Chapter 25 - Consequences

 {I WILL NOT UPDATE ON THIS SUNDAY. NEXT UPDATE ON 11th Oct.}

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Shivaay sat in his cabin, in his office replaying every word of Rudy which had pierced through his heart.

Shivaay hadn't cried in a long while, at least not since baba had died, but today he couldn't hold it all in and cried for a good 30 minutes.

He thought to himself, was he being a controlling freak about OmRu ? Was he doing something wrong ?

Shivaay had no answers and he was too emotionally disturbed to find any.

Shivaay reached out to grab the glass of water placed on his desk as he was not quite feeling well.

There was this weird feeling in the left side of his body which was now being prominent as the seconds passed.

Shivaay felt like someone's squeezing his heart tightly in his chest. It started out mildly but the tightness was increasing gradually.

Shivaay caught the glass with great difficulty and took a couple of sips of water which made him feel a bit better.

Shivaay laid back in his chair and closed his eyes to relax himself.

It took a couple of minutes but the tightness finally vanished.

Shivaay sighed and sat up straight. He wiped of his tears and sweat beads from his face and drank some water again.

He opened a few files and started working on them even though it wasn't important to work on them just yet.

A knock sounded through the door. Shivaay muttered a quick 'come in'.

"Good evening sir." Mishra, Shivaay's personal assistant, walked in the cabin with a tensed face.

"Good evening, Mishra." Shivaay nodded and looked up at Mishra. "Tell me."

"Sir we've a problem." Mishra came straight to the point.

Shivaay closed the file he had been reading and stared at Mishra, giving him his full attention.

"Forest Department ne humara Lonavala wala project rukwa diya hai." ("Forest department has stopped the construction of our project in Lonavala.") Mishra informed. He walked near Shivaay's desk and placed a few files before him. "Unka kehna hai ki humara plot forest department ke under aata hai." ("They say our land is under forest department's area.")

Lands under forest department are not usually for sale unless someone's buys it with special permission but even so the land must first be converted into NA to start construction. Shivaay knew that very well.

He opened the files and started checking the papers of the land.

Shivaay had personally bought that plot a few months ago. The plot had specially caught his eye as it was situated on a hill top, surrounded by beautiful scenery of mountains, in the arms of nature.

It was perfect for building a recreational resort and that's what Shivaay was building there. At that time he had checked the documents himself and had made sure that the land is converted into NA - resort.

Shivaay went through the documents and tapped on the papers. "Yeh dekho yaha saaf saaf likha hai ki humara plot NA - Resort permitted hai aur forest department ke under nahi aata." ("See here, it's written clearly that our land is NA - Resort permitted and isn't under the control of forest department.")

"Yes, sir, mein abhi Jeet ko bolta hu ki inn papers ki copy leke Lonavala jaye." ("Yes sir, I'll ask Jeet to go to Lonavala with the copies of these papers and look into the matter.") Mishra told.

"Nahi, meine Jeet ko Ooty wale project ka kaam soupa hai." ("No, I've given Jeet the responsibility of Ooty's project.") Shivaay informed. "Ek kaam karo tum jao. Mein khud yeh papers leke Lonavala jata hu." ("You go. I'll take the papers and go to Lonavala myself.")

"Ok sir. Mein kisi ko apke ghar bhej ke apka saman mangwa leta hu." ("Ok sir. I will send someone to you home to collect your belongings.") Mishra said earning a nod and a 'thank you' from Shivaay.

Shivaay called Om as soon as Mishra left.

Om received the call in two rings itself. "Bhai ab kab ghar aa rahe hai ?" ("Bhai when are you coming home ?") Om asked as soon as he received the call, he didn't even say 'hello'.

"Kyu ? Sab thik hai ? Rudy thik hai ?" ("Why ? Everything alright ? Is Rudy fine ?") Shivaay asked rhetorically with utter worry in his voice.

"Yes bhai, sab thik hai. Mein toh bus aise hi puch raha tha." ("Yes bhai, everything is going well. I was just asking.") Om said when he realised he had unintentionally worried Shivaay.

"Are you sure ?" Shivaay asked again, just to be on safer side.

"Yes bhai." Om replied.

"Okay." Shivaay took a sigh of relief. "Accha suno Om, kaam ke silsile mein mujhe aj, in fact, abhi Lonavala jana hoga toh kya tum please meri bag pack kar doge ? Mein office mein se kisi ko bhej dunga uske sath meri bag bhej dena." ("Ok Om listen, I need to go to Lonavala urgently due to some work so will will you please pack my bags ? I'll send someone to collect the bag.")

"Okay bhai. Don't worry mein apki bag pack karke bhej dunga. Ap tension mat lo." ("Okay bhai. Don't worry I'll pack your bags.") Om said half-heartedly.

Om didn't want Shivaay to leave cause he knew Shivaay was emotionally unstable but at the same time he thought Shivaay would feel better if he goes away from all this chaos for a while.

"Om." Shivaay said softly. "Apna aur...Rudy ka khayal rakhna. Mein jald hi wapas aa jaunga." ("Please take care of yourself and...Rudy. I'll be back soon.")

Om nodded and then realised Shivaay cannot see him so he said, "Yes bhai. Don't worry, I'm here."

A small smile came on Shivaay's lips. "Tu hai isiliye toh tension hoti hai." ("You're there that's why I'm worried) Shivaay teased, and even though there wasn't the usual humour in his voice Om understood that Shivaay was teasing him.

"Kya bhai aap bhi." ("Oh c'mon bhai.") Om said but smiled nonetheless.

"Take care. I'll see you soon. Bye." Shivaay said into the phone.

"Yes, bhai. Take care of yourself too. Bye." Om replied.

"Accha sunn dinner kar lena yaad se." ("Hey listen, don't skip your dinner.") Shivaay reminded sternly.

Om always chose to skip dinner after a long day and this was certainly a long day for all of them.

"Don't worry bhai, Gauri ghar aayi hui hai toh mujhe dinner karna hi hoga." ("Don't worry bhai, Gauri's here so I'll have to have the dinner.") Om frowned.

"Gauri hai waha ? Chalo accha hai." ("Gauri's there ? Good then.") Shivaay said with a relaxed smile.

Both of them hung up the call after biding bye to each other.

⏭️

Next day, morning...

Om was sitting on the dining table with Gauri. Both were having breakfast in silence.

Just then groans sounded through the room followed by heavy footsteps before Rudy appeared.

"Good morning O." Rudy groaned as he held his head in his hands and sat down across from Rikara.

Om gave Rudy a glare before silently going back to his breakfast.

"I said Good morning. O." Rudy frowned as he didn't get any reply.

Om didn't even look at him this time.

Rudy rolled his eyes at Om and turned to his Gauri didi. "Good morning didi."

Gauri too didn't reply to him or looked at him.

"Aap dono ko hua kya hai ? Apka jhagda hua hai kya ?" ("What's wrong with you both ? Did you two had a fight ?") Rudy asked and ordered the servant to bring him some coffee.

Still he didn't get any reply from them.

Rudy tried again to strike a conversation but Rikara kept on giving him silent treatment so he got angry and asked, "Problem kya hai ? Kyu baat nahi kar rahe aap dono mujhse ? Kiya kya hai meine ?" ("What's you guys problem ? Why ain't you both talking to me ? What have I done ?")

Om looked at him with fire blazing in his eyes. "Kya kiya ? Yaad karke bata jara kal kya hua tha ?" ("What have you done ? Try to recall what had happened yesterday.")

Rudy tried to recall the previous day but he couldn't. It was all blur to him. "Yaad nahi aa raha." ("I don't remember anything.") He said in defeat.

"Tune weed ke nashe mein bhai ko bola ki woh tumhare papa nahi hai toh tumhe orders dene ka unhe koi haq nahi banta." ("In the intoxicated state you said to bhaiya that he's not your father and hence he has no right to order you.") Om yelled making Rudy flinch slightly.

"What ?" Rudy whispered with wide eyes when Om's words registered in his brain.

"Haan. Aur yeh bhi kaha ki woh humare asali bhai nahi hai, humare cousin hai aur woh humare papa banne ki koshish naa kare." ("Yes. And you also said that he's not our true brother, he's our cousin and he shouldn't try to be our father.") Om growled with tears in his eyes.

Rudy was too shocked to react.

How could he say that to his Shivaay bhaiya ?

Was Om lying ? But Om never lies.

"Tujhe pata bhi hai bhai ko kitna bura laga hoga ?" ("Do you even have slightest bit of idea of how he hurt he must've been ?") Om said in a broken voice. "Yaad hai jab tujhe nightmares aate the, tab woh bhai the jo tere liye uth kar chocomilk bana ke tujhe sulate the." ("You remember when you used to get nightmares, it was Bhaiya who used to wake up for you and make you chocomilk to make you sleep again.")

Rudy's vision clouded with tears. Some tears of guilt, some of shock, some of anger in himself, some of shame.

"Jab tu bimaar hota tha toh woh bhai the jo tere liye raat-raat jaagte the, teri chinta karte the, tera khayal rakhte the." ("When you used to fall ill, it was bhai who used to stay up at nights to care of you.") Om said with tears. "Bhai ne humare liye jo kiya hai na woh shayad humare dad bhi humare liye nahi karte. Bhai ne sirf humare bhai hone ka hi nahi balki humare mata, pitah, guru, dost sabka farz nibhaya hai." ("What bhai has done to us, I don't think even our father would've done that for us. He has not only fulfilled his duty of being a brother but also the duties of father, mother, teacher and friend.")

Rudy nodded slightly. Understanding and agreeing to every word Om had said.

"Bhai ne unki padhayi se jyada humari padhayi pr dhyaan diya. Hume acchi lifestyle dene ke liye woh khud din raat mehnat karte hai...aur tune kya kiya ? Ek pal mein hi unka dil tod diya." ("Bhai has always prioritised our education over his. He works hard day and night to give us a good lifestyle...and what how did you repay him ? By breaking his heart in one moment.") Om scowled.

Rudy shook his head as he choked on a sob. "I'm sorry." Rudy whispered. "Mujhe sach mein nahi pata ki meine bhai ko kya bola aur kyu bola. Mein uss waqt..." ("I really don't know what I said to him and why. I was...") Rudy cut himself off in shame.

"Uss waqt kya ? Weed ke nashe mein tha, yahi bolna chahta hai na ?" ("I was what ? Intoxicated ? Under the effect of weed ? That's what you were saying, right ?") Om snapped. "Tujhse yeh umeed nahi thi mujhe Rudra." ("I had expected better from you Rudra.") Om said with disgust.

Rudy hung his head down. Om calling Rudy 'Rudra' just doubled up the guilt.

"Daksh ke sath tu 1 hafte se ghum raha hai ? Daksh ke sath ?! Seriously ?!" ("You're hanging out with Daksh since a week ? With Daksh ?! Seriously ?!") Om asked in disbelief. "Aur kya-kya start kiya hai tune ha ? Smoke toh tu karta hi hai woh mujhe pata hai, ab bata kya tu sharab bhi pita hai ? Drugs...drugs bhi leta hoga na ?" ("There must be more surprises for us, right ? Tell me what other stuff you take, you drink ? Or drugs...have you started taking drugs ?")

Rudy sobbed as he shook his head. "Nahi bhaiya." ("No bhaiya.") He mumbled through the sobs. "I'm sorry, mujhse galati ho gayi. I'm so sorry." ("I'm sorry, I made a mistake. I'm so sorry.")

Om scoffed and stood up. Without giving another glance to Rudy, he walked out of the room.

Rudy stood up too, he tried to follow O but couldn't walk more than 2 steps, so he yelled after Om desperately. "I'm sorry O. Please mujhse baat karo. Mujhse galati ho gayi O, bhaiya please !" ("I'm sorry O. Please talk to me. I'm sorry O, Bhaiya please.")

But Om was already gone.. Rudy felt on his knees and cried. Just then someone placed a hand on his shoulder and he looked up at the same time he said, "Bhaiya." Thinking that Shivaay had placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Rudy." Gauri said quietly and helped him on his feet. She made him sit on the chair and gave him some water before saying, "Tumne kal bhaiya ka aur Om ka dil tod diya hai. Tumhe unse maafi mangni chahiye." ("You broke your brothers heart yesterday. You should apologise to them.")

Rudy nodded. "Bhaiya kaha hai ? Apne room mein hai kya ?" ("Where's Bhaiya ? Is he in his room ?") He asked refering to Shivaay.

Gauri shook her head. "Bhaiya kuch kaam se Lonavala gaye hai." ("Bhaiya has went to Lonavala for some work.")

"Kab aayenge woh ?" ("When will he be back ?") Rudy asked desperately.

"Pata nahi." ("Don't know.") Gauri persued her lips. "Jab tak bhaiya nahi aate tab tak Om ka gussa shant karo, aur please uss Daksh ke sath ghumna band karo, woh tumhara dost nahi hai." ("Until he comes back you should try persuading Om, and please stop hanging out with Daksh, he's not your friend.")

Rudy nodded. "Mujhse galati ho gayi, mein uss Daksh ki baaton mein aa gaya lekin sach mein didi, meine jo kuch bhi Bhaiya se bola woh sab jhoot hai. Mere bhaiya mere liye sab kuch hai, I swear." ("I was wrong, I blindly believed in Daksh but I swear didi, whatever I said to Bhaiya yesterday was not true. My bhaiya is everything to me, I swear.")

Gauri nodded. "I know." She caressed Rudy's hairs comfortingly as Rudy cried.

⏩

Shivaay had reached Lonavala at 9 o'clock in the night last day. He took rest for the night in his farmhouse and woke up early the next day.

He was still feeling gloomy about the previous day's event. No matter how hard he tried to get rid of that awful memory, he still ended up rewinding it in detail.

Shivaay got ready and after having his breakfast, he reached the government office to solve the matter of his land.

The officer who was supposed to solve Shivaay's problem was too unwelcoming and unhelpful. All he did was play some stupid game on his mobile and pretend to listen to what Shivaay was saying.

"Yeh aap mere documents dekhiye. Isme saaf saaf likha hai ki mera plot NA - Resort permitted hai toh aap yeh kaise keh sakte hai ki woh plot forest department ke under hai ?" ("Take a look at my documents. It's clearly mentioned that my plot NA - Resort permitted then how can you claim that it comes under forest department ?") Shivaay asked calmly.

The officer looked at Shivaay with an uninterested look. "Yeh documents jhoothe hai. Kisi ne apko uloo banaya hai." ("These documents are fake. Someone has fooled you.") He said without even looking at the documents.

Shivaay understood that the officer didn't want to resolve the issue. He, perhaps, wanted Shivaay to give up on the land so he decided to approach him differently.

"Kya kuch ho nahi sakta ?" ("Can't you do something ?") Shivaay asked in a comparatively lower voice. "Kuch le de ke ?" ("We can give and take, help each other ?")

The officer nodded and leaned closer before saying, "Kuch nahi bahot kuch ho sakta hai." ("Not something, a lot can happen.") He smiled. "Aap rishwat dene ke jurm mein jail jaa sakte hai." ("You can go to jail for bribing me.") He deadpanned.

"Toh ab karna kya hoga mujhe ?" ("So now what am I supposed to do ?") Shivaay asked irritatedly.

Suddenly the officer seemed very interested in the conversation.

"Mere pass ek customer hai jo apki yeh jameen lene ke liye tyyar hai. Apka jo construction hua hai uske bhi paise woh dene ke liye tyyar hai. Aap woh plot bech do, apka tension khatam." ("I've one customer ready to buy your land. He's also ready to pay for the construction. Sell your plot and you're free, no tension at all.") The officer smiled.

"Yeh plot agar forest department ka hai toh mein woh plot kisi aur ko kaise bech sakta hu ? Kanunan woh plot toh forest department ko wapas dena hoga na ?" ("If that plot belongs to forest department then I'll need to give it back to forest department, how can I sell it off to someone ?") Shivaay asked.

"Ap kyu itna soch rahe hai ? Apko toh apke paise mil jayenge na toh bas fir kyu itna soch rahe ho ?" ("Why do you think so much ? You'll get your money no, then why are you scratching your head ?") The officer said.

That's when Shivaay realised that this wasn't about corruption but someone was infact trying to take over his semi-developed land.

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Hey bubblies !

This chapter got more longer than it should've been.

Anyway, let's see what life has got for Shivaay in the store.

Guess the name of the person who's behind Shivaay's plot.

I'll wait to see who will guess it right.😉☺️

Question of The Day :
Does any of you love south Indian movies ?

Answer : I've newly started loving the south Indian films since past one year. I'm immensely in love with various tallywood films..😍🤩

I'll take your leave now.

Until the next update,
Have a safe and great life 😇