Chapter 5
Sampada was out of breath when she came running towards Atharv with the newspaper, "Atharv dekho! Kalyani zinda hai. Dekho newspaper me front page par uski photo. Ab hamara kya hoga? Vo to Police ko sab bata degi..."
"Chillax Sampu," Atharv sat on the sofa with his hands beside his head, "Tu school me fail hoti thi ye to mujhe pata tha. Par tujhe padhna nahi aata ye aaj pehli baar pata chala hai. Arey ye Kalyani nahi, Agni Naidu hai, World ki topmost business person. Kahaan vo bechaari sataayi hui Kalyani, aur kahaan ye...koi comparison hi nahi h."
"Fir bhi, kisi ki shakal itni similar kaise ho sakti h?" Sampada was still not convinced.
"Duniya me ek shakal ke saat log hote hain Sampu," Atharv said, eating popcorn, "Aur Agni ki shakal Kalyani se nahi, Kalyani ki shakal Agni se milti thi. By the way, tera wo ex dukhiyaari aatma pati. Suna hai use naukri se nikaal diya."
"Haan," Sampada's face lit up, "Vo bhi rishwat lene ke aarop me. Poora Aurangabad jaanta hai Itni beijjati kari Commissioner ne uski police station me. Aur to aur itni badnaami ke kaaran aur Aau Saheb ke dar ki vajah se koi naukri bhi nahi de raha use. Aur Moksh ki padhai ki vajah se bhookha marega Malhar."
"Aur tera beta Moksh," Atharv said, "Vo bhi to bhookha marega uske saath. Kaisi maa hai re tu?"
"Moksh mare to marta rahe. Meri balaa se. Ye Maa vaa banne ka shauk nahi h mujhe. Maa banna to Kalyani ki hobby thi, Maa banne me itni busy ho gayi ki khud ke gale me pada faansi ka fandaa bhi use dikhai nahi diya."
"Sampu magar ek baat bataa," Atharv said thoughtfully, "Hamari ATM machine Tera vo Singham ex unemployed ho gaya to apne shauk kaise poore honge??? Paisa kahaan se aayega?"
"Vo tum socho," Sampada said, "Mujhe designer dress se waapis aunty ji vale kapde nahi pehenne."
Atharv thought for sometime and his face lit up finally.
-----
On the other hand, Malhar was packing up his and Moksh's things from his police quarters.
"Baba ye ghar ham kyun chhorr rahe hain?" Moksh asked innocently sitting on the kitchen counter, "Aap to sabse honest policeman ho. Jab hamari koi galti hi nahi to ham kyon punishment bhugtein?"
"Kabhi kabhi bina koi galti kiye bhi sazaa bhugatni hoti h Moksh beta," Malhar replied.
There were tears in Malhar's eyes. When Agni stranded him in the middle of the highway, for hours no vehicle stopped despite his request for help. Finally a truck driver gave him lift and when he dropped Malhar near a village in Aurangabad district, he gave him a box of sweets saying that he was getting married that's why he is gifting Malhar. To respect his feelings, Malhar took the box of sweets.
But as he was deep in sleep, he heard a knock on the door. Yawning, he answered the knock and a team of anti corruption cell raided his house. They dumped all things in cupboards on the floor but couldn't find anything. At last, one of the officer's gaze fell on the box of sweets.
"They are just sweets. Dekh liya na aapne officer? Kucch nahi mila na?? Main rishwat lene ke baare me soch bhi nahi sakta," Malhar's eyes were wide open when the officer dumped the contents of the sweet Box on the table and piles of currency notes fell down.
"Maine...mujhe pata bhi nahi tha is dabbe me paise hain," Malhar said with defiance.
"To ye paise kya hamne plant kiye hain?" The officer asked sharply.
"Officer aap jaisa soch rahe hain...jo aapko dikh raha hai vo sach nahi h," Malhar said, feeling a strange deja vu because these were the same words Kalyani had said to him. Then he realised no one will believe him. When he didn't believe his own child's mother, why would anyone believe him?
Commissioner, though he had a weakness of showing meekness in front of rich and powerful people, surprisingly took stand for Malhar and persuaded the anti corruption cell not to arrest him until he's given a chance to prove his innocence. But there was no chance he could keep his position of ACP.
There was nowhere for Malhar to go. Sarthak had left Aurangabad alone after Anupriya refused to live with the family that made her daughter's life hell. His Baba and Asawari Aai were out of town for a wedding.
He had no other option to place Moksh in the care of Pawar's wife and search for job.
On the other hand, Anupriya was so agitated after seeing Kalyani's photograph in the front page of newspaper that she didn't study that day. The news of the lavish party thrown in her welcome was also reported so Anupriya was performing the housework more carefully than usual so that she could leave for party under the pretext of buying grocery.
"Anupriya," Aau Saheb said, "Badi jaldi haath chal rahe hain tumhare? Kisi se milne jaana h?" An evil glint shown in Aau Saheb's eyes.
"N...nahi Aau Saheb," Anupriya stuttered. Taking the thing to crush garlic and ginger, Aau Saheb began tapping it on Anupriya's inverted palms. Anupriya held her cry. From Swara's experience, she knew the more one responded to AS's torture, the more cruel she becomes. She needed to have a roof over her, at least until she becomes a lawyer. After that, Aau Saheb will knew the consequences of domestic violence.
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The party was the grandest party Atharv and Sampada had seen. They were trying each food and cold drink available there. Finally Agni entered the hall. Different from her usual corporate attire, she was wearing a peacock blue bodycon with high heeled boots. Her cat eyed look accentuated her sharp face and blood red lipstick completed the look.
"Baap re," Atharva gasped. Sampada was getting very irritated that some other girl than her was getting the attention of every man there.
Atharva began his plan. He mixed a sleeping pill in the cold drink and as Agni leaned against the counter, fanning herself, "They could at least have proper air conditioning here."
"Aap jaisi hot ladki ho to koi AC kya hi kar lega?" Atharv said smoothly, moving towards Kalyani, "Magar fir bhi ek cold drink is nacheez ki taraf se."
"India me waiters ki itni himmat hoti h ki they use there cheap pickup lines on the guest, I never knew that" Agni said moving towards Atharv.
"Main waiter nahi hoon," Atharv said.
"Right," Agni said, "Kyonki tumhare jaise cheap insaan ko koi waiter ki naukri tabhi dega Jab use apna restaurant hamesha ke liye band karwana ho. Magar tum itna keh rahe ho to," Kalyani move towards Atharv then putting her pointed heel on his foot, she drank the cold drink so slowly as if she had all the time in the world.
The impact of the drink started showing on Agni and under the pretext of helping her, Atharv took her to a secluded room. Suddenly he heard a beep on Agni's phone.
Atharva had already seen the unlock pattern of Agni's phone over her shoulder while stalking her. He unlocked the phone. An Email had come:
Dr. Ms. Naidu, thank you for overtaking our company xxxxx. As per our agreement, the shares bought by our investors bought before 29.10.2021 will be evaluated at the stock price of your company after the overtaking process is over. Thank you very much.
Atharv smiled. It was a relatively unknown company which Agni was overtaking. A plan started forming in Atharv's mind. He would make Agni believe she spent the night with him and then blackmail her to give her money to buy the shares of company she was going to overtake. In the Email it was clearly specified that the share price will reach 500 times of its original after the overtake. Perfect.
But then suddenly Atharv started losing consciousness.
Agni opened the door after someone knocked.
"Kalyani," Malhar was breathless, "Mera matlab. Ma'am, isne aapko kucch kiya to nahi?"
"Privacy naam ki cheeze suni h tumne officer," Agni rubbed her head, "Main tumhara naam fir bhool gayi...kya naam bataya tha tumne apna."
"Malhar Rane," Malhar replied, "Party me mere aadmi/ mera matlab ek cop ne bataya Atharv aapko lekar yahaan aa gaya tha... I was just trying to make sure ki usne aapke saath...mera matlab aapko koi chot to nahi lagi."
"So what?" Agni fired back, "We are two consenting adults. Biwi nahi hoon tumhari jo mujhe aise dekhne ke baad aap mujhse poochen tumhe kahin chot to nahi lagi? Kya hua tha tumhare saath? Tum theek to ho na? Ghar par biwi nahi h kya jo doosri mere matter me interfere kar rahe ho. We were just having fun."
Atharva was also awake by the loud noises. "Iska matlab tumhe is baat se koi problem nahi h ki logon ko pata chale ki we were together this night?" His plan fired back in the most miserable way.
"I was getting bored," Agni yawned, "It was just fun. Kya socha tha tumne ki hamare beech jo hua use leak karne ki dhamki dekar tum mujhe blackmail karoge?"
"N...nahi...," Atharv said. Then he fell up on his knees and said crying, "Meri girlfriend ka baccha bahut beemar hai. Mujhe paison ki sakht zaroorat hai. Please mujhe 50 crore rupay de dijiye." He had to buy those shares by hook or crook before the last date.
"Shakal dekhi h apni," Agni said, "paanch rupai kamaane ki aukaat hai nahi aur bheekh bhi maangi to pachaas crore ki."
"Main kucch bhi karoonga," Atharv said with his crying face.
"Kuch bhi?"
Atharv nodded.
"To tum aur tumhari girlfriend mere pairon me girkar bheekh maango aur jab tak loan ka ek ek paisa tum bhar nahi dete, tum aur tumhari girlfriend mere naukar ki tarah kaam karenge..."
In no time, Atharv and Sampada both were on their knees begging for money. Agni had completed the first step of her plan. These have no idea for what was coming for them.
After they were leaving, Kalyani asked, "Naam kya tha tumhari girlfriend ke bacche ka?"
"Vo...vo..." Atharv stuttered, "Sampu, bata na apne bete ka naam."
"Are mujhe bhi yaad nahi aa raha."
"Kamaal h jis bacche ke liye tum dono mere naukar banne ke liye taiyyar ho gaye, uska naam bhi yaad nahi?"
Atharv was still under the effect of that earlier unconsciousness, "Are vo Kalyani kya bulati thi usko? Pillu?"
"Moksh...Moksh Rane."
"M...mmm."
After they left Agni locked herself in the room and whispered, "Moksh...Moksh...Pillu" and collapsed on the floor. She was having difficulty in breathing. Seeing Atharva and Sampada again was like gouging her heart from her chest again and again. She felt all the pain of that night rushing back. Just five minutes, she told herself, just give five minutes to be Kalyani and cry and grieve for everything she had lost. Then there was a lot to do.
I hope I didn't go too overboard with melodrama in this chapter. Also this FF does not have beautiful writing style or descriptions. So really sorry for that. Koi feel-good vali story ka idea aa hi nahi paa raha tha. To please as always, accha ya bura, feedback zaroor dete rehna.
Edited by Autumn09 - 2 years ago
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