Hey dear readers! Happy New Year guys. This is New year's first update. Enjoy reading....

Dev's Pov

I closed my eyes remembering Aasha's words. Was I wrong in these all years? Did…my dad married that women because of me? Then why my dad didn't say anything about this to me? I opened my eyes feeling frustrated. It was me who didn't give him any chance to explain. I am feeling numb all over my body. The pain in my heart….it's suffocating me. I clenched my chest not able to name the pain that I am feeling in my heart. I stood up from my bed with a determination.

Only one person can answer my all questions. I went to my dad's study. I entered into his study without knocking the door. But he was not there. I sighed feeling frustrated. Gritting my teeth, hesitantly I went to his room. I knocked the door for three times. But there was no response. Again i knocked the door with force. But still there was no response. I rubbed my face with my palms and was about to go to my room but stopped abruptly in my way when I recalled Aasha's words.

"Even after shifting to his room, she didn't let him move his wedding photo frame with his first wife. She didn't even get jealous of her husband's first wife. Instead she adores her and respect her for giving him her love and care'

I turned towards the door again. After my mom's death I didn't step into this room. But I still remember how this room once was. My mom used tell me stories at night in this bedroom. I used to hear her stories while lying between my mom and dad. I slowly opened the door. The door opened with a Click sound. The whole house is calm. I can even hear my own drumming heart beat. I entered inside the room slowly. I felt relieved after noticing that there was no one inside. But when I looked at the room, my body went stiff. The room was the same like in my memory. Same colour walls, white and blue. My mom's favourite colour. Every thing in this room is same like how it used to be before my mom's death.

Then I saw my mom and dad's wedding photo on the wall. My eyes turned glassy. I went near the photo and caressed it with my fingers. My mom looked so beautiful in this photo. She is smiling beautifully. I have this photo in my room too but in a small size. Then i saw another photo frame on the wall above the headrest of the bed. In that photo frame my dad and Varun's mom is smiling brightly. She is wearing a red saree, mangalsutra and sindoor where as my father wearing a black suit, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Aasha was indeed right.

No one would like to keep their husband's first wife's photo in their bedroom. But… Varun's mom had let my dad to keep this photo in this room. So she didn't try to take my mom's place? My dad also didn't give my mom's place to her. He married her for me. I was blinded by my hatred. Why I didn't hear my dad's words? How many time he tried to talk to me? But what I did? This woman in the photo who is my dad's second wife, i never missed a single opportunity to hurt her and insult her with my venomous words. But still she took care of me not minding my harsh behaviour towards her.

I still remember how I used to have nightmares after my mom's death. I remember someone singing lullaby for me. I remember someone hugging me and kissing my forehead, giving me the sense of security. I thought it was my mom. But when I woke up in the morning from my peaceful sleep there was no one in my room. I thought its just a dream. But No…

It was not a dream. This woman was the one who took care of me at that time. She married my father without expecting anything from him. She neither hated me nor my mom. Not even once she treated me like I am her step son. She was always kind to me. She always prepares my favourite foods and snacks. To say the truth I liked her cooking. I used to eat the foods made by her at night without anyone's knowledge.

I just thought that if I keep behaving rudely with her then one day she will loss her patients and she will raise her hand at me. So that I could use it as an opportunity to tell my dad and kick her out of this house. But no she endured all my hurtful words. I thought that she is pretending by showing her fake concern to me. That time I didn't know that my dad married her with a condition. No girl would have agreed for that condition. But she did.

She treated me like how a mother treats her son. I feel ashame of myself for behaving like that towards her. The more i stayed in this room the more depressed i became. I felt suffocated. I want to breath. I left the room hastily and went towards the terrace to breath the fresh air. I opened the terrace door and went inside but I stopped in my track when I saw my dad and Varun's mom sitting on the sofa. Her head is placed on my dad's shoulder where as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Their back is facing towards me so that they don't know that I am standing there. I stood rooted in my place. 

Author's Pov

"Subash, we should consider Dev and Aasha's marriage" Meghna said in her soft voice.

"Now he is dealing with Atharv Kasyab's matter. I will talk to him about the marriage when he solve this problem" Subash said kissing her hair.

"Subash, did you see that Dev is not that much harsh with me. I think he will soon accept me" she said with a bright smile. Subash smiled sadly looking at her smiling face.

"Megu, can you please give up trying to get close with Dev? He will never accepts you. His behaviour is less harsh towards you. Because of Aasha. He wants to give a perfect happy family to Aasha. That's it. So don't keep your hopes high. You will only get hurt in the end. And i hate to see you get hurt. Do you hear me?" he said cupping her face. She jerked his hand away.

"Can you please stop saying such things to me? I am happy that Dev is not that much cold towards me. So don't spoil my happiness" she said wiping her tears.

"Megu, please don't cry. Okay I won't say such things to you anymore" he said kissing her forehead lovingly. She buried her face in his chest while sniffling. He patted her back to comfort her 

"I know that he will never accept me. But i won't give up" she said looking up at him. He sighed.

"Okay don't give up then. Now tell me why you didn't prepared my favourite food for dinner, ha?" he asked her sternly.

"I prepared your's and Varun's favourite food for lunch. So for dinner i prepared Dev's favourite food" she said looking at him.

"But he left with Aasha for a dinner date. So all your efforts gone waste" he said with a chuckle.

"Whats with you today, ha? Why are you teasing me now? I didn't no that he is going out with Aasha" she said with a shrug.

"I am just saying" he said pinching her cheek. She slapped his hand.

"Did you tell about me to Aasha?" she asked him.

"Hmmm. She deserves to know. Don't you think so?" he asked her.

"But what if Aasha say about this all to Dev? It will create problems in between their relationship. So I will ask Aasha tomorrow to not to mention any of this matter to Dev" she said with a frown.

"Aasha is a mature girl. She know what to do and what to not. That's what I like about her. She don't take any decision hastily. She know very well how to handle the situations. She know how to judge a person. She is a very caring and loving girl. My son really did a good job in choosing her as his life partner. I am proud of my son" he said with a proud.

"He is also my son, okay? Stop saying your son… your son…" she snapped at him. He chuckled at her.

"Yeah yeah. He is your son also. Now happy?" he asked which she smiled in return.

"Show this old man some love and care instead on your so called son who don't even see your efforts" he said kissing her both cheeks. She frowned at him.

"Behave and you're not young anymore. Stop behaving like a teenager, Subash" she chided at him with her red cheeks.

"Yeah I am a old man now. But you looks so young with this your red blushing face. Tell me what's the secret behind your this beauty" he asked her teasingly. She blushed even more and slapped him on his chest. He chuckled at his wife whose face his buried in his chest.

"Okay why you refused to come to terrace with me for a few days? Only today you accepts to come to terrace with me" he asked her while stroking her hair lovingly.  

"Actually the first day when Dev brought Aasha to our house, I saw both Dev and Aasha walking towards the terrace. They must be spending some time with each other. So I thought that we should not disturb them both. Today they both went out. That's why I agreed to come to terrace with you. And today is the last we are spending our time here. We should not come here from tomorrow onwards" she said. He sighed hearing her words.

"So he stole our secret romantic spot, haa? Now where I can spend time with my wife. I think we should find some another secret spot. How about our garden?" he asked her. She chuckled looking at him.

"Why are you chickling now?" he asked her with a frown.

"Our garden was already secret romantic spot for Varun and Neha" she said chuckling. She laughed hard when she saw his frustrated face. 

"Woman, stop laughing at me. I built this big house but still I don't have a place to spend some alone time with my wife" he scoffed. Meghna laughed hard hearing his words.

Dev's Pov

  I left the terrace locking the door without making any noise. I felt more guilty hearing their conversation. I felt someone is pressing my chest hard. I felt something warm on my cheek. I touched my cheek then only I realised it's my tears. When did this Dev Malhotra cried last? I rubbed my face with my palm hardly. I felt difficult in breathing. I can only find my peace with one person, my Aashu. I walked towards her room and opened the door slowly. I was greeted with the dark room. Then my gaze fell on the bed where she is lying. I locked the door without making any noise and went towards her slowly. Her back is facing me. I saw her whole body is shaking. Is…she crying? Oh shit. I should not have behaved like that with her. I immediately went near her and removed her blanket.

"Aashu, I am sorry. Please stop crying" i said turning her body towards me. Her body went stiff. I wiped her tear stained cheeks. She sobbed when she saw me. 

"I…am sorry….Dev. I…  shouldn't have crossed my limits. I.." she said in between her hiccups.

"What nonsense you're talking about? I was just overwhelmed by hearing all the things from you. That's why I behave like an idiot. I am really sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you away. I am really sorry, okay? Can you please forgive me?" I asked her cupping her face. Seeing her puffy red eyes I felt more guilty for behaving rudely with her. 

"You're not angry on me?" she asked me innocently while sniffling.

This girl……why would i be angry on her? I am angry on myself.

"Why would I be angry on you, Aashu? Please stop crying, okay?" I said kissing her cheeks.

"I said that all because I just don't want you to be in the dark. I don't want you to hate Meghna aunty and papa where they didn't do any mistakes. I love you, Dev. But that doesn't mean i will support you even when you make a wrong decision. I can't let you walk on a wrong path" she said while sniffling. I hugged her soft, shivering body tightly.

"Yeah you should correct me when I do mistakes. You did the right thing by saying the truth to me. If it were not for you, i would still be in the dark. Thank you for saying this all to me, Aashu" i said nuzzling into the crook of her neck. Her scent calmed my nerves. She wrapped her arms around my neck burying her face in my neck. A few minutes later i made her lay on her back on the bed and covered her with the blanket. Then i also joined with her by laying beside her taking her in my arms. We both didn't said anything. 

"Dev, are you alright?" She asked in her soft voice. I sighed and looked at her flushed face. She is looking at me with her doe like eyes innocently. I traced her cheeks with my thumb.

"Aashu, i really feel guilty. I feel very bad and i don't know what to do. It's hurting here" i said touching my chest.

"I think you should talk to Papa and Meghna aunty and apologize to them. Then you won't feel bad here" she said placing her palm on my chest. I took her palms in my hand and placed it on my lips. 

"I need some time, Aashu. Can we talk about this later?" I asked her. I really need some time. And i my head hurts like hell. I need a good sleep first. Then only I can think properly. She nodded at me with a smile. I wrapped my arms around her waist tightly by pulling her close to me and buried my face in the crook of her neck. I groned when I felt her massaging my scalp. 

"How you know that I am having a head ache?" I asked her while kissing her soft neck. She gasped and pushed me away from her.

"Dev, behave. If not then go to your room now" she said with an angry face. I chuckled at her.

"Okay, I will be a good boy. I won't do anything. Now let me sleep" i said burying my face again in her neck. She again started to massage my scalp. Soon i drifted into deep sleep.
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Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I will update the next chapter soon.