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Dev watched the grim faces of the men standing around him. The bleak light hanging from the ceiling, cast shadows across the room. They had brought him in here and then made him sit in the cold iron chair. And then these men had surrounded him,masked by the shadows and the silence.
Di's words echoed in his head.
"Just make sure you keep your mouth shut and let me handle the rest. The Chhabra's secret should remain a secret!
He tried to calm himself down. If he had to come out of this encounter unscathed, he needed his wits about him.
Suddenly a door opened and in walked ACP Randhawa followed by Shinde. The Oberois were nowhere to be seen, noticed Dev. Only yesterday he had sat in the company of this man and had exchanged indifferent pleasantries. But right now, the ACP's eyes were cold, hard, almost impossible to read.
"Dev Chhabra, Randhawa bit out. "You want to tell us why you were stealing the tapes?
Dev focused his eyes on the floor. Keep your mouth shut.
Randhawa tapped his pen against the desk. "You want to tell us why your sister was tampering with Miss Priyanka Oberoi's phone, Mr. Dev Chhabra?
Randhawa's words acted like a jolt of electricity on Dev. His face jerked up and his eyes widened in open fear.
"My s-s-sister?! he managed to splutter out.
"Manohar Chhabra's best kept secret wasn't so very well kept after all.
Randhawa glanced at Shinde as he spoke. A muscle on Shinde's face twitched but that is all. Dev could not tell what they knew or how much, but how did they find out about his sister!
"Who have you been talking to? Dev asked. "I don't have a sister.
"Even the most well-hidden birth record has a way of leaving a trail of paperwork and we are trained hunters, Mr. Chhabra. Now if you are done asking the questions, care to answer some of ours?
Randhawa's voice was pleasant, almost as if he was chatting, at a party. Only Dev had met him before. The man didn't do 'chatting' at parties.
"I d-d-don't know what you have found out but I've done nothing wrong. Why are you holding me here!?! Saying this, he tried to get up from the chair, tired of this room, of the suffocating play of light and shadows. Two hands gripped him by the shoulders and forced him back into his seat. The situation suddenly became more real, more terrifying. The hands didn't loosen their hold on him, pressing him down, hurting him.
"Now now,Mr. Chhabra, aren't we all friends here, Randhawa stated, his voice flat. "What's this play of hide and seek between friends?
Dev gulped. Randhawa turned towards Shinde. "Don't we have Ms. Neha Bhatia's number? As friends I think it is our duty to show the contents of the tape to her. She too should know the true nature of the man she is friends with.
Dev flinched at this as if struck. Will they call Neha? What will she think if she sees the video?
"No! The word escaped him before he could stop himself. Randhawa raised an eyebrow but remained silent.
"Don't involve Neha in this. Dev rasped out.
"You are in no position to give orders to officers of the law, Mr. Chhabra, Randhawa pointed out.
Dev's petrified eyes turned from one unfriendly face to another. Where had Di led him to?! What hell was this?
"Who have you been talking to?! I don't know what you mean by my sister!? Everyone knows I and Rehaan are the only children of Manohar---
"Questions. Questions. QUESTIONS! Randhawa's voice suddenly rose, as he towered over Dev.
"Will you tell me how you are related to Svetlana Chhabra or shall I do it for you.
Dev shrank back into his seat, his terrified eyes flickering from one face to another.
"She is our sister, he said, hoping to do some damage control. "But you are mistaken if you think that I did anything wrong! Believe me! Di doesn't want the world to know of her identity and so we hide it. It's not what you think! She wants to establish herself on her own terms.
Randhawa's face slowly broke into a crooked smile. "Good to have that on record. Now shall we talk about the tapes you were trying to steal?
The world went dark for him and Dev collapsed on the floor.
Randhawa looked at Shinde who was shaking his head even as he desperately tried to choke back the smile that threatened to spill over across his face.
"What? Randhawa asked in confusion and then turned around to a guard. "Get a bucket of water. We have more questioning to do.
************
Priyanka lay swathed by layers of soft blanket as the scenes from the evening played inside her head. She couldn't remember the last time she had enjoyed herself like this. The night had been disturbing and still there were those moments---
Roses are red, violets are blue,
Forget not princess, my eyes are on you
Whose eyes?! Who was watching her? Who had taken that picture of her with the ACP? Who was sending these messages to her?
Not a word will you breathe of the secrets you keep
Priyanka breathed in sharply. Secrets! Her life was a chain of untold, unforgotten secrets, binding her to their darkness and cruelty. Dad, O Bhaiya, Lana! Her hand reached out for the brooch she had placed on the bedside table. Fingering the fine filigreed gift, she let the coolness of the metal seep into her skin.
The memory of another party rose before her.
__
"Try sex on the beach! drawled Svetlana, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Hawww! Lana! Shush now! Someone will hear! Priyanka giggled as she looked around her nervously.
"Seriously, Priyanka, you need to grow up! You're an adult now! Hey!
The last bit was shouted out to the handsome bartender.
"Get us two tequila shots! And keep them coming! Svetlana shouted out over the noise of the party.
"Here you go!
Priyanka studied the glass suspiciously. This was water. She picked it up and took a sip.
"Yuck!! The drink was like fire poured down her throat. Svetlana threw her head back with laughter.
"What is my princess doing? Tej stood next to them now, his face wearing a light smile. It was Priyanka's eighteenth birthday celebration.
"Trying tequila, Papa, she said, nervously, eyeing Svetlana who sat watching them with so much poise and ease.
"Don't go overboard now, Tej said with a warning tone though his smile didn't quite disappear. He placed his hand around Svetlana's shoulder and addressed the older woman, "Svetlana, I am trusting you with my princess here. Make sure she is alright. And then he turned around and disappeared back into the crowd.
Priyanka let out a sigh of relief and picked up the glass and gulped down the rest of the drink. As the heat made her eyes water, she turned to Svetlana who was eyeing the crowd with a thoughtful expression.
"Shall we get something else now? she asked.
"What?! Svetlana said, as if startled. The smile immediately returned however and she nodded.
"Just wait a minute. I have brought my friend along. Let me just go and get her.
Di's words echoed in his head.
"Just make sure you keep your mouth shut and let me handle the rest. The Chhabra's secret should remain a secret!
He tried to calm himself down. If he had to come out of this encounter unscathed, he needed his wits about him.
Suddenly a door opened and in walked ACP Randhawa followed by Shinde. The Oberois were nowhere to be seen, noticed Dev. Only yesterday he had sat in the company of this man and had exchanged indifferent pleasantries. But right now, the ACP's eyes were cold, hard, almost impossible to read.
"Dev Chhabra, Randhawa bit out. "You want to tell us why you were stealing the tapes?
Dev focused his eyes on the floor. Keep your mouth shut.
Randhawa tapped his pen against the desk. "You want to tell us why your sister was tampering with Miss Priyanka Oberoi's phone, Mr. Dev Chhabra?
Randhawa's words acted like a jolt of electricity on Dev. His face jerked up and his eyes widened in open fear.
"My s-s-sister?! he managed to splutter out.
"Manohar Chhabra's best kept secret wasn't so very well kept after all.
Randhawa glanced at Shinde as he spoke. A muscle on Shinde's face twitched but that is all. Dev could not tell what they knew or how much, but how did they find out about his sister!
"Who have you been talking to? Dev asked. "I don't have a sister.
"Even the most well-hidden birth record has a way of leaving a trail of paperwork and we are trained hunters, Mr. Chhabra. Now if you are done asking the questions, care to answer some of ours?
Randhawa's voice was pleasant, almost as if he was chatting, at a party. Only Dev had met him before. The man didn't do 'chatting' at parties.
"I d-d-don't know what you have found out but I've done nothing wrong. Why are you holding me here!?! Saying this, he tried to get up from the chair, tired of this room, of the suffocating play of light and shadows. Two hands gripped him by the shoulders and forced him back into his seat. The situation suddenly became more real, more terrifying. The hands didn't loosen their hold on him, pressing him down, hurting him.
"Now now,Mr. Chhabra, aren't we all friends here, Randhawa stated, his voice flat. "What's this play of hide and seek between friends?
Dev gulped. Randhawa turned towards Shinde. "Don't we have Ms. Neha Bhatia's number? As friends I think it is our duty to show the contents of the tape to her. She too should know the true nature of the man she is friends with.
Dev flinched at this as if struck. Will they call Neha? What will she think if she sees the video?
"No! The word escaped him before he could stop himself. Randhawa raised an eyebrow but remained silent.
"Don't involve Neha in this. Dev rasped out.
"You are in no position to give orders to officers of the law, Mr. Chhabra, Randhawa pointed out.
Dev's petrified eyes turned from one unfriendly face to another. Where had Di led him to?! What hell was this?
"Who have you been talking to?! I don't know what you mean by my sister!? Everyone knows I and Rehaan are the only children of Manohar---
"Questions. Questions. QUESTIONS! Randhawa's voice suddenly rose, as he towered over Dev.
"Will you tell me how you are related to Svetlana Chhabra or shall I do it for you.
Dev shrank back into his seat, his terrified eyes flickering from one face to another.
"She is our sister, he said, hoping to do some damage control. "But you are mistaken if you think that I did anything wrong! Believe me! Di doesn't want the world to know of her identity and so we hide it. It's not what you think! She wants to establish herself on her own terms.
Randhawa's face slowly broke into a crooked smile. "Good to have that on record. Now shall we talk about the tapes you were trying to steal?
The world went dark for him and Dev collapsed on the floor.
Randhawa looked at Shinde who was shaking his head even as he desperately tried to choke back the smile that threatened to spill over across his face.
"What? Randhawa asked in confusion and then turned around to a guard. "Get a bucket of water. We have more questioning to do.
************
Priyanka lay swathed by layers of soft blanket as the scenes from the evening played inside her head. She couldn't remember the last time she had enjoyed herself like this. The night had been disturbing and still there were those moments---
Roses are red, violets are blue,
Forget not princess, my eyes are on you
Whose eyes?! Who was watching her? Who had taken that picture of her with the ACP? Who was sending these messages to her?
Not a word will you breathe of the secrets you keep
Priyanka breathed in sharply. Secrets! Her life was a chain of untold, unforgotten secrets, binding her to their darkness and cruelty. Dad, O Bhaiya, Lana! Her hand reached out for the brooch she had placed on the bedside table. Fingering the fine filigreed gift, she let the coolness of the metal seep into her skin.
The memory of another party rose before her.
__
"Try sex on the beach! drawled Svetlana, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Hawww! Lana! Shush now! Someone will hear! Priyanka giggled as she looked around her nervously.
"Seriously, Priyanka, you need to grow up! You're an adult now! Hey!
The last bit was shouted out to the handsome bartender.
"Get us two tequila shots! And keep them coming! Svetlana shouted out over the noise of the party.
"Here you go!
Priyanka studied the glass suspiciously. This was water. She picked it up and took a sip.
"Yuck!! The drink was like fire poured down her throat. Svetlana threw her head back with laughter.
"What is my princess doing? Tej stood next to them now, his face wearing a light smile. It was Priyanka's eighteenth birthday celebration.
"Trying tequila, Papa, she said, nervously, eyeing Svetlana who sat watching them with so much poise and ease.
"Don't go overboard now, Tej said with a warning tone though his smile didn't quite disappear. He placed his hand around Svetlana's shoulder and addressed the older woman, "Svetlana, I am trusting you with my princess here. Make sure she is alright. And then he turned around and disappeared back into the crowd.
Priyanka let out a sigh of relief and picked up the glass and gulped down the rest of the drink. As the heat made her eyes water, she turned to Svetlana who was eyeing the crowd with a thoughtful expression.
"Shall we get something else now? she asked.
"What?! Svetlana said, as if startled. The smile immediately returned however and she nodded.
"Just wait a minute. I have brought my friend along. Let me just go and get her.
Cricket
Udne Ki Aasha
Veer Hanuman
Anupamaa
