"A man who desires revenge should dig two graves." The year was 1995 when the city of Calcutta was shining at its best and Mr Dhiraj Singh Rajput was busy expanding his hotel business all over India with the help of his father and family. Although they were settled in Bhopal, Dhiraj's faithful workers had always kept him updated about his businesses and helped him to control over all his branches spread across India. Time-to-time he used to travel across some of the major cities of India to inspect the functioning of his hotels along with some small cities too where his hotel was nothing less than a royalty. Dhruv was just three at that time, so Dhiraj's wife was there to handle him as well as their house and Gayathri Devi along with Pratibha was involved in an NGO, for the well-being of women and children. But in October 1995, the ground within their floor slipped when they received a telephone call from one of their trusted police officers of Calcutta. "Salaam Saab (Greetings sir). There is very big news for you, Saheb. You need to immediately rush down to Calcutta, Saheb. Taratari aye (Come here fast)," the constable spoke out in a panicked voice and even Dhiraj was worried now, that what could be the matter. "But at least tell me what happened?" Dhiraj asked in urgency. "Saheb, many under-aged girls in the dress of escorts and sex workers are being transported to your Hotel Kohinoor in Calcutta without you being notified as your workers too are involved in it because a famous mafia has involved them, bribing them of money," Dhiraj had to take the support of the nearby table when he heard what was happening inside his hotel. One thing he hated the most was the humiliation of women and their degradation. From his childhood, he was taught to no matter what, always respect a woman and protect her with your life. "Who is that Mafia, Bhojraj?" Dhiraj asked the constable in a fit of palpable anger which was just going to explode at any moment. "Mafia don Probhakor Thakur," the name was enough for Dhiraj to know who was behind all these things. He cut the call and commanded his personal assistant to make his private jet ready along with his bodyguards as soon as possible. They were going to leave in an hour for Calcutta. "How dare you do this kind of heinous and despicable crime under the roof of my hotel? How dare you," Dhiraj was holding the manager's collar now intending to kill him bare-handed. How dare he do this kind of shameful crime, the disgraceful crime of trading a woman, and her integrity! "Sir please listen to me, I was..." Dhiraj slapped his manager hard across his cheeks. Firstly, he hated those who treated women as a commodity, and secondly, he hated rogues, the one who stabs him. "You think I'm a fool? I just saw how you were busy in taking those innocent girls inside the hotel through the backside gate, now I'll show you who am I," Dhiraj had seen how surreptitiously his manager was escorting those girls inside the hotel from the backside, his sweat was shining in that crescent moon night. "Sir, please forgive me. I just got little carried away with greed when he offered me a huge lump sum of money for this," his manager was now on his knees, begging his employer to forgive him but Dhiraj wanted nothing but to kill this man who was involved in the trafficking of innocent young girls. "From how many days this has been happening?" Dhiraj asked in a no-nonsense way. "From the past six months, sir," that was enough for Dhiraj to punch him right across his nose which was bleeding now. "Inspector take him with you and apply as many charges against him as possible. This man doesn't deserve a right to live, torture him as much as you want but before that, tell me the address of that Probhokar Thakur," he made him stand with his collar in his hand. "He lives in a mansion in Park street, I don't know the exact address," the ex-manager replied in a gruesome voice. "Inspector," Dhiraj signalled the inspector to take him away and then he moved towards his car. "Sir, please don't do this, I have a wife and two daughters to take care of, how will they live without me, please sir," he begged but no mercy was to be given to him. "You should've thought about them before escorting these innocent young girls inside your hotel," the inspector pulled him harshly towards the police van after putting handcuffs on his hands. Three days later, after Dhiraj along with the best team of five brave and honest police officers got many shreds of evidence against Probhakor Thakur, he was eventually arrested and sentenced to jail for fifteen years under sections 366 A, 366 B and 372 of Indian Penal Code which was for kidnapping minor girls for forcing them to prostitution and importing foreign girls illegally for escorting them and also it was found out that he was involved in many other illegal businesses that he was the owner of. Headlines were very shocking for the common people as this Probhakor Thakur was known as the "Bengali Gunda" (Bengali Gangster) of that time and after his conviction, people were relieved that finally, one Gangster was behind the bars who had destroyed many lives. And all the credits went to Dhiraj Singh Rajput who was the mastermind behind all this because if he hadn't come at the right time, then don't know how many innocent girls would've lost their dignity and pride. He had fired all staff of that particular hotel and recruited new ones only after filtering them through several tests of honesty, integrity, and intelligence as he didn't want any of such incidents to happen again in his hotel. After returning to Bhopal, people were rejoicing over the victory of Dhiraj Singh Rajput who was the very efficient and great businessman of their city, Bhopal. They were proud of him how bravely he tackled that problem and put that dangerous gangster behind the bars. His family and his extended family, everyone was just so proud of him. His wife Pratibha had been so lovable and sweet to him every time, that much pride and respect increased for her husband within her. But now after fifteen years, in 2010 Probhakor Thakur was out of jail as his tenure was over and he endeavoured nothing but just revenge against Dhiraj Singh Rajput, who was the reason behind all his losses and miseries. No one had dared to raise a finger against him but that man dared to put him behind the bars. How dare he! The year he was sentenced to jail, that same year his daughter was born whose name was kept as Chandani which means "Moonlight" as she was born at night under the secretive house of Thakur and his gang which still worked under the guidance of Probhakor's brother when he was in jail. His daughter was raised with hate inculcated within her by her mother against Rajputs who were the reason behind her being fatherless for twenty freaking years of her life. "Always remember Chandani, your father is not with you because of those Rajputs who are so happily leading their life. They need to be destroyed brutally, you get that?'' Instead of teaching some good qualities to her daughter, Chandani's mother had always sown the seeds of hatred and abhorrence in her against the Rajput family. And now when her father bailed out of jail after spending fifteen years in its darkness and dullness, she was on cloud nine because ever since she was three, she had always wanted to see her father. "You're my pride, beta. Now you've to take the revenge from those Rajputs who destroyed our lives. Their son is almost your age and is currently doing his first year of graduation from IIT Bombay in the civil department. You are just fifteen now, but after three years, you need to be there in his life and your only aim is to lure him in your love, and then I'll tell you what you've to do," her father had made her understand about the plan which he had framed long back and as she too had her father's mind, she grasped them all at such a tender age. She had vowed that she'd destroy Dhruv and his family with no one coming to know about it. And from there started their love story. She studied at Mumbai University and somehow, she befriended him, using all her sources. His all mature friends hated her for her extra-sugary nature but Dhruv had turned his eyes blind on that, as he was "blindly" in love with her. They remained in a relationship for one whole year as Dhruv was in his last year of engineering and Chandani in her first year of graduation, so he had to leave India for two years for his MBA from Harvard. Time passed by, and when he came back after two years, he was more than surprised looking at his new Chandani who had changed so much to look wise. "Wow, you have changed so much," he had said after looking at her. "Of course, baby. I wanted to look the best for you, so all this," she had replied. And now they were in a relationship from the past six years. Chandani would've killed him at an instant but every time her father reminded her that instant death is not even one per cent painful to what is a slow and painful death, making him weak emotionally as well as mentally. He knew that Dhiraj's life resided in Dhruv so he too would eventually die in the agony of losing his one and only son. He wanted to break their family, their business with no proof left behind. That was his idea until Ayushi arrived in their lives. Ayushi was the girlfriend of Chandani's brother, Arjun. Yes, Arjun was Chandani's brother who was two years elder to her. After he was rusticated from his college for one whole year, he had gone into depression because it was his dream college, he had started taking drugs and that resulted in his fatal death. Chandani had cried so hard when she had heard about that news. Ayushi entering into Dhruv's life was just a coincidence but Chandani was on cloud nine because now she could take revenge against both of these people who had destroyed her family, she wanted nothing but to destroy the lives of these people too who had destroyed her once happy family. It was like "killing two birds with one stone". She was over the moon. And now she was trying her level best to make Ayushi suffer through Dhruv and make him always involved in Ayushi and her scandals so that she could bribe some of his workers under him and make them disrupt the whole functioning of his company. That was her mastermind plan. "I'll destroy you both, Dhruv and Ayushi for what you both did with my family," Chandani was determined to make them miserable. **** "Dhruv, beta come. Have some dinner with us," Dadi cheered when she saw Dhruv standing near the dining room's entrance, and asked him to come and join them. "Sure, Dadi. Let me freshen up first," he replied with a smile and went away towards his room. Ayushi shivered when she heard his voice, she was scared of him and his brutality. When he sat beside her on the dining chair, he smiled at her warmly and she was more than shocked again. Was he by any chance bipolar? Why did he have two completely different personalities? "Dadi Ma, can I rejoin my work from Monday?" Ayushi asked when they all were near to finish their food. She was afraid of Dhruv's reaction who was now staring at her. "Beta, why are you asking us? It's completely your choice to work or not. We are fine as long as you take some bodyguards with you on your workstation as now, you're no less than a celebrity, otherwise, no such compulsions or restrictions from our side," Dadi had replied in positive with a smile and that was enough for Ayushi to smile widely. She was thankful to God for giving her this lovely family. After finishing their dinner, they all had sat for some family time in their living room and had talked about many general things that Ayushi loved a lot. This was all a new experience for her, as part of a lovely and beautiful family. After some more talks, they had finally dispersed in their respective rooms after greeting each other good-nights. Once Ayushi and Dhruv were inside their bedroom, Dhruv had immediately rushed to his balcony to attend an important call and Ayushi was again perplexed that what would happen now as they were again alone in this room. She feared him that much. "You worked as a bar dancer?" Dhruv shouted out loudly at her when she was taking out her night clothes from the closet which fell from her hands and she was still at her place. She didn't know what to say. Her voice was subdued in the guilt and the ancientness of that gruesome memory. **~.~** Please don't forget to leave your comment and voting is your birthright!