Niharika's POV

My heartbeat was racing. My eyes welled up with tears as Raghav's words rang in my ears. 

What if he actually has a past or present clinging to him? O! Lord, not 'present' at least. I can still adjust with a past. 

Wiping my tears, I maintained my composure as I got off the car in front of the gate of University Girls Hostel. I saw Raghav and Arpit sitting nervous in a cafe beside the hostel as Shristi reached out to call Raghav. It was already evening as the hustle-bustle of the campus seemed to be quietened.

We went inside and sat in front of them. 

Arpit and Raghav were both looking at each other. Raghav pressed the palm of Arpit signalling to speak up. 

"Nih.., Niharika, I..I.. am sorry. It's all.. it's all because of me." Arpit said stuttering as he controlled his tears.

My world shattered at once. My worst fear was in front of me. 

Fighting my tears, hiding my emotions and maintaining my composure, I said in a professional monotone, "Bother telling me what the f*ck is happening?", taking a deep breath. 

Raghav spoke up this time. I was feeling weak and hence, it was easier to handle an employee's voice then hearing my own boyfriend. He said, "Madam, it is shear case of jealousy. It's about 8 years ago in France. I have mailed the copy of the complaint collecting it from the professor in chair at the University of Paris. There's also a video as evidence. Please check."

I fumbled in my pockets to find my phone and opened my email, wishing everything to be fine. O! Lord, you took my parents away from me, please don't take him too. I wished keeping my negative thoughts aside. 

I saw it was a copy of complaint of a case of sexual harassment. My eyes widened with shock. I wanted to cry but I had to behave strong. I can't cry in public for a boyfriend with a history of sexual harassment. Did Arpit really assaulted someone? The thought itself clinched me. 

Calming my head, I read further and was shocked to the core. How could people get so low? I wondered. 

A girl, Kajal Chaudhary, had threatened him to register a complaint of sexual harassment against Arpit. He had filed a complaint against her. I realized after reading the complaint. I was a bit relaxed. I felt lighter. I thanked god that he wasn't involved in harassing someone. 

I wondered the reason for all this and my hands trembled as I played the video putting my headphones on. I took deep breaths to remain calm. I wished somewhere in my heart that he shouldn't have past with her. My doubts were clear after watching the video.

I faced Arpit to see his eyes low. Keeping my voice as low as possible, I said, "Arpit, would you look into my eyes and care to explain."

"Niharika, I was pursuing my post-doctoral degree in Paris. Yash was born. My sister had skyped me. When Kajal came. She was a young intern during her bachelors. I absolutely had no feelings for her. I considered her a colleague."

As he said this, I felt relieved. I nodded as he continued, "She proposed me. The skype call was still on. My brother-in-law began filming it. He is a memory person. I explained her that she is a good girl but I am not interested in her. She screamed and threatened me to complain against me that I sexually harassed her. I swear I didn't do anything." He wept. I felt bad seeing him weeping. 

I mumbled, "Then".

Wiping his tears, he said, "Since the evidence was shot, I complained against her for my safety. She was rusticated and I didn't keep a track of her. Everything moved on."

I trusted him. I pressed my palm over his assuring him. His eyes lit up. He mumbled a 'thank you'. 

"Raghav, I want to confront her. Come on." I said turning towards Raghav. I was raging with anger now. How could someone get so low? I wondered. 

After much argument with the authorities, the males were allowed inside the waiting room that too, amidst privacy as I demanded no staff in the waiting room. However, my position in the society worked and she was ultimately called. 

Wearing a white shear crop top and black nike shorts, she came from her room. Her hair were tied in a messy bun. Her dress was showing too much skin. 

Seeing Arpit, her eyes brightened up but was shocked looking at me. She stuttered, "Wh..what?"

"Umm.. I didn't like your photoshop skills." I bombarded her. 

"Wh..what are you talking about?", she said pretending to be unaware of everything.

Arpit opened his mouth to say something but I signalled him to stop. 

"Madam, I beg to differ but I am here to remind you that what you did is a crime. I won't mind calling police and end up your career. So, care to explain." I retorted back in a pure professional tone. 

"O! I.. I love Arpit. We...we are in a..a  relation...relationship since eight years. I can't... can't let him go." She said in a broken voice. 

My inner-me wondered that this bitch is indeed, a good actress. 

Showing her the complaint copy, I said, "Why is your voice stuttering, baby?"

"Why don't you love me, Arpit?", she said ignoring me feigning tears in her eyes. 

"Because you are a bitch." He slammed at her pushing away. "I told you earlier that I am not interested in you. You could have got anyone, idiot. Why are you doing this? Don't you respect any woman. How could you morph the pictures of any lady. Don't you have any dignity. O! I realize you are yourself a piece of shit. You didn't even cared for your dignity when you threatened me to complain against me. Shit...." Arpit shouted at the top of his voice. I, myself, trembled in fear at his anger. 

Kajal came near him, mumbling a sorry and tried to hug him again. I wondered if she had lost her mind. Wasn't she afraid of a devastated man's anger who was trying to find out the person who defamed his girlfriend's character. She was indeed, not a dignified lady, I wondered. My thoughts were broken, when I saw Arpit taking a deep breath, and pushing her away with all his strength. He said punching his fists together, "I love Niharika. Don't try to do anything to her, I swear I will kill you." 

She was fallen on the ground in a disheveled state. Maintaining her composure, she said, "I loved you but you threw me out of your life. I saw you with her one night hugging and kissing in the campus. I was jealous. I wanted you both to feel the same pain but you idiots unraveled me. I love you, Arpit. I beg you for a chance." She was crying. I wondered if she needed a doctor. 

Fuming in anger, I said, "Raghav, call the police. I will make sure her career and her dignity is completely ruined over this time."

Raghav exhibited a shocking expression on his face wondering if I were serious. I could have made sure that police locks her up but I didn't want any negative publicity for my upcoming fashion show. Plus, being a dignified woman I couldn't think of projecting my defaming pictures in media and court. 

"I am sorry. Okay, I won't come in your lives but don't ruin my job. I want money desperately to survive." She pleaded to me. 

"Mark my words, if I find you doing anything again, I will make sure you end up doing everything that your photoshopped pictures displayed. After that, I will make sure you end up in jail for long. I am leaving you this time, if you give all the copies of those pictures." I said raging in anger. 

She said, "Tho...Those are in my PC. I randomly downloaded them from internet."

I signalled Shristi to go in her room and destroy them. I was relaxed. 

As they went, Raghav asked, "Madam, no police?"

"No, Raghav. I don't want negative publicity for my fashion show but is all evidence ready for future, if needed." I asked him in a low voice for only him to hear. He nodded in assurance. He would indeed, mail them up to me. 

Arpit maintained silence for a while. He tried to apologize for something he didn't do. 

Few minutes later, Shristi came telling that everything is sorted. We went to the nearby cafe and had some food. Turning towards Raghav and Shristi, I said, "Thank you both of you. Sorry for ruining your weekend. I just have a request, please keep the relationship of me and him to yourself. I will announce myself but till then, I don't want any rumors circulating in the office."

"You can trust us." They both said in unison to which I smiled. We left the place and it was six in the evening. I was relaxed after the hectic day. 

*****

Hi guys

Hope you are like the plot. We are coming to the end. It will be going to be my first completed story. 

Thanks for your support.

Love you all

❤