Part 36 Torn Mask

Arnav was shocked to the core to see Shyam giving the diamond set to the merchant. He looked at Anjali gulping down. Anjali looked at him and then at his phone. She was horrified to see the pic. She snatched his phone from his hand and looked at the pic zooming it. It was the same diamond set. Anjali looked at Arnav with teary eyes.

"The diamond merchant called me, Di. He said someone brought the diamond set for sale, getting doubt because he knows we would not sell our jewels. I was confused about how it went missing without your knowledge. That's why I asked you to check it, Di..." Arnav didn't say I suspect Shyam.

Anjali sat with a thud. Her eyes poured uncontrolled. Arnav sat next to her. He clutched her hand.

"Di, don't you think Shyam's recent activities are doubtful nowadays?"

Anjali looked at him with pooled-up eyes.

"I don't deny he was a nice person when you married him but I see many changes in him in recent days. He conflicts with his own words. He stammers a lot... just think about Akash and Payal's wedding. Why did he try to stop their wedding, putting cheap blame on Payal? Do you try to get an answer?"

"I don't know what to do Chotte. I don't know what's missing"

"Why did he take ( he didn't say, STEAL) your diamond set without your permission and sell it? You would have given him money if he had asked you... Would not you?"

She nodded yes.

"Then why did he do this? The diamond set is nearly one crore... What expenses does he have that he needs so much money? That too without your knowledge?"

Anjali had no answer.

"Does he do anything against your wish or against you?"

Anjali looked at him painfully as she also had the same doubt.

"What do you want me to do, Chotte?" She chocked.

"What do YOU (stressing) want me to do DI? Di, you know you are important to me. Your safety is more important to me than anything. How could I be peaceful after knowing you are with a thief?"

Anjali closed her eyes painfully, hearing him addressing Shyam as THIEF.

"You can do whatever you want, Chotte... I won't stop you..." She said keeping her eyes closed.

"I won't take any action unless it's needed. I asked Mr. Lal to bring the diamond merchant. We will conclude after inquiring about him thoroughly. If you want, I won't inquire about him but you"

Anjali nodded no.

"You can inquire about him. I know you will not do anything irrelevant. I know you will not let anyone hurt me"

Arnav hugged Anjali emotionally.

At the same time, HP came there.

"Arnav Baba, Lalji is here"

Arnav nodded and HP left.

"Di, if you want, we will inquire him alone in my room"

"No need Chotte, if he is a thief, everyone should be aware of it"

Arnav nodded ok. He brought Anjali to the living room.

Lal was waiting with another diamond merchant in the living room.

"Namaste Raizadaji"

Arnav nodded his head.

"Tell me, Mr. Lal"

Lal told them about how they designed diamond jewelry and how he found out, it was the same diamond set that Arnav brought from them.

Lal showed them the set sold by Shyam. Anjali controlled herself not to cry in front of strangers.

The diamond merchant showed them a few more photos of Shyam that he downloaded from the CCTV footage.

Raizadas were shocked to the core to see those pics. It tore Shyam's mask mercilessly. Nani and Manorama were miserably gazed at Anjali who was suffocating to control her tears.

At the same time, Shyam came to RM like a bad-for-nothing. He was supposed to push the door but stopped listening to Nani.

"Chotte, what's all this?" Nani asked.

"Haam Nani, Shyam's recent activities are so irritating and doubtful. Now it went to the extent of stealing Di's diamond jewelry set"

Shyam was horrified. How did they know he stole it? He looked inside through the little gap. He gulped down to see the diamond merchant sitting in front of Arnav. He understood his chapter was closed. there was nothing that could save him from Arnav. But, how did the merchant find out it was Anjali's jewel? He could not conclude. He could not see Anjali's face as she was facing her back.

"Chotte, what are you going to do now?" Nani asked.

Arnav gestured for her to be quiet and looked at Lal.

"Thank you for your help, Mr. Lal," Arnav said standing up from the couch.

Lal and the merchant also stood up.

"I will give you the amount you gave for this jewelry set" Arnav took his chequebook out.

"No no, why would you give the money, Raizadaji? We will have to catch the thief who stole this jewel from your house. But how did he enter this mansion, crossing all the security?"

"I don't think so. It must be stolen by someone so familiar with your family. Otherwise, it's not possible to enter RM" Lal said.

"We will take care of it, Mr. Lal. Please keep it secret. I don't want anyone to know this issue" Arnav said.

"Of course, how would I leak it? Don't I know it's all about your family's respect?"

Anjali closed her eyes. What would people think if the truth about Shyam leaked? She felt ashamed.

"Tell me the amount"

"One crore ten lakhs"

Arnav filled the amount in the cheque and gave it to the merchant. Taking it, they left the place. Shyam hid in the corner until they left. He again came to the entrance and stood.

"I can't believe this. Why does Damadji need this much money? Why did he steal the jewelry when Anjali is ready to do whatever he wants?" Manorama asked.

"I can't understand anything. Chotte, what are you going to do?" Nani asked.

Arnav looked at Anjali who stood up furiously.

"I'm not going to forgive him for what he did. He insulted me... made me feel ashamed... this is too much for me to handle... I can't bear this... Chotte, ask him why did he do that. If he doesn't give you a proper answer, hand him to the police..." Anjali said wrathfully.

Shyam gritted his teeth. It was clear that he could not enter RM anymore. None of them would trust his words anymore. He didn't care if Anjali didn't trust him but how could he be without entering RM? it was the place that included everything he wanted... especially Khushi.

Shyam silently left RM. He should do something immediately. Anjali allowed Arnav to hand him to the police. That idiot would do whatever his sister said. He was already angry with him for betraying his sister. This was the best chance for Arnav to revenge on him. He would not miss the chance but tried to strengthen it. Before him doing anything, he should hurry.

He didn't see the truck coming in the opposite direction. He crossed the road thinking about his future. In no time, the truck hit him and he fell on the road, getting hit on his head.

After a while,

Anjali received a call from an unknown number. She attended the call.

"Hello..."

"Is it Anjali?"

"Yes..."

"Ma'am, we found your number in his mobile emergency calls"

Anjali understood whose mobile the man was talking.

"How did you get his mobile?"

"He met with an accident madam. He is admitted to the hospital. I'm his Doctor. His head got eight stitches"

Anjali looked at Arnav gulping down.

"What happened di?"

"He met with an accident"

"Who?"

"Shyamji"

"Whaaat?"

"The doctor is on call"

Taking the phone from her hand, Arnav spoke.

"Hello, doctor... what happened to him?"

"His head is injured. The wound had been stitched. Eight stitches. He is unconscious..."

"Which hospital?"

"GH"

"Ok, we are coming"

Arnav disconnected the call and looked at Akash.

"I will come with you, Bhai," he said.

Arnav switched his gaze to Anjali.

"I'm not coming," She said looking down.

"Di, if you want to come..."

"No Chotte..." she said cutting him.

Arnav knew why she didn't want to meet him. She would become weaker if she saw him in this condition. That was why she avoided coming to the hospital.

Arnav nodded ok and left RM with Akash.

"What are you going to do, Bahi?"

"Do you have any ideas?"

"Bhai, this is the best chance we got to abandon him. we should not compromise on that...hand him to the police. Di too asked you to do it. Please do it, Bhai"

Arnav nodded ok.

They came to GH and inquired about Shyam. He was in the common ward after getting stitches.

"It seems his condition is not serious," Akash said.

"I think so"

They came to the common ward. They stopped hearing him talking with the doctor.

"No, doctor... I went to Lucknow to meet my Buaji who is ill... I don't know how I met with an accident"

Arnav and Akash looked at each other with confusion because Shyam's Buaji died within a few months of Shyam and Anjali's wedding.

"This is Delhi GH," the doctor said.

That was when Shyam saw Arnav and Akash.

"Doctor, sir... see, my brothers-in-law came. I married their sister just a month ago. Ask them if I'm wrong" he said smiling at them.

The doctor looked at them and walked to them.

"Are you his brothers-in-law?"

Arnav nodded yes.

"Any problem?"

"He has forgotten everything that RECENTLY happened in his life... maybe, three or four years' happenstance..."

Arnav and Akash looked at each other horrified.

To be continued...