Bikhre moti (Scattered pearls)

31.2 Heart Or Throne? (S2- part2)

Character intro - I have actors Shaheer Shaikh as Aman Mathur and Erica Fernandes as Swara Mehra in mind (mishbir fans, sorry but I feel Erica suits the CS of Swara more here). For Babu Dayal- I've Prakash Raj in mind. And Narayani Shastri as Rani Ma.

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To Arnav, that night felt too long, theoretically and figuratively. After waking up from that nightmare of having his family broken due to Rani mehra's greed, Arnav couldn't sleep a wink.

He had been away from the political scene entirely in the past 2 years. Even if he saw any news, it wouldn't be more than a cursory glance. He had done it with single-minded focus- as he had promised khushi- to take her and their kids away from that chaos... away from the vicious power game that they both were born into.

However, it looked like the throne, the influence of power was not something they could entirely escape. Rani Mehra's arrival at their doorstep clearly told him so...

And if that was the case, then he would also have to bring back the old Arnav! The one who knew how to twist every situation to his benefit.

The shrewd, calculating, clever prince Arnav Singh Raizada back!

With that decided, Arnav opened his laptop and started with some research.

Some basics, some fundamentals, some trivia...

On each and everything he could find on every big and small player in Delhi's political circle, his own old acquaintances and his old enemies. And then few key players who controlled the electoral scene in Delhi, Rani Mehra, Arvind Raizada, Shashi Gupta, Babu Dayal...and Aman Mathur!

He dug up every small, big, insignificant information he found available.

And by the end of it, Arnav felt he was ready.

Ready with a plan.

And to start it, he needed to speak with a person who he knew would be his key companion in it.

His half-sister, Rani Mehra's daughter, Swara.

.

.

Khushi hadn't had a proper sleep last night. There was one thought ruling her mind. Her crown.

Her homeland, her state, Delhi, needed her. True, she had not grown up with the mindset of being a ruler but once she did become a ruler, she did love her kingdom like her child. Her first child. That meant, she had to also think of it as much as she was prioritizing her children-Vanshika and Veer. She couldn't just turn her back when there was a chance that she could take control of her homeland once again.

Then again, she had never gotten justice to Swayam's murderers or her babuji's culprits. Wasn't that also a reason she had gotten involved in all this?

But what will Arnav say? She had imagined that conversation a thousand times in her head and every time, it scared her more to imagine how it will go-

"I have decided to return to Delhi." Khushi said and Arnav fumed in anger,

"I knew it, you can't live without your throne! But you can't decide that alone." his answer and tone would hurt her.

Khushi shook her head to dismiss that scary imaginary conversation.

This was a good opportunity for her. She had a chance again. To regain control. True, it may mean some inconvenience to Arnav and their kids, but perhaps, she could do some balancing? It's not like politicians don't raise their kids, right? Arnav would understand.