Yuvraj had just parked his car in the garage when he saw his cousin Rajvir coming there with his car keys. It was past midnight and Yuvraj couldn't help but inquire where his cousin was heading this late at night.

“Rajvir, where are you going this late at night?”

Rajvir passed him a nervous smile, “Bhai, a friend of mine came to Lakhnaur today evening. I'm going to meet him.”

Yuvraj didn't say anything after that. Rajvir wasn't a reckless person. So Yuvraj walked away after mumbling a good night to him. Though he already had an idea that Rajvir must be heading to meet her.

“I hope he doesn't get into any trouble.”

✿ ✿ ✿

In the middle of the night Mandira blinked open her eyes. She was feeling thirsty. Vidyut had his hand resting on her stomach. She gently moved his hand away and took silent steps towards the refrigerator. But when she opened the refrigerator, there was only a bottle of whiskey kept in there. Mandira groaned in frustration. She walked back to the bed and wore her slippers and took her phone.

With the help of her phone's torch, she made her way downstairs to the kitchen. Mandira opened the fridge and picked a bottle of cool water. She took few gulps of cold water and finally felt at ease.

“I'll just take the bottle upstairs.”

With bottle in one hand and phone in the other, Mandira headed back upstairs. She was passing by the balcony door when she found the door open and heard some noise coming from the balcony. She got curious. So Mandira stepped in the balcony, only to see something she hadn't imagined she will witness.

“What are you doing here?”

✿ ✿ ✿

That morning Devika went to do some grocery shopping with her cousin Manyata. By the time they exited the market, both of them were carrying heavy bags filled with fresh vegetables.

“Devika, I have to buy cupcakes from my favorite bakery,” said Manyata while heading to the said bakery.

“Di, my arms will fall apart anytime with the amount of weight I'm carrying,” Devika protested, she just wanted to head home immediately.

“Arrey, it will take only five minutes. Come with me. It's in the next street.”

The board read “Whisk & Whip Bakery”.

“Ooh, cool name,” Devika was impressed.

“I'll be back in five minutes, ” saying so Manyata pushed open the glass door and entered the bakery.

Devika waited outside with two grocery bags. Her eyes were focused on Manyata who was waiting for the baker to appear on the counter.

For once, Devika felt like she was having a dream when she saw the baker's face. She looked like her. No, it was really her. Devika almost dropped the bags in the shock from seeing her after so long.

“Sanjh?”

Her first thought was to call Suraj immediately. But she refrained the urge to do so. She just kept staring at Sanjh in shock and bafflement.

When Manyata returned with a box of cupcakes, she noticed the change in Devika's mood.

“Devika, is something wrong?”

Devika was startled by the question. But she managed to chuckle. “No, Di, it's just too hot.”

“Alright, let's go home.”

Devika looked back at Sanjh one last time before walking away with Manyata.

✿ ✿ ✿

Mandira was lathering Vidyut's face with sunscreen as they got ready to head out for wedding shopping. Vidyut clearly wasn't liking the baby treatment he was getting from Mandira.

“Mandira, how much damage sunlight can do? At most, my skin will get tanned,” Vidyut whined.

“Vidyut, don't take this lightly. Sunlight can cause a lot of skin problems,” She put the bottle of sunscreen down.

“Okay, meri maa!” He rolled his eyes at her.

“Vidyut, I'm your hone wale bacchon ki maa,” Mandira faked a frown. Her words made him chuckle.

Vidyut smirked and wrapped his arms around her waist, “Oh, so eager to carry my babies, huh?”

“I'm joking, Vidyut,” And she pulled away from his hold.

“Arrey, we will have babies at some point. Do you have any names in your mind?” He asked her as they exited the closet.

“Yeah, if it's a boy, then Vidvansh,” Mandira suggested while switching off the charger and picked her phone.

“Aye, idiot! It's not Vidvansh, but Vidhvans. And it means destruction!” Vidyut was scandalized by her suggestion.

Mandira passed him an embarrassed smile, “Oops, sorry. Then how about Vedang?”

“Yeah, that's a nice name.”

“Haan naa! Devika wants to name her son as Devang. Our son's name will be Vedang. And Devang and Vedang will be best friends!” Mandira began ranting in excitement.

“I don't want to name my son Vedang anymore,” And Devika's mention ruined Vidyut's good mood.

“Why? It's cute,” Mandira's face fell at the sudden change in his mood.

“Mandira, let me make this clear. Do not contact Devika ever again. She might be your best friend in the past but now things have tangled up,” It was pretty clear that he disliked Devika. Maybe he will always see her as just a threat who could potentially ruin what he had with Mandira.

“Vidyut, I can't end my years of friendship with Devika just like that,” Mandira protested.

“Mandira, things are different now.”

“So you will easily break your friendship if you were in my shoes?” Mandira asked him angrily.

“Yes,” and he walked out of the room after uttering that one word.

A tear escaped her eyes. She went to the closet and quickly fixed her makeup before picking up her handbag and headed downstairs.

✿ ✿ ✿

“Bhai, aren't you accompanying us?” Vidyut asked Vikram, who was already ready to go to the office.

“Nah, just choose something for me yourself,” Vikram replied and left.

Vaidehi and Kajal were sitting in the living room after having their breakfast.

“Bhai, is Bhabhi running late?” Vaidehi asked Vidyut.

Vidyut couldn't just tell her that they had an unpleasant argument. So he just said, “Yeah, she woke up a little late.”

The same moment Mandira descended the stairs. And just by looking at her dull expression, Kajal and Vaidehi could guess that something happened between Mandira and Vidyut. But they refrained from asking. Even Vidyut could guess that she cried after he left the room.

Mandira walked to him, “Let's go.”

“Let's eat the breakfast first,” Vidyut suggested.

“I'm not hungry,” She replied without looking at him and walked away.

“Alright, let's go then. Kajal, Vaidehi, head to the car,” Vidyut announced to the other two and picked his car keys.

✿ ✿ ✿

In Mehergarh, at the Thakur Haveli, Suraj was reading the newspaper while sitting in the living hall when a servant came running to him.

“Chhote Saab, police is standing outside. They want to meet you and your parents.”

Suraj frowned. He had no idea why police will come to his house.

“Alright, escort them here. And tell someone to make tea for them,” Suraj instructed and stood up to call his parents from upstairs.

“Maa, Baba, police has come to our house.” Suraj entered his parents' room. Both of them looked quite tense.

His father took a deep breath, “Let's go downstairs. You'll get to know everything while we meet the police.” 

In a state of confusion, Suraj went back downstairs along with his parents. The police officers were sitting on the couch. Suraj and his father shook hands with them and everybody sat down before the senior inspector began speaking.

“Thakur Sahab, you must have been informed over phone call that your half-brother has escaped the asylum.”

Suraj heard what he had only imagined to hear in his nightmares plenty of times. Nothing could scare his family more than the man named Dushyant.

“And considering what he did after escaping from the asylum last time, we want to station our officers here. They will disguise themselves as your house help, driver, and security guards so that when Dushyant comes to attack you, we can catch him.”

Suraj looked at his parents with his eyes full of fear and worry. He knew that his parents will be the target of Dushyant's attack.

His father began, “We will cooperate with the police.”

Suraj walked away from there and went to the garden where his uncle was arrested last time. He pulled out his phone and called Mandira, explaining the situation to her. But Suraj knew that his parents are the ones in danger.

“How will he attack them this time?”

•••

Oops, so many mysteries 🤔

What happened at the balcony? ☹️

What if Mandira got attacked? 😢

Who is Sanjh? 🧐

•••

Okay, so I'll be putting vote targets for this book.

I don't do it with other books because I write them with no expectations.

This one is getting both, reads and votes.

So I will be updating the next part only when this chapter will get 35 votes. It's very much achievable.

•••

Now I want to acknowledge the regular readers of this book. I am actually noting down the names of all the readers and chapters they voted on.

So thanks to BhavanaSreeVetcha
manyasharma437 Divtyagi Fate_10802 AaneshaGhosh nova7383 blissfulchaos__ PratikshaGawade17 subathraKaruppiah anushkaroy hazidashaik GauriGoyal6 prag_saxena NashidNusratTripty FatemaElahiIqra sky_dreamer0027 09Ebaadat DhanashreeParab SanjanaSarkhel
Love_devil_angeL
Khans__profession gowrisiree

Thank you so much to all of you!

•••

So I'm excited to see if this chapter reaches 35 votes or not. Till then I'll write others stories. Bye 👋