Page 133 of Reckless Dare

“We have to do something, Neela. It feels like all the mess is because of me.”

“Vaishu, don’t think about it that way. How can you be responsible for what happened?”

Vaishnavi shook her head. “I have a bad feeling. Before anything else happens, I need to clear the conflicts between my brothers and their friends.”

Knowing how soft-hearted her best friend was, Neela nodded.

Vaishu showed her picture. “Neela, I have to get everyone in the picture back together.”

Neela had thought that her friend was unnecessarily worrying about small fights that friends often had between each other. She thought Vaishu’s brothers and their best friends would be estranged temporarily.But when the conflicts went on and got worse, it made her friend sad.

When Vaishnavi passed away tragically in an accident, Neela had been in shock for the longest time. It was the offer from Jairam Simha to take up a position at Simha University that more or less saved her from sliding into depression.

But even as she rose up through several positions and became the dean of the university, one thing remained constantly in her mind—the last wishes of her best friend.

Vaishu, I will fulfill your wish.

Neela blinked away the moistness that gathered in her eyes when she heard someone entering the room.

“Ma, you haven’t slept yet?” she asked.

Her mother shook her head. “Why are you up so late?” her mother scolded.

Although Neela was now middle-aged and leading the most prestigious university, her mother still considered her a little girl.

“I was about to sleep, Ma.”

Her mother looked at the picture in Neela’s hand. “I know you miss your best friend.”

Neela smiled. “Yes. She was also the sister I never had.”

Her mother nodded before looking at her knowingly. “We owe the Simhas a lot. And maybe your meddling is the only way we can return the debt to Simhas.”

Neela shook her head with a small laugh. “I’m not meddling, Ma.”

Her mother’s smile grew. “That’s not what those Simha kids would think if they found out the truth.

Neelima Raj didn’t reply. But there was a small smile on her face.

The End