"Mere parivaar ko kya hua?" Kalyani muttered as she sat at the head chair of the dining table and glanced at the younger generation.

Rudra didn't worry to look at his brother, he royally avoided him and feigned to be busy with his wife. The breakfast was a silent affair, none of them talked. Bhavya explored her eyes through each and person and noted their expression.

Jhanvi was infrequently very disturbed after her conversation with Shivaay. Her heart agonized comprehending their problematic life. This was perceived by Bhavya, she had a few words with her, but she didn't get what she excepted. Due to her work, she wasn't too close to family members other than Rudra. That was a substantial complication.

"Rudra this month for my expenses, money hasn't been deposited to my account." Gauri happily twittered, starting the conversation.

"Bhabi, maine rok diya," Rudra added picking up the broccoli from the fork. He didn't wait for her response and resumed having his breakfast.

"Ohh that's fine. I was thinking something loses or technical glitches." Gauri plastered a gigantic fake smile on her lips before having a glass of water.

"Om has not been to industries, for a long time. We can't simply deduct money from the official account, without struggle. Bhaiya has built up with his blood and sweat." Omkara stiffness as Rudra disgraced him. The clasp on his spoon loosened. As the spoon meet the ground, it made a tingling sound, making the servants lookup. Diverting his eyes he picked another spoon and resumed eating.

"Was it urgent bhabi?" Rudra asked shoving his mouth with the egg yolk.

"Nahi. I don't even use them. I noticed that it was not transferred like usually so I asked out of curiosity." She moved her hands in the air dismissively. And shut her eyes and deeply inhaled. Relaxing her tensed muscles.

"Achchhee baat hai. Being financially stable is the best thing for women." Bhavya added before getting up from her chair. She strode out of the mansion before sealing her eyes with her husband. His eyes shone with gratification, as she walked and jumped into her police Jeep,  heading to her work.

On the other side, Gauri's face had depleted colours. With a similar, unnatural smile she went into profound emotions thinking about Bhavya'a words.

"Maa Ji. Did you see how she taunted me, indirectly saying that I don't go to work? I would have worked as a designer if not for my daughter. She is too small." Gauri held her mother-in-law's hand as she babbled miserably.

Rudra's eyes got on wide listening to her indictments. Bhavya didn't mean to say that way, but here Gauri had misinterpreted and was forging havoc.

"Bhabi she didn't mean to. She just brought the topic of stability for women, also she knows that you're withstanding parenthood." Rudra resisted the desire of rolling his eyes at her marvellous version.

Jhanvi froze hearing the word parenthood, Shivaay's every word rang in her ears. Was she wrong that she concentrated on her daughter in law? She too agrees that she didn't speak with Annika after that those incidents but did that affect her so much. To an extent of terminating her pregnancy. Why didn't she inform them?

Her trance of thoughts broke when the now security head Vibhav appeared looking for Omkara and Gauri.

"Vipul Bajaj and Anuradha Bajaj are looking for you, they are waiting on the lawn." Gauri rolled her eyes, till it reached her hindbrain and moved with scowling face with her husband.

"Ji Namaste" Gauri folded her hands to the mid-aged couple in front of them. The woman's eyes twinkled looking at her, automatically her eyes teared. The man nodded at her, happily smiling as his wife broke into pleased sobs.

"I'm Vipul." The man stretched his hands towards Omkara for a handshake. Om looked sceptical but anyway shook his hands with him.

"And she is Anuradha." Vipul pointed his fingers at the lady. Within seconds Gauri was crashed in a hug. Anuradha whimpered seeing her youngest daughter in blood and fresh form.

"Chutki you have ripened into a fine woman. You were 5 when I last saw you." She cupped Gauri's cheeks and allowed her emotions to flow.

Gauri looked confused, as she was addressed by her pet name. She felt oddly similar towards the lady. She too had layers of tears compressed in her eyes as the Anuradha cried. Didn't know why?

"Who are you?" Gauri asked separating herself from the woman. Anuradha was shocked as her daughter didn't recognise her. Her mother.

"Your maa," Anuradha whispered with the lowest voice.

"My mother? I don't remember. It was all Jiji and Chachi. My mother died in an accident." Gauri didn't believe it. How could her mother stand straight after being dead for years?

Vipul and Anuradha tried convincing her, but she didn't fall into their truth. Her heart rammed against her rib bones. She thought the organ would jump out in no time as it thumped faster than the usual beat.

"Do you recognize now?" Anuradha passed an old torn photograph from her purse. The family stood cheerfully posing for the photo. 8-year-old Annika stood hugging her father's legs. Little Gauri was in her mother's arms. And she realised that her mother is none other than the lady in front.

"I...how...where were you all time?" she mustered her courage and asked her. Her eyes didn't leave the crumbled old, torn piece of photograph.

"And who is he to you?" Omkara came forward and pointed towards Vipul.

"We were college mates and fell in love. Anuradha's father arranged her wedding with your father. We got separated for years and later we met again only to collide." Vipul was a little hesitant to reveal how he convinced Anuradha to leave the kids and her husband back and go with him.

"You quit behind your daughters to be with this man. How could you? You tell me how could you leave two daughters alone in this cut-throat world?" Gauri cried holding her husband's hands for support.

"Alone? Your father Harsh?" Anuradha inquired to examine their past.

"He died in a fire casualty. It's all Jiji for me. Why are you here? Weren't you happy with his man?" Gauri raised her voice looking into the elder man.

"We were in Dubai, then we got to know that Annika's husband tried to end his life. And you both have grown up." Anuradha started only to receive a constant glare at her by Gauri.

"And also Annika is in distress so meeting her would relax both of them," Vipul explained.

"So you didn't come to see me. Ohh Jiji. Always her." Gauri angrily stomped her feet on the ground and strode off to the mansion without looking back.

"I'm sorry from her side. Did you meet Shivaay and Annika?" Omkara implored. He then realised that they were still standing and gestured for them to sit.

"No, she hates me. And also Shivaay personally declined us to meet her." Anuradha dropped her shoulder in disappointment and rubbed her tear-stained cheeks.

"He knows?" Om was amused with things turning out. His brother knew better than himself. Again he was delayed.

"With his talks, yes. His team didn't allow us to meet." Vipul shrugged answering. The wrinkles on his skin showed prominently as he pulled his lip lower and nodded in negative.

"Both should have met Chachi Ji foremost. She is also crucial" Omkara added, thinking that the couple haven't met her. He confidently advised, hoping to resolve the dilemma by himself.

"We did. Somehow Monali lashed at us. She refused to help us meet my elder daughter." Anuradha tugged her hem of the salwar and cried remembering her harsh words.

"Monali?" Omkara questioned.

"Chachi. Gauri's Chachi." Om nodded at her. She tapped her dampened face and resumed speaking. "I had met her a decade ago. My Annika was a young woman, struggling to earn for living. I apologised, but she never wished to see me again."

"She knows that you are alive? Then why did she lie about your death? We all thought the same." Omkara wondered about the ambush of tales. Which all of them believed.

"She hates me more than anyone in the world. She knew that I left for other man. I left my daughter to feed alone in this world. Maine paap kar diya." Vipul stroked her back as she leapt on the table wailing. Guiltiness surrounded her, in the remembrance of her neglecting acts towards her daughters.

.

"Hello, Chachi are you home? I need to meet you. Urgently" Gauri intensely asked through the phone call.

"Hallo. Sorry, Gauri. I'm heading to Annika's flat. She fainted without food and Damad Ji is restless. Namit ne abhi phone kiya. Don't call I wouldn't attend." Without a warning, she had ended the call. Gauri threw her phone in her anger.

The phone shattered into pieces as she threw with great velocity. The phone had crashed into the nearby corner before shattering.

"Always Jiji. Annika fainted. He is restless. What am I? None understands me" her hand made their way to her scalp and dripped her hair.

For the first time in her married life, she yearned for emotional support from her side of the family. All these days she had her husband, mother-in-law, dadi and others to support her. But now she didn't feel to talk to them. She wished to enunciate to her own family.

Tears pricked as Chachi cut her call midway. She felt antagonistic as her aunt favoured her elder sister. Even she was also like her elder sister. She is infix, she craves to pour her turmoil to someone beloved as her biological mother came out of nowhere apologising for her sins.

She had never felt disregarded by others. The first episode ravaged her soul. She crawled to her bed and dried her tears. She looked into the ceiling, observing the fan rotate. Gee seconds passed yet the room was filled with unfamiliar silence. She knocks over into deep dreamless slumber not knowing what other days are stored for her.