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"Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." 

- Albus Dumbledore

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Gauri was in a fix when the villagers asked the particular question to the sarpanch who looked down. She was standing beside her seated uncle under the banyan tree and was tensed when the villagers questioned her helpless uncle.

It was a serious issue with the sudden epidemic of consistent fever and ill health of some children in their small village.

"...Sarpanch-ji...we have to go all the way to Barmer to get our children checked...and moreover, if the illness persists in the night time...it is far more difficult...with limited transportation in the village...please Sarpanch-ji...think about it..." as Malik pleaded to the serious face Vishal who nodded to their words but internally was clueless on how to solve this issue. Gauri saw the way his pupils shaked and remembered something that she thought to convey.

He however, heard his niece whisper a temporary solution to him who looked back at her little nod.

"...well...we can arrange for night transportation for those who would require...and as for a doctor in our village... I promise you...we will have one soon..." as he confidently replied, the villagers thanked him in unison to move out in their respective chores.

"...Beta?...transportation can be done...but what about a doctor?...you know how difficult it is to find a permanent doctor in our remote village...with limited access to technology...no proper sanitation...and don't let me remind you of their stay?...it is difficult...I gave them the word...but how will I?" as Vishal spelled his worry while walking along with Gauri to home, she replied.

"...Mama-sa...why don't we check with the doctors in the adjoining village...perhaps...they might help us...you know till we find our doctor..."

"...Hm...let me see...I will call Vidyut-ji...since he helped us so much...for Sonal's case...he will be apt for this too..." as Vishal patted her shoulders, Gauri was relaxed to see his smiling face.

"...you gave him a hope...now better come up with a solution...otherwise...*whistle*...*moving his hands over the neck*..." Dina tried to scare the confident girl who scoffed with "...of course we will find a doctor...remember when we took Sonal-di for her coughs...Dr. Hitesh...told us that he had done his studies from Bombay?...so...this time we will ask him...if he could recommend us some doctors...who would be willing to stay in our village...hm?"

"...do you think he would help us like that?...I mean...?" as Dina sounded doubtful, Gauri smirked replying "...he will...if the new doctor gets his own little house to stay...apart from the little room of a stay that they gave Dr. Hitesh!!..."

"...you are going to tell Kakku-sa to give him a sperate house?...no way!!...it's too expensive!!..." as Dina tsked at her words shaking his head at her stupidity, an irritated Gauri smacked his arm correcting

"...Not buy a house for him?!!...just give him Mama-sa's vacant house which he had locked when Dai-sa moved to the city...that one..."

Dina scratched his brain to remember that particular house and ahh-ed to her words.

"...oh?!!...the one where Sarojini Dai-sa lived...ahh!!!...that's a brilliant plan...good work, kid!!...lets go...I am hungry!..." as a now proud Dina patted her head, Gauri raised her left brow at his sudden arrogance but shrugged off to have some hot ginger tea in the grocery shop.

Mumbai

Singh house

The living room

"...so, Dai-sa, I hope you are comfortable here...finally!!...*chuckles*..." as Karthika hesitantly asked the strict demeanour of Sarojini who kept the tea cup on the table with her poker face.

She hummed with her little nod and glanced over the mansion.

Karthika had called the mid-wife for taking care of Sandhya during and after pregnancy. But a year ago, when Karthika felt the need of the mid-wife for an even more tougher job, Pratap warned her about the snorty woman's nature.

So, Karthika was in a fix on how she could convey the same to the elderly lady. Karthika wanted the experienced mid-wife who would be such a great help to her naïve self, when it would come to perform the most important task in the family.

It was only after Ramlal, their ageing and most senior trusted servant retired; did Karthika felt the need for an equally experienced and trusty worthy person to take over the place.

They needed a servant badly for their growing boys who would get married off soon. So, keeping a mid-wife plus servant would be a good sustainable idea, the smart woman thought.

"...um...Dai-sa...Pratap-ji would have informed you the reason why I called you here?!..." at her words, Dai-sa thought over her phone conversation with Pratap and hummed in return

To which Karthika smiled widely and continued "...actually we are planning for Shivaay to get married soon...and we hoped that you would help us in all the rituals and ceremonies as our elder?...just don't say no...please?!!..." as Karthika kind of pleaded to the woman who felt a little honoured on the sudden praises given to her.

She however thought to make it profitable to her and asked for the pay. Karthika smiled with assuring that she would be given special salary with her own room in the servant quarters.

"...servant quarters?!...*scoffs*...I had my own house...in Barmer...servant quarters?...well, Bindani-sa ?...I think you didn't understand...my stature...anyways?!!...I will leave...since...you are so naïve...I can't help you in that..." as formidably Sarojini tried to move out of the mansion with her harsh words, Karthika feared her to bad mouth her stay in the Singh mansion to the villagers.

"...Dai-sa?...Pratap-ji had told me specifically to not anger you...I am sorry if I had mistreated you anyway...please don't leave like this!!..." saying so a remorseful Karthika held her hands, which Sarojini removed with her smirk and eyed the helpless woman of the mansion.

Karthika couldn't help but give a separate house like arrangement in the far end of their mansion which was reserved for their guest.

Guess she needs to convey Pratap on the little tantrums the savage woman was showing. But she knew internally the grandeur the elderly widow carried for her status as the most respectable woman in the village.

Sarojini had the power to make or destroy a family name with just her words. She was like the vile snake who knew her way around people and how to use them for her own advantage.

Being widowed at an early age, only made the woman strong physically and mentally with becoming the most respected person in the village and the city where she would be the well-known mid-wife.

Each family she had been; were home to a sinful secret which she would bury in her ageing heart with not spelling it to a living soul.

So, this reputation of hers made her available to the rich and famous who knew that their secret would never leave their grandeur and the woman who worked so diligently for them.

Karthika hoped that the vile woman would keep her evilness to her herself and not spread to the Singh's peaceful life.

Karthika was really naïve to not understand the storm that the 4.11' Sarojini carried with her. Only time would spell the hell that they would encounter.

Leverkusen, Germany

The apartment

Shivaay got up from his sleep with his bed hair and looked over his right with a smirk. The dark brown flowing hair of the sleeping individual was shining with the sun rays peeping inside the little apartment rented out by the doctor who had completed his task of developing the vaccine.

The bare back of the one sleeping beside him moved a bit with his growl "...Ohhh?!!...Lily?!...babe!?...not there!?..." making Shivaay shake his head.

As he remembered the party last night which indeed end in a complete opposite place where the good boy Shivaay would have been.

His naked friend and buddy, Shekar who didn't care less to not stop him from helping out the night with the hangover.

His friends aka subordinates and seniors partied the whole night with his almost drunk self, toppling over the vase in the reception area.

He brushed his hair back with smiling at the sunrays and tried to wake up his buddy Shekar who was drooling all over his cushion.

Spat!

"...wake up lazy bones!!...I have a flight to catch?..." as Shivaay smacked his butt with lying on the bed head side with his bare upper body enjoying the warm sunrays hitting him.

"...*grunts*...Lily?...let me sleep...youdidn't...last night...*groans*..." Shekar mumbled in his groggy state and wentto snore again.

(Shekar)

"...who the f##k is Lily?...get up!!...you dumbo!!...where do you think you are...this ain't Lilly here?....idiot!!..." getting frustrated at his hungover friend, Shivaay glanced over the clock showing 10.

His flight was in two hours.

After his brief shower, Shivaay messaged his brother to pick him from the airport at arrival and he then searched for his cold box which had the vaccine vials.

The water was still dripping from his bare self and thought over the turmoil he had endured these three years to develop the vaccine.

It was all thanks to the new entrant of an entrepreneur who helped them a lot and their team finally developed the vaccine.

Now it was time to let the public know about it.

The marketing.

He removed his towel with donning his best suit to look presentable to his family who had waited for his return for so long.

"...get up, man!!...you need to drop me!!...I will miss my flight..." saying so Shivaay again spat the sleeping Shekar's butt who groaned but finally got up with his comeback "...stay back for another week, dude!...what's the hurry?...Sheesh?"

As Shekar walked to refresh, Shivaay scoffed with picking the last minute things so as to not miss his valuables.

"..coz, Dude?...my family is missing me...and I too!...so I need to go...don't worry...you will join me soon...coz...we need to start the marketing...remember...only a year?...now get ready fast...I will call the reception for a decaf for you..." Shivaay made the man to hurry as he glanced around the room one last time.

At the airport

Pulling his sunglasses down Shekar was checking the cute airhostess group going about their work, when Shivaay was waiting for the announcement while checking for his schedules in his mobile.

He had to resume his work with the government clinic and concentrate equally on their dream project. He had other huge ideas for the Singh Medicals with a little help from his new doctor friends.

Dr. Mike had suggested him some techniques to make the present flourishing Singh Medicals to turn into something that the current millennial would require.

He did some research on the dos and don'ts of the subject to convey the same to his father who would flip and agree at the same time.

"...Ok...that's my call...see you Dude...don't forget to call me before your land...ok..." as Shivaay hugged with a friendly bump of the shoulders, Shekar smiled with remembering his return to the land of color and culture.

"...see ya...you were good, kid..." as a sad Shekar bid his bye to his friend who shaked his head at being able to survive the harsh place with a friendly alliance of Shekar.

As a little sad Shivaay looked back to check his equally sad friend, he was not at all surprised for Shekar to flirt with one of the airhostess with his perfect smile. 

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Hello my dear Readers❤️

Presenting to you 'The Gifted Wife' - a hate-love-hate story with a twist.❤️

I hope to give a side of the story that is very close to my heart. ❤️

A glimpse of the reality on how a heartbroken child is given the endearing love that she truly deserves from her enemy. ❤️

Do give your support and love for 'His' efforts to win 'Her' smile which he desires ❤️

Lots of love 💖

Take care 💖