CHAPTER 5: Part 1 (CONFRONTATIONS)
~ MRITYUNJAY (POV) ~
I stared at the leaving figure of my sweet little rabbit, who disappeared with that nosey friend of hers, and why was she hugging my rabbit like that?
I wish I could do something to keep my baby rabbit with me always, forever, every second of every fucking minute. What is this feeling?... I hate everything that touches her, even that damned dress.
I wish it was me on her instead. Stop right there, Mrityunjay, or you'll embarrass yourself in front of your own employees.
"Sir, if you would kindly settle the payment for the dress, and here are the items the lady left behind," the shopkeeper addressed Atharva, her voice a blend of respect and expectation.
I, with a casual wave of my hand, interjected, "Give everything to me. Consider the payment a gift. And, Mr. Singhania, I believe you were just leaving."
Atharva, a flicker of annoyance in his eyes, began, "Who said that? I will make the payment..."
"Guards," I commanded, my tone cutting through the air, "escort this gentleman out before he causes any further disturbance."
Atharva, maintaining a veneer of composure, retorted, "Don't touch me. I can leave on my own." With that, he turned and strode away.
A smirk playing on my lips, as I retrieved the items from the shopkeeper, my gaze fell upon an ID card resting atop the dress. A surge of triumph coursed through me. Jackpot.
>>>>>>>
I am so angry at that Atharva Singhania, throwing him out of the mall was not enough.
I want to break something.
Just because we were friends at some point in life, I am letting him live. I arrived at the mansion after a stupid argument with that bastard.
All I need is a good night's sleep, but I know I am not that lucky to get it.
As I was making my way to my room on the 3rd floor, I heard some muffled voices drifting from Bade Rana Sa's study.
I paused, straining to catch the words. There were three distinct voices, each carrying its own weight of emotion.
"Aakhir tum esa kar kyu rahe ho? Uus baat ko hue bahut samaye beet chuka hai, bhul kyu nahi jaate? (Why are you doing this? It has been such a long time, why can't you just let it go?)" a frail voice questioned pleadingly.
"Bade Rana Sa, please don't do this," a stronger voice pleaded, the words dripping with desperation.
"Ab ye hamare hath mein kaha, akhir kaar sawaal hamare sammaan ka hai. (That is beyond my control now, after all, it is a question of respect, my respect.)" Bade Rana Sa's tone seemed too indifferent, regardless of the glint in his eyes.
"Aagar tum nahi toh aur koun rokega ye sab? (If this is not even in your control, then who can stop this?)" In an angry, thin voice, the old man said as I entered the study to look at the faces of the people having this argument.
"Aaiye Hukum, Ham aapka hi intezaar kar rahe the, ab jo aap, aa hi gaye hai, baithiye. (Come Hukum, I had been waiting for your arrival, now that you are here, sit.)" Bade Rana Sa welcomed me to sit on the couch near his table, and I sat there.
"Sab tumhare hathon mein hai, (Everything is in your hands,) pay the price for the mistake you had made, and everything will be fine." Bade Rana Sa said, looking at me. His words were directed at the other two people present in the study.
"What do you want from us? We can pay you if you want. Hamari aazadi ki kya keemat hai? (What is the price for our freedom?)" The one who spoke must be Anant Jaiswal, son of the old man, Vardhman Jaiswal seating beside him.
I had read the file Chirag sent me on the Jaiswals. Ironically, the information about the kids was very confidential and was not at all easy to get. So, yeah I don't know how their daughter look like. As if that even matters.
"Khud socho, kya honi chahiye tumhari aazadi ki keemat? (Think yourself. What should be the price?)" Bade Rana Sa inquired.
"Seedhe seedhe kyu nahi kehte? Jo kehna chahate ho. (Why don't you just tell us directly what you want from us?)" Vardhman Jaiswal asked.
"Yaad toh hoga tumhe kese hamari beizzati hui thi sare Jodhpur ke samne, us raat jab hamari dulhan, hamari sagai wale din tumhare sath bhag gai thi. (You must remember that you humiliated me in front of the whole of Jodhpur when my bride ran away from our engagement with you.) Now seems like the perfect timing for you to repent and accept your mistake." Bade Rana Sa said.
"Please don't ruin our family business, our whole family will be ruined, we will give you anything you want. We can apologize in front of the whole Jodhpur if you want." Anant Jaiswal was begging now.
"Of course you all will apologize, but just that doesn't seem like an adequate form of compensation, there is something else you need to give in order to make it all even." Bade Rana Sa was enjoying the helplessness of the enemy.
"kya? (What?)" asked Vardhman Jaiswal.
"A bride in exchange for the bride you took away." These words, spoken by Bade Rana Sa, seemed to take both of them aback.
They looked at each other, and they were both very surprised by this very unsettling turn of events for them.
"Aap ki himmat kese hui? (How dare you say that?) You think we will ruin the future of one of our daughters just to protect some business? We will live in poverty if that is the consequence of everything that happened, but do not bring my innocent girls into this mess." Said Anant Jaiswal angrily.
"Aagar aap jana chahate hai toh jaa sakte hai, (You can leave, by all means,) no one is stopping you here. but if you think you will be able to live peacefully anywhere, then you don't know Bade Rana Sa at all." I interjected in between the arguments.
"Rana Sa!" exclaimed Vardhman Jaiswal, looking at me.
"Chillao mat. (Do not shout.) This is the only compensation we need." Bade Rana Sa gave the ultimatum to the Jaiswal family, being ruthless as ever.
"Is there no other way, please? At least tell us who the groom is." Anant Jaiswal asked brokenly.
"Aagar shaadi hui toh Hukum se hogi. (If marriage happens, it will be with Hukum Sa)" Bade Rana Sa told them.
"Hukum Sa..." The father-son duo looked at me.
"Do hafte hain aapke pass tab tak hamein aapka jawab mil jana chahiye, (You have two weeks to think but we need your answer by the end of these two weeks) And there is one more thing, even we are not that heartless, the girl is innocent in all this, so we will definitely give her all the respect that is due to a bride of the Rathore family. She will be respected just like Rani Sa should be." Bade Rana Sa's voice was cold as ice.
"Bade Rana Sa, please ask for something else." Anant Jaiswal tried to reason with Bade Rana Sa one last time.
"Let us know about your decision as soon as possible, so that we can bring the customary gifts to your house. You can leave now." Bade Rana Sa dismissed the Jaiswals.
They left with their heads bowed down. I don't have words to describe the feelings that are swirling inside me right now.
"That was quite a show," I muttered, my voice laced with disdain.
"I'm off to bed now. And one last thing, if you're so keen on marrying that girl, why don't you ask Vivan or Tejas? It would be much easier with them." With that, I turned and left, cutting off any potential protest before it could begin.
To Be Continued...