Backstory: The current BALH2 track, except Priya doesn't lie about Krish being the father of the child. Priya is sentenced to 2 years in prison for trying to cover up Ishaan's crime. She gives birth to a baby girl after 9 months. Ram demands sole custody of his daughter which he receives easily due to Priya's and her family's criminal history.
Present Day - 5 years later
Ram kneeled to his daughter's level and looked at her with all the love and affection he could possibly muster. Avery had been a miracle in his life, his saving grace. She was the reason he slept peacefully at night and woke up every morning with a smile on his face. She was the sunshine that had brought him out of the darkness; the darkness that had engulfed him completely. She was his anchor, his compass, his pole star. She was his home.
"Daddy, look what Bri bua made for me." Avery held up a bracelet made of seashells and tiny artificial pearls. Ram smiled at her and said, "That is so beautiful, Ava. Bri bua is the best, ain't she?" Avery nodded her head furiously and handed over the bracelet to Ram. "Put it around my wrist, Daddy. I wanna show it to Adi chaachu, Vicky chaachu and Kunal chaachu as well." Ram tied the bracelet around her wrist, taking care that the seashells did not hurt her. She turned around to hunt for her maamus when Ram stopped her and asked, "What do you say when someone does something nice for you, Ava?" She giggled at him and said, "Thank you, Daddy." She hugged him and placed wet, sloppy kisses on both his cheeks.
Ram felt complete and whole with his daughter. She had filled the void that Priya had created in him. Although there were bits of her that reminded him of Priya, he chose not to dwell on those. Ava was his little girl and they were happy and content. Priya was a story long gone. She had deceived him way too many times to be forgiven.
More than five years ago, Ram had hired an investigation agency to look into Shivina's death and they had found Sara's son, Ishaan guilty. He was taken into juvenile custody and was sent to a correction facility for three years. Priya was imprisoned for two years for trying to cover up his crime. It was an absolute heartbreak for Ram all over again but he had to do justice by his sister and his family.
When Priya had told him about the pregnancy, Ram's happiness knew no bounds. He was going to be a dad. Those nine months seemed like seconds for him. He took utmost care of Priya and made her exercise to avoid any complications during pregnancy. When his little Ava was born, Ram finally felt at peace. There was nothing that could deter his happiness. And then he remembered Mahendra Sood. Meera Maa. Ishaan. Priya. All their betrayals came back to haunt him. His father's murder, his sister's death, every single memory flashed before his eyes. That's when he demanded sole custody of his daughter. Priya had begged him to not take their child away from her but Ram was adamant. And just like that, Ram had filed for the sole custody of his daughter which the court approved, courtesy of the Sood's criminal history. Ram had broken all ties with Priya's family, although he did contact Priya occasionally to update her about Avery.
Ram's actions seemed cruel to everyone around him, but his daughter's safety was all that mattered to him, and with Priya around, her safety would always remain uncertain. Because with Priya, came her family, their secrets, lies and betrayals. And Ram had had enough of those. He couldn't, rather wouldn't subject his daughter to such toxicity. Ram wanted to safeguard his little one from the Soods. And so, he'd shifted to New York with his daughter and friends. He managed his business through New York and occasionally dropped by in India for business meetings and to visit his stepmom and stepbrother. Priya had insisted on meeting Avery quite a few times but Ram wouldn't budge on that topic. He didn't want to deny Avery a mother's love, but that love seemed so very insignificant in comparison to her safety. He still loved Priya, and always would but the love for his daughter surpassed his love for everyone. Legally, Priya was still his wife. He'd think of her sometimes, wondering how she was managing her life, wondering if she was missing him and their little girl. Priya had put him through a lot of heartache, more than he could handle. Even he knew there was no hope of a reconciliation between them. After Shivina's death and Avery's birth, Ram didn't have it in him to go through a divorce, go through another heartbreak. He wouldn't be able to bear more heartache in his life. So, he had moved far away with his daughter, although he made sure to support the Soods financially.
He took his daughter in his arms and said, "Ava, we're going to Vicky chaachu's house for dinner today. He's bought so many toys for you. And he's making your favourite pasta. Are you excited baby?" Avery gave a wide grin and said, "Yes, Daddy! You know, Bri bua and I had a lot of fun today. We went to the mall to shop clothes, then later chaachi treated me to ice-cream....." Avery blabbered about the day's events and Ram listened intently. Ram was mighty grateful for his friends. He'd been through so much and yet, they always stood strong beside him and supported every decision of his, even if they didn't agree with a few of them. They'd bonded quite well with Avery. Bri would babysit her most of the times. Avery and Reyansh, Adi and Bri's son were best friends.
Avery was a splitting image of Ram. She'd inherited his blue-green eyes, his terrible sense of humour, his curly hair and even his infectious smile. When he'd first held her in his arms, his world had lit up. He had cried so hard that day. He remembered all her firsts like it was just yesterday. Her tiny fingers and toes. Her constant cries. Her first word. Her walking for the first time. Her calling him 'Dadda' for the first time. Ram had treasured all these special moments. He loved being a father. He loved listening to her blabber about everything. He loved playing peekaboo with her. He loved feeding her. Bathing her. Dressing her. Braiding her hair. Reading her bedtime stories. Kissing her goodnight.
She continued to brighten his life with each passing day. And Ram made sure to thank God everyday for this miracle in his life. Because without her, his life would be meaningless and void.
