Ragini tapped her foot ,a habit when she was nervous as she waited for the arrival of one of the suspects , her cousin Swara tried to talk her out of it but she wanted to help and after they way she accused Sanskar for not doing much to find her ,she couldn't give into the fear and refuse to help now.

Thinking about Sanskar made her mind revolve back to her husband , the man she no longer could hold on too. The divorce papers she obtained from her lawyer two days ago was still in her handbag .

And yet she hesitated to give it and make the separation final , because her foolish heart didn't want to leave him . She loves him still even when his heart is set on her cousin , when Laksh told her that Swara and him are not getting back together,she had been relieved much to her shame .

" She never loved me Ragini ,and I know how much she means to Bhai . I would never get in their way again " Laksh answer were cryptic that she didn't understood what he had been trying to say but it a given he knew more about Swara and Sanskar then Ragini , considering her cousin had never talked about Sanskar with her.

  A pair of high heels came into view first as Ragini looked upto see Aditi Shukla , the fashion designer who Ragini had lured into the interview with the promise of a front page newspaper article about her , she might have to fight her way with Anwar to get it done but Aditi wouldn't be tempted without it.

The Local Mirror had a steady number of readers but it nowhere close to the numbers that would tempt Aditi . So Ragini had promised her the front page as well . And truthfully Aditi in the front page may sell more papers because what Ragini researched about her so far leads her to assume Aditi has her fair share of followers.

Her social media accounts have been boosted with more followers after the news she was dating a movie star became known amongst everyone , a celebrity girlfriend always gains attention and even now if Aditi was innocent it was what she would assume that propelled Ragini to ask for an interview.

The next one hour Ragini listened patiently as Aditi boasted about herself ,and in the end Ragini had an impression of her that didn't look favourably to her. Aditi seemed to be someone who is too occupied about herself and the brief moment she spoke about her current boyfriend made Ragini realize that Aditi had no real affection for her boyfriend.

By the time Ragini took her leave ,she was exhausted from the interview. She did learn more about Aditi but whatever she learned didn't leave a clue on whether she was capable of being a murderer or not

   Aditi didn't look like someone who would wield a knife with expertise given the stab wounds on her cousin ,it is a given the killer possessed some level of coldness and yet Aditi didn't come across as someone who could commit a cold murder.

And if she was indeed the killer than she knew how to act to dispel suspicions around her ,as she walked back to her car , the car Laksh gave her to drive around town . She wondered where she will go once she gave him the divorce papers .

Living with Swara wasn't an option not because her cousin or Sanskar would say no but if the killer obsession with Sanskar were remotely as extreme as they feared then she would be keeping tabs on him even from far away and Ragini moving into his house would raise suspicion and may lead her directly back to her cousin path.

It all would be easy if Swara could remember her face but life never had been easy for the Gadodia Cousins . She texted her cousin that she will visit for a short awhile because Ragini felt Swara need to know about the divorce first and she hoped if her cousin hesitated to get back with Laksh because of her , Ragini decision would solve it.

Ragini kept glancing at the car mirror as she drove to Sanskar house , a visit won't raise suspicion even if the killer found out about it because no one expected her to remain unaware that they are working together to find her .

The whole process was not to find her but to eliminate others as innocents. Because she was smarter than them there would be no chance she would slip if they met with her . The plan had been narrow down the suspects from five to atleast two or three then focus on them .

Ragini had asked to leave the youngest from the list considering 18 years is too young to be a killer but Sanskar wasn't keen on taking the risk yet. And they have to decide who would best interview her considering she is too young , no one wanted to take the job as of now .

She knew Laksh was tasked with the second oldest shukla sister and Pradeep would talk with the eldest , and Adharsh ,Sakshi brother would have met the second youngest according to the plan . So far she had no idea how the rest of them were faring along ,she was lucky to have got her chance sooner and yet she didn't make much progress as well .

As Ragini got down from the car ,she only hoped the others have made a breakthrough . She didn't expect the gate to be open or the door for that matter ,Sanskar always taken utmost precautions with safety . Fear propelled her inside only to find a different kind of fear as she glanced at her mother in law .

" So you planned it ,both of you .To make my son marry the cousin of yours , and here you are trying to lure another Maheshwari with your charms " the accusation from her mother in law stinged ,even after months of respecting and living according to her wishes ,Ragini was still considered as unworthy of the being Mrs Laksh Maheshwari .

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

       Swara hadn't expected the accusation from Sanskar aunt or the anger in those words . As if knowing his aunt crossed the line Sanskar walked towards her in an effort to support her but she shook her head in answer ,if it was just her name .She may have let it slide but speaking against Ragini wasn't something she would tolerate not when her cousin did everything for her sake . 

       " Sanskar ,take asha to her room . It looks like your aunt has more to say and I don't want her to listen to them " Swara spoke up which surprised Sanskar but in the end he listened to her as Asha jumped from her arms to his arms.  With one long look at her assessing if she really wants to do it alone ,he left her .

      Swara looked at his aunt and there wasn't a hint of longing in her face to see her grandniece leave without a greeting ,she knew Sanskar had kept asha away from them but the longing and affection she had seen in Laksh when he met asha was missing from his mother.

       " Ragini married Laksh for you and your family.  You may say anything about me but not against my cousin who is innocent in all of this accusation you laid against her " Swara answered back and froze when her eyes landed on her cousin standing behind her mother in law looking upset as well .

      " No Swara ,you shouldn't take the blame for anything when it wasn't your fault that you got kidnapped on the day of your marriage " her cousin spoke up in her defense.  It was only then Laksh mother turned towards her daughter in law. 

     " Kidnapped " Laksh mom spoke up surprised by the truth in Ragini words . And listened as Ragini explained about everything  and if Swara hoped it would thaw her anger ,she was surprised by the tears in her eyes. 

     " I am sorry Swara.  I should have known your wouldn't leave my son on your own after all you love him , why didn't you come back home. I always knew you would make a good wife for my son " Laksh mom kept speaking and Swara eyes were fixed on her cousin who was taken back by those words given the fact she was already married to her son. 

   " No aunt ,I already spoke with Laksh and both of us are not getting back together " she answered back as Sanskar made his way back from asha room ,if he was surprised by Ragini presence he didn't show it as he walked towards them .

  " But he loves you and he isn't happy married to her " Laksh mom words made her wince as she looked at her cousin yet again who seemed upset by the lack of support from her in laws. Swara had no clue how her cousin must have suffered in Laksh house when she could barely handle five minutes in her in law presence.

   
    " The decision on what to do should be taken by Ragini and Laksh aunt ,not you or Swara ..they are the ones married with each other " Sanskar spoke up trying to make his aunt realize the truth that her opinion didn't matter  

     " And whatever you learned today .You shouldn't say to anyone else , no one should find out that Swara was alive atleast not yet " Sanskar spoke up trying to make his aunt realize the importance of the secrecy which only got a nod from his aunt and Swara could only hope she meant it because they have come close to catching her and they can't have everyone worried about her safety as well . 

          By the time Ragini and Laksh mom left Swara was exhausted , thankfully Asha slept soon without any fuss that she walked to the kitchen to get a glass of milk to drink , she barely ate dinner as her mind was too occupied to focus on hunger .

       She didn't expect to find Sanskar in the kitchen as well.  And was surprised when he told her that he was preparing the milk for her , it warmed her heart that he noticed she didn't eat much but decided to take over to give her hands something to do because there was always some tension between them .

         She relate it to her new found memories and the feeling it brought to the front but even Sanskar kept his distance from her at times that she wondered what his reason could be often .

         " Pradeep texted ,he couldn't meet the doctor  today . And Laksh is likely to meet Abirami tomorrow . " He spoke up , it was one topic they could converse with each other even if the said topic was not pleasurable.

             "  Ragini called as well said she couldnt find anything from Aditi , it like we are running in circles with no answers " Swara answered back remembering her cousin call few minutes ago ,yet another reason sleep eluded her . While Ragini showed a brave front , Swara was worried about her .

           " It not your fault " Sanskar spoke up as if he knew she was blaming herself for Ragini marriage trouble .

           " Of course it is mine Sanskar ,I had no real interest in Laksh yet I decided to marry him . I know I had never expected to find the one after you but ..Laksh or Ragini both don't deserve to pay the price for my actions " She answered back frustrated at herself but when he didn't say anything either to console her or convince her .

She looked at him and found him starring at her and then it clicked on her mind what she inadvertently said to him . She secretly hoped it wasn't the reason he looked surprised but when he spoke up she realized he did hear every word. 

         " After me ?" he asked her ,two words but it said way too much about her heart and know he learnt about it as well . And Swara had no idea what to say to him either .

P.S :" That it for now ..Let me know your thoughts and feedbacks . Hit the votes if you liked it "

Juanita Reid