Veena pulled her legs closer and leaned back on the sofa.
The entire information was too much to take and she was shaken to the core. The night appeared darker than ever before.
She looked at Arjun.
The man looked lost. He was probably reliving those dreadful moments as he sat quietly, staring at a faraway star with unblinking eyes. He had suffered so much, all alone. He had survived the toughest moment. He was a fighter.
Her sharp shaky breath caught his attention and he looked up at her.
"Are you cold? Want to go in?"
She shook her head lightly.
Arjun squirmed in his seat uncomfortably.
"Ummm... I think.... It's too late... You know... You should... May be..... Should I... drop you back?"
She chewed on her bottom lip.
"You are asking me to leave?"
Arjun closed his eyes briefly in defeat.
"I did not mean to offend you. You can stay if you like.."
"I am not going until I get all my answers." She replied looking away.
He was taken aback. He knew she would have hard time trusting him.
"I answered everything."
"I still have a few more questions."
He blinked and momentarily pursed his lips.
"Shoot."
"Who was that?" She asked.
He raked his fingers in his hair.
"I told you, I don't know. He had a mask on."
She was not buying that.
"Why would anyone want to kill you? Did you have any nemesis? Did you happen to have a rivalry with anyone? Any differences, any quarrels, in college or on personal front?"
Arjun clenched his fist. He could remember only one heated argument, but that made absolutely no sense. He stood up and walked to the railings of the balcony. He gulped loudly and held the railings tightly, trying to gather some strength.
He finally shook his head. There was no point telling something that he was not sure of.
Veena groaned in frustration.
"I still don't understand how I am involved in this chaos?"
Arjun turned around to look at her.
"I know you kind of... Hate Sahil. What is wrong between you two? Why did you involve me in your problems? And... You say, you did not come back to Mumbai for ten years. Then you must not be in contact with Sahil too. What is all this supposed to mean?"
Arjun pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. He then came and sat on the stuffed chair.
"Veena, you asked me about me, and I told you everything. You know, you got involved in this, because you were close to Samrat. I wouldn't have bothered to come back, if you were not close to my home. I can't let that man linger around my home. That's all I can say."
Veena parted her lips and blinked rapidly.
"Why? What is your problem with Sahil?"
"It's something more personal." He simply replied.
"I need to know." She retorted.
"No. You don't. You needed answers about me. And I told you everything. Don't go where you are not supposed to." His eyes glowed dangerously.
Veena clenched her jaw.
"You abducted me from my engagement to the very same person, Arjun. I need to know what made you do so. Don't forget, I can still get the annulment and marry him."
Arjun's demeanor changed. He looked more angry. He stood up in a snap.
"Very well. Let's get the marriage annulled, if that is what you want. You can go ahead and marry that scumbag for all I care, but remember one thing, I will never allow you to linger in 10 Km radius of my house. You will have to vow that you won't ever have any contact with Samrat and Bansi."
Veena froze.
She did not know what to do. His dangerous aura scared her to the core. The cold menacing voice cut deep through her soul.
She shakily stood up and a lone tear escaped her eyes. Arjun calmed down instantly. He blinked rapidly and took a step back.
Raking his fingers through his hair he turned around to take a few deep breaths. He hated himself for loosing his cool.
After a long silenced pause, he looked at her.
"I think you are right, it's not fair to keep you bound. We will get the marriage annulled."
She wiped her tears and looked at him with glossy eyes.
"But my condition remains the same. It's either you marry Sahil and sever all ties with Samrat... Or if you find Samrat more important, then drop the idea of marrying Sahil."
Veena found herself speechless.
"I will talk to Dad, tomorrow. He can get the papers ready."
Veena nodded and walked inside the room to the warmer room.
Arjun closed the sliding windows as he too followed her in the main living room.
She looked at him. A part in her was seething in anger. She knew half of the things and the undiscovered truth was taking a toll on her sanity.
Arjun walked inside and came back after another moment with a pair of jacket. He was wearing one himself.
"Wear it. I will drop you to your parents." He said extending the jacket to her.
She nodded and accepted it. She slipped on the jacket and followed him as he walked out, after putting off all the lights.
"Wait here for a moment. I will come back." He whispered.
She sighed and let out a deep breath. She hated herself and him for the situation she was put into. She could trade anything to get out of this marriage and be a free bird again. If Arjun was worried for her marrying Sahil, then it was needless. She had already seen Sahil's true face. There was no way she would go back on the same path.
She was brought out of her thoughts when a sleek black motorbike stopped near her. Arjun was already wearing a helmet and he extended a helmet to her. She eyed the bike suspiciously.
"You want me to go on that?"
"Yeah, it's almost one after midnight, there is no point waiting for a cab. Besides, it will be easy for me to come back." He replied.
She crossed her arms on her chest.
"I am not riding with you. That's too risky."
He pursed his lips, not that she could see it behind the helmet.
"I told you, Veena, I don't kill girls."
She gasped.
"I did not mean that. I mean... This looks dangerous."
"Fine. I will call for a cab. I will just follow the cab on the bike." He suggested.
She thought for a moment and without replying placed the helmet on her head. He took the bag from her and secured it in front of him. She held him by his shoulders as she mounted the bike. He waited for another moment for her to settle down and fired the engine.
"Arjun?" She called before he could take off.
"Yeah?" He asked, slightly turning to look back to see if she had changed her mind.
"I think you should drive to Mathur Residence."
"Why?" He asked with furrowed eyebrows.
"It will be better for both of us."
"Are you sure?" He confirmed and she nodded.
The bike zoomed away the next moment.
Veena subconsciously wrapped her arms around his torso and Arjun stiffened for a brief moment. He thought, he should have given in to her request to take a cab. It did not click his mind that he could have asked the same cab to drive back.
Veena could feel the air hitting her with force, despite being covered by Arjun's large frame. She was thankful for the jacket as the drive was long.
Arjun slowed down as the Mathur Residence was in the vicinity. He was taken by surprise as a black car approached them from opposite direction and zoomed past them too close. The bike stumbled but he somehow maintained the balance. The incident was too unexpected that he could not help a colourful profanity that made Veena cringe. She held him tighter to break the fall from the moving vehicle.
"Who the hell was that on a private property?" He cursed, without stopping.
He found the situation a bit suspicious and did not find it right to stop and get hold of the car that dared to linger in the premises of the residence. He was worried about the girl on his bike.
Though they were not yet inside the premises, there was no other property nearby. He stopped the bike at the gate and pulled out his helmet.
He beckoned the guard closer.
"Who was that in the black car?"
The guards appeared confused.
"Which black car, Sir?"
He looked at Veena and she too appeared confused.
"A black car just passed from on this road. Didn't you see?"
The guard shook his head.
"No, Sir. I am here all night. No one visited the residence."
Arjun blinked and was taken aback. He nodded and drove the bike through the driveway to get to the main entrance.
Veena stepped down once the bike stopped and pulled away the helmet.
"Thanks, that was a long ride." She said trying to smile.
Arjun was still lost in thoughts. Something did not sit right. He was having a weird feeling creeping within him and that had his heart sinking. He did not know what was troubling him. He suddenly wanted to go back to Kunal's apartment. He blew a deep breath from his mouth to calm himself down. But the ill feeling kept on rising.
"Are you alright? You suddenly look pale." She commented when he did not reply.
He looked at her with worried eyes.
"I am not having a good feeling, Veena. I think... Something is really wrong. I shouldn't have brought you here."
Veena furrowed her eyebrows.
"What's wrong? We are home. What could go wrong? You are over thinking."
Arjun looked around, craning his neck. He did not know what was making the hair on his neck stand. The weird encounter with the black car made him paranoid.
"Go inside. And... If possible, go meet Samrat. He would be happy to see you. Stay with him."
"Where are you going? Aren't you coming in?" She asked.
"Listen, Veena, don't waste time, go and meet Samrat. Ask him to be with you. Keep him engaged and be with him. You can do that, right?"
A sudden wave of fear enveloped Veena. She did not understand what made him so paranoid. He appeared at bit scared.
"Then you too, don't go. Stay here." She requested.
Arjun rubbed his eyebrow. He could not conclude if he should go back to the apartment and expose himself to the unidentified threat, that his heart was telling him to stay away from, or just stay for a night and be in the safe confines of his home.
He finally parked the bike and walked inside the house. Veena followed him without a word.
He was about to walk away to the outhouse, when Veena stopped him.
"Why don't you stay here itself? It's past 2 am. now. It's a question of just a few hours."
He chewed on his bottom lip and contemplated. Finally he nodded.
"Can I get a pillow and a blanket?" He asked to which she nodded and walked away.
Arjun sat on the large sofa and removed his shoes. He lied down and his body protested. Veena was back with a fluffy blanket and two pillows. He smiled and thanked her.
He did not wait for her to leave and covered himself with the blanket and gave in to the much needed sleep. As requested by him, Veena walked to Samrat's room and knocked on the closed door.
"Veena?" Surprised Samrat nearly screamed.
"How did you come at this hour?"
"Arjun brought me here. He is sleeping downstairs. He told me to meet you and tell you that I am back." She smiled.
She was instantly pulled in a warm hug and Samrat sighed in relief.
The rising sun, the clitter and clatter in the kitchen and the hustle-bustle of morning could do nothing to wake the young man up, who was sleeping like a log.
His father had asked his mother to wake him up and throw him out, but the woman just ignored her husband and continued with her morning routine. Like her, everyone else in the family was more than just surprised to see him sleeping on the living room sofa.
He groaned as usual, when the blanket was pulled away and light taps were placed on his cheeks.
"Get lost, Kunal. Let me sleep." He grumbled.
Soft giggles were heard and he dismissed it to be a dream.
There was another gentle shake to his shoulder. It was definitely not Kunal. His mind went alert and he opened his eyes with a snap, only to realize the change of surroundings. He blinked rapidly and his alert senses caught the soft giggles again.
He looked at the little girl and blinked.
"Good Morning. Dadima says, you should get up early." The girl replied.
He was confused.
"Good morning. Who are you?"
"Geet. I am the Princess of the Mathur's." She said proudly.
He chuckled at that.
"Really? I just know one Princess. What's your full name?"
"Geet Naren Mathur." She replied with a smile.
Arjun's smile faltered. She was Naren's daughter and he did not even know that he had a niece. He could feel something break within.
"Geet, come have your breakfast. You will get late to school." Her mother came out of the kitchen while Naren too, came down for breakfast.
Arjun looked at Naren, then at Richa. A wave of sheer horror ran through his spine and he looked at the little girl who ran to her father.
He found himself frozen on the spot as he looked between the little girl and Richa.
All the pieces finally were falling in place. He just did not want his thoughts to be true.
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Another chapter up.
A long chapter that was, 50 comments please.
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