“Careful..!” he leapt forward to support….
“Sambhalkay….” Her husband supported
her. She clutched his arm and the couple
moved away. Arnav clenched his fists
turning his back on the couple. The
pregnant woman had lost her balance and was about slip on the escalators of
Pacific Mall.
“ASR…” Lavanya called out and he turned.
“ASR?” she looked at him intently.
“Haan?” he was all lost. She sighed and clutching his arm, moved
on. He just lost his rhythm wanting
badly to go back, his eyes searching for the couple. “Hope she is alright…” his heart
twisted.
“Lavanya… I need to go. Its urgent…” he said and without even looked
back at her moved out through the gates.
Lavanya stood there speechless, stunned at his sudden mood change. Her phone buzzed.
“Yeah…” she answered.
“Yes… he was here… a moment ago… but I don’t
know….” She couldn’t complete. Someone
yelled from the other side and she yelped.
“Look.. I am trying my level best…” she said
angrily….
“Yeah… Ok.
I am coming…” she said searching for her car keys. ASR had again given her a slip and had
vanished in thin air. She went home and
waited for him anxiously. She had never
been able to predict his moods… A moment he is loving and sweet and the next he
just walked away without a word. She had
tried all her tricks to allure him into her bedroom. He would allow her to kiss him… hug him… next
moment he would remove her hands sweetly and move away from her. He would allow her to drink but never even
sipped himself.
“We
have to be careful Lavanya… till I get the divorce…” he kept saying … She
couldn’t do much to persuade him…! The only option was, settle with him
somewhere far away from his people… France was what they had decided
together. He had tied up with a fashion
house Yves Saint Laurent…! Lavanya was
happy to be with him in all his endeavors…! She had made sure, he stayed with
her all the time.
The
door bell rang and Lavanya opened the door… “ASR….”
“Oh!
You..!” she blurted letting him inside.
“Give
me the papers….” He demanded and she shook her head helplessly.
“Where
are the papers, Lavanya?” Krishna Kant demanded and she shuddered in fright.
“Um…
I mean… He doesn’t have them with him….” She said staring at her feet. She had checked everything he had carried
with him.
“What
do you mean, he doesn’t have? Where are the papers Lavanya?” Krishna Kant got
up in rage. She just shook her head.
“I
don’t know…” she was helpless… He clenched his fists…!
“I… I
mean… I checked everywhere…. I mean… I have his keys…. I even searched his bank
lockers… “ she said justifying herself.
He looked at her gravely. “Where
are the papers then?” he asked and she looked away. Arnav had kept all his keys at home and she
also had visited the lockers with him… when he needed some of the documents for
his VISA processing. She had thoroughly
checked the locker while he was talking to the manager about his business
plans…! She had not found those important documents of Thakur Haveli in Kanpur
the ownership of which was transferred to the old lady… Mrs. Shamsher Singh
Thakur.
“You
know, what? You are useless….” Krishna Kant spat disdainfully.
“It
was a deal…. You would give us the papers and we won’t kill him…!” he threatened. Lavanya got up with a jerk….
“No..
Please… Give me just one more chance… just one… I will get those papers…” she
begged. Krishna Kant moved out raising his finger threateningly.
******** *****
He
was gazing into the distance into that
dark night…. ! Another financer had turned down his proposal…. There was only
one option… he must raise his own money… Liquidating his personal assets…! He
clutched the laptop bag he was carrying…! He had invested a lot for his
future…. But everything seemed bleak…. No future? Or his business was his only
future? He didn’t know…! Business was
his life… Assets and investments would come and go…! He made up his mind…
Liquidating his assets could give him enough to start and carry on at least a
for a couple of years…! He turned….
“Lavanya…!”
he opened the door and she got up from the chair.
“Where
were you, ASR?” she asked taking his laptop bag and keeping it on the table…
“I
need to talk to you…!” he needed a confidante badly…! Opening the bag he took out a file…
“I want
you to keep this safe for me…” he said handing over the file. Triumph appeared in her eyes for a fleeing
second. She looked up confused.
“What
is it, ASR?” she asked clutching the file.
“Important
personal documents… Lavanya….! These are the only ones I have now…. I need to
liquidate some of the assets…” he confided.
She came forward… clutching his arm, he said..
“I
can help, ASR… I can ask Dad to invest…” ASR shook his head…
“No!”
he said curtly, pushing her away a bit.
“I
can manage…” he said turning his back on her.
She looked at the file…
“I… I
will keep this safe…” she assured and he turned sighing… She was flipping
through the papers… He didn’t object…
“Kanpur…?”
she blurted confused.
“Yes…
I have some land and a haveli in Kanpur… its in Dadi’s name… I can raise money
on that….I must go and meet Dadi…” he said gravely. He was sure, Dadi won’t object….
******** *****
“Aman
Sir…” Khushi called. Aman got up with
excitement….
“Khushi…
Good that you called…” he started off.
Khushi listened to him… his detailed account about what was happening in
AR group of industries…! There was a mass exodus in AR designs… People were
quitting for greener pasture… The stocks were depleting… the Designs were
flopping for low demand… Aakash was having a hard time to manage… Mehra was the
sole decision maker… Rattan still was a novice… was unable to understand the
business strategies… Mehra was trying to consolidate by closing down some of
the outlets and was focusing on online marketing. Aakash was trying his level best to keep his
head above water level. The share values
were already underwater… There was no taker or investor… Within a span of six
to seven months the company was in ruins….! Rattan was grinning gleefully
rubbing his palms. “Time to make a clean
sweep….” He waited for the right opportunity….
“Aman
Sir…” Khushi spoke gravely.
“Haan…
Khushi… I did my best… Nothing important has gone out till now…. But the other
day… Aakash Sir demanded the access to the critical data….”
“Nooo….
Don’t even think about giving ti to him…. “Khushi screamed and then lowering
her voice, looking around, said
“Aman
Sir…”
“Yes..
Khushi… ASR had changed the access rights before quitting… I do not know
anything about that…” He said in a lighter tone…
“Yeah…
ASR ki jay ho…” Khushi grinned Khushi-ly…!
“And
about the other matter, Khushi…” Aman opened the topic.
“Yeah…
I know… But you know what to do with it and when… Aman Sir… I may not be able
to contact you at that time… But you will know… And I leave it to you… when you
want to do it… just go ahead and do it…” She said mysteriously. Aman closed his eyes smiling…
“Yeah..
Khushi… I would know… and don’t worry… It would be a clean sweep…” He rubbed
his palms gleefully, disconnecting the phone…! Khushi’s due date was
nearing. It was difficult for her even
to speak over the phone. There was
always someone or the other with her… Aman wouldn’t let anything more… !
*** ****
****
“What
the hell… Lavanya… Give the damn file…!” ASR yelled and she winced in fright.
“ASR..
I had kept it here in this safe…. I don’t know…!” she stuttered….
“What
do you mean…? Where did it go, Lavanya… I had given it to you…!” he grabbed her
shoulders hurting her physically. She
closed her eyes in pain. Swallowing hard…
she said…
“You
know, ASR… I had kept it in this…” she pointed at the empty safe…” He turned
his back on her fuming with rage… She had failed him… had not kept the file
safe and now the file was missing….
“Dhoondho…
damn it..!” he came on to her blowing his top… she shuddered…
“Ye..Yes…ASR…”
she started frantically searching for the file… He glared at her for a moment
and then said…
“I am
going out for some work, and I want that file on my table when I come back…
Lavanya… Don’t force me to go to the police… You will be the first suspect…” he marched out threatening her. She
sat on the bed all lost….!
“Hello…”
she dialed the number, making sure ASR was out of her apartment…
“I
had warned you not to call me…” the other person yelled in rage…
“Its
urgent…. I want that file back… You said you will return it … ASR knows that
the file is missing… Pl..please… I want it back… before he comes home… Please…
you promised…” she said begging…. A wicked smile appeared on Krishan Kant’s
face…! She had done his job… He had all
the original papers… Now only the thumb impression of that old lady and
everything would be in his name… He wouldn’t give that file back…. But he also
had a plan … Lavanya would still be his pawn… a crucial one before he crumples
ASR’s empire down under his heels…!
“Ok.Ok…
Someone will come and deliver that file…” he said consoling her… She took a
sigh of relief. He replaced the papers
and inserted the copies of the originals in the file….!
***** *****
*****
“Careful…careful…”
Khushi was mumbling in her sleep…
“Khusii…”
her amma stroked her head… Khushi turned and opened her eyes…
“Amma…
“ She moaned with the heaviness in her
heart…! She needed to go to the bathroom…
“Easy…
easy…” her Amma supported her…
“Laad
Governor Kahin kay… Natak Acchhaa kar letain hain….!” She smiled inwardly… He
was in her dreams teasing her… clutching her nose in his pinch… Smiling smugly…!
And then someone had knocked the door and he had jumped off through the window…
Khushi had got up with a start worrying for him…!
**** ****
****
“ASR…
she hugged him tightly…
“Here…”
she gave him the file. “It was in the
closet, ASR..” she said with relief.
“Humm…”
he didn’t even see the contents of the file and stuffed it into his bag.
“Look…
I need to go… Its urgent…” he said calmly.
The file had quietened him.
Lavanya hugged him tightly. He
remained unmoved.
“ASR..”
she was hurt by his cold behavior.
“Bye..
Lavanya…” before she could respond, he had moved out with the file…!
