62. Jhumki revealed and the connections

Ragini paced back and forth in her room, her fury evident in the way her heels clicked sharply against the marble floor. Her eyes burned with anger as she glared at the man seated calmly on the armchair, his face unreadable.

“Kanishk, your idea failed!” she spat, her voice laced with venom. “You promised me results, and yet here we are—empty-handed and humiliated!”

Kanishk leaned back, crossing his legs leisurely. He looked at Ragini with a smirk, the calm demeanor only fueling her rage further. “Relax, Ragini. Every plan has its hiccups,” he said, his tone infuriatingly dismissive. “This is just a minor setback.”

“Minor setback?” Ragini’s voice rose, her hands clenching into fists. “Do you realize how close Riya was to escaping our grasp completely? And that Arav… that so-called bodyguard of hers… he’s far more capable than you estimated.”

Kanishk’s smirk faltered for a moment, but he quickly composed himself. “I’ll admit, Arav was a surprise. But don’t underestimate me, Ragini. If one plan fails, I always have another up my sleeve. And this time, I’ll make sure there’s no room for error.”

“You better,” Ragini hissed, her eyes narrowing. “Because if you fail me again, Kanishk, there won’t be a next time. I won’t tolerate incompetence.”

Kanishk rose from his seat, his smirk returning. “You’ll get what you want, Ragini. Trust me.” He walked toward the door, pausing briefly. “And next time, make sure your anger doesn’t cloud your judgment. We’re in this together, after all.”

As he left the room, Ragini let out a frustrated scream, throwing a vase against the wall. It shattered into pieces, mirroring the chaos brewing in her mind. She couldn’t afford any more failures—especially with her ultimate plan hanging by a thread.

Niharika's hands froze as she struggled to drape the saree perfectly. She was lost in thought, ensuring every fold was precise. Just as she was about to adjust the pallu, she felt a sudden presence behind her.

Shivaay's arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her close. His lips grazed her neck, sending shivers down her spine. Niharika's eyes fluttered closed as she let out a soft sigh.

But their intimate moment was short-lived. Shivaay's phone buzzed, shrill and insistent, breaking the spell. He groaned, his lips still on Niharika's skin, as he reluctantly pulled away to answer the call.

It was from Mr Charles company. He picked that up and said, "Hello?" the voice came.

Shivaay’s eyes narrowed as the voice on the phone confirmed, "Mr. Charles is no more. We are closing the deal."

His grip on the phone tightened as he processed the unexpected news. Charles, the man who had been instrumental in this deal, was dead. The cold, impersonal tone of the voice on the other end didn’t soften the blow. The deal, however, will not be continuing."

He said," What? How could you? I have invested a lot of money in it. " The person said," Oh no sir we will pay your all expenses. "

Shivaay’s grip tightened on the phone as the voice on the other end spoke again, "Mr. Charles is no more. We are closing the deal. There will be no more working with his company."

The words hit Shivaay like a blow. He had known this deal would be complicated, but this was beyond what he had anticipated. Charles’s death meant the partnership he had been relying on was now null and void. The implications were immediate and serious. It wasn’t just about the business; it was about power, control, and the new path that was now open for others to take.

Shivaay’s voice was colder than ice when he responded, "Understood. Move forward with the closure. There will be no further dealings with his company."

The line went silent, and Shivaay ended the call. He set the phone down on the table with a firm motion, trying to process the weight of it all.

Niharika, still in the middle of draping her saree, looked up at him. She could see the change in his expression, the subtle shift that made him seem more detached than usual.

"Shivaay?" she asked softly, her concern evident. "What happened?"

His jaw clenched as he turned to her, trying to mask the storm brewing inside. "It’s over, Niharika. The deal is closed. No more working with Charles’s company. It’s done."

Niharika felt a chill run through her. She could see that this wasn’t just about business to him. Something about this felt personal, and she could sense his frustration, his need to control the situation.

But before she could say anything more, Shivaay turned away, as if pushing the conversation to the back of his mind. His thoughts were already shifting, already planning the next steps.

"Let’s not focus on this now," Shivaay said, his voice carrying a quiet edge. "We’ll talk later."

Niharika didn’t push him further. She knew when to let him be. But she couldn’t help the nagging feeling that the deal wasn’t the only thing that had changed in Shivaay's world. Something else was weighing on him, and she was determined to find out what.

Niharika walked downstairs, the air heavy with the unspoken tension she had felt earlier. She noticed everyone gathered in the living room, their expressions expectant. Shivaay stood at the center, his presence commanding, yet there was a certain coldness to him today, something that hadn't been there before.

As Niharika entered the room, Shivaay's eyes briefly met hers, but there was no warmth in them—just the steel of someone who had made a decision, and now, had to live with it.

"Everyone, listen up," Shivaay said, his voice firm, as he turned to face the gathered family. "We have decided to not continue the deal with Charles's company. The partnership is over. Charles is no longer with us, and there's no need for us to proceed."

A collective murmur passed through the room, the others exchanging uncertain glances. Niharika stood quietly by the doorway, her heart pounding as she processed Shivaay’s words.

"But why, Shivaay?" Niharika asked, stepping into the room fully now. Her voice was calm, but there was concern in her eyes. "Wasn't this deal important to you? To the company?"

Shivaay turned his gaze toward her, a flicker of something darker crossing his features before he spoke again. "Yes, it was important. But sometimes, you have to let go of something for the bigger picture. This deal, this company, it wasn’t going in the direction I wanted. It’s better to pull back now."

Everyone in the room seemed to be waiting for more, but Shivaay didn’t elaborate further. His focus seemed to be on something else entirely, the weight of his words hanging in the air. It was clear that there was more to this than just a business decision.

Ishaan, breaking the silence, raised an eyebrow. "So, what's the next step now, Shivaay? What do we do after this?"

Shivaay looked around the room, the sharpness of his gaze sweeping over each family member. "Now, we regroup. We’ll find another way to move forward. But right now, this is what's necessary."

Niharika stood by, feeling the unease settle in her chest. She had seen Shivaay make decisions like this before—cold, calculated. But this time, there was a different edge to it.

It wasn’t just business.

The room grew quiet, and Shivaay's posture relaxed, but his eyes remained distant, lost in thought.

Niharika knew this wasn’t over. Not by a long shot. Something had shifted within Shivaay, and she could feel it in the air around them.

Shivaay had been standing at the kitchen entrance for a moment, watching Jhumki from a distance as she added something suspicious into the food. His gaze sharpened as he watched her sprinkle the substance into the pot, her hands trembling slightly.

Without making a sound, he stepped forward, his presence causing Jhumki to freeze in place. The tension in the air was thick as she slowly turned around to face him, her eyes wide with fear.

Shivaay’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What is that?" he asked firmly, his tone cold.

Jhumki's breath hitched, and for a second, she seemed to lose her ability to speak. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. Panic flickered in her eyes as she quickly tried to hide the substance she had been adding.

Shivaay’s suspicion turned to certainty. "You know exactly what I’m talking about," he said, stepping closer. "What are you trying to do, Jhumki?"

Her eyes welled up with tears, and she dropped her head, unable to meet his gaze. "I... I didn’t mean to... I didn’t want to do this..." she stammered, her voice barely audible. "But I was hurting... I was in pain..."

Shivaay’s jaw clenched as he stepped even closer, his eyes hard with disbelief. "What pain? What are you talking about?"

Jhumki, trembling, finally broke down. "I loved you, Shivaay sir... from the very beginning. But when you married Niharika madam, I was crushed. I tried to pretend, but the hurt... it didn’t stop. I kept thinking you didn’t love her, but then... then you started doing all those things with her, and it broke me."

Shivaay stood still, his emotions conflicted. He had never expected something like this.

Jhumki continued, her sobs growing louder. "One day, I was walking home when a car stopped in front of me. Two women took me somewhere, told me they would help me. They promised me that I could have you... if I just helped them get rid of Niharika. They said... they said if I did what they wanted, you would finally be mine."

Shivaay’s eyes widened, his mind spinning as the truth slowly started to reveal itself. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

Tears rolled down Jhumki’s cheeks. "I didn’t want to hurt her... but they made me, Shivaay. I was so desperate. And the explosion in the kitchen... it was me. I didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt, but I was just doing what they told me. I did it because I thought I could have you. I’m not a bad person, Shivaay sir. I just... I just wanted you."

Shivaay’s heart was a mix of rage, confusion, and pity. He didn’t know what to feel or think in this moment. The woman who had always been around him, who had seemed loyal, had actually been plotting to destroy everything he had built with Niharika.

Without a word, Shivaay turned away, his mind racing with thoughts. He had to make sure everything was set right. He had to protect Niharika. The room seemed to spin as the weight of Jhumki’s confession hung in the air.

Jhumki, still on her knees, watched him, desperate for forgiveness, but she knew it was too late.

Jhumki sobbed, her hands trembling as the guards moved toward her. Shivaay stood frozen, his eyes locked on her as the truth she’d been hiding came tumbling out.

"I... I loved you, Shivaay sir," Jhumki began, her voice shaking. "I did everything for you, but when you married Niharika, I couldn’t bear it. I thought... I thought if I could just make you see me, maybe things would be different. I started doing things... terrible things."

Shivaay’s brow furrowed, the pieces not fitting together yet, but the growing tension in the room was palpable.

"I never wanted to hurt Niharika," Jhumki continued, "but then... then one day, two women found me. They said they could help me... help me get you to love me, help me get Niharika out of your way."

Her eyes welled with fresh tears. "They called themselves Ragini and Natasha. They promised me that if I did what they asked, I could have you. That explosion in the kitchen... the one when Niharika was there... I-I did that. It was all because of them. They told me to do it... I didn’t know how to back out."

Shivaay’s eyes widened in disbelief. The names Ragini and Natasha meant nothing to him. He couldn’t recall any connections to them, yet the weight of her words hung heavily in the air. He stared at Jhumki, his anger still simmering, but now mixed with confusion.

"Ragini... Natasha?" Shivaay repeated, his voice sharp. "Who are they? What do they have to do with this?"

Jhumki shook her head, still crying uncontrollably. "I don’t know much about them... only that they promised me they could make you mine, Shivaay sir. They told me to keep going, to keep doing whatever they said, and you would see me. You would love me. But I... I didn’t want things to go this far. Please forgive me..."

Shivaay stood motionless, processing the information. He didn’t know who Ragini and Natasha were, but their involvement in this scheme, whatever it was, wasn’t something he could ignore. He felt a chill run down his spine at the realization that there were forces working in the shadows against Niharika, against everything he was trying to protect.

"Security!" he snapped, his voice firm now. "Throw her out of this house. Take her to the police station. She will not work here again."

The guards moved swiftly, pulling Jhumki to her feet. She tried to resist, but the reality of her actions had finally caught up with her. As they dragged her away, she turned to Shivaay one last time.

"I’m sorry, Shivaay. Please... please understand... I did it all for you," she cried.

Shivaay looked away, his expression unreadable. "You made your choices, Jhumki," he said, his voice cold. "And now, you will face the consequences."

As the guards escorted her out, Shivaay's mind raced. Who were Ragini and Natasha? Why had they targeted Jhumki? And more importantly, how far did this go?

His thoughts were interrupted by Niharika, who stood in the doorway, her face pale with concern. "Shivaay, what happened?" she asked softly, her eyes searching his.

He turned to her, his gaze hardening. "We’ve got bigger problems, Niharika," he muttered. "And I need to find out who’s behind them."

Shivaay stood in front of Indra and Shweta, his expression tense. He could feel the weight of the situation bearing down on him as he asked the question that had been lingering in his mind.

"Maa, Bauji... do you know someone named Ragini?" he asked, his voice calm but firm, seeking answers.

Indra and Shweta exchanged a quick, knowing glance, before Shweta spoke up, her tone a bit surprised. "Ragini? That name... It rings a bell." She paused for a moment, as though trying to recall something from the distant past.

Indra nodded slowly, his face grim. "Yes, I remember now. Ragini was Alok's wife." He paused, then added, "She disappeared after Alok's death. It was all over the news back then. They said she had gone missing under mysterious circumstances."

Shivaay’s heart skipped a beat. Alok's wife? That meant she had some connection to his family, to his own past.

"Alok?" Shivaay repeated, his mind working quickly. "Isn't Alok the same man who... had connections in the underworld?"

Indra nodded again. "Yes, he did. He was a businessman, but his connections with the underworld were well-known. After his death, Ragini disappeared, and no one heard from her again. Some believed she was involved in his dealings, but no one could ever prove it."

Shivaay felt the pieces beginning to fall into place. If Ragini had been tied to Alok and the underworld, it made sense why she would have some sort of grudge, perhaps even a dangerous agenda. And the connection with Jhumki, the explosion, and the plot against Niharika—it was all starting to come together.

"So, Ragini’s been missing for all these years, and now she’s resurfaced?" Shivaay asked, his tone sharper now. "And she’s using someone like Jhumki to get to Niharika?"

Indra's face hardened with concern. "It seems that way. If she’s really behind this, we need to be careful. She’s not someone you want to underestimate, Shivaay."

Shivaay turned toward Niharika, who had been quietly listening in the corner. "We need to find out everything we can about Ragini. Her motives, her plans—everything."

Shweta stepped forward, her expression softening as she looked at Niharika. "We’ll protect you, beta. You’re part of this family now, and we won’t let anyone harm you."

Niharika nodded, her eyes filled with gratitude but also with a hint of fear. "Thank you, Maa... Bauji."

Shivaay clenched his fists, his mind already racing with plans. "I won’t let her hurt anyone in this family. I’ll make sure of that."

The dark truth was beginning to unfold, and Shivaay knew that the battle was far from over. But he would fight for his family—no matter the cost.

Shivaay sat in his room, his mind in turmoil. The tension was unbearable as he tried to piece together the fragmented puzzle of his life. His thoughts kept circling back to the strange occurrences that had been happening around him lately.

First, Jhumki—someone who had been working under him for so long, someone he had trusted, had turned out to be a pawn in someone else's dangerous game. She was tied to the mysterious women, Ragini and Natasha. And now Kanishk Verma, who was somehow involved in all of this, seemed to be a key player in this complex scheme.

Shivaay gripped the armrest of the chair, his thoughts spiraling. How could I have missed all this? He was a man who had always prided himself on being sharp, on seeing through the lies and deceit that surrounded him. But this—this was different. There were layers, connections, and plots he hadn't seen coming.

And then, the cancellation of his meeting. The timing was too perfect, too coincidental. His mind raced as he tried to connect the dots. Was it them? Was someone trying to send a message? The more he thought about it, the more questions surfaced, and the more unsettled he became.

Jhumki’s betrayal felt like a direct hit. She had been a trusted member of the household, someone he’d never suspected could be involved in something so devious. And now he was learning that she had been manipulated by someone like Ragini—who, from what he had gathered, was no stranger to power and manipulation.

Kanishk Verma, too, was a name that kept coming up. Shivaay had always known there was something off about him. His influence was far-reaching, and now it was becoming clearer that he was connected to the very forces trying to break apart his life and his family.

Shivaay leaned back in his chair, his hand running through his hair in frustration. This isn’t just some coincidence, he thought. This is calculated. Someone wants to destroy everything I’ve built.

His thoughts shifted back to Niharika. She had no idea what she was walking into, no idea that the woman—Ragini—was playing a game that could very well tear them apart. The thought of anything happening to her, of her being hurt or manipulated, made his blood run cold.

With a sharp breath, Shivaay stood up and began pacing the room. I need answers. He had to confront each of these people—Kanishk, Ragini, and anyone else connected to this mess. He couldn’t let them win. Not while Niharika was in danger.

The tension in the room seemed to mirror the turmoil in his mind. He was ready to act, but he knew he needed to be careful. He couldn’t afford to make a mistake. Whoever was behind this was playing a dangerous game, and Shivaay needed to be one step ahead.

The more he thought about it, the more certain he became that this was bigger than just one person or one family. This was a battle for control, a battle that could destroy everything if he wasn’t careful.

And so, with a sense of determination hardening inside him, Shivaay made a decision. I will protect my family. I will find out who is behind this—and I will make them pay.

*****

I want to ask a question, actually there is a wedding in my family and I am looking for some suitable lahenga or dress for engagement and wedding party.

Do you know any sites so please dm me on instagram, link in bio