Remorse and Regrets

Chapter 37

Meantime at the Suryavanshi Palace

" No....no....no....no...no....Bhaiya...."

Ansh moved back in anguish as Niranjan looked on helplessly.

It ripped his soul to watch his Chotu breaking.

From the time Ansh was 8, Niranjan had become the parent in their relationship and now seeing the same child broken, is heart wrenching to say the least.

But the pain was inevitable as was the truth.

When Niranjan went on a chase to catch the person responsible for their scattered relationships, he never imagined a conspiracy so vile that would shake him to the core.

His first instinct was to hide this hideous truth but as sooner as the thought came, he squashed it.

His family deserved the truth.....

His Chotu deserves his honesty.....

The victims deserved justice.....

Hardening his heart to the soul shattering pain, he reached for his child.

Meantime,Ansh was standing lost. The last couple of months had already given him a clarity that their past is not without any black spots but he never expected it to be as black as a sinister night.

With Nandhu's confession, he was sort of expecting something devious but this went beyond every fibre of his being.

Ansh felt like a child gone astray in the heavy rain without an umbrella.

At the moment, the emotional upheaval was too much for him to bear. He was on the brink of a complete breakdown when he felt his warm embrace.

Without giving time for another thought, he just turned into his protective arms and let himself go.

" Why....Bhaiya.....why?" he wailed out in agony

As the sobs shuddered through Ansh's body, it was Niranjan who felt the pinch of the pain. His Chotu's tears burning him within.

Niranjan had never ever felt so impotent. But today at the face of the reality, he felt so powerless and the anguish of his child only intensified his fury and need to bring the culprit to justice.

He vowed on his family, who were wronged, that their culprit will face such a punishment that they will yearn for death.

*****

" Bhabhi Ma....." Omkar whined while the Bhabhis laughed at his expense.

But that laughter was short lived.

"Kya ho raha hain?"

As a new voice interrupted their banter,Omkar stiffened.

The atmosphere which just now rang with joy became grim in the blink of an eye.

All eyes turned to the elders, standing in the doorway.

Though stiff lipped, Dhriti  and Nandhini moved forward to take their blessing while Omkar stood transfixed.

The smiling kid was gone, to be replaced by an angry one.

In one glance itself, it was easy to judge the extent of his rage evident by his red shot eyes and flaring nose.

" Arey, Omkar...Won't you meet your mother?" Reva asked extending her arms whole pouring ghee to the flaming fire.

It was the last straw for Omkar. With no thought to anything or anyone, he just stormed off.

While everyone was suddenly taken aback by this unexpected rude behaviour, Dhriti on the other hand was more concerned.

She, without a word, understood the emotional upheaval her child is going through.