Meenakshi felt her consciousness regaining when she heard some loud noises around her. She recognised it to be the voice of a man who spoke with huge authority, just like Dhruv. Then she heard another voice coming from a further side, the only difference was she was familiar with this voice.
She identified herself tied in a dark room, her mouth stuffed with a piece of cloth. Her arms were bruised, which meant that she was dragged here.
The room was so silent, that she could hear the voices coming from outside.
In Dhruv's garden....
"You better surrender now, Dhruv! You see, you have no choice left. I destroyed one of your seven factories in a single blow, and now I am standing in front of you in your own garden. Why Dhruv? Why so easy? I heard that you are the mafia king. Oophs! I am sorry, you were. Looks like you are not at all a worthy opponent. You are so easy to capture and destroy. Bad for you. I feel pity more than hatred right now.
Oh! I forgot to say
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Looks like it's going to be your last. So let's give you a good celebration. Wish to make your birthday also your death day. You're very lucky. Very less people are fortunate to have this day.
Don't worry, I will make your birthday super special!
I'll color this whole place red with you and your gang's blood. Sounds good, right?" His eyes reflected sheer hatred towards the man who was standing in front of him, unaffected by his words..
Dhruv smirked at him.
"I am really glad that you took your precious time to attend my party. Because it has just begun.
Dhruv gestured something to Iqbaal and he walked back inside the mansion. A few minutes later, Iqbaal brought someone, tied up with ropes and a gauze put on her mouth.
Zameer's eyes widened with shock.
"H-h-how?? Y.. y.. you...."
Dhruv smiled at him, a evil grin shown on his face.
The girl standing in front of him, tied in ropes was no other than Veronica.
"No! This can't be. This is not possible! How did you...."
"Well, you must be confused my friend. Let me clarify. From the beginning, I expected you to target me with something that is quite close to me. And I have to say that you succeeded with it. You found Veronica as the soft target. Emotional, heartbroken, angry at her boyfriend,hungry for revenge."
Veronica's eyes widened with shock. She never thought that Dhruv was too clever to know it all from the beginning.
"Also, the moment I knew, I allowed Veronica to guide you to my plans. Since, they were not a real plan but just a trap for you and my loyal girlfriend here. Also, for your kind information the factories you invaded were just a setup to make you believe that you are succeeding. But the truth is, Dhruv always remains one step ahead from his enemy! You just made the biggest mistake of your life by challenging Dhruv!
I am the mafia lord!!!
Nobody crosses me and if someone does, they pay the price. Just like you and Veronica are going to pay now, with your life. So better get ready.
Iqbaal! Release the gauze! I want to hear what she has to say."
Veronica stood there like a statue, heavy tears flowing from those hazel eyes. All sense of hope was wiped away from her sad face. Death seemed like her last resort. With a heavy heart, she spoke
"Before I-I die, I have one question to ask you Dhruv! What was my fault? All I ever did was love you from the bottom of my heart.... I joined your dark world just because to be with you. I kept taking your betrayals! When you slept with those girls.
I - I still was with you! I cared for you! I spend endless nights weeping and cursing myself for not being upto your expectations, for being incapable! I always tried to dress the best, look the best though I failed to recognize that it was never enough for you! You always wanted more and you got what you wanted. All you ever wanted was my body and not my soul. You used me when you desired and threw away when you felt bored. Once I got hurt at my left arm due to a bullet shot, but you didn't give a damn about it! All you cared about was your money! So, I felt betrayed and rejected. Zameer gave the love and attention you couldn't give me. So I got drifted towards him. And I knew his plans to destroy you, so I agreed to his demands. Because such a jerk you are! And, you know what! I don't regret any of it! I did what I felt was right."
She gathered all of her strength to speak the next words.
"I have a last wish! Kill me if you want. But don't do anything to Zameer. I beg you."
"And why is that?" Dhruv asked.
"Because... I love him. He gave what you can never give."
"Well! I am sorry but I can't fulfill your wish. He has to die. Consider it as fate."
Veronica gawked at him like he was a complete stranger. How could be someone so heartless? She couldn't believe that she once fell in love with this man who showed no mercy, no emotions towards anyone.
"How could you be such a bastard? Always remember one thing! God is watching you. ONE DAY YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE SO BADLY THAT IT WILL LEAVE YOU POWERLESS, YOU WILL BEG FOR HER! BUT SHE WILL NOT COME FOR YOU! WE ALL HAVE TO PAY THE PRICE FOR OUR SINS ONE DAY! AND YOUR STARTS FROM NOW!
Meenakshi who crawled towards the door heard all of it and felt her cheeks go wet with tears. She got Veronica wrong. Veronica did all this for a reason. She felt guilt rise in her heart as she thought of all the moments where she cursed Veronica for insulting her. She thought about all of this when suddenly the sound of gunfire siezed everything. Meenakshi felt like her heart stopping for a moment when she managed to see through the small gap hall in the door. The light was coming from there,so she knew that she can see through it.
Veronica lied on the floor, her lifeless hazel eyes staring at her, on the pool of blood. Dhruv was holding the gun.
Meenakshi wanted to scream, but something stopped her. She felt suffocated in that environment. The corpse lying in front of her sight made her go cold with fright.
"One gone, one left to go."
He aimed his gun at Zameer.
Zameer felt helpless at that time as all of his men were killed by Dhruv men and now, only one last thing was left to try, which he was quite unsure of. He thought he can use it, but seeing the ruthless mafia infront of him made him feel that it won't work. But he had to take his chances.
Meenakshi saw the door opening suddenly and the same man walked in.
He dragged her out of the place, Meenakshi trying her best to resist him. He made her stand and face his opponent and aimed his gun at her head.
Dhruv was shocked now. He saw Zameer holding Meenakshi.
Meenakshi's face conveyed no emotions except shock as her mind was fighting with her trauma. She had faced a lot in her life, but never saw someone dying in front of her. It completely moved her to the core. She was incapable of noticing her present situation.
"Make a move and I will shoot her!"Zameer spoke softly, his voice betraying him as he was not sure that it was either a proper threat or not. But all his confusions turned into shock as he saw the unexpected.
Dhruv's face showed anger and fear. As if the cold mask was scraped off his face and revealed the vulnerable man inside. Who beared emotions.
"Leave her! Right now!Or I will make sure you that you get a fate worse than death!"
Dhruv shouted at him, his face boiling with anger. He felt strangely impulsive.
Zameer noticed that. He felt his cards falling on the right place. But fate had other plans. He watched Dhruv expression again change from anger to a cold smile.
"Why the hell are you smiling?"
"You'll know soon. Hastala vista!"
"Wha-"
As soon as he spoke, someone shooted three bullets from the back, hitting the target. Zameer realized that he was shot down. Within seconds, his grip loosened on Meenakshi and he fell on the ground cursing Dhruv. It was Vijay who shot him.
Meenakshi stood there, still as statue. Her face showed no emotions. What did just happen? Did she saw Dhruv kill a person? Taking someone's life?
Unnamed emotions heated up her body. She couldn't think straight! With a puzzled up mind, she rushed towards the person she thought was a human.
She approached him and even before she could think, her hand reached his face in the form of a tight slap.
Everybody gasped at the sight, including Vijay and Iqbaal. Nobody ever had the audacity to slap the emperor in front of everyone.
Dhruv felt his left cheek burning and he snapped at Meenakshi with a growl. But her expressions were more precarious than his.
Her chocolate brown eyes had turned deep brown, watery with tears. She was breathing heavily, her shoulder rising and falling in anger.
She looked straight at Dhruv.
"I HATE YOU!"
**********************