"

Study well, take care and enjoy," Avni instructs Niam and Navya as she gets on her knees to talk with them before they get into the classroom.

They both nod gaily I don't think they are understanding anything because they seem too enthusiastic to get in.

"Remember to be friendly with everyone." She looks at them.

"Okay, Mumma. I got everything." Navya nods. I caress her cheek as I adjust her tie and look at Niam who suddenly seems to have grown up.

"Take care of your sister," I tell him and he nods.

"I can take care of myself," Navya says sounding a bit offended.

"Yeah, and you take care of your brother," I tell her as I grin.

We look around as the bell rings and students rush into their classes.

"Come on." Fawzi stands beside them as he smiles.

We get up and watch as they both walk inside with Fawzi. The Academic year had already begun and it was easy to get them in with Asad's help.

"Thanks, man." I smile at him as we walk out of the gates.

"My pleasure." He nods. "What's up?" He raises his eyebrows at Avni as he smiles.

Avni looks up before she looks back at him with raised brows. "Am I supposed to say the sky?"

Asad laughs as he looks between us. "There's heaven up there, showering blessings on you."

I put my arm around Avni and he grins. "I'm genuinely so happy to see you guys come along so far, together."

"Thank you." Avni smiles at him. I fight against the urge to press a kiss on her cheek, I am going to behave at my kid's school.

His phone rings and he looks down at it and I'm sure it's Foziah, he shakes his head and his lips twitch up in a smile.

"That's my cue to go." He laughs before walking back to his car.

"And now will you tell me what Kabir talked with you?" I roll my eyes as we get in the car. "You have been ignoring this topic for a week."

"I just thought it would be better if I said you when Niam and Navya weren't around." She tells slowly and I notice her gulping.

"And they are not around now," I say as I start the car.

"We will have to get home first." She shakes her head. "I do not want to discuss this on road."

"What is it Avni?" I sigh getting a bit frustrated that she ignores this topic whenever I am asking.

She turns to look at me and I know annoyance is clearly visible on my face. This has been troubling me since the day after the birthday party. The only reason she gave me was she didn't want to have this talk in the presence of Niam and Navya which bothered me a lot.

"I will tell you when we get home." She says looking away from me. "You have to promise me you are not going to get mad at Kabir or Sara."

I stay silent as I grip the steering wheel, I cannot promise her when I don't know the entire thing.

"Do you?" She asks.

"What if I cannot?" I glance at her as I pull into the driveway.

"I won't be able to tell you then." She sighs.

"Okay, then, I do."

❊❊❊

I feel anger stir inside me as I sit beside Avni on the porch steps. I turn to look at her getting angry at Sara and Kabir.

"I will have to confront them," I say as I clench my jaw.

"Forget it, it's gone." She says as she reaches out to hold my arm when I try to get up.

"Is my life a joke?" I let out as I try to grab my car keys from her hand.

"It isn't, Neil." She shakes her head. "I want you to not make a fuss out of it. Please calm down."

"How can you expect me to stay calm?" I ask her angrily as I hold her arms. "How can you?"

She looks into my eyes and I know she isn't amazed. She knew I would be angry and that is why she didn't talk about it when Niam and Navya were around.

"I have suffered alone for years," I tell her as I pull away from her. "For years I felt guilty, I felt that it was my fault I left you alone for a few minutes. I had nightmares and all I saw in them was a freaking broken glass!"

"I didn't know what I was supposed to do with the broken glass, I didn't know how to figure out everything just with broken glass. And Kabir being the doctor of the same hospital very cleverly took you from places where there wasn't any camera or security."

"For 2-3 years I have him in front of me and I didn't know." I run my hands through my hair as I let out an exasperated breath.

"He didn't want to do this." She tells and I see the tears in her eyes. "He had to do it, to save his mother."

"He could have figured out some other way and just because he could save his mother he put my entire family's happiness at stake? Is this right?" I look at her in disbelief, she is taking his side.

"Be careful about what you are saying." She looks at me. "It was his mother. I was a stranger to him, a nobody. I know the pain of losing my mother and I think I would have done the same."

"You would prefer ruining a family to save yours?" I look at her.

"He didn't want to ruin our family, Neil." She sighs. "He tried to save me."

"Is he dumb or what?" I arch an eyebrow. "He should have taken you with him to his mother. Didn't he know the man could just follow the car and reach you?"

"In that case, I'm dumb too." She says firmly. "I could have followed him knowing that the man could just follow us."

"At this situation, we don't understand, Neil." She looks at me sadly. "Just-- let it go."

"I cannot let it go." I shake my head. "Kabir is responsible for everything, he shouldn't have initiated it."

"Rayan is equally responsible." She says angrily.

"He saved you that day." I look into her eyes. "If he wasn't there that day the man would have taken you with him. I am thankful to Rayan for taking you with him."

"You are thankful to him for taking me with him and forcing himself on me?" She glares at me.

"That's not what I mean." I shake my head quickly. "You wouldn't have been standing with me now if Rayan didn't take you that day. He didn't have any plan to do it, he did it out of anger."

"It is ridiculous you are on his side." She shakes her head looking at me in disbelief. "At least Kabir did it to save his mother. Rayan could have got me back to the hospital but he didn't."

"I know he is wrong and I made sure he got punished for it," I tell her annoyed. "Kabir should have said me about this."

I give her no time to react as I grab my keys from her and get in my car. I hear her calling behind me but I start the engine and hurry out.

I have kept everything in me for years, I kept myself strong for my family but there is a limit to everything. I knew eventually my bottled-up emotions will leak out and this is that moment. It all began at the hospital, it all began with Kabir.

I see Avni's car following me and I speed down the street. I feel angry at myself for not keeping the promise but I can't help it. The broken glass has been my nightmare and Kabir was that nightmare.

I rush inside the gates and I ring the bell hurriedly. Kabir opens the door and I clench my jaws looking at him.

"Hey..." He looks at me with a smile and his smile fades as he looks at my expression.

I raise my arm to throw my fist on his face when Avni holds my arm from behind.

"Don't." She whispers and I look at her. "Let's get inside." She says as she glances at the guards.

"What's up, CM?" I look at Sara and she smiles chewing on her breakfast.

"I wish I had something good to answer." I look at her feeling the anger stir in my chest. She frowns and looks at Avni.

"Why did you begin it?" I throw a glare at Kabir. "You took her away it was your duty to get her back to the hospital." I glare at him.

"I tried my best to do it." He says firmly as he looks into my eye.

I shove his arm. "You tried. But why didn't you try hard?"

"CM, stop." I hear Sara and I look over my shoulder as Avni holds her arms.

"Is that what I am always supposed to do?" I look at her. "Put a full stop to everything that happens in my life?"

"Kabir was helpless." She says her gaze flickering from me to Kabir. "And he accepts his mistake."

"It doesn't make any difference," I shout as I look back at Kabir. "You have no idea how angry I am at you."

"I do." He says. "I am sorry."

I throw my fist across his face and he looks up at me standing firm on his ground. "Stop saying sorry, it doesn't make any difference."

"Neil, you promised." Avni reminds me and I close my eyes frustrated.

"You cannot just get mad at him, he could have hidden it but he didn't." Sara looks at me as she stands behind me.

"That's what you did for years, Sara." I glare at her. "Didn't you think it was my right to know it?"

"I didn't want you to suffer alone, again." She mumbles I see the tears in her eyes. I shake my head as I let out an exasperated breath pulling my hair.

"It's unbelievable," I say. "You don't talk with me for years just because I made a marriage contract with Ria. And it is fine that you got married to someone who destroyed your best friend's life?"

"Neil," Avni warns me, Sara continues to look at me, and a tear drops from her eye which she quickly wipes away as she keeps her hand on her baby bump.

"Do not drag her in it." Kabir stands in front of her. "It is something we have to discuss."

"It is." I clench my jaw. "And I don't know what we are going to discuss because all I want is to knock you."

"Let us do it alone even if all you want to do is knock me." He says and I notice the fear in his eyes as he glances back at Sara.

I walk out feeling annoyed, mostly because I didn't hit him and because I broke my promise.

The only reason I didn't argue further is I do not want Sara to suffer from this fight, she is pregnant now and this is the time to keep her away from stress. But I know that in anger I did give her a reason to stress on.

I realize that I am leaving Avni behind in anger and I didn't take a look at her because I don't want to see the look of disappointment in her eyes for me.

I drive to my office all the way feeling devastated. I broke Avni's promise and made Sara upset.

Am I not supposed to get angry?

Am I just supposed to understand every time?

I am a human and this is common.

❊❊❊

How was it?

I think we have a lot of drama coming now. 😂

I don't like them fighting. 👀

And for the first time, what was the saddest dialogue of this chapter?

Whose side are you on? Avni or Neil?

I am on both sides. lol.

I don't know why but I am excited to know your views on this particular chapter.

To all the readers, thank you for reading along. It's Chapter - 10 of Sweetness Of Life and it means a lot to me.

What are your views on it till now?