For me, Taya Ji had always stood like a shield, strong and protective. But Rani was utterly helpless and alone. No one had ever become her armour; no one had shielded her from the world.
I had always thought of myself as unfortunate, but Rani was even more unlucky than I was. She lived with her mother, yet she had no real bond with her: no closeness, no warmth.
The woman who had given birth to us, driven by her own selfishness, stole from both her children not just their family, but their childhood itself.I had never wanted to speak of this painful chapter in my life, least of all to narrate it with my own mouth. But seeing my sister trapped in trouble, I had no choice. I was forced to reveal everything.
I had something to prove. I needed to become someone who could fight for justice especially for my innocent father.
Perhaps that was why, even as a child, I dreamed of growing up to be a criminal lawyer. When the injustice happened to my father, I was too young to find the right words. All I had left was silence and the quiet strength to endure.
But on that very day, I made a solemn promise to myself: I would become a successful lawyer and spend my life standing up for the innocent. Over the years, I poured myself into that mission far more than I ever did into making money. My work became my purpose.That is why some people say I am obsessed with my work, almost mad in my dedication.
From the very beginning, Suyash was always at the top of his class. For him, books were never just textbooks or a syllabus—they were the most trustworthy path to a better future.
While other children spent their school days simply passing time, Suyash would lose himself in his books until he had mastered every page.
By the time he finished his graduation, he had already set his course toward law. After earning his degree, he made a firm decision to study law—a path that demanded relentless hard work, discipline, and patience.Through sheer determination and effort, he earned a place at the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru—one of the country's most prestigious law institutions.
Law studies were not easy. There were heavy books, complex case laws, and the constant pressure to prove himself every single day. Yet, with courage and resolve, Suyash stepped into the world of his dreams.
He remained the same—hardworking, focused, and deeply honest toward his goals.
Whether it was moot court, classroom discussions, semester exams, or presentations, Suyash excelled on every front. He did not merely pass; he carved out his own place.
People often said, "Suyash has always been brilliant in studies." But very few knew how many nights of sleep he had sacrificed to reach there.
His story took another important turn when he spent two difficult yet valuable years working with a renowned criminal lawyer in Mumbai. There, his hard work gave direction to his talent, and his education brought him closer to his dreams than ever before.
In the end, however, he chose to return to his own city and join Sinha Sahab. There was a quiet sense of peace in his heart, for he was now fighting legal battles for the poor and the innocent—the very purpose he had always longed for.
Suyash had worked in Mumbai for two years, but his heart never settled there. He returned to his own city, where he began helping poor and innocent people fight for justice. He earned less than he did in Mumbai, yet he found a deep sense of peace; peace that came from serving the people of his own town and from staying close to his Baba.
He wanted to take good care of his father. To him, Baba had always been a superhero. Though completely innocent, Baba had lived a life of suffering like a criminal. The pain of separation from Rani tormented him day and night. He received news of Suyash through Taya ji, but no word ever came about Rani. The grief of being away from his children slowly ate away at him from within.
After a few months of investigation, Baba was proven innocent. Yet he did not return home. The bridge he had been falsely accused of building collapsed soon after its completion, before it could be inaugurated.
Baba believed in the justice of nature, and the real culprits were eventually punished. But he chose to dedicate the rest of his life to the welfare of prisoners. With the permission of the jail administration, he had been quietly serving them for many years, considering the prison his true field of work.
Suyash spoke with great pride, "My Baba is a noble and honest man. He has become a selfless servant, working for the betterment of helpless prisoners."
When Rani's whereabouts remained unknown, Baba turned his face away from the outside world. "What will I do if I come out?" he would say. "My entire world has been stolen from me.
My children became orphans even while I was alive, living under others' care. I could not protect my little flower-like daughter from this cruel world." He would often break down in tears. He had loved Rani deeply; being separated from her made him detached from the world itself.
"How easily people destroy their own happy families," Suyash would reflect. "My mother ruined all our lives for a few moments of selfish pleasure."A deep wound had formed in his heart. He had given up all thoughts of love, marriage, or emotional bonds with anyone. His only remaining hope was that Baba would one day agree to live with him, but even that hope was slowly fading.
Baba would gently say, "I can no longer live in the worldly way, my son. I find peace here, listening to the sorrows of the prisoners and trying to comfort them."
There was deep respect and pride in Suyash's eyes as he spoke of his father. "My Baba is giving this society everything that poor and helpless prisoners never receive. On his advice, I have fought many cases and secured honourable acquittals for several innocent people. It gives me great joy to know that I am able to be of some help to him."
Suyash, being older, could understand his father's pain. He had witnessed his mother's changing ways at home. He had witnessed his mother's changing ways at home. Rani was only about two years old at the time, so she had no memory of Baba's face."
People's relentless taunts about my mother left me constantly cursing myself for being her son. I never even realized when the love I had for her slowly gave way to hatred.
© Copyright Pushpa Chaturvedi.
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