Chapter 26 - The Devil in Disguise
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Meher walked quickly towards her apartment, carrying several bags of groceries. She had stopped by the market and picked up some things, in case Gaytri aunty would want to stop by for dinner. Why hadn't Preet called her yet? She wondered. She put the groceries down in front of her door and was fishing around in her purse for her keys, when she noticed her door was slighty ajar. Had someone broken into her place? But the door did not look damaged. Had she forgotten to close it properly last night? Not likely. Preet had the spare key to her place. Maybe he was inside. I hope Romeo didn't get out by mistake.
Meher carefully opened her door and peered inside the apartment, but saw no one. Leaving her door wide open, she took small cautious steps inside, and surveyed the place further. Everything seemed to be in order. Just then she heard voices coming from inside her bedroom. Meher quickly ran over to the small coats closet near the entrance, and took out her bat. She then tiptoed over to her bedroom door and with her bat raised, stood outside ready to pummel whoever it was about to come out.
Just then a short man in overalls stepped out. "Ah!!" he screamed as he ducked the bat Meher had just swung at him. "Ms. Maan! What do you think you're doing??!"
"Mr. Mehta! You scared me!" Meher cried. She exhaled a sigh of relief in seeing that the intruder had been none other than her building manager.
"I scared you? You scared me!" Mr. Mehta cried, as he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the perspiration from his forehead.
"Mr. Mehta, what were you doing inside my apartment?" Meher asked.
"The electrician was in the building making some repairs. You remember you complained about a week ago that the ceiling fan in your bedroom was not working? You weren't home, but the weather is getting warmer and I didn't want him to leave without fixing it, so I brought him over and let him in. I hope you don't mind", Mr. Metha said apologetically. "I did try to call you, but you didn't answer the phone".
Oh, thought Meher, slightly relieved. So it was Mr. Mehta that was calling me this morning. "No, I guess it's alright", she said. "And I'm sorry about the bat. But I thought someone had broken into my place".
"Heh heh...its okay ji. No harm done", Mr. Mehta chuckled nervously. "Uh...I have to run down to 309. The plumber is down there fixing a leak. The electrician should be done in about half-an-hour. Just send him down to my office then".
"Okay", smiled Meher, as she saw Mr. Mehta walk out.
Just then Romeo came running towards her.
"Hello Romeo", she said as she picked up the cat and hugged it. "Did you miss me? I'm sorry I didn't come home last night. Well, actually I was with Preet, so I'm not exactly sorry, but I hope you didn't finish all the food in your bowl". She put her pet down remembering she had left her bags of groceries outside. "Wait here", she said, as she got her bags and carried them into the kitchen. "You've been a good boy haven't you? Because I picked up a treat for you at the market".
"Hello Meher", a cold voice suddenly called out from behind her.
Meher fought against the boneless feeling invading her body at the sound of the familiar voice. She turned around slowly hoping against hope that she was wrong about whom it belonged to, but she wasn't. "Viren?" she whispered.
Dressed in an electrician's work clothes and a smirk on his face, Viren was standing just outside the kitchen. He had picked up Romeo and was slowly and deliberately petting the small animal struggling to escape the unfamiliar gloved hands. "I said Hello Meher", he repeated his greeting.
Meher swallowed hard as her gaze went past Viren and towards her front door.
"Na-ha! Don't even think about it", he warned. "You try and make a run for it and I'll tackle you before you make it even half way to the door. Not that I would mind rolling around on the floor with you, but you may just not like it as much".
"What are you doing here Viren?" Meher asked.
"Oh come on Meher. We're old friends meeting after what seems like ages. Aren't you going to ask me to sit down?"
"No", said Meher. "I don't want anything to do with you. Just get out...or I'll call the police...and..."
"And have them charge me for what?" Chuckled Viren. "Attempting to repair a ceiling fan? Come. You and I need to have a little talk".
Meher reluctantly followed Viren into the living room, and watched as he removed his cap and work gloves, took a seat, and looked around.
"Nice place you've got here", Viren remarked, as he sat on the edge of the sofa and rubbed his stubble absentmindedly. His face looked haggard, pale and unkempt, as if he hadn't slept properly for weeks.
"Cut the small talk. I don't know how you found me", said Meher. "But you had better leave". She noted a quiver in her voice, but hoped he had not.
"I missed you too", scoffed Viren. "More than you can imagine".
"Look", said Meher. "I don't want any trouble. I've moved on in my life and you should too".
"I'm afraid I can't do that Meher", said Viren. "If you recall, my dearly departed father has sealed our fate and bound us together".
"I'm sorry about Mr. Kashyap, but I also don't want anything to do with you or his will", said Meher. "So I ask you once again to just leave".
"Didn't we just have this argument?" said Viren. "You don't want me here. Too bad. I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere. Not after all the effort I put in trying to find you. You did a damn good job of hiding, by the way".
"How? How did you find me?" mumbled Meher.
"See...I knew you'd be interested in what I had to say", remarked Viren. "After the buffoons I sent to find you lost track of you at the train station, I spent countless days hounding your uncle and your stupid friend Maya, for any information they might have of your whereabouts. But nothing turned up. They were either protecting you or really didn't know anything. I couldn't afford to wait and find out.
So I had my men search every city all the trains leaving the platform that night had headed to, even Mumbai, with no luck. Your name didn't turn up in any of the registers of any of the hotels, shelters, residences...nothing.
I had piled up gambling debts, and owed money to some other very nasty parties. I took out more loans to pay off previous ones, but I was barely able to cover the interest that had accumulated. My creditors had only increased in number, and they were beginning to threaten me. There was only one solution...get back into my father's good books by having you at my side. But it seemed as if you had just disappeared into thin air.
My father was on a tour of his companies. I went to him and pleaded to his sense of decency and love for my dead mother. I begged for him to reinstate my weekly allowance even if he wasn't willing to amend his will. He was hesitant but began to soften at my promises of reformation.
But call it my bad luck that he walked into my hotel room one night unannounced while I was making a deal...for drugs. Needless to say my father was furious. He said I couldn't be trusted, and turned against me with renewed enthusiasm. He said he would hold a meeting with his lawyer Mr. Bedi, and make sure I'd never see a penny of his money...ever.
I knew right then and there that I could never let him get back home. It's amazing what a little toying with the plane's engine can do".
"Oh my God", said Meher as she put her hand to her mouth. "You killed Mr. Kashyap?!"
"It was engine trouble", said Viren.
"You're a murderer!" cried Meher.
"They'll never be able to prove it", cried Viren. "If only he would have listened to me. It didn't make a difference anyway. When I got back to Delhi, I contacted Mr. Bedi, but he said he'd only conduct a reading of my father's will if you were there.
I was back to square one.
I went back to my apartment. Thugs sent by my various creditors were waiting for me. They had wrecked the place and taken anything of significant value. They also broke both of my legs, and promised to return and finish the job if I didn't cough up the money I owed to their bosses. I had no where to go and no one to turn to. Friends...people who had partied and hung around with me when I had money, suddenly refused to acknowledge my very existence.
My life was over, and I blamed you for it.
A maternal uncle, finally took me in, on the condition that I'd mend my ways.
That's the problem with people...they're always trying to change me.
But I had no choice.
He put me to work in a small electronics repair shop he has here in Mumbai. I thought I was going to spend the rest of my miserable life sitting in a wheel chair repairing appliances. Then a few months ago, I saw something on TV. A local news report about a woman being locked out on the window ledge of her 12th story apartment, as she tried to rescue a stupid cat. It was you Meher. I had finally found you.
Of course it took me a while to find the exact building, but I did. And as soon as my injuries healed, I began to follow you...trace your every move. And you never even knew it".
Meher's mouth fell open in surprise. "You've been stalking me?"
"I wasn't about to lose track of you again", explained Viren. "You're my golden goose remember. I know everything about you Meher. Where you work, where you buy your vegetables, which bus you take, where you like to have coffee...even the corner where the blind begger sits who you give a rupee coin to every morning".
"I don't believe this", said Meher.
"And I couldn't believe how someone who had practically ruined my life had so easily and comfortably made a new one for herself! You know Meher...there were many a time after learning your whereabouts when I felt I should confront you...punish you..." Viren suddenly stood up gritted his teeth and took a step towards Meher. "Hurt you...the way you've hurt me".
"I had nothing to do with ruining your life Viren", Meher shot back. "Your problems were self inflicted by the life style you purposely chose to live in and the company you decided to keep. If there's anyone who should be angry, it's me!
I had barely recovered from the loss of my mother when I found out I was about to marry my worst nightmare. You think it was easy to just pick up and runaway? To have people you thought were family shun you, because they don't want to be part of your problem? You have no idea what I had to go through. I was robbed, kidnapped, made homeless, and I had never even wronged anyone! If it wasn't for the kindness of some wonderful people, who knows what would have become of me".
"Are you by any chance referring to your boyfriend?" sneered Viren. "At least I'm assuming that's what he is considering the amount of time you spend with him. You were with him last night too...weren't you?"
Meher gave Viren a look filled with hate.
"It's okay Meher", Viren said taking a deep breath. "I'm actually a bigger man than you think I am. I'm willing to forget everything that's happened...all the trouble you've caused...and take you back with me. We'll have a simple ceremony as soon as we get back to Delhi. You can have your Chacha and Chachee attend if you like...and then..."
"Are you crazy?!" cried Meher. "How can you possibly think that I would marry you?!"
"Well, how else do you expect me to get my money back?" asked Viren.
"I don't know, and I don't care", said Meher.
"I...I don't understand", said Viren. "I just explained to you the hell I've been through these past few months...and..."
"A hell created of your own doing", said Meher.
"I thought you'd show me some sympathy considering the history we share...", said Viren.
"We share absolutely nothing!" Said Meher. "I have no intention of going anywhere with you. I'm not alone anymore Viren, and I'm not afraid of you".
"You put up a brave front Meher", laughed Viren, "but you're obviously not a very good liar, because you are very much afraid of me. I can see it in your eyes". He reached out and tried to touch her cheek.
"Don't touch me!" Meher cried as she took a step away from him.
"You're too pretty not to touch", said Viren, as he grabbed her arm and pulled her close to him. When she tried to break free, he shook her hard and forced her to look into his eyes.
"Now listen carefully Meher", he said. "One week. I've arranged a meeting in Delhi with Mr. Bedi in exactly one week, for a reading of my father's will. And although we both pretty much know what the will states, I need you to be there.
If you don't want to get married...fine. We'll...we'll work something else out. You take over the Kashyap holdings and then sign them over to me...something...anything. I just want my money back, and you're not going to be able to get rid of me until I do".
"It's not your money Viren", said Meher. "It was Mr. Kashyap's".
"Yeah well...last I recall Mr. Kashyap is dead", cried Viren. "And I will be too if I don't pay off the people I've been hiding from these past few months. You have to help me Meher. Face it, it's your only option, if you really want us to get on with our lives".
There was a moment of silence. Meher almost jumped when she heard her phone ring. She tried to walk over to the table where it was lying but Viren blocked her way.
"So...what's it going to be?" asked Viren.
"Preet", whispered Meher, as she got a glimpse of the caller's name on her phone.
"Preet?" said Viren. "What...is the boyfriend on the way?"
"You had better let me answer that. Better yet...just get out. If Preet finds you here, he'll be furious", said Meher as she tried to walk past Viren again, but he again blocked her way.
"Oh? Possessive is he?" chuckled Viren. "I wonder what made you chose him over me".
"You killed your own father for money!" cried Meher.
"Step father", countered Viren.
"You disgust me!" said Meher, as she pushed past him.
"Don't you dare turn your back on me!" snapped Viren. But Meher kept on walking.
She had only taken a few steps when he grabbed her by the arm, twisted it and pulled her towards him, and then against the wall.
"Let me go!" Meher cried with her arms flailing trying to find some leverage to force him away from her. He continued to keep her pinned against the wall and brought his face just inches away from hers, threatening, smiling, glaring. Then without explanation he backed away, leaving her to slump down on the floor.
Viren bent down menacingly over her. "I don't want you to think that I'm afraid of anyone Meher", he said. "But I will leave, because I'd rather avoid more problems. However, I expect to see you at the meeting with Mr. Bedi. I won't accept your refusal. If you think I'll just go away...you're wrong Meher. You can lock me out. Slam the door on my face. But I'll still be there. Waiting in the wings. I won't leave you...won't let you have a moment of peace. You'll never get rid of me now". He glanced over at her phone. It was ringing again, with Preet's name showing on the caller ID. "And I'm sure you wouldn't like it if you or someone you cared about would get hurt".
It was not until Viren got up and walked out the front door, that Meher realized she had been holding her breath. She slowly got up and forced herself to inhale. The intake of oxygen was followed by an adrenaline rush that left her dizzy and weak in the knees. As she steadied herself and made her way back to the sofa, she heard the door open again. To her relief it was Preet.
"Meher?" Preet called out, as he walked in. "Meher are you in there?"
"Preet", whispered Meher, as she ran to him and hugged him tightly.
"Hey are you okay? I've been calling you for so long. Why didn't you answer?" asked Preet. "Don't tell me you're having second thoughts about marrying me because Ma is dying to see you". He pulled away from her and looked into her troubled brown eyes immediately sensing that something was amiss. "What's wrong Meher? And why was your front door unlocked?"
"Preet...just hold me", she sobbed.
As he held her close, Meher thought about how happy she and Preet had been last night. And his lovely proposal that morning. Why did Viren have to ruin everything by waltzing back into her life all of a sudden?
Hope you all liked the update. Please do leave your comments and feedback. Or at least hit the like button. 😛
I'm still very busy due to Ramadan. But I will try to update in 2 weeks.
Almost no one listens to me ... but (😕)...as always... a humble request...if you are reading this FF it's because Sushant and Meher made an impression on you in their portrayal of Preet and Meher. Please be kind enough to comment on the respective actors' profiles Thanks. 😛
Chapter 27: Meher meets Gaytri.
Edited by ummesulaiman - 11 years ago
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
