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“Yo…You?” he stutters, shocked to see me instead of the woman he expected to meet. He tries to get up and flee, but Vishnu appears from behind and pushes him back into his seat. I silently signal Vishnu to watch over him.
“What do you want from me?” he asks, terrified to see us.
I lean back in the chair, relishing the fear evident in the man’s eyes.
“I don’t have to tell you why I’m here. So I suggest you speak up before my guard breaks all your bones.”
“Look, I didn’t mean any harm. I was just doing my job. It was nothing personal.”
“Your job was something else. But after what you did, you made it personal,” I snap, banging my fist on the table. “Who put you up to this? I need the name.”
My words hang in the air, tension thickening between us. He looks scared, hesitant to give me the name.
“I can’t disclose that information. He’ll come after me if he finds out I’ve ratted him out. I have my own safety to consider,” he replies nervously.
I lean closer, my voice low and threatening. I’m not sure how, but I’ve found the courage to take control of my life. The past couple of days have made me see things in perspective, and I’m done being a puppet dancing to other people’s tunes. It’s time I write my own story.
“You better start talking, or I am warning you, with my guard here, your safety won’t be a concern anymore.”
He lifts his gaze to meet Vishnu’s intense, anger-filled eyes, who stands poised and ready to tackle him upon my order. After a tense moment, he lets out a heavy sigh, surrendering to the futility of hiding the truth from me. And now, I know that I’ll seek the answers I desperately need to know.
*******************
Few Hours Later
I storm into the dilapidated house on the outskirts of Mumbai, my anger fueling my every step. The abandoned atmosphere of the place matches the melancholy I feel within. Vishnu had informed me that Aksh would be here. This is where Aksh always engaged in his under-the-table bribery deals, utilising his political connections for personal gain. The knowledge I obtained from the hacker hours ago has ignited a fire within me.
As I approach the house, Aksh’s guards block my path, trying to prevent my entry. Their feeble attempt to stop me only fuels my determination.
“You cannot go inside. He is in a meeting,” one of them states.
“Stop me and see what happens,” I scoff dismissively, brushing them aside.
When one of the men dares to lay a hand on me, Vishnu swiftly intervenes, almost breaking the guard’s arm.
“Have you lost it? She is the Boss’s daughter. Never touch her again,” he warns them, getting into a verbal fight with the men.
Seizing the opportunity, I move towards the room they had been guarding, the room where my cousin brother, Aksh, is engaged in an unofficial meeting.
The enraged sound of Aksh’s voice permeates through the closed door. My heart thudded as his words reach my ears.
“You are going against your words. You promised me that Asha Devi would not merge with the NEP party. So far, I have the majority and the opportunity to become the next CM of the state. I will not let anyone stand in my way. Not Asha Devi... Not even my uncle, Pratap Walia.”
Horror grips me as I push open the door just as he finishes speaking, shattering my illusion that Aksh was ever on my Dad’s side. But another shock awaits me as I take in the sight before me. I cannot believe my eyes. The person with whom Aksh is engaged in this clandestine meeting is none other than ‘Ayaan Shergill.’ How is this possible? Aksh and Ayaan together? I never imagined Ayaan and Aksh being on the same side ever. Or is this again a part of Ayaan’s plan to destroy Dad’s political career?
Aksh’s expression is one of sheer terror as he sees me there, while Ayaan looks equally shocked. But the quick thinker that Ayaan is, he rapidly assesses the situation, and a sinister grin lights up his face as if welcoming my intrusion. It’s as if he is happy that I’ve witnessed the true colours of my cousin brother Aksh.
“Meher?” Aksh’s voice stutters as he sees me, but my gaze is fixed on Ayaan, who gets up from his chair and smiles at me.
“Hey, baby. What a pleasant surprise,” Ayaan teases. “This moment couldn’t be more perfect. Can it, Aksh?”
A surge of mixed emotions courses through my veins—anger, betrayal and a newfound determination to find out who is actually on our side. Suddenly, things start falling into place. Now I know how Ayaan was always present where he shouldn’t have been. Why Dad’s attempt to gain funds from his usual supporters failed every time, and who was the real culprit behind leaking all that information to Ayaan. To say I am shocked is an understatement. I’m hurt. I’m furious that Aksh is the one who failed us. I return my gaze to Aksh, who is in a dilemma about how to handle the situation here. After all, his true face has been exposed.
“Soyouare that rat who was giving out our every secret to Ayaan about Dad’s plans for saving his political career?” I ask, glaring at Aksh, who clenches his jaw.
“Mind your words, Meher,” Aksh snaps.
“And you decide whom your loyalty is towards, Aksh,” I scream back, making my way towards him. “You were family, Aksh. How could you do this to Dad? To the man who taught you everything about politics, to the man who shared all his wisdom and knowledge with you, to the man who made you his shadow all these years.”
