" why are you straining youself...shreemati ji" The man holding his wife while they walk, mutters in disbelief witnessing his wife stubbornness.

" Because my both sons are visiting us" the women said smiling sheepishly.

The couple in their late 50s cross the garden of a temple reached to a shelter area , the man helps his wife and settle in a bench.

" Shreemati ji , why you have to adore yourself in such heavy accessories...they visit you time to time.. it's not the first or last time they are visiting" he said noticing her in gold jewelry and heavy saree she worn at the same time adoring her himself.

" Aaho , they visit us but not each other...tell me the last time they talked with each other . Only because of tai (ताई ), they came together once in a year...let me witness it happily " her words were sweet hiding the turmoil and trembling past .

Mrityunjay arrived in a traditional white dhoti and white kurta with off white jacket , the car door swang open and he stepped out as a bright sunlight squint his eyes a bit.

His eyes wanderers to a the polished car gleam behind him.

As the person stepped out of their car wearing a white kurta with pants , vivan. his eyes meets with him , a stroam bubbling inside them . They glared upon each scoffing like they don't have anything to do with each other.

Mrityunjay walked past him, pacing towards the temple, while Vivan rolled his eyes, walking slowly with no intention for silly quarrels, putting up shielding shades on his eyes, and walking lazily towards the temple.

" Mrityunjay beta!" The woman saw him, her happiness radiating through her body and she went towards him and hugged him .

" Maa, how are you?" he breaks the hug and lower himself to touch her feels , a respectful gesture.

" I'm fine, beta." She smiles.He did the same with the his father.

"How are you baba?" He said noticing their week figures, worrying about his parents.

" Nothing... mrityunjay. We are fine...like always...where is your small brother" he said patted him on his shoulder.

" I'm here...cuties" vivan enters the shelter area, smiling and hugging his mother on a tight hug.

" Why are you so beautiful, Today maa" he said cupping her face squeezing a bit causing a pout of her face. She lightly hit on his shoulder.

And he hugged his father as well , his father patted him too proudly.

" My both sons are back achieving a new milestones in their life" he said with a heart full laugh.Vivan's smile drop releasing the hug replace with a thin smile.

A black figure behind the huge tree sets the camera and zoomed on the shelter area , clicking pictures of them. A multiple flashes couldn't reach them as they busy in their own world .

" Shall we move to the temple?" He took a deep breath, placing his hand on the back of his head. Scratching.

" Yes...maa, let's visit temple" mrityunjay  offering his hands to his mother intertwine , gently talking his mother hands leading her carefully through the temple.

Again the flashes merges clicking their pictures.

They reached the temple, they adjoined their hands praying to the god Shiva. Offers the offerings and do the Pooja lighting up the incense stick and curling around the deity.

Then they retreat the temple.

As the couple took each other hands leading each other, the brothers follow them smiling at their bond .

Just then vivan tripped over a jagged stone, as gravity pulled him , a strong hands grab his shoulder , he looked up and pushed mrityunjay hardly.

" How dare you touch me!" Vivan raised his voice a bit .

" If I didn't touch you...you have fallen, brother " he said witnessing his sheer stubbornness even after years , looking in disbelief.

" Don't 'brother' me! And even if I fall...let me be... I'm none of your concern" he spat back anger blooming in his chest like a fire.

He doesn't like mrityunjay, and that's the truth from the beginning.

Their parents look past for them which caught vivan's peripheral vision , before mrityunjay could say anything he grab his collar and smiles mocking on his face earning a frown from mrityunjay.

" What the-"

" My parents are looking at us! Let's show them what they want to see...and what we have been making them see these all years....a perfect brotherhood." He said cutting mrityunjay keeping in his place. Mrityunjay hands reached his back pressing so it looks like a perfect brotherhood.

A multiple flashes merges across the field capturing them in a friendly .

" Get off me.." vivan pushed him lightly and moved towards the exit while mrityunjay scoffed disgusted .

They reached the old family home decorated with pastel green colour paint.

They sat in their dinning area beside the kitchen.

" Anything to say, anybody" their mother intertwine in the silence, breaking the silence.

" I miss you , aai  ( आई) " mrityunjay said not noticing his surrounding and everyone's eyes land on him ,  fidgeting his hands on the food unaware of his revelation of his inner thought.

His mother stands up form her chair reached to him pulling him in hug , his senses came back as he looked up to his mother.

" Your aai ( आई) , is in better place... beta. Never ever feel alone...we , your parents are with you... Vasundhara tai  ( ताई) will be sad witnessing her son ...not eating his food.." a lone tears escape mrityunjay's eye as his mother wipes it smiling hiding her own emotions.

His father reached his mother, grabbing her shoulder securely to meet her gaze giving her look of assurance.

" Mrityunjay.... Wherever Vasundhara is...sees you...and smiles , witnessing her son is now the great entrepreneur not only in India but also in  Asia, living  the life he always wanted " His smile wanting to cool down the temperature of the atmosphere unknowingly created .

Vivan leans in his chair, looking the 'loving family' ,  will they call him to join? No. They never do.

He puts his phone down .

" Isn't this a birthday party...for maushi maa ( मोशी मां) , smile remembering her .... crying is not a solution." He said raising his eyebrow on mrityunjay blaming him for his parents tears.

" I'm fine...maa...baba... let's eat" he said taking a deep breath, now really taking the mousel on his mouth chewing it.

They reached their respective chairs and began to have their dinner.

.

.

.

On the other side of the city.

She scaled the wall, her hands reach the hard bricks and she takes her mic to her back pocket securing it . Inch by inch she claimed the rough wall. She stands tall above the wall gesture the other person to join her .

" Give the camera, climb up...before our death certificate are registered..." She whispers bluntly extending her hands reaching for the camera

" The stunts you do on daily basis .... really.... LITERALLY...will print out death certificate...one day" the man struggling to climb spoke.

" Always.... negativity.... sometime speak something positive too....mohan" she whispers sitting on the wall . She jumped, not elegant landing but worked for her.

" Sunaina....if that person knew we are here-"

" Shut up you speak a lot...focus on you job" she spat annoyed.

" Capture...the building first ...we can't risk to go all the way inside but capture the pit there " she instruct before adjusting her mic from her pocket.

" Ready!"

" Yes...3..2..1...go" mohan instruct.

"शाम की बड़ी खबर… आपके सामने एक और भ्रष्टाचार का काला चेहरा! जी हाँ… हम इस वक्त मौजूद हैं एक अवैध निर्माण साइट पर, जिसने इलाके के लोगों की नींदें उड़ा दी हैं। यहाँ के स्थानीय निवासियों ने गंभीर सवाल उठाए हैं… और अब खुलासा हुआ है कि इस अवैध निर्माण के मालिक है—"

( "Big news this evening… yet another dark face of corruption in front of you! Yes… right now we are standing at an illegal construction site that has snatched away the sleep of the local residents. The people living here have raised serious questions… and now it has been revealed that the owner of this illegal construction is—")

" SUNAINA BENT DOWN" mohan shouts as the crack of gunshot split the air on the nearby wall.

Mohan took matters in his hands grabbing sunaina wrist running of their life .

" Cover your face...." She mutters urgency in her voice, running as the gunshots aimed splitting the top layer of the ground.

They run for there life, behind them , four men following them like shadow. They run , thankfully the see a market, runs and blend in the market.

While she was running through the busy roads, the laughters rings in her mind causing squeeze of her eyes . Her eyes went to her wrist grabbed by mohan leading her through the crowd.

" Priye( प्रिय)" The laughter intensify ringing nonstop in her mind , creating a sharp pain .

The moment she stop running and she surround in the darkness.

" SUNAINA!" Mohan's hands reached sunaina keeping in her place.A crown broke into whispers before the men chasing them could arrive , he took the matters in his own hands.He lift her in his arms and run to the hospital.After some time, she was admitted to the ER section of the hospital.

" SUNAINA!" a girl voice echos the hallway.

" What happened to moni?" She asked mohan as mohan took her to sunaina.

" Nothing... doctor said it's just because of sudden shock" she looked at mohan confused.

" Sudden shock?" She questioned.

" Shek-" a voice interrupt.

" Moni!...." She grab her shoulders. Voice trembling filled with worries for her.

Sunaina opened her eyes and took a deep breath trying to raise from the bed.

" No....rest..Moni" she said .

" Sudden shock .....from what?" She turns to look at mohan from continuing their conversation.

" Actually Amrita dii...." Behind her sunaina gesture him to keep quiet

" I...I put the break of my bike  suddenly causing her jerk and faint" he said making stories seems believable to Amrita.

" Moni...do you know I have to ran between my work shift....and it's the first time !" she turns around looking sternly at sunaina.

" It's almost midnight, go to home and sleep ....if I saw your room empty and if you overwork....Moni!" Her voice warm yet warning as she warn sunaina.

She placed a tendering kiss on sunaina's temple and wish them goodbye and went to continue her work shift.

Sunaina took a handful of breath tuning to look at mohan's direction only to see his mouth hang shocked looking at his phone.

" What's so shocking" she asked curiously.

" Open your phone... you'll get it " he said , his face washed off by any emotion sat on the stool beside her bed.She took her phone out only to frown upon the screen.

" What is this?" Her face frowned , voice hinting sheer annoyance.

Amrita reached her workplace, VASUNDHARA HOTEL. She is an executive chief of the hotel.

She reached the vegetarian kitchen of the hotel first, explaining their jobs for tonight. Vasundhara hotels, though, are mainly for elites but also  accommodate affordable stays for the guest as Vansundhara stays , and the unique signature style  of the Vansundhara  is that loved by people is the different culinary separation restaurants.

Her job to assign the menu for tonight ended, and she reached the employee office and sat at her side desk to review new chefs for the kitchens of the hotel.

Her eyes land on the ground floor, a damaged water fountain, and a ragged crashed car park there, creating a whole mess in the entrance.

Her mind wandered about the situation as she dialed the reception for an answer.

"What does happen to the entrance fountain?" She doesn't wait for greetings, keeping her stern face, and when there's no response from the other side, she cuts the call and walks through the hallway, entering the elevator to talk face-to-face.

"I'm asking why, who, and how the mess was created." Her voice laced with annoyance, her absence from the hotel for 30 minutes created his havoc, and she needs answers. The reception staff was quite shocked; it's the first time her voice wasn't sweet but held sharpness.

"Actually... Amrita... Room no. 409—" is all she can hear as she runs to the elevator to confront the property damage the guest attempt .

"Open the door, sir," she said respectfully yet sternly, even though she had the spare keys and could force the door open, but the very important rule in VASUNDHARA is that the privacy of guests must be taken care of. That's exactly what she is doing.

"Sir!—"

"Leave me!...you bastard." A woman's voice rings in Amrita's ears, and she sticks her ears to the doorframe to hear and understand the situation.

"Bastard?You filthy woman!" The person jerks her shoulder, pushing the woman into the bed, and slaps her harder.

That's when Amrita understands everything; she drags the door open.

"Back off!" She runs to the bedroom and shoves the man off of the woman.

"Maya?...Are...are you okay?" Amrita was shocked to see her own staff being assaulted.

"You—" the man stumbled but regained his steady steps, walking towards them, grabbing Amrita's handful of hair in his fist, and arching her head up to meet his gaze.

"You bitch! Wait and watch...what I'll do...only if I don't end your entire life...then my name is not Aniket Jadhav," he shouts down her face while she struggles in his grip. Her mind clicks open on his name, the son of a very powerful minister of Maharashtra, Prakash Jadhav.

Somehow he loosened the grip on her and  she slapped him hard on his face, grabbing Maya's hand and pulling her to run away, only if someone... anyone met them they might save themselves, but the problem is he booked this entire floor leaving them no chance but to go downstairs for help.Soon Aniket caught them and pinned Amrita on the wall, slapping her hard across her face too , causing her inner cheek to bleed.

"You fucking bitch! You slapped Aniket Jadhav... I'll kill you," he roars, punching the wall beside her, but her strength didn't waver; the goal... meet someone. Maya, who was behind him, pushed him off Amrita.

"Amrita... let's go." They ran and entered the elevator.

Both of the ladies, hand pressed tightly as they reached the reception, huffing, and Amrita clenched her stomach tiredly. While Maya drops on the ground,  grabbing air.

"Amrita, what's happened... you're bleeding," the receptionist said, shocked and worried about their condition.

"The—" the other receptionist stops midway, gulping as she gestures from her eyes to look opposite to them.

Amrita looks at the entrance, her breath caught in her lungs; she straightens her figure, but the blood sweeps out of her mouth.

There he was, Mrityunjay Vansundhara Raj, standing...hands on the back as he steps forward. 'Didn't he cancel the visit and isn't he going to visit tomorrow?' That was the question printing on every present employee at the reception.A surprise visit.

It's something about the way he carries himself , gaze locked on her unwavering . He stands tall in front of Amrita, bending down just to meet her gaze. His peripheral vision witnessed Aniket Jadhav, the problematic son of Prakash Jadhav, with whom Mrityunjay has good connections or say Vansundhara has a connection.

Aniket smiles seeing Mrityunjay... Beleive him to be his dad's puppy. Everyone is his slave when his father is  The greatest powerful person right now. He reached to them, putting his hands on Mrityunjay's shoulders in a friendly way.

"Mrityunjay Bhai! Give me this bitch! I'll do—" mrityunjay paid no attention to Aniket and cuts him off by talking to Amrita.

"Just one name...who hurt you?" His hands reached her chin, tilting it to meet her gaze, but  also didn't shrug Aniket off his shoulder.

She trembles; the depth of his eyes was consuming her. Something was flickering in  front of her eyes.. memories? No....then what?.

"Aniket Jadhav...he tried to........sexually assault ......VASUNDHARA staff." She fumbles but chooses truth over her own career...now she might be thrown out of this place or maybe...even worse, but she didn't regret an ounce. Her truth is her shield now.

Mrityunjay grabs Aniket's hands, yanking them off him gently, and the next moment punches him harder across his face, knocking him completely as Aniket lands on the cold floor unconscious.

"Arrange the meeting with prakash jadhav and drag him to my office," he commands, leaving the area, wiping Aniket's blood off his knuckles.

His hands were shivering not because of the punch but because of her.And it's been a year...since the time she joined the hotel, and his gaze holds familiarity.

And now he feels it  on his hand.

.

.

Some important characters

Vivan parents: Raj Mehta & Devika Mehta.

Mrityunjay's Mother: Vasundhara

Fyi: Moni is the nickname meaning gem in Bengali .

Tai( ताई) : means sister in Marathi

Aai(आई) : means mother in   Marathi.

Hope it helps. ❤️