CHAPTER 76: Truth has many facades
Meera was going through some papers in her room when there was a knock on the door…. She looked up and was surprised to see Kuhu standing at the door….
Meera: How many times I have told you not to knock; you can come here anytime you want.
Kuhu smiled at her entered the room….
Kuhu: I thought you are busy, I didn’t wish to disturb you.
Meera: Maa kabhi apne bacho ke liye busy nahi hoti hai, samjhi. (A mother is never busy for her kids, understood)
Saying so she made Kuhu sit beside her and kept the papers aside…. Kuhu smiled hearing this…. She felt lucky to have a mother-in-law like Meera who always made her feel like a daughter instead of a daughter-in-law….
Meera: Now tell me, aaj Maa ki yaad kaise aa gayi. (Now tell me, how did you miss your Maa today)
Kuhu: Yaad toh aapki hamesha hi hoti hai, but aaj kuch aur baat karne aayi hu. (I always miss you, but today I have to come to talk to you about something)
Meera could sense the worry and hesitation in Kuhu’s voice….
Meera: What has happened beta, why are you sounding worried?
Kuhu: Maa, don’t misunderstand me, I did not intend to hear your talks, but yesterday I had come to visit Kunal when I heard your conversation with him.
Meera looked at her shocked…. She understood which conversation Kuhu had heard….
Kuhu: Maa, I am sorry that I heard it….
Meera: I trust you beta, and I know you did not do it intentionally.
Kuhu: Maa, after whatever I heard, I have understood that Kunal is the reason behind Abir bhai and Mishti’s break up, but I do not understand why Kunal is so against
Mishti. Maa, what had happened that has made Kunal grow this disliking for Mishti?
Meera looked at her not knowing how to tell her the truth…. The reason that had made Kunal hate Mishti….
Kuhu: Maa, it is okay if you cannot tell me, I’ll understand.
Meera: Nahi beta, it is not like that. I trust you, and I know you will understand.
Kuhu: Then tell me Maa, tell me, maybe we can bring our family together and make everything fine.
Kuhu held her hand and assured her…. Meera looked at her and smiled…. She felt lucky to have such beautiful life partners for her sons…. Girls who only wished that the family stayed together….
Meera: Beta, Kunal did not start hating Mishti seven years ago when Mishti met Abir in college and fell in love, but Kunal’s hatred had started even before that, it was all because of that one incident that happened fifteen years ago.
Kuhu looked at her confused…. Fifteen years ago…. Meera understood her confusion and began narrating the past that had led to Kunal’s behavior toward Mishti….
Mishti and Abir’s fathers were business partners…. Their families had become neighbors during that time and that had brought Mishti into Abir’s life…. Abir, Kunal, and Mishti went to the same school…. Abir and Mishti had become good friends over the years…. Kunal had never liked Mishti’s closeness with his brother; he always thought that Mishti was keeping his Bhai away from him…. The two families were very close to one another and all ignored Kunal’s disliking for Mishti as he was also a kid….
After few years Mishti’s father got a business opportunity in Delhi and he decided to shift there with his family for better growth of the business…. The Rajvansh family, especially Abir was very sad hearing the news as he would be away from Mishti, his best friend…. Even Mishti did not want to leave Rajkot and go away from Abir…. However, there was little that they could do….
The Rajvansh family decided to celebrate the success of Mishti’s father’s business and also have a farewell party for the Agarwals…. They organized a dinner for the two families….
It was the unfortunate day that changed their lives completely….
It was post-dinner, Abir, Mishti, and Kunal were playing in Kunal’s room…. Their parents were busy chatting in the living room…. Mishti felt thirsty and asked Abir to get water for her…. Kunal was irked by her behavior; he did not like Mishti ordering his brother…. He asked Mishti to get water for herself…. Mishti was hurt by his behavior but did not say anything…. She went to the kitchen to get water for herself…. Abir felt bad for her, he scolded Kunal and followed Mishti….
Mishti walked to the kitchen and got afraid as she saw fire rising in the kitchen…. A servant had left the gas on and that had caused a fire to build in the kitchen…. Mishti grew panic seeing the fire and hit the counter…. It led to the things on the counter falling and some of them caught the fire making the situation more dangerous…. Hearing the noise Meera and others came to the kitchen…. Abir and Kunal also came there…. Mishti was stuck between the fire…. Meera and Anjali grew worried and held Kunal and Abir…. Harsh and Jay (Abir’s father) tried putting the fire and trying to get Mishti out of the danger…. Abir freed himself from Anjali’s hold and ran towards the Mishti…. All were shocked seeing him…. Abir held Mishti’s hand firmly assuring her that she was safe with him….
Harsh asked Meera and Anjali to take Kunal from there as the fire was growing intensely…. The ladies denied but Harsh took them out as Jay forced them to go…. Jay succeeded in making the fire a little under control…. Jay took Mishti in his hold while his other hand held Abir…. They were about to go out when a part of the shelf fell and hit Abir…. Abir fell unconscious as wood from the shelf hit his head…. Abir fell down…. Mishti started crying seeing Abir fallen down…. Jay tried waking Abir but he did not wake up…. Due to the smoke, even Mishti was losing her senses…. Jay picked up both the children in his arms and walked towards the exit….
Harsh was about to go inside again when he saw Jay with the kids…. The ladies and Harsh got relieved seeing them…. Harsh took the unconscious Abir from Jay while Meera took Mishti…. They took the children away…. Jay was also about to follow them when a huge blast occurred and he got stuck inside the house…. All were shocked by the sudden blast…. Harsh tried to help Jay when several other blasts occurred and Jay could not make it….
Meera wiped her tears while Kuhu did not know how to react…. Tears flowed from her eyes hearing about that dreadful day….
Meera: Kunal blamed Mishti for all that happened that day, and he also considers her the reason for Jay’s death.
Kuhu: Maa, I don’t understand if Abir Bhai and Mishti had known each other since childhood, why did Abir Bhai tell me that he had met Mishti in college for the first time? Why doesn’t he remember their childhood friendship?
Meera: Because Abir suffered from partial amnesia after that horrific incident.
Kuhu looked at her shocked….
Meera: We took Abir to the hospital where doctors examined him, and when he gained consciousness, he could not remember the incident nor he could remember Mishti and her family. The doctors told us that it could be because of the incident he had witnessed and advised us not to force him to remember anything.
Mishti did not meet Abir after that day…. Kunal’s disliking for Mishti changed into hatred…. Few days after the incident Agarwals left for Delhi…. Soon the families lost contact but Mishti could never forget Rajkot and Abir…. After several years she came back to Rajkot for her graduation and met Abir again…. She remembered all their childhood memories but Abir did not remember any of them…. Destiny had its own plans and Abir fell in love with Mishti…. Maybe because they were always meant to be together….
Meera: Kunal however still hates Mishti, he still considers her the reason for his father’s death and his Bhai’s memory loss.
Kuhu: Maa, but this is not right. Mishti is not the reason for anything.
Meera: I know and I have spent years explaining this to Kunal, but now when he crossed all limits, I had to warn him.
Kuhu: Don’t worry Maa, this time Bhai and Mishti will stay together forever.
Meera smiled hearing her…. She too wished the same to happen….
*****
Pragya joined her hands and closed her eyes as she prayed in front of the idol of Radhakrishna…. It was her habit that she visited this temple once every week to offer her prayers and pray for the well-being of her daughter Prachi and now also for the well-being of her son Ranbir….
Pragya: Kanha Ji, always keep my both children happy together; I don’t want anything else in my life other than their happiness.
However, Kanha Ji had planned something else for her today….
Pragya finished her prayers and took the prasad from the priest…. She turned to go back but her feet froze as she looked at the person standing in front of her….
Twenty years….
Twenty long years had passed since the last time Pragya had met Abhi….
And now one day, suddenly after twenty years he was standing in front of her looking straight into her eyes….
Tears collected in her eyes…. She could feel her heartbeats increasing…. Her breathe hitched…. She wanted to say something but her voice betrayed her….
Abhi’s state was no different from Pragya…. He too was shocked seeing her, when he had least expected it…. Over the years they had never met each other and now one day fate had brought them face to face….
Abhi realized something and understood why Prachi had called him the day before and asked him to visit this temple once before going to his office…. He had no interest in going first but when she had insisted and requested him repeatedly with a lot of emotional blackmailing he had to agree…. How could he ever deny his daughter’s wish…. He had agreed for her sake….
They were brought out of their trance by Disha’s voice who had accompanied Abhi…. She was surprised plus happy to see her Pragya Di after so many years…. She quickly ran and hugged Pragya as tears flowed from her eyes…. Pragya reciprocated the hug but her eyes were still fixed on Abhi….
Disha: Di, I am so happy to see you after so many years. You don’t know how much we missed you and Prachi.
Pragya diverted her gaze from Abhi and looked at Disha…. She cupped her face as tears flowed from her eyes too….
Pragya: I also missed you a lot.
Abhi did not stand there any longer and walked out of the temple…. Disha saw him going back and called him…. However, he did not stop and walked away…. Pragya kept looking at his retreating figure….
Disha: Di, I’ll call Jiju, you wait here, it’s been years now, and you both should talk to each other.
Pragya: Let it be Disha, there is nothing left to talk between us anymore.
Pragya smiled at Disha once and left the temple….
Disha looked at the idol of Radhakrishna and prayed for things to change and bring her Di and Jiju back together…. She only wished for her family to be complete again….
*****
“Look Pankhuri, we are here to help you, why don’t you understand?”
Mishti said for the nth time trying hard so that Pankhuri would tell them the truth…. Pankhuri looked at her….
Pankhuri: And why don’t you understand, I am telling you I have killed Tia and that’s the end of the story.
Abir: No, Ms. Malhotra that is not the end of the story.
Pankhuri: You can assume whatever you wish ACP Rajvansh, but I have nothing more to tell you.
Pankhuri could tell them the truth…. She knew if Adhvik and Shaantanu got the slightest clue about the police trying to investigate Tia’s murder again, all of Arjun’s plan would fail, and then what they had decided would not happen…. She had spent three months in this prison only for Arjun to succeed and now when they were so close to their success, she couldn’t let anything fail them…. She was still confused about why suddenly Ranveer and the team were here to question her about Tia’s death….
Ranveer was standing behind still in his thoughts…. He had kept a close watch on Pankhuri over the past three months…. He had many questions rising in his mind ever since her arrest…. Arjun and Anika had been frequent visitors to her in all these months…. And from the past one month even Dushyant had been a constant visitor, why would Dushyant regularly meet the person who had killed his wife…. There was definitely more to the case than they had known and Ranveer had decided it was high time to find the remaining story…. He had informed Abir and he had come along with Mishti….
Ranveer: Ms. Malhotra, it is better if you tell us everything, otherwise I would be forced to do things I don’t intend on doing.
Ranveer’s tone sent chills through Pankhuri and she looked at him a little scared by his dangerous tone….
Pankhuri: Look DCP Randhawa….
Ranveer: Only speak further if you are going to tell us everything, otherwise I know how to find the answers.
Pankhuri: What do you mean?
Ranveer: Arjun, you love him a lot, right?
Pankhuri: What does Arjun have to do with all of this?
Ranveer: I know he definitely has a lot to do with all of this, what if he had killed Tia and you are trying to save him, after all, you love him so much.
Pankhuri: No, how dare you say this? Arjun has done nothing….
Abir: How do we believe you, maybe Veer is right. Veer, I guess it is time we arrest the real culprit, we should bring Arjun here. Some beatings and he will reveal the entire truth to us
Ranveer nodded at Abir and they turned to go…. Pankhuri looked at them worried and horrified by Abir’s words….
Pankhuri: Please stop, I’ll tell you everything, don’t do anything to Arjun. He has nothing to do with anything.
Ranveer and Abir smiled at each other and turned towards Pankhuri….
Mishti: Start speaking Pankhuri, tell us everything.
Pankhuri nodded and started narrating everything that led to Tia’s death….
College reunion…. Tia and Shaantanu’s meeting…. Tia doubting Shaantanu’s behavior…. Illegal activities of the Malhotras…. Tia finding clues about Adhvik and Shaantanu being involved in human trafficking…. Tia collecting the pieces of evidence against them and blackmailing them…. Tia meeting Dushyant…. Her alliance with Shivaay…. Adhvik and Shaantanu finding of Tia and the pieces of evidence against them…. Adhvik and Shaantanu threatening Tia to stop blackmailing them and give them the proofs…. Pankhuri warning Tia to stay away from the Malhotras…. Shaantanu warning Tia to stop her plan of exposing Shivaay otherwise he would kill her…. Pankhuri and Shaantanu meeting Tia a day before the wedding and then Tia’s death…. Arjun’s plan of making Pankhuri take the blame for Tia’s death….
Ranveer, Abir, and Mishti looked at each other shocked by the revelations….
The truth had many faces they were unaware of….
*****
Hello everyone, I hope you all are doing well.
Here is the next chapter of the story, do share your views on the same.
Congratulations to all who had guessed it right about Abir and Mishti’s past.
How will Abir react when he will face the life-changing truth of his life? Will Mishti be able to tell Abir the truth or will he find out from someone else? Ranveer and his team know the truth about Tia’s murder, how will it change the course of the story now?
The next chapter will be an Ishkara chapter with Daksh revealing the remaining part of the story.
Keep reading and smiling!!!
Take care and stay safe!!!