Play In Darkness (Eng/END)

53. While You Were Sleeping

"Dr. Zaara ... I want to be the wife of Devdas Star Tailes." Delisha's words made dr. Zaara was speechless. The land of her lover's grave has not dried up yet, this woman is getting ready to become someone else's wife, the person who previously wanted Imdad Hussain's death the most. The woman who looks gentle turns out to be heartless.

Delisha turned her back to Dr. Zaara, staring at the photo of Imdad at college graduation which was displayed on the bookshelf.

"Whatever your view of me, Dr. Zaara, I don't care. Imdad is gone. We are also not tied up to marriage. So there is no reason for me to delay continuing my mission. I have found no other way to investigate the Star Corp network except by becoming Devdas Star Tailes's wife. My identity is known to the opposing party, while their identity is still unclear. But one thing is for sure, my life and Imdad are connected with Devdas. That man is the beginning of everything and I believe, he is also the end of everything. "

There was a knock on the door to the study from outside, distracting Dr. Zaara and Delisha. Delisha ushered in and Vijay's face popped through the door. "Miss, there are guests who want to express their condolences," said Vijay.

"Who?"

"Mr. Soumya Kapoor from the Superpower HiTech Security India. He came with the leaders of his network," explained Vijay.

Delisha believes that the name Kapoor who came this time is the wolf clan who attacked her while in the refugee camp. It was a coincidence that they appeared on the same night as the intruders at that time. Delisha smoothed her hair, placed her scarf, and straightened her body to appear more dignified. She stepped outside accompanied by Vijay.

The air was stifling that night, causing people to gather in the courtyard to sit around. Delisha rushed to the front yard to greet the group of handsome men with a wolf appearance in their chest.

Soumya Kapoor, a handsome young man around 27 years old, walked into the courtyard of Imdad Hussain's residence accompanied by 5 young men from his clan. They all wore white kurta suits and white headgear, showing their sorrow. Delisha looked at the man with a cold expression because she saw that Soumya and his attendants did not look sad, but smiled happily.

Soumya Kapoor and 5 colleagues paid their respects and said a prayer in front of the altar where a photo of Imdad's face was displayed. Diya fire and incense were placed in front of the photo. When Soumya greeted her and smiled at her, Delisha replied with her sweetest smile, showing a deep curve on her cheeks.

"Namaste, Marianne-ji, sahaanubhooti prakat karana!" My deep condolences, exclaimed Soumya, clasping his hands in front of his chest. Soumya smiled and his eyes glanced cheerfully at Delisha as if he saw his favorite food.

"Thank you for your words, Mr. Soumya Kapoor!" said Delisha while clasping her hands in response to Soumya's words.

Soumya lowered her hand and looked around. "As far as I know you and Imdad Hussain are not married, but you are here welcoming guests as if you were his widow."

"This is Xin India property, sir. Imdad Hussain is the head of Xin India and he has become part of Xin Corp. We are one big family. I am here as a representative for Xin Corp, so I should act as a host here."

"Oh, have you also taken over the leadership of Xin India?" asked Soumya with a snort. With the news of its CEO's death spreading, Xin India's shares plummet and every second is headed for the bankruptcy of Xin India and its networks.

"So true!" replied Delisha "I am the new CEO of Xin India."

Soumya was flabbergasted for a moment, then laughed out loud. "Ah, it's no wonder Imdad Hussain made you his lover because you have a strong connection with Central Xin. I think that's why the CEO of Star Corp is chasing you. No wonder." Soumya leaned her body towards Delisha and the woman stepped back from him. "We'll see, Marianne-ji, can you defend Xin India like you defend your man, hahaha," sneered Soumya. "If you can't, you can come to me anytime, I'll be happy to help you."

"Are you finished, Mr. Soumya?" Delisha said through clenched teeth in anger. One more person who is happy about the death of Imdad Hussain. The man clung to her even more and laughed derisively. "If you feel cold, you can come to me, I will warm you ..."

"Soumya Kapoor!" exclaimed a man from behind Soumya. Soumya turned his face and chuckled scornfully because that person was one of the enemies of their clan, Fairouz Khan and his partner, Mahalakshmi Dawson. The two people were wearing black glasses and all-white clothes.

Fairouz Khan approached Soumya and composed his shoulders to suppress the man as he was taller than Soumya. "If you want to make trouble you better get out of here, Mr. Kapoor!" scolds Fairouz.

"Oh, Khan!" Soumya greeted Fairouz with a smug grin. "I never thought that a coward like you would attend this event. Is Hussain one of your blood suppliers? He knows a lot of high-class women, it's no wonder you're a homebody," said Soumya. The vampire clan rarely hunts, making the wolf clan lose the excitement of hunting down vampires.

Fairouz glanced out of the corner of his glasses and looked away, while Mahalakshmi gripped his arm tightly with worry. "Oh, Kapoor, didn't expect to meet you here. I thought you were going to have a good feast somewhere with raw, unsterile, disease-prone meat."

"Of course I will party hard. Imdad Hussain is dead. He is rewarded equally for killing my lover!" growled Soumya in front of Fairouz's face.

Fairouz pushed Soumya with his chest so that Mahalakshmi had to hold the man's arm. "Fairouz, please, don't bother, people are staring at us," whispered Mahalakshmi, seeing dozens of pairs of eyes of people in the courtyard.

However, Fairouz ignored her. He still intimidates Soumya. "Oh, yeah? From the news, I heard because your own lover crawled at Imdad Hussain's feet and slept with him. Even though he died at Imdad's hands but at least he died with a happy smile because he got the satisfaction he didn't get from you."

"Aah, you bastard !!" said Soumya with a fist clenched into Fairouz's face, but one of his comrades held him back. Soumya sounded a growl like an angry dog.

Delisa immediately stood between Soumya and Fairouz and her hand pushed the two men. "You two, please show respect! We are in mourning here. If you have personal problems, just settle them elsewhere!" scolded Delisha and she glared at the two men, alternately.

Soumya moves away from Delisha and tucks his clothes. His eyes were still sharp at Fairouz and his nose was flaring up in anger. Without saying goodbye he walked away from that place. His comrades accompanied although their faces looked sour.

"Our condolences, Miss Marianne, may the late Imdad Hussain have a worthy place by His side!" exclaimed Fairouz with concern, agreed Mahalakshmi.

Delisha smiled and thanked him, but a glimpse of her eyes saw Soumya leaving. The man rubbed his chest and grimaced in pain. Delisha smiled again at Faioruz and Mahalakshmi. She smiled because she was happy that the chakra that flowed into Soumya's body when she touched his chest gave a reaction. As Imdad said, she is a natural chakra user and only needs a little practice to use it to benefit her as she pleases. Healing people or killing people, depending on the need.

"This incident is really unexpected. Someone killed Imdad Hussain, is that true? Who is it? Who is the mastermind behind all this?" muttered Fairouz at length. Delisha noticed that Faioruz Khan did not discern a change in expression due to her touch, meaning that Khan was not affected by the flow of chakra.

Delisha just smiled. At first, her smile was still sincere, then it turned stiff. Her eyes darted at a black SUV outside the fence of the CEO of Xin India. From where she was standing, she saw the aura and black wings flowing out of the car, letting her know that there, Devdas Star Tailes was watching her from a distance.

"Sir, should we go in and offer our condolences?" asked Sanjay, who sat in the front seat while turning his body to talk to Devdas.

She could still smile, Devdas thought and the pain stabbed his chest even more. Even at those fake faces, she could still smile. Who will she share her grief with? Wasn't he the one who poured out the woman's heart in the past? Now, even if she smiled at him, it would only be a fake smile ... but he still wanted it.

Devdas jaw tightened and he stared straight at the front of the car. The car glass is raised until it is tightly closed. "Start the car! We're out of here!" he ordered. The car moved to leave the place.

I'm willing to be hit by the waves to the end of the age for you. I am willing to be torn by the hand of God and thrown out of His nirvana into your mortal world. No more adoring for me, no more your smile for me, only I who remain in the depth of my feelings. Is this my emotional punishment for loving you?

(A poet by ShellyferND)

***

Do you know?

My dream is to hug you with my two wings that are no longer able to close your wound.

Anything in my life is only for you.

My hell is life in an immortal body without you.

My heaven is you alone.

Staring at you from a distance, even though I wasn't the one who grabbed your honey.

Should I destroy the world just because of you?

Or should I fight His power to see you happy?

Even though I will get worse waiting for you.

Is there tomorrow for us?

Is there still a sweet word left for me?

(A Poet for Devdas by @ShellyferND)

"Aaaaarrgghh !!" Devdas drew the curtains hanging in the middle of the hall where people were partying. The dim room with its sweet, intoxicating aroma became noisy with the shrieks of almost naked women. People who had drifted into an atmosphere of joy and forgot everything were shocked at what happened to them. For the first time, Devdas, who is usually quietly enjoying the party, is now tearing up the entire room. Devdas' furious roar made them choose to run out of the hall rather than become the victim of the man's rage.

Devdas caught a naked man passing in front of him, picked up the man's body, and threw him to the floor. The man grimaced in pain but rushed to the exit even though he had to crawl. Shisha, silver, and gold cups lay on the floor. Red wine pooled on the floor and broken ornate tiles scattered. Devdas pulls a woman and raises his hand on her.

"Sir!" exclaimed Sanjay, catching Devdas hand who was about to punch the woman. He did not expect his Master to come here to vent his anger. "Stop it, sir!"

Devdas let go of the woman who was trembling with fear in his grip and turned to glare at Sanjay. The woman scampered away while grabbing a curtain to cover her innocent body. "You dare to get in my way, Sanjay? Have you forgotten who your master is now? Did you also conspire to ruin my plan?? Huh??" snapped Devdas, pulling the collar of Sanjay's suit. The man looked back at him calmly.

"Sir, I have never opposed you, sir! I have been a loyal follower of you for 50 years and have always tried to fulfill your wishes," Sanjay defended himself. Devdas was still gripping him by the collar and he could hear the man's teeth grinding. "We'll find a way to make that woman yours, sir. I am sure!"

Devdas glares at Sanjay. Sanjay had been his subordinate for a long time and the man did not look as old, still in his 40s because of the influence of Nigrum Mortem he was giving. He threw Sanjay on the floor and bent over to beat him on the stomach and face several times until Sanjay coughed and blood appeared on the corners of his lips. Finally, Devdas kicks Sanjay in the stomach until his body curls up in pain. He would not make him die even if he wanted to.

Devdas stepped angrily out of the hall. He entered his study, which was dimly lit by the moon in the sky. He was silent for a moment with a quick breath, one hand massaging his forehead. The image of Chandni ever being in the room and making out with him made his mind scream. He returned to grab the objects around him and threw the objects out of his way. Sofa chairs, coffee tables, corner tables are out of position. Flower vase falls into irregular sharp pieces.

He pulled up his shiny black stone workbench and the table shifted from its position. One of the drawers is open. A golden shine appeared from the drawer and Devdas approached it. There is a gold access card in the drawer. Under it coiled Chandni's creamy shawl that had been left behind when she was last here.

Devdas grabbed the shawl and embraced it. Limping, he sat on the floor and leaned back against the table. He laughed until his shoulders trembled and black liquid flowed down his cheeks. It's very strange. He was laughing but something in his body was very painful. He felt very tired. He wanted to rest and sleep well.

Now, even sleep is painful. He whispered, "I used to hope that in your sleep you would remember me and when you wake up you will look for me because you miss me. Now I can only hope I am not your nightmare that makes you wake up and hate me." He kissed the shawl in his hand and closed his eyes sipping its aroma.

***

After midnight, the atmosphere at the Imdad residence began to quieten down. The guests had already returned, only a few servants tidied the furniture and cleaned the room where the guests had eaten. Delisha helped. She was collecting dirty dishes when Aunty touched her hand. "My daughter, just leaves this stuff, let the maid take care of it. You better rest. I know you haven't slept for days and didn't even eat. You could get sick if you keep this up," said Aunty. As a woman who has lost a husband and relatives, Aunty understands very well, people who do not show their emotions are the ones most affected by a loss.

"Very well, Auntie," said delisha softly and she smiled weakly. "Where's Rani?" she asked later.

"The girl had slept hours ago."

"All right, then I'll go to bed," Delisha said. A male servant who heard him said, "Miss, do you want to sleep in the main room? I will prepare as soon as possible."

Delisha shook her head and said kindly to the maid, "No, I'll sleep in my usual room. Just leave it as it is."

"Yes, miss!" said the waiter, bowing respectfully.

Delisha immediately left. She saw Rani first before going to her own room. Imdad really loved Rani and after Imdad was gone, it was her turn to take care of the child as her own. Seeing the girl sleeping peacefully under the blanket, holding her teddy bear, Delisha smiled with relief. She closes the door of Rani's room and goes to her room.

Arriving in the bedroom, she immediately fell on the bed, pulled the blanket up to her chest, and curled up while biting the edge of the thick cloth to drown out the sound of her crying. Tears started to run down the pillow and her nose was tight, making a sobbing sound. She reminisces about the first time she was in her room with Imdad and the man accompanied her to sleep, comforting her with gentle touches and kisses.

Oh, how she missed him, how his touch felt real against every inch of her skin.

Delisha fell asleep crying for a while. Her sobs stopped and the sound of soft breathing was heard. There was a figure glowing gold sitting on the edge of the bed kissing her cheek gently. The figure's fingers rubbed the remaining tears that had dried in the corner of Delisha's eyes.

Delisha wanted Imdad to forget it, but Imdad couldn't do it. So, when the woman is fast asleep is the only way to see her.