Scarred Love - Chapter 42

Ishani’s froze the moment she heard Viman. She clutched the door frame for support and instantly felt him grab her arm.

“You okay?” Viman asked looking at her with concern.

She nodded and moved away as he came inside followed by Manna, Ram Singh and Kabir. She was about to keep the deed and envelope on the table when Viman gestured her to look inside again and she found a sealed packet. As she opened it, a CD slid out and landed on the floor. Instantly Ram Singh picked it up and gave it to her.

“I’ll get the laptop,” she said in a hurry as she went inside the bedroom.

Her hands were trembling like crazy as she slid the CD and double clicked on it and within seconds the video started.

Even though the room was supremely dark still she could make out that it was his apartment bedroom. Her heart skipped a beat as suddenly a lamp flickered on and then her eyes widened as she saw Rudra sitting with his head in his left elbow on the table while the other was clenching something that wasn’t visible.

Slowly he turned his head sideways and opened his eyes, and she blinked twice not recognising the person on the screen. His ashen face and bloodshot eyes was a complete surprise for her.

Not only for her but also for the others standing behind. None of them had ever seen Rudra like this.

Shock rippled through Viman as he saw a glass filled with alcohol in his brother’s hand.

Ishani bit her lip hard as she saw Rudra gulp down the entire liquid in one go.

“What is Bhaisa doing?” Kabir whispered in Viman’s ear.

“No clue.”

She clutched the edge of the sofa as she saw him pour another one.

“Hi!” she heard him say in a slurred tone.

“Ms Ishani Raijdas, thank you for saving my life that day,” he said and started to get up from the chair but he stumbled a little. Clutching the chair he steadied himself and sat down on the bed.

“I know I screwed up. I should have told you about Nina but I never thought that she would land up here. Anyways, I know you do not wish to speak to me. That’s okay I understand.”

He gulped down the drink and poured another.

“I just want you to know that I love you and I don’t care about anyone else other than you. That’s why I am going away. I have to; I don’t want to give you any more pain.”

As his words filtered in, her heart started to break slowly, the agony of seeing him like this simply overwhelmed her. She wanted to reach out and touch him, and take away the glass from his hand.

“I have explained everything to Viman. He will give you the deed.”

Suddenly she saw him laugh and then his words simply took her breath away.

“I remember what you had said that day. There is only one relationship between us; that of a tenant and landlord. Ms Raijdas, now there’s none.”

Then he sighed heavily and again swallowed the whole liquid in the glass.

As he looked up, she saw a hint of tears in his eyes.

“I am sorry for everything. I am sorry that I came into your life and complicated it.”

“I should be going now. Take care of yourself and stay well and happy. Don’t lose that smile of yours.”

“I just wish I could be the reason for your happiness.”

The CD ended and the screen went blank. There was an eerie silence in the room one which was slowly creeping inside her bones chilling them terribly. She rubbed her arms and hugged herself but nothing happened. The cold shivers started in her spine and slowly travelled to the other parts of the body.

What has she done?

Viman looked at her and immediately understood what she was going through. But right now rather than thinking about her; he was baffled by his brother’s behaviour.

Since when did he start drinking?

And why was he behaving all selfless and lovesick?

Clearly clueless, he neared her and sat down. He took the CD out and closed the laptop, and placed his hand on her shoulder.

Ishani jumped the moment he touched her. Realising it was Viman she relaxed a little but not all.

“Can you find him?”

Viman shook his head and said, “We have tried, Ishani. But we haven’t found any trace. And frankly, it is quite difficult to find him if he doesn’t want to be found.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, Bhaisa knows all the security hacks, therefore, it is quite impossible to trace him,” Kabir said sitting down on the chair next to her.

“Was that the reason you messaged me?”

“Yep! I thought he might have called you or something.”

She shook her head knowing too well that after what happened last time Rudra would never contact her.

“Well, we should be going now. We’ll keep trying. And you do let us know if you hear from him,” Viman said as he got up.

Ishani nodded and watched them leave. As she closed the door and came near the sofa, her gaze fell on the CD. She inserted it again and started to play.

And, this time she did not hold on to her tears. One by one they fell and along with them slowly the barriers around her heart collapsed but one.

Veera.

The CD finished but her tears did not. She kept sobbing into the cushion as her confused mind refused to clear the mess called her life.

Where is he?

Is he okay?

Why was he calling her Ms Raijdas again?

Seriously is there no other relation between them?

Don’t pretend to care, Ishani, her heart lashed out.

I am not pretending, dammit! I do care.

Yeah, right. Maybe that’s why you drove him to his end.

Losing her patience, she picked up her phone and punched in his number. However, it came switched off. Disgruntled, she typed a text and pressed the send button before her sane mind could make her delete it.

‘Please come back. I need you.’

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

Fingers closed around a mobile and were about to switch it on when a thought halted them.

Nope, not now; it still isn’t time.

The mobile landed on the bed and the pair of feet strode to the balcony. The lounge chair bunched with weight and determined eyes rested on the night sky.

Let the game begin.

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