Like I said in the previous update, this is a happening chapter. So have your popcorns and drinks ready.

Cause this is my longest update yet.

Happy Reading💜

That smear of blood trickled on his fingers kept reminding him what had just happened.

His swelling cheek with the cut over it stung him, bringing him back from the shock to the blazing reality.

Anupama just slapped him!!

She didn't just slapped his cheek, but it felt like she slapped his ego.

That throne he had always pictured himself at, being the protector and provider of his family, the head of everyone; she had just tarnished that picture with her handprint over his cheek.

Didn't she pictured him like that as well? Didn't she worshipped him?!

He knew she wasn't happy with his affair, he thought it might be the same old' wife jealousy or grudge.

He thought deep down, Anupama wanted his attention, even after divorce. After all, she stayed in the same house even after the official dissolution of their marriage.

That thought had been boosting his ego ever since.

Speaking of him, honestly which woman wouldn't want the attention of a man like him? The intimidating, authoritative, intelligent, handsome man.

After all Baa, Kavya, his children, his ex-colleagues, and at one point, Anupama too had worshipped him like he's the ultimate alpha man.

He assumed that even if she found her voice to stand up against him, even if she insults him on a daily basis, even if she pretends to loathe him; but deep down, she needs him.

Needs his attention, his presence, his care, his approval.

But when his eyes lifted up to find Anupama, all he saw was her disgust-filled eyes glaring up at him. All he observed was her heaving body, taut in attempt to hold back her boiling anger from bursting at him, threatening to burn him into ashes.

All he saw was an infuriatingly alluring and beautiful woman in pink, who's verbal and body language spoke loud and clear: that she's over him.

That moment, the realisation struck him like the lightning bolt of thousand thunderstorms, that there was never any pretence from her side to begin with. There wasn't even any trace bit of emotion for him, forget respect. All her expression felt like a brutal insult directed to him.

He watched her eyes again. There was nothing left in there for him. Not even in the slightest.

Forget Alpha man, he wasn't worthy enough in her eyes to be a man.

Everything about him was dead in her eyes. And that stung more than that slap.

She had been over him a long time back.

He was the one living in delusion. In pretence.

He had been mixing up his timid, old Anupamaa to this new, fierce Anupama.

At that moment, he realised one shocking truth.

Anupama was over him. But he wasn't.

He. Wasn't.

And that had been the reason why he kept mentioning Anupama as his wif— sorry ex-wife in his thoughts.

That was the reason why he was so hell bent on bringing her back to him.

He concluded one thing after it: that even if the old, timid Anupama who loved him was burnt to ashes by this new one, then so be it.

He will make this new version of Anupama as his own. By hook or by crook.

Fuming by the slap, and feeling insulted from that harsh reality check, he glared at her.

If a woman doesn't reacts to words, make her react by power. Fierce or not, every woman will become submissive by 'authoritative alpha men' like him.

And he have to show her that alpha side of his.

With that thought, he lunged for her. She kept her ground, neither moving away or flinching back in fear. She glared at him head on.

But it wasn't her disgust-filled glare that stopped him, but some massive strength pulling his collar from behind.

Then, in an instant, the strength pulled him back with a harsh tug, making him crash into the tiled floor.

Before he could recover and open his eyes, he felt a harsh, jaw-breaking, face numbing punch land on his right cheek.

The wind was knocked off from his chest, and he winced, letting out a cry of pain, as another punch landed near his eye.

Before he could open his eyes, he heard Anupama's voice, "Anuj..."

Vanraj's eyes shot open in surprise as he heard the immense amount of love and concern in that one word from Anupama's mouth.

Only to find the businessman Anuj Kapadia's fist mere inches away from his face, while he looked almost murderous.

"Anuj please ruk jaiye. Aur mat mariye isse. Mai nahi chahti ki aapko koi reporter aaise dekh le, aur kuch ulta-seedha likh de iss aadmi ki wajah se." She pleaded as she stood against the pillar, to cover her torn blouse and bare back.

Vanraj tried to get up. Rage flooded his veins at the way he was pathetically getting beaten up by the man who was stealing his wif— ex-wife. Who was living with her alone.

His urge to beat him up multiplied when Anupama took Anuj's side, showered worry and love, when he was the one attacking him.

But Vanraj's shattered ego turned to dust when his strength wasn't enough to budge Anuj Kapadia's grip holding him down on the ground.

The previous pride of winning the arm wrestling in Ganesh Chaturthi was long gone.

He distantly heard footsteps approaching and a second later, two figures were holding Anuj from either sides, trying to pull him away.

"Anuj! Yaha media hai, apni reputation ka toh dhyan rakh! Practically soch! Calm down man!" One of them was the owner, Mr. Sujeet Dhillon.

The other person, he recognized, was the same waiter whom he had sent with the false message, to call Anupama.

But Anuj was relentless.

His arms flailed helplessly while a murderous Anuj Kapadia was about to drop another punch on him.

"Anuj! Aapko meri kasam!"

As if a switch pressed off, his incoming punch stopped midway, the clouds of rage flitted away from Anuj's eyes, making him come back to earth. The hue of murder shifted from his expressions, but that cold, steely look was still there.

This time, Anuj let Mr. Dhillon and the waiter detach him from Vanraj, and let himself being pulled up by them to stand.

His eyes didn't left Vanraj on the ground as he stood up.

"Who the hell are you? Meri property mein bina permission ghusse kaise tum?" Mr. Dhillon whirled towards Vanraj and demanded furiously.

"Sir, maine abhi pta lagaya baaki staff members se ki yeh servant entrance se aaya thha, job dekhne ke bahane se." The waiter supplied from behind.

As the waiter filled Mr. Dhillon in about the way Vanraj had coaxed him to call Anupama, Anuj had already hurried towards her.

Observing Anupama's horror-stricken face and the way she leaned back at the pillar desperately trying to maintain her composure, he had already guessed something might've happened. Then, as discretely as possible, Anupama hinted him about her back situation.

Though Anuj didn't understood what exactly had transpired, but he still couldn't ask Anupama because apart from him, three more men were in their vicinity.

Instead, he directed his rage towards Vanraj.

The sooner this matter gets sorted, the sooner he could ask Anupama.

"Dhillon, ye aadmi tumhari hotel security ko breach karke tumhare guests ko harass kar raha hai." He spat.

Sujeet Dhillon looked apologetic. "I know Anuj and I feel sorry about it. Aaisa dobara nahi hone denge hum. Aur iss aadmi pe police charges press karke jail toh bhejke rahenge isse." He narrowed his eyes at Vanraj.

Vanraj tried his best to not let the fear and anxiety grip him. He did his best to look as threatening as one could do, half lying on the floor with a black eye and swollen, bleeding cheek.

But Anuj didn't agreed. "Nahi. Hum nahi. Ye Anupama ka gunehgar hai. Iski saza ka faisla bhi wahi legi."

He looked behind at Anupama with assurance.

But it seemed like Anupama's mind wasn't in the conversation at all. No, she was restless, fidgeting, distracted, she tried her best to keep her composure but it looked like she was seconds away from breaking.

Before Anuj could observe further, she managed to utter, "Faisla toh dur ki baat hai, mujhe iss aadmi ke baare mei sochna tak nahi hai. Anuj, saza aap dijiye. Mujhe pta hai aap jo sochenge, sahi hoga."

Anuj nodded. He took in the trembling form of Anupama standing by the pillar, then turned towards Vanraj.

Vanraj too, looked at Anuj with as much malice his gaze could convey.

'That rich bastard had taken everything from me. My family's happiness, peace, even their love. And most of all, our Anupama.' He begrudgingly thought.

Slowly and steadily, Anuj approached Vanraj like a lion who had finally cornered his prey. Then he crouched down to look at him dead in the eyes.

Everyone silently waited for Anuj's verdict, while Anuj kept on assessing Vanraj in deep concentration with narrowed eyes.

It looked as if he was trying to study that character Vanraj. How his mind works? What would be a suitable punishment for him for troubling Anu?

Being the sharp, renowed businessman he was, it didn't took him long to get into his competitor's psychic.

And it was fairly easy to read a weak, impulsive personality like Vanraj Shah.

He observed the way Vanraj stared at the trembling Anupama with an accomplished smirk. He took in the proud glint in Vanraj's eyes despite being punched and threatened of pressing charges.

He was proud, too proud that he was the intelligent one who had managed to breach security and threaten Anu.

Proud as if he managed to get away with his mission. As if he had managed to brainwash Anupama. As if now she had learned her lesson, and will surely return to them.

Anuj glanced back. One look at the trembling Anupama, clenched fists, dark circles under her tired eyes, and his mind was made.

"No no, we're not pressing charges on him." Every pair of eyes was on Anuj, looking at him as if he had grown two heads.

Despite that, Anuj was calm, with his own relaxed smirk over his lips while he stared at the frowning Vanraj.

"Anuj that man—" Mr. Dhillon tried to interject but Anuj cut him off.

"Will not be going to jail." He completed, standing up.

Knowing Anuj since so long, Mr. Dhillon understood quickly that Anuj was onto something.

The Anuj Kapadia was playing now.

"What do you have in mind then?" He couldn't help but ask.

Everyone stood waiting and then he finally spoke, in a low, deadly tone that Anupama was hearing for the first time.

"He had broken the hotel's protocols by breaking and entering. Now, take him to the kitchen. Make him wash every single dirty dish. Make him sweep the dirty floor. Make him clean the drainage pipes and clear the garbage. And after that, lastly..." He trailed off.

Then fixing Vanraj with a darkness in his eyes that held the pain his lover had endured for her 25 years, he finally completed.

"Make his serve all of your guests with food and beverages." He briefly glanced at Anupama whose eyes were fixed on the tiled floor.

Before Vanraj could take in all of his words, Anuj concluded, "If he opposes at any point, then throw him in front of media. Announce how he tried to assault one of your guests by intruding into your hotel. Let him face public humiliation. Then call the police. Make him rot in jail. We'll press charges for breaking and entering in a private property, then attempting to harass a VIP. My lawyers will see to it that he doesn't get bail for a long long time. Even after he gets out, we will blacklist him from the whole commercial sector. I'll see to it that he never finds a job until he lives."

Hearing Anuj's verdict, Vanraj paled.

The last thing he expected was to be made to do something as mortifying and pathetic as household chores..!

He was Vanraj Shah! The king of the jungle!

This would be a massive embarrassment for him in front of everyone!

No! Vanraj Shah couldn't stoop to that low!

And even if he opposes, the consequences would be...

Vanraj's blood ran cold at that thought.

Anuj smirked sardonically as he observed the change in Vanraj's demeanour.

He had done it. He had gotten into Vanraj's head and made him tumble down from his imaginary Midas throne and crash face first into a puddle of slime and dung.

For a misogynist, narcissist like Vanraj Shah, 'trivial' housewife chores would be the most humiliating thing that could ever happen to a low excuse of a man like him.

Anuj could see that he has absolutely crushed his superiority complex.

'Well, serves him right for putting Anupama through hell in his toxic household for 25 years. He deserves a taste of his own medicine.' Anuj thought.

Vanraj screamed. "You can't do this Anuj Kapadia! I won't let this—"

Anuj cut him off. "This is nothing compared to your vile deeds. Trust me, you deserve way more than this. Just because you're not mine but Anupama's culprit, I'm leaving you with this. She will ultimately decide your punishment." Anuj briefly looked at Anupama and she slightly nodded in response.

Turning back, he fixed Vanraj with a steady glare. "For now, do as I say or spend the rest of your pathetic life jobless and rotting in jail. Period."

The finality in his words had left Vanraj with no choice. As embarrassing as it was, still Vanraj had realised that a man like Anuj Kapadia could ruin him with a snap of his fingers.

And the way Anupama was backing Anuj up instead of him, her husban— ex-husband, he knew that the damage would be thousand times worse.

He contemplated his options for a moment and then, with a sinking feeling he realised that he had no other choice but agree to Anuj Kapadia's demand.

He had to basically become everyone's slave...!

The task he had severely despised all his life, he had to do that now..!

Anuj saw the realisation dawn upon Vanraj's troubled face, and he understood what his answer was. With a flick of his hand, he gestured Mr. Dhillon and the waiter to take him away.

Nodding, the waiter moved and grabbed Vanraj by the arm. Vanraj let himself being dragged away by the waiter towards the kitchen, his face contoured with the same humiliated expressions.

Mr. Dhillon followed them as well, but not before passing an apology in both Anuj and Anupama's direction.

As they were left alone, Anuj finally turned around and rushed towards Anupama, who was still standing in front of the pillar with her hands clenching the pallu's fabric.

Her eyes were fixed at a particular spot on the tiled floor, refusing to meet Anuj's questioning gaze.

"Anupama tum theek ho?"

His voice was the same. Just like everytime. Soft and tender.

Just like he had asked her at the beach after the confrontation with Kavya and that vile man.

She bit her lips, knowing that the sob that had been building up will escape in case she opens her mouth.

Instead, she chose to nod her head in negative. Before Anuj could ask more, Anupama stood up from her leaning position against the pillar and turned around.

At first, Anuj was left confused with that random move. But as soon as she turned her back towards him, his eyes widened in shock.

That thin netted bridge of her blouse was completely torn off from the middle!

Though terrified, Anupama was stunned at herself as well. Given her character and personality, she was shell-shocked by her brazen move too.

A man she knew for barely two months, letting him witness herself in such a vulnerable state was nothing like her sheltered self.

She had always held herself together, wiped her own tears, fixed her own broken-self, calmed her own demons; she never asked for help.

There he was, watching her wardrobe malfunction with widened eyes. A furious red of shame and embarrassment crept over her cheeks as she realised that he was watching her practically naked back.

Before she could regret and question that unpredictable move of hers, she felt her sleeves sliding off from her shoulders.

She had forgotten that without any support over the torn ends, her blouse fabric will slip down!

With horrified realisation, she regretted leaving her earlier position, with her back pressed against the pillar, which kept the torn ends pressed and held her blouse from slipping away.

Before she could do as much as breathe, she felt a strong hand over her bare back. And in an instant, her blouse was back over her shoulder, in its intact position.

Moving her head sideways, she looked down on her back to find Anuj's hand clenching the torn fabrics together with so much force that his knuckles turned white.

With a trembling sigh of brief relief, she looked up to find Anuj's eyes weren't even on her, but they were downcast, intently fixed on his shoes.

At that moment, Anupama got her answer. She realised why despite being a sheltered woman, despite being reluctant to trust any man again, that too a man she knew for barely two months; still she had trusted Anuj.

After all, he was Anuj..!

Though Anuj's support helped in subsiding the panic attack she was about to have, but it didn't stopped her from shaking in fear nonetheless.

Before either of them could say anything, they heard a loud voice holler from the crowd.

"Anupamaa!" Her blood froze as she heard Mrs. Dhillon calling out her name from the mass of people.

Both Anupama and Anuj's eyes snapped up in fear to find a cheerful Mrs. Dhillon approaching the pair alongwith her husband.

Anupama managed to smile as she observed that her loud voice had managed to direct every single person's attention towards her.

Anuj observed that too, and begrudgingly he pulled his hand back and stepped a few steps away from Anupama. He only prayed that her blouse will stay intact and doesn't slip as long as Anupama is the centre of attention.

Reaching near them, Mrs. Dhillon smiled cheerfully and clasped Anupama's hands in hers. "I completely forgot to tell you that I'm a big fan of your dance."

Anupama managed to smile. "R-really?"

Heedless to her hesitation, Mrs. Dhillon bobbed her head. "Oh my god yes! I had watched all of your dance videos online and I just love them! Please I'd be really honored if you grace this party with your dance performance."

Everyone from the crowd hooted and cheered while Anupama's face lost its colour. Beside her, she felt Anuj getting tense. "Uhhh...I-I'm supposed to dance..?"

"Yeah! Please please please say yes! Please?" Mrs. Dhillon smile was as brilliant as ever.

Anupama again observed the way everyone was waiting for her answer with bated breath, while the media continued to record their interaction.

Anuj was the one who jumped in to save her. "Mrs. Dhillon, I apologise but I don't think she should—"

"Yes." Anupama's one word cut off whatever makeshift excuse Anuj was about to give to save her.

Anuj looked at her without managing to hide his shock, while the crowd clapped at her answer.

"J-just give me two minutes. I'll be there." Anupama stuttered. The grateful couple nodded and thanked her before leaving.