In Pune,

Ram's rude behavior and insensible words towards her made her head spin. Her head started throbbing badly thinking about the recent happenings.

Priya was unable to digest the fact that Ram doesn't care about her feelings. The only thing that matters to him is his feelings. When she looked back into her life and retrospect, all she could identify was that everything that happened around was what Ram wanted.

Firstly, Priya was forced to undergo surrogacy because Ram wanted an heir, his own blood, his child.

Secondly, Priya wanted to leave soon after the delivery but stayed back because Ram made a deal with her again. Because he wanted her to stay back.

Thirdly, Ram proposed to her and she accepted his love. If she doesn't accept his proposal, what he must have done when things didn't go as per his wish?

Then, Priya wanted to marry Ram but he didn't want to get married. How much Priya has been trying, he's been denying on this matter since beginning because this is what he wanted?

The list goes on and on....

Priya couldn't think straight. Darkness clouded her brain and heart. Lone tears started to spill out of her eyes, she couldn't move her muscles when she realized what's happening with her.

Her mothers' words started ringing in her ears loud and clear.

"Ram doesn't love you; he is just using you for his wants. Open your eyes! Don't be a puppet in his hands, Priya. Don't!"

This was what her mother said when her mother called her last time.

Priya recollected the moment when she didn't have an answer for any of her mothers' questions. Surely, those questions were thought-provoking but she chose to go on a denial mode and put a stop by disconnecting the call. She doesn't have any concrete answers to defend herself, her relationship with Ram.

Ram doesn't even think a split second about her feelings. He just rants out his anger and frustration on her without even caring about her state of mind.

Priya recollected how Ram warned about snatching Pari away from her if anything happens to Pari's well-being.

Ram still kept the contract papers intact even after they were in a relationship. He still talks about his sole rights on Pari, he still keeps saying Pari is HIS child alone.

She couldn't even bear the mere thought of being used by Ram and his wants.

Priya couldn't imagine how Ram would react about her pregnancy. What if he doesn't want another kid? He doesn't even want to marry me. Will he ask me to abort the child? What if he try to come up with another deal for this kid?

These thoughts itself were beyond scary to her. She began to caress her belly involuntarily.

Priya arched her head slightly backwards and rested on the headrest.

A fresh pool of tears formed in her eyes, clouding her vision.

The entire retrospection of her life was beyond painful for her. Priya made a hard decision for her whole life. She doesn't know if she can handle it anymore.

"Priya, ma'am!!!" a loud voice brought her senses back.

Sunita called her name multiple times and when she didn't get any response from Priya. She called Priya in high pitch.

"Huh!" Priya quickly wiped away her tear stains and looked at the source of the voice.

"Ma'am, are you alright? Pari has been crying for a couple of minutes." Sunita said, picking up Pari from the cradle.

"I was just..." Priya realized that she's lost in the sea of thoughts.

"Give her to me, I will take care." Priya said, extending her arms.

"It's okay, Ma'am. You can take some rest; you look very tired." Sunita said with a concerned tone.

"Yes, you are right. I am really tired...of everything." Priya smiled faintly.

Sunita didn't quite understand what's wrong with her Ma'am today.

"I will take care of Pari. Please take some rest." Sunita smiled warmly at Priya.

Sunita patted on Pari's back, pacifying her.

"Thank you Sunita for taking good care of Pari and for everything you have done for us." Priya smiled gently but her smile was not reaching her eyes this time.

Sunita did not understand why Priya was talking differently today. She replied, "You are most welcome."

Sunita left from there taking Pari along with her. Priya stood up and kept looking at Pari helplessly as Sunita took her.

Priya locked the door from inside and collapsed on the floor, resting her back to the door.

She couldn't hold back anymore and started sobbing badly. Bringing her knees closer to her chest, she cried her heart out.

Moments passed, she didn't even realize how long she sat there and weeping.

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

On the other side,

Ram realized that he was rude and insensible with Priya due to whatever reasons. He dialed Priya's number and got a switched off tone.

"Uff! Priya must be angry with me. I should directly meet and apologize to her." Ram said to himself.

Natasha knocked Ram's door and he looked at her.

"Come inside, choti. How are you feeling now?" Ram asked, walking towards her.

Natasha entered inside his room and stood in front of him.

"I am better now but I want to apologize to you for my behavior. I was blinded by Abhishek's fake love and did not realize what I was doing to you and Priya." Natasha was genuinely apologetic for her behavior.

She couldn't meet her eyes with her brothers'.

"Choti, it's okay. Don't feel bad about it. It's good that you got to know the truth but don't ever take any wrong step like hurting yourself. You can't imagine how horrified we were." Ram said, taking her hands in his.

"I am sorry, bhai. I won't ever do anything like this, trust me." Natasha said, hugging her brother tightly while letting her tears fall freely down her eyes.

Ram rubbed her back gently, assuring her everything will be alright.

Parting away from the hug, Natasha said, wiping away her tears. "Bhai, please take Priya and Pari home. I can't wait to see you guys getting married. I want to see my niece and play with her."

"I am going back to Pune tomorrow and will be back with Pari and Priya." Ram smiled and he felt light hearing this from Natasha. He felt good that everything was going to be alright now.

***********

Moments later, Sunita took Pari along with her and stood outside Priya's room. She twisted the knob of the door only to realize that the door was locked from inside.

"Priya ma'am" Sunita called her but no response.

"Can you please feed Pari? She must be hungry now." Sunita called her again.

Priya didn't move an inch for a long time. She sat there behind the door, muffling a cry.

Sunita felt a bit odd when Priya didn't open the door even after calling her a couple of times.

She banged on the door when she got a little worried.

"Ma'am, are you okay?" Sunita asked, in a high-pitch tone when getting no response from the other side.

Priya had to speak up otherwise Sunita would not have left from there.

Pari too started crying in a high-pitched tone. Sunita started to rock Pari in her hands trying to make her stop crying.

"Sunita..." Priya responded.

"I am not feeling well. Can you please feed bottled milk to Pari?" Priya asked in a feeble voice.

"Oh, okay. You take care of yourself, ma'am. I will look after Pari, don't worry." Sunita responded and turned to leave from there.

Sunita couldn't understand why Priya's behavior was odd today.

Priya couldn't sleep the entire night as she was not able to decide whether she's doing right or wrong.

***********

Next morning in Pune,

Priya was packing up her suitcase. Her heart was aching inside but she chose to leave from there. Somewhere far from Ram.

"I have had enough. I cannot let him ruin my life anymore." Priya kept telling herself this over and over.

Would I be able to forget everything that had happened and move on? Most importantly, how can I stay away from Pari? Priya gasped.

She would have taken Pari along with her but she has no right to do so. After all, Pari is Ram's kid alone as per the contract and as per Ram also that's what he keeps reminding her all the time.

This would probably be the last moments with Pari. She quickly went to Pari's crib where she was playing on her own.

Priya's vision blurred, trying to imagine the fact of being away from her beloved daughter. With shaking hands, she took Pari in her arms and sat on the bed.

Priya couldn't contain much longer, she started sobbing badly. Tears having no intention to stop and the pain in her chest would never ease. It was a lot harder to go away from Pari than she imagined.

Crying continuously, Priya showered Pari with a bunch of kisses. She held her possessively, weeping badly. "I am sorry my Pari. I am so sorry..." Priya cried bitterly. This would be the last time that she would touch her daughter, hold her in arms, hear her sweet giggles and the chance to be by her side.

"I am sorry, Pari. Mumma has to leave you." Tears kept on falling from her eyes. Her eyes were swollen due to continuous crying.

"Pari, I could only give birth to you but I can't raise you. Please don't hate mummy for doing this. I have to do this, I am sorry." Priya said with a croaked voice as she gently held her palms. "Mumma loves you very very much, my princess. You will always be my special baby but I have no right over you. I can't stay here any longer. Mumma has to leave from here."

"I am blessed to have a daughter like you, Pari. You brought colour to my life. Your laughs make me happy and your cries make me cry too." Priya said as she kissed on her forehead.

"I wish things could have been different. I want to always be around you. I guess I don't have the opportunity to do that, do I?" Priya wiped her tears. "Pari when you grow up, be a nice person. Be happy. Be strong and never let anyone take advantage of you."

She embraced Pari in a hug and cried. "You will always be my Pari and only my Pari. I love you. You will always be my princess, my angel and my dearest daughter."

Pari was staring at her mother curiously. Seeing Priya crying, Pari too started crying badly.

"Don't cry, baby, please!" Priya patted gently on Pari's tummy.

Priya decided to feed Pari one last time before she leaves.

As soon as Pari's lips touched her nipples, she felt overwhelmed and tried to suppress her sobs.

Pari stopped crying by holding Priya's finger in her tight fist.

After feeding Pari, Priya wiped her lips and hugged her to the heart.

Priya looked at the time and got up from the bed. "It's time for mumma to go now." Priya said, looking at Pari in her hands.

"Goodbyes are always easy, especially when you don't know when we will meet again."

"Bye Pari. Mumma loves you a lot but I don't have any other option other than this." She kissed her one last time before placing Pari back in the crib who was fast asleep.

**********

Priya headed downstairs with her luggage bag. She was heading outside. It was raining heavily outside. She has set her approach and now she was not going to step away from her decision.

Sunita saw Priya with the bag and walked towards her. "Are you going somewhere, ma'am?" asked Sunita.

"Yeah!" Priya simply nodded.

Sunita didn't understand but remained silent as she didn't have any clue about Priya's decision to leave. Before leaving, Priya turned to Sunita and said, "Please take care of Pari." She said and started walking away.

She headed to the door and clutched the door handle.

"Goodbye." Priya said.

Sunita doesn't have the audacity to stop Priya and ask her where she was going. After all, she doesn't go into their bosses' personal life.

There was a taxi waiting for her when she opened the door. She got inside the car and held herself back strongly trying not to cry.

After travelling for a few minutes, the driver had to call her multiple times to tell her that they had reached the destination.

Priya pulled herself back from the ocean of thoughts.

After paying the bill, Priya stepped out of the car and walked inside the house before ringing the bell.

Someone has opened the door for her, and stood clueless seeing Priya in such a vulnerable state.

Her eyes were red & swollen and her face was pale.

"Priya?" asked Ved with a clueless expression.

*********

Ram was returning back to Pune to meet Pari and Priya. He couldn't contain his excitement that finally he could sort out the issues and misunderstandings with Priya.

He felt very happy since Natasha also has no problem with Priya now.

Ram decided to discuss with Priya about their marriage. He desperately wanted to take Pari and Priya to Kapoor Mansion.

Little did he know what happened on the other side.

******* Flashback ends *******