24th April 2018
Arjun Rathore tapped his fingers on the desk as he waited for his best friend and only friend Adarsh to get off the call and focus on him. Only when the phone call ended did Adarsh turn around to see him.
" Sorry about that. I know you are anxious to get back home, but I need you, Arjun. You can't continue to refuse to work on few projects not to clash with your uncle. I know he practically raised you after your parent's death, but you are way too loyal towards someone who kicked you out " Adarsh spoke up, his friend had the habit of talking nonstop, so Arjun waited till he finished speaking.
" Adarsh, I thought you were my best friend, and you know me better than anyone else, so don't even try to change my mind. If you want me to resign so you can hire someone more competent, please say that word, and I will walk away " Arjun answered back, and he saw the flicker of anger in his friend because he wanted to win so bad, and then he waited for his friend to choose him over his need to be successful.
" Fine, mom wants to see her granddaughter this weekend. Stop by soon or else she will demand I take her to your house and I know how much you hate that as well, " Adarsh spoke up, and Arjun nodded his head in answer and walked away from Adarsh's cabin, as much as he hates to risk his daughter, he had no intention of depriving his daughter to be spoiled by her grandparents.
Arjun knew all of that, but he hated that he couldn't just fly far away from this town and hide his daughter from the rest of the world. But his Dida would say he can't protect his daughter that way, and she was growing up so fast. He can't believe she is already three years old.
As he stepped inside his house, his little girl ran up to meet him, followed by an exhausted Dida. His life had only bleakness except for his daughter. She was his everything. He lifted her into his arms, and she regaled him with everything that happened that day.
Arjun had become accustomed to a strict routine, 9 to 5 at work and the rest of the time he spent with his daughter. He was content with his life, if not happy. As he tucked his daughter in her bed, he smiled when he saw how much she resembled his wife.
The memories of his wife always brought in a fresh wave of guilt. It has been two years since she died, to be precise murdered, and he was no closer than before to catching her killer. As always, sleep eluded him when he thought about his wife. It had been the reason he opened his laptop and signed into his email. And there it was 4 new emails from her.
Dear Sanskar,
Do you still miss her? Of course, I know you would miss her after all she was your wife. But it has been two years already, and I am beginning to lose patience.
How long will it take for you to see I am the one for you? I tried giving you time to grieve for her, but each passing day I miss you more. Isn't it funny that I could miss you this much when you hadn't replied to my email for over a year or is it two years?
But I will continue to wait for you. And last Friday, your PA stood way too close with you. She didn't want you for herself, right? Because I don't want to kill someone else.
We do have an agreement Sanskar, I will wait, but you can't go and fall in love with someone else like your wife.
Forever yours Miss X (I can't wait to become Mrs. Sanskar Maheshwari).
Arjun read through the next three emails, and they all held similar ramblings. None of them provided him with any clue behind the person who killed his wife. He was searching for any clue behind her identity. The cyber police claimed the emails were sent from a different IP address, and all of them were hacked that it was hard for them to narrow it down.
In a world of technological advancement, Arjun was a victim of cyberstalking, and his opponent seems to be three-step ahead of him all the time. But he continues to pursue in hopes of finding her. He shut off his laptop and decided to take a peek at his sleeping daughter before going to sleep and as he stepped outside his room. He came face to face with dida who was holding a glass of milk for him.
" Drink up son, you hardly ate enough, "Dida's voice greeted him, and Arjun felt a rush of emotion towards her. She was single-handedly taking care of his house, from raising Asha to taking care of him.
Arjun doesn't trust anyone with his daughter, and so he couldn't even hire help to lessen dida burdens. Though he tried to pitch in with most of the work, it was never enough, and he always felt guilty of depending too much on dida to run his household.
" There you go again, looking at me like I moved a mountain, it just a glass of milk and if can't make one for you, what the use of living in your house free of cost. I am not even your blood relation, " dida voice spoke up, making Sanskar smile. When in truth, she has her whole family waiting to take care of her. But she chooses to help him than stay with them. Most of the time, Sanskar forgets that he wasn't related to her by blood.
" You are family, and I would be lost without you, now go and sleep, tomorrow we are going to visit your daughter's house " Arjun spoke up gently as he took the glass of milk from her.
" You are not going to Laksh's wedding?, no matter what, he is like a brother to you " Dida's question made him remember about his cousin's wedding? Dida might be inside the four walls, but she is usually aware of everything related to him.
" They will be better of without me, " Arjun replied though he never once imagined that he would not be a part of Laksh's wedding.
" Still, try to go Sanskar. It has already been over two years. " Dida spoke up and left him all alone with nothing but his thoughts and guilt for company.
*****************
Swara kept staring in the mirror because it was hard to believe she was getting married in few hours. She didn't love Laksh, she hardly knows him, but she said yes to marry him. So she could have a family of her own. She desperately wanted to fit in, that she let herself be swept off her feet by Laksh. But it was only after she met his family did she allow herself to be convinced to marry him.
A soft knock interpreted her, and when she opened the door, she was taken back by the unfamiliar face starring right back at her.
" Who are you?" She voiced out her question, and the next minute, a hand stretched out, and a white piece of cloth was pressed over a face, and it only took a moment before she lost her consciousness. When she opened her eyes again, it was to come face to face with the unfamiliar face again. This time she was bound to a chair unable to move.
" Why are you still alive? I thought you were dead, " the voice spoke to her, and she froze as the words registered in her mind.
" It was you who killed my parents," Swara asked the stranger, and it was hard to believe after two years, she was finally glancing at the person who killed her family.
" Of course, don't you remember me?. It was because of you they had to die, " the voice answered calmly, and she realized her life was in danger as she looked at the knife clutched in the stranger's hand. She had no memory of the night her parents died, and she knew she wouldn't leave this place alive. It was the reason she can't stay silent but voice the question that haunted her for the last two years.
" Why did you kill them? why answer me ?" Swara screamed at her. Her situation didn't matter when she was this close to the truth that eluded her for so long.
" You don't remember me, do you ?" the voice asked as she held a hint of disbelief. Swara could have lied, but she knew she wouldn't survive another night, and she had nothing to lose.
" I don't have the memory of the night my parents died. The doctor told me that I lost the memory due to trauma, " Swara answered back. Then the stranger cursed loudly as if the thought didn't cross her mind so far.
" It is all your fault, you shouldn't have been alive, and you shouldn't have interfered that night. I am sorry, but I can't let you live not when you could be the biggest obstacle in my life, " the voice answered back, and Swara glimpsed the bleakness in her face before the knife found its mark and she got stabbed over and over again.
P.S: " That is it for now . Let me know your thoughts and feedback. Hit the votes if you liked it "