Rathore Mansion ki raat phir se khamosh thi.
Bahar baarish ruk chuki thi, lekin hawa me abhi bhi nami thi.
Aarav apne study room me baitha tha.
Uske saamne table par kuch purani files padi thi.
Uska dimaag ek hi cheez par atka hua tha.
Meher.
Us ladki me kuch toh ajeeb tha.
Uski aankhon me dar bhi tha… aur himmat bhi.
Aur sabse badi baat—
Wo Aarav se bilkul nahi darti thi.
Aarav ne ek file uthayi.
Ye file uske bhai Vivaan Rathore ke case ki thi.
Uski maut abhi tak ek mystery thi.
Official report me likha tha—
Car accident.
Lekin Aarav kabhi is baat par believe nahi kar saka.
Usne file kholi.
Purane documents, photos aur reports.
Tabhi ek paper neeche gir gaya.
Aarav ne use uthaya.
Us paper par ek naam likha tha.
Aarav ki aankhen thodi si sikud gayi.
Naina malhotra.
Aarav ne dheere se us naam ko dobara padha.
"Naina… Malhotra…"
Ye naam usne pehle bhi suna tha.
Lekin kaha?
Usne jaldi se laptop open kiya.
Kuch minutes tak wo records search karta raha.
Aur phir screen par ek profile open hui.
Naina malhotra.
Ek successful businesswoman.
Aur ek powerful family ki beti.
Lekin jo cheez Aarav ko shock kar gayi—
Wo tha ek purana news article.
Headline thi:
"Malhotraindustriessuffersmajorlossafter deal.cancelation."
Aarav ka dimaag instantly connect kar gaya.
Deal kisne cancel ki thi?
Rathore Group.
Aarav ki aankhon me ek dangerous chamak aayi.
"Toh ye connection hai…"
Usne dheere se kaha.
Agar Malhotra family ko Rathore family se problem thi…
Toh kya Vivaan ki death usse related thi?
Ya phir…
Ye sirf ek coincidence tha?
Tabhi study room ka door dheere se khula.
Meher andar aayi.
"Tum abhi tak soye nahi?"
Aarav ne laptop screen band kar di.
"Kaam tha."
Meher uske saamne ruk gayi.
Usne table par padi files ko dekha.
Aur phir Aarav ki taraf dekha.
"Tum abhi bhi Vivaan ki death investigate kar rahe ho…"
Ye question nahi tha.
Statement tha.
Aarav ki aankhen thodi si narrow ho gayi.
"Tumhe kaise pata?"
Meher ek second ke liye chup rahi.
Phir usne seedha jawab diya.
"Kyuki tum abhi tak usse bhool nahi paaye."
Aarav ka expression thoda hard ho gaya.
"Some things are not meant to be forgotten."
Room me phir se silence chha gaya.
Meher ki nazar table par padi file par gayi.
Usne ek second ke liye us naam ko dekha.
Aur uska face halka sa change ho gaya.
Bas ek second ke liye.
Lekin Aarav ne wo notice kar liya.
Aarav dheere se khada hua.
Ab wo Meher ke bilkul paas tha.
Uski awaaz thandi thi.
"Interesting…"
Meher ne uski taraf dekha.
"Kya?"
Aarav ne file uthayi aur uske saamne rakhi.
Us par likha tha.
Naina malhotra.
"Is naam ko dekh kar tum itni nervous kyun ho gayi?"
Meher ka dil ek second ke liye tez dhadakne laga.
Lekin usne apne expression ko control kar liya.
"Main nervous nahi hoon."
Aarav halka sa muskuraya.
Wo dangerous smile thi.
"Jhoot."
Wo uske aur paas aaya.
"Lagta hai tum mujhe jitna dikhati ho… usse zyada jaanti ho."
Meher ne kuch nahi kaha.
Lekin uski aankhon me ek ajeeb si tension thi.
Aarav ne dheere se kaha—
"Shayad ab waqt aa gaya hai…"
"…sach bahar lane ka."
___________________________________________
End...
Aarav ne file band ki.
Aur dheere se bola—
"Kal subah… main Naina Malhotra se milne jaa raha hoon."
Meher ka chehra ek pal ke liye safed pad gaya.
Kyuki wo jaanti thi---
Ager AaravNainatakpahuch gaya… to sab kuch badalne wala tha.
To be continued in chapter 8...