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I felt emotionally drained out while writing this chapter because it is a little emotional.
I hope you enjoy reading this one and I changed the titles of the chapters back to the numbers because it's tiring to think about titles 🥲🤌🏻
And don't forget to vote and comment ❤
Happy reading ♡
"I can't believe, the baby is already 5 days old, see I have put so much into the cart. Help me with choosing what should I get for him?" Aadhya chirped, looking at the screen with the brightest smile while Aayansh was sitting beside her on the couch.
She looked at him and found him staring blankly at the wall in front of them. He didn't seem interested in what she was talking about but more than that, she have found him unusually quite since he returned from the hospital, this morning after Aditi's discharge. And since then, she's trying to cheer him up, to distract him from whatever was stressing him but all her attempts failed.
"By the way, we still have to shop for you. Mahi's wedding is just a week away." She said, trying to gain his attention but seemed like he wasn't at all paying attention to anything around him.
"Shopping se yaad aaya, did you brought gifts for Riya. Day after tomorrow is Rakhi." Even this attempt to talk to him failed when he just nodded his head, without saying a word.
Am I being annoying today or he's stressed about something?
"Aayansh?" She tapped his shoulder.
"Is everything okay? You seem a little-
"Please, can you be quite for some time. I want some space."
Aadhya flinched a little, hearing his sharp and stern tone. He wasn't angry rather frustrated and annoyed. The next moment, he stood up from the couch and walked out of the room, without sparing a second glance at her.
Am I being too annoying?
You shouldn't speak much Aadhya.
"Yeah, I shouldn't have blabbered so much for him to walk away like that. He already seemed too stressed." She mumbled, biting her lower lip between her teeth.
As much as she wanted to go to him and talk about what was bothering him, she had to hold herself back because he himself asked for some space and she was no fool to not give him the space he needs.
Moreover, it would be a lie to say that she wasn't afraid of his anger. He might burst out anytime and she won't ever like that, even though she have seen in last few months that how he have controlled his anger to much extent.
Twisting and turning on the bed, she waited for him to come into the room but when he didn't even after an hour, she got up and walked out of the room.
Following her instincts, she went to the first place that came to her mind and found him there, on the terrace as he was standing back facing her and his eyes glued on the cloudy sky.
With slow steps, she walked to him and debated if she should say something to him or not.
"Aayansh," She breathed out, hoping that he won't burst out like a Volcano.
Aayansh tilted his head a little to look at her.
"It's already midnight. Won't you sleep?" She asked hesitantly, fidgeting with her fingers.
"Tum so jao, I'll come after some time."
(You can sleep.)
Kyu aayi yha Aadhya, he told you that he needs some space but you have to keep bugging him.
She scolded herself before nodding her head and turned around to leave.
She didn't know what to do, to stay by his side or to give him the space because he asked her to.
She understood that he was trying to isolate himself just like the day when Nandini created the scene but the difference was, that day she knew the reason behind his pain but today, she knew nothing.
Sometimes people really needs space but most of the time, they needs someone by their side even when they are pushing them away.
But I can't force my presence on him.
Laying on the bed while waiting for him, she didn't know when her eyes started getting heavy and slowly the sleep engulfed her but she couldn't deny the fact that, she felt his arms being wrapped around her like every other day.
The next morning she found the bed empty when she woke up. After freshening up, she walked into the living room where she met Shivam who seemed to come back from his morning run.
"Good morning Bhabhi." Shivam wished her enthusiastically and returning the wish, she looked here and there for Aayansh.
"Did you see Aayansh?" She asked, not finding him around.
"Yeah. I saw him when I was leaving for jogging. He said there's some important work so he needs to leave early." She nodded.
He could have left a message for me at least.
"Bhabhi, is everything alright?" Shivam questioned, seeing her a little tensed.
"Yeah, everything's good." She forced a smile.
I hope he at least slept well.
"Alright then. I'll freshen up Phir hum Airport chalte hai, they'll be landing in an hour." She agreed and went back into the room, having no appetite for the breakfast.
(We'll go to the airport.)
With a heavy heart, Aayansh stood in front of the hospital building, debating whether to go inside or not.
Finally when his heart won over his mind, he walked inside, plastering the tough and cold facade over his face.
All the flashbacks, the pain, the hurt, the scars on his heart seemed too fresh to be ignored. He had no idea about her for years now. The last time he saw her was during his high school, when she used to come to meet him, apologizing for what she did.
Her family, he didn't even know who were those people, what happened to the man she left him for. What she did, how she lived. He knew nothing but then suddenly, It all came in front of him and she entered his life again or to say, she never left.
The birthday wishes, despite hating her, he could never bring himself to change his number because as much as he despised her, his heart wanted her.
That's the tragic thing about hating your parents, you never stop loving them, no matter how much they have wounded your heart.
"Can you tell me the room number where Poonam Maheshwari is?" He asked the receptionist and went towards the informed direction. He hated how much he wanted to see her, he hated how his heart still craved for the motherly warmth.
He stood outside the hospital room and glanced inside through the glass window. He felt the blood rushing through his veins and started feeling anxious.
He looked at the woman, in her late 50s, lying on the hospital bed and beside her was the same girl he saw a day before on the reception, who was feeding her the breakfast.
His gaze was ice cold but only he knew, how much his heart was shattering into pieces all over again on seeing her after years.
She looked pale, her black hair had turned white, her skin had wrinkles now and her eyes, they were empty and tired.
"Dad please, I want to meet her. Please, I tried calling her so many times but she isn't picking up my calls." Tears rolled down the eyes of the little boy as he pleaded to his father, standing in front of him after months of staying away from his mother.
"Aayansh, please understand. She left us, she won't ever come back and neither does she wants to meet you." Naveen wiped away his tears but the bitter truth was too much for a 8 year old boy.
"Please Dad. I promise I'll be a good boy to you, I won't ever ask you for anything. No more toys, no more vedio games. Me kabhi masti bhi nhi krunga, I promise." He desperately tried to convince his father, wiping away his tears and the man sitting in front of him felt his heart shattering into pieces seeing his 8 year old son like that.
"You're already a good boy, Aayansh." He pulled the little boy into a hug, his own eyes welling up hearing Aayansh's sobs. Both of them looked in the direction when the door of their room opened.
"Papa, bhai, Chachu got me a new toy." A three year old came running into the room, exclaiming in happiness but soon his smile faded seeing the tears in his elder brother's eyes.
"Ahaan." Naveen mumbled while Aayansh wiped his tears immediately.
"Aap kyu ro rhe ho?" He asked in his baby voice, approaching his father and brother with tiny steps and proceeded to wipe his tears with his small hands.
(Why are you crying?)
"Vo I wasn't giving him the new vedio game because he didn't scored well in his test." Naveen came up with some excuse.
"Papa, pweese give him what he wants, I can't see him claing (crying)." Naveen nodded and pulled him towards himself before making him sit in his lap.
"Ahaan, will you be a good boy and play with Shivam and won't trouble chachu and Chachi. Me and Aayansh Bhaiya is going go bring him the new vedio game, hmm?"
"But plomise me that you'll get me a choco choco." He pointed at his father making both of then chuckle at his cuteness.
"Of course." Naveen kissed his cheeks and Ahaan asked Aayansh to bent down to his level.
"Whenever you want something, ask me. Papa muje kabhi mna nhi karte kyuki me chhota hu na." With this, he rushed out of the room after kissing Aayansh's cheeks.
(Papa never deny me because I'm younger.)
"Yuck, I told you not to kiss me." Aayansh yelled, wiping his cheek but only heard his giggles in return.
"Aayansh, come." Naveen mumbled, taking him to his car.
"Won't you come?" Aayansh asked, seeing his father standing by the car but not following him.
"You go and meet her. Me yhi hu." Naveen told, earning a nod from him.
Hesitantly, the little boy walked towards the house he was told and debated himself, whether to ring the door bell or not.
Turning his head, he looked at his father for assurance, who nodded his head with a small smile even though he knew, what was coming next.
A few seconds later after Aayansh rang the door bell, the door opened revealing a woman in her early thirties and a pool of fresh tears filled the eyes of the little boy, who immediately hugged her legs.
"Maa."
"What are you doing here?" Her tone wasn't something he expected. Wasn't she supposed to hug him when he have met him after months. Wasn't a mother supposed to love her child a little extra after staying away for months.
"I missed you." He mumbled, lifting his head to look at her. His chin trembling, eyes red, cheeks stained with fresh tears and his small hands gripped her saree, as if never wanting to let her go.
"Aayansh, go back." He shook his head at her command.
"Aayansh nhi hu na me, I'm your Aayu." He almost yelled.
(I'm not Aayansh.)
"Stop creating a drama here, Aayansh." She forcefully held his hand and made him stand at a distance but due to the sudden jerk, he stumbled on his balance and was about to fall when Naveen came there and held him.
"Can't you keep your child into control. Kahi bhi, kisi se bhi milne aa jate hai." She spatted, looking at Naveen.
(They come to meet whenever amd whoever.)
"Aayansh, let's go home." Naveen said, ignoring her words and wiped his tears.
"Aap Dono sath kyu nhi rahte, pahle ki tarah. I miss you so much." He screamed at his mother, wiggling in the hold of his father.
(Why don't you live together like before.)
"Don't come back here." She warned before closing the gate of the house.
"Maa, please. I miss you. Please come back. Dad please, ask her to come back." He choked on his tears and his father tried his best to pacify him, picking him up in his arms and walked towards the car.
"Aayansh, you're a good boy right. Please rona band kar."
(Stop crying.)
"To bolo na unse, mujse baat kre. Hamare sath rhe. Bolo unko." He said, gritting his teeth and wiping his tears harshly.
(They ask her to talk to me. Ask her to live with us.)
"We can't force someone, Aayansh. We can't." He felt his father's voice getting hoarse and heavy and saw him crying.
He turned his head to look at the door.
"You made my dad cry. I hate you so much. I won't ever come back to you, never ever." He shouted , his whole face turning red due to anger.
And that's how the little boy learned the definition of hate, started hating someone at the age where he should have been showered with love.
His heart thumped against his chest as her gaze shifted to him but Aayansh was fast enough to move away from the window but he was able to take the glimpse of her eyes, which turned watery.
"Aayu." He heard her saying out loud.
"Ruhi, My Aayu is there." She said again and he had to close his eyes shut listening to her desperate voice.
"Mamma, there's no one." He heard another voice which belonged to that girl, he thought.
"No, he's there. I saw him." Her voice cracked at the end.
"Ruhi, please go and call him. I want to see him, I want to meet him before I die." Aayansh had to chew his bottom lip between his teeth to prevent himself from tearing up.
No, you can't cry for her Aayansh. Remember you did cry for a lot but she never stopped. She left you, for someone else. Don't fucking cry for this woman, Aayansh.
"Stop mentioning about your death every Time. You aren't dying." The girl seethed in frustration.
"Ruhi please call him. Please, Bula na use. Vo Kahi nhi gya hoga, please sirf ek baar milna hai muje usse. Please Ruhi."
He heard her sobbing and hated how well she knew him but the footsteps approaching him alerted him and turning his heels, he walked away.
He heard the door of the room opening but he didn't turn back. He couldn't.
"Mr. Rajvanshi." There was hesitancy in the voice. No matter how much he didn't want to stop, he ended up doing the same.
The footsteps became more clear and he felt someone standing right behind him.
"Mr. Rajvanshi." She called him again and inhaling a deep breath, he gulped down before turning to face her.
"Yes?" He asked with a blank face like he never heard her conversation with that woman, just a few seconds ago.
The girl hesitated and looked here and there, not knowing what to say or ask him while Aayansh looked at her face clearly, her features resembled her.
She's her daughter, isn't she. And my sister !!
"Vo actually.....she....she wants to meet you." She stuttered, finding it difficult to talk to him since it was the first time she was facing him.
"I have paid the hospital bills. They will schedule the surgery soon. Take care." With those cold words which held no warmth, he turned around to leave.
"Please." She requested making him stop on his tracks.
"I don't know how you got to know about her being in the hospital and you paid for the hospital bills without even asking and I'm grateful for that but trust me, I'll return all your money as soon as possible but please, she wants to meet you." He heard her saying, her voice shaking in the end making him regret his decision to even see that woman at the first place.
I should have left just after paying the bills !!
"You don't know anything so you should stay away. She wants to meet me but it's not the other way around." He opposed.
"I know I'm no one to you and I don't hold the position in your life to ask you to meet her but please. She's my mother and I can't see her crying and pleading when she's going through major health issues. I won't ever ask you about anything, heck, I won't ever come in front of you after this but please. One last time, she's been waiting for years to see you." The last words barely came out as a whisper which Aayansh failed to hear but he felt his heart giving up on his stubbornness.
He turned around to look at her with stone hard expressions but his eyes immediately softened seeing her joining her hands in front of him and tears in her eyes.
Wow, Aayansh fucking Rajvanshi. If you ever thought that you never failed, you did, right here, right now.
"Don't do that." He held her palms for a second before walking away in the direction of the room.
As he opened the gate of the room, his cold eyes met with her glossy one as she immediately sat on the bed.
"Aayu." The woman almost whispered, wiping her tears.
"Aayansh Rajvanshi." He corrected her and walked inside, stuffing his hands in his pocket.
"Don't you remember, your Aayu died 24 years ago, exactly when you left him." He clenched his jaw and looked dead into her eyes, who shook her head and looked away, not able to meet his eyes because of the guilt.
"I'm sorry." She sobbed earning a scoff from him.
"Sorry, your sorry won't change anything. Neither the past nor my scars." he gritted his teeth but tried maintaining his composure, realising her health.
The door of the room opened as the girl walked inside but didn't say anything.
"Don't think that I paid the bills because I forgave you, no. I paid just to repay you for giving me birth." His bitter words only Brought tears in her eyes as she squeezed her eyes shut.
"Aayu please. I'm sorry. I regret everything I did."
"What do you regret? Cheating on my father after 10 years of marriage or leaving your 7 year old son crying and screaming for you at the doorstep? Or leaving your 2 year old son behind for some other man when he was burning in fever? Or never picking up my calls when I tried contacting you until I gave up? What exactly do you regret?" He raised his voice a little when felt himself tearing up. He clenched his hands until his knuckles turned white. His throat started aching and inhaling a few deep breath, he looked away.
A painful silence filled the air and the only the sound of her sobs echoed in the room.
"How's Ahaan?" She asked, gathering some courage after a while. Aayansh turned his head to look at her.
"Exactly like you." He snapped.
"He's just like you, breaking someone's heart like it's a toy, giving them the pain which is nearly impossible to forget." He futher added, inhaling a sharp breath.
"Can I see him? Once?" She asked hesitantly, wiping her tears but fresh tears again accumulated in her eyes.
Aayansh took out his phone and typed something before tossing it back into his pocket.
"I have sent you his number. Call him and tell him, who are you to him. Tell him that you're his mother who left him when he was just 2. Tell him that you cheated on his father and left your family for someone else and also Tell him that it was you who gave him birth and not Avantika Maa."
She looked at him with pleading eyes when he mentioned someone else as his mother.
It could have been her only if she didn't ruin everything, she thought.
She was about to say something when a knock was heard at the door and a nurse peeked in.
"Ms. Rajvanshi, please come to the reception." For once Aayansh thought that he was called but when the girl walked out following the nurse, he looked at the woman sitting on the bed.
Ms. Rajvanshi. Wait, Poonam Maheshwari, how can I forget that Maheshwari is my grandparents surname but why does her daughter use My surname?.
"She- he pointed at the door, looking at Poonam for answers.
"She's your sister, Ruhika." She told him but it wasn't just the end of his questions.
"She use Rajvanshi? Why?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.
"She's my and Naveen's daughter, your sister not half sister." Aayansh gasped at the information and looked away, running his hand through his hair.
"You aren't lying, are you?" He couldn't trust anything that came from her.
"I'm not lying." Hearing those words, Aayansh rushed out of the room, everything that happened was too much to process for him so he left despite he heard Poonam calling him again.
He stood in the compound of the hospital, frustrated, angry, miserable and dejected.
She have a daughter with Dad and I didn't know? Does dad know about it? But what happened to that man with whom she left? Why isn't he here, with her? It's a fucking mess.
Several questions lingered in his mind, making him frustrated. Closing his eyes, he inhaled some breath to calm himself down until he realized something.
I need her in front of me, right now.
Digging into his pocket, he took out his phone and dialled Aadhya's number.
"Hello." He heard her voice which was enough to calm every nerve of his body. He felt himself calming down.
"Where are you?" He asked desperately.
"Ghar pe. Everyone have returned half an hour ago." She informed from the other side.
(At home.)
"Come outside. I'll pick you up in 5 minutes." He told her, before hanging up and walking inside his car.
The awkward air filled the car when Aadhya sat inside the car and he started driving, without saying a word.
She looked at him, his eyes bloodshot red as If he was on the verge of crying so didn't dare to say anything, no matter how much she was dying to speak to him.
After almost 10 minutes which felt like hours, Aayansh stopped the car in front of the familiar building and she got to to know that they were at his penthouse.
No words were uttered until they reached his penthouse. Closing the gate behind him, Aayansh walked into the living room, following her. That's all he needed right now, her in front of his eyes. That was enough for him to forget about everything even a little.
"I want to rest for some time." He told her and she looked at him, confused.
If you want to rest that why did you call me here?
But her confusion soon vanished when he pulled her towards the bed room.
"We didn't sleep properly last night. We should have some rest." He mumbled and left her hand to walk to his side of the bed but before he could take any step further, she held his wrist, stopping him.
Taking a few steps towards him, she stood in front of him and he avoided her gaze because he was too vulnerable at the moment.
A few words with her and he'll end up losing his shit, he knew that.
"Kya Hua?" She asked, ever so softly that he felt his heart swelling up with grief, the pain squeezing his lungs and the tears clogging his throat.
(What happened?)
Unknowingly a tear escaped from his eyes when he looked into her eyes. Her eyes widened and heart sank into the pit of her stomach. Taking another step towards him, she cupped his cheeks and wiped his tears.
"Kya Hua Aayansh? You're scaring me now. Please tell me, what is it?" She asked too worried to see him like this. She could feel the vulnerability he was trying to hide.
(What happened Aayansh?)
"Kuch nhi." He removed her hands from his face and passed her a forced smile before walking to the bed.
(Nothing.)
You're again pushing me away and it's hurting me so bad as if someone is trying to snatch away the most precious thing of mine.
"Don't push me away," She mumbled and she was sure that he heard it.
"Tulip, I want to have some rest." He ignored her words and laid on the bed.
Closing her eyes in frustration, she faced him.
"You're doing it since yesterday and if pushing me away would solve all your problems that you shouldn't have called me here at the first place. You'd have come to me after solving out everything Because who I'm, just your wife with whom you're suppose to share your happiness and nothing more." She ended up bursting out.
"You think that I don't care what you're going through. I do Aayansh and it's hurting me to see you like this. Tell me what happened, please." He inhaled a shaky breath before getting up and sitting on the edge of the bed.
Rubbing his palm over his face, he looked into her eyes which held nothing but worry and care for him.
"I'm sorry." He breathed out.
"Your sorry is not important right now, Aayansh." She told him and kneeled down in front of him before taking his hands into her's.
"What's more important is, you opening up to me. What's bothering you. I'm seeing you from yesterday, the time we came back from hospital. Kya Hua?"
He felt the ice of his heart melting with her words and all he wanted to do at the moment was to hug her and let it all out.
I wish, I had the courage to open up, like you!
He licked his dry lips and gulped down when his throat started aching again because of how hard he was trying to control himself from letting his tears fall. He blinked his eyes and shook his head.
"I'm...." He couldn't bring himself to say a word because he knew, if he did he might end up crying and he didn't want that. Because right now, everything's around him was a mess, he was a mess.
I don't want to drag you into this mess, Tulip. It's better for you to stay away.
"I'm just stressed because of some work." He pulled his hand back fearing that If she held it for a little longer, he might lose control over his emotions.
She saw him looking away while saying those words. That's exactly you do when you are lying, not looking into someone's eyes.
She knew how he was trying to hold himself back from crying, it wasn't a foreign situation to her.
"Aayansh," He looked at her and she felt the blood drying in her veins and heart clenching seeing his glossy eyes and reddened face.
"I can wait." The three words from her were enough for him to lose his shit and throw himself on her, wrapping his arms around her firmly.
Aadhya rubbed his back, hugging him back instantly. She knew he won't tell her yet and she was willing to wait until he would open up.
She knew that no matter how comfortable they were around each other, they still had some boundaries. The boundaries which caged their wounds, their scars and their past.
They were aware of each other's present but not the past and that's where the line was drawn and none of them were oblivious of the fact that they'd need a hell lot of courage to speak out something they have never read aloud.
"I'm sorry for behaving like that yesterday." He mumbled, his voice turning hoarse and heavy.
"I won't push you away." He added further and brought his hand to wipe off the tears that left his eyes.
"It wasn't your fault to begun with. Everyone have their own way to deal with things." She assured him but her heart clenched once she heard him sniffing. She tried to pull out from the hug but he refused.
Some minutes later, when he felt himself calming down, he pulled out from the hug and looked at her. Cupping her face, he caressed her cheeks with the pad of his thumb.
"you're the most important and precious one for me, Tulip." Did her heart skipped beats after beats listening to him, hell yeah.
"So there's nothing like hiding anything from you because there are a few chapters in my life you're not aware of and I'm willing to tell you, but not now. I need some time." She nodded understanding him and cupped his cheeks.
"Whatever it is, it won't create any difference between us, right?" She asked but regretted immediately.
How can I be so selfish to ask such a question when he's suffering.
He knew where it was coming from. The insecurities, the fears don't go away in a blink.
"Nothing, nothing can come between us, Tulip." smiling a little, she hugged him again.
"Let's sleep now." She shook her head at his demand and stood up.
"You need to eat first, you haven't had your breakfast." She held his hand.
"Are you cooking?" Aadhya turned around and looked at him, who was now following her.
"Making fun of me, aren't you?" She squinted her eyes, being offended.
"Bilkul nhi. Mujme kha itni himmat ki tumhara mazak banau." He shook his head innocently, pressing his lips into a thin line. Rolling her eyes at his sarcasm, she leisurely dragged him to the dining area.
(Not at all. I don't have the courage to make fun of you.)
"Just a minute." She mumbled before going to the living room and came back with the lunch box in her hand.
"I packed the breakfast for you since you left without eating." She sat beside him and opened the box before serving him and his eyes, they never left her.
I was a mess before meeting you, maybe I'm still a mess but when you're around, everything just seems right. You calm my soul like no one can.
To be continued:-
I cried writing this chapter, specially the flashback part.
Anways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter so please, don't forget to vote and comment.