Scarred Love - Chapter 7

Shekher’s eyes narrowed with anger the moment Badri announced that Samar had arrived. Closing his eyes, he tried to control his feeling and got up from the chair.

Girija stared at her husband as he left. Slowly her gaze slanted towards the temple in her room. She looked at the Durga idol, her eyes questioning everything that had happened for so long.

When is it going to be enough, Ma?

Samar belonged to the same family but still, there was a big difference. His parents, Dalip and Roopa Sangawat, Shekher’s younger brother and sister-in-law were long dead. Even though nobody talked about their death in this house, still Shekher hadn’t forgiven his nephew till date.

**********************

Shekher Sangawat entered the huge drawing room and saw Samar talking on the phone. His hushed tones alarmed Shekher a little but he ignored as he sat down in the chair.

“Why are you here?” Shekher asked not waiting for his nephew to finish the call.

Samar frowned the moment he heard his uncle’s voice. He ended the phone call and turned towards the man who had once threatened to chuck him out of this family.

He came near and touched his feet but Shekher did not respond for he couldn’t easily let go of those terrible memories.

“I am here because I need some money.”

“For that, you need to talk to Rudra, not me.”

Samar’s head burst with animosity the moment he heard the name. He slowly lowered himself to his uncle’s level.

“I am not asking money from that bastard,” he said in a compressed tone.

“Samar!” Shekher Sangawat shouted in warning.

“Samarveer, Kaka, Samarveer.”

“No, you are not Veer. You cannot be one ever. That name belongs to the eldest son of this house and we already have one. As for the money, you will get it if Rudra wishes.”

Samar looked at his uncle with hostile eyes, his whole body shaking with anger.

“I am the son of this family and I don’t need some psycho’s permit to take the money. I’ll have the right to it.”

Shekher got up from his chair and came near Samar. Then, as he stretched to his full height, his eyes narrowed with anger.

“Don’t you dare say another word against Rudra. Get out before I throw you out.”

“You wish!”

“Yes, Samar, I seriously wish to do this one day. If it wasn’t for Rudra, you wouldn’t be allowed to stay here. Now, go to your room before I forget you have the same bloodline.”

Samar cringed a little and turned on his heel to retreat to his room.

But before he did he heard his uncle say.

“And, Samar, you lost the right to be called a Sangawat the day your father betrayed us.”

**********************

Manna Singh switched on the camera for Rudra’s room and looked at the screen as it flashed with the image of him sleeping peacefully. He closed his eyes and then instantly opened them as he remembered the recording. Quickly, he picked up his laptop and went to the recording of that night and deleted it.

As he looked sideways at his brother, Ram Singh, he saw him standing near the window, his brow creased with tension. Although he had not been amazed that his brother had finally come here but the repercussions of him being here were huge. And, that is what troubled Manna.

Being with Rudra for so long, he had actually dreaded the day when he would see his brother again. Years ago, when the Sangawat family had moved to Delhi, his father, Chandrapal Singh had sent Manna with them. Being as small as 6, he had resented that but now he understood why his father had done that.

He flicked his gaze at the sleeping figure on the screen and saw signs of Rudra coming out of sedation. Sighing, he looked at his brother again.

“He is waking up.”

Ram Singh turned instantly and looked into the screen, and sighed with relief. Since the time he had come here, he had only seen angry faces and heard bad news. But now, looking at the screen, he felt a little okay.

Manna got up and was about to leave when Ram placed his hand on his arm.

“I have not come here on my own. I was called here,” he said looking for support on his brother’s face.

Manna sighed and said in a disgruntled tone, “I know. I was there when Hukum gave you a call.”

“But you are not happy to see me?”

“Are you happy to be here?”

Ram Singh shook his head, knowing too well that he couldn’t lie to his own brother.

“I believe that answers your question.”

“Manna, I……”

“Please, Bhaiya. You know why you are here. Let’s just stick to that.”

Saying this, Manna went to his room. He needed sleep but he knew he wouldn’t get it easily. His mind was in turmoil. Numerous questions zipped through it in a rapid pace.

Being the security in-charge of the Sangawat House was not an easy task. Guarding the family was not a big issue but keeping Rudra out of trouble was. He had a lot of enemies, be it the past ones or the present, professional or personal. One of the biggest problems with Rudra was he never bothered about his own safety.

Even though the Hummer was bullet proof and equipped with one of the best security and GPS system but still, he insisted on driving it alone. Many times, Manna had asked if he could go with him everywhere but he always got the same reply.

“Do as you are told.”

Although Manna understood his reasons, he didn’t quite agree with them.

And, now, with Ram Singh here, Manna’s job has become more difficult than usual. But he knew what he had to do.

This time he wouldn’t listen to Hukum at all, Manna thought to himself. His hands clenched in fists as his resolve became solid.

 

“I’ll not let anything happen to you, Hukum, not now, not ever.”

And, I’ll be with you, my brother, Ram Singh said to himself, his eyes shining with determination and purpose as he looked on from the doorway.

Copyright © Paromita Majumder. All Rights Reserved.