chapter 24

word count 2419

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also this is my first time writing Samrat pov tell me was it good or bad?

happy reading.


Samrat pov 

Bhai Sa called me to his penthouse at 10 PM to discuss something, but I finished my office work early and decided to go over sooner. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. As I entered, the living area's lights were dimmed. I moved forward to switch them on, and at that moment, I heard Bhai Sa's voice. It wasn't his usual tone; it was filled with pain. I slowly approached the source of the voice, guided only by the dim lights. As I neared Bhai Sa's room and was about to knock, I heard his voice again.

(i was just a 3 year olde mere baby when Samrat was born, beaming with happiness in my father's arms in the hospital. I saw my Mumma with a baby wrapped in a pink blanket on the bed. My father kissed my mother's forehead while I looked at my baby brother with adoration....)

 I heard him speaking words like "adoration," "Mumma," and "family." I chuckled because these words were foreign to me. Adoration was something I never received from my parents. "Mumma," a word that means the world to most kids, felt like an unknown place to me. Family, the closest bond for many, seemed the most distant to me. And why wouldn't it be? I was never part of that for my mother.

I was about to leave because I didn't want to be affected by it all over again. But hearing my brother speak with such vulnerability and a touch of affection towards me made my steps falter. I stood outside the closed room, leaning closer to the door, and listened to him.

(Chachiji decided to take care of Samrat and gave him the love of a mother that he deserved, as my Chachi could never conceive. So, when Dadi Sa allowed her to take care of Samrat as a mother, Chachi and Chacha were beyond happy.)

I was listening when I heard the word "Chachi." I whispered, "Choti Ma," my eyes glistening with tears. Hearing her mentioned again by someone from the Chaudhary family stirred deep emotions in me. She and Chote Pa were the only ones who made me feel what being loved was like, but they too left me in this cruel Chaudhary mansion, where no one was mine.

(I used to sneak out of her room and go to my Chachi's room to play with my baby brother, who was becoming more adorable day by day. His cuteness made me want to squeeze his cheeks.)

The way Bhai Sa was recounting his past was different from how I had always understood him. The Bhai Sa I knew seemed indifferent, as if he didn't care for me and saw me only as someone who wanted to steal his throne. But now, as he spoke, I could sense the adoration in his voice when he mentioned me. It was a side of him I had never seen before, and it caught me completely off guard. I felt a mix of emotions—shock, confusion, and a strange warmth.


Then came the revelation that shook me to my core. Bhai Sa's words revealed a truth I had never imagined. My heart pounded as I leaned against the door, taking in every word. The Bhai Sa I had resented for so long had actually harbored feelings of protectiveness and care for me all along. The realization hit me hard, and I felt a tear roll down my cheek. All the walls I had built around my heart started to crumble as I stood there, absorbing the emotional weight of his words.

( Mumma, please, Samrat ko lag jayegi! He is crying, Mumma! You can beat me later on in our room, Mumma, please!" I was crying for mercy in front of her, while Navya Chachi was trying to hold her hand and shouting for help.She continued beating me, and I didn't cry because Samrat was under me..)

The nightmare that had haunted me for years—a vision of a little boy being beaten while protecting me—was none other than my Bhai Sa. The one I had always considered cold-hearted, incapable of love, was actually my shield. Hearing his sorrows made my heart ache, though my tears did not spill. The pain was immense as I realized that I wasn't the only one with a rough past. Bhai Sa had also endured a thorn-filled journey, all to protect me from our own mother. I continued to listen, but now I was sitting near the door, clutching the handle tightly as if it were a lifeline. 

The revelations from Bhai Sa's perspective were more horrifying and raw than I had ever remembered. Each word he spoke peeled back the layers of my misunderstanding, revealing the truth of his sacrifices and the depths of his pain. The weight of his past, intertwined with mine, pressed heavily on my heart, and I felt an overwhelming mixture of guilt, gratitude, and sorrow. The image of my brother, once perceived as a distant figure, was now reshaped into that of a guardian who had silently borne the brunt of our shared struggles.

I chuckled dryly, realizing how I had ignored my Bhai Sa in front of Dadi's dead body. He had been waiting for my support, but instead, I had caused him more pain. The throne of Rajgarh had never been my desire, but knowing it was Dadi's last wish pained my heart deeply. Greed had torn everything apart.

Now, I understood why Bhai Sa had always sent me to listen to people, to communicate with the villagers of Rajgarh, and to implement rules. He had been training me for the future of Rajgarh. But could I handle it? Could I do it as Bhai Sa, Chote Papa, and Dada Sa had done? I had always seen Bhai Sa as the rightful Rana of Rajgarh, and for me, there was no one else worthy of that position.

I'm sorry, Dadi Sa, but Bhai Sa deserves to be the Rana of Rajgarh and the CEO of Kings. I only want to work under his guidance, to be as close to him as possible in any way I can. Bhavya Ji's words, which Bhai narrated, didn't shatter me much because she was still just a stranger in our house. My hands were numb, and my mouth felt frozen as I listened to Bhai Sa recounting the past from his perspective. The line that shook me to the core was when he begged Miss Bhavya to give me some comfort.

My eyes filled with tears, thinking about how I used to see my Bhai as a stranger, while he had endured traumas for me, his little Samrat. The smallest desire for the throne stirred within me after hearing my brother's vulnerability. I didn't want him to lose his kings cooperation to become something he never wanted.

I was standing at a crossroads, lost in my thoughts, when suddenly Bhai's voice ceased, and a feminine voice, very low in tone, spoke—it was Bhabhi's voice. Hearing her reminded me of Choti Ma; they both had that same calmness in their voices.

Startled, I stood up and almost reached for the main door. I locked the penthouse door and slumped down, sitting crooked near it, leaning my head against the door. I had come out to give them their personal space, and also because I didn't want Bhai to know that I knew everything. I couldn't bear to meet his eyes now. Closing my eyes, Bhai Sa's words echoed in my head. Before I could sink deeper into my thoughts, I felt a gentle shaking on my shoulder.

I tiredly opened my eyes to find one of our business partners, Akanksha Raizada, standing in front of me.

"Why are you here, huh?" I asked, irritated by her presence.

"Mujhe shauk nahi hai Chaudharys ke penthouse aane ka. Vo meeting ke time yeh file bhool gaye the isliye yeh dene aayi," she replied sharply, almost screaming.

"Shh, just shut up and leave the file here," I snapped, annoyed by her tone.

"Oh, hello! Mujhe toh tez hi bolne ki aadat hai. Itni dikkat hai toh cotton laga lo aur yeh pakdo file apni," she retorted, throwing the file near my leg. As she turned to leave, she suddenly stepped back and looked at me.

"Chi chi chi, kitne bewade aadmi ho tum. Itni pee li ki password hi bhul gaye ghar ka. Thodi kam piyo varna jaldi tapak loge," she mocked. Then, she opened her bag, took out a bottle, placed it beside the file, and left, clicking her heels.

"Doraemon ki pocket hai iska purse, kuch na kuch nikalta hi rehta hai," I muttered, grabbing the bottle and gulping it down in one go.

"Neeli billi," I chuckled softly, whispering the words before my eyes closed, and I drifted off.

 Ishita's pov 

We lay on his bed, the weight of our shared confessions and memories still lingering in the air. Ekansh held me close, his embrace tight as if his life depended on it. His hand rested gently on my waist, the other on my back, and his leg entwined with mine. I gazed at him, noticing the slight frown on his forehead even as his eyes remained closed. Concerned, I reached out to smooth away the worry lines with a tender touch.

As I touched his forehead, I felt the heat radiating from his skin. Alarmed, I gently moved away from him and hurried to the bathroom. I returned with a cool, damp towel, which I placed carefully on his forehead to help bring down his fever.

Sitting beside him, I brushed his hair back from his face, watching him with a mix of love and concern. The vulnerability in his feverish state tugged at my heartstrings, reminding me of how deeply I cared for him. Despite the seriousness of the situation, there was an intimacy in caring for him like this, in being there for him in his time of need.

I whispered words of comfort, hoping they would reach him even in his unconscious state. The sight of him, normally strong and composed, now vulnerable and needing my care, filled me with a rush of emotions. I couldn't bear to see him unwell, and yet there was a tenderness in these moments that brought us closer together.

As I continued to tend to him, wiping his forehead with the cool towel and murmuring reassurances, I realized how intertwined our lives had become. 

The depth of our connection was palpable, even amidst the worry and uncertainty of the moment. In caring for him, I found myself falling deeper in love, cherishing every moment we shared, even in sickness.

I checked Ekansh's fever again, but it hadn't come down. Frustrated, I continued searching through the first aid kit.

"Kaise hain ye itna kamate hain lekin bukhar ki dawai nahi hai. Lagta hai gift mein inhe ek proper first aid kit banake deni padegi," I huffed, still unable to find antipyretics or a thermometer.

"Arjun bhaiya ko call karti hun, vo laake de sakte hain," I thought aloud, moving towards my phone. I called him and urgently requested he bring medicine and a thermometer. Heading outside to wait for Arjun bhai, I opened the main door and was surprised to see Samrat bhai leaning against the door frame. His legs sprawled on the ground, hands tightly gripping a bottle with a file lying beside him.

"Samrat bhai, bhaiiiii!" I called out loudly, shaking his shoulder lightly. He didn't respond. Leaning closer, I noticed he was murmuring something under his breath.

b..bha..bhai sa.... he was only calling out bhai sa with a pain in his voice .

"Bhai," I shook him a little harder, and he woke up with a start, his eyes red and forehead covered in sweat.

"Bhai, aap yahan itni raat mein iss halat mein?" I asked, concern evident in my voice."Oh, Ishita, mein... Bhai ne mujhe bulaya tha kuch kaam se baat phir..." He trailed off, his tired tone revealing that he had overheard everything Ekansh had said to me. I felt a mix of relief that the truth was out for Samrat bhai, yet sadness knowing Ekansh had someone to confide in while Samrat bhai had been listening alone.

"Acha, toh aap andar kyun nahi aaye? Bahar hi so gaye lagta hai yeh aapko bahut workload dedete hai tabhi aap floor par hi so gaye. Chale uthe, andar chale," I said with a smile, trying not to reopen any wounds. If Samrat bhai wanted to share something, it should be Ekansh who heard his brother's thoughts first.

"Nahi, Ishita, you go inside. Mein vapas ghar jaa raha hun," he replied, getting up."Bhai, lekin itni raat ho gayi hai..." I tried to convince him.


"Nahi, Ishita, I will go. Don't worry, mein kal bhai se mil lunga aur please unhe mat batana mein aaya tha," he said, massaging his head slightly.

I nodded lightly, just as I saw Arjun bhai approaching with the medicines.

"Hukum Rani sa, yeh medicines jo aapne mangwayi thi," Arjun bhai said, checking the bag as he came forward."Arrey, chhote hukum, aap? Yahan?" Arjun bhai asked, noticing Samrat bhai.

"Voh, bhai sa se milne aaya tha," Samrat bhai answered.

"Oh, haan yaad aaya, unhe Raichand se related kuch kaam tha," Arjun bhai said, while my thoughts wandered towards the Raichands.

"Hmm, Ishita, agar Bhai Sa ki tabiyat zyada kharab hai toh mein ruk jaata hun. Aap chali jao, raatbhar pareshan ho jayengi aap," Samrat bhai asked with concern.

"Arrey bhai, aap se zyada mein khayal rakh lungi. Doctor hun aur haan, mein unhe kal bata deti hun aapka workload kaam karein, warna bechara mere devar ji buddhe lagne lagenge," I assured him, to which he chuckled. Arjun bhai muttered something like "bilkul hukum ki tarha" under his breath, earning a glare from me. "Kahan se dikhte hain buddhe inhe, kuch bhi bolte hain Arjun bhai," I thought, scrunching my nose playfully.

"Hmm, theek hai, but still call me agar kuch bhi problem ho, okay?" Samrat bhai asked me in a brotherly manner. I nodded vigorously, assuring him.

He started to leave, and as he moved, Arjun bhai stopped and approached me with a request. "Agar possible ho toh mera bhi workload kam karwade, already baal jhadne lage hain," he pleaded with puppy eyes.

"Sochna padega," I teased with a mischievous grin.

"Hukum Rani saaa," he pleaded again with puppy eyes, and I couldn't help but chuckle inwardly."Arjun, chale," Samrat bhai called out, and Arjun bhai hurried towards the lift.


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