Bikhre moti (Scattered pearls)

31.5 Heart Or Throne? (S2-part5)

Note- Long chapter alert, read at leisure.

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Arnav sat in that dimly lit cell of that police station, the cold, unforgiving bars staring at him. But he had his head bent down, his shoulders slumped with exhaustion and defeat. It had been 14 hours since his arrest. And there was no one to bail him out. He smiled sadly. How did he land here? All he did was when that girl he didn't even properly remember- Sheetal- came to meet him and tried to get too-close for his comfort, he pushed her away. There was no way that her fall on the carpeted floor would result in bruises on her face and hands.

And those strangulation marks? He sure had nothing to do with it.

It was clear as daylight.

He was framed. Systematically.

He was not that worried about his bail, he knew somebody from his party, the hordes of newly gathered supporters and some old loyal people would come to rescue him. He also had enough money to ensure that the case would not cause him any harm.

But his wife, his family, the people for whom he had jumped into the hellhole, would they stand by him? He had already made a show about leaving them. And now after all this, would they ever listen to him that he never meant to betray them? He had nothing to do with Sheetal? Would khushi believe him? He thought he was putting out a small fire with 'controlled burning', but he forgot a basic rule of it that if the 'fuel' isn't properly taken care of, the fire can go widespread!

"Chaliye, aapki bail ho gayi hai (Come, your bail is done)." the police officer on duty said and Arnav looked up to see one of his old acquaintances, the oldest party member Manohar Singh was here to get him out...

.

.

It was a week into the polling campaign, and it was so far becoming one-sided on Aman and Dayal's side. After Arnav's arrest and ongoing trial, they had left no stone unturned to target Khushi.

'A woman who ran away after facing hardships, will you vote for her?'

'Mrs. Khushi Mehra-Raizada is an opportunistic lady; she only saw relationships as a way to gain power. First, she married Swayam and later, his murderer's son, Arnav. Can you trust your state in the hands of such a woman?'

'She used to call me her brother, but still she didn't even spare me, will you trust such a lady?'

Aman's attacks had become more and more scathing. Khushi's personal life was attacked, every aspect of hers that Aman knew, he used it against her.

In the meantime, Khushi's campaign so far focused only on her work in the past and her plan for the future. The new schools she was planning to build, the increased security she was planning to deploy for girls and women, her involvement in getting the corrupt ex-CM and her own father-in-law Arvind arrested, she only focused on these things.

But Aman and especially Dayal were already daydreaming about their victory. Their public survey team told them they would get an easy victory...

Now if only Sheetal returned their calls. She had been missing since once week. Precisely since the night Arnav was bailed out.

Did she run away taking their money? Better not, Dayal thought. He still needed those pictures of Swara and Aman...

.

.

Sheetal was munching on her low salt baked potato chips when there was a knock on her hotel room's door.

She got startled for a moment.

Until there was another double knock. And another.

Followed by a text message on her phone.