𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒐𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑹𝒊𝒅𝒆

PART-11

Sahab = Sir

"Rudraksh... " Anusuiya's voice trembled with emotions, and she enveloped him in a warm, tight embrace. The familiarity of his scent, the feel of his worn shirt beneath her hands, and the gentle pressure of his arms around her sent waves of relief and maternal affection coursing through air.

A brief, stiff smile flickered across Rudraksh's face. The tension and stress of the past few weeks began to melt away, replaced by a sense of safety, like a river flowing back to its source. Yet, the calmness didn't quite settle; it was as if the river merely touched the shore before flowing outward again, carrying away some of the tranquility with it.

Anusuiya's trembling hands grasped Rudraksh's arms as she scanned his face. Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears, and her voice cracked in a dedicated plea.

"Where have you been, beta? Do you have any idea how worried we were?" Her thumb traced gentle patterns on his skin, reassuring herself that he was really there.

"Did you forget me, Rudraksh? Did someone else mean more to you than your own mother?" Her gaze searched his, hungry for reassurance.

The question hung in the air, vulnerable and raw. Rudraksh's eyes locked onto his mother's hopeful gaze, but the weight of her words still didn't match the intensity of his emotions.

Siddharth and Karan exchanged a sheepish glance, their grins mirroring each other's amusement as they witnessed Rudraksh's mother's emotional outburst. They offered Rudraksh sympathetic smiles, but Rudraksh's gaze remained fixed on his mother's, searching the depths of her eyes for the sincerity behind her tears.

Rudraksh's gaze darted between his friends and his mother. He let out a deep sigh, then enveloped her in a warm hug. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "Please, forgive me."

Anusuiya sensed a hint of emptiness in his apology, but the warmth of his embrace was enough to soothe her for now.

Anusuiya's hands fluttered over her son's face, as if sweeping away every unseen shadows, before drawing them to her own temples in a gentle, protective gesture-all accompanied by a warm, loving smile.

After some moments, Anusuiya welcomed the boys inside the house with a warm smile, but the trios' nervous expression and rapid heartbeat betrayed their anxiety. She gestured for them to take a seat at the breakfast table.

Siddharth and Karan exchanged a tensed glance before sitting down, their eyes fixed on Rudraksh. However, instead of joining them, he veered off towards the staircase.

Rudraksh was about to put his first step on the stairs when a servent approached him with a deferential bow. "Rudraksh baba! Judge sahab has summoned you to his study." His voice was low and respectful.

Rudraksh's heart skipped a beat and his mind raced with anticipation. He had been dreading this moment, knowing that he needed to face the consequences, no matter what.

With a deep breath, he nodded curtly. "I'm coming," he announced in a firm voice, but his eyes betrayed a hint of apprehension.

The servent bowed again and backed away, leaving Rudraksh to make his way towards his father's study.

The path to the study seemed to stretch on forever, like a gauntlet of thrones, each step echoing with the memories of his past confrontations - the promises, the trusts, the vulnerabilities.

His heartbeat quickened, pounding in his chest like a drumbeat of anticipation upon approaching the wooden door. Each step drawing him closer to a reckoning he couldn't escape.

Rudraksh's mouth turned dry, his palms slick with sweat. He rubbed his fingers together in anticipation, a nervous habit he couldn't shake, and gently knocked, the sound echoing through the silence.