Salaam everyone. How are you all?? Here is the next chapter. Not proof read.

Happy reading.

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Chapter 30: Behind the masks.

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'Chandra uncle! How are you?' exclaimed Arjun seeing Radhika's father in the doorway.

'I am fine, beta! Jeete raho!!' blessed 'Chandra and continued, 'Ayushi beta! Don't you want to hug your father?' he asked Radhika just to see how will she raise to his bait. His daughter seems to be sensible as she didn't talk anything and just nodded her head and embraced him when he opened his arms.

Because Radhika knows all his tricks, she kept silent and hugged her father just to show to Arjun that she is fine with her father. She even smiled for the appearance.

Arjun knew something is amiss when Radhika's smile didn't reach her eyes. Normally, her smile is radiant and her laugh is so boisterous it brings peace to his mind and calm his heart. But now, that smile is lost. He didn't know the reason why she is in off mood this day, she was so happy earlier and her mood turned sour when his father came and now her face turned ashen when she saw her own father. Just what the hell is happening with her! Something is certainly amiss and he shall find out sooner.

'If you have finished eye raping my daughter, can we move forward our discussion for which we have gathered here. Sir?' said Chandra to his former employer.

Chandra is always considered to be a straightforward person when it came to the family matters and a person who used his tongue wisely in terms of politics. He knew now is not the time to beat around the bush. Someone or the other would have announced their arrival to the country to the police officials. If everything happens as it always happens in India, then he can be at peace for some days, his freedom will last only few days or few hours depending on the people that are surrounding him at the point of time. He should tread his way very carefully not to give away the real reason why he was here. That will spoil every plan of his.

He knew his little daughter is bubbling with anger to punch him in the face and he also know from his sources that she can pack a good punch. He almost smiled remembering the fire cracker that used to be his beloved daughter. But he can only goad a lioness to some extent, if the limit exceeds, then he will become prey to not one but two lionesses. His wife is always beautiful. He loved her at some point of time, that's why he had married her. He thought she loved him too that time. His habits made him go far away from her.

He being the secretary of one of the powerful politicians of his time and the enticements that were lavished on him made him the man he was today. He is not guilty for whatever he has done. Those had been his choices. He should have thought about his preferences that time, not now. He could not find himself innocent either for what he had done to his Sweta and sweet Ayushi. He should have made best choices when he had a chance, but to remain in the good books of his boss, he strayed from the path he ought to be followed and became a person whose daughter and wife does not want to meet his eyes and flinch at his touch. He did see the slight flinch on his daughter's face when he hugged her. He has become the person who cannot be touched now, isn't it? But he cannot blame his daughter for that, can he? No, absolutely not. In his thirst for power, money and women, he lost those people whom he held dear before he became the secretary to a power lusty person. When his parents warned him about the person for whom he was about to work, he didn't listen to them and joined in the post to prove them wrong. But he has fooled himself. His education was not able to inculcate the wisdom to differentiate between good and bad of a person. He in his blindness accepted the offer for the secretary post. And his misplaced loyalty on his employer brought him his doom. He cannot blame anyone but himself for that.

He even lost the right to perform kanyadanam for his only daughter. The dream of every father who has a daughter is to put his precious daughter's hand into the hands of a man who is worthy of her love and who will take good care of her after her father. He cannot put his daughter in wrong light because she chose her husband on her own. He failed as a son, a husband and a father. He should appreciate his daughter's bravery in overcoming all the difficulties life has thrown at her.

All these years of seclusion gave him time to think as to where he has gone wrong and put his family's life in peril. Without a single room for doubt, he can point out the time. That time would be when he had agreed to betray his wife and sleep with another women. If it had been for one time, he would have dared and asked forgiveness from his wife. But no, his morals had gone astray and he betrayed his Sweta several times. If he had asked forgiveness for what he had done after doing all those things, he would have made his position even more diminutive in her eyes. No! He will hold his head high and pay for his crimes, even it meant his death.

His death is inevitable anyways. His addiction to the pleasures of flesh brought the sexualy transmitted disease to his body. He didn't know when he was infected with the disease but he was grateful for the fire accident as it had brought a reason to get himself separated from his family permanently. He cannot show his face to his wife and his daughter after what he has gone and done to himself.

He came here again to see what his former employer has planned to bring into the lives of their families if Arjun does not agree to lift all the charges on them. His position has become strong enough that his influence will be able to bribe the judge and get the charges cancelled on them. There are chances that Arjun will never agree to do what his father was going to suggest him, he is called his mother's son for a reason.

And moreover, he didn't want any heart break for his daughter when she just got the love of her life. He does not even know that Radhika is his daughter until Prithvi Mehra called him and shared this information. He is ecstatic to know that his wife and daughter did not die in the fire accident. He is following Arjun and Radhika's posts on media regularly after that. They did build a home with every brick that is thrown at them. He should have shown how proud of them he was if not for Prithvi Mehra's presence in the same room as they are now. Arjun is a billionaire and he didn't reach that position by any illegal means like his father. His daughter did make the best choice in choosing him as her husband. He knew Sweta and Maya's plans for their children. Even though fate played a cruel interference and distanced his daughter and Arjun for a while, they found each other at the end. They are soul mates if he is not mistaken the love in each other's eyes for either of them. They understood each other without a single word passed between them. He used to have same type of relationship with his Sweta once upon a time. He cannot go there now and he has no right to even think of that. Ayushi and Arjun would not have been the persons they are now if not for the date's interference, or to say precisely, Prithvi Mehra's interference.

He saw two new faces that stood alongside his wife and daughter. Hitesh and Vikas-- The two pillars responsible for Radhika and Sweta's existence. Of course, he will see the scorn for him on their faces. So, he looked them eye-to-eye and managed his sinister smile to get the play going.

Arjun cleared his throat and glanced away from Radhika as if he was brought down from a trance. He looked at Radhika and her position is no less awkward. He had heard what had happened to her when Arjun said the truth to his father. He was glad that his trait of misplaced loyalty has not descended to his daughter. She genuinely tried to help Maya and burned herself in the process.

***

Prithvi Mehra looked around the house as if it was pest infected. He cannot believe that his son can live in such an atrocious construction he calls a house. He will be suffocated if he stands another minute in this place that is surrounded by people like Pawan and the other baboons. So, he cut the conversation between his son and his former secretary.

'Arjun Beta! Don't you think this house is too small for your needs? I thought you were going to live in one of those houses you inherited.'  asked Prithvi with a serene smile on his face hiding his disgust over the choice of living of his son. Definitely this should have been the idea of Radhika or Ayushi or whatever her name is.

He didn't know what his not-so-good wife thought his son that he has come to this.

'I didn't want to use any of those houses for myself, Papa. But they are put in a good use without my presence in them.' answered his son.

Just what he wanted to hear. Maya, you did not go any good raising your son like this.

***

Arjun did not know why he didn't wish to share the information of using the houses he had inherited for best use by allowing people who are shelterless in to those houses. Something had stopped him from saying that to his father. He could not remember a time when his father bestowed such generous things to other people who were poor except in the case of Pawan. Maybe this doubt at the back of his mind stopped him.

Pawan looked at him incredulously as if he has lost his mind. But he did not speak a word. God bless his soul! That man is ever so faithful to him.

Radhika, Vikas and Hitesh sighed in relief. Maybe he had just imagined their expressions or else why would he see same expression on all the three faces. He shrugged and thought to ask them later if it is real or his imagination.

'So, we are going to move to one of those houses during our stay, right, Son? Surely Chandra and I cannot impose ourselves upon you. After all, you are recently married and would like to have some privacy with your wife.' said his father.

Arjun turned his attention towards his father and answered in affirmative.

'Yes Papa, I will escort you to our farm house before I leave for the office. And besides, Radhika would be leaving for work soon too. Our farm house is being well cared after our last visit. It was being dusted properly too to avoid Pawan and I dusting the bookshelves by ourselves.'

He said this and trained his eyes on his lovely wife. He expected a blush on her face in the least by remembering their last visit to the farmhouse. But no! She looked at him and winked.

His little hellion!!!

He is going to show how he took such sly behaviour of his wife into account later at night. Something in his eyes should have given away his thoughts as she lowered her lashes and blushed. Finally!

'Nonsense, Arjun! Why will you dust the bookshelves? Now stop joking and let's get moving.' said his father bringing him out of his fantasy land.

***

Radhika knew the promise Arjun's eyes held. She also knew her days of happiness have ended when Prithvi Mehra stepped into her doorstep. Arjun may not know the truth about the bastard, yet but she will soon show the true face behind the mask to Arjun. For that, she needs some respite from the vile persons standing in front of her. Why did her father come now? Didn't he cruelly thwart them during her childhood? She knew his love from the earlier years of life when a certain person named Prithvi Mehra didn't enter their lives. She did not want to remember the person he had become after joining the position of secretary to the former minister of the state. Her mother's smile was lost after that. The rapport her parents used to share also died a painful death. She used to hear the muffled sobs of her mother whenever they had a row about a trivial matter like more salt in a curry.

She also remembered the day when Maya aunty called them and insisted her mother to partake the activities of the orphanage. Her father behaved indifferent to this information as if he didn't care. Slowly her mother emerged from the darkness that swirled around her.

Radhika did not want to see his face. She wanted to wipe away the smirk from his face by using some physical force. But she should act sensibly now. If she wants to plan against the villains of her life, then she should cool her overheated brain to find a way of pulling these vindictive people into their web so that they will reveal the truth by themselves. She needs some time with Hitesh and Vikas to accomplish this.

She would have kissed Arjun for suggesting their farm house to his father. It is miles away from their private residence and the media us always flocked around that area. Perfect place to put their any plan into action.

'Yes Papa! We will get started in a while. Let Arjun and I freshen up first, till then you guys make yourselves comfortable.' she said and relished the discomfort on Prithvi's face when she called him Papa.

The person who spoiled her childhood, who was one of the reasons for the death of her grandparents and who is trying to spoil her happiness now will finally pay for his sins.

She and Arjun got ready in record time and left for their respective work places. She didn't know why Arjun mentioned about their work when they could have perfectly taken a leave from their work if he so wished to spend time with his father. But that suited her juts fine and she left the place thinking how she will reveal the black heart of Prithvi Mehra to the entire nation.

Vikas, Hitesh and her mother caught up with her and they reached their sanctuary-- their media house where no one can raise a question to them.

***

Prithvi is bubbling with energy to see one of his favorite houses. He was relieved when he stepped out of that hell hole. The car ride is only intensifying his anxiety. He will go to the house, take a warm bath he needed so desperately and go on to his hunt after dinner for a warm female to warm his bed.

To cut the silence in the care, he asked how his work is going on.

'It is going fine, Papa. I was trying to reform some of the established concerns in our state. I hope you will be proud of me when you hear them.'

'Of course, Son. I am always proud of you.' he answered.

Proud, his foot. He is anything but proud of his son at the moment. What is he talking about reforming the existing concerns in their state. They are formed by politicians like him and they are meant to be followed. If his son is talking about the black money, then his son is not so wise person and had failed to become his perfect successor. Stupid son of a stupid mother!

'But beta! You should not concentrate on such trivial matters right now. Enjoy your life with your wife. How much time has passed for your marriage? Six months?' when he got the answer in positive, he continued, 'six months is a very short time to get to know your significant partner. Take Radhika for a vacation and leave your political affairs to Pawan for a while.'

If his son doubted him, he did not show it on his face. He said he will think about it and ceased the discussion.

Prithvi will have to wait for a right time to braoach the topic of his true intentions of his return. He interrupted Chandra's conversation with his son earlier for the same reason.

They should discuss the plan of action before they actually put their case in front of Arjun. He prayed that his not-so-sweet daughter-in-law will not strike an attack before that.

***

Radhika is pacing Vikas' chamber for the past ten minutes. She could not form a tangible plan that could bring the truth to the front. The only evidence they had was with the court and she is not certain about the genuineness of it after all these years. She has to make sure that Prithvi Mehra did not tamper the evidence using one of his minions.

Seeing her agitation, Vikas caught hold if her shoulders and asked her to take a deep breath. She did as she was asked but was unable to calm her frayed nerves.

'Radhika! You will not achieve anything if you lose your control over the situation. I am sure we will come up with a plan to take down the villains in your life. This time, for good.' said Vikas.

'You think so?'

'I know so.'

'But you will not say the same thing if you know the cruel nature of Prithvi Mehra, Vikas.' she said and cringed at her crude remark.

She should not have said that, Vikas is as much victim of the actions of Prithvi Mehra as she was. But her big mouth should always open before she can stop it.

She moved and hugged Vikas tight saying sorry over and over again. He said he understood her and what she meant but she is not possible when she will forgive herself for hurting her brother who stood like a rock in her good and bad times.

'Alright! No crying from our side. It should be the opposite party that should be crying seeing our unstoppable force.' said Hitesh to lighten up the gloomy atmosphere. And his humor always worked it's wonders and it worked now too.

Vikas and she smiled at their brother and thought of the plan. They will have to segregate their works in order to accomplish their plan in less time. When Vikas and Hitesh are working their wonderboy works, she and her mother will have a little private chat with her father and Prithvi Mehra.

She informed the same to the others and put the plan on its wheels. Either it works or it fails but she will take her chances. She will bear the consequences later.

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End of the thirtieth chapter. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

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Till next time, Sayonara.