The same day at night,

It was impossible for Priyasha to ignore the big picture anymore. She had questions, and she needed answers. She didn't know if the revelation would bring her demise in the end, but she could no longer remain in the dark and let life screw her up all over again.

She decided to go and ask Abhiraj what he had been hiding from her till date.

After much insistence, Abhiraj finally agreed to come and stay at her parents' house. When Maya learned about Abhiraj wanted to go to the hotel, she requested him earnestly to stay at their place. He couldn't object anymore considering Maya's state of mind.

The breathtaking scene through the open door stopped her from hindering the man's action before her. He was doing sit-ups, absolutely oblivious of her presence at the door, his back facing her. Priyasha struggled not to gawk at every move of his workout session. She couldn't tell how long she ogled at him until her senses smacked her back to present.

Clearing her throat, she knocked on the door to get his attention. "Abhiraj."

He stopped his actions and looked at the door over his shoulders. "Come." He stood up immediately.

Priyasha entered the room, feeling self-conscious all of a sudden. Her eyes fell on the unmade bed, a bunch of papers, his tablet, notebook and pen were covering it. His duffle was resting at one side.

Abhiraj crossed the room and grabbed the glass of water from the small table and drank it all down.

Priyasha shifted her weight from one foot to another, putting her thoughts together before she could spill them out. Abhiraj anchored his attention on her then said, "Sit," and motioned for the cushioned chair beside the bed.

In response, Priyasha waved her hand dismissively and questioned him directly, "Tell me, what's going on?"

He sighed but didn't make an eye contact. Instead, he walked over to the bed and sat down while pinching the bridge of his nose. His brows knitted together in perplexity.

"Please, tell me, what's going on?"

After a few moments of silence, which certainly meant something bad, finally he focused his agitated stare on her and disclosed, "Senapati seems to work on a different plan."

She scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion. "What do you mean?"

When the realization settled in that Vishwa had started maneuvering the game on his own terms, it scared her something worse.

Her eyes held his unwavering gaze desperately, in an attempt to reflect on the ongoing events.

"He's not only after you, he's after me too." He paused momentarily before adding, "He wants me dead."

"What?" She exclaimed in shock. Her heart started racing against the odds speculating the reason of Abhiraj's life at risk.

"Senapati certainly has found something confidential which could be beneficial for him. It feels like I'm at a disadvantage regarding our deal of Permabell Chemicals."

Priyasha's whole body turned numb gaining the knowledge. Her benumbed legs didn't permit her to stand anymore. She crossed the room slowly and took a seat. Her brain overloaded with the thought of losing him. She tried to clear that particular thought in order to think straight.

"What it could be?"

"That is not the point. The point is, why?" Abhiraj ran his hand through his hair and mumbled thereafter, "It must be something big for which he even prompted the car accident."

"What?" She had been continuously learning unexpected information since yesterday.

"Yeah. I had a meeting with Zinnia's father yesterday." Priyasha let out a shaky breath after learning that. Why would he even go to Zinnia's father? Have they decided to get engaged already? Why didn't he tell her about it before? Thoughts like this clouded her mind while he continued, "Then, I had an appointment with Senapati. Some documents were still left to be transferred. I decided to send someone else to do it for me since I withdrew our deal. Sanjay volunteered. It was Sanjay in my car when it happened near the bypass. It was his good fortune he survived." He frowned while describing the accident but his expression immediately turned grim. "I visited the spot right after I heard about it. It wasn't just an accident. The windshield, right side front door and window were severely damaged. But... there is something not really normal about the accident. Although the police and forensic men weren't letting anyone near the car, I managed to take a look."

He stopped and glanced at her questioning face and explained, "I have my own ways."

She rolled her eyes at that and told him to continue.

"The fuel tank had a major leak in it. Which certainly wasn't there when I drove it out of our parking lot." His brows scrunched together in suspicion. "It must have happened when I was in Mr. Dutta's place. Someone must have informed..." he trailed off.

She held her head on her hands and murmured, "This is getting worse."

He eyed her for a few seconds in silence then continued, "Sanjay's a good driver. Even if the fuel tank got emptied, he couldn't lose control like that and slam into the electric pole directly. He's too careful to make it happen. Until he gets his senses back, we cannot tell more precisely what exactly happened."

Priyasha whispered, "What should we do now? Should we go to police?"

"No. We cannot directly lodge a complaint. We have no proof. Let police investigate their way, I'll approach the issue my way. I'll gladly engage myself in a brawl with the infamous mafia don if it meets my people with justice."

Priyasha's heart swelled hearing his firm intention toward the common workers of Permabell. But her heart sped up when she realized this could endanger his life.

"Why was Aslam here?"

He shifted in his position, pressing both of his hands on the bed as he gritted his teeth. "Aslam, such a bustard, I must say. He absolutely knows what it is that Senapati is after. But being the damned tout that he is, he only understands the language of money! He was here to hand me over some papers and documents only in exchange of money, but refused to provide me the information of Senapati's plan."

Priyasha was about to ask, why did he even come all the way to Asansol for that? But stopped.

"Chinimmaa!"

A slurring baby voice paused them both abruptly. Vikash's two years old daughter came in through the open door in tottering steps and when she spotted Priyasha, she immediately came running and leaped onto Priyasha's dangling legs.

"Tiyu!" Priyasha lifted the toddler in her lap and planted a kiss on her cheek adoringly.

"Chinimmaa! I wann choco! Gimme choco!"

"Tiyu, you ate one this evening. Excessive choco will hurt your tummy." Priyasha tickled the baby girl's abdomen playfully.

"No! I wann choco...now!" She wiggled herself in her lap and pouted cutely.

Priyasha smiled at her then shifted her glance at Abhiraj. He was looking at them in amusement. Even he smiled slightly looking at the adorable toddler. Tiyu too shifted her astonished gaze on him with her big curious eyes. She didn't yet know Abhiraj.

Priyasha noticed that and introduced him to the toddler, "Tiyu, do you know who he is?"

The girl shook her head but didn't look away from him.

"This is Abhiraj Uncle. Say Hi."

"Abiaaj...?"

"Uncle, Abhiraj Uncle!"

"Abiaaj Uncle."

"Yes." Priyasha smiled and set Tiyu down on her feet. However, unexpectedly she went ahead and stopped right before Abhiraj. Abhiraj froze in his place when she touched him on his leg and tugged on his track pants. Then held up both of her hands.

Abhiraj was unsure of what to do in that situation. He gazed at Priyasha questioningly and Priyasha almost giggled at his helplessness.

"It seems you passed the test." She grinned at his unease and suggested, "Lift her up."

He bent down finally and lift the toddler up in his arms. Tiyu fixated her gazed at his face with her innocent big eyes and put her little chubby fingers in mouth.

"No, Tiyu!" Priyasha exclaimed to prevent the toddler. "Remove your fingers from your mouth. It's bad habit."

The girl didn't listen to Priyasha's words but continued staring at Abhiraj's face. Abhiraj looked absolutely in need of help. He looked at Priyasha with pleading eyes which Priyasha ignored and prevented herself from grinning at his uncomfortableness.

When he realized Priyasha was not going to help him, he hesitantly caught the toddler's hand and pulled it out from her mouth, and to her surprise, he even brought out his kerchief and wiped her little hand.

Abhiraj glanced at Priyasha then back at Tiyu and smiled. A simple but genuine smile.

"You want some chocolates?" He asked Tiyu politely.

In response Tiyu nodded her head while interlinking her fingers shyly.

"Maybe I have some for you." He grabbed his duffel and unzipped the smallest compartment at the front. A handful of toffees appeared from inside it.

"Take it." He offered those to Tiyu who happily accepted all of them without any hesitation.

Priyasha cried out disapprovingly, "Oh-no-no-no! Not all of them, only one."

"It's okay." Abhiraj interrupted her. "This will not do much damage."

Tiyu's presence in the midst of all these conspiracies, brought an unspoiled, light and happy time. Their innocent laughter sent warmth deep in her heart she was missing in a while, and she was sure, Abhiraj was enjoying that too. Their little enjoyment interrupted soon by a heated voice which boomed across the room, stunning all of them.

"Tiyu! How many times I've told you not to take anything from people you don't know?"

Vikash barged into the room and nearly snatched Tiyu away from Abhiraj.

Abhiraj startled by Vikash's behavior, changed his expression quickly and folded his arms. Vikash shot him an exasperated glare which Abhiraj returned with a decipherable one. Priyasha felt uncomfortable with the shift of air inside the room. She stood between the men, neither of them ready to back off. Tiyu cowered in fear and hid her face into Vikash's neck.

Sensing the situation was going worse, Priyasha finally stuttered, "Dadabhai, don't-don't scold her. She's... a baby. Besides... no one... is a... stranger here."

"Chini, it's better that we don't talk about it. Otherwise," he glanced at her then glared back at Abhiraj, "things may not turn out as smooth as it is now."

Clearly, he didn't trust or like Abhiraj and it was giving Priyasha sweats when she realized, both the important men in her life didn't get along with each other. It subdued her enthusiasm for her happy ending before she could even have her beginning.

A moment later, Vikash marched out of the room taking Tiyu with him.

Abhiraj uncrossed his arms, then bent down and began gathering the papers in a stack. "I'll shift to a nearby hotel tomorrow." He was offended, and he had every right to be. He cast a quick glance at Priyasha, then added, "Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on you. Senapati's people won't be able to lay a finger on you. I'll make sure of that."

"Why are you doing me all the favor in the world?" Priyasha couldn't stop herself from asking her confusion out loud.

Abhiraj turned around and focused intensely on her. Both of them held each other's gaze unwaveringly and warmth crept up on her face. After a few moments of silence, he sighed before muttering, "I don't know."

"Why don't you?" She asked, frustrated now.

In response, Abhiraj took a step forward and grabbed her hand lightly in between his. The warmth flowed from his palms to hers. "I'm trying to sort things out to my level best. It'd be nice if you try to understand how important these all are to me," he confessed in a tender but stern tone. "Anything can happen to me in the process. I don't want the same for you."

Priyasha's eyes wavered then moistened up under the intensity of his caring gaze. Then he did an absolutely unexpected act making her heart skip a beat, while a sense of rightness exploded in it hitting all the right places. He pulled her smaller frame closer in his firm embrace. She shamelessly inhaled his sweaty but earthy and unique scent. Every time he came close to her, as weird as it sounds, his closeness simultaneously caused her heartbeat rise insanely then soothed her almost incredibly easily. His presence in her life was driving her crazy.

She whispered, scared of her own confused mind. "Abhiraj, I want all of these to end before long."

Abhiraj's hold on her tightened as he spoke, "I'm trying my best." He paused briefly before adding, "You remember this Priyasha, I'm someone, who never gives up on his dreams. And lately, I have seen a beautiful one. I ain't going to admit defeat until I make it happen."

Priyasha nuzzled closer to him as the hopefulrightness coursed through her mind. I'mholding onto your words Abhiraj, don't make me regret it later.