Chapter 15: Aashi Ka Sabse Bada Raaz 😱💔🌙

Mussoorie ki raat thandi aur khamosh thi.

Aarav aur Meera hotel ke kamre mein baithe the.

Table par Nandini ka letter pada tha.

Aur uski aakhri line baar-baar unke dimaag mein goonj rahi thi—

📜

"Aashi ko sach mat batana."

"Warna sab kuch khatam ho jayega."

📜

Sabse bada sawaal ye tha—

Aashi hai kaun?

Aur use kaunsa sach nahi pata?

Tabhi Aarav ne phone uthaya.

Us anjaan caller ne Viren ko kidnap kar liya tha.

Aur milne ki jagah batayi thi—

Camel's Back Road

🕙 10 PM

"Akele aana..."

Caller ne kaha tha.

Lekin Aarav aur Meera ne decide kar liya.

"Hum saath jayenge."

🌙 Camel's Back Road

Raat ke 10 baje.

Poora raasta lagbhag khaali tha.

Sirf hawa ki awaaz aur pedon ki sarsarahat sunai de rahi thi.

Aarav aur Meera dheere-dheere aage badhne lage.

Door ek purani bench ke paas kisi ki parchhaayi nazar aayi.

Ek aadmi.

Kaale coat mein.

Chehra andhere mein chhupa hua.

"Aakhir aa hi gaye tum log."

Usne kaha.

"Viren kahan hai?"

Aarav chillaaya.

Aadmi hans pada.

"Sabse pehle tumhe ek kahani sunni hogi."

"Aur agar hum mana kar dein?"

"To Viren mar jayega."

Meera ki saansein ruk gayi.

Aadmi dheere-dheere roshni mein aaya.

Aur jaise hi uska chehra nazar aaya...

Aarav aur Meera dono shock mein jam gaye.

Wo aadmi tha—

Advocate Suresh Malhotra

Nandini ke case ka purana lawyer.

"Tum?"

Aarav hairan reh gaya.

Suresh muskuraaya.

"Haan."

"20 saal pehle bhi main is kahani ka hissa tha."

Usne apni jeb se ek purani file nikali.

Aur Aarav ki taraf phek di.

File kholte hi Meera ke hosh udd gaye.

Usmein ek birth certificate tha.

Name: Aashi

Mother: Nandini Sharma

Aur...

Father: Viren Kapoor

😱😱😱

Viren aur Nandini ki beti.

Meera ne kaanpte hue kaha—

"To Aashi... Viren aur Nandini ki beti hai?"

"Bilkul."

Suresh ne jawab diya.

Lekin asli shock abhi baaki tha.

"Aur Aashi ko aaj tak pata nahi ki uske asli maa-baap kaun hain."

Aarav aur Meera ek dusre ko dekhne lage.

"To phir wo ab kahan hai?"

Aarav ne pucha.

Suresh ki muskaan aur gehri ho gayi.

"Bahut kareeb."

Usne apna phone nikala.

Aur ek photo dikhayi.

Photo dekhte hi Meera ke haath se phone girte-girte bacha.

Photo mein ek ladki thi.

Lagbhag 20-21 saal ki.

Uski aankhen bilkul Nandini jaisi thi.

Aur photo ke neeche naam likha tha—

Aashi Sharma

Meera ka dil zor se dhadka.

"Sharma?"

Suresh ne dheere se sir hila diya.

"Haan."

"Rajesh Sharma ne use adopt kar liya tha."

😱

Sab kuch ekdum se clear hone laga.

Isi liye Sharma Uncle har saal Nandini se milne jaate the.

Isi liye wo Aashi ka naam jaante the.

Isi liye unhone itne saal tak sach chhupaya.

Lekin...

Ek baat ab bhi samajh nahi aa rahi thi.

"Aashi ab hai kahan?"

Aarav ne pucha.

Suresh kuch seconds tak chup raha.

Phir usne dheere se kaha—

"Tum usse mil chuke ho."

Poora mahaul jam gaya.

"Hum mile hain?"

Meera ne pucha.

Suresh ne haan mein sir hila diya.

"Kai baar."

Aarav aur Meera dono ulajh gaye.

Mussoorie aane ke baad unki mulaqat kisi Aashi se nahi hui thi.

Tabhi...

Meera ke dimaag mein ek chehra flash hua.

Trust Home ki reception par baithi ek young volunteer.

Jo baar-baar unhe ajeeb nazron se dekh rahi thi.

"Nahi..."

Meera dheere se boli.

Suresh muskura diya.

"Haan."

"Wahi ladki Aashi hai."

😱😱😱

Lekin usi waqt...

Peeche se taaliyon ki awaaz aayi.

👏👏👏

Sabne mudkar dekha.

Aur jo insaan saamne khada tha...

Use dekhkar Suresh ke chehre ka rang udd gaya.

"Tum?!"

Andhere se ek aurat saamne aayi.

Uske baal kandhon tak the.

Aankhon mein aansu the.

Aur chehre par saalon ka dard.

Viren ki awaaz peeche se sunai di.

"Nandini..."

Aarav aur Meera ki saansein ruk gayi.

❤️ Nandini zinda thi.

Aur wo unke saamne khadi thi.

Lekin uske chehre par khushi nahi thi.

Sirf darr tha.

Bahut gehra darr.

Usne seedha Aarav ki taraf dekha.

Aur kaha—

"Aashi ko yahan se door le jao."

"Kyuki asli qaatil abhi bhi azaad hai."

Poora mahaul ek baar phir sann ho gaya.

"Kya?"

Aarav ne pucha.

Nandini ki aankhon se aansu behne lage.

Aur usne wo naam liya...

Jise sunkar sabke hosh udd gaye.

"Asli qaatil... Suresh Malhotra hai."

Suresh ka chehra safed pad gaya.

Aur usne dheere se apni coat ki jeb mein haath daala...

Jahan kuch chamak raha tha.

🔪