Ram carried an almost semi -conscious Priya through the doors of Kapoor Mansion and up the stairs to their bedroom. By this time it was early morning, and the house was coming to life. Nandini saw Ram carrying Priya and was in a state of shock. What was going on? Why was Ram carrying Priya in that manner? Suddenly, Nandini had a bad premonition that things were going to go south for her and Shubhu. Ram was looking at Priya, calling out her name with exactly the same amount of care, concern and love as he used to earlier! The panic attacks that she had been faking all these years, now came upon her, but this time for real!
"Ram! Ram!!" she called out. "I am not feeling well. I am getting palpitations." She knew that once she said that, Ram would drop everything and come to her! But not this time. Ram called out to Tarun and asked him to get Shubham and give Nandini her medicines. He had to take care of Priya! Nandini was shocked! All the effort of the last 5 years was going down the drain again, and all because of that woman, Priya!
Ram lay Priya down on the bed. He requested Sara to take Pihu with her to Sood House and get her ready for the wedding. He was sorry to dump this on her, but he wanted to be with Priya. They had a lot of talking to do when she was in her senses.
Priya woke up and found herself on her bed at Kapoor Mansion. She was surprised! How did she end up here again? She had left! And where was Pihu?? She looked all around and saw Mr. Kapoor come out of the washroom.
"Hello Priya. Are you feeling better?"
"Mr. Kapoor! How am I here? I had left. Who found me? And where is my Pihu?"
"Relax Priya. I will tell you everything. I found you collapsed at the bakery and got you back here. I have sent Pihu with Sara to Sood House to get ready for the wedding. And we have to get ready too, but before that, you will have to answer a few questions honestly. Ok."
Priya thought he was going to ask her why she left, why she had denied him knowledge about Pihu's paternity all these years. She nodded. But even she was shocked at the question that followed:
"Who killed Shivi, Priya?"
"Mr. Kapoor..."
"I want the truth and nothing but the truth Priya. Look me in the eye and tell me the name. I now know who it is; but I want to hear it from you."
"Ishaan..." Priya whispered.
"Louder, Priya."
"Ishaan pushed her Mr. Kapoor. He did not intend to kill her. But yes, he pushed her."
"Why did he push her Priya? Who instigated him? I know Ishaan was impulsive back then, I know that he did not get along with Shivina, but I refuse to believe that something like this would have happened out of the blue."
"I don't know what happened Mr. Kapoor. But Shivi was upset and wanted to return to Kapoor Mansion. When I tried to pacify her, she pushed my hand away and I lost my balance a bit. Ishaan lost his temper and tried to retaliate on Shivina, but she lost her balance and..."
"I am sorry Mr. Kapoor. I had promised to take care of Shivi her whole life, to be her dhaal but I failed. And Ishaan, he was just 13. In fact, he wanted to confess, but i stopped him. His whole future was on the line, and I didn't think twice."
"So you decided all this on your own. You did not trust me enough to tell me this. Why Priya? Did our marriage, our relationship mean NOTHING to you?" Ram's voice was calm, but there was an anger in that calmness, the likes of which Priya had never heard before. "You trusted Krish with the truth Priya, but not me. You told Krish of your kidnapping Priya, but not me. If you really loved me as you claimed to do so, you wouldn't have done this. But we will talk more about Krish later. You deprived me of my life, my love, hell damn it, you deprived me of the joy of becoming a father! Our Pihu, how much I would have loved to hold her when she was born, how much I would have loved taking care of you during the pregnancy, you deprived me of everything, Ms. Priya Sood!"
Priya was silent. She knew she had wronged Mr. Kapoor. When she had seen him at the mall after those 5 years, she had immediately realised that he was a changed person and also admitted to herself that she was to blame for this. In the last one week, glimpses of the old Mr. Kapoor had returned, but it seemed that just as he looked at her, complimenting her with his eyes, in the way that only he had done ever, he remembered her betrayal and a cloud came over his eyes. Today, his eyes were blank. It almost seemed like she had killed something within him.
"You owe me an explanation, Priya. The independent, self righteous Priya, who puts herself on a pedestal, do you realise that you have killed her too? Even if I accept that you took the blame for Ishaan, give me one good reason why you told me that the baby was not mine?"
Priya was silent. She remembered that day when Nandini mom had come to meet her at the hospital. She had honestly thought till that day that while Nandini didn't like her, she would not certainly try to harm her or separate her and Ram. That day changed everything, and all the respect she had for this woman just by virtue of his being Ram's step mom. It was not hidden from her how much contempt they actually held him in; and the fact that they were only after his money. But because she thought it would make Nandini happy, she had foregone her shares in the company and also agreed to split the will. Anyway...
"Priya? Tell me, I am waiting..."
"Priya won't tell you anything Ram. We will."
Both Ram and Priya turned around. Standing at the door was Krish, but Ram and Priya were both shocked to see who was there with him! It was Akki!
to be continued...
