Chapter 68: “Hide and Seek”
10 days ago,
It is the time when Vansh left for London and Riddhima got a message! She decides to meet him and texts everyone at home that she is busy in some case.
Riddhima texts that person to meet and reaches the decided location.
It was a small house more like a hideout.
It felt like someone was trying to hide himself and keeping his reality away from the world.
She steps forward to the gate to knock but finds the door already open. She decided to knock the door. She was about to knock when she received a text.
“Don’t knock! Its open for you only! Please come inside”
She looked here and there to check if someone is watching her or not. There was no one. Then, her gaze feel upon a hidden camera the tree at the corner of the house. Being suspicious, she put out her gun and loaded it. Aiming it in front of her, cautiously, she started walking inside. After entering, she closed the door amd went in to check. She reached the living room where there was nothing except a small couch, a chair and a table. There was an empty juice bottle lying down on the table and a half-filled glass of juice. Riddhima smelled it to check if its whiskey! Then, she started observing her surroundings and found a closed door. She stepped towards the room and opened the door. It was another room with only having a single mattress and a pillow. There was small rack with some clothes placed in it and some medicines. No furniture, no electronic devices, nothing!! She found it even more weird. She became sure of one thing that the person who called her here, lives here and is alone! She decided to check the medicines but then she heard some sound from the living room. She went outside and found an old man cleaning the table. Riddhima was facing his back. She was about to speak when the person said,
“Sorry! That you had to see all this mess. When I came to know that you are coming, I instantly went to kitchen to make tea for you and forgot the mess that I had created! Old age you see! I forget sometimes!”
Rid(serious): Who are you? And why did you call me here?
While going towards the kitchen, he replied without facing her,
Man: Let me just trash out this bottle and bring tea for you!
He went inside the kitchen and came out within a minute. When he comes out, Riddhima sees his face. He was an old weak man with long-grown beard and uneven hair. He was tan and the signs of old age were visible throuh his posture. But apart from the weary looks, there was something else clear on his face. Misery, helplessness and grief! Riddhima was just observing him when he came forward and sat the tea cups on the table. He dragged the chair close to the table and asked Riddhima to sit down on the couch. She sat down. Her face was showing that she had alot of questions in her mind. It was observed by the man. He starts speaking,
Man(politely): Beta! I know you have a lot of questions in your mind. You don’t know me but I know well who you are! You are Aryan’s….
Rid(polite but serious): How do you know Aryan? Sorry to interrupt but I really want to know it all! Who ARE YOU?
Man: I am an unfortunate father!
Riddhima was staring him in confusion!
Man: Aryan and Nayra’s father! Sanjay Singh!
Riddhima was shocked listening to it.
Sanjay: I know you are shocked and have many questions. I have been trying to search for Nayra for 1 year! Where was I before? Well, I was in asylum! After losing both my children and my wife and whatever happened with Nayra, I had left the house and started roaming madly city to city. I asked help from everyone but no one was ready to help me. I had gone crazy to sich an extent that I even forgot where I had been living and who is my family. People declared me mentally unstable and I was sent to the asylum by some police officers. According to them, I was pleading to search my daughter’s dead body in the water where she had drowned but there was no one there. Many more people told them that I am mad so I was there in asylum for 1 year. After that, I slowly got to remember everything and started recovering by treatment. The asylum released me and since that time, I am searching for Nayra. I tried contacting Aryan too but it was not possible as I knew nothing about his whereabouts. Its been 1 year, I am trying to find her but got no clue.
Rid: But why were you finding Nayra? I mean she died in front of Aryan and…
San: Yes! U r right but it happened at the time when I had gone crazy. Once roaming on the streets, I found night bar. I went inside and there I had seen Nayra. Though I was not in my senses, but when I recovered, I got to remember it. Maybe God wanted me to remember that. I thought that its just my illusion. Still, I went again to that bar. Nayra was not there anymore but the people there identified her as Aisha! So, I am searching for her since that day but found no other clue than the one that Nayra’s alive!
Riddhima feels guilty as it was difficult for her to tell him that his daughter is really dead now. She said,
Rid: So, why do you need my help? Why don’t you come home? Aryan will be really happy seeing you!
San: No! I cant come home. And the reason I need your help is that though a father can leave no stone unturned but still need a strong support who can help me find her. And I found no one except you whom I can rely upon.
Riddhima decides to tell him the truth. She gathers courage to say,
Rid: I am really sorry to say this but Nayra is….
San(cutting): Nayra is not dead!
Rid(shocked): What!?!
San: I know whatever happened that day! I was in a disguise that day in sangeet event. You all think that Nayra is dead but she is not!! I myself have helped her escaping from that building! She was unconscious! I was so close to her! I had found her but then, those goons found us and I lost my Nayra once again! Thats why, I came to seek your help now!
Rid: But how are you so sure uncle that those goons will not have killed Nayra?
San: Becuase they are helpless! Nayra knows something which is really important for those people to know! And the way Nayra is adamant, she will never tell the.!
Rid: I am not getting anything? How do you know all this!
And then Sanjay tells him about the time when a lady in a black car had kidnapped an old man on a dark night. That old man was revealed to be Sanjay! The lady thought that Sanjay is still not in his senses. Sanjay told Riddhima that they wanted a man who is not stable mentally and they can use that man to kidnap girls as no one will doubt a crazy man. Sanjay acted like one when he get to know that Nayra is also held hostage by those people! Yes!! They were involved in girls trafficking!!
(I hope you all also rememeber that scene when an old man was kidnapped by a group of people and a mysterious lady)
Sanjay: Since that time, I am spying on those people to get information about Nayra and acting like a mentally unstable person. Nayra was held hostage somewhere and that lady got orders to kill her by the real boss! But the lady got her own motives. I don’t know what but she herself wanted to keep Nayra alive until she give them the information they need!
Rid: Now, everything has started making a sense but still there are some questions. What happened then? And why does Annie told me that Nayra is dead? (Thinking) Maybe they didnt kill her infront of her and then you rescued her!
San: I will show you the pictures I have! Then We will talk about Annie.!!
Meanwhile, at some other place, someone calls another person. That person picks up and is revealed to be the same lady, Sanjay was talking about. Her face was not shown.
Lady: Hello!
Person: Welldone for the work you have done! Nayra is dead now! So, no one will know my secret.
He laughs evilly.
Person: You will be rewarded for this!
Lady(evilly): Yes! You are right! Your secret is safe now!
The person cuts the call. The lady smirks and says,
Lady: Your secret is safe now and so does mine!
And then, we see Nayra, unconscious, lying in a dark empty room, tied with chains!!!!
(Guys! I know its a little vague for you all to understand Sanjay’s side of story but some of your doubts will be cleared in next episode)
Next episode: Culprit revealed!!!