Kumkum: Ties of Love and Lies (COMPLETED)

Chapter 13

The tension between Sandhya and Pugazh had been steadily escalating, but the events of the next few days brought everything to a boiling point. Pugazh's growing jealousy over her interactions with Dr. Arjun refused to subside, no matter how much he tried to suppress it.

It was late afternoon when Pugazh arrived at the hospital to pick up some documents. As he walked toward Sandhya's office, his steps halted abruptly. Through the glass-paneled door, he spotted her talking to Dr. Arjun again.

They were standing close, laughing about something. Sandhya's face, which had been cold and detached around him, now lit up with an ease that stabbed at his heart.

Unable to control himself, Pugazh stormed into the room, his voice a thunderclap of anger. "Dr. Arjun!"

Both Sandhya and Arjun turned, startled by the outburst.

"What do you think you're doing with my wife?" Pugazh demanded, his fists clenching.

"Pugazh, stop it!" Sandhya snapped, stepping between them.

But Pugazh wasn't listening. He advanced toward Arjun, his fury clouding his judgment. "You think you can swoop in and take her away? You—"

Before he could finish, a small voice interrupted him.

"Uncle, please don't hurt my daddy!"

Pugazh froze, his gaze dropping to a little girl who had suddenly appeared behind Arjun. She was clutching her father's leg, her big doe eyes filled with fear.

"Leela," Arjun said gently, crouching down to comfort his daughter.

Sandhya knelt beside them, her face softening. "Leela, it's okay. No one's going to hurt your daddy," she said, her voice soothing.

"Sandhya Aunty?" Leela asked, looking at her with tearful eyes.

"Yes, sweetie, I'm here," Sandhya said, brushing the child's hair back.

Pugazh watched the scene unfold, his anger evaporating and replaced by a deep, crushing guilt.

"Sandhya," he started, his voice low.

But Sandhya stood, her expression furious. "Don't. Say. A word."

She turned to Arjun. "I'm so sorry for this. Are you alright?"

Arjun waved it off with a calm smile. "I'm fine. I understand. Misunderstandings happen."

But his forgiveness did nothing to soften Sandhya's rage.

"Misunderstanding? This isn't a misunderstanding—it's an outright insult!" she snapped, glaring at Pugazh. "What were you thinking, barging in here and acting like this?"

"I'm so Sorry ... Dr. Arjun...I didn't know," Pugazh muttered, his voice thick with remorse. "I thought..."

"You thought what?" Sandhya shot back. "That I'd betray you? That I'd humiliate myself for no reason?"

Pugazh looked away, his shoulders slumping under the weight of his guilt.

"Let's go," Sandhya said coldly, walking past him without waiting for a response.

Back at the Rajasekhar estate, the air between them was thick with unspoken words. Pugazh wanted to apologize, but every time he tried, Sandhya shut him down. Her anger wasn't just about the hospital incident—it was the culmination of everything: her doubts about Shravani's death, her guilt over deceiving him, and now his lack of trust in her.

Sandhya channeled her frustration into her investigation. Late at night, while the rest of the household was asleep, she began searching through the estate for clues. Shravani had mentioned suspicious activities in the hospital's finances—money laundering, bribery—but Sandhya hadn't found anything concrete yet.

In the study, she sifted through old files and documents, her heart racing as she came across financial reports that seemed off. Some transactions were flagged as "special projects," with no clear explanation or recipient listed. She carefully photographed the pages with her phone.

As she placed the files back, the sound of footsteps made her freeze. She turned to see Pugazh standing in the doorway, his expression unreadable.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

"Nothing," Sandhya replied quickly, trying to hide her phone.

"Don't lie to me," he said, stepping closer. "What were you looking for?"

"It's none of your business," she snapped.

"It is when you're sneaking around in my house in the middle of the night," he retorted. His gaze darkened as a realization dawned on him. "You're spying on me, aren't you?"

Sandhya's breath hitched. "What? No!"

"That's why you married me, isn't it?" he continued, his voice rising. "You tricked me into believing you cared, all so you could dig into my family's business. What are you after? Money? Power?"

"That's not true!" Sandhya shouted, her voice shaking.

"Then what is it?" he demanded.

Sandhya clenched her fists, her resolve breaking. "I'm looking for the truth, Pugazh! The truth about Shravani's death!"

Pugazh's eyes widened in shock. "Shravani? What are you talking about?"

"She was murdered, Pugazh," Sandhya said, her voice cracking. "And I know your family is involved. I just don't know how yet."

For a moment, silence filled the room, the weight of her words hanging heavily between them. Then Pugazh stepped back, his face a mask of disbelief and hurt.

"You think I killed her?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Sandhya looked away, unable to answer.

Pugazh let out a bitter laugh. "I can't believe this. You married me, pretended to love me, all so you could accuse me of murder?"

Tears stung Sandhya's eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "I didn't pretend," she whispered. "Not entirely."

"That doesn't make it better," he said coldly. "You've made a fool out of me."

Before she could respond, he turned and walked away, slamming the door behind him.

Over the next few days, the tension between them was unbearable. Pugazh avoided Sandhya entirely, his once warm demeanor replaced by icy indifference. Sandhya threw herself into her work and investigation, determined to prove her suspicions.

But as she delved deeper, the pieces of the puzzle began to shift.

The financial records she found pointed to suspicious activity, but none of it was directly tied to Pugazh. Instead, the signatures authorizing the transactions belonged to someone else in the family—someone higher up in the chain.

Her heart sank as the truth dawned on her: Pugazh isn't the one responsible.

Regret hit her like a tidal wave. She had accused him, pushed him away, and treated him with suspicion, all while he had been innocent.

What have I done? she thought, her chest tightening.

But as she pieced together the clues, one thing became clear: the true culprits were much closer than she had anticipated. And if she wasn't careful, they would discover her investigation—and silence her for good.