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|How far will you go for love, they ask. However far it takes to love, he repeated|

by medicallymessedup

•present•

I was on the cusp of receding into the current of my second thoughts when Dad who hadn't accompanied Mom and Ruchi inside unexpectedly called out my name to gain my attention and regard me with a look resembling that of a fallen angel.

His recent variety of expressions had been giving me mixed signals. I wonder what action of mine could have caused this sudden change?

Puh-lease!

Don't tell me he's going to ground me for recklessly taking on those buffoons too. They bloody well deserved it.

"What punishment am I in for this time?" I inquired dustily, my eyes crinkling with a weary sigh.

His misleading smile faded away, and he shook his head bafflingly.

"Come inside, Aryan." He bade, "You've done no wrong, and this time I am sure of it." He stressed on his words ruefully, and I got the wind of his underlying message. "I believe in you, my son!"

"Are you sure about that, or is it simply because-" I grumbled, my lips curling in resignation and reticence, "Ruchi disclosed everything."

Dad's habitually heather eyes softened, "Someone needed to shake some sense into me. Thankfully, Ruchi did it before I made things worse for you." He continued, swallowing hard as if it pained him too, "You were right. I've never been a good father. I've acted like a mulish tyrant, constantly seeking out flaws in you. I'm sincerely sorry, son. I didn't stand by you when you needed me most. I'm a flawed man who failed to understand his own son-"

"You've said more than you should." I snapped in response, my anger obvious with my voice rising. "No matter what, you always act on your impulses, Dad." His lips pressed into a tight line as guilt washed over him, leading him to cast his eyes downward which I didn't like a bit. "You're a father, so naturally, if you believe your son is going astray, you'll do everything in your power to set him back on track." I insisted, my voice tinged with exasperation, my eyes boring into his.

"But what I did was unjust to you." He repeated, his words filled with regret and aversion with himself. "I was wrong, son."

"But Dad, you're not wholly responsible. Please, stop blaming yourself!" I appealed stoutly.

The last thing I want is to switch blames with my parents.

"If you ever again think I'm at fault then please don't hold back from smacking me twice but for once do trust in your son and your upbringing in that very moment because the child of Soham and Anchal Mallik may be rebellious, but he's not deceitful or dishonorable." I uttered willfully with my chest tightening in hustle. "I might be a reckless rogue, but I could never deliberately inflict pain upon any innocent, because my parents never raised me to be so heartless." Dad's eyes misted over, his shoulders drooping as my words sank in. "Seeing both you and Mom, I've learned the authentic meaning of life, and rest assured, your son will never compromise his values until his final breath. I stand here as a man today and will commit to do so because of you both."

"Come here!" Dad called out, pulling me closer and before I could think, I was wrapped in his embrace and bellowing. "Your Dad is sorry, son. I truly am sorry for causing you pain." My shoulders quaked as I held onto my doting daddy-O, feeling like a little cranky bitch who had finally let go of his bigwig shit and was now savoring the loving embrace of his father.

"Next time, lash out at me all you want, but please, don't push me away, Dad. I can't bear the thought of being alone again." I squalled as I pressed my face into his shoulder. "I pined for you and Mom as though the world was ending."

"Never, my boy. I promise you." He swore earnestly and when we pulled away after our own candid reunion, Dad gently ruffled my hair, specks miring his eyes as he affectionately held my shoulders, "I never realized how much you've grown into such a fine young gentleman."

"You're not about to smother me with kisses to butter me up, are you?" I couldn't help but emit an over-the-top groan at his emotional outpouring. "Spare me from that kind of trial, Dad, I've already forgiven you."

He chuckled at my quip, giving my head an uncultured slap, "Don't get ahead of yourself, shona boy."

I spoke too soon, he's still a very overbearing old man.

He further mortified me with his amusement. "Your mother is the one who's truly meant for my kisses. You're just a pocket-sized nuisance in the mix." He wound up, before getting down to business. "Now put an end to the fuss and come inside quietly!"

"Eww! Dad!" I cringed as I walked inside alongside him. "Mind your words a tad, will you? She's my mother, you know."

"She's my wife first, hence your mother, Aryan. There would have been no you without me, alright!" He boasted.

"You call me self-centered, Dad. But do you even listen to yourself?" I chafed. Dad as a rule glared at me gruffly, but I continued anyway. Who's gonna stop me, huh? "Mom says absolutely right; she didn't just pluck me from Nanu's house. Your wicked influence had just smothered me in the wrong way."

"Yeah, yeah, let's get on with it. I know that you're just an offshoot of me, but still, you're nothing more than your mother's prying pigeon." Dad goaded palatably.

"Just like you're his mother's submissive servant. Am I right, Mr. Soham Mallik?" Mom's corny voice sliced through Dad's boasting trip like a honed razor, leaving him visibly rattled and muzzled. It was impossible not to crack into a wretched laughter as I saw my father squirm, his typical bravado crumbling like a paper tiger in the face of tough luck.

When did they even come back to the living area?

"Heaven only knows what went wrong with my genes!" Dad grouched under his breath, as though afraid to enrage the triggered lioness, conscious of Mom's sharp gaze that was preying on him. "My own child was never really mine."

"Everything seems to have gone wrong, Dad!" My wife startlingly chimed in the conversation, seeming like she was unquestionably wallowing in our never-ending family drama. "He certainly didn't inherit your witty charm. If anything, he's a little dumb." She pitched, her innocent face masking her mischievous agenda twinkling behind her doe-eyes. "Are you sure he wasn't swapped at any town fair you went to before?"

What in the world, huh! That's not my sweet, innocent baby wife.

"I too have some doubts, Ruchi dear." Dad pondered, his hand grazing his jaw in contemplation. "Anchal, my sweetheart, are you entirely confident he is ours-"

"Oi, you two!" Mom exclaimed, her voice potent and chastising.

"I wasn't swapped out anywhere, okay!" I also fought against their union. "Look, I've got dimples-I'm very much his son!"

Ruchi upon noticing the mood change among me and my mother hastily took cover behind Dad who stood tall and proud acting as her high-and-mighty guardian whereas my notorious wife poked her head out from behind Dad's guarded position to flash me a sly smile.

"You'll never catch me, Aryan Mallik!" She teased, her eyes dancing with racking defiance. "Dad's got my back now, and your dimples won't change a thing either. We all see what's what."

"Mom! That's not the woman I married! She's completely cold-hearted!" I wailed out loud, my aggravating sorrow evident through the room.

"Don't worry, Aryan!" Mom comforted me, "It's just your father's character rubbing off on your bride."

"What's the problem with that? My daughter-in-law sounds like a badass, taking after me." Dad commented boldly until Mom began to approach him with a cause to kill. "Back off, guys. We're not interested in a clash with your mean team."

"Who says so? Both you, Mister, and your daughter-in-law brought it up." Mom chided, her tone severe as both the instigators looked flustered. "Aryan, go get your wife. I'll deal with this old chap until then."

"Copy that, captain!" I exclaimed with a smirk, resolve shining in my eyes as they found Ruchi's. "Run, baby, run! I'm on my way to catch you!"

Ruchi let out an audible gasp, her eyes widening in shock as Dad was already embroiled in a losing battle with Mom.

Your bravery fell short, Dad!

My wife tried to make a getaway too, but I was too quick on my feet, and in one swift motion, I caught her before she could get far away.

"Gotcha!" I whispered lazily into her ear, my breath hot against her skin, as she gasped in startled surprise at my sudden, wilful move.

"You cheated!" She gravely objected, her voice escalating with irritation as she visibly sulked. "You didn't even give me a shot to run. That's not right!"

"What's done cannot be undone, baby!" I announced, caging her little frame inescapably in between my arms, denying her any opportunity to escape. When Mom's voice echoed from behind, swelling the joy of my victory in that brief span, "Love and war abide by no rules, my child!"

Thanks a ton for your support, Mom!

"But-" Ruchi began to debate, her tone contentious as she searched for a rational counterargument.

"Ah-ah, my baby!" I interjected swiftly, my gaze fervently meeting hers. "Did you forget? Ours is a war of love."

"You don't let me forget it but you also need to stop, Aryan!" Her eyes darted away from mine to peer at my parents who were busy giving us a moment together. But when I aimed to move my hands away from her giving her the needed space she whispered softly, "You're hurt!"

Her touch tender as she skimmed her index finger on my battered knuckles.

I couldn't help but smile.

That's so crazy for me to think that Ruchi will set aside the evening's sour shenanigans with the infused buoyancy by all of us. This was her we were talking about ladies and gentlemen and she will even undoubtedly dig up a decade-old grave of a dead man to get her answers.

"This was just my warm-up, Baby." I told her off to stop fretting over me, "If Mom, Dad and of course you had not barged in, then they all would have returned back from here in an ambulance and not on their feet."

A sigh escaped her rosy lips, her intent gaze still fixed on my scraped fists, "I should have been more careful and handled them in a better way."

"You were dealing with them just fine, Baby!" I countered. "I have a thing for your savage cursing and it would be wrong to not admit that I had actually missed that fiery mouth of yours for a very long time!"

"You're in a bloody mess because of me." Her onyx orbs exuded their untouched allure amid the dimness brought on by her tireless concern for me.

"You should've taken a better look at the mess I made of them then, Mrs. Mallik." I remarked satirically, "But alas! You couldn't tear your eyes away from my handsome features. Did I really look that irresistibly mouthwatering in the heat of the moment?"

"Absolutely! You looked quite tempting, Mr. Mallik!" Her gaze lingered on my bruises, a stark contrast to the worry in her tone. "I so want to see you flexing your strength everyday but did you forget it wasn't our day to ruin. Maa must be so upset after everything."

"There's nothing to worry about it either, in fact Mom organizes and hosts these upscale gatherings just to keep Dad's PR team happy. The public and media are overly obsessed with every member of our family, so these events are just a slice of cheese served on a platter for them." I saw her features soften and noticed a subtle relaxation in her posture as she processed what I said. "Mom enjoys having these occasions kept solely for our family. And guess what? Her birthday officially begins after midnight today, so we still have time to come up with a better surprise for her. Trust me, it'll be far better than all of this fuss put together."

"But-" Ruchi began tentatively, howbeit she was solicitous.

"Meri jaan, itna nahi socha karte hai." Mom chided my wife this time with a gentle shake of her head, "Neither I nor anyone else holds any complaints against you or what you both did. Those pinheads were deserving of it long before today." She added. "Beta, never shy away from fighting for what is true or standing against what is wrong. We are your family, and if we don't have your back, then who will?" Mom rebuked her, who was determined to blame herself for everything. "Lekin agar tum khud ko ilzam deti rahi, toh main tumse naraaz ho jaungi, Ruchi. Kya tum yeh chahti ho?"

[Beta- My dear]

["Darling, you don't think so much. Neither I nor anyone else holds any complaints against you or what you both did. Those pinheads were deserving of it long before today. Beta, never shy away from fighting for what is true or standing against what is wrong. We are your family, and if we don't have your back, then who will? But if you keep blaming yourself, then I'll get angry with you, Ruchi. Do you want that?"]

"No, not at all Maa!" Ruchi's voice cracked as she vehemently shook her head, "I won't blame myself anymore."

"That's the spirit, sweetie!" Mom and Dad cheered wholeheartedly.

"Come on then, the night is still young and there's so much to do!" A wide grin spread across my face as I wrapped my arms around Ruchi which was equitably remunerated by her as she loosened her stance within my embrace.

When unceremoniously the fleeting moment of peace ensconced in the luxury of my family's jouissance was rudely disrupted. The manor supervisor, Alisha, seemed out of sorts and lacking her usual poise as she approached us following her approval from my mother.

"The Assistant Commissioner of Police wants to meet you, Sir." She reported, her voice cautiously notifying and cutting through the quiet. "And they are here for Aryan Sir." Alisha blurted further.

Oh, dang!

The space grew tense with confusion as my parents and wife exchanged puzzled stares, each of them in a fix to decipher the visit of the unexpected guest.

"Why him?" Dad's strained voice carried a trace of worry, his forehead creasing as he snuck a look at me for answers. "What's going on?"

"Did Sahane's tip them off?" Mom's voice had a hint of disclaimer, her eyes narrowing as she mulled over the possibility.

"They wouldn't dare, Anchal. Sahane lacks the spine to stand up against his son's scandalous behavior." Dad waved off the suggestion spot on. "But what's the commissioner's reason for wanting to see Aryan?" He wondered aloud.

At that same time, Ruchi's grip around me tightened reflexively, her dainty fingers finding fortification in our brief connection. Her dilated pupils held a pall of unrest and apprehension as her gaze shifted uneasily between me and the ambiguous surroundings. A hem deepened between her arched eyebrows, a subtle indication of concern betraying her inner turmoil.

I too racked my brain and roughly found an indistinct reason behind this visit of the police commissioner. The epiphany struck me like a bolt from the blue, flooding my veins with a rush of awareness.

"What's all this about?" Ruchi's query snapped me out of my reverie, her dulcet voice stirring my mind into action. I squeezed my eyes shut momentarily, bracing myself for her reaction, knowing that she had picked up on a slight whiff of my surreptitious doings. "What did you do, Aryan?" I could feel the force of her gaze drilling into me.

"Aryan! The Commissioner is waiting for us." Dad moved forward to accompany the uninvited visitor in the house, leaving me torn between trailing behind him and tending to my wife's qualms about me. "Let's confront him straight away to hear what he has to say instead of putting it off. They must be in the seating area, so come join us quickly."

"Dad's right." Ruchi's voice sliced through the gauze, taking after my father's viewpoint. "Let's focus on meeting them first." She let go of my hands and went to stand beside Mom, who motioned for me to come along to meet the Commissioner.

The air was thick with borderline conflict when I stepped into the room where my family and the uniformed officials were gathered and engrossed in a serious conversation as Dad peered intently at something displayed on a device held out before him.

"That's ridiculous, Commissioner!" Dad's loud voice boomed through the room, saturated with castigation and indignation. "Why would my son even consider doing that? He may not even know who that guy was." His jaw set firmly as he struggled to make sense of the accusations being leveled against me.

"I'm sorry to say, Mr. Mallik, but our investigation is leading us to consider your son as the primary suspect in this case." The fellow official said, his tone convincing, but even then there was a trace of doubt in his delivery.

"Why would my son even-" Dad's voice trailed off as he observed me, a mix of worry and uncertainty crossing his poised face.

"What is it?" I found my voice full and commanding, standing straight and tall in front of the one who was talking with Dad. He hesitated shortly as I met his gaze head-on, confirming my suspicions definitively.

"Mr. Aryan, our department needs your cooperation regarding an ongoing case." The Commissioner himself made the robotic statement.

"Oh, is that so?" I flashed a saccharine simper in response to his rambling, "Would it be too much to ask for a crumb of information about this compelling case from your department, Mr. Commissioner?"

"Sure thing, why not?" The Commissioner appeared marginally relieved by my sudden compliance. He signaled for the man continuously chewing paan to step forward as he introduced him to us, "Nasir here is an inspector overseeing the case within his jurisdiction. He'll brief you on the specifics."

"Aakash Cheema, the unfortunate soul, Sir." The man, reeking of the pungent odor of betel nut, capped his mouth maliciously, exposing his grotesque, red-stained teeth. "I trust his name hasn't slipped your mind."

I would've weeded out his teeth by this point if I was dealing with him without my family around.

"Stick to the goddamn details, Nasir!" The Commissioner reprimanded the crud flaunting himself in front of me.

Bloody waste of space!

"Aakash Cheema is an esteemed NRI who was visiting his home for vacation but he disappeared under mysterious circumstances for a span of forty-eight hours only to be found in the destitute outskirts of the city in an unconscious state." This Nasir man elucidated, his entire tirade a devious ploy staged to trap me. "Two cons, or perhaps it was you with a young lady whom we already have in custody were somehow caught on CCTV in that area."

Ruchi's untempered, aghast gasp slashed through my chest like a searing knife. I watched her eyes flaring in stupor as the unhinged officer replayed the incriminating footage. The shock ingrained into her features evoked a cacophony of frustration and fatigue within me, realizing that my meticulously guarded secret had been brutally exposed especially before the one person I was most desperate to keep it from.

Damn my fate!

This whole deed I pulled was supposed to be under wraps.

Where on earth did this footage spring from?

"What are you aiming to suggest here, officer?" Mom condemned as she pointed out the obvious flaw in the inspector's claims. "Which girl are you even referring to? The faces aren't even distinguishable in this fuzzy clip." She further asserted, "This signifies nothing just like your unreliable allegations!"

"Mom! Dad! I need to have a word with these officers alone. Could you please grant us some privacy."

I requested, my voice stretched with the crucial self-control and patience I must exhibit for the sake of my family image. Despite my parents' hesitation about the entire situation and my well-being, they complied and began to depart with Ruchi, who seemed visibly disturbed from the absurd encounter.

"The red Fronx car used, which was also owned by the girl assisting you in your crime, has been confiscated along with her, but then again given your status as Mr. Mallik's son, we chose to question you first before proceeding with the-" The subordinate's voice droned on with the details, worsening the pounding in my head.

"Could you please just shut your mouth for a second!" I finally blew up my beau impression after everyone had left the vicinity except these sharks. I fumed with frustration as I marched towards the door, slamming it shut with a resounding thud in an effort to keep my family from hearing, but it was too late.

Ruchi who had just stepped out a short while ago was freezed just outside the door having unmistakably overheard every single word. The chaos of comprehension shimmered in her teary eyes like the frenzied flicker of a fluorescent lamp frail amidst a murky squall, slamming into me with all the force of a punch to the gut. I watched as her countenance twisted with a plethora of emotions - disbelief, anger, pain - each one piercing me with surgical precision. It was as if she had pieced together the fragments of information, joining the scattered dots to form a damning picture of my involvement. Her wordless accusations tearing down my walls and laying bare the truth I had hoped to keep hidden.

And then, without voicing any doubts, she spun around, her back facing me, her shoulders drooping in retribution. I hurriedly reached out to her, my anxious heart throbbing in my chest, but she was already rushing away, her footsteps echoing hollowness in the empty corridor.

I stood there, rooted to the spot, my mind whirling with a thousand thoughts and regrets. The silence that followed her departure was deafening, punctuated only by the dull thud of my own heartbeat. How did it come to this? How had I let things spiral so out of control?

Fuck!

Why is everything going south tonight?

Why won't things just go my way for once?

My blood boiled with seething anger as I shoved a spiking glare on the two subordinates who had callously revealed everything in front of my wife. How terribly indifferent could they be, so unaffected by the repercussions of their words on others?

That jackass Aakash Cheema got exactly what he deserved, and I'm not sorry one bit. By all means! My friendly nemesis and I personally ensured that the fucker was taken good care of.

Yeah! I did everything.

Samiksha and I were the masterminds behind this ordeal to teach that punk a damn lesson.

The instant I disclosed the details of the torment inflicted on Ruchi to the demon bestie of my wife, she was out for that bastard's blood just like me.

So we strategized thoroughly, from abducting him from his drunken dive to dumping him after making him pay for what he did to my girl. We did every bloody thing except murdering that bastard, obviously, because we were both devils with our own twisted morals.

We made that rat curse the day he was born by making him scream and sob like a wimp in pain and satisfied a few more depraved fantasies of ours with our subject in that limited time. I'm itching to spill the gruesome details of my deeds, but right now, getting busted was the absolute worst for my immoral benchmarks. I need to fix this spilling shit by hook or crook.

"Listen here!" I directed at the commissioner, my voice cutting through the chaos, discarding everything else. "You got Samiksha Khanna in custody, didn't you? Well, you better damn well ensure she's released before a single word of this gets out."

"This is a lawful procedure. We can't-" The commissioner's feeble attempt to interject with bureaucratic jargon only fueled my frustration further.

"Bullshit!" I snarled, my tone dripping with disdain. "Don't sell me that rubbish, man! Your so-called procedures never offer justice to those in need."

"But Mr. Aryan-"

"That's my wife's bestfriend and my family." I pounded the table with my fists, the loud thump echoing like a gunshot. "You lay a finger on her, and I'll expose all the skeletons lurking in the closet of your crooked justice." I glowered, the ominous stare I leveled at them slicing through their shrinking facade. "I'm not messing around 'cause I know exactly whose puppets I'm dealing with. That political honcho sent you here, didn't he?" I uttered with disdain as terror surged in their frugal eyes. "And you all rushed into my house like hungry jackals, clamoring for a bone from my father in exchange for keeping your mouth shut. Smart move in your opinion," A mocking smile played on my lips as I eyed the Commissioner banefully, "But a downright rotten one in my book." I continued, "Because not a shred from my home is going to that blood-sucking politician who hired you all to wolf down on the flesh of innocent people." I affirmed, every syllable of mine pronounced with an ironclad determination.

"Let the girl go immediately." The commissioner murmur-pressed a disgruntled Nasir, who promptly reached for his phone to carry out the order.

True to my expectations, their faces had gone blanch at my vehement warning, color draining from their faces like the ebb of water from a sinking vessel. These people were not guardians of justice, but predators preying on the weak and vulnerable, exploiting their positions of authority for their own selfish ends. Their actions were a blight on the fabric of society, eroding the trust and confidence of the people they were sworn to protect. But while they may have thought themselves untouchable, I knew better.

"You did it, boy. Am I right?" The cocksure dimwit questioned me, his voice thick with the rage of defeat.

"Nasir, it seems you're not listening, or should I call you Aakash Cheema's dearest Uncle?" I quipped, the bite of sarcasm poised on my tongue. I saw his eyes bulge out with a soup of stir and chagrin, the realization gradually dawning that I was aware of his true identity and his association with that dork nephew of his. "The self-proclaimed virtuous man you've come here for is far from anything but pure, and I'm convinced you're fully aware of that."

I was occupied with these buffoons when Dad barged in with Rustom Uncle in tow.

"I know the details." Dad shut me down with his own intimidating speech before I could protest. "Now, let me in Aryan Mallik or you so gonna regret growing up." He chastised like always.

"Fine!" I grumbled, the remnants of rage and supremacy dwindling as I begrudgingly relinquished control to the duo.

They don't let me grow up, but they'll scold me if I behave like a child. What's a naive lad like me supposed to do, God!

"Your father and I have it under control, young man." Rustom Uncle affirmed confidently as they got down to business.

"Commissioner, pay attention, these are the proofs condemning the individual you were trying to shield from us and the court, of course." Rustom Uncle affirmed boldly, as he presented the damning evidence. "Aakash Cheema is a chronic drug addict, and beyond that, he's involved with major drug dealers who traffic foreign drugs into our country, which are then distributed among our vulnerable youth. He's saddled with immense financial debts in Canada resulting from his reckless gambling practices, as well as two restraining orders from separate incidents of assaulting women. Furthermore, he committed financial fraud within the company he worked for."

"I'm astonished that you're defending such a low-life criminal, Commissioner!" Dad's voice bellowed with moral outrage, his eyes ablaze with distaste. "Have some bloody principles, even if it's just for your bloody job."

The commissioner, avoiding Dad's castigating scrutiny, lowered his head in humiliation, his silence an accusatory admission of wrongdoing. He shot a quick glance at Nasir, the hint of conspiracy passing between them like a ghost. "The politician was obligated to the man's father, and we were instructed to-" His feeble explanation was abruptly cut off by Dad's scathing retort.

"Keep that pathetic tale for the politician himself." Dad's tone was steeped in contempt, his words oozing with disdain."Now get out of my house before I handle you in a way that none of us will like."

The sight of the commissioner and his henchman slinking away, their former swagger now reduced to hurried scrambles, was quite a sight for my eyes.

"I appreciate your thoroughness, Aryan." Rustom Uncle remarked, his firm clap on my back was similar to a stamp of approval from my own father, "Digging into that Cheema bloke's history before confronting him was a clever move on your part, son."

Even though he spoke highly of me, I tried to play it down, unlike my inner self which was gloating in victory.

"It was just a gut feeling, Uncle." I replied, downplaying my role in discovering his past escapades with the assistance of my hacker school mates from London. "Something about him didn't sit right with me from the beginning."

He was a detestable creep that made my Baby uneasy from day one. I should've looked and sorted into his case much sooner than now.

"Rustom, it looks like my boy has overtaken us." Dad exchanged a look with Uncle, who agreed in response. "He dealt with that man and the commissioner all by himself, no help from us and he even managed to keep it on the down-low!"

"Did I impress you, Dad?" I questioned hopefully, seeking validation in his words. However, instead of eulogies of glorification, he flicked my head once more. "Why on earth, Dad! Tareef nahi karni to mat karo par hath per kyu maar rahe ho?" I moaned in frustration, rubbing the spot where his hand had landed. The sting of the slap was more vexing than agonizing, even so, I had nothing to complain for these were the unmistakable trademarks of quintessential desi dad.

["If you don't want to praise, then don't, but why are you hitting me?"]

"What if they had some concrete evidence to frame you, idiot?" He scolded me, his fiercely protective nature evident despite his tough exterior. "Your mother would've had my head if anything happened to her precious shona boy."

"Rustom Uncle, isn't it time your buddy stopped playing the mommy card so much?" I needled him instead. "Come on Dad, you've gone through way more trouble to please Mom than I have for my girl, and Rustom Uncle always has your back like he did for me this time, keeping it under wraps from you. Your own son is just following your lead, then why are you still so scared of Mom?"

"Our concern isn't just for you alone, but remember, Ruchi too gets dragged into the consequences of your every action. I highly doubt she had any inkling about your planning for that rascal-"

I planted a grateful kiss on Dad's cheek the moment his lecture reminded me of the most crucial person I had to speak to right now, but he grimaced, pushing me away and shouting profanities at me.

I must've pressed my lips to the wrong cheek which belonged exclusively to Mom.

"Where in the world do you think you're going now?" He asked, his voice resonating through the hallway as I hastily exited the room.

"To see your daughter-in-law!" I shouted back over my shoulder.

Tonight, I've got a ton of catching up to do with her.

Lots of Love,

ANKITA