Always Is Not Forever (Breaking Myself - Part II)

44. The One Where I Cut My Ties

"We're going to dadda." I picked Ria from the passenger's seat and carried her in my arms. Nodding at the driver, I shut the door. "You were a good girl." I brushed my nose against her, grinning. What I did last night was selfish. Taking Ria with me from Dhruv to ignore my family and be enclosed in my room. Being with her was better. She made my life better with her smiles, giggles, and habits.

A daughter, huh.

"She's cute," Kabir's mother remarked, bending to the floor and brushing her hair at the back.

"Isn't she?" Kabir curled his arm around my waist, the cameraman setting the place for a photo shoot whilst I tried to equip my annoyance at them in my heart.

Mom turned to look at us with a secretive smile. "But yours will be cutest. My son is handsome. My daughter-in-law has brains. And Alina is cute. I can't wait to be a grandmom." Kabir's hand on my waist tightened and the blush crept through my cheeks at her suggestion. "Isn't it, Arnav?" She peered up at dad. "We're getting old. It's time we see our grandchildren."

"You're right," Dad grinned at us. "It's time."

"Mom! Dad! We just got engaged, not married. Pay attention to our age." He twisted his head to look at me, but avoiding, I peered at Ria, ignoring the tension running through me. They expected grandchildren, and I couldn't even have sex with him.

Great. Wasn't it?

Stepping out of the elevator, I marched to the door of his apartment and rang the bell. Sighing, I rang it again. He must be sleeping, too relieved to not care about a baby. That's one of the reasons I had taken Ria. He seemed tired and had been working day to night, covering his studies and taking care of Ria. I could help him a little even my mother thinks I was trying to cheat on Kabir.

"Dadda is a heavy sleeper, isn't it?" I twisted the knob and was surprised to find it opened. Dhruv never let his apartment opened. Parting the door, I entered, called his name and strode to his room.

And gasped at the person sitting on the bed, giving me a nervous look.

"Oh, it was you." Isha rolled her eyes. "What my daughter is doing with you?" Standing up, she grabbed her from my arms while I remained stuck in my position, gaping. Wasn't she in Pune? What was she doing back here in his apartment? Why was she back? Hadn't she done enough damage to Dhruv's life?

But then I halted at my thoughts, realizing she handled more burden than Dhruv. Carrying a child for nine months without any support would have been harder for her. No matter how much she was a bitch to me, it was commendable how she gave birth to Ria.

Plastering a smile, I circled my wrist with my hand and said, "How are you?"

She raised her eyebrow in a mocking tone. "How do you think I am?" She swept her eyes to my figure. "You look different." And then her eyes halted at my hair. "Ah, your hair and the glow. Heard about your engagement. Such a sensation of the country." She curled her lips into a sneer. "Your photos are flooding my social media." The crying of Ria echoed in the room.

When she showed no incentive of hushing her down, I crunched to take her from Isha's arms but she scowled and shoved my hands away.

"Keep your sick hands off her." I curled my hands into a fist. "I don't want your disease to take her."

"I'm not sick," I grunted. "It's a mental condition." Most of the rape survivors have that.

"Still the same," She remarked, her hands smoothing Ria's hair in a motherly gesture. "Don't come near my daughter with those scars and face. I don't want her to be like you. You're sick package of your house. It's a wonder how Kabir is marrying you." Before I could utter another word, she heckled, "Do mind leaving. I need to spend some time alone with my daughter. She's not your daughter, Alina. If you want a child, go to Kabir, don't shovel in front Dhruv."