"You know Mumma and Dad got married because of me. They were best friends and had known each other since childhood. They didn't have any romantic feelings toward each other from the beginning. In fact, Dad was already engaged to Choti Ma's elder sister. They were happy and everything was normal in their life when suddenly one day Dad found Mumma in her house in the worst condition with her clothes torn," Veer gulped a heavy feeling, not wanting to imagine the pain his mother had to go through.
Preet shivers at the thought and tears up knowing what had happened to her. This is the most horrible and terrifying thing.
She looks at Veer who is blankly staring at the sky but she doesn't fail to notice his trembling hand.
"When the doctor told Dad that she was being forced, he broke down. Everyone was feeling bad for her and her pain. But Dad being the closest to her, get affected most. Everyone including Dadi, Dadu, Chote Papa and Dad tried their best to help her to come out of the trauma. And somewhere got success but then the news of her being pregnant again pushed her into the pit of depression. But that's when Dad proposed to her to marry him and he was ready to accept her baby and give him his name. He was an angel just like my Mumma. He was my and Mumma's savior. But Deepti who was Dad's fiance and Choti Ma's sister went crazy as she loved him so much and could take when Dad and Mumma got married. That's when she and Sumitra started taunting my mother and would humiliate her by calling her name. It keeps going like this for years. Deepti turned more aggressive and almost lost her mind. And her mother thought Mumma and I were responsible for her daughter's condition. Her hatred for Mumma and me kept on increasing. When I was 5, Deepti shouted at me and slapped me for destroying her life. She calls me names and curses me. She used to physically and mentally torture me and when I used started crying she just cover my mouth almost choke me and threatened to kill me if I told anyone about her. That really disturbed me badly. One day, She and Sumitra suddenly showed up at my school. And they told everyone I am a bastard, whose father left him. I got angry at her and shouted at her saying I have my Dad, he is my father but instead they started laughing and mocking me saying Dad was not my real father. He was just keeping me because of Mumma. And that Dad killed my real father, which was true," Preet was shocked hearing that but Veer smiled proudly, thinking of his Dad, who killed that inhuman creature.
"This new information and their mocking and taunts outraged me. So reaching home I started demanding my answers from him who were shocked at my behavior. I then ran out of the house in anger while crying and Dad followed me behind calling me. When suddenly he was hit by the huge truck in order to save. I got faint falling hard on the side of the road. While on the side Mumma who was seeing my behavior and panicked when I ran out. She started running down the stairs but slipped on the stairs. Her rib got broken and stabbed her lung. She was two months pregnant at that time. They both left me, Preet. All because of me. I kill them and my unborn sibling," Preet shook her head, biting her lips hard to control herself from crying.
Veer smiled weakly with tears flowing down from his eyes. He stares at the sky and points at two bright stars blinking beside each other.
"There they are, Preet. Dadu told me, they become stars because they are beautiful souls. I know it sounds childishâ¦," he chuckled, wiping his tears and sniffing back his tears.
"But I believe it," Preer also wiped her tears and smiled at this and looked at the stars before looking at his face.
"Who is Mumma star and Daddy star?" she asked innocently, looking stars.
Veer chuckled softly at this look at her face which genuinely seemed confused.
"You become mad staying with me," he whispered, making her look at him.
"Who do you think is who?" he asked when she narrowed her eyes at him.
"I think the right one is Dad because it was big and twinkling slowly. And the left is Mumma, as it is small and blinking fast. Am I right?" she said and turned to him.
He smiles at her and kisses her head pulling her into himself, by her waist.
"Mumma and Dad must be proud of me for bringing such a smart daughter in law for them," Preet playfully nudged her elbow in his rib making him let out a chuckle before hugging her tightly.
She sighs and places her head on his shoulder as they silently gaze at those two stars sitting on the floor of their room.
"Dadi is cold to us because she blames yo-" Preet hesitantly said to which he just nodded and sigh deeply.
"I can understand her. She lost her son and I am the reason -" He said but his voice broke before he could complete his sentence.
"Please don't blame yourself, Veer," Preet whispered, hugging his forearm and a tear rolled down her eyes.
"It is truth, Preet. We can't change it," he blankly said but she can feel pain in his tone.
They stay silent after that. And stare at the sky aimlessly.
"Aarav, beta please at least hear me once. I know I was wrong. But I was blind and wanted my children to have everything. I was a fool, son. But please give me one chance. I will apologise to Veer and Preet. But don't punish like that. I will do anything, just come back. That house eats me. The lonely will kill me," Urmila cried, holding Aarav's hand in her hands.
Aarav looked at her with a straight face and slowly freed his hand from her.
"Please go away. I don't want to face or talk to you. I have my wife to take care of her. It is harsh but I don't want your presence in my child's life. And your apology will not do any right now. After this is what you choose. You choose this life for yourself. So, be happy and enjoy your life in luxury and loneliness because that is all you want, right?" Saying Aarav turned to go inside but stopped when his gaze fell on Sumitra who had her fist clenched on her side.
"And you, I want you out of the Rajvansh villa and in our life before I have made you. Trust me you won't like the way. And don't think I will let go easily. You have to pay for what made my Bhai and Bhabhi go through? That's my promise to you. Now get out from here because I don't want to see your and your daughter's face," He spat angrily and stormed inside, ignoring the pleading eyes of his mother.
Urmila runs behind and taps on a closed door, calling him and apologizing to him. When the door didn't open, she shrunk down on the floor crying her heart out.
Sumitra cried looking at her condition. She walks to her and holds her. Urmila looks at her and cries.
"Everything is over. In greed of wanting everything I lost my everything. I am such a fool. Why didn't you tell me this? That I have to pay such a heavy cost for some pieces of land. Why huh?? But the mistake was my that I listened to you and destroyed my family," She cried badly.
"Urmi, let go. You are not in your mind," Sumitra said but Urmila removed her hands and looked at her with a blank face.
"You used me because you wanted to avenge Deepti's death, right? " Sumitra gulp. Urmila chuckled sadly and stood up.
"Why did you destroy my happy family for some crazy person who was dead? She suicide Ma, she was mentally unstabl-" Sumitra slapped her while gritting her teeth hard. Urmila smiles sadly as her face turns to the other side with her hand covering her cheek.
"She was not, you understand. She was perfectly fine. Now I don't feel bad for you because you deserve it. You don't deserve love. Aarav did right to you. You deserve to live like this. I did so much for you but still you are ungrateful. You know You are worthless in everyone's life," Sumitra said, angrily but Urmila stayed silently and stared blankly at the wall.
Giving her one last glare, Sumitra left from there leaving Urmila alone in the silent corridor of the Penthouse.
"Mom loves you Aarav. I am sorry that I lost my way. I am so sorry, baccha," she murmured looking at the closed door before shutting her eyes, letting her tears flow down.
Avni looks up from her book hearing the door closing sound. Her worried eyes fell on Aarav who walked inside and sat on the couch and rested his head behind tiredly.
"Aarav?" she softly called.
"Hmmâ¦" he hummed.
She stares at him for a minute before slowly and carefully steps down off the bed and walks to him with her hand placed on her baby bump.
"What happened Aarav? You are scaring me," she asked feeling anxious looking at his dull and broken eyes.
He looked at her while sitting straight. Holding her palm lightly and tears flowed down his face. It is so much to take in.
Avni felt her heart clench seeing him like this. She cupped his face.
"Why are you crying, Aarav? Tell meâ¦" she impatiently asked, caressing his cheek.
He told her everything even when he didn't want to worry her but he knew only she could calm him.
Avni was in tears when he told what Urmila and Sumitra did to Veer and Preet. The unknown truth he came to know about Veer.
Aarav was crying like a baby in Avni's embrace.
"I felt so ashamed whatever Mom did to them. They don't deserve any of this, Avni," He said looking at her with pain in his eyes.
Avni cups his face and wipes his unstoppable tears. She shakes her head while silently crying for him and Preet and Veer.
"You are not at fault, Aarav. Don't blame yourself, please," she softly said, caressing his cheeks.
"They asked Bhabhi to not conceive because then their child might ask for his share in the property as stated in Dadu's will. They are so inhuman, I hate themâ¦Avni," he whispered with a slight anger in his voice.
"Shhhâ¦Dont cry. Our baby will not like his father crying like this. It hurts his Mumma," she said with teary eyes and gently placed her lips on his chin.
Aarav smiles weakly at this and looks at her with love before moving his eyes on her baby bump.
He softly caresses it and kisses her huge belly lovingly a few times.
"Thank you so much for coming into my life, Jaan. I love you and your Mumma," he murmured against her bump, making her emotional.
"We love you too," Avni whispered, wiping her tears and smiling beautifully with her glossy eyes.
He kiss her deeply and said,
"I promise to protect you and our baby. I won't let any harm ever touch you and our baby," he promised in a firm voice and kissed her forehead while his palms rubbed her baby bump softly.
Urmila entered inside her room and sat on the bed. Tears flow down from her cheeks feeling the loneliness engulfing her soul yet again.
She looked at the photo frame on the side and cried gazing at the smiling faces of her children and her.
Aarav was hugging from behind grinning at the camera while Rajveer hugged Anaya with a calm smile and Anaya had her head on his head and she was also grinning. Her face was glowing with happiness seeing Rajveer and her kids so happy.
Why did she want more? More than this? They were so happy and content. But her insecurities broke her family. Hurt so many people. And what does she get? Nothing but loneliness and unbearable pain.
Next morning
Sumitra comes down and see Urmila instructing something to the maid. But then her eyes fell on the suitcase placed there.
"Where are you going, Urmila?" hearing her, Urmila turn head and look at her with her blank eyes and said,
"It's not mine, Ma but yours. You are leaving from here," she said and looked at the maid.
"I am in my room," saying she started going to her room but Sumitra stopped her.
"Urmi, you can't do this. I am your Ma. Are you doing this because of Aarav? He is a child, Urmi and doesn't know what he is saying. You can't throw me like this," Sumitra desperately said but Urmila didn't look at her.
"You have done more than enough. Thank you for bringing me to this point of life that I want nothing but death for myself. I don't need you more. Your presence will hurt me and my family. And I don't want that now. So please leave me alone and please don't ever think to ever come back because it will take a lifetime for me to recover from the wounds I got because of my stupidity and your revenge game," Sumitra felt her eyes burning seeing Urmila going upstairs leaving her to herself.
Did she lose her other daughter also?
She asks to her heart but only to get silence in return.
She looks at her bag and slowly walks to it with heavy steps.
____________________________________
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