Part XCIX
Six months later
Maan was going through the accounting entries of Handa Group of hotels prior to its merger with his hotel when something caught his eye. His eyes widened in surprise and he looked again. The company seemed to have received an unusually large sum of money under the head 'Miscellaneous'. He wondered how come this head of account which was more to capture sundry items can show over Rs.200 crore. Wanting to investigate it further, he called in the accounts department head. The man fidgeted around and was reluctant to divulge the details. It is only when Maan threatened him with dismissal that he opened his mouth and revealed that the money was from a numbered account. On being probed further he blurted out that the account was held in the name of Arjun.
Maan was puzzled that Arjun would pay the company Rs.200 crore when he himself was hard up for money and had to sell his entire stake in the hotel group. It also did not make sense that the man, who was charged of embezzling the company and was cooling his heels in prison, has actually paid money to the company instead of taking money from it. Why did he not say that he had not swindled the company? Why would he want to dig his own grave? It was hard to believe that an utterly selfish man like Arjun would do such a thing. He had also noticed that Arjun had paid Rs.50 crore to acquire the lease of the hotel in Alibaug. Now why would he do such a crazy thing when the property was clearly not worth so much? What was even more puzzling was for him to indulge in what clearly appeared to be a distress sale of the very same hotel after paying an astronomical rate for it. Clearly something was amiss and he had to get to the bottom of it. Sending the accounts head away he called in Yash, thinking that he should be able to throw more light in these strange dealings as he was Arjun's legal adviser at the time.
The minute Yash saw Maan's face darkened in confusion and anger, he realised that Maan must have come to know something of their master plan to topple Arjun. Sure enough Maan's questions clearly indicated that he was suspicious of the extraordinary transactions revolving around Arjun. He knew that there was no point in hiding the truth because Maan was too shrewd to accept any bluffs. He admitted to entrapping Arjun in an elaborate plan. He explained that Arjun was unaware that he was actually borrowing his own company's funds to make absurd deals. He later ended up paying back the money under threat to his life, selling all his shares in the company. He was not aware that the numbered account in which he remitted the money was actually in his name. As Yash had got him to sign in various blank cheques, under the pretext that it was for the day-to-day running of the company, he had got him to sign off the money from that account, back to the company. The account was then closed. A good lawyer should be able to trace the chain of transactions and free him but since there was no one to stand up for him, he was still an under-trial in prison. The case may not come up for hearing in years and even if it does, it was doubtful that a public defender would take the trouble of investigating the accounts proving Arjun's innocence.
Maan was aghast at hearing the details of this master plan to bring about Arjun's downfall. He asked Yash why did he indulge in such under-handed activities. Yash did not want to drag Anwesha's name in this, knowing she was Maan's sister and he would be upset with her. So he just told him that he had an old score to settle with Arjun and joined his company only to exact his revenge. Maan was disgusted with him and asked him to resign from the company immediately if he did not want legal actions against him. Yash silently nodded and left his cabin only to return within a few minutes with his resignation letter.
That afternoon Maan went home for lunch as he had been doing ever since the arrival of his kids. Pinky was there with her 14-month daughter, Bhavya, who was fascinated with the eight-month old triplets who were strapped to their baby seats and being fed by Geet, Anwesha and Rano. She was asking her mother how come Meghna and Sahana look alike in her childish gibberish. Her mother who was feeding her explained that they were identical twins. Pinky then looked up at Geet and asked her how she can tell one from the other. Anwesha laughed and said that they always dressed Meghna and Sahana in different clothes so that they can make out who is who. Just then Maan stepped in and seeing him, Pinky smiled broadly. Bhavya ran to her uncle and raised her arms. Maan lifted her up and kissed her plump cheeks asking what his favourite niece was up to these days. She started rambling away in her undecipherable gibberish and Maan nodded his head, pretending to understand every word she said. Pinky took her daughter from him and asked him how Adhi was discharging his responsibilities as a manager. Maan assured her that he was doing a wonderful job and has come up with new and innovative ways to make his hotel more popular. Pinky was happy to hear this. Having finished with the feeding of the triplets the three resident women of Handa House asked all of them to come for lunch. Baba slowly ambled in with his walking stick. He no longer required the walker to move around.
Ramu kaka was asked to keep an eye on the kids who were still strapped to their baby seats as they were uncontrollable out of them, now that they have started crawling. Ramu kaka gave them each their favourite toy - Barbie doll for Sahana, Teddy bear for Ishan and Bugs Bunny for Meghna, to keep them distracted. Ishan was busy trying to dig out Teddy's eyes. Sahana was admiring the long hair of her Barbie doll, running her fingers through it. Meghna was chewing up the large ears of her Bugs Bunny.
In the meantime the family sat down together at the dining table. Maan was unusually quiet during lunch, immersed in some deep thought but since the rest was busy chatting amongst themselves they did not notice it. After lunch, Maan played with his kids for some time. All three wanted to be lifted by him. He slung Petal on his shoulders, made Ice hop on to his back and carried Ribby in his arms. With Petal holding on to his head, Ice clinging to his neck from behind and Ribby hugging his chest, he cantered around the hall like a horse making neighing noises. The triplets giggled gleefully and Bhavya clapped her hands loudly. The rest of the family couldn't help but smile at Maan's oneness with his kids. Soon Maan was tired of his physical efforts and slowly slid his kids back to their seats. Promising more activity that evening, he gratefully accepted the glass of water his wife gave him and gulped down the water.
Pinky soon left with Bhavya after kissing her nieces and nephew goodbye. Maan then asked Geet if he can speak to her alone. Rano and Anwesha assured her that they will take care of the kids. Geet followed Maan to their room wondering what he wanted to talk to her about. Once they were in their room, Maan told her everything that transpired that morning. Geet's initial guilt at having hidden the truth from Maan turned into alarm when he informed her that he forced Yash to quit.
"Maan you cannot do that to Yash. He is not to be blamed. He only wanted to help."
"Help who?" asked Maan angrily.
She was about to blurt out how Anwesha and Yash had planned all this together but realised that Maan will get angry with Anwesha. She, therefore, decided to assume the blame herself.
"Maan, I wanted him to bring down Arjun."
"You wanted to ruin your own brother?" he asked stunned. "Why?"
She then told him that her brother was heartless enough to sell his own sister for the greed of owning the stocks which her father had willed to the man who would marry her. She wanted her husband to get back what was rightfully him. She framed Arjun in a false case because he was responsible for showing him that disgusting music video of Kunal kissing her inorder to break up her marriage. He was the one who planted Mr.Bansal in Maan's hotel and was all set to plant someone else in his place to bring about loss and disrepute to Maan. He was a snake who was adamant at poisoning her family. She will not let him do that. So she decided to pre-empt him.
"Attack is the best form of defence. So I asked Yash to help me annihilate my own brother for he does not deserve to be one. He has never been a good husband, or a good son, or a good brother," she said gritting her teeth.
Maan was astounded to see this violent side of Geet. Was it really his wife? How can she be so crooked and cold blooded?
Recovering from his shock, he lashed out at her. "First of all why did you not tell me that Arjun was the one behind that video? Secondly, why did you not tell me that he was trying to ruin me and my business? Would I not have tackled him myself? How can you drag me into this crooked and cunning plan and make me buy the shares of your father's company at values which were well below the market value? I hate dishonesty and devious ways. I don't believe that means justify the end. However crooked and heartless your brother may be, I will not stoop to his level and do things behind his back. I would have confronted him about what he had done to my family and what he was intending to do. I would have fought him fair and square. You have made me indirectly a part of this mess. You have made me enjoy something which is not mine. If I had bought your father's shares at their true market value, I would have felt that I earned them but now I feel unworthy of taking over your father's business. I feel I have entered through the back door while the man who sold his company to me is locked up for a crime he did not commit. This is not fair or just. I am deeply disappointed in you, Geet, I am disappointed in you. "
He looked at her in disgust and walked out of the room stiffly even as a stunned Geet crumbled on the bed weeping bitterly. Anwesha and Rano who were in the next room, which was the children's nursery, laying Meghna and Sahana on their baby beds after they had fallen asleep, had rushed out hearing the noise in Maan's bedroom and had heard their confrontation from the moment Geet admitted to planning Arjun's downfall till the end. Anwesha ran behind Maan and dragged him to her room to explain everything.
Rano staggered into Geet's room and sat beside her daughter, taking her in her arms. She was shocked to learn that Arjun had literally sold his sister for her husband's wealth. She was not aware that Mohinder had willed half his company to the man her daughter was to marry and that Maan had written off his rights on the company in order to ensure his sister's life was secure. Even after receiving everything, Arjun had treated his wife, Maan's sister, so badly. His own sister, Geet was subjected to a life of hardship in the chawl because of his greed. The enormity of Arjun's sins just hit her hard. Of late she was beginning to soften towards her son. After today, she resolved that she will visit him in the jail, not to console him as she had earlier thought of doing, but to lambast him for his crimes against his own kith and kin. She wanted to tell him that he deserved this and more.
In the meantime, Anwesha narrated the whole truth to Maan. "How can you be so harsh with a woman who has always been your support in good times and in bad? Don't you know your wife better, Bhaiyya? Would she really do things that you detest? In fact she tried to stop us from embarking on this plan partly because she felt it was dangerous and was scared that Arjun would finish me off if he comes to know of it but mostly because it was something you would never agree to. But then this is not concerning you, Bhaiyya. That man has ruined my life, my happiness, my peace of mind. He was busy cuddling up with his mistress when my son lay dead here. I had to teach him a lesson. I had to get justice and this was the only way I could have got it. I did not want to trouble you with my problems. You have done enough for this troublesome sister of yours. It is time I take care of my own problems. Yash is a good man, Bhaiyya. Please do not punish him for helping me. As to feeling unworthy because you bought the shares at below the market value, let me tell you this. Immediately after the market came to know that you had taken over the company did the share prices not sky rocket to new highs? Does that not show how much faith and confidence people have in your ability? You deserve everything you have got so far, including your wife and your babies."
Maan was reeling in shock hearing that his young and innocent sister connived with Yash to mastermind Arjun's downfall. Now she was even giving him a lecture on how he needs to treat his family!
Just then he received a call on his cell. It was his secretary who reminded him that he had to address an important board meeting in less than an hour. He decided he will take care of the Arjun issue later and quickly returned to his office. He first called up Yash and apologising to him, he asked him if he was willing to resume duty the next day because he needed him. Although Yash was initially hesitant, he finally gave in and promised to report for work the next day.
After concluding the board meeting, he returned home early that evening. He felt bad shouting at Geet that afternoon. She should have confided all this to him but as Anwesha pointed out, he would not have allowed their plan to take off. For Anwesha that was not an option and, hence, she forbade her bhabhi to discuss it either before or after the execution of the plan. No matter what, he will not allow a man to be punished for a crime he did not commit, but before that he first needs to make peace with Geet.
When he reached home he saw Geet with sullen face. He tried to talk to her but she did not respond. He then decided to elicit the support of his kids in an effort to placate their mother. He went up to Ice and lifting him up he asked him to punch his dada because he had been bad to his mama. Ice couldn't believe his luck at being given such a chance. He widened his eyes and readily punched his chest as forcefully as his tiny fist could. Maan pretended to be hurt and let out a loud 'Ouch', sending Ice into a peel of laughter. Hearing this Meghna and Sahana also wanted to play this new 'game' with their dad. He let Ice down and picked up both his daughters in each of his arms and asked them to pinch him and slap him. While Meghna gleefully pinched one of his cheek, Sahana gave him a tight slap on the other with her tiny hands. 'Ouch, Ouch', he yelled prompting loud giggles from the girls. Soon he was alternatively punched, pinched and slapped by all his three kids and he obliged them by responding with loud 'ouches'. Geet couldn't resist smiling at his antics and pulled her kids away from him saying that they had enough of fun hitting her husband. She will not let them hit him anymore. Maan's face broke into a smile seeing his wife spring to his defence. He pulled her into his arms and apologising to her, he kissed her forehead. He then opened his arms wide to envelope his entire family in them.
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