Chapter 16

Devakshi FF: Small Moments

Part 16

Dev looked out the window of his room as the decorators decorated the outside of the house with hanging lights.

In just a few hours, he would be married to someone. Someone who is not Sonakshi. He gripped the windowsill tightly and his knuckles turned white. He was giving up on that one thing that he had done for himself. He had fallen in love with Sonakshi. But what difference did that make? Because he had to let her go. He had to break his own heart and hers. He didn't deserve to be happy.

Riya entered her brother's room without knocking. She hated to see him this way. "Aap theek toh hai naah bhaiiya?" She asked him full of concern. She knew that her brother was fighting with himself at the moment. She knew something was terribly wrong because just like Ritwik had sensed it, Riya too had sensed the fact that Dev had feeling for Sonakshi. But she still couldn't fathom why he took these steps. But she knew that whatever it was, her brother wasn't happy with it either.

Hearing his sister's concerned voice Dev turned around to face her and attempted to smile. "Haan Riya. Main theek hoon. Mujhey kya hua hai?" Riya sighed. One other thing she knew about her brother was that he was extremely stubborn and never shared his problem with anyone. He pretended to be the great wall that protected the family single handedly. And she could see that he was doing just that at this point too. So she tried a different approach. "Aapko pata hai kya, Sona di neye kyun job chhor diya?" She asked observing him carefully. Hearing her name made his despair greater somehow. Looking the other way once again he replied, "Unko better job mil gaya hoga."

But Riya was not ready to back down just yet. "Aapneye unseye nahin poocha. Who toh bohot khush thi naah iss job seye." Dev couldn't take it anymore. Talking about her was making things even more difficult for him. So irritated he walked out of the room saying, "Mujhey kya pata Riya. Tum unseye khud ho poochlo." Riya sighed. Her plan to glean out the truth failed. Her brother remained just as closed off. The only time she had seen him being open was when Sonakshi was around and she missed Sonakshi's presence now. Suddenly her phone started ringing and she took it out to find that Ritwik was calling her.

Before Sonakshi left for Kolkata, Ritwik had asked Riya to meet him and told her about Sonakshi's decision after meeting her. She was saddened to know this and wished she could help both of them. They had promised to keep each other updated about Dev and Sonakshi so that they could do something to stop Dev from this stupid decision he had made. And that had brought them closer. "Haan ritwik, Sona di theek hai?" Ritwik sighed and replied from the other end, "Nahin Riya. Maine call Kiya tha aur tab who ro rahi thi. Tumhari Dev se baat hui?" Riya also had no good news and informed him about it. "Tum koshish karti raho Riya." Ritwik told her. "Haan, I will. Main aapko baad meye call karti hoon. Apna khayal rakhna." With that' she made up her mind.

She wouldn't let her brother and her Sona di suffer. But she couldn't talk to Sonakshi and neither could she talk to Dev. So that left just one other person she could talk to and she decided to do just that without wasting time. Dev on the other hand wanted to be left alone. After having left his room he went towards the garden in search for some peace and quiet. But his mother stopped him in between. "Dev?" He stopped and turned around. "Sherwani dekh li tuney?" She enquired. Dev replied with a quiet, "Ji" Ishwari knew her son very well and she knew that once he took a decision, no one could change it. But he also knew, just like Riya, that Dev's mind was in a turmoil regarding this marriage.

"Tu iss Shaadi seye khush to hai naah?" She asked her son honestly. Dev looked into his mother's eyes lovingly but didn't reply. He just smiled a sad smile and walked away to the garden. Ishwari hoped that her son would make the right decision before it was too late because the sadness in his eyes didn't go unnoticed by his loved ones. Sitting in the garden he closed his eyes as he leaned back into his chair and everything came back to him in a flash.

*Flashback*

As Dev decided to go check on Sonakshi before he went to his room, after making sure that the police had taken Kushal away, his phone rung. He was surprised to see Natasha's dad calling but nevertheless, he received the call. "Haan Mr. Gujral?" "Dev mere room meye ao isi waqt" he commanded Dev. Dev got irked by his tone but said nothing. Going up to his room Dev knocked on the door. Mr. Gujral opened the door and ushered him in. The moment the door closed Mr. Gujral just about exploded. "How dare you Dev! Meri beti se shaadi karneye waaley ho tum. Aur aaj tum kisi aur ladki ko apneye bahon meye utha layein?" If he hadn't been older than Dev he would have gotten a deadly punch from Dev but Dev calmly answered, "Dr. Bose problem me thi aur main unki help kar raha tha."

Looking Mr. Gujral in the eye Dev continues, "Jahan tak Natasha ka sawaal hai, Main aapseye kehney hi wala tha that Main Natasha se shaadi nahin kar sakta. She is a wonderful girl aur unheye bohot achhey ladkey mil jayengey." At this Mr. Gujral took a step towards Dev menacingly. "Tum aisa nahin kar saktey Dev! Tumneye papers sign kiye the! Agreeing to it." Dev nodded, "haan kiye the. Baat yeh huyi thi ke shaadi ke saath saath business deal bhi hogi. Par mujhey pata chala hai that aapki company kahin saarey fraud problems me phasein huye hai and I no longer wish to make this deal with you. " He said without any emotion. "Jahan tak Natasha ka sawaal hai, she is a wonderful girl and perfect in her business. Unheye aur bhi achhey, mujhseye better ladkeye mil jayengey."

Mr. Gujral couldn't hold it in any longer. He lunged at Dev and gripped his collar. "Main tumheye aisa nahin karneye dunga Dev Dixit. Tum uss ladki ke liye kar rahey ho naah yeh sab?" He asked with disgust. "Agar tumneye yeh deal nahin ki aur Natasha se shaadi nahin kiya, toh main uss ladki ko barbad kar dunga" Mr. Gujral finished in sheer outrage. This time Dev couldn't hold it in any longer. Pushing Mr. Gujral on to the wall behind and gripping his neck in a deadly grip he said, "Aap Sonakshi ko kuch nahin karengey!" Mr. Gujral huffed and puffed and said, "Toh karlo deal aur shaadi, aur uss ladki ko problem se bahar rakho."

*End of Flashback*

It was this that had led Dev to ultimately give in to marrying Natasha as soon as possible. He had to keep Sonakshi and her family safe and this was the only way he could. If that meant he had to hurt her and himself, he would do it. Nothing was more important than giving her a safe life. He opened his eyes and  looked towards the sky. He hated how hurt Sonakshi had looked that day. When he saw her looking at him from the car he had almost called her out from the balcony to stop her, but Mr. Gujral had once again turned up and reminded him that if he did, things would not end well. So he had no choice but to keep quiet.

He knew that Riya thought he didn't know about Sonakshi going to Kolkata. But he knew everything. He might not have been able to have her for himself. But his eyes were always on her. He hated how she had run to Ritwik that day. He had seen him comfort her and all he wanted to do was strangle the guy. But he was thankful to Ritwik for the fact that he took care of Sonakshi. She did need someone to rely on. And he was sure her family would do so. They loved her too much, not to do it.

"Bhaiyya Ji?" Keechu Bhaiyya interrupted Dev's thoughts. "Ready ho jaiyye aap. Maa ji neye kahan hum do ghantey me nikelengey" Nodding to Keechu Bhaiiya's words Dev went up to his room to get ready. But the entire time he took to get ready, his thoughts were stuck on Sonakshi. When Nikki and Neha came in to ask him, "Bhaiiyaa chalein?" Only then did it dawn on him that if he married Natasha, he would never be able to see Sonakshi ever again.

No. He couldn't do this. He loved her and only her. He couldn't do this to Sonakshi. Also it would be unfair to Natasha too. And he was Dev Dixit. He had the ability to stop Mr. Gujral from harming Sonakshi. He couldn't be scared. He would save her. He had to stop this. Running out of the room leaving a confused Nikki and Neha behind, he ran downstairs only to bump straight into Natasha in her bridal wear. "Natasha? Aap yahan?"  Natasha looked at Dev and just asked one question, "Kya aap sachmeye Dr. Bose se pyar kartein hai?" Dev was at a loss for words. He didn't know where this question came from but seeing Riya emerge from behind Natasha he realized who had told her. He knew Riya knew that he loved Sonakshi. So there was no point denying it. "Haan Natasha. Yeh sach hai" he agreed. Natasha sighed deeply.

Seeing both of them silent Riya piped up, "Natasha aur maine pata laga hai bhaiyya aap kyun do din meye shaadi ki baat mann gayein." Dev was surprised. "Kaise?" Riya continued, "Jis din aapkey aur Mr. Gujral ke beech woh jhagra hua tha, wahan ke ek houskeeping staff neye sun liya tha aur who aaj ek reporter ko sab kuch bataney wala tha. Thankfully Natasha wahan uss reporter ke office me kuch kaam se gayi thi aur unhoneye sab sun liya." Dev felt terrible. No daughter should have to listen to the bad deeds done by her father. It also meant that Natasha had found out about her father's company carrying our fraud operations. "I'm sorry Natasha."

Natasha nodded her head. "Nahin Dev. I'm sorry. Mere papa ke wajah se hua yeh sab. Main soch bhi nahin sakti who aisa kar saktey hai." Dev kept her hand on her shoulder. "Main yeh kisko nahin bataunga. Tum chinta mat karo. Buss yeh shaadi rok lo." Natasha looked at Dev gratefully. "Aap bohot achhey insaan hai Dev. Aap jaiye Dr. Bose ke paas. Main yahan sab sambhal lungi. Hearing this made Dev ecstatic. He hugged Natasha and she hugged him back. They couldn't be husband and wife, but this situation had made them trustworthy and dependable friends. Making sure Riya and Natasha could manage the situation here, Dev quickly changed, packed a small bag and was off to apologize to Sonakshi in Kolkata.

As Sonakshi returned to her temporary Kolkata home in the evening, tired from having worked and cried, she made herself comfortable on the sofa and put on a movie. Her Maashi and Mesho were off to a party and so she was alone now. But she didn't want to be alone. It would make her think of Dev and she didn't want that. She didn't want to see him again. So she concentrated on the comedy movie she had put on. But just as she settled in, the bell rang. Wondering who it could be, Sonakshi walked to the door and opened it.

Only to be faced with the person she didn't want to see again.

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