The living room was bathed in the soft glow of the evening sun, casting long shadows across the floor as Navya, Mahir, Bela, and Vishakha sat together, the quiet hum of the ceiling fan filling the silence. The atmosphere was tense, with a mixture of unspoken words and suppressed emotions in the air. Navya fidgeted with the edge of her kurta, her heart pounding in her chest as she gathered the courage to speak. She knew what she was about to say would stir up emotions, but she couldn’t hold back any longer.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Navya took a deep breath and spoke, her voice trembling slightly. “Amma, I need to ask you something.”
The suddenness of her voice made everyone look up. Vishakha’s eyes, usually so calm and composed, flickered with mild surprise, while Mahir and Bela exchanged concerned glances.
“What is it, Doll?” Vishakha asked, her tone neutral, though there was an undercurrent of curiosity in her voice.
Navya swallowed hard, her fingers twisting together nervously. “I... I want to know what happened in your past,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
The effect was instantaneous. The room, already heavy with tension, became thick with a palpable silence. Vishakha’s expression froze, her face going pale as if the words had physically struck her. Mahir and Bela’s reactions were immediate—they turned to Navya with anger flashing in their eyes.
“What did you just say?” Mahir’s voice was sharp, laced with a protective anger as he leaned forward, glaring at Navya. “Navya, this is not your place to ask such things.”
Bela, too, looked at Navya with a mixture of disbelief and anger. “Navya, have you lost your mind? How could you bring this up? Apologize right now!”
But Navya, driven by a determination that even surprised her, refused to back down. Her heart was pounding, her voice shaky, but she pressed on, her eyes filling with tears of frustration. “I need to know! We all need to know! Aunty, what is it that’s haunting you so much that you’re willing to destroy your daughter’s happiness?”
“Navya, that’s enough!” Mahir’s voice boomed across the room, the authority in his tone unmistakable.
But before he could say more, Vishakha, who had been sitting motionless, her mind reeling from the shock, suddenly snapped back to reality. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Her lips trembled, and she clenched her hands in her lap as if trying to hold herself together.
Before anyone could react further, a voice broke through the rising tension.
“Let her ask.”
Everyone turned to see Nandini standing at the entrance of the living room. Her presence was like a gust of wind, stirring the already turbulent emotions in the room. Her eyes were fixed on Vishakha, a mixture of pain and determination shining in them.
“Princess...” Bela started, but Nandini shook her head, silencing her.
“I want to know too, Mumma,” Nandini said softly, her voice carrying a weight of unspoken sorrow. She took a step closer, her gaze never leaving Vishakha’s. “I’ve never asked you about my father. You never told me why he left us, why he left you. But now... I need to know. Why are you doing this? Why are you so afraid of me being with Manik?”
The mention of her father seemed to jolt Vishakha out of her stunned silence. Her eyes, which had been glazed over with a faraway look, suddenly sharpened. “He’s not your father,” she said, her voice cracking with emotion. “I am your father and mother both.”
The room fell into a deeper silence as Vishakha’s words hung in the air, heavy with a truth that had been buried for years. Nandini stared at her mother, the words sinking in, leaving her feeling more confused and hurt.
YOU ARE READING
TRUE LOVE NEVER GIVES UP
General FictionHe is sturborn. She is calm. He is rude and arrogant. She is humble and loving. He can be described in one word as MONSTER. She can be described in one word as ANGEL. Both are poles apart yet together. Secret and long distance relationship. He says...
