Hello, lovely readers! I hope you all are doing well!

I have updated the next chapter!

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Ritika and Satvik were going to the college as they used to go together by bike. Throughout the journey, Satvik was blabbering things, and Ritika would laugh at his antics. Her confession did change their friendship, but it strengthened their connection. At one signal, Ritika's heart raced as she saw her mother with a mysterious man. The London city held secrets, and she couldn't ignore the nagging feeling and pain she had been carrying for so long.

Ritika began sweating, and Satvik saw the change in her demeanor through the mirror. He asked, but she kept looking in one direction. He saw and did not understand. He nudged her, but the signal turned green, and he zoomed his bike towards the college. She was in a gloomy mood the whole day, and Satvik took her to his apartment in the evening to change her mood.

"What happened, Rits, see you have been like this the whole day but you need to tell me so that we can find a certain solution!" he said, and she just nodded, looking at nothing particular.An idea stuck in Satvik's mind, and he took out his photo album, which had his photos from his childhood until today. They sat on the cozy living room couch, and Satvik had an old photo album spread out on the coffee table.

Ritika looked at the album curiously, her eyes wandering over the faded pictures and yellowing pages.

"What's all this, Satvik?" Satvik smiled softly, his fingers gently tracing the edges of a childhood photograph. "These are my old family photos. I thought I'd share some memories with you."Ritika's eyes lit up with interest. "I'd love to see them and hear your stories."

Satvik began to flip through the album, revealing snapshots from his past. He pointed to a picture of a young boy, maybe seven or eight years old, with a mischievous grin on his face. "That's me when I was a kid, always up to some kind of trouble."

Ritika chuckled, finding the image of young Satvik endearing. "Tell me about this one," she urged.

Satvik's eyes sparkled with nostalgia. "Ah, that's from my eighth birthday. My parents threw me a surprise party, and I had no idea. I remember walking into the living room, and everyone shouted, 'Surprise!' I was so shocked that I dropped my cake."

Ritika laughed, picturing a young Satvik's surprised face. "I bet that was a memorable birthday."Satvik nodded, his gaze lingering on the next photo. It showed a family outing to a beautiful park, with Satvik's parents and a younger version of himself holding a kite string. "This was one of our favorite spots. We used to fly kites there on Sundays. My dad taught me how to fly kites, and my mom would pack the most delicious picnic baskets."

Ritika could see the genuine fondness in Satvik's eyes as he spoke about his parents. "They look like they cared a lot about you."

"They did," Satvik replied, his voice filled with a mix of gratitude and longing. "My parents were amazing. They taught me so much about life, love, and the importance of family."

As they continued to flip through the album, Satvik shared more stories. There was a photo of him dressed as a superhero for Halloween, another of a family camping trip, and one of him playing the guitar with his father.

But among all the happy memories, one photo stood out. It was a picture of Satvik with his parents, their arms wrapped around each other, standing in front of their old family car. Satvik's eyes glistened as he gazed at the image.

Ritika sensed the deeper significance of this photo and asked gently, "What's the story behind this one, Satvik?"

Satvik took a deep breath, and his voice was soft and reflective. "That was taken a few months before everything changed. We were on a road trip to the mountains. It was one of the best times of my life. We laughed, sang songs, and enjoyed the breathtaking views."

Ritika could feel the weight of the unspoken words. She reached out and placed her hand on Satvik's, offering comfort and support.

He continued, "Not long after that trip, I discovered my father's affair. It tore our family apart. The pain was unbearable, and my parents eventually separated. I felt like I lost everything I held dear."

Ritika squeezed his hand gently, understanding the depth of his sorrow.Satvik smiled faintly, appreciating Ritika's empathy. "But you know what? Looking at these photos and sharing these memories with you... it reminds me that despite the pain, there were beautiful moments in my past. Moments of love and happiness that I shouldn't forget."

Looking at Satvik's album, flashbacks of her childhood played in Ritika's mind as she recalled the happy moments she had shared with her mother before she disappeared. Satvik watched as her eyes lit up with memories and saw how her mother's unexplained departure had tainted those cherished moments.

While going through the album, Ritika paused at a picture of her mother and a man with strikingly familiar eyes. She turned to Satvik, her voice trembling with curiosity and trepidation. "Satvik, this man and woman in the photo...."

Satvik examined the photograph closely, " Oh, this man, he is my Uncle, Rohit Khanna! He lives in London only. You know, one day, I wanted to take you out for lunch. It was to his home only, and this lady, my Aunt, Shubhavi Khanna. She makes yummy Indian food."

"Satvik, she...she is .... my.... my...mother." Ritika hiccupped, and shock would be an understatement for Satvik as his Uncle and Aunt were his pillars of support, and the same people were the reason for her miseries.

End of POV

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Ritika's POV

The atmosphere in the room suddenly shifted, heavy with the weight of the unexpected revelation. The man in the photograph, with his strikingly familiar eyes, was Satvik's Uncle, someone he had spoken so fondly of, someone who had been his pillar of support. And the woman standing beside him, the same woman who had left her daughter behind, was none other than my own mother.

My heart raced, and I couldn't believe the complexity of the situation. Satvik and I had no idea about this shared connection, and now, we were both entangled in a web of family secrets and unspoken truths.

As Satvik examined the photograph with a mix of surprise and disbelief, my voice trembled as I tried to explain, "Satvik, my mother... she's your Aunt. I can't believe it myself. I never wanted to come in front of her ever, and now she's right here in this picture."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized the magnitude of the revelation. The same woman who had abandoned me, who had left me feeling abandoned and unloved, was now a part of Satvik's family.

End of POV

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Satvik's POV

The room seemed to spin as Ritika's words sank in. The man in the photo was indeed my Uncle, and the woman by his side, Ritika's mother, was a haunting presence from my past. The same woman who had left her daughter behind, who had caused Ritika so much pain, was a part of my own family.

I felt a mixture of shock, anger, and confusion. How could the people I had known as loving and supportive family members be connected to the pain Ritika had endured? The realization was like a punch to the gut, and I struggled to find words to express the whirlwind of emotions raging within me.

Ritika's voice trembled as she continued, "Satvik, I never wanted to find my mother, and but now I've found her through this photograph, but I never expected her to be a part of your family."I looked at Ritika, my heart aching for the pain she must be feeling at that moment. "Ritika, I can't believe this either. I had no idea about any of this. It's like our pasts are slamming in the most unexpected way."

As we sat there, side by side, facing the startling truth of our intertwined family histories, I knew that our journey had taken an unexpected turn. The complexities of our pasts had collided, and the future remained uncertain. But we were determined to confront the truth, no matter how painful, and to find a way to heal and move forward together.

Ritika's eyes were filled with a mixture of emotions: surprise, curiosity, and a profound sense of longing for the mother she had lost so many years ago. It was a moment of reckoning, a revelation that connected her past with Satvik's family, a family that had been her own yet remained a distant memory.

I reached out and gently squeezed Ritika's hand, offering silent support in this moment of overwhelming discovery. We both needed time to process the gravity of the situation.Ritika's voice trembled as she spoke, "Satvik, I don't know what to make of all this. My mother, your Aunt, was a mystery to me for so long. I never understood why she left me, and now... now I have so many questions."

I nodded, my own mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. "I have questions too, Ritika. I need to talk to my Uncle and Aunt, to understand why they kept this secret from me. How could they have hidden something so significant?"

Ritika's eyes met mine, and there was a shared understanding that this revelation had the power to reshape our lives. I couldn't help but admire Ritika's resilience in the face of such upheaval. She had faced so much in her life, and yet she still had the strength to confront this new truth.As we sat there, hand in hand, I couldn't help but wonder how our intertwined pasts would influence our future. The journey ahead was uncertain and filled with challenging conversations, but we were committed to facing it head-on.

Ritika and I knew that we were not just discovering the hidden truths of our families but also forging a deeper connection with each other. In the midst of this unexpected revelation, we found solace in each other's presence, a bond that was growing stronger with each passing moment.

End of POV

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Third Person POV

Satvik and Ritika knew that they couldn't delay the confrontation any longer. They had to face the past and seek the truth about her actions. With a shared determination, they decided to visit Satvik's Aunt's house in London the following weekend.

As the days passed, their anticipation grew, mingling with a touch of anxiety. They wanted answers but also understood that the truth might be painful to uncover. Satvik's Aunt had been a significant part of his life, and Ritika's mother's absence had left a void that had haunted her for years.

The weekend finally arrived, and they stood before the familiar door of Satvik's Aunt's home. Satvik took a deep breath, his hand trembling slightly as he raised it to knock on the door.Ritika placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, her eyes filled with empathy and support. With that, he knocked on the door, and moments later, it swung open to reveal Satvik's Aunt, her face full of surprise.

"Satvik? Bacche, what a pleasant surprise! And who is this lovely girl? Your girlfriend," his Aunt chirped, getting excited to meet Satvik after many days.

Satvik hesitated for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest. He held Ritika's hand entwined with his as if telling her to talk; Ritika gulped and said, " I'm Ritika Uday Khurana."

Shubhavi's eyes widened in disbelief, her gaze shifting between Ritika and Satvik. The revelation of Ritika's identity seemed to hang in the air, a moment pregnant with unspoken questions and uncertainties.

End of POV

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The discovery of their connected pasts for Ritika and Satvik's will change their relationship. The path ahead is uncertain, but one thing is clear: they are both determined to uncover the truth and face their family's hidden secrets head-on. Stay with us as we continue their journey in the next chapters!!

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