The Haunted House Mystery [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER 11:THE TRUTH

For a moment, we couldn't believe what we heard.

Ashok?

Like really!?

The man that had gone missing years ago mysteriously is here,in front of us.

KING ASHOK.

We were disturbed by the ongoings ,and we made it clear by struggling against the armed tribals who were holding us tight.

"Calm my boy. Calm!",Ashok spoke for the first time.

Man! How can we keep calm after seeing all this!

"You three seems lost. Totally confused eh?", Raghav laughed in a wicked manner like those typical villains.

Better I keep quiet. I can't take another slap from these guys.

I signalled Madhav with my eyes to speak something. But he didn't.

Clever.

"Let's clear their confusion then Raghav. Right?"

"Yeah!", Raghav answered him with an evil smile.

"Ohk then.. Let's start back from the day I murdered my wife.."

He had no regret or agony about killing his own wife.
Anger welled up in my eyes.

"Chief Raghav had said to you guys that my business was set up in Trivandrum. Right? "

We didn't respond.
A strong punch behind our backs resulted in us nodding in approval.

Never ever misbehave with the King.

"Good. But did he tell what business? ", Ashok smiled.

"No..", we responded before we were gifted another punch.

"Well..I started my work here in this very village..doing odd jobs..but that never gave me enough money to fulfill MY dreams. I wanted to be rich. Very rich. So I travelled south to the capital-Trivandrum,hoping I might get some job..and I did get a fair job too, in an office as a clerk with a good pay..but I was still unsatisfied. You can call me greedy or over ambitious,but ya..I just had one thing in my mind. BE VERY RICH. FAST! BY HOOK OR CROOK."

Where's he heading to..?

"..and one late night,on my way back home,I saw a huge crowd, encircling a person. He was selling some stuff..some packets. I had a closer look only to find it was drugs! The way he was selling it like hot cakes made it evident that it's a very good way to earn quick bucks. But what if the police catches him doing this illegal stuff? It's a non-bailable offence! And coincidentally, the next moment, a batch of around 4-5 police officials came seeing the crowd. The drug peddlar will be arrested I thought..but I was shocked to see even the police officials being his customers! "

"After all his 'packets' were sold out in about 15 minutes, everyone except me and the drug peddlar left the place. He asked me to come the next day at the same place same time since all the packets had been sold out. Seeing his hands full of hard cash,I couldn't help but ask him whether I could join him in his business, in any possible way. He denied at first, but later when he understood that I was determined to such an extent that I met him for about 2 weeks continuously,that he agreed at last."

"One year later, new partners joined us and slowly it was spreading out.
But the main people involved where me and him. Together, we amassed a good fortune. Still,I was keen on expanding our drug empire and gaining more profits. I started living in a rented house at Trivandrum. Once a month,I visited my house to meet my family whom I almost forgot during this money making business. They were under the impression that I was still working in an office and the constant travelling led to my decision to shift to the capital alone. Poor they!
Above that,my fortune attracted lots of pretty women too. Life was its best."