Twinkle stared at Kunj's misery on his face. The grief gave us a tsunami but she held it together. She walked near him, perched on the couch beside him and touched his forearm. He stiffened and turned away.

Now that Kunj knew the truth about Tara,she feared that he would go back and grieve for her, feel guilty for not trusting her enough. She was happy that he finally got to know the truth because Tara didn't deserved to be hated by Kunj for the rest of his life.

Whatever she did was out of fear of losing her love. The only mistake she did was to hide her abusive past from Kunj.

As much as Twinkle knew, Kunj would have understood Tara and loved her no matter what,if she had been honest to him from the beginning. That way she could have taken Kunj to Abhishek's flat and stopped the horrific incident from ever happening.

Whatever, Kunj and Tara's love was ill fated and short lived. Twinkle didn't know if she felt bad or happy about it. If Tara had been alive, Twinkle wouldn't have had a chance being Kunj's wife but at the same time, she wasn't inhuman to celebrate someone's death.

Twinkle touched Kunj's forearm and ran her hand up and down in a soothing motion but much to her dismay ,he stared at her with eyes as cold as ice and shrugged her hand away. Her already broken heart, cracked more as he went into his study room and slammed the door shut.

************************************
Kunj felt his chest tightened and hammer against his ribs that he thought it would explode. He felt hollw and terrible for doubting Tara about cheating him. He was mad at himself for not figuring out that she was in trouble.
When Tanya told him what Tara was going through after that incident, he suddenly experienced an epiphany. He remembered how Tara was persistently zoned out when he came back from his trip.Whenever he asked, she would show her sad smile to assure him that she was perfectly fine.

For a person who was always keen on things happening around him, he wondered how he missed to notice her sufferings, when it was right in front of his eyes.

He would have given anything to protect Tara if she had told him the entire truth instead of trying to hide it from him. Maybe if she was more honest to him, this wouldn't have happened at all.

She would have had Kunj's child instead of Abhishek's, not that he regretted having Ansh as his son now.
Ansh would always remain his son, his first born and his heir but she could have avoided the ugly custody battle which was ruining his child's life.

Kunj always believed that a relationship built on lies would never withstand forever. Tara just proved it to be right. How much ever it pained, he knew she was his past. He couldn't
go back and change anything. If he had a chance to go back in time, he would have searched Twinkle and fall in love with her instead. She is his present, future and forever. Though at present ,he is mad at her, his love for her would never falter for any reason. She is his life.

He combed his fingers into his hairs. He had so much to worry about, Tara was least of it. If he could do anything for her, it was to save her son from Abhishek. He doesn't want Ansh to end up like him. His whole body shuddered when he pictured Ansh becoming like Abhishek.

************************************

The next few days,Kunj and his lawyers buried themselves in gathering all the evidences against Abhishek. With whatever little evidence they had, which included Tara's diary, Tanya's testimony a d the audio which Kunj had recorded when Natasha came to made a deal.

The court didn't delay much in issuing a search warrent for Abhishek's flat as the matter was very sensitive. During the search around his flat, they recovered not only Tara's video tape but many such naive girls who became Abhishek's prey. To everyone's shock, they also found a few packets of illegal drugs and alcohol, along with hoodie that he was wearing when Ansh was kidnapped, confirming it was him who abducted him.

He immediately made a run when he realised that there was no way he could be spared by the cops but he couldn't make it too long since he was arrested a few miles away from his house.

Natasha was too shocked when she came to know about what Tara had gone through because of Abhishek.
If she had known it before, she never would have involved with him but it was too late to feel sorry for that, since she realised what a huge mistake she had done. By taking Abhishek's side, she had betrayed her own sister and she was sure that Tara would never forgive her for that.

Due to the sensitivity of the case, higher authorities put immense pressure to the court in reopening the case sooner. Two days later, Abhishek was brought at the court.

Everyone were present in the court including Kunj's family, Alisha, Yuvraj and Nisha. It was a nail biting moment for all of them.

Kunj'lawyer began with presenting Tara's diary after which Tanya was questioned to brief of what happened to Tara at Abhishek's flat. She bravely told them everything.

When Abhishek was questioned about it ,he staright away denied about raping Tara but there was nothing he could do when the video tapes were submitted to the judge.

When asked about Ansh, he openly revealed that he was never interested in raising Ansh and that he was provoked by Natasha, who had agreed to offer a good amount of money in return for his favour. However he denied of abducting Ansh but Kunj's PI and lawyers were smart enough to prove it with several evidences, including the hoodie that he wore that day and several footages of Abhishek's car that he had rented from a garage. Abhishek had rented the car using a fake Id but he was spotted in the surveillance camera situated near the garage.

He was convicted with charges for drug possession and dealings, child kidnapping, rape and assault on several women.

Natasha was the next one to climb on the witness stand. Though she was guilty for all the bad things she did, she denied doing any of it to save her family's reputation but soon she was stunned when a video recording was played with loud and clear audio within the hall.

Kunj glanced at Twinkle challengeingly but she didn't understand what his looks meant and stared back at him with confusion until she heard Kunj's voice

K- So, what is that you want to negotiate?

N- Look you and I want the same thing, that is to keep Ansh to ourselves, isn't it?
That was Natasha's voice and suddenly Twinkle remembered she had heard this conversation somewhere before.

K-Yes.

N- There is a way by which we both can be with Ansh.

K- And what would be that?

N- I have no problem with Ansh living with you.

K- Then why don't you just give him to me and make this easy for everyone, Natasha

N- Kunj, Ansh is my sister's son and he is only reminder of Tara. I want him as much as you do.

K- So what else do you want to do?

N- I can bring him back to you if you allow me to stay here with you

K- That's not a problem I can arrange it.

N- But I want Twinkle to be gone.

K- I'm listening

N- Ansh doesn't need a step mother when he has me. I'm his mother's sister and only perfect replacement for Tara. Twinkle may pretend to love Ansh now but when she gives birth to her own children, she would start treating Ansh like other step mothers and I don't want that for Ansh.

Kunj, I also know how much you loved Tara and you would never be able to love Twinkle like that. The only reason you married her was for Ansh. I guess there is no point keeping her around without Ansh.

K- What about Abhishek, isn't he the birth father? I thought he wanted Ansh and you both were in a living relationship?

N-Yeah, I too believed that but living with him for the past few months made me understand that he is very irresponsible and not fit to raise a child He hardly comes home and never spends time with Ansh.

I am sure Abhishek would never be able to love Ansh like you. He would never be able to provide him the life like you once did for Ansh.

K- Do you think he would agree to it, Natasha. He is Ansh's birth father. Though might not show it now , he may still love his child.

N- I'm damn sure he doesn't care about him. You don't have to worry about him, Kunj because all that he needs is some money to keep his mouth shut and believe me Ansh is all ours.

K-Okay then let's go with the plan.

Twinkle sat there her head bowed down, her eyes closed and her chest with a weird heaviness. She had to rub her palm on her chest to ease the pain but it wouldn't budge and heightened every second.

Now she understood the look on Kunj's face. He had been telling the truth all this time.

'Alright,soon you will get to know that what I said is truth. Then don't come to me, begging for an apology because I wouldn't forgive you for crushing my heart again and again.' She remembered Kunj warning her.

Tears began to pour down her face. All these days, she had been blaming Kunj for breaking her heart but it was her, all along. If she had a little patient with him and tried to listen, then this wouldn't have happened. She jumped into conclusions.

'Did he really meant when he said he loves me?'

'Oh God! What have I done?'

'I have hurt him so much.'

'I pushed him away so hard.'

' I let my past insecurities take over my sense of reasoning.'

'I broke his heart.' She glanced back at him but his eyes were staring ahead on them with his jaws pressed tightly and his palms fisted on his lap.

She wanted to kneel in front of him and beg for forgiveness but she knew she wasn't getting any. She wasn't able to hear the rest of the conversation taking place in the courtroom as her mind kept wandering about what she was supposed to do.

Eventually Natasha admitted to have used Abhishek to get Ansh's custody but she explained why she did it. She told the court that she didn't want Twinkle to raise her sister's child when herself could do it.

' I have studied the child's behaviou around both the parties and i conclude that Ansh wants to stay with Kunj and Twinkle only. He seems happy and active only when he is with them, your Honor.' The child care service officer who had visited Ansh several times in both Natasha's and Kunj's house concluded firmly.

The jury didn't want to delay the judgment any further since it involved a little child's life. After everything, it was crystal clear that Ansh's life would be a mess if he stayed anywhere away from Twinkle and Kunj.

J- Giving birth to a child doesn't make you a parent but nurturing and loving the child makes you one. The court will be giving the full custody of Ansh to his 'Real parents', Kunj and Twinkle. He emphasised the word 'Real Parents'. The court is adjurded.
The judge announced, causing everyone to let out a huge sigh of relief.

Natasha and Abhishek were punished with the maximum penalty of what they deserved while strictly prohibited from visiting and contacting Ansh in future.

Avantika let out a happy sob. Kunj hugged her sideways and kept rubbing her arm. He gazed at Twinkle for a fraction of second but turned away quickly. The fact that he didn't even want to glance at her hurt her so much.

Kunj's family, friends and lawyers had a huge grin of victory on their faces as they walked out of court. They were glad that they could manage to secure Ansh's future.

************************************

Twinkle kissed Ansh's forehead as he slept peacefully on his bed, hugging his plush bunny. She was content to think that he was never going away from them but she couldn't taste the happiness fully.

There was prickling pain in her heart. She hurt Kunj, the one who ever loved her. He had offered his heart on her palms and all and did was to shatter it into a million pieces. She hurt him badly, by not trusting him.

She wanted him but she was afraid that it was too late for that but she didn't want to give up. She would do anything, literally anything, for his forgiveness.

She walked into their bedroom and saw Kunj lying on his back with his arm draped over his eyes. With slow steps she walked closer and sat on the bed beside him. She knew he was awake from the way his Adam's apple bobbed up and down with her close proximity but she reminded still.

'Kunj', she called him in a lowest whisper. He inhaled deeply, 'Kunj, can we talk please?' She begged,her voice strained.

K- I don't want to talk. He said bluntly and that it almost sliced her heart into two.

T- Kunj, I'm sorry for not trusting you.
She placed her hand on his other arm which was placed on his abdomen but he jerked her hand away roughly.

K- Glad.You can leave now. I'm tired.
He dismissed her just the way she did in the past.

With her head bent down and tears rolling down her cheeks, she sat looking at Kunj with pain.

Now she understood how he must have felt when she rejected him.
She knew she didn't deserve forgiveness for what she did. Just an apology wouldn't undo her sins. They lost their happiness because of what she did. She knew he wouldn't forgive her right away but she was ready to beg for his forgiveness until death.

That's it for today guys

Hope you liked it.