Mafia's Girl

Part 40

Sidharth's P.O.V. 

I stood for a long time where Shehnaaz left me. I felt a sense of accomplishment having gained Shehnaaz's love. Never in my wildest dreams did I wish for this to happen. All I ever wanted and tried my best to do everytime was keep her happy and never let sorrow and grief come near her. From the very first moment I laid eyes on her, I loved her like crazy, with all my heart, unconditionally and selflessly. My love hasn't changed after her confession but it has complicated our relationship a bit with this new angle. "I love you Shehnaaz Kaur Gill. More than you can imagine. But, I don't know what is right from wrong now. I don't know what I should do or what not to do," I said, softly to myself. I went into my closet and opened the cupboard to see Shehnaaz's portrait. I took out and suit and closed back the door. I bathed and got ready and left my room. As I was passing in front of her room, I stopped. I looked at the door and thought if I should knock or not. Deciding against it, I went downstairs and she stood there, all dressed, with her arms folded across her chest and her face swollen. Awkwardly, I went up to her. I cleared my throat to gain her attention towards me but she didn't look. "Are you ready?" I asked. Without turning her head to me, she simply looked at me from the corner of her eyes and said, "What does it look like?" "Come, let's have breakfast," I said. "I am not hungry," she said, coldly. I was a bit perplexed at her change in behaviour and attitude towards me but thought to myself that it was justified and understandable. "Why are you taking out my anger on the food?" I asked. "I am not angry. Why would you think that?" She said, still not looking at me for once. "Then what's with all the attitude? You were fine this morning and now...." I blurted out without thinking. 

Finally, she looked at me as I now looked away, embarrassed. "I am myself. I was myself this morning, I am myself now. Nothing has changed. I love you," she said, sternly, "And I don't regret it." My heart raced everytime she said those words to me. They made me weak. "Shehnaaz..." I started but she looked away, saying, "If you aren't going to have breakfast, shall we leave? We shouldn't reach late for court. Afterall, that's all you are worried about, right?" Her words were bitter and full of spite. I sighed and wore my sunglasses. "Let's go," I said, leaving first. We sat in the car and left for the courthouse. The drive was silently long and painful. Her silence and behaviour was getting on my last nerve as I couldn't bear to see her like this but I didn't know what to do to get her back to her normal self. "Are you okay?" I asked, breaking the silence. "What's wrong with me?" She asked. "Can you please answer my question without a question?" I said, irritated. "I told you this morning that I am myself. I am normal. I don't understand why you are asking me the same question twice," she said, shrugging her shoulders. I decided from that moment on to remain quiet. If I say something, the tension will escalate and we might end up fighting which I don't want. We reached the courthouse and got out to meet Anmol and Daksh outside, waiting. With the spare time we had with him before the hearing started, he revised the details of the case once more without Shehnaaz and we then proceeded inside. Shehnaaz was put on the witness stand. Silently, I prayed that Shehnaaz had the strength to stand through this and come out safe. I turned my head and saw Aditya present in the court also. I didn't know if I should have been surprised seeing him there or not. The prosecution lawyer entered and Khanna followed behind him with a smirk on his face. My blood immediately began to boil as he looked at me and grinned nasty. I held onto the gun inside my blazer but controlled the urge somehow to shoot him to death right then and there. Finally, he came out of his hiding for today but I will make sure he never gets another place to hide at after this. The judge entered and everyone stood up to welcome him. 

Taking his seat, he announced, "May the proceedings begin." The prosecution lawyer stood up and began his opening, "Your honour, this girl, this innocent looking girl, shot and wounded my client, Mr. Khanna. In fear for his life, he even went into hiding for the past few weeks just so that he can remain alive for this case! Your honour, the evidence, the eyewitnesses, everyone and everything point towards this woman, standing here! The gun recovered from the crime scene was confiscated from her hands by police! This woman shot and attempted to murder my client, Mr. Khanna. It's my request to the court that she gets the punishment she deserves for such a heinous crime, at the earliest time possible." Anmol stood up and started his side, the truth, "Your honour, my client, Miss Gill, shot Mr. Khanna, there is no denying that. But the perspective placed before you is the wrong one and the charge against her is the wrong one. Whatever my client did was merely and purely self-defense. Mr. Khanna kidnapped my client from her home and threatened her life multiple times during that time. In her place, anyone would have done anything to defend themselves from being killed. If the prosecution has a gun with fingerprints, we have multiple eyewitnesses and CCTV footage to prove that whatever happened that day was purely self-defense and not attempt to murder! For this, I would request permission to call my first witness to the stand, Mr. Sidharth Shukla." "Permission granted," the judge said. I went to the stand and swore that I would only speak the truth. Anmol came up to me and began asking me questions, "Mr. Shukla, were you present with Miss Gill on the day of her abduction?" "Yes, I was," I said. "Were you with her at the time of abduction?" He asked. "No," I replied. "Mr. Shukla, as far as I know, the house that Miss Gill resided in at the time of abduction, belongs to you," he asked. "Yes," I said. "What is your relationship with Miss Gill?" He asked. I looked at him silently. Shehnaaz looked at me with a frown and tears in her eyes. "We...are....friends," I said, hesitantly.