CHAPTER 3
“Man is harder than iron, stronger than stone and more fragile than a rose.” - Old Turkish Proverb
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Riya found herself in a position she never wished for. Upon seizing the video tape played by Sikander as evidence, Rathore was effectively dismissed as the Chief of the ETF. There were too many personal issues with his involvement. And with Arjun being in the hospital, the position of a leader for the team fell on Riya's shoulders. Although her stint in the team was lesser than others, her rank preceded the others'.
Of course the ministry was on the lookout for other capable officers who would join the ETF eventually, but getting anyone to work with ACP Arjun was a mammoth task in itself.
Now as Riya looked over the papers and signed before passing them out to her team, she couldn't help but sigh, noticing the sheer discomfort on her comrades' faces.
"Uhm I've made a list of things that each of us need to do. Let's follow that and please submit your said work on time. I understand this is not an easy situation for any of us but this was a case of the highest level. Any delay in submitting paperwork or evidence as such might lead to another case file of its own. Let's try to avoid that. "
The others nodded, not knowing anything else to do. It was definitely weird hearing commands from her, the one who was the quietest for most of the time.
Silence took over as everyone sat at the conference table started on their respective jobs.
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"If I thought the case was weird, this tops it !" Shree thinks as he walks to where Rathore was standing. He had arrived a few minutes ago and was looking distraught as he pulled his belongings together.
"Hello Sir," he says, trying so hard to keep it together.
Rathore turned to look at him and only then could Shree make out the misery his former boss was in. Shree almost gasped, he had seen Rathore in pretty tough situations but then a situation like this had never presented itself and he'd do anything to keep it from happening again.
"Hi Shree," Rathore says, straying his own eyes from those of his techie junior. "Kaise ho?"
"I'm good Sir, aap kaise hai?"
Rathore snapped his head at him again and just stared at Shree as if he was the dumbest person on the planet. And his stare did have the desired effect. Shree looked embarrassed and gave an awkward smile and was about to walk about when he saw the girls approaching.
Ayesha ran to hug the former chief meanwhile Sakshi and Liza stood on standby waiting
for their turn. Rathore smiled at them and hugged them, half expecting Riya, who was standing at the door come and do the same. His shoulders sank when he saw the conflict in her eyes.
"Kaise hai aap?" Ayesha asked. Shree snapped his head towards her but she just shrugged.
"Theek hoon." came the meek reply.
"Theek ho ya theek hone ki koshish kar rahe ho?" Sakshi asked.
But the answer never came.
Rathore took a step forward to walk towards Riya. She took a step back in retaliation.
"Riya," he voiced out in pain.
Riya shook her head, shaking away the tears in her eyes. She took a deep breath but was engulfed in anguish in the same breath.
"How could you?!!" she whispered. " how could you???"
"RIYA!" Ayesha reprimanded. How dare she question whatever had happened between two former best friends. "Tumhare pass koi haq nai hai kisi aur ke beete hue Kal ko judge karne ki. Abhi power mili hai iska Matlab ye nahi hai ki tum usse abuse karo !!"
Riya scoffed. "Na mujhe inse na hi inke beete Kal se lena dena hai. Lekin mere in pal se lena dena jo Mein ne dekhe hai chup chap bina kuch bole. Mera un pal se Lena dena hai jab insaaf ke Naam pe kisi aur ki zindagi se khilwaad hua hai"
Ayesha was fuming with anger and the same anger drove her to march towards the woman at the door.
But to her surprise, a hand stopped her in her tracks. Rathore's she realized. She looked at him with questions and anger seething off her face and he just said, "Bolne do usse".
Riya was crying at this point and made no attempt to hide it. Not from the man who was facade. Not from the team she was supposed to be leading.
"Whatever you and Roshni had is none of my business. You and I and every person in this room know that both of you were wrong. But what kills me is that despite everything, despite everything you have taught me over the years you proved to be someone you taught me to hate. A liar. A barefaced stone cold liar. YOU WRNT BEHIND YOUR BEST FRIEND'S BACK TO CHEAT ON HIM. FINE. BUT NO ONE, I REPEAT NO ONE, NOT ONE PERSON IN THIS WORLD OR THE NEXT GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO PLAY WITH HIS LIFE. "
" Riya maine kuc--" Rathore interjected.
" YOU SAW THE MAN YOU KNEW FOR YEARS SLOWLY LOSE HIS WILL TO LIvE. YOU SAW HIM LOSE HIMSELF TO THE PAIN THAT CAME WITH THE LOSS OF OF HIS BELOVED LIFE. YET YOU STOOD BY WATCHING HIM SLOWLY KILL A PEICE OF HIMSELF EACH DAY. YOU SAW IT AND NEVER REACHED OUT. INSTEAD YOU BLAMED HIM, KNOWING FULLY WELL THAT NONE OF IT WAS HIS FAULT. YOU FAULTED HIM EVERY DAMN DAY WHEN ALL HE WAS A BROKEN MAN WITH NEED FOR HEALING. BUT YOU, THE BEST FRIEND HE NEEDED, REACHED ONTO THE DEEPEST CORNERS OF HIS HEART AND TWISTED HIS LIFE INTO MISERY AND YOU HAVE THE F***ING AUDACITY TO TELL ME YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING. "
Riya knew she screaming but someone had to say it. Someone had to stand up for the man that had been the backbone of the team, supporting even his backstabbing friend of a man when need be.
Rathore stood crestfallen at the accusations that came, one after the other. And in his heart he knew she was right. Right than she was ever gonna say. He knew this her being courteous and respectful.
But Ayesha had had enough. Here was girl with a rank she had just earned raising multiple fingers on the man she adored, admired and loved. No way in hell was she going to stand back and watch.
"YOU CAN'T BE FREAKIN SERIOUS RIYA! JITNA DARD ARJUN SIR NE JHELA HAI UTNA HI AUR USSE ZYADA RATHORE SIR NE JHELA HAI!! ITNE SAAL TAK WOH DARD JHELTE RAHE. US KHADOOS INSAAN KI TARAH NAHI JO ABHI HOSPITAL MEIN AARAM KAR RAHA HAI JAB KE EK HONEST OFFICER KE BEETE HUE KAL KE WAJAH SE WOH APNI MEHNAT SE KAMAYA HUI RANK WAPIS KAR RAHE "
Rathore turned to see a seething Ayesha. A look of horror crept on his face. What had he done!!!
Riya read the emotions on his face and spoke up," Dekh liya aapne jo Nafrat aapne boyi hai sabke dilon Mein. Just because aapko apne regrets kisi aur pe thopne ki aadat hai " She turned towards Ayesha," Khadoos hai na. I agree. Lekin ek cheez aur hai jo tum sab conveniently bhul jaate ho. Insaan bhi hai. Tum aur tumhare Rathore sir ki tarah. Bhale hi Rathore sir ko bhi Dard hua hoga kisi apne aur khaas ko khone ka, unhe unke best friend ne dhoka nahi diya. Na hi 3 saal unhe koste rahe din raat, bina kisi Baat ke. Lekin nahi tum sab ne thaan li hai ke Arjun sir ko Insaan hone ka bhi margin nahi dete hai. Suna tha maine kya batein ho rahi thi conference room mein. Kabhi emotions nahi dikhate nahi hai is ka ye Matlab nahi ke woh ek robotic, khadoos darinde hai. Lekin hum kyu sonche ge unke baare Mein. Lekin afsos woh tum sab ki tarah nahi hai. Jis din ehsas hoga bohat der ho chuki hai. "
Riya stopped, took multiple deep breaths and wiped her tears. Rathore walked towards her hesitantly and this time she didn't walk away. Everyone looked away, hurt by the truthbombs that came their way.
" I'm sorry " Rathore whispered.
She scoffed." What for? What even for? Jo damage aapne karna tha woh aap kar chuke. Tell me one thing sir, ek baar bhi kya ek baar bhi aapko un par taras nahi aaya? Mein toh unhe Sirf teen mahine jaani hoon lekin Mein Bhi Dekh sakti thi woh kis cheez se guzar rahe the lekin aap toh unke best buddy the na. Kya itna aasan tha ye sab karna? Kya itna aasan tha unki bachi kuchi zindagi barbaad karna? Kya itna aasaan tha apne dost ko roz thes pohchana? Wahi dost jiski kaamiyabi ka sahara lekar aap yahan tak aaye"
He hung his head in shame.
Riya wiped her tears one last time and looked at the others," Tum log ne bhale in dono ACPs ke saath mujhse se zyada time bitaya hai lekin afsos sahi galat nahi pehchaan paaye. Personal affiliations aside, you failed to see the psychological damage being caused to one of yours. But you and I both know when something like this would have happened to any of us, said khadoos person would have stood up for us. " Taking a deep breath, she continued," Shaam tak report chahiye mujhe. Consider it an order or don't, since you clearly don't like me leading. But whether you like it or not you're stuck. And I like having my reports on time. Anyone having an issue with can report me for abusing my power."
She gave one last look at Rathore and was about to walk out when he spoke up," I'm glad he has you. Even when he had no one you were there for him. Even if I tried to discouraged you. Arjun was right about you, him sab Mein shayad sab se zyada tum strong ho. Shayad tum ne hi kisi Mein ek Insaan dekha hai."
"Agar waqt rehte aap unka saath dete, toh shayad ye din na aap dekhte na woh" Riya walked towards the door. And as one final blow she turned,stared Rathore dead in the eyes and said," If anything happens to him, you know I am going to hold you accountable."
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A/N: Here's chap 3 and I am sorry for the delay but things have been hectic for a while now. My semester exams have been preponed by a month from March 24 to Feb 24 and there's a ton of work to be done before I even start prepping for my exams. So that means tight deadlines and no time.
The future updates are gonna be late ,late than usual might I add but I hope I can find some spare time to get to this!
Thanks for reading
Thanks for the update.loved the way Riya stood up to Rathore.
All the best for exams. Just focus on your exams. Don't worry about the story .
Riya ne rathore ki asliyat dikha di luvd it shame to other etifians fab update dear eagerly waiting for nxt and thanks for pm
Ayesh was letting her personal relationship love overpower and blame Arjun especially when he is not der to defend himself..he probably won't to peep whom he does not trust
But shree is his loyalty tilted towards rathore
What about saaks
Ver is chotu ?
This is wonderful I m hating ayesha right now how could she speak what all she did
Plz I want you to show her her place and also what is right and wrong
WOWWWWWW
I love... love... love.... LOVE... LOOVVEEEE THIISSSSS!!!!!!!!
This is such an awesome update
I love it so muchhh
The way Riya scolded Sameer was absolutely phenomenal!
It panned out so beautifully
The dynamic with Riya at the head and the resentment and Ayesha's defence for Sameer and Riya's loathe.
Especially the part where she drops the truth about Sameer making everyone hate Arjun to the extent of dehumanising him
I dont even know what to say about Ayesha
Gajab hai ye banda, he has the guts to say ki he is happy about Riya being with him? Nobody wants your opinion dude! And you have no rights to give it either!
Bahot maza aa gaya
Update soon whenever you can, I will be waiting
Apart from how much in love I am with this update, I am also wondering the conversation between Arjun and Riya after Arjun come to know about his (potential) lady love going ballistic. Would Riya be as callous as she was right now or will she be a nervous wreck or both?
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