Nothing's Real Here ~ It's All An Illusion | A #ShaKhi fanfiction

Part 1 - Dreams came true?

Prologue

It was 2AM in a cold winter night, and the streets were almost empty except for a few stray dogs and some drunk lowlives, who were sulking in their misery and cursing their destinies.

Suddenly, the darkness was torn apart by a pair of blinding headlights of a car speeding by. The driver seemed to be quite in a hurry, or maybe not in a position to handle the wheel. It screeched to a stop at the side of the road, almost hitting a large tree. A few moments of awkward silence, and then a figure emerged from inside; a straddling silhouette of a man, in his late 30s, clad in formal clothing. He was probably coming from some grand event. Except for his loosely-bound tie and sweaty face, his appearance was somewhat sophisticated.

He closed the door of his platinum-toned Mercedes Benz and leaned against it. Taking a small flask out of his pocket, he gulped the fluid inside it down in one go. His insides burned, as the alcohol made its way down his throat. And so did his heart. The tears that were struggling to break free rolled unperturbed down his cheeks. Covering his face with both hands, he sobbed, slowly dropping on his knees and ultimately sitting on the ground, leaning against the tyre.

All strength seemed to leave his body, as his sobs echoed in the stillness of the night.

In another part of the city, people were enjoying one of the grandest of events - the engagement of superstar Aditya Kanwar and Anokhi Bhalla, a rising star in the B-town. Many celebrities were invited to bless the newly-engaged couple, and there were so many happy faces around. The banquet hall of one of the poshest hotels in Mumbai was packed with media, cameras clicking, flashes blinding the guests. The cocktail counter was overcrowded, and dancers had already taken the stage, ready to stun everyone with their performance.

The couple was seated at the centre, looking absolutely royal. Anokhi was clad in a Sabyasachi indo-western gown, while Aditya was clad in royal blue. He was smiling, ecstatic, holding the hand of his beloved fiancee, who was quieter than usual. She was smiling too but mostly for the cameras. Her mind was elsewhere. She seemed to be a little restless, as her eyes scurried every nook and corner of the room, searching, looking for something, or someone....

"Anokhi...!!"

The voice seemed to come from afar. But she heard it alright. She gasped, trying not to reveal her feelings to the curious eyes around.

"Anokhi??"

This time, it was Aditya.

"Huh?" She looked at him, almost snapping out of her trance.

"You okay?" Aditya's eyes were full of concern.

"I...I think so.." Anokhi stuttered, feeling more restless than ever.

"You don't look so well. Do you want me to call a doctor?" Aditya started getting worried.

"Huh? No...no no.. I am fine. It's the Champagne I think. Let me just...." She got up, "wash my face...It will make me feel better."

Without waiting for another word from him, she headed towards the ladies room. Aditya stared at her retreating figure for some time and then turned his mind back to the performance.

Outside on the road, the mysterious man got up, feeling a bit lighter after crying his heart out. He dusted his clothes and climbed into his car. After thinking for a few moments, he picked up his phone from the dashboard and dialled a particular number.

"Hello?" She answered it.

"Hello..." He couldn't say anything more, as his tears choked him.

"Mr. Saberwal...." Anokhi's voice trembled a little while addressing the person on the other side of the phone.