Heart's Desire

Another side

The fire of curiosity was not ready to die down in Ansh's mind after seeing the news. Many questions were running through his head, and out of curiosity, he decided to ask Nisha about it. He went to her room and knocked on the door. She opened it and glared at him, but he smiled back.

"Why are you showing me your 32 teeth?" Nisha asked coldly, and he quickly stopped smiling.

"Because I wanted to remind you to brush your teeth before bed. Didn't your mom teach you that you need to brush twice a day?" Ansh joked, but Nisha gave him a confused look.

"Is that supposed to be a joke?" Nisha asked, and he nodded enthusiastically.

"I don't like jokes," she pointed a finger at him.

"And I don't like you," he replied, mimicking her, and they both laughed.

"Now, tell me what you want from me?" Nisha asked, cutting to the chase.

"Not here, come with me," Ansh pulled her out of her room, and they both went to the balcony.

"Why did you bring me here?" Nisha asked, confused.

"Tell me what happened after I fainted," Ansh asked.

"Why are you asking?" Nisha replied, curious.

"Just tell me, and I'll buy you whatever you want," Ansh said, trying to provoke her into talking.

"I don't believe you. Swear it on your mother," Nisha challenged him.

"Okay, I swear it on my mother. Now, tell me what happened after I fainted," Ansh asked, his frustration growing.

"After you fainted, we took you to the hospital. Mom cried, and your dad—uh, I mean, Mr. Oberoi—cried when he saw you in that condition. I cried seeing both of them. Then Mr. Kapoor came, bad-mouthed your mom as usual, and threatened you and her. And your mom asked Mr. Oberoi to leave. Then you woke up. That's it," she said casually.

"Where was Mr. Oberoi when Mr. Kapoor came?" Ansh asked, confused.

"What a foolish question. He was there with us," Nisha replied.

"So Mr. Oberoi was present when Mr. Kapoor insulted my mother?" Ansh asked.

"Of course," she confirmed.

"Did he stand up for my mom when Mr. Kapoor was abusing her?" Ansh questioned, noticing Nisha's hesitation. She shook her head, signaling no.

"Thank God, it was just my overthinking. For a second, I thought... never mind. Now I'm clear," Ansh said, relieved.

"But he was hurt... I could see it in his face. By the way, what are you talking about?" Nisha asked as Ansh showed her his phone, revealing that Mr. Kapoor had gone bankrupt. Nisha was shocked but somewhat expected it.

"It might be a coincidence, Nisha," Ansh suggested.

"Before jumping to conclusions, we need to do proper research. That's what you always tell me," Nisha reminded him.

She then snatched his phone and began searching for more information about Oberoi Industries buying Kapoor Industries' shares. Ansh stayed quiet, peeking at the phone as she searched.

"Look here, in one article they're questioning why the CEO of Oberoi Industries decided to buy shares in India, given most of their deals are abroad. And here's another article—Oberoi Industries risked their outsourcing because of this. Oh my god, Ansh, it looks like Oberoi is suffering more than the Kapoors," Nisha exclaimed, making Ansh lost in thought.

"Ansh, he risked his company to buy those shares. Do you think that's just a coincidence?" Nisha asked, and Ansh stared at her, shocked.

"You think he did it for me... to save my career?" he asked.

"Only he can answer that, Ansh. But I don't know how you accused him so easily, knowing only half the truth. He probably has his own side of the story," Nisha said after a long pause.

"Are you saying there's a valid reason for abandoning a pregnant woman?" Ansh fumed.

"I don't mean that! I know he did a terrible thing by leaving you both, but have you ever considered his side?" Nisha asked, making him think.

"I don't believe there could be a good reason. Let's not talk about this. I have a match the day after tomorrow. Goodnight," he said, walking away.

Her questions made him think deeply. He realized that Shivaay had never asked for the DNA test face-to-face; everything had happened over the phone. He tried to push those thoughts aside, but his mind kept urging him to explore the other side of the story.

The next day, Ansh's coach called Anika and informed her that the venue for the match had been changed to Mumbai. Anika felt uneasy since she had an important meeting in Bangalore the same day, so she decided to discuss it with Ansh.

"Maa, no problem, you can stay here. I'll manage," Ansh assured her, though Anika was still unsure.

"But..." Anika began to resist.

"Maa, I'll video call you before the match. Don't worry, Mom, I'll be fine," Ansh said, trying to ease her concerns.

"Maa, can I ask you something?" Ansh initiated.

"Hmm, ask away," Anika said.

"Can I stay at Grandma's house while I'm in Mumbai?" Ansh asked.

"But they're not in Mumbai," Anika replied after a long pause.

"Maa, are you in touch with them? Because I don't remember the last time I saw them," Ansh asked, suspicious.

"Yeah... occasionally," she said, avoiding eye contact.

"Mom, are you hiding something from me?" Ansh pressed.

"Your grandma is superstitious. She thought she might harm you since you were born on my brother's birthday. That's why she kept her distance. And you know your grandpa—he can't live without her," Anika finally opened up.

"So that's why you named me 'Ansh'?" Ansh asked.

Anika laughed and replied, "Any doubts?"

"I thought... never mind," Ansh sighed.

"I'm still unsure, Ansh. Should I come with you?" Anika asked, half-worried.

"Don't worry, Mom. I'll take care of Ansh," Nisha winked, trying to reassure her.

"That's what scares me," Ansh teased.

With Nisha, Ansh went to Mumbai, leaving Anika behind in Bangalore. She felt an unknown sense of fear but consoled herself as she waved them off at the airport. Ansh waved back with a smile, masking the uncertainty inside him.