There were many photographs that Nandlal had taken. We were all in his press, helping him develop the images. Karim looked a little nervous, however, and I slipped an arm around his shoulder, "Ghabrao nahi. Tum sahi kaam kar rahe ho... Aaj dopahar ko hum jaakar DSP Saab se baat karenge. Tumhare bina hum yeh kabhi nahi kar pate. Apna bhai jaise hi samajhna."

(Don't be scared. You're doing the right thing... This afternoon, we'll meet the DSP and discuss things with him. We wouldn't have been able to do this without you. Think of me as your brother.)

Those words did something to him, and I watched Karim's face light up in an embarrassed smile. He didn't realise it, but I'd need him the most when talking to the DSP.

After lunch, the four of us arrived at Chandramohan's office. The man was stunned when we submitted the photographs, and I explained the situation in a way that convinced him that Gulzar Sultan was a fraud who had been caught red-handed.

"Aur aap unke bete hain?" DSP Chandramohan frowned at Karim.

(And you're his son?)

"Ji, saab. Humare Pita Ji bahut saalo se aise kaam karte aa rahe hai... Par aaj jaakar unke khilaaf jaane ki himmat mili," Karim replied and glanced at me with a smile. I loved the kid and his naivety.

(Yes, sir. My father has been doing these kinds of things for a very long time now... But only today did I find the courage to go against him.)

"Theek hai... Sabse pehle bayaan liye jaayenge. Peedit aur tasveer lene waale dono ke chahiye. Is mamle ki jaanch main khud dekh raha hoon. Agar ilzaam sach nikle, toh chhaapa zaroor padega."

(Alright then... We'll begin by recording the statements. I want statements from both the victim and the photographer. I'll be handling this investigation personally. If the allegations are found to be true, a raid will be conducted without delay.)

It was working.

Everything was going to be over soon, and I'd get to go home. 

I'd finally get to hold Sanjana and my kids.

We gave our statements, and the DSP took me with him to meet Hemchand as well. The poor man was bedridden as he had broken a shoulder bone. His wife and children began weeping as soon as they saw us and begged Chandramohan to save them from this circle of debt, otherwise Gulzar Sultan would truly murder them all.

Hemchand also screamed and yelled at me, but I abandoned all my pride at that moment and sat beside him to apologise. I told him softly that I had been working on exposing the Sarpanch, and I was compelled to lie because of that. But I had never expected Sultan Ji to brutally assault Hemchand like this. I apologized to him from the bottom of my heart.

I saw a kind of urgency in Chandramohan as he took out a cigarette as soon as we left Hemchand's house. I lit it for him with a smile, "Aapko ab saboot mil gaya?"

(You got your proof now?)

He eyed me carefully for a while, "Yeh batao... Ek sadharan machhuara itna chalak kaise ban sakta hai? Tumne itne saare logon ko ullu banaye hai... Sab apni faida ke liye-"

(Tell me this... How can an ordinary fisherman be this sly? You've tricked all these people... Everything for your benefit-)

"Aisa mat kahiye, Saab..." I chuckled, "Samaaj ki faida ke liye. Sab khatam hone ke baad mai sirf apna ghar wapas lautna chahta hu."

(Don't say that, sir... It's for the well-being of everyone. I just want to go home after everything is over.)

He took long puffs of his cigarette while quietly staring at the evening sky.

"Gulzar Sultan ka raaj ab khatam hone wala hai... aur yeh sab aapki wajah se, saab. Aap bohoton ki nazron mein jan naayak ban jaayenge!"

(Gulzar Sultan's reign is coming to an end... And it's all because of you, sir. You're going to be the hero in the eyes of a lot of people!)

The man glanced at me, a small smile playing on his lips. My formula had worked once again.

Even though the DSP, Yusuf, Nandlal, Sanjana, and everyone else thought that I was quite skilled at manipulating people, the formula behind it was quite easy. A poor man would fall for money, and an unloved man would fall for love. People were the same regardless of gender or color. It was easy to hypnotize them, as long as we were aware of how life had been cruel towards them.

In the case of Yusuf, he joined forces with me when I offered him a lump sum of money. Meanwhile, Karim hated his father because the man barely let him experience familial love. That was the very reason I had referred to him as my younger brother. I had restored his sense of belonging.

And finally, DSP Chandramohan was an honest man. But there wasn't really a place for honesty or heroism when corruption was involved. As long as I gave him the validation he craved, he'd continue helping me indirectly.

By late evening, the DSP had officially gone to collect statements of Gulzar Sultan and his family members. A few police officers were stationed outside the haveli as well, and the truth behind the pictures was revealed, framing Karim as the insider who had sold his father away.

He owned everything and was even proud of it, but he didn't reveal that I was behind it all. I still hadn't taught a lesson to the man who deserved it the most: Baldev. Only after that could I reveal my true self.

Karim stayed at a friend's home that night, as his life was already in danger, and I couldn't stay at the haveli either because Gulzar didn't want the police to investigate his precious source of free money. Baldev was with me, and I wondered where he was driving us to.

"Us ladke ne khud baap ko bech diya!" He gritted his teeth and squeezed the wheel even tighter.

(That boy sold his own father!)

"Hmm..." I lit a cigarette, "Jo paise maine diye the, unka kya hua?"

(Hmm... What about the money I gave?)

"Malik unhe ghar ke bahar nahi le jaa sakte. Sab jagah police hai, aur kal subah hi haveli ki talashi li jayegi... Malik ne bola tha ki unhone sabhi paise ek surakshit jagah par chupayi hai. Police kabhi pakad nahi payegi... Par phir bhi woh tasveer..." He ran a hand through his hair in frustration, "Kaash woh camera wala haath mei mil jaata!"

(Boss can't take it out of the house. The police is everywhere, and tomorrow morning they'll search the haveli. The boss told me that he's kept all the money in a safe place in his home. The police will never be able to find it... But that picture... Only if I could catch that cameraman!)

I almost smiled to myself. He'd be meeting Nandlal soon anyway.

"Hum kaha jaa rahe hai?"

(Where are we going by the way?)

"Yahi paas mei ek kotha hai..." He muttered irritably, "Raat ko wahi rehte hai. Thoda chein bhi milega."

(There's a brothel nearby... We can stay there for tonight. It will help us relax too.)

I chuckled, "Police kal tumhari bhi talashi karenge, Baldev. Aaj raat kotha jaana samajhdar nahi hoga... soch raha hun, tumhare yahan hi thehar jaun. Tumhari biwi ka khaana waise bhi laajawaab hota hai."

(The police will investigate you in the morning as well, Baldev. It won't be wise to go to a brothel tonight... I was thinking I'd stay at your place tonight. Your wife's cooking is quite fabulous.)

He glanced at me once before sighing, "Theek hai... Aap sahi keh rahe hai."

(Alright... You're not wrong.)

Baldev swerved the car towards his final surprise waiting at home. In fact, I doubted if anyone would be waiting. Nandlal and Komal must have packed everything and left already.

"Ab raat ko jaakar us aurat ki bhi shakal dekhni padegi..." He muttered to himself.

(I'll have to bear that woman's face tonight now...)

"Ah... Pati patni ke beech ladai ho gayi?" I chuckled.

(Ah... Was there an argument between you two?)

He was only getting angrier now, "Woh aurat... Zaroor kuch chupa rahi hai. Use milne koi aata rehta hai... Maine dekha tha Ruhi ke naye khilone. Bahut baar poocha dono se kaun hai..."

(That woman... She's definitely hiding something from me. Somebody keeps coming to meet her... I saw Ruhi's new toys. I tried asking them so many times...)

"Maar khilake poocha?" I asked quietly.

(Through violence?)

He glared at me next, "Ek aadmi pyaar se kitni baar puch sakta hai phir? Us bachhi ko bhi apne vash mei kar diya hai. Meri beti bhi ab mujhse baat nahi karti."

(How many times can I ask softly? She's turned the child against me as well. My daughter doesn't even talk to me anymore.)

I smiled at him, "Chinta mat karo... Tum apni beti se bahut pyaar karte ho na? Sab theek ho jayega. Shaadi mei aisa hota rehta hai."

(Don't worry... You really love your little girl, don't you? Everything will be find. Things like this happen often in a marriage.)

He was quiet for a while. Baldev's eyes softened a little when I mentioned Ruhi. "Haan..." He muttered, as if he was reassuring himself.

(Yes...)

But the moment we reached his home, I saw Nandlal's bike outside. Baldev was in for a treat. I glanced at him and saw that his eyes were red with rage as he stormed into the house. I followed him quietly.

"Komal! Kiski gaadi hai bahar?!" He yelled.

(Komal! Who's bike is it outside?!)

Little Ruhi was playing with her dolls in the living room. She flinched at Baldev's loud voice and winced in pain when he grabbed her arm, "Tumhari Maa kaha hai?! Agar maar nahi khaana hai toh jaldi bolo!"

(Where the hell is your mother?! Tell me the truth if you don't want to be slapped!)

Ruhi began weeping immediately as she mumbled two words, "B-Baba... Dard ho raha hai... M-Maa... Maa!"

(B-Baba... It hurts... M-Maa... Maaa!)

"Bache ko chod do, kamre mei hogi shayad," I replied. He shot me a glare before grabbing his daughter's doll and throwing it straight out of the window. She cried even more as he went to bang on the bedroom door.

(Leave the child. She'll be in her room maybe.)

"Shh... Ro mat, beta," I lifted the child into my arms and went out to the verandah with her. "Mai aapki madad karunga, khilona dhoondhne mei... Chalo, aapko dikh rahi hai?" I asked, pointing at the garden.

(Shh... Don't cry my dear. I'll help you find your doll... Can you see it anywhere?)

She sniffed and whimpered, looking around. Even I walked around to find her doll, but a part of me was worried for Nandlal. Would he really get cocky enough to get intimate with Komal in her husband's house? I didn't think so. Maybe they were just talking. But whatever it was, I felt quite satisfied to see Baldev loose him mind. It was a pity that he hurt the child though.

There was screaming and shouting from inside the house, and Ruhi hugged me tighter, "Maa... Maa ke paas jaana hai..."

(Maa... I want to go near my Maa...)

"Thodi der baad aapko Maa ke paas le jaunga."

(I'll take you to your mother in a bit.)

"Maa ne bola ki... Woh mere asli Baba nahi hai... Mere asli Baba toh andar hai..." She sniffed.

(Maa told me... He's not my real Father... My real Father is inside...)

"Haan," I caressed her hair, "Sabhi andar hai. Aapke asli Baba aapse bahut pyaar karte hai... Woh aapko yaha se bahut dur leke jaenge, aur bahut naye naye khilone bhi dilwayenge."

(Yes. Everyone is inside. Your real Father loves you so much... He'll take you far away from here and buy so many toys for you.)

She looked at me at that time with tear-streaked cheeks, "Maa bhi aayegi...?"

(Maa can come too?)

"Haan beta," I wiped her face, "Maa bhi zaroori aayegi. Aur aapke asli Baba mere khaas dost hai, aap chahe toh Maa aur unhe lekar mere ghar aa jao. Waha theen chote chote bache hai, aaoke jaise," I smiled.

(Of course, dear. Your Mother will definitely be there as well. Your Father is a close friend of mine. If you'd like, you can come to my home with your Mother and him. There are three little kids there, just like you.)

"Kitne chote?" She calmed down a little more and lay her head on my shoulder, making me smile.

(How small?)

"Ek toh nau saal ka hai, Saarang. Do aur hai, theen saal ke... Judwa bache hai, Janaki aur Raghav. Aap unse milna chahoge?"

(One is nine years old, Saarang. The other two are three-year-old twins... Janaki and Raghav. Would you like to meet them?)

Ruhi's eyes twinkled suddenly, "T-tab toh... Tab toh bahut chote hai! Woh kya khelte hai? Unke paas bhi gudiya hai?"

(Th-then they must be... So small! What do they play? Do they have dolls too?)

I hummed, "Bahut se gudiya hai. Aap unke saath hamesha khel sakte hai."

(A lot of dolls. You can play with them forever.)

We found her doll soon after, and I brushed off all the dirt before letting her hug it. By the time I took her back inside carefully, the screams had quietened down.

Baldev was panting as he sat on the floor with a bleeding nose. His eyes were red with tears, and his jaw was bruised, too. Meanwhile, Nandlal was on a chair, Komal right beside him, weeping softly as she dabbed the wounds on his face with her pallu. He was definitely more bruised up than the former.

"T-toh tumne phaisla le liya... Is randwe ke saath jaa rahi ho... Par Ruhi ko nahi dunga-" Baldev suddenly reached towards me and grabbed Ruhi's arm, pulling her towards him, "Baba ke saath rahegi, hai na?" He tried smiling and cupped the child's face with his bloody hands.

(S-so you've made your decision... You're leaving with this man whore... But I'll not give up Ruhi- You'll stay with Baba right?)

"Ruhi...! Ruhi beta, idhar aao!" Komal wept. Even the child tried running towards her, Baldev didn't allow it.

(Ruhi...! Ruhi my dear, come here!)

"Maa...! Maa...!" She began crying again.

Komal snapped, and yelled at Baldev, exactly what I had been anticipating for such a long time. I was lucky enough to witness it.

"Aapki beti nahi hai! Inki beti hai! Woh aap jaise kutte ki beti nahi ho sakti. Ruhi ka janamdin Margashirsha mei hui hai... Magh mei nahi," Komal clenched her fists. Even Nandlal never thought she'd yell something like that in Baldev's face.

(She's not your daughter! She can never be the daughter of a dog like yourself. Ruhi was born in December, not February...)

His grip around the child loosened. I saw his eyes widen in utter disbelief as Ruhi ran towards Nandlal and Komal.

"Baba!" She cried, and Nandlal hugged her in his arms.

The look on Baldev's face was that of a man who had lost everything. Gulzar Sultan would be rotting away in jail soon, and Baldev couldn't use his name anymore. He thought he was the king of the world, abandoning his wife for other women, but now she had abandoned him for another man.

And the biggest blow of his life was raising a child and later finding out that she was never his. The same child who used to call him Father not long ago now calls someone else that.

I smiled.