Chapter 35: Chapter 35

*Anitha Pov*

I groaned picking the call when my phone continued to ring even when I ignored the three previous calls already.

“Hello?” I asked still closing my eyes but immediately opened them to check the caller Id once.

“I am so sorry, Anny. Because of me, Manoj didn’t pick your calls.” I heard Keerthi’s voice and sighed in relief before trying to grasp her words.

“I was not feeling well yesterday and when he returned home, I couldn’t bear the pain and we rushed to the hospital. He stayed beside me and forgot his phone in the car. Today morning I woke up and found what happened and he too checked his phone where we found your missed calls.” She added.

“How are you feeling now?” I asked worriedly.

“I am fine! But I need to stay in the hospital for a week and need to take care of my health even more seriously.” She replied and I sighed in relief.

“Okay! Ask Manoj to stay with you. I will get someone else temporarily.” I mumbled and she rejected it immediately.

“No! Let him be there and first we need to think about this issue.” She said and I frowned hearing those words.

Something must have definitely happened and I got a glimpse of it from Vikranth’s questions he directed at me when we saw him in the living room yesterday night but didn’t think much about it.

How could he know that I was standing on the road alone? I remember the pictures and ignored that too. However, if Keerthi is this worried then the issue is not simple.

“Don’t worry! Vikranth is here and he will handle it. He has a team and you are on a break. Take care of yourself.” I assured her but she didn’t stop.

“I will talk to you later, Keerthi. I just woke up.” I added and she immediately cut the call saying she will think of something.

I sighed closing my eyes and turned to find Kanika already freshen up and I glanced at the time to find it is still eight only.

“What do you want to eat?” she asked brushing her hair.

“Pancakes with lots of syrup and also juice.” I replied without hesitating and she smiled hearing that.

“I expected your answer.” She mumbled standing up and before she can say anything my phone started ringing.

I glanced at Mehtab’s number and picked the call only to get blasted with her apologies without a pause.

“Calm down! I was the one to give you leave. If you are in Mumbai, please pack my things in the hotel room and leave them in the room itself.” I said before cutting the call feeling tired.

“We will go today to select the house?” I asked staring at Kanika.

“First we need to select a few one before going and checking them.” She mumbled and I remember Keerthi’s search from earlier and immediately opened the pictures of it before passing the phone to her.

She checked everything before giving me a nod saying, “We will check them first.”

“You are sure about this?” she added.

“I was not sure even yesterday when you were talking about it but now I don’t want to sit still. I don’t want to go back to that hotel ever again. I want a place which I call home.” I replied and she nodded smiling.

“Thanks for not shutting yourself.” She mumbled walking towards the wardrobe before taking out a set of clothes.

“What will I gain by shutting myself from everything?” I whispered when she reached me.

“Get freshen up while I prepare breakfast.” She mumbled passing the clothes and her phone started ringing after that.

She frowned before picking it up and silently cut the call without saying anything before glancing at me.

She opened her mouth but before she could say anything, we both heard a knock on the door.

With a sigh, she walked towards the door and opened a part of it but covered the opened space with her body making me frown.

“He wants to meet her.” I frowned hearing Vikranth’s voice thinking why is she blocking him when I am already awake.

“She doesn’t want to right now.” She replied back and I realized the words of Vikranth as I was focused on her actions more than the words.

“Is she fine?” my hand griped the clothes she gave hearing his voice.

“No!” Kanika replied while I closed my eyes trying to block everything along with his apology he is uttering.

“Anitha! Please!” when I heard his voice again without thinking much I opened my mouth remembering what day it is today.

“Go back to the restaurant. You are supposed to handle cooking today and tomorrow. We will talk on Monday.” After saying that I wish he leaves right now as I am not ready to listen or even think about him right now.

When I heard the door closing, I reluctantly opened my eyes to find Kanika standing near the door while staring at me.

“I will go and freshen up.” Saying that I stood up before walking towards the washroom and closed the door.

After placing the clothes on the hanger, I finally slipped but held onto the wall before taking deep breaths. It’s fine! No need to think about it.

Not shutting off myself? Right! I was definitely not doing that but just shutting him off for some time before I can deal with everything else.

After freshening up, I stepped out to find the tray filled with a lot of pancakes on the bed and it’s just as I wanted. I smiled sitting before it and took a bite but paused frowning.

I must be wrong and delusional. With that thought, I ignored the familiar taste but different from Kanika’s cooking style and finished everything.

I opened my phone and searched for the articles to see what is actually going on and what should I do about it.

****

“What happened?” Kanika asked entering the room to see my blank face.

“I just read the articles.” I replied and she frowned sitting before me.

“Why did you? Don’t worry! He is already taking care of them and waiting for you to decide on how to take action against these.” She said patting my hand.

“I don’t know!” I mumbled feeling lost.

“It’s okay to not know. First, let’s select the house before coming to this.” She suggested and I nodded.

Yes! I can do that before thinking about these things. With that thought, I ignored the articles and stood up to leave.

I stopped thinking about everything and just focused on what my thoughts were when I wished to have a home of mine.

I glanced at Vikranth who is in the living room alone before saying, “I will let you know soon about my decision about all this.”

He nodded without saying anything and didn’t glance up from his phone while Kanika gestured me to walk saying, “He is in a business mode right now.”

“Where are you both going?” she paused from taking a step after hearing that question before turning to look at him while I frowned at her reaction.

“She wants to buy a house.” Kanika replied and he frowned hearing that before glancing up to stare at us.

“What if you both get cheated? Let me call someone who will guide you.” He said typing the name but Kanika cleared her throat.

“We will not and these are the ones that her manager searched long back.” She explained and his hand paused.

“Fine! Before signing the contract, be careful of the contents.” He said this time staring at me.

I nodded walking out of the house with her and sat in the car she drives. After some time we reached the first house but immediately rejected it seeing the atmosphere with so many people living near the building.

“We need some neighbors but not these many. Otherwise, you will not have any privacy.” Kanika commented and I nodded to those words.

With the next house, she commented, “You will have privacy but you will not be able to ask anyone for help for any emergency with no one around.”

“What do you think of this?” she asked when we reached the third one.

“It’s good!” I mumbled looking at the exterior and she nodded before we both walked inside and called the agency while checking the garden.

“It will take a lot of effort to maintain this garden.” I added and she nodded without saying anything.

When we entered the house, it felt like dream come true. It was grand and definitely spacious but at the same time, it felt a bit special.

“Everything is fine but the garden is really big. I will not have time to care for it.” I commented.

“You can hire someone for it. You need to hire a watchman, a servant, and hiring a gardener will not be much.” She mumbled while I stared at her hearing those words.

“I need to hire them?” I asked and she turned to glance at me.

“Then? Will you live alone in this house?” she asked frowning and I immediately shook my head.

“Don’t worry! It is not grand like you are thinking about hiring them. This is a necessity and you are just new to it.” She added.

I glanced at the rooms and found the one she said she will take it which is a smaller room amongst all bedrooms.

I glanced at Kanika to find her smiling at the room and the study room beside it. I smiled before holding her hand.

“Let’s take this but I need your help with hiring those people too.” I pleaded with her and she nodded.

“We need to talk to your agency also before hiring them as we can’t hire just anyone.” She pointed out and I nodded.

We both walked to the room that is going to be mine and I stared at her while she started talking about the interior that could match for me.

“You have experience with this interior thing already because of your part-time work. So, I am fine with anything. What about the furniture?” I asked and she started talking about that too.

“It’s a good thing that we need not get the house renovated and it looks new also.” She commented and that’s true.

“I will buy the furniture today and tomorrow. By Monday you can shift if you want.” She added glancing at me.

“Yes! I am fine but it will be too much for you.” I frowned and she shook her head.

“I will not decide anything on my own. You need to be with me and give your opinion. No matter what it’s still going to be your home and it should be your choice.” I wanted to reject those words but just nodded.

It’s good for me to be busy with these things and just concentrate on making my home beautiful.

“Let’s sign the contract!” I said holding her hand and started dragging her towards the agent who is waiting for us in the living room.

“On Monday, you will be cooking something wonderful here while I help you.” I said looking at the kitchen door while the agent is getting the papers ready.

“I loved the pancakes from the morning.” I added turning to face her while her smile slipped.

“Those are made my Prathap and the funny thing is I didn’t tell him what to cook but he just cooked them.” She commented and I let her hand go.

“Angry?” she asked staring at me.

“Not at you!” I replied but our conversation stopped when the agent called us over.

She checked the contract properly before passing it to me. I too checked every detail before holding the pen to sign it.

“It’s okay! We can take some time. There are a few houses left to check.” She mumbled when I just paused without signing.

Yes! This house didn’t attract me within a second of glancing at it. But after thinking it as my home, I can’t bear to look at any other house or even to think that this is not mine.

I took a deep breath before signing the contract and passed it to the agent as we already discussed the payment and the date of registration will be on Monday.

“Is it fine to get furniture and everything before registration?” I asked glancing at Kanika.

“We already signed a contract with the agent and only registration process is left. I don’t think there will be any problem and it’s not like we are reconstructing the building before the registration. It’s just getting the furniture.” She pointed out and I nodded but she turned to talk again about this matter.

After hearing the assurance from the agent, I felt reassured before letting it hit me that I have a home now. Maybe I should say, this is going to be my home soon completely.

“Let’s go to your home first.” I said standing up after the agent left.

“Why?” she asked looking at me.

“I need to say something to Vikranth about the issue that is going on. I can’t ignore it anymore.” I replied and she nodded before we both stepped out of the building to reach her car and she drove us to her place.

****

I sat on the chair while Vikranth stared at me asking, “It’s fine to discuss it right now?”

“Yes! What should we do about these articles?” I asked staring back at him and Kanika is sitting opposite me.

“We will be filing charges against the sites for defamation which posted these articles and the rumor about you cheating can be discarded when you attend any party with Prathap or by just going through your daily schedule like earlier where you need to go to his restaurant and like that.” He explained while I frowned before glancing at Kanika who is also frowning after hearing those words.

“I know! The present situation is not good for you to handle everything like before but this is the easy way to let the public ignore those rumors.” He added.

I took a deep breath thinking about his words. Yes! Going through what he suggested is an easy and also effective process.

But until when? Until when can we do this continuously? Within six months everything will end and what can we do after that?

“Even I want to go through the easy process. That’s what made me accept the earlier plans and also a selfish part of me wished to take it as a chance to be with him.” I mumbled staring at him and he cleared his throat.

“However, next time if something like this happens, they will again pass the rumor that I cheated on my fiancé and again we need to do something about it.” I added and he slowly nodded.

“So, let’s cut the problem at the point where it started. It is a difficult one but I want to do it.” I said deciding the option while he frowned.

“It will not be simple.” He pointed out.

“I know! But I want to give it a shot. If we succeed then there is no need for us to go through such plans again. I am fine with anything I need to go through if we choose this path.” I pointed back.

“Okay! I will file the case against that actor and also the agency for spreading the rumors with the proofs we collected during the first incident. Everyone related to it will get affected if we win and if we lose… I will not let us lose.” I felt relieved hearing those words and turned to stare at Kanika who is right now looking at Vikranth with admiration in her eyes.

I smiled before standing up saying, “I am not feeling hungry. So, I will take a nap.”

When Kanika stood up to follow, I stopped her saying, “You need to have lunch first. We will we shopping in the evening.”

“Okay!” she mumbled while I calmly walked into her room before lying down on the bed.

I closed my eyes but immediately gripped the pillow beside me and opened them within a few seconds. It’s okay! Nothing will happen! I took a deep breath and closed them again but didn’t open them no matter how much fright I felt and without realizing I drifted off into sleep feeling tired.