Chapter 2

The uproar of thunder was still ruling the valley. As Payal reached behind the counter lightening struck and thunder roared so loud.

The phone rung as she picked up a receiver. She saw her owner's car entering in the hotel inlet. She threw the receiver down without responding. Her body was shivering with fear. She was panicked now what will happen next. After a while, her owner  misses Luna entered into the main hall where Payal was already standing there it seemed like Payal has  been waiting for her.

Misses Luna was a beautiful woman of 35 years of age. Healthy body, happy fair and smiling face, sophisticated hair bun with shiny hair, combed well mannered, big radiating almond colored eyes, tall in height, slim and smart waist, wearing an expensive overcoat made of animal skin and tight skinny through which her legs can be easily cherished. She is looking elegant, bold and stylish. 

She turned to Payal and smiled, Payal welcomed her with smile on her face, but looking a bit confused because she was aware of the consequences, If she found him in her room.

As Misses Luna came near the counter, Payal's face turned pale and started feeling shortness of breath. And black out and darkness in front of her eyes. She never expected misses Luna will arrive at this time of night in this dark stormy night. Her kindness and mercy towards Rakesh gonna give her tough time, she never imagined this. 

"Such a terrifying weather it is" misses Luna said, "it was much depressing for me to stay in Pehalgam, that's why I had to manage to return to the hotel in this weather"

"You did great, mam.. I was worried for you"

Payal pulled misses Luna near the warm blowing heater to protect her from the cold, asked her to sit near heater. 

Payal's mind was working so fast at this moment. She asked misses Luna to stay here as she is going to turn on the heater in her room so when she will go, her room will be warm. 

Misses Luna was smiling at her and appreciating her care towards her, "she is such a sweet girl, how much she care about me"

Payal climbed up the stair with the speed of light and reached in front of her room. She didn't knock at the door, but she opened it with the keys in her hand and entered in the room where Rakesh were sleeping unaware of all the situation which happened opposite to his expectations.

Payal entered in the room with breathlessness and locked the room from inside. She walked towards the bed and shook his arm to wake him up.

Rakesh opened his eyes.

Payal panickedly whispered, "wake up Rakesh, hurry up, misses Luna has come back, she is sitting downstairs, she will be here anytime" "Hurry up you have to leave the room, get up"

Payal was saying all this in one breath without any pause. Rakesh jumped out of bed swiftly and gathered his overcoat and bag in his arms. As both were near the door, they both stopped on knocking of the door from outside, both looked at each other. There were misses Luna on the other side of the door.

"Payal, did you lock the door from inside?" Misses Luna asking from other side of door.

As Rakesh moved forward to open the door, Payal holds his hand and pulled him towards the wardrobe. She opened the wardrobe and asked him to hide inside it. As Rakesh entered in wardrobe to hide him, Payal locked its door from outside and put its keys in her pocket. After locking Rakesh in wardrobe and moved towards the door and opened it, saying, "Come in mam, all done"

Misses Luna engaged giving some instructions to other worker and Payal was setting her bed sheet there she found a tie pin of Rakesh, right away she hides it in her hand and put in a vase laid on the side table.

Now misses Luna entered her room along with two workers carrying her bags.

"Now you should take some rest mam, you must be tired"

"You are so sweet Payal, how much you cared about me." misses Luna was smiling at her despite how much she was tired.

On the other side Rakesh was getting short of breath. He was cursing his fortune that where he had been stuck. 

Misses Luna came out of her washroom. She was wearing a nightgown made from lightweight see-through silk that was decorated with lace. Her figure-hugging fabric and seductive style was making Rakesh seductive along with breathless. Now he was considering himself lucky enough to see all this. 

Payal along with two workers entered in the room carrying new closet with them. 

"what is this?"

Misses Luna asked surprisingly,

"Actually lock of wardrobe is out of date, it opens without any effort. I am afraid if any mouse enters in your closet and ruin your precious clothes." 

"ahaan! That's why you are changing it"

Rakesh was feeling these mice are running on his body. He was feeling so helpless in this closet. 

Employees put a new closet in her room and carried old one out of the room. As it reached outside of her room, Payal got a sigh of relief... " Thanks God" murmuring in her mouth. 

"Get this closet in the store room." Payal ordered them and stayed in the room, if misses Laura need anything else.

Misses Laura came near roses in the vase. There she was tie pin in the vase. She got enraged, "who was here in this room in my absence? ... Whose tie pin is this?"

Payal senses were working fast, "oh.. This.. I put it in a vase while I was cleaning your room, I found it in the corridor."

Misses Laura smiled at her and put this Gold pin in her hair,  Payal got a sigh of relief.

"Anything else you need mam?"

"No, no now you can leave"

"good night.."

They exchanged well wishes. As Payal left the room she ran towards store room where closet was placed.

On entering in the store room, she turned on the lights and opened that closet where Rakesh was locked. Rakesh was still standing in the closet with his eyes closed.

She got worried because Rakesh was not showing any movements he was unconscious because of suffocation in this closet. Payal shook his arms in the next moment he fell on her arms like unreal. She was looking at his closed eye, which was still mesmerizing even it was closed.

She pulled him on the ground and put some water on his face.

Somehow he opened his eyes and murmured, " where am i?"

"you are here with me, in the store room  of the hotel, here you can spend the night, no one would disturb you here"

Upon hearing Payal's voice he got his conscious back. He looked all around himself he was lying on the floor in the store room. He was thinking he was getting disrespect.

"No, I am not some old closet or old curtain that you would throw me here in the store room, I can stay in freezing cold outside, but I would not spend my night here in this dirty old store room even not for single minute." and he stood up and moved out of room.

"Rakesh listen listen.. You have no idea how i managed to get you out of misses Laura's room, please don't put me and you in any trouble" 

Rakesh came out and sat on couch in front of counter. Payal also came back on her duty.

Both looked at each other and turned their eyes away. It was still thundering and storm outside as both were looking outside through windows.