MehRya SS: His Last Valentine...Epilogue page 35 04/03/18..... - Page 9

Chapter #3

"You are officially screwed, Shruti. Even if he doesn't realize it yet Shaurya Khanna is a drowning man about to go under for the third time. You aren't going to see that ring again, even if by some miracle, he manages to get it back. Or any other one from him, for that matter."

While, her eyes never left the man whose sole focus was on the weeping woman across the room, Shruti still responded to Tanya's whispered summation of the situation. "Shut the hell up, you dumb, illiterate bitch. What the hell do you know?"

"Not much I suppose. Except for men that is," Tanya answered smugly. "I can read them like a book...and that one, your supposed fiance,  hasn't paid one iota of attention to you since this all began...Shaurya Khanna...,"

"Wants to marry me. He came looking for me," Shruti finished under her breath to her friend. "He heard that I had divorced, was back in Delhi and he hightailed it back to me," she gloated. " He went on one knee for ME...not her."

"Only to hurt her, but trust me, that man does not want you. Tell me: have you slept with him since you got together?"

Shruti fell silent.

Tanya scoffed at her friend. "Aacha, He's rejected you, outright hasn't he? The one thing you have to offer that could bind the two of you together, he wants no parts of.  Why's that, you think?" 

Shruti blurted out the excuse she had repeatedly given herself. "Things are different. We're older now and doing things differently. He respects..."

"Oh, Bitch please, don't go with the he respects me angle. This is Shaurya Khanna...heir to the Khanna fortune...the step-son who was made heir-apparent over the biological son of the family."

"Yes, and that fact means that Shaurya gets what he wants..."

"Which is not you. It's someone decent and respectable: like her. It most likely is her. Look, honey, I will give it to you, you stood a better chance earlier this evening. Not of marrying him, mind you, but at least you would have had that ring to compensate you for your trouble. But now..."

Shruti watched her friend purse her lips and shake her head.

"Now what...finish what you were going to say."

"Mehek Sharma has bartered her virgin body to, if she is lucky, one hardened criminal for the sake of your cousin...the one you f**ked over..."

"Yeah, but the fact remains that he probably doesn't think she's a virgin anyway and he hates her for that. He won't care."

"Sure, and I bet he's trying to convince himself of that just as hard are you are. But the fact is that Shaurya will die before he lets any harm come to her...because he's always believed her to be his. His to hate, his to hurt...his to love. Only his.  Should we get out of this mess, you will be left with nothing Shruti: no ring, no Shaurya... and if your family gets wind of what happened with Sara..."

"How the hell was I supposed to know she was really pregnant, she barely speaks to me."

"Yes, but you threw her under the bus; you urged a gang of would be rapists to choose her..."

"You know, maybe you should start worrying about yourself Tanya," Shruti groused. "I'm going to get exactly what I want in the end, including the forgiveness of my family if it's necessary...Everything I want," she swore. "Especially Shaurya," she added.

"Hmm... just like that huge divorce settlement you were expecting and already spending in your head, right. That didn't work out, and your first husband was a complete idiot in comparison to Shaurya Khanna. Face facts, Shruti you are nothing in comparison to our virgin sacrifice over there. He may have wanted to hurt her earlier, but that man is fighting his heart, and losing big time. He will kill someone before he lets even a hair of hers get harmed. And if somehow the truth comes out, you may be his next victim..."

"Shut up, just shut the hell up, Tanya!"

The man stationed near them smiled stealthily and casually tapped his weapon.

********

"Start coughing," Shaurya ordered his brother.

"What?"

"Cough, wheeze have some sort of attack...asthma like."

"I don't have..."

"Fake it...Just do it...Now."  

His younger brother obeyed him at last.

"Louder Vicky...she needs to hear you."

Across the room, Shruti saw a chance to at least get over to the side of the room she needed to be on to stand any chance of salvaging things for herself. She stood up, on a mission.  Cold metal hit her temple, before she took her first step. She hadn't even heard the man approach. How close had he been and for how long?

"Did someone ask you to move, Miss?"

"Vicky...my devar," Shruti beseeched, gesturing frantically to the younger of the two brothers.

"Sit your scrawny ass back down."

She stood her ground, hoping to make an impression that would cut her a break. " I'm Shaurya's fiance, you won't..."

The sound of the gun being cocked echoed in her ear. The man smirked. "Try me, bitch."

Vicky paused when he saw what was happening with Shruti.

"Bhai.."

"Don't stop you fool, sound more desperate. Shaurya answered, never taking his eyes away from Mehek.

At last the attention he was seeking was won. For added effect, Shaurya began calling for someone to bring some water, and begging Vicky to try to take deep breaths, watching out of the corner of his eye as across the room, Mehek jumped up and hurried to the kitchen. No one stopped her. Less than a minute later, she was there with a glass of water.  She set it down and mustered the strength to pull the younger man up into a sitting position. "Vicky: some water."

"Bha..."

"Don't try to talk...drink this first, Vicky," she encouraged the young man she held such an affection for. She watched with worry as he sipped. "Does he have any medication, an inhaler, that will help him" she queried of the man's older brother. Her eyes swept over the ailing man, and then finally over to Shaurya when she realized that he hadn't answered her.

"What's happened," Shaurya demanded. "Why are you crying? Has anyone...done anything...dammit Mehek."

She turned away from him, her cheeks flaming. "Oh, Vicky," she accused.

"I'm sorry Bhabhi... Bhaiyaa..."

"Don't,"

"You didn't mind it before. You liked that I called you Bhabhi."

"That's only because I was a fool stuck in an illusion, but that's not what I'm saying. You can't recover this quickly. Keep acting ill for a while, even after I leave, or they will suspect something. The first rule of acting is to convince your audience of what they are seeing. I don't want them to hurt you Vicky because they've figured out you were faking this. It will kill me if they hurt you."

Shaurya could only stare at the pair. He had been so busy hating her that he had no idea that she and Vicky had become so close. And how the hell would Vicky even know to connect the two of them in the first place, that would have him insisting on referring to her as his sister-in-law in the first place? It was plain to see that theirs was a genuine friendship, but he had never told Vicky...no one about her. Further it, had been a stipulation of her employment that their past never be disclosed. She had readily agreed to it. So how?

Making sure to interpose his words with heavy puffing now, Vicky kept talking to Mehek, unmindful that his brother was present. "I...don't...want them...won't...let them...hurt you...Bhabhi..."

"Stop Vicky. Don't talk like that. If you keep it up I won't be able to do what I must."

"What are you going to do with that knife, Mehek?  And don't try to deny having it. Your "devar saw you take it. Don't do anything..."

"First off, I'm not yours to save Shaurya. You hate me remember, so whatever I am going to do is no concern of yours. If you want to play the hero, save the effort for your brother...and your... for whomever means something to you."

She closed her eyes and only when she was sure she had hidden some of her pain, faced Shaurya. "But if at any time I ever meant anything to you, promise me that you won't let anything happen to Vicky. If I had ever been lucky to have had a devar, I would have wanted him to be just like him. He is very special."  She looked over at the younger man, who idolized his older brother, and leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"I love you Vicky, remember that okay? Never forget that," she sniffed, beginning to cry earnestly again.

The young man, who before today, had seemed the most happy-go-lucky person she had ever met began choking for real, this time on his tears. "Bhabhi, don't do anything stupid...please," he begged.

Dread over the fatalistic conversation, that Mehek did nothing to dissuade, left Shaurya with a sick feeling. "Leave the knife, Mehek, at least..."

She couldn't, or wouldn't even look at him, instead focusing on Vicky, as if attempting to memorize his features.

"What: do you think that it would be better for you to have it Shaurya; that a man could handle one better? Lethal is lethal no matter who wields the knife. Don't even think to interfere with what I am..."

"Mehek..."

"Hello there, is this a private conversation, or can anyone join?" 

The questioning voice came with complete with a loaded gun, which was now pointed directly at Shaurya's heart. While the gangster engaged in a bizarre testosterone stare-down with his hostage, Mehek managed, under the guise of checking once more on Vicky, to push the empty glass behind Shaurya's back, in direct contact of his hand. In the process their fingers touched, and Shaurya linked his pinky with hers, to acknowledge her action. She ached to prolong the contact but dared not to chance bringing attention to their activity.  Instead she stood up and boldly placed herself in between the gun and the man behind her. The feel of the metal against her body was one she never wanted repeated, but she refused to move.

"Will you try to save everyone, Mehek? There is but one opportunity to exchange what you have already promised, Jaan."  

"Are we leaving now? No, I thought not. In that case, he is your most valuable hostage...Shaurya and Vicky. As long as they are safe so are y..." Her sentence ended in a gasp, when a strong hand reached for her throat and squeezed.

"Do you really think yourself indispensable Mehek Sharma," the man barked. "Don't try to be over-smart." He loosened his grip but kept his hand there, threatening, at her neck, and glared at her, letting her see his true self. She shuddered.

"I'm s-sorry..."she said, still gulping frantically for air after the sudden deprivation.

"Jaisan," he said bringing his other hand, along with his revolver up to her face and began stroking it with the barrel. There was a heat in his eyes that she couldn't stand to see, so she averted her own.  "If we are to become close, you should at least know my name." His taunting eyes, left her flushed downturned face to meet those of the man who sat behind her. "It would be most distressing if the wrong name is called out at the most...inopportune time." He crowded her knowing that she had nowhere to move, all the while maintaining the stare past her. "Try it on for size, Mehek. Say my name," he whispered in her ear.

"Jaisan," Mehek whispered her voice a heartbeat from a wail. The man bit his bottom lip, and shook his head to further taunt Shaurya Khanna.

"Mehek, for your sake, and for theirs, do not come anywhere near these two again, do you understand me?"

Yes...Jaisan," she answered with real fear in her voice. He stepped back at last.  She was literally shaking when the man ordered her to go to her friends and stay there unless she was given permission to move.

In his hand, the drinking glass proved no match for Shaurya's fury.

The man towering over him turned his attention from watching Mehek's departure, and right there and then, Shaurya knew if given the opportunity he would kill him. The man too, recognized the violence he saw in the businessman's eyes, however before he could react the loud ringing of the restaurant's telephone reached their ears.

"Aacha, the game is afoot at last, Khanna Saab. I suspect at the very least there may be one or two people outside, who may be anxious for yours and your brother's safety. So many possibilities, so many options to discuss. I suspect this is probably your cup of tea, more than mine, so what would you suggest be the goal of my negotiations Shaurya Khanna?"

"Your life...definitely your life...Jaisan."

A crooked smile on his face, the man knelt. "I think you've become too emotional, Khanna saab and it's high time that you get your mind back where it should have been all this time, and not on my new toy. Tell me, what's the fiancee's name again: Shoopi, Screwy..."

"Shruti."

"Very good! For a minute I thought you had forgotten her. I'm feeling generous, so I am going to let you two lovebirds reunite now. She must be so pining for her Shaurie."

"Perhaps you would do best to answer that phone and figure out how you are going to get out of here alive, instead, Jaisan."

********

"You have to give us something in good faith, Jaisan. That's what negotiation is all about. How about the women, at least? They should have no part of this situation. As men it is our duty to protect them not to have them in harm's way. You know that Jaisan. I can tell that just by the sound of your voice."

The crisis negotiator was doing his best, but he was up against a stronger willed man than he had anticipated. It was almost as Jaisan was deliberately playing a cat and mouse game with the man on the other end of the speaker-phone whose hint of a British accent spoke to the unseen mediator having been educated overseas. And Jaisan's  men, Shaurya  thought, they were wrong as well. They were too quiet in their work, almost too disciplined.

"This is all wrong," Shaurya muttered.

He watched Mehek bring a glass of water over to Tanya who was now seated with her and Sara and Trey. Shruti who come over, in a fanfare of tears, to sit with the two brothers, heard Shaurya and followed his eyes as he kept his attention on Mehek. She pounced on his suggestion.

"Is it possible that she is in on it Shaurya? It would explain so much."

 Vicky instantly objected. "Are you stupid? Bhabhi would never..."

"Vicky!"

Shruti stared at Shaurya's brother, furious at his deference to Mehek. It was as bad as her almost-fiancee's inability to let the chef leave his sight.

"Bolo Shruti, tell me what you are thinking," Shaurya asked just to appease the woman.

She couldn't believe it, she finally had his attention. Where her tears had no effect on him, inciting his mistrust of Mehek, had given her the notice she had desired. She had to use the opportunity to her best advantage.

"Look at the leeway they continue to give her. And no one has really hurt her. This could be an inside job...and her just acting. It makes sense and you and I, we both know her nature Shaurya. More than anyone even my cousin understands how untrustworthy she can be..." 

~~~~~~~

 Seven Years Ago...

It had started pelting with rain, which is the only reason why he had cut through the drama department on his way back from the sports field. It was an area of the campus that Shaurya hardly came to; the Arts not being his cup of tea. Life was enough of a spectacle in his opinion, to waste your time playing make believe. Consequently because of his infrequency with the section, he hadn't been able to identify the male voice echoing in the empty hall. However, there was no uncertainty in his mind at all, when the replying female's voice reached his ears. He stopped in his tracks.

"Why did you call me here, Trey?"

"Why do you think," came the taller boy's biting response, as he advanced on her.

Alarmed, Mehek tried to side step the intimidating senior, only to have him mirror her, left and then right, as if they were partners in some macabre dance. "Don't tell me you don't know why, and don't pretend like you didn't want to come. It's good that you did...for me at least," he concluded as he pushed her against the wall leaving her no avenue of escape.

Shaurya saw red, and was a second from confronting the boy who had dared to waylay his Mehek, and even worse was trying to come even closer to her, when raising his hand Trey tweaked her nose and burst out laughter. Inexplicably she giggled, and the tension evaporated into thin air.

"What the Hell?

He stayed rooted in position needing to understand what he had become an unwilling witness to.

"You are so bad, Trey. Don't complain to me when you get punished later."

"That's not necessarily a bad thing if the right person is punishing you...and what the nature of the punishment is." He leaned down and whispered something in her ear, that had her mouth falling open, and her face flaming. He stood back up and smirked. "Since you're not objecting I'll take it that you wouldn't mind that at all," he replied suggestively.

From where he was, Shaurya stood aghast at the transformation of the sweet innocent girl he had spent time with , as her tongue darted out to lick her lower lip so seductively. "I think would like that a lot, actually." It was like a shot to his heart, to see this sensual side of her...all for another guy. It devastated him; so much that he actually staggered back. And that was when his eyes caught sight of another person who was watching the intimate scene between the two. Her reason for doing so he had to question, since she was recording the interlude on her mobile.

~~~~~~~~

The sudden recollection of that one fact brought Shaurya out of the reverie he had been in. That day; that instant had changed his life completely, and not necessarily for the better. He sat in quiet contemplation, as he focused on the trio across the room. The three were thick as thieves after all these years.

"Shruti, tell me something?

"Haan Shaurya."

"What is Trey doing for himself nowadays?"

Shruti had no idea why he would ask her that, but she was grateful to have his attention at last. "Film Production...he still thinks to be a major film director one day, believe it or not."

"Aacha," Shaurya said thoughtfully. "I find it amazing that your cousin is capable of such forgiveness. It takes a truly special person to do that."

"I don't understand."

 Shaurya turned his full attention on the woman. "You are joking right? You don't understand?"

His eyes narrowed, when she shook her head, oblivious to what he was saying.

Nor would she, not then at least, when across the room, Sara suddenly cried out in pain. Pandemonium erupted when the young woman began writhing on the floor. Panic-stricken, Mehek attempted to aid her friend, who was incapable of voicing her problem, as she moaned endlessly.

"Sara, what is it, Mehek cried.

 An answer wasn't necessary when Tanya suddenly pointed in the fallen woman's direction when Sara rolled away from her. "She's bleeding... the back of her skirt...she's bleeding!