The party was teeming with people' with lots of people. Business associates, celebrities, film stars, politicians, etc.
Ram entered the party with Priya but left her as soon as he saw some familiar faces and moved on to meet them. She stood at one corner, eyeing him, counting his every move.
Flashes of a previous party stung her. She clearly remembered that one where she and Ram were supposed to go together, it being the first time where she would be going as Mrs Priya Ram Kapoor. She had a feeling of deja vu. Yes, it has happened before. It all has happened before. They both were behaving exactly as they had behaved that day ' pretending to ignore each other while stealing glances. Yes, Ram is looking at her every now and then. He has positioned himself such that he could easily watch her, hiding his face behind the guests whenever he saw Priya catching him looking at her.
The symptoms were all same ' that similar yearning, that itchiness to gaze at each other, that longing to talk to each other yet the hesitancy to acknowledge all this. They both were waiting for each other to confess their love but situation got better off them. Priya clearly remembered how Ram ignored her all the while, till the end of the party. She waited for him to return back to her. And when he came, they had a major fight, both letting out their frustration, their hurt and their insecurities on each other. But then, the fight also brought about the most beautiful and blissful chapter of their lives. After letting their guard down, they both found each other, they both entered the happy state of matrimony in every true sense.
Today was no different. Things were going exactly as on the day of 'that' party. They both were pretending to ignore each other yet seeking opportunities to feast their eyes on each other.
Priya (to herself) ' Ram, I know how hard it is for you to remain this indifferent towards me. Hum dono bhi kitne ajeeb couple hain na? Ek dusre se itna pyaar karte hain phir bhi ek dusre ko kitni taqleef diye ja rahe hain. Aapke chehre par saaf dikh raha hai ki kal rat se lekar aaj tak mujhse yun door rehne ki koshish mein aapko kitni mushkil hui hai. Par main yeh jaanti hoon ki jald hi yeh sab gadbad, ye sab pareshaaniyaan, ye saari misunderstandings door ho jaayengi. Phir us raat ki tarah ek baar phir main aapko bata sakoongi ki main aapse kitna pyaar karti hoon aur maine ye sab usi pyaar ko bachaane ke liye kiya. Aur mujhe poora vishwaas hai ki sach jaan ne ka baad aap mujhe yakeenan maaf kar denge aur hamare beech sab kuchh theek ho jaayega. Phir hum apni zindagi ko naye sire se shuru karenge, apne sachche parivaar ke sath, jismein aap honge, main houngi, maa hongi, Apeksha hogi, Dadi aur rishabh honge aur jald hi ek'
"Priya beta, kitni sundar lag rahi hai tu!"
Priya snapped out of her musing hearing Shipra. Automatically, Ram's eyes moved in the direction when he heard a loud "Priya beta". He saw her hugging her mom but her eyes were fixed on him. She had a smile on her face. He was ruffled by her constant stare and was about to break the eye-contact when he noticed a drop of tear about to caress her right cheek. He just couldn't take his eyes away from that sight. A volcano of varied emotions erupted inside him. He could feel a thousand emotions in that one moment when he saw her cry and smile at the same time. This was the most beautiful as well as the most heart-breaking sight he had ever seen. He could sense her love in those tears as well her helplessness in that smile. She was pulling him like anything. It was taking every ounce of restraint for him to stop himself from grabbing her hand and taking her far away from the whole world.
He had been trying very hard to mask his feelings but was finding it very tough. The whole time since last night had been very testing for him. It was not easy to stay away from Priya like this. Everytime he ignored her, he felt a stab in his heart. But he had to be ruthless now; he had to save himself from further hurt and it was possible only if he wore a mask of indifference. It would have definitely hurt him if this pain came from his family but with Priya, it was a different thing altogether. It was unfathomable what he was feeling at the moment. He was angry at both of them; on Priya as well as himself. He was angry that Priya does not trust him enough to let her guard down and confide her insecurities and fear with him. But more than that, he was angry at himself for his behaviour. He wanted to hug her tight and coax her into submission of truth. He wanted to assure her hundred times that he trusts her unconditionally. Ram was amazed by himself. He was surprised how changed he has become. Even after being hurt by her, he still loved Priya and was waiting and hoping like crazy for her to end the drama and come out with the truth. On the other hand, he was finding it difficult to shield himself from all the pain inflicted on him. It was like walking on a double-edged sword. He had to cut himself off from Priya until she stops hurting him but he didn't had the heart to ignore her like this because he knew she loved him the most and would be wounded badly by his actions. It was confounding. All this was certainly confounding.
Ram tried to shake away all these thoughts and focus on the job at hand ' anniversary celebrations. He took a deep breath and reached the stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Vikram was announcing, "Welcome to the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Kapoor Industries. I would like to call upon stage Mr. Ram Kapoor to inaugurate the function with the unveiling of Lala Amarnath Kapoor's bust, the founder of Kapoor Industries."
Ram looked around. He saw his mom, Niharika, smiling a wide smile, tagging along her was mamaji. Rishabh was there, standing dutifully behind Dadi who was beaming with happiness. Ishika was standing with a forced smile. Nuts and Karthik were smiling happily, standing beside Sudhir and Shipra. Sid was nowhere to be seen but he was not looking for him. His eyes were searching someone else in that crowd.
Ah, there she was! Standing behind, at the very last.
She was standing there with some acquaintances and was laughing heartily while talking to them. As if intuitively, she threw a glance at him and found him staring at her. Priya gave him unfathomable expression and resumed her chat. Ram found this act very infuriating. He knew she is continuing her charade but the way she looked at him with an 'I-don't-give-a-damn-attitude' and went back to her chat while Vikram announced the inauguration made him lose his temper.
Ram controlled his temper, took a deep breath and went on stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for gracing this occasion with your esteemed presence. This is the most important day for the whole Kapoor Industry. Actually, this whole empire has been a dream which came true because of lalaji's vision and hard work. It was my father's dream and it feels really happy to see it manifested and grow, all these years. I would like to inaugurate the function by unveiling lalaji's bust which was gifted to me'"
Priya made her way forward towards the stage in a hurry.
"' by none other than by my 'darling' wife. I would like to thank her for giving me the most precious gift ever and also for giving me pleasant surprises since last few days. Means the most to me."
Ram smiled a sarcastic smile, directed towards her which pinched her like anything. This sarcasm hit her badly and wounded her deeply than Ram's indifference. It was agony to hear Ram say those words with a sardonic smile as the bust was her heart-felt as well as her first gift to Ram.
She fixed him with her teary gaze and found him staring back at her. She could trace the hurt behind his anger but re-assures herself that it's a matter of minutes when everything will be alright.
Ram unveiled the bust and the party carried on. Priya waited impatiently for the right time to proceed with the plan. In a few hours, all the guests left and the family members retired to different rooms to take some rest. Priya saw Niharika going to a room and she text messaged Vikram to bring Ram to that room. She then found Neha, Natasha and Rishabh and along with them, proceeded with her plan.
She asked Rishabh to keep mamaji at bay with some excuse. After making sure that Niharika was alone in her room, Priya, Neha and Natasha go up to Niharika's room and finally end their plan of scaring her with Lalaji's presence.
Jayesh was waiting in the room for Niharika. As soon she entered the room, he hid himself inside the washroom and the lights went off. Niharika jumped a bit scared. She was about to turn on the lights when she smelt the pipe smoke in her room. She went towards the table where the pipe was kept. She was white as a ghost, scared out of her wits. Just then she saw Amarnath Kapoor's blurred outline in her room. Meanwhile, Vikram had brought Ram outside the room.
Ram ' Yaar tu kya kar raha hai? Kyun ghaseet ke laya hai mujhe yahan?
Vikram ' Shhh Ram. Tu thodi der shaant reh aur pls meri baat sun. Is kamre se jo aawaazein aa rahi hain unhein dhyaan se sun. Tujhe Priya ke is weird behaviour ka raaz pata chal jayega.
Ram ' Tu ye kya keh raha hai? Tujhe kaise pata Priya kya kar rahi hai'
Vikram ' Trust me Ram, main janta hoon ye sab ter liye bahut confusing hai bu pls, pls abhi dhyaan se is kamre se aa rahi aawaazein sun. Tu sab jaan jayega.do as I say, pls Ram.
Ram notices the urgent pleading in Vikram's voice and decideds to listen to him anyhow. He goes near the door and stood outside. It was lucky that the door wasn't bolted and there was just a slit opening through which every sound came crystal-clear.
*****
Ram was shocked to the core. He felt as if someone has knocked him hard with a club. What did he just hear? Niharika, his mom, killed his father?!! That too for his money? Niharika plotted against his mother to kick her out of his father's life? She manipulated his father to marry his wealth?
That means he had been manipulated by Niharika all these years? All these 20 years? For 20 years, Niharika had been making a fool out of him? And he' he has been dancing on her fingers, without ever realising her intentions?
What a fool I am? I have trusted a woman since last 20 years, who is responsible for my father's death; who is responsible for maligning my mother's reputation; who is responsible for tearing my family apart!!!
And what did she say? She was the one who pressurised Priya to break away from my life so that she could have all the property for herself. She was the one who put Priya through all the suffering. She was the one who tried to snatch away his long awaited happiness, his love, his life, his Priya!
The mere thought infuriated him. He could feel a ball of fury forming inside him, waiting to erupt and blast off that woman who has broken him like anything!
Ram had enough of this tamasha. He kicked the door hard and strode inside. Niharika was bamboozled to see him standing there with fury and hate in his eyes. She was scared to bits seeing fire spitting from his eyes.
"Get out! Just get out from my life you'"
He controlled himself from saying that nasty word. He just couldn't bring himself to utter abusive language for that woman whom he revered.
Niharika was shivering with fear. Her mind had stopped working. She just stood there, shocked to the core by the recent happenings. Vikram, Neha, Natasha, Rishabh, Dadi and Priya, everyone had gathered inside the room in the meantime.
"Isse pehle ki main apna aapaa kho doon, aap pls meri nazaron ke saamne se hat jaiye! Kahin main gusse main aa kar kuchh anhonee na kar doon!"
And he banged his hand on the lampshade standing near the door. It toppled over and fell on the floor with a shattering sound, leaving Ram with a bloody gashed hand.
"Ram!"
He was shocked to see what met his eyes. Krishna Kapoor, his mother!
Krishuji ran inside and took Ram's hand in her hands, gently wrapping her saree pallu on the wound.
"Ma?"
Ram was shocked beyond words on seeing his mother tending to his wound. Tears of guilt, remorse and happiness stung his eyes. He just couldn't take it anymore. He flung himself on Krishuji's shoulders and cried like a baby.
Meanwhile, Vikram had called the police who arrested Niharika and Shiney and took them to police station.
Ram didn't even spare a glance to the duo.
He was letting his emotions flow in his mother's lap. It had been a long time, many years since he felt that love again. He just wanted to soak in the warmth of her mother's affection. Everything else didn't matter much at the moment. Everything else can wait. He'll handle all that but not now. For the time being, he wanted to just feel assured of himself and for that he needed his mother, he needed Krishuji.
It was after a long time that Ram broke the hug. He raised his head and saw a teary-eyed Priya standing before him, smiling a relieved smile. Something stung him in the heart.
Priya saw him looking at her with his tear laden eyes and looked back at him with all the love she had for him in her heart.
"Thank god! Ab sab kuch theek ho jaayega. Main jaanti hoon ki sachchaayi jaan ne ke baad aap mujhe maaf kar denge. Ram, aapko aapki ma wapas mil gayi hai. Ab aapko apni purani Priya bhi wapas mil jayegi," Priya smiled to herself.
She had just taken a step towards him when Ram turned his back on her and walked out of the room.
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