Subbu and Sash had drawn up a plan. Shravan was returning the next day so they would raid the supposed distribution ghettos from 3am in the morning so people do not know much about the operation and before the news spreads Shravan has already reached Bangalore. There would be two teams, one which would raid the places where consignment is stored while the other would camp at the Malhotra's place and take Devraj and Maria for questioning. Once the technicalities are taken care of both would be brought to NCB headquarters for taking them into custody. They had to take extreme care that the news does not reach media, and nobody reached the spot at least till morning. This time Subbu had roped in senior trusted officers to keep an eye on Emanuel and not depend on the local police to take some action. Knowing the mental state Shravan would be in , Suman was instructed to pick up Shravan from the airport and bring him directly to the bureau so they can explain the situation to him. Shravan would have to be taken off the investigation following protocol as he is directly related to the suspect.
Suman had reached much earlier than the expected arrival of the flight in which Shravan was coming back. Although she was aware that Shravan had chosen such an early morning flight as he wanted to spend some quality time with Suman before heading to work. Her eyes misted how he had planned for the breakfast date the previous day and things had drastically changed overnight. Suman looked at the arrivals display time and again to see them flipping through displaying various cities and their timings as she tried to train her eyes to look for only arrivals from Bhopal. Finally, after traversing the waiting area up and down and clasping and unclasping her intertwined fingers it was time to face the inevitable as Shravan's flight had landed. Soon she saw her Shravan walking towards her in long strides smiling ear to ear although Suman was not sure when she told him the truth would he remain her Shravan anymore. Shravan ran the last few steps quickly and finally leapt to hold Suman in a bone crushing embrace. They had both missed each other terribly. Shravan soaked in the warmth of the soft body in his arms while Suman felt her nerve ends tingling as his masculine woody scent filled her nostrils. She closed her eyes as she pulled Shravan more into her tightly but soon, reality struck and she realized why was she here in the first place. Shravan immediately noticed the fact that Suman was squirming a little in his arms which was a first since they had got together as a couple. Shravan immediately let her go and scanned her face which was now a little pale and her eyes were looking everywhere instead of him. Shravan was now sure that something was terribly wrong, and he folded his arms looking straight at Suman asked "What is wrong Suman? Something happened, are you angry with me". Suman nodded her head subtly and said "Its just that Sash and Subbu have something urgent to discuss and they want you us to go directly first to the bureau. I am sorry we cannot stop by breakfast and I need to drive you to the bureau and then I will drop you back". Shravan gave a sarcastic smile and said "Suman, you are a fantastic cop but when it comes lying to people close to you, you really suck at it. But I get it there is something that you cannot talk about now. Fine, when there is nothing to talk let's get going". The icy tone that Shravan had when he spoke sent a shiver down Suman's fine, there was fear, a fear of losing Shravan at the cost of her duty and protocol.
The rest of the journey back to the office was silent and this time the silence was deafening as if they were distances apart. Both stole glances at each other when they thought the other was not looking and a myriad of questions floated between the silences as they drove on. An hour later Suvan were seated with Subbu and Sash and without any preamble Sash started explaining the progress in the investigation and then finally revealing to Shravan that his father, Devraj Malhotra was the primary suspect now. As they currently talk, the team is raiding various hideouts and looking for evidence. They have already found some Daavi masala packets in one of the restobars which were concealed within false impaneled walls. Shravan had not spoken a word since Sash and Subbu had started explaining him the scenario and his face had remained stoic throughout. Subbu finally mentioned that as per protocol he would have to be taken off the case and he would have to hand over his details to another official who will be identified shortly. Shravan looked up at the last statement but still did not speak a word and Suman observed a muscle twitch along his jaw, but he did not react. When the discussion was over Shravan walked out straight as if nothing had happened inside while Suman stood observing him. Sash patted Suman's back asking her to take care of Shravan and mention to him that he will be put in another case if not this because he is a fine officer. Suman had been searching for Shravan for the past half an hour and finally could locate him in the park which had been always her hideout when she felt low. She rushed to him but looking at his stiff posture as he seemed looking into oblivion, she was not sure if it was right time to approach Shravan. Suman placed a hand on his shoulders and Shravan jumped and shrugged her hand off and almost shouted "Stay away from me Officer. I can manage myself, I don't need anyone around. Of all people I thought you were mine, you trust me and you had known about his for such a long time and you chose to hide it from me. You thought I would step in the way of justice to save my father. You make me feel disgusted". Suman looked shocked as tears started flowing down her cheeks and she haltingly said "Shravan I did not know earlier and you know I was doing my job, I still love you and trust you" Suman continued but she noticed that Shravan was walking past her as if she had not said anything. Suman broke down thinking everything was lost, and nothing can fix this mess now.
Shravan was in a state of emotional turmoil when he had returned home. Everything that he had built on his own, an identity for himself and his mother has today come crumbling down under the weight of his father's misdeeds. The more he has tried to distance himself over the years has today clouded not only his professional but also personal life. Subbu and Sash and his colleagues at NCB will probably start looking at him differently or will taunt him like in his school and on top of it Suman, what would she think? Will she leave him, how can she love someone whose father has probably been responsible for killing her Satya Bhaiyya. Shravan looked at his disheveled face in the mirror as his stark similarity with his father stared back at him. In no way would he be able to erase his connection of his father, even if he forgets the blood that runs in his veins, the flesh and bones that are part of his body , the face would keep reminding him whose son was he. Bile rose in his throat at the realization as he ran to the washroom retching up. A while later he stood in the shower stall letting the cold water run over his body trying to wash off the grim and dirt of the entire fiasco. It was when Shravan noticed that his skin was wrinkling from being under the cold water for long ,that he stepped out , dried himself and walked to dress up that he realized that the water did wash off the grim and dirt of his body but did nothing to his soul and his blood. He started walking vigorously inside the room rubbing his skin as if it would rub away everything that linked him to Devraj and soon the activity turned to scratching himself along his shoulders, arms till blood came out and he was in pain. Shravan wanted the pain to increase to such a level, so he can drown himself in that and the thought of his father goes far away from him. By evening he was a bloody mess trying to web off the thoughts of Devraj, the drug lord or Devraj the drug peddler by drowning in pegs of whisky. He was now acutely aware of a rising pain he felt in a corner of his heart which was refusing to go as Shravan kept drowning in a sea of despair as thoughts of he being called a criminal's son, his mother being ridiculed at being a criminal's wife and foremost Suman not willing to keep a relation with a criminal's son. No amount of alcohol was able to subdue the pain and in frustration he threw the bottle of whisky ahead as it broke into pieces taking down the glass on the mirror and breaking it into smithereens.
Suman had not been able to work today as her thoughts kept wandering to Shravan every other minute. She had returned early from work, but she was restless, in two minds whether she should go and look at how Shravan is faring, or she should just let him have some space to recuperate. With nothing to look forward to Suman slipped into her casuals and started flipping through the TV channels watching nothing as her mind refused to leave thoughts about Shravan. Suman decided on making some strong coffee to keep her occupied when Shravan's maid burst in with a terrified look in her eyes. Suman knew something was wrong and without waiting for her to explain, she just rushed out. Suman entered the dark quarters of Shravan with a dim light coming from his bedroom. His room looked like there has been a storm sometime ago with everything strewn on the floor, things broken, glass shattered and in the middle of the mess sat Shravan eyes red, hair messed, all bloodied. Suman felt terrified looking at the scene before her and she could feel her pulse going faster. It took a few minutes for her to calm down, think clearly before she walked in slow steps and sat down next to Shravan holding his bleeding hand and studying the scratches he had made on his body. Suman could not stop herself from crying looking at her Shravan. Contrary to what she thought that Shravan would push her away he looked at her and with an anguish in his voice said "Why is he my father, Suman". Suman quickly held his face in her palms and nodded a teary no and said "Don't Shravan, don't. He is not your father, giving sperms does not make him your father". Shravan opened his mouth to say something when Suman placed her finger on his lips saying "Not now, not anymore. Come with me please". Suman gradually pulled Shravan up and carefully ensuring the glass does not hurt him she led him out in the living room and made him sit on the sofa. She quickly asked the maid to clean up the room while she went to get some first aid for Shravan.
As Suman applied the antiseptic and cleaned his wounds Shravan hissed holding Suman's shoulders as Suman asked "Why did you hurt yourself so much, what did you achieve", she was now angry with him for doing all this. Shravan smiled sadly and said "This is dirty blood Suman, let it flow, perhaps it will cleanse things up". Suman's heart went out to him and she quickly pulled him into her arms and said "Don't ever say that Shravan again else I will do the same as I and you are one and then let's see who can hurt one more". Shravan immediately left her embrace and looked at her unable to decipher what she was saying and then he said what had been eating him up for a long time "Suman does that mean nothing changes between us, you don't loathe me!!!". Suman looked at Shravan appalled at his line of thought "Why would anything change between us Shravan? You are still my Shravan and what Devraj Malhotra has done is because he is him and you are you. Sharing his bloodline, his surname does not make you like him. You are my lovable, brave, flirty, strong Officer Shravan Malhotra whom I adore and love". Shravan looked other way as tears rolled down his cheeks unabashedly and between sniffs, he asked "Are you not bothered that I share his genes and I might some day be like him". Suman smiled and said "You are forgetting something that you share you mother's genes too so I think you will be like her strong, truthful and independent. Shravan, a character is built by upbringing and not by genes. You learn from what you see around, and you have seen the worst so you will not do them because you know where it will lead to". Suman had finished the dressing of his wounds and slowly made him stand and led him towards his now clean bedroom. Stacking the pillows against the headboard Suman made Shravan lie down and was about to get up to pull the blanket when Shravan pulled her making her sit next to him saying "Don't leave me Suman. I don't know what I will do to myself if I am alone, please stay with me please". Suman looked at his hollow pleading eyes and against all odds she could not say no to him now at this time. She sat down next to him resting against the pillows as Shravan held her tightly by her waist and lay down on her lap clutching her as if she would disappear the moment, he closed his eyes. Suman's heart overflowed with love for the man who is today lost, torn and broken and she promised to give it all to him so he is able to come back to his usual self.