~ Always Besides You ~

38. The Deception

"And you too!" Kartik said pointing Ananya.

"You also!" Next was Sangita who sat lifelessly. "You were so desperate, Kavita's sister. Are you not going to ask, Mr. Sanskar Maheswari? Won't you ask me why?"

Sanskar tried to gauge if he had seen or heard about Kartik from Kavita. No! His mind said.

"Because of you!" Kartik came dangerously close to Sanskar and said in a croaky voice while Sanskar's eyes widened. Before he could react, Ragini pushed Kartik away into Arvind's hold, holding Sanskar away from him.

"Because SHE loved YOU!! She rejected me and went on to love you, that too a Maheswari!" Kartik spit the words out like venom. "I thought she'll come back to me. She will break your heart and come back to me. I believed in my love but--- she decided to get married leaving me." Kartik's breathe quickened and he grabbed a vase to smash in on the floor.

"What did I lack? Huh? Money, right? If she couldn't live with me, I won't let her live with anyone. I wanted to snatch her happiness at the end moment. I thought I will kill her just after your marriage. That too with a full-proof plan following which the whole blame will be on Maheswaris. But when I approached the temple, she was there awaiting her destruction at the road-side. And I preponed my plan... Why should I let someone claim her as his wife? No!! I had made the boy who drove speed up the car feeding some lies to him and when the car neared her.. WHOOSH!!!!" He narrated like a fairy tale told by a lunatic.

"She was beautiful even then! But he had to scoop her up in his hands." He gritted her teeth. "My plan wasn't perfect even then. She was not ready to accept defeat like that, not even me. If she had Sanskar, I had me!! I was enough to inject drug into her in the Mumbai hospital, thus relieving her from all tension and miseries. That day I thought I was caught. That uncle-aunty duo of her nearly caught me, but luck was favouring me!!" He broke out laughing like a maniac while Sangita and Pooja felt earth slipping off their feet.

"Maheswari family!!! Always escapes from my attacks! Remember that accident of Ramprasad four years back? He also escaped but I managed to snatch your father in the next attack." He said smirking at Durgaprasad and Ramprasad.

"And Kavya, what do you mean by Gadodhia's accident was not intentional? It might have not been for you but not for me! This game is of blood! And I won't surrender for your bloody emotions. I had a great satisfaction that day. To see these people in misery. Aah!!" He moaned in satisfaction, the sadistic demon becoming more and more evident.

"The days followed were the best! When this Ragini, was frantic to save her so-called family, my mind was at peace. The turmoil you all went through when this Laksh and Ragini was married!! Pure bliss! I know to take advantage of shortcomings and I knew Laksh's impulsiveness and Ragini's sacrificing nature! There also, I had to talk hours and hours to these fools. The information that Ragini loved Laksh helped me and I wanted no one's permission to kidnap this Swara!" His smirk deepened with words as Sangita-Pooja closed eyes in misery.

"I'm satisfied to an extent now! You all had a great time crying and lamenting, in hospital, at home... Now, devoid of home, business, any assets. How willyou all live?" Kartik cocked his eyebrows at DP and Adarsh and laughed hysterically again.

"This is the advantage of having a business mastermind with you. My sister! She is undoubtedly brilliant even though an emotional fool! I wonder how? Isn't it clear to you all now? Manipulation is an art! And I have enough knowledge and experience in it! My sister was too naive to trust on her estranged brother while this friend of her had a very weak and clinically depressed mind to get easily manipulated making my route more easy."

"Now, what will you do Mr. IPS? I knew you got to know about everything. Thanks, I could manage to get an anticipatory bail." He smirked. "And I want you all to clear this Mansion before I come back. This will be Rathore Mansion from tomorrow where me and my sister will live." He tried to hold Pooja to hug her but she pushed him away trembling.