Alpha CEO's 90 Day Contract

Chapter 17: Tootne Ka Dar

"Kya pari maan gayi?" Aarav ne poocha. Uski badi-badi aankhon me sawaal tha.

Vivaan ne halki si saans li aur Anaya ka haath apne haath me le liya. Terrace ki thandi hawa chal rahi thi. Neeche garden ki roshniyan chamak rahi thi.

Vivaan bola, "Pari ne pehle mana kar diya tha. Usne kaha... raja ke mahal me jhooth bahut hai. Wada aksar toote hain."

Anaya ne Vivaan ki taraf dekha. Uske chehre pe chaand ki roshni pad rahi thi. Vivaan ki ungliyaan Anaya ki ungliyon ko dheere se masal rahi thi.

"Kya hua phir?" Aarav beech me bol pada.

"Phir raja ne ek kaam kiya," Vivaan muskuraya. "Usne apna taaj utaar kar pari ke kadmon me rakh diya. Bola, 'Main raja nahi, sirf ek aadmi hu. Aur aadmi se wada karta hu ki main tumhe kabhi akela nahi hone dunga.'"

Aarav taali bajane laga. "Fir? Fir pari maan gayi?"

"Haan," Vivaan ne kaha. "Pari maan gayi. Kyunki usne raja ki aankhon me dar dekha. Tootne ka dar."

Ye kehte hi Vivaan ki nazar Anaya se mili. Anaya ka dil ek pal ke liye ruk sa gaya. Vivaan us kahani me kya kehna chahta tha?

Raat ke 11 baj gaye the. Aarav ko neend aa rahi thi. Vivaan usko god me utha kar kamre me le gaya. Anaya peeche-peeche aayi.

Aarav so gaya to Vivaan aur Anaya wapas terrace pe aa gaye. Dono ke beech khamoshi thi. Par wo khamoshi ajeeb nahi thi. Sukoon wali thi.

"Kahani acchi thi," Anaya dheere se boli.

"Jhoothi thi," Vivaan hasa.

"Kaunsi wali?"

"Raja wali bhi... aur hum wali bhi."

Anaya chaunk gayi. "Hum wali?"

Vivaan railing ke sahare khada ho gaya. "90 din ka contract, Anaya. Yaad hai? Isme wada kahan hai? Sab khatam hone wala hai."

Anaya ka dil baith gaya. Pichle 15 din kitne ache guzre the. Aarav ki bimari theek ho gayi thi. Vivaan roz time pe ghar aata tha. Dono saath dinner karte the. Kabhi-kabhi raat ko terrace pe baithte the.

"To tum ye kehna chahte ho ki..." Anaya ki awaaz bharra gayi.

"Main kuch nahi kehna chahta," Vivaan beech me bol utha. "Main sirf sach yaad dila raha hu. Taki 90 din baad jab hum alag hon, to takleef kam ho."

Anaya ne aankh jhapkai. Aansu na aaye isliye aasmaan ki taraf dekhne lagi.

"Tumhe takleef hogi?" Anaya ne poocha.

Vivaan chup raha. 2 minute tak sirf hawa ki awaaz aati rahi.

"Mujhe aadat nahi hai kisi ki," Vivaan bola. "Main Alpha hu. CEOs rote nahi."

Anaya ne kadwa sa hasa. "Aur aurtein? Unhe rona chahiye?"

Vivaan ne jhat se uski taraf dekha. "Mera wo matlab nahi tha."

"To matlab kya tha Vivaan?" Anaya bhi ab khadi ho gayi. "Tum roz subah mere liye coffee banate ho. Aarav ko school chhodne jaate ho. Raat ko usko kahani sunate ho. Ye sab contract ka hissa hai?"

Vivaan ne jawab nahi diya.

"Jawab do," Anaya ki awaaz tez ho gayi. "Kya ye sab drama hai? Taki board meeting me tum 'family man' dikho?"

Vivaan ek kadam aage badha. "Anaya, dheemi awaaz."

"Nahi!" Anaya chilla padi. "Tumne hi kaha tha na... jhooth aur wada saath nahi rehte. To ye kya hai?"

Vivaan ne dono haathon se apna chehra masla. Wo thak gaya tha. Company me naya takeover, board ka pressure, aur upar se ye... ye ladki jo uske control se bahar ja rahi thi.

"Kyunki main confuse hu, Anaya," Vivaan aakhir bola. Uski awaaz dheemi thi. "Main 32 saal se sirf business janta hu. Deal, profit, loss. Par tum... tumne 15 din me meri zindagi me shor bhar diya. Aarav ki hasi, teri zid, tere haath ki chai... ye sab deal me nahi likha tha."

Anaya ki saans tez chal rahi thi. "To phir?"

"To phir dar lagta hai," Vivaan ne sach bol diya. "Agar main ye maan lu ki mujhe tum dono ki aadat ho gayi hai, aur 90 din baad tum chali gayi... to main toot jaunga. Aur Alpha CEO kabhi tootta nahi."

Ye sunke Anaya ki aankhon me paani aa gaya. Itne din se jis patthar dil aadmi ko dekha tha, aaj wo dar raha tha.

Anaya Vivaan ke paas aayi. Usne apna haath Vivaan ke gaal pe rakha. Vivaan ne aankh band kar li.

"To mat daro," Anaya fusfusai. "Wada mat karo. Bas aaj ke liye saath raho. Kal ka sochte hain kal."

Vivaan ne aankh kholi. Anaya ke chehre pe chaand ki roshni thi. Aur us roshni me Vivaan ko apna akaelapan dikh raha tha.

Usne achanak Anaya ko apni baahon me bhar liya. Kas kar. Itna kas kar ki Anaya ki saans atak gayi.

"Kal ka nahi pata," Vivaan Anaya ke baalon me bola. "Par aaj... aaj tum mere saath ho. Bas yahi sach hai."

Anaya ne bhi usko jor se pakad liya. 90 din ka contract us pal kahi door chala gaya.

Agle din subah

Vivaan jaldi uth gaya. Usne coffee banayi. 2 cup. Ek apne liye, ek Anaya ke liye.

Jab wo bedroom me gaya to Anaya abhi so rahi thi. Baal chehre pe phail gaye the. Vivaan ne dheere se cup table pe rakha aur Anaya ke maathe pe ek choti si kiss ki.

Anaya ne aankh kholi. "Subah ho gayi?"

"Ho gayi," Vivaan muskuraya. "Utho. Aaj humein ek jagah jana hai."

"Nashte ke baad?"

"Nashte se pehle."

1 ghante baad dono car me the. Aarav peeche baitha chocolate kha raha tha.

"Kahan ja rahe hain Jiju?"

"Ek surprise hai," Vivaan ne steering pakda.

Car sheher se bahar nikli aur 30 min baad ek chhote se hospital ke saamne ruki. Board pe likha tha: "Aarav Children Ward - Donated by Vivaan Khanna Group"

Anaya ka muh khula ka reh gaya. "Ye... ye kya hai?"

"3 mahine pehle jab Aarav admit tha," Vivaan bola, "to maine wada kiya tha khud se. Agar wo theek ho gaya to main yahan 10 bed donate karunga. Taki kisi aur maa ko paise ke liye contract na sign karna pade."

Anaya ki aankhen bhar aayi. Usne Vivaan ka haath pakda.

"Tumne kaha tha na... Alpha CEOs rote nahi," Anaya boli.

"Main ro nahi raha," Vivaan ne jhooth bola. Par uski awaaz kaamp rahi thi.

Aarav khushi-khushi andar bhaga. Nurses ne usko pehchan liya. Sabne Vivaan aur Anaya ka shukriya kiya.

Wapas aate waqt car me khamoshi thi. Par ye wali khamoshi wali nahi thi.

"Agar 90 din baad..." Anaya ne baat shuru ki.

"Shhh," Vivaan ne usko roka. "Maine kaha na. Kal ka sochte hain kal."

Shaam ko ghar aakar Vivaan ko urgent call aaya. Board meeting. Singapore me. Kal subah ki flight.

"Kitne din?" Anaya ne poocha.

"3 din," Vivaan ne suitcase band kiya.

"Akeli?"

"Tum akeli nahi ho," Vivaan ne uska chehra haathon me liya. "Aarav hai. Staff hai. Aur main... main roz video call karunga. Wada."

Flight se pehle airport pe Vivaan ne Anaya ko gale lagaya. Bahut log dekh rahe the. Par Vivaan ko farak nahi pada.

"Apna khayal rakhna," Vivaan bola.

"Tum bhi," Anaya ne kaha.

Jaise hi Vivaan andar gaya, Anaya ka phone baja. Unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Anaya Sharma?" Aawaz ek aurat ki thi. Thandi aur tez.

"Kaun?"

"Main Naina Khanna bol rahi hu. Vivaan ki mangetar."

Anaya ke haath se phone girte-girte bacha.

"Dekho Anaya," Naina boli. "Tum jaisi ladkiyon ko main samajhti hu. Paise ke liye contract. Par 90 din khatam hone wale hain. Vivaan wapas mere paas aayega. Tum beech me mat aana. Warna anjaam bura hoga."

Phone cut ho gaya.

Anaya wahi airport ke bahar khadi reh gayi. Haath kaamp rahe the.

90 din. Contract. Ek jhooth.

Aur ab ek nayi sachchai saamne aa gayi thi.

Vivaan ki mangetar.

Anaya ne upar dekha. Jahaz ud chuka tha

Phone cut ho gaya.

Anaya wahi airport ke bahar khadi reh gayi. Haath kaamp rahe the.

90 din. Contract. Ek jhooth.

Aur ab ek nayi sachchai saamne aa gayi thi.

Vivaan ki mangetar.

Anaya ne upar dekha. Jahaz ud chuka tha.

Cab book ki aur ghar aa gayi. Aarav TV me cartoon dekh raha tha.

"Jiji tum ro rahi ho?" Aarav ne poocha.

Anaya ne jaldi se aankh ponchi. "Nahi beta. Aankh me dhool chali gayi."

Raat bhar neend nahi aayi. Har 10 min me phone check karti. Vivaan ka 1 message bhi nahi.

Subah 6 baje Vivaan ka call aaya. Video call.

Anaya ne 2 ring ke baad uthaya. Par camera on nahi kiya.

"Bolo," Anaya ki awaaz bilkul sadi thi.

"Anaya tum theek ho?" Vivaan ki awaaz me thakaan thi. "Main meeting me hu. Bas 2 min mila."

"Haan theek hu."

"Aarav?"

"So raha hai."

Khamoshi.

"Anaya... kisi ne call kiya tha kya?" Vivaan ne dheere se poocha.

Anaya ka dil baith gaya. "Kyu? Tumhe kaise pata?"

"Bas... aise hi. Apna khayal rakhna. Main shaam tak call karta hu."

Phone cut.

Shaam ko 7 baje darwaze ki bell baji.

Anaya ne darwaza khola. Saamne Naina khadi thi. Cream color ki saree, heele wale sandal, aur haath me Gucci ka bag.

"Andar aa sakti hu?" Naina ne nakli smile ke saath poocha.

Anaya ne side hata kar rasta diya.

Sofa pe baithte hi Naina boli, "Chai ki zaroorat nahi. Main 5 min me jaa rahi hu."

"Kya kaam hai?" Anaya ne seedha poocha.

Naina ne bag se ek cheque nikala. 50,00,000 likha hua tha.

"Ye lo. 90 din khatam hone se pehle chali jao. Vivaan aur company dono bach jayenge."

Anaya ne cheque ki taraf dekha bhi nahi.

"Tumhe lagta hai main paise ke liye yahan hu?"

"To kis liye? Aarav ke liye?" Naina hasi. "Aarav ka ilaaj Vivaan ne karaya. Ehsaan utaar chuki. Ab niklo."

Anaya ki aankh bhar aayi par usne aansu roke.

"Mujhe 1 din do. Main soch kar bataungi."

"24 ghante," Naina uthi. "Uske baad ye news har channel pe hogi. 'Alpha CEO ne 90 din ke liye biwi rent pe li'. Soch lena Aarav ke future ke baare me."

Naina jaane lagi to ruk kar boli, "Aur haan... Vivaan se kehna mat. Wo kamzor pad jata hai."

Darwaza band hote hi Anaya zameen pe baith gayi. Cheque abhi bhi table pe pada tha.

Raat ke 12 baje Vivaan ka message aaya:

_"Delhi wapas aa raha hu. Subah 5 baje ki flight. Tumse baat karni hai. Bahut zaroori."_

Anaya ne phone band kar diya.

Khidki se bahar baarish shuru ho gayi thi.

90 din ka contract.

Aur ab dil bhi contract maang raha tha... par shartein koi nahi bata raha tha.

_To be continued..._