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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Annie aka Anita Mohan, co-proprietor of Children of Joy, an NGO in Hauz Khas, picked up the phone and dialled her friend's number and as usual, it said not reachable. Irritated and flustered to the core, she banged the phone on the table and slumped back in her chair.
Dammit! Where are you?
"Annie Ma'am, Mr Gupta is leaving," one of the helpers said peaking through the door.
Shit!
Without even giving it a second thought, she picked up the dossier in front and hurried towards the main office.
I am going to kill you.
1 hour later, Annie was sitting with the open dossier staring in space. Mr Gupta, the person who was supposed to fund their NGO had left without even considering their proposal. Suddenly the clank of the gate and joyous shouting from the children woke her up and she closed the file in front. As she stood up, she saw her long time school friend and co-partner of the NGO walk in.
She looked at her angrily and was about to pick up the file and leave when she felt her dear old friend stop her.
Annie looked at her hand on her arm, and then looked at her with indignation.
"One day, just one day! Couldn't you have taken a cab and come a little early?"
Ishani Raijdas looked at her friend and smiled with mischief. Then, she put her arm around Annie's shoulder and pulled her towards herself.
"Don't fret so much. We will get someone else for sure."
Annie shrugged her arm off and said in a piqued tone, "No, Ish, we won't. This NGO is running out of funds if you don't realise that."
Ishani's smile vanished and her beautiful face hardened for a minute. She came near Annie and placed her hands on her shoulders.
"Till the time I am there, this place will never run out of funds."
Saying this, she placed an envelope on the table and gestured her friend to have a look.
Sighing, Annie picked it up and started to open knowing too well what it contained; a cheque of one lakh fifty thousand.
"Happy?"
Annie looked at her and smiled, and watched her leave. As the children shouted with joy seeing their favourite Ishani Di, she ventured out in the balcony.
It had been several months since Ishani had been paying for the NGO from the grandmother's trust. Although, the trust had ample in it however still they needed to find an investor soon otherwise they will lose this place in Hauz Khas. Already the landlord, Umesh Verma had indicated that he is getting offers for selling this place.
She looked at her friend playing with the kids and smiled. The children loved her. It was in Ishani's nature to be loving and caring. Every time she saw a child in distress, her intense protective instinct kicked in.
Annie frowned as she remembered the first time she had seen Ishani picking up a child from a street. They had been studying in Delhi University at that time and living in one of the hostels. Although there were slums nearby, she had never seen Ishani going near them or even looking at them ever. But one night changed everything.
It was 2 am and all their roommates had gone off to sleep, only she and Ishani were sitting on her bed chatting. However, their hushed tones were constantly disturbing some of the roommates. So, both of them decided to go on the balcony and talk.
They were happily gossiping when suddenly the night sky lit with an igniting light and instantly they understood there was fire nearby. Amidst shouts and screams, all inmates rushed downstairs and saw one of the slums up in flames.
The hostel guards and other slum dwellers tried their best to douse the fire but nothing happened. In a matter of seconds, everything turned into ashes. Even though all of them were in shock, but the look on Ishani's face was completely different. Her horror-stricken eyes, gaping mouth and shaking body had even scared Annie.
But then suddenly, she felt Ishani slowly moving away from them and going towards the burned debris. The guards and fire people tried to stop her but she did not relent. As she reached one of the burnt slums, she looked at a howling child sitting in front covered in soot. And then, she did the most unthinkable thing ever; Ishani picked her up and hugged her hard.
That child became the first orphan member of Children of Joy, their NGO. At first, they had struggled with finances, a place for the children and yes, family pressure. Annie's family had always been with her in every decision so convincing them was not difficult.
But Ishani's family had resented her decision vigorously. Her grandfather, Thakur Baldev Raijdas, actually threatened to disown her from the family but the ploy failed miserably. When nothing worked, the Raijdas family especially Ishani's father, Virendra Raijdas, uncle, Ratan Raijdas and his son Rajneesh Raijdas had tried to imprison her with the intention of getting her married to some rich guy in the US. And, Ishani again had stood against her family and left.
Since then she never looked back and even though her family being violently psychotic, she couldn't actually cut ties from them especially her younger brother, Ajeet, whom she loved dearly.
And as for the NGO, after some years, almost everything had smoothened out except the money thing.
Annie looked on and kept smiling seeing Ishani jump and laugh with the kids as she played their silly games. Even though, she knew her friend was happy and positive in her life but still sometimes this joyous and lively woman would turn into a morose one.
She had seen Ishani standing in the balcony alone in her Saket flat watching the sky for endless hours and crying in her sleep.
And every time, Annie asked she had got the same reply; a blank look.
******************
The car stopped at Sangawat House and a man got out. He looked at the palatial mansion and his eyes shone with fiery resolve.
As he pressed the speak button on the intercom at the gate, he smiled diabolically and said his name with authority.
"Samarveer Sangawat!"
The huge electronic gates clicked open and he entered the much familiar territory, ready for battle.
