Chapter 22 : Back To Hooda's Mansion

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"If one of the things you told me yesterday is true, then go back to your therapy with Dr. Abhimanyu."

That was the note Aditya found by his bedside when he woke up that morning. Zoya had taken care to slip away before he woke up, reminding him of the memories from their pajama party the night before. At that moment, they both knew they would benefit more from working on their friendship first to avoid muddling their feelings.

"But Zoya, where were you last night? You stood me up for the conference," Wasseem said, seeing her arrive for breakfast. He hadn't realized she had come back at dawn. Yesterday, on the phone, the only thing Zoya had told him was that she would be home late because she had things to sort out at the hospital.

"Were you with Yash?" he asked, a joyful smile on his face. "Please, tell me the news of your reconciliation. I heard about what happened between Yash and that Aditya Hooda. Zoya, stay away from that guy! As soon as he appeared in your life, everything fell into chaos. You'll never be able to move on if you see him every day and if you keep your therapy sessions with him," Wasseem said, concerned.

"You're absolutely right, Abbu. I've referred Aditya to another doctor. I think it's better for both of us," Zoya replied, her voice firm. "And regarding Yash, I'm no longer in love with him. I only see him as a friend now."

"But Zoya, friendship in love is very important. Your mother and I were friends when we got married, and then love came afterward," Wasseem said, a glimmer of nostalgia in his eyes.

"Friendship in love is important, sure, Abbu, but love is not friendship. I don't want to get married right now," Zoya said anxiously, avoiding his gaze.

"Why are you so adamant about Yash? Could it be that your heart is already beating for someone else?" Wasseem asked, teasingly.

"Dad, what are you talking about?" she replied, trying to change the subject.

"Zoya, you know I care a lot about Yash, and so far, I think he's the best person who can take care of you. I will be infinitely grateful to him for everything he has done for you and the support he has given us. But know, my dear, that your happiness will always come first. I just want my little girl to be the happiest in the world. Forgive me for hiding the truth about your donor's identity."

"I have nothing to forgive you for, Abbu," she said, kissing him. "You did everything a parent would do for their child. I'm sure I would have done the same if I had children. Let's forget about that and eat," Zoya suggested, a comforting smile on her lips.

"Ehhhh, you're not going to eat without me!!!" exclaimed Noor, who had just come down from her room.

The trio burst into laughter, the tension dissipating in a light atmosphere.

---

**"Doctor, I want to apologize for leaving so abruptly during our first session. But I've been through some pretty tough things lately."**

Aditya sat down, lost in thought. "I started my therapy with your colleague, and unfortunately, we won't be able to continue. I saw it as a repetition; I didn't want to start recounting the same things again," he said, his voice trembling.

"We can continue wherever you want to start over," the doctor replied. "I already have the report from my colleague."

"Okay, I suppose she told you that my wife passed away recently and that she was enrolled in an organ donation program. Unfortunately for me, I found her heart, well, the person who received it. But what's more confusing is that I've fallen madly in love with this person," Aditya said dramatically, the weight of his words resonating in the room.

"Do you think my connection with this person is linked to Pooja's heart?" he asked, bewildered.

"Tell me, does this person love you too?" the doctor asked.

"Yes, but the problem is that things happened so quickly between her and me! We bonded before we knew what connection we had. Tell me, is this just an interpretation of our hearts or our minds?" he asked, the anxiety palpable.

"Aditya... listen..." The session continued in the psychologist's office until it came to an end. Aditya shook the doctor's hand, satisfied with what had been said, and left the office while scheduling another appointment.

He wanted to call Zoya to tell her he had resumed his therapy, but that wasn't what she expected from him. Zoya hoped he would get his act together, learn to control himself, open up, reveal himself, talk, and stop running away from his problems. And that morning, reading the note she had left, he realized that the best gift he could give her would be this psychological evaluation that would allow him to return to work, to reclaim his life. It was on this note of determination that he left the hospital, only to be interrupted in his car by his friend Rajveer.

"Aditya, I have news! Let's meet at our usual cafeteria," read Rajveer's text.

"Hello Rajveer, I didn't like the tone of your message. What's going on?" Aditya replied, a dull worry in his voice.

"Actually, do you remember I told you I had surveillance videos of Yash and Pooja meeting outside the hospital?" Rajveer said dramatically.

"Yes, of course, I even wanted to call you to watch them because I also have new information regarding the case. Apparently, Pooja's baby wasn't mine. For now, I have no proof, just assumptions. I tried to talk to Yash, but that bastard wouldn't budge," Aditya said, anger rising within him.

"I think this story can support your theory and the other evidence I found," Rajveer said.

"But what are you talking about? I'm starting to get nervous here," Aditya said, his heart racing.

"Actually, with my contact at the police, we tried to check the surveillance cameras from the place where Pooja had her accident. It was outside the city. We scoured the cameras in the area, miles around, and we came across this video..." Rajveer pulled out his phone and played the video, showing it to Aditya.

"What is this about?" he asked, perplexed. "But is that Pooja?"

"Yes, the last place she went was that hotel. You can clearly see her coming out, disoriented and very sad."

"I believe that if we can find out who Pooja was with at that hotel, we could discover what made her so sad that she supposedly lost control of her vehicle," Rajveer said, enthusiasm in his voice.

"Supposedly?" Aditya asked, surprised.

"Yes, supposedly, because so far the investigation is still not complete at the station. And we don't have the conclusions yet," Rajveer said.

"As for Pooja's heart, it's complicated. There's no trace at the hospital; it will take me a bit more time," he continued.

"You won't find anything," Aditya said, determined. "And it's no longer worth exploring this lead. I know where Pooja's heart is."

"Seriously, Adi?" Rajveer asked, intrigued. "And where is it?"

"It's not important. And by the way, I want to thank you for all the time and dedication you're putting into this case. Tonight, I'll make your second transfer," Aditya said, grateful.

Rajveer extended his hand to him. "I hope we can find the resolution to this story and that it will allow you to turn the page," he said.

"Please let me know when you plan to go to that hotel. I want to come with you!" Aditya asked.

"Yes, of course, I plan to go there next week! Because tonight, I have to leave the country. I just wanted to inform you about the progress of the investigation."

"Okay, see you soon!"

---

Days went by. Aditya continued his therapy with his new psychologist, and everything seemed to be going smoothly. Zoya and he had not seen each other again. Although they missed each other when apart, they had promised to limit their meetings. They decided to take some time to put a name to their emotions and clarify their feelings. Maybe this distance would allow them to find each other better in the future.


Yash, on his side, didn't give up the idea of being with Zoya again. He had invested too much in this relationship, and the mere thought of ending up with nothing terrified him. No, not after everything he had been through, not after all he had sacrificed. Returning to misery was not an option for him, he thought, downing his whiskey in his apartment, which was shrouded in darkness, just like his soul.

"I told you, Yash... women are untrustworthy. You can give that one the moon, and she'll run to the guy who offers her a simple plastic ring, flowers, and chocolates," said Ranbir, Yash's best friend.

"Ranbir, everything I did was out of love for Zoya. I loved that woman beyond everything... and for her, I even became a..." Yash trailed off, the pain in his voice palpable. "I couldn't stand to see her die. If she couldn't appreciate my love, I hope she can bear my hatred. She better be careful because Meri nafrat, meri mohabbat se zyada bepanah hai (my hatred is more boundless than my love). If I can't have her, then no one else will," Yash said, angry and dead drunk.

Aditya had made a decision: to return to the Hooda mansion to live with his brother. Aditya had left the Hooda mansion after his parents' death, pretending it was for his marriage to Pooja and the intimacy they needed as a young couple, but that wasn't the real reason.

His sessions with the doctor had opened his eyes. In fact, he had left that house because too many painful memories related to his parents were anchored there. The decor had remained intact. It hurt him too much to stay there, and he didn't want to change either. Even though it made him sad to leave his brother there, all alone with the servants and Aunt Sakshi, at that time, he was so selfish and self-centered that he only thought of himself and his problems, without considering what his absence might cause his little brother.

Aditya returned to his mansion that day, his heart light. The house was intact, but he no longer felt sad. On the contrary, he could only remember the good memories! The staff did a magnificent job maintaining the house!

"Ohhhh Adi, you're finally here!" said Arjun. "Markus has already prepared your room! And you've come just in time to help me."

Aditya looked at him, perplexed.

"So, what will you do with your apartment? Are you going to rent it out or sell it?" Arjun asked as they headed toward Aditya's room to sort through his things.

"Uhhh, I haven't thought about it yet!" Aditya replied, his gaze lost in thought.

-———————————————-

Another filler chapter, just to make you realize the importance of taking care of your mental health and seeking help when you feel overwhelmed or when those around you think you are.

Be lenient, I'm not a writer. 

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⏰ Last updated: 3 days ago ⏰

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