Guilty

Chapter 16 - Scandal

In the velvety shroud of the midnight hour, the Rathore mansion lay in tranquil repose, its halls silent save for the occasional murmur of the night. Suddenly, disruptive footsteps shattered the peace, their unsteady rhythm a discordant melody in the darkness. A heavy thud reverberated through the air, prompting Keerthi to stir from her sleep, her senses alert to the disturbance. With cautious steps, she ventured into the living room, where a scene of disarray greeted her. There, sprawled upon the floor in a state of inebriated abandon, lay Arjun, his presence a jarring contrast to the serenity of the night.

Keerthi's heart sank as she stepped into the living room and saw Arjun lying on the floor in a drunken stupor. Concern etched lines onto her face as she rushed to his side, kneeling down beside him.

"Arjun, Arjun, get up!" Keerthi's voice sliced through the stillness of the night, laced with both frustration and concern. With a mixture of exasperation and worry, she nudged her sloshed brother, coaxing him to consciousness. Arjun's eyelids fluttered open, heavy with the weight of intoxication, his speech slurred as he attempted to form words. "Vadh... Vadhina..." he mumbled, his voice a disjointed melody.

"Arjun, what's all this?" Keerthi's tone betrayed a blend of irritation and apprehension as she struggled to rouse him. With a determined yet gentle touch, she helped him to his feet, wrapping his arm around her shoulders to support his unsteady frame. Together, they ascended the staircase, Keerthi guiding Arjun with careful steps, a silent guardian navigating him through the haze of his drunken stupor.

She ushered him into his room, swiftly closing the door behind them to shield him from prying eyes. With a mixture of frustration and concern etched on her face, Keerthi advanced towards her inebriated brother-in-law, her footsteps heavy with disappointment. "Arjun, entra idi?" she demanded, her voice tinged with anger as she confronted him. "It's become a habit now."

Her words fell on deaf ears, the alcohol-induced slumber enveloping Arjun in its embrace, rendering him oblivious to her scolding. Keerthi's frustration mounted, her voice rising as she vented her exasperation. "Intlo evaraina chuste em avthundi telusa?" she questioned, her tone a mixture of disbelief and reproach.

But Arjun remained unmoved, lost in the depths of his drunken stupor, oblivious to her tirade. With a heavy sigh, Keerthi relented, her anger tempered by a sense of resignation. Drawing a blanket over her sleeping brother-in-law, she turned away, leaving him to his troubled dreams, the weight of her disappointment lingering in the air long after she departed.

The next morning dawned with a sense of tension hanging heavy in the air, the echoes of Rana's thunderous voice reverberating through the halls of the Rathore mansion. With each step, his anger intensified, his footsteps echoing like a war drum as he stormed towards the living room.

With a forceful push, Rana slammed the door open, his entrance commanding attention as he strode into the room, his features twisted in a mask of fury. "Arjun! Arjun!" he bellowed, his voice booming with authority and frustration. Clutched tightly in his hand were a handful of papers, his grip white-knuckled with tension.

At the sound of his enraged summons, the rest of the household emerged from their rooms, drawn by the urgency in his tone. Keerthi, Tara, Adi, and Surekha gathered in the living room, their expressions a mix of concern and confusion. Surekha, the matriarch of the family, approached Rana with a furrowed brow, her voice laced with concern. "What's the matter, Rana? Why are you shouting so early in the morning?"

Keerthi's mind raced as she anticipated the source of Rana's fury, a sinking feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. Tara and Adi exchanged wary glances, their confusion mirrored in their expressions. But before anyone could voice their questions, Rana's voice pierced the air once more, his demand echoing through the room. "Arjun!"

Arjun, still groggy from the remnants of sleep and the effects of alcohol, descended the staircase with unsteady steps. His hand clutched his throbbing head, a silent admission of the pounding headache that plagued him. His gaze remained averted, avoiding the piercing intensity of Rana's eyes as confusion clouded his mind.

The tension in the room palpable, each heartbeat echoing the weight of anticipation as the family awaited Rana's revelation. Keerthi exchanged a worried glance with Tara and Adi, her concern deepening at the sight of Arjun's disheveled state. But before anyone could speak, Rana's voice boomed once more, demanding answers and resolution to the turmoil that gripped them all.

The maid rushed towards Keerthi, her hands trembling as she offered the glass of lemon juice intended for Arjun's hangover. However, before Keerthi could hand it to him, Rana intervened, his hand halting her in her tracks. "Arjun, look at me!" he demanded, his voice reverberating with authority as he thrust the papers into Arjun's hands.

Arjun blinked, his eyes struggling to focus as he glanced down at the documents. The words blurred before him, but the weight of Rana's anger was unmistakable. Adi stepped closer, his brow furrowing in concern as he accepted a copy of the papers from Rana, his expression mirroring the shock that rippled through the room.

As the tension mounted, Tara's phone vibrated with a notification, drawing her attention away from the unfolding scene. With a furrowed brow, she glanced at the message, her shock matching that of the others. Meanwhile, Surekha approached Arjun, her hands trembling as she snatched the papers from him, her expression a mix of disbelief and dismay.

Tara's voice quivered slightly as she read aloud from the screen of her phone, her eyes scanning the damning headlines that splashed across the news articles. "According to reports," she began, her tone tense, "the photos circulating on social media depict Arjun Rathore, the heir to the Rathore Group, allegedly at a rave party. The images show him in a visibly intoxicated state, surrounded by a throng of women, with substances suspected to be drugs visible in the background."

She paused, the weight of the words sinking in as she glanced up at the stunned faces of her family members. "The incident has sparked outrage, with many questioning the conduct of the Rathore heir and calling for an investigation into the matter," Tara continued, her voice heavy with the gravity of the situation. "The family is yet to release an official statement regarding the allegations."

Arjun sank deeper into the sofa, his hand pressed firmly against his throbbing temple as he read the damning headlines. With a frustrated sigh, he ran his fingers through his disheveled hair, his guilt-laden gaze meeting Tara's questioning eyes. "Arjun, tell me this is not true," she implored, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Arjun sank deeper into the sofa, his hand pressed firmly against his throbbing temple as he read the damning headlines. With a frustrated sigh, he ran his fingers through his disheveled hair, his guilt-laden gaze meeting Tara's questioning eyes. "Arjun, tell me this is not true," she implored, her voice tinged with disbelief.

As the tension in the room thickened, Aditya paced back and forth, his frustration palpable. "Okay, we can't change what's happened," Aditya started, his voice strained with urgency. "Firstly, we'll retract the news—", "NO", a distant voice interjected, cutting him in between. "No," the voice declared, its tone firm and resolute, cutting through the tension in the room like a knife. All eyes turned towards the door, where the silhouette of someone could be seen entering the room. "No, don't do that", said Aadhya as she entered inside.