Here's the 69th chapter.
Enjoy reading.
Shaurya was in the library, his mind all jumbled up.
He had only been thinking about the incidents happening since the morning.
The instances when she refused his help but at last took Ahir's help for the same thing made him feel indignant.
He recalled how, when she praised Ahir for being an "understanding" and "friendly" Officer, he felt he wasn't a person she could rely on.
"Mujhse help lene mein kya dikkat hoti hai Miss Bhalla ko ?...", he groused to himself.
He felt alienated by the way she talked openly with Ahir but not conversed with him once since the investigation ended. She even thanked Ahir which added to his jitteriness. It wasn't that he expected a thank you for what he had done for this case; it was just that she hadn't spoken to him once since the investigation, which was irritating him.
All of this made him feel as if he weren't important enough to be concerned about by her. He felt as if he hadn't been given enough attention by her. He himself didn't understand why he was thinking all of these unnecessary thoughts.
Actually, it was his own insecurities that were keeping him from finding peace. He was constantly disturbed as a result of all of this, which is why, in order to avoid an outburst, he stormed out of his own cabin so that the outburst would not be directed at her. But little did he know that the only victim of his outburst would be her, and he would deeply regret it later.
Shaurya was flapping the pages of a book in his hand, unable to concentrate on reading. He couldn't figure out why he was feeling so restless all of a sudden.
Anokhi and Ahir had met before as well, so why he was seeing so many flashes of them "together" was a mystery he couldn't solve.
He wasn't jealous of Ahir; rather, it was his own insecurity that was making him uncomfortable. His discomfort was just being amplified by remembering Ahir and Anokhi's togetherness.
He recalled Ahir wiping her hand when tea had accidentally fallen on her wrist, he remembered her smiling at that ACP on the day of his official visit, and now all of this had taken a toll on him. All of these made Shaurya feel as if he wasn't a person nice to be talked freely with.
His frustration at not being able to act normally around her as he did with others was making him irritable.
The fact that he failed to treat her as a professor would without "bias" or "personal grudge" was intensifying his insecurities.
In other words, his recollection of his usual arguments with her were affecting him. It made him angry that he often misbehaved with her because of her Aastha Mam, as a result of which she wasn't as open with him as she was with Ahir. It made him feel like a failure as a professor and as a person too.
In actuality, the anger brewing within him was for himself for not being able to act normally with her, and it was being directed indirectly towards Anokhi and Ahir, unbeknownst to his own self.
His own anxiety was turning into a rage directed at Anokhi and ACP Ahir because the way Ahir, who was a complete stranger to her, spoke to her was something he had never done, despite knowing her for longer than Ahir.
At this point, his mind had completely boiled over. He was trying hard to calm himself down, but to his dismay, he heard a person's voice who he wasn't expecting, because he knew his rage would erupt at any moment.
"Shaurya Sir...", said the voice.
He stiffened, not wanting to anything to her right now.
"Kya hua Sir ?... Aap achaanak se vha se kyu chale aaye ? ...", Anokhi said as she approached him.
He tossed the book on the table and walked away, completely ignoring her.
She followed him behind not getting any response.
"Peon se poochha toh unhone kaha ki aap library mein ho..."
He paid no attention to her and pretended to be looking for a book in the shelf.
"Sir kuch hua kya ?... Matlab kisi bhi baat ka bura lga aapko ?..."
Her question had finally worn him down. He lost his cool when she asked him that question because she herself was the source of his distress.
"Yeh faaltu ka concerns dikhaana band karo...", he finally spoke up, turning to face her.
"Main tumhaare "scam" mein aane vaala nhi hoon...", he said harshly as he approached the table.
"Scam ?...", Anokhi's eyebrows scrunched.
"Kaisa scam Sir ?... Maine kiya kya hai ?...", she was all confused and continued to follow him behind.
"Sir mujhe samajh-..."
He came to a halt and turned around to face her with a wrathful expression.
"Please...", he said, his voice intense.
"Mujhe tumse koi baat nhi karni..."
"So just leave... Okay ? ..."
"Go... Out of here...", he said and walked over to another shelf.
"Achaanak se inhe kya ho gaya ?...", she mumbled to herself.
"Itne time se toh achche – bhale the... Mere bina kahe police station jaake...", she trailed off.
"Aur ab aise kyu behave kar rhe hai yeh ?...", she wondered.
She walked over to him saying, "Sir main toh bas aapko thank you bolne-..."
"Thank you ?...", he exclaimed, surprised.
"Thank you bolne aayi thi tum..."
"Mujhe ??..."
"Really ??...", he asked, astonished.
"Tumhe kya lagta hai Miss Bhalla... Tum yeh sab drama karogi aur mujhe kuch pta hi nhi chalega... Hmm ?..."
"Drama ??..."
"Kaisa drama Sir ?... Aap aakhir kehna kya chaahte hain ?...", she was baffled.
"Yess... Drama Miss Bhalla !..."
"Main tumhaare sach ko bhoolkar... Tumhaara "naatak"... Usme believe karne lag gaya tha main...", he said, turning to face her and walking back to the table.
"Sach ?... Naatak ?...", she walked behind him.
"Sir..."
"Sir kya naatak ?... Mujhe kuch samajh nhi aa rha... Kya bol rhe ho aap ?..."
"Samajh mein toh sab kuch aa rha hoga... Lekin naatak toh yahi karna haina... "Innocence" ka...", his jaw clenched. He was loosing his brain.
"After all, that's how it all works, right ?... Hmmm ?..."
"Ye hi toh kaam mein aata hai... That... Oh my god... I'm... I'm so lonely... Main is sheher mein kisi ko nhi jaanti... Main kitni bechaari hoon... "
She was puzzled by everything that was going on.
"Sir aapko pta hai ki main bechaari nhi hoon...", she spoke up calmly.
"Of course !... Shaayad yeh baat main tumse better jaanta hoon...", he shot back.
"Lekin... Mujhe pta hone se kya hota hai... Saari duniya ko toh nhi pta naa...", he continued.
"Unhe toh tum yahi btaati hona... Varna tumhaara yeh "purpose" kaise solve hoga... Miss - Bhalla...", he blatantly stated.
"Kaisa purpose Sir ?..."
"Kyun mujhse kehelvaana chaahti ho ?...", his forehead nerves twitched.
"Yeh baat toh tumhe bhi pta hai aur mujhe bhi..."
She looked mystified as he sat down, pretending to read the book.
"Mujhe kuch samajh mein nhi aa rha Sir... Kya... Kaise purpose ke baare mein baat kar rhe hain ?..."
"Main toh is sheher mein padhne aayi hoon..."
"Main "real purpose" ki baat kar rha hoon Miss Bhalla...", he cut in.
"Padhai toh bas ek "bahaana" hai...", he smirked.
She was left astounded listening to him.
She angrily flipped the book he was reading and exclaimed, "Kis real purpose ke baare mein baat kar rhe hai aap ?!... Sir mujhe btaaiye naa tabhi toh mujhe pta chalega..."
His gritted his teeth saying, "Kuch bhi ho sakta hai..."
"To be RICH...", he continued, staring at her, "CONTACTS ?...", his gaze fixed on her.
"Yaa all of the above..."
"Yahi toh aspirations hoti hain tum "chhoti sheher" ki ladkiyon ki... Hmmm ?... Taaki life ki gaadi chalti rahe...", he spewed nonsense.
"Mera aspiration kya hai main already apne admission form mein likh chuki thi Sir..."
"Aur mujhe pta nhi ki aap mere saath-..."
He cut her off with a sarcastic smile and said, "Kitni bholi banne ki koshish kar rhi ho..."
"Jaise kuch pta hi nhi hai tumhe...", he fumed.
"Mujhe sach mein kuch nhi pta Sir... "
"Aur samajh mein nhi aa rha aap kya kehne ki koshish kar rhe ho Sir..."
"Tum jaisi ladkiyon ka kasoor bhi kabhi kaha hota hai... Sab kar karaake innocent victim card use karti rehti ho bas...", his lips twisted in anger.
"Jab tak kisika advantage utha paaye... Utha liya... Aur jab kaam kahtam... Then move on...", he yelled as he slammed the book shut and was about to walk away when she blocked his way.
"Aap kya kehna chaahte hai please seedhe – seedhe kahiye... Taaki mujhe bhi samajh mein aaye ki aap mujhse naaraaz kyu hain... Maine kya kiya aisa ? ...", she inquired, irritated.
"Vivek ka incident...", he said as he stared at her.
"Report karaane gayi thi naa tum kal..."
"J... Jee Sir...", she replied, completely oblivious to what he was implying.
"Local police station nhi jaa sakti thi ?..."
"Us ACP ke paas hi jaana tha tumhe ?...", he said, glaring at her.
She looked at him puzzled for a moment before calmly saying, "Kyunki main yaha bohot kam logo ko jaanti hoon Sir-..."
"Achcha ?...", his was quick to interrupt.
"Vo ACP bachpan ka dost hai tumhaara ?... Nhi naa ?..."
"Kabse jaanti ho use ?... Bolo..."
"Yahi aakar mili ho naa tum use... Pehli baar..."
"Haanji Sir...", she replied, still unaware of what he was up to.
"Good !...", he looked surprised.
"Great !..."
"Bohot jaldi pata liya tumne use...", he said, his eyes narrowing.
Her eyes widened as she listened to what he just said.
"Speed achchi hai kaafi tumhaari...", he looked at her infuriated.
"Sir... Yeh aap kya keh rhe hai ?!...", she gasped in shock.
"Nhi matlab... Speed achchi hai tumhaari...", he shrugged.
"Score kya hua ab tak ka ?...", he inquired with a smirk.
"Sir !!!..."
"Chup ho jaaiye !...", she exclaimed, her palms on her ears, unable to take it any longer.
"Yeh kya bol rhe hain aap !...", she turned away, not wanting to hear anything else.
"Oh !!... Now I get it...", he walked over to face her.
"Jitna zyaada insaan desperate hota hai utna hi toh haath – pair maarta hai... Haina ?..."
"Yeh aap kya keh rhe hai Sir ?!... Please aap band keejiye !... Aisa kuch bhi nhi hai..."
"Aur kaha Kapurthala ki middle class family ki middle class ladki... Aur kaha yeh bade – bade naam...", he continued to blabber, losing his mind.
She was gasping for air, unable to take those abhorrent words.
"Aur kaha – kaha contacts honge tumhaare ?...", he continued.
"Definitely "top brass" par toh honge hi naa... Jitni badi position... Jitne zyaada paise... Utna hi eligible candidate...", he emphasized.
"Sir please !!!!...", her throat choked.
"Chup ho jaaiye !..."
"Kya bol rhe hain aap yeh sab ?!!...", her eyes had teared up.
"Achche se jaanta hoon tum jaise ladkiyon ko main..." he said, holding her arms.
She gave him a shocked look before releasing herself from his grip.
"Ohh !!... I'm so sorry...", he stepped back.
"Mere chhoone se tumhe problem hoti hai... "
"Mere gaadi mein baithne se bhi tumhe problem hoti hai..."
"Lekin kisi aur ke saath toh tumhe aisi koi pareshaani nhi hoti..."
"Surprising !...", he remarked.
"Even I'm quite rich and famous vaise toh...", he added, making her feel disgusted.
"Yeh hi chaahti hon aa tum... Chhota – mota kaam nikaalne ke liye... Yaa seedi bnaakar oopar chadhne ke liye..."
She was enraged and teary-eyed at this point.
"Aise hi chalti rhi toh bohot jaldi apne mukaam mein pohonchogi... Lekin "ek cheez" tumhe nhi milegi...", he said grittin his teeth.
"Aur vo hai genuine RESPECT...", he said.
"And you know what... Voh toh tum jaise logo ko chaahiye hi nhi hoti hai... Kyunki tumhaare jaise LOOSE CHARACTER ko kuch fark hi nhi padta...", Gnashing his teeth, he said.
Time slowed to a halt, as soon as the words reached her ears. The words resounded in her ears. She felt as if she had been dropped from the sky to the ground.
She couldn't believe the words he had just used to "describe" her.
"Main..."
"Main loose character hoon Sir ?...", she gasped shockingly as a lone tear escaped from her eyes.
"Haan !!!...", he screamed, his eyes bloodshot.
"Aaj ke baad... Mera tumse koi lena – dena nhi hai..."
"Aur mujhe afsos hota hai ki tumhaari jaisi student humaare institution ka hissa hai..."
"Shaayad voh ek reality main apni zindagi ki badal sakta..."
Her voice trembled as she began to say, "Mujhe shuruaat se yeh baat pta thi ki aap mujhe naapasand karte hai... Lekin aap mere baare mein itna "ganda" sochte hai... Itni "ghatiya" soch rakhte hai yeh toh pta hi nhi tha mujhe...", her voice cracked at last.
"Ghatiya logo ke baare mein ghatiya hi socha jaata hai...", he didn't budge and his words broke her.
"Ghatiya main nhi hoon Sir... Ghatiya hai aapki soch !..."
"Ek ladki ke character pe savaal uthaana poori duniya ke liye kitna aasaan hota haina..."
"Aur aapne mere baare mein jo kuch bhi kaha... Naa toh main vaisi sochti hoon aur naa hi chhote sheher se aayi har vo ladki sochti hai..."
"Main toh yaha padhne aayi thi... Apna career bnaane aayi thi naa ki koi "contact" bnaane aur naa hi... kisi se aise apni beizzati karvaane...", she raged with her eyes welling up.
She was completely heartbroken to see this side of Shaurya Sir. She never imagined he would have such a poor perception of her.
The positive image she had formed of him in her mind had now been destroyed. The image she was rebuilding of him in her mind all these days was all waste.
She couldn't believe the person standing in front of her was the same person who had helped her that day when she was bleeding, the same person she had come to thank for his help and support throughout the investigation.
She was caught completely off guard, and her unwavering faith in him was shattered in a split second.
Everything she had made herself understand in order to change her perception of him had now been proven completely false. He wasn't the person she thought he was.
And now she couldn't stay there for another second because the person in front of her had pointed a finger at her self-esteem, which she couldn't stand.
"Achcha kiya Sir !...", she yelled angrily, and he looked at her.
"Bohot achcha kiya ki aapne yeh...", she said, her voice cracking.
"Yeh baatein aapne boli... Bohot achcha kiya..."
"Nhi toh mujhe kabhi aapki asliyat pta hi nhi chalti..."
Hearing this, he became enraged and was about to lash out but she didn't give him the chance.
"Iska matlab toh yahi hua naa Sir !..."
"Itne din se..."
"Itne din se aapne jo bhi kiya vo sab bhi jhooth tha... Haina ? ...", she shuddered.
"Kya baat kar rhi ho tum ?...", he asked, outraged.
"Yahi !!..."
"Ki itne dino se aapne jo bhi is case ko solve karne ke liye kiya... Voh sab bas ek... ek dikhaava tha...", she cried out, and his blood boiled instantly listening to it.
"Tum jaanti bhi ho kya keh rhi ho tum ?...", he said, his red eyes glaring at her.
"Aap jaante hai aapne thodi der pehle mujhse kya kaha tha ?!!!...", she snapped back.
"Agar aap mujhe...", her voice trembled.
"Agar aap mujhe l... loose cha... racter samajhte hain... Toh fir..."
"Toh fir itne dino se jo bhi help ki... Vo ki hi kyun ????...", she yelped.
"Agar main aisi type ki ladki lagti hoon aapko... Toh fir toh aapke liye gunehgaar main hoon... Haina ?!! ... Naa ki Vivek Sir... Boliye !!...", she shrieked, absolutely devastated.
He was deeply hurt listening to it.
"Iska toh yahi matlab hua ki sab kuch dikhaava tha... Aapka asal mein Vivek Sir ko arrest karvaane ka koi iraada tha hi nhi... Voh bas ek "formality" thi..."
"Miss Bhalla !!!...", he shouted, his eyes ghostly pale, that she thought of him in that way.
"Nhi padhna mujhe aapke institute mein...", she continued, ignoring him.
"Nhi rehna mujhe aise college mein jha aap jaise professor padhaate hai Sir..."
"Jaha ladkiyon ko is nazariye se dekha jaata hai... Nhi padhna mujhe...", she broke down into tears.
With sniffles escaping her lips, she was about to storm away when he abruptly grabbed her hand pulling her towards him.
She looked at him taken aback at his sudden action.
"Galti tum karti ho... Aur VILLIAN mujhe bna diya...", he fumed dangerously.
"Ek – baat – kaan – kholke sun lo Miss Bhalla...", he exclaimed, his eyes blotchy.
"Tumhaara yeh drama mere saamne nhi chalne vaala... Kyunki main achchi tarah pehchaan gaya hoon tumhe..."
"Kaise logo ko manipulate karti ho... Apne advantage ke liye... "
"Aur isko...", he said, pointing to her hand in his grip.
"Apne advantage mein use karo... Baaki saari cheezo ki tarah... Okay ?! ...", he jerked her hand away.
"Jaao... Apne "A - C - P" se madad lo..."
"Yaa uska kandha lo... Hmmm ?..."
"Apna sar rakho uske kandhe pe aur roh..."
"Itni achchi acting toh kar hi sakti hon aa tum...", he added.
She silently listened to him, his every word pierced her.
"Aur vaise bhi... Bachelor hai... Hai ? ... Ke nhi ? ... Tumhe better pta hoga... Hmmm...", he continued to spout vile words.
"Young hai... Dynamic hai... Stable job hai... Yeh sab hi dhoondti ho naa tum..."
She stared at him with teary eyes, but a raging soul.
"Toh ?... Try karne mein kya jaata hai ?..."
"Apna "wild card" nikaalo...", he held her arms.
"Shaadi aur affair vaala card bhi use kar sakti ho...", he smirked.
"Kaunsa use karna chaahogi ?..."
"BASS !!...", she hollered, pushing him away and he landed on the bench.
She was devastated to witness his level of stooping so low.
"Itni GHATIYA soch Mr. Shaurya Sabharwal Sir..."
"Chhii !!!...", she shrieked in disgust.
He averted his gaze, seething with anger.
"Bas..."
"Nhi rahungi main aapke college mein...", she gulped the lump in her throat.
"Sirf aapke college mein kya... Iss sheher mein hi nhi rehna mujhe..."
"Agar mera career barbaad ho jaayega... To ho jaane do..."
"Main chhote sheher se hoon na... Toh main apne chhote sheher mein jaakar hi rahungi..."
"Kam se kam vha ke log naa ek – doosre ko izzat karte hai... Chhote sheher ke chhote se college mein hi khush hoon main kam se kam vha aapke jaise professor nhi hote..."
His palm clenched into a fist.
"Main... Mujhe vishvaas nhi ho rha... Aap itni neechi soch kaise rakh sakte hai ?!!..."
Folding her hands, she said, "Aapko apni "ghatiya" soch aur apna yeh "college" mubaarak ho Sir..."
"Mere liye.... Apni IZZAT se badhkar aur kuch bhi nhi hai Sir...", she said with fire in her voice.
"Bol liya ? ...", he said as he stood up and glared at her..
"Now get out...", he said sternly.
She looked at him with brimming eyes and ran away from there hastily, tears streaming down her face, not wanting to be in the presence of such a person who pointed a finger at her character.
Shaurya stood there, his palm curled into a tight fist and his knuckles going white, absolutely enraged. His fist crashed onto the table with a bang just the next moment.
He knew deep down that whatever he did with her was unethical, and he was filled with uncontrollable wrath.
And now it will take some time for him to realize and admit to himself that the "reason" he was burning with wrath wasn't her, but he HIMSELF, that he had done such a CRUEL BEHAVIOR with her.
But what will he do once he realizes he has made a major blunder ?
Will he be able to forgive himself ?
Will he apologize to her ?
Apart from that, what will he do when he will find out that it was his PRINCESS's mother whom he had hurt so deeply ?
Will he ever be able to confront his princess again ?
What will happen if his princess and her mother both go away from him?...
*Jaanne ke liye dekhte rahiye humaara show 🤣🤣*
How was it ?😅
Do tell me in comments 😁