𝖉𝖎𝖘𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖚𝖘𝖎𝖔𝖓 | ✓

𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔯𝔱𝔢𝔢𝔫

Annika pursed her lips, her eyebrows scrunching in confusion as she sat in front of Bhavya who had narrated the events of the morning to her—— regarding Jahnvi and Pinky's behaviours.

Annika sat silently, contemplating the reason behind their jumpy behaviours and short remarks regarding this mysterious SSR. She shook her head—— sitting around and waiting for the senior Oberois to tell them something was like trying to squeeze blood from a stone. The senior Oberois wouldn't tell them anything—— of that, Annika was sure—— they would have to figure out everything themselves.

"Bhabhi?" Bhavya prompted. "What do you think?"

Annika glanced at the newest Oberoi bahu who was nervously fiddling with the ends of her dupatta, and she found herself feeling a deep sense of sympathy for the young woman. Bhavya had married into this family hoping for a large family to love her and respect her—— Annika knew they came with a cost.

With a sigh, Annika frowned at Bhavya, "It's suspicious Bhavya. And I don't think we have any other option than to figure out who SSR is and what her connection is to Kalyani Mills."

"Kalyani Mills?" Bhavya asked, blinking in confusion. "I'm sorry but what does Kalyani Mills have to do with the owner of a pair of jhumkas?"

Annika sighed, "Right. I haven't told you yet."

<>•<>

Gauri looked at her husband nervously as they waited underneath the roof of an old matron that used to work at the orphanage her sister and she had been living in for months before Gauri's parents adopted her.

Gauri had been told that the matron might refer to her as Chutki—— a warning from beforehand to ensure no traumatic memories might be triggered out of the blue. After getting the green signal from his wife, Omkara had confirmed the meeting with the eighty-year-old woman.

Gauri sipped from a bottle of cold distilled water that Omkara had brought along in the car. With a nervous glance at her husband, she drank a few sips, until the matron returned with a tray of biscuits and toffees.

"You used to love biscuits as a child and your sister used to love toffees," the matron chuckled, pushing forward the tray as she set it down onto the table in the middle of all the chairs.

Gauri blinked. She did not remember anything about that.

Gauri smiled nervously at the retired matron as she took a small bite of an inedible biscuit. Her eyes widened and she glanced at the matron apprehensively, "Ye biscuits aapne banaye hain?"

The matron nodded. "Accha hain?"

Gauri nodded, throwing her husband a warning glare as he bit his lower lip to hide his smile. "I've never had biscuits like these," she said with a hesitant and awkward smile—— that hadn't been a lie.

Omkara cleared his throat, his smile disappearing as he looked at the matron. "We had a few questions Suhaniji." He glanced at his wife momentarily, with a worried frown, "Regarding your time working at Hope Shelter and Orphanage."

The matron sighed, "Ask away."

"Do you remember Gau—— I mean Chutki's," Omkara corrected himself, "older sister?"

The matron glanced at Gauri who was looking at her hopefully before shaking her head, "No."

Omkara gaped at her, surprised. Gauri blinked.

"Excuse me?" Gauri snorted. "That was a horrible joke. Tell me the truth. What was her name?"

The matron cleared her throat, "I don't remember you having an older sister Chutki."