un contrat de mariage

DEATH

{MAHIR}

We were sitting in the waiting room of the hospital. She was clutching my shirt like her life depended on it. Her head in the crook of my neck. I could feel her tears on my cheek.
"Mr. Mahir Sehgal!?", The nurse came in.
"Yes! That's me.", I said.
The nurse came to me.
"You need to tell some details sir!", I nodded as she said this.
"Who is the patient to you..?"
"He is her grandfather and I am her husband, name Mr. Om Malhotra.", I answered.
I see Bela looking up at me at the mention of me being her husband.
I know you won't approve this, but I am here because of that only..
I wiped her tears and smiled at her, "Everything will be fine."
She smiled back a painful smile.

Granddad suffered a asthma attack and we have to admit him in the hospital.
Doctors were still working on him.
They said that his lungs are just 10 percent functional and thus, he is having problem in proper breathing.

The room was huge but crowded.
I think it would be better if we go at some less crowded area.
"Bela...let's go to the balcony. I have spotted one near the OT."
She nodded and we went there.
We were in Italy, and I easily discovered it.

What I couldn't understand was that why Bela had to hide this from me.
I still don't know why she came here so suddenly.
But now she was with me, safe and protected. This is all I want...

"Mahir!"
"Hmm..."
"What was Daniel trying to say!?", She asked me.
I know what it is, but I am no one to tell her that. I need permission from Granddad. I also need to be sure that Bela remains fine.
"I don't know...!"
"I know that you know. Your expressions are saying so..", she pulled back from my embrace.
"Bela..."
"Everyone is hiding something from me. And I can sense that.", She said standing up.
"It's nothing important...", I tried to shoe off the topic.
"And that's why Daniel wanted to tell me that before dying!", Her tone was desperate and pained.

Just then, the nurse came running to us.
"Your grandfather wants to meet you both!", Her voice depicted horror.
In a matter of seconds, we were in the room.
He was lying there between hundreds of machine, oxygen mask on his mouth and hands signalling us to come near.
Bela's eyes were already pooling and I couldn't stop myself even.
We both reached out to him and held his hand.
Left she and right me.
"Doll... don't cry..!", He said in a raspy voice.
The voice was blurred because of the mask too.
"Prince... you are a man!", He said to me playfully.
I nodded at him and wiped my tears.

"Doll..I want to say something to you..!", He said and I see her desperately nodding.
"Don't trust anyone except him.", He signalled to me.
"Daniel... you'll be fine...!!!", She said in a desperate tone sensing the end is near.
"Yeah! Even I want some rest...I have worked for eighty long years..!", He painfully laughed.
"Granddad...let the doctor treat you...!", I said.
"No..I want to say something.. you both just listen to me!!", He was like scolding us.
We nodded.
"You both have to take care of each other. The world is very hard.....umm....never break each other's trust!", His voice seemed force, "Keep loving each other like you do now...."

Our eyes met to discover the truthfulness of what he just said, but then we know the reality better!

"Bela... Your dad...!", He directed towards Bela.
Now, I know what was coming!
So, I took my hand and held Bela by her back.
"Yes!?", She asked.
"Your mother didn't die giving you birth! She was killed by your dad, at the time of delivery!", He finally said it.
I could feel the shock she got, by the jerk my hands felt.
I suddenly walked over to her holding granddad's hand in one and simultaneously hugging her.
Her eyes went numb and I could see they were blank..
"Bela..!?", Granddad said.
She didn't respond.
I shook her lightly and she was back to the earth, "Hmm!"
"Child... you survived by God's grace! Your dad is a bloody business man...he won't care about anything if it comes to money! He killed your mother for money,  he planned to kill me, because my property will be yours. He planned to kill Mahir because his possession is also yours...", she immediately snapped her head at me to which I nodded, "but then, the danger is on you! You are his daughter by blood.", She wasn't reacting or saying anything.