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Chapter 8: The Truth

She turned around to see the owner of the hand and her eyes glance at him with surprise.

"Raka, what happened to you?" She asked, concerned due to his appearance as blood was dripping down from his nose and a lump was curved on his forehead.

"San. . . Sanskaar. Where's, San. . ." Raka was out of breath, he couldn't complete what he wanted to say, feeling extremely tired and out of energy.

Swara was getting confused, but all she knew was that Raka wanted Sanskaar. Hoping everything to be alright, Swara turned her head to the side, wanting to spot Sanskaar.

"I don't know where he is." She replied, looking back at Raka, who loose conscious and falls on top of her.

"Ahh. Raka!" She stumbled back, managing to balance while Raka fell to the side, slamming his chest onto the floor.

Before Swara could shout and call for Sanskaar, loud music was turned on by the ladies, blocking all her chances. She knew that now she had to go and hunt for him amid the crowed.

The men around Swara glance down at Raka, not bothering to help as they know their Bhao's enemy is their enemy and helping Raka would mean bearing Sanskaar and Bhao's wrath.

As Swara rushed past the crowd, on her tiptoes. Few men enter the place, glancing around. One of the man's eyes land on Raka, who was laying on the floor.

"What is he doing here? Go grab him and take him out before anyone sees him!" Ordered he and his henchmen nod, heading towards an unconscious Raka.

Swara at-last finds Sanskaar, who was standing by the pillar, keeping his eye out for everything that's going on. During his eye-scan, Swara comes in front of him, grabbing his full attention.

"Sanskaar, its an emergency. . . Raka needs you, come with me."

"What?"

"Don't ask questions, just come. He's in a bad condition." Swara, holds his hand, starting to drag him with her to the place she left Raka.

Her eyes narrowed and she began to look around. "He was right here. . . Where did he go?"

"Are you trying to waste my time?" He asked, freeing his hand from her grip and she rotated herself, in order to face him.

"No, he was here and he. . . He was in a bad condition. . . He said he wanted to talk to you and. . ." Swara replied to his question, tensed, concerned and worried while he glanced at her.

"He must be playing around with you." Sanskaar concluded, assuming it to be a false alarm.

"Sanskaar I'm serious. . . He was here, and. . . It seemed like he had to tell you something big." She uttered, stopping him from moving away.

While he creased his forehead, she sighed, knowing he wouldn't believe her and turned, deciding to find Raka herself. Before she could walk away, a curious Sanskaar turns back around.

"Wait." He uttered and she stopped. "Where did you last see him?"

"Here." She replied and turned towards him. "He was bleeding and had been bruised." She added, drowning him into thoughts.

**

"What made you come here after so long?" Bhao asked while heading towards the men.

"Bhao. . . Dada sent an unpleasant news. . ."

"What?"

"Your daughter. . ."

"What happened to her?" Bhao asked, concerned yet frightened by the way the man had trailed off.

"She's outside!" One of the henchman shouts, grabbing their attention and Bhao stares at him confusingly.

"What?" Both Bhao and the man, who was his youngest brother-in-law, Raman, gasp in shock.

"Where?" Raman, brother of Bhao's wife, asked curiously, walking towards his henchman.

"I saw her outside, right here."

Bhao gasped in shock, realising who his daughter was. "Swara. . ." He whispered in aghast, widening his eyes to the extent.

**

After looking around the area Raka was last seen, no traces of him were being spotted and Swara and Sanskaar meet again.

"Are you sure. . ."

"Why will I be lying?" She asked, interrupting him and he gave her a small look. "Maybe to annoy me and waste my time."

She let out a small puff "Look Sanskaar, I'm seriously serious and I'm worried for Raka. He wasn't in a pleasant state, it actually felt like someone was after his life."

Seeing her expressions, he started to believe her, now confusing himself with serval of thoughts.

While glancing around, her eyes land on Bhao's house door, which was opened without anyone assisting it and creased her forehead, thinking about the time she saw him inside his house.

"Maybe he's gone to Bhao's house." She guessed and Sanskaar's eyes automatically travelled toward the house, seeing the door opened.

Not wasting a single moment, Sanskaar runs towards the house, followed by Swara.

While entering the house, they were shocked to see Bhao laying down on the floor in pool of blood, holding a frame across his chest whilst struggling to breath.

Sanskaar and Swara rush towards him, bending down instantly.

"Bhao! What happened?"

"S. . . Ssss. . ." Bhao was finding it hard to speak as the pain had started to fester, across his body, weakening him.

"Stop asking him questions Sanskaar. Take him to the hospital!" Swara exclaimed, upset to see Bhao's condition, not knowing why she was feeling a pang of pain.

Sanskaar agreed on Swara's words, instantly standing up and pulling Bhao up with all his strength. Swara has walked to the other side, helping Sanskaar hold Bhao. As the two walk forward, Bhao's hand drops and the frame falls out of his hand. His weight pressed against Sanskaar's chest and his eyes flickered shut.

"Bhao. . ." Sanskaar called, feeling Bhao lifeless. "Bhao!" He shouted his name this time and fell on his knees along with Bhao, who's head laid on his chest and Swara covered her mouth in distress.

Her eyes move down towards the frame, and glue to the photo behind the broken glass. She slowly bent down, picking the frame up in her shivering hands. She was looking at the photo of Bhao, with his wife and daughter.

"T. . . That's me. . ." Swara stuttered, recognising herself in the photo, shockingly gasping for breaths, feeling numb and blank.

Sanskaar gazed at her, shocked and numb himself, not willing to accept that his Bhao, who he looked up to as a father figure passed away.

The silence had started spreading and a confused Swara continues to glance at the photo frame, trying to understand what this means, she wanted answers, she wants to know why she was in this photo frame with Bhao and his wife.

Loud bangs and a struggling moans started to invade the silent hall and managed to grab Swara's attention along with Sanskaar's. She glanced around, hearing the loud bangs again. Fearing another death or incident, she stands up, rushing towards where the sound was coming from and opened the door, shocked to see Raka kicking the bath while drowning.

She gasped in aghast and rushed towards him and pushed her hand inside the water, grabbing Raka's shirt and makin him sit up. He begins to cough and Swara takes the cloth out of his mouth, watching him struggle for oxygen.

"Raka. . ." She utters in concern, feeling a part of her dying, yet feeling her other-self alive and concerned.

"Swara. . . You. . ." He stopped, coughing water back out again.

***

Raka was rushed to the hospital by Swara while Sanskaar, who was broken by the fact that his Bhao passed away, was doing his last ritual, not allowing a single police near Bhao's body.

"Terror will come now. . . Sanskaar won't spare Bhao's killers." The people gossip, behind Sanskaar while staring at Bhao's ashes that were cooling on the ground.

While blinking at Bhao's ashes, Sanskaar makes a promise to himself. 'I promise you Bhao, I will not spare your killers. I will kill them!'

*

At the hospital, Swara was impatiently waiting outside the operation theatre, knowing Raka is linked to what had happened earlier, hoping he would help her solve the mystery of her in the picture.

Swara being Swara, had already reached to a conclusion, assuming Bhao knows her family and took that picture with his wife, during one of his visit to meet her and her family.

"Yes Swara, you can't be Bhao's daughter. . . If you were his daughter then he would've had more photos of you, but he didn't have a single one in his house expect this." She uttered to herself, feeling her heart stinging and voice cracking.  

Giving up against her emotions, she started to cry and sob, shivering each time she remembered Bhao's condition and the assumption of being his daughter hurts her poor heart. She doesn't want to admit he was her father, cause she knew the pain of separating from him again will be unbearable for her.

Sanskaar walks towards the operation theatre and hearing footsteps approaching in her direction, she glances up and sees Sanskaar. The anger glimpsing from his eyes scared her and she stood up from the chair, seeing him walk past her and towards the door of the theatre.

"Sanskaar. . ." She rushes towards him. "Where are you going?"

"To kill Raka."

"Why?"

"He killed Bhao."

"Sanskaar, be practical! Why will he kill Bhao if he was being drowned?"

"Move out of the way!" Sanskaar roared in anger, pushing Swara to the side and Swara trips, loosing her balance and falling onto the floor.

"Ahh!" She let out a small yelp, hurting her elbow and her sobs made their way out once again. Hearing her sob, he had stopped and looked down, at her. Feeling guilty for the first time, he unknowingly let his anger fly away and bent down towards her.

"I don't think Raka is involved. But I know for sure that he knows something, which is why was being killed." She sobbed while looking up at him and he held her by the shoulders, helping her stand.

"Why are. . ." She hugged him tightly, resting her head on his chest and continued to cry. "Why does Bhao. . . Have a picture of me? He doesn't have a daughter, right?" She questioned and Sanskaar let out a sigh, not having any answers to her question.

"Tell me, he has no daughter." She added, ordering him to say what she wanted to hear.

"He did. . ."

Sanskaar cocked his head to the side while Swara stopped sobbing, breaking the hug and staring at her uncle, Raman standing at a distance with few of his henchmen.

"Mama Ji. . ." She trialled off shockingly, blinking at him while he let his tears fall out of his eyes.

"No. . ." She understood what he was about to reveal, not ready to hear it at all.

"You are Shekhar Bhao's daughter Swara." Raman revealed and Swara scoffed a gasp, holding onto Sanskaar's arm.

And Sanskaar was utterly amused and shocked to hear that Swara was Bhao's daughter.

"9 years ago. . . For your safety, he gave you to me and Bhaisa." Raman revealed, consoling himself as he prepares himself to tell Swara the truth of her life.

9 Years Ago. . .

Shekhar, his wife and daughter were sleeping, after hearing sounds that were sensitive to a small Swara's ears, she sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"Papa, Mumma. . . Someone's outside." She whispered but no one woke up and she stood up, getting off the bed and heading outside, shocked to see Raghu invading the house with his men.

"Hello Beta, where is your Papa?"

"Papa! Papa!" A terrified Swara shouts after seeing a gun in Raghu's hands.

Hearing Swara, Shekhar opens his eyes along with his wife, glancing around.

"Swara?"

"Papa!"

Shekhar instantly stepped out of the bed, rushing out, shocked to see Raghu aiming the gun towards Swara, who was timidly blinking at Raghu's gun.

His wife gasped and Shekhar moves forward.

"Uh, stay there! Otherwise your daughter will loose her life." Shekhar stops after hearing Raghu's threat.

"Raghu!"

"Mumma. . . Papa. . . Who is he?" Swara timidly asked while looking at Shekhar and her mother.

"Awww bachha, don't get scared. . ." Raghu mocked and Shekhar clenched his fist.

"Raghu! Leave my daughter, you want me so here I am. . . Leave my family." Shekhar warned and Raghu scoffed.

"Fine." He agreed, moving the gun away from Swara, pointing it at Shekhar's wife.

"Your daughter's free but a life has to be taken. Otherwise what will people say? That Raghu failed to take Shekhar's family's life?"

"No. . . Raghu, don't. . ."

Raghu frowns at Shekhar, pulling the trigger. Swara closed her ears in shock while Shekhar's eyes widened.

"Mumma!" Swara shouts, starting to cry.

Shekhar watches his wife die, feeling his heart clenching. "Swara. . . Keep her safe." And she closed her eyes.

Swara takes her hand away from her ears and continues crying. "Mumma!"

Shekhar swallows his spit, moving towards Swara and holding her. She hugs him while crying. Raghu then aims his gun towards Shekhar and Shekhar looked at him.

"You won't get away with this Raghu. . ." He warned with glassy eyes and Raghu starts laughing with his men.

"You won't survive to catch me Shekhar."

Shekhar takes his steps back and moves Swara to the side, closing the door. Raghu instantly pulls the trigger and the bullet darts through the wooden door.

"Go, open the door!" Raghu ordered his men and they nod, starting to kick the door.

Raghu's men break the door open and see Swara and Shekhar missing from the room. Their eyes scan around the room and fall on the metal bars from the window on the floor.

"Boss. They got away."

Raghu looked on in shock, "Go get them!" He ordered and rushed out of the house with his men.

Swara and Shekhar were running down the road as fast as they could and Swara turns her head to the side while lifting it to stare at her father.

"Papa, Mumma?"

"I'm sorry beta. . . I need to send you away from me." Swara drops her mouth with glassy eyes, shaking her head negatively.

"No Papa, please don't leave me. . ."

Shekhar controls his tears "Swara. . . Always remember that your Papa loves you." Shekhar says and takes Swara down an ally.

"No, Papa please. . ."

"What happened Shekhar Bhao?" Raman asked, rushing there.

"Take my daughter Swara away from here. . . She's not safe and I only trust you and your brother. Please take care of her." Shekhar requests while folding his hands and Raman shakes his head.

"What are you saying Bhao? Swara's our daughter too and we won't let anything happen to her." Raman assured while taking Swara's hand.

"Papa please don't leave me. . . Please." Swara requests while crying and Shekhar bent down, taking his chain off and putting it around her neck.

"Do you want to see me when you grow up?" She nods at Shekhar's question. "Then you have to leave. How will we meet if you stay here with me?"

"Bhao, where is Jiji?" Raman asked and Shekhar looked at him, shaking his head negatively with teary eyes.

Raman understood and his eyes widened, water filled in his eyes and he held onto Swara.

"Bye." Shekhar whispered and stood up, shaking her head negatively.

Shekhar inhales a deep breath and starts running away while Raman dragged Swara, who wasn't willing to leave.

"No. . ."

"No! No!" She shouts, bursting into louder cries and Sanskaar holds onto her to support her.

"He can't leave me again. He just can't!" She cries, falling down on her knees and Sanskaar sits with her, holding her shoulder. "Sanskaar. . . This is cheating! Cheating! He can't leave me like this again! He. . ."

Sanskaar hugs her and she rests her head on his chest while crying her heart out. Raman clenched his fist, wiping his tears while blinking at Sanskaar, who he remembers telling them he was Swara's boyfriend.

"Swara. . ." Sanskaar softly whispered her name and she clenched onto his shirt. "Ahhhh!" She screams, unable to keep her pain hidden, wanting to take her anger out too.

He swallowed his spit, feeling her pain and closed his eyes, hugging her tighter to console her while this scene had made Raman fume, as he had not approved Sanskaar to keep any relations with Swara.

"I. . . Lost him again."

"How could I not recognising him!"

"Shh. . . Cry, you'll feel better."

She did as he said, crying and crying while he allowed his shirt to drench with her tears.

To Be Continued. . .

Up Next - Sanskaar and Swara to get close and Raka to wake up. . .
______________

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