SS- The Aftermath

~14~

Kaveri Poddar had always been a woman who held her family's honor above everything else. Her pride, meticulously built over decades, was her fortress. And if an innocent girl like Abhira had seen the worst of her wrath just for being a perceived threat, there was no doubt that the woman responsible for actually bringing her family's pride crashing down would face something far worse. She had learned long ago that survival in this world required ruthless cunning, and she had no intention of letting Ruhi—the real destroyer—walk away unscathed. If Abhira had faced her wrath just because Kaveri perceived her as a threat, then the real enemy would see a side of Kaveri far more terrifying.

When Ruhi herself brought up the supposed accident caused by her maasi—an event that had taken her mother away—Kaveri Poddar seized the opportunity to twist the knife deeper. The court was silent as Ruhi tearfully recounted the tragic night, her voice shaking as she spoke of the years of pain and unanswered questions. Ruhi had always been a master of manipulation, adept at playing the victim when it suited her agenda. In the courtroom, she stood there, tears in her eyes, recounting the tragic death of her mother, supposedly caused by her maasi in an accident years ago. It was a performance—one carefully orchestrated to evoke sympathy from the court, to paint herself as the wounded party. She had used this tactic before, knowing how to twist the narrative in her favor, no matter how far from the truth it strayed.

But the judge seemed unmoved by her theatrics. He remained silent as she concluded her tearful testimony, then, with an even tone, adjourned the session for a two-hour break.

What Ruhi didn't realize was that those two hours would become her undoing. She walked out of the courtroom feeling the satisfaction of having played her part, ignoring the warnings from her lawyer. He advised her to stop with the dramatics, urging her to focus on the facts. But Ruhi, consumed by her need to play the victim, brushed him off. She believed that her performance had been flawless, that her tears had done their work. Afterall they always worked with her family, and Poddar family for a long run until Rohith blew her veil. What she didn't know was that Kaveri had already begun to turn the tide against her, planning her next move. She didn't realize that her opposition lawyer was a Poddar firm associate. She didn't know that Sanjay Bansal was overseeing the case. She didn't know that they would claim a thorough evidence check for her dramatics.

When it was time to hear from Manish Goenka, Suwarna, and Surekha—the elder statesmen of the family—the atmosphere grew even more intense.

As they were asked to confirm details about the tragic accident involving their granddaughter, the courtroom held its breath. Manish Goenka, the family's patriarch, spoke first, his voice steady as he confirmed the events of that fateful night. Suwarna followed, her eyes downcast but her words clear, as she too recounted the sorrow that had fallen upon their family. Surekha added her voice, detailing the grief and disbelief that had overtaken them when they lost their granddaughter.

The judge, however, was far from swayed by mere recounting of events. His next question cut through the air like a knife. "If you were so certain that this accident was caused by Ruhi's maasi, why didn't you lodge a formal complaint? Why did this matter remain hidden for so long?"

The room fell into a tense silence. Manish hesitated for the first time, exchanging uneasy glances with Suwarna and Surekha. There was no easy answer to that question, and the judge knew it. The hesitation only made it clear that something had been concealed, and the truth had yet to fully emerge.

Manish cleared his throat, visibly uncomfortable. "At the time, we were overwhelmed with grief," he began, "and there were... family dynamics that complicated things. We believed handling the matter privately would spare us further pain."