Flashback,

After the confession, Ved did not bring the topic again since Priya did not give any positive response to him.

Ved was still hoping one day Priya would accept his unrequited love.

Gradually, Ram and Priya started sharing an easy-going relationship. They never discussed Ved's topic again. Even though Priya cannot help but remember that day she saw the jealous version of Ram.

Never do they interfere between each other's personal space. Ram was taking care of Priya well and made things to her comfort as needed. He regularly checks on her health, takes care of her diet and medication. Whenever Priya makes fuss about having food, Ram ensures that she takes a proper diet. He even accompanies Priya to hospital visits as well.

Priya was still dealing with her morning nausea. Ram helps her with her chores whenever she has fatigue. Unlike before, her hesitations were calmed down by his gentle caring nature which she unknowingly admires. They started liking each other's company while staying under the same roof.

Priya just entered her third trimester. Sometimes, she feels discomfort in taking deep breaths or getting uncomfortable sleeping at night due to her bulge. Priya could feel the baby movements more frequently.

Needless to say, Priya got connected to her unborn child even after she tried hard to control her emotions. She knew that one day she would be separated from the child yet she could not contain her feelings for the baby.

Priya was unaware that Ram was watching her every movement. He knew that the growing mother child bond would put him in trouble later on and he cannot deny the fact that Priya would be his child's biological mother.

One morning,

Ram and Priya were having their breakfast.

"What's the plan for today?" Ram asked.

"Nothing much." Priya replied casually.

"Since you have nothing to do, would you like to come shopping today? We have not bought any clothes for our baby yet, so what do you say?" Ram asked curiously.

Priya scrunched her eyes in surprise when he said 'our baby'. But she knew one day Ram will separate the child from her. She thought that it would be better not to get attached to the child only to get hurt in the end.

"No Ram, I cannot join you. It's better if you shop for the child." Priya simply denied.

"What will you do all day sitting alone? For a change, come out shopping even if you don't want to shop for the baby. At least you can shop a few maternity dresses for yourself. I am sure most of the dresses are not fitting you anymore." Ram chukled slightly.

Priya raised her brows at his statement.

"I am sorry, I am just joking. Please, Priya, I insist." Ram requested.

Priya could not deny as she would definitely need to buy some comfortable clothes for her too.

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

In the shopping mall,

"Ram, I will be in that maternity section while you shop." Priya told him. Ram nodded and they went into different sections.

Priya was checking the apparel when she saw Ved in the men's section. Priya was surprised to see him after a long gap.

"Hi Ved." said Priya with a happy face.

Ved turned to her side hearing the familiar voice.

"Oh hii Priya, I am surprised to see you after a long time." said Ved cheerfully.

"Yaah, same here!" Priya smiled back. "Are you done shopping?" Priya asked.

"Not yet. I am not able to choose. Why don't you help me to select?" asked Ved.

Priya smiled softly at his statement.

Holding two shirts on either side of him, ved asked, "Tell me, which one would be good for me?"

Looking at both shirts for a moment, Priya said, "Blue one. I think this one would look great on you."

On the other side, Ram was busy in selecting a huge collection of baby clothes out of excitement. Though he wished Priya to be involved in this, he remained quiet. After a few minutes, he thought of checking on Priya once he was done with his shopping.

He made his way towards the maternity aisle pushing his cart. He looked around the complete section to get a glimpse of Priya but ended up doing rounds cluelessly.

At last, he stopped after hearing a familiar voice from the other section. He rushed to that section squinting his eyes wondering what Priya must be doing in the Men's section.

Moving a bit further, he found Priya talking to Ved and giggling at his replies. An adrenaline rush surged into his nerves sighting Ved and Priya together talking away to glory.

He silently watched them carefully moving a bit away from their sight. His blood boiled hearing their talk, his grip on the cart became tight.

"You know what, girls find me irresistible in blue. I have got so many compliments from a few." Ved raised his shoulders proudly.

"I think you feel the same, that's why you selected a blue shirt for me, isn't it?" Ved flashed a sly smile at Priya.

"Oh don't start flirting with me again, Ved. Try these lines with somebody else but me." Priya countered while moving towards the ladies section.

"But I want to flirt with you not anyone else." Ved said, following her.

"It's of no use I am telling you very clearly." Priya stated.

"I am trying my luck who knows you might fall for me one day." Ved said confidently.

Priya sighed in disbelief looking at Ved. She started looking for the apparels.

"Hey, look at this one." Ved said, placing a dress over Priya. "I think this would look great on you." Ved said.

Ram gritted his teeth as he could not stand watching them together anymore. He pushed his cart aside before walking towards them.

Ram stopped standing right next to Priya with his hands in both pockets. He cleared his throat trying to get her attention. Priya looked at Ram and could easily guess that he's definitely not in his right mood seeing his expressions.

"Priya, see this." Ved called Priya but got no response from her. Ved followed her gaze as she was looking at the other side of her.

There was an awkward silence between them for a moment. Priya was hesitant as she recalled the last incident when Ram went outrageous after watching her with Ved the other day.

"Ved, meet Mr Kapoor. And Mr Kapoor, he is Ved, my colleague." Priya introduced both men to each other.

Ved smiled and greeted Ram forwarding his hand for a handshake. Ram pulled out his hand from his pocket before joining hands with him. Ram plastered a tight smile on his face.

Ved looked at her confused, not knowing how Ram & Priya relate to each other.

"Are you done with your shopping?" Priya asked Ram.

"Not yet. How about we do the rest of the shopping together?" Ram asked her. He desperately wanted to take Priya away from Ved.

"Ok then. We will talk sometime later." Ved said after deciding to ask Priya about this man later on. Priya nodded and bid him bye before she joined Ram to continue their shopping.

Priya was throwing glances at Ram and noticed the change in Ram's behavior. She didn't know why she was getting affected by the recent changes in Ram. She did not have a clue why she was even caring about Ram's reactions.

They finished the rest of the shopping, payed the bill and drove back home.

The entire drive to home was quiet as both of them indulged themselves in deep thoughts.

One was struggling to name his feelings for what he felt a while ago and why it matters to him so much when Priya talks to some other man with so much comfort.

Other one was fidgeting with her own thoughts, why did she have to care about Ram's feelings? She's not bound to him yet she felt uncomfortable seeing the look in Ram's eyes whenever she was with her friend, Ved.

They stole glances from each other for the rest of the day not able to name their emotions towards each other.

**********

At night, Ram tried to divert his focus to his work dodging the disturbing thoughts.

He failed miserably at his attempts and ended up thinking about Priya.

He wondered why he was feeling like this. "I am being possessive towards her because she is carrying my child? Or is it something entirely different?" He was unable to come to a conclusion.

His mind bombarded with so many restless thoughts.

"What will happen after the child is born? Will they head separate ways? Will it still matter to him if Priya would be with another man after the delivery?"

It's only a matter of 2-3 months after that Priya would leave his life.

He felt edgy thinking about all of this. Ram closed his laptop and shut his eyes tightly. His heart and mind were having a battle inside that would never resolve unless these questions are answered.

********

Priya left the job since it was her last trimester.

Her daily routine was to go for a morning walk to the nearby park where she met a few ladies who come to the walk daily. She even joined Yoga sessions along with a few women. She would be back from her walk by the time Ram woke up. They have their breakfast together.

Priya was glowing with her heavy bump. She kind of looks prettier than before.

She became friends with a group of 4-5 women from her morning walk. The women got to know that Ram and Priya live in their home and no other elder people are there around them. Needless to say, Priya did not disclose any other information about the relation Ram & Priya share. Those people believe that Ram and Priya are a married couple and it's their first pregnancy.

One day, they came to home, Priya introduced them to Ram and the women advised Ram and Priya to celebrate the baby shower.

Ram & Priya looked at each other blankly and were tongue-tied not knowing how to deny. The ladies were persistent and made Ram agree for the baby shower.

Priya was surprised when Ram agreed for this. His recent behavior towards her was surprising her to the core. He has been nice with her all the time.

***********

As usual, Ram went to check on Priya before he slept. By the time he reached her room, she was fast asleep.

He stood there watching her from the entrance of the room. Involuntarily, he made his way inside the room. A soft smile crept on his face instantly seeing her sleeping peacefully. Cold breeze from the window made her tresses block his view.

Leaning a bit forward, he tucked her tresses behind her ear. In this process, she stirred in her sleep slightly making him jump in his skin. He stepped back without making any noise until she remained unmoved.

He wondered how his racing thoughts would come to halt whenever he looked at her like this. It seemed like he got the answers for all his unanswered queries. He realized at that very moment that she was the answer to all his probing thoughts. He was amused after realizing that only she could give him peace to his soul in the same way she's the only reason for his outrageous behavior. No one ever in his life before could make him feel like he was feeling.

Now that he understood, why he was feeling insecure whenever any third person comes in between them. Ram stood smiling to himself like an idiot for realizing his feelings for her.

It's not easy for him to name this whatsoever feeling, whether it was just infatuation or love. He needed time to make sure of the happenings. But whatever it might be, he felt good.

Once he was done ogling at the sleeping beauty, he retired to his room. He turned sides to catch some sleep but only to end up thinking about her. Whenever he closed his eyes, he could only see her smiling face. He scolded himself mentally for behaving like a teenager.

**********

Priya was reading a novel in her bedroom while eating her favorite badam from the bowl next to her.

"Priyaa!" Ram called her name, grabbing her attention.

She smiled at him while he was making his way towards her. She narrowed her eyes when she noticed him hiding something in his hands behind.

Closing the book, she adjusted her sitting position. "What are you hiding?" Priya asked as he stood opposite her.

Ram hesitated for a second before forwarding his hand towards her.

"This is a small gift to you from me! Please don't say 'No'. I would be happy if you wear this in the baby shower function today." said Ram nervously.

"Ram, I know this is a bit weird to conduct the baby shower in our case. It's all about the family getting together showering their love and blessing for the baby. Our case is entirely different so I tried my best but I am unable to make those ladies understand. I don't know how you are feeling about it." Priya said.

"You no need to feel bad about it. In Fact, I am happy that those people suggest to us about this ceremony otherwise I don't have any clue about these rituals." Ram assured her.

The next statement from him, took her in utter surprise.

"At the end, it's all for 'our baby'!" Ram said, smiling gently at her.

Before Priya could decrypt what he meant, he left from there keeping the packet in her hand.

"Our baby?" Priya repeated as she was unsure of what she heard.

In the evening, when the function started it turned out to be the great one including all the traditional instruments and music as per suggestion by the ladies. Ram invited everyone personally and the group of women along with their families attended the function.

A couple of women helped Priya to take bath with turmeric, rose petals and neem mixed water. Priya was dressed like a bride in Kanjeevaram saree along with the jewelry gifted by Ram. She was looking like a goddess in her attire.

Ram could not take his eyes off from her when Priya descended the stairs along with the ladies. His eyes glistened seeing Priya and her huge bulge.

She was mesmerized seeing the arrangements. The hall turned out to be a mini-function hall with all the flower decorations and lighting. The dais was all set up as well with a handicraft throne chair placed in the middle where Priya sat.

Before the function starts, one of the ladies applied vermillion on Priya's forehead, taking her in surprise.

Ram & Priya looked at each other out of astonishment for a brief moment. One by one, everyone blessed the baby and mother for their well-being.

The Function was going on a full swing when Priya's office colleagues too arrived. They started wishing Priya and presented gifts to her.

Ved also came along with the other office colleagues. Once everyone stepped down the dais after wishing Priya, he stood next to Priya and wished her before presenting his gift.

Most of the guests went for dinner as the function almost ended.

For Ved, everything seemed to be difficult to understand for him. Especially when his gaze fell on Ram who stood next to Priya like he's somebody very close to her.

Ram stared at Ved with a not-so-welcoming look. He did not like the fact that Priya invited Ved to the function.

Ved looked at Priya in a confused state. "He is the same person I met in the mall that day, right?" Ved asked Priya, pointing at Ram.

"Yes." Priya nodded positively.

"Who is he? You never mentioned him before." Ved asked impatiently yet in a low voice.

Ram could hear his voice. "Even Priya never mentioned about you!" Ram countered.

Ved frowned at the audacity of the person in front of him who was intentionally interrupting his talk with Priya.

"Priyaa!" Ved was impatient to hear from Priya.

Priya stood numb in between the two males who were literally shooting daggers at each other.

"Ved, it's a long story." Priya started only to get interrupted by Ram.

"Forget Priya, you will never get her." Ram told Ved earning a shocking gasp from Ved.

Priya stood gaping at Ram's comment.

Ved looked at Priya with his jaws dropped in utter shock and felt heartbroken as Priya did not open her mouth in his favor.

He felt betrayed as he was thinking that Priya was single. Never did she mention that there is somebody else in her life even when he flirts with her.

"Priya, what's going on?" Ved asked.

"Ved, don't misunderstand me. I can explain everything to you but not now." Priya requested him, keeping the surroundings in mind.

Ved quickly stepped down the dais not able to stand there anymore.

Ram followed Ved stopping him in his tracks. "Stay away from her. I will never let her leave my life." Ram warned him, plastering a tight smile on his face.

Ved looked at Ram angrily before saying, "Priya, once told me that her life is a mess and she doesn't know how to come out from that mess. Now, I understand what mess she was talking about that day." Ved provoked Ram, hitting the wrong nerve.

Priya was watching both of them from a distance. Ram gritted his teeth and his hand clenched into a tight fist.

Before Ram lost his temper, he was called on the dais for a photo session.

"I will see you next time." Warning Ved, Ram made his way towards Priya.

"What are you two talking over there? Are you guys fighting with each other?" Priya asked Ram as he stood next to her.

"Nothing." He simply said before posing for the camera.

"But..." Priya tried to speak further when the photographer called her.

"Ma'am, please look in this direction." Photographer asked.

Priya smiled awkwardly and nodded at the photographer.

"Come a bit close to each other." Photographer asked.

"Sure!" saying this Ram kept his hand around Priya's waist while moving close to her for a couple pictures.

Ved flinched seeing Ram getting close to Priya. Priya was startled by Ram's actions and could not process what's happening around her.

"What's wrong with him suddenly?" Priya thought.