63. Jhumki revealed the truth

In Ragini's lavish yet dimly lit room, the atmosphere was tense. She paced back and forth, her heels clicking against the marble floor, her face etched with frustration. She slammed her hand on the table, muttering under her breath, "Shit! That Jhumki got caught. I told her to be careful. How hard was it to follow simple instructions?"

Her hands clenched into fists as she tried to think of her next move. This was a setback, a major one. Jhumki had been her inside link, her pawn within the palace. And now, she was gone, exposed, and most likely spilling secrets under pressure.

Natasha, lounging on a plush chair nearby, rolled her eyes, her usual smug expression replaced with mild irritation. "Relax, Mom," she said, twirling a strand of her perfectly styled hair. "So what if Jhumki got caught? She was just a maid. What can she really do? We can handle this."

Ragini shot her daughter a sharp glare. "You don’t understand, Natasha. Jhumki wasn’t just a maid. She knew everything—the plans, the tasks, even our connection to Kanishk Verma. If Shivaay digs deep enough, he’ll trace it all back to us."

Natasha sighed and shrugged. "Well, then maybe we should’ve picked someone smarter than that foolish girl," she quipped.

"Enough!" Ragini snapped, her voice echoing through the room. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but the anger and anxiety bubbling inside her were hard to suppress. "We’ve come too far for this to fall apart now. Shivaay doesn’t know who we are yet, but he’s suspicious. If he starts connecting the dots, it’s over for us."

Natasha smirked, crossing her legs as she leaned back in the chair. "Then let’s make sure he doesn’t get the chance to connect the dots, shall we?"

Ragini raised an eyebrow, intrigued yet cautious. "What are you suggesting?"

Natasha’s smirk deepened. "We go on the offensive. If Shivaay is busy protecting his precious little wife and running around trying to save his empire, he won’t have time to dig into us. We just need to keep him distracted—and take care of anyone who gets in our way."

Ragini nodded slowly, her mind already racing with possibilities. Natasha had a point. If they could keep Shivaay occupied, he wouldn’t have the time or energy to investigate them.

"This isn’t over," Ragini said, her voice firm, her eyes burning with determination. "We’ve come too far to let this slip away now. If Jhumki’s gone, then we’ll find another way. And this time, we won’t leave any loose ends."

Natasha smiled wickedly. "That’s more like it, Mom. Let’s show Shivaay Singh Ranawat who he’s really dealing with."

The two women shared a look of mutual understanding and resolve, the air in the room thick with tension and unspoken plans. Whatever they were plotting next, it was clear—they weren’t going down without a fight.

In the dimly lit interrogation room, Jhumki sat on the cold metal chair, her hands trembling as she wiped away her tears. Her face was pale, her emotions swinging between fear and regret. The clinking sound of the door opening made her jump slightly, and her eyes widened as Arav stepped in, his presence commanding and intimidating.

She blinked in surprise, recognizing him instantly. "You... You were the bodyguard. Rohit Parihar," she stammered, her voice shaky. "What are you doing here?"

Arav's expression was stone-cold, his jaw tight as he took a seat across from her. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table, his piercing gaze fixed on her. "That was an identity I had to take on because of people like you," he said firmly, his voice laced with a calm authority. "I am not Rohit Parihar. I am Spy Officer Arav Gupta."

Jhumki gasped, her eyes widening further. "Spy officer?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. Her mind raced, trying to process the revelation.

Arav leaned back slightly, his sharp gaze never leaving her. "Yes. And it’s people like you, working in the shadows, betraying trust, who force us to live double lives to protect the innocent."

Tears streamed down Jhumki’s face as she clasped her hands together, pleading. "I didn’t mean for things to go this far! I... I was blinded by my emotions. They promised me... they promised me Shivaay would be mine if I helped them!"

Arav’s lips pressed into a thin line, his expression unyielding. "And you believed them? Did you really think betraying the people who trusted you, endangering lives, and committing crimes would get you what you wanted?"

Jhumki broke into sobs, her shoulders shaking. "I was desperate! I loved Shivaay, but he never even looked at me. And then... those women, Ragini and Natasha, they promised to help me. I thought... I thought they cared."

Arav's voice turned steely. "They used you. You were nothing more than a pawn in their game. And now you’re paying the price for your actions." He leaned forward again, his tone sharp and unforgiving. "Tell me everything. Every single detail about Ragini and Natasha. Their plans, their connections, everything."

Jhumki hesitated, looking down at her trembling hands. "I only met them a few times," she admitted. "They always stayed in the shadows. They had this aura of power... like they could control everything. Ragini was calm but terrifying, and Natasha... she was manipulative, always pulling the strings."

Arav narrowed his eyes. "And their plans? What were they planning to do with Shivaay and Niharika?"

Jhumki hesitated again, but the weight of her guilt and fear pushed her to speak. "They wanted to ruin them... destroy their relationship, take over the palace, and gain control of Shivaay's empire. Niharika was their main target. They wanted her out of the way at all costs."

Arav nodded, his mind racing as he pieced together the puzzle. He stood up, his towering presence making Jhumki cower slightly. "You’ve done enough damage, Jhumki. But if you cooperate fully, maybe you’ll have a chance to redeem yourself."

As Arav turned to leave, Jhumki called out, her voice desperate. "Please... please tell Shivaay sir I’m sorry. I... I didn’t mean to hurt him. I just..." Her voice broke, and she buried her face in her hands.

Arav didn’t respond. He walked out of the room, his expression hard as steel. There was no room for pity in his line of work. All that mattered now was stopping Ragini and Natasha before they could strike again.

Arav leaned forward, his sharp eyes boring into Jhumki's tear-streaked face. "You need to tell me everything," he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Every single detail about Ragini and Natasha. And if there’s anyone else involved, now is the time to talk."

Jhumki wiped her face with the back of her hand, her voice trembling. "There... there is someone else. A man named Kanishk. He’s dangerous, Arav sir. He’s a drug dealer and... and he was the one who killed Mr. Charles."

Arav’s jaw tightened, his expression darkening. "Mr. Charles? Shivaay's business partner?"

Jhumki nodded frantically. "Yes. They wanted to ensure Shivaay sir had no allies left. Charles was supposed to help with a major deal, but Kanishk... he got rid of him. He made it look like an accident, but it wasn’t. It was cold-blooded murder."

Arav’s mind raced as he processed the information. "Where is Kanishk now?" he asked, his voice calm but dangerously cold.

Jhumki hesitated, fear evident in her eyes. "I don’t know exactly... but he works out of a warehouse near the old industrial area. That’s where I was taken once to meet him. He doesn’t trust anyone easily. Ragini is the one who keeps him in the loop."

Arav stood up abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. "You’ve done enough damage, Jhumki," he said, his voice icy. "But if you want to salvage what little humanity you have left, you’ll cooperate fully. I’ll have someone escort you back to your cell. If you remember anything else, anything at all, you let me know immediately."

Jhumki nodded, her shoulders slumping as she realized the full weight of her betrayal. "I’m sorry," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I didn’t mean for things to go this far."

Arav didn’t respond. He walked out of the room, his mind already calculating his next move. The pieces of the puzzle were finally falling into place. Kanishk, Ragini, Natasha—their web of deceit and destruction was vast, but now he had a lead.

As he exited the interrogation area, Arav pulled out his phone and made a call. "Shivaay," he said when the line connected, his voice firm. "We need to talk. I have information about the people targeting you—and it’s worse than we thought."

Shivaay was sitting in his study, his thoughts tangled in the web of threats surrounding him. His phone buzzed, and he picked it up, expecting another update from Arav or his business associates.

"Hello?" he answered, his voice steady.

But the words on the other end shattered his composure. "Mr. Ranawat, this is Inspector Sinha. I’m calling with unfortunate news. Niharika’s parents, Shalini and Vishal Verma, and her brother Raaj met with a car accident earlier today. I’m deeply sorry to inform you... they didn’t survive."

Shivaay froze, the phone slipping slightly from his grip. His chest tightened as if all the air had been sucked out of the room. "What... what are you saying?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

"I'm afraid it's true, sir," the inspector continued solemnly. "The accident happened on the highway. The car lost control and collided with a truck. We’re still investigating the exact cause, but it seems... there was no chance of survival."

Shivaay felt like the ground beneath him had given way. He didn’t even realize when the phone dropped from his hand, landing with a soft thud on the carpeted floor. His mind raced to Niharika, her warm smile, her soft laugh, her delicate heart. How would she handle this? How could he even begin to tell her?

"Shivaay?" Shweta’s concerned voice called from the door, but he couldn’t respond. He stood motionless, gripping the edge of the desk as if it were the only thing anchoring him.

"Shivaay, what’s wrong?" Shweta asked again, rushing to his side. He turned to her, his eyes filled with an emotion she rarely saw in her strong, composed son—anguish.

"It’s... it’s Niharika’s family," he managed to choke out. "They’re gone. Her parents and Raaj. All of them... gone."

Shweta gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "Oh no," she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. "How... how will she...?"

Shivaay didn’t wait for her to finish. He straightened himself, his mind now solely focused on Niharika. He had to be her strength. He couldn’t let her crumble, even though he knew this news would shatter her world.

He hurried upstairs to their room. The door creaked open, and there she was, sitting on the bed, her face lighting up momentarily at his presence. But as soon as she saw his expression, her smile faltered.

"Shivaay?" she asked, her voice filled with concern. "What happened? Is everything okay?"

He walked toward her, his steps heavy, and sat beside her. Taking her hands in his, he looked into her eyes, his own glistening with unshed tears.

"Niharika..." he began, his voice cracking. "There’s... there’s something I need to tell you."

Her brows knitted together, fear creeping into her expression. "What is it, Shivaay? You’re scaring me."

He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, but there was no easy way to say it. "There was an accident," he said softly. "Your parents... Shalini and Vishal... and Raaj... they’re... they’re no more."

For a moment, she didn’t react. She just stared at him, as if her mind was struggling to process the words. Then, slowly, the color drained from her face, and her lips trembled.

"No," she whispered, shaking her head. "No, that’s not true. It can’t be true."

Shivaay pulled her into his arms as she began to sob, her cries growing louder with each passing second. "Why?" she wailed. "Why them? Why now? What did they do to deserve this?"

He held her tightly, his heart breaking with every tear that fell from her eyes. "I’m so sorry, Niharika," he murmured, his voice filled with pain. "I’m so, so sorry."

She clung to him desperately, her sobs shaking her entire body. And as Shivaay held her, he silently vowed to protect her from every pain, every threat, every sorrow—even if it meant shielding her from the cruel reality of the world.

Arav was sitting at his desk, reviewing the details of Niharika's parents' tragic car accident. Something about the whole situation gnawed at him. A truck accident? It was too much of a coincidence. His mind raced back to Riya’s incident—the truck that almost took her life. He had been able to save her just in time, but the memory of it lingered.

He shot up from his chair, connecting the dots in his mind. "A truck," he muttered to himself. "This can’t just be a coincidence."

Without wasting a moment, he rushed to the custody cell where Jhumki was being held. The guards let him through, and he stood in front of her, his eyes blazing with intensity.

Jhumki, sitting on the cold bench, looked up at him nervously. "W-what do you want now?" she stammered.

Arav leaned in closer, his voice cold and firm. "I need answers, Jhumki. Niharika’s parents died in a truck accident today. You told me earlier about the explosion you caused, but now I want to know about Charles. How did he die?"

Jhumki hesitated, her gaze darting around the room as if looking for a way out. "I... I don’t know," she mumbled.

"Don’t lie to me," Arav snapped, slamming his hand on the table. "I know you were involved with them. You said you did what they asked. So tell me—how did Charles die?"

Jhumki flinched at his outburst, her voice trembling as she spoke. "I-I heard something... something about a truck," she admitted. "They said his car collided with a truck, just like that."

Arav’s jaw tightened, the pieces of the puzzle falling into place. "A truck again," he murmured under his breath. His suspicions were confirmed. These weren’t random accidents—they were calculated attacks, orchestrated by the same people pulling the strings behind the scenes.

"Who ordered these accidents?" he demanded, his tone sharper. "Was it Ragini? Natasha? Or someone else?"

Jhumki shook her head desperately. "I don’t know! I swear! I only followed instructions. They never told me everything."

Arav clenched his fists, frustration boiling inside him. This was bigger than he had anticipated. If these so-called "accidents" were all connected, then Niharika’s parents weren’t just victims of fate—they were targets. And the people behind this were far more dangerous than he had imagined.

He turned on his heel and stormed out of the cell, determination etched across his face. He needed to get to the bottom of this before anyone else became a victim.

Niharika stood frozen as they entered the morgue, the cold air biting her skin. Her eyes fell on the lifeless bodies of her parents, Shalini and Vishal, and her brother Raaj, covered in white sheets. Her legs trembled, and she clutched Shivaay’s arm for support.

The family stood behind her, their faces heavy with sorrow. Indra and Shweta tried to stay strong, while Riya wiped away her tears silently. Niharika’s sobs broke the heavy silence in the room.

“I… I never received their love,” she choked out, her voice trembling. “But they were still my parents. And Raaj… he was my brother. I didn’t even get a chance to make things right with them.”

Shivaay tightened his grip on her shoulder, his heart sinking at the sight of her broken state. “Niharika,” he said softly, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions within him. “This isn’t your fault.”

She turned to him, tears streaming down her face. “It is. I always thought I was a burden to them, that I wasn’t good enough… I distanced myself from them because I thought it didn’t matter. But now, they’re gone, and I’ll never get the chance to tell them I loved them despite everything.”

Shivaay gently cupped her face, forcing her to look into his eyes. “Listen to me. You’ve done nothing wrong. This is not on you. Whatever issues they had, it was their loss that they couldn’t see how amazing you are. And Raaj… he knew, Niharika. Deep down, he knew.”

Niharika collapsed into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. “Why does this keep happening to me? Why do I keep losing everyone, Shivaay?”

Shivaay held her tightly, his jaw clenched as he fought back his own emotions. “You’re not losing me,” he whispered. “You have me. You have this family. We’re here for you, Niharika. Always.”

Shweta stepped forward, her own eyes brimming with tears. She placed a comforting hand on Niharika’s head. “Beta, we’re all with you. You’re not alone in this.”

The family surrounded her, offering their silent support. But Niharika’s heart was heavy with guilt and regret. As the bodies were prepared for cremation, she knelt beside her parents and brother one last time, her hands trembling as she placed flowers over them.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I’m so sorry.”

As the rituals were performed, Shivaay stayed by her side, his presence a pillar of strength in her moment of despair. But in the back of his mind, a storm brewed. This wasn’t just an accident—he was certain of it now. And whoever was behind this… they would pay.