12.
“Abe saale, mar dunga tujhe!” Laksh shouts angrily at Zayran, his voice raw with rage. He grabs a vase from nearby and hurls it at the ground. It crashes and shatters into sharp pieces, the sound echoing through the room.
(You bastard, I’ll kill you!)
Laksh runs a hand roughly through his hair, pacing like a caged animal. His chest rises and falls hard as he turns toward his only best friend with blazing eyes.
Zayran sits on the couch, his laptop resting on his thighs. A cigarette burns between the fingers of his other hand, smoke curling slowly around him.
“You didn’t say anything to your family about Liyara just because of that fucking accident!” Laksh shouts again. He kicks a chair with all his strength. It scrapes loudly against the floor before falling on its side.
“I’m telling you again, I am not and I was never, ready for marriage” Zayran says. He closes the laptop and places it aside. “I told Liyara clearly about it.”
“Then why is she not able to understand this?” Laksh snaps, walking toward him step by step.
“Tell me honestly, you’re not saying anything in this matter just because of that accident, right?”
“It was not an accident” Zayran says quietly. His eyes drop to the floor.
“Please, Zayran… please, I beg you, forget about it” Laksh says, his voice breaking. He drops down on his knees in front of Zayran, pride forgotten.
“How can I forget it, Laksh? How can I?” Zayran shouts suddenly, getting up from the couch. His movements are sharp and restless. “I fucking kill...” He stops mid-sentence, unable to complete it.
His breathing turns heavy and uneven. He clenches his fists, his jaw tightening painfully. He closes his eyes and takes deep breaths, one after another, trying to calm himself, just like he has been doing for years.
His body remains tense, as if the past still has its hands wrapped tightly around his throat.
“Okay, I get everything you’re saying but why the hell are you not stopping her? Or are you planning to marry her?” Laksh says in a loud, sharp voice. He straightens up and walks toward Zayran.
Before Zayran can reply, Laksh speaks again. “You clearly know she’s after you just because of your looks and power. Can’t you understand this?”
At this, Zayran finally looks at him. His face is blank, tired, completely done with the argument.
“I won’t marry. Everyone knows that. And no one has the strength to force me into marrying her. People talk because talking is all they’re capable of” Zayran says coldly.
Laksh listens and slowly nods his head, knowing Zayran is not lying.
“Aur tu duniya bhar mein gaata phirta hai tu mera best friend hai, par sirf main jaanta hoon ki tu nahi hai aur na hi main tujhe apna best friend maanta hoon” Zayran says flatly.
(And you keep telling the whole world that you’re my best friend but only I know that you’re not and neither do I consider you my best friend)
Laksh glares at him. The room fills with tension. Before either of them can say anything more, a loud knock sorry a bang hits the door, breaking the moment.
“Can we come in now?” Om, Yuv and Shaurya say together from outside. Their voices echo through the room, making Zayran groan in irritation.
“Ek kaam tha, teen aur aa gaye” he mutters under his breath as he drops back into his seat, rubbing his temple.
(There was already one problem, now three more have arrived)
“Bhai, aap dono akele mein kya kar rahe the aur yeh sab?” Shaurya asks as he steps inside. He looks around the messy room, then looks at Laksh and Zayran one by one.
All three of them exchange glances and then look at Laksh and Zayran with dirty smirks on their faces.
“Shaurya, stop spending time with these two” Laksh says sharply. He turns around and sits beside Zayran, a little closer than needed.
Zayran looks at him slowly. Feeling the stare, Laksh immediately shifts away with an irritated look on his face, creating distance again.
“By the way, we’re going on a mission with bhai tomorrow” Om and Yuv say together. Hearing this, Laksh smiles to himself, already knowing very well what is going to happen tomorrow.
“He is not going....” Laksh opens his mouth to say more but Zayran suddenly takes out his gun and places it on the table with a dull thud.
The sound alone makes Laksh shut his mouth instantly. Om, Yuv and Shaurya all take two steps back without thinking, their smiles fading for a second.
“Laksh bhai, aapki phat kar chaar kyun ho jaati hai bhai ki gun dekh kar?” Yuv asks with a teasing grin. “Woh kuch bolte bhi nahi hain aur aap dar jaate ho” Shaurya chuckles beside him.
(Brother Laksh, why do you get so scared the moment you see bhai’s gun? He doesn’t even say anything and you get scared)
“Because he has already tasted the gun” Shaurya adds casually, making all three of them grin wider.
“Waise isi baat par arz kiya hai” Om says, clearing his throat dramatically.
(By the way, on this topic, I’d like to present something)
“Irshad, irshad” Yuv, Shaurya and Laksh say together, playing along.
(Go on, go on)
“Bina daav lagaye hi jeet gaya akhada,
Bina daav lagaye hi jeet gaya akhada,
Bina bole hi phaad diya Laksh ka pichwada” Om recites loudly.
(Without placing a bet, he won the arena.
Without placing a bet, he won the arena.
Without saying a word, he tore Laksh apart)
Shaurya and Yuv fall to the ground, laughing uncontrollably. Om laughs even harder than them, holding his stomach.
Laksh looks at all of them with a completely done expression. He hides his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking as if he is laughing, though it is clear he is just tired of their nonsense.
Zayran ignores all of them, the same way we ignores company calls asking for a recharge.
“Hone waale saale hain, warna zameen mein gaad deta teeno ko” Laksh thinks to himself as he stands up from his seat.
(They’re future brothers-in-law, otherwise I would have buried all three of them in the ground)
“Okay, I’m going. Mera aaj ka ho gaya” Laksh says flatly and walks out of the room.
(I’m done for today)
Behind him, the three of them are still lying on the floor, laughing like maniacs.
“Guards, take them out” Zayran shouts coldly. His voice leaves no room for argument. Om, Yuv and Shaurya immediately get up. Without wasting a second, all three of them rush out of the room.
Laksh stops the moment he sees Ishita entering the mansion. His movements slow down. He takes a deep breath, his eyes fixed on her. He quickly runs a hand through his hair, correcting it and then walks toward her with careful steps.
“Hi” he says softly. Ishita looks up at him.
“Are you free tomorrow?” Laksh asks, trying to sound casual. Ishita looks at him for a second and then slowly shakes her head.
“Bhai told me not to go anywhere with you” she says firmly. Her words make Laksh’s jaw tighten.
“That bast...” Laksh starts, anger flashing in his eyes. But he stops the moment he sees Ishita glaring at him. He gulps hard and lets out a small, awkward chuckle, instantly correcting himself.
“Please, it’s a request. I’ll talk to him, don’t worry about it” Laksh says earnestly. His voice softens, almost pleading. Ishita thinks for a minute. Then she finally nods her head.
“Thank you. I’ll come to pick you up at six” Laksh says quickly. Ishita nods again and starts walking toward her room. After a few steps, she suddenly stops and turns back.
“And don’t you dare to wear black or white” she says, pointing a finger at him in warning.
Laksh breaks into a smile and nods his head obediently.
“Okay” he says softly. Ishita turns around and walks toward her room, a shy smile playing on her lips.
Laksh watches her for a moment, then turns and walks toward his car with an idiotic smile stuck on his face, completely lost in his thoughts.
“It’s impossible, lord. Because he is Zayran Kaalver and he doesn’t work under anyone” the man says carefully to Ethan Frost. His words make Ethan’s jaw clench in irritation.
“That’s exactly the reason I want him to work under me” Ethan replies, a slow smirk spreading across his face. “Because he thinks too highly of himself. I want him to see where he really belongs”
“If he works under me, it’s good for him” Ethan continues, his eyes darkening. “And if he doesn’t, then I know very well how to handle him” The smirk on his face turns cruel, making his men shiver at the evil plans clearly forming in Ethan’s mind.
I pick up the tray from the table and start walking upstairs toward his home office. I think he is in a meeting, maybe with some politician. But why a meeting with Zayran?
He is a mafia. Politicians are supposed to arrest him for doing illegal work. Maybe that man has come to arrest him today.
Agar aisa hua toh meri kaam se chhutti ho jaayegi aaj se. Arey haan, aisa hi hua hoga. Kitni jaldi dimaag chala leti hoon main apna. Ufff, Sita, tu itni intelligent kaise hai? Wait… kahin main Einstein ki bichhdi hui beti toh nahi?
Haan, mere baal bhi usi ki tarah thode thode hain. Bas kuch din mein soch-soch kar white bhi ho jaayenge. Phir saari duniya ko pata chalega, Einstein toh chala gaya, par apni mahaan beti ko peeche chhod gaya.
Ufff, kitni famous ho jaaungi main. Wait, main toh pehle se hi famous hoon. Sabko aaj se hi autograph dena shuru kar deti hoon. Baad mein time mile na mile.
(If that happens, I’ll be free from work starting today.
Oh yes, this must be it. My brain works so fast. Ugh, Sita, how are you so intelligent?
Wait… what if I’m Einstein’s long-lost daughter?
Yes, my hair is a bit like his too. In a few days, from all this thinking, it’ll turn white.
Then the whole world will know, Einstein is gone but he left his great daughter behind.
Ugh, I’ll become so famous. Wait, I’m already famous.
I should start giving autographs from today.
Who knows if I’ll get time later or not)
“Chup ho ja, behen. Please. Itni overthinking karke Einstein toh nahi, par mental patient zaroor ban jaayegi tu” my subconscious says firmly.
(Shut up, sister. Please. With this much overthinking, you won’t become Einstein but you’ll definitely become a mental patient)
I curse it under my breath. He is just jealous of me, nothing else.
I reach the door of his meeting room and knock lightly. As I step inside, a strange shiver runs through my body, making my grip on the tray tighten without me even realizing it.
There are only four people in the room, him, Grover, that politician and his secretary. I keep my eyes lowered not wanting to meet his gaze. Or maybe I am just trying my best to avoid eye contact with him.
“Tu kya ignore karegi use, woh khud tujhe ignore karega” my subconscious says again.
(As if you can ignore him, he’ll be the one ignoring you)
And like I always say, he is just jealous of me. Nothing else.
I place the tray carefully on the table and start making coffee for everyone. My hands move automatically but I can feel a constant gaze on me. It doesn’t leave me for even a second. I avoid looking up but the feeling makes me uncomfortable.
“But sir, joining hands with me will benefit both of us” the politician says smoothly. The moment his words reach my ears, a shiver runs down my spine. I...is he serious? He wants to join hands with a mafia?
“Not me. Only you” he says calmly, leaning back in his chair. His fingers tap slowly on the armrest.
“Okay, I agree this will benefit me” the politician continues “but I have another option. And that option will benefit only you, not me”
“Join hands with me and I’ll give you beautiful women from different countries. You can use them in your bars and pubs and your profit will touch the sky” the politician says casually.
My hands stop working completely. I don’t look up but disgust rushes through my veins, making my stomach twist.
And these are the people who are ruling our country.
“I don’t need to turn a woman into a toy to make a profit. My mind is enough for that” he says calmly. Hearing this, a strange kind of satisfaction settles inside me. My chest feels lighter, even though I keep my head down.
“You’ll regret rejecting me” the politician says, his voice thick with anger.
I lift the cup to serve him but my hand slips. The cup aCcIdEnTaLlY falls from my grip and spills all over his hand and leg. The hot liquid splashes and I immediately step back.
“What the hell you...” the politician shouts at me, his face turning red. Before he can finish his sentence... “Out” he says loudly, his voice sharp and final.
The politician turns toward him, glaring with pure rage. “I’ll show you who I am” the politician says, his face looking like he has been slapped a hundred times.
“Do pair par zinda ghar jaana hai? Apni wife ko vidhwa karna hai? Apne bachchon ko anaath banana hai?” Grover shouts loudly.
(Do you want to go home alive on your own feet? Do you want to make your wife a widow? Do you want to make your children orphans?)
My eyes widen in shock. Tara tujhe raat mein taare dikhaayega yeh Grover, lohe ka khamba.
(This Grover will make you see stars at night, Tara)
The politician doesn’t say another word and storms out of the room. My hands tremble as I quickly start wiping the mess I created, my head still lowered.
“Sir, should I serve coffee for you?” I ask softly. I look up for a second but the moment I see his eyes already fixed on mine, I instantly look down again.
“Yes” he says simply and starts talking to Grover.
I place his cup on the table, then Grover’s. Without wasting another second, I turn around and walk out of the room in a hurry, my heart still beating fast.
As I come out and take a few steps I stop. I hear my name coming from one of the rooms. My steps freeze on the spot.
“I tried to kick that Sita out of the mansion but I failed” someone says. My grip on the tray tightens instantly. I recognize the voice, it’s Gauri.
“But maa, Liyara is angry with us. And if she and her mother get angry, how will we get that deal?” another voice says. It’s Neelam.
“No, I don’t care what we have to do. We will use Zayran to get that deal” Gauri says firmly.
Hearing this, something twists painfully inside me, something that shouldn’t happen. I quietly move downstairs, my heart feeling heavy.
This family is not how they look from the outside. They are all full of mystery and evilness. Every person has two faces or maybe even more than two.
After finishing all my work, I walk out of the kitchen. I am about to go downstairs when I stop. My eyes fall on him.
He is sitting in the garden, at the far corner, under a tree. The soft light falls on him as he sits quietly, fully focused on a sketchbook in his hands.
He is drawing something carefully, his pencil moving smoothly. I notice his lips moving slowly, as if he is singing something under his breath.
Does he know how to sketch and sing?
“That’s why he is doing it, idiot” my subconscious says sharply.
His entire family is sitting together. The youngsters sit a little distance away from him and the elders even farther. And he...he is sitting completely alone, at the corner.
Why… why am I feeling like he is not the way he shows himself to others? Right now, he looks like a kid. A kid who is… who is searching for love.
Why the hell am I feeling like running toward him and hugging him tight?
“Kanha, I hate you for whatever feelings and emotions you are putting inside me for him” I say. My chest feels heavy. I turn around and walk toward my room not daring to look back.
As I enter the room, I see Tara sitting on the bed, waiting.
“Where were you? I was waiting for you” she asks. I don’t answer her. Instead, I run toward her and lie down, placing my head in her lap.
“What happened?” she asks gently, sensing my mood. Her hand moves slowly through my hair.
“I don’t know what is happening with me, Tara” I say, closing my eyes. Silence fills the room for a second.
“You have feelings for sir” she says calmly.
My head shoots up immediately and I look at her in shock. I shake my head hard, denying it. She chuckles softly not believing me at all.
“We both know and can see the answer” she says again. I don’t reply. I quietly lie back on her lap, staring blankly at the ceiling.
“But we are not meant for each other. And I’ll never marry a monster like him” I say honestly. My voice is firm but my heart feels confused. She stays quiet not saying anything.
“It’s your choice” she finally says. “But remember, Sita, every coin has two sides. And what if you fall for the other side of him?”
I get up from her lap and walk toward my bed, my steps restless. “If I fall for him, then that will be my last day on earth” I say bitterly as I pull the duvet over myself. “Because not just me, everyone knows he is a monster and a manipulator”
I turn to the side and close my eyes, forcing myself to sleep.
“Kanha… I won’t fall for him, right?” I ask him Or maybe, more than Kanha, I am asking myself.