I apologisefor being late.

"It's not about getting a happy ending or forever. It's all about the efforts, endurance and trust which makes the reality new beginning."

THIRD PERSON

Dear Diary,

     Life is indeed eventful filled with unpredictable and unexpected things. Welcome to Mallika Spencer's life. Umm..messy, weird and complicated life. I have experienced a lot of things and have learnt many things in the last 5 years.  My particular prospectives and some aspects on many views have changed. My vision of reality has changed. And let's not forget that one particular person is the reason of every changes of my life. The person who braught storms and colours together in my life. Guess what, if someone would have told me 5 years ago that I would be end up falling for a typical mafia leader as well as a billionaire buisnessman,I would have laughed out dismissing the chances.

I thought that these types of things happen in movies and fictions. But I guess, I was wrong because my life is actually more wholesome compared to any movie or fiction. My life has taken a turn five years ago when I crossed the road with Mr. Mafia and got one of his trustworthy men arrested. Now that man is actually my best friend. As I said, everything is unexpected. I love how my life has changed and faced what it should have faced before.

My relationship with Sumedh is not perfect. We are imperfect and complicated. Some might tag it as "toxic". Then let it be it. How much we argue, we mould each other perfectly and have a strong base between us which will not easily break us.

Well, I feel that how much you talk about perfection, it simply doesn't exist except in case of a few couples. A couple is bound to have differences and own preferences on many point of views because at the end, we all are individual human beings with our own unique charecter traits. So it doesn't matter as long as we have that mutual respect and adjustment between us.

I am fortunate and happy to have Sumedh as my life partner. I know that it's absolutely dangerous to be with him because of his profession and connections with mafia. But I have surrendered myself completely into his life. It was my choice. He gave me chances to go out of his life but I chose to stay. I don't mind anything. Though the hollow of not being parents will be there for always, we will learn to cop up.

I am so glad that I have come this long way. And that's it, life is full of turns and twists as I mentioned.

-Mallika

She released a deep sigh after penning down her thoughts on the page and closed the diary keeping it on the dressing table. Getting up from couch, she moved to stand infront of the big rectangular shaped mirror. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, her reflection clearly stating how she was feeling right now.

Anxious.

Keeping aside the look of nervousness, she took in the sight of her cladded in a black gown. Her makeup and hair was neatly done and her neck was adorned with a beautiful necklace.

She looked totally different and ethereal in the gorgeous dress. This dress had been designed by one of the most special eligible designers of New York. She couldn't help but appreciate the efforts the designer group had put on for making this astounding dress. The black lace with shimmering stones on the upper portion of the dress was complimenting her very nicely. She must admit that she looked so beautiful today.

Her trance broke when she heard the sound of the door slamming open and she turned around to find her both best friends approaching her with Avneet holding the little toddler in her arms. She beamed with a grin as soon as her eyes landed on the cute baby boy chewing on his finger looking here and there. He was Avneet and Siddharth's child who was one and half year old. Since he was the only child in the Spencer family, he was the apple of everyone's eyes. With his parents approval, she and Sumedh had kept his name Satvik. Everyone  loved him so much including Mallika. He had filled the empty spot of their child. He had given her a chance to enjoy the parenthood. He was no less than her own son. Well, that's what she thought about the child.

"Mallika, it's time to go to the party. Sumedh is ready waiting for you to come so that he could introduce you in front of the entire world." Avneet impatiently rambled as Mallika took Saatvik from her hands embarcing his small and soft body in her arms. He let out a sqeal and smiled widely seeing her. She kissed on his cheeks pinching his nose lightly and patted on his back.

"Yes, you need to go now. Let's go, shall we?" Lisa asked as she caught glimpse of Mallika from head to toe.

"You are looking absolutely gorgeous." She stated passing her a quick grin.

"Thanks. You guys look great as well." She replied turning to give them a smile before focusing on the little bundle of joy who seemed to have found immense attraction towards her neck piece as he ran his small fingers over it blubbering gibberish in his own language.

He could speak little, not much. He could say by calling Siddharth "Dada", Avneet "Mum" and weirdly enough to call Sumedh "Pia". Oneday he was playing with his toys in Sumedh and Mallika's room with Mallika keeping eyes on him. On that moment, Sumedh had walked inside the room with rage building in him. Without noticing the small figure, he had called someone in the phone and started shouting on him for some reason. Mallika immediately snapped at him and shut him up calling the name she usually would call "Mr. Mafia". So from then, Satvik had probably found the name interesting and had started calling Sumedh with this name which irritated Sumedh a lot. Let's say, it was ridiculous to watch Sumedh's horror filled expression whenever Satvik would call him with this name. In Mallika's case, he couldn't speak out her name or call her anything yet. However, he still had special liking for his only aunt who loved him no less than her own son.

"Mallika, are you OK?" Avneet asked stepping forward take Satvik from her. The baby instantly protested by groaning in annoyance and snuggling his face closer in the crook of neck.

"Look at this little traitor! He should know that I am his mother for fuck sake and he can't mess with me." Mallika's eyes widened at how she bluntly used cursing  infront of a child.

"Avneet, language!" Mallika glared at her giving her a stern look. Lisa laughed shaking her head at them.

"If we are done here, we need to take you to downstairs. Sumedh will be burying us alive if we become more late." She nodded at Lisa and the three friends left the door with Satvik in Mallika's arms.

***

"So, you are ready for the responsibility?" Sumedh asked Mallika when he stepped down of the stage after delivering his speech as well as introducing Mallika as the owner of his newly launched dance association.

Mallika who had been anxious for the entire day, was still baffling regarding the huge responsibility. She might be a dancer but running an international dance centre where a lot of other dancer would be working under her as well, was quite difficult. Avneet would be the co-owner of the association and would be helping her with her works. But she was still nervous.

"Sumedh trust me, I feel honoured that I have been awarded such a huge responsibility of handling a huge dance association. But I don't know if I can do it well. If anything happens, the name of your company will be braught down along with our reputation since it's you who has given shares for opening this huge association. I am afraid." She replied calmly, her voice laced with uncertainty. Sumedh observed her for a minute silently with rasied eyebrows not saying anything.

"First of all, it might be related with my company's names but the finance or all the necessary documents I have issued to establish this dancing centre is not completely mine, Mallika. It's your money. The company is an important part of your father's lineage. So after everything your uncle has done, the company has suffered just like the employees. That's why I have just taken the ownership of the company under my name and enlisted it in one of our branches list with your approval so that it doesn't stop functioning. But all the fund, economic static and other related insurances done by the company is yours. I am not going to claim all thise shares or other cashes under my name. I want you to use the money for growth of this Dance Centre. "  He stated with a sigh.

"I know that, Sumedh. I do. It's just that it's not really settling well with me about how I am going to maneuver such a huge responsibility." She blew out air, her eyes averting to the floor as she refused to meet his eyes almost feeling ashamed about how she was so incapable and indecisive compared to him when she should have atleast the minimum confidence in her to do something big after being a wife of such a known billionaire. Sumedh noticed her hunched shoulder and her gesture. He immediately understood her dilemma about what she had been thinking.

He quickly put his hand under her chin lifting her face to meet his eyes which held softness for her. He coiled his other arm around her waist pulling her closer to his chest.

"I know what you are thinking, Love. And before you go to that deep level, let me tell you something. You are extraordinarily brilliant in your place. You love dancing. It's your passion. And I know that this intensity of your love, dedication and desperation towards dancing will make you reach higher places. Just focus on the present and put your all efforts on this Dance association. You will never fail me and I am sure about that." Her eyes glinted with happiness as he praised her with his sincere words. She instantly buried her face on his chest wrapping her arms around his torso. He reciprocated the hug and place a small kiss on her temple.

"Never doubt your ability and stop thinking so low of yourself. You are best and you need to know that." He mumbled running his hand on her back.

"Thank you." She muttered slowly pressing her face on his chest.

Her eyes roamed in the huge hall room to fall on Lisa and Cassie in a corner talking to each other while Cassey's arm was wrapped around her figure. Her lips curved into a smile seeing her two best friends together. Yes, Cassey and Lisa had grown to have mutual attraction after they met for several times and now they were officially dating. She was so happy for both of them.

Then her eyes landed on Siddharth and Avneet with Satvik in Siddharth's arms. They had huge smiles on their faces as they both talked and played with the little boy. She observed the satisfaction and profound joy on their faces as they played with their one year old son. She wondered how it would have been if they didn't lose their child on that day.

She hadn't forgotten that she was the sole responsible for their misfortune. She knew how much everyone denied to accuse her for everything, it was her stubbornness and stupidity which had caused her this loss of forever. Her brain reminded her of what happened and a stab of pain pierced through her heart. Her eyes glistened tears and her clutch on Sumedh's shirt tightened as she kept her eyes fixed on the perfect family of her best friend.

Every emotion she had been trying to push back for those months came crashing on her all of a sudden. She felt sick. Her insides were churning reminding her of that horrible day.

"Mallika " Sumedh asked feeling her sudden stiff body and quivering face against his chest.

Hearing Sumedh's voice, she separated from him,her eyes filled with tears. She looked at him for once before quickly sprinting out of the mansion catching some of the guests' attention. She could hear the voice calling her but she ignored everything and ran out of the mansion. She ran outside in the garden where none was present. None was present to notice her vulnerable state which she had caused herself.

She broke down in tears as she collapsed on the ground. She then felt the cold sharp drop of liquid tickling on her skin. She finally realised that it was raining. She was in so much rush and her emotions were so heightened up that she didn't even notice that it was raining. Within seconds, she was drenched in rain, her dress soaking with her body. Nevertheless she could care less. She suddenly felt the cold feeling of water against her skin. It actually described her situation perfectly.

Numb . Miserable .

It was how she felt as the ice cold water poured on her. As the rain plummeted on the ground, she hugged herself and let the rush of pain engulf her.

****

"Why did she run away like this, Sumedh?" Siddharth came to Sumedh with Satvik in his arms playing with his shirt collar and Avneet trailing behind him.

"What happened suddenly? Did you say something?" She questioned twitching her eyebrows.

"No, no, I didn't say anything. But I guess, I know what she might be thinking." He replied, his tone timid. He had noticed the way she was looking at Siddharth and Avneet on that time with so much pain and longing. He looked over to see Satvik who was more engrossed in his own world totally clueless about what was happening. Avneet followed his gaze and instantly realised what had happened.

"Oh" She let out a sigh. "I understand what she might be feeling now. You need to go and check on her. It's raining outside." She added.

"Yeah, I know." Sumedh gave a curt nod in her direction before making his way outside the mansion.

***

"Angel"

She stood hearing the soft and husky voice of him. She turned to face him who let out a gasp seeing her condition. He took in her disheveled state. She was totally drenched with water,her dress was glued with her body tightly, her hair messed up and her eyes were puffy with her mascara smearing under her eye. The dirt and mud was clearly visible on her dress.

"Sumedh" She mumbled before rushing towards him and embracing him tightly. Her eyes filled with immediate tears as she clutched his shirt tightly.

"What happened, Angel?" He asked with tenderness as he cupped her cheek sliding his other arm protectively around her waist.

"Sumedh, it's hurting. It's hurting so much. I can't take it anymore. The guilt is eating up my soul. I have caused this to myself. I am the sole responsible for everything. I am feeling so miserable. I can't bear the pain so longer. I can never be a mother. This bitter truth is unsettling and so much painful. I am feeling so helpless. The regret is too much. I can't do this anymore."

She finally expressed her actual feelings regarding this topic. They had talked before but she had never expressed her inner feelings to him. He swallowed the growing lump in his throat not to let her show his vulnerability as well. He needed to be strong for her.

"Angel, why are you blaming yourself? You did everything on that day to save me. Stop blaming yourself. I know how you are feeling right now. But we need to keep it aside and accept the way things are going around." She detached herself from him and shook her head negatively.

"No, it's where you are wrong. You all might claim to deny that I have no fault in it. But it won't change the fact that I am the one who is the reason for our loss today. If I wouldn't have been so stupid on that day, we wouldn't be staying in this position.  It's me and my inconvenient behaviour which has landed us in this place. I can never give you the happiness of being a father. I am such a incapable and worthless woman." She spat out bitterly, her body sniffling with her sobs.

"No, you don't get to decide that. Trust me, I know that all you have done is for me. If you wouldn't have reached there on time, I don't know if I could be alive. Don't blame yourself because whether you accept or not, I am the one who has actually braught you in my fucked up world. So if you need to blame someone for the loss, it should be me, not you." He pursed his lips in a thin line, a muscle in his jaw clenched.

"Stop trying to save me. Stop trying to take the responsibility of my actions on you. I screwed up Sumedh. It's my recklessness which has screwed up everything. So stop trying to make me feel like it's not my fault because it's only my fault, no one else's." Her voice cracked with sobs escaping from her mouth.

"Angel as much as you are blaming yourself, you have to realize and see from the positive outcome. You did it for me. You saved me. On that day, you have proved how much you love me. You have showed how much you care for me more than anything. You can't forget such a horrible loss but you can at least accept it and try to move on because there are many people around you who care for you and you matter to them a lot." He took a step closing the distance between them and held her shoulder looking into her eyes. Her red eyes met with his eyes who were floating with so much pain just like her.

"I know, Sumedh. I do. I know that I am surrounded by so many amazing people who love me so much. Avneet, Lisa, Siddharth, Ralph, my grandmother, Cassey and most importantly you." She stole a glance of him as she took his name.

"I really do. Trust me, I care for them too. I love Satvik also. But I can't stop this hollowness and pain from making its way in my heart. It will be always there. I wish I could just die on that day instead of our baby." Sumedh gasped, his eyes widening at her revelation.

"Don't dare to soeak such words. You are not leaving me. You are not going anywhere. Do you get that?" He snapped at her, his eyes turning cold and his grip on her shoulder tightened. She observed his movements before putting her head on his chest again.

"I won't. I won't go anywhere. I have done everything for you in my life. It has been always you. Do you know how much helpless I was feeling when I got to know that Paul kidnapped you? " She paused taking a breath.

"I was feeling so terrible. I have gone through the horrible torture under Paul. I have still remembered how they used to throw kicks and punches at me. They treated me like a crap. They beat me everyday without feeding me anything. They have done the worst things to torture me. And thinking about the fact that you would be going through the same, I couldn't control myself. It was a nightmare. A nightmare which is unforgettable.  And it was making me restless to know that you were trapped under those psychotic bastards who could kill you at any point.  I couldn't imagine the life without you. I can never forget anything but you need to know that I am not leaving you no matter what."

She looked up to meet his eyes which held mixture of emotions for her. There was silence for the next few minutes as they kept staring in each other eyes. There was no sound there except the chattering sound of rain hitting on the ground and the cold water puring on their skin.

"I am in love with you, Angel. I promise that I will never let anything happen to you." He whispered breaking the silence as he placed a kiss on her forhead.

"I am in love with you, Sumedh. I have loved you so much that I can't imagine a second without you." She whispered back and stood on her toes to connect her lips with his. He kissed her back and slowly discared the coat from his shoulder. As they kept kissing, he put the coat around her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her securely pulling her closer.

"Stop crying. We might not be parents but we are together in this game of fate. We are going to make it worthwhile." He stated after pulling away from her and rested his forhead against her. She nodded her head and smiled widely.

"Our Maleficent love." She said with feeble voice and shut her eyes tightly exhaling some air. He placed his lips on her again for another soft and sweet kiss.

"Our Maleficent love." He repeated after breaking the kiss and slided his hand across her shoulder pulling her by his side.

****

Kindly answer the questions at the end.

So yeah, it's not exactly happy ending since there will be always the sadness of not being parents in their life. You may hate me for it but I have done it because whether you deny or not, it's consequences of both their actions. I have given them the ending they deserve.Keeping aside the fact, I loved how this story ended.

Oh My God! I can't believe that I have finally finished this story. I literally started writing this story on 18th March, 2021 when I was 16 years old and now I have officially finished it on 12th June, 2023. Let me digest, I have basically written this story for god damn 2 years.

Specially to those readers who have been stuck with since the beginning and have been genuine with votes and reviews, you guys have my whole heart. Those who have been silent readers as well,  I am thankful to them as well. I can't express my gratitude through words aboit how glad I am to each and everyone for giving this story a chance and motivating me.

Not to mention, this story is probably the best example of how much I have developed in writing for the last 2 years. This story has witnessed my growth as a writer. This story has been an emotional roller coaster with all the events and twist taking turn in the story.  In fact, I will say that there might be potholes in the story. However, I am working on editing the story from the beginning. You guys are welcomed to check them anytime.

All the charecters of this book are very special. I have put so much efforts to show the charecters in their own ways pointing out their both positive and negative aspects.

Let me tell you a secret, I haven't exactly planned this plot when I thought about writing this story but I ended up writing this story in completely different way. And I am happy with the outcome.

Well now coming to the point, I am requesting all of you including the silent readers to answer the questions as reader. Don't avoid. It's a humble request from me. 🙏

1. A charecter you have loved most.

2. A charecter you have hated most.

3. A part of this story which you have loved most.

4. A part of this story which you have hated.

5. Favourite charecter besides the main leads

6. Favourite couple besides main lead.

7. Rate the story out of 10. (Honest)

8. A few words about the story. (Don't skip)🥺

9. Any questions about this story.

Last not but the least, those who have been silent readers and didn't vote or comment I am requesting them to at least vote on the chapters. I really want this story to reach 10k+ votes.

Also if possible, kindly share this story 🙏.