Chapter 27: Face to Face

Arjun never thought that his Massa could turn out to be like this. When his parents were killed in a car crash when he was very young all he had was his Massi who took care of him. Not like a mother as her husband did not want anything to do with him, still he had her to rely on.

Sheetal was more than a sister to him. She was a child in his eyes and will always be the same. And if not for him, today that kid would have been happily married to someone else than that Rohan. It was because of his relation with Rohan that brought him and his bachelorhood to light and made him be considered as prospective groom for his kid sister.
Damn!

All the time he thought that his Massaji was selfish, he never had an idea of what he was actually. With every word Samrat said now, he did not know what to feel for this man. Everything was out in light. It was all true. Samrat Sachdev was the man of whom a village that was never in Indian map is afraid to even take his name of.

Every word Samrat Sachdev said was being made into a statement by his legal advisor and Raghuveer was also taking notes of all the confession coming from the old man. Sheetal, that kid true to her word never interfered the men and waited in the main hall, all anxious.

Arjun: Mr. Sachdev, do you realise that you are confessing?

Samrat: Yes!

Arjun: To 2 murders.

Advocate Sharma: Attempted murders!

Arjun: Sorry to say Mr. Sharma. But both of them are dead and one of the 2 was a kid, of just 4 years old who happens to be your client's daughter!

Samrat(speaking with difficulty): Leave! Both are.. doing.. your.. job! See Arjun.. You.. may think I am.. a Monster.. I am not denying.. Because I was.. brought up that way by my.. Bauji who was no less than.. monster himself. And Hazratganj.. had rules.. to have a woman all we had to do was marry her.. Because it was never her place to give consent.. Once we had our fill.. She will be willing to move.. as separation was in her hands.. The terrific authority we had.. was our huge plus there as no one would turn against our words.. Why not.. we were the only one who can provide them with food. They never cultivated cereals as that place was not fit for it. So it was all tea estate. We exported them and in return to the huge profit we provided them with food.

That made them from opening their mouth. It was Bade Bauji's idea to merge Hazratganj with Hansi and loot all the wealth from Indian government when they started separating districts after independence. And it was not difficult as those tribes were so less and under our control completely.

Raghuveer: Until it was just keeping them in control and treating them as slaves it is ok. But why did you have to kill your  wife and child?

Samrat snorted listening to the word WIFE.

Samrat: Aarika was never my wife. Sheetal's mother Rama was my wife. Aarika was just one of my mistresses from that village. It was not easy to get to her given the rules of the village. But she saw my bauji talking to a collector who had come to him with suspicions about Hazratganj and went out with lot of fortune after listening to Bauji's victory tale! I never wanted to kill her. I used to hit her as she wanted out. And that son of hers. He was her bodyguard. He used to irritate me so much. And I used to take all that irritation on her. Until it was just her, she never stood up. But the animal in me..

Samrat hung his head and stopped talking as if it took so much energy. Arjun and Raghuveer knew what was coming. Being a cop, they did know how to deal with it. But still it stung to see or listen to the injustice to the daughters of the country.

Samrat: I started hitting Anjali! She was just 2 years. Once I had my hands on her, Aarika became Kaalika! She turned up and stood for the boy and Anjali. Seeing that I did stop hurting the kids. But one fine day, everything in me snapped because here Rama came to know everything. I kept her in Delhi all safe without letting her know anything going back in here, but she came to know everything. She confronted me and I snapped at Aarika! The boy managed to save her and Anjali but I sent my men after them as I did not want anyone in Hazratganj to know. Looks like I was unsuccessful.

Raghuveer: Are you having regrets Mr. Sachdev?

Samrat: Yes. Because for whatever we, Me, my bauji, his father all did, my daughter is getting punished. It's true that I wanted a son, but that does not mean I hate my daughter. I am a man of olden time from remote place. Still I did find my love for Sheetal. She does not deserve this life Arjun beta. Do something.

Arjun: Sheetal should take her step. And if your son is going to complain against everything you did, I will have to take action.

Samrat(expectant): You know my son? Is he here?

Arjun: Yes. He is in Delhi. With a different name. Don't have high hopes. Because if I am right, the moment he sees you, you will not live. Either you will die in his hands or out of shame to see him. That will be all. If you want to make arrangements for bailing out in advance, you are most welcome Mr. Sharma! Thanks for your time. Chalo Raghuveer.

IN Delhi Medical Foundation..!

Arnav was sitting in waiting room looking at the OT for Dr. Sarah to come out. And she came out. Muskaan and Arnav rushed to her.

Sarah: Mr. Raizada! No success with her family?

Arnav: What is it?

Sarah: She had internal bleeding. We had to stitch it as I suspected earlier. But due to bleeding, we had to get her into coma and for next 48 hours we are going to let her intake blood through IV and observe her. But after that if she did not wake up, then I am not very sure of her survival.

Arnav: WHAT DO YOU MEAN!?

Sarah: There is no use yelling at me Mr. Raizada. Now my job here is done. Khushi will be shifted to PSCU for observation. I will check her once in a while. Now I am taking your leave. Muskaan, will you be able to note her vitals?

Muskaan: Sure.

The moment Arnav heard about Khushi's survival, Arnav lost it. As if he was not able to carry himself, he settled in nearby chair with a big thump. Muskaan ran to him.

Muskaan: Bhai!

Arnav: What have I done to her?

WHAT HAPPENED TO HER?

Both turned to see Soham standing there glaring at Arnav without absolute disgust.

Muskaan: You please don't say anything to him. Can't you see. He is already broken.

Soham: I don't care. Do you know how sensitive my Di is? And now I hear that she is in coma. What did he do to her? And why is her name entered as Khushi and not with your name?

Muskaan: This is not the time to discuss all these.

Arnav: I never married her.

That was all soham needed. Next moment, his hands were on Arnav's collar.

Soham: Kya kiya uske saath? Shaadi bhi nahi ki.. ab bacha bhi? Rakhel bana diya hamare behen ko Raakshas! (What you had done.. not married her and this baby? You made my sister a mistress, you monster?

Arnav: Rakhel nahi hai woh! SHE IS NOT MY MISTRESS! Samjhe tum?

This time Arnav raised his voice too. Muskaan had to struggle to pull apart both these men who were fighting for a single woman who did not have a chance to see the love showered on her till now.

Soham sat on the waiting room opposite to Arnav glaring at him while Arnav never saw anything beyond the PSCU door. And Muskaan was stuck between.

It was almost going to strike 11 in night, when Arnav saw his mother getting beaten to death again. The monster beating her, lashing her, hurting her and then forcing himself on his mother. Arnav started shaking not able to save his mother. But suddenly everything changed. That monster was no longer Samrat Sachdev. It was himself. The woman turned to Khushi! Arnav's face went pale. He started shaking more vigorously.

Arnav: No! NO! Khushi... Maa! NOOO!

BHAI!

Someone was shaking him. He opened his eyes and saw his surrounding. He was in hospital under the AC but sweating bad. Muskaan was looking at him with concern while Soham was looking at him with question.

Arnav could not take it so he  stood up and strode out of the room without knowing the destiny.

Soham(looking at retreating Arnav): What is the problem with him?

Muskaan(helplessly): I don't know! He never shares. Before it was just his mother. Now Khushi is also affecting him. She better wake up alright. I like to see my Bhai as the strong man I always knew.

Soham: My di.. She is always active. Always smiling. Why her.

Muskaan: Whatever it is. Never lash out Bhai like that. Not even Khushi. They both are going through so much pain that we can have no realization of.

Soham: What happened to Di's baby?

Muskaan: In neonatal Care Unit.

Soham: What happened?

Muskaan: He is fine. Just he is prematurely delivered. So he is kept under observation for nourishment.

Soham(smiling a little): Di gave birth to a boy? I have a nephew?

Muskaan: Yes. He is(checking her watch)  five and half hours old.

Soham: Can we see him?

Muskaan: Sure.

In neonatal care unit.

Muskaan showed him a cute little baby boy in incubator.

Soham: He is so small.

Muskaan: He is premature. But he will look fine once he is taken care of.

Soham: Did his father see him?

Muskaan(sadly): No

Soham(eyebrow raised): Why?

Muskaan: He was more concerned about Khushi as she was in in OT. And then he  was not in stage to think about the baby.

Soham took in all details with a frown. He did not question anything FOR NOW! Both were looking at the baby and then both went back to waiting room. Only to find Arnav still missing.

Outside..!

MAHENDRA CHACHA. DON'T NEED TO WAIT HERE. OUT THE CAR IN PARKING AND WAIT THERE.

Mahendra: Sheetal bitiya! Why are we here at this time?

Sheetal: I just wanted some drugs for Dad and some medicines for myself. We have our insurance here na and the dispensary here is 24/7.

Mahendra: Theek hai bitiya. I will wait in the parking. But careful.

Sheetal smiled her answer and rushed to the hospital dispensary that was separated from the main hospital by a little garden.

WHAT HAVE I DONE? WHY DID I BEHAVE LIKE THAT MONSTER TO KHUSHI? WHY?

Arnav kept asking himself the same thing again and again. When he was in teenage with raging hormones, he put all his energy into working to make something good out of himself.
Then once he had the name and fame, his hormones started kicking again. He was hot man with boiling blood. Without proper guidance in his adolescence, he never knew how to focus all this pent up frustration. But then it was not a problem. His money helped him to lose himself up a bit.
But he was the one who always had the control. Never did he do something that was done unwilling by his sex partner nor did he force. Why force when you always had other options. This way his life was always in control.

Then came Khushi. She triggered something so deep in him. She woke up the monster in him. She made him swivel out of control. His ordered life came tumbling down. He was not able to approach another woman after Khushi and his sexual frustration kept on increasing. But that was not an excuse to do something so unforgivable to such a soft hearted girl. HE IS A MONSTER. JUST LIKE THAT EXCUSE OF HIS FATHER.

OUCH!

He heard as he leaned on the garden wall with closed eyes letting his thoughts train run. He immediately opened his eyes and saw a girl about to fall. He rushed to her.

Sheetal closed her eyes and kept her hands around her tummy to save her baby. She may fall but she cannot let anything happen to her baby. It was all she had. But the anticipated fall never came.

She opened her eyes slowly and realized that she was safe. Arnav steadied her and let her breath. He saw her steadying her heartbeats and breath and then turning to him. She gave him a brilliant smile.
It was not difficult for him to understand that this pretty girl was not a single life. Just the way she hugged her mid when she was about to fall had him see the life in there. If Anjali was alive today, she would have grown beautiful like the girl standing in front of him.

Arnav: Are you fine? Tum theek ho?

Sheetal: I am fine.

Arnav: Not just you..

Sheetal( smiling): We both are fine. How?

Arnav: Just the way you held yourself. You are going somewhere?

Sheetal: Ahh! To the dispensary to get medicines.

Arnav(frowning): Why? Anything wrong?

He was frowning at himself. He never asked this much question with concern to anyone except Khushi, Muskaan and Gurpreet. Then why now?

Sheetal(Smiling): No.. I am fine. Just regular doses. Now I should get going.

Arnav: I am coming.

Sheetal: That is not needed.

Arnav(stubborn): Still I am coming with you. Its dark and really late.

Sheetal understood that she did not have a choice. So she nodded and Arnav followed her till the dispensary.

Arnav: Here you go.

Sheetal(genuine): Thank you BHAI!

Arnav stood dumbfounded. Even when Muskaan called him Bhai, he did not have that tingling sensation running through his body. But this girl whom he didn't even know calls him Bhai by gratitude and he was feeling as if..

Sheetal(waving hands in front of him):  BHAI?

Anjali was calling him. WHY OH WHY!!

To be continued.

SO how was the bombshell?

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