Chapter 25
He was driving his black sedan on the streets of the city for a long time. It was lunchtime when he left Singhania heights and till now he was driving on the streets taking over the neighboring cars.
He halted his car on the vacant road and heaved a breath. Taking out his phone he dialed his security team. "I want every detail about this man by tonight. Do whatever you have to do. I need the reports by tonight, his background, family everything" ordering his best hacker team he drove back to his office.
"Send Natasha ma'am to my cabin," he ordered his assistant going inside his cabin when Tarun instantly replied "Natasha ma'am went out for a meeting, she left some files for you to sign," he said, forwarding the file files to him.
He busied himself with work which could distract him for some time. He went through his laptop and completed his pending work. It was already off time as everyone left. Tarun also left after informing him and he nodded.
He decided to leave and talk with Natasha at home. He couldn't think anything straight. How naive she appears but she proved to him that she's her father's daughter. Betraying and deceiving are in her veins. How wrong he was to feel that he was being unfair to her by using her but she didn't feel any remorse when she just played all innocent. This was all running through his mind till the time he left Singhania heights.
He parked the car on the porch and strolled inside the mansion. His sleek boots were making sounds against the marble floor. Taking off his tie he threw his coat on the couch and ascended the stairs walking towards his room.
He made himself a drink and chugged it down to calm the storm bubbling inside his chest. How mercilessly his plan backfired on him. He felt he was standing from where he had commenced all the things a few months ago.
It was 9 at night and he was still drinking when Natasha called him. "Are you home?" She asked as he picked up the call. "Yes," he replied. "Okay, I am coming with some files that need your signatures but you left them at the office," she said and hung up the call after he said okay. He walked down the hall and sat on the settee with an alcohol bottle and glass in his hand.
After half an hour she arrived and found him sitting on the settee and chugging on his drink. What happened?" she asked, looking at his disheveled state and drinking non-stop.
No answer.
"What happened, why do you seem angry?" Natasha asked the third time but still got no reply. He chugged on his drink and was about to fill again when Natasha snatched the bottle from him and asked sternly. "Care to explain what happened?"
"We are fucked up, She's getting married this weekend," he barked looking at her with bloodshot eyes and she was in for a shock. "What?" She asked in disbelief. "What will we be doing now?" Natasha panicked. "Time to bring the plan into action. I can't lose now, not when I am just a step away, " he growled. His chest heaved up and down in rage.
Just then his phone buzzed inside his pocket. He answered the call seeing the caller id and stood up walking a little away from there.
"Did you find out?" He asked as his facial expressions hardened. "Yes sir, his name is Neil Singh. He was in California for the past ten years but he flew to Paris for a week before coming to India. His family background is not revealed as if it was purposely hidden" his men informed him and a frown arose on his forehead.
"Anything more," he asked coldly. "He was drug addicted and was seen with different women every other night in clubs in California'" his man informed him after gathering all the information in such a short period.
"I need solid evidence against him. Try to dig into his family background. Where does he come from?" He ordered and hung up the call. A wicked smirk plastered on his face as he leaned on the couch headrest from behind and let out a dark chortle shaking his head.
"What now? What are you planning, Avyaansh?" Natasha asked, looking at him with scrutinizing eyes. One thing she knew, his wicked smile is not a good sign. "Neil Singh. That bastard Rajeev is getting his daughter married to a drug addict. That's quite intriguing" Avyaansh spoke evilly while his eyes narrowed dangerously. Why would Rajeev even agree to get his daughter to marry a drug addict? That means Rajeev is unaware or he was purposefully doing this knowing everything. And if that's the case then Rajeev is in deep shits.
"Who is he?" She asked, going towards him. He explained to her what had happened at Singhania heights and about the info he got on Neil.
"So what's next?" She questioned after contemplating everything. "Natasha," he looked at her with an evil glint in his eyes and said "I got a work for you" and smirked.
After coming back from the office Shanaya locked herself in her room. She couldn't forget the look he gave her. He said she betrayed him. "How could you even say that?" she mumbled while tears streamed out of her eyes like a waterfall and she hugged her knees closer sitting on the single-seater in her room in front of the window.
Flashback;
There's only one way to save everything" Rajeev asserted looking at her. "If you marry Neil. They will help us to save the business and even pay back the loan" Rajeev let out and Shanaya left his hand abruptly. As if the ground slipped beneath her feet. Suddenly she felt the whole world come crashing down on her.
"What?" She uttered, looking at him baffled. "Yes my child, it's the only way I could save the company or we would lose everything," Rajeev said in a restrained voice. Her heart pained looking at her father. "Dad" she whispered, closing her eyes and inhaling sharply to calm the turmoil inside her heart.
"Take your time and then make your decision. Now it's all in your hand, Princess" he said and stood up from the couch and walked away. She was unable to say anything. Her mind went into a flight mood after hearing about her father.
What will she do now? What about Avyaansh? What will happen if she rejects this marriage proposal? All these things were running through her mind while a lone tear escaped her eyes unknowingly. Neil watched her from a distance with a smirk on his face. Shanaya sat there like a stiff for a long time before she went to her room.
The next day when Shanaya walked out of the washroom freshly showered she found Neil sitting on her bed using his phone. Thankfully she was wearing a loose T-shirt and trousers while wiping her wet hair with a towel. "W…What are you doing here?" She almost shrieked.
Neil lazily looked up at her from head to toe which made her feel sick then locked his phone and walked up to her. "What have you decided?" He asked, shoving his hands inside his pants pocket. She scowled looking at him and without answering she tried to walk past him when he grabbed her arm and yanked her back to her place.
"When I ask something, answer me. And don't you dare disrespect me from now on" he threatened her in a low yet dangerous voice that made her cower back in fear? She was just like that if someone even talked with her in a raised voice she would be startled and hide in her shell.
"I can't marry you," she said in a small voice, lowering her eyes. "Very well, I expected this from you," he said, pulling away from her and grabbing a file from the bed which he brought with him. "Look at this carefully then make your decision wisely," he said, passing her the files which have some legal papers.
She opened the files and a frown appeared on her forehead and then fear took over her as she looked at him in bewilderment. "What is this?" She asked. "Y…You can't do this to dad" she whispered in a barely audible tone while her eyes pooled with tears.
"I can do this, if you reject this marriage proposal I will make sure your dad ends up with nothing. So you have two choices; either accept this marriage and save your father or reject this proposal and see your father going bankrupt" he smirked and left her room while she slumped down on the floor and tears flowed out of her eyes soaking her face. The whole night she cried and now this. What will she do now?
She wiped her tears and got ready for the day preparing herself for the outcome. She went downstairs for breakfast and saw Rajeev and Neil were already present in the dining room. "Good morning princess" Rajeev said, smiling at her. She wished back and gave a small smile.
After they finished eating, Rajeev stopped Shanaya and asked about her decision. She took a sharp breath before nodding her head and said "I am ready for this marriage" and gave a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. Her heart constricted and tears threatened to escape her eyes but she stopped herself.
Flashback end;
She cried not knowing how long and sleep consumed her. It was almost night when a maid knocked on her door and it was then she woke up. "Yes," she said in a hoarse voice. "Ma'am, sir is calling you for dinner " the maid informed her and she looked at the wall clock showing its already dinner time.
"Okay, I am coming" she replied and got up from her seat, and sauntered to the washroom. She did her business and splashed water on her face and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were puffy and red. She looked like a zombie with those bags under her eyes and a pale face.
She wiped her face and walked down the stairs to the dining room. Rajeev was seated on the head chair and Neil was already present there. She looked at Neil and recalled the events of today how he threatened her at the jewellery shop. She took her seat and served herself. Rajeev and Neil were busy talking about business whereas Shanaya was eating silently without heading to their conversation.
"Shanaya, tomorrow you and Neil are going shopping, alright" she nodded but didn't say a thing. "I am done," she said in a small voice and stood up strolling towards her room. She slumped down on the bed tired already and in no second darkness engulfed her.