Chapter 16 - The race

10 months ago

Shesha

@Sshesha

10 days later 

Rajveer's house

Since it is a Christmas eve, Anjali is decorating the Christmas tree sincerely.

 Rajveer is also helping her do that.

Rajveer - "Let's hope that Santa Claus give more gifts to you this Christmas."

Anjali beats Rajveer.

Anjali - "What if Santa Claus if real? It would be amazing, right?"

Rajveer - "In my childhood, I have seen cartoons where they celebrate Christmas with Santa Claus. I used to decorate Christmas trees in childhood and wait for Santa Claus in the night. But when I slept, my parents used to keep chocolates under mu pillows and made me believe that Santa gave me the gift."

Anjali pinched Rajveer's face, "So Cute..."

Anjali - "Then you must be believing that Santa Claus enters home through chimney."

Rajveer - "Exactly. That's why I haven't lit the fireplace though it is cold."

Rajveer fixes socks near the fireplace.

Rajveer - "What if he enters through chimney and reaches the fireplace, he can place his wishes inside the socks, right?"

Anjali laughed and so is Rajveer.

Rajveer and Anjali goes to the kitchen and takes the cake from microwave oven.

Rajveer - "Such a nice smell..."

Anjali - "Yup."

Rajveer and Anjali poured cream over the cake and write 'Merry Christmas' on the cake.

Anjali - "Let us make a wish now."

Both of the fold their hands for prayer.

Anjali prayed - "I hope this Christmas brings glory and joy to everyone in the world, Jesus. Hope this enlightens and shows the right path to my family members."

Rajveer prayed - "Happy Birthday Jesus. Please bless me and Anjali. Hope she stay happy forever."

Anjali and Rajveer cut the cake and fed each other.

Next day

St. Thomas Church, Kolkata

Nandini enters the church holding the hands of Anjali.

Nandini - "Are you a regular visitor to church?"

Anjali - "Yeah, maa. Once in 2 weeks, I'll come here. It's the place where I forget the world and focus on me and the god."

Nandini - "The crowd is kind of huge, isn't it?"

Anjali - "Obviously. Since today is Christmas, the crowd is huge. After all, it is Jesus's birthday. I'm going to pray for my dad."

Nandini smiles.

Anjali - "Dad was an avid believer of Jesus. He visits church once in a week."

Nandini - "How was your life at Canada?"

Anjali - "Canada is quite friendly for Indians, So I liked the country. In fact, I met Rajveer there. He used to tell me like, 'Emily, you should solve your problems between you and your mom' always. But mom, I missed you a lot."

Anjali hugged Nandini.

Nandini - "But don't worry. You won't miss your mummy anymore as I won't go anywhere."

Anjali - "Mom, the prayer is going to start."

Anjali and Nandini sit erect and get ready for the prayer.

***

Soumya's house

Soumya is having her lunch with Rudra and her family members. 

Rudra - "Aunty, the lunch is really excellent. I can never forget the taste in my lifetime."

Jhanvi - "Thankyou beta."

Ashwin - "Come on, Jhanvi. Give some credits as well. I washed the vegetables and I cut it as well. Jhanvi didn't even touch the knife."

Shraddha - "Then I too need credits as I taught Ashwin how  to cut vegetables perfectly."

Ashwin - "Didi..."

Jhanvi - "Oh come on... You should not speak while eating. It is a basic table manners."

Prem - "Then chachi, why are you speaking now?"

Everyone started laughing at Jhanvi.

Jhanvi - "I deserved this embarrassment. But anything for my damaad's appreciation."

Soumya - "Awww... Include your beti as well."

Jhanvi - "No beti... Because beti rarely uses her mom's genes. But my damaad proudly uses it. He dressed today exactly in the way I told him. He looks like a stylish business tycoon now."

Everyone laughed.

Soumya - "Guys, complete the lunch fast. Movie time is nearing."

They started eating.

The doorbell rang.

Since Soumya almost completed her lunch, she rapidly squeezed the remaing food in the mouth and ran to sink to wash her hands so that she can open the door soon.

Soumya opened the door.

It is Ayaan.

Soumya is surprised.

Soumya - "What are you doing here?"

Ayaan - "I came here for the alliance."

Soumya - "Didn't you hear what Rudra told you last day? He loves me and I love him. So please don't interfere in our life."

Ayaan - "Rudra is not even having a stable job. What is the guarantee that he'd keep you happy?"

Soumya - "Job and money doesn't guarantee happiness for a long time. And secondly, Rudra's job is none of your business."

Rudra, Ashwin, Jhanvi, Shraddha and Prem comes.

Rudra - "What happened, Soumya?"

Soumya - "Same drama. He wants to marry me."

Rudra gets angry.

Rudra - "Can't you understand something when it was said on the first time?"

Ayaan - "I am not talking to you, loser. I am talking to my Soumya."

Ashwin - "Enough is enough. Mr. Ayaan, Soumya's alliance is finalized with Rudra. And it is final. So Soumya cannot marry you."

Jhanvi - "We are requesting you to leave without creating problems in our lives."

Ayaan looks at Soumya angrily.

Ayaan - "I just cannot understand what did you see in this loser bike racer? And for him, you rejected a big shot like me. Seriously? Even I am much superior than this useless fellow in bike racing. I am greater than him in every way."

Soumya - "You cannot talk about my life partner like this, Ayaan. Apologize to him."

Rudra - "Soumya, let me handle him."

Rudra lets Soumya go backward while comes to face Ayaan.

Rudra - "Mr. Ayaan, I know that you are a very good bike racer. But that doesn't mean that you cannot take anyone for granted. And I quit racing because of my family problems. Not because I lost any race ever before. Even if I lose, that doesn't define my worth unlike you who thinks rejection and acception is based person's money in wallet. And secondly, we never had a race together. So you cannot frame baseless allegations on me."

Ayaan - "You speak really well, man. Let's have a bike race then. If I win, Soumya is mine."

Rudra - "We can have a race if you wish to. But Soumya is my going to be wife, not any reward for a contest. And seriously? Just imagine if Soumya is your wife and will you speak such a deal to your enemy? That Soumya will be yours if he win the deal. Shame on you!"

Ayaan holds Rudra's collars.

Rudra holds his hands and throw it off.

Rudra - "If you win, I pay your 1 crore and it will be my hard earned money. If I win, you should confess all your crimes especially what you did to Rohan bhaiyya."

Ayaan laughed.

Ayaan - 'So the game turned more than serious. Let's have the game at evening."

Ayaan leaves.

***

Evening

Rohan, Romi, Rudra, Soumya, Anjali and Rajveer are there. They are waiting for Ayaan to come. Ayaan came there with his father Naveen and his brother Vikas.

Vikas texted Rohan, "Why did your brother agree to Ayaan's deal? It can be deadly."

Rohan replied his text, "I tried convincing him but he is not mending."

Vikas texted, "Hope your brother wins the game but don't expect Ayaan to confess all his crimes. He is very confident."

Rohan replied, "Let it be. I just hope that Ayaan doesn't do anything to Rudra."

Vikas - "We won't let him do."

Rohan and Vikas look at each other and smiled.

Anjali looks at Rajveer.

Anjali - "If you call police, they'd reach here before anything happens bad, right?"

Rajveer - "Don't worry, Anjali. Police station is quite nearby. I even talked to them. If I ring them, they'd be here in the 5th minute. Nothing will happen to our Rudra."

Soumya is standing nervously. 

Romi goes to her.

Romi - "Don't worry, Soumya. Rudra will win the race and Ayaan will get exposed for sure. Rohan will justice. Believe in god."

Soumya nodded.

Ayaan sits in his bike. Rudra too sits in the bike.

Naveen - "3.... 2.... 1...."

The race started. Ayaan is leading the race. Whenever Rudra increases the speed, Ayaan blocks his way by having his own vehicle exactly in the front of Rudra's.

When Ayaan felt confident, he gets slightly lethargic. Using this as opportunity, Rudra takes a side and leads Ayaan. 

Ayaan gets frustrated and increases his speed. 

But he couldn't lead Rudra.

Rudra crosses the finishing line first.

Soumya, Ayaan, Vikas, Romi, Anjali and Rajveer got extremely happy.

They hugged Rudra.

Soumya - "Rudra, we did it finally."

Ayaan frustratedly get off from his bike.

Rohan - "Confess your crimes, Ayaan."

Ayaan runs to Rohan and pulled his collar.

"Mr. Ayaan," said the police officer.

Naveen - "Police?"

 Rajveer - "Haan police. We don't trust your son and you. So we have our own backup."

Police - "Mr. Ayaan Basu and Mr. Naveen Basu, we are arresting you under the complaint filed by Mr. Vikas Basu and Mr. Rohan Das as you killed Vikas's friend Vaibhav and drugged Rohan and caused his accident."

Naveen - "Vikas?"

Vikas smirked, "It's not always other who would suffer because of your mistakes."

Naveen - "Vikas... you betrayer."

Naveen comes to strangulate Vikas. Vikas pushed him forcibly.

Vikas - "Have some shame, Mr. Basu. You always underestimated me and made me doubt my potential. You killed my friend just because he is a better runner than me and he refused to endorse your product. In fact I am lucky that you didn't get anyone better than me. If you get, you people kill me and throw me in some river."

Naveen - "Police, you cannot put baseless allegations on us without evidence?"

Romi - "We have evidence, Naveen Basu. Ayaan have kidnapped Rohan and injected drugs into him and beaten him up. And then, using your goons, Rohan was brought to park through truck and he was thrown at the bushes. Then, Soumya and Rudra saw Ayaan coming out of the park. The truck went out through an alternate way. But we found the truck's number through CCTV footage and caught them. He is ready to confess against you."

Vikas - "Also, you involved a third member while murdering Vaibhav. I know him since long. As I spoke in the right way to him, he is ready to confess the crime. He further gave me the pics of you people murdering him because he is scared that you people would kill him."

Vikas shows the video to Naveen and Vikas. 

Rajveer - "Arrest them."

The police took Ayaan and Naveen in the police jeep in the police station.

Rudra - "Whatever happened is happened. But this bike race has ignited my spirits."

Rohan - "Means you'd return back to your bikes. It's amazing, then. Don't worry. I am there for you."

Rudra - "Not that soon, bhaiyya. But I will become a bike racer soon."

Soumya - "I am glad that you chose your passion now, Rudra. No matter what, don't back off. You have your family for support."

Rudra smiled.

***

Aftermath

After 6 months, Rajveer and Anjali got married. 

They talked to Tej and Tej agreed to support his passion.

Within 2 years, Rudra cleared all his arrears and financial debts. With his savings, he focussed on setting a career in bike racing. Meanwhile, Rohan becomes a successful athlete in the nation and he started participating in Olympics. His friendship with Vikas has turned organic and Vikas too reformed into a calm and mature person. 

Romi turns into a successful entrepreneur who manages a company that manufactures sports products and materials.

Soumya's career as archealogist progresses and she shines the most.

Romi and Rohan got married. Initially, it was difficult for Romi and Rudra to face other but gradually they forget that phase and becomes friendly 'bhabhi-devar'.

After 5 years, Rudra becomes a successful bike racer who is famous all over the country. Rudra and Rohan shifted their family to a new cosy bungalow. 

Finally Rudra and Soumya got married and everyone's life went happily thereafter.

THE END.

Author's note:
Thankyou so much for reading and upvoting my stories till date. I am grateful for @Jasminearun 's unwavering support to continue my FF till the end. In fact, I started this FF in 2021 and I planned to end it within 5 chapters in a week but it took 3 years to complete it with 16 chapters. I am thanking Zingo for her sweet comments. 

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