SOLACE, SERENITY, SOULMATE

Chapter 19: "I didn't kill her."

    

    All of them had their dinner in silence just because Mr. Vansh Raisinghania hated noisy dinner tables. 

    Mr. Rathi and Ritu were in utmost shock to see their special guest having Indian cuisine over continental one. 

    Mr. Rathi could not stop himself from questioning him on his choice, "I have arranged lavish continental cuisine specially for you." 

    Vansh, without looking at the owner of the statement, replied, "Now, I love Indian cuisine, so it will be better if you don't waste your money on continental ones." 

    Ritu guzzled a glass of water while understanding the fact behind his statement, though she remained quiet but with the determination of countering him over the phone.

    They all completed their dinner and all of them went towards the main gate to see off their special guest. 

    Vansh bidded a good bye to everyone then he turned towards Riddhima, came a little close to her and said in a very low voice, "Take care. Be safe and careful." 

    To which Riddhima again became confused and angry at the same time at his behaviour, before she could even ask the reason for his statement. His driver put the engine of the car to life and drove along with the other cars of his security personnel.

    The clock struck midnight, Riddhima was relaxing herself and her new phone rang. Her mind went straight to Vansh's words. 

    She received it and asked with an irked tone, "What do you want to say Mr. Raisinghania?"

    "Ritu will ask you to accompany her for the treat I'm giving her. You will refuse.", Vansh stated.

    "May I know the reason behind your statement which sounds like a declaration?", Riddhima asked him in a stern tone. 

    "The reason is not important. It is because the Vansh Raisinghania is telling you to do it.", he replied. 

    "You cannot declare anything like this especially when it involves Ritu and her happiness. I'm sorry to say, but I won't listen to you this time. I hope you get that, Mr. Raisinghania.", Riddhima said with raging anger in her voice and she hung up the phone without informing him. She threw her phone at the corner of her bed, took a pillow and dozed off. 

    Vansh was smirking at her last statement. 

    He opened his message box and typed the message which read, "YOUR WORK IS DONE. SHE WILL NOT DENY YOU FURTHER." and sent it to Ritu. 

    Then he muttered, "You are so naïve, Riddhima" and then smirked again. 

    Ritu opened her message box and her heart was bewitched reading the message from her Vansh Bhai. She replied with a thank you message.

    Heavy perspiration and heavy breathing greeted Vansh when he awoke in the morning. After rising from bed, he headed towards the cabinet to find his drugs. His head twitched and his voice did not come the way it would when he was living a normal life. 

    Hearing the breakage of some of his flower vases, books, etc. Mrs. D'Souza ran into his room. 

    "Boss! Boss! Boss! Calm down. Boss, I'm searching for your drugs.", she said in concern. 

    Her search began in all corners of his room and ended up at the bottom of his cabinet. 

    He gulped it down in one go as soon as she handed it to him. Vansh lay on the bed once again and waited for the drugs to take effect. After almost 20 minutes, he became normal and he saw Mrs. D'Souza standing to see his Boss all ok.