Bitter Kisses (PriVeer FF) [Ch 14 Updated Pg 34] - Page 3

CHAPTER 2

Tej Singh Oberoi came down to breakfast in a sullen frame of mind. Ever since the fiasco that his nephew's wedding had turned into, he had been feeling crabbier than usual. Despite all their claims on the appendages of modernity, theirs was a family that held the traditional values close to their heart and this flippant talk of divorce from Shivay was not sitting well with this otherwise hardened businessman.

Furthermore,his morning meal did nothing to make him feel any better. Eyeing his porridge and fruit spread with a cold glare, Tej turned to the newspaper. This diet was another novel way of ruining his peace of mind that his family had thought up. The family doctor who was most definitely in cahoots with Jahnvi had declared that he needed to cut down on his cholesterol intake and thus all fried foods were banned from his table. Such a diet was bad enough at any time in one's life but to be forced to follow it when the house was having a wedding was nothing short of torture!

Ignoring the glass of pulpy orange juice that Jahnvi placed before him, Tej turned to the stock prices. The climbing graph of the Oberoi stocks soothed his ruffled soul somewhat. Bolstered by the positive news, he managed to gulp down some of the gruel that tasted like sawdust mixed in water. He reached for the sugar bowl but his wife tut tutted from behind her magazine. Defeated, Tej withdrew his hand and turned back to the paper for a distraction. And he found a news item on page three of the worthy paper that went far more than distracting him from his tasteless breakfast. It made him forget his food all together.

Tej Singh Oberoi was noted for the cold and calculating methods he employed in voicing his displeasure. However, the series of grainy photos that met his eye had him bellowing out his daughter's name as his face slowly turned a nice purple tinge.

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Priyanka sipped her cooling coffee as she watched Anika standing beside the lily pond. As her friend listlessly moved down the paths crisscrossing through the flowerbeds, Priyanka's heavy heart tightened at the transformation in her friend.

What had drawn her to Anika in the first place had been her effervescent nature, her indomitable spirit and her absolute refusal to filter herself either in words or action. To see the same woman wrapped in silence was not merely unnerving. It was positively terrifying.

Anika, with the shuttered expression on her face reminded Priyanka of a day far back in her childhood. Young as she was, Prinku Pehelwan was always the quiet, observant one. She had been busy with her dolls under the staircase when she had seen her mother walk through the hall. The love she had always seen on Jahnvi's face was absent then. Now Priyanka knew. With no one to perform for, at that moment she had caught Jahnvi at a moment of total vulnerability. And the little girl had curiously watched her mother walk like a statue carved in stone with the most heart stopping blankness in her eyes. Was this what the Oberois did to their women? Break their spirit as a way of an initiation ritual.

In an effort to break out of the terrifying spectacle that gripped her, Priyanka was about to call out to Anika when she heard her name being roared through the house. As her eyes widened with fear at the rage in her father's voice, she saw Anika look up and stare at her. Priyanka set down her mug of coffee and walked through the French window and joined the woman beside the lily pool.

For a few minutes the two watched each other nervously as Priyanka's name continued to ring through the house. Then Priyanka reached for Anika's hand and pulled her into the hedge maze that stood at the bottom of their garden.

Once within the walls of tall hedges, the sound of the house faded and Priyanka rushed to the center with Anika's hand in hers. As the two girls ran further into the maze, the only sound they heard was that of their panting and that of the birds chirping above them in the trees.

Once she reached the stone fountain that stood at the center, Priyanka released Anika's hand. While she was still trying to catch her breath, Anika rounded on her, concern showing in her eyes. Priyanka forgot her worry at the sight of an Anika she knew so well.

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"Mr. Oberoi!"

Om's voice thundered through the dining room, startling Tej who stopped mid-way through his demands to have Priyanka brought before him that very instant. Tej looked at Om for a moment before rising from his seat.

"Stay out of this Om." he said, voice shaking with the effort to reign in his anger.

Shivay's voice cut in before Om could reply. "What's the matter, Bade Papa? Is everything alright?"

At his voice, Tej and Om both turned towards him with similar glares on their faces. For once, father and son were united in sentiment. Shivay Singh Oberoi was not their favourite person in the world at the moment. Meanwhile, Jahnvi had picked up the paper that her husband had dropped on the floor. Rifling through it, she had discovered the cause for her husband's dismay.

"Oh my god! What has Priyanka done!" she exclaimed in uncharacteristic agitation. Shivay quickly walked over to her and rescuing the paper from her hawk-like clasp, viewed the series of grainy photographs that had caused such uproar over breakfast.

The photos were of the Oberoi Mansion decked as it was for Shivay wedding. There were ample garlands of marigold and strings of fairylight swaying from the walls and balconies to prove that. The photos had been taken from a distance and hence the quality was slightly grainy and one could barely make out the figures that the lens had focused on.

The first one was of Priyanka, standing on one of the hanging balconies overlooking the lawn. Behind her stood a tall strapping fellow who looked very familiar. The next one was of Priyanka and the man caught in a tight embrace. Priyanka's head was almost resting on his chest. The next was of them looking at each other, still in each other's arms. And the final one was of them disappearing into the room within, all the while clutching onto each other. The series was titled 'LOVERS' TRYST AT BROTHER'S WEDDING ?' printed in bold red letters. The question mark had been placed almost as an afterthought as if anticipating a lawsuit.

Shivay stood there horrified at first. Priyanka? Prinku ? Their quiet as a dormouse sister? Who had never given them a moment of trouble ever?! As he continued to glare at the photos, the man's face slowly rose in his memory. ACP Ranveer Singh Randhawa!?! The man who had taunted him on the superficiality of the dignity that the Oberois held so dear!

"Yeh wardi hai. Kisi uche khaandaan ke izzat nahi ki itni aasani se utar jaayegi."

Om watched his brother crumple the paper held in his grasp and toss it on the ground as his eyes narrowed and nostrils flared. With such tell-tale signs of anger on his brother's face, Om began to feel a rising apprehension. His eyes turned to his mother who now sat on her chair at the dining table, her face pale and thoughtful.

He walked up to Shivay and wordlessly picked up the paper. For a few moments tense silence reigned and then those present had the privilege of witnessing an absolutely furious Omkara. As Omkara growled out 'ACP Randhawa!' and stormed out of the room, Shivay and Tej stared at the swinging door in sheer fascination. An enraged Omkara was a rare sight.

It was the sound of the car starting that broke the spell. Together Shivay and Tej yelled out Om's name before rushing out. Om rarely if ever drove and they had heard the tires screech as the car headed out.

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ACP Randhawa looked at the milky tea placed before him by the youth. Unni, the errand boy and jack of all trades, made up in enthusiasm what he lacked in culinary skills.

Sighing, Randhawa picked up the cup and gave a sip. It was too milky and too sweet. But it was at least hot and he gulped down the brew before it cooled. Then he turned to glare at the headlines of the morning paper as Unni continued to fuss around the office,dusting the desks, chairs and shelves and filling him in on the local gossip.

It was still quite early and not many officers and staff had turned up. He looked at the generic news items and skipped over the society page before turning to the sports news.

After the awkward experience of the previous night at the Oberois', he felt that he deserved a break. Thus, instead of opening his case files and going over the progress of investigation, he relaxed and decided to enjoy the quiet morning.

His thoughts were interrupted however, with the sound of tires screeching to a stop outside. Would that be Shinde? Was there some major development that had brought the officer rushing to the station in such a hurry? Randhawa rose from his seat expecting Shinde to come in. However, his mouth fell open at the unexpected visitors who tumbled into his office through the swinging doors. He barely even heard Unni give out a low whistle.

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