Chapter 116: chapter 116

THE SILENT LOVE ...Chapter 115 :Sreekanth was warmly and grandly welcomed by their parents alongside his wife and daughter. Upon entering the home, Pratap instantly embraced him, enveloping him in a heartfelt hug, his face bearing a sorrowful expression as he spoke.“Sreekanth! Never in my dreams did I imagine crossing paths with you again. Where have you been all this time and why did you orchestrate your own demise? Didn't you think about how it would affect those who cared about you, who were left in the dark?”, His words resonated with a depth of emotion he couldn't express during their previous encounter.“Uncle! I acted according to fate. To stand by my choices, to keep my promise I made to Shilpa, I found myself compelled to desert you people. Though I don’t regret my decision, I know I disappointed so many in my own battle. I am very sorry”, explained Sreekanth, while his voice tinged with  a sense  of guilt.Sreekanth approached Sreekar, engulfed him     in a tight embrace before speaking softly,“Sree! You are the one who suffered the most with my actions. Firstly, I vow an apology for subjecting you to endure the turmoil”.“Brother! Please don't feel the need to apologize. The decisions you made were entirely fitting given the circumstances. You have shown immense courage in safeguarding your love and loved ones. I am not disappointed in you, in fact, I feel a sense of pride witnessing your unwavering commitment to protect the love of your life, regardless of the cost”, Sreekar emphasized, each word carrying weight as he differentiated Sreekanth's courage with his own hesitation to leave Swetha behind and accept their mother's proposal.Sreekanth gently broke the hug, held his shoulders with his hands, gracing a tender smile on his lips, he spoke,“Thank you! I truly thank you for understanding me”, he expressed sincerely.Later in the evening, a grand celebration was orchestrated to announce Sreekanth's return, inviting all the influential figures of the city. Laughter and chatter filled the air, but amidst the euphoria, Sreekanth remained on the outskirts of the crowd, lost in his own thoughts. Despite the joy surrounding him, he couldn't shake off the pangs of distress, his mind consumed by memories of Swetha.Interacting  with the  guests wearing a warm and humble smile on his face,Sreekanth caught the sight of Sreekar, standing away from the crowd, sipping the wine , his eyes looking distant, lost in his own thoughts.Slowly approaching him, Sreekanth placed  his  hand on Sreekar which startled him. Sreekar instantly came into his senses and spun his head towards the person. Realizing Sreekanths’s presence, Sreekar smiled at him affectionately.“Brother! Why are you here? Have you met everyone”, queried Sreekar while trying to hide his emotions.“Yes! I met everyone. Why are you away from the crowd? Where did  you get lost?” enquired Sreekanth.Looking towards the crowd, Sreekar replied with a faint smile,“I lost interest in parties. I don’t wish to be in the crowd listening to  their gossip”.Sreekanth squeezed his shoulder and exclaimed in a sorrowful voice,“Sree! I learned from  our father how my fake demise turned  you  to a cold and stoic person. You are no more that cheerful and jolly playboy, but become a strange person. Why Sree! Did  you believe that your brother would die just for getting cheated by a woman?”, his words carrying the agony and guilt for putting his brother in such a condition..“I empathize with the pain of parting away from the one we love for eternity. Earlier I blindly believed mother’s words but now, I  believe that anyone would take his life for getting departed from their loved ones”, explained Sreekar, his tongue uttering the words bitterly.“Sree! Are you in love?”, queried Sreekanth,scrutinizing his expressions carefully.Sreekar spun his head instantly towards Sreekanth, stared at him for a  while. He later bursted into  laughter while   turning towards the crowd, pointed his finger towards Lalitha who was standing far and said,“Very shortly I am going to marry Lalitha. How do you think I am in love?”.“Don’t you love Lalitha?”, enquired Sreekanth.“I like her being my childhood friend. Due to my earlier condition, I kept postponing my marriage. Our parents don’t want to delay it anymore. With your return, I am ready to do anything”, explained Sreekar.Sreekarnth glanced deeply into his eyes and questioned,“Why do I feel that you are forcing yourself”.Sreekar’s body stiffened for a  moment upon hearing his words, but restrained himself and replied with a  forced smile,“Brother! You know  that I won’t be manipulated? What makes you think I am forcing myself?”.Sreekanth was about to respond but their mother’s voice interrupted the conversation.“Sree! Sreekanth! Both come here. We need to announce the special news”, yelled Bhuvaneswari DeviBoth Sreekanth and Sreekar approached  their  mother. Bhuvaneswari Devi crossed her hand across his shoulder while gesturing to Lalitha stand on her other side. Lalitha gracefully walked towards them and stood on the other side of her.“May I have  your  attention please”, announced Bhuvaneswari Devi.All the guests' attention was drawn to her. Watching them glancing at her curiously, Bhuvaneswari Devi elegantly and gracefully began her speech.“Thank you very much for giving your valuable time to bless my son and his family with long life. I also wish for your blessings upon my other son, who is about to embark on a new chapter. Very shortly, we will be celebrating his marriage to Miss. Lalitha, the daughter of our family friend, Mr. Pratap. Once the date is finalized, personal invitations will be sent to each one of you. I humbly request your honorable presence at their wedding to extend your blessings”, announced Bhuvaneswari Devi.The air resonated with thunderous applause, a chorus of well-wishes enveloping Sreekar and Lalitha as they embarked on their new journey together. Sreekar maintained his dignified demeanor, mindful of the family's reputation, while Lalitha radiated with unrestrained joy at the public declaration of their marriage.In the thick of the cheerful atmosphere, Raghavendar, Bhuvaneswari Devi, Pratap, and Poornima bestowed their heartfelt blessings upon the couple. Sreekanth and Shilpa, their faces radiating with genuine happiness, conveyed their sincerest wishes to Sreekar.The joyful celebration stretched into the late night filling the air  with a substantial energy. Sreekar felt a growing sense of unease persistently at him.  The possibility of marriage to Lalitha weighed heavily on his mind, stirring a distressing turmoil within him. His heart yearned relentlessly for Swetha's embrace, craving the warmth and comfort she alone could offer. In the quiet oasis of his thoughts, he longed to be enveloped in her arms, finding solace in their embrace, far removed from the obligations and expectations of the world around him.The following days ...Sreekanth seamlessly immersed himself in a whirlwind of interactions, effortlessly rekindling connections with directors, sponsors, and delving into discussions about new projects and engaging with employees. His presence sparked an unmistakable buzz, drawing attention to his triumphant return.Meanwhile, Sreekar resigned from the CEO position, but was declined by Sreekanth due to his admiration  for Sreekar’s exceptional performance and managerial ability. Sreekanth passionately implored him to reconsider, recognizing Sreekar's talent far surpassed his own in navigating the company towards success. Despite Sreekar’s insistence, Sreekanth gracefully declined the CEO position, opting instead to retain his role as a director within the company, his decision reflecting his humility and unwavering dedication to the company's vision.With heartfelt adoration and a sense of duty, Sreekanth took the courageous step of settling Sreekar into the CEO's seat, a hallowed space that had once been occupied by him. Earlier in the absence of Sreekanth, despite assuming the prestigious position, Sreekar found himself unable to physically sit in his brother's place, his respect for Sreekanth's memory preventing him from doing so. Yet, Sreekar, settling in the same chamber at another place, felt his presence in the air of the chamber which inspired him by his brother’s courageous spirit, guiding and strengthening him in the journey  as CEO of the company. But after Sreekanth’s return, under  his insistence, Sreekar couldn’t deny his brother’s wish and settled in his  place.Days crept by for Sreekar in agonizing slowness as he remained apart from Swetha. The flames of his love consumed him internally, leaving him restless, distressed, and anguished.Sreekanth, though busying himself in  all the engagements, the change in the demeanor of Sreekar didn’t go unnoticed by him. He couldn’t see the earlier cheerfulness, joy and liveliness which he witnessed at their reunion other than hollowness in his eyes. He learned his cold and  stoic demeanor from Deepak but at present it was different. He was  mechanically performing his tasks without any emotions. His eyes were reflecting the agony, distress, anguish he was going through.Sreekanth believed that only Meenakshi can clear all the clouds that were  swirling in his mind. He compelled Sreekar to accompany him to visit Chandra Mohan’s family and proffer some gifts as a token of gratitude to take care of Sreekar in his absence.Though Sreekar was reluctant to accompany him, his heart yearned to have a simple glance of Swetha and accepted his request. His heart was pounding heavily as if it would come out of his chest for a mere thought of    seeing Swetha. He anxiously accompanied his brother, suppressing the anxiousness that was rising in his heart.Even after just one week since their departure, Swetha felt as though it had been a decade without seeing Sreekar. His absence weighed heavily on her heart, especially after the announcement of his marriage by his mother. His failure to return to Menakshi's house disappointed Swetha deeply. Although her heart longed to see him, she tried to console herself with pep talks, convincing herself that they were not destined to be together.Swetha chose not to accompany their parents back to their hometown, opting instead to stay at Mahalaxmi's house for a while. She remained idle in her room, lost in her own thoughts, which caused concern for Mahalaxmi, Krishna Kumar and others. Despite their efforts to cheer her up, they were unsuccessful. Archana attempted to accompany her whenever possible, engaging her in conversation to keep her occupied.On that particular day, Swetha found herself immersed in loneliness, lost in her own thoughts, until she was disturbed by the buzzing sound of her mobile phone. Watching the caller id name, she took the mobile and pressed the   green button.“Sweths! Come to my home immediately!”, yelled Rasi.Swetha instantly sat on the bed and enquired,“What’s wrong? What  happened?”.“Samyu had come to see you. Come here for  a change”, hurried Rasi while disconnecting the call, giving no space for any negotiation.Samyuktha, being unaware of her brother’s plan of visiting Meenakshi, came to have some girl’s time with Rasi and Swetha. She admires Swetha profoundly and felt very downhearted for  parting the way with her brother. When they both were engrossed in their talks, a melodious voice interrupted their conversation.“Samyu!”, sweetly called out Swetha.Samyuktha whirled bak towards the directionof the voice, seeing Swetha standing    at  the entrance, she exclaimed,“Swetha! Come, come  in. I miss you so much”, rushed towards her and pulled Swetha inside.They three comfortably sat on the large couch, gossiping about the latest news and new movies. In  the middl of  their conversation, Samyuktha suddenly took the topic of Sreekar’s marriage.Swetha! You should not have left Sree brother according to his wish. You might have clinged to him untill he accepts to marry you. I don’t understand why he accepted to marry that woman when he is head over heels for you” Samyuktha expressed her feelings with a bitter taste.“Yes Sweths! You didn’t open up  till now why you parted  your ways even after my insistence. Why did you keep silent when my brothers marriage was  announced?” enquired Rasi.Swetha kept silent for a moment,engrossed in her own thoughts, looking at distant,she replied,“I  didn’t wish to complicate the matter for him. They were childhood friends, have equal status and she is a perfect match for him according to his mother. I am a  small village girl who doesn’t know anything in that  high society. In fact, she will be the better companion for him  when compared to me”.“It’s not the matter of status, but what matters is who took  place  in  Sree brother’s heart”,rebuked Samyuktha.Swetha glanced at Samyuktha very downheartedly and whispered,“Whoever may take place in your brother’s heart, at last she will chase everyone out of his world”.Samyuktha gaped at her with widened eyes  in astonishment and queried,“What do you mean? Why did you say that? Do you people have any hostility?”.Swetha nodded her head negatively and replied,“We don’t have any hostility but she hates me for getting your brother’s attention. She even  threatened me  to be away from him. At the very first visit, she slapped me  for getting close to your brother. I am  not worried for myself but frightened for him getting entangled with that vicious woman. Why couldn’t your mother see her viciousness?”.“Who threatened you? Who dared to slap you?” Sreekar’s cold and deep voice reverberated in the air , passing chills in those three girls.