zeal of his love

FOG OF FALSE LOVE

Heavy steps resonated in the still hall of VR Mansion as Angrey made his way straight towards his boss sitting on his high chair, his sister-in-law Riddhima standing right beside the couch looking tired and scared. Angrey noticed her holding onto Vansh's shirt from his shoulder, just a feathery touch as she stood impossibly close to the high armchair Vansh was sitting on, Angrey realized Riddhima was probably hiding from the accusing stares. It pinched his heart thinking this silent fragile woman getting so much pressure. Being a victim of unnecessary hatred from his so-called parents he knew how it feels to be targeted without a reason.

He looked around at the staring faces of the entire family. Anupriya settled on one of the long couches with his boss' Dadi (grandmother) and Chachi (Aunt) who both were holding her hands in theirs. As usual, Ishani was standing beside Rudra Chachu (Uncle) throwing daggers towards Riddhima. Aryan and Sia both were missing. While one doesn't want to be here and the other one can't come here on her own.

Standing in front of his boss, his hands behind his back he looks straight at Vansh reporting to him,

"Boss mainy ek ek footage bahut bareeki se check ki hai. Kisi may koi loop nahi hai. Koi bhi VR Mansion ke andar dakhil nahi hua hai. Aur...",

("Boss, I have checked every footage very closely. There is no loop anywhere. No one has entered the mansion. And...")

Angrey stopped, throwing a glance toward the couch where Anupriya was sitting before clearing his throat, he handed over the I-pad he had in his hands to Vansh, Vansh looked at the footage of the hall of an hour ago. Riddhima leaned in beside him eyeing the screen with a thudding heart, because it was during the night most of the lights were turned off, only a blurred silhouette of wandering in the hall aimlessly constantly looking over her shoulder.

One time she ran towards the kitchen, looking around then she ran back to the hall and started talking to the portrait of Uma Rai Singhania Vansh hung in the hall a few days ago.

Nothing was exactly clear also there was a pillar in the line of sight of the camera but pretty much what was shown was making it clear Anupriya was talking to Uma's portrait.

The I-pad was snatched away by Ishani as Anupriya also rushed to peer over the screen as Angrey continued,

"Boss, mainy sary angles and reflections se check kiya hai. Hall may Anupriya ma'am ke Alawa aur koi nahi tha",

(Boss, I have checked with many angles and reflections. There was none other than Anupriya Ma'am in the hall".)

Anupriya whipped her head towards Angrey as his words sliced through her fogged brain creating havoc on her sharpness. How dare he? Do kaudi ka naukar mujhe pagal keh rha hai? (How dare he? this fucking servant is calling me crazy?).

Her over functioning brain was already in stun mode since this morning as she remembered how since the morning she had been hearing the strange sound of some crying woman in her room and when she went to get Mrs. D'Souza to her room to ask her where that noise is coming from, it turned out that D'Souza couldn't hear anything. All the rooms in VR Mansion are already sound proof so there was no sound outside her door anyway. She was getting crazy with every passing second.

She had already turned her entire room upside down in search of the source of that crying sound but no luck so far. Even Mrs. D'Souza offered to help but she didn't allow that as she can't her secrets hidden inside the walls of her room spill. She did everything from removing the wallpaper to toppling over her bed but alas luck was not on her side. She asked for some headache medicine from Mrs D'Souza and in a spree of taking away those injections from her, Riddhima took away her entire first aid box of hers. She couldn't even say no as Riddhima was talking to Vansh over the phone right the moment she entered her room and Anupriya was scared what if Vansh asked for those injections in person? It would be a nightmare if Vansh personally asked for those injections and she can't afford to make Vansh suspicious.