IshVeer FF: La Douleur Exquise | Chapter 5 (Page 13) - Page 5

Originally posted by: mafaaza12

Salaam girls.

What can I say!!!!👏👏

The way of writing itself pull me towards this FF

Even though its dark one. Mmm yes, dark luv story isnt my cup of tea. But hope I stick to this one.😳

Originally posted by: Lovemyself...

Hi niki...EH...

So firstly I m not the person who preferes dark story...
It's not my cup of tea as I m too sensitive for it...

Bt if I say truly I can't resist myself from reading this after teaser ...

Ok... so it was little confusing for me..
Who is the grandfather ? (Ranveer?
He can be as story is dark)

I know I have to wait for that...
😛

Description about surroundings was really amazed me ...

Little ishani...
Ohk... so she wants to hear story from grandfather that also of prince,princess & dragon...

& story begins wid mansion...
( I guess story will be a flashback...
Total my guess... don't throw anything on me for that 😉 )

Do pm me next time whenever you update...

Thnk u for pm...

Originally posted by: life_is_fun

Excellent prologue dear..👏👏

lil Ishani is so cute.. and so is her bonding with her grand pa..😛

I guess, the story will be a narration from Ranveer..😊

Beautifully written ...😳

Wondering what wud have happened .. 😭

Will be looking forward to have the answers... 😊

Originally posted by: Metamorphosis

Let mystery thrive for a while and then unfold it gradually. That's fun. ;)

Thank you so much. Writing little Ishani is going to be fun as well whenever she manages to disturb her grandpa. Poor old man is going to have bit hard time in narrating everything with little Ishani questioning everything around. xD Thank you once again, Effulgent, for the lovely review. Will be updating the next chapter soon. :)

Originally posted by: robal

Very well written, beautiful start. Looking forward to reading more...it's very interesting. Thanks so much.

Hi, all! Here's the next chapter.

Chapter 1: Lost

Immediately hard hands clasped her upper arms and dragged her out to the exit of the office. She stumbled out and fell to the ground as she was pushed out none too gently.

The gravel met her mouth as she stayed there lying limply.

She came to her senses in a while as her feet staggered in a rude attempt to stand up on her feet. Grief grappled her heart tightly as her helplessly reproachful eyes wandered one more time towards the tall building from where she had so mercilessly been thrown away. She gulped for air and finally stood up, wiping her generously falling tears.

Her vision was blurred by the constant gushing of tears and her heart felt heavy. She wiped the drops of tears away one last time and made her way towards the highway, the howling voices of the bustling vehicles engendered her vicious calamity. She walked slowly and silently while her thoughts returned back to the day Mr. Raghav Saxena, her father's trustworthy lawyer as well as a close friend, had turned up with the most saddening news in the history of the Parekh family.

"I'm sorry," he had said, looking at her mournfully, "but it's inevitable, and we cannot save the Parekh Mansion anymore."

There were murmurs and gasps of shock and disconsolation from the family members and ashen faces gaped at the lawyer helplessly. Baa had burst into countless fits of tears, clamping herself on the wall she stood nearby and pressing her hands tightly on the shoulder of her son who sat there as stupefied as everyone else.

"But there can be something for sure?" she had said, despair trickling through her eyes.

The lawyer shook his large head. "I'm sorry, Baa. But we have tried our best."

Baa had pleaded him for the next many minutes but it had gone unheard by him.

"Ishani, can't you do anything more? Anything?" Baa had asked her desperately but as she had lowered her head, Baa had gained the idea that truly it was the end. The little pittance left in their accounts could not help them anymore when the battle was against the giants of the Dalal Street.

Ishani sobbed as a car passing by snapped her out of her thoughts and she realized she was somewhere near Marine Drive, for amongst the grisly smell of the vehicles on the highway, a tender scent of salty sea reached her nostrils. It had been nearly half an hour since she last lost herself and she had not yet found her way out.

Her thoughts were abruptly daunted by the memory of one person. She quickly dialed the mobile number as she cursed herself for having forgotten his name when he was the only one who could help her.

"Hello," the voice of a woman from another side spoke.

"Hello," Ishani started nervously. "Can I talk to Chirag Mehta?"

"He's busy in a meeting," the woman answered in a professional tone.

"Can you please inform him it's Ishani Parekh wanting to contact him?"

"I'm sorry. Ma'am, but he has given us special orders not to disturb him for the next few hours."

Ishani could hear a quiet laugher from the other side, but wondered if it was her own mind playing tricks with her.

"How long do you suppose it will take him?"

"I can't say anything."

The morning had turned into noon and noon into the evening but Ishani could not muster courage to face her family after her final attempt had been futile and she could only answer them what Mr. Raghav had said. She had spent her entire day pondering over the events of the next day and how they were to affect the rest of her life. She saw the sun go down, its golden ripples spreading before her eyes. She sat on a bench in the garden in front of the office where once stood her father's business and workers equipped the entire place but now it had been evacuated and loneliness wound itself about it languidly.

A clinking sound broke her thoughts' sequence and she was back in reality. Her phone rang next to her and on picking up a familiar voice spoke.

"Hey, babes!"

"Chirag!" Ishani exclaimed, as though she was suddenly bestowed with all the hopes in the world. "Where have you been?"

"I'm so sorry, Ishani," Chirag said. "I was busy with some important clients. How is everything going on?"

"It's tomorrow, you know that," Ishani said gravely. "Bidding will start at 11.30 in the morning."

Chirag gasped but fell silent. "I'm so sorry," he said at length. "I tried my best."

"I know- I know, Chirag," Ishani said hurriedly, wiping her tears. She was always fearful he would misunderstand her.

"Do you want to try one last time, Ishani? If I ask you to see someone who might help you through it?"

Ishani nodded. "Yes, yes!"

"Well, I have a friend, Nikhil Dixit. He was doing his internship in law in Boston when I was there. He has returned 2 weeks ago. I'm sure he will help you as he showed his interest in your father's case as soon as he returned. Should I come over there to drop you at his office?"

Ishani's face was lightened up with a hope that seemed impossible to attain until a few minutes ago. "No, no. Just give me his address, and I myself will see him," Ishani said excitedly.

"Alright. I will text that to you right away and inform him you are coming there in an hour," Chirag said.

"Thank you," Ishani said, and before she could disconnect the call, she heard Chirag say "I love you" on the phone. "I love you, too," she replied softly, and smiled.

"May I come in?" Ishani said as she stood on the entrance of Mr. Nikhil's office.

"Come in," he said, his eyes fixed on a file in his hands.

Ishani nervously walked upto him. "Mr. Nikhil Dixit, I- I was informed by Chirag Mehta about you... Actually, I'm Ishani Parekh and I need your help."

"You are Ishani Parekh?" the lawyer said, squinting his eyes as if remembering something. Ishani nodded. "Please sit."

"I think you understand the case and cause I'm here for," Ishani said, as she sat on the chair before him, her hands on the desk. "Auction of the Parekh Mansion is tomorrow, and I want to know if we can do anything... just anything? You're the last hope I'm relying on."

The lawyer raised his eyebrows and then rested them back. He sighed. "Look, Miss Parekh. It's one case I will never take for my own sanity as well as reputation as a newcomer in this field. Forget me; no one with the tiniest of the common sense is ever going to fight this already lost case for you."

"But..."

"Don't you realize the loan your company has had to pay as well as the legal actions that are to be taken against it? Your company's been exploiting the rights of the Dalal Streets since last 15 months. No one is ever going to bother with this. Let it go."

"No, but, listen to me first..." Ishani began was cut short by him again.

"No, buts, Miss Ishani. I hope I have made myself and my reasons clear already. You may leave now."

"What on earth is wrong with you?" Ishani retorted, standing up. "Have you really tried reading the case in the first place? Have you really bothered with it formally to pass your damn judgments? Or you're one of those geniuses that keep all the knowledge of the whole world beforehand and when the time comes they rub it over others' faces so that they can pretend to be smarter than they are?"

"You're crossing your limits. It's not your father's office. Get the hell out of here!" the lawyer screeched, depravity clearly visible on his face. "You can't force me to take a case and make me dance on your fingers. Get out, or there are better ways to make you do that." The colour of the lawyer's eyes changed and a grim smile passed through his lips, as he took a step closer to Ishani. Ishani moved backward, her feet automatically leading her out of the room.

It was futile once again. She indeed couldn't force anyone to fight a case for them.

"That's like a good boy." The back door of the office cabin opened gently and a man in black emerged out of it. "I'm proud of you, Nikhil. You acted well, and if it was in my own hands, I would have awarded you with an Academy Award!"

Nikhil turned to look at the man and smiled. "I did as you asked me to," he said grimly.

"I have your reward ready." The man handed him over a white packet.

Nikhil fidgeted the packet in his hands as though to make sure it had what he was promised with. "I assume it's not the complete amount." He sharply looked at the man.

"No need to worry about that," the man laughed lightly, clearly trying to keep his temper composed that he was losing now. "You will have your overdue payment as soon as the work is finished."

Nikhil's features softened a bit. "I hope it will not take longer."

"Shoot me in my head if it does."

The night grew deeper, diamond like stars gleaming brilliantly in the canvas of the black sky. Her hopes had been reduced to the ashes, while the day all the priceless things of her life will be relinquished drew enormously nearer. Her heart clenched painfully in her chest at the sight of her flat that had her room's lights left alight even now. Her mother wouldn't have slept yet, she felt. Ishani wiped her tears and moved ahead when her eyes fell on an anxious looking Prateek who just had exited the flat.

"Prateek," she cried out. He turned back, and at her sight, he ran swiftly towards her.

"Ishani," Prateek said breathlessly, "where had you been? Falguni Mami was so worried about you!"

Ishani smiled sadly, and looked away.

"Ishani, we understand. We understand everything you have done for us. Now, come on, let's go."

Ishani followed Prateek to the flat. He lightly opened door and let her in. "I'll get you something to eat."

"Where's Maa?"

"She's asleep in her room."

Ishani nodded. "I'll be back in a while," she said and left to see her mother but a harsh voice made her halt in her tracks.

"Where have you been the whole day?" Ishani saw Baa standing behind her, her tyrant eyes glaring through her wrinkled face. Ishani cowered lightly.

"B-Baa, I-I had been to see- if- if someone could help us."

"What did you find?"

Ishani looked down, fidgeting the border of her dupatta.

"I knew it! You're as useless as your mother that's sucking our blood," Baa chastised. "Neither of you have done anything when this family needed you the most and nor in the past when my son-"

"Baa, please," Ishani interrupted. "It isn't Maa's fault. What happened in the past couldn't have been avoided."

"You want to say it's our fault? My family that's been feeding you both is wrong?" Baa widened her eyes in exasperation.

"No, I don't mean it. Maa couldn't have been there on time and-"

"Yes, she needed to look after her own life, didn't she?"

"What is happening here?" Falguni said, coming out of her room, and glaring at Baa.

"Here comes your mother!" Baa jeered at Ishani.

"Ishani, come," Falguni said, ignoring Baa and took Ishani's hand in hers when her expressions turned to those of shock. "What is this?"

Ishani retreated her hand back and smiled at her mother. "It's- It's just a bruise. It'll be fine," Ishani said, trying to sound convincing but failed. Tiresome day had cost more than just courage and sanity.

"It's bleeding, Ishani," Falguni said and applied the antiseptic on the wound that now contained the traces of the dried out blood. "It'll be fine now." Falguni smiled.

"Thank you," Ishani said. "I want to sleep." She put her head in her mother's lap, while Falguni caressed her daughter's head softly, tucking the strands of her hair back in place.

In a few minutes, Ishani felt her mother leaving her as she closed her tightly so that she would know of her sleeplessness. Ishani sat up, her eyes gaping aimlessly in the dark room while an old memory tugged at her heart, stronger than any she remembered. Sleep did not come over her and she came to the terrace, the sultry air of September caressed her face and lingered there. Her eyes were closed as a couple of drops of tears escaped her eyes. She couldn't do this anymore. The pretense of being so strong since last 3 years had now ruptured. All she hoped was to be held by someone who would never leave her alone. Without whom the darkness wouldn't look too treacherous and rays of the sun wouldn't sting.

"The alleyway leading to the flat of the Parekhs is covered in darkness. I stand nearby the window she sobs lightly, and prayers are silently sent to the heaven through her tears. She looks up in the sky and it can be seen she expects a miracle to happen. However, she understands it's unlikely and her eyes feel swollen. There are the odds she would never win against. She isn't made to fight the lost, but so much else. If I were her... I would have let it all go she is sacrificing her life for."