The loud curse boomed as the waiter approached, spilling a whole cup of hot chocolate on Priya, drenching her dress.
Shocking both Priya and everyone nearby, the attention swiftly shifted to them.
“Can’t he see?”
“He’s going to lose his job now.”
“Utterly useless!”
The harsh words rippled through the air, as if everyone had been waiting for such an opportunity.
Priya was stunned as the scalding liquid made contact with her skin, leaving it slightly burnt and reddened.
She couldn’t grasp what had just happened; her reaction was completely numb.
Nishi and Daisy both sprang to their feet, grabbing tissue paper to help clean her up.
“What have you done?” Daisy glared furiously at the waiter, noticing the painful redness on Priya’s hand.
“We need to tend to this,” Nishi insisted, gently cleaning the affected area.
“I’m sorry, miss, truly sorry,” the waiter pleaded, fearing the consequences of his mistake and the looming threat of losing his job.
He knew he had blundered, and judging by the stares directed his way, his dismissal seemed imminent.
“What good is your apology? You’ve practically burned her!” Daisy snapped, her anger palpable.
Priya glanced at the trembling waiter, seeing the fear in his eyes. Who wouldn’t be upset with people hurling such accusations?
Daisy, usually so composed, now radiated anger. It was evident that her fiance Priyank’s temper had rubbed off on her, though Daisy wielded it more selectively, unlike Priyank, who often unleashed his anger indiscriminately.
Despite Priya’s throbbing hand and the surrounding chaos, she found herself torn. The waiter’s remorse was palpable, and she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sympathy for him.
“Please, just… give me a moment,” Priya finally spoke, her voice shaky as she tried to gather her thoughts.
Daisy’s anger softened slightly at Priya’s words, though she still shot a distrustful glance at the waiter.
Nishi, ever the peacemaker, placed a reassuring hand on Priya’s shoulder. “Let’s get you cleaned up first, then we can sort this out.”
With Nishi’s calming presence, Priya felt a bit more grounded. She allowed herself to be led away to tend to her burn, the heat of the moment slowly dissipating.
Meanwhile, the waiter stood frozen, torn between the fear of losing his job and the guilt of his actions. He knew he had to make things right somehow, but he wasn’t sure how to proceed.
“It’s alright, really. Could you please tell us where the washroom is?” Priya halted in her tracks, her heart aching at the sight of the waiter’s fear.
“Thank you, ma’am. I’m truly sorry. Of course, I can show you to the washroom,” the waiter offered, taking a step forward.
“Nishi, you stay here. I’ll go wash up and be back. It’s not that serious, just a minor burn,” Priya reassured with a smile, regaining her composure after the initial shock.
“But…”
“It’s okay,” Priya insisted, following the waiter to avoid causing further disruption to the other patrons.
As Priya followed the waiter to the washroom, she couldn’t shake off the unease in her heart.. She couldn’t ignore the lingering sense of guilt and concern for the waiter.
“You don’t need to worry; I’m not in pain,” she reiterated, trying to mask the discomfort of the burning sensation in her hand.
“I’m truly sorry, ma’am. I’ll cover the damage,” the waiter insisted, his voice laced with guilt.
“You really don’t have to. Mistakes happen, and it’s completely okay,” she reassured with a warm smile before disappearing into the washroom.
As the waiter watched her go, a wave of relief washed over him, grateful for her understanding and forgiveness.
Priya quickly tended to her burn, wincing slightly at the sting of the water against her skin. As she dabbed at the affected area, she couldn’t help but reflect on the events that had unfolded.
She understood accidents happened, but seeing the waiter’s genuine remorse stirred something within her. Despite the inconvenience and discomfort, she couldn’t bring herself to harbour any ill will towards him.
“Mhmm,” Priya gasped in shock, but a hand quickly covered her mouth, forcing her gaze to the mirror in front of her.
Her eyes widened, resembling orbs on the verge of rolling onto the floor, as she recognized the familiar voice.
“Angel, missed me?” Priyank whispered in her ear, his presence sending shivers down her spine.
With one hand muffling her protests, and the other grasping her scalded hand now under running water, his own hand became soaked in the process.
The fear and anxiety Priya had been carrying all week became a harsh reality. Priyank stood before her, his very presence sending shivers of apprehension down her spine.
The realisation hit her like a ton of bricks-she was now in his grasp, powerless to escape.
Her knees threatened to buckle beneath her, and tears welled up in her eyes as Priyank’s thumb pressed against the tender, burnt skin.
“I asked you something, Angel. Did you miss me?” Priyank’s voice pierced through her turmoil, his eyes reflecting a madness she had never seen before.
Tears streamed down Priya’s cheeks, each drop carrying the weight of her pain and helplessness. As Priyank’s gaze bore into hers through the mirror, she felt a surge of dread engulf her, knowing that she was once again at his mercy.
‘How could I miss him?’
The thought gnawed at her mind, a bitter truth she couldn’t escape.
People missed those they loved or those they could easily forget.
But Priya neither loved Priyank nor could she erase him from her memories.
She despised the fact that his presence still haunted her thoughts, tormenting her even in her darkest nightmares.
And now, faced with her trauma standing before her, asking if she missed him, she felt a surge of anger and frustration.
“I don’t care if you missed me or not, because I missed you, Angel, way too much, more than I breathe in a day,” Priyank declared, his words dripping with intensity.
Priya shook her head, desperate to break free from his grip, but his broad chest pressed firmly against her back, making her wince as his hand rubbed roughly against her mouth.
“Your ass is rubbing against me, Angel. I never thought you’d welcome me like this,” he taunted, his tone laced with a mixture of arrogance and cruelty.
“Oww!”