Hey my lovely readers.

How are you all?

Are you all enjoying the book so far?

I was literally crying while writing this chapter, do you all know, why? Coz I was listening to the above song while writing it. Please listen to it.

I'll be right here waiting for you-probably this was Siya's thought while waiting for Akash.

I am so so happy, do you all know why? Because I gave my first ever autograph to one of my readers who has been a constant support to me when I was feeling low.

My dear reader, I hope you know who you're coz I won't disclose your identity, don't worry.

Thank you so much for considering me worthy enough to ask for my autograph. You don't know how much it means to me.

I am feeling like a star and also I feel, giddy (giggling).

Chapter dedicated to you my dear. Hope you enjoy it😘😘😘

Also, my birthday is on the way and before that, can I please get some more followers and help me reach 200. It would be the best birthday gift for me (giving puppy eyes)

Let's begin with the chapter now.

Akash's POV

After showering when I made my way to the room, I saw Siya was stretching her limbs.

She just woke up but what confused me...was her frightened state.

"What happened, baby?" I asked her.

I saw her eyes scanning the room and she was cornered on one end of the bed, covering herself with the quilt.

I immediately went to her and said "what happened, baby?"

She was shivering by now.

Taking her in my arms, I asked her "is something wrong?"

I felt her shivering when I heard her whispering "lights."

That's when I looked around and saw that it was broad daylight and sunlight was peeking through the window.

Immediately leaving her, I closed all the curtains and came to sit beside her.

She was whimpering by now.

Scooping her in my arms, I tried sushing her and said "shhh...shhh. I am here."

She hid her face in my chest.

I was rocking her back and forth after few minutes, she peeked through her eyelashes by opening one eye.

Probably she noticed that the room was dark by now.

She looked at me and I said "see I closed the curtains."

She then left me and looked around the room once, just to confirm what I am saying is right or not.

Once she scanned the room, she turned to me with teary eyes.

"What happened, Siya?" I asked her, wiping her tears.

"I...I am sorry" she said and started sobbing.

"Shhh...shhh. Why're you sorry and for what?" I asked her.

She looked at me and said "I...I don't know. I just feel like...I am just bothering everybody around me. I don't know if I should...live or not."

Her words were enough to widen my eyes.

"Don't ever say that Siya. Please, I don't know if you know this and realize it or not but you're my most prized possession" I said.

The only thing I was fearing about was her suicidal tendencies that would resurface.

Though her father didn't tell me anything related to her attempt of suicide, it means that she didn't attempt anything yet but her words were enough to make me aware what was running in her mind.

"Siya, baby, will you promise me something?" I asked her, tugging her hair a little so that she could face me.

"I...I don't know if I can fulfil any promises" she said.

"Please baby, for me" I pleaded, looking at her.

"O..Okay" she said, looking down.

"You'll never ever think anything about harming yourself in any way" I said.

She looked at me with tears in her eyes.

"Please baby, please, for me" I said, wiping her tears.

She nodded and looked down.

It was a relief for me that she at least promised me she wouldn't harm herself and I know for a fact that she would never break any promise that she makes to me.

Taking a huge sigh of relief, I scooped her in my arms again and she hid her face in my chest when I heard a throat clearing voice.

Groaning when I looked back, I saw mom had a mischievous smile on her face.

"Mom" I whined.

"What?" she asked shrugging.

"Mom, you know it isn't right to tease your son" I said.

She gasped dramatically and said "I nurtured you for nine months in my womb. I had swollen feet, midnight cravings which mind you was only because of you as you wanted to eat ice cream all the time, especially midnight."

There we go again.

"Then I had to take the unbearable" she was saying but I interrupted her "pain of taking you out of me and the pain that I had to go through you can't even imagine."

She narrowed her eyes at me and said "how do you know what was I about to say?"

"Because I've been hearing the same thing since I stepped into teenage and whenever I try to make you realize that I am a man now and not your baby boy you shut my mouth by saying the same thing over and over again" I said, sighing.

"That's because you're my baby" she said, pinching my cheeks.

"Mom" I whined again.

"Son" she mimicked me.

Then her eyes met someone behind my back.

When I turned around, I saw Siya looking at us with her big doe like eyes and mom had a small smile playing on her lips.

"What happened, child?" mom asked and sat beside her.

"No..nothing" she stuttered and looked down.

Mom and I exchanged glances because we knew something was bothering her.

"What happened, child? If there's anything bothering you, you can tell us" she said in a motherly voice.

"It's...it's nothing aunty" she said in a low voice.

"I am sure there's something that's bothering you. What is it child, please tell me" she said, caressing her hair.

She looked up with teary eyes and glanced at me.

My heart broke looking at her but I wanted to know what's bothering her so I didn't interrupt to what she was about to say.

She was still looking at me and unknowingly, I smiled at her giving her an encouraging nod.

I didn't want her to keep anything in her heart.

"Aunty...why...why're you not my mother?" she said and my eyes widened.

Then realization hit me, she must have seen our banter right now and her relationship with her mother isn't that good.

I mentally smacked myself. I already know that she thinks that she isn't a good daughter and her relationship with her mother isn't that healthy.

Of course she would want some mother figure like my mom in her life.

"Who said I am not your mother?" mom said, bringing me back out my thinking reverie.

Caressing her head, she said " did you ever feel like I don't you like I treat my Akash?"

Siya just shook her head and looked down.

"Then how can you even say that I am not your mother? For me, you're just like my Akash. You're just like a daughter I wanted but couldn't have" she said and kissed her forehead.

"You remember when you came to our house after attending Mohit's wedding, I asked you to call me mom?" she asked and Siya nodded.

"I really admire you child, for who you're and how strong you're. You're an inspiration to many who give up on life just thinking about problems but you're strong. You've faced them and still facing them but your spirit of not giving up matters" she said.

"Am I..am I not a good daughter?" she asked in a low voice again.

"You're the best daughter anyone could ever have" mom said.

"Then why did mummy never say that she's proud of me?" she asked and my heart broke listening to her.

I know just a little appreciation does wonders when it comes to some people.

It gives the encouragement to do and be better and for some, it could be a life changer.

Just a mere statement 'I am proud of you' means a lot, especially to people who're looking forward to do anything to make someone proud.

Alas, my Siya never got to hear it.

"Who said we're not proud of you? We all are proud of how you've grown to be a mature and independent woman" she said and kissed her forehead.

"But my mummy isn't. She has never been" she said in a low voice and looked down.

"But your papa is, right?" she asked and Siya looked at her.

She nodded and said "yes. He told me that he's proud of me but that was when I got a job in QLC tech. I don't know now if he's proud of me or not."

"Your papa loves you a lot" I said and she looked at me.

"He has endured a lot to give you a good life and I am sure he's very proud of you, not to mention the way he took care of you when I went to your house yesterday, like you're a small baby" I said.

"Everybody loves you Siya" I said.

"But nobody loves you more than me" I said and flicked her nose.

She nodded shyly and looked away.

"Okay now enough of your gossip. Siya, get ready child, we'll have to take breakfast" mom said and nodding her head, she went to the washroom.

Mom turned to me and said "it's good that you're taking her with you. I don't know why her mother treated her that way but I know very well that you'll take very good care of her."

"Mom, I'll try my best but what if she craves her mother's presence?" I asked.

"She's not craving her mother's presence. She's craving motherly love which I am sure her mother would never give her" she said.

When I pondered over what mom said, just now, I realized that it was correct.

Siya always wanted some motherly figure to support her and be proud of her which my mom gave just now.

"What do we do then, mom?" I asked her worriedly.

"Don't worry, I'll talk to her daily on video call since I can't come to US leaving your dad alone" she said.

"But mom, the time difference between India and US" I was cut off by her when she said "nothing's more important than her. Even if I've to remain awake till late night, it doesn't matter. She needs me, like a child needs her mother and if it happens that my presence is required with her, I'll come to US."

I was contemplating when she said "she's your love, Akash. A part of you and hence a part of our family. We've always kept family above everything. This is the second time she's in depression. Last time we couldn't be with her but this time, we won't leave her alone. Last time she had only friends to support her, this time she'll have friends as well as family."

I gave her a full blown smile and hugging her, said "I love you mom."

"I love you too, my son" she said and patted my back.

"May I ask why is this family reunion going on?" we heard dad's voice.

"Because I feel like doing a family reunion" mom said, breaking the hug and shrugging.

"Then why am I left out?" he asked and try hugging her when she dodged him and said "not today. I am not in a mood."

Our jaws dropped on the floor while mom was laughing like heck looking at my and dad's reaction.

We then heard door clicking and saw Siya coming out of it in her night suit.

I clearly remember she never used to wear night suits at home. She used to wear it only while sleeping and rest of the time she used to wear shorts and top.

She glanced at me and then back at my parents.

"Siya, why're you wearing night suit?" I asked her.

"Will you be sleeping now after having breakfast?" I asked her again.

"Yes actually my sleeping pattern has changed. I...I sleep longer than before" she fidgeted with her fingers and looked down.

"That's okay baby. You can do whatever you want, nobody will restrict you to do anything" I said with a smile which she returned.

After having breakfast in silence, mom dad retired to their room while I stayed in mine with Siya.

After having breakfast, she lied on the bed and slept in a jiffy.

I was just noticing the change in her habits and appearance.

She has changed...a lot.

I've heard depression changes a person to a wide extent, especially in their behavior and physical appearance.

I'll have to research more about it and consult Deepak uncle as soon as possible.

The whole day she slept and I didn't have the heart to wake her up for lunch so me and mom dad had lunch in their room while I came back.

Mark was guarding her all along just in case she wakes up but gladly she didn't.

By evening dad already got her VISA approved, I don't know how but he did.

"When do you want to go?" dad asked while we were having evening snacks and tea along with mom. Siya didn't wake up till now.

May be she was tired.

"Do you think we should go today?" I asked looking at her sleeping form.

"Whatever you wish is fine by us. We anyways have the jet ready and another jet will be here by tomorrow morning. If you want you can go in the jet by which we came yesterday and we'll take the jet that will come tomorrow" dad said.

"I'll have to ask her. I can't ask her to do anything against her wish. If she agrees to come with me today, then we'll fly off or else I'll wait" I said.

Just on cue, I saw her stirring in her sleep and she woke up.

Stretching her limbs, her eyes landed on us and she immediately raked her fingers through her hair.

My dad just chuckled looking at her and shook his head. He was probably amused by her.

She instantly became red but then came to us and sat beside mom.

I was a little disappointed that she didn't sit beside me but then let it go. She was craving for motherly love and probably she was comfortable around mom, that's why she sat beside her.

She rested her head on mom's shoulder and mom caressed her hair when she asked "do you want to go with Akash today?"

She looked at me and said "I...I don't know."

"Child, you agreed to go with him right?" mom asked and she nodded.

"Do you want to go with him today or after few days?" she asked her just like a mother asks her baby.

"It doesn't matter aunty. I've to go with him anyways" she said and looked down.

"It matters Siya" I said and kneeled down to her.

Taking her hands in mine and kissing her knuckles, I said "your opinion, wishes does matter, a lot. Just so you know, I or my family will never do anything that you don't want. We'll never force you do anything against your wish."

She looked at me and I said "we'll go whenever you want."

She looked at me for a few seconds then said "I...I am ready to go, today."

Her words were enough to bring a smile on my face.

"Thank you baby, thank you so much" I said and kissed her forehead.

"We should prepare the jet, I think" I said to dad.

"Okay" he said and immediately called the pilot to get it ready for flying off to New York.

'I've a surprise for you' I texted Sid.

'Even I've a surprise for you' was his reply after few hours.

I was content. Siya would be with me and this time, I'll help her in overcoming her depression.

How did the chapter come out?

What do you think is Sid's surprise? Any idea?

If you all liked the chapter, please vote comment and share my book.

Please follow me on wattpad and instagram for sneak peaks and updates. Readers following me on insta already know that I post sneak peak of my updates on it one day prior to my updating schedule.

My insta ID-magnificent_shobhana.

Till next chapter, tk cr bbyee

Tadas.