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Her eyes fluttered open as soon as her alarm went off. She lazily turned it off and realized that she wasn't at the dhawan's house anymore. Usually she set up the alarm in order to get Rhea ready for the school but now that she was not there it was stupid of her to set up the alarm.

Or maybe it had all became habitual. She had gotten so used to that lifestyle that now she is feeling like a stranger in her own house. Though she did not want to admit it but she knew where she belongs now and it's clearly not this place.

Placing all the thoughts in the back of her mind she got off the bed and was faced by her own reflection in the mirror. Her face was stained with dry tears which were shed last night in the farewell of her loved ones.

With trembling hands she traced her face which was now looking more older than her age. A fresh trail of tear escaped her eye as realization hit her of what she was doing to herself. She quickly picked up her phone in order to call varun and saw his message which was sent last night asking her of what she needed him to bring and she was just seeing his message now.

She placed her phone back on the side table and went to the washroom to get freshen up.

"What are you doing here?" Varun asked through his gritted teeth.

"Oh relax varun! I just came here to have breakfast with my daughter." she replied showing him a box full of doughnuts.

"Why can't you get this through your mind that you can't meet her!" he raised his voice slightly.

"I've said this before, don't you dare shout on me. You don't owe me. Rhea is my daughter too. I will meet her whenever I want and if you've a problem with that we can meet in the court." she smirked causing him to close his eyes in frustration.

"Fine. Just this time. Tell me what your price is and leave our lives already!" he told her and she chuckled.

"Oh I will. Just let me have a little fun. After all, I deserve it." she curved her lips into a smirk and pushed him aside in order to enter the house.

"Bhaiyya, can you please drive a little fast?" shraddha told the auto driver for the umpteenth time.

"Madam, I'm driving as fast as I can. You should've opted for a car if you wanted to reach early." the driver shot back.

"Stop talking and focus on your driving." she huffed in frustration.

"Daddy, why is she here?" Rhea asked who was now dressed up in her school uniform.

"Huh? Rhea... Is this the way to talk to your mother?" Tara frowned at her.

"You're not my mother!" Rhea shook her head in annoyance.

"See what you've turned my daughter into. She's now disrespecting her own mother." Tara angrily glared at varun and he glared back at her.

"You're not my mama! Shraddha is my mama!" Rhea shouted making both varun and Tara's eyes widened in shock.

"What did you just say?" Tara asked her.

"Rhea.... shraddha isn't..." he couldn't complete.

"She makes my favorite food. She tells me bed time stories every night. She helps me in my homework. She hugs me whenever I'm sad or scared. She take care of daddy. She loves us both. She does everything a mommy does. You never did any of these things. You are a bad person!" by saying this she left the dining table and rushed to her room.

"I can't believe it! That bitch has manipulated my daughter to this extent." Tara said angrily.

"Don't. Don't you dare call her that!" Varun gritted his teeth.

"Why? Is Mr.Dhawan in love? That's why you can't hear anything against her? Oh... sorry, I forgot. You can't fall in love. People like you only know how to claim things." Tara said.

"Listen you...." before he could complete he heard the voice he was dying to hear since last night.

"Varun?" and there she was, standing at the doorstep of the dining room.

She felt her chest tightened upon seeing them having breakfast together. She felt betrayed. Was he waiting for her to leave so he can easily replace her with someone else? And that too someone like Tara? Is this what she deserves after what she did for him and his daughter?

"Shraddha?" he stood up from his position. She looked at him and then at Tara and then back at him again as an unknown tear escaped her eye.

"Sorry to disturb you.... I-I just came to get my stuff!" she lied as her voice cracked. She gave them both one last look before rushing into her room.

"I'll deal with you later!" he glared at Tara before following shraddha to her room.

"Shraddha?" he entered her room and saw her packing her stuff in a suitcase.

"I swear it isn't what it looks like. I didn't invite her. She just...." she cut him off.

"Don't need to explain. She's your ex. The mother of your child. Why would I have a problem. I'm just Rhea's nanny." she told him and again started packing her stuff.

"You should've told me you're coming. I would've picked you up." he said.

"No need. Apparently, you were busy so it's not a big issue." she shrugged her shoulders.

"I told you that I didn't invite her!" he told her yet again.

"Stop it varun! I don't care what you do in your life or whom you meet. You're no one to me!" she raised her voice slightly as tears started forming in her eyes. He grabbed her by both her arms and pulled her closer to himself.

"Why are you crying then?" he startled her by his question.

"What?" she asked in a mere whisper.

"If I mean nothing to you, why are you crying then?" he again asked and she looked down in order to avoid his gaze.

"Look at me, shraddha." he pulled her more closer to him causing her to look at him. His nose brushing against hers as a tear escaped her eye.

He placed his hand on her cheek wiping away the tear as his fingers gently caressed her face. Without giving it a second thought he leaned in, brushing his lips against hers.

He placed his one hand on the back of her neck while the other made its way to her waist pulling her closer to him while hers automatically landed on his biceps.

A slight moan escaped her lips as he deepened the kiss causing him to smirk. Before things could get more heated he felt himself being pushed back by her and he looked at her.

"Shraddha..." he moved towards her but she stopped him by putting her hand infront.

"Just stop right there." she told him.

"Let me just talk..." he said.

"What are we?" she asked him and he looked at her confused.

"I don't understand our relationship. Sometimes we are friends, sometimes we are more than friends, and sometimes I'm just a stranger to you. One minute you're talking to me as if I'm something special and the next minute.... I mean nothing to you." her voice started cracking.

"Shraddha... I...." he trailed off.

"Don't fuck with my feelings because you're unsure about yours. Grow up and talk to me when you're done treating girls like you own them." she shouted her lungs out.

She gave him one last look before picking up her suitcase and rushing out of the room, leaving him behind.

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