Arjun had come to understand that in all her life, she had never received genuine affection from his own blood relations. That realisation made her hesitate now, even at the thought of meeting her dear ones alone. Before him stood Shreya, usually so strong and powerful, yet in this moment she appeared fragile and vulnerable.
Calmly, Arjun said, "Come to my house for now. I'll call them here. Once they arrive, they can take you with them... or you can do whatever you think is best."
Shreya looked at him with soft eyes. "Arjun, please don't call me 'you' like that. It hurts."
Arjun wiggled his finger playfully and replied, "Then tell me, what should I call you? As far as I remember, I have always addressed you as 'Shreya Ji' with respect."
There was quiet firmness in Shreya's voice. "Just take my name. Call me Shreya."
Arjun phoned Suyash. "Brother, Shreya Ji has come here to meet all of you. Your search has ended. It would be better if you came to my house. She hasn't met you all in a long time, so she feels a little awkward."
Suyash sounded happy. "Alright, Arjun. I'll bring Baba along shortly. Don't let her leave. Keep her there until we arrive."
Arjun assured him, "Don't worry, brother. She has become very strong and determined now. This time she won't run away." With that, he ended the call.
Turning to Shreya, he continued, "They are both very good, decent people, Shreya Ji. If it weren't for Madhav Kaka, I would have left this world long ago."
He paused, then added with a trace of old pain, "And if Suyash brother hadn't been there, I would still be rotting in jail. You and your family made sure I reached that place. You left no stone unturned. Only I know how I survived those three months inside."
The words landed like hammer blows. Arjun had spoken them deliberately, perhaps to hurt her, but his face showed he was not pleased with himself. He considered such language beneath him. The buried anger of past days had suddenly spilled out.
They say words from the tongue pierce deeper than arrows. One must always speak with care and measure. Soon after, Arjun apologised. He caught his own ears in the same childish way he used to do when he made a big mistake as a boy.
As they walked, Shreya suddenly took his hand, just as she used to in childhood. Arjun was surprised at first. Then he noticed her gaze fixed on the human bite mark on his hand, the wound she had once given him instead of letting him pull away.
"Please don't cry," he said gently. "This is just a small wound. It will heal in a few months. But the wounds inside keep oozing slowly. They have already turned into deep sores."
He continued, "Do not shed these tears. If they become as pure as Ganga water, how will you ever hold them back?
You won't be able to manage them, so don't waste these precious pearls in vain."To lighten the heavy atmosphere, he tried a small joke. "Don't hold my hand so tightly. If I want to free it, I won't be able to use my teeth. I cannot bear to hurt such a beautiful wrist."
Shreya asked, "Then what will you do?"
Arjun smiled. "I won't even try to free my hand." He wanted to say more but held back. After thinking for a moment, he added, "Have you ever seen a decent man pull his hand away from a lady's grip?"
This time Shreya laughed. Arjun had spoken only to bring that smile to her face."Must we really go to your home?" she asked.
"I'm scared of how they'll treat me?"
Arjun replied honestly, "It's not absolutely necessary, but just as you have listened to my bitter words, listen to theirs too. You will feel lighter. Like me, you have also been carrying a heavy burden."
He was right. Even today, no one understood her better than he did. There was not a trace of falsehood in his words. Arjun walked ahead, and a nervous Shreya followed.
As soon as they entered the house, his mother said, "Where had you gone?
You should have told me before leaving. I was so worried."
They stepped into the living room. Arjun moved aside and announced, "Look, someone wanted to meet us but was too shy to come home on her own."
The moment his mother saw Shreya, her pent-up emotions burst forth. "What was lacking in our love and care that you showed us such terrible days?
"God knows I never made any difference between you and my own children. So why did you betray us like this?"
She shook Shreya's hand vigorously. "Tell me, why did you do this to us?
What harm had we ever done to you?"
Arjun quickly stepped in and gently freed Shreya's hand. "Mother, if you shake her like this, you will break her wrist. She is our guest. At least let her breathe."
Shreya looked at him sincerely. "Arjun, I'm telling the truth. Until I came here, I had no idea that the person they were trying to place me in the life of was you. Their real target was Raghav."
She narrated the entire story step by step. Then, folding her hands, she begged forgiveness from everyone.
Just then, the sound of Suyash's car horn came from outside. Arjun told his mother, "Madhav Kaka and Suyash bhai sahab have come to meet Shreya. You can settle your anger with her later. Today she is our guest, and one does not treat guests with rudeness."
Ranjana, his mother, protested, "Don't take their side so much. By sending you to jail, she has given you the most pain of all."
Arjun replied calmly, "Alright, we can talk about all this later. Right now, I need some peace in the house."The room fell into a tense silence. Years of misunderstanding, love, betrayal, and quiet longing hung in the air. Arjun looked at Shreya, who stood with her head slightly bowed, and felt a strange mix of protection and old ache. She had once been part of his childhood games, then life had twisted their paths into something painful. Today, perhaps, was the beginning of healing.
Outside, the sound of car doors closing announced the arrival of the others. Arjun glanced at his mother, hoping she would hold back her sharp words for now. Shreya's fingers brushed lightly against his again, seeking silent courage. In that small touch lay the memory of innocent days and the promise of possible understanding.
The past could not be erased, but perhaps, in this quiet living room, with honest hearts and measured words, a new chapter could slowly begin. Arjun took a deep breath, ready to stand between old wounds and new possibilities.
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