KAYAMATH

Chapter 23

The air in Neev's office was thick with tension. For weeks, the company had been in chaos. The shares, once soaring high, were now in freefall, with investors selling off at alarmingly low prices. Accusations and allegations against the company dominated headlines, and whispers of scandal spread like wildfire. The once-unshakable confidence in the brand was crumbling.

Neev sat in his office, grappling with the crisis. It didn’t make sense—how could a company that had been running so smoothly suddenly face such catastrophic problems? His instincts told him this wasn’t a coincidence. Someone was behind this. But who? Was it a rival company? If so, who had the resources and the motive to sabotage them so thoroughly? The questions swirled in his mind as he resolved to uncover the truth.

Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Pranay, Neev’s father, was wrestling with his own demons. His frustration with Neev had been brewing for weeks. Neev’s refusal to marry anyone other than Panchi was driving him to desperation. Pranay believed that Neev’s obsession with Panchi was clouding his judgment, especially now when the company needed his full attention.

Pranay’s thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of his phone. As he listened to the voice on the other end, a sinister smile crept across his face. "Perhaps," he thought, "this might solve everything."

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Somewhere Else

Unknown Voice: “Ayesha, have you lost your mind? Do you even understand what you’re doing? This is madness! You’re about to ruin your entire life with your own hands.”

Ayesha, seated by the window, gazed out into the night, her eyes burning with a strange mix of determination and longing. Ishani’s voice cut through her thoughts like a blade, but Ayesha didn’t flinch. She turned slowly to face her friend, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Ayesha: “Ishani, weren’t you the one who said jealousy reveals a person’s true self? Well, here I am, revealing mine. I’ve spent my entire life running after Milind—through childhood, through youth—and he never once turned back to look at me. But now, it’s his turn. He will realise his love for me. And when he does, he will run. He will run after me.”

Ishani Thakur stared at her, her brows furrowed with worry. Her uniformed presence, as a Senior Superintendent of Police, carried an air of authority, yet here she stood powerless against her friend’s madness.

Ishani: “But at what cost, Ayesha? In this obsession, you’re on the verge of destroying everything—your peace, your reputation, your life. Is this really worth it?”

Ayesha’s eyes lit up with an almost maniacal fervor. She stood up abruptly, her voice trembling with passion.

Ayesha: “Ishq mein agar fanaa nahi hue, toh phir uss pyar ka kya faayda? Ye ishq aasan nahi hai, Ishani. Ismein fanaa hoke hi ishq ke asli mukaam tak pohcha jaa sakta hai!”

She paced the room, her words growing more intense as if she were possessed by her feelings.

"Jahan dosti aur rishtedari ke mayne samajh mein nahi aate the, tabhi se Milind se Dilkashi hui. Dheere dheere iss dilkashi ka Unss ban gaya, aur Mohabbat kab hui, mujhe khud bhi pata nahi chala. Par uss mohabbat par mujhe apne Khuda se bhi zyada Aqeedat hai. Yeh mohabbat meri Ibaadat ban gayi hai.”

Ishani watched her friend with a mix of concern and disbelief. This wasn’t the Ayesha she had known all her life. Her friend had transformed, consumed by a love so blinding it bordered on madness.

Ayesha: “Ab toh Junoon hai mere ishq mein, Ishani. Main jala dungi saari duniya, saari hade paar karke!”

Her voice softened as she clasped her hands, her gaze distant as if she were speaking to Milind himself.