3 days later...

Thapar's residence
New Delhi...

Ananya and Aayan were supposed to leave for their works in their respective cities the next day, so Naina made herself busy in making their favourite dishes & snacks which they can take along with them...

Ria was in the office today, as Radhika needed help there...
Adi, Sash and Arjun were in the office, while Jai took a day off to be with Amayraa, because she was leaving with Aayan too...

Saanjh and Sayesha were in the living room watching television, whereas Viraj had fever, so Naina was preparing soup for him

Rudra went to meet Vansh, at his hotel room, as he refused to stay at home and also Arjun did not force him to come, because of which Naina was not talking to him...

Naina and Arjun's relationship was also affected after Vansh left the house...

Naina never believed in becoming the strict parent for her kids, and she did not approve Arjun's bashing to Vansh ever, but didn't say anything because Arjun did have a valid point regarding Vansh's carelessness, but ever since Vansh left the house, his parents slightly moved away from each other too...

The doorbell rang and Ananya who was coming down the stairs walked towards the door to open it, and was shocked to see the person in front of her...

'Aunt Claire... ' Ananya exclaimed shocked

'Ananya my child, how are you...?' Claire smiled hugging her, but Ananya was too surprised to hug her back

Claire sensed this, and she left her, but still held her by her shoulders
'Look at you girl, how beautiful you have become.... And also a lawyer... I am so proud of you my girl... ' she smiled and Ananya smiled back

Claire walked inside the house, and everyone was shocked seeing her, especially her daughter Saanjh who was stupefied

'Claire ! You here...? What a surprise...!' Naina said forcing a smile

'Naina...!  I missed you babe... ' Claire hugged her, and Naina awkwardly hugged her back

'It's so great to see you all after so many years, look at Ananya ! How beautiful she has become, I bet Ved and Vansh would've become very handsome too... ' Claire said and Naina smiled and glanced at Saanjh,who looked away..

Claire looked around and spotted her daughter, and tears filled her eyes, she slowly walked towards her and Saanjh got up from her seat...

'Saanjh, baby... How are yo... ' She began but Saanjh stopped her, showing her hands

'What do you want... ' Saanjh sneered

'Saanjh beta, this is not the way to talk to your mother....' Naina said

'It's okay Naina, I deserve this... ' Claire said and turned to her daughter

'I understand, you and Viraj are upset with me... But I am here to.... ' Claire said but Saanjh cut her off in between

'Upset..? You think we are just upset with you mom...! We hate you, do you get it...! Viraj is a kid, but I understand that you left us, for your own selfish reasons... I disgust you mom... ' Saanjh cried and ran upstairs to her room, followed by Ananya and Sayesha

Claire was in tears by now, and Naina held her by her shoulders...

'I just wanted to achieve my dreams Naina, is it so wrong to be ambitious...?' she cried and Naina hugged her

'No it's not...! But you ignored your kids in all this, don't worry though, you didn't lose them... You can still win your kids back... ' Naina assured her

'What about Sash...?' Claire wiped her tears and Naina sighed

'We better focus on the kids first, and think about their father later, go for easy catch first... ' Naina joked and Claire chuckled

'Where is Viraj...?' Claire asked

'He is in his room, he has fever, I was going to give him this soup and medicines... Come with me...' Naina held Claire's hands and they walked towards Viraj's room

'What if he hates me too...?' Claire asked nervously

'He misses you a lot, Claire, he doesn't hate you... Trust me, and even Saanjh doesn't hate you, she is just upset, Sash will talk to her, she will be fine...' Naina smiled and Claire nodded

They walk inside Viraj's room and he was lying on his bed, covered in quilt, staring at the TV on his ceiling

'Viraj beta, See who is here to meet you... ' Naina said enthusiastically

'Badi Maa, I don't want to meet any of my friends, and Ask kitty to go away and not bother me, or else I will sneeze on her and make her sick too ' Viraj said not looking at her, watching the cartoon on his TV

Claire was in tears, seeing her son after so many years, he was a carbon copy of his father, but had her blue eyes, though he was sick, he still looked very handsome

Claire's heart clenched, realising that she missed most of his childhood and growing age, and now he is seventeen, she couldn't believe that, he grew up so fast...

Naina chuckled and sat on his bed
'Just look who is here... ' Naina caressed his hair and he looked at Naina confused, turning off the television, and then saw his mother behind her

He sprang up from his bed seeing his mother and stared at her shocked, tears rolled down Claire's eyes, seeing her son after almost 10 years

'Badi Maa, am I hallucinating or Mom is really here...?' Viraj asked Naina

'She is really here son...' Naina smiled

'Hey Peanut... I missed you... ' Claire cried and Viraj's eyes filled with tears too

'Badi Maa, Ask her...!  Where was she all these years...?' Viraj said his voice cracking, and Claire sobbed at this

'Don't be so hard on her son, she missed you... And now she is here to say sorry and be with you... ' Naina said caressing his hair and Claire nodded

'But she never attended my PTMs, my football matches, also when I won the best player award... Where was she...!  Was your research so important to you mom...? That you forgot that you have a son, who is waiting for you to come back... ' Viraj said wiping his tears

'I am so sorry baby, please please forgive me... You have no idea how much I missed you and Saanjh... I told Sash, I asked him to let me take both of you to the states...he didn't agree.... And I had to go there son, it was my parents dream to see me as a world renowned scientist... ' Claire wiped her tears and held Viraj's face

'Isn't that being selfish...?' Tears rolled down Viraj's eyes

'It is my son, It is... That's why I am here to beg for your and Saanjh's forgiveness... Please I want my children and husband back... Please forgive me son... Please.... ' Claire cried

Viraj stared at her briefly and then put his hands forward
'You promise you won't leave again... Or atleast visit us whenever you have time...?' he asked

'I am not leaving anywhere son... I won't leave you both ever... I promise... I am so sorry... ' Claire held his hands and Viraj sobbed

He hugged his mother tightly and cried

'I missed you Mom... ' he cried

'I missed you too my baby... ' Claire sobbed hugging him tightly

Naina wiped her tears too, they broke the hug and Claire kissed his forehead...

'You have become so handsome... Just like your father... ' Claire smiled and Viraj wiped her tears

'But Papa and Saanjh are really angry with you... ' he said

'I know, I will convince them too... ' Claire smiled

'Here... Feed your son this... He throws a lot of tantrums while having this... ' Naina hit Viraj playfully and Claire chuckled

'Don't worry, now that I am here... I'll bear all his tantrums... ' Claire smiled, taking the soup from Naina's hands

'Yuck... I am not eating this... ' Viraj cringed

Ananya walked inside Viraj's room panicking
'Maa, Saanjh is not in her room... We don't know,where did she go... We searched everywhere... But can't find her... ' she said

Claire and Naina looked at her scared

'Don't worry we will find her... Claire, take care of Viraj, I'll go and see where is she... ' Naina said and walked out of Viraj's room

One hour later...

Ananya, Claire, Viraj, Naina, Sayesha and Jai were sitting on the living room

Ananya was pacing to and fro, dialling Saanjh's number

Rudra and Vansh came running inside the house, and walked towards Naina

'She is not at her friend's house Badi Maa... ' Rudra said

'I checked the park, she is not there either... ' Vansh said and then looked at Claire

'Hey Aunt Claire...' He wished her

'Hii Ved... ' Claire said

'I am Vansh, Ved is in Mumbai right now, but it's okay....' Vansh smiled

'Ohh... ' Claire looked embarrassed

They hear the screeching sound of the tyre and see Sash and Adi rushing inside the house, followed by Arjun

'What happened to Saanjh, why did she disappear....?' Sash asked panicked to Naina

'Did you inform the police...?' Adi asked

'Did you all look around....?' Arjun asked

'She is not at home... They've looked all over... ' Jai said

'Answer Naina...!  Where is my daughter... Where did she go...?' Sash shook Naina and Arjun tried to pacify  him

Naina didn't reply, just looked at Claire who got up from her seat, and Sash followed Naina's gaze and his grip on her hands tightened

Naina winced and Arjun got tensed, seeing Claire, Adi frowned looking at her too

'What are you doing here... ' Sash gritted

'Sash I... ' Claire began

'It's Shashank for you... And you know what, it doesn't matter why are you here... I suggest you to leave...' Sash said leaving Naina's hand and pointing towards the door

'Dad please, let her stay... ' Viraj cried holding Claire and his Uncles sighed

Sash looked at his son, holding his mother like his life and then sighed in frustration...

'I know where Saanjh is... ' He said and walked upstairs and all of them looked at him going upstairs

'Is your hand okay...?' Arjun caught Naina's hand which had Sash's hand imprints

Naina pulled her hands back from Arjun's hold and said without looking at him
'I can take care of myself, you don't worry... ' she said and walked away, and Arjun sighed at this

Vansh witnessed this, and realized that something is wrong with his parents, they were the most loving couple ever, but now seemed to be drifting apart...

Jai too sighed looking at this...

Arjun's study

Sash walked inside the study room, and looked around for his daughter

He heard, someone sobbing behind the couch, and sighed

He slowly walked towards the couch and saw Saanjh sitting behind it and sobbing

It was her old habit, whenever she would be upset or angry with anyone, she would hide here, away from everyone and cry, only Sash or Arjun could get her out from there...

Sash walked behind the sofa and sat beside her, Saanjh stopped crying but didn't look at him

'Saanjh... ' Sash said

'I am okay, Papa.... Just need some time alone... ' Saanjh said

'You are not okay... ' Sash said

'Yes I am... ' she replied

'Will you stop being so formal and consider me as your father and talk !  For once...!' Sash sighed and Saanjh looked at him with teary eyes

Sash's heart broke, seeing his princess in tears, he forwards his hands to wipe them, but Saanjh hugs him tightly and begins sobbing

Sash took a deep breath, controlling his tears and hugged her back, caressing her back

'Don't cry my child... It's okay... ' Sash said

'Why is she back...!' Saanjh cried

'I don't know... ' Sash replied

'Ask her to leave Dad, I don't want her here... ' Saanjh sobbed

'Me too... ' Sash sighed

'I hate her, she is so selfish... ' Saanjh said

'Don't say like this, she is your mother... ' Sash began

'I have you Dad, I don't need her anymore... ' Saanjh cried

'This means a lot to me princess... I don't need her too... Let her live here. For Viraj... We will behave as she doesn't exist for us at all...Okay.... ' Sash said patting her head

'Okay... ' Saanjh nodded and cried in her father's arms

Midnight

Ananya was standing at that spot in her terrace, from where she used to watch Aayan skateboarding towards the cricket ground 

Usually she would feel pathetic for herself that she was so madly in love with him, but today she chuckled thinking about how crazy she was as a teenager...

She was a matured 25 year old woman now, who knew how to hide her feelings and emotions from everyone, she was a compassionate person now, not a brat anymore...

That encounter with Aayan changed her completely, she understood that Her and Aayan were poles apart, and Aayan's pain inside has completely overpowered his personality and his perception to judge others

Even if you do something right for him, he will misunderstand you, there is nothing that can change him, learning that he married someone surely broke her heart...

But he was not kind enough to acknowledge his wife's death, which means that the poor woman couldn't bring much changes in him...
Yes he is a wonderful father, but when Amayraa is not with him, he is back being the monstrous Aayan again

Her thoughts were broken by a male voice which came from behind

'Not sleepy...?' The person asked

Ananya turned around and saw Aayan staring at her

'Not really... What about you...?' Ananya asked

'I was just thinking about something, that is keeping me up...' Aayan said walking towards the terrace boundary and leaned against it

'Do you mind sharing the thought ? Maybe I can help... ' Ananya said and Aayan chuckled

'You want to know...?' he asked giving an amused expression

'Yeah..  If you want to share...?' Ananya replied

'I was thinking about you... ' Aayan said and Ananya's heart fluttered at this...

'Really... What about me...?' Ananya raised her brows at him

'Should I say....?' Aayan asked

'Oo come on ! Say it... ' Ananya hit him

He came closer to her and stared in her eyes..

'Tum pehle bhi itni khoobsurat thi, Ya waqt ne kiya koi haseen sitam...? (Were you this beautiful earlier too or did time do a beautiful injustice?)' he smiled and Ananya could feel heat rising up her cheeks, she was speechless

She hit Aayan playfully, who started laughing and looked away...

'Why do you have to flirt...? You are a father now... ' Ananya said

'Who said fathers cannot flirt...?' Aayan raised his brows

'Shut up...!  You were definitely not thinking this... ' Ananya glared at him

Aayan laughed at this, 'No it was just some office work... But it was fun, your reaction was priceless... ' he laughed again

'Have some shame... What will your late wife think...?' Ananya got serious

Aayan stopped laughing, and looked at her

'My late wife...?' He stared at her confused

'Yes Amayraa's mother...! What will she think, that I didn't even die, like an year ago, and my husband is flirting with another women... ' Ananya said and Aayan started laughing hard at this

'What...?' Ananya asked super confused

Aayan controlled his laughter, and wiped his tears..

'You think I am Amayraa's biological father...?' Aayan asked

'Yes...' Ananya said

'I did not marry anyone Ananya, and Amayraa is not my real daughter, she is my late friend Lalit's daughter, who died last year... I adopted her six months back...'  Aayan said

Ananya was shocked to hear this, she stared at Aayan, with her mouth hanging open...

Aayan closed it with his index finger, and came very close to her...

'I waited for something too... ' he said and walked away, leaving Ananya stunned there...

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A/N
Hey guys..
Sorry but from now on, there will be updates like these, like once in 2 days...
My college started again, so kindly bear with me, but don't worry, I will be regular...
We'll finish the story before the end of the August or September 1st week...

What do you think is the reason behind Aayan's suddenly changed behavior towards Ananya...?

Do let me know your views

Love
ASM