Neil slowly regained consciousness. He realized that he had been locked inside an animal cage. He couldn't stand up straight. When his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he realized he was in the basement of a house. As he observed his surroundings even more closely, he realized his was on his own property. The basement of his villa where he sometime visited with his friends.
"Anyone there?" he shouted.
No response.
"Let me out of this fucking cage! Who are you and what the fuck do you want?"
Still no response.
"Meera you fucking cunt, I know you are behind this! Come out wherever you are hiding, you whore!"
Again, no response.
Neil shouted for hours never getting a response. He was getting thirsty and hungry, but no one ever answered his call.
He slowly began to lose his energy and strength. Hours passed by. He lost track of time. He had no idea how long he was locked up in that cage. He tried to break it open with all his strength but failed. The darkness of the place began to numb his mind. It was getting cold. He curled up on himself as it got colder and the pain of hunger got more intense with every passing hour. He was on the very of losing his sanity being locked up in a dark place with no human contact for unknown amount of time. He shouted and screamed over and over again. But there was no response. He began to think that he was perhaps left to die of starvation in that cage. The feeling of helplessness clouded his mind. He knew he'd do anything for food, water or just a human contact.
"Now you know what it is like to be cold, hungry and so afraid?" the voice said.
Neil instantly recognized the voice.
"Meera!" he looked at her in anger, "I knew it was you! You backstabbing bitch! Why..ahh"
He couldn't complete his sentence as a strong electric current hit him through the cage's metal bars. He was already very weak, hungry and thirsty.
"First of all, lets be polite," Meera spoke in a commanding voice, "I should be the one calling you names...but there isn't a word degrading enough for you."
Neil knew any more resistance and she could electrocute him further. "Who are you?" he asked softly.
Meera walked to his cage and knelt near him. She smiled to see his condition. She reached into the cage and stroked his hair. She smiled as he didn't resist.
"I'm almost tempted," she said, "To keep you as my pet, to break you...think of all the fun we could have, the humiliation, the punishments...but you are so rotten from the inside, the stink is almost unbearable."
"Why did you frame me Meera?" he asked, "I didn't rape you, you know I didn't. I didn't do anything that you didn't consent to..."
"No you didn't, because you are a good man now, at least that is who you pretend to be."
"Who are you?" he asked firmly, "I know you are not Meera Rathi. Who are you really and what do you want?"
"You kept her here," she said stroking the bars of the cage, "Do you remember this cage? She said she was pregnant with your child and you...punished her for it...you kept her here in this cage...naked...without food or water...like a fucking animal...for three days...till she agreed to swallow the abortion pill...Do you remember Neil?" she spoke in an eerily calm tone.
The memory hit Neil like lightning. His eyes shot open wide and suddenly everything began to make sense. Everything Meera did, her false allegation, and why she kept him locked up in that cage. He studied Meera's face carefully again and it suddenly struck him why she appeared familiar from the day he saw her first.
"You are that servant girl...Meenu," he said looking straight into her eyes.
"I'm surprised it took you so long to recognize," Meera said with a smile. "Naina di was the sunshine of my life. Being a servant in Naina di's family, over time, I realized she was just as lonely as me. Having lost her parents at a young age, she depended on her uncle and his family for support. They never treated her well. She loved me, treated me like her younger sister. Naina di lovingly called me Meenu. Though the family abused both of us alike, at the end of the day we had each other. They never let me go to school, but Naina di taught me to read and write, she taught me so many good things. She loved me, she promised me she would do all she can to give me a good life, so I'd never have to be a servant again."
"Those few years with Naina di, were the most beautiful of my life. We didn't have everything, but we had dreams of a beautiful future, and we were happy. Till you came into her life and burned all our hopes and dreams." Meera said glaring at Neil.
Neil closed his eyes in deep regret.
"Di never got the love she needed and deserved in her family, so she looked for love outside. When she found you, she was so happy...like I had never seen her so happy before. She told me often how much she loved you, and how much you care about her...I remember you even sent presents for me sometimes."
Meera wiped a single tear from the corner of her eye and continued, "and then you began to show your true colours...every time Naina di went to meet you, she'd return with bruises, cuts and burns! I knew she woke up often in the middle of the night and cried. It was only after I met you, I realized where those wounds came from. Every time you hurt me, I saw the truth behind Naina di pain. I could never make sense of how someone could take so much abuse and still love their partner. I couldn't love you, but she did. You put her through so much pain, she never complained. She took it all silently because she loved you so much. She dreamed of a life together with you, until that day you broke her."
Meera could speak no more. Tears burned her cheeks as she choked in grief. She felt her soul bleed from the never healing wound that Neil had given her.
A memory flashed before Neil's eyes.
**********
It was 11th of July. Naina was so excited that Neil had invited her for a private party for his 25th birthday. She wore a beautiful red dress, the best of her humble collection. She decided to let her long black hair hang down her shoulders.
Naina knew that Neil loved plum cakes. She baked one freshly for him as a birthday present. Neil had sent a car that would escort Naina to his villa in the outskirts of the city.
Neil received her warmly. He was dressed in casuals, but he still looked devilishly handsome. He took her to the poolside where dinner and drinks were arranged. There were three other men there.
Neil introduced them as his closest friends, Aarav, Armaan and Reyansh. They were all very handsome and appeared to be from affluent families. They had a powerful but disturbing aura about them. Naina was nervous for a while but greeted them politely.
"Isn't she gorgeous?" Neil said to the men, embracing Naina from behind.
All three of them couldn't help but ogle her. She was actually an average looking girl, but there was something about the innocence on her face that made her extremely alluring. She was tall girl with a dusky complexion, and beautiful womanly curves. The dress hugged her skin tightly highlighting her curves. Her long black hair swayed gracefully with the slightest of movements. They were mesmerized by her beauty.
Neil's villa was exquisite, the grandeur clearly reflecting his affluence. Naina grew restless every moment as she realized that she and the four men were the only people present there.
Neil cut the cake Naina had brought and shared it with everyone.
