CHAPTER - 2.2
"They didn't tell me the whole thing bhabhi ma but by her words, I felt something terrible happened because of me...
Why do I feel that her marriage broke ?", Avyan said, his tone filled with regret and guilt.
"Sh...
Don't come to any conclusion yet, we'll have to find out what happened, and then we can find an appropriate solution...
Don't suffer yourself with all these thoughts...
I promise you, I'll make everything right...
Don't worry... hm ?", Isha softly said caressing his head.
"Bhabhi ma, please don't...", he started but she understood
"I won't tell your brother, don't worry now, Go to your room, I'll send you warm milk, have it, you'll sleep better", Isha said and Avyan nodded walking away.
Isha sighed and went to her chamber after sending milk to Avyan.
She decided to talk to her brother, now she understood her brother might have purposely not given Anshi's address or details to Avyan as he didn't want Avyan to suffer in guilt.
Whatever it was, she decided to talk to her brother soon.
"What is your brother-in-law saying ?", she was startled hearing her husband's tone as she was involved deep in her thoughts.
"Rana sa...
you scared me", she said and started walking to her closet trying to ignore his question but he understood her vague attempts to hide things.
"I asked you something Isha", he asked again making Isha stop on her track, she sighed deeply and turned to her husband.
"I won't tell you", she said and he raised his brows in amusement at his wife's blunt answer.
"I promised him, so don't ask, you'll know soon anyways", she said and was about to leave to her closet but his words stopped her.
"Fine, I won't ask about it, now come here...", he said and she smiled sheepishly at him before settling on the bed beside him...
Every day, It's his duty to make her wear her nightwear, whether or not they make love, she even forgot when was the last time she wore it by herself.
Days passed, and Isha told her brother that she needed to talk to him about something very important and asked him to meet her, but he was postponing his visit every day citing one or the other reason and Isha felt her brother was purposely avoiding her which is true.
After the party incident, Ranveer knew Isha was suspicious of him and he thought she wanted to talk to him about the very same.
Earlier he badly wanted to tell his sister about him and Ragini but Ragini didn't accept him yet then, but now when she did, he is afraid of his sister's reaction.
One day, Isha was using the washroom when she heard two women belonging to the HR department talking, not knowing she was in one of the stalls.
"I heard Mr.
Rajput, the queen's brother is dating Ms.
Shah of the textile wing, Is it true ?", one lady asked
"I think so, as she is the best friend of the queen, she might have played a wing woman you know? Otherwise, Ragini isn't suitable for the Prince...
she is not that pretty too...
I don't know what did Mr.
Rajput see in her ?", the other lady replied
"I got to know that Mr.
Rajput even drops her to the office sometimes...", the first lady said
"Hm...
bade log...(big people), anyways, what can we say about them...", the other one said...
Isha came out of the stall and both of their eyes widened...
she ignored their looks, washed her hands and left from there, she heard them wishing her 'Rani sa...
or something of that sort but she walked away in anger so she didn't hear properly...
How dare they talk about her best friend and brother like that ? She so wanted to give them back but remembered Rajmata's words.
"Never argue with a stupid, or someone of lower stature not in money or status but in intelligence and moral values, they would drag you to their level"
"Impulsive reaction is the first step of defeat, your strength is defined in how well you control your emotions and react from the head, not from the heart",
But now, their words caused more suspicion, she ignored the things that happened on her husband's birthday but what she heard now didn't leave her head.
Isha casually walked to their colleagues, after making some casual conversations, she took Aashna to a side and very vaguely asked her if Ragini was coming by her car every day or not.
Just like she thought, Aashna was unaware to the fact that Isha was trying to get information from her and told how Ragini is using a cab or sometimes Prince Ranveer drops her as per her (Isha's) request, well, that is what Ragini told their employees who asked her about Ranveer dropping her.
Ragini thought none saw it but they did and asked her, then she said that since her car broke down, Isha asked her brother who was coming this way on some work to drop her off.
Isha is shocked to learn that her best friend used her name to hide it, but why? Isha isn't stupid, she understood the things she heard in the washroom were not rumors, but she didn't understand why they had to hide this from her.
Now everything made sense, she recollected how she found the both of them in the basement once and how her brother requested her and Avyan to not disclose it to Abhyansh.
Her husband's and her brother-in-law's hints about Ragini now made sense.
And just then, Shivam who came there told her it was just a couple of times that Ranveer dropped Ragini, the first time being, when they held the meeting to close the winter collection.
Isha realized that was the same day when she took the responsibilities as the queen, and now she understood why her brother missed the event and why he was so guilty.
She didn't know how to react to it yet, somewhere she liked the idea of her best friend becoming her bhabhi but for now, she is extremely upset, hurt, and sad at how both her best friend and her brother chose to hide it, played games with her, taking advantage of her innocence.
She felt as if she was betrayed, and she was most hurt because her 'bhayyu' chose to hide this from her.
She decided not to call her brother anymore, nor talk to Avyan or her husband about this matter or her brother.
When they chose to hide this from her, why should she let them know that now she knows? She didn't think there was even any need to confront any of them.
Till now, they saw her crying, her complaining, her getting angry, but now they will see her getting silent, she determined.
She thought of behaving the same with Ragini and see how long they would play this game.
Days passed and the weekend approached again, and the friends decided to visit the palace.
Ragini and Avyan couldn't find the change in Isha's behavior but Ranveer and Abhyansh did.
Abhyansh understood the reason behind it, he waited for his wife to confront him on why he hid this but when she didn't, he understood she was extremely upset and she would get fine only when her brother pacified her and he waited for the stupid Rajput to realize that now his sister knew his little love story.Ranveer realized something is wrong with his sister as she didn't call him anymore but he was afraid of calling her, as he didn't have time to deal with whatever is upsetting his sister, as he was busy in attempting to know the truth from Nandini.
Abhyansh so badly wanted to kill Ranveer for getting his wife upset but he couldn't, his wife wasn't opening up and so, she wouldn't appreciate him trying to talk to her about it either, so he left it there.
Also, she isn't mad at her husband, she knew he tried his level best to hint her about it but her blind belief in her brother and her predefined notions about him that he wouldn't have any relationships, made it impossible to catch those hints.
"Tomorrow, you'll be staying at home right ?", she asked, her head on her husband's bare chest while he rubbed her bare back, both of them slowly returning to their normal breaths after their intense makeout session.
"You mean today ?", he asked and she looked at the clock which showed 2:30 AM
"I'll look like a panda with dark circles and bags under my eyes if you keep doing this Ansh", she said "I barely get 4 hours of sleep", she complained
"You weren't complaining a while before", he argued which earned a glare from him...
"Fine then, from tomorrow I'll make you sleep on the floor if you touch me after 12", she said and he nuzzled into her neck slowly peppering kisses...
"Sorry...
Sorry my bacha...
I was just teasing you...
Okay, from tomorrow, we'll start early and finish early", he said and she blushed at how shamelessly he was making a timetable for that as well...
"Now that I think of your instability, how did you control for more than one and half years hm ?", she asked
"Don't remind me of those black days...
I don't want to return to those days, I'll make love to you even at 90", he said
"Rana sa...
stop it, you are too much", she said angrily slapping his chest but he found her cute smile behind that anger.
"Now answer me, you'll be staying at home or have to go out ?", she asked.
"I have to go in the morning, but will return till lunchtime, is that fine ?", he asked, and she nodded with a smile.
She fell asleep and after taking an hour of power nap, he woke up and started his routine.
Around 11 AM, her friends visited the palace, she invited only her genuine friends, and one of their colleagues brought her child with her, the baby girl was just 8 months old, Isha loved the baby so much that she had the baby in her arms all the time, even while supervising everything.
"Isha, when will Maharaj come ?", Shivam asked
"He'll be here till lunch, till then, come I'll show you the palace", she said and everyone nodded enthusiastically.
"Bhabhi ma, I'll show them, you need some rest, you have been continuously working since morning", Avyan said and Isha nodded as her feet were aching badly and moreover she couldn't roam with the baby in her arms and she didn't have the heart to return the baby to her friend yet.
So she and Amruta stayed in the hall playing with the baby.
After some time, Abhyansh returned home and the most beautiful sight that took him to their wonderful future welcomed him.
His wife walking to and fro with the baby in her arms, cooing her.
His eyes got dreamy for a second with the imagination of his Rani sa, pregnant with his child.
"What happened bacha...
Why are you crying hm ?? Feeling hungry hm??", she asked as she already checked his diaper which is clean, so that was not the issue as well.
She took her bottle and tried to feed her but she kept crying.
She is about to go to her mother-in-law when she saw her husband staring at her.
"Rana sa...
Good that you came, hold her, I'll call her mother", Isha said making his eyes widen.
"I can't hold her, if you want, I can divert her and then you can try to feed her", he suggested...
"You again went to your den ?", she asked him seriously, she thought he might have tortured or killed someone, and that's why he is refusing to take the baby in his arms.
"No Rani sa...
It's just that I came from visiting many places, I need to freshen up", he said which wasn't a lie but he hid the main truth, he is afraid of taking babies in his hands.
He is afraid of hurting them with his rough hands.
She nodded accepting his explanation.
Abhyansh tried to divert her with sounds and Isha giggled.
"What?", he asked raising his brow at why is she laughing
"You are such a 'khadoos' (rude/brooding) even to an 8-month-old huh...", Isha taunted and he glared at her...
"What should I call you then? Can't you open your mouth and say a few words to the little baby instead of making weird sounds", she asked and he rolled his eyes at her drama.
"Baby, have milk, don't throw tantrums", he said in his hard tone which made her cry in fear
"God...
Is this how you talk to a baby ? You are ordering her as if she is your commander in-chief...
You will not come near my children until they are at least 1 year old", she said and he raised his brows at her statement...
"Your children ? And how will you get them ? From the tree outside or from the market nearby hm?", he teased her and she blushed slapping his arm slightly.
He decided to go to his chamber to freshen up and change, before leaving, he slowly leaned and caressed the baby's head, and the baby looked his face in the eye, and she stopped crying, as she found his eyes very interesting, they looked like colorful little balls, she raised to pluck those little balls but Abhyansh leaned away chuckling at the little one's efforts.
He leaned again and the little girl tried again but he moved back.
Isha looked at the moment in astonishment.
It's surreal.
The baby started enjoying and taking this as a chance, Isha put the bottle in her mouth which she happily started sucking making Isha sigh in relief.
"Not bad huh...
I appreciate you Maharaj", she said with a proud look on her face and he smirked at his wife before walking away to their chamber.
It's time for the lunch and the family assembled at the dining hall and settled in their seats.
Avyan came there with the 10 of their guests he settled in his seat while Isha went to her friends and made them settled.
She already detailed the basic dining etiquette that's followed in Ranawat Palace.
She also asked them not to address with her name when there are servants around or at the dining hall.
Isha doesn't want her husband to go all threatening on her friends like he did with Vikram and Aryan.
Well, that was partly her brother's fault, he didn't tell them the rules, and she learnt her lesson from it.
She knew her husband would treat her friends respectfully as they were the guests and moreover, he himself invited them.
But she also knew some things could really anger him.
They all greeted Rajmata Devyani Devi and Pratap, their parents had many stories to tell them about Rajmata and her courage, and she looked exactly as they defined, the epitome of beauty and courage, her eyes held the extreme confidence, and her tone held the base that could shiver even strong men.
Everyone stood up when they saw the king arriving, they sat down after Abhyansh settled on the head chair.
Isha's friends greeted Abhyansh and thanked him for inviting them for lunch.
He nodded at them and asked them to eat.
Isha served Abhyansh while the servants served everyone else.
Isha sat after serving him everything.
"Rani sa...
Take your friends to the front palace, and ask someone to give them a tour of it, they can take pictures as well", Abhyansh told his wife in his usual tone but his words surprised everyone including Isha, as though occasionally people that too only VIPs are allowed in the front palace, none can click pictures in any of the palaces, even the dignitaries that attended their wedding in the front palace were delivered their pictures with the king and queen separately by the Royal photography studio.
"Ji Rana sa(yes Rana sa)", Isha responded
The king's words made the friends so happy, especially the girls, they so badly wanted to click pictures with grandeur walls.
Everything looked so royal and the antiques were placed everywhere without fear of theft.
Some things are made of pure gold and expensive stones like rubels and diamonds.
Almost all the swords had a gold handle with stones over it, decorated so beautifully.
What makes them so special is they are coming from generations yet they are so well-maintained making them shine the same.
They even wanted to click pictures of the food served and the dinnerware which is all silverware with a gold flower in the middle of the big plate, they noticed the family had a different kind of plate but didn't get a look at it much.
All this is so new to them but what amused them more than anything is looking at the king and queen.
He never asked for anything, she observed the way he ate, understood what he needed, and served him with that.
The silent love and understanding between them is so good to see and especially of the man like The Beast being a normal husband is very surprising.
It's an obvious thing but it's human tendency to appreciate the similarities with us in the far away world from us.
After lunch, they sat in the hall, Abhyansh left to his study after sitting there for 5 minutes which is a huge thing in itself, Isha is more than satisfied with the way he behaved with her friends and decided to reward him for his good behavior.
She mentally giggled at her words.
She was brought back by Amruta's voice.
"Isha...
Why didn't your brother join this lunch ? I haven't seen him in the past 2-3 weeks, is everything okay?", Amruta asked as Ranveer used to visit Ranawat palace at least twice a week and have food there as he missed his sister and her handmade food a lot.
"Not sure ma, the last time I called him, he said he was very busy, so I thought not to disturb him", she said with a small smile though inside she was burning with the amount of lies he told her.
Amruta frowned at it, Isha could never stay without talking to her brother but this is very new.
"Ma, Avyan go and take some rest, while I'll take them to the front palace", Isha said, they nodded and left from there.
Reetu squealed in excitement after they left.
"I can't believe I am in a palace, that too Ranawat palace...
God...
This is a dream come true...
Thank you Ishuuuu", Reetu squealed followed by Aashna and a few others.
"Okay let's go", Isha said with a smile leading them to the front palace.
Since the baby is sleeping, they left her there asking a female servant to take care of the baby.
They enjoyed the tour but couldn't cover the whole palace even after hours, so they thought of retiring back to the main palace.
Isha clicked her friends pictures, and then asked a servant to click their picture with her as they requested.
After seeing the Royal Palace, Ragini again started doubting if what she and Ranveer are doing is right or not.
She clearly didn't belong anywhere near them, but Ranveer convinced her.
She wondered how is it even possible for the Rajput siblings to stay so down to earth after coming from such a famous and wealthy background.
Isha was clicking pictures for all of them as if it's a common thing for her to do.
On seeing how the servants are looking at them when Isha was clicking their pictures, Ragini tried to stop Isha but she didn't budge.
They all settled in the hall of the main palace.
The servants brought snacks, and coffee/tea or she asked for any shake if they wanted to have, some ordered milkshakes and the servants returned with their customized drinks.
The baby started crying and Isha instantly got up to take care of the baby, putting her plate down, asking her friend i.e the baby's mother to have the snacks.
Avyan who came there helped Isha in handling the baby.
After the snacks, her mother took the baby and then Isha and Avyan had theirs.
"Take coffee and snacks to Rajmata's chamber, tea for Sasur sa and juice for ma, I air-fried some pakora for ma separately, serve her only those", Isha instructed, the maid bowed and walked away.
"I'll be back in 5", she said to her friends, she had to serve snacks and coffee to her husband.
"Bhabhi ma...
Look at your feet, they are swollen with all the running you did today", Avyan said concerned for her.
"I am alright Avyan", she gave him a smile and turned to Ragini and Reetu.
"Make them comfortable, let Avyan know if anyone needs anything, I'll just be back", Isha said to her best friends and left.
After some time, Ragini pinged her, that they were leaving, So both the king and queen came down.
They gave a gift pack to everyone that was given to the guests.
For the women, it's a saree, flowers, all the basic things representing women along with a piece of jewelry, while for men, it's clothes, gold coin, perfume, and other things while the baby received a 100% scholarship for her education, whatever she wanted to become, The Ranawat education trust would bear the responsibility of the finances and if it's in any other city or country, they also provide with all the necessities there.
The mother couldn't stop her tears and then Isha jokingly told her...
"It's not a gift from us, your daughter earned it with her courage, she looked directly into Rana sa's eyes and even tried to pluck them out", Isha whispered in her friend's ears chuckling that made her smile too, though she was shocked at first knowing the king let her do it.
They bid bye and left to their respective homes.
After that, Abhyansh took Isha to their chamber and massaged her swollen feet.
"I told you not to exhaust yourself, didn't I ?", he asked sternly
"I should look after the arrangements when we are expecting guests Rana sa, this is a once in a once-in-a-while requirement", she said in her defense
"You did the arrangements, not looked after, if you actually did supervise, your feet wouldn't have been like this", he said pressing her feet and sole and she huffed in annoyance.
"Don't you have any other work or maybe go out ?", Isha asked and he shook his head making her sigh...
"Today my only job is to teach you what is actually called supervising", he said
"Matlab aaj pura din aap humare sir pe naachenge (that means you will dance on my head the whole day)", she said annoyed and he glared at her sternly.
"You were at fault and instead of apologizing and trying not to repeat it, you are annoyed ? Why ?? I should be the one annoyed because of your immature acts", he scolded her and she looked down, she could argue with him in normal times but she wouldn't dare to do it when he was angry or worried for her, and now he is both.
He sighed seeing her head down.
"Are you crying ?", he asked, and she shook her head still looking down.
"Then show me your face", he said and she again shook her head.
He gently lifted her head holding her chin, and looking at her eyes filled, he sighed.
She pushed his hand off her chin.
"Your palms are oily", she said and he nodded, pulling her close to him by her feet making a gasp escape her.
"Don't do this again, take care of yourself for me, seeing you in pain is not something I could deal with", he said kissing her gently...
"Hm...", she said pulling him more into her by his hair.
He broke the kiss, carried her to their washroom and slowly descended the stairs to reach the ground floor of the bathroom where all kinds of steam and water spas are arranged, there is a pond there and seats are arranged to bath as well.
She rarely came to this area as she didn't have much time.
She blushed remembering how her husband made love to here there the last time they were there.
He put her down and slowly dipped her feet in the tub, she could feel the hot water calming her muscles...
He sat at her feet making sure they were properly dipped inside the water.
"Rana sa...
Come here", she said forwarding her palm, he took it and settled beside her on the large stool behind her, so that she was in between his legs.
Abhyansh nuzzled his head in the crook of her neck peppering kisses there.
She held his palm which was on her waist and started rubbing it with her soft palms.
"I am sorry, next time I will try not to exhaust myself so much", she said and he nodded in agreement.
"This is the last time I am going easy on you Rani sa", he said and she nodded leaning her head on his chest.
He ruffled her hair softly and she closed her eyes in bliss.
"Help me wash my hair tomorrow, it's been 4 days since I washed them, I wanted to but I am lazy", she said and he hummed.
After some more time, he carried her back to their room and she slept for some time while he was doing some work.
He received a call from Khan, so he walked out to pick it up so as not to disturb her.
"Maharaj...
The government sanctioned permissions to the forensic department", khan said, Abhyansh's veins popped out with the amount of fury he was having right now.
Khan set the building on fire where Ilir was kept as ordered by Abhyansh and now under pressure from other gangs, the government allowed the forensic department to take the samples there and investigate if they could find any trace of humans burnt in the fire.
"And ??", Abhyansh asked coldly, expecting what measures Khan took to control the damage or stop the investigation.
"I requested the government against it, I'll go again, I have an appointment with the president tomo...", khan started but was interrupted by Abhyandh's calm tone which screamed danger...
"Khan let me clear if you have any misconception, I softened just to my wife not to the whole world", Abhyansh said calmly and Zahid understood why he was saying that...
"Mahar...", Zahid Khan started but was interrupted again...
"You blo*dy requested them ?? Should have put a gun on the as*hole's head damn it", Abhyansh raised his tone which startled the old man as Abhyansh normally wouldn't raise his tone.
"Maharaj...
This government is anti-India, and since you are Indian, they want to act against you, they knew you are one of the major pillars of the country, I was dealing with them softly because of the very same reason Maharaj", khan said
"Not reasons khan, I need results...", Abhyansh said...
"No worries, it's time to remind who is in control Khan...
End whoever comes our way, I'll take care of everything", he said shocking Khan.
The words he said weighed a lot, things can get so messy with this, Zahid doubted Abhyansh's decision.
This is a lot of risk, Abhyansh always took daring but calculative steps but this time he felt it was an impulsive move but before he could voice out his opinion in a constructive way without offending the king, he hung up.
Khan sighed and called Abhyansh again but he cut his call which meant he didn't want to talk about it, so he had no option but to implement the king's order.
Isha woke up after a while, freshened up, and walked down to prepare dinner.
After the dinner, Abhyansh went to his study as he had a lot of work, he was preparing to checkmate the government and the people who betrayed him.
To state in layman's terms, he was preparing for war.
Isha observed her mother-in-law upset over something, she didn't even eat properly, so she decided to talk to her later.
After clearing things, Isha and Avyan sat there waiting for Amruta to join them like every day but Amruta walked there to inform them that she was retiring to her room as she wanted to go to bed early.
"Ma...
I need to talk to you, wait", Isha said
"We'll talk tomorrow Isha, I'm tired", Amruta said trying to avoid any kind of discussion now.
"Ma...
You look upset, what's wrong", Avyan asked but Amruta shook her head, Avyan got up and hugged his mother which made Amruta break down into tears.
"Ma...
don't cry, what happened, sh...
it's okay... everything will be fine...", Avyan consoled his mother and she calmed down, seeing her crying so much, Avyan understood what must be the reason, her mother mostly cries because of two reasons, her dead daughter or her son who hates her. And his brother didn't do or say anything so it must be because of remembering his dead sister. He didn't want to prolong the matter as he didn't want his sister-in-law to know anything. He isn't aware that she already knew about Advaita.
Isha and Avyan diverted Amruta by talking about all the things here and there, after some time, Avyan retired to his room as he had some work and then went to bed.
He wanted to ask his sister-in-law about Anshi's matter but couldn't bring himself to do so, he knew if his bhabhi ma promised she would do it but he was getting impatient, he didn't know whether it was guilt & regret or it was concern for Anshi.
He decided to talk to Isha the next day about it.
"Ma...
What happened ?", Isha asked holding Amruta's palm in hers after Avyan walked away.
"I remembered Advaita looking at the little baby today, my daughter...
I miss everything about her, I don't know how I even survived these many years without my daughter and with my eldest son hating me...", Amruta sobbed and Isha consoled her.
"Ma...
I want to hear your side of the truth", Isha asked after Amruta felt better.
Amruta asked for what Abhyansh told her, to gauge what she could reveal and what she shouldn't.
"I indeed loved Chirag and I was betrothed to him, then he chose to be a doctor instead of occupying the throne, so I got married to Abhyansh's father as per my father's wish.
I wanted to tell everything to Pratap but my father made a promise on his deathbed not to reveal anything to them and I couldn't have broken my promise, I don't know how but he(Pratap) got to know about my betrothal and he started verbally abusing me...
I bore everything because I knew somewhere I was the reason for the change in him(Pratap).
Before that, he was a very loving husband, he took very good care of me when I was pregnant with Abhi, but everything changed from that day", Amruta said remembering how Pratap used to doubt her son's identity, pratap knew his wife didn't physically cheat on him but he was too hurt, the fact that she had Chirag in her heart when she conceived Abhyansh made him even more furious and Amruta knew that it was her fault but she could do nothing to change it now.
"That day, he saw me in the temple with Chirag, but I didn't even know Chirag was going to be there...
I went to temple on my every birthday after marriage, to seek forgiveness from God, I never took Abhi with me because I don't want my sins to affect my son in any way", Amruta said
"What sins ma ?", Isha asked, Amruta hesitated at first but Isha assured that it was okay, Amruta told her about Pratap's verbal abuse on both her and her son, calling him names, she also told how she still had Chirag in her heart when she gave away herself to Pratap.
Isha is shocked to know that her mother-in-law actually cheated emotionally but she can't be blamed, she couldn't have control over her heart about whom she loved, and she was betrothed to Chirag, so it's obvious, and she couldn't even refuse her husband his rights on their wedding night as it was taught to be wrong and knowing Amruta's soft and timid nature, she could have never done that.
It was not her fault.
"It was my first birthday after Advaita's death, I was not in the mood to celebrate, but Abhyansh came to me, he convinced me to go to the temple, he said that I can't lose my hope like that, I still had two more children to look after who needs my love, so I needed to be strong for them, I wore the saree he gave me and my Abhi got me ready and I went to the temple...", Amruta smiled remembering the beautiful memory, her elder son loved her a lot but she destroyed it.
She still lived in the hope that one day he would become the same Abhyansh to her, her Abhi.
Isha smiled at how much her husband loved his mother, well it was evident in how gently he treated her(Isha), her mother used to say, that you can define how a man would treat his wife if you see how he treats his mother when she asked her mother(Pallavi Rajput) how she decided to marry her father(Amar Rajput) even without speaking to him.
"I went to the temple, I was crying for my dead daughter when Chirag came out of nowhere, I don't know what came into me, but hearing his gentle tone, I started letting out all the pain that's inside me, I had no one to talk to, I couldn't share with Ma sa, as she was very busy in handling her duties, and also she was in her own pain as her husband was murdered, it's been years but his culprits were roaming freely.
I couldn't bother Abhi as he was already handling a lot more than anyone in his age would at the same time dealing with his pain, and your father-in-law...
Huh I knew he wouldn't care, so when Chirag offered to listen, I let it out and he was consoling me when your father-in-law saw me, he imagined the worst and told the same to Abhyansh.
He said I went to the temple alone on my every birthday to meet my lover whereas that was the first time I met him alone at the temple.
My husband's accusations didn't hurt me as much as my son's silence did. He asked everyone not to talk about it ever again and left from there, he didn't even listen to my side of the story, I tried to tell him many times but he avoided me, he was hunting his sister's culprits then", Amruta said, she dreaded even remembering what all happened a few days later that her elder son started hating her.
"I went to Abhi's study to talk to him but there I heard him talking to Bhairav and Bhuvan about killing Chirag as he doubted him to be involved in Advaita's death, I know Chirag can never do that, I wanted to stop my son but I know he wouldn't listen, so I did the one thing I thought the best for that situation, I went out of the house to meet Chirag and told him everything about Abhi's plan and asked him to run away soon.
I didn't want my son to kill an innocent.
Not only Abhyansh, but even ma sa didn't forgive me for that day till now", Amruta said and Isha raised her brows in confusion at where Rajmata came from..."Abhyansh asked everyone to stay at home, no one should leave the house without his knowledge, only Rajmata had the power to allow anyone out, when I begged ma sa that I really needed to go out that day, she trusted me and let me go, she didn't even ask me where I am going as I requested her not to ask, Chirag escaped from there, after a few days, Abhyansh went to handle some very important things and that's when Chirag reached out to me to help him, he said Abhi's men were trying to kill him, and he needed a safe place where no one could dare to reach him, I didn't know there were many people that wanted to kill us are using Chirag as a pawn, I genuinely wanted to save him, so, I helped him hide in the back palace, the next day, the whole palace was attacked and we quickly moved to the back palace through a secret passage, but the assailants reached there too, but luckily Bhuvan reached there on time and saved us, he locked us in the basement of the back palace and fought the enemies all by himself.
He was killed brutally...
It's all because of me, I killed him, and to date, I couldn't look into Bhairav's eye, I regret it badly, I know there is no use but I wanted to ask forgiveness from him, he lost his brother and my son lost his best friend because of my stupidity", Amruta cried and Isha's eyes too teared up imagining her husband's pain seeing his best friend's body filled with cuts and lying lifelessly, and knowing his own mother caused this blood bath, imagining Bhairav's pain of seeing his younger brother in blood, dead. She must say, Bhairav is really strong to encounter the woman who was the reason for his brother's death every day yet remain calm and respectful. Isha also felt bad for her mother-in-law, she could see how she was dying of guilt every day, and over that, she had to deal with the pain of losing her daughter, her son's hatred, and her husband's disgust every minute.
"Ma, how did you even allow someone else to the back palace even after knowing it was the family's safe haven at the time of danger", Isha asked that one question that's bugging her head.
Her mother-in-law can't be that stupid to trust anyone to give the back palace blueprint.
"Because I trusted Chirag Isha, I know he could never think of harming me Or my family", Amruta said confidently
"Ma...
If Rana sa doubted him, there must be some base right ? Then why did you trust him so much, he might be a culprit ma", Isha asked not liking how Amruta was still talking like he was innocent.
"He wasn't Isha...", Amruta argued
"How can you be so sure ma", Isha asked
"Because He was the one who gave all the information to Abhi regarding the culprits of my daughter, he helped Abhi in catching many of them, in fact, testified against his best friend who he thought was trying to kill my family", Amruta said shocking Isha...
"What ?", Isha is surprised...
Her husband didn't mention about this to her ?
"We'll talk about this later, now it's late, let's retire to beds", Amrura said and quickly left to her chamber all the way cursing herself for revealing something that she wasn't supposed to.
Isha shook her confusing thoughts wandering her mother-in-law's statement and went to her chamber.
She frowned on not seeing her husband in the room, she walked to his study where she saw him working.
"It's late, come let's sleep, I am tired", she said.
"Go and change till then, I'll be there soon", he said and she nodded walking away.
She frowned when he asked her to change but didn't protest as he looked very serious and working on something very important.
She settled on their bed after changing, and he lay on the bed pulling her to him.
"Isha...", he called her softly, ruffling her hair with his fingers...
"Hm...
What do you want ?", she asked in return, with his tone modulation and the way he takes her name she could guess what he wants to say or ask.
"Children, it's high time we plan our family, after seeing you with the baby today, I badly wanted to see you as the mother of my children", he said and she turned in his arms to face him.
"We'll surely have, but not now, I want to first resolve all the issues hanging around us, until then it feels like we are walking on eggshells and I don't want to bring my children into a world like that", she said and he sighed...
"When will you tell me the truth Abhi ", she said the name purposely, she picked it from her mother-in-law's words that she used to call her son Abhi and if she knew her husband correctly, he would definitely get mad and he did.
"I am your Ansh, you can call me any name if not Ansh, but not that", he said and she nodded with a smile.
"This is what I am talking about, you sighed as if we don't have any issues in between us so I called just to give an example", he glared at her angrily but her next words calmed him.
"I know you are a brooding man and your mood swings are worse than pregnant women but your children won't understand that right? What would I answer them if they asked me why their father suddenly turned from SRK to Amrish puri, that is why we will have them after we resolve all these issues", she said
"All is fine but what's with that reference?", he asked
"I told my friends that I wanted to watch my first movie and Reetu suggested I watch SRK's DDLJ(Dilwale Dulhaniya le jayenge) and I did, the actor Amrish Puri was Kajol's father who opposes her love with SRK", she told him avoiding using the villain word...
"Your brother would get a mini-heart attack if he gets to know that you watched a Bollywood film that too a romantic one", Abhyansh teased her, he knew his wife was in her rebellious mode and wanted to do everything against her brother, he didn't stop her as it's going in his favor.
"My brother wouldn't care", she said angrily.
"He loves you the most, you know this better than me, maybe it's time you should talk to him", he said, they didn't talk about it till now, but he felt it's high time she should confront her brother.
"You are actually taking his side ? I can't believe this", she said angrily, turning to the other side and he sighed.
He knew his wife was very sensitive about her brother, she wouldn't tolerate anything against him nor for him when she was angry with him, and he knew this, still he thought of talking to her.
'Sometimes I feel my brain goes on an occasional vacation' he cursed himself for saying it even after knowing his wife very well.
The rest of the night went in Rana sa pacifying his Rani sa in unique ways.