Page 63
Story: The Deceit
The air stills. His expression shifts from confusion to disbelief, his gaze darting between me and Veer. For a moment, he stands frozen in place. His hands drop to his sides as he stares at Veer, his mind racing to process what I’ve just revealed.
“My… grandson?” he finally manages, his tone rising as shock as the words slip from his lips. “How…? When…?” The questions tumble out in a rush, but I can’t bring myself to answer. The secret I’ve carried alone for the past week is now in the open, and it’s an overwhelming feeling. The truth is finally out.
I step out of the nursery, needing air, needing space. Claire rushes in to check on Veer to ensure the sudden outburst hasn’t disturbed his peaceful sleep.
Behind me, I hear Dad’s footsteps, knowing that the questions are coming—how, why, when. Simran’s secret, my secret, is no longer just ours. It’s the biggest shock for the Walia family. Veer—my son, born out of a passionate night that defied all expectations, a child who represents both my greatest joy and my most profound challenge—is now a reality my family must face.
“Vishnu, wait!” he calls after me, but I don’t stop until we’re back in the living room.
Dad catches up, gripping my arm with a force that makes my muscles tense. “What the hell is going on?” he demands, his voice sharp. “What did you just say?”
I turn to face him. “He is your grandson, Dad. Simran and my son.”
“Simran and your son?” he whispers in disbelief. “How is this possible?” His eyes search mine, confusion etched deep in the lines of his face. “I didn’t even know you two were ever... involved. Why didn’t you tell me?”
A hollow laugh escapes my throat. Where do I even begin? How do I explain something I barely understand myself?
“Simran and I were attracted to each other,” I begin. “I never admitted it openly, even to her. I was too blocked in my head, not wanting any such relationship, never yearned for it...” I pause, remembering how it felt when my walls first started crumbling. “But Simran… she saw through me. Broke all my defences. I tried so hard. I didn’t want to give fire to that spark, but… but it happened.”
The memories of that fateful time flood back, sharp and painful.
“Remember the day when Meher discovered my real identity—that I’m a Walia, your son?” I ask. Dad nods, and I continue. “When she confronted us at the Walia Mansion the day after her wedding, you know how hurt and dejected I was. I needed space, some time to myself. I didn’t even come home that night.”
My hands clench involuntarily as I recall those dark hours.
“I was grieving alone, trying to figure out how to fix things between all of us, how to unite us again as a family. I was licking my own past wounds that had reopened with Meher’s confrontation.”
I turn away, my voice growing softer. “And that same night... I ended up at the same club as Simran, purely by chance.” I pause, trying to control the wave of emotions building inside me. “She was the one who gave me strength not to give up. She… she was my anchor, Dad. Neither of us realised when things took a different turn, and...”
Dad looks away, his eyes shadowed with understanding. I skip the details—he doesn’t need to know every moment of that night.
“After that night… we never saw each other again. Not because I didn’t want to, but because life happened. The threats looming over the Walias and Ayaan’s family demanded all my attention, and I lost track of time. My responsibilities took over everything. And Simran—she flew to New York to chase her dreams. Expanding her business here had always been her goal.”
Bitterness creeps into my voice as I recall the betrayal. “She knew, Dad. She knew she was pregnant, and she didn’t tell me.” My fists clench at my sides, the sting of that truth as fresh as the day I first found out.
I feel his hand on my shoulder, offering support and empathy, but it does little to calm the storm inside me. I turn to face him fully, my jaw tight with tension.
“It was only when her life was in danger here, and she unknowingly confided in Meher that I found out. And I couldn’t stay away. I had to intervene. I came here to help her.” The words tumble out faster now. “For the past eighteen months, I was living with the guilt that I didn’t fight for her... for us. Of not telling her how I felt, even when I wanted to. I was so engrossed in everything else that she and my strong feelings towards her were pushed to the side.”
I run a hand through my hair, frustration evident in every movement.
“So I came here, Dad, and that’s when I found out what she was hiding from me... that she was hiding my son.” The last words come out as barely more than a whisper, heavy with hurt and betrayal. “And I... I didn’t know how to tell you. Or Meher. Or anyone. I’ve been trying to process it myself.”
The silence that follows feels deafening, but in this moment, standing before Dad with my heart laid bare, I feel both stronger and more vulnerable than I ever have before.
“Simran’s deceit has completely shattered me,” I confess, my voice breaking. “Knowing that my son suffered the same fate I did when I was born—of not having his father’s hand over his head, his presence, his protection, his love... it broke something in me. Every child deserves that love, regardless of the relationship between his parents...”
I feel my composure crumbling. “It broke me, Dad. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine my own child would share the same fate as me. It’s like a curse,” I whisper, the word barely escaping my lips.
And then, the tears come—uncontrollable, raw, filled with years of suppressed pain. Dad immediately pulls me into a tight embrace, his arms wrapping around me, stroking my back, giving me the reassurance and comfort I’ve desperately craved my entire life.
“It’s not a curse. You’re not a curse,” he says firmly. “You are the biggest blessing in my life... and so is your son, Vishnu. To you, to me, to all of us.”
He pulls away, gently wiping the tears from my eyes. I know my breakdown is rare—I’m not someone who loses control easily, but letting it all out before Dad feels natural. It feels right.
“Maa had kept my birth a secret from you because of some misunderstanding she had about you,” I continue, my voice gaining strength. “But Simran... she had no reason. She could have told me. We could have handled this differently had she not fled to New York, keeping her pregnancy a secret.”
Anger starts to replace my vulnerability.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63 (Reading here)
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163
- Page 164
- Page 165
- Page 166
- Page 167
- Page 168
- Page 169
- Page 170
- Page 171
- Page 172
- Page 173
- Page 174
- Page 175
- Page 176
- Page 177
- Page 178
- Page 179
- Page 180
- Page 181
- Page 182
- Page 183
- Page 184
- Page 185
- Page 186
- Page 187
- Page 188
- Page 189