Salaam everyone. How are you all?? Here is the next chapter of Misconceptions. Not proof-read.
Happy reading.
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'Ma! You here?' asked Arjun finding his voice after his initial shock slash surprise. Of course, he knew he shouldn't be shocked as he was the one who told Pawan to search for her. But he was shocked because she was accompanied by Hitesh, Vikas and Radhika? Why did they come with her? Surely, she is no acquaintance of them. Before he can decide who is she to them in his mind, Sweta asked the question that brought him out of his shock.
'Didn't expect me here, Nash?' asked Sweta.
He almost cried listening to his childhood nickname. He doesn't know how he was going to answer her with all the emotions that are bombarding him all at once. He should have given a strange expression for his Ma is looking at him as if he has lost his voice.
'I did expect you here, yes. But I am shocked that you are not with Pawan and you have come with them.' said Arjun gesturing to the trio who is standing in front of him with guilty expressions. Why are they guilty?
'So, you guys didn't inform him that you are going to bring me here?' asked Sweta to the trio who stood with their heads hung down.
Well, that was unexpected.
Arjun was watching this with wide eyes. He cannot believe that the people who stood proud all the time hung their heads in front of a person he had least expected. There is definitely something going on that he didn't know, yet.
'Why will they inform me? And why is Pawan not here? Radhika, do you know where Pawan is? Bring him in. I don't like games, not now. When I found my Ma after this long time.' said Arjun bouncing off the bed on which he was sitting.
Sweta sighed in resignation beside him. She should have known this will happen after knowing everyone's character present over there that this is not going to be a happy reunion. Stupid brats. They stood their heads hung down as if that will solve all the problems. Time to make things straight again. And she now knew that the trio is not going to help her, anyways. God help them when she was finished with Arjun. She so loved the scene that is forming in her mind. Suits fine for them for putting her in this position.
'They are the ones who brought me, Nash.' Said Sweta seeing Radhika is not going to answer Arjun.
'What?'
'Yes, these three idiots are the people who brought me here and put me here so I can explain everything to you and stood there like statues on display.'
Arjun couldn't understand a bit. How is she, his mother, talking about all of them as if she knew them from ages. And why are they not speaking anything as if they have somehow misplaced their voice boxes. His head will burst if someone will not clear the confusion hovering in his room.
'Care to explain what is happening over here?' snapped Arjun. He didn't mean snap at Sweta, but she is not helping matters either by talking only one sentence all the time. Of course, he understood they brought her here. But why? The most important thing is how.
'Well, it should be left between mother and son from here on. We will stay in the hall till she finishes her little story.' said Hitesh breaking the tension that is building in the room.
Vikas and Radhika who are so eager to leave the room has bobbed their heads in agreement and left the room leaving Arjun and Sweta to finish their conversation.
'Well!!!' drawled Arjun.
Sweta cleared her throat several times and opened her mouth. All of her children has turned out to be traitors, well except Arjun and Pawan.
'So as they didn't say anything to you, I will have to reveal the whole thing myself, it seems. First things first, Radhika is your Ayushi.' said Sweta as if she is speaking of weather.
She is like that, no nonsense type. But for Arjun, it is that thing that turned his life upside down. Radhika is Ayushi. That means the one who he was intended to marry and whom he married are the same. And the fool he is, has fallen in love with her. He didn't think she is capable of this betrayal. If not Sweta Ma, is she ever going to tell him the truth? He bloody hell hoped she would have thought of that, or else he would strangle her for leading him and Pawan on a merry chase.
Sweta who saw his thunderous expression thought to divert his mind at very important matters at hand. He can do whatever he was thinking to do to his daughter later although she wished it not to be some drastic thing.
'Next.' said Sweta bringing him out of his haze. 'Is that, that....' she took a deep breath before she can reveal the most important secret they have been holding for eons. 'That, Arohi is no more, Nash.'
She heard his sharp intake of breath and she couldn't look into his eyes after this. Telling him about his daughter is one thing and saying his mother is dead is another. They have already stalled this but no more. He needs to know what happened to her. He needs what made them to run away from their own country and hide in God knows where if not for Vikas's father. They will be forever grateful to him and his family.
'For how long?' asked Arjun in a strangled voice.
'For as long as we have been dead in the eyes of the world.' answered Sweta. She is having hard time controlling her emotions.
'Oh! And your daughter knew this all?'
She could only nod her head in yes in response. Her daughter now, is it? Ayushi will not leave him for this. But he is right here, after all he was betrayed by all of them all this time and her daughter didn't get the guts to come clean in front of him. Instead of telling the truth herself, she brought her here. What a specimens she got as a children!!
'Oh! She not only betrayed me but she is also successful in making a fool out of me.' said Arjun to himself more than to Sweta.
'That you should ask her. But I need to say more of what had happened to us before they burst open the door to see what's happening here.' said Sweta showing her thumb in the direction of the door. She is sure that the idiots stuck their ears on the other side of the door to know what is happening inside.
'Okay. I am sorry, Ma. But I didn't mean to insult you calling Ra.... Ayushi as your daughter.'
'Well, she is my daughter.' said Sweta with a wink drawing a chuckle from Arjun.
Of course, she is her daughter. The antics she did all these things prove this, after all.
'Back to the matter at hand, after the fire broke out, we didn't have much time in our hands to move all people out of the house. Arohi tried her best to save anyone who's caught in the fire. Before she can reach outside, the building crumbled taking Arohi with it.' said Sweta with tears in her eyes. 'After that, there is no place for us to go as our enemies thought all of us has burned down in the fire. We heard their evil chuckles from the place we have hidden in the garden. So I have gone to my native with Ayushi where I didn't get much help. When I was tried of asking help from my relatives and resigning myself to our fate that there could be nothing I can do, came a ray of light in the form of Vikas's father. He offered his help and settled us in Istanbul. It took some time to get ourselves acquainted but we got on well.' finished Sweta.
'And you didn't think about me once, Ma? How am I enduring my life staying away from all of you, away in a different country with no trace of mother and father in the vicinity and no friends? You didn't think to come to me so that we can live together?'
'It would have rise so many suspicions if we came to you. People were already talking about you as the successor of the party. We didn't want to make ourselves known and bring the threat to you too. Somehow, our enemies didn't think you as their problem based on your shy nature and keeping to yourself.'
Arjun nodded his head in understanding.
'But I am not going to forgive Tweety for she had done, Ma.'
'I didn't say to forgive her. But listen to what she has to say and then decide your course of punishment. I am not going to stop you.' she said with a wink. She knew Arjun can never be harsh on anyone so she is relieved on this matter. It is between husband and wife to sort their problems, after all and who is she to interfere.
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End of twenty-fifth chapter. So sorry for the shortest chapter ever. My laptop has finally taken it's last breath last week, so I am typing this chapter on mobile. I have promised this chapter last week,so only this short chapter or else I would have given a long chapter with Arjun confronting Radhika, who is now Tweety for him. ;)
As usual, do vote and share your views on this chapter.
Love you all and have a great weekend...
Till next time, Sayonara.