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So much for being gentle, I thought ruefully. This new version of Isha was a spitfire. A sharp-tongued harpy. A tigress. And damned if it didn’t turn me on even more. I shook off the thought and turned to my sister.
“I take it the will-reading didn’t go too well?” I asked softly.
Diya grimaced and rubbed her belly absently.
“Dadi Sa shafted poor Isha from beyond the grave. Never mind. We’ll figure something out. But what’s this about you joining politics?”
It was my turn to make a face because this was the standard reaction to my news that I was trying to get a party ticket, and to be honest, it was getting old.
“You sound surprised,” I grumbled. “And I don’t see why. I have always worked to better the lives of our people.”
“What does that have to do with joining politics?” she asked drolly.
I knew what Diya meant. Very few people join politics these days because they want to do any good for society. Most joined with the sole intention of lining their coffers, which was precisely why I had stayed away from the field all these years. I was happy with managing the philanthropic organisations run by my family’s trust.
“Seriously, though, what changed? You always swore you’d never become a neta, even when you were offered Dheer’s father’s seat after he died so suddenly. Why do you want to become one now?”
“Because there’s no other choice, Diya. The local mafia is trying to take over all our villages, and I can’t allow them to drive out the helpless villagers just so they can set up their illegal trade routes.”
“I understand that, but how are you going to fight them, Veer?” she asked worriedly. “You know nothing about politics.”
“I’ll learn,” I replied grimly. “And I won’t be starting at the bottom. I’ll be starting right at the top. Kirori Ji just told me that the Pragati Party is willing to field me as their CM candidate as long as I win the assembly election. ”
“Our Veer is the party’s hidden ikka,” exclaimed our mother as she and Baba came up to join us.
“What do you mean, Ma?”
Ma smiled at me proudly.
“He has a lot of goodwill among the locals, and the party needs someone like him if they want to win the next Vidhan Sabha election.”
“Pragati Party isn’t big enough to get a majority in the assembly, Ma,” replied Diya with a snort.
“Arre! When did you become such an expert on politics? I’m telling you that Veer is going to turn things around for them,” snapped my mother defensively.
Baba interrupted their argument before it got too heated.
“Beta, you’re right. But if they promise to nominate Veer as their chief ministerial candidate, all the royal houses will come out to support him, as will the villagers who have been benefiting from the Sisodia Trust for years. He’s young, he’s well-educated, he’s charming, and more importantly, he’s the cleanest candidate the state has seen in fifty years. I tell you, Diya, this boy will one day become the PM if he plays his cards right. Achha, we must be on our way now if we hope to reach home before it gets dark.”
My parents clearly had big dreams for my political career but right now, all I cared about was getting the right support to stop the land nexus, and becoming the chief minister was the first step in that direction.
“I’m very proud of you, Veer,” said Diya warmly as we walked to the door. “Dheer and I will support you with whatever you need.”
I suppressed the snarl that sprang to my lips at the mention of my erstwhile best friend’s name. If Diya could forgive him for betraying her nine years ago, so could I. Especially after he did it only to protect her from the dark turn that his life had taken. It wasn’t easy to let go of old habits, but I didn’t get the urge to pound the fucking idiot’s face in the sand every time I saw him anymore. Which was a good start.
As if I had conjured him up by just thinking about him, Dheer walked out of his study looking grimmer than I had ever seen him. The issue with Isha must be worse than I thought.
He forced a smile as he thanked my parents for attending the prayer meeting and they drove off with their entourage. There was an awkward silence as we waited for the valet to bring my car around until Dheer spoke up.
“I’ve sent a copy of Dadi Sa’s will to our legal team. Let’s see if they can find a way to overturn it,” he said wearily.
Diya looped a hand around his arm and rested her head on his shoulder.
“I’m sorry to say this, Dheer, but your grandmother was the most evil witch in the history of evil witches.”
“Don’t be sorry, babe. It’s the bitter truth. She did her best to fuck us over when she was alive and she’s kept up the tradition from beyond the grave.”
Diya filled me in on the terms of the will and I winced when she said the house would go to the Goels because Isha wasn’t married. That was the worst cut of all. Their grandmother must have been a sadistic bitch to do such a thing to her family.
