Chapter 28

The promotions of the new film 'Dil Aur Will' was going on in full swing. Suraj, with his co-star Sitara, and the director of the film Sameer Oberoi were sitting in the press conference arranged for them by the production house – which belonged to Suraj – in Mumbai. Sameer suppressed a yawn as Suraj went on to answer some trivial question posed by the media as if it were a global issue. Few days back when he had called to remind about the promotions, Suraj had almost bit his head off. Hence, he did not pursue the matter further and decided to keep quiet about it. Moreover, it was not his money that was on the line. But Suraj had appeared three days back in a jubilant mood, joking with him as if nothing had happened and flirting with Sitara as usual. Sameer stopped his musings and diverted his attention to the present.

"Suraj Sir, our sources say that you were in Vilaspore a week back. Was it about the property sir?"

Sameer stole a glance at Suraj who was gripping the microphone with great force . Maintaining the smile on his face he replied. "Why do you media people always try to poke your nose in unnecessary things. Vilaspore is my paternal family, I don't think I need prior permission or propaganda to visit my family."

A reporter from the Entertainment Daily magazine pressed on. "But sir, your parents divorced long ago and also there was a court case a year back - "

Suraj looked amused at that. "So?? . . . Divorce doesn't mean that they cease being family. I don't think the court had asked me to stay away from my family? If they did, please, I would like to see a copy of the verdict where it says that I cant visit my uncle and my cousin."

"Sir - " another reporter put up his hand. "I would like to ask a question regarding the case."

Having had enough of the questions Suraj held up his hand. "I am sorry, I think this is not the right time or place for such discussions. I am here for the promotion of my film and as an artist I ask you to respect our work and the others present here. You can direct your questions regarding the film to our talented actress Ms. Sitara or the director Mr. Sameer Oberoi." Suraj handed the microphone to Sitara who was grinning widely. The press finding that they would not have any scope of a juicy tidbit was satisfied with interviewing Ms. Sitara who was gushing at all the attention she was getting. Sameer stifled a yawn yet again wondering when he could escape to the comfort of his home and work on the special project that he had begun months back. Once finished he would approach other producers and he was affirmative that with his reputation they would surely lend a ear.

Meanwhile Suraj had grown tired of the whole affair and he looked at his secretary giving him a quiet signal. Shub understood what was required of him and he came forward to whisper something in Suraj's ears. While Sitara was still answering a question, he interrupted stating that he had some urgent meeting to attend. He then extended invitation to the press for dinner and drinks thus closing the promotions abruptly. Before anyone could ask him any other questions, he left the place quickly surrounded by a motley of body guards.

Back at his suite Suraj sipped on a well needed drink while Shub stood nearby attentively. Though the questions posed by the press had irritated him, he had managed to calm himself down considerably as the evening progressed.

"Did you get any calls from Ms. Sharma?" he directed the question to Shub.

"Yes sir, she is on her way to Mumbai with the head of security Bhim."

Suraj twirled the glass around, various calculations going on in his head. 'So she is travelling with Bhim. That means Abhimanyu is aware that she is in touch with me.'  Suraj took a large swig from the glass, savoring the taste of the malt before swallowing it slowly. If Abhimanyu was aware of her connection to him then it was for sure that he would not let her go unpunished. Thinking about it now, sending the men to harm her at Vilaspore was a bad idea indeed. When Roopa had informed him that she had walked out from the palace in a huff, he had seen a golden chance at that time. If the girl would have been seriously injured or in the worst case died, fingers would have been pointed toward Abhimanyu. He had the press and people ready to create a hullaballoo. Unfortunately, she had escaped.

He didn't care about the petty commoner no matter how pretty she was. She was only there to give him news from time to time about what was happening at Vilaspore, and news she did give. According to the information passed on by her Chandra Raj had been removed from the palace somewhere abroad for treatment and Abhimanyu had shifted to Mumbai for an unseen period of time. Suraj kept the glass on the table and motioned to Shub to refill it. While the latter was pouring the drink, Suraj's thoughts went back to Chandra Raj. Considering the condition of his uncle, he knew for sure that there was no way that Abhimanyu would consent to send his father anywhere abroad. If he had tightened security at the palace that means he knew that his father's life was in danger and he would want to keep the old man with him all the time.

'So he must be in Mumbai,' concluded Suraj with a satisfied smirk. Abhimanyu was becoming weaker and weaker in his game. If Chandra Raj was in Mumbai which place would be safer than Taurus.

As Shub handed him the drink another thought crossed his mind. Nandini was set to come to Mumbai this week. When he had heard the news, he was overjoyed as it would be easier for him to woo her on his turf. But the news that Abhimanyu had also shifted to Mumbai now filled his head with doubts.

Has Nandini come to Mumbai on the request of Abhimanyu?

He had to find that out and if yes, then he had lots of work at hand. Mainly to eliminate all obstacles so that he could reach his goal smoothly. The rose had bloomed and it was only his for the picking.

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Nandini woke up with a start nursing a splitting headache yet again. She was sweating profusely and her throat was parched and dry. She sat on the bed breathing heavily as the pain hit her in waves almost making her nauseous. The vision she had at the palace before leaving for Mumbai had repeated. The same dream, the same man, the same place, the same words. She threw the blanket off her and got out of the bed. Dizziness rocked her for a moment but she somehow managed to steady herself and rushed off to the washroom. Standing in front of the washbasin she splashed cold water on her face a number of times that the front of her T-shirt was soaked with water. Nandini stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her face looked paler than ever and she winced at the throbbing sensation on the side of her head.

Not wanting to dwell too much on the dream or on the thing that happened mid-morning, she quickly rubbed her face dry with more force than necessary till she felt her face raw. A knock sounded on the door of her bathroom followed by the familiar voice of her father. She opened the door slowly and stood looking at her father for a few seconds.

"Sweetheart are you okay? Shall I call a doctor?" her father reached out and touched her on the shoulder awakening her from her daze.

"I am just . . . tired . . . from the journey."

Virendra Singh looked closely at his daughter hoping to read her face. "The issue with Abhi, isn't it solved?"

A wry smile formed on Nandini's lips. The issue will never be solved father. "Almost" she replied.

"Shall I talk to him?" he prodded.

"You don't believe that I can handle Abhimanyu Singh?" she asked in mock seriousness.

"I do believe that, but what about Yuvraj Abhimanyu Singh. Can you handle him?"

Nandini understood what her father meant. "I will leave that to Princess Nandini." Noticing the towel in her hands she threw it on the bed. "I skipped lunch so I am famished, can we have an early dinner?" Virendra Singh nodded and followed his daughter to the door.

Vrushali was leaning close to the wall nearby Nandini's room waiting for Virendra Singh to come out. Though her face was calm but inside there was a great confusion and upheaval which she was desperately trying to quell. Nandini glanced once at Vrushali and walked ahead without acknowledging her. Vrushali was not surprised at the attitude of the princess. It was strange she thought to herself that she could understand what Nandini was going through though she did not know much about her. The feeling was disarming and not good at all. Sighing she followed the father and daughter down the stairs to the dining room.

Seated at the dining table Virendra Singh gently broached the subject which he had come to say earlier. Nandini listened to father explain about how he had to go back to Jaypore that night as there was an income tax raid at one of the hotels.

"I don't understand why a raid all of a sudden," he exclaimed rubbing his brow with his fingers.

But Nandini understood the reason. Abhimanyu knew very well that as long as her father was with her she could not leave Jaypore House, but causing problems like this was so cheap.

"I wish Vikram would arrive soon. I called him to let him know about this but his phone is unreachable," he said in frustration. "What is the need to be in London for so long?"

"Its going to be fine father. We haven't done anything illegal. It would probably be a fake call or something." said Nandini to pacify him.

"Hmm . . . but what is taking Vikram so long. It seems as if he is not in London but some god forsaken country. I wonder if I should take a trip there myself."

Nandini did not comment but calmly listened to her father. How could she tell him that the son he was so eagerly waiting for was stuck in deep sea hounded by sharks. She deftly changed tha subject. "How will you reach Jaypore tonight? There aren't any flights. Cant you wait till morning?"

Her father shook his head. "I tried to move things from here but they want me there as soon as possible. The private jet is still waiting so I don't need to worry about flights. But, to leave you, here, all alone that is my cause of worry."

Nandini did her best to assure her father that she was completely safe what with the ten body guards and a so called companion. She promised to call him daily and update regularly and with a beatific smile bid her father farewell. As soon as the car disappeared from her line of sight, Nandini ran upstairs to her room. The only witnesses to her pain was the tear drenched pillow and Vrushali who stood outside the door listening to the heart wrenching sobs.

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Sushma's countenance was too hard for Uday to decipher. Was she happy? Was she not? he couldn't make out. Never in her wildest imagination had she envisaged that her son - her Uday would fall in love with Padmini's daughter. She was not sure how to react.

"Maa, say something," said Uday anxiously searching his mother's face for some sort of reassurance.

Sushma looked at her son and adjusted the end of her saree. "I - I don't know . . . what to say."

"You are not happy!"

"I am in shock my son." she replied. Uday sighed and hunched his shoulders dejectedly. Sushma immediately got up from the chair and went to sit beside him on the bed. "Shall I tell you a secret?"

Uday shrugged and his mother continued. "When Mrinalini called me and said that she had a baby girl, I . . . so wished that I could make her my daughter-in-law."

Uday turned sharply toward his mother. "Eww . . . that is so lame mom. She is my sister!"

"I know. I know." she smiled sheepishly.  "I had a dream like that, you can't blame me for it. When Mrinalini and Padmini both decided to get Nandini and Abhimanyu together, I was happy but also sad mainly because they get to be relatives and I was the only odd one out. But now . . ."

"But now . . ." he urged.

Sushma held her son's face and kissed his forehead. "I am not happy . . . but ecstatic. You have made my dream come true."

"You are not saying this to make me feel better right?" he asked moving away from the motherly show of affection.

Patting his head lovingly, she replied. "No. I am not. I am truly happy for you both."

A sad smile grazed his face. "You are a little late."

"What do you mean?"

"We broke up last week."

Sushma's brows rose. "Why?"

"Long story short. Uttara hates Nandini. She does not want Abhimanyu marrying her. When she came to know I have been helping Nandini, she asked me not to. I refused."

"That is not a serious issue. It is an argument not a fight. Don't worry she will come around," she patted on his shoulder. "By the way nothing on earth can separate Nandini and Abhimanyu, so Uttara needs to make amends with Nandini."

Uday looked confused at his mother's words. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Nandini and Abhimanyu are puzzle pieces that fit each other perfectly. They are what you say - yin and yang. One cannot survive without the other. They are made for each other and they will find each other when the time comes."

Uday let out a short laugh. "You are wrong maa," he said staring right at his mother's face with a blank face. "Somethings have happened between them ---- that they have grown apart --- "

"I don't know what has happened but I can say for sure that they will - no have to -  come together. I will send dinner up for you. Please have it," she said strictly standing up.

"Maa . . ."

Sushma understood what her son wanted. "Your father will not know till you tell him okay?"

"Thank you maa and love you."

"I love you too."

After his mother left Uday sat thinking about what his mother said. She was so wrong in many aspects. There was no way Uttara and he were getting back together, neither would Abhimanyu and Nandini, because he knew the Vilaspore siblings and they were one stubborn lot.

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Nandini stood outside the Rainbow Apartment situated at Purushotham Nagar, Thane East looking at the building. This is it! she said to herself as she dragged the suitcase behind her to the place where the lifts were situated. A middle aged man, wearing a security guard's uniform appeared out of nowhere and planted himself in front of her startling her for a moment. On enquiring what he can help her with she answered stating the floor where she wanted to go.

"S10?"

The security guard nodded quickly. "Second floor madam. So you are the new tenant. I am Harikanth Pyare, watchman cum security guard cum all in all. Come madam I will show you to your flat." Before she could refuse, the man had already snatched the suitcase from her hands and was opening the doors to the lift holding it for her to enter. He then deposited the suitcase inside the lift.

"Please press number '2' madam, that is for the second floor," he explained as if to a little child. The lift had barely space for two people. So the man closed the lift doors and told her that he would come by stairs. Nandini simply nodded not having the energy to explain that it was not necessary and that she could find her own way. She pressed the button for the second floor and held onto the wall of the lift as it shook once before slowly taking off. By the time the lift had reached the second floor, the security guard was already there.

"It is very slow madam," he explained, "the lift I mean, too slow. I prefer climbing the stairs. There are only five floors and it is good exercise."

Getting out of the lift, she stepped onto the corridor and stood for a moment looking around the place. It wasn't too bad but it wasn't great either. There were five flats on either side of the long corridor. Looking at the way the doors were positioned she could make out that the rooms would be small. The security guard carried the luggage ahead of her to the right side of the corridor. This side overlooked the main street and the inhabitants got their ample share of the din and dirt from the street below.

He stopped in front of a white door. "S10 madam," he said pointing out to the flat number that was painted in blue just on the left side of the wall.

"Hmm . . . thank you," she said.

The man grinned scratching his head vigorously. "Madam, can you spare something for snacks," he asked.

"Oh!" Nandini took out her wallet from her bag and pulled out a three hundred rupee notes. "Here," she said handing it over to him.

The man's eyes went wide like saucers as he quickly grabbed it from her hand before she could change her mind. "Thank you madam, thank you madam. If you need anything madam, anything at all just call me and I will come hurrying," he said and left.

Nandini watched the man disappear down the stairs and let out a deep breath. She reached for the door bell and rang it once and waited. Getting no reply she was about to ring the bell again when the door flew open. A young woman dressed in pajamas and a long T-shirt stood looking at Nandini, then her eyes fell on the suitcase at her side.

"Yes," she asked in a haughty tone raising her brows high.

"I have come to stay here," said Nandini in an equally authoritative tone.

Not liking the reply the woman folded her arms across her chest. "Says who?"

Before she could reply  a voice shouted from inside "Mala, who is it?". The young woman Mala, turned her head inside and shouted back. "Some girl who wants to stay here."

There was a shuffling from inside and in few seconds another woman appeared. "Hi, are you Nandini Singh?" she asked.

"Yes"

"Hiii, I am Geeta Hariharan, your colleague and roommate."

Mala scoffed as she regarded Nandini from head to toe. "So this is the one we were waiting for?" she asked waving her hand up and down.

"Oh! Mala please behave. She is our new flat mate," chided Geeta. She then turned to Nandini again. "Come in, come in. Aakash sir had informed me that you would come today. I had expected you in the morning but no problem."

Nandini smiled and took her suitcase inside. The flat was a decent one a bit better than her expectations. She had truly expected to be housed in the slums. This wasn't too bad she noted.

Geeta bobbed up and down in excitement ready to fill in on the instructions while Mala stood to one side not liking Nandini a bit.

"So . . . there are two bedrooms," she started and pointed to the two doors that were opposite each other. "That one and that one. There were three girls originally but now with you there are four. Two each share a bedroom, isn't that wonderful?" said Geeta clapping her hands.

"I don't see the fourth one?" said Nandini scanning around.

"We don't see her either," Geeta replied. "She is in a much important position than us at Taurus. Works late and stuff . . . even on Sundays," she whispered.

On hearing that Mala scoffed again. "Important my foot! More like trying to catch someone's eye." She then turned her attention to Nandini. "What is your position at Taurus?"

"Erm . . . Personal Assistant to Abhimanyu."

Hearing Nandini call their boss by his name Mala's anger rose. "Abhimanyu? Who do you think you are to call him by name," shouted Mala. "We have been working for Abhimanyu sir for almost three years and yet we call him sir, you - a freshie you dare call him by his name?"

Geeta's eyes went wide and she caught Mala by her hand trying to calm her down. "Its okay, she didn't know!" explained Geeta.

"Doesn't she have common sense?" grated Mala as she removed the scrunchie which held her hair and ran her fingers through it.

Nandini though was unperturbed by the show. She didn't care and didn't deem it necessary to answer her. She simply turned to Geeta, "Could you let me know which is my room?" she asked in a dignified tone.

Geeta pointed to the door on the left. "That one."

"Thank you. If you would excuse me," saying so Nandini walked in the direction of the room. As soon as the door shut behind her Mala and Geeta exchanged looks. Mala was fuming but Geeta was curious.

"Did you see how arrogant she is?" started Mala.

"She has just come, do you want to arrive at such conclusions."

"Look at the way she behaved. I am sure that she wants to snare Abhimanyu. She has got the job of a mere personal assistant but look at how she's dressed up. She was carrying a Dolce bag!" Geeta looked exasperated as Mala continued her tirade. "She looks like a wannabe doesn't she? Look at her skin, you know how hard it is to get such a glow. I am sure that she is here to snag Abhimanyu, but she is in for a rude surprise as she doesn't know that our sir is different from the rest. No matter who the nymph he won't bother, isn't it right Geeta?"

Geeta nodded not wanting to get into an argument with her as she knew that it was the case of sour grapes.

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Vrushali was on the phone again but this time she was not the one speaking. She couldn't find words to say anything to her caller. What could she say?

"Are you listening to what I am telling you?" the caller spoke.

"Yes, yes I am listening to every word," replied Vrushali with a sigh.

"What is the matter? You seem to be disturbed."

Vrushali bit her lips wondering if she should reveal what she felt. "Are you sure about Nandini?"

There was silence from the other end. "What do you mean?" the voice spoke after a minute.

Vrushali decided to get right to the point. "What if you are wrong? What if Nandini is not like what you think?"

A beep sounded from the other end. Vrushali removed the phone from her ear and looked at the screen. The other person had cut the call. She sighed again but did not call back the number. She recalled the conversation she had with the princess on the first day. Nandini had calmly told her that after her father leaves she would be shifting to another place. Vrushali hadn't understood then but she did today. An hour after Virendra Singh left, Nandini had packed her suitcase. She refused to take the car or the guards or even Vrushali.

'You need to handle things here at Jaypore House. No one, I repeat no one should know that I am not here. If there is any problem call me immediately and I will try to come as soon as I can.'

'What about His Highness?' Vrushali had asked.

'Father will call you for updates just pretend as if everything is fine. Don't worry he wont come back any time soon.'

'Please forgive me for asking this princess but are you in trouble?'

Nandini had smiled sadly. 'Yes! loads of it but I will be fine. Please take care of JH.'

This was the last conversation she had with Nandini and somewhere in her heart she felt a strange heaviness, a foreboding that nothing is going to be okay.

A/N: Let me apologize to all you dear ones. I know its not the best update so far but please bear with me. Allergies are killing me and I just couldn't think straight. I will do better next time pinky promise.