Duplicity

10. Secret

The room is bathed in the warm sunlight streaming through the curtains.  The room radiates a sense of power and sophistication. High ceilings with a huge chandelier hung upon the king sized bed placed in the middle of the room. A huge door on the other side of the room leads to a private balcony accommodating a rooftop pool and a customised bar. The walls painted with pitch black are highlighted by dark green indicating the room is occupied by heir of the family.

The bed is low tufted with a headboard made out of black leather, dark silk bedsheets and fluffy pillows adorning the bed.  Beside the bed there is table with a personal night lamp and a few leather bound original copies of the books kept on it.

And right there in the middle of bed lay The eldest daughter of the family , Aarna Roy Singhania, with a bandage wrapped around her head.

She is barely conscious due to her medication but winces every now and then due to discomfort and pain.

Her mother, stands beside her bed with worry and concern etched on her face. She adjusts the comforter slipped off her daughter due to her twisting in pain in her sleep.

Taking a deep breath she turns around just to find her husband standing leaning against the door, his eyes fixed on their daughter's frame, surrounded by several files and folders scattered all over her bed.

"Dravid I-" I heard my mother's faint voice as if she is trying to find the right words for it.

"I told her to stop working until the poison is fully out of her system but she-" before she could continue I mustered all the energy I had before replying her in a weak little voice.

"Mumma! I can't just lay here like a helpless little girl. Everything I have worked for till now will fall apart if I give up working for two weeks."

I felt her moving the files around and sitting on the mattress near my body. A feel of a hand stroking my hair lovingly made its way to my body and I Instantly felt at peace.

"Baby, you need rest. You heard what the doctor said didn't you. You have been putting unnecessary pressure on yourself."

I opened my eyes and tried to brace myself against the headboard but ended up groaning in pain. I felt my mother's hands stabilising me against the headboard.

"I am okay mumma. I just need to - fuck" I tried to move myself off the bed but the pain only intensified.

"Aarna. Listen to your mother for once." Said my father, now leaning against the headboard next to my mother.

"But- but I have worked so hard for this mission. What if everything goes back to the way it was before I started this mission, if i give up now." My heart ached at the thought of giving up my 4 years- almost 5 years -  of hard-work.

"Aarna please. Your body needs time to heal." My mother spoke in a pleading voice.

"But-" I tried to argue further but my father beat me to it.

"That's it. You have two choices - either continue your mission and lose your right to call us parents or take off until the doctor says so."

I stared at him, eyes widened at the choices he just offered me. He can't do that.
"You aren't serious are you?" I asked him in disbelief .
"I am." He said staring at me with an unreadable expression on his face.

My gaze dropped, shoulders slumping in defeat. The only sound that could be heard in the silence was the ticking of the clock hung upon the wall.
"The first one. I chose the first one."

I turned around, laying down on bed and covered myself with the comforter, putting an end to our conversation.

I heard my mother sigh in relief , adjusting the comforter around me.

A few more moments later I heard my father whisper something to mother, the sound almost inaudible but I heard a few words.

"We- go-" That's all I could made out of the sentence. He was probably telling her that they should leave the room.

"Why did you do that?" I heard my mother whisper shout at him.
There was a moment of silence and I felt my father leaning over my bed, probably checking if I am asleep or not. Satisfied with the sight of me "asleep" he replied her in a hushed voice.

"You know why jaan. The mission she is always talking about. It's not good for her health and you know it. Even she succeeds in it, it's not gonna end good."

"I know you are worried about Kia-"
"How many times have I told you to not to talk about her."
"I know but-" She was cut off by my father.
"Let's just not talk about her here okay. I am leaving for India tomorrow I will manage it."
"Okay."

Kiara. The name I have only heard from my parents a few times when I tried to eavesdrop on their conversation.

There are rumours in the underworld that I have a younger sister and that's why they call me the Eldest Singhania heir but I have never seen her in my childhood mansion before.

There is something my parents are hiding. A big secret. And I will find out even if I have to join hands with the enemy.