Dev couldn’t help but smile as he observed Ayaan’s enthusiasm, the way he laughed with his friends, his small gestures of kindness when he helped a classmate who had dropped their pencil. Dev thought, “He’s just like me.” The faint smile on his lips hinted at the bittersweet nostalgia of his own childhood, a time when life was simpler and love seemed more accessible.
Ayaan’s voice floated to his ears, bright and clear, as he spoke to his friends, “No, no, you have to put the ball in the middle, like this!” He demonstrated, his small hands waving in the air, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
Watching his son play, Dev felt a surge of fatherly love and joy. “I’ve missed so much,” he thought regretfully, his fingers tracing the window glass. He could see his own reflection faintly, mingling with the images of Ayaan outside, the lines of his face blurred by the years of absence. His heart ached with the knowledge of the lost years, the moments he had willingly missed out on, all because of his misplaced priorities.
“Why did I stay away so long?” he murmured to himself. His voice was barely audible, drowned by the laughter of children. The guilt weighed heavily on his heart, the realization of what he had sacrificed hitting him anew each time he saw Ayaan. “I was too busy chasing dreams that I forgot the most important one.”
Dev’s smile grew wider when he saw Ayaan explaining something animatedly to his friends, his small hands moving in excitement. “My little boy,” he thought, his eyes filling with unshed tears. He felt an overwhelming urge to hold Ayaan, to tell him how much he loved him, how sorry he was for everything.
Suddenly, Ayaan’s voice pierced through his thoughts. “I wish Papa was here!” he exclaimed, unaware that his father was watching. The innocence in his voice cut through Dev like a knife He was telling this when his friends were talkingabout their father.
One of Ayaan’s friends, a boy with a bright red cap, asked, “Where is your papa, Ayaan?”
Ayaan shrugged, looking down at his feet. “I don’t know. Mummy says he’s busy.” The way he said it was casual, as if it was a fact he had accepted, but Dev could see the flicker of longing in his eyes.
Dev’s heart clenched. He wanted to run to Ayaan, to shout, “I’m here, beta! I’ve always been here, just a bit late.” But he stayed rooted to the spot, his feet heavy with hesitation and fear.
What if Ayaan rejected him? What if his son had grown so used to his absence that his presence would be a disruption? These thoughts tortured Dev, making him question his every move.
As the school day ended and the children began to file out, Dev straightened up, wiping his eyes quickly. He watched Ayaan bid his friends goodbye, his school bag slung over his tiny shoulder. Dev took a deep breath, his heart racing. This was it, the moment he had been waiting for. He would finally speak to Ayaan, connect with him.
Dev stepped forward, his steps tentative but determined. He approached Ayaan from behind, reaching out to touch his shoulder. His hand was mere inches away when he heard a familiar voice.
“Dev,” Navya’s voice was sharp, cutting through the air like a knife.
Dev turned around quickly, his heart sinking as he saw Navya standing a few feet away, her expression a mix of anger and disbelief. Beside her stood Abhinav, his arm protectively around Ayaan’s shoulder, guiding him away from Dev’s reach without Ayaan noticing Dev.
“Navya,” Dev began, his voice shaky, but she didn’t let him finish.
“Why are you here, Dev?” Navya’s voice was cold, her eyes flashing with anger. She took a few steps forward, standing between Dev and Ayaan, her stance protective. “Why are you following us after all these years? What are you trying to do?”
“Navya, please,” Dev pleaded, his voice breaking. “I just… I just want to talk. I want to explain.”
Navya laughed bitterly, the sound devoid of any joy. “Explain? What is there left to explain, Dev? You want an apology, right? Well, granted. Now, leave us alone. Leave our lives forever.”
“No, Navya,” Dev said, his voice desperate, his eyes searching hers for any sign of understanding. “I don’t just want an apology. I want to be with you and Ayaan. I want us to be a family again.”
“A family?” Navya echoed, her voice rising in disbelief. She laughed again, a harsh sound that made Dev wince. “We were a family, Dev, for eight long years. And you threw it all away. Why do you want us now? You had your chance, and you chose someone else. You wanted to be a family with Heena. So what happened, Dev? What happened to your perfect life with Heena?”
Dev took a step forward, his eyes pleading. “I didn’t marry Heena,” he confessed, his voice cracking. “She was using me, cheating on me from the beginning. I was blind to it all. It wasn’t until she betrayed me that I realized my mistakes. I realized what I had lost. I’ve been searching for you and Ayaan for the past year. I’ve been looking everywhere. Please, Navya, just give me a chance. I’ll make it right. I won’t disappoint you or Ayaan.”
He was about to say more, to confess his love, to beg for her forgiveness, but Navya cut him off.
“Let me ask you something, Dev,” she said, her voice icy, her eyes narrowing as she looked at him. “If Heena hadn’t betrayed you, would you be here right now, asking for a second chance? Would you have realized the pain you caused Ayaan and me?”
Dev fell silent, her words striking him hard. He looked down, unable to meet her eyes. Tears welled up, spilling over as he shook his head slightly. He knew the truth. He knew he would have stayed blind if Heena hadn’t shattered his illusions.
Navya watched him, her own eyes wet with tears. “No, Dev,” she said softly, her voice trembling. “You wouldn’t have. You wouldn’t be here if things hadn’t fallen apart for you. And that’s why I can’t… I won’t be a second choice again in your life.”
Dev looked up, his eyes filled with pain and regret. “Navya, you were never a second choice. I was confused, lost. I thought I wanted something else, but I was wrong. You and Ayaan… you’re my family. I love you both more than anything.”
Navya’s face hardened, her tears now a testament to her own pain. “Words, Dev. Just words. They mean nothing now. You walked away, and you didn’t look back. You left Ayaan crying for his father, left me to pick up the pieces. And now, because your life didn’t go as planned, you think you can just walk back in and everything will be fine?”
“No,” Dev said, shaking his head, his voice a whisper. “I know it won’t be easy. I know I hurt you. But I’m willing to do whatever it takes. I’ll prove to you that I’ve changed. Just let me be part of your lives again.”
Navya’s eyes flashed with a mixture of anger and sorrow. “How many nights did I stay up, Dev, waiting for a call, a message, anything from you? How many times did I have to tell Ayaan that his father wasn’t coming back? You say you’ve changed, but it’s too late. You can’t just undo the past.”
Dev stepped closer, his hands reaching out as if to touch her, but he hesitated, letting them fall to his sides. “I know I can’t undo the past, Navya. But I can start from today. I can try to make things right.”
Navya took a deep breath, her voice barely above a whisper. “Do you know what Ayaan calls Abhinav? He calls him ‘buddy’. Abhinav has been more of a father to him than you ever were. He has been there for him, for us, every single day. You’re just a stranger now, Dev.”
Dev’s heart clenched at her words, each one a stab of pain. “I don’t want to be a stranger, Navya. I want to be his father. I want to earn his trust, your trust.”
Navya shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “No, Dev. You don’t get to make that choice anymore. You lost that right when you left. You can’t come back now and demand to be part of our lives.”
Dev’s voice broke as he spoke, his desperation clear. “Please, Navya, just give me a chance. For Ayaan’s sake. Let me show you that I can be the man you and he need me to be.”
Navya’s expression softened slightly at the mention of Ayaan, but she quickly regained her composure. “I won’t let you hurt him, Dev. I won’t let you hurt me again. We’ve moved on. We have a life now, a life without you.”
Dev’s shoulders slumped, his hope slipping away. “Is there nothing I can do, Navya? Nothing I can say to make you believe me?”
Navya looked at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of love, pain, and finality. “No, Dev. You made your choice, and now we’re making ours. Go back to your life. Let us live ours in peace.”
Navya turned away, her heart breaking as she walked towards Ayaan. Dev reached out, but his hand dropped to his side, knowing he had no right to stop her.
He watched as Abhinav approached, taking Navya’s hand in his own, Ayaan in his other arm. Dev’s heart twisted in agony at the sight, jealousy flaring as he saw Abhinav’s protective stance. He wanted to scream, to demand that Navya come back to him, but he knew he couldn’t. He had lost that right long ago.
As Navya walked away, Dev stood frozen, his eyes locked on Abhinav’s hand holding hers. Their eyes met, and in that moment, a silent understanding passed between them—an understanding filled with anger, jealousy, and pain.
Dev’s fists clenched at his sides, his whole body trembling with suppressed emotion. He had never felt so helpless, so lost. The reality of his situation hit him like a freight train. He had lost his family, his wife, his son. And now, he might be losing them to another man.But even in his pain,
Dev knew one thing for certain: he would not give up. He would fight for Navya and Ayaan. He would do whatever it took to win back their trust, their love. He would prove to them that he was not the man he had once been, that he could be better, that he could be the husband and father they deserved.
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