Love Happens

8

"I had warned you not to go in at the same time. Please stay here. The patient is requesting for Mr. Pandey only. Don't make her faint again by going in. She needs rest." The doctor told Anand, who was planning to return after they were informed she had regained consciousness.

"Why won't Shraddha ask for me? I've missed her. I should have been the first person she looked for after regaining consciousness." Anand said.

His mother took Lakshmi to the reception away from everyone and reminded her that she was now the daughter-in-law of the family. Lakshmi stuttered at her words, still deeply shocked by Shraddha's return, and asked how she could still be when Shraddha had returned.

"Her stay expired. The only person I recognize now is you. We wanted a wife for our son and a mother for his children. She never gained the children's love despite having my support, but you did that in a short time. They all love you like you're their real mother. She never got my son's love either. She failed to use the golden opportunity life blessed her with. It doesn't matter whether she is here now or not. You will make sure you remain my son's wife, and I will always support you.

•••••

"You stole five years of my life. How can I even trust that we're related and that you're my father? You lied to me every day, and I kept believing and believing without ever questioning you. Why did you save me when I was meant to die? Were you really just covering Ranbir's sins? Are you his father?" Shraddha voiced this with tears of pain brimming out of her eyes.

"No. Even though Ranbir and you are siblings from different mothers, I didn't save you to cover up his crime. I saved you because I am your father and I love you."

"You're lying. My father died before I came into this world. Moreover, my mother knew no one in Mumbai. She never mentioned you. Never visited, my mother!" She paused and looked at the man, asking him if anyone had discarded her ashes.

"I don't know."

"I have to visit Ladnun tonight to do that. Oh my God." She cried miserably, realizing no one must have done that for all those years, and her mother's soul never attained peace because she couldn't fulfill her duty as her daughter.

"Even if you go, you won't find it. Your house has been demolished. Maybe, along with her remains. The property has been sold."

"I curse the day I learned about Riya's existence. She finally killed me. I should have listened to her father when he said she wasn't innocent. None of them are innocent.

"No one is innocent in the world, my daughter."

"I agree. No one is innocent. I will not rest until every person who has hurt her pays dearly for it. It was my mother's soul they played with. Our relationship turned sour because of them. She died before we could make peace. This will hunt me until the end of my breath." she posited with determination and wiped away her tears.

"Don't return the past to the present. They will kill you."

"None of them can lay a finger on me. Including your son. Everyone would be brought to justice." She stood up after removing the cannula that was inserted into her vein in her hand and started walking towards the door.

"You can't harm any of them. I won't let you. I will prevent any harm that would come to them because we're one big family. I love you, but I love them too. Release all grudges and forget your past. You're now my daughter. You've been endowed with riches. Spend it and forget your pain."

Shraddha turned and viewed the elderly man who claimed to be her dad. She asked him who he thought he was to try to prevent her from avenging her mother's death.