Yo!
I've taken too long to update, haven't I?
Instead of making it up by saying sorry, I'm updating two chapters together, not one.
Hope it makes up for the delay in the update. Love you all. 😘

Onwards!!!

"Words in double quotes" - Talking

'Words in single quotes' - Thoughts

(Words in braces) - Telephone conversation

Chapter 12 - The Past That Haunts Us

"That was literally cheating! You two ganged up on me!" Swara shouted. However, it only made Sanskar and Ragini laugh harder at her state.

Swara was drenched from head to toe in water, with grains of sand sticking to her hair. She had tried to drench Ragini and Sanskar, but her plan backfired.

"Hahaha...Swara, you look like one of the witches from those horror movies. You don't even have to apply make up. You're a natural!"

"Shut up Sanky!" Swara glared at him with narrowed eyes and her mouth pulled into a pout.

Ragini took one glance at her, and promptly burst out laughing again, enough to make her eyes tear up.

"Ragini! You're laughing at my expense too? No one cares for me. Such a cruel world!"

Ragini calmed herself and straightened up. "Alright alright. I'm sorry. Forgive your Ragu, please?" She spoke, while holding her ears.

Swara huffed. "Fine! But only just this once. If you laugh at me again, I won't ever talk to you! I'll take a maun-vrat."

"I think that would actually be a blessing for the rest of the world." Sanskar remarked.

"No one asked you monkey."

"I wasn't talking to you churail."

"Good-for-nothing ape!"

"Bacche churane wali aurat!"

"What?! You're dead!" Swara screamed as she started chasing Sanskar.

Ragini chuckled at their antics. Suddenly, her phone buzzed. "Hello?"

(Ragini, get to the Maheshwari Mansion at once. We are here as well.)

"Is something wrong Baba? You seem tensed. Did something happen?"

(You'll know once you get here. Come quick. Bring Sanskar and Swara as well.)

"Okay Baba. We will be there soon."

"Be where?" questioned Sanskar, once he came near her.

"Baba wants us all to go to the Maheshwari Mansion right now."

"Even me?"

"Yes Swara. You too."

Swara nodded and both sisters moved forward. However, Ragini felt Sanskar hold her wrist and pull her back.

"Ragini, why are you bare-footed?"

Only then did Ragini look down at her feet. In the rush, she had forgotten all about it. "Its actually both of your fault. I was so worried that I forgot about my sandals." Her eyes widened as she remembered another detail. "I even left Laksh without a second glance! Oh my! I must apologize to him."

"Apologize later. Now we need to do something about your empty feet." Sanskar smirked. "And since you say I'm responsible for it, it's only fair that I solve it, right?"

Before Ragini could say anything, Sanskar picked her up, bridal style.

Swara hooted for him. "Atta boy! Now that's what I was waiting for!"

"S-S-Sanskar! Let go! Put me down!"

"Nope!" Sanskar responded, smiling widely.

"Sanskar Maheshwari, put me down right now. Or el-"

"Sanky, I think you need to find a way to shut her up as well. Maybe through a kiss?" Swara teased.

Sanskar wriggled his eyebrows at Ragini, who abruptly stopped her complaints. All she could do was blush beet red and hide her face in Sanskar's chest.

#Maheshwari Mansion#

Once they entered the Mansion, they found an unusual sight. All the Maheshwaris and the Gadodias were present there. All of their faces looked grim.

Sanskar looked from one face to another without any idea what the matter was. However, once his gaze fell on Badi Maa, he knew what it was. His truth has been laid out in the open. Badi Maa's expressions seemed to ask him to leave at that moment, to let her handle the situation. However, this time, Sanskar didn't want to run from his problems. If he ran away now, he might have to keep running forever. 'I'm sick and tired of running. Time to face the truth, no matter what the consequences.'

Swara and Ragini were still clueless as ever. Swara looked towards where Laksh was standing behind Durgaprasad. He looked like he had been crying. When their eyes met, Laksh moved away from them, inside. Swara followed him and caught up to him. "Laksh? Laksh what happened? Why does everyone look so tensed? Di-" before she could complete her sentence, Laksh turned and hugged her tightly.

"I'm so sorry Swara. I'm so so sorry!"

Swara looked shocked by his actions. "Wh-what?"

"Swara I ruined everything! I thought I was doing the right thing, but only ended up making matters worse!"

Swara felt her blood going cold. She was being able to guess what he was talking about, although she hoped her guess was wrong. She broke free of the hug and made him look at her. "What did you do Laksh? What did you do?!"

Laksh wiped his tears and looked at her with pained eyes. "I heard what Sanskar said at the beach. His...his lie about him being mad. At first I was angry. But then, after he explained his reasons, I forgave him. That's why I thought my family would understand him as well. So I...I-"

"You told them!?"

"Y-yes. I'm so sorry Swara. I didn't think they would blame Sanskar."

"Why did you do it Laksh?! This was something that Sanskar needed to tell his family on his own."

"I didn't expect them to react differently. They are not ready to accept and forgive Sanskar. I didn't expect this outcome Swara. All I wanted was for my family to understand him."

"You've ruined it all Laksh! Your good intentions will now lead to Sanskar's doom!" saying that, Swara moved past him in anger.

Laksh looked at Swara's retreating back and cried out in anguish. "Swara don't go! Swara please! I didn't mean to! I-" slowly he let out a smirk. He rubbed away his tears. "That was exactly what I meant to do. Good intentions? My foot! It's funny how shedding a few fake tears can make someone believe your lie."

Swara rushed out to the hall where the rest were. She was greeted with an undesirable sight.

Ragini was being held back by their Baba, while Sanskar was on the ground, with Adarsh standing before him. Badi Maa looked like she wanted to help Sanskar, but Durgaprasad had an arm raised in front of her. No one was coming forward to assist Sanskar. Even Sujata and Ram stood by the side. Swara went to them.

"Chachi...Chachi help him. Sanskar had his reasons for doing what he did. Let him explain once. He is your son. Yo-"

"Was my son. I've cut all ties from him." spoke Sujata in a cold tone.

"What? No! What are you saying?! Sanskar needs your support!"

"Sujata is right. He was our child. All my life, I've taught him to be honest, to always do what's right, never to deceive. I don't know where I went wrong in my upbringing." spoke Ram.

"He's still the good person that you raised. If you just try to understand hi-"

"There is nothing to understand Swara!" screamed Sujata. "Sanskar is no longer my child! I don't want such a liar as my child!"

Sanskar turned to look at his mother. "Maa don't say that. I-"

"Don't call me Maa!"

When all attention was on Sujata and Sanskar , Ragini took the chance to break free of her father's grip and rushed towards Sanskar.

"Ragini, move away." spoke Adarsh. He was ready to continue beating Sanskar.

"No. Please let let him go. Just listen to him once. You all know what he did, but at least try to understand why he did it! Please, just once!"

"We want no explanations Ragini. You are a sweet child and I'm sorry for the lies that Sanskar told you."

"You don't need to apologize Bade Papa. Sanskar explained everything to me. And I understand him now. You would too once you let him explain."

"Explain what? That he thought Laksh would bad mouth him and complain about Kavita? That he believed I would stoop so low as to murder an innocent?"

"Bade Papa, I'm sorry. But I was so lonely and broken that I couldn't think straight. I didn't know what to do, how to cope. All I knew was that I needed an outlet for the pain that I was feeling. I just let anger overcome me."

"And you decided to destroy your own family?!"

"In a moment of weakness, I took the wrong decisions. I realise that now. I really do Bade Papa. I know how wrong I was and what crime I had set out to do."

"He's right. Please give him a chance. In fact, he would have told you the truth long back. It was me who made him promise not to. Forgive him, please." pleaded Annapurna to Durgaprasad.

Durgaprasad paid her no mind and continued glaring at Sanskar. "I have always seen you as my own child Sanskar. But what you have done has proved that you never saw me as a father."

Sanskar felt like dying hearing his Bade Papa say that. "Don't say that Bade Papa. Hit me, slap me, scold me. I accept it all. But please don't say that!"

Laksh, who was standing behind the pillars, smirked, watching his plan play out. He took away his family from Sanskar, and now was waiting for the Gadodias to do the same. 'Shekhar would never forgive him. He won't let Ragini near Sanskar either. Poor Sanky. Now you will lose everyone. That's why you shouldn't have tried to steal Ragini from me!'

Ragini helped Sanskar stand up. She felt helpless. All she wanted to do was take Sanskar away from the hurt and pain, and surround him with happiness. But she didn't know what she could do to solve all his problems. She would give her life if it meant that everything would be solved.

Durgaprasad turned away from him. "Leave this house at this instant. I don't want to see your face here ever again Sanskar Mah- ...no. Not Maheshwari. You are only Sanskar from now on. I don't want you as a part of my family." saying that, Durgaprasad left for his room.

"But how will he survive? He even gave up his company just to repent for his mistakes and to start anew. He has nothing with him to earn his living on his own!" Annapurna shouted after Durgaprasad, but he paid her no mind. She turned to look at Sanskar.

Annapurna tried to go to Sanskar, only to be held back by Adarsh and Parinita. They took her inside with them. Sujata and Ram left as well. Only ones remaining were the Gadodias and Sanskar.

Ragini held Sanskar's hand, trying to give him hope that everything would be alright.

"We should leave as well." Shekhar moved forward, followed by Parvati and Shramishtha. Swara tried to argue, but Dida pulled her away.

Once at the doorstep, Shekhar turned to look at Ragini. "Ragini, lets go."

"Baba, I'm not leaving Sanskar."

"Ragini. Lets. Go." he spoke, stressing each word.

'Yes Ragini. Go chose your family.' thought Laksh. He was waiting for the big finish, to finally get to watch Sanskar's devastated face.

Ragini looked from Sanskar to her family. On one hand, there was her family. On the other hand, there was her love. She knew she had to take a decision, one on which many relations and ties depended on. She took a deep breath and nodded towards her father.

"Alright Baba. I'll go with you." Sanskar's hand feel down from hers at her words. 'You're leaving me as well Ragini? If you leave me too, I...I don't think I'll be able to live. If you wanted to kill me all this time, why give me hope of survival?'

However, her next words surprised not only him, but everyone present there. He looked up so fast, he thought he might have given himself a whiplash.

"I'll come with you Baba. But I'm not going without Sanskar. Sanskar is coming with me."

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Next - chapter 13 - Updated!

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~ 🌹 Mona 🌹