chapter 1

Prologue Murderer or Innocent? Snippets from Ishana’s past shock the world.Can she really be a murderer? CBI to probe.Ishana confesses? The truth behind her success…Ishana Khatri, one of the biggest supermodels of India, had such dark secrets that no innocent soul could fathom. While she was in high school, certain events had changed her life completely. She was labeled a ‘slut’ by the boy she loved, and she had ended up not just avenging her honor, but also murdering someone! She had been keeping her secrets buried within, but because of some unknown reasons, recently, she had opened up to a stranger, a journalist named Ravi.Now, Ishana’s phone was chiming non-stop, and what she was about to witness was going to turn her world upside down.  Ishana was struggling to wake up. It had been a long night, and she wanted to sleep in. Cussing and cursing, she finally picked up the phone, however, what she saw there erased every trace of sleepiness from her.Without even changing into anything appropriate, she rushed outside to grab the newspapers. Thankfully the staff dropped them off at her door. She picked them up and read the headlines; they made her heart stop.It had been four days since she had revealed her partial truth to Ravi, and only last night she had convinced herself that Ravi would not betray her. But this…Her phone buzzed again as she read about herself. One of the articles stated that she was a merciless, heartless, sociopathic bitch who had started killing people when she was barely a teenager. Wow!Hurling silent abuses, she picked up the phone. “What the hell is wrong with you?” It was Adil, her PR head, and he was screaming madly. Ishana winced; she was not used to such an attitude. “Ishana, I am done… I can save you from all shit you do in the shows, but I cannot save you from your past,” he continued harassed.It took her a moment to compose herself. Taking a deep breath, she asked, “What do you mean?”Her tone caught him off-guard.“Have you not seen today’s newspapers or the clippings I have sent to you. Your truth is bare to the world now…” he started with a shocked tone but ended with sarcasm.“What news?” she repeated, masking her irritation.“Who the hell is Dev?” Adil demanded, making her angrier.Reigning her temper, she asked carelessly, “Dev who?” “And who is Kunal?” Adil continued in the same tone. “A nobody,” she murmured carelessly.“A nobody you murdered, you mean!” he snapped. When she didn’t respond, he continued, “Haven’t you learned anything from me? Never trust a journalist. Ravi, your confidant, has submitted a tape with your confession on it.” Ishana’s blood boiled at these words. “I am done. Find someone else to fight your battles. I don’t support heartless sociopaths,” and with spite, Adil disconnected.  Ishana dialed Swara, her assistant, as she got ready. But Swara didn’t answer. It was a first, Swara always responded to her calls, no matter the time.Ishana tried constantly, and it was almost a hundredth attempt when Swara finally responded.“He-hello…” Swara’s timid voice erased all frustration in Ishana. She was planning to give Swara a piece of her mind but decided otherwise.“You want to resign too?”Swara didn’t answer.“Do this one last thing for me, find me Ravi’s address. I need to sort things out with him and understand his reasons for framing me before the police arrest me,” Ishana spoke, containing the venom in her voice.“Adil said police won’t arrest you, CBI would. But first, they would validate the authenticity of the tape that Ravi had handed them over,” Swara almost whispered.“But…” Ishana could sense Swara wanted to say more.“But Adil also said that if you were wise, you would go into hiding and –” Swara was almost crying now.“Did Adil give you Ravi’s details?” Ishana interrupted her.And at the moment, a message beeped on Ishana’s phone. Swara had sent the address.“Thanks. Have a good life,” Ishana muttered.“Ishana, wait,” Swara spoke urgently. Ishana stayed quiet.“Is it all true?” Swara asked, terrified.“What do you think?” Ishana questioned, but finding Swara speechless, she hissed, “Then why bother, isn’t it?”   Tap! Tap! Tap!Somehow, Ishana had managed to slip out of her apartment and was now standing outside Ravi’s. Apparently, Ravi didn’t live in a very well-off locality, and it was so easy for her to reach his house without anyone noticing.A girl in her late twenties opened the door.“You?” the girl looked petrified. Ishana pushed her aside and stepped in.“Namrita, isn’t it?” Ishana huffed.“What are you doing here? How did you find us? I will call the police,” she threatened, but Ishana just laughed.In her laugh, Namrita could see the glimpse of the sociopathic mad woman Ravi had been talking about.“Where is he?” Ishana asked, walking around the house. It was scarcely decorated; it was as if they lacked the means.“Not here,” Namrita responded. “He has not been able to sleep properly. He is depressed ever since he met you.”Ishana just stared around.“He couldn’t bear it anymore… the weight was killing him,” Namrita continued.“So, he decided to throw me under the bus,” Ishana added, analyzing a medium-sized flower vase that sat on a counter. The vase was decorated on the outside, but the feel and weight suggested it was iron.“It is his responsibility,” Namrita shrieked. “Now get out!”“Or what?” Ishana turned and smiled dangerously.“I am not scared of you,” Namrita spoke, though her voice trembled.“Good for you!” Ishana continued with her smile.Irked by Ishana’s behavior, Namrita rushed towards her, and without even a second thought, Ishana picked up the heavy vase and banged it on her head. Namrita fell lifeless on the floor…Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!Ishana felt her pulse, Namrita was still alive.“Maybe I should kill you too…” Ishana caressed her cheeks.She was still checking her pulse when she heard the keys jingle outside.A disoriented and haphazard Ravi entered and called for his fiancée. However, Namrita was, of course, unavailable.Slowly he walked inside, and the sight shook him to his core.Namrita was lying on the floor unconscious, and Ishana, with deranged expressions, was standing next to her. “Do you know what is the penalty for one murder vs. multiple?” Ishana asked scathingly.Ravi didn’t respond. He was too shocked to move.“It is the same,” Ishana sighed and started to walk around. The moment she gained some distance, Ravi rushed and fell next to his fiancée.“Why?” he sobbed, hugging Namrita.“Because, I had warned you, if you revealed my truth to anybody, you would suffer a fate worse than Dev and Kunal!” And with that declaration, Ishana pulled out a knife from her pocket and…A loud thud followed the sound of the blade piercing the flesh. Ravi’s lifeless body fell in her feet, next to his fiancée. ****PrathanaIshana woke with a start… she was drenched in sweat. She could not believe what she had done…She had killed again… Or did she?She checked her phone and emails, there was no news about Kunal or Ravi. She rushed outside to check the newspapers; the headlines were different. She scanned through the entire paper, and she was mentioned only once, that too in the context of a show. Was it all a dream?She had to be sure. It was early yet she called up Swara –who answered at the third ring, it was a relief. Swara confirmed that no controversy or gossip had surfaced in the last twenty-four hours…Wow! It was one horrible dream! She cursed as she settled back in her bed. She craved alcohol, but given it was barely 6 am, she decided otherwise.Sighing, she snuggled back in her pillow and closed her eyes. Though she knew sleep was one thing she wasn’t going to get now… All through his way, the only thought that was bothering Ravi was, ‘How should I approach?’ Should he discuss the events she had narrated so far, should he demand for a further story, or should he just talk about her present? Or, should he just tell her the truth!Sighing, he looked at the sign that hung outside a very ordinary-looking standard three-BHK house. PrathanaLocated in the heart of Delhi, it was surrounded by numerous regular residential dwellings. However, this one was much more than that. This was the head office of an NGO that Ishana Khatri ran. This was the place where she had helped and saved hundreds of women. And this was the place which, if you looked carefully, was always haunted by media and paparazzi.He stepped inside, and the simplicity of the place left him in awe. Yes, this must be a house at a point in time, but today it was nothing but a massive hall with a variety of furniture placed tastefully. He could see the open kitchen, and he could picture all the rooms. The only difference was, there were no walls now. The whole house has been renovated to perfectly suit an open-office.He looked around; it was empty. The big clock in the house said it was only 8:30 am. He should have waited outside for some time! There was only one girl in the whole premises. She seemed in her mid-twenties and was working at the reception. She greeted him with a comforting smile. “Can I help you, sir?” the receptionist asked.“Yes, I am here to meet Ishana Khatri,” he spoke and immediately realized that it was a big mistake. The expressions on the girl’s face changed drastically. Her friendly smile had turned hostile now, and she was dialing somebody’s number quickly on her cellphone.“I am sorry sir. But Ishana doesn’t meet anybody here. If you wish to report a harassment case and require our assistance, then please tell me,” she spoke while she waited for someone to answer the phone –which was now stuck to her ear.“No, but I want to meet Ishana, she had asked me to meet her here today,” he lied, hoping to relax her, but it only infuriated her.“Ishana never calls anybody here. I would ask you to leave politely, or else we would have to remove you forcefully,” she was angry. Weirdly she disconnected her phone without talking into it. Next minute two men with huge built entered the area.“It would be better if you leave quietly,” she warned.“But Ishana knows me,” Ravi spoke harassed. He scanned the place to look for her. If she spotted him, maybe he could talk to her. But he could not find her. She was supposed to be here…One of the men placed his massive hand on Ravi’s shoulder. Ravi’s knees buckled under the weight. However, before he could compose himself, he was being dragged out.“Hey, wait. Please wait,” Ravi begged loudly, hoping his voice would reach Ishana’s ears and she would rescue him. But it was of no effect.Within minutes he was pushed out and now was standing on the road. He cursed his luck. Why wasn’t she here!Ideally, he would have gone back to his beautiful and eagerly waiting fiancée, but he was determined. He needed to meet her. So, he waited.  Ravi recently had seen the worst few days of his life. Ishana had narrated her story to him a couple of days ago, and it was haunting him. He was so lost in her that he had stopped paying attention to Namrita as well, his fiancée. This morning when he had left her –wearing nothing but the most exotic negligee to entice him– he had felt immensely guilty.He wanted to be his usual self, if not for his own sake, then for Namrita’s. But his obsession was getting the better of him. He knew he had to close this chapter with Ishana, else he could not live peacefully. And hence, he was now standing in front of the most likely place he could find her.   “Hey, what are you doing here?” It was 10 am when he heard a familiar yet unexpected voice. Ravi was sitting on the pavement opposite the house. Since he had no camera, the occupants of the house considered him harmless. They knew some fans of Ishana were as crazy as they could go.Ravi looked up and found Rumi at the gate. He ran to her hopefully. “You are Rumi, isn’t it? Weren’t you the–”“Waitress who served you and Ishana the other day?” Rumi completed the statement for him.“Yeah…” Ravi laughed at his luck. Out of all people, he ran into one person who was a witness to their conversation. “When Ishana met me the other day, she understood that I was in a desperate need of money due to which I was working there. So, she offered me a job. Better pay, respectful job, and no molesting and harassing clients. Isn’t she great?” Rumi’s answer left Ravi speechless. Again, the same question echoed in his mind, ‘What is she?’“Congratulations!” Ravi said, coming out of his trance. “Thanks. So, you are here to meet Ishana? Or are you just counting bricks on our wall?” she inquired, looking up and down the street.“Yes, I so wish to meet Ishana, but your receptionist and bouncers threw me out. I was hoping to catch Ishana on the road and talk to her,” Ravi revealed, and Rumi laughed.“You can never catch Ishana here on the road,” she was beaming now.“She doesn’t come here? I heard she spends weekends here,” Ravi groaned hopelessly.“Oh, she is here. She spends most of her mornings at Prathana. I can assure you that Ishana is inside.”“I am here since 8:30. I didn’t see her enter,” he exclaimed.“Wow, you are desperate,” Rumi commented.“You were there when Ishana promised to talk to me. I just need to see her, please. There are so many unanswered questions. I need closure,” Ravi begged with folded hands. Rumi couldn’t understand what he meant, but given she had witnessed their conversation, she knew Ishana trusted Ravi. So, she led him in.  “You have got to be kidding me,” the receptionist bellowed as she saw Ravi enter. “Hey Seema, it’s okay. Ishana knows him. I have seen them…” Rumi started, but Seema, the receptionist, gave her a reproaching look and Rumi receded slightly.“Let me see Ishana for a second. If she says, I will go away. Please!” Ravi requested. Seema was dialing a number on her phone again. “I have been working on this desk long enough to know what men like you want from her. You men are such pigs, I will ensure that this time–” her phone was still pressed against her ear when another voice interrupted her.“What is going on here?” It was a voice that soothed and yet raised goosebumps all over Ravi’s body.He turned and saw an entirely different woman. Dressed in red and green salwar-kameez, hair open, bespectacled, and a tiny bindi adorning her face, she was not any supermodel; she was a regular normal girl. She was a different version of Ishana Khatri. He must be gaping at her because she spoke with a flattered smile, “Ravi, I see you recognized me.”He composed himself and realized that his mouth was hanging open. He closed it immediately. He was about to say his first words, but his knees buckled again. The bouncer had thumped at his shoulder and pulled him.“It’s okay. He is a friend,” Ishana spoke hastily.“Are you sure?” Seema eyed Ravi skeptically.“Yes, Seema. I am sure.” Ishana dismissed everyone with an assuring nod. Now it was just Ishana, Ravi, and Rumi.“Should I take care of Meerut’s case?” Rumi enquired.“Yes, please. And take the boys with you for your safety,” Ishana smiled affectionately at Rumi, who left hurriedly. Then indicating Ravi to follow her, she led him to a corner where a massive sofa-set was neatly placed. She sat there gracefully, and Ravi joined her on the opposite couch.“So, what brings you here?” she asked, smiling politely.“What happened with Love-Dios? Did you deal with them? Did they really withdraw the offer because of ‘baggage’?” words just poured out of Ravi’s mouth. This was not what he wanted to ask. He didn’t care if she was chosen as the brand ambassador of Love-Dios or not. He had a million other questions, but only God knew why this one erupted first. “Still the same!” Ishana laughed out loud. “Well, if this is what you really want to know, I went there to confront the owner of the brand. I mean, how dare he?” Her words had a hint of a smile, but Ravi couldn’t help but notice a glint of spark, that affliction of crazy, appear in her eyes. “Anyways, before I could cause more damage, my PR head Adil, came and stopped me. He is going to handle the situation ‘professionally’ and ‘tactfully’.” She air-quoted the last two words, and it was clear to Ravi that she was not happy about it. “So yeah, I am just waiting for his tact to play out,” she finished, and Ravi nodded. “What else you would like to know?” she asked, still maintaining the polite frame.“I was waiting outside from 8:30 am. I didn’t see you come in,” Ravi muttered.“I know many ways to hide from the cameras and paparazzi. After that incident in the fashion show, they are stalking me worse than ever. So, I am moving inconspicuously.”“And that’s why you have adorned this avatar?” he spoke, pointing at her from top-to-toe.“I always dress traditionally here. Ravi, this is an NGO where women of all ages come to seek help and justice. They don’t come here to meet a model or to take fashion advice. I dress simply here because I want them to be comfortable with me and around me.” Her words impressed Ravi to the farthest level, and he just stared.There were so many things racing through his mind, but he was unable even to phrase words, let alone sentences. How should he even talk to her…? Rumi arrived with a stack of papers, and Ishana signed them hastily. “You are leaving?” Ishana enquired seriously. Her smile had vanished. Rumi exhaled heavily and nodded.“Good. Any problems and you know whom to call. You will not indulge in any kind of heroism. Just remember, it is not for you, it is for her,” Ishana advised.“Now go and all the best.” Ishana got up and hugged Rumi. Ravi’s mouth just fell open. Both girls exchanged a meaningful look, and Ravi knew something big was going down. Sighing, Rumi stepped out of the house, and Ishana just stared after her.“Where is she going?” Ravi’s words pulled Ishana back to reality.“She is going to Meerut,” she informed, still staring at the door. “Sometimes I wish I could go myself, but it usually causes more problems.” “Why is she going to Meerut?” he asked carefully, and Ishana contemplated her answer. It was only yesterday when she had dreamed of Ravi’s betrayal. Could she really trust him?Her expressions said more than she had intended to because Ravi read them straight. “Hey, I am not even recording today. I am clean…” he emptied his bag in front of her, it was full of some documents. He even placed his phone on the table as proof.“I would never ever betray you. I am here today because I want to know for me. And I will write the snippets of only good things, things you want me to expose,” he assured, and she considered him.Should she tell him the truth? She did promise him her reality. Should she break her promise based on a dream driven by her own insecurities? Ravi had so far kept his promise; it had been five days, and there was no sound about anything from her school life. “We received a distress call last night,” she started with a deep sigh. “There is a girl who is being sexually abused by her uncle in her own home. She is an orphan, and his uncle –under the pretense of being her guardian– is raping her on a daily basis. Rumi has gone to extract that girl from that hellhole. Once the girl is safe, we will report it to the police and take the necessary actions.” A shiver ran down Ravi’s spine.“What do you do with these girls?” he asked, and a flash of wrath crossed her eyes. “What do you mean by ‘do’?” she snapped.“I mean, you bring them here. What happens with them then?” he asked, pulling himself away. She understood his question and relaxed a bit.“We give them home, and they are free to live in our safe house for as long as they like. Some girls work here at Prathana, and some find jobs outside. We provide care, support, and love to all women who come under our shade. We just take care of all.” Ravi was awestruck by her words. He wanted to ask so much more, but she interrupted him. “If this is it, I would like to take your leave.” She got up and pointed at the door.“No, I came to know more. Please… I am feeling restless since we last met. Please…” he begged.“Ravi, I…” she started, but he spoke on the verge of tears, “I need to know. Please…”She considered him for a moment, a smile flickering on her lips. “I knew you would want to know more…”Ishana didn’t know what to do. She still was unsure of Ravi’s motives. However, there was one thing she was definitely clear about. Ever since she had revealed a fraction of her past to him, she had felt at ease. She had been carrying so many things within herself for years now, and sharing a part of it had helped mend a bit of her broken soul. And not just Ravi was desperate to know, she herself was desperate to reveal. Finally, to talk to someone and share everything that had happened so far… “Only on one condition,” she started, and his face fell. Conditions from a woman like Ishana could be very tricky and dangerous, and Ravi knew it. “You have to do a good write-up of my NGO,” she grinned at his crestfallen expressions, and Ravi beamed. Now that was something he could do.“But,” she raised a finger threateningly, “You would not disclose any of our stings or names or faces of any of the girls here, not even of the girls who work for me. I just want a big photograph of the outside and theme of what we do.”“Sure,” he spoke, “But Prathana has been covered many times in multiple newspapers.”“It is, yes. But for an initiative like ours, you can never have too much publicity. Sexual and physical harassment happens every second of every day. I just want women and men to know that we are here to help. And by getting featured repeatedly, we keep on reminding people of our existence.”Her words inspired him. Only a person with a tragic and abused past could think with such determination. “You cater to only sexual harassment cases against women?” Ravi asked, taking out his notepad.“No, we take all kinds of harassment cases, and for both men and women. We also have recently started an orphanage that houses kids who are thrown on the streets to beg. So far, we have rescued thirteen. We aim to rescue more,” she informed. “What else?” he asked, pen ready to take notes.“Prathana’s work is popular. Why don’t you write your piece and I will validate it?” she suggested. Ravi wanted to argue saying ‘this is not how articles work’ but couldn’t. He just wanted to keep her happy, so he merely nodded.“Great… So, what else you would like to know?” her careless tone bothered him a bit.“Umm… what happened after Kunal?” Ravi whispered.“You remember my words, right?” she cautioned him.“How can I forget?” Ravi mimicked knife to his throat action to confirm that he remembered her words pretty well.“That’s good. Because only yesterday I dreamed that I had to exercise my warning on you and your fiancée, Namrita, is it?” she eyed him ominously. He gulped nervously. Was it a mistake coming back?“Brilliant. Let’s go then, this is not the place for that conversation.” Though she was smiling, Ravi couldn’t help but see the color drain from her face. Ishana called her assistant Swara and checked for her appointments. Fortunately, Sundays were usually free for her. “You have a car?” Ishana asked Ravi. He nodded.“Great, meet me at this residence,” Ishana quickly penned something down and handed it to him. And even before he had a chance to read it, she disappeared from the sight.