Vineet sat in his dimly lit room, the phone still clutched in his hand. Ashok’s words echoed in his mind, but it was the revelation of Anamika’s pregnancy that shook him to his core. She was carrying his child—his own blood—and yet, she didn’t even want him to know. 

His gaze fell on the empty whiskey glass on the table, but for once, he didn’t reach for the bottle. Instead, he leaned back in the chair, staring at the ceiling, his mind swirling with memories he had long tried to suppress. 

He thought back to the early days after their separation. The phone calls Anamika used to make, one after another, each time more desperate than the last. At the time, he had dismissed them as her stubbornness or attempts to pull him back into the relationship. 

“I was wrong,” he muttered, his voice barely audible in the silence of the room. 

Now he understood. Those calls weren’t about control or stubbornness—they were cries for help, for support, for him. She had been reaching out, clinging to whatever shred of connection they had left, hoping he’d see the pain she was in. But he had ignored her, too consumed by his pride and anger to recognize her vulnerability. 

The guilt weighed on him like a crushing burden. His mind replayed the scene from earlier in the hotel, her eyes filled with a mixture of defiance and pain. And now, knowing she was pregnant during that encounter, he felt like the worst kind of man. 

He pressed his palms to his face, his fingers trembling. “What kind of husband was I? What kind of father am I going to be?” 

His mind traveled back to the memories of their happy moments together—Anamika laughing at his silly jokes, the way her eyes sparkled when she talked about her dreams, the gentle way she’d place her hand on his chest when she needed comfort. He had promised to protect her, to stand by her no matter what, and yet he had abandoned her when she needed him most. 

The thought of her carrying the burden of their child alone tore at his heart. She must have been terrified, navigating her pregnancy without him, while he drowned himself in work, anger, and distractions. And now, she didn’t even trust him enough to share the news herself. 

“Why did I let it come to this?” Vineet whispered, his voice breaking. 

His mind churned with questions. Was it too late to make things right? Would she ever forgive him? Did she even want him in her life anymore, or was she ready to cut all ties for good? 

But above all, one question haunted him the most: How could I have been so blind to her pain?

He sank to the floor, his head in his hands, as waves of guilt and regret washed over him. For the first time in months, he allowed himself to feel everything—the vulnerability, the helplessness, and the crushing realization that he might have lost the only woman he had ever truly loved. 

And yet, amidst the pain, there was a flicker of resolve. He couldn’t erase the past, but he could try to make amends. Not for himself, but for Anamika and the child they had created together. 

“I won’t let you do this alone, Anamika,” he whispered, his voice filled with quiet determination. “Not anymore.”  

......

Anamika sat on the hospital bed, her arms wrapped protectively around her belly, as if shielding her unborn child from the storm raging within her. The sterile white walls of the room offered no comfort, no solace for the ache in her heart. Her sobs were quiet but relentless, her body trembling with the weight of emotions she could no longer contain. 

Her mind replayed Vineet’s words from earlier, each accusation cutting deeper than the last. “You couldn’t be a good wife… you only cared about yourself… you’re selfish…” The words echoed like a cruel taunt, piercing her heart like needles. 

Tears streamed down her face as she thought about the man she once loved with every fiber of her being—the Vineet who would hold her close, kiss away her worries, and promise to protect her from the world. That Vineet had once made her feel cherished, like she was the center of his universe. But the man she saw today was unrecognizable, a shadow of the person she had built her life around. 

Her hands trembled as she wiped her tears, her mind unable to escape the vicinity of the past and present. She remembered the way Vineet used to smile at her, his eyes filled with love and adoration. She remembered the night he had stayed up all night, rubbing her back and feeding her soup when she had fallen sick. She remembered the way he had laughed and teased her when she struggled to fold a fitted sheet, saying she was the only woman who could make chaos look adorable. 

And now, that same man had stood before her with nothing but anger and disdain in his eyes, accusing her of being the reason for their downfall. His words had stripped her of every shred of dignity she had tried to hold onto, leaving her raw and exposed. 

A fresh wave of tears welled up as she thought about the woman with him—Shikha. The way Vineet had stood beside her, as if she had a right to judge Anamika’s worth, made her feel small and insignificant. The thought that he might have sought comfort in someone else while she struggled to keep herself together was a pain she couldn’t describe. 

Her hands moved instinctively to her belly, cradling the life growing within her. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. “I’m so sorry you have to feel this… that I wasn’t strong enough to protect you from all of this.” 

Her tears fell harder as the reality of her situation hit her. She was alone. Completely alone. The one person she had thought would stand by her, through thick and thin, had turned his back on her. And now, all she had was herself and her unborn child to carry forward. 

But as the minutes passed, her sobs began to quiet, replaced by a steely determination. She couldn’t afford to fall apart—not now, not when she had a life depending on her. Whatever pain Vineet’s words had caused, she had to rise above it. 

Anamika took a shaky breath and wiped her tears, forcing herself to sit up straighter. “I don’t need him,” she whispered, more to herself than anyone else. “I don’t need his approval or his love to be a good mother. I’ll do this on my own.” 

Yet, even as she tried to steel herself, the image of Vineet’s angry gaze haunted her. She didn’t want to care, but deep down, she did. She cared too much, and that was what hurt the most. 

...

Ashok sat in his car outside the hospital, his hands gripping the steering wheel as waves of guilt and disappointment washed over him. He stared blankly ahead, the image of a broken Anamika replaying in his mind. Her pale face, her trembling hands clutching her belly, and the unshed tears that shimmered in her eyes were seared into his memory. 

How had things come to this? How had his once-loving and protective brother become so bitter, so reckless? The realization hit Ashok like a punch to the gut: he had failed Vineet. He had failed Anamika. He had failed their family. 

He thought back to the day Vineet had shown up at his doorstep after his fight with Anamika. Ashok had welcomed him in, giving him a place to stay and a shoulder to lean on. But he had never pushed him to reconcile, never insisted that he return to his wife. Instead, he had let Vineet stew in his anger, in his pride, thinking time would heal things. How wrong he had been. 

And then there was Shagun—his own wife, his own choices. Ashok closed his eyes as regret clawed at his chest. He loved Shagun, truly and deeply, but their relationship had been born out of betrayal. She had been Raman’s wife, and though she and Raman had been estranged, their union had created an unspoken ripple of pain and scandal. By marrying her, Ashok had set an example for Vineet, one that suggested it was acceptable to follow one’s desires, even if it meant crossing moral boundaries. 

Ashok let out a heavy sigh, his heart weighing heavily with shame. He couldn’t deny the parallels. He had been blind to how his actions might have influenced Vineet, subtly giving him the idea that loyalty and responsibility could be cast aside in the name of love or lust. 

He felt an ache in his chest—a longing he hadn’t felt in years. It was the longing for his mother, Shakshi, the matriarch who had once held their family together with an iron will and a loving heart. He had left her and their father behind a decade ago, cutting ties after their disapproval of his choices. And now, for the first time in ten years, he found himself reaching for his phone with trembling hands. 

He scrolled through his contacts, his thumb hesitating over her name. Maa.The name alone brought back a flood of memories—her laughter, her stern reprimands, her unwavering support. He had betrayed her in the worst way possible, but right now, he needed her. He needed to hear her voice. 

With a deep breath, he pressed the call button. The phone rang twice before a familiar voice answered.

When Shakshi answered, her voice was sharp, cautious. “Who’s this?” 

“It’s me, Maa,” Ashok said, his voice breaking. “Ashok.” 

There was silence on the other end, and for a moment, he thought she might hang up. Then her voice came, cold and clipped. “Ashok Khanna. After ten years, you remember you have a mother?” 

“Maa, please—” 

“Don’t you call me that,” she snapped, cutting him off. “Do you know what it feels like to not hear from your son for a decade? To wonder if he’s even alive? And now, you call me out of the blue? Aisa kya ho gaya jo The Ashok Khanna ko meri yaad aa gayi iss das saal ke badh? Kahin paise toh nahi chahiye tumhe? Oh!! Wo toh bahut hai tumhare paas. Phir kyun yaad aa  gayi meri tumhe?” Shakshi question, anger clearly audible in her voice.

Ashok swallowed hard, guilt clawing at him. “I know I’ve hurt you. I know I’ve made mistakes, Maa. But I… I need your help. Anamika—” 

“Anamika?” Shakshi interrupted, her tone softening slightly but still filled with tension. “What about her? What’s happened?” 

Ashok hesitated, then told her everything. He explained Anamika’s pregnancy, her stress, Vineet’s behavior, and how Anamika had ended up in the hospital. 

When he finished, there was silence. Then, Shakshi’s voice came, low and furious. “So, this is what it’s come to? My daughter-in-law—that gem of a woman—is suffering because of my sons’ selfishness?” 

“Maa, I—” 

“And you, Ashok!” she shouted, her anger boiling over. “You’re just as much to blame! Encouraging Vineet, letting him stay with you instead of sending him back to his wife. What were you thinking? That this wouldn’t escalate? That your actions—your example—wouldn’t influence him?” 

Ashok winced, her words hitting him like a slap. “I know, Maa. I was wrong. I see that now.” 

“And now you see it?” she spat. “Now, when it’s too late? You think apologizing to me is going to fix anything? That it’ll undo the pain you’ve caused?” 

“I don’t know how to fix it,” Ashok admitted, his voice trembling. “I just know I need to try. That’s why I called you.” 

There was a pause, and when Shakshi spoke again, her voice was filled with both sorrow and determination. “I’m coming to Delhi. I’ll be there by morning.” 

Ashok’s eyes widened. “Maa, you don’t have to—” 

“I do,” she said firmly. “Someone has to protect Anamika from Vineet’s foolishness. Someone has to remind him of his responsibilities. And clearly I can't trust you with that.” 

Her words left no room for argument, and Ashok knew better than to protest. “Alright, Maa,” he said quietly. “I’ll send someone to pick you up.” 

“No need,” she snapped. “I can manage. Just make sure Anamika knows she’s not alone, we are coming for her.” 

The line went dead, and Ashok sat in silence, the weight of his mother’s anger and disappointment pressing down on him. For the first time in years, he felt like the wayward son he had once been—lost, ashamed, and desperate for redemption.

....

To be continued...