The Rathore's Family

Years flew

Everyone had gathered in the hall when Advait came down the stairs, his steps calm and composed. As his eyes met Tej’s, he spoke in an unbothered tone, his voice laced with mockery.

"What a pleasant surprise. Please, have a seat, Mr. Rathore," he said, gesturing towards the sofa, fully aware that Tej had no intention of sitting. It was a deliberate jab to irritate him further.

Tej’s face twisted with anger. "Do you think I’m here to sit? You’re taking me too lightly, Advait. Aisa na ho ki tumhe iski keemat chukani pade," he warned, his voice dripping with menace.

Advait leaned against the wall, rubbing his forehead as if bored by the conversation. "Okay. Anything else?" he replied, his tone still casual, further fueling Tej’s fury.

"Please calm down," Bhavendra said in a calm voice. "And as for the matter of division, Dad is not here. When he returns, it will be decided. But I think we’re all aware he won’t give anything to you."

Tej’s anger visibly flared, but before he could respond, Advait interjected with mock surprise. "Oh, does he want a share?" he asked, feigning shock.

Then, tilting his head as if deep in thought, he continued, "But weren’t you the one planning to destroy the business? What was her name again?" He paused for effect. "Oh yes, Nandini, wasn’t it? Aren’t you going to continue with that brilliant plan?"

Tej’s rage reached a boiling point. He took fierce steps toward Advait, stopping right in front of him. "So, you don’t know anything?" he spat.

Advait shook his head casually, maintaining his smirk.

"She’s in the hospital!" Tej shouted so loudly that Advait instinctively rubbed his ear, wincing from the noise. The room fell into stunned silence, everyone too shocked to respond—except for Vihaan, who let out a quiet, "Ohhh."

"Okay, okay, then go and take care of her. What are you doing here?" Advait mocked. "Tch tch, I forgot, this is your habit. Whenever someone needs you, all you do is abandon them. Have you ever done anything else?"

In a fit of rage, Tej grabbed Advait’s collar. Advait gritted his teeth but didn’t say anything.

Tej, furious, spat, "You’re too much. You’re the reason she’s in the hospital, aren’t you? You caused her accident, didn’t you? You set fire to her house and still couldn’t find peace, right?"

The room fell silent in disbelief. Shocked faces surrounded them. Some couldn’t even process what they had just heard.

But before anyone could speak, Advait’s calm voice cut through the tension. "No."

He jerked his hand away and glared at Anjali. "Did you see the truth of your beloved son? But I won’t leave him. His birth was meant for me to end it!" Before anyone could comprehend, he reached for a knife from the nearby table, his hand raised to strike.

But Advait stood in front of him, calm as ever, as if no one could be more composed than him. Vihaan quickly grabbed Tej’s hand, taking the knife from him, and said, "Don’t do anything you’ll regret."

Tears streamed down Anjali and Urmila’s faces. Both of them had endured so much after being betrayed—Anjali by her husband and Urmila by her son. They had held onto a small hope that someday he would regret his actions, but today, they were regretting ever giving him another chance.

That’s why, once someone betrays us, we should never give them another opportunity, because all that follows is sorrow, loneliness, and pain.

"Had we not given you another chance, we wouldn't be standing here like this today. And now, I can only say that you crave money, comfort, and power. But the truth is, someone who cannot earn love and trust has never had anything and will never have anything," Urmila said, her voice filled with sorrow and regret.