LOST AND FOUND IN THE PATH OF LOVE

PART 27-LOST AND FOUND IN THE PATH OF LOVE

The night passed within the blink of an eye. As I opened my eyes, sun stood in front of me with its rays falling straight on me saying that it was furious. I almost closed my eyes as my retina was sensitive to light after going through a long period of darkness. I blocked the sun's rays with my hands trying to open my eyes. I got off from my bed to see Laksh standing in front of me. "Oye!! How did u come inside? I never expected u to be here." "Well.... I am a man of surprises as well honey! Now come on. Get ready quickly and come with me. You have a lot of work to do." "Wait!!! What work?" "Its about my new venture. I already told u about that. You too are a part of it Urmi." "Okay..... But that Inder is troubling with the workplace right? Then how could u proceed with your work?" "I dont know. But the work am talking about is the contract. Its kind of official and more professional. U understand right? Its just a formality between me and my employee. Thats it. So fast..... Get ready now and be a good girl."  He pushed me into the washroom and locked it behind.

After a warm shower, I came out with my bathrobe. He was still sitting on the bed with a magazine on one hand and a coffee mug on the other, ignoring me. I simply went near my closet, to choose my dress. I took a long Kurti, paired with a light colored palazzo. I went to the changing room, got ready and stood before him like a school girl,who got ready to go to school. But, he was still engrossed in his magazine. "Ahhemmm!!!" I cleared my throat. But there was no response. "Umm .... Laksh... I'm ready. Let's go!" "Hunnn... You're ready? So soon? OK... Fine.. Let's get going." "Are you alright Laksh? I took around half an hour to get ready and you say so soon?" "Thats nothing. I was just lost in reading this magazine. Thats it. Nothing much."  We both left my room. I locked it while Laksh was near the elevator. Soon, I joined him in the elevator. He was silent. Very much silent. It was really awkward and was weird too. He never remains silent especially when he is with me. He talks something.... Some stupid talks or teases me. Thats what he does when he is with me. But this was something different. Maybe his problems made him silent. I stood silent and waited for the elevator to reach the lobby.

I couldn't stand that awful silence. That irritating elevator music just made me strangle and feel me more uncomfortable. But thank god!! The elevator reached the lobby. We came out and he took me to a room where Shanta di and shatru were present. Along with them, some of the board of directors were present. He asked me to sign few papers regrading my bond with their company. I quickly went through the documents to be signed and quickly made my signature. Everyone shook hands and people started to leave the room. Di and shatru too left. The room finally contained me and him. "urmi! Come with me." "But where?" "I will tell u on the way." He dragged me to his car. I kept him asking all the way where were we heading to. He just skipped that topic with some lame excuses. All this seemed to head towards something very bad. And I had a very bad feeling about this. Finally, he put a brake to his car and looked at me. He asked to me come out. "This is the place where my new venture is gonna start. This land was given to my mother by her father. Now, this is mine. But that idiotic Inder has filed a case against me stating that he possesses this land. And one more thing... U r right. He surprises everybody. He is coming in a few minutes." As soon as these phrases came out of his mouth, I was shaken.

I didnt know how to react. What will Laksh settle first? His personal dispute or his professional dispute. Is this why he had kept silent? This problem seems to be bigger than I had thought. How will he react when he sees Inder? Am sure, Inder would have some plan cooking in his mind. He would never come for a simple talk. And that too about me. I am sure... He has something in his mind. I need to warn Laksh before something unfortunate happens. "Laksh....  Look here! He is not that weak how u r thinking. He is way too stronger than u think. He goes to any extent if he finds someone as a problem or an obstacle blocking his way. So, u need to ne careful." "Hunnn.... So u think that I am weak? Do u?" "No... Thats not what I think about u. I know, u r my warrior and would never let anything happen to u. But still I warn u. He is as cunning as a fox. Be careful." "Is that so? Then, let's see.. If he is a fox, then I am a tiger. Whomsoever it may be, but he has to bow in front of a tiger." "But Laksh....." "Today I got to know that how much faith you have in me.. Urmi.... I was the one who saved u that day from that naxals. but u dont seem to have confidence on me..nor my love..." "Laksh... Thats not what I wanted to say... I meant..."  My words were interrupted by a much familiar voice. I turned me head to see who it was. It was him. That brute.... Inder was here, with a cigar in his hand, dusting it and walking towards us. "Oh!!! So urmi doesn't trust u nor your love. so sad to hear that. Poor man!! This is what happens when u steal someone else's girl." "Shut up u brute.... There's nothing like that. Now u dont come in between us. Is that clear?" "I am not coming in between u ppl. It's him who has come in between us. Tell him to retreat and never ever interfere in my path".  "Now you both please shut up. I have called him here to settle my professional dispute. Not my personal. There's some other time to deal with it. Understood?"  Laksh shouted."But Laksh, we need to....." Laksh stopped me by showing his hand to stop my speech. I was hurt by his behavior. "Nothing is more important than my work." "Well... Fine then.... Let's settle this."  Inder said." Fine now..... You say that this is your land. But I argue that its mine. Do u have any proof that it belongs to u? Some sort of documents regarding this land?" "Oh yeah! I have... Take a look."  He took out a folder from his car and gave it to Laksh. His eyes popped out on seeing them. I too saw them and was jaw-dropped. Those seemed to be real. And the owner's name was the name of laksh's mother. How come this is possible? "Excuse me... My document please.."  Inder asked. We handed it back to him. "Now its your turn to show the papers that you possess this land." Laksh took out a green file from his car which was parked at a quite far distance. Inder pointed towards that document telling that he was going to tear them. I nodded my head negatively and asked Laksh not to show the documents."But why? Why shouldn't I? If he did, then I should also show the evidence that I have mine too." "But he might destroy it." "Look urmi.... Business deals with not only money. But also some abstract things like wisdom, tactics and also most important thing called trust. I think u dont have the habit of not trusting anyone. Thats why you never succeeded in running your boutique successfully and flourish in it. If u can't trust anyone, then just keep quiet and stop ruining my business."  What was I hearing? Why is he talking to me like that? Did I hear it right? Did he say stop ruining my business? Did he say I never knew to trust? "Laksh u r kidding right? Tell me. "Does all this seems like kidding to u? Why don't you be serious even at this instant? Now get off my way."  These words pricked my heart. If I didnt know to trust, then what was I doing when he was alone with me one whole night? What is making him talk like this? I wondered and my vision blurred at once. My eyes were clouded with tears. And without my knowledge, tears started to flow making a narrow canal on my cheek.