The next morning, the sun painted the sky with a gentle warmth as Priya woke up first. Restless thoughts had kept her awake through the night, she went to freshen up. Upon coming back and glancing at the clock, she gently stirred Peehu from her slumber.

"Peehu, it's time to wake up, baby" Priya woke her up.

Peehu, still in the embrace of sleep, sat on the bed, rubbing her eyes. Priya smiled at her and greeted, "Good morning, Peehu."

"Good morning, Mumma." Peehu hugged Priya.

Priya hugged her back and kissed on her forehead and stayed there for a while.

Moments later, "Peehu, hurry up. You will be late to school." Said Priya. Peehu lazily got out of the bed.

"Brush your teeth and use the washroom. Meanwhile, I will go and prepare breakfast." Priya said.

"Mumma, can I have aloo parantha in the breakfast today?" Peehu asked.

Priya couldn't deny her, "Sure. I will prepare." Priya agreed.

"I Love You, Mumma." Peehu exclaimed with joy.

After some time, Priya went to check on Aryan and Amaira after preparing breakfast.

Ram was helping Aryan and Amaira to brush their teeth and bathe them. In the bathroom, Ram was assisting the twins with their morning routine. Upon emerging, he glanced at Priya standing at the door, an unspoken tension lingering between them.

Ram turned to the kids and said, "Go to that room and mumma will get you dressed." Kids were in their undergarments.

"Papa, where are my new toys?" Aryan asked excitedly.

"Check in the hall." Said Ram.

Aryan and Amaira darted out of the room in search of their toys.

Avoiding Priya's gaze, Ram continued with the morning routine. Priya too left from there with the kids.

Aryan and Amaira held their new toys excitedly and went inside the room with Priya.

Priya was taking out their clothes while making them stand on the bed. Peehu was already dressed up in her school uniform.

Aryan grabbed his new football and started playing with it already. He kicked it hard making the other toys scatter around the room.

"Aryan, I already told you not to play football inside the house." Priya scolded him.

Aryan made faces.

Priya kept their clothes on the bed and made Amaira wear her clothes before coming to Aryan.

Aryan was moving here and there making it difficult for Priya.

"Aryan, stand properly." Priya scoffed. "Look at your sisters, they do not trouble much like you do." Said Priya clearly annoyed.

Despite the morning commotion, Priya successfully dressed Aryan and Amaira. Amaira clung to her Barbie, reluctant to part with it.

"Amaira, keep this aside." Said Priya, adjusting her headband.

"Mumma, I will take it to the school." Said Amaira.

"No baby, you cannot take it to the school. You can play in the evening, okay?" Priya replied.

"Okay. Peehu didi and I will play together." Amaira responded by placing her barbie back on the table.

Priya was so stressed thinking about the kids. They are far more attached to each other than she thought.

"Mumma, where are Nana and Nanu?" Amaira asked suddenly.

Caught off guard, Priya hesitated for a moment before offering a vague explanation, "They have some urgent work, so they left in a hurry."

"Without saying Goodbye to us?" Peehu was sad.

"When will they come back?" Aryan asked.

"Soon." Priya simply said.

"Mumma, when are we going to that big house?" Aryan asked.

Priya was not able to answer their questions.

Priya dodged the topic and said, "Let's go and have breakfast, we are getting late to the school." Said Priya while taking the kids to the breakfast table.

Ram was seated in the Sofa while scrolling through his office emails in his mobile.

"Papa, come." Aryan ran to his father and grabbed his hand to take him to the breakfast table.

On the breakfast table,

Priya was serving aloo parantha's to the kids.

Aryan and Amaira are not a fan of parantha's.

"Mumma, I want pancakes." Asked Amaira.

"I want French toast." Aryan asked.

"Today is Peehu didi's favorite breakfast. I will prepare your favorite breakfasts tomorrow." Priya answered.

"Wow, yummy." Peehu was delighted tasting her favorite breakfast. "I want aloo parantha everyday. I do not like pancakes and toast." Peehu made faces.

"Peehu, you are not supposed to eat Aloo Parantha everyday, baby." Priya told.

"Mumma, please." Peehu requested.

Ram interevened saying, "Peehu, I will give you whatever you want," Ram offered, attempting to ease the morning discussion. He could not think straight about how things will unfold from tomorrow.

Priya just glanced at him and tried to serve him his favorite Aloo Parantha.

Ram raised his palm to stop her. "I am not hungry." Said without looking at her.

"It is your favorite too." Said Priya.

"Does not matter. I am not interested." Said Ram rudely without making an eye contact with her. Priya did not say anything.

Aryan was playing with his aeroplane and not eating his breakfast.

"Aryan, have your breakfast first." Ram said.

"Papa, feed me." Aryan asked, not willing to let go of his toy.

Ram turned towards him and tore a piece of parantha and started to feed him while Priya fed Amaira. Peehu was eating on her own.

After the breakfast,

"Papa, come from your office early today. We will play football in the evening." Aryan asked.

Ram & Priya looked at each other not knowing what to answer him. Ram was bothered about how kids will understand the situation after today. His face became pale and he was too upset.

Priya was so worried about the same.

Ram dodged the question and said, "Come fast, we are getting late."

Ram ignited his car after all of them settled inside.

Aryan was sitting in the front seat next to Ram. Priya and the girls sat in the backseat.

After driving for a while, Ram stopped near Peehu's school.

Priya was not willing to let Peehu go but she had to.

Priya stepped down from the car, followed by Peehu.

Priya bent down to her level and kissed on Peehu's cheeks feverishly. Priya tried hard to control her emotions. She decided to drop Peehu till her classroom.

"I will walk you till your classroom." Said Priya. Ram was watching them silently.

"Bye Peehu Didi." Aryan and Amaira bid her bye.

"Bye!" Peehu said bye to her siblings and her father.

Priya took her inside the school and before letting her inside her classroom.

Priya kneeled in front of Peehu and took her tiny palms in her hands, "Peehu, be a good girl. Remember, you are my princess always. Mumma loves you a lot no matter what." Priya whispered, her eyes brimming with tears. Peehu, unaware of the depth of her mother's emotions, simply nodded in response and said, "Okay Mumma."

Priya kissed her palms and bid her bye.

After bidding Peehu goodbye, Priya wiped away her tears and returned to the car, where Ram observed her silently.

As they drove to Aryan and Amaira's preschool, a heavy silence enveloped them.

Ram took a deep sigh and it was hard for him to bid them bye.

He stepped out of the car with a heavy heart and helped Aryan to get down. Priya too stepped down the car with Amaira.

Ram picked Aryan up and Priya held Amaira as they walked inside the school.

"Aryan, be a good boy, okay. Papa loves you so much." Said Ram, kissing Aryan on his cheeks.

"I love you too, Papa." Saying this Aryan encircled his hands around Ram's neck. Aryan gave him a kiss on his cheeks.

Ram held him tightly and shut his eyes tightly trying to compose himself.

After a moment, he set Aryan down and turned to Priya, lifting Amaira into his arms.

"Amaira, Papa loves you too." Ram kissed Amaira on her forehead.

Unable to find the words to express his emotions, Ram stood silently, holding Amaira close.

Priya watched him quietly, understanding the depth of his feelings. As the children's teacher arrived, Ram reluctantly let them go, and they returned to the car in silence.

There was an awkward silence lingered into the air.

"I packed my things already and please pack Peehu's belongings; I will send someone to collect our luggage." Said Ram breaking the silence between them.

"Sure." Priya agreed.

"I can drop you at home." Ram offered.

"No, that is okay. I will manage." Priya said.

Ram did not pester her as he was aware that Priya would decline.

"Okay, fine then. I will leave. Goodbye." Ram said, stressing on Goodbye.

Priya looked at Ram and saw him turning his gaze away from her. "Bye." Priya replied in a low voice.

Priya saw him hopping inside his car and driving away from her sight. She watched him drive away, a whirlwind of emotions churning within her. Taking a deep breath, she pushed aside the unsettling thoughts that threatened to overwhelm her.

**********

Ram entered the Kapoor Mansion with a distant gaze, lost in his own thoughts.

Natasha and Krishna spotted Ram and called him but Ram was in his own world and did not hear them calling.

"Ram...!" Krishna called loudly, grabbing his attention.

"Hmm." Ram looked at them. "Yes, Maa." Ram responded.

"What happened, Ram? Why did you come alone? Where are Priya and kids?" Krishna asked out of concern.

"Maa, please. Do not ask me anything right now. I am in no mood to talk about it." Said Ram disinterestedly.

"Bhai, please go to your room and get some rest." Natasha suggested.

"Choti, can you please ask Gopal Kaka to fetch Peehu and my luggage from Priya's flat before evening?" asked Ram.

Krishna and Natasha looked at each other and sensed something wrong had happened.

Krishna and Natasha exchanged glances, sensing that something was amiss. Natasha assured, "Sure, Bhai. I will take care of it."

Without waiting for further discussion, Ram departed from the scene, leaving them bewildered.

"Oh god! Something is wrong!" Natasha expressed her concern.

Krishna nodded her head.

"Should I talk to Bhai or Priya?" Natasha asked her mother.

"No, let's give them some time. I will talk to them if needed." Krishna suggested.

Natasha nodded her head in agreement.

On the other hand,

Meanwhile, Priya returned to her apartment, and an overwhelming emptiness enveloped the space.

The realization that Peehu would not be returning home pierced her heart. This is her decision and she is facing the consequences of it.

Priya went inside the room and it was difficult for her to pack Peehu's belongings. It felt as if she was intentionally pushing Peehu away from her life with her own hands.

It was not easy for her to leave Peehu when she was little but it is harder than she thought to leave Peehu this time.

The days spent together felt like they were crushing her heart, leaving her breathless. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she whispered, "I am very sorry, Peehu. I am not a good mother. I am leaving you again!"

********

Meanwhile, Krishna observed that Ram had locked himself in his room for hours. Concerned, she decided to approach him, knocking on the door.

"Ram, open the door," Krishna called out. Reluctantly, Ram complied, standing silently.

"I am not in the mood to talk, Maa," Ram stated, unwilling to engage.

"Ram, I understand something must have gone wrong with you and Priya," Krishna said, trying to initiate a conversation. Ram remained silent.

"Did Priya say that she doesn't want you by her side?" Krishna asked, attempting to understand the situation.

"Not only me, she disowned Peehu once again," Ram expressed his displeasure.

"Ram, you need to understand her situation too," Krishna advised.

"What should I understand? Please don't support her this time, Maa." Ram requested.

"It's not that I am supporting her. You need to understand the turmoil she went through all these years. It's difficult for her to forget everything and move on so quickly." Krishna explained, trying to offer perspective.

Krishna continued, "You have everyone around you, but she was all alone so far. We are here for you and Peehu, but Priya used to handle everything on her own. She must have endured a rough phase emotionally and financially. Yet, she gave birth to the twins and raised them all alone. You cannot even imagine what she must have gone through. She had issues with you, and her family was not in support of her because of you. Suddenly, you enter her life and expect her to agree to move on with you; that's not easy for her."

"I really appreciate her for what she went through all alone. But Maa, how long will it take her to forgive me? I admit that I made mistakes, but I am asking for forgiveness," Ram expressed his frustration.

"You cannot expect someone to forgive so easily just because you realized your past mistakes. Priya is mature enough, but she had raised a wall around her all these years. I know she is very soft at heart, but I think she is afraid to get heartbroken again. I feel she needs some more time to accept you, but you need to be patient," Krishna suggested.

Concerned about the impact on the children, Ram questioned, "What about the kids? Why do they have to suffer in between our chaos?"

"Ram, it's not an easy decision for her as well. It will be a compromise if Priya agrees to the kids. Do you want to live a life full of compromises? Or do you want to earn her trust and make her realize her love for you?" Krishna challenged him to think deeply.

Placing her hand on his arm, Krishna continued, "Please try to put yourself in her shoes, be patient, and give her the time she wants. Trust me, she will realize your love, and you will lead a happy life with her and your kids. Believe in your love and have faith."

Krishna concluded, "Just remember one thing, if Priya didn't love you, she wouldn't have chosen to give birth to Aryan and Amaira even after whatever happened."

Krishna's words offered some solace, calming him down to some extent.