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“Devika, you are the only person in my life whom I truly love and care about. Although our marriage is a result of political connections, please know that my love for you is genuine. And now, you want to leave me when I need you the most?” My voice trembles with a mixture of emotions, hoping she will reconsider.
Devika’s anger is evident as she retorts, “You never needed me, Aksh. If you did, you would have considered the consequences of your actions. I didn’t know the man I married was so power-hungry and consumed by revenge against his own family. While I can tolerate your occasional bouts of anger and unwarranted aggression, I simply cannot bear the fact that you deceived your family.”
The frustration in me intensifies. I pull her closer.
“Youare my family!” I assert, raising my voice, hoping to break through the barriers that have formed between us.
“If I truly were your family, why didn’t you share your thoughts and feelings about your family members with me? I am your wife, Aksh. I had the right to know what you were going through.” Her response pierces through me.
At that moment, I realise the depth of the pain I have caused her. I reach out again, but she steps back.
“Nobody wins by fighting with their own family, Aksh. I understand your pain and your father’s struggles, but if your uncle was truly responsible, he wouldn’t have nurtured you to be his successor. And Meher? What did she do to deserve this? Do you even realise the extent of the damage you’ve caused her?”
I look to her with hope, expecting some understanding, some compassion, but instead, she holds up a mirror to my sins.
“I can forgive you for everything, but not for what you did with Meher. You are her brother, Aksh. How could you leak her private pictures with Ayaan on national television just to create a scandal?”
Devika’s words pierce like arrows into my heart, tearing through the depths of my soul. She continues, her voice filled with anguish and disappointment, “The greed for power and the desire for revenge is nothing new in this world, but as a brother, you should have considered whose dignity and love you were sacrificing in your quest for justice.”
Her words resonate in my mind, each syllable a painful reminder of my betrayal.
“You used Meher as a pawn to pull down your uncle from his throne. Not just that, you lied to the man who loved Meher that she deceived him. What if someone had done the same to your daughter? What if her feelings were publicly shamed and her trust shattered? Could you forgive such a person?”
Devika’s every word punctures my heart, revealing the gravity of my mistake. Meher became collateral damage in my quest for revenge against Pratap uncle. The realisation makes me ashamed of my actions. Meher is my sister, and no matter what, I have always been very protective of her throughout my life. I just didn’t lose Devika’s love, but I also lost my sister’s trust. She would never look upon me the same way she did before.
“Meher loves Ayaan,” Devika admits, her voice filled with determination. “The reasons she gave to the family when Vishnu dragged her back from Dalhousie are all white lies.”
My heart freezes. Meher loves that Shergill’s son? What the heck!
“I don’t know what the future holds for Meher and Ayaan’s relationship, but I cannot forget that my husband is the one who tried to destroy their love. That is the greatest sin you could commit, Aksh,” Devika continues.
Her words hang in the air, breaking my heart. But then, Devika reveals something that rocks me to my core.
“I was going to share the biggest and the happiest news tonight. The news that I thought would change the course of our lives. I am pregnant. You are going to be a father, Aksh.”
Pregnant?Her words echo in my ears.I am going to be a father.I almost stumble upon hearing the news. This is the happiest news of our lives. For Devika.For us.
Overwhelmed with love and affection, I reach for her, surprised by the incredible news that has instantly transformed my world.
“Pregnant?” I pull her to me. “Devika, when did you find out? And what did the doctor say? Is the baby okay? Are you okay?”
I tenderly place my hand over her growing belly, where our baby is beginning to take form, but she steps away from me, her gaze filled with sorrow. The expression of pain and hurt on Devika’s face tells me a different story altogether. I ruined the joyous surprise that Devika had planned for us.
“Your need for revenge has tainted what should have been a joyous surprise for both of us, Aksh. I can’t believe this is your real face, and what I saw earlier has scared me to my core. A man who can hurt someone who has been a father figure to him for all these years can never be a good father himself. And who knows, a man who has manipulated his own sister can easily use his own child to fulfill his hidden agendas in the future. I can’t let that happen, Aksh.”
I’m speechless.
“I can’t stay with you right now, Aksh. I need time away from all this.”
“Don’t go,” I plead. “Devika, we can sort this out.”
“I don’t think I’m in the right frame of mind to sort anything with you at the moment,” she replies. “You have a lot to resolve with uncle and Meher first, Aksh. Nothing will be the same if you don’t realise what you have done.”
“Devika, I need you.” I pull her back to me.
Her gentle touch brushes against my cheeks as tears stream down her face. She speaks through her sobs, expressing her disappointment and hurt.
“If you truly needed me, Aksh, you wouldn’t have acted so selfishly. You shattered everyone’s trust in whoever loved you. Your selfish decisions and betrayal have brought you to this point, where you stand alone, with no one to support you. I feel sorry for you. I hope you realise the repercussions of your actions and find a way to mend your mistakes before you lose everything you hold.”
