Meet Atharvaa Singhania, 27 years old, handsome, charming, and hardworking person who completed his business management from the University of London, now CEO of Singhania Industries. He loves and protective about his family.
And our female lead Khu...
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"You're looking happy." The first statement my mom passed when I entered my home, and I didn't object to that because I'm. It's the weekend, so as promised, I'm visiting my house after getting earful scoldings from my mom for dodging it for the past two weeks.
"Yes, mom. Can't I??" I reply dramatically, scowling, taking her in an embrace, and kissing her on the cheek.
Smacking on my bicep playfully, she stated.
"When did I say that?? How can a Maa ever be sad seeing her child happy, huh?? It's just that this is the first time I'm seeing you smiling after that..." she stops in the middle covering her mouth, realizing what she is going to say.
"It's okay, Mama," I say, waving my hand pausing the topic.
"Be happy always like this mera Guddu, and I'm glad that I got my son back." She added, kissing on my forehead, sniffing a little.
"Maa..." I groan and wipe the corner of her eyes. Raising her hands in surrender, she chuckles, making me smile back.
"Guddu, papa is in his study room so, go and talk to him he was asking about you just ten minutes ago." She advised hesitantly, eyeing me carefully.
"Maa, I'm hungry," I announce, ignoring her suggestion. With a sigh, she nods and moves to the kitchen, mumbling something like I will arrange the table.
"Bhai." My sister shrieks, causing me to startle, and in the next second, I got tackled in a bear hug with an oomph from me.
"What?? I taught you were enjoying your life without my nagging. "I tease, ruffling her hair.
"No Bhai, we missed you. Please come back to our home." She replied, pouting at me.
"I missed you too, Shonu. How are you and how are your classes going on???" I query, flicking her head.
"Don't ask like you're not keeping an eye on it." She retorted, rubbing her forehead, glaring at me. I shrugged my shoulder because I did. And not only her matters, I even kept a check on mom's health, also dad's stuff though I was not in the home as it's my responsibility.
"When did you arrive??? I turn to the side and watch dad descending the stairs. In these three months, our conversations only stop and end with pleasantries.
He tried to apologize after I explained to him about the incident, yet I was not over with the fact that he believed others without giving me a chance. It was true that while returning from London, I met my university colleague Sam who unfortunately happened to be my one-night stand, and we were never in touch after that night, but when she kissed me out of a sudden, I immediately pushed her, also warned her to stay within her limits.
One thing I still don't get is that who forwarded those pictures to our families. When I discussed the same with all, Maa dismissed it, saying maybe some media person caught it, and send us to grab some money. Dad was even ready to visit Khushi's family and convince them for marriage, but I stopped him, as I was already heartbroken at that time.
I returned from my reverie when Shonu elbowed me in my stomach and pointing at dad with her eyes.
"Just now," I responded in a soft tone and sighed in relief when Maa called us for dinner.
Dinner was grand, as Mom cooked all my favorites and started feeding with her hands, saying that I lost so much weight. These moms... we can't even say no to them. Followed by Shonu's whining that no one loves her, as no single dish on the table was her favorite, including my tease retorts.
Soon after lunch, Maa and I settled on our garden area couch, simply talking about our lives. Shonu couldn't join us as she has some project work to complete, and to not make it more awkward, dad retrieved to his room with the excuse that he has some work.
I close my eyes, feeling peace as mom's fingers gently started combing my hair while I lay on her lay on lap, and thoughts went back to Khushi's face. How restraining and nervous she looked today, then how her eyes danced with glee when I proposed to her. There was something that I'm missing which I have to find soon.
"Maa, can I ask you something?" Contemplating for a minute, I ask her slowly.
"Yes, Baccha, you can ask me anything, and from when you turned so formal with your Maa???" she responded, continuing the massage on my hair.
"Why did you end our NGO collaboration with Khushi's hospital suddenly???" she stilled, and her fingers halted in the air, making me more suspicious.
"Simply Atharvaa, we don't have further funds to continue." She stuttered, rising from the couch.
Funds... Maa never worried about funds, and if she faced any sort of money issues she used to take from us, demandingly but never stepped out from helping...then why now??
"Atharvaa, I think it's late we should go inside now." She proceeded hurriedly and moving past me.
"Maa, why did you send twenty lakhs to Khushi's account when I went to London," I demanded the answer to the question, which was bugging me for so many days.
"You met with Khushi?!!" It was more like a statement than a question with rage-filled in it.
"Maa..." I was about to say that she didn't say anything about the money, but she cut me off harshly.
"What did she say about me, huh?? What all misunderstanding she created between us." She looked furious, which I have never seen, not when talking about Khushi and what misunderstandings she is talking about???
"Maa. what are you saying?? Yeah, we meet, but she said nothing about you. I got to know about the transaction when I was going through our financial report." I answered, frowning, and as a realization hit her, her expressions changed instantly from fury to quiet one.
"Atharvaa, it's just for trivial matters, and maintain distance from that girl, please." She stated, shocking me.
"Maa, you know that I love her..."
"Love her, which means you still love her???... did you forget she is the one who broke the marriage as she doesn't have trust in you and how depressed you became after that." She exclaimed, every word seethingly.
"Atharvaa, if you ever want your Maa to be happy, forget about her and marry another girl, which I'm looking for you or forget about me..." Announcing, she walked into the house, leaving me in bewilderment.
What just happened??? Why Maa is so against Khushi?? Their bond was like mother and daughter?? Then how it changed to hatred?? I missed something, and it happened when I was in London. I have to find out so, picking up my phone, I call my manager.
Hello Kunal, I want some information and I don't how you get that, but I want it within a week.
I want all the details of what happened here between our families especially, Khushi and Maa when I went to London three months back...
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