Chapter 29
“This is absolutely the worst plan ever,” Sameer grumbled. He was sitting on a corner table inside AquaNox, with Raashi, watching his sister on a date with Rithwik Bali.
Raashi squeezed his hand “Come on. It’s a great plan.
Veejay was right. If this Krish guy is obsessed with Rhea then he will come here tonight.
We had to lure him in and the only way to do that was for her to update her social media page with a post that she was ‘On a date tonight’ with a check-in at AquaNox. ”
Veejay’s plan had made complete sense to Sameer until they had to decide who would be Rhea’s date for the night.
All three of them, Kabier, Rishi and he had volunteered but Veejay had shot them all down, saying they were family and most likely Rhea’s ex knew what they looked like.
Rhea had suggested a few friends of hers but somehow enlisting the help of a twenty something year old didn’t sit well with any of them.
And then, Raashi had suggested Rithwik’s name.
Sameer had vehemently protested but had been out voted by the rest. Kabier trusted Rithwik as he was also Keya’s close friend and for some reason Rishi also considered Rithwik to be a good choice.
Sameer had to give in, although he was not too happy about it.
Hence, here they were enacting their plan at AquaNox waiting for Rhea’s ex-boyfriend to arrive, if he did indeed show up.
Veejay had his team spread all around the restaurant.
And he had insisted that it should be business as usual at the restaurant so that everything looked normal.
The restaurant was filled with patrons all unaware that there was a plan in motion to possibly entrap to a stalker.
Veejay himself was seated at a table close to the exit with one of his team.
Kabier and Rishi were in Raashi’s office at the back, going through the live security camera with an expert from Veejay’s team.
Sameer had wanted Raashi far away from the setup but it was her restaurant and she had argued that if there was danger then she wanted to be there with them and her staff.
There was no way she’d allow her staff to endanger themselves while she sat away and waited for news.
“Why did you have to ask Rithwik to help, though? Rithwik Bali as her date! Why did I let you convince me to agree to this?” Sameer complained as he continued to watch his sister interact with Rithwik.
“Because, he can be trusted to keep this problem to himself and to think and act quickly if the situation demands.”
Sameer gave her a disgusted look and turned back to watch his sister.
“Why is he holding her hand?” Sameer narrowed his eyes as Rithwik held his sister’s hand. “And look, he’s whispering in her ear now and she’s blushing. God! She looks like she’s in awe of him.”
Raashi patted his arm. “Will you relax? They’re just playing a part for anyone who may be watching them.”
When Sameer’s frown deepened, she turned his face towards her. “You have to stop with this unhealthy dislike you have for Rithwik.”
“I don’t dislike him, I hate him,” Sameer said grumpily.
Raashi laughed. “Really? All because he did exactly what I asked him to do? If you recall, I was the one who told him to kiss me. I couldn’t go through with it and he was tortured about it himself. He’s just a good friend. Why can’t you get it?”
“Okay. It will take me a while to forget that dreadful incident. But yes, I promise to get over it, in time,” Sameer replied, sulking.
Satisfied, Raashi switched the conversation to a different topic. An hour later and there was still no sign of the ex-boyfriend. Sameer saw Rhea whisper something to Rithwik and then she left the table and walked towards them. He turned to Veejay who shrugged his shoulders in surprise.
“What is she doing?” Sameer remarked. “This was not part of the plan.”
As Rhea crossed their table, she looked at Raashi and flicked her head in the direction of the rest rooms, a silent plea for Raashi to follow her.
“Let me go see what she wants,” Raashi said.
“I don’t think he will show up. Let’s call this off,” Rhea said, as soon as Raashi entered.
Raashi looked at her watch. It was close to eleven in the night. “Hmm. Let’s just wait for a while longer and see if anything happens. Otherwise we will have to do this all over again.”
“I have been so nervous the whole evening. I have barely managed to get two words together and that’s so unfair to your friend.
Rithwik is almost single handedly carrying the conversation ensuring that it looks like we’re enjoying our date.
He’s great and I am thankful to him for stepping up to help me especially when he doesn’t even know me. But I’m sure even he has his limits.”
Before Raashi could reply, the door opened again and a young man with a cap on his head walked in. Raashi turned to him and said, “Hey, this is the ladies rest room. You will find the men’s room at the other end of this corridor.”
She pivoted to face Rhea, but the blood had drained out of the younger girl’s face. Raashi swiveled around quickly to look at the boy who had entered the restroom. He was pointing a gun at Rhea.
Oh, God! This was Krish. He was thickly built, but looked pale and had bags under his eyes. Where was Veejay and his team when they needed them and how did he get in here unnoticed?
“Hello, Rhea,” Raashi heard him say. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your future sister-in-law?”
Raashi gasped out in shock.
He turned to face Raashi, pointing the gun at her now. “Of course, I know you, Raashi Deewan. I know everything that is happening in my darling Rhea’s life.”
Raashi looked at Rhea who was white as a sheet and unable to speak. Her face was twisted in fear. One of them had to act quickly and get them out of this situation and looked like it would have to be her.
Gathering her courage, Raashi said, “Why are you here, Krish?”
She had to keep him engaged until Sameer or Veejay or anyone else took notice that something was wrong.
Krish stared at Raashi with his eyebrows raised.
“So, Rhea has been talking to you about me? Finally, it seems I have her attention. Apologies for the two accidents by the way. I hope you know that they were not meant to target you.”
He looked at Rhea, his gun still pointed at her.
“You have been ignoring me, Rhea.” He took a step towards Rhea and paused.
“Why, Rhea? You know I love you. I cannot live without you and yet you left me. Here you are busy continuing your life as if I don’t matter to you at all.
And you’re dating again?” He shook his head.
“When I saw your post, I couldn’t wait to see whom you had picked over me.
And luckily for me I was close enough to come and wait for you here.
I have been watching you since the minute you entered the restaurant.
You seem to be enjoying yourself with him.
Did you even consider how I would feel? How could you do this to me? ”
So that explained why no one had noticed him before. They were all waiting for him to arrive, when the reality was that he had already been here all along.
When Rhea remained silent, he said, “Do I have to shoot your sister-in-law to get your attention, Rhea?” He turned his gun to Raashi. “I will do it, you know.”
“S-S-sorry Krish,” Rhea stuttered. “Just leave Raashi out of th...this.”
“Oh! I will,” Krish said. “It’s you I want. Not her.”
Raashi took a tentative step and raised her hands in a placating gesture. “Don’t do this, Krish. Leave her alone and go. It’s not too late. Go back to London and live your life.”
“Enough. My life is nothing without Rhea. I am nothing without her. I don’t have a fight with you Ms. Deewan but I am willing to do anything to get to Rhea.”
He raised his gun.
“Wait. Wait. Please don’t shoot. I’ll do whatever you say,” Rhea pleaded.
Krish smiled in a cruel twisted way that made Raashi’s gut churn.
“Good girl. So this is what we are going to do. Ms. Deewan come here to me and then the three of us will leave this restaurant together, quietly and without making any noise. And remember no sudden moves.” He raised his gun emphasizing his point.
Raashi walked up to him nervously. He immediately pulled her to him, and put an arm around her waist, his gun at her back, hidden from view. Raashi trembled as the cold, hard, metal nudged into her back.
“Now, Rhea, you will lead us out of here. I have a car parked outside. Once you reach the car, you will quietly get inside and then I will let your sister-in-law go. One wrong move and I kill her. Is that understood, Rhea?”
Rhea nodded.
“Come on. Let’s go then,” he said grinning cruelly. “Oh and make sure to tell your date that you are ditching him now.”
They made their way out of the rest room into the main area of the restaurant.
Sameer spotted them instantly. Their eyes met and Raashi saw a look of horror cross his face when he saw Krish escorting her with his arm around her.
He almost took a step forward but Raashi gave a subtle shake of her head that had him freezing in place.
As Rhea walked slowly forward, she noticed Veejay on Rithwik’s table.
The two men stopped talking as they saw her.
They looked behind her and understanding dawned in their eyes.
Rhea nodded slowly at them confirming their unspoken query.
Very casually, Veejay stood up, shook hands with Rithwik and left the restaurant ahead of her.
Raashi was petrified. One false move and there would be a blood bath in her restaurant.
She watched as Rhea slowly walked up to her table to Rithwik.
Krish waited with Raashi within hearing distance as Rhea told Rithwik that she had to leave.
Raashi heard Rithwik spend a few minutes questioning Rhea as to why she was leaving early before letting her go.
Raashi hoped the delay would be enough for Veejay and his team to act. They needed their help and quickly.