Kokila stood alone in the desolate expanse of her home. The silence that enveloped her was deafening, a stark contrast to the cacophony of life that had just been. Sachin, her beloved son, had left the house for what seemed like forever, just because she said some truth. The truth everyone knows yet they don't want to accept but that doesn't change the truth but now, everything seems to be falling apart. The emptiness that gnawed at her was a physical pain, a tangible weight on her heart.

As if sensing her despair, Parag entered the room. His face was etched with a mix of resignation, “tum aab bhi baith ke soch rahi ho kokila? Itna kuch hone ke baad bhi? Kokila kuch chijein aab bhi thik ki jaa sakti hai, Sachin aab bhi wapas aa sakta hai!” His statement filled Kokila with hope and she instantly asked.

“Kaise? Kaise aayega wo wapas? Main kuch bhi karne ko taiyaar hoon uske liye bas wo aa jaaye!!” She states, instant tears forming in her eyes as she can't afford to lose Sachin who has been handling all the business, he's the one running the empire and without him it will be nothing but heap of ashes.

“Anamika se maafi mang lo! Hum sab jaante hai abhi wo kitni tooti hui hai uspe tumne kya kuch nahi kaha usse. Tumne aaj tak toh usse koi khushi nahi di par aab aaj bhi tum usse wo sahara do jiski usse bahut jarurat hai toh sab thik ho sakta hai. Kokila, Anamika ki kabhi koi galti nahi thi, galti tumne ki thi aur aab usse sudharne ka waqt hai tabhi humein humara beta mil sakta hai aur humari bachi bhi, usse bhi kuch sukoon mile aab.” Parag spoke, convincingly.

Kokila raged, “main kyun uss se maafi mangu jab meri koi galti hi nahi hai toh? Meine kabhi kuch galat nahi kiya hai! Aur aaj aap iss baat ko bhale hi tod maror ke soch rahe hai par aapko ye manna hi hoga ussi ke ashubh kadam se iss ghar ki saari khushiyan chali gayi thi aur aaj bhi uske uss bache ki wajah se ek baar fir iss ghar ki khushiyon ko aag lag gayi hai. Nigal liya uss maa bete ne iss ghar ki khushiyon ko aur aap chahte hai main uss se maafi mangu, kabhi nahi!” She declared, glaring at her husband.

Parag holds her hand, “Kokila tum samajhti kyun nahi? Kissi ke aane se ya jaane se hamari kismat taaye nahi hoti. Wo hona likha tha so ho gaya usmei kissi ka dosh nahi aur aaj no bhi hua ysmei na toh Anamika ka dosh hai na uske bache ka. Dosh Vineet ka hai jo apni zid mei andha ho gaya hai aur dish tumhara hai jo tum apni beti ka kabhi saath nahi de paayi!” Parag stated his point only to be jerked away by Kokila.

“Khabardaar jo meri tulna uss nich ladke se aapne ki toh. Wo ladka jiski soch itni choti hai jo sirf aur sirf apne kamre mei ghusha rehna chahta hai aur umeed karta hai uska koi parinaam na hoga, uss se ghatiya insaan toh meine dekha hi nahi kahin aur utni hi gira hui hai wo ladki jo khule aam apni izzat uske naam karke baithi thi aur usse seh deti aai. Unki ghinoni harkaton ka hi natiza hai jo aaj mera beta mujhe chor ke chala gaya.” She growled in anger.

“Bas!!” Parag shouted, her words enraged him.

“Main bahut koshish kar li Kokila par main samajh chuka hoon ki tum kabhi nahi badal sakti, arey jo aurat apni beti ko sneh aur manta nahi de sakti wo aur kya hi karegi. Par aab iss sab ko main aur bardasht nahi karunga. I can't do this anymore, Kokila," he declared, his voice firm. "Main aaj tak tumhe samjhata raha, tumhari wajah se apni beti ko uske haq ka pyar nahi de saka, apne bachon ko kabhi sneh se gale nahi laga saka, fir bhi sab jode rakhe rehne ke liye chup raha par aab aur nahi. Tumne toh mere bachon ko mujh se dur hi kar diya. Bas aab aur nahi,ye ghar, ye saan aur saukat, ye daulat tumhe hi mubarak, main iss ghutan ke saath aur nahi reh sakta!" He declared firmly.

Kokila's eyes widened in disbelief. "Parag, ye aap kya keh rahe hai? Aap aisa nahi kar sakte. Hum jeevan saath hai, janmo ka saath gai humara, aap mujhe yun chor ke nahi jaa sakte." But her words fell on deaf ears.

“Mujhe siwaye ghar mei pade ek saman jo tumhe paise kama ke de uss se upar samjha hi kab kokila jo aaj ye jeevan saathi hone ki duhai de rahi ho. Main tumhe iss umeed se ek aakhri baar samjhane aaya tha ki tum samajh jaaogi par tumne mujhe galat sabit kar diya. Bas aab main iss se jyada aur kuch nahi kar sakta! With that, Parag turned and walked out, leaving Kokila alone in her shattered world.

Kokila ran behind him and held his hand.

Kokila, her voice trembling, tried to reason with Parag. "Parag, humme aaj tak ka safar saath raaye kiya hai, aapne hamesha mera saath diya hai. Ye ghar, ismei badai yaadein sab humne banai hai, aap inhe chor ke kaise jaa sakte hai?"

Parag's anger flared. "Hum kabhi ek toh they hi nahi Kokila. Tumne aaj tak sirf apne mann ki kari hai. Ye ghar, ye yaadein sab tumhari banai hai jo mujhe katne ko daudti hai. I've felt like a stranger in my own home."

"Aise mat kahiye Parag," Kokila pleaded, her voice filled with desperation. “Main waada karti hoon, I'll listen to you. I'll respect your wishes. Aise ye ghar aur mujhe chor ke nahi jaaiye Parag!" She bagged.

Parag shook his head. "It's too late, Kokila. The damage is done. I'm leaving."

With that, he turned and walked out the door, leaving Kokila alone in the empty house. She sank to the floor, her sobs echoing through the silent rooms.

… ..

Meanwhile, at the Singhania house, Anamika stood resolute in her decision. The house once again turned into chaos. The family stares at Anamika with disbelief, trying to digest what she just stated. Two big news in a day is way too much for the old couple to take. Finding his house shattering, Shakshi falls on the nearby chair, Anupam holds her, protecting her from falling. While Sachin seems to be happy with his sister's decision but tensed at the same time as she clearly refuses to be with him.

“Beta ye tum kya bol rahi ho?” Anupam asks in disbelief.

Anamika gazes at him, guilt washing over her as the old man looks at her with hope and fear. He or the family is surely not at fault, they have always stood by her, given her the love she always craved. She doesn't want to punish them for whatever Vineet didi with her but she has no other choice, they are related to him and any decision with him is going to affect them anyhow.

“Main… meine bahut soch samajh ke ye faisla liya hai Dad! Main jaanti hoon iss se aapko aur Mumma ko bahut dukh hoga but please understand mere paas aur koi choice nahi hai, I have to do this for me and my son!” She exclaims, her tone firm and convincing.

“Kya hum tumhare apne nahi hai? Do you think Vineet ki wajah se hum tumhe ya apne pote ko khud se dur kar denge? Ya jo bhi Kokila ji ne kaha uss wajah se? Nahi beta!! Humnei kissi ki baat se koi fark nahi padta hai! Tum iss ghar ki bahu ho aur hamesha rahogi, ye ghar tumhara hai koi kuch kahe. Iss ghar mei tumhare aane se jo khushiyan aai hai wo pehle kabhi nahi thi aur hamare iss nanhe shehzaade ne toh iss ghar ki raunak hi badha di hai. Tum kissi ki baaton mei aa ke itne galat faisle mat lo beta, please!!” Shakshi pleaded, her eyes filled with tears as she walked over her and smeared the little boy's head.

“Aisa nahi hai Mumma! Aapne jitna pyar diya hai wo pyar toh kabhi mujhe mila hi nahi. Yahan aa ke hi mujhe pata chala maa aur pita ka pyar kaisa hota hai. Khushiyon se bhara ghar, jahan apne bachon ko pyar mile wo kaisa hota hai. Mujhe aap logon se kabhi koi shikayat nahi ho sakti lekin mujhe ye karna hoga. Main khudke liye kuch karna chahti hoon taki aage jaa ke mere bache ko kabhi ye na lage yaki maa ne uske liye ya uski wajah se kuch chora aur wo bhi kissi ka sapna kuchal de! Main aisa nahi hone de sakti mumma! Main apne bete ko kissi ka bharosa nahi todne dungi!” Anamika exclaims, her gaze at Vineet who was standing like a statue, letting her speak while his eyes did their work.

“Kya wo yahan reh ke nahi ho sakta?” Anupam asks, almost pleading.

“ Nahi papa! Yahan reh ke main kuch nahi kar paungi!” She states and moves to Vineet, forwarding papers towards him.

Vineet, his eyes filled with tears, pleaded with her to reconsider. "Please, Anamika. I'll do anything. I'll change. Please, don't do this to me, please. Maar jaunga main tumhare bina, please!"

But Anamika's heart was hardened. "I'm done, Vineet. I want a divorce. And please, don't blame me for all this because it's you who started it, I'm just giving it a closer. Probably unwanted but much needed. And yes, koi kissi ke bagair nahi marta, haan lagta jarur hai hum kissi ke bina nahi reh paayenge par sab ho jata hai. Malum hai, mujhe bhi aisa lagne laga tha, jab tumne muh mod liya toh laga shayad aab aise hi ghut ke mar jaayungi main. Soch soch ke har waqt dil mei ek dard sa hota tha aur lagta tha shayad aaj hi wo din hai jo main mar jaungi par dekho, main sabke samne khadi hoon na and believe me ye mar jaane se jyada bhayanak dard hai. So I know, kuch nahi hoga tumhe, you'll survive or you may find someone much better!" She asserts, her voice tough.

Vineet's world crumbled around him. He sank to his knees, his sobs echoing through the house. Anamika's heart ached for him, but she knew she had made the right choice. The love that had once bound them together had been irrevocably damaged.

As the day wore on, two families were torn apart by heartbreak and betrayal. Vineet and Anamika, once a symbol of hope and happiness, love and laughter, were now facing the painful reality of separation.

Vineet's sobs were wracking, his body shaking uncontrollably. He clutched at Anamika's leg, begging her to stay. "Please, don't leave me, Ana. I love you. I'll do anything. Please!! Mujhe chor ke mat jao Ana, please!"

Anamika's heart ached for him, but she knew she had to be strong. "I can't stay, Vineet. You've broken my trust. I can't live like this anymore. Aab sab khatam ho chuka hai. Mujhe aab iss rishtey se azad kar do bas."

Vineet's cries grew louder, his voice filled with despair. "I'll change, I promise. Just give me another chance. Mujh se iss tarah muh mod ke mat jao."

Anamika's eyes filled with tears. "I wish I could believe you, Vineet. But I can't. I'm sorry. Main tumhe akhri ek yahi cheez mangna chahti hoon, de do mujhe! Main nahi chahti yeh rishta iss kadar toote ki ye mera wo bura sapna ban jaaye jisse mitane ke liye main saari hadein paar kar dun. Please, jaate jaate ye khushi de do mujhe." She requested.

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Vineet alone in his sorrow. As she closed the door behind her, she couldn't help but feel a pang of regret, knowing that their love story had come to such a tragic end. The love she wanted to cherish forever has come to an end in a short span, it is her destiny which she can't help. She had thought a lifetime of love filled him but he shattered her dreams, broke her trust and abandoned her child, he did everything to destroy their relationship so she gave it a name, that's all. After all, not all love stories have a happy ending. Neither love stories are always love filled nor the couple always end up being the lovey dovey, sometimes when the reality hits, you realize the bubble you were living in. After all, love is all about reality check.

The End