Hrudayam-part 2

Nainital

Jaanvi's pov

"....Savi baby, don't run... you will get hurt!" I heard someone yell in the hallway.

"Aunty— before she could trip on the floor I caught her at the right moment. 

"Are you okay, dear?" I asked her.

A maid entered my room. "I am sorry, Princess. Savi Baby—

"It's okay...and you can go. And If her father asks about her just tell him that she's with me." I ordered her.

"Ji princess."

"Savi, did you have dinner?" I asked.

"Yes, I had pasta! It was so yummy!"

"Oh really, that's nice!" I pinched her soft cheeks and she giggled softly.

"Are you sleepy?"

"Yes, can I sleep here?" She looked innocently at me with puppy eyes.

"Of course...come on," I picked her up to the bed.
She jumped on it and, a smile formed on my face in amusement when she placed her head in my lap as she fell in deep sleep.

_______

During wee hrs of nights my sleep was interrupted when I heard a soft knock on the door. Steadily I walked to the door and opened it slowly without waking her up.

"Mr. Raizada?" I said rubbing my drowsy eyes.

He looked at me with his tired eyes.

"Savi is asleep, you can come inside—

Suddenly, he hugged me and I felt his warm breath on my neck, which stopped my heartbeat for a second. "I am sorry, I should've asked you...it's all my fault that...—pack your things I will help you to run away." He said, still holding me in the hug.

Even though he realized his mistake but it was too late, I couldn't be selfish and endanger him and his daughter Savi.

I placed my hand on his chest and looked into his eyes. "I can't...I have to face the reality...and the reality is that...life is not like a fairytale...either you lose yourself or others...and I have chosen myself, Mr. Raizada."

"Jaanvi, he's no good for you or any other girl!"

"I know...And I don't care!" I said.

"Why can't you say 'no' to this marriage?"

"I don't have a choice," I replied honestly.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't think I need to tell you this, Mr. Raizada. It's already 2 am...you should return to your room."

He cradled Savi in his arms carefully and glanced at me with worry before leaving.

The Next day, during the evening, we all headed to Nanital. It was one of my dreading journeys, my mom didn't leave me alone until we reached there...The haveli was well decorated—flowers garland along with decoration lights dangling—reminding me that I am getting married in just 3 days. As I walked inside, I was greeted by some servants with welcoming smiles and flowers showering on me.

"Aunty!" Savi pulled my Dupatta to stop me.

"Who's child, is this?!" An old lady asked angrily. "She's with me," I said picking Savi in my arms, the lady mumbled an apology before I left.

Savi sat on the large sofa in my room while enjoying her ice cream. With the help of a maid, I unpacked my stuff, when the maid was leaving my room—I heard an echo of someone arguing in the hallway.

"....Aditya! How could you?! She's my only Grandchild! How can you hide such a thing from me?! Five years! Five years I thought I lost my daughter and my Grandchild! Do you know how much pain I have been in?! The reason I never asked you to come back to Nanital—was because I thought you will move on from your past!—What's her name?!"

"Savi..." I heard Aditya replying.

'Is that Savi's grandfather?! How come he doesn't know about his grandchild!?!' I walked out of the room but I realized that they had already left.

My mind was filled with their conversation, even the fresh air wasn't able to clear my mind.
The fact that Adi knows so much about me and I still didn't have a clue about him, was bothering me...And now I wondered why and how Aditya didn't tell Savi's grandfather about her? And why did he left Nainital?

"Did you hear, Mr. Yash Raizada's son has returned here?"

"Yes, With his daughter! Everyone thought that she died that day. And I wondered why he's living in haveli instead of his own home?"

"Maybe because after his wife's death he—

"Ssssh...keep your volume down, if someone hears us...we could get into trouble."  They both quickly walked away before I could ask them about him.

"Leela?" I called a maid.

"Yes, Princess?"

"Do you know where's Mr. Raizada's house?" I asked.

"Umm...Yes..why did you ask?—I am sorry I didn't—

"—It's okay, can you tell me the address?" She nodded in response.

After taking the address, I snuck out of the haveli...luckily his house was near.

The front door was locked, so I walked around the house and noticed a glass window.
I picked a rock and broke the window from the edge and removed the lock from inside and I cautiously enter the house.

It was full of spider webs and dust everywhere.
I walked around the house until I found myself in the middle of a living room, the couch was covered with a white sheet and the dust was sitting on it, everything around the house looked so untouched like an important memory was being saved. Maybe it was it what it was.
I steadily walked upstairs, and entered a bedroom, the first thing I noticed was a photograph—but I couldn't see anything clearly due to the dust covering the glass frame, so I walked closer and cleaned the dust with my hand.

My eyes widened in shock and I almost lost my balance when I immediately backed away after I saw the photograph.

"Siya Di!" Were the only words that came from my mouth in shock.

"What are you doing here?!"

To be continued...

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Until then,
❤️Swati