Laughter lifts our spirits. Whereas, surprises, and sometimes shock, stirs our expectations. It allows us to cross boundries, re-order our priorities, and gives us access to ideas and associations we rarely ever thought to possess.

Encountering Suresh at the Roychowdhury Banglow was as unexpected to Kshitija as it was for the British to leave India without a fight!

For a moment, she was stunned... stupified at the magnanimity of the situation. She was defenceless, unarmed! But, mind is probably the strongest weapon humans possess.

"Suresh..!!" Kshitija shouted out loud as she rushed towards him putting her arms around his stiffened body. His faced reeked of exasperation as he clenched his jaws at her reaction.
" Suresh save me... Suresh please..." Tears rolled down her cheeks as she buried her face on his chest and yelled incessantly.

"This monster here is destroying my family Suresh... They are your family too!" She continued crying.

Suresh was reticent. He neither moved her away, not did he reciprocate to her actions.

"Go away Kshitija. Your family deserves what they are receiving." Anirudh remarked in a stern voice.

"Deserves?" Kshitija shrieked out with her eyes burning in a steady flame of revenge.
"My brother didn't deserve to be arrested! My father didn't deserve to be court-marshaled, expelled from the British service. My house... an evacuation order..?" Kshitija broke down into tears as she left Suresh and sank down on the floor infront of Anirudh.

"Your father killed your mother. He used his power to suppress the matter in Kanpur before he moved here, in Dehradun." Anirudh paused.
"Your house was built illegally... with blood and treachery. And your brother... He should have thought twice before touching my wife." His voice was grave.
"As for you, all these should be enough lesson not to interfere in my business Miss Kshitija Sinha!"

Suresh's gaze was now on Anirudh, on his words, particularly the last sentence, caught his attention to get him rooted to the reality.

Kshitija turned towards Suresh again.
"Suresh... You said you love me... I love you too... Please do something... This monster is destroying my family." Kshitija yelled and sobbed in her words.

Suresh bent down gradually to hold Kshitija's shoulders. He helped her stand up, facing towards him.

"But Kshitija... "He paused, as his eyes dewed up with a choked emotion. "You don't love me! You said... I'm a..." Suresh couldn't speak anymore. He felt the entire room was spinning above his head. He struggled to keep his balance as he spoke his words.

"Suresh Da.." Bondita shouted, as Anirudh quick reflexed towards him before he could collapse on the ground. The excessive adrenaline caused Suresh to shake violently in Anirudh's strong hold. He held his arms tightly as his head was rested on his shoulders.

"You weak piece of parasite!!" Kshitija growled loudly. "This is the reason I never loved you... You are not a man enough..." She hissed. "Now, I'll do what I have to do..."
She quickly rushed towards the dining table and picked up a fruit knife in a flash of a moment. She marched towards Bondita with an intensified fervour as she held her hand in the air for the strike. 

"Miraaaa...." Anirudh shouted at the top of his voice, as Kshitija vaguely realised her knife has instead targeted a young girl who had somehow managed to barrier Bondita from her venomous strife.
The knife fell from her hand as she saw a pale pair of eyes staring at her blankly before collapsing into oblivion.

"Miraa...." Bondita held the unconscious girl to her chest as the oozing blood painted her in a deep angst of scarlet.

Kshitija stood up, petrified at the vehemence of her current doing, sprinted towards the door as she heard Bondita's words echoing through the walls of the hallroom.
"What did you do Kshi... Miraaaa.... Open your eyes Miraaaa... Please...." She sobbed incessantly clutching Mira's insensate body pressing the fresh wound on her shoulder firmly with her palm.
"Anirudh...." Bondita shouted again.