Aaradhya
Happiness.
A state of well-being and contentment.
An emotion I hadn’t experienced from a long time.
But today I feel it.
I feel super happy today.
Because today one project will make my company a global brand.
We decided go with the launch first in India and then in New York.
And so today is the most important day of my life.
Today is the main event.
I don’t care about anyone else except the main event and him.
Hredhaan.
The shock and grief of losing my sister lasted shorter than I expected.
He made me realize how she used me.
I knew she was wrong but I never realized she used me all the years.
I don’t understand how she herself being a victim of abuse and trauma could not bear an ounce of sympathy for me all these years.
How could she hate me when she knows I am a victim of circumstances too?
But it’s okay.
I don’t expect anything from her.
All because of him.
I lo- like him.
Yes.
I like him.
I feel more than liking towards him.
I have started developing feelings for him.
And I am going to confess my feelings to him today.
I will tell him that I want to make us official in front of everyone today at the event.
I don’t even need to decide an outfit for today as Hannah already gifted me one of our own made designer piece which I am supposed to wear at the event.
It’s an off shoulder shimmery silver outfit that has slits on either sides of the ends.
It takes me almost an hour to get ready for the event. I had beauticians ready to doll me up but I feared I would end up looking like a clown since I have experience how they did too much of it on my face the last time I had booked them and so I had the hairstyle and the base make up done by them and the rest done by me.
Clad in a silver outfit in the mist of night made me feel like a star covered by my scars.
Wow that rhymed.
Ready to celebrate my success I make my way out of my room towards the hallway. I reach there only to be stopped at the sight of Sasha. Seeing her brought all memories of the day that I had been constantly brooding over. I asked her to get out insolently. She didn’t leave even after that which made me morose.
“I am sorry I am so sorry aaru” she said looking at me with moist eyes.
“Aaradhya” I correct her.
“At least here me out” she makes her way towards me trying to touch me.
“Oh my god what happened to you?” she gets startled seeing the injury on my left hand.
Her gaze draws towards my injury that I got in morning when I tripped in my room while taking a file out from the upper cup board.
“Please stop acting solicitous when you aren’t and don’t care about me at all” I state with certainty.
“I am truly apologetic for my harsh words” she speaks sobbing.
“My mom, she had arrived to meet me at the hospital when I had miscarried aaradhya” she reveals.
My gaze draws towards her.
“I didn’t like her I never liked her and I had always considered Saniya Mom as my mother” she continues.
I grow attentive at the mention of my mom.
“But that day she told me that no one wants me now as your parents died and she wants me back now and will take care of me but you won’t let her as you don’t want to stay alone” she reveals shocking me to the core.
“We didn’t have that kind of relationship as you were always busy in your studies and projects which made me believe her words and I considered you selfish. I wanted to stay with my parents and I was desperate for their love as they were considerate to me for the first time aaradhya” she continues.
“But when you involved the lawyer and turned this entire ordeal more painful for me I was bound to stay with you which made me resent you” she reasons.
"What i didn't know was my parents didn't want me but the money that came with me" she reveals with great regret.
“How was I supposed to know they were your real parents and that you didn’t want to stay with me? And I involved lawyer because your in laws wouldn’t just let you go. Do you know they wanted to prove you mentally ill and also that you tried to hit their son in your madness when you refused to press any charges? I ask her.
“Your parents forced me to not press any charges because it would affect their reputation and business did you know that?” I yell at her.
She looks shocked and looks down on her lap holding the support of the sofa she is currently sitting at. I never wanted to reveal anything but all the people around me are bound on making me the bad person which compels me to tell her what all I did for her.
“Also you need to know that your ex-husband was still coming for you and would have even gotten his hold on you again if it wasn’t for me using my power to put him back in his place. In fact I destroyed his company so much for hurting you that he lives a poverty filled life now and works in some company as a cleaner” I reveal.
“I never wanted to tell anything to you but you compelled me and wait why are you even here to apologize now what made you come here again?” I question.
She looks at me in daze and then she remembers something as if the reality hits her.
“Don’t blame your parents for whatever happened to me” she states firmly.
“Akash was my parents’ choice and they used me being their biological daughter as a reason to marry me off to him. That was when I got to know they were my parents” she reveals.
“Abhimanyu uncle might be a conservative father but he opposed their decision as I was too young to get married according to him. It was when papa reminded him how he still didn’t have any legal rights on me as he never bothered to care enough about the legalities as everything was in the family he agreed to the marriage” she pauses to look at my reaction.
My expressions are still that of a shock. I won't be able to forgive myself for this. For resenting my parents all these years. I am hating myself at this moment.
“I was given to your parents by our grandmother when I was born as my parents didn’t want a girl child and your parents weren’t able to conceive any time soon” she reveals.
I am getting shockers after shockers.
It is too much to digest for me.
“I and kunal overheard mum dad talking about everything and it was when I realized that Abhimanyu dad’s words always had other meaning behind them” she speaks.
“Abhimanyu dad got the legal papers and both of them were coming to meet me and take me with them but died in a car crash” she reveals.
“I am sorry for everything aaradhya I told you everything I knew and maybe there is more to it but I am severely guilty for my behavior towards you” she expresses.
“I am really sorry for everything you had to go through” I state.
“But I am not sane right now Sasha” I warn her.
“I know you were misled but right know you are coming across as someone who just had an experience and now knows the feeling, the mixed feeling, that we feel when any new discovery arouses. You are not guilty because you regret but you are guilty and annoyed because you realized you look like a fool at the best and a knave at the worst” I hear myself elaborate whatever came in my mind.
“And now you are faced with the necessity of going back maybe because of your marriage but I cannot forget that you pretended all these years I really sympathize with you and forgive your words but please leave me alone right now” I conclude.
She looks at me with pity and leaves for her home.
I don’t need anyone’s pity.
A notification catches my attention and I checked my phone.
Hannah: pdf document for today.
I check the document and it’s the panegyric I am supposed to speak before the event commences.
🚩 : Where are you?
Are you okay?
Event is about to start.
You need to give the introductory speech.
Come soon.
I check the messages and feel emotional on seeing them.
Are you alright?
Did you eat?
You have me aaradhya.
All those moments flash in my mind making me more emotional.
At least someone cares for me.
He makes me feel wanted.
I won't crumble easily.
I will find out everything soon.
With a new found courage and resolution i tidy my appearance and make my way outside the apartment and leave for the event.
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