AR FF~Set Ablaze~ part-14 page-110 28/07 - Page 80

Originally posted by: KASH_rocks

a gr8 comeback i must say.......
it was an interesting part lots of things happened in this one ........armaan and riddhima were as awesome as always ...lets c what happens next will b waiting for the next post eagerly..
update soon...

Originally posted by: mar-

grt part really good plss continue soon

could you plsss pm me when you update??

Hey Kratz,
The part was awesome, I really enjoyed it.
So the inspector know the truth now.
I just hope she will tell Armaan everything soon and I so want to know what Armaan will do then, I just hope he won't leave her alone.
Please continue soon and thanks for the PM..

Luv u<333
Kashish

Originally posted by: Pebblez

*reserved

edited*: loved the part Kratz...crazily so...this is a random drop-in comment....just....loved it, and wasnt disappointed at all :D....just want youi to know...AR were very sexy :P...and i love ya for that :D

detailed comments baad main....thanks for the updtae girl :P

Kiran

Originally posted by: missypatel

reserved....yayy!! :)

*edit*

damn you kratz...i wish i could see you right now and hug you ahah...put that in the hugs savings account and give it to me when we meet.

...cuz i am so freaking happy.....sooo impressed..like i told kiran...this fic...i am surprised....it still is capturing...this long gap didnt affect nor demean in the least..the powerful complexity of your work...i am short of words...it was awesome...i loved it! 🤗

awww Nij...hehe your comments always have me wondering...waiting and anticipating coz your are one of the very few ppl who compliment and criticise freely and honestly...soo soo soo glad you liked the part...

already said it..how much ;) ...Mr Monroe makes me wonder...Aida couldn't be his sole reason.....yet his drugged-on-power image is classic...👍🏼 didnt see it coming but another pointer..

ah!! yeah well there is loads to this guy you don't know...guess u'll just like him better with the next part.
Samuel...hahah whose he now...LOL oh man...i know...he faded and lost the charm for me too somewhere..dunno why...i just killed his character i know.

AR..rightly..worded by Kiz...were sexy..and no ficter....brings them out like you do...bravo ma gurl..!! the entire scene..in d restaurante....ohhh maaa....meri toh pigal gaya sabkuch...yaar scene ho toh aisa jo padhne wale ko laal peela kar de...:P hehe...yeah well...tried my best to make it sound romantic and passionate becoz those two ppl involved are not the easygoing kinds...so there had to be loads of passion in it nd wid Riddz state of mind...it cudn't just be light romance

just another form of their love...yet so beautifully penned down..not a thought of vulgarism...its pure love even with the surfacing need of the scene...!! i am happy....sooo darn happy...kratz...i cant stop smiling....

and am happy...i cud make u smile...😃

su kau hun tane....ketlu bindaas..ane jhakaas part che yaar ahh..je thayu ek nai but jevi ritte teh lakhyu che eeh..(try translating...ill tell yah next time i see you online! :D) yeah okay this, i think mean that the part was really good, i hope am rite?

the VM was a fit...i see it now...again..loved it..laterz! m glad u liked it

PS: needless to say...it was anything but disappoint...rather id say possible antonyms to that..LOL
yeah well but for some reason i felt something missing but ur comment made me feel better about it.
*edit*

i..LOVE armaan!...hahhah and it gives me another boost cuz U'VE made him so...Hhhuuuhhaahhhhaa!!!

😛...yeah well...i love him too in THIS fic

Originally posted by: spln

~reserved~

*edit*
noooooooooooooooooooo kratzzzzzz... you cant put me #4 on a fic... NO on THE fic based on you-know-what.... specially a part like this.....I thot u lost the craze of wanting to be on #1...guess it's just for this fic (makes me smile)...will reserve u first nxt time😉

have i tld you how many parts of yours make me go back and re-read bits of GWTW??? and this time i GOD DAMN CANT *arghhhhh* since im in a house where the only kind of mature books i cant scavenge are on anatomy/astronomy/software trash :S

That's a HUGE compliment Nj...thanks a lot...but maybe instead of reading GWTW u shud be updating AOL.

anyways...DUDE!! what a damn freaking part.... you know i;d credit you tons for all the AR scene the cuild up, the tit bits of stuff here and there... but here's what i think you did like a pro IF has NOT yet seen... the monroe-ridhima scene... i'm not even freaking kidding... i can';t believe how real and out of a book that sounded... it didn't for a second feel remotely like the work of an amateur.... seriously kratz... i think its your forte, and you're only gaining in the finesse of it, this whole build up the thril of a moment to such severity and intensity...

I went back and re-read the part....What are you talking about? I didn;t feel anything soo spl about it....said it to make me feel good, did you? aah dunno nj...i guess i just liked that bit on a normal level...hehe but thanks for the compliment anyways...coming from u, made me feel great.

of course, AR were tremendous... armaan is BACK! and i'm dancing hoola hoo in my head for that :D but for the HUGEEEEEE hiatus you had illegally gotten for yourself you lived upto anything ever expected of either of the fics and far far far more...
Thanks a lot...am glad i could make up for the delay and beleive me...i was soo mad at myself when i realized how badly i had killed the essence of HIS character in the prev part so i had to re-capture it but it's something that's hard to live upto.
loved it hun! way too much!

ps: still havent seen the VM, i will in sometime... i want to let the part dwell for now... of course i drew parallels, you should know where and exactly what and why :D

lovya,
nj

Part-14

Riddhima opened her eyes slowly, a faint smile on her lips. As she took in her surroundings, the violence of the last night brought a blush to her cheeks as she looked at his naked body next to hers. She felt a surge of emotions on seeing his body stretched out on the mattress, his face pressed to the pillow with his eyes closed. She turned towards him and stared, awestruck, at his face…the sunlight, filtering through the blinds of the window, was hitting his face forming horizontal bands on his handsome face. Her hand, on its own accord, reached out to caress his cheek and she felt her body shudder as she remembered how last night she had seen the magnitude of his strength as he had broken her down…had controlled her senses with his every move and she was able only to feel the exhilarating pleasure that he was giving her and endure the tormenting pain he subjected her body to. She, for the first time, had gladly let a man control her and it wasn't that she hadn't been conscious of it but she had willingly surrendered herself letting her senses drown in the security of those sturdy arms around her…the intoxicating passion of those lips on her skin and the intensely merciless eyes piercing her heart.
She withdrew her hand as she felt him stir and open his eyes. He looked at her and smiled moving his hand from beneath the sheet to her face, caressing her lips. She held her breath and just looked back at him, holding his glance and waiting for him to say something….anything.
"You are unbelievably beautiful." He raised himself on one elbow and leaning forward he brushed his lips against hers and she heard him speak against her lips, "I have wanted you from the day I saw you in my office…..I have wanted you like I have never wanted any woman" He fell back on the bed grinning and than after a couple seconds he threw off the sheet covering them and getting out of the bed he picked up his clothes and started dressing.
Riddhima looked at him startled and confused. She, very slowly, stood up not taking her eyes off him, lest he disappears. She reached for her gown lying on the floor and tying it around herself she walked towards him and spoke in a shaky voice, "Armaan, what are you doing?"
"Getting dressed. I have to go home and than to my office because in a couple more days I have to go back to India for our hotel project so I have to finish off whatever pending work I have here."
"Why…why did you…. come here last night?" she spoke, not sure if she wanted him to answer and her stomach lurched as she saw his lips curve into his trademark lopsided grin.
"I have been distracted the last couple days because of you…because of the gnawing desire I felt for you." He moved closer and holding her hand, he raised it to his lips and kissed her wrist. "I think it was on impulse that I flew down here. At least now I can go back to my work with some peace of mind restored."
As he turned around to leave, without thinking she grabbed his wrist. "Armaan….
She didn't know what she could possibly say to stop him and still not make a fool out of herself. As he looked at her with a raised eyebrow she let go of his wrist and spoke in a much controlled voice, "I would like to come with you…I mean back to India….you do need me there don't you?"
He looked at her thoughtfully and than shrugging he spoke, "You can come along if you want. I'll book the tickets for you." and than he stopped abruptly and spoke with what Riddhima thought irately was amusement in his voice, "Are you alright, Riddhima? Are you not happy? Did you not want it?" She smiled and spoke with whatever confidence she could gather, "I did."
"Your first weak moment, Riddhima." he whispered to himself, looking at her.
"Did you say something?" He shook his head and spoke aloud, "What's your plan for today?"
"I don't know. I guess, I'll just go meet Neena and yeah I had promised Samuel that I'll have lunch with him and….
She stopped as he moved closer and tracing the outline of her face with his finger he spoke in a low but cold voice, "Did I ever tell you Riddhima how distasteful the idea of sharing is to me…. I have never shared anything, ever, with anyone." His hands slid into her hair and swiftly gripping the back of her head he pulled it closer and placing his lips onto hers, he kissed her…a kiss that was like a command for her to understand that she belonged to him and is an object he has possessed and wishes to keep.
She smiled bitterly as she watched him walk away and didn't blink for a very long time letting her eyes burn and the tears fall, unrestrained. She slowly moved back towards the bed and gripping the sheets lying on it, she threw them on the floor and with it knocked down the lamp lying on the table next to the bed and turning around as her eyes landed on the crystal vase placed on the table nearby, she picked it up and threw it on the full length mirror in front of her…it was a violent gesture, acting as a scream of angry pain, which broke the glass and it's pieces came crashing back and pierced the skin of her arm and neck and a stab of pain shot through her arm making her reel backwards. She fell down on the floor as her legs banged against the bed, making her loose her balance. She heard the door of her room opening with a bang and all her servants rushed in but they stopped in their tracks as she raised her head and looked at them, they moved back scared by the look of angry violence in her eyes and as she glared at them, they left the room.
She sat silently for a long time listening to the screaming silent pain inside her. This is only a small piece of the suffering that I have to endure, she thought, I don't have any right to feel this disappointment on not getting what I had no right to expect. He is Armaan Malik, I should have known that this is what he would do….and now to build an illusion and hoping to attain it would be foolhardy.
She looked down at her arm and saw a splinter of glass still sticking to her skin…as she roughly pulled it out, beads of blood oozed out of it and with a flick of her finger, she wiped them clean not caring for the pain she felt. She rested her back against the bed as she felt the anger subside and all she felt was a dull weariness.
Helpless….defeated and lonely was what she felt and it shocked her that she could still feel all these emotions. The past seven years of her life were returning, only this time the tables have turned with her being the victim and Armaan the one holding her life in his hands. She felt painful, primitive feelings and for the first time she failed to find a way to fight the battle…. Found herself helpless with no weapons to defeat her enemy…and craving for an escape from facing it all. It was as if suddenly her life was a fog without any definite direction and the reins in somebody else's hand and almost with her consent. This was a devastation wrought by her own hands….an aching disappointment that she consciously pushed her own self to….and an unnecessary defeat in a battle she had known all rules of.
Today she was facing the ugliness of defeat which she had never encountered in all the years of her painful struggle…a struggle that she had fought with no ally…no shield and no fall back.
I had known that I was playing with fire when I let him come near me, She thought angrily. What were you hoping for….him to say that he loves you, a bitter chuckle escaped her lips at the foolish absurdity of the thought and the irony of her thinking it. But with a sudden shock she realized that despite all that she felt at the moment, the desire for Armaan was alive in her. It was a desire that did not have it's roots in her body but in her mind. He was the reason of the first failure in her life and also the respite from it. No matter what price she would have to pay, she would pay it because it would give her the moments when she would be able to look at his face….the moments when she would be able to feel his skin against hers and would be able to live in a world where she felt no danger and no pain….even if it was an illusion which, when it would end, would leave her in shambles and writhing in pain.
When she pulled herself to her feet and saw her face in one of the broken glass pieces on the floor she felt a revulsion on noticing the scratch on her cheek with blood frozen on it and the lines of her face twisted in a soundless cry of agony.
So this is how it feels to crave for something and know that you will never have it….this is how it feels to have your only source of joy crushed and to have to sit and simply watch it's death throes but I will endure it and he will never see me suffering….I will pay the price in full and will not give him the pride of having broken me down….I will do it all for the few moments when I'll live….when I'll be alive even if the rest of my world would be ablaze.

***************

He looked at a shocked Armaan who was staring at Erika lying unconscious on the hospital bed.
"Mr. Malik, I know that it's hard for you to accept that Mrs. Winston tried to kill her husband but that's the truth." Drake spoke moving towards Armaan.
"Look, Mr. Monroe I am sure you have good reasons for suspecting her but I can tell you that Erika is incapable of this….I have known her for a very long time. Anyways, I want you to tell me everything from the starting and how did all this happen." He gestured towards Erika who was surrounded by machines with tubes attached to her body.
"Mrs. Winston was cheating on her husband who on finding this out wanted to change his will and she must have decided to kill him before he could do it because of which she sent the shooter to Ms. Gupta's place and may have also thought that Ms. Gupta knows about the will already, she must have decided to kill her too and thus the second attack on her…
"'Must have'?" Armaan spoke, cutting him off. "You are basing this all on an assumption? And you went as far as arresting her?"
"Look, we haven't been able to catch the shooter both the times but we do need a motive, and we have one for Mrs. Winston trying to kill John."
Armaan glared at Drake. "So my friend here has to face the brunt because YOU weren't able to do your duty properly…because YOU failed to catch the shooter and so decided to cut the chase and simply put the blame on any vulnerable target. And so made up this story…
"Mr. Malik, there is no need to adopt that tone." Drake looked him in the eye and spoke in a calm voice. "She was cheating on Mr. Winston, I just told you. We have it on record. She confessed herself."
Armaan looked at Erika's limp body wondering when and why things went so wrong.
"And we are not putting the blame on her…this is our job, we have to at least have a motive for the murder and I have never said that we won't catch the shooter, we will but it will take time because whoever must have done it had enough time to leave the city after committing the crime. But the shooters were hired, I can tell you that and someone must have hired them. It was a paid job."
"But that doesn't prove anything. Erika is a very good woman. I can maybe accept the fact that she was cheating on him but to even think that she tried to kill him, it's preposterous. And I still don't understand a lot of things. But before anything you have to tell me what happened to her."
"When she was told by the cops, who went to her place to arrest her, that she was suspected for her husband's murder and so is being arrested….she slipped into shock and fainted. She was brought here and the doctor told us that she has slipped into a coma. Her medical reports tell us that she has been ill for sometime. She has been having a lot of problems with going to sleep, her maid told the doctor that she has been disoriented and a lot of other issues. I think the news of her arrest was the last blow that caused her to slip into this condition."
"Doesn't that prove anything to you?" Armaan spoke in an agitated voice, his pitch getting higher. "She has been devastated ever since John died. You really think that instead of mourning she planned a second attack on Riddhima….a woman who was incapable of thinking straight was actually able to plan a murder." He spoke with disbelief.
"But Mr. Malik, we don't know about the authenticity of her medical reports and her maid's statement…for all we know, they maybe trying to protect her."
Armaan ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes trying to think and make sense of all the load of information his head was bombarded with and than it hit him and he spoke with confusion and surprise etched into his voice, "Wait a second, Riddhima had said that she was the one who was shot and now you are telling me that the shot was aimed at John, who according to Riddhima, wasn't even in the room and apparently Riddhima was found naked. I don't understand."
"Ms. Gupta lied to us. Mr. Winston was in the room when the shot was fired and it was fired at him but as he turned around it hit Ms. Gupta and Mr. Winston ran after the shooter who than, in panic, hit him with his car."
"And why exactly did Riddhima lie about it?"
"Because she was afraid of the humiliation she would have faced on telling the truth."
"Which is?"
"Mr. Winston was pressurizing Ms. Gupta to sleep with him."
Armaan chuckled and slapping his hand on Drake's back he said, "Do you, by any chance, write suspense, mediocre po*n because your brain sure works like one who does."
Drake just looked at him, waiting for him to finish laughing at his own joke. "I have known John since college and I know Riddhima too, very well. John trying to pressurize her into sleeping with him. Are you kidding me? He was always a very shy and a very modest person….a perfect gentleman. He never even had the guts to ask a girl out back in college. He was always withdrawn and reserved….it was Erika who brought the change in him…he fell in love with her and he was a very loyal husband. And Riddhima is not someone you can just bully or molest…she is the kind who knows how to take care of herself. And now that John is dead, you can very conveniently say all that you want to about him for backing this baseless theory of yours about the case."
Drake sighed and shook his head defeatedly and handing him a file, he said, "This is the case file. All the progress that we have made…you can go through this. Our investigation is still on…we are searching the shooters who are now our last hope because with Mrs. Winston in coma, we are sort of lost here. Please, Mr. Malik think practically and keep your emotions aside."
He nodded reluctantly and as Drake was about to leave the room, he spoke in a low voice, "Ms. Gupta has lied once about her statement regarding the night all this happened, maybe there is something else she is not telling us."
"No, Mr. Malik, I can assure you that Ms. Gupta has told us everything she knows. She is not lieing… anymore."
Armaan was baffled at the conviction in Drake's voice but he did not argue with him on it and simply turned his attention to the file in his hand. After sometime had lapsed he sat down next to Erika's bed with his head lowered and his face tired. He heard some voices in the corridor and before he could stand up, the door to the ward was opened and he saw Riddhima walk in with the doctor behind her.
"Mr. Malik, Ms. Gupta you have half an hour but after that you will have to leave." They nodded at the doctor and as he closed the door behind him, Armaan turned towards Riddhima. "What are you doing here?" She frowned at the tone of his voice.
"What do you mean? I came here to see Erika. Mr. Monroe told me everything. I just don't understand what went so wrong. Erika shouldn't have done this."
"She didn't." He spoke vehemently and with an edge to his voice. "She did not do any such thing and what is it that you told Mr. Monroe about John wanting to sleep with you…oh am sorry, not wanting but pressurizing you to sleep with him." he spoke sarcastically.
She looked away to hide her expression. Drake had told her about the reason that he had given to Armaan for John being there in her room that night which wasn't exactly a lie.
"Yeah, well, what about it?"
"I want to hear it from you."
"Armaan, Mr. Monroe told you everything. What is it that you are finding so hard to believe?"
"Everything. I have known them both for nearly 10 years. I can't believe a thing of what he is telling me."
"So you think that I am lying too?" She asked trying to sound offended but finding it hard with the lurking fear inside.
"Maybe."
She stood up with a jolt and spoke with anger in her voice, "I can't believe that after all that happened between us…."she stopped mid-sentence, remembering the resolve she had made about not letting him know that he could effect her in any way and spoke in a calm but cutting voice, "You can doubt me all you want Armaan but you don't exactly know what was going on between them….what kind of relationship John and Erika shared…
"All of us saw how happy they were together on their anniversary…
"Which could very well be an act, put up for the benefit of their friends and family."
"I don't think so."
"What about John's medical reports Armaan? They clearly prove that he was impotent but Erika was pregnant. In fact, forget that, she herself confessed that the child wasn't his." She looked at him hoping he would be convinced but she had another thing coming as he stood up and walked towards the window in the ward and with his back towards her, spoke in a calm, unaffected way, "There may be a reason why she did that. We don't have all the facts."
"Armaan!" She exclaimed, disbelievingly. "What is wrong with you? What reasons are you talking about? She was having an affair with another man? Why are you defending them so much. You were an outsider, just a friend…they didn't tell you everything about their relationship now, did they?"
"But I knew enough to be sure that Erika would never try to kill him and he would never even think of cheating on her."
This inflamed Riddhima as she walked towards him and holding him by his arm, turned him around with a jerk and spoke in a cold voice, "Their relationship was over Armaan. They both were cheating on each other. She was carrying another man's child and he was lusting after me. For all you know, he may have slept around with loads of women behind her back and obviously he wouldn't tell you about stuff like that, right? He was a crazy man, believe me, I have seen him behave like a monster. As for Erika, she has confessed herself and maybe she wasn't satisfied being with him so she chose to sleep around….
"I have never hit a woman, Riddhima but I wouldn't think twice before doing it, if you don't shut up." He spoke cutting her off, shocking her. His voice calm but the threat in his tone loud and clear. The muscles of his face pulled tight with an effort at self-control and the look in his eyes told her that it would be better if she did not pursue the conversation anymore. She stood still for a moment, holding his cold glance and than looking away she walked back to Erika's bed.
"If you hate her so much why are you here Riddhima?" He asked after a few moments had lapsed and he was composed and in control.
"I don't hate her, Armaan. I am also having a hard time in believing all that Mr. Monroe has told me but I don't know what else to think."
"I didn't know that you had such a fickle mind Riddhima. I thought of you as a very intelligent woman. I didn't know that you could be influenced so easily."
She looked at him indignantly wanting to slap his face but instead she wiped off the contempt from her face and spoke in an unaffected voice, "I can see how much you are enjoying this conversation Armaan but am sorry I don't have the time to argue with you especially when you refuse to see sense in anything and anyways, the half an hour doctor gave us is over. We should leave now." She walked out without waiting for him and he chuckled as he saw her leave with her face red with anger.

**********
Drake flipped the pages of the file he was reading and leaning back in the chair he closed the file and threw it on the table, clearly frustrated with the set of little information he had regarding Riddhima's case which was suddenly, again, not making sense. He had not slept the whole night and was beginning to feel tired now. He threw his head back and spread out his legs, trying to relax his over worked head. He reached for the telephone placed on the desk and buzzed his assistant in.
"Did you get the information?"
"Yes, sir."
"Shoot." he spoke sitting up straight, some vitality returning to his posture.
"Sir, only Mr. Presley was the one who always knew about Ms. Gupta's plans when she was in India. The day the shot was fired, she had herself informed him about where she was going to be but than even Mrs. Winston knew, she didn't have the exact information but before leaving Mr. Malik had told her what their schedule would be once they would reach India."
"Did Mr. Malik tell you that?"
"Yes, sir. I sure had to do work around it a bit. He is hell bent on protecting the interests of his friend. Do you think there could be…
"No!" he said, cutting his assistant off. "Mr. Malik won't lie to us. He is just having a hard time adjusting to the facts."
His assistant nodded, knowing better than to argue with his boss who read people the minute he laid his eyes on them. Moving forward, towards the table he spoke in a low voice, "Sir, if we believe Mr. Malik that Mrs. Winston is incapable of committing these crimes than maybe somebody out of jealousy wanted to kill Ms. Gupta. She is a very big star and has another movie going for Oscars. Not everyone may like that."
Drake looked thoughtful and than picking up a slip pad, he scribbled some names on it and tearing off the page handed it to his assistant. "Get every little detail on these 2 as soon as possible."
The name on the sheet of paper were of Neena and Samuel.
As his assistant left the room he reached for his cell phone and after debating for a moment, he decided to call his source in Florida, something told him that something was going to be terribly wrong. He tapped his fingers on his arm rest as he heard the phone ringing on the other side…..the furrows in his forehead deepened as he received no answer. Then just when he was about to hang up he heard the call being picked on the other side.
"Hello!? Mac, are you there?" He spoke, frowning now sure that something has gone wrong in Florida.
"Yeah." He heard him speak.
"What is the matter? Did you see anybody coming to meet Aida? Is she alright?"
"She has been kidnapped." Drake froze on his seat. "Drake, somebody came to see her….some guy, he was supposed to meet her in school ground during recess and there was a lot of crowd in the playground, he must have smuggled her out of the school premises somehow and we couldn't spot them. But we are searching for them."
"When did this happen? And why wasn't I informed?" He asked finally regaining some composure.
"This happened a couple hours ago. I did not mean to keep it from you, I have just been crazy looking for that damn car they came in."
Drake closed his eyes for a moment but opened them with a jerk the very next moment.
"I hope nobody informed Ms. Gupta?"
"I think that woman who is Aida's caretaker, she did."
"Dam it." He cursed as he stood up with a jolt knocking down the stuff from his table. "Mac, keep looking for her. Do anything you have to but find her immediately."
"Alright. I'll keep you updated."
Drake sighed and dialed Riddhima's number. And as he had suspected she wasn't answering the calls. He kept trying while walking out of his office to his car.
"Hello, Ms. Gupta?" He spoke frantically as he heard her voice.
"Yes, Mr. Monroe what is it??" He sensed the impatience in her voice and was sure she didn't know about him already knowing about her daughter's kidnapping.
"Ms. Gupta, where are you?"
"I am on my way to someplace. Look, I don't have time to talk to you. I will contact you once am back."
"Please tell me that you are not going to Florida." He spoke in a whisper and there was a long pause before she answered. "Mr. Monroe you know about the kidnapping, right?"
"Yes, Ms. Gupta. I have sources in Florida who were supposed to keep an eye on your daughter. Don't worry…
"Oh my god!!! Are you telling me that you had men spying on my daughter?" He knew she was raging mad at the moment. "The whole world will know that she is my daughter. Are you crazy? Do you not understand what this could result in?"
By now he had reached his car and getting in, he spoke calmly, "Ms. Gupta, relax. My sources are very trustworthy. They will not open their mouth unless asked to. Not money, not threat on their life or any sort of torture could ever make them talk. Please, trust me and just tell me where you are."
"Am at the airport. I am going to board a flight to Florida."
"Are you out of your mind? Ms. Gupta, you will not board any flight to Florida. You are not going to Florida. Please just stay where you are…I'll be there in 15 minutes and I will drop you home." He steered his car towards the airport. His body loosing the calm that was usual to him….years of practice of retaining control in the toughest of situation was failing him today.
"You really think am going to sit at home while my daughter.."She paused as she felt her voice breaking, than spoke with a firm voice, "This is all your fault. Nobody in the whole wide world knew about me having a daughter and now she is suddenly kidnapped. Everybody in her school thinks that she has no parents….so there is no reason why anybody would kidnap her. Nobody is going to kidnap an orphan for money. So this has to be because somebody knows that she is my daughter."
"Am glad you understand that….I didn't expect you to. Anyways, now that you understand what it is about you will please stay where you are."
But the next moment he heard the dial tone and knew she had hung up and would board the flight no matter what. "How dumb is this woman?" he spoke angrily increasing the speed of his car. He ran into the airport after parking his car and dialed Riddhima's number again and groaned when she cut the call. He scanned the airport but it was too big for him to simply spot her in the crowd. He stopped one of the employees working there and asked him, "Which is the next flight to Florida?"
"American airlines. It leaves at 9."
"Any other flight before that?"
"Nope. The other one leaves at 10:05." He thanked the man and ran towards the counter of American airlines to get himself a ticket. He was sure that Riddhima would be boarding the same flight.
"Excuse me ma'am. I need to board the next flight to Florida." He spoke hoping there would be seats available.
"Am sorry sir but there are no seats available."
"Please. Look it's very important…
The attendant cut him off and spoke with a smile, "Oh yes, there was a cancellation in business class. I can give you…
"Yes, I'll take that." He paid for the ticket and rushed through the security. The boarding was already taking place when he got done with security. He had no time to check if Riddhima was on the same flight. When inside the plane he looked at every face and on not locating her anywhere, he walked back to his seat and sat down. He pulled his cell out and dialed Riddhima's number hoping she would answer the call. He was surprised when he heard the sound of a ring tone coming from the handbag placed in the seat next to his. He cut the call and the ringing stopped. He was surprised for a moment and than he laughed soundlessly and closing his eyes settled back in his chair comfortably.


"Oh my god!" He heard the irritation in the familiar voice and smiled, opening his eyes slowly. He saw her dressed in a blue jeans and black t-shirt with a cap on her head, pulled low to avoid any unwanted recognition.
"Hello, Ms. Gupta. You should have answered my call." He spoke easily sounding relaxed and calm as he saw her settle in her seat.
"You're a freak." She spoke giving him a dirty look.
"No Ms. Gupta, am just an FBI agent who happens to be really good at his job."
"Yeah, right. You let my daughter get kidnapped….
"Shhhh…Ms.Gupta, not so loud. You don't want more trouble now do you." He looked at her steadly…his calm annoying her. "Look Ms. Gupta, you are not understanding the gravity of the situation here." He whispered leaning closer. "Just please trust me. You wanted to go to Florida and you are…all am asking for is to trust me and follow my instructions once we are there."
She looked at him thoughtfully and than not having any point where she could argue with him, she decided she would have to listen to him. She, anyways, didn't know what else she could possibly do. She relaxed in her seat and though she did not acknowledge it, she was, for some reason, glad that he was here with her. Than after a moment, she turned towards him abruptly and spoke in a whisper, "Just so that you know I don't like you one bit."
His eyes were closed with his head resting on the headrest and his posture relaxed. He smiled. "Go to sleep Ms. Gupta. You will need all your energy once we are there."

*************

Finally!! I have been on this part for 3 days...edited it a zillion times and still some stuff just did not turn out as i wanted them to but hopefully u guys would like it. A longgg part...wen i was editing it, some new idea came into my head and i added them. Will be looking forward to some honest comments from you. Thanks a lot for your comments on the previous part...they were very encouraging.

~reserved~

yayyyyyy first up yeh! ge thankz kratz! :D

n the part... reading or even actively present on the forum after the longest of most long weekends i've had first here :) n yeh, in every aspect you had to get nto the plot, it was a well done job... aptly rounded despite how distinctly some edges are jutting out... which need to be there...

armaan went supremely high for me here... on the lines of HIM of course, n another individual anyways... i like the duplicity you award his char tons, because the reality of his side is obvious not from his dealing with his lead lady but everyone else... if only she wasn't hazed by the precarious balance of her logic n desires she would see some more obvious... but then! nonetheless... i'm happy ... no delighted ... with every bit employed to shape him... when he said she was unbelievably beautiful and when he told her he could hit her... they were the most perfect fitting moments! :D

ridhima... was good for the most,.. there was a part of her description when armaan walks out and she feels that pit hitting low which i wished never came in words... for one of the few times when i feel this way, kratz, i thought that the ambiguity of her brazen actions would have been far more intriguing then a worded explaination there... it ought to have been, i think, left to be figured out in precision, at least for now ... thats my only issue with her or with anything in this part

draco was great! so was ridhima-drako... or even for that matter armaan draco convo... i liked esp the bit where armaan is surprised by the conviction of draco's belief about ridhima telling truth... two men that kind together have a power to possess a scene, hoping to see more of them... hoping also, desperately, to see something of armaan's grooming... although im not sure if its best to come to us right away or not!

basically, great job! you have left me with several leads and none loaded with a bias as to whats up ahead... and yet, the situation of the plot for now is enough to dwell upon, till you next post :D

hugz kratz!

~nj :)

~reserved~ sorry nij

*edit*

Finally you updated....someone did :)

I am not sure what i wanna say....and what to keep to myself....theres new stuff....not all of it washed dwn like smooth wine...but then i keep ma mind open when reading tis one.....hmm!!

Armaan....i told u last time...i was starting to love him...but i dont know anymore....i dnt want to switch sides so easy....but wat hed doin now....this brand new side to him...its shocking...and honestly...as i said...i dunno if i am likin it...for the fact that uve done a swell job wit it..watever it is that u portryin wit him now....its just so contrasting...and realistically believable....yet not smg that would make me happy :D i have always been fond of ridz...and sumwer i was bending towards armaan ...but i never wanted ridz last hope to crush on her....
okay insane...i am going :D ....blabbering...but yeh u get it i take!

AR convo...really now....the bit about hosp...erica...umm...armaan is held bound on his instincts...and its a lil weird how hes accusing ridz blatantly......he shud hve double thoughts before deciding...dunnya think?

Draco-Ridz....sad shes been kidnapped..and am wondering.....who did it...is armaan the new bad guy in the fic now? hahahaha

mast tha update...no matter what you weave...its always wit the strong hold....so good job!...the twists are rather interesting...i like i am clueless! :P

cheers..muah!

nij =)

hey krati
it was not a bad part dear
it was good
liked it
hope drake doesnt say about her past to anyone
i liked ridz's reply
Had it not been for my daughter I would have walked out of here….not my career….my life….or anything at all is important enough for me to endure your insulting remarks. I have never bowed down in front of anyone but Aida means the world to me and I am going to put up with you for her.
this was something soo diff from her character till now u have portrayed her to be
but i liked this aspect also of hers
but wow what an end dear
finally AR met yey!!!
update soon dear