Apricity

Part 21

"That can't be right!" exclaimed Mohit, his mouth going dry by every passing moment. His breath hitched at his throat as a deluge of thoughts flooded his tempestuous mind. "You... you must be mistaken! That..."

"Sir, I've only relayed what I've heard. Miss Yukti Malhotra had revealed the truth herself," said the man with his hands hooked behind his back and neck bowed at the nape. He did not dare to look into the eyes of his employer as he confirmed the dreary and daunting truth dropped by the younger Malhotra.

The reluctance of his younger brother's attorney to fight for the custody of his daughter suddenly made sense, as did the acrid distaste of Vyom's ex-wife for him. The hints were in plain sight, scattered all around him - in the lack of tears in the Malhotra daughters' eyes at Vyom's funeral, the absence of yearning of Yukti for her father, and the stoicism of his own daughter in the face of her uncle.

It was all in front of him. Did convenience and love for his brother blind him to the signs that appeared unmissable in that moment of realization? Or was it prudent he had not jumped to the conclusion that his dear brother was a monster disguised in a charmer's clothing?

And his daughter. His beloved little princess. Violated in her own home. By a man trusted and loved by her father. How could he ever look into her piercing eyes knowing he had failed her when she needed him the most? That he had led the devil himself to her, drowning in a never-ending ocean of self-pity?

An overwhelming sense of guilt and anger surged through Mohit's veins, threatening to consume him whole. He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, as he struggled to find solace in the chaos that now surrounded him. The weight of his brother's treachery bore down on his shoulders, threatening to crush him under its unbearable burden.

With a heavy heart, Mohit turned his attention back to the man standing before him - the bearer of this unimaginable truth - his manager who had replaced Lalit after the latter's retirement, Shlok Kapadia. The words echoed in his mind, each syllable ringing with a cruel clarity. There was no denying it any longer; Vyom had betrayed them all.

"Tell me everything," Mohit demanded, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and anger. The man before him hesitated, his gaze fixed on the floor. Mohit could almost taste the bitterness that hung in the air, intertwining with the complicated web of deceit that now defined his brother's legacy.

Taking a deep breath, the attorney finally spoke, each word laced with a heavy burden. "Miss Yukti's words indicated it was not, uh, one-time, um, incident," revealed Shlok. "Her choice of adjectives showed deep-seated resentment, both on her account and Miss Suhani's."

Mohit's heart sank further as he absorbed the weight of Shlok's words. Deep-seated resentment. Two innocent souls, his own daughter and his niece, scarred by Vyom's heinous acts. The realization shook him to his core, his mind unable to comprehend the depth of the darkness that had enveloped their lives.

His thoughts turned to Suhani, his daughter, the embodiment of purity and grace. How could he protect her from the demons that now haunted her innocence? The guilt gnawed at him, as if a thousand claws were tearing at his soul. He had failed as a father—failed to shield her from the horrors that should never have touched her fragile world.

As anger coursed through his veins, Mohit found his voice again, though it was laced with a mixture of fury and disbelief. "Why didn't they say anything before? Why didn't they come to me?" His mind replayed memories of family gatherings, where Yukti and Suhani had always appeared distant, their laughter forced, their smiles strained.

Shlok shifted uncomfortably, his eyes finally meeting Mohit's gaze. "Miss Yukti said the cause was fear, sir," he confessed softly. "Afraid of not being believed, afraid of the consequences, afraid of the possible shame."

Shlok drew in a deep breath and scratched the root of his nose. "She... she also said she didn't want the tag... tag of being a, uh, rapist's daughter. Miss Yukti blames her fear for their silence."

Mohit's heart shattered into a million pieces as he heard the painful truth. The weight of his brother's sins now burdened not only his own conscience but also the shoulders of two young girls, innocent victims of Vyom's monstrous actions. The realization of their fear, their silence, sliced through him like a dagger, leaving behind an agonizing wound that could never fully heal.

He had failed them all, allowing his blind love for Vyom to shield him from the truth that lay hidden beneath the surface and his self-pity to ward him away from the reality of his loved ones.

Mohit couldn't help but wonder, "Why didn't Shipra trust me enough to confide in me?" Shipra Dhillon, his brother's ex-wife, and mother of Yukti, had rejected every effort Mohit made to reconcile with Vyom. Her cold and disgusted attitude came as a shock to him at first, but as a parent whose child was violated by Vyom, he could understand her anger and frustration.

Mohit gritted his teeth as he shook his head. "And Lalit, did he not realize what was going on?" He had trusted Lalit with everything, thinking that all he loved would be safer and better off in his hands. But now, Mohit couldn't help but question that decision.

"I checked in a few things, sir. Your legal team was aware and had prepared documents to protect you from any potential lawsuits from Mrs. Shipra. And if your lawyers knew, then Lalit must have known as well."

The revelation sent a wave of betrayal crashing over Mohit. How could Lalit, his most trusted confidant and friend since childhood, have kept such a secret from him? It was as if the foundations of his entire world were crumbling beneath his feet. The despair threatened to consume him, but he fought against it with every ounce of strength left in his battered soul.

"He was like a blind man leading me through a minefield," Mohit muttered bitterly, his voice tinged with regret. "Lalit, the faithful friend and confidant, was there all along, witnessing the chaos unfold, but he chose to remain silent. How could he betray me like this?"

Shlok's expression grew solemn as he shifted uncomfortably once again."Maybe he thought he was protecting you by keeping you from the truth, sir. It is possible he believed that shielding you from the harsh reality would spare you further pain and anguish."

Mohit's anger flared anew, fueled by the revelation of Lalit's possible complicity in the deception that had ensnared them all. "Protect me?" he seethed, his voice laced with bitterness. "By keeping me in the dark? By allowing me to live in blissful ignorance while my own flesh and blood suffered?"

Mohit's eyes burned with a mix of rage and betrayal as he paced back and forth, his mind racing with thoughts of the ones he had trusted most. How could they have kept this from him? How could they bear witness to such horrors and not seek justice for the innocent? The weight of their silence pressed down on his shoulders, threatening to crush him under its unbearable burden.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Mohit looked Shlok squarely in the eye. "I want you to find Lalit. Bring him to me. I need answers, and I won't rest until I have them."

Shlok nodded silently, his face etched with sympathy for the man before him. "Of course, sir," he replied, his voice filled with a mix of compassion and determination. "I will do everything in my power to find Lalit and uncover the truth."

As Shlok turned to leave, Mohit's mind raced with a thousand thoughts and questions. He couldn't help but wonder how deep the rabbit hole went. How many others were complicit in Vyom's crimes? How many more secrets lay buried beneath the surface, waiting to be unearthed? Mohit knew that he couldn't afford to dwell in self-pity any longer. It was time to take action that was long overdue.