Chapter 5

Jaipur, India

Arjun looked blankly at his father and Mayabati’s face turned pale after seeing the situation. Rana Pratap was still in shock and looked with a horrible expression at the phone. He began to feel trepidation. Myra on the other side held the cell phone even after hearing a little thud sound. She might have understood the situation. Slowly Rana Pratap took the phone with his trembling fingers from the ground.

“What happened, papa? Tell me.” Arjun broke the trance of his father.

“Someone said over the phone that she is Myra, Myra Moretti. Daughter of Minerva Moretti.”

Rana Pratap understood in these all years this was the first time his voice got trembled. For anybody, it would be very hard to believe such a statement that he had just heard. He tried many times to reach Minerva in these 19 years, but his every try was in vain. After so many years suddenly if a girl just calls and informs that she is Myra Moretti then obviously it is not an easy thing to digest.

“Put the call on the speaker papa. We both want to hear.”

Hearing Arjun’s command Rana Pratap put the call on the speaker. He became a robot after hearing the stone-cold voice of that girl. She has the same icy aura and cold voice just like her mother Minerva. How could that be possible that her daughter became just the replica of her mother? Rana was still in a trance once he heard the second sentence from the other side.

“Hello, Is somebody still there?” Myra asked again after a long trail of silence.

“Y-yes,” Rana replied.

Before he could speak anything, Arjun took the chance to speak.

“Myra, right? Arjun here. Do you remember me?”

“Ah, Not exactly. May I talk to Mr. Rana Pratap Singh Solanki? I have a piece of news for him.”

For a second Rana felt a dagger had been put through his heart. His daughter was mentioning him as Mr. Rana Pratap Singh Solanki instead of dad. How cold her behavior had become. She was just three years old when she visited India. Rana knew that he had never taken the chance to introduce himself as her father in front of her. But does that mean that he could not even expect the word dad from his own daughter’s mouth? Maybe he should not expect after all he had done. Abandoning them, ignoring his responsibility, and many more. But he tried later to search for his Minerva and their daughter. It was too late maybe. Some decisions are so dangerous and once they are taken, there remains no point of return.

Arjun took the lead to speak, “Yes, Myra let me give the phone to papa.”

Rana took the phone and spoke with an almost choked voice.

“Myra, tell me. Are you real Myra Moretti? Minerva’s daughter?”

“Yes. If you do not believe my words, then I cannot help you with that. I called you just to deliver the last wish of my mother. Now it is complete on you whether you would like to believe it or not.”

Rana understood it was surely Myra. Only Minerva had such guts and confidence in her and she had successfully passed that into her daughter. Her daughter is the same as her, straightforward, stone-cold, and calm in every situation. Italian blood, how could he deny that? The blood of heritage, culture, education, revolution, and many more. Minerva was a gem. It was always hard for him to win any argument with her. He still didn’t know how fast those days had passed with her.

“Yes, Myra. We believe you.” Arjun spoke hurriedly while glaring at his father.

“So, the call is on speaker? Well, I expected a bit of privacy.”

“It’s ok, Myra if you want we can assure that,” Arjun replied in an apologetic tone.

“It’s ok. No issue. Mr. Solanki. I needed to inform you that my mom is no more. It was my mother’s last wish to inform you about her. I found your contact details from my mom’s letter which she kept for me. I believe you are supposed to know about her last days.”

There was a pin drop silence on both sides.

Myra pressed her lips so hard that in no time it would explode. Nobody would understand how painful it was to deliver the death news of her mother to her father who once abandoned them. She hated him. But she cannot hate her mother’s love for her partner who is her biological father. She could have cried over the phone by calling him dad and would have asked him to accept her as she was left alone after her mom’s death. But she did not do any of it. She mentioned him as Mr. Solanki instead of dad. It was nothing but putting a sharp knife into his heart. She mentioned her mom’s death in a flat note without a single whimper or sob. She held her tears and aching heart. She clenched her jaw, fisted her hand, and gulped down her saliva just to remain calm and composed.

Rana felt a pain in his chest. He fell to the ground on his knees. Arjun bent down to his level and Mayabati took the phone from his hand.

“Myra, beta, where are you right now. Myra listens to me. You may not remember me but dear please tell us where you are. Are you fine?”

Myra could hear anxiety as well as care. She truly doesn’t remember but yes, she has a blur vision of a woman whom she saw during her visit to India. The woman many a time used to come to her and give her different Indian foods. She used to braid her long hair also. She used to have golden brown hair which was quite uncommon in India. She did not understand whether that woman was talking or not.

“I am fine, but may I know with whom I am talking?” Things became complicated for her. She became confused. Why on earth in India, an entire group of people just hover over a phone call, she did not understand. Either people do not have their privacy, or they like to interfere in everyone’s matter, she thought. Little did she know that they were already discussing her and her mother when she just ringed.

“Myra, that’s my wife, Mayabati.” Rana spoke with utmost pain in his heart.

“Oh, nice to meet you, Mrs. Solanki. I would like to take your leave now.”

Myra was no more interested to continue the conversation. She felt like she was talking inside a call center where everyone was popping up with a new sentence.

“Myra, listen to me. What had happened to Minerva? Where do you stay right now? Tell me.” Rana was impatient.

“Mr. Solanki. I am supposed to inform you of only one thing and I did. Please do not ask furthermore questions about it. I believe you do not have any right to that. As per my whereabouts, I am from Sicily, Italy. Thank you, Mrs. Solanki, for your kind gesture. Thank you, Arjun. Bye.”

“Myra, Listen to me. Myra. Myra.” Rana shouted over the phone again and again but in the meantime, she had already disconnected the call.

“Now, do you believe that I have not done anything to Minerva and her daughter?” Rana spoke with rage in his eyes to Mayabati.

“What else is left to be done, Ranaji? Are you still blind? Did you understand that your daughter does not call you papa? Have you seen how cold she is? She doesn’t bother to tell you about her mother’s entire situation?”

Rana could not utter a single word. It was true. This was the first time in his life, his wife talked back to him. His son stood up against him. His illegitimate or legitimate daughter gave a damn about him. What was happening around he did not understand. He was broken inside for Minerva because he loved her a lot. Along with that, there were other stories too which he never told anyone. But when everything seemed correct, suddenly a wind of mischief took over. His own blood Ragini stood up against him and denied getting married in Shekhawat’s family. His dream of keeping alive the Legacy would be shattered with one childish decision of his daughter. On the other hand, another daughter Myra, the same strong stone-cold girl like Minerva just ignored his superiority.

“Is it an anticipation of some big cyclone?” Rana asked his subconscious mind. Minerva was a rebel and a fighter too. So is her daughter, too. Every word of Myra was sharply cleaned to pierce any heart. And today for the first time in his house people became rebels. His wife, his son. He could feel his grip getting loosened up over many a thing.

“Does Myra bring the rebel out of everyone?” Rana was mumbling inside his head. Minerva left India without bowing down her head and Rana never saw any woman so strong. He got a feeling that this girl Myra had just brought the first glimpse of the upcoming super cyclone. Many more are yet to come. He felt fear in his heart. Fear of change in this dynasty, a fear of seeing the change in the claimant of the TAKHT. Fear of losing Legacy or seeing the change in the ruler of Legacy. The first time Rana felt a cold shiver running down his spine. Myra Moretti aka Myra Singh Solanki. Name of a big typhoon that has enough power to change the game or the history of this Legacy and TAKHT. He felt that something is surely coming from Italy soon in India and unfortunately, he may have to bring that by himself. Either it would save his Legacy, or it would end it. But surely Myra’s one step inside this Royal mansion and the story would be written all over again differently. Myra, heiress of Royal Solanki. Along with the Royal blood, she is also the heiress of the Italian Moretti family and only Rana Pratap knows what does this heiress of the Moretti family means.

“Why Minerva, why? Why did you die so early? Why did you just make your Myra so much like you? She is nothing but an alternate name of Gale Storm” Rana kept on chanting in his mind.

He needed to take every step carefully, as Minerva was alive things were still under control. But now as she died Myra is alone. Before someone else takes the entire story on their hand to write he must do something. Myra still doesn’t know what is she capable of, and surely if Minerva was Rana’s mistake then Myra is nothing but Rana Pratap’s death note.

On the other hand, Myra disconnected the call and went towards the balcony. She doesn't like too much care of love. Maybe because she had seen the harsh reality. She didn't give any chance to her father to speak or to shower love or care. But why should she? He doesn't deserve to be called a dad. But that woman. She was nice. She got a small sneak peek of her memories with Arjun also. He might be that person who always wanted a doll-like sister like her. Myra was quite younger and she didn't know English properly. Most of the time she used to speak in Italian or with gestures only. Because nobody understood her Italian then. Myra sat on a chair on the balcony. She looked at the night sky and whispered.

"Mama, I kept your word. I informed him about you. But I couldn't call him dad. Sorry, mama."