Chapter 29

Chapter 28

"I have a Long Memory,

An Evil Streak,

And A Lot of Patience.

Remember That."

"Care to explain what the hell happened at the party?"

Both the girls were startled and let out a gasp. There stood Nia in their living room. With her hands on her waist and one-foot tapping, glaring at Riddhima. Behind her Sahil sitting on a single sitter sofa. He looked at them guiltily.

Vansh dropped them a few minutes back. Technically he dropped her and ordered Sejal to come in another car. Sejal's mood was already off with whatever happened at the party. The kind of attention Riddhima got...

When they reached their home, they saw that there was no lock on the door. Opening the door with the key both girls entered the home bickering about the careless attitude of each other when suddenly they heard Nia's voice...

"How did you..." Sejal started angrily

"I have the spare keys"

"Riddz, since when did you start dating VRS? and not just dating you both are in love and going to get married. When were you going to tell us after you become a mother of his children?" Nia asked her sarcastically

"She kept you in dark as well? Wow, Riddhima. You are a genius. I mean I can understand that you did not tell me but hiding such a secret from your best friend. You played your game well girl" Sejal gave her a mock appreciation.

Riddhima had tears in her eyes

"Shut the f**k up bi**h. Why don't you just go and give yourself a pity party and leave us alone" came Nia's angry retort.

"You bi..." Sejal moved towards Nia

"That's enough" this time it was Sahil who intervened in their fight. "Nia keep quiet. We are here to speak with Riddz. I already told you if you want to visit her this late then we will just talk and no fighting. And Sejal we will be in Riddhima's room. Let's ignore each other's existence for a while like we always do, shall we?"

"Gladly" Sejal spat at him and slammed the door of her room

"Riddhz, you okay?" He turned to her

Riddhima nodded at looked at them "I...I was going to"

"Look Riddhima if you love him, that's okay, we will never judge you. It's your life and your choice. You don't have to explain anything" Sahil smiled at her sympathetically

"Maybe you don't but I do need an explanation" Nia dragged her to her room

Once they reached her room Riddhima stopped her “Nia, do you really think I will hide something like this from you”

“I know you won’t. I know that. Trust me otherwise, you wouldn’t find me breaking into your house this late at night. I just want to know what’s wrong? Do you need my…” Sahil cleared his throat interrupting her “Right sorry our help? Happy?” she asked him sarcastically

Riddhima looked at them with a hopefully “You don’t think I…”

“I know you, sweety. Though some people may have doubts...” she gave him a stink eye

“Hey!” Sahil frowned at her “We discussed, and I clearly told you if it’s true…but seriously Riddz What’s wrong?” Sahil sat beside her

Dejectedly Riddhima looked at them…

*****

How did she miss such a vital development in this house? She knew about Vansh being interested in her but, she brushed it off thinking it was one of his flings. Vansh was always best in his professional life. But she always pegged him as his father’s son when it came to relationships. This marriage announcement came as a shocker for her. His father used to run away when anyone uttered those words before him.

Marriage! That is huge. Was he serious about her? She needs to know how much importance she holds in Vansh’s life. It was time to befriend the girl. Anyways the girl looks like a mouse in front of the Rai Singhania clan, this is going to be easy and fun. Anupriya smirked

*****

Kabir threw things in a fit of pain and rage. He could still hear Vansh’s announcement about them being in love and they are are going to get married. He knew the moment he saw her in his arms, he knew something was going on between them. For him, the news of her marriage felt like a betrayal from her. Agreed they were not official, but she knew about his interest in her.

He thought his plan of delaying her confession would buy him some time and he can make her fall for him. He will take care of another guy if there is any. But VRS? How was he supposed to compete with Vansh? He had it all. Can he remove this guy from Riddhima’s life and was that the right thing to do if Riddhima loves him?

Till now he admired Vansh Rai Singhania for his way of handling things, his aura, and the way he keeps his business under the wraps upholding a clean image before the world. From today onwards he will hate that man.

“I hate you Vansh Rai Singhania. You took my Riddhima from me” Kabir spoke aloud to no one in particular. He stumbled and fell near the sofa. He was drunk. 

His Riddhima he thought as he picked up her picture from the mess. They had taken this when they went to visit a village fair a few months back. She looked so happy with him back then. But back then there was no Vansh Rai Singhania in their life…

*****

It was well into the night and Chanchal and Rudra were still discussing this new development. Their son Aaryan having no interest in their plotting and planning left for Ishani’s room and then changed his route at the last minute. He knew even Ishani must be angry with this announcement.

His parents were shocked when he told them that he knew about Vansh and Riddhima. They asked him for more details. When he refused to divulge anything other than a warning you stay away from that girl…his father’s curiosity piqued. He threw a sarcastic comment at him “Usually it’s you who need this advice”

He knew his parents will now discuss the kind of a girl she is and if they can use her to their own benefit. He will keep them away from her, he decided. He can’t have Vansh breathing down their neck every now and then…

*****

Chandrika Rai Singhania sat before her Bappa. After a long time, she was feeling untroubled and contented. She prayed to god, to keep Vansh and Riddhima happy together. Riddhima was a nice girl. The same kind of a girl she would have chosen as a daughter-in-law if she had the power to make a decision for her grandson. She hoped that this girl will bring much-needed peace and stability to her grandson’s life…

*****

"Riddhiam wake up" Nia shook her “Wake UP Lady Kumbhakaran”

“What...let me sleep. Today is Sunday” Riddhima grumbled

“I have an idea”

“Hmm”

“Are you even listening to me?” Nia once again shook her. Riddhima did not stir. “Don’t blame me” Nia sprinkled water on her face

“Niaaaa, what the…you know I hate this…” Riddhima looked at her annoyed “And why are you still in yesterday’s clothes? Did you sleep at all?”

“Doesn’t matter, I have a brilliant idea”

“What?”

“I have few contacts who work in YNS TV” Nia informed her gleefully

“So?”

“Soooo, we will go there and offer some money to a person I know and will tell him to leak the news that VR is forcing you to marry him.”

“What NO! That’s dangerous. What if he gets to know about it”

“No, it’s not” Nia assured her “We will spread this news as a rumor. And simultaneously we will tell Kabir that the person who attacked him is none other than Vansh. This way Vansh will have to work to save his image and once Kabir captures him everyone will see his true face. But if in any case if Kabir could not catch him. It will at least give us some time to think about our next plan”

Riddhima looked at her worriedly “I don’t know Nia. He will be very angry when he gets to know about it”

“If not when. And who is going to tell him? Trust me once”

“I trust you. But you don’t know him. It’s like he always knows everything. I am very scared”

“Do you trust me?”

Riddhima nodded

“Then get ready. I will make tea”

Riddhima looked at her friend who bounced away happily towards the kitchen. Last night when Riddhima narrated the whole story to her friends. They were both indignant and angry on her behalf. She knew she had the best set of friends. Then together they used many colorful names for VR. Sahil left for his home but promised to find a solution out of this. Nia stayed with her

They already had one solution. Riddhima going away from this place for few months then VR’s obsession will die down. But Nia had fiercely objected to this.

“Why would she run away? She didn’t do anything wrong…”

*****

Ishani took a gulp of her drink. Aangre left her. He went away once again. She begged him to listen to her. She informed him she plans to abort the baby. Instead of looking happy, he looked more disappointed with her. He left her there. She waited for him the whole night.

He returned in the morning only to leave for god knows where…What scared her the most was the look on his face...

All of this happened because of that girl…

*****

“Are you sure about this?” Riddhima once again asked her friend

“100%. Don’t worry. I already had a word with Rohit, he works there…” Nia stopped talking. Her dad was calling her. “What’s up with him? One sec Riddz”

Riddhima leaned back in her car seat. Currently, they were driving towards the news channel. If this works in their favor, she will be very happy. But somewhere she was getting a feeling, something is not right…

“But why dad?” Nia shouted in frustration “But…what news?”

Riddhima turned alert and looked at her with a questioning gaze. She felt her phone vibrate. It was Sahil

“Where the hell are you guys?” Sahil asked her urgently “Forget that. did you guys see the news?”

“What news?” Riddhima asked him confused as she watched her friend turn silent

“Riddz, it’s Nia’s dad. Some students blamed him that he is giving scholarship student's seats to the management quota. He is filling those places with the students who are giving donations to the college. This is breaking news for today. Watch any news channel, they are showing him. He is going to face inquiry and if this turns to be true then, he may get arrested or... I have been trying to call Nia. Her Phone is busy”

Riddhima closed her eyes, she knew it…

*****

Sejal observed Riddhima. She was sitting rigidly on the sofa, watching the news concerning Nia’s father and continuously checking her phone. She had overheard Nia conveying her plan to Riddhima on the breakfast table. She still can’t understand what was the need to lie now. I mean Vansh is forcing her to marry him Sejal scoffed. 

She cursed, if only they had succeeded in their plan.  Vansh would have kicked Riddhima out of his life by now and then he would have chosen her.

“Riddhima, you alright?” Sejal asked her

“Please leave. I don’t have the energy to fight” Riddhima looked at her tiredly

“I am just asking you because you have not eaten your lunch. Whatever happens at the end of the day I am your sister” Riddhima was ignoring her “Want to talk about it?” She sat beside her

“Why the sudden concern Sejal? And would you believe me?” Riddhima questioned

“I don’t want to speak about Mr. Raisinghania. I am talking about Nia.”

“Oh, but all of this is related to that man”

“What do you mean? He did this?” Sejal frowned at her

“Yes. and now he is not even answering my calls” Riddhima threw her phone away in anger and covered her face

Sejal put the battery in the phone and walked towards her “Why would he do this?”

“Because he doesn’t want me to fight him. He wants to marry me. And obviously, what Vansh Rai Singhania wants, he gets” her phone ringed. It was Nia.

Sejal looked at her in disbelief, she is lying. Why would VR force her? She needs to confirm this herself and for that, she needs to visit VR Mansion but how?

“What did she say?”

“Nothing much. Her father is trying to solve this problem.”

“Why don’t you ask him to solve this problem?”

“Seriously did you not hear me? Vansh is not answering my calls”

“Vansh?” Sejal raised her brows “For us, it’s still Sir or Mr. Raisinghania. Anyway, you can visit his Mansion and speak to him personally. I am sure he will not refuse you. I will come with you. Let me get ready”

Riddhima was left stunned. Since when did she start calling him Vansh, she never realized this…

*****

Both the girls entered VR Mansion. No-one stopped them.

“Where is Vansh?” Riddhima asked Mrs. D’Souza

“He is upstairs on the 5th floor but only you can go there. She will have to wait here” Mrs.D’souza indicated towards Sejal

“No” Sejal denied

“Okay” Riddhima agreed “No one is allowed on that floor without permission” she explained

“Except you?” Sejal taunted her

*****

Vansh was waiting for her. He knew she will come. After all her dearest friend was in trouble.

“You did this” she accused him

She had entered his study without knocking. He studied her. She was breathing heavily due to anger. Her eyes wide and spitting fire. She looked stunning. His spitfire was back. He grinned at her.

“Do you think this is funny?”

“No. This is not funny” he agreed as he kept swirling on his chair. 

“You know what is funny, that your friend and you thinking you can cross me, and I won’t counterattack. Do you want to know what is funnier, that even after so many attempts you still think you can leave me?”

“Vansh, stop this” she warned

“or else what?” he challenged

“Fine. Do whatever you want. And I will do whatever I want. I will leave. One day I will run away, and you won’t find me”

Vansh stood up getting angry but Riddhima had already left the room…

*****

“Woah, Riddhima, today is Sunday. Your much precious holiday. Then how come you are here?” Sia grinned at her and then continued “Silly me, obviously you are here for Bhai. You can’t stay away from him, right?”

Riddhima was startled out of her thoughts by Sia’s voice. She ran away from Vansh but stopped midway. She was here for her friend; she can’t get angry like this. She will have to request him. Just when she was thinking about going back, Sia spotted her.

“Riddhima where are you lost? Come everyone is in living room including your sister. Dadi will be happy to see you”

Riddhima looked around, instead of heading to Guest living room, she ventured near the family living room by mistake.

“No Siya. Wait” Sia had already taken a hold of her hand and was pushing the wheelchair ahead. Riddhima followed her unwillingly.

Everyone was present in the living room minus Ishani. That’s a relief… But Ishani’s friends were present and Sejal was sitting beside Dadi

“Hi Riddhima, Welcome. You are going to be the new member of our family. Please come” Anupriya welcomed her warmly leaving everyone shocked including Riddhima

“Huh…” Riddhima looked at her baffled

“Of course, you will welcome her. Only a servant can appreciate another servant.” Ishani’s scratchy voice echoed around them.

Riddhima saw her friends snicker at Ishani’s comment

“You know, my dad made a mistake of allowing a s**t inside our home. I will not let my brother repeat the same mistake”

Everyone had stood up by now

“Ishani. Watch it” Aaryan warned her.

She ignored him and took hold of Riddhima’s hand “Time to clean our home” she dragged Riddhima towards the exit. Riddhima tried to remove her hand but Ishani's hold was tight. Ishani ignored all the calls of family members and pushed Riddhima towards the door.

Before she could fall, someone held her. Riddhima looked up to find Vansh. He was looking livid and his gaze was directed towards Ishani…

*****

Note

1. Sorry for the late update but I am in my hometown with no laptop, uncertain mobile network and internet. Finally I have managed to type this chapter. Kindly ignore the gramatical errors

2. Also I never mentioned Nia and Sahil's character's. I imagine them from the start you can imagine anyone you like but for me 

Nia is Anjali Tatrari and Sahil is Aashay Mishra (both from Sony TV serials. I have watched the clips of their show on YouTube and I liked them)

3.Enjoy reading