Rithwik POV
As soon as we reached the hotel for dinner, I dropped arvi down along with kids to enjoy.
Soon she also started enjoying with them forgetting her chachu sadness.
I booked a long table for us so that kids can enjoy and feel comfortable.
Lucky me is, the kids don't have an habit of getting feed as they eat themselves.
She sat near window as it's her favourite place from the beginning. She enjoy the food sitting there instead of a closed cabin which gives more privacy.
Privacy is something that makes you feel alive peace where your soul craves and sitting near the window with light music behind it, is my soul wants, in her words.
Along with her, kids joined where arvi and sumana sat beside her where veer and sumanth sat opposite to them.
As soon as the waiter came, they all ordered accordingly where me ordered a paneer roll.
After what happened few hours back i don't have heart to accompany anyone or to myself but for arvi i sat along with them.
The time we started my phone rang being god on my side and it's Arun.
"Yes," i said making an excuse and went out to breath that i don't know i was holding for long time.
Before I took a step to walk out, arvi shouted "chachu"
As soon as I turned, she pointed the roll to take with me and eat along with the call.
I don't know whether having arvi as daughter, Arun and amulya are lucky or not but me being her chachu I'm blessed.
I smiled and took the roll and she warned with her hands saying she is keeping her eyes on me whether I'm going to finish it or not. Just like the way i do when she refused to eat something.
"I will" saying I left from there leaving them alone.
"Where are you guys??" Arun asked as soon as I called him back
"Raj hotel, why what happen?? Why are you sounding tense??" I asked with concern
"No nothing happened, need to talk with you" Arun stammered
"Fine, will talk when I'm back" I said but somewhere my heart started beating with fear
"Will be waiting for you" Arun said
"What happen Arun..?? Is it related to office or something else??" I asked him
"Arvi" Arun said slowly
"Come on Arun don't start again, she is just a kid. It's her age to be naughty. Don't be like a strict father" I relaxed as it's normal for him to talk may be discuss that I'm spoiling her alot but something is notifying me wrong inside.
"Come home soon rithwik" Arun replied back and cut the call which is not usual one.
I didn't felt heart to go inside as the heaviness in me is disturbing me. so I took a cigarette, lightening it. I started smoking looking at rishika as she sat near window.
From the place, rithwik stood he can see everyone so he stayed outside by enjoying his company with cigarette.
Rishika looked out, as rithwik went out long back but saw him smoking making her nose crunch in dislike.
He often does when he is in stress or when he felt his heart need it.
Rishika stopped eating as she lost the appetite after what happened in the snow world but thought to accompany kids but seeing rithwik her heart shattered knowing she is the reason for it unknowingly.
He don't know how many he lightened, thinking about everything and everyone.
Deciding to himself something, he called Arun "come to Raj hotel, let's talk here. And call to Aditya and say to him pick her sister and son from here"
"Is everything fine??" Arun asked with concern
"There is nothing to think or worry Arun. His sister and son are with us and it's our responsibility to send them safe." I said and cut the call.
Arun knows what he should do. Just like fifteen minutes passed, Arun came to Raj hotel along amulya before i light another one
"Bhai, i want to say something to you" amulya said hurriedly even before i say a word.
"What happen ammu??" I asked as Arun looking at arvi from window.
The look on his face says the story and depth of it
"Bhai, when i was coming here with arvi........... " Without the second thought Amulya said everything what happened in the bus and how she gave complaint and everything
"Bhai i didn't mean to hide it from you but.." amulya stammered seeing rithwik bloody red eyes where his hand turned into fist popping the nerves out.
"Amulya go home with arvi, me and Arun will join you soon.
Don't worry, i will take care of it" rithwik said assuring amulya while caressing her hair like a kid keeping his temper aside.
Sometimes the anger won't give solution nor the silence too that we need to know when to show what.
"Sorry bhaiya" amulya said with tears
"You didn't do anything wrong ammu but don't hide things from us atleast from Arun because sometimes we don't know the severity of the situation which may lead to huge loss. So don't hide the things that too with Arun, he is your husband. He had that right to know everything" rithwik said where Arun stood beside him silently.
Rithwik understood his feelings because rithwik also facing the same thing may be much more deeper than Arun.
Moreover, it's about arvi who is heart of family.
"I'm sorry Arun" amulya cried as Arun not even looking at her where rithwik moved inside giving privacy to them by giving a assuring nod to Arun.
"Kids, are you done?" Rithwik asked sitting beside arvi.
"Mamu, will you come with us now..?? Can we play again at our place" veer asked
"Sorry veer not now, your father will be here in few minutes to pick you both" i said where his face became dull.
"Don't worry, will meet again so that you people can play again" i said while caressing his hair seeing that arvi sat on my lap possessively making me laugh at her antics.
"Say thanks to veer" i said to arvi while caressing her hair too.
"Thanks veer" arvi said while giving him her chocolate
"You asked bahi to come" rishika asked rithwik
"Chachu uncle, they won't come with us now" sumana asked
"No bacha, it's already late. Hiss dad will come to pick them and your dad also waiting for you both" rithwik said ignoring rishika where she fell silent with his behaviour
"Arvi, your papa is at entrance" rithwik said as she started playing with his collar, hair wrapping her hands around his neck indicating she is feeling sleepy.
"Just a minute" rithwik took arvi and went out and saw both of them.
When he is sure they solved he put arvi down where she ran towards her father making rithwik to smile behind the tears.
Author POV
"Please talk to me" amulya said while holding Arun hands where arun stood silent without giving any reply to her.
Slowly the tears rolled down, "it's been four hours, you talked to me. Atleast shout at me scold me" her tears became hiccups at the end.
Her eyes became red and little swollen, seeing her like that Arun felt a pang of pain in heart but she need to learn thinking Arun kept looking at her.
Arun know he can't see any more tears of her he turned his face where she cried more.
"Sor....
"Shh, calm down" Arun pulled her in his embrace listening to her hiccups where ammu hugged him tight
"Don't hide the things again" Arun said while wiping her tears where she nodded her head immediately saying okay
Arun kissed her forehead and hugged her.
"I.. i got scared" ammu said with hiccups while hugging him even more tight.
"I can understand, now calm down don't cry. I will take care of it" Arun assured her while kissing her temple.
Before amulya say something, arvi ran towards arun like a rabbit. Listening to arvi voice they both parted maintaining proper distance.
"Papa" arvi ran and hugged her legs saying what she did today and how she enjoyed while rounding around them holding Arun's hand.
Arun lifted arvi up and kissed her on forehead "sleep" while patting her back trying to make her sleep
In no time, arvi slept while murmuring what she did.
"You all go to home, Raghu will drop you all" Arun said making kids and amulya to sit in car where she silently agreed and kid slept in car
Soon Aditya came, "veer, come lets go" Aditya said looking at surrounding to find the one
"Mamu, bye. " Veer shouted making rithwik to respond.
Seeing rithwik Aditya came forward to talk but rithwik glared and looked at Arun.
"Nice to meet you sir" Arun gritted his teeth before Aditya say a word.
Aditya understood the situation and how their bond got broken " me too" Aditya replied looking at rithwik and at Arun.
"Mamu" veer hugged rithwik suddenly making everyone stun
"What happen veer" rithwik asked kneeling infront of him.
"Thank you mamu* veer cried silently making rithwik shed in pain.
"Take care" rithwik said and gave him a gift where veer accepted happily while kissing his cheek.
_________
"Rithwik, are you sure about it" Arun asked with shock where rithwik hummed in response.
"Can you live..
"Till now i did and i can for rest of my life" rithwik said without any emotion
"Good evening sir" one person wished before Arun say something
"Good evening harish, please take your seat" rithwik said where the person harish sat opposite to him.
"Order what you want harish" rithwik said
"It's okay sir" harish said with smile but Arun order alcohol and some beer bottles too.
"Sir, they are just normal robbery people. We didn't find any information about the attack.
I personally went and enquired everyone but couldn't find anyone suspicious sir" harish said about the attack on arvi.
" What about the call" Arun asked immediately
"We tired to trace the number sir but it system generated number even IP location showing different places in that ten minutes." Harish reported
"Different places..??" Rithwik questioned
"Yes sir, instead of saying places we can say country sir." Harish handed him the report.
"Did you enquired who asked them to do" rithwik asked while seeing the report
"Yes sir, they called and asked them to do this. It's first time they did like this because they are getting huge amount" harish said
"How did they pay?" Arun asked taking the reports from rithwik
"Bank
Before they interrupt, harish continued" i checked the details sir. They sent money through the name ramaiah and he died few years back" passing the details to them.
Rithwik banged his hand on table in frustration feeling helplessness
"Did you enquired about ramaiah?" Arun asked
"Yes sir, he lived in Hyderabad."
"About family" Arun shoot another one
"His family died in an accident sir few years back. His wife and daughter died in than accident and in that depression he also passed away after six months" harish replied while munching the chicken lollipop
"Good work harish, will contact you once needed" rithwik said looking at Arun later on harish.
Arun is a lawyer and working as legal advisor for rithwik. Most of the times like when going out of station or any important work Arun work like personal assistant hiding his identity to check everything is clear.
Everyone know his name as Arun Reddy but only few people know who is Arun Reddy so this help them to mingle easily with others.
"Any clue??" Rithwik asked while sipping his beer looking at Arun after harish left as he caught with some work
"Ramaiah" Arun marked on paper looking straight into rithwik eyes
"Great, go ahead. I will also clear all the mess here" rithwik said while taking the last sip of alcohol.
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Hello cookies,
How are you all..??
How was the chap..??
Rate it out 10 (I guess this help me to get on track)
Who is ramaiah..??
What do you think about rishika
Rithwik
Arun
Amulya
Arvi
Veer
Sumana and sumanth
Do let me know your thoughts through comments..
Will meet you soon,
Till then
take care
Yours author 💕