-: SHAMRAT :-

My fist heavily rested on the arms of a chair as I exhaled deep breaths. Several people, who supported our party, were waiting outside the panchayat office, the seventh campaign starting today. The last ones were quite successful, spreading awareness among the villagers.

"Shamrat bhai?" Jiten, one of my active party memeber knocked on the door of my room. They were waiting for me to give the final command to start the campaign.

"Leave back five of them. The rest can proceed." He quickly nodded and rushed outside. 10 minutes later the slogans echoed outside and faded as they started the rally.

Agitation was eating my insides and I pushed myself off my feet and grinned my teeth, looking out the window. The tightly clenched fist on the wall.

"Shamrat?" Arnav's voice rang behind me and I sharply looked back. The wariness on his face didn't eased my chaotic mind and I sighed frustratedly.

"No updates, right?" I clipped, knowing God damn well that he was still hiding from us.

"Nothing. It's as if he had vanished from the face of the earth," Arnav replied and I growled out in wrath, punching the wall.

Daud had unobtrusively escaped from our hideout, 9 days back. It wasn't a secret that he worked for Chauhan's party. And no one had been able to trace him yet. It only meant that Chauhan had taken Daud under his wings.

If that was the case, I was powerless. Last time it was only possible cause I had abducted him in the middle of night from a shady motel. This time, if he was under the protection of Chauhan ... he was inaccessible.

On the top of that, the panchayat elections were knocking at my doors. I had run several campaigns and rallies, also took initiatives to visit each house separately to aware them regarding whom to vote. It wasn't a doubt that I had served this village and had worked for it's benefits tirelessly for the last 5 years, and before that Mom had the leads. But I couldn't afford to be lousy now. Time changes for everyone and if I don't hold on the lease of this election, my people might suspect me of lagging.

The environment was also turning tensed with every passing day. Other party members were doing everything they could to win the election, also taking the measures necessary to spread awareness about their party and for voting them.

Last week, during one of my rallies, the SNP had also ran their's. Members from each group collided with one another at the main market. There had been heated arguments and ruction. At the end, I had to go myself to stop the clusterfuck.

It was highly dangerous for me and for my party and family members every second now. Until the election is over, everyone was unpredictable.

"Arnav, send men at Chauhan's farmhouse. He wouldn't dare to keep Daud at his main house. Daud must be hiding in either one of his farm houses or apartments."

He left, nodding, my body falling slag on the chair. Opening a file, I rove my eyes over the paper regarding a new statement that had been passed at the high court regarding panchayat rule.

It had been apparently half an hour when Arnav came rushing into my room without a knock. I glowered up at him, slightly confused as he panted. Arnav, being the calm and composed man be was, it was sporadic of him to behave like that, unless there was something urgent.

"What is it?" I snipped, already pushing myself on my feet.

"Mini called ..."

My eyes narrowed in slits. "You?"

Nodding he murmered his next words, which shook the ground beneath my feet. "Rajeshri bhabi is missing."

*******

-: Rajeshri :-

It was my day off from the hectic works as Ma had returned yesterday from her tour. She ordered me last night to take break for a few days before resuming. Taking benefit of the situation, I decided to spend my entire day laying casually on bed and watching whatever was going on the T.V.

A panther, who was keeping his eye from behind the bushes on a deer from a very long time, was just about to lunge on it when the door of my room slammed opened. My head shot up from the National Geographic channel as Mini strode inside with an adorable frown on her face.

"Bhabi!"

"What happened?" I sat up, on alert but she plopped beside me on the bed, her lower lip jutting out.

"Ma is not allowing me to go to town. I need new art supplies desperately, but she is being so mean and stubborn," she whined, tucking her legs beneath her and giving me puppy eyed look.

I would have instantly melted at that sight if not for the sound of slogans that hollered. Both of us looked out of the window. It was the rally of another party but relatively smaller that Shamrat ji's. They looked dangerous with knifes sticking out of the shirts. Takikg a step back from the window I eyed Mini. Even she looked a bit frightened but no one should ever forget whose sister she was.

"We would take the car and guards with us Bhabi. Come on, Let's go nah! I am sure Mummy will allow if you ask for permission."

Stubborn as hell.

My eyes widened at her proposition. "But Mini, I wanna stay in today. Specially after all the hustle this week." I wanted to spend the day lazily.

"Please bhabi. Pretty please with a cherry on the top. Mummy will let me go if you accompany." She battered her lashes at me, pouting in a cute way. I slapped my forehead, dragging my hand down my face.

"Okay, I will talk to Ma. But not the whole day. Maximum 3 hours."

"Yay!" she shrieked out and ran out of the room shouting, "I will go and get ready!"

"Wait! She hasn't given the permission yet," I yelled behind her, but she winked at me.

"Oh she will. You have everyone in this family wrapped around your little finger."

My steps halted at her words. Really? Wrapped around my little finger? I snorted wryly and descended the stairs in search of Ma, who was sitting in the veranda of her room, talking to someone on the phone.

I sighed, encouraging myself with some mental peptalk. Here goes nothing

********

My eyes were fixed at the endless rows of acrylic colors. Each one uniquely different from one another but from the same shade.

"Wow. I didn't even know there were so many type of peach." This was me, first time visiting a art supplies shop and though I wasn't into painting, I was already in love with this place.

"Not only peach. Every color shade has too many variations. Come on I need new brushes." Mini pulled me down the store as she picked up whatever she needed. I was in awe of the place. It was like a heaven for art lovers.

"Next we need, color papers and a pack of decorative papers." She was going though the list as I saw a transparent bottle of blue resin. It looked so pretty.

"Glitter!" She shrieked, running across the shelves to grab tiny vials of glitters. I chuckled at her enthusiasm. She was something.

We were almost done with our shopping, only two items remaining unticked, as she walked out of the shop.

"I still can't believe Ma gave me permission." I was honestly surprised when she didn't question me twice and agreed to let Mini come as long as I accompanied her.

"Told ya', you have everyone wrapped  around your little finger?" Mini shrugged one of her shoulder and I lightly jabbed her with my elbow, giggles breaking out of her throat.

Keeping the bags in he car, she took out the list as I rove my eyes around me. There were tea stalls across the road and a few street food stall too. I was craving bhelpuri, so I looked back at Mini.

"Okay, so the only thing left is decoupage glue. Come on bhabi. I know a store where we can get it."

I hesitated, tired and hungry. "Can we have some bhelpuri before we go. I am famished."

Her eyes widened as she watched the time. "Darn! It's 2 pm already. Yeah sure! Let's go. We didn't have anything after the light breakfast."

I gave her a thankful smile. We were just about to cross the road, when her phone rang.

"Oh it's Shilpa. Bhabi you go ahead and place the order. I will join you in a minute."

Nodding, I crossed the road and stilled infront of the stall.

"2 plate bhelpuri."

It was a busy stall, with lots of customers loitering around. My eyes drifted back to Mini who was leaning on the car and having a heated argument with someone on the other side of the phone, her hand flying all over around her.

Who was she talking to?

Clicking my tongue in disinterest, I looked away. It wasn't my business. That might be her friend or roommate. I was just about to ask for my behlpuri from the stall owner when a man passed from beside me. I halted in my position, and whirled around.

That face ... it looked vaguely familiar. I had seen him somewhere. Puckering my eyebrows, I was prodding my temple with my index finger to when realization dawned upon me.

My head shot up towards the figure who was walking away, my eyes widening.

Feroz! Daud's friend.

Quickly discarding any rational thought, I sprinted after him. For what reason? I had no idea. I wanted to talk to him. I needed to know about Daud and if he could provide me some information about his whereabouts or atleast if he was alive or not, that would be enough. My feelings for Shamrat ji were complicated and my heart was already getting tangled at his very existence, but I needed a closure from Daud. In the very least, that he was okay with me, moving on.

Feroz took two to three turns through narrow lanes and I followed him, trying not to look very discreet. It was at the end of another lane, when he stopped. We were at the opposite side of the crowded market street and this part mainly had meat and fish shops.

He stopped at a tea stall and sat beside, what seemed like his friends, who passed him a bidi, the moment he sat. I slinked my way behind the stall, wrapping a dupatta around my face. When we had met last time his looks were lusty and vile, so I wasn't sure whether to go and confront him or not. But he was the only one who could give me a lead regarding Daud's whereabouts.

"Feroz bhai, chai." One of the men passed him an earthen mug and he sipped on his tea, smoking the bidi. The disgusting smell wafted into my nostrils and I gagged.

"Aur hal chal?

(And, what's going on?)

"Bash sab barhiya."

(Everything's good.)

They carried on their small talks for what seemed like ages, while I stood behind the shop, eavesdropping on them, hoping he would bring up Daud's name anyhow.

I checked my watch and it was already half an hour since I came behind Feroz. Mini must me worried, so I decided to go back.

The moment I was about to turn, a name halted me.

"Daud kaisa hai? Dikha nehi usaa kafi dino sai." My body went on high alert, my limbs freezing. The moment, very crucial for me.

("How is Daud doing? Haven't seen him in a  long time.")

"Ree baat hee maat karo tum uska. Woh jo loundiya kya piche para tha na? 2 saal sai?

("Don't even utter his name. You remember the chick he was hitting on, for the last 2 years?")

"Ha ha ..  "

(''Yeah, yeah ...")

"Uske saadi sai 1 raat pehle uthakar laya tha. Kam ho bhi jata, paar end wakt par uska pati aagaya. Daud ko bhi pakar lia hai usne."

("He brought that girl one night before her wedding. The deal would have been sealed, but her husband rescued her at the last minute. He had also imprisoned Daud.")

They were definitely talking about me. But deal? What sort of deal?

Puckering my eyebrows, I tried to lean in a bit closer. What were they saying?

"That girl from Batgara right? What was her name again?" The other man asked.

"Who cares about her name. Her father was Ramlal Jha." My eyebrows shot up at his statement. How the hell did Feroz, the guy I met just one night for only 1 minute, know my father!? Something was horribly wrong.

Swallowing down nervously, I held on to my position, sweat running down my temples.

"Yeah whatever. And Daud couldn't even finish the task Chauhan sir assigned him." Chauhan? Why did this name sounds familiar?

"Yeah dude. Can you believe it !? One night and that plot of land would have been in our grasp. Chauhan sir would paid us hefty amount for it." Feroz snickered, inhaling the bidi.

Plot of land?

"Shit yaar. All of Daud's two years efforts went down the drain. He acted quite good, considering the fact it was a pretty long time. If only  you two could have kept her for the night. Ramlal Jha would have been compelled to turn the deed of the land in Chauhan's sir name."

My eyes widened as soon their words registered in my brain. Daud acted!? Everything else vanished for me, the noise around me dimming.

"Now, we are helpless as that bloody pradhan is protecting his sasur. Can you believe Daud's luck? All his struggle for coaxing the girl in a fake relationship, building her trust, acting to be in love wasted. So much efforts and all in vain."

(Father in law)

Tears swarmed in my eyes. Acting? Coaxing? Fake relationship? What the hell were this people saying. Daud acted for all this years for a piece of land Baba owned?

A dull pain rose in my chest as I tried to rub it with my fist, a painfull lumb forming in my throat. I was fighting with my husband, every day for mine and Daud's love, resisting him, disrespecting him, creating problems for him, so that he could divorce me. And, all this for the love which wasn't even there in the first place?

"I hope she rot in hell. Shamrat Rathora isn't an easy person to deal with."

The last few words were quite faint for my ear to catch and I tried to take deep breaths. Stumbling back, I leaned on a wall, tears running down my cheek. My stomach churned in disgust, and my heart clenched furiously.

My body dragged down the wall, as I pulled my knees upto my chest, sobbing. How could Daud do this? All the promises, soft words, caresses, kisses exchanged ... everything was false?

He acted!? Drawing in deep breaths I tried to stop myself from sobbing, biting my lip, but that didn't seem to work as my face scrunched up and my ears turned hot.

Why? Just for a piece of land some Chauhan wanted? Who was this Chauhan? And what piece of land? Baba didn't own any land.

Something bolted inside my body, as I pushed myself on my feet. There had to be something wrong. What if, whatever Feroz said was a ploy?  What if he was trying to manipulate me? But he didn't know I was here, then why would he? Threading my fingers through my hair, I pulled at their roots. My body was convulsing every second.

No! I needed to talk to Baba. Shaking my head, I harshly rubbed the tears off my cheeks and gulped down a painful lumb down my throat.

A bus was standing just in front of me, whose next destination was my village.

******

Taking another deep breath, I exhaled it brokenly, not knowing what was waiting for me behind this door. I wanted to talk, I needed to talk to Baba ... but now that I was here, I couldn't bring myself to ring the doorbell.

"Rajeshri beta?" My fingers were just an inch away from the calling bell when Baba's voice boomed behind me and I whirled around sharply, not once thinking about the consequences.

Baba grinning face turned into a frown as soon his eyes stalled at me. Dropping down the bag, he rushed towards me, his eye wide in worry.

"Beta? Kya hua?"

("Dear, what happened?")

My blood shot eyes surely gave away the trepidation I was in, as I rubbed my belly to ease the churning.

"I have something to ask, Baba."

"Sure beta, come." He took me inside my old home, and made me sit on a chair in the courtyard. With every passing second my pulse rate heightened.

Passing me a glass of water, he patted my head and aksed, "What is it beta?"

"Do you own any plot of land?" The moment my words were out of my mouth, his hand on my head stilled and his face turned aghast.

"Why are you asking?" This time, Baba voice was just above a whisper, his body slouching.

"Tell me Baba, do you?"

He nodded, and I breathed in sharply. Licking my lips I carefully dropped the next question. "Did any Chauhan wanted that piece of land?"

At this, Baba's head jerked up and his face morphed into a scowl. "Did he approach you!?" He was worried about me?

"No. Just answer my questions. Please."

He sighed. "Yes. Around 3 years back. That plot is beside a river, and he needed that land to make some factories."

Everything was falling into piece. 3 years? The sole of my feet pricked uncomfortably at the realization. Daud and I was in a relationship for the last 2 years. 

"Did you know that Daud worked for Chauhan?" There, it was the last thing I needed to know. If the answer was yes, I would be doomed. Baba's eyes turned wild with anger, as he grinded his jaw, turning away his face from me.

"Yes."

I tumbled down on the ground, a series of whimpers breaking their way out of my throat, as I wheezed.

"Beta!?" Baba was beside me in a second, trying to hold me, as my lungs cracked and wails of pain flooded. Everything was a lie ... each and every moment we spent together, was fake.

All of our moments flashed at the back of my head, my fingers flying to clasp my head as I screeched out in pure agony.

"Rajeshri stop!" Baba pleaded, hugging me as I sobbed out loud. He gently pressed my head to his chest as I tired to speak amdist the spittle falling out of the mouth.

"Shamrat ji ... sham ... "

"He knows everything beta."

My eyes broadened at his words and my eyes shot up, thr wailings halting for a second.

"He knew?" I whimpered.

Baba nodded, his eye a myriad of grief and agony.

"How much?" I mumbled, not even an ounce of energy left in me.

"Everything."

●~~~~~~~< ☆ >~~~~~~~●

Hello my lovelies! Welcome back 😄🥰🤩

Wasn't today's chapter full of surprises... 😁

Regarding that ...

● How many of you already predicted that Daud was bad guy?

● Daud has escaped, so does he have a chance of returning to Rajeshri's life?

● Rajeshri's baba is the father all of us crave, isn't it? Loving his child and forgiving them, even when they do wrong.

● What do you think is waiting for Shamrat, when Rajeshri will return?

If you like the chapter, don't forget to ...

VOTE🌟and COMMENT 💬

◇ Random Question Time ◇

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and

ii) DC fan or Marvel fan? 🦸‍♂️🦸‍♀️🦹‍♀️🦹‍♂️

Lots and lots of hugs and kisses and thanks to you cuties, who are voting and commenting on every chapter. 😍😍😘😘❣💕💗💓

A quick note : The Open Novella Contest has started on wattpad and I had decided to participate in it, after I checked out one of their prompts.  So today, I would be uploading the first three chapters of my new story, NOT HER .

Here's the cover photo.

Feel free to check out my new story, and if you like it ... share, vote and comment 😇🥰🤗. You will get it on my profile, the moment I upload it.

Love you guys, See you soon. Take care ❤🥰❣🤩

Babye 😉🙋‍♀️