"And like that I got trapped in this!" Ananya sighed for the hundredth time while Arvind rolled his eyes. Swara approached the youngsters with coffee who were in the study room.

Maheswaris were back safely to mansion the soonest. Sanskar shared the incidents with Adarsh who gave the rest of family a vague idea of what's happening with them. Gadhodhias were brought immediately to Maheswarias, not wanting to invite a catastrophe upon them.

"You know what Ragu Di, I never wanted to visit Kolkata. I was very happy in Delhi and was excited to fly to London but it seems, my dad had to first make me mature enough to lead a life there. And for that, he tagged me along with Arvind Sir. Can you believe that?" Ananya's mood fluctuated from excited to sulking to grinning.

"With Arvind?"Sanskar was quite puzzled with the information. "That too, for assisting in solving a case?"

"I want to take graduate degree in criminal justice and later..." Ananya's words trailed off as Arvind cut in between.

"Can we come to the point instead of your blabber?"

As expected by him, she pouted and extended a file to him. "Don't know who are the enemies yet, Sir. We could trace the last call Di received. It was from Jharkhand. As we concluded, the target is Maheswaris." She said with an uninterested face. "I told all these over phone also, that too in detail. We are having very strong cover for the family, in case of any attack."

"So what's next?" Laksh asked, not after letting out a sigh.

Ananya's face lit up instantly. "Lakshya Maheswari, right?" She asked with a glee.

All except Arvind were surprised on the instant curiosity of the 22-year old. She being too small and immature for the job was clearly evident from her talks. 'How did Aru agree to let her accompany him?' Ragini couldn't help but think.

"Yeah.." Laksh said in surprise.

"You know what; you are the sole reason which kept me motivated throughout these months." Ananya chirped and others glanced each other. "The belief that sooner I would be able to meet Mr.Lakshya Maheswari."

"Me!?" Laksh was dumbfounded.

"Yeah!" Ananya assured cheerfully. "After all, I was curious to meet the root cause of all problems." She smirked.

"Huh?" "What?" Different reactions echoed the room while Arvind glared her shifting his focus from the file for a moment. But was Ananya one who would be affected by it?

If you thought yes, then it's wrong. A simple smile with smirk gave it all.

"You should have tried to experience Mumbai, you know. At least, Mumbai traffic would have taught you a little patience. Well, traffic is here in Kolkata also!! But you are YOU! I'm sure you would have realized that this sweet and so cool situation in your family is somehow because of you. And the funny part is you're still an impulsive and confused soul.

My friend Lakshmi was saying, 'Nerve of that jerk to continue inviting problems to the family by living with them.' Woh, I had discussed some bits with her.

Not me, Lakshmi said!"Ananya covered up before the stares darted towards her.

"Waise, Swara di, you married him even after that? Like why? If I was in place you, I would have gone to the same temple with him, prayed for everyone's peace and pushed him to the river without a second thought." Ananya said gritting her teeth.

Laksh's mouth widened in horror, so did other's in the room except Arvind.

"Ananya!" Arvind called out.

"What Sir? You had promised me!" She whined blinking her eyes (not-so) innocently. "Freedom of Speech!" She reasoned and Arvind just shook his head smiling.

"Back to the topic..." SwaRag was amazed by the way the girl chirped. "Ragu Di, you wouldn't have said anything to him, right. I wish you had visited Mumbai instead of Banaras. You would have been an even better version; better enough to shoot down some people." Ananya continued saying looking here and there, slowing moving towards the book racks; her hands reaching her bluetooth headset occassionally.

"And Sanskar Maheswari...." She called out tracing her finger across various books and files kept in the shelves.

Sanskar's head shot up on hear his name. Oh, now it is his turn, guess!!

Ananya stopped on her tracks, turned around glancing Sanskar and smiled heartily shaking her head. "I'm a fan of yours!" She said and continued tracing the books; pulled out a random book and a file and went through them.

Ragini'd eyebrows twitched in confusion on the abrupt appreciation of her husband, so does Sanskar and Swara's.

"You honestly deserve an award and a great fan following for the Oscar-winning acting of your own lunatic-version. I was amazed. You easily managed to fool a bunch of grown-up adults." She again turned around only to extend her hands for slow claps, her face adorned with a pleasant but sarcastic smile.

"Well, I think we could figure out the enemy if you both bhaiyyas come together and list out the possible blows that could be expected from past. Wo kya hai na, aap donom ki charan mein toh sab hote hai aur bas choose karne ki tension hai. Wo kisi ki zindagi ho, apni pyaar ho ya apni parivaar; doesn't matter right! Everything is a damn choice for both of you and the same thing must have brought such a fate on your family." Ananya seethed.

(You're having everything under you foot that you just have the tension of choosing. Be it anyone's life, your own love or your family.)

"Ananya!" This time it was SwaRag. "Come here." Ragini extended her hands, pulling her to bed. "Chill bachha! It's all over. We can't change the past. Then why should we ...."

"I haven't even said one-fourth of what I had in my mind, di." Ananya smirked glancing the brothers. "And it didn't go well with you? I had even planned an action song for both of them." She fisted her hands along with her sly smile. "Anyways you're right, a lot happened and a lot are going to happen, may be. Everyone be strong okay, bhaiyyas especially."

"The photos!?" Arvind demanded shutting the file finally. "Where the hell are they?" He questioned, rather sweetly.

"Huh?" For a second, Ananya went puzzled; snatched the file and checked it thoroughly. 'It was in this only.' She mumbled and bit her lips in anxiety; took a breath and flashed an ear-to-ear grin scratching back of her ear.

"DAMN!"

***

"Shall I tell a fact, di?" Ananya broke the silence, in a serious manner drawing everyone's attention again.

"You know, whoever be the blackmailer, attacker, in short, villain; they will have a rule, that they should be a step ahead of us. They would never appreciate us double-crossing them. Even if they feel we are somewhere near them and one-two steps would lead to them, they will take a u-turn. Instead of getting captivated by us, they will...."

"SANSKAR MAHESWARI!!!"

The voice echoed erupting various sensations in Maheswaris.

Ananya's words trailed off; she and Arvind had a smirk on their faces. Finally, they're somewhere! Ragini shuddered at thought of encounter with the one who made her life upside down in last few months; so did Swara. Sanskar felt the voice quite familiar, yet alien and it did quicken his heartbeats while Laksh was somehow half-frozen processing Ananya's words. They were, literally, somewhere!

***

Sanskar stood frozen in his tracks while the rest of Maheswaris, Arvind and Ananya stood beside him. Even Laksh stood dumbfounded.

'What he is witnessing at the moment is a dream!' That is what Sanskar wanted to believe. But, may be, fate is bitterer. Whole of his past reeled in his mind in few minutes. His Past! His Love! HIS KAVITHA!!!!

There stood she, her gaze piercing the hearts and minds in front of her; her smirk creating a havoc inside herself to quench her thirst of revenge; her aura striking the Maheswaris in the worst way possible!

Hey all,

Another chapter up! I just don't know what all I have written :D.

I know this is quite a small and boring one but I'll try to make next one interesting.

So, most awaited entry, our villain is here! A lot of people had guessed it beforehand that it would be Kavitha only and IT IS!!! So I have brought Shrenu Parikh as Kavitha :D because, obviously, I love her *grinning*

So, what do you think about:

The entry?

Sanskar's situation?

And the update?

Please be honest. I'll consider criticism in a positive manner.

Thank you for all who had read, voted, commented and loved this story so far! So share the story if you find it worthy of!

Stay safe and happy

Love you all :)

Sameera❤️