Chapter 17

Suzie

@etfr

Part 17

Mumbai outskirt

Riya Farmhouse

They reached a deserted but still cosy looking farmhouse. Riya closed her eyes and felt her surrounding, they came to her home, their little but beautiful house surrounded by lush greenery. This is her sweet home, the place where she had all her memories of beautiful as well as depressed days she lived in India. Every nook and corner had some loving past of her, Arjun and their children. She still remember her griha pravesh in the presence of Sameer and the photos of Arjun's parents. It was one of best memory where after being coldly rejected by Rawte family, Arjun's constant love and support didn't let her breakdown when she was not emotionally strong because of her pregnancy. This place had been given to a care taker, since she decided to go back to states with Sameer and live there.

'Sam bhai must have ask the caretaker to maintain this house as it is.' Riya thought smilingly. She is happy that Sameer didn't let her sell this property before moving to states, otherwise she would be regretting a big time. This house is the only property in India which Arjun bought under her name wholly and gifted her on their first anniversary. She still remember it very clearly. Arjun even named this farmhouse as 'Riya Farmhouse' in his happiness and love.

She came out of her reverie when Shree tap on her shoulder and showed her the way to the backyard. There in the backyard stand a shabby looking room with grey walls. Inside the room, an old lamp was lit which was enough to lighten up the surroundings. That doctor who experimented drugs on Arjun was tied up on a chair with swollen and bruised face.

Riya clenched her fist in rage seeing the doctor but calmed down as Chotu called her softly "Ri, relax!"

Riya already knew everything but just want to hear the truth from this heartless doctor who destroyed her sweet pleasant life, just want to hear if he had ever regretted hurting her family. But what could be expected from a psychopathologically obsessed doctor, for him other than his researches and fame nothing matters. He confessed that he offered Rawtes a big amount of money in return of letting him do an experiment on their employee. But Rawte brought him to their nephew asked him to try on him. They let him do his experiment on Arjun twice, first experiment last for a short period of time thus letting Arjun forget his memories of last 3-4 months and made him divorce his first wife as she was from a middle-class and wasn't giving them much profit while the second time they asked him to drug him urgently and let him forget his recent two years which he refused to do as drugging twice with just two year distance and playing with one's memory again that too memory of two years might lead to severe psychiatric disorders and may even disturb his brain functioning. So Rawtes insisted the doctor and offered him sponsorship for his research then he suggested them that he is working on increasing the drugs' durability, thus he asked them to wait for at least 5 or 6 years and as soon as that drug for long term memory loss was ready, they drugged Arjun again and the effect was that.. 

"That he forgot me, his wife, his own children and his love of more than six years!" Riya whispered in daze. She isn't clear whether to be happy that this drug caused Arjun and her to meet or should she cry for Arjun's suffering or be sorry for herself and children.

Riya exhaled a deep sigh before composing herself and said with cold grin "Now it's time for you and Rawtes to pay for what you had been doing and i promise it'll be worst and I will make sure you all beg for police to imprison you. Mark my words."

She turned back wipe her tears and glanced at Rahul with a meaningful look which raised goosebumps on his skin but he straighten his back and nodded in assurance. Riya took a step ahead before whispering softly "Let someone else here and do the work, you have to be prepared for tonight's plan and make sure you have best medical facilities, bodyguards and all the evidences ready. If need be bring the genetic test report too. I don't want slight in anything at any chance. And safety of Arjun and children should be taken care by you personally. Understand!?"

Gulping hardly, Rahul nodded his head before replying "Understood!"

He felt as if he is seeing his Arjun sir when he is extremely strict, work focused and can't stand any mistake at all. 'But Riya Ma'am seems to be way more than scarier than Arjun sir right now.' 

As soon as Riya stepped out of the room, Shree and Chotu patted Rahul's shoulders and Shree said "Bro what you are seeing is not your Arjun Sir, its Riya ma'am."

Chotu added "Normally she is very cool, friendly and docile but when it came to her loved ones or things, she will be more scarier than Maa Kaali, tumhare Arjun sir is nothing in comparison to her, aai shapath!"

Rahul's eyes widen as he looked at Shree and Chotu, now seriously being afraid of his future. But Shree giggled and tried to calm him "But relax woh tumhe khaa nahi jayegi. She is always reasonable even in her anger, agar galti se mistake hui hai tou she might let it slight but if it's deliberate then....."

"Ay Shree... don't scare him yaar. Rahul relax, hum hain tumhare sath. We will help you alongside, don't worry." Chotu said pushing Shree away.

"Thankyou Chotu sir and Shree sir." Rahul exclaimed relieved.

"Arre no need for sir, just call our name. You are like brother to Sam bhai, right? Then we are all brothers." Shree said.

"Shree Chotu tum log aa rahe ho ya mai aaoun!?" Riya shouted irritated from outside as just now Arjun called her to come back urgently, look like it's time for phera ceremony within 2 hours.

Panicked, both Shree and Chotu ran outside with scared eyes as if their pants were on fire, they also gestured Rahul to hurry up.

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Rawte Mansion

Thane, Mumbai

Riya and other arrived just fifteen minutes before the bride's family. They hurriedly got busy in their assigned work that are Shree helping Rahul in compiling all the evidences and contacting Roshini, while Chotu took the task of assembling disguised bodyguards among the guests, rechecking the safety measures and other medical facilities along with Rahul and connected each other through bluetooth. Where as Riya got busy in dressing up in her own wedding dress while being in contact with Rahul, Chotu and Shree alongside making sure to get Sneha and Aryan ready on time.

Soon, it's time for final ceremony, thus beautifully dressed up Simran alongwith Anjana came to put sehra on Arjun and bring him down.

Putting sehra on, Arjun excused himself saying "Chachi let me check on Riya and kids for a second as they are new here tou kahin woh uncomfortable tou nahi hai. Kyunki phero ke baad tou mujhe time nahi milega.."

He opened the door next to his room and went in, took atleast two minutes before coming out of the room and nodded at Simran as in let's go. Anjana stare at the door finding it suspicious and opened it but only saw kids on bed and slightly opened bathroom door. Assuming that Riya must be inside the bathroom, she smirked and went down to attend the guests and watch the final ceremony.

Meanwhile, Arjun came out of the bathroom dressed in different sherwani with no sehra on his head. He look at the door and sighed feeling guilty for lying to his Chachi. Riya came inside the room all dressed up as a bride and looked at Arjun with eyes full of yearning. After looking at her, the guilt Arjun felt flew away as his heart sighed contently as he thought 'It's all worth it. I'll ask Chachi to forgive me later.'

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While Sameer, the bridegroom was being guided by Simran and her brothers. Eyes glistening with moisture, he is lost in his thought.. thought of his lady love, his Aisha and her beautiful face with eyes filled with craziness. He is remembering their first meeting, the days spent together, her cute yet clumsiness. Her disregard towards the distinction in high-low society. Always ready for some adventure and readily accepting her mistake to avoid being caught by her father and his guards. Her father...

"So you are Sameer Rathod, a manager at RMF, right?" Mr Kapoor asked rudely, sitting on the sofa at Sameer's apartment. He kept giving disgusted look to the surroundings of the small living room.

Sameer frowned but replied respectfully "Yes, Uncle."

"Oh please, who is your uncle? I prefer being called Mr Kapoor or Sir. Anyway, let's get straight to the point, alright?" Mr Kapoor asked before continuing without wait. "You and Aisha are friends, right? Since when did you became friends? And reason? Why are you following her almost all the time?"

Confused, Sameer said "What do you mean, sir? I can't understand your words. Yes, we are friends and we like each other alot. You can always confirm it from Aisha, herself. We have been friends since two years and I was about to get an appointment with you, to meet you about the same. I love her alot. I am about to propose her for marriage, after informing you. But what do you mean by reason? Please be clear, sir!"

"Fine, I will be clearer now. How much do you want, tell me directly?" Mr Kapoor said taking out his check book.

"Excuse me! For what?" Shocked, Sameer stood up from his seat and asked.

"Oh come on, drop the act. Just name the price to leave my daughter." Mr Kapoor said irritated.

"Mr Kapoor, please. I respect you that doesn't mean you can do and say as you wish. I am not a money grubber, I love Aisha sincerely and want to be together with your blessings. I may not have luxuries as much as you but I believe in hard work and not short cuts. Loving Aisha is purely genuine, I'll work hard to fulfill her requirements. But sorry I am not for sale." Sameer said loudly extremely disgusted with Mr Kapoor's words.

"Oh shut your not-for-sale puran! What are you infront of my daughter? She is the heir of Kapoor industry while you are merely a manager at a company. What do you think of yourself to even thought of marrying my daughter? Tum jitna mahine mei kamate ho na, utne ka woh ek hafte ke shampoo mei use karti hai. Jitna bada tumhara pura apartment hai na usse bada tou Aisha ka closet hai. So stop day dreaming about her and let alone marrying her, you are not even qualified to be in her friend circle. Huh!" Mr Kapoor shouted and hit the armrest of the sofa furiously.

This reality check silenced Sameer as he couldn't retaliate on this. Finally after sometime, he thought of something and said in calm yet firm voice "You are right Mr Kapoor but we love each other. You can ask Aisha if she have the same feelings for me or not. Money, luxuries or lavish lifestyle is not the issue, right now it's her feelings. What does she want? If she isn't ready to compromise or doesn't want to marry me then no problem. I will accept the fact and step back without any fuss. I promise."

Mr Kapoor chuckled saying "I know what she wants. What do you even know about my daughter? She uses men like you as tissue papers. Once she get bored, she throw them for other...."

"SHUT UP!! How dare you talk like that for Aisha? She is your daughter, damn it. How can you even speak such thing about your daughter? Is she your daughter or not? Do you have to destroy her innocence just to push her away from me.? Chii.. you disgust me." Sameer interrupted loudly banging his hand on the table, glaring furiously at Mr Kapoor.

"Yes, I don't want you to be anywhere close to her, not even as friend. Nothing. And if you satyawaadi harichandra can't be bought then I am ready to defame my own daughter. Yes. Even if I have to destroy her to keep you away from her, then I wouldn't regret it. Now the choice is yours. Either take money and go separate ways or wait for her being defamed and destroyed." Mr Kapoor said loudly before walking towards the doors.

He stopped at the door and said with soft smile "Then young man, I will wait for your response. You have two months atmost to dissolve your relationship with her and come get your price. If later than that then... you might not want to think further."

As he walked out of the apartment, his smile slipped away and he thought with his head down 'Sorry my daughter, neither can i allow Kapoor industry to suffer nor my daughter.'

His assistant said as the car drove on "Chairman, this is a good progress. Otherwise board of directors might incline towards your adopted nephew and made him the president of Kapoor industry."

Here, Sameer was shocked to the core, his heart bled as he processed the words of a father. He couldn't assess how cruel a human can get to even be ready to destroy his own blood, his own daughter who loves him dearly. His eyes poured for Aisha, as he couldn't bear to even tell her about this conversation, she may die at that instance if she got to know her beloved father's exact words. He can never let anyone hurt his Aisha, let alone him. So he decided to lock his love for her in his heart and let her forget him.

'But can I ever forget her!!?' A tear drop fell on his cheek as he remembered his heart-breaking decision.

Suddenly, he felt a nudge at his back and he came out of reverie and got reminded that currently he is seating in mandap beside the bride clad in red and gold bridal attire with a veil stretched on her face. He heard pandit ji repeated his words "groom should put mangalsutra on the bride's neck."

Anjana giggled and passed the mangalsutra to groom. Sameer taking a deep breath, took the mangalsutra and put it around the Bride's neck followed by other steps, not looking at the bride. Just as phere start Sameer whispered in his heart 'Goodbye Aishu! May you achieve your true happiness. I am sorry, but you know that I am a man of my words and here at this mandap I promised this lady to marry her, take care of her, be with her and love.... Love her. I may not be able to give her my heart, to love her truly but I have to be with her until death do us apart.'

Soon the phere came to end as pandit ji declared "Now you are man and the wife." Sameer closed his eyes and sighed.

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Both Sameer and the bride stepped down the mandap. At that instance, Riya dressed up as bride came down with another groom. They wore a sapphire blue and cream colour bride-groom attire, while groom held big leaves in his hand covering his face.

Shree came near mandap and said loudly "Hey Mr Rawte, you promised to let my friend Riya marry her boyfriend at your mandap. So don't deny at the last moment and also ask pandit ji to perform this wedding as our pandit ji got stuck in traffic. Please."

Sameer nodded his head pretending to reply as Arjun without saying anything. Before nudging Simran to guide them.

Confused Simran came forward to guide the bride and groom. Sitting on the mandap, Riya spoke in polite but loud voice "My parents were bengali, and I remembered having this tradition in our village of covering groom's face with these auspicious leaves during the wedding ceremony, so..." 

"Oh, it's okay, beta. It's just that he might have trouble while doing other rituals like putting on mangalsutra on your neck and vermillion on your parting." Pandit ji replied gesturing towards the leaves.

"Ah Pandit ji don't worry, these are the chores of bride's brothers, they will take care of it. Right Shree, Chotu!?" Riya asked with stern voice.

"Ofcourse. Hum isi liye tou hain." Chotu and Shree replied hurriedly.

Soon Riya and the groom too completed their phere and stepped down the mandap and stood near the other married couple. Both the couple bend together to take the blessings of Anjana and Suhas rawte, before turning towards the bride's family.

Feeling guilt, Sameer only stare at the feet of bride's father. He bend and touch the feet of his father in-law without glancing at his face. When it was Riya's turn, she looked at his face and exclaimed "Mr. Kapoor aap yahan!?"

Arjun who had been holding leaves untill now, dropped his hands at Riya's word and glare at Mr Kapoor with confusion.

Finally, seeing Arjun as Riya's groom crowd started whispering while Mr Kapoor first glared at Arjun and Riya then at Anjana, who is so shocked that her face became as white as sheet with her eyes widened, her whole body is frozen as her mind tried to assess the situation.

The man with whom Riya just got married in Arjun, then who is the man married with the bride she planned for Arjun. 'What is happening!? What has happened!? Mr Kapoor!! He... He will kill us!' Thinking this, Anjana staggered back and fell on her butt.

Meanwhile, seeing Mr Kapoor here, Arjun turn to look at Sameer and the bride. Sameer saw that Arjun is finally exposed, understood that something must have happened causing these sudden whispers among guest. So he took off the sehra to see everything clearly. But at once his eyes fell on the man standing infront of him and exclaimed confused "Mr Kapoor!!?"

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The bride who was standing silently with a long veil of a material which is see through from inside, finally raised her head to see what's happening. She saw her newly married husband, had pulled off his sehra. His fair skin glowed with sweat and his moustache came in her sight, her breathing disrupt as to her this face seems to be very similar to her love but as his exclaiming voice of "Mr Kapoor!!" rang in her ears. Her heart pounded and ears stopped working as she gasped loudly and her legs gave up. But before loosing her consciousness, she felt strong arm wrapped around her waist preventing her from hitting the floor as a loud voice exclaimed "Hey Miss!!!"

To Be Continued...