All I've been searching for..

Chapter 10 - Truth

A few days had passed. Muskaan tried to avoid Ishaan as much as possible. She just couldn't bare all the pain the situation caused her. Everyone was seated at the dining table for lunch. They were having lunch together. As much as she struggled to be close to him, Muskaan still enjoyed spending time with her family. Vaani as usual was trying to have a conversation with her father. She was one chatty teenager.
"Dad, did you know I have an aunt called Muskaan? It's all written in mama's diary!" Vaani squeaked excited.
Muskaan choked on her coffee. She was busted. She got nervous and couldn't stop coughing.
"Sorry, coffee was too hot.." Muskaan lied.

"Do you think she passed away as well?- maybe she wasn't on the bus, do you know anything about her?" Vaani asked her father eagerly.
Indeed Muskaan was very much alive. In fact closer to Vaani than she assumed she was. Ishaan got nervous too. He didn't know whether it was the right place or time to tell Vaani the truth. Mostly because he was afraid Vaani would hate him after hiding her aunt from her for all these years.
"I'm sorry darling, I'm afraid she passed away too, so I've heard.." Ishaan said.
Muskaan was shocked. He knew damn well she was alive so why would he lie? Though she wasn't allowed to have double standards, technically she was lying too.
"That's sad.. I wish they were still with us." Vaani sighed.
Muskaan got up and walked into the kitchen slowly. She put her dirty dishes into the sink and began thinking. Vaani deserved to know her aunt. She had the right to know the truth. But what if he would take her away again? It shouldn't matter, Vaani was important in this matter! But then again she had already lost him, could she risk losing her too?
Muskaan let out a long sigh and slowly made her way to the garden. She had been trapped inside for the past few days because of her broken leg.

Muskaan leaned against the door and enjoyed the fresh breeze surrounding her. Vaani saw Muskaan standing there so she thought she'd join her.
"Muskaan everything alright?"
Muskaan looked at her niece and smiled a little. She took a deep breath. This was it. The truth was going to come out.
"I have something to tell you Vaani, let's sit down shall we?" She suggested.
Vaani agreed, so both sat down on the grass.

"So remember your mother's diary and how an aunt was mentioned?"

"Yes why? Omg do you know something about my aunt?!" She said while her eyes lit up.

"Well I happen to know something about your aunt."

"Oh my God please tell me!"

"Vaani.. I'm your aunt, I'm the one who's mentioned in your mother's diary, Sonam is my sister." Muskaan admitted. It took a little time for Vaani to adjust to the fact. But it didn't take her long to fill up with excitement. She was so happy to hear her aunt was alive and well. And she couldn't possibly wish for another, better aunt than Muskaan. Vaani jumped into Muskaans arms and hugged her tightly. Muskaan was relieved about how well she took the news.
"Aunty! I can't believe this, these are the best news ever!"
Muskaan smiled at her.
"Aren't you mad-..?" Muskaan was cut off by Ishaan.
"You, you're the Muskaan?"
Muskaan's heart dropped into her pants. She'd never seen Ishaan so furious. She was screwed. She didn't want him to find out like this.
"How could you lie to us like that!" He yelled. He immediately went to his office and slammed the door.
"I'm so sorry Vaani, I need to talk to him!" She said and stood up. She tried to keep up with him, but her damn leg didn't let her. She went to his office as quick as possible and went inside. Lucky for her he didn't lock the door.

"Ishaan please let me explain!" She begged.

"Explain what?! There's nothing to explain! Muskaan how could you have let this happen between us? And oh God no the kiss! I regret everything! Huge mistake!" He yelled at her.
Muskaan's heart broke even more than it already was. She started crying. She couldn't handle the situation. Not only had she lost her love, but also he hated her!

"Ishaan, what was I supposed to do?! Everytime my mother and I got close to her you took her away again! Don't I have a right to see my niece?" She yelled back.

"Maybe that wasn't okay from me to do so, but how did you allow us to fall in love when you knew who I was!"
Muskaan couldn't believe what she was hearing. As if it was her fault.

"For your information, you can't choose who you fall in love with! I'm sure Sonam would be happy for us!"

"Oh no Muskaan, everything that happened between us was a huge mistake and in the past! I'm going to marry Kiara and that's it!"
Muskaan cried even harder. She couldn't recognize the person she had once fallen in love with. Muskaan just ran to her room and fell to ground. The worst part was not the fact that she had lost the love of her life, but that it was her own fault. After an hour of crying a knock on the door appeared. Muskaan quickly fixed herself and let her niece come in.

"Hi aunty, I just wanted to check on you- are you alright?" She asked concerned. She sat down next to her.

"No, I mean I'll be fine thanks.. so aren't you mad at me for not telling you?"

"Not at all, whatever reason you had I respect that! Besides my father is already enough." Muskaan was glad she hadn't lost her niece as well. She hugged her.
"You're right, your father is very upset with me." She sighed.

"My father doesn't know what he's talking about, he's too afraid to accept his feelings! I'm sure mama would be happy for you two!"

"Well let's not worry about that now, we have some catching up to do!" Muskaan said and tried to form a smile.