Under God's canopy-the earth, Anand paced back and forth beside the water which swift and brush his feet continuously.
"The police can leave. My family can leave. Your mother can leave, but I'll never leave you Shraddha. Nor can you." he voices to the sea and continues to walk. A shadow draws near his figure from the back which mutters,
"I'll also not leave you, Anand."
Anand heard the feminine voice and instantly turned around. He saw Lakshmi, Supriya's sister who smiled at him and arrived.
"What are you doing here?" he scanned her figure watching how much she had changed within five years because, after Supriya's death and they, willingly agreeing to give him his children's custody since they weren't capable of taking care of them, they never met again. It was Poonam and Riddhima who would go visit them from time to time, but without him.
"I heard about the unfortunate incident that happened. Although, I don't find it unfortunate." her smile remained plastered on her face.
Anand eyed her suspicious behaviour and asked her to explain why it wasn't unfortunate to her. "Are you also supporting Riya? If you heard, you must have heard from Riya's perspective. Shraddha isn't like that. She will never kidnap for money. She isn't someone who gives money any importance. She only loves humans. Her heart only cares..."
"I know Anand. This is why I tell you the unfortunate incident isn't unfortunate because, if Shraddha is truly in all aspects a nice being, God won't take her away from life. After all, in the end, only the villains die."
"You believe she isn't dead?" Anand enquired.
She chuckled and answered. "Not one bit. Shraddha is alive."
"Won't you call her a body like others?"
"A person becomes a body after death. Shraddha is alive. If she had died, you'd feel it. You sensed sister Supriya's death a day before right?"
Anand nodded affirmatively.
"Do you feel in your heart that Shraddha is dead?"
He shook his head. He didn't feel anything in his heart like he felt before Supriya's passing. He can remember a day before she died, he couldn't sleep at night. There was a feeling he couldn't recognize that grew in his heart which was the main reason he didn't perform her operation. Rather, he decided to pray for her successful delivery.
"If you can't feel she's dead, she isn't. Trust your heart."
Anand leaned and hugged her. He was expecting these words from Riya to comfort him, but Lakshmi took her place. He was grateful for that. He thanked God for sending him another sister just after he lost one. Lakshmi, on the other hand, smiled widely while trying to intimate the hug. She gathered her body in one place and squealed with excitement in silence as she thought of how wonderfully her mother's idea worked to come and be the support Anand was searching for in his family. The idea worked because Anand who had never in the past hugged her did today. They always maintained a distant relationship. Her sister was aware of the undying love she had for him. Both her mother and her at the time tried to keep her away from him.
"But how did you find out? What made you visit home? Is everything fine with Aunt?" Anand enquired as he drew back.
"Mother forced me to go with her." she strode further and left him behind her. "She got sick and said she would not live for long. She wishes to spend her remaining days with her grandchildren. We arrived yesterday, but after your father came and saw us, he said he would not permit our stay. We don't share a relationship any longer since my sister is dead and no longer your wife." she turned her head briefly and peeked at Anand's face who was thinking critically. With a smirk, she continued to stare at the sea.
"I hope you don't come back Shraddha. You lived your life. Let me live mine too." she closed her eyes and mumbled to herself.
"Poonam is now studying outside the country. Even if she lives with us, she won't be meeting with Riddhima regularly unless at night as she also goes to school." Anand stared at her hair which was moving side by side.
"I know my mother is asking for a lot. I also told her that. I told her we don't share a relationship with you like before. You have new in-laws now, a new wife and we are in the past. She said it is her last wish. I wish I can tell her it's not possible. By the way," she turned. "I've already packed our bags. Even though, meeting Riddhima alone even if it is at night may make her heart feel lighter, since she may really be in the last days of her life," she lifted her gaze and wiped the invisible tears under her eyes. "It's not a problem if you don't agree. We'll leave tomorrow after saying goodbye to Poonam."
"I don't know. Stay if you want. I can't deprive her of her rights. Riddhima is her granddaughter." he then groaned and squeezed his eyes close. "Do what you want. All I'm bothered about is finding Shraddha. I hope the kids don't know about her." he looked at her.
"They're mourning their cousin's death. Moreover, Uncle strictly forbade us from discussing the matter with them. Before I left, I heard him telling Riddhima that Shraddha has permanently moved to Ladnun. I doubt they know anything."
"Good. I don't want to involve them either."
~~~~***~~~~
Anand's father and a man of his age were watching Shraddha getting attended to by the doctors. She was in an unconscious state.
"What if her mother never died? Would that have meant I would never have found out I have a daughter?" the man, who turned out to be Ranbir's father cried for the state he was seeing Shraddha in.
Anand's father's brows raised slightly as he sighed. "I hope she's the only daughter you have. You've had quite a lot of mistresses in the past."
"Whatever it is, I'm thankful to you Mr Kapoor. Had you not informed me about Ranbir wanting to kill Shraddha, I'd never have arrived at the sea and saved her in time after she fell."
"There's no need to thank me. We both know politics. We know business. Nothing is for free. I'm reuniting you with your daughter. You'll pay me one day."
"Ask for anything. I will wait for the day you'll ask for your reward. I still can't believe my son shot her. I regret informing him about her. It was all my fault."
"Don't blame yourself." his voice soon intensified with anger as he continued. "Ranbir will pay for killing my granddaughter. I've witnessed Riya's tears. I wanted them to reunite. I helped him. I gave him the idea to kidnap the child. When he said he'll kill her, I warned him not to. He acted unforgivably. He harmed and killed my blood. His will spill too."
"You shouldn't harm him. It will create a rift in the family. Let their relationship continue. At a point, he'll realize his mistake and guilt will eat him up alive." his father replied more with plead.
"We bribed the inspector and took Shraddha. He made sure they wasted hours before going into the sea to make everyone believe the lie he would tell tomorrow. Everyone will think she drowned to the extreme. Now, it is your job to make her stay far away from my family. I can never accept her because she's an illegitimate child. You didn't marry her mother. She has no father."
"I won't want her with your son either. He's too old for her." the man answered. They looked at each other and exchanged a brief smile.
"Ranbir will pay. If not now, he will pay later. I won't see him like I used to before. Tell him he lost my support and respect." he left the house. Not so long, the doctor came out of the room they turned into a hospital ward.
"We've saved her. The woman is breathing again." the doctor broke the news which lighted Ranbir's father's face with happiness. He hugged the doctor from sheer excitement and drew back immediately.
"Can I go and meet her? Is she awake now?"
"As you instructed, she won't remember anything from the past. She has lost her memory. However, we don't know when she'll wake up. She's still sleeping."
"But she's alive?" he asked the important part.
"She is." the doctor confirmed.
"And she will open her eyes?"
"Yes, she will."
"Beautiful." his lips stretched with a wide smile.
~~~~~^^^^^^~~~~~
The next day, Anand didn't leave the sea, nor did Lakshmi leave his sight. The rescue force returned and continued their operation.
"I will go and say my goodbyes to Poonam. I hope I don't have to return instead, you'll come home to us with Shraddha by your side." Lakshmi told Anand.
"May God answer your prayer. Thank you. Tell Poonam on my behalf to concentrate on her studies." Anand replied.
"Sure. You're welcome."
~~~~~****~~~~~
"Give me an explanation Ranbir. I know you killed Shraddha. I trusted and informed you about your sibling. Didn't you always wish you had a sister? Why did you kill her then?" his dad furiously exclaimed to his son who remained calm on the sofa holding a glass of beer. His eyes had turned red due to lack of sleep and taking excessive alcohol.
"I'm talking to you. Why did you kill her?" his father yelled again.
"Because I hate her. And will also never accept her as my sister." he calmly replied.
"You hate her? Why would you?"
"She ruined my home the first day she set her foot there. She made me stay away from my children, my family for many days. She's not the kind of sister I wanted to have."
"Is that why you killed her?" he questioned him.
"I killed her to save your reputation. She is viewed as an illegitimate child all over the country. What do you think will happen when everyone learns she is your daughter? What will happen to our business? People will talk and say you're a heartless man who abandoned his daughter during her life. Ever thought of that?"
"What you should think of is Mr Kapoor. He is very angry with you for killing his granddaughter. So am I. I was attached to the child. Moreover, you killed my daughter. I need time to move on from these events. I've decided I'll stay away from India for a while."
"I don't care." he uttered.
"I'm very, very disappointed in you. During my stay abroad, please don't try to contact me."
~~~~***~~~~
The inspector stamped on some papers and signed which declared Shraddha dead after her going missing in the sea. Anand requested them to search again even if it was for the last time. They didn't want to do it at first, but his persistence eventually convinced them.
Meanwhile, at home, Lakshmi told Poonam to focus on her studies as that was the only thing that would improve her relationship with her father.
"Just make sure Shraddha never returns. Let her remain in Ladnun or wherever she wishes permanently." she replied.
"For that, your father has to marry again."
Poonam sent her a cold glare, voicing angrily. "What do you mean? I don't want anyone to take my mother's place."
"Be calm. Don't yell. It's better for your mother's sister to replace her than someone else. At least, I will never get to your father's bed or try to take my sister's place in his life. What guarantee will we have from other women? You saw how Shraddha worked her way to his heart. Others can too."
"Never. I brought you here to prevent it."
"Which is only possible if your father remains married. He has to marry me." she looked ahead and said while briefly peeking at Poonam.
"And soon." she added.
Overlook any grammatical error 😁. The book is unedited.
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