Woh bhooli dasataan! Part 3.

*Click here for Part 2*

 Anjali stared at the painting. "Yes, it's the same one that I've seen in my grandfather's cupboard. An 'unframed' portrait, he has kept it in the chest that he locks up. But I got to see it once while in his room. When I inquired about it he had said it's a gift. But as it was very old he said he didn't frame it", Anjali said.

"Gift! You didn't ask him from whom? Who would gift a portrait of an unknown woman? Why would anyone? It's not a Monalisa or a Madam X", Shalini let out a weird laugh.

"Shalini how did you know this? How did you paint this? Who are you?", Anjali was also scared now.

Raghav held Anjali closer and said, "Who are you please don't harm Shalini. Please we beg of you".

"Beg! That's how it was, eons ago. I had also begged. But no one listened to me. Anjali your grandfather, Raghav's grandfather and Sham's grandfather, never cared. I was in love with Dharam Singh. I'm the one in this painting and in the unframed one too, at your place Anjali. But your grandfather, Anjali, betrayed his friend. He wanted me to be his wife. I never loved him. He made up stories and falsely accused me of cheating Dharam Singh. I tried to tell the truth but nobody believed", Shalini's eyes welled up.

"I was a no match to their status. So your grandfather Raghav, who never liked that two of his friends are fighting over me, planned to end all of this. He brainwashed Dharam against me and made him fall pray to the dirty scheme. I begged, I pleaded to stop him, but in vain. Anjali's grandfather too was angry that I rejected his love and......" Shalini stopped speaking. She got up from the chair and ran towards Anjali. She pushed her down with a great force. Anjali's head banged on the floor. Raghav rushed to help her. But Shalini scratched his hand with her nails and his hand started bleeding.

Sham though indecisive, grabbed Shalini's hair and pulled her away.

"Ahh! Now I can see you are his grandson. This is just the way your grandfather had grabbed my hair. I was a poor girl, no one to support me. Raghav and Sham's grandfathers had planned to throw me out of their friends' lives forever. They made him believe that I was having an affair with both of the friends, at the same time. That I was keen on acquiring their wealth rather than love. And they were successful. Dharam and Anjali's grandfather thrashed each other. From being close friends all of them turned enemies, in the end. And they blamed me for this. Sham's grandfather grabbed my hair and asked me leave the city forever. I wanted to seek revenge but was helpless. Atlast, I couldn't take it anymore, the gloom and despair pushed me to the brink of death. I never wanted to remain in this portrait, unframed. I had wished to be included too, with love and affection, in a frame of family", Shalini said, as her eyes turned red with anger, she advanced towards Sham.

"But why are you punishing Shalini?", Sham yelled while trying to block her.

"She is Dharam's granddaughter. He doubted my love. He had promised to marry me but left me all alone to die. How can his family live in peace?", Shalini smacked a blow at Sham. Sham fell on the floor too.

"But why are you punishing us? It's not us who have wronged you. It's our grandparents", Anjali said, pressing her head with bruises with one hand and Raghav's bleeding hand with other.

Shalini stood stunned for a moment.

"You are doing the same thing what they did to you. We are innocent, we never harmed you. We are helpless right now. And you are seeking your revenge on us?We didn't know about our grandfathers wrongdoings. We are friends and we will stick together come what may", Anjali said in a confident tone.

Shalini fell down on the floor as the amorphous silhouette left her body.

Everyone rushed towards Shalini. As Shalini woke up she looked around and was utterly shocked. "What happened? Why is your hand bleeding Raghav?", she asked.

They picked her up and left the bungalow. On the way they told the entire story to Shalini. These kids went home and narrated the incidence to their grandparents. All the grandparents regretted their past and decided to reconcile.

The next day the families gathered in the premises of the bungalow and joining their palms pleaded forgiveness for their cruel actions in the past.

The leaves rustled as a gush of wind blew past the trees. The withered grass turned lush green, while the flowers bloomed across the veranda.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: A sincere remorse can heal a bruised soul and make it rest in peace! ~ Jui Purohit. 

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