He hadn't harmed Mayur. The indescribable trust I had upon him was proved correct. I stared at him as he was playing with Riddhi, sweet smile adoring his face.

"He is fond of her," Buba commented. I passed her, hesitating smile. I wanted to inquiry something. About my mother! Would she know about her? According to the memories I had recollected, she was not in a good condition. She used to work for us, exhaust her body with numerous kind of work. I could recollect her coming late at home, there was no memory of my father.

"Do you know about my mother? My biological mother?" I stared at her with hope. She stared at me for a minute before providing with a small nod.

"She really cared about you," Buba mumbled. "She often used to come and glance at you from a distance. She seriously couldn't afford your expenses. She used to live on streets and had gone through various torture which she didn't wanted to gift you with..." Buba muttered. "She wanted you to live a better life compared to hers," she pressed.

I nodded attempting to hold back my tears. "What was her name?" I choked, I couldn't even remember her name.

"Gayatri... Gayatri Shinde," she mumbled. I was lost in thought before my orbs averted to the locket adoring my neck. "This is of your father," she ended, staring at the pendant as well.

•••

"You had played for an hour." I glared at Riddhi pleading orbs. "Now, it's time to go inside and complete your homework." I gestured Swara to take the stubborn Riddhi inside.

"She is already despised the idea of school," Diya commented on glancing at Riddhi's sad face.

"She had asked for it," Mr Oberoi commented sitting beside me in the lounge. He was groaning in pain. His orbs closed as he was leaning on the arm-rest.

"And you have exhaust yourself," I passed a glare in his direction. "Why couldn't you deny her?"

"She would have forced you to joint her. And you're not in a condition to pressurize yourself." He commented not sparing a glance in my direction.

"But you were asked to take rest," I argued. "Doctor had warned that those wounds hadn't healed yet," I pressed. "If things kept going in this manner those stitches would open," I stopped when I glanced at him standing from the seat. He passed a glance at Diya who was smiling at us.

"Was she always such a headache?" Mr Oberoi inquired glancing at Diya for an answer. Diya laughed nodding her head in agreement while I groaned at her reaction. I was a headache! "She wasn't back than," Mr Oberoi mumbled softly, his orbs averting to my direction.

"She was always my source of peace," he muttered as he leaned towards my face and pressed a kiss on my forehead. And soon he walked into the mansion. It took me a minute to process the happening, I shook my head as I glanced at Diya. Trying to grab hold of my racing heart and my nervous spirit.

Diya passed a smile in my direction, "you're finally fitting in their world." She commented while I frowned at her statement. I never wanted to hear it! I was never part of this world. I belonged with Diya, with my parents.

"I am not," I groaned at the thought of it. "I despise this world!"

"You used too," Diya commented. "You no longer do!"

"Diya please don't start on the topic." I passed her a glare, "I don't want to upset myself by starting an argument with you."

"Neither do I!" She shrugged her shoulder. "But you need to accept the truth! Accepting it will cause less harm than denying it!" She pressed, staring straight at the open field around us. Those greenery surrounding us. Different from the darkness waiting for me inside the mansion.

"I had never opted for this life, Diya." I continued not sparking a glance in her direction. "I don't have strength to argue with you as you often turned out to be correct. I hadn't expected the betrayal I received from Mayur." I paused, "the truth of my identity had knocked me down. I had no courage left to fight, I have only one goal to survive." I glanced at my raising bump. "For the child shaping in my womb and for the child that consider me as her mother. And my stay over here isn't my choice but my only option. People out there want to harm me and harming me will mean, harming my child. And if a harm touches my baby, I won't be able to forgive myself."

"So maybe I had accepted the darkness but not by choice but for my survival." I glanced at her, a sad smile playing on my lips. "For my child survival!" I shook my head, "please bear that in your mind." I commented as I stood from the sofa and made my way inside the mansion.

•••

Days kept flying by, two months had passed by, the last time I had glanced at Mayur. I hadn't mentioned about him neither to Ronald nor Mr Oberoi. While strolling around I had heard the conversation between the two guard. According to them, he had never forgiven any of his victim.

They were of a view that maybe Mayur was fortunate that Mr Oberoi spared his life. He was allowed to breath but wasn't allowed with his freedom. He was held captive between this huge walls of the mansion. Just like me! I was one of the captive of Mr Oberoi, offered with few freedom.

"Why didn't dad came?" I passed a fake smile at my mother. She was staring at the large mansion with a fear and amazement.

"This used to be Kapoor mansion?" Shock was visible in her orbs. She had being an admirer of their movies and their acting. The Kapoor were famous in the film industry. Their family had ruled Bollywood for numerous years. I provided her with a small nod.

Ma smiled as she grabbed a seat in the living area. Her orbs kept admiring things around the area. "How does it feel to be living in such a huge mansion?" She inquired, staring at me with hope. "Diya was telling that you're getting comfortable around here." She passed a glance at Diya, "you are really happy?" Ma was staring at me with hopeful gaze, waiting for my response.

"I am getting used to it," I commented avoiding to glance in those concerned orbs. "Why didn't Papa accompanied you?"

Ma passed a sad smile, "he had work to attend." Mom was lying, her face was screaming it.

"He has never being busy when it was about me." I commented, staring straight into her orbs.

"He couldn't must up courage to face you." Ma paused for a moment. "Diya told about the truth," she hesitated before continuing. "Mayur's intention behind marrying you. Your papa is burning in guilt. He had always thought it was the best decision for you." Ma passed a sad smile, "he kept repeating that he spoiled your life."

"He didn't!" I defended. "He hadn't forced me to marry him."

"But he wanted you to marry him. Maybe the final decision was yours yet he can't stop blaming himself for choosing Mayur for you." Ma stopped, her orbs brimming into tears. "You're pulled into the mess due to him. You're involved with the dangerous human. Yours and your baby is in constant danger and it's due to Mayur's foolish decision to drag you into this mess." Ma was fuming in rage.

"We can't blame Mayur for this mess," I corrected her. I wasn't sure why Diya provided her with half information but I wanted to clear her confusion. "Maybe I would have being dragged into the mess even if Mayur wasn't involved." I paused waiting for her reaction. "My past is connected to Mr Oberoi, we were in same orphanage."

Mom frowned but nodded after a minute. "They want to get to Mr Oberoi by getting to me." I paused for a minute, "I was harmed twice during my stay in Kerala. Mr Oberoi brought me here so I could be protected from those attacks."

Ma didn't respond but kept staring at me. Her face turning soft, those tension sliding away for a moment. "You were correct," she glanced at Diya. "She had got comfortable among them." My mood had a sudden shift after hearing the comment but before I could react, a voice interrupted our conversation.

"Why won't she? It has always being her home." Buba moved her wheelchair forward, I was going to help her but Diya gestured me to seat as she moved towards her and pulled the wheelchair towards us.

"I heard about your arrival and I couldn't stop myself from greeting you." Buba passed a smile at ma. "I hope, I hadn't interrupted in the conversation."

"No!" Diya answered on behalf of us. "We are family, isn't it?" She smiled at her. I didn't adore the closeness Diya was getting towards the Oberoi family. I was scared that it might harm her.

"Obviously, you're like my daughter." Buba cupped her face and pressed a kiss on her forehead. Ma was staring at the exchange with confusion written on her face. Buba smiled at mother. "I hope you remember me," she paused for a minute. "I was the owner of the orphanage."

As the realisation came upon ma, she passed a smile before glancing in my direction. She wasn't comfortable, starting with the conversation. Scared about my reaction! I just passed a smile.

"You took care of her," Buba commented.

"She is my daughter and I will take care of her." Ma seemed offended with the statement. "I had come here to take her back home. She is almost going to turn 9 month. She needs her mother's presence beside her." Ma pressed, staring at Buba with hope. "I hope as a mother you will understand my concern."

"I have no opposition to her stay in your house but I am not the one to decide." Buba completed, "it's her husband rights!"

"She isn't married," Ma pressed. "And stop spreading fake narrative! People are questioning her character. Labelling her with names!" Mom orbs were fuming in rage, anger.

"We will be getting married soon," a deep authorative voice came from the corner. My orbs enlarged in surprise as Mr Oberoi descended from the stairs. His orbs were fixed on my mother not sparing a glance at anyone present in the hall. "I hope than you won't have any problem with her stay in this mansion."

Ma took a minute to grab her posture. "She isn't getting married to a criminal!"

My mother was a very patient lady, she was always calm. She had the patience to handle a situation with calmness quite contrary than my father. He was impulsive in nature, fuming in anger at slightest reason. I had never seen her lossing her calm much in life.

"Ma," I moved towards her. She needed to calm down!

"I won't ever allow this marriage to take place. I won't allow my daughter to be married to a criminal."

"Maybe you have forgotten that she isn't your daughter but you have adopted her." Mr Oberoi smirked at her upset features.

"She is my mother," I defended her. "She had being in times when I needed her the most. She had brought me up, provided me with the education. She will always be my mother. She has the right to decide for my future."

"So, you want to leave?" Mr Oberoi raised a brow in question. "You want to go and stay with them?"

I couldn't muster the answer. I wanted to say yes but the look in his orbs was stopping me. As if those black orbs were pleading with me to say, no. To stay behind! Urging me to not leave him behind but the smirk playing on his lips were challenging me as if he was certain that I won't leave him. I wanted to defeat his ego. I wanted to wipe that smirk off his face.

"I want to," I stared at him. But rather than fuming in rage, he smirked. As if he had expected that answer from me. I groaned in defeat, he was so hard to read.

"I will also accompany you as I can't leave my beloved would be wife and child alone." He mumbled taking a step towards me.

"No need..." I passed him a glare.

"Choice is always yours, love." He passed a mocking smile. "You get to decide stay over here or I am following you to their place." His orbs locked on me, staring at me with deep intensity. I lowered my gaze not able to glance at the intensity.

"Mom, I won't be able to come with you."