"What do you mean, Krish? What truths do I need to know?"
"The truth about your mom, Ram Kapoor!" said Krish. "She was equally involved in what that has happened between the two of you. In fact, she tried to separate you from Day 1. Let me tell you one by one about what she did."
Then Krish spoke. He spoke about how it was Adi and Brinda who had leaked the annulment papers to the media to stop Priya from leaving, but Priya had taken Adi's blame on herself. He told about how it was Sid and Shubham who had tried to frame Akki; he spoke about how Vedika and Nandini had deliberately tried to sabotage Ram's birthday by planting misconceptions in his mind. He even told Ram that it was Nandini who had deliberately brought Vedika into Kapoor Mansion and both of them had tried everything in their power to ensure that misunderstandings increased between Ram and Priya! In fact, it was Vedika who had sent Priya anonymous messages talking about how Ram loved someone else and his care for Priya was just a facade.
"Messages? What messages? I have no clue about this!" said Ram. And then he remembered. Vedika had mistakenly sent a message to Priya that she meant to send to Akki. Shivina had read it and showed him. They had deleted the message so that Priya didn't come to know.
Remembering Shivi, Ram teared up. His bachhi, his Shivi, had lost her life because of the abominable planning and plotting by her own mother and brother! And all because they didn't like Priya!
"Ram, are you listening? I am not finished. It was Shubham and Nandini who indirectly blackmailed Priya regarding the 5% shares in your company. When you and Priya were at the Mahashivratri puja, your mom faked a panic attack, so that you would leave the Puja and return to her; and you have just heard from Akki all that she did to separate him and Shivi. And yes, she has got the will that you made changed, so that Kapoor Mansion and the company are hers. She doesn't care about you Ram. She has used your weakness for your father to manipulate you all these years! And yes, all these panic attacks that she has been having last five years - it is all fake!
Even Priya was stunned. How did Krish even know all this! Even she had not figured out that Mrs. Kapoor hated her so much! How would Mr. Kapoor be feeling? She looked at him. He looked stunned, aghast, and...broken? But no, she saw anger in Mr. Kapoor's eyes, the anger of a man who had been cheated out of his very existence! Just how many more secrets were going to come out today??
Ram looked at Krish. "How do you know all this, Krish? Priya, did you know all of this when we were married? And if you did, why did you not tell me!"
"Mr. Kapoor, I swear I did not know any of this! But remember, after you came back from quarantine, I wanted to tell you why I had decided to return the 5% shares. But you didn't listen, and got upset with me. In fact, you got so angry that you went off to your Meera Maa's place! Even there, you did not want to listen to what I had to say! And yes, I received messages and anonymous notes. I didn't tell you because I did not believe in them. Just as I have not believed any of the reports about you and the various women in these 5 years. Itna to main aapko jaanti hoon ki aap bewafai kabhi nahi karenge. I trusted you when you told me about Vedika, despite the fact that she had been living in the bedroom next door for so many months, and I had even seen you go to her room with her so many times. I have always trusted you fully, even more than I have trusted myself. But can you say the same about me? That you have always trusted me beyond everything?"
Ram looked down. Priya was right. He had always been insecure about her, right from their Engagement Day. He had felt that maybe he didn't deserve her. Neeraj had always made him insecure, and he was unhappy that Priya had to keep contact with him due to Maitri. He didn't like it when he learnt that Krish and she had known each other - both Neeraj and Krish knew a Priya that he did not. But then, Priya had hurt him, hadn't she? She had cheated on him with Krish? Even though he now knew Pihu was his daughter, but Priya had admitted herself that she still loved Krish. She had also said that the baby was Krish's but she was obviously lying. So had she lied about the first part too? And if so, why?
"Ram?" Krish brought him out of his reverie. " I have more to say! And Priya, please don't stop me. Ram needs to know. So Ram, you now know that Pihu is yours. She was always yours. Priya aur mera affair to door, Priya only looked at me at that time as an investigator. She was so much in love with you that she could not even look anywhere, let alone have an affair! And it is the same EVEN TODAY!"
"No, Krish. She said herself that "pehla pyaar" can never be forgotten. And that noone, not even I could take your place in her life."
"Because your mom forced her to do so!"
"What?"
"Yes, Ram. Your mom went to this level to separate both of you. She told you to get Priya home, but came and threatened Priya to tell you that the baby was mine. Even I was not aware of this. Remember, when you left the police station, you met me. You told me to take care of Priya and "our" baby. I was stunned! Priya had been waiting for you the whole day in prison, just so that in that moment of gloom, she could share that one ray of happiness with you. You didn't come to meet her when she fainted, Brinda came instead and told her that you didn't want to see her, that you didn't care. Because she was Mahendra Sood's daughter! But she didn't believe Brinda, and tried to call you again, just to speak to you and tell you herself about the baby! But Mrs. Kapoor came and stopped her. Even Priya has never told me all this, that she told you that Pihu was mine! But I knew something had happened, so I got my friend to give me CCTV footage from that day, and it is only then I realised what happened. And that provoked me to go into the history of Nandini, Shubham and Vedika and investigate everything that I have told you today! If you don't believe me, here check this out."
Saying this, Krish handed Ram his phone and played a video. It was CCTV footage from that fateful day! Ram went through it, hating and cursing himself for what he had done - to himself, to Priya and of course to his daughter, Pihu!! His head started spinning. He put a hand in his pocket to take out his pills, but even before he could have those pills, he began to fall unconscious to the floor. "Priya..." he whispered.
"Mr. Kapoor!!!" Priya screamed and caught him, just as he fell unconscious in her arms.
to be continued...
