Aasha's Pov
"I… I ahh aunty this" i directed my hand towards the photo hesitantly. Looking at the photo she smiled. I concentrated on her face. Its a genuine smile. She went near the photo and caressed it wity her hand. She then looked at me with a smile.
"Its Aadhya. Dev's Mother" she said.
"But why this photo is here, aunty?" i asked her hesitantly. She took my hand and walked towards the bed. We both sat on the bed.
"Aunty, papa said everything to me" i said with a smile while squeezing her hand. She looked at me startled. Then she looked down at her lap.
"Why this photo is here aunty? Don't you feel awkward seeing this photo everytime?" i asked her with a frown. She chuckled at me While shaking her head.
"Aasha, actually Subash wanted to move this photo from this room. But i stopped him and hung this photo here. Do you know why? Because i never wanted to capture Aadhya's place in his heart. I know how much he loved her, he still does. She was his first love. She is an important women in his life. I never wanted to separate Aadhya from his life. I just wanted to stay beside him and love him till my last breath. I never expected him to reciprocate my feelings" she said
with a mild smile. I looked at her stunned.
"You never felt jealous towards Aadhya ma?" i asked her.
"Why would i?" she asked me.m raising her eyebrows.
"Because she married the man who you loves" i said.
"Do you know one thing, Aasha? When we love someone, we not only love that person but also what he loves. I don't feel any jealously towards Aadhya. Instead i admire her and also respect her. Subash is a very tough person and its not very easy to capture his heart. But Aadhya created a special place in his heart in a short time by her pure love. She gave him happiness. Even now when he talks about her, his eyes sparkles with love for her" she said while looking at the photo frame. I looked at her with a smile.
"But aunty, why you agreed to marry papa even after knowing his condition? I mean you were young at the time and you must have had a dream about your marriage, don't you? But you accept to look over Dev" i asked her. She looked at me with a chuckle.
"Yes ofcource. I had a big dream about my Wedding. But only with Subash. But this is not the reason why i agreed to marry Subash when he put a marriage proposal" she said with a teary eyes. I looked at her feeling confused.
"Its his dishelved state, Aasha. The day when he proposed marriage, do you know how he looked like? His eyes covered with dark circles, dishelved hair, wrinkled shirt. Even now remembering that sight of him makes my heart clench. Its very painful to see our loved ones in pain, Aasha. That day i also got to know that how much he loves his son, Dev. I agreed to marry him even after knowing that he will never love me. I was content by the fact that i can able to stay beside him and take care of him. All i wanted was to bring that old tough Subash who threatens others just by his glare" she said with a chuckle.
"So you sacrificed your dream about your own marriage and got ready to be a mother for Dev? You were young at that time. Then how you got ready to be a mother?" i asked her.
"What sacrifice you're talking about Aasha? My wish was to be with Subash. So i didn't sacrificed anything. And about Dev…. When i first met Dev, i saw myself in him. I lost my parents when i was 13 years old. My father was always running behind his business. And my brother always follows him like his shadow. It was my mother who showed her love to me. So after her death i missed her so much. Her warm embrace, her cooking, her sweet talks, i missed everything about her. So it was easy for me to understand Dev. I instantly felt a motherly love towards him. But the feeling was not mutual. I tried everything to get close to him. I tried everything to become his mother. But i failed in my efforts" she choked when she finished her sentence.
"Aunty, please" i said while taking her hands.
"When he was a child, he always had a nightmares. He screams at night saying 'mama, don't leave me. Mama please, i love you'. I always goes to his room after he fell asleep and hugs him close to me whenever he has nighmare while singing a lullaby to him. He even calls me 'mama' in his sleep you know. The first time when he called me 'mama' in his sleep, I felt an immense happiness which i experienced for the first time. He looks so cute and innocent in his sleeping form. I always pinch his cheeks when he is asleep" she said with a chuckle. I too chuckled with her with tears rolling down my cheeks.
"Do you know i really consider him as my son, Aasha. Though Varun was my first born child but it was Dev who gave me the motherly feeling. Actually when Varun called me 'mama' for the first i didn't felt that much happiness and excitement like i felt when Dev called me 'mama' in his sleep. I am still trying to become his mother. I want to hear the word 'ma' from him. I am still waiting for him to accept me as his mother. But i don't think that will ever going to happen. Though Subash now likes me, i still feels like i betrayed him. Because i married him to take care of Dev. But i failed. That guilt is still in my heart whenever i look into Subash's eyes" she said sniffling.
"Aunty please don't cry. Its not your fault. Dev never gave you a chance. Even Papa also knows this well. I never saw a selfless, kind woman like you in my life. You said that whenever Papa talks about Aadhya ma, his eyes sparkles with love for her, right? Today when he was talking about you, i saw his eyes twinkling with love. Love and pride for you. You won Papa's heart by your selfelss kind nature, aunty. And Dev will also soon understands you" i said squeezing her hand. Her face turned deep red with shy. I chuckled seeing her.
"I hope that day will come soon" she said kissing my forehead. I nodded at her.
"So when you took this photo?" i asked her pointing at the photo frame of Meghna aunty and Papa to lighten the atmosphere.
"We took this photo when we both went to Kasmir before Varun was born" she said with a shy smile. Then we both talked random things and she showed me the family albums, Dev's childhood photos and also Aadhya ma and Papa's wedding album. Later i left to my room with a heavy heart.
Dev Malhotra's Pov
"Tomorrow morning we have to execute our first plan. And Prathap, you have to use that chance to move to the second step. After you succeed in your plan, you have to inform Sameer. And Sameer you know what to do after Prathap informs you. Tomorrow is a big day for us all" i said looking at Prathap and Sameer.
"I hope everything goes according to our plan. If we fails in this mission everyone will be in deep trouble" Sameer said with a frown.
"Don't worry, Sameer. Its perfect plan. And it's Dev Mahotra's plan. So it won't go wrong. I am very sure about this" Prathap said with a smirk. I smirked at him and looked at Sameer who is also looking at me with a smirk.
"And Prathap, you know the details of thats Kasyap's spies in your department, right? Make sure they don't know our plan" i said.
"I will take care of it" he said with a curt nod.
"Then okay. Lets move. I want to see my Aashu. I am missing her so much" i said getting up from my seat.
"You're really whipped by her man" Prathap said with a chuckle. Sameer also joined with him.
"Yeah yeah" i said whith a smile.
"Okay we will first leave" i said to Prathap. We planned to meet in my hotel to avoid suspicious. Me and Sameer came outside of the hotel. Daniel started the car once we got inside the car.
"Make sure you tighten your security around your house" Sameer said.
"I already did and what about you?" i asked him.
"Yeah i also increased Zarah's security" he said. I nodded at him. Soon we reached Sameer's house. His driver already drove his car to his house. He left after bidding bye to me. Then Daniel drove to my house. In just fifteen minutes i reached my house. I went inside my house excitedly to see my Aashu. I am going to kiss her till she go breathless. I ran towards the stairs but stopped abruptly when i saw my father.
"You came early from your office works. You never did this before" he said checkingg his wrist watch. I pinched my nose to hide my embarrassment. He is right. I work day and night forgetting to even eat. Sometimes i stay in my office at nights. I never came early to my house. But today when i heard my Aashu said that she is missing me, i finished my all works including the Kashyap's plan fast in a lightening speed.
"Aasha brought a good changes in you" he said with a smirk and went away. I scoffed and went to my Aasha's room. I opened her room door and went inside slowly. This room is filled with her mild rose scent. She is standing in the balcony, folding her hands across her chest, looking at the sunset with a small smile. Her hair is flowing in the breeze showing her slender neck to me. I went near her slowly admiring her beauty and hugged her from behind burying my face in her neck. She let out a startled gasp.
"Shhh… Its me" i said placing a soft kiss on her neck, tightening my hold on her stomach. She relaxed in my arms instantly making me smile.
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Hey guys! Hope you like this chapter. I wrote this chapter in between my college assignments. If there is any mistakes or any confusions just notify me.