“Mumma please” Anshika pleaded in front of Anika who shook her head.

“Mumma all my friends are going. Please Mumma” She pleaded again.

“All your friends are jumping into the well, you'll also jump?” Anika asked as she continued brushing her hair.

“Mumma I promise I won't cross my limits. Please mumma” She told with tears rolling down her eyes.

“Anu don't you understand the language I'm speaking? Should I repeat the same in some other language too?” She asked sternly and Anshika looked down with tears.

“Go and study now. Don't forget you're in twelfth this year” Anika told and Anshika looked at her with anger in her eyes.

“You know what mumma? I hate you! I hate you so much that I——” Before she could complete, someone held her wrist in a tight grip halting her words.

“Say that again Anshika” Shivaay told tightening his grip on her wrist making her wince in pain.

“Papa I——”

“OUT before I do something that both of us regret” Shivaay told leaving her wrist and she ran out of the room crying.

He turned to look at Anika who was rooted to her place oblivious of whatever happened there. Only the tears that rolled down her eyes said she was very much alive.

He wrapped his arms around her but she didn't hug him back.

“Am I so bad Shivaay? I love her a lot right? It was for her safety right? She's still a little girl who doesn't know this world. Why couldn't she understand that? Am I so bad?” She asked broken and he closed his eyes to control his tears.

“I'll talk to her. Don't stress” He told caressing her hair.

“What will happen if I stress? Worse, I'll die. Why am I even living? She hates me right? It won't matter of I live or——”

“So it's only about her that you care about? What am I? A potato?” He asked and she chuckled before raising her head to look at him.

“Her annoyance is just for a few minutes. By the end of the day, she'll come crying to you as always. So now don't cry” He told kissing her forehead before walking out of the room.

He reached Anshika's room, only to see her on the bed, crying.

He sighed before walking inside and sitting beside her to caress her hair. She pushed his hand away and he smiled before kissing her head.

“Don't try to be cute Papa. I'm not falling in that” She told with a frown.

“It worked for past seventeen years. What makes you think it won't work now sweetheart? I'm your Papa if you forgot and I have my way” He told and she sat upright.

He held her wrist in his palm and slightly moved it making her wince.

“I'm Sorry” He told told softly.

“Did I do it too hardly?” He asked guiltily and she nodded with a pout.

“You know how much she loves you, then why do you keep hurting her like this doll?” He asked and she pouted.

“I'm sorry papa” She told with tears rolling down her eyes and he gently wiped those tears.

“Whatever your mumma does, she'll have a reason for it. You know how protective she's about you” He told.

“Even you're protective about me but she's irritating papa. All my friends are going for the party. What will happen to me if I go? Am I not big enough to handle a party?” She asked.

“First thing, isn't it a night party?” She nodded slowly.

“According to me, you're not big enough to handle a night party” She pouted.

“Second thing, you're talking about my wife” He told and she rolled her eyes.

“And I'm talking about my mom”

“Who happens to be the love of my life”

“Then who am I if she's the love of your life?” She asked pouting and he chuckled.

“She's my queen and you're my princess” He told and she chuckled.

“Clean escape. Now tell me, who has more place here?” She asked pointing at his chest.

“You both have equal place” He told and she shook her head.

“I want more place. I'm your daughter right?” She asked pouting.

“How can I show partiality to my wife?”

“She had the whole of your heart for ten years, all to herself before I was born. So it's fair enough that I get more place now” Anshika told showing logic sign and he chuckled.

“Don't be jealous of your own mom”

“I got it from you” She told showing tongue at him making him chuckle.

“She didn't have my heart all for herself for ten years. She just had it for four years” He told making her confused.

“We dated for an year before marriage. Three years after our marriage, we had our first baby, your brother” He told making her shocked.

“What?!? Which brother?” She asked shocked and he smiled, a painful one.

“You should know Anshi. You should know why she is so protective about you. There's no point in hiding things from you” He told as he went into the flashback of what happened 31 years back.

••|To Be Continued|••