Chapter 23 : Keeper of Dark Secret !

Chapter 23 : Keeper of Dark Secret!

Everyone is hiding... everyone has something dark... Unknown...Unsaid.

The sun rays beamed into the room, making Priya uncomfortable to open eyes. Stretching her hands above her head she shrugged her shoulders after pulling her to a seating position. Picking up her mobile from the side table, Priya opened the mobile application that delivered the e-edition of the morning newspaper daily.

Till 5^th page her expression was normal, nothing forced her to react. But when she scrolled up the 6^th page, Priya's eyes almost popped out of the shell. Her sleepiness and tiredness vented into the thin air immediately. The bold letters inscribed on the top of the page made her head spin. Her blood boiled while her eyes hovered quickly over the Special Report “The most awaited marriage of the year! Made in Heaven or Made in EEIT” The complete report made her blood rage through the veins. Throwing her phone on the bed, she rocked her body. “What the hell? Where from they got this report? How?” she repeated these to her continuously.

At one end when her head was spinning with the raging blood the other half of her brain knocked her with the nearing danger. As soon as the newspaper will be delivered to her doorsteps the first person will be her father to react. As a daily routine the newspaper is delivered to Sudheer first. Hurrying out from the bed with her mobile Priya rushed downstairs to the hall. In the hall, she found happy faces of her parents. Pretending to speak to Meera, Priya successfully averted their attention to her.

“What happen Priya?” Asked Sudheer walking to his daughter.

“Nothing Papa. But, these media person I am fed up of them!” Priya said putting the mobile in her trackpant's pocket.

“Abb Kya Kar diya inn logo ne?” Shipra asked pouring tea for Priya.

“Let the Newspaper come you and papa will start muffling me with one after another query.” Priya denied tea. “They have a doubt, which they expressed widely in their special report.” Priya smiled cunningly, “And if they don't publish their unconditional apology tomorrow then I will see them in court with the charge of defamation.”

“What exactly happened?” her father asked with great concern.

Priya's eyes fell on her father trying to judge his ability to comprehend the situation. The true event has to be proved untrue and imaginary, a falsely reported event. “Papa they are framing me and Ram to be old associates from EEIT.”

“What?”

“Yes.”

“Ram studied from the USA and...” Sudheer's voice broke. “What will you do now?”

“I am going to meet the editor in chief of the Newspaper. I want an explanation.” Priya answered pressing her from hand against her father's cold hand. “Believe in me Papa. I am not going to leave this people so easily. Either they will apologise publicly or I will make sure they apologise unconditionally.”

“You informed Jayesh?” Sudheer asked politely.

“Papa, he is in Brussels, let me handle this. I promise you I will sort this out.” Priya said under her smile. “I have to go to meet that over enthusiastic person.” Putting her phone to ear Priya walked out in her loosely fit top and trackpants.

~~

Mumbai. 6 am

“Hello.” Lazily Ram replied to Priya's call, without looking into the display screen. “Who's this? This early?”

“Get up idiot.” Priya squeaked. “Before everyone at your home started inquiring let me tell you an over enthusiastic bustard decided to dig into the grave of our past and pull out that common link between us i.e EEIT.”

“What??” Ram asked being more confused. “What grave, past, common link and where from the hell this EEIT coming back to our lives?”

“Wake up Ram. Sun is shining but not us!” Priya poked.

“What exactly has happened?” He again asked while pulling himself to a sitting position.

“Do you read newspaper?”

“Yes I do.”

“I have already mailed you a file go to its 6^th page and find the delight served hot for us.” Priya shared information sarcastically.

“Wait.” Ram got down from his bed and switched on his tablet. While Priya kept on blabbering on the otherside. “Can you please shut up for a moment?” Ram rebuked. He hovered through the PDF file that was sent to him, on the 6^th page the news ignited his rage too. “What the fuck? How did they know about it? Did you tell them?”

“When the hell you will grow up Ram?” Priya scorned. “I will give them the details when I barred my family from detailed information? I am on my way to meet the editor in chief of the newspaper. Let me speak. I will control the damage made you just manage your family. EEIT is a common link between us neither of us completed our course from there but we are connected for a good number of days in past. That should be manipulated. Our families have to be kept in dark. I don't want my past to terrify my present.” Priya said in a single breathe. “And who ever have tried to ditch me by endangering my reputations, he or she will taste the blood.”

“What you will do? Let me come to Delhi first.”

“You don't know me Ram. I don't need anyone to tackle these morons.” Priya said under her faint smile. “You just take care of the instructions I gave you. Bye.” Disconnecting the call she drove faster towards the “Seven Hills Towers” where the editor in chief of the newspaper stays.

~~

Meera's Bugalow.

“Vishesh, Priya's life is in stake.” Meera said to the well built man standing just by the full length mirror of the room. “That's the reason Ashok went personally to summon you.”

“I understood the emergency when sir himself landed at my place. I am indebted to you. I promised you to be by you every time whenever you will call me. So, I am here. What I can do to save Priya Ma'am?” Asked the tall shout well built man.

“I am placing the same offer to you which I placed twelve years back and you lived up to my expectations fully for next 5 years, till Priya released you from your job.” Meera said facing him. With her eyes put straight into his she said after a deep sigh. “I am offering you a contract of employment. Be her bodyguard. She needs protections. In less than two weeks she is getting married and will shift to Mumbai. None of us will be there for her with her, but you can be there. And with you as her armour, everyone of us will be remain peaceful.”

“But will Priya Ma'am accept the same. You know my ideology.”

“Let her on me. You confer your decision.” Meera asked.

“If Priya Ma'am agrees to allow me to be her bodyguard I am okay with the contract.” Vishesh said with a straight face.

“Good. I have arranged your stay in the guest room and I wish your new engagement will not affect your training school?” Meera asked.

“No. My brother and other instructors are there. And I can also make visits being at Mumbai, when Ma'am will be at home. After all I can't intervene in the personal space shared by her and her husband. I will manage with ease.” Replied Vishesh under his smile. That was the first time he smiled.

“Great. Go and have some rest. I will call Priya after few hours.”

“Thank You.” Vishesh stepped back taking a sharp U turn he left the room leaving Meera alone.

~~

Seven Hills Towers, 23^rd Floor.

The door bell Rang. A valet groomed properly opened the door for Priya. “Yes Ma'am how can help you?” he asked next.

“Mr. Upadhayay. Tell him Priya Sharma wishes to see him.” She extended her business card to him.

“I am sorry Ma'am. But this is the time when sir is having his fitness schedules.” He replied trying to remain as polite as he can.

“Your boss's fitness schedule can wait. If I could be here in my trackpants this early, you can easily guess the urgency; don't you?” said Priya gritting her teeth.

“But Ma'am..”

The valet was intervened by Priya's loud voice. “Call your master otherwise I will take your action and will not wait for a discussion before suing him.”

“Sorry Ma'am. I will inform him now...” Strangled with nervousness, the young man rushed inside leaving Priya waiting at the door step.

In less than 5 minutes a man in his late fifties walked out. “Oh my God Madam. He has not asked you for a seat?” Beaming a smile Mr. Karnashish Upadhayay, Editor-in-Chief of Indian News National stepped towards her. “Please come inside. The morning is turning out to ne pretty good, pleasant and kind to me.”

“There nothing good or pleasant in this morning Sir.” Priya said under her heavy voice.

“Why I feel you are offended by me?”

“Page number 6. Special Report. Do you even judge the clarity and truthfulness of the sources that provide you with such masala news?” Priya came straight to point.

“You are still the same coming straight to the point.” Smiled the old man. “I can explain you everything. But for that you need to calm down and listen to me. Please sit.”

“I want an unconditional apology from your end publicly.” Priya spoke.

“What?” Upadhayay laughed. “Apology? For what?” he asked. “I have evidence. You know I don't publish a single word without an evidence.”

“Can I see the evidence?”

“I don't have it with me right now.” He replied. “I will mail you after I reach office.”

“Who gave you the evidence?”

“Am I mad?” he laughed again. “Do you think I will call for life threat for that particular person? I know what you will do with him or her.” He stood up this time. “Priya, you are one my closest friends’ daughter, take my advice see the evidence and surrender to the truth.”

“Friend? You call yourself Papa’s friend, who never wished to share the same with me or him before publishing it on the newspaper as a hot news.” Squeaked.

“Don't mix professional and personal life Priya.”

“An unconditional apology or else wait for the consequences.” Priya stood up this time.

“Proof the evidence wrong, I will tender the same publicly on the front page of the daily on the very next day.” Replied the man.

“Fair enough and accepted. Let me see the evidence first.”

“You will get it by 10 am.”

“Thank you. Let's wish this will not tarnish our personal comfort.” Priya left without looking back.

~~

“Why you were not picking up my call?” Meera charged as Priya stepped into her cabin.

“I was with Upadhayay.”

“What why?”

“Read the newspaper. I want that culprit right under my feet.” Priya stomped her hand on the glass top. “I want the name!”

“What has happened?”

Scrolling through the mobile she handed it to Meera. “What is this? How they knew that you and Ram were relatable from past?” Meera asked.

“He said he has evidence. I am yet to receive it. Once it is with me, I will let the bustard taste his or her own blood.”

Meera turned her head back with the knock at the door. “Come in.” She prompted knowing the person.

With permission came in  Vishesh Singh, Priya's ex bodyguard.

“Vishesh?” with horror and astonishment Priya voiced. “What.. what are you doing here?”

He looked towards Meera after Priya's question.

“I called him up and he is taking up the job of the bodyguard.” Meera said.

“And exactly with whose permission you have taken this decision?” Priya asked folding her hands near her belly.

“I don't need any permission to safe guard the most important asset of the organization, which is you.”

“Meera, grow up! Vishesh has his own training school. He is doing well with it. He is a name in the industry then why he will take up this stupid job and what about your Training School Vishesh? Don't you need to spare your time there?” Priya grilled Meera and Vishesh with valid points.

“First why he will do so, leave it to him only and his training school is at Mumbai only. He has his brother and other assistants to look after it.” Meera replied.

Just then Priya's phone buzzed with a notification. “Excusing me.” She looked into the attachment. She squint her eyes moving the device close to her. “When the hell this picture was taken?”

Snatching the mobile in Raven's speed Meera looked into the picture. It was a group picture, not so clear but among large number of students two faces where circled with red ink, standing far from each other but smiling to the camera, were of Priya and Ram's. “How this proves what they wrote? Being in the same picture that doesn't mean that you know eachother?”

There came no reply from Priya.

“Okay. Let's make a deal.” Meera understood the reason of the silence. Looking at Vishesh she put up the deal to Priya. “I have a solution to our differences about accepting Vishesh as your bodyguard.”

“And what is that exactly?”

“Let Vishesh find out the culprit behind this and if he does it successfully you have to agree, if he don't I will agree. It's as simple like that.” Meera said.

Looking at Vishesh Priya maintained her silence for next few moments. “Done!” she uttered next.

“Great. Vishesh...” Meera called him. “Come near.” She instructed next. “Look I am well aware of the detective mind you bear. So consider this as an eligibility test for your job.” Meera showed the picture to him. “The red circled faces, one you know it's Priya. The other one is Ram Kapoor, Priya's would be and Mr. Amarnath Kapoor's elder son. The heir to the great Kapoor Industries. Co-incidentally both of them shared a space at EEIT, Elite Engineering Institute of Technology. But that doesn't mean they are framing their marriage as an arranged one. There is never any pressure on Priya about marriage, you have to bring out the name of the culprit who did this mischievous act and prove this daily wrong.”

Vishesh took the device on his hand, looking all over the picture, his eye brows furrowed when his eyes stopped at another face. Everyone is hiding something. Everyone has a truth. A guardian angle will be guarding you always. I leave you ma'am with the secret buried deep inside me. He snapped back to the present. “I will bring the truth to light.” He said stretching his hand out to Meera with the device.

“Thank You. Vishesh!” Meera looked to Priya after him.

~~

Mumbai.

“Raam come to my study now!” ordered Amarnath Kapoor while he walked past through the dine. “And alone.” He added a clause in his instructions.

In minutes Ram knocked at the door for permission. From inside the voice came, “Come in, lock the door behind you.”

Ram obeyed.

“Anything serious? Bauji?” Ram asked courageously knowing the reason behind the urgent and angry summon.

“Look at this and explain please.” Amarnath threw the paper towards him hastily. “Do you have an explanation?”

“Yes bauji. I have seen this before you and Priya has informed me about this. She is extremely disturbed just like you and me. We discussed the matter and we will jointly file a law suit against this newspaper for defaming our identities.” Ram said looking straight into his father's eyes.

“Why they will print such news? Upadhayay is not a man thirsty of masala news.” He asked again.

“Priya has meet him in person and he has agreed to reverse the news with an unconditional apology if his evidence is proven wrong. The fact is that I and Priya both were in the college. I think she is a year junior to me. After I left the college I don't had an idea about her.” Ram came up with the half-baked truth.

“Do you want me to believe in your story? What is the truth Ram?” Amarnath demanded an answer.

“There... there is noth....” Ram felt numb as his eyes meet his father's red ragging eyes. He lost his words.

~~

A week to go for Marriage.

Board Room. Priya's office.

Every person in room stood up as Priya walked in the board room. After she and every other person in the room took their seat, she pushed the chair little away from the table and crossed her leg one above another.

“Good Morning ladies and Gentlemen.” She addressed with a smile. “Please put your all types of gadgets that you are carrying right now with you on the table, lifeless.” She instructed after putting her own mobiles on the table turning them off. After everyone followed the instruction she addressed the group, “As all of you are aware that I am getting married just in a week, but my absence will be felt for almost a month. I am not quitting from my post. I am well aware of the position I hold in this organisation and what it demands from me. So even after my marriage though I will reallocate to Mumbai, I will be travelling here often to be with you, otherwise I will operate from Mumbai itself. The mode of operations is yet to be finalized. We may have an office at Mumbai, which we will discuss later. Without your suggestions and advice I don't take a step further, you are aware of it I think so.” She smiled to the team.

“But don't take that as granted. My team has equilibrium of young minds and experience minds. To the young minds, be careful what you do. To the elders look after them what they are up to. A recent incident forced me to question myself do they really deserve my trust? And unfortunately that “They” are you ladies and gentlemen. What is gone that is gone. I can't go to past and stop that from happening but the trust once broken is never recognised again. You are not an exception. Please do take a note, if you have any query come and ask me, don't back stab me. I don't forgive them. The culprit here, how much he tries to look normal, knows that he is caught. Without dragging more, I want honesty and dignity from you if you guys want me to reciprocate the same to you. Except Kushal Dhawan, everyone please leave.” Priya looked straight to the young man sitting second right to her.

“Meera, call him.” Priya said after only three of them were left inside the board room. “And switch off the cams.”

Meera did the need full with the cams first and then called Vishesh inside. He came inside with a girl the next moment. With her first view Kushal jumped up at his position.

“You are wondering how do I know?” Priya smirked.

“Kushal, I also know that you and Richa are married and you two hide the fact to take the individual benefits from the company. But I don't want you to be proved wrong and a ditch.” Priya grinned. “But what you did to defame me....” she stood up after saying under a deep sigh. “You and Richa will not be spared so easily darling. You are not aware what the hell I can do with you. Right now right here.” Blood raged into Priya's eyes. “Curiosity is good if it don't hurt anyone. And for how much you two sold the picture to Upadhayay?” She asked.

There came no reply from the two.

“Mere 5 lakhs. Bas. This is the cumulative value of me and Ram Kapoor. No, we worth few hundred millions isn't it?” Priya poked the couple. “If Richa were not pregnant, you don't know how much medical reimbursement you guys would have been getting.”

“Ma'am we are sorry. Please don't fire us.” Kushal fell straight on Priya's feet.

Snapping to Vishesh Priya blinked. He walked to the man and pulled him up making him stand straight.

“Fire? Are you mad? I am not going to fire you baby.” Priya held Kushal by his chin, and piercing her finger nails right into his cheeks. You two will sign an agreement with the organization, for next 20 years.”

Kushal gulped a lump of air in his throat.

“You two can't leave my company for next 20 years and if you leave you have to pay me back 50 lakhs each. Calculate your value, it is just a token amount from your value, an IIT – IIM graduate and EEIT and IIM graduate.” She smiled at the couple monstrously.  “Next you will go to Upadhayay and say that you guys have informed him wrongly with a morphed picture to earn some attention and money.”

Kushal and Richa looked at each other.

“Don't worry about the money. Your account has been credited with that sum and I will stop him from suing you guys. But if you don't do so. I can't guarantee you with the consequences.” Priya threatened them openly. “You have seen my bright side, don't force me to open up the dark one. Decision is yours. Take it soon, because I can give you everything but not the time. You have this evening only to act. Leave now!”

Heads hung the undeclared couple went out.

~~

Next Morning.

Priya's phone rang vigorously for the second time. Hurrying out of the wash room she took the call from the Editor in chief. Karnashish Upadhayay tried to smile to hide his nervousness and guilt.

“Yes Sir. How may I help you now?” Priya said. “You have done enough to...” She stopped as the man from the other side spoke intervening.

“Please go through today's newspaper and I am personally sorry for not verifying the evidence. I am extremely sorry for the inconvenience. I will call Sudheer also after finishing this call.” Upadhayay sounded upset.

“Sir. It's my request to verify the validity of the news and the other newspapers also followed your footsteps and the e-media too. Just think about where we stand now. Embarrassed and jaded. You have published your apology but what about others who bought this piece of news from you.” Priya acted well.

“I promise you to sort this misunderstanding my today evening. I will personally meet them and apologise and I will sue Kushal your team member who did all this for money.” Upadhayay said.

“No. Thank you for the name. Now let me handle him. I know you have incurred loss, but dragging him will drag me too and I don't want anything unhealthy for my company and personal life. Let me begin my new life in peace.” Priya said.

“As you wish. But he has to give me back double the money that I paid him. Let me demand this much.”

“Go ahead no issues.”

“Thank You and best wishes for your new life.” Upadhayay smiled after disconnecting the call.

Priya smiled.....

“How could be Kushal getting that Picture?” Priya snapped.

“It is Kushal who sold that picture to Upadhayay. He is not from EEIT but Richa Menon is surely from EEIT” Vishesh replied.

“Now who is this Richa Menon? Meera do you have any idea.” Priya cocked her head to her.

“Let me check with the database.” Meera quickly hovered through the search list and said, “Richa Menon, from R&D section.”

“But what Kushal has to do with her? He is in my managing team.” Priya asked.

“Kushal is married to Richa for 8 months and she is 2 months pregnant with his child. These are the proofs against my every single word.” Vishesh put an envelope infront of Priya.

Going through the every content, Priya leaned back against her chair. “I feel like a fool Meera.” She laughed in disbelief. “This two will taste the bitterest experience on this earth. I will leave them with no option. Neither they will be comfortable to stay back nor will they be allowed to leave.”

~~

Priya smiled to her own reflection on the mirror. Taking a large amount of fresh air, she walked out.

With Sudheer reading the newspaper, Priya voiced. “Read the news? You and Amarnath uncle were getting tensed for no reason.”

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“To receive Jayesh Uncle.” Priya said. “He returns from Brussels today.”

“Vishesh will continue to be your bodyguard?”

“Yes Papa. Meera is adamant. She is worried about my security after Pilani showdown.”

“Convey my thanks to her for reading my mind.”

“I will....” Priya walked out of the hall towards her car, where Vishesh stood straight. He opened the door for Priya. “You promised me to be my guardian's angle. My dark truth rests with you. I want the promise to be lived.”

“Promises are made to be lived. I don't remember any of your dark truths.” Vishesh said without looking at her. “We are getting late for the airport ma'am.” He said.

After Priya, he slipped on the driver’s seat and wheeled the car out of the compound.

~~

Mumbai.

Amarnath read the apology published on the newspaper, putting it down he closed his eyes after leaning back against the easy chair.

Until We Meet.

Love

NB.