Shadowed Desires

Chapter 15

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Two days later...

Two major scams were exposed-thanks to Atharv and Kritika working together, setting aside all their differences.

They used Samarth (Atharv's best friend) as a fake buyer for the school land and successfully honey-trapped the man responsible for overseeing it. They recorded a video showing how he falsely claimed ownership of the land and was planning to sell it for personal gain, manipulating public perception for profit.

Shockingly, over a hundred people were involved in this scam-including the school principal, teachers, middlemen, and even members from both ruling and opposition parties.

The second scam was linked to a hospital. While funds were provided regularly, the hospital was not under Dev Chauhan or the party's direct control.
Only about 40% of the funds reached the intended purpose. The rest disappeared into the pockets of corrupt middlemen. All the hospital directors were implicated.

Doctors were hired at the cheapest rates to maximize profits, resulting in severe disinterest in serving the public. Even more horrifying, human organs were bought under false pretenses and later sold on the black market. The scam's monetary scale ran into billions.

Kritika, with the help of a school friend in the investigation bureau, got the case resolved within two days. The revelations sent tremors through the political landscape-because the names involved weren't just politicians, but also powerful elites capable of threatening both the Shekhawats and Chauhans.

Atharv and Kritika organized a joint press conference where they disclosed the scams and announced that all those involved had been arrested.

One reporter asked, "Sir, ma'am, who should the public give credit to for this scam revelation?"
Atharv calmly replied, "It doesn't matter. We're just here to clarify that we are not responsible for the miseries people have been blaming us for."

Another journalist asked, "If you two are so compatible, then why are you running against each other in elections? You are husband and wife, after all."

Kritika answered, "My husband is representing his father in politics, and I am representing mine. If neither of us has a problem with it, then why are you exaggerating it so much?"

The reporter pressed on, "What if you're secretly joining hands to unite voters and make one of you win to grab power?"
Atharv interrupted with a smirk, "Although your idea is clever, sorry to say-we're rational enough to keep our personal and professional lives separate."
With more clarifications, the conference concluded.

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Later...

Abhinav and Dev signaled Atharv and Kritika to meet them urgently.

As soon as Atharv entered the room, Abhinav exploded, "Who told you to bring all this in front of the media?"

Atharv replied, "Dad, thousands of children's futures were at stake."

Abhinav snapped, "And the people you've sent to jail-they'll destroy your future."

Atharv said firmly, "Politics requires courage. If I didn't have it, I would've walked out on day one."
Abhinav scoffed, "That girl has made you insane-just like her."
Atharv muttered under his breath, "Another day, another blame on her." and walked away.

On the other hand, Dev confronted Kritika in a similar tone.

Dev: "Do you even realize what you've done?"
Kritika: "Fighting for someone's rights shouldn't be so questionable, Mr. Chauhan."
Dev: "You've saved their rights, but those you went against will make sure you can't stay in politics."
Kritika: "I'm not afraid of them."
Dev: "You should be. The people you've challenged have the power to destroy both your and your husband's careers. You can't survive in a pond after angering the sharks."
Kritika: "Then I'd rather die than live like a coward."
Dev: "You're missing the point."
Kritika: "Just admit it-you're afraid that all this might cost you your power."