Note: The dialogues in red are spoken in Marathi.
The Secret
Farhad was rushing down the staircase from the den after retrieving an important file. The meeting was going to begin soon and if he didn't manage to arrive at the venue in time, Raghav would kill him. Just as he reached the last step, he spotted that good for nothing Sunny, snooping around the entrance of the gym. “Aaj toh yeh Sunshine gaya,” he thought as he crept behind him, ready to attack him until he saw what, or rather who he was spying on: Pallavi.
There she sat, in the innermost corner of the gym, a secluded area which is usually reserved for Raghav’s gym equipment and other miscellaneous things. The air was eerily quiet. There was some sombre light shining directly on her, from who knows where, highlighting her long brown tresses which were hanging loosely until her waist. She was sitting perfectly still with her back towards her unwelcomed audience, who were still gaping at the entrance of the gym. Was it the blue curtains or the lighting accentuating the darker colours that was making the ambiance so cold? Farhad wondered as he realised his palms had started to have cold sweat. He focused on his target, Sunny, who was trying his best to eavesdrop on his beloved Bhabhi’s conversation. He will not let any harm linger upon her because of this useless creature.
“What do you mean you don’t know?!” He stopped his mission midway as heard Pallavi speak loudly. He was sure her voice echoed through the house at least twice. “Tumhe maine kitni baar kaha hai mujhe call mat kiya karo jab tak tumhare paas mere saare sawalo ke jawab na ho.” He couldn’t understand what she was saying but it was clear that she was angry. Very angry. Farhad had seen her anger on Raghav before but it was never this intimidating. He could never imagine this was the same person who packed him an extra lunch full of his favourite dishes this morning.
“I don’t care. Tumse ek kaam karne ke liye kaha tha aur tum woh bhi nahi kar paye? Do you have any idea agar kisi ko sach pata chala ko kya hoga?” Pallavi stood up in agitation. “Saari information pata karne me kitna time lagega? Hmm. Sabse pehle pata karo uss private investigator ko kisne hire kiya tha. Darao, dhamkao ya usse ulta latkao, mujhe usse koi farak nahi padta, as long as woh sahi salamat apne ghar pohoch sake.” Both Sunny and Farhad moved a little closer to the entrance as she started speaking in a low voice again. Farhad knew he shouldn’t eavesdrop and should stop Sunny too but he had never seen this version of his Bhabhi before and curiosity got the best of him.
“I don’t think Raghav would do something like this. I hope he does not.” The little room had turned darker as she sat back down with her head in one of her hands. This is not the conversation she needed to have right now. Fear and doubts had started to coil thorns around her heart. Raghav wouldn’t hire someone to look into her past right? He wouldn’t. She tried to reassure herself. He loves her. “Of course I love Raghav!” she exclaimed at the person on the call. “Isiliye I need you to stop that PI from digging deeper in my life and find out who he is working for. Listen, I love Raghav and I need him in my life. Mere past ke baare me jaan ke kabhi kisi ke saath achha nahi hua hai aur mai nahi chahti ki Raghav ke saath kuch galat ho.” She was genuinely scared. For him. For her. For their love. He was the first person who had made her feel this special. She never thought she had it in her to feel what love is like until she met him. This is why part of her wanted to tell him everything. Come clean. But the other part knew what havoc it would bring in everyone’s lives if the truth ever came out.
“I will do whatever it takes to keep this a secret. I am ready to kill and be killed if that’s what it’ll take. Nobody can find out. Nobody. Not now, not ever.” Her voice became icy which sent a shiver down Farhad’s spine. He was suddenly aware of the darkness that Pallavi was standing in. He felt a forbidding aura surround her, sucking all the light and air from the room. He loosened his tie and opened the top two buttons of his shirt as he felt suffocated. He wondered if her eyes mirrored the same sinister void that was in her voice, but his gut told him it is better if that is left a mystery. Was she always like this? More importantly, does Anna know? Should he let him know? Farhad had started to spiral with the myriad of questions in his head.
“Farhad? Farhad!” He came out of his thoughts and saw her smiling radiantly at him. The room had become unexpectedly bright for his eyes to take. “Kya hua Farhad? Tum theek toh ho na? Aur tumhe itna paseena kyu aa raha hai?” Pallavi inquired warmly, while Farhad was standing tongue tied unable to meet her eyes. “Bha- Bhab- Bhabhi woh mai bass…” he stuttered, still reeling from what he just witnessed. “Woh Sunny yaha aapki baate sunn raha tha toh mai usko rokne aaya tha.” He turned to where Sunny was standing to find him gone. Pallavi looked at him amused and spoke gently, “Waha toh koi nahi hai. Tum bohot thake hue lag rahe ho, ho sakta hai tumhara wehem ho. Raghav tumse bohot kaam karata hai na? Mai usse bolungi woh tumhe kuch din ki chhuti de. Tumhari bhi toh koi life hai.” Was she right? Did he dream all that? He could feel his heart thumping out of fright. “Anyways mujhe kitchen mai thoda kaam hai toh mai tumse baad me baat karti hu theek hai?” “Kaam. Oh no! Bhabhi mujhe toh Anna ko yeh file leke humari meeting ke liye milna tha. Agar mai late pohocha toh Anna toh meri jaan le lenge!” Farhad remembered the immediate threat to his life and he dashed out of the RR mansion after bidding Pallavi a quick goodbye. Pallavi checked her surroundings swiftly to confirm if Farhad was speaking the truth and dialed another number. “Hello? It’s me. I need you to do me a favour.”
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End.
A/N: Hello peeps! I have since forever been interested in knowing about Pallavi's past and I don't know if we'll ever get that so I wrote something myself. I don't know if the title is apt for this OS so do give me your suggestions and make it as mysterious as possible.😆 I hope you liked this. I'll be waiting to hear all your lovely thoughts.
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