Lakshya stared at Mahima in silence still processing what he heard her say, he remained that way for a minute before he finally spoke up, "You're the owner?"
"That's correct, can we start the meeting?" Mahima told him slightly taken aback by his ignorance, she then takes her seat allowing Lakshya to begin.
Lakshya then briefs her about the latest development, "As you're aware about what happened at the inaugural function and the subsequent events that followed later as a result of which my uncle is currently hospitalised and my dad...." he trailed hesitating to say anything beyond that, Mahima and her colleagues noticed the awkwardness. Taking the hint she continued, "so you'll be taking over in their place I assume"
"For a while, me along with Chetan will be directing this place till my dad gets released" he then continued the meeting where they discussed about the agenda for the week ahead which took around an hour, once the meeting concluded Mahima's colleagues leave while she disconnects her laptop from the large monitor and turns it off. She then shuts her laptop close and places it inside the sleeve. Lakshya was observing her as she did so and when she was about to leave he interrupts her "Excuse me", Mahima who was just a step away from the door turns back to face him, "Yes, did we leave anything out?" she asked confused over why he stalled her.
Lakshya then walked right towards her before he stopped at arm's distance. As he stood right before her, his facial expression softened, "I'm sorry about earlier"
"About what?" Mahima asked surprised by his sudden apology.
"For assuming you weren't the owner" he answered, Mahima lets out a sigh, "It's okay and I understand, you just took over so you possibly wouldn't have known"
He then smiles at her, "thanks, by the way I'm quite impressed, you're quite young and you've already made something of yourself" he told her
"Well a person's gotta do whatever it takes to put food on the table, the rest just comes along with it, that is making something of yourself " she chuckled.
Her words took him by surprise as he never considered this aspect of enterprising before given his focus was to just make a name for himself independent of his family background and support. The realization that he had it easy compared to many others just starting out made him appreciate everything he took for granted till now given that he was responsible for the family.
"I see" he replied as he gazed into her eyes for a moment, for a strange reason he wanted to identify with her over that even though there was no real reason to actually do so and that intrigued him.
"If that's all, I'll take your leave" she told him to which he agrees and she steps out of the room.
Once she left he then got himself engaged with the work that involved managing the hotel, he spent the day at the office with the finance and sales department to discuss an upcoming event that they were going to host on behalf of their client. Once he was done he then visited the surveillance control room to go through the footage of the inaugural day which in itself was a daunting task, part of the reason why he decided to join the hotel was to find evidence that could prove his father's innocence. As he binged through all the video files for around 2 hours he then played the footage outside the men's restroom. He stared at the screen and at this point his eyes were wearied and red, he continued the same for a while till he finally saw his father enter the restroom followed by another man going inside. He then took note of the time and to his relief it was the exact time as the one shown in the footage where Anvay was entering the office with Shashi. He quickly copies the file and saves it in his pen drive which he planned on sending to Mr. Kulkarni as evidence.
He then moved to the front desk office to get a hold of the guest list to obtain the details of the man who was with his father at the time when Shashi was attacked to get the alibi confirmed for good.
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Mahima was back at the hospital to resume her role as a volunteer, a place she would visit after her working hours and whenever she had free time except for Sunday. She was at the children's ward attending the child who's bill she had cleared earlier. Mahima then hands the little boy who laid on the bed a gift bag which he gladly accepted, he then opened it and found a monster truck play set.
"This was the one you wanted right?" She asked him, the young boy was elated on seeing the toy, "Yes didi" he answered
Mahima smiled the moment she heard that, "you didn't have to get him that" the boy's grandmother told her, "you've already done a lot for us" she continued
"Then allow me to do a little more" Mahima smiles at the old woman, walks towards her and holds her hands "You're grandson is like a little brother to me and you're like a mother to me, I've only helped someone I consider as my own so you needn't feel indebted over that" Mahima told her.
Mahima then opened her purse and took out a well sealed box of sweets. She opens it revealing the laddoos which were packed inside to feed the lady and the young boy. "Did something good happen?" The old woman asked to which an overjoyed Mahima answers, "Yes, I got engaged"
The news made the old woman's day, "Congratulations! Who's is the guy and when are you getting married?" She asked
"A good man and the date is yet to be fixed but I'll bring him over some day" Mahima told her. "I pray that you receive all the happiness in life and that you lead a happy married life" the old woman blessed her which Mahima gladly accepted.
"Didi is getting married?" The young boy asked slightly unhappy with the news, "So does that mean she won't visit us anymore"
"Nothing like that, I'll still come over" Mahima assured him. A moment later a nurse called out to Mahima and asked her to head to the administration office.
Mahima followed as instructed, she enters the office and heads straight to the desk. "What's the matter?" Mahima asked wondering if there was something wrong.
"Nothing actually, we called to return this to you" the staff at the desk told her handing over an envelope. As she opened it she found the cheque which she had deposited earlier leaving her confused. "Is something wrong with this, I mean I don't understand why are you returning it?" She asked
"Our management told us to give it back, that's why" the staff member answered and explained that the hospital's sponsors had cleared the dues so she needn't have to pay for it.
"But weren't you'll earlier pushing for a payment because of which you'll had refused to proceed with her grandson's surgery, so why a sudden change of heart?" Mahima asked to which the staff member told her it was a mistake on their part and apologised for it as well.
Mahima took her cheque and then turned around to walk away wondering what exactly happened overnight. As she was about to step out she bumps into her friend from the admin staff who just opened the door to enter the office.
Mahima then asked her friend if she knew about why they suddenly returned her cheque back, "Oh regarding that, actually what happened was...." her friend told her about how the staff was reprimanded for demanding money from an economically challenged patient by their sponsor who right there when the entire incident took place and that they were the ones who asked them to return the money she paid.
"I see, do you know who they are?" Mahima asked her friend, "Not really, it was the first time I saw them here, but I guess they have a family member that has been admitted here recently, so they are likely to visit again" her friend told her, "In that case if you see them again ask them to contact me, I'd like to thank them personally" Mahima requested her friend to which she agreed.
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Srishti and her parents were at the Singh Mansion to discuss the wedding date owing to the events that recently took place. The priest was going through the natal charts to determine an appropriate date, while Lakshya had just walked in to find everyone right before him.
Lakshya walks to his mother and whispered "What's going on?"
She explained to him that they had called the priest to figure out if it was possible to delay the wedding date. Once the priest was done he explained that owing to their unique natal charts it was not possible push the wedding date any further as doing so would mean they would have to wait for another 8 years. He advised them that it would be better if they figure out a way to get married on the date set earlier putting the Singh's in a dilemma.
"Are you sure pandit ji ?" Shipra asked hoping he'd suggest alternative
"I'm sure, there's no other date available unless you'll are willing to wait for another 8 years" he told her.
Her heart sank as she he confirmed that, "so what do you'll wanna do?" Smitha asked Shipra, "Do you want to go ahead with the date or not because 8 long years is a bit too much" on hearing her mother ask this question Srishti got worried which Shipra took note off.
"If there's no other alternative then we'll just go ahead as planned" Shipra assured Smitha on hearing that Lakshya requests his mother to speak to her in private to which she agrees, she excuses herself and heads off to the kitchen with her elder son. "What's the matter?" She asked wondering if there was anything bothering him.
Ashlesha was just passing by the kitchen, when she noticed the mother and son duo she stopped to listen into their conversation.
" Do we have to go ahead with the wedding as planned? I mean how would Tai ji feel about this? And what about dad? We still haven't got him out" Lakshya raised his concern hoping she would reconsider.
"Your Tai ji will understand, and so will your dad, we know he is innocent so he will be released soon but regarding Srishti, it wouldn't be fair to make her wait for 8 years which is why we will go ahead as planned" Shipra explained to her son.
"But mom—" Lakshya tried to object but got cut off midway before he could complete, "I want to see you get married and settled, and there is no better girl than Srishti, if you trust me you'd do as I say" she told him to which Lakshya gave her the nod not wanting to upset her any further while he was actually frustrated deep down for not being able to object to her decision.
"Wow these people really are quite shameless, but don't worry I'll make sure they all have the time of their life during the wedding" Ashlesha thought to herself before transforming into a serpent and slithering away on realising that Shipra was going to walk out.
Shipra then walked back into living room to further discuss about the wedding. "So it's decided then, the date is set for 3 weeks from now" Smitha concluded to which Shipra agreed, "we'll plan on the preparations for the same so don't worry about it" Shipra told the Rai's before sending them off.
Once they left everyone got back to minding their own business, Ashlesha was in the kitchen to have a glass of water for herself as she was done and was about to walk out she bumps into Abhay. "Sorry" he told her as he moved aside to let her leave but then remembered what happened the previous night. As she was about to walk away he calls out to her, "Ashlesha, can I have a word with you" she turns back to face him and asks "Is everything okay?"
"Why did you leave and where did you head off to in the middle of the night yesterday?" He asked
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The question caught Ashlesha off guard, "What are you talking about? Where would I head off to in the middle of the night?" She maintained her poker face as she lied to him confidently.
"I'm pretty sure I saw you last night" Abhay asserted himself before her, "but what I don't get is the fact that you're denying it"
"You must have been mistaken" she tried to convince him however he wasn't ready to budge, "Since you're denying it and it really wasn't you, then I suppose you wouldn't mind if check the surveillance footage"
The minute he mentioned that she began to wonder whether she should take her chance or just admit to his claims. With confidence she then agrees to getting the surveillance footage of the previous night checked, "Sure, why not? If that'll clear your doubts please go ahead"
Her response left him wondering where she got her confidence from, "Okay then as you wish, please follow me" he told her, "Sure, but can I use the restroom before that?" She requested to which he agreed. Once she was done they both headed to the surveillance control room where Abhay asked the security guy to go through the previous nights footage.
As they were going through it, the time frame where Ashlesha leaves the house begins to flicker followed by the screen going blank much to Abhay's annoyance.
"What's wrong?" Abhay asked the security to which he explained that it must have been a technical glitch.
"How strange" Abhay was amazed by the coincidence regarding the occurrence of the glitch and then turns his head towards Ashlesha observing her carefully, when she noticed him do so it got her a little worried, "Why are you staring at me like that? I didn't do anything" she told him.
"I never said that you did, but the fact that the very part of the footage where you leave the house goes missing is quite suspicious" he pointed
"Firstly I never left the house, second let's say even if I did, how can you insinuate that I messed up the footage?" She argued "like when did I ever get the opportunity to even do that given that I never stepped in here until now"
Abhay knew she was right and began to wonder if he were overthinking but his gut told him otherwise. For an unexplained reason he felt that she was hiding something and began to wonder if she had an ulterior motive.
"If you're done, can I get back to work?" She asked him to excuse herself. "Yes, please do" he told her.
Ashlesha then goes back inside the house and heads straight to her room. As she closed the door shut behind she breathed a sigh of relief.
She then takes out her phone and dials up the recent contact from her call list. The phone rings on for a while till the other person received it.
"Thank you so much, if it weren't for you my cover would have been blown off" she told them and then explained all that happened. It turns out that she had earlier called up this person when she was in the restroom and they had knocked out the security guy and impersonated them before she headed to the surveillance control room along with Abhay, hinting they were a shapeshifting serpent as well.
"it seems we may have to take care of the younger son, he might prove to be troublesome and get in our way later" she told the other person
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Anvay was in his cell after being interrogated for hours. Once he was done with his dinner he tried to fall asleep as he tossed and turned every 15 minutes for over two hours. As he laid down he then heard a sound that made him rise up. He then looks around to see what or who it was but found nothing.
"I told you so didn't I?" A voice whispered in his ears startling him. He turns around but there was no one there.
"That you'd pay a heavy price for what you did" he heard the voice again even though no one was around making him wonder if he was losing it. The voice then begins to laugh in the most eerie manner.
"Stop it!" He screams out hoping for the same as he then began to throw things around creating a disturbance following which the constable comes to check on him.
"Keep it down!" The constable yelled bringing Anvay back to his senses as the voice stopped tormenting him.
"Who said you could trash this place, Did you by any chance lose it?" The constable asked
"I'm sorry" Anvay apologized following which the constable leaves and he tries to calm himself down back to sleep.
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The next morning Lakshya paid a visit to Mr. Kulkarni's office to show him the video evidence he found the previous day.
Mr. Kulkarni went through and seemed pleased, "this is good, however it would help if we could get the person in the footage besides him to testify"
"I figured you'd say this, that's why I asked our sales management regarding them and got their details" Lakshya told him to which Mr. Kulkarni was pleased and asked Lakshya whether he had disclosed the same to anyone else. "No I haven't told anyone else about this, it's just between us"
"Good! It's better we get things done discreetly" Mr. Kulkarni remarked to which Lakshya agreed, "Given that someone's trying to frame dad I don't want to give them the opportunity to get in the way"
Mr. Kulkarni then advised Lakshya that besides securing the alibi it was necessary to track the person conspiring against his family as well because it's likely that they weren't targeting just his father alone.
"Could your family and in particular your father have any enemies? For example someone that holds a grudge against him?" Mr. Kulkarni asked Lakshya
"Not that I know of it, but I'll check with Mom for she may know something" once Lakshya was done discussing the case he then left the office. On exiting the building he then walks towards his car and enters the same following which he drives away and stops at his independent office to collect some stuff and then heads walks out and heads towards a cafe nearby.
He steps out of his car and walk towards the cafe. Lakshya enters the same and heads towards the order and service counter, a lady in a yellow Kurti and blue jeans was ahead of him and had just collected her order. As she turns around he is surprised to find Mahima before him, "Hi, you come here too?" he asked her to which she answers, "Yes, I live nearby"
"I see" he muttered
"What about you?" Mahima asked him wondering what made him show up there. "I have my office nearby" he answered surprising Mahima, "you do? I've never seen you around before" she told him
"That's because it was set up just a few days ago" he explained
"That makes sense" Mahima then excused herself and headed towards her table while Lakshya placed his order at the counter and waited there. He collects his order and then scans the place for an empty table but couldn't find any during the breakfast hour. Mahima took notice of the same and beckoned him which he followed and sits down at her table.
"Thanks" he told her, "don't mention it, this place is really popular, if you wish to dine in then I'd suggest you come earlier" she explained
They had their meal in silence, once Mahima was done she picked up her food tray and disposed the contents in the nearby bin before leaving it at the counter and walking out.
Lakshya followed the same once he was done and then walks out as well and heads straight towards where his car was parked. As he walked towards it he noticed Mahima waiting outside her own vehicle seemingly frustrated.
"Is everything okay?" He asked not wanting to make any assumptions.
"Yes, I'm just waiting for a cab to show up since my car stopped working out of the blue" she told him to which he offered her a ride
"Are you sure that's okay?" She asked him, "yeah don't worry about it" he assured her as he got in following which she walks towards his car and joins him inside.
"Thanks" she told him as she fastened her seat belt. He then started the car and drove away, while driving Lakshya couldn't help but notice the awkward silence between them and in a bid to break the ice he asks, "are you usually this quite or is it just me?"
"I'm usually like this" she answered him with a smile to which he responds with an "Okay......" as he continued driving. As they reach the traffic signal which turn red at that moment he applies the brake to stop the car, as he waited for the signal to turn green he turns on the radio. "I hope you don't mind" he asked Mahima to which she responds with a brief yet indifferent tone "I don't" that made her seem pretty distant.
The comedy hour program was going on where by the host would perform on air, the jokes he cracked helped alleviate the mood inside the car to a point where Mahima began to giggle surprising Lakshya, it was a joke about a computer acting like a human when it blamed other computers over its own errors.
"You found that funny?" he asked her with his head slightly tilted to which she replies, "of course, aren't humans exactly like that?" as she tried to control her giggling to which Lakshya found himself getting smitten over. As the signal turned green he pushes down the accelerator and drives ahead for a while till Mahima asks him pull over, "I'll get off over here"
"Are you sure?" He asked to which she replies with a "yes, and thanks again" she then unfastens her seat belt, steps out of the car and waves him a goodbye before walking away herself. As he watched her leave he could feel a void creep up within him for a reason he couldn't explain and brushed it off as he drove away.
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Abhay was in his class during the media research session. He kept brooding over what happened back at home regarding the surveillance footage going blank and simply couldn't get his mind off it.
As the session progressed, the lecturer began to explain about the group assignment to be completed by the students.
"The assignment is all about indian folktales and each group would have to decide on a topic to work on" the lecturer explained following which she began to form groups of 4 based on a draw. Abhay and Srishti ended up together in the same group along with 2 other girls.
As they sat together to discuss over what to work on, one of the members suggested to work on ichaadhaari (wishful shapeshifting) Naagins (female cobras).
"What are those?" Abhay asked to which Srishti and the others gave him a surprised look, "Really you don't know about them?" his group member named Kirti asked to which he responds with a no.
"Seriously? Haven't you watched the movie Nagina?" Srishti asked him to which he shook his head to say no and told them that he wasn't really into old movies. "So what's special about them? He asked them to which the other member Shruti answered, "they are serpents who live beyond a hundred years to attain their shapeshifting abilities, they are powerful and can transform into anyone but most of all they are vindictive in nature"
"You mean they're similar to werewolves?" He asked to which Kirti answers, "more close to the nine tailed fox in East Asian mythology" which got him intrigued.
"So shall we submit this as our topic?" Srishti asked everyone to which they agree and informed the lecturer about the same. Once the class was dismissed Srishti approaches Abhay to discuss how they could collect information however she noticed he kept spacing out.
"Is something bothering you?" she asked him wondering if that were the case.
"Something's fishy" he muttered confusing Srishti "What do you mean?"
"It doesn't concern you" he told you and then just walks away as she watched him leave taken aback by his contemptuous demeanor.
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Chandrika and Shipra went to visit Anvay who was in police custody. Mr. Kulkarni has also accompanied them in order to discuss a few matters with him. After getting Officer Shergill's and the Superintendents approval they headed to the cell where Anvay was confined.
Chandrika's heart broke on watching her Son locked up and behind bars. She wanted to go and embrace him but was not allowed to enter his cell. Shipra held her tears back as she watched him, there was a lot that she wanted to ask and tell but couldn't at that moment.
"How are you?" Chandrika asked her son. "I'm okay" he responded. She noticed the dark circles under his eyes which indicated that he didn't sleep well but refrained from asking about it. She hands him a 3 layered tiffin box feeling sorry and told him, "I know the food here is awful that's why I brought this, have this for today" to which he told her that the prison authorities would not allow it.
"Don't worry about that" and made him accept the food. As the time given to them for the visit was about to end Mr. Kulkarni takes his opportunity to ask Anvay if he had any enemies or someone that held a grudge against him to which. Anvay gave it a thought, the only one who could have done that to him were dead already, "I don't think so, and even if there is I wouldn't know" he answered, disappointed by the response he then excused himself and left. Chandrika and Shipra then bid him goodbye and left as well with Chandrika leaving ahead to use the restroom while Shipra waited for her mother in law to return.
As she waited out a constable started ranting to his colleague about how his night was disturbed by one of the inmates. "That person kept throwing things around the cell and yelling out loud some woman's name in the middle of the night" the constable told his colleague to which they respond "He must be crazy, either that or he's guilty about something"
"I agree, All night he kept crying for some Neelima to stop, I think that person's closed to deranged" the constable remarked which made Shipra realize that he was talking about her husband and peaked her curiosity.
As soon as her mother in law was done and stepped out of the restroom they head towards the exit. As they walk out of the police station and waited outside for their chauffeur, Shipra asks her mother in law, "Who is Neelima?"
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And this is the end of chapter 6. Hope you all like it.
Thanks :)
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