"If my darkness surrounds you, I will tear them apart, for, my fiery sword and venomous spell can kill even me, but I'll not let it harm You"

~•~•~•~•~

'Passengers please pay your attention.. Due to a thunderstorm, we are forced to land two hours late. Please wait patiently until the weather improves.. Thank you.'

'Ugh!! There were clouds for four days.. But, it had to rain today', Rudra pouted, 'now, I'll be late for my evening zumba session.. My hot and beautiful trainer will get angry for keeping her waiting! I'll not even look fit enough to charm the girls in the party..'

Rudra intended to take it further, but two voice boomed at him together,
'Shut up Rudra!!'

'Not fair Bros..', he started his emotional drama.

'Idiot, immature, Drama Queen!!', Bhavya muttered under her breath. She was super irritated by his continuous flirt since they met in Dehra.

Anika and Gauri chuckled.

*****

The guards ran towards the limousine and opened the doors hastily, holding an umbrella over each one's head. The thunder struck the angry purple clouds, illuminating the enormous white building, namely, Oberoi Mansion.

'Shivaay sir!', Khanna escorted the team away from the grand hall before getting them noticed by the guests or media.

They were drenched in spite of the umbrellas. Khanna called the designer to hand them their dresses.

'The designer said to keep the party's theme black, since Gauri Ma'am graduated', he was interrupted by Omkara.

'Hmm, quite thoughtful.. I would like to meet the designer', he said.

'Oh.. Okay Omkara sir.' Khanna nodded and left.

*****

All the leading news channels were invited in this graduation ceremony. They were wondering whose graduation would it be. For, the youngest Oberoi twins, Rudra and Priyanka graduated two years ago.. Then who it could be? The guests also were clueless.

Wondered gasps turned all the heads towards the staircase leading down in the hall.

There stood Shivaay Singh Oberoi, his one arm interlocked with a tiny arm of a beautiful petite lady, his black tuxedo with red waistcoat underneath and his bluish green irises sparkling like a proud godfather. And the cameras also forgot to blink their flashes to see the mysterious petite woman, her hazel orbs standing out from her smoky eye makeup, a leather blouse fitting her body and a black glittery saree draped elegantly around her perfect curves, made her look as the perfect thunder stealer.

Next gasp followed when Anika appeared in the arm of the most mysterious and unpredictable Oberoi. She was looking ravishing in her black leather long dress with white stone detailing and her cherry red lips were swooning worthy perfect. And her date was killing women with his mere presence. Stern and sharp facial expression, sturdy black tuxedo with green waistcoat underneath and the eye catcher was his stone detailed bowtie.

Next came the playboy of ladies' heart, Rudra, a black suit jacket and leather pants helping his muscles to flex out. In his arms was an old woman, her age old experienced beauty faded, but glowing in simple yet elegant black-golden salwar-kameez.

As soon as Omkara stood beside his brothers centering his Grandmother, Pinky Singh Oberoi's taunt reached his years, who was standing with her husband.

'Here comes the bad omen.. My appointed reporters couldn't come up due to this rain. Now, how will my beautiful pics will be there on newspaper??'

Omkara rolled his eyes in disbelief. Gauri, who was standing near Pinky and her husband Shakti, furrowed her eyebrows at Pinky's taunt.. How can Omkaraji be the cause of rain? She looked at him, bending to his Grandmother for her blessings, who stiffened in an instant and touched his head hastily. She remembered how Grandmother warmly blessed her with her signature dialogue, 'Jinda reh puttar' (live long child), despite of her being a stranger.. Then what was wrong with her middle grandson? Did she know his deeds? May be.

Shivaay tapped the microphone.

'Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for ignoring this heavy rain and making some time out of your busy schedule. As I had informed, we are here to celebrate.. The graduation of.. (Everybody waiting with batted breath at Shivaay's dramatic pause) my sister in-law, Gauri Vardhan Trivedi, the little sister of my wife, Anika! Please raise a toast for her, for she passed double B. Tech. in Instrumentation Engineering and Market studies with valediction from Dehradoon Institute of Engineering and Management!! Cheers!!!!', Shivaay raised his glass, his chest aching in pride and eyes stinging due to happy tears.

'Cheers!!', the crowd roared back.

Gauri was feeling uncomfortable. She was not very fond of limelight. She stiffened as lots of cameras were being aimed at her and she was drilled with stupid questions she never wanted to answer, but was docile.

As the reporters slowly dispersed, she snuck away in the maze of Oberoi Mansion. The passages dimly lit, white thin curtains fluttering wildly in howling promiscuous wind, occasional thunder struck the trembling nature, shaking her from core and illuminated the passageway leading to a lonesome wing of the mansion.

She took steps forward, unsure of consequences. Her heart shrank in fear, but her curiousness overpowered her logics. The doors were locked mostly. The wing seemed unused for years.. A frowzy smell was emitting from each furniture, each artifact. Her hesitant steps halted at a closed door.

Unsure of her decision, she slowly pushed the door. The door creaked open with a screeching protest. The moment she stepped inside, a thunder struck again, illuminating the giant room for a flash and she first noticed the tall, dark pillar standing facing his back to her, in front of him was a wall, full of frames.. But the lightening didn't last long enough to let her discover whose pictures were there.

'Always end up in meeting each other, don't we?', he chuckled darkly.

'Why are you here ..'

'Instead of the party, right?', he didn't turn back, 'this is the place where I spent half of my childhood and I really don't get much chances to relive those memories, as well as those punishments'

Gauri was stunned to realize his smooth voice breaking, the manipulator of words, the unsympathetic psycho was actually shedding tears over something or someone..

'Omkaraji! Is that really you?'

So many mysteries are yet to unfold. Where is Jhanvi? Whose pictures are there? Why that wing of the mansion is barren? What is / are the fact(s) that has/have successfully broken the psychopath? Why does Dadi hate him? Does she know his crimes??
😨😨👻👻💀💀
So many questions are yet to be answered and the party isn't over yet. So, let's see what our chirraiya successfully reveals..

PS: I was stunned to see Shrenu Parikh in last episode. Awards would humiliate her compassionate indulgence in the character. I'm at loss of words how she portrayed the difficult mental instability so precisely.. A true self of a victim.. And I sometimes get really astonished to see the unquestionable cinematography of IB.. The portrayal of the background and the symbolization of her pain in darkness and red.. 👏👏 I'm speechless. I literally pushed myself to watch the last episode as I saw continuous posts on #metoo, and I don't regret watching such masterpiece. I'm in awe.. 💙

Finally, read this chapter and share your answers to the questions.. The chapter is definitely short, but I'm sure suspense is at its peak..
Happy reading!
With love,
Sarani.