Hey, my lovely readers.

How are you all?

Before beginning the chapter, please listen to this song.

I think it suites Akash's situation a lot

'I would climb every mountain and swim every ocean

Just to be with you and fix what I've broken'

So, are you all enjoying the book so far?

Also, the sessions with Siya will start from this chapter. I've tried to keep it as close to reality as possible but let's face it, I am not a professional. Though I've done some research, if there are some contradiction with reality, please don't bash me.

Please remember that all of this is fictional and I've written everything to drive the story.

Flashbacks part in this chapter is in italics. Please don't get confused.

Let's begin with the chapter now.

Siya's POV

I was being dragged with Alayna to the garden when Uncle said "wait for me, I'll come up."

When I looked back, I saw Akash looking at me with a smile while uncle followed him.

"Dadu, come fast, we'll play hide and seek" Alayna said and I heard uncle saying "yes doll, I am just on my way."

Once in the garden, I saw Akash looking at me and our eyes collided.

He gave me a smile which didn't reach his eyes.

Of course. How could I forget, he isn't happy with the earlier conversation about him being a father.

His words, though stung me but I am unable to forgive him but at the same time his restless face is killing me.

Whatever he is doing for me, I just can't take my mind off it.

He has always been supportive and encouraging in whatever I do and I couldn't deny the fact that if not for him, I wouldn't be taking my first step to do something that I always wanted.

If not for him, I wouldn't have the courage to face people.

Though he left me, but isn't he doing everything in his power to encourage me in doing something that I ardently have been dreaming?

Though he broke the promise he made to me that he wouldn't leave me but isn't he now fulfilling every other promise that he made me, once?

"Siya" he said, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Yes, Akash?" I asked.

"I hope you will be fine" he asked me skeptically.

"Yes, I will be" I said.

"Yes, Siya will be fine" Alayna said and we turned to her.

"Besides, she will play with me, right Siya?" she asked, looking at me.

"Yes" I said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Okay then, I'll take your leave now uncle" he said and uncle nodded.

"I'll pick you up in the evening, okay?" he asked, giving me a small smile and I nodded.

He turned to go but then turned, again and took me in a sudden hug.

I was startled for a second but then I hugged him back and caressed him.

He was hugging me like...he is afraid to let me go.

"Siya" he breathed over my ear and I closed my eyes, feeling content.

"Akash" I said and he tightened his hold on me.

I remember the last time he hugged me this way was when...he left me with my parents to go from my life...forever.

Just thinking about it made my insides churn and was enough to make a knot in my stomach. I don't know when tears slipped my eyes.

"Siya" he said again and I broke the hug.

"Akash, are you leaving me?" I asked and I was about to have a panic attack.

"What? No, baby. No. I've made that mistake once, I won't do it ever, again" he said.

"You won't leave me?" I whispered and wiped my cheeks which had tears.

"No, Siya, never. Not until you ask me to" he said and I broke down.

I don't know why even the thought of him leaving me was making me...sick.

"Promise?" I asked.

"Promise" he said with a smile and I nodded.

Giving a lingering kiss my forehead, he said "take care. I'll be back in the evening. Okay?"

I nodded and he crouched to Alayna's level.

"I'll see you in the evening, bunny" he said and gave her a fist bump which she returned.

"Okay" she giggled excitedly.

Giving me a last look, he went away.

"Let's play now" Alayna said and I followed her.

She was giggling while me and uncle played with her like little kids.

When she was a little exhausted, uncle made her sleep in her bedroom and we both sat on the couch in the living room.

"So how is your office going?" uncle asked me.

"It is just a part time job uncle and it is going well" I said.

"Hmm...that's good to know that you're keeping yourself occupied" he said and I smiled.

"Yes and I am really enjoying it, a lot actually" I said with wide smile.

"That's very good to know" he said with an encouraging smile.

"So what do you actually do?" he asked and I went on and on about my job.

I have never felt this content in a very long time. Talking about something that I really like.

I never got enough support from mummy papa on it and now when finally someone is actually asking about it, I feel so...good.

"It seems you're very happy about it?" he asked.

"Yes I am" I said with a smile.

"That means Akash has done a good job" he said, looking at me with a proud smile and my smile faltered, for a second but then, I composed myself and smiled again.

"Yes, he has" I said and looked at him.

"What about Kriti and Siddharth?" he asked.

"Yes, even they have been very supportive of me" I said, which was the truth.

"That is so good isn't it?" he asked and I nodded.

"So you mean to say everyone around you has been treating you well?" he asked.

I looked at him suspiciously and asked "why are you asking me these questions, uncle?"

"Nothing, just casually asking. I just wanted to make sure that you are fine. US and London, both are new cities for you. So I just wanted to make sure that you are comfortable" he said.

"I am fine, uncle" I said, not meeting his gaze.

"Yes, I am sure and I am glad that you are" he said, patting my head and I smiled.

"Did you like your office where you used to work earlier?" he asked and I smiled.

"Of course, I did. That was the place where me and Akash reconciled after I...broke up with him" I said a little guiltily, remembering the time when I had made him go through heck.

"Yes, I remember telling him vaguely once about it and you would be glad to know that once you both were together, again, he was on cloud nine" he said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yes. He was so happy like...all his life goals were met" he said.

Looking ahead at the wall aimlessly, I said "if he was so happy to be with me, then why did he leave me?"

He looked at me and then I looked at him.

"You already know the answer to it" he said.

"Yes, he told me about the reason" I said, looking at my lap.

"Do yo think his reason was valid?" he asked and I looked at him, dumbfounded.

"I...I don't know. I never thought about it" I said, honestly.

Though he told me the reason numerous times but I never thought or pondered over it.

"Didn't you ever want your mummy to accept you?" he asked.

I looked at him and said "no matter how she treated me, deep inside my heart, I wanted her to accept me and treat me like other children were treated by their parents. I know maybe I sounded stupid but...that's what my heart wanted."

"Wasn't Akash's step meant to do it?" he asked and my eyes widened.

"I think he felt that if he sacrifices his love and her mother sees you sacrificing your love for her, she would've treated you the way you always wanted" he said.

"How do you know it?" I asked him.

"He didn't tell me anything. It's just my thinking" he said, shrugging.

"This is exactly what he told me" I said.

He smiled and said "I've known him for years, Siya, even before you two got committed."

I just looked away.

"He has always been a family man, Siya. I guess, he didn't want any family to break because of him, that's why he left you" he said.

"Though his decision was wrong but...he regrets it, isn't it?" he asked.

"I...I don't know" I said.

"Akash is a man who will never say sorry for what he did but his actions will speak...volumes. Just think about it" he said, patting my head and I smiled looking at him.

"But uncle, this thought of him leaving me, his mistake just...doesn't leave my head" I said.

"Do you trust him enough to say that if he would have known the consequence of his decision, he would not have left you?" he asked.

I looked at him agape.

Did I really trust Akash enough to give uncle this answer?

When I didn't answer his question for a few seconds, he sighed and said "There's a difference between a person who hurts by making a mistake and a person who hurts you by continuing the pattern."

Akash's POV

"Here's the information Akash sir that you asked for" I heard Sophia say.

"Thank you so much Sophia" I said, giving her a smile.

I was furiously going through the details when I heard her say "what are you going to do with her?"

"What she did to my Siya" I said, still scanning the papers.

"Call her fiancé. I want to talk to him" I said.

"Yes sir" she said and dialed a number.

"Hello. Who is it?" I heard a male voice say.

"That you shouldn't be worried about. I heard you are getting married, today and as far as I know, you are at the altar, right?" I said with a smirk, checking my watch.

"Excuse me! Who are you and why should I discuss my personal life with you?" he said.

"Well you need to think about it because I am afraid to say that the girl you are getting married to has a number of flings behind your back" I said.

"What...what do you mean?" he asked nervously.

"You don't believe me? Well I guess even I would've not believed without proof. Fair enough. Let me just send you some snaps and then we can talk" I said and Sophia immediately sent him snaps through her I pad.

None of them were morphed and I knew Sakshi had many affairs behind his back.

I had gotten it thoroughly checked by my team in India before thinking about this plan.

Today was her marriage and she didn't deserve her happiness when she had the audacity to even think of destroying Siya's life by bringing in our leaked pictures on her marriage day.

No doubt because of her Siya didn't get married to Amit or I know her life would've been destroyed but she had the intention of destroying her life and her intentions were wrong, that's why she deserved this.

Sophia gave me a thumbs up, indicating that she had sent the pictures.

"Check your phone now and consider this a wedding gift from me. You should be thankful to me for saving your ass from that sorry excuse of a girl" I said.

It was true though, it was my way of settling the scores.

"How could she do this to me" I heard him say after a few seconds of silence.

Guess he saw the pictures.

"Also, before you think that the pictures are morphed, I would like you to know that they are not. You can check the authenticity yourself if you want" I said.

"I...I don't know what to say" he said, probably lost.

"The decision is your buddy. I just wanted you to know her true colors" I said.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Your well wisher" I said and disconnected the call.

"Guess our work is done. Now the ball is in his court" I said.

"I'll get the footage emailed to you as soon as I receive it, sir" Sophia said.

"Thank you Sophia. Now coming back to setting up a branch here" I started and she wrote down my instructions.

I don't know when time passed and it was already evening by now, time to go home.

Adarsh came by and before even Sophia could protest, he took her with him saying that me and Siya needed some time alone to sort our differences.

Driving my car, I made my way to Deepak uncle's house and Siya immediately came out.

Once seated on the passenger seat, I started the car and made our way to our mansion.

The ride was silent until Siya broke it.

"Akash, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Siya. Anything" I said, looking at her.

"Did you really want my mother to love me like mom does to you?" she asked and I was surprised at her question.

"Siya, I always knew that you somewhere in your heart, craved for your mother's love. I know she never treated you well and I know she abused you but parent's love is something that no one could match to, not even me. I really thought that if your mother sees you sacrificing your love for her, may be she would have treated you the way you always craved for. Believe me Siya, I never wanted to leave you. If not for her threatening to abandon you. I would've never left you" I said.

"Do you even know what I had to go through to try and convince your parents. I cried, begged and even..." I said but then trailed off.

I could never tell her that I kneeled down in front of her parents and cried at their feet.

I know she would feel guilty because she had always wanted me to not convince her parents at the cost of my pride but I did it, anyways.

I clearly remember the conversation that we had before both our parents met at her flat for discussion on our marriage.

"I don't want you to keep your self respect at stake to convince my parents" she said.

We were both lying on her bed and she had laid her head on my chest. I was just caressing her hair but her statement made me fingers halt.

"Why Siya?" I asked her.

"That's because I know, you might encounter a situation like that. I can tolerate anything, Akash but not you keeping your self respect at stake for my family" she said and looked at me.

"It doesn't matter, Siya. If that's how your parents would be convinced, I don't mind doing it" I said because that was the truth.

"No Akash, please. I can't think of you keeping your self respect at stake for me. Please" she said, sitting on the bed now.

"But" I didn't get to complete my statement when she shushed me with a gentle peck on my lips, making me smile.

"Please promise me, Akash, please" she begged but I didn't say anything.

"Akash" she whined and before I could say anything, she was called by Kriti.

After coming back, she didn't bring the topic and I was glad that she forgot about it, most probably.

"Even what Akash?" she asked me, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"No...nothing, Siya" I said and looked ahead.

I could never tell her about it.

She looked at me skeptically but then didn't push the topic much and I was grateful to her for that.

the rest of the ride was silent and once in mansion, we both went to our respective rooms.

Taking a warm shower while leaning on the walls of it, I closed my eyes and thought why did Siya ask me this question, now?

I had always told her the reason why I had left her but I guess, she never acknowledged it, then why now?

Then something just clicked my mind.

Deepak uncle. What if his session today had something to do with it?

Coming out of the shower, I wore my trackpants and T-shirt, still lost in my thoughts when I heard a soft knock on my door.

"Come in" I said and sat on the bed.

"Sir, the video is here" Sophia said and handed me her I-pad and I looked at the video, making me smile.

The video had all the chaos of Sakshi's wedding and how people belittled her.

"The wedding was called off, sir, just like you wanted" Sophia said.

"Perfect" I whispered but then when I looked at the doorframe, my eyes widened.

"Siya" I whispered.

How did the chapter come out?

So, did you all like Deepak and Siya's conversation?

What are your thoughts on Sakshi and her marriage getting called off?

Did Akash do the right thing? What are your thoughts on it?

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Till next chapter, tk cr bbyee

Tadas.