Brute's Paradise

Chapter 19 - "Half heaven, half hell..."

Manhattan at night🗽

"The light music coming from the bar section started tranquillising my mood. I didn't explain to Nandini why I was late because she would have been disturbed to know that the car blast incident and her unknown stalker are somehow interconnected. When I interrogated that man in my lake house, he said that the person who called Nandini from my mobile was a well-groomed man. He was wearing a formal suit but covering his head with a hat which is not very normal in America. It might be the dress sense of 70's or 80's but nowadays people prefer to wear a hat or cap only in informal. It seems that the person was not very eager to open up his identity. Meanwhile, Ayan suspected a man named Joe Griffin who might be the person who misbehaved with Nandini at the party. He is a smart cookie who is nowadays trying to be close to Malhotra and Khurana. I invited him because he requested so, just to make contact with other business moguls. Ayan has checked his background and found that along with drug addiction, this man is a sex maniac. He even got nabbed by Manhattan police in a case of sexual abuse to a prostitute. However, he got released because of the lack of solid proof. After 2 years, his girlfriend again put allegations of physical and sexual abuse on him and this time he got a punishment of 1-year imprisonment. After coming out of jail, he got involved in drug peddling and gradually entered the mafia world. When Ayan interrogated the entire staffs of my house who were on duty that party night, a waiter confirmed that he saw Griffin roaming around the power room. He was trying to unlock the place. And it matches the time when the power cut occurred. Although it is not solid proof, I wanted to meet Griffin alone. I know how to read a pervert's mind. Simultaneously, I wanted to cross-check if that hired goon saw Griffin only in the accident spot. Keeping that in mind we took the goon to my place where I was supposed to meet Griffin. But spoiling my all assumptions, he denied recognizing him as the same person. These all ventures kept me busy for a long and when finally, I reached home, it was late to make some believable excuse. I still didn't drop the date idea because I thought it would be a good way to divert my mind from this tension. But here she is adding more fuel to it. I ignore the malaise in her tone and choose the best defence is a good offence way to counter her."

"What? Don't say nonsense to just win the argument, Nandini. Whatever I am doing is to secure my family only. You know how difficult it was for me to acquire the same power, position and reputation in a new place that I used to have in India. I had to work hard to achieve all these. But that doesn't mean I ever prioritized my work over you all. Whenever you needed me I was always there for you. I spend time with Mini despite being dead tired at night. I visit Rishav's doctor during his sessions. I take care of every requirement and luxury of my family."