Family of Shaows

[sexonmind]

Chapter 14: Long Shadows

Sai hesitated for a moment before knocking on Rani’s door. The last time they had spoken, he had lashed out at her, letting his disappointment cloud his words. He knew he had been too harsh, and while he still disapproved of her choices, he didn’t want to lose their friendship over it.

Rani opened the door, her expression unreadable. She looked at him for a moment before stepping aside. "Come in," she said flatly.

Sai walked inside, noticing the dim lighting in the house. The air smelled faintly of incense and the lingering scent of perfume. Rani led him toward the bedroom, as she always did when they had personal conversations. It was their usual space, away from the world’s eyes.

She sat down on the bed, crossing her arms. "So? What is it now?"

Sai exhaled, sitting down on the chair beside the dressing table. "I came to apologize," he said, meeting her gaze. "I was too harsh the other day. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that."

Rani raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "Oh? Now you regret it?"

Sai nodded. "I do. No matter what happened, you’ve always been a good friend to me. I shouldn’t have judged you."

For a moment, her expression softened. "Well… at least you realized it."

As Sai leaned forward, his eyes landed on something on the bedside table—a luxury men’s watch. It wasn’t just any watch. It was distinctive, expensive-looking, and completely out of place in Rani’s modest home.

His brows furrowed slightly. "Nice watch," he said casually. "Is it Ashok’s?"

Rani glanced at the watch briefly before shifting her eyes away. "No, it’s not," she said, a little too quickly.

Sai picked up the watch, turning it in his hands. "It’s expensive. Who gave it to you?"

Rani snatched the watch from his hands and placed it back on the table. "It doesn’t matter."

Sai leaned back, crossing his arms. "Rani, come on. Who gave it to you?"

Rani exhaled sharply, her patience thinning. "Sai, just drop it."

He narrowed his eyes. "It’s Purushotham’s, isn’t it?"

Her entire body tensed for a brief second before she forced a scoff. "And if it is?"

Sai let out a bitter chuckle, shaking his head. "So it’s true. You slept with him."

Rani’s anger flared. She stood up abruptly, her hands clenched into fists. "Who the hell do you think you are to question me?!" she snapped. "What I do, who I do it with—it’s none of your damn business, Sai!"

Sai stood up too, his voice low but cutting. "You’re right. It’s your life. But don’t expect me to pretend I don’t see what’s happening. First Babu, now Purushotham—what’s next, Rani? Are you just going to move from one man to another whenever it’s convenient?"

Rani’s face twisted in fury. "Get out, Sai!" she shouted, her voice shaking. "You have no right to stand here and judge me! You think you’re better than me? At least I don’t hide behind fake morality while pretending to be a saint!"

Sai looked at her, disappointment evident in his eyes. He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "You know what? Maybe I was right the first time."

Without another word, he turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him.

Rani stood there, gripping the watch tightly, her breath ragged. The silence of the room was deafening.

For the first time, she wasn’t just angry at Sai—she was angry at herself.

Two days before the engagement, Aruna sat on the edge of her bed, her fingers tapping rhythmically against her phone. The house was quiet, the evening air carrying a deceptive calmness. She dialed a familiar number, waiting for the call to connect.

"Hello?" Sundhar Rao’s voice came through, slightly cautious.

"Uncle," Aruna said smoothly, her voice laced with careful control. "I need you to do something for me."

Sundhar Rao sighed. "What is it this time, Aruna?"

"I need you to contact Ratna Kumar, our family lawyer," she said without preamble. "Tell him to meet Amma two days from now and hand over Dad’s will."

There was silence on the other end for a moment before Sundhar Rao spoke again, his voice low and uncertain. "Aruna, is this really the right time? The engagement is in just two days. This could complicate things."

A sly smile played on Aruna’s lips as she leaned back against the pillow. "Oh, Uncle," she said, almost amused. "You know what I did to keep that a secret all these years. Don’t you think I know when to make it public?"

Sundhar Rao hesitated. He wasn’t a fool—he knew exactly what she meant. The lengths she had gone to, the strings she had pulled, the secrets she had buried. He also knew that once Aruna had made up her mind, there was no stopping her.

Finally, he let out a reluctant sigh. "Fine," he said. "I’ll talk to Ratna Kumar and make the arrangements."

"Good," Aruna said, satisfied. "And, Uncle—" she added, her tone turning almost sweet, "make sure Sunandha gets it exactly when I want her to. Not a minute earlier."

Sundhar Rao shook his head. "You’re playing a dangerous game, Aruna."

Aruna chuckled softly, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. "Life is only interesting when you know how to play it right, Uncle."

She hung up the call, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

The pieces were moving, and soon, the game would change completely.

As Aruna hung up the call with Sundhar Rao, her fingers trembled slightly before she clenched them into a fist. Her lips curled into a knowing smirk, but beneath that surface satisfaction, a storm of unwanted memories rose from the past, pulling her back to a time she wished she could erase.

Seven Years Ago

The air inside Officer Anand’s office was thick with tension. Aruna sat across from her father, Narendra, her hands clenched into fists beneath the desk. Anand, the enquiry officer, observed the scene with a neutral expression, but Aruna could sense his impatience.

Narendra had his arms crossed, his face unreadable but his eyes burning with restrained anger. Across the room, Yedukondalu stood stiffly, his expression a mix of relief and smugness as he awaited the final verdict.

Aruna swallowed hard, her mouth dry. She had come in with confidence, determined to see this through. Determined to ruin Sunandha and take away everything she held dear.

But now, as she sat in the cold, clinical office, under the sharp scrutiny of both Anand and her father, she knew in her heart that this was a mistake. It had always been a bluff.

It was supposed to be a way to humiliate Sunandha—to make her suffer, to turn her father against her stepmother. But Narendra had seen right through her.

The sharp slap of Narendra’s palm against the table echoed through the living room. Aruna sat rigidly on the couch, her face expressionless, but inside, she was shaking.

"What do you think of yourself, Aruna?" Narendra’s voice was thick with rage, his eyes dark with accusation. "You think you can just file a complaint like this and get away with it?"

Aruna met his gaze, refusing to look away.

"It’s not just a complaint, Dad," she said, her voice deceptively calm. "It’s the truth."

Deep down, she had always known.

Yedukondalu never harassed her.

Sunandha never encouraged it.

She had fabricated it all.

Narendra let out a bitter laugh, his hands tightening into fists.

"Truth?" he mocked. "Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You accused Yedukondalu of sexual harassment. And not just him—you dragged Sunandha into it, claiming she encouraged his behavior? Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds?"

"It’s not ridiculous," Aruna snapped, her calm façade cracking for the first time. "You were never here, Dad! You were always out of station, and in your absence, Yedukondalu took advantage of that power! And Sunandha—she—" Aruna faltered, her nails digging into her palms. "She let it happen. She smirked when he brushed against me, laughed when I tried to protest. She treated me like I was nothing."

Narendra’s expression hardened, his features sharp with disbelief.

"Enough, Aruna!" His voice was dangerously low now. "Yedukondalu is a trusted man. And Sunandha—she is my wife! She has built a reputation that people respect. No one—no one—will believe your words against her."

Aruna felt a chill run down her spine, but she refused to let him see it.

"So you’re saying I’m lying?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes," Narendra said coldly, he shook his head in disgust. "You thought this inquiry would happen discreetly and my wife would be dismissed. But even fate is against you, Aruna."

He let the words settle before leaning in, his voice lowering into a menacing whisper.

"Good things happen to good people. That is why Anand was appointed as the enquiry officer for this case."

Aruna’s heart pounded.

"And do you know what’s even more unfortunate for you?" he continued. "Anand was Sunandha’s batchmate. He worked under me as my junior, and more than that, he is a very close friend of ours."

Aruna stiffened, feeling her control slipping.

Narendra smirked, shaking his head. "Even if someone else had been assigned, do you honestly think anyone would take your side?" His eyes bore into hers, unwavering. "Against Sunandha?"

Silence filled the room, thick with tension.

Then, with a sharp motion, he gestured toward Yedukondalu, who stood motionless, his hands behind his back.

"And what’s more disappointing," Narendra added, his tone laced with disgust, "is that you dragged this innocent man into your pathetic game as well."

Aruna’s breath hitched as her father’s words cut through her like a blade.

She knew she had lost. she was trapped.

Narendra leaned back and crossed his arms, watching her. Waiting.

Anand cleared his throat. "Miss Aruna," he said, his voice neutral but firm. "You have given your statement. Do you stand by your accusations?"

Aruna swallowed the lump in her throat.

She had no choice now.

Her voice was barely a whisper when she spoke.

"No."

Anand raised an eyebrow.

She lifted her gaze and forced the words out, sealing her fate.

"I am withdrawing my complaint."

Yedukondalu let out a sigh of relief, his shoulders relaxing. Anand exchanged a quick glance with Narendra before nodding.

"Very well," Anand said. He turned to Yedukondalu. "You are free to go. All charges against you are dismissed."

Yedukondalu shot a smug glance at Aruna before nodding in gratitude to Narendra. He left the room without another word.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Narendra leaned forward, his voice dangerously low.

"I should have expected this from you, Aruna," he said, his tone laced with quiet fury. "But even I underestimated just how low you could sink."

Aruna flinched but said nothing.

Narendra exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair before glaring at her again.

"I won’t tell Sunandha about this," he continued. "I don’t want her to know that my own daughter is nothing but a vicious serpent."

Aruna felt her stomach twist at his words.

"But don’t think you’re walking away unscathed," he said, his expression darkening. "I will make sure that you are at her mercy. I will make the necessary changes to my will today."

Aruna’s eyes widened, panic flashing across her face.

"No, Dad—"

"You don’t get to talk!" he barked, his voice like a whip. "You wanted to play dirty? Fine. Now you’ll pay the price."

He stood up, his towering frame looming over her.

"Now get out of my sight," he hissed. "I don’t want you anywhere near my house or my wife."

Aruna sat frozen for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest.

Then, without another word, she stood up, turned on her heel, and walked out.

Continued in the next part….