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Happy Reading ♡
This chapter is 5k words long 😭 No matter how much I try to make it short, I just can't.
Anyways, take it as a compensation for posting late.
And don't forget to vote and comment because I need motivation.
"Bhabhi, don't you think you're giving too much freedom to her." Nandini whispered to Avantika, eyeing Aadhya.
Nandini arrived a few minutes later after Naveen, Avantika, Manish and Divya and currently, everyone of them were sitting in the living room ready to have the birthday celebration .
"Ghar ki bahu ko ghar ki bahu ke hisab se rahna chahiye. Can't she wear a saree? Meri bahu to saree ke alawa kuch nhi pahnati." She added further, glaring at Aadhya who was wearing a long white floral Mexi dress.
(A daughter-in-law should stay like a DIL. My DIL doesn't wear anything except Saree.)
"Vo Kya hai na didi, aapki bahu saree pahnati hai kyuki Aap use vhi pahanne dete ho par Aadhya wears whatever she wants to wear." Divya responded, faking a smile.
(Nandini di, your DIL wears saree because that's what you allow her to.)
"And hame kyu dikkat hogi, inti sundar jo lag rhi Meri bahu." Avantika said, earning a scoff from Nandini.
(And why would we have any problem? Look how beautiful she's looking.)
"Badi Maa." Rithik called after setting the table for cake cutting.
"Chalo, Jaldi cake cut kro. Uske baad aur bhi surprises hai." He added further while coming towards her..
(Let's cut the cake. There are more surprises afterwards.)
"Bhukkad Kahi ka. Hamesha khane ki jaldi rahti hai isko." Shivan Scoffed, earing chuckles from everyone.
(Hungry man. Always in a hurry to eat.)
"Vese, I have a good news for you all." Nandini chirped happily once they were done cutting the cake and was about to go for dinner.
"Inki good news hamare liye kayamat hai." Rithik whispered to Riya, who nodded at her head, supporting his statement.
(Her good news will be death to us.)
"You know, Sinha's I was talking about, they have agreed for the marriage alliance of their eldest daughter with Aayansh." Everyone went still hearing her words and looked at her in disbelief.
Aadhya felt a pang in her heart and the statement drained all the colors of her face.
"What nonsense you're blabbering, Nandini." Naveen said looking at her in disbelief.
"Ab ye Kya nya drama hai inka. Can't she mind her own damn business." Rithik mumbled, grinding his teeth.
(What new drama is this now?)
"Aur nhi to Kya. I think she have banged her head somewhere." Riya said, Squinting her eyes at Nandini.
Gulping down the hurt, Aadhya eyed Aayansh, who was standing beside her, staring at Nandini with a cold expression plastered on his face.
"Nonsense Kya bhai. See, I know Aayansh is married but you know in what circumstances this marriage happened. Aayansh is also not happy with this unwanted marriage, isn't it Aayansh?" Nandini looked at Aayansh and hesitated a little seeing his buring gaze on herself.
"And who are we to decide if he's happy or not. This conversation itself is useless." Avantika jumped in the conversation, trying to make her understand.
"Avantika Bhabhi is right. Aayansh is married to Aadhya, how come the thought of getting him married can hit your head." Divya wondered, looking at her in disbelief.
"I'm saying for Aayansh's good." Nandini tried defending herself.
"And I have met Sinha's, their eldest daughter is perfect match for Aayansh." She added further.
"Aayansh knows what's good for him." Naveem said furiously, not pleased with the stubbornness of his sister meanwhile, Aadhya fidgeted with her dress, her heart thumping hard against her chest, listening to The argument.
"Nandini isn't completely wrong. We all know this marriage was nothing more than to save the reputation of Rajvanshi's and Malhotra's after she disagreed on marrying Ahaan. This marriage isn't even going to last which is solely based on replacement and compromises and nothing else." Gaytri stood up, supporting Nandini's statement.
"I don't care what your perception of this marriage is. I really don't." Aayansh snapped roughly, gaining everyone's attention.
"I have taken vows with her and she's my wife. Get that in your head Bhua, and you too Dadi. I don't ever want this conversation again."
He warned further and slipped his hands against Aadhya before holding her hand firmly and giving it an assuring squeeze.
Aadhya felt the relief gushing through her veins and the feeling of warmth as he held her hands.
"How did you manage to turn him against his own family?" Nandini taunted, looking at Aadhya.
"Don't talk to her like that." Aayansh warned.
"Why not. First she managed to pull Ahaan and then, you. Oh, tumhari to purani aadat hogi na, Ameero ko apne jaal me fasane ki. First a family like Malhotra's adopted you and now married into a family like Rajvanshi's." Nandini scoffed while everyone gasped hearing her statement.
(Isn't it your old habit to trap the rich.)
"Mene inka muh tod Dena hai aaj." Rithik fumed with anger and was about to say something but Shivam held him back.
(I'll break her mouth today.)
"Don't speak between elders, Rithik." He mumbled, trying to calm him down
"To dekho na, kaise baat kr rhi hai vo Bhabhi se." Riya mumbled, worriedly.
(See, how she's talking to Bhabhi.)
"Aayansh bhai would handle. Shant rho tum Dono."
(Stay calm.)
Aadhya's eyes started welling up hearing years old statement and her palms started getting sweaty. She tried freeing her hand from Aayansh's hold but he held it tighter.
"I said don't fucking talk to her like that." Aayansh growled, fuming with anger.
"Aayansh Kya tareeka hai apni bhua se ese baat krne ka and that too, just for this girl." Gaytri snapped.
(This isn't a way to talk to your aunt like that Aayansh and that too, just for this girl.)
"Trust me, you have no idea what I can do, just for this girl."
Aadhya snapped her head to look at Aayansh after hearing his statement and saw him throwing daggers at Nandini and Gaytri.
"Nandini, are you realising what you're saying right now." Naveen looked at her angrily.
"Truth," Gaytri spoke in her daughter's defense.
"I never wanted a adopted girl to be daughter-in-law of this house. Par pahle Ahaan ne Meri nhi suni aur Phir isne." She added further, pointing at Aayansh.
(First Ahaan didn't listen to me and now he isn't.)
"Isne kabhi aapki baat suni hai, Maa." Nandini mumbled, glaring at Aadhya.
(Have he ever listened to you, mother.)
"Nandini, stop this." Manish requested.
"Sach kadwa hota hai Bhaiya. I was saying for the good of this family lekin Meri sunta kon hai. This girl is adopted, who knows kis khandaan ki hai, Kiska khoon hai. Just because she got the name of Malhotra's doesn't make her a Malhotra."
(Who knows which family she belonged to, whose blood she's.)
"Stop bhua. The girl you're talking about is my wife." Aayansh snapped, making her instantly zip her mouth.
"Wife?" Nandini Scoffed while everyone squeezed their eyes shut at the unnecessary drama, Nandini was creating.
"You weren't even going to marry her at the first place." Hearing her statement, Aayansh tightened the losing grip around Aadhya's hand. More than anyone else present there, he needed the assurance that she was beside him.
"He wasn't going to but the destiny ended up them together. Now they are husband and wife so pleas stop creating this drama, Nandini." Avantika requested, joining her hands helplessly.
"Taking your son's side, aren't we. Wait, are we forgetting something, of course. Vo pyaara beta jo kabhi Aapse nafrat krta tha." Nandini Scoffed.
(Your dear son who used to hate you.)
"You're crossing the limits Nandini." Naveen growled but seemed like it didn't have any effect on the shameless woman.
"What is she saying? Aayansh bhai, Nafrat?" Riya looked at Shivam and Rithik, completely puzzled who shook their head negatively not knowing anything what she was talking about.
"If you came here with the intention of running her day and disrespecting my wife than please leave." Aayansh sternly pointed at the door.
Nandini gritted her teeth in anger, sensing the insult.
"Taking someone's side whom you never addressed as your mother or are you repenting for all the mistakes you made?" Nandini raised her eyebrows, smirking internally seeing Aayansh's expressions getting g hardened each passing second.
"Maa bete ka rista aaj tak to nhi tha. Ops, Maa bete or should I say sautele- before She could complete her sentence, a sting on Nandini's cheek was heard across the living room, leaving everyone gasping except Aayansh who's eyes were red as if he was on the verge of breaking down.
(Never had a relation of mother and son till today or I should say, step mother-
His grip around Aadhya's hand losenesd and he stared at the floor, blankly.
"Divya." Gaytri shouted, while Nandini whose face turned left due to the intensity of the slap, caressed her cheek and tilted her head to look at Divya, who was standing in front of her with no regrets on her face.
"Haan, sun rhi hu. Boliye." Divya looked at Gaytri who couldn't speak anything further.
(Say. I'm listening.)
"Sabko sahi aur Galat sikhaya likin apne ladle pote Ahaan aur isko kuch nhi sikhaya. Sikhaya Hota to these two wouldn't have broke people and homes." Divya said, staring at Nandini with anger in her eyes.
(You taught everyone what is right and what is wrong except your desr Grandson Ahaan and this woman. They wouldn't have been breaking homes and people If you ever taught them.)
"Bhot ho gya tumhara. Kabse sab log chup hone ko bol rhe lekin thappad ke bhoot bato se kha samjhte. Get lost Nandini, you broke enough today and trust me, if you ever tried to do something like this ever again, I'll close the gates of this house right on your face." Divya snapped pointing at the door.
(Enough with you. Everyone is saying you to shut your mouth but some people only understand the language of slap.)
Aayansh left Aadhya's hand before turning his heels and running upstairs directly into his study room and closed the gate behind him with a thud.
Aadhya stared at his disappearing figure feeling the loss of warmth that was gone with him but more than that, she could feel his pain even though, she was oblivious of everything that Nandini said about the relationship between Avantika and him. She got a glimpse of his eyes, which were glossy and saw hurt behind those brown orbs. The familiar hurt when someone scratches your wounds again.
"I'll never forgive you for what you did today. You broke my family, my wife, my son and his wife." Naveen mumbled, without looking at Nandini before he walked away with Avantika.
Gaytri glanced at Nandini as Divya's words echoed in her head, giving her a reality check and without a word she left the place.
Grinding her teeth at the insult, Nandini picked up her purse and rushed out of the house meanwhile Aadhya too went towards her room.
Manish and Divya looked at Riya, Rithik and Shivam who were standing a little afar with a questionable gaze.
"Chachu, Chachi, what was she- Mamma and Aayansh Bhaiya?" Riya couldn't complete her sentence as a sob escaped her lips and Divya hugged her, patting her back.
"Papa, what nonsense she was blabbering." Shivam asked, still unsure of whatever happened a few minutes ago.
"Let's go to terrace and we'll talk there, alright." Manish suggested and all five of them padded towards the terrace.
Coming inside her room, Aadhya closed the gate behind, letting her tears fall. Yet again, someone scratched the wounds she managed to heal years ago.
Holding herself back from breaking down, she picked up her phone before dialling her mother.
"Mamma." She mumbled, gulping down the lump formed in her throat and wiped her tears.
"Aadhu." A worried Sheetal responded from the other side listening to her shaky voice.
"Kya Hua Adhu? Is everything alright?" Aadhya looked at the ceiling and inhaled a deep breath.
(What happened Aadhu?)
"Yeah, everything's good. I...I was just missing you." She mumbled, her voice hoarse and shaky as her throat clogged up.
"You don't found fine, Adhu."
"I'm good Mamma. Can I come to meet you, Tomorrow?" She asked, cutting Sheetal off in between.
"Aadhya, it's your home and you don't need anyone's permission to meet your own family." Sheetal assured and Aadhya nodded her head, not able to hold back her tears after listening to her mother's soft and caring voice.
"I'll hang up Mamma." She managed to speak.
"Okay. Mamma loves you Aadhu." She heard Sheetal saying from the other side and this was her last straw as she felt her heart bursting out with happiness and pain at the same time.
"Papa also loves you Aadhu." She heard Mohit's voice.
"Bhai too loves you a lot."
"Bhabhi and the little baby as well"
The voices came one after the other and not able to hold herself back anymore, Aadhya hanged up without responding to any of them and choked on her tears.
The image of Aayansh flashed before her eyes when she closed her eyes, letting her tears fall. He was hurt, she knew that as if someone have scratched his old wounds.
She knew, it was easy for someone to say that we shouldn't let someone else's words bother us, not listen to them, not let their words affect us but only the heart that has been wounded knows the pain when those wounds are scratched again. And no, the blood doesn't bleed. All those wounds bleed grief, pain, fears, insecurities, not even the bandages of love and care can stop them from bleeding.
She wiped her tears upon hearing a knock at the door and went ahead to answer it.
"Maa." She mumbled and instantly hugged Avantika who patted her back.
"I'm sorry Aadhya for whatever she said." Aadhya shook her head, wiping her tears and looked at Avantika.
"You don't have to apologize, I'm fine, just overwhelmed since I talked with Mamma." Avantika nodded before sitting beside her on the bed.
"Can I sleep in your lap?" She asked hesitantly, earning a firm nod from Avantika.
"You don't have to ask Aadhya. You don't call me Maa for nothing." Aadhya nodded and closed her eyes, resting her head in Avantika's lap.
"Can I ask you something?" Aadhya asked after a few moments of silence.
"Aayansh and you? Are you not his birth mother?" She questioned when Avantika agreed on her previous question.
"No, I married Naveen when Aayansh was 9."
"Why did he hate you?" The expressions on Avantika's face turned serious listening to her question.
"When your own blood leaves you crying and screaming for them and all those happy memories turns bitter, no matter what happens, you can't accept someone else in your life. He was a kid, who was broken, who's heart was fragile. It wasn't his fault that his pain turned into anger."
Aadhya's heart clenched hearing her. She was familiar with this and right now, she was able to feel his pain. And she understood, just like the two sides of the coin, every situation can have more than one outcome.
Being broken, either you turn into someone who spread smiles on everyone's face or you lose your own smile.
"Aadhya, I'm not supposed to tell you about his past. It belongs to him so can you wait a little until he himself opens his heart for you?"
"I will."
°°°°°°°
"Stop showing that you care for me. Stop."
"I told you to not cook for me then why can't you listen to me and stay away from my life."
"I hate you as well just like I hate her."
"You're not my mother so Stop acting like that. I don't have a mother."
"She is dead for me and you're just my father's wife. You're no one to me. I hate you."
"Stop." Aayansh shouted, covering his ears to prevent the noises of his own bitter words lingering in his head.
Breathing unevenly, he buried his face between his knees and tried counting backwards as his therapist told him, to calm down the rising anger withing his veins until he heard a knock at the door.
He lifted his head up and glanced at the door which was closed but wasn't bolted.
"Get lost. I don't want to talk." He yelled oblivious of the person outside, his voice rougher than he thought.
A few moments later, the door opened because the person at the door knew him better and Aayansh turned to the other side, recognizing the footsteps of his father.
"I don't want to talk." He repeated, gulping down to wash away the dryness of his throat.
"It's alright. I'll just sit beside you." Naveen mumbled, sitting next to Aayansh.
A few minutes rolled down and the only sound which echoed in the study room was the unsteady breathes and sniffing of him.
"I hate myself." Aayansh mumbled, his hoarse voice filled with guilt and regrets.
"You don't hate yourself. You just hate the 10 year old version of yourself who couldn't accept a few things and reacted bitterly." Naveen corrected him.
"But it's okay Aayansh. Forgive yourself-
"I can't." He snapped but soon realised his tone and squeezed his eyes shut.
"I can't forgive myself, Dad. Mene ek ki galti ki sja kisi aur ko Di. I hated her so much. I screamed so many venomous words to her....I....I told her so many times that I hate he-
(I punished someone else while someone else made a mistake.)
He choked and wiped the tears that rolled down his cheeks and turned himself a little before keeping his head in Naveen's lap.
"What would you expect from a 10 year old, Aayansh?" Naveen asked softly patting his head, who closed his eyes feeling relaxed under his father's warmth and love.
"How many times I have to tell you that you were a child, who couldn't understand what was right and what was wrong. I and Avni were never angry with you for this. We understood your situation, what you were going through after she-
"Aayansh, when someone is abandoned their heart become fragile, either they become desperate for love or they start despising love."
"I have already told you millions of times and I'm saying this again, it wasn't your fault. You were too young to understand anything Beta and to be honest, it did hurt me to see you behaving like that to Avni but you know, as you grew up, you realized that it was wrong. Your heart started accepting her as a mother figure." Aayansh held Naveen's hand, after feelings of his own heart voiced out by his father.
"Do you think I don't know the first time you made her a mother's day card when you were 15. Avni cried a lot that day, why because you got her a card on Mother's day. Tumne Ahaan, Riya, Rithik or Shivam ke bahane jo usko liye gifts, flowers, cards Diye hai, she knows it all. Today too, you didn't give her a birthday gift on your own. Chupke se bas room me rakh diya, as if we'll never know. Is ghar me bas ek hi hai, jo 31 ka hokar bhi 8 saal ke bachche ki tarah cards banata hai."
(You gave her gifts with the name of Riya, Ahaan, Shivam, Rithik, she knows it all. Today too, you didn't give her a birthday gift on your own. Quitely kept in my room as if we'll never know. There's only one person is this house who's 31 but still makes card like a 8 year old.)
Aayansh chuckled, rubbing his watery eyes.
"Forgive yourself Aayansh. Until and unless you don't, those old wounds would continue to hurt you. We're human. We make mistakes, we make wrong choices. We say things we might be regretting in future and you have punished yourself enough, so let it go now." Aayansh nodded and sat straight, facing his father.
He knew, forgiving himself wasn't easy because if it was, he would have done it years ago. Sometimes, what seems simple to one can be tough to another. But he nodded not to worry his father anymore.
"Ahaan came today." Naveen informed, after a few minutes of silence and Aayansh's eyes turned cold again.
"For the first time, He seemed guilty of what he did." Naveen mumbled, unsure of Aayansh's reaction.
"Good for him." Aayansh resorted, looking away.
"Kabhi Maaf nhi krega na use?" It was more like a statement, rather than a question.
(You won't ever forgive him?)
"Kabhi nhi. He gave My Aadhya the same pain that, that woman gave you years ago and I'll never forgive him for this." Aayansh's jaw clenched and glanced at Naveen who nodded his head.
"Trust me Dad, I wouldn't have forgiven him if it was someone else at Aadhya's place because you yourself know that no one deserves that shit." He added further.
"He can meet you, Maa or anyone if they wants to meet him but he can't live here. If he's going to live here, I'll move out with Aadhya."
Naveen nodded, inhaling a deep breath. "You don't have to move out. He made a mistake so he'll pay for it."
"Anywys, Ab Meri ek baat manega?" Naveen asked him hopefully diverting the conversation and Aayansh stood up immediately, knowing very well what his father was upto.
(Will you listen to me now?)
"I hate how well I know you." Naveen laughed a little, hearing his son's remark.
"Tu hum sabke samne use Maa bolta hai lekin usko khud ko nhi." Naveen said, getting up as well and saw his son, shaking his head vigorously.
(You call her mother in front of everyone except herself.)
"Call me a coward but I can't." Aayansh mumbled before turning his heels to walk away.
"Aayansh, dil ki baat zubban par kyu nhi Aa skti tere? Ese to kabhi Aadhya se bhi confess nhi kar payega." Naveen said, following him as well.
(Why can't you let your heart talk for once? Trust me, you won't be able to confess to Aadhya if you continued to do this.)
Aayansh turned around, hearing Aadhya's name.
"Ab Aadhya kha se Aa gyi beech me?" He asked, looking at his father with done expressions.
(How Aadhya came between?)
"Vo to 6 saal pahle se hi thi, nhi?" Naveen teased.
(She have been always, for six years now.)
"Aap ko na, kuch batana hi nhi chahiye." Aayansh shook his head before walking out of the room while Naveen stared at him, with the hope in his eyes that someday, the day he's waiting for will come.)
(I shouldn't have told you this.)
Walking into his bedroom, Aayansh looked around to spot Aadhya but heaved out a sigh, seeing the bathroom lights on and the sound of water splashing.
"From everything that can calm down a person, she'll chose the best way which can worsen her health." Aayansh muttered, shaking his head at the stupidity of his wife.
Before he could knock at the door and ask her to come out, the shower was turned off and he heard the other door of the bathroom which opened into the walk-in.
He knocked at the door confirming her exit before walking into the bathroom and washed his tear stained face.
Wiping his face, he threw the towel on one of the chairs before his eyes landed on the plates of food kept on the table.
He heard the door of the walk-in opening but something in him didn't let him turn around and look at her. It was his fear, the fear of not knowing how she might react after what happened. How much she got to know about his past from his family members and more than that, the guilt of walking away from there, while leaving her behind.
"Have your dinner." Aadhya said, drying her hair with the towel.
"I don't have a appetite." He responsed, finally turned around to look at her.
Aadhya kept the towel aside and looked at him. The water dripping from her hair strands, her reddened eyes, flushed cheeks along with the oversized tee-shirt and joggers underneath, made her look cute and sexy at the same time.
Without a word, she walked to the table and picked up the plate and stood in front of him.
"Don't sleep empty stomach. Please eat." She requested. Guilt rushed through his veins as her shivering hands caught his eyes.
Having no heart to deny her, Aayansh nodded before taking the plate from her and sat on the small couch.
"Did you eat?" He asked.
"Yeah." She mumbled, looking away before taking a step to walk to her vanity but her steps halted, feeling a tug on her wrist.
"Sit here and eat with me." He ordered, eying the space beside him.
"I already ate-" The last word came out as a mere whisper when she saw Aayansh glaring at her and pressing her lips into a thin line, obediently sat beside him.
Tearing a bite of the chapati, he took some paneer and kept his hand in front of her, holding the bite.
Aadhya glanced at him and then at his hand.
"Open your mouth, Tulip." This little gesture of him along with the nickname made her heart swell up with the rush of emotions and she held herself back from tearing up while taking the bite from his hand.
Wiping the tears that rolled down her cheek, she took a bite before feeding him as well and for him, the food never tasted this good.
"Sabne khaya?" Aayansh asked, chewing on another bite fed by her.
(Did everyone eat?)
"Yeah. Maa or Chachi ne sabko khila diya." She said, with a small smile, earing a nod from him as he kept his hand in front of her for another bite.
(Maa and Chachi made everyone eat.)
"Why didn't you eat with them?" He questioned and she fidgeted with her fingers, debating whether to say the truth or not.
Sach Bol de Aadhya. Vese bhi, this man can easily catch your lies.
"I...I wanted to eat with you, so you can have a company." She responded, unsure of his reaction.
"Then why did you say that you have already eaten?"
"Vo, earlier too you left because you needed some space so I thought-" She gulped down the morsel before feeding him a bite.
"I thought you might not like any disturbances while eating." She concluded and Aayansh stared at her for a few seconds.
"I like your company." He confessed, emotionally too tired to say anything else to assure her.
Finishing their dinner, Aadhya was about to lay on the bed when Aayansh interrupted.
"Dry your hair, you might catch cold."
"But-
"Tulip. I'm really tired to have a conversation right now. Please dry your hair because I don't want to see you sick tomorrow." Aadhya nodded hearing his stern and tired voice.
She understood that he was tired from what happened a few hours ago but her heart didn't.
We won't fall apart just because of this situation, right? My past, his past won't drift the distance we have lessened in these months or will It?
With the conflict going in her head along with the fear of losing the bond they have been sharing for a few months now, Aadhya dried her hair.
Keeping the hair dryer at its place, she turned around to see Aayansh sleeping on the bed with his back facing her side.
Yesterday, we took a step forward and seems like we have taken two steps backwards today.
The negative thoughts as well as her fears and insecurities didn't help her at all and all those thoughts made her heart sink into her stomach.
With a heavy heart, she lied down beside him and waited for him to say something or if not words than he could just turn around to face her but even after few minutes, nothing like that happened.
Aadhya, why always wait for him to take a step towards you. Can't you for once do that.
Maybe today, he needs you more than you need him.
Trusting her inner self, she scooted closer to him and hesitantly, kept her one hand over his arm.
Not getting any reaction from him, she wrapped her hands around his torso and rested her face on his back and gulped down, before closing her eyes to prevent herself from crying anymore.
Aayansh, who did not have an ounce of sleep in his eyes, fisted his hands, feeling her close to himself.
Not wanting to hold himself back anymore, he kept his hands over her and inhaled a deep breath.
I'm sorry Tulip. You needed me today and I left you to have my own space, just because I was suffering.
"Are you comfortable?" He heard her asking.
"More than comfortable." Aadhya smiled a little and finally relaxed against his body before closing her eyes.
On the days when you won't be able to give into this relationship, just because you'd be suffering, I'll keep my fears aside and will try to hold onto you and this relationship, Aayansh so that we don't stumble back.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Don't forget to vote and comments on this chapter.
Did you expect that Aadhya was adopted? Well she was and you'll know their pasts in upcoming chapters.