"Papa!!!" Sneha screamed like a maniac as she witnessed the horrible and sick scene unfolding in front of her eyes. However, her father was in no condition to respond to her.

"Finally, you are awake." Came a calm voice from her left.

Sneha whipped her head in that direction to see who it was. And the revelation shocked her even more. A man was sitting on a very comfy chair with legs crossed in a leisure manner.

It was Viraj's father, Dev!

"U.uncle, what are y.you doing? Please let my father go. Please! Please!" She cried by the end as her father's head was forced into the chilled water again.

"No!!! Please!!!" She begged. Her legs shivered and her hands tried to set herself free.

"Don't move, Sneha. You will scar yourself and I don't think my son would appreciate unnecessary marks on your body." Dev said in a cool manner as if what they were doing to her father wasn't wrong at all.

Sneha stopped moving quickly. Right now, she would do absolutely anything in order to save her father from this torture.

"Please, let my father go. Hurt me, if you want...." Sneha begged but Dev chuckled.

"Why would I hurt you and disappoint my son? This is easier." Dev said while pointing at her father.

"What do you want, uncle?" She asked and then shouted again when her father was forced into the water again.

"You scream just like her!" Dev mumbled but Sneha couldn't hear him. Her attention was focused on her father.

"Do you want me to free him?" Dev asked.

"Yes! Yes! Please..." She begged again.

"Then you know what you need to do." He said and signalled the men to stop torturing Shankar.

Sneha looked at Dev in despair.

She understood that he wanted her to say yes to the marriage proposal.

"Uncle...I...don't like your son...I am sorry! But....he is...We are not good for each other. He is marrying Nupur, right!" She tried to manipulate.

"Viraj's engagement with Nupur has been cancelled. So, don't worry about it. And, about 'liking' my son, you don't need to. He wants you and that is enough." Dev affirmed.

Sneha's mouth opened and then quickly closed. She was speechless and had no words to reply. He sounded as stupid as he was.

"But, uncle...relationships do not work like this! We won't be happy together..." She reasoned while glancing at her father.

"My son will be happy. This is what I want. Now...What is your decision?" Dev asked again.

Sneha glanced at her father who stood, all drenched in water, and looked at her in hopelessness. He was ashamed of himself that he couldn't do anything to help his own daughter from this vicious trap.

What could they do anyway?

"I guess, I should make it easy for you." Dev said in a cool manner and retrieved his gun from his waistband to point it toward Shankar.

Sneha screamed immediately.

"No! No! Oh, God! Please....I'll marry him...I will...Please don't kill my papa." She begged and almost fell off the chair due to the rash movement.

"Good." Dev mumbled with a smile.

He flicked his fingers and signalled his men to take Shankar out of the warehouse.

"Where are you taking him? I said, I will marry him! Why..."

"Calm down, Sneha. I just need to talk to you...as your father-in-law. And, I don't think your father will appreciate our conversation." Dev said in a cool manner and dragged his chair so as to sit in front of her.

Shankar's resistance was however, met with ignorance.

When they were left alone in the empty room of a local warehouse, Dev started preaching his ideology.

"Now, listen carefully. There are some rules...that every daughter-in-law of our family follows. Since my son is smitten with you currently, he may ignore your mistakes. But, as your future father-in-law, I won't. Do you understand?" He asked.

She quickly nodded.

"Answer in words." He said sternly making her shiver in fear.

"Y.yes." She mumbled.

"Good. First and foremost. You must always take care of my son's happiness and pleasure...both physical and emotional. If he wants you to spend time with him, then you must...day or night, doesn't matter. If he wants to take you out somewhere, then you must quietly follow his lead. If he gifts you something, then you must treasure it. And, if he wants to touch you or get physically intimate, then you must allow it without any resistance. Understood?" He explained as if teaching about the weather.

Sneha's head automatically lowered in shame. How could he say all this?

"I asked something?" Dev asked sternly again when she continued looking at the floor with tears blurring her vision.

"Y.yes." She answered in a low tone.

What has she gotten herself into? She wondered.

"Secondly, you must be faithful to my son. If I see you with any man in any inappropriate manner, trust me, I'll kill that person and then your entire family. Okay?" Dev asked.

Sneha furiously nodded, still looking at the dirty floor.

"And lastly, you must keep our family's affair and Viraj's business completely confidential. If I find that you have sneaked information into the wrong hands, you know what will happen to you and your family. Yes?"

"Yes..." Sneha mumbled robotically again.

"Will you tell Viraj anything about today's events... or our conversation?" He asked while playing with the gun in his hands.

She looked up at him in confusion.

"No...uncle." She almost whispered.

"Good. Now, call Viraj like a good girl and inform him about your decision." He said and fetched her phone from his pocket.

He grabbed a small knife and cut the hand restraint so that she can hold the phone and call Viraj.

Sneha immediately rubbed her wrist to relieve herself of the itching.

"Here." Dev pushed the phone towards her. Sneha took it hesitantly.

She unlocked the phone and went to the contact list. First, she unblocked Viraj's number and then made a call.

To her unfortunate luck, he answered on the very second ring.

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"I don't understand what is wrong with her?" Viraj sighed and slumped on his chair. Sneha's denial replayed in his mind.

Gaurav looked at him in deep thought as Viraj reported to him the events of the morning.

"Viraj...Maybe...She doesn't want to marry you..." He tried to reason.

"I got that. But why? I am everything that a girl dreams of! I can give her the life that girls like her have only dreamt of!" He almost whined in frustration.

"You know, you misbehaved with her..."

"I know! But, I am also taking responsibility for it. I am ready to marry her. What more does she want!"

"Perhaps, marriage is not the right step, right now. You both must first try to get to know each other, you know." Gaurav tried to make him understand, but Viraj wasn't going to have anything less than marriage.

"I know her enough to make her my wife." He said.

"But she doesn't know you. I am sure you both haven't even shared a good couple conversation. Have you?"

Viraj got dumbstruck. He realized that Gaurav was indeed correct. He hadn't had a polite talk with Sneha after all. Instead, he had only scared her or made her cry!

Reading his facial expression, Gaurav added.

"How do you expect her to even like you if you have set such a bad image of yourself in front of her! Remember the first day you met her? You ordered us to break her phone and cycle. You even put her on a lie detector! You broke the pinecone and insulted her in her own college. And, then you had to forcefully kiss her! Think of her too, Viraj. What must she be going through?" Gaurav said softly, in order to not sound rude.

Viraj wanted to glare at Gaurav. But, he knew that he was correct.

"What should I do then?" Viraj finally asked after a short pause. He knew that Gaurav was experienced in the field of man-woman relationships, since he had been living peacefully with a hot-tempered girl like Natasha.

"Girls like Sneha want respect in the relationship, Viraj. They want to be loved and not forced to love..."

"I don't want to force her either, Gaurav. I want her to be happy in our relationship too. She is not even giving me a chance to show my affection towards her. What can I do then? I am left with no choice!"

"Give her a chance to accept your affection, then. Show her what she means to you."

"How?" Viraj asked with narrowed brows.

Gaurav wanted to roll his eyes at his nativity. Viraj literally had no idea how to date!

"It's simple, Viraj. Take her to dates. Have dinner with her in some posh restaurants. Watch movies with her. Take her to amusement parks, galleries and whatever she finds interesting. Buy her gifts...Surprise her with some really good night-out plans or something. Basically, spend some quality time with her where you compliment her and not scare her!" He explained briefly.

Viraj listened carefully. It was too much for his brain to digest. He had no idea girls were into these many things and so difficult to impress!

The maid brought two cups of coffee for them at that moment.

"So...?" Gaurav asked when Viraj remained quiet.

"I am thinking. Which restaurant should I pick this time?" He wondered, mostly to himself.

"Anywhere is fine. Just don't order salad like last time." Gaurav chuckled.

This time Viraj did glare at him.

"She liked it." He asserted again.

"No, she didn't. She just ate it because, perhaps she was too afraid of you at that time." Gaurav replied with a light smile.

Viraj was about to contradict when his phone rang. He lazily glanced at the screen. However, all laziness flew out of the window when he read his fireball's name on the screen. Instead, a small smile grazed his lips.

Picking up the coffee mug, he picked up the phone and answered it instantly, fearing she might cancel the call.

"Sneha." He greeted in his stable tone while walking towards the window to get some privacy.

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The moment Viraj's voice fell into her ears, Sneha wanted to cry badly.

She hated his voice too. How can she then even think about living her entire life with him? He was a murderer for heaven's sake.

"Sneha..." Viraj repeated when she remained quiet.

"V.viraj..." She stuttered when she saw Dev glaring at her.

Her tone triggered something in him.

"Is everything alright, Sneha?" He asked sternly, sensing the fear in her voice.

Her eyes widened in fear as she thought he caught the truth. Dev had strictly told her to not reveal the truth to Viraj.

So, she quickly kept her hand near her heart to calm it down a little.

"Yes. I wanted...to tell you...something." She said slowly.

"Okay?" He encouraged her to speak.

"I...I will marry you." She managed to complete the sentence.

And, the mere words brought a wide smile to his lips. He was beyond happy! She was ready to marry him. And, this meant that she wasn't really angry at whatever had transpired between them in Goa. He concluded.

"Good. I am coming to pick you up now. Wear something nice! Okay?" He quickly said and started walking towards his room to change.

Sneha's eyes widened again.

"Right now?" She asked in confusion and then looked at Dev.

"Yes. Why?" He asked.

"Uhh..." She was about to decline but one look from his father and her resolution broke.

"Okay. I'll get...ready." She mumbled quietly and cancelled the call.

"What did he say?" Dev asked.

"He asked me to get ready and that he is coming to pick me up." Sneha answered.

"Where is he taking you?" He asked.

"I don't know. He didn't say." She said honestly.

Dev nodded.

"Okay, Sneha. Here's the deal. I still don't trust you, at all. So, if you want your father to come home safely and alive, then prove to me today that you can make my son happy. If I'll get to know that you managed to upset my son with your rebellious behaviour or denial, you know what will happen. Right?" Dev warned.

"Uncle, please...don't hurt my papa! I'll do whatever you want. But, please leave my father out of this. It's not his fault..." She begged but Dev interrupted.

"Don't waste time, Sneha. Your home is still far from our current location. And, Viraj might be already on his way to pick you up. My men will drop you home. Now, go." He ordered.

"But...my papa..."

"He will be dropped home safely as soon as I get assured of your best behaviour. Now, go." He repeated.

"Please, don't hurt him." She requested again as another man approached her to walk her towards the car.

Dev didn't reply this time.

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As soon as Sneha was taken to her home in the car, Dev decided to meet Shankar again. His men brought Sneha's father back to the gloomy room and made him kneel on the floor, in front of Dev.

"You were too noisy in the morning, Shankar." He addressed him informally.

Shankar shivered in fear as the cold water continued to seep down his clothes.

"I...I am sorry, Mr Khatri. I didn't mean to insult you." Shankar replied nonetheless. He knew the power of this man standing in front of him. And, he didn't want to challenge him.

"Your daughter said yes to my son. And, I am sure you know what this means." Dev said and took out two paper slips from his pocket.

Throwing the paper slips on Shankar's face, he spoke.

"Don't even think of repeating this stupid stunt. From today onward, my men will track each and every step of your daughter. So, if you will try to hide her from my son, you better think again. I will make you live in the gutter all your life. Got it?" He asked in his sick voice.

Shankar had no option but to nod as he glanced at the paper slips, which were nothing but the train tickets to Uttarakhand.

"Good. Now, sleep tight, since my son is taking his soon-to-be wife for a little tour. And, as we are going to be family soon, I will give you the privilege to change into new clothes. So, go and change your clothes. Your food will arrive soon." Dev said and motioned his man to get on the task. He then left the warehouse, while leaving the task into the custody of his able men.

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All the while, Sneha's mind kept on running towards her father. She wondered if he was okay, if he wore warm clothes, if he drank anything warm and if he even had food? The worry was killing her from inside.

And, only one thing would save her father today.

'Don't mess up, Sneha. Make him happy.' She reminded herself.

As soon as the car stopped in front of her house, she ran inside. Her mother and Priya were shocked to see her. So, she quickly told them the truth briefly. However, she hid the major part of the event. She didn't tell them that her father was tortured in the most brutal way. Her mother would stress unnecessarily.

"Where is your father, then?" Her mother asked as Sneha wore a pink coloured top and blue jeans. It was the best she had right now.

Sneha hesitated to answer.

"He is with Viraj's father, ma. They are discussing the marriage schedule and other things. He will come home soon. Don't worry." She lied as she hurriedly combed her hair.

"Sneha..." Her mother grabbed her shivering arm.

"Is everything alright?" Her mother asked in concern.

'No' She wanted to say.

"Yes. But, I'll have to marry him, ma. I don't have any choice. Papa will come back home soon. Don't worry." She assured her and more to herself.

No one knew what to say or do at this moment.

"Ma...I'll be back soon...and so will papa. Don't worry, okay?" She gently said as she saw the crease forming on her forehead.

At that moment, her phone rang and Viraj's name appeared on the screen.

She accepted the call immediately, fearing that he might become upset because of the delay.

"Hello." She said.

"I am here." Viraj informed.

"I...I am coming." She said quickly and then gave a short glance to her mother.

"I'll be back soon." She muttered and ran out of the room. She knew Priya was in the room as well, but she didn't know what to tell her. Her life had flipped in just a span of six hours!

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With a heavy heart, Sneha opened the front door of her house to exit. She had just stepped out when she spotted Viraj in front of her house's fence, leaning casually on his car. Seeing her, he stood straight and flashed her a gentle smile. He was wearing a green T-shirt and black jeans. It was a rare sight to see him in casuals.

Remembering Dev's strict warning and threats, she smiled back...forcefully.

"Sneha." He acknowledged her presence as she stood in front of him.

"Uhh...Hi!" She managed to speak.

"Here..." He said and opened the door of the car to take something out.

She looked at him in confusion as he withdrew a bouquet of red roses. Gaurav had instructed him, along with some tips, to try to impress her tonight.

"It's the day of lovers, right." He said confidently and pushed it towards her.

Sneha was a big fan of roses. She loved their texture, odour and colour. But right now, she hated them.

Slowly, she brought her hand forward and held the flowers in her hand.

"Thank you." She mumbled and held them carefully near her chest.

Viraj stepped forward, surprising her again. So, she looked up to try to understand what he was doing. However, as she saw him come closer to her face, she immediately understood the meaning of it.

He was about to kiss her, she realized, right in the middle of the street. And, because of Dev, she had to let him do anything he wanted.

Her grip on the bouquet tightened as she closed her eyes.

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(Hi!

So, what do you think Viraj might have planned for this special day?

Thank you so much for all your love, guys! It means a lot to me, really.

Lately, I am unable to get time from my work schedule and other responsibilities. This is why, I am not able to reply to your amazing comments or messages. So sorry for it. But, I will read every comment as soon as I get some free time, for sure.

Thank you once again!

Have a great Sunday!

The spoiler is uploaded on instagram.

Next update: Friday (Will try my best)

)