Chapter 05:

The ultimate truth of life is, it goes on. No matter, whatever happens, the journey continued.

Some days passed and now, Neil was not much angry with Avni and a soft corner had been made for Avni in his heart.

One day, Avni was standing in Neil's cabin. Neil was studying the file and he asked while looking at the file.

Neil: Miss, Mehta, bring Shah enterprise's file from the shelf.

Avni nodded.

Avni: sure, sir.

Avni goes to the shelf and was finding the file but didn't get that.

Neil: did you get the file?

Avni: no, sir, it is not here.

Neil looked there and he can see that file by sitting on his chair. Avni was searching the file and Neil came from behind and pulled out the file. Avni flinched and turned. Avni was about to fall but Neil caught her on time. Neil's hands were at Avni's back and he was holding a box file in one hand. Their eyes lock. They were lost in each other's eyes and Avni broke the eye lock and Neil came back to reality. Neil helped Avni to stand. They both were feeling awkward and Avni kept her hair behind her ear. Neil looked at Avni and then he looked away.

Neil: ab, file.

Neil looked at Avni who nodded by looking down. Neil turned and goes. Avni was behind him. Avni stood at the other side of the table.

Neil signed the papers and gave Avni.

Avni: thank you, sir.

Avni hurriedly goes from there and Neil was looking at her.

Neil: what is this happening with me?

Neil thinks.

On the other side, Avni came and sat on the chair. She checked her heartbeat by keeping her hand on her heart.

Avni: why my heart is not in my control?

Avni thinks.

Avni: no, Avni, he is your boss. Don't think negative.

Avni thinks and then she involved herself in work to divert her mind.

Like this, Neil started to get attracted to Avni but, he was not ready to accept it.

One day, Neil was staring at someone by standing near the glass window and a smile was stuck on his lips. He was staring at the cute and sweet Avni Mehta who was working at her desk and she was smiling, her hair was flying in the air and Neil was smiling to see her and when Avni turned her face. Neil also saw where Avni is looking, he was shocked to see Karan who was sitting at his desk and was working and talking with Avni. Neil clenched his fist and then something struck in his mind.

Neil in mind: why I am getting jealous?

Neil thinks.

Neil: No, they are talking during working hours that’s why I am getting angry. Yes.

Neil looked at them.

On the other side, Avni was talking to Karan and was working on the computer.

Avni: yeah.

Karan smiled.

Person: you both come here to work or talk?

Avni and Karan looked at him and they got up. Neil was looking at them sternly. Avni and Karan looked down.

Avni: sorry, sir.

Neil; you better be.

Avni raised her eyes and then she looked down.

Neil: come to my cabin, Miss Mehta, with your work.

Avni nodded. Neil glared at them and then Neil goes. Avni was looking at them. Avni thinks.

Neil was checking Avni’s work and he closed the file in anger. Avni closed her eyes.

Neil: what is this garbage? I will show this work to my clients?

Avni was hurt.

Avni: Sir, you gave me two days to complete it and I have one more day.

Neil: You didn’t even do half of the work. When will it completed?

Avni remained silent. Neil threw the file near Avni on the table and Avni flinched.

Neil: go and do your work and yes, next time, I will not see you with Karan.

Avni looked at Neil because she felt strange.

Neil: got it.

Avni nodded by looking down. Neil nodded.

Neil: good. Now, you can go.

Avni picked up the file and she goes. Neil was looking at her and he thinks.

Like this, Neil got jealous if he saw someone with Avni especially when she smiles with them and now that things were frustrating him.

One day, Neil came office but Avni was not present there. Neil saw that and he thinks and then he goes. Neil came to his cabin and he sat on the chair. He started his day but Avni’s absence was disturbing him soon, he got involved in his work.

The clock struck 10 o’clock, Neil, Prakash and others were present in the meeting room and everyone was waiting for Avni who didn’t come yet. Neil was sitting by keeping his elbow on the chair and his thumb and finger were on his lips.

The door opened and Avni entered in a hurry. She was panting and everyone looked at her. Neil was disappointed with her. Avni came forward. She gulped.

Avni: sorry, sir. Sorry, everyone. I got late.

Prakash: it’s ok. You start the presentation.

Avni nodded and she goes to the projector and did arrangements. Avni kept her hair behind her ear with her both hands. Avni licked her lips and Neil looked down. Avni gave the presentation and everyone was impressed with her including Neil but Neil was disappointed with her habit of coming late and he was angry too.

Prakash: good job.

Man: yes, impressive.

Neil felt proud of Avni who smiled but when she looked at Neil, her smile faded to see Neil who looked away.

Later, Neil banged the file on the table. Avni flinched. Prakash was also present in Neil's cabin.

Prakash: Neil…

Neil: dad, please, not this time. Please don’t get involved in it.

Prakash kept his hand down. Avni was looking down.

Neil: what did you think of yourself, Miss Mehta? Hmm?

No reply.

Neil: who are you? The owner of this copy?

No reply. Prakash was looking at her.

Neil: hmm? Answer me.

Avni shook her head by looking down.

Neil: no?

Avni shook her head.

Neil banged his hands on the table.

Neil: then why do you always come late?

Avni flinched.

Prakash: Neil, behave.

Neil: what behave, dad? What behave? Do you have even an idea what would have happened if she did not reach on time?

Prakash looked down. Neil turned to Avni.

Neil: answer me, why did you get late? Do you even feel any responsibility or not?

No answer. Neil leaned to the table.

Neil: you know, what, Miss Mehta? You are good for nothing.

Avni closed her eyes and clenched her fist to control her anger. She can bear anything but false allegations? No, she can’t bear that.

Neil: did you hear me? You are good for nothing, Miss Mehta.

Neil shouted: you are good for nothing.

Neil looked at Avni.

Neil: Don't know why I gave you this job.

Prakash: why did you come late, Avni?

Avni looked at Prakash. Neil looked away in anger.

Prakash: come with me.

Prakash came to Avni and he took Avni with her. Neil looked at them angrily.

Prakash passed a glass of water to Avni who was sitting on the chair and then Prakash sat on the chair next to hers. Avni gulped the water by looking down.

Prakash: now, tell me what is the matter?

Avni remained silent.

Prakash: see, I am like your father. You can share your problem with me. So, tell me.

Avni looked at Prakash with teary eyes. Prakash was looking at her.

Later, Neil, Prakash and Avni were present in Neil’s cabin. Neil was shocked.

Neil: what? Dad, this girl?

Prakash: yes, she. Why not, what is the problem with her?

Neil glared at Avni who was looking down.

Neil: I am sorry, Dad, but I can’t take her with me to Jaipur.

Prakash: she is the best, Neil.

Neil: even, after today’s incident, you are saying this?

Prakash: yes, I am saying this after seeing her today’s presentation.

Neil looked away.

Avni: sir, I am sorry for today, I have my own personal reason but I promise, I will give my best in this project.

Neil surrendered. He sighed.

Neil: ok, let’s see.

Prakash smiled.

Avni: thank you, sir.

Neil looked at Avni.

Avni goes from there. Neil was looking at her.

Neil and Prakash were going to the couch. A file was in Prakash’s hand.

Prakash: talk nicely with her.

They go to sit on the couch. Neil sighed and sat.

Prakash: don’t shout at her like this.

Neil: can’t you see her mistakes?

Prakash made a face.

Neil: I know that you all liked Avni but can’t you people see her mistakes? I don’t have any personal enmity with there but she does such mistakes that irritate me.

Prakash: she is helpless.

Neil: now what new story she told you?

Prakash: not the story but the reality. You know, whose daughter she is?

Neil: whose?

Prakash: Ashish Mehta.

Neil frowned.

Neil: Who is Ashish Mehta?

Prakash: the Ashish Mehta. That business tycoon who was on the top for ten years.

Neil: the owner of Mehta enterprise?

Prakash: yes.

Neil was shocked. Prakash picked up the file from the table and he opened the file. Prakash showed Avni’s file to him. Neil was shocked to see that and he took the file and he saw Avni’s biodata. Neil was shocked.

Neil: but he died some years ago.

Prakash: yes, his brother fraudulently transferred all his property to its name and Ashish Mehta was not able be bear that his own brother played with him and he died by heart attack.

Neil was shocked.

Neil: ok, fine, she is Ashish Mehta’s daughter but how it is linked with her coming late?

Prakash: her mother is admitted to the hospital. Both kidneys of her are failed.

Neil was shocked.

Neil: what?

Prakash: yes. When I asked Avni then she told me that…

Flashback:

Avni and Prakash were sitting in Prakash’s cabin. Avni was holding a glass of water in her hand.

Prakash: say, my child. I know, you are Ashish Mehta’s daughter.

Avni looked at Prakash shockingly.

Prakash: how did this all happen? How, you. Here? How?

Avni looked down.

Prakash: say, something, bacha.

Avni looked at Prakash because her mother is used to call her bacha and the first time after her father’s death, someone asked her that he is like her father because from Youngers to older, people are used to looking at her that they will eat her. Avni saw a father image in him. Avni got emotional.

Avni narrated while the flashback was running.

Avni:Yes, I am Ashish Mehta's daughter. My father was used to trust his brother blindly and wherever, my uncle asked him, he just signs that paper without reading and asking anything and my uncle took the advantage of it. My uncle fraudulently transferred all the property of my father in his name and when my father got to know about it, he could not bear that trauma and he… the reason was a heart attack.

Avni sighed and Prakash was shocked.

Avni: I and mamma, we both were unaware of that and when the lawyer read my father’s will then we were shocked to hear that my father gave all the property to his brother and then everything was clear like a crystal in front of our eyes. We understood that he did fraud. My uncle just threw us out of our home but fortunately, one apartment’s papers were on my and my mother’s name so we shifted there. After papa’s death, mamma was mostly ill and then because of stress and trauma, her both kidneys failed to work.

Prakash was shocked.

Prakash: after that, her all responsibility was on my shoulder. The expenses increased because of her treatment. I started finding work and then after a lot of struggle, I got the job here. Now the biggest question and problem was that how will I manage. If I go to the office then who will take mamma for the dialysis? She has to go for that three times a week and what if her health will get worse then who will take her in my absence. Many questions were in my mind but the answer, zero. Then, I got only one way, I admitted her to the hospital. At least, if something happens then they will treat her on time. It increased the expenses but nothing is more important than my mother.

Prakash felt pity on her. Avni looked at Prakash.

Avni: I am not a careless person but what do I do? I am helpless. Today’s morning, I was all ready but I got a call from the hospital that my mother is serious so, I went there in hurry and forgot to inform here in tension. I am not careless.

Avni looked down.

Avni: I am not.

Prakash kept his hand on Avni’s head and Avni squeezed her eyes. Prakash was feeling bad for her.

Flashback ends.

Neil was looking at Prakash with tearful eyes and he gulped. His throat was aching. Prakash sighed.

Prakash: she has suffered a lot, Neil.

Neil looked down and wiped his eyes because he doesn’t want to show his tears to his father. Neil sighed. Prakash looked at Neil.

Neil: in which hospital, her mother is admitted?

Prakash: care hospital.

Neil was surprised.

Neil: It is an expensive hospital.

Prakash nodded.

Prakash: yes. She wants best from her. I offered her help but she being self-sufficient refused to take help from me.

Neil was looking at him. Neil thinks.

Prakash: don’t shout at her. Sometimes, we have to show humanity and understand other person’s problems, its condition. Hmm.

Neil nodded by looking down.

Prakash: good.

Neil looked at him and he smiled.

Later, Avni was working on the desktop and Neil was looking at her by standing near the glass window. Neil can see the innocence on her face, he can see the pain in her deep eyes. Neil was admiring the innocent soul but something changed his expression into a frown and then anger. Neil fists his hand and clenched it tightly. Neil was shaking in anger.