The Life Changing Bet

16. 'Stop Pretending!!'

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Tanya excused herself and looked for the closest restroom. She was panting and perspiring from the incident, which just took place a few moments ago. She stood in front of the mirror inside the restroom, "jis baat ka darr tha wohi ho gaya....yeh Dev yahan kya kar raha hai?"

Her inner voice spoke from her reflection in the mirror, "kyon Sonakshi surprised kyon ho? Dev toh Mumbai mein hi rehta hai....yahan ke sab bade log music launch mein aaye hain....toh wo kyon nahin ho sakta.?"

"Par wo toh Sonakshi ko jaanta hai...main toh Tanya hoon....aaj party ke baad mujhey kaise dhoond paayega?"

"Tumhara album release ho raha hai...thode hi din mein tum famous ho jaaogi....tab kaise chup paaogi ussey?

"Nahin....main uski baaton mein nahin aa sakti....aur usey Ansh ke baare mein bhi pata nahin hona chahiye.....mujhey Rohan se baat karni chahiye...."

"Rohan? Rohan ko sab kuch bataa dogi? Toh phir wo tumhari family ko Nainital mein inform kar dega....jis family ki tum naak kaat kar aayi thi....wahan wapas kaise jaaogi.....wo sab toh tumhey mara hua sochtey hain.....kyon unke dard phir se taaza karna chahti ho?"

"Main Tanya hi hoon....aur Tanya hi rahoongi.....Dev ko bhi yahi sochna chahiye....Sonakshi marr chuki hai....." Tanya reassured herself after reflecting upon the consequences of revealing her true identity to the world.

She touched up her face, and took a deep breath. She was ready to face the world...ready to face Dev....SHE WAS TANYA.....Sonakshi was dead....Tanya would not fall for Dev's charms and his lies.....she would become as cold hearted as he was...he never thought about the consequences of playing with her emotions....why should she?

She walked out of the restroom, but as soon as she stepped out, a strong arm grabbed her waist and pulled her to a corner.

She turned around and saw Dev. She tried to free herself from his grip, "Please leave me Mr Dixit...or whoever you are! Main chilla doongi..."

"Chilla do! Main kisi se nahin darta...." Dev stared at her with his piercing eyes.

Tanya could not face his piercing gaze, and looked at his arm around her slender waist. She remembered being grabbed by someone on that stormy night in Almora. She shuddered at the thought that it was possibly Dev that night...
She managed to wiggle out of his grip and started walking towards the party hall. Dev grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to him. This time she landed with her hands on his chest and his face was inches away from her, "kyon apne aap se bhaag rahi ho Sonakshi? Kyon yeh jhooth bol rahi ho? Main jaanta hoon tum meri Sonakshi hi ho..." he looked into her eyes soulfully.

Tanya averted his gaze and struggled to free herself again, 'yeh kya zabardasti hai Mr Dixit? Maine kahaa na main Sonakshi ko nahin jaanti....aap kisi aur ki baat kar rahe hain..."

Dev pulled her closer and brought his lips at a kissing distance from hers, "Sonakshi meri aankhein dhokha kha sakti hain....par tumhari saansein, tumhara yeh ehsaas, tumhari khushboo meri rooh mein is tarah bas chuki hai, ki main jaanta hoon main dhokha nahin kha raha....tum wohi ho jisey main Nainital mein mila tha...jisko jeetney ke liye maine bet lagaayi thi par khud hi apna dil haar gaya tha.....keh do ki tum wohi ho Sonakshi.....apne aap ko aur mujhey mat tadpao itna....," he closed his eyes and was about to kiss her lips when she pushed him away and ran in the other direction. Dev stood there shaken up and broken by her refusal to accept the truth.