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Verna Police Station, Goa

"Ravi... Ravi something terrible will befall on me, Ravi call inspector Deshmukh. Please, I want to see Nuska now. Are you hearing? I want to see her now yaar!" tears were rolling down Zaid cheeks who was in the Police Station for interrogation and policemen there weren't allowing him to leave.

Hearing Ravi's pieces of advices from the other side on the call, Zaid disconnected it sitting on the floor grabbing his curly hair under his fists.

"Nuska, how are you doing right now? I pray, beg, tear my heart before God to let me know a bit of your condition.

But, but, why? It ended before it started. She was so close to me and in a blink she's lost. Nuska! Don't leave my side. Be with me. Oh God! Is it my loving of the people that you bestow them with pain and sorrow? I swear I won't love anyone, never ever that'd happen. First you took away Maa and now -"

His agony seemed endless and he was twisting in the unseen and unforeseen torture. He felt like crying and drowning into his own tears as he wasn't allowed to leave for hospital where Nuska was admitted after being injured by Bhushan's crazy molestation.

"Why aren't you all just letting me go, I've accepted my part of the role in his death and I gave you all the statements! So just leave me for God's sake and let me see Nuska!"

One of the police staff went close to Zaid who was inside the interrogation room. Watching him through the translucent glass sheet he said, "sir, we cannot let you go outside as media and people have jammed the area of your company and this police station also. And it is Mr. Deshmukh's order to keep you here until comes here personally and have a word with you."

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Public Hospitals Bambolim, Goa

"Sir... it's hurting me..."

"Sir, I'm not at all comfortable..."

"Sir! Sir, please sir, please..."

"Please, leave me sir... leave me..."

"Aadarsh sir, please don't do this..."

"SAVE MEEE SOMEBODY!", cried Nuska even in the state of anesthesia on the hospital bed experiencing one of the worst nightmares that was attached to her slumber as well as to her fate when she was 16.

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On that evening, Nuska's parents, Nisthar and Saima, were spending their quality time in the nearest park until their son Abdullah returned home from his science classes.

"Ji, when will Nuska return?" Saima asked her husband.

"She said she would return within two days. Let me call and ask her," said her father while taking his phone out of his pant's pocket.

He was about to to dial her number when his phone flashed with an unknown number. After exchanging a glance with his wife, he picked up the call.

"Hullo? Is this Mohammed Nisthar?" the voice questioned from the other side.

"Yes, I'm the same person. Tell me," asked Mohammed Nisthar in a cool manner.

"Okay, hullo Sir, I am Ravi Bhattacharya, from KSE," Ravi gulped before wishing him.

Saima heard and recognized the term "KSE" she grinned happily and synced her lips telling her husband, "the call is from Nusu's company! Let me also know what good news we are getting."

Nisthar smiled back at his wife.

"Oh Hullo Mr. Ravi. May I know why you have called me?" Nisthar asked still wearing the gentle smile on his face in order to calm the curiosity of his wife who was delightened much to his concern.

"My matter is concerned with your daughter, sir," the voice trembled in hesitation.

"My daughter... Nuska... yes please tell me what's the matter. And sir where is Nuska if that also you could tell me..." this time expression of the father turned flat and he sensed a strange downfall in his energy.

"Yes, Mr. Nisthar, we were about to inform you about this earlier but it took us quite bad time..." the voice of Ravi was shedding remorse and the line between Nisthar's anticipation and Ravi's answer started torturing him without taking his permission.

"Please tell me what has happened," he said without looking at his wife beside who clutched her heart in tension.

"Sir, aa... actually... Miss Nuska was all about fine yesterday..."

"...yesterday... Nuska... what happened? I pray you don't deafen my ears with something unexpected..." said Nisthar with his shaking lips that was read by his wife and her heart started wrenching in uneasiness.

"What happened ji? My Nusu is okay na? Please tell me. What is he saying?" Saima was all about sobbing that moment. Her tears were pricking eyes of Nisthar and prediction of Ravi's unspoken statement was grilling his heart.

"Mr. Ravi! Please tell me where is Nuska. Where is my daughter please tell me!" he started barking in the phone helplessly as the parent couple fall on their knees in consonance.

On the other side, Ravi disconnected the call and fall on the chair collapsing.

"I didn't know it would be that difficult to tell a girl's parents that their daughter was almost raped."

He cupped his head in stress and raised it again to turn his rotating chair behind to Natasha, his colleague and a loyal employee of Zaid.

Natasha looked at his pitiable condition and came close to him, "Ravi, telling the girl's parents is indeedly the hardest task. But do you see what has the news channels and media made of us. Women staff have reported this issue in the labour union committee. Police team have captured the compound of our company and all the directors of KSE are under police custody, except for Varishth boss who is admitted in the Healing Hub. He'll too be taken into the charges soon because Bhushan boss was his son only. The matter is a mixture of two different criminal cases - a rape and a murder. And why Zaid boss, Ravi? what is this happening? Why is he targeted? And more importantly how is he related to the murder of Bhushan boss and rape of the girl? All of a sudden the ground of our company have shaken every corner of our pillars..."

"Natasha, stop this or my head can get ruptured anytime," said Ravi wiping sweat of his temple.

As soon as they sighed together, the cellphone of Ravi started ringing, giving a mini heart attack to both of them.

"Ravi, I think you should pick up the call," said Natasha almost in scare.

~~~~~

"They've again disconnected my call," shouted Nisthar angrily and caressing head of his frightened wife he said, "don't worry Saima, somebody must've joked with us. Our Nuska is completely fine. Let me make a call to her..."

Nisthar was about to dial Nuska's number when he heard cry of his son who came out of the house and ran like mad dog and collided hugging his mother with tears in his eyes.

"Ammi! Ammi! This can't happen to aapi. Ammi do something!" he went on in hiccups and his innocent face appeared pale in horror.

The parents, both of them, looked at each other and and cupping Abdullah's face they looked into his eyes, "What has happened to Nuska, Abdul?"

"Papa, Ammi... they... they... "

"Who? What, Abdul?"

"Ammi, they are giving very bad news in TV about aapi."

Two pairs of old eyes and both behind glasses opened wide in shock unleashing the pools of sorrow that knew no count.

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Varishth Sarkar was laid in a private room with no attendant around. He was burning in grief and shock of what had happened to his happy life. He was not in a condition to feel or say anything. He couldn't accept two facts, first that his son had tried to rape an innocent girl and that too an employee of their company and second, that his only son was no more.

Each time those two evident truths rushed into his thoughts and he'd feel like ending up his life then and there. Unfortunately, he, as a business leader, was subdued to act professionally and had to accept it with a courage to fight back against all the injustice that were about to pop up as a result of preceding havoc.

Yet deep inside his mind the only thing running was how much he had failed as a father. He had given all the freedom to his son and even beyond that but as a father he didn't teach him what was right and what was wrong. He too enjoyed with his son when he drank and he too had flirt with girls just like his son.

Like father, like son.

To be honest, he was the one who inspired Bhushan and gave him an indirect training to become insane. Even when his son touched another girl he had not stopped him.

He was deep in his sorrowful thoughts when Aadam Khan, his best friend walked in. He closed his eyes and sighed.

I am ashamed of having a son like him, he thought angrily.

"Varishth," Aadam called him.

"Hmm," he hummed as a response.

"Bhushan's body is sent for post mortem, as soon as we receive the reports police will investigate into the matter and after receiving his body we shall look forward to cremate it," Aadam said with a little difficulty while sitting next to Varshith on the bed.

"Okay", Varishth replied running his hands through his hair, hiding his dampened eyes.

After few minutes of silence, Aadam kept his hand on Varishth's shoulder to bring him out of his thoughts.

"Varishth listen, this isn't your fault, okay?" Aadam said but he remained silent.

"Varishth?" Aadam called.

"yeah?"

"I said this isn't your fault"

"Okay," Varishth replied.

"Don't hold back your emotions, let it out Varshith you will feel better," said Aadam.

After a few minutes of silence Varishth finally spoke, "I failed as a father, Aadam. I never thought Bhushan would do this, I am ashamed to call him my son." Varishth cried.

"But it hurts to know that he is no more," he added after few minutes.

"It is all God's plan, Varishth. But listen, I agree what he did was completely wrong and no one can forgive him for this but know that Bhushan wouldn't have done this if he was in his senses. He was drunk and that's why he had tried to touch Nuska. Everything is done now, we cannot undo it no matter what happens so pray for your son and of course pray for Nuska too," Aadam tried to console his friend.

"I don't have anyone else now, Aadam. He was my only support after my wife left me," Varishth bellowed in grief.

"What about me? And Zaid? I thought we are also your family."

"Yes both of you are my family but no one can replace my son's place, Aadam."

"I understand but know that I and Zaid, both of us, will always be there for you. Yes, we can't replace him but we will give you enough love and support that you deserve. Don't blame yourself for all what has happened. Relax and pray for your son."

"Sure and thank you Aadam... but... but it is now that my eyes have seen the reality... no fun, wealth, pleasure, power is meaningful to me now... I wish I had made my son like your son Zaid, I wish Zaid was my son."

Aadam was dumbfounded hearing this words from Varishth's mouth not because he was hearing it for the first time because he had heard that umpteen times but this time Aadam felt his possessiveness over Zaid, as if he'd really not share his son with anyone. This realization slowly started melting Aadam's heart that how precious was Zaid. Aadam started praying in his heart for Zaid's well being unknown of an even bigger shock that would come to their disposal.

Aadam's phone rang gloomily.

"Hullo," spoke Aadam receiving the call and he surely regretted receiving it.

The information he got from the other side made him speechless as of he could not stay a second in Varishth's presence. He hanged the call and wiped his sweat on the forehead.

"I have to leave now Varishth. Zaid is in the police station, I need to go and check on him. And Nuska's parents are also coming to Goa, I need to go to the hospital too and explain things to them when they arrive."

"I am sorry on behalf of Bhushan. All of you had to face problems because of him."

"I already told you it was all God's plan. There must be something worth learning in all these," Aadam spoke but in a concealing manner, trying to avoid eye contact with Varishth.

"Yes. And... who is with Nuska in the hospital? Is she alone?"

"Nope. Ravi is with her until her parents comes here"

"Okay. Take care of yourselves"

"Sure. Take care of your self too. I will come in the night. Don't forget to have your food and medicines."

"Okay," said Varishth even though he had no idea how to take care of himself alone. He was all broken and definitely needed some time alone.

Aadam left the room, leaving a broken father to his sorrows.

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"Urgh! No! Just let me out! Let me come out and meet her. Let me see her at least once. Are you all dead or what? Get me out of here just for a minute. I want to see her. She needs me! Can't you get it? She hell needs me!" Zaid barked at the inspector who was sitting on the table in front with a nonchalant frown on his face.

"What's that glare for? Huh!" went on Zaid.

"Mr. Khan, you've, without any pressure or condition, accepted the crime of murdering your business partner Bhushan Sarkar, like yes, this is how it is... I'm asking you what's this order for? You're under my custody right now. I'm ordering to behave yourself. Let law proceed how it proceeds. And we'll not allow the captive under interrogation to meet anyone at the moment. And also you're more a temporary captive according to your confession. So, be clear or you let me record it once again, HAVE YOU MURDERED BHUSHAN SARKAR ON CHARGES OF RAPING YOUR MISTRESS?"

Clenching his jaws Zaid tightened his fists and said, "Mind your language when you mention her and yes, I'm accepting my role in killing of Bhushan because he tried to harm a respected women in my presence. But inspector please, do not talk to media about reason of killing Bhushan, I don't want Nuska's name to come into this..."

"What the hell?"

"Yes, please, make any pretence, any excuse... anything... I'm ready to accept it."

"What the f*ck?"

"Inspector I'm telling you no!"

"Shut up! You are not my dad!"

"Oh!" chuckled Zaid losing his cool. "Not your dad huh? Then you don't know how I teach lessons to creatures other than sons..."

"Mr. Khan! You are under my supervision. Each and every activity of yours is being monitored right now."

"As if I give f*cks..." Zaid turned his head to the opposite side in a jerk.

"No, no, no..." Inspector Deshmukh started laughing very horribly and began, " what do you actually want? And why Zaid? Why? Will you just let me know?"

Zaid was watching him like an adamant child who doesn't speak being forced.

"Zaid, sorry if I'm torturing you but I also, as the reminiscence of situation cannot escape my observation, know that what led to the death of Bhushan. He tried to molest the young lady and she for sake of her defence attacked him with a vase that led to his death. Simple. No exaggeration, no falsification. Then why are you choosing to wear her mask of the responsibility. Zaid, it is easy to save Nuska playing defence card but once you accept this on yourself then many things will be taken into the consideration and that will destroy more than what we expect. You'll be judged in many unpredictable ways."

"Deshmukh, I'm already shattered seeing what has happened to her. I really don't want media to highlight her pain to the world. This world is so cruel it won't allow her to live in peace in case this happens. I request you to please curb your earlier statement of killing on molestation to killing due to some personal reason and that also by me. Please Deshmukh, please," begged Zaid on the heights of humility seeing which inspector Deshmukh's heart melted.

"Zaid, I respect and adore you and if I'm considering your request then also I'll support you with all my best but let me tell you, this change in statement shall take your company into stakes that one businessman murdered his business partner due to any sort of personal issues we are going to mention this time."

"I'm ready to put everything at stakes for her."

"Zaid... Zaid, who is she to you?" asked Deshmukh perplexed.

"Half of my heart, full of my need," Zaid summarized.

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Almost 2900 words

This part is supposed to be continued as it has an equal portion attached to this. That shall be released after a round of editing. Till then enjoy this.