Karan went towards the washroom and saw some men standing outside it,

He clenched his jaw but calmed himself,

Karan - Preeta!(shouts)

Preeta heard his voice and came out slowly,she saw the men looking at her lustfully and gulped,she went towards Karan slowly,

Karan - you okay?

Preeta nodded being scared seeing  the men,

Karan - chalo yaha se!

Preeta nodded and both started leaving,

The men also started following them,

Man 1 - are humse bhi to baat karlo madam!

Preeta held Karan's arm,he looked at her and fisted his hand controlling himself,

Man 2 - are ek baar peeche mur kar to dekhlo!

Man 3 - suno to zara!ek raat hamare saath bhi zara...(laughs)

Karan stopped and fisted his hand angrily,Preeta looked at him,she couldn't easily sense anger,

Preeta - Karan chalo!

Karan - nahi!

Preeta - Karan please...unn logo par dhyaan mat do...tum chalo!

Karan - lekin....

Preeta - please!(drags him with her)

Karan looks back at the men who were laughing,his eyes showed rage towards them,he looked at Preeta and then at the men,

Later Preeran went back,Karan dropped her at her home and went somewhere,

After sometime,

The same dhaaba was shown,the same men were standing and laughing beside the bushes,

Suddenly a man entered there wearing hoodie and mask,he looked at them and stood in front of them,

Man 1 - kon ho bhai?

He remained silent,

Man 2 - oo bhai kon hai tu?itni raat ko yaha kya kar raha hai?

No response,

Man 1 - abe sidhe sidhe puch rahe hai bata kon hai tu...warna apne tarike bhi hai hamare pass..bata kon hai....(before he could complete....)

"Teri maut"

They started laughing,

Man - abe pee kar aaya hai kya?

"Tch tch tch...haslo haslo...waise bhi acha hai na...haste haste hi maut ho jaayegi!"

Man(angrily) - ae...dimag kharab hogya hai kya...kya bole jaa raha hai!

"Kya hai na mai jyada bolne me vishwaas nahi rakhta...isiliye sidha kaam pe aata hu"

They looked at him confused,he smirked,

He took out a knife from his back and acted playing with it,they looked at him fearly,

Man - ae...ae kya kar raha hai tu...kya bigaada hai humne tera!

"Tumne meri zindagi ki sbse keemti cheez par nazar daalne ki glti ki hai!usse haath lagane ki sochne ki glti!usee cherne ki glti!"

"Meri mohobat hai wo...aur uss par koi buri nazar daale to mujhe manzoor nahi!uski mohobat me mai kisi bhi hadh tak jaa skta hu...uss hadh tak jaha mujhe koi nahi rok skta...koi nahi rok skta uspar parne waali buri nazar ko mitaane se!koi nahi"

The men gulped seeing him,he started moving towards them,they started moving back in the bushes,

"Upar jaane se pehle dekh to lo...ki tumhari lakeero me maut likhi kisne hai!"

He removed his mask and hoodie,

"(Whispers) Karan Luthra ne!"

They slipped and fell there,he moved back,they looked at him confused and they touched the ground feeling something,

Man - ye..ye kya hai?

Karan - Tumlogo ki aakhri saansein!

He took out a matchbox from his pocket and lits a matchstick,they looked at him fearly,

He smirked and threw the matchstick on them,

Fire instantly took place there,they started shouting getting burned,but there was no one to help them,

Karan laughed madly looking at them,his eyes were reflecting the fire,

He smile turned into anger,he went towards the fire,kneeled down and kept his hand near it,he was getting burning sensations on his knuckles,

Karan - koi..koi bhi meri babydoll par buri nazar nahi daal skta!koi usse nuksaan pohochaane ke baare me soch bhi nahi skta....(madly) mai bhi nahi!

He turned and left from there smirking evilly,

Next day,

Preeta entered office and saw everyone a lil tensed,she went to Sonal,

Preeta - kya hua?sab itne tensed kyu hai?

Sonal - wo Karan sir....

Preeta - kya hua?

Sonal - Karan sir ke dad aaye hai!unke cabin me hai!

Preeta - to kya hua?

Sonal - jab bhi Karan sir ke dad aate hai...they get into a huge argument!bahot gusse me hote hai sir!unke aur unke dad ke beech good terms nahi hai!

Preeta(tensed) - ohh..iska mtlb iss wakt sir....

Sonal - surely bahot gusse me honge!

Preeta looked at her and then went towards Karan's cabin,she could clearly hear Karan angry voice,

Karan - aapko maine kitni baar mana kiya hai Mr Mahesh Luthra...ki aap mere ghar aur mere office me enter nahi krenge! phir bhi aap yaha aagye!

Mahesh - dad hu tumhara!I can come anywhere I want!

Karan - no you can't!you are not allowed to! smjhe aap!

Mahesh - bhul mat Karan ye jo sab hai meri wajah se hai!!

Karan(shouts angrily) - kuch bhi aapki wajah se nahi hai...maine apne dam par ye business khara kiya hai!koi haath nahi hai aapka!so just don't get yourself in this!

Preeta flinches seeing his anger,

Mahesh - aur tere andar jo ye khoon beh raha hai wo?bhul mat mera hi khoon hai wo!

Karan - yahi to meri sabse bari badkismati hai!ki aapka khoon hu mai!par chinta mat kijiye...kyuki iska aapko koi profit nahi hoga...kyuki mere liye meri mom sbse jyada important hai!aap nahi!

Mahesh - Karan tu.....

Karan(shouts) - nikal jaaiye abhi ke abhi yaha se...warna mujhe guards ko bulwaana parega!

Mahesh looked at him angrily and stormed out of his cabin,Preeta flinched looking at him,

Mahesh looked at Preeta once and then left angrily,

Preeta saw into Karan's cabin,he was angrily punching on wall,she panicked and went towards him,

Preeta - Karan ruk jaao...please Karan tumhe lag jaayegi...ruk jaao!

He wasn't stopping and continuously punching on wall,she kept her hand in front of him,he stopped and sighed angrily,

Preeta - kyu khud ko chot pohocha rahe ho?kitna dard ho raha hoga!

Karan(expressionless) - mujhe dard nahi hota!

Preeta - acha..lagta hai tumme superpowers hai!shayad mujhme bhi hongi...try karti hu!

He looked at her,she was about to punch on wall but he held her hand and pulled her,

Karan(angrily) - dimag kharab hogya hai tumhara?jaanti ho dard hoga fir bhi.....

Preeta - dard sbko hota hai Karan!

Karan - mujhe nahi ho raha!

Preeta - mai iss haath me lage hue chot ki baat nahi kar rahi...mai uss chot ki baat kar rahi hu jo tumhare dil ko lagi hai!tumhari aankhein baya kar rahi hai Karan...ki tum iss wakt rona chahte ho...kisise apna dard baatna chahte ho...par ussi dard ko tum gusse ke naam dekar nikaal rahe ho!

Karan looked at her tearfully,still holding his tears back,

Karan - aisa kuch nahi hai!

She sighed and made him sit,she took out first aid box and started applying ointment on his hand,

She looked at his confusingly,

Preeta(mind) - ye to jalne ke ghaav hai!taaze lagte hai!(looked at Karan) pata nahi!choro!

She looked at Karan who was sitting expressionless,

Preeta - dard andar chupaaye rakhne se wo aur jyada mehsus hota hai Karan!Aur bata dene se wo bhoj kam ho jaata hai!tum apna dard kisi ko bata doge to kamzor saabit nahi hoge...isiliye ye mat sochna ki tum kisi ke saamne thore aasun baha doge to log tumhe kamzor smjhne lagenge!baaki tumhe jo karna hai karo!maine bas as a friend boldiya!(completes his bandage) ye hogya!mai chlti hu!

She stood and turned to go but felt a tug on her hand,she turned and saw him holding her hand,tears started flowing from his eyes,she sat in front of him on couch,

Karan - jab ek bache ko mom dad ka pyaar chahiye hota hai...maine mere mom dad ko ladte jhagarte dekha...meri mom ko rote hue dekha...tadapte hue dekha!my dad was a monster...or I say he is a monster...unhone mom ko ek maid jaisa treat kiya hmesha...maine rokne ki koshish ki to mera gussa bhi mom par nikaalte...aur mom iss so called society ke dar se chup rehti hmesha!

Preeta looked at him in tears,his eyes were reflecting pain,

Karan - mai 16 saal ka tha...jab mere dad ek din ghar apni maashuka ke saath aaye...mere mom jo roz thora thora tut rahi thi...wo puri tarah se tut gayi...he married that bitch...aur pata hai..(chuckles bitterly) kaha ki hume uss ghar se jaane ki zarurat nahi hai...mom ko wo maid ki tarah rakhenge...aur mujhe kaha ki mai uss aurat ko apni maa accept karu...(chuckles) ladka hu na...to socha hoga ki aage kaam aaunga paise kamaane me..vansh aage badhaane me...ladki hoti to usse bhi mom ki tarah treat krte!

Preeta held his hand trying to calm him,he held her hand tightly,

Karan - uss din maine apna saara aapa kho diya...jitni respect bachi thi sab khatam krdi..aur chor diya wo ghar mom ke saath...mom ne kaam kiya....maine padhai aur kaam kiya...dheere dheere sab thik hone laga...par wo aadmi hmesha hamari zindagi me aata rehta hai!par dekho still I am here...(chuckles) The Karan Luthra!

Karan - par unn yaadon ka kya...jab maine apni mom ko rote tadapte dekha!dad ki wajah se roz thora thora tutte marte hue dekha!

His tears weren't stopping,bitter memories were eating him up,Preeta was holding back her tears seeing his condition,

Preeta - itna kuch chupaa rakha tha apne andar...tum schme The Karan Luthra ho...jisne itna kuch sehne ke baad bhi khudko prove kar dikhaaya...apne liye...apni mom ke liye!

Karan hugged her tightly,she hugged him back patting his back trying to calm him,

Preeta - aur yaadon ka kya hai...ache pal jiyo...khush raho...apni mom ko khush raho....to wo yaadein khud tumhara raasta bhul jaayengi!

Karan broke the hug and saw her,

Preeta - just relax...tum rote hue ache nahi lagte!balaji ki kasam!

Karan chuckles,

Karan - thank you!thank you so.....

Preeta kept her finger on his lips,

Preeta - kharabdaar jo thank you bola!dost hona mere...to phir iss rishte me thank you ka kya kaam!

Karan smiled and nods,she smiles seeing him.

To be continued.