Maya gets out of the taxi after paying. Then she starts collecting her bags from the boot.
"Maya!" Sanjh calls her as she hurried to her.
"Sanjh!" Maya says in relief as she hugged her. "Thank you so much for letting me stay here."
"You are always welcome here." Sanjh tells her as she hugged her. "Come inside."
Maya nods and turns to pick her bag when she notices Bittuji spying on her. Furiously dumping her bag, she walks towards him.
"When you are spying on me, at least be smart enough to stay hidden!" Maya tells him catching him red-handed.
"I wasn't try to hide from you." Bittu tells her.
"Then?" Maya asks surprised. She had assumed that RK had sent Bittuji to watch her and report to him.
"RK Sir told me to make sure you knew that I was watching you."
"Really?" Maya asks shocked.
"I don't know why he wanted me to get scolding from you." Bittu tells her sadly.
Maya sighs realizing. "That is not what he wanted."
"Then?"
"He wanted me to know that he is watching me. that he has his eyes on me!" Maya tells him pissed. "You go back."
"I can't do that." Bittu tells her.
There was no use, Maya knew, RK would blast the poor man and send him again, and maybe another 2 more. "How many are there with you?"
"9."
"10 people watching me?" Maya asks outraged.
"Sir's order." Bittu tells her shrugging.
"Fine!" Maya turns to walk off.
"You are supposed to arrange for our stay." Bittu informs her.
"Your sir's order?" Maya asks him incredulously.
"Yes."
"Tell him to take care of it himself!" Maya tells him pissed.
"But madam." Bittu says as he pouts.
"GOD! He is telling you to pout at me, now?" Maya asks outraged.
"Sir's order." Bittu tells her shrugging guiltily.
"God!" Maya angrily says as she put up her hand. "I am not responsible for you all."
"Sir told us if that is the case to camp outside Sanjh's home."
"You already told him, I am here?" Maya asks him, feeling betrayed.
"No, he told me this is where you would come."
Damnit! Didn't she get a reprieve from RK? How the hell does he know everything about her?
"Do whatever you want!" Maya tells him and turns to walk off.
"Thank you, madam. Will you be going out today?"
"If I feel like it then I would!" Maya tells him furiously then she quickly starts feeling guilty. Bittuji had been her bodyguard for years and he didn't deserve her wrath for RK's sins. "I am sorry, Bittuji. I don't think I'll be going out."
"Okay, madam." Bittu tells her smiling forgiving her for her outburst.
**********
Maya was pouring her heart out to Sanjh when Sanjh's mother walks into their room frowning.
"Who are the men outside?"
"That is Maya's guards." Sanjh quickly tells her.
"What are they doing there?"
"To protect me, aunty." Maya tells her guilty as she stood up.
"But they can't sit in front of our house like that."
"I am sorry, aunty." Maya quickly tells her and hurries out.
"Bittuji!" Maya says as she stepped out and stops in shock to find the whole battalion loitering around the house.
"Yes, Ma'm?"
"Bittuji, you can't stay here like this."
"Should we come inside?"
"NO! I want you all to leave."
"We can't do that."
"You can't stay here like this. Sanjh's mother doesn't like it."
"Sir won't like it if we leave."
"I don't care what your sir wants."
"Sir won't do anything to you. To us..." Bittu leaves it hanging.
"Fine, I'll make arrangements for your stay! But for today, adjust!"
"Okay." Bittu tells her and he waits for her next order.
Maya waits for a few seconds when he didn't make any moves to leave she tells him, "That's it."
"Okay ma'm, you go in then."
"You leave."
"I can't leave you."
"Bittuji..."
"No less than 10 steps. That is Sir's order."
"Haven't they left yet?" Sanjh's mother asks frowning as she stepped out.
"We are not leaving." Bittu tells him.
"Sssh!" Maya shushes him and then turning to Sanjh's mother, she tells her politely, "Sorry, aunty. Can you please adjust for today? By tomorrow I'll make arrangements for their stay."
Sanjh's mother was about to argue when Maya pleads her, "Please aunty... I am helpless."
"Okay. But this is not right, Maya... what are people going to say if they see these men walking around our house? only women live in this house and ..."
"I understand, aunty... please?"
"Okay." She says frowning at Bittu.
"Aunty?" Bittu calls her sweetly.
"Bittuji!" Maya turns to him glaring at him.
"Yes ma'm?" he asks her innocently.
"What is it?" Maya asks him in a furious whisper.
"We haven't had our food. Missed breakfast and now lunch. If she could give us food, it would be nice."
"We have no food." She says furiously and walks back in.
"Go buy your food!" Maya tells him.
"But we have no money." Bittu lies with a straight face.
"Sir's order?" Maya asks him sarcastically.
Bittu smiles at her.
"Wait!"
Maya furiously walks into her room and grab her bag. She opens her wallet and was about to take cash when she notices the credit card RK had gifted her a while back.
"Here!" Maya tells him as she handed him the card. "Keep it with you and use it for all your needs. 7082 is the pin."
"Thank you ma'm." Bittu smiles at her.
"Find a hotel to stay also."
"Oh no... we are to stay were you stay."
"But you said I've to make arrangements for your stay."
"Yes, like the room next to your room."
Maya takes a sharp breath trying to control her fury then unable to control it, she furiously tells him, "Go home!"
"Can't do."
"Argh!"
Maya furiously walks back into Sanjh's room, praying for patience and some peace. She should have known that RK would play dirty to get her back. God, when he could kidnap Ranveer, what was all this?
"That man has a gun!" Sanjh's mother comes running into the room in fear.
"He is a body guard, aunty." Maya gently reminds her.
"I don't want these kinds of gun wielding men in my house."
"They won't harm you, aunty. They are here for my protection."
"Protection from what? From whom?"
Maya gulps as she couldn't answer her.
"Sanjh! Come with me."
Sanjh quickly follows her mother out.
Maya sighs sadly. What did she do to deserve this?
"I have told you many times not to be friends with this girl." Maya hears Sanjh's mother tell her.
Maya sadly closes her eyes in defeat.
"Ma, Maya is a nice girl."
"You know who her father is? Who she is married to? They are criminals!"
"But Maya is not a criminal."
"But I don't want her in my house. tomorrow morning, I want her to leave."
"No, Ma... She will stay here. Did you forget that she gave us money for your operation?" Sanjh asks her back angrily.
"Maya..."
"I'll leave, Sanjh." Maya tells her as she sadly stood up.
"No, Maya... you'll stay here as long as you want." Sanjh tells her as she snatched her bag away from her.
"I don't want to cause any kind of trouble for you and your mother."
"My mother is with me because of you, Maya."
"Actually, it was RK." Maya tells her with a soft smile. "Your mother was sick and I was sad because I knew how it is to lose your mother. But Papa wasn't home... and I was thinking of talking to RK for money but he had already made the payments for the operations." Maya tells her amazed. "He always knew when I was in need and for what."
"How did he know?" Sanjh asks confused.
"Bittuji... one of his men always informs him where I am and what I am doing." Chuckling Maya says, "He might even know that we are talking about him now."
"You mean they are listening to our conversations?" Sanjh asks scandalized.
"I wouldn't put it past them." Maya tells her shrugging. "Anyway it was RK who paid for your mother's operation, not me."
"For you." Sanjh points out.
Maya nods. "The credit card I gave Bittuji... RK gave it to me then... telling me, that he didn't want tears in my eyes for anything... specially for money."
"He loves you."
Maya nods amazed. "And I never realized it."
Maya's eyes fill with tears as she sadly asks her friend, "Why did he do this to me?"
Sanjh had no answer to her question, she shakes her head.
Maya hugs her and bursts into tears.
Maya was lying awake on the bed as she thought of RK. She had been so happy. She was in love with her RK, and she was going to tell him. Now? Everything ended because of him. How could he do this to her? Play with her emotions? Hurt an innocent man? Accuse him of crimes he didn't commit? She takes her phone and checks. He didn't call. Not once. She didn't know whether she was happy he didn't call or upset that he didn't call. Didn't he miss her? Didn't he want her back? But can she go back to him after what he did? She will never be able to forgive him for what he did.
Will you be able to live without him? a part of her heart asked her. Maya closes her eyes tight as she cried to muffle her sobs. She still loved him and she is going to be miserable without him.
**********
Maya wakes up hearing Sanjh's mother screaming on top of her voice. She quickly gets up and runs out.
"Bittuji!" Maya screams out for him. "What happened, aunty? BITTUJI! Is it an intruder?" Maya asks worried.
"Yes, ma'm?" Bittu walks out of the bathroom wiping his hair after his bath.
"This man was in my bathroom in a towel!" Sanjh's mother says furiously.
"Bittuji?" Maya turns to him in shock though thanking God that he decided to wear his clothes.
"I was taking a shower." Bittu tells her.
"In here?" Maya asks him.
"We've to use the bathroom."
"NOT IN MY HOUSE!"
"Aunty, I am so sorry."
"I want you to leave. Now! This instant!"
"You don't talk to ma'm like that." Bittu says as he took out his gun offended.
Sanjh's mother screams out in fear.
"Bittuji... put it back." Maya tells him as she grabbed his gun from him.
"She can't talk to you like that."
"This is her house."
"Why should we stay here? We'll go home, ma'm." Bittu tells her feeling insulted.
"You'll go home." Maya tells him sternly.
"Not without you."
"And you'll leave my house." Sanjh's mother tells her.
Maya nods her head in yes. "I'll leave."
Maya furiously takes her mobile and dials RK.
"I was starting to worry that you forgot me." RK says as he picked the call.
"I want to forget you but your men are not letting me!"
"You don't need them or anything to remember me." RK tells her in that bedroom voice of his that she had loved so much the last few days.
"Call off your men!" Maya says as she tried to ignore her raising heart.
"They stay with you."
"They are troubling me."
"Then come home."
"That is not home!" Maya tells him furiously.
"Maya..."
"RK, call them back!"
"I won't. they are there for your protection."
"They are here to trouble me so I come back to you!"
"Yeah... they serve two purposes. But primarily for your protection."
"Haven't you done enough damage, RK?"
"I haven't started, Maya."
"What?"
"Oh! You meant to our relation." RK says nodding. "I thought..."
"What are you planning?"
"Why is Sanjh's mother treating you so badly?" RK asks her frowning. "Tell her, she better not make me come there."
"I am leaving from here."
"You are coming home?" RK asks happily.
"NO!"
"Hmmm... where to next?"
Maya didn't know where she was going next. She didn't have much friends because of her father's job and then she never felt the need for another friend when RK and his brothers were there.
"I'll decide where I'll go next. You don't have to worry!"
"Okay. Come home soon. I miss you."
"I don't miss you!"
"I love you."
"I don't!" Maya says furiously as she hung up.
**********
"Sanjh, will you talk to your boss for a job for me?" Maya asks her as she took her things.
"You can stay here, Maya."
"Your mother doesn't like it. And I seriously don't know what RK would do next." Maya tells her.
"Where will you go?"
"I'll stay in a hotel for tonight. Then tomorrow I'll look for a PG accommodation."
"Why don't you try the ladies hostel? That way, these men can't get inside."
"Maybe I should!" Maya says feeling relieved.
"I'll talk to my boss tomorrow about your job."
"Thanks, Sanjh." Maya says hugging her.
**********
"You sure you want to stay here?" Bittu asks her frowning.
"Yes. You all can leave. As this is a ladies' hostel." Maya tells him victoriously as she picked her bags from the lobby.
"Bittu... what is madam's room number?" one of his men hurries to him.
"Why do you want the room number?" Maya asks frowning seeing him on the phone.
"32." Bittu answers.
"How did you know?" Maya asks shocked.
"I heard the warden tell you."
"32, sir." The man answers on the phone and walk away.
"What can he do by knowing the room number?" Maya asks Bittu, though she tried to hide her panic.
Bittu shrugs.
Maya shakes her head and starts picking her bags.
"I'll carry them." Bittu tells her as he picked her bag gesturing two men to remain there and rest to follow him.
"Didn't you hear what she said? No men beyond this point and no men after 7 pm. It is 6:45, leave."
"We can't leave you." Bittu tells her shrugging as he walked in.
"Bittuji!" Maya runs behind him worriedly. "Please, you can't be here. We'll be in trouble."
"Sir's order."
"Ask your sir to shove it!" Maya says furiously as she snatched her bags from him.
Bittu gasps in shock.
"Go away, Bittuji."
Bittu shakes his head.
"You are getting into my nerves. I'll not tolerate this anymore."
"We both have no choice, ma'm."
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" the warden asks in anger and slight panic. "Is he with you? don't you know the rules?"
Maya was too tired with everything, so she simply lies. "I don't know him."
Bittu looks at her with puppy dog eyes. Maya quickly looks away as she walked past him.
"Why is he following you? we'll call the police if you don't leave this instant."
"Go away!" Maya tells him angrily.
"No." Bittu remains stubborn.
The warden quickly takes out her phone and calls the police.
Maya starts making pleading faces at Bittu silently begging him to leave but he remained stubborn.
Within minutes, the police had come and had arrested all of RK's men.
Though Maya was feeling guilty for betraying her men, she was relieved that they didn't take her name.
Maya goes to her room and falling on the bed, she closes her eyes, feeling too drained. Within minutes she was fast asleep.
**********
Maya turns in her sleep and slams into a wall. She frowns as she felt the wall in sleep. RK. She thought smiling as she hugged him. He hugs her back and rolls to her.
Wait a minute? RK is not here. Then who is this? Maya panics as she sat up in fear, "RK!" She screams out in fear, wanting him to come and save her from this intruder.
"Yeah?" RK asks as he sat up. He knew she would panic when she finds him.
"It's you?" Maya asks as she scrammed out of the bed and ran to the switch.
"Who else would dare to sleep with my wife?" RK asks frowning.
"What are you doing here?" Maya asks him, frowning.
"Where are your guards?"
"I don't know." Maya says shrugging.
"You don't know?" RK asks her frowning angrily.
"I don't know in which police station." She clarifies. "What are you doing here?"
"You think I would let you be anywhere without protection?" RK asks her angrily.
"I don't want your protection."
"Come and sleep." RK tells her knowing it was futile arguing with her.
"How did you come here?" Maya asks him, frowning. "And when?"
"I wasn't on the phone. I was here."
"When?"
"The moment they told me you were going to stay here, I knew something like this would happen. So, I came. And what do I see? In twenty minutes, our men are getting arrested."
"And you decided to come and sleep instead of getting them out of jail?"
"They are out of jail."
Maya relaxes a little hearing that, she did feel guilty for doing that to them in her fight with RK, but they should know their limits.
"I gave them off till tomorrow morning."
"Whatever. You can leave."
"Don't you get it, love?" RK asks her smiling.
"What?"
"When they are not with you, then I come for your protection. You can choose who is going to be your guard. Me or them?"
"THEM!" Maya says because she knew she had no other option.
RK sighs sadly as he lay back on the bed.
"Why are you not leaving? I picked them."
"They have off till tomorrow."
"What about Om's men?"
"They are not in my trusted circle."
"Trusted circle? Are you Klaus?"
RK gives her a look.
"Om trusts them."
"He might have his reasons. I won't take any chances where you are concerned."
"Leave me alone."
"Come here, Maya." RK gently tells her.
Seeing the change in his tone, she walks to him. he pulls her down and make her sit on the bed.
"I have many enemies, Maya... more than you can count. And those are the people I am aware of. There are people who might have enmity with me that I am not even aware of. I can't risk your life. They would use you to hurt me or get to me. and I would die if something happens to you. call me paranoid but I fear for your safety."
Maya looks down understanding his fears.
"Please, you've to tolerate your guards, no matter what. We have many enemies, love."
"The most dangerous of my enemy is sitting right in front of me." Maya tells him wanting to hurt him.
RK nods though he looks down a little hurt. "You should sleep."
"This doesn't change anything." Maya tell him as she settled on the bed after turning off the lights.
RK settles next to her. "Can we make love?" RK asks her.
"NO!" Maya tells him outraged.
"If I wasn't so relieved to see you after so long, I would have seduced you."
"I left home just yesterday morning." Maya scoffs.
"And when have we stayed apart for this long?"
They haven't. "Go to sleep. I am not having sex with you."
"It was worth asking." RK tells her shrugging.
They were silent for a while, Maya turns to look at him and sees him lying with his eyes closed. She remembers telling him that maybe one day she would love him more than he loved her, now she wasn't sure... whether she could love him as much as he loved her. His world simply revolved around her. She knew that now. And she loved him like mad, otherwise, how could she fall out of love with Ranveer when she thought he betrayed her, and continue to love RK so sincerely when he betrayed her trust?
RK turns around and hugs her.
"Don't touch me."
"I am sleeping."
"You are not!"
"I will fall off if I don't hug you. you kick a lot in sleep."
"HMPH!"
Seeing her give in, RK smiles and kisses her on her cheek.
"You won't fall off if you don't kiss me!"
"Yeah... but I like kissing you." RK tells her as he kissed her again.
Maya furiously pushes him off and he falls down.
"Ouch."
"Don't act smart with me."
RK sighs and gets on the bed.
"I need a gun."
"For what?" RK asks her curiously.
"So, I can kill you, if you try to act smart with me." Maya tells him wanting to scare him.
RK grabs the gun he had kept under the pillow and offers her.
"You think you are bullet proof?" Maya asks wanting to pull her hair seeing his over confidence.
"No." RK tells her chuckling. "You would never hurt me."
Without taking the gun, she turns around and lies down. RK smiling keeps back the gun and lies next to her hugging her.
**********
Maya glares at RK as he walked around her room in the morning.
"No attached bathroom?" RK asks her incredulously.
"This is not your house."
"How will you stay in here? God, Maya... every morning, you've to take your tooth brush and go in search of the bathroom." RK says in disgust.
"I don't have to search for the bathroom."
"And you have to stand in queue to use the loo. YUCK!"
Maya closes her eyes as she tried to brush aside the disgusting picture he was painting her. "If you could move away from the door then I'll go brush my teeth."
RK sighs dramatically, "Fine, if this is how you want to live. Give me your tooth brush after you are done."
"For what?"
"To brush my teeth."
"WHAAAT? YUUUCK!" Maya screams in outrage as she made puking faces. "I'll throw up now!"
"What? You expect me to walk around without brushing my teeth?"
"Brush using your finger or go home and brush! Just stay away from my tooth brush."
"What is wrong in sharing a tooth brush?" RK asks her confused.
"YUCK! You are sick and disgusting!"
"Don't forget we have been exchanging bodily fluids."
"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Maya says furiously as she pushed him away and grabbing her tooth brush she walked out.
"Wait! Give me a towel at least." RK says as he hurried behind her.
**********
Luckily for Maya, the bathroom was deserted as she woke up late. Once, she finished she ran back to her room and RK followed her in.
"How did you get inside my room?" Maya asks frowning.
"You think this lock is a challenge for me?"
Maya furiously frowns at him, her possessiveness taking over her logical thinking, "what do you mean by that? Have you done this before? with how many girls?"
RK furiously looks at her, "Never ever say another girl's name with mine. If this is what you are going to be thinking up again, then I am taking you back home."
"No... no... sorry." Maya quickly says meekly though feeling happy. Then she realized one more thing, that she had left home and was living by herself, not because she wanted that, but because he was allowing her to. If he wanted, he would have forced her to stay with him. no one, not even her father would have objected.
"Why did you let me leave?" Maya asks him confused.
"Because I want you to be with me out of your own free will."
Maya scoffs loudly.
"I know, once your temper cools down then you would come back to me."
"Then why are you troubling me with your men and coming here like this?" Maya asks angrily.
"Well... I never said I played fair. You want to live with your dignity, anger and self-respect, I understand that. But that doesn't mean, I shouldn't try to get you to speed up and come back to me." RK tells her shrugging.
"You should leave before anyone sees you."
"You can't stay here, Maya."
"Why not? I'll stay wherever I want!"
"Because our men can't come up here. Technically, they can, but it is going to be an issue for you and you would get thrown out. I don't want you insulted. So, better you leave."
"They can guard me from outside the compound." Maya tells him, she wasn't stupid to ask him to call off all the men after all that he explained to her and also, because a, he wouldn't and b, she didn't want to put herself in any danger or cause any concern for RK.
"That is not practical. If I could come in here then someone else also can."
That took the fight right out of her.
**********
"Why should I take care of all their needs?" Maya asks him furiously in a whisper.
"When I am not there then it is your responsibility."
"I gave them the credit card that you gave me."
"I know."
"Who is this?" the warden asks frowning seeing RK walk out with Maya.
"She is vacating."
"I am throwing her out. This is a decent place with Khandaani girls staying." The warden says furiously.
"Did you just insult my wife?" RK asks furiously.
Seeing his hand going to his gun, Maya quickly holds his hand. "She doesn't know us. Okay?"
"So?" RK asks furiously.
"So, she is not aware who we are."
"She is not even aware that I got inside and stayed the whole night. One useless warden she is. Don't know who made her a warden and what kind of place she is running. My wife will not stay in such an unsafe and dangerous place where people sneak in easily."
"There are securities here." Maya argues seeing the way the warden was turning red in humiliation and anger.
"Really? Where?" RK asks her sarcastically.
"Can we just make the payment and leave?" Maya asks him angrily as she grabbed her wallet.
Seeing RK taking out his wallet, Maya angrily says, "I can pay for myself."
RK nods as he kept his wallet away then asks curiously as he turned to her, "Who gave you that money?"
"My father!"
"Hmmm no issues in using your father's money." RK mutters offended.
"He is my father. Whatever his is mine."
"I am your husband, whatever is mine, is yours."
"Don't use your dirty logic on me. and anyway, I am going to..." Maya quickly stops realizing that she was about to tell him that she was looking for a job.
"You are going to what?"
"Nothing." Maya says furiously as she settled the bill.
"So, where to? Home?" RK asks her.
"NEVER!"
"Then where to?" RK asks her.
Maya panics for a second, she didn't know where she was going next, and she couldn't tell him that. Seeing Bittu, she turns to RK and tells him, "Bittuji is here. You can leave."
"Find a place to stay before evening, else you are coming home." RK tells her as he wore his sunglass and walked off.
**********
"Hello Bhabhi." Om says as he answers her call.
"Om, I need your help."
"Yeah, tell me. everything alright?" Om asks worriedly.
"I need a place to stay." Maya whispers so Bittu doesn't overhear her. "If I don't find a place quickly then RK would force me to come back home."
"Bhabhi..." Om says in a calming tone.
"Please Om, you have to help me."
"Stop all this, Bhabhi... just come back home... how are you going to make your marriage work by staying apart?"
"I don't want to come back now, Om. Everyone betrayed me."
"Okay... you don't want to come back now. I understand." Om says. "But where can you stay hmmm? You know, I have only guy friends."
"Hmmm."
"Why don't you stay in a hotel for tonight? I'll find an accommodation for you by tomorrow."
"Okay... which hotel?" Maya asks then quickly says, "No hotel."
"Why?"
"He would come to the hotel room."
Om sighs. "How about I lock RK home?"
"You think you'll be able to lock him in?" Maya asks unconvinced.
"I'll try getting Rudy's help." Om says unsure himself.
"I DON'T TRUST HIM ANYMORE!"
"Yeah..." Om says with a smile. "He has been screaming the house down because RK hasn't brought you back home."
Maya couldn't help smiling, Rudy was very protective of Prinku and her. "I do miss that idiot."
Om chuckles hearing that.
"Wait, I am getting a message." Maya says as she quickly checked the message from Sanjh. "Om, Sanjh just send me the ad for PG accommodation."
"Ah... that's great, Bhabhi."
"Please don't tell RK."
"I don't have to tell him." Om tells her grinning.
"I hate it that he knows everything."
"We can't help it, Bhabhi." Om tells her, hinting at Gauri.
"You know, this is stalking." Maya tells him, knowing he was talking about Gauri.
"I am not stalking her, Bhabhi. I'm just keeping her safe. There are people who know I love her. It doesn't matter if she doesn't know me, that I would do anything for her, that puts her life in danger."
"RK also worries about me like that."
"I think I got it from him." Om tells her smiling. "All my life, I have been hearing his worry about your safety. You know, I think, I was kind of, tuned to behave like this when I fall in love after hearing all of his concerns."
Maya sighs hearing that.
"Tell me honestly, Bhabhi... are you truly angry with him? because the way you are, it doesn't look like you are. Yes, you are upset with him but I doubt you are angry."
"I still love him, Om." Maya confesses in a soft whisper.
"Bhabhi jaan." Om calls her lovingly. "True love, happens only once in your life. And you never fall out of love. No matter what. And RK and you have so much history. Such a deep bond. You won't be able to stay away for long."
"But he broke my trust."
"You won't be able to build that trust by staying away."
"You think I should just forget everything and come back?"
"Yes."
"No."
"Tell me this... are you relieved that you married RK and not Ranveer?"
"You know, I am." Maya tells him guiltily.
"Is that guilt, is what keeping you away?"
"I didn't even apologize to him properly."
"You can still do that."
"RK had deleted his number from my mobile."
"He is so possessive, isn't it?"
"Yes." Maya tells him. "And I thought he was helping me when he deleted Ranveer's photos and number."
Om laughs out loud hearing that. "You are too innocent, Maya."
"He fooled me good."
"Yeah, he did. But he loves you like a fool."
"I know." Maya sighs.
"Come home soon, Bhabhi."
"Hmmm... okay, bye."
**********
"You've to keep the room clean. Every month on the first we need the rent and no food. Electricity bill would be separate. You'll have to get your food. Then if you want to cook here, then you've to pay for the grocery and gas." The landlord tells her.
Maya nods. "I noticed that you have another room too."
"Yes. We're still looking for another person too."
"Can these men stay in that room?"
"All of them?" the landlord's wife asks frowning.
"Yes. They are my guards."
"Why do you walk around with guards?"
"She is an important person." Bittu says when Maya looked lost.
"Important?"
"Yes." Bittu tells her.
The husband and wife frowns hearing that.
"I promise, we won't cause any trouble." Maya quickly promises them.
"That room is only good for 3 people."
"They will adjust."
"But..."
"You are charging me 1500 per month, right?" Maya asks desperately. "I'll pay for them each 2500 per month."
"What?" the husband looks shocked.
"And I'll make the payment now for the whole month."
"Wait a minute." The couple say and they go inside to discuss.
"I would say they are idiots if they allow to let all of us stay in their house." Bittu whispers to her. "they don't know us."
"Money does make intelligent people behave foolishly."
"that is true."
"Okay." The husband comes out. "But again food, gas and electricity are not included."
"Okay." Maya nods. "Do you take card?"
"Only cash." The wife says frowning.
Sighing, Maya turns to Bittu, "Bittuji, please get 25000 rupees using the card I gave you."
"But ma'm that is a credit card."
"It would work in an ATM machine. Only thing, they will charge interest and RK can afford it."
"Okay... shouldn't I get 26500?"
"I'll pay for myself." Maya says frowning.
"Okay."
********
Maya wakes up to hear loud commotion in the morning. Maya closes her eyes in dread wondering what storm has Bittuji and his men cooked up, because of his Sir's order. She closes her eyes and lies on the bed, hoping the problem would sort itself out. Two minutes later, she hears the landlord banging on her door furiously.
"Yes?" Maya opens the door and asks tiredly.
"In five minutes, I want you and your men out of my house."
"Why?"
"Look what your guards did to our house!"
Maya steps out of the room and stops in shock seeing the messed-up room. It looked like a tsunami had hit the place. There was water on the floor too.
"Why is the floor wet?" Maya asks shocked.
"I was drinking water and it fell." Bittu tells her innocently.
"You were drinking water from a tank?" Maya asks him exasperated.
"Drinking lot of water on an empty stomach is good. Makes skin glow." One guard, whose name Maya didn't even know says. "We all were drinking."
"My kitchen is ruined."
"Why do you do this to me, Bittuji?" Maya asks him sadly.
"Sir said if you don't want us here then to send us back." Bittu tells her sadly.
"FINE, GO!"
"He'll come instead to protect you."
"STAY!" Maya tells him furiously.
"You will leave from our house this instant or we will call the cops."
"Two days in a row in jail?" Ajay asks out loudly.
"Jail?" the wife shouts in shock. "They are criminals!"
"You should have asked us all that before letting us stay in your house." Bittu calmly advices her.
"Enough, Bittuji. You've troubled them enough." Maya says dejectedly. "We'll leave."
**********
"Where to now, ma'm?" Bittu asks her.
"I've a job interview. Please Bittuji, don't screw it up." Maya begs him with folded hands.
"Never Ma'm."
Maya sadly scoffs, "I don't trust you anymore, Bittuji."
Bittu looks down in guilt.
Maya sadly looks away and walks off.
**********
"Bhabhi!" Om answers the call with a smile.
"Om... please, you've to help me." Maya tells him desperately.
"Tell me. What do you want?"
"I just want to sleep tonight."
Om bursts out laughing.
"I am serious, Om. PLEASE! I only trust you."
"What do you want me to do?" Om asks her calming down.
"I just want to sleep peacefully without RK's presence towering over me or Bittuji and his men lurking around. Please."
"What happened?"
"I lost my job."
"When did you start working?" Om asks confused.
"I went for a job interview today and I got the job too. But the moment they saw Bittuji and his men, they said they couldn't have my personal security in the office. I just want to be away from RK for one night. Please Om?"
"How about we stay in a hotel tonight? Just you and me?"
"PLEASE YES! ANYWHERE!"
"Okay... I'll talk to RK... even you talk to him, otherwise he won't budge... okay?"
"Okay." Maya tiredly agrees.
**********
RK picks the call on the first ring. "Are you ready to come back, love?"
"Shut up, you idiot!" Maya tells him angrily.
RK chuckles softly. "What happened, sweetheart?" RK asks her lovingly.
"I WANT TO LIVE PEACEFULLY!"
"Come back home, we will live peacefully and happily."
"I want you to tell Bittuji to leave me alone tonight."
"Where should I come then?"
"You don't have to come!"
"Maya... we discussed this already." RK tells her in a stern voice.
"Om is coming."
"Om?"
"Yes. I'll stay with Om tonight."
"But you won't stay with me?" RK asks frowning bloody murder.
"When have you stayed away from me for that?" Maya furiously asks him.
"Don't be silly, Maya. I didn't come near you after that ladies' hostel incident."
"RK... wherever I go, I feel as if you are standing right behind me."
"Awww... that is my love, hun... I am not truly there."
"SHUT UP!"
"Why do you call me then if you don't want to talk to me?"
"RK... please... you told me I need to come back only when I want to... but you are making it impossible for me."
"I just want you back sooner."
"And I just want to be away from you for a bit."
"Is it so horrible to be with me?" RK asks her sadly.
"You know the answer to that."
RK sighs, "What do you want me to do?"
"I just want to sleep one night without you and your men around me, breathing down my neck."
"Okay."
"What?" Maya asks surprised and shocked seeing him give in.
"I said okay. But you'll stay in the hotel I tell you to. Bittu will take you there and they will leave only after Om reaches there."
"Okay." Maya says smiling in relief.
"Anything else?" RK asks her.
"You will not come."
When RK remains silent, Maya insists, "I want your word, RK."
"I give you my word that like last time, I won't sneak into your room."
**********
Maya walks into the room after Bittu's men had checked and secured it. She actually wanted to roll her eyes at that act, because she knew, RK wouldn't let her enter the premise of the hotel, if he hadn't secured it. Since she was too happy to be left alone for one night, she didn't say anything.
"You can go in, Ma'm." Bittu informs her as he opened the door wide for her.
Maya walks in to find twin beds. The room was pretty standard size, meaning there was no place for anyone to sneak in and hide. Maya was about to walk to the bed when she hears, "Bhabhi."
Maya turns around quickly to find Om walk in.
"Om!" Maya says in relief as she ran to him and hugged him tight.
Om hugs her without a word as he gestured Bittu to leave with his men.
**********
"You okay?" Om asks her as he cupped her face in concern.
Maya nods her head. "But I don't want to talk about him. I don't want to even hear his name."
"Okay." Om tells her chuckling.
Maya walks to the bed and plops down with the cushion on her lap.
Om walks to the other bed and lies down.
"What's news at home?" Maya asks him.
"Everyone missing you terribly."
"Hmmm." Maya says as she felt a little homesick suddenly.
"How is Papa?"
"He misses you."
Om turns to look at her and then grinning cheekily he tells, "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is pretty volatile, blasting everyone left, right and center."
Maya irately looks at him while he chuckles. "Rudra feels he is going to kill someone soon, if you don't get back home quickly."
"I don't want to talk about him also!" Maya angrily tells him.
Om chuckles. "Okay... did you talk to Ranveer?"
"No."
"Hmmm why not?"
"Maybe later."
Om nods understanding.
Hearing a knock Maya and Om sit up.
"Don't open." Maya orders Om seeing him get up.
"Why?"
"It could be RK."
"He told me he won't come."
"Then who could it be?"
"Only three people can get past my guys apart from RK. Among them only one is manner less enough to crash without an invitation." Om tells her shrugging as he walked to the door.
Three people? Mohan Uncle... Papa... and... "DON'T OPEN THE DOOR!" Maya orders just as Om opened the door for Rudra.
"You guys are having a slumber party without me?" Rudra asks offended.
"GET OUT!" Maya tells him furiously while Om closed the door shaking his head, knowing full well how that conversation was going to go.
"Why?" Rudra pouts.
"You cheated me!"
"For your good." Rudra points out.
"That was not for you to decide." Maya furiously points out.
"Bhabhi... you get to live the rest of your life with bhai and us... I guess, I did you a favor." Rudra tells her winking at her as he walked to hug her.
Maya quickly grabs her pillow and starts hitting him.
"You dog... get out... I don't want to see your face."
"Why? What is wrong with my face?" Rudra asks sadly pouting.
"Rudra... I am really angry with you. don't irritate me."
"I love you, Bhabhi." Rudra declares as he hugged her. "And I am genuinely happy that you married bhaiyya. He would have died without you."
Maya gets a little disturbed hearing that and turns to look at Om.
Om flicks his head lightly agreeing with Rudra.
"Fine, you can stay! But don't talk. I am going to sleep. Don't disturb me."
"Okay." Rudra gives in with a smile as he walked to Om's bed and unceremoniously pushing Om, he gets on the bed.
"How did you find out about us?" Om asks curiously.
"I've my sources."
"RK?" Om asks.
"Yeah."
"Go to sleep, both of you." Maya orders them as she curled up on her bed.
**********
Maya was lying on her bed as she thought about RK. Ever since she left home, this was the first time, she was not feeling his presence around and she felt a little lonely. Maya sadly sighs.
Feeling someone get on her bed, Maya turns to look just as Om lies next to her.
Maya sadly hugs him and whispers to him, as she knew that the all three brothers were light sleepers, "I miss him."
"Come back home."
"But I am so angry with him."
"You can be angry at home too."
"There he will manipulate me."
"Isn't he doing it now?"
Maya sadly sighs.
"How is Gauri?" Maya asks him, wanting to change the topic.
"She is fine." Om replies with a soft smile.
"Does she know about you, yet?"
"Not yet."
"I wish I could meet her."
"You'll meet her one day."
"Push!" Rudra orders as he pushed Maya to the center, and got on the bed squeezing Maya in the middle.
"I told you to sleep." Maya reminds him.
"I am going to sleep."
"Then what are you doing on my bed?"
"I don't like being left out." Rudra tells her as he closed his eyes to sleep.
Maya turns to frown at him and seeing he had his eyes close, she turns to Om with the frown. Om shrugs in reply.
Maya shakes her head to get Rudra out of her head turning to Om, she asks, "Show me a photo of hers."
"I don't have one."
"WHAT?" Rudra asks shocked as he leaned up to stare at Om.
"It is not right to take her photo without her permission." Om tells him.
"You need a life, bro." Rudra tells him. "Or get laid at least."
"Rudra, haven't you ever loved anyone?" Maya curiously asks him.
"I love my family."
"Other than that?"
"After seeing how vulnerable you and bhaiyya are, and how idiot O is... do you think I want that for myself?"
Maya sadly smiles at Om remembering how worried RK was that Rudra would never know love.
"When will you tell Gauri about your feelings, Om?" Maya asks him.
"I don't know. She doesn't know me, so I don't know how to tell her about myself. And you know, our background... she is a simple girl."
Maya smiles seeing Om smiling so lost in love.
"Do you know how I met her?" Om asks her excitedly.
"Only here and there." Maya tells him.
"Well... I went for this art exhibition."
"For what?" Rudra asks confused.
"Huh... to see art."
"Seriously, bro... get a life."
"Can you shut up?" Maya asks him.
Rudra closes his eyes in reply.
"I saw her painting there."
"She is a model?" Rudra asks him.
"She made the painting."
"Oh!"
"And?" Maya asks excitedly.
"It was such a beautiful painting. I felt so peaceful seeing it."
"Is that the painting you've in your room? With those trees and all?" Rudra asks him.
"Yeah."
"I felt no peace." Rudra tells him confused at the same time, Maya gushes, "Oh that was such a beautiful painting."
"It is." Om tells her smiling ignoring Rudra. "I guess I fell for her thoughts... I don't know... she intrigued me... and I wanted to see her."
"She wasn't there?"
"No... and I searched for her."
"And you found her." Maya states smiling.
"Yeah, I did."
"And?"
"She is the most beautiful girl I've seen in my life." Om says smiling.
"Reaally?" Rudra asks his interest pricked as he leaned up.
"She is your Bhabhi." Maya sternly tells him.
"Till she marries O, she is fair game."
"RUDY!" Om angrily shouts.
"I was just joking." Rudra says putting up his hand.
"What do you mean till she marries O?" Maya asks confused. "You don't consider her a part of our family?"
"Of course not. For me, she is some random girl O is besotted with. The moment I realize that she is going to keep my brother happy, then I'll accept her as my Bhabhi. So far, I don't even know her because he doesn't want any of us to meet her."
"So, you don't care for Gauri even a little bit?" Maya asks him shocked.
"Till Gauri and O get into a relation, I won't worry about her. The lesser people you care about the lesser your weaknesses are."
Maya turns to Om in shock and sees Om rolling his eyes.
"You can't control who you fall in love with, Rudy." Om tells him.
"I can." Rudra tells him confidently.
"There is no use talking to him." Maya declares. "Tell me about Gauri."
Om smiles fondly remembering Gauri, "She is so tiny, Maya... if we are not standing together you would think she is half my height."
"She is a kid?" Rudra asks scandalized.
"Obviously not!" Maya replies.
"O... tell me this... so you fell for her looks?"
Om shrugs, "Her painting intrigued me... I found her beautiful... I was curious about her... so I kind of followed her around... watching her...I liked her character... her shy smile... I fell in love with her."
"As simple as that?" Rudra asks confused.
"Yeah."
"How did you fall for bhaiyya?" Rudra asks Maya.
Maya shrugs, "I always loved him... I just didn't realize it."
"When people says it, is it really a figure of speech or do you really can't live without him?"
Maya wanted to lie, but seeing Rudra's face she knew he was genuinely asking her, so honestly replies, "I can't live without him."
"Are you happy being away from home?"
Maya shakes her head in negative as her eyes filled with tears.
"She is miserable, Rudy." Om tells him what he thought should have been obvious to him.
"Then what the hell are we all doing here? Let's go home."
"It is not so easy, Rudra." Maya tells him as she broke into tears.
Om quickly hugs her and tells her gently, "It is not that difficult too, Bhabhi."
"He broke my trust."
"And how is he going to build that trust again, if you don't give him a chance?" Rudra asks her.
"Give him a chance to mend everything that he broke, Maya." Om advices her.
"What else did he break?" Rudra asks confused.
"Her heart and her trust."
"Oh!"
"Om, how can you say that I should just go back to him?"
"Because Bhabhi, you can stay away as long as you want, but no matter when you come back home, you'll have to start from the same point. So, the earlier you come back, the faster you both will sort out your problems."
"And that sooner you both will be happy together." Rudra tells her.
"I just want to sleep for now." Maya tells them tiredly.
"Okay." Rudra tells her smiling as he kissed her, and hugging her he closes his eyes.
"Don't tell him I told you guys all this."
"Okay." Both agree.
"Wait a minute." Maya says worriedly sitting up. "Has he kept any camera or mics here to keep an eye on me?"
"Don't think so." Rudra tells her.
"Did he tell you that when you both were on your way here?" Maya asks him sarcastically.
"How did you know that?" Rudra asks shocked.
"Oh please! he promised to not sneak into the room. he didn't say anything about staying in the same hotel. Is he in the next room?"
"Yeah."
Maya closes her eyes in irritation. "So, he sent you here?"
"He was on his way out and I saw him... and I decided to come."
"I am impressed, Bhabhi. You are starting to see his games." Om says proudly.
"I am his wife, after all!" Maya says closing her eyes as she lay back.
**********
A week later, Maya excitedly calls Sanjh. "I got a job!"
"Congratulations... where?" Sanjh asks her smiling.
"It's a call center. But for now, this will do." Maya tells her happily.
"I am happy for you, Maya. Where are you staying?"
"From PG to hotel... all around the place. Oh, wait, I am getting a call. I'll call you back." Maya tells her and quickly switches the call seeing that it was the HR from her new company. "Hello, Avinash?"
"Hello Maya?"
"Yes, tell me.
"Are you related to Rishabh Kundra?"
Maya's heart skips a beat hearing the question. "He is my husband."
"Why didn't you tell us that? One of my staff swore that he had gone for your wedding. I thought it would be a misunderstanding."
"What is the issue?" Maya asks worriedly.
"We are very reputed and law-abiding company. I am sorry, we can't have anyone associated with criminals and criminal activity in our company. We are taking back the offer."
Maya felt her eyes fill with tears. She had nowhere to go. no place to work. There was no other way for her.
"Ma'm?" Bittu kneels in front of her in worry.
Maya looks up at the man who had been her shadow for so many years.
"What happened, ma'm?" Bittu asks her a little worried and a little angry.
Maya shakes her head defeated. From the corner of her eyes she could see one of the men talking on the phone. The moment he hung up, she turned to look at her phone, waiting for it to ring. And in less than two seconds it started ringing flashing RK calling.
Maya answers it and keeps it to her ears.
"What happened? Who called you? Who made you cry, Maya?" RK furiously asks her.
"You won, RK. I am coming home."
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- Lazy