Chapter 24
[MEMBERSONLY]
Chapter 18
Vortex...
Swirling
melancholies, threatening to drown me in their miseries. I am looking at a
vortex that sucks even the brightest of lights. I can't escape. I can't let it
overwhelm. Possibilities...
The recently printed photographs
littered most part of the desk that Shyaam currently was using. He had taken to
redoing his room all of sudden, as an impulsive over confidence had seized him.
He was almost close on gaining success on his recent plan and if all went well,
his bride would soon come to his house to take control and he didn't want any
sort of hard feelings to occur when she saw how modest the room looked. It was
his duty, wasn't it, to keep his girl happy and joyous?
Avi had called a while ago to inform
that the task was close to reaching its closure. Some unwanted complications
acted as roadblocks but obviously, no work was really impossible for his men as
he paid them so handsomely. Money always did the talking. He smiled crookedly as
he got up and poured himself a good measure of Johnnie Walker, his personal
favourite scotch, and lounged around in the balcony taking in the view that his
apartment in the 13 floor had to offer.
In retrospect, Shyaam sometimes did
think whether he was being wrong or not. But that teeny feeling soon was over
ridden by an obsession for power. To reach great heights you had to trample
others, a known norm of the society and power hungry men and women alike. Regret
never had any sort of place in his heart or his life. He believed man could
achieve anything in this world if he was confident enough and didn't consider
his decisions again after taking them. He was head strong, willed and confident
but all invested in the wrong side as being a good guy was boring when compared
to being the bad guy which was a lot more cooler and dominant. Albeit shyaam's
motives and attitude were considered even filthy, from his perspective, they
were the threads of a life he recognized and partly lived it in his teens. He
related himself to a lot of things in his life and let his links with the past
shape his life. So far, it had been a good journey with occasional awkward and
gauche situations cropping up, but he didn't complain for this life had given
him a lot of things and something he cherished, obsession. Fitoor, as he called
it.
He smiled inwardly as the whiskey warmed
his innards and comforted him. He quickly reshuffled his pictures and the other
decorations that were going to be put up in his apartment, gathered them in his
arms and kept them safely out of the eyes of other people who visited his pad.
He needed prying eyes away else it could be damaging and he detested when his
plans were messed with.
Some more glitches had to be removed and his
way was clear. Payal's phenomenal work had been finished and she was as good as
trash. Now he had to deal with that insufferable man, Shashi Gupta, who once,
unfortunately for that big head, made a terrible mistake of ganging up against
him. Now that he came to think of it, revenge was sweet and he was glad to have
had a tiff with a man of such unyielding power. The game had just turned to a more exciting
level.
Shashi Gupta, here I come...he thought,
smiling a smile that was frozen and vindictive. It was the time that he moved
the final pawn within weeks to come...
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She was in cross roads again. She didn't know
what to feel anymore, annoyance at her brother's solipsism over his childhood
friend or sympathy for all that he had to endure or pity on her husband who
didn't mean anything he did or anger that he had given into his fury and had
put the lives of innocent children into sheer jeopardy. Everything, sadness,
happiness, vexation, everything was swimming in her head, making her tremulous
and dizzy. She had to do something to rein her unsteady heart. But she had no idea
what she was supposed to do.
Anjali
settled down cross legged on a raised platform on her terrace and closed her
eyes as she felt the wind tickle her. Yet, that soothing wind couldn't calm
down her raging feelings that had cropped up with Vinay's reasoning.
She was no alien to pain and suffering
in her life. She had been a constant victim of it from many years ago but those
wounds had been dressed by the love of Vinay and his care. She was deeply
indebted to her husband for making her smile again and making her to believe in
that feeling of love when she had absolutely lost all the confidence she had in
herself and her emotions. He had pulled her out of that abyss but even Arnav
had done the same to her. He had charmed her heart with his innocence,
instilled in her strength to deal with the terrible loss and helped fill the
chasm of isolation that was created by her parents' death. Both Arnav and Vinay
had helped in their own ways and both of them were right in their own arguments
and neither of them seemed to back down from what they had to do: Vinay, on
asking his forgiveness from Arnav and Arnav, on maintaining his ages' old
rivalry and anger. Both of them, the level headed individuals, were acting like
kids and Anjali was bewildered and confused, unable to decide which side to
take.
All her bottled up emotions were
terrifying her and without meaning to, without wanting to, she unwillingly
trudged down the lane of painful memories, ripping her heart into million
pieces along the way.
If
Anjali came to know about this, it is suicide, she
heard her uncle say in a grim voice. Tears leaked out of his warm eyes and he
looked gaunt with worry. Anjali strained her ears to hear what was going on.
What made her family so anxious and fearful about her? She had considerably
healed herself after the death of her parents a month back. She was depressed
but she was coming in terms with the reality and after all, her parents didn't
want her to stay tied up in her own chains of misery. They would want her to
move on. They were there, somewhere above her, watching her with pride and joy
and Anjali was determined to keep her parents happy and she was recuperating
fast enough. So why were her uncle and the rest of her family so worried about
her?
I
am going to pulverize that bas***d if I ever found him, she heard Vinay snarl in fury. Her heart thumped frantically.
Something was seriously wrong and suddenly, she felt as though she didn't want
to hear more. Something about the situation and her family's expressions made
her feel extremely uneasy and afraid. She gulped and tried to move, but her
legs had frozen and she couldn't bring herself to walk out on her worries and
she remained, hoping desperately that nothing was wrong.
Vinay,
this is exactly why we didn't want to say anything to you, either. You take
everything that concerns Anjali to heart and let your anger control you, her uncle was admonishing Vinay. Everything about her to heart?
What did that mean?
If
you think I am going to sit simply after finding out what really happened to
Kaushalya bua... Vinay started to say when her
uncle shut him up, Will you please stop
it Vinay?
Papa
what is wrong with you? How can you leave him to escape? He is the reason why
Anjali lost her parents! Shrieked Vinay and Anjali froze as her heart bet in sheer panic.
Blood pounded in her veins as that horrible thought seeped into her skin,
freezing her insides. Who was the reason? What was Vinay telling?
Vinay! Her uncle had screamed; I
don't want Anjali knowing about this. Anjali breathed hard and tried to
listen the whispers, she's already
suffering so much. I don't want her to fall into permanent depression. She is
better off not knowing about her parents' murder.
And the world had stopped; jerked to
painful halt, throwing her off the ridge. Her insides froze, her heart bet
erratically and blood pounded in her ears. Her brain refused to take in anymore
as the reality trickled in. Her parents' death wasn't an accident, they were
murdered. By whom, she had no idea but they were murdered. She just stood
there, beaten and worn out, unable to comprehend anything else as that piece of
information was eating her from inside.
So
you are going to let that bas***d escape? Vinay
seethed in anger, you are going to let
him walk free? After all that he did to Anjali? He played with her, pa! He
ruined her life! He took her parents! He took everything Anjali valued in life
and you are going to let him go just like that? He shattered my Anjali and you
expect me to do nothing?
The
police have been informed, the culprit will be caught! Her uncle whispered angrily. Vinay huffed sarcastically, you just let him run away and the police
won't catch him.
Vinay,
for god sake please control yourself! Her uncle
pleaded his son frantically; we can't
risk Anjali knowing anything about this. It would kill her, please Vinay.
Okay,
I am going to keep quiet for Anju but I am not going to let that man walk away
as though nothing happened. From the time Anjali went out with him, I always
warned her not to. I knew he wasn't right but you people made me shut up about
the suspicions I had about him and I was right, wasn't I? I told you not to let
Anjali date him but you guys just didn't listen to me. I told you he wasn't... and what Vinay wanted to tell remained incomplete as Anjali
crumpled onto the floor, unconscious.
Anjali jerked back to the present and
sure enough, her eyes were filled with painful tears that stung her heart like
icicles. She wiped her tears harshly and got up to go to her brother's room. She
knew he would be back by now. She needed him right now; he was the only one who
could calm her down.
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The first thing Arnav noticed when he
entered him bedroom in Raizada mansion was a small paper boat that perched on a
statue that decorated the far end of his room. He immediately knew what it was.
He smiled a little as he walked to the statue and picked up the boat from the
marble hand and opened it to reveal the problem his brother Akash had written.
Bhai,
Trouble
again. I need your help!
When I was in a temple today in the morning,
(Typical Akash..., Arnav smirked) I noticed a girl. She was really beautiful.
She wore plain white salwar and a purple bandhini dupatta, those types that
bhabhi has got. Beautiful brown hair and amazing hazel eyes.
I
thought I fell in love.
Do
you think it is true?
You
know, she was standing next to another pretty girl, may be her older sister but
I couldn't take my eyes off her. Her sister looked at me suddenly and I ran out
of the place. But that face is imprinted in my mind. I can't forget her. What
do you think this problem is bhai? I am going mad! I want your help...
Akash...
Arnav smiled amusedly. Trust Akash to so
blatantly discuss his love problems with him. But Arnav knew Akash didn't dare
do this with anyone else and he wouldn't have mustered courage to come and talk
to him. Writing paper messages comforted him and as his older brother, Arnav
shouldn't make fun of it. He was actually feeling happy that some girl matched
to catch the eye of his brother, who was very difficult to be impressed and
knowing Akash, whoever he might have chosen, be it as rapidly as today, that
woman must be amazing.
He took a piece of paper from his desk, a
differently coloured than the one Akash had kept in his room, so as to notify
him that his problem was answered, Arnav wrote down his so called solution and
folded it into a paper boat and perched it on the statue's hand. He then left
to take a shower, smiling knowingly that before he came back from the shower,
the boat would be missing.
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Chris's keen eyes missed nothing. He was
well aware of all the tiniest detail of his surroundings, Khushi's house. After
all, he was an oceanographer. Missing details were horrendous to him. But
whatever he was seeing and analysing, it was too much for his over analytical
brain to process. In simple words, Khushi's sister or step sister, whatever you
chose to call her, was unashamedly hitting on him.
That was awkward, Chris fumbled with the
straps of his backpack, trying somehow to notify Khushi of her sister's idiotic
behaviour but Khushi being the one she was, the ardent researcher, chose to
give no importance to trivial matters while she went through the file Amanda
had sent her, no matter even if it meant Chris would probably die of sheer
embarrassment.
Payal's eyes startled him. They had a
sort of obsessive greedy look in them that was giving him creeps. Seriously
woman is this how you welcome your guests? By staring at them as though they
were something edible? He thought, amused and annoyed at her ridiculousness and
a certain bravery that she had. The girl got nerves or maybe she was just too
shameless. Whatever the case was, Chris was in no mood to give her any more
incentive than she had to get. In other words, Chris had to respect her
(painfully) and show her rightful place, which wasn't hitting on him but
rather, it was being friendly with him, albeit forcefully. For this he needed
his partner in crime, Ms Gupta.
He flung his arm on Khushi's shoulder,
all the while aware of the eye daggers being shot at him simultaneously by
Khushi's step mom, aunt and sister, Payal. Payal's eyes were burning with
jealousy and Chris got some sadistic pleasure in seeing her seething in anger
because he wasn't putting her any hay. Well, sorry woman. You don't deserve
anything, he thought maliciously and scooted closer to Khushi and whispered the
situation in her ears.
Khushi face rapidly went through a
series of emotions within seconds: anger, bitterness, disgust and finally a
mask of calm appeared on her face. She stood up confidently and picked up her
laptop, "come on McKinley, let's go to my room. I need to show you something."
Chris thanked the lucky stars and scooped
up all the belongings. Khushi's dad gestured the servants to pick up the bags
and keep it in the guest room while Khushi and Chris escaped from the living
room with Diya in tow. As soon as they were out of shot Khushi burst out, "what
the heck! I am sorry McKinley. I didn't know she would stoop to such a level."
"No problem, Gupta. I am not blaming
you," Chris convinced her, trying to cut the conversation because Diya was here
but that little girl surprised him to no lengths when she said, "I know. Payal's
seriously sick!"
Okay! This kid was smart, thought Chris
as he attempted to steer the conversation out of Payal matter. "Anyway, we'll
do something fun! I want to warm up before I take a plunge into sea of
enjoyment!" he muttered dramatically, rising his arms. Khushi giggled, "warm
up?"
"Yeah well, we are going to get roasted
when we step out of the house to go for our field trip. Why not have some
workouts before we start the actual drill?" he asked wiggling his eyebrows.
Diya smiled, "cool...if you guys are up for party then let's go today! It will
be real fun!"
"Party?" Chris and Khushi asked
simultaneously, "where?"
"Oh not exactly party! It will be a
night out...if you guys drink..."
"I do!" Chris replied excitedly, "Gupta
doesn't though. She's always a pain."
"McKinley!" Khushi warned but both Diya
and Chris burst into laughter. "You play with you jalebis, Gupta. Your sister
and I will go to the party!" Chris said, trying very hard not to laugh at her
stunned expression. Diya stuffed her knuckles in her mouth, stifling her
giggles while Khushi glared daggers at both of them. But a few seconds later
she smiled very mischievously, "okay. Go to your stupid party. I will go for a
night trek." That shut them up effectively. Chris scowled but hugged his
friend, "I wouldn't dream of going anywhere without you even if it is a stupid
party. You are coming with us."
"Ab aaya na camelwa hilltop ke neeche!"
Khushi muttered under her breath and giggled. Diya was shaking uncontrollably
with laughter but Chris scratched his head unable to grasp their inside joke.
The three continued to make their party plans as they bounded up the stairs to
Khushi's room.
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Payal was fuming. But it was pretty
useless as that guy failed to even look in her eyes. All her efforts wasted.
She still couldn't understand what people saw in that road child Khushi. No
class, no etiquette, no fashion sense at all and yet, yet, she had all the cool
guys for friends. Life was so unfair. She huffed in irritation as she touched
up her make up in the traffic signal. She was going to the final rehearsals for
next day's event and she couldn't afford to break into pieces. So what if Chris
hadn't noticed her? She still had her man, Arnav Singh Raizada. He was enough
for the world to drool at her in envy. Slipping into her daydreams, she managed
to reach the venue of her fashion show in one piece, ridiculously grinning
thinking about Arnav Singh Raizada.
As soon as she walked inside the gates
of the grounds where the event was supposed to be held, her breath stopped and
she froze feeling tiny and insignificant in front of the vastness that engulfed
the whole field. The set up was mammoth-sized. The event managers had done a
hell lot of work to get something as this perfect. But she knew who the
mastermind behind this idea was. It was the brainstorm of her prince charming.
It just had to be.
The ramp was a huge C. It curved like a
gigantic meander of some river with a calligraphy stile jutting outward into
the curve, the shape of a Roman style of writing capital C. The surface was
glassy and smooth with multi coloured lights glowing beneath, creating a
magnificent halo across the whole field, dancing in harmony. A huge marquee
stood proudly at the mouth of the stage from where the models would ramp walk.
The marquee was covered with silk curtains and sparkles, making it look like it
was made to welcome the blushing bride. It was classy, elegant, opulent but not
exaggerating. It oozed an essence of its own, an exceptional charm which was
difficult to give a name to. It was unfamiliar yet it appeared ubiquitous.
Payal didn't understand how to describe what she was seeing. It gave her
Goosebumps.
Behind the marquee rose a massive
curtain that hid the backstage. A small section of the curtain had been parted
apart into the marquee. It looked Royal: like it was trying to hide the
brilliance and grace of the empire standing in its shadow. Small cords of silk
ropes were hanging from the top. It looked like some kind of banner was to be
attached to the ropes. The curtain had a pattern of gold leaves, thin and
light, merging with the deep rust colour of the drape. The lights made it look
like it was the majestic fortification of a forbidden empire. It looked
otherworldly.
Her eyes were glazed as she tried to
seep in the extraordinary details of the show she was a part of. She was
staring at it, her mouth hanging open and would have continued to do so if the
coordinator hadn't come and closed her mouth, "madam, you are wanted inside."
She turned beet red, muttered a hurried
thanks and ran away inside. To her bad luck, Arnav just came out to the open,
clutching a note pad. A pen was tucked behind his ear. Aman was following him
like a pet dog, bobbing his head to whatever Arnav was blabbering. Anjali was
sitting on one of the stools, shaking her head as she watched her OCD brother
drill all of his employees in the last minute battle preparations. But she
liked watching him like this. He seemed spirited. Very spirited. His eyes
danced in an excited frenzy, his hands animatedly doing their own battle as he
explained his vision to the people around. When in work, Arnav was a total
different person. He wasn't the brooding one. He looked like he had wheels on
his feet, roller skating everywhere like an extremely naughty kid. She would
give anything to have Arnav like this forever. It warmed her heart.
It was good that she accompanied him to
his fashion show preparations. She would have gone insane if she wouldn't have.
When she turned up in Arnav's room to seek some comfort, he gently consoled her
and brought her here, away from her problems into a world that was insane,
totally insane: where there was no space even for a tiny complaint of her life.
She had forgotten everything as she stared at her brother, who seemed to have
swallowed some energy drink. He wasn't sitting at one place even for a
moment...
PRECAP:
Why do I come across you every time?
Believe me! I have no interest either. I have been asking myself the
same question. Out of the billions population this world has, it has to be you
who comes to eat my head.
Oh really! Mister, shove you good for nothing
attitude in some toilet. Don't you dare give it to me.
My attitude is too precious to be wasted on people like you. Out of my
way!
What the hell! Hello!
Okay, So now I guess you know whats in the next update :D I wont update unless I get some real long comments xD 😈
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Comments (19)
Thank you so much buddy :) Glad u liked it :) Welcome aboard :D
10 years ago
I read al d chapies in one go wow an amazing dear and well plot one mindblown scenes and dialogs wow those characters u hav portrayd in thr own way of shown anger hapy excitd sad love pain jst fantastic i enjoyd thoroughly its jst boombastic plot.
10 years ago
plzzz update next part waiting
10 years ago
finely u updated it was amazing poor guy has no idea what is she trying to flirt with him how sick yucky she is no self respect no shame but soon she gonna get good lesson from shyam but lil scare for khushi what is shyam's plan he is taking revenge from shashi or he is after khushi I have feelings he wants khushi Anjali poor thing going through tough phase not happy at all akaash is falling for witch she is dreaming of Arnav but u'll get a** kick payal ji how sweet he asked Arnav about his feeling loved the way he communicate eager for their trip another meeting on the way I guess la is going to have her man soon looks like good job thanks for the PMaayt2013-12-28 23:41:37
10 years ago
wow.. good one.. I just hope it is not Payal for Aakash.. poor guy...
10 years ago
Once again you had me hooked with all three parallel tracks written very well. Payal is such a despo ... it is not even funny but Chris's reactions to her were quite witty and funny!So shyam is all ready for the final blow 😕 i am scared to think what all repercussions this will lead to and with the way this story is getting entwined i feel it wont be just the Gupta's who are affected.Anjali surely has her work cut out ..it is not easy to handle two warring parties when both are equally important to the person involved.And to see Arnav in his full on corporate avatar was quite a turn on !😉
10 years ago
part 18awesome...Paayal is so disgusting...Chris is appalled seeing her...Khushi is too nice and Dia cute...what is this creep scheming?hope this Shyam doesnt know Khushi...whom is Viany talking about?poor Anjali...and this Paayal is at Arnav's ramp...oh Aakash dont fall for this Paayal witch...cont soon dear...
10 years ago
nice update the suspense is still not open the story is going to be interesting
10 years ago
cool update was waiting for ages 👏
10 years ago
Amazing story dear waiting for next update
10 years ago