Hi, everyone!! I am back with another update. Thank you very much for your response to the last chapter!!
CHAPTER 42
At the Temple
IshAv are sitting at a pillar after completing the rituals.
Ishu: Why didn’t you tell me earlier?? I also must have done the rituals with you.
Avni: That’s why I didn’t tell you. How I will make you hurt yourself??
Ishu: Oh!! You can hurt yourself but I shouldn’t hurt myself?? Not fair!! (She turns her face away from her. Avni smiles and pulls her chin making Ishana to look at her.)
Avni: Don’t sulk, my baby. Already you are staying with the Oberois. You have to handle that Omkara Singh Oberoi. That’s why I didn’t tell you. I couldn’t ask you anything because of all those happenings. Is everything fine there?? How is that Omkara?? Did he do or says anything wrong to you??
Ishu: Avni, there is one incident which we have misunderstood him.
Avni: What??
Ishu: The night before I and Priyanka left from Oberoi Mansion, we said that he…
Avni: He tried to molest you!!
Ishu: Actually, he didn’t. He didn’t try to molest me.
Avni: What?? He didn’t try to molest you?? Then, what he wanted to do to you??
Ishu: I don’t know but he didn’t try to molest me.
Avni: How do you know that?? Who told you??
Ishu: He is the one who told me.
Avni: And you believe him??
Ishu: He won’t lie, Avni. I saw in his eyes that he was telling the truth. He is regretting a lot for whatever he has done towards me.
Avni: Are you going to forgive him for whatever he has done to you??
Ishu: I wish I can but I can’t forgive him for playing with my motherhood. (She cries placing her hand on her tummy.) I wish he didn’t get me pregnant. (Avni is surprised listening to her. She cups her face and looks into her eyes. She just hugs her caressing her hair.) I wanted to take revenge on him but after seeing his behaviour towards me, I couldn’t do it. I tried Avni but I can’t. Moreover, that day he saved me from a gunshot. (Avni looks at her shockingly.)
Avni: What?? Gunshot?? (Ishana realised what she has blurted out.) What are you saying, Ishu?? Someone tried to shoot you??
Ishu: Avni, that day when I and Annika stayed at the hospital…. (She told her whatever happened. Avni is shocked to learn about whatever happened to Ishana.)
Avni: These much happened but you didn’t tell us anything. Why, Ishu??
Ishu: You are very much upset thinking about NeilJa. I don’t want to make you worry more.
Avni: Who wanted to harm you?? Locking you in the mortuary and trying to shoot you. So confusing.
Ishu: Avni, NeilGau are not aware of this. Don’t tell them now.
Avni: Ok. I won’t tell them. But you have to be careful. (Ishana’s mobile beeps.)
Ishu: The car is here. Let’s go. (IshAv leave from the temple.)
CITY HOSPITAL
Neil’s Ward
Gautham is pacing at the ward while Neil is thinking something.
Gau: Ranveer said he will come here but till now he is not here yet. (Looks at the time.)
Neil: He didn’t say anything to you?? (Gautham shakes his head in negative. Ranveer comes that time.) Finally, you are here??
Ranveer: Sorry, yaar. I thought to bring a VIP to meet you. (NeilGau look at each other confusingly.)
NeilGau: VIP?? (Ranveer pulls someone inside. NeilGau expressions changed.) Omkara Singh Oberoi!!?? (They see his hands are handcuffed.)
Neil: Are you arresting him??
Ranveer: Nope. I kidnapped him.
Gau: For what??
Ranveer: To bring out the truth.
Neil: What truth??
Om: Ranveer!! Just stop!!
Ranveer: Shut up!! If you want your Ishana, they have to know the truth.
Om: I don’t want her.
Ranveer: Really?? Can you live without her?? (Omkara keeps quiet.) You can’t answer, right?? So you just keep quiet and let me talk. (Towards NeilGau.) First, he didn’t try to molest Ishana as we are thinking. (NeilGau look at each other shockingly.)
*Flashback*
Omkara came back after finishing his meeting with a new client. He is drunken a bit making his head heavy. He went to his room and looks at Ishana who is sleeping on the floor.
Om: Why she is sleeping on the floor again?? She can’t endure the coldness. It’s ok. I will make her sleep on the bed. (He goes towards her to carry her but Ishana wakes up that time.)
Ishu: Sir!! You?? What are you doing here??
Om: You are asking me?? This is my room!!
Ishu: I know this is your room. But, why are you here?? You should sleep on the bed.
Om: You too should sleep on the bed. (Lifts her in his arms while Ishana struggles to get down. Her hand hits a flower vase and it falls down breaks into pieces.)
Ishu: Sir, leave me!! What are you doing?? (Omkara throws her on the bed and he goes near her to take the blanket which is on the pillow behind her. Ishana feels scared seeing him coming near her. She pushes him and gets up from the bed. Omkara sees her stumbling and about to hold her but his hand caught the back of her dress and it gets torn. She turns and sees him holding her cloth piece. She searches for something to cover herself. Omkara finds a sheet beside her and he goes near her to take the sheet. Ishu cries folding her hands making him confused.) Please, sir. Please leave me. (Omkara pulls her closer and tries to take the sheet. She tries to push him but he tightens his grip on her. He takes the sheet and about to cover her. She pushed him and about to run from there. However, her leg tripped and she falls on the glass pieces there. She screams in pain and falls unconscious. Omkara feels bad and tries to help her but his head feels too heavy and he falls unconscious on her.)
*Flashback Ends*
Om: I just wanted to make her sleep on the bed but her fear created some misunderstanding. (NeilGau are shocked to learn this.)
Gau: Why did you keep quiet?? You should have told everyone the truth.
Om: I felt like no point telling the truth when my siblings didn’t trust me. They thought their bhaiya will stoop too low to behave like that towards a woman. That’s why I kept quiet. But I know Ishana must have trusted me if I said the truth.
Neil: How are you so confident??
Om: Whenever my character is questioned, she is the one defended me. Even though, I have tortured her. She never had let me down in front of anyone. (Looks at Ranveer.) How can I not fall in love with her?? (NeilGau look at each other.)
Ranveer: Ok. Let’s talk about Mishti now. Whose baby is Mishti??
Neil: Shut up!!
Ranveer: You shut up!! Om, you tell me Mishti is whose baby??
Om: How many times I have to tell you!!?? She is my baby!! (NeilGau are shocked.)
Neil: What??
Ranveer: Mishti is not your baby!!
Om: Shut up!! She is my baby!! Don’t you dare again to say that she is not my baby.
Neil: Shut up both of you!! Mishti is whose baby, Mishti is whose baby?? She is my baby!! Mishti is my baby!! (RanGau are surprised with his statement and smile in relief while Omkara is confused.)
Ranveer: Woww!! Finally, someone has accepted Mishti as his baby. Avni will be very happy if she knows this.
Om: Wait a minute. Mishti is his baby??
Ranveer: His and Avni’s baby. Due to some circumstances, he didn’t accept the baby. That’s why Ishana took the baby here. But it was not her plan to tell Mishti is your baby.
Om: It must be Rudra’s one. Ishana can’t even think of saying like that.
Gau: So you know that Mishti is not your baby?? Then, why did you say that she is your baby??
Om: Because my family was bad-mouthing her which I can’t stand. That’s why.
Ranveer: Is that the only reason, Omkara?? (Omkara looks at Ranveer.)
Om: Yes.
Ranveer: They have to know the truth, Om. (Omkara keeps quiet keeping his face stern.) If you want your Ishana, you have to tell them.
Om: What truth do you want me to tell them?? That their friend got pregnant but don’t know who was the father?? (NeilGau are shocked to know this.)
Gau: What?? Ishu was not pregnant with your baby?? (Omkara shakes his head.)
Om: Ishana always had a nightmare during her sleep. She will suddenly wake up and screamed in her sleep. At first, I thought because she was scared of me. That’s why she behaved like that. But it continues until a few weeks. I realised that something is not good. That’s why I decided to take her to the hospital to meet a psychiatrist. But I didn’t tell anyone about this including Shivaay. I met a psychiatrist and told her about Ishana. I asked her to check without her knowledge. She agreed and asked a nurse to give anaesthesia to Ishana without her knowledge. The nurse did as we said. The doctor checked Ishana and she told me that Ishana is depressed because of causing death. She asked me to take care of her and suggested a few medicines for her. Suddenly, one nurse came and tell that Ishana is lying unconscious at the corridor. We were confused but the doctor said she might get half-conscious and walked from the ward. So we took her back to the ward again and waited for her to gain conscious. After she woke up, she cried in pain holding her lower abdomen. We were confused to see her like that. She fell unconscious again. I took her from the hospital. After two weeks, we found her pregnant. I didn’t know-how. I lied that it was my baby and I made her pregnant through artificial insemination using my sperm.
Neil: Why did you say that you used Gauri’s ovum??
Om: So that Ishana won’t take the baby with her. And I wanted to find out who is the one who made her pregnant.
Gau: You trusted that Ishu didn’t have any affair with anyone??
Om: Of course. No one can doubt her character. She is pure. I am just worried if someone has molested her without her knowledge.
Neil: Why didn’t you tell her that you didn’t make her pregnant??
Om: Then, what should I answer if she asked back who got her pregnant?? Should I say I don’t know?? Do you think she can accept it?? No way!!
Ranveer: Om, Ishu is ready to forgive you for whatever you have done to her except for her pregnancy. If she knows that you didn’t…..
Om: She won’t be alive, Ranveer!! Are you guys mad?? Till now she is alive thinking that the baby was mine. If she learns that the baby was not mine and no one knows who made her pregnant, she definitely won’t be alive. No girl can accept this. This is a very sensitive matter!!
Gau: Till when are you going to take the blame??
Om: Till forever. I can take whatever blame to save my Ishana’s dignity even though I have to face her hatred. I am ready to face it. But please I am begging you. Don’t tell her this truth. Let it be that I am the one who did like that to her. Please. (He asked folding his hands with tearful eyes.) Ranveer, I have answered all your questions. Remove this handcuff from me. (Ranveer unlocks and removes it from his hand. Omkara leaves from there.)
Ranveer: Guys, do you think Ishana deserves someone better than him?? I feel he is the one best for her. Neil, after you learnt about Mishti, you didn’t accept her and was upset with Avni. But Omkara accepted both the babies as his even though they are not. You know whenever I asked him whose baby is Mishti, he spontaneously said she is his baby. I couldn’t find any hesitation in his eyes. His eyes were showing confidence. That’s why I repeated the same question again and again but his answer was always the same. He has gone one step higher in my eyes. (NeilGau look at each other with teary eyes. IshAv came that time. NeilGauRan composed themselves. NeilGau recalled whatever Omkara said just now. They feel bad to see her.)
Ishu: What happened?? Both of your faces are looking worried.
Neil: Nothing. Come and sit here. (Ishana obeys and sits beside him. NeilGau hug her.) Sorry, Ishu!!
Ishu: (confused) Sorry?? But for what??
Gau: We felt like to say sorry to you. That’s why.
Ishu: My friends should not say sorry to me. Because I love you both very much. (NeilGau hug her again.)
NeilGau: We love you too!! (Ishana kisses their cheeks.)
Ishu: Neil, you are getting released today. So don’t be sad. Be happy!!
Neil: (confused) Released??
Ranveer: Ishana, it’s discharged, not released.
Ishu: But both the meanings are the same right?? (AvNeil and GauRan chuckle seeing her.) Gautham, Ranveer, let’s leave this husband and wife alone for a while. GauRan nod and they leave from the room. Avni sits beside Neil and hugs him.)
Avni: Neil, if I tell you something, don’t be angry with me.
Neil: I won’t be angry with you. You can trust me. Just tell what you wanted to say.
Avni: Neil, I think Ishu is in love with Omkara Singh Oberoi. (Neil looks at her in surprise.)
Neil: What??
Avni: Yes, Neil. Just now at the temple Ishu…. (Avni narrates her conversation with Ishana just now.) She said that she wishes that she can forgive him but she couldn’t forgive him for making her pregnant. She cried while saying that, Neil.
Neil: I wish whatever you said is true. (Avni looks at him shockingly.) I am saying the truth, Avni. Ishu won’t get someone better than Omkara.
Avni: What are you saying?? That man has impregnated our Ishu and you want to unite our Ishu with him. I won’t allow this, Neil!!
Neil: No, Avni. (He pulls her towards him.) Omkara didn’t make Ishu pregnant. (Avni is shocked again. He told her whatever Omkara told them just now. Avni burst into tears.)
Avni: Who did like that to her?? How dare that person to do like that to her?? Why did he do that?? Ishu won’t be alive if she learns about this.
Neil: That’s why Omkara took the blame on himself. He wants to protect Ishu’s dignity. He too loves her a lot.
Avni: But Ishu won’t accept him even though she is in love with him. How are we going to make her accept him?? (The room door is knocked from outside. AvNeil wipe their tears and composed themselves.) Come in. (IshGauRan enter inside with the doctor and nurse.)
Doctor: Mr Neil, I need to do a check-up for you before you leave. (Neil nods. IshAvGauRan wait at the outside.)
OBEROI MANSION
Omkara’s Room
Ishana is arranging something in the room when Omkara comes at that time. He recalls his conversation with NeilGauRan.
Ishu: You are back!!?? (Omkara nods. Ishana’s could see that something is not fine by looking at his face.) Sir, is everything ok?? (He goes and hugs her.)
Om: (thinks) The baby is mine, Ishana. I won’t let you know this truth at any cost. (He tightens the hug on her.)
Ishu: Sir, is everything ok?? (Omkara breaks the hug and nods his head.)
Om: I don’t have to worry about anything when you are with me. (Ishana smiles.) So, how was the prayers?? Did Avni manage to complete her prayers??
Ishu: Yes. Neil has been discharged today.
Om: That’s good. Where he is staying?? Ask him and your friends to come and stay here.
Ishu: He is staying at Siddharth bhaiya’s house. AvGau are already staying there.
Om: Siddharth is your brother, right?? (Ishana nods.) And your bhabhi, Swetlana??
Ishu: How do you know their names??
Om: You are the one who told me.
Ishu: Me?? When??
Om: Last time, you used to mumble in your sleep especially after getting drenched in the shower.
Ishu: So you are the one who brought me out??
Om: Then, who?? Obviously me. Who else will enter my room’s washroom other than me??
Ishu: You are the one who changed my clothes??
Om: Yeah!! (Ishana turns her face away feeling embarrassed.) But I closed all the curtains here and made the room dark before changing your clothes. (Ishana sighs feeling relief.) Then, I made you lie beside me. You shivered badly and I had to hug you tightly. You blurted out everything about yourself when you were unconscious.
Ishu: Everything??
Om: Everything!! About your past, your background. I realised I have done a huge blunder by telling like that about you. You were blaming yourself for causing Gauri’s death. I felt bad to see you like that. (He cups her face.) I wish I can go back to our past and change it. Punish me, Ishana. Please take revenge on me. (Ishana couldn’t help but chuckles seeing him.)
Ishu: Sir, you are begging me to take revenge on you?? How will I do that??
Om: At least slap me!!
Ishu: Sir, you… (She pushes him. Omkara pulls her hand. They stumble and fall on the bed with Ishana on top of him. Omkara looks at her intensely sending shiver to all over her body. She feels something different from his gaze. He turns his body making Ishana landed beside him.)
Om: (caressing her face with his fingers) So you don’t want to take revenge on me??
Ishu: If your behaviour was the same, maybe I took revenge on you. But you are not the same Omkara Singh Oberoi. Actually, this is the real you!! Last time, you were faking yourself. (Omkara is surprised that she knows about him.)
Om: How do you know this is the real me??
Ishu: Priyanka has told me when I stayed here last time. Annika di also said the same when we stayed at the hospital a few days back. I am the one who has changed you into a beast. If I didn’t do the accident, you must never change….. (He places his finger on her lips.)
Om: Shhhh!! Don’t talk about it anymore. It was an accident. We can’t change whatever happened. I am the one at fault. I should not behaved like that with you. (Ishana cups his face and shakes her head.)
Ishu: Sir, I want to tell you something.
Om: Go ahead.
Ishu: Mishti is not your baby.
Om: Then, she is not yours either.
Ishu: Really?? How if she is my baby??
Om: Then, she is my baby too.
Ishu: How if the baby is mine only and it has nothing to do with you?? Maybe, it belongs to some other man. We know well that nothing has happened between us. Then, how come the baby can be yours??
Om: (pulls her towards him) Don’t you dare to say like that about you. Even though nothing has happened between us before this, that doesn’t mean the baby is not mine. If the baby is yours, it’s my baby too because you are my wife!! Understand that!! (Ishana feels overwhelmed and hugs him.)
Ishu: Sir, Mishti is AvNeil’s baby. Neil didn’t accept Mishti as his baby. That’s why I brought her here. But it was not my plan to tell that Mishti is your baby.
Om: I know. It must be Rudra’s idea.
Ishu: Sorry, sir. (Ishana thinks for a while and pulls herself from him.) Does that mean you already know that Mishti is not your baby??
Om: Yes. And I know she is not yours too.
Ishu: Nope!! Avni said that I and Pooja are Mishti’s mother too. She will call us as maa only. (Omkara smiles.) Don’t say that Mishti is not mine.
Om: Ok, my pretty wife. Mishti is our baby. (Ishana smiles at him.) By the way, how is Pooja??
Ishu: She is still in the same condition.
Om: She will be fine, Ishana. Don’t worry.
Ishu: Sir, can I ask you something??
Om: Just ask me.
Ishu: How did you able to forgive me for causing Gauri’s death??
Om: How are you able to believe me when I said that I didn’t try to molest you?? Why didn’t you abort the baby when you learned that I made you pregnant without your knowledge?? (Ishana looks at him in surprise.) You can’t even kill an unborn baby, how could you kill another life intentionally?? You died in guilt every day for causing Gauri’s death. (He cups her face and hugs her. Ishana cries hugging him back.)
Ishu: Why, sir?? Why?? Why did you make me pregnant?? I wish you didn’t make me pregnant. (Omkara cries hugging her.)
Om: (thinks) I didn’t make you pregnant, Ishana but I can’t disclose this truth to you.
AvNeil and GauRan are on the way driving back to SidLana’s House after dropping Ishana at Oberoi Mansion. Avni hugs Neil’s arm and places her head on it. Ranveer is the one driving the car while Gautham is sitting beside him. Suddenly, Avni shouts.
Avni: Ranveer, stop the car!!
Neil: What happened, Avni??
Avni: Neil, that day we told you two guys harassed Ishu on the bike, right?? (Neil nods.) He is one of them. (She points towards someone. NeilGauRan too look at the guy.)
Ranveer: Avni, you wait here with Neil. Gautham, let’s go. (GauRan get down from the car and go towards the guy. The guy sees them coming and he runs from there. GauRan chase him.)
Avni: He ran away!!! (She too gets down from the car and about to follow them when a car comes towards her.)
Neil: Avni!!! (Avni closes her eyes in fear but luckily the person pressed the brake on the right time. Neil sighs in relief and opens the door.)
Neil: Avni, are you alright??
Avni: I’m fine, Neil!! (The person gets down from the car and walks towards them angrily.)
Person: Are you mad?? Is this the way to cross the road?? How if I had hit you?? (AvNeil look at the person.) You!!??
Avni: Sir, you?? I am so sorry, sir.
Person: Any problem?? (A girl gets down from the car and comes towards them.)
Girl: Shivaay!! (Looks at Avni.) Avni?? You??
Avni: Annika??
Shivaay: Both of you already know each other??
Annika: Shivaay, this is Avni. Ishana’s friend. Neil’s wife. Avni, this is my husband, Shivaay.
Avni: Shivaay Singh Oberoi?? (Shivaay nods.)
Annika: (looks at Neil) You have been discharged?? (AvNeil nod.) What happened?? Why your car is stopped here??
Avni: Just now I saw a guy who harassed Ishu a few weeks back at New Delhi. GauRan went to catch him.
Shivaay: Who is he??
Avni: I don’t know but he has something to do with the media. They made a scandal using Ishu and Rudra’s picture the next day during Omkara’s interview. (ShivIka are shocked to learn this.)
To be continued….