Yakshagni - An odyssey of unbroken devotion - II

 32) The Fury of Scorned Love

Maurya snapped, ending the call, and abstained from spilling out the expletives that threatened to burst out of him. He paced the floor restlessly, making Dharma anxious.

"What is the matter Maurya?"

"It is Chaitanya."

"What about him?"

"He escaped from the lock-up last night."

"What! Where has he gone?"

"Don't know but my guess is, he is hovering around Index Fashions office, waiting for you to appear."

Dharma's face turned ashen, urging Maurya to bite out, "If he comes anywhere near you, I will kill him."

His words did not placate Dharma. She knew how demented Chaitanya was. In fact, she would prefer if Maurya did not intervene because if he did, Chaitanya might harm him.

"I know you will, but the man is unhinged. He can stoop to any level."

"Leave it to me, Dharma. I will take care of him."

"No, Maurya, I think we should let the police do whatever is needed. I would rather if you don't get involved."

"Why? Are you frightened that he would do something to me?"

Dharma felt a shudder run through her. She had noticed that many times, Maurya perceived her thoughts accurately.

"Maybe!" A slight pause later, she averred in a soft voice, "I don't want anything untoward to happen to you."

The darkness around them lifted slowly and a lone star peered at them. Just like a mellifluous song for a bruised soul, the twinkling star promised blissful dawns for the kindred souls. To Maurya and Dharma, their newly found love was a raw energy that had sprung out of their barren and haunted lives. Their feelings encompassed them in a warm haze that spread beyond their existence.

Their emotional and physical intimacy moored them to a safe place, away from the storms that they had faced so far in their lives. In his arms, in the sweet passion of his kiss, Dharma found the anchor she had been searching for all her life. The flame that had been ignited long ago; in another lifetime, had smouldered, burying the embers in their hearts. Tumbling into an unknown world, their subconscious beings had not accepted the loss of one another. Maurya and Dharma knew nothing of their past, and yet they surrendered their feelings to one another with an unsullied trust, with an honest belief that the universe had meant them to be together.

They had returned home finally.

The swish of breeze brought another round of drizzle. Dharma moved out of his arms, and they strode swiftly to take shelter in the mellowing warmth of the mandapa.

*****************

Rashika reached her hotel and found out that Maurya was still in Modhera. She walked back and forth in her room. The jealousy crept back, with renewed fierceness. She knew Dharma too was in Modhera. Her jilted emotions rendered her helpless and the murkiness of her feelings pulled her into an ominous abyss. She needed to do something right away to stop Dharma from getting close to Maurya. She knew that it would be pointless to threaten Maurya with the company's ownership. She had understood earlier that he wouldn't fret much about it because Maurya was confident about her father's unquestionable reliance on him.

The wheels of her thoughts raced on uneven tracks, drawing to a teetering stop. She knew what she had to do...

Dharma's past!

Rashika was certain that she would find something unpalatable about Dharma in her orphanage. Once she unearthed it, she would expose the other woman.

The clangourous sound of the phone disrupted her brainwork. She viewed Arjun's name irritatingly. He had been calling her non-stop and stalking her on social media. With the probability that she could take his help to get rid of Dharma from Maurya's life, she answered him with a curt, "Hello!"

"Finally, Rashi! why are you not answering my calls?"

"I am engaged, Arjun. Stop harassing me."

"Harassing? For god's sake Rashi, we love each other. How can you even think of marrying that arrogant bloke?"

Rashika sighed in exasperation. Her grey eyes looking up at the roof. Arjun was so blinded by his love for her that he refused to acknowledge that she was not in love with him. Nonetheless, she did not refute his fallacy blatantly. He had not realized yet that she had only used him to make Maurya jealous, albeit it had misfired on her.

"You know it was Dad's idea. I couldn't say no to him."

"So, what do we do? I can feel you distancing yourself from me. Please Rashi, don't do it."

"Just wait for some more days, Arjun."

"Will you break up with him by then?"

"Like hell!" Rashika spat out silently. After investing all her growing-up years and emotions in a relationship, she would be a fool to throw in the towel now. Instead, she would make Dharma pay for it.

"You know my feelings for you. Why keep asking me about Maurya? It was Dad's decision to announce the wedding date."

"Sorry, I won't," at once Arjun sounded contrite.

"Arjun, I want you to do something for me. Will you do me this favour?" Rashika implored, knowing very well, that Arjun would not be able to resist her persuasive tone.

"Anything for you Rashi..."

"Thanks, Arjun. I want you to look into the background of a girl called Dharma. She works in my office."

"Why? Has she troubled you?"

"I am not very comfortable with her. I feel she is hiding something. Find out everything about her. I know you are good at it. So please do it as soon as possible."

"Done. When are we meeting?"

"Soon Arjun."

"Thanks, babe. Missing you so much."

"Me too. Got to go. Catch you soon."

Rashika knew Arjun would find every tiny detail of Dharma soon. He worked with people who did such investigative work. His father was an eminent criminal lawyer in the city and Arjun was part of his father's firm.

Pleased that her ploy worked, Rashika shared Dharma's picture and details with Arjun.

****************

Rashika met Arjun as soon as she reached Delhi. He had called her to say that he had gathered information on Dharma.

When she walked into the café, Arjun was the lone visitor there, and sighting her, he rose in exuberant joy.

"It has been so long Rashi," he gushed. She appeased him with a swift kiss on his cheek.

Without wasting further time, Rashika asked, "So what information have you gathered on Dharma?"

He tossed a folder on the table, "Everything is there. You know she is an orphan and grew up in Mohandham?" At Rashika's affirmative nod, he continued, "She left Mohandham because she was stalked by a married man."

"What?" Rashika's face shot up.

"Yes, he followed her to Delhi and when she was assaulted by him in a moving auto, she lodged a complaint and he was taken into lock-up."

"Are you serious?"

"Wait, there is more..."

"Whew!"

"Apparently, this man escaped police custody. They are on the look-out for him now."

"When did this happen?"

"A couple of days ago..."

"Where did he escape?"

"According to my sources, he is trying to find Dharma."

Overcome with glee that she had stumbled upon a jackpot, Rashika asked Arjun to find the stalker and let him know Dharma's whereabouts.

"What are you saying, Rashi? The man was apprehended for assaulting the girl. Do you really want to help him? What if he had escaped to seek revenge on her?"

"So, what does it matter, Arjun? From what I understand, Dharma encouraged him in Mohandham and when he became too attracted to her, she lost interest and left the town."

Arjun frowned, trying to assimilate if that had been what he had gathered from his sources.

"Now, he wants to talk to her and she is too busy trying to make a name for herself. This is not done, Arjun. You can't put a man behind bars for being attracted to you."

"We don't know what exactly happened, Rashi! Why blame the girl alone?"

"Because I know her type. She has been trying the same thing with Maurya," the accusation slipped out of her mouth before she could stop it.

Arjun stiffened, "Is that why you asked me to check on her?"

"No, no, of course not, Arjun. I thought she was hiding something. It has nothing to do with Maurya. Dharma is working in my company so I want to find out everything about her."

"Right! So, now what do you want me to do?"

"I don't know Arjun. I would like to meet this man and know his side of the story. Then, maybe we can make a decision," across the table, she rubbed his knuckles softly with her thumb. Her calculating eyes were lit up with promises and Arjun fell hook line and sinker.

"I will ask my team to find this guy and set up a meeting with you."

"That would be really awesome Arjun. How can I repay you if you did?"

"You know Rashi. Just break the engagement and come with me," he beseeched.

"I will Arjun, once this mess clears up. Now that Index Fashion has made its first show, it is crucial that it stays out of any bad news."

"Got it dear! I will do it at once."

The smile that Rashika bestowed on him worked wonders for him. Arjun was certain that he had made a place in Rashika's heart.

************

Dharma accompanied Maurya to Anuragnicheri. She informed her team that she was going on a break. On the flight, Maurya and Dharma talked about their childhood in detail. Maurya explained his fascination for textiles while Dharma spoke about Jaydev and his wife; how they had accepted her as their own. Maurya listened intently as she recounted her nightmares.

"You know Dharma, it is really uncanny that our nightmares were almost similar."

"How similar?"

"Well, in your dreams, you always saw someone falling into a gushing river while I was consistently searching for someone in the gurgling waters. I dreamt that I was choked and almost drowning. Still, I had not wanted to give up before I had saved the other person. I don't know who the other person was."

Maurya's words dismayed her. How could two people have had such identical troubles in childhood?

"What connection do we have?"

"I don't know Dharma. It could have been you that I was searching for in the waters. Or it could have been me, you watched, falling into the river..."

"Isn't it mystifying that both of us were found near water bodies; you in a sea, and I, by the river?"

"I agree. It is indeed mysterious. We had no idea about our parents. Out of the millions born every day, it is you and me, who meet and fall in love; we, who were abandoned."

"Remember, you asked me once how I knew that you were in danger?"

Maurya nodded, enraptured by the warmth in her eyes. He was happy that they were baring their hearts to each other; an emotion that he was unaccustomed to.

"Would you believe me if I tell you that I hear whispers occasionally?"

Maurya's gaze narrowed in speculation, "Whispers? From where?"

"I don't know. I never summoned enough courage to tell you this because I was sure that you would think that I am crazy."

Maurya's gaze roved over her face, the earnestness in her expression winning over his scepticism. "I believe you, Dharma. Never doubt that..."

Taking a deep breath, she described in detail, "The first time I heard the whispers were near the lake behind your head office. I heard them all of a sudden. I was alone then, but strangely, I was not scared. The whispers were not recognizable. Then, the second time was that windy night. You were in your car..."

"I remember distinctly," smiling tenderly, Maurya recalled the incident.

"The murmurs were very clear this time, save him...he is in danger. That was what I heard."

Maurya felt his skin go cold and then warm. The hair on his arms stood up. Her words left him speechless and a shiver accosted him from nowhere.

"Dharma..." he spelt out her name in wonder. She understood his state of mind implicitly. He was as stunned as she had been the first time, she had heard the warnings. She ran her fingers over his roughened chin. He closed his eyes and she felt his quivering breath on her fingers. When she tried to withdraw her hand, he held on to them tightly, "No..."

She leaned her head on the backrest and faced Maurya sideways, "The second time was when I was entering my hostel. I was upset over a meeting in the office and I was missing Parijatpur. I was remembering the coral jasmine flowers when a gust of wind swept over me."

Maurya kissed the tip of her fingers and murmured very softly, "When you speak like that, I can listen to you forever..."

"Speak like what?" Dharma teased, glancing at the passengers sitting in the opposite row. Thankfully, they were either sleeping or busy on their tabs.

"Like a gust of wind that caresses your skin pleasurably..." the low intonation of his voice sent shivers of delight over her, lending a pink glow to her face.

Smiling, she continued, "When I neared the hostel, I heard them. They were quite coherent; Save him! He is yours...."