Shadows of control

38. Separation.

Sofia's pov:

I took a deep breath before showering their trust with my lies.

I began,
"When I was in the garden area, I heard a cat's cries. I followed the sound's direction. It was towards our back gate, but when I got there, I saw a black silhouette. I thought it was a sinister killer and started screaming."

All of them trusted me, but Ansh was still looking at me with doubtful eyes.

He asked,
"Where's Kiara?"

Ma replied,
"She's not feeling well, so she's sleeping."
We had already faked that thing to Ma that she was not feeling well.

Then, they all went to their respective bedrooms.

******
We were all having breakfast when Vijay suddenly asked,
"Why? Kiara isn't here?"

Ma thought,
"Maybe she wants to sleep a bit more, I'll check on her later"

With that, everyone went to the office, but I'm taking a leave today. I told Ansh I was not feeling well, which was true due to this pregnancy
He didn't ask more and simply gave me the  leave. I have to cut off the CCTV footage where Kiara and I were fooling the bodyguards.

It wasn't that easy to simply cut off the CCTV.

Before doing it, I decided to sleep because I was feeling extremely tired and nauseous, common symptoms of early pregnancy.

I was sleeping when the maid entered, urgently saying, "Ma'am, Sofia Ma'am, please wake up!"
I slowly woke up and asked,
"What happened?"

She replied,
"Everyone is waiting for you downstairs."
A wave of fear washed over me.

I knew they would find out eventually, and I hadn't done anything wrong. I just made two lovers meet each other, which isn't a crime.I could face them.I built my confidence and stepped out of the room.

As I was descending the stairs, I saw Ma sitting on the couch, visibly upset. Naira was also here. Naira and Alina were trying to console her, and even Grandma looked disappointed. What truly frightened me was the intense gaze of Dad and Vijay, and Ansh was fuming in anger,  ready to kill anyone who dared to come in front of me this Time.

Finally reaching them, Ma stood up and grabbed my hands.
"Why? What's your problem with Kiara? You've always held some personal grudge against her, haven't you? " she demanded.

Naira pulled MA away from me.

Ma shouted at Ansh,
"Abhi bhi kuch nahi karoge na?"
( This time also you won't do anything. Would you?)

Ansh took a step towards me. Fear gripped me.

"Did you help Kiara to escape?"
he asked, his eyes burning with a dangerous intensity.

I met his gaze, my voice steady despite the fear that gnawed at me.
"Yes,"
I replied, my voice barely a whisper.

"Did you have a deal with Adrik?"
he asked, his voice laced with suspicion.

"Yes."

He shot me with another question,
"Was this your secret?"

"Yes" I replied hesitantly.

He took a deep breath, his expression unreadable. I couldn't predict what his next move would be.

Within seconds, a surge of pain shot through my cheeks. Darkness enveloped me as I stumbled, about to fall to the ground. I realised, he slapped me hard.

All the family members stood from their seats, shocked by Ansh's violent outburst.
"What the fuck are you doing?"
Dad shouted, his voice filled with disbelief and anger.

"We never taught you to raise your hands on a woman,"
Grandma said, her voice trembling with anger and disappointment.

I stood there, clutching my cheek. I tried to hold back the tears, but they welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. My resolve crumbled, and tears began to stream down my face.

Ansh Shouted at me.
"What made you do this? What?"
Fear surged through me as his anger intensified. I closed my eyes.

He shouted,
"Everything was going well, now where did I go wrong?"

I remained silent.

Vijay tried to pull Ansh away from me, because he could hurt me more. However, Ansh forcefully broke free, shouting,
"Fucking leave me!"

"Don't you ever dare to show me  your face again!"
His voice was filled with rage.
"Get out!"
he roared, storming upstairs to his room.

I stood there, stunned by the harsh words and the physical pain. A wave of guilt washed over me, despite knowing I hadn't done anything wrong. It was as if I had betrayed him, broken a sacred trust. Yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had been betrayed first.

I took my steps towards Ma. She looks completely broken.Kneeling before her, I took her hands in mine, but she gently pulled them away.
"Ma, I'm so sorry,"
I pleaded, my voice choked with emotion.
"I'm sorry I broke your trust. But after this, I'll never show my face again. I just want to thank God for sending a woman like you into my life.... I used to curse God for not giving me a mother, but then He sent you. You've treated me like your own child, and you'll always be my mother, no matter what."

I turned to Grandma, unable to find the words to express my sorrow. I simply pulled her into a tight embrace, seeking solace in her warmth. She remained silent.

I turned to Naira, her eyes filled with confusion and hurt.
"Why, Sofia? Why?"
she asked, her voice trembling. I couldn't find the words to answer. Instead, I simply said,
"I never thought I could get a sister like you"

I stood before Vijay and Dad, my hands clasped together.
"I'm so sorry,"
I apologized, my voice barely a whisper.
"But please, trust me. Our Kiara will be safe.
I promise."

With that, I crossed the threshold of the mansion, a wave of nostalgia washing over me. The echoes of laughter, the warmth of shared moments, flooded my mind. I fought back the tears threatening to spill over and stepped out into the night.

Leo was coming from front side.
"Hey, where are you going?"
he asked, his voice filled with concern.
I offered him a weak smile, but didn't answer.