What happens when betrayal mars innocent hearts in love?
What happens when innocence is destroyed and a monster is created?
What happens when judgement is ruled by the burning feeling of retribution?
This is a Quartet (4 part book) and this one bein...
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Ishani's eyes flew open the moment that name resonated in her ear. As her gaze rested on the face in front, she felt burned with the scorching heat scalding in his eyes.
"Who are you?"
"Why Ishi? Don't you know me? I used to be your best friend," she heard him say and what he called her split her heart open.
The memories flooded back and Veera's voice started to ring in her ears.
But how could he know?
Other than Veera nobody called her that. And he is dead.
Is he?
The question was enough to shake her whole being. She stared at Rudra's face and tried to think but her brain had completely shut down.
"How do you know that name?" she asked voice quivering with denial.
Rudra stared at her and then suddenly let her go. She staggered back and held onto the wall, all the time watching him. Then suddenly he saw her eyes widen as if finally realisation had hit her.
Ishani's body started to tremble with fear mixed with joy just as that inevitable thought started to settle in her mind.
"Tell me who you are?" she again said, her voice shaking with a plea for him to answer truthfully.
Somehow, he recognised the begging in her tone, and to be frank even if she hadn't begged he would have given her the truth for he was tired of games now.
It was finally time for retribution.
"Shanker Veer Sangawat."
The commotion in the room stopped as his words resounded from wall to wall. He could feel everybody's eyes on him but his gaze did not waver from the woman standing in front of him.
The woman who had betrayed him.
The friend who had destroyed Shanker.
Her heart almost stopped just as she heard him and then it started to bang vigorously.
It can't be.
"Veera?"
Rudra eyes narrowed the moment he heard the name. For the past 17 years, the sound of this name had haunted him. His mind started to play every single shriek of that night making his brain go numb. As the images started to come back, he could feel himself losing control of his senses but he couldn't let that happen. Closing his eyes, he pushed past the barriers of mind and crushed them down. His inner vision clouded with effort and he clenched his hands into fists as his veins started to pain.
And somehow the effort did not go waste. His brain listened and blanked out the pictures of the past almost instantly. The moment he opened his eyes there was nothing in them but demonic rage.
Ishani watched him as he came near her again but this time she did not back away. Her eyes did not even waver for a second when he gripped her chin again.
"You can't be Veera," she said more to herself than him.
His inner demons smiled with satisfaction. It had been a long wait.
Slowly he lowered his lips to her ear and then whispered, "Ishi, I'll come back."
"For you."
Her whole body started to tremble just as the words registered in her mind. The shivering became so tremulous that she almost felt the ground giving away under her feet. She tried to steady herself but then suddenly everything around her started to swirl wildly.
Rudra's instincts kicked in, the moment he saw her sway. His arm slipped around her as he clutched her hard against his body and steadied her. Just as she regained her balance, he let her go as if she was the plague.
"But you are-you are de-dead," she stammered still not believing it.
"And you killed me," he accused, eyes burning with nothing but anger.
If the earlier blow of knowing that Veera was alive had shaken her, his accusation pierced through her heart. The pain in her head intensified as a door started to unlock but then suddenly it slammed shut as a familiar voice broke through.
"You are not Shanker Veer Sangawat. Don't lie! He is dead. You can't fool us coz we know he is dead. Everybody in that family is dead," Thakur Baldev Raijdas, Ishani's grandfather said with confidence.
Rudra's inner demons strained against the chains of his restraint as he slowly approached the man behind his 17 years of agony. The moment he reached him, he lowered himself to his level and looked into the eye.
"Yes, they are dead because you killed them," he whispered and then lowered his mouth towards his ear.
"Veera, look at your mother. See how she is screaming in pain. Now you know what happens when you mess with us," he whispered again, his voice so low that only Thakur Baldev Raijdas could hear.
Rudra raised himself a little and looked into his eyes again and this time fear lurking in them was evidence enough that he had recognised him.
Virendra Raijdas, Ishani's father was about to question him when Rudra's raised eyes silenced him.
"I have had enough. I am not here to prove my identity. Virani!"
Virani came and gave him some papers, which he shoved them towards Virendra Raijdas.
As Virendra Raijdas read the papers his eyes widened with shock.
"This can't be. We have asked for an extension from Mr Virani and he has extended the time of delivery."
"It has not been done on papers Mr Raijdas," Virani informed him.
"But you said—"
"Mr Raijdas, I believe you didn't read the contract properly. Virani is only the face of all this. He has a sleeping partner too," Rudra said pulling out some papers from a brown envelope.
"Read!"
Virendra and Ratan Raijdas flicked their eyes on the pages one by one. But suddenly they stopped.
"Mr Virani, what is the meaning of all this? You told us that you have extended the time."
"What does it say in the contract?" Rajneesh asked.
"I'll tell you what it says. It says that Mr Virani alone does not have the authority to give an extension. His sleeping partner also needs to provide his consent."
"Okay, we will speak to him too. Who is he, Mr Virani?" Ratan Raijdas asked.
