by Shailly Jain
He has started sharing more about his life. He is becoming more open day by day. Playing ludo, snakes have revoked his childhood memories.
Now he sits on the porch with her on most evenings. He is teaching her cooking, fighting to fill up the time. Somehow she is teaching him to enjoy smaller things in his life. Rahul is a part of most of her stories and the girl Neha is the villain. He has become aware of all her friends and their dirty secrets. Even he has started completing her sentences.
He has to ask, Why so grumpy today anything special?. Today is Rahul’s birthday. He raised his eyebrows for her to elaborate more. I always plan something special for him, so the added drama khadoos. He showed her the signal box, punch Happy Birthday in this. The message will deliver to him in seconds, the thank you reply made her smile.
Today is special for me too Sia. Why it’s your birthday too? She asked with a lot of excitement. He replies in a softer tone - No, it’s my mother’s birthday today. Seeing him sad, she suggests cooking a good dinner and use of his liquor stash.
Preparing the meal was fun but handing her the liquor is a mistake. She is quarter down before the meal, she shouted from the hall make it candlelight dinner. He obeys, as the discussion is out question.
During snuggle she asks softly, Why do you require that software, Karan?. She wants to hear it from him.
But, If you don’t want to answer its okay. She thought he is not going to answer but to her surprise, he nodded in response.
Slowly he formed the words - It’s for my father’s company. My mother told me that the whole business is built on the blood of innocents. I tried to look for clues in all lawful ways but failed to find anything. He has written off many transactions in miscellaneous. So I want that software.
Sia remembers him saying his father is dead, but she knows the truth due to Gaurav. Where is your father now, Karan?. To be true Sia, I have not seen him for years until that awful gala.
I am sorry about my behavior. I went overboard seeing you talking to him that day. She has met so many people it’s hard to remember. Seeing his discomfort, she doesn’t want to push him any further.
Karan wants to ask something but decided not to. Seeing his conflict she smiles. Ask khadoos or you will burst into pieces.
He softly smiles - What’s your deal with Rahul?
She burst into laughs. Remember I fled from London. My father is so pissed with me that he decided to send me away. The family he chose for me is his best friends ie; Mr. Vikram Sengar.
Uncle knows all about Arvind and London, as he came with my father to take me back. From that day he helped me cleaning my act and restarting life. He explained it to his son too, leaving a few details like Arvind’s name. That’s why I told you not to tell him, he becomes very possessive sometime.
Rahul and I grew up together. Over the years we became best friends, co-conspirators, each other’s family. We together went through his parent’s divorce. When it became unbearable to see Vikram uncle’s pain I shifted to my mother’s flat.
He spent half of his time at my flat. You know one room is his. I love his family as my own and they reciprocated the same.
Karan smiles with relief- that’s why he is so protective of her and treats her as she belonged to him. He has almost the same equation with Gaurav.
One more question Love, I promise after that no more prying. Last time I met Arvind, he is on his way to propose you. What happened?. Sia can feel the anger boiling up - That jerk is less interested in me and more interested in the software. God knows what devilish situation he is now. I turned him down the moment he opened his mouth. Karan can’t stop smiling, it feels like his heart will burst with happiness.
Clutching her closer, he went to sleep.
********
To his surprise, he misses her voice when she was quiet for long. She hasn’t packed much clothing, so now she wears mostly his clothes. He smiles thinking how cute his clothes can look on her.
It’s a made-up life, but somehow they have started to like it. She has been working on the guitar for almost a month now, but hadn’t improved a bit. He left the work to see why she is playing it again.
Sia, you are beautiful, but one more sound from that guitar. He playfully adds I will kill you. Give me that, I will teach you. He plays the instrument beautifully.
She is paying full attention she is a quick learner. But learning a guitar will take days, to stop her from practicing it anymore. He played his ace card, Come I will show you the attic.
It’s a space above the rooms and below the roof. The height of the room is less, and its a mess. The thick layer of dust and spider web suggests it’s locked for a long time. Sia can’t sleep that night thinking about the condition of the attic. The next thing in the morning, she started cleaning it up.
********
Her cleaning spree has a new level since she has known about the attic. The place is a mess with boxes and old junk. Cleaning of it will take a planned approach, yesterday the floor is taken care of. Going through the boxes, she found photo albums, tapes, cassettes, diaries, and a lot of toys. The previous occupant of this house must have a lot of kids. To know more about them, she started looking at the pictures.
Its Karan’s family photos, she can recognize that the devil smiles anywhere. Most of the pictures are of his mother or an old man with him. Karan looks a lot like his grandfather, but his eyes hold the same softness as his mothers. He was a chubby baby, so cute with that naughty looks. There is not a single photo of him standing still; he must be a handful as a kid. She emptied all the boxes and started going through them. The albums show his journey as a toddler to the adolescence.
Her mother was a dazzling beauty of her time. The way she carries herself can give princesses run for their money. Fire in her eyes and strong will is captured in some of the photos. In all the photos Love for her son can be felt. His favorite pose is sitting on the trees. She found a few embarrassing ones where he is getting punishment. Keeping them aside, she eyed at the diaries lying in the corner. Her reading material is over, and now she has something new in front.
Arranging the cartons for support and kicking her shoes to settle. She
started reading the diary suppressing the guilt to read someone’s private life
without consent. She wrote about the time when Aditya has asked for her hand in marriage. It’s less of a proposal and more of an alliance. Feuds are frequent in their areas, enmity for ages can do that. To have peace between territories, he suggested marriage. Elders will sacrifice anyone for their pride.
Aditya Mehra is a dream of every girl in both territories. He is talked for a sense of justice and honor. She knows the destruction he can cause with his bare hands. His fight in pits shows his animalistic characteristic on display. He represents the enemy side to her. It’s an internal war, and I might lose my heart in the process.
Sia is nowhere to be seen, it’s almost an hour of peacefulness. Karan has learned one thing living with her that if it is quiet then, he should be worried. He cannot deny he has grown accustomed to her constant chit chat. She seems at home, surrounded by his childhood memories. Knocking on the door to gain her attention, I thought you are cleaning. Hiding the book beneath her lap, she sheepishly smiles, looking at the mess around her.
Why don’t you tell me, it’s your house? Come, Sit, look at what I found. See this, you have the same look, like your mother. What have you done in this one to get beaten up, who clicked you here? It’s good to see her so happy. It will take away some of the homesickness she is feeling. Sia pass me those albums, I will show you all the nice stuff here.
You know my mother used to call me the devil without horns. I was so much trouble
during my teens, not a single day went without complaints. My grandfather is the only one who can calm me down. See, this one he is teaching me how to ride a bicycle. His words hold the warmth of longing. He is missing his mother. Come, I will show you my old bicycle, it must be somewhere here. Sia stumble
d upon a box of old pictures.
The one with the Kills
Karan looks at what I found. Put them away Sia, I don’t want to look at those.
Sia is shocked to see the person in those pictures. She excitedly shouts -So you are The Aditya Singh’s son, the rebellious heir of the Singh Empire. Now I know where you get your good looks from. All the men in your lineage have the same stubborn look, see this.
He shouted - The man is dead to me. The burning anger in his eyes stopped her from saying anything. Hugging him in a warm embrace, everything will be okay. He is not embracing back, the body is shivering his anger. She doesn’t know how to calm him down, his pent up anger is off the limits.
Sia Get out, I will be downstairs in some time. The chillness in his voice made her shiver with fear, she left for the porch to get some fresh air. She lowered the perimeter security to take a walk, she needs it. He has closed all his feelings in a box and buried it in the blue sea. The blue sea demon has raised his head today to haunt him.
Sia was right, he has to sort his feelings. It’s only a matter of time he will burst with anger.
A mere sight of his photos has given rise to so many emotions. He thought he has more control over his feelings with time, but anger boils up every time. Sia is the recipient without any fault for the second time. He should explain himself to her. A loud thud on his head left him unconscious.
He cannot concentrate on the light or the voices around him. His head has a ringing noise behind ears, it hurts to move. Closing eyes, he tries to concentrate on the sounds. Muffled voices of two men and Sia can be heard from the far end. A man is asking for footage to spare their lives. The second man suggests killing him to show the sincerity of their words.
Sia pleaded for his life, she is repeating again and again that they have no idea about any footage. She cried out loud at the hit. With every minute regaining consciousness, he can see and hear more clearly.
He is in the hall tied to a chair with her. She is lying on the floor next to his chair. Her right cheek is swollen with beating, blood is coming out from the side for her mouth. Clothes are torn in places by dragging through the mud.
The whole place is torn apart by them. Sia looked at him, he felt the anger and helplessness. His mind is on full alert now, working on opening the tied ropes. He has to move quickly, or they will be dead in less than half an hour. Last chance for you to give us the footage, or we will kill him.
Karan can see the fear in her eyes. She shouted - Hand me the phone, your footage will be here in 20 minutes. Greed in their eyes is visible, footage holds a lot of value. Handing the phone- Don’t do anything thing stupid, else you know the consequences. Sia blurted the words fastly as their eyes are fixated on her. Send the footage, his life is on the line.
They settled, pointing their guns at them. Sia is standing in the corner of the room. Eyeing her, one of them commented - I can do many things with her to pass the time. Karan shouted - Don’t lay a hand on her, you will regret it your whole life. He is halfway opening the ropes.
The man laughed smirkly - Now I will do it in front of you. Before he touch the trembling woman, another man stopped him. Are you mad, she only knows where the footage is?
He thundered in a disgusting tone -Rape, sell, kill whatever you want, but after the footage is in my hand.
Can I at least kill this bastard?. No, he is the leverage. The girl will do anything for him, she is in love with him idiot.
Throwing a glance at Sia he shouts, Don’t stand like a fool, grab us some beers. Are you sure I can’t touch her? She looks tempting. The elder man gave a stern look - hold your horses till the footage.
Sia looked at Karan, his hands are almost free to fight. Karan pointed at the direction of poison. She took her time in the kitchen. Are you brewing beer, come fast.
First, taste the beer, and give a sip to your boyfriend. If there is something in it, you will be the one to kill him. Sia nodded at him to take a sip. While handing the older man bottle her hairpin fell on the ground.
Picking it up fastly, the sharper edge touched the man’s skin. A little cut can be seen. She shivered in anticipation of a hit, I am sorry it’s my fault.
Give jack the beer and keep the pin aside. Jack grabbed her while taking the beer, before she frees herself. Karan grabbed him in a choking position with full strength to save her. She stabbed hard at the man with the pin as she got a clear view.
He fastly moved towards the other man, but he is already on the floor. He looked at Sia for an explanation. She is standing their wide eyed, I laced the hairpin with poison.
********
Activating the security. He moved the bodies to one side of the room, Jack is having a few breaths in him. Karan tortured him, how many more are coming or present here. To his satisfaction, they are bounty hunters and work alone. On the web’s black market, a large sum of money is promised for the girl and footage. They reported no one about this place. He died before Karan can extract any more information.
Sia is shivering like a leaf, as the realization of killing started to sink in. She murdered two people in cold blood. Before she collapses on the ground, he picks her up. Settling her on the sofa, he moves to cover the bodies. She clutches the sleeves of his shirt. ‘Please Stay’ are the only words she can say. Her eyes display the depth of shame, horror, fear, regret she feels.
Sia, Don’t worry, I will be back in a minute. Shifting the bodies in the bedroom, he grabbed a blanket. He snuggles close to Sia, slowly massaging her scalp to calm her down. She moved closer for comfort. Playing with his shirt button, she is trying to sort feelings. Slowly her eyelids started to close.
Karan knows this place is made and threat is a step closer. They should execute the evacuation plan right now. But seeing her condition, he decided to wait for a few hours. His little warrior fought bravely today, she deserves the break. Her fingers are touching his chest between the buttons. Softly applying ointment on her swollen cheek, he rested his hand on hers. He checked the tablet, but there is no activity around the house for an hour. Listening to her breathing calmly, he closed his eyes to take some sleep.
********
The sound of the running shower woke him up. Sia is not beside her, he ran to check the bathroom. She hasn’t taken her clothes off, rubbing the side of her hands, mumbling murder again and again. She is drenched with water trying to rinse the crime from her soul. He shook her hard to gain her attention. Sia, focus on me, You are not a murderer. You did everything to survive, nothing wrong in that. Killing them is the right call. He hugged her in a tight grip, look at me. My little warrior, I am proud of you.
She sobbed until there are no more tears left. They are sitting in the bathroom for a long time. His body became alarmed on hearing the gunshot and footsteps. Sia stay put, I think we have more visitors. He handed her the gun, don’t hesitate to shoot at sight.
Collecting his weapons from the bedroom, he took his position to fight. Still looking for an answer- how they overcame the perimeter guns. From the sound, there are more than 15 people outside. The camera feed is freeze due to the signal blocker.
Gaurav’s voice on intercom startled him - Karan lower the security perimeter, the cavalry is here to help. We can’t proceed until he stands down sir, guns are set to shoot at sight. Karan, we are here to help. Another voice can’t be the one he thought of. Kid open the door, we don’t have the whole day. He is frozen, it took him a moment to recollect himself.
Sia is unblocking the signal to see cameras live feed. Checking to confirm if it is Gaurav, and he is not a hostage in this situation. She canceled all securities to open the door.
Expecting Gaurav she opens the door. But the man standing at the gate is Looking larger than life - Aditya Singh.
Storming in, he took Sia in his arms. Kid, are you okay?. She nodded, gaining the strength in his embrace. Come, kid, the doctor is waiting for you. She looked at Karan - I think I will stay. Looking at her with newfound respect, We are all going t
o the same place. Slowly touching her shoulder, he moved her towards the waiting cars. He commanded, check him for injuries.
Karan is furious, his eyes rested on his best friend. Grabbing Gaurav from his collar, he thundered - You betrayed my trust. While stammering Gaurav managed to say, Let me explain it once. The look in Karan’s eyes stopped him from saying ant further. The doctor is there to check him, Don’t dare to touch, I am okay.
Seeing around, he spotted the security chief Rajeev. Looking at him he orders- Two bodies in the bedroom to take care. She will require her things, ask someone to pack them. There is a diary in the attic pack that too. Get me a damn car to drive. Rajeev followed the instructions with no hesitation.
Sir, Sia Mam left for home, accompany me. Karan took Rajeev’s offer, he can’t leave the woman he loves, with his father. The man can destroy anything, he is a living example of that. We should leave now, everything else can come later.
Kiddo the doctor declares you fit, take some rest. It will take a while to reach home. Aditya sir is right, her whole body is in pain. Slowly moving her hand to swollen cheek, she adjusts in a more comfortable position. Closing her eyes she started thinking of today’s events. How close she was to lose Karan.
The one with the Bad Dream
The Singh estate is beautiful. Horses stable, well-managed gardens, lake, small cabins she has never seen such beautiful landscapes in a single place. The whole place matches the owner’s personality - Larger than life.
Aditya introduced her to an elderly woman, Satya this is Sia. Come, I will show you the room. She left the room following the old lady
Reaching home, Karan took stairs directly to the library. Where is She?. In one of the guest rooms Karan, confirm with Satya.
You think I can’t keep her safe, that’s why you busted my operation?
I never doubted your capabilities son. You have a duty to keep her safe. Similarly, I have a duty to keep you safe.
