Page 67 of Twisted Deceit
As if he sensed her state of mind, he wrapped an arm around her, holding her to him. He slowly walked her to her desk and sat her on the chair. He knelt in front of her. “I had to tell you.”
Tears started to roll down her cheeks, and she hid her face in her hands. “How could this happen to her?” Guilt gripped her as she reasoned her uncle’s life choice, and it hit her hard. “This is all because my aunt decided not to have kids of her own because of me.”
“Aadhya, you don’t know that for sure.” He reached for her and scooped her off the chair into his arms. She sobbed softly as he carried her to their private suite. He sat her down on the bed and sat next to her.
He planted kisses on her head as she sobbed into his chest. “This is so not fair to my aunt.” He ran his hand on her back, trying to soothe her tears.
“Are you sure about this?” She hoped it was all a mistake but knew she had to accept it as the truth. “My aunt doesn’t deserve this. How can I even break this news to her?”
“Aadhya, this is not your burden to carry.” His words didn’t change the reality, but they took some weight off of her, and she sobbed into his chest. She was glad her aunt was away at one of the meditation centers. Her aunt confessed she was worried about her performing the ritual but would not stop her. She was dealing with the anxiety about the ritual by spending time at a sanctuary outside the Singoor region.
With the new information that came to light, she couldn’t be thankful for the timing of her aunt’s visit to the meditation center. After what she found out, she didn’t know how to face her aunt. But there was one person whom she wanted to talk to: her aunt’s husband.
“Nakul,” she pulled back to look at him. “Please be beside me when I talk to my aunt’s husband.” She was so upset she couldn’t address him as her uncle.
He looked at her for a long moment. “If that’s what you want to do.”
She nodded. “Are you sure about his family you found out? Is this for real?” She so badly wanted it to be a mistaken identity or wrong information.
Nakul let out a sigh before kissing the top of her head. “I had my team double-check everything, and I even had a DNA test run.”
She nodded. “I need to talk to him. This has to be sorted out before Rajji is back.” She stood and took his hand. “I need to do this now.” Even as she exited her room, she didn’t know when her uncle managed to spend time with his other family. He was such a homebound person; he rarely left the house.
Even at that moment, she knew the man was at home, just as he had promised to her aunt. Her aunt asked her husband not to leave the mansion while she was away as she was worried about his security.
She approached her aunt’s private quarters and let one of the staff members inform her uncle that she wished to see him. She clung to Nakul as she made her way to her aunt’s study. The space smelled of her aunt’s favorite sandalwood oil, bringing tears to her eyes.
Her aunt would be heartbroken to hear what her husband had done to her. “Aadi, Nakul come sit. What a pleasant surprise?”
She nodded but could not get herself to look at the man who had given her as much love and affection as her aunt had given. He had been the one to secretly give her chocolate even when Nani would tell her not to eat so much candy. He would bring her toys every time he traveled on business trips, once a month.
The older man cleared his throat when silence fell between them. “I hear you are both performing thePeaceceremony. I’m happy you are performing it. It’s good for people’s confidence.”
Nakul tightened his hold around her as if he sensed her situation. She had to muster up a lot of strength to even look at her uncle and ask, “How could you do this to Rajji?” She suppressed a sob.
Her aunt’s husband looked momentarily confused, and his eyes went to Nakul’s. “I’m sorry you found out Aadi. I never wanted you to know.”
Aadhya could not control her anger. “Do you have any remorse for what you have done? I cannot believe you are so calm about it.” She was outraged.
The older man looked at her silently. His silence further aggravated her state, but she held back her words. The harsh ones that she wanted to say but knew not to. Moments later, he cleared his throat. “Rajeshwari and I had an arranged marriage, and on our wedding night, your aunt told me she would never be able to love me.” He paused like he needed strength to continue. “She had loved someone and could never marry him. She only agreed to the alliance with me because her brother, your father, convinced her.”
Aadhya had no defense or to accuse the man of making up things. Because she knew her aunt was in love with someone all those years ago. But she didn’t realize that her aunt was always in love and had not accepted the man as her husband. “No,” her voice was a whisper.
The older man continued. “Marriages in Singoor are meant to be for a lifetime and that’s the reason I did not leave your aunt. Then, I met someone on a business travel and fell in love. The woman I fell for wanted me, my love and when I told her I had nothing to offer in return, she didn’t care. It did not matter to her that she was not going to be recognized as my wife by the society. We got married in a temple and started our life.”
Aadhya dreaded asking the question that was burning in her head. “Does Rajji know?”
If she wanted to find out she could have. She never asked me and I never told her. It’s an agreement.”
She suddenly felt sorry for the man. “I’m sorry, Mama.” She felt sad for her aunt and uncle. They were both heartbroken in one way or the other.
“It’s okay. I feel lighter about sharing it with you. You are my child, too.” Her uncle’s voice was feeble. “How did you find out?”
Nakul cleared his throat. “I was looking for clues for a contact in the Kanwar region to an international mercenary who is after the Singoor oil.”
The older man shook his head. “Impossible. Kanwar men are extremely loyal to their heirs and to the land. You can rest assured they will not give into greed for money.” He smirked. “Your aunt has done a wonderful job of keeping our people safe all these years.”
“Good to know, Sir.” Nakul sounded relieved. “And I apologize for suspecting you to be the contact. I had to check everyone out and that’s when we found out about your family.”
