CHAPTER-37

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"I know the more I will remain here, the more I will hurt you all. I should not anyhow remain near. It was better there." As soon as She separated herself from Radhika's embrace, She muttered fearfully, trying to get down from the bed.

"I have turned better and now must return."

But before she could take a step, Radhika sternly held her wrist and ordered in a strong voice with her stern gaze fixed with her teary ones.

"You are not going to live there again...and yes, scrape the living alone thought. I will talk to maa, you will stay with them."

Sneha eyes widened in shock and immense fear in the uncertainty of her mother's reaction. She hastily shook her head, trying to make her realise her bad the idea was.

"Maa will not allow. She will ask questions, I can not answer."

But her reason made Radhika chuckled humorlessly which confused her more. But her next statement cleared everything as well as made her lower her head in shame and anguish with the memories of that night.

"Tell a lie, like you said that day."

"Chot..ti.."

She stuttered in dismay, meanwhile somehow forwarded her shaky hands to caress her cheeks, making her understand how much she or everyone meant for her. But maybe as a curse, she ruined everything around her.

"You have already expertise in this sector. One more lie will not hurt."

But before she could touch her, Radhika scooted away, as if her single touch could pollute her. She replied hateful voice but her glossy eyes were telling another story. Though she never wanted to use such unpleasant words, her ego was carving to hurt her and let her know it was not okay to manipulate and use her, maybe for it, she could never forgive her, ever.

But in between deep down, those words also were maiming her and her actions with her pierced her heart too. And as always she asked herself why? Why did she still want to be the part of her sorrow willingly? After everything?

Sneha painfully retreated her arms back with utter shame on her every act which created an unbreakable wall between them. She buried her face in her palm and soon her muffled sobs followed, making Radhika guilty on incompetency to choose the correct words. But maybe the desire to sting her was more than any guilt at that moment.

"I was helpless and forced. But I always wished you had spoken up against me at that time too." She grimaced at her excuse with an accusing gaze but sadness had surely overtaken her feature.

Her voice suddenly turned heavy with the desire to cry loudly on hers as well as their fates together, being in each other's arms as support. Where Sneha could share her problems while she could complain about how unfair life had been to her.

It was the agony of both sisters but deep down both well knew, they lost this right years ago. But in between, her victimised face did no help to suppress her urge. She somehow managed a few deep breaths, in between fighting back the tears but still, she stammered as she spoke.

"Tell these excuses to someone..one else, not me... I..I can never trust you. I don't care what...whatever you do but stay away from the possessions which solely... belong to me or you and me gonna have a lot of problems. I will...will not remain silent this time."

As soon as she finished talking, instantly the wave of regret flushed in her system when she observed her dulled expression and continuous tears running down her cheeks. The more she tried to wipe them, the more they reappeared.

For a few seconds, Sneha's eyes gazed her accusingly but later she averted her gaze hesitated, maybe with the realisation that she was right and she had always been unhealthy for her life. Still somewhere she wanted to explain herself and let her know her stance.

"I have never sought anything that was supposedly yours. If it is about Vivaan, it is very obvious he has just been my best friend and I never had any secretive feelings for him. Please be assured."

Radhika huffed at her statement, shaking her head in dismay.

"It is an irrelevant talk. What if he again tries to blackmail you, will you not get ready to dance on his tune, forgetting your every ethics."

Her imaginary question cast her in turmoil. What would she do? Though she promised anyhow she will never be his puppet anymore to his evil works anymore but the question was this what extent she could handle everything? Everything had its own limit. How much could she bear without breaking down this time?

But her sudden silence got misunderstood by Radhika who haughtily replied with a hardened expression present on her face.

"Will, you not? You know what position you have in my life.."

But before Sneha could say something, she cut her off with her further indicting voice.

"The weeds of the garden...They grow unwillingly and remained mostly ignored with its no use unless the gardener decides to discard its existence. But stubborn are those that still grow. Uncalled...unwilled...ignored...but they are always present."

Uncalled...unwilled...ignored.

The words had always been the dangerous weapon in the world and even now it remained the same. Those three words started repeating in her mind without a break, making her realise what she was or what she had become.

-------------------------------------------

Later, around 2 O'clock in the midnight, Vivaan entered in his room, stirring a spoon around the hot liquid in the cup for blending the contents inside properly but halted in his trance when he noticed Radhika on the bed, typing something furiously on her laptop, placed on her lap.

Vivaan silently settled on a side sofa, with an intention to provide no disturbance in her work. But after noticing her for more than ten minutes in the same posture, amidst sipping his coffee, he couldn't control his curiosity and asked if everything was fine.

Radhika looked up from the screen and took a deep sigh, closing her eyes for a while for relief.

In a second, she instantly opened her eyes and again got immersed to the screen, meanwhile answering his question in a determined voice.

"Filing a fir...I thought to let him go once but not now...He will have to face the consequences of what he has done."

He frowned at her actions. He slowly approached her, wanting to know about this issue.

"Wanna have a look?"

He nervously nodded his head. She scooted to the middle of the bed and patted the empty side space of the bed for him to occupy. As he sat beside, she turned the screen for his crystal clear view.

"Molestation, Rape charges, blackmailing..." He recited the charges written in the form but halted ashamedly.

His breaths turned deep. His eyes went glossy, making not being able to read any further. He guilty looked at her. Even his voice had turned heavy, preventing him to speak in deep fear of knowing the truth.

His shaky hands cupped her face with deep agony on his face.

"No...it can't...I never knew he could do this...How...When...Are you okay?"

He instantly wrapped her petite figure in his embrace, amidst choked sobs. She too couldn't hold herself and silently let the tears flow from her eyes.

They remained in this postures for minutes. Time to time Radhika could feel his shiver, his caressing her hair to make her feel protected and in between continued asserting justice will be served.

After a while, Radhika slowly pushed him and hurriedly wiped her tears.

"A file should never be read incomplete." He frowned in confusion. With made her further clarify the case to him.

"She is not me, Vivaan. Read further."

He sighed in relief and cupped her face, planting several kisses on her face, meanwhile thanking God a thousand times. But it made her feel miserable, anticipating what he might go through when he knew the truth. Her sobs intensified at that short term relief which drew his attention. He grabbed her hand securely. He promptly wiped his tears to clear the vision, nodding all the while he turned his gaze attentively on the screen.

His eyes went round as he read further details, this time complete. He gasped while his scrutinised eyes turned towards his wife, silently in seek of confirmation of its verisimilitude. Since he couldn't bring himself belief the fact that that person could stoop this low, he needed confirmation of the reality. For a while, he had turned speechless with a loss of words.

"If you think it to be too much....you ought to know more."

She stated in a farce voice, gaining his sole attention towards her, away from the laptop screen which she had now kept to the other side.

"He is a mafia head..."

His eyes blazed with rage, knowing this knew a piece of information before he could act or say, she commented further with a sigh.

"And it didn't happen once. Hearing her confession, it can be easily concluded it had been happening for years. Maybe for around five to six years."

He had turned sleepless and shakingly, he darted his glance outside his room, silently gesturing to know about her well being. She passed with a sad smile as she put her other hand on their joined hands assuringly.

"She is sleeping with the consumption of the prescriptions."

He nodded while his jaw clenched with sallow features. It was now he felt disgusted to even know such a person in his life.

"Still speechless?"

He took deep breaths and his glossy eyes met with hers. His lips trembled thinking of the atrocities the woman, whom he had always claimed to be in love with, had gone through. He couldn't compose himself and soon tears ran down his cheeks.

"I..I can't believe it. Before everything, we were supposedly best friend. Was..was I too bad for her to confide in me. I feel so..so defeated today."

That day, a best friend in him felt defeated who couldn't save his friend and the lover had already committed suicide with revulsion for claiming his immense love but never he could see beyond the facade she used for the world. How self-centred could he be?

He closed his eyes, resisting the tears but the pain inside was too much that he could not stop his cries for his failure and her suffering.

Radhika silently hugged him, letting his cry as much as he wanted, knowing well how he much have felt and how her family was going to feel at this revelation. Anticipating their condition made her heartbeat fast in anguish.

They both were at their weakest point. However, their soothing words and constant support gave a light, hope and courage to stand again and put a fight against the evils for each other's sake.

For a long time, they remained silent. His sobs had now stopped but he was somewhere still in that zone. Thinking it was better to let him know everything now, she decided to talk about the matter which had been buried inside her for months.

"Remember I told once about data stealing case in the office."

He silently nodded, gesturing her to speak further.

"After FIR is lodged, police had to do a primary investigation and submit its report to the district court, I provided them with the proofs but they ignored and ultimately closed the case stating no proper bases on accusations. And..and...He got freed." He listened to her attentively as she continued.

"Arjun Gupta was freed after what he did shamelessly to me." She said his name with immense hatred that she ever felt for someone.

He rubbed her back caringly, making her rest her head on his shoulder and embraced her protectively.

"It is okay. We will not leave him...That case can be reopened again." He commented softly, making her understand like a baby with a try to calm her down.

She too wrapped her arms around his frame while her head remained rested on his shoulder. She continued her monotonous talk about his details emotionlessly, in between trying to keep tiredness her body felt both emotionally and physically, at bay.

"He is one of his trustable men. Knowing about it, his entrance in my life as well as in my office makes great sense and most well planned." She shivered to recall the days they had spent together. Little did she knew his real identity, she must have ended his chapter with her bare hands.

"I wanted to choke him to death and kill him mercilessly for cheating on me several grounds but.."

She lifted her head and looked directly in his eyes and glanced him noticing her minutely. She yelped remembering the night she gets to knew his true identity and how scared she had been those days, thinking about his reappearance. She trembled but when he insisted on knowing its more details, she told him with a hint of fear.

"But..knowing he is a mafia, I was very afraid...thinking my one move could set trouble in our lives. I couldn't bring every life on a threat, knowing how those people are. I was very afraid that I decided to close the matter." She cried at her weakness and easiness to give up on that litigation but not anymore.

She was somewhere sure those two incidents held in both the sisters' lives somewhere remained interconnected. She knew their purpose but the reason behind it was still unsure.

She frowned while trying to link this part to the tale Arun had told her. But it still didn't make any sense. That person had already committed suicide and never had a family or did he had but not many knew about it?

She wailed at the incapability of protecting her family and being under continuous fear of his next step.

Vivaan looked at her state empathetically. He kissed on her forehead, while he caressed her with encouraging words.

"It is okay...A point comes where we feel very weak and helpless. It is not your fault at all. I am here... Remember truth always wins. Don't worry..." He tried to make her understand but she vigorously shook her head with her continued cries.

"A constable secretly told those people to have a connection with the major parties. I am afraid they will do something. "

Denying the fact anything could turn better any soon knowing how messed the matter had become, she confided in him. He took a deep sigh tiredly and took her hands in his.

"Relax Radhika nothing like that will ever happen... Those people are very selfish and with the fear of slurs on their white kurtas, they will turn mute and most probably shortly distance themselves as precautions before media's eyes catch the evil camaraderie."

He said while he slowly wiped her tears with a sad smile. He asked softly, "Do you have any proof about their mafia connections?"

She slowly and defeatedly shook her head in denial.

"I never have felt this helpless ever."

He nodded in acknowledgement and slightly rubbed her arm supportively as he asked about the status of FIR.

"About to submit it."

As she muttered, slowly turning her attention on the laptop screen which now was in sleep mode, displaying their wedding day picture. It brought a small smile on her face.

"No...don't do it now...We will talk firstly talk to the commissioner tomorrow and later meet an affluent lawyer. Our priority should be to grab a few solid proofs against them before they come to know about our plan and decide to play their dirty tricks and tamper the shreds of evidence."

She couldn't help but choose his suggestion as to the best option for now. She looked at him gratitude and thanked him genuinely.

He looked away shyly with a smile.

"Not mention it. It is my duty to help you at every step as a husband."

She chuckled heartily at his response.

-------------------------------------------

Radhika after freshening up and checking sleeping Sneha again, reentered in their room while she saw him in the balcony, discussing the formerly matter to someone on a call.

Without any intention to disturb him, she silently laid down on one corner of the bed after switching off the side lamp.

After a few minutes, she felt the night bulb switched off, soon followed by a weight dipped on the other side of the bed.

With her eyes closed, she turned his side, placing her head on his chest as her pillow and snuggling more to the body.

His heartbeat, his arm which was now wrapped around her body possessively and the feeling being in this proximity, calmed her and somewhere felt divine.

She slowly hummed, breaking her trace of thoughts when Vivaan asked if he could ask something while he kept his unfocused stare on the oscillating fan on the ceiling.

"You think after what she has been doing through She will be able to stand strong in this long run of justice. Not to forget the media."

She opened her eyes and gazed him bewilderedly. She ultimately took a sigh tiredly. She never thought it. After what Sneha had gone through, and knowing very well the pace of Indian judiciary, it could definitely toll on her health.

She looked at him with a sad smile, as slowly mumbled.

"She has to win her fight alone and get justice. Either we or anyone else can just support her. "

His eyes locked with her with awe clouded his face.

"You are too generous...knowing what she did to you, you are ready to fight for her and with her."

She faked a laugh as she denied his statement.

"I am not a divinity..there is my elusive selfishness too. And when you talk about helping her, I must have helped any woman in such case. It is my moral duty toward humanity." Vivaan glanced her with confusion, not understanding the meaning behind that word selfishness used.

She lightly chuckled as she noticed his brows drew together. She slowly traced her palm on his stubble.

But soon her face had turned expressionless and it followed by heaviness in her past, recollecting the past.

"I know how it feels when someone touches you unwillingly. It is enough to give the creepy feeling that will haunt you to cessation. Still sometimes when I close my eyes, I sense his dirty tinge on my body. I can't even imagine or wish for someone to go through the same."

A lone tear traced her cheek which was wiped by him with a silent promising kiss there. Her voice turned heavy, making it difficult to speak without breaking down but somewhere she wanted to let those feeling set free and let him know.

"This is one of the divisions where we both have a disparity. She knowingly did it to me. I know, she didn't do it willingly. She was forced. I know her since childhood and easily can guess what she must have been going through. I can clearly see the remorse on her face. But the fact can not be changed she still did it to me, knowing very well how it felt and what I could go through."

He gaped her features for a few seconds and at last decided to voice his thoughts in a subtle way, which may be, in his views, could help to improvise the boning between the two sisters.

"I should not say anything between the matter of you both but still, I want to say that when we talked over this issue, she really looked very sorry for whatever she had done in the past."

She rolled her eyes mentally, hearing his suggestion. All the time she has spent with him, one thing had become crystal clear, being expertise and success in career didn't make someone's personal life bliss. Vivaan's score based on his merit in his personal life was a huge zero.

The man in front of her always used to forget to use the brain in his private life and often did a mistake of trusting anyone and everyone which definitely brought betrayals a few times.

She looked at him for

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