CHAPTER 20 - Part 2
Riya ran out of the hospital to catch up with Arjun. "Riya kya kar rahi ho?" Shree called out for her, worried. But Riya didn't stop.
Chotu and Shree looked at each other and followed Riya. When they exited the hospital they saw Riya talking to Arjun, "Sir aap Rathore sir ke ghar jaa rahe hain?"
Arjun only nodded. "Sir, main bhi chaloon. Mujhe bhi urgently wahan vaapas jaana hain," Riya requested him.
Arjun got into the driver's and waited for Riya to get in, without another word.
Shree was about to go to them, when Chotu stopped him and shook his head.
Arjun was quiet the whole way. Riya was lost in thought.
"Jisne Roshni ka khoon kiya tha.."
"Apka matlab Arjun sir ki wife?"
These words echoed in her ears.
"Nahin Riya! Tum galat soch rahi ho! Woh Taayi nahin ho sakti hain. Kya Roshni sirf unhi ka naam ho sakta hain?" she assured herself. She had no idea why she suddenly remembered the nightmare she had in the flight.
"Aur woh khush naseeb insaan kaun hoga, main decide karoongi! Yes, woh pehle mujhe pasand aaana chahiye," Riya said looking at Roshni.
"Aur tera bali ka bakra pehle mujhe pasand aana chahiye," Roshni said winking at Riya.
She looked at Arjun. Everything was happening involuntarily, "Tho kya hum dono ka pasand ek hi… NO!!! Ye sach nahin hain! Woh Taayi nahin ho sakti.. Ye kya ho gaya hain mujhe! Main kuch zyada hi soch rahi hoon."
As soon as Arjun and Riya reached the haveli Rathore's family started inquiring about him. They were just about to leave for the hospital to visit Sameer. Avantika had already talked to Rathore and informed them that he was alright. Yet, they needed assurance from those who had just returned from the hospital. Jagdish walked towards Arjun and joined his hands in gratitude, "Sameer ne mujhe sab kuch bataya hain abhi abhi. Hum aapke bahut aabhari hain ki…"
"Ji nahin. Please hamein sharminda mat kijiye. Humne tho sirf apni duty nibhayi hain. Ab sab aapke haathon mein hain. Ye aap bhi jaante hain," Arjun said and left the hall. Riya before following Arjun, joined her hands in respect before Jagdish Rathore.
Riya had to find out. Otherwise she wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything else! But how? She couldn't ask Arjun!
She crossed Shree's room and remembered that Shree had left his laptop in the house before they came to the hospital. Shree was still at the hospital and he wouldn't mind if Riya did some research with its help.
Riya tried to open the door but it was locked. Just then she saw Gayatri passing by, "Gayatriji! Apke paas iss kamre ki chabi hain? Kuch important cheeze hain andar aur chabi kahin rakhke bhul gayi."
Gayatri mmediately got the door opened with a set of duplicate keys.
Riya tiptoed into Shree's room in the haveli, to find his laptop on the table. She knew his passwords so it wasn't much trouble for her to open his laptop. She started checking Shree's new database that had a number of old case files and froze on one particular name, Arjun Suryakanth Rawte. She opened it and skimmed through it. She then found at the end of some report files a particular link, "Roshni Arjun Rawte". Her hands were shaking as she put the cursor on the link. She never tried to probe into Arjun's past, but now she had to. She prayed to God that her intuition should be wrong as she clicked the link.
She closed her eyes and bent her down sacred to even look at the screen as the page loaded…
On the terrace:
Arjun stood there as the images of Roshni's cruel death tormented him again. He shut his eyes and tried to shove them away. He wanted to cry out in pain.
He opened his eyes to realize that the time has come. The time has come to complete the only mission of his life.
"Main tumhe nahin chodoonga Sikender. Main Roshni ke maut ka badla leke rahoonga. Bhale isme meri jaan kyun na chali jaayen…" As these thoughts raced through his mind another face flashed in front of his eyes, which was quite unexpected for him. "Riya.." he said as he remembered her smile. He slammed his fist on the wall. "Damn it!!"
Riya!!! He knew how much she loved him, how much she mattered to him. But, now…
Sikender would enter their life! The one who destroyed his life! He wouldn't let him do that again!!! He wouldn't..
"Mujhe Riya ko batana hoga. Kal shaam jab Sikender ka case hamare hatho mein aayega tab tho Riya ko sach ka pata chal jaayega. Mujhe usse pehle hi usse batana hoga.. Already maine bahut der kardi hain," Arjun thought as he went downstairs, "Usse kuch nahin hoga. Riya is a brave girl. Woh samhalegi khud ko. Main samhaloonga usse… I have to tell her the truth."
He went to her room and knocked the door. But there was no response. He was about to knock the door again when he saw that Shree's room was open.
He walked towards the room and saw that the room was empty but the laptop was open on the table. "Shree tho kabhi apna room aisa khula chodke nahin jayega. Aur woh log tho abhi bhi hospital mein hi hain."
He went into the room and looked around. He walked towards the laptop and was about to close it when he noticed something on the screen. He turned the laptop around and what he saw blew his mind away!
The case-file of Roshni Arjun Rawte! It had all her details, her picture, everything!
Arjun understood everything that happened in the room.
"Riya!" He had to find Riya immediately.
He called her mobile. She wasn't responding. He ran to her room and knocked the door again, "Riya! Darwaza kholo Riya!"
She wasn't opening the door. He called her again, he couldn't hear any mobile ringing in that room. Probably she wasn't in there.
He kept calling her and started searching the entire house. No one was there at home. Everybody had gone to visit Sameer in the hospital.
Just then he saw Harish kaka pass by, "Kaka aapne Riya ko kahin dekha hain?"
"Matlab woh ladki jo aapke saath thi?"
"Haan."
Harish kaka told him that he saw Riya going to the terrace on the other wing. Arjun wasted no time.
He ran upstairs to see Riya standing at the edge of the terrace, staring into nothing.
He ran towards her and pulled her away from the edge, "Pagal ho gayi ho Riya? Kitni der se phone kar raha hoon! Phone bhi nahin utha sakti ho kya?"
Riya was only staring at him. Her face was pale, devoid of any emotion. He understood she was in shock.
He held her by her shoulders and shook her, "Riya.. Riya.. please kuch tho kaho. Aise chup mat raho.. please!"
She didn't even move her lips. Infact, he felt she wasn't even breathing and that creeped him out.
"Riya!" he yelled at the top of his voice and Riya snapped.
She pushed him away, "Kyun kahoon kuch? Aap hote kaun hain mujhe poochne wale? Mujhe akela chod dijiye. Chale jayiye yahan se. Mujhe akele rehna hain!"
For Riya, now Arjun wasn't only her superior or the man she was in love with. He was her Taayi's husband. He was the man her Taayi loved. Taayi.. her thought ripped her apart. She still couldn't believe her eyes. Her Tayyi was no more. She.. Riya felt dizzy all of a sudden.
Arjun caught hold of her and said, "Riya, I'm sorry.."
Riya turned around slowly and asked him, "Aap… jante the? Sach batayiye sir.."
Arjun nodded and Riya pushed him away in anger. She was furious! The anger in her wasn't something he was prepared for.
"Aapne mujhse chupaya kyun? Ye haq aapko kisne diya hain? Sab jaante huye bhi aapne mujhse kyun chupaya ki Taayi.." she couldn't complete the sentence as her words drowned in her tears.
"Riya main.." Arjun took a step towards her.
"Door rahiye mujhse! Jawab dijiye pehle! Kyun?"
"Kyunki main nahin chahta tha tumhe sach pata chale! Kyunki main jaanta tha ki tumhari Taayi tumhare liye apne jaan se bhi zyada important hain. Kyunki main nahin chahta tha ki tum ussi dard se guzro, jis dard se main guzra tha aur ab bhi mehsoos karta hoon. Main nahin chahta tha ki tumhari hasin hamesha ke liye mit jaaye! Main jaanta hoon ki main galat tha, lekin trust me Riya, main kabhi tumse ye sach chupana nahin chahta tha! Mere paas koi aur choice nahin tha." He knew he didn't tell her the complete truth yet but, this wasn't the time to talk about his feelings for her.
She tried to comprehend his words as they echoed in her ears again and again. The effect of the shock was slowly wearing off and she began to realize the bitter truth. Her Taayi was gone!!!
She broke down completely and Arjun rushed to her. They knelt down and Riya broke into tears clutching his shirt.
"Kyun? Kyun hua ye sab? Why?" Riya was unconsolable.
"Riya samhalo apne aap ko," Arjun said as he wrapped his arms around her. This was going to much more difficult than he had thought!
Riya was slowly coming out of the shock and her grief became uncontrollable. Arjun's eyes brimmed with tears. What had he done? What will he do now? How will he console her?
"Mujhe meri Taayi vaapas chahiye," Riya's words were piercing Arjun's heart, reminding him that he failed to protect Roshni.
Riya looked at Arjun, "Sir, mujhe meri Taayi vaapas chahiye. I want my Taayi back!"
Arjun shook his head and cupped her face, "Riya tumhe khud ko samhalna hoga. Please…"
Riya hugged him and broke into tears. Arjun placed his hand on her head and wrapped the other around her. She rested her head on his shoulders. He was her support system now. She needed him more than anything in this world. She knew her Taayi won't be back, but why did God punish her like that? What was her fault? What was her Taayi's fault? Why was Arjun punished? Why?
Shree and Chotu had arrived at the haveli. Rathore was going to be discharged in an hour. They went to their rooms searching for Riya and Arjun. But they didn't find them anywhere. Harish kaka told them that Arjun and Riya were upstairs.
They went up.
"Riya? Sir?" Shree said as he saw Riya faint in Arjun's arms.
"Riya! Riya!" Arjun was trying to wake Riya up.
"Riya!" Shree and Chotu rushed towards them. He was so angry on Arjun! He was sure Arjun had said something to her and..
He was about to pull Riya away from Arjun when he saw tears in Arjun's eyes. Shree and Chotu were shocked. They realized that something very serious happened.
Arjun immediately lifted Riya in his arms and took her downstairs. Riya's room was closed, so they took her to Shree's room.
"Sir, kya hua tha?" Chotu asked Arjun.
Arjun wasn't saying anything. Shree was now pissed. It was about his best friend. Whenever Arjun hurt her, he kept quiet because it was never as serious as today. He didn't care if it was his superior. When it is about Riya, he doesn't care!
"Sir, aapko batana hi hoga kya hua hain. Har baar ki tarah aap iss baar bhi chup nahin reh sakte!" Shree needed answers.
Arjun walked towards Shree's laptop and turned it towards Shree. Shree saw Roshni's profile on the screen.
"Riya ki Taayi.." Arjun said.
Riya had told Shree and Chotu about her Taayi when she and Chotu went to visit Shree during his sick leave.
Shree and Chotu looked at each other and understood what would have happened.
"Matlab aap jaante the Riya ke baare mein?" Shree questioned Arjun. He couldn't believe that a person like Arjun would ever hide something like that from Riya and hurt her. But why did he hide it from Riya?
He understood; the tears in Arjun's eyes said it all. He loved Riya! For the first time, he pitied Arjun's situation. With Sikender's case at hand, Arjun was in one of the worst situations of his life. The person who could help Arjun right now was Sameer Rathore and Shree knew that.
Shree signaled Chotu to come out along with him. He immediately called Rathore and explained to him the entire situation.
"Kya? Main abhi aa raha hoon," Rathore said as he immediately got down the hospital bed.
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FINALLY! I have a two day break right now.. I've been a silent reader on various forums all these days and occasionally commented on different posts.
But it feels great to write again! 😃
I hope you guys liked my update. I don't know when I'd be able to update again!
P.S. DO LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS 😉
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