Why? Why didn't he follow what he intended to do initially? I mean he wanted to talk to Payal, and so made her stay back, took her away from Khushi and then went all silent. Urgh!
But, glad he caught on and some sense has fallen in! Do a background check. Good. Learn the truth! Atleast then he'll be able to get to the guilt stage and then road to recovery!
Cheers
Arnav got a clue from Payal. She stopped short, but it would have been better to reveal things.
loved the conversation between Arnav and Payal. I hope to see more interaction between them. Not only it would strengthen their bonding but would help both in their marital lives.
hope to see the next update soon :)
Awesome update
Indeed khushi will take a long time for recovery, physically, mentally and emotionally. She doesn’t deserve this.
Awesome update!!
Finally Arnav's thoughts are on the right track.
But he should have asked Payal the truth, by manipulating her, as he has masters in it..
Waiting for next update...
Thanks for the pm dear 😊 😊
Does he deserve an Angle like Khushi in his life ? No... Should Khushi let go of her life for sake of one person who failed to understand and trust her ? Definitely no... I hope Khushi comes back soon...
Arnav now is tensed and he is wondering what went wrong and why did kushi take such an extreme step?.It is going to take a long time for kushi to return to normalcy.
Arnav is guilty he misunderstood her.. Now at least his Harvard brain is ticking and after watching Payal and Shyam he feels there is something more than meets the eye. Hence he took her to the cafeteria to talk to her but didn’t pursue further. Hope he asks his asst Aman to investigate Shyam.
Chapter 4
Veeraghavan Rao was one of the shrewdest minds in the business. Whether guilty or innocent, his clients constituted the biggest most influential personalities in the country. His success story stemmed from the fact that it took him only the first five minutes of his first meeting with a client to know the outcome of the case. He loved the thrill of the chase. The high he got in breaking down someone’s defenses in the stand. The nervous energy his opposition exuded when he stood to cross examine a witness. He loved the law and all it entailed.
And if anything, he was a brilliant judge of character. He could read his clients, witnesses or opponents minds by just their voice and body language. Hence it came as a shock to him when one of his oldest friends and longest running client sounded almost broken on the phone. There was something in Arnav’s voice that he hadn’t seen or heard before. In all his 15 years of association, he knew Arnav to be nothing if not strong, confident, immaculately astute and always…always right. But today, he heard doubt! Doubt not at another… but at himself. And that slight doubt confirmed to him, that even though Arnav didn’t show it… he was human. And what he felt now stemmed from a feeling he himself didn’t understand.
So, he sent Arnav a quick message informing him he had just the man for the job and setting up a meeting for the next day.
-----
Arnav was seated across from Khushi just looking at her when he received the message. He felt a wave of relief wash over him, knowing that somehow, he could get his answers and know for a fact whether he was right or terribly wrong. Every nerve in his body was screaming out to him and his instincts always proved to be right. But this time they appeared to be pulling him in the other direction. And this uncertainty is what he couldn’t understand or accept. He fell asleep looking at her from across the room… a sleep plagued with memories of the past – her memories.
When he woke up the next day, Payal was already there. Surprised, he turned to her asking about her early visit.
“Sorry Arnavji, but I couldn’t stay away. I just needed to see Khushi and be with her.” She offered as reasoning. Arnav couldn’t be happier she was there.
“No Payal… it’s ok. You can come anytime Payal. Infact it’s good you are here as I needed to step out for a bit.” He quickly assured her understanding her deep protective instincts for her sister.
“Ok. I’ll be here till you get back.”
“Thanks, Payal.”
Getting ready in the adjoining washroom, he felt for the meeting. Not before one last look at the sedate form of his wife on the bed. Somehow this had become a practice and no matter what the situation, he knew her eyes would be trained on him. Not having it this happen this time around only strengthened his resolve to get to the truth.
Half an hour later he found himself seated in Veer’s office across from a stoic looking man who he could only assume was the highly recommended PI.
“Ah Arnav, you’re here.” Veer’s clear voice infiltrated the silence in the room. Shaking hands with Arnav he took his seat across from him.
“So, Arnav, this is Aman Mathur. He’s my go-to guy when I need any investigation done for a case. So far, he’s never been wrong. And Aman, this is Arnav Singh Raizada…”
“Yes, I’ve watched the news lately. Your wife is in a coma.” Aman cut him short.
“She had an accident and yes is in a coma because of that.” If Arnav was perturbed by the man’s blunt speech, he didn’t let it show. He’d spent too many years in business knowing how to keep his emotions masked.
“And you want me to find out who caused it?” Aman continued. “But why need me…. The police will get to it anyway. Afterall, it is Arnav Singh Raizada’s wife we are talking about.”
“Trust me...” Arnav bit back. “If I wanted to know who caused the accident, I wouldn’t have to look far.”
“Ah… Aman…” Veer knew when it was time to intervene. The tension between the two was almost palpable. “Aman, Mr. Raizada need a different kind of investigation… so if you could just hear him out.”
“Mr. Mathur, before I give you the details on the matter, I want you to know that this is extremely personal and sensitive a matter. This case takes precedence over everything else you’re doing at the moment. I don’t and will never tolerate shoddy and unprofessional work. I expect nothing but results from anyone I employ and I won’t settle for anything less, especially in this matter.”
Arnav finished looking at the man opposite straight in the eye. A death glare that saw other pale and squirm under it, seemed to have no effect on him. His appearance remained passive. Steepling his fingers under his chin and gazing straight into Arnav’s eyes. The man was as calm as the water in the glass in front of him. Unfazed, Arnav continued.
“Shyam Manohar Jha. That’s the target for you. I want to know everything there is to him. Every skeleton in his closet… every speck of dirt in his life. If he so much as sneezes more than once, I want to know it. Get your eyes on every document. Yours ears on every story. Your nose in every business…”
Aman let out a chuckle at that. “Well Mr. Raizada… that’s exactly how I make my living you see. Poking my nose into everyone’s business. And as far as my credibility and professionalism goes, I wouldn’t be sitting here listening to what I know are nothing short of threats, if I wasn’t confident in my abilities. But let me ask you something Mr. Raizada. Why is this so important to you? I mean, Mr. Jha has been your sister’s husband for close to three years now and if you’re reputation is to be believed… then you are a great judge of people. So, it baffles me… do you think you’re wrong?”
“I see you’ve done your homework already… but I don’t need you to tell me things I already know. Whatever my reasons bear no importance to this task. Just so you know, you will be suitably rewarded for your efforts.” Arnav was never one to back down from challenges and the world knew that. And Mr. Mathur before him was challenging him all the same. But Arnav would be lying if he said he wasn’t impressed by the man. Where others would cower under his trademark glare, Aman simply stared back unflinching. The man had nerves.
When the stare match got too much to bear, Veer had to step in for a second time. “So, Aman, now you know what is required, how soon will you be able to get back to us?”
“Well Mr. Rao, this is a high-profile case so I’m sure there is going to be a lot of red tape to get through. So about 15 days for a complete analysis.” Aman responded to the man calmly.
“I don’t have 15 days. 7 is all you’ll get. The sooner you get this done… the more beneficial it will be for you. If you know what I mean?” Arnav interjected.
“I do Mr. Raizada and if money was my only motivation, I would’ve agreed to 2. But like you said…eyes on every document…ears on every story… hurrying it up may prove counterproductive. So, we’ll stick to 15 days and anything sooner than that will only be beneficial to you, right?”
Realising for the first time that he was equally matched, Arnav stood and shook hands with him. He made his way out of the office knowing without a doubt that he could trust the man he just met to get the job done and that too with satisfactory results. He had to admit, he was impressed.
He made his way back to the hospital to relieve Payal. Though he tried to avoid it and not admit it, he wanted to be with Khushi right now. No matter what happened between them… the fights, the anger, the pain, she always brought him peace. And right now, with his mind so boggled with questions and doubts, he knew his only panacea was her face.
---
The days seemed to flow into one another as Arnav spent all his time in the hospital with the occasional meeting he had to attend. He never left Khushi’s side. Silently sitting there, watching her. Even though he knew she was alert and could hear, words failed him every time he opened his mouth. He always wondered how the other’s found it so easy to speak to her, like nothing happened and she will just say something back. But after everything he said to her that day, he didn’t even know where to begin. What could he say to her when his own thoughts were so jumbled and disjointed? It had only been a couple of days since his meeting with Aman, but the restlessness in him grew with each passing day.
Lost in thought he didn’t notice his sister cheerily entering the room. “Chottey?”
“Di, what are you doing here… I mean… you didn’t tell me you were coming.”
“Relax Chottey…” Anjali used her famous calm voice to placate him. “We just came to surprise Khushiji and you.”
“We?” it was then he saw Shyam standing near Khushi’s bed but before he could say anything, his Di’s chirpy voice broke through…
“Waise…we came to put up the stars and windchimes… Payalji said it would make Khushiji very happy. She wanted to come herself but since he was coming this way, he offered to drop me.” The sight of his sister clinging on to that man’s arm sickened him but he knew better than to say something without proof.
As his sister got busy putting up the stars, he stepped outside to make a few calls. About 10 minutes later he found himself opening the door, when he heard something that stopped him.
“…don’t have to worry Khushiji, I’m here… just tell me if Arnav did this to you… I promise you he won’t…”
“what do you think you are doing?” seeing that scum of man so close to Khushi made him want to rip him apart and then hearing his words infuriated him further. Striding up to him with fire burning in his eyes, he pushed him to the wall, barely controlling his rage. “I’ve told you this before but I don’t mind repeating myself again…STAY.AWAY.FROM.MY.WIFE” it was so soft but dripping with anger that it caught Shyam off-guard.
But Shyam was nothing if not a man of disguise and deceit. Moving Arnav’s hand off his collar in an equally soft tone, he replied, “Wife? What wife? I think you know I’m not as foolish as you believe. Khushiji and I are… she maybe you’re wife but she’s my love. And I know you did this to her! I’m going to find out I assure you…”
“How dare you! Don’t even take her name with that vile mouth of yours…”
“Chottey? Shyamji?” neither man realized that were not alone in the room. Putting on a calmer face, Arnav turned to his sister with a smile, suddenly noticing a part of her sari wet. Before she could question him on what he was sure she saw, he asked, “Di what happened to your sari?”
“Oh this? Nothing, I just dropped the vase…”
“Oh ok.” Arnav replied looking at the table and the broken pieces of glass on the floor.
A phone began to ring and Shyam stepped out. Noticing the frown marring Arnav’s forehead, Anjali moved towards him and led him to the sofa by the hand. Sitting down she stroked his hair while his eyes never left the floor.
“You know Chottey, whenever I told you about love in the past you used to scoff and laugh at me. But today I can see that same emotion in your eyes. I know you don’t want to admit it but…”
“Di stop… it’s got nothing to do with that!”
“really? Then why haven’t you left her side in all these days? Why are your eyes always on her no matter who else is in the room? Why are you ready to pounce on any nurse when you think Khushiji is in pain? It’s love Chottey… it has always been…”
He scoffed… “if only you knew Di…”
“Then tell me…” she cut in “Tell me Chottey so I can help. Let me in Chottey… you don’t have to go through this alone… I’m here, so just talk to me!” she implored him.
“I will Di! One day I will!” and at that moment he meant it with the deepest sincerity. As he looked at his sister, the only one he held above all else, he promised himself to tell her one day, even if it broke her beyond measure. Because for all the love and care she’d given him over the years, the least he could give her was the truth.
--------------------------------------------------------------
So i took a little liberty here... with Aman I mean. He was just a faceless name on the show and I felt really sad about that.
I'm sorry if the storyline seems predictable... I've been battling that myself and I hope in the coming chapters I don't disappoint.
Thank you for all the likes and comments... it's really inspiring me further!
Peace
LibranAngel!
| topics | author | replies | views | reply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ILoveFF | 525 | 144187 | ||
| melodyofflowers | 51 | 3695 | ||
| 1dorothea | 50 | 2658 | ||
| ExoticDisaster | 32 | 3363 | ||
| Fariha2908 | 86 | 6782 |
comment:
p_commentcount