Hai ..

Hello ..

Happy reading..

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Rajasthan, Badi Haveli

The grandeur of the Suryawanshi family’s haveli was palpable as the evening sun cast a warm glow on its ancient walls, adorned with intricate carvings and vibrant tapestries. It was a place steeped in tradition, where echoes of laughter mingled with the whispers of prayers. Today, however, the air was thick with anticipation and a hint of anxiety. The entire family had gathered for a puja, a sacred ceremony meant to invoke blessings for their patriarch, Hukum Sa Vikram Singh Suryawanshi. But there was one problem: Vikram was yet to arrive.

“Hurry up and call your father. Ask him how far away he is!” urged Madhavi Singh Suryawanshi, the hukum rani, her voice tinged with worry. Her eldest son, Shivaksh, a 19 years -old who wore the weight of responsibility on his young shoulders, rushed to the landline, desperation in his eyes. His younger brother, Rudraksh, who was a  16 year old boy  and typically carefree, joined him, sensing the unease that hung over the family like a storm cloud.

“Papa, where are you? Everyone is waiting for you,” Shivaksh asked, trying to mask his concern with a veneer of calm.

“Shiv… please go ahead with the puja. I’ll be back by tomorrow ,” came Vikram’s slurred voice from the other end, sending a chill down Shourya’s spine.

“Papa, are you drunk?” Shivaksh’s heart raced as he sensed something was off, the tone of his father’s voice making him uneasy.

“Not at all, beta... You know I don’t drink,” Vikram insisted, but the tremor in his voice betrayed him. It was clear to Shiv that his father was not himself, something had gone terribly wrong.

“Papa, where are you? We’ll come to get you!” Shiv exclaimed, panic creeping into his voice.

“Beta, I just left... My head is spinning. I’m in a jungle area right now. I’ll be home tomorrow,” Vikram stammered, the words slurring together.

“Did you eat something strange? Did you drink something?” Shiv pressed, concern etched across his face. His instincts kicked in,  something was wrong, and his father's demeanor made it clear that he was in trouble.

“Yeah, an old friend met me, and we had dinner together. Since then, my head...” Vikram’s voice faded, and Shivaksh felt the ground shift beneath him.

“Papa, it’s a trap! Get out of the car now!” Shiv shouted, his heart pounding. The urgency in his voice drew the attention of the other family members, who gathered around him, confusion and alarm replacing the festive atmosphere.

Suddenly, the sound of a crash echoed through the line, followed by a scream,  a chilling, gut-wrenching cry that made Shiv drop the phone, his heart plummeting into a pit of dread. He had heard enough; he knew something had gone horribly wrong.

Within an hour, Shiv and Rudra, with the police in tow, arrived at the scene of the accident. The chaos was overwhelming , flashing lights, frantic voices, and the acrid smell of smoke filled the air.

Vikram lay on the ground, bloodied and barely conscious, a shadow of the strong patriarch he had always been. The sight shattered Shivaksh’s heart. His father, his guiding star, was fighting for his life.

As they approached, Shiv noticed two bodies nearby , a man and a woman - lifeless in their final embrace. “Who are they, Inspector?” he asked, his voice trembling.

“They are Sanchit and Nayan Devshree. Your father’s reckless driving caused their deaths,” the inspector replied, his tone laced with anger. Each word struck Shiv like a physical blow, the weight of guilt and responsibility crashing down on him.

“And their daughter” inspector whispered, knowing that lives had been irrevocably altered.

“Witnesses say they fled, fearing an attack,” the inspector continued, a hint of frustration in his voice.

A doctor rushed past, urgency in his demeanor. “We’ve started treatment, but we need to get him to the hospital fast, or he might not make it,” he called out, his words echoing in Shiv’s mind like a death knell.

“Inspector, close the case however you want,” Shivaksh said quietly, feeling defeated. “But I need information about those girls. They lost their family because of my father. I owe them an apology,  I need to make this right.”

As the inspector nodded and walked away, Shivaksh’s gaze fell on something glinting on the ground. He knelt down, picking up a pendant, its surface sparkling under the harsh lights.

“I’ll find you,” he vowed to himself, clutching it tightly in his palm. “I will make amends for this tragedy.”

The night stretched out before him, dark and foreboding, filled with twists and turns that lay ahead. The weight of his father’s choices hung heavy in the air, and Shourya knew that this was just the beginning of a journey fraught with pain, regret, and a burning desire to seek redemption.

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I hope you enjoyed this prologue! If you did, please vote and comment, and stay tuned for more twists and turns in the story.