Lakshmi was running here and there, managing the kitchen and as well as even getting her kids ready at the same time.

Kids literally shut out their mother's loud screams from the kitchen screaming at them to get ready fast and also telling them where the dresses and other stuff have been put for the n'th time.

They knew that their mom is more stressed than them as they heard her talking on phone about some extra shift. They knew that their mother would have to leave early from the school programme.

As soon as everyone were ready, lakshmi nodded at them approvingly and fed them with their breakfast while Anu was handling the two little girls of the home.

Soon Anu and lakshmi left to change into fresh set of clothes from their normal ones.

Anu was given her own bigger room with a bed and all the furniture required for her....though she didn't want to accept this room, but Lakshmi forced her to take it because she knew that a lady of her age would require some privacy and comfort...

As soon as Anu entered her room, she was puzzled seeing a cover on her bed. She hasn't seen this before leaving her room. She removed the white plastic cover and looked at the yellow cloth through the transparent cover. She smiled seeing her favourite colour.

Though her di pretends to be an extreme miser while spending money....but she knows that she never cuts money from her's or children's needs, but she cuts it from her own self. She saves her portion of money and then spends it on everyone....

Even though she tried to help her financially many times, but her di didn't allow her....

Lakshmi came out of her room in her brown saree and black blouse while securing her braid with a black band. Her children as usual looked at her boringly. Lakshmi grimaced looking their scornful snickering faces.

" what? " she asked looking at her sons while her daughter was busy enough stuffing her mouth with another vada.

Rudra came and gave her a packet which she took and looked at them questioningly... She opened the cover and noticed that it was a saree...

A warmth feeling surged through her heart for milliseconds and the next second she was found questioning her sons seriously about the money.

She knew they would never take money from home then where did they get it from?

" we traded with our memes " said Utkarsh smiling at her trimupantly and keeping his head up and shoulders staright with proudness...

He had enough seeing his mother in those old sarees. That's when adavaya gave him this idea and all the brothers started making memes on a serious note to gain money . They have requested their maasi to help them with the cards and transaction and she accepted unwillingly because these devils pestered her too much....

Lakshmi gave them a lecture that they shouldn't be doing such stuff and even if they do earn money, they should save it for emergency purposes .

While she was entering her room, she had a small smile clutching the cover which didn't go unnoticed by her children who were happy seeing that their mom is happy....

Soon lakshmi came out in her saree and she made her kids take pics of her. Ofc it's her sons first earned money with which they bought a saree for her.... It's a beautiful memory she would want to cherish...

Soon there was a knock and Rahul entered inside as the door was open and kids pounced him. He smiled at them and saw Neelu coming with a glass full of water spilling all the way till him while trying to walk slowly... He took her in his arms and took the glass of water and gulped it quickly....

He loves these kids very much.

They have become a part of his life as they are his only sister's children..and also because he was the first one to hold those little bundles when they were born....

At that moment, he promised that he will be their shield....

Here our lakahmi is drilling screws in her daughter's brain because she never gave her mom a glass of water after a tired day returning back from hospital.

This is because Neelu loves her mamu too much...

Rahul saw lakshmi and smirked. He started making fun of lakshmi while the boys noticed this and started backing up their mom saying ' Neelu is immature brat '....

" why is everyone shouting? " said Anu while coming out of her room.

Rahul followed the voice and turned around . His world stopped for a second seeing Anu.

She was looking like a sunflower in a bright sunny day with a beautiful smile on her face which could attract 1000's of bees for her sweet nectar....

He couldn't get his eyes of her and Anu lowered her head looking at Rahul's intense gaze....

Lakshmi felt the dense atmosphere and looked at Rahul who is unable to move his eyes off Anu.... There was always a kind of tension between these both and lakshmi knew what it was....

She left it for them to come out on their own because it's their story to write and choices to make....

Not to forget that Rahul is a good man and who ever becomes his wife will live like a Real Queen.... She believed that Anu will be safe with him....

Lakshmi cleared her throat as she didn't want her children who are quarrelling to observe all this adult tension on the other side of the hall.

" Rahul , Anu....let's go " she said and started pushing out her bantering children until she noticed one more is missing...

" Anu where is noor " she asked looking around while Anu said that she didn't see noor after coming out of her room . Within no time, all the members in the home started searching for her and screaming out her name... Lakahmi was scared thinking 'what if she has got stuck in some corner or what if she went out of house....'

Lakshmi was about to step out of the house in a hurry and Neelu observed her mom all the while, while sitting on sofa and munching on another vada, with one leg on the other.

" noor! I fod (found) you (your) chocolate! " Neelu screamed and continued stuffing her mouth.....

Let the world destroy, but she ain't the one to stop eating....

Lakshmi turned towards Neelu and was about to turn away....but her eyes landed on head popping out of a cardboard box.

Rahul started laughing looking at noor's sleepy face and Anu was scolding Neelu that why she didn't do it before , while Neelu just had a smug face.

Lakshmi took Neelu out of the box snickering while Rahul was clicking her pictures.

Without saying another word, she went out of the home with Neelu on her hip, a briefcase and apron in her other hand.

Kids and adults followed her silently knowing that she is pissed off. They know that she is very punctual and very strict in certain cases. She dosen't take all jokes like jokes. She is a walking moody volcano for everyone....( maybe she turned out like this because she had to take up all the responsibilities... )

As soon as everyone sat in the 3 compartment personalised Audi car (which rahul had especially ordered it for the kids sake ) they started going towards the direction of school .

" sorry, I couldn't come yesterday....

Had an urgent meeting " Rahul said driving on the busy streets while looking in front.

" it's okay bhaiya ,

but you have missed their programme,

you should say sorry to them... " lakshmi said indicating him to look back. He Immdeiately apologized to the kids while closing off the deal with a fast food get together in the evening.

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It was already 6:00pm.

After dealing with the last patient ( by replacing one of her seniors who had to leave immediately for medical camp emergency ) lakshmi sighed and soon the nurse came in cleaned up her table.

Her shift was over and she took her leather briefcase in her right hand with apron hung loosely over her left hand. Few nurses, patients and staff greeted her while she responded them with a smile...

She was tired with this whole ordeal and soon her phone started ringing.

It was ' house owner aunty ' calling her and she picked it up while walking through the white corridors.

" hello lakshmi ,

A man and a woman came for you today in the noon....

They have asked for you but I didn't say them anything. They were persistent to meet you so I gave them the address of your hospital " Aunty said and lakshmi's stood stiff in her place while listening to aunty's description about the man and woman who came today. But as soon as aunty said that they have introduced themselves as Mr. and Mrs. Rajput, her breath stuck in her throat and her body became numb.

She quickened her pace and reached the reception, asked to book a cab or her which are lined up outside the hospital . They gave her a tag which grabbed immediately while nodding and ran out of the hospital .

While waiting near the toll for her cab to arrive, she covered herself with the saree end and dailed Anu's number .

After 2 rings, Anu picked up her phone....

" Anu are you with children? " lakshmi asked immediately and Anu said " no " .

" di , what's the matter?

Why are you tensed?

I'm in the mart for groceries " she said and lakshmi was getting more tensed by every passing second...and after listening to Anu, she was trembling internally....

Her children are now alone.

" Anu, go to home immediately! and lock all the doors and windows....

No no.... Take away kids long with you anyhow! Get out from there!

GO FAST!!! " lakshmi almost yelled in the phone and cut it off.

Anu was shivering on the otherside while listening to her sister rambling and screaming.... She left her cart and ran out of the mart as soon as she could, while shaking with fear.

She took an auto to reach home fast.

All the while she couldn't control her racing heart knowing that kids are in danger....

Every second,

sweat trickled down her forehead and she was heaving loudly by the time she reached the gates of her home. She stuffed a couple of notes in auto driver's hand and ran towards the house entrance.

As soon as she looked at the wide open door . Her heart started pounding loudly.

She didn't know what to do...

She was getting more scared thinking of consequences that are yet to come...

She started calling out their names but none of them responded...

She started checking out all the rooms, under the bed, in the kitchen, outside in the garden, but there was no trace of kids and husky was lying on the grass....she ran towards him and checked it he was breathing.... After making sure that he was put on sofa and covered his body with her trembling hands....

She went back inside her room and called her sister with her shivering hands and tears rolling down her face uncontrollably....

" d....di, ki....kids are not th...there. " she whispered trying to control her sobs while chocking on her own saliva....

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Lakshmi was already pulling out her hair and was tensed knowing that someone from the Rajput's family came for her. She couldn't believe how could they trace her out....

As soon as Anu called her and said that the kids are not at home....

The phone slipped from her hand and fell on her lap.

She looked out blankly into the streets through the window of the cab.

Her whole body is numb...

Her breathing slowed down rapidly though she wanted to take in more air.... As if a big load weighed on her heart....

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Driver looked at the doctor sahiba through mirror, who is tensed and she was about to faint. He stopped the car quickly aside and took a bottle of water from his carriage. He opened the side of her door and sprinkled few droplets on her face . He made her drink a few sips and asked if she was fine....

Lakshmi nodded and stepped out of the car while murmuring a small 'thank you' to him. She took in a deep breath and sat on the foot path of the dark alley illuminated by a single street light.

The driver let her sit so that she could get some fresh air.

Here lakshmi was numb.

Unable to move even a single fibre in her body....

' What should I do ?!

Now they have taken away my children....

How did they know about them?

How did they know about us...'

She tried to control her racing thoughts which are on a haywire.... She drank some more water and let it pass through her burning throat...

She didn't know for what all she was crying.... It's as if her whole life started playing infront of her eyes once again...

She felt her own existence as a painful joke. A joke for others and painful for her... She was a joke from the begging of this bond for others....

But for herself, she is a pain....

She is a painful pain for herself....

She looked into the dark alley on the corner of the street which was consumed by darkness....

A chilling cold darkness looming around her....

' so

Now that he has my children....

He wants me to come to him by myself....

Well played Arjun

Well played ' she thought while staring at the bottle in her hand and tears brimming in the corner of her eyes...

' this lakshmi can never be tamed ' she said to herself fisting her hand at the end of the saree . She sat in the car while asking the driver to drive quickly.

She dialed Rahul's number and he picked up in the first ring .

She asked him to wait at the junction which is 10 mins away from the home and leave his car there , she cut the call and dialed Anu's number and asked her to go to the junction as Rahul will be waiting there for her. She asked her to keep the back door open and cut the call.

She didn't want to include them both in her problems. Not to forget that Rahul was ones Arjun's close friend who left his best friend and helped lakshmi. Not that she dosen't care about Rahul, but she is doing this because he can be a help to her later on, because Arjun dosen't know about Rahul's involvement. Nor she wants him to know it anytime soon.

Even if he is found out, they wouldn't want to leave the main bait that is lakshmi and she knew this. So she didn't want to go with them and risk them.

Right now.

Her mind is screaming at her to run away and her heart is telling her to surrender.

In the battle of mind and heart,

Her heart lost

Due to fear embarked in it....

The sky was completely dark there were few dogs barking from afar.

Within 40 mins, she reached the back side of the house gaurded by a metal fence. She gave the driver money and he left. Through the broken fence , she entered the back yard and went inside home through the back door.

She leaned on to the kitchen wall and looked around, making sure that no one was inside....even though Anu said that she has searched for children and 'no one ' was there at home but she knew that she has to make sure that the coast was clean as the men must be waiting outside or hiding somewhere in the vicinity for her to show up.

She went into her room slowly and locked the door. After turning over the cupboard. She took out the weapons and changed into a set of plain black clothes which she used to wear on her mission.

She took the black duffle bag and stepped out of the room and then into the kitchen. As soon as she stepped out of the fences, she started running in the deserted alley.

She heard the sounds of footsteps following behind her and she knew she was caught. Without wasting another second , she pulled out a gun with inbuilt injectors filled with anesthetic filler and shot at them while taking a stance behind the pole.

4 of them who were running towards her immediately fell down and she this as a chance for her to slip off and started running towards the junction.

As soon as she spotted Rahul's black car near the junction she increased her pace . Few people on the street were throwing glances at her and few others were staring at her weirdly....

An old lady sitting in her tattered clothes saw a young lady running towards the car and searching for the keys.

Sometime back, a young man gave her keys and said to give it to a young lady who would come for the car. He gave her a stack of money for this.....

The old lady patted her back and lakshmi turned around . She placed keys in her hand and left .

Lakshmi sat inside and started driving the car aimlessly towards no where and where ever the road would take her.....

until she recieved a call.

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Some of you didn't like the FL that I have chosen. As I have said previously, they are chosen for their features and looks. Not the whole of their character.

So, here I present to you 2 versions of lakshmi who are almost smilar.