The Charade

11|𝕿𝖍𝖊𝖎𝖗 𝕮𝖆𝖗𝖊

KASHI'S POV

"I brought some fruit for you, Kashi," Mom said, entering my room with a warm smile.

I glanced at her, my expression flat. This was her daily routine. She'd bring me food, tell everyone to look after me and scold anyone who didn't follow her orders.

Mom placed the bowl in front of me and smiled, standing beside my bed.

I nodded quietly and took the bowl. It was filled with fruitâ€"so much fruit. How did she expect me to eat all of it? Did she think I had a stomach the size of her bull son? I picked up the fork, stabbed a kiwi, and quietly ate it.

"You can sit, Mom," I said quietly. She nodded and took a seat on the bed.

I felt so confused with these people. They accepted my disrespect with a smile. Just because I was carrying their heir, they let a mere human like me tarnish their image. I quietly ate while my mother-in-law sat there, staring down at her lap.

"Why are you all keeping me here?" I asked in a low voice.

It had been a month since I woke up. A month confined within these walls. I didn't see Mr. Agnihotri muchâ€"he'd be around for breakfast and dinner, but otherwise, he was gone. Whenever he was here I troubled him; unknowingly. Dad was usually at his office or his party events, though he missed a few to be here. Mom was always by my side, and Ranvijay often joined us.

I could talk to Ranvijay. We weren't the chatty type, so we'd just exchange a few pleasantries. I remember he was the same person who brought Mr Agnihotri's clothes to my place.

They were all kind to me, no matter how badly I behaved. The guilt ate at me every time. It hurt me to know I was hurting them, but it wasn't my faultâ€"it was theirs for making me dislike them more and more.

I couldn't talk to my parents, but they, and especially Mr. Agnihotri didn't allow me to. It surprised me that my parents hadn't called me even once. Did they even know what I'd been through? I sighed and ate more fruit.

I don't hate my baby, though I pretend in front of Agnihotri's that I don't like this sperm, of course, I don't like this sperm because I hate its owner! But it's my baby after all and I will love him no matter what.

Nandini and I had a few encounters, and she was always cold toward me. Not exactly quiet, but her eyes were full of disgust. Not that I cared.

"Kashi," my mother-in-law's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Bache, we know you don't like us, but we would rather not harm you or the baby," she said softly, her hand resting on mine.

"You don't want to harm the baby, so you're protecting me too," I replied, blurting out the truth.

"No, Kashi. Trust me, we're not," she said, shaking her head.

I chuckled, my eyes filling with tears. I didn't want to hurt themâ€"it was them making me hate them. "Right? Even if you weren't carrying a child, we'd still treat you the same," she insisted in a gentle voice. My pregnancy is making me cry like no tomorrow.