Chapter 30 : It hurts.. knowing you stranger.

Chapter 30 : It hurts.. knowing you stranger.

“How was the food?” Ram asked while walking on the beach.

After dinner Ram drove to Versova beach instead of Marine Drive. Night came down quickly engulfing the city. The elders have been informed that they will be late by an hour or two by message. Ram not for once thought why Priya accepted every proposal given to her when few days back she was in denial to marry him. She is hiding.

“The food was good and this place is also pretty awesome.” Priya smiled. “Can I ask you something?”

Ram's heart almost stopped beating anticipating the question. What will she ask? He asked himself. Puffing off the sweat from his head he smiled after asking her to shoot.

“Why you came back last night?”

“Haan.” He smiled. “I felt like that's why I came back. You are leaving for Cape Town next week and I don't know when you will be back. So I thought to spend some time with you.”

“Ram, don't expect much from me. You will end up hurting yourself only. I can be your friend only not a wife or that Priya whom you loved.” Priya said walking away from him. “With your every little care I feel you going weak for me. Don't do this to you Ram. I will end up hurting you only.”

“No I don't think so.” Ram replied under a smile. “And even if I end up in a heart break, trust me I will never complain. Never ever.”

“But...” Priya paused and looked to Ram's pocket his phone rang loudly.

“Excuse me.” He pulled out the phone looked into the display, muted it and pushed it back into his pant's pocket.” But before he could re initiate it rang again.

“Please take the call.” Priya turned and walked while the little waves broke over her bare feet.

“Yes.” He answered Shrestha's call.

“Why didn't you say bye to me before leaving?” She asked.

“Shrestha...” Ram looked at Priya, she is out of earshot. “Please Shrestha right now I can't talk. I am with Priya.”

“Okay. But where is the problem?” Shrestha asked. “Why can't you speak with me? Do we share any discrete relationship that she may oppose to?”

“I don't want to discuss anything right now.” Ram disconnected the call and walked fast. In no time he matched Priya's pace. “Priya..” he called. After she responded Ram took a deep breathe and spoke. “Don't you want to know where I went?”

“No.”

Surprised Ram asked her why.

“Because I have no rights over your personal space but we have an agreement and let's just not complicate our relationship. Digging into each other's life will make us uncomfortable especially if we find a third person involve in it.” Priya said in one breathe ending it with a smile.

“There is no third person.”

“If not then why you disconnected the call at first.”

“I muted it.”

“Same thing, you wanted to hide your her from me. I understand Ram you can have another person in your...” Priya stopped under Ram's voice.

“Shut up! How could you even think about it? I cannot think anyone in my life other than you. I have never thought of anyone but you. How could you Priya.” He ran his hand through his hair. “If I am not wrong I am the twelfth man in your life isn't it?” He spoke in anger.

Priya didn't respond. She calmly looked to the Arabian Sea that howled. “If I could love anyone else than you I would have never cheated on Rajat. If I could bluff myself I would have never submitted to you Ram. I would have been Mrs. Priya Rajat Kapur today may be.” She smirked and paced up leaving Ram blotted at his place.

When he realised, she has walked past him, he took Priya's name loudly. Priya stopped under the ricocheting of her name. Closing her eyes she stood fixed at the place.

“I am sorry.” Ram's voice made her blink. She moved her face away from him to avoid any eye contact with him. “I am really sorry.”

“If you learn any day that I had any kind of physical relation with Rajat before we made out, will you hate me?” Priya looked with an out of the context question.

“Priya stop this non sense. I was the first person to touch your womanhood. You can't fake it to me.”

“That is not the answer.”

“Okay if you are adamant to know then listen carefully. I love you not your body. I love your soul not your flesh. I love your heart not your mind. I love your touch not your lust. I love you to trust not to hurt. I love you for what you are.” Ram declared his heart with eyes full of saline water bulging at the periphery of his eyes.

“Loved.” Priya voiced. “Loved we loved each other. Now we are only business partners, legally wedded couple and nothing.”

“I know you hate me. But I can never hate you.”

“I hate myself not you.” Priya said curtly but stopped when she remembered Meera slapping her for calling herself a shame to be a woman. “I just hate myself because I double crossed a guy. Expected help from another guy whom I left bleeding in fear of getting caught red handed. I blamed you but what ever happened with me followed the path I paved.”

“No one paves way to molestation. Nothing justifies it.” Ram said in an angry voice. “If you find a justified reason behind it, remember you are over thinking and you need a slap to stop thinking so. If needed I will not step back to get your brain back at its place.”

“I was in the wrong place at wrong time.”

“No..it was his sick mind...” Ram couldn't speak more. His uneven breathes muffled the anger that started building up. He looked up as it started to drizzle. Gripping Priya's hand he started walking back towards the car but before they could reach it started raining heavily. Even running back to the car didn't help. They got drenched.

“Use my jacket Priya.” Ram extended it to her. “You got badly drenched.” Accepting the same she sat quiet until they reached the mansion, where another shock was waiting for them.

The moment Priya got out of the car she was welcomed by Meera who was nervous and startled at the same time. Her pale face indicted to an unwanted incident. “What happened?” Priya asked hurrying out an animated reaction.

“That, which must not have happened.” Meera said looking at Priya and then at Ram. “Whatever will happen now, promise me you will not react to it.” Meera confused Priya more than she was at that time.

“What?” Ram squealed.

“Come inside and don't react.” Meera squeezed Priya’s hand under hers. She knew the series of incidents that are due to occur will not go good with her in particular, while she has no idea about Ram and how he will tender his reactions.

The couple looked around the living room, where Amarnath sat digging his face in between his hands, Krishna sat with a gruesome expression suffused all over her face while Sarojani kept on striding to and fro along the passageway of the living room. She was the first one to notice the couple to enter the Mansion. She froze at her place. “How could you do this to my boy?” The blame clearly directed towards Priya.

“Darling what happened? Why you are talking to Priya in such tone?” Ram countered her instantly stepping closer to his Grand mother.

“Priya is the girl for whom you drew a forbidden line around you?” Krishna squeaked.

“Krishna!” Amarnath looked up. “I said stop it.”

“Why should I? She is the reason I lost my son. She is the reason my son lost every respect from his father. She is the reason we had to send him to an asylum. I can't forget those days. When she decided to leave him then, why she came back into his life now? Only for money and name? I will never forgive you Priya for what you did to my son.” Krishna Kapoor the mother spoke out her verdict.

“Maa.” Ram shouted back but only to be stopped by Priya. With her eyes glued down to the floor she walked towards her room. Ram knew his mother has pushed her to the cliff again. Without thinking for a second Ram followed Priya to their bedroom but he came little late. Priya locked herself in the washroom, his eyes went to the jacket that lied on the floor. “Priya..” he knocked at the door. “Open the door.” He knocked again.

“Ram, leave me alone. I am not doing any harm to me. I am taking precautions so that I don't catch cold.” Priya replied calmly. “And don't wait for me outside. Please be there and ask Meera to stay quite. Please do as I say. Meera can be violent when it comes to me. Please help me.” While she thought to be precautious with health and Meera, she forgot about Ram who got drenched too.  

Ram had a mixed emotions running through his veins. He wanted to get hold that person who disclosed their past to his family and at the same time he had to protect Priya. With all these he walked downstairs. His eyes fell on Meera. She stood at a corner with her hands folded near her belly.

“What so ever happens I am not going to forgive your wife.” Krishna said with her son's first view.

“How much people can be selfish in filial love now I am learning it.” Meera said under her sigh followed by a quicker smirk.

“You are no one to speak in my family's matter.” Krishna shouted.

“But I have every right to speak for my sister. You have seen your son in pain. Did you know what happened with her?” Meera stepped to speak the truth. “And what you were saying Priya married Ram for money. Mrs. Kapoor open your eyes she is hugely successful and more than your son. She owns a company with above 500 crore turn over. How can you think that she married him for money?” rebuking the lady Meera turned to Ram. “Ram what you have other than your father's name?” she asked.

“Meera! Stop it.” Priya appeared in her night gown. “Leave, we will talk tomorrow. Please leave.” Her eyes were as calm as the nature which warns with the fear of destructions ahead. “Good night.” Priya walked down stairs once Meera left.

“May I know how our elders knew about us Ram?” She asked her husband.

“Bauji...” Ram was sure it was his father who broke the news but he was wrong.

“This time that man intruded our bedroom and left a mini projector with all your photographs displaying one after another starting from your college days to marriage.” Amarnath said in muffled voice under his sigh.

He has a plan to execute. To uproot Ram Kapoor. But making it easy for him to end his life was not the plan. After his failed attempt to kill his wife made that clear to him. The way Ram Kapoor searched for him and is still trying to get hold of him made him more cunning. He decided to make it more difficult for him. This time he reached the senior Kapoor’s bedroom. After the ladies vacated the room he stepped in. Pulling out the micro projector he adjusted its projection on the opposite wall. After it started playing their pictures on the opposite wall, he smirked. Putting back the mask, he limped back to the terrace and took his way back to exit the mansion.

When Amarnath and Krishna went back to the room after dinner, both of them remained shocked to know the truth.

“Who could be it?” Ram sat on the couch. His eyes went to his brother who came back late.

With no clue of the series of incidents that happened at the Mansion he asked about it. As a reply he got a shocking reaction from his mother. She knocked everything that came on her way while striding back to her room.

“Maa. You can't go like this.” Ram tried to follow her but only to be stopped by Priya. “Priya I need to talk to her.”

“No. Give her time to recollect. No mother can ever withstand her child's accused.” Priya said.

“But you are not my accused.”

“Let's not talk about this.” Priya wished Good night and walked upstairs.

“Someone please tell why there is so much tension around.” Rishab said impatiently.

“Come with me Rishab.” Sarojani dragged away her younger grand son with her.

“She can never be my accused Bauji.” Ram said in muffled voice.

“I know that. But as Priya said give your mother a little time to recollect before declaring the truth to her.” Amarnath said under his sigh and left leaving Ram alone.

~~

That night Ram didn't interfere in Priya's space. Little he slept but when he found Priya sleeping calmly on the love seat he sat down on the floor by her. Caressing her head he also dozed off to sleep.

~~

09:00 AM Mumbai.

Ram opened his eyes to find the love seat empty. He registered the time in his head and knew that he is late. Taking Priya's name he walked to the changing room. But she was neither in the changing room nor in the washroom. She was no where. Ram panicked. He kept on calling her. His voice reverberates around the Mansion. Scampering downstairs he asked his mother for Priya's whereabouts. But she maintained silence like Priya never existed for her. The same cold reaction was given by Sarojani too. Amarnath was the first person to show concern. “Ram, what happened?” he asked.

“Priya is not in the Mansion.” He panicked.

“She has a 100 crore turn over organization, much bigger than my son. Why should we think about her? Ask her friend Meera. She must be with her.” Krishna replied curtly.

“Krishna! Stop this. Don't be so blind in filial love that you can't see the pain of Priya.” Amarnath rebuked. With out uttering a single word Krishna walked away from the living room along with Sarojani.

“Rishab.” Amarnath called his younger son. “Do you have any idea where your Bhabi could be?”

“Have you checked with Neha?” He asked Ram. “Might be she is with her. After all Neha is her only friend here at Mumbai.”

Ram dialled Neha's number and waited for her to pick the call. “Neha, is Priya with you?”

“No Ram. But why are you sounding so tensed?” Neha asked him walking to Vikram who was playing with his sons. She animated an instruction to her husband. When Vikram joined her she put the phone in loud speaker.

“Priya has left me or .....” A cold vide touched his spine. He gulped a lump in his throat.

“What Ram??” Vikram shouted.

“She is kidnapped!” Ram said in a low voice, the phone slipped out of his hand.

“What!!” Vikram called Ram's name an umpteenth time. When he failed to get a response he hung up. “Neha come with me. Ask your mom to come over here immediately. Ram needs us.”

~~

It was 12:00 noon when Kapoor Mansion became a place with a too many visitors but void of the ladies of that palace. Meera sat confused calling one after another person trying to track down Priya. But from her end she had no clue. Vishesh had left to hunt down Priya, tracking the GPS of her car, but he still remained clueless about her whereabouts Until the GPS gets connected to an internet connection it is of no use.

“Meera. Enough of waiting we must call the cops.” Amarnath voiced. “This is their duty.”

“No need. She must have left on her own. No one gets kidnapped along with luxury car.” Krishna said from a corner in a mocking tune. “There is no need to make this place a circus. Just leave everyone. And you lady..” she pointed to Meera. “She is hugely successful than my son right! But she got snatching my son's life. I curse.....” Krishna stopped and looked at Ram who screamed out a loud cry.

“ENOUGH MAA. ENOUGH... your son was beaten up only but she.. she was groped, molested, beaten off, ripped off. She was disgraced; she called out for help from your son. But what your son did. He kept on protecting the false reputation. Ask them...” he pointed to his friends. “We waited for the right time to help while Rajat molested her, pushed her to the cliff, wounded her soul and she gave up for whom? For me. She trusted me. She trusted her Ram. She believed that Ram will stand by her. But no what Ram did? Ram abandoned her.” He animated a mocking reaction before falling on the floor. “I abandoned her, she stood by me all the time. I was the one who only claimed to love her but could never stand by her.”

Krishna failed to understand how to react. She stood there gripping the latch of the door tight in her hand.

“Ram. We know she is hurt. But stop hurting yourself.” Vikram said hugging Ram tight.

“Vikram she never did anything to hurt me. I was the one to hurt her. I was the one to leave her alone. I was the reason she could have died. I could have lost her. And my mother, she cares for her son who came back with few wounds that healed in months. But never thought about a girl, whose soul was scratched forever.” Ram sobbed like a baby.

“Meera Madam.” Vishesh came running in. “She left for Delhi. Her car is parked outside the airport. She has left for Delhi. I got track of it when it got connected with the open network for a moment.” He said loosing breathes in interval.

“What?” Meera stood up. Dialling a number she waited for the person on the other side to receive it. “Manish you said there is no transaction today on Priya's name?”

“No Ma'am there is none. Till now she has done no transaction.” Manish, her subordinate replied.

Disconnecting the call she sat back. “Ram, does she have cash with her? Anyone of you know that?” She asked looking around the room.

“She may have. I mean shagun. She must have received cash too with other gifts.” Amarnath said.

“How do you know that Priya has left for Delhi? Did you check with bookings anyhow?”  she asked Vishesh.

“No ma'am. I just guessed.”

“She is clever; she will never go to Delhi. She knew if she does that I will be the one to catch her first. She has gone somewhere else. Her passport is with me so she has not left the country but where? And why?” Meera sat confused, “And who was that intruder what does he want? Why he is behind Priya? Whatever Priya did there is a reason behind it. If she does anything wrong...”

“I can never forgive myself then. Just find out where she is!” Krishna said. In shame she failed to look at Ram. “Just find her and bring her back to me.”

“Before I leave, it’s time you all must know something.” Meera trembled while speaking. “Everyone should know when people have started blaming her for Ram specially. Why she has become so ruthless, wicked and cunning you all must know. Vishesh you should too.” Meera's voice muffled under her light sobs. With tears bulging in her eyes she looked at Ram. “Ram that day she was not molested.” Meera could not hold back her tears. “Krishna ji your son had got some wounds, physical wounds but my Priya was thrashed. She was not molested. She was raped.” Meera broke into loud sibs. “She was raped.” Meera repeated in sob muffled voice.. “She wanted to end her life not because she was molested but was raped.”

Neha trembled back. She looked at Vikram who stood in shock. Ram stood up and looked around. “Me...Meera.. what..did you say?” Ram stood up wiping away his tears under his stammer.

“That what you heard. Now it is on you all to decide if Priya is an accused or a victim. What I can she is not fine. She needs help. She finds herself to be responsible for all that happened with her. She finds herself to be a shame. She thinks being a woman is a shame. She is in depression still, even if she smiles and socialize. There are hardly any night she sleeps calmly. If there is one then it is because of sedatives. She takes sleeping pills to balance her sleep to balance her life and keep on going with it. She is living a Mechanical Life, wake, work, Eat, Repeat. Now you all decide what she is? An accused, a victim, a disgraced woman or just a girl who has all the right to be happy, a woman who has all right to be loved.” Meera strode out calling Vishesh to accompany her. But he stood blotted on his place. The fragments of the incident played in front of his eyes. A clearer view than the earlier one. “A WOUNDED MAN, AN OVER SPEEDING TRUCK, A GUN SHOT ON RAJAT KAPUR'S LEFT LIMB FROM POINT BLANK AND A PAIR OF RAGING EYES. That person practised firing for umpteenth time for that only but the bullet missed his limb. Why?” “Vishesh” Meera's voice dragged him out of thoughts. “Vishesh where are you lost? Come quick we have to trace out Priya.” Meera walked out again.

Vishesh: “How can I tell you, the truth you said is known to me since a long time!”

He sighed and walked out behind Meera.

Until we meet.

Love

NB