She don't Give a....

Chapter 12

Sakshi's Pov

I passed the silent garden and knocked on the door. It felt like I had stepped into a fantasy story, and I had come to the witch's house to ask for help. I chuckled to myself. When Ms Banerjee opened the door. She looked old but still pretty.

She embraced me in a hug, "Aww, Sakshi you have grown up so much, How is Shekhar, bring him along with you next time."

"Baba is good Ms Banerjee, and sure I will bring him along with me next time. But for now, I have to ask you something very important."

She gestured to come in and made me sit on the dining table. She was making chai, oh I don't like chai, but it's fine, anything for Arjun. Wait, umm... no, anything to clean the mess that has been created because of me. I was getting restless while Ms Banerjee poured the tea.

She settled on the chair opposite me, smiled, and asked, "Yes Sakshi?"

"Ms Banerjee, it's related to Arjun Kukreja as I explained on the call, can you please tell me everything about the interview, please."

"Uhh...Arjun, Archana's son right?"

Archana's son, every time people has regarded to Arjun as Ayaan Kukreja's son. This was the first time I heard anyone stating Archana's son. I nodded my head, and she continued.

"I was friends with Archana and had often visited her place. Arjun was quite comfortable with me taking his interview as he has always seen me around", she sighed, "I am glad I took that interview."

"Ayaan wanted to launch Arjun as a singer when he was 11, Archana somewhere wanted the same but she wanted Arjun to make his name on his own in the industry rather than through his father...But what can you say, in those times, who used to listen to a woman?"

"Arjun was a very sweet boy, he was very obedient. Sometimes I blame myself for ruining his teenage life, but what was done...was right."

I couldn't hold my horses any longer, why the heck she didn't get to the point? I spoke out, trying to be polite, "Ms Banerjee, what happened in the interview?"

"Well, the interview was going fine until I asked Arjun about his family, his parents, I asked him, do papa and mumma love each other?"

She paused, my eyes were wide open, and I was waiting for her answer. She took a deep sigh and glanced out the window. Without making any eye contact with me she spoke, "He answered, that my papa beats my mumma, my papa is not a good man, I wanted to save mumma that's why I wanted to become a singer real quick."

My jaw dropped, Archana Kukreja was a victim of domestic violence. I guessed their relationship might be toxic but I never knew Ayaan Kukreja would go that far and what Ms Banerjee said to me next was the turning point in Arjun's life.

"It was an innocent answer from a little boy but for Ayaan Kukreja, it was a great fall to his reputation. When Archana heard her son's feelings, she didn't want to stay with Ayaan any longer. She had enough of twelve years of pain with that man. She confessed to me that she only married Ayaan because of Arjun. If Arjun himself wanted to stay away from his papa, then she would make that happen. She filed a divorce against Ayaan."

"But...Ayaan, that bastard. When everyone heard about the divorce, his reputation was on the verge of death. He took his revenge on Archana, he took Arjun away from her. He arranged the best lawyers of that time and won Arjun's custody. That was the last time Archana saw Arjun. Ayaan never let them meet."

A lone tear dropped from her eye, "I still remember the last words of Archana, "Take care of my Arjun". That bloody scumbag didn't even take that boy to his mother's funeral."

"Archana didn't have a peaceful death but at least she parted ways with her suffering. But Arjun... Oh that poor little boy, he thought his parents divorced, his mother's death was all his fault. He went to therapy for five years."

She pinched her nose, trying not to cry. My vision became hazy, my eyes filled up with tears but I didn't let them fall. I need to get to the end of this.

"When he turned 19, his first album was released. It was a hit", she nodded and continued, "An interview was arranged by Ayaan for his launch. Those camera flashes, those questions, the studio, the atmosphere of the interview. He got a panic attack, then and there..."

That's why he didn't prefer interviews at studios but at his home. Oh! I was so naive and I thought all he wants is girls coming to him. That's why when he saw me questioning him frantically, he wanted to run. Oh! I don't know how much I have hurt him. I need to correct my mistakes.

But Ms. Banerjee wasn't done, she remarked, "Still making his name after being through such a trauma at a young age. I admire him for all his strength. Sakshi sweetheart, did you get your answer what you were looking for?"

She bent a bit down and glared into my eyes, I answered, "Yes Ms Banerjee, thank you for your help."

I bid her goodbye and was about to get into the car when the clouds thundered.

"Oh I think it's going to rain sweety", Ms Banerjee spoke from behind.

I glanced at the dark clouds, "It's fine Ms Banerjee, I have to be somewhere important, I don't want these rains doing my work of washing away the pain." 

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