HER SHY HUBBY

Chapter -7: Birthday

Inaaya's POV:

All the blood in my veins dried. I was standing rooted at my place staring at my phone's screen.

After so many years, why?

I accepted the call with shaky hands, my heart throbbing madly.

"Hello." I heard as soon as I held the phone near my ear. I was too numb to answer. Tears rolled down my cheeks.

"Hello, Inaaya are you there?" I heard again. I gathered all my courage to answer in a meek yes.

"Happy birthday to you, Ina." Hrithik Bhai said, his voice full of affection. "I hope you are doing well. I am really sorry for whatever happened 7 years ago. You know na tu abhi bhi mere liye wahi chhotu si Ina hai jo sabki shikayat karne mere paas aati thi." More tears rolled down my cheeks as I heard his broken voice.
(You know right, you're the same Ina who used to complain about everyone to me.)

"Y-yes Bhai." My own voice seemed unfamiliar to me.

"Can we meet today?" He asked after a long pause. My heartbeat slowed down to almost zero.

"Bhai-" I struggled to find a reply, only to be cut with his pleading.

"Please Inaaya. It's been 7 years I've seen my little baby. Please let me meet my baby sister. Please."
He said.

"Ji bhai." I managed to say in really shaky voice.

After hanging up the call, I sat on my chair with my head in my hands. My eyes burnt due to the unshed tears.

After a long time, I inhaled a deep breath and straightened my clothes. I grabbed my handbag and phone and dashed out the office.

I drove to sunset point, in the outskirts of the city. This used to be our favourite place in Mumbai.

I was waiting for Bhai to arrive, when I heard the temple bell ringing at a distance. I prayed to God to provide me enough strength for fighting with my fears.

I heard a car sound. Soon a black Mercedes Benz c class arrived. The door opened revealing a well built man in black suit. My eyes first denied to recognise him but then he removed his sunglasses.

As soon as our eyes locked, the world stopped. Tears started flowing uncontrollably. I felt weak in my knees.

He ran towards me and grabbed me in his mascular arms. I submitted myself into his embrace, the arms that used to be my home years ago.

"Happy birthday Shona."  He said. His own eyes filled with tears.

"Thank you Bhai. I missed you." I said between the sobs. He broke the hug and grabbed my face in his hands, wiping my continuously flowing tears with his thumb pad.

"Kaisa hai mera baccha?" He asked me and I cried more vigorously. He again wrapped me in his embrace and cooed some soothing words and phrases in my ears.
(How is my baby?)

After sobering up, I stepped out of the hug and looked at his eyes. I knew this moment is going to be the worst moment of my entire life. But I was ready for the upcoming revelations and shock.

"Kya hua tha bhai?" I asked, my voice cold like never before.
(What had happened, brother?)

He was standing still, his expressions totally blank. For once I thought I did wrong asking him.

"Teri mom ne complaint file ki thi Manas ke against." These words rolled down his tongue and my world stopped.
(Your mom has filed complaint against Manas

I always knew my mom didn't like Manas but the way she plotted this against him, against us, was something intolerable.

I've always thought Manas was the one who broke my heart. I always avoided every single person related to him. Only if I knew it was my mom who was the one to break me, not him.
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Happy New year to all of you.

This was another chapter. The story is unfolding slowly. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

Happy reading.

Bye.