CHAPTER-31

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For clarification- Arun is Sneha's father and Aruna is Radhika's mother. Don't get confused while reading. 😅😅

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"What has happened? Jiji has locked herself in Sneha's room since the morning. Did you tell her something?"

Aruna strolled out of the kitchen and inquired about her daughter who was busy scrolling her social media leisurely in the living room. Hearing her complain, she scoffed.

"Maa, why do you think I have said or done something to her. It can be vice versa and fortunately, this time, I am innocent. you can even ask Badi maa as you trust her more."

Aruna looked upstairs in the direction of Sneha's room with a frown, taking a deep sigh, she returned her gaze to her daughter.

"Okay..okay. I was just curious. No need to take it on the heart and yes, never reply in this tone again. Next time it will not be forgiven."

She scoffed but it didn't go missed by her and after receiving a glare, Radhika again got submerged into the deep brine of the internet as if she found something very interesting there which shouldn't be missed.

Before disappearing, Aruna asked with a huge fake smile, "Do one thing, call Jiji as I need her help in the kitchen."

Radhika avidly observed her mother for a few seconds, very well knowing her hidden intentions but being aware her mother was not going to move until she agreed to her demand, she huffed.

"Okay fine, I am going. Don't give that look."

Radhika stood up, unhurriedly walked past her mother and forwarded towards the stairs, leading her upstairs where Sneha's room was present and of course where Savitri was still maybe mourning.

Though she didn't want to, she mentally chuckled. Wait, she did deserve to know her daughter's ugly face, didn't she? But somewhere deep down, she knew Savitri was a clever fox and sooner or later, she would try to put her in this equation or was it possible, She already knew it was her sudden plan to slightly expose her sister.

She approached her room and found the door ajar. Before entering, she decided to peek inside for a brief analysis of her current temperament, to keep herself on a safer side.

She glanced inside and was surprised to witness that the once neatly cleaned room had turned into debris. All the things were scattered here and there. Many articles were broken and almost all the contents of her closet were now talking the floor.

Her forehead furrowed in confusion. She knew she would be angry knowing it, but never thought she would release her anger in this way and would create havoc here. It looked like a Strom had hit that particular room.

Her eyes once again roamed around the room and that time noticed Savitri sitting on the floor, leaning on the wall with her knees brought to her chest. Her eyes were closed and with expressions hardened, now she had been taking long and deep breathes to calm herself.

Fear crossed her face, glimpsing her condition and she soon took a step back to return. It was not at all healthy for her to come in front of her in that condition.

She decided to tell a lie to her mother and say she would not come now and hurriedly ran from her room. As soon as she reached in the living room, she found Arun in the living room, going somewhere. A smile plastered on her face, thinking him as her anchor in disguise who could answer all her questions.

"Bade papa," Radhika shouted his name to grab his attention. Arun turned his head in her direction and found her approaching him at a fast pace.

"Good evening, bacha."

"Good evening." She muttered with excitement. Arun chuckled at his enthusiasm and asked about the reason behind it.

"It has been so long enjoying daughter-father time. Isn't it?"

It had been a custom for both fathers and the trio sisters to roam around the city and spend time together every Sunday. But after that night, every happiness of the family wiped away. Radhika went away, Sneha detached herself from the family and only Maya left who tried her best to lift everyone's mood with her jolliness. How beautiful those days were! His eyes got moist remembering those moments.

"Indeed." As he replied his voice cracked. Radhika passed a sad smile seeing it.

"Should we revive it today. What say?" She forwarded her angled arm which he tangled with his.

"Of course. There is no second thinking." They went towards the parking lot, in between Arun suggested dragging his younger brother too but she denied telling him it was their time today...

"It is divine," Radhika muttered as she took the first bite of papri chaat. Arun was as foodie as her. So the first place, they both could ever suggest was the food court of the city mall. Arun smiled seeing her satisfied face.

"I know. Shouldn't we come often?" Arun suggested they should keep the tradition alive. They rarely used to spend time together, this way everyone could spend leisure time with their loved ones.

"Next time we will drag Maya too with us."

Though Radhika never said it deliberately, he didn't miss the removal of two other names in the recommendation or was he thinking too much. He thought.

As they become relaxed in the surrounding, her mind suggested hitting the iceberg. She took another bite and in a very relaxed tone, she said in an excited tone, "Bade papa, a few months ago, I watch a movie it was too amazing."

She knew how much he liked watching the movie, she decided to start the talk mostly randomly.

"Really."

Radhika nodded as her forehead creased in confusion as she acted trying hard to recollect. "But I don't remember its name. What was it? Mm?" He chuckled.

"At least tell its genre or theme, I might help to recall." He suggested as he sipped his cold drink. She nodded.

"It was related to underworld.. mafia..don."

"I see. It can be don or gangs of waseeypur.. wait even Gunday has mafia touch."

He was trying to recall more but her next question froze him for a few seconds. "Have you seen a real one?"

He quickly composed himself, shooking his head in negative, and to provide it more stand, he said in a firm voice, "No. Never. Not at all."

But Radhika was not a fool to notice this sudden change and she quickly commented in a serious tone. "You are hiding something."

The surrounding had already turned serious and her sudden inquiry made all the jovial mood disappear.

"Is there something to hide?" He asked acting cluelessly. She rolled her eyes in irritation, witnessing his horrible acting. Arun knowing she didn't believe him, ultimately declared in a strict tone.

"Don't ask me anything."

She pouted and with a puppy face, pleaded, "Bade papa it is important. You too were all this time, working in the company. You might know something."

He took a deep sigh with forehead creased but ultimately, with a blank face, he replied in a low audible voice.

"Chote will tell."

Hearing it she mentally scoffed. He had been trying to hit the ball in his court and the latter one was not at all ready to share any secrets with her.

"He said to ask you."

She lied. But as expected, he narrowed his eyes and his mouth set in a hard line as his eyes bored into hers, not believing her lies.

"Okay fine. He didn't even utter a single word about it."

She huffed at her minor defeat but still, she was adamant to find the truth today anyhow.

"Then forget about it."

Her eyes went round as she interpreted what he meant. She pressed her hands in front of him and with glossy eyes, she contended.

"It is really very important. Please."

Seeing her change of demeanour, he cringed, witnessing her drama. Surely she possessed this trait from her mother's side. But still, after everything, he couldn't see her daughters' tears and pleadings for something. It had been the main reason why they left their town in the first place and decided to settle in a very unknown city with nothing but hopes. Hope to provide their children with a better environment and a better future.

"Stop it. What you want to know. But remember I will not answer more than required and no one should know about this talk."

Radhika mentally grinned. She knew he always had a soft corner and with slight wincing, he used to fulfil the trio's wishes, despite how unusual they were. From giving them horse ride on his back to showering them with toys every now and then, even his wife scolding for spoiling them didn't stop him in any way.

"It is just our secret." She forwarded her pinky finger in front for him to wrap with his. One of their aged habit to ratify a treaty. He chuckled and linked his pinky finger and shook it a little.

Radhika nodded, leaning back on her chair and while sipping her coffee, she once again revised all the questions, she had in her mind.

"What about you tell what business we have with the mafia."

"Nothing."

She gazed at him with a slight mistrust. When he understood the, he sighed and with a half-smile, he said, "Seriously. It is really very trivial that is why he might not have wanted to discuss and make you unnecessarily worried."

But witnessing her undiverted serious gaze fixed at him, he took a deep sigh.

"Okay, okay. But really there is nothing to share. But still, if you say. Where should I start?"

She said with a grin, "What about you begin with the beginning."

"The story begins with Aruna's lover b..."

He acknowledged her decision and he started narrating the story but soon halted realising a part of a forbidden tale escaped from his mouth and being aware of how curious Radhika had been since childhood, she would not even let him breathe properly.

Radhika soon knew what he was indicating towards but she noticed his slightly uncomfortable feature. Realising, maybe he didn't know about Aruna telling about her past, he was confused about whether he should share the part in the first place. So she disclosed her knowledge.

"I know her dramatic wedding." She assured him with a smile.

"Oh, she told you." He asked with pursed lips, trying hard not to laugh.

"The bad boy next door."

Radhika too replied with a suppressed chuckle and ultimately both burst into a fit of laughter and hi-five each other.

"Yeah, he was some local goon in the town and after murdering someone, he escaped and hid in the underworld. Rumours says with time he received a promotion and turned his boss's confidential and most trustable man."

Meanwhile, he narrated the saga, Radhika like an obedient student sat quietly and mentally trying to link the story with the sudden course of changes in her life.

"You know what is the biggest blunder of humans?"

His sudden question startled her and a line appeared between her bows.

"What?"

He passed a sad smile and answered the question on her behalf.

"Trusting someone blindly. He extorted his master one day and killed him, announcing himself indomitable and started dictating the netherworld." He continued.

"We came to the city when his power was at an apex. Illegal smuggling, human trafficking, labour racketeering, brokering, murder, kidnapping, extortion, corruption, gambling, infiltration of legitimate businesses, loan sharking, tax fraud schemes, and stock manipulation schemes etcetera. I doubt what illegal business, he never did. He had become the most wanted person in the country in that decade."

Her eyes widened hearing his activities and she slightly shivered with terror. How everyone told not to worry when such dangerous mafia was behind them for some unknown reason.

As she was about to ask about him connecting with their company, Arun had already started reciting the story further.

"So that time the company started growing, they tried to pull the company down which you can name for old acquaintance sake."

She scrunched up her face in disgust and with a scoff added, "Or can be tagged revenge."

He just nodded and hummed at her comment.

"Hmm. Maybe."

"We tried to ignore their activities of interference and sudden interest in our company but later we filed a complaint."

Radhika was already prepared to hear that nothing happened. Hearing his mightiness and connection, anyone couldn't stand against them who was merely a businessman without any backup.

"But nothing happened. Without solid proves and interference of senior officials, they were scared to take a step against them."

She nodded in acknowledgement. She now knew the feeling of helplessness. She was still trapped in a dwindle to take any further step against them this time. Before everything happens, she had to know more about that person, maybe for better protection this time.

When she heard his part of the story, she was now excited to know what happened after it because they clearly progressed and achieved success. How it could be possible with the interference of such a dangerous man.

"Then what happened next."

"Nothing. We, with time we somehow tricked him and obtained solid proof of his ugly face and after a few years of trial, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. However, I must add such filthy people didn't even deserve breathing. And yeah without its leader, the gang was soon brought down."

She knew it. She always knew it. There was someone who was trying to ruin everything. But the question was why after more than two decades. However, this question was not bothering her anymore because she knew who the culprit was. Might be possible he had been ordering his men in action.

Finally, she had found some inklings and talking about Sneha, most likely, She had eloped to save herself for them. She sighed in relief with a tiny sense of pride to achieve something.

Though she had already concluded everything, still for formality sake, she tried to conclude their talk with an assurance.

"Oh, he is still counting his days in prison."

"No, he committed suicide weeks later. Didn't I tell you were unnecessarily worried? That is why chote didn't want to share it. Let the past be buried and don't mention it to others it might upset them."

He laughed a little at the end, though it was clearly fake.

But hearing it, the floor swept beneath her. If not he, then who.

Her eyes widened as she gulped in terror. All the sense of newly built pride burst as some soap bubbles.

She regained her mind and thought it was better to know his name, it could help her to draw more connections.

"What was his name, by the way?" She asked trying to act genuine.

Arun shrugged at her question. It was trying to answer her question plus if anyone knew in his family that they had discussed it, the end was near for both.

"The world used to call him Bhai. Aruna might remember his real name though."

She nodded and took a sip of her coffee which already turned cold in between their talk. Nevertheless, it was not a matter of concern as She was not busy plotting her next move.

"Did he had a family?"

He shook his head in dismay in confusion, witnessing her sudden grown interest to know that person's history.

Once again silence prevailed between them as they both were lost in their own world.

"You answer now, from where this mafia thing came in your mind." She was stunned at his question. She had not been prepared for the counter-question.

Though with her father, she discussed the real matter as he was now supervising the company's work in Sneha's absence. But Arun had taken a retirement much before Sneha was entitled to the CEO position and in her absence too, he never showed any interest to provide a helping hand.

It was better he didn't stress himself with the company's work. She decided.

"Just like that." She replied monotonously, indicating she didn't want to talk anymore about this issue but with his repeated persistence, she quickly cooked up a story that he luckily believed.

"Tuval discussed it with me as she somewhere heard the tale as a rumour. So I thought to inquire a little."

He nodded and once again a vast silence spread between them.

"What is wrong with Savitri."
Radhika frowned hearing this question. How was her badi maa's well being was connected to hers and how could she say, what was wrong with her?

"How can I predict?" She casually replied.

Arun scrutinized her for a few seconds and later said something which caught her off grudges.

"I must add, I often notice you two glaring each other. What is happening within our noses?"

She quickly shook her head like an obedient child which she never was.

"Nothing."

He nodded though he didn't believe what she said but decided not to comment more about it.

"Stay away from her. It is good for both well being." He said cautiously. She gawked at him, thinking why he sounded as if he was warning her. Her expression dulled thinking herself to be a reason.

"What are you saying? But why?" She asked him with extreme dismay but he kept looking everywhere and never replied.

"Bade papa, now don't leave me on a cliffhanger. Please tell or else my mind will not steady, thinking every possibility. It is something about me."

He was surprised by hearing her conclusion. He never tried to interpret the talk this way.

"No, absolutely not. It is about her."

How was it connected with Savitri? Radhika sulked thinking about his comment.

"I didn't understand."

"I think, no I know...she need help." He replied in a very tired and defeated tone.

She frowned at his comment. She knew Savitri always had anger issues but she never witnessed it to such an extent that she should require medical help. Or was he magnifying the matter uselessly?

When she was to argue with his comment, he cut him off, proving himself.

"Do you know, your parents spend their first night in the courtyard of our home because their room caught fire. Know the reason behind it?"

She thought for a while but when nothing came to her mind, she gave a general opinion.

"People that time used dibiya, maybe because of it or Diya, their room burnt."

He faked a smile and corrected her, "No, Savitri burned their room that night in her sheer anger."

She gasped learning about this new input.

"Thank God, everyone considered it as an accident and forget it the next morning. And mind it, the list is long."

Now, she was too stunned to think anything properly but one thing was clear, she wanted to hear more.

"Much before your grandmother died, Savitri received all the responsibility of the house, She has always wanted everyone to dance on her tune without any question to her monopoly or criticism. What is right according to her, is always right. And when something doesn't go her way, it aggravates her and many times she has turned violent. Even Gautam and Aruna have witnessed her anger many times. Will you believe witnessing their closeness, Aruna really has too much patience or any girl much have run away catching a glimpse of her craziness."

She gasped hearing about Savitri. Terror overtook her face, remembering the morning's incident. She must not have poked her. If anyway, she concluded her involvement, she would eat her alive.

"What you saw that night was just a glimpse, if anyone of us would have tried to stop her, she must have taken it to her ego and might have done some grave mistake in her sheer anger."

She shivered in

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