[Please note that i have included Aditya's childhood name in this chapter. I will change them in last chapters as well. So, Zoya calls Chikoo as Teetoo]

Pooja's number flashed on my iphone screen. No, I don't want her to call me now. I am in such a fowl mood and I know this is going to be a disaster if I pick it up.

After debating over I decided to pick it up. "HI! Pooja. Ya.. hmm.. hmmm.. no... i am fine.. hm.. back home.. hmm.. enough.. don't irritate now, I have other work to do rather than spending my whole time in this marriage.. Pooja... Poo" shit, damn it no I have upset her. Dadi flinched at my raised voice.

"Adi! Apna gussa ko kabo karna sikho" (try to control your anger) otherwise you will be in deep trouble.

"Dadi! How could she disconnect my phone?"

"You have misbehaved with her that's why. And mind it everyone is not like your so called class less girl".

I froze hearing that. Did she just call Zoya classless? Why am I angry hearing it? Wasn't it me who said that to her all the time? But dadi saying that doesn't add up. Why is she deliberately insulting her? Why is she giving importance to Pooja? I am observing everything. Dadi took Pooja for shopping when all three were suppose to go together. Dadi and Pooja left leaving Zoya in the house. The hurt in her face was unbearable to watch.

"dadi! Aap Zoya ke barein meye aisa kyun bol rehen hai?" (why are you saying like this about Zoya?)

"kuch galat kahan meine? You only treat her like this right? And what wrong did I say I said your so called class less girl. Not mine".

"da.."

"I need sometime of yours, if you could come along with me to my room".

I followed her without uttering a single word. I was fighting with my inner turmoil. Nothing was going right when everything should have been. I glanced towards her room hoping to see her glimpse once at least but was fairly disappointed.

**

I followed Dadi to her room feeling heavy with every step that I took. It was as if the universe was telling me that what I was doing is wrong when my mind said I was doing everything right. The turmoil inside me reeled me to the hilt.

Dadi asked me to close the door and after doing so I made myself comfortable on the sofa that sat near the covered balcony. I remember looking at Zoya playing in the lawn from that balcony. Her piggy tails bounced as she played hop-scotch-bun with the housemaids.

I always envied her jolly nature. How can someone be so easy and so carefree who has endured such a tragic pasts. Everytime I looked at her I think of that dreadful day and that made me hate her so much and it continues till today.

I should be finally happy that she will be out of my life, out of my sight and out of my mind. But why does it feel the other way round. Why do I feel that this decision is going to nag me forever? Why do I think something wrong is going to happen?

Dadi's frigiting caught my attention. I made myself comfortable on the sofa. She was searching for something inside her cupboard. And I had this creepy feeling that it was Maa's jwellery box. My phone beeped with some incoming messaged which got me busy momentarily.

Dadi sat the box on the coffe table with a thud and made herself comfortable on the single seater sofa. Precipitation beaded across her forehead and I felt sorry for her. She is aging I know yet she takes all the responsibilities in her shoulder. It was really tough for her to handle both the young kids at her age. Yet I am really proud of her for her commendable job by raising us.

She took the box in her lap and gazed her finger across it lovingly. I am sure she must me remembering Maa while doing so. They shared a wonderful bond. Maa was like her own daughter. She loved her more than Paa. It was ever more difficult for her when she lost both of them together.

I turned my attention towards her as she spoke, "erm! Aditya beta, I want you to give this box and the accessories to Pooja Bitiya today before your engagement". She opened to box to check out all the ornaments.

Her words shocked me. The content in the box might belong to my future wife but not all of them. There is one thing inside this box that belongs to Zoya.

I took the box from her shaky hands and opened it. My mother's simple solitaire platinum ring winked at me and memories of Zoya's flooded in front of my eyes like a Tsunami.

~FlashBack~

"Kya kar rahe ho aaplog?" she chirped as she walked towards me and dadi. We were sitting in dadi's room with my mother's jewllery box in the middle of the bed.

I didn't realize that I was crying until she jumped on my lap and asked panicking "TEETOO! Tum ro rahe ho? You know, big guys don't cry and mera TEETOO kabhi nahi rota hai. Kisine tumse kuch kaha kya? Mujhe batao meye batati hoon ussey. How can someone make you cry?" (Why are you crying? Big boys don't cry and my Teetoo never cries. Did someone tell you something? Tell me, I will see to it.)

I ignored her concern and hugged dadi almost dropping her from my lap in the process.

I could hear her cry suddenly. I wasn't surprised because she cried whenever I cried. "kya huya dadi? TEETOO ro kyun raha hai?"

"tum ussey Teetoo kehke bulate ho na isiliye".

I peeked towards her from dadi's lap to check her reaction. She hic upped few times before wiping of the tears from her cheeks. She then crawled towards me and hugged me from behind. "I am sorry Tee... I mean Aditya. Meye tumhe kabhi us naam se nahi bulaungi aagar tumhe itna kharab lagta hai to". (I will never call you by that name in future if you are so hurt)

I couldn't take it anymore. I just can't stand this girl. I untangled myself from her embrace and shouted on her. After all she is the reason for all this. "yes! Today I am crying just because you Zoya gupta, but not for what you think. You are..."

"Stop it Aditya" Dadi scolded me for behaving that way. I was about to blurt out the real reason but she stopped me on time.

I looked down feeling a little guilty. After all she is way to young to know the truth. But why would I care. She has hurt me like no one. I close the lid of the box and wiped my tears that threatened to fall. Yes! Big boys don't cry and I will not cry. The tears that I have shad because of this girl I will make sure one day she pays for it.

She came towards me slowly gauging my temper but just like she never cared she didn't care now. She hugged me from the front and murmured a barely audible sorry.

I tried to protest because I don't want her sympathy but kept numb because of dadi's presence.

She touched the box that seated on my lap and run her fingers. "What is inside this?", her gaze now fixed on the box.

"This is Aditya's mumma's box", dadi replied before I could.

"Mumma's box?", she enquired excitedly.

I don't know why she called my mom and dad as mamma and baba just like I did. I felt disgusted each and everytime she did that. I just wanted to throw her out of the house but every time he stopped before he did that because of the oath he took infront of his dying father.

She excitedly took the box from my lap and opened it. Out of all the colourful ornaments she had to choose that, I thought as I saw her picking up my mamma's solitaire ring.

She took the ring and wore it in her middle finger. The ring lolled against her tiny one. "can I take this dadi?", she asked innocently.

Dadi looked at the cute girl admiring Aditya's mom's engagement ring, the traditional ring which the Hooda bahu is made to wear during engagement.

"Jab tum bari ho jayogi aur tumhari saadi fix ho jayega tab meye yeh ring tumhe dunga". (I will give the ring to you once your marriage get fixed.)

"REALLY?" Zoya excitedly hugged dadi.

~End of Flashback~

"Par dadi, yeh ring to Zoya ki hai". (But dadi, this ring belongs to Zoya)

"Nahi Aditya, yeh ring Zoya ki kabhi nahi ho sakti". (No Aditya, this ring can never belong to Zoya)

"but you have promised her that you will give it to her, when her marriage get fixed".

"woh to maine aise hi bol diya tha just to give her happiness at that moment. She doesnot deserve this ring. This ring belongs to Hooda bahu's and aaj yeh ring tum Pooja ko pehnaoge". (I have told her this so that she doesn't feel sad. But today you are going to make Pooja wear this ring. This ring is our traditional ring)

A sob broke making me turn to check. There she was standing near the door with tears in her eyes. She adverted her gaze as I tried to search hers but she turned and exited the room instantly. I clutched the ring with my right hand and closed my eyes. This ring belongs to her and can never belong to Pooja. A promise is a promise no matter whether this is a heirloom or not.

"nahi dadi", I stood up. "I cannot put this ring on Pooja's fingers. I have already order a ring as per my choice and which will suit our reputation. I want her to wear the most expensive ring. And I cannot make her wear something, that middle class female chose.