Niharika

When I got out of the arrival gate I was engulfed in a bear hug. "I missed you so much." I chuckled hearing my best friend. She let me go from the bone crushing hug and looked at me. "Wow. You are glowing. What's the secret?" She asked with a smirk. I slapped her shoulder playfully and cling to her elbow. We walked towards her car. After keeping my suitcase in the car booty I went around the car to get inside the passenger seat. She drove to my apartment.

"So tell me, what's up? How long are you going to stay?" She asked while driving. "I don't know. I have to go and see mom and Ananti first. From what she said dad is not in good condition. I hope everything will get solved as soon as possible." I sighed. "Awww. Missing your hubby already? Han!" She said with a teasing tone. I sighed, typical Kavya. Well but I guess I'm already missing him. "You should look at your face now." She said again. "What? Is there something in my face?" I asked. "Oh, no dump. You are blushing and smiling at yourself. Like, you are soooo much in love with someone." She said laughing. "Stop with the teasing Kavya." I said annoyed. "So tell me how your hero is? Will he miss you like you miss him? Hmmm." She asked. I scoffed and bit my lips. "Oh, no. Shit.This is bad." She said suddenly and hit the break. I was thrown forward. Luckily I was wearing my seat belt. "What the fuck Kavya? Are you trying to kill me?" I shouted at her startled. My hands were still holding the dash board. "Oh my god. Now that you are here they both will be alone there right. I mean your husband and his ex? What if he cheats on you? You said he behave differently around her right. What if she takes advantages of him?" She asked looking at me terrified. Her eyes were like saucers and her mouth was gape opened.

I looked at her with creases in my forehead, but then I burst into a laugh. She looked at me and frowned. "What? I'm serious. You only told that they are close right. Then why are you laughing now? Aren't you bothered about them?" She asked seriously. I tried to control my laugh. I looked at her confused face and bit my lips to stop me from laughing. Then we heard a loud horn from behind and we both looked around. That's when realised we have stopped the car in the middle of the road and a small traffic jam was starting to form behind us. The driver of the car behind us was continuously blowing his horn and cursing at us. Kavya winced and mumbled a sorry under her breath even though that guy couldn't hear her. She took off the car again. I scoffed while shaking my head.

We reached my apartment building and I took my suitcase from the booty. We entered the lift when my phone rang. I fished it out of my handbag. A smile crept to my lips when I recognised the caller. "Hello." I answered the call instantly. "Hey, have you reached?" He asked. "Hmm. Yes, just reached the apartment." I said. "Ok. So the key to my apartment is in your back pouch pocket of your handbag. Stay in my apartment." He said. "What? Why did you put it in there? I can stay in my apartment." I said. "No. You are staying in my apartment." He said serious. "But..." I was cut off by his voice. "Niharika. I don't want you to get up with a nightmare in the middle of the night. Especially in that place, so please take the key and stay in my apartment. We are not going to argue in this matter. Is that clear?" He said with his usual business tone. I sighed. It's so difficult to argue with this man. "Fine." I said defeated. "Thank you." He said and I smiled. I heard someone calling him from afar. "Hey gotta go. I have a meeting to attend. I will call you later." He said and I hummed, disappointed. "I miss you. Come back soon." He said again but this time his voice was soft. I smiled again. "Miss you too." I said and gain a small chuckle from the other end. We said our goodbyes and ended the call.

I put the phone back in the bag and looked up to see a smirking Kavya. I looked away blushing and bit my lips to stop the smile. She was about to say something when the lift stopped and the doors opened. I puffed and walked outside the lift. I walked towards Ved's apartment. "Hey where are you going? Have you forgot where your apartment is?" Kavya shouted behind me. "No Kavya. I know where exactly my apartment is. But the thing is, I'm staying in this apartment." I said pointing towards Ved's apartment. She frowned and gave me questioning look. I sighed again. "Ved doesn't want me to stay there alone." I told her. She nodded after a moment remembering everything happened before.

I opened the door to his apartment. This is the first time I'm stepping inside his apartment. As usual everything was in the shades of black and white, but everything looked so classy and fabulous. I went inside the bedroom and kept my suitcase in there. We both walked around the apartment to take a look at it and finally sat on the couch. "Your guy definitely has a good taste in setting a house." Kavya said looking around. I scoffed. "So, now tell me. What's up with you? Why were you so casual about his ex and what is the secret behind your glowing happy face?" She asked giving me a questioning look. I smiled at her expression.

"Ok. So about his ex, she is no longer staying with us. He has arranged a stay for her in one of his apartment building near office. So you don't have to worry about his infidelity." I told her smiling. She raised her eyebrow and gave me an acknowledging nod. "Ok that's was a good one but are you sure they won't see each other? From what you said he was kind of over protective about her isn't it. May be he have some feelings for her still." She asked again. "I don't think so. If he had then he wouldn't ask me for a chance right." I said while playing with my fingers. "He asked what?" Kavya screamed in her full voice. I was startled and looked at her. She was shocked but there was a happy smile on her face. I scoffed. "Yes. He asked me to give a chance for our relationship." I said. "Then. What did you say?" She asked curiously. I bit my lips. "Hmm. I said yes." I said looking at her. She pulled me in for a tight hug. "I'm so happy for you. I know you both are perfect for each other." She said while pulling away from the hug. She cupped my face and made me look at her. "Now don't let the past shadow your future, Hari. Forget everything and start fresh. Everything happened was not your fault. You were a victim. Stop blaming yourself and live your life." She said lovingly. My eyes were getting watery. "How much ever I try, I couldn't get it out of my head Kavya. I should have been more careful. It was because of me he died." I said while sobbing. "No. No. No. If it is somebody's fault, then it is that moron's fault. May be it was for the best. If he was there you would be still tied to that devil." She said while rubbing my back. I sobbed on her shoulder for some more time. After getting myself together we got up to get fresh. We ordered food and we talked about everything that happened in our life in the past few months. She stayed with me that night and we talked till sleep took over us.

..............................................................................................................................................................

I sighed for the 5th time looking at the mansion in front of me. I was little hesitant to go inside the building once I called home. To be frank I was afraid too. I am the main reason for father's behaviour and I don't know what he will do if he see me. Finally deciding to face the wrath I pulled my car in front of the mansion gate and beeped the horn. The security guard looked at my car and soon opened the gate and gave a greeting salute.

I stood in front of the entrance door after pressing the door bell. Lakshmi opened the door, as expected. She smiled and opened the door wide enough for me to enter. I walked inside with my shaking legs. "Sis." I heard Ananti shouting. Before I could turn fully to look at her she ran to me and crushed me with a tight hug. She started sobbing. I shushed her and slowly rubbed her back. She stopped crying after some moments. "Where is mother?" I asked her. She led me to the master bedroom which is also my parent's room. I heard something breaking inside the room. Ananti gasped and we both rushed towards the room and opened it.

Mom was sitting on the floor and was holding her left hand with her right. Blood was oozing out of the wound in her hand. There was glass pieces shattered around her. My dad was sitting in the wheel chair facing opposite side near the couch and there was three empty bottles on the coffee table. I gasped in shock and rushed towards mom. "Mom." I called while sitting on my knees and taking her into an embrace. "Harika." That was all she said looking at me with teary eyes. She rested her head on my chest and sobbed. "Stop telling her name. I told you nobody should take her name in this house." I looked up to the man once I called father. He was still facing the wall. His voice doesn't have it usual authoritative tone, instead sounded raspy and harsh. "She is one who ruined everything for me. She took everything from me. She... She..." Just like that his voice died out and his head hung down to the arm rest of the wheel chair. I rushed towards him before he fell on face to the floor. I held his shoulder and pushed him back to the wheel chair.

I and Ananti struggled to get him out of the wheel chair and to make him lay on the bed. I covered him with a quilt and we walked outside with our mother. I made her sit on the sofa in the living room and started to bandage her wound. "When did he start to be this violent? Why didn't you tell me earlier?" I asked her. "He started drinking after all that incident. He couldn't take the fact that he lost the hotel. And he was blaming everything on you. But the actual fact is that he was not capable of look after the hotel and your grandfather knows it. That's why he left everything for his granddaughters. So that he can't ruin the thing that belongs to you both. He was always like this. First he was jealous and inferior to your father and after his death he became inferior to you. He always thought that his father always prefer your father first. But in reality he was no good for the business world and he was always trying to prove that everybody is wrong about him. He never accepts the reality. It started with shouting at first but then one month back he started hitting me. I didn't tell anyone but then two days back he threw the vase at me and it hit my head and I started to bleed. That's when Ananti came to know about this. I told her not to tell you. But I guess she called you." She said while glaring at Ananti.

"Why you don't want to let me know? So you too don't consider me as your daughter right." I asked her. "What are you saying Harika? I know I was not a good mother to you but don't say that I don't consider you as my own. You are the one who called me mom for the first time and you will always be my first daughter. It's just that, after everything Nakul did to you I didn't want to drag you back here. I'm sorry sweetie. I'm sorry for what happened to you in the past. I'm sorry for not seeing what was happening in your life. I'm sorry you had to go through everything alone. I'm sorry for everything." She said while holding my cheeks with her hands and crying heavily. My eyes were also flowing now. I hugged her tightly. Ananti joined us in the hug and we all cried our heart out and sat like that for a long time.

.................................................................................................................................................................

It's been one week I came to Pune. After very much struggle we finely convinced dad to go to a rehab. Of course he didn't know I was there. I had to talk and convince some of his friends to talk to him. Our family doctor and long time friend of my father Mr. Sharma came and spoke with him for hours for three days straight and finally he agreed to go and take the treatment. He convinced him by telling that if he didn't quite drinking then he will be losing his health and might led to another stroke or something worse than that. Anyways I am glad that he agreed to him. Mom and Ananti were finally in peace. I went to the hotel and saw some of the staffs and colleagues and spend another full day with Kavya enjoying our reunion. We were coming back to my apartment building from our shopping marathon which started in the morning because I will be leaving to Mumbai tomorrow. The lift opened to my floor and we came out with loud laugh and talking holding a dozen shopping bags in our hands. But everything went silent once we looked ahead.

My eyes bulged and a shiver rushed down my spine. I looked at Kavya when her grip on my hand tightened. She was also terrified. There was that devil standing in front of my apartment door, banging it loudly. I thought of running back into the lift but at the same time he turned towards us and noticed us standing there. He looked at me, but this time his eyes were showing some different emotions other than his sadistic look. He looked completely dishevelled. He was in his tracks and an old t-shirt. His usually gel set hair was looking like a bird nest. There were dark circles under his eyes. There were stubbles on his face and his green eyes held sadness. "Niharika." He called my name and started to walk towards us. I let the shopping bags fall from my hands, turned opposite and sprinted towards the lift while dragging Kavya with me. But he was quick he stood in front of the lift by blocking us from leaving. My heart was beating fast. We started to walk back. "Niharika. I..." He started to speak but was cut off by Kavya. "Leave here now or I'm calling the police." She said while lifting her phone.

"I just want to talk. Please. I swear I will not cause any damage today." He said while holding his hands up. We both frowned. "There is nothing to talk. We are not related anymore. Just leave." I said raising my voice. "Niharka please, I know I fucked up big time. I just need two minutes. Please." He said. I looked at him. Everything about him looks different now. He looked like he is in some kind of pain, mentally. His eyes were glassy. I have never seen him this vulnerable before. Is he here to ask me to stop Ved from destroying him? Everyone knows Ved is behind all the law suits against him. But by looking at him it felt like he is in some kind of mental torture. For some reason I feel like he is telling the truth. "Okay." I said. Kavya looked at me like I have grown horns. "Have you gone mad?" She shouted. "It's okay Kavya let us know what he want to tell." I said not looking at her. "Tell me, what is it?" I asked glaring at him. "Thank you. Can we go inside and talk?" He asked pointing towards my apartment. "No. Whatever it is you want to talk, talk here." I said firmly. He looked at me pleading but I didn't budge. He sighed and took out a paper from his pocket.

"I was looking through some of my father's documents and then I found this." His voice was trembling. "Is... Is this true? Is this real what is written in this?" He asked his voice hoarse. He extended the paper towards me. Frowning I took the paper from him and unfolded it. My breath got stuck in my throat. I stood there rooted staring at the paper. Every memory I tried to forget came back to me. My eyes started to sting. My grip on the paper tightened making it crumble. I looked at him. He was not supposed to know this. My lips trembled and a sob escaped from me. "So it is true." He scoffed and then looked at me furiously. "Why didn't you tell me Niharika? I know I was cruel to you but I had the right to know this." He shouted at me pointing the paper. My hand raised on its own. Slap. My palm sting but I didn't care. I was furious. I want to rip him apart. How dare he accuse me when he is the one at fault? "Your rights?!! Don't you dare say that to me? You don't have any rights. This happened because of you. You caused this. Do remember the day your father found me? If you spared a second glance to me on that day it wouldn't have happened. But all you did was hurting me. You are cause of this. Understand." I pushed him back with force. He stumbled. Kavya held me back. My eyes were flowing now. My breathing becoming heavy. My body was shivering and then I blacked out.

..................................................................................................................................................................

I opened my eyes to see the familiar roof of my apartment. I looked around and realised I was lying in the bed. I sat on the bed slowly. I held my face in my palm and rubbed my face. That's when I remembered what happened and few minutes before. I suddenly got up from the bed and walked towards the living room. I heard murmuring from living room. "Didn't you do enough damage? Why are you still sticking your nose into her life? Just get out?" I heard Kavya shouting. I walked into the living room and then she stopped talking and looked at me. I saw Karan standing opposite her and he too turned around to look at me. Kavya rushed towards me. "How do you feel now?" She asked. "I'm fine." I said and give her a weak smile. I looked at Karan. He looked concerned. Something I have never seen in him when we were married.

"Why are you still here? Get out." I said coldly. "Yeah. I. I just wanted to see that you are okay. I'm leaving." He said with low voice. I scoffed. "How nice of you, now that you saw I'm fine then get out." I said. He didn't meet my eyes. He nodded and turned towards the door. "Is that why my father supported you through the divorce?" He asked looking at me. I inhaled deeply and nodded my head. He gave me an acknowledging nod. "No wonder, he was so mean to me after wards. I deserve it." He said defeated. "You deserve much worse." Kavya said crossing her hands across her torso. He bit lips and nodded again. "Yeah. I know." He said. "How do you know I was here?" I asked him. "I heard Mr. Varma was admitted in the rehab. So just enquired about him with someone in the hotel, they told me that you are in town. But don't worry, I won't come here anymore. I promise. And I know you can't forgive me but still I'm sorry for everything I did to you." He said. A lone tear fell from his eye and then he turned around and walked out of the apartment. Kavya pulled me in for a hug and rubbed my back in soothing circles. I let my tears fall again.

.............................................................................................................................................................