✨ Truth ✨

Samantha

"Kya hua hai, Abhimaan....?", I raised my eyebrows at his weird behaviour.

"Wahi jo nahi hona chahiye tha, Samantha....", he replied instantly and I kept gazing at him.

Sometimes Abhimaan is way too confusing. He gives some weird answers and then covers some more weird answers.

"What?", I asked back dumbfounded.

"I mean.... Let's go, everyone is waiting, Samantha", he said taking my hand in his.

Abhimaan decided to throw the party for our employees who have worked so hard in the success of this project. Everyone from our office is present there. Our whole family is also there to celebrate our success. My focus shifted Papa and Mumma who were busy attending the guests. And I realised that I barely had any time left to talk to Abhimaan. I really have to do this.

The party went on and everyone was enjoying it. We also interacted with our guests and it's going to be over soon as many people have already started leaving. "Abhimaan....", I whispered the moment I got a chance to speak with him.

"Ji...."

"I need to tell you something", I looked at him when his focus shifted to the person behind me.

"Mr. Malhotra....", I heard a manly voice and I turned to face whose voice it was.

"Mr. Raichand....", Abhimaan said shaking hands with him.

"I didn't know about your coming", he added with a professional smile on his face.

"I received your invitation, Mr. Malhotra and how can I miss this opportunity?", Mr. Raichand smiled slightly.

Shaurya Raichand is one of the famous personalities of our country. Raichand Corporation is India's leading IT Company and we have also invited them for today's party as they have shown interest in investing in our Company.

"Good to hear that. Meet our Finance Analyst and my wife, Mrs. Samantha Singh Malhotra", Abhimaan introduced me to him as I shook hands with him.

I noticed a smirk plastered on his face, "Inhe kon nahi jaanta?", he said in a calm tone yet his words contained more meanings to me.

I smiled professionally but awkwardly when I heard my phone buzzing and I took it out opening the message popping up on the screen, it was from Amaira,"Bhabhi, we are coming inside....", I read the message and it was enough for me to tremble at my feet.

"Samantha, are you fine?", Abhimaan asked in concern.

"Abhimaan, we need to talk", I said nervously.

My heart raced faster as I gulped the lump in my throat. God, please help me!

He excused Mr. Raichand and we moved to the other side of the hall, "Tell me, Samantha.... Are you fine? Why are you sweating?", he asked wiping off the sweat from my forehead with his handkerchief.

"Abhimaan, I wanted to tell you...."

"Hmm hmmm...."

"Abhimaan, just before the party...."

"SURPRISE", I heard the voice and closed my eyes, my hands fisted on the hem of my saree as we heard everyone clapping around.

The banner flew down in front of our eyes,"HAPPY ANNIVERSARY", flashing Mumma and Papa's picture on it. I saw Amaira bringing the cake as she watched me in confusion. With a blink of an eye, she knew what just happened. And all I could do was pray at that moment.

In the morning....

"Mumma, where are you coming from?", I asked her the moment she entered the room.

I saw a plate of prashad in her hands as she offered me and I folded my palm and had it, "Bas aaj mandir jaane ka dil kiya", she smiled back.

"Any special occasion?", I asked and I heard Chachi saying as she came inside my room.

"Samantha, aaj Devaansh Bhai aur Khyati Bhabhi ki anniversary hai", she said as Maa offered her the prashad too.

I noticed Maa eyeing her to stop saying anything further but she told me anyways, "Arey waah! Aapne bataya nahi, Maa. Happy Anniversary!", I said touching her feet and she blessed me in return, "Thank you aur humesha khush raho meri bachhi!"

"They never celebrated it, Samantha. And nobody is allowed to talk about it", Chachi continued.

"Why?", I asked in confusion when Maa stopped her from saying anything further.

"Nothing, Samantha", she reasoned back trying to change the topic.

"Maa....", I insisted on her when she looked at me with soft eyes and Chachi continued speaking.

"Abhimaan hates this day. It's the day they got married and Abhimaan started hating his father. He thought that his father gave his mother's place to someone else. But Devaansh Bhai wanted him to never feel the lack of a motherly love so, he married Khyati Bhabhi. But the Abhimaan reaction was the opposite. He hated Khyati Bhabhi to the core as he thought that she married his father for his money and power", she added and my eyes widened in shock.

I could feel how hurt Abhimaan would have been at that moment as it is not easy for a child to bear so much. He was at a very soft stage and it's one of the reasons he took everything in an opposite way.

I know it's tough losing a parent. I can understand this pain. But Khyati Maa? It's not her fault. I have seen her love for Abhimaan. She is not what he thinks of her. She is actually very pure and loves him a lot and despite his years of hatred, she still loves him from her heart.

"Samantha, from that day nobody talked about their marriage day", Chachi said when I saw Maa's eyes welled up in tears but she tried hiding it from me.

I know she is not Abhimaan's real mother. But marriage is one of those days a woman treasures for her whole life. She doesn't want your expensive gift, she just needs assurance that your love is still the same way. She just needs you to be there with her.

Yes, Maa and Papa's marriage was a kind of marriage of convenience but that doesn't mean they never shared a pure bond of affection and care for each other.

"Maa, I'm sorry for everything", I said hugging her.

Maa ki toh pehli shadi thi naa. Hum unse woh hak kaise cheen sakte hai?

"It's not your fault, Samantha. Neither it's Abhimaan's. I'm waiting for the right time when he will accept me as a normal person in his life. It's okay if he doesn't want me as his mother. I just don't want him to hate me and his father more", she said breaking the hug as a drop of tears flew down her cheeks.

"Lekin Samantha, don't focus on all this. I'm glad that he is happy with you. Don't ruin your happiness because of me", she said with teary eyes.

"Main aayi inhe prashad dekar", she said referring to Papa as she left the room leaving me and Chachi alone.

I looked back at Chachi as my heart said that there was something more I needed to hear from her, "Chachi....", I said softly.

"Dekh, Samantha. Ye tu mujhe apni baaton mea mat fasa. Main kuch nahi jaanti hu....", she said turning her back on me.

I held her dupatta,"Chachi, please....", I said in a childish tone.

"Samantha, lekin....", she said turning to me.

"Please....", I whined like a child.

"Fine....", she said giving up and I smiled back at her.

She started saying and I focused on every word, "Samantha, Khyati Bhabhi sacrificed to have her own child for Abhimaan", she said and I widened my eyes in shock.

My heart paced faster as I couldn't believe my own ears, "Yes, Samantha...."

She added, "Devaansh Bhai was ready to give her own child to her but she refused it. She said that Abhimaan is her only son and she doesn't want anyone else. So that Abhimaan doesn't hate her more or he doesn't feel unwanted at any cost. She wanted to focus on Abhimaan's upbringing and to be honest, not on a single day she failed to do any motherly thing for Abhimaan but he barely looked up to her. Samantha, she has already faced a lot but the hatred she receives everyday from Abhimaan, no mother deserves that but Abhimaan doesn't know any of this", I felt bad for Maa.

In fact I felt hurt knowing that she had gone through so much and the moment I felt that I couldn't let her be in more pain.

___________________________________________

Present....

I made a simple cake for Maa and Papa just for them to celebrate among us. No, I didn't want to do it without letting Abhimaan know about it. But everything just went with the flow.

Since the morning, he was busy holding meetings and then with the party, I have tried many times communicating with him but failed every time. Although I just wanted them to cut the cake and celebrate among each other in fact the banner was not even my idea. I don't know when Amaira and Armaan did this without letting me know.

I assured them that I will talk to Abhimaan about it and deep down, I knew he might be angry with me but there was a part of me which assured me that he will understand Maa's pain and suffering of all these years.

But now, the situation has worsened. Everything just came into light in the most unwanted way. I never wanted this to happen.

Abhimaan's eyes darkened as they faced mine, he fisted his hands and gritted his teeth in anger, "Abhimaan, please listen to me once....", I said trying to hold his arms when he took a step back not letting me touch him.

Tears started flowing my cheeks, "Did you do this, Samantha?", he asked coldly.

"Abhimaan, listen....", I sobbed.

"Samantha, yes or no", he stated clearly when I nodded my head with tears in my eyes and his eyes became moist.

"Yes....", the word fell from my mouth as he looked at me with numb emotions.

"But Abhimaan, please listen to me....", he looked at me angrily and walked off in the direction of his room and I looked around at everyone. Few guests have already left yet there were good people present. I looked at Mumma as she looked at me with teary eyes and Papa's eyes showed hurt. Amaira and Armaan gave me a sympathetic look before I rushed behind Abhimaan.

I heard Papa announcing the end of the party but I barely cared about it anymore. "Abhimaan, please ek baar meri baat toh sun lo....", I chased him inside our room.

He rubbed his face in frustration and threw his blazer on the floor. He opened a few buttons of his shirt and also rolled up his sleeves. Tears started falling down my face, "Abhi....", I tried to say.

"Stop it, Samantha", he roared and I flinched at his words. His voice made me shiver and I suppressed myself from crying more.

We might have had bad days but he never raised his voice at me. But today, I know I'm wrong.

My back faced the door as I heard, "Kyu kiya, Samantha? Why did you do this?", he asked, his voice became cold and all I could witness was the emotion of hurt and betrayal in his eyes.

And I'm the reason.

"I was...about...to..come to you...", I said sobbing when I heard him chuckling at my words, "You were about to come to me? For what, Samantha?"

"For celebrating the worst day of my life?", he completed his words making my heart crumble at the amount of pain he was going through right now.

"Please don't say this....", I said, my voice was barely audible.

"I trusted you.... I trusted you, Samantha", he said taking steps back into an opposite direction.

"Lekin tum bhi baaki sab ki tarah nikli....", he said and I looked at him in disbelief.

"Don't say this, Abhimaan.. please don't say this", I said in a requesting tone.

His eyes were filled up with tears, "Tumne mujhe ye yakeen dila diya ki kisi pe yakeen karna kitni badi galti hoti hai", he said breaking down in front of me.

My heart broke into uncountable pieces and I rushed to him when his knees touched the floor, "Abhimaan....", I sat with him too.

Watching him like that pierced me from inside,"You betrayed me, Samantha. You betrayed me today", he kept murmuring.

"Abhimaan, just look at me. For once, please, I beg you", I said to him while crying miserably.

He didn't urge to look at me and that broke everything inside me but I'm not giving up on him, "I got to know about this today. In the morning I tried to come to you but you were busy in the meetings. I also waited for you before the party but you left early to attend the guests. Abhimaan, I didn't get the right time", I explained but that barely affected him.

I shifted to his side and held his hands, "Abhimaan....", I took a deep breath before saying.

I know it's tough but I have to say this.

"Abhimaan, she is not what you think. She really loves you a lot", I said as I watched him clenching his fist.

But today, I'm ready to face all his hatred for me but I'm going to tell him the truth.

Because he can't escape with this all his life. He has to face this one day.

It might hurt him today but it will heal him once and for all. And I'm there with him every day and night, helping him overcome his every pain and suffering.

"Abhimaan, ye Khyati Maa ka hak hai....", the words slipped from my mouth and I knew it was hurting him to no extent.

He lifted his gaze at me as tears fell down  his cheeks and I immediately wiped it off, "Tum iss sach se bhaag nahi sakte, Abhimaan. You lost Abhineeta Maa but it was an accident. It was neither your fault nor anyone else's. And saying that everything will be fine is not going to bring her back. Because her whole life was in front of her. She had years and years to live with her family but Abhimaan....", I sighed heavily before I continued.

"You can't go against God's plan. You can never win over that", I said and he faced me with his numb eyes.

"Agar sab kuch humare haathon mea hota toh naa tum apni maa ko kabhi khud se door jaane dete aur naa main. Main toh apni maa ko rokti taaki woh mere Papa ko woh takleef naa de jo unki zindagi khatam hone ke baad bhi reh gayi. In fact, main toh apne Papa ko bhi humesha apne sath rakhti", I said with a heavy heart.

"Not everyone is strong like you, Samantha", he said with a breaking voice.

"Maybe. But I know one person who is stronger than me and who also makes me stronger everyday and that man is right in front of me", I said and his moist eyes softened but he refused to look at me.

I lifted up his chin to face me, "It's okay to feel weak, Abhimaan. It's okay to have emotions. It's okay to be soft. And it's totally okay to cry. That doesn't make you less of Abhimaan Malhotra. So, face me when you let out your emotions flow down your cheeks", I said holding both of his cheeks, kissing him on his forehead.

"But she married my father because of his money and name", he stated sternly and got up on his feet.

I stood up after him but he turned his back on me, "You can't change the truth, Samantha", he said in a cold voice.

"You can't change the truth either, Abhimaan", I stated back making him stop on his way.

Wiping off my dried tears, I marched to face him, "Warna ek aurat apne Maa banne ka sukh kyu chhorti?", I stated firmly and I felt his body stiffened at my words.

He looked into my eyes deeply knowing the depth of my words, "What?", he asked in confusion.

"That's true, Abhimaan. She sacrificed to have her own child so that you never feel unwanted. So that she can give all her motherly love only to you", I blurted out.

"No....it's not true. This can't be true, Samantha", he muttered back in disbelief.

"This is true, Abhimaan. They never said this to you or maybe you never paid attention to it. The day she has entered this house, she has dedicated her whole life to you. She has never missed a single day trying to show you her love despite receiving countless signs of hatred from you", I stated and he breathed heavily.

I could read his face and that showed nothing but the moment of truth and realisation hitting on him, "Woh tumse tumhari Maa ki jagah nahi maang rahi, Abhimaan."

"Abhimaan, do you really think that Abhineeta Maa would ever want you to be like this? What if it's the sign that she has sent Khyati Maa in your life?", I added and he trembled on his feet.

He rubbed his face in frustration and tried to cover his ears with both of his hands but I stopped him from doing so, "Samantha, stop....", he requested helplessly and I took no moment in hugging him.

Suddenly, his heavy breath started settling calm as his hands slipped down and I broke the hug before saying, "Your mother's death is nobody's fault, Abhimaan. Stop blaming yourself and cursing the whole world for it. Remember her in your memories, carry her in your heart, even your blood is a part of her so keep your head high because you are Abhineeta Malhotra's son. Be proud that you are her Maan", I continued saying whatever was inside my heart.

"I know this is a lifetime pain to live without her. Only you can overcome yourself from this pain and suffering, Abhimaan."

"Stop bleeding on those who didn't give you a cut", I said holding one of his cheeks.

"Jo saamne hai unhe khule dil se apnao, Abhimaan. Kya tum Khyati Maa ko apni badi si zindagi mea ek choti si bhi jagah nahi de sakte? Kya Maan ka dil itna kamzor hai?", I asked him and wiped off the tears from his cheeks.

He listened to me patiently but didn't speak a single word. He cupped my cheeks and rested his forehead on mine and we let our battles fight in the silence.

To be honest, I really wanted to hear him but he said nothing. I know it was too much for him but there was a part of me who wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, "Your Abhimaan is a man of heart, Samantha and he will definitely listen to your heart today."

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What do you guys think about this chapter? 🥺

I feel bad for my babies! 🥲