Terrorized By Love [ON HOLD]

Chapter 37: A String of Coincidences

"Ishaan!" Mahima called out to her son, who had been tying his shoelaces to go out and play soccer with the rest of the village boys. "Have your breakfast first!"

The eleven year old looked up and groaned.

"Ma I'll be okay! I'm not hungry!" he argued.

"Ishaan!" Mahima said sternly, and he sighed and unlaced his shoes before throwing them off his feet and following his mother to their kitchen.

After a few years of her marriage with Ajay, when Ishaan was only three years old, they had done construction on their hut and built a new house, much larger. It was two stories, with three bedrooms - two upstairs and one downstairs. There were two bathrooms and a nice kitchen that Mahima spent most of her time in.

Ishaan sat down grumpily on the chair and Mahima placed fresh parathas on a plate for him.

"Eat first then play," she ordered. "You know the rule."

"When's daddy coming?" Ishaan asked.

"Tonight," Mahima answered.

Ajay would be spending this Diwali at home with them. He had two weeks off. The festival of lights was always celebrated grandly at this village.

"Okay," Ishaan said and he stuffed his face with the paratha.

Mahima smiled. She knew that once he started to eat the parathas, he wouldn't be able to stop. He loved parathas. Finally, Ishaan finished his food, and he went outside to play. He was on vacation from school. He attended a boarding school in Mumbai that the President specially recommended.

When the President found out that Mahima was alive, he was pleased. Everyone else in her family still thought she was dead to this day, but he kept it secret for her protection. He hadn't contacted her once, but only sent messages through Ajay. He was also very happy with her marriage to him.

Mahima spent the rest of the day preparing food for Ajay's arrival. She was making all of his favourite food. In the first few years of their marriage, Mahima hardly spoke to him. She didn't want to spend time with him. She wanted to reminisce in her memories of Dev... but with time, Mahima accepted her fate and began to move on. She began to smile again.

Like they said, time healed all wounds.

Slowly she began to accept Ajay in her life, and allowed him access to her most vulnerable side. She told him everything about her life - from her childhood, to her life at the President's house, to the deepest parts of her love for Dev. She found a friend in him, and soon, she accepted him as more.

Time didn't stop for anybody, and if she didn't move with it, she would be left behind in a realm that no longer existed.

When Ajay came home that evening, Ishaan was still outside with his friends. He put down his suitcases in the main entrance and walked into the kitchen where Mahima was making tea. He placed his hand on her shoulder, causing her to jump in shock.

"Oh," she said, and took a deep breath, clutching her chest, when she realized that it was her husband. "You couldn't be more discreet? I get it it's your job to be quiet, but this is your home. I'd like warning when you break into this house."

Ajay laughed and hugged her. Mahima happily hugged him back, feeling warm in his embrace. In the beginning, when he held her, she felt distant. She felt like she didn't belong there. With time, she allowed herself to relax. With time, she realized that all that was stopping her from receiving love was her own mind.

They broke the hug and he kissed her forehead.

"I'll go upstairs and get fresh," he said to her. "Then we can have tea together. Okay?"

Mahima nodded.

"Come soon," she said with a smile. "It's been a month since you last came. I missed you."

"I missed you too," he said and caressed her cheek gently, before he departed up the stairs.

Mahima went back to making her tea.

In another city, not too far away from this one, a man named Aditya Velhankar was holding a rifle in his hand, and sitting next to his boss Mahendra, who was lying on a nursing bed in the headquarters of HRIM.

"I'm not going to live much longer," Mahendra said to Aditya, "And I want you to be my successor."

Aditya bowed his head down.

"I would feel most honoured," Aditya said.

"Vijith is competing too. He is telling me that you don't deserve it," Mahendra explained, and then started to cough. "I need to make sure I choose the right hands for this."

"I assure you, HRIM will be in the right hands if you pass it to me boss," Aditya informed him.

"I'm still not convinced," Mahendra said. "I want it to be you because you are the most intelligent amongst my men. You are fearless, brave. You will go to any lengths to get what you want. Before you, it was your father... and his genes have passed well into you."

Aditya bowed again in front of Mahendra.

"However... that ordeal from twelve years ago, I have not forgotten, where you disobeyed my instructions and let that girl free," Mahendra said.

"I didn't let her free boss. I killed her," Aditya corrected.

"Whatever it is, you disobeyed my instructions for the video recording," Mahendra informed. "Ever since then, you have performed exceptionally, which makes me want to forget about that incident, but Vijith has been reminding me."

"Boss, I don't know why he keeps trying to bring me down. Perhaps it's jealousy," Aditya said.

"Maybe," Mahendra said, "But maybe he cares about HRIM."

Aditya nodded.

"Anyways, I have a task for you. I'm giving one to Vijith too. Whoever performs this task flawlessly, will be the one to take my seat," Mahendra said.

"What is it boss?" Aditya asked.

"The President has been in power for way too long," Mahendra said.

"You want me to kill the President?" Aditya asked, raising his eyebrow.

"No. I want you to kill his head army official. His name is Ajay Bhatnagar," Mahendra ordered.

"I'll do it, boss," Aditya said, and Mahendra smiled proudly at him.

"That's like my top student," Mahendra said. "Make sure you do it before Diwali. It won't be an easy task. He is aware that we are watching him. He has a wife and a son in a small village just east of Mumbai."

"It can be the most difficult task in the world boss, but I will do it... or I will die trying," Aditya said, in a determined manner.

"You never make me regret raising you," Mahendra said, still smiling and held his hand out.

Aditya smiled back at his boss and took his hand.

"I will never give you a reason to regret it," Aditya told him. "I haven't before, and I won't now. You will hear of Ajay Bhatnagar's death before Diwali."