Nishant Naik, billionaire MD of Naik Builders gets engaged but without love. Disillusioned, he gives up when a chance encounter leaves him intrigued and confused. For him, loving someone is giving your soul to her. Will he ever find someone to love...
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Dhruv looked at Nishant sitting in the middle of the bed while his mother lifted the spoon to feed him. Although he was eating but he was lost deep in thought.
He nudged him a little as Nishant's forehead creased.
Shaking his head, Nishant looked at him and frowned.
"Dad, why did you ask the security to be removed from Aparna's place?" Nishant asked looking straight at his father.
"Well, it was just a spur of the moment decision. I was angry with you."
Nishant shook his head knowing too well that his father was forgetting something major. Before even he could ask, his brother gestured towards him.
"Well, that's not the reason. I'll tell you the real reason. Dad, you may not remember but Rushali and Virendra Uncle had come to our office the day the kidnapping happened."
Suddenly Nishant saw his father looking uncomfortable.
"Dad?"
Naresh Naik looked at him and smiled trying to prove Vikrant wrong.
When his father did not answer, Nishant slowly started to get up from the bed alarming everybody. Siraj rushed towards him but warded off as Nishant raised his hand. His mother also protested and tried stopping him but nothing.
As he stood up straight, the pain in his arm intensified and clenched his jaw muscles to control it.
"Nishu!" Naresh Naik shouted just as he saw his son limping towards him.
He reached him half-way and made him sit down on the sofa.
"Dad, I need to know the truth. Please understand."
Naresh Naik sighed and then told him everything.
Nishant's eyes widened as he realised what had happened. He didn't need any more justifications. When his father finished telling him everything, he closed his eyes, shaking his head.
"It's all my fault. I should have seen this coming."
"Nishu, it's not your fault and you know that," Meera Naik said sitting down next to him.
As she caressed his hair, she continued, "It's ours. We shouldn't have said all that."
"Yes, your mother is right. We are the ones who should feel guilty and not you," opined his father.
"In fact, we should actually go and apologise to Aparna. Naresh?"
Naresh Naik nodded but as he looked at his son's face he found him looking straight ahead.
Placing his hand on his shoulder, Naresh Naik said in a soothing tone, "We'll go to Darjeeling and talk to her. We will tell her everything. We'll apologise, Nishant and you know what, she will understand and come back."
The moment he heard his father, his eyes widened and stood up with a jerk.
"No. None of you is going there."
"Nishu, don't worry, we'll handle everything well this time. There will be no goof-ups. Vikrant, get everything arranged," said Meera Naik pressing his arm.
"I said NO," Nishant commanded, his voice booming in the room.
"But..."
"No, buts. If I have said no then nobody is going. For god's sake, you are my parents. I am not letting you apologise to anybody, be it Aparna or anyone else. If she knows me, she will come back. If she doesn't then so be it. I am willing to live without her but I am not letting you guys bow down before anyone. So, nobody is going anywhere."
Naresh and Meera Naik looked at each other, their minds thinking the same thing.
Papa has definitely raised a Naik.
Nishant pressed his temples thinking hard.
There was so much to do.
"Dad, Bhaiyya, I need you guys to go back to Delhi."
Shaking his head, Vikrant stood up and said, "We are not leaving you alone."
"I am not alone here. Dhruv, Sid and Siraj are going to be here. Right now, you, I, Dad and Dhruv, all of us are here. Naik Builders needs you guys right now more than I do," Nishant said looking at him with narrowed eyes.
"Come to think of it, Nishant is right. All of us cannot stay here till he gets all well," Dhruv said reiterating his friend's point.
Naresh Naik was about to refute when Nishant pressed his palms against his and said in a grave voice, "Dad, I need you there. Please understand. And, Ma and Bhabhi are also going back with you."
He raised his hand as his mother and sister-in-law immediately protested.
"I am not listening to anyone of you. Guys, please understand, I need all of you there."
When nobody said anything else, he looked at Siraj and gestured to arrange for their return.
***************
Aparna pulled out her calculator and recalculated the savings she had. As she looked at the figure on the screen, her forehead bunched with worry. This will only suffice for the next two months. Then what?
Keeping her bank statements aside, she pulled out her laptop and started to check for jobs in Darjeeling. She has to find something quick otherwise, everything will go haywire.
Suddenly a wild thought came to her mind.
What doesn't she go back to Delhi?
She sat upright the moment her brain registered it.
Are you mad? Go back to that city again?
Why not? You will have a future there.
No ways.
Stop being stupid, Aparna, her heart said. You know well that you cannot survive here for long. Delhi is the only option left.
I am not going back to that city ever again no matter what.
Aparna, come on, you can't be that stubborn.
"Stop it!" Aparna said aloud trying to silence all the voices fighting in her head.
But, she knew they were telling the truth. She breathed hard and went back to her job hunting.
*****************
Nishant was staring intently at the ice swirling inside his glass. Dhruv looked at him and noticed his gaze narrowing harder.
"What is it?"
"It has to be Rushali," Nishant said finishing his drink.
"How can you be so sure?" Sid asked taking the glass from him for a refill.
All three of them had gathered for drinks on Sid's insistence. It had been a long time since they had done this. And, with rest of the family back in Delhi, Nishant was free to talk. He had actually not wanted to worry his parents, so he hadn't said anything to them. But now, sitting with his dearest pals, he was free to pour out his doubts.
"Kavin Malik does not have the brains to do all that. Plus, he doesn't know Madhu's address."
"But hadn't he attacked Aparna before?" Sid asked.
Nishant nodded and said, "But those were all on roads and dark alleys. Not at Madhu's house. I am pretty sure it's Rushali."
Saying this, he fetched his phone and sent a message to Siraj.
