CHECKMATE

Chapter 44

Pratap sat with his head held in his hands as he went over the evidences for the embezzlement case.

Yukti sighed aloud pouting, "There's no  evidence other than the CCTV footage."

"That CCTV also is more or less useless." Sighed Pratap. "Whom do you suspect?"

"Pranav Malhotra." Replied Yukti rather confidentially.

"Just because he's pushing for Vinayak as the next CEO?" Asked Pratap arching a brow at her.

"Why will a shareholder push for a new CEO until and unless he has something to gain?" Challenged Yukti shifting a little on the couch.

Anjali sat glancing at both Yukti and her husband and then exclaimed, "Even if he is the culprit what's the proof!"

"None." Replied Pratap and Yukti in unison making Anjali shake her head at them.

"I wonder....what will Pranav gain if... Vinayak becomes CEO...." Mumbled Pratap thoughtfully.

"I'll tail him to findo..."

"No." Interjected Pratap immediately. "I'll do it. If you are caught tailing him for no reason, you are done for!"

"But that applies to you as well." Replied Yukti. "I'll join you."

"No..." Replied Pratap adamantly but Yukti rolled her eyes saying, "I wasn't seeking your permission."

"Fine..." Groaned Pratap knowing well that it was impossible to convince this inspector. "We will...go tomorrow then...?"

"Hmm..." She nodded waving a bye and left.

Just then the doorbell rang and Anjali opened the door and gaped wide eyed in astonishment, "Why are you...here!"

Ranveer gave a pleasant smile asking, "May I enter?"

She blinked for a moment or so and then muttered, "Come in..."

Pratap looked at Ranveer perplexed and asked, "What brings you here?"

Ranveer smiled asking, "Has your birth never intrigued you?"

Pratap's brows pulled into a deep frown. Anjali immediately asked, "What...what do you mean?"

As always, the smile on Ranveer's face didn't disappear. He calmly continued, "I hope you know that you are adopted."

"Yes I do." He replied in quick succession.

"Have you not been curious to know your biological mother?" He asked with a charming smile.

"Do I need to know about the one who dumped me, right after birth?" Asked Pratap with a no nonsense look across his face.

"You were born even before she could get married...she had to leave you at the orphanage." Sighed Ranveer sounding rather too pitiful.

"B..but why are you telling this?" Asked Anjali out of sheer curiosity.

Ranveer smiled at her saying, "Because it's high time that Pratap knows the truth about his birth."

Pratap simply frowned wondering what Ranveer was trying to convey. Ranveer looked back at Pratap and asked, "Are you going to aid the evil instead of your brother's?"

"What....?" Asked Pratap sounding irritated now. Ranveer was waisting his time with the rubbish melodrama since half an hour.

"Your brother's and your mother would love if you would choose the right and desert the wrong." Continued Ranveer.

Pratap sat silently for a moment and pressed his temples saying, "So...you mean Vinayak happens to be my brother and Meenakshi my mother."

Ranveer smiled replying, "You indeed are intelligent."

Of course, to deal with tricksters like you I have no choice but to be smart, thought Pratap and glanced at Anjali who looked rather shocked with the information.

Pratap cleared his throat and looked at Ranveer asking, "Umm...you came to tell me the truth of my birth just so that I will change sides?"

Ranveer smiled at him saying, "I only wish for you to choose the one whom the company rightfully belongs to. Darshit owned the company before he passed away and now it should rightfully belong to Vinayak."

"If this was about inheriting a kingdom I would have agreed that after king Darshit his son king Vinayak will inherit the kingdom." Replied Pratap. "But this is the 21st century. Inheritance is no longer based on blood but on ability."

Ranveer smiled saying, "Vinayak wouldn't mind if you take over the company. After all, you are older to him."

Pratap smirked nodding, "Hmm....that is an interesting offer."

Ranveer smiled thinking, as long as he is on our side I don't have to deal with him. Already he has caused a lot of problems.

"But...there's something that troubles me." Continued Pratap with a straight face.

Ranveer nodded, urging him to speak.

"I'm not Darahit's son, am I?" Asked Pratap popping a brow at the man.

Ranveer found his smile slowly disappear, but quickly plastered yet another smile saying, "You will be considered Darahit's son...."

Pratap burst out laughing at the fool who sat in front of him. Ranveer felt humiliated and Anjali looked lost wondering what her husband was up to.

Holding back his laughter, Pratap asked, "What do you even mean by consider? Either I am his son or not, there's no middle ground in that."

Ranveer smiled replying, "I will make the world accept you as Meenakshi and Darahit's son."

"I'm proud as Utpal and Adhira's son." Replied Pratap with a firm look on his face. "And regarding the inheritance of the company, it shall only belong to the one worthy of it."

Ranveer sighed aloud asking, "Are you sure that you won't choose your family over friends?"

"Just because some woman pumped me out of her system doesn't mean I become her son." Snapped an annoyed Pratap. "A mother never abandons her child. A mother is someone who nurtures, protects and guides. She is the one who moulds the child to face the world, not dump the child in a dustbin just because she slept with someone."

"You weren't dumped in a bin." Corrected Ranveer.

Pratap gave a sarcastic chuckle and rolled his eyes taunting, "The one who found me was commissioner Khan. He picked me up from the dustbin and took care of me until I was sent to an orphanage which he kept visiting until I was adopted. Even after that he watched over me like a father. Do not expect me to dance according to your tunes."

Ranveer sighed saying, "When one's end is near, he knows not what he does." Saying that he stormed out of the house.

Anjali's eyes went wide with horror and looked at her enraged husband and said, "Let's go to US please..."

"Once I'm done with this rubbish we'll leave." He reassured giving her a gentle hug.