Disguised Darling|✓

Episode 42

“Mishti!” 

The twins reach the girl first followed by their voice, hogging her up from either side making the girl in question giggle. 

“Ranvi! Ruhi!” she exclaims, throwing her arms around their necks giving them a tight hug. As tight as it can get with a cannula attached to her hand. 

Mihir tells her to be careful from the side, but he too is grinning ear to ear.

“We came as soon as we heard. I still can’t believe what happened, how could Tara…” Ruhi murmurs and Mishti sees from her periphery as Mihir’s gaze automatically falls to the ground. “But my little Mishti is very strong. I’m so glad that you are still safe and sound.” Ruhi coos, pulling back to look at her and caressing her head. The action reminds Mishti of the mother she never had.

Her eyes pool with automatic tears.

“Hey! Stop crying you cry-baby.” Ranveer murmurs but his voice comes out off, his face remaining put on her shoulder refusing to let her look at him.

It is belatedly that they all realise that he too is crying. 

The fact makes Mishti smile. 

Raghav too comes and takes a place on the crowded hospital bed, thrusting a big steel container in front of her.

“Open it,” he says and Mishti obeys, letting out a surprised gasp when she acknowledges the contents of the container. 

“Karachi Halwa! My favourite. Did you make it?” Mishti asks the obvious and when she gets a nod in an answer, she smiles, her lower lip wobbling with it. 

Everyone in the room collectively coos at her. 

“Guys!” Aisha rushes into the room, her voice holding an urgency to it. “You need to get out of here. Some officers are coming to take Mishti’s statement and file an FIR against that constable. You can’t let them see you here. You guys are still not off the charts.”

The group nods, immediately walking out of the door with a promise to meet Mishti as soon as possible. 

Mihir asks if she’ll be ok. And even though Mishti wants to answer in a negative, she nods. 

“You’re my brave Chutki. I’ll come inside as soon as they’d go, ok?” he asks, placing a kiss on her temple to which makes Mishti smile.

Moments later, in walks, a crew of khaki-clad officers, making her scoot behind on her bed, fisting the sheets. 

Her hitched and scared breath comes out stuttered when she acknowledges the person following the officers.

Samrat.

He is wearing his favourite navy coloured suit, his Hublot adorning his wrist and an expression of indifference placed on his face.

He doesn’t look at her, but she is unable to turn away her gaze from him. 

The familiar face makes it easy for her to answer whatever is asked of her, all the officers disregarding the fact that she is supposed to be a prisoner and deal with her as calmly as possible.

It astonishes Mishti to no end. 

Minutes pass and when they complete forty of them, all with cross accusation and interrogation, and a promise to review her case once again taking into account every possible suspect including Vineeta Agnihotri’s involvement, the officers walk out of the room, their gazes downcast as they pass Samrat. 

He doesn’t follow them. 

Mishti hadn’t expected him to.

He stays there, unmoving, a defeated air surrounding him, afraid to face her, his gaze stuck to the door and back to her.