CH 11 || Guilt

Samaira

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We are going to Namit's farm house for a week on a family trip. Last night when I came home I found travel bags of everyone except mine in the living room, that's when I came to know about the trip. Sonia and Simran were so excited about the trip that they made everyone to keep their luggage in the car, last night itself. They forced me too but I was so tired that I slept that too without having dinner and Simran had to do packing for me. Luckily they didn't ask me much about the date. This trip was Naveen uncle's idea as they wanted me to spend time with them and also Namit will be able to spend time with my family. I will have to face Namit and he will be having lots of questions about my behaviour yesterday but I am not sure if I am ready to answer those questions or not.

Aditi, Adya, Dhruv and Arjun will also be coming with us, Adya's parents were reluctant at first but when dad convinced them that it's a family trip then they agreed.

"Sammy let's go, they have come." Aditi said while entering into my room. "So Sammy how was the date yesterday?" Adya asked while we were going downstairs and I don't know what to answer them. It was the best date but I made it worse and I don't want to tell anyone about it, atleast not now. So I just said,"It was good."

"Just good? We want details girl." Aditi said while fake glaring at me.

I don't want to lie but I don't want to tell them the truth either. But luckily I was saved when Arjun came and started teasing Aditi. I don't know about Aditi but I am sure Arjun likes her.

We went outside where they all were waiting. I greeted Namit's parents and Neeraj Uncle. Riddhi and Nitya were so excited after seeing me. I went to them and we hugged. I met Rohit and he hugged me too. All time in the party when I was with them they never made me feel uncomfortable. I already like their company. Everyone was there except Namit. Why is he not here? Is he not coming? Is he upset after yesterday's date ? All these questions were flooding my mind.

"Don't worry he will join us on the way." Riddhi said."What?" I asked Riddhi with a confused look to which she replied, "I am talking about Namit. He had to attend an important meeting. He will join us on the way to the farm house." "But I didn't ask about...."I was going to continue when Rohit interrupted,"Even though you didn't ask but your eyes were eagerly searching for my brother."He said and that made me blush.

I was hoping them not to notice but it didn't happen.

"You look so cute when you blush.I am going to tell Namit bhai how bhabhi was blushing after hearing his name." Nitya said while giggling. Bhabhi??Really? Was Simran and Sonia not enough to call Namit jiju and now Nitya has started calling me bhabhi.

"Let's go guys. We have to leave now if we want to avoid the traffic."Dhruv said and everyone started getting into the respective cars. I wanted to go with Dhruv alone so that I could talk to him but it didn't happen and we were joined by Aditi and Arjun.

Adya left with Ishaan bhai , Riddhi and Rohit. Simran,Sonia and Nitya went with Neeraj Uncle. Sheetal Aunty and Rishabh uncle left in their car and my and Namit's parents left in one car. I have never been to such kind of trip. I mean I surely have went to trips with my family but not with so much people.

Me and Aditi was sitting at the back while Dhruv and Arjun were sitting at the front and Dhruv was driving. It was a 6 hour ride and only half an hour has passed and I was getting bored now. I will have to talk to Dhruv now otherwise I will not get any other chance. I was thinking what should I do when Dhruv stopped the car near a small shop to buy water bottles.

Arjun was busy in teasing Aditi and that was the moment I thought. I went outside towards the shop when Dhruv was buying the bottles.

I called him,"Dhruv." He looked at me and said "Yes little one"."I want to talk to you about something very important." He sensed the seriousness in my voice."What happened ? Everything okay?" his voice was filled with concern and I shook my head as my response.

"What's wrong?" he asked and I said ,"I want you to do something for me."

"Yes tell me."he said and my reply changed his expression ,"I want you to find Mr.Stranger for me." My wish only widened his eyes and he was looking at me as if he saw a ghost. He didn't say anything for a minute and was only looking at me.

"Dhruv." I called him while shaking his shoulders gently.

"Will you do that for me? Will you find Mr.Stranger for me?"

Only Dhruv,Adya and Aditi were aware about him. No one in my family knows that I was in love once. Dhruv was the one with whom I used to share everything about Mr.Stranger and he was quite protective of me. He used to think he was some conman who was just fooling me, I used to take Mr.Stranger's side but after he vanished it made me thinking was Dhruv right but deep down I knew that he was not a bad person.He never used me or ever tried to take advantage of me.

But after he vanished a guilt was left with me, GUILT of not confessing my love to him.

"Sammy, why do want to meet him suddenly? I mean the situation you are in....you might be soon getting married to Namit and now you want to meet Mr.Stranger?" Dhruv asked.

"I haven't agreed to this marriage yet Dhruv and before I could take any step further I need to meet him. You are the only one who can help me. You have connections and I am sure you will be able to find him." I said with hope filled eyes.

"Sammy I still don't get it. He must have forgotten you and moved on. It's been more than 3 years now. You should not think about him now," Dhruv said not looking into my eyes. He only looks away if either he is lying or is upset. But what is it this time?

"Guys, get in the car. Dhruv, Sammy let's go." Arjun shouted while honking the car.

"Sammy let's go. We will talk about this later." Dhruv said and went towards the car. He never refused to help me but why is he doing it now. My only hope was gone and now who will help me. But why do I need any help? I will find him myself. I don't know how but I will. I need to find him and answers to my questions before I could take any step further with Namit.

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Namit

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I told my idea of trip to everyone and they agreed. I asked dad to call Arvind uncle and tell them it was his idea. Everything was going well on the date until I messed up. She cried and I know I am the only reason. I didn't even gave her the gift which I bought for her.I wanted to give her on the date but the circumstances didn't let me to.

Dhruv,Arjun, Nitya, Riddhi and Rohit were continuously asking questions about the date , but I was not in the mood to tell them anything, so I went into my room and closed the door. They kept knocking but I closed the lights and slept without having dinner. Why do I always mess up? And the worst part is I don't even know what did I do.

Next morning I was about to leave with everyone to go to Sama's house when Shailesh called me and asked me if I could meet him. He said it's urgent and he seemed serious. I told everyone I had a meeting to attend and I will join them on the way. When I was about to get in the Arjun stopped me and he was coming towards me with Dhruv.

"I hope you are not hiding anything from us again." Arjun said in a serious tone.

"What do you mean?" I asked them. I hope they didn't find out I am going to meet Shailesh. Shailesh is my private investigator which I hired recently. I am not ready to tell anyone even Dhruv or Arjun about it not until my suspicions are correct. I so badly want them to be wrong but after talking to Shailesh it seemed like my suspicions are going to be right.

"You have no meeting today, we are sure of that. Then why did you lie? And why didn't you tell us how the date went? "Dhruv asked. I know I can't hide anything from them, but I have to be sure of everything myself before telling them.

"I am not planning to hide anything,but I need to be sure of something first.I will tell you guys everything when I will reach the farm house. And about the date, I messed up badly and I am soon going to make things right." I said to them and before they could ask anymore questions I went inside my car and drove to meet Shailesh.

I am in his private office right now where he called me. His assistant asked me to wait as he was busy in talking with another client. After 5 minutes he came and we shook hands and he asked me to follow him. He took me to another room which was dark. He switched on the lights and asked me to sit and he sat on the chair in front of me.

"So Namit I did what you asked me to do. You gave me 2 months when you called me in your office in London and I already told you I will do it sooner. So what I am about to tell you is really important. First I will tell what you wanted me to find and then I will tell you the additional details." Shailesh said and I nodded.

"The person who kidnapped Ms.Samaira Kashyap and the person whose dead body was found, they were not the same person." I knew it. I knew because if a person only to take some kind of revenge from me can create misunderstanding between us, can separate us and can kidnap Sama, then he can surely pretend to be dead to close the case and get away safely.

I gestured Shailesh to continue,"I went to your college in New York and found out the people you hired to check if those pictures of Ms.Kashyap kissing a guy was morphed or not, they all are dead. They died on the same day four months ago. One was drowned, another got into an accident and the third one committed suicide."

"Don't tell me it was all planned." I said to him anxiously.

"That's right Mr.Khanna, that's what I was about to say. The guy who committed suicide left a note for his girlfriend when he died.When I was searching for him, I went to her and when I told her what his boyfriend did 3 years ago she said she got to know about it after he committed suicide and she gave me the note and asked me if I could give this to you." Shailesh said and gave me the note. I opened the note to read it.

Dear Stacey,

I am sorry for not being able to take care of you like I promised. I know I have been the worst boyfriend ever but you still never left me. I want you to know that I have always loved you. When you will be reading it I might not be alive. I want you to find Namit Khanna none other than the C.E.O of N.K Industries and tell him that I am sorry for what I did. Tell him that the pictures he gave me three years ago were not real and morphed. I am sorry for what I did but I had to. I was offered one million for it and my mother was ill and I needed money so I did what I was asked to. I can't reveal anything else as I don't want to put you in any danger because I will not be there to protect you. Take care Love and I am sorry.

Yours,David

"I am still trying to find out who was the person behind all this but whoever he was, remember that he is a very powerful and smart person because he left no evidence and every cctv footage was gone. " he said and I asked him the question which was bothering me for long,"Why did he kill the three people four months back, why not earlier?And I don't get it why he had to kill them?"

"I told you someone powerful is behind this because all the three people were in need of money back then and they didn't seem like they would have blackmailed the culprit but the culprit surely didn't want to leave any evidence so he killed them. And I still don't know why didn't he kill them earlier." Shailesh answered.

All the revelations only got me anxious and worried. I need to protect Sama. She was once caught in all this mess because of me and I am not letting this happen again. This GUILT of not able to protect her three years back will never go away. But I will make everything right this time.

"Mr.Khanna I want you stay cautious and take take care of Ms.Kashyap. I will soon provide you more details." Shailesh said and I nodded and I went out to go to the farm house. I need to keep my Sama safe.