She had to go if she cared for her family, otherwise, she didn't care enough. It would be her fault if they were ruined. She would be a selfish, irresponsible, and ungrateful brat if she let her family fall into ruins.

Well, after that she didn't have much choice. It wasn't like she never wanted to go to Palampur, but the way it had come about, broke her heart.

In the next two days, she tidied the house. Disposed of her furniture, whatever little setup of her kitchen. Some of the clothes and Neev's toys went to charity. The rest she packed; it was barely a couple of bags. There was a third small bag, containing Darsh's reports. Most of them confirmed he was recovering well, yet her concern was the latest blood report. She hadn't told him as she didn’t want to worry him. She herself wanted to confirm what it was, but now it would have to wait. Hastily, she emailed a query to the manufacturer, then shut her laptop. Darsh looked askance.

"Aditi Please. We can stay here longer if you want..."

“No thanks,” she gave a curt smile. “I think my purpose of staying here is achieved as you got it so well. Let's go. I don't want to stay here a minute longer."

"Aditi.."

"There's one more thing." She cut him short. "For the last three years, the way I lived in Kochi, it was not to make a point. I made an honest living, the way I thought was best for me and my child. Yes, I was alone and lonely. I lived in that crowded area to remind me the world wasn’t an empty place devoid of honest people. Despite that, I wasn’t happy. I suffered. It was not because of the place or lack of money. It was because I missed you."

Two days later, they reached Palampur. It was a balmy mid-June morning. Palampur was still sleepy, yet it woke up fast enough to the news of their arrival. People gathered at the station to welcome, not just her but Darsh too. She was surprised to see the happiness in their faces. It reminded her of the old times when her father was alive. People respected him. Loved him.

She arrived home to find the servants had already prepared her room. Not only hers but Neev's too. It was her old room before her parents died, they had redecorated it to suit a little boy, rather than a little girl. It looked beautiful, just as she’d thought for her baby.

"Darsh Sir called. He said you would like this room for Neev Baba."

She gave a tight smile. Yeah. He would know. He knew so many things about her that she didn’t know herself. All her flaws, all her vices, all the times she was pretending. Maybe the only time he did not recognize her was when she was telling the truth.

She moved on to her own room. It was left untouched. Everything was as it was before. Three years had not changed it a whit. She looked for a trace of a man's items, a scent of the familiar aftershave, a part of the closet taken away to clutter with his stuff, but she did not find any.

"Darsh Sir does not live here." The maid supplied, readily. "He shifted to the downstairs guest room after you left. Then after his accident, he continued there as he couldn't climb the stairs." The information was welcome, but she wasn't exactly pleased with it. At least it confirmed they won't be sharing the same room or the same bed. Now that made her irritated, not for any other reason but that he was her patient and she needed to keep an eye on him.

Yes, in the last couple of days, she had failed in that job. She hadn't massaged his leg, nor had she checked on his medication. She didn't need to 'show off' when he could clearly see through her every move. Her eyes filled every time she remembered his words. She didn't know she appeared so conceited when all she was trying was to take care of him.

She went to see Dadaji. He was ecstatic to see Neev. Intermittently, he kept calling her Meera and asked for his Susheel. Sometimes he called her Aditi and told her not to fight with Darsh. Yet he looked happy and to her surprise, healthy. She had not expected him to last this long but now that he had, she knew who was to be credited for this miracle.

"It's time for your tablet, Babuji," Darsh helped the old man sit up to feed him the medicine. Her Dadaji's face shone with happiness.

"Susheel. You came back! Where were you for so long? I missed you, my boy. No one in the house talks to me any longer."

"I'm sorry Babuji. I went to get Meera back and look, she fixed my leg, too."

Dadaji looked confused as his eyes darted to his leg, then his face, then to her. A minute later, his expression cleared.

"You are making fun of this old man, Darsh. I'm glad your leg is recovered. And good that Aditi is back. Now please don't fight again. I get weary of your fights."

He fell asleep in a few minutes. She straightened his covers and got up.

"Aditi, wait. I have something to say."

"Not here Darsh. Not now."

"Please, Aditi. It must be here. I know I have spoiled everything but please believe me I don't know what came over me. Those drugs...that medicine... it makes my brain go funny. I cannot control it. Sometimes I am just not myself. Please forgive me."

She frowned and gave him head-to-toe. He looked well enough, but she wondered if this was something else. The literature on the new drug didn't say anything about its psychological effects. She hoped her email gets an answer soon. It was important to know how the trials were going, and if there was anything new added to the list of side effects. And meanwhile, she needed to keep this man on his toes. Too long had she suffered his whims, given into his charms, and trusted him blindly. Not anymore. He may have redeemed himself in the eyes of everyone but in her case, he’d always fallen short by a whisker.

"Tomorrow, we visit the hospital. Then the resort, then the bottling plant. I want to see all accounts, documents, ledgers - everything there is to see. Send for Uncle Dawar too. I want to have a word with him. Then we will talk about us, as that's the last thing on my mind."

His face fell. She straightened her back and walked out.

*****

It did not go as she planned. It rained overnight and the next morning Darsh got called away as there was an incident at one of the sites. Aditi watched as he rushed without a thought. Eros was dead, and he had to use a new horse. Her heart came to her throat as the beast skittered under the new rider. Luckily, he was able to get a grip on it, then two of Zorawar's men joined him in his expedition.

She watched in surprise as the three men chattered and laughed as they rode away. It was evident Zorawar was not the only friend Darsh had made. There were more in Palampur who'd fallen under his spell.

"He is so friendly, isn't he? Not many can resist his charms."

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

She turned to see Nehal on the porch steps. The girl looked as usual, perfectly made up, yet utterly repulsive.

"And what would you know of his charms?"

Nehal laughed. "Who would know but me? We have been quite close these past years. With you gone, Darsh was quite lonely. He needed someone to lean on, especially after his accident."

"And he chose you to lean on?" Aditi curled her lip. Nehal smiled.

"We chose each other. When no one else wants you, what choice do you have but to use what's available? I must say it was quite pleasurable while it lasted. But now that you are back..." She grimaced. "Let me know if you are no longer interested. I don't mind your used goods."

Her plans went a bit pear-shaped after that. The next she knew she had slapped Nehal hard across the face. The girl fell to the ground in shock and agony. Mahek looked at her in revulsion, anger pulsating through her veins.

“This is the last time you take Darsh’s name with your filthy mouth, you understand? He is mine. You will respect him, keep your vile eyes off him, or…”

“Or what, you stupid bi*ch? You can threaten all you like but you can’t do anything!”

“Oh, I can, Nehal," Aditi sneered. "Watch me.”

She whipped out her phone and called Uncle Dawar. He was to find the details of one Mansukh Advani. That was the name she remembered Mohit had mentioned - the match Mansi Chachi found for her precious daughter. That time, it was in return for a payment. Now she was willing to give her spoiled cousin away for free.

*****

Luckily, she did not have to wait for long. An hour later, Uncle Dawar came back with the news. Mansukh Advani was still available and interested. Sitting at the breakfast table, Aditi buttered her toast as she broke the news to her uncle’s family. As expected, Ravi and Mansi were speechless. It was a good prospect if they received money for their daughter, but without it, they did not see the point. Aditi could understand their dilemma, but who in their right mind will pay for spoiled goods?

"How dare you!" Nehal screeched, burning with rage. "I won't marry that old drunkard. You would pay for this. You won't be able to live with this."

Aditi smiled. "You are lucky at least someone is willing to marry you. I could kick you out this instant and ask Zorawar to hound you to the border of Palampur. Be grateful that I am willing to shell out money for your marriage, otherwise, you are no better than the tramps loitering at Rajpur station."

Nehal seethed. "You can insult me however you want but you won’t be able to get rid of me so easily. I won't leave. I have as much right to be here as you!"

"No, you don’t,” Aditi said calmly. "You don’t have any right. You are neither a Sharma nor you are my cousin." She glanced at her uncle and aunt. Mansi Chachi's face was white. Ravi Chachu looked confused.

“What did you say? Nehal is not a Sharma?”

“I am sorry if it hurts, Chachu, but I have had enough. Nehal is not your daughter. She is an illegitimate child of a man I'd rather not name. She must leave.”

“Says who?” Mohit's cold voice startled her. Aditi paled. It was three years to this day that she had seen or even talked to him. Her heart ached. It was hard to believe this was the brother she trusted. He only had just one sister all along and it was not her. “Leave my sister alone. I am the son of this house and I say nobody has the right to oust my sister.”

“Then you can go with her too. This house is for Sharmas only."

The bickering increased. Mohit argued, and Nehal raged, but her uncle and aunt were quiet. Mansi Chachi looked scared, yet eyed her husband shrewdly. Ravi Chachu seemed to be rewinding his past.

“What proof do you have?”

Oh, there was plenty of proof. They all fell silent when Aditi produced an envelope from Dadaji’s study. Inside were the pictures of Mansi Chachi's wanton ways The face of Grandpa Raisingh mocked them, daring them to deny his truth.

Aditi smiled. Talking to Zorawar had proved quite useful. She understood the value of secrets. Other people's secrets, that is, that you can use to get what you want. Your own secrets, you keep hidden, buried in the bowels of forgotten past. Remembering them was treacherous, it might just ruin you in the process.

"You have a day to pack your bag, Nehal. I do not want to see you here again. Your family can go with you for all I care. It would be good riddance, once and for all."

"I am not going anywhere." Ravi Chachu finally broke from his silence, glaring at his wife and daughter. From his face, it looked like his long-standing suspicions were confirmed. "But feel free to send these two away. I don't want to see them again."

It was the first time Nehal looked scared. She ran to her father, but he shrugged her off to walk away. Mansi Chachi sighed and turned to her. Aditi realized she still had one last card to play.

"That is all well and good dear, but you cannot make us leave. You see, we have a secret that can get you in trouble. We can report you for Vivaan's accident. Nehal saw what you did the night of your engagement."

Aditi stared. The night of her engagement. How could she forget? She had lured Vivaan to that bridge. He was drunk. She had taken advantage and triggered him. He pounced on her, and she pushed him into the river, causing him lifelong damage. He was still in the hospital, and Grandpa Raisingh was still on the lookout to punish his culprit.

And it seemed Nehal had seen all that. She set her fork down, trying to control her shaking fingers. Mansi smiled.

"Dalpat Raisingh is not a forgiving man, Aditi. He will drag you to court, humiliate you and send you to prison. Your own sister testifying against you will cause a scandal. Think where it will take you if this ever goes to court. And in the meanwhile, I and my daughter remain here."

****

It should never go to court. It will ruin everything. Her reputation, her family's reputation. Her child would be left without a mother if she was sent to prison. And Darsh...what will he do? Is this the kind of trouble Zorawar warned her about? These were not normal problems. How was she ever going to get out of this alone?

The day went quietly. She went to visit the new hospital. Zorawar showed her off proudly. Meera Sharma Charitable Hospital, the big shiny chrome letters read on the front. There was a side wing too. There it read of a specialty clinic.

Aditi frowned. "I thought it was supposed to be the other way round? The main hospital was supposed to be a super-specialty and the side wing for charity?"

"Darsh Sir decided it was better this way. The hospital is super-specialty anyway. They treat the locals for free and richer clientele don't mind paying, it's a win-win. Moreover, he said it was what you wanted in the first place, so that was the final deciding factor."

She pinched her lips. It was everything she had dreamed of and more. It was better planned, better equipped, and better placed to sustain without external funding. It looked exactly like the little model he'd shown in the cottage years ago. That was the day she had decided he was the man for her.

Her eyes prickled. Yes, he had proved himself a man of his word. The promises he had made, he had kept them all. There was just one left, but then he had never really made that promise.

“I love you.” She had told him that night in the Hunter’s Cottage, eyes shining with new love.

“Good for you.” He had said, smiling his mysterious smile.

Her head hurt by the time she reached home. It was evening. Darsh wasn't back. She tucked Neev in, checked on Dadaji, then sat in her bed with her phone. There was a new email. It was in response to her query on the effects of the drug.

There were new findings. The trials reported some patients had abnormal hormonal imbalances. Some complained of drowsiness and light-headedness. Some suffered from anxiety, increased heart rate, and stressful outbursts. One thing that was common was an increased adrenaline level. Shaky legs, loss of control, and increased testosterone levels.

***** *****