Raj and Neha are both unable to speak for a few moments, as the weight of the terrible secret hangs between them. Then Neha speaks, avoiding Raj's appalled gaze. The terror is gone from her voice now, which hangs listlessly as it very, very tired.
"Usske baad…..mere hosh udd gaye. Mujhe bas itna yaad hai ki main kisi tarah apne kamre mein waapas pahunchi, aur bistar par let gayi. Uske baad mujh par behoshi chhane lagi. Kuch der tak main ussi haalat mein rahi. Phir……mujhe bahut zor se labour pains hone lage…….aisa lag raha tha, ki main maut ho jayegi…….."
Raj gazes sympathetically at her.
Neha: Jab dard bardaasht nahin hua toh main zor se chilaayi….meri cheekh sun kar Anuj kamre mein daud kar aaye……unki shakl se aisa lag raha tha, jaise unhone koi bhoot dekha ho….lekin meri haalat dekh kar unhone fauran hospital phone kiya…..mera premature labour hua tha……kuch ghnato baad, Nikki paida hui……
She gives a great sigh, as if releasing a great storm from her heart.
Raj now asks, tentatively, "Phir….uske baad…..kya tumne police ko bataya ki kya hua tha?"
Neha looks at him with all the burden of unspoken guilt. "Nahin…….Anuj ki haalat bahut hi kharaab thi….jab maine unhe bataya ki mujhe sab pata hai, toh unke hosh udd gaye…..unhone mujhse kaha ki agar hum kisi ko kuch bhi batayenge, toh CJ hum sabko khatam kar dega…hamari bachchi ko bhi……." She trembles like a leaf. "Main Anuj se phir bhi sach bolne ko kehti rahi…..par unhone mujhse haath jod kar kaha ki agar main iss bar unhe maaf kar dun, toh wo CJ se har rishta tod denge…….aakhir maine haan kar di…." She hangs her head.
Raj: (gently) Main tumhari pareshaani samajh sakta hun…..lekin ek baat batao…..kya tumhe pata chala ki wo adami kaun tha, jisse CJ ne maar dala?
Neha shakes her head. "Mujhe aaj tak wo baat nahin pata chal paayi…..CJ ne uske baad kya kiya, apne jurm ko kaise chupaya, mujhe kuch nahin pata….lekin uske baad wo Nainital se chala gaya….aur pehli baar, hum log chain se rehna lage…..Nikki, Anuj aur main……lekin ye waqt bhi zyada der nahin raha……Nikki jab 3 saal kit hi, toh pata chala ki usse cancer hai……uska ilaaj sirf Mumbai mein ho sakta tha…issliye hum log Mumbai aa gaye…..lekin Anuj ne apne Nainital ke hotel ko nahin choda……"
"Main Mumbai mein hi thi…..issliye mujhe yeh jaanne mein kai mahine lag gaye ki CJ India waapas aa gaya hai…..aur Mumbai mein rehta hai….maine Anuj se saaf-saaf keh diya ki wo CJ se koi waasta na rakhe….lekin……..Nikki ke ilaaj ka kharch badhta hi ja raha tha……issliye jab CJ ne Anuj ko phir se contact kiya, toh wo phir laalach mein aa gaye…..aur apne hotel mein usse phir jagah de di….!"
"Anuj unn dino bahut sharaab pine lag gaye the….meri koi baat nahin maante the…issliye jab maine unhe CJ se na milne ko kaha, toh unhone meri ek na suni…..aur CJ ko apne hotel ka phir se istemaal karne diya….ek ghinaune kaam ke liye….."
Raj: (grimly) Aur iss kaam ka sambandh….Jassi aur Armaan se tha…..??
Neha: (nodding sadly) Mujhe ye sab bahut baad mein pata chala……mujhe khud par bahut sharm aayi, ki mere pati ke kaaran, ek masoom ladki ki zindagi barbaad ho gayi…..lekin tab tak main kuch nahin kar sakti thi……kyunki uske theek baad, Anuj ki maut ho gayi….!
Raj: Neha…mujhe theek se batao…uss raat kya hua tha?
Neha: Uss raat….Anuj bahut nashe mein the…..aur bahut gusse mein bhi……unhone mujhe bataya ki iss kaam ke liye CJ ne unhe 50 lakh dene ka waada kiya tha…..lekin diye sirf 10 lakh……wo kehna lage ki wo CJ ke ghar ja rahe hai……aur agar usne unhe baaki ke paise nahin diye, toh wo Armaan ko saari baat ja kar bata denge….maine unhe rokne ki bahut koshish ki, lekin wo chale gaye…….
Pata nahin kyun, mujhe laga ki wo aakhri baar iss ghar se ja rahe hai……main Nikki ko dekhne hospital gayi, tabhi mujhe pata chala……ki unka….unka khoon ho gaya hai…..lekin main kuch nahin kar payi…kyunki meri beti ko meri zaroorat thi…..(bursts into tears)
Lekin jab mujhe paat chala ki Jassi ko mere husband ke khoon mein phasaya ja raha hai, toh main khud ko rok nahin payi….aur Adalat ke saamne aa kar sab sach bata diya……utna sach, jitna main bataane ki himmat rakhti thi……..lekin aaj bhi mujhe reh-reh kar uss haadse ki yaad aati hai……..ab aap samajh sakte hain ki main kyun apne pati ke saath kush nahin thi…..aur unki maut se, mujhe dukh toh hua, lekin raahat bhi mili….ki meri beti se unke jurmon ka saaya hamesha ke liye hat gaya hai……
She breaks down and collapses, sobbing, into Raj arms. He holds her tenderly, comfortingly. But his face his serious. As he looks up, his thoughts echo—
"Kya yeh ho sakta hai ki……CJ ne hi Anuj Shastri ka khoon kiya ho?"
Tomorrow: Raj tries to talk to Armaan
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