The well wisher

Neeraja noticed the protruding envelope from the post box as she entered her house. It was addressed to her. There was no postage stamp or name of sender. Courier boys would not leave the letters like that. What intrigued her were the words “Urgent and confidential" on it. Who could send such a letter, she wondered. She tore the envelope to see a small sheet. It read “The guy whom you are in love with is not an honest person. He is flirting concurrently with two other girls. He would ditch all the three of you after having some fun for another set of girls. He does this frequently. You are warned to stay away from him. Beware, I would know all your movements. A well wisher"

She tore the letter to pieces in anger and threw them in dust bin. She knew Navin since two years. A decent and good looking guy, he was her colleague earlier in the company where she is working .He left it for a better job.He had no big B school diplomas but he worked as an executive in some private company. She was a MBA from a prestigious school but that did not deter her from falling in love with him. He did not belong to her caste though it mattered little to her. They were going steady.

Who could be this well wisher? Could it be someone wanting to marry him and jealous of her? She talked to her bosom friend Rohini also a MBA and working in her office. They are very close and have no secrets between them.

 "Why would anyone take the trouble of dissuading you from marrying him unless he is romantically interested in you? Is there anyone other than Navin? Or could it be though farfetched your parents who may object because of his caste?"Rohini said.

"True, my parents are not exactly happy about my choice of Navin but I don't think they will stoop to this length. I know of no one who has openly shown romantic interest in me. I am in tension ever since I got this letter"

"Who knows who wrote it? But I would advise you caution. Watch Navin carefully as there can be no smoke without fire."

"What crap are you talking, Rohini?" Neeraja said with some irritability

When she met Navin that evening she asked him with a feigned seriousness”So you are romping with two other women silently with none of them being wiser to your dalliances?"

"What nonsense are you talking, Neeru? Have you gone soft on head or what?"Navin asked.

"I received a written warning this morning from some anonymous guy pretending to be my well wisher. Is there any lady making advances to you in your office or from elsewhere?"

"Stupid girl, you and your crazy ideas. There is none like that. There is space in my heart only for you. Come on, let us go and eat something. I am famished."

She did not tell him about her discussion with Rohini and totally forgot this matter after the pleasant evenings with him daily. It was therefore a surprise when she saw a tiny box one day in the post box addressed to her.

To her horror she found a picture of pistol with a note."I know you have been going with your lover in the evenings to restaurants despite my warning. I am serious. I would put a violent end to your love affair. Marry the guy whomever your parents choose for you for your lover's sake and his wellbeing."

She got scared and rang Navin requesting him to come and meet her in her office. Navin excused himself saying he was busy at work. In the evening he advised her that she best ignore such pranks and if it gets serious she can consider seeking help of police.

Two days later she got two pictures of Navin with his arms around two different girls in each and a note asking whether she needed more evidence. Neeraja started crying unable to digest the thought of Navin deceiving her and lying to her. She went straight to his office and confronted him with the pictures.”Tell me who they are? I trusted you. You can be honest with me and I will move away from your life permanently. I want this matter to be settled right now.”He looked at the photographs intently for a few minutes and then started laughing. He pulled her near him and said “What a buddhu you are? See the fingers of the man. Don’t you see rings in two fingers? Have you ever seen me wearing a ring? I am waiting for one ring and that is from you. These are morphed pictures of my head with someone else. A cut and paste job. Someone is definitely against your marrying me. If it is not your parents, watch out who it could be.It is none from my side, I am sure. Don’t get panicked. It will resolve itself soon” he said

The next day her system had a problem. She wanted some file and thought she would go to Rohini’s cabin. She would share the latest development and get the file from her computer. Her cabin was vacant and someone said she was on leave. Neeraja opened her system with company’s password and opened the file needed. She wanted a pencil and paper. When she opened the side drawer she found to her surprise some fashion magazine along with scissors with bits of clippings. She opened her Photoshop file and found in the recent files the pictures received by her. Things became clearer.

The next day when Neeraja said to Rohini in serious tone “I know who the culprit is. I have enough proof. Do you wish to know?”

“Neeraja, did you by any chance open my system? I confess to the wrong doing. I started loving Navin soon after he joined. It was ofcourse one sided. When I expressed my love, he was rather rude in rejecting me and said that he loved someone else. What irked me were his words that she is better looking and more intelligent. It was then I decided to see that he does not marry her. At that time I was not aware it was you. But I wished to teach that rascal a lesson. I am sorry. I will no more interfere. Please do not tell him, I implore you”

When Navin asked two days later about any fresh development from the well wisher, she said “Oh, the matter is resolved and is best forgotten. I need to buy a ring for you. By the way, would you need two?” she asked with a giggle.