On the Run

Chapter 24: Boxing The Pain

8:00pm, Ginger Tree Hotel, Anjuna Beach, Goa.

I looked at the stars in the night sky as I took another swig from the vodka bottle, that Mukti had so conveniently left behind in my car.

I was sitting on the floor of the balcony in a shady old hotel room and drowning my sorrows in alcohol.

No matter how much I drank, I couldn't get Nandini's broken and teary-eyed face out of my head! It had come back to haunt me every minute since I'd left her!

Manik! You have to forget about her! She's gone!

After dropping her off, I'd waited a while at a nearby lane to see whether she had reached the station safely or not. When I finally saw her going in, I drove away from there. I had to sell off my watch, because I was broke. After all, I had given her all the money I had earned the previous day in order to make sure she had enough for the journey. I hoped that she wouldn't reject it...

I couldn't even blame her if she did...especially after all the hurtful things I had said to her...

She was so innocent and pure, and in a short span of time she had made a place for herself in my heart and also left an indelible mark in my life. Being with her...made me happy! I hadn't experienced such bliss in a long time!

I wiped the tears that made their way down my cheeks as I remembered all the insults that I had dished out to her. It killed me on the inside to do that to her...but it had to be done!

She wasn't safe with me anymore! She was my shining star...and in order to for her to keep shining, I sent her away from me...to protect her...

The call I had received last night had ruined everything...

One night ago...

9:00pm, Clifftop, Anjuna.

Bringing Nandini to the cliff, was such a good idea! I couldn't decide which view was more breathtaking-Goa's coastline or her gorgeous smile. I was savouring both of them intently, when suddenly my phone started ringing.

What? Who could it be?

I had just switched my burner handset in the morning! And I hadn't even given Cabir the number! This number was untraceable...or was it?

I looked at the caller ID and saw an unknown number flashing.

"Nandini, wait here, I'll just be back..." I said, before moving away from there.

If it was Nyonika, I definitely didn't want her to hear our arguments! Nandini should have as little to do with that witch as possible!

I walked about a hundred metres or so away and reached a small alley which had a few houses.

I finally picked up the phone a few seconds later.

"Hello, who's this?" I asked, in a confused voice.

"Hello Manik!" Came the immediate reply, in a deep voice, seemingly that of middle-aged man.

It seemed familiar! Shit! It was Mukesh Singhania!

"How the hell did you get this number, Singhania? I said I would call you!" I asked, gritting my teeth.

"Oh it really wasn't that difficult! I employ the best I.T experts, so it was really a piece of cake. It took just a day to track your SIM! Anyway, I called to give you some important news..."

This wasn't good! I felt my stomach dropping! I thought I had succeeded in frightening the old man, so why did he sound so confident?

"What is it? Speak up, old man!" I growled.