Brute's Paradise

Chapter 21 - "Blackmail or Backstab..?"

"May I?"

The person grins like a Cheshire cat while popping his head inside the room. Manik's eyes collied with his amused face. His jaws become clenched. Ayan's face turns ashen and he looks at Manik, gulping his saliva. The person slides in without permission.

"Mr Malhotra! After a long time. It seems you are not very happy to see me."

The guy snickers while sitting on the opposite chair. Manik doesn't remove his hawk eyes from his smiling face and asks in an impassive voice,

"Mr Bhosle! What brings you here? I hope you haven't lost your job?"

SP Bhosle reclines on the chair and retorts,

"Nope! I am still SP Apoorva Bhosle. The SP Bhosle. One and only."

He air-quotes the last line and continues,

"Fully dedicated to his duty. Answering your other question...well, I am here for a vacation. Then I thought I have some known people here whom I should say hello to. Courtesy you know! Last time you didn't give me a chance to say a proper goodbye. This time I don't want to give you any scope."

His eyes flicker with hidden determination. He suddenly changes his tone to frolic and adds,

"I mean scope to be disappointed. By the way, how is your wife, Mrs Nandini Malhotra?"

SP Bhosle puts pressure on Nandini's name. Manik doesn't answer him rather turns to Ayan and says,

"Ayan, I will call you later. Till then, do as I said."

Ayan nods with conviction and leaves, however, his face is still gloomy with tension. As Ayan disperses, Manik concentrates on Bhosle.

"What do you want, Mr Bhosle? Are you here to blackmail me?"

He straight comes to the point meeting Bhosle's jubilant eyes.

"Blackmail..! TCH...TCH...TCH. Mr Malhotra, I am a government servant. Not a Mafia or a criminal. Whatever I do, I do within the bounds of laws. I don't need to manipulate anyone to get my work done. It's your speciality. I still can't believe how you manipulated your wife to believe in your fake stories. Hats off to you, Mr Malhotra. I must admit, you are the smartest one among all who ever crossed my path. But you know, I can never forget a person who crossed my path and left with a winning wink. No...I can't digest my undeserving defeat and by hook or by crook, I try to settle down the score."

Bhosle pauses with a smirk on his face. Manik leans forward and places his elbows on the table. His eyes are fixed on Bhosle's predator ones. He hisses,

"So, you are here to settle down the score with me? How? By telling Nandini that I have kept her in darkness? I framed everything just to get her back in my life? Go ahead, SP. I know how to handle her. She is mine and she loves me. Nothing can change her mind. She will never leave me."

Some moments of pin-drop silence make the air around heavier. SP Bhosle scoots forward and eyes Manik's fuming face.

"We will see. For the time being, I am doing nothing as such but I can't assure you about my next step. So, be alert. My eyes are on you....all the time. And this time I know your instinct."

He utters sternly. Both keep mum for a while looking at each other like two challengers. Then Bhosle gets up and makes his way to the door. As Manik was observing him with scrutinising eyes, he turns to say something,

"I heard that currently you have been attacked twice! Are those real or you are just playing the old game? Be cautious, Mr Malhotra.Sometimes, our own game back-pedals and our blind trust kills us. See you soon."