Chapter 3 - Eye to Eye

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It's a tragic paradox. The more we want to avoid and abandon the memories that inflicts fear in our mind, the more we find ourselves getting tangled by their cruel tentacles that we cannot fully control. Fear makes things more difficult than they need to be. Memories inflict pain. They exist to remind you of the time you were just a failure.

She felt helpless as they traversed the dark and empty alleyway. Not a single soul was to be found quite naturally. The surrounding silence was deafening because it was early in the morning, approximately three. Although she was vigilant, she could feel her heart pounding frantically. There was someone close behind. But, somehow, she knew they wouldn't hurt her. If she was going to be attacked, the attack would come from the front.

Ritu was on guard as she walked ahead with watchful steps. She was about to turn back and watch out for the person behind her, when two mask-wearing assailants leapt at her out of nowhere.

At first, she was slightly taken aback, but soon she found her resolve and retaliated. The two men attacked her aggressively almost at the same time. But she dodged their punches and launched equally forceful kicks aiming their jaws. One of the men sprinted back for a few feet, shirking the kick while the other man bent over as her leg whooshed over his head and came back.

Ritu turned around and reflexively dodged another kick by arching her back. Within a blink of an eye, she straightened and landed a punch aiming at her attacker's nose. The man crouched down slightly covering his face. Soon after, two other men lunged at her simultaneously. She was about to throw a solid punch at one of them while a hot blinding pain shot through the back of her skull.

Ritu's right hand flew behind her head as she rubbed the spot. It felt wet and sticky to the touch. She slowly spun around with staggering steps and brought her hand in front of her eyes. Although it was pitch black of the night, she could still recognize the thick and sticky liquid smearing all over her hand. She staggered back a couple of steps just before a gloved hand appeared out of the blue and slapped her roughly across her face. She lost her balance and fell on the road just to gasp awake of her nightmare.

There was a ghost pain throbbing at the back of her skull. She was sweating profusely. Her night suit stuck to her torso drenched in sweat. Ritu panted severely while her eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. Her hands clutched onto the Krishna doll as she held it close to her chest. Her chest heaved up and down while she opened her mouth to scream for her mother, but nothing came out except hot air of breath. Her mouth was dry. She couldn't move her legs. She was profoundly scared.

Sweat trickled down her temples as she stared at the ceiling for several minutes. Some moments passed like that... trapped inside the shell of her pretentious bravery.

The interior seemed familiar. Eventually her breathing slowed down as she recognized her own room.

It was her room! She was inside Ishani, her safe zone! No one was going to hurt her here. No harm would reach her here. She was safe. After a few minutes of mental recitation, she somehow convinced herself she was safe and out of danger's grasp.

Ritu held up the Krishna doll and whispered, "You'll save me, right? No matter what, never leave my side!"

She squeezed the doll in a tight hug before her eyes found their way to the wall clock. It was almost 10 o'clock. She slept for way longer than she should have been. The weak state of her health was the reason her mother let her stay asleep till ten. Otherwise, it was not the usual practice in their household. Everyone woke up before seven to the max.

Ritu struggled to sit up and after successfully doing so, her head turned towards her right. The wheelchair was waiting for her quietly in the corner. She hated to use that assistive device made for incompetent and disabled people. It made her feel how useless she had become after that disastrous night.

At that moment, a loud bang came from outside catching her attention right away.

She yelled out, "Ram! Ram! What the hell is going on? Ram!"

But no one answered. The noise outside gradually grew intense.

Ritu struggled to drag her body off the bed. It took a great amount of effort from her to get to the wheelchair. She managed to sit on the wheelchair and rolled the wheels towards the window that overlooked the garden and the entrance of Ishani. Pulling the curtain aside, she witnessed the unexpected scene outside horror-struck.

There was a large mob gathered outside the main gate of the villa. The guards were trying their best to resist them but the crowd was pressing on the gate over the guards. She noticed Ganesh and Rehan ran outside with their phone in their ears. The mob held multiple placards, flags, and banners that showed accusing words against Abhimanyu. Many of them held their phones up high to record the movement.

Ritu gulped apprehensively.

The crowd went violent shortly after as the security guards used their batons on them. A few protestors started throwing rocks and pebbles through and over the main gate.

Within moments of this brawl broke out, police sirens were heard from the distance. Three police cars stopped outside the villa and several police jumped out of them. They used a mic to warn the crowd. Although the crowd thinned out from in front of the gate, still a few of them lingered close by. The policemen controlled the crowd by pushing them away from the gate while three officers came inside and talked to Ganesh and Rehan. They exchanged a few words before turning towards the building.

Ritu closed the curtain and moved her chair towards the door.

As she came out on the balcony that overlooked the hall and main entrance, she saw the policemen entering the villa with Ganesh. Rehan stayed behind at the door.

Her eyes swayed towards the sitting area. Her parents, Abhimanyu, Shreya along with Vijay (Abhiraj's best friend), Ravi (Abhiraj's P.A.), Kirti (Vijay's P.A.) and Sunny (Abhimanyu's P.A.) were all gathered with a grim expression on their faces.

As the policemen approached, they rose from their respective seats. Abhiraj and Vijay stepped ahead and shook hands with the officer-in-charge.

"Officer, this is getting out of hands," Vijay said, concern lacing his voice. "Yesterday, they attacked Roy, today they have nearly invaded his private property. Since we already know who's behind this, then why is the man still not arrested? What's stopping you from arresting him?"

The officer held up his hand. "Look Mr. Hazra, the public is infuriated right now. We cannot make a rash move going outside the law. Also, the trial of the murder case is yet to be conducted. If and only if, the charges against Mr. Abhimanyu Roy proves to be false, then we can take actions. Not before that. We can certainly provide protection."

"Then please do. And why cannot you take action against them? They are taking the law in hand. That's not how it's supposed to be!"

The officer sighed. "The matter is sensitive. It's a matter of an orphanage. People's sentiment has been provoked."

"But we bought the plot legally!" Vijay raised his voice.

"Yes, I understand that." The officer responded equally firmly. "However, we cannot overlook the fact that the last dialled number from late Mr. Basu's phone was of Mr. Abhimanyu's. They talked for three minutes straight. It can play a huge role in the case if, somehow, they became successful in providing the call recording."

Vijay flipped out. "Now you're assuming things! You can't imply the call recording would go against Manyu's alibi. There might not be anything that can prove him guilty. Plus, they can alter the file too."

"Certainly. Anything can happen at this point. I am just saying, we can't arrest anyone just for protesting outside your villa while the trial in yet to be conducted. We have to follow the laws."

Vijay raised his voice again, "To hell with..." but Abhiraj interrupted. "Vijay, don't." Vijay was fuming at this point. He turned on his heels and went back to sit down. Priyasha sat beside him and patted on his arm.

Abhiraj shifted his eyes on the officers and said, "If your laws allow it, I'd like to have a word with Mr. Jai Basu."

The police officer raised his eyebrows at the demand. Then he turned to look at his companions and exchanged a few hushed words before focusing back on Abhiraj. "Alright. I'll convey the request to him. If he agrees, you can talk."

"Thank you. That'll be of much help."

The officer acknowledged with a nod then the three of them left with Ganesh.

"No! This can't happen to him all the time! This is ridiculous! Just because he keeps his calm, doesn't mean he has to endure every single accusation they put against him. I won't tolerate this! I won't!" Vijay exploded in a single breath.

"Calm down Vijay. This is hard for me too. But losing temper at this point won't do any good," Abhiraj said calmly.

A thick silence ensued.

Meanwhile Ritu observed the whole situation quietly from the first floor. As a father figure to all three of them, Vijay's affection for Abhimanyu had always been distinct than that of the twins. He had always looked out for Abhimanyu and protected him every time. It was her brother's immense misfortune that trouble always found its way to him. In the past, his life had been threatened several times and Vijay's fear lied exactly there. If something bad happened to him, Vijay would be affected the most alongside her parents.

Shreya stood beside Abhimanyu quietly and did not make any sound while Abhimanyu stood there wearing his stoic expression. A while later Abhimanyu broke the silence. "I want everyone to leave the hall. You can wait in Papa's office. I'll talk to Mr. Basu privately."

"No. You can't." Abhiraj denied. "I'll accompany you, and I'm sure Vijay would like to stay as well."

They focused their gazes at each other for a few seconds before Abhimanyu agreed, "Okay. Everyone else, please leave."

And so everyone did without an argument.

Miraculously, no one looked up. They all turned to the left wing and disappeared behind the door of her father's office.

Abhiraj sat down beside Vijay while Abhimanyu sat on the separate couch to the right.

Vijay blurted, "You must threaten him, Roy! Just ask Ravi to gather his men and do the deed."

Abhiraj sighed and shook his head. "I thought of that too. But Manyu disagreed."

Vijay shifted his glare at Abhimanyu. "Manyu! Why did you stop your father?"

Abhimanyu calmly responded in his monotonous voice, "Vijay uncle, we don't have a personal animosity with the Basus. But, at this sensitive time, if we do something like you and papa suggested, they'd think we have projected the similar attitude towards late Mr. Basu in order to get the plot. Why would I give them an impression which is not true? That way they'll grow a misconception about the whole situation. If we really want to capture the real culprit who's roaming around freely right now, angering and making enemy with late Mr. Basu's grandson is the last thing that we want."

Both the elders said nothing in response. Because that exact moment four people entered through the main door led by the person, she had least expected to see at the moment.

It was the same person who let their car pass through the roadblock. The same individual who shielded her father from the mob attack. The same person who she thought was on the same side as them.

The man strode through the door with his head held high while his companions regarded their surroundings, their eyes glinting with a sense of awe. Meanwhile their leader's eyes never strayed from the front until he suddenly looked up and made eye contact with her.

Every single person you meet in life has a purpose. Either they come to provoke you, push you to your limit... or they come to mess with your understanding that separates good and bad. Nothing ever happens as an accident. Everyone that you meet, comes to change you in some kind of way.

And then, there's this most dangerous kind of meeting coined in Japanese, koi no yokan. It makes you sense something extraordinarily upon the first meeting. That you'll one day fall in love.

She didn't understand why and how he could sense her presence up there but the abrupt action took her by surprise. Although she didn't break eye contact, the world seemed to zone in before her as her heart pounded against her chest slightly faster than regular. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was something about his gaze that seemed to have transfixed straight into her soul. A strange sensation ran down her spine until he averted his gaze and a new enmity began.


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