𝑺𝒊𝒍𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐨𝐰

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Control For Now

Anamika was fast asleep on the plane, exhausted from the emotional outburst and the early morning start. Her feet were resting on Aunt Gia while her head was comfortably nestled on her Daddy's lap.

Shubman gazed up at the dim cabin light, gently caressing Anamika's hair, lost in thought about the airport drama that had unfolded earlier. His mind drifted towards a future where Bhumika was taking their daughter away from him, their pleas echoing in his mind not wanting to be away from each other. The thought of an empty house without Anamika's laughter and joy brought tears to his eyes, breaking his reverie with a gasp. He couldn't bear the idea of not having his little sunshine around, her presence spreading rays of happiness wherever she went.

Gasping heavily, Shubman looked over at Geetanjali, whose eyes were closed, her head resting against the seat. He noticed tears glistening at the corners of her eyes. Concern flooded his heart as he reached out to gently touch her shoulder. "Gia, are you okay?" he asked softly, his voice filled with worry and empathy. He couldn't bear to see her in distress, especially after the emotional turmoil they had all just experienced.

Geetanjali opened her eyes hastily, wiping her tears, and nodded, indicating that she was okay. But Shubman wasn't ready to back down. "Stop lying, at least now when we are together," he insisted, his tone firm and determined.

Geetanjali gulped, trying to suppress her emotions, but she couldn't hold back the tears as she looked at Anamika's tear-streaked yet peaceful face while she slept. "I don't want Anamika to grow up with a single parent, but I also don't want to send her to Bhumika," she admitted, her voice wavering with emotion.

Geetanjali pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to steady her emotions. "And I don't want to be selfish to Bhumika by taking away her daughter," she added, her voice strained with conflicting emotions.

Shubman looked at Geetanjali with understanding, his gaze softened with empathy. "I know, Gia," he murmured, his voice gentle yet filled with resolve. "But we also have to consider what's best for Anamika. We can't ignore the fact that she deserves to grow up in a stable and loving environment, surrounded by people who genuinely care for her well-being." His words carried a weight of responsibility, acknowledging the importance of prioritizing Anamika's needs above all else.

Geetanjali nodded in agreement, exhaling deeply as she contemplated his words. "You're right. It's the people around her that truly matter," she replied, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness. "Because I don't want Ana to go through what I went through," she admitted.

Shubman brought Geetanjali closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulders in a comforting embrace. "What's eating you up, love? Let it out," he encouraged gently, concern evident in his voice.

Geetanjali shook her head, tears streaming down her face as she struggled with her inner turmoil. "I... I can't," she choked out, her voice trembling with emotion. "I don't want to talk about it... I don't want to bring my past into our future."

Shubman cupped Geetanjali's face with one hand, his touch gentle yet firm as he looked into her eyes with unwavering sincerity. "You need to speak up, Gia," he urged softly, his voice laced with concern. "Keeping it bottled up inside will only eat you up, and I can't bear to see you hurting like this."

Geetanjali cried out softly, her voice trembling as she spoke, careful not to disturb Anamika, who slept peacefully on them. "I don't want that man's..." She paused, her words catching in her throat as she struggled to continue.

Shubman gently rubbed Geetanjali's back, urging her to calm down as her tears continued to fall. "Shh, it's okay," he murmured soothingly, his touch comforting. But Geetanjali couldn't hold back her emotions as she spoke through her tears. "I don't want that man's deeds to be talked about and cast a shadow on our future or present," she confessed, her voice choked with emotion.