GUILT

Saviour Or Destroyer?

After office hours got over, Pankhuri comes out of the office building with the rest of her co-worker. after bidding them bye she moved towards the parking lot and started waiting for Anant. who strictly warned her not to leave the office without him. Anant had some few minutes work, so he was still inside the office building. When suddenly a car stops in front of Pankhuri and Piyush comes out from that car.

Piyush in a sarcastic manner asks "How are you Pankhuri ? And where's your boyfriend? With whom you cheated on me".

Pankhuri ignored his words and stand silently like he doesn't exist for her. Piyush got angry seeing her ignoring him.

" Even though the rope is burnt, the attitude is still intact. You know what Pankhuri It is good that before our marriage your real face came infront of my eyes and my life was saved from getting ruined. Otherwise, I would have married a characterless girl like you, who even after marriage also continue having illegal affairs behind my back, god knows with how many people". Piyush further taunted her.

"Mr Jindal you are forgetting that we are still inside office Premises, It would be better if you mind your own business and do not give much interest in my personal life. What happened was our past and I have moved on and you are also married, then you should also move on" Pankhuri calmly yet in stern voice said to Piyush

Piyush in angry voice says "It is easy for you to say because you never loved me. but I loved you wanted to spend my whole life with you, but you pretend to love me and have a relationship with someone else behind my back and see today you are pregnant with his child. By the way where's your so called boyfriend ? why didn't you both get married now upto ? Or it is not like that you have even cheated on him also by having affair with third person behind his back that is why that man also refused to accept you and this child. Or you must have had so many affairs that you yourself do not know who is the father of your child".

Now this is enough for Pankhuri she tightly slapped on Piyush face. He look towards Pankhuri with shocked expression while holding his cheek.

Pankhuri angrily roared like a tigress "How dare you Mr Piyush Jindal? How dare you to abuse my unborn baby? Who gave you the right to speak about my child and my character? It is good that you back off from the wedding that day, otherwise not yours life infact my life would have been ruined. The man who has such a low mentality, who does not know how to respect women, How will any girl be happy with that man. Don't know how is Shruti living with you. I never thought I would ever see this face of my ex friend aka ex-fiance. Before marriage, I told you that I do not love you, but I will always be honest with this sacred bond. but before that all those things happened and you denied to marry me and got married with Shruti. how much I had to beg l already begged infront of everyone nine months back and asked to believed me but none trusted me and now I will not give any justification to anyone. This is my last warning to you after this if you ever gave any derogatory remarks to my baby you will see the worst side of mine".

Piyush saw her angrily but before he could say something. Anant come running towards Pankhuri.

Anant - sorry sorry sorry Pankhuri I got late, now let's go.

Then Anant look towards Piyush who's standing angrily and said to him "Bye sir" .

Saying this Anant took Pankhuri with him while holding her hand possessively which was not go unnoticed by Piyush.

Anant saw Pankhuri pale face and took her to the near park and make her sit in bench and went to buy icecream for them. Anant came back with ice-creams and gave one to Pankhuri and asked.

Anant - What happened Pankhuri you are looking sad? Is something bothering you?

Piyush asked to Pankhuri getting concerned because somewhere he felt that Piyush is connected to her past life.

Pankhuri look towards Anant face which is filled with concern for her but she didn't want to revealed her bad past which is filled with sorrow nor she wanted to remember it. Because she wanted to move on from it. so to divert his mind she said.

Pankhuri - Anant do you remember our first meet at Delhi? And how we became friends ?

Anant - Offcourse I remember how can I forget that day If I didn't came on time on that day, then I don't know what would have happened. Even today I think of that day, my blood starts to boil.

Saying this Both got drown in the past that tragic day when they first time met.

FLASHBACK:

Anant while walking on the road talking with Maanyata in phone.

Anant - ya Maanyata I got the job. You have your dinner and stay inside the hostel only. Don't come outside of the hostel building. Do you get it.

Maanyata - ji Dadabhai. But where will you stay tonight? (She asked getting concerned for him)

Anant - Don't take tension, I will look after my arrangements somewhere. And tomorrow after joining office, I will take some money in advance. We will then rent a house and will also go for your college admission. So tomorrow also you will have to stay in women's hostel. Now you have your dinner, I am keeping the call. Bye goodnight.

After cutting the call when he started moving further he listened one girl shouting for help. He run towards the direction of the voice and saw that some of the drunken goons are surrounding a girl and trying to misbehave with her. Girl face is covered with hair due to which her face is not visible clearly. Anant jump between them and started fighting with the drunken goons the goons are highly drunk so with 2-3 punches they fall on the road .

After fighting with the goons when Anant turned towards the girl she saw that she is holding her head and about to fall on the ground when Anant hold her by her waist before her body touch the ground and then only street light fall on her face and he saw her face and got shocked. She's the same girl whose life he destroyed 3 Months ago and tears gathered in his eyes he started patting her cheeks but she was already fainted. Anant took her in his arms and search for taxi and after getting the taxi he asked the driver to drive towards the hospital . He was worry through out the way, and he was continuously caressing her hair and unknowingly the tears were coming out of his eyes.

At The Hospital :

Doctor - Mr Mukherjee you should take care of your wife . Taking so much stress is absolutely not good for her health and especially in this condition.

Anant didn't corrected the doctor word because he himself told doctor that she's his wife because first of all Anant don't know her name and second thing is that he was so tensed and restless seeing her unconscious so when doctor asked about her, Anant told that she's his wife and she suddenly fainted and need medical help as soon as possible. And Somewhat he felt little happy inside his heart when he called Pankhuri his wife and when doctor indicate Pankhuri his wife. But he got confused listening his last sentence and asked him.

Anant get confuse listening doctor words and ask him "Doctor What do you mean in this condition?"

Doctor frowned in his words and look towards his face which is full of confusion and said " Don't you know Mr your wife is 3 months pregnant".

This is like someone drop bomb on Anant. he widened his eyes.

Doctor - anyways Mr Mukherjee I have given her injections she will get her consciousness in a while. Then you can take her home. ( Saying this he left the cabin to check other patients).

Anant was sitting at the chair like a statue only doctor words are revolving inside his mind that the girl is 3 months pregnant. Anant come out of his thought and move towards the room where Pankhuri is sleeping due to medicine effects. Seeing her sleeping he went near her and after seeing her angelic and innocent face he got lost in her innocence and beautiful face, then his eyes travelled towards her cute little baby bump a smile spread on his lips and he kept his hand over her stomach.

Anant while smiling in tears says "my Baby mera bacha (my child)"

Then reality hit him hard that how he raped this girl that night due to which she is pregnant now and he hurriedly took his hand back and cover his mouth to control his sobs.

Pankhuri stir in her sleep listening sobbing sound and slowly tried to open her eyes. When Anant saw her opening her eyes he immediately wiped his tears.

Pankhuri now fully opened her eyes and saw the surrounding and try to sit. Anant immediately helped her to sit and passed her water to drink. After drinking water Pankhuri said.

Pankhuri - how I came here ?

"Some goons was troubling you and after that you get fainted, so I brought you to the hospital". Anant said while not able to look in her eyes

Pankhuri then remember when she was coming back from office she got late because she's doing overtime in her office due to which she has to stay at office after office hours also, she was 3 months pregnant and got exhausted for working more time due to which she was walking slowly and when she reached the bus stop the bus was already gone and she missed her last bus, so she thought to search for any Autorickshaw and when she was walking on the road in search of Autorickshaw from nowhere the drunkards appeared and started misbehaving with her and then one man came and save her from those people and after that she got unconscious.

Pankhuri - Thank you, to save me and my baby. I will never forget your favor.

Anant - You should not go on such a lonely road in that condition at night. Come let me drop you at your home. (he said in a concerned voice)

Pankhuri - it's ok I will go myself.

Anant - no I can't take any risk it's already late. I insist let me drop you please.

Anant got amused listening his words when he said I can't take any risk. She just nodded her head. How can he deny the man who's her saviour If he had not been there today then god knows what would have happened to her and her baby.

Pankhuri gave him address of her apartment and he drop her at the gate of her apartment . When Anant was about to leave from their Pankhuri called him

Pankhuri - wait, can I know your name?

Anant stop in his step and turned.

Anant - My name is Anant Mukherjee. (Said with a slight smile)

Pankhuri smiled back and said " Hello! I'm Pankhuri , Pankhuri Bose" she forward her hand for handshake.

When their hands touched eachother hand they felt electric current passed through their veins and they immediately left each other hands. After bidding bye Anant left from there and Pankhuri enter inside the Apartment.

Anant was walking on the lonely road like a lifeless body. Then he entered inside a park and started punching his hand over the near by tree non-stop like a mad man, tears are continuously dropping from his eyes and his knuckle is covered with blood but he didn't stop and continue punching like he is punishing himself for his sin, his blood is now dripping from his hand then also he didn't stop punching, and at last he got tired and sat under the tree with a thud and started crying like a baby and slept there only.

Next morning Anant opened his eyes due to Sun rays and Move out of the park and went towards the Women's hostel after reaching at the Women's hostel. He called Maanyata via phone call and asked her to bring his cloth and his toiletries because Anant all luggage are with Maanyata only. Anant took his things and went to public toilet to get freshen up and after that he went to his office. Today is his first day at office and after reaching office he engrossed in his work at the lunch break when Anant was going towards the canteen he dashes with someone that person was about to fall but he hold her and after seeing each other faces both are equally got astonished.

Pankhuri (with a smile) - Anant you here ?

Anant (smiling back) - ya actually I have joined here, this office today only. But what about you? What are you doing here?

Pankhuri - I work in this office only.

Anant felt happy knowing this she also worked in the same office and after that both settled down in the same table and order their lunch and started eating it.

After coming out of the office building Anant got call from the state agent whom Anant called at the morning to search flat at the same apartment where Pankhuri lives. After hearing state agent word's a big smile spread on his face, because he got the flat at that apartment only. At evening both Anant and Maanyata shift to their new flat and when Anant saw that her flat is opposite to Pankhuri flat he was more than happy.

From that day Anant don't leave any chance to go near Pankhuri, Day by Day due to his genuine efforts he started getting close with Pankhuri, first he did friendship with her. He was their with Pankhuri whenever she needs him, he genuinely care for her and their baby and took care of both of them but he never had guts to confess his crime infront of Pankhuri. Pankhuri also feel happy in his company. Even Maanyata also get close with Pankhuri and Pankhuri become her Pankhuri didi. and like this time started passing and Pankhuri and Anant started falling for each other. When Anant realised his love for Pankhuri he many times proposed her to marry him but Pankhuri who is totally broken by her bad past always rejected his proposal .

FLASHBACK END

After finishing their ice-creams both went to their apartment. trio ate their dinner and after saying good night to eachother, Maanyata and Anant went to their flat and Pankhuri went inside her room and lay on the bed and closed her eyes and started thinking about today's incident and drop of tear fall from her beautiful eyes she immediately wiped it and closed her eyes and sleep keeping her palm over her tummy.

Like these days were passing but Piyush didn't left any chance to indirectly taunt Pankhuri in office. Whenever he saw Anant taking care of Pankhuri he always felt jealous. Pankhuri and Anant closeness is pitching his heart. But still he felt disgust towards Pankhuri whenever he thinks about the past.