by MV Kasi
Sabitha wanted to grab the woman and throw her out so she could have the moment alone with her daughter. But her daughter clung to Bina watching with terrified eyes.
Bina shook her head vigorously. “I’m telling you the truth. Sahana is not your daughter. She is my granddaughter. Your son died seven years ago as soon as he was born.”
Sabitha’s hands trembled as she controlled herself from picking up her daughter and moving her away from the mad woman who helped in abducting her baby and keeping her away all these years.
“Please, believe me. This is my granddaughter. Neelambari just lied to you saying she’s your daughter.”
“Don’t lie to me,” she said. “I’ve seen some of Sahana’s pictures while she grew up. She looks like my mother. She has the same eyes. I know—”
“That’s because your mother was my cousin! Green eyes are quite common within our people. That’s the reason why Neelambari had my daughter and son-in-law slaughtered mercilessly! So she could steal their child and pass it off as yours.”
“No,” Sabitha whispered. “That is not true.” But Sabitha knew her aunt was capable of doing that.
“It is true,” Bina said in anguish. “I was the one who had delivered your baby. You had lost consciousness during the birth, but I saw with my own eyes that your son was stillborn.”
“W-where was that baby’s body then?” Sabitha asked, her voice catching as tremors slowly began within her.
“The baby was secretly buried in our community’s graveyard. Neelambari refused to have the usual last rites of a Prajapati.”
Sabitha felt the air leave her lungs in a rush.
The woman continued talking. “A day later, my daughter and son-in-law were murdered. Neelambari summoned me and asked me to take their baby and disappear. She threatened my granddaughter and me with death if I didn’t follow her orders.”
Sabitha just stared, her eyes wide and shocked. Her mind was refusing to accept whatever she was hearing.
CHAPTER 40
Dev was standing a few feet behind Sabitha, silently watching everything.
The woman began sobbing uncontrollably. “Neelambari is going to kill Sahana and me as she did with my daughter and her husband. I don’t want anything happening to my Sahana. Please, save her!”
The woman held Sabitha’s hands. “Please, Sabitha. Save Sahana! Don’t let anything happen to my granddaughter! She’s just an innocent child!”
Sabitha just continued to stare at the little girl.
The small girl clung to her grandmother and began to cry in small, frightened sobs.
Dev moved closer and stood right next to Sabitha. “Nothing will happen to you or your granddaughter,” he told the woman. “We promise to keep you both safe. The child is frightened. Please take her inside your room while we sort out the details for your safety.”
“W-who are you?” she asked.
“I’m Dev Singham,” he told her.
Listening to his last name, the woman looked at him with hopeful eyes. Then wiping away her tears, she picked up the child and went into an adjoining room, leaving just him and Sabitha in the small living room.
His heart felt heavy as he helplessly watched Sabitha still staring blankly where the little girl and the woman had sat.
He knelt down and placed his arms around her. He just held her without saying anything.
Silent tears ran down her cheeks. “I can’t believe this... I’ve waited six years for this moment,” she whispered. “Six long years to be united with my daughter. That had been the only thing driving me to keep going. And now…”
“We’ll get the blood tests and the DNA tests done,” he told her gently.
A shudder ran through her, but she didn’t say anything.
***
Two hours later, Dev flew them all to the city. A doctor was summoned to draw out some blood from Sabitha and the child. Their hair samples were also provided.
Dev had the woman and child placed in a high-security guesthouse that belonged to the Singhams. Making sure they were comfortable, he then drove Sabitha and him to his penthouse.
Sabitha had been silent all the while.
“Have the results available within a day,” he instructed on the phone as he drove.
After he ended the call, he turned to see if she was doing okay. She was just watching the road ahead.
“We will have the results available by tomorrow,” he informed her softly.
“I know what the results will be. Bina was speaking the truth,” she said in a deadened voice which worried him.
He didn’t say anything. He didn’t want to offer empty words until the proof came out.
Soon they reached the penthouse.
“You haven’t slept for a while. Get some rest,” he told her, gently nudging her towards the bed. “I’ll be in the other room next to you. Call me if you need anything,” he said.
She didn’t say anything. She went towards the bathroom quietly and shut the door.
He didn’t want to leave her alone. He wanted to stay right next to her and hold her while she slept. But he felt torn. She was engaged to be married to another man.
Even as everything inside him rebelled, he turned and was about to leave. But he stopped when he heard the sobs.
They weren’t gentle or soft. They were loud, keening wails. The kind a person let out when their heart broke due to extreme grief.
Listening to her cry that way made him feel like his own heart was breaking.
He opened the bathroom door and went inside. She was sitting on the floor against one of the walls with her legs folded up and her head bent down.
He dropped down next to her and held her as she let out her grief. And when she was too tired to even cry, he carried her to bed.
Fuck morals. He was going to comfort the woman he loved when she needed him.
He lay next to her on the bed and held her as she slowly slipped into sleep.
CHAPTER 41
Sabitha slowly gained consciousness. She tried to open her eyes which seemed swollen shut along with feeling bone dry and gritty. As soon as she opened her eyes to a slit, she noticed she was in Dev’s place. Fresh tears leaked out of her eyes, making her cheeks sting where the previous tears had dried on them.
The last hours of hell were not a part of a nightmare.
Her baby had died six years ago.
“Sabitha,” called out a deep, gentle voice behind her. She then realized that a hand had been wrapped around her and was holding her close in a comforting way.
Slowly, wiping away her tears, she turned to face him.
He watched her quietly and didn’t ask how she felt or whether she was fine or not. Which was good, because she felt like her heart was ripped out of her chest and she was not fine. She was sure he knew both those facts.
“How did you find out?” she asked, her voice sounding raspy.
“I had you investigated before we had even started the project. My investigators came back with the information that you were hiring another investigative company to search for someone. I asked them to find out more. Even when we both got together… I didn’t drop it, because I wanted to find out more about you.”
“I see.”
He didn’t apologize and neither did she expect him to. She probably would have done the same.
They fell into silence.
A few moments later, he reached out to his phone. “Let me check how long much longer the results will take,” he said.
“No,” she said, taking a deep shuddering breath.
“I know my son died, Dev,” she told him softly. “Because I remember the last two days before I had given birth. I hadn’t felt my baby move then. Even the doctor had told me he couldn’t hear the heartbeat. But I still had hope.”
“Who told you that your baby was alive?”
“My aunt and a few people I trusted.” Sanjay had been one of them. She laughed bitterly. “I was a perfect pawn for my aunt. She kept me locked in my ro
om during most of my pregnancy because she didn’t want people to know about it. I kept trying to run away whenever I had the chance and she sent her men to drag me back. But finally, she found a brilliant solution to make me toe the line. It wasn’t that hard to fool a stupid, desperate eighteen-year-old girl who would believe everything she was fed when it came to her child.”
Sabitha shook her head in disbelief. “Over the last six years, I hadn’t ever stopped to think of challenging her whether or not it was really my child. I was so bloody blinded by my desperation that I didn’t even bother to question some of the things that were contrary to logic.”
“What were you told?” he asked.
“My aunt had told me my baby was born, but she sent it away. She told me my daughter brought shame to our family by being born a bastard like me. But if I were to listen and do everything she said, she would bring my child back to me without any harm.”
“Whenever I demanded proof to know my child was unharmed, she only kept sending me partial pictures. Just the eyes or a picture from the back. She said she didn’t want to send me an entire picture because I would be able to find her easily then.” Sabitha shook her head. “How could I be so stupid to simply have believed her,” she said in anguish.
“That’s not being stupid, Sabitha,” he said. “You were being a mother who was willing to do anything for your child’s safety.”
“Yes. I did do everything she asked me to do in the name of my child. Even things I didn’t want to do.” She closed her eyes as self-loathing rose up in her. “Everyone sees me as this fearless woman. It’s all a huge farce. All I am or ever was—is a bloody puppet,” she said.
Dev held her face. “You are wrong,” he said with conviction in his voice. “Your aunt might have gotten some leverage on you initially, but it’s all you who did everything. It’s you who guided your people towards a good source of livelihood. It’s you who led them as any good leader would. You didn’t have to do all that, but you did, and you continue to do it still.”
“But how could I have just believed her,” she said in anguish.
“Because that’s being human. I would do the same,” he said. “If someone were to tell me my family somehow made it alive, and even if there was less than 0.001% probabilities, I would still be willing to do anything to have them back with me. I wouldn’t be demanding proof either if that would put them in danger.”
She took a shuddering breath.
Dev held her and they lay quietly while she continued to mourn for her child.
He kissed her forehead. “You should eat. You haven’t had anything in the last twenty-four hours.”
“I’m not hungry,” she replied. Then stirring, she slowly sat up. “I need to get back home.”
He nodded.
They freshened up a little before getting into his car.
“Bina and her granddaughter will be safe in the Singham Mansion. I’ll ask—”
“No,” Sabitha quietly said. “I will take them home with me. They belong with their people. They have suffered enough being away for this long.”
He was quiet. “What about your aunt?” he asked.
Sabitha looked at him. “My aunt will no longer be a threat to them or to anyone,” she said with a cold, intent look. “I’m going to kill her.”
CHAPTER 42
Sabitha arrived at the Prajapati Mansion. Dev had insisted on accompanying her. As soon as the vehicle stopped in front of the mansion entrance, she got down and strode purposefully.
When she reached her aunt’s suite, she saw it locked from outside.
“Where is she?” Sabitha demanded.
“She left last night after she heard about you leaving to some place,” Dhruv answered.
“Where did she go?”
“We are not sure, madam. She didn’t tell any of us.”
“Who drove her?”
There was a pause. “My father,” Dhruv answered.
Sabitha clenched her hands into a fist when the last of her doubts had cleared. She had always known that someone was helping her aunt, letting her know the progress of Sabitha’s investigation in finding Sahana.
Sabitha had suspected everyone except for Sanjay. For some reason, Sabitha believed Sanjay was loyal to her more than to her aunt. That’s why she had even believed Sanjay when he told her that her baby had survived and had been taken away.
“Find them,” Sabitha ordered quietly. “Hunt them both down and bring them back alive to me.” Sabitha didn’t want anyone else to kill her aunt. The amount of torment and pain she had been put through by her aunt would in no way be compensated by someone simply shooting a bullet into her.
Dhruv nodded without any arguments. Sabitha knew that although Dhruv loved his father, he valued duty above everything else.
Dev spoke to her men, giving them the details of his investigators and asked them to contact them.
Sabitha watched as some of the men left.
“I can’t believe she managed to escape this quickly,” she said with frustration.
“We’ll find her,” Dev promised.
***
Sabitha and Dev dropped Bina and her granddaughter at their home where they had a tearful reunion with the rest of their relatives.
Sabitha watched them quietly.
Bina left the group to come towards Sabitha. “Thank you,” she said with tears in her eyes. “I never thought I would ever see my home again before I died.”
Sabitha nodded. “You will be safe here. I have asked someone to take care of all your needs. If you or Sahana need anything else, call for me.”
Sabitha gave instructions to one of the men before walking away from her mother’s people.
She closed her eyes and then opened them again when she felt the reassuring squeeze of Dev’s hands.
“Dev, you should get back home, too,” Sabitha said quietly when they walked towards the car.
“You want me to leave?” he asked.
“No,” she replied honestly. “But—”
“Then nothing else matters,” he said, cutting her off before she could voice her reasons. “I’m staying by your side until you want me to leave.”
Sabitha didn’t argue. She still felt emotionally drained. And selfishly, she wanted him next to her.
When he began to drive them to Prajapati Mansion, she looked at him uncertainly. “Can we go to our cottage?” she asked.
His eyes flared with an unnamed emotion, but he nodded.
***
Sabitha lay in the arms of man she loved. She felt at peace and drew comfort from the place which had been a safe haven where she could just be herself, and forget her responsibilities and worries.
Dev had been quiet for some time. He seemed lost in thoughts. When he felt her gaze on him, he looked at her.
“Can I ask you something?” he said.
She nodded.
She saw a tormented look on his face. “Were you pregnant when you were running away with that boy, all those years ago?” he asked.
“Yes,” she replied softly.
Dev looked utterly devastated. “I’m so sorry, baby,” he said. “Because of me, you lost two of your loved ones.”
“No, I didn’t, Dev,” she said, holding his hand in hers. His touch had the power to comfort her immensely and she hoped hers had the same effect on him. She looked into his eyes. “I realize now that what I had with Raghav for a brief while wasn’t love. I was more in love with the idea of living a life of freedom away from the violent world.” She laid a hand on his cheek. “I didn’t lose my son because of you. I lost him because of my stress. You were just involved in my first attempt to escape. After that, I had tried escaping many times, and each time I was dragged back home. I hated the thought of bringing a child into that environment.”
She looked away from him as she voiced the thought that had been running in her mind since she accepted the fact that her baby was stillborn. “Maybe my son died because he knew I dreaded bringing him into my vi
olent world,” she whispered.
“Don’t say that,” said Dev. “I know you must have wanted your child badly. You have been searching relentlessly for over six years and doing everything within your power to keep that child safe.”
Fresh tears spilled out as soon as he said that. She threw her arms around him and cried into his neck. She clung to him and spilled out some of her sadness. Through her tears, she felt him rub her back gently while he murmured words of comfort into her ear.
After a long while, she pulled away and wiped her tears, feeling embarrassed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
“It’s okay to need me, Sabitha,” he said. “I need you, too. There is no shame in needing someone we love.”
“You still… love me?” she whispered in wonder.
“Of course, I love you,” he said, looking at her as though she was mad to ever doubt him. “I’ve already told you I will always love you. There is no before, or after, or in-between for me. You are the one, the only one for me.”
Her heart sped up as she heard him say those words. “What about the alliance with the Senanis?” she asked. “You are supposed to marry Narmada Senani.”
“No. I’m not,” he said. “Before I called you to let you know about Bina and Sahana, I had already made up my mind not to go ahead with the alliance.”
Hope began to flourish within her. He wasn’t committed to someone else.
She threw her arms around him. “God, I love you, too. I love you so much and I missed you,” she said before she kissed him with longing. He kissed her back, but when their lips parted, he watched her with a vulnerable look on his face. “What about your alliance? Are you still going to marry Revanth Senani?” he asked
“No,” she replied. “I had never intended to go through with it. I have given him a firm no as my answer a few days ago.”
A smile broke on Dev’s face and he pulled her close to capture her lips once again. The kiss continued for a long time until Dev pulled away to watch her face. “Marry me,” he said. “I don’t want anything else coming between us again.”