Sri Venkateswara Swamy Vari Temple, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, 8:37 am

Pallavi smiled at the Pandit who handed her the prasad. She touched it to her forehead closing her eyes uttering a small prayer in her mind before eating it. 

"Venkateshwara, please aaj ke din kuch unhoni mat hone dijiyega."

She respectfully touched the Pandit's feet next and felt a bolt of electricity shoot through her spine at his blessings. The words she had heard only one time before now, just after exchanging her marriage vows with another man. 

"Akhand saubhagyavati bhava!"

She swallowed the lead like lump which had suddenly formed in her throat and hastily reverted back the film of tears which had come in her eyes before rising up again. 

"Harish, can you please make sure everyone in the Mansion and the showrooms get the prasad?"

Harish nodded eagerly. Sometimes Pallavi thought Harish looked like an overgrown golden retriever pup, always eager to please and would get thrilled at the littlest of praise and wither at the slightest of sharpness. It was oddly endearing.

"Don't get fooled by that gentle giant appearance Saree Ka Dukaan. Harish had once pounded a man into a pulp. The Police couldn't identity the mouth from the pelvic bone."

"Now don't get afraid needlessly, he will never touch a single strand of your hair and would not let anyone else do it too."

"And before you launch into a detailed lecture on moral science and ethics, let me tell you, that man was a serial rapist and involved with a drug racketing ring. He deserved it. There's a reason why Farhad had set him as my bodyguard and I call him Gorilla. It's not only because of his lovely dimension."

"What... no.. I am not body shaming. He is cuddly.. like a massive.. gigantic teddy bear. Who could probably crush anyone's bones into powder if he hugs them too hard."

Pallavi smiled at Harish and started walking down the stairs with him and her impressive set of security detail following at her at a respectful distance but not too far. It was a beautiful morning. She remembered waking up to a beatific scene. Her husband was sleeping with his face on her pillow, very close to her own head. 

She loved seeing him asleep, very early in the mornings. He looked incredibly peaceful, almost childlike, untainted by the world outside. No perpetual frown in those perfect brows, no restlessness on his chiselled face, no churning tornado in the depths of those tunnelled pits of his handsome eyes, no phantom pain plastered on his body. 

Pallavi had not an idea when this marriage had turned from a contract to something painfully real. A lie which she so desperately wanted to be the truth. 

At least from her side. 

Now she had no idea how she will be able to survive without him, when their mission would get finally get over. And she had no one to blame but herself. So she had resigned herself to drinking these rare sights of Raghav Rao to her fill, lock them inside her soul like a reserve for later. 

She had craned her neck a little and pressed her lips in a little affectionate kiss on his smooth forehead followed by a whisper against his warm skin there. 

"Vāḍhadivasācyā śubhēcchā priya... Happy birthday dear."

Then she had very reluctantly dragged herself off the incredibly comfortable bed, mentally going over the itinerary for the day missing how his eyes had flashed open when her back was turned, mischief in those onyx pupils... merged with a familiar emotion Pallavi has getting reflected in her own eyes a thousand times before. 

Lost in her own world Pallavi Rao almost didn't see the man coming up the stairs until he was directly a few steps lower, right in front of her. He was surrounded by a group of familiar faces. The man came closer as Pallavi stood paralyzed with shock, feeling like the earth had been snatched from right under her feet. 

"Pallavi..."

"Mandar?"

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Hyderabad Police Station, Hyderabad, 11:25 am

"But Mr. Rao, are you absolutely sure about this? I mean, the risk factor is humongous."

ACP Amar Lodha was an extremely practical man and what the man lounging opposite his desk was suggesting was the exact opposite of that. Raghav looked disinterested at the globe kept on the desk and turned it around with his finger nonchalantly. 

"I do not have a habit of saying anything without being a hundred percent sure of that, ACP."

Farhad's left eye twitched involuntarily and he sighed mentally. This was not a very good sign. ACP Lodha leaned back on his chair and stared piercingly at the unofficial kingpin of his city. The man was a total enigma. From the day he was transferred to Hyderabad, everyone from the department to his numerous spies on the street have time and again warned him to beware of crossing Raghav Rao. 

"He is a necessary evil Amar. A very very necessary evil. The man has a bombastic presence in the public sphere but when required he has the capability to defeat the greatest surgical strike masters in the entire Police department of the country. Where our men will fail, his will get in, do the required and come out within a blink of an eye. And the best part... he doesn't work for any Government. He is his own Government. Where the bureaucracy will fail, he will succeed."

The Commissioner had told him over dinner, the first day he had joined. He remembered scoffing. 

"Sir, why would the Police need help from a businessman? I assure you we can look after our own."

The Commissioner had laughed at that, sipping his wine, a wise twinkle in those experienced eyes. 

"This is the whole system Amar, you are young, hot blooded, you still haven't gotten the whole picture. You cannot eradicate crime, it simply isn't practically possible. You can only hope to keep a hold of it. Make sure you have one hand on the steering wheel. And for maintaining that, we need the holy triumvirate - The Police, The Politician and The Businessman. Luckily for us, Hyderabad has one man who can act like both. He runs a parallel government, the man behind the CM's chair will keep changing every five years Amar, but Raghav Rao will remain in power throughout. If you cannot catch the Devil, make him your ally."

"But how are you so sure, he will work with us?"

"Because it is in his interest. And the man does have half a moral compass, a very weirdly functioning one but he does possess that. He is not a complete monster. Not yet, that is. He has helped us before and he will keep helping. Only make sure his interests align with yours."

"You mean, turn a blind eye to the smuggling?"

Amar asked looking pained. His conscience would curse him to do that but the Commissioner only gave him a strange look and said something which had managed to topple ACP Amar Lodha's carefully crafted black and white world like a hurricane. 

"Do you think, diamonds are all he is smuggling son?"

"Kya soch raha hain ACP sahab? Merepe bharosa kar sakta hain ke nhi?"

Raghav's amusedly scathing words brought the ACP back to the present and he smirked back the other man. 

"Aap pe bharosa karke goli khana pada tha Rao Sahab.. yaad hain na aapko?"

Raghav burst out laughing. 

"Goli sirf akela aapne toh nhi khaya tha na usdin ACPji. Mīru maracipōlēdani nēnu āśistunnānu."

Amar cracked an indulgent smile and forwarded his hand across the desk which the othe man grasped in a firm handshake. 

"I haven't Mr.Rao. That is not something I will ever forget in this life or any other, I assure you. Fine. Lets do it your way this time."

"Excellent. Glad we are on the same page. I will send your men the coordinates, be on standby."

Raghav had smoothly stood up and turned to walk out through the doors of his office, Farhad hot on his heels when Amar's words stopped him momentarily. 

"Raghav... I hope you understand the consequences if you...fail."

Raghav turned and looked straight into the ACP's molasses brown eyes, undeterred and piercing as always. His look was something which unfailingly managed to make the latter uneasy. 

"There wouldn't be any need for that. One cannot defeat someone who has nothing to lose. Have a good day Sir."

The doors swung open and clattered behind Farhad's suited back and the ACP sighed sitting down on his chair again. 

Necessary evil alright... a necessary evil he has started to become inexplicably fond of.

 Goddamnit!

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

Raghav was instructing Farhad something rapidly in Telegu while he walked down the staircase exiting the Police Station when his mobile rang almost ominously. 

"Chuppe Harish!"

Farhad saw perturbed as his Boss turn a funny shade of white, looking like all the blood had drained off his face suddenly and then his eyes narrowed resembling an eagle having caught sight of a mouse. 

"Don't leave her out of your sight for a single second, no matter what that group of bumbling idiots say. I'll be there in a moment. Artham Aiynda?"

He swiped the call, disconnecting and almost running towards the car leaving his dumbfounded secretary to follow him hurriedly. 

"Anna! What happened?"

"Quick. We need to get to Deshmukh Nivas, now!"

"Deshmukh Ni.. but why Anna? Kya hua? Bhabi...."

Raghav started the car with an almighty jerk not even letting Farhad sit properly and they were almost air bound at the inhuman speed. 

"The shit is about to hit the fan Farhad. Tumhara Allah mereko ek second ka chaiin dede agar....Damnit!"

Deshmukh Nivas, Hyderabad, 12:15 pm

"So.. you still can't remember why you stepped out that night? Who was on the call? Why you decided to leave your bride on the wedding night itself and attend to someone so urgently."

Pallavi couldn't help but keep the bitterness off her tone towards the end and saw Mandar wincing at it. The Deshmukhs were seated at their courtyard looking increasingly uncomfortable, but a sense of joy was ever present in the atmosphere. 

A jubilance which gave Pallavi more peace than she would care to admit. 

This was a miracle and a curse at the same time. 

"Pallavi beta dekho... kya hum beete batein bhulakar ek nayi shuruwat nhi kar sakte?"

Vijay asked meekly, knowing that he was sounding increasingly hypocritical after the massive temper tantrums he had thrown whenever his former daughter in law had tried to reconcile with him. Agreed, that he had a right to be mad at her, setting off to marry that monster without consulting with anyone beforehand but he could have lessened the sheer cruelty while speaking with her. 

But all his fears were put to rest when Pallavi's grey eyes lit up like light bulbs at that and a huge smile broke out on her beautiful face. 

"Of course Baba! I only wanted you all to be happy. I wish.. I so wish I can change some things, tell you somethings, but please.. please trust me. All I am doing, all I have ever done is for this family."

Sharda caught her hands gently and smiled. 

"We know Pallu.. we know. That is why, I was more shocked than upset. I know, you must have had a very important reason for doing.. whatever you did. I will wait for when you will be able to tell me the truth. We will.. wait rather."

She said this pointedly at her husband who looked away slightly abashed. Mandar on the other hand kept staring at his former wife. She was looking pulchritudinous, almost heavenly. Her willowy frame wrapped becomingly in a maroon saree, simplistic yet elegant, a few bangles in each wrist and a gajra twisted around her thick bun from where a few locks of hair kissed her cheeks. 

The only thing which seemed to mock him was the red in her partition and the mangalsutra around her neck, nestled in the arch of those delectable breasts. 

The signs of her being married to someone else. 

He had to rectify that mistake as soon as possible. 

"Pallavi, don't worry. Now that I am here, I will make everything alright."

Mandar said, his voice sickly sweet and in a move which shocked her, caught her hands gently in his own. She felt her skin roil at the contact for some reason and she immediately drew her hands back. 

"Mandar, I don't understand. Everything is alright now. You are back, thank the Lord. Aai and Baba and Nikhil... all of them will be happy. I'm glad the family is complete."

"That is true.. but only in part. The family will be complete only when you will be with us again. Here, beside me where you truly belong. Don't worry, I will save you from that fiend. You don't have to be scared anymore Pallavi. I am here now and you can come back home."

Even before Pallavi could react, Harish and Rehman almost pounced on Mandar, their faces tight in fury shielding her from the man who had dared to come closer to their Vadina. 

"Stay where you are or else we'll send you back from where you have risen up!"

Harish boomed, standing in between a now furious Mandar and a bewildered Pallavi. Vijay launched to his feet seeing red followed by his family.  

"Pallavi, tell these goons to back off! Now! How dare they threaten my son!"

"Harish calm down, Rehman.. please. Baba please... Calm down everyone."

Pallavi gestured the two move away with her eyes and they reluctantly did so while Mandar still glared at the duo like his mere vision will burn them to ashes. Pallavi had risen from her seat by then, feeling like her world was slowly tilting at an axis. 

"Mandar, see... I think there is a big misunderstanding somewhere. Raghav and my marriage is not a conspiracy or something. I am sure some people might have phrased it that way to mislead you. "

She said the last part looking pointedly at Sulochana who turned her face away haughtily. 

"But Pallavi... you are my wife. I am sure.."

"I was your wife Mandar. Now I am married to someone else. Please understand. I am glad that you are alive and well but our relationship doesn't exist anymore. In fact we never got the chance to have a relationship... for whatever reason. Maybe that was all for the better."

Mandar frowned now getting angry at her aloofness. He had expected her to be ecstatic, but while she did look pleased, there seemed to be a distance which he couldn't cross. And that was irritating him immensely. 

"Pallavi, Raghav ne kahan hoga tumse ye sab karne keliye. Uske goondo ke saamne kuch bol nhi pa rahi ho.. I can understand. Kāḷajī karū nakōsa mī tujhē rakṣaṇa karīna."

"No Mandar! For God's sake... Kaka please make him understand..Ā'ī, kāhītarī bōla. Anyways, I have to leave, I have a lot of work back home, it's Raghav's birthday today.... I am supposed to host the party.. Deva! Iss chakar mein, main toh bhul hi gayi thi.. Harish chalo jaldi.. bohot kaam hain."

She started muttering to herself, completely forgetting her audience and was about to walk out followed by her bodyguards when Mandar caught her arm. 

"Pallavi... mat jao.. wait."

Pallavi snatched her arm back roughly, feeling disgusted at his repeated actions of touching her. What kind of a man doesn't understand boundaries. She showed her hand stopping Harish from outright murdering her ex husband. 

"Don't touch me. What is wrong with you? Aai, Kaka... I hope you both will manage everything here, I will take your leave then."

Milind and Sharda were looking tensed and they wanted to support Pallavi even though both had a serious doubt whether Mandar's claims were completely wrong. The latter now desperate tried to clutch Pallavi again much to her sudden fear. 

"Tulā kā kaḷata nāhī. I am your rightful husband. You belong to me."

Then a voice ripped through the palpable tension like a blade through butter while the man came in front of Pallavi pushing Mandar with a hard shove, anger rippling through his six feet two frame like boiling magma in a volcano about to explode. 

"Ae Vedhava ! Nōrumuyyi!"

Mandar almost stumbled, falling over while Vijay and Nikhil steadied him. Anyone with half a brain and an iota of self preservation would know not to poke a fuming tiger when they scent their prey but our resident Mandar Deshmukh have always been slightly slow in the brain. 

He shouted at him, advancing towards Raghav who looked deranged with wrath. 

"You! Who the fucking hell do you think you are! How dare you come in between me and my wife.."

Which was apparently the wrong thing to say. 

Raghav stared unblinkingly at him, his eyes zeroed on the other man spat an inferno which would have killed a lesser man on spot with just its intensity. 

"Ae Mandar Deshmukh, Āme nādi! Woh meri hain. She is mine. Aur kiss language mein sunne ka mangta tereko? Ek do haddi todneka hain kya? Zinda rehna pasand nahi kya tereko?"

"Dekho Raghav Rao, I am not scared of you or your empty threats."

Raghav smirked and tucked his hands back in his pocket bending his frame only slightly which gave a look of a bored panther, which was his typical stance. 

"Tum jaisa chuha bohot dekha hain. You are not worth my time or my energy. Just remember one thing very clearly, you had been my wife's ex husband, and she cares for this family and that is the only reason, your arm is still attached to your body or else, everyone in this city is well aware that touching Pallavi Raghav Rao means a very messy and painful end."

"You.."

"Stay the fuck away from my wife or else the next thing you will see, will be the gates of Hell and I won't be very merciful about it."

He turned around ignoring Mandar's humiliated splutters or Vijay Deshmukh's indignant curses and gave a stunned Pallavi his hand, waiting for her to accept or reject it. She looked at his hand in part wonder and part confusion and then kept her own palm slowly over it. 

Raghav gripped her much smaller and daintier hand in his larger one and they walked out of the Deshmukh Nivas leaving its inhabitants, slightly scared, emotionally scattered and undeniably shaken. 

A/N: - A larger update this time...