Part 20
The next day- In Kundra Mansion
Balraj enters his side bar to gave some leisure time and finds Sikky sitting in his bar and drinking. He looked rather angry and upset. What has happened to Sikky now... and how dare he sit here and drink... Balraj thought to himself.
"Do you know you shouldn't be drinking at least in front of your father" Balraj says with a straight face.
"I might have apologised if I was in those senses..." Sikky says still concentrating on his drink.
"You mustnt drink that much then..." Balraj says glaring at his son's answer.
"Its not about the damn drink Dad... Have you ever seen what condition your son is in... I am drunk with fury" He replies with an angry face.
Balraj walks towards him and stands at a distance. "Over what. What happened to you...?"
"Thats the issue... you never seem to notice my problems... you never seem to see my emotions..." Sikky accuses him to which Balraj softens...
"Its nothing like that Sikky.. You are my son... How can I be oblivious to you..."
"Oh really... You remember I am your son... great... I thought that was long forgotten..."
"Why are you talking like that... What has come over you... I am your father... Everything I do is for you..." Balraj says as he tries to cool Sikky down.
"Hmmm... May be... but thats not enough... what you do is not enough... can you see my situation..."
"But what happened son..."
"Bhai...!" Sikky said disgusted.
"Rishabh... What did he do...?" Balraj gets conscious suddenly.
"What did he do... You need to ask me that... He is ruining everything... Dad... I am alsoo running a business... Damn I too have a social circle... Can you even imagine how humiliating it is when people see me as a damn looser and him as a role model... I work hard for my company too... But damn... He goes beyond everything and snatches away all the deals at the last moment... With this progress Dad... we will have to shut our business and sell popcorns on the road." Sikky says as if warning Balraj.
Balraj feels Sikky is in the same turmoil which he is going through. He comes to sit beside him and takes a glass.
"No Dad.. you dont drink... Stay sober... I want to share... I want to take it out..."
"okay son... all ears... I know Rishabh has been stooping too low in this stupid business rivalry."
"Business Rivalry... Really Dad... Is it???" Sikky raises an eyebrow at him inquiring.
Balraj suddenly gets nervous thinking if Sikky had come to know about him. "What else could it be...?"
"How would I know that... But he seems to be having a serious enmity... Do you know Dad... last project he took away from us... He underwent loss... what kind of business is that..."
Balraj gets relaxed thinking Sikky was just frustrated over Rishabh. "I know... He is getting crazy... God knows what has hapened to him."
"And to top it all, the mann has that attitude... Never does he ever talk to me properly. He sees my face and gets all screamy and furious... Like I have took away something from him when actually its the other way round... I go all Bhai Bhai over him but he has that furious face stuck on him as if he would kill me.. or burn me with those eyes... You know Dad... he has lost it... since Mohan uncle's death... he has become mad. I wish I could just... sheh... What the hell have I done to deserve this... and now that girl..." he gulps another drink down.
Balraj looks up at him suddenly interested. "Girl... who girl..."
"That Girl... She is with him all the time now..." Sikky says exasperated.
"What girl Sikky...?" Balraj gets restless to know details about his biggest enemy.
"His old classmate... and my senior... They used to be enemies back then.. but now it seems they cant breath without being together... she is all over the place... i mean his office.. she has joined as his PA. And Rishabh... He even insulted me in front of her. And she has such control over him.. she asked him to talk to me properly and HE DID... can you believe that... I wish He never existed in my life... I wish I could just erase him off from my life... Why..." Sikky gulped another sip down.
"I can understand son... I used to feel the same when Mohan was alive... but seems like Rishabh wont let me feel good even when he is no more." Balraj utters as he gets lost in Sikky's words echoing his own self when he was his age.
"Dont tell me Dad... " sikky says disgusted.
"By the way... Is this girl really important for Rishabh?... I mean are they in love or something...?"
"I told you na Dad... she is all over the place... all the office people talk about her being so nice... so good... there are rumours about them being a couple... I even heard Bittuji say that she has changed him... Huh... Change... My foot... Damn you Madhubala..."
The name echoed in Balraj's ears as if ringing bells. MADHUBALA!
"What... What did you say... ?" Balraj got anxious.
"Huh?!!" Sikky looked at him confused.
"Her name... name..." Balraj stammered not believing if what he thought could be correct.
"Madhubala... Madhubala Malik..."
"Is she Shamsher Malik's daughter?"
"Shamsher Malik??... Yeah... maybe... Dont remember much... Knew her in college... Yeah.. Shamsher was the name coz we used to call her Sherni coz of that... But how do you know him?"
MADHUBALA MALIK...!! Balraj got the shock of his life... How is that possible... In the whole wide world could he have come across only Madhubala Malik... He had killed Shamsher and his wife too... Balraj felt sweat appearing on hs forehead... He was getting nervous now. could it be Rishabh's plan... Could it be nature's way of giving it back to him. Will it really affect him..?
"Dad... what happened...? You look tensed... How do you know them..."
"I killed them" Balraj blurted in the fit of his own turmoiled head.
"WHAT...??!!" Sikky stood up shocked..
Balraj looked at him and he was as if shook out of his thoughts. "No... Nothing..."
"Tell me Dad...what have you done..."
" Nothng Sikky... just stay out of it.." Balraj says frustrated over himself for revealing the truth so stupidly. He stood up to walk out.
"No Dad... you can't go like thatt... I want to know... Rishabbh has been almost behind my life now... We on the verge of destruction because of him... And I need to know the answers..."
Balraj sighed as he realised that he has to tell him. Moreover Sikky hated Rishabh, so it wont be a problem. Sikky wants to erase Rishabh from his life too... Its not much of a difference between him and Sikky. And maybe then he would be able to know about this Madhubala and Rishabh more... He cant get involved in Rishabh because they are open enemies but he might get Sikky to enter Rishabh's life. He would be able to tighten Rishabh's whip.
"Okay... So... the thing is I killed them..." Balraj said without a sign of remorse as he turned back to Sikky.
"Killed who Dad..?" Sikky asks shocked...
"Mohan and Shamsher... and their wives..."
" But why??"
"Because I was the one working day and night and Mohan used to enjoy the fame... and he was going to give away the business to Rishabh... I couldnt see my hard work being wasted like that... Mohan was stupid and emotional... He trusted everyone so easily... haha... he had made a will... that untill Rishabh marries, his share will belong to me... and when Mohan decided to marry Rishabh after which his share would have transferred to him, he met Shamsher. And they both fixed Rishabh and Madhubala's marriage. So i decided to get off with them once and for all.. And own all the business..." Balraj confessed all his crime but their was no regret. Neither in his words nor his expression.
"Oh my god... I cant believe... so that is the reason Rishabh hates me..." Sikky said looking at his father in the eye.
" yes... now you go to him... you will somehow enter his life... take that Madhubala's help or something... and you will tell me what is happeneing around Rishabh... We will tie the noose on him now..." Balraj smiled evilly.
"Are you using me as a bait???"
"What... No... Its just a plan... we will have to get him... I cant afford to loose everything even after doing all that..." Balraj said looking determined and evilly at his son.
"Ahmm... okay..."
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Rishabh and Madhu were in the office. Rishabh was anxious and it seemed as if he was trying to divert his mind by working. But he couldnt work even. He just couldnt concentrate.
Sikky barges into Rishabh's cabin. He jerked at the sudden intrusion. On seeing Sikky he couldnt move. He just sat in his chair and looked at him anxiously. Sikky smiled at him "Its done..."
Rishabh stood up delighted. He looked at him expectantly, and exclaimed happily. "Really???!!!"
"Yes bhai... I have it..."
Rishabh picked up his phone immediately. "Madhu... Come here... Sikky has come..."
Madhu walked into his cabin immediately.
"Here it is Bhai... Check it..." Sikky handed over the a CD to Rishabh. Rishabh looked at the CD, he felt a strange feeling develop in him. He felt butterflies in his stomach. Madhu too looked at him anxiously.
"RK..."
" Haan..."
" play it..."
" yeah... right..."
Rishabh put it in his laptop. Madhu ran to his side to face the laptop screen. The CD played.
They saw Sikky sitting on the bar counter and Balraj entered. They could hear all the conversation. How Sikky accused Balraj of not being a good father, so he would listen to him and sympathise him. And how he bad mouthed Rishabh to win over Balraj's trust.
"
"Madhubala... Madhubala Malik..." Sikky said.
"Is she Shamsher Malik's daughter?"
"Shamsher Malik??... Yeah... maybe... Dont remember much... Knew her in college... Yeah.. Shamsher was the name coz we used to call her Sherni coz of that... But how do you know him?"
"Dad... what happened...? You look tensed... How do you know them..."
"I killed them" Balraj blurted in the fit of his own turmoiled head.
"WHAT...??!!" Sikky stood up shocked..
Balraj looked at him and he was as if shook out of his thoughts. "No... Nothing..."
"Tell me Dad...what have you done..."
"Mohan and Shamsher... and their wives..."
" But why??"
"Because I was the one working day and night and Mohan used to enjoy the fame... and he was going to give away the business to Rishabh... I couldnt see my hard work being wasted like that... Mohan was stupid and emotional... He trusted everyone so easily... haha... he had made a will... that untill Rishabh marries, his share will belong to me... and when Mohan decided to marry Rishabh after which his share would have transferred to him, he met Shamsher. And they both fixed Rishabh and Madhubala's marriage. So i decided to get off with them once and for all.. And own all the business.." Balraj confessed all his crime but there was no regret. Neither in his words nor his expression.
"Oh my god... I cant believe... so that is the reason Rishabh hates me..." Sikky said looking at his father in the eye.
" yes... now you go to him... you will somehow enter his life... take that Madhubala's help or something... and you will tell me what is happeneing around Rishabh... We will tie the noose on him now..." Balraj smiled evilly.
"Are you using me as a bait???"
"
Rishabh was struck with a strange feeling. He was happy, he had tears, he was close to his destination at last. He couldnt believe it.
While Madhu fell on Rishabh's chair which was behind her. She couldnt believe it was all true. Not that she didnt believe RK but now hearing Balraj she felt what it exactly meant. She couldnt believe how Balraj talked about her parents. She was blank. Balraj's words were echoing in her head. A tear fell from her eyes when she remembered her father's condition because of Balraj. Though he was present with her but his presence was just for the name sake. It was as if now she had understood what had happened to her and her famiy, and all because of this Balraj who doesnt have an ounce of remorse in him.
Sikky saw Madhu's condition. He sat beside her onthe floor. "Mam... are you okay... please control yourself... Its not the time for crying now... that time is gone now..."
"Sikky... "
He turned to see Rishabh amd stood up. Rishabh hugged him tightly, this time not stopping his emotions. He felt a tear rolling down his eyes. "Thanks brother... "
"You dont need to bhai... Now we wil set everything straight..."
Madhu looked at them and seeing them hugging like that, she felt a strength arisiing in herself. They parted away.
"I cant tell you bhai... How agitated I felt when he was utering all that. But then your words were echoing in my ears and I controlled myself."
Flashback
Rishabh and Sikky were standing in Rishabh's room. "Sikky... can I trust you with this... i know i have behaved very rudely with you all these days... and i apologize for that "
"I know Bhai... I can understand... what to talk of you... even I am hating myself for being the son of the man who killed his brother, destroyed his own family."
"Dont feel that Sikky... but help me with this... I can wait no more to teach him his lesson... I can no more stand his smiling face... " Rishabh said with an angry expression.
"I will do whatever I have to... Just tell me what is to be done..."
Rishabh tells him his plan... and explains to him everything.
" Remember Sikky... I can afford no mistake... I am trusting you on this... Just one mistake and it will all go wrong"
"There will be no mistake..."
" even if he says something to agitate you, to check you... but dont show him that you dont think like him..."
"I understand Bhai..."
Flashback ends
"Thank you sikky... You really helped us a lot..." Madhu tells him teary eyed.
"Dont think like that... Havent you seen that man... even after everything, after loosing all his family... after all this... did you see how he tried to use me... He wants to use his own son for his benefits... He has no value for relations... I cant believe he is my father..." Sikky says as he felt tears developing in his eyes.
" He is going to taste the grain that he sowed... All the pain that he has given us will be returned to him... That too with Interest... "
Rishabh looked at the two determined.
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Thank you all for liking the story so much... I reached 20th part... Love you all... 😳