Raghvi FF: Hooked (Part 7/7) - Complete - Updated Pg 17 - Page 12

Originally posted by: ShyNomad

So glad you liked it, thank you! I have no comment on Mandar - but I hope you like the resolution 😎

I will definitely like the resolution if RaghVi are hooked together till the end of the chapter and there is no separation😆 because they found their person and home finally

i read your whole story in one go. waiting for the next part. continue soon!!

When will you update..

I have so less patient, I regret reading it because now I have to wait 😆but I just thought to just see if it's worth bookmarking but I couldn't hold myself reading it at a go. Awesome writing, something I wanted the show should have shown

Originally posted by: Guguminti

When will you update..

I have so less patient, I regret reading it because now I have to wait 😆but I just thought to just see if it's worth bookmarking but I couldn't hold myself reading it at a go. Awesome writing, something I wanted the show should have shown

Thanks so much! It might be some time until the next update 😳 But working on it 😎

I know how you feel, I prefer reading completed stories too, I'm not good with suspense 😆

Originally posted by: Henriette

i read your whole story in one go. waiting for the next part. continue soon!!

Thank you! I too am waiting for the next part to be completed 😒😛

Thank you to all who continued to read and respond to this story. Hope the final part is just as enjoyable. I ended it on what seemed appropriate. ❤️

Part 7

The early morning light filtered in through the window. Pallavi stretched lazily, snuggling into her pillow. As the last traces of sleep cleared from her mind, she stilled suddenly and opened her eyes.

Her “pillow” lay next to her, sound asleep with his arms around her. Raghav must have come in late last night, she realized, and wondered for a second what he must have thought finding her here. The thought passed when he tightened his hold, and she found herself distracted by the feel of his body against hers. Her palm came to rest on his chest and her fingers began to trace the chiseled muscles, moving as if they had a mind of their own.

A hand shot up to grab her wrist. “That tickles,” he grumbled drowsily, and she felt the heat rise to her face as his eyes opened. “Is it morning?”

She ducked her head. “It’s still early. You should go back to sleep.”

“Hmm,” he murmured, and closed his eyes again. She moved to get up and found herself pulled back down again, her long hair fanning around them. She looked at him in surprise. “And where are you going?” he asked as he pinned her with his stare. She could feel the question rumble through his chest.

Her breath caught as his hand came up to sweep back her hair, tracing the shell of her ear. She licked her lips, unable to resist kissing him softly. He hummed in approval.

“Breakfast,” she said, scratching his beard gently. “But when you’re up, we’re going to talk.” She pinned him with a look of her own as she left, ignoring his amused smile.

________

Pallavi listened with rapt attention as Raghav detailed his quest to trace the bank account of their blackmailer. He had finally gotten a name on the account a couple of months ago (his information, she realized) and had flown to Singapore last week to track them down, only to find a slick businessman who was more than happy to lend his name to anonymous parties for the right price. In this case, he had been promised a cut of the guaranteed funds with more to come in the future, but the money had never materialized.

All he could offer was the company’s proof of registration, filed with a fake name that led him to another holding with another fake director, and so on. And now…

“And now?” she asked.

“A dead end,” he said, sipping on his shake. “We’ll just have to be patient and wait for another lead.”

She raised an eyebrow. Be patient? That didn’t sound like The Raghav Rao.

“I’m sorry for not telling you earlier,” he said as he rose from the table. “I just wanted to wait until we had something.”

“But you’ll tell me when you do?”

He paused as he grabbed his jacket off the chair. “Of course,” he smiled.

____________

Pallavi sipped her coffee at the cafe, lost in thought. It had been weeks since Raghav returned from his trip, with no new information coming to light about their blackmailer. She had moved into his room - their room, she corrected herself –and though they were closer than ever she couldn’t shake the feeling that he was hiding something.

“Pallavi?”

She turned around and saw Milind Deshmukh sitting at a table behind her. “Kaka?” She picked up her cup and moved to sit across from him.

“It’s good to see you, beta,” he smiled at her fondly and lifted his cup. “I hope you’re well? I miss our coffee chats.”

Pallavi assured him she was, and soon they fell into conversation as if the past months of separation had never happened. They would likely have continued for another hour if not for a call on Milind’s phone. He excused himself and Pallavi let her eyes wander while she waited. A napkin doodle on their table caught her attention, and she pulled it closer. VIMIL ENTERPRISES was scrawled on the napkin in block letters. She felt a prickling sensation in her spine.

When he returned she asked him about it in a casual tone, masking her intense curiosity. Milind smiled ruefully. “An old dream,” he said, shaking his head. “Dada and I always talked about going into business together when we were younger. We even picked out a name.” He crumpled the napkin in his fist. “It was a long time ago,” he said sadly. “Things change.”

____________

Raghav walked in to their room, pulling off his vest as he went. It had been a long day, and he looked forward to a hot shower before dinner. Maybe they could go out, he thought, and unbuttoned his shirt, throwing it in the direction of the bed.

“Raghav.”

He looked up to find Pallavi sitting on the bed with his shirt, her arms crossed. At the look on her face he thought back to anything he might have done, or forgotten, or not done. Was it her birthday? No, he decided, it was too soon for that. “Pallavi. What happened?”

“Did you know?”

“Know?”

“About Baba,” she spit out his name. “Did you know it was him?”

His eyes grew wide. Then he sighed, moving to sit next to her. “I had proof he opened the bank account,” he admitted. “But I didn’t knowhow to tell you, if it was even worth it –”

“If it was worth it?” she repeated, furious. “You didn’t think I needed to know that my own –” she broke off, unable to continue.

Raghav pulled her hand into his lap. “I know how much he means to you, your family.”

“I don’t understand,” she said. “Why would he do this?”

She fell into his arms, and all he could do was hold her as she cried, her tears hot on his skin. Anger burned in his chest as he stroked her back.

She was quiet after a few minutes, but the pain in her eyes only added to his sense of helplessness.

“I don’t know,” he said. “But we’re going to find out.”

She nodded, and ran her thumb over his knuckles mindlessly. “I need to know that you’re being honest with me. Always,” she stressed.

He brought her hand up to his lips. “Always,” he promised. “I just – I care about you, Saree ka Dukaan.”

The nickname brought a small smile to her face. “I know, Ghamandi Rao.”

___________

Pallavi took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart as they stood at the door of Deshmukh Niwas. “Hey,” whispered Raghav in her ear. “I’m right here.” She nodded, grateful for his presence.

The door opened to reveal none other than Vijay Deshmukh.

“Well look who’s here,” he sneered. “Raghav Rao and his…” he paused, looking at Pallavi. “Wife,” he finished, the disgust evident in his tone.

Pallavi felt her cheeks burn, but kept her head held high.

“Pallavi!” Aayi smiled as she walked in from the kitchen. “Come in, both of you.”

They entered but made no move to sit down. “This won’t take long,” said Pallavi. “We just wanted to ask Vijay a few questions.”

The rage was evident on Vijay’s face. “You see, Sharda? These are the values of your so-called daughter. Nothing but disrespect.”

“I give respect to those who deserve it,” she answered. “Not to those who take advantage of the trust of others.”

“What are you talking about,” he sputtered.

“843982105,” Raghav interrupted. “The bank account we traced to our blackmailer, who threatened to ruin both of our reputations. The bank account we traced to you.”

The shock was evident on both of their faces.

“Why did you do it,” she asked. “For a measly five lakhs? That’s why you fell so low?”

Vijay scowled at them. “Because of you,” he spat out. “You ran our business into the ground, and you were always meeting with Raghav Rao, even when I forbid it. You think I didn’t know what was going on between you two?”

Pallavi placed a hand on Raghav’s arm, feeling him tense beside her.

“Vijay?” Aayi asked in disbelief. “How could you?”

“How could I?” he threw his hands up. “We needed the money, thanks to Pallavi. Of course I was never going to release the pictures. I thought he wouldn’t hesitate to pay me, any time I asked.”

“You threw her out of the house,” Aayi cried.

“So she could finally convince him to pay,” he said. “But clearly she convinced him to marry her instead, living all this time in the lap of luxury.”

This time, Raghav couldn’t be deterred. “Watch it,” he growled, jabbing a finger in his face. “You’re talking about my wife.”

“Is that what they’re calling it these days?” he sneered.

The slap resounded through the house. Vijay rubbed his cheek in disbelief. “Sharda?”

“Not another word,” she warned, fire in her eyes. “You took those disgusting pictures of our daughter, and then used her reputation for money? Are you even listening to yourself?”

He seemed to deflate before their eyes. “I didn’t take the pictures, someone would email them to me. Every week, sometimes every day.” His jaw tightened. “The lies - every time your lies - just kept eating at me.”

“Who sent them?” asked Raghav.

“I don’t know. He called himself Lion.”

Pallavi and Raghav exchanged glances. Ved.

Vijay slumped into a chair, his head in his hands. Pallavi watched him for a moment, pity in her eyes. She turned to Raghav. “Take me home,” she said. “We’re done here.”

__________

The ride back was quiet. Raghav looked over at Pallavi as she stared out the window into nothingness. “You ok?”

She gave him a small smile and placed her hand over his on the gear shifter. “I think I will be.”

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“For what?” she asked, surprised.

He kept his eyes on the road. “That it turned out this way. I know how important family is to you.”

She waited until they stopped at a traffic light and he turned to her again. “You’re my family.” Love shined through her eyes.

He felt a smile threaten to escape. “Is that so, Mrs. Rao?” His voice dropped.

“Yes, Mr. Rao.” She squeezed his hand, never breaking eye contact.

The light changed. They drove onwards into the night, together.

THE END

It is such a beautiful and simple conclusion..I loved reading the whole FF

What an end 👏

Loved the short story. Do write more 🤗

Also what's your name?

so sad it's the last part 😭 but i loved reading this ss! the plot twist of baba being the mastermind behind the bad deed was clever and surprised me! again, great short story!! ❤️

This was beautiful. I loved that you chose a simple end to this wonderful story! 👏

The simple things are what make life beautiful and personally, I thought the last line was an indication of this! Quoting it here because I loved it so much🤗

The light changed. They drove onwards into the night, together.