Malignant Ardor

14. RagLak Confrontation

Swara and Sanskaar reach Gadodia mansion as their respective siblings called them.

They are welcomed by a grim look by Swara's family and Ragini. Sharmishta's eyes were brimming with tears. Her mother sat by her side while Shekhar stood against the wall.

"Lucky, is everything fine? Why did you call us here?"

Lucky stood up and asked. "Di, tell me, honestly, why you got married?"

"For you. For you and Ragini."

"Enough, Di. You don't have to continue this play anymore."

"What happened, Lucky?" Sanskaar asked.

Lucky picked up the file and showed them. "Ragini and I met Danny today."

At the mention of the name, Swara glanced at Sanskaar and saw his palm folding into a fist. Her own palm clasped tight enough that her nails dug into her skin.

"Why don't you first tell us what Danny told you?" Swara asked.

"So that you don't reveal any additional info? Come on, Di. Why don't you just reveal the whole truth?"

"Lucky, on that day, if you had pressed for details, probably I would have answered you. But today you are accusing based on someone else's account. I am not going to give any clarification."

"Shona, you could have talked to us at least. You didn't have to do this." Shekhar said.

"Baba... Swara..." Sanskaar started to explain.

"We are not talking to you Sanskaar." Shekhar interrupted harshly.

"But you need to hear..." This time Swara held his wrist and stopped him from explaining further.

Sanskaar saw a tear escape her eyes. He hated that sight. Just when things were settling down, this had to happen. He wanted to go after Danny's hide; he was that furious. Well, responsibility called! He stayed.

Lakshya took Swara by her shoulders. "Di, how could you turn my marriage into a ransom deal? Is this your love for me?"

The anger was evident in Lucky's eyes. Swara was in tears and shook her head, trying to get words out of her mouth but only silence came.

Ragini stood up and started her round of firing. "Bhai, if someone else blackmailed me like this, what would you do? Would you have accepted 'It was for you Bhai' as a reason?"

She stepped closer. "Bhai, this is why you sent me away right? You sent me out of city, blackmailed Swara, got married and then struck the deal of my marriage." Ragini cornered Sanskaar. He was left with no defence. He had made a mistake, the worst mistake of his life. If this was his punishment, so be it.

Ragini turned to Swara. "Yesterday night, I thought I found a good friend in you. I thought you respected relationships. I really didn't expect this from you, Swara!"

"Ragini! Don't forget your limits!" Sanskaar scolded.

Swara glanced at him and shook her head slightly to stop him. But Sanskaar was not ready to listen.

"The same person you called Bhabhi last night became Swara now! Just because of what some roadside danny said? You want complete facts. Then here, you have it. Yes, I blackmailed Swara. But she didn't have to accept. Yet she agreed because she saw reason."

His temper reached its limit. "You people only heard the blackmailing part because Danny has brought that to light. No one told you about the next day when Swara stood her ground and laid her reasons? She could have left. She could have filed a complaint and annulled this marriage. Instead, she had made it clear that this relation would stay as long as we both want it."

"Then that's what we call a deal, isn't it?" Lucky asked.

"It is one of the seven vows of marriage - to live in harmony through mutual respect and trust." Sanskaar countered.

"Ragini, coming back to your question, what if you were put in Swara's position. I would kill, no second thoughts about that. But there is a difference between Swara and Ragini. You would have complied and that's why I need to interfere. Ask Chachi what Swara did. She retaliated. She took the reins and set out her conditions. If only you had that courage, I didn't have to worry so much about you."

Sanskaar felt the crack in his heart. "Now let me ask you, what should I have done? How can I give my sister, who asks for my permission to even go shopping with her Chachi, to a guy who has no care or ambition for tomorrow? Swara was right. I was damn scared for your future."

He turned to Lucky, "We have not made your marriage a business deal. These papers don't mean anything." Sanskaar snatched the evidence papers and burnt them at the prayer table lamp. "You both have lived a luxurious life under our care. We have never taught you compromise and adjustment. But marriage is full of them. So for your prosperous married life, we took the gamble on our lives."

"Sanskaar, even you have a sister. How could you ruin my sister's life?"

Sanskaar saw Swara's broken state. If only she was able to debate, she would have shown Lucky who Swara Gadodia is. No problem. Sanskaar would do it for her. "Which sister are you talking about Lucky? That sister, whose life had paused four years back due to a scoundrel? Today you are blaming the same sister because of the very scoundrel? What kind of brother are you, Lakshya Gadodia? Can't you understand your sister's pain?" Sanskaar couldn't help but raise his voice. Lakshya and Ragini had broken all his barriers of patience and rationale.