Chapter 10

OMKAR

'Hi Mukta....My name is Dr Nita...How are you feeling now' the counselor asked Mukta and she nodded with a light smile. That smile killed me.

I was used to a giggling Mukta!!!

Even after the wedding fiasco her smile hadn't left her and today she was forcing a smile on her lips.

The counselor began talking to Mukta who kept shifting towards me and kept replying her and the counselor signalled me...

I held Mukta's forearm and told her softly...

'Mukta...she is our friend...you are in a safe place baby girl...hmmm' I pushed back that one strand of hair behind her ears. Her body shivered at my touch. The shiver which made me smile when I first time touched her in the jungle was now a fearful one.

'Mukta...are you scared of me... I'm your friend Omkar... remember the 48 hours we spent laughing and giggling throughout our journey from Phulvaspura to Mangalore?' I asked and listening to the name of her village brought tears in her eyes...

'I want to go home...I want to go to my Baba....Omkar...I don't like this place' she said and the tears rolling down from her eyes broke my heart.

'Mukta...Dr.Nita is our friend...she is here to talk to you sweetheart...I'm here...see there are people around you and no one will harm you...so just speak up sweetie' I  spoke softly and she slowly nodded.

Just when we were about to speak to her my friend Commissioner Sandesh called me outside the room...

'O.K...we charged Mukta's mobile and we found some Srinivas Anna's number...so we dialled and spoke to him and he along with his friends are here...' and I saw a bunch of men aging from 25-35 standing there...

'O.K these men work in a small Udupi hotel in Mangalore...they are the staff there and....' Sandesh's silence was scaring me

'And???' I asked curiously...

'Mukta has been working as one of the kitchen staff there!!!' and I was shocked.

'Whatttt???No... not possible Mukta had a job offer from' before I could complete the man ...Srinivas ...he spoke up saying...

'Mukta didn't get the job Sir...she was late to join and she was in desperate need of money...when she first met us she looked worried and upset...we thought as time passes she would get better...but she looked worse as time passed...we have seen her for two and half weeks Sir...she is a graduate...but that housemate of hers Kaya and her disgusting boyfriend Harry that bloody pimp initially took away all her money saying they will return her back soon as they needed urgent cash and then smartly took away her certificates as well from her...

She had no other choice but to find a odd job for herself because gradually Kaya and her boyfriend Harry stopped giving her food too...How many days can a girl go hungry Sir...she joined our hotel and within days we got to know she was also like us...ran away from hometown...in search of better life and job but the recession and situation...above all the language barrier put her in this soup...' and I was trying to still absorb what the man kept saying...

'She would speak to me few days back..she had my number...why didn't she tell me...' I asked and he said...

'She was already indebted by your favour Sir...you already gave her shelter...but sir when she thought Kaya and her boyfriend had started crossing their limits...she tried to reach you...but you probably were busy ..you didn't pick her call'

That's when it striked me!!!

Damn why on earth had I started avoiding her...why didn't I think she is alone here...she maybe in need of help!!!

I cursed myself a hundred times.

'What do you mean by them crossing limits???' I asked clenching my fist tightly.

He looked hesitant but when I kept my hand on his shoulder and told him...

And Sandesh assured him

'Srinivas...trust me... I will make sure that her culprits rott behind the bars' while Srinivas looked at his friends and started speaking up...

'Kaya took her money, her documents and began ill treating Mukta. Initially it was about forcing her to do household work, clean their mess but went on to become not giving her food or giving her stale food for once a day. The reason why she joined our hotel for a petty job. Reason...her hunger...' and my eyes filled with tears. Srinivas's eyes also filled with tears and his throat filled up. His friend began speaking ...

'Our owner is a humble man...he lets us eat a decent breakfast, lunch, dinner. First time when Mukta joined us there we were shocked because she was more educated, spoke English well and was humble to all of us. She was hungry Sir. She was shivering. That's when we got to know the girl was only on water from 4 days. I still can't forget the way she ate the first plate of meal given to her, our owner also had tears in his eyes. He hired her. The only thing she asked for was food and money so she could go back to her village. And she didn't have her university documents in order to apply for a new job. She had to go back and get a copy of her certificates to start her new life for which she needed basic money. We all took Mukta as our sister but she is one girl with self respect at its highest. She denied taking money from us and was waiting to complete one month in the hotel so she would gather enough salary to go back to her village.

But tragedy struck two nights back. Mukta or us no one knew Kaya and her boyfriend were into human trafficking, they took advantage of young girls who came from small villages and manipulated them by making them helpless and pushing them into prostitution. Mukta was shocked when Kaya offered her this but Mukta firmly denied and that night decided to walk out but Kaya's boyfriend Harry was not just an animal ..he was a bastard too...he tried to force upon Mukta and Kaya... another girl who should have stopped her boyfriend from touching another girl sat and watched the show when that animal attacked our sister. But Mukta being the brave one, hit a vase on his head, bashed Kaya's head to a wall dodged both and ran from the apartment and without a second thought ran into our hotel. We all men stay in the hotel quarters and were shocked to see our sister in such a condition. She had marks on her body, her kurta was torn Sir...don't ask us...she is not even our blood relative but we couldn't see a girl in that condition Sir .. she did not deserve that Sir...' the man said it all with tears in his eyes.

I couldn't stop my tears and I looked elsewhere trying to hide my tears. My own nails digged my palms as I was feeling so guilty for not being there for her. She did not deserve this. And that's when Srinivas said...

'She called you more than ten times that night Sir...but you did not pick her call...you maybe a rich man Sir I understand you may have many responsibilities...big ones...but Sir that girl knew no one other than you in Mangalore and hoped you would protect her...but when Kaya called her up and threatened her saying she is working for you, you run this sex racket and if Mukta opens her mouth or reaches police she and all the girls in this racket will have to suffer... Mukta was shocked. We didn't even want her to go to meet you Sir but I don't know what went into Mukta when she saw your pictures with different women on your Instagram page and spoke up saying 'I can't let other innocent women fall into this trap' and without telling anyone of us came to meet you...we were scared for her but when we got a phone call from Commisioner Sir we were relieved. She doesn't deserve this Sir... she's gone through a lot!!!' he broke down again and my blood was boiling. My eyes went red.

Sandesh kept a hand on my shoulder and said.. 'O.K...relax...' and I shot him a glare...

'Sandesh...you will put these both behind the bars' I said and he nodded saying 'I promise O.K I will and we will save all the girls trapped in this' but then I completed the statement...

'Yes you will! You will find them both by the beach side after 48 hours!!! But till then you and your team are blind!' I said and his eyes widened in shock.

I looked at him passing him a death glare and said...

'O.K. does not spare people who tries to harm their dear ones and this one touched my WIFE!!!' I said at once and Sandesh's eyes widened and whispered 'Whattttt'...

He pulled me aside and asked...

'What the hell O.K? Wife????'

Sandesh was very much elder to me but we became friends because of our love for the wild and trekking. He knew me since last ten years and was shocked seeing my reaction. I was going restless.

'Who knows about this marriage? What are you saying and does uncle aunty Rudra Shiv or Pattu anyone know?' and I closed my eyes and explained him about whatever happened in Phulvaspura.

He kept a hand on my shoulder and said...

'What next??? I mean you can't let her go back to the village' and I said nodding...

'I won't!!! She will be coming home with me...' and Sandesh was shocked...

'Will you tell the truth to aunty uncle??? You know right after Panchami's incident although you asked me to always keep an eye on your family it was always complicated...and are you ready to accept her as your wife' he asked and I didn't have an answer.

'Honestly!!! I don't have an answer to your questions now Sandesh but I expect you to keep this matter between me and you only...no one knows the truth about our marriage and I expect to keep it like that...I don't know if this secret marriage even has a future but she is my responsibility Sandesh and I'm not running away from that...I'm taking her home... she will be safe there...she needs family right now...' I said and he nodded.

'But!!! Remember!!! 48 hours...your team doesn't touch Kaya or Harry!!! Because O.K wants to settle some scores in O.K's way!!!' I said and Sandesh held my shoulder saying 'Bro... relax ok....I don't want you to  go illegal' and I smirked saying...there is a saying in Konkani...

'Kellel Karma Bhari!!! Meaning reap what you sow and now is their time to deal with the mess they got into!!!

I dialled Robert my P.A and asked him to connect me to Pasha...

'Pasha... some animals tried to enter my arena... tried to attack what is mine!!! Lesson needs to be taught!!! They must be alive but must fear to be alive!!! Girl's virtue must not be touched but she must never think of taking another girl's virtue for granted. I want their history, geography in detail...Take care of them...' i said and I heard Pasha saying...'Ho jayega Om Bhai (Will be done Om Brother)' and I disconnected the call.

The counselor came out and told me...

'Sir she has many wounds... physical and mental both ..she needs a good environment...lots of care and love... please understand few wounds are more deeper when they hurt you beyond your body. Mukta's are those wounds...I hope you understand' and I nodded.

I saw Mukta come out of the room slowly and I saw the guys Srinivas and his friends went running to her and began asking for her whereabouts. I was thankful for men like Srinivas who took care of Mukta an unknown girl and my blood was boiling thinking about Kaya whom I knew for years yet misused my power and name. Yet another time a woman broke my trust.

The reason I hate them.

I slowly walked towards Mukta and held her hand, she shivered lightly and looked at me...

'You are coming with me' I told her while she looked at me with a questionable expression.

'Where?'

'To my home!' and her eyes grew to the size of a saucer.