Sound of applause...
"Well, well, well, Mr. Rishi Shekhawat..." He turned around to see the source of the voice and met the 5 foot 7 inches tall lady, two feet shorter than him with a smile playing on her lips. He raised his eyebrows as she continued to talk.
"Kitni achchi performance diya hein RaiPrakash ne... hein na?" As he stared at this unknown lady, she just adjusted her glasses to look at the young girl who now was exiting the dias, her spectacles that acted a factor which made her look more dangerous and formal in her attire.
"Mein unki beti ki baare nahi, RP industries ka last net market value ke baare mein bata rahi thi. Dance toh dikhaawa hein, asli baat, woh khaandan ke waaris hein."
"Aur aapki pehchaan?" He asked. But she seemed to be least bothered with her introduction.
"I'm not surprised. Court mein aap thodi aathe hein... Lekin kya Dubey Ji ne aapko kuch details nahi diye?" She looked at him midway, corrected her glass pushing the frame towards her sinus.
"Ghai?" He remembered about what his lawyer had informed him before, about the Agnihotris having hired the services of a new lawyer.
"Mrs. Smriti Chandrasekhar Ghai... Theek hein aap Ghai hi bula lijiye..." She smirked. Rishi stood there staring at her, his face showing disinterest.
She continued, "...aapki well wisher banke bolun toh ek baat hein. Har baar ki tarah iss baar bhi aap court mat aayiyega... Kyunki iss baar chingaari barasne waali hein chaaro aur... kayi aag na badhe aur aap jal jaaye..." She started moving away by saying at that, but Mr.Shekhawat was not one who'd just listen and let go.
"Ghai... Aapki khayal ki taarif hein, par kayi aapki baat sach na ho jaaye..." He smirked. She turned around, scoffed at him and then walked away.
"Can't believe Smriti Ghai humein dhamkaane yahaan, New York chali aayi?" Nandini who had listened to their conversation the whole time standing beside her hubby, giggled.
"Woh yahaan aayi, kyunki use pata nahi hein ki woh kiske saath khadi hein aur kiske khilaaf... Ab maza chakhegi yeh bahut khoob..."
That night, back at Shekhawat Mansion...
"Sharon... Sharon. Rai. Prakash. The Dancing Cinderella... The Dancing Diva!!" Swayam spelled her name as he fell on the bed.
"Bhai, aap bhool toh nahi gaye ki pandrah saal umr ki aashiqui paagalpan toh hein hi!! ...par zyaada der tikthi bhi nahi... Kenny ka kya hua dha yaad hein na?" Taani giggled and teased her brother.
"Arre Kenny ko maro goli! ...Yeh aashiqui hein bhi ya nahi, yeh pata nahi... Par haan, use phir se dekhne ki mann toh kar raha hein..." He said while a smile forming on his lips, unable to believe what he just had said.
"Toh aapko kaun roke hein? Bhabhi toh Manhattan Contemporary Academy ke 10 dinom ke sessions keliye jaanewaali hein..."
"Brian Simmons?..." He glanced at her.
"Exactly... Mr. Simmons classes le rahe hein... Aapko toh wahaan admission yunh hi mil jaayenge..."
"Lekin aise karne se use pata chal sakti hein ki mein ek Shekhawat hun... I don't want her to know that..." He frowned.
"Kyun nahi bhai? Woh toh achchi baat hein na? Rai Prakash keliye aur kya badi baat ho sakthi hein jab woh jaane ki unki beti ko ek Shekhawat pasand karta hein?" Taani walked over his bed and made herself comfortable on the chair next to it. He faced her sitting up straight.
"Exactly Taani... I don't want anybody to like me or dislike me just because I happen to be a Shekhawat... Agar aisa hua toh koi Swayam ko nahi pehchaan paayega... Sabko mera ek 'Shekhawat waaris', ke tagline ke aage kuch nahi dikhega... Aur mein yeh nahi chaahtha..." He explained to his sister who listened to each of his words.
"Toh aap nahi jaa rahe?" She asked analysing his point of view.
"Meri jagah James jaayega... Sharon ki routines ka footage woh laayega... Uski live performances ki khabar woh mujhe laake dega..."
"Bhai, mujhe yeh idea achchi nah..." Taani started but was cut by her brother before she could finish.
"Bilkul achchi hein... Mein James ko phone kartha hun!" Swayam got up enthusiastically dialling his mate's phone and walked away without listening to his little sister.
After some days, in Pune...
"Ji Saab! Brown colour ki peti hein!" The driver spoke to someone in the phone.
"Theek hein toh usmein set kardo tamaatar... Aur jo files hein, Ghai ko jhod dene ke baad seedhe mere pass le aana..."
"Saab.." He said.
"Woh dus minute mein udh jaayega tamaatar, jaldi karo gadhe!" The caller ordered.
"Sab set kardiye Saab!" He said after two-three minutes.
"Chal, leke ja use court turant. Wahaan pahunchthe pahunchte toh hosh aa hi jaayega, tamaatar! Chal rakh!" The caller hung up.
After fifteen minutes...
"Sir, court pahunch gaya. Sir! ...sir!"
"Huh?! Pahh-huncha? Ithniii der kyun k-kara di Pandey?"
"Sir, aap so gaye dhe, hum toh dus minute jaldi pahunche hein..."
"Achcha? Achcha! Achcha kiya Pandey... Ek baar yeh case meri wife jeet jaaye toh phir yeh car, aur mera makaan ke saath saath, naya driver bhi rakh lunga...
" Sir!?"
"Kya kare Pandey, jhe karod mein bahut taaqat hota hein... Usse ghamand nahi dikhaayega toh karodon ka kya fayda?" He laughed and got out. The driver smirked at his boss. He knew exactly of the upcoming tragedy.
Inside the court complex...
"Kitni der kara di aapne... Kahaan reh gaye dhe?" A worried Smriti Ghai hurried to her husband who just climbed the staircase.
"Dus minute toh pehle hein na Sweety? Ab jaldi andar jaao, aur saboot ke time pe suitcase leke aa jaunga mein... Aur phir aaj raat Kria ke liye bhai yah behen banaane ki kaam karte hein!!"
"Sshhh! Chup bhi keejiye! Aisi baatein yahaan thodi ki jaati hein?!..."
"Arre apni beevi se bol raha hun... Jhe karod mil jaane ke baad hum kitne bhi bache paida kar sakthe hein, unke liye alag alag maids rakh sakthe hein aur humaare private time bhi badh jaayenge..."
"Bas bhi keejiye... Aap toh sharam cheez ki meaning bhool gaye hein!! Chalo chalo, court ki waqt ho raha hein..." She said and walked inside leaving him there.
He smirked at her victoriously thinking about all the fun that could possibly happen after the case. Smriti had told him about this important documents which contained enough proof for their winning of the case. There was no doubt, they couldn't lose. The only way for them to lose was if they lost those files. If anyone else could get their hands on the document.
Mr. Ghai ran his fingers on the lock of suitcase. He couldn't remember when he had put this extra lock on the suitcase. He searched his pocket and found this small key, which fit the metal security. What happened next could only be explained as his curiosity got the better of him.
Smriti Ghai who was inside the court room arranging the files ready to be submitted in front of the judiciary, was shaken by the sudden huge sound of explosion causing the breaking of the walls of the court room, falling to the ground as debris, fire breaking all around.
She shouted her husband's name as she ran out where she had left him to find blood shattered and carcass of different people with missing part of body fell here and there. Some running away, while a constable came to rescue her away.
'Ghai... Aapki khayal ki taarif hein, par kayi aapki baat sach na ho jaaye...'
She remembered his words.
Who else would want to hurt them, steal the strong proof they carried and have the power to act at this level?
"Shekhawat. Mein tumhaare saath saath tumhaari poori khaandan ko jalaakar raakh kar doongi!"