Chapter 68

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Chapter 68

'Having a soft heart in a cruel world is courage, not weakness.'

Sanchi waited silently for the storm in her heart to subside, glancing up at the vast sky above her head and squinting her eyes to see the glow of the few stars which were hiding behind the clouds in the foggy night.

Rubbing his palms together and hugging the blazer closer to his chest, Vihaan mumbled, "You will have to believe the hurting truth, Sanchi."

"How cou-ld you say such a thi-ng, Vih-aan? Do you have proofs?" Sanchi felt the cold air shoving down her throat.

"I am a reponsible cop and I don't prophesize anything without evidences." Vihaan rubbed the back of his neck before uttering, "Do you know Shaurya was attacked again after you had left Indore? It was when we caught one of the culprits involved with the passport racket case and my brother's abduction."

Sanchi stared up at him in awe. "Who was do-ing all these behi-nd our back?"

"I am not sure if you know this guy. His name is Sahil, the Trivedi's tenant."

A crease formed on Sanchi's forehead as she let her mouth open wide. Upon hearing Sahil's name, her mind immediately drifted to Rohini and she remembered of not having spoken to her since then. "I had met him on-ce or twice in their hou-se. His beha-viour had raised some dou-bts in me but I didn't ass-ume so far."

"He was working for someone and it was later found out that he was suffering from a very unique hair follicle loss disease. Our forensics collected DNA samples of each member residing in the house, including all the tenants," Vihaan explained with difficulty. "It should also bother you because they had collected your sample too."

"Mine? I was not liv-ing there."

"You were living there a few days ago, Sanchi. Your sample was collected from the spare brush left in the room you were staying earlier. Everything went smoothly until I discovered something very indifferent and shocking."

"Your words are render-ing me rest-less, Vihaan."

Vihaan was facing the dead end of the platform before he spoke again, "To my utter surprise, your DNA had positively matched with Shaurya's parents but... Vidya's didn't."

"No Vih-aan, either you are mis-taken or they mis-placed the samp-les." Sanchi shook her head. "I won't beli-eve this, ever."

"I had also thought of the same that it was mistaken, so I decided to cross-check it." Vihaan rubbed his palms together to shrug off the cold. "I collected sister-in-law's sample from her comb in our house and tried matching it with Shaurya's. The results were negative though his DNA had already matched with his parents. While all these confusions were going on, we found out from Sahil that he wasn't the only one involved. There were also some other people who wanted to see Shaurya dead."

"Who?"

"I am sorry to say but both Mr. and Mrs. Patel are involved in it."

Sanchi shook her head. "They are yet run-ning after grandma's pro-perty without much succ-ess. How can they think of do-ing other crimes?"

"Why are you still so kind-hearted, Sanchi?" Vihaan grabbed her shoulders. "Kunwar legally runs a newspaper printing press but illegally, he manages to print the false passports. Our ex-employee Tarun, the tenant Sahil, the hooligan Shakti and many others were working under him."

Sanchi pressed her palms to her cheeks. "This can't be beli-eved, Vihaan!"

"It all began with Tarun getting caught but he did not reveal their names to us. Later, Shauya and I visited Agra to investigate his damaged factory but someone framed me in my brother's death. My brother returned alive later and someone again attacked us at Omkareshwar and you fell prey to it." Vihaan rubbed his thumbs gently over her shoulders. "That was a hurting incident but our love story did begin from there."

"I will lis-ten to our love sto-ry later. Tell me thi-ngs which I don't kn-ow."

Vihaan pulled Sanchi closer and kissed her temples. "So after arresting Sahil, he disclosed Jwala and Kunwar's names to us. I desperately wanted to put them behind bars with solid evidences and also to win over you. This took me to Gwalior later. Finding a proper chance, I broke open Kunwar's safe to find anything suitable for the case and all my guesses were turning out to be true."

"So you we-re the one who had le-ft the safe open and I thou-ght my father..." Sanchi pressed her lips together.

"What did you think? Were you also after the locker?"

"I was for a diffe-rent reason. I wan-ted to collect the ori-ginal docu-ments to my grandma's pro-perties on which they had force-fully taken her signa-ture."

"I took snippets of all the important papers inside the locker and left it open deliberately. I replaced the papers as they were and was sure Kunwar would get scared after discovering that his safe was broken. He did as expected, he took all the papers to hide them somewhere else and phoned Sahil to speak to him."

"But Sahil was beh-ind the bars, isn't it? How wo-uld he talk to th-em?"

"It was on our instructions that Sahil was in contact with them. He had to work according to us and speak to them over phone from behind the bars, so that we could trap Jwala and Kunwar as soon as possible."

"Oh!"

"Earlier, Sahil had agreed to work for them only if they hired him in exchange for handsome payments, and thus he got involved with the trafficking of false passports after Tarun's arrest," Vihaan said, still holding Sanchi a bit too close. "Jwala and Kunwar are still living under the impression that Sahil is freely roaming outside and working hard to kill Shaurya."

"Why wo-uld they wa-nt to kill Shay? They attem-pted to kill Nidhi and me, and now him... I me-an why?"

"Do you know that they had even joined hands with Shakti to kill you, not knowing the reality as to who Sanchi actually is." Vihaan chuckled a little. "But I am my hickory's protective shell, I wouldn't let anything happen to her."

Sanchi leaned into his chest before saying in a surprised tone, "How is Shakti invol-ved now? He was already arres-ted!"

"He was instructing his men from inside the jail. When he found out that Shaurya's father had signed the orphanage in your name, he seeked for revenge. Somehow his men met Sahil and joined hands to ruin you and Shaurya."

"Why Vih-aan? I have ne-ver harmed any-one in my life so why are peo-ple trying to take reve-nge on me?"

"It is just because you were spoiling their plans each time and they were failing in their mission." Vihaan fished his phone out of his pocket when he heard it buzz with a notification. "Sanchi, I've got a text from Arjun. We need to return home as soon as possible."

"Does he kn-ow I'm alive?"

"No, he doesn't but he knows I've gone searching for you. I don't know why he is calling me back." Vihaan shrugged. "What if something happened in the house after I had left?"

"Didn't you res-cue grandma from the work-room?"

"I did and entrusted my brother with her responsibility. She's alright, I know." Vihaan assured her. "But Sanchi, how do you know the password to my secret room?"

Sanchi stifled a laugh and wiggled her eyebrows. "I some-how got to know it but I pro-mise I won't be tell-ing anyone. It's your pre-cious nest, how can I allow oth-ers to find it out?"

Twirling Sanchi around in his arms, he pressed a feather kiss on her cheek. "You already got the password to my heart, love. Getting to know the entrance to my secret room is just a mere coincidence."

"Won't you rea-lly mind if I tell you the tru-th how I got to kn-ow it?"

"No, because only you have the right to enter the secret room that belongs to me."

With Vihaan's assurance, Sanchi felt it was necessary for her to disclose the entire truth to him. Landing into his secret room for the first time maybe was an intentional decision, but things were different now. He was in love with her and her actions of interfering with the secrets of his life wouldn't have affected him.

"You knew it from the very first day you were in my house!" Vihaan gaped wide, running his thumb through her neck. "I really don't mind, hickory. You were the only one to find out my love for my mother and united us, and leaving me soon after."

"Vih-aan!" Sanchi's fingers crawled up on his blazer before gripping the hem of it. "I tried a lot not to bri-ng my past before you but I could-n't. I was scar-ed that you wo-uld throw me out but... I don't see that hat-red or contem-plation in your eyes, whi-ch I have seen in other peo-ple since child-hood."

Vihaan pushed her chin upwards, plastering a soft kiss at the corner of her lips. "The only difference between others and this Vihaan Singh Bundela is that he loves you. Your past isn't strong enough to weaken his love for you. The day he starts hating you, he will have to hate himself."

Hiding her face securely into his chest, Sanchi let her eyes drop the stream of overflowing tears to traverse through the surface of his warm blazer. He raked her hair as she murmured slowly, "I don't kn-ow if I have loved you as deep-ly as you love me, but I'll try mak-ing it up to you. Ple-ase always be be-side me, Vihaan. I don't wa-nt to be left alone in this wor-ld again."

Vihaan diligently took her palms into his, pecking the top of each. "You should know you aren't alone anymore. You will always be my first priority and find me next to you with a single summon, hickory. Is that clear?"

Sanchi smiled widely this time and the warmth of her laughter came to her lips all on a sudden. She didn't have to anymore force herself to smile or get bothered to lose good things in life again. Sliding her palm into his, she let her fingers fill the gap between his slender ones. "Sh-all we walk back home toge-ther?"

Tightening her hold on to his palm, Vihaan delightfully nodded. "I wish we could have stayed longer than this but... Yes let's return."

***** 

Rocking Jwala back and forth in a fit of rage, Nidhi slammed her against a wall in the lawn, screaming aloud, "You are so merciless and cruel, how can you even think of killing me?"

When Nidhi tried to raise her hand on Jwala again, Vidya intervened, taking hold of her shoulders. "Don't do anything in a haste, please. If Jwala auntie has done certain things wrong, she is going to be punished by the law."

Dheeraj leaned closer to Sanchi's grandmother, who was seated on a chair in the lawn and whispered, "This was the reason why Vihaan had forbidden me from revealing about you till he returned. We all know Nidhi's aggressiveness, but it was just because of you that we had to disclose the truth to her."

"I was too scared of Jwala's actions and wanted to warn Nidhi before she did anything to her. Vanya is still missing and so.. You know I was very horrified, son." The grandmother shook her head before folding her palms in apology. "Did you receive any news from Vihaan?"

Dheeraj shook his head sideways, denoting a negative answer. Before he could respond, he heard Nidhi's hoarse voice shrieking through the entire lawn.

"You tried to kill me mom, your own daughter? I thought you were all the time only hating Vanya but you were also hating me inwardly. How could I not recognise such a cheap rated lady! How can I still keep calling you 'M-O-M'? Do you even know how precious this word sounds but you are the one ruining it for the other pious mothers."

"You aren't my daughter and I'm not your mother." Jwala retorted heavily, pointing her forefinger at Nidhi. "You were an adopted orphan who was just left to die on the streets by her own parents. You should be thankful to us for at least growing you up with everything you needed, without letting you know anything about it."

"Why did you do the damage, Jwala?" Sanchi's grandmother mumbled slowly, while Nidhi had a blank expression plastered over her face. Some hurting truths were very difficult to be digested easily.

"Am I-I not your daugh...daughter?" Nidhi asked Jwala, bewildered in shock. "Am I an orph...orphan? Was I adopted?"

"Ask your grandmother if you don't believe me." Jwala smirked and gleefully observed the silence on the grandmother's face.

"Don't you have the graceful and loving sympathy that every mother possess?" Nidhi's eyes welled up with tears as she told Jwala. "I may not be having your blood in me and I understand you didn't feel anything for me even if you had seen me growing up from being a little toddler to an adult woman. But what about Vanya? She was your blood, isn't it? Why do you hate her? Just because she's not born normal like any other girl!"

"Because Sanchi aka Vanya isn't her daughter too." Arjun reentered the lawn, dragging Kunwar behind him. "Your adopted parents not only tried to kill you but also left Sanchi to die on the railway tracks."

Jwala snapped out of her clumsiness, looking up at her husband's terrified face and tapped her feet out of sheer horror. Nidhi found it difficult to believe her ears but that's how discovery of true things were meant to be.

"Now I understand why you both were trying to get the properties in your names, instead of giving it to us." Nidhi moved closer, rotating her eyes to and fro. "But what are you supposed to do with the properties if even your fake children can't inherit them?"

"Who said their fake children will inherit anything when they already have their own child?" Arjun took steady steps towards Vidya before muttering, "I apologize to break this before everyone but... Vidya is their only daughter who was exchanged with Vanya the day they were born in the same hospital many years ago."

"Are you in your senses, Arjun?" Nidhi caught hold of a shuddering Vidya, dabbing her wet cheeks dry. "How can this be even possible?"

"Your evil witch-like mom can make impossible things possible." Arjun remarked before holding up a few papers in front of the audience. "I don't say things without evidences, Nidhi. These are the old but original birth certificates of both Vidya and Vanya, each of who was born to Mrs. Jwala Patel and Mrs. Garima Trivedi respectively. The hospital staffs were bribed and these certificates were grabbed to secretly bury them years ago. The certificate that Mrs. Garima Trivedi possesses is a fake one, most probably created under the guidance of Mr. and Mrs. Patel."

"How did you get these papers? Did you steal them while staying at our house?" Jwala asked, causing her to earn nods of hatred from Dheeraj, Durga and Virendra.

"Are you accusing my husband to be a robber?" Nidhi shouted again and Arjun pressed his palm on her lips.

"Will you relax for the time being, my aggressive wife?" Arjun grinned before turning to Jwala. "I didn't have to steal anything because Vihaan Sir had already done it, I mean he had already collected these evidences against you. He was at Gwalior not only to win over Sanchi, but to also unmask you both. From collecting evidences against the chains of illegal activities taking place at your press industry to discovering this hidden truth, he had done everything by himself."

Dheeraj, who was all this time holding the grandmother in her place spoke, "Illegal activities?"

"His printing press not only prints newspapers but also false passports," Arjun declared and Dheeraj gasped in surprise. "The masterminds behind the Ujjain passport trafficking case are Mr. and Mrs. Patel."

"You both are too greedy to be left unpunished." Dheeraj gritted his teeth in disgust.

"You haven't yet heard of the level of their greed till now." Arjun crossed his arms across his chest. "They are the ones who had sent their men to Agra to ruin Shaurya's business, to join hands with Sahil and Shakti to take revenge on Sanchi and Vihaan Sir for spoiling their plans, to fake the kidnapping drama of Dheeraj by bringing his duplicate, and lastly trying to kill both Nidhi and Sanchi who aren't their own biological daughter."

Shaurya, who was all the time standing there like a silent listener and support to his trembling parents, pushed his way through the crowd and stood before Arjun. "I have always thought Kunwar uncle to be my father's closest friend but he was backstabbing him all the while!"

"He was, Shaurya. You should confront him yourself because you have the right." Arjun instructed him. "They are liable to answer you because you are their victim."

Before Shaurya could speak, Garima moved forward and a reverberating slap hollered in the atmosphere. Shoving Jwala away angrily, she yelped, "I have always meant you as a younger sister, haven't I, Jwala? We used to share things together since the time we got married to our respective husbands. We used to be neighbours but lived more like families. Why did you do such a belittling thing of exchanging our own babies and keeping the truth hidden for years? Why did you? How could you?"

"Because we wanted to secure a better life for our own daughter Vidya," Jwala told Garima with little regret in her voice. "Your husband was already successful in his business and earning in crores whereas we were still struggling with the printing press. I had no other option but to exchange our babies on the very day they were born. Shaurya was your eldest son and everyone had decided to name the two babies after him. They were given twin names Vidya and Vanya, but I silently hated it. I couldn't imagine my daughter sharing her name with others, but then I had no other choice."

"So you thought of coaxing Sanchi to officially change her name before disowning her and throwing her out of the house a few years ago?" Arjun asked raising his eyebrows.

"I had long wanted Vanya to leave the house but since Vidya was staying with her, I couldn't do anything. After Vidya had left for abroad, Kunwar's mother fell ill due the discovery of Vanya's infertility and her engagement getting terminated, I knew this was the best chance to throw her out. She agreed because she wanted to save her grandmother's life and only we had the money to pay for mother's treatment." Jwala continued narrating without a little lament from her side. "I was committing every sin for the welfare of my own daughter Vidya, believe me."

Vidya marched forward and halted in front of her, aligning the sight of her eyes with Jwala. "You didn't think twice before exchanging the infant me with someone else, before driving my soulmate out of her own house, before plotting to kill my brother Shaurya and most importantly, you joined hands to abduct Dheeraj even after being completely aware of it that he is my husband. What sort of welfare were these?"

"You are my daughter, Vidya. It was only for your bright future that I had kept you away for so many years. We couldn't have afforded to send you to London for higher studies and grow you up with every comfort that the Trivedis provided you." Jwala reached for Vidya's palms but the latter shoved them away.

Kunwar opened his mouth to speak this time. "Our printing press wasn't making huge profits and so we took to printing false passports in exchange for lavish payments. We were trying to expand our business in every possible way."

Jwala added, "When we found out that Shaurya had started handling their business after his graduation, we hired men at the factory of Agra to spoil his reputation by intoxicating the pipelines. This would have resulted into a rift between Shaurya and his father, and Hemant could have evicted his son from a responsible owner's position. But when it didn't happen, we planned to get him killed and fortunately met Sahil, who equally wanted to

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