RDji, aapke diye hue prompt pe finally OS likh diya maine 😳
Happy Reading everyone!! 🤗
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“Business Tycoon Rishabh Bajaj Arrested for the Attempt to Murder of Wife’s Ex-lover”
Every newspaper in Kolkata had this headline printed on the frontpage in bold letters. Not even a complete day after his return to India and Mr Bajaj was already back in the news. He had landed in India around mid-afternoon the previous day and by midnight he was locked up in a jail cell. And thanks to her politician father’s name, Mrs Komolika Basu had managed to push the trail of the case at a fast speed.
*Flashback*
Prerna stood with her arms locked with Rishabh and the couple seemed to be having a discussion with one of the other delegates. Throughout the party they kept having silent conversations with mere eye contact with each other if they were busy talking to different people. When they stepped on the dance floor, Prerna and Rishabh were oblivious to their surroundings. Not even for one dance had they swapped their partners, they were just lost in each other.
After seeing Prerna with Rishabh, Anurag could feel the same twinge of jealousy. He had no idea that Prerna was saved by Rishabh, his men were unable to trace Prerna after he had pushed her from the bridge. Hence, for years he had assumed that Prerna was dead.
Anurag had tried to look for opportunities to go and speak with Prerna but it was impossible for him to escape from Komolika’s eyes. He knew that her anger and insecurities had resurfaced seeing Prerna in her house. But he did have a good conversation with Rishabh Bajaj, who mocked him for his stupidity.
‘You know Basu, I always had doubts about your love for Prerna. You claimed to have loved her and tried to murder her with your bare hands. Well, congratulations you did a great job. The Prerna you love is dead Basu, this one, who stands in front of you is MY Prerna. Who loves me and hates you’
Anurag had kept replaying and analysing Rishabh’s words. He could not believe that his Prerna hated him. He knew that it was his fault that he pushed her off the bridge but he had done that to save her from Komolika. And he knew that if he told her the truth, Prerna would forgive him, he had to confess to her the entire truth.
An hour later Anurag stood at the entrance of Bajaj Mansion. He constantly banged the door till one of the househelps opened the door for him. He barged inside the house ignoring all the calls from the househelp who was trying to stop him.
‘I don’t care. I want to speak with Prerna right now’
Anurag spoke in a determined voice. His guilt and regret would not let him waste any more time in clearing all the misunderstandings with Prerna.
‘It’s okay David’
Rishabh’s voice came from the top of the stairs, Anurag turned to look in his direction and his eyes shifted quickly from Rishabh to Prerna who stood behind him. She looked at Anurag with cold eyes and it killed him that the eyes which held nothing but love for him now looked empty.
‘Prerna, mujhe tumse baat karni hai. What happened eight years ago.. I want to explain it, all of it’
Anurag spoke with urgency in his voice, Prerna knotted her eyebrows at his words and then shared a quick look with her husband. Rishabh gestured to their house-help to leave the room. He held Prerna’s hand in his and gave her an assuring nod the decision would be hers he communicated silently to her, Prerna sighed before she spoke
‘Well, you don’t have to explain your actions Mr Basu. I am sure that no matter what you say, nothing can justify your act of trying to take my life. So please leave’
Her response had taken Anurag by surprise, he had hoped that she would give him a chance but she had straightly refused to listen to him. But he had to tell her the truth
‘I didn’t want to do that Prerna. But I had no other choice. Agar uss din main tumhe uss bridge se push nahi karta toh Komolika tumhari life barbad kar deti..’
Anurag saw a confused look pass on both Rishabh’s and Prerna’s face, after waiting for a second he continued his tale and explained everything to them. How he was blackmailed by Komolika that if he didn’t send Prerna away from his life she would frame her in Viraj’s murder and he had no other option left but to do so. He also advocated himself, by saying that he had appointed divers to come to her rescue.
‘Mujhe uss waqt aur kuch nahi samajh aya. Iske alawa aur koi choice nahi thi mere paas. Main tumhe aur Sneha ko safe rakhna chahta tha. Mujhe laga tha ki main tumhe kho chuka hun, aur anth saalon tak main iss guilt main tha ki mere wajah se tumahri jaan chali gai. Har din tumhare aur Sneha ke bare main sochta. Bahut miss karta tha tum dono ko. But now I am relieved that you are alive. And I know ki main jitne bhi baar kahun kafi nahi hoga lekin I am really really sorry Prerna. Mera koi intention nahi tha tumhe hurt karne ka ya tumhari jaan lene ka..’
Rishabh looked at Prerna when he felt her hand slip from his. Her face was blank but her eyes were teary. He wondered if her heart had melted at Anurag’s words? He knew that Prerna still felt strongly for him or else she wouldn’t hate him so much. Wordlessly, Prerna started descending the stairs with Rishabh following her suite. Neither Rishabh nor Anurag could tear their eyes from Prerna. One looked at her in the fear of losing her and the other in hope of reuniting with her.
Prerna stopped when she stood in front of Anurag and the tears were now rolling down her cheeks. Anurag gave her a small hopeful smile and lifted his hand to wipe her tears, Rishabh clenched his fist to control his rage. He took a step forward to reach them but stopped when the sound of a slap echoed through the empty mansion.
‘You know what Mr Anurag Basu, mujhe koi fark nahi padta ki uss din tumne mujhe bridge se dhaka kyun diya. Kyunki jis Prerna ko iss baat se fark padta uski maut anth sal pehle ho chuki hai. Filhal meri nazaron mein tum sirf ek nihayti kamzor insaan ho. And tum toh mujh se pyaar ka dava karte the na? Pyaar mein yakeen hota hai jo tumhe mujh pe kabhi nahi tha. Agar hote toh tum Komolika ki jhooti baaton main nahi aate. Ek baar toh puch lete aake mujhe confront karte. Jo bhi Komolika ne kaha mujhse discuss karte but nahi, utla tum ne khud sab kuch decide kar liya aur uski keemat mujhe chukani padi. And aaj itni asani se aake tum ne bas sorry keh diya aur sab cheezon ke liye mafi maang li. But to hell with your sorry Mr Basu. Mujhe na iss sorry ki zaroorat hai na tumhare kisi explaination ki. Now get out of my house before I call the security’
Anurag looked at Prerna with his eyes wide open and tried to absorb her words. Prerna felt emotionally exhausted and weak after this unwanted confrontation, her knees gave up and she sank to the floor. Rishabh was quick in reaching her side and immediately wrapped his arms around her. He shot a dirty glance at Anurag before he shifted his entire focus to console his wife. Anurag looked at the duo and Rishabh’s words hit him hard. Prerna hated him, after all that he had done in order to save her from Komolika, she hated him. He let out a sarcastic chuckle that grabbed Rishabh and Prerna’s attention.
‘Kitna bada idiot hun main. Itna sab kuch kiya tumhare liye.. Aur dekho, aaj tum kisi aur ki bahon mein ho’
He paused for a minute to wipe his tears and started phasing in the room
‘But main janta hun ki tum aaj bhi sirf mujh se pyar karti ho. Tum mujhse nafrat nahi karti Prerna bas mujh se nazar ho. You can’t hate me Prerna. You can’t. Tum sirf mujhse pyaar karti ho..’
Anurag halted at a spot and looked at Prerna, there was something in his eyes. Then suddenly he pulled a gun that was tucked at the back of his jeans and pointed it at Rishabh and Prerna.
‘I know that you love me Prerna. I know…’
Prerna feared that Anurag would end up doing something stupid because of his madness. And that is what happened, the next second Anurag pulled the trigger. Both Rishabh and Prerna held each other tightly as the gunshot echoed in the house followed by a thud as Anurag’s body crashed on the ground. Yes, he had shot himself in his arm. And just before he lost his conscious he repeated the same words
‘Tum aaj bhi mujhse hi pyar karti ho’
*****
Rishabh presently sat at one of the benches in the court as he waited for his wife and lawyer to arrive. He knew that he had nothing to worry about, this was not his fault and he would be free in just a matter of hours. The only thing that bothered him was his wife’s peculiar behaviour since last night. She had been distant and had not contacted him since morning. He hoped to see her before the hearing began.
‘Sir’
A familiar voice caught Rishabh’s attention, he saw his former best employee stand right in front of him
‘Mehra?!’
Rishabh exclaimed, it had been years since they had met. Mehra had retired from his firm and Rishabh had no idea that he would be here. Mehra greeted him once again before he broke the news to Rishabh that he would be representing him in the court
‘Ma’am insisted that I personally handle this case. That’s why I am here sir.’
Rishabh just nodded his head and tried to hide his smile from Mehra, he was really happy to see him. But Mehra had already noticed it, he was relieved that his ruthless boss had finally learnt to smile. Before either of them could say a word they had been summoned inside the room. The judge arrived and Rishabh's eyes were still looking for Prerna, she was not inside the courtroom as well. He looked at Mehra and thanks to the silent understanding that the duo had shared for years, Mehra was able to give Rishabh an answer to his unasked question
‘Mrs Bajaj yahan aane se pehle hospital jane wali thi sir, she should be here any minute’
Mehra saw Rishabh’s jaw tense as he was escorted to the stand. He spotted the Basu clan and rolled his eyes when they glared at him. They had no idea what the truth was. Right before the judge walked in Rishabh saw Prerna enter the room. She took a seat in the front row but before that she handed over something to Mehra. When she looked at him and blinked her eyes in assurance, he nodded in response.
Just five minutes after the hearing had started Mehra had submitted the CCTV footage of Bajaj Mansion. Rishabh shook his head in dismay when the footage started playing.
Basu is still an idiot to have shot himself in my own house and then tried to frame me without thinking about the CCTV cameras. Rishabh thought to himself and smirked at the Basus, who looked pale as the truth was revealed.
‘Your honor, iss footage se yeh sabit hota hai ki mere client ne kuch nahi kiya hai. Mr Anurag Basu ne khud apni jaan lene ki kosish ki hai’
Mehra walked to his desk and picked the parcel that Prerna had handed him. It contained a signed confession from Anurag that Rishabh was not responsible for anything that had happened to him. The judge ruled in favor of Rishabh, once the session was adjourned the Basus had been attacked by the media, while Mr and Mrs Bajaj walked out of the room unnoticed by everyone.
‘Prerna, how did you get Anurag to sign that confession?’
Rishabh asked her straight away as they sat in their car. Prerna shrugged her shoulders and replied casually
‘Maine usse bataya ki kal jo bhi hua ki footage hum court main pesh karnge yeh toh tay hai ki usse jail hogi hi, in attempt to my murder. So it only made sense that he signed the confession, in return I promised that we won’t file a case of defamation against his family. And you know what usse yeh bhi kaha maine ki Sneha ke maut ke liye bhi vahi zimedar hai, kyunki agar uss waqt vo Komolika ki baaton main nahi aata toh uss raat vo orphanage main nahi hoti. Meri beti aaj zinda hoti.’
She paused to look at Rishabh as she felt his hand on top of hers
‘Hum yahan Basus ko destroy karne aaye the Rishabh, and I guess we have succeeded already. The way their family was attacked by the media, their reputation in the society is going to be tarnished and I guess Anurag ke liye sabse badi saza yehi hogi ki vo apni baki ki zindagi apne guilt ke saath guzzare.’
Prerna shifted closer to him and entwined their fingers before she rested her head against his shoulder
‘Can you book our return ticket to London once we get back home?’
She muttered in a sleepy voice, Rishabh just hummed in response and rested his head on top of hers. Maybe, this is how the chapter of Basus was meant to come to an end in their story.
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A/N: It took me three attempts to write this one! And I am really waiting for your response to it. So please don’t forget to share your likes and comments. Your appreciation and criticism means a lot to me!
Love;
Niyati ❤️
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