Raat ka waqt tha. Mansion ke bahar city ki lights chamak rahi thi, lekin Aarav ke study room ke andar ek ajeeb sa silence tha.
Aarav apni chair par baitha hua tha, laptop open tha lekin uski nazar screen par nahi thi.
Uske dimag me sirf ek naam ghoom raha tha.
Naina.
Jab se wo uski zindagi me aayi thi, Aarav ko uske behaviour me kuch ajeeb lag raha tha.
Wo na gussa karti thi.
Na darr dikhati thi.
Aur na hi us marriage ko lekar react karti thi.
Jaise wo kisi aur wajah se yaha ho.
Aarav ne dheere se laptop band kiya.
Uski aankhen thodi si narrow ho gayi.
"Something is definitely wrong…"
Kuch der pehle usne ek cheez notice ki thi
.
Naina chup-chaap mansion se bahar nikli thi.
Kisi ko bataye bina.
Aur ye baat Aarav ko bilkul pasand nahi aayi.
"Tum kya chhupa rahi ho, Naina…"
Kuch hi minutes me Aarav ne car keys uthayi aur mansion se nikal gaya.
___________________________________________
City ki roads is waqt kaafi quiet thi.
Aarav ki car ek taxi ka peecha kar rahi thi.
Aur us taxi me Naina baithi thi.
Aarav ki nazar us taxi se ek second ke liye bhi nahi hati.
Lagbhag bees minutes baad taxi ek purane se café ke bahar ruk gayi.
Aarav ne apni car thoda door park ki.
Usne dekha Naina taxi se utar kar idhar-udhar dekh rahi thi.
Jaise check kar rahi ho ki koi uska peecha to nahi kar raha.
Aarav ke lips par halki si smirk aayi.
"Too late…"
Naina café ke andar chali gayi.
Kuch seconds baad Aarav bhi quietly café ke andar enter hua.
Café ka atmosphere dim aur almost empty tha.
Sirf kuch log alag-alag tables par baithe the.
Aarav ne ek corner table choose ki jahan se wo easily observe kar sake.
Uski nazar turant Naina par pad gayi.
Lekin wo akeli nahi thi.
Uske saamne ek aadmi baitha tha.
Aarav ka expression instantly serious ho gaya.
Wo aadmi around thirty ke aas-paas lag raha tha.
Expensive suit.
Confident body language.
Aur uske face par ek ajeeb sa calm smile.
Wo dono kaafi serious tone me baat kar rahe the.
Naina ka face tense lag raha tha.
Jaise wo nervous ho.
Aarav ne apni coffee cup ko thoda tight pakad liya.
"So this is your secret…"
Tabhi us aadmi ne apni pocket se ek envelope nikala.
Aur table par Naina ki taraf slide kar diya.
Naina kuch seconds ke liye hesitate hui.
Phir usne envelope uthaya.
Aarav ki aankhen narrow ho gayi.
"Envelope…?"
Money?
Documents?
Ya koi aur cheez?
Naina ne dheere se kuch kaha.
Wo aadmi bas smile karta raha.
Lekin us smile me warmth nahi thi.
Wo ek threatening smile thi.
Jaise uske paas control ho.
Aarav ne chair se uthte hue deep breath li.
"Enough…"
Wo seedha unke table ki taraf chal diya.
Tabhi Naina ne achanak apna head turn kiya.
Uski nazar Aarav par pad gayi.
Uski aankhen shock se widen ho gayi.
Wo clearly expect nahi kar rahi thi ki Aarav yaha hoga.
Aarav ka expression bilkul cold tha.
Wo unke table ke paas aakar ruk gaya.
Uski nazar pehle envelope par gayi.
Phir us aadmi par.
Aur finally Naina par.
Uski awaaz calm thi.
Lekin us calmness ke andar gussa clearly mehsoos ho raha tha.
"Naina…"
"…kya tum explain karna chahogi ki tum raat ke time unknown logon se secret meetings kyu kar rahi ho?"
Café me silence chha gaya.
Naina clearly panic me thi.
Wo kuch bolne hi wali thi ki tabhi wo aadmi chair par peeche lean kar gaya.
Usne Aarav ko calmly observe kiya.
Phir halki si smile ke saath bola—
"Lagta hai introductions zaroori ho gaye hain."
Usne apna haath table par rakha.
"My name is Dev."
Phir usne Naina ki taraf dekha.
Aur ek line boli jisne hawa ko hi heavy kar diya.
"Waise… tumhari wife mujhe kaafi time se jaanti hai."
Aarav ki aankhen instantly dark ho gayi.
Naina turant boli—
"That's not true!"
Lekin Dev bas softly laugh karne laga.
Usne envelope par finger tap ki.
"Phir shayad tum apne husband ko ye explain karna chahogi."
Aarav ne envelope ki taraf dekha.
Phir Naina ki taraf.
Uski awaaz dangerously quiet ho gayi.
"Naina…"
"…tum mujhse kya chhupa rahi ho?"
Naina ke lips hilte rahe.
Lekin koi answer nahi nikla.
Aur uski Wo khamoshi…
Sabse zyada dangerous thi.
End of chapter 9.
__________________________________________
Ending
Naina ke lips hilte rahe…
lekin koi jawab bahar nahi aaya.
Aarav ki aankhen aur dark ho gayi.
Usne dheere se envelope uthaya.
"Lagta hai… ab sach bahar aane wala hai."
Aur Naina jaanti thi—
agar Aarav ne us envelope ke andar kya hai dekh liya…
to sab kuch badal sakta hai.
To be continuedin Next chapter: chapter 10- The envelopes truth.