CHOICE & CONSEQUENCE

CHAPTER 46

Shivaay:- (holding her hands stopping her from joining them) Badi ma, Please don't do this. (with complicated gaze) There is nothing to forgive as I never resented you. Yes I was hurt when you didn't trust me but I never hated you for that. As a mother you were scared and as a wife you were heart broken and as my badi ma you must have been hurt by my actions that's why you couldn't see my helplessness.

Rudra:- Bhaiya but..

Anika interrupting Rudra:- Rudra, Shivaay is right. Janvi aunty did what every wife in such a situation might have done, we can't blame her for that. Moreover it has been so many years she has been blaming herself for our so called death which is totally unfair to her. Leaving wasn't our choice but disappearing was and for that we couldn't pass our responsibility to someone else.

Daadi :- I want to hear the whole truth now for I believe there are some things you deliberately skipped to be mentioned to media today. How come Swetlana joined you & why did Bhavya helped you? All of that I want to know. So Rudra told her and all present there the whole story once again including how they came to know Shivaay and Anika is alive.

Daadi (Shocked):- Oh my lord, Roop fell so low for her so called revenge. She committed murders & then to hide them she hurt her nephews? I can't believe I gave birth to such an evil. Swetlana I always hated you, blamed you for the mess your entry created in Tej and Janvi married life, blamed you for the ignorance my Om Ru & Priyanka faced despite having parents but now, knowing that the real culprit was my daughter because of which it all started, I don't have enough words to apologize. Mrs. Kappoor, I am really sorry. I didn't know Roop was culprit behind KM's incident. I never in my dream even thought that one of our family, my own child could do something like that.

Swetlana:- Mrs. Oberoi, I can't say I forgive you because it was never your fault to begin with. The fault was of your children & DIL's. If at that time they have let the police investigate the incident or instead of burning my father's body told police the truth, Roop might would have been arrested that time only. It was their greed that resulted in such circumstances that not only they ruined their family's peace but also led to ruination of our & Anika's family. Roop was the murdrer but Tej, Janvi, Pinky & shakti became the accomplice as well. Of course, legally I am not taking any action against them but personally I still hate them. hearing this the four named lowered their head in shame.

Daadi:- I understand Puttar. (nodding her head). She looked towards Veer:- When we came to know about Roop pregnancy it was too late, moreover she was adamant on giving birth to you. And as you came to this world, we gave you for adoption. It was my own selfishness, I didn't want my daughter to be criticized for giving birth to a child out of wedlock. I wanted to protect her dignity & giving you away was the only choice I could think of. For that your mother resented me, hated me. After 2 months of her delivery, she started to search for you from orphanage to orphanage. When Tej & Shakti came to know about it they were furious. First it was already hard enough to hide her pregnancy and then seeing her publicly asking around about you, they got afraid for their reputation. So they decided to marry her off to their friend bout Roop ran away from Marriage & few years later she came with a man claiming to be her husband. Being the only girl child in our family she was pampered a lot, resulting in her selfish behaviour. So when she came years later on her own, I was delighted to see her, happy enough to forgive her for running away & also accepted her husband. But later that turned out to be mistake when she was caught embezelling money in Oberoi empire. That time was the last time I saw her considering we severed ties with her thereafter.

Child, we didn't resent you but was just selfish. I know it's a lot to ask but please forgive this old lady for separating you from your mother. May be if that time I have stood with her instead of against, she wouldn't have done all that.

Veer (uncomfortable): - Please. I understand you were a mother who was the thinking for her daughter's future but I can't accept you as my family. For me, you are just relatives of my birth mother nothing more nothing less. My family were my adopted parents who nurtured me and now my wife & coming child. I am happy with them, I don't need you.

Daadi even though wanted to refute but knowing that situation wasn't right at the moment decided to convince him later. But can she really make him accept them as family is a question.

Svetlana:- Om, Rudra I owe an apology to you guys. In my craze to get revenge, I opted to ruin your family's peace. Entering Tej life not only I broke his marriage but also ruined your childhood. If I knew the truth from the start, I would have never choosen such method for revenge. I am sorry.

Om (nodding):- I can't say I forgive you because that would be a lie. But you alone weren't responsible, it was Mr. & Mr oberoi themselves that ruined not only their marriage but also messed our childhood. I wish we haven't met in such messed up situation then maybe we would have been a family. (nodding at veer).

Veer :-I think we should leave now. (Seeing the time). It has been a long day for all of us & swetlana need to rest. nodding towards shivaay & Anika who then goes outside to see them off.

After Veer, Mrs. Kappor & her family departure,

Daadi:- Anika I...

Shivaay:- (interrupting Daadi) I think we should also rest, everyone is tired. Also Ansh is sleeping pointing towards his son in his arms who was sleeping with his head on his shoulder.

Seeing him daadi caress Ansh hair and says softly:- yes. He must be tired. In all this, I didn't even see him properly. Tomorrow I will hug him, talk to him & also I have to add his name in our genealogy. (Yes, Tomorrow I have to call pandit ji for asking about pooja for him murmurs daadi to herself) Later everyone goes to their room. Anika who was silent spectator the whole time, finally felt herself relax entering their room. Remembering their memories, they slept the night knowing tomorrow won't be an easy day either.