The 'Un' Attached String

Chapter - 36

[Dubai]

A woman was walking down the roads fast while talking with someone on phone and with the other hand managing her purse and other papers. After stopping in front of a shop, she hung her phone and then entered inside. Another woman greeted her and said, "You're late Neena!" Neena replied, "I know Shifa! I had to drop my son to school today and I have to pick him up too!" Shifa, born and brought up in Dubai and Neena, an NRI were partners of a boutique at Dubai. Although not very big but it was running well. Neena came to Dubai 8-9 years ago and then married a Dubai based banker and has a son with him. Shifa gave Neena a cup of coffee and then said, "Today I received a call, a businesswoman from India, she would be having a destination wedding here and somehow she had references about our boutique and so she planned to give us the contract of designing all the wedding dresses. It's a huge opportunity for us." Neena became very happy on hearing that and then asked, "When are we meeting her?" Shifa replied, "I asked her to come this afternoon." Neena happily replied, "Ok I'll meet her after I drop Krish home from school with her nanny." After Neena came back to her boutique dropping her son home from school, Shifa informed her that the woman was waiting for her in her cabin. Neena composed herself and then went to her cabin to meet the woman. On getting into her cabin, she found the woman was sitting in the visitor's chair turning her back on Neena and a man was standing beside her. Neena greeted the woman and said, "Hi! Good afternoon! I'm Neena... Neena Bakshi. Maine suna hai ke aap yaha apni destination wedding ke liye aayi hai aur aapne hume chuna hai saari wedding dresses design karne ke liye. Main bata nehi sakti ke main kitni khushkismat hu ke hamaare boutique ka naam ho raha hai." The woman turned towards Neena with a smile and it was Bela and continuing that smile, said, "Hi Neena... or should I say.... Maya!!" Neena was none other than the woman, who was the reason for Bela and Maahir's separation, Maya. Till so many years, Maya was just in her memory and after that day, she had only seen her photograph, but after so many years when Bela's eyes fall on the all living Maya, she could not control the flood of emotions that was slowly drowning her brain in the pool of vengeance, but being a businesswoman, she knew how to not allow the reflection of her inner feelings on her face. Bela knew how much she wanted to torture Maya until she confessed the whole thing but she also knew that in order to get to the truth, she had to have patience. Maya was taken back when she heard that name and she asked, "Sorry???" Bela got up slowly and shook her shoulder casually and replied, "Oh don't be! Kyuki sorry to bohot chota lafz hai uske muqaable jo tumne kiya hai." Maya again replied, "Dekhiye main kuch samajh nehi pa rahi hu. Aap hai kaun and who's Maya?" Bela acted to be surprised and chuckled and replied, "Samajh to mujhe nehi aa raha hai ke main kya bolu... I mean ya to tum ek genuine award winning actress ho ya phir tumne itne ghar barbaad kiye hai ke tumne kab kaunsa naam istemaal kiya tha ye tumhe yaad bhi nehi hai." Maya then became very angry and then said, "Dekhiye mujhe sach mein samajhme nehi aa raha hai ke aap kya bol rahi hai par ek baat to hai ke aap koi wedding contract yaha hume dene ke liye nehi aayi hai. So please leave isse pehle ke main police ko bulaau." Bela again took her seat in a more relaxed away and put her leg on the other one in a crossed manner and said, "Naah! I'm not leaving so soon, ha agar tum chaho to police ko bula sakti ho, kyuki jab main tumhaare Mumbai waali zindagi ka saara kachcha chittha unke saamne kholungi to mera bhi time kam waste hoga tumhaare muh se sach ugalwaane mein. Hai na Maya... nehi not Neena, not Maya... Parizaad, yehi tumhaara 'vo' professional naam hai na?" Now, on hearing that name, Maya's face turned as white as paper and she stared at Bela with a horrifying look since no one knew neither about her previous life nor she told anyone anything. Bela understood that the dosage of the medicine was absolutely perfect which completed with the sadistic pleasure she received after seeing that look on Maya's face, the look of horror of loosing everything. Maya's feet started trembling and she held the handle of a chair to sit and seeing that Bela mocked, "Aww! Kisiki yaardaasht waapas aa rahi hai. Thank God!" Bela then said, "Chalo main tumhaari yaardaasht puri tarah se waapas laane mein help karti hu." Her expression totally changed from being sarcastic to monster-serious and said, "Tum 9 saal pehle Maahir Sehgal naam ke aadmi ke ghar pohchi aur uski biwi se mili aur tumne ye kaha ke tum uski girlfriend ho aur tum dono Oslo mein miley the aur ye bhi ke tum pregnant ho. Yaad aaya kuch?" Maya bluntly replied, "Main kisi Maahir Sehgal ko nehi jaanti hu." Bela understood that the dosage was not enough so instead of using the medicine, so this time instead of using medicine, she decided to use the injection for better result. So instead of asking anything related to Maahir, she asked, "Kya tumhaare husband ko tumhaare past ke baare mein pata hai ke tum ek high paid escort thi?" This time Maya was scared like hell and that to the extent as if it was not Bela but the re-incarnated version of female Devil sitting in front of her and seeing that face, Bela said, "I guessed so! Tumhaari jagah main hoti to main bhi yehi karti aur mujhe pata hai ke tumhaara ek beta bhi hai. Socho jab tumhaare husband aur bete ko ye pata chalega ke tum kya thi aur tumne pata nehi paiso ke liye kitne ghar barbaad kiye hai to mujhe nehi lagta hai ke tumhaari izzat mein koi chaar chaand lagenge iske baad. By the way, vo tumhaara beta tumhaare husband ka hi hai na?" Maya was trembling with fear and replied, "T-t-tum jh-jh-jhut bol rahi ho, tum-tum-tumhaare paas koi saboot nehi hai." Bela smiled and replied, "Oh no darling! Mere paas saare proofs hai tumhaare khilaaf varna tumhe kya laga ke main bina kisi saboot ke aise hi Dubai chali aayi? Main Bela Sareen hu, aise hi koi kaam nehi karti hu." She immediately changed to her monster mode and replied, "Abhi mera time barbaad karna bandh karo aur jaldi apna muh kholo kyuki agar maine apna game khelna shuru kiya na to kahiki nehi rahogi." Maya took a deep breath and replied, "Ye mera office hai main yaha kuch bhi nehi bol sakti hu. Hume kahi aur milna hoga. Lekin meri ek shart hai... tum mere husband ko kuch bhi nehi bataogi." Bela accepted and gave her the address of the hotel she was staying along with the room number and then said, "Tumhaari shart mujhe manzur hai! Lekin mujhe bhi sach chahiye! Nothing but the truth!" Maya nodded her head and then Bela left from there with the detective.