Chapter 4: Shadows of the Past
The Pradyuman household was quiet, bathed in the dim glow of the moonlight. The only sound came from the faint clatter of keys in Abhijeet's room. He sat at his desk, his laptop open, going over the details he had collected during the day. His mind was racing. The evidence he'd found pointed to something much bigger than just human trafficking—a sprawling network that connected to drug smuggling. Yet, his father had dismissed his theory outright at the bureau earlier that day.
As Abhijeet's fingers hovered over the keyboard, a sharp knock broke his concentration.
"Abhijeet, mere study mein aa,"came ACP Pradyuman's deep, commanding voice from the hallway.
Abhijeet sighed, closing his laptop. He knew this conversation wasn't going to be pleasant. Gathering the files and notes he had compiled, he trudged to the study
The Confrontation
Pradyuman was already in the study, standing near his desk with an imposing presence. His hands were clasped behind his back as he stared at a file. Without looking up, he gestured for Abhijeet to come in.
"Baitho,"he said curtly.
Abhijeet sat down, placing his files on the desk. He could sense the tension in the air.
Pradyuman flipped through one of the reports Abhijeet had submitted earlier. His expression was stern as he finally looked up. "Mujhe samajh nahi aa raha, tumhara focus trafficking ke case se hatt kar drugs par kyun shift ho gaya hai. Tumse kisne kaha ki tum apni theories banane lag jao?
Abhijeet straightened in his chair, his voice calm but firm."Papa, yeh koi random theory nahi hai. Yeh trafficking ka case surface-level par lagta hai, lekin jitna investigate kiya hai, mujhe lagta hai iske peeche drugs ka bada racket chhupa hua hai."
Pradyuman raised an eyebrow, his tone sharp. "Tumhe lagta hai? Evidence ke bina tumhari 'intuition' ki koi value nahi hoti, Abhijeet. Main tumhe pehle bhi keh chuka hoon, ek case solve karna sirf instincts ka kaam nahi hai. Tum ek CID officer ho, tumhara kaam facts pe focus karna hai."
Abhijeet's frustration bubbled to the surface. "Aur main wahi kar raha hoon, Papa! Yeh raha evidence jo maine collect kiya hai," he said, sliding the files toward him. "Container records, customs ki discrepancies, suspects ke connections—sab kuch yahan hai. Mujhe lagta hai ki agar hum iss angle ko ignore karenge, toh hum ek bada opportunity miss karenge."
Pradyuman glanced at the files briefly before slamming them shut. "Yeh sab theories hain, concrete proof nahi. Tumhara kaam hota hai woh lead follow karna jo tumhare senior officers tumhe dete hain. Case ko unnecessarily complicate mat karo!"
He grabbed the files and threw them on the desk in frustration, causing papers to scatter across the room. Abhijeet stood up, his temper flaring.
"Papa, mujhe lagta hai ki main galat nahi hoon. Main sirf ek baat keh raha hoon—mujhe ek baar believe karke dekh lijiye. Kya mujhe apne hi baap ko yeh kehna padega ki mujh par trust karein?"
The room fell silent. For the first time, Pradyuman didn't have a sharp retort. Abhijeet's words hung in the air like a weight.
Pradyuman's jaw tightened, his pride not allowing him to admit the truth that lingered in his heart: Abhijeet was right. His son's determination and instincts were exactly what made him a great officer. But his pride as a senior officer, and as a father, wouldn't let him show his concern.
Without saying another word, Pradyuman turned and walked out of the study, leaving Abhijeet standing alone amidst the scattered evidence.
Later that night, Pradyuman sat in his bedroom, unable to sleep. Abhijeet's words echoed in his mind: "Kya mujhe apne hi baap ko yeh kehna padega ki mujh par trust karein?"
He leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. Slowly, memories from years ago began to surface—memories he had buried deep within.
It was a sunny afternoon many years ago. Suganya, his wife, was bustling about the house, preparing for a family outing. Manoj, 18 at the time, was helping her load the car while little Abhijeet, just 8 years old, chased the ball in the driveway.
"Abhi, beta, ball lekar jaldi aao. Humein late ho raha hai," Suganya called, adjusting her sari.
Abhijeet came running, holding the ball in one hand "Mummy, kya hum park mein khel sakte hain?"
Suganya smiled, ruffling his hair. "Bilkul. Lekin pehle tumhare Papa se permission lo."
Pradyuman emerged from the house, locking the door behind him. "Kya permission lena hai?"he asked, looking at Abhijeet with a raised eyebrow.
"Papa, park mein football khelenge!"Abhijeet said eagerly, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
Pradyuman chuckled. "Theek hai, lekin Manoj bhaiya aur tu cheating nahi karege, samjhe?"
The family piled into the car, their laughter filling the air as they drove toward the park. Suganya teased Pradyuman about his driving habits.
Tum hamesha speed se chalte ho, Pradyuman. Thoda relax karna seekho, she said with a playful smirk.
Pradyuman shook his head, laughing.Mujhe speed se chalane ki aadat hai, Suganya. Zindagi rukne ka naam nahi, hamesha aage badhne ka naam hai.
The kids laughed at the banter, and Suganya shook her head, smiling warmly at her husband. But the joy of the moment was shattered in an instant.
A truck swerved suddenly into their lane, its headlights blinding.
"Pradyuman, sambhalo! Suganya shouted, clutching Abhijeet, who screamed in fear.
The car spun out of control, the sound of screeching tires and shattering glass deafening. When the chaos subsided, Pradyuman opened his eyes to find the car overturned. His head throbbed, and blood trickled down his face.
"Suganya!he cried, turning to find her slumped over, her sari stained with blood.
Manoj groaned from the backseat. Papa, Abhi theek hai… lekin… Mummy… His voice broke, unable to finish the sentence.
Pradyuman shook Suganya's shoulder desperately."Suganya, aankhein kholo! Tumhe kuch nahi hoga. Main yahan hoon! But her body was limp, her warmth gone.
The memory of that day, of losing Suganya in front of his eyes, had haunted Pradyuman ever since. From that moment on, he had buried his grief, choosing to focus entirely on his work. He raised his sons with discipline and distance, believing it was the only way to protect them.
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THE NEXT MORNING
Pradyuman jolted awake, his heart pounding. The faint light of dawn filtered through the curtains as he sat up in bed, sweat dripping down his forehead.
He stared at the family photo on his bedside table. Suganya smiled at him in the photo, holding a young Abhijeet in her lap, while Manoj stood beside her with a proud grin.
"Mujhse galti ho gayi, Suganya, he whispered, his voice trembling."Main unhe woh pyaar nahi de paaya jo tum deti thi. Main ek ACP ban gaya, lekin ek baap hona bhool gaya.
As the sun rose higher, casting its warm light into the room, Pradyuman resolved to face his sons differently. He couldn't undo the past, but perhaps he could still change the present
So that for today read and review about the chapter I'll try to update continuously