Chapter 1
In Shimla, at night, a line of cars was parked on the road outside a palace, which was decorated like a bride. There were not many guests in that wedding, only family members were present. The bride’s family included her brother and sister-in-law, but the groom was alone. The groom was sitting in a room and talking with the bride’s brother.
“If your sister creates any problem after this marriage, you know what I will do, Surya,” the groom said in a threatening tone.
Surya replied, “Mr. Shekhawat, we have signed the divorce papers you had prepared. She will not say anything. You can leave her without any hassle.”
Shekhawat, who was 6′ 3" tall and 27 years old, was muscular and looked very handsome. His wheatish complexion and expressionless face had a thin beard.
“The bride is ready, boss!” his guard called from the door.
Shekhawat looked at Surya and said, “I am going to drop her tonight. You go ahead.”
With that he left the room.
On seeing her, Surya asked, “You have done all the packing, right? You haven’t left anything behind?”
“I have done all the packing, but will this plan work? What if Mr. Shekhawat changes his mind after knowing the truth? If he comes to know that Kanchan is dumb and blind, then...?” Damini said showing some concern.
Surya scolded her angrily, “Can’t you say anything good? We are getting rid of that girl with great difficulty, but you want to create trouble by saying such inauspicious things? She will now go away from our lives forever, and even while leaving, she will leave us with golden eggs. Celebrate this!”
Damini did not say anything further. Surya also went out following Shekhawat.
Meanwhile, when Shekhawat reached the cars parked outside the house, one of the guards accompanying him opened the car door for him. Shekhawat looked inside the car at his bride, Kanchan, who was wearing a red wedding dress. Her face was covered by a veil.
She was sitting very delicately. Shekhawat reached out to close the door so he could sit alone, but then he took a deep breath and got into the car. It was nighttime and it was dark, and the sky was overcast.
Suddenly there was a sound of thunder, and Kanchan clung to Shekhawat in fear. She clung to him even after the car started moving. This made Shekhawat angry. He immediately ordered the driver to stop the car.
As soon as the car stopped, Shekhawat angrily pushed Kanchan away from him and roared, “You are not my wife! I have already divorced you. Get out of the car quietly!”
Kanchan was scared. She gestured to refuse to get down on the deserted road, as she could not speak. But Shekhawat was not going to be moved by her helplessness. Seeing her hesitation, he got more angry and he pushed Kanchan out of the car forcefully.
Dark night, deserted road and rain on top of it... Shekhawat left her alone, sat in the car and drove away quickly without looking back. Kanchan stood on the side of the road, getting drenched, there were tears of fear and helplessness in her eyes...
“Aa aa!!” She was crying and trying to call him. But God had taken away both the voice and eyes of that poor girl.
Suddenly a truck moved towards her and her sobs also stopped forever.
Lucknow, UP
Shekhawat Mansion
Afternoon
A man was sitting like a king on the sofa in the big hall inside this luxurious house. He was wearing white kurta-pyjama and a black basket over it. He was a dignified person. It was clear from his appearance that he was the owner of that house and a very big man. There was a moustache on his dignified face.
At this time two young boys were standing in front of him. Both were handsome and muscular with a height of 6 feet 2 inches+. Both were wearing business suits.
“Papa, how much longer will you make us wait for Bhaiya? Please tell us the decision. We know he will not be able to bring that property.” One of them said.
But the other one, looking at his watch, said, “Bhaiya will do it, Bade Papa!! Just wait a little. I had spoken to him.”
“If Ranvijay is the son of this Digvijay Singh Shekhawat, then he will bring the property. Otherwise...!”
The man was still speaking when Shekhawat’s stern voice came from the door, which silenced him.
“I am not doing all this to get your name, Mr. Digvijay Singh Shekhawat.”
Digvijay had a file in his hand. Seeing him, the boy, who was asking for some time, said happily, “Ranvijay Bhaiya, you have come!”
At the same time, the other boy was looking at him with his fists clenched in anger.
Digvijay’s face also turned serious for a while. Ranvijay kept the file on the table in front of Digvijay and said, “Look, I have completed what you said. That too before time!”
Ranvijay’s brother, who was already angry with his action, looked towards the window and said in a sarcastic tone, “Five minutes ago... only five minutes ago, Bhaiya! You came on time to fulfill Papa’s condition, but we don’t think you should get this chance.”
Ranvijay looked at him and said in a cold voice, “Whether I will get a chance or not, it will be decided by Mr. Shekhawat, Pranay... not you or me.”
Shekhawat was still speaking when Digvijay opened the file and said smilingly, “I have decided. Ranvijay will file nomination for the Lucknow seat and he will become the new MLA of Lucknow!”
Hearing this, Samar became happy, but Pranay clenched his fists in anger. He did not accept this decision at all. He questioned Digvijay’s statement and said,
“Before taking such a big decision, did you not even once think of knowing how Bhaiya got this property so easily? You also know that many people tried to acquire it, but they failed. This was not only very difficult, but also impossible, then how did Bhaiya do this?”
Hearing this, Ranvijay said with an evil smile, “Nothing is difficult for me. The word ‘impossible’ was torn out of my dictionary the day I came to this house.”
Then he added, “The difficult thing is my girlfriend, who is always with me. I love her so much that she agrees to everything I say and makes the path easy for me. The work that others were trying to do, I have done it. So don’t ask any questions now, otherwise my girlfriend will get angry and will stand in front of you!”
Hearing this from Ranvijay, Pranay said to himself, “I will find out what trick Bhaiya has used to acquire this property. I know, this property cannot come into his hands so easily!”
Hearing this from Ranvijay, Pranay said to himself, “I will find out what trick Bhaiya has used to acquire this property. I know, this property cannot come into his hands so easily!”
From this day Pranay was trying to find out the truth about how Ranvijay had acquired the property. But Ranvijay, after listening to Digvijay, got busy in party work. He had started his campaign. Time was passing. Pranay also wanted to enter politics, but his father had pushed him into business with Samar.
Here Ranvijay had almost forgotten Kanchan. Kanchan’s brother Surya and his wife Damini had also left the city. No one knew where Kanchan was at this time. Whether she was alive or dead, no one even remembered her. And seven years had passed.
Seven years later
Shekhawat mansion
Pranay came to his room in anger and taking off his blazer said, “Ranvijay… Ranvijay… Ranvijay! Everything is for that Ranvijay, so what does papa have for me?”
“He has his name and this property, son.” A woman’s voice came from behind him. Pranay turned back and looked towards the door, from where a middle-aged woman wearing a Banarasi saree was coming towards him.
“Mom, one day papa will give this property and name to his illegitimate son! Just like he gave the Lucknow seat seven years ago and now he is going to give him the CM post. In this way one day I will have nothing, you will see!” Pranay replied angrily.
His mother came to him and putting her hand on his shoulder said, “He is illegitimate, only illegitimate! Shekhawat is attached to his name, so we can remove him even now. You just keep your anger calm and find out what trick Ranvijay used to acquire that property. Once I find out about that trick, your path will become easy. Then everything will be yours.”
Pranay said with a frown, “Mom, it has been so many years and my men have not yet found out how Ranvijay acquired that property?”
“You call them. Maybe they have found out something by now.” His mother explained to him.
Meanwhile, a servant of the house came to the door and said,
“Pranay boss, the big boss has called you to the party office for a press conference.”
Pranay’s mother told the servant, “You go, Pranay is coming.”
As soon as the servant left, Pranay said with a frown, “I will not go there!”
“You will go. I cannot see anything being taken away from you. Years ago, that Ranvijay’s mother had snatched this Darshita Singh Shekhawat’s husband from her. But I could not do anything. But now I will not let my son lose his father and his rights. You go, I will find a way to teach Ranvijay a lesson.” Darshita said this and sent him away. Pranay left the place suppressing his anger.
Press Conference Hall
The flash lights of the cameras were flashing in the hall. Media, political experts, and party workers were all present. Digvijay Shekhawat was sitting in the middle of the stage, Ranvijay and the party president next to him. Both had serious faces, but Ranvijay’s confidence was as firm as ever. Samar and Pranay were standing on one side.
Digvijay picked up the mike and said in his deep, impressive voice, “The party has unanimously decided that our candidate for the post of Chief Minister in the upcoming elections will be Ranvijay Singh Shekhawat. Do you want to ask him any question?”
The hall echoed with applause. The flashes of the cameras increased. But just then, the reporters started bombarding him with their questions.
“Ranvijay Sir, your image has always been that of a dynamic and capable leader, but the opposition is saying that you do not have a connection with the ground. What will you say to this?”
Ranvijay smiled and said, “The public will answer this themselves. When the election results come, it will be clear who has the real connection.”
“Sir, why did the party choose you for such a big decision? Doesn’t Digvijay Sir want to contest the election himself?”
Digvijay picked up the mic and said casually, “The party has taken this decision after careful consideration. Ranvijay has the leadership ability, public trust and vision. Together we will make it successful.”
Ranvijay was answering every question with full confidence. But then, there was a commotion.
A female reporter, whose face was covered with a mask, stood up. There was a strange shine in her eyes. He looked straight at Ranvijay and asked—
“Ranvijay Sir, you are 36 years old, but why haven’t you married yet? Have you sacrificed your personal life for politics, or is there some other reason behind this?”
Suddenly there was silence in the hall. The focus of the cameras was now only on Ranvijay. Some reporters were smiling faintly, as if they had found an interesting scoop. Digvijay looked at Ranvijay, as if asking in gestures how to answer this.
But Ranvijay’s eyes became steady for a moment.
He remembered a forgotten scene…
The darkness of the night, the dim light of candles, the sound of mantras echoing in a small temple…
He was sitting on his knees, in front of him was that girl, who was wrapped in a white and red couple. There was a strange fear and hesitation in her eyes. Ranvijay had filled her hairline with sindoor with his own hands…
Ranvijay’s heart started beating fast. That moment… that girl… everything was fresh in his memories.
