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“Who is this?” Ragi asked …

“Here… he is on the line… “ someone said handing over the phone….

“Regi… Hii…” the high pitch chirping voice boiled his blood.

“You?” he asked and

“Regi… how are you?” she asked sweetly and then not giving him time to answer said authoritatively…

“Listen… I want you to send me your best designs, now… I know you have them…”

“What?” Regi’s rage now shooting up, he retorted…

“What the hell, Lavanya…!” but Lavanya cut him off…

“Yeah… you know, I am on Board and right now handling the Paris conference…. I want you to dig out some of your best creations… and send them across…” she said and he gaped at the screen in disbelief…

“Where is ASR?” he asked and she said…

“Aakash is in control… he is looking after… and you know… ASR will reach Paris this Monday….You know, Regi? We all are back together….” She chirped as if nothing had happened between them…. Ragi was shocked…

“Aakash is in control? Where is ASR?” he blurted disconnecting the phone…

“Anjali’s wedding….!” He dialed ASR’s cell…. Aakash picked up…

“Regi…?” Aakash was happy to hear Regi’s voice.

“Aakash, where is ASR?” he asked.

“Umm… Bhai…” Aakash hesitated…

“Where is ASR?” Regi asked again impatiently….

“Umm…. I mean… they had a row…” Aakash blurted.

“What? Who?” asked Regi…

“I mean… Khushi and Bhai… after Di’s wedding…. And he left…” Aakash said swallowing hard… His bhai had left them all…

“Left? Where?” Regi was thoroughly confused.  “What the hell is going on? And why did Lavanya called me? And who was that man who talked to me?” Regi shot numerous questions…

“Humm…. I mean Mehra uncle must have called you.  I had given him your number… A… And…. I mean Lavanya is on board helping us in the Paris conference….!” Aakash gave him the shocking information…! But Regi was outraged…!

“What are you doing with ASR’s phone..?” he asked irritably.

“Umm…. Bhai… I mean… he… had a row and…. Left everything behind in Kolkata… I brought all his things here to Delhi…” Aakash said nervously.

“Regi… I need your help…!” he said desperately and Regi fumed with rage…!

“Help? My help? Aakash, every ASR couldn’t help you….! Sorry…!” he said curtly.  Aakash too blew his head off…

“You are still with AR industries, Regi…..!” he warned and Regi’s rage hit the roof.

“In that case, I will send my resignation right away…” he disconnected.  Aakash felt the ground slipping under his feet.  

“I must know…!” Regi dialed Khushi’s number….

“Regi sir? What a surprise….!” She squeaked in excitement and then realizing the situation fumed…

“But of course…! He must have told you everything….. That’s why you called to tell me how wrong I am…!” she hissed with ragged breath.

“No… Khushi…!” Regi realized that she was still smoldering….!

“I know, Regi sir…. You are through and through his man…!” she said bitterly and Regi closed his eyes in frustration.

“Khushi… tell me what happened….!” He ordered, sounding like ASR giving her prangs…!

“What happened?...” She started of bitterly, pouring her heart out…! 

“Humm….” He was deep in thoughts.  This was unlike ASR…! He would never go back to Lavanya…. Sure there was some misunderstanding…. But Khushi wouldn’t listen to anyone, he knew….!

“Ok. Khushi,  I will find out…!” he said disconnecting….!

Khushi’s phone buzzed again.  This time it was Aman.  But Knushi suddenly had calmed down…

“Aman Sir?” She whispered moving out of the house.  Elsa looked on ….!

“Yes, tell me…!” she said.  She heard him for a long time, without responding….

“Humm…. Ok.  But you be careful haan…!” she said with concern.  

“And don’t allow anyone inside … you know where….!” She said conspiringly..! Elsa stood behind her narrowing her eyes suspiciously….!

“Whats cooking?” she asked when Khushi turned smiling.

“Haan?” Khushi was shocked to see Elsa right behind.

“What’s going on Khushi?” she asked little sternly, more curiously.  Khushi gave her a stupid silly  grin…!

“You will see soon….! That great businessman, that ASR… I will teach him a lesson…!” she clenched her fists furiously.  Elsa shook her head hopelessly…! 

“Where did that Epic love story go, Khushi? Those dreams… that trust… the River Ghat… that Mandir… Where did all that go?” Elsa was astonished by the changes in Khushi….! This Khushi wasn’t the same Khushi…. Emotional, trusting, dreamy, selfless….! She seemed to be a new practical version of ASR….! 

“Humm…. The hormones…” Elsa concluded….But Khushi was dialing another number….

“Das Uncle…!” she glanced at Elsa still standing behind the door.  Khushi walked past her and went into the room, closing the door securely…. Elsa sighed…!

“Khushi… and her whims…” Elsa went inside.  

***********   ********  *********

“Sir… you can’t go inside…!” The security guard tried to stop him keeping one hand on the holster to draw his gun….! 

“And who is going to stop me? You?” came a disdainful voice.  The security guard moved a step ahead….! 

“Put me on the phone…!” he commanded and the guard dialed the number looking at the business card given to him….! 

“Sorry Sir… You can go inside….!” The guard said apologetically.  He just waved at him dismissively, striding the tiled pathway, bisecting the huge lawns spread across the courtyard,  towards the Haveli… Thakur Haveli…! The guard had already informed the Thakurs.

“Y..You?!” Exclaimed the person sitting on the sofa in the hall.  Arnav ignore him…!

“Manek…! Manek….!” He yelled and a person hurriedly came out wearing his shirt…!

“You?” Manek too looked shocked to see Arnav Singh there…! Arnav went and took his position…. The game just had begun… He rocked on the chair calmly and called out for Motilal, another cousin of Rattan Singh Thakur…! 

“Where is the Portrait?” he bellowed. 

“Woh…. Girr gaya tha…. We are getting it fixed…!” the younger one of them said stuttering. 

“Girr gaya? Kaise?” Arnav asked sternly and Manek swallowed looking at Moti…! 

“Umm… Don’t know… It was a very old portrait…!” the younger one tried to explain…! Arnav jerked his hand to dismiss him.

“Call Dadi..” he commanded.

“Umm… She is not well…!” Arnav jumped to his feet.

“Not well?” he asked gliding down from the level where his grandfather’s rocking chair was kept.

“Umm… I mean… Arthritis…  She has difficulty walking…!” he said.  Arnav was already inside.

“Where is Dadi?” he asked a lady who adjusted her ghungat and guided him to the room.

“Dadi…!” she sat beside her.  She opened her eyes with efforts and gave him a happy toothless grin.

“You came…!” she murmured.

“Yes..!” he said and looking at the lady who kept a water jar, asked…

“Doctor ko dikhaya?” she merely nodded.  He picked up the medicine bottles and tablet strips to have a look at it.  

“Usako bulao…!” Dadi said trying to get up.  Arnav helped.

“Ji?” a young widow in white ghunghat came in.  Dadi held her hand….!

“Iske liye..kuch karo…Help her.. Don't let her rot in this filth” she ordered him.  He nodded glancing at her…

“Bimala, yeh kuch na kuch karega….” She assured and he nodded reassuring …! She didn’t look up but joined her hands…!

“She is educated…” Dadi continued….

“Hello…” ASR greeted her.  She looked up smiling.  “Hello…” she reciprocated…

“Her husband, that bloody young boy… died drunk…!” Dadi spat bitterly and Bimala looked away.  Arnav, trying to ease out her embarrassment looked away  

“I am a graduate…” she said in English and he turned to her  surprised…

“Ok. Send me your resume… and Let us see…” he said giving her his last remaining business card…!  She nodded happily.  

“Come…!” dadi tried to stand on her feet.  Arnav and Bimala helped her.  She took them to the pooja ghar.  

“You can go…!” she sent away Bimala and closed the door shut and all the windows securely.  Arnav gaped in surprise.  She moved the Idol of Lord Rama  and took out a box dug into the floor beneath.

“I don’t know, what it is… but I saved it …. I don’t know why…!” She said handing over the bunch of papers to Arnav.

“He gave me this…. Your grandfather…. May be his parting gift… I don’t know what it is…” she said and Arnav’s eyes widened scanning those papers….!

“He has gifted you the agricultural land, Dadi… A huge one, in the outskirts of Kanpur…” he said in a bare whisper….! She shook her head… I don’t need it… You take it… she said casually and he shook his head…

“No Dadi…!” he said firmly thrusting the papers back in her hand….

“I want to give this to your child…” She said brightly and he swallowed.  

“How is she?” she asked and he said looking away… “She is fine… with her parents, for her delivery…Lucknow…!” she nodded happily….! 

“My great-grandchild…” she said proudly.  He prepared himself to move out.  She kept the papers back and replaced the idol.  “Bimala will do this for me…!” she said happily.  He moved out without a word…

“Manek…. Files…!” he demanded and Manek reluctantly opened the safe to handover all the files…! Arnav neatly filed those files into his attaché and turned on his heels to moved out of Thakur Haveli, stripping the Thakurs all their wealth and lands he was the rightful owner ..! 

“What is he doing here?” Krishna Kant was standing before him…Arnav just ignored him…!

“You killed my son…!” Krishna kant hissed menacingly..! Arnav stood straight and placed his hand on Krishna Kant’s shoulder…

“Your son is still alive, right?” he asked piercingly and Krishna kant was taken aback.

“Ye..Yes… but you almost killed him…” He tried to grab the attaché…Arnav clamped his arm…!

“Don’t you even try that… “ he threatened.  Krishna kant gaped, shocked to the core…!

“Go home, and have some rest… Ab tumhari baari hain…! Now it will be your turn..” Arnav moved out of the Haveli numbing them all in shock.