Blessing in Disguise

Chapter 128: Traditions

Seher woke up after another restless night, tangled in the sheets, her body heavy with exhaustion. She reached toward the left side of the bed, expecting the soft weight of her daughter beside her. Instead, her hand met cold emptiness. The flatness of the sheets confirmed that Meher had once again insisted on sleeping with Rocky.

A wave of sadness washed over her, followed by tears that she couldn't control. Her daughter-her sweet, precious Meher-had been avoiding her lately, and Seher felt powerless to fix it. It was as if her little girl had suddenly begun to resent her, pushing her away, and Seher didn't even know why or how to make it right.

Four days had passed, marking a profound shift in her life. It was the same duration since the unforgettable visit to her OBGYN, where she was hit with the unforeseen revelation: she was expecting. A new being was taking form within her, a testament to the love once shared with Maximilian Andrei Romanov, the man who used to be her entire world.

Maximilian's memory alone could stir a whirlpool of emotions-desire intertwined with pain. He was the one who had effortlessly captured her heart with just one glance. A man embodying both extremes-unyielding and fierce in his ambitions, yet possessed a heart brimming with compassion and empathy. His presence had once illuminated her existence, his deep blue eyes holding promises of a future beyond her wildest imaginations.

Yet, in this moment of change, his absence loomed large.

It had been weeks since she'd seen him, weeks since they had shared the same space, and her heart ached with every passing second of his absence. She had asked Ranaveer, she had asked Rajdeep -over and over- why they had been hurriedly pulled out of the mall four days ago, bundled into armored cars, and rushed back to the mansion. What was the cause of the panic that had flashed in Ranaveer's eyes? Why had she heard nothing since then, not a word from Maximilian or Victor?

Her mind flashed back to their last conversation in that tiny changing room. Maximilian had been cryptic, warning her that things were about to go down. He had told her to expect updates, images even, but since then... nothing. Silence.

Had something happened to him? A dreadful, clawing thought took hold of her-had Maximilian actually married someone else? Was that why she hadn't heard from him? Had he decided that their love, their life together, was no longer something he wanted? Had he turned his back on her, on Meher, on the child growing inside her?

Her hands trembled as she sat up in bed, the nausea of these thoughts overwhelming her. No, she knew Maximilian. He wasn't the kind of man to abandon her, to abandon their children. He was honorable, fiercely so. He loved Meher deeply, more than anything. He had promised her a life, a future. But then, why the radio silence? Why hadn't anyone told her anything? The uncertainty was gnawing at her, consuming her every thought.

And then the darker thoughts crept in-the ones that scared her the most. What if something terrible had happened to him? Something beyond anyone's control? What if he was hurt, or worse? Why wasn't anyone telling her anything?

Her frustration boiled over, her chest tight with anger and fear. She had snapped at everyone in the house-Ranaveer, Rajdeep, Sitara-even her own daughter, and that broke her heart the most. She wasn't herself anymore. She was drowning in worry, and the people around her couldn't understand how much she needed just one word, one update to ease the crushing weight on her chest.

But no one was talking. And it was cruel. It was unbearable.

A familiar wave of nausea hit her suddenly, sharp and unrelenting. Without a second thought, Seher bolted from the bed, rushing to the bathroom just in time to heave into the sink. The sickness wasn't just from the pregnancy. It was from everything-the anxiety, the fear, the loneliness that clung to her like a shadow.