Hey friends!✋

Here I am, a way before u fulfill the target of 150 votes! 😲

Honestly, you're taking a lot of time, and also the number of votes per 100 views is just 16%.😡 ... I expect from all the silent viewers to at least vote 🙏 if you like this story. Your votes motivate me to write sooner... and make you happy.😊

💕 And my special thanks to all those voters and commenters who support me and like my stories. Thank you all...
And this story is dedicated to all of you who voted n commented on the previous chapter and compelled me to post this chapter before reaching targeted votes.💕

Now, I won't take more of ur time and let you know what happened ahead... ...

Curious? 👀
Then Happy reading!!

*******

It's already afternoon, and someone or two is impatiently waiting for Devil's arrival.
Dhrulya has gone to the office, Sid-Roshni r in their house, while Cabir n Manik-

Let's see...

"Siiirrrrr, please leave me... I don't know anything about them... leave me, sir. Aahhh" A man who's tied up and getting beaten with whip pleads to a sitting Silhouette who's expensive designer polished shoe and hem of his pant are the only things visible to him.

"U don't know anything?" asked the Silhouette in a hoarse voice. The room fell silent with only sound of dripping water and rasping breaths.

When he doesn't reply to him, he roared "Speak up dammit!"

"n.o... No.. sirr... I really... don't know... I was just asked to deliver those boxes in India; I didn't know it has drugs... I'm saying truth siirr... Please leave me." He managed to utter and waited for the unknown boss to gave any reaction.

When out of blue... "Bang"  "Bang" .... the sound of bullet shot broke the silence which again came back after the shot...

.

.

.

The tied-up man, slowly opened his eyes to find himself alive when he clearly saw his death coming with his own eyes...

Then What the hell happened? He isn't feeling any bullet-shot pain!

Did the boss miss the fire?

"Don't think that I missed it. Because I never miss my targets..." The boss stood up on his legs n cleans the gun with a hanky, but still, his face is not visible.

"Coming to India and playing smart with it's Mafia King!! Looks like u don't love ur life..." His smirking tone is clearly imaginable from his dangerous voice.

He gestures something rolling his fingers n his man walked out nodding to him... and suddenly, lights went on at his right side, and what he saw, gave his goosebumps to even his small tiny bits of hairs...

A man tapped n tied is inside the glass box full of snakes surrounding him and the box is handing over the fire making the snakes reactive due to the heat... The man is twisting, wriggling but couldn't do anything even if the snake goes into his pants.

The man swallowed down a lump watching the horrifying scene with a sweaty forehead.

"My sharks r also waiting for their prey... What's say? Would u like to entertain them?" came the hoarse voice of the Mafia King... and the man's condition is worst as if he's gonna pee.

"No no sir... I'm afraid of water. Doctor told not to go near it.
I'll tell u, everything... I'm telling" He instantly cried.

"Speak" The voice came enough for everyone to gave in.

"Sir, My boss, Leo, Africa's biggest don wants to establish his territory in Asia n India n China r his first target. He had sent tons of 'K-A-L' drug which tastes sweet n is very addictive but acts as a slow poison. His man r already waiting at the factory to get the boxes that I shipped through the Mumbai sea. If I don't reach there with boxes they'll kill me..." He cried.

"Do u think, I'll let ur boss's intentions get fulfill in my land."  Mafia king muttered.

"Charge" he ordered n his man started charged whips on him n he just helplessly cried in pain.

After a while, Mafia King gestured them to pause...

"Now split the details... Where is Leo's man hiding? When u r supposed to go with the boxes? What are Leo's further plans?.... Split"

He again gestures them to start beating him and he replied crying n shouting in pain...

With whimpers n cries, yells n shouts, he vomits out all the pieces of information they needed and after that. 

"Bang" Direct at the target... And He's dead!

Mafia King gestures to take care of the body n himself walked out to the light...

"Destroy Leo's man n burn those drugs... Send him my words: "Not to dare keep his foot on my land" He orders his trusted man.

"Okay Boss!" he left leaving him, Manik alone in that room from where he could see the green forests... green trees only. This place is one of their hideouts.

The door clicked n Cabir walks in rolling his sleeves.

"Hey bro! That poor thing had a heart attack laying between the snakes... U r cruel not to let him die with the poisonous snake but torture him with non-poisonous one." Cabir said laughing, walking to him.

"He deserves this much torture for pulling innocent kids into prostitution business" Manik voiced not looking at him, but looking out of the window with a serious face.

"Okay! Okay! Enough of these. Let's get home... I can't wait to meet my Madhubala!" Cabir exclaimed excitedly.

Manik turned to him in confusion "Madhubala?"

"Oh! That's my Navya" Cabir said to which Manik raise his brow asking 'what?'

"Areeyy! When I asked her about her favorite actress, she answered Madhubala. And I couldn't recall anyone in the film industry with this name to which she started her lecture of how beautiful, talented, famous actress she was in the 1950s; black n white films... and asked me how can someone don't know about her...
Manik, u tell me, do u know about her?" Cabir asked when they both walked out to their jeep n drove.

"I don't watch films" Manik answered nonchalantly.

"It's waste to ask anything to u..." Cabir murmured shooking his head knowing his best friend.

"I'll ask Nandini" he added deliberately n successfully gained Manik's attention who briefly glance at him before focussing on road.

Reaching Malhotra Mansion, Cabir jumped off the jeep and head inside excitedly while Manik walks out of the jeep coolly n started walking to the door when his phone beeped with some message.

He stopped at his place n clicked his phone; only to see few pictures which bowled his blood in anger n anguish rushed in his blood along with an unknown pang of betrayal, hurt, pain.

'I bloody knew it! I'm a fool to think that maybe she's different than her. She won't backstab...
But how can I forget! All girls r same, bloody the same!' the only thought running in his mind comparing 'her' with...

With fisted palm, tight jaw, and angry look which he's trying his best to control, he rushed inside his Mansion to confront.

He ran his dreadful eyes, as soon as he reached inside only to see Navya n Cabir hugging n sharing a lovers moment while Mukti n Abhi r talking with Alya n Dhruv, who just returned home. But Nandini is nowhere to be seen.

"Where is Nandini?" He asked trying to calm his hot ragging breath. This gained everyone's attention and Abhi answered him

"She'd some work. Must be on her way!"

"Hey Bro! Someone sounding desperate to meet Nanz" Mukti commented teasingly not sensing his anger.

Manik just, somehow controlled himself from shouting at Mukti, as somewhere they feel connected n here he wanted to confront Nanz first.

"Call me as soon as she enters my mansion" He spoke in so serious tone that now everyone sensed something's wrong.

But before anyone could question him, he started to walk on the stairs heading to his room.

"Here... Nanz arrived!" He heard just before he's about to enter his room.

----------------------

Rewind of time to 2 hours back

Nandini's POV

When I and my friends returned from Delhi after solving that political mess n helping the police, government n common people, but still being behind the screen.

We discovered these all; Vishwanath Ji's death, Gang rape racket case, 10crores black money case, political disabling, everything being done by the so-called reputed leader, Ajay Dewedi along with the yogi baba Adityanath, who's black spot on society, a criminal in disguise.
With all evidence, the police dragged them to court where they got a death sentence, but now the news says that they died in a truck accident on the way to jail.

Don't be shock!           Our plan for such sinners!

But after we landed in Mumbai, along with Navya's Dad, (Director General Of Police) DGP Satya Naveli, who got transferred to Maharastra recently.

After we landed, Uncle left n we all started for the Mansion... but on the way, Uncle called me saying to come n meet him urgently n not to tell anyone anything.

I wondered what's wrong? But obeyed him n left to meet him at a quiet secluded place...

"U remember this place?" he questioned as we stood in front of a deserted abandoned ruined n burned building which seems like an old factory maybe... Trees have grown on it indicating it has not been visited by any species for a long time.

I moved closer to the building when some flashes cross my mind...

With eagerness wondering about the black n white flashes crossing my mind and also with curiosity, as to why Uncle has brought me here... I pushed the cracking, rusted n dusted gate n walked in, eyeing every bit of that place... slowly n carefully.

With every glance I took of this burned place, I could see the picture of it's working n unburned area with many machines around, boxes, sacks, men around... Even My Maa, Papa, my culprit and... the small ME, frightened n scared, silently crying while hiding behind the boxes placed behind to machine near these windows

This is the place!

The realization hit me hard n I turn my head with wide moist eyes to face Satya Uncle.

He nodded reading my expressible face "U r right... This is the place which snatches away all ur happiness in a go!"

I just remained silent with a lump in my throat after re-visiting the place of my nightmares after long 17 years. There are many things going on in my mind whose answers only Satya uncle can give.

"U must be thinking, why I brought u here, all of a sudden?...
Then are u ready to hear it? Is ur heart strong enough?" His words made me more anxious, nervous, frightened and many kinds of emotions ran in my nerves, but I nodded.

"Recently a case came to me where a young boy n his mother got killed by goons and his old father came crying for them, blaming himself for the death of his family. He confessed his wrong-doings n helping few goons in his young times when he used to be a driver.
That time, he mentioned this case, 17 years back, that night, when his heart melts seeing a beautiful woman all blooded, wounded n in torn clothes came stumbling n asking for help n he, showing a bit of humanity but still afraid of helping someone who escapes those goons, dropped that wounded woman in the dockyard and left her unconscious on a ship to Malaysia.

He'd no idea about that lady, nor did he remembered her face clearly after so long, but..."

He paused looking at my expressionless face and I could feel my heart thumping hard in the chest.

"But?" I uttered looking at him

"But I've found her!" He declared making my heart raise n sank, raise n sank, raise n sank...

"Who is she?" came the first question from my mouth and the only question filling my mind.

"I don't know. But I've sent my team to bring her here, and they'll arrive tomorrow early morning."

I looked at him with an uncertain mind, many thoughts roaming, many questioned unanswered, and many hopes brimming in me... But I'm myself unsure about how to feel about this?

"I wanted u to be prepared for it... you know, this could be..." He trailed off and I understood whom he meant.

"But she couldn't be her also... But it would be the greatest lead for u...
Are u listening?" He asked as I just stood their numb without movement, without any words, without any emotions...

"Ahem-Um... I should head back. They must be waiting for me" I cleared my throat n spoke before breaking my statue posture.

"Sure! Let me walk u to the taxi" I walked ahead with so many things going on in my mind while he followed.

I thanked him before taking a taxi back mansion, drowning in my own thoughts.

I'm so confused! So chaotic! So befuddled! Also Scared!

The wounded woman he rescued, could be... My MAA???

If she's really my Maa, then how should I react? How she must be doing all these years? What will she talk about after seeing me after a long 17 years? Will she take me in her arms n caress my hairs with a lot of love n care like old times?

But why didn't she came back all these years? Didn't she miss me n Rishu? Has she forgotten about us? Will she won't recognise me, her daughter, her Nandu?

Is she really alive?  I again came back to square one, thinking all the possibilities...

I had a hope in a corner of my heart that, my mother, my Maa is alive, could be alive, might be alive...
And somewhere I'm happy thinking this and I'm scared too...

I've always loathed Maa, or should I say, tried to blame and hate my mother for choosing to die with her love, my father but not chosen to live for us, her children and left us alone in this cruel world with everyone putting fingers on us, calling us children of a betrayer; a traitor.

She loved her husband so much that she couldn't live without her and walked to him when he clearly told us to run away. She preferred dying with her lover hands-to-hands than living for her kids who also need her protection, support, care n love.
I hated her for this... all these years.

But how can I, when I love her so much; when I respect her so much...  My parents r the best example of 'true love' and I believe in it with all my heart! and I love them for this!

Whom I blamed for so many years, suddenly came in front of me, alive... looking the same, but a bit pale and old with white hairs, wrinkled skin... How would it feel?

I don't know!

I don't know!

*Deep sigh*

With all thoughts about my Maa, I reached the Mansion and walked in to find everyone standing and Dhruv said loudly upon spotting me...

"Here... Nanz arrived!"

All head turn to me... than to upstairs...

I followed their glance only to rest at Manik turning...

What do u think, now's gonna happen between angry, hurt Manik &  already mess-minded Nandini?

What do u think, must be those pictures that suddenly changed calm Manik to angry one? Any guess?

How do u feel about Manik's Mafia side? Frightening or just fine?

What's ur view about Nandini's mindstate? Her hating her mother in spite of loving her; her thoughts n hope to meet her Maa?

What u think, Will that lady be Nandini's Maa or any other woman?

One more request:

I've penned down a short 'one-shot' story based on a disabled n anxious musician. She practices and when she finishes her piece, she heard someone clapping for her. Although she's alone...
(Not a horror story!) Do give it a read and let me know how you feel?

Story name- Putting Hands Together!

My Id Link- EmpireBlueBB

Now once again, I'd like my silent viewers, do hit the 'Star button' before leaving! I'll not expect more but the same, 150 votes but this faster, this time. 

Only if you're curious and need an early update!

So, hurry up! I'm waiting! Waiting!!

Stay tuned......