Hello dear readers, I hope this chapter finds you well.

Happy reading!!

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My car stops in front of the gates of the Agnihotri Mansion's main gate.

The mansion stands tall in front of me.

In its full glory.

It's just the same as I remembered.

Maybe some things don't change with time after all.

The guards at the main door of the house open the door for me as soon as they spot me.

I cross the threshold with a cold face.

Memories from my childhood come back to me as soon as I see the hall.

The house is quiet now.

They must have had their breakfast and retired back to their rooms by now for packing and stuff.

The wedding is in 7 days.

A lot of time yet so less.

A househelp comes running to me with a glass of water.

I refuse it.

"Call everyone" I tell him.

"I'll call your family right now, miss," he says quickly

"They are not my family, and yes, call all the members of the Agnihotri family. Tell them I want to have a talk with them right now."

He nods, and before he goes away, I ask him whether everyone's at home.

"Yes, mam, everyone's at home. Please have a seat. I'll inform them."

"Go."

Home.

Not mine.

It never was.

And now.

I don't want it to be mine.

_

Gaytri Agnihotri, unfortunately, my grandmother by blood, enters the hall first.

She walks with the help of a walking stick now.

A helper trails behind her like always.

Listening to the old women blabber about everything she could think of.

Gayatri Agnihotri wears a plain white saree, with golden borders. Her thin golden framed glasses sat perched upon her nose.

She looks up at me.

Our eyes meet.

Mine are cold.

Hers filled with scrutiny.

The audacity.

For now, it's ok.

But not for much long.

Gayatri Agnihotri comes forward slowly, her eyes scanning my clothes, my jewelry, everything she can see.

She sees, she judges.

Just the same job as always.

I smile a fake smile now.

Poor woman, do all you want but it won't last long.

Before she can speak a word to me, footsteps sound behind her.

Mr Mahendra and Mrs Meenakshi Agnihotri, my parents, both are descending the stairs.

Mom is a bit faster and climbs down the stairs hurriedly ahead of my father.

Father trails close behind her.

Both their eyes are fixed on me.

Meenakshi Agnihotri's eyes hold tears.

Too late for now.

She looks at me with longing clear in her eyes as she descends.

I don't care anmore.

I lift up my eyes past her and meet the eyes of my father.

He looks at me with guilt clearly visible in his eyes.

Our eyes meet.

I stay quiet, but my heart doesn't.

It bleeds and speaks, and I bear it all.

I'm not the little girl anymore, father.

I treat my wounds myself now.

I take care of myself alone now, I don't wait for you, Papa.

You never cared, maybe you really never did.

 I was a fool then, but not anymore.

I craved for your love.

But I don't want it now, not after you willingly snatched my life from my hands.

Not after you gave me a wound so deep that I am still unable to heal it fully.

It hurts even now.

It hurts papa.

_

But my lips don't move.

Not a word.

They both are now just 5 steps away from me.

They shouldn't be this close.

Before Mrs Agnihotri takes another step to hug me I take 2 back out of disgust.

How could they now??

Do they think that all things heal with time ??

No.

No they don't, you are left with the pain it causes, the scars left behind, they don't heal.

They stay.

And so I keep my distance.

I had fulfilled my duty as their daughter.

They could fulfill theirs as parents, as my family.

"Baccha"

(Child)

My mother is the first one who was able to gather courage to finally speak.

Her voice cracks.

Tears threaten to spill.

The little daughter of her in me feels the need to go and stop them.

To hold on to her.

To cry the way I had been wanting to since so long, but never truly could.

To complain to her about what all I had to suffer through.

To tell her how her daughter who couldn't stay away from her parents for more than a day had to spend 5 years of her life without them, to prepare herself to do them same in this lifetime

To tell her how hurt she actually is.

To tell her how much it hurts.

But I can't.

Maa, the little child in me sobs.

I still don't do anything.

I have grown up now, haven't I ?

They were the one's who hurt me, weren't they ?

I stand still, take a deep breath.

This time I am the one who is interrupted before I can speak.

"YOU ARE BACKKKKK!!!!" comes a squeal.

Esha Agnihotri stands at entrance of the kitchen, my bhaiya Rajveer Agnihotri behind her.

They wear aprons, flour smugged in some parts of Esha's place. A bowl rests in the hands of my brother.

Siblings time. 

Their  time together.

Their eyes are wide as if they saw a ghost.

Esha comes running towards me intending to hug me. I put up my hand before she comes too close.

She stops.

Blinks twice as if processing the fact that I refused to hug her, even after we have met after so many years.

"Why di ? just one hug di, just once, let me, please" she pleads.

My mind screams within - Where were you when I needed you? Where were you when I shattered? You never came, not even once. 

"I would rather prefer some distance Miss Esha Agnihotri" I say finally.

She just stares like a child whose mother refused to recognise them.

"Aadhira" says Mr Rajveer from beside her.

Every time I heard my name from him I felt at peace, but now, it disgusts me.

"I have come her solely to talk to you elders, I have no intentions to stay any longer." I say this lookng at everyone present before and then continue "And it will be better if no one starts any drama"

"Beta just listen to us once" says my father.

What else now papa? You took my everything, what else do you want to talk about? Why I still breathe?

"Its Miss Aadhira for you all. No need for any fake love or affection" I reply.

My brother nods and says "Just as you wish"

Only if you could have let my biggest wish, my biggest dream to come true.

"Please have a seat, I'll get some snacks" says Meenakshi Agnihotri immediately.

"No need. I'm here just for a few minutes, please don't waste my time. I have much important things to look after." 

"You are not staying here girl?" says my grandmother, her tone already sounding like she is some queen I bow down to.

"No"

Everyone falls silent.

My grandmother glares at me, "You said you would"

"I never did"

"You'll have to" she says.

"Try me"

"Enough" comes my father's voice "Maa, either you please go to your room or just keep quite"

My grandmother falls silent.

"Please have a seat" says Mr Agnihotri.

" No thank you, I have a few questions. If you'll would give me answers to them straight away, then none of you will have to bear the consequences you won't like" I say at once not wanting to spend more of my time than whats needed.

"What your father and your bhaiya did was not wrong. It was exactly what that filth of a man-" Gayatri Agnihotri speaks but before she completes her sentence my voice, loud and clear stops her.

"SHUT. UP". My eyes burn. 

Rage. 

The kind that makes you want to burn every single thing down runs in my viens.

I glare at her.

No one dares breathe.

Gayatri Agnihotri lowers her eyes.

"One more word about him from your mouth. Just one more word and you will see who exactly Aadhira Agnihotri is. And trust me it would be the last thing you will live to see." I say. 

Clear.

Meenakshi Agnihotri speaks up before tension escalates "Maa, leave".

No request.

A statement, an order

The queen of Jaipur, that's who she is, the ruler of this house, this kingdom. Rightfully. By honor.

No one interrupts.

No one questions.

Gayatri Agnihotri finally gets up and starts walking back to her room muttering nonsense.

"Please continue" Rajveer speaks.

"Why? Why did you do all that 5 years ago?. What was his fault? Our fault?" I speak, not wanting another day to go by with me left with no anwers. I want their side of the story.

Everyone looks at me.

No one answers.

"I asked something and I don't like not being answered to"

Esha gulps.

Meenakshi Agnihotri looks down. The queen who never lowered her eyes does it. Ashamed, for her actions, her silence.

Father just stares. Lips shut tight.

Not a word.

Irritation and frustration all come to me together at once.

"You want answers? Fine.  Attend the wedding with us like a family. You have to stay here. You will come to the wedding, with us. Stay like a happy family in front of everyone. Together" Rajveer Agnihotri speaks, looking straight at my eyes.

The same eyes that held no care, no love for me while taking the life of the one I loved deeply.

"Tsk tsk Mr. Rajveer. Bold of you to assume I will ever let myself breathe the same air as you all when we are in the same room together. Never. " I say meeting everyone's eyes.

Meeing Rajveer Agnihotri's eyes I continue "And as for you 'Happy Family', you all exist. Without me. Keep you self-made dignity. Anyways, half of the world thinks I'm dead, so be it. Now, right at the wedding, the world will see that Aadhira Agnihotri still lives, on her own" 

"Aur raha sawal aap sabse jawab paane ko toh wo main khud pata karwa sakti thi prr chup rahi kyunki mujhe aapke side ki kahani janni thi. Par khair jab kisi ko maut ka naach hi dekhna itna pasand ho toh kya kar skte h"

I turn around. Take two steps forward before Meenakshi Agnihotri's hand comes on my shoulder. 

I turn back and meet her glossy eyes.

She turns around still holding my shoulder and speaks to Mr Agnihotri.

Her voice blooms throughout the hall.

"Mahendra stop her. Meri child, don't let her go Mahendra" the calm and composed woman I knew since childhood is no more present in the room.

Is it really my mother??

Unbelievable.

"Baccha in logon ki galti ki saza mujhe mat do" she pleads.

(My child don't punish me for their mistakes)

"You mean to say you were not at fault" I ask her raising my brows.

I continue. "What were you doing Mrs Agnihotri when I was bound and you weren't?? You could have stopped it all. You did not. You chose silence. That's your fault."

Her mouth snaps shut. Her hands leave my shoulder.

With this I turn and walk away.

So much for thinking I'll finally get my answers from their mouth, but, now I have to get it done myself. By hook or crook.

But before that two more things remain.

Meeting Pawan kaka's family and.....visiting my office here.

But before that changing my clothes and ridding myself of the feel of that woman's hand on me.

A long day ahead then......

.
.
.

After two more hours, when I have met kaka'd family and taken an hour to get back the hotel and change, I finally enter my empire here in India.

Its so peaceful here.

Rows of greetings follow as I pass, I give them my professional practiced smile.

But then again, it's my life. How can it not ruin my mood daily?

I had a meeting to attend here today. An important one.

I lost the deal.

Why?

Because one of my now ex-employees messed up the presentation and another flirted with an important member, the one who's company I wanted to make a deal with.

The first mistake was forgiven.

But the second?

Not forgiven.

He is a loyal man. 

And that employee decided it was best to flirt with him even after the mess she created with the presentation. 

He took both action as disrespect and cancelled the deal.

One mistake. Just one mistake might one day cost you your everything- Someone's voice rings in my head.

Enough drama for the day now.

All of this had messed up with my a lot.

So now here I am.

Going to a palace, a public one. The one where I had danced for the very first time.

To finally dance after so many years.

Why?

Because something tugs me towrads it now, stronger than it had in 5 years.

And never ignore your gut feeling.

So I don't.

That place has the most beautiful kind of peace one longs for. I long for.

And so I go there, now clad in a maroon anarkali which somehow makes me appear less stressed, more beautiful, more me.

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First meet comingg soon

Thank you for reading  >.<

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