Chapter 5

BurakZeynep

@BurakZeynep

PART 7- Nivi:Onu.Prerna.Is.Dead!RECAP: "I can't believe yeh wahi Anurag Basu hai jisne Prerna ke liye Mujhe Jaan se maarne ki koshish ki.Isne itni jaldi give up kyu Kar Diya?I don't believe this!"Ved responded equally baffled.

~FOUR DAYS BEFORE THE PARTY~

When Ved entered Basu Bari supporting an injured Prerna, he saw something he never thought possible.Mohini Basu, the epitome of upper class snobbishness sitting on the floor, shaking her son's shoulders trying to make him talk or do anything other than stay silent,stare into space while tightly clutching onto a red dupatta as if his life depended upon it.Up until then Ved had met Anurag Basu a couple of times to know that he was always well dressed.Yet nothing would have prepared to see this side of Anurag Basu.Sitting on the floor,his lifeless eyes swollen red,cheeks tear-stained and his hands tightly wound around the red dupatta clutching it to his heart.Shaking him for response was Mrs.Mohini Basu,her hair and makeup disarray,she kept saying,"Onu!Baby please kuchh to bol!".Nivedita,his sister stood next to Mohini,facing her brother,she said,"Ma!iska chup rehna bilkul bhi thik nahi hai.". Saying this she bent down and took his face between her hands, forcing him to look into her eyes and whispered,"Onu.Prerna.Is.Dead.Do you hear me?Woh ab kabhi wapas nahi ayegi! KOMOLIKA KILLED HER!!". Hearing this Anurag let out an anguished cry falling into his sister's arms,who was also sobbing.So mesmerized was Ved to see such a scene that he completely forgot about Prerna standing next to him until she yelled,"ANURAG!!!". Moloy and Anupam who till now had been sobbing in a corner looked up, stunned in disbelief.Leaving his sister's arms Anurag saw her.He couldn't believe his eyes.He thought his mind was playing tricks on him.Ya shayad,he thought,Durga Ma ne Meri sunli. Unhone Mujhe maar Kar hamesha ke liye tumse Mila Diya, Walking towards him Prerna spread her arms and whispered,"Anurag". He ran into her arms, clutching her tightly never wanting to leave her again come what may.They broke down in each other's arms crying.Holding each other they sank to the floor.Their foreheads touching,their faces inches apart.In between sobs, Anurag said,"Please kehdo yeh sapna nahi."

Prerna shook her head saying,"Bilkul nahi.".

"Good! Warna main pagal ho jata!"he answered desperately.For many moments, they held each other tightly, savouring their closeness.Mohini who had earlier been shocked to see a very much alive Prerna,was now rejoiced beyond measure.This girl, whom she always considered to be a nobody, brought life into her son's eyes when she thought he would go mad with grief.After several moments Anurag and Prerna broke apart,and that's when he saw it.She was wearing a plain white salwar suit.But what caught his attention was the front of her dress which was red with 4 holes made on it that clearly resembled bullet.His mind flew back to the video footage he had been sent earlier from Komolika."That's what happens when you betray me"-her message read.To his horror, the footage showed Komolika shooting Prerna in a secluded place and then burying her there."Anurag!" Prerna's voice shook him back to reality.The memory of the footage brought fresh tears to his eyes and he hugged her again.Prerna winced,"Ow, Anurag you are hurting me.",she said.He quickly let go of her.Her hand flew to the bandage right above her collarbone as she took deep breaths to calm herself."Prerna, yeh kaise-tum kya-"he stammered."Don't worry yeh sab red paint hai(pointing at her kurta) sirf yeh(pointing towards her collarbone) asli hai.". Saying this she fainted in his arms,"Prerna!!",Anurag yelled."Anupam jaldi se doctor ko bulaao!",Nivi ordered.Anurag carried her in his arms, taking her upstairs to the nearest room.

In all this,nobody noticed Ved as he quietly followed them, knowing fully well that once the question-answers begin the Basu's will be after his life.

~~~X~~~~

Once the doctor left giving Prerna a sleeping injection, they all headed to the hall, even Anurag.Much as he wanted to stay by Prerna's side.He needed answers and he needed answers from this man whom Prerna had now trusted more than him .No wonder tumne Mujse jhoot bolkar iska saat Diya Prerna,he thought a little jealous.There was a moment's silence in the hall with all eyes trained on Ved."Tumhare hote huye Prerna ki yeh haalat kaise huyi Ved?I thought Maine tumse kaha tha ki Prerna ko safe rakhna tumhari pehli priority hai-" Nivi cut him off,"Ved?Onu yeh to Karan Sinha hai Mr.Chaubey ka right hand man-". Finally Ved spoke,"Nahi Mera naam Ved Roy hai aur main ek private detective hu.Prerna aur main ek hi school me parte the.Usne mujhe hire Kiya tha Rajesh uncle ka death investigate Karne ke liye.". Barring Anurag and Anupam everybody else was shocked.Moloy knew Anurag-Prerna were planning something but he had no idea that it was something this dangerous. Mohini who had seen too much for one day sat down and asked,"Toh Prerna jaanti thi ki woh accident planned tha.Kabse?Usne humse kuch kaha kyu nahi?".Ved couldn't help saying this,"Aur Kya sirf uske kehne se aap us par yakeen karti ?Apko kya yeh Anurag ko phasane ka uska Naya plan nahi lagta?". Mohini was shocked to be spoken to like this and that too by an employee,who had always been on his best behavior with them whenever he came to Basu Bari."Listen Ved-", Anurag hissed.Ved raised his hand to silence him,"Please Anurag main bhi thak chuka hu.Mujhe ek hi baar mein sab bolne do uske baad Mujse sawaal pucho.".And then Ved spoke for what seemed like an hour telling them everything about Prerna's doubt on Komolika,his assignment to dig up dirt on Chaubey, Mishka and Anurag's involvement and all of them working together to expose Komolika."Woh main hi tha jisne new channels ko Mr.Chaubey ke khilaaf saboot diya.Police unhe dhund rahi hai aur woh ab kabhi bhi pakre jaa sakte hai.",Ved finished with a sigh.Anurag who had been holding himself back for so long lost his calm,"I thought humare beech baat huyi thi ki chahe kuch bhi ho Jaye Prerna ki Jaan khatre mein nahi aayegi!"he snapped.Ved seethed inwardly he didn't need lectures on how to take care of your loved ones from Anurag Basu who had caused his friend so much pain in the name of love."Pehli baat Mujhe Prerna ne hire Kiya hai to mere liye Prerna Kya chahti hai woh matter karta.Doosri baat iske alaava mere pass koi option nahi tha.".

"Aur Kya Mujhe apne plan ke baare bataana bhi tumne zaroori nahi samjha?"Anurag asked angrily. "Woh Prerna ka idea tha.Aur Mujhe woh sahi bhi laga.Hum Itne dinon se try kar rahe the ki Jin logon ko Komolika ne past mein hurt Kiya hai woh uske khilaaf complaint kare lekin sab darte hai usse.Uss accident ka ek bhi saboot hume nahi Mila sab saaf Kar Diya usne."Ved said.Anurag was about to say something when Ved retorted back,"Aur haan uss naagin se pyaar ka jhoota natak karke usse sach ugalwane ka tumhara shaandar idea Mujhe aur Prerna dono ko bekaar laga tha hum bas tumhara Dil nahi tod na chahte the isiliye tumhe nahi bataaya".Anurag was shocked at his outburst. "Lekin Prerna ko goli kaise lagi?", Moloy asked.

"Uncle, Prerna ke plan ke hisaab se Maine Komolika ko jaakar yeah kaha ki Anurag ne Prerna ko unke deal ke baare mein sab bataa Diya aur un dono ne Mr.Chaubey ke against woh saboot media ko Diya.Prerna jaanti thi ki Komolika Anurag ko kabhi hurt nahi karegi aur woh Prerna kohi apna shikaar banayegi.Aur wohi hua.Komolika ne Prerna ko sheher ke baahar uske purane ghar mein bulaya.Mishka aur Maine waha pe camera already set Kar Diya tha.Prerna  ne bulletproof jacket aur nakli khoon bhi jacket ke upar chipkaya tha.Sab kuch plan ke mutabik jaa raha tha Komolika ne sab kuch camera mein confess Kiya Rajesh uncle ka murder,woh deal sab kuch.Aur jaisa humne socha wohi huwa usne Prerna ko goli maari.Woh saare bullets jacket mein laage siwaye ek ke.Woh ek goli uske kandhe ko chhoo Kar nikal gayi.Maine Komolika ko yakeen dilaaya ki Prerna mar chuki hai.Sab kuch plan ke according huwa par-"

"Par Kya?",Anurag asked stonily."Komolika apne saath aur chaar aadmiyo ko lekar aayi thi.Prerna ki lash thikane lagane ke liye."Ved said leaving everyone shocked."Toh phir tumne Kya Kiya Ved?",Anurag asked.There was an edge to his voice."Agar main usse rokta to usse shak ho jata.Aur woh Prerna ko dafan hote huwe dekhna chahti thi toh Maine usse jhoot kaha ki Mr.Chaubey ne Mujhe abhi phone kiya aur woh uska Basu Bari main wait kar rahe the.Woh sirf tab gayi.Uske jaane ke baad maine unn chaar gundon ko maar giraaya."Ved quietly replied. "Lekin tab Tak unn gundon ne Meri Prerna ko puri tarha se gaar Diya tha na?",Anurag asked the sharp edge in his voice now visible to all."Woh...",Ved answered hesitantly."Answer Ved.", Anurag said hyperventilating.His palms balled into fists on both sides,his eyes bloodshot with anger.

Ved closed his eyes.For the first time in his entire career had things spun so out of control.Someone actually got hurt and it was none other than his dear friend.Eyes still closed,he whispered,"Yes.".The next thing he knew, a hard fist hit his face sending him to the floor."YOU BLOODY bas***d!!!",Anurag yelled,"Uss aurat ne  Meri biwi pe  goli chaliye usko zinda gaar Diya aur tumhe tab bhi sirf apne case ki pari thi!!Kaise dost ho tum!!",he shouted kicking Ved again and again.Anurag's reaction had left everyone shocked.Nobody had ever seen Anurag Basu this angry or violent.He picked Ved up punched him.He fell on the sofa."Anu stop!", saying this Anupam tried to stop him but Anurag shrugged him off.Mohini,Nivi and Moloy were shouting at him to stop but he paid no heed.He picked Ved up by his shirtcollar.Looking into his bloodied face,Anurag whispered,"Maine Komolika se Shaadi karke apne liye ek maut se bhi battar Zindagi chuni thi taki Prerna ek achhi Zindagi jee sake iss liye nahi ki tum ek hi din mein Mujse Mera sab kuch chheen lo, Ved.".His voice sent chills down Ved's spine."Listen Anurag-",before Ved could finish the sentence he thrown on the floor by Anurag's slap.His head hid the ground when Ved realized he had had enough.All this while he didn't defend himself because he too felt guilty for what happened to Prerna.He looked up to see Anurag about to hit him with a giant vase.Ved was about to kick him,when he heard Prerna scream,"ANURAG!!STOP!!".Alarmed by her screams Anurag halted midway.He turned around to see Prerna standing upstairs glaring at him.Recollecting the ordeal she had been through,Anurag composed himself and dropped the vase on the sofa, extending a hand towards Ved.Thank God, uss din Prerna ne uss pagal ko roka warna aaj yeh party enjoy Karne ke liye main nahi rehta,Ved thought taking a sip from his champagne flute.Nevetheless he knew Anurag was partly right.It was a risky plan which could've gone wrong in a thousand ways.Never in his career had things gotten so out of control!But then again never in his life had he been this madly in love!He had to do it for Mishka's sake.After Chaubey was exposed,he went underground.The people were angry and eager to punish him.In his absence they directed it on Mishka.Some anonymous miscreants set Mishka's car   on fire.That's when Ved had decided to bring this sorry chapter to an end once and for all.Prerna couldn't agree more.She was getting sick and tired of Anurag acting like Komolika's puppet and his family treating her like a gold digger who trapped their innocent son with a baby.Prerna had insisted Ved and Mishka not to involve Anurag because he would never support them.But Ved felt she did not involve him because she wanted to get back at him for not telling her about Komolika.Anyway,Ved thought as he watched Mishka chat with Prerna's mother,agar hum Anurag ko apna plan batate toh woh Prerna ko kabhi bhi yeh Karne nahi deta.Uske liye Prerna se upar aur kuchh bhi nahi hai.(his eyes turned towards Mohini)Aur Mohini Basu ke liye Anurag se upar aur kuchh nahi.Why do I feel ki yeh sab natak hai? Uss din Anurag ki Jo haalat Maine dekhi thi uske baad I didn't think ki woh Prerna ko ab kabhi bhi khud se alag karega lekin phir bhi aaj yeh maan Gaya.Mujhe aisa kyun lag Raha hai ki yeh dono ma-bete milke kuchh plan Kar rahe hai taki Prerna Anurag ko na chhor paye?

Just then,the most unexpected sight interrupted his thoughts Mohini approached Veena giving her a warm smile and hug, leaving the Sharma's equally flabbergasted.

BurakZeynep2019-03-22 09:17:06