Chapter-21,page-136:https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/99207682
CHAPTER-22.
Shlok had taken the mug towards his lips when Astha's sudden scream ,just before she opened the door to leave,nearly made him drop the mug..Nearly but not completely..
"WHAT HAPPENED ASTHA?!!"He instantly kept the coffee mug down,stood up,and walked upto her suddenly still form..
With thudding heart he walked upto her,worried at her lack of response.
"Astha..?"He called out softly,and looked into her white face.
"What happened Astha?"
Slowly she turned wide scared eyes to his.
"Astha?!What's wrong?!"This time he was truly worried and gently cupped her cheek.
"C..Cockroach!"She whispered pointing her finger at somewhere by the door.
A truly exasperated Shlok now removed his hand from her and looked the way she had pointed her finger..There was nothing there.
"Astha!There is no cockroach there.."He said with a sigh,as he turned back towards the table.
"But I saw it-.."
"Maybe it left.."He said in a no argument voice..He walked back and sat infront of his laptop,his hand picking up the coffee mug again.
As he was about to sip from it,he again noticed Astha had not left yet,and was standing still with her back turned to him.
He stopped from taking the relaxing sip,and with the mug still held in his hand,he looked up at her..
"Is there anything else Astha?"
Astha slowly turned to him with hesitation on her face,and Shlok's heart beat increased suddenly at sheer innocence her face reflected..
"Wo..Ummm..That file you gave me,on the..On the Mumbai project..Is it alright if I complete it by tomorrow..?"Astha bit her full soft bottom lip,as she stared at him with the perfect puppy face.
Shlok gulped down a knot of undeniable need,as his eyes moved to her soft lips..Her soft tender lips were being tortured by her perfect white teeth..And he was being tortured by his uncontrolled hormone..He needed some air to breathe..The room suddenly felt two small for the two of them,he thought restlessly..
Shlok uncomfortably opened two buttons of his shirt,trying to breath easier..
"Uh..Yes.Yes!Give it to me tomorrow..Now if you'll excuse me.."Shlok said in a choked voice..His eyes turned back to the laptop.
Out of the corner of his eyes,he noticed Astha glumly turn to leave..His heart squeezing at her forlorn look.But he could not ask her to stay back,as he did not trust his reaction to her proximity could really be controlled.
Astha opened the door and stepped out while simultaneously Shlok raised the coffee cup to his lips,and took a long sip to perch his suddenly dry throat.
He had not finished relishing the slightly bitter taste of the steaming coffee,when Astha stepped in again,and banged the door shut behind her.
"I HAVE A CONFESSION TO MAKE!"She declared startling him.
Clearly exasperated now,he placed the coffee mug down,and looked at her with perfectly bland expression.
"Now what is it Astha..?"He let out a long sigh.
"I..I.."She was twisting one end of her dupatta nervously,and looking down,avoiding his eyes.."I have spoiled the Mumbai papers you gave me..!"
"WHAT?!"
"Sss..Sorry sir!Uh..I was bringing your coffe,when my phone rang,and the files were with me,and the coffee spilled on the papers..I..I'm sorry sir.."She finished in a choky voice.
Getting over his shock,Shlok realized,she was nearly in tears and that made him even more uncomfortable..He hated tears..
"It's okay Astha..I've the copy of the papers in my laptop..I'll..I'll mail them to you..Don't worry..It was just an accident.."
Astha turned grateful eyes at him,glistening with unshed tears..
And before Shlok could say anything further she had left the room..
Saved for today!Shlok thought with a sigh,leaning back on his chair..I have to keep my hands off her,no matter what happens..
As Shlok dropped Astha at her house,a silent shadow in a dark cloak,watched his car drive by with unbearable rage..
The bas***d was still alive!But not for long Shlok Agnihotri!But before that..The shadow made a call..
11:30 pm..
The goon squinted in the darkened alley,trying to look at the face of his caller..The same man who had given him a handsome chunk of money to kill Shlok Agnihotri..He was here to give him the remaining promised money..
The cloaked figure moved closer..And then removed his hood,showing the goon his face..
"You have done a good job..I came to give you your reward.."
Instantly the goon's face lightened up with happiness..
"If you have any other work like this..I can do it for you!Maybe you want me to kill that lady too?"The goon said happily,his eyes glinting with greed,as the cloaked man placed his hand inside his pocket..
"Yes I do have a work for you.."The cloaked figure too out something from his pocket..
The metal barrel glinted in the light of a nearby streetlight..
The goon's eyes widened in fear..It was a gun..
"While you go to hell,tell the devil that he has to wait forever for me.."
The gun shot rang in the darkened night,as the goon fell on the hard ground..And then a number of shots followed..
By the time the neighbourhood people came running,the cloaked figure was gone..
Everyone stared shocked at at the dead body of the local goon,his eyes staring wide and scared at nowhere,while a large pool of blood had formed around his body..
Astha lay on her bed sleepless..
Shlok Agnihotri had become an enigma for her..An unsolved mystery that was getting complicated with each passing day,each passing moment she got to know him..
She cuddled her teddy tighter,and got lost in her thoughts.
Shlok had been polite all day long today,since..Since he had asked her to run away from him..
He had clearly avoided her as much as possible,much to Astha's irritation..And then while she was coming home,he had politely offered to drop her at home,as it had become late..Astha,had complied for the third time that day..
Frankly,now as Astha thought about it,she was even more confused,at his act..
Why was there sudden change in his attitude..?And was he really as bad as she always thought him to be?Today she had done a major blunder,but still he had not even become angry at her,as he should have..Then was he really so bad?
Astha tried to remember when he had become so loathsome to her..
Was it before college..?After..?
She could not remember she realized with a shock..She could not remember from when or why she had started loathing him..!
She sat up straight in her bed,and closed her eyes,trying to remember the exact cause of her loathing for Shlok..
Scenes passed through her mind..
Flashbacks of her time with her friends,her outings with her family,her father hugging him..Her dancing in that masquerade party with that tall masked stranger..
Then suddenly lights,a loud crashing sound,and then..And then..Nothing..
Then one morning she had seen an article on Shlok Agnihotri on the paper and had felt a burning hatred within her..She had started screaming in rage for no reason at all,and weeping her heart out..Her mother and grandmother had calmed her,but after that..After that she just knew she loathed Shlok Agnihotri..
Astha finally opened her eyes..She was breathing heavily,her forehead covered in perspiration..She suddenly felt drained,as if she had just run a long way..
She lay down once again..Her eyes closing with tiredness..
But just before she drifted to sleep,Shlok's face flashed in front of her eyes..His handsome face wore a worried expression..
"Astha are you alright?"His husky voice rang in her ear,as with a soft smile on her lips Astha finally drifted off to sleep..
As Astha walked into the office the next morning,she was greeted by an agitated Shlok..
With a frustrated expression he looked up at her,keeping his phone back in his pocket,in which he had just stopped talking..
"Astha you have to leave with me for Mumbai..Today.."
His words fell like a bomb on Astha..
Chapter-23,page-144:https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/99306838
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