Was she that important to him?
After walking for 15 minutes, Navya reached her apartment and opening the iron grill of the door, she walked inside. She saw Tanvi and Pushpa both looking coldly at her, sitting on the sofa. Navya trembled from inside to meet their cold glare. Without wasting time, she removed her shoes, kept on the shoe rack, and strode to her room. Her legs were shaking while walking past in front of them. She was too scared to take a long breath.
Tanvi and Pushpa looked at her back until Navya entered her room. Then Tanvi looked at Pushpa and said “I am telling you, she is having affair with someone. Maybe a rich customer from where she works. Mummy, if she runs away with someone then that rowdy Monty won’t leave us.”
Fixing her eyes on the closed door, Pushpa said gritting her teeth “Don’t worry. I won’t let it happen.”
She then picked up her phone and dialed a familiar number. The call connected after a few rings and a deep male voice sounded from the other end of the phone “Hello Pushpa chachi…How did you remember me? Do you need more money?”
“Ha ha…” Pushpa laughed craftily and said “No, no… this time I didn’t call for money. I wanted to invite you to dinner. You didn’t show up for a long time. Don’t you want to meet your Navya?” Her face contorted while speaking those words.
“Na…vya… Ah… By taking her name you make my heart happy. How can I forget her sweet face? I dream of her every night. I will come to meet my sweetheart.”
“Well then, I will wait for you.”
Pushpa didn’t delay to hang up the phone after saying this.
By then, Navya also came out of her room and walked to the kitchen to cook dinner, hanging down her head. After finished cooking, she served food for them. They were eating quietly. Navya was a little surprised to see that neither Tanvi nor Pushpa was saying a single word to her. This was the first time in these three years that Pushpa was not scolding her. She had a bad premonition in her heart. This might be the calmness before the storm. Her legs softened around the knees and wobbled slightly thinking this. She didn’t dare to lift her head and stood beside the dining table quietly.
Just then, she heard Pushpa saying “Monty is coming for dinner tomorrow, so come back early. Don’t make him wait for you.”
Navya’s heart sank to the bottom of the valley and instantly looked up at Pushpa, who was casting a frosty glare at her.
“Don’t forget that your marriage is fixed with him and don’t dare to do anything that will make him angry. You know very well how dangerous he is.” Pushpa said those words glaring at her.
Navya shuddered in fear. How would she not know how dangerous he was? Monty was a street goon and always indulged in fighting, robbery, drug dealing, and many other things. Police also captured him countless times but somehow he managed to come out of jail quickly. He fancied Navya and in exchange for money, Pushpa engaged Navya with Monty as she needed money for maintaining Tanvi’s expenses. If Monty wanted, he would have taken Navya away a long time ago but he didn’t do that because Navya requested him to not get married until she finished her studies and Monty agreed with her without hesitation. Though Navya didn’t like him at all, she feared to offend Pushpa and engaged with Monty despite her unwillingness. Now that she knew Monty was coming for dinner she couldn’t help but shiver in terror. She didn’t like the way Monty looked at her, but could she oppose him and fight against him?
Pushpa was annoyed seeing Navya not answering anything. She raised her voice “Do you understand what I am saying? If you don’t listen to me then I won’t wait to finish your study.”
Panicked, Navya looked up instantly and said “I understand Chachi. I won’t be late.” Her voice was all shaky and immediately lowered her head. Her breathing was quick and shallow.
By then, Tanvi looked up at her and asked coldly “I saw you today, coming out of a Mercedes. Who was that person? Are you planning to ditch Monty?”
A wave of chill ran through her body causing her hairs to stand straight. How could she tell them that the person was none other than the young tyrant CEO of ‘Exotiq’? Her life was already in a mess and Atharv was a top up on it. She was regretting the day she went to the private dining room to serve him. She was snatched back to reality by Tanvi’s words “Why are you silent? Is he your rich boyfriend?”
“No.” Navya instantly denied. Looking at Tanvi, she said “He… he is one of my classmates. He came to dine at the hotel and on the way back to his home, he insisted to drop me. That’s all.” She lied and didn’t say anything about Atharv fearing that they might not trust her and create more troubles for her.
Tanvi was not convinced by her though, still, she didn’t pursue further and only looked at her up and down before she went back to her room. Pushpa also followed Tanvi without looking back.
Then only Navya heaved a long sigh and slumped down on the chair. After sitting for a while she brought her food and ate. That night was long for her as she couldn’t sleep at all. She was thinking about how to say ‘no’ to Atharv because it might get late if she went to the hospital. But could she offend Atharv? And if she couldn’t refuse Atharv then could she bear the consequences of Monty’s anger? She remained seated on the bed, fixing her gaze at a certain point on the wall. She felt like she was at the cliff and a hungry hyena was just behind her. After brainstorming for a long time, she finally decided that she would refuse Atharv politely and explain to him everything, thinking that Atharv was more reasonable compare to Monty. Sighing, she lied down and closed her eyes, trying to sleep.
Atharv was smoking one after another cigarette, standing on the balcony. He couldn’t shake off Dr. shruti’s words from his mind. That wound on Navya’s palm was indeed severe and as per his understandings, Dr. Shurti reacted in that manner because she doubted Navya didn’t burn her hand accidentally. This thought made Atharv restless. Again and again, one question was coming to his mind. ‘Was she tortured?’
Agitated, he extinguished the cigarette inside the ash-tray and took out his phone. He dialed Karan’s number. It was late at night and Karan was sleeping soundly and snoring loudly. When the phone rang, he extended his hand to find the phone without opening his eyes and finally he found it on the side table. He answered the phone lazily “He…llo…”
“Message me Navya’s address immediately.”
Startled, Karan sat up abruptly on the bed, eyes wide opened and asked “What?”
Irritated, Atharv raised his voice “I said messaged me Navya’s address.”
Scratching his head Karan said “It is in that file and the file is in your office. I don’t have the address with me right now.” Karan was wondering why the CEO needed the girl called Navya’s address in the middle of the night. He was also not able to understand why she was so important to the CEO.
Atharv was annoyed. It was always in his office and he could have noted it down. Not only that, he went to drop her twice but never thought to check her address, and now he was impatient for not knowing where exactly she lived. Anger and uneasiness mixed together and unable to control, he shouted “Why are you so useless? You are my assistant and it is your duty to keep all the information ready with you.” He blamed everything on Karan and disconnected the call immediately. Dumbfounded, Karan looked at the screen in awe.
Aggravated, Atharv slammed his fist on the railing. He didn’t know why he was feeling so disturbed thinking that Navya was mistreated by someone. She was no one to him then why he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Why he was so eager to know what type of life she was living and what troubles she was facing in her life? Was she that important to him? All these questions were only increasing his confusion and the despondency in his heart spiked up.