Chapter 33

Writer's view

The Ahujas too received a post being addressed to them. After seeing the content in the post, their face lost its color. They couldn't think straight. It was a handwritten note. They started reading the content.

Date: 10.05.1997

Today I got to know that Rakesh is involved in drug dealing. I never thought he could take part in such things. He has a son who needs to be taken care of and another child who's going to be born in a few days. If he needs money, he can ask me. But what's the need for trading drugs? When he can ask me for help. I don't know whether I should tell this to others or not. But I'm truly disappointed with him. That's all for today.

Skimming this both Rakesh and Sheela were sweating precisely. It's someone's handwritten note. But whose it is, is still a question mark. There was ultimate silence prevailing. Breaking the silence, Sheela questioned Rakesh.

"Who could it be Rakesh? I can't recollect whose handwriting this is? Maybe, it can be Vinesh's or his father's?"

"I'm thinking the same, Sheela. The person who's having the journal is the one who can destroy us. From this, it's clearly seen that this person writes everything in the journal. This means every single detail about us will be there. Oh, God!! We should get the person before, everything gets exposed".

To this Sheela nodded her head actively. But abruptly Sheela questioned him again.

"But how can we find the person Rakesh? Even the message didn't show the number. And now this post also doesn't have the sender? How can we reach that person.?"

"I'm thinking about the same Sheela". Just then Jogesh their servent came with another letter.

"Sir the security guard asked me to deliver this to you", saying this he placed the letter on the table and was about to leave the place when Rakesh stopped him.

"Yes sir"

"Did you see anyone? I mean the person who delivered the letter"

"No sir. The security guard told me, it was a mailperson who delivered the letter."

"Oh okay. You can leave now."

Thanking him the servant left the place. Now he opened the letter again. This time it read,

" You had many peaceful nights till now, but now I'm promising you that you won't sleep from now on"

They didn't know what to do. Surely they can't ask anyone's help. else their dirty past might come out, which already started.

"Rakesh do you think we should ask Sharav about this?". Rakesh immediately answered a 'no'.

"If he gets to know this he'll surely bring us down. We'll try to figure this by ourselves". Saying this they again sat in silence thinking what the person will do next.

_____________

Viren Khanna

After reading the articles and the letter, we just sat numb, not knowing what to do. Who is this person? What does he/ she need from us? And most importantly what's with my parents in this? Didn't they just help the police in this?

These were the questions running in my mind. "Don't you think we should talk about this to Dadu? He might actually help us in some way. ", said Daksh.

"Yeah, he might....but don't you think it might affect his health when the past opens again. I can't afford to loose him too Daksh. Think of me as selfish, but I can't let happen anything to him or dadi." , I replied and Sharav too agreed.

"I think, the best is we wait for the next post or message. That's what we can do", Sharav said. After discussing this for some more time, the boys went to their respective cabin. The moment they left, I took my wallet out to see the picture of my parents.

The tears started flowing on their own. I just sat there numb, whilst my mind played the beautiful memories of my parents. A few minutes later, I heard a knock on my door, wiping my tears away, I replied a ' come in ' and made sure that my voice doesn't crack.

"Dadu why did you knock the door? You usually don't knock my cabin door right? Then why this sudden formality?"

It was weird that Dadu entered knocking my door. I actually thought it to be someone else.

'Ooh. I tell who that person can be?', my subconscious popped out.

'It's not a secret.', I counter-attacked, while my subconscious huffed in response. And I smiled in victory.

"Stop daydreaming Viren. I'm speaking to you for the past two minutes, but you're not responding at all. And about knocking the door, you're not single anymore. So anything can happen anywhere. Enough of this, tell me were you dreaming about my daughter-in-law?", dadu questioned wiggling his eyebrows at me.

"Yes!! Is there anyone problem dadu", grinning I replied him back. Dadu's jaw was hitting the floor now. Of course, he'll be in shock after hearing my reply.

"Take a seat old man, before you fall down and break your bones", I told him and chuckled at his yet again shocked face.

"You're changing Vee...and a good chance tho....and also I know that you cried thinking about your parents right?", he asked me. I was shocked at how he noticed my struggle.

'He's no less than my parents', I thought.

I just nodded my head to his queries, and shortly my eyes teared up. Dadu stood from his place and hugged me, whilst I hugged him by his waist.

"I miss them a lot of dadu. I miss them when I achieve something and they're not here to witness it. I miss them when we're having our family time. I miss them when I see Daksh with my uncle and aunt. Why do they have to leave us this early dadu?", I sobbed.

'To hell with people saying men should not cry. I don't care if anyone judges me'.

" It's called fate Viren. Even I miss my son and daughter-in-law. I miss them when I see people attending functions together with their son/ son-in-law, daughter/daughter-in-law, and their grandchildren. But we can't do anything right. But I'm cent percent sure that your parents will be proud of Preeti and you.", saying this he patted my back. We broke our hug when I heard a knock again.

Making ourselves presentable I replied a 'come in '. I saw Akruti entering. The sight of her made me smile. On noticing how dadu and I looked, she went outside and this time returned with two glasses of water.

Dadu and I smiled at her gesture. "The water is here child, why do you need to bring new ones?", dadu questioned her.

"Umm...I noticed that your eyes were read. So I guessed you might have cried. And your throat maybe soar. So I got lukewarm water for you guys. ", she replied shrugging.

"God bless you, child!! Okay, I'll leave for home now. And kids no naughty business okay", saying this dadu left the cabin, leaving a blushing Akruti and embarrassed me.

"Dadu!!", I yelled, but he chuckled and close the door after winking at me.

________

Akruti Arora

The blush didn't leave my cheeks even after dadu left. I know he's modern but to this level. I never expected. There was an awkward silence in his cabin. So I cleared my throat and tried to strike a conversation.

"Viren you alright?", I questioned him. Chuckling he answered me.

"I should be the one asking you this question after what dadu told, instead you're asking me the question"

"I'm not talking about what dadu told, I'm telling about the one happened before I entered?".

For a moment he didn't answer. I saw various emotions passing through his eyes.

Miserable. Longingness. Emotions like these passed in his eyes.

"Y-Yeah...I'm a-alright", he replied me stammering and looking everywhere but me. I didn't push him again to tell me his worries. I'll wait for him to tell me on his own. Even it means waiting for a lifetime.

"Okay!! I just came to inform you that the deal with ' The Krasiv ', has been signed, and they started making the products to meet the deadline. And the Paris client too informed us about their start work with designs. They told me they'll email us the designs for our approval", I said everything.

He just nodded his head. I know he was struggling between his mind and heart to whether tell me or not. I sighed looking at him.

"Viren look at me". He saw me, I continued talking. " I'm not gonna pressure you to tell me. You can tell me whenever you feel comfortable. I'll wait for you to tell. So just calm."

Telling him, I stood from my place. "Okay, I'll get going now. I need to look at some designs which need some correction.". He just nodded his head. When I was about to open the door, I heard him calling me.

"Akruti. Wait!!"

"What happened?" , I questioned him.

" I'll tell you everything.", he said and I was shocked.

"Viren you don't need to stress yourself. Trust me I can wait", I told him. He stood from his place and removed his coat. He started walking towards me and my stupid heart started picking its pace.

He came to me and kissed my cheeks. " I'm more than ready Akruti, and I'm not sure whether I can tell you after some time. So please!!", he pleaded me. I can't see him vulnerable. Nodding my head, we started moving towards the couch in his cabin with our hands entwined.

We sat there in silence. He struggled to open himself. My heart twisted to see him like this. Thinking about this, I made a promise to myself.

' I promise Viren, I'll make sure you get all the happiness in the world, even if it needs to stand against the whole world'

____________

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