Ajeeb Dastan Hai Yeh (Completed)

Chapter 95 Maya Tricks

Maya's house

Maya sat in her elegantly furnished living room, a space meticulously designed to reflect her taste opulent and warm, yet somehow cold in its perfection. As Khushi animatedly recounted the events of the Mehendi ceremony, Maya's gaze remained fixed on her daughter's glowing face. She nodded at appropriate moments, feigning interest. But beneath her carefully crafted smile, a storm of emotions churned. After all, Maya had already witnessed the entire ceremony through the hidden camera she had planted earlier. Every laugh, every touch between Aarav and Manvi had not gone unnoticed.

The soft evening light filtered through sheer curtains, casting a golden hue over the room, making everything appear calm and serene. Yet Maya's mind was anything but. Khushi's excitement, her joyous recounting of her father's romantic gestures, grated on her. Aarav had moved on, living a life she was no longer a part of a life he seemed to be thriving in.

"Tumhare dadda bahut romantic hai Manvi ke saath," Maya remarked, keeping her tone neutral, though a bitter edge slipped through. Her eyes, sharp and calculating, flicked over Khushi's face, gauging her response.

Khushi, oblivious to the tension beneath her mother's words, giggled, her face alight with happiness. "Haan Maa, wo toh hai! Mere dadda bahut romantic hai." The unbridled joy in Khushi's voice struck a nerve, deepening the bitterness that curled in Maya's gut.

For a brief moment, Maya's expression softened as she watched her daughter, but the tenderness was fleeting. Envy and resentment soon took its place. "Acha, yeh batao tumhari dost ko kabhi problem nahi hui Aarav ke womanizer past ki wajah se?" she asked, her voice deceptively casual, but her question was barbed, laden with a quiet malice.

Khushi, still lost in her admiration for her father, shook her head. "Nahi Maa, wo janti hai dadda aisa kyun they."

Maya gave a curt nod, as if in understanding, though her mind was elsewhere. "Acha... maine tumhare liye tumhari favourite Kheer banayi hai," she said, smiling with feigned affection. "Khaogi?"

Khushi's face lit up, her excitement growing. "Yummy! Jaldi se lao!" she exclaimed, her childlike enthusiasm filling the room.

Maya's smile widened, but it was an empty gesture, masking the darker thoughts swirling beneath. As she walked to the kitchen, her movements were swift and purposeful. The fragrance of cardamom and saffron filled the air as she carefully ladled the creamy dessert into a bowl. Her fingers moved deftly, retrieving a small vial from the cupboard, unscrewing the cap without hesitation. The liquid poured seamlessly into the Kheer, disappearing as she stirred it in with smooth, calculated motions.

Her voice, soft and sinister, barely a whisper, echoed in the quiet kitchen. "I am sorry, Khushi, lekin Aarav ko yahan bulane ke liye mere paas aur koi rasta nahi hai. Ek tum hi toh uski kamzori ho."

Returning to the living room, she wore her mask of maternal warmth, handing the bowl to Khushi, who accepted it eagerly, her trust in her mother unshakable. Khushi's smile widened as she took her first bite, completely unaware of the insidious plot woven around her.

"Maa, Dadda ne kaha wo mujhe aapse milne se kabhi nahi rokenge. Kitne understanding hai Dadda," Khushi said between mouthfuls, her voice filled with admiration for her father.

Maya's smile stretched wider, though her eyes glinted with cold malice. "Wo rokta bhi toh main tumse milti. Aakhir Maa jo hun tumhari," she replied, her voice oozing false affection.

Khushi continued to eat, her defences down, completely unaware of the danger she was in. The need for her mother's love and acceptance blinded her to Maya's true intentions. Each spoonful of the Kheer carried the weight of Maya's manipulations, and soon, Khushi's movements began to slow. Her eyelids fluttered, heavy with drowsiness, her once lively face slackening as the drug took effect.