“Swara? ” I heard a voice call me and jerked, startled, landing straight on my butt.
Awe… It hurt!
I scowled at Laksh who had his eyes wide open in horror.
“I’m sorry!! ” he said lending me a hand to get me on my feet.
“it’s….. Not okay!!! ” I said, scrunching my nose, rubbing the bulge of my butt.
He stifled his giggle and I eyed him angrily.
“dinner is ready! Hope you’ll have it with us? ” he asked.
He said shrugging. You
“sure… ”
He walked past the door and closed it gently behind him.
I glanced over my back to see Sanskar sleeping with his mouth slightly open. I smiled at him. He always had the look of a kid when he was asleep. I gently pressed my lips to his temple before quitting the room. He was too drunk to notice the things around him.
I sighed a deep breath at the door and walked down the stairs.
Ragini was feeding Aadhya who was almost asleep on the dining table and laksh sat on one of the chairs, feeding himself and Ragini.
“Laksh? ” ragini called.
“hmm” laksh hummed.
“he’s coming tomorrow ”
“really?” I could just find a glimpse of excitement in his voice.
“yeah!! He cal-” she stopped abruptly finding me walking to them.
“Swara, come have your food” she called with a smile and I returned her one.
“yeah!! ”
I took my seat opposite to laksh who I felt was really quiet than his usual self.
I placed a plate in front of me and quickly opened the lids of the serves.
Serving myself a little of rice and some curry that was placed, I mixed them up before looking at the two. I was too hungry to speak something. My stomach growled in acceptance.
“how did you like your dresses? ” laksh asked when my eyes met his, stuffing the food into Ragini’s mouth.
“good! ” I said smiling him.
Ragini had got me everything best. She has that knowledge of fashion which probably I won’t get all my life. That always a suck.
“nice… ” he said taking the last bite and walked to the dishwasher to do the dishes.
“I’ll do that. Get her into bed, she’s asleep” ragini called and kissed Aadhya’s head.
“she’s cute. ” I said unable to control myself from kissing her amazing small hand that had curled into a small fist.
“yeah! ” she smiled up-to me.
“okay darling!! ” laksh said dropping the plate onto the counter before coming to us.
He ever so softly took Aadhya into his arms and turned to ragini.
“I’ll keep her with me. Good night!! ” he said kissing her cheeks.
“good night ” she said hugging kissing him softly in his cheeks.
He was gone soon and ragini had already start with the dishes before I finished my dinner.
Helping out with the last traces, I walked back to my room while she went to hers.
**
Changing into my comfortable shorts, I dropped my aching body onto the fluffy bed I was provided with.
Finally, after struggling here in my husband’s den, I got a glimpse of his past, that I’d never known.
—–
“ragini, I expect an answer. Is she Sanskar’s daughter? ”
She smiled sadly.
“this is what you always lack. Your trust in him. And he blo*dy expects you to trust him. ” she said gripping the steering tight.
My heart flunk. I do trust him.
“Swara, do you think he can cheat on you? ”
I was speechless. I don’t know.
“do you atleast know who he is?”
I bit my lips closing them in a straight line.
“I’m sorry! ” I muttered.
She didn’t seem to care about the mere word that I let out.
“He is Sanskar Ramprasad Maheshwari. I hope you know his parents name at least. ”
That I knew. I’d asked him during our fake relationship.
“they were here, doing nothing more than their business, unlike your father. ” she hissed.
“They had to move from here when the elder heir of Maheshwari’s Durgaprasad Maheshwari along with his wife died. They suffered heavy loss in their business, as their earnest employee, Shekar Gadodia had paired up with their enemy, providing them all sorts of information required to crack a huge deal with the Jockey company, well known for its clothing material. The tender was just missed by Maheshwari’s, in mere difference and that led them into a sort of depression. With this, some of their clients withdrew their orders, which had them suffering huge loss. This was too much for Durgaprasad Maheshwari to control and he killed himself, hanging. His wife was to no where live her life without her husband and she died of heart attack within weeks. And thus, my Laksh lost his parents. ” she said briefly. Her eyes filled with angry tears and helplessness. I, myself, couldn’t control the prick in my eyes.
“but, Sanskar? ”
“oh! I forgot! “she said thoughtfully.
“hmm… Yeah! Durgaprasad and Ramprasad are brothers, leading their own business. Like each one had their own, in different domain though. Durgaprasad uncle had his business which mainly dealt with fashion and quality of the clothes while Ramprasad uncle’s was a different case. He had his hard disc and something. I don’t really know, I’m not into software things. ” she explained.
“you’re a fashion designer? ” I asked curiously. Her selection was beyond satisfying.
“yes!” she smiled up-to me.
“uh… ” I contemplated whether to ask or not but anyhow I needed an answer.
“Ragini, who’s shruti? And Aadhya….? ” I trailed off, blinking and fidgeting.
She chuckled at my vulnerability.
“cool Swara! You’ve to know about it. You’re his to be wife! ”
I nodded.
“Durgaprasad uncle had two sons, Adarsh and Laksh. ” she blushed taking his name.
“while Ramprasad uncle has a son and a daughter. Sanskar and Shruti.
Adarsh bro and his wife Parineetha were killed in an accident by your father. And Aadhya is the baby girl who lost her parents in her early months. Shruti, uh… Hmm… She was attacked by some of your dad’s goons just a week before her marriage. And there we go with another loss from your father. A gift to Maheshwari’s from your dad, she’s lying unconscious from a year already.! ” she sighed.
“Aadhya is? ” I sounded stupid by this brain of m in no always betrays.
“daughter of Adarsh and Parineetha. Aadhya Adarsh Maheshwari. ”
“oh! ”
I remained silent until we reached, finished our shopping and while coming back, I couldn’t hold myself from askimg her.
“how do you know so much about them? ”
She smiled.
“I’m an orphan. I was adopted by Durgaprasad uncle when I was 10. I had known them since then. ”
“oh! ” was my only reply.
“you and laksh? ” I asked biting my lower lip, hoping she wouldn’t think I was digging too much into their personals.
“from when he was 19 and me 18” she blushed.
I laughed.
“anyways, I’ve said things briefly, so that you wouldn’t think something else about Sanskar. The thing is we, I meant me and laksh want Sanskar to tell you everything. But it takes time. He is really angry on your dad that anywhere he’s found, the next second you’ll find him dead. ”
“why? ”
“Me and laksh were in Austria when things happened. Like when Adarsh bhai and Parineetha bhabhi died and when shruti was attacked. The things is everything was done in front if Sanskar and he couldn’t save any of them. He’s angry on himself for not been able to save them. He’s dreading to kill your father. ”
I winced at her. No matter what, he was my father. I can’t believe someone against him, yet I can’t say they are wrong. I was confused.
“I can’t discus anymore. We’ll stop here… ” she said changing the topic immediately.
—–
That encounter with her did get me some information but there were many things that I was clueless about.
One thing for sure was, that my dad was responsible and the reason behind my kidnap. But why kidnap? Why divorce? And why marriage again?
These were to be answered by Sanskar only and only he can answer. But I’m sure he wouldn’t want to talk about this now.
I have to find a perfect time for this. And this has to be my agenda for the week.
Hoping to get answers, I just drifted off…..
***
A/N: Thank you friends. I’m very happy with your response to my story….
The next part is here….. Please read and review……
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Bye!!!