The director of the show was discussing about a particular track with Naina when Mayank stealthily reached behind her. Sameer was standing next to her but the actor did not know him.

"Naina ji, aap yahan hain... kabse dhoond raha tha aapko." He said in a scratchy voice.

She jerked, looking back at him... her hand involuntarily reached out to clutch Sameer's arm.

"Jaan, yeh hain na woh Mayank ji jinki tum tareef kar rahi thi?" Sameer wrapped his arm around her waist, bringing her to his other side, himself standing between Mayank and her.

Mayank stared at Sameer, shocked.

"Meri Naina jaldi se kisi ki tareef karti nahi hai... usse lagta hai mujhse zyada koi handsome ho hi nahi sakta." He lovingly smiled at her.

Naina looked up at him, smiling back to join him in his game, unaware what it was.

Sameer turned to Mayank again, dead serious, "Aapki tareef bhi isliye nahi kari ki aap dikhte kaise ho... bas bata rahi thi ki aap dekhte kaise ho... meri Naina ki aapne bhi tareef ki thi shayad... achha laga sunkar... meri jaan hai hi aisi."

Mayank was used to being pampered... this silent threat unnerved him... but he wasn't the one to accept defeat easily, riding on the false bubble of his popularity.

"Sundar hai isiliye ki... ab sundar cheez ki tareef toh karni hi chahiye." Mayank grinned, though not as confident as before.

Sameer slowly raised one hand to pat his cheek, speaking in a low, grave voice, "Cheez nahi hai... biwi hai meri... jaan hai meri... aur agar apni jaan ki parwah hai tujhe toh ek baar bhi uski taraf nazar mat uthana... warna yeh jo chehra hai na... khud dekh ke darr jayega tu... yakeen nahi hai toh koshish kar ke dekh... isse pehle Naina ke saath jisne bhi badtameezi ki hai, unki naak aaj bhi tedhi hai... ab tedhi naak ke saath shooting... waise yeh log yahan tera hi scene taiyar kar rahe hain... producer ke kehne pe... accident hona hai... fir plastic surgery... jaanta hai na iska matlab... ek aur baat... thodi der pehle jo tune kiya tha woh mere dost ne camera mein qaid kar liya hai... tera ghada bhar gaya hai, hero... screen pe hero banne ka itna shouk hai toh asli zindagi mein itna bada villian banne ki aadat chod de... warna mere dost ko do minute nahi lagenge teri recording ko news banane mein."

Mayank gritted his teeth... no one had ever spoken to him like that... but no one had ever threatened to cut short his role either... viewers understood the meaning of plastic surgery of a character... he had a reputation... if one show axed him, others might get the courage to do so too... he had been hearing some dissatisfied murmurs behind his back off late... he had a huge fan base... that was under threat too. This man was aware of his activities, probably when he had forcibly kissed the new girl from another show, outside the washroom... he had captured it on camera. Now the threat loomed larger... if the clipping was aired, he could lose his fan following... worse still, if it was complained to the board, he would not get any roles. Till now he gloated on the fact that there was no evidence of his acts... and he always targeted newcomers, who never had the courage to speak up...this would change in an instant if the news spread. He had seen careers nosedive because of secret filmings. But he was the great hero... how could a mere common man threaten him openly.

"Yeh mat samajhna main tumhari dhamki se darr gaya... inn baaton se mujhe koi fark nahi padta... mere producers ko pata hai mera naam kitna bada hai... tumhare yeh accident, plastic surgery mujh jaise actors ke liye nahi hote... mujhe koi haath lagane ki himmat nahi karega." He tried to appear unfazed but a shudder in his voice could be detected.

Sameer caught on to the slight twitch, "Udhar dekh."

Mayank looked in the direction he pointed... two different reporters smiled at him... he shivered... this man was right... his reputation was at stake... he had spent many years enjoying the fruits of his popularity... having his way with established producers as well as with newcomers... but had managed to save his image in front of the media, getting love and respect from fans... if anyone reports about his deeds, along with proof as this man here says, everything he had earned would go for a toss...

He looked at Sameer, traces of fear visible in his eyes.

Sameer had a stoic expression, "Yahan jitni actress hain jo tujh se pareshan hain, sab milke tere khilaaf interview dena chahti hain... soch le... main apne dost ko bolke rukwa sakta hun... par main aisa kyon karun... tune jo kiya hai tu bhugat... kal jab iss party ke baare mein news mein aayega, toh saath hi teri headline bhi banegi... tab ban jaana asli hero... itna naam aaj tak nahi kamaya hoga jitna kal ek din mein kama lega... aur fans... unki chinta mat kar... unhe koi aur mil jayega... jab teri harakatein pata chalengi toh unhe sharm aayegi kehte hue ki kabhi tere fan the..."

Mayank was sweating now... he was not a very strong person, he had a weak heart... and like all those who knowingly do wrong things, he was scared of the outcome if his family and friends came to know about the truth.

He looked helplessly at Sameer, "Dekhiye, mujhe pata nahi aap kaun hain... main janna bhi nahi chahta... bas yeh clipping media mein jaane se bacha lijiye... meri image ka sawal hai."

Sameer took out his handkerchief from the pocket... offering it to him, "Paseena saaf kar le... makeup utar gaya toh tera asli chehra dikhne lagega."

Before he could take it, the handkerchief fell from Sameer's hand, who immediately bent down to pick it up.

"Sorry, ab toh neeche gir gaya... ganda ho gaya hoga... ab chehre pe nahi lagna chahiye." He said with an apologetic smile, pocketing the handkerchief.

Mayank stared in confusion, then pursed his lips.

Sameer indicated towards the hall full of people, "Sab apne hero se milna chahte honge... jaiye, miliye," and as Mayank started to walk away, he added, "Jab tak hero ho tab tak toh mil hi lo."

The actor looked back sharply, his eyes clearly showing the fear that Sameer had instilled in him.

Once he was out of sight, Naina tugged at Sameer's arm, pulling him to face her.

"Yeh sab kya tha?" She was dumbfounded.

"Kya? Kuch bhi toh nahi... bas usse aaina dikha raha tha." He shrugged.

Naina stared at him, still in a daze.

He took her hand in his, "Maine promise kiya tha na tumse, kuch nahi karunga... nahi kiya... bas baatein hi toh ki."

"Magar... magar tum unn reporters ko kaise jaante ho? Pehle kabhi nahi bataya." She looked back at the two men who were busy with their cameras, not looking in their direction.

"Main kisi ko nahi jaanta." He said nonchalantly.

She widened her eyes, not knowing what to ask.

Sameer understood her question, clearing things to her, "Jahan actor hoga, news walon ki nazar wahin rehti hai na... issi baat ka faayda uthaya maine... yeh do nahi dekh rahe hote toh koi aur dekh raha hota... aur mujhe usse baatein karta dekh ke unhone muskurana hi tha... shayad mujhe uska dost samajh ke."

"Lekin tumhe kaise pata usne thodi der pehle kya kiya tha jisse tumne daraya?" Her questions were not over yet.

Sameer grinned, "Woh toh andhere mein teer tha... ab aisi aadtein hain toh kuch na kuch galat kiya hi hoga... maine tukka maara jo seedha uske man ke chor pe jaake laga... bas, woh darr gaya."

"Aur agar usne kuch kiya hi nahi hota toh... matlab kuch aisa jiske liye woh darr jaaye?" She voiced the doubt.

"Toh main keh deta ki jo kaand usne pichle hafte kiya tha... ab aisi nazar aur niyat wala aadmi ek hafte toh shareef banke nahi reh sakta... pichle  saat din mein pakka uske paas chupane wali bohot baatein hongi." He flicked his brows.

If she was stunned earlier, she was flabbergasted now... she had never seen this side of Sameer...

"Aap acting karenge? Paidayashi actor hain aap toh... abhi ki abhi sign karwata hun agar aap haan bolo... maine bina script ke itna achha performance aaj tak nahi dekha." The director, who had been silently watching the entire drama till now, finally found his voice.

Sameer and Naina looked up at him, then at each other... and smiled.

"Thank you par nahi... acting mein koi interest nahi hai mera." Sameer politely refused.

He looked at Naina, "Naina ji, yeh scene toh aap daal hi do kahi na kahi... itni zabardast performance toh nahi par main apne actors se thoda bohot karwa lunga."

All three of them laughed.

There was a loud thud along with a crash, making everyone look in the direction of the sound.

Naina's eyes rounded to extremes as she saw Mayank sprawled on the floor, face down... a chair lying next to him.

People rushed to help him... making him sit up on the chair after straightening it. It was then that the streak of blood on his chin was noticed.

Mayank, the most saleable actor, had lost his front tooth when he hit the metallic frame of the heavy chair while falling.

The sound of gasps filled up the room...

He looked around, wondering what had happened... not realising the extent of injury as he was still numb.

Seeing all eyes wide with shock, he touched his face... when his hand reached his lips, it trembled as he felt the gap between the two teeth.

Mayank fainted.

Everyone started to run around at the same time in confusion.

A little later, after the injured actor was taken away for treatment... every little group sniggered at the fate he had met... agreeing that it served him right.

Naina was puzzled.

Sameer had been standing with her all the time, even when the accident happened... but she could not rid her mind of the nagging doubt that he had something to do with it.

She looked up at him... his eyes were already fixed on her, knowing that she would be able to see through him.

He leaned, whispering only for her ears, "Jab main rumaal uthane jhuka tha toh uske joote ke laces pe galti se haath lag gaya tha... shayad khul gaye honge... maine kuch nahi kiya."

It was another shocker for her, "Sameer, woh gir gaya... chot lagi hai usko."

His eyes turned hard, "Naina, woh toh pehle hi gira hua tha... aur iss chot ka dard uss dard ke aage kuch bhi nahi hai jo usne pata nahi kitni ladkiyon ko diya hoga... yeh bohot choti sazaa hai uske jaise aadmi ke liye... agar tumse promise nahi kiya hota toh main usko itni asaani se nahi chodta."

Her eyes turned misty... he had again proven how much he respected women... even the ones he didn't know... even after being treated the way he was by his mother...

Naina Sameer Maheshawari was extremely proud of her husband Sameer Maheshawari.