Chapter 33: So
Cliché
Arnav lead Anjili to his study. Once she was inside, he shut
the door behind her and came to stand in front of her. Anjili waited quietly
for Arnav to begin.
Arnav rubbed a hand over his face. “Di, you know I love you
right?”
“Yes Chote.” She replied quietly.
“And that is why I hate myself.” Anjili’s eyes snapped up
and met his. They held eye contact for a second before she lowered her eyes
again. “Do you know what I was told when I got off the phone with NK?” Anjili
remained silent. “I was told that Amba has been kidnapped by Shyam.” A gasp
escaped Anjili and she covered her mouth with her hand. “Now Di, please tell
me, I beg you, that Shyam hasn’t been in contact with you at all.”
Anjili shook her head vigorously. “I haven’t talked to him
since that night with Neha.”
“Di this is serious!” he shouted. As soon as he had realised
what he had done, he tried calmed down. “I don’t want you to lie to me. I won’t
be mad that you talked to him but if you have I need to know now.”
“Chote please trust me. ”
She begged as she met his eyes again. “I haven’t talked to him in over 20
years.”
Arnav searched her eyes to make sure one last time. When he
was satisfied that she wasn’t lying, he sighed. “Alright, you may go but don’t
tell anyone else about this. We don’t want unnecessary harm to come to Amba by publishing
this.”
“What are you going to do Chote?”
“I’m going to clean up your mess!” he snapped. She flinched
but he continued, he had to release all the pent up emotions. “If only you
hadn’t been blinded by love. If only you believed the evidence that we supplied
you with, Di, none of this would’ve happened. Khushi would still be with me, she
never would’ve gone away, she never would’ve gotten raped. And now because of
your childishness, her daughter’s been kidnapped by the madman who claimed to
love you but really only wanted you because of your money. Khushi’s nightmare
hasn’t ended even though it’s been over 20 years, your mistake keeps haunting
her. And nothing has happened to you. I would never wish you ill, Di, because I
love you. But I can’t help but wonder if this is fair. She suffers while you
get to live happily ever after-”
“Chote.” Anjili said in a broken voice.
“No Di! You need to hear some hard truths. We’ve always
protected you because we thought you to be fragile but it’s time for you to
grow up and face reality. Your actions had grave consequences and they continue
to produce these consequences.” He wanted to yell at her more but he noticed
that she had tears in her eyes. Despite everything, she was still his sister
and he loved her. He paused to gather himself. “Just go Di.”
She all but ran out of the room with tears streaking down
her face. Though Arnav’s words cut her, she knew he was right. She was a
burden, a constant reminder of what Arnav lost and how Khushi suffered.
A revelation hit her. She wiped her tears and stood tall.
She walked towards the roof with a purpose.
When Amba finally woke up, she didn’t know where she was. She
realised that she was tied to a chair, she struggled against her bonds to see
how tightly wrapped they were. They wouldn’t budge but she deduced that she was
still too weak to actually struggle properly. She had a slight headache, her
mouth was dry and her muscles sore. A door opened somewhere in the room that
she was in. She closed her eyes and groaned. She knew exactly who it was and she
really couldn’t be bothered with this right now.
“Miss Amba Gupta, we meet again.” Said the bodiless voice.
So cliché. She
thought. “Evil villain much?” she croaked out.
“Last time we met, I gave you something. Do you still have
it?” He said with glee.
Amba clenched her jaw. Even though she couldn’t see him, she
could just picture the smirk on his face and she wanted to smack it off his
face with a fish.
She yawned. “Do we really have to do this? This isn’t a
stupid movie, ok? So just get on with it.”
He came in front of her and twisted his face into a sneer.
“No, we’ll do this my way!”
Amba rolled her eyes at him. “Well if you’re going to do a
monologue then do you mind if I go to sleep? I have a headache and I just came
back from a really long flight.”
As soon as she finished her sentence, she was punched hard
across the face.
“You will listen to me!” he screamed in her face.
She laughed. “Yure weugh lysteeen tooo meugh!!” she
mimicked.
She was punched again. This time she could feel that her
lower lip was split. She spit out the blood gathering in her mouth.
“You’re as insolent as your mother.” He spat out at her.
“Thank you.” She said as she gave him a bruised smile.
His eyes narrowed. “It wasn’t a compliment.”
She smiled sweetly. “I’m taking it as one.”
“I should’ve killed you the first time around.” He seethed.
“I wish you had because I wouldn’t have to listen to your
bullshit right now.” Amba said before she could stop herself. Unfortunately,
this earned another punch.
“I should keep you gagged.” He said with distaste as he
wiped the blood off his knuckles.
“If you think gagging me is going to help you, then you are delusional.”
“You’re right, I’ll just have to drug you.”
It seemed like he produced chloroform and a cloth out of
nowhere. Amba didn’t struggle as he pressed the cloth over her mouth and nose.
She just closed her eyes and let the darkness take its hold on her.
