TRUE LOVE NEVER GIVES UP

Chapter-42: Broken Trust

The tension in the room was palpable, a heavy silence hanging over everyone as they tried to process what they had just learned. Vishakha's face was a storm of emotions—anger, hurt, betrayal—each one more intense than the last.

Her mind whirled with memories, echoes of her own past, of the pain she had endured, and the fear of history repeating itself gripped her like a vice. She couldn’t let her daughter suffer the way she had.

In a sudden, uncontrollable burst of rage, Vishakha strode forward, grabbing Nandini by the arm and pulling her away from Manik. Before anyone could react, she raised her hand and slapped Nandini hard across the face. The sound of the slap echoed through the room, followed by a shocked gasp from everyone present.

Nandini stumbled back, more from shock than the force of the blow, her hand instinctively going to her stinging cheek. Manik immediately stepped forward, his arms around Nandini as if to shield her from further harm.

His eyes were wide, a mix of disbelief and protective fury. His gaze darted around the room, realizing for the first time that they were not alone. The others were standing there, watching the scene unfold, their expressions mirroring the shock and confusion that filled the air.

Nandini blinked, her mind struggling to catch up with what had just happened. Vishakha had never hit her before, not once in her life, and the shock of it left her momentarily speechless. Her mother’s face, twisted in anger and pain, was something she had never seen before, and it sent a jolt of fear through her.

Vishakha’s voice trembled with a mix of rage and anguish as she spoke, her words coming out in a rush. “How could you, Nandini? How could you hide something like this from me? After everything, after all these years, this is how you repay me? By lying to me, by keeping secrets?”

Nandini opened her mouth to say something, anything, but the words wouldn’t come. Vishakha’s anger was like a physical force, pushing her back, overwhelming her. She had never seen her mother like this, and it frightened her.

“I thought you were different,” Vishakha continued, her voice breaking. “I thought I had raised you better than this. Do you have any idea what you’ve done? Do you have any idea what this means?”

“Mumma, please…” Nandini finally managed to whisper, her voice trembling. She reached out, trying to touch Vishakha, to somehow convey her remorse and fear, but Vishakha pulled back, not ready to be comforted, too consumed by her own emotions.

“How long, Nandini?” Vishakha demanded, her voice rising with each word. “How long has this been going on?”

Nandini hesitated, her eyes flickering to Manik for a brief moment before looking down at the floor. The truth felt heavy on her tongue, almost too heavy to speak, but she knew she had no choice.

“Six and a half years,” she said quietly, her voice barely audible.

The room fell into a stunned silence. Everyone was frozen in place, their minds struggling to comprehend the weight of those words. Six and a half years. The reality of it sank in, layer by layer, and with it came a flood of emotions—shock, betrayal, hurt, and for some, a deep sense of sadness.

Vishakha’s eyes widened, the full impact of what Nandini had said hitting her like a freight train. Six and a half years her daughter had been hiding this from her, lying to her, keeping this monumental secret. Tears welled up in her eyes, not just from the anger, but from the overwhelming sense of betrayal.

“Six and a half years,” she repeated, her voice cracking. “You’ve been lying to me for that long?”

Nandini couldn’t meet her mother’s eyes. She felt ashamed, guilty, but also a deep sense of fear for what was to come. “Mumma, I’m sorry…” she began, but Vishakha cut her off, her anger still burning hot.