Yakshagni - An odyssey of unbroken devotion - II

15) The Savage Attraction

Dharma was taken aback by Chaitanya's presence.

"Hi Dharma," Chaitanya greeted, his gaze roaming over her face.

"What are you doing here?" Dharma asked, her distaste evident on her face.

"Ah, Dharma! What would I be doing here other than following you?" his words revolted her and she fumed at his nerve.

"Have you brought your wife too?"

Chaitanya angled his face to one side, "Dharma, don't you get it? It is this supercilious attitude of yours that I fell in love with. I love your snide remarks."

"Really? Then, you must hear me out; I wish you get this in your fat head that I have no interest in a contemptible man like you."

Infuriated at her disdain, he caught her hand. Disgusted, Dharma shoved his hand away and snarled, "Don't you dare touch me!"

Suddenly, the powerful headlights of a car flooded the dark road and its bright glare quivered over Dharma and Chaitanya. Dharma squinted her eyes, trying to evade the direct gleam of light on her face. The car drew to a halt in front of the hostel and the illumination dimmed as the ignition was switched off. Dharma's eyes widened in surprise as Maurya slid out of the car. His eyes glided over Dharma's face searchingly and then shifted to Chaitanya.

"Any problem Dharma?" he asked, his glance running over Chaitanya in derision.

"Who the hell are you?" Chaitanya asked, thrown off balance by the man's arrival.

Dharma was disconcerted by Maurya's arrival. Why did he come back? But neither Maurya nor Dharma felt it necessary to answer Chaitanya's question.

"You forgot something?" Dharma inquired.

"No, I thought I saw a glimpse of a potboiler through the rear-view mirror and got unusually excited. So, I decided to contribute my bit," Maurya's words unsettled Chaitanya.

He raged at Maurya, "Hey, whoever you are, this is between me and her. Don't try to butt your nose into others' affairs."

Maurya's brows went a notch higher and he turned to Dharma, "What have you landed yourself with, Dharma? An extremely unpleasant toad with a depraved attitude?"

Had Dharma been alone with Maurya, she would have burst out laughing, however, at that moment she chose restraint. With a straight face, she added, "And an ailing wife, recuperating in a hospital..."

"Amazing! So, how do we bring this play to an end? Any suggestion for the climax?"

Chaitanya's leery eyes spied Dharma and Maurya. He bristled at the sarcasm and regarded Maurya with loathing.

"Hey, you think you are a smart ass? With that bloody car and suit, you look like a joker to me. Now, if you don't buzz off, I will smash your face, mind it!"

"Maybe, I should slap your face first, but I don't want to dirty my hands," Dharma's unconcerned answer peeved Chaitanya more.

Maurya, in response to Chaitanya's threat, stretched his arms, folded his shirt cuff, and loosened his tie. He got rid of his jacket and flung it on the car's bonnet.

"I won't mind slamming you to the ground. It will give me great pleasure..." Maurya's answer made Dharma realize that she had been too glib about the situation. She placed her hand lightly on Maurya's, holding him back.

"I think this has gone too far," she focussed her gaze on Chaitanya and spoke with a graveness that jolted Chaitanya, "Listen to me carefully, and this is the last time I am telling you; I have no interest in you and if I see you near me again, I will get a restraining order for you from the police," Pointing at Maurya, she added, "He is the witness here. He will testify if I must report you. And if you still don't accept it, then I will make sure that the world knows how a married creep like you stalks a woman and follows her to another city and her hostel. I will splash your picture on all the social media handles and let everyone in Bilaspur and Parijatpur know that you dumped your mother in an old age home for her property and how you instigated your wife to devise an accident to harm Kamya."