The wooden musky scent of the underground would give any person chills if they enter the room for the first time. The top ventilation window shed some light into the room other than the tungsten bulb giving it an eerie vibe. The only sound that resonated around the room was the rushed breathing of a person who is taking push-ups continuously. His knuckles turned white, and his tank top soaked in sweat but his eyes had a determination. Determination to achieve something, the hotness of his skin couldn't match the fire blazing inside his heart. The ring of his fit band made him stop the push-ups and he just sat there leaning against the wall, resting his hands over the knees and his eyes automatically closed.

"Get out of my house. You are not our son anymore. There is no place for a molester in my house." 

He jerked open his eyes as the past from which he had been running away was once again able to catch up with him. Getting up he walked towards the table where a desktop is running with the channels connected to CCTV cameras he had installed all over his house and his other house. His eyes turned misty looking at the people who were once upon a time his everything. 

"Siri, call Lucky" He started to walk out of the room and took a narrow staircase that led to a beautiful garden. He went towards a beautiful orchid plant and checked whether it has been watered correctly or not. 

"Hello"

"Sleepyhead, wake up. Your Papa is going to come down in a few minutes." 

"Sunny Bhai. Why are you disturbing me early in the morning? I was doing my assignments all night." Sanskar smiled hearing his nickname. His little brother is the only guy who has the guts to call him by that name.

"What a miracle! What happened to your Shona who makes them for you?" Sanskar asked as he entered the main hall of his bungalow and signed a middle-aged lady to set his table. 

"Ragz got to know about it and all night she made me do the assignment. I seriously don't know how come Shona does all these things two times. Anyways Bhai which scapegoat is going to be slaughtered today?" Sanskar shook his head hearing the sarcasm and started to take steps two at a time.

"I am thinking of sacking everyone." Laksh who heard it sat up with a jerk. Does his Bhai even know what the hell is he talking about? Sacking everyone means 100 plus jobless people back in the game. 

"Bhai, what is wrong with you? Do you even know it's really hard to find a decent job? With your reputation, if a peon got sacked from your company means it's kind of a black mark. What happened?"

"The deadline to submit the latest tender is just a day away and these useless people didn't even send me the estimate." Laksh rolled his eyes upon hearing the answer. This man is the pinnacle of illusion. If he is not wrong the deadline would be next week but he will be hanging on the workers' necks, chasing them to be the best. He never understood Sanskar's urge to be this organized. Though he always prepares 4 steps ahead still he wants to get things ready before the D- Day arrives. 

"Bhai, we are humans and it's the nature of humans to make little mistakes here and there. We should always give them a chance to rectify that mistake." 

"Wow! What a dialogue! Don't tell me this is also one of your Shona's preaching," Sanskar mentally rolled his eyes knowing the answer. It's been 3 months since he had been hearing about this Shona urf Swara whom his brother had taken a liking for. She brought a lot of changes in his brother but he cannot take a chance. He wouldn't let something bad happen to his little brother.

"Bhai, don't say anything against her. You are turning bitter day by day, I know why you are saying this but I am damn sure..."

"... that I will change my perspective after meeting her. Lucky, I don't get one thing even after whatever happened to me, how can you trust a girl?" Laksh knows it's a waste of time to deal with him. Changing the perspective of Sanskar is a herculean task, no one can change it unless he himself decides to. 

"Lakshman!!!" The voice of Durgaprasad was the cue for the brothers to end their conversation. Laksh ended the call and run downstairs only to see Ragini and Swara talking to his mother and aunt. When the girls' eyes fell on him, they stifled their laughs looking at his superhero PJ. 

"Lakshman, Ragini, and Swara came here to inform you that the college is closed for the next two days due to Chairman Elections." 

"You know we all have a thing called cell phones. You could've called me, Ragini" Laksh in a sugary voice while side-eyeing his father.

"And miss your I am the Avenger freak show. Not a chance. Anyways I tried calling you but it was busy and I had an errand to do also. It's a win-win for me." Laksh felt like snapping Ragini's neck then and there.

"Ragini and Swara have breakfast and leave." Sujata, Laksh's aunt suggested.

"Thank you so much, Aunty, but Swara is coming to stay at our house for the next two days so the female trifecta of my house is preparing a feast," Ragini said excited about the prospect of Swara staying at their house. The minute she got the message of a possible long weekend the whole Garodiya family got excited. Shekar and Sharmista fought for Swara's custody but when they couldn't get they appealed to get at least weekends with her which includes sudden holidays and festivals. 

As the girls left, Annapurna and Sujata grilled him about Swara and Ragini, "Mom, Chachi, geez. They are just my friends and Shona calls me Bhai. About Ragini don't even start. She is a storm I would like to stay away from." 

"It's ok. Anyways we can't expect a lot from you. Did you talk to Sanskar? How is he doing?" Laksh's eyes softened looking at his mother and aunt. The ladies are dying to have Sanskar back at home they all knew no one can make it happen.

"He is doing good Chachi as always he warned about Shona and Ragini. I have a feeling once he meets Shona he will realize that not all girls are like that lizard."

"It's our fault, Laksh. We failed him and he has every right to be angry at us... wait a minute you say Swara speaks a lot but she didn't even open her mouth more than 'Yes, Aunty and No, Aunty'"

"She is like that at first Chachi but as time passes she speaks actually lectures me and Ragini most of the time. Once she told me that she met this arrogant rich guy who was rash driving and made the guy almost burst out in frustration" 

"Badi Bahu... Choti Bahu..." The gardener came running inside getting everyone's attention.

"Param Dada, what happened?"

"The short girl who came here just now is shouting at our Sanskar Baba." Laksh, Annapurna, and Sujata rushed out of the mansion and saw Sanskar fuming like a bull and Swara huffing like a kid.

"Shona, what happened and where is Ragini?" Laksh asked and saw Ragini hiding behind his brother's car.

"So, this is the world-famous Shona you are talking about day and night. Should've known only this 5-foot minion can lecture like a grandma"

"Yeah, says the 6-foot white ostrich who has stones instead of eyes. By the way who the hell are you?"

"Shona, he is my Sunny Bhai."

"Well, you should've nicknamed him Red Bull look at his face all red from fuming. Do you know anything to do other than fuming?" Laksh and Ragini intervened when they saw things are going out of hand. Sanskar calmed down when he saw his Mom and Badi Maa looking at them.

"Aunty, I don't know whose kid he is amongst you but I suggest you take him to an eye doctor. He is in dire need of it." Swara threw a side eye at Sanskar before leaving the mansion. In Laksh's words, today could not have gone any better and the older ladies in 10 years saw the first glimpse of their little boy.