Heya!!

So here after a long time 😌😌

But it's a bit lamba chapter. 🤭🤭
(Bribing the readers 😂)

Anyways.... Do inline comments too. 🥺

hope you'll like it.

Happy reading
❤❤

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Chapter 7

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Next day avni got up early in the morning and packed her bag.

As she came to the hall she saw sirat standing there with breakfast plate.

Avni: kya zarurat thi banane ki? Main manage kar leti..

Sirat: haan bina khaye jaati to manage to ho hi jata.. Par main tujhe bilkul risk nahi lene de rahi samjhi? Chal ab baith khaa...

She held her hand and made her sit on the chair.

Avni started taking small bites just to avoid this meal too but sirat stood in her head to feed her.

Avni: sirat baccho ko time se utha dena school ke liye... Aur breakfast mein na aaj mowgli ka favorite bana dena aur samar aaye na to usko kehna ki woh mishra ji hai na unse file le aaye... Aur...

Sirat: aur meher ko paneer dena ha fracture ke liye acha hai... Aur samrat aur saisha ko bol ke office ka kaam khatam karwana hai aur Mr. Dhruv ka background check karna hai adoption se pehle... Haina? (Smiles)

Avni smiles and nods in a yes.

Sirat: bas devi bas... Main sab kaam karwa doongi... Tu bas apna khyaal rakh aur chal.. Hmm? Aur yeh mujhe kaam ki list mein uljha ke bina khaaye jane ka jo yeh tera plan hai na... Drop it.... Nahi chalega... (Placing hands on her waist as if warning her.)

Avni: (sighs) Tu nahi sudhregi.. Amma ban ke rahegi na meri..

Sirat laughed.

Avni: accha chal main nikalti hoon... Ho saka to I'll be back by night.

Sirat: koi zarurat nahi hai... Waha samar ne ek hotel room book karwa diya hai tu waha rahegi... Okay?

Avni: (sighs) kya karu main tum dono ka... Accha fine chalti hoon.

She took her bag and left.

Sirat: (looking at her retreating figure) isi bahane iski thodi outing to hogi... Avni ko change ki bohut zarurat hai... Bhagwaan ji please iski life mein khushiyaan de do na... Aur kab tak iski pariksha lete rahoge...

Scene shift.

Mumbai

Khanna mansion.

Neil who was sleeping on the floor after last night was disturbed by phone ringing besides him. He stirred in sleep and opened his eyes in slits. his head felt heavy due to last Night's constant crying. He opened his eyes and sat upright searching for his phone. Taking the phone in his hands his so it was commissioner calling.

Neil: commissioner sir... Yeh kyu call kar rahe hai..

He answered the call.

Neil: hello sir...

His expressions changed. He was surprised.

Neil: par sir aisi bhi kya zaruri baat hai?... Okay sir... I'll be there..

Neil hung up.

Neil: pata nahi yeh sir ko bhi kya yaad aaya hai...

He looked around only to find the room In a mess. Avni's photos were all over the carpet.

Tears welled in his eyes. He bend and picked each and every photo with love.

Neil: tum nahi ho to Neil bhi nahi hai avni... Main sirf ek jism hoon jiski rooh use teen saal pehle chhod ke chali gyi...

He securely placed the photos in the box and went to the washroom to get ready.

As he reached down shweta and prakash looked at him with sad eyes.

Neil gave them a smile (which 'used to' be bright)

Neil: aap log aise kyu baithe ho? Main bilkul theek hoon... (Smiles) jaldi se breakfast kar lo aap log hmm.

Bebe: puttar Tu bhi...

Neil: der ho rahi hai mujhe bebe...

He left taking an apple from the fruit basket.

Shweta tried to stop him but he left without even listening her.

Shweta: prakash ji aapne roka kyu nahi usko...

Prakash: kaise rokta? Aankhein dekhi thi uski... Saaf dikh raha tha kal raat bhi roya hoga yeh...

Bebe: hey rabba! Kyu mere bacche ke imtehaan le raha hai... Bas kar ja...

They prayed for him silently.

As Neil was driving, the car stopped at the signal. A small girl came to his window.

Girl: bhaiya please kuch khane ko dedo... Bohut bhook lagi hai...

Neil felt sad for her. Ge looked inside and found the Apple laying there. He took it and gave to her.

Neil: yeh lo... Aur yeh... (Taking out his wallet)

He took out some money and gave it to that girl.

Neil: yeh paise rakho...

Girl: nahi bhaiyaa aapne mujhe khane ko diya thank you... Mujhe yeh nahi lena...

Neil smiled at her.

Neil: yeh paise tumhare school ke liye hai... tum school jaya karo... Is tarah bahar nahi ghoomna okay?

The girl smiled.

Girl: shukriya bhaiya... Aap bohut acche ho... Bhagwaan ji aapko ek bohut acchi ladki de... Jo aapko bohut pyaar kare... Aur aap humesha khush raho...

The signal turned green.

Neil smiled at her.

Neil: yeh to shayad kabhi nahi ho payega (chuckles)

He drove away.

As Neil reached police headquarters he saw DD already standing there.

DD: accha hua sir aap aaye..

Neil: par yaha bulaya kyu hai mujhe? Mera in sab se koi waasta nahi hai... Tu jaanta hai...

DD: pata hai sir par...

Neil started walking ahead of DD. Suddenly he felt dizzy. DD immediately held him.

DD: aap theek hai?

Neil nods.

Neil had not eaten anything from yesterday morning. Even today the Apple he got for himself he gave it to that girl.

DD: kya theek lag rahe ho... Chaliye pehle kuch khaa lijiye...

Neil: DD agar koi kaam hai to bol... Main theek hoon...

DD knew he would not agree like this so he let him go.

Reaching the commissioner's cabin Neil knocked the door twice.

On permission granted both went inside.

Commissioner sir was sitting with plates of food his table.

Seeing Neil commissioner stood up and went to hug him.

Commissioner: kaise ho Neil? Kabhi khud bhi yaad kar liya karo humesha hum hi bulate hai tumhe (joking)

Neil gave a gentle smile

Neil: bas kaam mein busy ho gya tha sir.. Aapne kyu bulaya?

Neil wanted to get out of that place as soon as possible. This place reminds him of his job as a police officer.

This reminds him of his case... 'Case 123'. The case that changed his life... The case that changed his perception to life.

Before meeting case 123 he was ACP Neil Khanna but she made him Neil. Avni's Neil.

He loved that version of him. He loved her to the moon and back but life was unfair to him.

This place...this job changed him to avni's Neil and this job made him the broken Neil he is today.

His life was taken away from him rather snatched ruthlessly.

Many times he had thought that life would have been much more simpler if he had not been in police. But then he feels was it not his job how would've he met his love. How would've he felt love.

Life is a bed of roses but with thorns on...

Commissioner: come on Neil... Chalo woh sab chodo mujhe breakfast ke liye company do...

Neil: ab.. Nahi sir please aap continue kijiye...

Commissioner looked at DD. Flashback shows shweta calling DD to inform that Neil hadn't eaten anything and DD informing the same to commissioner sir.

Commissioner: Neil... Ab DD bhi join karega come on baitho.

He made him sit and served breakfast.

The three men sat together and had their food. Neil was restless he wanted to go as soon as possible but commissioner was not letting this happen.

Neil: sir ab baat to kahiye na.. Hua kya hai? Mujhe actually kisi kaam se jana hai please sir...

Commissioner took a deep breath.

Commissioner: Neil ab main jo kehne jaa raha hoon please puri baar sun ke react karna...

Neil nods.

Commissioner: Neil vidyut jail se bhaag chuka hai...

Neil felt his body getting cold. He felt tears pricking his eyes.

'Vidyut' this only name was enough to send him on a trip to his painful past.

The obsession the rage the craziness this name carried had turned his life upside down.

Neil somewhere blamed himself for untimely death of his love. Had he not chosen to save juhi his avni would have never came in contact with a rascal like vidyut. He wouldn't have developed an obsession for his wife... Neela would not have been lost. They would have been happy in their own little world. But everything shattered because of his decision to save his ex.

Surfacing of this name yet again was not a good thing for him. He had never ever thought of coming face to face with vidyut.

Seeing him lost commissioner and DD looked at each other.

Commissioner shook Neil a bit.

Neil: yeh... Yeh aap kya keh rahe hai sir?

Commissioner: yahi sach hai Neil.

Neil: aise jail ka kya fayda jab mujrim itni asani se bhaag sakte hai.. Aapko usse pakadna hoga sir... Nahi to...

Commissioner: tumhe usse pakadna hoga Neil... Tumhe is police force mein wapis aana hoga Neil...

Neil was shocked.

The man standing in front of him is asking him to come back to police force when he lost each and everything because of this job.

Neil made a fist of his hand.

Commissioner: Main Chahta Hun Ki Tum Police Force Mein Wapas Aati Hai Vidyut ko pakdo aur use Saza Do Tum Aaoge Na Neil?

Neil: yeh Nahin ho sakta sir... Main Aisa Kabhi Nahin karunga Police Force Mein Wapas nahin aaunga... Kabhi nahi...

Neil stood up from the chair violently.

Neil: Bulane ke liye thanks chalta hun. 

He turned and without a second thought left the room.

Commissioner and DD looked at his retreating figure and sighed.

Commissioner: Main Apni Taraf Se Puri koshish ki lekin Neil Hai ki Maan ne ko taiyar hi Nahi... ab Aage ka kaam Tumhare Hath Mein hai...

DD (nodded his head) thanks sir aapne Jitna Bhi Kiya bahut hai... ab aage main dekhta hun.

He left.

Neil was sitting in his room lost in some thoughts.

DD came and cleared his throat to get attention.

Neil looks at him

Neil: kyu Kyu Aaye Ho Yahan? jao yahan se.

DD: aap bhi acche se Jante Hain ki main kyu aaya hun Yahan... sir aap Kyu Nahin join Karte Wapas? Vidyut jail se bahar hai which means ki voh kabhi bhi family per attack kar sakta hai to... aapka ka unhen bachana Jyada jaruri hai... aap bataiye na ki kya Aap Ki Zid un sab ki Jindagi Se Badi Hai? Aur Agar Aaj bhabhi Yahan hoti hoti To... (He stopped)

Neil looks on.

DD: I'm sorry.... please sir Ek Baar hamari baat samajhne ki koshish kijiye.

Neil looked on silently phrasing an answer in his mind but he was unable to do so... He knew that DD is right. Fulfilling the responsibilities of a lover he forgot that he was a son too...

Coming out of the room DD Straightaway went to bebe and told her the happenings of the day and the offer put forth by commissioner sir.

She was keen on knowing news answer Neil's answer to which did he said he is not yet ready.

Somewhere in the other parts of city Avni was sitting in a car looking at passing markets and places with sparkling eyes. As the driver took left turn she immediately stopped him.

Avni: bhaiya doosri taraf jana hai yaha nahi...

Driver: par madam cab jis hotel ke liye book huyi thi woh to isi taraf hai na...

Avni: haan...par mujhe pehle kahi aur jana hai... Aao chaliye main directions bata deti hoon.

The driver nodded. Avni directed him to a place. It was isolated kind of place far away from city noise. Smile appeared on her fac along with tears in her eyes.

As soon as she placed her feet on the ground she felt a strange emotion in her heart... she knew what it was.

she gazed at the sky which showed light traces of rainy clouds. A light smile followed her lips.

All these years she had yearned to be in the City where her heart is.

Mumbai had all of the emotions of her life be it the fear she had of dayavanti or the respect she had for bebe.

the hatred she had felt for Ashish or the love she had for Prakash.

Each and every phase of her life had a bit of Mumbai in it.

This city was special for her because of the love of her life. This place where she stood now was the place she met her love...her Neil... for the first time.

The cliff.

This cliff is the sole witness of their first meet. This cliff is the only one to see their confession. This cliff is not less than a temple for avni. If she had not met Neil here what would would have been her life. Revenge saga would have been continued with eventual loss of each and everything she had that time.

Her hands went into her purse and dug out a small ring.... the symbol of her love... she smiled looking at the ring.

Other side Neil drove to his favorite place of solace.

The cliff.

The significance this cliff have in their love story cannot be described in words.

He parked the car at a distance. A strange feel had clouded his mind.

Avni was smiling. she looked at the sky and then at the ring.

She had a smile on her lips but but tears in her eyes. she kissed the small diamond on the ring and placed it close to to her heart she closed her eyes feeling warmth of Neil around her.

She opened her eyes and sighed.

Rainy winds started blowing. She turned and went back to the cab.

Other side Neil walked up to the cliff.

All the memories of their first meet came flashing into his eyes. He recalled Avni confessing Her love for him. He saw Avni trapped in in fire at Vidyut place.

Neil tried to control his emotions but failed miserably. He sat on his knees crying for Avni.

The rain started pouring.

Neil sat there drenching himself in that running water. His tears mixed with the water and made their way down his cheeks.

Neil recalled avni wiping his tears in the shower.

Neil: ab to behte paani mein mere aansu ponchne wala bhi koi nahi hai avni.... I miss you... I love you.... I love you avni (shouts)

His voice was absorbed by the rain drops making others deaf for them.

Other side avni sat in the car looking at the falling drops hitting her face from the window.

A song plays on the car radio...

Tere nishaan yaadon mein hain
Tu kyun nahi taqdeer mein
Nadaan dil hai dhoondta
Qurbat teri tasveer mein

Mumkin nahin hai tujhko bhulaana
Mumkin nahin hai tujhko bhulaana
Dekhe Khudaya do aashiqaan diyaan tabahiyan
Ve badi lambiyaan si judaiyaan

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Hope you liked it.

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Take care.
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