• Bound by blood, Healed by Love : Shekhawat brother series' book 1

Prologue

A sleek black car halted at the grand gates of 'Uttara Mansion.' The woman inside the car, turned her gaze toward the young boy seated next to her. He wore a plain white kurta, his hands clutching a small, ornate box. The boy's face, pale and drawn, reflected his inner turmoil. His eyes were swollen with unshed tears, his grip tightening around the ashes of his mother, Anushka Shekhawat.

Uttara Raichand, the woman he sat beside, observed him quietly. Despite the history they shared, her heart softened for the boy, Heshan, the child of the woman who had shattered her once peaceful home. Even now, seeing him so broken, mourning the loss of his mother, Uttara couldn't help but feel a pang of empathy.

She let out a soft sigh and called out. "Heshan..."

The boy looked up, his eyes hollow, and she gestured for him to step out of the car. Without a word, he obeyed, his movements slow and heavy as he exited the vehicle.

As they stood at the entrance, Uttara's voice, calm but firm, carried to the servants stationed at the gate. "Take him to the guest room."

The servants bowed slightly and gestured for Heshan to follow. He trailed behind them, quiet and withdrawn, without a glance backward. Uttara entered the mansion alongside them, her eyes following Heshan's figure as he disappeared down the corridor toward the guest room.

Her gaze then shifted to the hall, where her three sons, Hridhay, Hridhaan, and Hrishav, stood waiting for her. Their eyes were fixed on the boy, sharp and unwelcoming, filled with barely concealed anger. They shot daggers at Heshan as he was led away, their expressions a mirror of the resentment they held inside.

Uttara sighed, her gaze meeting the questioning eyes of her sons. Their expressions were laced with a mixture of confusion and resentment, clearly conveying how much they disapproved of her actions. She couldn't blame them. They had every right to feel the way they did, after all, they had witnessed her suffering because of that boy's parents.

Her heart ached as she reflected on the mess she now found herself in. She never wanted to be caught in such a situation, yet here she was. The memory of how it all unfolded replayed in her mind, as clear as the day it happened.

Flashback!!

It was a rainy day. She had just left a business event and was on her way home when she saw a car overturned on the other side of the road. Blood was seeping out from under the wreckage, and two people were trapped inside, badly injured. Without hesitation, Uttara ordered her driver to stop and immediately rushed out to help.

She hadn't expected to see them.

After 15 years, there they were, her ex-husband, Ranvijay Shekhawat, and his wife, Anushka. Despite the flood of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her, Uttara pushed her personal disdain aside. She couldn't ignore the dire situation in front of her. For humanity's sake, she helped them and had them rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.

But what happened at the hospital was something she hadn't anticipated at all. Ranvijay slipped into a coma, and Anushka, clinging to the last threads of life, called out for her. The nurse informed Uttara that Anushka was asking to see her in the operating room, and against her instincts, Uttara went inside.

Anushka lay there, struggling with each breath, her face pale and drenched in sweat. As soon as she saw Uttara, she weakly reached out, grabbing her hand with trembling fingers. Uttara froze, her body stiff with hesitation.

"Please..." Anushka gasped, her voice barely audible. "I don't have much time."

"Promise me... promise me you'll take care of my son" Anushka continued, her breaths shallow and uneven.

Uttara looked down at her, words stuck in her throat. After everything that had happened between them, what could she possibly say?

Uttara took a step back, her hand slipping out of Anushka's weak grip. "Take care of your son?" She asked, her voice laced with disbelief. "After everything... you want me to take care of the child who-" She stopped, biting her lip. The resentment was still fresh, the wounds still open.

Anushka struggled to lift her head, her eyes filled with desperation. "Please, Uttara.." she pleaded, her voice shaking. "It wasn't an accident. They did this on purpose."

"What do you mean?" Uttara's brows furrowed as she processed Anushka's words.

"They... they tried to kill us.." Anushka stammered. "Ranvijay's business rivals... they won't stop at us. They'll come for Heshan too. My son is not safe. I beg you... promise me, you'll protect him."

Uttara's heart pounded in her chest, her mind reeling. She didn't want to be drawn into this, into their problems, not again. "Anushka... you and your husband broke my family apart and left me vulnerable and helpless, And now, you want me to....."

"I know.." Anushka whispered, her voice cracking. "I know what I've done. But this isn't about us anymore. It's about Heshan. He's innocent in all of this." Her tears slipped down her cheeks, mixing with the beads of sweat.

Before Uttara could respond, the door burst open, and a young boy,Heshan, rushed in, his face streaked with tears.

"Mumma..." he cried, his small hands clutching at her.

Anushka looked at him with tear-filled eyes, her fingers trembling as she reached out to touch his face. Her gaze returned to Uttara, her voice barely a whisper. "I beg you... for him."

Uttara's resolve faltered as she looked between the boy and his dying mother. She didn't owe Anushka anything, not after what had happened. But how could she refuse a mother's last wish? How could she abandon an innocent child to a fate he didn't deserve?

"Promise me, Uttara," Anushka pleaded one last time, her voice fading.

Uttara stared at the boy, his eyes wide with fear, then back at the woman who had wronged her. After a long pause, she nodded.

"I promise."

With a heavy heart, Uttara made the promise. It wasn't for Anushka, the woman who had broken her home. It was for the mother who only wanted her child to be safe.

Flashback ends !!

As she stood now, back in her mansion, her sons' accusing eyes on her, Uttara reminded herself of the vow she had made. No matter how difficult it was, she had to honor it. She had promised to protect Heshan, even if it meant facing the wrath of her own children.

Share your reviews! I am lil bit nervous as I am budding writer in this 'brotherhood' genre. Feel free to point out any mistake you see or opinion you want to share with me.

Thank you,

YOURS
SHIVANYA THAKUR