Fateful Contract

Custodial Crossroads

"Your honor, it's crucial to acknowledge that Miss Sharma opted to prioritize her public image over the well-being of the infant."

"That's wrong......" 

Tejasswi attempted to protest, but Chowdhury kept firing questions with a booming voice. "Why'd you stroll out with the baby solo without giving a heads-up to your folks or security?"

"I went with Saanjh to the restroom, but she bolted unexpectedly while I was washing my hands. Despite my quick commands, being small and flickering, the little baby wouldn't listen, so I had to dash after her urgently, without alerting anyone to the sudden twist of events." Tejasswi spilled the beans without holding back.

"Your honor, it's worth emphasizing that the defendant isn't just self-centered but also an inattentive mother, incapable of looking after a one-year-old child," Chowdhary remarked, a broader smirk evident on his face.

Once again, he slyly targeted Tejasswi, preventing her from defending herself. "Miss Sharma, in the interview, did you really discuss a one-year-old's career and future plans? How could you pull that stunt when the baby was clearly in distress?"

Tejasswi rubbed her forehead, annoyed by the pointless bickering. "No, I never delved into her career. I simply responded to the media's queries about her debut and..."

"Ignoring the facts that your so-called interview is making the baby uncomfortable, yet you carried on."

Chowdhury shut Tejasswi down and hollered, slamming his hand on the table in a real showstopper.

"No, I didn't continue then." Tejasswi refuted it immediately.

"Spinning tales once more, Miss Sharma. Your honor, the defendant is a fibber, weaving lies from the start of this hearing. She deceived about the adoption and proved herself a negligent mother, jeopardizing the baby's safety for her egotistical quest for fame. Now, she's concocting another story about a prearranged interview, but I've got evidence to debunk her claims. I seek the court's permission to present it."

"Permission granted."

Tejasswi quietly returned to her seat, and Chowdhary initiated a slickly edited video of her interview. The opening portrayed her beaming at the media, providing responses that painted her as willingly participating, all the while Saanjh's tearful face took center stage.

The TV aired the same interview, but in court, it got a wicked makeover through crafty editing, portraying Tejasswi as a villain and a lousy mom to the child.

Tejasswi, Karan, and Vicky found themselves powerless in the face of it. At the moment, all they could do was sit tight, keeping mum, and witness their sly maneuver unfold.

"Your honor, this entire situation is truly disappointing considering the kind of mother the defendant is, and it's breaking plaintiff Rohan Kapoor's heart as a father. He has a heartfelt request for the court. May he express it?"

Chowdhury tacked on his statement, wrapping up the video with a display of utterly phony emotions.

"Sure, he can..." the judge said.

Rohan positioned himself before the judge, offered a respectful bow, and commenced with a pledging tone.

"Your honor, baby Saanjh is my daughter, my own flesh and blood, for whom I searched desperately for over a year. I had no clue how she ended up with Tejasswi, who had a tumultuous relationship with my ex-wife Rashmi, a well-known fact broadcasted across the nation via news channels."

"I'm baffled as to why Rashmi willingly handed over custody of our unborn child to Tejasswi. After witnessing this entire proceeding, I've come to the conclusion that Tejasswi isn't a suitable guardian for my daughter. As her biological father, nobody can love her like I do."

"My lord, I request to the court that you please help me get my daughter back to me. Only a father can safeguard his daughter's present and future, and I aim to do just that."

Rohan poured his heart into a lengthy plea, concluding with a touch of tears to add impact to his acting, a performance that Tejasswi effortlessly saw through.

"Mr. Rohan Kapoor, the court has considered your plea and the arguments presented by both attorneys. However, a conclusive decision is pending until we ascertain the truth of additional documents. Consequently, the court instructs the detective team to complete the verification of the adoption papers within the next three days. Simultaneously, we also request the expedited processing of the DNA results for the child and the plaintiff."

"The outcome of the custody case hinges entirely on these results, which will be revealed in the coming days. The court is adjourned."

The judge delivered the verdict, pounded the gavel, and rose from the bench. As everyone exited the courtroom, emotions ran high. Rohan exuded confidence in his impending victory, more eager to triumph over Tejasswi than get the child back, while Tejasswi struggled to walk straight, weighed down by deep despondency.

Karan grabbed her hand just before she was about to bump into someone with the baby and pulled her in for a tender embrace, like catching her before she fell off a cliff.

"Teju, watch out. You can't afford to be spaced out like this," Karan exclaimed, giving her a firm shake on the shoulder.

Tejasswi snapped back to reality, a solitary tear escaping her eyes. The disappointment from the first hearing was starkly evident on her face.

Karan sighed as he noticed Tejasswi's distress. He delicately took Saanjh from her, handed the baby to Aneri, and gestured for her and Vicky to head back, assuring them that he would look after Tejasswi.

They both gave a nod and exited, with Karan softly guiding Tejasswi toward his car. He settled her in the passenger seat, took the driver's seat, and cupped Tejasswi's cheek with both hands.

"Teju, this isn't the end of the road in this case. While we didn't come out on top today, I promise we'll rebound and claim victory. No one can snatch our daughter away from us; trust me."

Tejasswi gripped Karan's hand against her cheek and narrowed her eyes. "What options do we have now, Sunny? The judge will deliver the verdict in three days after receiving the DNA test results, and we both know it's not going to be in our favor."

"Sunny, I would have gladly handed Saanjh to her biological father if he were a decent and sincere man, but Rohan is a sly opportunist. I'm convinced he has hidden agendas behind all of this," Tejasswi declared, her eyes filled with disdain for Rohan.

"You're spot on. I'm convinced he's got some shady motives, which is why we need to uncover them and expose him in court. It's the only way to safeguard Saanjh," Karan replied, deep in thought.

"Do you reckon we can pull this off in such a tight timeframe?" Tejasswi inquired. A newfound vigor surged through her after Karan's motivational words.

"Yes, we can. Despite the limited time, I'm more than capable of scouring the entire universe for my daughter's well-being," Karan affirmed with determination.

Karan's confidence lifted Tejasswi's spirits; they fist-bumped, and as Karan drove off, he made calls to kickstart his investigation.

From that point onward, they both began gearing up for the next hearing, reaching out to potential allies in their favor. Meanwhile, Vicky mobilized his A-team to dig deep into every nook and cranny of Rohan's life.

The day before the hearing, Karan, Tejasswi, and Vicky were deep into their case discussions when suddenly Tejasswi dropped an unexpected bombshell.

"Vicky, reach out to Rohan's lawyer and convey that I need a face-to-face with Rohan before the hearing; drop the hint for me."

Karan and Vicky stared at her in disbelief, and Karan questioned, "What's the deal? Why do you want that?"

"For out of court settlement." Tejasswi replied calmly.

"Out of nowhere, why the sudden decision?"

"Miss Sharma, think twice about your call. Rohan and Chowdhary are not the kind of guys to accept defeat or back down without resorting to all sorts of underhanded and dirty tricks."

Karan and Vicky pulled out all the stops, but they couldn't talk Tejasswi out of it.

Finally, Karan sighed, rubbing his temples, and said, "Vicky, do as she said. She won't budge on her decision."