I Am Guilty

21. Illusion

Veena pulled her legs closer and leaned back on the sofa.
The entire information was too much to take and she was shaken to the core. The night appeared darker than ever before.

She looked at Arjun.
The man looked lost. He was probably reliving those dreadful moments as he sat quietly, staring at a faraway star with unblinking eyes. He had suffered so much, all alone. He had survived the toughest moment. He was a fighter.

Her sharp shaky breath caught his attention and he looked up at her.
"Are you cold? Want to go in?"

She shook her head lightly.

Arjun squirmed in his seat uncomfortably.
"Ummm... I think.... It's too late... You know... You should... May be..... Should I... drop you back?"

She chewed on her bottom lip.
"You are asking me to leave?"

Arjun closed his eyes briefly in defeat.
"I did not mean to offend you. You can stay if you like.."

"I am not going until I get all my answers." She replied looking away.

He was taken aback. He knew she would have hard time trusting him.
"I answered everything."

"I still have a few more questions."

He blinked and momentarily pursed his lips.
"Shoot."

"Who was that?" She asked.

He raked his fingers in his hair.
"I told you, I don't know. He had a mask on."

She was not buying that.
"Why would anyone want to kill you? Did you have any nemesis? Did you happen to have a rivalry with anyone? Any differences, any quarrels, in college or on personal front?"

Arjun clenched his fist. He could remember only one heated argument, but that made absolutely no sense. He stood up and walked to the railings of the balcony. He gulped loudly and held the railings tightly, trying to gather some strength.

He finally shook his head. There was no point telling something that he was not sure of.

Veena groaned in frustration.
"I still don't understand how I am involved in this chaos?"

Arjun turned around to look at her.

"I know you kind of... Hate Sahil. What is wrong between you two? Why did you involve me in your problems? And... You say, you did not come back to Mumbai for ten years. Then you must not be in contact with Sahil too. What is all this supposed to mean?"

Arjun pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. He then came and sat on the stuffed chair.

"Veena, you asked me about me, and I told you everything. You know, you got involved in this, because you were close to Samrat. I wouldn't have bothered to come back, if you were not close to my home. I can't let that man linger around my home. That's all I can say."

Veena parted her lips and blinked rapidly.
"Why? What is your problem with Sahil?"

"It's something more personal." He simply replied.

"I need to know." She retorted.

"No. You don't. You needed answers about me. And I told you everything. Don't go where you are not supposed to." His eyes glowed dangerously.

Veena clenched her jaw.
"You abducted me from my engagement to the very same person, Arjun. I need to know what made you do so. Don't forget, I can still get the annulment and marry him."

Arjun's demeanor changed. He looked more angry. He stood up in a snap.
"Very well. Let's get the marriage annulled, if that is what you want. You can go ahead and marry that scumbag for all I care, but remember one thing, I will never allow you to linger in 10 Km radius of my house. You will have to vow that you won't ever have any contact with Samrat and Bansi."