I'm so glad you guys like my fanfic - here's the third part:
Recap: Mukti tells Rishabh that they are going to do business with K.P Industries, and both she and Rishabh will go to Mumbai next week.
Part Three
K.P Industries; UD's office
"What? How is this possible? I told you clearly that there were to be no mistakes in this order – do you have any idea how hard I have worked to build this company up to this standard…and I will NOT let any idiot employee ruin that for me, you understand?"
The employee took a nervous step back, "I'm….s..s..sorry sir".
"Sorry? 'Sorry' doesn't cut it, ok?" UD snarled.
Debo placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered, "It's ok baby, calm down. We'll sort the problem out, ok?"
The employee saw his opportunity and ran out of the room. UD threw his hands up in the air and flopped back onto his seat. "Unbelievable! Can you believe the nerve of that guy? He's just a lowly employee, what the hell does he think of himself? Who gives these people permission to make decisions? Huh! What's that saying in Hindi? 'Kaam ke na kaaj ke, dushman anaaj ke'" he scoffed.
Debo rolled her eyes, "Chill UD, forget him. Here's something more interesting for you. A new project. A new, extremely profitable project".
"I'm listening".
"It's a hospital project. The company wants us to supply the materials and labour, in return for a percentage of the partnership. The name and majority rights will remain with that company, but we will get huge publicity from it, and of course, the percentage share will be in crores". She smiled.
UD thought about it for all of five seconds and then said, "What's the name of the company?"
"Crescent Group of Companies. One of the partners is Shaurya Nanda".
UD's ears pricked up at the mention of that name. "Shaurya Nanda? Of Nanda Empire?"
"Right. He co-owns this company with two other people. The entry in the appointment book is just under Crescent Group, but I have a strong feeling that it is one of the other partners coming. At any rate, I'm told that Shaurya Nanda is still in Singapore, working on Nanda Empire's latest project".
"Interesting. So, we finally get to meet one of the invisible partners….I'd like to take this meeting and project on myself…so don't send a minion….and make sure that the conference room is stocked with the best wines and spirits. We want to impress our would-be business partners, don't we darling?" he smirked.
One week later – Mumbai
Mukti and Rishabh stepped off the platform and into the waiting car. K.P Industries had been really hospitable all week, to the extent that a luxury car had been provided for them, and a lavish hotel booked for their week's stay. Mukti couldn't help but admire the irony of the situation; soon, the owners of K.P. Industries would know the true identity of Crescent Group, and the look on their faces would be therapy enough. For now, though, Mukti just basked in the sights and smells of amchi Mumbai, which she hadn't dared to visit since that failed visit to Bajaj House three years ago. She knew, that beside her, Rishabh too was reminiscing about days gone by, and that his thoughts were full of the things that had been left behind him – his beloved wife, his children, his old life. She did not want to turn in his direction, for fear of catching him unawares with tears in his eyes. Instead, she concentrated on her own remembrances, and found that the nature of hers wasn't entirely different to his.
Basu House
Prerna had read and re-read that letter thousands of times by now, trying to find a message, some indication of where he might have gone, but to no avail. Frustrated, she threw the letter on her bed and went towards the open window. Closing her eyes, she let the breeze wash over her face, still revelling in the freedom of it all. It had been hard to get used to free life again after those slow, enclosed five years, and even now she was sure she was dreaming. She could not fathom how all of this had happened, how five years had changed the course of her entire life. No, it wasn't time that had made the change; it was her own son, her 'Prem', which had given her nothing but pain. He was not Prem, her Prem had died many years ago and this, this was an impostor in the shape of her son, forever destined to remain UD. She cursed Komolika, for taking her son away; she cursed Aparna for raising him in her own spitting image; she cursed Anurag for letting him get away and she cursed herself, most of all, herself, for letting her motherhood fail. How could she blame anyone else when she herself had not been able to love him? The initial, blind, trusting love she had held for him had gradually given way to a forever suspicious, forever doubtful kind of love, and she had not even realised it. The hurt he had caused her was a result of the hurt she had caused him – she hated him for all her tears and pain, but, try as she might, she could not stop loving him. Even Mother India – the filmi counterpart that had lent her that name – even she loved her son till the very end, when she shot him with his rifle. She loved him and in spite of that love – or perhaps because of it – she had preferred to spill her own blood, if it meant that he would be stopped from spilling others'. Prerna wondered if it was every mother's lot to continue loving their child despite their child's refusals to accept them. She marvelled at the emotional capacity of a mother – so strong when it came to protecting her children against outside ills, and yet so weak when it came to defending her heart from her own childrens' blows.
Lost in her thoughts and with her eyes still resolutely closed, Prerna did not see the black car that had slowed past her window, nor did she see one of the blackened windows being lowered just a tiny fraction, and hurriedly being pushed back up again. However, despite her ignorance of the situation, Prerna did feel an extra burst of breeze, and the smell of jasmine wafting towards her, as if someone was calling her, and she smiled; for some unknown reason, in that moment, she was the happiest she had been in five years.
Mukti rolled the window back up quickly, she knew that Rishabh had noticed the exteriors of Basu House – but he was silent, and she did not like to pursue that subject. She didn't see anything through the barely opened window, but she was sure that if no one else, Anurag Uncle and his family were still in that house, and that was enough to make her avoid the subject – aware of the hurt and pain that opening those wounds would cause. Instead, she talked about mundane things – the weather, the hotel they were going to, the sights she was going to see; anything to keep his mind off this particular subject.
K.P. Industries – the next day
UD rushed around, making final arrangements for the arriving business party. He wanted to nail this contract in the very first meeting – Nanda Empire and Crescent Group were both very powerful and successful companies, and attaching his own name with theirs would mean an instant boost into the list of top-rated Indian companies in the world. Finally, he thought, after years of being treated like dirt, being used to further other peoples' means; finally he was getting his dues. And it was all thanks to that one decision he had taken five years ago – not to reveal Debo's true identity to the court, to let Prerna Bajaj go to jail for a crime she did not commit. There were occasions when he almost felt a pang of guilt for his actions, but over the years he had learnt to shut out that side of himself, and now those "attacks" were few and far between. Now, he was simply UD, who answered to no one and nothing but his own whims. Keeping Debo around had never been part of the plan, but the unexpected appearance of Komolika – his financial backer and strategist - had meant that he'd had to tolerate her just a while longer. No matter, after he closed this deal, he would cut Komolika and Debonita both loose like he should have done a long time ago. Unceremonious perhaps, but surely, not unexpected?
The ringing phone brought UD back to his senses, and he answered it with an impatient, "What?"
"Sir, the lady from Crescent Group of Companies is here. Should I send her to the conference room?"
Finally. "Yes, do that. Tell her I'll be there in five minutes". Hmm…lady? UD smiled. This could turn out to be very interesting.
As he walked towards the conference room, UD straightened his tie and smoothed his hair. For some reason, he was uncharacteristically nervous and as he opened the door to the conference room, he nearly stumbled on a stray piece of carpet. Smooth, UD, very smooth. Never mind, the woman had her back to him and was standing at the far end of the room, staring out of the window. He cleared his throat, and she turned around. As their eyes met, he felt as if he had fallen into a deep pit, and suddenly he couldn't breathe.
It was her. After all these years, after years of her haunting his dreams; after scores of attempts at trying – and failing – to get her out of his system and his life, she was standing here, in front of him, as real as she had been five years ago.
Basanti.
End of Part Three
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