Raman called at the landline number of iyers group of companies to talk ashok and param while ishita was sitting beside him chewing her nails.
After few rings, ashok picked the phone and said -hello,whose this.
Raman -hello, this is Raman bhalla, can I know whom I am talking to.
Ashok -hello, Mr bhalla, this is ashok khanna speaking, one of the partners of iyers group of companies.
Raman -hello, Mr khanna, actually I wanted to talk to the MD of ur company, miss iyer, can u please give phone to her.
Ashok -actually she is not here, u can talk to me. I am her partner.
Raman -oh, where she went.
Ashok -she went to Austria to meet her uncle.
Raman -austria to meet her uncle.
Ishita -my uncle, he died long back. He is lying but why, she said listening to Raman's words. Raman put the phone on speaker and said -ok but I really want to talk to her before giving this project to ur company since she is the owner of the company. Can u please give me her number.
Ashok -see,she is not the sole proprietor of the firm. We all r partners and we r equally good in cracking deals. If u want we can fix a meeting with u, waise bhi ur father was very impressed with our presentation. Mr Om prakash bhalla is ur father naa.
Raman -yes he is, OK if u want. I can give u guys a chance. If u can come to Delhi we can conduct the meeting again.
Ashok -yaa yaa sure, I will come asap. May be tomorrow we can conduct the meeting.
Raman -thanks but I want to meet both of u, I mean rest of the partner, it will be good if both of u can come.
Ashok agreed instantly as bhallas were big shot as it was a golden opportunity to work with them. Raman hung the call and said -they r coming.
Raman looked at everyone and said-they r coming.
Mihir -good, now we have to find everything about them, and have to know why they r lying about ishita ji.
Mihika-mujhe toh lagta hai ki sab kuch inhi logon ka kiya hua hai. Aapko kya lagta hai bhai.
Raman nodded looking at ishita, who was not looking very happy with all the talks. He was about to say something when ishita got up and went out of the room. Raman saw her going and said -tum log baitho I just come. He said and went behind ishita.
He entered his room and saw ishita sitting silently.
He went close to her and asked -what happened ishita, u r not looking happy. Koi problem hai kya, don't u wanna know the truth.
Ishita -i don't like that u all r thinking ashok and param as culprits.
Raman -what do u mean. He asked narrowing his eyebrows.
Ishita -u all r blaming them that they must have tried to harm me. But trust me I know woh dono aisa nahi kar sakte. I know them well, they r my best buddies since years, they were with me in all my ups and downs. Jab amma appa ko death hui thi, I was shattered and alone.i wanted someone to hold me and take care of me, they did everything for me, woh mujhe hurt Karna toh dur uske baare mein soch bhi nahi sakte.they just love me way too much. She was saying looking down oblivious of the change in Raman's expression. He was feeling angry, jealous,possesive and hurt, altogether.
He got up at once and said-i don't know they r right or wrong, we will think about it later, abhi mujhe kuch kaam hai I have to go. He said and went out of the room without waiting for ishita's answer.
Ishita -inhe kya ho gaya achanak, abhi toh bilkul thik the. Pata nahi hoga koi kaam. She thought and went down.
On the other hand, Raman get out of the house in a jiffy. All looked at him going out, mihir tried to even stop him but he didn't hear.
Toshiji -isse kya ho gaya achanak.
Mihir -may be he got to know something about them, issliye hi bhai gaye honge Kahin.
Toshiji -haan ho sakta hai, OK chalo tum log khana kha lo. Phir tum mihika ko ghar chod kar apne ghar chale jao. I will make Raman eat later.
Mimi nodded and all had food. Soon Mimi went to their respective house while Mr bhalla too went to sleep, only Toshiji was waiting for Raman.
At nine when Raman didn't returned home , toshiji called him, only to know that he is having food with his friends and will return home late. He told her to eat and sleep. Toshiji nodded and went to sleep after eating her food, as it was usual for Raman to eat out and being late.
But it was not a usual night for Raman. He was sitting in the bar and was drinking. He was drinking glass after glass thinking about her words about ashok and param. His eyes were blood shed red with anger while his heart was bleeding remembering her words.
Raman -they love her so much, bahut kuch kiya hai uske liye, aur mera kya, kya maine kuch nahi kiya uske liye. Kya mere pyaar ka koi Matlab nahi. How can she say that they love her, kya main pyaar nahi karta usse. shit I love her so much but still she is all concerned about her friends, teri koi value nahi raman, she is with u just because no-one else can see her or hear her. Agar uske uss ashok or param ko woh dikhti toh tu aata hi nahi uski zindagi mein. He was saying and crying and drinking shots after shots.
On the other hand, ishita started getting worried for raman. It was long since he went and still not back. She tried to talk to his parent that he is not back yet but she couldn't. So she went out searching for raman.
She roamed around the city for more then two hours but couldn't get any trace of him. Now she get really worried and felt like crying. She want to scream loud and call his name and tell everyone to find him but sadly no-one could hear her.
After searching for him all night, she finally came back home all worn out and saw him coming out of the washroom after taking shower.
She got happy and angry at the same time. Happy coz he was fine and angry coz he acted so carelessly.
She went and stand in front of him with blood shed eyes.
Raman saw her but ignored her and start combing his hair .
Ishita stand very near to him and said -dont u think, u owe me an explanation.
Raman -why would I, tum bhi toh raat bhar ghoomi rahi thi. Have I asked u where u were.
Ishita eyes got filled hearing this and said -main hoon rahi thi, really raman main ghoom rahi thi. She was saying crying when Raman said -ishita, I have to go. Meri Ek early morning meeting hai, phir uske baad lunch meeting hai tumhare ashok aur param ke saath. Come to hotel seven pacific at twelve. Let me go, mere paas tumhare rone dhone ke liye time nahi hai. He said and went out wearing his clothes.
Ishita was stunned by his difference. She was not able to understand why he is behaving like this.
On the other hand, Raman was just to angry to hear or understand anything, all he could hear and care about her words for them.
Both were in bad condition, both want to talk to each other but wasn't initiating. Ishita was crying in his room while Raman was also sad and gloomy in the meeting.
Mihir tried to know the reason but he shrugged it saying, he is worried for ishita.
At twelve, Raman reached the hotel. There he meet ashok and param.raman could feel their behaviour fishy in the first glance only, coz everytime he ask about ishita, they start sweating.
Raman made them sit down and was talking when he saw ishita coming inside the hotel. She was looking worn out.raman felt bad seeing her but prefer to ignore. She came and sat beside Raman. She was just looking at him while he was sitting void of any emotion.
Ashok and param start presenting the project. Raman was listening to them half heartedly. All he want to know is the equation between them and ishita. So he said -tell me something about ur third partner, ishita iyer.
Both looked at each other and then ashok said -kya kahun uske baare mein, she is the best, in everything. She is like our family and we really love them alot. He said making ishita said -i told u naa, they love me so much. Making Raman angry.
He tied his fist in anger and said -i think ur meeting was fixed with me two weeks back only, then why u guys r so late. Did u meet any accident or what. He asked making ashok and param sweat.
Raman -tell me, kuch hua tha kya.
Param -nahi toh, why u r asking so.
Raman -nothing, it's just, two weeks back I saw an accident on my way coming to Delhi, there I saw a girl and two boys being attacked. Ashok ki shakal uss aadmi se milti julti lag rahi hai, So I thought ki Kahin tum log ke saath koi mishap toh nahi hua tha. He said wiping all the colours off their faces.
7