Page 90 of Substitute Bride

BEAUTIFUL LIFE

Jhankar was sleeping silently, completely undisturbed, while Sonia, without making the slightest noise, gently stroked her head.

Sharda kept looking at them with a soft, continuous smile on her face.

Because Sonia was being so careful and cautious, she didn’t want to accidentally wake Jhankar even in the slightest. At that moment, Vikrant suddenly entered the room.

A wide, joyful smile instantly appeared on Vikrant's face the moment he caught sight of the heartwarming scene in front of him.

Without wasting a second, he came and sat beside Sharda, placing his hand gently on her shoulder and pulling her slightly closer.

Sharda gave a faint smile and began to say something softly, but before she could speak more than a word, Sonia quickly looked toward them and placed her finger on her lips, signaling them not to make any sound at all.

Both Vikrant and Sharda immediately understood her gesture and quietly placed fingers over their lips as well.

Sonia then carefully checked to make sure Jhankar was still asleep, and once she was certain, a soft smile crept onto her face again.

Her eyes gently moved down to Jhankar’s belly; her six-month baby bump was clearly visible now.

Ever since Sonia had first noticed the baby bump, she had become incredibly sensitive and nurturing toward Jhankar.

The maternal instincts in her had deepened, and she tried her best to take care of Jhankar in every way possible.

The entire situation had been quite surprising and unexpected for everyone, but seeing her like a mother now filled their hearts with immense happiness and warmth.

Vikrant slowly knelt down in front of Sonia, who immediately looked at him anxiously, fearing that his sudden movement might wake up Jhankar. She didn’t want even the smallest sound to disturb her sleep. Vikrant leaned closer and whispered gently in Sonia’s ear,

“If she continues sleeping like this, she might feel discomfort. And the baby inside won’t be able to rest properly either. Let me take her to her room.”

Sonia looked carefully at Jhankar. She had dozed off while sitting on the sofa, her head resting peacefully in Sonia’s lap. Sonia knew she was fast asleep, but she also realized that sleeping in this position wasn’t good for her. With that concern in mind, she softly replied to Vikrant,

“And what if she wakes up in between?”

“You’ll be right here, won’t you? You can lull her back to sleep.”

That thought touched Sonia deeply. She instantly smiled warmly and nodded in agreement.

Vikrant then very carefully picked Jhankar up into his arms. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his neck and nestled her face gently against his shoulder.

Vikrant turned to Sonia with a satisfied, soft nod, as if to show her that he hadn’t disturbed her sleep.

Sonia, seeing this, felt a deep sense of joy and relief.

As Vikrant quietly walked out of the room carrying Jhankar, Sharda came and sat beside Sonia.

She lovingly placed her hand on Sonia’s head and said softly,

“You should get some rest too. I’ll be right here beside you.”

Sonia nodded lightly, her gaze shifting to her doll , her little one, and smiled lovingly as she hugged her tightly to her chest. With a peaceful expression, she lay down in her place.

Sharda, still sitting beside her, began to stroke her forehead gently.

While whispering her prayers to the Almighty, she spoke quietly from the heart.

“These three years have changed so much… Yet even today, she doesn’t recognize Vikrant.

She still doesn’t know she lost her unborn baby.

She is so far from the truth… But despite all that, she looks happy right now.

That’s what matters the most. Please, never let her face pain again. Please watch over her always.”

Sharda then lay down beside Sonia, placing her hand softly over her shoulder, and she started gently patting her in a rhythmic motion.

Because whenever Sonia was awake, she did everything in her power to ensure her little girl slept peacefully , without any stress, without any disturbance.

Sonia couldn’t fall asleep until she saw that her little one was deep in slumber.

That’s why Sharda was now trying her best to gently lull Sonia into sleep, just as Sonia always did for her daughter.

It was a cycle of care, love, and tenderness, each woman trying to protect the other, each heart carrying the weight of motherhood in a different yet deeply beautiful form.

Vikrant carried Jhankar into the room with utmost care, gently holding her in his arms. He slowly placed her down on the bed, ensuring she remained undisturbed.

Lately, Jhankar had been feeling extremely fatigued, and ever since that began, she had been trying to rest as much as possible whenever she was home.

Today, Vikrant had an unusually packed schedule, which made him arrive home quite late.

Smiling softly, he began undressing right where he stood, not even willing to spend a single extra moment away from her.

Without wasting another second, he climbed into bed and lay down beside her.

Jhankar, sensing his presence, clung tightly to him, wrapping her arms around his chest and playfully biting him there as she mumbled,

“Why is Papa so late…?”

“Sorry… After the meeting ended, everyone stayed back for a chat, and the conversation dragged on longer than expected. I knew I had to come home, but since everyone was sitting together, I couldn’t excuse myself easily.

Ultimately, my wife reminded me that it's not always necessary to be direct, but rather to adapt and accommodate others, a lesson I successfully applied today.

Vikrant held Jhankar closer, gently wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a comforting embrace.

Just then, the baby inside her kicked, a firm, continuous movement that Vikrant could also feel.

He chuckled with joy and immediately shifted, leaning down to place a loving kiss on her belly. Softly, he whispered,

“I know, my little princess is upset because I came home late today. But I promise, this won’t happen again. I’m really, really sorry.”

He once again pressed his lips gently against her belly, and right then, he felt another little kick directly on his lips. That moment brought a radiant smile to Vikrant's face, making him appear to be the happiest person alive.

These days, Vikrant smiled all the time, and he found happiness in the smallest of things. His gaze drifted back to Jhankar’s face, which clearly looked exhausted and worn out. He just wanted to give her a peaceful, restful sleep in his arms. As she felt his warmth again, Jhankar softly murmured,

“Tomorrow there’s a meeting with Shah Industries. I’ve already managed and organized all the papers properly. And just so you know, I’m not coming to the office tomorrow.”

“Okay…”

Vikrant responded gently, brushing her hair away from her forehead.

Jhankar was now actively managing both V International and Dhanraj Industries, and together, she and Vikrant were achieving success through hard work, passion, and dedication.

They had grown into a powerful team, supporting each other through every challenge, and their accomplishments reflected their deep commitment.

Vikrant continued holding her close, trying to lull her back to sleep. He knew that even a minor disruption could make her restless, and often when disturbed during sleep, she suffered from physical discomfort and uneasiness. Jhankar began moving her legs up and down repeatedly, shifting positions.

Vikrant immediately sat up, sensing what was wrong.

He knew right away that she was experiencing pain in her legs, and without wasting another second, he got up and brought massage oil.

Sitting by her feet, he began gently massaging her soles with slow, rhythmic motions.

Jhankar opened her eyes for a brief moment and looked at him.

Seeing the care in his eyes, she didn’t need to say a word.

Vikrant simply smiled and leaned forward to plant a soft kiss on her forehead.

Feeling the peace and comfort in his touch, Jhankar slowly closed her eyes again, giving in to the soothing rhythm of his hands.

With every stroke of his fingers, she drifted deeper into sleep, her body relaxing entirely, reassured by the love of the man beside her. And Vikrant, as always, remained by her side, ensuring she felt nothing but warmth, care, and serenity.

~~~~~

Jhankar’s eyes were fixed only on Vikrant, who was sitting near the cradle, lovingly gazing at their newborn daughter, who had come into the world just a few hours ago.

Vikrant had not taken his eyes off the baby since Jhankar's shift to the ward.

Everyone else had already come and gone after meeting Jhankar, and now only Vikrant remained by her side.

Looking at Vikrant, Jhankar softly asked,

“How is our Manyata...?”

Hearing her, Vikrant instantly turned to look at her, a hint of surprise in his expression. Jhankar smiled and stretched her arms towards him. He quickly leaned closer, wrapped her in a gentle embrace, and whispered,

“How did you know that I wanted to name her Manyata?”

Jhankar smiled more deeply and replied,

“You really think you can think of something and I wouldn’t know? I’ve taken over your heart and mind completely by now… at least to that extent.”

Vikrant let out a soft laugh at her teasing response. Then, she looked at him with a touch of sadness in her eyes and asked,

“Why didn’t Mumma come…?”

Vikrant’s expression grew thoughtful as he replied.