56. CURSED

AUTHOR’S POV 

Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by a gentle knock at the door.

"Abhi?" she called out, her voice small, almost hopeful.

"No, Rani Sa. It's Jaya." The voice on the other side was soft but firm, and Shivnya hesitated before opening the door. Standing there was Jaya, holding an extravagant 10 bouquet of exotic flowers, the kind that looked like they belonged in a dream. Each stem was adorned with small "sorry" cards, fluttering like delicate reminders of his regret.

A reluctant smile tugged at Shivnya's lips as she took in the sight.

"Rana Sa?" she asked, her voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and tenderness.

Jaya nodded with a warm smile. "Rani Sa, your brother has been trying to reach you, but your phone has been unreachable. Badi Maharani sent this phone for you."

Shivnya took the phone in her trembling hands, her heart torn between emotions as she stared at it. "Bhai?" she whispered as she answered the call. On the other end, Aarav's voice was heavy, thick with concern, and as she listened, she couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.

"Shivuu..." Aarav's voice carried a weight that only a brother's love could hold. He knew her, every part of her. He could sense her turmoil even through the silence. Shivnya's eyes wandered back to the scattered letters, her fingers brushing over the soft petals of the flowers. Their fragrance filled the room, mingling with the lingering emotions that hung between her and Abhimanyu.

"You've really messed up this time," he said softly, guilt bubbling up inside him . She hated the thought that her brother had been worried while she was locked away in her own emotional storm.

"Sorry, Bhai," she whispered.

But Aarav's next words caught her completely off guard. "Don't say sorry to me... talk to Abhimanyu."

"Huh?" Shivnya blinked, confusion washing over her.

Aarav's voice softened, as though he could feel the cracks in her heart through the phone. "You've made mistakes too, Shivuu. It's not just him."

Her breath hitched in her throat as his words sank in. Had she been too harsh? The love she felt for Abhimanyu surged in her chest, mingling with the pain, the anger, and the deep longing she felt for things to be right between them again. She realized in that moment that love wasn't just about the apologies or the mistakes-it was about finding the way back to each other, even when everything seemed broken.

"Bachhe, he stood up for you because he loves you. And yet, you've made him out to be the villain. That's not fair," Aarav's voice was firm but filled with the love of an older brother trying to guide her back to clarity. He could see her pain, but he needed her to understand.

"But Bhai, he also-" Shivnya tried to explain, her voice trembling, but Aarav cut her off, his words heavy with conviction.

"He didn't do anything wrong, Shivuu. All he did was hold up a mirror to us, to show how far we've gone off track. He was brave enough to speak the truth, and we needed to hear it. Now, no more mistakes." Aarav's heart clenched as he remembered the harsh truths Abhimanyu had revealed to their family-truths they had been too proud or blind to see.

"Haan, di," Sanj's voice came from the background, thick with emotion. Her face was still wet with tears, the rawness of Shivnya's pain having deeply affected her. "You can't punish Jiju like this. It's not fair, di. He didn't do anything wrong."

Shivnya's voice wavered as she tried to defend herself. "I know... but he doesn't listen to me, Bhai. He never listens..."

Sanj's soft laugh broke through the tension, her tone affectionate yet teasing. "Oh, we've all seen how much he doesn't listen to you, di. Honestly, you're lying to yourself. He listens to you more than anyone else in this world."

"Are you guys on my side or his?" Shivnya stammered, the confusion and conflict in her heart reflecting in her voice. She felt cornered by the truth, and it was as if everyone saw something in her relationship that she couldn't admit to herself.

"Jijuuuuu, di!" Sanj teased, her voice lightening the mood just a little. "Let's be real, you've got him wrapped around your little finger. He would do anything for you."

Shivnya's heart softened, the truth settling in. She let out a long breath. "You're right. I've made mistakes too. I didn't handle things well with him... I didn't give him a chance to explain."

Aarav's voice softened as he heard his sister's realization. "Listen, we're all at fault here," he said gently, the rest of them murmuring in agreement.

"Don't say that," Shivnya's voice was thick with emotion, guilt pressing down on her chest. "None of this was your fault. It was me... I pushed him away."

"If you won't blame us, you can't blame Abhimanyu either," Aayansh chimed in, his voice steady and full of determination. He loved his sister, but he was not very fond of abhimanyu but he still knows what is wrong and what is right.

Aarav's voice grew more serious, laced with the kind of wisdom only an older sibling could offer. "Bachhe, try to see it from his side. We all made mistakes, but you didn't tell us. He didn't tell us either. Yet, you're punishing him for something that's really our fault, not his."

"Bhai, please don't say that," Shivnya whispered, the weight of guilt and regret pressing down on her heart. Tears stung her eyes as she realized how unfair she had been.

"You can't change the truth, Shivu," Aarav said firmly, though his voice was tender, understanding the turmoil inside her. "You love him. And he loves you. Go to him. Patch things up before it's too late."

Shivnya exhaled slowly, the weight of her emotions bubbling to the surface. "I will," she said softly, her voice trembling but resolute. "I love you guys."

"We love you too, diii!" Divit shouted from the background, his voice so loud it made them all wince, but it brought a small, much-needed smile to Shivnya's face.

"We all love you," they said in unison, their voices filled with warmth and support as they ended the call.

"Dad, she's okay now," Aarav said softly, trying to calm the storm brewing in his father's eyes.

"Are you sure?" Shaurya asked, his voice trembling, needing reassurance. The concern etched in his expression betrayed the pain he felt as a father.

"Yes, Dad, I promise," Aarav responded, his voice steady, trying to give his father a sense of peace.

"She isn't crying anymore?" Shaurya's voice cracked, his heart aching with the thought of his daughter's tears. His eyes flickered with desperation, needing to hear that his daughter was no longer hurting.

"No, Dad," Aarav replied gently, but the weight of Shaurya's gaze turned to his mother, and the tension in the room shifted.

"Mom, this is all because of you," Shaurya accused, his voice low but filled with fury. "You're the reason my daughter has suffered so much." His words hit Madhu like a slap. She had braced herself for this moment, knowing that today, her actions-her dark, hidden deeds-had come to light.

"Shaurya..." Madhu tried to speak, her voice faltering as she raised her hands in defense, but her plea was cut short.

"No!" her husband interrupted, his voice filled with grief and self-reproach. "Shaurya is right. You're the reason for our Shivnya's suffering. But we're all to blame. We failed her, Madhu. We were so blind. We thought this house was a sanctuary for her, a place where she could heal. But today, we realized how wrong we were. We were too ignorant to see why she kept protecting those three." His voice cracked, the pain too much to bear as he motioned toward Divit , Aayansh, and Sanj. The guilt weighed heavily on them all, each feeling the sting of their own failings.

The three of them- Divit , Aayansh, and Sanj-stood in silent shame, their heads hanging low. They were part of this, too, whether they wanted to admit it or not. The realization of how deeply they had hurt Shivnya, even if unintentionally, settled on them like a dark cloud.

Aarav's voice broke through the tension, tinged with anger and guilt. "Not just Dadi, Mom, Dad-you both are responsible too. You were so consumed by your love for me that you forgot about her. Especially you, Mom... You knew Dad loved her, but he couldn't express it because of you. You built a wall between them. But now, there's still time. Don't let it be too late. Make her feel like your daughter again before she slips away for good."

Madhu's eyes filled with tears as she tried to defend herself, her voice shaky. "But, beta, she's... she's cursed. A manhoos..."

A deadly silence fell over the room, the weight of that single word pressing down on everyone. Aayansh's eyes flashed with a rage so fierce it left the room frozen in place. His voice, when it came, was low and dangerous, trembling with barely contained fury. "If you ever, ever call my dii manhoos again, I swear... you'll see a side of me you've never seen before."

"Aayansh, calm down," Shaurya interjected softly, though his own voice was strained with tension.

Before Aayasnh could respond, Aarav,who had been standing in silent torment, finally spoke. His voice was filled with the weight of guilt, regret dripping from every word. "Avni, come on," he said quietly, his tone broken. "I can't stay here any longer. I've failed her. I should've been her protector, but I wasn't." His voice cracked as he grabbed Avni's hand, his head hung low with shame. Without another word, they left the room, their footsteps heavy with regret.

"Dadi, what you did to Di was unforgivable," Aayansh said coldly, his voice devoid of the warmth it usually held. "We won't forgive you for this. None of us will." His words pierced the silence like knives, cutting through the air as he turned to leave.

Sanj and Divit exchanged a look, and both nodded in agreement. "We'll never speak to you again, Dadi. Not after what you've done to her," Sanj added, her voice thick with unshed tears. The betrayal in their eyes was unmistakable.

With that, the three siblings left the room, their decision final, leaving behind the heavy silence of a broken family.

" The kids are telling the truth, Mom. You... you broke my family," Shaurya's voice wavered, his anger barely controlled. His hands clenched at his sides as he tried to hold back the storm of emotions brewing inside. "Years ago, you shattered us, and no matter what I've done, I haven't been able to fix it." He shook his head, his face twisted in anguish. "A son shouldn't have to say this, but as a father, I will. I hate you, Mom... I hate you for what you've done."

Madhu's heart pounded in her chest. She reached out toward him, trying to say something, but the words got stuck in her throat.

"You filled Yuvantika's ears with that nonsense about a curse. You poisoned her heart with your lies, and because of you, our daughter doesn't even want to see us!" Shaurya's voice broke with the weight of guilt and anger. His eyes shone with unshed tears as he spoke the words that had been festering in him for so long. "I hate you, Maa... I really do." And with that, Shaurya turned his back on her, walking away with the heavy burden of a father's broken heart.

Madhu stood frozen, her world crumbling around her. She couldn't breathe, couldn't even cry as her son's hateful words echoed in her mind. But it wasn't over.

Moksh's voice cut through the silence like a blade. "You didn't just break Shaurya's family, Mom. You made everything worse for all of us. Your dirty politics... your manipulations... You've destroyed everything." His voice dripped with disgust as he looked at her, eyes filled with disdain. "You played with people's lives like they were your pawns, and now look at the mess you've left behind."

Kamini stood next to him, her face pale, her eyes hollow. She didn't say a word but the way she looked at Madhu spoke volumes-disappointment, betrayal, and heartbreak. They didn't wait for a reply. They simply walked out, their absence a crushing blow.

Madhu felt her knees give out, but before she could fall, Aaditya voice stopped her cold. His tone was icy, filled with barely contained fury. "Don't you dare come near my family again, Mom. Don't you even think about filling Nandini's head with your lies like you did with Yuvantika bhabhi " His eyes bore into hers, filled with a fierce protectiveness for his wife. "If you do, I'll stop considering you my mother."

Nandini stood beside him, her head hung low, too ashamed to even look at Madhu. She had believed the lies too, had let them cloud her judgment, and now the weight of that guilt crushed her. Aaditya didn't wait for a response. He grabbed Nandini's hand and walked out, leaving behind nothing but silence and a broken woman.

Yuvantika stepped forward next, her voice trembling with sorrow. Her tears flowed freely, each one a testament to the years of pain she had buried deep inside. "If only, Maa... If only the day Shivnya was born, you hadn't called her cursed. If only you hadn't said she killed another child with her birth." Her voice cracked, filled with regret and bitterness. "You could've seen that one of my children was still alive. But instead, you chose to curse her. You chose to make her life hell." Yuviu's sobs shook her body as she wiped at her tears. "And now... now look at this mansion. Once filled with love, laughter, and joy, it's now a place of pain and misery because of you."

Her words hung heavy in the air as she turned and walked away, her sobs fading into the distance.

Madhu gasped for breath, her heart hammering in her chest as she looked desperately toward Viren, her husband. Surely, he would comfort her, wouldn't he? He had to, right?

But the coldness in his eyes as he approached told her she was wrong.

His voice was cold and detached, each word a blade cutting into her soul. "You've reaped what you've sown, Madhu. You've alienated everyone. Your own children... our children... They don't love you anymore. No one does. You're all alone now." He said the words with finality, and it was like a slap across her face.

" No... no, don't say that," Madhu sobbed, grabbing his arm, gripping it tightly as if holding him would stop him from leaving her. "You can't do this to me. You wouldn't leave me like this, Viren. Please... at least not because if that curse ....that manhoos " Her voice broke, desperation clear in every word.

But Viren pulled his arm away from her grasp, his eyes blazing with anger and hurt. "She is our daughter," he said, his voice trembling with rage. The echo of his words rang through the mansion, filling the empty spaces with a pain that had been too long buried.

Madhu's tears streamed down her face, mixing with her sobs. "But... but she killed our daughter, Viren," she cried, clutching her chest. "She took Riddhi from us!"

Viren's eyes flashed, his anger barely contained. "Riddhi died in an accident, Madhu! How many times do I have to tell you that?" His voice thundered through the room, the sound of it bouncing off the walls. "How many times will you cling to this curse nonsense?"

"But it all happened because of Shivnya " Madhu whimpered, still trapped in the web of lies she had spun so long ago, unable to let go.

Viren cut her off, his voice as sharp as a dagger. "Enough!" he roared. "I've had enough of your excuses." His eyes burned into hers, filled with disgust. "Don't talk to me anymore. Don't even show me your face."

The finality in his voice left no room for argument. His eyes lingered on her for just a moment longer, filled with anger, disappointment, and a deep, cutting pain. Then, without another word, he turned and left, leaving Madhu standing in the emptiness of her broken world, with nothing but her tears and the deafening silence of her own downfall.

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