Chapter 5 Chap - 5

None of the ladies including me could turn our heads away from the woman walking down the stairs. She wore black heels, black knee length, her wavy hair let loose and had a simple black bead earrings. It was the exact attire I used to wear every single day before this chaos happened.

As this woman came near me my eyes welled up in tears. "Aarushi?" I ran towards her and hugged her tight. My tears were now unstoppable. "At least you are alive. I am so happy to see you, Aarushi. I thought you were dead ... like everyone." I could not bear the fact of losing her.

Surprisingly, she pushed me and I fell down to the ground. Her feet were to my eye level and it took a second to balance myself. She did not spare even a glance towards me and spoke with Amolika.

"My queen, what's all this drama?" Aarushi questioned Amolika.

Amolika pointed, "Meet them dear, all of these women are pretending to be you, Aadhya Reddy."

Aarushi laughed out loud and wiped the corner of her eyes in a dramatic way, "Pretending to be princess of Menon Empire is more than a dream for people like them and how dare them to walk in with my identity. My queen I request you to bury them alive for misusing my identity."

What is happening here? Why is Aarushi pretending as me? And why isn't she not recognizing me?

"Aarushi, why are you doing this, tell them I am the real Aadhya. You are the only person alive who can help me." I pleaded again.

She shook her head and moved a few inches away from me as if I am dirty and should not touch her. "You are wearing a servant's uniform and you expect everyone to believe your story? Do you have any proof of your identity?"

I removed everything on me the day I was trying to run away from my home. I was dressed as a servant with the help of Aarushi and she clearly know it but why is she questioning my identity. We have been together for more than 20 years of my life as friends. She knows about me more than I know about myself. Did she get hurt during the murder and forgot me? Or is she trying to be safe inside Menon mansion using my identity?

This hurt me so bad and I tried to gulp down my emotions but it didn't work. While all the women around me are trying to prove their identity through challenges I sat here crying silently. Aarushi and Amolika are arguing about burying us alive and the guards pushed the women back who tried to escape or fight them.

"In a mafia family, as soon as the heir turns 18 it is celebrated like a big festival," I started and everyone around me halted and keenly listened to me. "All your family, assigned friends, and close allies witness the ceremony depending upon the mafia clan's strength. At that time, we are supposed to swear marking our entry into the family officially."

I stood up and did not care about the tears on my cheeks and showed my palm to Amolika and Aarushi. "The head of the Reddy Mafia, my father, slit my palm with the family heirloom. This cut is my proof that I am the heir of Reddy Mafia, the real Aadhya Reddy. I swore it with my blood."

Amolika softened a bit and questioned Aarushi to show her palm as well. For a second Aarushi was shook with my attempt to prove my identity but immediately gained her composure. She forwarded her arm and showed the cut as well. It was an exact copy from my palm. I thought she cut it now but it wasn't fresh it was as old as mine. But how is that possible? Only the legal heirs gets to swear on the ceremony not others and not the servants.

This is possible only if Aarushi was planning this from a very long time, even before the fiasco. Why her? She was my only friend and now she turned out to be my enemy.

"Even I swore on my 18th birthday." The woman in Christian Bridal attire said showing her palm with the cut breaking my thoughts and increasing my blood pressure.

Within few seconds all the women came forward with their palms extended and proving their identity. Every single women present here had a cut on their palm. Okay, now everyone is Aadhya Reddy, officially.

Amolika looked at me for an explanation and I shrugged. "Look girl, all I..." I was interrupted by Aarushi and Amolika, "its queen or queen mother. Not girl. Stop using filthy language."

Seriously? This is how Aarushi and I spoke every single day and now she speaks so classy. I rolled my eyes even though they are filled with tears. "Okay, kweeeen!"

"How did your parents die?" I questioned Aarushi.

"I am not answerable to you." She faced away from me but Amolika urged her to speak to find out the truth. "They were dead in an earthquake. The building collapsed while I am the sole survivor of Reddy Mafia."

So this where the origin of Reddy mafia and earthquake started and these women were just sequels to this story. "Then who brought you here? As far as I know papa never mentioned about Menon family."

She scoffed. "On my swearing ceremony, The King of Menon Empire, Late Mr. Srikanth Menon was a chief guest. My father discussed about my marriage with The Boss and had an agreement that I will be married to his son when I turn 25. So, now that my family is dead I am here as would be wife of the present Boss of the Menon Empire."

See, she knows me better than I do. With this even I am convinced she is the real Aadhya Reddy and I am an imposter. Even if I break my skull I won't know what's happening in my life.

"She has more information than me so I give up. All I can say is I am real Aadhya Reddy. So, queen can you give me some hints to prove my identity. Something your husband told you about me, like I can eat anything without knowing the name of the food?" I questioned hopefully and Aarushi stood between us shielding Amolika from me.

"It is so difficult to believe that you are Aadhya Reddy. So stop trying and look at yourself. You stink like a servant living in some outhouse."

Ouch! Aarushi is being too harsh.

"If it is so difficult than call me Aadhii or Aadhu, okay?" I said and stood to her eye level.

Amolika pushed us both apart and held her head, "What's happening here! It's all confusing and Mr. Menon is also not at home at the right time. How can we solve this problem?"

The bulky guy from earlier came and whispered something to Amolika's maid. She hurriedly came to Amolika and informed the same. "It's a good news. Mr. Menon is arriving within few hours. His flight from New York has preponed and he is on the way."

Amolika had a bright smile hearing her son is back but immediately turned serious and looked at us, "You all still have another chance. Escape now or stay forever in hell."

"You think you can scare us, I am staying here and marrying Mr. Menon." One woman said.

Another woman yelled after her, "Exactly, let Mr. Menon come here chose the real princess. Until then we are not leaving.

Before anyone could speak further I came forward, "Queen, I have nothing to lose or gain by staying here. I will disappear in a second and never come back if you promise me something."

"What do you want?" Amolika questioned.

Aarushi once again stood between us, "My queen, please don't hear her blabber. She will try to manipulate you into believing her fake stories." Aarushi looked tensed for the first time, and surprisingly I am liking it.

"Don't worry Aarushi, you were always my wise friend. I don't want to destroy your fairytale." I assured her and she kept arguing that her name is not Aarushi blah-blah.

"Queen, all my life I was inside the Reddy mansion like any women of the mafia and never had a chance to explore the world. Now that my identity is stolen I have nothing to worry about, I can walk around like a normal woman in this beautiful world. A world where there won't be any killings, a place where I can roam freely at night. My freedom." I paused.

"For that, I need 50 million cash, unlimited supply of food, unrestricted travel entry and at least three assigned friends." I continued and Aarushi opened her mouth wide.

"Are you crazy? Why would we give you such things? Do you even know how much is 50 million? My queen let me tell you something, she has lost her mind. Just bury her before Mr. Menon arrives." Aarushi is seriously going red on me.

Surprisingly Amolika had different questions. "Who told you that the world outside is safer than the Mafia and you are safe even at night?"

A thin layer of water formed in my eyes and Aarushi was visibly uncomfortable. "My friend, who I look up to introduced me to such world. If not for her, I would have not known of something beautiful existed. She told me fairytales are real."

"Then I would say, that is a wrong friend." I was surprised with Amolika's words. "Such world exists only in fairytales. Real world is not so much different than the mafia world. It is a dog-eat-dog world. I don't think you have even crossed the gates of your home, ever."

Trusting the wrong friend, that's what I learnt today. Did Aarushi ever say a truth to me? Did I live in a bubble till now?

"What can I do, Queen. I have no one to rely on in this world. The best I can do is create my own identity and a memory to live again." Maybe I can be a doctor or lawyer out of the Mafia world.

"Tell me one reason, why we must pay you 50 million." Aarushi questioned still stuck with that question.

All the emotions dried up in me and I brought all the strength in me from the food I ate and slapped her. She held her cheek in shock and I raised my eyebrow. "Aadhya 1 and Aarushi 0"

She screamed and hit me back. Within few seconds we were running around the huge yard next to the tent chasing each other and pulling the hair. The guards tried to aim the guns at us to stop the fight but they were distracted when the remaining women began fighting with each other. This scene looked as if everyone's fists are glued into their enemy's hair.

I eyed the brooch Aarushi was sporting on the dress she was wearing. This brooch was my family's heirloom. It came from generations to generations and she had the guts to steal it. I pulled it from her and dress being expensive made a tiny hole. But the uniform I was wearing was made of cheap material and it tore from various places.

Aarushi tried to snatch the brooch from me again but I held it back successfully preventing her from touching it. But I stumbled on my feet and was about to fall on the hard surface but I was held in between in the air. Did Aarushi finally became my friend? She saved me?

I opened my eyes to see Aarushi burning with rage standing afar and that's when I noticed some strong pair of hands were holding me from falling down. I looked above to see worried eyes staring at me. He had crisp, clean white coat contrast to the mafia's regular black attire. The white nearly blinded my eyes, it was that stainless.

The bulky guy march forwarded and saluted, "Mr. Menon, we are happy to have you back."

I widened my eyes with realization. He is Mr. Menon and I am in his arms way ahead of all these women.