Chapter 27
*****
Nina and Varun sat across from her in the office.
She had brain fog from the pain medications but she didn’t want to skip the appointment with them, when she asked them to work on a weekend.
It had been a week since she met them and it amazed her that they found everything regarding the case that she had trouble finding online.
Given the case her father filed was over a decade ago, she was surprised they were able to dig up all the details. “This is really good work.”
“Thank you, ma’am. We could not find the original contract but have some references and verbatim from it in the case file.”
Isha glanced through the details and nodded. “These were just the violations of the contract that are listed but we need the original document.” She pondered for a moment. “Is there an online portal that allows for lawyers to be searched?”
The two looked at each other and nodded.
“There is one,” Nina said and added, “But I don’t expect a lawyer to retain a case file from such a long time back.”
“We have no other choice.” Isha shared the name of the young lawyer her father had worked with and moments later they had an email address and a phone number for the firm.
Varun turned his computer screen to Isha. “This is a law firm in the northern part of the country. I don’t know if it is the same person your father worked with back then. The name seems to be different too.”
On instinct, she took her phone and dialed the phone number. A few rings in an operator answered the call.
“I’m Monisha Varma, daughter of Sahadev Varma, I’d like to talk to Mr. Bopanna please.” Isha was not ready to let go of any opportunity to not get connected with the lawyer. She had a feeling it had to be the person since the last name was listed as Bopa and not Bopanna for the lawyer.
“Ma’am, do you mean Mr. Bopa?”
“I’m looking for Mr. Surendar Bopanna. Would you please let him know I am calling about Sahadev Varma’s case that he took up years ago when he had just started his practice.”
“Okay, Ma’am.” The line went silent for a long time, minutes passed and Isha was losing hope that anyone was coming to the phone.
That’s when she heard a crackle before a male voice spoke on the phone. “Monisha?”
The voice that spoke on the other end was not familiar but the way the man said her name seemed overly familiar. This is a man who would meet with their father at home, sometimes all day preparing for the lawsuit.
“Yes, this is Monisha. How are you, Suri uncle?” She remembered her father addressing him as Suri, short for Surender.
She heard the man let out a great sigh of relief. “I’m so happy to hear from you. It’s been such a long time since…” his voice trailed off before he added, “It was my first case and till date I have an open wound from how everything happened.”
She paused for a moment. “Suri uncle, I want to re-open my father’s case.”
After a long pause he replied, “I would love to do that but in the last decade the man who wronged your father is a big man now. It is not going to be easy.”
She knew it would not be easy no matter how big the corporation had become.
“I know why that company had growth. It was solely because of the manufacturing designs and components that he stole from my father. If we can show the patents and how they were leveraged for the growth of the company, we have a case.”
Another long pause. “What do you want out of this case? Money?”
“No,” her response was instantaneous. “I want the recognition and royalty he promised my father, along with the profit sharing from all these years. I do not need the money and will donate it to charity but the royalty is what is rightfully my father’s heirs.
My niece and nephew, Vaishnavi and Vishruth Varma. ”
She heard a joyful sound. “This is unbelievable. I thought I would never get to finish my first case.” Another pause and he added, “I never thought this day would come.”
Isha smiled. “I didn’t become a corporate lawyer for nothing. I work on acquisitions specifically so another person is not cheated like my father was, all those years back.”
“You are a corporate lawyer?” He let out a victorious laugh.
“This is marvelous. I can’t wait to get started on this.
How did you find all the details? I thought you moved to America with your aunt.
” The man remembered all the details. He had worked with her father on the case, long and hard that he spent a lot of time at their house.
It was a moment of pride for Isha. Other than her brother, the lawyer was the one other person who recognized her motivation to be a corporate lawyer. The excitement in his voice gave her the much-needed confidence to pursue this big shot who cheated her father.
“Time to bring the great Paramesh Saini of Ayara Corporation to justice for the wrong he did to my father.”
“I’m so happy to hear that.” The older lawyer said and added, “How is your brother doing?”
Isha went silent for a moment. “Ravi and his wife Samikhya…they passed away in an accident recently.”
“What?” The man went silent for a long moment.
Isha took a deep breath lowering her eyes, fighting her need to crash to the floor and cry.
After a long pause, the older lawyer asked, “Do you know if Ravi had started an investigation on this case?”
Isha was stumped. “I…I don’t know if—”
“I have no evidence, just a gut feeling.” He paused and her heart dropped to her stomach.
“Are you saying that my parents’ accident and by brother’s is—”
“No, I’m not saying that. But I find it surreal that one family had two tragedies of the same nature.”
“No.” It was a cry and she was no longer listening to what the lawyer was saying. Isha rushed from the office room.
“Ashok,” she called out, her voice shaking and she shivered all over as she scrambled over to where he was in the living area.
“Isha?” His voice held concern as she managed to walk to him, barely staying steady.
She felt his hands support her by her arms. “Isha, are you okay?”
“Ashok, the accident…did you…” She could not pull her thoughts together.
Her mind was racing even as Ashok made her sit on the couch. He instructed one of the staff to get her some water. The nannies took the kids out into the patio like they didn’t want them to be around when their aunt looked so dismayed.
Isha could not find her voice until she had a few sips of water. “Ashok, was it really an accident?”
His brows furrowed. “What are you talking about?”
“Ashok,” she dug her fingers into his one arm as he knelt in front of her. “Are you sure, Sami and Ravi’s was an accident and not a—”
She could not talk anymore and was struggling to breathe as she processed what could have possibly happened with her brother and sister-in-law’s fatal accident.
“It was an accident.” Ashok’s tone was firm.
Isha shook her head like she was not ready to accept it. “Do you know who Paramesh Saini is?”
Ashok nodded.
“Did Ravi ever talk to you about him or say anything regarding the lawsuit my father had filed against him a long time back.”
He looked confused but only shook his head. “I know who Paramesh Saini is but Ravi had no interaction with him.”
Isha’s heart shuddered in fear. “How do you know him?”
Ashok shrugged. “In the business circles, he is well known.”
“Is he capable of… causing an accident because someone was filing a lawsuit against them?” Her breath was coming fast and she was shaking all over.
“Isha, breathe.”
“Ashok tell me, please.”
“Why does it matter?” he sounded calm.
“It does,” she cried and covered her face in her hand as she could not control the sobs. “It’s him, Ashok.”
He pulled her hand away from her face and cupped her face in his hands. “Look at me.”
She sniffled before opening her eyes. “Just when I think…I found a way to heal my wounds, why does this happen?”
Ashok looked at her for a long moment. “It was an accident. And it was Ravi’s fault the accident happened.”
His words broke her heart. She swallowed her sob and said, “I’m so sorry.”
She felt his thumbs wipe away the moisture on her cheeks before he stood over his knees and slowly pulled her to him, as she sat on the end of the couch.
Isha ran her arm around him finding comfort in his hold. They stayed in that position for a few moments before he pulled back. She kept her eyes lowered. “I can’t seem to find a way out of this mess.”
He only patted on her back, and as if in response to that warm gesture, she looked up at him. “How can you stay so calm? I feel so ashamed to be like this and—”
She lost her words when he shook his head. “Don’t be.”
Their eyes locked and in that moment, something shifted. She went from being a mess to being aware of something else. A net new emotion. Her heart picked up pace and she was in a vacuum processing the novel feeling.
What is it?
Taking in a slow breath, while holding his gaze, she processed how she felt. Despite the somewhat desperate situation, she felt comforted. At ease.
How?
She focused the look in his eyes but it was hard to read. There was no judgement, maybe a bit of a concern and something else that she could not decipher.
“You good?” His words shook her out of what seemed like a spell.
She nodded, lowering her eyes yet again.
With those words, he stood up and left her seated on the couch. He wanted to give her space, but she wanted him to be close. She looked up, her eyes watching him walk away as she fought the urge to call him.
“Ashok,” she said, losing all control over her thoughts.
He stopped and turned to look at her.
“Thank you,” she managed to say and got a small smile in response.
Her breath hitched as if in response to the small joy on his handsome face. His expression told her she was not a pain in the neck and she felt relief in knowing that.
How the heck was the guy so perfect? And how did he not have a girlfriend or a wife?
At that thought, she chuckled to herself. He has a wife, it was her.
“Come join us, if you can.” He gestured toward the patio where the twins were playing.
It felt good to be part of an us. It had been a while since she had that sense. “In just a few minutes.”
She watched him walk away unable to avert her eyes, sheer admiration for the man who held the promise of solving all her problems, addressing all her concerns.
How?
How did he manage to give her that confidence when she could not stand the very sight of him just a while back.