strange silence filling the space as she walked in slow steps towards the weird source of sound but the scene infront of her made her startled. There was a person at one corner of the garden, with his back turned towards her and probably digging something on the ground. She gulped down nervously as the digging noise of the spade made her heart race in fear. "Who is there?", she asked panicked making him stop his actions. He slowly turned around to face her and what she saw then made her heart skip a beat.

"Mr. Dixit! What are doing here at this time? That too with a spade in your hand!", she asked Dev shocked as he let out a tired sigh. "Ask your bruno about it", he said and turned around to continue what he was doing. "What? What did he do?", she asked him furrowing her brows. "Your dog has become a thief! Thief dog!", he said and Sonakshi's eyes widened in shock. "How dare you to call him as a dog? He has a name", she said irritatedly. "So you don't have any problem in me calling your dog as a 'thief' but all you are bothered about is calling your dog as a 'dog'!", he said in disbelief and she flared her nostrils in anger.

"Mr. Dixit, stop calling him as dog! And how dare you to accuse him as...", before she could complete he interrupted her. "Accusing him! Oh.. Then look at his face now! He stole my wallet and buried it here in the garden. Such a thief!!", he said annoyed and Sonakshi's mouth formed a 'O'. She looked at Bruno who was standing near her feet and giving her a oh-so-innocent look. "Bruno baby, tell me that he is lying. You can't do anything of that sort, right?", she asked as bruno covered his eyes with his paws while she looked at him shocked. "I told you, didn't I?", Dev asked her smirking taking a wallet from under the ground covered with mud, and she gave bruno a staunch look who was still hiding his face.

"Oh hello! There is no need for him to take your wallet. Even if he did so, he would've done it by mistake", she tried to cover up. "Mistake or intentional, it doesn't matter. All that it matters is he did that. So he is a 'thief'", Dev said stressing the word making her all the more annoyed. "Stop it Mr. Dixit! So tell me what should I do now? I can give you twice or thrice the money in your wallet, if that is what you want", she said annoyed as he walked towards her. "Ms. Bose do you think all I need is money only?", he asked her smirking and she looked at him quizzically. She can never understand his mysterious words.

"Then what do you want?", she asked him as he moved towards her, coming under the shade of her umbrella. "Only you!", he said smiling one sidedly and her heart skipped a beat. He was so close to her that he can actually hear her heart pounding aloud in her chest. "Only you can give me that", he completed and she let out the breathe which she had been holding on, for god knows from when. "What's that?", she asked him quizzically, still staring into his eyes that held a lot of emotions completely unknown to her as he smiled.

Suddenly, they heard Bruno barking aloud and this broke their reverie. Sonakshi looked up and it was then she realized that it started raining heavily. Bruno by now rushed inside, to the corridor leaving the two, alone in the garden area. "Let's get inside. It started raining badly", Sonakshi said panicked and turned around to leave but Dev grabbed her wrist, turning her around to face him. "Mr. Dixit!", she whined as he held the umbrella that she was holding, with one hand and the other still holding her other hand. "Sshhh... Ms. Bose, you aren't supposed to leave now", he said staring into her eyes and nearing her, making her heart thump aloud in her chest.

He moved his hand on hers that was placed on the handle of umbrella and pulled it aside as the umbrella fell down on the ground making her gasp in shock. Her heart started racing as an unknown fear engulfed her. She tried to move but he held her in place, still holding both her hands, as she gulped down nervously completely unaware of the fact that the ruby in her ring started glowing at its brightest. "Ms. Bose, you have something that belongs to me", he said huskily as she shivered a little due to the sudden gush of cold water on her skin. "Wha.. Whatt?", she asked stuttering as she could feel her whole body trembling due to the sudden unknown feel.

"I will tell you. But before that, you should do something", he said as she looked at him quizzically. "Let go of your insecurities, let go of your fears and let go of your broken self", he said and she felt a gush of cold air pass through her. Her breathe hitched in her throat as her mind went through various moments of her life that she wished to forget. "Enjoy the rain for which it is beautiful", he said still holding her as she looked up at him. Amidst the rain, he could clearly see her eyes welling up with tears. The tears, which she used to hide for years..

Suddenly he sensed her body getting tensed up and her eyes filled with horror. He looked at her panicked, as she pushed his hands off her and moved back, panting heavily. And before he could reach her, she rushed into the house and locked herself in her room. "Ms. Bose, please open the door", Dev banged her room's door aloud but there was no response. All that he could hear was her silent sniffing behind the door making him accuse himself for her state. "Ms. Bose, I am sorry", he said panicked. But she stood still, leaning her back on the door, with silent tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Come out and shout at me, fight with me for troubling you. But please open the door", he said banging the door again. With every passing second of her silence, he felt his heart getting heavier. "Go away!", he heard her say in between her sobs. His heart ached hearing her broken voice. Somewhere he knew, he touched that part of her which was so fragile and broken. "I won't go Ms. Bose. Please come out and punish me", he said as he heard her getting silenced for a while. "Let me alone for a while.. Please", her voice was shaky and he could understand what damage he has done to her by this single action of his. He never meant to hurt her, but all that happened broke her more.

"Okay..okay.. I am going. But you please forget everything and sleep. And.. I am sorry", he said and walked away. Hearing the tapping sound of his shoes getting diminished, her sniffs reduced. She wiped her tears sitting down on the floor, still leaning her back on the door. "Why? Why did you do that Mr. Dixit?.. Why?", she asked more of a whisper as her voice choked in. She leaned her head back on the door and closed her eyes as a lone pair of tear rolled down her cheek. She still couldn't believe that she let her weaker self come out infront of Dev, someone whom she hardly knew. Unaware of the fact that, that someone whom she hardly knew was sitting awake the whole night, outside the closed door of her room.

***

Next day:

Sonakshi woke up to the bright rays of the sun, and found herself still on the floor, with her back leaning on the door. Huffing tiredly, she looked to her side and saw Bruno sitting beside her. "From when were you here?", she asked Bruno as he looked at her. "I didn't notice you also. I am sorry", she said with a sad pout while Bruno barked at her understandingly. Standing up from her place, she stretched her hand which were aching badly due to her uneven sleeping position the previous night. Suddenly, images of last night flashed through her mind, making her lost in her thoughts. "Oh no! Its almost noon now", Sonakshi gasped in shock looking at the clock. Without wasting anymore time, she dashed into the washroom to get ready for the day.

"Kichu bhaiya, where is Mr. Dix..... I mean where are others?", Sonakshi asked settling down for breakfast. She knew she was unusually late, but still wondered where everyone had gone to. Especially after what happened the previous night, she expected Dev to be infront of her the very morning. But he didn't even come across her, much to her surprise. "Elena Madam said that she is going to do something... Da.. Dat.. Haa date!", kichu said smiling, getting the right word and sonakshi narrowed her eyes at him. "Date! But with whom?", she asked him confused taking a bite of her sandwich. "With Dev bhaiya only!", he said casually and sonakshi choked her food hearing him.

"Be careful madam. Drink this", kichu said handing her a glass of water as she tried to get back her composure. "Where did they go?", she asked sipping the water, trying not to sound curious. "Not anywhere out. They both are in elena madam's room only", he said making her choke the water this time. "In her room! What are they doing in her room?", Sonakshi asked in shock taking him by surprise. "Date", he replied smilingly and sonakshi shot her head up at him making him panicked. And without letting him speak further, sonakshi rushed towards elena's room but stopped in her traces hearing their giggles.

She stood infront of the closed door of elena's room and was about to knock it, but stopped hearing her. "Dev stop pushing me", she heard elena's annoyed tone. "Escape, if you can", she heard Dev giggling and gasped in shock. "Oh god! Leave the way for me to go", she heard elena again. "I won't. You are trapped!", she heard Dev laughing victoriously and felt her heart being squeezed a million times, for she don't know why. Somewhere, she trusted him, respected him and ofcourse felt bad for him for what she did last night.

But getting to hear such things, made her feel the worst about him. She wondered how could he behave so casually after what happened last night, making her think if he was the same person who took care of her when she was ill, by staying awake the whole night. "Oh my god Dev! Please leave the way. I need to go", she heard elena again and gritted her teeth angrily. She felt that they both crossed all their limits and she couldn't hold her urge to break the door anymore. She was about to push the door, but as soon as she touched it, the door flung open much to her surprise. But what she saw then shocked her the most!

"Sona, you woke up!", Elena asked her smiling widely while sonakshi stood stunned. Dev and elena were sitting on the sofa, with remote controls in their hands that was connected to a game console! "Good morning.. Oops good afternoon Ms. Bose!", Dev flashed one of his brightest smiles while sonakshi stood dumbfounded. She still couldn't understand what's happening there. "What.. are.. you.. both.. doing?", she asked slowly looking at both of them blankly. "We are playing video game. It's going very fun", Elena said cheerfully and it was then everything started sinking in Sonakshi's mind. She looked at the video console and found two animated characters standing holding a gun in their hands.

"What is this?", she asked walking towards them still confused by the turn of events. She felt foolish for imagining things that were worse than the worst. "Ms. Bose, it's a video game, PUBG. You can join us if you wish", Dev said and sonakshi felt like the earth should open up and swallow her then and there. She felt so stupid and small for thinking about him so cheaply. "It's okay.. You guys continue", she said trying to cover up and was about to rush out of the room but stopped hearing elena. "Oh Dev.. Sona is not fond of all these things. She likes only to play with balance sheets. She can't play video games", she said chuckling and sonakshi turned around hipping her hands angrily.

"Who said that I can't play these games? I can and I will defeat both of you. Move", Sonakshi said grabbing the gamepad from elena's hand. And pushing her a little she sat in between Dev and elena making them wonder over her actions. "Why is this button not working?", she said pressing the button softly making elena facepalm. "Because this isn't your laptop keyboard. Press a little harder", she said as sonakshi did the same with a sad pout.

"What game is this? Why am I losing everytime?", Sonakshi said annoyed. It was her sixth consequetive time losing the game. "Because you are not shooting your opponent. You are either shooting Dev or yourself", Elena said while Dev chuckled. Sonakshi turned around and gave him a death glare making his giggles die. "Oh sona! You killed Dev again. I am done with you", Elena said tiredly and walked out of the room leaving sonakshi and Dev alone. Dev looked at her sitting grumpily and moved a little nearer to her. "Are you okay, Ms. Bose?", he asked softly as she shot her head up at him with an annoyed look. "What's with me? I am all fine", she said with irritation dripping from every word of hers.

"Then if you wish we can play", he said taking the remote control in his hand. "I don't want to play with you", she said and was about to leave but he grabbed her hand. "But I want to be with you.. I mean play with you", he said with his puppy face and giving up, she sat on the bed tiredly. "But what if I killed you.. again?", she asked him chewing her lips nervously. "I am ready to get killed by you or for you.. again", he said smiling at her warmly making her heart pound aloud in her chest. "Look!", he said showing her the video console and explaining her the rules and procedures but she was all lost in him, to even notice what he was saying.

She herself couldn't understand what's happening to her. But all that she could understand was there's something definitely wrong in her. With every passing second, she felt weird, she felt different. She wasn't her normal self. But someone else, who was totally strange to her. "That's it. Can you understand now?", Dev asked her breaking her reverie. Sonakshi quickly composed herself back and mentally slapped herself for getting lost in her own world. She nodded at him absentmindedly and he handed over her remote control to her.

"Oh god.. Mr. Dixit, you died at the end!", Sonakshi said sadly but Dev smiled at her. They were almost at the verge of winning. Though she lost, Dev managed to fight back with the opponents. But unluckily, at the nick of the time, he was also killed. "It's okay Ms. Bose. I have killed those who have killed you and died to protect you. I am happy with it", he said smiling making something prick her heart. She felt happy and sad at the same time. His smile made her heart flutter while his words made her heart break. She herself can't understand what he was doing to her, even without her consent.

"Are you okay after lastnight?", Dev asked sonakshi breaking her reverie. Hearing him, she looked down and started fiddling with the remote button nervously, unaware of the fact that he was noting every action of hers. "Ms. Bose, I know it's difficult. But you have to face it", he said and she looked up at him. "Advising to others is easy Mr. Dixit. What's difficult is facing it. You may never know what I am going through", she said irritatedly. "Ms. Bose I know...", he was about to say something but he cut him off. "What do you know Mr. Dixit? You know nothing... Nothing!", she said standing up angrily. "So, please stay away", she spatted at him angrily and walked out before he could stop her. Dev facepalmed himself and was about to follow her but stopped thinking that she might need some space. He very well know that he knew nothing about her, yet knew her more than herself.

Sonakshi reached her room and closed the door with a thud. She can't understand why Dev was trying to remind her something which she was trying to forget. Everyone have their own fears and inhibitions which they don't want to come across in life again and the same applies to her too. Trying to remember them, will bring only pain, she knew but Dev was adamant to do that only even without knowing the happenings, she thought and sighed tiredly. Suddenly, her gaze fell upon the diary she left unreading last night. So, taking it up in her hand, she flipped the pages and continued from where she left..

**Flashback**

"Yes, he is Devrath Rajvanshi, the only son of Rajvanshi family", Ramu said and hearing him everyone stood stunned. "What? But you said that he is the guest of Rajvanshi family, didn't you?", Bijoy asked him in disbelief while Shona stood dumbfounded. "Yes, because he wanted you people to treat him like one among us. He didn't want you all to respect him because of his family. He wanted you all, to love him because of who he is. But you didn't even treat him like a fellow human", Ramu said angrily. "Ramu, shut up", Dev tried to silence him but he was in no mood to give up. "Bhaiya, you didn't know anything. They made you stand in this rain for hours", he said annoyed.

"Ramu, they didn't ask me to stand in rain. It was my decision. So you be quite", Dev said trying to remain as calm as possible. "But bhaiya, they..", Ramu was about to say something but Dev interrupted him. "Ramu, this is my life and I know what I am doing. So, you please stay away", he said and Ramu stood stunned hearing him. Never in his life, he thought that Dev would say something like this to him. Or may be he had crossed his line, after all he was nothing but a servant to Dev, he thought and without talking anything further, he backed off.

"I have a great respect on your parents. Not only me but everyone in this village has", Bijoy said and Dev listened to him quietly. "I am forever grateful to them for all my life. And I respect you the same way I respect them. If you wish, I'll give you everything I have", he said and looked up at Dev who was listening to him nervously. "But..", he paused making Dev's nervousness grow up. "But not my daughter", he completed and Dev stood numb hearing him. This was definitely not something that he was expecting from him. Somewhere down the line, he felt everything would fall in its place. But Bijoy's decision even after knowing everything broke the little faith that he had.

"But why chachaji? Dev bhaiya has everything from name, fame, money, education everything. What more do you expect from him? You can't find a better person than him to get shona married to", Ramu said annoyed. Though Dev had asked him to stay silent, he can't. Because he knew how worst the consequences would be if he had stayed silent now. Losing shona from Dev's life means, losing Dev himself, which he definitely can't let it happen. "I know I can definitely not find a better person than Dev. I also know that he has everything. And that's what the problem is", Bijoy said as they both looked at him quizzically. "Papa, I need to..", Shona was about to say something but Bijoy stopped her. "Shona let me speak first", he said making her silenced.

Asha who by now understood what he was trying to convey, decided to stay quiet coz she knew even he was right to some extent. "Sorry, but I can't understand", Dev said confused while Bijoy just smiled in return. "Dev beta, you are from a family at whom everyone in the village look upon. But we are someone who work to earn everyday. So, this won't work between us. Hope you understand", he said while Dev looked at him shocked. "But shona can live her life happily", Ramu interrupted. "Sometimes, money can't bring only happiness. It can snatch one's happiness too. I don't want my daughter to be called as a 'golddigger'", Bijoy said making them stunned.

"But..", Ramu was about to say something but Dev interrupted. "If your problem is only the money I have, I don't mind in losing it for my love", Dev said and everyone looked at him in disbelief. "I need to say something", shona said gaining everyone's attention. "Shona, let me speak first", Dev interrupted her. "I am serious about what I am saying. Because all that matters to me the most is shona only, not these materialistic stuffs", Dev said making everyone dumbstruck. "I don't want this marriage to happen", shona said and everyone stood stunned unable to believe their ears. "Shona, do you know what you are saying?", Dev asked her in disbelief. "I don't want to marry Dev", she said seriously and hearing her, Dev's world came crashing down. He felt himself breaking into pieces, as his heart couldn't accept the truth that her eyes tried to convey.

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Why did shona make such a decision? Will Dev able to convince her and her family?

Precap : Elena to find the diary!

My other works,

# Falling for you.. [COMPLETED]

# A Journey towards her.. [COMPLETED]

# My Little Paradise - A sequel to AJTH [COMPLETED]

# All Credits To Love - A Sharica OS

# Mine - A Devakshi OS

# Happy Ending - A Sharica OS

For more updates and spoilers follow my instagram account 'mishti7593'

Next update will be on next weekend 😊

~See you soon ❤️