an: I'm dealing with severe health issues so if I don't update on time, it's not intentional.

-• an unexpected storm •-

The ringing of her phone calms her. She had been waiting for the call ever since she returned to Jaigarh. It was about time her efforts bore fruits. But it's not the harvest season yet, she'll let them sweeten a little bit. They'll taste better.

Reaching for the device across her work desk, she crosses her legs and leans back, stopping the incessant ringing by accepting the call. "Hey, it's late in the night, everything okay?"

On the other side, Vaidehi sighs. "Gosh, you're so sweet. I was actually fretting whether to call you or not this late."

"No, it's fine. What is it?" Sara says, willingness in her tone, the softest ever timbre spoken with a calming lilt.

"Actually," Vaidehi clears her throat. "I contacted the publisher you referred me to. He asked me to send him the manuscript. This morning he called and told me he loved it. He'd love to discuss further about the book and publishing opportunities with me personally."

Sara gasps softly. "That's great! Congratulations!"

"Yeah," Vaidehi chuckles, slightly flustered. "I know you're busy but I was hoping you could accompany me to his office. You said he's your friend and honestly, I never thought this is actually possible. Like... I wanted to publish my book, but I didn't know it was this easy, and that I'd be expected to meet the publishers immediately after they read my work. So I'm sort of ill-prepared for this meeting. If you've time -"

"Vaidehi, take it easy." Sara chuckles. "You don't have to justify yourself. I understand. You're nervous and it's okay. I'll come with you."

"Oh God!" Vaidehi exclaims. "I was sweating bullets over this for nothing!"

Sara laughs. "Exactly, when it comes to me, be upfront with whatever you want to say. I don't mind."

"Thank you so much." Vaidehi says sincerely. "So should I pick you up tomorrow?"

"I've my own car." Sara says. "Will you be bringing a driver along? Because that'd be a little inconvenient for both of us since I'll have to head to my office directly. But we can also reach there separately if that's not an issue for you."

"No, no, not seperately. I need you to prepare me for this meeting. Like I'm in dire need of a pep talk." She says jestingly, making Sara chuckle. "So is it okay for you to pick me up?"

"Yeah, of course." Sara nods, her smile cynical. "I'd love to."

"Great!" Vaidehi says cheerfully. "Tomorrow ten am?"

"Sounds perfect to me."

"Alright then, I'll see you tomorrow. I'll text you my address."

"Sure." The ladies hang up on each other.

Sara puts her phone on the desk and leans back on the chair, elbows bracing the arm rests, her fingers drumming against each other.

A knock on the door brings her out of the thoughtful reverie. She pushes her chair forward and resumes work, allowing the intruder to step in. Virat Rajawat opens the door, lingering at the threshold of her study reluctantly.

"What is it?"

He hesitates to speak his mind.

Sara hates that about her father's brother. But she can't blame the man. He grew up in a household where he was treated as the lowest in the bloodline for the sole reason of being born out of a wedlock to a woman of a lower caste. He can't speak his mind because he was trained to never give it a voice, for he was made to believe it doesn't hold any significance, any importance.

"Is it about Rudra?"

"I don't know of a way to approach him."

Sara sighs. She's as inexperienced in handling problems regarding a relationship as a toddler taking his first step. She should be the last person he should consider to talk about emotional stuff. But that's the problem. They've no one else but each other. They've always had nobody but each other.

"Call him." She suggests. "If you don't have a number," she picks up her phone, "use my phone."

"No, Sara," he releases a strangled breath, resting his back against the doorjamb, the dark ebony eyes that he shares with his only son unlike his son's when it comes to expressing his sorrow; open and vulnerable, they're indeed the mirror to his soul. "I don't know what to say to him. Did you not notice the way he treated me in the housewarming party?"

"No."

She didn't notice. She was drowning then. She didn't have time.

"Well, he was very indifferent towards me. At least Taranya was warmly welcoming. She also called me Papa." He smiles. "That really made me feel like she does consider me her father-in-law."

"You're her father in law."

"I told you there's no use talking to her. She's emotionally abandoned." Another voice adds to the conversation. Sara sits straight, witnessing the glare her uncle throws towards the man over his shoulder. "What? It might sound callous, but she's useless to talk about emotional stuff."

"Is that Shourya?"

Virat looks back and nods. "Sorry about him -"

"He's right though."

A booming laughter spreads in the living room. Both the niece and her uncle flinch. "She agrees!"

"Is he drunk?" Sara squints her eyes.

"A little," Virat pinches his fingers to show how little, though, from the uncharacteristic symptoms the grown man is showing, it doesn't look like he had alcohol to the quantity of any less than a whole bottle. "He was rejected from all the major music schools. He's not doing good mentally."

"Yeah, you wake up from a coma seven years later. Let's see if you do good mentally." The man snorts.

Virat exhales a deep breath, excusing himself from Sara before he walks back to the living room. "Shourya, go to your room."

Sara waits patiently for her uncle to return. When he does, she invites him inside with the motion of her hand, gesturing him to take a seat across from her desk. "Is he asleep?"

Virat nods, looking relieved. "So, I was thinking if you could invite the couple over for dinner or something," he leans in, bracing the desk with his arms, looking at her hopefully.

"I'm not comfortable doing that."

Virat drops his head defeatedly. "I know. But please, for me." He interlaces his hands. "It's just... He's my son, but it's very awkward."

"Understandable. He was only two when you left. Now he's twenty five."

Virat nods, agreeing. "Exactly. I- I'm not used to being a father of a twenty-five-year old grown man. And he has a wife too. Oh God, in a few years he'll have kids, then I'll be a grandfather." He groans. "It's too soon and I'm rushing to catch up but I'm failing."

"I can't speak to Rudra in a casual setting, but I'm willing to try for your sake. I just don't wish to be a part of your heartfelt reunion." Sara clarifies. "Your desperation to be a father to your son is commending. But I'm too swarmed with my own things to take out time and help you with your family. I'm sorry."

Virat pulls back to himself, nodding in response. The frankness in her tone bites a part of his heart, but it's been sixteen years now, he's used to it. "It's okay, I understand."

As he gets up to leave, she says, "But I can give you an idea of how you can do it." His head whips to her and he sinks back down in the plush leather. "He loves Taranya. He loves her the most. So much so that he named his entire business empire after her. She's his everything. It wouldn't be in vain to say that he'd do anything for her. Anything."

"Are you telling me...." he trails unsurely.

Sara nods. "She's also the same girl who accepted seven men as her family at the age of sixteen. You can say she has a heart of gold?" Sara mutters. "She's willing to let people in, to make them her family."

Virat smiles, hope reviving in his eyes. "Thanks." He gets up to leave.

The door closes and she leans back in her chair, grabbing the brown file holding details of the Sehgal family. It wasn't that hard picking out a person she could use to get rid of Madhav Sehgal. Vaidehi was the easiest and the safest choice.

Unexpected storms, even if not as powerful, cause greater damage than the storms you were prepared for.

And that's what Sara Rajawat is going to be in their lives.

An unexpected storm.

🕛

The following morning, Sara drives to the Sehgal mansion. She picks up the woman at the gates and then drives her to the publishing company. On the way, she gives her a kind, motivational pep talk, and then connects her with Vineet, the owner of the publishing company, sitting the private meeting out as Vineet preferred.

Sara checks her wrist watch. She was late to the office, and any other day, she'd hate sidetracking her work for personal reasons, but she couldn't have missed this opportunity. She's not really worried about missing the deadlines though. Her team is competent to handle things on their own and they already have Rudra's word for an exclusive interview. She only needs him to sign the contract. But it's okay. He's not going anywhere. She'll go to his office tomorrow with their attorney.

The door to the office opens and Sara looks up. Vineet and Vaidehi step out, the woman looks much more excited than how she had walked inside, a nervous wreck. Sara's eyes meet Vineet's. He sends her a subtle nod. She looks back at Vaidehi, sharing the excitement through smiles and chuckles as Vaidehi flings herself in Sara's arms, blabbering about how lucky she feels to have meet her and finally achieve her dreams of becoming an author.

"I need to call my sister and let her know. I'll wait for you by your car." Vaidehi pulls away, and Sara nods, watching the exuberant woman disappear inside the elevator.

Sara looks back at Vineet. "Thank you."

He steps forward and hugs her. She stands stiff in her place. "Anything for you," he pats her back gently.

As he moves back, she asks him, "Is her work worth publishing though?"

His mouth twists, nose scrunches, and he shakes his head with a grimaced smile. "I couldn't go past ten pages."

Sara sighs. "I'll compensate you for whatever loss you incur because of this."

"Don't worry about that." He squeezes her arm gently. "You've no idea how happy I was when you called me. I thought after Avani's death things were over between us."

She shakes her head. "You were her only friend. I know I can trust you."

"You can." He nods in assurance. " And I was your friend too."

Sara fails to reply. She hadn't made many friends in her life. Perhaps, one or two. She was surprised when she called Vineet and he immediately recognised her voice. Even though he was Avani's college friend, Sara and him shared a special bond, he always used to treat her like his little sister.

"Thank you," she says to him, meaning the words from her heart. She really owes him. He didn't need to help her but he still did. "I'll see you later."

Vineet smiles. "Sure. Bye."

Sara turns and walks down the hallway, entering the elevator. Vineet holds up his hand to wave at her. She forces a smile back as the doors fall close between them.

Stepping down the stairs of the building, Sara finds Vaidehi leaning against the bonnet of her car. She plasters a happy smile on her face and approaches the woman with light steps. "How are you feeling?" Stepping next to the woman, she bumps her shoulder with Vaidehi's.

The woman giggles. "You've no idea how happy I am right now!"

"C'mon then, let's drop you back home. You need to celebrate with your family." Sara ushers her inside the car.

Vaidehi snorts, slipping inside and putting on the seatbelt. "As if anybody would be happy. Madhav will only say I'm wasting my time. And my in-laws are worse than him. I'm sure you know."

"Yeah," Sara nods, surprised the woman was already opening up. "They weren't really supportive of Di's idea of doing a job either. So I get it."

Vaidehi huffs and rests her head on the seat. "It took me years to convince him to live separately."

Sara hums. "I can understand. But your sons-"

"He's only six."

"No, I mean the other son," she deliberately mentions, glancing towards the woman warily.

Admit it.

"He's not my son. He's my husband's brother's illegitimate son. His wife didn't want it so we took him in." She shrugs. "But don't tell anyone about it. Nobody knows."

"Of course not." Sara reassures. "I'm not the one to gossip. Don't worry. I promise."

"It's okay, I know I trust you." Vaidehi smiles. "Actually, I was very scared. I couldn't have a child of my own for years and then my Jethani suddenly started to treat Adhik better. I knew it was because she thought if I failed to conceive ever, Adhik will be the heir to my husband's property. Thank God, I got pregnant with Vishal."

"But you're also lucky that Mr. Sehgal didn't marry anyone else." Sara says softly. "Because I remember how his family pressured Di into giving them a son as soon as possible."

Vaidehi's mood suddenly depletes. She hums.

"We're here," Sara announces as the car stops in front of the Sehgal mansion.

Vaidehi looks up from her lap. "Drive in, I want to treat you to coffee and snacks."

"No, it's fine, I should go now." Sara resists weakly.

"Don't be so formal with me. C'mon, drive in."

Sara gives in with a defeated sigh and drives in through the metal gates. The two women step out of the car. Sara follows Vaidehi's lead inside the mansion. She had been here countless of times, knows this place like the back of her hand. She's familiar with every corridor and corner, of all floors and staircases.

Her heart stutters when they pass the kitchen. She looks inside, wishfully hoping in vain to catch a glimpse of her sister, but that's not possible anymore. What's gone never returns. They enter the second living room, enclosed in bay windows that offers a view of swiming pool and backyard. Vaidehi offers her a seat on the sofa and excuses herself back outside.

Vaidehi returns with snacks and two cups of coffees.

"Thank you," Sara picks up a cup and takes a sip, "You've magic in your hands. I love this!"

Vaidehi chuckles. "Thank you."

The ladies enjoy their little escapade stolen out of the busy schedules, sharing funny stories and relaxing more in each other's company. It's when the clock hand strikes twelve thirty that Sara insists on leaving. Vaidehi walks her out. On the way, they bump with a kid dressed in his school uniform, carrying his backpack haphazardly.

"Oh!" Sara straightens the boy.

He ushers back hurriedly and looks up at her wide-eyed.

"Hey there, you must be Vishal!" Sara grins. "Wow, he looks exactly like Mr. Sehgal, doesn't he?" She looks at Vaidehi, her smile fading at the poker expression on the woman's face. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Leave." She says to the kid. The boy rushes off. "He's our maid's grandson. Madhav funds his education because the boy is an orphan and has been living under our care since he was an infant." She explains.

"Oh," Sara blinks. "I was confused because they look so similar. But Mr. Sehgal is quite the philanthropist when it comes to orphan kids." She chuckles softly.

"Tell me," Vaidehi mutters bitterly. "Does he really look like Madhav though?"

Sara minces her words this time. Vaidehi might be infamous for being a wife of a suspecting character when it comes to her husband, but she's still smart. "I thought so at first glance, but maybe I was mistaken. Kids all look the same anyway."

Vaidehi forces a hum. "Let's go," she motions.

Sara follows, glancing over her shoulder at the kid that disappears around the hallway.