Rathore Mansion ke study room me shaam ka waqt tha.
Aarav Rathore desk ke paas khada tha, uski aankhen tablet ki screen par tikki hui thi.
Screen par ek naam baar-baar uske dimaag me ghoom raha tha.
Naina malhotra.
Usne dheere se saans li.
"After all these years…"
Aarav ne khud se kaha.
Usne socha bhi nahi tha ki uska past itni jaldi wapas aa jayega.
Tabhi Raghav room me aaya.
"Sir, car ready hai."
Aarav ne coat uthaya.
"Good."
Uski awaaz calm thi…
lekin aankhon me kuch aur hi chal raha tha.
Aaj usse answers chahiye the.
___________________________________________
City ke ek luxury hotel ke rooftop restaurant me halki lights chamak rahi thi.
Naina balcony ke paas khadi thi.
Uska expression bilkul calm tha, lekin uski aankhon me ek ajeeb si intensity thi.
Door se footsteps sunayi diye.
Naina ne mudkar dekha.
Aarav Rathore.
Dono kuch seconds tak bas ek dusre ko dekhte rahe.
Past ki saari memories jaise ek hi moment me laut aayi thi.
Aarav dheere-dheere uske paas aaya.
"Tum wapas kyun aayi ho, Naina?"
Uski awaaz seedhi aur cold thi.
Naina halki si muskurayi.
"Straight to the point. Same old Aarav."
Aarav ne jawab nahi diya.
Uski aankhen bas usse observe kar rahi thi.
"Tum jaante ho main kyun aayi hoon," Naina ne kaha.
Aarav ka expression thoda hard ho gaya.
"Don't play games."
Naina ne uski aankhon me seedha dekha.
"Game to tumne shuru kiya tha, Aarav."
Ye line hawa me bhaari ho gayi.
Aarav ka patience khatam ho raha tha.
"Enough."
Usne table par haath rakha.
"Tumhare father ke saath jo hua… usme mera koi haath nahi tha."
Naina ki aankhon me ek second ke liye doubt flash hua.
Lekin phir usne apna expression control kar liya.
"Really?"
Usne dheere se kaha.
"Because years ago… sab evidence tumhari taraf point kar raha tha."
Aarav kuch seconds tak chup raha.
Phir usne cold tone me kaha:
"Evidence manipulate bhi kiya ja sakta hai."
Naina thoda shocked lag rahi thi.
Ye possibility usne kabhi seriously sochi hi nahi thi.
"Tum kya kehna chahte ho?" usne poocha.
Aarav uske aur paas aaya.
"Simple."
Uski awaaz dheemi thi.
"Someone wanted us to become enemies."
Ye line sunte hi Naina ka dimaag tez chalne laga.
Agar Aarav sach bol raha hai…
toh phir unke beech jo misunderstanding hui thi…
uske peeche koi aur tha.
___________________________________________
Isi waqt…
Rathore Mansion me Meher apne room me khadi thi.
Usne phone uthaya aur Aarav ka number dial kiya.
Phone ring hua…
Lekin kisi ne pick nahi kiya.
Meher ne phone side par rakha.
Uska dimaag ajeeb thoughts se bhar raha tha.
Naina ka phone call uske dimaag me ghoom raha tha.
"Aarav ki past…"
Meher ne khud se kaha.
Usse pata tha ki Aarav dangerous aadmi hai.
Lekin uska past shayad aur bhi dangerous tha.
Aur agar Naina sach keh rahi thi…
toh Aarav ne kabhi kisi ki life barbaad bhi ki thi.
Meher ne khidki se bahar dekha.
"Tum sach me kaun ho, Aarav Rathore…"
Hotel rooftop par…
Naina aur Aarav ki baat ab serious ho chuki thi.
Naina ne Aarav ki taraf dekha.
"Agar tum sach keh rahe ho… to phir real culprit kaun hai?"
Aarav ki aankhen thodi dark ho gayi.
"That's exactly what I'm going to find out."
Naina ne deep breath li.
Phir usne ek unexpected line boli.
"Fine."
Aarav ne eyebrow raise ki.
"Fine?"
Naina ne kaha:
"Until the truth comes out… we work together."
Aarav thoda surprise hua.
"Tum mujh par trust karti ho?"
Naina ne halki si smile ki.
"Trust nahi."
Usne seedha jawab diya.
"Need."
Aarav kuch seconds tak usse dekhta raha.
Phir usne haath aage badhaya.
"Temporary alliance."
Naina ne uska haath shake kiya.
"Temporary."
Lekin dono ko nahi pata tha…
ki jis game me woh enter kar rahe the…
uska real mastermind abhi bhi shadow me chhupa hua tha.
___________________________________________
End
Aarav aur Naina sach dhundhne ke liye alliance bana chuke the…
Lekin unhe bilkul andaza nahi tha—
Ki koi un dono ki har move ko already observe kar raha tha…
Aur Chapter 9 me...Ek aisa clue milne wala hai jopooragame bada dega.