Hi guys I am back with an update . Thanks for all the lovely feedback and votes I treasure each one of them .. Hope this update lives upto your expectations

Dedicated to birthday girl  ektakhan19 Happy Birthday dear

   A month later ..

   
                   Ragini Maheshwari  stood with the support of her husband as her father body was laid to rest . She didn't even get to see him since they kept the casket closed  as his face was destroyed beyond recognition .

                   Shekar Gadodia built his empire painstakingly for years and all it took was a month  to strip him away from everything .

        First he was sent to jail and more evidence came out at the news of his arrest .More witness stepped forward those who had their life's only because they complied to his unreasonable demands .  As his case became strong his lawyers made him agree to his crimes in hopes of lighter sentence .

             It worked , He got only 8 years in prison thanks to his lawyers .But his empire he built fell the moment the judge declared the guilty verdict . The stock prices stooped low and his company was bankrupted within days , And just like that he lost his wealth in an  matter of days

               Those who lost their dear ones due to her father took it in their hands to met out his punishment . The news out is that Shekar Gadodia got killed in an prison due to an fight between the prisoners while they tried to escape and Shekar was an casualty   but in truth her father was murdered in his solitary prison cell not just killed but inflicted with pain and tortured till he died .

                Police didn't want to get under pressure for their inability to keep an prisoner alive in his cell  and hence the cover up ,also because they didn't care to get their job under scanner for a murderer like her father .A fact she knew only because Sanskar friend Adarsh told Laksh.

                      An month ago Shekar Gadodia death would have been mourned by his employees , friends and even business partners but he had no one to mourn for him now.

                 Even Ragini couldn't bring up the heart to mourn for him  though he had been a good father to her . But as a daughter she needed to be here and because he married her Laksh was here as well even if few weeks ago her father tried to kill his brother .

            As Laksh drove her home ,she welcomed the silence to the thoughts that went through her mind . She felt lucky that her father sins weren't cast on her by Laksh family . His mom even told her it okay to cry when Ragini remained numb after hearing the news .

               Uttara who was estranged from her after coming back even offered to be there for her if she wanted to speak .

               And most surprising of them was Swara .  Even if they barely spoke except few words she was glad that Swara came to the Maheshwari house after hearing the news   . Even if they didn't speak more than few words her presence in the house was comforting

            As they drove back home  she heard  from Laksh  that Swara insisted on seeing ragini after her father died .

                Ragini was glad to be greeted by her family including swara and sanskar who stayed the night in the Maheshwari house for her  while Lavanya stayed with swara parents .

                     Meanwhile  Swara knew coming to the house was a mistake ,and she should have left last night instead of staying behind . Swara felt like she owed it to Ragini for being there during those months of marriage .

              It was Ragini room Swara found refuge in when Siddharth came home drunk .It was Ragini who tried to intervene whenever Siddharth had one of his tantrums . And the deciding factor had been Ragini was an good sister in law to her until the testimony unlike Uttara a fact swara was learning in the last few weeks .

                Swara knew they might never go back to the way things were before but she atleast had to visit her once .

               She was counting the minutes now for Ragini to return so they can go back  .For she feels uncomfortable  around  Uttara . Even now she was seated beside her and  she was talking about something that happened in US . And Swara was only half listening to it as she knew soon enough by now that  one of the barbs in Uttara will find it target .

                At first Swara was happy that Uttara no longer hated her . But even then it was bit odd that Uttara spent most of the time in her house even when Sanskar was at work  .

                And then began the questions about Siddharth, how Swara met him ,when she realized she loved him and swara was even made to relive her darker marriage not fully as she told Sanskar but the verbal and physical abuse when he got drunk . All as Uttara pleaded she wanted to know swara .

                 It was always an request swara could deny to answer but by denying swara felt like she was being judged for hiding something .It made her awkward that she prefer to speak up then say no .

                    Then came the casual reference to Swara unsuitability to being Sanskar wife as Uttara regaled the stories of the person who wanted to marry her husband . As if she didn't know Sanskar was an catch .

                   Also Swara didn't like to be made feel small in front of her daughter . Especially when Uttara mentioned how she was a doctor and her brothers were lawyer . It pricked her pride when her daughter asked who she was and swara didn't know what to answer her back .

                   As the weeks passed by Swara hated Uttara visit . She felt like Uttara was creating a divide between Lavanya and her by spending so much time with Lavanya. And yet she couldn't voice out her fears to Sanskar . Has she worried he might misunderstand her fears or ignore her feelings  .

                      And so swara was relieved to when Ragini came back .But Laksh asked Sanskar to stay behind till Shekar lawyer visit regarding his will.

                    When the lawyer arrived they knew Shekar had no inheritance left after the bankrupt where most of his  property were seized by the government but  they were shocked to find he already allocated enough in the name of Ragini so it wasn't seized .

                 Ragini had asked her share of inheritance to be distributed to the employees who have lost their job because of her father as she felt taking a single penny would be an affront to those who died because of him .

                What any of them didn't expect was that Shekar had provided an trust fund with large sum for Lavanya twice than what he provided for Ragini .

      While Swara tried to process the news it was Sanskar who spoke go disclaiming the inheritance and asking the amount to be divided and given to the orphanages .

                 But the lawyer stipulated that under Shekar will only Lavanya will have access to it when she  reaches the age of 18 .  Until then the money will be in banks . And when he left swara felt unhappy with the turn of events . But they couldn't do anything about it ,so she let it slide until Uttara spoke to Sanskar during lunch  .

            " How can you decide about the will without consulting swara bhabhi , she might have liked to have the inheritance after all  Lavanya is Siddharth daughter and it not wrong to accept it.." Uttara spoke up and Swara felt Sanskar stiffen up beside her at uttara words .But it was Ragini who spoke up before swara could .

         " Swara never cared about Siddharth inheritance " Ragini said  while Annapurna Maheshwari admonished her daughter for speaking so carelessly that Uttara apologized profusely to Sanskar he forgave her but still he looked troubled till they reach home .

                    When they went to Swara mom house they were greeted by a worried Sharmistha who said Lavanya is refusing to eat without seeing them .

                  As Swara waited patiently for her husband to convince their daughter to forgive them for not coming back soon as promised .Swara mind relaxed when her daughter in her child like innocence forgave them when Sanskar promised her to take to the Orphanage tomorrow .

                  She hoped her daughter who cared deeply for others would make the right choice regarding her inheritance when she grew up . But she dreaded the fact one day she might have to learn that swara was her real mother and she killed her father .

                   The same thought must have raced through his mind as well as he remained silent thought out the ride back home  .

       They had talked about when to tell Lavanya the truth and thought it was little too early for her and decided they will when she grew up but the inheritance had brought the fact home as an reminder .

            " Will she blame me Sanskar ?" Swara asked as she cuddled next to her husband that night and he didn't pretend to not know what she was talking about as he answered .

           " Never .Your  daughter will never blame you Shona " he said 

          " Our daughter ." Swara replied back all this awhile not even once he mentioned swara has her daughter .Uttara words must have gotten to him as well . And Swara wondered why Uttara was hell bent on disrupting her life . But she was not going to let it happen without doing anything .

            " Our daughter Sanskar , You are her father Sanskar ,  dont let Uttara words affect you . Lavanya adores you and for your princess there is no one like you. I know it will not be easy when we have to tell her but we will cross the bridge when it comes to it. And please Sanskar never ever say something like that again.." She said visibly upset that one word could shake his resolve regarding their daughter.

           " I am sorry Shona,  I know but it isnt easy within this short time i love her so much that i am worried the fact she wasnt my blood will seperate her from me.." Sanskar spoke up.

   " She wont Sanskar . Our daughter misses us if we are away for a day and i know we have to tell her when she grew up but trust me by then she would know she has you wrapped in her finger , Nothing will separate your daughter from you . Trust me Sanskar ,You are her Father only you .." Swara said as she tried to reassure him it will all work out in the end.  She hoped it will work out  as losing her daughter once again was not an option.

              Still sleep eluded them. When a small knock came at their door. It was Sanskar who rushed in to check on his princess and was greeted by an hug from his daughter as she insisted she wanted to sleep with them. As they tucked her in between them , They finally felt peaceful enough to sleep but her little voice spoke up .

                "Dont stay away from me for long. I like Grandma but i dont like Sleeping without you around ." she said solemnly and just like that their daughter managed to break away the fears of her parents.  Their daughter loved them unconditionally like any child would do and they had to trust in her love for them ..

   As Sanskar kissed his daughter forehead and promised her that he will never stay away for long.. Swara smiled at him and saw the fears that was transparent in his face was no longer present in his smile as he gazed towards their daughter 

              Two days later uttara visited again and Swara was unhappy when lavanya clung to her asking for stories . It felt like Uttara was slowly taking away her place in Lavanya life. She knew her daughter loves her it was evident in her every words and actions yet Uttara visit always made her insecure.

                Uttara was the cool aunt who played with her for hours , told her new stories , brought her gifts every visits and even took her shopping sometimes and each time Swara was sidelined with silly reasons.

          As Swara took the Coffee made to Uttara specifications to her daughter room, she was stuck by the closeness between them  ,she froze for a moment before making her presence known.. That was when she heard her daughter voice..

         " But how can the  Mother bunny kill the Daddy bunny. The baby bunny will be alone right. I hate the mother bunny , And i dont even like this story ." Lavanya spoke up and swara wanted to give her the benefit of doubt she wanted to believe it wasnt intentional despite uttara behaviour so far but Uttara next words confirmed her worsts fears

       " I know right,  It was wrong of the Mother bunny .Even i hate her too." She said and stopped abruptly as Swara entered the room.bIt took every restraint for Swara to not hurt her for playing with her daughter heart.  But her daughter was still in the room and so she kept silent for now.. 

        Uttara must have thought swara didnt overhear as she stayed till Lavanya fell asleep but was disturbed by the fact swara refused to move away from Lavanya presence for even an minute . 

           When Sanskar returned home to find his sister and wife preparing dinner . He should have been happy instead he felt something was troubling his wife .

                  Swara told him food will be ready in few minutes and he should get changed and come down so he can eat with Uttara before she leaves . She was mentally counting down the minutes .She knew it time she spoke up and she wanted to do it in front of her husband .

          Sanskar came down after sneaking in to his daughter room to have an glimpse of her sleeping .. He found swara still tensed up as he sat down for dinner .

         " Uttara ,I think your bhai would like to hear the story you shared with Lavanya  today .." Swara casually spoke up and saw uttara face pale at her words . Another confirmation to the truth she should have known all along .

         " What Story ." Sanskar asked totally clueless

            " Well actually a very funny story on how a mother bunny kill daddy bunny and leaves the poor baby bunny alone  " Swara spoke the words out but couldn't hide the anger behind her words . And she saw Sanskar face turn to an stone .

              " Is it true ?" He asked Uttara as if Swara would lie about something like that but when she saw him it wasn't because he doubted her words but wanted uttara to admit her actions .

               " It just a story .." uttara lied but she must have failed to notice the furious expression in sanskar face . But swara saw the expression and she decided to  let him decide as it was his sister .

                 When Sanskar offered to give ride back to Uttara . Swara knew it was because he needed to talk to her and she decided to wait till he came back home  .

              An hour later .Sanskar arrived home looking totally distraught . That Swara heart fell for his pain .

              " What happened Sanskar ..?" She asked as he looked so upset . He simply gathered her in an embrace and she felt him relax as she leaned on to him .

          " Why didn't you tell me before , How can I be so blind to her hatred for you " he said as swara heard the anguish in his voice .

            " Even I didn't know Sanskar .I thought I was misunderstanding her words .. What happened ?" She asked as she knew he had to speak up..

           " I asked her why she hates you still but she denied it till the end and I had no choice but to ask her stay away from Lavanya and you  . " Sanskar spoke up  ..

              " I am so sorry Sanskar " she spoke as she know how much it must have destroyed him to make that choice between his daughter and his sister . Swara never doubted he would chose his daughter but losing his sister must hurt as well .

                   Back then Sanskar didn't know his decision would propel his sister to retaliate and neither would he have imagined how it will wreck his world .

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

Love

Nita