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Chapter 9
It was the next day after the marriage. The Maheswari Mansion was still decorated like a bride. Annapurna was roaming around excited for her daughter in law’s Rasoi rasam. “Uttara go call Swara” Annapurna told Uttara who nodded her head and walked to the newly wed couples room.
She was about to bump into Ragini who was descending the stairs. Ragini fell backward and felt someone’s arms at her waist. “Uttara you should be careful” Sanskar made her stand straight and looked at Uttara. She bit her tongue and said “Sorry” holding her ears and walked up passing them.
Ragini who was still understanding what just happened looked in his direction and he just descended down not even bothering about her. Was it hurt or confusion she felt she could not define at the time. She descended behind him confused. He walked to Annapurna and touched her feet. She turned and caressed his hair and cheek blessing him and Ragini kept watching him blankly.
“Arrey Ragini beta how are you?” she asked as her gaze moved behind him. Ragini smiled at her and moved her hair behind her ear and Sanskar turned gazing over his shoulder and she met his eyes. “Why is he so impossible to understand. Why is he so mysterious?” her thoughts interrupted when Annapurna held her hand.
“Good that you agreed to stay here for some days. You know it is a tradition that someone from bride’s family should stay with her for some days till she adjusts with her in laws” said Annapurna and Ragini walked with her giving her a small smile. When she walked she could feel his gaze but when she looked at him she found him talking to the servants over the arrangements.
I have to find out what is running in his mind’ she thought and her mind went numb when she hit the chair in front of her. “Ouch” she screamed holding her leg which pained like hell. “Are you okay?” his voice made her look up. He was looking at her leg worried. “You can’t be careful all your life I guess” he glared her holding her leg after making her sit on the chair.
She felt shivers in her spine as his hand touched her cold feet. “Um . I’m okay” she tried moving his hand away from her leg but he jerked her hand glaring her and held her feet. “Sanskar seriously I… I’m okay” she tried reasoning. He rubbed her fingers which she held tight and she felt herself melting in his touch.
“Badi maa please get me some ice cubes” he told to Annapurna who was looking worried. She nodded her head and rushed to the kitchen. Sanskar grabbed the ice and rubbed it on her finger and she shivered and he looked up at her and she looked straight in his eyes. And time stopped moving for them.
“Sanam re…. Sanam re…..”
“You need more?” Annapurna’s voice jerked them and they landed out of the dream. Ragini tucked her hair strand which fell over her face and he looked at Annapurna giving her a smile and nodding his head. He got up brushing his kurta and walked away leaving her gaze to be fixed on him for his weird behaviors at times.
“What happened?” Annapurna looked at Uttara who was walking down pouting. “I tried waking Swara Bhabi but she isn’t up yet” Uttara said and walked to the kitchen. Ragini looked at Annapurna embarrassed for her sister’s behavior.
“I will check on her” she excused and walked to their room. Sanskar looked at her back. Ragini felt his gaze again and stopped at the stairs. She just looked at her shoulder but did not turn completely. ‘Why are you hurting yourself so much Ragini?’ his heart spoke and he placed his hand on his racing his heart.
I don’t know why can’t you see me in pain when you are the one who gave me that pain’ she thought as her mind dominated her. She moved her gaze and continued climbing the stairs to reach Swara and Laksh’s room. She stopped her hand from banging the door. Her heart felt a pain but she avoided it and made herself ready to face the reality. Reality that Laksh and Swara are married and are happy with their life.
Before she could hit the door it opened freaking her a bit. Laksh looked at her holding the door. “Um actually I came to call Swara. Her Rasoi ritual is gonna start” said she hesitant. “Oh yeah she is struggling with her Saree” Laksh blurted. Then he hit himself in his mind for stating that. “I mean she is trying to wear the Saree. Don’t take your imagination anywhere she was wearing Ghagra yesterday” he cursed himself again in his mind. Ragini looked at him embarrassed.
“I think I need a coffee” he walked away to hide his embarrassment. Ragini weakly smiled at him and nodded her head. As she turned and walked inside the room she found Swara sitting on the bed messed up. She closed the door behind walking further.
“Swara?” Ragini sat beside her. “I’m the worst Ladoo. I don’t even know to wear a Saree” she was at the verge of crying. “Everyone is gonna hate me” her voice cracked. “No Shona” Ragini caressed her hair. “I can’t be a good daughter in law ever. I just mess up everything” she hugged Ragini who patted her head consoling her.
“If you don’t even try and accept your defeat will it work? My Shona was never so weak. She is a fighter and she will remain one may whatever happen” Ragini spoke cupping her face. “But” Swara was interrupted by Ragini who spoke “Come on get up now. Nothing is easy in this world. And you should not accept defeat without trying” and made her stand.
She taught her wearing the Saree and after many attempts Swara finally learned to wear it. “you are the best” she hugged Ragini in happiness who smiled at her still child at heart sister. “Now come down all are waiting for your Rasoi ritual” said Ragini and dragged her with her.
“But I hardly know cooking” Swara looked at Ragini horrified. “I know” said Ragini making her stand in the kitchen. “And you want me to get screwed?” asked Swara. Ragini moved Swara’s hair a bit and fixed a blue tooth device and winked at her.
“Not only you sissy even I know to use technology” Ragini pulled her cheek and walked out to reach the terrace. She adjusted the phone over her ear looking around and guided Swara to cook who did exactly what Ragini said. Laksh who walked there found Ragini guiding over the phone to Swara. She hit her forehead when Swara did some mistake.
He smiled looking at her fuming nostrils and annoyed face. Truly he had not seen this Ragini. And after Swara’s kidnapping he had been witnessing a new Ragini he felt. He walked inside not wanting to disturb the sisters. Ragini continued instructing Swara calmly so that she doesn’t repeat the mistakes.
“Phew finally. Okay I will come down now” Ragini disconnected the call and turned only to bump into Sanskar who held her and prevented her from falling. She hyperventilated when his grip on her waist tightened. Both just stood staring into each others eyes for a moment. Until the cool breeze touched their skin and they were back to senses.
She stood up and tried walking but her dupatta felt a pull and she looked back and found it stuck in his watch. He moved up his wrist and she looked at it. She walked to him and tried releasing it but it tangled itself more. “Damn” she cursed and he moved his other hand and touched her hand and she dragged it back and he released the dupatta.
She held the edge and turned to walk but stopped her steps. “Why are you doing this?” asked she and turned back staring him. “This?” he showed his watch. “I’m sorry I haven’t tried to train it to stay away from the wrong dupattas” he said and placed his both the hands inside his pockets. She fumed closing her eyes not happy with his sarcasm.
“Trying to be smart with me?” she twitched her jaws looking at him. “I don’t need to try. I’m already smart” he said as he caressed his hair to adjust it with his one hand. “Look Sanskar I’m not in a mood to argue with you” she walked to him showing her index finger.
“So what’s your mood now? Is it to fall in my arms?” he smirked teasing her. “You are impossible” she stamped her foot and turned and he held her wrist and twirled her and she landed on his chest. She was about to drag herself away when his hands held her waist and locked her in his hold.
She struggled with her elbows to get out of his hold and he tightened his grip. “Don’t tell me you did not like it” he moved close to her dangerously and she hit on his chest to get out of his hold. “Leave me” she almost whispered. “Damn you are irresistibly cute” he smiled making blood rush to her cheeks.
“Leave me” she said a bit loud. “Don’t you want to know what is running in my mind?” he whispered in her ear and when he dragged his head back his bushy jaw touched her cheek sending butterflies in her stomach and she stopped her struggle.
“Let me be fair” he twirled her and held her hand back hugging her and placing his chin near her cheek. Her heart beat was at a race when his hot breath fanned her neck.
“I have started my game. And still my motive is same. Destruction of Durgaprasad Maheshwari” he spoke dangerously. She looked at him and his stiff face made her shudder. “And it will never change” he twirled her again and walked away leaving her to breath heavily to understand what he just confessed.
She looked at him when he stood at the terrace door smirking at her. He looked not less than a demon to her right now. He winked at her and and closed the door behind him. She turned the other side placing her hand on her fast beating heart.
Her head was hurting now. She recalled whatever was happening. She did not knew whom to share this with. He smartly played and exposing his mental condition was no more a danger to him.
“And you think you can win this Sanskar Maheshwari. No not until I’m alive. I will not let this be easy for you. You must be strong enough to defeat me but I’m not weak enough to not to try again” she said determined.
“May be you won this but your further journey is not gonna be easy one. I will make sure of it” she closed her fist.
“And my first move in this new game is finding out who helped you and who is still helping you if I’m not wrong. You aren’t alone for sure in this. And I will surely find out who it is” she decided.
She did not knew how she is gonna do that but she believed herself for the first time in years. She had the confidence to figure this out alone and fight him all alone.
What she did not knew was the shift of feelings her heart was undergoing. She did not knew this shift is gonna make her a winner or loser but she did not fear the defeat now and there she won this game before playing. She bid every little courage she possessed in this battle.
A battle against a known friend who had turned as an enemy and an unknown enemy who might be hidden behind the mask of a friend. She just knew one thing she has to fight this battle for her family for her sister who has unknowingly landed in his radar and to protect Sanskar’s family which was blindly trusting him not knowing his intentions to destroy them. For Laksh whom she once upon a time considered her world but now he is her sister’s world.
Challenges had only increased but she did not let her courage drop an inch also. She stood determined as a warrior and more precisely as a protective wall who was ready to take anything which hurt her to keep the people beyond unhurt.
On her front stood a person who was blinded by his revenge and for whom lately there was a feeling arising in her heart without her knowledge. Listening to which heart she did not accept his offer to join him now she has to deny the same heart in the battle of mind and heart which surfaced again in her life and this time she wanted her mind to win.