ArHi: Innocence to a half-mad city [Complete] - Page 61

Chapter 18: When faith is restored

Anjali watches Shyam animatedly explain to half the board members the plans he has for the company when he and Shankar Raizada would take over. She let the words washes over her and the victory she thought she would feel when Arnav would be left standing on the sidelines while she took the company in the direction her father wanted - never came. The satisfaction was missing. The inevitable gloating was done in a casual manner to which Arnav had looked at her pityingly. It wasn't the almost victory that had her in a melancholic mood but it was her husband and her father in law.

Once she had decided to take over the company, she was given access to pretty much everything. She always had access to archives and everything but she hadn't cared to look through. After almost two decades she had read firsthand account of the past in her parents' words. And that had started the nagging doubt in her mind. She was a lawyer by profession and putting together a defamation case against Arnav who had accused her parents of mishandling government resources and being part of human rights violation. It was supposed to be straight forward case with spotlight shining on Arnav and her parents in the clear. But the documentation, the archive reports and the government shut investigation had given her a momentary pause. But it was lack of Shankar or Shyam's name in the reports that had her thrown for a loop. Her mother, who was present only on paper had more paper trail than Shankar and Shyam put together. How was that possible? Her personal readings of the documents, first person accounts, government agencies investigation didn't put her parents in a good light. Her mother's name appeared in paper trails but there were several phone transcripts involving her and some lobbyists. It had come as a shock to Anjali when she found out that her parents had been under investigation even before Arnav had come to picture. There were whispers, stray meetings that pointed Interpol in their direction whenever conversations turned to illegal arms dealing.

Shyam turns to look at Anjali and as expected out of her, she smiles at him. In the last few weeks she has seen how Shyam and Shankar did their dealings. It was the first time she was watching her husband work so closely. It wasn't working the way she wanted to. She was a Raizada. As was Arnav. And they were, by blood, ambitious. And their ambitions didn't work the way Jhas worked.

"Excuse me," Anjali walks out of the board room in middle of Shyam's overzealous presentation. She doesn't have to look at Shyam or Shankar to imagine their disappointed faces. She knows it's there. She walks around the top floor that's off limits for majority of the office employees. Once upon a time this was the place where deals were made and fates of many smaller third world countries decided.

"Fancy seeing you here." Anjali turns around to see Suman standing at the mouth of the lobby. "I don't think I have seen you here in ever."

Suman was a constant presence in Arnav's life since they met in business school. It was common knowledge in industry that Suman's words went long way into getting deals with Raizada industries. More than Shyam's words or influence, she notes sourly.

"Defamation suit on Arnav has opened lot of avenues for us so here we are," Anjali keeps it casual.

Suman hummed but doesn't say anything. It rubs Anjali the wrong way.

"What?" She barks at the other woman. "I am trying to restore respect to my parents' memories."

"By screwing your brother."

"If the shoe fits." Anjali's voice takes a chilling note.

Suman laughs. "You are an idiot Anjali. Arnav thinks there is still some smarts left in you but I sincerely doubt it now."

Anjali doubletakes at that.

Suman shrugs and continues in her signature nonchalant way. "You are raking old gossip that is not going to go in your way. An old news is now going to be investigated and put on public blast for everyone to consume. You filed defamation suit yesterday and today major news networks have already picked up the news. Do you know how easy it is going to be for me to destroy those Jhas once and for all?"

"You..."

"I what Anjali? Arnav doesn't like to hurt you." Suman flicks her saree plaits. "He pays me to make sure the company stays intact. And I came here to give you this." Suman hands Anjali a pen drive. A tiny one that's not at all ominous looking.

"What's this?" Anjali asks.

"That's just a sample of what I will be unleashing on your husband and his father. Anjali, you are a stubborn idiot who doesn't like to accept that her parents did something illegal. And that's fine. But you cannot simply push it away under the rug and drag your brother under the noose because he makes your husband uncomfortable."

"Arnav had no right-"

"Oh, shut up Anjali." Suman says, resigned. "Get off your high horse and see the reality. It wasn't easy for him either but he did it either way. Now here we are. Either you distance yourself from the Jhas right now or be part of their operation and get burned along with them."

"And this contains some amount of leverage, yes?" Anjali asks, skeptical. "I could give this to Shyam right now you know?"

Suman chuckles mirthlessly. "Its public knowledge Anjali. My team has put together all the information in a context, that's all. The way Shankar sneaked his way into Raizada industries, straying Vimal to take the deals in central Africa, making sure his name and his son's name never made it to any deals but took the bonus anyway. The pen drive contains data that won't do anyone any harm actually."

"But you said-"

"It is going to establish a context." Suman's voice takes a cold note. "In two weeks each and every board member will beg Arnav to come back and bury this whole thing behind. That's what we are going to do. Do you think your little defamation case is going to do anything to Arnav? No, you stupid little girl. Your parents' names are going to be dragged all over the place and this time it's all going to be on the internet."

"And you will change the narrative to concentrate on the Jhas instead." Anjali frowns at the limited options presented in front her.

"How about you use your brain and find out what is wrong and what isn't on your own? Hmm?" Suman challenges.

Anjali looks conflicted and Suman cheers internally.

"Where is Arnav?" Anjali asks a moment later.

"Arnav is gone. I am going to be face of the company for a while." Suman replies cheerfully.

"What do you mean he is gone?" A mild panic settles in her chest.

"Oh, relax. He is vacationing with his friends. Once he is back he has decided to take it a little slow and concentrate on his personal life." At Anjali's surprised face Suman shrugs. "His words, not mine."

"That's weird. He has never done anything slow ever in his life." Anjali muses idly.

Suman leans across the glass pane and sighs. "He has been having a weird few months. It's a culmination of all that I suppose."

The women grow quiet and neither move from their respective places.

"The stuff that's here..." Anjali trails, her fingers playing idly with the pen drive.

"It's the real deal Anjali. Jhas came very close to take over the company last time your parents were close to becoming incarcerated by the Interpol. Arnav was there to stop them then. Now, it's on you. He doesn't have any skin in the game anymore. You can't touch him or his inheritance with a fifty-foot pole. Now you stand between Jhas and the company. What you do with this information is left to you. Arnav is out. And after a while, I will be out as well."

Anjali waits for Suman to say something more but there is only silence.

For the first time she wonders if she needs to revisit her life from a different perspective.