"Just what Akira?"

Dr. Nelson asked again, getting all impatient.

"Just that, I think you deserve someone better than her."

Saying that she beeped to unlock her car door.

Dr. Nelson stood there all taken aback. He had no way to make her understand that he had no interest in Dr. Oshana but the weird circumstances around them weren't helping him much.

So taking a deep breath he said,

"I loved my wife from the bottom of my heart. And even now also I am truly, madly and deeply in love with her. I cannot give that place to anyone, not even ..."

Saying that Dr. Nelson took a step back and started walking back towards his door.

Seeing him walking back like that Akira realized that probably she over assumed about things. So cursing herself she got inside the car but then again came outside, for she didn't want to carry the weight of massive guilt on herself.

"Jaby, wait !!!"

Dr. Nelson stopped and turned the moment he heard her voice. To think of, it was certainly weird that even though she had just now bombarded him with allegations, he was somehow not able to be mad at her.

"You still have seventeen minutes left for your birthday. Do you want to celebrate with me?"

Suddenly that out of the blue switch in the topic brought a smile on his face and he said,

"I thought you would never ask."

"There was an ice-cream shop which was still open. It's just a couple of blocks away. We can ..."

"It's really not needed Akira. I am just happy that you asked. I hope one day we can be just more than acquaintances. Maybe that day you will understand that I was always sincere. I always have been."

"I am sorry for thinking that way."

Akira said and hung her head for a while. Then after much deliberation, she extended his hands towards him and asked,

"Friends?"

He looked at her hand and then looked at her. For a moment he was unable to decide if he was going to make the right decision by giving her more access into his life.

"I don't make friends anymore. Ever since I was stabbed in the back by the one whom I trusted more than my myself. I am making an exception for you. Don't make me regret it."

He extended his hand and then held her hand softly at first but then all firmly and said,

"Friends"

With a smile on her face, Akira said,

"Happy birthday Jaby."

"I guess this is the best birthday gift that I have received, in the last couple of years."

Saying that he released his hand and said,

"Now leave. My emotional threshold is damn low right now. I don't want to shed away tears now."

He said and opened the car door for her.

But to his surprise instead of getting in, she hugged him again and said,

"I can't tell you how happy I am right now. Thank you for being the ray of hope for me and Raymond."

He wanted to hug her tight, just for once but he kept the thought to himself and just smiled. Taking a deep breath she detached herself from him and then started the car.

---

After reaching her place, even though it was dead in the night, Akira called up David.

"Hello"

"Hello David"

"I got the proof against Oshana."

"That's really amazing. I guess it's time to leverage that. Should I ask my guy to call her up now?"

"No use. She is out like a dead log. Wait until tomorrow."

"Shouldn't we tell Raymond about it?"

"I think we should, but will it not worsen his relationship with his father?"

"It was all because of Sebastian?"

"Yes. Partially you can say."

Even though David knew that it was all Sebastian's doing, he didn't want it to be true. He didn't want Sebastian to emerge as a villain in the end.

"Send me over that video."

"I have placed the pen drive in your apartment letterbox."

"You went all alone to get the video? It was too risky Akira. You know that people are following you these days."

Akira paused for a while and then said,

"Well, that's something that I need to live with."

"I know how much it hurts to lose a parent. I would do anything in the world to have them back. I don't want him to lose his father right now. If he knows about all this, I think there would not be any way in which it will ever be possible for Raymond to forgive him."

"So what do you have in your mind?"

"Why can't we do what Sebastian did with Raymond?"

"I do not understand Akira. Be specific."

"I want to strike a deal with the devil."