The Right Kind of Wrong

34. Bhavani's Interference

It had been a few days since Savi and Rajat shared their quiet moment under the stars, and Savi was finally beginning to feel some peace. Her feelings for Rajat, though still unresolved in many ways, no longer felt like the overwhelming burden they had been. She had accepted that he mattered to her, and though she hadn't confessed outright, she knew she would eventually. For now, she allowed herself to bask in the calm that his quiet support brought her.

But life had a cruel way of interrupting peace.

It was a bright Saturday morning, and Savi was in the library, buried in her books. Her IAS preparation was in full swing, and despite the emotional turmoil of the past weeks, she had managed to focus on her studies. Rajat had been a constant presence, either helping her with research or simply sitting nearby while she worked, offering silent encouragement.

Today, though, she was alone, enjoying the stillness of the library as she pored over her notes. She was so engrossed in her work that she didn't notice the figure approaching her until a familiar, sharp voice cut through the quiet.

"Savi."

Her heart froze, fingers tightening around her pen. She hadn't heard that voice in months, but it was unmistakable. Slowly, almost reluctantly, she raised her head to meet the stern gaze of Bhavani Chavan.

"Badi Aaji?" Savi's voice was barely a whisper, shock and confusion rippling through her.

Bhavani stood before her, regal and commanding as always. Dressed in a traditional silk sari, her sharp eyes bore into Savi with a mix of disappointment and determination. She looked every bit the matriarch Savi remembered from her childhood — the woman who had controlled the Chavan family with an iron fist.

"I knew you would be here," Bhavani said coldly, her eyes scanning the library with disdain. "This place has always been your obsession. I should have stopped this foolishness long ago."

Savi felt a lump form in her throat as her grandmother's words sank in. Bhavani was here. In Mumbai. In her life again. How did she even find her?

"Badi Aaji, what are you doing here?" Savi managed to ask, her voice trembling slightly.

Bhavani's expression hardened. "You think I wouldn't find out where you've been hiding? You ran away from your responsibilities, Savi. You left your family without a word, and now I'm here to bring you back."

The weight of her words settled over Savi like a suffocating blanket. She had been dreading this moment for so long — the moment when her past would catch up with her, when Bhavani would come and try to pull her back into the life she had escaped.

"I didn't run away," Savi said, her voice stronger than she felt. "I left because you were trying to force me into something I didn't want. I have a right to my own life, Dadi."

Bhavani's eyes narrowed, her lips pressing into a thin line. "You think you can just throw away your family's honor? Ignore your duties? This IAS nonsense has gone on long enough. It's time you return home and take your place as a Chavan."

Savi's heart pounded in her chest. This was exactly what she had feared. Bhavani was here to drag her back, to remind her of the responsibilities she had been trying to escape. The guilt that always lingered at the back of her mind now came crashing forward with full force.

"You don't understand," Savi said, trying to keep her voice steady. "I'm not abandoning my family. I'm pursuing my dreams, my career. Becoming an IAS officer is what I've wanted for as long as I can remember."

Bhavani let out a harsh, bitter laugh. "Dreams? Career? You're a Chavan, Savi. Your duty is to your family, not some childish ambition. This... fantasy of yours is a waste of time."