31/12/2019

Aparna's P. O. V :

We sat around the dining table and Shiva was animatedly discussing with Hari. I was numb, I was just there.

Shwetha shook me from my side and I looked straight into Shiva.

" Were you talking to me? " I asked confused.

" Yes, I have made sure that your hearing happens tomorrow. We just need to go there with proper evidence. I want you to hope for a good end to this. " Shiva said.

" But, they said, they cancelled the hearing right, how did they accept now? " I asked confused.

" I appealed again, as your supporter " Shiva said and fake coughed.

" Do you have anything? Like photos? Videos? Anything that can trap Michael! " Shwetha asked me.

I bit my lips and pulled my hair with one hand.

A small idea crossed my mind and I ran to the room to pick up my phone.

I faintly remembered recording one of Michael's threat calls few months ago. I ran through the phone memory but I found none.

" Fuck, I did record some of his calls, but they aren't there! " I said walking to and fro.

" Give that here! " Shiva said and swiftly took away from phone.

He checked the cloud storage, the drive and backups, no audio file was found.

" This is confusing, there is no audio file in your phone! Not even one! " Shiva said.

" Might be a bug in the phone processor! Let's reinstall the os. " Hari said and connected the phone to his laptop and rebooted everything.

My phone rang and it was an unknown number. Shwetha picked up the call and looked at the screen.

She silently handed the phone to me.

" Hello Appy! " The voice said chirping. It was David, Michael's friend.

" How did you get this number ? " I asked him.

" Were you trying hard to retrieve your phone recording? " He asked.

" What the hell is going on? Are you in this? " I asked, nearly shouting.

" That period tracking app which you have been using for the past two years is the bug, don't waste your time repairing the os. " He said laughing.

" You think you are smart? " I asked in disbelief and pressed the record option again.

" Yeap, Michael introduced that app to you, knowing it would come handy someday. You trusted your friend so much. By the way don't try recording again, it's useless. I heard that you are coming tomorrow. Wow, it would be great to see you. " He said.

I heard laughter behind his voice and I knew that he was together with Michael.

" I really wish you good luck! Bye bye! " He said and laughed. I cut the call and threw away my phone. The screen cracked and it's shell fell apart.

I sat down on the floor and hugged myself. I was shaking with anger.

Everyone sat beside me silently.

" Everything is gone. I have nothing. Wow, really, Michael is amazing. He is so thorough! " I said and laughed out.

Shiva's face suddenly became dull and he looked at me confused.

" You talked about hope, where is it? " I said raising my hands above my head.

" We still have more than 10 hours left! " He said.

" 10 hours? I fucking have no evidence that they are accusing me wrong. Who will trust my words? " I said and got up from the floor.

" If we don't have an evidence , we won't be able to prove Michael wrong, but there will be some way to prove that you were innocent.If Michael was so clever, he wouldn't have bothered to touch you in the first place. He is doing all this to get back at you. And people who work to revenge would have definitely made some mistake! " Shiva said.

" You don't know him Shiva! " I said.

" You don't know me then! " Shiva said and stood up.

" I have tried all the ways possible from the rules of that association, there is no hole! " I said.

" Then I ll create a hole! " He said confidently.

" How can you be so blindly confident? " I asked him.

" I learnt that from someone else " He said folding his hands.

I shook my head as I didn't have any energy left to try.

" Just sleep " Shiva said.

" How can I? " I asked.

" Go and sleep. I will find something. " He said.

" You weren't even there in my office, you can't stand as a witness for me! I fucking couldn't stop this even in my own city,what the hell would we do here?" I said nearly crying.

" Stop worrying and just sleep! " Shiva said and walked me into the bedroom.

Shwetha and Hari looked as terrified as me. None of us knew what was going on inside Shiva's head.

I knew that I was going to fall, I decided to fall elegantly. I gave up but still accepted to show up , only trusting Shiva. I might face it directly, right in front of my eyes.

I closed the door and fell on my bed. I turned off the lights and waited for the dawn to break. The silence was not comforting, but I decided to embrace everything.

I fell asleep counting numbers.

The next day Shwetha woke me up. Hari and Shiva were no where to be seen.

I dressed up after so many days. Shwetha was trembling by my side. She was looking at me, scared that I might not get through what happens today.

" Where are Hari and Shiva? " I asked Shwetha.

" They will come directly to the meeting. Don't worry " She said.

" It seems like they gave up too, I am happy that they did their bit. I am not going to blame anyone. " I said.

" What nonsense! You did nothing wrong! Remember that! " Shwetha said.

We ate breakfast and took a cab to the hearing.

It was cloudy and slightly drizzling, even the Sun was not there to hype.

The meeting was happening in a banquet Hall in a hotel. I was surprised that this Architect's association was so ready to kick me out. Then I remembered who was funding them.

" Wow, Michael really knows how to spend money! Asshole!" I murmured to myself as we walked inside the hotel lobby.

As we were waiting, the devil and his gang entered.

Micheal was taunting me with his smirk, he looked at me and walked past me without stopping.

" I really wish, I can break his teeth! " Shwetha said.

" I wish I should have hit him somewhere else instead of his face! " I said.

" Yeah girl! " Shwetha said.

The clock struck 11 and I walked inside the banquet Hall with Shwetha beside.

A huge table was placed in the center and some 50 people were sitting around it. Architects from my Bangalore association were also there.

I gulped hard and sat on a chair on the opposite side.

" Punctual! " The head architect said looking at me. He was heading the session. He was stout and was around his 40s.

" So, the case to discuss today is, Ms. Aparna Khatri's license cancellation in lieu of the complaints from the design office. " Another architect read from the file.

" Representative from the office, please explain " The head architect said.

Michael stood up non chalently.

" Ms. Aparna khatri was involved in a affair with another country worker to get a rise in position and salary, during her term, she also made a mistake in checking the structure of a two storeyed house, which nearly collapsed just before the occupation. " Michael said.

My jaws dropped to the floor hearing the last line. This was not there in any of the previous case statement.

" Excuse me! " I nearly shouted.

" Please remain quiet Ms. Aparna! " The head architect said.

I bit my lips and remained quiet.

" She also physically assaulted her co worker and falsely blamed sexual harassment on him. " Michael said and sat down opposite to me.

" We have received witness from all the staff on the office through their signature. The collapse of the building, the false structure plan and the approval sign by Ms. Aparna is submitted here. " Another architect said.

" Ms. Aparna! We would like to hear your side! " The head said.

I looked up with tearful eyes.

Michael suddenly stoop up and intervened.

" Sir, sorry to disturb, it would be better to continue after the break. I have ordered snacks for everyone , please enjoy! " He said to the head architect.

" Fine, we will meet in 15 minutes! " The head architect said and everyone walked out to the snack service.

I sat there frozen.

Shwetha was sitting beside me.

Michael slowly walked towards me.

" I don't want to do this to you! Let's stop Aparna! " He said.

" What project of mine collapsed? " I asked gulping my tears.

" I can't bear to see you cry! " Micheal said.

I huffed out loud and turned away from him.

" Just say the word, just say that you will be with me, I will reverse everything to how it was before! " Michael said.

" Was it the farm house project? Or that beach one? Or that organic design?" I asked him.

" Nobody can save you now! Just give up dammit! " He said.

" I gave up and that's why I am here! " I said.

" Aparna please! For the last time, just stay with me! " Michael said.

" What's done is done Michael, don't fucking expect me to accept your words! You fucking manipulated my friend to sign against me! Add two more statements, I still won't be with you! " I said.

" Fine, I know how to bring you to my side. Just watch! " Michael said and walked back to his seat.

Everyone came back in and the meeting continued.

" Ms. Aparna, we are ready to hear your side! " The head architect said looking at me.

I breathed out loud and shook my head weakly.

" Do you have something to support your side? " He asked me again.

" We do! " A voice echoed inside the hall. It was Shiva, he walked in pushing a wheel chair.

My eyes teared on looking at the man on the wheel chair. The most respected Architect in Tamilnadu, my mentor, Sethu Sir.

Shiva's face was brimming with happiness.

Sethu sir smiled at me confidently and nodded his head. I suddenly felt relived and was able to breathe. I folded my hands and thanked God silently.

" The meeting is about to end by the way! " Michael said laughing.

" Not really, it is going to start now! " Shiva said and rushed towards the led projector.

He plugged in a pendrive and the screen displayed the most horrific moment of my life.

It was the scene, when Michael tried to sexually assault me but I hit him instead. The video was from the camera outside the conference room in my previous office.

The entire room was filled with gasps and shocks as the horrific scenes played.

It was clearly seen that I was attacked first.

I cried silently looking at the video and Shwetha was patting my shoulder.

Micheal stood up and rushed towards Shiva. Hari caught Michael and pulled him back.

" It is edited! It is fake! " Micheal shouted.

" The only fake ass here is you! " Shiva said.

" No! " Michael said.

" This video is obtained from an authentic source! It was completely untouched! I have proof from cctv source! " Shiva said and placed a file in front of the head architect.

" You can't be here! You are not an Architect! " Micheal shouted vainly at Shiva.

" Such a pity, but I am a member of this association, since yesterday! Don't you know they have posts for civil engineers too! " Shiva said.

" You fucker! He is trying to misdirect the meeting! " Michael shouted.

" Michael, we request you to sit down or else you will be sent out! " The head architect said.

Michael sat back on his seat, he was holding his shaky hands together.

My eyes then landed on Shiva. He was looking at me with a proud smile standing beside the projector.

If I had never fallen in love with this guy, at this moment I definitely would have.