“Aditya’s name hitches my breath for a moment. My heart feels a pang. Similarly, my jaws become hard. This boy is similarly responsible for my condition. I know how obedient he is to Aditya. He can even die for him. Aditya always complains about not getting love in his life. However, in reality, he never really cares for love in his life. Ayan is another example of this. His love and respect for Aditya are unconditional. I know he was throughout with his plan. Still, he has his own mindset which is manipulated by Aditya. And it is not his weakness but care and obedience for Aditya. Ayan never showed any disrespect or ignorance towards me and that is not because of Aditya’s influence. He genuinely cares for me and I can feel that. Still, I can’t trust him or forgive him. After all, he inclined to guard Aditya over me.”

Nandana keeps her chin high and counters bluntly,

“I think it is another plan of your Boss to emotionally manipulate me. The Aditya Oberoi, who thinks he can rule over everything, even over my fate has become so vulnerable that he had to send you to say all these emotional dialogues! What does he think of me? A fool who will step into his trap once again? Ayan I am already regretting trusting him. I can’t trust him once again for further damage. You stop expecting anything from me. He doesn’t matter to me anymore. Bye.”

She forwards her foot to leave when Ayan’s words moor her to the place.

“If he doesn’t matter to you then where do these tears come from? Ma’am, I think like your tongue, you should have taught your heart too to tell all these lies. Because your eyes are telling a totally different story. He still matters to you. Not only matters; he still affects you. Because you care for him and even love him. At least don’t lie to yourself.”

Nandana’s fingers automatically touch her cheeks where she can feel the moisture. She doesn’t know when these treacherous tears escaped her eyes. Without turning back, Nandana utters in a grave tone,

“I don’t love him. His presence in my life doesn’t matter to me. So, stop all these talks.”

“Does his presence in this world matter to you? If not as a wife or lover, help him as a human being. He is in a self-destructive mood. Only you can save him. You may not trust my words but I can show you proof. I am just demanding your few minutes for the last time. Listen to this. After that, I will respect your decision. I promise.”

His voice has some determination and compulsion that makes Nandana finally agree to enter the CCD. Ayan starts the recording of Manu Mathre and shows the other proof that can convince Nandana to believe his words. After 10 to 15 minutes, Nandana takes a deep sigh and gazes outside of the café. Her eyes have a mixed feeling which is not palpable for Ayan. Suddenly, she asks,

“So, what do you want me to do? Withdraw the case or convince him to protect himself?”

Ayan keeps mum for a second and then mouths with a grave voice.

“I want you to believe his love for you. I know he did every wrong to you. He was a monster who only thought about his ego and lust. But now he has changed. He has changed for you; for your love. You have turned a devil into a human being. You pulled him out of his darkness. Don’t leave his hand in the middle, so that he again gets lost into deeper gloom.”

Nandana turns at him and meets his pleading eyes. Her eyes are beaming with determination.

“You insisted to listen to you. So, I did. The rest I can’t do anything for him. I gave 100% to this relationship. But his lies destroyed all. Perhaps you can see tears in my eyes but you can’t see my bleeding heart. He ripped my heart off my body and threw it somewhere. Now, I can’t feel anything for him.”

Saying this Nandana gets up. Ayan is looking at her with the same pleading eyes. She turns on her heels and gets ready to exit. For one moment, she flips and utters in an impassive voice,

“Sorry…you pleaded to a soulless person.”

........................

“It’s difficult to track the time in this underground cell as most of the time it remains dark and cold. There is a small ventilator in the room from where a very thin ray of sun comes inside it which is not enough to remove its gloominess. I was shifted here in the morning. Since then, I only have got a plate of two beards and a bowl of vegetables. There is an earthen water pitcher kept in the corner of the room. This is the only source to subside my hunger as well as my thirst. I don’t have my watch with me. Still, I can feel it is around midnight. My stomach is churning. Will I get some food? I get up from the floor where I was lying and come to the front side of the cell. There is only a small window around 11x12 inches, which is protected with strong iron bars. I kneel down and try to see if anybody is outside. The lobby is dark and silent. So, I raise my voice.”

“Is anybody there? I am hungry. Can I get some food and water?”

Aditya shouts but it seems nobody heard it. So, he again yells,

“If you want to kill me then the bullet is a better option. This torture of starvation is too cruel and inhuman.”

He chuckles at her humour. Still, there is no footfall heard. Aditya exhales sharply and gets back to his place. It seems he has to starve for the whole night.

“Get ready, Aditya Oberoi. You can’t wish for a smooth trial and punishment in this journey. After all, you have chosen this. So, bear the harshness.”

He mumbles while placing one leg on his other knee and lies down on the cold floor.

“Nandana, please come to my dream. Only you can give me the strength to bear this emptiness.”

He smiles and whispers. His eyes drop for a moment. He doesn’t know how long he was asleep. Suddenly, a touch on his ribcage makes him open his drowsy eyes. A dim light is illuminating the room. Aditya blinks his eyes a couple of times and locates two policemen standing in front of him. Their eyes have some malice and indecent intention. Aditya mouths in a drowsy voice,

“Thank God, you all have heard my voice. I am hungry, Man. Give me something to fill my stomach.”

In reply, one of the policemen sniggers and says,

“Yes, we are here for this only. We will fill your stomach adequately, Mr Aditya Oberoi.”

Aditya parts his lips to answer when a strong kick smashes his upper belly. He flinches in pain and tries to get up but immediately gets served by a hit on his bicep with a thick stick. Simultaneously a policeman mouths with vengeance,

“We will fulfil your hunger so well that you won’t be in a condition to feel anything further.”

Concurrently a shower of kicks and punches are relentlessly pouring on him. Aditya curls his body to protect his major body parts but the heavy boots continuously target his hips, back and shoulder. Aditya yells but his screams only echo in the small room. He can hear their growl,

“Who will save you today, you Asshole? Aditya dick head Oberoi. Let me show you how to do politics, you fucking bastard.”

Suddenly, the club hits his head and Aditya whines in pain. He can feel a hot trail of liquid rolls down the back of his ear. The surroundings slowly become dark. Just then some words invade his ears.

“You really deserve that bloody bitch. Made for each other. How she enjoyed your money and then ditched you. Fucking whore. Even she needs some more choads to satisfy her hot twat…ha…ha…fucking wanker..”

The words ignite the fire in his head. With a diabolic screech, Aditya raises, making the policemen scandalized. He springs on them and desperately snatches the wooden rod from one of the policemen without any thought. In the next moment, he starts showring relentless bolts on them while abusing them at a high pitch,

“BASTARD…SON OF A BITCH…HOW DARE YOU OPEN YOUR FILTHY MOUTH FOR HER, YOU MANWHORE…PIMP…I WILL KILL YOU BOTH…MOTHERFUCKERS…I WILL CHOP OFF YOUR TONGUES…BUGGERS....”

However, he is feeling giddy because of the injury to his head. The two policemen take this opportunity and after getting some hard blows, they manage to grapple him from behind. One of them holds him from the back and the other starts beating him with the thick wooden stick. But with every hit, Aditya growls,

“Open my hands…you cowards…just open my hands…and I will show your ends.”

All of a sudden, the policeman who was thrashing his club all over his body, again targets his head. With a burst of sinister laughter, he mouths,

“Before that, we will show you your end..”

As he raises his stick to smash his head, someone holds the club. Aditya is panting and gasping for air. Before losing consciousness, he heard the voice of SP Bhosle.

“Hold on…I knew this will happen. Both of you…dismissed.”

Aditya can feel the absence of a grip on his body. He was about to dump on the floor when two strong arms grab his slackened body. Aditya sags, releasing a sigh when SP Bhosle mouths eagerly,

“Aditya…Aditya…wake up…you are fine…wake up…Rawat, call the doctor. Hurry up…Aditya..don’t loosen up…”

Aditya looks at him with drooping eyes. Blood is obscuring his vision. Still, he smiles palely and utters,

“I beat them,…..Officer. They…they said dirty….about..my…my…Nan…da…na…..I will…ki…ll…them….if you…re…lease…me I will..…kill..them…my..Nandana…my…An…gel..”

He bends his head as he has lost the strength of saying anything further. SP Bhosle carefully lies down him on the floor. Within 5 minutes, the doctor comes and two constables rest Aditya's half-conscious frame on a starcher. All of them rush to the main room. SP Bhosle mutters under his breath,

“Aditya Oberoi, I know you are a demon. But not for Nandana. It’s hard to see you get punished for love. I have to see this case from another angle now.”