Chapter 32 : A Deadly Turn

Chapter 32 : A Deadly Turn

“Maa please.” Priya sat on the love seat. She was pleasantly unconvinced by her mother's accounts justifying Ram as the guilt. “Come on please don't be such a spoil maa. He is not the only one who kept this a secret and if he wanted to continue with that charade he could have done it without any particular try. I was in the favour to continue to hide it. He is the one who called you here and spoke the truth knowing how my parents are going to react. I know Papa must have reacted the worst.” She sat closing her eyes leaning to the love seat.

~~

Few hours earlier.

“Is any thing serious?” Jayesh asked taking his seat on the Kapoor Mansion's living room. “Why Ram summoned us in urgent?”

“Uncle I have something to share with Maa and Papa.” Ram sat with his eyes glued to the floor. “Papa...” He moved close to Sudheer and knelt in front. He wanted to speak but the fear of getting the worse in return stopped him. Ram knew after the truth, he will loose every place in their heart. But, they being Priya’s parents should know the truth. Taking a deep breath he held his father in laws hands firm under his.

“Ram you are confusing me and I am getting nervous too.” Sudheer said trying to look at Ram's eyes. “Ram tell me. Is Priya okay?”

“She will be. I promise you she will be.” Ram said in a feeble voice. “She will be.”

“What do you mean?”

“You remember she tried to give up her life for a boy?” Ram asked. Without waiting for the reply he added. “I am that boy. I knew Priya from college days. We were more than friends.” He sat looking on the floor. He felt Sudheer's hands to slip off from his grip and felt a tight slap against his left cheek and next on the right one after another.

“Did you know what she became then?” Sudheer screamed out in pain. “Did you know everyday, she wanted to kill herself? How dare you again enter my daughter's life? You were also with that other fellow molesting my daughter.” Sudheer clutched Ram's collar. “Tell me.”

“I can never think of it.” Ram said in a low voice. “And.. it was not..” He stopped under Jayesh's voice.

“Enough!” Jayesh stood up. “How dare you Ram?” he took leaps and stood infront of Ram. He stood up and faced Jayesh. Putting his gaze in Jayesh's eyes Ram stood fearless.

“Don't dare to speak! If Priya is heartless today it is because of you. You have killed her innocence. You are a killer and before muffling my voice under yours tell me one thing do you have the guts to deny that you knew who am I? Or may I say knowing who am I you plotted our marriage and tried to sleeve it off when you feared that I will make sure Priya returns to life.” Ram shouted back on Jayesh.

“Jayesh!” Sudheer stood in shock. “After knowing the truth you wanted my daughter to marry this demon?”

“Sudheer, he is manipulating you.” Jayesh tried to defend.

“Come on. Stop this drama. I have lost everything that's something else. But today I will make sure you also loose every respect. I will pull off the mask from your face.” Ram challenged. “And I know you have sent that intruder behind me, you are trying to kill me.” Ram suddenly moved closer to Jayesh. “Do you have a gun?” he whispered into Jayesh's ears. “You should have one! Take that out and shoot me here...” He pointed at his forehead. “Here here..” He knocked at the temple of his forehead. “Shoot and everything is over. Stop killing her. I will not let you go.” Ram said grinding every word under his teeth.

“What intruder? Who intruder?” Jayesh denied every allegation. “And if I would have hired someone then I would have done it pretty earlier. I would have not waited for this marriage to happen. Do you understand that?”

“Don't lie to me!” Ram stepped closer.

“Stop all these!” Sudheer shouted. “Just stop it Ram” he turned to his son in law. “If you are thinking that shifting my concerns from you to Jayesh will let you go free then you are living in an illusive world. I know the truth and I will not let my daughter to spend a single second over her. Especially with that man who forced her into something unusual that demeaned her to masses.” Sudheer said trailing his eyes all over the hall reaching every one present there. “Shipra!” he called out his wife's name. “Pack Priya's bag. She is leaving with us.”

“One minute.” Rishab spoke.

“Rishab stay out of it.” Ram ordered knowing his brother's threshold has been over.

“I will.” He said under a sigh. “But I need five minutes before they take bhabi with them.” He said. “Can I get five minutes please.” Rishab looked at his elders and walked upstairs. Within three minutes he showed up. Striding back to the living room he stood infront of Sudheer. “Go thorough this.” He handed a stack of files to him. “Go through this once.”

“It doesn't matter to me!” Sudheer threw those files on the floor.

“It does matter. It does.” Rishab spoke in a high voice. “It does because my brother lived a life trying to kill himself. Alcohol, drugs, trying to get over doses of the latter, what not he did. He spoiled his heath perfectly. Until he was forced to be at an asylum. Hands tied, blind folded, gaged he was put there. Only with one name all over her. Priya. My Priya.” He gasped for fresh air. “I know what happened with bhabi is unexplainable. Her pain can’t be realised but my bhai, he has also went through hell for the guilt he was and still living with and now with a guilt that he can never recover from. Pain of your daughter is unbearable but that doesn't mean that my brother lived a selfish life.” He looked at his mother then to Shipra.

“Aunty you had your daughter with you. You could stand by her when she fought with the difficult phase of her life. But my mother she only cried and waited when her son to show up. When he will be back? Time was cruel. We were not even allowed to meet him. Time was worst when Reshma has to keep him sedated. Reshma, she was the one who gave bhai a reason to live, the reason that bhabi had as a long term goal. He worked day and night just to accomplish it. He lend his ideas to mama ji and other firms in a minimum cost because his and my father denied any help to an addict son who visited asylum and a rehab. Isn't that cruel? I know bhai's pain is much less than bhabi's but that doesn't mean he lived happily. He had worst life too. Don’t blame him so selfishly.” Rishab covered his face and started sobbing. “I was the one who saw him closely to let his heart out every year, on her birthday. I have seen him celebrating her every success. How can you call him so selfish?” Rishab's sob got louder. “I have seen him cry like a baby whenever he realised bhabi is not around him, when ever his dream broke he searched for her like a mad dog. He was living a worst life too Sir. She was along with her family having everyone around to support. But he... he had no one, but back home a father who looked at him as the biggest failure of his life and a mother who only cried and prayed that one day her son will be back and I am sure they are both at the same place still today. One still hating Bhai and one still hoping he will be back and you are blaming him to have a peaceful selfish life.” Rishab broke down this time.

“I beg your pardon on behalf of my brother.” Ram stood clasping his hand.

“Shipra do what I asked you do!” Sudheer ordered again this time looking at Ram and Rishab in particular.

~~

Present Time.

“Beta, come pack your belongings we will be leaving by tomorrow.” Shipra said.

“No..I am not going anywhere. I have a lot to ask Ram and one thing he has not disgraced me. Maa i was not a kid that he forced himself on me and I submitted. We were adults. Both of us. What ever happened was with my full rightful concerns.” Priya said. “It was Rajat who forced himself on me and was successful. He did everything to destroy me. Everything means everything maa.” She looked at Shipra.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“Shipra ji, she is the victim of the most gruesome crime ever can happen to a woman.” Meera said from the door.

“What you two are trying to say? Speak clearly.” Shipra looked at the ladies present there. “I am bad with riddles.”

“I was raped!” Priya sat closing her eyes.  

“What????” Shipra flumped on the bed. Her world seemed to shut around. She knew that Priya was molested and she stood affirm with Priya's decision not opting for police complain. She feared humiliation from the society she lived. Shipra even agreed to Jayesh's offer to shift to New Delhi without giving any second thought to it. Only the news of molestation made her took decisions in hurry if she knew that news in past, there was no reason to live further. Shipra felt sinking in her own guilt. “And we never knew it? Why Priya why?”

“If you don't remember then let me remind you only the news of my molestation made you and papa feel like the creepiest creatures present on the world you two would have died knowing the truth.” Priya squealed.

“Am I alive now? Can I continue to live after knowing the truth?” Shipra asked.

“Why not Shipra ji? Where is Priya's fault in it?” Meera was pretty shocked to dissolve Shipra's reaction.

“Because society don't accept a rape victim. And Ram? He did all these right?” Shipra held Priya between her strong grip.

“No. No maa. He never disgraced me.” Priya jerked her mother's hands off. “He can never do so.”

“Then why you blamed him for that suicide attempt?”

“Because I was not within me Maa. I wanted him to help me but .... “ Priya looked at Meera. “He is not to be blamed.”

Meera knew why Priya looked at her. At last she accepted the truth once said by her.

“Then what you were for him?” Shipra asked.

“Everything.” Ram answered from the door. He came inside with a bag in his hand. “She was, is and will be everything for me. And yes I am to be blamed for what happened that day. My actions provoked Rajat. If I had not taken her to my Mama ji's place nothing would have happened.”

“What ever happened that was not in our control... please let's not discuss it please.” Priya looked at Ram. “And what that bag is doing with you?” she asked.

“Papa wants you to leave with them. It has some of your important belongings that Maa gave me to give you.” He stretched out his hand to Priya. “These are all yours.”

“Ridiculous I am not going anywhere.” Priya dashed out of the room straight to living room.

“Papa. Please calm down.” She addressed her ragging father who turned his ears deaf to Amarnath and Sarojani too. Krishna sat hopelessly on a couch with Rishab by her. “Papa, why you want to take me with you because Ram hide that we know each other? Otherwise I don't see any other reason behind it.”

“He is the reason we could have lost our soul daughter.” Sudheer rebuked.

“Who said he is the reason? Me then...” Priya laughed. “Come on papa. How can you take me seriously then. I was traumatised and only because he didn't turn up to help me that doesn't mean we can say he is the reason. Even I stood calm there when he was beaten up badly and left to die in a pool of blood. Are Maa and Bauji accusing me of their son's half dead condition? The answer is No. Not for a single time they accused me of that.”

“But his wounds are not deeper than yours.” Sudheer said.

“The point is if you as parents suffered, they also suffered Papa. They almost lost there son too. He was beaten up badly. And anything could have happened if Neha and Vikram were not there to help him.” Priya tried to make Sudheer calm.

“Who was there to help you?” Sudheer's question made her look down. “You had no one. If Jayesh was not summoned there and had he not reached on time, we would have lost you.”

“Papa...”

“Not a single word. You are coming with us to Delhi. And we will file divorce from there.” Sudheer said under his sigh.

“No.” Priya said under an uncomfortable smile. “I mean what did you say? Divorce? Why? Papa I know you are angry with Ram but that doesn't mean you will stop thinking rationally. Neither I am coming with you nor will I file Divorce.”

“Is this your final decision?”

“Yes.” Priya stood averting her eyes from her father. “If Ram's fault was that he had hide our past relationship from everyone then Jayesh uncle is also guilty for the same. Knowing our past Jayesh uncle made sure this marriage should happen by blackmailing me, forcing me to accept Ram as my husband. What is his punishment Papa? If divorce is Ram's punishment then what is Jayesh Uncle's punishment for the same sin?”

“Priya...” Sudheer raised his hand. “Don't forget he is one who gave you this life.”

“Not for the cost of my self respect. He pushed me every time when I denied marrying Ram and then tried to push me again when he suddenly changed his mind to end this relationship. Remember the sudden drama of the Kundalis?” Priya looked at Jayesh having a mocking smile over her face.

“He has a good motive behind it. I trust him.” Sudheer said looking angrily to his daughter.

“And not your daughter? How nice?” Priya laughed. “And if not, I am not coming with you!”

“Is this your final decision?”

“Yes.”

“I can't dethrone you from the empire you built but whenever you come to Delhi next time, care for your own place!” Sudheer declared before walking out of the mansion.

“Sudheer ji..” Meera ran after him.. “Sudheer ji..” she started walking by him once their rhythm matched. “Priya loves Ram. Please don't force her to revert her decision.”

“I can never forgive Ram. Never. And as long as she continues to be with him, I am not going to allow her to enter my house.” Sudheer slipped into the car's rear seat followed by Shipra and Jayesh. Meera watched the car to leave the Mansion gate.

~~

Same Night.

Priya in her night suit sat on the swing at the terrace. She sipped to the cup after taking the fragrance of the coffee.

“Hi.” Ram came and stood by the swing.

“Come seat.” Priya made space for him.

“You should have left with your parents.” He said.

“You remembered what bauji asked us to give a re- think about our relationship. If any day I feel to leave you, I will but not for anyone else, even not for my father.” Priya said sipping her coffee.

“Priya he is your father. He knows what is good for you and what is bad. You must not have behaved rude with him.”

“Is it because your interest grew deeper somewhere else?”

“Means?”

Priy smirked, “Your weekend gateway. Your her. Your Shrestha.”

“How..how do you know about it?” Ram looked surprised. “And the name? How do you know Shrestha?” Ram stole his eyes.

“I don't know her but I would like to before leaving you forever for her. Love is just like preferences. It changes with time.” Priya stood up took few steps to the French window.

“Wait.” Clutching her wrist he pinned her to French window. The glass behind rattled. “What did you say preferences? You paired it with my love.” He moved closer to her. “Priya my love for you is not a preference that I liked once! You were the first and last girl in my life. If there is Shrestha there is a reason behind it.” He came apart from her. “Let the time come I will share everything with you.”

“You are really desirable.” Priya smirked. “Look who's calling?” she pointed to the phone laying on the swing. “Shrestha with a smiley after her name. Cool. Be comfortable I am leaving.” Priya walked inside.

“What!!!” Ram shouted over Shrestha on the phone.

“Why you are behaving so weirdly with me?” Shrestha complained from the other side. “Am I bothering you?”

“Do I need to say that? And how many times I have to remind you don't call me when I am with Priya and for your kind information I have taken an update about everything over there including chotu and you from Reshma. Now please leave me alone.” Ram raised his voice.

“But I need to talk to you. It is almost two weeks I have not spoken to you. And you promised me that nothing will change between us even after Priya Ma'am returns back into your life.” She spoke innocently. “And as much I know we don't share any discrete relationship. Why can't you be the same like earlier? Why can't you share that with your wife? Is she so authoritative? Will she oppose our friendship? Then she must go against your noble work too.”

“Shut up. Don't speak about Priya. You know nothing about her.” Ran reacted.

“Exactly. Like me, she also doesn’t know about me. It is your duty to tell her about me.” Shrestha disconnected the call. She hunched while tears ran down her cheeks. Ram on the other side without any clue stood under the night sky.

~~

Priya felt a touch. A touch that gave her a sheer pain. Through the stimulus it reached her brain. She tried to open her eyes but everything was black all around. She felt her hands tied. And a thick layer of fabric around her lips. The pain increased as time passed by. As if someone is engraving a tattoo on her hand with a sharp needle. She tried to move from the love seat. Just then someone grabbed her by hair. SHHHHHH she could hear only. “Do you want your hands to get ripped off baby?” that unknown voice whispered. She has never heard that voice earlier not even for once. The voice, face, touch, everything get imprinted on her mind from a single meeting, just like his which got imprinted right then. The intruder will not be spared next time. Even if she meets her in broad day light in a completely different set up she will identify him. Right then she struggled and the man moulded something on her hand. “See you soon baby..” He whispered again. Then there was a silence... a sound as if someone jumped from the terrace. Thankfully her feet were left untied. Failing to stand up she fell from the love seat rolling right on the glass jug and glass that she kept on the floor. It shredded into pieces. Being gagged her cry muffled. The glass poked on her torso. She tried to shift her body weight from the pieces of glass but failed badly. The glass piece went deep into flesh leaving her bleed profusely. Soon she lost her conscious.

Until we meet.

Love

NB