AMBAR

Chapter 4

I went to my hotel room and asked my lawyer to come in my room. We were here for a land dealing but now I need him for other purpose. After 30 minutes Aditya arrived.
"Mr. Ranyal you wanted to meet me?"
"Yes Aditya. I want you to prepare for a custody case."
He looked confused. "Sorry sir. I didn't get you. You want me to prepare a custody case. Whose custody do you want sir."
"Of my daughter."
He was looking at me with his eyes wide."You have a daughter?"
Every one knows of me as a 45 year old lonely workaholic divorced and a childless man. But what can I say. Even I didn't knew that I have a daughter.
"Yes. Now start your work."
"But from whom do you want your daughter's custody sir. Her mother?"
"No." I said hesitantly. "From her foster parents."
"Sir. I want to first know the whole situation and then I can say anything about . It's necessary." He emphasized on the necessary to make me understand.

Dev's POV.
I went to Subbu after what Arman said. I know him. He'll never change. If he has said it then he means it. Anyhow I have to find out a way to secure Ambar's custody. He is a good friend of mine since law school. After graduation he came back to Bangalore from Delhi and started to practice here. He has a son who is of Arush's age and they both study in same medical school. I told him about the present situation but he didn't understand.
"Wait a minute. Ambar is not your daughter?"
"Yes."
"Then whose daughter is she?"
With a heavy breath I replied to him.
"Arman Ranyal's."
"What? She is his daughter. But Arman was your best friend. Why do you want to keep him away from his daughter?"
He was looking at me as if I was at fault. I have committed some crime.
"For Ambar's betterment."
Now he was totally confused.
"Dev tell me truth." He said firmly.
Fine so be it.
"Arman's wife Raina was Mira's friend. Arman and Raina had an arrange marriage. But they loved each other. At least that is what I thought
Raina was also my good friend and we were close. But I got addicted to alcohol. I didn't wanted Arman to know of this and I even wanted to get OK so we hid this from him. Raina was a doctor in a rehabilitation center. She provided residential treatment to me so that no one comes to know about my condition." My heart was filled with the heaviness of the guilt. It was becoming harder for me to speak. But I tried my best. "Her efforts brought me back to sanity. But Arman thought that we are having an affair. So he accused her of being unfaithful to him and he threw her out of the house. He had enough proof get a divorce. When I went to talk to him he beated me but unfortunately Raina tried to stop him so he tried" the words were not coming out "he tried to strangle her." Subbu was looking at me quietly. "After that incident Raina never tried to meet Arman. She went to her parents and they supported her until the day when they found that she is pregnant. They asked her to get an abortion but she didn't. So they casted her out. Mira took her in. I was responsible for her condition. She died giving birth to Ambar." I still remember that night when Ambar was born. It was the longest night of my life. It ended after we received a gift and a heavy loss.
"Since no one was ready to accept Ambar Mira decided that we will adopt her. Because we had clear records and Mira herself was a doctor we easily adopted her."
"And you never told Arman about her death and his daughter?"
"I tried. I tried to tell him about them but he avoided me. Raina's family was ashamed of her so we even not informed them."
"So why did you left practising law?"
"Because I was trying to hide my addiction. I tried to hide it to save my image I wanted to save my career but then I lost what was more important. My friends. No good turned up from those events."
"Did Arman knew his wife was pregnant?"
"No."
"Dev. It means that he still has parental rights over Ambar."
"I know."

Arman POV.

"Sir then it means that you still have parental rights." I was little relieved from what he said. If he can get me my daughter then I promise I'll get him anything he asks me.
"Take necessary steps to be taken Aditya. Make sure there I get success."
"Sir I'll need some basic information of your daughter."
"Her name is Ambar. She is 15 that is all I know about her."
"Sir it would be better if your can get your divorce papers ready we'll need it."
"Fine."
I still remember the day when I found that they never betrayed me.

Flashback
"Sir?" It was my housekeeper Nila. She looked tensed and worried.
"Yes. Nila what happened?"
"Sir there was a currier from Raina mam's office. They said that they are sending her belongings here as she doesn't works there anymore. What should we do sir?"
I was trying to keep myself in control. I want to burn those things. But I took a deep breath
"Put those boxes in my room. I'll see what to do with it." She smiled and left. When I reached my room there was a carton lying on the floor. I opened it to see what is in there and when I opened it I was surprised. There was a photo of me and Raina on our wedding day. Her penholder, some of her books. Tears were coming down now. "Why you did this to me? We were so happy." I said this to myself.
It was 2 years since I met her. 2 years since I have saw her. I hate this to accept but I still love her. As I was keeping her things back my eyes fall on a file. Dev Mehra was written on it. When I read it my hands were shaking. She was giving him residential treatment. They were not at fault. My hands and legs were shivering.
I have ruined everything. I ruined us. I ruined my friends. I felt as if there was no air. I couldn't breathe. I want to die. I took my keys to drive to her parents house. When I reached there her father lashed at me. He was slapping me. Her mother was crying silently.
"I want to meet her."
"We don't know where is she. She left 2 years ago and never came back." He shouted. My will to die was increasing now. "She was pregnant." Her mother said. No no no no no no. What have I done. I abandoned my child. No. "Arman if you find her then please bring her back."
"I will." And I mean it. I know who know about her. Mira and Dev. I have no idea about Dev's office so I have to go to Mira's hospital. My search for her became frantic. The next day I went to her hospital where a big nurse was doing my inquiry. "What do you want?" She asked me.
"I want to meet Dr. Mira Mehra."
"She left." She said rudely.
"When?"
"Two years back."
Why everyone has left their job. Is everything alright. Does she wants to stay away from me.
"Now where she works?"
"I don't know. She left in a hurry after her friends death." No. Let it be some other friend of her. Please. Not her. Please not her.
"Arman?"
Rahul. He is Mira and Raina's friend. He also works here. He must know something about them.
"Rahul. Do you know anything about Raina? Do you know where she went?"
He started to stare at me. And then her words strikes me. "Rahul is Raina alright?" He kept staring at me. With hate and pity but he breaks his silence. "Arman. Raina is dead. She died giving birth to your child and even the baby died."

Flashback Over.
They all lied to me. They lied to me about her. But now no more lies. No matter what I'll get her and give her the love that she should get from her own father. I have a purpose to live. My daughter. Ambar. She is much like you Raina. She has your smile. Those big eyes but they have my light brown colour. If God gives me a chance then I'll stop myself from ruining everything.