Ripped Apart ~6~(Maaneet) chk pg 146 - Page 18

He looked deep in her eyes. The pain etched in those hazels that once used to shine with pure bliss and mischief stabbed his heart yet again. He flinched as he held her shoulders and drew her closer holding her straight and urged, "Aisa kya hai wahan jo tum nahi chahti ki main wahan jaon?" But she simply looked down. Cupping her jaw, he forcibly made her to look at him,"Speak up Geet... Bolo" he demanded urgently but she stayed quiet and so he said with determination, "I'm going there". Holding his shirt collar, "Aap wahan nahi jayenge... you won't go" she repeated. Maan shook her shoulders hard and raised his voice, "KYUN?" When her pleading didn't deter him, she took a deep breath, composed herself and looking in his eyes said gravely, "Stop interfering in my matters. Yeh zaroori nahi ki har baat ki wajah aapko pata ho. Maine keh diya na ki aap wahan nahi jayenge toh bas... nahi jayenge." Maan's jaws clenched as his grip over her grew firm, "If you don't want me to interfere in 'your'... matters... what right do you have to stop me from doing what I want? (gently pushing her away he dashed towards his desk) you can't stop me Geet... you can't!" he finished as he picked the receiver of the phone and furiously punched in the number and moments later barked into the phone, "Get me the first flight to Hoshia..." But before he could continue he heard, "Dare you Maan"... Maan's eyes turned to slits as he snapped his head to look at her and exactly at the same moment his eyes widened as words caught in his throat and he gasped. Shocked and frightened, he slowly placed the received back on its hook.

He picked up the cutter from the ground and looked at it vehemently. He then threw it away with all his force. Running a hand through his hair he slumped down on the couch. He leaned forward and rested his face on his intertwined hands as he thought about what had just transpired. He didn't understand her frantic attempts to stop him from going to Hoshairpur but one thing was clear things were more... much more complicated than what he knew... graver beyond uncle-aunty's death and that doomed wedding. And he was not going to sit quietly. Agreed, he could not go there but then that didn't mean he could not get to the root of this mystery. His only qualm was this would delay the matter for a day or two but not really having a choice, he removed his cell, punched a number and asked the person on the other line to extract all the details regarding Handas and the Handa Haveli.

He checked the mailbox once more. There was yet no reply. He shut his eyes. It has been a week since he had sent that mail and since then he made it a point to check the mailbox almost every hour waiting for the reply. This only meant one thing that the receiver had yet not checked her mailbox. He wondered if she even checked it any longer or was she using some other mail id that he was not aware of. He typed "Geet" in the search box and the result generated several mails. But most of them were more than 6 months old. There was only one in the inbox that interested him. That confirmed his doubts that all this while his prey had been freely walking on the Mumbai roads while he waited for the good for nothing detective agency to garner results for him. When he had first seen the date of the mail, he had been infuriated. That love-struck chic, Anu had known about Geet's whereabouts for three months now and she had not told him once. Only if he had known this... his prey would have been in his claws and he would have made sure he encaged her to eternity... his wait would have long ended and his hunger would have been satiated. He extended his hand and touched Geet's name over the screen, "No worries baby...no worries... the day I find you, I'm going to relish you and unleash the animal I'm on you... you will pay for running away from me... you will pay for having tortured me like this'" muttering to no one in particular he let out an evil laugh and then his face contorted as he violently got up and picking up the paper weight kept over the desk he threw it over the mirror crashing it down.

Geet put her head on her desk. She knew Maan. He was not one who could be deterred and she knew until he got to the facts he will not sit peacefully. Even though she wished she could, she didn't have it in her to rely on anyone now... not even him. Brij and Arjun were no body to her... but he... he was everything she had... knowingly or unknowingly he had also ended up hurting her. He had tainted the memories she had cherished. He was the one who claimed to know her better than herself and yet when the time had come, he crumpled her faith in love and him. She was not going to flow into emotions now. But she needed to act fast. She was very well aware of Maan's anger...he wouldn't think before pouncing on the culprits. But Brij and Arjun were dangerous... they were cold-blooded murderers and if Brij could so brutally kill his own kin then why would he spare Maan. What if Arjun tried to harm Maan? She snapped her head up and held her head in her palms. Come what may, she will not let any harm come his way. These were her demons... her perils and she would walk this turbulent path herself. she picked up the phone and called Gurvinder but it was not reachable. She slammed the phone back on the desk.

He browsed through the photo identity cards of the delegates who had attended the conference last night till his eyes fell on the one he was looking for. The moment his eyes fell on the man's identity card, his eyes emancipated uncontained fury as he remembered the condition in which he had found Geet last night. But what he didn't understand was why Geet was favouring him. In fact, it was her composed and sociable conduct around that man that had irked him in the first place. Who was he and what he had to do with Geet... How did Geet know him? What did he tell her last night? How was Geet related to this man? Does he know anything about her... about them? The questions knocked seamlessly on his brains. He checked the contact number registered in the hotel records and tried calling him but it was not reachable. Irritated, he kept the phone on the desk.

Naintara was certainly surprised to see Anu standing outside her room. She rarely came by in Dev's absence. So when Anu asked her straightforwardly it threw her offguard, "Bhabhi, kal aap aur Arjun Geet ke baare main kya baatein kar rahe the?" Naintara flustered. "Geet... humme kya zaroorat hai Geet ke baare main baat karne ki?" she asked. Anu frowned so Naintara quickly added, "Humara matlab hai ki hum toh aise hi bas generally Arjun se pooch rahe the ki aap dono ke friends ko engagement ke invites chale gaye hain ya nahi. Tab Arjun ne Geet ke baare main baat ki... but Anu, I don't think so that you should call her. Maan Veerji will not like it" Anu was carefully reading her expressions, "Bhabhi, how do you know if Maan Veerji would appreciate Geet's presence on not?" she asked ignoring Naintara's remark. Anu wondered why was Naintara fumbling and her excuse was certainly not convincing. Naintara didn't know how to answer that one. "Bataiye na Bhabhi, how do you know?" Anu urged once again. Naintara was not expecting Anu to come and question her about this. She remembered Dadi Ma interrogating Arjun last night and Anu was asking her now. Did they have any clue? Did they know? She gulped as she gave Anu a nervous smile, "Is main na pata hone wali kaunsi baat hai Anu?" she asked idiotically. Anu narrowed her eyes, "Bhabhi, baat toh hai... kyunki jo baat Mumma aur Dad bhi nahi jaante yahan tak ki Dev Veerji ko bhi nahi pata woh aapko pata hai." She said dubiously. Naintara slapped her forehead, "Kya baatein leke baith gayi aap... chodiye na... you have an appointment at the boutique today... do you remember?" Anu nodded positively as she noticed Naintara changing the topic of their conversation. "Theek hai Bhabhi... I'll take my leave" saying that Anu left her room.

Right outside the door, Anu was stunned and her eyes were wide. She had just stepped out when she heard Naintara voice... it was the urgency and the tone of her voice that compelled her to listen to what followed. Befuddled and alarmed Anu quietly left from there.

Geet was walking through the corridor when she felt a tug at her elbow. "Vicky?" she was confused as he pulled her along into the cafeteria. "Why are you taking me to the cafeteria? Vicky I need to finish some work" She said trying to move away but he was having none of it. "Mujhe bhook lagi hai" he offered while he dragged her along. "Haan toh? Why are you pulling me?" Geet asked. Vicky instantly stopped and turned on his heels, Geet raised her hand to keep herself from colliding into him, "How rude can you be? And I thought you were a friend" he dramatically stabbed his heart while Geet looked bemused, "What did I do?" she asked completely taken aback. "You refused to grab a bite with me" he accused her. Geet gaped at him and rolled her eyes, "My fault! I forgot you are Anu's bro afterall" she remarked while Vicky grinned, "dono bhai behan ek jaise ho, Dramebaaz!" she chortled while Vicky simply accepted the compliment with a bow. She shook her head while he guided her in the cafeteria. "So what do you want?" he asked her. "Mujhe? And I thought you were hungry" she said letting out a sigh. "Aree toh tum sirf mujhe bethe bethe dekhogi... won't you order something? (she tried to say something but he lifted his hand to stop her and continued) trust me Geet, if we start getting customers like you na, it wouldn't be long that humme East Villas ko taala lagana padega" he said in a breath..."lekin" she interjected..."lekin wekin kuch nahi... tell me what you want to have before I die of starvation" he moved his hand over his stomach as he said that. "Baap re... aur Bauji mujhe kehte the ki main dramebaaz hoon" she chuckled softly at the fond memory of Mohinder. Vicky smiled at her, "you know you look quite good when you smile" he encouraged her. She smiled humbly but quickly said, "tumhe bhook lagi thi na?" He rued, "well I am gentleman you see, so ladies first" She shook her head as she agreed for a sandwich.