Estranged lovers

Chapter 51

This chapter contains 🔞mature scenes.

2 weeks later....

ANNIKA'S POV

The days following Sheetal's arrest felt like they were slipping through Annika's fingers, each hour heavier than the last. The media storm had been relentless. Every headline, every news broadcast, every social media post felt like a sharp reminder that the woman she had once called family was now a criminal in the eyes of the world. Sheetal, the woman who had raised Annika after her mother's death, was now at the center of a scandal that seemed impossible to comprehend.

Annika sat in her living room, the flickering television casting an eerie glow across her face. The news anchor's voice echoed through the silence of the room.

"Sheetal is in custody," the anchor said, her voice flat, professional. "She's been linked to a number of illegal operations, including money laundering, arms dealing, and other criminal activities. Authorities are investigating her role in a larger network of organized crime."

Annika couldn't tear her eyes away from the screen. The image of her aunt, her caretaker, the woman who had promised to protect her.... and then tried to kill her. Was plastered across every channel. The shock of it was suffocating, leaving Annika feeling numb. The world around her felt as if it were crashing down, her reality crumbling beneath her feet. Her heart ached for the woman who had been a mother to her, but more than anything, it ached for the life she had lived in blissful ignorance. The truth had shattered it all, leaving her questioning everything she had once known to be true.

Siddharth had been by her side through it all, offering quiet support when she needed it most. He knew there were no words that could take away the pain, but he was there, always just a step away, ready to catch her if she fell.

Later that evening, Baba came to visit. Annika had been sitting by the window, staring out into the night, when she heard the familiar sound of the doorbell. She stood up slowly, her movements automatic, and opened the door to find Baba standing there, his face a mask of sorrow.

"Baba," Annika whispered, stepping back to let him in.

He walked inside, his shoulders slumped as though the weight of the world had been placed upon them. Annika watched him as he sat down in the armchair across from her, his eyes distant, lost in thought. He looked older, more fragile, the burden of everything that had come to light wearing on him.

"I couldn't stop her, Annika," Baba said, his voice thick with regret. He ran a hand through his hair, his eyes filled with a deep, unspoken sorrow. "I tried to protect you, but I didn't know the depth of what your aunt was involved in. I should've seen it sooner. I should've done more."

Annika felt the tears welling up in her eyes. She didn't know how to respond. She knew Baba loved her.....had always loved her as a sister of his own......but the idea that he felt responsible for her mother's death, for everything that had happened, was almost too much for her to bear.

"It's not your fault, Baba," Annika said softly, her voice shaking. "You didn't know."

But Baba only sighed, his gaze downcast. He didn't look at her, as though his shame was too heavy for him to face. "I could've stopped this. I could've kept you away from it all. I failed you, Annika," he said, his voice breaking with raw emotion. "I should've kept your mother away from all of it. I should've known what was happening. And I should've been there for you when you needed me most."

Annika's chest tightened. She hated seeing him like this, so burdened with guilt. She didn't want him to carry this weight alone.

"You didn't fail me, Baba," she said, her voice steady despite the ache in her heart. "I'm here because of you. You gave me everything you could. You've always been there for me, even when everything seemed impossible. Don't blame yourself."