Page 81 of Substitute Bride

Vikrant closed his eyes, absorbing her strength. Then, with fire burning in his eyes, he turned back to Ravindra. The hatred in his gaze made Ravindra step back instinctively. Panic-stricken, Ravindra darted toward Sonia and screamed furiously.

“Liar… Now you remember your son? The same day you were about to leave us for money”?

Seeing Ravindra charging at her, Sonia quickly recoiled, clinging to Sharda for protection.

But before Ravindra could get close enough to harm her, Vikrant grabbed him by the collar from behind and, with a powerful shove, hurled him across in the air.

Ravindra crashed to the ground, coughing and disoriented.

As he tried to get up, he noticed a pair of shoes stop right in front of him.

Lifting his gaze, he saw Akhil standing there.

As he tried to steady himself, Akhil suddenly stepped aside.

And behind him stood a man with a crutch; he muttered softly.

"Parag…. You are alive…."

The moment Ravindra’s eyes met Parag’s, his face drained of color. The name slipped out of his mouth involuntarily again.

“Parag…”

Before Ravindra could say anything more, Parag struck him across the face with his crutch.

Ravindra stumbled and fell. Parag, balancing on one leg, hopped closer and struck him again.

Blood began trickling from Ravindra’s forehead.

Parag didn’t stop. He raised the crutch again, rage blazing in his eyes.

But this time, Ravindra managed to grab the crutch and shoved him back with force.

As Parag stumbled, Ravindra quickly regained his balance and pulled out his gun.

Before he could pull the trigger, Vikrant’s foot landed hard on his wrist, sending the gun flying from his hand.

Ravindra screamed in pain and looked toward the weapon.

As he tried to run and retrieve it, Akhil kicked the gun away, quickly grabbed it in a second, and tossed it in Vikrant’s direction.

Vikrant caught it mid-air, his grip solid, his movements deadly calm.

Sliding his finger into the trigger guard, he spun the gun once, then pointed it directly at Ravindra, his expression unreadable.

“I only want the truth. Nothing else. If even a single word strays from the truth, if you dare twist reality one more time, I swear I will shoot you with your own gun. You need to understand something very clearly… The son who once loved you beyond reason died the day I found out what you did. The man standing before you now is not your son; he is the son of the woman you tormented. And my hands won’t tremble pulling this trigger on the man who made my mother a breathing corpse. ”

Ravindra froze. He had faced death before, but never like this.

He had never experienced death at the hands of his blood.

Ravindra’s eyes instinctively turned toward Vikrant, who was glaring at him with eyes filled with seething hatred.

But instead of holding his gaze, Ravindra slowly turned his head to look at Sonia, now sitting silently, gently rocking her daughter to sleep.

A faint, almost nostalgic smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

That smile did not go unnoticed. Sharda, standing nearby, was deeply disturbed by it.

Her face hardened as she let go of Sonia and stormed toward Ravindra, fury radiating from every step.

“When I first came into your home, all I ever heard from people was how much you loved Sonia. That you would go to any extent for her happiness. That there was nothing you wouldn't do for her. But looking at the state she's in today, I can’t believe you’re the same man they all spoke of. I saw it with my own eyes—the way you used to follow her around for the smallest things. Her every word was law to you. And now look at her... You’ve killed her to this.

What happened, Ravindra? What was so unbearable that you destroyed not only her but your entire life too? ”

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 straight to 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 attention back 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.”