Dedicated to everyone who waited patiently for the update, thank you for your continuous support .

One day later ..

Grief is not an alien emotion to Swara ,she remembers clutching Sanskar hands in a tight grip when he lost his parents back when they were kids ,he only allowed her near him for comfort .

She grieved along with him when his parents died in an accident , back then the grief had come from a place of love they grieved because they loved his parents and yet now again she was holding his hand but today the grief is vastly different.

Because they don't know the man in the casket , he may have been Sanskar bade papa all his life but he was also the man who harmed his mother ,no son will ever be able to forgive such person .

And in the corner she saw her sister holding her mother in law and crying for her who hadn't shed a tear since she found her husband body with the suicide note because no sister could grief the man who harmed his sister even if he happened to be her husband she was married to for years .

Laksh and Ragini were probably the only ones who truly mourned his death because they didn't know the truth , a fact Sanskar wants to keep as a secret .

" The truth won't help him Shona , I don't want to destroy his image of a father " Sanskar told her before Laksh arrived and now looking at his cousin who was truly upset she didn't know if Sanskar was right or wrong in his decision .

A flurry of activities caused her to look at the sight and saw Dida daughter making her way towards them ,she hadn't said anything the first time she met them probably because swara had been with Sanskar bade maa at the time .

Swara remembers meeting her few times when she was engaged to laksh ,she had been kind and good to her but now the expression in her face was deprived of it as her gaze held on to Sanskar locked hands with hers .

The flurry of activity had been Adharsh bhai and his father trying to stop her from approaching them ,swara didn't leave Sanskar side thought out the day and she expected it didn't sit well with his mother in law .

" Did you kill your bade papa as well ,the man who took in and raised you as his own . Or did you sent your girlfriend to do it for you " the voice filled with anger greeted them ,they were several gasps as people attention turned towards them .

" Enough Sujatha ,no more " Swara heard her husband speak as he dragged his wife away leaving them alone with Adharsh bhai who apologized for his mother outburst

" Go after your mother Adharsh ,she seems upset " was all sanskar said in a reply . And it was as if those words didn't affect him when she knew it did and that was what made her angry on behalf of him.

So when an hour later after the final rites most of the visitors left that she was surprised to see Asha grandmother approaching her again ,this time swara wasn't with Sanskar but rather her sister .

" Do you know everyone around him dies ,what do you think will happen to you once the killer learns about you " her voice lacked the initial anger but still there was more than a hint of hatred towards her Sanskar that Swara couldnt hold back her tongue anymore.

" So aunty it seems like you do remember it wasn't Sanskar who killed your daughter but rather a killer who has no conscience. I don't need to guess what will happen to me when she find out because I already know the answer considering she almost killed me twice . " Swara answered back and was surprised to see the shock in her face , she had expected Adharsh bhai to have told them her identity but apparently he hadn't yet .

" What do you mean beta " this time the question came from Asha grandfather who had followed his wife and overheard her statement .

" I will tell you everything dad " Adharsh bhai fortunately intervened and told his parents everything from the death of Swara parents to the threat to her life.

" Swara lost almost everything trying to save Sakshi mom and yet here you stand passing judgement because she loves Sanskar . " Adhash finished speaking and Swara attention drifted towards Sanskar and Laksh who had finally returned from meeting his bade papa lawyer .

" Adharsh " Sanskar spoke a single word but behind the word was an plea asking his friend not to take his side , that was the man she loves who rather get the brunt of the anger from Sakshi mom then arguing in his defense .

"No son,  it time my wife understands where we stand , we have been quiet so far because she was a mother who lost her child and because you wanted it but not anymore .

If we let her hatred for you consume her then what will happen to Asha when she grew up and learns my wife side of the story . We should have spoken up a lot earlier and it hadn't been fair for you to shoulder the blame " Sakshi dad spoke up leaving Swara surprised to see their support.

" Right Sanskar , it time my mom stop letting her grief cloud her judgement . " Adharsh joined in but his mother remained completely still that even Swara wondered if there would be yet another outburst .

" My daughter died because of him and his book " the words were uttered yet again making Sanskar flinch at the accusation yet again.

" Your daughter died because someone out there is crazy enough to do so , my parents died because someone out there is crazy enough to do so , I almost died twice because someone out there is crazy enough to do so .

It not because of Sanskar or his book , I understand the grief and anger it leaves behind when someone you love dies for no reason but I also know how much it will destroy you if you kept holding it all inside .

For once think not from your anger but from your heart and you will learn how your grief had been affecting every one around you , it may not be easy to do so but atleast try so you can move on as well " Swara spoke up as she walked towards Sanskar to take him away from that place because she had no intention of letting his listen to anymore of his mother in law harsh words .

********************

Sujatha remained silent as she starred around the faces who judged her for her words . She knew it wasn't fair to blame Sanskar but every time she saw him ,her grief clouds her judgement .

She remembers the funeral of her daughter where she lashed out at Sanskar ,and she knew how poisonous her words had been that was why she held on to her silence till now . 

Today seeing someone else in her daughter place made her go back in the promise she made to herself to not say a word because she knew everyone will side with him than her .

While she mourned her daughter, everyone were busy supporting him that she began to hold on to her anger against her son in law for everything .

   Sujatha had been tired of their excuses for him ,if he hadn't written that book her daughter would be alive ,how does everyone expect her to forgive such a transgression of him . 

      Even today her son and her husband were on his side rather than her , and then there was the new girl who was so blinded by her love for Sanskar ,she is quick to forgive him even when he had been the reason her parents died .

            She was tired of holding on to her anger ,she was tired of seeing his face  and she was tired of having her family against her and it needs to end before she goes mad . 

             It was why she approached him again with a gun that she took from Durga prasad office room ,she had known it was there because after their daughter died the man had taken to carry a gun with him for his safety . And yet he ended up dying by his own hand .

        She realized that she wants to  avenge her daughter's death . In her revenge induced mind she wasn't thinking straight ,Sanskar needed to die for her to be able to breathe again .

                 And he was with her , the girl who replaced her daughter. As she walked towards them , they both turned around and Sanskar had been the first to notice the gun as he tucked that girl behind him as if she had any intention of harming her except him .

               " Go inside Shona " he spoke up first as if he knew she was here for him. 

              " Don't do this ,whatever you are thinking please don't do this " that girl spoke up as she refused to move from his side .

             " Why does he get to live when my daughter is dead " Sujatha answered back in rage like never before and she didn't care that her voice got others attention as the remaining people in the house gathered around her .

              She waved the gun like a threat to keep them standing in their place and she kept waiving it against them when she heard them asking her to stop  

             " Everyone go back inside please, this is between us and I can't stand anyone getting hurt because of me  "her son in law spoke up as he pleaded with others but no one moved an inch from their place.

                But then there was a movement not away from Sanskar but towards him ,as one by one his family began to stand before him as an armour to protect him .

                  And her husband was the one who was in the front line as if daring her to get through him first , the sheer support for Sanskar probably drew her more crazy as she threatened everyone that she will harm herself if they didn't step away from Sanskar .

                       It didn't make them move but her son in law stepped away from the crowd and walked towards her as if he was willing to pay the price, they tried to hold him back .

                    " Not one more death on my account " he said to them as he walked towards her ,she wanted to pull the trigger and drive a bullet  into his heart and she wanted to have her revenge except she couldn't do it after all .

                        As the gun slipped from her hand ,she broke down for the anger she built up against the only person who refused to let her die today by her own hands . 

                       Her anger slipped away when he had walked towards her rather than let her get harmed , his arms had been the first to approach her for comfort as well as he kept saying sorry as if her actions were his fault as well .

                She had been to blind by rage that she didn't really hear what other were saying ,once she let go of the anger . She remembered the promise she made him on the day of his wedding that she would think of him as her son like Adharsh  .

               Her broken promise made her realize the truth behind everyone words that she was walking on the wrong path . Because once she really listened to her heart like the girl said ,then she realized how Sanskar had always been her family even if she temporarily forgot about it .

              " I am sorry son ,so sorry . It not your fault not any of it " She whispered the words finally as she opened up her heart to heal again from her daughter death .

P.S :" That it for now . Let me know your thoughts and feedbacks. Hit the votes if you liked it "

Juanita Reid