CHAPTER 31
MUMBAI
OBEROI MANSION
Soumya’s Room
IshSou are playing with Mishti.
Ishu: Where this Priyanka has gone??
Soumya: Maybe she went to meet her friend.
Voice: Correct!! I went to meet my friend only. (IshSou turn and see Priyanka who is smiling entering inside the room. She goes and lifts Mishti.) Oh, my baby!!?? Did you miss me??
Soumya: I don’t know if this small baby missed you but this big baby missed you a lot. (Pulls Ishana’s hand.)
Prinku: Oh!! This big baby missed me!!?? (Teasingly)
Ishu: (slaps SouPri’s arm playfully.) Stop ‘baby’ me. Since morning, all are annoying me with this ‘baby’. (SouPri laugh and have a high five.) Priyanka, where have you went just now??
Prinku: I went to meet my friend, bhabhi. It’s been a long time. That’s why.
Ishu: Where is Ranveer?? You went with him, right??
Prinku: Yes. He dropped me at her place and left from there. I thought he is back here. (She lies.)
Ishu: No. He didn’t come yet.
Prinku: Where is Rudra bhaiya??
Soumya: He must have gone to meet his friends and plan for any parties. Don’t you know, Priyanka that your brother is a party holic?? He will have a party at least once a week. (IshPri laugh.)
Prinku: Bhabhi, are you a party holic??
Ishu: No no. I don’t like parties and I won’t attend any of it unless if it is really important. And that too if my friends accompany me. I won’t go alone.
Soumya: Really, di?? You didn’t attend any parties or functions alone??
Ishu: No. I haven’t…….. (thinks a while.) There is one party which I attended alone.
Prinku: Which party??
Ishu: My office party which was organised by my boss 1 ½ year ago here in Mumbai. That was the only party I attended alone. And I regret why did I attend the party that night. (Sighs)
Soumya: Why?? The party was boring??
Ishu: Do you know when was the party held?? (SouPri shake their heads in negative.) It was the same night where I did Gauri’s accident. (SouPri look at her shockingly.) Till now I can’t even remember how I did the accident even though I have tried a lot to remember it. (Rubs her forehead.)
Prinku: You don’t remember about the accident, it’s ok. But did you remember whatever happened in that party??
Ishu: Yeah, everyone was dancing and enjoying the party.
Soumya: Did you dance as well??
Ishu: No, I didn’t dance. I just stood having my drinks.
SouPri: (raise their eyebrows) Drinks??
Ishu: Hey, not hard drinks!! I just had fruit juice. (SouPri laugh.)
Prinku: We know that you don’t like alcohol. But did your colleagues had alcohol??
Ishu: My boss didn’t arrange any hard drinks for that party because they need to catch their early morning flight. So, they also only had light drinks. (She thinks something.) But that juice was different.
Soumya: Different means??
Ishu: I only had few sips of that juice and suddenly my vision becomes blur. My head started to spin badly. I thought because I was lack of sleep as I didn’t sleep properly for a few days because I was busy preparing the presentation. I thought it will be fine if I wash my face. So, I left to the washroom. I was not able to walk steadily and I collided with someone. Something spilled on my dress and I can’t stand the smell. I ran from there to the washroom and wash my face but my condition was still the same. Somehow, I managed to walk to my boss and told him that I wanted to go back to my hotel. He offered to drop me but I refused him and left from there.
Prinku: After that?? What happened??
Ishu: (holds her head) I don’t remember. I was in the hospital when I gained consciousness and I have been told that I did an accident and a girl has died. After that, you all know what has happened. (Ishana sits on the bed thinking about the incident and whatever she faced after that. SouPri hug her shoulders calming her down.) If I didn’t attend the party that day, the accident must never happen. Gauri must be alive now and my life too won’t be changed like this.
Voice: This is called destiny, Ishana. (IshSouPri turn and see Annika at the door.) Whatever has happened were destined to happen. We can’t change them. (Annika holds Ishana’s shoulder.) I’m saying about the accident only. I won’t blame the destiny for Omkara’s behaviour towards you. (Ishana smiles sadly. Her mobile rings and she smiles looking at the caller ID.)
Ishu: (looks at SouPri) Avni. I will come in a while. (She leaves to answer her call.)
Annika: (towards SouPri) What you both were doing?? Why did you make her recall the accident again?? Don’t you know that she is still feeling guilty for causing Gauri’s death??
Prinku: Sorry, bhabhi. We didn’t mean like that. We were talking about the party and she said about the party she attended that night.
Annika: Don’t do that again. (SouPri smile nodding their heads. Annika leaves from there. SouPri sigh in relief.)
Prinku: Sorry, bhabhi. We can’t tell you anything now. We purposely made her recall about that night. (Looks at Soumya.) Have you recorded everything??
Soumya: Yes. (She plays the audio and they listen to the conversation with Ishana just now.)
Prinku: Ok. I will send this to Ranveer and NeilGau bhaiyas. (She copies the audio to her mobile and sends it to Ranveer and NeilGau.)
Night at Oberoi Mansion
Ranveer’s Room
Ranveer is listening to the conversation again and again. RuMyaPri are there too.
Rudra: Anyone can get intoxicated just by having few sips?? That too a juice??
Prinku: Maybe it has been mixed with alcohol which bhabhi didn’t aware.
Ranveer: No, Priyanka. Few sips of alcohol won’t make a person inebriated that fast. Alcohol doesn’t have that much power. It will take some time for the reaction.
Soumya: Then, what else can inebriate a person than alcohol??
Ranveer: Drug!! (RuMyaPri are shocked while Ranveer nods his head.) A drug has the power to intoxicate a person in just a few seconds. In fact, NeilGau are having the same doubt too.
Rudra: But how come she gets drugged?? Wait. That means her drink was mixed with drug?? Someone has mixed drug in her drinks.
Soumya: But who and why??
Ranveer: I don’t know. We need to get the hotel’s footage first. Maybe we can get any clues from that.
Prinku: I think someone has done that purposely to bhabhi.
Rudra: I am thinking the same too. That girl…. What was her name??
Prinku: Who?? Mahishasuramartini?? (RuMya raise their eyebrows in surprise.) What??
Rudra: You said something just now. What was that means??
Prinku: Bhaiya, that is her name, Mahishasuramartini.
Rudra: Strange name!! It will take me a whole day to pronounce her name.
Soumya: It is one of Lord Durga’s name. Mahishasura is a Sanskrit word composed of mahisha meaning buffalo and asura meaning demon, or “buffalo demon”. The newborn lord Durga led a battle against Mahishasura and killed him by riding a lion. Thereafter she is named Mahishasuramardini, meaning “the killer of Mahishasura”. (Credit to Google)
Rudra: How do you know this??
Soumya: I just check in Google.
Rudra: Ok, when she will give the footage to you??
Ranveer: She said she will call us after getting the footage.
Soumya: How if the footage is not there?? I mean how if it was deleted??
Ranveer: It’s not a problem. The footage still can be retrieved from the hard drive.
Omkara’s Room
Ishana is sleeping on the floor beside Mishti who is sleeping inside the cradle. She opens her eyes and shocked to see Omkara sleeping beside her.
Ishu: (gets up in jerk) What the?? (Omkara too wakes up hearing her voice.)
Om: What happened??
Ishu: What are you doing here?? (Looks at his bed.) Why don’t you sleep on the bed??
Om: I can’t sleep there.
Ishu: Why?? That is your bed only.
Om: I know but I have stopped sleeping there since you left. (Ishana is shocked.) This is the place I sleep after you left. (Placing his hand on the floor.)
Ishu: Am I seeing the real Omkara Singh Oberoi?? You were not like this before. If anyone asked me what is the synonym for the beast, I can easily say Omkara Singh Oberoi. Where the beast has gone now?? Is it on leave or……
Om: Dead. (Ishana looks at him in surprise.) It was dead a long time ago. (His eyes are filled with tears while saying this. Ishana just looks at him in mixed expression. She doesn’t expect this answer from him.) It’s dead, Ishana. (He gently places his palm on her cheek. He looks at her eyes and brings his face closer to her. Ishana is stunned seeing him coming closer. He places his forehead on her’s and cries. Ishana won’t lie that her heart doesn’t feel bad seeing his tears. After all, she is not a heartless person like the Oberois but she doesn’t show it. She pushes him gently.)
Ishu: Have you taken your sleeping pills??
Om: No. I don’t need them now.
Ishu: No, you should have them. Then only you will sleep. I will go and bring them. (Omkara holds her hand and leaves it in jerk making her confused.)
Om: I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?? (Ishana looks at him confusingly while he lifts her hand and blows it.) Did I hold tightly?? (Ishana shakes her head still confused with his behaviour. She takes her hand from him and leaves to take his medicines. She brings the strip and a glass of water towards him.)
Ishu: Sir, please have these pills and go to your bed.
Om: I will have these pills but with one condition. You also have to sleep on the bed.
Ishu: (shocked) What?? (Omkara nods his head while Ishana feels annoyed.) No way. I’m not going to sleep on the bed.
Om: Then, I also won’t have the medicines and won’t sleep on the bed. I will sleep on the floor with you. (Ishana looks at him irritatingly.) I like this look on your face. (Ishana pulls the collar of his pyjama and drags him from there so that Mishti won’t feel disturbed.)
Ishu: What is wrong with you?? Why are you behaving like this?? You don’t even like my shadow to fall on you, you don’t like my touch, you feel disgusted with my touch, you hate me, you always humiliate me!!! Remember what did you say to me?? A girl like me doesn’t deserve to be loved and married. And another one, you said that you didn’t feel like forcing yourself on me, sleeping with me is very far, right?? What happened to all those statements of yours?? (Omkara looks at her with hurt-filled eyes.) Do you know how I felt that time?? (She shouts at him unaware of her tears which started to fill in her eyes. Omkara tries to touch her but she shoves his hand.) You have given me a tag which I never wished to get in my life. “MISTRESS!!” (Tears started to fall from her eyes while saying the word.) What happened now, sir?? I am still your mistress and still the same girl who has murdered your fiance. Have you forgotten that?? What is the reason for this behaviour of yours?? (Omkara is about to say something but Ishana shows her palm stopping him from saying anything.) Whatever the reason is, it won’t change the past. I don’t know if you are repenting for your past behaviour or you are pretending to be good to fulfil your incomplete revenge on me. Both are waste only. Your deeds towards me are not forgivable or forgettable. And if you still want to seek revenge on me, I am ready to face it. (Ishana gives him the pills and water.) Have these and sleep. (Omkara goes towards Mishti and pulls the cradle towards the bed.)
Om: I’m not going to change my decision. You should sleep on the bed.
Ishu: I am not your wife to sleep on your bed. I am just your mistr….. (Omkara places his finger on her lips stopping her from finishing the word. He takes the medicine and water from her hand and keeps them on the table.) Why are you keeping them there?? You should…. (He lifts her in his arms much to her shock and places her on the bed.) I don’t want to sleep here.
Om: Why?? Are you scared that your heart will change if you sleep beside me??
Ishu: My heart is not that much weak, sir. It will only become weak towards my loved ones, not you because you are not my loved one.
Om: Then, why are you hesitating to sleep on the bed with me?? (Ishana understands there is no point arguing with him. She lies on the bed while staring at him. Omkara too switches off the lights and lies beside her looking at her. Ishana turns from him towards Mishti who is sleeping peacefully. Omkara dozed off after a while.)
Priyanka’s Room
Priyanka is in a deep sleep when her mobile rings. She wakes up seeing Mahi’s name on the screen. Soumya too wakes up and sees the time which is 2 a.m. Priyanka answers the call.
Prinku: Hello, Mahi.
Mahi: Hi, Priyanka. Sorry to disturb you at this time. I got the footage. Can you come and take it from me??
Prinku: Where are you, Mahi??
Mahi: I just left the hotel after copied the footage.
Prinku: It’s 2 a.m now. You go back and take rest. We will come in the morning.
Mahi: No, Priyanka. It’s really urgent. That’s why I’m asking you to come now. Your bhabhi was in danger or I can say she is still in danger. (SouPri look each other confusingly.) I can’t say anything more. You need to watch the footage first. Let’s do one thing. I will go to my house and share my location. You come there.
Prinku: Ok. We will be there. Be careful. (Mahi ends the call. Priyanka calls Ranveer and tells him everything. PriVeer and RuMya leave to Mahi’s house.)
To be continued…..