Chapter 24

Part 24 [NOCOPY]

Arjun clears his confusion: he’s not my father…………………………

Rathore shrugs: toh ab aage ka kya socha hai?

Arjun: kuch nahi, I am not going back

Rathore: hmm, you know uh…actually I, I did talk to Sunaina

Arjun: kaun Sunaina?

Rathore: woh public prosecutor, remember Sheila ke case ke time thi?

Arjun: ha yaad aaya

Rathore: ya so… usne kaha ki hum file toh kar sakte hai par, chances…na ke barabar hai, evidence nahi hai, eyewitness nahi hai, sirf bayaan par file ho sakta hai use court mein prove karna is another story altogether, the maximum inconvenience to him would be media

Arjun: nahi, no media, unka jo hoga so hoga, Riya ki pareshaani badh jaayegi aur waise bhi humne decide kiya hai ki hum file nahi karne waale

Rathore heaved a sigh of relief: thank god! Mujhe laga mujhe tumhe samjhaana padega ki…Arjun practically soch, is sab ka koi faayda nahi, past ke bajaye future par dhyaan de wagera, wagera

Arjun smiles: ya woh kaam usne kar diya

Rathore: main use phone karke thank you kehne waala hun

Arjun: jo karna hai kar waise, sorry

Rathore: kis liye?

Arjun: main nahi tha toh kaam atak gaya toh tujhe record room….

Rathore snaps at him: Shut up Rawte!!!!!!

Arjun smirks and the two friends burst out laughing.

Rathore mv “jaanta hun tu apna man divert kart kar raha hai dost bas tutna mat, main hu tere saath. hum sab hai”

A few days pass by. Arjun slowly starts shifting his focus from the incident to him and Riya or more specifically, their future together. He cut ties off with his family completely not bothering to look back. When his mother repeatedly calls him, he blocks her number to prevent all communication. He was perfectly happy being with Riya and his duty.

At the same time, Riya also remits from her relapse to trauma with his support. Her nightmares left her again with peaceful sleep. Her teaching and job both gave her a distraction as well. She didn’t need anything else.

Rawte Mansion-

Gloom hovered over the family ever since Arjun had left the house. Though Shweta did not accuse Suryakant for the crime Arjun did, she was angry that he lied and cheated. It had been almost a month now that she had talked to him. Moreover, she was frustrated that her son left them for the sake of a sold woman. That too, the woman who had soiled her marriage.

Suryakant was on the balcony. His mind was racing as well as numb. Arjun’s accusations were ringing in his ears. He couldn’t believe that he had forced a child into submission. He should have known! He should have known what he was doing! Atleast, when he saw her reactions, he should have figured it out!

Flashback

The sound of the phone ringing disturbs his sleep. Groaning, he shifts to the side table and picks up his phone.

Suryakant(sleepy): hello?

Shweta: Surya kaha ho tum? Raat bhar ghar nahi aaye?

Her voice alerts him of his surroundings. His gaze fell next to him but the bed was empty. He looks around and finds Riya huddled up against the wall again trying to cover herself.

Shweta: Surya?

Suryakant: huh ha? woh uh main…sorry woh late tak kaam kar raha tha toh yahi office mein aankh lag gayi

Shweta shook her head: tum bhi na, kitna kaam karoge? Ab ghar aane ka iraada hai ya nahi?

Suryakant: ha…ha aata hun thodi der mein

Shweta: hmm

Suryakant: acha suno

Shweta: ha?

Suryakant: tumne baat ki?

She sighs: ha maine Arjun se baat ki lekin mujhe nahi lagta tumhe us par apna faisla thopna chahiye, woh bada ho gaya hai Surya, uski life ki choices use lene do. Woh sach mein police officer banna chahta hai

Suryakant(angrily): Maine Tumhe Use Manane Ke Liye Kaha Tha, Mujhe Lecture Sunane Ke Liye Nahi!

Shweta: Surya main sirf…

He hangs up on her and throws the phone on the bed in frustration. He felt anger rising in his veins again. He started to dress up but his gaze fell on her. She shuddered feeling the wrath all around her. Leaving his shirt, he walked across. Suryakant bent on his knee.

Riya: please…

He placed his palm on her cheek: I am sorry

A flicker of relief passed through her eyes.

Suryakant: main tumhe chod deta…agar woh phone nahi karti toh

Horror intensified in her. The next second, he pounced on her.

Flashback Ends

It started with one time. One bloody time to remove his frustration and it had worked wonderfully for him. He kept going back to it, to her…always her. For five years, he had soothed himself in the same way. Even though his company stabilised again, he was not able to stop. It was like an addiction. The ill effects couldn’t deter him from his temporary false peace.

It was only after Armaan started working alongside his studies with the business, he realised he couldn’t keep lying about the office and the fear of being discovered made him cut off from the brothel.

A stone sinks in his chest. His left hand stiffens. A sharp pain shoots up to his jaw. He tries to call out for help but his legs give away. He pants heavily as sweat covers his body. His vision blurs. His world turns black.

Jeevan Nirmal-

A taxi stops outside the gate and Riya comes out of it. As soon as she steps inside a voice accuses here.

Arjun: fursat mil gayi tumhe?

Riya(startled): Arjun

He walks up to her: toh kya mera bhoot ?

Riya: kya hua?

Arjun: kya, kya hua? Main kabse wait kar raha hun tumhara… kaha thi?

Riya: are baba office gayi thi

Arjun: office? Aur tumne mujhe bataya bhi nahi

Riya: bataya toh tha

Arjun: jhooti, nahi bataya

Riya: are parso jab tumne phone kiya tha toh maine kaha tha na ki main jaane waali hu

Arjun: tumne kaha tha ki 30 ko jaane waali ho

Riya: oho! Maine 30 nahi 13 kaha tha

Arjun squints: really?

Riya: ha!

Arjun: ohh!

Riya: haan ji

She attempts to go towards the room when he blocks the way.

Arjun: are nahi!

Riya: kya hua?

Arjun: hum baahar jaa rahe hai

Riya: kaha ?

Arjun: woh…. Woh main tumhe baad mein bataunga

He grabbed her hand.

Riya: Arjun! Arjun ruko!

Arjun: ab kya?

Riya: mujhe ye file rakhne do room mein…

Arjun: are Riya…

Riya: bas do minute

Arjun: lekin…

She slips out of his hold: main abhi aayi

Arjun tries to catch hold of her again but she runs away.

Riya: aati hun, pakka bas do minute

Arjun: Riya!!! (he rolls his eyes but she was far away by now) Jaldi Aana!!!!

He waits impatiently for her. She sprints back within 5 minutes. He grabs her hand.

Arjun: chalo ab!

He makes her sit in the car before moving to the driver seat and speeding off.

Riya: acha hum jaa kaha rahe hai?

Arjun: surprise hai

A twinkle appears in her eyes: kaisa surprise

Arjun smiles: dekhogi toh apne aap pata chal jaayega

Riya: Arjun bolo na

Arjun: are kaha na surprise hai

Riya: pleeaaassee!!!

Arjun chuckles: are baba, bata dunga toh surprise kaise rahega?

She makes a face muttering under her breath.

Riya: acha hint toh do…. Kis baare mein hai?

Arjun: is baare mein hai ki mujhe achanak ye baat yaad aayi ki itne saalon mein ek gadhe ki tarah main tumhe kabhi bhi waha lekar nahi gaya

Riya: kaha?

Arjun: woh surprise hai

Riya giggles: acha tumhe office nahi hai kya?

Arjun: are woh gangster pakda gaya na toh commissioner sir ne khush hokar hume do din tak case na dene ka faisla kiya aur paperwork toh karna hai nahi mujhe toh maine socha ki chutti le leta hun… aur, tumhare saath waqt bitata hun

Riya: how sweet

Arjun: yea I know

Riya: tum nahi, Sameer

Arjun: huh? Sam beech mein kaha se aa gaya?

Riya: are usne chuti di tabhi toh tum aaye na toh use meri taraf se thank you bol dena

Arjun: Use kyun thank you? main aaya!

Riya: toh? tum toh bina chuti ke bhi aate rehte ho

Arjun: Riya!!

Riya: ha Arjun?

Arjun: tum na…

They were interrupted by her ringtone. She gestured to him to keep quite seeing the caller ID.

Riya: yes sir?.....I have received it, it shall be done as required….yes sir… sure sir!....ok sir good day!

Call Disconnect

Arjun: abhi toh meeting se aayi na? itni jaldi call? kahi tumhara boss thoda zyaada attached toh nahi ho raha?

She giggles: shut up! Review and Update meeting thi na, client ko thode changes chahiye toh woh final draft mein unhe incorporate karne hai, uske liye call kiya tha

Arjun: kaise chal raha hai project?

Riya: it’s good, bas ab ye thode finishing touches lagane hai, should be done by (calculating) another two weeks?...ya! ho jaayega

He nods: aur dusra waala?

Riya: use abhi thoda time lagega, I am still working on it

He nods again. She rested her head on his shoulder making him smile.

Riya: waise tumne mujhe us gangster ke encounter ki puri kahani nahi sunayi abhi tak

Arjun chuckled: ha…kaha the hum?

Riya: jab tum sab factory mein gaye the lekin fir pata chala ki fake tip hai, woh log tum logon ko ambush karnewaale the

Arjun: right, uske baad…

He filled her in on the details till they arrived at their destination. He drove into the driveway of a house.

Riya: hum pahunch gaye?

Arjun: ha

They got out of the car. Riya looked around. The garden was beautiful. A smile appeared on her face.

Riya: ye kiska ghar hai?

Arjun holds her hand: aao na

He led her up the stairs of the porch and removed a bunch of keys.

Riya(surprised): tumhara?

Arjun: nahi

She looks at him quizzically. He smiles and takes her inside. The interiors amaze her. It was urban and minimalistic, just as she liked it. She steps forward admiring the beauty of the house. 

He comes from behind and holds her shoulders: ye humara ghar hai

Riya: kya?!?

Arjun: ha (she continues to stare at him) are itna shock kyun ho rahi ho? maine kaha toh sahi ki main itne saalon mein tumhe nahi lekar aaya.

Riya smiles: waise maan na padega, ghar bahot saaf rakha hai tumne

Arjun laughs: are nahi yaar, tumhe laane waala tha isliye itna saaf hai, warna maid jitna karti hai utna hi hota hai

Riya: par tum toh jaldi chale jaate ho na office toh fir maid?

Arjun: paise wagera tijori mein lock hai, ab kapde toh woh churane waali nahi hai aur waise bhi police waale ke ghar kaun chori karne ki himmat karega? (she was about to say something) tum woh sab chodo, mujhe tumhe kuch dikhana hai

He grabs her hand and takes her to the table. A parcel was kept on it. He gives it to her.

Riya: ye kya hai?

Arjun: kholo na!! tum har baat par itna sawaal kyun karti ho?

She smiles seeing his excitement. Riya starts opening the parcel. It felt like some sort of box. She kept the wrapping paper on the side and opened the box…………………….