Ch40 Unveiling the Dark Hues of the Past #2
Rivanya reached out to take the handle from him, but he deftly moved it out of her reach, refusing to let her carry or even touch a single piece of the luggage in her fragile state.
With Rudraksh leading the way and carrying her bag, the two of them stepped out of the bedroom and walked down the grand staircase.
When they reached the bottom and stepped into the sprawling living hall, they found Dadaji and Dadimaa already seated on the plush lounge sofas.
The massive television screen was switched on, and Dadaji was closely tracking the morning news broadcast.
The exact moment Dadimaa's eyes fell upon Rivanya, and then shifted to the luggage in Rudraksh's hand, a palpable wave of distress and anxiety washed over her face.
She immediately stood up from her seat, her voice trembling with deep, maternal fear.
"Rivanya, beta? Where are you going with that bag? You haven't even recovered properly yet! Just yesterday you were burning with such a high fever, my child. What could possibly be so incredibly urgent that you are running out of the house in this frail condition?"
Rivanya walked over to where Dadimaa was standing and gently wrapped her hands around the elderly woman's trembling palms, trying to offer physical comfort.
She gave them a reassuring squeeze and spoke softly, "Dadimaa, please don't worry, I am feeling completely fine now. I am traveling to Kashi to visit my Nanu and Nanima. It is something extremely important, and it is absolutely vital for me to go there right now. Please understand."
Dadimaa's eyes widened with a deeper sense of dread, her grip tightening on Rivanya's hands. "Is everything alright over there? Are your grandparents and everyone else in your maternal home doing well? Why this sudden, unannounced departure, beta?"
Rivanya offered a soft, calming smile, gently rubbing Dadimaa's hands to pacify her swirling worries.
"Dadimaa, everything is perfectly fine over there, please don't take any tension. The exact reason behind my sudden journey is something Rudra will explain to you in full detail the moment I leave. Please don't stress yourself out. I promise I will finish my work and return to you all very quickly.
And besides, now that I have all of you here, I won't even be able to stay away from this house for too many days anyway."
Hearing her affectionate words, Dadimaa's heart melted slightly.
She raised a tender hand, gently caressing Rivanya's head in a loving blessing.
"If you say it is that important, then I won't stop you. But you must promise to take absolute care of yourself. Eat your meals strictly on time, never skip your medicines, and come back to us as fast as you can, beta."
Rivanya stepped into her space and wrapped her arms around her, hugging her tightly. "I will, Dadimaa. Please take care of your own health while I am away."
Breaking the warm embrace, Rivanya bent down with deep respect to touch Dadimaa's feet, receiving her heartfelt blessings, before turning toward Dadaji and doing the same.
Dadaji placed his hand over her head, his eyes reflecting a quiet, supportive affection.
With the family's farewell secured, Rivanya turned and walked out of the grand mansion, with Rudraksh walking firmly right beside her.
As they stepped out onto the sprawling private lawn, the sharp, rhythmic thumping of helicopter blades echoed through the air.
The sleek private chopper was already parked on the helipad, its engines purring, completely ready for immediate takeoff.
Standing guard around the perimeter was Rudraksh's elite, specialized security detail highly trained, lethal men who handled his high-profile security and underworld logistics, selected specifically to ensure zero loopholes in her safety.
Rudraksh guided Rivanya toward the chopper, helping her climb the steps and ensuring she was settled completely comfortably and securely into her seat.
He gave her a final, lingering look of absolute protection before stepping back.
Within moments, the chopper lifted off the ground, ascending gracefully into the clear sky, carrying Rivanya straight toward her destination in Kashi.
The moment the chopper vanished into the distant clouds, the soft, protective demeanor on Rudraksh's face vanished, replaced instantly by a cold, hardened expression.
He turned on his heel, walked back inside the mansion with heavy, commanding strides, and went straight into the living hall where Dadaji and Dadimaa were still waiting.
Sitting down opposite them, Rudraksh didn't sugarcoat the reality. He laid bare the entire truth, detailing every single revelation written inside Katha's letter and exposing the deep, toxic deception Naresh Bedi had spun around Rivanya's identity and bloodline for his own greed.
As his deep, steady voice filled the quiet room, Dadaji and Dadimaa sat in absolute, stunned silence.
The sheer magnitude of the truth left them thoroughly shaken and horrified.
As the reality sank in, a furious, boiling rage gripped both the elders.
Their hands trembled, not out of weakness, but out of pure, unadulterated anger at Naresh Bedi.
They couldn't fathom how a man could fall this incredibly low, exploiting an innocent, motherless child under the false pretense of being her father just to manipulate her life.
Dadimaa's eyes welled up with painful tears, her voice cracking with deep sorrow as she looked toward the temple idol in the room.
"I don't understand why my poor child's destiny is written with so many endless sorrows. Rivanya is such an incredibly pure, sweet, and innocent girl... how can even God be this brutally heartless and merciless to inflict so much agonizing pain upon that gentle soul?"
The massive LED television on the living room wall flashed violently with a crimson breaking news banner. The high-pitched, dramatic voice of the news anchor suddenly filled the quiet room, instantly drawing everyone's absolute attention.
"Breaking News at this hour from the corporate hub of Mumbai! In a shocking turn of events, the prominent conglomerate Bedi Industries has officially declared absolute bankruptcy overnight! Following a devastating and unprecedented cyber-attack coupled with a massive,
coordinated financial freeze on all their offshore accounts, the entire empire has collapsed. Naresh Bedi's assets have been completely seized by federal authorities, bringing the billionaire family down to the streets in less than six hours. Market experts are calling this a clinical,
calculated annihilation, whispered to be the work of a shadowy underworld entity..."
Watching this explosive broadcast unfold, Dadaji and Dadimaa were entirely struck with disbelief.
However, the moment they turned their heads and locked eyes with Rudraksh standing in the center of the hall, the pieces instantly clicked together.
They knew immediately whose blinding rage had just rained down upon Naresh Bedi.
Rudraksh stood there, a dangerous, dark smirk playing on his lips, as if silently declaring to the screens: This is merely the beginning, Naresh Bedi. Just wait and watch.
Time Skip: Two Hours Later
After a smooth and secure flight, Rivanya safely arrived in Kashi within two hours.
She was now seated in the back of a luxury vehicle, watched over by Rudraksh's elite guards, watching the familiar scenery roll past as she headed toward her maternal home.
The sacred, nostalgic fragrance of Kashi washed through the open window, instantly bringing a fleeting sense of peace to her exhausted mind, making her feel as though her entire childhood were flashing before her eyes.
Yet, the turbulence in her heart remained untamed.
Her mind was a chaotic maze of thousands of unanswered questions, and she was terrified of what the absolute truth would demand of her.
Why did her mother keep this a secret? And above all, why had her mother explicitly instructed her to go to Indore, to Naresh Bedi's parents, to uncover the final pieces of her biological father's identity?
The questions were endless, but the answers were just a doorstep away.
A short while later, the luxury car smoothly pulled up right in front of her maternal uncle's house in Kashi.
The driver immediately got out and opened the door for her, allowing Rivanya to step outside.
Standing on the familiar street and looking at the modest, warm facade of her childhood home, a powerful rush of memories flooded her mind.
She vividly remembered how, right after her mother Katha's tragic demise, her Mamaji and Mamiji had wrapped her in their warmth and brought her here to this very house.
They had showered her with a love so deep it often surpassed what they gave to their own biological daughter.
Then there was Dhara the absolute light of her life.
Since childhood, Rivanya had never hidden a single secret from Dhara.
They grew up not just like real sisters, but as the absolute best of friends.
A bittersweet smile touched her lips as she recalled how she and Dhara used to run around endlessly in that sun-drenched central courtyard, while Mamiji would chase after both of them, desperately holding a plate of food.
She remembered how Nanu would patiently sit with them for hours to teach them their lessons, and how Nani would gently oil and braid their hair with utmost care.
Today, looking at the house, every single milestone of her childhood felt alive.
She had entered this house at a very tender age as a grieving, broken daughter; but today, as she stood at the exact same threshold, she was returning not just as a daughter, but as someone's daughter-in-law, someone's wife, and someone's Bhabhi.
Time had flown by with a terrifying speed.
Lost in the heavy contrast of her past and present, silent tears welled up in her eyes.
Summoning all her emotional courage, Rivanya stepped inside the house.
The familiar scent of home enveloped her.