Tangled Ties

Sorry

Avyansh returned home late, fatigue weighing heavily on him. As he removed his blazer, he sighed, his eyes landing on Aishwarya, who was settled comfortably in the living room.

She was engrossed in his childhood album, a small, tender smile lighting up her face as she turned the pages. The warm glow of the lamp cast soft shadows around her, highlighting the nostalgia in her expression.

He made his way across the plush carpet, sitting beside her, his head resting on her lap. Aishwarya gently ran her fingers through his hair, a comforting gesture that enveloped him like a warm embrace.

“I am sorry, Maa!” he murmured, guilt creeping into his voice.

“You should not have said that, Ansh. She is your wife.” Aishwarya replied softly, her tone laced with a mother’s understanding.

Both Avyansh and Aishwarya spoke simultaneously, their words reflecting the tension that hung in the air.

A heavy sigh escaped his lips. “I know, Maa, but those were important papers. She can’t be this irresponsible.”

“And how do you know she was the one who spilled water on the papers?” Aishwarya countered, her eyes steady and searching.

“I am not blind, Maa. I saw that,” he insisted, frustration simmering just below the surface.

“It’s not necessary that everything you see is true. Sometimes, you need to wait and listen to another perspective to uncover the truth. I spilled that water by mistake, she just quickly picked up the cup to lessen the mess.” There was sincerity in his mother’s eyes, and a wave of guilt washed over him, heavy and stifling.

“I thought everything was fine between you two, and you actually went on a business trip. I didn’t know you were avoiding her and telling her to stay away from you.”

“I am sorry, Maa, but I can’t help it. Shrinidhi is her sister, and although I shouldn’t judge her by that, I— I just can’t. You know how much I hate betrayal…” He struggled to articulate his feelings, the weight of emotions pressing down on him. “…It was her who gave courage to Shrinidhi for running away by doing it for the first time herself.”

“You know nothing about her, Avyansh. Kabhi koshish ki apne unhe janne ki? Kabhi baith ke baatein ki not as husband or wife but at least as two humans? Pucha unse ki unhone kyu ki apse shaadi?” Aishwarya asked, prompting Avyansh to shake his head, lost in the profoundness of her words.

“Shrinidhi and Siya are completely different from each other. Their grandparents are very manipulative. They have always criticized her because she is the oldest child.

Khair, ye baatein hamari beech mein nahi balki apke aur apki patni ki beech ki hai aur ham chahenge ki ek baar aap unke sath baith ke in baaton ko discuss karein. Ek dusre ko mauka dein. Jaise Veer aur Aryaa ne diya kyunki taali ek hath se nahi bajti.”

Avyansh nodded, the gravity of the situation settling in his heart like a heavy stone.

“And regarding the comment about running away, let me clarify: her grandparents and her bua wanted her to become a doctor just to make money, but she never wanted to put people’s lives at stake because she wasn’t interested in being a doctor at all.

Manisha is a strong woman, and so are her daughters. She always supported them, and Rajiv loved his daughters but was a little emotional. His mother faked tears, and he did things he never wanted to.

Having had enough, the girls left home to start their own journey. They did not run away.”

Avyansh was left speechless after learning the truth, the weight of his misconceptions crashing down around him.