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Chapter 32: This Happened

"Mom, why are we here?" Ragini asked Janki, who stepped out of her car. "I have something important to do. . . I'll come home with your father, you go straight home."

"But Mom. . ." Janki closed the door and signalled the driver, who nodded and started driving.

Janki rushed inside the hospital, nervously holding her drape while heading towards the lifts. 'I'm sorry Rajveer but I need to do this, for my own peace of mind.'

"He's so cute Shekhar. . ." She uttered and smiled at the baby in her arms. "I want to kidnap him and take him away with me."

"You can do, for few days until Nayonika recovers." Shekhar replied with a smile across his face and she chuckled, glancing at Shekhar.

"When are you taking them home?"

"Will Papa accept them?" Shekhar nervously asked and Janki's smile slowly faded. "He has to Shekhar. Now you even have a child, you need to give your son a good future. Nayonika even stopped working at the bar, so Uncle should just let it slide."

"I have a bad feeling Janki. You know my father, and have known him for 12 years, he will die but would never accept them. What should I do? I don't want to leave them."

Janki felt bad for Shekhar, "don't think too much Shekhar, just tell him that your happiness lies with them. And if he doesn't accept you then don't worry, I'm here with you. I'll always support you."

Shekhar let a small smile hang on his lips, "so when I go homeless, you'll let me in?"

"Yes!" She exclaimed with a small smile and he sighed. "Janki, please don't tell Ram or Durga about this yet. . ."

"They don't know?"

Shekhar shook his head negatively, "I want to tell them after I talk to Papa."

Janki nodded her head positively, "I won't tell them, don't worry."

Janki entered Rajveer's office, rushing towards his computer. She took a seat on the chair and typed the password in. She disliked her eagerness the most, it was the main root of all problems, despite knowing she was doing something wrong and unacceptable, the privilege of being the wife of the co-owner of this hospital overpowered all her guilt. She just wanted to let it slide this one time, deeply disturbed by Shekhar.

Her heart was beating nervously as she held the mouse in her palms and grasped it with her fingers, tapping on the patient record list, instantly using her other hand to type in the name of the man she hated the most in this whole world. It was funny to her to see how times had changed. The man who used to be her best-friend, is now her enemy. She wasn't even sure what went wrong between her, Shekhar and Ram. The men that promised to always be by her side and support her no matter what, are now against her.

Her eyebrows scrunched and she glanced down for few seconds, thinking to herself 'did the girl lie about her being adopted?' On the system and in the record it was stated that Swara was Shekhar and Sharmishta's daughter. Her adoption made no sense to Janki. "Did she lie or did Shekhar list her as their real daughter. . . But, it even has her birth time. It makes no sense."

Janki frustratedly sighed and exited the page. "Why would that girl lie?" Janki was confused to why Swara mentioned she was adopted in the first place, when the records proved she was lying.

"Did she know who I was? Was she trying to gain sympathy now that her father is behind the bars. . . Did she do this drama to lure me and gain financial support?" Negative thoughts occupied Janki's mind and she released a sigh, leaning more towards these assumptions as these made sense to her. "She's shameless like her father." Janki further whispered to herself and rolled her eyes, managing to convince herself that Swara was lying.

XX

"Thank you for the food!" Sameer sounded genuinely grateful for the food, and dug in as fast as he could. "It feels like I haven't had real food for a long time." He uttered before starting to eat, earning shares from Sanskaar, Sheesh and Sahil who watch him eat as if he has never eaten food before.

Swara was embarrassed by Sameer and took a bite slowly, rolling her eyes in disgust after watching him eat like that. "Calm down. . . You might get indigestion." She cleared her throat as she spoke, glancing away from Sameer.

He ignored her, continuing to eat the way he wanted to and Sanskaar moved his eyes towards Swara, watching her eating slowly. Sahil made eye contact with Swara and she glanced down at her phone that buzzed, reading Sahil's name. She tapped on her phone screen and opened it, starting to read his message.

'You forgave me, so forgive Sanskaar too.' She glanced away from her phone, giving it a thought.

"Okay, so we're done. We will leave now. See you tomorrow!" Sheesh exclaimed, standing up after reading the message from Sahil who wrote that she had forgiven him.

"Yes, see you tomorrow Swara." Sahil uttered and stood up, passing her a small smile. She nodded her head, glancing at Sheesh and Sahil only, ignoring Sanskaar.

Sanskaar felt bad and slowly started walking, followed by Sheesh and Sahil. Swara hesitated, she wanted to forgive Sanskaar but knowing about his feelings towards her made her want to ignore him. She was scared that her forgiveness would open a door of closeness. After all the traumas she received from Shekhar and Jayant, she was indeed terrified to let herself be vulnerable again.

X

"She actually forgave you?" Sheesh sounded surprised as he asked Sahil, as soon as they exited the gates. Not believing that Swara had forgiven him this easily.

"Yes, she did. She saw my sincerity and said it was okay."

"Really?" Sanskaar's face had fell and Sahil and Sheesh glanced at him. "Don't worry, she'll forgive you too." Sheesh assured, placing his hand over Sanskaar shoulder to comfort him. "If she can forgive him, then she must've already forgiven you." He further added to make Sanskaar feel better.

Sanskaar nodded his head slowly, "I'll talk to her tomorrow and find out. If she still hasn't forgiven me then I wouldn't be allowed back home."

"Don't worry about home, you have us. . . Now let's go. We have to prepare for the graduation day tomorrow." Sahil uttered, reminding them and they shook their heads, increasing their speed.

XX

After a while, Janki reached home by herself and sighed with a thought in her mind. She was troubled by Swara, not knowing why her heart pained. Would it be right for her to blame Swara for her fathers mistreatment towards her or should she simply avoid her for the rest of her life? She didn't know the answer to her own question, making it hard for her to decide what she should do. Despite being convinced that Swara was lying, Janki still had trouble fully believing in the assumption she created. After the minutes she spent with Swara, her eyes were genuine when they met her own.

"Janki. . ." She cocked her head to the side after hearing her name, flapping her eyes at Rajveer who walked towards her. "Are you okay?" He asked, sounding worried and she sighed. "Ragini said you went to the hospital. . ."

"I went to meet you." She interrupted, lying and tiredly blinked at him. "I had something to tell you but I realised that you leave early on this day."

"What did you want to tell me?" He asked and she stared into his eyes for a moment, hesitating to reveal what she wanted to say. 'Would it be right for me to tell him about meeting Shekhar's daughter?' She wondered in her mind, "I. . ." She couldn't speak, knowing his name would bring nothing but pain.

"What happened?" He held her by the shoulder and she hugged him, resting her head on his chest and closing her eyes.

"I like him. . ." Janki revealed to Ram and Shekhar, who stare at Rajveer.

"Who is he?"

"Rajveer. He studies in the same college as us. He's doing medicine."

"Which family is he from?"

"Rathore."

"I've never heard of them."

"He's not rich."

Ram and Shekhar look on and glance at Rajveer awkwardly. "How will you manage to stay with him?"

"I'll give her all the happiness."

"If you don't have money then you won't be happy." Shekhar insulted and Rajveer felt discomforted.

"I don't care if he's rich or not, I want to spend the rest of my life with him." Janki uttered and held Rajveer's hand.

Ram and Shekhar merely nod, still not satisfied by Janki's choice.

"Janki, you're making me worried. What happened?" He uttered and she opened her glassy eyes, and exhaled. "Nothing happened. I just missed you."

He broke the hug and cupped her face, "tell me the truth."

"I heard about Shekhar getting arrested." She uttered and he stared at her surprisingly. "He deserves it." She further added and he nodded, hugging her again.

"You're a low class boy that would never make Janki happy." Shekhar insulted Rajveer with Ram standing behind him.

"For her happiness we said we were okay with it but to be honest, you won't be able to meet all her demands. How can Janki stay with a broke person like you?" Ram insulted and scoffed, "I bet you don't even have money to buy your own food."

Rajveer felt bad and insulted. "Does money really means everything?"

"Yes. But how would you know. You never experienced that luxury. But anyways after marrying Janki, you'll mooch off her won't you?" Shekhar insulted and Rajveer clenched his fist while Ram chuckled.

"Enough!" Janki shouted, reaching there while glaring at Shekhar and Ram. "I never expected you two to be like this. How dare you say all of this to him huh? I thought my happiness would matter to both of you since your happiness mattered to me. I accepted your love life with bar dancers so why is it so hard for you to accept me with him? At least he's living a respectful live!" She lashed out in anger, offending Ram and Shekhar.

"Janki!" Ram exclaimed and Janki faced him, "what? It hurt? That's how it hurt me. I literally supported both of you, and you're trying to ruin my life like this?"

"Sujata stopped all of that. So stop dragging her into this."

"She's not well respected or has money either, so she'll be mooching off you."

"Janki, we are only trying to think of your well-being. How are you supposed to live with him? He has nothing to offer you!" Shekhar interrupted and Janki clenched her fist, "that's for me to decide not you!"

Janki stormed away while holding Rajveer's hand, leaving Shekhar and Ram fuming.

"If you want to meet him, I won't stop you. . ." Rajveer trailed off and Janki shook her head negatively, breaking the hug. "He's dead for me. And if I do go to meet him then I'll be meeting just a stranger." She replied and moved away.

"Have you eaten?" She asked and Rajveer nodded his head positively. 'I'm sorry that I'm keeping it away from you Janki but I promise to tell you as soon as I can.' He thought in his mind, and she curled a small smile over her lips while looking at him.

XX

Ram was sat in his room on his own, recalling the past. His heart held guilt and regret, not knowing if apologising to Janki would make things any better. He exhaled distraughtly and played with his hand.

"You. . . You're in love with that bar dancer?"

"She's not a bar dancer anymore Baapu ji. Please, let me marry her." He felt a slap across his face.

"Shut up!" His father roared and took his belt out, starting to hit Ram aggressively. "If it wasn't for Mr Gadodia then I wouldn't have known!" He screamed and continued hitting him.

"Ahh. It hurts! Please stop!"

"If I see you acting like this again then I'll kill you! You're not going to marry that dancer and this is my final decision!"

*

After getting beaten, he walked inside Shekhar's house with bruises and pain. Before he could fully enter the hall, he heard some noises and peeked through, seeing Shekhar being abused by his father the same way Ram had.

"How dare you! I told you to forget her but you. . . You're still clinging onto her! I'll die but not make that dancer my daughter in law!"

"But I love her! I want to stay with her!"

"If you dare to say that one more time then I'll kick you out!"

"I'll leave!" Shekhar screamed and his father continued hitting him with belts. He stopped after he got tired and clenched his jaw.

"Leave, I don't care. You're not my son anymore! I will take your name out of the will and donate it to charity!"

Shekhar cried while laying on the floor. "H. . . How did you find out?"

"If it wasn't for Janki, then I would've never found out about you and Ram!" His father exclaimed and Ram and Shekhar widened their eyes.

She was their best friends who knew their secrets, they didn't know that she would've betrayed them like this.

"J. . . Janki?" Shekhar asked and swallowed his spit.

"Yes Janki! Now you're going to marry Sharmishta. I've decided and confirmed the alliance. I don't care about what you say! If you want the property then marry Sharmishta!" His father declared and started walking away.

"Janki. . . She betrayed me." He sobbed and clenched his fist.

"She betrayed us!" Ram exclaimed, walking out towards him and Shekhar turned his head to the side, seeing Ram's bruises.

"Just for that low class boy she decided to betray her best-friends?" Ram spoke with hatred and spat on the floor in disgust.

"I'm not going to spare her!" Shekhar grit his teeth as he exclaimed in pure anger.

Ram swallowed and released a frustrated sigh. Despite being more than 20 years ago, Ram still holds Janki responsible for her actions. He still blamed her for being the reason why he had to go against his family and marry Sujata. He had been kicked out straight after but had been brought back by Durga Prasad after their father had passed away, and when he came back he saw Sharmishta staying with them. He thought Shekhar was willing to give Sharmishta a chance but he was disappointed and in anger after seeing what he did with Sharmishta. He knew that the reason why Shekhar did that to Sharmishta was because of Janki. He felt guilty and ashamed for not caring about Shekhar anymore after that, all he wanted to care about was his own life. He thought, 'maybe if I told Sharmishta about Shekhar and Nayonika, would things have been different?'

To Be Continued
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