ᴇx-ʙᴏʏʀꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ, ɴᴇxᴛ ʜᴜꜱʙᴀɴᴅ

Chapter 44

Yuvaan

"What's the status?" I asked on call as I whipped up another cup of coffee in the kitchen.
"We're getting there, I've found the contacts for the man we saw Nishtha with, he has been living underground for the last 4 years."
4 years, surprising.
"Right after Nishtha and I..."
"Yeah." Arush said, on call.
"What else?"
"He's been working as a gambler and he was often sighted in Thane, during the time we are looking at."
"Thane? Is his business there?"
"That's the odd bit - his gambling house is in Bandra, just a few streets away from your house, but he would often be sighted at Thane."
"Bua lived in Thane...." I said, more to myself.
"What?"
"Yeah. She lived there before she moved to America after the scene with Nishu."
"Nishu? I see." Arush smirked, "I like it.
"Shut up. So what now?"
"Well, I don't want to be the bearer of bad news but I do think there's some correlation between your Bua and that gambler, because it would tie up, that she knew his whereabouts to be able to take pictures of Nishtha meeting him."
"I guess so."
I didn't want to think that way.
"One more thing, the number we gave, Nishtha's old number, it had Vamika's number on frequent calls and one other number, which is the gambler's."
"Vamika, the gambler and Nishtha." I said, "It is something more, there's something holding them together."
"Yuvaan, one more thing, the calls between her and the gambler started and ended in only 1 month. So it's confirmed that she wasn't in touch with this gambler from long - it was only for that one month.... Meaning..."
"Meaning that she wasn't planning things in advance, it was something sudden."
"Yes."
I sighed, "okay, look into it. I have to take care of Nishtha."
"What happened to her?"
"Nothing happened to her, but Bua is coming back tomorrow and the last person she wants to see is Nishtha. Nishtha will also be terrified seeing Bua again and it's all a mess."
"Why did she come back now?"
"What do you mean?"
"Yuvaan, look, I know I'm making a bold claim about this but I find it extremely strange that your Bua showed up when you and Nishtha had finished college and were going to go for masters together, and then she leaves right after you two broke up. Now she's showing up right after you two got married."
Why are things... adding up?
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose, "Okay. I'll handle this. You just try to find more proof to support everything. I gotta go."
I cut the call.

I took the coffee and walked into the room. I was still at Nishtha's house and it was now 11pm. I was doing work but Nishtha had fallen asleep. I watched her sleeping soundly in her blanket.
Sitting by her side, next to her, I closed my laptop and caressed her face, "Why don't you tell me what happened that day Nishu? Why am I not able to hate you like I did? What are you hiding? I know you're hiding something but I want to know why. What's so sacred that you can't tell your Yuvi?"

I heard the door click so I went outside and opened the door. Aai Baba.
"Arre! Yuvaan? How are you here?" Aai said, as I led the door for them to enter.
"Well, your daughter fought with me and came here, so even I came here." I said as I locked the door.
She chuckled, "You know this is your house. Now tell, have you eaten?"
"Yes yes. We all ate." I said.
"Where is Nishu?" Baba asked.
"She's sleeping Baba. I was working."
"What? How can she just sleep when you're there? Let me wake her up."
"Arre! Let her sleep. I'm also going to leave now."
"Leave? Why?" Aai said, "stay here."
"Nishtha would want some time with you guys, I don't want to interrupt that."
"Beta—"
"Don't worry."
"Okay!"
I bid them a goodbye, went to get my stuff from her room and then walked out, entering my car.

I didn't mind staying there, but I knew she wanted time away from me and I did yell at her. After finding out the information today, I don't know why my views are changing.
I'm fearing what I'd find.
I drove back home and then went to bed.

~•~

"Yuvaan, will she be okay? Did you tell her?" I was bombarded by questions by Mom.
"I'll handle it, Mom. She has to be okay." I said, while writing emails on my laptop.

It was 12pm of the next day. Nishtha had not come home yet. I don't even think she was going to come home.
I don't know what I was expecting.

"Beta, I know you dislike her and you think she's entirely wrong, but I'm really scared of her seeing your Bua again today. The last time she had to face Bua she had a pa—" she cleared her throat, "—it was not good."
Why did she stutter?
"She had a what? Mom?" I asked.
"N...Nothing, I meant like, it wasn't good."
"I don't know why you all think you can hide things from me and I wouldn't find out. Now tell me or else I'll find out my own way."
She sighed, "I promised Nishtha I wouldn't tell you anything. I'm sorry."
"Are you my mother or hers?" I asked.
"Both."
I groaned in anger, "at least tell me why she wouldn't tell me."
"She... she's afraid you won't believe her."
I sighed, "I'm there to listen, but for that, she needs to talk."
She chucked on call, "I don't think you recall how badly you threw her out, Yuv. Something like that would scar a person for good." She said and cut the call.
I stared onto the screen, recalling the past.
"UGHHHHHH." I screamed.
I was about to throw something when I heard the door click open. I walked towards it and found Nishtha entering.
I walked to her, "I thought you moved back to your house."
She looked at me, and then looked down and continued walking.
Why is she ignoring me now?
I grabbed her hand and pulled her close, "I don't like being ignored Nishtha."
Her eyes met mine.
Was she crying? Why are they a little red?
"What happened to you? Were you crying?"
"No."
"Don't lie to me. What happened?"
"Nothing happened. I had dust in my eyes, I tried to get it off and ended up rubbing my eyes."
"That better be it." I said, not convinced.
She walked upstairs and I was about to go back to my work when I realized I have to tell her about Bua.
I don't know how she'd react.

"Nishtha?" I said, going to her room.
I walked in and found her putting her bag on the bed. She looked at me, "What?"
"Vo... we have to go to my house for dinner this evening." I said.
"I know. I'll be ready." She said.
"You should know something...."
"Hmm?" She said.
"The dinner, it's not just our families, Bu—"
"Wait." She said, "I'm getting a call."
She answered the call while I stayed silent, waiting for her to finish, but it went on for a while, so she looked at me, "I know Yuvaan, we have a family dinner. You don't need to remind me." She said and walked off.
What's wrong with her?
Who was she talking to?
I followed her down and I heard her take Priya's name, so I relaxed and left her alone. I'll tell her later.

I was going to get back to work when I got a message on my phone.
Arush: 'the gambler was spotted near your house today, Yuvaan.'
Me: 'what? When?'
Arush: 'around 1 hour back, and guess what?'
Me: 'what?'
Arush: 'Your Bua reached your house 15 mins after he was sighted.'

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