Book II - Darling, I Love You (Part One - Completed)

Part 4

UNEDITED UPDATE! KINDLY EXCUSE THE MISTAKES!

PART - 4

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"Marriage is not 50-50; Divorce is 50-50. Marriage has to be 100-100. It isn't dividing everything in half but giving everything you have."

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"Mommy, how can you say no to my marriage with Sabeer? He is Dr. Sameer's son. Sameer, the man who helped you recover from your phobias" Dr. Sameer a psychiatrist and he treated Madhu, years ago when she newly got married to Rishab, from her night terrors and other phobias caused due to a traumatic childhood incident. "You are so ungrateful, mom..." Before she could say further, Rishab gave her a tight slap, shocking everyone presented in that room.

Rishab had never hit his children, not even the boys but for the first time he slapped Naira.

"Rishab, what's wrong with you? You never raised your hand against a woman, then how could you slap our own daughter?" Madhu pushed Naira behind her, sheltering her from her angry dad and placed her hands on his chest, rubbing it gently, hoping to calm him down.

Naira cupped her burning cheek with her palm and hid her face in Veer's chest, too scared to even turn and face her dad.

"Dad, calm down, please" Arjun said when Rishab continued to glare Naira with his blazing gaze.

"I can't stand your sister or anyone disrespecting your mother, Arjun." Rishab said sternly making his point clear. "How dare she talk like that? To marry that coward who can't even come to me and ask for her hand, she is calling her mother 'ungrateful', making her feel guilty when she has nothing to feel guilty about and this way manipulating her to agree to what she wants..." Rishab seethed making Arjun take a step back. He feared if he talked more he will get one cheek burning slap. "What a crooked mind you are having, lawyer madam" he mocked her and Naira burst out into tears feeling so ashamed of herself.

"Rishab, please stop it." Madhu begged.

"Naira, look at me" Rishab ordered. Naira shook her head in fear without looking at him and slowly moved around and hid herself behind Veer's broad shoulders. "Veer, move aside"

Naira clutched Veer's shirt tightly and didn't let him move.

"Rishab, please let it go for me. Please, don't go harsh on her. I know she didn't mean what she said so please..." Madhu patted his chest to make him look down at her and listen to her words.

"Naira! Don't hide behind your brother's back like a coward! Come forward and face me!" Rishab said gritting his teeth.

Naira hesitated. She had never seen her dad this mad.

"I will appreciate if you come forward and apologize to your mother" he gave her the last chance to show her face to him.

Veer pulled her hands off his shirt and gently encouraged her to move forward.

"Mommy, I am sorry" Naira cried rubbing her eyes with her fists like a baby.

"It's okay, baby" Madhu hugged her daughter and patted her head.

"Did you mean it?" Rishab asked doubtfully.

"Yes, of course, I mean it, daddy. I mean it. I do regret what I said. I am really sorry, mommy" Naira shouted.

"Ah! That's like my honeybee" Rishab's quivered up to a small smile. "Come to daddy?"

Naira walked closer to him but she refused to look up at him. Rishab took out his kerchief from his pants' pocket and wiped her nose.