AVANTHI
✨

'Camellia...wasn't she in the asylum?' I asked when Shankar Anna nodded saying 'Indeed she was. But the asylum signed off that she's doing fine now. I couldn't do anything post that. Honestly I didn't care either until and unless she reached me out a few weeks ago in Sydney. Roshni was with her caretaker in a park when Camellia sent me a picture of hers in the same park.

I was shit scared. I tightened the security around my child. Roshni was the only thing I could hold onto. My ray of hope. My life. I couldn't loose her now. Neil and I had never let Roshni feel the emptiness of  not having a mother in her life but since she started making new friends as she started going to kindergarten she would see mothers pick and drop their child. Roshni slowly realised absence of a mother in her life although I did everything, every bit to keep her happy. Neil kept visiting her, I kept her happy but she had already started questioning about where was her mother.

An answer I didn't want to give to her. Specially when her mother was loitering around her. It's only because my men were smart, she couldn't reach Roshni but till when and where could I stop her? It was my birthday and I took her to a mall to have her favorite ice cream. She wanted to pee, so I let her go to the ladies washroom. She usually managed it by herself like everytime we went on the flight, she managed herself in the washroom. I thought she'll be fine but when she didn't come out even after 20 mins I got impatient.

All my guards were men, so I requested a random lady to check if she could go to the washroom and look if Roshni wanted something but I was left shaken when she walked out of the washroom holding Camellia's hands. For that very moment my heart stopped. I thought I was at the verge of loosing my baby but I forgot Camellia never wanted Roshni. She only wanted the money, property and other benefits that came along with her and since then she's been blackmailing me. It was only until yesterday I got to know that she's now blackmailing Neil too!!!' he said and I could feel myself getting angrier and worked up too.

There was no way we could let an innocent soul like Roshni with a witch like Camellia. I bit my lower lip and then looked at both brothers and asked

'Dont we have a solution to this problem?  Like last time you guys got police involved...so why not this time?' I asked when he said 'Because this time legally she's not doing anything wrong. She has the rights to meet Roshni. She's her biological mother. We don't have any proofs that she's blackmailing us, because this time it's purely a mind game. She knows what we are fearing and she's using it to her advantage. Last weekend she flew us all to Newyork for which I payed, she shopped millions worth clothes and jewellery in the name of Roshni's birthday and that was also from my pocket.

To Roshni it's a gift to Aunt Camellia because she's like her mother. Imagine Avanthi... like her mother and she's already head over heels for Camellia because she finds that motherly figure in her although Camellia treats my daughter nothing more than a living credit card. And just when I thought this was all she could do, now she wants Neil to herself. She was threatening Neil again about telling the truth to his mother about our father!!! Leaving him helpless too!!!' I looked at Neil who took a deep breath.

'Her plan was worse Avanthi. She wanted to get cozy with Neil and break your bond with him again. Those messages she sent, those were also because she wanted you to doubt him. But you milady... impressive that you flew down here. My brother was ready to again take in everything just for the sake of his family but your entry to yesterday's party shook Camellia. She didn't expect you coming to NewYork. And now if she knows you both are together, atleast she can't claim Neil for herself. Atleast one less headache.' Shankar Anna said

I looked at Neil who suddenly stood up and excused himself. He went to his room.

'Go talk to him Avanthi. I know you have a lot of questions.' Shankar Anna said when I nodded and followed him.

He went upstairs to a room and just when he was about to shut the door is when I held onto it and he helplessly opened the door. I walked inside and shut the door close. It was an all white room with rosewood interiors. I noticed Neil going and opening the doors of the attached balcony. It was a beach facing mansion. Felt so much like our Mangalorean penthouse.

He was sitting on an easy chair when I pulled a chair for myself and sat next to him. Waves were hitting the rocks making a gushing noise.

'I am pissed with you Neil. You didn't trust me once so you could tell me all of this?' I asked and he didn't say anything.

'Fine!!! About Shankar Anna and his mom, fine....it's a huge revealation and you didn't need to share with me that he had an illegitimate relationship and an entire family but-'

'Avanthi...' he interrupted and I looked at him when he revealed something huge

'Shankar Anna or his mother weren't illegitimate to my father. My mother, my brother and I were...' he said and my lips parted in shock.

With moist eyes he smiled sadly saying 'Even I was angry thinking how could dad do this to my mother. How could he bring another woman in her life only until I realised Shankar Anna and Ken bro although were of the same age but still Ken bro was born within a year of my mother's marriage to my father where as Shankar Anna's mother was married to my father already before he married my mom. For... 5 years Avanthi!!!' he said and I was taken back.

He chuckled painfully adding 'Infact he married my mother because Shankar Anna's mother did not conceive for five years. My mother was his way of growing his blood line. That's all and my mother... always loved that man. No wonder he never loved my mother. I still remember her waiting for every anniversary so they both could go on a dinner and my father thought all that was just means of wasting money and let me be very clear here Avanthi, my mother was a working professional. She handled both. Home and work. She was perfect. A perfect mother, a perfect wife, a perfect daughter in law but for my father she was only a baby producing machine.

I don't know if the man still loved Shankar Anna's mother but his guilt always took him on business trips probably because my mother never celebrated a single wedding anniversary with that man. Then my mother thought it's because he's working very hard but I guess he was only hiding in his rathole of guilt for keeping two families at the same. One in California other in NewYork.

My father had no bonds with my grandfather after I heard he ran away from there to US only so he could start something on his own. He was my hero until I discovered a few years ago when we shifted to India after dad's death. I was angry with Damodar Mantu (uncle) to have never tried to reach my father all these years even once when I learnt from my mother that he was disowned by my grandparents for stealing money from them and running away. I was guilty for misunderstanding Damodar Mantu.

He was always the strict kind and I thought he was a selfish mean guy but it's only when I lived with him I understood he was a man of principles, he loved his children, daughter in law's and grandchildren the most and you know whats the best part. He loves his wife dearly. He doesn't get lovey dovey but respects her so much. My father neither respected nor loved my mother but my mother thinks she and dad were perfect. What a colorful dreamland my father kept my mother in? Huhhh...

My father I heard was very happy when he discovered mom was pregnant with Kedar Anna but guess what...Shankar Anna's mom was also pregnant at the same time.

The reason their birthdays are just two weeks apart from each others.' he said painfully and I kept a hand on his shoulder.

He took a few minutes and said

'He kept us all in dark living two seperate lives with both families for ages. Shankar Anna's mom discovered our existence when she got an invitation to Shivansh's Brahmopadesham (cross thread ceremony). It had arrived to my father's Newyork home back then. She was happy about it. She wanted to inform my father about it but he was on a business trip. She decided to visit the function and introduce herself as the daughter in law of the family until she saw my mother doing the rituals.

She attended the function representing my father. And his entire family seemed to know her after all according to them they legally got him married to her. She was the chosen bride by my grandparents for my father. Their mother was devastated. She got a reality check and then confronted my father and that was the last blow. She ended ties with Mr Krishnakant Nayak. So much so that she didn't even attend his funeral rites..so now tell me Avanthi how can I go and just tell my mother that all these years what she was living through was a meaningless relationship.

An illegal, illegitimate, meaningless marriage. She still sits alone and hugs my father's photograph and cries silently. How do I tell her that her man has probably united with his first wife up there and left her alone. Here on earth and in after life too?? Remember I called my child a bastard but in reality...I am a bastard Avanthi...quite literally I guess' saying he broke down badly.

I hugged him to my chest and he hid his face in my breasts and burst into inconsolable tears. I hated to see this side of Neil. I take back my words God!!! I had told you I would come back to you bowing and praying if you destroyed him and broke him in tears. I take back those words. I can't see him like this.

I can't!!!

✨

'I can't see him like this!!! Can't we do something? If not legally... illegally?' I asked when Shankar Anna raised an eyebrow asking

'You think we didn't think of it? This is a case of child custody, blackmailing and mentally unstable mother as per the court of law. If anything ever happens to Camellia, I get dragged into the court and if anything comes out my daughter goes to foster care.

Same with Neil!!! Why do you think when Camellia was sent to jail and the case was going on he didn't try to reach you and tell you everything? Because remember she was sent to jail in crime for adultery. Both me and Neil filed a case upon her. If goverment would ever know that Neil already had another person that's you...whom he loved then it would complicate the case. Camellia could use it to her advantage saying Neil was also cheating on her with you. Either ways you would have been dragged into this dirty mess too and Neil wanted keep you away from this mess.

Camellia even tried pulling you into this matter but government did their detailed investigation that you were nowhere a part of Neil's life and you were termed as just a silly ex. Basically you were out of this mess.' Shankar Anna revealed and I was shocked. But there was question that was itching me for too long.

'But Neil took seven years to reach me again? To ask me the question and that too with so many twists and turns? Why didn't he come early? Why didn't he tell me everything? Why didn't he confess his pain and situation earlier. Didn't he trust me enough?' I asked and Shankar Anna smiled saying

'It took two years for Camellia's case to settle down. First thing after that was to reach you out. He wanted to talk to you and he was going to do that post Diwalis for which he went to Mangalore. He had newly purchased a penthouse in Mangalore out of which he only furnished one room. He did that because he didn't want to make your sister feel awkward because she was now married to Neil's eider brother!!!' he said and I whispered

'He is your brother too Anna...' he looked elsewhere and didn't say anything but cleared his throat and continued

'But his mother's sudden visit revealed his liking for Avanthi, thanks to my brother's obsession of seeing your photos. You are everywhere. His laptop password, his desktop wallpaper, his brand is Neithi... he's crazy!!!' Shankar Anna said and I curiously asked

'Neithi???'

'Neil+Avanthi=Neithi!!! I don't know if you are aware, that's the brand name of his every hotel project!!!' he confessed and I was taken back for a moment. He smiled saying 'His mother saw your pictures and asked him. He couldn't lie to her and told how much he liked you. And his mother sent his proposal to you in a lightening speed. He couldn't even swallow the fact that his mother spoke to your father already. That guy was practically shitting bricks. So I told him to not think much and just meet you personally and explain you everything. The reason why he went to London.' he said and I was shocked

'He...He came to London? Bbbut...I never...I mean he never met me!!!' I said when Shankar Anna said 'Right!!! Because he found out, you were dating someone else!!!' and I was shocked.

'Dating and me??? But I...I never...I...What rubbish?' I yelled when Shankar Anna said

'Exactly that was his statement when he found you on a date with another man. Initially he thought it was a misunderstanding because you both were besties and the man also worked for his brother's organisation but when he saw you going out with him frequently, time and again, constantly keeping an eye on you for almost a month. Keeping a check on his and your phone calls, back in India and whenever he visited London too, He understood you moved on. I mean Neil told me that the guy belonged to a higher middle class family but if he flew London on and off so frequently only to see you Neil understood you both were serious. So he took a step back!!! And never crossed paths with you ever again!!! Infact when you told that you were going to get married recently as well he thought it was the same guy but you ended up brin-' I quickly interrupted Anna asking

'Anna... what was the guy's name?' and he looked at me curiously asking

'You must know that...don't you?'

'No I don't!!! That's why I want to understand who this unknown boyfriend was?' I asked curiously when he narrowed his eyebrows trying to recall the name and said

'Okay...lemme see...Ummm...wait a minute what was his name...ummm...Sahil...no Sangam... Sundar.....some Bollywoodish name that was...'

And that's when it striked me and I shouted 'Fuckkkkk!!! He saw me with Sameer!!!' and Anna nodded

'Right!!! That's his name...Sameer Shah I guess???' and I slapped my forehead

Shit!!!Shit!!! Shit!!! What a mess!