Chapter 2

InkedImagination

@Queen0fDarkness

Chapter 2: Miscarriage of Justice

On the same night of the accident, Maan had stumbled into the Khurana mansion, his mind spinning with the weight of what had just happened. The image of a lifeless young girl flashed in his mind repeatedly reminding him of the devastation he had caused.

Veena Khurana followed into the mansion, her sharp heels clicked against the floor echoing with fury. She was usually a mask of indifference but tonight, she was furious.

“What have you done?” she shouted at him, her eyes narrowed angrily. “Do you have any idea what you have brought upon us?”

Maan was still too dazed, he shook as he stared at his mother as she continued to yell. Guilt consumed him. “Maa, I… I wasn’t paying attention” he stammered, his throat felt dry and his voice was hoarse. “We… We didn’t even see her, I… The roads were quiet so we just… sped up wanting to get to the club faster” he mumbled and shook his head. “We need to tell the police, maa”.

“Are you out of your mind?” Veena cut him off sharply. “Do you know the consequences of your actions? Do you know what is going to happen to this family? To you? Our name?”

Maan frowned looking confused and shocked. “But I killed someone, maa” he cried out, tears cascaded down his cheeks. “I… I wasn’t paying attention and now… now someone is dead! I need to tell the truth, I have to, maa! I can’t live like this, maa. I can’t live like this” he shook his head.

Veena slapped his cheek. “Enough!” she yelled and pointed her finger in his face. “You are going to live with this, Maan! Quietly. Do you think confessing will bring that girl back?” she hissed. “No. What it will do for sure is destroy this family! Our name, reputation, everything we worked all our life for will be dragged through the mud will be gone. Is that what you want? What for? A mistake you cannot undo?” she questioned, her voice hard and biting.

Maan’s resolve wavered and he closed his eyes crying silently. “She was someone’s daughter, maa” he whispered. “I… I wasn’t even thinking and… I wish I hadn’t sped up all because we wanted to get to the club faster. If only I could…”

“Enough of this self pity session, Maan. Do you think this is the first time someone’s made a mistake like this? Accidents happen, Maan. That’s life. What matters now is how we handle it, and you will handle it like a Khurana. Do you understand?”

Maan shook his head weakly, his heart screaming for him to push back and to tell her she was wrong. But his mind was clouded with fear and guilt, and the crushing weight of his mother’s expectations left him feeling paralysed. He didn’t know what to do. He had just turned 18 years old recently, excited to start a new chapter in his life, attending an elite university and take over his role in a few years as the Khurana heir.

“This will pass, Maan” Veena said softening her tone and she placed her hand on his shoulder. “Your father is going to do everything in his power to make sure nothing happens to you and he will make sure that girl’s family is taken care of. You will not breathe a word to anyone. No one outside of our family and that girl’s family will ever know what happened. You are to keep your head down and move on. Forget this ever happened”.

Maan stared at his mother, she seemed so unfamiliar. He was used to her being distanced and indifferent but so cold, empty and without empathy for the young girl’s life he had just taken… It was so unlike her.

“You’re a Khurana. Act like it” she finished.

Maan didn’t respond, he turned away ascending the stairs to his bedroom and felt his heart crack. His mother’s words echoed in his ears. He didn’t feel like a Khurana right now. He only felt the unbearable weight of guilt threatening to crush him. Maan stumbled into his bedroom closing the door behind him. He leaned his head back, flashes of Meera’s lifeless body flashed before him, and he crumbled onto the floor crying. “I’m sorry. I am so sorry” he sobbed quietly.

It was after a couple of weeks that the Khuranas approached Meera’s grieving parents with a substantial financial settlement. Mohinder and Rano were furious, they had spent their lives building a modest and honest existence for their daughters and their lives were shattered when Meera died. The money was an insult to their grieving souls and a cruel attempt to place a price on Meera’s life.

“We don’t want your bloody money. We want justice” Mohinder shouted angrily. “Your son killed my Meera!”

Raj clenched his jaw, his expression cold and his eyes empty. “It was an accident”.

“You took our daughter, our life away from us. You’ve ruined everything” Rano whispered, her voice thick and heavy. Eyes filled with tears. “We want justice. Your money won’t bring back my daughter”.

“Think about it carefully. Justice won’t bring her back either” he pointed out.

“Get out!” Mohinder shouted and pointed to the door. “Get out of my house”.

Raj Khurana shook his head and stalked off.

Geet was from the top of the stairs silently, her innocent heart that bloomed with love was replaced with a burning hatred for the Khuranas.

Mohinder and Rano spend the next few months attempting to get justice, the police officers were evasive, evidences disappeared, the friends who’d been present simply sided with Maan and lied that Meera was the one who stepped out on to the road without looking. Each step of the way, their efforts were thwarted by the Khuranas powerful and corrupted connections. Their hearts filled with misery as they realised they wouldn’t be able to get justice for their daughter.

Geet silently watched from the sidelines over the years. Her chest ached as she watched her once strong father reduced to a broken shell of a man. Her mother’s radiant smile had disappeared and lines of sorrow etched her beautiful face. She hated seeing them like this, most of all though, she hated the Khuranas.

She hated their wealth, their arrogance and the way they had so easily crushed her parents fight for justice with their corrupted connections and power. Every time she thought of Maan Khurana, her blood boiled further with rage.

Geet watched as her parents cries were ignored and dismissed by everyone, no one paid them any attention, lawyers wouldn’t touch their case and help them investigate what happened and bring justice for their daughter.

Geet had been their silent pillar, burying her own grief to hold them up, but within her a storm had begun to brew. Each tear her mother shed, each heavy sigh from her father was a spark that fuelled the flames of her growing rage.

5 years on, her parents eyes were filled with hopelessness. The home that once was chaotic and filled with laughter was now cold and empty. Geet’s eyes stung with unshed tears as she looked at the framed picture of Meera.

The Khuranas had taken her sister’s life, destroyed her parent’s fight for justice and crushed all semblance of fairness in the world they had once known. If they couldn’t get justice, then Geet would find another way to make them pay. Maan Khurana had walked away unscathed five years ago, but Geet vowed he wouldn’t stay that way forever.

“You’re going to pay, Maan Khurana” she whispered, her voice filled with determination.