"Dhruv!" Shaurya screamed in absolute horror as Dhruv passed out in his arms.

He noticed that red stripes all over his neck and face had become more prominent. Immediately, realizing Dhruv had an anaphylactic reaction to something. Picking up Dhruv in his arms, he gently shook him. "Dhruv!" He called out again.

"Sir?" The server came rushing to his side.

"Call the doctor!" Shaurya demanded hysterically.

The server nodded and scurried away behind the counter to do the same.

Soon the paramedics arrived and began examining Dhurv after pushing Shaurya out of the way because he refused to let go of Dhruv.

"It is anaphylaxis!" Shaurya screamed when he thought they were taking too long.

One the paramedics nodded at Shaurya. "Sir, please relax. Let us do our job."

They quickly transferred him to a stretcher. "Have you informed the parent?" They asked the manager, who nodded vigorously.

"On his file his mother had informed that he was allergic to pineapples." The manager whispered.

"He just ate a sandwich which had pineapples. And what are you waiting for? Why aren't you doing anything?" Shaurya snapped.

The paramedic just shook his head and instructed his assistants to carry the stretcher out to the ambulance.

"Sir," the manager stood in front Shaurya just as he was about to enter the ambulance behind the medics. "You don't need to bother. It was his fault for not taking care of what he is eating. I'll send one of the assistant managers. The boy's mother should also be on her way. I promise your name won't be mentioned anywhere."

Shaurya looked at the manager in anger and frustration. The only thing that probably bothered him was the negative publicity his club was going to get because of this incident. Not saying anything, he just brushed past the manager and settled into the ambulance.

As soon as the doors closed, the medics cut open Dhruv's clothes and injected him with epinephrine making Dhruv flinch at the pain and Shaurya's heart clench.

"He'll be okay, right?" Shaurya asked when they placed an oxygen mask over Dhruv's mouth.

"Yes, he should be. We will keep him under observation in the hospital till his parents come."

Shaurya sighed when he finally saw Dhruv slowly opening his eyes.

"He will have difficulty in talking and breathing for a while."

Shaurya nodded and gently held Dhruv's hand. Running his fingers through Dhruv's hair, he leaned down to whisper against his ear, "Don't be scared. I am right here." He promised.

Dhruv's eyes fluttered open. "M-mu-mma." his voice was a hoarse whisper. It took a while for Shaurya to understand that Dhruv was asking about his mother.

"She will be here soon." Shaurya said wiping Dhruv's tears. It was obvious that the child was scared. Despite, his liking towards Shaurya, he was a practically a stranger.

"Are you guys related?" One of the staff members asked.

Shaurya shook his head. "No."

"You can go home, now. You know if you are not related. We got it from here."

"I can wait till his parents come." Shaurya quickly said.

He paced around in the waiting area while the doctor re-examined Dhruv. He was hyperventilating till the doctor came and told him Dhruv is completely fine and could go home as soon as his parent or gaurdian came.
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Dhvani rushed into work that morning. Quickly setting her purse on the desk, she turned on her laptop.

Tucking her hair behind her ear, she tried to get herself to take breaths to calm her panting.

After a while, when she looked up from her laptop, she saw both Sasha and Mihika by her desk.

"What?"

"You tell us what." Mihika said with an eyebrow raised.

"What do you mean?" Dhvani asked, purposely ignoring their giggling.

"You have a date tonight. Don't you?" Sasha asked loud enough for everyone in the office to look in their direction.

Dhvani shook her head at the girls and hid behind her laptop. She had worked really hard to keep her private and personal lives completely separate. Not particularly participating in any office gossip, she kept her head down and focused on working so she could provide a better life for her son. It had all changed when Rajveer joined the office, and he kept pressuring her to date him, and that had made her the center of gossips for a while now.

"N-no!" Dhvani stammered as she tried to focus on her work. "Why would you think I have a date?" She asked.

"You are wearing such a beautiful dress, your hair is down and heck you are even wearing makeup." Sasha pointed at her lipstick.

"I am not... I don't have a date. Now, excuse me, I have work to do." Dhvani mumbled.

Did the makeup look bad? She wondered. Despite what she said, she had taken time this morning on her appearance.
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Dhvani's stomach growled as she stood near the printer. Placing a hand over her stomach, she looked around to see if anyone else heard that. Considering she hadn't eaten anything because she was so stressed out about the dinner with Shaurya, it wasn't a surprise.

How and what was she going to say? Should she maybe start by showing him a picture of Dhruv? Or directly go for the hit?

"Hey, pretty girl!" Rajveer said in her ear.

Dhvani, who was lost in her own thoughts, jumped and let out a surprised shriek.

"Relax!" Rajveer laughed and rested his hip against the table near the printer.

"You know to stop doing that." Dhvani said, shaking her head.

"Why are you making copies? Tell the peon to do that." He frowned when he saw what she was doing.

"It's fine." She mumbled as she stapled the pages and held it out in front of Rajveer. "I am done for the day. These are the reports you asked me for. I have looked them over and made a few changes."

"You are going home early?" Rajveer took the papers and held them.

"Yes, I talked to Kritika Ma'am already." Dhavni smiled politely and walked over to her desk. Hoping that Rajveer would leave her alone, but he followed her closely.

"Where are you going?" He asked as he watched her collect her things. "A hot date?"

"Excuse me?"

"I was just asking because that's what everyone is talking about."

"Can a woman not dress for herself?" Dhvani asked angrily. She was giving all her other colleagues death glares. Or at least the ones that were looking in her direction.

"Of course she can." Rajveer said immediately. He held the strap of her bag and tugged at it to stop her from leaving. "I was wondering.... my friend actually has an opening for his new restaurant. This weekend. Do you want to be my date?"

She squirmed uncomfortably. "I... no, I am not... I am busy."

"Busy with what?" He demanded.

She looked up at the aggressive tone, and he backed down. "Enjoy your event." He said and walked away from her.

She let out the breath she had been holding - something she always did when Rajveer was around.

Just as she was about to leave the office, she heard her father's name being announced on the TV.

The news channel was running a segment on lawyers with the highest rate of wins.

She smiled when they showed a picture of him in his office. The fancy wooden plank that she had gifted him still placed on the wall behind him. 'One day, I may find my prince, but daddy will always be my king.' was the quote she had engraved on wood. She terribly missed her father, but she had stopped talking to him for a long time now. When he didn't respond to any of her calls or emails, she got the message. However, he had come down to see her and Dhruv when he was born, but when she told him she was going to give Dhruv his father's last name, he left again, and this time, he didn't reply at all.

Dhvani stared at the pictures of Shaurya and Priya that her father had passed her.

She was hysterically shuffling through them. "I..." she began in disbelief. "Papa...."

Haripraksh Mishra stood up and hugged his daughter, who was crying uncontrollably. "I told you before too that this boy didn't deserve you. He is having an affair with that woman. He can't afford a baby, but he gave her 50 lakh rupees. Which by his standards is a lot."

He held her in his arms as she continued to sob. Nothing made sense to her anymore to her. What was the truth, and what was a lie? Everything seemed like a mess. Why had their relationship turned out like this? Why did everything fall apart? Where did she lose him? Was this the end of their relationship?

She sat limply in the car seat of her father's car. She didn't even remember getting there or driving towards the highway to go to Delhi. Her father had asked Shipra, who had worked as her nanny, and now as a caretaker in the Mishra house, to pack all her clothes and belongings while she sat on the couch with her father bawling her eyes out.

No! She wouldn't leave without speaking with Shaurya at least once. She was going to ask him what she had done to deserve all this. She deserved to know what had between him and Priya and that all these pictures and proofs were all a misunderstanding.

"Mohan Uncle, turn the car around," Dhvani demanded.

"Dhvani." Her father rubbed her back to calm her down.

"Papa! Please, I want to go home and talk to Shaurya at least once before I leave." Dhavni begged. "Those pictures are probably completely innocent, and we are just taking it wrong. And 50 lakhs. Where is Shaurya going to get that kind of money? It's all a misunderstanding. I'll go home and fix everything. Shaurya loves me and me..." She babbled on and on hiding her face in her father's chest. Hoping with all her heart that he could protect her. Well, he had tried telling her that Shaurya wasn't right for her, but she just hadn't listened.

"Dhavni, calm down!" Her nanny said gently as she passed her a water bottle.

"No!" Dhvani screeched. "I want to go home. I want my husband!"

When everyone looked at her with sympathy, she lost it. "Stop this car, or I'll jump out!" She warned hysterically - one of her hands already on the latch.

"Dhvani!" Her father screamed as she pushed the door open. He pulled her back, but when she began struggling, he yelled at the driver to park the car on the side.

As soon as the car stopped, she jumped out and began walking away, leaving her father and Shipra to follow. Feeling emotionally drained, she collapsed on the road. Luckily her father had caught her at the right time and broken her fall.

"I love him, Papa!" She hiccuped and sniffled in between sobs. "I love him so much it hurts."

Haripraksh wrapped his arms around her and placed a kiss on top of her head. "I'll fix it all. I promise! Just trust me."

Dhavni didn't reply. Instead continued to blabber her speech from the car. "50 lakhs? From where did he get that money? So, its-"

"He asked me for that money." Her father said. She snapped her head up to look at him. She was stunned as he had just slapped her.

"W-what?" She asked, looking at him in confusion.

"I am sorry, sweetheart." He patted her head. "I didn't want to tell you and trouble you, but I think I had enough... my daughter deserves better."

Dhavni blinked rapidly as she tried to wrap her head around this new revelation. "N-no!" She shook her head. "That's not possible. He hates borrowing from anyone. He would rather die than take money from someone."

"That's because he needs to prove it to you that he is in love with you and not my money." Her father shouted.

"No!" Dhavni argued.

"He has extorted two cores from me to date. I kept giving him money, thinking he was trying to create a better life for you, but no. He has a mistress. He'll leave you right after he makes something of himself. You are-"

"No!" She screamed and shook her head. "Shaurya really loves me. He... No, can't do that. I'll talk to him and-"

Her father shook her roughly. Holding her by her shoulders, he asked. "Do you have no self-respect? I have raised you better than being a doormat to a man that doesn't deserve you."

"But-"

"You don't believe me? Fine." Her father said with hurt and disappointment in his voice. "Shipra, why don't you tell her. Tell her that I have given her husband money."

Shipra looked at Dhvani hesitantly before nodding quietly.

Dhvani felt like a piece of her heart just broke. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. She couldn't speak. She couldn't hear all the soothing words and accusations on her husband. All of it was just white noise.

"Dhavni." Her father slowly helped her up and guided her back into the vehicle. "You go and stay at your Bua's house for a few days in Delhi. You need a change, and if you still don't believe me and think this is all a big mistake, then Shaurya will come to see you or at least contact you. Won't he?"

"I don't have my cellphone. It's at home." She murmured as she laid her head on her father's shoulder.

"That's okay. If he ever calls me or comes to our house, then I'll let him know that you are at my sister's house." Her father said. "I'll take care of everything. You only deserve happiness. Which you can't get with Shaurya." There was a promise in his voice.

Tired and exhausted, she fell asleep as soon as her father began humming a lullaby from her childhood.

A week later

She had found out she was pregnant, and the reports at the Dehradun hospital were wrong due to some medical reasons that she didn't comprehend because the doctor used some medical terms. The first person she wanted to call was Shaurya, but her father was right. Her self respect was more important to her than anything. Although, one could argue that her self respect slightly borderline ego. It was Shaurya who was at fault, and it should be his responsibility to come and clear it up if it was a misunderstanding.

"Papa!" She said as she sat up on the bed when she saw him enter her room. "What are you doing here? Did... Shaurya come to see you? Did he ask about me?"

He sat down beside her with a solemn expression. "Bua, just told me you are...."

Dhvani smiled widely despite the conundrum in her life. She nodded. "In six or seven months, you'll be a grandfather." She said excitedly, waiting for her father to hug and congratulate her. Instead, he held out a bunch of papers.

Mutual Divorce Petition was bolded and centred on top of the first page. "Di-divorce?" Dhvani's fingers trembled as she glanced through the documents.

"He said he doesn't want to negotiate or settle anything. He told me that divorce was the only way for him if I didn't continue giving him money."

"Pen." She held out her hand.

"Read through them first. If you want. We can-"

"If you have read through them, then I don't need to. Pen, Papa."

Her father gave her his pen, and she signed it hurriedly.

Dhvani Gupta

Shaurya Gupta

Her signature looked shaky, so did his, but she didn't care anymore. This was it. She was never going to speak to him ever again.

"I don't want to even see him." She announced as she lay down on the bed. Holding back her tears. Not wanting her father to see how much of a failure she had been.

"One of the clauses discusses the power of attorney."

"Okay."

"Dhvani, let me know when you are ready. It is better we do it sooner than later."

"Do what?" She asked, wiping her tears and sitting back up again.

"Get rid of...." her father's voice trailed off.

It took a few minutes for her to realize that he was talking about her baby. "No!" She shrieked, placing an arm over her stomach protectively.

"Are you planning to give birth to his baby?" He asked in confusion.

"It's my baby!"

"Dhvani." He sighed. "You don't understand. You are barely 22. You have your whole life ahead of you. You can study more. Marry again, this time with a guy that deserves you."

She shook her head, furiously. "This is my baby and whatever dreams and aspirations I have I will fulfill with him or her."

Her father stood up in anger. "You ran away from home and got married, I forgave you, but if you have this baby." He spat out the word with disgust. "I won't." Her father warned.

"Just like you are fighting for your daughter's safety and protection, I am fighting for my child's." She said unwaveringly.

"Just like you understand why I was against your relationship with Shaurya. You'll deeply regret this decision of yours too."

She didn't know what to say in her defence except "I won't."

"I am going to take care of your divorce. Don't expect any more from me if you keep planning to do whatever you want."

"Papa, Please." She whispered, biting her lip to stop herself from crying. She couldn't break down now.

"I am really disappointed in you, Dhavni." He said over his shoulder when he opened the bedroom door.

"Papa-" Dhvani tried again, but Haripraksh Mishra walked out, knowing very well that his daughter loved him way too much. If she didn't come back to him today, then she would come back later, and when she did, he was going to remove all the traces of Shaurya Gupta's presence from her life.

Dhvani felt tears stinging her eyes. She ran to the bathroom. Shutting the stall, she sat down on the toilet seat and cried.

When she came out of the stall, her appearance had changed drastically. Her eyes were red and swollen. Mascara and eyeliner streaked down her cheeks.

Splashing cold water on her face, she rubbed furiously to get rid of the debris. What the hell had she been thinking when she wore makeup and dressed up for tonight. How could she forget what Shaurya had done? Even if he told her a million times that he hadn't had an affair, it wouldn't change the fact that he had blackmailed her father for money. It was only because of him that her father was disappointed in her. If they were a happy family, then he would have had no problems with Dhruv. She knew that much. She would never forgive him for the crack he had caused between her and her father.

Telling Shaurya about Dhruv had always been about giving Dhruv a father not getting herself a husband, and it would remain so. She would never let that man back into her life.

She had just finished tying her hair up in a bun when her cellphone rang in her purse.

"Hello?"

"Hello. I am calling from Anytime Fitness recreational center. Is this Dhruv Gupta's mother?" The man asked.

"Yes, this is Dhvani. Dhruv's mother." She replied as she began walking towards the exit.

There was a long pause, and Dhvani began panicking. What did Dhruv do now? "Ma'am..... he has been taken to the hospital."

Dhavni's stomach dropped. "What? Why?" She asked, hurriedly running to the exit. "He... he... He had an ana... anaflitic attack?" The man said.

She flagged down a rickshaw and hurriedly got in before the driver could even say anything.

"Where to, Madam?" The driver asked.

"Just one second." She said. "What?" She spoke into the phone.

"Just wait!" She yelled at the driver when he continued to ask her where they were going while she was trying to make out what the man on the phone was saying.

"He ate pineapples." The man got to the point. Giving up entirely on the word.

"Why would you give him pineapples?" She screamed in frustration. "I had specifically told you that my son is allergic-" she took a deep breath and massaged her temples. "What hospital is in? How is he? Is he okay? Let me speak to him."

"He has been taken to Ashoka Hospital, and he is fine, according to my employee."

"Ashoka hospital." She instructed the driver.

The driver huffed and shook his head. "Ma'am I can't-"

She hit her hand against the seat of the rickshaw and got out swearing.

"If something happens to my son-" she didn't complete her sentence; instead, she just hung up angrily.

The entire journey to the hospital, she cried in frustration and fear. She sent a message to Trupti too so that she could meet her at the hospital.

"Please, God! Don't let anything happen to my son. I won't be able to live without him." She prayed.
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"Hi, champion!" Shaurya greeted when he saw Dhruv had woken up. The swelling and rashes had reduced significantly, but they were still there. He also noticed the fear in the little boy's eyes. "Don't be scared. You are a brave boy, right?"

"I want my mom." He whispered. His voice was still a little hoarse.

"She will be here any minute. You just lie down and sleep. I'll wake you up when she comes." He tried to smile so he could cheer Dhruv up.

He shook his head frantically. "I want my mumma!" He cried.

Just then Dhvani burst in through the door and stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Shaurya holding her son's hand. Their son's hand. He was watching her with a stunned expression. She could only assume that her own expressions mirrored his.

"Mumma!" Dhruv croaked out from the bed.

She saw Shaurya's jaw hit the floor as his eyes switched between her and Dhruv. She watched as his expressions flickered from flabbergasted to calculative then to comprehension and then finally that of what Dhvani assumed was utter betrayal.

However, Dhvani quickly composed herself, when she heard her son call out to her again.

"Dhruv," she ran to his side and sat beside him. She went to touch him, but the sight of his little body covered in red bruises and the fluid tube attached to his arm, Dhvani was furious. "What the hell did you do to my son?" She yelled at Shaurya who was still looking at her with a disgusted look.

Author's note: Phew! This chapter was long. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it. ❤❤Please vote and comment if you did. It really means a LOT to me when you guys vote and leave comments. Any guesses on what will happen next?