Pranbir: His redemption

Part 7

Meeting room:
Prachi connected her laptop to the projector while the others took their seat.
He remembered what happened in the washroom. He thought that it was a one time thing initially but she had the medicine with her.
It can't be the first time, but she never had panic attacks before.
Nightmares yes but never panic attacks.

He was brought back from his thoughts when Prachi's secretary talked.
He welcomed them and then it was Prachi's turn to talk.

Ranbir's phone vibrated and he checked it. It was a message from Rhea. He sighed frustratedly but was going to answer.
However he stopped when he heard the voice presenting. It wasn't Prachi's.
He looked up in confusion and noticed that she wasn't speaking, instead she used a logistic device to present.
She wrote everything that needed to be said and the robotic voice was doing all the job.

He looked around and only him and his secretary were the one who was confused. The others were happy and impressed.

He was still trying to understand what was happening when he heard the others clapping.
Prachi typed something on her phone and thy could hear the robotic voice:"any questions?"

They all looked at Ranbir, who was tight lipped. And as they all looked at him expectedly, he nodded no.
He had prepare several questions for her but didn't ask anything.
He couldn't get any word out of his mouth.

Prachi's secretary:"so what did you decide, Mr. Kohli?"
Ranbir, still surprised:"Prepare the contract papers, i will sign them."
Every employee was ver happy hearing it but he wanted to see her reaction. Just a weak smile and then nothing, absolutely nothing.

Secretary:"you can head home, i will bring the contract papers there."
Ranbir nodded and they all started to leave. Only him and Prachi were there. She was collecting her belongings.
He approached her and held her arms. He backed her off and pinned her to the wall.
Ranbir:"what the hell was this?"
She avoided all eye contact with him.

Ranbir:"answer me, Prachi. I told you that you had to present. Then why did you do this?"
All he got was silence. And she was trying to leave.

Ranbir:"you just wanted to trouble me, to show everyone that you won't listen. You wanted to be daring in front of others."
Only silence.

Ranbir:"answer me, Prachi. Freaking answer me." He punched the wall next to her angrily but she remained unfazed.
She was not going to fear him, he will never hurt her physically.
Ranbir:"ok, you don't want to speak then fine. Don't. Even i am not dying to hear your voice. You not talking to me doesn't affect me. It's fine, don't speak. I wouldn't want to hear your voice ever.
The voice you used to trap people. It's good."

Prachi heard the door opening and lightly pushed him away.

She left from there but Ranbir followed her outside the office.
She was trying to get a cab but no car was stopping. He got into his car but his hands refused to start it. His eyes were glued on her. No one was stopping.
Ranbir sighed and got down his car. He went to her and held her by the arms. He pulled her to his car and made her get in.

He was driving rashly and in full speed. He wanted her to rebuke him but half way through he realised that she didn't and will not. He looked at her indifference. He saw only that.
But she restrained herself not to talk to him.
Why?

He slowed down after that and drove at a normal pace.
Ranbir, to himself:"why is she ignoring me this much? She doesn't want to talk to me, fine but to this extent, that she didn't present the meeting. This was next level."

He brought her back to her house and on coming in, they found 2 men there.
EM was also there, he signed Prachi towards the 2 men.
Man 1:"Mrs. Prachi, fancy seeing you again. Here is another part of it."
He showed her a pendrive.
Man 2:"hope the money is also ready."

Prachi disappeared upstairs. Ranbir watched those men cautiously and was apprehensive of them.
Prachi came back and handed a stash of money to them.
Man 1:"it's always nice doing business with you, ma'am."
They handed the pendrive and left from there smirking.
The EM came to Prachi:"Baccha, for how long will you continue this?"
But he also got silence as an answer.

EM:"leave all this, the secretary told me that you had a panic attack again? You go rest, Baccha."

Ranbir, to himself:"again? Means..."
Prachi went upstairs and the EM was also leaving but Ranbir couldn't resist himself from asking.

Ranbir:"excuse me, who are these people?"
The EM looked at him.
Ranbir:"they seemed dangerous that's why i am asking."
EM:"they are. They are taking advantage of Prachi ma'am."
Ranbir looked on.
EM:"they have something that Prachi ma'am wants desperately. And they know it as well. It's a video. And they are giving it to her by parts. Since 1 and half month, ma'am is paying them. Her every hard earned money goes to them."
The EM left after that.
Ranbir was lost in his thoughts:"what kind of video that she wants so desperately?"

Ranbir's secretary sent him a message stating that he received the contract papers and had asked their legal time to check them. But it might take another day.
Ranbir looked between his phone and Prachi's room.

He can leave if he wanted, but somewhere he wanted to know what was going on in her life. Something was wrong and he could feel it.
He doesn't have to help her but can at least know. If she is in trouble, he will be happy, right?
Yes, that's the reason he wants to know.

At night:
Only Ranbir and Prachi were there. The EM and nurse were gone and she gave him his dinner.
She then disappeared in the kitchen. Once he was done, he was going to put his plate in the kitchen.
He noticed how she was boiling chocolate milk for herself and how it started falling.
It reached her hand and burnt it but she didn't react to it.

He rushed to her and moved her hand. Prachi looked at him and then realised what happened. He turned off the gas and tended to her hands.

Ranbir, worriedly:"have you gone mad? Didn't you realise that you burnt yourself?"
She moved her hands away.
Ranbir:"don't pretend to be so brave now? I will put ice on it."
He brought the ice.
Ranbir:"it will burn more but just for a few moments."
He began to put the ice and at the same time blew on her hands.
He looked at her and noticed that she wasn't in pain. Not even the slightest bit.

Suddenly the lights went off and they heard music in the hall.
They both came there.
Both of them looked around once the lights were back on.
The music didn't stop but instead someone joined on the singing part. Prachi looked in front of them to find someone in a mask. He started enacting on the song being played in the background.

                 Oohh behena meri
                Tu nanhi si tere aane se gul chahak utha
                 Tu pyari se ek gudiya hai
                 Phoolon ki mehak kushbhoo ki tarah
               
The boy in question threw the rose petals on Prachi who had a small smile on her face. Although small, it was a genuine one. Ranbir was confused on who the boy was.
He was referring her as his sister.

              Oohh behena meri
              Muskaan teri
              Saat ranghoon se bhi nyaari hai
              Fikah na pare kabhi rang tera
              Tu sab ki lal dulari hai

He tapped her on her nose lightly as the last line played. And pinched her cheeks to tease her.
The boy hugged her while he could see the relief on Prachi's face.
Ranbir was confused on the identity of the masked boy but he felt like he knew him. 

He removed the mask and turned to Ranbir.
Ranbir was shocked seeing the person.

————
Hope you all like it. And the suspense will be reveal soon. That boy is going to reveal everything to Ranbir.
Now you guys guess who is the boy.
Who is going to help Ranbir knowing the truth?