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Ravindra glanced at Sharda, but his gaze drifted beyond her, landing on Parag. As he opened his mouth to speak, Sharda cut him off, her voice rising in a thunderous rebuke.

“Enough. No more lies. And don’t even dare say that Sonia was in love with Parag and ran away with him. That old excuse won’t work anymore. No one believes your stories now. You listen carefully; Parag was nothing more than a bodyguard. Appointed by you, no less, to ensure Sonia’s safety. But you twisted the truth, smeared both their names, and used it to play your disgusting little game. Shall I applaud your cunning now? The game’s over, Ravindra. This is the end of the road. Now speak the truth—why did you do all this?”

Ravindra chuckled softly and sank to the ground, sitting cross-legged like a tired old man. He stared ahead at his wife, who was now clutching her doll to her chest, clearly frightened by his strange laughter. Her wide eyes were locked on him in fear. As he began to speak, Ravindra's own eyes remained fixed on her, his voice distant and hollow with the weight of old memories.

“Sonia… she was the most beautiful girl in our college. The very first day I laid eyes on her, I decided—this was the only girl I ever wanted in my life. No one else could take her place. I tried to talk to her many times, but she always ignored me. She never said a word. She would walk away like I didn’t even exist. It hurt... but I loved that about her. She didn’t talk to anyone. She was so deeply rooted in her values, so pure. Her father had instructed her that college was for studies only—and she obeyed him without question. For three long years, I loved her silently… like a madman.”

His eyes grew glassy, lost in the past.

“And the day our college life ended, when it hit me that I might never see her again, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I ran straightto my father and told him how much I loved Sonia… how I wanted to marry only her and no one else. He was furious at first. But he knew me too well. He knew that if I didn’t marry her, I would never marry at all. He understood the depth of my feelings. He didn’t waste a single day; he sent a proposal to Sonia’s house immediately. The Dhanraj name carried weight. Everyone knew us. So when Sonia’s father found out that the only son of the Dhanraj Industries’ owner wanted to marry his daughter, he didn’t even hesitate. He said yes without blinking.”

Ravindra’s voice softened, almost trembling with emotion.

“I was over the moon. I couldn’t believe it—Sonia was finally going to be mine. And I won’t lie—it made me incredibly happy when she accepted me as her husband. After our marriage, she revolved her entire life around me. Every moment, every breath—it was like I was her whole world. Then Vikrant came into our lives. Our son. And everything was perfect. A beautiful life, a loving wife, a son who brought us joy. We were happy, content, a family. But as life often does… things began to change. Slowly, quietly, but inevitably, everything began to change.”

As Ravindra spoke, Vikrant’s eyes shifted toward Sonia. She was listening intently, her expression distant but focused. For a fleeting moment, Vikrant’s heart skipped a beat—was she remembering? He saw a subtle shift in her eyes, something like recognition. He let out a faint, hopeful smile. Maybe… maybe she was beginning to remember everything. Maybe she’d look at him and recognize her son—not just the memory of a ten-year-old boy she had once held, but the man he had become.

But that hope faded quickly. No matter how much Vikrant longed for it, Sonia still didn’t recognize him. Her mind remained trapped in the past, fixated on the image of the little Vikrant she had once left behind. Vikrant turned his attentionback to Ravindra, who was still staring at Sonia with a strange mix of fondness and regret. Subsequently, Ravindra spoke softly, yet his voice had a sharp edge.

“Everything may have changed over time… But one thing Sonia always knew was that she was my whole world. I loved her deeply, unconditionally, without limits. And all she ever had to do… was remember that.”

CHAPTER 42

TRUTH

"LOVE….."

Parag’s voice suddenly echoes through the tense atmosphere, reverberating like a thunderclap. Struggling to reach Ravindra, he grabs him by the collar and punches him squarely across the face, his voice shaking with rage and betrayal as he yells:

“I feel ashamed to even call this love. If you really believe this is love, then you knew, you knew very well that your wife respected me like an elder brother because once, during an accident, I saved her life. From that day onward, she considered me her elder brother, and I, too, had always respected that sacred bond.”

Vikrant suddenly turns and looks at him, and his gaze quickly shifts to Akhil, who subtly nods his head in confirmation. Akhil immediately steps forward and separates Parag from Ravindra. Parag then looks at Sonia, who is standing silently, her eyes filled with pain but her face calm. Folding his hands in front of everyone, Parag says with trembling sincerity:

“I always performed my duties with utmost honesty. I never wanted to manipulate or misuse anything. But the day I discovered this man’s disgusting, vile plan, I just couldn’t hold myself back. That’s the day I made a mistake. But had I stayed silent, this goddess-like woman wouldn’t be in this shattered state today…. I should have done everything with much morecaution. I should have somehow told everything to Ravindra’s father, rather than letting Sonia find out and become afraid. If Sonia hadn’t gotten scared after hearing everything, then perhaps she wouldn’t have acted in such haste… and none of this would have happened…. (He starts mumbling in pain and repeating.) But in trying to avoid one storm, I unknowingly created another. Had I gathered the courage to speak directly to Ravindra’s father, the outcome might have been entirely different…. Sonia madam, overwhelmed and frightened, reacted impulsively, and that single moment of panic set off a chain of events I can no longer undo. I keep thinking, what if I had just waited a little longer and chosen the right person to confide in? Perhaps then, everything wouldn't have spiraled so far out of control.”

Vikrant is beginning to piece together parts of the truth, understanding bits of what had been buried, but he isn’t ready to reach any conclusion yet. Looking at Sonia, he turns to Parag and quietly asks,

“What exactly happened…?”

Parag just feels he came out from a nightmare. As he already starts feeling everything happening again in front of him, he takes a deep breath and begins, the pain in his voice cutting like a blade:

“This man… He was intoxicated—intoxicated with the obsession to win, to conquer, to possess everything. Whatever he desired, he believed it had to be his, no matter the cost. First, he wanted to marry your mother. Then, he wanted to make a name for himself in business. And to his credit, he worked hard and took Dhanraj Industries to new heights. He had started to lose himself in the intoxication of victory. He craved triumph in everything—nothing else mattered to him anymore.The moment he entered the world of the mafia, all he wanted was to make a name for himself everywhere. Winning became his only source of happiness, his only motivation. The thirst for dominance blinded him to reason and consequence. Whether it was a deal, a fight, or a simple conversation, he needed to emerge on top. He was no longer chasing success for growth or respect—it had become an obsession, a compulsion. The rush of victory had consumed him entirely, turning ambition into arrogance and dreams into destruction. In his eyes, even the slightest loss was a personal insult, and every win was a validation of his worth. But then, at some party, he got involved with some political influencers. That’s when another obsession took root—politics. He wanted to build a name for himself, secure a position, and eventually reach the very top. For that, he was ready to stoop to any level.”

“What do you mean…”

Vikrant mutters, looking at Ravindra, who continues staring blankly at Sonia. Parag responds immediately:

“He wanted to climb every rung of the ladder as quickly as possible. In his very first attempt, he wanted to secure a top political post. But no one knew him in the political arena. He used every tactic in the book—connections, money, favors—but still couldn’t win. And that failure shattered him. He couldn’t accept defeat. So, he made up his mind. No matter what it took, he would win the next election. He invests everything for his win…. That’s when he found out that Madam Sonia was pregnant. He crafted a vile plan—to create chaos during a political rally, to stage a stampede, during which Madam Sonia would lose her unborn child. And then, he’d use that tragedy as a sympathy card to sway public emotion.”

Vikrant’s jaw drops slightly as he runs his hands through his hair in disbelief. His eyes turn to his mother, and pieces of the shattered puzzle begin to align. Things are becoming painfully clear. Parag, burning with rage, picks up his crutch and tries to attack Ravindra. But Ravindra, fueled by survival instinct, grabs the crutch and beats Parag down with it. He stands over him, continuing the beating. But Vikrant rushes forward, catches Ravindra by the throat, and slams him to the ground. His voice shakes with fury as he roars:

“You weren’t ashamed? That child was your own! And still, you were ready to sacrifice an unborn, innocent baby for your ambitions?”

Ravindra looks up at Vikrant, but the obedient son he once knew is nowhere to be found. Now, he knows there is no point in hiding anything. He lets out a dark, bitter laugh.

“You are an idiot; Sonia was with me. Children can be born again, but if I didn’t win that election, the humiliation would’ve destroyed me. I couldn’t let that happen. So I planned it all meticulously. Everything was going perfectly. But… This man told Sonia everything, but she didn’t believe him. She loves me deeply, far more than any of you can understand. None of you can truly grasp the kind of love Sonia and I share. But the mistake was mine. On the very day everything was supposed to happen, I had been carefully planning every single detail just three days earlier. And that’s when Sonia overheard everything. She assumed I was completely unaware of what was going on. She believed she could escape without being seen. At that moment, her only desire was to escape in any way possible. She knew that Parag would help her, which is why she placed her trust in him. Her only concern at that time was the safety of our unborn children. She was terrified, desperate to protect herdaughter…. She already assumes that the baby is our daughter… Why can't she understand a normal thing we can have in the future but that election is more important? She also knew very well how much I loved her; I never kept that from her. That’s why she was certain I wouldn’t harm her. Still, she just wanted to get away from there, because fear had gripped her heart more than love could hold it together.”

He looks at Sonia, who is silent, listening to everything, and just stares like she is recalling everything. He continued bitterly.