TSYJT-Rantara FF thrd 2 (cont) - Page 5

Chapter 45

Part two

Antara's POV

The pull was really harsh one that I was almost about to lose my balance and bump directly to raghu. But before I could collide raghu's another hand held my shoulder firmly.

Taking a deep breath I hold myself and felt the harshness and power of her hold. I looked towards my right hand's wrist caught in his iron hold like and unbreakable shackle and also felt the immense pressure of his fingers on my wrist and shoulder expressing his madness. I was well aware of his mad state. So making up my mind and nerve I lifted my eyes to meet his eyes.

Stern, unreadable and dark as usual, shielding all his emotion inside, only conveying a deep annoying and irritation as usual and with so many unclear subtle meaning of those harsh gazes, sometimes felt like stone and sometimes so soft, as always he kept observed me with those black eyes. Without blinking once I kept staring to those powerful eyes sternly repelling all its dominance which tried to take over my mind and tried to give a strong jerk on my wrist to free from his grip. But at the moment I understood the impossibilities as his hold went tighter almost cracking my bones.

"Hath chorro mera!!" I said greeting my teeth looking straight inside his annoyed eyes.

Surprisingly, he smirked a bit making me confused. There was nothing funny about the situation. I gave another vein try to release myself but his hold just went another bit tired.

"Chor doon?!" He asked raising his eyebrow in some mischievous way which boiled my head even more.

"JII HAAN!!" I almost shouted on top notch.

"Shhh!!!!" he whispered in his utterly cold voice and his eyes got darker than before. "Volume kam kar misscall. Agar mai kee nazro see bachna chahti hain too. Jyada door nahin gayi hain woo kamre se.. Agar teri awaz sun ke idhar aa gayi too tujhe bahut achi tarah se pata hain ki kya ho sakta hain. Meri tarah tere har nakhre koo nahin jhelne wali woo." God promise, I never knew that whispering voice could be that dangerous and sharp. He didn't need to go for fight all the time. If you didn't have a strong nerve, he could just make you numb with his single cold dangerous glance.

I fumed and looked away from his eyes which leaned utterly close to me while whispering. I could even feel his breath falling on my face which arose the disgusting feeling inside me again. My each and every fiber was feeling with utter abhorrence and disgust being so close to him. God knows how I could hold back myself each and every time at those days.

"Dekh, apun koo bhi koi interest nahin hain tere sath timepass karneka. Waisey bhi tere nakhre sahene se too acha hain jaa kee machmach kee munni aur sheela ke faltu gane sun loon. Bas apun koo kuch sawal poochna hain tere see uske baad tu tere raste aura pun apne raste." He said taking a deep breath.

"Kyun?!! Tum mere lawyer hoo joo tumhare har sawal kaa jawab dena parega?!" I asked him glancing back in full attitude.

"Problem kya hain teri haan?!!" his voice turned hyper hearing my denial, "Jab chup raheneko bolta hoon too kanchi kee tarah juban chalti hain. Aur jab sawal kaa jawab mangta hoon too juban pee gond (glue) chipka ke baith jati hain?!Tere top floor mein defect hain kya?! Shidhi tarah se baat nahin maanti kabhi.. Jaisey ki allergy hoo sidhi baat se!!" he blabbered a lot in hyper state as usual.

"Sidhi baat haan?! Tum insaan sidhe hoo joo baat sidhe karoge?!" I asked with utter disgust in voice.

"Eee baat koo mat ghuma!! Apun koo pata hain ki apun kya hain... tere koo yaad dilaneki zarurat nahin..." his voice rose another level, "Achi tarah se pata hain apun kee barein mein tu kya sochti hain. Sarakchap Gunda!! Yahich naa?!" his frustrated eyes looked towards me with some desperate look seeking for answer. I kept on looking towards him with stern eyes as he proceed after a small pause, "Haan, 20 se bhi jyada logon ke haddiya tore hain apun nee, 100 se bhi jyada time andar jaa chukka hain. police kee wanted list kee top mein apun kaa naam raheta hain. SAB PATA HAIN MEREKO!! Teri bhasa mein joo bolte hain hain naa... sidha insaan.. uss sey kahin jyada door hain." there was a slight mockery in his voice as well as a deep frustration. His sudden frustrating reaction made me confused a bit. I didn't know for what reason he was confessing his crimes a bit. His eyes which were not looking towards me anymore and they kept wandering here and there. I was annoyed and as well as confused. Why was he bursting out about himself to me?! As if I didn't have enough information that how dangerous he was. I wanted to say out loud that he didn't need to give his proper intro to me anymore. I knew it really well from before and I had to bet on my life for battling against him.

"Bahut bura hain naa apun?!!" There was a deep mockery in his voice as well as an unknown sadness. Still his words hit like nothing. Bad?!! Even that word couldn't define what he had done to me! My whole body stiffened in utter pain and a horribly numb feeling. He looked straight towards me demanding answers. I just cut my eyes from him looking elsewhere. I didn't have anything to say!! His confession about his shelf was nothing but so meaningless to me now. He himself told me that he was accused to break bones of more than 50 people but still he didn't reveal that how many people he killed cold blooded with his own hand.

"Mere koo bhi sidha ban ne kaa tha... Par s**a yee teda Mumbai seher apun ko sidha nahin ban ney diya.." his voice was harsh but still there was that edge of deep agony there. As I looked back to his eyes it seemed so desperate as if trying to explain me something but unable. For a moment I felt a chink of sympathy in me as I looked into those eyes. I remembered ruksana's words about him. Having a problematic childhood and growing up in harsh way, and finally emerging as the most dangerous guy of the city, but I didn't understand what's the reason of saying those things to me?!

Even his faucet was hard as usual, but his eyes, never seen those like that before!! It looked torn, full of anguish. For the first time I had seen his unredable eyes conveying something but those expression confused me more and more as I kept staring into them trying to understand the sudden emotions of those eyes conveyed.

"Ek baat bata..." His voice seemed more desperate than before, "Apun dusro kee sath joo bhi karta hain... par tere koo too kabhi chot nahin pauchaya... Phir bhi apun see itna chirti kyun hain?! Hmmm?!"

As soon as he asked, pappa and momma's burned face flashed in front of my eyes. I quickly broke our eye contact hiding my face from him which had already turned bloodless by his question. Closing my eyes tight I again hold another doze of tear which was about to come down.

But he was not ready to leave the matter easily. Soon I felt his harsh palm grabbing around my jaw harshly and made me look back to his anguished black orbs again and that time it was really furious. Those black furious orbs observed me quietly and said, "Thak gaya hain apun tere koo sorry kahete kahete... Zabra dard kar raha hain abb... Apun koo pata tak nahin ki aisa kya kar diya joo tu mere see itna nafrat karti hain!!"

I shut my eyes again to hold back the frustration. I didn't understand that why god was making the situation worst for me everytime. How much I tried to be strong, to repel the emotional burst his presence caused me, his every word, every gesture left me with fresh wound every time.

"Kis baat ki takleef hain tujhe yaar?!" his voice was annoyed but still there was something more in those words, that unreasonable concern for me, which was making everything so hard to control. I was almost shaking inside due to unknown reason. It felt like the barrier I had created around my heart so that no one could peep inside ad see how much pain I was holding inside and everything was going to flow. I couldn't let that do anyhow. Those pains and remorse was the power of my survival, they reminded me every night about my aim, about my oath to destroy the evils anyhow.

I was not at all looking to him anymore. My eyes were roaming on the floor hiding my eyes from him. I knew he could clearly detect the storm going inside me through my eyes. Pappa was right on the fact that my eyes were mirror to my inner mind and I hate to admit that raghu could easily read my eyes just like pappa used to do. I didn't know how but he could and I wouldn't let him know my deep secrets hiding inside my bleeding heart. Digging my nail hard into my palms I stopped my words greeting my teeth. That slight concern in his voice, how much I was trying to make myself realize that it was just a show off, not real still I could feel that it was melting something inside me and I was reaching to the breaking point.

His hands held my both shoulder firmly. I was standing numb inside his hold fixing my eyes to floor, my whole inside was shaking heavily.

"Antara!!" his voice... damn it!!Even the normal harsh edges was gone when he took my name with his deep husky voice, the voice by which I hated to be called.

ENOUGH!' my inner mind screamed.

Pulling back my each and every emotion which were about to overflow I collected all my strength and gave a hard push to his hands which were placed on my shoulders.

I threw my hardest glare to his confused and annoyed face. "That's none of your concern mr. Mere life mein kya chal raha hain, meri kya problem hain, meri khush hoon ki takleef mein hoon... Yee sab poochney wale tum kaun ho?! Akhri baar bol rahi hoon... mere life mein dakhal andaazi dena bandh karo... meri khushi, meri gham woo sab mere hain.. aur tum duniya kee akhri insaan hoo jis key sath mein ye sab share karungi!!" Even if I was trying hard to compose myself, still my voice was chocked.

His eyes went darker again, he diddn't gave any reaction at all to my harsh words, his whole body went stiff and his face went composed, cold like ice. His sudden silence just looked like the silence before storm. Giving him a hard glance I was again heading towards the door when his right hand spread in front of my eyesight blocking my way.

With annoyance I looked back to him and was taken aback by the hardness of his gaze. Also I felt like there was some hidden agony in his eyes.

"Itni nafrat karti hain mere se?!!" his voice was stern like iron. I looked away from his face in anguish. Hatred!! Even that mere word couldn't describe what I felt for him actually.

Suddenly I felt a iron hard grip on m left forearm which dragged me so harshly that I almost winced in pain. I felt his strong arm squezzing my hands harsher than ever and pressing it to my lower back imprisoning that onto his hold. I felt my hand was in verge of breaking when I felt his scorching breath over my face and my eyes confronted those black orbs again, full of cold, ruthless anger enough to shake your all limbs. My mouth dried that time when I gazed inside those eyes. Still I couldn't rip apart mine from them as he leaned closer I almost chocked a breath and felt the chillness of that cold anger emerging from his eyes, from his stiffened feature and iron hold over my forearm.

"Itni nafrat karti hain too mere koo kyun bachaya tha uss din?! Jab apun woo tulip dene ayya tha?! Kyun mai ke nazro se chupaya tha merekoo?!" his utterly stern iron voice demanded answer.

My jaw hardened in flex as I remembered those moments and I answered back with a small smirk.

"Itni jaldi bhool gaye?!!" his eye brows bend a bit in confusion, "Yaad hain?!! Maine uss raat koo kahan tha ki tumhare sare ahesaan chukka doongi main.." I proceed in my toughest voice, "Tumne mujhe Daya Mai ke nazron se bachaya tha uss raat... Aur maine bhi wohi kiya uss din... Hisaab barabar..." I answered back.

The line of his face became hardest than ever listening to my answer. "Kyun?! Tumhe kya laga tha ki maine tumhe maaf kar diya?! Mujhe tum pe taras aa gaya tha?! Suno mr... main chahke bhi mere dil mein tumhare liye aur koi emotion nahin rakh sakti... siwayein nafrat kee!!"

"Eee!Chup!!!" his harsh annoying scream stopped me midway, "Mooh bandh kar aab. Larki hain issi liye apne aap ko control kiye jaa raha hoon.. Tere jagah pe koi aur hota too abhi kidhaar kaa naa raheta.." the way his stern words threw out of his greeted teeth, it clearly said that how mad he was actually and the volcano could erupt any moment. "Misscall... tere koo pata hain apun kaa khopri sanak jata hain too apun kya kar sakta hain... Par bas apun tere koo aur chot nahin pauchana chahta iss liye chup chap tera bakwas hazam lar raha hain..."

His words again crumpled my heart even more. He didn't want to hurt me more?!! Was there anything left unharmed in me?!

He sighed a bit closing his eyes as if trying to cool down his temper...par abb overload hoo raha hain misscall... Abb kuch aur der hoo gaya too phat jayega... Abhi see bol raha hoon mooh bandh kar apna warna..." He stopped abruptly but still his maddening eyes continued to gaze towards me. Gathering my all strength I was looking back to his eyes with same attitude. I wouldn't lose to him or never let him feel that he could dominate me easily like others.

"I don't care you know..." I stated with my chocked but full anguished voice, "I don't care ki tum mere sath kya karoge... kya kar sakte hoo?! Jaan se maar daloge?!! MAAR DALO!!... waisey bhi tumhare jaisey murderer see aur ummed bhi ki jaa sakti hain?!" I spatted back directly to his face.

"ANTARA!!!" his mad scream reflected all around the room almost deafening my ears. His eyes were literally burning in madness. The immense pressure of his hand almost broke the bones of mine. Bitting my lips and feasting my hands I sustained the cry which was about to come out of my lips which caused by his harsh touches. Damn!! Why I was so fragile that it was so difficult to for me to bear his little pressurized touch.

"Kyun?! Ayna dikha diya too sach sehen nahin huya?! Kuch der pahele too yahin sab batein kahe rahe the mujhse... Hisab de rahe the ki kitno ki haddiya tori hain tumne, kitno koo hospital bheja hain tumne... bas ek galti hoo gayi,, uss list mein yee bhi add kar dena chahiye tha ki aaj tak kitne masoom logon ki jaan li hain tumne aur tumhari daya mai ne!!" I frustrated out each and everything and at the next moment I felt myself pushing hard against the wall that another wince of pain let out my mouth while I found myself pinned to the wall facing a hell angry and mad ferocious raghu pressing my arms to the wall as if he would plastered them in the wall permanently.

"KYA KAHAN TUNE?!!! PHIR SE BOL?!!" he gave a mad hard jerk on my shoulder which shook me all over. I glanced back to him with my stern eyes. "KHUNI DIKHTA HAIN APUN TEREKO?!! MEREKOO JO BHI KAHAN THIK HAIN... PAR MAI KEE LHILAAP KUCH BHI MAT BOLNA.." his words had turned utterly dangerous at that moment that clearly detect that he could do anything at the moment. Anything means anything.

"BOLUNGI!! Chilla chilla kar baolungi kit um khuni hoo... darinde hoo... tumhari daya mai khuni hain... woo bas achayi ki dhong karti hain!!!" I said clear cut in loud words. My mind went out of control totally that I couldn't hold the anger inside me anymore.

"ANTARA CHUP HOO JAA WARANA..." He gave another loud jerk on my body and was about to grab my throat but stopped midway.

"Nahin!! Chup nahin karungi main... EK baat saaf jaan lo tum... dusre logon ki tarah dara kee, dhamka kee tum mujhe rok nahin sakte.." at the next moment his harsh palm pressed over my lips chocking my all breath and as he looked towards me with his stern emotionless face and dark eyes it just numbed me for a second.

The pressure on my lips was harsher and powerful than ever, each and every hard line of his marked the anger boiling inside him which was about to erupt and his eyes, darker than ever, void of any emotion, any tenderness, cold, stern and showed the natural danger signal and when those eyes blazed into mine I felt immense shiver down my spine as I clearly detect the danger coming on my way.

He closely gazed into my widened eyes and detected the fear which I was desperately trying to cover up. Damn!! I didn't want to show my weakness to him. All of a sudden he let out a wicked smirk seeing his victory over me finally. With that wicked smirk he suddenly closed our distance and my knees shook hard losing all strength. With widened eyes I saw his dark emotionless eyes approaching closer and closer and I couldn't even struggle to free myself from his grip. I understood that I was being a big fool trying to argue with him. We were all alone in a closed room and he could do anything, rather than finishing me off he could do the worst thing which a woman could never imagine in his dream. My core felt with fear and as well as disgust. Like all other man he had find the best way to hurt a woman, to give her the worst pain for lifetime.

Ruksana told me that he saved her from satya's hand. From that incident I concluded that whatever might be he at least respected a woman but I might expected lot from a criminal like him. A person like him who was endured by darkness could never had a bit of goodness inside.

I closed my eyes and twitched my neck sidewise to avoid him. His breath hit my chick shaking me in disgust to the core. So finally my doom was happened to be like this. getting the worst scratch a woman could have in his lifetime and that too from the same man who snatched away your every happiness.

There was literally no way to escape. Even in my dreams I couldn't imagine to get out of those powerful hold and the way my knees were shaking it was almost impossible for me to run out of the room cause I would surely collapse if he left me. I didn't notice but my hands and shoulders were paining like hell due to his harsh pulls and holds. As the fear caught me, all pains attacked me getting me in vulnerable state. There was no way that I could escape at that state.

Suddenly my hand hit something metallic near his jeans. Even within my closed eyes I could understand what that was. My nerve suddenly got back its sense to see a single hope left. In that position I could easily drag out the gun which was tucked to his jeans as he was standing extremely close to me. I was gathering up all my courage when his voice again hit my ear.

"Ab kyun dar rahi hain?! Hmmm?!!" there was a slight mischief in his voice. I opened my eyes and looked back to his eyes, closest than ever. The coldness was gone from his eyes and a sudden playfulness and mischief was there. I found it really strange that he was so mad just some moment ago and the anger seemed all gone. Though the harshness was attached to his face but the mad ferocious anger was not there anymore.

"Jitna bura tu apun koo samajhti hain utna bura apun nahin hain!! Itna ghatiya aur gira huya nahin ki ek akeli larki kaa fayda uthaye. Ghusa baat dimag mein?!!" he said those words bit harshly but truthfully. My confused glance got fixed to his face when he left my shouder but kept his hand attached to the wall blocking my both sides so that I couldn't escape.

"Ek aur baat jaan le... Apun kuch bhi sun lega.. Par Mai ke khillap ek shabd bhi bol nee kaa nahin.." his voice again set the alert in his tone and his eyes became stern a bit in determination, "Mai kee khilaap koi kuch bhi bole to uss koo apun kahi kaa nahin chorega.. unhey koi chot nahim pauchna chahiye... unke taraf ayein huye har musibat kee samne apun humesha se dewar ban ke khara raheta hain... aur agey bhi rahega. Issiliye unke khillap kuch bhi kahene see pahele do baar soch lena." His stern voice warned me again. But he didn't expected what I would do next. Suddenly I grabbed out his gun from his jeans and aimed directly to his chest from the point blank range distance.

Raghu's face turned so shocked and amused within a second as she looked towards my hand holding his gun. The way I hold his gun, he already detected that my hand was in totally ease with the thing.

"Waisey, abhi main chahoon too iss so called dewar pee ek bara saa ched bana sakti hoon. Kya kahete hoo?!! Idea bahut bura hain naa?!" I asked him with a smirk pressing the gun against his chest. Though, I was not at all going to kill him so easily. Killing would be so much easier way to punish him! I was just giving him his doze back to back.

He looked amusingly towards my face for a while and suddenly smirked again. At the next moment I I felt a huge pull on my gun holding hand and the pull misbalanced me again causing me to leave the gun. Soon I found myself imprisoned against raghu's rock hard chest , shackled by his left hand arpund my waist while his right hand pointed the gun directly to the right side of my forehead. As I twitched my neck towards him in disgust I found him with that ass smirk in his face.

"S**a akha Mumbai mein aaj tak kissi kii himmat nahin thi ki saamne se aa kar raghunath kee sine mein banduk raakh ke baat kare... tune too record kar diye vey!!" his voice hold deep sarcasm but as well as amusement.

I looked away fuming and said, "Tab too mubai seher kee so mardon koo churiyan pahen ni chahiye!!"

"Sahi kahan tha machmavh ne..." he huffed, "Pahele apun ko bhi yakeen nahin hoo raha tha... par s**a abb shak ki koi jagah hi nahin raha... uss mendak satya pee goli chalane ki himmat...bas tere jaise yedi koo hi suit karta hain..." he said tucking the gun back on his pocket and losing his grip on me.

My eyes widened in shock as I snapped back to him, "Tumhe kaise pata chala?!!" I spat the question.

"Tu apun logon kee basti mein bawal karegi aura pun koo pata nahin chalega?! Hmm?!" he asked.

I just sighed without giving answer. Somehow it was meant to be. I knew that after hitting on directly with satya twice in a day wouldn't hide everything for long.

"Tu bhi ekdum yedi hain misscall. Ekbaar bhi nahin socha ki agar mai koo pata chalta too wo kya kar sakti thi?!" he asked with a slight annoyance.

"So what?! Sirf issi liye ki satya naik daya mai kaa beta hain, main bath pee hath dhare nahin baith sakti thi. Jis language se woo ruksana kee sath baat kar raha tha uss key baad too woo saza bhi uss key liye bahut kam hain!!" I said him confidently.

His eyes suddenly turned a bit furious as he held my hand at the moment and asked with a bit worry, "Ruksana ke sath?!!... kya kiya tha uss mendak nee?!!"

"Chor do!!" I huffed, "Waisey bhi tum jaan ke kya karoge. Tum too uss key khilaap kuch nahin kar sakte. Akhir tumharai daya mai kaa beta joo hain!"

"Eee!!.. Mat bhool ki ruksana apun kaa bhi dost hain!!" he said quite furiously.

"Dost kahete hoo too dosti nibhana bhi sikho... Apne dost koo musibat se bachana hi bas solution nahin hota... apne dost pee phir see koi musibat naa ayein yee bhi dekhna tumhara duty hain!" I said, "Tumne satya kee hatho see ruksana koo bacha too liya uss din. Par uss key baad ussey khule aam chor diya taa ki ussey phir se mauka miley ruksana koo harm karne kee liye." I finished in a breath.

Raghu sternly gazed to my face for a while. "Too tere koo sab bata diya uss ney?!" he asked with an annoyed frown.

"Haan.. bataya uss ney sab mujhe. Kyun kee ussey mujhepe belief tha... woo jaanti thi ki main iss baat koo leke uss kaa koi tamasha nahin banaoongi.Aur yee bhi sun lo...agar satya phir se koi nuksan karne ayein too main ussi tarah se ussey jawab doongi... Mujhe koi farak nahin parta ki woo daya mai kaa beta hain yaa kissi aur ka.. mere liye joo sahi hain woo sahi hain aur jo galat hain so galat!... Aur galat koo sahi karne kee liye main kissi bhi had tak jaa sakti hoon... chahein mere saamne kitna bhi bara obstacle hoo... main nahin darti... chahein tum mere raste kaa dewaar bano yaa daya mai... mere maksad tak pauchne mein mujhe koi nahin rok sakta... koi bhi nahin!" I said all in a single breath.

"Maksad?!! Kaisa maksad?!!" he got that instantly .

I quickly tightened my tongue so that nothing slipped out more. "Woo main tumhe batana zarori nahin samajhti.. mujhe der hoo rahi hain!! jane doo mujhe!!" I said sternly and moved my feet to door but was again taken a back when he held my hand another time.

"jane see pahele bas ek sawal kaa jawab deti jaa... tu mai kee kamre mein kya kar rahi thi?! Kyun unn sey chup rahi thi?" he asked me straightly demanding an answer.

"Agar tumhe mujhpe shak hain to then carry on... Poorey ghar ki tallasi le lo aur dekh loo ek bhi cheez idhar se udhar nahin gayi hain... kyun ki main yahan pee chori karne nahin ayi thi... and u can count on my words!" I said sternly.

Gradually he left my hand looking towards my determined face. "Tu mere see kuch chupa rahi hain!!" I looked away from his face feeling unease, "Tu kahe yaa naa kahe.. par apun pata laga ke hi rahega kit u kya chupa raha hain mujhsey. Hum sab sey.. Apun nee teri akhon mein jpp nafrat aur dard dekha hain woo bas yun chutkion mein nahin atta... andar bahut bara chot lagne pee jab sab khokla hoo jata hain tab insaan ke akhon mein aisey dard dikha jata hain...aura bb apun jaan ke rahega kit ere iss chuppi kee piche, iss gussey ki wajah kya hain!!" his words hit like mockery again. I looked to his face with a slight smirk.

"Joo chahein kar lo... par ek baat jaan lo... mere past kee sare panne jal chuke hain... kitni bhi koushis kar loo rakh kee siwaa aur kuch nahin milega!!..."

It was my last word to him before leaving the room and I didn't stop until I was out of naik sadan. His presence seemed like haunting me till the time I was inside naik sadan. Finding myself in the mid of street. I let out a deep breath holding around my chest. I could clearly see the bruises on my wrist and arms. However covering them with my dupatta I moved towards my house quickly feeling my mind with the bitter encounter of raghu and mine.

Chapter 46

Part one

Antara's POV

My wrists ached like hell when the tap water fell on them. I almost beat my lips to stop my groans. It wouldn't be good if someone came to know about those bruises. I somehow avoided mami and came into my room and went straight inside my bathroom. Rhea had gone to her tuition and thank god the room was empty.

When I removed the dupatta from me and saw the red marks around my wrist it made me remind about how harshly he was grabbing them and twisting them with all his powers. I already got to know about his strength long ago and again I got another experience.

As I was keeping my bruised hands under the water, tears streamed down my eyes again. Not because of the pain of bruised wrist, that tears were for the disgust towards myself, being so weak in front of him physically. I could keep my nerve and determine straight while facing him but my cruel fate again showed me that how helpless and feeble I would have been in front of him. As if my fate again mocked me indicating that he could do anything with me if he wants. He could strangle me into pieces, crush my whole existence, grab my throat and stop my breath to end my life and he didn't need to make much effort for that. And if not those things he could do even more horrible things... The moment flashed in my eyes when I was helplessly pinned to the wall and caged between his arms and like a predator he was approaching towards me. AND I COULD DO NOTHING AT THE MOMENT!!! Just standing there helplessly for worst end!! Why did I become so helpless at the moment?!! WHY COULN'T I EVEN TRY AT LEAST DEFENDING MYSELF?!! My inner mind screamed like hell and asked me again and again. I felt disgusted towards myself that I let my fear took over me?!! My inner mind asked that how would I supposed to fight against them if I got afraid so easily?!

Seating on the wet bathroom floor I was thinking about those horrible moments which I spend with him just a moment ago. Perhaps that's what my fate would be at last. After knowing my identity, those people would just not left a single trace of mine in this mortal earth. No one would be there to save me. I had to fight on my own on them and I needed to get over my weakness on that! Looking at the bruised on my hand my jaw hardened again. I knew that I may not survive at last. They might have a huge underworld dark force and power with them. Power, money... they may possess each and everything in their hand feast. But I wouldn't go back seeing the end. Cleaning the tears from my eyes I switched on the geezer and washed my bruised wrist with warm water which slowly toned down the burning sensation. Massaging my bruised hand to make the pain go, I thought about raghu's last word to me.

"Tu mere se kuch chupa rahi hain... aura pun woo jaan ke rahega!!"

I felt a bit worried inside. I was well aware about their connections and powers all around the country. Their gang members must be present at every country side and if they needed any information they could get them anytime soon. I had to talk to mayank soon and I hoped that he did everything as I told him to do. I had idea in mind that if raghu really wanted to grab any information about me, then how he would start. I closed my eyes and prayed to god that he couldn't get to know anything yet! For time being it's needed to keep my identity secret till I didn't get any strong proof against them. I was caught by raghu today but I knew that if I needed proofs against them then it wouldn't be anywhere rather than naik sadan. Typical that guy is always!! I still didn't get that how he got to know that I was hiding under the bed?! I was sure that I wasn't visible anyhow. If that was the case, Daya Naik was before in that room and could catch me red handed. But she didn't get to know?!! Then how on the earth raghu sensed it?!

I closed my eyes out of frustration and splashed water on my face to cool my heated brain. Rhea was right, that guy had extraordinary sense, he could find out his prey from anywhere like a profound expert predator. And he was way more dangerous than Daya Naik. As he mentioned that he was the unbreakable wall of Naik's and my clash with that wall had already begun.

I wander what he was doing now?! Must be feeling so victorious that he could finally show me his heights, posses me to that extent and manhandle me. Huh!! What else he could think?! Why should I even bother about that?! Rather than thinking about his current mind's state I needed to think about my next step that how I would defend if raghu really starts to collect information about me. I quickly got out of bathroom and reached for my cell to call mayank.

Raghu's POV

"Bhai... Pahele mere ko bhi yakeen nahin huya tha jab ruksana nee woo sab kahan tha. Par joo phir apun kee ankh kee samne huya, uspe kaise yakeen nahin karta?!" Machmach stated with still confused face as if he still couldn't believe. Sitting on the edge of balcony I was quietly listening to his all words which were enough to create mind storm.

Machmach spread his leg and took a comfortable seat on my cot. "Uss mendak koo aisey karara jawab sayad hi kabhi kissi nee diya hoo, aur woo bhi ek larki. Uss kaa chehera too aag babula hoo gaya tha.. aur jab yedi nee us ski gun wapas di too... tab too puch hi mat..." Machmach said with a satisfying grin, "Kahene too nahin chahiye bhai, par mendak ki halat dekh kar dil ko thandak par gayi. Apun log sab uss medak see itna chidte hain phir bhi daya mai ki wajah se chup rahete hain. Par uss yedi nee woo kar dikhaya joo apun log itne saalon mein naa kar paya... Kamal ki yedi hain woo!" Machmach said showing his 32 all out grin. Even he was so much impressed by Antara's reckless did, not to be mentioned but even I was amused when machmach told everything, about whatever he heard from ruksana and what happened near his garage on the evening. It was hard to keep the indifferent face when deep inside I was getting shock aftershock with his every word and feeling angry as hell that she didn't even think that what danger she was calling to herself with her reckless attempt. It was not like that she didn't know how dangerous could be to mend with such pathetic guy like satya. As far I know that leech, he would go to any extent to harm antara.

And mostly the worst could happen if that moron complained to Mai and told her everything about what antara did to him. Mai's blind love for satya was her one of the weak point and she would do anything for satya's happiness. I could stop satya but how could I stop Mai?!!

"Muli kii dukan bandh kar abb... Kharidnewala koi nahin hain idharr!" I stated looking towards machmach's 32 bear tooth which exactly looked like a bunch of white big radish. Listening to my irritation full comment, he quickly closed his mouth with poor face.

"Kamal nahin, bawal hain woo..." I said with irritation, "Jab se ayi hain idhar bas sutli bomb fata rahi hain!! Kabhi idhar to kabhi idharr." I said indicating towards my annoyed brain which couldn't get rid of her thought and my heart which was strangely behaving on those days and going uneven whenever she was around.

"Kya?!! Tere dimag mein bomb foda uss ney?!! Kab?! Phir tu thik-thak... apun kaa matlab solid kaise hain?!!" he said scratching his head hard.

"Bappa!! Kaise kaise sample bheje hoo apun kee life mein?!!" I said almost defeated, "Ek kaa dimag akha time alag tune mein raheta hain, ek koo bakbak se fursat nahin hain, aur abb yee new new entry joo 24 ghante bas akarti raheti hain. Tere koo apun pagalo kaa doctor dikhta hain kya?!" I said huffing.

"Bhai yaar, dekh itna bura mat bol yedi kee liye. Kya sab kaheta raheta tha tu.. ki woo akdu hain, sadu hain.. par mere koo to bilkul nahin laga. Kitne ache se baat ki apun kee sath.. jaise apun ki sagi behen hoo. Apun nee too ussey apna yedi behen bana liya...Aur woo bhi maan gayi!" machmach said proudly.

"Yeda ki behen yedi!!Kya Jodi milaye hoo bappa!" I chuckled and mumbled.

"Kuch bola tune bhai?!" machmach asked.

"Abb bolna kya hain.. Teri akdu behen nee too kuch rakha hi nahin bakne kee liye!" I said in loud irritation filled voice, "Daya mai ke bte see panga liya hain uss ney. Tujhe kya lagta hain?! Naik basti mein chain see saans le payegi woo yee sab karne kee baad?! Mai koo pata chal jayega too woo yun hi jane degi ussey?!" I asked him with a firm voice. Machmach became awkwardly silent afte listening to my words.

"Woo satya!! Pagla gaya hain yee sab hone kee baad... uss ney than li hain ki antara ko barbaad karke choega!!" my voice became exceptionally had while saying those words. I had stated to feel a strange huge rage inside whenever I was imagining satya giving his leeched gazes towards antara and trying to harm her anyhow. My palm was feasting automatically, and I could swear that if he ever try to do his dirty tricks on antara I wouldn't be able to stop myself again.

"Dar to merekoo aur ruksana koo bhi hain bhai. Satya aur daya mai koo apun log bhi itna too jaante hi hain ki woo kya kar sakta hain. Phir bhi daya mai iss time election mein busy hain too sayad..." I couldn't let machmach finish his words.

"Mai ke liye satya se barker aur koi nahin hain machmach." I stated, "Unkoo pata chala too election too chod de.. satya kee liye woo kissi koo bhi goli se uda sakte hain!!" Even my voice shook while saying those words. Anyhow I had to stop satya to say everything to mai. Machmach again tuned silent.

"Had karti hain yee larki!!" I said looking towards her empty balcony. "Apun logon koo aa ke bata sakti thi ki satya nee ussey paeshan kiya hain. Samhal lete uss mendak ko... Par nahin!! Madam koo khud jaa ke panga lena tha us sey. Pata nahin issey apun se madad lene mein itna problem kyun hoti hain?!" I said in irritation and almost desperation. Till the day, I felt like it's all her ego that stopped her to take help from a guy like me. But after the encounter on mai room just some made a huge change about my beliefs on her. There was something in her eyes, when I looked closely inside those, a strange, strong heart wrenching vibe of immense pain. At a moment she was just about to break out and I could easily feel that. She was shaking immensely in my hold and I could even feel the vibration of strange painful emotion running though her. Still she didn't give up, she retorted back in every possible way. I could swear that I never found another difficult person like her till the date. I easily handled so many so called tough and powerful person of the city who was almost ready to beg his alliance falling on my feet at the end. But Antara!! Seriously, I couldn't understand what metal she was made of. Even after everything she stated after leaving the room that she would never let me know about her past!!

What happened in her past actually, some kind of awful incident that made her like this?!

"Arey madad too chod bhai, uss ney ruksana koo mana ka diya tha mooh kholne kee liye!! Kasam lee rakhi hain uss ney ruku see ki uss key aur satya kee bawal ke barein mein woo kissi koo naa bateyein. Khas kar ke tujhe too bilkul nahin." Machmach said.

I closed my eyes in frustration without giving a single eply to machmach. That's what I exactly she could do, refusing my help, my any debt upon her. That's what she exactly cleared me this evening; she would rather die than seeking for my help.

"Issi liye ruksana nee mere koo kahan ki apun tere ko sab batayein. Satya kii niyat too apun logon koo pata hain. Aur uss mendak ko antara kaa nuksan kane se bas tu hi rok sakta hain." Machmach said while I kept on listening to him silently.

"Pata hain bhai.. apun nee bhanda fod diya tha..." machmach said with a guilty face.

"Kis kaa?!!" I asked bluntly.

"Tera!! Apun nee antara ko bata diya tha ki tu uss key barein mein kya sochta hain! Wohi.. akdu ghamandi wali baat..." hisalmost gulped while saying those words and I felt like knocking my head on the nearest wall. GOD!! COULD ANYTHING BE WORSE THAN THAT?! Antara already had so much angst against me and after knowing my thoughts about her she would burst like a bear cannon on me!!

I didn't utter anything and threw a stiff silent glance towards machmach. That glance was enough for him to understand. "Eee bhai.. mere koo aisey mat dekh... arey jaan boojh kee nahin kahan bhai!! Galti se zuban pissal gayi..." he said in stumbled voice detecting how mad I was.

I huffed and looked away from him. What was the point of getting mad upon a small issue?! Antara had already so much bitterness for me. It would just give a small fuel to the fire which already spread so much.

"Kya kahan uss ney?!" I said with bitter taste in mouth without even looking towards machmach expecting for the worst answer.

"Kuch bhi nahin kahan bhai..." his single sentence answer gave me another shock huge. I quickly snapped back to machmach's confused face again.

"Kuch bhi nahin kahan?!" I was amused and as well as shocked.

"Haan re bhai.. Kuch bhi nahin.. Apun koo too laga tha ki woo gussey se aag babula hoo jayegi... Par woo too ekdum shant thi... bilkul thanda thanda cool cool.. jaisey ki sar pe navratn tel laga kee ayyi hoo." He wondered.

"Bakwas bandh kar apni!" My voice turned harsher in more annoyance.

"Arey bhai... Abb kya bolun.. tere taah apun bhi dang rahe gaya tha.. mere koo solid laga ki sapun log galat samjhte hain ussey.. Akdu aur sadu too bilkul bhi nahin hain woo.." he said with confirmed tone. "Haan bas ek baat kahi thi uss ney.." he said and paused for a moment. My impatient hit me hard.

"Kya kahan uss ney?!" My voice suddenly turned eager.

"Yahich ki ajnabee, anjaan log uss key baein mein kya sochta hain... ussey koi farak nahin parta!" he said and looked towards me cautiously.

The bitterness increased like never before. It was even worse than I thought. With that simple answer she clearly declared that I have no place in her life. I not at all existed there.

I shouldn't be affected by some andom girl's normal comment about me. Who was she to me?! No one rather than my cause all time irritation. People generally avoid the thing which annoys him but instead of that I was getting more and more hooked towards her and her each and every word to me did an enormous strange effect within me. Like the present moment, I suddenly felt my chest tightened and stiff in some strange unendurable empty feeling. The only thing kept on roaming in my head that she didn't even give a hoot to me, about my thought of her.

And then a sudden rage and huge anger rose out of bitterness and some kind of disappointment. The huge rage spread on each and every portion of my and feasted on my palm. Out of my frustration I punched hard on the thumb supporting on which I was seating on the age. I ended up hitting myself and as well as the bottle standing on the stool just at my side.

"Arey bhai kya huya?!!" Machmach asked in worry.

"S**a pata nahin, woo kyun kar rahi hain yee sab!!..." the frustration came out though words.

"Kaun kya kar raha hain?!!" He was again confused.

"Kuch nahin!!..." I took a deep breath to get a hold on me, "Tu abhi kat le idhar se... apun ke dimag kaa dahi ban chukka hain... bahut kuch sochna parega!!" I said.

"Okk bhai..." he understood that I need some time alone, "kaal milte hain..." without much word he left me alone to solve a whole new puzzle.

Seating on the edge of empty balcony, again my brain occupied the thought of our bitter encounter in Mai's room. I didn't know what she was doing there. She didn't give me any clear answer. I could bet that she was not there for stealing anything. She was not that kind of person. She was there for some another deep reason, perhaps some dangerous reason. She really had the neck to get into danger on her own will!

And also, I didn't know how I sensed her there. But as soon as I entered inside the room a strange vibe hit me, the same vibe I felt whenever she was near. The bitter encounter left me with another bunch of puzzle to solve.

I saw her crying today again for some unknown reason, and those indefinable painful eyes which numbed me every moment they looked straight inside my eyes, I saw her on the verge of breaking point and hopped that she would speak out finally, but she just retorted back the next moment, answering me back on my face, discarding my each and every effort to get a hold on her.

She was one of her kind, with a steal nerve, stone determination which could give anyone heck. If she decided that she wouldn't open her mouth, there was no one the world who could let her speak. I still remember the moment when she all of a sudden snatched out the gun from my jeans and pointed directly to my chest. More than getting angry I was amused actually. No one ever dare to do such things to me. I couldn't afford to smirk thinking about that moment. I knew she couldn't do any harm to me, but still I had to say that she impressed me with that.

Despite of everything, her vulnerable eyes clearly showed the nave girl hiding inside the shell of that strong, determined cocoon, the pain she was hiding from everyone and might be burning inside each and every passing moment. I was having a strange urge to wipe those tears and she was trying to stop me each and every moment. My fingers touched her chicks while weeping her tears. They were like the tenderest thing I ever touched in my life, even more than those tulip flower petals. I felt like even a single little scratch of nail would pierce her smooth skin. That much it felt under my fingers.

Something hit my brain and I tossed my head restlessly towards her balcony. Damn!! Where is she?!!, My frustrated mind screamed as I remembered that I held her hand too harshly at moment. I just hoped that it didn't hurt her that much. But I was not at all convinced still I see her condition on my own eyes. I was thinking to go and check on her but refrained myself. I had to go out to just after some moment and besides, after the bitter encounter her mind would be boiled up at the moment. I should give her some space to cool her down first.

I picked my cell and dialed a number.

"Arey raghubhai.. adab!! Itne dino baad humaein yaad kiya?!!" the voice answered me from other side.

"Rustam abhi kidhar hain tu?!!" I came straight to the point without any other word.

"Jammu mein hi hoon bhai. Kyun koi kaam tha?!!" Rustom asked.

"Dhyan se sun, Apne admion koo shrinagar bhej. Mere koo ek larki kee barein mein pata lagane kaa hain... Uss kaa naam Antara hain... Antara Kaul!!" I said.

"Antara Kaul!! Thik hain bhai... pata chal jayega... Aur kuch..." he asked.

I informed him to search on the Kashmir University and other collages in shinagar about the gold medalist of the recent batch. I remembered that ruksana told me once that antara was gold medalist of recent passed out batch. And also about all the accident cases that took place on shrinagar before three to four months and if any kaul family was involved in case. Rustam was our dealer in Jammu-Kashmir area and he was the best person whom I could rely for this work.

"Thik hain raghubhai... Main koushis karunga ki jald se jald sabkuch pata lag jayein!!" Rustam assured me.

"Aur haan rustam... aur ek baat... mai koo inn sab ke baein mein bhanak nahin parna chahiye..." I said firmly.

"Aap nahin bhi bata tee too bhi main koo kuch nahin bata ta raghubhai... Main kaal hi apne admion koo shrinagar bhej raha hoon." He said.

I cut the phone and looked towards antara's room again. I could see the lights on the window indicating her presence there.

I looked towards my watch and I needed to get ready. With a long breath I moved towards the stairs.

Chapter 46

Part Two

Antara's POV

"Mayank, just take care of those things I told you. Ok?!" I told holding the phone onto my ear. My hands were sweaty due to nervousness. I knew that I did my best to keep everything hidden but still the people with whom I was dueling were expert in finding needle out of straw heap. So I was remembering each and every detail and telling that to Mayank so that nothing could get into their hand.

"Antara you don't need to be worried. Each document about the incident is kept in utter secrecy by mr Pradhan and pappa. We won't even allow a flee to enter inside." Mayank assured from the other side.

" I know that really well mayank, I have full faith on cornel uncle and mr pradhan. But still..." I could feel a pang pf nervousness in my mind as raghu's determined face flashed in my memory, "I had to double check out on everything now. That guy... Raghu!!... He was having strong doubt on me. He told me that he wouldn't stop till he got to know everything about me. You don't know him mayank... As much as I observed him and knew him till the date, He could do anything he determined even if it is impossible."

"That's what I was afraid of for the whole time antara. I told you so many times before you take this dangerous reckless step to expose them on your own. Sooner or later they ought to get doubt on you and as much as I know them, their single doubt was enough to keep your life on stake. I wish if I could stop you antara... but u didn't listen to me at all. And now it's too late!" Mayank's anxious voice spoke from the other side of phone.

"The situation is still not worse yet mayank. Yes, he has doubt on me, but still that was not that huge to keep my life on risk. And I am trying my best to prevent that. That's what I called you cause I desperately need your help at the moment." I said holding my nerves and steadying myself. Getting nervous wouldn't make anything good.

"You know we will surely help you whenever u need, but antara if they try to harm you we won't be able to do anything instantly as we are far away." Mayank probed worriedly.

"Mayank, I know you all were worried for me, but you know really well that I don't have any other way rather than this. If you can't kill snake from outside you need to invoke inside its den! And now it's not time to think about the upcoming dangers. The time has finally come to confront them." I said in serious voice.

Mayank sighed from other side like defeated soldier, "I knew that very well... You won't back off!!... Seriously, god has sent you with all the stubbornness of this world." Even in that serious mode his word made me laugh a bit, "Now don't laugh and tell me if anything else I need to do?" he asked.

I thought for a moment and said, "Mayank, some strange people may reach to collage to know about me. Just inform aliya, amir and others that they should never open there mouth and state the same old story about the road accident which is known to the whole world. I am not worried if they get to know the info of my collage record because I made sure that it won't help them much. But you people know each and every secret about me and if they need to find the truth you people would be the best choice. Be careful from them!!" I warned.

"Fare enough antara... I will inform this to everyone. I am sure that no one will open there mouth even if you don't say." Mayank assured.

"And most important, please keep Ishan safe. I don't want them to find about him anyhow!! I know he is with you now. If possible hide him from all. But don't let him come in front of them!!..." my voice started to shake even thinking about the consequence if they got to know about Ishan, "Please mayank.. I only have him now... I can't afford to lose him!!" a slow sob came out from my mouth which I quickly suppressed.

"Antara!!... You ok naa?!!" Mayank asked in concerned voice.

"Yeah I am okk..." I somehow made myself normal again.

"Antara... I forget to tell you one thing..." suddenly mayank's voice become anxious, "You remember about Mr..." before mayank could continue I heard a footstep approaching.

"Mayank I would call you later..." I quickly cut the phone before listening to him.

I quickly settled myself on chair and found Mamu coming inside. Seeing me there he suddenly stopped on the doorstep and fixed his glasses. He looked so silent unusually.

"Oh Mamu, What's up?!" I asked getting up from bed.

"Antara I need to talk to you. Are you free now?!" He looked around carefully and stated in a comparably low voice than usual. I really felt suspicious on his behavior. He was behaving odd since afternoon. I remembered his serious face before going to dance practice.

"Off course Mamu, I am always free for you." I said with a smile to lighten the environment.

"I know that..." Mamu also smiled but his smile was not cheerful like usual it rather looked forced.

"What's wrong mamu?!" I couldn't stop myself to ask, "You don't look well! Anything serious?!" I asked with concern.

Mamu came inside the room and stood in front of me fixing his glasses. I knew this posture of him very well. When he was nervous and worried he always behaved like that.

"Well I am trying to talk about this since morning but didn't get the chance..." he said clearing his throat, "Don't get me wrong. It's not that I am angry on you for whatever happened. But I am just worried!" he said reluctantly.

I understood that he had come to know something which was related to me. I suddenly felt worried. Did he somehow come to know about the bomb blast?! I tried to make myself calm but still a cold wave rushed down my spine.

"Antara... I heard everything about this morning... what happened with satya..." he said looking straight towards my eyes.

I felt a bit relieved that at least he didn't come to know about bomb blast. But still the encounter between satya and me was not at all small secret to be ignored.

"So was that true? U did everything..." Mamu looked towards me expecting an answer.

"Yes... whatever you heard it's all true." I answered looking firmly to his face.

Mamu didn't answer anything but just smiled a little. "Well if it was about some other person, I wouldn't believe. But since I know my niece really well, I knew she could do the thing which is impossible to even think of others." Mamu stated.

I suddenly felt shameful and lowered my gaze, "I am sorry mamu!" I said grievingly. Mamu didn't answer yet, I couldn't meet his eyes at the moment. "Mamu, whatever I had done was not out of any wrong intensions. He was disturbing and throwing wrong comments on Ruksana. I just couldn't stand there silently and let him speak. I can tolerate anything mamu but not wrongdoing." I paused for a while to take a breath. I knew really well that even if I give the explanation and reason of my wrongdoings I couldn't neglect the mess I had done. "But I couldn't deny that I messed a big time. I didn't think for a single time that you all may be in danger for me. You live in Daya Naik's basti and she might affect you for that. She might throw you out of the basti..." My voice almost died as I said those words. Never in my bad dreams I wanted them to be in danger. Ishan and these people were the only family left for me. I always prayed to god that whatever might happen to me, they must be kept unharmed.

I didn't know how many obstacle I had to overcome, how many ordeals I had to face, but I had to keep them safe always.

"Yes, whatever you did was really reckless!" I heard mamu's voice after long, "But this is what makes you Antara Kaul. If Antara Kaul starts to lead a simple life ignoring each and every wrongdoing around her, we all will be surprised by then. Cause it's not at all normal for the girl who is known to take risk and come out thrashing all the danger like true winner always."

I popped up my eyes and looked up towards mamu instantly. He was looking towards me with a pleasant assuring smile. That kind of answer was totally unexpected from him.

"Mamu..." I couldn't tell anything more. I was totally shocked.

Mamu came forward and kept his hand on my top caressing my hairs lovingly. I smiled in satisfaction, feeling loved after long. This guy really surprised me like hell every time. Always fun loving, cracking jokes everytime, doing romance with saru darling but inside, he had more mettle than anyone could think of.

"Antara just let others speak a bit before you start your long speech every time okk?!" He said with a affectionate voice. I understood that I didn't even listen what he had to say and carry on my own speech.

"Sorry!!... Tell me now... I will listen without a single word." I promised.

"Antara! I would never tell you that you did wrong. Even I am happy that you defended your friend. I am happy that someone really gave them back the doze they needed to get long ago." Mamu's face suddenly turned serious. "Honestly saying Antara, we are leading a life of slave in this basti. I never wanted to come here knowing the environment but you know really well that in the time of crisis how hard it is to find a shelter and I had only option left in the hand, this house in one of the darkest place of Mumbai, Daya Naik'a basti..." Mamu stopped for a while as his face become hard. "We see everything, we know everything but we are unable to open our mouth or protest. If we do so, our dead body would be found on the next morning on street of basti. We can't even complain to police cause all the police forces and power of political community is in their hand. We have nothing to do rather than seeing their horrible did everyday and keeping our mouth shut despite of knowing that it's all wrong. You don't know antara what a suffocating situation is it to live here. Each and every moment we live with the fear of our death!" mamu paused again as I listened to his every word with patience.

"Since the very day, you broke satya's matki, I doubted that you had already enlisted in their dislike category. But Daya Naik is more than shrewd anyone would understand. She wouldn't take any action until it's needed badly. Antara you are worried about our safety but more than us you are in danger. I am worried for you more than anyone. I would protect you with my life. But I don't have strength to defend them.." mamu's voice broke at the moment. I felt for him. Any parents would feel helpless at the moment.

I hold mamu's palm and said, "Mamu, I know how much you are worried for all of us. But you don't have to worry for me. Even if they try to harm me, I am ready to handle the situation. I won't let them harm me, till I finish my job."

"Your job?!!" mamu caught that quickly.

"Yup... My job, establishing a comfortable life for Ishan and raise him the way pappa and momma wanted." I somehow diverted the topic.

"Antara I know really well that how jija ji ad didi brought you up. They gave you love and care but also built the iron inside you to face any situation. I have faith on your capability but you don't know this people antara. That lady Daya naik is literally the evil herself on the earth and her faithful man raghu, he could do anything on his mother's sign. Anything means anything..." mamu was really worried at the moment.

"I know really well mamu, I don't need to know more that how much destruction they can do. I already got to see that!" My voice turned low. The burning logs of the houseboat and those ashen bodies would haunt me for the whole life.

"what do you mean antara?" mamu asked in confusion.

"Nothing mamu... I know you are worried for me but u remember what pappa used to say. Believe in yourself and god will be with you on every step. I know I am doing the righteous thing and nothing would happen to me. The whole world knew about Daya Naik's power but Daya Naik doesn't know about me!!" mamu looked towards me with surprise.

" And I swear mamu, I won't let anything happen to you, mami and rhea. You trust me naa?!" I asked him expectantly.

Mamu smilled again and said, "You would never change, as stubborn as the little girl who scratched her whole body to get to the bird's on the top branch of that chinner tree. I still remember the moment!!"

I laughed a bit remembering the old childhood memory of me and also that ear pulling which mom gave me after that reckless effort.

"Prommise me another thing antara, you will take care of yourself. You won't do any reckless thing that will lead you to danger. When you messed with bhoja and kaluya on train me and saroj were so worried but didn't tell you anything as we all know that you are not an insane girl. You are strong enough to take care of yourself. But these people are much more dangerous..." Mamu said.

I suddenly remember the incident happened after that in the train when raghu saved me from the acid attack. Would he regret saving me after everything would be revealed?

"Ohh god what a hectic day..." Rhea's voice distracted us as she came back from her physics tuition and intrude inside the room like a hurricane, "Ohh god... I just wanna file a case against this newton guy!! Why he had to state his law on every topic!!" Rhea threw his bag on the side and crushed on the bed like she had returned after conquering the whole world. Me and mamu couldn't stop laughing seeing her state. I differed her big time in the matter. She utterly hated maths and physics while they were my most fav subjects on schooldays.

Raghu's POV

As soon as I came down from my jeep I saw the two loaded track standing on the dark area near the store room. I found some of our men there waiting for us. Jagiya noticed me and moved near me.

"Raghubhai, dono ke dono track load hoo gaye. Apun log sab aap hi kaa wait kar rahe hain. Abhi agey karna kya hain?!" he asked.

I looked towards the trucks again. I was still not convinced that why mai had to do such secrecy to transfer NGO's supplements like that. Well she was afraid that if the things would get into police departments hand the NGO kid might be deprived. But I somehow felt that it was such a lame reason. The commissioner guy Samsher Khan, he didn't look that cheap to do such works. Honesty was clearly visible from his every posture.

But also mai used to tell me that we can't judge man from outside. The person who looks so dumb can be the cleverest man on the world. She knew more than me and I didn't want to upset her anymore doubting on her decision. I already had done enough.

Shoving away my doubts I moved towards the tracks followed by jagiya.

"Driver kahan hain dono truck ke?!" I asked Jagiya standing in front of the track.

"bas abhi aa rahe hain..." Jagiya informed.

"Hmm... ek kaam kar. Bakio ko bhej de, bas to aur madhav rahega driver ke sath. Jitna kam log hoo utna acha hain." I told him.

Jagiya agreed and moved to tell others. I circled the trucks for some minute to check. As soon as I came towards back side, a known smell of sulfur reached inside my nose.

Gun Powder!!!! I could never miss that smell. I was damn sure that I smelled gun powder.

There was a small light on the backside area of the truck as I examined the ground I found some dusty things falling so close to the track's tire. I bend down and took some dust and smelled. No doubt it was nothing but gun powder and the way it was spread on the ground in looked like they had fallen from the inside of truck's load.

I suddenly felt a huge doubt in me again. If that gun powder had come from the inside of truck then... was really NGO's supplements were loaded there or something else?

I quickly moved near the truck to check on the loads then suddenly jagiya came there rushing interrupting me. "Bhai kaam hoo gaya..." he informed.

"Abey idhar gun powder kidhar se ayya?!" I asked him.

"arey bhai woo apun kee gun mein garbar tha... too idhar khare hoo ke thik kar raha tha.. tabhi gir gayi hogi..." he said.

Before I could ask more my phone rang. I peaked up the phone and mai asked me from other side that how long it would take for me to reach there. I informed him that I was about to start.

I got into jeep and informed the truck drivers to follow me. I started the engine and moved on the road. All the way that gun powder thing hovered into my mind. I didn't know why I was not convinced by Jagiya's explanation.