Betrayal and tears(Season 1) | ✔

Chapter Six

The files he had in his hands almost fell as he stood up briskly, attracting the attention of his colleagues. Realizing the eyes on him, he moved away, still clasping the phone against his ear.

"I'm sorry, what, ma'am?" He asked, listening more attentively, thinking that he heard it wrong the first time. 

He heard a long sigh escaping Khushi madam, before her reply fell into his ears, confirming that what he heard first was correct.

"I want you to hire a detective, to keep an eye on Anjali di. To track her moves and see, if she has any connection with Arnavji's accident."

He sighed heavily as he seated himself on the bench. "Ma'am?" He couldn't hide his skepticism when he spoke. "Are you sure? She's, She's Anjali Di. ASR's sister." 

"I know." Her reply was quick, and if he wasn't wrong, was trembling too. "That's why I don't want to involve the police in this. J-just hire a detective and let me handle the rest. Please?"

The way her voice turned expectant at the end forced him to keep his questions aside, and nod, as if she could see him through the phone. "Fine, I will do the necessary."

"Thank you, Amanji." He heard a small croak, behind she cut the call.

She chucked the phone on the bed, wiping her eyes, annoyed as the tears blurred her vision again and was about to turn around, when she stood frozen to her spot. Her eyes widened at the two pairs of eyes staring back at her, their expression conveying to her that they heard everything.

"What the hell, Khushi?" Payal said, stepping inside in disbelief, while NK stood there at the threshold itself, as if rooted to the grounds. 

She gripped Khushi's forearm, turning her around fully so she would be facing her.

"What were you saying on the phone? What, what did you mean keep an eye on Di, to see if she has a hand in Arnavji's accident?" Her face was scrunched up in confusion as she repeated Khushi's words, unable to grasp the meaning of them.

"Jiji, I-I-" Khushi spluttered, feeling the ache at the back of her head growing ten folds. 

"Yes, I'm listening, Khushi! Tell me, what's going on?" Payal's low voice seemed awfully penetrating and Khushi closed her eyes, trying to stop the echo in her head.

"Tell me Khushi. What is all this? What did you mean by involvement in Arnavji's accident? It was, it was merely an accident, right? An unfortunate coincidence? Then why did you ask Amanji to spy on Di? And police? Weren't they dismissed long back? What are they still doing in this matter, in that accident--"

"BECAUSE IT WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT!" 

A screeching sound escaped Khushi before she slumped on the bed, holding her throbbing head and groaning, partly due to the increasing physical exhaustion and partly because of the increasing emotional distress.

She took a few seconds to ease her breathing and when she finally looked up, her vision was blurry again but this time it was a flimsy veil, which allowed her to have a view of the stunned faces, staring at her incredulously. She brought up her elbows, resting them on her thighs and sagged her face against her palms, sniffling.

"It was an attempted murder." Her strangulated mumble came out more muffled through the gap of her fingers and she shook her head, adding, "On Arnavji."