True Side

Chapter 10

It's been a week after the wedding. I deny to go to a honeymoon as it is a time waste. Siddharth always locks the safe so I can't explore it. He keeps the keys in his pocket making it hard for me to smuggle them.

Siddharth left for the police station and I am left at home. I decide that this is the opportunity to search his room. 

I open his closet and start hunting for anything useful. As I expected his closet has only his clothes and nothing else. The safe is the only hope but it is locked.

I need to get the keys from Siddharth, that's the only way. I decide to go and meet Deva, only he can help me now.

I get down the stairs and keep going.

"Nitya, where are you going?"
It is Mrs.  Revathi. I turn back to see that she too is leaving for work.
I say "I am going to my friend's house. Her mother is not well."

"Oh dear. Convey her my 'get well soon'" Mrs. Revathi smiles at me and I smile back. I call Deva before going 

"Hello Nitya, what is it?"

"Deva I am coming to your house. I need to talk to you"

"Don't come to my house, meet me in cafe coffee day behind your office at 3'O' clock in the evening" and cuts the call before I could reply. 

I wait till evening at home, searching Siddharth's room hopelessly and doing some house hold work. At 2.30 I take out my car keys and go to the garage. I take out my car and pace out towards the cafe coffee day behind my office.

After a ride of 20 minutes I reach cafe coffee day. Deva didn't arrive yet. I decide to call him but again I feel that it would be disturbing.

I order a cold coffee and sit there sipping it and waiting for Deva. I keep looking at the door to see Deva enter from it. But the most unexpected person comes in. Siddharth dressed in his police uniform along with my dad and another man come in. I could feel the blood draining out of my cheeks and my hands turn ice cold.

Before I could decide to run away or face them Siddharth's gaze meets mine. I slowly stand up from my seat, my legs turning heavy. Did he figure out that I am up to something and stopped Deva? Nonsense.

Siddharth smiles and comes towards me. He hugs me and says "Mr. Prakash she is my wife Nitya and Nitya this is Mr. Prakash the CEO of Olympus Hospital."

I shake hands with Mr. Prakash. He turns to my father and says "So Vishwanath sir she is your daughter, isn't it?"   

"Yes of course she is" my father says proudly, putting a hand around me. Where is Deva? "Are you waiting for someone?" dad asks me.

"Ye...Yes. I am waiting for my friend" I lie, though it is not a complete lie. 

My dad smiles and says "Oh who is it dear?"

Now I can't lie because if Deva comes in I will be caught lying and it will arise a doubt in them. I make up the courage and say "It's Deva. Rishi's brother. You know him right."

Though dad smiles at this I know that he doesn't like me interacting with Rishi's family. He says "It's been a while, isn't it?"

I nod. I say "Why are you standing, sit down here". They all sit down before my table. I turn to Siddharth and ask "Why are you guys here in the middle of the day? Anything important?"

Siddharth shakes his head and say "Nothing. It's just like...we sort of bumped into each other".Bumped into each other? All three of them? Rubbish.But it feels good and satisfying to irritate Siddharth and make him edgy. I say again, innocently "I think I am disturbing you? I will leave now."Siddharth shakes his head again and says "No not at all". But his eyes are evidently asking me to leave. Wish I had a button microphone. I smile and get up. I say "It's OK anyway I need to go. See you guys soon".

Relief was evident on Mr. Prakash's face but dad and Siddharth covered it well. I go out of the cafe and march to my car. I find Deva leaning on to my car looking into his phone. He asks "Met the three of them, your dad, your husband and Mr. CEO?"

"You knew that they were coming here?" I ask astonished. He nodded his head and says "Thanks to my friend. He went for an interview in your office today and I accompanied him. When he was in the cabin attending his interview, I went to the washroom. There I heard your dad talk to the CEO, I don't know his name. He told him to come to cafe coffee day and he would meet him there. He said 'We both will come there too'. He kept calling him CEO and not by his name. Anyway what is the CEO's name?"

"Mr. Prakash"I say. 

"Oh" he says. I smile at him and say "That's so good."

He too smiles and says "Credit goes to my friend and his interview." I smile and say "Ya". So I figured out that this Mr. Prakash, CEO of Olympus hospital is also involved with them and I need to find out his role in this game.