The Ruined Rainbow

CHAPTER 84

A/N: 

There is a chapter before this! Chapter 83. Since, I am posting both these chapters in very short intervals, you may miss the prior one. Do read chapter 83 before proceeding to chapter 84.  This is going to be an emotional chapter. *sniffs* And it is of 9k words. So, you may please break it into your comfortable modules. 

(Happy reading! I hope you guys like this chapter.)

Ayesha

I pressed the brakes with all my energy; the car halted snappily. We both jerked forward, but the seatbelts held us just in place. I was extremely thankful that the airbags had not blown out. A glance at the side mirror confirmed that a rear wheel had indeed got struck in the bottomless, muddy hollow. The pit had suddenly shown up, and there was no way I could have spotted it before.

However, that was the least of my concern.

I grip the steering wheel tightly, my knuckles turning white nearly, the voice of Sahil's question still ringing in my ears.

"What?" I asked quietly, gazing at the highway in front of us. We were a couple of hundred meters away. Honking vehicles were passing every second. My eyes glowed in anger and shock.

"Is this about Aneesh?" He repeated himself callously, and I coerced myself to snap my head in his direction, staring at him in utter disbelief.

"What the actual  hell, Sahil?" I demanded.

"Is it?" He pressed. He was not looking at me. He was staring at the road afore us. "I did not want to believe but now-"

He cut short as I abruptly gripped his jaw with my left hand and forcibly made him look into my eyes. He is taken aback, but nonetheless, he stares into my eyes. His brown-black orifices are clouded, albeit seething. For a terse moment, I see the reflection of my smouldering gaze in the depth of his eyes. And then, I realised his eyes were fuming too. We locked each other into a stare of seething rage, my rage at what he had said and his wrath at what he had learnt. There is a minute of silence between us. It is bubbling with mistrust, scepticism and incredulity.

I released my hand. Sahil does not turn away.

"I don't even know why you are talking about him-" I began, my voice dangerously subdued, surprising me.

"Does he have a family business?" Sahil questioned unexpectedly.

"What?" I asked, taken aback by his sudden query.

"Does  he or does he not?" He regurgitated.

"I don't know. Maybe he does. Some Gupta Industries, I guess. But how does that commune to our conversation now?"

"And you didn't tell me this?"

"What is there to tell, Sahil?" I demand. He is being incredibly ridiculous now. "He probably lives in Pune or somewhere. I still do not see the relevance of this-"

I am diverted as he hands over his mobile to me. It has a news report—a pretty recent one at that. Giving him a nasty glare, I begin to read. I scan the contents, my mouth widening at the brutal coincidence.

'After what should not come as a shock to many of us, the Gupta Industries are expanding. It is confirmed. The Guptas have chosen Hazratganj, one of the poshest localities of Lucknow, as the preparations for this unanticipated expansion have been going on in full swing for almost a year and a half now. If reports are to be believed, the new office shall be inaugurated on Wednesday of the upcoming week, which is an auspicious day. Aneesh Gupta, son of Rajat Gupta, the CEO of Gupta Industries, will take the position of managing director of the new branch opening in Hazratganj, Lucknow. '