Healing each other

chapter 59

Morning - Breakfast Table

The whole family was seated together.

Reyansh cleared his throat and stood up a little.
"I have an announcement," he said with a proud smile. "I'm going to receive an award for my work."

Cheers filled the table. Everyone congratulated him excitedly.

Riya smiled too-genuinely happy for him.
But her smile faded when she noticed his father not clapping at all.
He just sat there with a blank expression.

When breakfast ended, everyone left for work.

Riya stayed behind.

---

In His Father's Office

She slowly walked to his cabin and knocked on the door.

"Come in," his cold voice answered.

Riya stepped inside nervously.
"Papa..." she said softly.

He looked up at her, eyes sharp.
"I am not your papa," he replied bluntly.

Riya's heart clenched, but she tried to smile.
"Umm... why? Arohi and Rooh and even Pihu call you Papa. Why can't I?"

Riya stepped forward after his harsh words.
"Papa... I want to talk to you," she said softly.

He didn't look at her.
"Hmm. I'm listening," he replied, eyes fixed on the file in his hands.

Riya slowly sat in the chair across from him.

"I... I was never an orphan," she began quietly.
"I had parents. I lost them in an accident."

This time, he looked up for a second-surprised but silent.

"I'm telling you this because... please, Papa, just listen once," she whispered.

He finally lifted his eyes properly.

Riya continued, voice trembling, "One evening, I stubbornly asked my father to take me to watch a movie. It was raining heavily... and on the way back... we met with an accident. I lost my father. My mother. And my unborn siblings."

Her lips shook.
"I always thought it happened because of me. If I hadn't insisted, they would still be alive."

She wiped her cheek.

"But Binita maa... the orphanage owner... she held me. She made me believe it was destiny. My parents' destiny is to go like that. And slowly... I overcame the guilt. I believed it was never my fault."

He sighed impatiently.
"What are you trying to say? Speak clearly."

Riya swallowed hard.
"Does a child become at fault if his parents die?"

He stared at her, confused.

She continued, "Reyansh... everyone made him believe he was responsible when his parents died. When his own grandfather died, people again blamed him. They called him a curse. But it was all destiny."

Her voice broke.

"When your father took him with him... he raised Reyansh like his own grandson. When he died... do you think Reyansh didn't blame himself? He did. But at that time, he only needed comforting words... someone told him it wasn't his fault. Instead, everyone blamed him."

He whispered sharply, "My father didn't have any disease. Still, he died."

Riya smiled sadly.
"I'm married to him. Did I die?"

He snapped back, "Because you are the same as him. A curse."

Riya didn't flinch.

"I'm not feeling bad when you say this," she said gently. "But I still believe everything is destiny. Even if I die someday, it will be destiny. Not Reyansh's fault."