SwaSan FanFic (TOL)

CHAPTER 17

'Leave her Laksh.....' Sanskar slowly walked in and punched Laksh with an exploding fury. Laksh staggered back. Swara tried to stop Sanskar but he was so enraged that he did not pay heed to her. Laksh tried to hit Sanskar back but his aim was hopeless. By trying to aim at Sanskar, he fell over Swara who managed to catch him before he hurt himself gravely. But Sanskar caught his shirt collar and dragged him to the door. If she had been in a better mood, Swara would have found the whole situation hilarious.Two men fighting over her! She thought such things happened only in movies and serials. But men were men...Act first and think later.......

'Get out Laksh...or I will call the security.' Sanskar snarled at Laksh but Laksh just glowered at him and straightened his collar.Then he turned back and left.

Sanskar was breathing hard; he looked at Swara and said angrily

'I will drop you home.'

Swara wanted to refuse his offer but looking at his murderous mood, she quietly left her office and walked with him to the elevator.They were silent in the lift. She was fuming and he was brooding. Swara was angry at both the brothers.She pondered how two brothers could be so different.One was thick headed, never understood anything.The other was bull headed, never listened to anybody.She wanted to stop Sanskar from bashing Laksh so forcefully but he didn't look as if he would listen to anybody.

Sanskar brooded about his reaction. He would have killed his own brother when he saw him trying to touch Swara. An unexplained fury had taken over him. He heard Swara yelling just before he entered the Press room. He looked at her now. She seemed tense and anxious

'Are you alright?' he asked softly

She nodded.They walked together to the car and he opened the door for her. She got in and calmed down her nerves. He started the car when she asked

'Where is your driver?'

'He has taken Laksh home. I don't think Laksh was fit to drive.'

'It was not my fault. I was just doing my work when he barged in.' Swara defended herself before he started accusing her,

'Did I ask you?' he glanced at her sideways and asked. He reversed his car and soon they were on their way home.

'No, but you always assume so much.' Swara said hesitantly

'I have changed.' He said quietly

Swara looked at him then and noticed that he was tired.There were dark shadows under his eyes. Sanskar caught her looking at him and raised his eyebrows. She turned away embarrassed but she blurted out something that gave her sleepless nights

'You look tired. Your fiancee didn't let you rest?'

Sanskar chuckled and replied 'So you know that I went with her....'

'You made sure to let me know... Didn't you?' she asked irritated, he shrugged his shoulders but he didn't say anything.....

'You said you had a yacht there. Did you take her in it?' Swara could not stop herself from asking. He was quiet. Swara glanced at him,

'No' he said

There was a tense silence between them and Swara could smell his familiar aftershave. What about her job? She thought.Should she ask him?

His cell phone vibrated. He took out his blue tooth and answered

'Yes Govind, What did the Doc say?' He heard him out and disconnected the call. Swara could not be silent anymore

'Pehle haddi thodo phir marammat karo....Nice policy...Your driver took Laksh to doc....Didn't he?'She asked

'I thought you would be thankful that I saved you from him....'

'Thanks but I can take care of myself.'

'Oh Really! What would you have done?' He rolled his eyes and looked up as if talking to god... 'Save the damsel in distress and she gets angry with me......'

'I would have kicked him in his shin.' She said bluntly and he laughed out loud 'And I am not angry at you, just telling you that you didn't have to punch him so hard.'

'Hmmmm......' he seemed to concentrate on his driving so she looked out of the window at the passing view. Minutes rolled by.Then he told her

'Thanks'

And she turned her face to him

'What for?'

'For not kicking me in the shin when I kissed you.....' He told her with amusement

She glared at him. Seriously, did he have to mention it? She did not say anything and turned her face away to continue her blank stare out of the window

'You enjoyed it. Didn't you?' he continued to taunt her and that got her attention. She turned her whole body towards him furiously and said

'Look Mr. Maheshwari, I was shocked when you grabbed me like that. OK? Who would have thought that 'THE' Sanskar Maheshwari would be interested in a common intern like me.....So there you are...'she spoke out each word with emphasis and looked at him menacingly, her cheeks flushed. He glanced at her and grinned

'You still did not answer my question....' She was about to give him a piece of her mind when he pointed out 'Your house...'

Swara looked around to see that they had reached her baadi. She opened the door of the car violently and stormed out. Sanskar too rushed out and called

'Wait Swara.....' He walked around the car fast and caught her arm. She looked up at him

'Have lunch with me tomorrow.....' he surprised her once more with his invitation. She caught her breath and pulled her arm away,

'Are you always like this?' she asked him

'Like what?'

'Speak without thinking....'

'Only when I am around you....' he muttered

'Oh,may I ask the reason?'

He shrugged his shoulders 'You make my thought process go out of control....' he grumbled. She gave a dry look at his ruffled hair, his overnight stubble and his liquid brown eyes.

'Why don't you take your fiancee out for lunch?' she asked

'I want to take you out...'

She stepped back to turn around but he caught her waist with one arm around it, keeping his other arm on her shoulder. He pulled her close to him

'Leave me Sanskar or I will surely kick this time....' She muttered, hoping that none of her neighbors came out.....

'Say yes and I will let you go.' They were playing with fire and one of them was sure to get scorched. She hoped that her dadi or father did not see them. And she wanted to talk about her job also so she nodded and he released her

'On one condition....' She said

He looked at her questioningly 'I will decide the place.' She said. He grinned and made a salute with his hand. 'Yes Ma'am'

'What about my job?' she asked

'We will discuss it tomorrow.' he said cheerfully

'Let me inform you Mr.Maheshwari that I am hard working and smart. If you let me go, it is a loss to your company and not for me.' Swara let him know her opinion

He was surprised 'You know you seriously astonish me.....' he said

'I astonish myself sometimes...'She told him with a wry face.

He turned back to his car. Swara let her fingers cross with a mischievous grin. A plan was forming in her head. She almost reached the entrance of the baadi when he called her name

'Swara...' she turned back. He was holding the door of his car open...

'I broke up with Mrinal in Hong Kong....' he informed her. Her eyes widened slightly and he gave her a lopsided smile.Then he got in the car and drove away. Swara stood there watching, till the tail lights of the car disappeared. He watched her through the rear view mirror till her image slowly disappeared...

Being a Saturday, the office was deserted when Sanskar made a breezy entrance next morning.His personal assistant was surprised to see him so early and looked at him admiringly.Her boss was dressed to kill with his blazer and dark trousers.The printed tie added to his attraction. He looked chirpy too.

'Sir, the officers are waiting for you' she reminded him. He nodded and entered his cabin. He welcomed the police officers.They explained about their discovery of the burnt car that was used to shoot him.They also informed him about the body of the attacker that they fished out from the river.

'Sanskar, the finger prints and DNA are matching. We just need confirmation from the eye witness.'

'But Swara Bose has already told you that she did not see the person.So why do you want to bring her again.Let us not involve her.' Sanskar told them firmly. He did not want Swara to be involved in this nasty business.

'So have you made any progress on his identity?' Sanskar asked them

'Yes, Mr. Maheshwari, he is a hired man.The police records say that he used to be involved in small thefts.He was released six months ago and he was living in a village nearby.We think he was brought to the city for this purpose. I don't understand why an amateur was hired to do it. We have already sent a team to his village.'

They discussed it for some time and they left,after assuring Sanskar that they would soon come up with some positive results. His close confidante and head of his crime reporting team Ishan was with him during the meeting. Ishan was a brilliant journalist with a sharp edged nose to sniff out the most difficult evidence from complicated crime stories. Even the police depended on his sleuthing skills sometimes. SM24's rival channels often tried to lure Ishan with better and bigger offers. But he stuck loyally to his close friend Sanskar.

'I don't think they have come up with anything concrete.' He said after the Policemen left. 'By the way Sanskar, these are the men who are competing with your friend, the cabinet Minister.' He took out three photos from a file and showed them to Sanskar.
'They are also ambitious for the post of the Party leader. See this one..... ' He went on. Sanskar studied each picture but his attention was caught by the third picture.The man in the photo looked familiar. He was slightly bald, around 60 yrs with gold rimmed spectacles. Sanskar frowned. He has seen the man somewhere.
'Ishaan, I have seen this man somewhere. He looks familiar. And there is something about him that reminds me of someone.'

'Who?'

'I don't know but I am sure I have seen him somewhere.' Sanskar said confidently

'Then we should first zero in on him. Incidentally,he is the one with maximum support inside the party.The public may love your friend but the party men seem to favour him. He will win if your friend loses.'

Sanskar nodded and checked his watch for the hundredth time. Ishan frowned at his friend 'Are you going out Sanskar?'

'Yes.' Sanskar took out his blazer from the stand and helped himself into it....

'You are going on a date...'His friend concluded with a grin. Sanskar straightened his tie and fixed his hair looking at the mirror. Ishan was amused and teased 'Don't worry Sanskar. You look dashing. She will be charmed by you.'

'You are wrong Ishan. She is a tough nut to crack. I have been on my toes since I met her for the first time.' Sanskar replied with a slight dreamy smile.

Ishan was surprised but at the same time curious.He had never seen Sanskar so worked up over a date.He has known Sanskar for years but Sanskar was always controlled and little cold where emotions or relationships were concerned.He wanted to see this girl who was making his aloof and distant friend nervous about this lunch date.That reminded him of something else.

'Another thing Sanskar...I feel there is somebody inside our own organisation who is following your movements.'

'What do you mean?' Sanskar asked him

'These people seem to be aware of every move of yours. Somebody is informing them when you go out or where you are going.'

'Ishan, someone may be waiting outside the building to know my movements.They need not be inside the office.' Sanskar was not sure about his friend's conclusion

'No, if they waited outside, they cannot find out easily because you use office as well as personal cars.No,they have planted a spy inside the office. Did you find any strange behavior with any of your peons or driver?'

'Govind? No, I trust him more than anybody....' Sanskar replied

'Anyway, be careful. Enjoy your lunch.' Ishan wished him and left.

At the foyer, Sanskar was annoyed to find that his driver Govind had taken his Porsche to drop the police officers back. He wanted to take Swara in his favorite Porsche.It was getting late.He had to settle for the office car.

Swara was getting ready for her lunch date with Sanskar when her mobile rang. It was Nadira.

'Hi Nadira....It is so good to hear your voice....' they chatted for some time, updating each other about their lives

'Swara, all interns are having a party tomorrow for completing one month in the job. Join us.' she invited

'Will do but where is it?' she asked

Nadira gave her the address 'And Swara, I have something important to tell you and exciting....' Nadira sounded very excited

'Karan right?' Swara asked her friend

'Swara....how do you know?' Nadira shrieked

'Aaah! He was always smitten by you....So he asked you out? I want all the details....'

'Yes Swara he did...And I will give you all the details tomorrow. By the way Swara you can bring a partner for the party...' Swara promised her about her attending the party and waited for Sanskar to pick her up for her lunch date...

PRECAP

Swara and Sanskar go on a date. Oh! But wait...There is a twist...What is Swara up to?