𝐘𝐫𝐤𝐤𝐡 𝐗 𝐀𝐫𝐣𝐮𝐧 ❝𝐀 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲❞

𝐈𝐈𝐈.

𝗠𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗶

Riya was trying hard to concentrate on her work. Yet her mind refused to back out from her memories. This case was her harsh reality. A reality she so wanted to forget. Because every time she remembered it, she was thrown into the abysses of fear, sadness, loneliness, guilt, anger, and whatnot.  And she couldn't afford this. She couldn't afford to go back into her shell when she was an ETF officer. Not with this case in hand. Not when she knew she had to be strong for her family and siblings. A knock at her cabin pulled her out of her thoughts. 

Riya: Come in!

Riya looked up from her desk only to notice Shree with a bunch of papers and a few files in his hands. 

Shree: Ri, maine recordings check kar li hai. Ek kaam ki cheez mili hai. 

Riya: Kya?

Shree: There's this woman in the footage, kind of shady by the looks. And uske haath pe bhi waisa hi jalne ka nishaan hai jaisa victim family ne bataya tha. 

Riya: Uska chehra nazar aaya? 

Shree: No. Pure footage me sirf ek jagah spot hui hai vo and waha bhi kaafi achi tarah se chehra covered hai. We can't have her face through this. 

Riya: Koi baat nahi. Physical appearance to pata chal hi jaayegi na? Department ke records check karte hai. Especially the ones related to these child traffickers. Let's see shayad koi purana paapi nikle. 

Shree: Right. By the way, ye files hai. Ye teen complete hogayi hai, 17 ab bhi baaki hai. 

Riya: Hmm. Alright. Mai dekhleti hu. 

Shree turned back before leaving the cabin.

Shree: Ri? 

Riya looked back at him and she knew what he wanted to say.

Shree: I am sorry. 

Riya looked at him as her eyes teared up a little. 

Riya: I am fine Shree. Mai apna dhyaan rakh sakti hu.

Shree: I know. Still, unhe koi hak nahi tha tujhe akela feel karwaane ka. I am sorry to have failed you. 

Riya: Jao Shree. I told you I am fine. I will be good. Don't feel guilty.

Shree nodded his head a little before moving out of the cabin while Riya hastily wiped her tears. She couldn't cry. These tears weren't needed. She didn't lie when she said that she wasn't angry. Of course, she wasn't but she was hurt. Very much hurt. For Riya, ETF was her extended family. A family which wasn't hers by blood but by heart. Those two years of separation had taken it away from her. There had been a few new joining the team behind her. All girls. And somewhere in between them, Riya Mukherjee got lost. It wasn't like she didn't like them. But she didn't love them either. She respected them. Yes. But she still wasn't comfortable with them. And she knew they weren't either. And for her buddies? Well, they did what a sane person should do. Moved on! They couldn't keep waiting for her when there wasn't any surety if she would even survive.

Rathod along with Arjun came back after their meeting. As Riya presented the case and the findings till that moment, the two bosses kept on analyzing things. The team had worked quite efficiently. Though Arjun would never let them know this, he was proud of his teammates. 

Rathod: Good job team. You guys have worked efficiently. And Riya, well done. Tumne bhot ache tarah handle kiya hai sab. Keep up the good work.

Riya: Thank you, sir. 

                                                                      ─── ❖ ── ✦ ── ❖ ───

𝗨𝗱𝗮𝗶𝗽𝘂𝗿

𝗚𝗼𝗲𝗻𝗸𝗮 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮

Aarohi(on-call): Yes. Even I am planning to apply for my internship now. Mai kuch research karungi pehle and then only I will decide about the hospital. Maine itni mehnat yuhi kisi bhi hospital me kaam karne ke liye nahi ki hai. You know me. Aarohi Goenka settles for nothing less than the best.

Aarohi (mv): Aur waise bhi, jitni achi jagah main internship karungi utni achi guidance milegi and utni hi achi doctor banungi mai. The best doctor. Jo kabhi kisiko helpless hokar marne nahi degi. Phirse koi Aarohi apni maa nahi khoegi. Not on my watch.

Aarohi went into her room to speak to one of her acquaintances. Mind you, Aarohi Goenka never had friends. She was too busy becoming a doctor, that she never got to have friends or have a social life. 

Akshara(on-call): Of course yaar. Kya fark padta hai jagah se? Matter to yahi karta hai na ki mai logo ki help kar paaungi. Being best isn't necessary. What's important is that ki aapko sukoon kaha milta hai. 

Akshara (mv): Aaru bhi internship shuru karne wali hai. I just pray, use jo bhi chahiye vo use mil jaaye. She deserves the best. 

Akshara was sitting on the lawn while talking to one of her friends. She had always been an easy-going girl. She could mingle with literally anyone and everyone. Still, her Aaru was always her best friend. Akshara had her social life, still, there were things she kept to herself.

The Goenkas had always been afraid of what might these sisters do once they are left alone. They feared Aaru would hurt Akshu to an extent that none could heal her or Akshu would try to get close to Aaru sending her into her shell. The shell where no one was allowed. Kairav on the other hand was frustrated. Frustrated with everything that was happening around him. Frustrated by his incapability to bring his sisters together. Sisters, he has one more. He remembers her. But what about the rest of the family? No one talked about her. No one knew where she was. Wasn't she the precious first child of his parents? He remembered the time when he was jealous of her. The time when he got to know that she was indeed his elder sister. They had just started getting along. He had just started calling her di. Everything fell apart again. Their mumma left them. She handled him. She Handled them. Both him and Akshu. But she left again. To never return. Did she hate him? She had every right to. Did she felt betrayed? Maybe she did. But it wasn't her fault. She was the eldest. Yes. But she was still a kid. A teenager. And most importantly, a child who lost her mother evem before she could believe that she wasn't an orphan.

𝗕𝗶𝗿𝗹𝗮 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲

Abhimanyu Birla could never stand a tear in his mother's eyes. He could turn the world upside down just to make sure that his mom was in peace. And this was what made him estranged from his father. His father's behaviour with his mother. He never liked it. Infact he hated it everytime his father shouted at his mom. And with time his not liking mind changed into a hating mind. As a kid, he did not liked his father and hated his behaviour. But now, he hated his father. 

Abhimanyu: Agar aapko itni hi padi hai apne PR ki to jaake kisi nithhalle doctor ko laga dijiye Queen Victoria ki sewa me. Mai un jaise faaltu logo ke liye apne genuine patients ko wait nahi karaunga. In fact, mai uske paas apna ek second bhi waste nahi karunga

Harsh: Minister sahab ne tumpar bharosa kiya hai. He knows you are the best. Tum samjhte kyu nahi ho. Isse hospital ko bhi benefit hoga aur tumhe bhi.

Abhimanyu: But mere patients ko nhi hoga koi benefit. So no, thank you. I shall take my leave.

Abhimanyu moved out of his father's  after a new argument, yet again. 

Abhimanyu (mv): Inhe sirf apni padi hai. inka hospital aur inka PR. 

Harsh(mv): Kaash tum samjhte Abhimanyu. Maine ye tumhaari bhalai sochkar hi kiya. Agar hospital ka PR acha hoga tabhi external support milega and agar support milega tabhi tum apna free clinic chala paaoge. And you will need these ministers for that. Na jaane kab samjhoge tum ye sab. 

Hello, people. So here's the next chapter.

Do tell me how you feel about it.

Till the next time, take care stay safe.