Loving The Liar

Chapter 36

Aadhya's POV

"So, now according to this recording, an old lady in her early fifties appeared into the picture out if nowhere?" Ishika shifted the pillow from her lap.

We all returned back two hours before. After dinner, I wanted to spend sometime outside, in free relaxed atmosphere. So the idea of sitting in the porch, with a cup of coffee pleased me. I carried a pillow with me too, to sit hugging it. Ishika followed we out with a blanket sheathed all over her shoulders and sat besides me.

It then hit me that the time was appropriate to let her listen the recording, since the one I sent was accidentally deleted by her.

"We can't find out who was she until I get a vision or she comes in front and admits." I placed my coffee mug in front and ran my hands over the soft cool grass. The cool atmosphere of nighttime delighted me.

"She'd be anything but a fool to come and admit." She sneered.

Ishika snuggled more into her blanket.

"Why did you choose to sit out in cold weather?" She complained, sipping her hot chocolate, which was really hot. I beamed and spread my hands out, welcoming the cool breeze. My eyes, unconsciously closed, taking in the feeling of the cool breeze hitting my face.

"I love this weather." I said, emphasizing on the word word love. She just snorted in response. Few second later, I opened my eyes when the sudden silence dispersed in the air caught my attention.

She zones out a lot, I noted. "Ishika!" I slapped her shoulder, to bring her back to this world. She gave me a sheepish smile. We sat there for sometime in silence. It gave me enough time to think about the drastic change in my behaviour caused my memory loss.

It was some kind of blessing to me. May be, this time god really took pity on me and decided to hand me the happiness I craved for at once. Even if I deserved it or not.

When will you start to believe in yourself?

Never, I think. Its enough that you believe in me and keep me sane.

Are you praising me?

Keep dreaming.

It would've been more tough to pull myself out, completely from the lifestyle of a killer, an assassin. But my memory loss made it really easy. Now, when, I think about that lifestyle I led, constantly in fear of being caught, constantly on run, moving here to there and everywhere, I really feel that I was that rarest lucky person the destiny showed mercy on.

"Aadhya." Ishika placed her hand on mine compelling me to look at her. Her voice was full of concern, which took me off guard.

I hadn't got used to this yet, family, love and care. My heart still refused to except it that there were people worried for me, cared about me. Still, I could never come out of the the miseries of being a murderer, no matter what was the reason.

She noticed my quired eyebrows and took a deep breath.

"Are you really out of danger?" Her thoughts didn't made me worried, but surprised me. My expressions turned grim, when I realized that now, it was just that I was danger? Or my people too?

"Don't worry." I briefed, in a dead voice. "I won't let anything related to the sins I committed come till our doorstep." I made this a promise to myself, that no one anymore will be hurt because of me.

She nodded and looked away. I heard her hiss as another cool breeze hit us. I sipped my coffee who's temperature was decreasing by each minute.

"On a serious note," Ishika started again. "Do you have any idea, who the old woman was?" Her question made me think and list out all the ladies I know. But the list was big. I unknowingly traced the circular edge of the cup in my hand, in confusion and dismay.

"I don't have any idea. It could've been anyone, because there were lots of old women in their fifties in the old age home I used to visit." There was no way I could've used the elimination process to find the women I need.

I have a feeling, that all this chase is going to come to end, soon. Very soon. With trouble.

Let it, then. I've faced a lot and I'm ready to face more, if it puts end to this chapter of chase.

It certainly will.

Taking a long and noisy sip of her hot chocolate, Ishika slightly jabbed me to gain my attention. When she was sure that she had all of my attention, she started.

"What about that blood note?" She asked. Unattentively, I brought my legs close to my chest, as the image of the words 'found you DA' written in blood danced in front of me.

"I completely forgot about that." I wondered, what more have I forgotten.

That chit, on the serious not had scared the hell out of me. But now, when I think about it, it feels like if such situation comes up, I'd have some brain to tactfully handle the situation.

How many people who know you as DA are alive?

Not many.

"Do me a favor. Ask your mother if she knows anyone named Thomas." I said, and watched her as her lips set in a straight line.

Of course, she knows Thomas. That's what Jay said, didn't he?

I want to know what has she say about it.

You don't believe Jay?

I do. Its Sudha I don't believe.

Papa being linked to Thomas was a big news to me. I finished my coffee and set the cup aside. Ishika pulled the blanket more closer to her, sensing the temperature drop.

"I'm not talking to her." She voiced out in bored tone. But I could sense the distaste in her words which made me curious. She ignored my curious look and emptied her hot chocolate.

Not giving up, I poked her shoulder with my finger. But she brushed it off, so I kept poking until she huffed, turned to me and mouthed 'Okay. Stop. I'll tell you.' Then, she began to rant.

"I don't know what she has against you and my father. I called her in the morning, to tell her about the wedding and most importantly, to ask her why she lied to me about dad's death. And also, why she confused you.

Instead, she accused me for being a fool like my father, to fall for your tricks. She's still over the fact that Papa divided his ancestral property equally among both of us and didn't considered about her."

The bitterness in her voice somehow made me feel good. At least, she didn't held any resentment against me in her heart. Perhaps, she was just like her father, not fool but strong, willful and kindhearted.

A smile unknowingly crept over my lips, as my mind shifted over our newly formed strong bond of friendship.

I took the empty away from her, set it aside and pulled her in a tight hug, to express my gratitude. She went stiff, for a moment before chuckled and hugged me back.

"Thank you, Ishika. For excepting me." This was all I managed to say. She rubbed my back as her response.

See just like her father.

What about her mother? She already thinks that you snatched her husband away. And now her daughter?

"Ishika, if you mother wants, I'd transfer all the properties to her name. I told the same thing when your lawyer had read Papa's will."

I had nothing to do with the money or property. All I wanted was love and family, and now I think I'll get it.

But, the last time I hinted of returning the properties, Sudha nearly pounced on me and verbally abused me. She pinned me as the reason of his death, but I was strong enough to dodge her accusations. She was grieving and not herself, I told myself.

"No need to give away what's yours. Especially to someone like her who always curses a dead man for being the gentleman he was." She snarled.

To change her attention from her mother, I told her about the incident with the Mitra. To my surprise, Ishika laughed when I finished off my short story. She said that I always looked hot when I was furious. This made my  eyes go wide.

As the temperature of the surrounding dropped to the level she couldn't bare with just a blanket, she got up and gestured me to follow her in. I picked up both the empty cups and ran behind her

"I'm really excited about the wedding, you know." She mused as we got in. I smiled and nodded. The warm surrounding made me want to go back to the porch, but with the pending work, I couldn't risk a chance of catching cold.

After saying good to her and both the Oberoi brothers, who were again engaged in a deep conversation, I entered my room and fell on my bed as the sleep approached me.

One week later

"Veer isn't here so don't think that there's no one to keep an eye on you." Ruhi warned as she entered in my office.

"Go and complain about it to your boss, I'm not scared of him." I said in duh-tone and focused on the bridal legenga I was designing. It was for Ishika. It occurred to her that it would be great if she and I both wore dresses designed by me in all the functions. The idea was so appealing that I couldn't say no. And now, I was overworking.

"You might not be scared of him. But you might distract him from his job bye making him worry." Ruhi said, settling on the couch.

Just a week on association and she knows which buttons to push. I stopped scratching the pencil over the paper and decided to pack up.

"Okay, you win." I stated and she beamed. It took me only one week to realize, that behind this no nonsense, business women look of hers, she's completely different in reality. So friendly and easy going.

"Well, Aadhya." There was a hint of hesitation in her voice. She was at an awkward position, for God knows what reason. I smiled and told her to carry on while I packed my bag.

"Are you going to give up on your wedding dress?" Her bluntness took me off guard. For the whole week, I forced this topic to stay in the back on my mind and focused only on my work.

"I don't know yet." I admitted the truth. She frowned and fidgeted with her fingers.

I tell you, go for it. You have the chance, try it. What's the harm? If you succeed, you'll be happy that you have fulfilled your dream and if not then you'll gain more trust over Veer's decisions. There's nothing to loose.

I've a lot if work pending right now.

Such a lame excuse. You know that if you really want to do it, then you make up some time.

I'm not answering that.

"Aadhya, I want you to give it a try." Ruhi voice was both, soft yet firm. It was like she had made the decision to convince me.

"Do you really think if that's a good idea?" I asked and saw the smile returning on her face. Why was she so much interested in my wedding dress, my dream? I asked her the same.

"Actually, I have a designed something for myself, long back when I was studying fashion designing. Even though I gave up on being one, that design was dear to me.

When I saw you explaining the design with that admiration on your face, I remembered mine when I had explained it to my professor. She had rejected it, too. So if you tried to fulfill your dream, may be I could gather up the courage and prove that my rejected work was worth something, at least my happiness."

She voice had gone all dreamy. I could say she had designed the dress with her whole heart, just like I did.

Give it a chance, a try.

It means give in, at you?

It doesn't means give in, it just means accepting the advice.

Okay.

Okay?

Yes, okay. I'll  give it a try.

"You'll arrange whatever I need for the dress?" I asked and this time found her leaping at me and took me in a hug. I laughed. On my insistence, she promised to keep it from Veer.

After some time, I left the building from the back gate where my bike was parked. Because of the reporters waiting for someone to go out through the main gate and they could get some information, I had to use different tricks to get in and out if the office. I dropped Ruhi at the gate on her building and drove off to Oberoi mansion.

It was better that Veer took good care of the media hauling around the mansion few days back, so there weren't many if them to disturb me on my way.

As I entered in the mansion, the silence in the surrounding informed me that no one was here yet. The butler, whose weird name I still couldn't register appeared out of nowhere as I collapsed on the couch in the living room.

"Mam, I'll get going and I won't be coming tomorrow." He said in a polite voice and placed a glass of water in front if me. I just nodded in response with a small smile and watched him leave.

My hands made their way to my neck, which was hurting like bitch. Dumping the bag that was still in my hand near my leg, I arched my neck, side my side to ease out the pain. Slowly, slipping my sandals off, I laid on the couch, reminiscing the incidents of the whole week.

In the starting of this week, Veer announced about the grand Oberoi weddings. From that time, paparazzi followed the four of us like they were our own shadows. They had been breathing down our neck.

Veer was right now, lucky enough not to be here. He was summoned for some important meeting of the successful textile entrepreneurs all over India.

He was really excited to go there, because of the election of representative of textile industry being held there. It was good that he was away from the media's attention, for at least two days. He was return tomorrow early morning.

For me, it was not that tough to escape from the paparazzi's cameras and mike. Once, Ruhi found me climbing a pipe that was near the office's first floor's window, so that I could avoid the media person sitting in the lobby with hidden camera. Good for me, she didn't let a word spread among the workers or questioned me about the not so good skill.

Again, the before he left, Veer made a statement related to the date of event. All the reporters were buzzing over the new piece of information. But, what kept them on their toes was the name of the new designer, which was kept as a secret, courtesy of me.

They are already trying to find some dirt over me. People had tagged me as a mysterious yet beautiful woman who swept India's one of the top most eligible bachelor off his feet. Veer had tried his best, not to let anyone dig up my past and never to let them never the orphanage.

At such a time, if anyone spotted me going in and out of the office, then it would really be used to increase the ratings on TV channels. This was something, people like me, living low key life would never get used to.

You are getting married to a billionaire, you are bound to get used to it.

I don't want to.

Then there comes our extra ordinary wedding and its budget, which made my eyeballs pop out of its socket. Veer had shut me up with kiss when I told him that I couldn't afford it. He called me dumb and said to learn spending husband's money. But that's something I really oppose. I would rather keeping annoying him while he works or challenging him, as a good wife.

Maya was thrilled to hear that I was finally settling down with a man I loved. She asked me if I needed her help. That's when I realized how bad our relationship was affected because of my work. She always despised hurting anyone intentionally. And I, used to kill them, in cold blood.

Now, I can clearly see the crack in our relationship, which I ignored for last two years, which, cannot be filled.

I picked up the glass of water and emptied it down in one go, clearing out the images of those I killed from my mind. Nightmares had been more scary now a days, and I always found myself whimpering, and at times crying over the death of someone I killed.

People say, something's never change! Then how could I believe that I've really changed? That I would never aim my gun again to shoot someone?

You would aim your gun. No one can stop you from doing that. Just from this time, it would always be to save and not to kill.

I never understood how come Ishika and Kabir accepted me, even knowing everything. About Veer, he's so blindly in love with me that he fails to see the dark side of my life.

One I've read-

Life damages us, everyone. We can't escape the damage. But I've learnt that we can be mended. So me and him, are mending each other .

Sound of my ringtone snapped me back to the reality. Reading Veer's name on the screen brought a smile on my lips.

"

Good evening, beautiful." He said in a gleeful voice which made my heart flatter. It was really too much, even his voice had this much effect on me.

"Let me guess, your work is done there?" I estimated, taking the note of his voice. He chuckled and hummed from the other side. Squealing like a kid, I sat upright with my legs folded.

"Come back soon." My words came out more as a plea, which I didn't intend to.

"Are you missing me?" The teasing glint in his voice was evident.

"No way. I was just waiting for the chocolates you promised to bring back for me." 'And you' my heart added but I refrained from admitting it.

"Lucky chocolates. By the way, I was thinking to get you something like..." Cutting of his trail in between in I reminded him not to try annoying with gifts.

Two days before, he brought a jeweller here. Trust me, even the pendants he showed with the price tag had me fainting. They were so extravagant. I was completely against buying a single piece. But then, the charming man I was marrying off to, convinced me in his own ways, to buy a few sets.

He said, Aadhya don't have to wear it, but Mrs. Veer Singh Oberoi has to. This had made me go silent.

"Then should I shower my hard earned money on some other woman? Someone like Maddy Mitra?" His joke was enough to tick me off. My eyes widened when he mentioned her.

Her name's Maddy?

Who knows? Who the hell even cares to know!

"Just try it pal, and you're dead." I warned but he clearly knew that I can't, I won't.

"You won't kill me, because you love me so much." Veer exaggerated the word 'so'. I smiled, sensing how much he knows me.

"Keep dreaming."

"A man can dream, love. And I love to see you in my dreams. But still, you have to learn living with money."

A dry laugh escaped from my lips.

"Its enough that I live with just three people in a palace that can accommodate nearly half a village's population." I snorted while he just ignored my comment.

"Are you driving?" I asked, hearing the honking sound.

"No. Its just because I'm standing near the window." He said while I hummed, still unconvinced.

"I heard that you that you overworked!" There it goes, another complain from Ruhi.

"You know, you are wasting your friend's time by turning her into a spy. Moreover, isn't it good that I'm overworking. Choosing work is done. Cotton sector is close to finish its work, others are in progress.

I even brought the cotton handloom saree with me home. Now I just have to select a design that I could sew on the part of the saree which falls behind the shoulders. Mary, the tailor, has really done a good work with zari."

Veer was hearing everything I babbled attentively. He knew that I love to talk about my work and he was always ready to listen.

"Try a peacock feather design. So if not pleated and left open from shoulder, it'll give a good look." He suggested, which gave me a good idea.

"I'll consider about it." I said, trying to sound unimpressed

We talk to each other about who we spent our complete day. I got up and picked my bag, adjusting the phone between my shoulder and ear.

Veer talked about his meeting in which he was elected as the representative of textile industries. I congratulated him for it and to prepare a cake for him when he comes back.

Veer always loved the chocolate cake I used to make for him whenever we were together and away. Whenever we were together, it was just us, away from the world and its chaos. I used to be myself, whenever I was with him. I still do. And its such a great feeling.

He always made me proud of him. But was just a stain on his image. He says he had done wrong things, but I've done worse. And it shocks me how I felt everything behind and started a new life.

He always told me that I'm getting married to a high tempered businessman. But I could never gather the courage to retort him by saying that he's getting married to a criminal. It might hurt him more than myself for saying it. But it was the truth.

We ended our call as soon as I entered my room. After freshening up, I was to sit with a the pencil to put the design I had in my mind on the paper when my stomach growled.

I strolled to the kitchen, to find something I get my hold on to eat. But unexpectedly, there was no food in the whole kitchen. Without sulking over it, I pulled out the plastic container of dosa batter from the refrigerator.

As I opened the lid, pungent odor of the batter made me face away. Placing the container on the island, I searched for coconut oil in the selves but couldn't find one.

That's when Ishika called. Sliding the receive icon, I set the phone over my ear.

"Where are you? I'm making dosa for dinner, you want some? I'll make them for you."

"Still working. We'll be late, very late. Don't wait for us. Most importantly, my mother will be there in sometime. If you want, you came ignore her completely. Don't bother to put up a good girl act to please her." She enlightened her views about her mother.

I was nodding boringly at her instructions. But her last sentence made me chuckle. Being a good girl wasn't my thing. And I'd be damned if I do it for someone I care about. I'd better stay alone than having a bothersome company.

"Don't worry about it. I'm not gonna entertain you mother." I heard her sigh listening my reply. Was she trying to keep her mother and me apart? No need, I not attracted towards people who badmouth someone like Papa.

"By the way, where's coconut oil?" I asked, rummaging through the cabinets.

"Top left corner, why?" She directed.

I took out the bottle and poured some batter and three table spoon of oil in it.

"Oil destroys the pungent odor of the batter, its better than soda." This was a trick I learnt in the orphanage where I lived before papa came in my life.

There was a cook, who always let me stay with her while she was cooking. I used watch her for hours and she used to give me a bright smile every time she turned around to keep an eye on me. She was the only woman, I could say I'd seen a motherly figure in. She had thought me a lot of kitchen tricks, and I still remember those, as her gift to me.

We talked for some more time, before she hung up. I started some old Hindi songs to fill in the silence. After finishing cooking, I started feeling too much troubled to sit on the dining table alone.

Sighing, I preferred the barstool in front if the kitchen island would do and settled on it. Not wanting to feel lonely anymore, I winded up my dinner in a hurry and cleaned the kitchen.

That's when I heard some sound coming from the living room, which turned me alert.

You still haven't lost your touch.

Doubt that I would ever.

Then, there I found Sudha Sharma, struggling with her suitcase. A string of curses left her lips when she couldn't pull it. As soon as her eyes landed on me, before I could slip away, she plastered a smile on her face, a fake I'd like to point out.

"Aadhya, nice to meet you again."

Wow, she can lie so smoothly. I was already getting negative vibes from her. She again tried to pull her suitcase but the wheels didn't budged. Irritated by her presence and drama, I walked to her, picked up the suitcase which was really light and without at word, dropped it in her room.

She followed me with a scowl which again turned into a smile when I turned to leave. She blocked my path.

"Oh thank you my dear."

Was she not getting my signal that I wasn't interested talking to her, especially, now when her own daughter told me no need to act good.

"Drop the act, aunty. I remember everything, at least most of the things. So no need to act as a well natured aunty which you are not. I know you don't like me, you know that I don't like you too, so please, stay out of my way and I'll stay out if yours."

Her expressions varied at my each word. First shock, then fear, then irritated and relieved, at last bored.

Without waiting for her reply, I started to walk out when I heard her whisper in low voice.

"You don't remember everything, do you?" Her voice was full of uncertainty.

"What?" I asked, confused if I heard her right.

"Nothing I'm just tired." She mumbled and closed her door on my face, with a distracted expression.

What's wrong with her?

I smell something wrong here.

Me too.

I thought as I went back and and glanced at the watch before starting to work. 10:00 pm. I sat in the centre  of the bed and started my pencil work again.

Just after few mins, I started seeing black holes and the weight of my head become unbearable. I laid my head on the on the pillow besides me, as the complete view in front of me blackened out.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*

4630 words.

Sorry for the delay. Book's gonna end in this soon. Few chapters more.

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Aruvi❤