With parted lips, Adhrit Sinha gazed at the mother in mourning. His heartbeat throbbed in his ears while her imploring eyes beseeched his unblinking orbs. Mitali's emotional plea as a mother evoked a response from him he had never experienced before. He knew that accepting the proposition would be the path to their most agonizing destruction.
"Mitali? I hope you understand the seriousness of the situation and the request you made. The doctors have confirmed that you are exhibiting signs of depression besides going through a painful miscarriage."
His disbelief was evident as he spoke, causing her to let out an exasperated sigh as he formulated his response. "You won't have to suffer this heartbreak again," he promised while holding her shoulders with affection. "Not if I can help it, Mitali. You don't want to endure the agony of that experience again."
Mitali stared into his chocolate-colored eyes, hoping to find some indication of weakness or approval to use in persuading him to accept her request. Mitali's annoyance at failing to find the desired emotions caused her to brush his arms away.
"You don't seem to regret this loss as much as I do." She conveyed her frustration and looked away as she explained he would have agreed to the sole solution to recover what they had lost if he had comprehended.
Startling Mitali, Adhrit suddenly grabbed her forearms in a tight grip, forcing her to look him in the eyes.
"Ms. Pathak, get one thing clear. There is nothing I loathe more in this world than emotional blackmail." Adhrit emphasized that any attempt to achieve something through it would fail on him.
He recalled his sister passing him the baton and his grandmother pressuring him to have a child, as thoughts churned in his mind like ocean waves.
Tears flowed through her eyes as she whispered, "You are the same," despite trying to hold them back. "You are the same as others. I expected you to be unlike others."
Adhrit realized what he had done in a fit of anger and loosened his grip on her arms when he heard her words laced with disappointment and angst. He was unjust in punishing someone for the deeds of another. "Mitali..."
"My belief was that you would maintain respect towards others, irrespective of your position, and that your words would have substance, but you have proven me wrong."
Despite the twitches and body aches, Mitali attempted to move by taking advantage of his weakened grip. Her mind's powerful will was too much for her muscles, causing her to sway to the side. She braced herself for the pain, but Adhrit's arms held her steady.
"I am sorry. Mitali, that's not how I intended to present myself. When people use emotional blackmail, it's enraging." His sincerity was evident as he told her about his family's misuse of it.
"I don't care!" she said, wrenching her arms out of his grip, and panting at the effort it took to carry out the simple task. "I don't care about your family's manipulation or your reasons for agreeing! All I want is to have my child back."
Despite her furious attempts to wipe them away, the tears kept flowing in memory of the unborn. "The doctor had cautioned against immune reactions. The immune response that led to my baby's death is identical. I'm responsible for the mistake." She was ready to do anything to bring her baby into this world and make up for her past mistakes.
Adhrit was conscious of the conversation's direction and feared the result. She could not see the consequences of the path she had almost suggested because of her maternal instinct.
"Mitali, it's reckless to try for another child at this point. Your body is still in need of recovery. It's important for you to have rest and peace at the moment." He reasoned with her, holding her jaw with a gentle grip. "We can have this conversation later, too."
"My baby's arrival is the only thing that can bring me peace. This is in line with the contract proposal. In case the initial pregnancy is unsuccessful, they will attempt another. Isn't that the clause you had placed, Mr. Sinha?" she asked.
Exhausted, Adhrit closed his eyes. The one who placed that clause wasn't him. Despite his opposition, his grandmother's adamant and insolent behavior during the drafting of the contract ensured that she got what she wanted.
"That contract stands broken, Mitali. I never gave my approval to that clause. I would do anything to bring back our child, without a moment's thought. I won't trade your soul, Mitali, even if it means giving up my own. Even if we have another child, my family will enforce the contract and sue you if you try to stay with them. I don't want to subject you to that fate," he said, "when I have a say in the matter."
"The saying goes that having something is better than nothing. I will have a child and the contract guarantees my right to meet them. What if the plant you grew produces happiness in someone else through its fruits and flowers? The plant would be something you'd love and treasure from a distance," she said with a wry chuckle.
Her sardonic smile drove the dagger of remorse even deeper into his conscience and tore him apart internally. Adhrit's lips parted and his eyes widened as she surrendered and joined her palms. "Please. For the child's sake. For my sake. For the sake of my sanity. Please agree, Adhrit. I will ask nothing from you. You can keep the contract money. I don't care what Anurag would say. I will try to return the advance amount."
Adhrit silenced her from completing the list of things she would do to have their child with a finger on her lips.
"None of those you mentioned matter to me. Your wellbeing is the only thing on my mind. First, you recuperate, Mitali. I promise to listen to you and give this a try for sure. But for now, please take care of yourself. If any irreversible damage occurs to you under my care, I can never forgive myself."
Mitali's eyes fluttered and her tears dropped into her lap. She knew she could not twist his arm into agreeing to her that fateful night. She believed postponing the fight would improve her chances of winning, and winning was her top priority.
"For my sake, can you do this? Can you drop the topic now and focus on getting well?" he asked, looking at slouched form and praying she would agree.
She nodded in agreement and then looked down at her lap. Her gaze drifted towards her now flat abdomen and fresh tears streamed down her face. Adhrit embraced her in his muscular arms, giving her a chance to enjoy the peace and comfort it provided, as he gently put her to sleep with a pat on her shoulder and a soft stroke on the back of her head. Her tears penetrated his shirt and moved him in a literal and figurative way.
He tenderly changed her position to a sleeping one and made sure the pillows were comfortable. He had studied how she liked to have her pillows over the few days she had been his guest, and he almost had it memorized. He sensed a weak grasp preventing him from leaving, and he knew it had the power to stop him.
There were several instances where her determination, unwavering spirit to fight for herself, and fearless approach to taking control of her life had touched his heart. The person who viewed love as an abstract painting worth millions questioned whether they had met under different circumstances, in a new environment and at a distinct location. Could the Cupid's arrows strike their hearts?
He dismissed the thought, aware that it was not the time to contemplate alternate universes, and focused on fixing their current one.
He sat next to her, squeezing into the small space by the edge of the bed. He was careful not to disturb her sleep as he dragged his hand away from hers. For the time being, he pulled her into slumber. Hoping to escape the pain of losing his unborn child and the flood of emotions for the woman in his arms, he wished for sleep to embrace him with warmth.
Destiny cracked a slight smile at the ones it had united and fulfilled his wish of being transported to the arms of Morpheus.
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Adhrit is keen on ensuring they don't go down the same path once again, but Mitali is as persistent as him. Please VOTE and COMMENT!
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River & Desert
Romance"There's no need to go searching for a bride, Dadi. We don't need a bride. It's a surrogate that we need. In order to fulfill my obligation, I need a surrogate to bear the heir." **** "We have less than two days left to repay the money," said Mitali...
