Another Half Of Me - Chapter 29

Roshni had woken up early in the morning the next day. She was still packing her stuff when Sandhya woke up. Looking at her strangely, she asked, “Are you going somewhere?”

Roshni felt like ignoring her but she did not want to raise any suspicion in her mind. Smiling, she turned towards Sandhya and said, “Actually I am flying off to Bangalore. Siddha is waiting for me there. We have planned to go on a trip before we get married.”

Sandhya looked at her back and frowned. Trip? But, this was not in the plan. She got up from the bed and walked out of the room with her phone. She has to do something. Till now, she was hopping to ruin everything at the wedding day, but what if they got secretly married at the trip?

“It has to be today. I don’t want her to live. She is packing for Bangalore. They are going on a trip before the marriage. So, it has to be today. Today should be her last day,” she messaged to her father.

Everything will be ruined if Roshni reached Bangalore: her hiring someone to inject Roshni a non-detecting dope on the street, her drugging Roshni every night so that she would miss his calls, her cooked-up story about Siddha being in love with Surbhi, her father’s people creating problems at the construction site at Bangalore and Rohini, her college mate picking up the call in Siddha’s room at night.

But even after that call why is she going on a trip with him? Obviously her trump card had failed.

Sandhya walked in the room and looked at Roshni. Sorry, Roshni there would be happily ever after for you guys. You will die and Siddha will pay for it.

***************

Next morning, Siddha was still thinking about Roshni’s behaviour at night. Why was she behaving like a child? He tried hard to think what had gone wrong in the past couple of days to trigger such a reaction from her. Yes, they hadn’t been able to speak to each other since he had come to Bangalore, but that couldn’t possibly be the reason. Whatever it is he will find out soon. Looking at the clock, he got up. Time to leave!

***************

Roshni had packed almost everything. Taking her pretense a little further, she had told Sandhya to tell no one about the trip.

Solves my purpose perfectly, thought Sandhya. When you die, Siddha will not even find your body, I’ll make sure of that.

Sandhya looked at the clock and knew it was time for Roshni to leave. She had heard Roshni calling the cab service for a taxi and already relayed the same information to her father. She looked on keeping the façade alive as one by one Roshni’s bags got loaded in the taxi.

Suddenly, she heard a car stop outside Roshni’s house. Looking behind, she found Siddha getting out of the car. He is here? Then where is Roshni going? A little confused, Sandhya quickly pulled herself together and rushed to him.

“I thought you guys would be going for the trip from Bangalore,” she said.

Siddha looked around and saw bags being loaded in a taxi. Who is leaving? And, what trip is Sandhya talking about?

Bewildered, he brushed past her and went inside the house. As he entered, he saw packed bags and suitcases on one side of the drawing room. He was still looking around trying to figure out what Roshni was doing when she came out of the room balancing a heavy suitcase in one hand. He rushed to her and tried to take it but she brushed his hand away.

“What is all this stuff you are packing?”

“My stuff.”

“Your stuff? Where are you going?”

“I am leaving,” she said ignoring him.

The finality in her voice hit him like a bullet. He crossed the room and forcibly turned her towards him.

Roshni felt his fingers digging painfully in her arms. But, still she did not look up at his eyes.

“Look at me!”

When she did not, Siddha lost his patience. “I said look at me,” he thundered.

Sighing, Roshni shrugged off his hands and looked up. Such innocent eyes! But, who could think there was so much deception in them.

“I am leaving you.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Not believing his ears, Siddha looked at her in a confused manner. Clearly, she was super upset about something. But, leave him? No, never: he will not let that happen. Clearing his throat, he was about to say something when she stopped him.

“Why? Isn’t that what you want?”

Coming closer to him, she looked into his eyes.

“Oh no! You don’t. You want to kill me, right,” she shouted with animosity.

His mind reeled with her words. Kill her?

“Are you mad? Why would I want to kill you and our child?”

“Because that is what you are good at: playing with other people’s life. In college, it was Surbhi, then it was Sandhya and now, it’s me.”

Surbhi? How did she know about Surbhi?

“Who has told you about Surbhi?”

“So, it is true. You did love her?”

“I never loved her. She was in love with me. Please, Roshni, after all these years why is this coming between us?”

Shaking her head, Roshni backed away from him. As angry tears ran down her cheeks, she said, “You fell for somebody else in college and she died. Do you think the same will happen this time? I’ll not die, Siddha. I will live.”

Siddha watched her as she backed away from him. Fear of losing her was slowly gripping his heart. No, I cannot let her leave.

“Dammit, Roshni! Surbhi committed suicide. It was never my fault.”

“But, this time it is. You tried to kill me. You had your man shove me towards the metro tracks,” Roshni said shaking thinking about the incident.

Shock and fear ran down his spine as he heard her. Metro tracks? His mind spun around he pictured her alone and scared at the station.

Without thinking twice, Siddha crossed the room and tried to take her in his arms but somehow failed. As she moved away, he looked at her with pain and fear burning inside him.

“I love you, sweetheart. Please, believe me. How can I even think about killing you? It’s almost like killing myself.”

“Yes, that is what you should do. Kill yourself. Because people like you should not live. You should have died in that car accident with your mom and dad. You don’t love me. You have already found someone. She was there in the hotel with you when I called that night.”

Siddha was astounded by the animosity in her voice. Not understanding her accusations, he still tried to bring her close to him but she kept moving away.

Picking up one of her bags, Roshni crossed the threshold. Siddha rushed towards her and grabbed her hand.

“You are not going anywhere.”

“Let go, Siddha. You cannot stop me.”

Siddha tried his best to control her flailing arms but, Roshni did not stop. Finally she let go of the bag and smacked him right across the face with full force.

Rudy rushed to him as Siddha lost his balance. Rudy was about to come between them when Siddha stopped him. Stunned with her reaction, Siddha kept on looking at her. The moment she picked up her bag, he again tried to grab her hand. He can’t let her leave.

This time Roshni dodged him and ran down the stairs. Keeping the bag in the boot, she said, “I hate you from the bottom of my heart. I am going away forever. Don’t you dare come near me! And, one more thing: lay one hand on me or my child, I’ll kill you.”

A dogged determination took over Siddha as he heard her. No matter what, he is not letting her go. He climbed down the stairs as Roshni climbed inside the car. As he was about to place his hand on the car door handle, he felt Sandhya’s hand on his shoulders.

“She is angry, Siddha. Let me talk to her.”

Going around to the other side, Sandhya opened the door. Smiling to herself, she looked up at Siddha.

“Did you really think that I would let you two live happily ever after.”

Shock rippled through Siddha as realisation hit him. Cursing, he shouted Roshni’s name and grabbed the handle to open the car door.

Boom!

A huge blast shattered the silence.

“Bhaiji!”

Thrown away by the impact, he tried his best to get up. Rudy’s cry rang in his ears as he tried to reach Roshni. He has to get her out.

The moment he neared the car, the second blast rocked him. The door handle and tiny glass pieces pierced his stomach with the impact. Rudy reached him and held Siddha tight as he struggled hard to reach Roshni.

Scrambling on the street, Siddha tried hard to escape Rudy’s grip but could not.

As the car burned, Siddha saw Roshni’s face go up in flames.

Boom. The third blast rocked the ground and threw the car up in the air.

He collapsed in Rudy’s arms as the car landed in a big bang on the ground some metres away.

Copyright © Paromita Majumder. All Rights Reserved.