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Maya felt a void in her heart as the car headed for the airport.
“I will miss her,” she whispered, holding the chain in her neck which Daadi gave her this morning as a return gift. She had denied accepting it, but she couldn’t turn down Daadi’s wishes.
“Anyone who meets her feels the same,” he added. Maya met his gaze. “She told me you didn’t accompany your mother to the Maliks after her marriage.”
Ranveer stiffened. He never thought in such a small-time span, Daadi would reveal such huge happenings in his life to Maya. He looked ahead, not willing to respond. Maya placed her arm on his. The empathy for that little boy who was forced to stay with his Daadi and not his mother during such a young age seethed in her eyes.
“I have no rights to question her decision, but that’s the only thing pricking me.”
“Maa had a choice,” he slowly started opening up to her. “But she chose to remarry than having me for her entire life.”
Maya swallowed hard, feeling his pain.
“Remarriage is not wrong. She was still young and wanted a life partner to understand her, look after her,” Maya explained. “I don’t think she pushed you away from her life; she might have purposely decided to make you stay away from the Maliks to keep you safe.”
Ranveer looked back at her with a muddled expression.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, maybe she knew how the Maliks are. And she wanted to protect you from them, so she allowed you to stay with Daadi instead of making you jump into that ditch with her.”
Ranveer had never thought from this point of view. He still had questions.
“Why would she even marry Dev Malik if she had any issues with that family? Doesn’t make sense, Maya,” he asked.
Maya sighed in disappointment.
“I know it doesn’t make any sense right now. But I feel there is more to it.”
Ranveer shook his head dismissively.
“I don’t think so. Neither do I wish to hope my mother had any motive behind marrying the Malik,” he shrugged.
Maya didn’t argue over it. But if there was any strong story behind it, she promised to find out.
*******************
Paradise
Returning home felt like stepping back into normal life. Though this wasn't her home, Maya still felt a connection to this place because her mother was safe here. She knew that any small issue with her mother, and Ranveer would turn the world upside down to settle it. He was capable of handling any situation, but whatever misunderstanding he had about them earlier, which had ruined her career, could never be erased from her heart. She was hiding this secret deep inside to protect her mother from another trauma. But how long would she be able to do this? One day the truth would be out, and it would hurt her even more.
“Dhruv?” Ranveer walked out of the private elevator with Maya, straight to the living room where his brother was seated with Garima Bajaj.
“Bro… Maya,” Dhruv got up and hugged his brother. “I hope you two had a great time.”
Maya walked to her mother, whose eyes filled with tears.
“I missed you, baby,” she kissed Maya’s forehead.
“Aunty,” Dhruv interrupted. “If you missed them in 2 days, what will happen when they go for a 2-week honeymoon?”
Ranveer's face lit up imagining those days, whereas Maya threw a 'don't be so happy, this is not happening any time soon' look at him.
“I will be the happiest mother when that happens, Dhruv. I have always waited to see my girl married.”
Ranveer had understood what that meant to Garima. She could never settle down with the man she loved, and she always feared if Maya would end up single all her life because of her responsibility. On the other hand, Ranveer had never bothered to think he would have a family someday. He lived there alone, his stepbrother Dhruv occasionally visiting him. There was no shortage of women in his life, but none of them ever stepped into that place. He ensured his personal life and his life with women were always kept outside his cozy home. But ever since he met Maya and things progressed between them, he didn’t rethink his decision to get the lady and her mother to live in that house, have all the comfort and amenities which he could generously offer them without any hesitation. There he had been building castles to live with Maya Bajaj, and she was not even showing a glimpse of interest in him. It hurt.
“I will freshen up and finish a few calls. Need to catch up with what's happening at Blitz,” Maya exclaimed.
