Naina's Navel - "Rise of a Queen"

Chapter 13: Moment of Panic

{ Author's Note: Since it is a continous story, there is a plot extention which circles around navel obsession. I am trying to do my best, so please bear with me ✍️😌. Images used are just for props. Thank you for clicking on this page 😎}

Ravi and Syed were doing whatever they could to find the whereabouts of Tauqeef, the truck drivers and the mystery man, Sabian Berri. They had no clues for Tauqeef or Monty & Maru, but to track Sabian, they had called the News Channel, only to find out there was no such person working for the channel. No one knew why Sabian was at the station? Ravi was lucky as Naina was not pressing any charges, otherwise it would have gotten really difficult for him to explain to his superior, how a criminal was in the middle of all the sensitive information. He sends two of his inspectors to investigate Nahar Lodge, to find any clues they can, in addition to whatever Naina had gathered on her own.

Naina was impatiently waiting for any advances from the mystery man, but there was no movement. Mukund was running out of the house to go to the hospital "Naina, are you feeling better? or you have a different excuse to stay home this time?"

"Why do you have to be so harsh? You have ignored me since the day we got married? And you still expect me to be a good wife and a good daughter-in-law?"

Mukund in a bewildering tone "Wow! I mean wow!.... Look at you. A few days ago you could not even say a full sentence and today you are in my face? I know I am not the real son of Girdhari Sachdeva, but to you and for the world, I still am. Even if something happens to him.... I mean he is sick... You know what I mean... I will be the one running the show when he is not around... so you better watch your attitude ...."

"I didn't mean to sound abrasive... I am a bit stressed... I am... I will come to the hospital once I feel a little better.... " Naina responds in a very submissive tone.

Tauqeef and Usmaan were trying to understand what Laila was planning, but they were skeptical of Laila's plan. Tauqeef tries to warn Laila "If your plan to fool Mohnish does not work... you know there is a chance he may call the police or Mukund, to expose you.... You really like to play with fire each time.... Don't you.........???????"

Laila exclaims "My dear brother... I have not made any mistakes like you and Usmaan..... If you could have gotten rid of Naina, none of this would have happened.... And you... You Usmaan, you had one job... to get rid of that car from the road... but what happened???"

Usmaan said in a very low voice "How... How is this my fault all of a sudden....?"

"Shut up and listen, both of you... we are going through what we discussed... I need to get back with Mukund while we have a chance... If the old man dies before I can get this resolved, then Mukund will get busy for a few days and I don't want to delay it any further knowing we are within the reach of a hefty payday. Now on... you both will do as I say..... If you want to get rich........ Understood???" Usmaan and Tauqeef look at each other and nod in despair.

As Laila was talking to them

"What is with the look?" Laila says it with a questionable expression

Tauqeef with some hesitation "Laila... I... I have seen how Mohnish looks at you each time he is around you.... And.. So... what I am trying to say is... If you go to him offering up your navel... I mean... that guy will take full advantage of the situation... "

Laila laughs "Hehe... So is my brother concerned...? Hehe... it is adorable... I never thought you cared enough for me in such a manner.... You think my navel cannot handle a weakling like Mohnish... Hehe "

Tauqeef says nothing and walks out of the house with a cigarette in his hand, Usmaan follows him. Tauqeef still felt Laila was taking a big risk and instructed Usmaan to keep an eye on her and to inform him if anything goes wrong.

Naina was looking out the window when she saw lightning in the sky, followed by heavy thunder. She starts to close the windows of her room, and at a distance she notices a man in a long black jacket with a hat and dark sunglasses. Without taking another breath, she hides herself from getting in his view. Hiding behind the frame of the window, she immediately dials Ravi and tells him what she just saw. Ravi advises her to keep an eye and not to alert the person, just in case he was Sabian. Naina kept a close eye taking cover of the curtains, but in a few minutes the man was nowhere to be seen. Assuming it was just her wariness, she informs Ravi to hold back from taking any action.

Naina's phone rings, it was Mukund "Naina, I forgot the last bill the hospital gave me yesterday, can you go check my drawer if it's there by any chance? And get back to me quickly, so I can send Mohnish to the administration office to clear it today."

"Ok, give me a few mins... I will go and check, and will let you know if it's here."

Naina walks past the mirror, she notices slight redness on the side of her waist. Even though the bite mark had diluted, she takes a closer look trying to figure out what could have happened while she was unconscious? She moves her saree and takes a closer look at her belly and her navel, inhales deeply in delight to see the mark on her navel also had subdued. Evidently, whoever it was, her belly and navel were treated very brutally by that person.

Gathering herself she walks towards Mukund's drawer and finds the hospital bill in it, picks up her phone and informs Mukund that she will bring it with her when she goes to the hospital later that day. She secured the bill and as she was closing the drawer, her heart stopped beating. A deep sense of fear sank in her body, she could hear her heart beat loud and clear. Trying to make sure what she saw was not an illusion, she picks up her missing pocket knife from Mukund's drawer. Her hands were shivering vigorously and the blood in her veins seemed frozen, nothing was making sense to her at that moment. In a very demoralized state, Naina crumbles down, sitting on the floor where she stood......

To be continued :)