Eternal Souls

Chapter Nine: The Unexpected Revelation

Krishna burst into the saree shop, her face pale and eyes wide with distress. "*Didi*, you need to see this!" she exclaimed, holding up a newspaper with the scandalous headline.

Pallavi looked up from her work, puzzled by Krishna's urgency. She took the newspaper and scanned the headline and the photograph of her and Raghav. Her heart sank as she saw the compromising image. "What is this?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"It's all over the news," Krishna said, her voice shaking. "They're saying you and Raghav Rao are involved. It's creating a huge scandal."

Pallavi's mind raced as she tried to process the implications. Before she could say more, a notification on her phone caught her attention. It was a message from Raghav, apologizing for the misunderstanding and asking her to meet him immediately.

Meanwhile, at Jai Jewellers, Raghav was inspecting a newly crafted necklace for a VIP client when Farhad, his close friend and assistant, walked in with a worried expression. "Anna, you need to see this," Farhad said, showing Raghav the newspaper with the headline about him and Pallavi.

Raghav's eyes widened in shock as he took in the photograph. "What is this?" he demanded, his voice tight with anger.

"That picture was clicked when you saved Pallavi from falling in the saree shop," Farhad explained. "The way it's framed, it looks like something else entirely."

Raghav's frustration was palpable. "I don't know who did this, but this is an invasion of privacy and a complete misrepresentation. I need to go to her immediately and fix this."

Farhad nodded, understanding the urgency. "I'll come with you."

They hurried to the saree shop, only to find that Pallavi had already left for home, having learned about the news. Panic set in as Raghav and Farhad rushed to her house.

When Pallavi arrived home, she was devastated to find her belongings strewn outside the house. Her father-in-law, Vijay, stood at the entrance, his face set in a stern expression.

As Pallavi approached, she tried to speak, but Vijay cut her off with a cold glare. "Don't ever call me Baba again. You've brought shame to this family. You're no longer welcome here."

Pallavi's heart broke at the harsh words. "But, Baba, I..."

"No," Vijay interrupted firmly. "I don't want to hear any excuses. Leave now."

Tears streaming down her face, Pallavi turned away. As she walked away, she caught a glimpse of Raghav and Farhad arriving. Her heart ached with a mix of frustration and helplessness, knowing that Raghav was trying to make things right but that the damage was already done.

Raghav approached Vijay, his anger barely contained. "This is a misunderstanding. The picture was taken out of context. Pallavi is innocent."

Vijay's expression remained unyielding. "It's too late. The damage is done. She is not part of this family anymore."

Raghav clenched his fists, his mind racing with the desire to clear Pallavi's name. But with Pallavi already on her way and the family's decision made, he realized the road ahead would be more difficult than he had anticipated.