HUKUMAT : WAR FOR THRONES

Fallen from grace

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After Mrinal and Ranvijay left, Rupali stood by the doorway, calling everyone in as the evening breeze grew colder. “Baccho, chalo andar aao. It’s getting cold outside,” she said with a warm smile.

The house was quieter tonight. Geetanjali and Vikrant wouldn’t return until the next day, Ishaan had left for some urgent work, and Tina was out partying with her friends. It was just the close-knit group that remained, but the air felt heavier with unsaid things.

“Dinner’s on me tonight,” Rupali declared cheerfully, trying to lift the mood. She ushered everyone towards the kitchen, where Manvika, Anika, Rupali, and Varsha began preparing the meal. Laughter echoed softly between them, but there was an underlying tension, an unspoken heaviness that lingered between each conversation.

As the women worked in the kitchen, Ritansh and Rihaan kept sneaking in .

But Manvika’s mind wasn’t fully present in the kitchen. She had noticed something strange about Anika earlier—the faint marks visible when her sleeve slipped up, the way she moved a little too carefully, as if hiding a pain she didn’t want to show.

Manvika couldn’t ignore it anymore. She pulled Anika aside, her grip gentle yet firm, her eyes filled with concern. “Anika, come with me for a moment,” she said, leading her to the corner of the room, away from the others.

They were alone, Manvika’s worry surfaced. She wrapped her arms around Anika, holding her tightly, and for a long moment, they just stood there, finding solace in each other’s presence. Anika, usually so strong, relaxed in her arms, her guard momentarily slipping.

After the hug, Anika finally spoke, her voice barely a whisper, “Bas yeh hi chaiye tha... someone to just hold me.”

Manvika’s heart clenched. She stepped back slightly and hesitated before gently touching Anika’s arm, where she had seen the marks. “Yeh nishaan...?” her voice trembled with worry. “What happened, Anika?”

Anika looked away, her face hardening, but Manvika could see the pain behind her eyes. After a deep, shaky breath, Anika finally spoke, her words raw with emotion. “I returned to this house, hoping that maybe... just maybe, things would get better. I thought if Vikrant saw our dead child’s face, he would understand, and we could have a chance at a happy family. But by the time I came back, everything had changed. Too much.”

She paused, the memories visibly tearing at her. Manvika didn’t say anything, giving her the space to continue.

“When I returned, Maa—she was in a coma. After she woke up, she wasn’t the same. Mentally disturbed. Geetanjali Devi had adopted two girls—one for me and one for Ishaan. I thought that might fix things. But then... Vikrant changed. He wasn’t the man I once knew. The domestic violence started. He got into drugs. Became nothing more than Geetanjali’s puppet. And just like that, everything fell apart.”

Manvika watched as Anika’s face twisted with the agony of old wounds being reopened. “I had a mission, Manvika,” she continued, her voice filled with bitter regret. “I came back for a purpose. But I couldn’t even complete that. My empire... destroyed.”

Anika paused, wiping away her tears with trembling hands. “Deva and Marcel—they nearly died because of me. But Rihaan... he saved them. And now they think I betrayed them. They don’t know the truth.”