The Lost Prince

7. Resentment

A lot had happened in the Shekhawat mansion.

The family called upon their trusted lawyer and Raghav was officially made to sign off all his rights to Karan, who would now take up the place of Crown Prince, in the absence of Samar. This was important to be done on immediate basis since the financial rights were now transferred to Karan and he was solely responsible to handle the financial matters in the mansion and for their business.

With his parents and Raghav's parents too, on Karan's side, there was no one to oppose him.

Rama felt helpless and that was the final straw for her. She demanded that she could not live like a maid and would want to go back to her parents house. To her surprise, no one stopped her. She tried again and picked up little Mukta to leave. But to her and Raghav's utter surprise, Mukta was snatched away by her grandmother who stepped in and refused to let go of the child.
Furious Rama demanded to let go of her child.

"You can go wherever you want, but our child will stay with us, where she rightfully belongs. This is her home and she will have everything that the child of this family should get. We will not allow our child to stay at your parents place like a burden to them, when we are completely capable to raise her with love and care."

Rama was beyond shocked and looked at Raghav who was hanging his head in shame.
"Say something. At least come with me. Let's take our daughter away from here and build a new life with my father's help." she pleaded.

"You can go wherever you desire. I will not stop you. I have brought this fate upon me and I will endure whatever my family decides for me. I am no one to oppose them." Raghav replied, not meeting her eyes.

"I will take my daughter along." She said with finality and tried to pull Mukta.

Little Mukta who was unable to understand anything, thought that her parents were having a quarrel and her grandmother was trying to keep her safe. She simply refused to let go of her grandmother. While Rama tried to pull her, Raghav's mother lost her balance and was about to fall when Karan held her in his strong arms.

"Leave. Before I lose my control and do something that I will regret forever." He commanded in a cold voice.

Rama took a step back in fear. Karan gently took the girl in his arms and kissed the temple and pushed her hair behind. The girl immediately pushed her face in the crook of his neck. He gave a final warning glance to Rama, before marching to his room to save the child from further trauma.

He was stroking Mukta to sleep in the balcony of his room, when his mother pushed open the door and walked in. He looked at her and stepped in the room and placed now sleeping Mukta on the bed and covered with a comforter and sat down tiredly on the bed.

His mother sat beside him and stroked her fingers in the messy hair on his forehead.

"Where is Meera? I did not see her since yesterday." She whispered.

Karan sighed in defeat and looked down for a brief moment.
"She is at her parents."

There was a long silence and his mother did not ask him anything anymore. She looked at the sleeping child and stroked her gently. Karan looked at her and thought that he could not keep a big news from his parents. It would hurt them if they were kept in dark.

"Maa... I want to tell you something."

She looked at him and found him struggling for words.

"Did you two fight again?" She asked when he did not say anything.

He nodded lightly.
"Kind of. I mean... She is pregnant. And I told her to get it aborted."

The revelation made her part lips and she blinked at him wide eyes. Karan expected her to more than blast her anger. He thought she would try to order him to bring his wife back and get everything sorted. But her still reaction scared him more. She looked away momentarily and nodded in understanding. She knew her sons were going through a lot. And she also knew that this was not the time to put sense into him, when he was about to loose his remaining sanity.