Ragini was all ready to leave for office but then she remembered her interaction with Dida last morning and it did not give her right vibes. She was still in a dilemma to follow her heart which believed what Sanskar told was best for her or to follow her mind which said she should not be the reason of one more brawl between her Dadi and Sumi.

"Lado" she heard Shekar's voice and wiped her tear immediately. "Baba" she smiled lovingly at him. It pained him. Her love and respect pained him. In a process to correct his mistake of past he had forgotten Ragini and her happiness. He always considered Swara as the love lorn daughter of his and showered all the love he had.

But whether he ever considered Ragini living in the same hell. Or worst than that. Swara at least had her mother but Ragini though she had her father never felt that love. All her life she had was her Dadi. He felt guilty that he never could give her the love she deserved being his daughter.

He smiled at her weakly sitting in front of her. "You're okay?" asked he warmly and it made Ragini have those happy tears which signified that someone was there who would care to ask her if she was okay in all this emotional mess. Her glassy eyes were a proof of it.

"I'm... I'm okay" she smiled widely and he reflected her smile lovingly caressing her hair. Though you are going through something which is unbearable and you cannot share it with anyone still that question from a person in your life brings new hope. Though you are not okay you will want to be okay. And there you take the first step towards loving yourself.

More than anything that is very important. And that moment had arrived in Ragini's life. A car honk disturbed them and her eyes shrank in confusion. She hadn't decided anything yet. And Sanskar was already outside waiting like she will give him a positive reply only.

"You are still confused?" Shekar cupped her cheek. She looked at him surprised that he has understood her confusions first time. "Do what you feel is correct. And don't back off for the opinions of others. You cannot please everyone in your life. But at least please the person inside you" he said and walked out leaving her to process her thoughts.

Sanskar waited for a long time and finally thought of walking inside the house. He walked in and searched for Ragini. Ragini as usual walked down gracefully with her dangling earrings and those loose hair strands of shiny hair. And his smile spread ear to ear looking at her when she was descending watching her steps carefully.

"Arrey Sanskar" Sumi welcomed him and Ragini stopped her steps and looked at Sumi and then at Sanskar. He glanced her a look before settling down on the couch as Sumi instructed. "Ragini...." Sumi stopped herself with an unpleasant look on her face. "I will get you the tea" she walked to the kitchen.

"What took you so long girl? See I have to be the bakra of all this mehman nawazi now" Sanskar walked to Ragini and she looked at him with a sorry face. He sensed Sumi's steps and quickly walked back to the couch settling down again.

He smiled at Sumi widely while she served him the tea and snacks. "Owe" he winced in pain as the hot tea burnt his tongue. "Arrey aram se" said Sumi. "Nope actually I have to hurry up I have a meeting in the noon and I was waiting for Ragini outside as she took a lot of time I came in" said he placing the tea cup back on the table and stood up.

"But she resigned from her job right?" asked Sumi. "No actually..." "Dekha Marwaran. I told you na your granddaughter only wants to create problem in my granddaughter's life" Dida walked in and Dadi who was busy in Puja Ghar walked out hearing her. She found Sanskar and was surprised. Ragini squeezed her eyes as she expected this coming.

Sanskar glanced a confused look to Dida and turned to Ragini who was looking at him helplessly. Helpless that he had to witness all this. And she did not wanted to look weak in front of him. She did not wanted to look vulnerable.

"Sorry?" Sanskar asked looking at Dida. "See Marvaran. Your pothi again requested the Maheshwari's to join Sanskar's company. What will you get from this Ragini?" Dida stood in front of Ragini. And she just stared ground.
"What's all this Ragini?" Sumi demanded for an answer.

There was no anger left in her. What she felt was that disgust about herself that she was letting people hurt her and question her. All these years it never mattered but suddenly it mattered to her that she should stand for herself at least. But she regretted that she was not able to do so.

"I'm asking you something" Sumi said a bit seriously this time and Dadi walked to defend her. "Sumi stay out my Lado's life" she took Ragini a bit back. But there was one person who was boiling now understanding the scenario.

"Raise your head Ragini. Otherwise you will not be able to meet your own eyes" she heard Sanskar's voice which had pain and anger. Anger that his friend was treated unjust.

"Raise your head Ragini" he said again and she raised her head and looked at her mother and Dida who were demanding an answer.

"Walk and cross this otherwise you will be left behind to suffer the wounds which you gave to yourself" he said and she walked passing Sumi and Dida.

"And she need not give any explanation to anyone about what she is doing with her life. No one in the sense no one. Not even the mother who claims to be her mother but doesn't really care to trust her" his eyes had fire which could melt any rock and send shivers in anyone's body when he said those words looking at Sumi.

He held her hand and walked out and she looked at his hand on her wrist and then at him. There was no one who stood for her so firmly. Today there was he standing not just beside her to make her strong but in front of her as a shield. All these years when she feared of loneliness and the fear that she will be left out; that pain had crushed her heart so badly that she never even dreamed that she will ever come out of it.

But today all that pain felt like it was never there. She felt that was her moment when she got the relief from the pain which had ruined her life slowly and left her vulnerable. Today she felt that confidence's first drop falling on her soul and refreshing her life.

Sometimes a drop can do that wonder what an ocean can't do.

Today surely Sanskar's that confidence drop made that wonder happen. And it was just a drop against the ocean of her pain. A pain which always dominated her life and she never got a little hope of ray that she will be out of it at any point of her life.

"You like it when people insult you or you love Mahanta so much. Much more than your damn self respect?" he was angry. Hell angry. Not because they spoke all those words to her or they treated her that way.

He was angry that she stood quite and with her head down. Like as if she was the culprit for every single crime happening in the world.

She collapsed on his chest and burst into a silent bitter cry. He was initially shocked and stood numb until her tears moistened his chest where she had placed her face.

Rehna hai bass yeha abb dur tujhse jaana nahi
Jo tu mera humdard hai Suhana har dard hai.

"I'm sorry sorry sorry" he covered her and rubbed her shoulders and she cuddled in his embrace more. It felt home. It felt like she could not define how it felt. But she was happy to feel it. She was happy to be weak and let out her emotions there.

"Hey Ragini" his soothing voice was something even if she wished she could die for it right there. She dragged herself out and wiped her face.

Her kajal had made a mark on her cheek while the tears flew down. Sanskar pointed it and she wiped her cheek but the wrong one. He again pointed it but she wiped her face a bit away.

Taking a deep breath his hand moved to her cheek and grabbed it in his manly palm which stiffly fixed itself to her face shape and she looked up at him. His rough thumb traveled on her cheek and wiped the mark.

But it created a deep mark on her heart. That intoxicating touch just touched the soft corner of her heart and she felt that goosebumps all over her body when he dragged her near placing his rough lips on her forehead lovingly. Taking a deep breath and losing herself in that divine moment she closed her eyes.

That touch took her to a different land of dreams. She so desperately wanted to stay like this forever and wished the time to stop there and then it self.

She never felt those feelings all her life. Sanskar made her feel she was his possession and she never had felt this all her life. She was always taken for granted to hurt and to sacrifice and to let go of what she loved.

But this man is making her feel that she is needed in his life. She is his most precious possession. She is his need and he will go to any extent to keep her happy. And he will fight anyone to wipe those tears off her face and stop them even from dropping out of her eyes.

What is this called? Is this love? Then what was that which she felt for Laksh?

Is it friendship? Then why she had not got friends till now in her life who will go to this extent for her?

Questions oscillated like there were no answers for them. And it disturbed her normal life where there she was not ready to come out of that cocoon of her Dadi's expectation and consider him. She was either landing in a situation which will break her or break Sanskar's heart.

She did not wanted the later to happen. She did not minded exposing him but his heart falling prey to something which will crush it what she feared of.

She opened her eyes as realization hit her. She jerked and moved a bit away from Sanskar who looked at her confused. "Are you okay Ragini?" asked he and she nodded her head not meeting his eyes. She sure knew his eyes could make her weak at this point and she did not wanted to be weak now.

He sat inside the car after she sat. He moved his hand to hold the seat belt she was trying to fix. She dragged her hand away with a jerk and looked at him. He fixed the seat belt and then fixed his seat belt and drove to their destination.

"Shreya two cheese sandwiches and a cup of coffee for me and a orange juice for Ragini. Send it with the peon" Sanskar ordered the receptionist and walked to his cabin. Ragini already walked to the cabin and Sanskar entered after her.

The peon knocked on the glass door. Ragini saw Sanskar busy with his call and walked to the door and received the tray from his hand.

She placed it on the table and walked to her seat and got busy with the work. Suddenly in a minute she felt a hand on her wrist. When she looked up Sanskar had already dragged her and made her sit in front of him.

He stuffed the sandwich in his mouth and waited for her to take the other one. But Ragini sat looking down. "You want invitation also to have the sandwich?" asked he munching over the food he was eating.

She gave him a confused look. "Oh madam. Have food first then play this glaring game" said he and pointed at the sandwich. "No I'm full" said Ragini and sat adjusting herself. "Juth bhi aisa bola jispe yakeen ho. You were dropping the saliva looking at the food and you are saying you are not hungry?" asked Sanskar.

"I wasn't doing anything of that sort" she gave him a disgusted look. "You were" he said and she replied "I was not". "You were" he said again,

"Stop it okay. I was just staring at it as morning I did not got time to have food. I was not dropping any saliva. Is this any Shahee paneer that I will drop saliva for it" she said without realizing.

Sanskar smiled and his eyes looked like they were closed due to his smile which reached from on ear to another.

"Arghhh" Ragini got up annoyed to walk back to her seat when Sanskar was wiping his hand with the tissue paper. He held her wrist and made her sit beside him. He forwarded the sandwich to her mouth.

"Your anger should be on the people who are responsible for your state not on your self and at least not on your food. It gives you energy to burn yourself in anger so don't disrespect it ever and not having the food which is meant for you is also disrespecting the food" he said slowly and she opened her mouth when the bread touched her lips and he made her eat the sandwich.

She had those tears which were fighting to drop down her eyes as she watched him busy caring her. Showering her with every drop of care he had in him.

Her breath felt stuck in her throat as she swallowed the bread. Finally she gulped down the bread and gulped down the outflow of emotions with it. She looked away to drain those tears but a stubborn tear fell out of her eye and she felt his comforting hand on her hand.

"It's okay to be weak sometimes. It's okay to let out your emotions. It's all okay unless you learn to be strong out of it. It's all okay" said Sanskar and she nodded her head letting out more tears.

***.***

Sanskar was driving Ragini home in the evening. Something flashed his mind when he spotted the girl who gave Ragini the flower yesterday. "I will just come" said Sanskar getting out of his car and crossed the road to reach the girl on the opposite side. Ragini sat in the car just staring the park which was on her side of window.

"Hey Princess" he waved at the girl. "Arrey you are the same bhayya na yesterday who was with that didi" the girl smiled widely. "See na I am waiting for her from morning but she is no where to be seen. Will you give this flower to her" she asked cutely.

"On one condition" he said sitting beside her. "Bhayya you should not sit here" the girl said getting up. "Bhayya bhi bolti ho aur baju me bhi nai bitathi? Not fair" said Sanskar making her sit again. She smiled at him weakly.

"If you tell me tips to cheer your didi I will give this flower to her" said he and the girl smiled widely. She told him a list of things which Sanskar bought and crossed the road and knocked on the window where Ragini was staring outside.

She was not able to see his face. She turned away thinking he is some sales man. He knocked the window again. Ragini rolled the window down to answer him.

"I don't want anything go forward" she said and Sanskr smirked as an idea struck him.

"Buy it madam. Please. My kids are hungry from two days and They only ate Mc Donalds meals in the night" Ragini looked at him weirdly. "Mc Donald's meal and you are saying they did not had food from two days?" asked she confused.

"Haa Madam. See night tho I will take them to Mc Donalds but morning they go with their mother to Subway. And she is gone to Goa on a vacation so I have to work extra shift to feed my kids from Subway. If you buy it tomorrow I can take them to Subway" said he.

"Bade thaat baat wale ho Bhaisaab aap tho" she said with a appreciating look on her face.

"Bhai kisko bola?" he brought the things in his hand down and revealed his face.

"Sanskar" Ragini looked at him surprised. He gave her a wide smile like a small kid. She could not help but laugh at his antics and it sent his heart fluttering with joy up in the clouds where he felt himself diving in between them.

He just stared her as she laughed holding her paining sides. "You are such a dramebazz" she hit him and he tried saving himself.

"These for you" he said placing the things in her lap. She looked at them. There was a ice cream a balloon and a teddy bear and a small bouquet. "But why am I blessed with these all?" asked she.

"I'm proposing you" he gave her a bore look and she looked at him shrugging her shoulders.

"And I should believe it" she said crossing her arms. He forwarded the ice cream to her. "As you said you are blessed. Don't ask why blessings are in your life. Know that they are there because you deserve them" said he and she lost herself in his eyes.

He smiled at her and turned to the steering wheel and drove to her house.

"Ragini" he called her when she was at the door. She turned to him. "Promise me you wont use that word for me" he said looking at her pleading. "Which word?" asked she confused. "Arrey wo word which start from B" said he.

"Bewkuf?" asked she. "No" he said "Bandar?" she asked again and he nodded his head squeezing his eyes.

"And what other word starts from B?" she started thinking. "Stupid girl" said he. "Arrey that starts from S not B" said Ragini. He gave her a tight fake smile.

"That word which Shurpanaka used to call Ravan" said he and she looked at him strangely. "Ravan? That starts with R Duffer" she said and Sanskar closed his eyes annoyed.

"Forget it" he said it and waved his hand in air. At least he was happy that she did not remember the word and there was less possibility that she will ever call him that. He caressed his hair and drove off.

Ragini shrugged her shoulders confused and walked inside.

Sanskar was lying on his bed staring the ceiling in the night after the dinner.

"Sanskar Bro" he heard Laksh's voice and his face turned annoyed. "You forgot your promise?" Laksh asked helplessly.

"When you can forget the deal can't I forget my promise? Anyways God will not count it a sin if I disappoint a back stabber" said he walking to the window. "I... I just thought that she will help us out of this mess" Laksh squeezed his eyes.

"She is not any toy to use Laksh" Sanskar warned Laksh. "And dare you use her for any of your escape plans next time. I'm warning you hurting her is secondary you will face my wrath first" said he with that boiling anger inside him.

"I'm sorry I just wished that she will expose that person. And finally we will be out of this mess" said Laksh as his eyes filled with tears.

"You don't even know Laksh someone from the family is his close ally. He is so near to us that one wrong move will doom us" said Sanskar. "What?" Laksh widened his eyes shocked.

Then Sanskar narrated him how he found the scorpion in Ragini's room when she was still unconscious. "Oh my god. That means we are being watched all the time?" asked Laksh placing his hand on his forehead.

A vase fell down outside which alerted them both. They walked outside. Laksh signed Sanskar to go on right and he went left searching for the person. If they got the person then they could easily get out of this mess. Was it as easy it looked.

Laksh was near the stairs and was about to catch the person who was hiding behind the long robe. He felt a push and rolled down the stairs wincing in pain.

"Laksh" Annapurna's scream from the hall alerted Sanskar who rushed to her. Laksh laid unconscious on the carpet and his head oozed out blood which horrified Sanskar.

****.****
Quite a long one 😅.

So who is actually against and who is for the family?

Difficult to decide?

What will happen to our Superman's brother now?

Poor Lucky.

How was the chappy. Do let me know through your comments and votes. Last of the vacation I guess and can't promise when will be the next update of this story.

Two days of the vacation are left and lot of updates pending.

Check out my profile picture for latest Race 3 poster. One thing every Ramzan I'm excited about is ammi ki biryani and Salman ki nayi movie.😂😂😂😂😂

Let's roll

#lasttwodays #crazysalmanian #stillrcbian

Love

Sally 😘