Part 14
It was late at night…when Suhaani finished off her work for the day, since it’s a whole farmhouse to complete …it gonna take lot of time to finish designing…& she has a deadline to meet to, she was getting late past 2-3 days…as her team winded up for the day, she stayed back as she had to discuss few things with the owner, who came to see the progress…She liked this 50 yr old gentleman…who was taking so much efforts to redesign this whole farmhouse, to gift at her daughter’s wedding…she got busy chatting with him & didn’t realised time, how late she got when she took his leave…
The owner even offered that his driver will drop her off…but she refused as its just few blocks away from home…Its almost like in same neighbourhood…
She had just started off from the farmhouse…Suddenly she froze as she realised somebody was following her…..heavy footsteps that stopped when she stopped!…She turned around with a palpitating heart…..a familiar dark shadow accosted her in the dimly lit bylane!
Suhaani (shocked) –Tumm??
Dev –haaan…its Me…& I have to talk to you…
She stared at his shadowy face incredulously…she was shocked…just because she refused to talk to him… He had followed her here too?? She couldn’t believe it! …Now he will stalk her, to talk to her when she clearly asked not to disturb her…if he is following her at this time of night…that means he is following her everywhere…She flushed with anger, yet a strange excitement accelerated her heartbeats!
Suhaani (sighed)— Ajeeb zabardasti hai…ek baar mein baat samajh nahi aati…tumhe kya lagta hai…aise mera peecha karne se….tumhari baat sun lungi…aakhir aisa kya kehna hai tumhe? What do you want??
Dev—sirf ek chance, ek mauka …apne aap ko justify karne ka…Sazza sunane se pehle…ek mauka toh court bhi gunehgaar ko deti hai …mujhe toh seedhe sazza suna di…sirf ek baar meri baat sunlo…Jo kuchh bhi tumne suna, dekha, woh sab JHOOTH tha! & I can prove it…bas tumhe batana hai …who sab dokha tha…you were made to hate me… (He almost held her hand) come with me…
Suhaani (shrugged her hand)—main kahin nahi jaungi…you are right, who sab dokha tha…aur who dokha diya kisne?? Tumne?? & still you think I will believe you?…(turned to leave)Dare you follow me now… ab mera peecha kiya…toh …toh main shor machaungi…(she was pissed off)
Before she cud leave…He pulled her closer, as he held her hand again…
Dev (angry)—shor machaogi…zaroor machao…& you think it will stop me…(pulled her closer) I love you…tumhe itni si baat kyun nahi samajh aa rahi…
Suhaani –Love?? Really?? Pyaar ka pehla usool hi trust hota hai…aur sabse pehle tumne wohi toda…phir kahan ka Love?? (taunted) aur shayad aap bhool gaye hai…so let me remind you, aapki engagement next week hai…aap galat ladki ko Love bol rahe hai…
Dev closed his eyes, agonized at her degrading accusations –Suhaani….please! don’t need to be so harsh & rude…you know it I love you & always loved you…tumhe kisi aur ke kahe huye jooth par yakeen hai…mujh par nahi…dats why I want you hear the truth…Why are you afraid of the truth?
Suhaani (amused)—Me afraid of truth?? Sach chupaane ki adaat tumhe hai…jooth tumne mujhse bole…maine nahi…Maine kisi aur ke kahe jooth par nahi, tumhare kahe huye jooth par yakeen kiya hai…aur agar pyaar karte toh mujhsey jhooth nahin bolte, mujhey dhokha nahin dete! …(shrugged) aur ab in baton ka kya faida hai…Why you are wasting time…when you are getting married …mujhe koi bhi sach kyun batana hai tumhe (her voice broke, she turned around to hide the warm tears falling down her cold cheeks) jitne bhi sach batane hai, apni to-be wife ko jaakar batao…
He moved forward and stood close behind her, his heart aching for her distress…….. he raised his hand hesitantly to her shoulder……hovering over it, not yet touching…
Dev (sternly)—for once & for all…main kisi aur se shaadi nahi kar raha…who mere parents ki zidd hai…aur unki who zidd kabhi poori nahi hogi…maine tumse pyaar kiya hai toh kisi aur se shaadi ka sawaal hi nahi hai…Tumne us din jo kuch suna who sab jooth tha….it was all a plan hume alag karne ka…mere saath chalo, toh I will show you the proof also…
Suhaani remained silent…tried to calm the storm inside her…..to stop her trembling at his proximity. She hated being vulnerable to him….to his voice, to his nearness! She could feel the warmth of his hand even without being touched! Every nerve end was alive to his presence behind her…
Dev (sighed)—I agree I had lied to you… maine tumse accident ka chupaya …tumhe rent ke baare mein jooth bola…it was just because I didn’t want to loose you…tum…
Suhaani (shrugged his hand off)—yahi tumhari galti thi…tumhe laga tum sach batakar mujhe kho doge… jooth bolkar bhi toh kho hi diya tumne…kya farq padta hai sach tumse pata chala ya kisi aur se… jo mujhe sunaya gaya who toh nahi badal jaega, jo mere baare mein bola gaya woh nahi badlega…is liye better hai mera peecha chod do…Please… let me live my life as I did before.
He flinched at her words but knew it was true….his Mother had said really terrible things about her…He didn’t blame her for being angry, her self-respect had been badly battered. Now he had to repair the damages with his patience and love. ..He smiled in the shadows & stepped closer to her so they were almost touching:
Dev—Tumhara peecha chod doon…tumhe khud se door jaane doon sirf isliye kyunki koi aur humara saath nahi chahta?? Tumhara pyaar, tumhara saath maangna meri apni marzi thi…usse kisi aur ki marzi ke liye nahi chod sakta (paused)…tumhari marzi ke liye bhi nahi…So, I am sorry…Tumhe achha lagey ya bura, main tumhara peechha nahin chhodney wala…
His voice was seductive and gently humorous as he held her wrist….his eyes glittered in the dark, love and passion in their depths, seeking to drown in the pools of her beautiful, angry dark eyes!
Suhaani felt that breathless sensation again, as if she would pass out in his arms ….he was so close she could feel his warm breath upon her upraised cheeks…..his broad palm closed around her wrist possessively….her pulse erratic under his thumb! She closed her eyes and shivered…Before she could feel herself weak…she almost stepped back snatched her hands back…She turned around and walked rapidly, almost running away from his disturbing presence….
The lane had ended, she walked at a furious pace…..she could hear him following her, from the heavy tread of his shoes…They reached the wide main road…..an intersection full of lighted shops, people walking on the street, with traffic passing frequently….
Suhaani waited to cross the road…when Dev reached her impatiently & grabbed her arm…
Dev—you cant leave like this…I am not finished yet…tumhe poori baat sunni padegi…tum…
She glared at his handsome, determined face, furious at his audacity….considering they were almost near her own neighbourhood, its quite easy for anyone to recognise her…
Suhaani—leave me…let me go…(she tried to free her arm)
In her fury she forgot they were in a public setting, on an open street! She yanked at his hand, trying to pry it away but he gripped her arm tightly, his eyes blazing into hers in demand…2-3 young men were loitering in the street corner, they spun around to attention, observing the attractive couple argue….the man was pulling the girl’s arm, the girl was protesting & tugging at his hand.
They came forward at once & surrounded the two….Suhaani stiffened, reddening with embarassment & mortification
Boys—Kya baat hai bhaisaab??yeh shareefon ka mohalla hai…kya kar rahe hai yaha??
Dev released her arm, warily watching the young men circling him… folded his arms defensively, flexing his strong biceps, showing the young men, he wasn’t intimidated by them, that he could tackle all 3 of them if needed!
Dev (fearless)—yeh humdono ki apas ki baat hai…aap beech mein mat padiye…hum baat kar rahe hai bas…
Boys—Baat kar rahe the? ya zabardasti…akeli ladki dekhi nahi ki shuru hogaye…yeh sab yaha nahi chalta …
Dev took a deep breath & tried to reason with the self-appointed guardians…
Dev (sighed)—dekhiye hum ek dusre ko jaante hai…hum bas baat hi kar rahe the, hum saath jaa hi rahe the…aap log galat samajh rahe hai…
Boys—Ohhh!!! Hum galat samajh rahe…theek hai, hum ladki se pooch lete hai…(to suhaani) aap janti hai inhe (she nodded in yes slowly) aap inke saath marzi se jaa rahi thi (she nodded in negative) iska matlab yeh aapko zabardasti le ja rahe the…(she remained silent)
Dev (shocked)—what the hell?? Suhaani tell them, you know me…& I was not trying to kidnap you…I just wanted you to come with me…
Suhaani –Aur maine mana kardiya tha…meri baat sunni tumne …ek baar mein baat kaha samajh aati hai tumhe…
Dev’s face tightened with fury…..now she was taking it too far, making him seem like a criminal before the public…now few more curious passers-by have joined the crowd…. some shopkeepers came out to watch the drama enfold…
Dev (pissed)—Suhaani, I know tum naraaz ho, but yeh zyada ho raha hai…you tell them…
One of the shopkeepers recognised Suhaani, as its her neighbourhood only….Suhaani’s image improved further & Dev’s case worsened in the crowd’s eyes!
Boyz—kyun Saab, Shakal se padhe likhe ache ghar ke lagte ho…ladki ko chedte sharam nahi aati…(aggressively rolling up his sleeves) itna dhulai karenge ke Baap ka naam bhool jaoge !
Dev raised his forefinger in warning –Dekho……tameeez se baat karo….tum nahin jaantey kissey baat kar rahey ho…
Boyz—badtameezi khud karo, tameez hume seekhaoge…yeh badhiya hai…abhi batate hai tumhe….
Suhaani gasped, horrified at the threats …as they were almost ready to get into the fight…No matter if she hated Dev, but she didn’t wanted him to get hurt …& get beaten by these people…
Suhaani (interrupted) –Ek min please….yeh sahi keh rahe hai…hum apas mein baat kar rahe the…& please… koi maar peet nahin….yeh jaa rahe hai yahan se…. Dev, leave(her eyes pleaded with him to escape the neighbourhood vigilantes) Dev please Go…Just leave…
He smiled slightly, gazing into her humid eyes…… she still cared for him, for his safety….clearly she still loved him! He left with promise that this isn’t over it…
Suddenly there was a bright flash….somebody had taken pictures of them from the crowd …the photographer in the crowd, who was a journalist had recognised Dev, grinned triumphantly: “WHAT A SCOOP! The Dev Kapoor accused of molesting a girl”
His editor will be mightily pleased with the scoop!
++++++
Next morning Dev had to return back urgently, for some official work, he directly reached office…back home, all hell broke out in Khanna House… & not to mention Singahania’s house … Two days to engagement…& It was all over in all the daily newspapers!
“Dev Kapoor, scion of Kapoor family, owner of Aakriti Art Gallery ….had tried to molest a girl in Delhi”
Suhaani choked on her breakfast as she read the newspaper….she gaped at the article in surprise…wondering what mess she has got into…only if, she hadn’t given a chance to Dev to create a scene on middle of the road…She shud have been careful…She shud have stayed away from him…or only if Dev had been sensible enough not create so much drama…She was so lost in her thoughts she didn’t realised her phone was ringing….until Priya, shook her & passed her phone… Seeing the caller’s name Suhaani just disconnected…as if, this whole drama was not enough to irritate her now, he is calling her ….
Priya (curious)—Phone disconnect kyun kiya?? Aisa kiski call tha??
Suhaani (angry)—tumhe nahi pata kiska call tha?? (Priya gave her innocent look) Really?? Maine tumhe mana kiya tha…phir bhi tumne Dev se contact kiya…you gave him my number…usse bataya main kaha kaam karti hoon….
Priya—Di!!! You really think aapko dhundne ke liye, Jiju ko (Suhaani glared) I mean Dev ko meri help ki zarut hai….he has his own sources…& Di maine aapki baat humesha maani hai, maine Dev se contact nahi kiya…(sheepishly) unhone hi contact kiya tha…
Suhaani (pissed)—there you Go!!!its one & same thing….!!!
Priya mentally kicked herself for spilling the beans….Dev had asked her not to…
Priya (pleaded)—Di…cant you forgive him….just talk to him once…He misses you…
Suhaani –Tu meri side hai ya uski??…you don’t realise what I have gone through…uske ek jooth se mujhe kya kya sunna pada…Ek baar jooth bola, dobara bhi jooth bol sakta hai…it wont make a difference to him…& uski koi baat kyun sunu, jab humara koi rishta nahi hai…toh mujhse Miss bhi nahi karna chaiye…(she turned to leave) & for God’s sake, stop calling him Jiju…unless you are Kyra’s sister…
Priya –who shaadi toh zabardasti….Dev doesn’t want it…
Suhaani (interrupted)—Aur Dev koi chotta bacha hai…jo uske saath koi bhi zabardasti kar sakta hai?? Anyways, uski marzi se ho rahi ya nahi….I am not interested to know…
She left for work….silently praying today Dev doesn’t follow her….
Priya too silently prayed that Di, actually gives Dev just one chance to explain himself…Dev had already showed her the proofs, he made him hear the recording…even if he hadn’t Priya knew Dev loved her Di too much to hurt her…Priya had even suggested if he wants she will herself share the recording with Di…but Dev refused.
……….To be continued….
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