Prithvi... [Volume 4]

Chapter 92

Janki torpidly adjusted the pleats of her saree. It had gotten crumpled during her nap. Apart from the terrible exhaustion and aches triggered by the journey, she was also battling drowsiness because of an utter lack of sleep for days. She hadn't slept soundly after receiving Uday's first phone call in decades.

She would have liked to doze until dinner, but it wasn't right to let Nandini sit by herself on her first day in an unfamiliar town.

While walking to the mirror to tie her hair neatly, she looked hatefully at the letter on the bed. Uday had left it in this room, explaining that he had no dishonourable goals in forcing her to bring Nandini to this house. His nephew or a nephew's son or a young relative named Prithvi - who was Nandini's friend - was supposedly a little downcast because of certain events in his life, and Uday wanted Nandini to speak to the boy and cheer him up.

He had patronisingly assured her that Nandini wouldn't learn that the entire plan was his ruse to bring her to this town, and he would "adjust" the story to protect her standing in front of the Bharadwaj family.

She had come close to collapsing with relief at first. But then as she re-read it to confirm that she had understood his words correctly, the contents of the letter had enraged as well as stunned her. He had blackmailed her and nearly driven her to suicide for these ridiculously sentimental intentions?

And Nandini was a good friend of a male belonging to Uday's family?

Janki's mind reeled at the knowledge. She couldn't imagine the two diametrically opposite families having anything in common.

Virtuous innocence, light and goodness on one side... ruthless cunning, darkness and cruelty on the other ...

Gritting her teeth, Janki rearranged the locks of grey on her head, and then walked to the door of her room. She pulled its bronzed handle and entered the living room, looking around for Nandini. Her eyes froze when they reached the main door.

Nandini was stepping into the living room, and Uday was right behind her.

Putting on a show of gladness at seeing the wrinkled ************, she smiled and asked, "Uday, when did you arrive?"

"Just minutes ago," Uday smiled. "And it was a wonderful surprise to meet Nandini in the yard."

"You know each other?" Janki asked in astonishment, efficiently continuing the charade.

"Yes, through a mutual contact," Uday nodded. "I'm sure you remember my nephew - Aditya. His son, Prithvi, was a neighbour and tenant of Nandini's family for a while. I met Nandini during one of my visits to that town. Prithvi and Nandini attended the same college too. They became good friends during the course of his stay in Shamli," he commented nonchalantly.

"This is a beautiful coincidence," Janki said with an aloof smile. "I'd love to hear more about it, but we're exhausted after the long journey, Uday. Can we talk tomorrow? Nandini and I will be leaving after breakfast. So it would be best if you can meet us early in the morning. "

Uday wanted to put his foot down. He couldn't face Prithvi without having anything positive to report, but if he didn't concede to Janki's request, he would come across as being uncivilized to Nandini.

Subtly coercing the hag to give him a few minutes to speak to the girl would be right up his alley. And if he hadn't met Prithvi outside, he would have gone ahead and done it. But as usual, something about that boy made him feel ashamed of his absolute lack of morals and ethics, and urged him to be a better, more cultured, version of himself. And Nandini's gentle and good-natured aura only compounded his guilt at the sly games he was playing.