Malice Aforethought. Chapter-2

Chapter 2.

Sathya’s Foster Father

Scene from the past

Along with several other orphaned children, Umeed Foundation became home to Savitri Bhonsle and Sathya Bhonsle after the sudden death of their father. The decision to send them there was taken unanimously by the village sarpanch and the elders—what was considered best for the children.

Their mother had passed away during childbirth, right after delivering Sathya. From that moment on, their father held a deep resentment toward the boy, blaming him for the death of his wife. He never once picked Sathya up in his arms. It was Savitri, then just a child herself and seven years older than her baby brother, who became Sathya’s everything. His mother, his caregiver, his home.

At the ashram, the two were inseparable. Even for simple things—like using the bathroom—one waited for the other outside. Despite the modest means and limited resources, life at Umeed Foundation was peaceful. The caretakers were kind. Among them, one stood out: Asha Madam, the leader of the team and a soft, motherly figure. She reminded Savitri of their own mother, and naturally became her favorite.

On Independence Day, a grand celebration was organized at the ashram to honor their Managing Trustee, ‘Bade Sahab’—Ashok Kapadia. The courtyard echoed with children’s performances—Savitri took part in a Kathak recital with a group of girls, while Sathya joined the choir singing "Apni Azadi ko hum hargeez mita sakte nahi."

While performing, Sathya noticed a well-dressed man seated in the front row, flanked by two young boys who seemed just a few years older than Savitri. He later learned that one was Rishi, the son of Ashok Kapadia, and the other his cousin Vijay.

A few months later, Asha Madam shared news that altered the course of their lives. Ashok Kapadia had expressed interest in becoming Sathya’s foster father. It meant that Sathya would live with him, be raised as part of his family—but not be adopted legally.

To this day, Sathya believed that was the moment everything changed… and not for the better.

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Present Scene

It was late evening when Sathya returned home from the hospital.

After a long hot shower, wrapped in a white bathrobe, he walked into the living room of his elegant Worli duplex. He settled into the recliner positioned by the French windows, gazing out at the calm sea face. The rhythmic waves shimmered under streetlights as he slowly sipped a cappuccino, the warmth of the mug grounding him in an otherwise drifting moment.

At 29, standing tall at six feet, with an impressive track record in one of the country’s top law firms, Sathya had carved his place in the world. A commercial law expert, unmarried, and quietly handsome, he was admired by many—neighbors, colleagues, and acquaintances alike.

As he took the final sip of his coffee, Sanju-kaka, his elderly house helper, approached.

“Beta, your phone is ringing non-stop in your room. Should I bring it here for you?”

Sathya handed over the empty mug. “I’ll go change into my pajamas, Kaka. I’ll check it then. Thank you.”

Once in his familiar black Nike pajamas and grey T-shirt, he walked over to his phone and unplugged it from the charger.

Six missed calls—most from colleagues and one from Inspector Sinha.

Just then, Sanju-kaka entered the room, walking slowly, the way elders do with a lifetime behind them. He was placing the nightly jug of water and glass on Sathya’s side table. Pausing, he noticed Sathya sitting on the edge of the bed, his face buried in his palms.

Something was wrong.

“Are you alright, beta?” he asked gently.

Sathya looked up. His eyes were puffy, red-rimmed with grief. He reached out and hugged the old man tightly.

“Kaka, I don’t know how to live life without my brother, Rishi. First Savitridi… and now Rishi. I feel cursed. I wasn’t even there for their last rites… for either of them.”

Sanju-kaka’s heart ached. He had been with the Kapadias since the day Rishi was born. When Sathya had purchased this place, it was Mr. Ashok Kapadia and Rishi who insisted he keep Sanju-kaka as his household help—“He’ll take care of the house like his own,” they had said.

“Life and death are never in our hands, beta,” Sanju-kaka whispered, tears forming in his eyes too. “When it should be me, an old man, being taken by the Almighty… instead, it was Rishi-baba.”

He wiped his eyes and added, “You have to stay strong now… for Bade Saheb. He has no one else in this world but you.”

Rishi was cremated three days after his death. Sathya had been unconscious and critical for nearly 48 hours after the poisoning. It wasn’t clear whether he would make it, and waiting too long was risky. After the post-mortem, Ashok Kapadia made the painful decision to proceed with his son’s final rites without Sathya.

The silence in the room was broken again by Sathya’s phone ringing. It was Inspector Sinha.

“Yes, Inspector... Sure... I’ll be there at the Kapadia house tomorrow morning. Thank you.”

Sathya hung up, a storm brewing quietly inside him.

To be continued...