Love and Respect

Chap 22 - At Riya's Home

Rudra's POV

While returning home I started to get calls from Riya, I avoided it, but still my phone kept ringing. I was staring at the phone.

Since the day I left Riya at Mr. Naik's office, we hadn't contacted or seen each other.
I had wholeheartedly involved myself at home. Moreover, my relationship with Mittali too had eased down a bit, but it didn't occur to me that there were still some things left to be sorted out until Riya called.

"Take it." Seeing me staring at the phone in a daze, Mittali who was next to me reminded me to answer the phone.

I frowned. It had been quite an effort to make some progress with Mittali, and this call from Riya automatically made Mittali draw a line between us. It was now the right time to make things clear with Riya.

After I finished the call, Mittali smiled and gave away a look of understanding, "Miss Riya must be having some urgent work with you. Stop the car and I'll go back home myself. You don't have to drop me back."

I stared at the woman sitting next to me in the passenger seat after stopping at the corner. I was confused. Riya had just called to invite me to her place for what I flatly refused. However, it seemed as if Mittali wanted me to leave right away.

"So you want me to go and spend time with another woman?"

Mittali dazed for a moment, failing to understand what I meant.

It's ok you, just go and don't worry about me." Mittali put on a smile, "I will cover for you in front of dadaji, so just go."

"Well, since you're so desperate to see me leave, I am going."

I sneered. How I wished that Mittali would stop me, but she didn't.

She just watched me while getting off the car. I clenched my hands on the wheel and drove off. I directly made my way to Riya's house after leaving Mittali behind. I used to be a frequent visitor here, but rarely came here ever since the day I married Mittali.

Riya opened the dooron the first ring of the bell itself. Seeing me standing outside, her eyes litup like stars shining in the night.

"Rudra, I knew you wouldn't leaveme." Riya threw herself in my arms and held me tightly.

"Stop it." I got rid of Riya's embrace and walked straight into the house.

I knew I had to break Riya's heart but I wouldn't deny in case Riya made any demands. I would try to fulfill all her demands so that we could part ways amicably.

"Don't you have anything to tell me?" I asked lightly.

She started Rudra I want to tell you something about Mrs. Oberoi. I gazed at her and my voice turned a little bit hoarse," About her?"

"Yes. About Mrs. Oberoi."

A trace of evil could be seen in Riya's eyes. 

She pointed on Mittali's character , "So this is why you asked me to come?" I frowned again. 

I and Mittali met for the first time on the day of our wedding. So I was certain that there wasn't any affection involved in this marriage. Although in just a few days post the wedding, I got attracted to her, I was well aware that she didn't like me. So, It was useless for Riya to speak ill of her in this manner.

My face darkened. For the first time, I realized that Riya too enjoyed gossiping just like the other ordinary women.

Hetal's POV

Rudra had been so nice to me recently that I almost forgot that he was Riya's man and not mine.

I showed as if all this didn't have any impact on me. And now...It was time to return him to Riya.

"So you want me to go and spend time with another woman?" I dazed for a moment, failing to understand what Rudra meant.

When I saw Rudra leaving, I felt a little empty in my heart. I felt lost and didn't know what was wrong with me. I wanted to stop him from going but couldn't.

I wanted to tell him 'Rudra, don't go!' 

But did I have any right to stop him?

Riya's POV

"Rudra, I knew you wouldn't leave me." I threw myself in Rudra's arms and held him tightly.

At this moment, I was not that mega celebrity but rather an ordinary girl who was deeply in love with her man.

Then he lifted his head to look at me and said, "Riya, I have been thinking about this for a long time, there are some things... that I should clear with you."

Rudra looked quite serious, I somehow perceived what he wanted to say.

"Rudra, there are some things I think you should know too." I interrupted Rudra,"It's about Mrs. Oberoi."

The room went silent all of a sudden. Rudra gazed at me and his voice turned a little bit hoarse,"About her?"

"Yes. About Mrs. Oberoi."

I hired some people to investigate Mittali. As a result of the investigation, I found out a lot of things. I intended to reveal this woman's true nature to Rudra today.

"What exactly do you want to say?" Rudra frowned and asked impatiently.

"Just calm down." I took Rudra's arm and made him sit on the sofa. I passed on a bowl of neatly cut fruits to him and said,"I got to know this by chance. I hope that you don't get angry about it."

I then said with a sneer, "I know someone who's a good friend of Mittali. She told me that Mittali was having an affair with another man before marrying you. She also confessed that she married you only for the benefit of the Mehra Family."

I read Rudra's expression while I continued," Rudra, I know you married her only to please your dadaji, but... her improper words will have a bad influence on you, won't it?"

"So this is why you asked me to come?" Rudra frowned again.

It was a tactic to wreck Mittali's reputation. I was certain that no man could stand this kind of misbehavior of his wife. Rudra's displeasure became an encouragement for me.

"A few days ago, she said it herself that she didn't like you. Moreover, she admitted that she was with you for a specific reason to one of her friend. Anyone would feel bad about hearing something like that." I kept instigating Rudra against his wife and said, "Rudra, you should cut all ties from her. Otherwise, she may think that you have feelings for her."

"She actually said that?" Charles asked with a cold face.

"Of... course." I knew I was wrong but I didn't give in to my guilt. However, in order to win Rudra back, I could go to any extend.

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बहुत अजीब हैं ये मोहब्बत करने वाले,
बेवफाई करो तो रोते हैं और वफा करो तो रुलाते हैं।

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यूँ है सबकुछ मेरे पास बस दवा-ए-दिल नही,
दूर वो मुझसे है पर मैं उस से नाराज नहीं,
मालूम है अब भी मोहब्बत करता है वो मुझसे,
वो थोड़ा सा जिद्दी है लेकिन बेवफा नहीं।