Chapter 8
The next day, morning -
"Shreya, could you come downstairs for a bit? The police are here" Priya said.
"The police are asking for me?" said Shreya
"We have filed an official missing complaint" said Priya sniffing.
Shreya looked at her to find her very puffy eyed. She looked distressed. She obviously had not slept the entire night.
"They will find her, don't worry" said Shreya.
"Yes. Thanks" said Priya.
"I know I am too late but everything happened so suddenly, I really couldn't think what to say to you or Daya sir. I am so sorry. You must think I am so rude -"
"No, Shreya it's alright. I know that you care for Rhea too." said Priya managing a small smile. "Shall we go downstairs? They are waiting"
"Yes. Ermm... how is Daya sir?" asked Shreya.
"He has taken her disappearance to heart. He keeps blames himself for the entire thing. He feels that if he had picked up my phone call s earlier, he would have been able to find Rhea. I know he must have been busy with something very important else he wouldn't have ignored my calls like that. He just doesn't understand" said Priya.
A surge of guilt rose inside her as she heard Priya's words. They had been so busy making love to eavh other that they didn't realise anything else... but was he making love to her or just using her body to satisfy his hunger?
Before she could think anything else, they had arrived at the foot of the stairs. A young inspector whom Shreya had not seen before, stood near the setee, with a notepad in his hand.
"Miss Shreya?" he asked when he saw them approaching.
"Yes" said Shreya.
"Uh... I would like to ask you a few questions. Just general routine" he said.
"Sure..." said Shreya.
The questioning was done in a few minutes and Shreya was thinking of going back to her room to get ready to go to bureau when she sensed a familiar presense behind her.
"Shreya, I..." said Daya.
She turned to face him. The living room was empty except for both of them.
Their eyes met and they stood staring at one another for a long time. Shreya observed that he looked tired and completely drained out. Looking at his helpless state, all her bottled up anger vanished like magic.
"We will find her. I know she's alright. I just know it" she said softly.
"I just hope so. I am so worried. I don't know why she did that. She never behaves this way." he said.
"I know Daya but please do not worry. We will find out once she comes home" said Shreya.
"Thank you, it means so much to me" he said, resting his palm on her cheek.
His touch was so warm and welcoming, that she felt the urge to run into his embrace. There was so much love and affection in his eyes at that moment, that she felt angry with herself for having such careless thoughts about him.
They heard the sound of approaching footsteps and Daya hastily moved away from her.
"You will be going to bureau?" asked Priya as she entered the living room.
"I don't know... I think I will stay" said Shreya uncertainly.
"No, you should go to bureau. We have an important case on our hands, ACP sir will need your help. I am staying with Priya. And don't worry, I will let you know as soon as Rhea comes home" said Daya.
He spoke in such a manner that Shreya had no option but to obey him. She went upstairs and began to get dressed, fuming. She wanted to stay with him. She wanted to console him. But obviously he didn't need her now when he had priya...
At 4 pm, that day, ACP Praduyuman called Shreya to her cabin.
"They have found Rhea!" he said sounding thoroughly relieved.
"What? How is she? Where did they find her?" exclaimed Shreya.
"She is okay but looks shaken. They found her not far from the house, near the woods. It is a spot which she and her friend often visit." said ACP Pradyuman.
"Oh... sir can I leave a bit early today?" asked Shreya.
"Sure. Don't worry too much Shreya. We have found her now" said ACP Pradyuman.
Feeling relieved Shreya ventured over to her desk. She was happy that Rhea was safe. But why hadn't Daya called her? Couldn't he just message and tell her? Though she was not officially his family, she had come to India because of Rhea. She was Rhea's friend.
"Why should I go home then? If he is not bothered, why should I be? He must be blissfully happy with his reunited family so obviously he has forgotten me. It's true, nobody remembers the 'other woman'. It's true..." thought Shreya.
Feeling agitated, she sat down in her chair. If he wasn't bothered... she was in no mood to go home early. She had work to do...
Shreya arrived home at 10.30 to find Daya facing back and forth in the front yard.
He stopped when he saw Shreya and said, "Where were you? It's late."
"Oh, I was so engrossed in work that I lost the track of time" said Shreya and started towards the door.
"I was hoping you would come early. I hope you know Rhea has been found?" asked Daya.
"Oh, yes yes. I found out just some time back. If ACP sir wouldn't have told me, I would have never known!" said Shreya and again started to walk.
Daya caught her arm to make her stop. "What's wrong with you? Why are you behaving odd?"
"Me? I think I am behaving quite normally." said Shreya.
"Aren't you going to ask how Rhea is? You look so distant and indifferent" he said.
"ACP sir told me everything. So I already know about it. I will speak with Rhea herself. I don't see any need to talk to you" snapped Shreya.
"You are angry with me" said Daya.
"I am not. Let me go" said Shreya.
"No, I want to talk to you" said Daya.
"I am going to meet Rhea" said Shreya.
"She is asleep" said Daya.
"Okay, I will talk to her tomorrow then. Even I am feeling really sleepy" said Shreya.
"Come with me. I want to talk" he said and dragged her towards the car.
"What are you doing?" She said in a loud voice. "Let me go!"
"Shut up!" said Daya and dragged her forcefully into the car. They then sped off towards the beach where they could talk calmly, away from Priya's prying eyes.
The beach was empty and Daya was grateful. Shreya walked in silence beside him. She knew he was going to apologize for his behaviour and this was the perfect time to broach the subject about their future. Rhea was back now. All tensions were finished. She was going to have a talk with him.
"I know you are angry with me. I agree I was wrong but everything happened so quickly and all of a sudden that I had barely time to think and now Rhea-"
"Daya, I am not angry with you but I think it's time we think about us seriously. I think you ought to ask Priya for a divorce" said Shreya.
Daya stopped walking and stared at her dumbfounded.
"What? Divorce Priya?" he asked.
"Yes. I mean we can't stay like this forever. We love each other. And you are not interested in Priya anymore. So, why waste time?" Said Shreya.
Whatever answer Shreya was expecting, wasn't this at all.
"Shreya, I can't possibly do that" said Daya.
"Why?" asked Shreya, narrowing her eyes.
"You've got to be kidding me" said Daya.
"No, I am serious. I have been thinking about this since a long time. I was going to tell you at the farmhouse itself. But then Rhea's disappearance happened and then..." her voice trailed off.
"It's too early for anything and besides Rhea... she's acting strange" said Daya.
"Too early?!" said Shreya, flaring up. "Why does it look too early to you? Or were you using my body to fulfill your desires -"
"SHUT UP!" Daya roared. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"
"WHAT ELSE COULD BE THE REASON THEN?" Shreya shouted in an equally angry voice. "You forgot about me. When Rhea went missing, you went to Priya. I understand that she needed you but you didn't even bother to talk to me. In the afternoon, when Rhea was found, you didn't think it necessary to tell me. Just tell me honestly, do I mean anything to you at all?"
"What do you think?" asked Daya
"I don't know!" said Shreya hysterically. "You seem so different. This is just not you. I had never seen this side of you. It scares me. I think you will leave me alone..."
"Wow. It took just two days for tou to draw this conclusion. Do you even know how worried I was for my daughter? What were you expecting, that I should come and stay with you all the time? It was a very difficult time for us, Shreya. Priya is my wife. She needed me. Priya and I, we were sailing in the same boat. It's Rhea who has kept us together all this years. How can you be so selfish?" said Daya.
"I am not being selfish! You don't know how I was feeling! You don't know what all things crossed my mind at that time... you... how can you?" said Shreya.
"You won't know obviously... it's stupid of me to think that you will understand me" said Daya angrily.
"YEAH RIGHT!" Yelled Shreya. "I am not a mother! I don't have anyone. And... and what do I know about family? I am an orphan! Right!" said Shreya, angry tears rolling down her cheeks.
"I didn't mean that" said Daya lowering his voice.
"Yes, you did! I understand everything now! Everything!" she said.
"No you don't" he said, drawing her close.
She tried to protest for a few minutes but then collapsed into his arms, crying her heart out. Daya wrapped his arms around her tightly. "I know this has been hard on you. Trust me. I will make everything right. You just need to give me some more time okay?" said Daya.
Shreya nodded.
"Please trust me sweatheart. I am not using you for my physical pleasure. I love you. I just want some time. Please... that's all I am asking" said Daya.
"Yeah, Okay" said Shreya wiping tears from her eyes. "Did you talk to Rhea? Why didn't she tell anyone where she was going?"
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Rhea is acting all strange. She didn't even look at me when I spoke to her. She is avoiding me altogether. I don't know why. Even Priya found it strange." said Daya.
"But why?" asked Shreya.
"I don't know! Another weird thing is that the police don't suspect a break - in. Nothing was stolen. They think Rhea ran away from the house and it - it was she who smashed all the items in the living room" said Daya gravely.
Shreya swallowed. Her heart was pounding. She looked at Daya and looking at his expression, she knew they both were thinking the same.
"Y - you don't think, she knows? About us?" said Shreya in a shaky voice.
"I hate to accept the fact but I - I think you are right" said Daya.
"Oh god" nurmured Shreya.
"I know" said Daya pulling her close. "This is bad. This is really bad. And I don't know what to do" said Daya.
"Okay, you need to talk to her Daya. We have to find. I can't imagine how she would have found out" said Shreya.
"Yeah, I will talk to her tomorrow when she wakes up" said Daya.
"Daya, what if she knows? What if she - she tells Priya-"
"No!" said Daya. "We don't know anything. Let us not jump to conclusions. We will know tomorrow. But for a few days I think we should just stay away from each other. We shouldn't arouse anybody's suspicions" said Daya.
"Yes, I understand. I am sorry I don't know what's gotten into me these days. I am really sorry" said Shreya.
"Don't worry love. We are going to be fine." said Daya embracing her tightly.
"Let's head back home. Shall we?" asked Shreya.
"Yeah, come on" said Daya.
Sneak peek into the next chapter - Rhea confronts and accuses Shreya of luring her father into her trap. She tells Shreya to leave the house. However, the worst shock for Shreya comes when Daya takes a decision.