The first thing Shivangi did was let out a shriek.

Adway Mathur stormed in.

" Close the door, mom! "
He whispered.

Shivangi wouldn't move. All she could do was to stare horrified at the little human wrapped within the arms of her son.

" Who's she? " , her voice trembled.

" Your short lasting responsibility. "

Adway closed the door with his feet. And put the baby in Shivangi's hands, who spontaneously took her up. A warmth traversed through her body.

" Till the time I return her to her rightful owner, take care of her mom. "

Without even let her speak, Adway almost ran towards his room.

Shivangi kept staring at her son, who had apparently returned from Paris after two years, without luggage, with a baby in his arms.

She then looked at her lap.

A new born aura. That's what the baby reflected.

***

Adway lay flat on the bed.

He didn't at all know if people were looking for him now, and even if they were, he didn't care at all.

He felt much relieved. Pretty much!

Adway slapped his face time and again.
What had he been doing time and again for the last two years??

Avanthika Mohan was a venomous snake in herself. But was he less??
He pitied her time and again.
Because he knew the truth. Amarendra had told him when he met him for the last time.

But Avanthika didn't want to know even. She just wanted to keep the flame inside her burning.

And he?? Did he forcefully tell her the truth he had known?

No. He didn't. For the last two years, despite knowing the truth behind Mahendra Baahubali's death, he had not let Avanthika know, neither convince her, that Devasena didn't murder her husband.
But why? What vengeance was he taking out that way??

Adway got up. And lit a cigarette.
All he could bring along was his wallet, and a packet full of nicotine.

Adway Mathur didn't hate Amarendra. Not at all. Neither did his past affect his present in a way it did Avanthika's.

But then, there was something else.

Adway remembered the night he had broken up with Lucia. Not that Lucia suited him even. He knew not what actually he was looking for. Or did he??

Maharani Devasena was not Bhallaldeva's love interest. Because Bhallaldeva was devoid of emotions. And yet, Devasena had perhaps been the only woman who had ruled over him till his last breath.

The night he broke up with Lucia, was the night he saw Devasena Sehgal at a function photos of dad's college.
Not only did it storm him down, she blew him off.

But it wasn't love. It wasn't lust. Nor was it the past.

An emptiness, that's all.....

Amarendra Baahubali got Devasena.
But didn't Bhallaldeva deserve anyone like her???

Adway went into the washroom. He washed his face for a long time.

Nah! Even after meeting Devasena Sehgal, Adway hadn't fallen for her at all. Just as Bhallaldeva hadn't.

And needless to say, Amarendra Bhawaani aroused no revenge in him. Because he himself was sorry for his past.

And the truth was, with each passing day in Bhopal with Amarendra's calm, with Devasena's cluelessness, with Avanthika's restlessness, Adway had almost let go off the void in his life, of looking for someone who was the best, but not his......

And then one day, suddenly, Amarendra and Devasena remembered their precious love.

And never on earth should it have affected him. But it did.

Like hell!!!

The void returned. And the void was not for Devasena, but for the fact, that the best was not his....but of someone else....

Adway thrashed on the couch and fell back, shutting his eyes..

And Avanthika happened to be in her own la la land of revenge, which didn't even have a base.
But what did he do?
Ignite. With guilt.

Yes, he was guilty. But it really didn't help.

For two long years, he had been in constant touch with Avanthika. And every time she happened to drift away, he made sure she returned.

Not that she didn't understand, but yet he had never openly demeaned Amarendra - Devasena.

And one day Avanthika had finally asked,
" Do you think I'm an idiot? You are never their friend. You have only kept the fire alive in me, behind a mask. Why did you pretend to them that you have forgotten your past whereas you actually haven't? "

There was no use arguing with her because she was like a kid. He could never make her understand that it wasn't the past at all. It was a tragic play of 'Maya'....

All he could tell her was, " Out beyond the ideas of wrongdoings and rightdoings, there's a world. And I'm already there... "

Avanthika had got nothing. As usual.

Adway hadn't been in Amarendra-Devasena's touch. But he too like Avanthika had constantly kept a watch on them. And also he very well knew what Avanthika had been waiting for....

And Adway had shamelessly been waiting for that as well.
His vendetta, through someone else.

He couldn't sleep for nights.
He didn't at all make out, why did a monster arise out of nowhere in him?
Why was he taking pleasure in someone else going to ruin someone else's lives??

And one day Avanthika informed something which he had already known.
" Devasena Sehgal is pregnant. Seen Amarendra's status update?
9 more months to go. It's showtime. "

When Adway should have felt sorry, he only felt a demonic pleasure.

And time and again Avanthika made sure since then, that Adway wanted this exactly. As well. And Adway instead of wearing the mask, had as if thrown it away.

Now Avanthika was sure, even if she didn't, Adway Mathur won't let Amarendra and Devasena stay happy. Two years were already too long to bear, the void....

And then came the final call, just two days back....

" Adway Mathur, I'm flying off to India for the job of my life.
Hope you don't follow me, or do that before me....

Amarendra and Devasena, bid a goodbye to a happy life... "

Thunder as if struck Adway for the first time in two years...

What had he been doing?
What had he been wanting her to keep doing???

How even??
What will really happen to Amarendra and Devasena if Avanthika killed their child??
For nothing???
They had killed no one in their lives, for god's sake!!
They knew only to love, for god's sake!!!

Had Adway actually believed deep down, that Avanthika won't actually do a thing of that sort??? And he had just been playing along, pacifying his emptiness and hurt ego??
But she was actually going to do that!
She was actually going to destroy three lives altogether!!!

Adway Mathur couldn't let that happen.

Before Avanthika Mohan could take her volatile revenge, he needed to save Amarendra and Devasena's child.
Nor could he face Amarendra warning him against Avanthika at present, because that would bring the ugly ignition he had been kept doing for two long years, the ugly face of humanity....

Hence, the only thing he could do, was run with the daughter....

Lest, she would run out of life, because Avanthika Mohan was already in the hospital when she was born.

Thank you Sister Nancy!

And sorry, just a day or two of pain, AmarSena!!!