Days passed quickly, Priya entered eight month of pregnancy and gradually she was gaining weight along with swelling of hands and feet. Since she was in the final trimester of her pregnancy, Ram and Priya were taking all precautions as this period was very crucial for the baby. Priya was having trouble breathing and sleeping at night.

One day, Ram went to check on Priya to take her to a regular checkup.

"Hi," Ram said while entering her room.

"Hi, just give me five minutes. I am almost done." said Priya, huffing slightly while holding her bulge.

"Easy. Take your time." said Ram, walking towards her.

His gaze fell on the water droplets dripping from her wet hair. Taking the hair dryer in his hand Ram said, "Mind if I help?"

Ram looked at her expectedly. Priya opened her mouth to deny his help but could not refuse looking into his eyes. Ram smiled brightly when Priya nodded her head positively.

Ram made her sit in front of the dressing table. Taking a few strands of hair he started drying her hair with the hair dryer. Priya watched him through the mirror, how engrossed and delicately he was helping her. Priya stuttered when Ram's fingertips touched her neck during the process. They both look into each other. Priya somehow felt hypnotized when their eyes met.

She was lost in her own chain of thoughts until his voice brought her back to her senses. "Done." said Ram, placing the dryer aside.

"Oh! Thank you." Priya thanked him.

After some time, Ram and Priya went to the hospital.

In the Doctor's Cabin,

The Doctor checked Priya's weight and BP before taking her inside the room for the complete check-up. After a while, Ram was called inside the room for an ultrasound examination. The Doctor then moved the transducer on Priya's belly while looking at the monitor.

Ram and Priya's eyes moistened seeing the monitor screen. Unlike before ultrasound sessions, this time they could clearly see the body parts and the movements. Words had failed to come out of their mouth, due to the overwhelming emotions. Ram involuntarily entwined his hand with Priya's and gave a light squeeze, smiling with content. Priya's mind was all clumsy and occupied with so many thoughts.

As soon as Ram left after the ultrasound, Priya stopped the Doctor when she was about to leave as well. "Doctor," Priya called while sitting on the bed after adjusting her saree.

"Yes Priya? Is there anything you want to ask?" asked the Doctor, sensing the hesitancy in Priya.

"Doctor, the thing is...I am ... producing milk..." Priya finally said. The Doctor smiled at her gently before saying. "It is completely normal Priya. There is nothing to be worried about as it is a sign that your body is gearing up for the delivery."

"You will have your baby in your arms, within a few days. Isn't that exciting?" The Doctor asked keeping her hand on Priya's shoulder. Priya looked up, smiling nervously while nodding her head hesitantly. She didn't know how to react to the situation.

"Only a few days and my baby would be in my arms!" She repeated the statement in her mind.

"Is it ever going to happen?" Priya smirked at the irony of the situation. "Would I even get a chance to look at my baby?" These thoughts stirred up in her head making her suffocate.

After a while Ram and Priya sat opposite to the Doctor. Looking at Ram and Priya the doctor said, "The baby has a healthy heart rate and all the vital organs are completely fine."

Ram and Priya looked happy hearing this.

The Doctor continued looking at Priya, "You both have already mentioned that you want to go for normal delivery but I think it would be difficult in your case as the baby is a bit healthy. You might have to go for a caesarian."

As soon as hearing the Doctor's words, Priya instantly glanced at Ram who was equally shocked. He realized he had put Priya's life in jeopardy due to his selfishness. He could not meet her eyes as guiltiness creped upon him.

Priya on the other hand took a deep breath before facing the doctor. She closed her eyes tightly and blurted out "I will go for the normal delivery no matter what."

The doctor was surprised to see her courage. "We will try our best for the normal delivery."

Ram was equally surprised and stared at her blankly not knowing what to say. After some time they left the hospital after taking the prescribed medicines.

The way back home passed in silence. Ram was occasionally glancing at her trying to read her expressions while Priya fixed her gaze nowhere in particular. She did not utter a single word since they left the hospital. Ram chose to give her some space.

After a few minutes, Ram stopped the car and waited for a moment before saying "Priya" His voice pulled her from the trance.

"Huh!" Priya turned her face to look at him blankly. "We have reached home." Ram said.

Priya noticed her surroundings only to realize that they had reached home.

"I haven't realized." Priya said, unbuckling her seat belt.

"Priya, do you want to share anything?" Ram asked with a guilty-ridden face.

Priya exhaled sharply before masking her unsettling thoughts with a gentle smile on her face. This smile did not reach her eyes. Ram could feel it though he had hardly seen her smiling whole-heartedly. Probably, he was the reason why she lost her angelic smile which makes everyone fall for her.

He would have felt a bit better if Priya scolded him or vented out her anger for his selfish deeds. But, her smile indeed makes him remorseful for what he did with her life.

"Priya, I am sorry." Ram could not hold back to apologize to her.

"I am hungry, let's go inside." Priya said simply while stepping out of the car. Ram was taken back with her casual behavior. Ram followed her inside the house.

"Sunita, please serve lunch." Priya said while washing her hands. Sunita nodded and started arranging the table. Ram sat next to Priya trying to talk to her "Priya, I am feeling miserable. Please say something."

"What is there to talk about?" Priya shrugged off her shoulder clearly not interested to talk about anything.

"Priya, I don't know how to say this but I am really feeling very sorry. I have put your life in a risky situation for my selfish needs." Ram said with suppress, still not having the courage to look at Priya, directly.

"Why are you sorry now?" asked Priya, making him numb.

"Ram, there was a time when I used to cry my eyes out, asking myself what I did wrong to deserve such fate. I was depressed, sad, angry and confused with my life. I had no idea which direction I was going ahead. All these feelings used to hurt me a lot but not anymore. I have learnt to accept my life like the way it is. I am rigid now and nothing more could hurt me any longer." Priya said before pressing her lips together.

Ram was speechless and sat there staring at her blankly.

They had lunch together in silence and this silence was killing him badly.

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

In the evening, Priya fell asleep on the couch while watching the movie.

Ram, who just came out of the study, saw her sleeping on the couch in an uncomfortable position.

Walking up to her, "Priya, wake up." Ram called her, jerking her hand slightly for a couple of times.

"No Ram, let me sleep here." replied Priya in her drowsy state with her eyes closed.

"No Priya, you will get body aches if you sleep like this. You better sleep on the bed." Ram said but Priya did not budge.

"Ram, I have no energy to go to my room. You go and sleep, I will come up later." said Priya with her eyes half-closed.

"Ok, then I will take you to the room." Ram tried to pick her in his arms.

"Ram, it's okay, let me sleep here only." Priya said, trying to open her heavy eyelids.

"I can understand so let me help you." Without giving her a chance to deny, he picked her in his arms. She was heavy in his arms and he was strong enough to hold her." He smiled at the way she drifted into deep slumber.

"Probably, this is due to her medication." He thought.

Ram looked at her bumb as he could feel his baby movements as soon as her bulge touched his chest.

He walked towards her room carefully so as not to disturb her deep slumber. Gently placing her on the bed, he looked at her intently.

"I wish I could tell you what I feel for you. I am just afraid of how you would react to my confession. All I want to do is to take the utmost care of you and our baby. Allow me to give you all the love and happiness you deserve in life. I love you, Priya. I hope I will tell you this directly." Ram smiled, watching the sleeping beauty.

Next morning Ram left for Mumbai as there was an emergency in the Kapoor Industries. Before leaving he gave loads of instruction to Priya.

Ram became so busy as soon as he reached Mumbai. Some unforeseen situations kept him engaged completely. All these days Ram was with Priya, accompanying her and making her feel secure but now with the sudden disappearance made Priya anxious. She was desperately waiting for his call and waiting for him to return as quickly as possible.

She hasn't realized when his presence started to matter in her life. He became a part of her daily routine, her day starts and night ends with him.

With his sudden absence surely created a void, this feeling started worrying her mind. She was surprised with herself. She was supposed to hate him for all her life but then why did his mere absence made her heart restless already.

After long hours of meeting Ram came back to his cabin fully exhausted and the first thing he did was to take out the mobile to call Priya. But seeing the time he changed his decision. He closed his eyes while resting his head backwards on the headrest.

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

In the Kapoor mansion, the incident was different. KK was furious and not at all pleased by Ram's actions. He was giving a guest appearance to his own family. It's been months since he had come home.

"Ram, what are you doing with your life?" KK asked, looking disappointed with her son.

"What happened, Maa?" Ram asked.

"Don't act as if you don't know what I am talking about?" KK asked, glaring at him with her hands crossed across her chest.

"Maa, please don't start again." Ram said, dumping himself in the sofa.

"Surrogacy is not the way, Son! You are hurting other people for your own gain. You are going to separate the child from the mother. Please Ram; try to understand from a mother's point of view. No mother would be able to survive being separated from her own kid." KK reasoned.

"Maa, please understand that I can't answer your questions right now. But trust me that I will not do anything bad to anyone. I will take care of everything. Keep that faith in me. Don't stress yourself over anything." Ram explained KK.

KK exhaled deeply feeling helpless.

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

Ram's hands cupped Priya's face in place pulling her head towards him as their lips touched for an earth-shattering kiss. He could feel her slim fingers in his hair in the back of his head as he sucked her lower lip and she nibbled his upper lip. Both are kissing each other feverously as the passion ignites in them. They kiss, kiss and kiss until they are satisfied. His day-old stubble tickled against her skin as he lowered his head to shower the wet sloppy kisses on her neck.

Priya pulled his head in the crook of her head feeling the sensations he was generating in her body. Priya moaned sharply as Ram bit her sensitive skin on the juncture of her neck.

"Raammm!" She moaned with desperation. Her sexy voice aroused the deepest and darkest desires in him.

A harsh tone started ringing in his ears making him flinch his face with utter irritation. He opened his eyes only to realize that it was just his dream and nothing else. He cut the incoming call from one of his staff.

Ram was dreaming about Priya. He touched his lips and blushed profusely. He could not wait to see her and he was already missing her badly.

He never hated reality before like the way he did now. He could just be in that dream close to his love, his Priya. He decided that he would not just live in the dreams but make them real. It might not be any easy task for him to make Priya fall in love with him after all, what he did to her but he doesn't want to lose his hope, only hope of his life till now.

He never ever felt this way with any of the girls whom he met in his entire life. So many girls were ready to ponder themselves on him but no one has that ability to grab his attention. Let alone paying attention, he did not even spare a glance at those people.

Not caring at the time, he dialed Priya's number desperate to hear her sweet voice. His heart started racing and within a couple of rings only, Priya picked up his call.

"Hi" Priya answered the call.

"Hey" Ram said. "How are you?"

"I am good. How is everything over there?" Priya asked, resting her back on the backrest.

"Fine. Did you not sleep yet? It's midnight." Ram asked.

"Not yet. The little one is troubling me." Priya said, caressing on her belly.

"The little one must be missing me." Ram chuckled.

"Probably." Priya laughed slightly.

"What about the big baby?" Ram almost whispered to himself.

"Sorry, did you say anything?" Priya asked, unable to understand what he whispered. Ram scratched his temple, biting his lips.

"No, nothing. What did you do today?" Ram asked, diverting the topic and they spoke to each other for a long time speaking on random things.

Probably, the first time they are speaking this long over a phone call.

"Well! There's always a first time for everything."

Ram was talking about something when he did not get any response from the other side.

"Priyaa?" He called her name.

No response from her. She was fast asleep already.

Realizing that she slept while talking, Ram smiled and said softly, "Good night, dear."

He cut the call and blushed looking at her display picture.

Within a few minutes, his eyes gave up and he too peacefully drifted into deep slumber.

P.S - Ignore the mistakes, as there was a difficulty in editing and posting this update.

Hope you enjoy reading this!