"My f-father?" Sreesha stuttered.

"Yes" Jayanth said firmly.

"w-why?" her voice was a mere whisper.

"We can talk about this some other time, Sree. You are so pale and not......." Karthik started to say but she showed her hand to stop him. She knew he was trying to save her from grave details and to delay the inevitable. But she has the right to know who she really was and why she had been living in the web of lies until now.

"I want to know the truth, Karthik" her voice is steady, void of emotions.

So Jayanth started.

"The Thakurs are one of the most powerful families is the...