Hey, my lovely readers.

How are you all?

Are you all enjoying the book so far?

Before beginning the chapter, I would like to dedicate it to my constant readers bishnupriyasha. GeetikaSaini3. Divine0220 vividhashahvivi.

Thank you so much for all your constant support and encouraging words my dearies when I was feeling low.

Also, my book finally completed 100k views. Yeppeee!!!!!!! I can't explain how happy I am today.

Also, my lovelies, please listen to this beautiful song by Ed Sheeran. Such deep lyrics that I was literally in tears while writing this chapter and listening to this song simultaneously.

Let's begin with the chapter now and a little lengthy and em0tional chapter ahead.

Akash's POV

We were now heading to Deepak uncle's house in my car.

As for Sophia and Adarsh, I had asked them to leave us alone as after the dinner incident and what happened yesterday, I wanted to spend some alone time with her.

May be she was willing to give me a chance and I wanted to take every opportunity I could get to try and woo her, not only to see her smile but to get a chance, with her.

I wanted to stick to every last hope that I had with her.

Very cautiously, after changing the gear of my car, I kept my hand on her hand which was resting on her lap.

I was happy because she didn't resist it and when I saw from the corner of my eyes, she had a small smile on her face.

My happiness knew no bounds.

I looked forward and drove to uncle's house.

I was so desperate to touch her that my heart was racing and my mind was screaming to touch her exposed thigh as she was cladded in a red dress, boots and overcoat as winter was approaching.

It took all my will power not to stop my car in middle of the road and pin her to the window and latch my lips on her mouth and then, her thick thigh.

God, her thighs have always been my weakness and she exposing it to me is making so difficult to not shred her clothes and make love to her.

"Akash" she said, bringing me out of my perverted thoughts for her.

"Yeah..yeah Siya" I said, looking at her.

"I think you missed one turn" she said.

When I looked back, I noticed that I had indeed missed one turn.

"Oh..sorry" I said and took a U-turn.

"What have you done to me Siya" I mumbled.

"Did you say something?" she asked and I quickly shook my head.

"No...nothing" I said and giving her a quick reassuring smile, drove to uncle's house, all the while my hands didn't leave hers.

Parking the car, she took her hands away from mine and I...pouted to which she just laughed and pinched my cheeks, making me smile.

Taking the big lunch box in her hands, she proceeded to uncle's house while I followed her.

I saw Alayna playing in the garden and I just...smiled.

As soon as she saw us coming, she jumped off the swing and came towards us, running.

"Siya" she shouted and hugged her legs with her tiny arms making me laugh.

"Oh sweety, how are you today?" she asked, crouching to her level and hugged her back.

"I am fine" she mumbled over her neck and my heart melted, looking at both of them.

I could picture this scene, with my and Siya's child and my heart raced at the thought.

"Could it be possible?" I mumbled to myself.

"You came back" Alayna said, breaking the hug.

"I promised you and how could I break the promise I made you, sweety?" Siya said with a warm smile to which Alayna's face split into a wide grin.

"Come" she said and taking Siya's big hands in hers, dragged her to the living room, leaving me alone.

"Last time she clung to me like a koala and today, she didn't even acknowledge me" I mumbled to myself but followed them anyways.

I couldn't blame her. In front of Siya, people hardly acknowledge me, thanks to her caring and warm personality and I feel so proud about it.

Once in the living room, Alayna ran to uncle and screamed "see dadu, Siya is here."

"Oh, that's good" he said and stood up from his chair.

Turning around, his eyes fell on her and then at me.

"You didn't see, even Akash is here" uncle said and then turning around, Alayna looked at me.

"Akash" she squealed and running to me, hugged my legs and I laughed hard.

"How are you, doll" I said and lifting her by her arms, threw her in the air making her squeal.

Once I caught her again, she threw her arms around my neck and hid her face in it, making my heart melt.

"I am fine" she mumbled over my neck in her thick British accent and I smiled.

Caressing her back, I was lost in my thoughts when I heard a throat clearing beside me and looked up to see Siya staring at me with a warm smile.

I furrowed my eyebrows and asked her "what happened?"

"Nothing" she said and looked away.

"Uncle, I got you carrot pudding" she said, showing the big box in her hands and proceeded to the dining area.

"Oh my, I had been craving for it for a very long time" he said and followed her.

"Even I want to have carrot pudding" Alayna screamed so hard in my eras, making me deaf and wiggled in my hold.

I winced a little due to the sensation in my eras but then, let her go.

Settling herself on the baby chair, somehow, she patiently waited for Siya to serve everyone and I made my way to the dining table.

"Finally, I will have a taste of it" I said, rubbing my palms, excited to taste her handmade sweet dish.

When uncle was about to take the pudding, Siya swatted his hands away.

"Uncle, you can't eat this" she said, glaring at him.

"What!!!Why?" he whined.

"First of all it has sugar in it and you are diabetic and secondly, the first bite will be taken by Alayna" she said and served the first bowl to Alayna.

"Yes" she squealed and taking the small bowl of pudding from Siya's hands which hardly could contain 2-3 tablespoon of it, started gobbling it.

"Slow down, sweety" Siya said and sat beside her chair to feed her.

"Guess I will have to serve myself" I said, pouting.

"Be my guest" she said, not taking her eyes off Alayna.

Shaking my head, I took a big bowl of pudding myself and when the pudding hit my taste buds, I moaned in delight.

"Siya, you really have magic in your hands" I said while my mouth was still stuffed with it.

She chuckled while still feeding Alayna but then I heard uncle say "what about my pudding?"

"I have made sugar free pudding for you. Let me serve it to you" she said and got off her chair.

"Sugar free" I mumbled and laughed to myself and then uncle glared at me, clearly annoyed.

"Here" she said and gave him the pudding.

He made a face but since he didn't have any other option, he took a spoonful of it and moaned in delight.

"Oh my god, it is so good" he said and started gobbling it.

"Slow down uncle" she said and chuckling, went to Alayna again.

"Are you done sweety, do you want more?" she asked.

"No Siya, I am done" she said, patting her small tummy.

"I am done" I said, taking my and Alayna's bowl and placed it in the dishwasher.

"Even I am done" uncle said and placed his bowl in the dishwasher as well.

"Akash, I need to talk to you" uncle said.

I glanced at Siya and he nodded, confirming that he wants to talk about her.

"Siya, we will be in the garden" uncle said.

"Sure" she smiled and walked to the kitchen while animatedly still talking to Alayna.

Once in the garden, he said "Siya, as you know has recovered a lot but then, I just wanted to ask, did you ever tell her what conversation you and her parents had behind the closed doors when you all met to discuss about your marriage?"

The memory was bitter and I never wanted to go down that memory lane, ever but then if Deepak uncle is asking me about it, may be it was important and more than anything, it was for Siya and if for her I had to do it, I wouldn't think twice.

"I just told her that if we marry, her parents would abandon her" I said.

"So you didn't tell her everything?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused. "That was what they said."

"Yes but did you ever tell her that you kneeled in front of them, begged them and even kept your head at their feet not to abandon her if you both marry?" he asked.

"No...I...I never told her about it" I said and looked away.

"Why?" he asked.

"She would have been heartbroken" I whispered.

"She has this feeling that you didn't try enough for her" he said.

"May be, I really didn't try enough for her" I said and looked at him.

"You did, Akash, and you know it" he said.

"But it still wasn't enough" I said.

Sighing, he said "look, she needs to know about the conversation that you had with her parents."

"No" I said, sternly.

"Why?" he asked.

"She should never know about it or she would be so...heartbroken. With lots of efforts, she has come a long way. I don't want to push her into the same pit again where she would be remined anything about past which would pull her back" I said.

"But this is also a part of her cure. If she is kept off this fact, how will she forgive you completely and move on? You already know that until and unless she let's go of what happened with her in the past, she won't be able to move on" he said.

"I don't mind if she doesn't forgive me completely, just don't ever mention about this to her, please, I beg you uncle, please" I said, joining my hands in front of him.

I was on the verge of crying but then, he said "if that's what you want."

"Thank you, uncle" I said and bidding my goodbye, I went away.

Siya's POV

I was in the dining hall when I saw Akash's phone on the table and there was a call from Jannet.

I knew he was talking to Deepak uncle and didn't want to disturb him but then if Jannet is calling, may be it was important.

Taking the phone when I went to the garden, I didn't know that an earth shattering truth was awaiting and I was in for a big surprise.

By the time I went to the garden, the ringing of the phone stopped but what I heard was enough to pull the floor off my feet.

"So you didn't tell her everything?" I heard Deepak uncle say and my steps halted in my track.

What is he talking about and whom didn't Akash tell anything?

"What do you mean?" I heard Akash say. "That was what they said" he said further.

"Yes but did you ever tell her that you kneeled in front of them, begged them and even kept your head at their feet not to abandon her if you both marry?" I heard Deepak uncle say and my heart just stopped beating for a second.

I knew what they were talking about and immediately the day of our meet up started running in front of me like a movie.

He kneeled in front of my parents, for me? He begged them not to abandon me?

He..he even kept his head at their feet for us?

I never wanted him to keep his pride at stake for us. I couldn't see him doing it and that is why I had clearly asked him not to do it at any cost but he shred every ounce of his pride, in front of my parents, for me?

(Readers who don't remember, please refer chapter 137-Doesn't he regret it? The flashback scene from this chapter is what Akash and Deepak are talking about)

I could never see my man keeping his pride away. My heart wouldn't be at peace if it happens but he...he did it for me so That I don't get abandoned by my parents.

I couldn't hear what conversation they had next as everything was blur and I was zoned out.

It's true, I never got to know what conversation he and my parents had behind the closed doors but listening to what happened, now, I just couldn't breathe.

I didn't know when tears made it's way to my cheeks but I didn't care, anymore.

My love, my life had kept all his ego, pride aside to convince my parents and I always thought that...he didn't try enough.

Even when I told him that I won't marry him, he took everything silently, without any protests.

I always thought that he doesn't love me enough that's why he didn't try enough for me but...I know for a fact that if a man shreds all his ego for a woman, there can never be any man who would love her more than him.

When I looked at them again, he was already gone.

Before Deepak uncle could catch me crying, I dashed to living room and taking my phone, I dialed the one person who could tell me everything.

"Hello, papa" I said as soon as he picked up my call.

"Beta, how are you?" he asked in his cheerful voice.

He was so happy because probably after three months I was talking to him.

I didn't talk to him since the day I came to New York with Akash and I knew that he was waiting for me to call him first but there was something more important than the pleasantries.

"Papa, can you tell me what conversation you had exactly with Akash when we met at our flat regarding our marriage discussion?" I asked coming straight to the point without beating around the bush.

"Why this sudden question, beta?" he asked.

"I...I just want to know, please" I said, wiping my tears with my palms while clutching the phone in a death like grip.

"I...I don't clearly remember everything beta" he said.

"Did he kneel in front of you?" I asked.

"Beta.." he said but I cut him off "did he or did he not?" I asked sternly.

"He...he did" he said in a low voice.

I was sobbing by now.

The dam of tears just broke. I couldn't stop them anymore.

"Beta, Siya" I heard papa say but I didn't want him to say anything. I just wanted to know what had actually happened that day.

"No, please don't. I don't want to listen to anything today, papa. I just want answers from you" I said, stopping him from saying anything further.

"Beta, at least stop crying" he pleaded but I ignored him.

"Did he bow his head in front of you?" was my next question.

He was silent for a second and my heartbeat quickened.

"Papa, I am asking you something. Did he keep his head at your feet when you said that you would abandon me if I marry him?" I asked, wiping my tears.

"Beta, I.." he said and then went silent.

"Answer me, please" I begged, my voice barely above a whisper.

"He...he did" he said and the phone slipped from my hold.

"Beta, Siya" I could hear him shouting on the phone but I didn't care now.

Wiping my tears and lifting the phone in my hand again, I said "how could you be so cruel, papa? Didn't you see, he kept his pride, ego everything aside to convince you both but you both are so stone hearted that you didn't even budge. Why? To satisfy your ego?"

"I always though that you would support me, papa but you are no different from mummy. What did you gain?" I asked while sobbing.

"Siya, I" he said but I cut him off "would any man keep his ego aside for any girl? How many men have you seen doing it? Would Amit have done it for me? Look at your choice and look at mine. Your choice didn't even stand for me, let alone go against anyone for me but my choice, kept his pride away for me. Whose choice is better?"

"Your choice couldn't even fight his parents to keep my reputation intact where as my choice, kept his head at your feet so that you wouldn't abandon me" I said, wiping my tears.

"I had a hope that you are different from mummy, papa but you have really broken my heart today. You are no different from her" I said and disconnected the call.

I don't know for how long I had been crying but then, I needed to stop.

Taking a deep breath, I made my way to washroom and splashed cold water on my face but the tears still won't stop, no matter how many times I tried to wash them.

When I felt that I was calm enough, I looked in the mirror to see my eyes bloodshot.

After fifteen twenty minutes, I made my way to the living room to see Deepak uncle and Alayna playing with each other.

"Oh Siya, you are here, why don't you.." he said and trailed off, probably he noticed my pale face and bloodshot eyes.

"Siya, are you fine" he asked, keeping his hands on my shoulder.

"Yes uncle, I am fine. Where is Akash?" I asked, looking around for him.

"He...he went to his office" he said.

"He left his phone here and Jannet was calling. I think I should go and meet him. It must be something important and without phone, he can't even work" I said.

"Of..of course, let me take you there" he said.

"No uncle, I will book a cab" I said, smiling at him.

"Are you sure?" he asked me skeptically.

"Yes, don't worry" I said and crouched to Alayna's level.

"I will be back tomorrow, sweety, okay?" I said, flicking her nose.

"Okay" she said, giggling.

Dashing out of the house, I called a cab.

"Where to, young lady?" the driver asked in his thick British accent as soon as I sat on the backseat.

"A&S enterprises" I said and he nodded.

I wanted answers, from Akash.

How did the chapter come out?

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Till next chapter, tk cr bbyee

Tadas.