Revenge, love, and innocence – this trio is a dangerous combination that often leads many astray. While love and innocence can coexist, the addition of revenge can scorch even the purest heart.
Shraddha's friend, Sarah, privately handed over the recording that Shraddha had entrusted her with to Ranbir. They were inside a parked car, at a distance from Anand's residence.
"I've carried out your plan as you instructed. I set the houses on fire. Your father is no more, and we tragically witnessed Ananya's demise. The property now belongs to you," Sarah conveyed solemnly, her hand resting on his shoulder. "What about your promise?"
He brushed aside her question and watched the recording with a stern expression. It contained Shraddha's confession.
"Dear Sir, if this recording has reached you, it means I've died because I wanted to tell this in person. I want to share something important with you. Shraddha, who supposedly died five years ago, is alive. I survived, but now, others want to take my life. There are five people who entered my room last night and openly threatened me. I can't accuse anyone without evidence, but the man who caused me to fall into the sea that day when I was granted bail was Ranbir, Anand's brother-in-law. You should ensure his arrest. I also want to file a complaint about my ex-in-laws. I don't know if this recording will even reach you, so, I've sent a scheduled message to the police station. I hope my confession and complaint will reach you."
"What? Where's the rest? How could she send another message? You said she trusts you," he exclaimed, panic seizing him, fully aware that if the message reached the station, he'd be taken into custody.
"I wasn't aware. She entrusted me with this. Do you think she was suspecting me?"
"Do you think she found out you were among the people who entered the room last night?"
"No!" she shook her head confidently. "If she had, we wouldn't have gone for a stroll together." However, hesitation laced her voice as she remembered an incident from earlier that evening. "But," she paused.
"But what?" Ranbir snapped, losing his patience.
"Earlier, before we left home, I caught her talking to someone. But when she noticed my presence, she hung up and didn't give me a chance to find out who she was talking to."
"Where is her phone?" he asked.
"When she returned after being informed about the fire, she dropped it in the garden."
"You'll retrieve that phone and find out who she was speaking to," he said, yanking her chin closer and giving her a warning look. "Or else, you'll accompany me to jail."
"Be quiet! I'm not foolish like Shraddha to remain silent if mistreated. Don't forget, I'm Sarah. Just because I want your money doesn't mean I'll allow you to treat me as you please. You'll give me half of everything you own for the murder of your father and taking his wealth." She freed herself from his hold and spoke, unafraid of his menacing gaze.
"I didn't promise half. I said I'll compensate you as I see fit."
"If you want that phone, you'll pay half. In fact, you'll sign the papers right now, or I'll visit the station instead."
He laughed and threatened, "Remember, this isn't your country. No one will listen to you, believe you, or support you because I'm not an ordinary person. No one will take your side; instead, you'll be arrested for slander."
"Are you threatening me?"
"Yes! You'll retrieve that phone if you want to stay safe. Otherwise, I'll have you arrested and deported from India to spend the rest of your life in jail."
"You'll be surprised by what I'm capable of. If this is how you repay my help, you're a backstabber, and I'll be one too. Trust me!" She left the car in anger, while he scoffed, realizing he couldn't rely on her. She thanked God for guiding her away from the lure of riches as Ranbir drove off. She proceeded to Anand's residence, where the flames from the fire were dangerously prominent. There, she saw his lifeless body on the ground.
"Stop! Enough!" she murmured and recited some verses. The fire seemed to reverse its course until everything began returning to normal. She felt embarrassed as she met Anand's eyes. He had survived, and his excitement was unrestrained as he looked at his family, who were now alive. A tear of happiness rolled down his cheek.
"I don't deserve this happy ending, God!" he mumbled.
Shraddha, convinced that her body had been burnt, ran her hands over herself. Her eyes met Riya's, who appeared just as stunned as she was.
"Ananya!"
Her friend's voice drew her attention to her presence.
"Sa...." She was about to question why she was on her knees, but Sarah, ahead of her, admitted with guilt shrouding her face and quivering in her voice.
"I tried to kill all of you, Ananya."
"How... what... I was burnt. Anand killed me." She moved her hand gently across her face as she tried to comprehend what had happened. She had no doubt Anand had pushed her into the flames.
"He killed me."
"What nonsense are you babbling? You conspired with your friend to kill us, didn't you? My whole family? How dare you?" Out of nowhere, Poonam aggressively pushed Sarah to the floor.
"Just be quiet and listen to me."
Anand shouted at Poonam in anger, questioning who had taught her to push elders who weren't her peers.
"Didn't you see what she did? She set the house on fire. God knows how we survived, but we did, and we survived so that we can send her to jail forever. You'll rot in hell, I promise you," Poonam directed her last statement to Shraddha.
"Please, be quiet and hear me out. I set fire to your house as per Ranbir's instructions. He wanted me to burn all of you, and I did. But before I did," her friend confessed while crying uncontrollably. Shraddha gave her an unfamiliar, piercing look. She had betrayed her just like the others.
"Before I did, I made sure it could be reversed. I have been bestowed with the gift to reverse events. I betrayed our friendship, Ananya. Ranbir promised me half of his property, which he changed at the last minute. I sold our friendship for money. You know the condition I live in in America. I'm dependent on you, and Ranbir found out about it. He said his money could change my fate, and I agreed."
"If you utter another word against my husband, I'll kill you," Riya warned Sarah with a hateful glare. She wouldn't tolerate anyone disparaging her husband, not out of affection for him, but because they were tarnishing her own reputation.
"It's the truth. He wanted to sacrifice you too for money. He didn't care." Sarah whispered gently, but Riya denied vehemently.
"He loves me dearly. You're a liar trying to cover up your friend's crime. Shraddha will be sent to jail and will be locked up forever." Riya refused to listen to another word from her and placed her trust in her husband's innocence.
"Be silent. I will call the police station now." she shut her up before she could speak again.
"Drop the phone. We will discuss this tomorrow morning," his mother stated, to which Riya complied.
"No way! So that she has enough time to escape?"
"Come with me. You'll go and bring my father back." Shraddha gently held Sarah's hand and pulled her to her feet.
"Your father is safe now. Nothing will happen to him unless Ranbir finds out he's okay. Ranbir wants him dead because he doesn't want to share his property with you."
"I don't understand. If his problem is with me, why does he want to kill my father? If I die, the property won't be shared. He'll get everything. What has his father done to him?"
"If you die, your share will be transferred to the orphanage. That is Mr. Pandey's will," Sarah explained.
Shraddha's heart swelled with even greater affection for her father, bringing tears to her eyes.
"I warned him that the next time we meet, he'll be behind bars. You will testify against that man right now. Everyone should know how he tried to kill everyone."
"You can't slander my husband in front of me," Riya intervened, still not accepting the idea that Ranbir could kill any of them.
"I don't know what to call you, Riya. I doubt you love him, nor do you hate him. What keeps you with him? He killed your daughter! I have all the evidence to prove it. By now, the police station must have received that evidence. But, I don't want any of his sins to go unpunished. One by one, he should receive punishment for all." Shraddha revealed the truth by divulging every detail.
"Lies," Riya shook her head in disagreement. "She is his daughter. Why would he do that?"
"Is she? Do you think he's not aware of your past?" Shraddha exclaimed, while his mother wrapped up the discussion, instructing everyone to head inside, including Shraddha.
"You won't leave until this case is settled regarding the accusations you've made against Ranbir," Anand's mother asserted her authority. Shraddha smiled openly before responding.
"Why? There's no truth here except that I didn't kill anyone. If you need evidence, I have it. I'll send it tomorrow, and this matter will be closed for good. I turned myself in to the authorities because I have proof of my innocence. I won't be Ananya anymore. I'll remain as Shraddha, and Shraddha will ensure that justice is served."
Riddhima, who gazed at her in astonishment, approached her. Her gentle touch held Shraddha's hand, and Shraddha met her moist eyes.
"Please don't leave again, mother," Riddhima whispered gently.
Shraddha pulled her into a tight hug that made them feel as if they were one, their souls connecting.
"Are you alright, my dear? I love you. I love you very much." She placed affectionate kisses on various spots on Riddhima's hair, as she was the only one in the family with a pure heart who had accepted her.
"I'm fine, but I won't be if you leave."
"I won't leave you. You'll come with me to a better place."
Anand found solace in the hope that her affection for Riddhima could lead to her forgiving him.
"Yes, I will come with you."
"What do you think..." Lakshmi began to object, looking at Anand, but he signaled her to stop.
"Come, let's go."
"My granddaughter will not be leaving this house with you, Shraddha. Nor will you be going anywhere. No one will leave until this case is resolved."
"I'm sorry, but you have no authority to keep me in a place I don't wish to be. Don't forget how you wanted me out not so long ago. I don't want to enter that house or be associated with anything related to any of you again. I'm done. As for the evidence, you'll receive it tomorrow. Whether you believe it or not is up to you. If not, you can fight it out in court. Thank you." She turned, with Riddhima by her side, and started walking away. When her eyes met Anand's, her heart harbored nothing but anger, and she remembered his betrayal—he didn't care whether she lived or died. He was ready to kill her.
There will be a part two. I don't want to make the chapter very long, so I'm breaking it into two. But the chapter two will be the end. Thank you.