Chapter 25 What is Basu Family's Past?

"Bhabhi (sister-in-law), where is your another earring?", Aashi asked as they sit in the car, heading back to Khurana Mansion. Aarohi frowned and raised her hand to check her earring and widen her eyes as found it missing. "What is wrong with me? Why I am loosing my jewelry one after the other." ~ Aarohi thought, as it was one of her favorite earrings, given by her father just before her marriage. "Bhabhi (sister-in-law), what are you thinking?", Aashi asked when Aarohi didn't reply to her question. "Uhh--I was thinking about where i lost my earring.", Aarohi replied and leaned her head back closing her eyes, too much frustrated with all the things going wrong in her life. "Bhabhi (sister-in-law), ring was lost by you, right?", Aashi asked and Aarohi immediately looked at her, a little shocked at how Aashi got to know about it. "No—No! Why would you think like that!?", Aarohi asked faking a smile and Aashi smiled sadly before nodding in no. "Bhabhi (sister-in-law), May be ring is never gone missing. I need to ask bhai (brother) about this." ~ Aashi thought looking out at the busy roads of the Mumbai City. "Aashi?", Aarohi called her suddenly and Aashi looked at her asking her to continue. Aarohi looked at the driver for once and confirming that he is not eavesdropping their conversation, Aarohi asked in a low voice, "Did-- did you even for once felt in the mall that someone is stalking us or someone is keeping watch on us." "What is wrong, bhabhi (sister-in-law)? You seemed to be too much worried about this thing. Few minutes ago also you were saying about the same thing and now also. Is there someone who is harassing you or something?", Aashi asked being genuinely concerned as now Aarohi was raising this topic for second time in last one hour and this was now scaring her as well. "Uhh--No, nothing serious. I just asked casually. Forget it. Don't think much about it.", Seeing Aashi going all panic, worried Aarohi and she immediately dismissed the topic. ~~~~~ Mike entered the villa and straightaway went to the bar counter where Asad spend most of his time, either drinking while looking at Arohi's big wall sized portrait straight on the opposite wall, or he would be reading some documents or files. But this time he entered to encounter Asad smiling widely while continuously gazing at the small mint green coloured crystal earring in one hand, and a glass of whiskey in another. Since the moment they arrived India, there was only one emotion in Asad eyes, that is Hatred and Revenge. But today, there was something more than that. Passion and urge to conquer her...to have her! "Boss, this are the internal information about Khurana Group of Industries.", Mike said keeping a blue coloured file on the bar counter, but Asad's gaze did not even flattered for once from upon the earring in his hand. "Mike, i need more information about Aarohi Khur--, Aarohi Basu.", Asad said looking up at Mike for once before chucking the whole content in the glass at once. "I already gave you all the information about her. There is nothing more important to know about--", Mike said only to be cut by Asad who said curtly, "Important or not, i will decide. You will give me even the smallest information about her. Anything to Everything related to Aarohi Basu should be known to me like an open book." Without waiting for the reply of later one, Asad got up keeping the earring back into pocket of his white shirt and was about to go out of the bar room, when he heard Mike saying, "Boss, don't forget your real motive for coming here. History is the witness that any game when involves a girl, gets nasty. And a man in love always looses. Don't let that girl affect you so much that you forget your Revenge." Jaw clenched and palm curled into fist, Asad turned around before punching Mike straight into his jaw, forcing the guy to fall straight on his face on the bar counter. "I won't and will never forget my revenge. And this girl, Aarohi.Advaith.Khurana will help me to destroy Abhiraj Khurana and his happy family.", Asad punched each and every word with clenched jaws. Mike got up and gave a devilish smirk while wiping the little blood at corner of his lips and said, "I believe you, but I don't believe your growing affection towards that girl. If she can help you to destroy Khuranas', then she can also destroy you if you will ever fall in love with her." "You know that I don't believe in this Love and all. It only gives pain and sufferings for lifetime. And I am not going to repeat the mistakes done by others.", taking the glass from the bar counter and breaking it into his hand, pieces of glass pierced his right hand and blood dropped flawlessly on the floor, his blank and emotionless eyes stare at Aarohi's portrait on the opposite wall, the flaming rays of revenge was quite evident in his hazel brown orbs. ~~~~~ "No, dad. You don't need to worry about this. I will be there. Ask bhai not to come all the way here to pick me up.", Aarohi said and Advaith looked up at her from his laptop. "Yes dad. I will come tomorrow and that time only I will collect my appointment letter.", Aarohi said on the call and Advaith frowned more, not knowing exactly about what she is talking about. "Bhai (brother), mom is calling you and bhabhi (sister-in-law) for dinner.", Aashi came and Advaith nodded saying, "She is talking to her dad. Will come after her the call ends." Aashi nodded and went away while Advaith waited for Aarohi to end her call so that they can go down for dinner. Aarohi after talking to her father came back to the room from the balcony and Advaith immediately said, "Mom is calling us for dinner." "You go. I will come after washing my hands.", Aarohi said and turned to walk into the washroom when Advaith said, "By the way--" Aarohi turned around and looked at him blankly for him to continue while Advaith licked his lower dry lips, contemplating what to say. "Uhh-- You are going somewhere tomorrow?", Advaith asked masking his expression, not wanting her to see through his curiousness. "I am joining back my dad's office.", Her answer was short and to the point leaving no chance for Advaith to ask anymore and he nodded his head in 'Ok', not knowing what to say more. "If you want I can drop as your office is on my way to Khurana Indus--", Advaith offered casually but Aarohi immediately denied saying, "Aashi's college is on the way to my office. So I will go with her and drop her on my way." Without waiting for anymore of his questions, Aarohi walked into washroom and Advaith sighed before walking out of the room to the dining area downstairs. ~~~~~ "Aarphi had called me few minutes back. She is joining back our office from tomorrow", Arnob Basu told his wife who came and sat beside him, all ready to sleep. Arnob looked up from his accounting book at his wife on not getting reply, and frowned seeing her lost in her thoughts and asked, "What happen, Mishti? What are you thinking?" Mishti looked at her husband worriedly before saying, "Yoday Aarohi had came home." "Yes, Arnob told me. But you don't seem to be happy after meeting your daughter. What happen, did Aarohi said something? Or is there any problem with Advaith or her in-laws? At least say something, Mishti!", Arnob immediately asked being all worried for his daughter. "Please calm down. It is nothing like what you are thinking. It is just I got some old albums of Aarohi and Abhoy's childhood. And I had kept that albums in Aarohi's room, and with that there was one more album I kept there by mistake.", Mishti said and Arnob frowned not knowing which album his wife is talking about. "Which album you are talking about, Mishti?", Arnob asked but one look in Mishti's watery eyes and he did not need her to say more. "Did you say something to Aarohi?", Arnob asked and Mishti immediately nodded in no. "Mishti, I can understand your emotions. But it is our past and this two children are our present.", Arnob took her hand in his' and tried making her understand. "But I am a mother and for a mother, all her children are same. I still can't forget that night when I lost my daughter, Arnob.", Mishti said as more tears made its way out of her eyes. "I can understand you, Mishti. But we could not do anything then and we cannot do anything even today. And you have to accept this thing.", Arnob said and hugged his wife side-ways. Only if he could also cry out his emotions. "Mom, dad, which past you are talking about?", The couple looked at their son with widen eyes, who standing at the threshold of their bedroom was looking at them with frowns. ~~~~~ "Advaith, Abhiraj is calling you in his study.", Priya said as they got up after having dinner and Advaith nodded his head at her. "Advaith, Don't tell your father about the ring right now. We will see when that situation comes, Ok?", Priya said and Advaith again nodded in understanding while Aarohi looked down being guilty for loosing such a precious possession of this family. "Don't be guilty. You did not loose it intentionally.", Advaith said as he saw her going all gloomy everytime they talk about the lost traditional ring, since the morning. Somewhere her guilty face everytime would pinch his heart, knowing he is the reason behind this guilt of hers'. More than reserving the ring for Aamira, Advaith is now more concerned about how Aarohi will react when she will get to know that all this time the ring was safe with Advaith only. Somewhere, he was scared of seeing hurt in her beautiful eyes. Aarohi did not say anything and walked into kitchen to help Priya. She was tired of getting affected by his care for her, just before he would again hurt her in every possible manner. ~~~~~ Advaith knocked at Abhiraj's study room and entered inside to see the later one reading some files. "You called me?", Advaith asked still standing at the door, not knowing whether to enter or not. Always an awkward atmosphere prevails whenever Abhiraj and Advaith are alone, whether to talk personal matters or to discuss professional issues. "Yes. Come and sit.", Abhiraj said sternly without emotion and Advaith sighed before sitting on the chair kept on the other side of table. "There is this new client coming tomorrow and I want you to conduct the first meeting with him. The proposal is really good and it can bring lots of benefits for our company. So I want this deal to be sealed anyhow. This is the file of that project and every detail is inside the file. So, go through it properly because I don't want any mistakes in tomorrow meeting.", Abhiraj said professionally and even Advaith nodded his head curtly. unceremonious behavior between them is forgotten long ago, and now there is only formalism left between them. "Asad Sarsilmaaz.", Advaith read the name of the client and nodded before replying, "Don't worry. I will handle this meeting expertly. There won't be any mistakes." Abhiraj nodded curtly and taking it as a cue Advaith got up to leave when Abhiraj reminded, "Remember Advaith, this is a very important deal for our company and company's growth. And this will also prove about your ability of being a good businessman." An emotion of hurt flashed on Advaith's face for few seconds before he masked it expertly and walked out of the room without exchanging another word. As soon as Advaith was out of the room, Priya entered the room and glared at her husband who looked back at her with raised brows. "Why do you have to be rude with him all the time? Can't you let go that one thing and at least try to mend your ruined relation with him" Priya asked sadly as she was tired of looking at her son and husband talking just for business concerns all the time. "You already know your son, Priya. The more I will try to mend our relation, the more he will be rebellious. And I am also his father. May be right now he would think of my decisions wrong, but somewhere in his after life he would realize that whatever I did was for him and only him.", Abhiraj calmly replied and Priya continued looking at him sadly. "At least let him know that how much his father loves him.", Priya said and Abhiraj chuckled saying, "May be we don't behave like any other normal father and son, but deep down we both know that how much we love each other." Priya sighed defeated, tired of trying to mend this ruined relation of father son since last four and half years. ~~~~~ Advaith looked up when Aashi knocked at the door of his bedroom and frowned finding her in his room at this late hours of night. "I need to talk to you about something important.", Aashi said and Advaith nodded for her to continue. "I won't beat around the bush. Ring is not gone missing anywhere, right? Rather it is with you only, right?", Aashi asked straightforwardly. Advaith looked at her blankly for s minute before sighing and said, "Yes. I don't take Aarohi as my wife and she does not have any rights on anything belonging to this house." "Then that ring might be for your girlfriend, right?", Aashi asked sarcastically and Advaith choose to ignore her question. "You know what bhai (brother), you will regret all this. You will regret the way you are hurting bhabhi (sister-in-law) for that girl who is using you and making fool of you all the time. And that day you will be left alone with no one around you. Mark my words, bhai (brother)!", Aashi said frustratedly before walking out of the room angrily. Frustratedly Advaith closed the laptop and walk into balcony with tons of thoughts running in the back of his mind.