Amid the dense jungle that stretched endlessly across the horizon, the Thakur mansion stood like a king in his court-proud and unyielding. Its polished walls gleamed even under the muted sunlight that filtered through the thick canopy of trees, casting a golden hue over its imposing facade. To anyone unfamiliar with this secluded side of the village, the sheer opulence of the mansion would be nothing short of a revelation.
This part of the village, hidden deep within the forest, was reserved exclusively for the upper caste and the powerful Thakur family. The contrast between this realm of privilege and the rest of the village, where hunger and despair ruled, was stark and cruel.
Lush gardens surrounded the mansion, meticulously maintained with flowering plants that filled the air with an almost intoxicating sweetness. Pathways paved with smooth stone led to the grand entrance, flanked by towering columns carved with intricate designs. The air here was different-cooler, richer, and almost mocking in its serenity.
For Rajni, sitting in the cart as it rolled closer to the mansion, the sight was a world away from her mud-thatched home. She'd heard whispers of this side of the village, of its beauty and grandeur, but standing on its threshold now, all she could feel was dread. The mansion's beauty wasn't welcoming; it was foreboding, as though it sought to conceal the darkness that thrived within its walls.
The closer the cart came to the towering iron gates of the estate, the more suffocating the atmosphere became. The gates creaked open with an eerie slowness, revealing a courtyard so immaculate it felt unnatural. Every blade of grass was perfectly trimmed, every stone in its place, as if even nature feared the wrath of the Thakurs.
The servants scurried about, heads bowed, their movements quick and deliberate. No one dared to look at Rajni as she was led out of the cart and into the grand estate. The jungle's embrace ended at those gates, replaced by the cold, suffocating grip of power and fear.
For anyone else, the mansion might have been a dream. But for Rajni, it was nothing less than a gilded prison. Her frightened eyes scanned the area nervously until they locked onto a woman standing at the entrance, surrounded by other females who appeared to be maids. The woman was strikingly beautiful, her piercing eyes capable of trapping any man in their gaze. But those same eyes now held a venomous glare, directed straight at Rajni.
Rajni froze mid-step, her breath catching in her throat. She quickly lowered her gaze to the ground, unable to withstand the intensity of the woman's stare.
"Walk," came a cold, authoritative voice from behind her. It wasn't loud, but the weight it carried left no room for hesitation. Without realizing it, her body obeyed, her feet moving forward as if on their own. She kept her head down, her steps timid, yet she could feel the hateful gaze burning into her with every step. Her skin tingled uncomfortably, and the knot in her stomach tightened.
"She's beautiful," one maid whispered to another, her voice barely audible over the rustling leaves. "Look how innocent she looks, like a blossom flower in this suffocating place." Her admiring eyes remained fixed on Rajni's delicate features.
"Hmph. Her ill fate," another maid muttered from the left, her tone laced with pity. "She looks like she's barely out of her teens. And with the way Thakur Ratnesh is looking at her, I doubt she's here to be a maid."
The two women exchanged uneasy glances, their eyes flitting back to the unfolding scene. The air seemed heavier, charged with tension as Mistress Praneet's anger radiated visibly.
"Looks like it's time to serve another," the first maid murmured with a faint giggle, though there was no real humor in her voice. "Poor girl. And everyone knows Thakur Ratnesh has never cared for Mistress Praneet. The only reason she's still here is because she once carried Thakur Srikant's child... before the miscarriage."
. The cold wind cut through the air, sending a shiver down Rajni's spine as she approached the grand entrance of the mansion. Every step she took felt like a surrender-each footfall dragging her deeper into a fate she had no choice but to accept. Her hands clutched the edge of her shawl, her body trembling from the biting cold, but it was more than just the weather that made her shake. It was the overwhelming weight of what she was about to face.
Behind her, Thakur Ratnesh's gaze never wavered, his eyes fixed on her like a predator eyeing its prey. A predatory smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. His eyes moved over her, lingering on every inch of her, as if she were nothing more than a possession to be claimed. Rajni could feel the unsettling heat of his stare, and it made her skin crawl.
Mistress Praneet, standing near the entrance, noticed the way Thakur Ratnesh looked at Rajni. Her lips curled into a thin, tight line. There was something venomous in the way she moved forward to intercept Rajni's path, her posture rigid with superiority.
"So, you're the new... addition," Mistress Praneet sneered, her voice sharp and laced with venom. There was no attempt to hide the disdain in her tone.
Rajni flinched involuntarily, the harshness of Praneet's words striking her like a slap. But she didn't respond. Her gaze remained fixed on the cold stone ground beneath her, as if the earth itself could swallow her whole and hide her from the reality she was now trapped in.
Thakur Srikant stood to the side, watching the exchange with a smirk playing on his lips. He relished the tension between Praneet and Rajni. It was a familiar sight. Praneet's jealousy and insecurity burned in her eyes, and Srikant found a sick enjoyment in watching her unravel. It was the same as before-Praneet had once replaced another woman in his life, and now it was her turn to be replaced by Rajni, the new 'addition'.
"Move aside and let her enter," Thakur Ratnesh growled, his voice thick with authority. His hand shot out suddenly, grabbing a fistful of Praneet's hair in a harsh grip. "Don't forget your place, you whore."
The force of his words made Rajni's stomach drop. She watched in horror as Praneet's body crumpled to the floor with a thud. Rajni's eyes widened in shock and fear, her instincts pushing her forward to check on the fallen woman.
"Aap theek hain?" Rajni asked softly, her voice filled with concern as she took a tentative step toward Praneet, but before she could get any closer, Ratnesh's grip tightened on her arm.
"Don't make me show you your place on your first day here," Ratnesh hissed coldly in her ear, his voice a low, dangerous whisper that sent a chill down her spine. "Walk inside... if you don't want to be on her place."
Rajni's breath caught in her throat. The cruel weight of his words hit her hard, and she knew there was no choice but to obey. She swallowed hard, fear tightening her chest as she took a shaky step forward, her heart racing. Her gaze never left the ground, but she could feel the presence of both Thakur Ratnesh and Thakur Srikant behind her, their eyes on her every movement.
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The mansion was eerily quiet that night, the only sounds being the soft rustle of the wind outside and the faint murmurs of the servants within. Rajni sat in the center of the lavish room, her body stiff with apprehension as the maids moved around her with practiced ease. Their eyes were focused on her, some curious, others indifferent, but all aware of her place here now.
As per the Thakur's tradition, Rajni was dressed in a pristine white saree. The fabric clung to her slender frame, almost glowing in the dim light, making her seem like an innocent, untouched soul-a stark contrast to the cruel reality of her situation. The white draped her like a shroud, marking her as someone waiting to be claimed. Her long, raven-black hair was left to cascade freely down her back, the glossy strands falling to her waist in a dark, mesmerizing waterfall.
The maids moved in silence, their fingers delicately applying kohl to Rajni's eyes, accentuating the innocence and vulnerability in her gaze. It was a beauty that could trap anyone who looked too long, and the maids knew exactly what the Thakurs desired.
She could feel the weight of their eyes on her, the unspoken judgment, as they prepared her for what was to come. Her body, bare of jewelry except for the delicate Payal on her ankle-a piece she was specifically instructed to wear-felt like it was marked, not with wealth, but with her new role in the mansion. The soft chime of the Payal echoed as she moved, a haunting reminder that she was now owned.
The maids didn't speak much, but their movements were efficient, methodical. They were used to this. To them, it was just another night, another woman who would soon learn her place in the world of the Thakurs. Rajni, however, felt the weight of it all. Every thread of the white saree seemed to bind her to a fate she had no control over. Every inch of her bare skin felt exposed, as though the world could see every part of her soul laid bare.
When the last touch was applied, the maids stepped back, their work done. Rajni stood in front of the mirror, her reflection staring back at her like a stranger. The woman she saw wasn't the girl she had once been. The innocence, the softness of her features, only made the situation seem more tragic. Her reflection in the mirror a stark reminder of the reality she was now a part of. Her breath was shallow, her chest tight, as she adjusted the white saree around her body, trying to pull it tighter, almost as if she could pull herself out of this nightmare. But there was no escape. The fabric clung to her like the weight of the situation itself-oppressive and unyielding. Her hands shook as she moved, the only sound in the room the occasional chime of her Payal, the small bell on her ankle that now felt like a cruel reminder of her new reality.
As the last of the maids filed out of the room, a woman in her fifties lingered behind, her face worn and tired from years of servitude, her eyes heavy with unspoken sorrow. She watched Rajni for a long moment, her expression unreadable, before speaking in a low voice, laced with a sad sort of wisdom.
"Don't say no to them," the maid's voice cracked slightly, as though the words themselves were a bitter pill. "Whatever the Thakur asks you to do, just do it. Without questions. That way... it will hurt far less."
Rajni's stomach twisted, her pulse quickening as the full weight of the maid's words sank in. She didn't dare look up, her gaze fixed on the ground. The thought of having to submit to the whims of the Thakurs, of becoming nothing more than an object for their pleasure, made her skin crawl. But she said nothing. What was there to say?
The maid continued, her voice colder now, tinged with a hopelessness that Rajni felt deep in her bones. "It will be a matter of days... maybe weeks, if they grow fond of you. If you're lucky, they may even keep you longer. But if you don't want to be discarded, if you want to keep your safety and your well-being... don't defy them. Let them do whatever they want. However they want."
Rajni felt the coldness of the room seep deeper into her skin, her heart heavy with a despair she couldn't escape. The maid's words echoed in her ears like a death sentence. There was no escape from this fate, no choice left. She could only endure, powerless, until she was no longer of use.
With a soft sigh, the maid placed the bucket of water on the floor and turned to leave, casting one last glance over her shoulder. "It will be best for you, child," she muttered quietly, before disappearing into the hallway.
Rajni was left alone once again, her heart pounding in her chest, the silence of the mansion closing in around her. She wanted to scream, to fight, but the weight of the situation held her in place. The only thing she could do now was survive-at least for as long as the Thakurs allowed her to.
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