A phone rings, Manvi opened her eyes. She sat up straight and felt her head being heavily "aah.. Ye sar dard kyun ho raha hai mujhe itna"

She pressed her forehead, the phone rang again. She picked up the phone and answered it "hello.."

"Manvi kal raat tum party mein aayi kyun nhi? Kitna wait kiya tumhara" her friend said.

Manvi recalled last night, she then looked at the clock it showed 9 am in the morning. She was confused and bewildered "meri taraf se uncle ko sorry kehna.. Kal kuch urgent kaam aa gaya tha" and she ended the call.

She tried to recalled "kal raat.. Mujhe chakkar aaya achanak.. Kaise?"

Aarav entered inside the room with a coffee mug in his hand "Good morning biwi"

Manvi looked at him, he smiled and gives her the mug "lo peeyo"

Manvi takes the mug and asked "Aarav kal raat hum party mein jaane wale they na.. Main.."

Aarav sat beside her and said "kal tumhe achanak chakkar aa gaya aur fir maine doctor ko bulaya unhone kaha tumhe rest karna chahiye to neend ka injection de diya tumhe.."

Manvi questioned "lekin mujhe aise achanak kyun aaye chakkar?"

"Tum kaam bahut karti ho na.. Apni sehat ka khayal nhi rakhti" he said lightly patting her cheeks.

Manvi thinks, Aarav said "peeyo na coffee"

Manvi nodded and starts sipping the coffee. Aarav spoke up "Acha main chalta hoon office take care" and left picking up his bag.

Manvi got down from bed and moved out, she picked the newspaper and starts reading the headlines "mumbai mein illegal hathiyar aur drugs laaye jaa rahe hai.."

She sighed.. "Ye log bhi na.. Inki wajah se masoom zindagi kharab hoti hai.. I just hate these people"

She turned and gets scared as Aarav was standing there. She said "Aarav.. Tumne to mujhe dara hi diya"

Aarav smiled and said "kisko hate karti ho?"

"Are ye illegal kaam karne wale log mera bas chale to jaan se maar dun aise logo ko.." she said angrily.

Aarav thinks "Agar ye kisine aur ne kaha hota na ab tak uski gardan mere haath mein hoti.."

"Waise tum wapas kaise aa gaye?" Manvi asked him.

Aarav smiled and took out a file "ye kuch property papers hai jo tumhare Dad ne tumhare liye khareedi thi tumhe gift karenge aisa unhone mujhse kaha tha tumhare birthday par.. Lekin usse pehle hi wo.."

Manvi looked at him.. "Lao sign kar deti hoon"

Aarav opened up the file and keeps it on table, he hands her the pen and Manvi signs them.

He smirked and asked "Ek baar padh leti.."

"Nhi zaroorat nhi hai.." Manvi said and then hands him the papers.

"Thanks biwi.. Acha waise koi good news hai kya??" he asked winking at her.

"Nhi koi good news nhi hai.. Samjhe tum bas aise hi aa gaya tha chakkar mujhe raat" she said.

Aarav smiled and moved out.

Aarav sits inside the car and smirked "Waah.. baap ke naam pe beti sab karti hai.. This is lottary.." he moves from there.

Manvi recalled her father, she moved into his room. She looked at the pictures around and smiled with tears in her eyes.

She touched his things, she opened up the wardrobe and took out his wallet, phone and other stuff. A small tape recorder was there which was her Dad's favourite, she touched it and played.. "Manvi beta.. Wo insaan acha nhi hai.. Galti ho gayi.. Aah.."

Manvi was shocked hearing this "ye kya tha??"

She played it again... "Manvi beta wo insaan acha nhi hai galti ho gayi.."

She had tears in her eyes.. "Iska matlab Dad ka katal hua tha"

At office

Aarav was sitting and doing some work. The manager gets in "Sir wo andheri wala project ka acceptance aa gaya hai need your sign"

Aarav signed the file and said "chal nikal.."

The manager left and thinks "ye Sir kabhi kabhi ek dum ajeeb behave karte hai"

He sees Manvi entering in, she rushed into Aarav's cabin.

Aarav was surprised to see her, he noticed her being in tears.. And thinks "ganga jamuna bahane mein expert hai ye"

He asked in fake concern "kya hua??"

Manvi runs to him and hugs him, she cries. He made face then smeared her head "kya hua Manvi? Sab thik hai na?"

"Dad.. unka khoon hua tha" she said while sobbing.

Aarav was shocked, he gets apart and looked at her "What?? Tumhe kaise pata?"

She showed him the recording, he hears it and gets shocked "lekin Manvi isne ye sabit nhi hota ki unka khoon hua hai"

Manvi looked at him and said "Aarav.. I am sure he is murdered.. Aur mujhe pata lagana hai kisne unko maara kaun galat? Acha insan?"

Aarav calmed her down with "listen Manvi.. Aisa kuch nhi hai jaisa tum soch rahi ho.. Ho sakta hai wo kisi kaam"

Manvi shouted at him and said "nhi Aarav.. Ye unke death se pehle ki recording hai end mein wo chilate hai.. Iska yahi matlab hai kisne unpe attack kiya."

"Okay fine.. Tum ghar jao aur ye mujhe do main abhi inspector se baat karta hoon wo pata laga lega" Aarav said.

Manvi hands him the tape, he wipes her tears "Ab rona band karo.. Agar Dad ko sach mein kisine maara hai to he will be punished"

Manvi smiled lightly and left from there.

Aarav looked at the tape recorder, he starts to laugh "kisine maara hai to he will be punished.." he repeated his own words.

Later in evening, Aarav moved to parking lot. Shiv came there and asked "kya hua Aarav?"

"Ye le sambhal isey.. Kahi bhi fhek de.. Samjha" he hands him the tape recorder.

"Aisa kya hai isme?" Shiv asked.

Aarav said angrily "uss buddhe ne ek message choda tha apni beti ke liye marne se pehle wahi hai.. Aur ye police ke haath nhi lagna chahiye.. To isko fhek de main chala ghar"

Shiv said "wo to thik hai lekin Manvi se kya kahoge?"

Aarav smiled broadly "mujhe pata hai usko kya kahna hai"

He turned towards the pillar and hits his head hard on it, blood starts to ooze out from his head. Shiv was shocked "pagal ho kya?"

Aarav smiled.. "Bahut bada.."

He then sits in his car and dozes off, Shiv looked at the tape recorder.

At Home

Manvi was sitting on the couch and thought about her father Vineet Oberoi.

Vineet was sitting on the couch, Manvi came out of room and slowly approaches towards him. She was about to make him scared from behind when he said "Manvi beta.. College jaana hai na ready ho jao"

Manvi comes in front and pouts "Dad this is unfair aapko kaise pata chal jaata hai main aa rahi hoon"

Vineet smiled "kyuki hum aapke Dad hai.. Aur waise mujhe ye bhi pata chala hai aapko kisi ladke se pyar ho gaya hai"

She was left with open mouth and asked "Aapko kaise pata?"

Vineet pulls her hand and makes her sit beside him and said "main ek businessman hoon lekin usse pehle ek beti ka baap hoon aur har baap ko apni beti ke baare mein sab pata hota hai samjhe aap"

Manvi smiled broadly and side hugged him "I know Dad"

"Acha to batao kab milwa rahi ho?" he asked her

"Hmm aaj shyam college ke baad wo mujhe drop karne aayega to tab bhi milwa dungi" she said and moved to her room.

Vineet smiled.. "Aaram se gir jaogi.."

She came out of her trance of thoughts with "Dad aapko sab pata chal jaata tha lekin mujhe nhi pata chala aapka khoon hua.. I am sorry"

She then looked at the door, and was shocked. She rushes and grabs Aarav. She asked in concern "Aarav sar pe chot kaise lagi tumhe?"

She said "aao andar" she takes him in and makes him sit on the couch.

She quickly gets the first aid kit and starts cleaning his wound. He held her arm as he wrenched in pain.

Manvi said "bas ho gaya" she then wrapped the bandage around his head.

"Hua kaise ye? Kuch bataoge?" she asked.

He replied "Manvi wo main office se nikla parking lot mein kisine mere sar pe zorse maara aur haath se tape leke chala gaya"

Manvi was shocked "kya??"

"I am sorry Manvi.. Meri wajah se wo saboot bhi chale gaye.." he apologized. He looked at her kneely.

Manvi replied "koi baat nahi Aarav.. Tum safe ho.. Mere liye wo jyada important hai" she hugged him.

Aarav smirked broadly, Manvi's pov "wo tape aise kaise koi le gaya.. Ab mujhe hi kuch karna hoga.. Iski jaan khatre mein aa jayegi nhi to"

She gets apart and said "acha tum rest karo main tumhare liye coffee laati hoon" she gets up and moved to kitchen.

Aarav sat back relax and thinks "ab kabhi nhi pata chalega kisne maara tere baap ko.."

to be continued..