Chapter- 17

Radha walked in haze. Tears trickled down her face, mixing with the rain. Her eyes clouded with despair and pain that she felt in every fiber of her being. Where she was, where was she walking? Her surroundings blanked into the background in front of the memories that hit her like a tidal wave. She tried to push them away, but to no avail.

The way her Badi Maa blamed her for her own parents' death, Radha hated it. Her brothers had told her it wasn't her fault; her Bhaiya gave her all the assurance, loving words, and whatnot one needs to understand the facts, but still, Radha refused to believe because no one actually knew what went wrong. No one knew what happened that day; maybe, just maybe, that's why they chose to reassure her rather than blame her like Sakshi.

The past flashed before her eyes; the day for which Sakshi was blaming her was unfortunately the best day of Radha's life. That day, she didn’t hear any reprimands from her mother; she didn’t hear any threats of being sent away, neither the painful words that pierced one's soul, nor was there any anger or disappointed glare.

All Radha felt that day was love... pure love, like a white spotless flower blooming under the care of its parents for the first time.

"Maa, yeh kaisa hai? (Maa, how about this one?)" Radha asked, showing her mother yet another saree. "I think this will suit you."

Payal finally set her phone aside and looked at her daughter with a faint smile adorning her lips. "Anything you choose is fine, Radha. Itna kyun soch rahi hai tu? (Why are you thinking so much?)"

Radha shook her head, burying her face back in the wardrobe. "It's your anniversary, Maa. I want you to look your best. Nope, in fact, pretty."

Payal chuckled softly. "Then choose anyone you like, and I will wear it."

Radha's lips jutted out in a cute pout. "But you look good in every saree. Plain or designer, it doesn't matter. So how can I choose one?"

Her mother wanted her to choose a saree for her. At her insistence, her parents were going out for dinner to celebrate a little time for themselves away from family and their annoying daughter.

A few days back, Radha heard her parents having a heated argument among themselves. The words that were supposed to be between a couple, she heard by mistake. According to her father, his wife was not giving him enough time, playing too much of a mother role, dancing around a daughter like Radhika, who couldn't bloody understand a thing in one go and, at fifteen, needed to be babysat.

Although Radha was hurt hearing so many specific words from her father, not that she asked him or her mother to do anything by force. In fact, they were the ones who always dictated laws for her, but immediately she scratched away such thoughts, berating herself for blaming her parents, who were just caring for her. And what was she giving them in return, except for snatching away their time from them? She was ashamed of herself.

Eventually, Raghav's only ultimatum and threat was to send his daughter away to boarding school, something he always threatened Radha with but never took that step. Maybe it was just his way of making his daughter obey when he lacked control and liked the fear he saw in those hazel eyes, or he really wanted to get rid of his own child.

Anyway, whatever it was, Radha refused to take any risks. So, once again in her selfishness, before her father left for the office, she somehow convinced him to take her mother out for dinner at a venue for which she had booked a table for two in a luxurious rooftop restaurant of a skyscraper, complete with a lavish preset dinner. With her tumbling words and a lot of courage, she informed her father and finally succeeded when Raghav agreed with a curt nod.

So now, here she was, finding a beautiful saree for her mother, taking it upon herself to do Payal's makeover. The smile on her face refused to dim as Radha remembered when she told her mother, informing her of the same. She was taken aback when Payal smiled at her with those eyes that had love shining in them for the first time.

"This one looks good," Radha squealed happily, showing the ombre-colored saree she had just found to her mother.

Payal shook her head fondly at her daughter, seeing her overly excited. She knew, as a mother, she had failed in many areas with Radha. She couldn’t be the perfect mother or the best mother Radha ever wanted. But for the first time in her life, she wanted to turn back time and correct all the mistakes she made with Radha. Of course, that wasn't possible, so she began changing herself... slowly, steadily, step by step.

And that was her first step: to let Radha be herself instead of imposing her own or Raghav's thoughts on her. She was done with Raghav dictating what to do or how to teach their daughter. She wanted Radha to be her own individual. Maybe it was too late, but she still hoped she could make some difference, some damage control.

"What's going on here?" Sakshi asked, entering the room.

Radha stiffened, her hands freezing in midair as she opened the jewelry box. She knew that her Badi Maa didn't like her much, and keeping her distance was probably the best thing she could do. But of course, that wasn't really possible inside the house, especially when the lady was always around. Just like her father, her Badi Maa had a way of making her indifference painfully clear, using sharp words laced with bitterness.

"Kuch nahi, jiji, (Nothing, jiji.)" Payal said immediately, noticing her daughter stepping back and lowering her head. For the first time, she hated that kind of submission that she herself instilled in her daughter.

Shaking off her thoughts, she focused on Sakshi, forcing a smile. "I was just going out with Raghav, so Radha was helping me. Do you need something?"

Sakshi shook her head. "No, I just came to check on you. Tu neeche nahi aayi toh main hi dekhne aa gayi (You didn't come downstairs, so I came up to see you myself.) By the way, where are you going? You didn't tell me?"

Payal smiled genuinely. "Radha wanted me and Raghav to dine out as it's our anniversary. Though I don't want to, we don't want to upset her. Raghav agreed, so did I."

Sakshi looked taken aback. Since when did the couple start caring about their daughter's feelings? It was news to her, but she kept her thoughts to herself and nodded softly.

She just came to confirm whether what she heard was true or not. Her youngest one was praising Radha, reciting the tale to his elder brothers about how Radha thought for her parents, becoming the bigger person despite what they were doing to her and so on. And now that she confirmed it, she was both angry and confused by this new change in the couple's behavior.

Confused because everyone knew the truth; how Raghav never talked to his daughter properly, and Payal just followed whatever Raghav told her to do. So suddenly this change was something Sakshi couldn't digest well. But she couldn't do anything, either.

Other than that, she was angry for the fact that no one asked her anything. She understood the privacy the couple needed, but she felt like she and Ronit were being sidelined, and she hated that.

"You didn't ask me or your Bade Papa, Radhika?" Sakshi asked calmly, but still, there was an edge in her tone that made Radha nervous.

"I—I didn't know," Radha replied in a low voice. "You and Bade Papa were not at home when I booked the table. And since it wasn't your anniversary, I didn't think you would want to join in."

Sakshi's eyes glinted with annoyance, yet she kept her tone flat. "Why would I mind, Radhika? I was just saying. It's okay anyway..." She looked at Payal. "Enjoy the dinner."

"Agar aap aur Bhaiya aana chahte hain toh we don't mind, jiji (If you and Bhaiya want to come, we don't mind, Jiji,)" Payal suggested softly. "You can join us."

"Maa, it's a table for two only," Radha interjected quickly. "And it's a private cabin in the new skyscraper restaurant. Abhi and I chose that one, that was the last table we somehow got. Aap Badi Maa aur Bade Papa ke sath phir kabhi bhi ja sakti hain, na. (You can go with Badi Maa and Bade Papa some other time, right?) Today is your and Dad's day." Saying this, she turned away, busy taking out the matching jewelry, ignoring the glare Sakshi shot her way.

She didn't want anyone to get in between her parents as a third wheel, not even Sakshi, who loved to play the 'Matriarchy' card in the family as Ronit's wife.

Payal took the saree and walked away quietly to change. She could see her daughter getting upset, and that was the last thing she wanted to do.

"You are quite persistent in sending your parents away alone," Sakshi taunted. "Any secret you are trying to hide, Radhika? You've become so fed up with your parents that you want to send them away at the very first opportunity you get?"

Radha spun around with full force. "What do you mean?" Sakshi's tone didn't sit well with her.

Sakshi smirked. "Nothing, just be careful. The more you force someone to do something, the bigger the price you have to pay for that."

That day, Radha didn't understand what Sakshi meant by such words, but when they got the news of the accident, the last moment she spent with her parents, more like with her mother, something inside her broke completely.

The day that was supposed to be the best and most beautiful day of her life turned out to be a nightmare she never saw coming. Her Badi Maa was right; she was the one who forced her parents, no matter how good her intentions were. In the end, results matter.

Everything was taken away from her... from her family, just because she couldn't keep her thoughts to herself. Just because she didn't want to be sent away, she let her selfishness show. She was the reason for everything!!!

✨✨✨

With each passing moment, Arjun's panic was reaching its peak. He had searched every corner of the house, from the terrace, garden, storeroom, to the backyard, but Radha was nowhere to be found. His heartbeat had long crossed the line between restless fear and raging fury. He could feel the air tightening around him, his mind clouding with dread as every second stretched like punishment.

"She is not in Bhaiya's room," Arjun exclaimed for the nth time to himself and Abhi, who was as distressed as he was.

"Bhaiyu!" Abhi called out quietly, reaching for Arjun's arm. "We have checked everywhere twice; wo ghar par nahi hai. (She is not at home.) She doesn't have a friend to go with, and that's worrying me more."

That line alone made Arjun’s chest tighten. His sister never stepped out of the house without them or without informing them. And her not having friends was like the bane of their existence, as Radha had no one to lean on other than her brothers. And for the first time, her brothers too failed her; she just vanished.

Sakshi walked down the stairs with the usual grace for her evening coffee. Ronit was already out of the house after the confrontation they had in the afternoon. Her husband's sudden love for Radha irked her to no end. She tried to talk to him about what had changed suddenly, but he just walked away, leaving her fuming.

Reaching the last steps, she looked at her sons. They seemed worried. The sudden chaos she had been hearing, she had tried to ignore earlier, but now it looked like something serious had happened.

"What happened, Arjun?" Sakshi asked, approaching her elder one. "Why are you both shouting like that?"

"Radha is missing," Arjun replied sharply. His mother's oblivious behavior towards their situation frustrated him.

Sakshi looked startled. "Missing? What nonsense! She must be around. Did you check with the staff?"

She was annoyed. Why couldn't this girl just live peacefully and let her sons do the same? Each day there was something new that girl brought for them: new drama, new trouble, new chaos.

"She is not here, Mom," Abhi's eyes blazed as he glared at his mother. "Aapko kuch pata hai is baare mein? (Do you know anything about this?) Where can she go without informing any of us? She has never done that before."

Sakshi's temper flared. "You're accusing me?"

Abhi scoffed. "I'm just asking you, Mom. But surely you can take it any way you want. Waise bhi yeh baat hum sab jaante hain aapki wajah se is ghar mein kya kya ho sakta hai. (Anyway, we all know what can happen in this house because of you.) I just hope you aren't the reason behind my sister's sudden disappearance." The warning in his tone was unmistakable, and that unsettled Sakshi.

"You all stand here like statues all day," Arjun growled at the security team. "You didn't see Radha walking out of the gate? What the hell were you doing?"

The guard stammered, his eyes wide with fear. "S—sir, we didn't notice. Maybe she went with someone...."

"Enough!" Arjun's voice thundered. "Don't you dare give me excuses. Anyone who enters the gate has to pass security. If you didn't allow any new face to enter the house, how can she? How can Radha go out with someone else? You had one job... to keep this family safe, and you failed it. You are fired!" He snapped harshly.

"Sir, please check the CCTV once," the head guard, Vishal, interjected calmly. He was used to this kind of rage; the Dhanrajgir brothers were known for being fiercely protective of their younger siblings. The guards had endured countless scoldings whenever it involved Abhi, who had the knack of sneaking out like a pro, vanishing into shadows.

But this time, it was Radha, and that worried everyone. She was the most polite and soft-spoken, rule-abiding girl they knew, so her sudden disappearance felt like a mystery none of them could quite wrap their heads around.

Minutes later, the footage confirmed what they dreaded: Radha had walked out of the house alone through the main gate. What made Arjun’s breath hitch and sent chills down his spine was the sight of her in her school uniform, her face pale and etched with distress.

The pills scattered across her room were a tale to tell, and this look on her face... He immediately shook his head, trying to dispel the thought clawing at his mind. He was overthinking. Radha was fine. She had to be fine. She would be fine. He repeated it like a prayer to reassure himself.

"We will find her. Go and bring the car keys," he instructed Abhi before looking back at the guards. "Spread out in the nearby areas. I am sure. Wo zyada door nahi gayi hogi. (She couldn't have gone too far.) Find her and call me immediately."

The guards scrambled into action instinctively.

"Bhaiyu, we should inform the police," Abhi suggested.

"No," Sakshi denied immediately. "Handle the situation within the family. No need to roll the drums everywhere."

Abhi looked at her, stunned. "Are you even listening to yourself, Mom? She's just fifteen. It's already been hours. And....."

"I said no police." Sakshi's voice rose. "We don't need the media hovering around or people gossiping about Dhanrajgir's missing daughter. Anyway, it's Radhika's fault. She walked out carelessly without even telling anyone. The girl doesn't even think about our reputation for once. Can't she just....."

"Reputation?" Arjun's restraint snapped. "You're worried about your fake prestige rather than Radha? Well, I shouldn't be expecting anything better from you."

"Arjun..."

"I will do what I want," Arjun interrupted, his tone icy cold. "I wasn't asking for your advice or permission, Mom." He held Abhi's hand and guided his brother out without waiting for Sakshi's reply.

Arjun knew police wouldn't file the complaint before 24 hours; that was the protocol. But still, Dhanrajgir was a name people both feared and respected, a name that could bend rules when it came to their own. He knew a few of his friends in the force, and he could ask for their help before informing anything to their Bhaiya.

Right on cue, his phone buzzed in Abhi's hand. The caller ID read BHAIYA in bold.

"Bhaiyu." Abhi shook him gently.

Arjun closed his eyes briefly before opening them and focusing on the road. "Let it ring."

"Bhaiya bohot gussa karenge. (Bhaiya will get very angry.)" Abhi said, scared. "We should at least inform him...."

"Inform him what?" Arjun cut him off, agitated. "That Radha is missing, or what I saw in her room, or how she just left? He will be angry; in fact, furious, and I am ready for that reaction rather than telling him something that he won't be able to take. Jaise hi humein kuch pata chala, hum unhe pehle bataenge. (As soon as we find out anything, the first thing we'll do is call him.)"

Abhi, though, didn't agree with it, but kept his thoughts to himself, understanding his Bhaiyu's view. He just hoped and prayed that they find Radha quickly, as facing the wrath of Mahir Dhanrajgir for hiding such a big thing was not going to be easy.

Arjun changed gears and drove frantically. His grip tightened on the steering wheel. He already dreaded his Bhaiya's reaction for not keeping him in the loop, the anger and hurt that he might face. But more than that, he hated himself even more. He was the one who had taken responsibility for Radha in Mahir's absence. He hadn't been able to fulfill it. The guilt crawled across his skin like fire burning with every breath he took.

✨✨✨

The rain intensified, splashing across Radha's face with fierce, cold drops. She was startled out of her whirlwind of tangled thoughts. Slowly and steadily, realization began to settle in her mind like a slow ache. She blinked hard, trying to see through the blur of water and darkness around her.

Where was she?

Her eyes darted around the endless stretch of road, the faint glow of streetlights, and the echoes of engines roaring past. The air smelled of wet mud and tar. She looked down at herself; her clothes clung to her skin, drenched completely in rain. She reached for her pocket out of habit, her trembling fingers searching for her phone, only to remember she didn’t have one. She'd left it at home.

Reality hit her like a ruthless slap of truth. Her brothers. Her Bhaiya must be losing his mind by now, wondering why she hadn’t called. Her Bhaiyu must be scouring every corner of the house, terrified of not finding her home. And Abhi... like his usual self, blaming himself for not being there for her. Radha's chest tightened. What had she done?

She looked around again. She was standing on the highway, a few kilometers away from home, but it felt like another world entirely. She didn't even remember walking this far; her feet felt numb, her mind clouded with everything she had been holding back for so long. She had wandered without care, without thought, as if running from something... running from herself, to be precise.

A car sped past her, horn blaring, splashing muddy water all over her legs. Radha stumbled backward with a gasp, her heart hammering in her chest. One second late, and it would've hit her. The side railing of the highway was still under construction, half broken, wires jutting out. And there she was, walking on the main road in the middle of a storm, like a fool who didn’t value her own life.

Her tears mixed with the rain now, indistinguishable but heavier somehow. She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. Somewhere inside, her heartbeat rose as she turned back to go where she had come from. The rain drowned out the rest.

✨✨✨

The wipers moved furiously, doing little against the downpour that blurred the windshield. Arjun's grip on the steering tightened as he took a sharp turn toward the highway, a shortcut to the police station. Abhi sat beside him, silent but restless, his knee bouncing anxiously.

"Bhaiyu!" Abhi's voice came out sharp and hurried. "Stop the car!" His eyes caught something: a faint figure walking along the roadside, drenched and trembling.

Arjun frowned, ready to snap at him for interrupting, but when he followed Abhi's gaze, his heart nearly stopped. Through the curtain of rain, that small, familiar frame, the one they had been searching for like crazy, was right there.

"Radha…" he whispered in disbelief before slamming his foot on the brakes.

The car came to a screeching halt, tires skidding slightly against the wet road. Without thinking twice, Arjun flung the door open and stepped out into the rain, his clothes instantly soaked. Abhi hurried after him, calling out over the storm.

"RADHA!" Together they yelled out.

Radha was walking back toward the mansion, head bowed, clutching her arms around herself for warmth. The rain fell heavier now, each drop like a cold slap against her skin. Their voices struggled to rise above the roaring engines and thunder, but they shouted anyway, desperate.

"RADHA! RUK!" Abhi yelled, waving his hand.

Arjun cursed under his breath, relief clashing violently inside him. "Tu yahi ruk, (You wait here.) I'll go bring her!" he ordered, already moving to cross the road.

The sight of her safe and unharmed had relief flooding through him, but beneath it, a volcano of fury bubbled, ready to erupt. How could she walk on the highway like this? What was she thinking? Didn't she care about her safety at all? Anything could have happened...

His thoughts were cut short by Abhi's sudden, blood-curdling scream. "RADHA! RADHIKA SAMBHAL KE!"

Arjun's head snapped up. He followed Abhi's terrified gaze and froze.

A car was coming down the lane at a terrifying speed, its headlights slicing through the rain. Straight toward her.

"RADHA!" Arjun shouted, his voice cracking. He tried to cross the road, but the moving cars made it hard. People didn't even bother to stop, as if the world was on fire.

Startled, Radha looked up, blinking through the rain. For a split second, relief washed over her at the sight of her brothers... her lifeline. Her tired legs trembled, ready to give up, but she steadied herself and began to step off the divider to cross carefully toward them. She managed two steps before her body froze.

The sound of the approaching car grew louder and closer, the blinding lights consuming her vision. Everything happened in a blur. The screech of tires. A flash of panic in her brothers' eyes. The sharp gasp that never left her lips. And then the final impact.

"RADHA!"

Arjun and Abhi's screams merged with the thunder as they ran toward her. The truck passed before them, blocking their way before they could reach their sister and stop the disaster, panic written all over their faces.

The car that hit her sped away without stopping, its taillights vanishing into the storm. Drivers on the road slowed, some stepping out, shocked; the scene freezing them in place.

Abhi dropped to his knees beside his sister, his hands trembling as he reached for her face. "Radha… Radha, look at me, open your eyes!" His voice broke as he tapped her face continuously.

Arjun's chest heaved as he saw Radha lying in a pool of her own blood; Abhi's cry intensified, snapping him out of his daze. He rushed forward, pulling his brother back, removing his jacket, and covering Radha before he picked her up in his arms.

"Abhishek!" His stern tone startled Abhi out of his anguish.

Abhi looked at Arjun, "Bh-Bhaiyu... Radha...." he whispered, scared.

"Kuch nahi hua hai usse. (Nothing has happened to her.) She is fine," Arjun stated firmly. "Follow me. Now!"

He ordered and turned on his heels, running toward his car. He could console his brother later; first, he needed to take Radha to the hospital. His sister was his priority.

The rain didn't stop. It poured harder, as if the sky itself was crying for something so unexpected. And between the chaos, Arjun held her close, even when his mind was going numb and his heart was pounding with one deafening thought: what would he tell his Bhaiya?

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