Raj makes Neha sit down in front of him and pulls a chair to face her. She looks at him steadily, with a hint of defiance.
Neha: Raj, agar aap ko lagta hai ki main apne husband ki maut se khush hoon, toh aap bilkul galat samajh rahe hain……jo haadsa unke saath hua, usse yaad karke ab bhi mera dil kaanp uthta hai….
Raj nods understandingly.
Neha: Raj, jo baatein main aapko batane ja rahi hoon, wo aap kisi se mat kahiyega……(sighs) pata nahin main aapko bhi yeh sab kyun keh rahi hoon…..bas, dil ka bojh thoda halka ho jayega…..
Raj: Neha, main tumhe force nahin karunga….par main iss maamle ki the tak pahunchna chahta hun….agar mujh par bharosa hai, toh mujhe sab kuch bata do….
Neha : (nodding) Mujhe aap par poora bharosa hai…(pauses)……main apne husband ki maut se disturbed thi, lekin yeh bhi sach hai, ki hamari shaadi mein zyada khushi nahin thi…..main sirf 19 saal ki thi jab meri shaadi hui…..mere maa-baap guzar chuke the, aur mere chachaji ke upar meri zimmedaari aa gayi thi……aur wo iss zimmedaari se jald-se-jald azaad hona chahte the….
A painful expression crosses her face. Raj looks sympathetically at her.
Neha: ……issliye, unhone mujhse 15 saal bade adami se meri shaadi kara di… (grimly) aur main, Mrs. Anuj Shastri ban gayi……..mere husband ki aur meri soch kabhi nahin mili….wo kissi bhi tareeke se bahut saara paisa kamaana chahte the…..Nainital mein unka chota sa hotel tha, jisse hamara ghar aaraam se chalta tha…..lekin wo raaton-raat ameer hona chahte the…..mere samjhaane ke baad bhi, wo paisa kamaane se naye-naye tareeke dhoondte rehte….
Raj: (intently) Toh kya…..unhe aisa koi tareeka mila…?
Neha gives him a quick, almost guilty glance, then continues:
"Haan……unki zindagi mein ek shaqs aaya, jisne unhe bade-bade sapne dikhaaye…..apne galat kaamon mein unki madad ki badle mein unhe ameer banana ka waada kiya…….aur wo shaqs tha: CJ !!"
Raj nearly jumps from his seat. "CJ…….CJ???? That's it! Mera shaq…yakeen mein badal raha hai…..phir kya hua Neha? Kya kaam karvaya CJ ne tumhaare husband se?"
Neha shudders. "Bahut kuch…..sab gair-kanooni…unke hotel mein Cj ke dost aake rehte the…….mere husband ne mujhe pata chalne nahin diya, lekin mujhe shaq hai ki wo log smuggling ka maal hotel mein rakhvaate the……aur ek baar maine unme se ek ko kissi "bhai" se phone pe baat karte hue bhi suna……(puts her hands to her forehead)…bahut kuch tha jo mujhe sataa raha tha, lekin….saaf-saaf kuch nahin jaan payi….."
Raj: Neha……kya yahi sab tha…ya kuch aur bhi?
Neha looks at him for a moment. There is an expression of terror in her eyes. He is completely taken aback.
Raj: Neha, kya baat hai….aakhir kya hua?
Neha gets up and walks to the other end of the room. Her voice is shaky as she barely whispers the next words:
"Uss manhoos hotel mein, sirf smuggling nahin hoti thi……wahaan ek bhayaanak haadsa bhi hua tha…..jisse mujhse chupaane ki koshish ki gayi, lekin chup nahin paaya….aur wo haadsa aaj bhi mujhe chain se jeene nahin deta….."
Raj stares at her in amazement.
Monday: Neha tells Raj the truth…
Financial markets and global economy
Book Talk
Aami Daakini
