FED UP WITH VIDYA'S ACT AND ARMAAN'S ADARSH BETA ANTICS AND BLIND LOVE FOR HIS MAA.

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Armaan tightened his jaws, a knot of jealousy tightening in his chest. From his vantage point behind a pillar in the grand hall of the resort, he watched Abhira, radiant in a gold shimmer bodycon dress, her arm linked with Roop Kumar Rathod. The successful lawyers' conference had culminated in this lavish after-party, a glittering spectacle that only heightened Armaan's simmering resentment. Roop, in a crisp white shirt and black glittery blazer, looked every bit the charming star, his laughter a sharp contrast to the bitter taste in Armaan's mouth. Abhira, oblivious to his presence, seemed completely captivated, her smile a breathtaking sight that only fueled his agony. He remembered their own short-lived pairing during the conference, her polite but firm establishment of boundaries, her subsequent departure with Roop. The memory stung, a fresh wound reopening in his already battered heart. A year since their divorce, and the distance between them felt insurmountable.

The scene unfolded before him like a cruel play. Abhira and Roop danced, their bodies moving in perfect synchronicity, their laughter echoing through the hall. Armaan felt a familiar pang of loss, the sharp sting of what he'd lost. He watched, a silent observer to their effortless connection, a connection he desperately craved but could no longer claim. He felt utterly defeated, his own attempts at reconciliation thwarted by Abhira's unwavering strength. The music swelled, and they moved closer, their bodies almost clinging, a tableau of intimacy that pierced Armaan's heart. He couldn't bear to witness it any longer, escaping to the bar for a stiff drink, the icy liquid doing little to soothe his burning jealousy. He watched from the corner of his eye as Roop pulled Abhira aside, whispering something into her ear. The tender gesture was a final blow.

"I want to tell you something!" Roop exclaimed, a grin splitting his face, his usual composure momentarily shattered. Abhira, clearly taken aback, leaned in closer. "It's special, Ira. I don't know how to express it, but I... I really love you," Roop stammered, his words tumbling out in a rush. "I know it's not easy for you, you can take your time. I won't force my feelings, but I really love you. You can slap me if you want, in front of everyone! I promise, I will keep you happy, make you happy." Abhira's eyes widened, a mixture of surprise and something akin to hope flickering within their depths. "You really love me? A woman like me?" she asked, her voice soft, almost a whisper, finally allowing a glimmer of vulnerability to show. The question hung in the air, unanswered, yet full of the potential for a new beginning—one Armaan could only watch from afar, a silent spectator to a love story he could no longer be a part of.

And then he felt something stirring inside as soon as Abhira smiled through her tears. 

''No she still loves me! She still has a soft corner for me! She cannot reply!'' Armaan muttered, gulping the alcohol. It had been four so far.

''ROOP KUMAR RATHOD, I TOO LOVE YOU.'' Abhira answered much to Armaan's shock. He held the glass to hard that it cracked from the middle.

Later, alone in his hotel room, the alcohol fueled a torrent of self-recrimination. His alter ego emerged, a harsh and unforgiving voice that laid bare the truth of his actions: the baby swap, the false complaint, the manipulation fueled by his stepmother's bitterness and his own insecurities. 

''What? Your facade of a good son fell off from your face? Where did that Armaan go when Abhira was crying in the court because of your so called revenge for your maa. You made a false complaint, she endured it and now she is a successful lawyer and Roop's girlfriend now! YOU ARE BORN TO BE IN YOUR STEP MOTHER'S FEET YOU DOORMAT!'' His alter ego mocked him.

''Abhira too....did the same. I was begging to her. She had signed the divorce papers firrst! SHE WAS WRONG FIRST''

''Why did she sign the papers? Because of your so called foolery of your baby swap! You intentions weren't wrong, but it wasn't right either! You made her believe that the baby was hers''

''I DID IT FOR HER HAPPINESS'' Armaan told his alter ego.

''You did not let her mourn her child. He was dead. And you thought that swapping your dead child with a healthy will ease her pain? The child was your brother's. And your brother- had told to give the child to her, another fool he was. HE FLIPPED DIDN'T HE? DID HE UTTER IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE FAMILY THAT IT WAS HIM WHO HAD FORCED YOU TO TAKE THE BABY? NO!''

''And the final nail in the coffin was- when you supported a CRIMINAL INSTEAD OF GIVING JUSTICE TO AN INNOCENT. YOU STEP MOTHER HAD CURSED YOU ON YOUR WEEDING DAY ISN'T IT? SHE HAD CALLED ABHIRA AN INFERTILE, SHE HAD BELITTLED YOU. SHE HAD CALLED YOU A STEP SON! AND HAD SHOWED BIASNESS TOWARDS YOU AND MADE YOU FEEL SMALL AND GUILTY BY SHOWERING LOVE ON HER OWN SON ROHIT. WHEN ABHIRA GOT PREGNANT SHE FLIPPED! AND SHE LITERALLY HIT ABHIR AND RAN AWAY FROM THE SCENE AND DID NOT UTTER UNTIL ABHIRA  TOLD YOU. SHE THEN BEHAVED LIKED A VICTIM INSTEAD OF AN OFFENDOR. SHE TOLD YOU TO TAKE REVENGE AND YOU TOOK. SHE WILL TELL YOU TO DIE AND YOU WILL ONE DAY! AND I SWEAR ARMAAN- SHE IS NOT GOING TO LOVE YOU! FOR HER- YOU ARE JUST A STEP SON WHO SHE USES AS A PUPPET. FOR HER YOU LEFT YOUR ABHIRA AND NOW YOU ARE MANIFESTING THAT ABHIRA WILL NEVER MOVE ON. WHO WILL LIVE WITH YOU- NO ONE! YOU LOST YOUR LOVE, YOU LOST SELF RESPECT, YOU LOST YOUR SANITY AND NOW WILL SEE ROOP AND ABHIRA AS A LOVELY COUPLE!''

''STOP!'' Armaan screamed and closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes, he did not see his alter ego.

''Its all because of HER! ITS ALL BECAUSE OF YOU MAA! YOU ACTED LIKE MY MOTHER BUT NEVER GAVE THAT MOTHERLY LOVE! I HATE YOU VIDYA PODDAR!''

Armaan realised that his mother's actions had driven Abhira away, pushed her into the arms of another. The voice cut through his drunken haze, exposing his self-deception, his misplaced blame, and the bitter reality that Abhira's love for him was truly gone.

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''maa bina hai yeh duniya sooni, maa badi ya mamta lekar puche ek anhoni''

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Three days after the incident, Armaan was back in Udaipur.  His mother, Vidya was already actively searching for a suitable bride for him. She showed him photographs, her pronouncements of each girl's suitability met with Armaan's silent disapproval.

 Vidya's past cruelty towards him and his ex wife Abhira echoed in his ears, fueled by her sharp words: "MAIN TUM DONO KO SHRAAP DETI HOON, KI TUM DONO KI SHAADI KABHI SAFAL NA HO!" "TUM MERE AUR MERE BETE KE BEECH MEIN AANE WALE HOTE KAUN HO ARMAAN?" "YEH MERA BETA NAHI HAI," "YEH SAFE PAINT HAI YA NAHI YEH TUMHE KAISE PATA HOGA ABHIRA? TUM KABHI MAA NAHI BAN SAKTI ABHIRA!," and finally, her cruel decision to force him and Abhira into a guest room, while her own son and his wife moved into the largest one which was theirs first.

The simmering resentment finally erupted into a cold, calculating desire for revenge. He envisioned the fate of any future wife under Vidya's tyrannical rule – a fate mirroring that of Abhira, a rebellious, career-oriented, and infertile woman who had previously fallen afoul of Vidya's wrath. "NO- NO - NO. YOU HAVE CURSED ME VIDYA PODDAR, FOR YOU I HAD LOST MY LOVE. NOW ITS TIME FOR MY REVENGE," he vowed to himself.

Later that evening, a celebratory function was held at the Poddar Mansion, marking Sanjay's legal victory. Music filled the air, masking the silent conflict brewing between Armaan and Vidya. Vidya, heading downstairs, was unaware of Armaan's presence behind her. He subtly manipulated a rug, causing her to lose her balance and fall heavily from the corridor onto the ground outside. Her screams were swallowed by the music. Armaan watched, offering a chilling smile before discreetly manipulating events to create the impression that Vidya had simply fallen ill and was resting in her room. He excused himself, leaving the party and only then revealing Vidya's true state, her body lying in a pool of blood. Madhav's attempt to find a pulse confirmed the worst. Vidya was dead.

During Vidya's last rites, Armaan maintained a stoic composure, his lack of grief conspicuous to everyone present. "Armaan please don't stay like this. Please try to vent out emotions. I know you are too stunned and shocked because of your mother's death," Kaveri consoled him, but her words fell on deaf ears. After scattering Vidya's ashes, as the family turned to leave, a sly, twisted smile played on Armaan's lips. "Aakhir sautela to sautela hota hai maa," he whispered, a venomous statement. "Pyaar ke bale pyaar aur nafrat ke badle nafrat. Hisaab barabar," he muttered to himself, a chilling satisfaction finally settling in his heart as he walked away, his revenge complete.

---

''prem ke vansh ka prem hi toh hai vanshaj''

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I TRIED WRITING A SIMILAR AS THIRD CHANCE OS STORY ON ARMAAN AND VIDYA!

DO LET ME KNOW HOW THIS TURNED OUT! DO COMMENT! IGNORE GRAMMATICAL MISTAKES IF ANY BECAUSE I WROTE THIS IN A HURRY-😅

The lines written in bold italics are from Vanshaj- title track. These lines carry a pun, if you notice. 

WAITING FOR YOUR VIEWS!