Yo! Good evening! 

Hehe... Taking time on the updates, aren't I? Sorry sorry. Let the exams pass, then I'll update all the fics equally.

Moving on...💃💃💃

"Words in double quotes" - Talking

'Words in single quotes' - Thoughts

(Words in braces) - Telephone conversations

Chapter 29 - Turn Over a New Leaf

"I guess it is time we explained everything, isn't it Swara?" Uttara remarked with a smile.

Swara nodded. She took a deep breath and started speaking. "That day, after Ragini and Sanky left our house forever, I was completely devastated. On one hand was my love, and on the other, my sister. I didn't know what to believe." she looked at Ragini. "But then...then I remembered the love I saw in your eyes for Sanskar. I knew that there was no way could you have thought of betraying Sanky."

Ragini smiled at her sister in gratefulness. 'You believe me. That means more than my life to me.'

Swara smiled back. She then looked at Laksh with utmost hate. "Then, I remembered how Laksh had been behaving recently. It got me suspicious. So I thought of confronting him. Immediately, I left for the Maheshwari Mansion that evening itself."

*flashback*

'I'll get the truth from him today and that's it!' Swara thought to herself as she entered the Maheshwari mansion. Without informing anyone, she directly left for Laksh's room. She was about to enter when she heard the sound of a vase breaking. In confusion, she hid behind the wall and listened.

"No no no! Everything is in shreds! I didn't plan on this happening. Never did I expect things to take such a turn!" she heard Laksh shout. Feeling that she was closer to the truth, she listened more closely.

"Ragini, you ruined everything! Everything! Why?! Why couldn't you just accept me?! If you did just that, then it wouldn't have led to all these problems for me!"

Swara held a hand over her mouth to cover the gasp that threatened to escape her. 'So...so Ragini wasn't lying. She was telling the truth all along!'

"And now you left with that Sanky! I can't see him with you. Who knows what you two might be doing together?! Just thinking about it makes my skin crawl! I love you. I want you Ragini! Not that good-for-nothing Swara!"

She flinched as his words reached her ears. 'All that affection, all that love you showed me. It was all a lie? Each time you kissed me saying you love me was...was a lie?' she felt hurt. However, it didn't hurt as much she had imagined it would.

Laksh was her love and she expected to be completely broken if she found out he was the one guilty. But now, it was as if her heart already knew the truth. Her subconscious seemed to have accepted it. 'That's why...that's why, although I feel betrayed, I'm not broken. My heart already knew your truth Laksh. I guess I...I just refused to acknowledge the truth in false hope...false hope that all of it wasn't true.'

Swara rubbed away her tears and looked at Laksh's room. 'Laksh Maheshwari, goodbye. From now on, my only goal will be to reveal your truth to everyone!' with one last look, she left the place.

'I must tell Maa and Baba. They'll believe me. I know it! But how do I get the Maheshwaris to believe me? They might think I'm trying to protect Ragini.' Swara thought in distress as she walked out of the Mansion. "But there is no way I'm letting Laksh off that easy! He has to suffer for all that he did. He has to!"

"Laksh has to suffer? And what gives you the right to plot against him?" spoke a voice from ahead of her. Swara looked up at the voice to find a girl standing there, glaring at her.

Swara looked at her in irritation. "None of your business."

"Yes, it is my business. I come home after years of staying abroad, that too without telling anyone to give them a surprise, and here? Here I find a girl bent on destroying my family. It is my business!"

Swara looked at her shocked. "Family? Who...who are you?"

"I'm Uttara, Sujata and Ram Maheshwari's daughter and Sanskar Maheshwari's sister. Laksh is my cousin. And I don't like people who try to harm my family!"

(Author's note : Just in case anyone is confused, Ram and Sujata's children are Sanskar and Uttara. Durgaprasad and Annapurna's children are Adarsh and Laksh.)

Swara glared back. "If you were so concerned about your family, then you wouldn't have let them kick out Sanskar and would have tried to keep them united. As for Laksh, he deserves it for what he did to Ragini and Sanskar."

Uttara looked at her in shock. "Sanskar bhai...kicked out? And Lucky bhai plotting against Sanskar bhai? What...what's going on in here?"

"You mean you don't know anything that has happened?"

Uttara shook her head and grabbed Swara's hand. "Please tell me everything. If something is wrong in my family, I'll do everything to make it alright. I'm not entering this house until I do!"

Swara nodded and they both went away from the Maheshwari Mansion.

*flashback end*

"And so Uttara decided not to tell anyone that she was back until she and I solved the things." Swara finished explaining, turning to glare at Laksh. "And those men? They were put here by me from the start to intervene you if you tried to cross your limits with Ragini."

"That was the plan. To make Laksh think that Swara is helping him trap Ragini here while I bring you all here." Uttara told the Maheshwaris. "However, we didn't plan on Sanskar and Swara's parents to be here. And um...you as well." Uttara spoke, pointing at Mani.

Mani straightened his collar and put on his glasses trying to look cool. "The name's Manish Dobrial. Nice to meet you pretty lady."

He moved towards her and extended his hand forward.

Uttara blushed but shook his hand. "I'm Uttara. Uttara Maheshwari."

"Ah! A beautiful name for a beau-ow!" Mani exclaimed in pain as Swara held his ear. "You almost ruined our plans! You idiotic, moronic ape!"

"How was I supposed to know that you were making such a twisted plan, witch?! It's not like it came to me in a dream!" Mani shouted in defense. "Besides, it's good in a way. Now, everyone knows this guy's truth." he spoke, glaring at Laksh, who sat in the ground.

Mani did feel a bit of sympathy for Laksh as he sat there, hurt from the beatings of the men. However, he knew Laksh himself was responsible for his state, which was a result of his wrong deeds.

Laksh, on the other hand, was thinking the same thing. He knew he deserved what he was receiving. As he looked up at them, he saw his parents looking at him with disappointment and hate, while Adarsh was outright glaring at him. Uttara, Sujata, and all the others were looking at him with different levels of anger and disgust.

As he looked at Sanskar, he could see a killer intent in his eyes. Sanskar looked like he was ready to end him there itself.

Laksh looked away from him. His eyes fell on Ragini. Instead of hate or disgust, there was sympathy and pity in her eyes for him. Her eyes looked kind and understanding. "No. Ragini, don't look at me like that. I don't deserve it!"

"Yes, you're right. You deserve to die!" shouted Sanskar as he came forward and held his collar. Adarsh followed close behind.

As Sanskar and Adarsh hit him, Laksh didn't bother defending himself. He knew he deserved it.

"Sanskar stop! Sanskar! Sanskar, he has realized his mistake. Sanskar!" Ragini shouted.

"Ragini, you're still defending Laksh?!" Swara asked in disbelief.

"Swara, trust me. He's changed now. He realized his mistake. Swara, please tell them to leave him! He ha-" she was jerked towards the other side by a hand.

"Ragini, you're forgiving him that easily?!" Mani exclaimed, shaking her shoulders.

Ragini knew it was useless trying to seek help from them. She herself went forward and tried to pull Sanskar away. "Leave him Sanskar! He realized his mistake. I know what he did was wrong. But that was because he didn't realize his faults. Now, he does! Sanskar please! Let him go!"

Sanskar shook her off. "Leave me Ragini!"

Ragini felt her parents pull her back. "Sanskar, please! Leave him! Whatever he did was wrong. But he did it out of immaturity and his obsessions! He's still your little cousin brother! The one you grew up with, the one you raised like your own child! The one who always looked up-to you!"

Sanskar paused on her words. "Whatever!" as he raised his fist to hit Laksh once again, he looked at his eyes.

Indeed there was no fight left in them. It was like Laksh was giving himself up to be beaten. His eyes seemed to scream that he knew he deserved it. Looking at him, it reminded Sanskar of the little Lucky that would wait like that in front of Durgaprasad to punish him whenever he did something he wasn't supposed to.

However, Sanskar always went and stood before Laksh, protecting him and taking the punishment himself.

He remembered their childhood. How Laksh would always heed to his every command. How he would listen to Sanskar's every word like it was etched in stone. When Laksh was hurt, he didn't seek his parents. Rather, it was he who Laksh came for help. Laksh believed that his elder cousin bro could solve everything.

And now? And now he was the one who was beating the shit out of him.

From the corner of his eyes, Sanskar saw Adarsh about to land a hit on Laksh. At once, Sanskar pushed him away, making Adarsh stumble and fall back.

Laksh looked shocked by the action. The others looked shocked as well.

"I hate you so much, so very much for what you did. And yet...yet, I love you too much as a brother to see you hurt."

Laksh's eyes widened on his words. "S-Sanky?"

"Why! Why did you do all this Lucky? Why?! Why did you bring us to stage where we can no longer trust each other? We used to be best of brothers, best of friends. Even if the world was against us, we promised to fight for each other and defend one another. And now? Now we're brought to position where I'm almost ready to end you!" he shouted, angry at his own pitiful state.

Uttara teared up as she saw her two brothers. She remembered how close they used to be. They were each other's strength. No matter what happened, one was there to defend the other. Always!

She remembers how she and Laksh were practically brought up by Sanskar, since both of their parents were mostly busy with business. Sanskar was their hero. The bond of siblings between the three of them was always strong. 'But the bond between Sanskar and Laksh was stronger.' she was broken out of her thoughts by Laksh's voice.

"It's not your fault bhai. It's...it's all my fault. It's all because of me! I know sorry isn't enough, but...but that's all I can offer right now Sanky. I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry!" Laksh cried out in anguish.

Uttara sobbed as she looked at them. 'The cruelties of the world have destroyed the bond of brotherhood between them. How...how did it end up this way!?'

"Beta, are you okay?" Sujata asked her in concern.

"Maa, take me out of here please." Uttara requested.

"Ram, let's take her home. Please Ram."

Ram wanted to stay until everything was sorted out. However, he didn't like seeing Uttara cry, especially since he knew why she was in that state. He himself felt sympathy for Sanskar and Laksh as he looked at them. "Okay Sujata. Let's go." soon, the three of them went out of the warehouse.

"You idiot! You terrible idiot! You messed up everything! Your sorry isn't going to help anything!"

"I know Sanky, I know. But it's all I can do right now. I'm sorry Sanky."

"You should be, you wretched being!" accused Adarsh. In his mind, he was happy that Laksh had been exposed. Now he was sure the whole property would be his. "Papa, what shall we do with him?" he asked Durgaprasad.

Durgaprasad, on the other hand, was looking at Sanskar. He had kicked Sanskar out of the house, the Gadodias had doubted him, he wouldn't have had a place to live in if it wasn't for Manish, all because of Laksh. And yet...yet, Sanskar was still calling him his brother?

'I refused to let him be with my family and took his title, just because he lied to us. And here, even after everything that my son did to him, he isn't rejecting Laksh as a brother? Neither is he accusing me of being too trusting of Laksh. How...how can he be so selfless. Is he really that good? Did I...did I make an error in disowning him? Did I let my ego rule me again and didn't notice his good qualities?' Durgaprasad thought to himself.

"Papa? What shall we do?" Adarsh repeated his statement, breaking Durgaprasad out of his thoughts.

Durgaprasad let out a miserable sigh. He looked towards Shekhar and Shramishtha with an apologetic face. "I am rea-"

"No Durgaprasad ji. Please don't apologize for anything. We can understand your situation. There was nothing that you knew of." Shekhar consoled, preventing him from apologizing.

"Your too generous She-" before Durgaprasad could speak more, he felt a pain in his heart.

"Oh my! Are you okay!?" Annapurna exclaimed, holding onto him.

"I...I'm okay. I just...I just felt a bit of weakness."

"You should come rest then. Our home is closer from here than yours. Please come with us." Shramishtha suggested.

"But what about Laksh? We need to decide what his punishment is." Adarsh stressed.

"Adarsh! Your father's health is more important right now." Annapurna spoke with glare towards him. "Or have you forgotten your priorities?"

Adarsh looked down. "I'm sorry Maa." he apologized. 'Damn it! Couldn't he have waited a bit to get sick?! He's ruining my plan!'

"I'll drive you there." Mani offered. He looked towards Ragini, as if asking if she would be okay if he left for sometime.

Ragini nodded and turned to Swara. "Swara, they all got a big shock right now. They need someone to be there for them. Please go with them."

"But Rag-"

"Don't worry Swara. I'll be fine. Sanskar is here, remember? Go."

Swara reluctantly nodded and followed the rest outside.

Only ones left in the room were Laksh, Ragini and Sanskar.

She watched silently as Sanskar slowly got up and looked down at Laksh. "Just because I'm leaving you, doesn't mean I've forgiven you."

Saying so, Sanskar left his side and came towards her. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of the room, leaving Laksh to look at their retreating figures.

Once outside, Sanskar paused his steps.

Ragini was about to ask him what's wrong when she felt the hand holding her shake. As she looked at his face, she saw him close his eyes and let out deep breaths, as if to calm himself.

In worry, she placed her other hand on his shoulder. "Sanskar? Wh-" before she could speak more, he abruptly turned around and kissed her.

Ragini's eyes widened at his abrupt action. Nevertheless, she closed her eyes and responded to his kiss.

However, more than kiss of love, it was more a kiss of desperation. She could feel him tremble into the kiss, his hands shaking as he held her face.

Ragini tried to move back, but he wouldn't let her. With force, she managed to push him back and held his face in her hands. "Sanskar, what's wrong!?"

Sanskar opened his eyes, which were glistening with unshed tears. "R-Ragini, you...you don't know how worried I was when I got the call from Mani. I had received your call earlier, but rudely told you off, warning you not to call me. If only I had listened to you, maybe we wouldn't be in such a risky situation. You can't imagine how scared I was when Swara said you were with Laksh. Ragini I wa-"

"Shhh Sanskar. I'm okay. I'm alright and standing right in front of you. See?" she assured him, giving him a soft smile.

"But Ragini, what if something had happened? You don't know what images had invaded my mind of Laksh forcing himself on you. It would have been because I didn't listen to what you had to say an-"

"Sanskar, it's okay! Besides, nothing would have happened to me. Swara said it was all a plan, right? Nothing would have happened to me." Ragini joined their foreheads together. "I'm here. I'm here. Safe."

Sanskar let out a deep breath, putting his hands above Ragini's. Ragini felt his hands stop shaking and smiled as his breaths came out in a normal rhythm. Sanskar seemed to calm down, although he still had his eyes closed. "Now, I think we can try it properly this time."

Sanskar opened his eyes in confusion. "Try what?"

Ragini simply smiled at him. Before Sanskar could do anything, she got on her tiptoes and kissed him. Sanskar, although shocked at first, closed his eyes and responded to her.

Now, it seemed perfect to them. They poured out their heart and soul into their kiss, relishing their closeness to each other.

"You two look good together." came a voice from the entrance of the warehouse.

Laksh stood their, smiling at them through his swollen lip and black eye. He had some other scratches on his body, some showing through his torn shirt.

Sanskar glared at him, coming to stand before Ragini, hiding her from view. "What do you want now? Didn't you have enough fun destroying our peace?!"

Ragini placed a hand on Sanskar's shoulder. "Calm down Sanskar."

Laksh smiled a wry smile. "It's okay Ragini. The fact that he still considers me as a brother is more than enough for me. I was sure he won't want to see me ever again."

"I don't. I really don't want to see your face in front of me." Sanskar pointed out. "Yes, I still consider you family. And maybe...maybe one day I might forgive you. But right now, you're the person I hate the most!"

Laksh flinched at his words. However, he knew he deserved it. "Okay Sanky. After all I did, there is nothing I can do to reverse it. But I can do one thing. I...I'll disapear from your lives. I'll go away from both of you to another town so that I don't remind you of this day. That's something I can do."

Sanskar nodded. "Never expected that we would turn out like this. But I think this would be the best Lucky. And maybe if you're away, it will be easier for me to forgive you." Sanskar grabbed Ragini's hand. "Let's go Ragini."

Ragini looked towards Laksh. "Laksh, I'm glad you changed for the better. And from now on, I hope you can restart your life in a better way. I hope the best for you, friend. Turn over a new leaf and start anew." she advised in a soft voice. "Goodbye Laksh."

Laksh smiled at her in gratefulness. Only she could wish well for a person like him who caused so many troubles for her. "Goodbye." he watched as Sanskar and Ragini went away, leaving him all alone in the warehouse.

He watched as they left hand in hand...something he wanted for himself.

He wanted to be the person with Ragini, holding hands.

He wanted to be the person she would whisper 'I love you's to.

He wanted to be the guy she sought comfort whenever she felt insecure or need a shoulder to cry.

He wanted to be the person in whose arms she always long to be.

And yet, he knew he couldn't have her. She was already someone else's. Her heart belonged to Sanskar. She will always love him, to infinity and beyond.

Ragini and Sanskar. Sanskar and Ragini.

That's how it will be.

And he? He would never get her as a lover. He would always be a friend or well-wisher for her. Nothing more, nothing less. And he knew he had to accept it.

Because even if she didn't love him, he will always be there for her. As a friend, as a well-wisher, as a benefactor as a brother...as anything she wised. Because he was ready to do anything for her.

In the lonely and eerie warehouse, Laksh looked up at the sky as it neared sunset. 'With this sunset ends my quest for Ragini's love. From now on, I won't try to come between Ragini and Sanskar. I'll leave this place. I'll leave this town for their happiness.'

He reached for his pocket and took out the rose that he had brought for Ragini. "I have been so long without your love that I think I'm almost used to this pain by now. Yet, I can't stop thinking and hoping that I had chosen you when you loved me. I hoped and still think hopelessly that you'll come back to me, although I know it will never happen. It was and will always be my fantasy. I know you won't come to me. And it's okay...it's okay. I know your happiness lies with Sanky. And I want you to be happy."

He put the rose back in his pocket with a genuine smile. "I know you won't come back. But I...I will always

Always...

Always be...

Longing for you..."

************************************

The End...
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😂😂😂😂 Joking! 😂😂😂
This isn't the end. Lots of dramas to go on still. 😉😉😉

TO BE CONTINUED...

If you liked this chapter, please don't forget to click 🌟. Thanks!

~ 🌹 Mona 🌹