Love or Revenge

Chapter 48

After 10 Years

In Canada, Zoya came down the stairs from her room that morning. They have moved to Canada with Grace and Arjun after that incident happened 10 years before. She was wearing a white-laced Salwar-Kameez with light blue dupatta and bottom, it was the one Aditya gifted her on her 1st birthday after their marriage. He always asked her to wear that dress but she hesitated as she loved wearing sarees for him. Now, this dress has become very special to her, so she started to wear it only on special occasions.

She was preparing the breakfast and lunch. When she noticed that time was 8.30am, she hurried to the living room and said on top of her voice, "You're late... Come down fast..."

She went back to the kitchen to check the stove. As there was no reply and she didn't see him at the dining table, she switched of the stove and again she called, "Adi... You're getting late... Come down baby..." while she placed the breakfast plate and lunch bag on dining table.

Winter has started and cold air hit her from the balcony. It has started to snow now. She went near the balcony and closed the door while covering herself with the woolen scarf over her.

Her mind drifted to that incident happened before 10 years. On this same day, she went to see Harshawardhan at his construction site to get her final revenge. With building burning on every side, she would have taken the revenge with Harshawardhan, that day she would have brought peace to her parents' and as well as to her. Finally their soul would have rested in peace. But everything was destroyed when Aditya showed up while she was about to pull the trigger.

If he hadn't come there or if Harshawardhan didn't use Aditya as his bait or if she doesn't have to choose between her Love or Revenge. Her life would have been different today.

                                             ***

That day flashed before her, she stood up with determination and raised the gun at Aditya. Aditya was shocked to see her with gun pointing at him. But before he could say anything, she said, "Aditya... You don't know how much I love you... I can't live without you... I know, I don't deserve you after what had I done to you and to your family & friends... But I did everything for my parents'... I loved them and will always love them..." fresh tears started to roll down her cheeks.

"I know... You still love me even after all this... Here today I'm standing before you and I have to choose between my parents' and my love... Others took my father's money and his life, I don't regret for what I did to them. But Harshawardhan has done a very horrible thing to my mother before killing her. If I don't forgive him, then my parents' will rest in peace but, I may lose you forever and the guilt of hurting you would kill me for my whole life", she said.

"If I forgive him, then my parents' may never forgive me and I can never forgive myself for letting him slip out of my hand. Also I know I would regret my whole life for letting him go. But, I'll live happily with that regret if I have your love... and I know my parents' will be happy and find their peace knowing that I finally found my love and the life I deserve. I want to be with you till my last breath... Before you, nothing is matter to me... not even my revenge... Everything that matters to me... now... is just... "YOU". I love you, Aditya... Will you accept me even after knowing everything about me?" she asked pleadingly.

Aditya nodded and took few steps towards her. Zoya got emotional and started to cry while throwing her gun behind. She ran towards him and plunged herself onto him saying, "I love you, Aditya..." she cried on his shoulders. "I Love you, Zoya... No matter what, I love you..." he said and hugged her as tightly as he can.