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Part XIII (Last Episode Sub Part III)

It was twilight with the sky mixed with orange hues and dark blue colors. There was low tide in the ocean. The full moon had started rising. The street lights were on. The joggers had left and there was hardly anyone around.

Chandni was walking along the Band Stand. She had been following Sharad and Sonam. As she walked, her mind ran through the incidents of the past, remembering words of Meena as she went to meet her at the Agarwal’s house. She was awestruck at the huge beautiful house. Meena was sitting on the sofa, while Chandni was standing in front of her.

“I learned that you want to marry Sharad. Where are your parents?” Meena asked.

“I am an orphan. I have been living at orphanage since birth.” Chandni replied.

“Oh! So you are an orphan dreaming about becoming an owner of the prestigious Agarwal’s house. What made you think that we would agree on this relationship? We have a name, respect in this society. I receive so many interests from respected families to marry their daughter with Sharad. Everyone is offering huge dowry for the relationship. Some have only one daughter. Why would I marry my only son to an orphan? Not sure what kind of blood flows in you, I can’t risk my future generation.” Meena stood up as she said and ambled around the living room. Chandni was shocked to hear Meena’s words. Never in her life had she hated the word orphan more than today.

She paused and turned around and looking into Chandni’s eyes, continued, “Chandni, this society is completely different from the society you have seen. Here people value each other based on their family history and money. Even if you fit in the society, the moment they will know your history, they will dump you, taunt you, ignore you and make you pariah. Everyone wants to connect to only those people who are equal or better than them. Sharad will also suffer and I can’t let that happen. Love is about sacrifice and I think if you love Sharad, you will not want him to suffer. I am sure you want to see him live happily. He is very nice at heart and he may have shown interest in you as you had a troubled past. But it is merely out of compassion for your circumstances and not for love. He is still young and needs to learn the world and also has to prepare himself for the huge responsibility.”

Then getting a suitcase that was on the coffee table and handing it to Chandni, she continued, “I know you must have many dream about your life with Sharad and I don’t want to spoil your dreams. Here is the suitcase with lot of money. You may have never seen so much money in your life and it is sufficient enough for you to fulfill your dreams. At the same time, let Sharad follow what he is destined for. Leave him, leave this city. If you ever run out of the money, contact me and I will give you more.”

She forced the suitcase in Chandni’s hand and held her by her shoulders and said, “I know you may not like what I said. But I am saying as a mother. I am saying this from my own experience. Today you may feel bad or worse about what I said. But put yourself in my position and then think. You would do the same for your son.”

Chandni was shocked and stood there like a statue. Meena slowly escorted her out of the house.

In the following days, she determined to start an orphanage and support children who are brought into this world unwillingly and then handed over to orphanages. She went to Dun and with the money; she started an orphanage and started a new life.

Years later, one day, her eyes spotted an article in the newspaper. It was about Sharad and Poonam’s marriage and their plans to go to Honeymoon in Switzerland.

“Oh! Sonam bitch. You betrayed me. Now you changed your name and you are marrying Sharad? How can you do that after knowing that I loved Sharad? Sonam is orphan like me then how come Sharad’s mom allowed her to marry Sharad?” Chandni threw the newspaper. Her mind was mad at Sonam. She remembered saving Sonam at Poorvank’s New Year Party.

Poorvank was a trustee of the orphanage where Chandni lived earlier. Poorvank used to call a few orphan girls to the New Year’s party that he hosted every year. Sonam also lived in the same orphanage and had gone with Chandni to the party.

Chandni remembered that party day. There were many guests, many celebrities. The selected girls were given new fancy clothes for the party. The selection was supposed to be on the basis of responsible behavior and study grades but was mostly done on appearance. The girls also got to stay in the five-star hotel for a night. As Chandni was walking out of her room and into the corridor, she heard screaming for help from Sonam’s room. Not knowing what to do, she saw a key on the cleaning cart parked near a room. She took the key and opened the door. She saw a man forcing upon Sonam. She took a vase and hit the man on the head. The man fell flat on the bed and Sonam and Chandni rushed out from the hotel. Sonam and Chandni became close friends.

“I saved her and now she is backstabbing me. I need to confront her and teach her a lesson.” Her mind was thinking fast. She called up her orphanage friend, Ashley. Ashley worked as a Personal Assistant to Sharad and after some routine chat, got information about Sharad’s itinerary in Switzerland. With the help of her watchman, she purchased a gun with silencer.

She contacted her orphanage friend, Kalpana and informed her about her planned trip. Kalpana was lucky and was adopted by a Swiss couple and had moved to Interlaken.

On that fateful day, Chandni aimed towards Poonam but before she could pull the trigger, a bullet raced by her ear, missed Poonam and hit Sharad.

 

posted the next episode. sorry to be late.

 

Part XIII (Last Episode Sub Part IV)

Chandni saw Sharad falling off the cliff and she was shocked. This was the first time she had a gun in her hand and didn’t know whether it she fired it or not. On the top of it, her love had fallen off the cliff. She turned around but there was no one behind her. She cursed herself for not controlling her anger.

Suddenly she heard some people talking and approaching the mountain from the station. Fearing that she would be held responsible, she kept the gun in her purse. She feared that she can’t leave Sonam in this state as well. What if she is dead and she is the only person there? She thought. She ran towards Poonam. Poonam had fallen down and was unconscious. Chandni put some snow in her scarf and applied it to the injury that Poonam had on her head.

With the help of the people she took Poonam to the train station and boarded a train to Lauterbrunnen where Kalpana was waiting for her in a car. The cogwheel train moved too slowly for her. Poonam was still unconscious. “I am on my way back” She texted Kalpana.

With the help of the people, she alighted from the train with Poonam and went to the parking lot. Kalpana was waiting for her.

“Portarla al medico! Portarla al medico!” People informed Kalpana to take Poonam to the doctor.

“Grazie! Grazie” Kalpana thanked the locals.

In the car, she informed Kalpana about what had happened.

“Why did you bring her? What will we do now?” Kalpana asked.

“I don’t know. I am scared. I was just too upset with Sonam. I …. think…. I need … to hide her for a while before everything settles….”

“But how can we hide her?” Kalpana gave a startled look.

“Kalpana, I am really sorry for all this. But can you please help out somehow?”

After some thinking, Kalpana said, “We have a farm house near Gstaad. It is old and rustic and no one uses it. We have rented the farm portion which is used only in the summer. So for some time it should be ok. But I can’t have her there for long. The laws here are very strict. Kidnapping and illegal confinement is a serious crime.”

“I know Kalpana. I will sort this out as soon as I go to India. Just give me some time.”

“Ok. I understand your situation and helping out for old time sake. Hope everything works out.”

On the way, they stopped at a shop and Chandni bought some clothes and medicine for Poonam and they took her to the farm house and changed Poonam’s clothes.

Chandni returned to Mumbai and went to the orphanage. She found out that Sonam had left the orphanage years back. “Oh so she left the orphanage and somehow convinced Sharad to marry her” She thought.

She started walking out of the orphanage and as she walked on the road, she saw Sonam coming towards orphanage. She was shocked. “I locked her up in the farm house at Zurich. How come she is here?” She thought to herself.

“Chandni!” Sonam called her out waving her hand.

“I hope she has not seen me in Zurich” Chandni thought and hurriedly moved towards Sonam. She gave a patting hug to Sonam to make sure she is a live person and not some ghost.

“Hey! Long time no see! Where have you been?” Chandni asked Sonam.

“Long story. Let’s go for a coffee.” Sonam said. Chandni was relaxed but surprised as Sonam didn’t appear shock after all that happened in Zurich.

As they settled at Coffee day, sipping coffee, Chandni asked, “Tell me about it. I am really interested in knowing what you have been doing since.”

“I found a job at Lawyer Hiten Rajput. He was earlier practicing criminal law. But after he won the election, he moved into corporate law. So I learnt about corporation and their working. Since their office was in south Bombay, I moved to south Bombay as a PG.”

“Wow! That must be exciting. Tell me more.” Chandni was interested in knowing how she met Sharad.

“Well one of his clients was a film producer and he encouraged me to become an actress. So I left my job and joined some acting and dancing workshops as it is a tiring task. There are classes and drama practice. I am nearly done with my workshops. I got some leads during the workshops and am trying to get some break in films. Whenever I get time, I visit the orphanage.”

“Is she hiding something from me? Is she making up a story?” Chandni thought and she excused herself to go to the restroom and she called up Kalpana. Kalpana informed that Sonam had regained consciousness and was still in the farmhouse and that she was providing her meals daily. “Oh so that was not Sonam but a look alike. What a strange sequence of events?” She thought. “What should I do? Sharad is not there.” She was disappointed and the scene of Sharad going off the cliff upset her. She remembered what Meena had told her and that angered her. “This is perfect. I can take my revenge on Meena. I would like to take away all her money. I can also place Sonam in her house making an orphan her daughter-in-law. That would be a perfect revenge. I will keep that other girl in Zurich. I will play the game with Meena’s money.” Determined she came out of the restroom.

She told Sonam all that happened in Zurich and pleaded her to play the role of Sharad’s wife and that this is her opportunity to practice her acting skills. Over the next few days, she scripted the whole idea about memory loss and also convinced a girl from Sonam’s workshop to play the role of a staff from the Ministry of External Affairs.

……..

As Chandni walked at Band Stand, she stumbled across uneven pavement. Barely able to protect herself from the fall she recovered. As she stood up, her eyes fell on Poonam. She had been following Sharad and Sonam and was shocked to see Poonam. She checked her phone and saw that Kalpana had tried to call her a couple of days back. “Oh! So this girl somehow managed to escape.” She stopped and slowly moved closer to Sharad and Sonam as they were approaching Poonam.

Sharad and Sonam were walking along the beach. Sonam stopped to see the ocean waves and the colorful sky. Sharad was talking on the phone with Mr. Mehta. He completed his call and while he was putting his phone in his pocket, his eyes widened as he saw Poonam. Poonam was in jeans and top.

He called out, “Poonam?” Sonam also came near to Sharad. Poonam looked at the direction of the voice and was happy to see Sharad. But then she saw Sonam. “Oh! My sister.” She just wanted to rush and hug Sonam and also Sharad. Her feet got excited but soon she remembered to let her sister live the life she lived. She turned her eyes away and started to move away. Sharad moved quickly towards her and stopped her way.

“My name is not Poonam.” Poonam said.

Sonam was excited about seeing Poonam. She remembered her thought about handing over everything to Poonam once she is back.

“Actually, Sharad….” Sonam started to say something. At that moment, Chandni came towards them clapping her hands. Sharad was in shock to see Chandni.

 

Yes. I thought I will be able to complete soon. But then I found that I needed to cover a lot of things.

 

Sorry to keep you waiting. Posted the next episode.

 

Yeah we are nearing the climax.