The last part- Episode 6
SHIVAY
Now who could this Bua be? Was it Mallika? Or was it the other lady who according to us is not a part of the will? And how on earth are we supposed to find them?
Mr. Chopra was casually listening to our past experience narrated by Om.
After the narration was done he stood up from his chair to lean on the table with a thoughtful expression “Hmmmm so this Gauri and Mallika are together”
“How do you know that? I mean Bua could be anyone, how do you know it’s Mallika?”
He shrugged casually to walk over the room “I mean we know she’s a few years younger than Ashutosh and as much as I remember mmm…” putting up a thoughtful expression he pulled out his specs.
“You remember what?” Om insisted.
Sighing, Chopra looked at the brothers “I’ve seen Ashutosh’s sister in my early life.”
“What!!! So throughout this time you knew that Mallika is Mr. Jindal’s sister? “
Rudra wore a betrayed expression while his mouth stayed open.
“No no…” Mr. Chopra for the first time looked concerned about what one thought. He defended instantly. “I never knew her name, but when I checked her age… as much as my memory served it, her sister looked somewhat of the same age. But honestly I never expected this Gauri to be with Mallika”
“Wait a minute… you knew his family personally? So you must know exactly what Anika and Gauri could be to the family? I mean if you…”
Rudra stopped in mid way since the lawyer’s aura dimmed in a noticeable rate.
He walked back to his chair quietly to sit down. I exchanged glances with OmRu. All of us got the similar vibes. It was seemingly clear from the old man’s body language that he had a past with Mr. Jindal to narrate, a not so pleasant one.
He cleared his throat a bit… “Ashutosh and I had been friends from a very early age. I have been there family lawyer from a long time back. Ashu soon hired me as the main lawyer for Jindal industries. I was not so experienced then, I was still practicing. I had insisted Ashutosh to keep an experienced lawyer while I’ll be still be there for help and advices, but he didn’t listen to me. My fears turned to reality and I did a mistake, a big one. They went under a huge loss.
Ashutosh personally still believed me and knew I didn’t do it intentionally, but the Jindal group of industries then was mainly ran by his father’s colleagues and friends than him. They had a great hold over decisions. I was fired. Not just fired but all my own belongings were confiscated, my career destroyed. I got to know that the order of ruining me had come straight from the Jindals themselves .“
He sighed and looked down “I was contacted back by the Jindal group of industries after many years. I was not ready to go back but Ashutosh personally came to talk to me… that’s when I got to know that the orders of destroying me was actually given by Ashutosh’s mother and not Ashutosh himself. Mrs. Jindal had expired by those years. I was hired back and we were back being friends but there was one thing which I had understood with time, that something had happened in those years in my absence. There was a change in Ashutosh, a big change. Apart from growing old Ashutosh became more stone like, as if his happiness had been snatched away from him. All he did was work like a machine and read books. I realized that the Jindal family had some deep secrets. Secrets, which I never asked nor he discussed. He specially ignored talking about his mother as if the topic was toxic in any way. I was his only friend then and I didn’t want to spoil it again, so I kept quite.”
Mr. Chopra finally looked up. None of us had dared to utter a single word all that time but I still felt my throat drying up.
A silence fell in the room. I allowed my mind to reel back his words. The story was quite dramatic. Two friends who were moved apart by a villa… wait… I thought aloud…
“The fourth lady!!”
3 pairs of eyes looked at me with confusion.
After a while I saw realization in OmRu’s eyes but Mr. Chopra still looked confused.
It was our time to narrate a story.
I stepped forward to explain… “Anika has a nightmare…”
After the narration was over, I spoke again
“The fourth lady, the one who’s not a part of the will, the one who had a hand behind the separation of two sisters… Mr. Jindal’s mother.”