The Life Changing Bet

8. 'Missing each other'

Dev reached Mumbai early morning and headed straight for home. Raghuwar and Ishwari were very relieved to see Dev, "shukr hai beta tu aa gaya...yeh problem na jaane kahan se aa gayi?" Ishwari said as she hugged Dev.

Dev hugged Raghuwar, "Dad...bataiye kya problems hain..."

Their lawyer, Kartik Kumar, was also there, "Dev...kisi ne income tax officials ko complaint kar di hai...ab income tax officers ko saare business ke financials aur papers chahiye aaj dopahar tak...warna Raghuwar Sir aur tumhey dono ko arrest ka warrant hai, kyonki aap dono hi iss business mein partners hain..."

"Par Kartik, hamari books toh bilkul clean hain...hum black mein koyi kaam nahin karte.!." Dev sounded angry

"yeh toh tum aur main jaante hain...Income Tax department needs proof!..unhey kisi ki baat par yakeen thode hi hota hai..." Kartik said

"Dad...kis ney ki hai complaint?"

"Mujhey lagta hai kuch din pehle maine Mittal jo hamara chief financial officer tha, usey nikaala kiya tha...I think yeh uska kaam hai..." Raghuwar said

"Dad...main uss Mittal ki toh..." Dev clenched his teeth

"Dev...thande dimaag se kaam lo...aur aaj 12 baje tak saare papers mere office mein le aana..." Kartik then took leave.

"Beta...ab yeh sab tumhey hi sambhaal na hoga...tumharey dad ko waise bhi heart problem rehti hai...wo nahin seh paayenge yeh saari court aur Income tax ki hearings..." Ishwari patted Dev's shoulder.

"Mom...aap chinta mat kariye...aap dono ab aaram kar lee jiye...main office jaakar sab papers ready karta hoon...aur dad wo Mittal ki saari files aur passwords mujhey de deejiye..."

"Mere room se le lo beta..." Raghuwar sighed. He was getting old and his health had not been keeping well lately. This shock of the IT raid had totally worn him down.

Dev got right to work. He knew if there was anyone who could get them out of this mess it was him, as he was familiar with all the finances of their company.

It was late in the morning, when Dev came back from the office with all the required documents. He had no time to think or do anything else. He had promised himself that he would call Sonakshi as soon as he reached Mumbai, but by the time he realized the time, he knew she would be at school, "chalo shaam ko baat kar loonga...Ritwik ne toh bataa hi diya hoga..."

NAINITAL:

Sonakshi came back from work, hoping to see Dev, but his car was still not there. She saw Ritwik in his garden watering the plants, 'Hi Ritwik...aaj jaldi aa gaye.." she opened the gate to his house and entered the lawn.

"Oh..aao Sonakshi...haan aaj dopahar mein class nahin thi na...aao chai pilaata hoon..."

"Nahin...main chalti hoon...," her eyes were still wandering around in search of Dev

"Dev toh Mumbai gaya...ussey dhoond rahi ho?" Ritwik guessed Sonakshi was looking for him

"Mumbai? Kab? Kal raat toh..." Sonakshi bit her lip, as she knew Ritwik would report everything to her father.

"Jaanta hoon...kal raat tum dono kahin gaye the...par uske baad hi chala gaya...tumhey bataa kar nahin gaya?" Ritwik deliberately provoked Sonakshi.

"haan...wo mere school mein rehearsal thi..Dev mujhey pick karne gaya tha...itni raat gaye mamma mujhey akele nahin aaney deti..." Sonakshi lied, but was still wondering why he went to Mumbai, "accha wapas kab aayega...kuch kaha usney?"

"Sonakshi main Dev ko bahut acchi tarah jaanta hoon...uska koyi bharosa nahin hai...tum uskey chakkar mein mat pado..." Ritwik warned her.

Sonakshi was upset with Ritwik, as he sounded just like her father, "Ritwik...tum bhi bilkul badhe boodo jaise bolney lagey ho...accha main baad mein milti hoon..."