Chapter 35
As the car sped down the road towards Del Mare, Anjali's thoughts were a tangled mess of worry and anxiety. The familiar sights and sounds of the city she had left behind years ago were now accompanied by a heaviness in her chest.
Beside her, her mother's attempts at conversation fell on deaf ears. Anjali couldn't shake the fear that had settled within her, constricting her chest and making it hard to breathe. The memories of her past, of the darkness that had forced her to flee, resurfaced with a vengeance.
"Anjali," Geet's voice held a mix of concern and apology as she reached out to touch her daughter's hand.
Anjali flinched away from the touch, her gaze distant and haunted.
"Don't," she said, her voice trembling with the weight of her emotions.
"I'm sorry, beta," Geet's tone was soft, filled with remorse. "I never wanted any of this to happen."
Anjali's anger flared, her frustration directed not only at her mother but at the situation they found themselves in.
"That's not going to bring my daughter back," she retorted bitterly. "You knew why I left Del Mare. You knew everything. Yet you still let her go. How could you?"
"She wanted to meet her father," Geet explained. "Before it was too late."
Anjali shook her head, tears stinging her eyes.
"She didn't need to meet him," she whispered, her voice breaking.
Geet's disapproval was evident.
"That isn't your decision to make, Anjali," she replied. "Mila is an adult now. She has every right to-"
"She's barely an adult!" Anjali's voice rose with her emotion, tears streaming down her cheeks. "She had no idea what she was walking into. Everything I've ever done... it's all for nothing now."
Geet tried to reassure her. "Nothing will happen to her."
"You don't know that!" Anjali's cry was desperate, her fear for her daughter's safety consuming her. "You don't know them, ma. You don't know this place."
As the car continued its journey towards Del Mare, Anjali's heart felt like a lead weight, her worry growing with every passing mile. She couldn't shake the feeling that the ghosts of her past were closing in, threatening to take away the one thing she had fought so hard to protect.
As the car pulled up to the imposing gates of the Capello mansion, Anjali's heart raced in her chest. The sight of the grand estate brought back a rush of memories and emotions she had tried to bury for years.
She stepped out of the car, her steps hesitant as she looked up at the mansion that stood before her. The pristine facade seemed to mock her, a reminder of the life she had once been a part of and had desperately tried to escape. As she moved forward, the click of her heels against the pavement seemed to echo in the heavy silence that hung in the air.
And then she saw him...
Giovanni stood at the top of the steps leading to the entrance. His tall figure was both commanding and intimidating, his presence exuding authority. Anjali's breath caught in her throat as she locked eyes with him.
Giovanni's expression was unreadable as he descended the steps to meet her. His piercing gaze held a mix of curiosity, apprehension, and perhaps even a touch of regret. Anjali's heart raced even faster, her emotions in turmoil as she faced the man who had once been her lover and now was the father of her daughter.
