Mumbai ki raat hamesha noisy hoti hai, lekin Anaya Sharma ke liye aaj ki raat sirf khamoshi laayi thi---aisi khamoshi jo dil ke andar cheekh ban jaati hai.
Hospital corridor ki white lights uski aakhon ko chubhne lagi thi. Haath mein pakdi file thodi si kaanp rahi thi.
"Treatment cost:₹8,50,000."
Anaya ne halki si hansi chodi.
" Zindagi bhi kitni funny hai na,"
Usne dheere se kaha, " jab Paisa nhi hota , tabhi sab kuch tootne lagta hai."
Uski maa ICU mein thi . Heart condition. Time kam tha.
Anaya ek middle -class nhi...poor background se thi. Part-time job, college fees pending, aur ab ye bill.
Us Raat Jab woh hospital se bahar nikli, baarish baarish shuru ho chuki thi .
Aur tab--
Woh usse dikha.
Black luxury car. Matte finish. Headlights ki roshni seedha Anaya par padi. Car ke saamne khada aadmi.. jaise baarish bhi usse touch karne se Darr Rahi ho.
Tall. Sharp jawline. Black suit. Aankhon mein ajeeb si thandak.
Aarav Malhotra.
Malhotra Group ka CEO . India ke youngest billionaires mein se ek. Media ka favourite....aur emotions ka dushman.
Anaya usse pehchanti thi---kaun nhi pehchanta?
Par jo usne notice Kiya.... Woh normal nahi tha.
Jaise hi Aarav ne Anaya ki taraf dekha, uski aakhon ke saamne ek blur sa flash aaya.
---Anaya, white dress meine,khoon se bhigi Hui.
--Ek ring.
Aur ek awaaz: "she is the key."
Aarav ka haath tight ho gaya.
"Impossible..."usne apne aap se kaha.
Ye power... Ye visions... bachpan uske saath thi. Future ke tukde. Jo sirf tab aate the jab koi important hota.
Aur aaj...pehli baar..ek gareeb ladki ne uski destiny ko hila diya.
Aarav car se bahar aaya.
"Miss," uski awaaz gehri aur controlled thi, "aap ro kyun Rahi ho?"
Anaya ne chaunk kar dekha.
"Sorry....aap?"
"Question ka jawab dijiy."
Us tone mein na gussa tha, na softness. Sirf authority.
Anaya normally aise logon se baat nahi karti thi. Lekin aaj...uske paas dignity bachane ki energy nahi thi.
"Meri maa ICU mein hai," usne seedha bol diya. " Aur mere paas paise nahi."
Aarav ne ek second bhi nahi lagaya or kaha. " Kitna paise chahiye?"
Anaya hansi---thodi si bitter ho ke boli. " Aap mazaak kar rahe hain?"
"Nahi."
Usne apna card nikala. Black card. Unlimited.
Anaya ka dimaag freeze ho gaya."main bheekh nahi maang Rahi."
" Main ek deal offer kar raha hoon."
"Deal?"
Aarav ne baarish mein khade rehkar bhi apni aankhon se nazar nahi hatayi.
"Main aapki maa ka pura treatment pay karunga,"usne kaha,"aur badle mein...aap mujhse shaadi karengi."
Silence.
Baarish tez ho gayi.
"Kya?!" Anaya almost chillayi. " Are you insane?!"
Aarav ke chehre par pehli baar kuch badla--ek halki si muskan,. Dangerous.
"Sirf contract marriage,"usne explain Kiya.
"Six months. No live . No emotion."
"Main aapko pagal lagti hoon ,"Anaya ne kaha.
"Par aap mana bhi nahi kar rahi,"Aarav ne dheere se bola.
Anaya ke haath kaanp gaye.
Usse apni maa ka chehra yaad aaya. Doctor ke words.
'next 48 hours critical hain.'
"Mhy me?"usne toot kar poocha.
Aarav ne ek second ke liye aasman ki taraf dekha--jaise kisi unseen force ko feel kar Raha ho.
"Kyuki aap meri zindagi badalne wali hain," usne kaha.
"Chahe aapko pata ho ya nahi."
Anaya ne aansuon ke saath apni kismat bhi bheegne di. " Agar main haan kahoon," usne kaha, "toh ye sirfmeri majboori hogi."
Aarav ne haath aage bahaya. " Majboori se shuru hone wali cheezein...aksar destiny ban jaati hain.
Anaya ne uska haath pakad liya.
Aur usi pal...