Part 51 Informer

"By the way, Arnav, why should we wait for another call? Why should not we implement the plan right away?" Khushi asked.

"No Khushi, it will not be wise. Servants of Mini Palace saw us being normal this morning. You left the Mini Palace with Lavanya. The details would have reached Mithra as of now. So, if you do anything now, she may suspect us. So, wait...! More than that, we should not hurry. Our every step should be careful"

"Mmm... I don't like meeting you like a thief" she said hugging him.

"We are meeting like a thief to catch the thief. Don't feel bad,"

"You know what till today, I thought my father missed doing his fatherly duty but now, I got to know he even missed being a nice husband."

"Why do you think so?"

"He let her be with him when he was drinking. Would any man allow a woman to be with him?"

"We didn't know what exactly happened, Khushi. Your mother saw her pouring whiskey into a glass. We didn't know whether she joined him from the beginning or, after he went to an intoxicant state. If it is after his intoxicant state, we can't blame him. I don't think he would have allowed her to be with him when he was in his senses. More than that, don't underestimate Mithra. She entered your palace with a perfect plan of trapping your father and moved her cards accordingly I suppose. So, she would have been very cautious about getting into your father's GOOD BOOK. If he had doubts about her activity, he would have gotten alert. She would not have let it happen. So, she would have trapped your father in some other way. Only your father could answer this"

"Then why did he announce their marriage within a month of my mother's demise...?"

"That's why he announced..."

Khushi looked at him frowning.

"What does that mean?"

"He might have been under pressure"

"What pressure?"

"Wait for a while... why should we assume everything? Very soon, the truth will come out"

"Ok... I will be waiting. What now?"

"Go home... I will come later"

"Mm..."

"What if Mithra got to know your AR visit?" I smirked and Khushi got stuck.

"Won't she doubt us?" I asked.

"Yes, Arnav... what will we do?"

"You are here to backcheck me... understand?"

Khushi smiled and nodded yes.

"Before you get down from your Mini Cooper, put your mobile in silent mode and pretend like talking with your friend on the phone. Just say, 'I went to his office to check whether anybody is with him but no' OK?" I explained what she should do.

Khushi nodded ok.

"Make sure your acting is real. Don't talk louder"

Khushi again nodded ok and left AR. I was sure she would do as per my guidance.

I concentrated on my work. After forty minutes, I got a call from Khushi. I attended it.

"Haan, Khushi, tell me"

"I did what you said. When I pretended like talk to my friend on the phone, a few servants were around me. I lowered my tone as if I didn't want them to hear me"

"What was their reaction?"

"They spared a glance at one another. Harini asked me what happened"

"What did you tell her?"

"I said nothing..."

"Are you sure you said nothing to her?"

"No... she is a nice girl. Yet, I didn't tell her anything"

"Good... don't trust anyone for a few days"

"For a few days?"

"Until we are done with our plan"

"Ok, when will you come home?"

"As usual... why? Do you want me to come soon?" I asked cheesily.

"I will be happy if you come soon but don't leave your work incomplete"

"As you say, madam"

Khushi chuckled.

"Bye..."

"See you in the evening" I disconnected the call.

I leaned on the seat and thought about the recent happenings of my life. How beautifully my and Khushi's relationship took a turn! Suddenly, I got a phone call... correction, Khushi got a phone call on my mobile. Bose confirmed it was Mithra's number. It was enough for me to prove Mithra's evil deed to everyone. Yet, I asked Khushi to wait because I wanted to know the informer who passed every piece of information to Mithra from the Mini Palace. It was because I could not find it out after Mithra was proven. I didn't want the informer to be in the Mini Palace. I could not let such a creature be free with Khushi. I already connected the dots and almost came to a conclusion about who it was but I wanted a firm prof to prove it. Let me see, my assumption would be true.

Evening

Winding up my work in AR, I left. I started the car towards the Mini Palace. I dialed Harikesh while driving the car. He attended the call.

"Haan, Arnav..."

"Hari, I'm going home,"

"OK done... I will do it"

"Thank you" I disconnected the call.

Today, I would catch the informer red-handed. Yet, I should not react. I should make myself up to be serene. If I reacted to it, the informer would alert Mithra. I should not let it happen. I needed much more patience today. I calmed myself down and got down from my car, taking my coat and the laptop bag. I walked in loosening my tie. As usual, servants wished me GODO EVENING. Accepting their greetings with a slight nod, I headed to our room. That was when I stopped hearing,

"Excuse me, sir,"

It was Harini.

"Yes..." I raised my brows.

"I want off tomorrow, sir"

I GOT STUCK for a while and asked.

"Why?"

"It's our family function, sir. My mother wants me to attend it"

"Didn't you ask Khushi?" I asked.

"I did sir. She is the one who asked me to get permission from you"

I took a deep breath and nodded my head and said,

"Go..."

"Thank you, sir," Harini said looking down and left the place.

I came to our room and left the door unclosed. I saw Khushi sitting on the bed, checking her mobile... correction, pretending to check.

I texted her a message to her. She slowly raised her eyelashes and looked at me. I gestured for her to read the message. She opened the message and read it. She looked at me jerking. I blinked my eyes.

I was supposed to go to the washroom, Khushi shouted,

"What the hell..."

I looked at her.

She came to me furiously and made me turn around.

"What happened, Khushi?" I asked.

"Mind you tell me what the hell is this?"

"What?" I frowned.

She dragged me to the mirror and made me turn opposite to the mirror.

"Look at you back in the mirror," She said panting hard.

I tried to look at my back but I could not.

"what do you want me to see, Khushi? I could not see anything"

Without thinking of anything, Khushi started unbuttoning my shirt.

"Khushi, what are you doing?"

She pulled my shirt and turned it. She showed it back to me. I was stuck seeing lipstick mark on my shirt.

"What's this?" Khushi asked.

"Khushi, I really don't know how it came to my shirt"

"Without your knowledge, how could it come to your shirt? Who was close to your back?"

"No one..." I said.

"Even after the phone call, I'm silent because I thought somewhere I might be wrong in judging you. That's why I didn't create a scene upon this issue"

"Khushi, still you are judging me wrong"

"Enough... you can't manipulate me... don't give it a try"

"If you already fixed your mind not to listen to me, there is no use of talking to you"

"Oh... do you think talking to me is a waste of time?"

"I didn't mean it"

"Then with whom will you talk, Arnav?"

"Khushi, you are unnecessarily creating a scene. Don't react this way without knowing the truth"

"You don't have to talk about truth. I know it better... I'm not going to be here anymore... I'm going"

"Where are you going?"

"I have my father and brother for myself. They will take care of me for my whole life..."

"If you are ready to leave me, let me go from here because this is your palace. Your father gave it to you. You stay here. I will go"

"It seems you are ready for everything...! Are you waiting for the chance to leave home?"

"It was you who wanted to leave home first"

"So, are you letting me go? Is this what a husband does? Won't you stop me? Won't you try to coax me?"

"I can coax you only if you are ready to hear me"

"ok... neither you have to coax me nor you should be with me... it's over... I'm going"

"Khushi..."

"I'm goingggg..." She shouted and tried to walk out.

I stopped her and closed the door. She waited for me to lock the door.

"Is it true Arnav?" She asked me whispering.

I nodded yes. Khushi gritted her teeth.

"My guess is right. It was Harini"

"Did you guess it?"

"Yeah...she is the one who helped another servant to print the lipstick mark on my back. I saw that on a glass frame of the photo that was behind Harini. I composed myself and came. I too didn't know what she did on my back. That's why I sent a message to you"

"What do you want me to do now?"

"Go to the palace and do what I said"

"Mmm..."

Khushi opened the door and rushed out gritting her teeth. I called her, coming out of our room.

"Khushiiiii"

She didn't stop. I stood looking at her making a frustrated face.

To be continued...