They reached home in silence, both not saying a word about what had happened.

When Gita started walking towards their bedroom, Anand's voice stopped her.

"What you did today was very disappointing. I never expected this behaviour from you." Anand's voice was heavy. At first, all he wanted was to yell at Gita for her behaviour with his mother. But the silence in the car gave him time to analyze to his usually sweet wife's behaviour. What provoked her to behave the way she did? He had not once seen her behave in this manner to anyone. She had often speak to him in anger when they fought or had a disagreement but today, she had bitterness in her tone. His wife was never bitter towards anyone, then why to his mother?

"And what did you expect? That woman can go on insulting you and you expect me to keep quiet?" Gita was surprised at his calm behaviour. The man who carried the ego the size of a mountain didn't retaliate once to the woman who kept on insulting him.

"Anand, I know my behaviour was not right. But, I cannot tolerate someone saying bad things to you." This was a wife speaking.

"Gitanjali, that is not someone. That is my mother. She can say anything to me. Even if it hurts me, she has every right to say things to me." Anand tried explaining Gita who still carried rage in her eyes for the woman who spoke ill about her husband.

"Okay. I am happy about the respect you carry towards her in your heart. But forgive me, I will not allow anyone to speak things that will hurt you. Be it your mother as well." Gita was never stubborn or assertive in her stance. She was always open to opinions and understood others perspective then why was she so firm with her anger towards his mother?

Anand sighed. He didn't want his wife to carry animosity for his mother. He tried once again to change her perspective. "Gitanjali, she said those things to me.She never said anything to you. Then why are you so angry?"

"Anand, we are life partners. I truly consider you my other half. It's simple - what hurts you, hurts me."
Gita can't even imagine his own mother calling him shameful and all the bitter things she said. How can a mother say such things to her own child?

For Anand, it was not simple. What Gita said swelled his heart with unknown emotions. He was overwhelmed with her words. He knew she didn't understand the heaviness of her simple words. Her protectiveness towards his emotions melted his heart.

Since childhood, his grandfather took care of him and taught Anand to never let anyone hurt his pride. But this was the first time, someone was protective of his heart and emotions.

"Gitanjali, forget it, baby." He was a loss of words and this was the only thing he could say at the moment.

"I am not like you to be unaffected or unbothered by things. I cannot detach myself quickly from hurtful situations. Give me time."

Anand touched his aching head and told her to freshen up, they can talk later.

×××

"Still angry?" Anand asked touching his wife's hot forehead. It felt like she was burning in anger.

"No." Her anger had calmed down but she was still bothered by her 'mother-in-law's' words.

"Gitanjali, please don't be angry at my mother. And what she said is true, I have done things that has made her upset with me." He urged her with pleading voice, truly not wanting her to misunderstand his mother.

Gita asked Anand to sit beside her on the couch. "I wouldn't be upset if she said things when you have done something wrong. But today? Today, you just greeted her and in return, she said unnecessary things to you." Gita told him her problem.

"I have done enough for her to say things for a lifetime." Anand finally confessed. This got Gita's attention. She had never heard his soft defeated voice. There was a hint of regret in his voice.

"She is right. I am not a nice person and honestly, I don't even want to be. I am totally okay with the way I am. But if there is one thing that I wish, it is for her forgiveness."

Gita took Anand's hand in hers. She understood whatever must have happened must be sensitive for both of them. She asked him if he wanted to share it and lighten his burden. He thought for a moment and told her his past deeds.

Anand was 15 when his mother remarried. In Anand's words, "I was relieved and happy to be free from everyday arguments and divorce talks."
At first, it was his aunts who bad mouthed his mother at every chance they got, infront of him, Isha and his grandfather. Once, Anand expressed his displeasure of hearing such words for his mother to his grandfather. But his grandfather made it clear that from now on, they have to listen to such words from the world. He told Anand the truth. His mother had been having an extramarital affair since the past 2 years. But one night, she almost eloped with her lover and came back the next morning, only to ask for a divorce.

His mother's new husband was a city businessman trying to expand in other regions while Anand's family empire was already dealing with International clients and was way more powerful and richer than him.

His grandfather told him how from now, they will have to hear people's taunts as that woman had put a black spot on their name. Was divorce any less of an humiliation that she had to run away and marry her lover the first chance she got?

Everywhere he went, he heard the hushed voices that talked behind him about his eloping mother. The parties were the worst place to be. For a while year or two, all they heard was stories about his mother.

Anand was already spoilt by his grandfather since his childhood. At 7 or 8 years of age, the lack of his parents attention caused him to spend more time with his grandfather. Eventually, his grandfather became his favourite who gave him everything he wanted but also taught him knowledgeable things.

In anger, he went to his grandfather to ask him to do something about the way the world talks.

"Anand, we cannot shut everyone's mouth, my child. It is our actions that determine what the world talks. Listen, my son, the world will always talk about you. It is you who decides what they talk. Your mother had given them the topic they are talking about."

Anand was in mood to listen, "Tell me how can you stop this talk? I hate listening to them."

"You are hating them and not the person who caused this? Because of her, my whole family has to listen to people's nonsense. And my dear, I cannot stop this talk. The only thing we can do is turn deaf." His grandfather was very angry at the humiliation Nandini caused his family.

Anand was now enraged at his mother. It was indeed true. These people are talking because that's what his mother had done - ran away and married another man.

"May be you can't do anything about this Daddu. But me, I am going to be so powerful that even those hushed voices at the party stop their talk when I enter." Anand had a promise in his voice which he fulfilled.

Those hushed voices that talked about his mother bothered him the most and he wanted to silence that voice when he enters the room. Today, people are so afraid of him that no voice can be heard when he enters.

Daddu was proud of his grandson. He knew this boy had the same hunger for power as him. Over the years, he taught him the tricks of the trade and how to control people.

At 17, he had friends who came from influential backgrounds whose parents had legal and illegal both businesses. His grandfather had said, it was important to keep both good and bad with them.

He had always kept tab of his mother and the new husband, also his business. He got to know about the new warehouse her new husband is setting up where he had kept his most expensive inventories and assets. Anand had a devious and evil plan. With the help of his influential friends, he paid small time gang members to burn the warehouse in the wee hours of night. He wanted to burn it till ashes to make his new stepfather poor. It was easy to do so with the help of his friend who was from a political background and had connections with small time criminals.

He was successful when he saw his mother's new family life coming to ashes when he saw them crying over the warehouse. Her new husband looked totally lost and in tears. The same tears Anand had buried when people taunted his family.

Through inspection of months, it came  to light that Anand was the culprit. His grandfather had to do just one call and he was released from the inspection. But that day, he knew he lost his mother when he saw her lost eyes staring at him.

Her new husband understood that his grandfather had used his influence and without a fight, he took back his complaint. He didn't want to hurt his wife's feeling by arresting her son.

"Do you even understand what you did? You have burned down a man's hardwork for your vengeance?" His mother was disgusted at him.

She pointer her finger at him, "Anand, I am never going to forgive you for this."

"Why? You see my wrongdoings. What about the things me and everyone has to listen, all because of you and this man?" Nandini wiped her tears. This was not her son. This arrogant and evil boy can never be her son.

"I know who has taught you what. But I thought you are my son. You will know the difference. Till now, I used to think you are just a spoilt teenager but after you did today, you are a criminal."

His father entered the police station, looking at his ex wife, her husband and their son. He had got to know it all about what Anand did. He gave an angry look to Anand but went towards Nandini and her new husband. He folded his hands and apologised on behalf of Anand.

"I am very much ashamed today because of Anand's deeds. I know my sorry or money can never get you what you lost. But please, please allow me to compensate for everything." Anand's father said it with folded hands and neck down.

"I am not offering you money to hide his mistake. But this is the only thing I can do to recover what you lost because of my son. Please, don't say no and embarass me more. Allow me to help you." Anand's father said to Nandini's husband with folded hands and guilty voice.

Nandini scoffed, "If you don't punish him today, trust me, you will have to fold your hands to people and put your head down for a lifetime. Even me, because after all, I am his mother." Nandini was always brutal with her words. She never minced it for anyone.

Anand heard this and chuckled, "You have to put your head down because of me? Trust me, I have to put my head down for the past two years because of you and your affair."

Anand's father turned his head towards his insolent son. He was not an angry man but today, his head hung low, he had to beg for forgiveness to others for the first time in his life.

"Shut up. You will not speak a word." Anand shut his mouth because it was the first time he was seeing his father angry. If it was upto his father, he too would have sent him to jail but Anand's grandfather was like a shield protecting Anand, even when he was wrong.

"You are straight coming to home with me." Anand's father ordered him.

---

11/3/22

Target - 145 VOTES

Hey! So sorry for the update to be late. My chapter got deleted and had to rewrite everything. My phone is still not working properly. I got some time today and thought of updating.

Please VOTE and Comment. The reads are way more than the votes.

Bye Take Care.