FF: PALLAVI by Jalebi Jane SEE NOTE PAGE 117 - Page 33

Originally posted by: AnjuRish

I like this Raghav canny, smart and very wicked with words especially the last line

Waiting to see how pallu responds to this

Pallavi did suspect that someone had changed 'Deshmukh Saree Emporium' to 'Wicked Men Welcome' -----! And then the most wicked of men walks in! hehe

Such feels this story has❤️

Awesome meeting. I can’t wait to read about it.

Hey Jane....loved your update dear. As always it was amazing and I just love the way you explore new ways with Pallavi ❤️

Woah..Raghvi finally greet each other with their iconic fall and I really loved the fact that their meeting started simple..

and how Raghav makes Harish understand why he shouldn't follow...I really want to know what Raghav must be thinking and a fit of laughter came out of my mouth when he asked-"Is this yet another disguise? Or are you actually a shop-girl?”

so will Raghav be going to Mumbai??

Raghav now knows that the girl at bar and burqua girl who he was going to Mumbai to search for is actually a saree-shop girl also his sister's boss and terrifying creature.

I really am loving how this story mainly revolves around Pallavi and how you are saying different shades of her.

As for Amma, it will take some time to convince her

Waiting for next update

APRIL 19, 2021

EPISODE 16

While Raghav Rao had been speaking, Krishna had sidled up to Pallavi, so the two women were shoulder to shoulder. Pallavi was comforted by the younger woman’s proximity, despite the fact that Krishna was trembling.

Throughout her adult life, Krishna had heard so much about Raghav Rao, that what she saw opposite her was not the man but the legend built up of hearsay and gossip. She knew the stories of his triumphs. And the tales of his cruelties. She had also heard of his generosity, particular to those whom society spurned. She believed that if they begged for his mercy, he would take pity.

And this was the difference between the two women.

Krishna believed they had wronged Raghav; Pallavi believed they had nothing to atone for.

Raghav was saying, “No need to be embarrassed. I can see why you did it.” He spread his hands to indicate his environment. “You stand here all day long—a young woman dressed as an old maid—” he gestured towards her appearance “—dispensing ugly sarees to demanding customers. This is your family’s shop, isn’t it? You are trapped by their provincial expectations. Their narrow ideas. Their middle-class values. So once in a while, you escape from your reality. You put on a sexy dress. You don some heels. You enter rooms you have never seen. You speak to men who could spell danger. It’s a diversion.”

And while he spoke, his eyes were locked with Pallavi’s. Krishna didn’t exist. Farhad didn’t exist. There was just his voice and his eyes. Pallavi found it difficult to breathe.

He continued, “But one night you took things too far. You stole a ring. The next morning you regretted the theft. But how do you return something you stole without exposing who you are? So you try another disguise. And you discover you enjoy that disguise just as much. It allows you to enter my home and get close to me—”

“Enough!” Pallavi shouted, lifting her palm to indicate she would have no more. “You’ve spun an entertaining tale but it bears no resemblance to me or my life.”

“Then enlighten me,” he said.

“I don’t owe you any explanations.”

He took a menacing step towards her. “Oh yes, you do. The moment you entered my home that evening and presented yourself as family you went too far.”

Farhad climbed the stairs so he was within the shop, and then to Pallavi’s horror—he pulled down the shop shutter—locking the four of them within.

“Didi!” Krishna cried out, and clutched Pallavi’s arm.

Pallavi found within her the power to take a step towards Raghav, pushing Krishna behind her so as to protect her.

“Tell him everything, Didi!” she begged.

Weighing her words, Pallavi said, “You are right. I was seeking a diversion from my daily drudgery. So I dressed up. But I didn’t intend to take the ring. It was a mistake. That is the truth.” And tilting her head so she could meet Farhad’s eyes, she said, “Mr Farhad, I apologize for pretending to be your relative. I know now that I might have returned the ring without all that pretence, but at the time it seemed like the best plan to avoid detection.”

Farhad gave a nod. She could not be certain whether it was a nod of understanding, acknowledgement, or forgiveness. Or just a nod.

“Now,” she returned her attention to Raghav, “I would like you to leave. You are frightening Krishna. And by pulling down the shutter in the middle of the day it will draw allegations upon yourself and cast aspersions upon us.”

Despite her fear, her voice did not quaver at all through this speech—except a tiny bit towards the end.

Raghav asked, “What is your name?”

“Pallavi Deshmukh.”

“So this is your family business?”

She gave a nod, adding facetiously, “Yes, we are middle-class people with middle-class values.”

His brow lifted, and said, “They may be. But you are not. You are not a shop-girl. You don’t belong here.”

“You are speaking nonsense, Mr Rao.”

“We’ll see.” The words were bland but the promise in his voice sent a chill through her bones.

Raghav Rao pivoted. Farhad lifted the shutter. They left without a backward glance.

Krishna released a shuddering breath.

Pallavi drew her into her arms. Feeling as much need to comfort as to be comforted.

***

The two men returned to the vehicle. Raghav tossed Farhad the keys and climbed into the passenger side.

Farhad did not start the car immediately. He leaned back in the seat and gave a sound of mingled surprise and laughter.

“Harish’s dragon turns out to be the woman we’ve been looking for,” he said, shaking his head with disbelief. “To be honest, I didn’t recognize her until you began speaking of role-play. You knew her right away, Annah?”

“Her profile made me suspect, and then when she faced me—her eyes confirmed it,” Raghav replied.

Farhad asked, “I don’t think she would have been complicit in Anjali’s plan, do you?”

“No.” Raghav’s chin was resting on the back of his hand. He appeared thoughtful. “She desires secrecy not publicity. Her greatest fear would be if her family saw her in that video. We can rule her out.”

Farhad considered Raghav’s words and said, “We can also rule her out to help us to subsidize Kirti’s salary.”

“She’ll resist but she’ll do it,” corrected Raghav.

Farhad looked at Raghav, his brow expressing doubt. “You exposed her secret little hobby quite brutally—she will not help us!”

Raghav met Farhad’s eyes, “She will because we know too much about her. And thanks to Anjali—we have video evidence.”

“Will it be enough?”

“It’ll be enough,” Raghav promised. “But let’s acquire additional leverage and then we can approach her about Chelli.”

***

“Didi,” Krishna asked, “why did you allow him to believe all that rubbish about you?”

Pallavi met Krishna’s large questioning eyes.

Was it rubbish?

When Raghav Rao made those insinuations she felt that perhaps there was some truth to his words. No, not everything he said. But when he said she didn’t belong here—it rang true to her in the deepest part of herself.

So many nights after Mandhar left she asked herself why she remained. And it was only after she learnt the full truth of Mandhar’s machinations that she recommitted herself to the Deshmukhs and decided to stay and help rebuild what the family had lost. It was as though she took to repair what Mandhar had destroyed.

But why? That was not her place.

Ought she leave now? Where would she go? She had lost her inheritance. How would she manage in the world?

She gave herself a mental shake. A few words by Raghav Rao and she was rethinking her entire life? That was rubbish!

To Krishna, she said, “It seemed easier to agree with him.” She touched Krishna’s cheek gently, and said in Marathi, “ ‘Those who wish to fight must first count the cost’ * and I just wanted him out of the shop.”

Krishna managed a smile. “Your Baji Rao against Raghav Rao.”

“I wonder how he found me,” Pallavi said, turning to the mirror to straighten her saree. When she fell from the ladder—landing on him!—her pleats had gone awry. She saw her reflection and saw it fresh through his eyes: a young woman dressed as an old maid.

She turned away from the mirror. He was nothing to her. His opinion on her appearance meant nothing. She would give his words no further thought.

“He has spies everywhere, I hear,” Krishna was saying. “It was inevitable that he would find you. I’ve never been so scared in my life.”

“Me neither,” Pallavi said.

“It didn’t show, Didi. You were brave. Especially when you said, ‘I would like you to leave. You are frightening Krishna.’—Oh! Didi! I was so proud of you.”

***

As they entered the Palace, Farhad received a call. It was the Chief of Security of Sagar Lake Resort & Casino with good news, as he put it. Farhad pressed the speaker button so Raghav could hear.

They were now able to confirm that the person who had accessed the security footage was the bartender who had been on shift that evening in the members’ room.

He had admitted it all. He had been offered money by Anjali to keep an eye out during his shifts—if Raghav Rao appeared intimate with a woman, she wanted him to forward that video to her in Mumbai.

The bartender insisted he had not been aware Anjali was going to make the video public to humiliate Mr Rao and unleash a public relations nightmare. He thought Anjali was simply curious about Mr Rao’s relationships with women because she was still wild about him.

Ending the call, Farhad offered, “I can go to Mumbai with one of our men and handle Anjali. You need not make the trip.”

Raghav said, “No, I want to speak to Anjali and put the fear of death into her. And I want to meet with Mrs Raje. Is the appointment confirmed?”

Farhad said it was confirmed for the next day at noon.

*Attributing Sun Tzu to Baji Rao.

Originally posted by: ReemShah

Woah..Raghvi finally greet each other with their iconic fall and I really loved the fact that their meeting started simple..

and how Raghav makes Harish understand why he shouldn't follow...I really want to know what Raghav must be thinking and a fit of laughter came out of my mouth when he asked-"Is this yet another disguise? Or are you actually a shop-girl?”

so will Raghav be going to Mumbai??

Raghav now knows that the girl at bar and burqua girl who he was going to Mumbai to search for is actually a saree-shop girl also his sister's boss and terrifying creature.

I really am loving how this story mainly revolves around Pallavi and how you are saying different shades of her.

As for Amma, it will take some time to convince her

Waiting for next update

Thank you, Sister. Pleased you are enjoying the tale.

I'm also enjoying focusing on Pallavi---I want this story to be about her awakening at the hands of Raghav. It's as though she is in a deep sleep until he appears in her life :-)

Originally posted by: Mihika

Hey Jane....loved your update dear. As always it was amazing and I just love the way you explore new ways with Pallavi ❤️

Thank you, Sister. Pleased that you continue to enjoy it.

Ahh they finally met and spoke! I was waiting for this for so long, hopefully now we get more scenes of them together. However, interestingly, my favourite part of this chapter was Pallavi's introspection. You have stated that at the heart of this tale is her awakening and I can't wait to read that. Loved how she protected Krishna and Krishna's pride in her didi. I'm also looking forward to a truly menacing Raghav when he meets Anjali and the shrewd businessman in him while meeting Mrs Raje. Amazing chapter and as always.. Bring us more!

Atleast here pallu is not a hypocrite ..she is aware of certain things

I like the protective bro ..I have one and understand the reasons

But ,He lets me take my decisions and he says no matter what the consequences I am with u.

If wrong will scold in private but we are one front ..this pact when we were 15 has stayed alive for 25 years and hope it remains so