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“That’s no excuse, Kunal. I won’t let you waste my hard-earned money,” Dev responded sternly.
Kunal chuckled at his father’s statement. “Hard-earned? Slow poisoning your business partner and marrying his wife is what you call hard-earning, Dad?”
“Lower your volume,” Dev snapped. “And what the hell are you talking about?”
“Oh, come on, Dad. Don’t be so innocent. I know that Malhotra didn’t die a natural death. You were slowly poisoning his drinks. He was already a heart patient, and you changed his medicines. You think I never noticed? I knew all of this. I had seen you exchanging his medicines.”
“Yes, I did... I killed Ranveer’s father because that was the only way I could get his wife. She was perfect for me, not that Malhotra. And all this empire we have built today is only because I backstabbed that Malhotra. Or else, we would have never been rich,” Dev confessed callously.
At that moment, they heard the sharp noise of a glass breaking. Both father and son became alert as they saw Ranveer’s mother, who was now Dev Malik’s wife, stepping into the study room. Kunal had forgotten to shut the study room door after entering, so she overheard their entire conversation and was horrified.
“You killed my husband?” she asked, approaching them.
“Darling, what are you doing here?” Dev scowled.
“I asked you something, Dev. Did you really kill my husband?” she persisted.
“I am your husband,” he shouted, but then tried to calm her down. “Look, I...” He reached out to touch her, but she pushed him away.
“I was such a fool,” she cried. “How couldn’t I see all this happening? You were poisoning him? For me? Because you wanted to win me as your wife? All these years, I thought he died of a heart attack at a very young age. Why couldn’t I see that you were tampering with his medicines? Poisoning him?”
“Enough of your cries,” Kunal interjected, rising from his chair. “What’s so terrible about it? What difference does it even make to you? My father married you. He never tried to stop you from meeting your other son. You had the same luxury here as you had in the Malhotra mansion.”
Enraged, she slapped him hard across the cheek. “You filthy people. I will not stay here for another minute. I am going to the cops. I’ll tell them everything.”
She tried to leave, but Dev caught her arm. “Don’t do this. I am your husband, and I love you dearly. I cannot change our past. And please think about Dhruv before making any hasty decisions.”
“He will hate you, Dev. Dhruv is my son. He will hate you for his entire life when he finds out the truth about you. And Ranveer...” She choked back tears. “Ranveer will kill you. You took his father away from him; he will kill you.”
“Will he?” Kunal intervened. “And do you think we will sit here and wait for him to come and kill us?”
“Kunal, shut your mouth. I am handling this,” Dev shouted, but it was too late. Ranveer’s mother left the room and rushed to the stairs. She had probably decided to leave the house and reach her son, Ranveer Malhotra, to reveal the truth to him. Dhruv was out of town, so her only choice was to reach Ranveer as soon as possible. While Dev was shattered, Kunal had made up his mind. He followed the old woman to the stairs and, before she could descend, he pushed her hard. She collapsed and tumbled down the stairs, her head covered in blood as she fell unconscious.
The clip ended, and Ranveer leaned back on the couch, shutting his eyes. His mother had been brutally killed, and he couldn’t do anything about it. He pushed away the pillows on the couch and walked away from the group. Maya flinched, her heart aching for her husband. It wasn’t easy for any son to witness his mother's murder before his own eyes.
Subhadra cried, whereas Garima consoled her. “That monster killed my son. And his son killed my daughter-in-law. He destroyed my little family,” she sobbed.
Dhruv froze, just like the others. It was a gruesome act.
“I wish I had been home that day... I would have saved Mom,” Dhruv murmured. “I failed her... I…”
“Dhruv, please,” Maya consoled him. “Don’t blame yourself. This is not your fault.”
“No, Maya, you have no idea what I am going through. I feel so guilty right now because I am one of them. I am one of the Maliks” he scowled.
“You are not,” Ranveer interrupted sternly, and the moment Dhruv’s gaze shifted to him, he repeated, “You are not amongst them. Never, ever think like that. You might have their last name, Dhruv, but your heart is pure. You have your mother’s virtues, her culture, her goodness. Never compare yourself with the Maliks again.”
Dhruv remorsefully looked away. It was easier said than believed. After a minute of complete silence, Maya reached out to Ranveer and hugged him from behind, rubbing her palms over his chest. He needed it—the warmth, the touch that could calm his raging nerves.
Late Night
Ranveer Malhotra's whole world had crashed. He was orphaned by the Maliks, and he had to live with the fact that he could do nothing about it. When Maya stepped into their room at night, she saw him standing by the huge French windows, staring outside. He looked anything but normal. She reached him in no time and slid her arms around him.
“You should sleep,” she whispered.
Ranveer didn’t speak. He was too numb, too lost.
“They will get their share of punishment,” she tried to console him. He turned around and met her gaze. She could read what was going on in his mind right now. His hands trembled—he wanted the right to kill the Maliks.
