Family of Shaows

[sexonmind]

Part 2 of chapter 6


Sai found himself at the bustling Mani Bazar office, sent there to handle some paperwork for Sunandha madam. The office was a hive of activity, with workers moving briskly, the clatter of typewriters echoing through the halls. Amidst the hum, Sai spotted Yedukondalu—a man in his late forties, with a weathered face and kind eyes—taking a break near the tea stall.
Sai approached him with a polite smile. "Excuse me, are you Yedukondalu?"
Yedukondalu looked up, pleasantly surprised. "Yes, that's me. Who's asking?"
"I'm Sai," he replied, extending a hand. "I work under Sunandha madam."
The mention of Sunandha madam brought a broad smile to Yedukondalu’s face. He shook Sai’s hand warmly. "Ah, madam! How is she? And how’s Babu? I haven’t seen him in years."
"They’re doing well," Sai replied, keeping his tone light. "Babu’s busy with college, and madam’s taking care of herself. Oh, and Aruna is with them now too."
At the mention of Aruna, Yedukondalu’s expression shifted. His eyes widened momentarily, betraying a mix of surprise and unease. He quickly masked it, but Sai noticed the change.
"Aruna?" Yedukondalu repeated, as if testing the name on his tongue. "Well, that’s... unexpected."
Sai tilted his head, curious. "Why? Do you know her?"
Yedukondalu hesitated for a moment, then gave a tight smile. "Let’s just say there’s a story there. I think we should talk, but not here."
Intrigued, Sai nodded. "When and where?"
"Meet me after office hours," Yedukondalu said, his tone firm but friendly. "There’s a tea shop around the corner. We can talk there."
"Alright," Sai agreed. "I’ll see you then."
As they parted ways, Sai couldn’t shake the feeling that he was about to learn something significant. Whatever Yedukondalu had to say, it seemed tied to the enigmatic Aruna—a puzzle Sai was increasingly determined to solve.
Sai sat at a small table in the dimly lit tea shop, sipping his chai and glancing at the entrance every few minutes. The bustle of Mani Bazar filled the air, but his mind was preoccupied with curiosity about what Yedukondalu had to say. Just as Sai was beginning to wonder if he had been stood up, Yedukondalu appeared, his frame silhouetted against the doorway.
“Sorry for keeping you waiting,” Yedukondalu said, slightly out of breath. He gestured for Sai to follow him. "But this isn’t the place for our conversation. Come with me."
Sai raised an eyebrow but complied, following the older man through a series of winding alleys until they reached a small, dingy bar tucked away from the main street. The smell of alcohol and fried snacks lingered in the air as they entered. Yedukondalu found a corner table, ordered a drink for himself, and waved off Sai’s offer to join.
“Don’t mind me, Sai,” Yedukondalu said, taking a swig of his whiskey as soon as it arrived. “I need a little liquid courage for what I’m about to tell you.”
Sai leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. “Alright. I’m listening.”
Yedukondalu exhaled deeply, the glass trembling slightly in his hand. “Be careful around Aruna,” he said, his voice low but intense. “She’s like a vicious snake. Beautiful, yes, but her bite is deadly.”
Sai frowned, puzzled by the strong words. “What makes you say that? From what I’ve seen, she’s just… reserved. A bit aloof, maybe.”
Yedukondalu scoffed, shaking his head. “That’s what she wants you to think. She’s not just reserved—she’s calculating. Always thinking two steps ahead. She has a way of wrapping people around her finger, using them until they’re of no use to her anymore.”
Sai crossed his arms, skepticism creeping into his voice. “That’s a bold claim. Do you have any proof, or is this just based on hearsay?”
Yedukondalu leaned back, staring into his glass as if searching for the right words. “Proof? It’s not something you can put on paper. It’s in the way she behaves, the way she manipulates situations to her advantage. I’ve seen her do it.”
“Seen her do what?” Sai pressed, his curiosity mingled with unease.
Yedukondalu set the glass down and met Sai’s gaze. “That’s a long story, my friend. But it starts with the way she treated people who trusted her—people like Narendra sir and others who gave her a chance. She’s a master at playing the victim while pulling the strings in the background. If you’re not careful, you’ll find yourself tangled in her web before you even realize it.”
Sai leaned back, the weight of Yedukondalu’s words sinking in. “Alright,” he said finally. “I’m listening. Tell me everything you know about her.”
Yedukondalu took another sip of his drink, his hand trembling slightly as he set the glass down. He leaned closer to Sai, lowering his voice as if the walls had ears. “Sai, there’s something you should know. Aruna and I… we had an affair.”
Sai’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What? You and Aruna? Are you serious?”
Yedukondalu nodded grimly. “Yes. It’s not something I’m proud of, but it happened.”
Sai struggled to process the revelation. “When did this happen? How did you even meet her?”
Yedukondalu’s gaze drifted into the distance, as if he were reliving the past. “It was about five years ago,” he began. “Back when Aruna was living with madam’s family. I was working as an attender for them then.”
Sai leaned forward, his curiosity now tinged with confusion. “Wait a minute. Are you saying this isn’t the first time Aruna stayed with madam’s family? I thought she moved in after her father passed away.”
Yedukondalu shook his head. “No, Sai. This was years before that. She stayed with them for a while back then too, though under very different circumstances. It was during that time that our paths crossed, and… things happened.”
Sai frowned, his mind racing. “Why was she living with them back then? And how did it lead to… this?”
Yedukondalu sighed heavily. “That’s a story in itself. But let’s just say Aruna has a way of inserting herself into situations and making people trust her—only to use that trust to her advantage. And I was no exception.”
Sai sat back, trying to wrap his head around what he’d just learned. This wasn’t just about Aruna anymore. There were layers to her story, layers that seemed to hide secrets deeper than he’d anticipated.
Yedukondalu took a deep breath before continuing. “It all started when Aruna’s mother passed away. She was devastated, fell into a deep depression. Narendra sir, being the kind man he was, decided to bring her to their home. At that time, they were living in the Executive Quarters because sir was still working.”
Sai nodded, listening intently.
“Babu was staying in a hostel back then, preparing for his 10th exams. Sir was often out of town for conferences and official duties, and madam was swamped with her own work. That left me on bungalow duty most of the time. I ended up spending a lot of time with Aruna,” Yedukondalu said, his voice lowering as he recalled those days.
Yedukondalu continued, “At first, our interactions were limited. She would ask me to do small household errands—bring her water, serve her lunch, that sort of thing. I was just a silent spectator while she watched TV every afternoon, keeping my distance.”
He paused, taking a sip from his glass before continuing. “But slowly, things changed. We started talking, mostly about the serials she was so engrossed in. She’d ask my opinions, laugh at my comments. Then the conversations shifted—we began talking about other things, little bits about life, dreams, and even mundane stuff.”
Sai raised an eyebrow, sensing there was much more to this story. “And that’s how it started?” he asked.
Yedukondalu nodded gravely. “Yes, that’s how it started. It seemed harmless back then... but it wasn’t.”
Yedukondalu chuckled bitterly as he recounted, “Slowly, she started commenting on my way of dressing. At first, it was casual—little remarks about my shirt being too plain or my trousers looking old-fashioned. Then one day, she said, ‘You know, if only you dressed differently, you’d look like a Hollywood hero. You’re a handsome man, Yedukondalu, but you don’t do yourself justice.’”
He shook his head, his tone carrying a mix of regret and bewilderment. “At the time, I didn’t think much of it. I thought she was just being kind or playful. But looking back, I realize she was planting seeds, setting the stage for something more.”
Sai glanced at Yedukondalu, taking in his tall stature, fair skin, and broad shoulders. For a moment, he couldn’t help but think to himself, She wasn’t wrong about that. The man, despite his modest demeanor, had an undeniable presence that could easily draw attention.
Yedukondalu continued, his voice lowering as he recalled, "She started flaunting her curves in a way that I couldn’t ignore. She’d dbang her sari low, well below the navel. It was... so tempting. At first, I thought it was just her way of being comfortable, but soon, I realized it was deliberate."
He paused, taking a swig of his drink, as if to steady himself before continuing. "She knew exactly what she was doing, and I... I wasn’t strong enough to resist."
Yedukondalu took a deep breath, his eyes reflecting a mix of regret and nostalgia. "You know, Sai," he began, his voice thick with emotion, "I come from a poor family. I’ve struggled all my life to make ends meet. When someone like Aruna—an absolutely gorgeous princess, so far out of my league—showed interest in me, I couldn’t resist. I thought... I thought I was the luckiest man alive. That a woman like her had fallen for me—it felt like a dream."
He took another sip of his drink, his hands trembling slightly as he placed the glass down. "I didn’t see the truth back then. I was blind to everything except how special she made me feel."
Yedukondalu's expression grew taut as he recounted the sordid tale, his voice thick with the bitter residue of deception. "Yes, there was fucking, plenty of it," he admitted, his eyes glazed over with the memories of those torrid encounters. "But I was a fool to believe it was love that made her wet for me. Every moan, every orgasmic spasm was just part of the act she put on. And I, like the pathetic fool I was, lapped it all up."
Yedukondalu's hands tightened around his glass as he continued, the pain of the memory resurfacing. "One day, I got a notice from the head office—ordered to attend a departmental enquiry. I couldn't believe it. The accusation? Sexual harassment. And it wasn’t just me—they made allegations against Madam too, claiming she allowed it. That was when I knew it was over."
He paused, his voice barely above a whisper as he leaned back in his chair, lost in the past. "Not only could I lose my job, but I could’ve gone to jail. My entire life, everything I had worked for, was about to be shattered because of something I never thought could happen. Something that was fabricated."
Yedukondalu's eyes darkened as he stared into the distance, the weight of the betrayal still fresh in his heart. "It was the worst time of my life, Sai. Everything I thought was real—every moment I thought was ours—turned out to be a lie. And when I needed her the most, she was nowhere to be found. Not a word, not a single explanation. I was left to face the consequences alone."Yedukondalu took a deep breath, as though still feeling the relief that came with the memory. "I got lucky, Sai," he said, his voice soft but steady. "The enquiry officer was Anand Sir, a close friend of Narendra Sir. He knew the whole family, understood the dynamics. When he looked into the case, he saw through the lies. He closed the enquiry, saying it was all false allegations."
He paused, his expression darkening slightly. "I was saved. But it wasn’t without consequences. Even though I didn't lose my job or go to jail, things changed. I was never the same after that. I couldn't look at Aruna the same way. And I couldn't stay in that house anymore, not with her. It was a game for her. A game that almost ruined me."
Yedukondalu took another sip from his glass, his fingers trembling slightly. "I never told anyone what really happened. But now, you need to know, Sai. Stay away from her. She's dangerous."
Sai sat in stunned silence, the weight of Yedukondalu’s words sinking in. It was a lot to process, and he needed a moment to gather his thoughts. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he spoke, his voice laced with confusion and disbelief.
"Then why is Madam allowing Aruna back into the house?" Sai asked, struggling to make sense of it all.


Continued in the next part…….