Chapter 2: Bare

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🎢. 7 Rings

The moment she sauntered in, everyone stilled, maybe even the air.

That's how she was, a force to be reckoned with, her power invisible to eyes but tangible to all of your senses. She fed on it from the unworthy ones, they were the easiest to defeat. Thus, she lacked emotions. For the one who aspires power, empathy is a disadvantage. She had her eyes fixed on the pinnacle, her aim was not just to reach there, but to reach and flip it upside down so no one else but her claims it.

Her power was her dominance and she asserted it on everyone.

"The guest of honor is here," the host announced.

Sour faces could be seen, jealousy and envy swirled in eyes like the wine in the flutes.Β  Feigned with respect and smiles, everyone welcomed her in, the sea of crowd parting, everyone else unworthy of attention now that she was here.

Most women had their eyes fixed on her dress, her jewelry, her pointed heels. Most men had their eyes fixed on her breasts, her rounded bottom as she walked in confidently.

Maybe only a few recognized the strength this woman carried. She was shining, glowing, like the full moon in the dark sky.

Siya Raichand smirked.

They lowered their gazes because she was no more the rabbit in the world of hungry and savage wolves, she was the Goddess. And they had no choice but to bow before her, for she could be their ruination if not looked up with respect.

"For you, Miss. Raichand," the host, her recent business associate, offered a glass of white wine.

Siya took the glass, knocking it gently with his and tilting the rim to her mouth, the glimmering diamond rings on her gloved hands catching the attention of many envious eyes.

As the party went back to normal, she mingled with the rest of the people, only the important ones, words shared from her side merely one or two. She didn't like wasting her breath on measly discussions, she believed in being the listener than a talker. Her thoughts were better share with herself, the decisions were easy to make, doubts were less, and time wasn't wasted.

Her guards were following her all the time, making sure none touched, not accidentally, neither intentionally. Their glares were enough to scare away the ones who even tried to get unnecessarily close to her.

Her heels clicked against the floor, the hem of the simmering black gown dragging behind as she walked up to the bar, needing a time away from the chatters. People give her way more importance than she was comfortable with.Β 

Settling herself on the barstool, she crossed her legs, tapping her gloved fingers on her knee, aware of the gazes lusting over her.

Men, so fucking gullible.

"Not really a fan of parties?" A voice said and Siya's gaze drifted to her right, spotting a man sitting one foot away from her, enjoying his drink.

"Not really a fan of conversations with strangers either." She stated in a clipped tone, looking back to the front.

The man chuckled.

"My bad." He sat straight and held out his hand for a shake. "Ian Preston." He introduced himself.

Siya swatted his hand away with her stick that she keeps to ignore such unwanted touches. It was her third hand.

Ian smirked, pulling his hand back to himself. "You're literally untouchable." He hummed, nodding slowly.

Siya ignored him.

"Alright, I get it." He shrugged and went back to enjoy his drink.

"Daddy! Daddy, I wanna- I wanna blue blue drink!" The little girl screeched as she hung to her father's arm, walking up to the bar counter.

Siya grimaced.

Kids are fucking gross.

She watched with narrowed eyes as the little girl whined, continuing to throw tantrums even when her father agreed to order whatever she wants. Her frown fell when the girl suddenly looked up at her, her moss green eyes widening at the sight of the beautiful woman.

"Woah," she whispered, leaving the grip on her father and smiling in awe at Siya. "You're so pretty."

Siya rolled her eyes. "I know."

The little girl giggled. "You look like a princess!" She declared, beaming happily.

Siya's frown returned. "Princess?" She asked and the little girl nodded.

"Like a princess from The Princess and The Frog. So bea-" the little girl backed against her father's leg when Siya snarled, literally, startling the poor kid.

"I don't kiss, I bite." Siya tilted her head, like a psychopath. "Still a princess?" She asked innocently, smirking in satisfaction when the girl shook her head, absolutely horrified before she went to hide on the other side of her father's legs. The man looked at Siya in disapproval, picked up his daughter and the drink, and left the bar counter as soon as possible.

Ian burst out laughing when he couldn't control himself anymore. "Damn you scared the poor kid. She might have nightmares for days now."

"Good fucking riddance," Siya spat out, groaning under her breath when she saw Jared Houston, the host of the party, approaching her. "Spoke too soon." She mumbled, eliciting another chuckle from Ian who cleared his throat and feigned seriousness when the old man stopped before them.

"Did you not like the party, Miss. Raichand?" Jared asked politely.

"Not really," Siya replied honestly.

Maybe not a great situation to practice your honesty but she couldn't help herself. Her tongue had a mind of its own.

"Oh," Jared whispered under his breath, slightly embarrassed. "How about I take you upstairs, only my family and some important people. You'll feel more comfortable there. My son will handle it here. Right, Ian?" Jared turned to the young man.

Siya's eyes flitted towards the man who blushed slightly. "Ye- Yeah, Jared."

"I want him upstairs," Siya stated as she got down the stool.

Jared's eyes widened in surprise. "Uhm, my other son will keep you company if you want. He is a smart man, has a great eloquence-"

"Him." Siya pointed at Ian, walking away from the two men along with her bodyguard. Jared's second wife, Layla, accompanied her as they walked upstairs to the second floor.

"Please have a seat," Layla gestured towards the lengthy royal blue couch, sighing in relief when Siya sat down and crossed her legs, folding her arms against her chest, her face void of any emotion. "The other guests will join us soon. Would you like to have something?" Layla asked.

Siya shook her head in answer.

"Alright, I'll just go and- Ian, what are you doing here?" Layla's gentle tone instantly morphed into a hiss when she saw her son walking in through the huge mahogany doors. "You shouldn't be here." Layla rushed up to him, grabbing his arm and trying to drag him out. "Go before your father comes and insults you again. Handle the guests downstairs." She murmured in a plead, pushing him towards the doors.

"I want him here," Siya spoke up, beckoning the man with her finger.

Layla gasped and left her son's arm. "O-Oh,"

"Can I, Mom?" Ian asked, hurt flashing through his dark brown eyes.

"Ye-Yeah," his mother stuttered, nodding in response.

Ian walked in meekly and sat himself down on the sofa chair that was adjacent to the couch.

"Ex- Excuse me," Layla muttered and exited the hall.

Ian sighed softly, his gaze lifting to look at the woman who had her eyes fixed on the painting hanging on the wall at the front. "I'm sorry you had to see-"

"Shut up."

Ian blinked and sealed his lips close.

Soon the hall began to fill with the people. They were less in number compared to the crowd downstairs but they were still so fucking loud and so damn nosey.

"Start talking," Siya commanded.

Ian blinked again, in surprise. "Ab- About what?"

"You're a chatterbox. Talk so I can pretend to be busy." She snapped, glaring at him with hard eyes.

Ian opened his mouth, closed it seconds later when no words came out, and opened it again.

She rolled her eyes, holding back a groan when she saw a woman approaching her.

"Is that so? My major was business administration. I would have never guessed we studied from the same University." Ian blurted out, sighing in relief when the woman halted and changed her direction.

Siya looked at him, slightly impressed. "Good job."

He smiled. "Thank you."

"Keep talking."

He sighed in defeat. "Yes, ma'am." And he continued talking, about anything that made sense and everything that didn't. She pretended as if she was paying attention when both of them knew it wasn't true. But Ian continued to blabber, for it felt free to talk without having someone interrupt you just to say how meaningless your every word is.

"Are you Spanish?" Siya asked, halting him mid-sentence about his pet parrot, Papi Chulo.

Ian fumbled with his words. "Uhm, no? I mean, yes, no, I just- wait, I'm glitching." He shook his head, blinking rapidly.

Siya waited patiently.

"My father was. He was Spanish. Then he died and my mother remarried Mr. Houstan when I was thirteen." He answered once coming out of the jumble of thoughts.

"Can you speak Spanish?"

He nodded.

"How many languages do you know?" She asked.

"Uhm, three. English, Spanish and German because I studied there."

"I want you to learn Italian and Russian. Would you?"

"Why?" He frowned.

"Because I don't want to."

His frown deepened.

"I'm looking for an assistant, who is fluent in at least five languages so I can use him as a translator too. Your qualifications fit. So does your personality. It's a great position. You wouldn't have to be dependent on your mother for money if you took up my offer. And I fucking hate to talk more than two sentences so consider yourself lucky." She answered, taking in a deep breath once she was done.

"You- You want me to work as your assistant? Just like that? Without any interview."

"I took your interview. You just didn't realise I did." She said blankly.

He bit on his lower lip, nibbling on it thoughtfully. "Sa- Salary?"

"Come to my office tomorrow and discuss it with HR." She said and stood up, capturing the attention of everyone present in the hall.

"Miss. Raichand, are you leaving?" Jared walked up to her hurriedly.

She nodded.

"Oh, alright, I hope you had a good time. I'm looking forward to doing more business with you." He added in a polite tone. "My son will see you out if you don't mind, I've some more guests to look after." He said and motioned to his elder son, Samuel Houston, who offered her a small smile.

"This way," Samuel held out his hand for her to follow.

Siya looked at Ian.

Ian blinked, his gaze flitting from his father towards her before realisation dawned on him and he stuttered for a response. "Th- this way," he copied his stepbrother's actions, aware of the way Samuel's smile dropped as he glared at him.

Siya pushed aside Samuel's stretched out hand with the help of her stick before following Ian out of the hall, her guards trailing behind protectively.

Ethan walked forward and opened the door of the Rolls Royce Phantom once they reached the parking lot. Siya stopped in front of the backseat, her hand gripping the edge of the door as she looked up at Ian.

"Tha- Thank you for-"

"I don't like to surround myself with the people who don't know my worth, neither the ones who don't realise their own." She stated and he bowed his head, slightly ashamed. "Got it?"

He nodded.

"Got. It?"

He looked up. "Yes."

She nodded, satisfied, and slid herself inside the car, thanking Ethan when he closed the door. Rolling the window down, she beckoned for the man to bend to her level.

Ian followed.

"Tell Mr. Houstan I won't be doing any business with him in the future. He is too fucking flamboyant. Irks me." She said and let the window close.

The engine purred to life and the slick black car drove off as Ian stood dumbstruck, feeling pity for his stepfather.

"Fancy him?" Ethan asked from the passenger seat.

Siya snorted. "Too young and gullible. Not my type."

Ethan nodded. "But fit for the position of Assistant?"

"Perfect."

Fifteen minutes later, the car drove in through the huge iron gates, onto the long limestone gravel driveway that was shadowed by the rows of tall trees from either sides, past the multiple lush green gardens and stopping at the huge bricked porch. Ethan quickly got out and opened the door for her. She stepped out, thanking him before making her way inside the humongous mansion through the double doors.

The entire mansion was empty, except for her now.

She stopped at the foyer, looking around, possibly searching for something.

"Charlie!?" She called out loudly.

In no time a robot cleaner was sliding in from a room.

"Cleaned all the floors?" She asked.

The screen on his stomach flashed. "Done."

"Good boy." She praised him with a smile. "Go and charge yourself now." She ordered and headed upstairs.

Scanning her fingerprint on the scanner, she unlocked her bedroom door and strode in, dropping herself on the bed and staring up at the white ceiling blankly. Her eyes drifted towards the huge clock on the wall and she noticed it was only fifteen minutes before eleven. Straightening up, she walked to the closet and put the black stick back in its collection. Sliding open the doors of the shelves, she pulled out the silk camisole and shorts and a clean towel before heading inside the bathroom.

After the shower, she brushed her teeth clean and then washed her hands with the handwash.

Stepping out of the bathroom, she closed the door after her and walked to the bed, smiling when her phone began to ring for attention.

Picking up the glowing device, she answered the call and pressed the screen against her ear.

"Good evening, Dad."

"Good evening, Baccha. How was your day?" Her father's gentle voice filtered through the internal speaker.

"Good. I had a party to attend tonight." She answered as she opened the door to the ensuite study room and stepped in. Turning the lights on, she walked up to the large marble desk and settled herself down. "What about you?"

"Mine wasn't that good." Reyansh snorted.

Siya frowned. "And why is that?"

"Because I defeated him in the game of chess!" Dev screamed from the other side.

Siya laughed. "Finally. Thank God."

Reyansh gasped, seemingly offended. "Whose side are you on?"

"The one who wins," Siya replied smugly.

"Wow," Reyansh said sarcastically. "This is what I get after doing everything that I did for you."

"It is what it is, dad," Dev said sympathetically.

Siya chuckled softly. "Where's Mom?"

"I'm here!" Her mother screeched. "This son of your grandmother isn't letting me talk to you. Give the phone to me, Reyansh! You've already talked to her this morning!"

"No! It's my time with her. You missed your chance this morning. Not my fault." Reyansh stated.

"Ugh! See!"

"Di, I love you!" Her younger brother, Ivaan, chirped randomly.

"I love you too, Ivaan!" Siya answered, a smile on her face.

"Siya, why don't you come for dinner tomorrow? Huh? Rohan and Aradhana are coming along with their kids."

"Really? What for?" Siya inquired. It's been so long since she has met any of her father's sides of the family. And even her mother's. She is a fucking sociopath. No wonder people are scared of her.

"He has some work to do in Danville. And then he was thinking of heading back to New York but I invited him over. So he said may as well come with rest so we all can meet." Jahanvi answered. "I invited Deniz and Gehna but he says they are not in LA. They're heading to Turkey for some family function."

Siya hummed in response. "I'll see if I can."

"You have to!" Dev insisted. "It's been so long since we ate together, Di. And now your OCD isn't a major problem either."

"Dev." Their father called out sternly.

"What did I say?" Dev shot back.

"Alright, I'll come. I'll come. Just text me the date and time." Siya said, trying to calm the brewing tension between the father and son.

"You don't have to be if you're not comfortable." Reyansh said gently.

"I'll be fine, Dad. Just- Just make sure Pluto isn't around." She said softly.

"Don't worry. I'll keep that in mind." Reyansh replied. "Alright, it's time for you to get back to work. Don't forget to catch some sleep though. Good night."

Echoes of goodnight swarmed in from the rest of her family and she smiled.

"Good night." She replied, hanging up afterward.

Leaning back on the reclining chair, Siya rotated the phone in her hands, playing with it as she dived into the sea of her own thoughts. Her eyes lowered to her hands that are always covered in gloves, and her jaw clenched at the sight of the scars scattered around the back of her palms and her wrists. Tossing the phone on the desk, she traced the scars with her fingers, trying to be affectionate with herself, struggling to feel some love with the only touch she can have her entire life, of herself and no one else.

Since that day, Siya had pushed herself away from everyone. She was guilty, of everything, of the pain her parents had to go through because of her, of the special attention she received that made her siblings feel neglected, of not fulfilling the last wish of her birth father before he succumbed to death.

She deserved to be punished for that.

And she punished herself.

By not letting anyone touch her. Even her father.

She didn't deserve to feel love, to feel affection, to feel cared for and protected. So she pushed away the only people that she loves beyond anything else. Her parents.

And now, her skin hated everyone but the air.

At this point, she didn't know who she was punishing. Herself or her parents. The yearn and longing to hug her, embrace her close, kiss her cheeks, brush their fingers through her hair, caress her skin, and love her like a child is needed to be is crystal clear in their misty eyes.

"Fuck you, Siya." She scoffed. "You can't even be fucked, you bitch." She added pathetically, straightening up and turning the computer on.

The entire night sinks into the time as she worked relentlessly.

She woke up in the morning to the blaring

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