Shattered (Book #1 In Heart Series)✔️

Chapter 42: Truth of her existence

Kritika approached her family, hoping for understanding and support, but she was met with a coldness that cut deeper than any physical blow. She knelt before her mother, grasping her hands in a desperate plea.

"Ma, please believe me, I didn't do anything," Kritika pleaded, her voice trembling with emotion. But instead of warmth and reassurance, she received a harsh slap across her cheek, the force of it sending shockwaves through her.

"Ma..." Her voice faltered as another blow landed, leaving her stunned and bewildered.

"Don't you dare to call me that," Ishita warned, her tone laced with venom as she pointed an accusatory finger at Kritika. The rejection pierced Kritika's heart, leaving her feeling abandoned and alone.

"Please, don't say that, Ma," Kritika pleaded, wrapping her arms around her mother's legs, but her cries fell on deaf ears.

"Can't you understand what I said? You are not my daughter," Ishita screamed, delivering another kick that sent Kritika crashing to the floor, her world spinning out of control.

As Kritika struggled to comprehend the betrayal from her own family, Aditya approached with a smirk, reveling in her pain. He crouched down in front of her, his eyes filled with malice as he lifted her chin with a cruel grip.

"You know why Auntie said that," Aditya taunted, his words like daggers cutting through Kritika's shattered spirit. She shook her head, her heart pounding with fear and confusion.

"Because you are not their daughter," Aditya declared triumphantly, relishing in Kritika's shock and disbelief.

"What did you say? How dare you!" Kritika's voice rose with indignation as she grabbed Aditya's collar, her hands trembling with rage. But Aditya pushed her away with a cold laugh, his contempt for her palpable.

"You are not their daughter. Samaira is their real daughter," Aditya revealed, his words like a crushing blow to Kritika's already fragile sense of self.

"That's not true," Kritika protested weakly, her mind reeling from the revelation.

"It is the truth. You are the adopted daughter of Mr. Raman Rai and Mrs. Ishita Rai," Aditya stated, his voice dripping with disdain.

"Janaki aunty was in charge of Auntie's labour. On the same day, another pregnant woman was admitted to the same hospital by a few people. Ishita Aunty gave birth to a baby girl, Samaira, but sadly, she was stillborn. Uncle was heartbroken upon hearing this devastating news. Ishita Aunty was unconscious at that time. He knew Auntie couldn't bear the sorrow of losing her child. Coincidentally, the other woman also gave birth to a healthy girl, you, but tragically, she passed away shortly after delivery. Raman uncle learned of this and had a sudden idea. With Janaki Aunty's assistance, he swiftly swapped the babies. However, to everyone's astonishment, the supposedly deceased baby began crying, shocking Janaki aunt. With no other recourse, she placed the baby in an adoption center, and that's how you became Kritika Rai," Aditya concluded, his tone dripping with scorn and mockery.

As the truth of her identity sank in, Kritika felt like the ground had been pulled out from beneath her. She had never imagined that her entire life could be built on a lie, that the love and care she had received from her family were nothing more than a facade.

"When Auntie discovered that your and Samaira's birthdates were the same, she suspected that Samaira was their daughter. I confirmed it for her, and she realized that Samaira was the real daughter," Aditya explained, his words like a final nail in the coffin of Kritika's shattered reality.

Stunned into silence, Kritika struggled to process the enormity of what she had just learned. She felt like a stranger in her own skin, disconnected from the life she had known and the people she had loved.

Her thoughts shattered amidst Ishita's piercing screams.

"You...SLAP.... killed my....SLAP.....daughter....SLAP. How could you do this SLAP SLAP SLAP," Ishita's words were punctuated by each slap she landed on Kritika, who cried and begged for mercy. Her cheeks began to trickle blood from the relentless assault.

Raman intervened, dragging Ishita away with a look of disgust aimed at Kritika. "Raman, our dau....ghter; sh-she is dead," Ishita sobbed into his chest.

Choking on her own blood and saliva, Kritika endured the physical and emotional torment. She spat blood, gasping for air as she struggled to comprehend the depth of the betrayal.

Amidst the chaos, Priya, driven by compassion, rose to assist Kritika. However, a single stern glare from Abhimanyu halted her, leaving Kritika to suffer alone amidst a sea of disdain.

Swetha's venomous words pierced through Kritika's already wounded soul. "You are a sin, not God's blessing. That's why your mother died when she saw your face. You are nothing but an illegitimate sin of your mother, who got pregnant with an unknown man. And you have inherited your mother's disgraceful character - a slut, a whore," Swetha hissed with malicious glee, forcing Kritika to shut her eyes against the overwhelming humiliation.

"Aditya, take her away from my sight. I don't want to see this ugly piece of shit," Swetha declared with disdain, prompting Aditya to seize Kritika by her hair and drag her towards the storage room.

Kritika, battered and broken, could only whimper in agony, her cries stifled by the pain coursing through her body. As Aditya callously tossed her into the grimy room, he delivered his cruel ultimatum.

"This is your place, bitch, till tomorrow. A big surprise is waiting for you," he sneered before locking the door and disappearing, leaving Kritika to slip into unconsciousness, her once defiant gaze now dulled by despair.