Chapter- 35

Ekta twitched awake, feeling the unfamiliar warmth wrapped around herself. Instinctively, she snuggled closer toward the source of comfort until realization dawned upon her suddenly. Her eyes snapped open. She looked up, startled, only to find herself wrapped in Eshita’s embrace.

Immediately, she sat up with a start, pulling back from the warmth she had unconsciously sought. Her gaze shifted to her side where Ekansh slept in a sitting position, leaning against the bedpost, the water bowl and a damp cloth kept before him as evidence of the sleepless night he had spent beside her.

That simple, almost domestic scene did something strange to her heart. Before she could do something as foolish as lie back down and let herself melt into it again, she climbed down from the bed hurriedly. Yesterday’s memories flashed through her mind.

Her family was back to take her. She needed to find a way out and leave from here. Her family wasn’t the problem for her, but he was, and she couldn’t let anyone get hurt just because of her presence.

Without realizing it, her feet carried her down the stairs. It didn’t matter that she had just woken up or how disheveled, weak, and pale she looked. Her headache worsened with each step, and her body protested against the movement, but running away seemed to be the only goal her mind could focus on.

The guards protected the gates of Sehgal Mansion twenty-four hours a day. Security surrounded the entire property. There was no way she could leave through the front entrance; they would stop her or immediately call Ekansh.

The best option was the garden gate. There was no security there. Since Eshita spent half her time in the garden’s shade, the family respected her privacy and avoided unnecessary surveillance in that area. Ekta had once overheard Eshita talking about the small lane behind the house, her usual sneak-out route.

Ekta never thought that one day she would use it to run away from the only people she had come to care about. Her feet stumbled near the door. Sharp pain shot through the back of her head. She grabbed the doorknob for support, ignoring the dizziness threatening to overwhelm her when a pair of hands caught her shoulders, steadying her before she could fall.

Ekta recoiled instantly from the touch. Blinking away the tears she hadn’t realized were overflowing from her eyes, she stepped back and looked up.

Virendra stepped away immediately, noticing the fear shining clearly in her eyes. He had just returned from his usual workout session. The doctor had instructed him to maintain light physical activity during recovery, and he found Ekta rushing toward the kitchen. Where exactly the girl was going at this hour was beyond him, but the tears worried him.

Ekansh had stayed beside her the entire night. Only a few hours ago had his son finally fallen asleep, and Virendra had allowed him that much-needed rest.

“Tum theek ho?” He asked carefully.

Ekta nodded wordlessly, wiping away her tears instinctively. Out of everyone in the house, she hadn’t expected to run into him. She didn’t hate him. She was simply wary of him, wary of the presence he carried. Yet every time she looked at Virendra, it felt like someone was pressing salt into old wounds, a constant reminder of a father she never had.

“Garden mein jaa rahi thi?” Virendra asked, startling her.

Ekta nodded again. She couldn’t trust herself to speak without her voice shaking.

Virendra frowned. Something didn’t feel right. Shaking off his overthinking thoughts for the moment, he walked toward the kitchen counter, giving the girl space to breathe.

“Ansh abhi bhi so raha hai?” He asked casually while setting water to boil.

Ekta nodded before realizing his back was facing her. “J-ji,” She murmured softly, pushing herself away from the door.

Maybe next time she would succeed in her escape. Quietly, she moved toward the exit without making any noise, hoping not to disturb the man further.

“Sit. I will make milk for you.” Virendra’s voice stopped her at the threshold.

She turned around, unsure whether he was actually speaking to her and offering her something, but his back remained turned toward her as he continued working.

Quietly, she walked over and sat down in the dining room, not wanting to offend the man by refusing outright. Her gaze followed Virendra through the small open partition connecting the dining room and kitchen. The way he moved around the kitchen, preparing everything effortlessly, fascinated her.

Who would believe that the man who wore three-piece suits, conducted board meetings, and silenced entire rooms with a single look was the same man now standing in joggers preparing hot milk for her? Everything about Virendra Sehgal intrigued her. Even when it seemed clear who he was, inside and outside his home, every encounter felt like peeling away another layer of a person she didn’t fully understand.

Children’s greatest strength was often their father. In her case, however, she had been the greatest weakness of her father. He was... Her thoughts trailed off as a glass of hot chocolate milk was placed before her.

She looked up at Virendra, who returned to his chair, deliberately maintaining the comfortable distance she seemed to prefer. Why did she keep comparing her own father to Virendra? Every person was different. Every individual carried their own strengths, flaws, and burdens. But fathers? She shook her head, wrapping her fingers around the glass. The gentle warmth radiating from the thick mug pulled her back to reality, cutting off her spiraling thoughts.

Silence fell in the room. Virendra observed the girl quietly as he drank his black coffee, his thoughts far from settled. Until yesterday, he hadn’t even minded her presence. She was just someone his son called his sister, cared for deeply, and protected fiercely just the way he was towards Eshita. Virendra had never given it a second thought, accepting the new bond his son had built over the span of five years.

Despite living under the same roof for the last two months, Virendra rarely ever came across Ekta. They didn’t even share a word, just a few glances, her fearful ones meeting his neutral ones that held neither warmth nor hostility. But today he couldn’t bring himself to ignore Ekta. Not after whatever happened yesterday. Not after he saw the fear etched in his son’s eyes even at the thought of losing her. Being a father, he couldn’t overlook something that affected his child so deeply.

He placed the mug down and took a deep breath. Ekta was a mystery he wanted to solve, but while keeping himself within his limits. He wasn’t ready to accept her as his daughter, definitely not when they hadn’t even shared a simple conversation yet to name their bond, and from the looks of it, the girl feared him far too much to ever let him get close. She remained cautious around him always. He didn’t care about being disliked.

What he cared about was the aftermath of his son, and now even his daughter, who was growing attached to Ekta, would face if she chose to leave one day. He already doubted Ekta’s family; both father and son seemed like complete jerks from whatever little he had witnessed. But he wanted to be sure. Did Ekta still feel anything for those people or not? It was a father trying to protect his children from unnecessary heartbreak and misplaced emotions.

“Can we talk, Ekta?” Virendra kept his tone low and gentle.

Ekta flinched slightly even at that. She looked up, meeting the calm brown orbs, and nodded reluctantly. What did he want to talk about? He would definitely ask her to leave, right? Obviously, who would want an outsider in their house? And after seeing her family yesterday, she was sure he would never want someone like her around his children.

“Kya tum apne parivaar ke paas jaana chahti ho?” Virendra asked directly.

Ekta blinked, startled. That wasn’t what she had expected.
Virendra sighed, shaking his head. “I know you wanted to stay. You said that to your brother yesterday. Ansh will never do something that goes against your wishes. But I want to make sure because I don’t want my son to do something wrong.”

He paused before continuing. “Agar tum Ansh ke saath rehna chahti ho toh tumhe koi nahi rok sakta. You will always stay here. But I can’t ignore the fact that you were emotional yesterday. And in our emotions, we sometimes make hasty decisions.”

His gaze softened. “So I am asking you again. Kya tum yahan Ansh ke saath rehna chahti ho ya apne parivaar ke paas jaana chahti ho? Aakhir mein tum jo chahti ho wahi hoga, beta.”

Ekta blinked rapidly. Tears burned furiously at the back of her eyes. Was he even realizing what his tone, his words, his offer were doing to her heart? There was a protective instinct of a father in his gently measured voice. A concern a father had for his son, yet while keeping his son’s priorities above everything else.

She looked away before she started crying like a child. Maybe... Maybe she was reading too much into the situation. He was just being protective of his son so that he wouldn’t get hurt. Yes. That was the conclusion she forced herself to accept, silencing her heart’s desperate hopes before they could take root. Otherwise she would lose herself completely.

Virendra waited for an answer but didn’t get one. He only hoped Ekta made the right decision for herself, regardless of what that decision turned out to be.

“When did you wake up?” Ekansh asked quietly, walking in. He had just woken up only to find Eshita sleeping and Ekta missing. Last night she was shivering with fever and nightmares. Somehow he had calmed her down, made her drink kadha with Eshita’s help until she finally slept without flinching.

“Mujhe uthaya kyu nahi tune?” He checked her forehead. “Fever kaafi kam hai. Neeche kyu aayi? Kuch chaiye tha toh utha deti na...”

“I am fine, bhaiya.” Ekta squeezed his hand gently. “Neend khul gayi toh bas aise hi...” She trailed off with a shrug. Lying felt better than telling him that she was running away. She couldn’t dare hurt him more than she already had yesterday.

“Where is Esha?” Virendra asked as Ekansh sat down.

“Sleeping. Raat mein late soyi thi toh I didn’t wake her up,” Ekansh replied pouring water for himself.

He looked at Ekta. She seemed better than before but not completely alright. Questions rested at the tip of his tongue, but before he could ask anything further, a guard entered, informing them about the police’s sudden arrival.

Both father and son exchanged wary glances. Maybe it was about the ongoing murder case. Rising to their feet, they walked out of the room.

✨✨✨

The tension in the air felt thick as a storm waiting to break loose at any moment. Ekansh shielded Ekta from Suraj’s glare. He didn’t think he would take action so quickly, nor did he expect him to arrive at the Seghal mansion with the police before he even had the chance to understand the full truth. He was yet to talk to Ekta, to know about her family, her fears, and everything she had buried within herself, but he wasn’t getting the chance, and that frustrated him.

The desperation in Suraj felt too much like malice rather than a brother caring for his sister. There was anger in his eyes, possession in his words, but not the concern Ekansh expected from someone who genuinely loved his sibling.

“What brings you here, Inspector?” Virendra asked firmly.

“Sorry, Mr. Sehgal,” The inspector replied respectfully. He was well aware of the reputation the Sehgals carried in society, but a case was a case. He was simply doing his duty.

“I just received a complaint,” He continued professionally. “This man here...” He pointed toward Suraj. “Inka kehna hai ki aap logon ne inki behen ko yahan zabardasti rakha hai. As per procedure, I am required to verify the complaint and ensure the girl’s safety. If she is indeed their sister, then legally we cannot ignore their claim without proper investigatio.”

“She is staying here with me willingly,” Ekansh said sharply. “They may be her family, but her choice matters. Now she is my sister.”

“Did my mother sleep with your father or what?” Suraj mocked viciously, his lips curling with contempt, “That you’re calling her your sister?”

The entire family froze at the disgusting words. Ekta reacted on instinct. No one noticed when she moved forward. A loud slap echoed through the room. Suraj’s face jerked violently to the side from the force.

He held his cheek, his eyes blazing with fury. “Teri himmat kaise hui mujh par haath uthane ki....” His hand rose to retaliate but was caught by Ekansh.

Ekta opened her eyes, not feeling the sting she had expected. Terrified tears burned behind her eyes. She was angry, hurt, disgusted. How could a son talk so shamelessly about his own mother? She glanced toward her father. He stood there stiff and rigid as if nothing Suraj had said mattered. Like his wife’s dignity, his wife’s respect, the woman who wasn’t even alive to defend herself anymore, meant nothing to him.

“Chod mujhe!” Suraj yelled, trying to pull his hand away from Ekansh’s iron grip.

Ekansh punched him straight across the face. Suraj tried to retaliate but couldn’t. Ekansh hit him furiously, the boy had just insulted his father, and that was the red line for Ekansh Sehgal. Years of discipline, restraint, and self-control snapped in an instant as punch after punch landed, each one harsher than the last.

Bhairav grabbed the inspector’s hand. “Rokiye usse! Mere bete ki jaan le lega yeh aadmi...” he begged desperately.

The inspector stood rigid for a moment, letting Suraj feel the heat of every punch. The bruises already forming were much needed. The boy hadn’t merely insulted a father but a mother who had given birth to him. Seeing the kind of people standing before him, even he doubted his own judgment for giving them the benefit of the doubt.

“Ekansh!” Virendra’s calm voice cut through the air.

Ekansh’s hand froze just inches away from Suraj’s face. He held his collar tightly, glaring him down, “Aaj yeh galti kar di. Aaj ke baad agar aisa phir se kiya toh isse bura haal hoga tera.” He released him with a harsh shove. Turning to the inspector. “You heard him yourself, Officer. A man who can’t respect his own mother doesn’t deserve to decide what is best for his sister. Ekta wants to stay here. She will stay here. End of discussion. You are standing on my property without any arrest warrant. I hope I don’t have to remind you of the consequences of messing with the Sehgal’s.”

The threat in his tone hung heavily in the room. The inspector nodded. “I understand your concern, Mr. Sehgal. But the girl is a minor. If they are claiming she is their family, and if the DNA test confirms it, then we are obligated to act. It all comes under the POCSO framework and child protection procedures. The girl is supposed to stay with her legal family unless the court decides otherwise.”

“She is staying with her family,” Virendra interjected. “For further legal proceedings, we will ask our lawyer to represent the case if necessary. For now, you can’t touch my son without evidence or legal grounds.”

“Yeh mere saath jayegi,” Suraj spat, ignoring their words. “Main bhi dekhta hoon mujhe kaun rokta hai.”

Ekta stumbled back as he took a threatening step toward her. Before he could reach her, Ekansh shoved him back again.

“Ek baar mein boli baat samajh nahi aati na tujhe?” Ekansh growled. “Arrest him, Officer.” He declared coldly, “For creating a disturbance on my property. For threatening a minor and attempting intimidation in front of witnesses.”

The officer complied. He had only been transferred a few days ago and suddenly found himself dealing with one of the city’s most influential families. Even then, he couldn’t ignore the way Suraj was behaving when the matter could have been handled calmly. He nodded toward the constable who immediately locked the handcuffs around Suraj’s wrists, holding him down as he struggled and shouted abuses.

Bhairav panicked. “Arre nahi sahab!” he pleaded. “Baccha hai woh. Galti ho gayi usse. Aisa mat kijiye. Main uski taraf se maafi maangta hoon. Jaane dijiye usse.”

“Maafi maangne ki koi zarurat nahi hai,” Suraj scoffed. He glared at Ekta. “Tujhe kya lagta hai yeh sab karke tu bach jayegi? Mujhe in hathkadiyon se nikalne mein zyada samay nahi lagega. Prr tere saath kya kya hoga... Uska tujhe andaza bhi nahi hai tujhe. Apne aane wale kal ki saza tu khud likh rahi hai.”

His face snapped sideways as Ekansh punched him hard across the jaw, again the boy never learns. Despite being all bruised and bleeding he still has a death wish.

The officer immediately grabbed Ekansh. “Sir, please! You can’t...”

“Leave him.” Virendra’s voice boomed through the room.

The inspector instantly stepped back. For the first time that day, he realized he had stepped into something far bigger than a simple family dispute.

Ekansh grabbed Suraj by the lapels, yanking him forward with enough force to make him stumble.

“Badi himmat hai na tujh mein?” He hissed, his voice dripping with fury. “Abhi bhi teri hushyari nahi gayi na?” His fist rose again, ready to strike. Before he could bring it down, a hand wrapped around his wrist.

Ekansh froze. Slowly, he turned his head. Ekta stood beside him. Her fingers trembled around his arm, yet her grip remained firm. He instinctively tried to pull away, but she shook her head. Just once and that was all it took. The rage burning through him faltered. His grip on Suraj’s collar loosened.

Suraj stumbled backward as Ekansh released him, nearly losing his balance before catching himself. Yet Ekansh barely noticed. His entire focus remained fixed on Ekta. The tears gathering in her eyes. The fear, pain and the way she had stopped him. A thousand thoughts crashed through his mind at once.

Did she still care about her real brother? Was she hurting because he had raised his hand on Suraj? Was she crying because of Suraj’s pain? For the first time in five years, Ekansh misunderstood the emotions staring back at him.

The agitation, anger, and turmoil in her eyes looked like something else entirely. To him, it seemed like a battle between two bonds. One created by blood. The other created by choice. One that connected them through birth. The other that connected them through love. And for the first time, Ekansh didn’t know which one would win.

“Leave, Inspector,” Virendra said firmly, his voice cutting through the suffocating silence. “Aaj ke liye itna tamasha kafi hai. Arrest him if necessary. We will complete the formalities later.”

“Mere bete ne kuch galat nahi kiya!” Bhairav protested immediately. “Woh toh bas yahan apni bhen ko lene aaya tha. Isse humare saath aane dijiye. Aap apni taqat ka galat istemal nahi kar sakte.”

Virendra’s eyes hardened. “Maine apni taqat dikhani shuru bhi nahi ki hai abhi tak,” He replied dangerously. “Lekin agar karne par aaya, toh mere parivaar ki taraf dekhne ke liye hi tum dono baap-bete ko saari zindagi salakhon ke peeche phenkne mein mujhe zyada samay nahi lagega. Aazma ke dekh lo...”

“Let him go.” The soft voice sliced through Virendra’s warning like a blade.

Everyone turned.

Ekta stood there, her gaze fixed solely on Ekansh. For the first time that day, words abandoned him. Suraj was her real brother. She didn’t want to go with them. But she didn’t want to see him hurt either. Maybe some bonds survived even after becoming poisonous. Maybe some wounds remained tied to the very people who created them.

Straightening slowly, Ekansh gave a small nod. If that was what she wanted, he would do it. Because right now, he wanted something far more important than revenge. He wanted her trust. Enough trust for her to tell him what frightened her, for her to know she was no longer alone. And if giving Suraj this one chance helped him earn that trust. Then he was willing to do it.

The inspector finally stepped forward and removed the handcuffs. The metallic click echoed through the room. Suraj rubbed his wrists as he looked up. His eyes met Ekansh’s. For a long moment neither of them looked away. No words were spoken. Neither were needed. Because both of them understood one thing perfectly. This wasn’t over.

Suraj removed the envelope he had brought with him earlier, throwing it at Ekta’s face deliberately.

Ekansh fumed, stepping forward, but Ekta’s hand reached out, stopping him before he could do something they would all regret later.

“Mujhe pata hi tha ki aisa kuch hoga,” Suraj sneered. “Isliye main tayari karke aaya tha. Yeh...” He pointed at the envelope. “Court ka order hai. Kal court mein peshi hai.”

He smirked at Ekta with cruel satisfaction. “Aa jaana. Dekhte hai tu kiske saath rahegi uske baad.” With final threat hanging in the air, he turned on his heels and walked away, followed by his father.

Ekansh picked up the envelope went through the document. It was the official notice regarding guardianship and custody proceedings. If only he had known Suraj’s weakness, he would have used it against the man before he could have even reached the court.

“We need to talk, Ansh.” Virendra’s voice cut through the silence, snapping him out of his thoughts.

Ekta tried to leave, too exhausted emotionally and mentally to deal with anything else today.

“I need to talk to you too, Ekta,” Virendra stopped her, taking his seat on the couch.

Ekta and Ekansh sat down across from him without a word, neither of them glancing at each other, the unspoken tension hanging heavy in the air.

Virendra looked at his son. “What have you decided? What are you going to do?”

Ekansh ran his fingers through his hair, “If she wants to stay, she will stay. I will ask Vikram to find me a lawyer who handles custody cases. I will fight for her custody.”

“Are you sure, Ekansh?” Virendra held his gaze. “This isn’t going to be easy. After everything we saw and heard, I don’t think this is what it looks like. Are you prepared to fight an entire battle based on half-truths, to fight someone you don’t even know about? Before we get into a battlefield, we should know about our enemy as well as the war we’re stepping into.”

Ekansh looked away. His father was right. He knew nothing about Ekta’s family. He knew nothing about what he was truly standing against or what secrets were buried beneath her silence. But would Ekta ever tell him the truth she had spent years hiding? That was the biggest question.

Virendra shook his head. He glanced at Ekta, who sat there stiff and unmoving. He met her gaze firmly. “Our past is like a shadow. It never truly fades until we face and defeat it. We should never decide for someone else how they will react to our truth.”

He looked back at his son. “Maybe more than trust, one looks for acceptance. Because some things are simply too much to carry alone. The question is, are you ready to hear someone’s deepest, darkest memories and still stay by their side? That’s what you need to decide.”

Rising to his feet, he walked away, leaving two troubled souls lost in their thoughts. He could nudge them, acknowledge their fears, but he couldn’t force words out of them. Ekta needed to overcome her fear of being judged, and Ekansh needed to decide what he would choose when the truth finally stood before him. Only then would either of them be able to move forward.

“Can we talk, Ekta?” Ekansh asked, gathering his courage. He couldn’t ignore his father’s words. Before it got too late, he needed to do what was necessary.

Ekta nodded, rising to her feet. “Aapke room mein chale?” Her tone was hesitant, almost fearful of what would come next.

She couldn’t ignore Virendra’s words. He was right. One day the truth would come out anyway. It was better she told Ekansh everything now itself. Maybe once she emptied her heart, he would let go of her, leave her side, and allow her to be on her own. At least then she wouldn’t be carrying this burden while standing beside someone who cared for her. Her shame was hers to bear, not his.

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Your thoughts on Virendra and Ekta’ conversation?

Your thoughts on Ekta stopping Ekansh?

Your take on Ekta’ family? Bhairav? Suraj?

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Next Update; Wednesday!

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