Chapter- 5

"I want you to go through these papers before I sign them," Ronit said, sliding a file towards Mahir as they sat across from each other.

Ronit was aware of the reason behind his son's coldness towards him and Sakshi. Their relationship, once filled with understanding and love, now seemed frail, distant, and devoid of any emotion.

But Ronit couldn't bring himself to let it all affect him much, as according to him, no matter how harsh the choices he made looked, in the end, Ronit loved Mahir too much and was certain that once Mahir realized and understood him, he would come around. After all, he was his father. Even though the world was shifting under their feet, the bond between them would always be unstable.

The ideology that parents couldn't be wrong, they were the guiding force, always making the right decisions for their children out of love, and it was on children to not see it the right way. Ronit followed it all with a kind of overconfidence that right, wrong, or conventional sense took a back seat.

The ache he was feeling now in his heart felt temporary, as in the nearer future it would justify everything. It had to! Because that was what a father does: make decisions, even the hard ones, because they want to protect their children and not want them to stumble in the dark.

For Ronit, it was Radha who had become the bone of contention between him and his sons. The tension, the distance, all of it seemed to circle back around the girl, but he had always been a man of resolve, and this situation was no different.

He was determined to set everything right, no matter the cost. Even his wife believed that if Radha were permanently removed from their lives, peace would finally settle into their home. She was convinced that once Radha was out of the picture, they could go back to being the happy family they had always wanted, even before the girl was born. The girl had snatched away his younger brother from him, and Ronit Dhanrajgir drew a line when it came to his sons. He was willing to do whatever it took to ensure that his sons didn't slip away from his hands the same way.

As Mahir went through the papers, his insides burned with anger. Cold-hearted? Self-centered? Inhuman? The words themselves felt too short to portray the fury and disbelief rising within him.

The papers he was holding were far worse than he could have ever imagined: the admission forms of a boarding school in Chennai already filled out with Radha's name are just left to be signed by his father as of now her guardian.

Never in his wildest dreams did he ever think that his father could stoop so low as to want to send Radha away, and if that wasn't enough, what added fuel to his raging fire were property papers, his father was giving Radha a house and a credit card with an excessive limit. How could he?

"I want you to talk to Radhika about this." Ronit's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, Mahir looked at his father. "She can join mid-term; there is no issue with it. The card, the property papers, and whatever facility she needs. She will receive it all just as she wants. After all, this is all for her future."

Mahir stared into his father's eyes, his gaze filled with raw anger. He simply tore apart the papers in his hand.

"MAHIR!" Ronit's voice boomed in the study as he rose to his feet, shocked.

"I reject the offer, Dad." Mahir rose to his feet, throwing the papers on the table. "The deal you are trying to make for my sister's better future... I refuse to accept it. Now, if you are done, may I take my leave?"

"You are doing wrong, Mahir." Ronit stated coldly. "You need to understand that whatever I am doing is good for the family."

"No, Dad, it can be a good or even the best decision of your life, but you are running away from your responsibilities just like Chachu and Chachi always did. The decisions you are making might be satisfying for you, but for me... my brothers, they aren't. We love Radha... she is our sister... one of us, and we will always stay together."

"Fine, I am doing just that, running away from my responsibilities," Ronit nodded.
"But what about you? Aren’t you the one throwing away your life for that girl? Despite knowing Radha has brought nothing but curse into our family, nothing less. And by standing with her, you are doing wrong."

"I am not just standing by her, Dad." Mahir shot back firmly, "I am standing for her and in front of her like a shield that you have to pass through before you reach her to harm her anymore. As far as I know, the reason behind the jinx that came into our family was your and Chachu's doing. Jis ghar mein betiyan khush nahi hoti, uss ghar mein yahi sabh hota hai (In a house where daughters aren’t happy, such things are bound to happen). It might be easy for you to blame Radha, but the truth is, all of you are the reason for the dark clouds that have loomed over your heads for years. My sister is anything but a bad omen."

"Whatever Raghav did... it was his decision," Ronit' tone turned defensive, "Radha was his daughter. A parent can't make wrong decisions for their child..."

"But they did, Dad." Mahir interjected, sharply. "And you let them do it; you let them abuse Radha emotionally. Agar mein, Arjun ya Abhi hote toh kya aap tab bhi kuch nahi karte? Chachu toh aapke chote bhai the, he respected you, worshipped you like a god. Agar aap unhe rokte toh kya vo nahi rukte?(If it were me, Arjun, or Abhi, would you still have done nothing? Chachu was your younger brother, he respected you, worshipped you like a god. If you had stopped him, do you really think he wouldn’t have listened?)"

Ronit looked away, his gaze drifting towards the window as if seeking refuge in the view, but his mind was a tumult of conflicting emotions. He never stopped Raghav, as deep down he didn't want to, knowing the suffering his younger brother was going through.

Their father, Abhijay Dhanrajgir, was a man whose presence alone commanded respect and could instill the fear of God in anyone. A man who was a strict disciplinary figure, Abhijay ruled their household with an iron fist, with his unwavering traditional and orthodox thinking. The beliefs their father followed were rigid, formed by years of seeing the world through a lens of conventionality and hierarchy.

And with their mother taking her last breath while giving birth to Raghav, Abhijay became colder in his manner, distant even with his own sons, as if affection and warmth were weaknesses that could possibly undermine his authority in the family, something he hated.

In their father's eyes, Raghav had always been the heir of the Dhanrajgir family. Despite Ronit being the eldest son, there were certain lines the old man drew for him, lines that he had crossed the moment he decided to marry Sakshi against Abhijay's wishes. It had been a love marriage, something that went against everything Abhijay stood for.

For Abhijay, marriage was not about love but about alliances, social status, and maintaining the family's honor. Though Abhijay let Ronit stay in Dhanrajgir Mansion, not wanting society to talk behind their backs, he held a firm belief that his anger and disappointment cut Ronit deeper.

But what tore him apart was the day his father announced Raghav as his heir, in Raghav' marriage. An alliance he had arranged for Raghav with Payal. Even though Raghav wasn't ready to settle, his choice didn't matter, as what mattered to Abhijay, was he chose the girl for his younger son. He was satisfied with it.

As years passed by, Ronit tried to prove himself to his father to meet the impossible standards set before him, but the love over tradition... the shift created an invisible distance between the father and son, and slowly Ronit gave up and let his brother take the lead of the family business. The bond the brothers shared went way too deeper than could affect them in any way on the basis of who took the lead in the business.

However, when Raghav received the news that he was a father to a girl, he was devastated, as Abhijay had hoped against hope for a boy, a heir he wanted to carry on the legacy and lineage of the Dhanrajgir family.

The pressure on him and Payal, the taunts, the anger, the endless cold shoulder, and disappointment, hit each fiber of Raghav just as they once hit Ronit. The notion that a girl child could not be the heir and could not carry the family name forward was an archaic one, but it loomed over them like an oppressive cloud. Eventually, Raghav started to distance himself from his daughter, effectively making Payal follow suit.

Ronit knew the amount of hurt Raghav felt when their father gave him the cold shoulder, flipping the tables and making him the heir of the family while still holding onto his grudges. But the old man didn't have a choice; he was growing old and didn't wish to leave behind the empire he had built with so much effort and hard work, so he did what was needed.

The dynamics within the family, between the brothers and sisters, remained the same, but with Radha, they held a grudge that couldn't be described. They were biased against her; the rejection they displayed was all rooted in the same outdated patriarchal ideals that had never let them move forward.

The girl had only brought rifts, discontent, and had been a reason for fights within the family. The fact that it was easier to blame Radha and label her as the cause of all their family's woes only revealed how deeply ingrained their beliefs and thoughts were. Not for once did Ronit regret it back then, nor does he regret it today.

Mahir scoffed as Ronit looked away. What was he expecting, his father to feel guilty or remorseful for his actions? When it never happened in the past, how could it all happen in the present?

Taking a deep breath, he composed himself. "Let Radha live her life, Dad," he pleaded, meeting Ronit's gaze. "She needs her family. If you can't give her what she once yearned for from her parents, then at least leave her alone. Let her brothers stay by her side and protect her..."

"Aur tum Radha ko aisa kya he protect kar loge jo security hum uske saath bhejenge, woh nahi kar payegi? (And what is it that you can do to protect Radha, that the security we send with her won’t be able to?)" Sakshi asked, stepping into the room.

She knew Mahir would give her husband a hard time, and just as she thought, he was doing just that. Her husband was too soft for the man standing before them, and that was one of the reasons that Mahir always rebelled in front of them for Radha. Now that he was already twenty-nine-year-old, they couldn't even do anything about it except for dealing with the mistakes they had made with Mahir.

Mahir looked at his mother in disbelief. "She needs her family, Mom, not a stranger to guard her, neither the money nor other materialistic things you are giving her."

Sakshi let out a deep sigh, "Aur kab tak tum usse apne protection mein rakhoge? (And how long will you keep her under your protection?)
She is 15, and in a few months, she will be 16. Do you even realize that in today's world, kids her age do so much for themselves? Here, Radhika is someone who isn't even sure what she wants in her life. She doesn't even have proper goals for herself, always the backbencher in her class. Even her teachers have complaints about her for neglecting curricular activities in school. If she goes to boarding school, she’ll get proper discipline, and she’ll finally understand how the world really works."

"How does the world actually work?" Mahir shook his head, "You are not protecting her from the world or making her strong for it. Even if a person loses to the world, at least he finds comfort in knowing that at home, his family will hold him. But does Radha have that? Has she ever had that? You’ve made her life unbearable in her own house. She can’t take a step forward without flinching; she can’t make a mistake without apologizing, overthinking, and drowning in guilt for days over something so small. And all of this…" He pointed at the torn papers.

"You are not giving her a future; you are tearing her apart. And for what? Just because of your old thinking? Do you really think giving her property and money will bring her peace and happiness when she needs our love and support?"

He looked at his mother, "If you’re sending Radha to boarding school to make her learn about the outside world, then it isn’t needed, Mom. After all, more than the outside world, it was her own parents who made her home so suffocating that she already gained enough experience on how to survive alone. She doesn’t even want to lean on her brothers for help. She’d rather break silently from within than break in front of us, just so we wouldn’t pity her. So your logic about letting her face the world… it’s far too underrated at this point."

"Fine!" Sakshi snapped. "If you find this one underrated, then I have one more reason, as I said before. What about her life... her goals... kab tak humare hi saath baithke naachegi vo... (How long will she just sit on her heads?)"

"She is my sister, Mom... daughter of this Dhanrajgir family." Mahir interjected angrily, "She can stay with us jab tak vo chahe. She can live however she wants, as she has that right. And dreams, ambitions, and those goals you are talking about... well, if I compare my 15-year-old self with Radha's, I feel ashamed of everything I got served on a silver platter. My sister didn't get that carefree life I had, the childhood Arjun and Abhi had, and why? Just because she is a girl... a girl child that Chachu never wanted... you all never wanted. You’ve started piling the weight of your expectations on that child… all because you wanted to turn her into your toy. You use her as a punching bag, make her feel guilty for reasons that don’t even exist, blame her for things she never did, and slowly crush her confidence from the inside. And congratulations to you all…"

He clapped mockingly, "Today, you’ve finally succeeded in what you always wanted. Today, with each step she takes, the first word she utters is 'sorry.' The hesitations and the fear of disappointing the world, but especially her own family, scar her to a point where giving up seems like the best option for her rather than trying..."

Mahir met Sakshi's gaze. "What did you say earlier, Mom? She is just 15, Mom. From where I am seeing, Chachu and Chachi were preparing a 9-year-old girl to face the world rather than telling her that no matter what happens, her parents will have her back. Instead of supporting her in everything a 9-year-old wants to do, they should let her dreams fly, saying that the sky isn't the limit and not telling anyone otherwise. But in return, what they did was not trust her, not support her, always demotivating her, and making fun of her dreams and her confidence. What was their actual idea of making Radha strong? And why does she have to become strong when she has three elder brothers who can protect her throughout their lives? Stronger? These are all your excuses that you can feed a 15-year-old, stupid me but not 28 year me."

He looked back at Ronit, who stood there in silence, too stunned to speak. Mahir ran his hand through his hair in frustration; the stunned looks and silence he received didn’t help much. That was the last thread for him.

As the lines between father and son, or parent and child, blurred, in that moment he felt nothing but the role of a brother to a sister, as innocent as a white flower without a single flaw. But today, that very flower had withered under the weight of the emotional abuse inflicted on a pure soul.

If his parents had truly loved Radha the way she deserved, they would have stood by her. And then, today they wouldn’t be having such a conversation.

Mahir meet his father's gaze, unflinching. "Whatever you are doing is for yourself, Dad. Your egos have grown so big, your old ethics so inflated, that you refuse to see the pain you’ve inflicted on Radha. Sending her to a hostel and handing her a credit card won’t change anything, because what Radha needs today is love. And today, Dad, I draw a line between us.... A barrier you cannot cross. If my sister needs me, I am willing to destroy my life just to protect her innocence and bring back the self she has lost. If you or Mom have a problem with that… then I don't care. Earlier, I had no choice and was bound by many things, but today I am freeing myself from everything that once held me back. And if either of you try to interfere, then I will leave this house with my sister forever."

Ronit stepped back as if struck by thunder. He didn't expect his son to give him an ultimatum or, better yet, threaten him like that.

Losing Mahir... his first child wasn't something he could bear. Mahir had always been his rock, the child he thought he could control, the one who would understand the decisions he made for the betterment of his son... but this? The defiance, the rejection was a reality Ronit had never anticipated. The possibility of losing Mahir... his son, the one he had always been closest to, the one he thought would carry on the family legacy...

As Mahir turned to leave, Ronit felt his vision blur. The walls he had built around himself for years started to crack, making him realize how wrong he was to think that he could influence Mahir just as he wanted.

This wasn't about family honor anymore. It wasn't about legacy. It wasn't even about Radha and the decisions he had made for her. This was about losing the connection with his son. A connection, a bond he can't let slip away.

As the realization dawned upon him, Ronit's chest tightened, and a sharp pain shot up his left arm, a sudden burning sensation that spread like wildfire coursing through his veins. His vision blurred for a moment; the air around him felt thick, suffocating, and his breath became shallow. His knees buckled, and Ronit staggered back, falling onto his chair.

"Ronit...." Sakshi yelled, shocked, and rushed to her husband's side.

✨✨✨

An hour passed, and the sterile, quiet hallways of the city hospital seemed to stretch on forever. Mahir paced back and forth outside the ward. The weight of the earlier argument pressed heavily on his heart, yet he didn't regret any of what he said.

He agreed that he should have kept his emotions in check; he agreed that he should have been more composed and calm while making his point. However, the fact that he should have kept quiet like always, respecting the boundaries between a father and son or father and daughter, while letting his family do wrong by Radha was not something he could take anymore.

So, he did what was needed, not expecting his father would collapse like this. But now that it had happened, Mahir couldn't ignore the nagging sense of guilt rising within him.

According to the doctor, it was a minor heart attack that Ronit had suffered, but for someone already dealing with a history of heart problems, it wasn't something to take lightly. Ronit has been a heart patient for years now, and the fact that Mahir had often been forced to push that to the back of his mind when he had such heated arguments with his father. Not one talk of theirs went smoothly, with them keeping their views and understanding each other. It was always Ronit saying something or commanding his son, which would eventually rile up Mahir, and everything would go down the drain.

Mahir stopped pacing and stood outside the door, his gaze lingering inside the room. Was it his fault? He couldn't help but ask himself again and again. He was the one who pushed his father and challenged him in a way, giving him an ultimatum that he had never done before. Had he gone too far? Was there any better way to stop the craziness going on in his family and protect his sister? At that moment, he stood there feeling lost!

"Bhaiya?" Arjun kept his hand on Mahir's shoulder, startling him out of his thoughts.

Mahir turned to face his brother before looking at Radha and Abhi, who hugged him, burying their faces in his warmth. Shaking off his gloomy thoughts, he wrapped his arms around them. Earlier, he had called Arjun to inform him about the situation, knowing he would panic upon reaching home only to find it empty.

"Bade papa thik hai na? (Bade Papa is fine, right?)" Radha asked quietly, tightening her grip on Mahir's shirt.

Mahir pulled her closer, caressing her hair. "He is fine, Radha. Thodi der mein hosh aa jayega unhe. (He will be up within few hours.) How about you go home with Arjun and Abhi? I will come with Mom and Dad." The fear in her voice wasn't lost on him, nor the experience she had gone through in the hospital just a few weeks ago. He didn't want her to recall everything and have an episode.

Radha shook her head. She felt scared the last time she went home and heard the worst news of her life. Today, she wasn't ready to repeat all that until Ronit went home with them.

Mahir gave up letting her be and looked at Arjun. "You and Abhi...."

"We are not going anywhere," Arjun interjected before leaving with Abhi towards the cafeteria. His brother needed coffee to calm his nerves, and so did his siblings.

He refused to leave his brother behind, especially after seeing the exhaustion in his eyes. He wanted to ask about what had happened, but with the younger ones standing there, he let it slide. Earlier, when Mahir called him, he went to the sunpoint to let the younger ones unwind.

Other than that, he already knew that his brother was going to have a talk with their father, as Mahir always kept him in the loop. Even if he didn't do so, the tension between them was so visible that he could guess it easily. Though Mahir tried to sound composed on the call, the slight tremor in his voice worried Arjun, and he was certain that the talk didn't end well, like always.

Mahir guided Radha towards the bench. He was in no mood to argue with his brother. He needed time to leash up his emotions that were scattered all over the place.

Mahir leaned back on the bench with Radha still clinging onto him. His mother was nowhere to be seen, but Mahir knew she might be with the doctor taking a report on her husband. Though she hadn't uttered a word to him, Mahir was sure soon he would be hearing accusations, and the thought itself made his heart clench. But as always, he had to suck it up with it, and he would!

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