Forsaken Melody

Part 24

"Abhay escorted you home last night, I noticed," Anuradha casually commented, placing a breakfast plate before her daughter who was engrossed in her tablet. This wasn't the first time she'd seen her daughter in the company of this man, nor was it the first time he had played the chivalrous escort. However, last night's tableau had been one of silent unity rather than uneasy attraction. His care for Avantika was evident in his every action - from preventing her dress from sweeping the dirty streets unnoticed to lingering at their gate until she was safely inside their home. At his mention, Avantika felt a familiar warmth spreading through her, a cocktail of affection and trepidation swirling within. "Indeed, he did," she confirmed, keeping any trace of inner turmoil out of her voice.

Anuradha studied Avantika's face closely, detecting an undercurrent of vulnerability and yearning masked by layers of resilience. "You mustn't let him reclaim your heart again," she cautioned gently while resting a hand on Avantika's shoulder to meet her gaze. "Remember what transpired before. You can't allow him to shatter you again."

Avantika locked eyes with her mother; a whirlwind of emotions stormed within as she wrestled with memories from their past and the undeniable magnetic pull towards Abhay still present today. The scars left by their history were fresh and painfully raw; they refused to heal despite the passage of time. She knew firsthand the agony of heartbreak and betrayal and how painstakingly slow it was to mend oneself back together.

"I am aware of what's at stake here," Avantika responded with a voice filled with resolve yet tinged with fragility. "But circumstances have changed now. Abhay...he has evolved since then...and so have I."

Anuradha could see turmoil in her daughter's eyes - a clash between self-preservation and the desire to rekindle a lost love. Internally, she grappled with her own conflict. How could she let Avantika warm up to the man whose cold dismissal had shattered her daughter's spirit? She couldn't, and she wouldn't. That arrogant man only valued relationships when they suited him, and he had clearly shown his disregard for people once they were no longer of use to him.

"Avantika," Anuradha's voice was firm but gentle, "Recall the agony he inflicted upon you. The tears you shed, the sleepless nights, your crushed dreams... His fleeting displays of affection should not blind you from recognizing his true nature."

A tidal wave of memories threatened to submerge Avantika as images of heartbreak and betrayal replayed in front of her like an unending nightmare. She remembered those sleepless nights questioning what she did wrong, countless tears shed in solitude, and the pain of a heartbroken beyond recognition. But amidst this sea of past agony was a glimmering beacon - an ember of hope refusing to die out. She recalled Abhay's tender touch and his gaze filled with silent promises from just last night.

Avantika sat quietly while her mother's words reverberated in her mind like a persistent drumbeat. Her inner conflict intensified; caught between the scars from their past and the tantalizing prospect of second chances flickering in the darkness. She understood all too well that opening herself up to Abhay again came with its own set of risks – one being another heartbreak waiting patiently around the corner.

"Maa," Avantika began firmly, "InnoVault and I require every ounce of support we can muster right now. We're not merely Avantika and Abhay anymore; we jointly run this company now. Whatever my personal feelings may be towards him must be weighed against his contributions to InnoVault."

Anuradha looked at her daughter thoughtfully, the turmoil in Avantika's eyes mirroring the whirlpool of emotions within herself. She understood the delicate balance between personal emotions and professional duties that now entwined their lives.

"Avantika," Anuradha started with caution in her voice, "I understand the complexities of intertwining your personal and professional life. But remember, darling, your heart does not always follow logic or reason. It can be a wild creature, untamed and unpredictable, capable of leading us astray despite our best intentions."

Avantika absorbed her mother's words while feeling the weight of their shared history pressing down on her like a heavy shroud. Memories of past betrayals and shattered trust lurked like ghosts in the shadows, whispering warnings of love lost and hearts broken.

With a sigh, Avantika drained the last bit of black coffee from her mug hoping that the tumultuous chaos within her heart would not seep into her mind.

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