Chapter 31
‘Did you send Viraj after me?’ Kashvi asked, loud enough that it seemed to echo around her.
‘Not even a hello. Do you seriously not remember any of the manners we taught you?’ Karthik chided lightly.
It grated against her nerves. ‘What you taught me was not to trust anyone, so maybe skip the lecture and answer my question.’
Karthik scoffed. ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’
‘You do. You very well do,’ she shot back.
‘I don’t have time to entertain your mood swings, Kashvi. So either get to the point or call me back.’
His words stung with a familiar burn in her chest. She gritted her teeth. ‘Fine. Your accountant’s son, Viraj, has pictures of me, and he’s blackmailing me for a hundred crores. Are you behind this?’
His incredulous laugh made her stomach drop. ‘It was only a matter of time before you got yourself into a mess like this. So tell me, you put yourself in a bad position with some guy who clearly took advantage of your lack of sense, and now you’re looking to blame me. Am I right?’
‘Oh, so you had nothing to do with it?’
‘No,’ he denied smoothly. ‘And lashing out at your poor father isn’t going to help you either. You should do what the blackmailer wants.’
‘Like give him the money? That’s convenient.’ Kashvi scoffed. ‘And you should really stop pretending to be a concerned father. It doesn’t suit you.’
‘You’re an adult. You make mistakes, then you deal with the consequences. So grow up.’
Something inside her snapped. ‘Just fucking answer me!’ Kashvi shouted. ‘Did you send Viraj after me?’
‘No. Whatever the family members of my employees do has nothing to do with me,’ he said.
Then she asked, unable to keep the disgust out of her voice, ‘Then explain something to me. Why is there a transaction trail between you and him? Why have you been paying him if you don’t know who Viraj is?’
His voice turned icy. ‘Have you been looking into my financial records, Kashvi? That’s completely out of line.’
Kashvi retorted, ‘No. But we’re looking into Viraj’s financial records, so I’m sure we’ll find whatever you’re trying to hide.’
There was a pause, and for a second, she wondered if he’d disconnected. Then he cleared his throat. ‘He did some independent assignments for me.’
Kashvi asked bluntly, ‘You call blackmailing girls for money an independent assignment?’
‘Listen to yourself. Do you have any idea how absurd you sound right now?’ he asked, the condescension unmistakable. ‘Why are you so determined to drag me into this?’
She breathed hard as she threw the venomous words back at him. ‘Because I know how desperate you can get for money.’
He inhaled sharply. ‘I wouldn’t be desperate if you hadn’t stolen the trust fund from me! Your mother pulled the same stunt by sending her share back to the foundation. You inherited her knack for betrayal perfectly.’
His cocky tone hit harder than the cruel words themselves. He truly believed he was invincible. Anger surged through her, driving her to shatter that belief.
‘Take a good look at yourself in the mirror, Father. Because the man you present to the world, the devoted father you play in interviews and at events, is going to be exposed by his own daughter.’
‘And how exactly is my dumb, ungrateful daughter going to do that?’ Karthik asked dismissively.
With a hint of pride in her voice, she said, ‘I have Viraj’s laptop. Dhruv and Vihaan hacked it, and every one of Viraj’s filthy deeds leads back to you.’
For a moment, Karthik said nothing.
Then a violent crash sounded on the other end, followed by her father swearing.
Kashvi chuckled. ‘Was that a glass? Did I piss you off, Dad?’
‘I brought Dhruv home from the orphanage! I gave him food and a home, and this is how he repaid me?’ Karthik shouted, and she hated how proud he sounded for doing the bare minimum. ‘I should’ve gotten rid of him when I had the chance.’
‘He’s your son! You left Bhaiya in an orphanage until you needed your male heir to secure ownership of Kashyap Luxe.’
‘Oh, he’s Bhaiya now?’ Karthik mocked cruelly. ‘I can’t believe all of you would turn on me like this.’
‘Stop acting like you’re the victim when I don’t even know how many girls you and Viraj have trapped in this scheme.’
Karthik scoffed. ‘I’m not short-sighted. There are powerful men who have just as much to lose, sometimes far more, if their reputations are at stake.’
Her grip tightened around the phone. ‘You think destroying everyone equally somehow makes it okay? How could you do this?’
‘I had to do this! Your sister left me with nothing,’ Karthik snapped. ‘You’re looking at this like a child. You don’t understand that it takes money to maintain influence and power in the real world.’
‘Fuck that,’ Kashvi shot back as heat flooded her face. ‘The truth is you’re a despicable human being who needs to control everyone in your life, but now you’re finished.’
All emotion drained from his voice. Only the vicious businessman remained. ‘Alright. Since you called me instead of having me arrested already, I’m assuming you want to negotiate?’
‘All I want is for you and your lapdog to stay away from me,’ Kashvi demanded.
‘That can be arranged. I’ll even make sure he’s kept on a very tight leash. But only after you give me the money I’m owed.’
‘No.’
‘No?’ he asked, surprised.
‘No,’ she repeated, firmer this time. ‘I have all the proof I need to put you away for a very long time, so why would I make any kind of deal with a criminal like you?’
‘Watch how you talk to me! I’m still your father, whether you like it or not,’ he pushed, trying to regain control of the conversation.
Kashvi let out a startled laugh. ‘Just how delusional are you? You sent someone to beat me, blackmail me, harass me, and you still call yourself my father?’
He sighed. ‘I know I’m a complicated man, but families don’t turn on each other like this. Where’s your loyalty in all this?’
‘Burning in hell,’ she said honestly. Exactly where she’d end up one day.
His voice turned sharper. ‘So that’s it. You’re willing to betray your own father?’
Revulsion coursed through her as she answered, ‘If that’s what it takes to stop a monster like you, then yes.’
Karthik chuckled coldly. ‘Oh come on, Kashu. You’re the one who killed your mother, and I’m the monster?’
The accusation hit her like a violent shove, knocking the air from her lungs. ‘What?’ she stammered, stumbling back against the wall.
‘Don’t act like you’re innocent. You know what I’m talking about,’ Karthik warned.
She swallowed hard against the dryness in her throat. ‘If you have something to say, then say it.’
Karthik clicked his tongue. ‘You’re so eager to demand justice for yourself. But what about your mother’s murder?’
‘It wasn’t murder!’ she shouted, denial thick in her voice.
‘Oh, but we both know it was. Remember how your mother screamed when the car went out of control? Because I do.’
‘Shut up.’ Her breath came in fractured gasps.
‘Do you ever think about her, or have you forgotten the bitch just like I have?’ he asked, the sneer in his voice making her cringe.
‘Don’t you dare talk about her like that!’ Kashvi screamed.
‘Oh, so you can kill her, but I can’t even talk about her? How is that fair?’ he asked calmly.
The words hit like a physical blow, and everything inside her recoiled. ‘I didn’t do that.’
‘Do you need me to remind you what happened in that car? Remember how your mother screamed when the car lost control? Because I do.’
Kashvi dry-heaved, feeling thoroughly sick at the nostalgia in his tone. ‘Fucking stop!’
‘You deserve to be punished for your crime, and that’s exactly what your sister will do,’ he said, striking every exposed nerve. ‘Siya raised you, better than Arohi ever could have. She sacrificed her youth playing mother to you, and the irony is she can’t be a mother because of you.’
No!
She dragged in a breath, trying to steady the frantic rhythm of her pulse.
His tone turned frighteningly calm. ‘Do you really believe she’ll love you, or even look at you the same way once she knows? I think even your husband will spit in your face and walk away.’
Kashvi shook her head frantically as hot tears spilled over and her fears spiralled out of control. He was mercilessly pressing against her deepest wound, and she nearly crumbled beneath the crushing guilt. ‘Please stop.’
He continued, unyielding. ‘The only reason you want me to stop is because you know I’m right. Deep down, you know you’re a murderer, Kashvi. So if you want to see me behind bars, I’ll make sure you end up right there beside me.’
‘Why are you doing this?’ she managed, her voice roughened by tears.
‘Why do you think?’ Karthik snapped. ‘Your sister stole the company from under my nose, and you stole the trust fund. Consider this your punishment.’
‘If you think I’m just going to give in, you’re wrong,’ she said, her heart beating erratically.
‘If you open your mouth against me, I’ll do the same. I already have a bad reputation after Siya threw me out, but it’ll be far more damaging for your sister. Poor girl won’t get a child to fill the empty hole in her life. I don’t think Siya will want to live after that.’
The implication made her go rigid. Her fingers dug harder into her palm, the tiny cuts stinging sharply. ‘Don’t you dare.’
Karthik shouted loudly enough to make her flinch. ‘Then keep your mouth shut. You’ll send the money to my overseas account through an untraceable payment link I give you. I’ll even take bitcoin, but please don’t ask for a discount,’ he guffawed, laughing at his own joke.
‘I don’t have the money. I consolidated it all. It’s gone,’ Kashvi whispered.
‘So is your mother, and you’re the reason why. If you don’t want Siya to find out, figure out a way to get the money,’ he instructed.
‘You won’t get away with this,’ Kashvi warned stubbornly, though it sounded fragile even to her own ears.
A low laugh rang through the phone. ‘I will. With your help. Or else...’
Cold dread curled through her as she clutched the phone tighter, trying to ground the panic clawing at her. ‘Or else what?’