Sisters

Sia rushed into her sister's room and came to an abrupt halt as she noticed her puffy eyes and red face. She approached her gently, and sat on the bed, across from Manya. She then reached out and held her hand, saying, "Di can I ask you something?" 

Manya gave her an encouraging smile and said, "Yes Sia, definitely. Go ahead." 

"Di! I don't know how and why you have forgotten all your memories- I am a little slow at understanding medical terms, as you know. But trust me, I always thought you liked Ishaan, and you were mad at Juno in the same way that I was mad at him, because he had just stopped visiting us. And by the time I noticed the confusion, I just put everything on your health alone. I have something to confess too, Ishaan wanted to marry you, and had prepared almost everything to propose to you as well. This was the reason behind him accepting the deal with ARMA's and coming back to India, because he wanted to return to Milan with you as an engaged, if not married, couple! 

I don't know the exact reason for your sudden visit home, and the stay as well. You also have a good connection with Mumma now, not that I am complaining, no one is happier than I am! I know that your memories are back, so is there something you wanted to share with me? Is it Ishaan...are you crying because of him? Are you confused about whether you love him or not? Or did he just propose to you without any preparation in the panic; and now you are sad about not getting a grand proposal, or possibly turning him down because he has been your best friend?"

*Sia was trying her best to look mature in front of her sister to get her to see her as an equal, and share things with her. Meanwhile, her innocence and the inner child which was still present inside her, had put every topic she could guess as a reason for Manya's foul mood in the same bag. She herself was unaware how some of the things she had said actually did make quite a lot of sense, but had also blurted out many things which Manya had been totally unaware of!*

*Manya looked at her younger sister with surprise. It had come as yet another shock, that Ishaan had not only been playing a false part in her life, but the imposter had also been planning her wedding to himself and hadn't even let her have a single hint about it! The feelings of guilt which had risen within her after Vendy's statements, sank deep down somewhere in the ocean, leaving only anger to frothe on the surface!*

She finally spoke, after letting out a heavy breath. "No, I was not crying because of him, neither I have liked him romantically, before or after the truth- or anytime in between. And the second thing is, he is getting married soon. But who told you that I liked him? He was just living the life of someone I really adore, admire and used to be fond of!"

Sia cut her sister off in the middle, saying "What what? Hold up, how can this be possible?! Okay di, even if you are saying that you have never liked him, I am 110% sure that he likes you way more than a friend! Then, a wedding- and if you don't like him, then why and how do you still have this information about him?"

Manya said in a matter-of-fact tone, shrugging, "Because I just returned after meeting his fiancée."

"Are you sure that you are not hurt by this fact; and even if you are, then can you give a reason behind your tears?" Sia asked in an authoritative yet sweet tone, as if she was the older one between the two. This thought made Manya smile a little, and she spoke, trying to hide her smile.

"Ahaan! Do I need to remind you that I am the elder one? But anyway, I am completely sure that I was not crying because of Ishaan, or even if I was, there was no way love was involved in that. And when I mention 'love', then it includes all forms of love. Now that I remember everything, he has lost all the positions of importance that he used to hold in my life, because he had started this relationship with a lie. He could just have told me the truth any time he wanted, and we might have been friends today. But no, he opted to remain silent and hide things, thereby choosing to base the entire foundation of our relationship on that same lie. So now, he is the one who has to bear the consequences of his choice." 

Manya was spitting facts in anger; but anger never knows its limits and under its sway, people often tend to speak more than the required amount. Manya also became one of the victims of this phenomenon, when she ended up saying "...and if I have to cry, I would rather cry for Arjun."

"For Arjun? What about him?!" Sia asked, perplexed.

Manya realised that she had already caused a blunder. She didn't have a time machine handy, to travel back in time and fix it, so she needed to come up with an explanation as soon as possible. She took a brief pause to think and then spoke in stride, "Of course I should be crying for Arjun, because he is the one who was deprived. I totally forgot about him, and I haven't even been in contact with him for twelve years. So, I obviously feel somewhat bad for him." 

She concluded her statement, fiddling with the cushion in her lap, not trusting her eyes to contain her actual emotions.

Sia could sense something suspicious, all the romantic novels she had ever read were giving her plenty of hints. She asked again, "Di, tell me honestly, what do you think of Arjun? Is he a good person?"

"He is a great person," Manya replied without a second thought.

"Then do you think he will be a good boyfriend?"

"He will be a good boyfriend indeed, but why are you asking me this?" Manya interrogated in return.

"I think I might like him..and Danny and mumma like him too! Now I am relieved that you also like him…"

"-But you are not allowed to date him!" Manya almost shouted, interrupting her in the middle of the sentence.

"But why?" 

"Because...because of the age gap. Uh, yes that's right, you are not allowed to date him because of the huge age gap!" Manya replied, assuring herself at the same time that she had provided Sia with a perfect explanation.

Sia cocked her head to the side, speaking with a smirk, "In which era are you living, di- age is just a number! But anyway, it's not like I was actually going to date him."

"Then why did you say all that?" 

"Oh, nothing. I just wanted to set a blind date for my friend's sister!"

"Are you a matchmaker now, or do you just enjoy playing Cupid?"

"Of course I have no intention to be a professional matchmaker, but aren't you happy that he will finally get a partner? You should be happy for him, just like you were happy for Ishaan a few minutes ago!"

"I will be happy, but when he finds someone for himself, not when my sister sets him up on a date with someone he has never met!"

"This is the reason I am setting up a blind date, and not asking them to see each other's face directly at the wedding! But anyway, I got my answer. Just spare a moment to think if this is the only reason you are stopping me from finding him a date, or if there is something more to it." She threw down her last card, standing up from the bed. She smiled innocently, saying, "Now I need to go, as I have pending work to do, bye bye Di! You know where to find me, if you need any help."

With a sauve wave, she left the room and Manya behind, engrossed in her thoughts.

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The man entered the crime scene, calling out Roy's name loudly. As he walked through the door, he spoke, "Advocate Roy! Where are you buddy, and why is there a police van outside your house? Is everything alright? Where are you?"

Just as he was done with his question, he finally saw the dead body lying on the sofa, and the policemen still standing there, along with a stunned Arjun. He acted too fast for anyone to stop him and explain the situation, and dashed towards the corpse, screaming and crying at the same time. "How? How it can be possible, I saw you just yesterday! What happened to him, somebody tell me please! Why isn't he saying anything!" He then recoiled in horror, as if just noticing the blood on the floor. With a gasp, he said, pointing, "And why- why is he covered in blood?!" 

The head inspector who was by the body looked him up and down, and then asked "Do you know this person?" 

"Yes, he was my friend. Sir, what...what happened to him?"

"Somebody shot him, just over twenty minutes ago. But how did you know him, and how long have you known this person?"

"Oh! I have known him for almost eleven years now, when he came to settle in this city. He was afraid of a very powerful family who had killed his son as well, and after that, he had been left with no choice but to run away for his life! Please don't tell me that they are behind his murder-"

Arjun was already full of anger to the brim, and when he heard the man blaming everything on his Messo's family again, he lost it. He glared at the newcomer, shouting, "Who are you to decide this?! In fact, your friend was a psychopath who needed medical help. How dare you go about slinging allegations like that?! "

"Mr.Arjun, control yourself. And you, mister, advocate Roy had already confessed everything about himself and his friend being involved in the crime, after which he had left his previous city of residence. Are you sure you didn't know him before he fled from there?"

"What...what crime?" He asked hesitantly, eyes wide in shock as if he had been confronted with this information about his friend's past for the first time.

"That I will elaborate, but you also have to come with us, as a witness."

"Sure, sure. I am a very civil person, and always follow the law. I will surely come for the testimony."

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