Radhe Radhe readers💙🦚✨,

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"Bhaiya, papa ko manaiye na. Hum aaj tak toh kisi award function me kabhi gye nhi then why this one?" Shresth whined, stomping his foot on the wooden floor as Aaryaman sighed heavily, shaking his head in disappointment.

He rubbed his forehead slightly, focusing upon the file in his hand," Shresth, we have already talked about this, right? Papa nhi maanege" Aaryaman tried to reason, but to his luck, the explanation passed beyond his dumb younger brother's head.

"But why?" Shresth questioned scowling frustratedly. Things were passing beyond his understanding level now. To the history, It was a record that Singhanias never attended any award functions. Sometimes due to safety reasons, sometimes personal or sometimes without any reason.

Aaryaman snapped the file closed, slightly raising his voice," Because he has decided this chote. Aur humme se koi bhi isme kuch nhi krrr skta", he answered with a tint of anger reflecting through his eyes. Shresth was shocked by his second eldest brother's changed demeanour.

The cool ice had changed to an angry bird today. Aaryaman rarely got angry ever; his indifferent behaviour was his own way of charming people, yet his changed aura seemed suspicious to his younger brother. This was the moment, where Shresth realised that something was amiss.

"Kya hua bhaiya?" He asked, his tone instantly changing to a concerned one. Totally in contrast with his previous course of action. Aaryaman caught the hint of change as he took a deep breath, calming himself a bit, before slowly muttering, "Kuch nhi".

He turned around keeping the file in his hand upon the nearby marble slab before he pulled out a glass for himself from one of the shelves. He cursed himself mentally for his show of anger upon his younger brother as he held the jug carefully, pouring water into his glass.

Shresth, on the other hand, who wasn't convinced by his elder brother's dismissing reply, was hellbound on pushing the topic further. He shook his head in disbelief before he kept a hand on his elder brother's shoulder, "Kya hua h bolo na bhaiya?"

Aaryaman closed his eyes, knowing well that the underlying plea in his youngest brother's voice was something he couldn't ignore. He didn't want to reveal anything to anyone to avoid them getting tensed as he was already, yet now he knew he couldn't.

"It's Meher," He said, turning around to face a stunned look, directed his way. Aaryaman's voice held an insignificant emotion, too hard to decipher. His eyes grew blank, the anger residing a few minutes ago, vanishing away.

"What?" Shresth questioned as his face held pure astonishment while his mind took seconds to register the long-forgotten name. After years of her departure, he hadn't ever expected to hear her name in this way. She never came up neither in photos nor in their family talks.

She was an abandoned topic in their peaceful house. Her name was like a curse that had shattered their happy family to pieces whenever it came up. From her birth to her existence, everything has always been a topic worth people's hate. His fist clenched to his side as an array of anger crawled up his veins. Aaryaman nodded blankly, his face stoic enough to hold any emotion.

Shresth turned his head towards facing his side, feeling it difficult to control his anger at the mere mention of the cursed girl. "Itne saalon baad phirse wo manhoos..." Shresth stopped mid-sentence, gritting his teeth as the memories of the past freshened in the staleness of his mind. The curse felt fresh as a wound.

Aaryaman didn't react to his statement, relating well to his younger brother's emotions as he felt the same a few minutes ago when he had seen the file. "I guess Dad wants to bring her back", Aaryaman said as he gazed his free hand at the file, finding it difficult to control his urge to burn away every sign of the curse.

"Ye aap kya bol rhe h bhaiya? Dad aisa nhi krrr skte!" Shresth almost yelled, finding himself in a fit of shock that he had received just a few minutes ago, "Doesn't he hate the girl who has taken away our mother from us?" Shresth's eyes welled up as he gulped the tears, masking them behind his rage as he remembered his mother.

He was only two years old when he last saw his mother, remembering only mere glimpses of her. He was a toddler when she passed away. Or, to be more precise, his sister took her away. After Meher's birth, she always used to remain sick and that sickness took away her life.

Shresth always blamed Meher for being the reason he and his brothers had to grow up without a mother. His father had to drown himself in the misery of losing his beloved wife. She was the reason their happy family fell apart. She was the living example of their mother's betrayal of their father's love.

Aaryaman remained silent, unable to answer his brother's accusations. He indeed felt the same deep down yet in a more sane manner. Over time, he had realised somewhere that the hate directed towards the girl wasn't needed, yet he still couldn't bring himself to not hate her.

"I don't know that Shresth" He sighed defeatedly, unable to find any way out through his cluster of thoughts. He kept his one hand on the other side of his waist, while side glancing at the blue filr kept on the slab behind him," I just know that Dad ye sab usse hi wapas laane ke liye krrr rhe h. Aur wo yeh sab humse chupana chah rhe h" Aaryaman said, passing the file to his younger brother, who reluctantly took it.

Shresth's eyes widened as he flipped through the pages. "Ye toh woh NRI Buisness Woman Meher ki file h na?" Aaryaman nodded, even he grew suspicious from the moment when he saw the file lying on his father's locker, neatly placed, with 'Confidential' written on top of it. The file was something he hadn't seen in a while even though he was looking after all the confidential matters of the company.

He suspected his father for hiding something from them and his suspicions turned right when he flipped through the pages sneakily. "Dad iske background ke baare me kaafi research krrr rhe the and I am damn sure this is Meher" Aaryaman said with certainty, gaining a frown from Shresth, "I guess woh aaj iske liye hi award function me jaana chah rhe h."

Shresth's confusion deepened at the last sentence," Aur aisa aapko Kyun lgta h bhaiya?" He contemplated his brother's answer. Aaryaman smirked with a scoff before replying," ye bta chote, What makes us recognise ourselves together as a family?"

"Our surname?" Shresth's answer was prompt yet uncertain as it felt more like a question. Although the never going smirk on his elder brother's face answered his question as his eyes widened in realisation before he took another careful glance at the file. 'Meher'-No surname.

"Mtlb..." Before he could speak or form sentences, Aaryaman nodded his head with his unwavering smirk etching upon his lips," As far as we know, only Meher can be this clever to do this chote" Aaryaman's comment registered through Shresth's mind, giving a confirmation to any doubt erupting in it.

Shresth's mind reminded him of all the past instances as bubbling hate squirmed in his heart, "Chant toh waise bhi bachpan se thi wo" He muttered roughly under his breath. His elder brother was right, the girl was too clever and unpredictable at the same time. Aaryaman who didn't heard his previous statement continued, "No doubt if we take a look at the information in the file, it gives us more confirmation that's her"

"I won't let Dad do this" Shresth said with finality, his eyes showing pure fury, "Mai unhe usse Ghar kabhi wapas nhi laane dunga". A surge of displease stirred through Shresth's heart as his words demonstrated pure anger. Aaryaman stayed silent hearing his younger brother's statement, somewhere consenting his words.

Though he won't vocalise like his younger brother yet the unsaid resentment for the girl in their hearts was mutual. More after their mother's departure and their father's growing workaholic nature. After Samriddhi's departure, Manish though still cared for his sons, remained more at his office than home.

That his sons figured out as their father's unsaid hate towards the little girl. Even after years of distance and seperation, their hearts couldn't get over the grudges they held against the little soul. Who took their mother away.

"That's why to make sure ki wo aisa kuch na krrr paye we need attend the award function" Aaryaman mentioned with a tired sigh," We never know unke dimaag me abhi kya chal rha h. And I don't want him to take any step that he would regret later"

Shresth nodded in agreement as his mind swirled around his own set of thoughts. "Do we need to inform others as well?" Shresth asked with a hint of uncertainty as he framed his question. He definitely didn't wanted to stress his other brothers out like he was yet somewhere it was their right to know about the threat that lurked around them due to their own father.

Aaryaman gently shook his head, dismissing away the question as Shresth got his answer. The silence fell between the two brothers as they countered each and every information that they had recieved in the span of a few hours. Something that disturbed them like never before.

"Agar dad usse sach me wapas le aaye toh bhaiya" Shresth asked meekly, lost in his thought of anticipation, as Aaryaman jolted to look up at his younger brother with a straight face. His younger brother was like an open book to him, who couldn't hide any expression, neither his insecurities or anger.

"He won't be able to chote, don't worry" Aaryaman ruffled his hand through his younger brother's hairs, patting it little. "Kya h bhaiya yrrr?" Shresth whined setting his pretty godly hair in his words. Aaryaman chuckled as he whacked his younger brother, shaking his head at the real drama queen of the house.

-×-

Ekansh shuffled through the papers in his cupboard, trying to find some files. "Tch, kahan chli gyi yrrr?" He rubbed his forehead in order to remember something about the last location of the file. He strained his memory, as his hands kept on shuffling through the drawers in order to find something.

"Yahin rkhi thi maine last, kahan chli gyi aise..." He muttered to himself yet trailed off as something from his stuff fell onto the ground. His actions stopped as he looked down on the wooden floor to find a picture fallen. His brows scrunched in confusion.

He bent down as his fingers gripped at the corners of the photograph, his brain storming through the time it must have been from. He carefully looked at the phot as a soft smile grazed his lips. His eyes remained fixed at the contents of the photograph. It was 'his family', his precious family.

His eyes automatically glistened upon sight of the lady, he missed the most, his mother. Being an eleven year old- when she passed away- he had a much clearer memory of his beloved mother than his brothers. His heart still yearned for the motherly love that he had recieved in those years.

He wiped away a lone tear from the corner of his eye as his smile flattened a bit. He caressed the photograph gently, something that was odd to his usually cold, ruthless demeanour. How happy his family used to be, when they were complete. When they were a family.

His father, his mother, his brothers and his little sister. His emotions flickered with hurt, as his gaze fell at his little sister, who was sleeping in her mother's protective arms. It was just after the moment his mother had returned from the hospital, years ago with his new little sister.

How ecstatic they were until the day their drunk father accidentally told them about their mother's darkest secret. That was the day, their flames of happiness turned to ashes. And finally when their mother died, the last pieces of their hopes were lost too.

"Meher" Ekansh whispered as he gently caressed the picture of the baby in his mother's arms. His jaw clenched as he remembered what his family had done to the girl, who had nothing to deserve any bit of shit that she was implicated to. His anger riled when he remembered how he behaved when all this happened.

"Wo wapas aa jyegi Ansh" Ekansh instantly wiped his tears when he felt a warm yet a firm hand grip his shoulder light, giving it a reassuring squeeze. His thoughts had been so tossed that he couldn't even sense any other presence around him. He turned around to face his father.

"Papa aap..." He trailed off as he saw his father standing infront of him with a file in his hand. Ekansh's eyes furrowed at the file yet he let go of the topic at the moment. Manish was still dressed in formals, giving his son an idea of him returning right from the office."I know what you are going through Ansh" Manish said sympathetically as he kept his hand on his son's shoulder.

Ekansh just looked down, wiping away his left out tears. "Don't worry, she'll be back soon to where she belongs to. We'll fix the mistake we did years ago" Manish said, his voice though assuring yet held a deep sense of truth hidden beneath it's layers that tugged Ekansh emotionally. His heart ached to see his elder son blaming himself always for something they all caused.

"Dad but kaise?" Ekansh retorted in a helpless tone. His shoulders slumped a little as his expressions expressed defeat. Self defeat to be more precise. "We don't even know where she is right now. Aur dhundh ke bhi hum kya kahenge usse? Kis kis baat ki maafi mangenge?"

Manish sighed as he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment not wanting to face the harsh reality rubbed on his face by his eldest. He still wasn't too sure of his decision till now but yet he couldn't back down now. Not when he finally found a hope to continue. To continue finding his lost family member for his Samriddhi.

He without any exchange of more words passed the file to his son, who gave him a confusing look in return. Manish just urged him to open it. Ekansh silently took a hold of the file, still unsure. Upon reading the title he knew what it was.

"Is it really her Dad?"Manish nodded at him. Ekansh eagerly flipped through the file, his eyes brightening as he saw each and every paper. The hope in him rekindled with each passing information that came into his notice.
Manish's expressions remained blank as he read each and every emotion on his son's face. His heart felt content as the traces of guilt replaced with an etched soft, almost invisible smile.

"I can't promise the future Ansh nor can I promise ki Meher sach me humare paas wapas aayegi ya nhi cause now she's not under my guardianship anymore. But we can just take first step towards it"

Manish's voice was firm yet it held a gentleness as he took each name. His responsibilities burdening him with every word that he spoke. A great reminder of what he had to become now. Yet Ekansh's insecurities rose as he voiced out with concern,"Dad I don't guess ki usse wapas lana itna easy hoga. Baakiyon ko sach nhi pta h and they still hate her. Mom ki kasam ne bhi aapko baandh rkha h. Mujhe nhi lgta ki wo usse yahan rehne bhi denge."

"They will Ansh" Manish smirked, "They have to". Ekansh expression morphed into puzzled as heard his father's sentence."Don't you remember your mom's will?" Manish mentioned as Ekansh's eyes widened, both in relief and realisation. Relief washed over his features as he remembered his mothe's will. Which she left to them years ago before her death.

Manish's smirk sickly deepened, as he took a deep breath,

"Ab Samriddhi ki will hi Meher ko humare paas wapas aane ke liye Majboor kregi"

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