The town will be quite in a stir for the coming few months. The scandalous affair of Raizada's runaway daughter-in-law was already inciting quite a stir in all the circles. It was the main topic of gossip in every big and small event.

The people just couldn't look past this. Never had they heard something as lecherous as the daughter-in-law running away in the shadows of night.
Everyone has their own stories to add, some vivid, some downright ridiculous, some terrifying but none even close to the reality. From illicit affairs to being a con, everything has been said and assumed about one Khushi Raizada.

Everyone had their two cents to give in the whole matter and every single person in the locality was acting like a detective, deducing and gloating everything they found on one, Khushi Raizada. The people acted as if they had done a Ph.D.  on Khushi Raizada as if they knew every single thing about her.

They acted as if they knew how her thoughts might had worked, how they might have swirled in her mind and who she had been. No one tried to look past the dark image the gossips and the scandal painted out of her. The image that followed the Raizada family like their personal scents, haunting their presence wherever they went.

Devyani Raizada alias Bela baby had already imagined the storm that will hit her family when the news spread. She was more than aware of the pitiful glances that will follow them around and their name being dragged through the mud. She had been aware of it all. She had been more then aware of the laughing stock that will be made out of them due to this incidence. 

And still, she went with the plan. She was well aware of the effect of such a scandal yet it didn't stop her from going through the plan. So great was her hatred for one Rajshree Gupta and it didn't spare anyone, not even Rajshree's daughter Khushi whom her grandson apparently loved. Well, that love is the only reason she didn't sell that girl to the highest bidder in the market. The only reason she didn't really do what she planned for the girl since her birth. 

Banishing that girl's thought from her mind well aware that the girl got what she deserved. Devyani knocked on her distraught grandson's room. The poor heartbroken lad didn't leave his room even once in the whole week since Khushi's apparent betrayal. Her poor grandson did really love the girl, Devyani thought not a bit remorseful about her actions just thinking whether knowing she was dead will make her grandson move on faster. Frowning, she got rid of those thoughts immediately.

Sheetal will achieve that with that story of spending 10 years in prison instead of Aryaman has already succeeded in guilt trapping and making Arya do things he generally won't. Sheetal even succeeded in doing the impossible of dragging Aryaman away from Khushi. Arya didn't leave Khushi even when she threw things at him in a mad fit injuring him gravely. Arya stayed with Khushi in her whole mad fit and bear the burnt of the madness. His injuries made her stop giving those madness inducing drugs to Khushi.

Ugh, no matter how hard all of them tried to pressurize Arya to leave Khushi. She was mad but he didn't and so she had to cease giving that girl those pills and make the doctor take back her statement and claim Khushi has recovered and so, Arya finally concentrated back on his business. Leaving that girl alone at home with them and she was helpless to do something to her. Aryaman would have searched both the hell and heaven to find her.

But now, her master plan had worked. Sheetal did the impossible, guilt achieved the unachievable. Feeling giddy with happiness Devyani walked inside the dark room of her grandson. He wasn't spotted by her at first sight. After some search, she found him in the balcony burning away memories looking like a demon. His unkept tangled hairs, long beard, hollow red-rimmed eyes and dark circles changed his look altogether.

"Arya," Devyani mumbled her grandson's name softly almost lovingly as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Dadi," He replied mechanically but dadi assured herself. He'll be fine. He will be, he will get over that girl and accept the darkness. He will be happier with the darkness just like her. It does no one any good running away from the darkness.

"It'll be fine," She whispered to him calmly moving her fingers though his hair. Everything should be fine now. She had gotten rid of that girl and nothing stood in between her and her empire now. Nothing, no one will ever know who really is the ruler of underworld. They'll chase after faceless men. 

"She left me dadi," 

He was broken but he'll be fine. She knew he'll be fine. Sheetal will make sure. She'll make sure of that her grandchildren will be looked after by her, always. The world was a dark place and she trusts them with no one but her own chosen men. Her men won't betray her ever. They'll keep her grandchildren safe and secure just like her empire. Yes, everything will be fine. She decided rocking her sobbing grandson in her arms.

He can cry all he want for now. He can mourn that girl but soon she'll disappear from his world. Soon, she'll be forgotten. Sheetal will make sure of that and everything will be alright. Everything will be how it was supposed to be, Aryaman will learn decisiveness. He'll learn the dark side only a broken heart brought forward and everything will be fine.  Yes, the cold will do him good and everything will be as it was supposed to be.

Everything will be fine and he can cry all he want today.

Everything will be fine and she'll make sure of that, after all she protects her family. She always does.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saesha was standing on the counter of her cafe again. It had been a week since she last saw Khushi ji and she couldn't help but worry. Khushi was a nice soul and she couldn't, just couldn't believe all the rumors surrounding the girl. Neither can she believe that scandal. Khushi couldn't elope, could she?

She had been waiting for Khushi's visit to her cafe next day but Khushi didn't came. She thought she might have gotten entangled with some last minute work but it didn't seem so when she didn't come the next day too. And the day after, the scandal made it's way to Saesha's ears. 

Saesha couldn't believe it. She just couldn't believe it. She had been the last person to talk with Khushi. She was the last person who chatted with Khushi and Khushi didn't seem like she was planning to elope. No, Khushi didn't seem to be in that kind of mood. Yes, Khushi looked disturbed and was always lost in some thoughts.

Yes, Khushi smelled like trouble but it didn't mean she was going to elope, right.

Saesha couldn't believe that...no, matter how hard she tried she couldn't. But if Khushi didn't elope then she was in trouble. Some deep trouble and Saesha didn't know whom to tell her theories? She didn't know where to ask help from? She couldn't come face to face with Aryaman or his family. She couldn't let the Raizada's see her if they did... She couldn't even think what will happen then without going all stiff with fear.

No, it will do no one any good.

"Lost in some deep thoughts aren't you, dearest Saesha," 

She jumped yelping in surprise as she looked at the uttermost familiar yet unwelcome face in front of her. The face whose sudden voice managed to almost give her an heart attack. The face that shouldn't be anywhere near her cafe.

"Sheetal,"

She greeted the other older girl almost stiffly, letting her know she was unwelcome in her store.

"You're still alive, I see...You shouldn't be here," 

Sheetal was definitely threatening her. Saesha knew it but she didn't know whether she should silently back off or infuriate the girl in front of her? She decided to infuriate the girl in front of her. Sheetal won't harm her in front of public. Sheetal won't ever act where she can be caught.

"And why so, I was here before you and I'll stay here after you too,"

Saesha challenged the girl uncaring of her end. She'll embrace her end if it came to that but not without a fight, never without a fight again.

"It won't end good for you or your little shop," Sheetal threatened in a lowly whisper leaning almost inches away from Saesha's face. 

"Everything okay," The new voice broke the girl's staring contest and Sheetal backed away almost immediately.

"I'll like those muffins, Saesha dear, I can't thank my stars enough for your cafe here. You're such a lifesaver," 

Saesha wasn't even a little surprised by Sheetal's 360° turn. The girl who was threatening her seconds before now was gushing her so sweetly that it might have given someone diabetes. Sheetal was always such a good actress. An actress who can go to any extent to prevail her image of goodness and purity even if she is a rotten being in reality.

"Here,"

 Saesha handed Sheetal the bannana muffins without any smile. Saesha didn't need to act all good. She didn't care if world labelled her as Surphanaka reborn. She didn't care what people called her or said about her anymore.

"Thank you so much again, Saesha darling. Here, keep the change," 

Saesha watched with a scowl on her face as Sheetal left her cafe with a spring in her steps, paying her 500 rupees for a single muffin and Saesha suddenly felt a very compelling desire of settling the note on fire. But she didn't as she noticed the other female in her cafe watching Sheetal walk away  with a curiosity filled gaze.

"Samragi," 

Saesha adressed the new girl respectfully and a little fearfully too. She was always greatly intimated by this kind looking fire kissed woman.

"None of that Saesha, How many times I've asked you to call me Dhriti? That's my name,"

 Dhriti asked Saesha smiling slightly trying to make the girl feel calm in her presence.

"Bhabi, What can I do for you?" Saesha relented slightly. She'll never be comfortable enough to call this girl from her name. Never.

"Well, You can accompany me back home right now," Dhriti said shrugging slightly and Saesha felt her eyes widen almost terrified. It can't be, it's too soon.

"Something came up," Dhriti reassured Saesha feeling her terror and Saesha relaxed slightly. 

"Oh! What's it?" Saesha asked Dhriti walking away from the counter and grabbing her stuff.

"Don't know,  Aashvi is waiting outside and Riya said she'll meet us at the mansion," Dhriti informed Saesha as she watched the girl lock the cafe and message about the sudden leave to her staff due to emergency.

"Oh!!" Saesha mumbled almost inaudibly as she followed Dhriti to the car and settled in the backseat silently as Dhriti and Aashvi indulged in random conversation throughout the journey. Saesha looked outside not involving herself in the conversation between Dhriti and Aashvi, opting for silence instead.

All of them unaware that their destiny was changing again. 

For good or bad who knew?

~to be continued~

So, that's it everyone.

New guess point, what's the relation between Saesha and Sheetal?

And what turn will destiny take?