THE LEDGER
CHAPTER 19
THE JOURNEY TO VISAKHAPATNAM
It had been only a few days since Aravind and Chottu had rescued Ansi and the child from the hands of the Dynamite Group.
It had not been an ordinary rescue.
Aravind and Chottu had risked their own lives to get them out.
The fight against the Dynamite men…
Chottu's courage…
Their desperate effort to get the child to safety…
Everything was still alive in Ansi's mind.
But after the rescue, one question remained before her.
Where would she go now?
Aravind did not stop her.
He gave her the freedom to make her own decision.
Ansi knew one thing clearly—
She could not allow anyone else to be put in danger because of her.
Aravind and Chottu had already risked their lives to save her.
She did not want them to face danger again because of her.
That was the strongest thought in her mind.
KANYAKUMARI
Early morning.
Ansi reached her home.
She took only a few clothes.
Some important documents.
Her phone.
And a few other essentials.
That was all.
As she walked through the house, her eyes stopped several times.
This was where her old life had been.
But she knew she could no longer live here as she once had.
Chottu was waiting outside.
He said nothing.
When Ansi came out with her bag, Chottu looked at her.
“That's all?”
“Yes.”
“Do you need anything else?”
She shook her head.
“No.”
They stood silently for a few moments.
Then Chottu asked,
“Where are you going?”
Ansi gave him a small smile.
“First, Kolkata.”
“Do you know anyone there?”
“No.”
Chottu asked again.
“Then why Kolkata?”
Ansi looked outside.
“I need to get away from here.”
Chottu said nothing.
He understood.
He knew exactly what she was trying to get away from.
The Dynamite Group.
There was another matter that had to be settled.
The child.
Ansi could not put the child in danger again.
Chottu felt the same way.
They contacted Hemanth's sister's family and arranged for the child to be handed over to them safely.
When Chottu handed the child over, his expression changed.
The child looked at him.
She held his hand.
For a moment, Chottu's eyes filled with tears.
“You'll be safe here…”
he whispered.
Whether the child understood him or not, she did not let go of his finger.
Finally, the family took the child into their arms.
Chottu slowly withdrew his hand.
He turned away.
Ansi saw it.
“Chottu…”
He did not turn around.
After a few seconds, he said,
“Let's go.”
THE MATADOR
An old Matador van was waiting for them.
Ansi sat in the back.
Chottu sat in front.
The vehicle slowly left Kanyakumari.
The roads disappeared behind them.
The houses disappeared.
Familiar faces disappeared.
Ansi looked through the window.
And once again, the seven-star hotel came alive in her mind.
The fifth-floor pool party.
The powerful people of the Dynamite Group.
Several people with political connections in Kerala.
Money.
Criminal figures.
Young women dressed in glamorous clothes.
Strange and unfamiliar faces.
Things she had not understood at the time.
The
questions surrounding Sibi's death.
The attack on Hemanth and his friends.
And finally…
The night she was kidnapped.
Everything came back to her one after another.
She closed her eyes.
“I have to get away from here somehow.”
It was not an attempt to escape from Aravind.
Aravind was the man who had saved her.
And so was Chottu, in his own way.
She had not forgotten what they had done for her.
But…
She did not want anyone who cared about her to face danger because of her again.
That was the strongest thought in her heart.
The van continued for hours.
Chottu occasionally looked back at her.
Ansi remained silent most of the time.
Finally, Chottu asked,
“Are you afraid?”
Ansi kept looking outside.
“Yes.”
“But you still have to go?”
“Yes.”
“Then don't be afraid.”
Ansi looked at him.
Chottu gave her a small smile.
“You're not alone.”
Gratitude filled Ansi's eyes.
“Tell Aravind that I'm grateful.”
Chottu nodded.
“I will.”
CHENNAI
Their next stop was Chennai.
The Matador journey ended there.
From Chennai, they planned to take a train toward Kolkata.
At the railway station, Ansi stood still for a moment.
People.
Noise.
Announcements.
Passengers rushing from one platform to another.
She felt that she could disappear into this crowd.
That was exactly what she wanted.
A new life.
Not a new name.
Just a new life.
The train began moving.
Chottu sat near the window.
Ansi sat opposite him.
Night fell.
The sound of the train wheels continued.
Ansi took out her phone.
She went through her old contacts.
Then her eyes stopped at one name.
MEERA.
An old friend.
Someone who had once worked with her at the Dynamite Group.
Meera had never been a major executive.
She had worked in reception.
Event coordination.
Guest handling.
Private events.
Fashion-related programs.
She had been part of the lower operational level of the Dynamite Group.
But later, she resigned.
She was now working in Visakhapatnam.
Ansi stared at the name for a while.
Then she decided to call.
She dialed.
The phone rang.
Once.
Twice.
On the third ring, someone answered.
“Hello?”
Ansi said nothing.
“Hello?”
“Meera…”
There was sudden silence on the other end.
“Ansi?”
“Yes.”
“Where are you?”
“I'm travelling.”
“Where?”
Ansi hesitated.
“To Kolkata.”
“Kolkata?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know anyone there?”
“No.”
Meera's voice changed.
“Then why are you going there?”
Ansi said softly,
“I need to get away from here.”
Meera remained silent for a moment.
“Ansi…”
“What?”
“Are you safe right now?”
Ansi closed her eyes.
Then she looked at Chottu.
“Yes.”
Meera suddenly said,
“Don't go to Kolkata.”
Ansi was surprised.
“Why?”
“Come to Visakhapatnam.”
“Why?”
“I'm here.”
Ansi remained silent.
“I can help you.”
“I don't want to trouble anyone.”
“You're not troubling me.”
“Meera…”
“Come.”
Finally, Ansi asked,
“If I come?”
“I'll come to the station and pick you up.”
Ansi ended the call.
She thought for a while.
Then looked at Chottu.
“There is a change.”
“What?”
“I'm not going to Kolkata.”
“Then?”
Ansi answered,
“Visakhapatnam.”
VISAKHAPATNAM
The train reached Visakhapatnam in the morning.
Ansi stepped onto the platform.
She looked around.
She was searching for one familiar face.
A woman standing a short distance away raised her hand.
Meera.
She hurried toward Ansi.
“Ansi!”
They hugged each other.
Meera did not let go for a few moments.
“You've changed so much…”
Ansi tried to smile.
“The last few days haven't been easy.”
Meera looked at Chottu.
“And him?”
“Chottu.”
Chottu nodded.
“He brought me here.”
Meera thanked him.
“Thank you.”
Chottu simply said,
“Take care of her.”
Meera looked at Ansi.
“I will.”
Chottu did not stay for long.
He said goodbye to Ansi.
“Take care.”
Ansi looked at him.
“And tell Aravind…”
“I will.”
Chottu walked away.
Ansi watched him for a few moments.
Her eyes filled with gratitude again.
A SMALL HOTEL
Meera took Ansi to a hotel in the city.
“You can stay here for a few days.”
They took a room.
Ansi placed her bag beside the bed.
She opened the window.
Visakhapatnam stretched out before her.
The sea breeze entered the room.
A new city.
A new beginning.
Meera looked at her.
“Now tell me.”
“What?”
“What do you really want?”
Ansi remained silent for a moment.
Then she looked at Meera.
“What are you doing now?”
“Event management.”
“Fashion events?”
“Yes.”
Ansi slowly said,
“I have a proposal.”
Meera looked curious.
“What?”
“You're working on a fashion event here, right?”
“Yes.”
“Can I… participate?”
Meera stared at her.
“You?”
“Yes.”
“As what?”
Ansi took a breath.
“As a model.”
Meera was surprised.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“You have no modelling experience.”
“I'll learn.”
“Stage fear?”
“I'll learn.”
“Training?”
“I need it.”
Meera smiled.
“You can do it.”
Ansi smiled too.
For the first time, she felt that she was beginning to rebuild her own life.
THE FILE
Meanwhile…
In another office in Visakhapatnam, an event coordinator was going through old registration files.
New models.
Photographs.
Basic details.
One file after another.
Then a new profile appeared before him.
ANSI.
At first, he saw nothing unusual.
Just another new model profile.
Then his eyes changed.
He opened an old file.
DYNAMITE GROUP.
Staff records.
Event coordination.
Private party lists.
Guest management.
He found an old photograph.
Then he looked at Ansi's new photograph again.
He compared the two.
His expression changed.
“It can't be…”
He stood up.
He understood.
This was not a new model.
This was the same Ansi who had disappeared from the Dynamite Group.
He immediately picked up the phone.
Dialled a number.
The call connected.
“A girl has arrived here.”
A voice answered,
“Who?”
He looked at the file.
“Ansi.”
Silence.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Where is she?”
He looked toward the window.
“She is staying in a hotel.”
“Who brought her?”
“A woman. Her old friend.”
The voice asked,
“How much does she know about us?”
He closed the old file.
“I don't know.”
“But…”
He looked at Ansi's photograph again.
“She saw something.”
The call ended.
Inside the hotel room, Ansi stood near the window.
She had no idea that…
in the city where she had come to begin a new life…
her old life had already found her.
She did not know that…
the name Ansi had appeared again in a file connected to the Dynamite Group.
She did not know that…
the fashion event where she had decided to begin her modelling journey…
was about to bring her past and future onto the same stage.
But…
another connection had already been created in THE LEDGER.
DYNAMITE GROUP.
ANSI.
MEERA.
VISAKHAPATNAM.
THE FASHION EVENT.
From here, the story was about to move in another direction.
Ansi believed she had escaped.
But the truth was…
the city she had entered was already waiting for her.
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