"So you won't tell anything, haan?" said Inspector Deshmukh pulling Karan's head backwards holding his hair. Karan silently bore the pain without saying a word.
The inspector was very angry now. He held Karan by his collar and dragged him to the room where Aditi was being interrogated. Aditi was shocked to see the inspector push Karan forcefully to the floor. She ran to Karan with concern and turned him around to face her.
"Karan! Are you alright?" she asked holding his face. He just nodded in reply. She gently touched the wound on his forehead. "Aah..." he gave out a light cry and Aditi's eyes watered.
"Is this how you treat innocent people?!" Aditi roared at Inspector Deshmukh in anger. "How many times should we tell you that we know nothing about Aastha or Shlok? Don't you understand?! Stop doing this! Please!" and she went back to see whether Karan was fine.
Inspector Deshmukh smirked and said, "This is only the beginning madam!" He signaled the lady constables to take Aditi aside and they did so.
"Leave me! What are you going to do?!!" said Aditi seeing the inspector approach Karan who was still lying on the floor. Her eyes widened as she saw the inspector raise his foot to kick Karan. "No!!" she cried as she pushed the lady constables away with all her force and rushed to Karan covering him to save him from the inspector's torture. "Please don't!!" she cried.
Just then a constable came there with the confiscated phones of Karan and Aditi telling, "Sir, we have found two relevant messages on this girl's phone..." Inspector Deshmukh threw an angry glance at Aditi and went to check the messages.
There was one sent message - Kaka and we all reaching in 20-25 minutes... Please do something
And the other was in the inbox - We are fine, thank you
Both the numbers were different as one was Niranjan's and the other Varad's. Aditi had also received a call from Niranjan's number earlier and she had to tell that Shlok had called her from that number. But Shlok's number that was saved in her contacts wasn't working. "Find out whose numbers these are... Find this Shlok!" ordered Inspector Deshmukh.
Aditi and Karan were locked into a room. Karan had small wounds here and there. He stared at Aditi as she gently wiped off the blood on his forehead.
"Why did you try to save me from that inspector?" scolded Karan, "What if you would have got hurt?"
"Doesn't matter..." she replied as she sat down beside him.
"Why did you?" he repeated.
"I can't see you in pain..." she replied.
"Why?" he asked.
"Because I lo..." Aditi paused suddenly.
"Because you what?" asked Karan already knowing the reason.
"Nothing..." replied Aditi nervously.
"Because you love me, right?" he asked raising an eyebrow.
Aditi was totally surprised. She remained silent knowing not what to say or how to react.
Karan smiled. He cupped Aditi's face and kissed her forehead. "I love you too" he said taking Aditi into his arms.
*****
"What?!" exclaimed Ajinkya as he spoke to Inspector Deshmukh over the phone. "Okay... Inform me when you know anything about those numbers or Shlok" he told the inspector and cut the call. He had already inquired about Aastha in the nearby areas. And Nalini and her mother-in-law had confirmed of Aastha's arrival. Ajinkya got to know from Nalini that Aastha had called their maid, Rani, to clean the home. Ajinkya was now waiting to meet Rani the next day to ask her whether she had any slightest idea about Aastha and her plans.
*****
Aastha saw an angry Kavya pass by her room. She went out to know the reason.
"Kavya? What happened?" asked Aastha sitting on her knees to match Kavya's height.
"Everyone laughs at me! I will not talk to anyone!" said Kavya.
Aastha smiled to herself. "Oh ho... Come we will play..."
Kavya was very excited. "Yayy! We will play the game you were playing with chachu..." she said jumping on her place.
Aastha was embarrassed. She looked around to ensure no one was watching. "Shhh..." she said looking at Kavya. "That game is not for children... I will teach that to you when you grow up, okay?"
Kavya frowned. She thought for a while. "Promise?" she asked holding up her palm.
"Promise!" replied Aastha placing her hand on Kavya's, sealing the deal. Kavya was happy again and took Aastha to her room to play.
Aastha smiled at Kavya's innocence as she followed her. After a while, Aastha put kavya to sleep on Sojal's word.
Aastha saw the tower of cards they had made earlier. The two cards making the top most level of the tower were coincidentally the king and queen of heart. Aastha blushed as she imagined them to be Shlok and herself and the tower to be the Agnihotri mansion. Suddenly the moving curtain lashed the tower and it broke down. Aastha stared at the heap of cards with a sense of uneasiness. "Is this a bad sign?" she wondered.
*****
Book Talk
Indian Idol 16
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Anupamaa
