24

                                    

                                          
Delhi







Following the release of the tape, the city was in a ruckus because of the riot that broke out outside Anand's residence. People were questioning his integrity and demanding for his hospital to be shut down as they believed he and his daughter made money out of the citizens by injecting them with dangerous substances, which made his hospital the number one most famous all over India. Their belief was that, when a patient goes there for treatment, they give him medication and their substance so that he would never fully recover, and in that way, they would keep getting more money.
Back at Abhimanyu's house, where female constables reached to take Poonam along with them, his entire family went to him, not believing what the media were saying about her.
"I doubt she could do any of that."
"She looks innocent."
"Her father also offered to deliver Priyanka's child safely."
"We don't believe this."
They all sided with her and her family.
"The media won't publish fake news about them. There must be some truth to it; after all, I still haven't seen one wealthy person who has clean money." Sonia responded,
"What are you saying? She has become a part of our family, even though no one knows about the wedding. Still, we have become family. We won't believe what we see on the news. They publish any rumour without confirming," his mother conveyed sympathetically, keeping in mind what Poonam had told her yesterday: that she didn't grow up with a mother. Also, she was carrying the grandson of their family now.
Abhimanyu gave the order with a nod for them to go in and arrest her. They marched upstairs while his mother, who had seen him give them approval, confronted him.
"What are you doing, son? Didn't you tell us you were married for love?"
"I took an oath when I became a police officer, Mom, that I would apply the law the same way I would do a stranger without differentiating whether he is family or not. Her being my wife doesn't guarantee her the benefit of anything. When it comes to my work, she is only a citizen of the state to me."
"Who are you?" She woke up after they forced her to—they sprinkled water on her face, and looking at the female constables all in uniform, she blinked to clear her head, thinking that it may be a hallucination.
"You're under arrest, Dr. Poonam." They came on her together and seized her hands, and without letting her get dressed or prepared, they took her outside.
"What are you doing? Don't you know who I am? Arresting me is the same as supporting a never-ending protest because the people will never let me be detained." She ranted, stopping when she saw Abhimanyu standing in a corner with crossed arms.
"You betrayed me," she snarled to him, gritting her teeth, feeling his betrayal grazing her soul, while the pain of it flashed within her eyes. She couldn't believe it; like a fool, she fell into his trap. He cunningly deceived her into thinking she would escape the past by marrying him, but, looking confidently in his eyes, she said,
"The law can't keep me with them. If you think I will stay there, then that will be one of the biggest mistakes you will make because, as long as I'm there, there won't be peace anywhere."
"My dear,"
She eyed his mother since she didn't have to pretend to respect her as what he was blackmailing her with was already out.
"We will get you out. It is our duty now that you have our grandchild in your womb. We know you couldn't have done it."
"Oh, come on, seriously?" She was cut off by Abhimanyu's voice.
"Stop right there." He didn't want his parents to find out about their fake marriage in that manner.
"Why should I? Why should I lie to them? I am not pregnant. I will never be pregnant for your son, that's for certain. Our marriage was never based on love. Your dear son wanted to marry me for his own selfish reasons. I vomited today because I drank wine yesterday. We have never been intimate; in fact, I can't even stand him. We hail from different classes. This cheap saree is for people in your class. I've never worn something like that in the past. If it were on normal days, I would never give attention to people like you. There.."
"You should know what leaves your mouth when talking to my mother, Ms. Poonam," he addressed, the disrespect in her tone not sitting right with him.
"The evidence is out. Why should I still pretend then?" She smiled proudly. "Is it because I am about to be arrested and you're the DCP?" She inquired with a straight face, adding in a rash tone, "With or without your approval, I would be getting bail."
"Take her away." He no longer wanted to hear her voice or see her because anyone who doesn't respect his mother, he doesn't have respect for that person either.
"I will go, but not forever. I will expose how you took all my money as a bribe from me. You will also be suspended, and your dear big family....."
His mother slapped her across the cheek before she could finish. As she slowly digested the ache that also reset her head, thereby letting her become fully awake, she gazed at her, scorn revealing in her eyes and yelled,
"How dare you, old hag?"
"Poonam!" Abhimanyu angrily shouted her name, while his mother added another slap to her pink, full cheeks.
"You can't do as you please." She started, having already never considered her anything to her, so she was able to freely express herself since there was nothing to lose again, but she chipped into her statement.
"I slapped you for your cheap accusation of my son collecting bribes. I can't believe a few moments ago, I thought you were innocent. So this is who you are."
"Don't waste your breath, Mother," he rubbed her back to calm her because she got hyper for a person who doesn't deserve it.
"Let them take her away from us. Immediately," she replied.
Poonam's glare stopped the police from touching her. "I will walk myself." Her head lifted up proudly with no worry in her heart as she walked. She was confident in her influential friends, her aunt Lakshmi, and her father that they wouldn't let her spend the night in jail.
Her father was in his lobby discussing with numerous lawyers how, if she were to be arrested, she would be saved. The police who were sent to guard him because he was still under suspicion stood inside, listening to what they were talking about.
"I'm sure this is a plot. I trust my daughter a lot. She doesn't even drink. I doubt she can import something that's banned for us. Clearly, someone is aiming to ruin my family's reputation. The video that was released about her, I don't believe it too. Any surgeon is free to watch the footage and authorise if she is guilty or not."
"Don't worry. Ms. Poonam is loved by the youth and adults of the nation. The law won't do anything without reconsidering again and again because a little harm to her will cause unrest in the country," a lawyer shared, to which Anand nodded, feeling some relief.
"Also, whoever released the footage must be traced and arrested. It is a bridge of privacy to your hospital. A patient's live surgery isn't a film that the whole world should see. We will hire a detective and find out how the video was gotten."
Hey! Don't forget to vote and comment. Also, in subsequent chapters, the female lead will move over to Poonam's sister, Riddhima. Happy reading🩶🧡