72

Kashinath's pov!

The whole day I was tense.

Veerendra Maitra's accident has come as a shock. Alok made a detailed enquiry and came to know that it was not a mere accident. A truck purposely hit Veerendra's car. A planned murder attempt.

Who would do that to him?

This is not the first attempt on Veerendra's Maitra's life. Veerendra has escaped from several murder attempts. All planned and executed by my father, Eknath Agnivanshi.

And this is the first in four years. The first after my father's death.

Who would want to harm him if not for Eknath? Does Veerendra have any other enemy, who would dare to make an attempt on his life.

"Something wrong, Kashinath?" Arohi asked, probably seeing the worried look on my face.

I couldn't say anything. Arohi Sharma. Could she be the lost Durga Maitra?

What if Arohi is their long lost daughter. What if Veerendra dies before either of them knows the truth.

Arohi would never be able to bear it. The Maitras have yearned for their child for years. Arohi has yearned for parents' love for years. When it was very close to reach, it was being snatched away. How can I stand by and let it happen?

And Mia. How will she bear if something happens to her beloved grandpa. She would be heartbroken too.

"No. Nothing." I said, trying to put a smile on my face.

Arohi frowned seeing my not so genuine smile. She knows me well to know whether my smile is genuine or not.

"If you don't want to share it with me, then it's okay." Arohi said with a shrug, but it was evident that it was not okay for her. She was annoyed.

"Veerendra Maitra met with an accident." I said, my heart beating as I realised I could be telling her about her father's accident. How would Arohi react when she realises?

"Maitra? As in Isha's father?" Arohi asked. No. Your father. I wanted to say, but I am not yet sure about it.

"Yes, Mia's grandfather. I don't know how to tell Mia,'' I said, using that as an excuse for my worry.

"Oh dear. I didn't think that way. Mia would be heartbroken. She loves her grandpa." Arohi said.

"It was not an accident. Someone attempted to murder him." I said, thinking it is better to give her the details of the accident before telling her that he is her father, and Arohi looked at me in shock.

"Who would want to kill him?" Arohi asked in shock. My doubt exactly!

"Eknath Agnivanshi is the man known to have tried killing Veerendra Maitra multiple times," I said, my voice ringing with disgust as I mentioned my father's name.

"Your father?" Arohi asked softly.

"Yes. But Eknath Agnivanshi is no more. I don't know who it could be now. Why would they want to kill Veerendra?" I asked, trying to figure out who would want to take Veerendra's life.

"Aren't you taking Mia to visit?" Arohi asked.

I want to. I also want to take Arohi with me. But is it safe to take Arohi there, when someone is after Veerendra's life? It wouldn't be.

What if the DNA results come out positive. Would Arohi's life also be under threat?

I need to think this through. I can't simply put Arohi's life at risk, without a proper plan. I have to call Alok and discuss things with him.

We were having dinner while this conversation was going through.

The doorbell rang confusing me. Who would visit us here? I don't know many people here. The people I know aren't close enough to drop by at this time of the night without informing prior.

"Let me go and check." I said and washed my hands before going to the front door.

I was shocked when I opened the door. It was the police officers. What are they doing here?

"Mr Agnivanshi?" The senior officer asked and I nodded in acknowledgement.

"Yes, officer. I am Kashinath Agnivanshi. How can I help you?" I asked in confusion.

"We have a warrant to get you in custody and question you." The officer said.

"What for?" I asked in shock. What the hell is happening here?

"Are you aware that Veerendra Maitra met with an accident?" The officer asked in a serious tone..

"Yes. I just heard a few hours ago. How am I related to it?" I asked furiously. Why would they want to question me for that?

"It was not just an accident, Mr Agnivanshi. It was a well planned murder attempt. The Maitra family members suspect you. Their family enemy." The officer said and I stared at him in disbelief.

They gotta be kidding me!

"This is ridiculous. Just because they have suspicions, how can I get arrested?" I asked furiously.

"This is not an arrest, Mr Agnivanshi. We just want to question you. For that we are taking you into custody for a few hours. Please cooperate," the officer said.

"If this is just a formality, I suggest you people come the next morning. I cannot come anywhere at this time of the night leaving my wife and kids alone." I said coldly.

What the bloody hell!

The bloody Maitras.

How dare they drag my name into it.

"And on what grounds are you questioning me?" I asked, still finding it hard to believe that it has come to this.

"It is a known fact that Eknath Agnivanshi has tried to kill Mr Maitra many times. Mr Maitra's family suspects that Eknath Agnivanshi's son is behind it now." The officer said and I cursed under my breath.

Even after his death, he doesn't let me live in peace.

"The suspicions are baseless, officer. I have had a civil relationship with Mr Maitra for the past two years. You may ask his wife. She knows it. The reason is that he is my daughter's grandfather." I said dryly.

"I am just doing my duty, Mr Agnivanshi. I have orders to question you and I have to do it. I expect you to cooperate when we return the next morning" The officers said and left, leaving two junior officers at my place.

Damn! What do they think? That I will run away in the middle of the night.

I turned around and saw a very pale Arohi staring at me.

"Arohi.." I called out softly.

"What's going on Kashi?" She asked anxiously. She was staring out the front door and watching anxiously as the officers were leaving.

I explained what the officers told me. She was shocked.

"They wouldn't take you away, would they?" She asked, clutching my hands tightly in hers.

"No, rooh. Alok will deal with it." I said, my heart welling up seeing her worry for me.

She still cares for me.

"How can they simply take your name?" Arohi asked angrily.

"That's how the Maitra's and The Agnivanshi's have been for generations now. Hopefully, it will end with this generation." I said, wondering about the DNA reports. If Arohi is a Maitra, her marriage to an Agnivanshi would possibly end the rivalry.

"How will you take Mia there now? After taking your name, they wouldn't appreciate your presence there." Arohi said and it made sense.

"I will figure something out," I said gently.

"How about I take her there?" Arohi asked and my heart skipped a beat.

"No way," I said a bit loudly and she frowned at me.

"Why?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at me.

"You will get the same reception as me. You are Kashinath Agnivanshi's wife. An Agnivanshi will always get the same reception from Maitras." I said.

Hopefully, you would be that one person who can end the Agnivanshi Maitra enmity forever. Only the DNA reports can show light into this situation.

I dialled Alok's number and told him what exactly happened just now.

"Damn! This is getting more complicated now. If the reports come out matching and they convince Arohi that you are the enemy, how are you going to deal with it?" Alok asked and I didn't have an answer for that.

I can only hope that Arohi will trust me.

A trust I didn't show when her integrity was under question!

Arohi's pov!

I couldn't sleep. I was twisting and turning on my bed.

I can still feel the shock of hearing the police officers' words. They want to question Kashinath under charges of murder? What kind of test is this?

Eknath Agnivanshi is still haunting his son from six feet under the earth. That man's doings are still a shadow over Kashinath's integrity.

At times like this I don't feel the pain of being an orphan. It is better to have no father rather than having a father like Eknath Agnivanshi.

I gave up trying to sleep and got up and opened the door to the balcony. I had seen the door earlier, but didn't open it.

Now I want some fresh air. So, I opened the balcony and moved forward. I placed my hands on the balcony railing and looked up at the starry sky.

It felt good to stand like that.

Some movement alerted me to the presence of another person on the balcony.

With bated breath, I turned sideways and found Kashinath sitting on a swing, with a glass of hot liquor in his hand. He was staring at me.

Damn!

It is a common balcony, with doors from both the rooms. I should have checked earlier itself. I wouldn't have come out if I knew I shared the balcony with him. Look at my luck, I thought sarcastically.

Without uttering a word, I turned to go inside.

"Please don't go." It was a plea and for the love of god, I couldn't ignore it.

My bloody stupid heart!

My feet, without my permission, moved towards him.

When I reached near him, he held my hand and pulled me down onto the swing.

He held me close.

I tried to wriggle out of his hold.

"Please. Just let me hold you for a moment," he begged.

He must have been really rattled by what happened today. Even I was.

I realised, we need each other's comfort now the most. So I let him hold me. It felt good to be held like that.

Like coming home.

We remained in each other's arms in silence for a while and then Kashinath started speaking.

"Eknath has done many things to hurt the Maitras. Tried to kill Veerendra multiple times. Every single time, Veerendra escaped with bare minimum injuries. But the blow Eknath gave to Maitra's heart was too deep. It never healed." Kashinath said and I looked at him in confusion. What did Eknath do?

"What did he do?" I asked anxiously, remembering how Eknath Agnivanshi had brutally raped an intern at Kashinath's office and drove her to suicide.

Did he do something similar to a Maitra woman too?

It's totally possible.

That bloody man ruined many lives.

"Twenty five years ago, Adarshini Maitra gave birth to a baby girl." Kashinath said and I frowned in confusion. Did he molest a child? Oh god!!

"But? Isha is their adopted daughter, right?" I asked, remembering what Bhumi told me long back when we had the PI look into Isha's whereabouts.

"Yes, they adopted Isha a couple of years later," Kashinath said.

"Then what about the baby Adarshini Maitra gave birth to?" I asked, somehow knowing Eknath did something to the baby.

"I once told you right, Eknath has been involved in child trafficking, right?" Kashinath asked and I nodded my head warily.

No! No! Let it be not what I am thinking...

Oh god! That child must have lived a lonely life away from her family. And what if Kashinath sold her to some sex racket? Oh god!

"Eknath kidnapped the baby two days after her birth. Then there is no news on her. The Maitras searched for her everywhere. But they couldn't find her. The Maitra's never recovered from it yet. Even a couple of weeks ago, they were mourning on the day their daughter was born. They are still yearning for their baby." Kashinath said and my heart skipped a beat.

How unfortunate.

Some mothers discard their babies as soon as they are born. Like my mother did.

Some mothers lose their baby without any fault of theirs and they still yearn for their baby.

Both are mothers...

"Oh god!!" I mumbled, my heart breaking for the Maitra couple who lost their baby just two days after she was born.

"But I suspect she is still alive." Kashinath said and my eyes widened in surprise and hope.

"Is she?" I asked softly.

"Just doubts. Nothing confirmed as of yet." Kashinath said.

"But, if Eknath was involved in child trafficking, is there a chance of the child surviving hale and healthy?" I asked.

"That's what confuses me. I am almost eighty percent sure that the girl I know is the child the Maitra's lost. I have no idea how she escaped Eknath." Kashinath said.

"You told me Eknath is the one who has been hurting Veerendra Maitra for years. But now, four years after Eknath's death, someone made an attempt at Veerendra's life and put the blame on you. What if that someone is the one behind kidnapping the child too?" I asked, credits of watching too many mystery thrillers.

Kashinath looked at me in confusion.

"I didn't think that way," Kashinath said.

"If someone purposely created an accident to take Veerendra's life and put the blame on you so easily, he must have a huge agenda behind it." I said and Kashinath's hold on me tightened.

As though the harm would be on me.

Something else is bothering him. I can see that. But he was not ready to share it.

A few hours ago, all I wanted was to make him suffer.

But one wrong move on him and I couldn't stay away.

How much more pathetic can I be?

Love is foolish, really.

Even after hurting me so much, I couldn't bear to watch any harm coming over him.

His punishment is mine to give. Not anybody else.

So, I will stand by his side and fight against the person trying to ruin him now.

And once that fight is over, I will punish him for hurting me.

Punish him until I am sure that he wouldn't even think of hurting me again.

73

Kashinath's pov

I woke up listening to the excited noises from downstairs. I quickly freshened up and hurried downstairs. The sight that welcomed me there filled my heart with warmth. A sight I had longed to see for the past two years.

Arohi was feeding both Mia and Mehak their breakfast. And she is playing some sort of silly games to make Mehak eat without any fuss. It was such a heart warming sight that I couldn't help but capture the moment on my phone. I clicked multiple pictures from different angles until I was satisfied.

"Good morning, darlings," I said as I walked into the dining area. Arohi's smile vanished and she became serious as soon as she saw me.

No traces of the woman who was worried for me last night. Too much expectations Nath!

Well, her mask came down for a moment and she couldn't hide her worry last night. Now she is back to that 'I have moved on' attitude. I hid my smile seeing her trying to keep up that attitude. How much ever she tries to portray that I mean nothing to her, I can feel that she still loves me. Last night was the evidence for that.

My phone pinged indicating a text message.

I looked at it and saw that it was from Alok. I opened it. It was a link. When I clicked on it, it took me to a tabloid page. There was a picture of me, Arohi and the kids at the Odisha airport. And a heading.

THE AGNIVANSHI COUPLE BACK TOGETHER? WHO'S THE BABY?

Damn! How the hell did they manage to get a picture? I had made sure that flew over early in the morning, wanting to stay out of the paparazzi's eyes. I should have taken more precautions.

I didn't want to expose Mehak to the tabloids. When they come to know that Mehak is not my baby, they will have a field day, pointing at Arohi's character. I can't have that. If and when anybody questions Mehak's paternity, I want them to know that she is my daughter. Not Gaurav's. I know it isn't fair to either Mehak or Gaurav. But if he really loves Arohi as he claims to, then he wouldn't want Arohi's character to be slandered.

I dialled Alok' number immediately.

"Do whatever is necessary to take down the pictures that are circulating in the tabloids now. I don't want to reach it any further." I said as soon as he picked up the call.

"Already on it, Nath." Alok said and I sighed.

"Great."

"Nath, I made some enquiries regarding Mr Maitra's accident and the case against you," Alok said and I frowned.

"What did you find out?" I asked in a hard tone. I need to know who the hell dragged my name into this? Whoever did must be the one behind the accident too.

"I suspect that it was someone from the family who tried to harm Mr Maitra," Alok said.

"Do you suspect anyone?" I asked, having had the same suspicion myself.

"Not really. But I guess this is for the family fortune. Ninety percent of Maitra wealth is in Veerendra Maitra's name. And Maitras are a huge family with too many members to share the remaining ten percent. There are some stipulations in the wealth inheritance. I am not sure about the clauses. I will try to find out somehow. But whatever it is, if Veerendra 's life is in danger, Arohi's life would definitely be in danger if she turns out to be Maitra. Because, being Veerendra Maitra's only daughter, she would be the sole heir of the Maitra fortune." Alok said and my heart skipped a beat.

I can't push Arohi into danger. If she turns out to be a Maitra, I will first eliminate the black sheep from the family before introducing Arohi to them.

"Be careful," Alok added.

"I will. I will have Arohi's security doubled. I can't take risks with her life." I said, understanding the seriousness of the situation. There are enemies around. It would again be like when Eknath was alive. Living on the edge.

"I will reach there in an hour. I have the chopper on stand by. Your anticipatory bail is ready. Don't speak a word until I am there. Let them question you in my presence only," Alok said.

"Yes. They will probably come early. There are two junior officers still here. Probably worried that I would run out on them. As if.." I said sarcastically, seeing the two officers walking through the garden.

"Will see you in an hour, Nath." Alok said and I hung up the call.

I came out to the living room and saw that only Mia and Mehak were there.

"Where is your Momma?" I asked, looking at Mia.

Before Mia could respond, Mehak looked up at him.

"Mama?" The little one asked and looked around, as if she just realised her momma isn't around.

Her lower lips jutted and she looked around with anxious little eyes, which were slowly welling up.

One second, she was looking around and the next, she was wailing loudly.

Oh goodness!

"Mama," she cried loudly and I was shocked. I didn't know what to do.

Mia was looking at me with disapproval.

"Momma had asked me to distract her and walked out into the garden to have a walk. She was happily playing and you came and reminded her of momma." Mia said, shooting a disappointed look at me as she tried to calm Mehak. Mia was looking at me as if I threw water on all her efforts to keep baby Mehak occupied. Well, I actually did.

Oh goodness!

I picked up the baby and tried to distract her. But she was twisting and turning, looking for her momma.

"Okay. How about we watch some cartoons?" I asked and took both the girls towards the television.

I played Mia's favourite cartoon and saw Mehak staring at the television in awe, her cries reducing down to hiccups.

She was looking at the colourful characters and funny noises from the television in absolute wonder and I sighed in relief, finally being able to distract the little one.

"Stay with the baby. I will go and look for momma." I whispered in Mia's ears and walked out of there without garnering Mehak's attention.

As I came out, I saw Arohi strolling through the garden. In between, she bends down and smells the flowers.

She always loved to do that. And I always loved to watch her do that.

Without making any noise, I walked towards her and wrapped my arms around her from behind her.

She screamed as she was startled by that move of mine.

"It's me," I said, but she still tried to wriggle out of my hold.

"Let me go," Arohi hissed.

I didn't pay attention to that. Instead, I placed my head in the crook of her neck and inhaled her smell.

"Kashinath.." Arohi hissed again.

"Just let me hold you, rooh. I have been yearning to hold you like this for more than two years. Every morning, I wake up with dreams of you running out of my reach and me trying very hard to get to you. Let me hold you, just for a moment." I said softly, as I tightened my hold on her.

I felt her relaxing in my arms and a smile formed on my lips.

My feisty kitten..

We stood like that for a little while.

"Okay. The time is up. You can let me go now." Arohi said in a relaxed tone.

Arohi's pov

"Just let me hold you, rooh. I have been yearning to hold you like this for more than two years. Every morning, I wake up with dreams of you running out of my reach and me trying very hard to get to you. Let me hold you, just for a moment." He said softly, as he tightened his hold on me.

His words were like a soothing balm to my injured heart.

Did he just say he yearned for me?

In the past, whatever he felt for me, he never vocalised them. I had always read it from his eyes.

For the first time in his life, he is vocalising his feelings for me.

He must love me if he yearned for me. Why else would he? Or maybe he yearned for a mother for Mia.

But I can't give in just like that at his first confession. He needs to prove it too.

He should prove that he loves me. He should prove that he trusts me. He should do what he failed to do the last time around.

We stood like that for a little while. It felt good to be held like that.

'Don't melt, Roohi. Don't' I warned myself.

"Okay. The time is up. You can let me go now." I said in a relaxed tone.

I have had my fill of Kashinath for the day, I thought mischievously. Maybe I can have a five minutes hug every morning.

He shot an annoyed look at me and let me go. I tried hard to hide my smile at the annoyed expression on his face. He looked cute.

Cute? Seriously Roohi? Mr D&D and cute? You have gone crazy!

"I am going inside. Mehak will start fussing if she doesn't find me for long." I said and started to walk in.

"She is watching cartoons. I don't think she will start fussing. She is very occupied right now." Kashinath said and I shot a look of disbelief at him.

"You put her in front of the television, Kashinath?" I asked and he frowned in confusion.

"Uh yeah. She was crying for you. Mia said you went out to the garden for a walk. So, I thought cartoons would calm her down." Kashinath said with a casual shrug.

"You should have asked me, Kashinath. I don't prefer Mehak in front of the screen at this age. She is too young for that now. I didn't like letting Mia watch television either. But she was already used to watching cartoons, that's why I made a fixed screen time for her back then. When you do something like this, you should ask me." I said and hurried inside, without looking back at him.

I saw Mehak happily staring at the cartoons.

"Times up, darlings." I said and switched off the television. Mia pouted, but Mehak was very vocal about her protests. She screamed at the top of her lungs when I switched off the television.

I shot a look at Kashinath who was looking sheepishly at me.

"Look what you've done," I said in an accusing tone.

"Where's Annie?" Kashinath asked, looking around for the nanny and I felt my blood boiling.

"Why? Missing her already?" I asked sarcastically and he raised an eyebrow at my reaction.

A small smirk was playing on his lips and I cursed myself for my lack of control.

How can I let him know that I am bloody jealous?

"Kind of.." Kashinath said and I clenched my fingers into a tight fist.

"I didn't realise you couldn't let her out of your sight even for a moment. If I had known, I wouldn't have given her an off and let her go sightseeing. You must have her number with you. You can call her back immediately. Or better yet, you can ask her current location and show the sights around yourself." I said, barely containing my temper and turned on my heels and walked away with the kids.

Kind of missing? Bloody hypocrite. He has an issue with Gaurav and he can bloody miss the nanny!

The next hour passed with me cursing both Kashinath and the nanny whom Kashinath was missing so badly.

A familiar voice garnered my attention towards the living room.

It was Alok Salaar. Kashinath's best friend and legal advisor.

"Hello Arohi. How are you? Couldn't talk to you properly when we met at the charity event." Alok said with a smile.

We had random talks until we heard the doorbell ringing.

I opened the main door and all blood drained from my face seeing the sight in front of me.

Isha 's pov

I wiped my tears once again, as I sat in the hospital corridor. Mom was tired of all the cries.

Dad's surgery was over, but he is still in the Intensive Care Unit.

"The next forty eight hours are very significant. If he doesn't wake up within seventy two hours, the chances of him going into a coma is very high." The doctor had told a few hours ago after coming out of the operation theatre.

I looked at Uncle Rajendra who was walking anxiously to and fro in the hospital corridor.

Rajendra Maitra is dad's second cousin. But he is a friend more than a cousin. One of dad's best friend since his days of teens.

"Adarshini, I will ask the doctor permission to let you in. Hearing your voice might push him to come into consciousness." Uncle Rajendra told mom.

"I don't think so. Lately, he has been having dreams of our Durga. And he was telling me he couldn't wait to die and go meet his baby girl." Mom said and burst out crying.

My fingers clenched into a tight fist when she spoke about their lost baby.

Dad said he wanted to die to go meet her. He didn't want to live for me. I am also his daughter, right?

My phone pinged indicating a message. It was from Vikram. He had sent me some links. I opened it and my eyes widened in surprise.

Arohi is back? I had tried to keep track of her over the past two years, but it was as if she simply vanished from the face of earth. Where had she come out from now?

The mere thought that she is back made sweat break on my forehead and upper lips.

"If he knows that there is something worth living for, he might fight to come back." Uncle Rajendra said and I again looked at the picture on my phone screen.

Arohi Sharma. As in the lost Durga Maitra.

If letting her into our lives can save my dad, I will have to tolerate her presence in my family.

"Uncle Rajendra , can I speak to you for a moment?"

A/n

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