Rise of the Devil - Part 14

 

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Chapter 14



Arnav’s POV


A see-through netted lingerie? I didn’t even know something like this even existed. My knowledge about women’s outfits is zero and despite that when Khushi looked at that piece of cloth with utter shock, I could only imagine her interest in wearing something like that and that mere imagination was hazardous to my mission. I know falling for a woman was a weakness for a Devil King like me. I had people relying on my decisions and it was high time I stopped focusing on my wife’s silliness. But when Khushi had muttered she liked that gift and might even wear it someday, once again my lower body twinged forcing me to rush back in my room for a cold shower. When I come out and check my phone, I have a message from Aman that the Drug factory of the Sehgals have turned into ashes. One down!! Many more to go!!

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Khushi’s POV


It was so silly of me to open that gift before the Devil. But that’s what I do when someone challenges me. I don’t literally think from my mind, but my ego. And this time it turned the tables around and embarrassing me so much that I wonder how will I face the Devil tomorrow when we are flying to Shimla? I am not interested to go anywhere but this is going to bring a change for few days and I badly need one. Payal advised me this was my best chance to breathe some fresh air without the worry of being targeted and jailed like I am here in Chandra Mahal. But I wonder how will Dad stay alone? Sure enough Devil will ensure his safety. I dump a few clothes in my bag, including the shorts and skirts which I am going to wear to give Devil some hard time in bearing with my tantrums. I head to the closet to fetch my woolens and when I turn, I see Buaji taking out the clothes from my bag and folding them nicely to pack, which I had just randomly dumped. I didn’t speak to her nor saw her ever since I got to know she is Devil’s step mother. I am hurt. So I walk back to her and snatch my clothes from her hands.


“I can do this. Please leave me alone”


I don’t meet her eyes, I can’t. All I see in these people is lies now and I don’t trust anyone anymore.


“Khushi, please give me chance to speak”

“Speak?” I mock. “Now? You had 15 years to tell me who exactly you are. Now when I already know it, what else is left to speak Buaji?”

“You were so young that time, you wouldn’t have understood”

“Young, yeah right”

I throw the clothes in the bag again and turn to her.

“You, dad and that Devil might have enough excuses to give me, but I am least interested in them now. All I know is that you have lied to me, each one of you and I hate liars. I am already trying to recover from his heartache, don’t make it difficult. Please leave me alone. I beg”

I join my palms, looking sternly at Buaji who doesn’t argue further. She walks out and only when she does, I let go the lone drop of tear to roll down my eyes.

*****************


It’s just me and Buaji in the car when we head for the airport. I doubt Devil has changed his plans to come along. I know he can never let me alone anywhere. I haven’t spoken to Buaji a word despite sharing this ride and though she tried to communicate with me, telling me how she has made Motichoor ladoos for me this morning and is carrying a box full of those with us, I don’t say a word. After some point, she stops talking to me and though it pinches my heart, I don’t do anything to fix it. I am too sensitive at the moment towards any of the relationships I am tied to. Even when Dad kissed my forehead and blessed me today before we departed, I didn’t speak a word to him either and for the first time I saw something in his eyes which felt like remorse and dejection. A part of me wanted to hug him and probably even forgive for never understanding me, but I couldn’t. Any changes in our relationship right now felt too soon. I get down with Buaji at the tarmac where I see a chartered plane waiting for us to board. A known pain twitches inside my body and I am unable to step ahead.


I see Devil finally. He gets down the plane and though he is in a Dark blue jeans and a white casual Shirt nicely tucked in, I don’t miss to see the gun holster attached to his belt. He is always armed, isn’t he? It worries me if I am at risk even more than he is but that fear is nothing as compared to the one playing with my head right now. I am afraid of flying.

“I can’t” I mutter looking at the Plane and Buaji doesn’t understand. In fact no one knows my fear of flying as I never opened up to anyone yet, not even to Dad.


Devil hears me denying to get in the plane and quickly completes the instructions to his men and strides to me.

“What did you say?” He angrily asks.

“I can’t fly.. No way”


He thinks I changed my mind to fly with him to Shimla. It’s not that. I want to go but not in an Airplane. I don’t think I can.

“Khushi, what’s wrong?” Buaji asks seeing me worried but Devil cuts her off.

“Get in the plane. I will get her”

She gives him a heated stare which he ignores and gestures his men to escort Buaji inside. She is forced to go away leaving me with the Devil alone.

“Look Khushi. I am not in a mood to bear your tantrums. Walk with me in there or else..”

“Or else what?” I challenge, trying to divert my fear.

His stare intensifies and the next instant, he leans down and carries me in his strong arms.

“Devil? Put me down” I struggle and his hold on my legs and back tightens. He keeps striding to the plane and it terrifies me all the more. I am aware he has no idea why I am denying to get in there but neither I can tell him. I don’t think he will understand. Words choke in my throat as he climbs the little staircase to the plane and gets inside. Buaji stares at us and quickly looks away. I am too terrified to leave my grip from Devil’s shirt which has creased due to my assault. He puts me on the seat and when I don’t show any signs of letting him go away, he gets some hint.


“You okay?” He cups my face tenderly unlike before.

“Khushi, are you okay?” he repeats. “Get some water” he shouts at the flight attendant who quickly brings a glass of water. I have shut my eyes and I don’t want to open them and see where I am. Though the plane is still on ground I don’t feel good knowing I am inside it.

“Drink” He urges and I without opening my eyes, I hold the glass and gulp the water down. It eases me and the sweat beads that are formed on my face.

“I am fine” I lie not willing to create a scene.


He gives me a tight look and then asks everyone to disperse back to their respective seats. That’s when I see we have three guards in the plane sitting at the backseats with Buaji to my right. Devil quickly occupies the seat next to me and fastens the seatbelt, both his and mine. The door of the plane shuts and it begins to taxi to the runway. I breathe hard having no idea when I grip Devil’s wrist and press him tight. He gives me a surprised look before placing his hand over mine and stroking the back of my palm. The plane accelerates and I am breathless again.

“Oh my god. We are going to die” I yell.

“What?”

“Stop the plane. They will shoot the plane.. We will die Devil”

“Khushi no one will shoot the plane”

“They will” I grab his collar and pull him in frustration. “They have done this before, they can do it again. Stop the plane. Oh my god.. I am unable to…. Unable to… breathe..”


I open my mouth trying to get some oxygen but the next instant, Devil cups my face and brings his lips on mine. He just touches our lips, doesn’t kiss…

“Breathe…” he whispers and all my attention diverts from my fear to his lips and their movements over me. Is this some kind of easing therapy because its working. A while ago if I was unable to breathe, now its erratic and out of control.

****************

Arnav’s POV

Maybe it was foolish of me to do so but that was my only chance to divert Khushi’s mind from whatever she was going through at that moment. I initially thought she was throwing her usual tantrums and didn’t want to travel to Shimla with me but when she screamed once the Plane began to ascend, I realized it was her fear. She was afraid of something and this got clearer when she blurted out that someone was going to shoot the plane. I have heard from Shashi Gupta that once when he and Khushi were travelling in his Chopper, when she was hardly eight, his enemies had shot the wings of the Chopper which came down crashing in the deep valley of the mountains. Fortunately, Shashi Gupta had pulled Khushi with him and jumped into the river at the right time and saved their lives. Though that was years ago, Khushi has still not come over it. If I had known she was afraid of flying, I would have changed our travel mode. Only because this was the quickest and safest option, I had to choose it.


Khushi opens her eyes, breathing normal as the plane steadies in the sky, with the signs of seatbelt off. She immediately pulls away from me and looks outside the window.


“Why didn’t you tell me you are afraid of flying?” I demand to know.

“As if it mattered to you” She scowls still looking away. I grab her elbow and turn her to face me again.

“Let me decide what matters to me and what doesn’t. You need anything?”

“Silence and some privacy,” she replies. “Can I get that or again you will be the one to decide?”

I realize this is not going to end well if I keep pushing her in an uncomfortable zone all the time. She is already dealing with a lot of stress and if staying away from me for some time makes her happy, I am more than willing to offer her my absence. Unfastening the seatbelt and I stride to my guards at the backseat. We have few things to plan and we could use this time to do so.


****************

Khushi’s POV


An hour later the flight begins to descend and my stomach churns again. I brace myself as if trying to save my body from the impact of some collision, which of course is not happening, but it’s hard to overpower my fear. That’s when I feel the Devil’s arm holding mine again over the armrest and I don’t shrug him off. It is his duty to protect me so let this be one of it. I grip his upper arm, with all my strength, shutting my eyes as the plane lands. It’s been one terrifying takeoff and landing. If Devil hadn’t given his support, it would be worse.


We drive away from the airport in a car and while Devil takes a seat ahead with the driver, me and Buaji are at the backseat. Devil informs someone on the phone about our safe arrival. I am told we will stay in a safe house and I have no idea what that means until the car enters a small gate of a bungalow at the hill top. Buaji quickly shifts in her seat as if she is unhappy about this place. I want to know why she is so upset all of a sudden but then I remember we are not in talking terms anymore. So, I zip my lips and get down the car.

“You didn’t tell me we are coming here” Buaji mentions to Devil who puts his phone in his back pocket and my eyes don’t miss to notice how well these jeans fit him everywhere. Damn!! I shouldn’t be focusing on him. When I meet his eyes, I see him sneering at me and then he glances at Buaji to reply.

“The other safe house here is at a remote location. Couldn’t risk the security there so this was the only option left”

Buaji seems convinced though she is still hesitant to stay here and I don’t know why. I follow Devil and Buaji to the door where suddenly Buaji stops us both.

“Wait here. I will be right back”

She gets inside the house leaving us both confused.

“Any idea where she left?” I ask Devil who simply shrugs. I take in the interiors of the Living room which looks quite luxurious and classy. It’s a small bungalow, maybe having two or three bedrooms max but it’s still beautifully maintained. There is a lawn outside and a fireplace at the living room corner which I am definitely going to lit tonight to get some warmth. After five minutes, Buaji comes out with a Puja thali and a Kalash (small Urn) in her hand. She keeps the Kalash filled with Rice at my feet and then looks at both of us.

“You are stepping in your Sasuraal for the first time”

Sasuraal? Is this Devil’s property? I stare at her and I still don’t understand why was Buaji hesitating then to stay here? As if reading my mind, she sorts my doubts.

“This is Arnav’s mother’s house”

Buaji swallows and I suddenly freeze.

“She used to visit this place often with …” she pauses again and looks at Arnav. “With him when he was young”

I turn to Devil who is as cold as ice. But I know he is affected recalling those memories.


“Can we just finish this fast? I have to be somewhere in an hour” He mutters.


Buaji quickly nods and smiles at me. She circles the Puja Thali before us.

“Push the Kalash and step inside the house”

I do as told and step inside my Sasuraal. I don’t know what to infer but this is going to be my home for the next few days and maybe also a way to dig into Devil’s past.

****************


The house is beautiful and as I take my own time to tour around, I finally reach a small room which looks more of a study room or drawing room with lots of books on the shelf. There’s a huge desk and chair too and I assume this is where the Devil must have studied if he ever went to school or college. Wait!! I don’t know anything about Devil’s educational qualifications either. Does that matter? Even if he is illiterate, he is still a man with enormous power in his dark world. Sighing, I keep looking around and find a huge photo hung on the left wall. It’s a beautiful woman in a Saree, sitting on a Huge recliner with a boy around 7 years on her lap. The boy… oh my god. He is the Devil.. It’s his younger version photo. I admire the woman holding him and realize she has to be Devil’s real mother.

“Shobhna Malik”


Buaji’s voice makes me jerk. She is right behind me and I didn’t even realize she was following me all the time.

“She is Arnav’s mother” Buaji adds staring at the picture with equal warmth.

Now that its revealed, I want to know further but I am not talking to Buaji, am I? I don’t know if I should. The curiosity to know about Devil’s past is more predominant than my anger on Dad, Devil and Buaji so I break my silence.

“Is she… alive?”

Buaji is surprised by my question or maybe because I am talking to her again.

“No, she died when Arnav was hardly 9 years old and then his father… he married me. Brought me in their house to look after Arnav”

“Oh..” I swallow. It must have been tough for Arnav knowing his mother died when he was so young. I can feel for him. I never saw my mother either. So, I can relate.

“But Arnav never accepted me in that place and kept distancing from both me and his father” She adds.

I keep listening while Buaji stands below the photograph and touches it.

“No one could replace Shobhna. Neither in Arnav’s life nor his father’s”


What? Seriously? I mean I can understand Arnav not accepting Buaji as his mother but what was wrong with Arnav’s father? Why did he marry Buaji if he didn’t wish to give her the place of his wife?


“What do you mean?” I ask. “Is that why you never had children of your own?”

Buaji turns around and shakes her head in denial.

“This dark world changed Ratan Singh Raizada into a horrible man after Shobhna’s death. He started spending more time in destroying people rather than caring for me and his only son”


I feel pity for her especially when tears flood from her eyes.

“I couldn’t shape his life Khushi. Wish I had that strength in me to make him walk on the righteous path. Wish I had..”


She bows her head down and sobs and that breaks me apart. I quickly rush to her and give Buaji a tight hug. She hugs me back while I keep stroking her head to ease her down. I can understand how difficult it might have been for Buaji to marry a man who ruled the Dark world. I am standing in that same position now where she was once and we can obviously relate to each other’s pain.


To be Continued.

NEXT PART

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