Arjun FF: The Lady in Red.. Thread 2. Link added.. - Page 103

My dear Avantika,

Well, Georg Simmel is no Simone de Beauvoir, but never mind. I was so delighted with my all time favourite gal playing at being a femme fatale that I did not even bother about the dismal Herr Simmel, who is any way better than Cameron Dokey!

Avantika, the Rosy-Pereira scene truly gladdened my heart and made it soar. So light and airy, like a perfectly whipped up souffle, with a tadka of mischievous reticence, which is more alluring than any amount of come-hitherness (sic!). I was irresistibly reminded of Bacall flirting with Bogart in To Have and to Have not, their first film together, when she was 19 and he 44. You know how to whistle, don't you, soldier? You just put your lips together and blow. I can see Rosy doing a similar number with the same effortless panache, but not with Pereira, of course.

She plays him like a fish on a line, now giving him some slack, now reeling him in. She would never have accepted those diamonds anyway, but the manner of her refusing them sets her apart and makes him all the more fixated on this riddle of a woman, with her mysterious power of attraction. . He is going to fall for her very, very hard; the tougher a man is, the harder he falls when the right woman comes along. Right from his point of view, of course, not hers!

The little flashback about the silver payals (which she still wears) was enchanting. Whoever would have imagined that our Mr.A could ever be so lover-like? Come to think of it, he might not have realized that he was being anything like that! And it was typical of the tomboyish Miss A that she put them on herself. Any normal girl in her right mind would have made him do that for her; for a payal is the ultimate in romantic gifts, and fastening it on a pretty, slender ankle the ultimate in romantic gestures. Unless of course the girl has badly chapped heels and is in dire need of Krack cream!😉

You are going to town about the love story of the As, my dear, and it is so sensitively and so delicately done that it is sheer pleasure to read. Why on earth you bother with your Arakshi stuff when you can write at this level beats me.

Then, as the other bookend, comes the final emotional homecoming for Arjun and Aisha. "Shh.. I'm here, Sha.." No other four words could have conveyed it better, the rediscovered sense of belonging together, of being in an unstated alliance, both against the rest of the world and against life itself. Masterly. Take a bow. Take several. You deserve them and more.

I could not get two things. One, Aisha obviously does not tell the rest of the ETF the whole truth of what she did in the ravaged Gupte home, since it was Rosy whom she rescued from that burning charnel house and that has to be kept secret. Then why have you written her narrative as if she had revealed everything? Ayesha had narrated the entire incident, word by word, offering them nothing but the truth..

Second, what is it about hundreds of unread messages, all from a certain 'Lady in Red..' ? How on earth would Aisha have failed to read such a very large number of such messages?

At the end of the chapter, the image that lingers in my mind is of Rosy dangling the silver payal from her fingers as Mr. A looks on, half doubtful about whether she will like it, and half shy about what to say to her if she does.

Warning: Long update and some of you may want to keep tissues handy.. Errm.. Maybe not! I did.. 😉

And this one is a slow paced one.. Not much progress.. But well, I wouldn't say that.. 😉


Please read the note above before you begin..





Chapter 17-A..

Okay.. Here we are at the last update on this thread and I thought of ending it with reflections on the two ladies' parts..

Rain, they say is a boon to man from the high heavens.. It nourishes the Earth making it fertile, cleanses a man's thoughts of worry and troubles and soothes one's soul in times of distress..

An exhilarating wonder of nature, rain has the magical powers to bring together the opposite ends of a pole; emptiness and contentment..

While a gentle sprinkling leaves some with a smile on their lips, a heavy downpour snatches away something; something very unexplainable..

Rosy walked through the narrow lanes of Calangute, making her way to the sea-side pub.. It was the weekly market day; the place was bustling with activity..

She resisted the temptation to stop and look at the nearby stalls.. Colourful fabrics, tempting accessories, inviting artifacts would have otherwise tempted a woman her age.. But not her.. Or maybe she believed so..

She was always a difficult child, her mother would often say..

She hated colours and preferred dark and cool shades.. Dressing up to look pretty was something she never believed in.. She was as comfortable carrying off a pair of denims in a relatively narrow-minded town of Khopoli twenty years ago as she was while swaying on the stage in a silk gown accentuating her curves today..

Though she was still the same, rebellious Rosy from within, a lot had changed; or maybe the change had been forced upon her..

By whom? She waited for an answer.. And as always received none..

She pushed away her self-reflecting thoughts and stepped away from the crowd.. Some things were better left unanswered.. Just when the pub was in view, she was held back by something she saw from the corner of her eyes and halted in her tracks..

A bangle seller..

Her heart swelled up with an unexplainable emotion and she felt genuinely happy.. For the first time in months.. And before she could even rationalize her behavior, her feet led her to the tiny shop..

The circle shaped ornament had always allured her.. And today was no different..

The bright colourful bangles, some with intricate designs, others just plain glass ones, enough to tempt her to take them home..

The old lady at the shop looked at her patiently and called out when Rosy didn't move her gaze from the boxes in front of her..

She snapped out from her thoughts and turned around slowly having refused the lady politely.. On instinct, her fingers curled around her bare wrists and a sinking feeling took over her.. She stood still amongst the sea of people moving around her and swallowed the lump in her throat..

Soft hands grazing up her bangle laden wrists followed by a heartwarming smile..

An old man bumped into her accidentally and she jerked out of her reverie apologizing to him.. She drew in a deep breath and stood still to compose herself..

This was one of those moments when she ceased to be the calm and confident Rosanna.. Though she had moved past Arohi Pradhan, her heart held enough memories to hold her back and plunge her into the very past she was struggling to evade each day..

She hadn't touched bangles ever since then.. Her bare wrists were to be a sole reminder of what she had lost.. A punishment or a salvation.. Maybe both..

She heard Karan call out to her and dismissed her thoughts away.. Sadly she had no time neither the need for self-pity..

Rosy grinned and sat on a chair when Karan winked to her..

True to his own self, he had yet again disguised himself.. She thought he now resembled one of those college going young men, who had just been exposed to the outer world and chuckled teasing him, "Wannabe.."

Karan shrugged his shoulders, "Well, that's what I could come with at a short notice.. And besides, unlike you, I've been working since morning.."

She shook her head, "Main bhi kaam hi kar rahi thi, Karan.."

He nodded, "Yeah.. Sunn raha tha main.. Anyway, tumne toh lunch kar liya hoga.. But I am famished.. Yeh hotelwalon ko toh jail mein daal dena chahiye.. Manual labour karvaate hain becharon se.."

Rosy pretended to ignore him and looked around, "Haan.. Toh maine thodi na kaha tha, waiter ban ne ko.. Kuch aur bhi toh bann sakte the.. Lekin nahi.. Tum toh The Karan Singhania ho.."

He chuckled, "Wow.. You seem to be in a good mood.. Aate hi meri taareef.. Baat kya hai, Madam?"

She pinched her lips and looked away, "What's the news?"

Karan ordered a lavish meal for himself and drink for her and turned to her, "Yes.. Good news actually.."

Rosy cocked a brow and looked on as he spoke, "Aaj main ek ladki se mila.."

She was taken aback slightly and then glared at him with knitted brows..

He quickly snatched the fork from between her fingers, "Arre.. Baat baat pe violent ho jaati ho.. Poori baat toh suno.. She had come to the hotel, asking for you.."

Now that was sudden and unexpected and she shifted in her seat, "What?! For me? Kaun thi?"

Karan smiled, "Pata nahi.. But bohot hot thi, kasam se.."

He saw a shift of emotions on her face and chuckled, "Okay.. Serious mode now.. I was just passing by when I heard her enquire about you at the reception.. Receptionist ne usse information dene se mana kar diya.. Aur woh chali gayi.."

Rosy saw him pout and smiled.. He nodded, "But she looked a bit disappointed.. Aur tumhe toh pata hi hai, ladkiyon ka dil toote, yeh mujhse bardaasht nahi hota.. Toh.."

She patiently waited for him to speak and just then the waiter arrived with their food.. Karan's eyes lit up at the sight of food and offered some to her which she refused politely, "Toh tumne kya kiya?"

Karan winked, "Maine wahi kiya jo mujhe karna chahiye tha.. Uska peecha.."

Rosy choked on her mocktail and whispered, "You followed her? That was so irresponsible of you!"

He shook his head, "Detective sahiba, I had an informer follow her..

Ab obviously, waiter ke disguise mein uska peecha karta toh tip deke chali jaati.. I couldn't risk my reputation getting spoiled, you know.."

She rubbed her temples lightly and put up a fake smile, "Right.. So, obviously you've found something.. Out with it already, Karan.."

He put his plate aside and looked around before whispering in hushed tones,

"Her name is Suzanne.. Suzy Lobo for you.."

The name sounded familiar to her and then it struck her.. She raised a brow and his wink confirmed her suspicions..

Suzanne was Mario Pereira's ex-girlfriend and Rosy's predecessor..

Very interesting, she thought.. She had just signed the papers a little while ago but it seemed as if the news was already in the open..

Karan munched on a slice of bread and turned to her, "So.. Aaj kuch special hai kya?"

She shot him a questioning look and he chuckled, "No.. Your dress.. Pereira koi pravachan sunanewala tha?"

Some things men would never understand..

Rosy hadn't missed Mario Pereira's lustful eyes wandering over every inch of her last night.. Though she realised it was all a part of the game, yet his gaze struck a chord deep within and she even repulsed the thought of it..

But unfortunately for her, it was the truth.. Something she'd have to get used to..

Her father always used to say, Undercover missions require sacrifices.. Truth and hidden secrets always come at a price.. Though a successful mission inches you close to your goal, you lose a part of yourself every single time..

And today, that he wasn't here, his memories and guidance was all she had to rely upon..

Having been in a man's world long enough to know how men with power functioned, Rosy knew exactly what her mission demanded of her.. To tame a shrewd and conniving man as Mario Pereira, she had to get down and dirty when the need be..

She and Ayesha had been over all of it, before she had decided to commit to the mission on hand..

But now, that the time had come, something held her back..

Maybe the look in his eyes when he dragged her home from a rain dance party in Mumbai, years ago.. Or when he draped a jacket around her when they had gone hiking to keep unwanted attention at bay..

Rosy chuckled at the memory.. Typically Mr. A.. Overtly protective..

Karan's waving hand in front of her brought her out of daze and she shook the thought away, dismissing it..

He has nothing to do with anything I do.. And the very next moment, she knew she was lying to herself, yet again..

That deep sense of belonging to a certain someone was a part of her and try as much as she did, she could never get past the fact that she had always been answerable to him..

Though she hadn't acknowledged it back then, was a different thing altogether.. And at the moment, her guilt at having betrayed him all along added to it and made matters worse..

Karan winked at her, "Hello.. Kahan kho gayi? Main toh bass aise hi pooch raha tha.. Waise, tumpe kaafi suit karta hai.."

Rosy muttered a thank you and looked away while Karan ordered a dessert for himself..

Karan's gaze had also made her uncomfortable.. She knew it very well that he didn't mean any harm, yet she felt it was unwarranted.. But then, men would be men.. She was a pretty, attractive woman and though it should have come to her as a normal occurrence, a revisit into the past earlier in the day had triggered those memories..

I have yet to come across a man who wouldn't look at her as if she was a an object of desire.. Maybe not..

There was one she knew, who had never looked at her with lust or even a slight inkling of desire but only with warm affection; always..

The stark contrast hit her hard and she cursed herself for wandering into forbidden terrain yet again..

Karan saw her immersed in thoughts and was sharp enough to realise that she wasn't quite herself ever since morning.. She hadn't met him before she left to meet Mario.. And now that she was physically present there, he sensed that her mind had wandered away..

He wondered what it was that often reduced the confident and sassy Rosanna D'costa to a frail, vulnerable woman..

He had approached her a few times only to be told off politely.. And Karan wasn't one who would intrude into someone's privacy.. Yet, something about the faraway look in her eyes held his attention each time he came across it..

Rosy cleared her throat and waved in front of him, "Hello.. Apni dreamgirl ke khwabon mein kho gaye kya?"

He smiled and shook his head, "Kaash.. Aisa ho pata.. But nope.. She'll have to wait.. Filhaal Suzy Lobo demands my attention..

Okay, so.. My informers managed to gather quite a bit of information on her.. She's a local here.. Used to be a student of Mass Communication before her father died of cancer and she had to quit studies to look after the rest of the family..

Since then, she had been performing at smaller clubs and discotheques, until the day, Mario Pereira spotted her.."

Rosy flinched at the thought of him having taken advantage of a young woman's vulnerability and her distaste for the man only grew further.. Karan noticed it but chose to ignore it for the time-being since there was more disturbing news ahead..

He spoke on breaking her chain of thoughts, "And as you know, soon she became a famous personality.. Being his arm candy at high profile parties and holidays abroad, it took her hardly any time to get impressed by his flamboyance.. She was in love with him.."

Rosy looked up and shook her head, "I don't understand how a smart girl could be lured into the trap? Couldn't she see beyond the obvious or was she blind to all of it?"

Karan sensed the seriousness in her tone and for once decided to do away with his chirpiness..

He sighed and spoke, "Pata nahi.. Maybe she didn't want to believe any of it.. And besides, trust a man like Pereira to tame a young girl's mind.. Money, fame, every luxury she had ever dreamt of was more than what she could handle and maybe saw a future together with him.."

Rosy let out a mock chuckle, "Aur aakhir mein kya hua? She got addicted to drugs and look what she's landed herself with.."

Karan had to agree with her, "Hmm.. The very drug trade that had once been a source of living for her, has now ruined her..

Pereira obviously wanted to get rid of her when she got addicted to alcohol and drugs.. He couldn't risk having her within his vicinity.."

She gripped the glass tighter, "And he discarded her like a piece of trash.."

Karan felt that sounded a bit personal but ignored it, "Yes.. He did.. She even landed herself in jail once.. And now, the once famous suave diva is reduced to being a bratty girl.."

It took them a few seconds more to return to the issue at hand; Why had she come asking for her?

Rosy looked at him and realised he was thinking on the same lines as well.. Karan straightened his collar and smiled, "Don't worry.. I have it all covered.."

She grinned at his over-confidence, "Achha? Main bhi toh sunoon.."

Karan paid off the bills and led her out to the beach, "Main bhi ek officer hoon yaar.. Haan tumhari tarah kaatil adayein nahi hai toh kya hua? Thoda bohot brain aur kaafi saare good looks hain.."

Rosy tilted her head to look at him and he held his hands up, "Okay.. Sorry.. Joke tha.. Kya yaar, tum kabhi hasti nahi ho kya? Khair chodo.. My sources have dug up and found that there's a rave party coming up on Sunday.."

She looked surprised, "Really? I thought Goa didn't host any of those anymore.."

Karan rolled his sleeves and sat on the sand, "Are you kidding me? Sweetheart, this is the land of daaru, jua and drugs.. Welcome to Goa!"

She shook her head at his antics and sat down next to him, watching over the waves playing on the shore, "So, you're saying, yeh Suzy humein Sunday ki party mein milegi?"

Karan nodded, "Yupp.. But you'll have to go disguised.. We can't risk it; not until we know she's harmless.."

Rosy gave him a hard stare and flashed one of her genuine smiles,

"You don't worry about that.. I know someone who's a master at disguise.. Dhobi se leke fake boyfriend tak.. Aur waiter se lekar driver tak.. He's quite capable of handling it all.."

Karan leaned a bit closer and winked, "Yeh compliment tha ya insult?"

She moved back and played with the sand at her side, "Jo chaahe samajh lo.."

He sighed dramatically and leaned back against the sand, "Rakh hi leta hoon.. Chaahe jo ho.."

Rosy sat still with her eyes fixed on the slow and gentle waves ahead of her, but her mind was far from peace..

Suzy Lobo.. Her appearance had been an unexpected twist.. What does she want from me? Can she be trusted? What if she is planted there?

She shrugged it away, Too many questions.. Only time would tell.. She'd have to wait until Sunday to find out..

Making a mental note to inform Ayesha about the latest developments, she leaned back on the sand and closed her eyes as the soothing sound of waves attempted to calm her frenzied senses..

The day had been pretty rough already.. And it was on days like these, that she yearned for a few peaceful moments where everything else would cease to exist..

She wanted to bury her worries, her sufferings and revenge at the back of her head and be the carefree girl she used to be years ago..

Rosy quickly unstrapped her heels and let her feet feel the moist sand beneath..

Alas, like everything else did, her seemingly simple action brought a whole lot of memories crashing down when her eyes landed on the silver payals around her ankles..

She closed her eyes and sighed.. Peace and relief were like the twin guests she could hardly entertain..

A whiff of salty air washed over her and she gulped back her tears strengthening her resolve..

Relief would only come to her, the day she breathed her last.. Breaking down or sulking over her past was something Rosy hadn't permitted herself to do..

She looked at Karan and heard him talk about fixing a few men into Pereira's house-keeping staff..

She thought back upon Ayesha's words and realised that she had to start trusting people all over again.. Because try as much as she would, some things would always be beyond her reach.. She needed a companion to bail her out of tricky situations..

Maybe she could trust him.. But she'd have to tread very carefully..

Her life was a living reminder of what trampled trust could do to one.. She had been betrayed by a loved one and had lost everything she had held dear to herself one.. Partly, her rash and apparently unjustified reasoning was to be blamed as well..

Whatever the reason be, but the consequences had been dreadful..

She had lost an irreplaceable part of her being..

The setting crimson sun reminded her that all wasn't lost..

If she had lost a part of herself back then, an equally cherished one was still at stake.. She couldn't lose him ever.. Not then, not now..

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Lady # 3.. Suzy Lobo..

Chapter 18- B

Elsewhere, unshed tears had found an outlet after years.. Rains lashed at the window panes mirroring the state of their hearts and conveying their sorrow to each other..

They both had needed this.. A moment of respite when they would stop hating and blaming each other; stop being the mature cops they were expected to be and go back to being the best friends they had been once..

Arjun held her still, softly caressing her hair as she sobbed onto his shoulder.. He knew he had hurt her with his indifference and harsh words, but only he knew how much it would pain him to put her through it..

Ayesha had been his best friend once; someone he had always looked up to for her fierce determination and inner strength..

Being a man of few words, he had hardly ever confessed it to her but he was extremely proud of her.. He had heard of her various successful missions and undercover assignments and was glad that she had achieved what she had always desired..

Yet, today that she had broken down in his arms, he couldn't help but shed a tear or two along with her, since he could only imagine the horror she must have been subjected to back then..

Just when he was about to utter a few consoling words to her, he felt Rathore's hand on his arm and snapped out.. Ayesha sensed it too and moved back a bit releasing herself from his hold..

Liza offered her a glass of water and some tissues..

Arjun saw her sit on a chair and walked to the window..

Sameer sensed the change in their demeanor and pondered over DIG Dixit's words.. Tough times lay ahead..

He walked up to Ayesha and gently placed a palm on her shoulder..

She looked up and smiled genuinely, as if thanking him for letting her deal with it in her way.. Had it not been for his coaxing and assurance, she would have probably evaded Arjun's questions and his wrath even today..

Sameer smiled back at her and nodded his head assuring her that things would get better soon..

A little while later, they got back to work and it was Shree who spoke first,

"Toh Sir, after hearing what Ayesha had to say, I think it was a pre-planned attack.. Varna poore ghar ko aur saare members ko ek saath target karna, kuch ajeeb lagta hai, considering Ayesha's parents lived in Mumbai and SP Gupte's daughter in Pune.."

Ayesha looked up and instinctively turned to Arjun.. She saw him close his eyes momentarily and grip the marker tighter..

She had managed to compose herself by then and spoke up, "No Shree.. I don't think so.."

Arjun's head shot up at that and he held her gaze questioning her..

She nodded, "Baba was away for some work a few days before the incident.. No one knew when he was to return.. Mere Mom Dad ke bhi koi plans nahi the uss din Khopoli jaane ke.. Woh sab toh last minute pe hi.." Her voice trailed off and she looked away..

Sameer sensed something amiss and interrupted, "Wait a minute.. Toh koi nahi jaanta tha ki uss din family ke saare members ek saath honge, is that what you mean to say?"

She nodded and he resumed speaking, "Strange.. Aur unki beti, Arohi? What about her?"

Ayesha felt the familiar guilt grip her yet again and dismissed it quickly when she felt Arjun's piercing gaze upon herself, "Nahi.. She wasn't supposed to be there, either.. Woh toh apne ghar par thi.. Pune mein.."

Arjun had been attentively listening to their conversation grasping bits and pieces of it..

The marker pen spun at twice its speed and stopped abruptly.. He looked at Ayesha when she spoke, "Ho sakta hai, koi gharpar nazar rakhe hue tha.."

He nodded in negative and stood up, "Not possible.. Itne kam samay mein itni planning? I don't think so.."

He held out a CD to Shree when everyone looked at him for questions..

Shree slipped it into his laptop and waited for the image to be projected on the screen..

They sat numbed with shock and disgust as the CD played a few clips from the scene..

The house was up in flames and someone had shrewdly managed to capture it live from various angles adding to the already horrific sight..

Ayesha gasped in shock and latched onto Shree's hand when it ended and then the screen blacked out..

No words were spoken as everyone took in the new piece of evidence..

They now realised that all of it couldn't have been planned at the spur of the moment.. Someone definitely knew that the family was going to gather together..

Whether or not the motive was to wipe out the entire family was a different matter altogether..

Rathore glanced at Ayesha's distressed form and stood up glaring at Arjun, "Damn it Rawte.. What was that? Aur yeh CD tumhare paas kya kar rahi hai?"

Arjun turned around and knew it was about time he revealed. He looked over his shoulder and met Rathore's solid stare, "Sikandar.."

That one word from him was enough to have everyone at the edge of their seats.. Gasps, shocked expressions and an uneasy silence prevailed in the room..

Sameer Rathore had expected the case to be a twisted one, but never had he imagined in his wildest thoughts that he would be dealing with one of the most dangerous and shrewd criminals ever to exist..

But before he could voice out his thoughts, Chottu spoke up alternating his gaze from the screen to Ayesha, "Arre baap re.. Toh ab hum ek aise aadmi ke peeche hain, jo exist hi nahi karta hai.."

Two pairs of loud thumps on the table and all eyes turned to them, "Karta hai, Chottu!!"

Rathore, Shree and Liza looked with surprise when Arjun and Ayesha had both stood up with a jerk.. They looked at each other for a brief moment before looking away..

Sameer motioned them both to calm down and sat down in his chair before turning to Arjun, "Rawte.. Kya tum sure ho ki yeh CD Sikandar ki hi bheji hui hai?"

Arjun looked up and sensed his hesitance in accepting the truth.

It had taken him a while to digest the fact as well..

He nodded, "Haan.. He himself had called me confirming it, Rathore.. It was delivered to me a few days after Roshni... "

His voice trailed away and the room fell silent again.. Ayesha closed her eyes and balled her fists..

Roshni's brutal murder had been an unexpected blow to the two of them just when they were coping up with their family's loss..

To lose a friend, they'd loved as a sister was too much to bear.. To know that Arjun had lost his family for a second time pained them deeply yet they had both been helpless back then..

Shree looked at Chottu and the duo exchanged knowing glances which meant, 'How much more pain has the man suffered?!'

Sameer had been by his side during those difficult times..

Not only had Sikandar's men murdered her in an act of seeking vengeance but they hadn't spared Arjun as well..

He was already weak back then recuperating from an assault, confined to the bed when the second attack had taken place..

The doctors had given up on him, declaring him to be unstable and hence had put him on ventilator support for a week following Roshni's death..

Sameer had witnessed his breakdown following the revelation and knew just how much her death had altered his already morose life..

Ayesha fought back her tears at the mere mention of Roshni's death and realised Ro had been right in her guesswork..

It had always been more than personal.. Sikandar targeting the Gupte's and their dear ones was no mere coincidence.. There was a lot more to it buried beneath the surface than what met the eye..

Rathore looked around and realised that the atmosphere in the room had turned grim and gloomy.. He decided to get them to focus back on the case, since that was the only way to keep their thoughts from straying away..

He stood up and paced the length of the room, "Team, filhaal humare paas koi lead nahi hai.. Aur woh chalkar humtak aayegi bhi nahi.. We have to get working..

Shree, pata karo ki uss waqt SP Gupte kaun kaunse cases ke charge mein the.. Waise the chances are bleak, but see if you can link anything to Sikandar..

Chottu, Liza, help him out..

Rawte, tum.."

Arjun held up his hand and stood up, "Ek minute Rathore.. Before we call it a day, there's something else we need to know.."

Rathore saw his eyes travel in Ayesha's direction and knew what was coming up..

He sank in his seat and shook his head.. Dono ek se ziddi!

Ayesha felt his heated gaze upon herself and looked up to find him fuming..

She prepared herself for yet another questioning session and strengthened her resolve..

Arjun leaned on the table opposite her and stared at her until she looked away, "So.. Ab aage ki baat karein?"

Ayesha flinched at the restrained anger in his voice and glared back at him, "I don't think that has anything to do with the case, Arjun.."

Shree gasped and nudged Chottu, "Yaar.. Pehli baar Ayesha ne Arjun Sir ko naam se bulaya hai.. Pata nahi aur kya kya ajoobe honewale hain.."

Chottu gulped and turned to him, "Haan.. Dekh toh.. Kaise ghoore jaa rahe hain ek doosre ko, jaise abhi yahan par atom bomb phatne wale ho..."

Liza pinched them both and motioned them to look ahead..

Her outright refusal angered him further.. He clenched his jaw and raised a finger, "Don't test my patience, Ayesha.. Aakhri baar pooch raha hoon.. Where were you all these years?"

She eyed his raised finger and turned it down, "I've told you already, I was on an undercover mission.. I couldn't risk getting exposed.. You're a seasoned officer yourself, I expect you to understand that.."

Arjun gritted his teeth and smirked, "Really now? I'm sure I understand the risks of being undercover..

What I don't understand is what made you stage your death, Ayesha? Why was your name listed amongst the casualties? Why were we made to believe, that you were dead?!!!"

His raised voice made everyone jump a bit, only Rathore sat still oscillating his gaze between the duo while Ayesha looked away, not before glaring at him..

Rathore realised it was getting a bit personal when Arjun marched over to her side and slammed his palms on both sides of her chair trapping her..

He quietly asked the others to leave and retire for the day while he dealt with the two hot-headed friends..

Ayesha jerked up and glared at him, "What do you think you're doing, Arjun?"

Arjun heard the door shut behind him and stepped forward..

His eyes were fastened on hers and gleamed with a predatory glint as he whispered, "Undercover mission? What nonsense! Jaanta hoon aur sab samajhta bhi hoon.."

She saw him turn around to face the wall and his voice had softened when he spoke again,

"But I thought we meant something to you, Ayesha.. Mishti ki maut ki khabar sunkar bhi tum nahi aayi.. I was lying on the death bed, lekin tum nahi aayi.. Kyun?

Tumhara kaam, tumhara mission, hum dono se bhi badhkar tha? Aur agar tha bhi, toh ek phone call toh kar sakti thi.. One call, one mail, something.."

He spun around and held her by her shoulders, "Do you even know what I went through back then?

Jeena nahi chahta tha main, knowing that I had failed to protect you all.. Har roz umeed karta tha, ki kaash woh sab ek bura sapna ho aur tum sab lautkar wapas aa jao..

Lekin aisa nahi hua.. Because they were gone..

But you?! Tum toh aa sakti thi na lautkar? Why didn't you?

Kyun apna naam bhi unn sab ke saath shaamil kar diya? What made you do that?!"

She clenched her eyes shut and let her tears flow..

She could feel the depth of his pain and hurt.. She had wronged him by not turning up when he needed her the most.. She had stayed away when she should have been by his side lending him a shoulder to cry upon.. But she hadn't been there..

A trail of fresh tears trickled down her cheeks as she recollected what had kept her occupied.. Those days had been the most testing times of her life..

She had jeopardized her mission and hence put her life at risk when she had rushed back home upon receiving yet another devastating news..

Ayesha had picked her little sister over her best friend..

She had been by her side when the strong and brave Arohi had slipped into depression following the loss of her remaining family..

She had helped her gather pieces of her life back again and molded her into being the fierce Rosanna D'costa, that she was today..

And once that had been done, Rosy had made her swear on her life that she wouldn't reveal a word about her existence to anyone..

She had then given up on her identity and left the country for a brief period to spend some time with the only man she had looked up to as her father; the man who loved her more maybe than he loved his own kin, since she was a replica of his dead wife..

Edwin D'costa, her stepfather had sheltered her when she needed a parent to hold her under his wings and shield her from the harsh world before she made up her mind to leave him to seek revenge for her miseries and pain..

Arjun looked at her bowed head and walked away punching the wall behind him.. Rathore shook his head and stood in his way, "Rawte.. Give it some time.."

He picked up his gun from the table and stepped aside, "See.. She has no answers even today.. And you expect me to deal with it calmly.."

Rathore stood at the door and watched it swing back and forth after Arjun stormed out angrily..

He crossed his arms and stayed still, not moving an inch or uttering a word..

He knew Arjun's questioning had bothered Ayesha immensely because she stared at the floor absently looking at nothing in particular.

Though he too was bothered by the fact that Ayesha had staged her death and hadn't turned up even after Roshni's death, he knew his officer well enough to know that she must have had her own reasons for doing so..

A little while later, he cleared his throat and held out a box of tissues for her, "Ayesha?"

She closed her eyes momentarily and took it, avoiding meeting his questioning gaze as he pulled a chair next to her..

She realised Sameer and the rest of the team also knew about her having faked her death now and having known them closely, it was only a matter of time that they started digging into it, especially Arjun..

She waited for Sameer to speak but the man surprised her yet again when he finally did.. He stood up and walked to gather his files, "Chalein Ayesha? Tumhe ghar drop kar deta hoon.."

She stood up and picked up her belongings.. She knew he too was waiting for an answer from her.. And tonight, for the first time in three years, she felt lonely..

She knew Arjun well enough to know that he was deeply hurt by her betrayal and that his anger was just another facet of his concern for her well-being..

She also realised she'd have to face his wrath the day he came to know details about her undercover work..

But what she dreaded the most was the moment when he would confront her after coming face to face with Ro.. She knew no matter what she said or however she tried to justify her actions, he wasn't going to forgive her..

But right now, she needed to justify her actions to the man driving her home.. Try as much as she did, she couldn't come up with a plausible explanation for her actions and hence decided to stay silent for the time being..

Maybe only time would tell what was to befall all of them.. And also help them deal with all of it..

****

That's it for now.. Please read and leave your feedback.. Would love to know what you thought of it.. And do not bother about it exceeding Pg. 150.. Don't think that should matter much..

Peep-in for next one: Not saying anything yet.. Maybe another sneak peak into Mr. A and Miss A's past lives.. 😉

*Edited*

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