Chapter 30
The hum of the elevator grated against Sabrina’s nerves. She leaned back against the mirrored wall, eyes half-closed, every bone in her body aching.
It had been an endless stretch of hours.
Last evening, from Keya’s house, she’d rushed straight to her catering event that had kept her on her feet until midnight.
By the time she’d crawled into bed, sleep had been elusive, her mind replaying the look on Aditya’s face and then later on the faces of his friends.
Now, after a long day at work, she was drained. All she wanted was a hot shower, to spend a little time with Ahaan, and maybe, hopefully, at least a few hours of real sleep. But considering how Aditya’s face popped up each time she closed her eyes, she knew that was a futile wish.
Amongst all this, a new worry gnawed at her.
Aisha hadn’t texted her. Not a single message from her since last evening.
Did that mean Rithwik hadn’t told her anything?
Or was she also now mad at her? The not knowing was worse.
Aisha was her closest friend, more like a sister, and she dreaded what she would think of her.
The elevator doors slid open. Sabrina stepped out, trudging toward her front door. She unlocked it, pushed it open, and stilled.
Aisha was sitting on the sofa, speaking in low tones with her mother.
Their voices were calm, but the sight made Sabrina’s pulse spike.
Ahaan’s laughter cut through the hush of the room as he weaved in and out of the living room on his roller skates, Maya following him, barking, her tail wagging furiously.
Sabrina’s mother-in-law looked up first, her face unreadable, giving nothing away. Aisha followed, her expression calm but watchful.
“Aisha, hi…” Sabrina began. She set her bag down on a corner table and moved further into the living room, trying not to let her unease show.
“Sabrina,” Aisha replied, her eyes steady on her. She didn’t rise, didn’t rush forward. She simply studied her, quietly.
Sabrina’s stomach twisted. Rithwik had told her. She knew it with a certainty now.
Ahaan skated past Sabrina, his loud shriek echoing in the silence around them.
He crashed into her legs with a grin and clung to her arms. She kissed the top of his head, happy that they were back to normal again.
Then she knelt down to pat Maya. Rising finally, she looked up and found Aisha’s gaze still on her.
“We need to talk,” Aisha stated simply.
Sabrina gulped. She looked at Ahaan. “Hey, baby, are you all done with your homework?”
Ahaan made a face as he spun in a circle on his skates. “Later, Mom.”
“Can you do it right now, please? Aisha and I need to talk.”
“Adult talk?” His nose wrinkled. “I’m a big boy now. I can handle it.”
Aisha rose and ruffled Ahaan’s hair. “Yes, adult talk. And big boys respect that, right?”
“Righttttt…” He didn’t look pleased, but went in the direction of his room, Maya following in his wake.
“Come, sit,” Aisha told her, once the door of Ahaan’s room clicked shut.
Sabrina lowered herself into the armchair, her pulse hammering. Dread pooled heavily in her stomach.
“I suppose you know what I’m going to talk about…”
Sabrina’s throat tightened. She gave a small nod before she whispered, “Aditya…”
Her eyes flickered sideways to where her mother-in-law sat beside Aisha, her posture rigid, her face composed but unreadable.
Aisha caught the glance and added, “Mom and I are aligned on this topic.”
Aisha had told her mother? Why? More dread coiled in her belly. And they were aligned? What did that even mean?
Before the panic could choke her, Aisha said in a soft voice, “Aditya and you could be great together, so why did you break up with him? Was it because of me? Or Mom? Or was it because of your past?”
Sabrina’s hand flew to her mouth. That was the last thing she had expected to hear.
“Rithwik told me last night at the party,” Aisha explained. “He’s angry with you… and so are Keya and Raashi.”
Sabrina’s breath hitched. Her worst fear was confirmed as she recalled the image of their faces from the night before.
Her voice was barely above a whisper as she addressed Aisha. “And what about you?”
Aisha’s eyes softened. “I could never be mad at you. You’re like a sister to me.”
Sabrina’s throat tightened; tears pricked the back of her eyes.
“I am sad that you broke Aditya’s heart,” Aisha continued gently. “But I also know you wouldn’t have done it unless you had a reason. A valid reason. And that’s what I want to understand.”
“Is it because of me?” her mother-in-law asked, speaking for the first time since Sabrina had come home.
Sabrina’s head snapped toward her, her eyes widening. Shock rippled through her chest. After their last brutal confrontation, she had been convinced that her mother-in-law wanted Aditya nowhere near her or Ahaan. But this? She stared at her, unable to make sense of the older woman’s words.
The older woman continued to hold her gaze, her eyes softer than Sabrina had ever seen them.
“I know you’re mad at me,” she continued. “And I know you think I don’t care about Aisha or you. But I do. I finally realize now how selfish I’ve been.”
Her mother-in-law’s voice trembled, though her words were clear.
“After Aisha got engaged to Rithwik, I promised you both I would try to be better. To move on from Ajay’s death.
But I haven’t really done that. I’ve been mean and controlling with you, I’ve been rude to Aisha, and I’ve clung to Ahaan—replaced Ajay with him, instead of letting him just be a child. ”
Sabrina’s lips parted, but no words came. Her gaze shifted to Aisha.
“I told you she’s been worried about you.” Aisha smiled. “Mom called me today to come over, and she and I have had a long talk and resolved everything. I hope you can do the same.”
Sabrina faced her mother-in-law again. Her eyes glistened, a tear slipping free.
“That night,” the older woman began, “when you confronted me for the first time, I heard the pain in your voice. I heard your anger, and I heard your love. In the days that followed, I remembered how happy you were in Aditya’s presence, how Ahaan was happy, too, to have a father figure in his life again.
I realized how wrong I was to deprive you both of a better life. ”
Sabrina’s heart lurched, her chest tightening as her mother-in-law continued, her voice breaking, “So, I began to try. The first step was to be a better mother to Aisha. I started calling her daily and tried to build a relationship with her again.” She reached for Aisha’s hand, clasped it, and offered her other hand to Sabrina.
Sabrina stared at it, still bewildered by this conversation.
“I’m sorry,” her mother-in-law said. “For being so consumed by my own pain that I let it poison you both and Ahaan too. I know my promises don’t mean much to you. I’ve broken them before. But… can you both give me another chance?”
A tear spilled down Sabrina’s cheek as she took her hand in hers. She’d never imagined she would hear these words from Ajay’s mother.
“I’ve always considered you as my mother,” Sabrina said. “You know that. But I cannot let your pain consume me or Ahaan anymore. However, if you’re willing to truly try, then I will as well.”
Her mother-in-law nodded. She sniffed, as if blinking back her tears and then said, “Which means I won’t stand in your way if you want to be with Aditya.”
Sabrina swallowed thickly. “I didn’t break up with him because of you, Ma.”
Aisha studied her. “Which means this has something to do with your past.”
Sabrina nodded.
Aisha kneeled next to her, holding both her hands firmly in hers.
“You became my friend the day Mom hired you to work in the café. And when you married my brother, you became my sister for life. You and I have been through so much together, Sabrina. So… will you be honest with me and tell me something? Do you love Aditya?”
Sabrina’s breath caught. The question landed in her chest like a stone, yet at the same time, something inside her loosened. For so long, she’d chained her feelings inside her, burying them beneath fear and denial.
Her throat worked as she brought herself to say, “Yes.”
Aditya’s image slammed into her mind—his laughter, his mischief, his concern.
Tears blurred her vision as she whispered, “I love him. I love him so much it scares me. He walked into my life all of a sudden, and now I can’t see beyond him.
When he’s with me, I feel alive in a way I never thought was possible again.
He makes me laugh, he makes me feel safe, he makes me… happy. And he’s so good with Ahaan.”
“Then what are you afraid of?” Aisha asked.
“You’ve never told any of us about your past ever, and I am smart enough to understand that something dreadful must have happened.
That’s why you never talk about it. I’m not asking you to reveal anything to me, but you can talk to Aditya about it. He will understand.”
“What if he doesn’t?” Sabrina asked. “What if my past comes to haunt him too? What if he wants no part of it? What if he rejects me?”
“How will you know unless you don’t take a chance on him?” Aisha said. “He loves you, Sabrina. Have a little faith in that… in him. He may just surprise you.”
The words settled deep within her, unraveling something inside her. Faith. She’d never trusted anyone enough to give them the truth, to risk being seen fully for who she was.
A shaky breath left her trembling lips. Could it really be that simple? To tell him, to trust him? To stop running from the shadows of her past and let someone share the weight?
Her heart jumped at the hope.
“Please, can you give Uncle Aditya a chance?”
Sabrina gasped, her head whipping around. Ahaan stood in the doorway, clutching the frame, his eyes wide with urgency.
“Ahaan!” she exclaimed, her voice sharp with shock. “Haven’t I told you not to eavesdrop?”
“Sorry, Mom,” he mumbled, stepping into the living room. “But I heard Uncle Aditya’s name, and I had to listen.” He shook his head, his face earnest. “Will you talk to him, Mom? Please? I miss him. Maya misses him. I want him back with us.”
Her heart twisted painfully as he came closer to her.
“With him,” he continued, “you were finally smiling—just like Aish smiles around Uncle Rithwik. I want that happiness for you, Mom.”
Her vision blurred. Her little boy was too mature for his own good, seeing more than he should, understanding her more than she deserved. She opened her arms, and he ran into them, Maya trailing after him like always. She hugged him tight, her tears falling into his hair.
“You’re such a good boy…” she whispered, holding him close. “And I love you very much.”
Ahaan leaned back to search her face. “So will you give Uncle Aditya a chance?”
“I hurt him, Ahaan. I don’t know if he’ll forgive me. But if he does, then yes. I’ll accept him with all my heart and will do my best to make it up to him.”
“Yay!” Ahaan cheered.
“Then let’s do this tomorrow!” Aisha grinned, her eyes shining. “It’s his mother’s birthday party. Go there and tell him. Rithwik says he’s been miserable without you. Let’s end all the heartbreak tomorrow.”
For a heartbeat, hope flared in Sabrina’s heart. But then, it crashed just as quickly. “I can’t tomorrow night,” she murmured. “I have another event to cater.”
“Who is it? Can Dilnaz not manage it?” Aisha pressed.
“A Mr. Dutta. He’s paid in advance, and he’s paid more for me to personally oversee everything,” Sabrina explained with a sigh. “I can’t hand this one off. Let me finish that event… and then I’ll see Aditya the day after.”
Two more days and she’d see him again. Two more days and she’d sort everything out with him.
She lifted her gaze to see Ahaan bouncing with excitement, his eyes shining in a way she hadn’t seen in days. Aisha was smiling too, her eyes sparkling. Even her mother-in-law had a faint smile on her face.
For the first time in what felt like forever, Sabrina’s heart felt… at peace. As if a storm had finally begun to still. She was going to make things right with Aditya. No more running, no more fear. If he’d forgive her, she would give him everything—her heart, her trust, her love.
For the first time, the thought didn’t terrify her.
It filled her with hope.