XIII. Diya

Abhi

I left the office with Rohan. When I asked him why he was coming with me, he shrugged his shoulders and answered me. "I am curious to see your future wife". I can't blame him, even I am curious to see her. I was 22 years when I got Diya. She is 3-years-old and the most beautiful thing that happened in my life. When I was in college I loved a girl, a middle-class girl to be specific and she turned out to be a bitch. We dated for about three years before I proposed to her. Later I found that she was pregnant and we planned to marry before the baby was born, but she changed demanding money all the time, she even tried to kill my baby in her stomach. I later found about her intentions of trying to trap me by getting pregnant. I got my daughter at last after many ugly things occurred. She was visiting Disney land and I was supposed to join her but couldn't because of work and my baby is angry that her trip is cut short. I was planning to diffuse her anger. I bought her favorite strawberry ice cream along with some chocolates.

When I reached home I found my baby, sitting on the couch with her arms crossed and pouting, my mom and Dharani aunty were requesting her to eat something but my baby was not having it. Rohan and I laughed at her cute behavior and the trio looked up at us. My mom and Aunt let out a sigh of relief, Diya looking at me with excitement in her eyes but she sat still not coming near me. She was not going to make the first move. I nod at mom to move aside, I sat beside Diya and opened the ice cream tub.

"I got my Diya's favorite ice cream. Is she not going to eat?" I asked her showing the ice cream. She looked at the ice cream longingly and trying to control her urge to eat. She turned her head in another direction huffing at me.

"I no want ice-cwream. I angwy dada", she said in her cute adorable voice.

"Why is my baby angry at me? Did I do anything wrong Diya?" I sat on my knees in front of her and forced her to look at me. She looked at me with her blue eyes. She is a replica image of me and acts like me.

"You no come to Dsney lan. I have no fun", she pouted. She meant to say that I didn't join her and called her early to return.

"Now I know why you are angry. If you forgive me this time we will go to Disney land and I will buy you a Rapunzel dress", her smile intensified hearing her favorite character name. She hugged me tight.

"I lowe you dada", she kissed my cheeks soundly. I signaled my lips and she gave me a peck making me chuckle.

"Now let us have ice cream", I took out a spoon and fed her. She eagerly gulped waiting for more. Rohan cleared his throat making Diya look in his direction and her eyes widen.

"Princess, what about me?" He pouted.

"Roni", she shouted and rushed towards him. Rohan lifted her and she cuddles in his neck.

"I missed u Roni", she sighed and kissed his cheeks. I am jealous of seeing them. I did not get this warm welcome.

"I missed you too princess. You go and complete ice cream"

"You fweed me", she signaled me to give him ice cream. I am angry with them. I gave Rohan the tub and sat on the couch with my arms folded across my chest. I watched them as Rohan fed her, she was telling him about the things she saw. I am grateful to have him in my life. He helped me in taking care of Diya. He is like a father to her.

"Now princess go to dada, he is getting jelly", at Rohan's words, Diya came towards me and tried to sit in my lap. She failed, as I was not helping her, I can tell that she was getting frustrated. I sighed and placed her in my lap. I need to explain to her about having a new mommy.

"Do you nweed a jelly dada", she asked me innocently. I chuckled at her.

"No baby, I am angry that you let Roni feed you", I pouted at her. She sighed and shook her head as if it a stupid thing. She placed her little hands on my cheeks, kissed my pout, and snuggled into me.

"You my dada, Roni no", she said her voice muffled as she spoke into my shirt. I kissed her head with tears in my eyes. I looked at Rohan sitting in front of me. I nodded my head and he left along with mom and aunt.

"So baby, I have a surprise for you." She looked at me with innocence in her eyes. I will do anything to give her a good childhood.

Avni

The little girl with a pink dress sitting in between the adults intrigued me. I don't think there were any small kids in this family. I saw everyone become nervous from the corner of my eye.

Damini aunty spoke broke the tension in the room.

"Abhi is waiting in the backyard for you", she informed and signaled me to follow her. Akky squeezed my hand in support and I followed Damini aunty. I tried to start a conversation with her to relax my nerves.

"Aunty, who is that kid?" She gave me a look and the next words she spoke broke my heart.

"You will know about it soon. I did not expect you to be Arjun and Meera's daughter. You have no standards for being their daughter. I like you when I saw you in the office but you are a cheater trying to cheat Abhi, he will never forgive you. He despises liars. You are also the person he dislikes most. How do you think this marriage is going to turn out?" We reached the backyard and she left me there telling me that Abhi will come in 5 minutes. I was planning on how to convince him when he arrives. I sat on the bench waited for his arrival.

I heard the sound of footsteps. I mentally braced myself for the upcoming situation.

"Ms. Rajput, I have few things to discuss with you regarding this marriage", he came to the point directly without beating around the bush. "I know you are also forced into this marriage so let us treat this marriage as a business deal". For god's sake, he was discussing as if we were making a deal, not marriage. I let him continue.

"So, we will have some ground rules and not interfere with each other's business. We can have a written agreement regarding this", this insolent jerk I was planning to give this marriage a chance but he does not want a marriage.

"I have one important thing to tell you. The press knew about it but we were able to reduce the effects of the news." He took a deep breath and said the words that I did not expect at all. "I have a 3-year-old daughter named Diya."

I gasped at that. I did not know about it, no one told me this. I was shocked because I did not know she existed, anyone did not share this news with me. I cannot be a mother, I am too young for that. I can be a bad influence on her. My thoughts broke when Abhi started speaking again.

"If you don't like kids you can ignore her. She will not bother you, I will look after it, please just don't shout at her", he stopped speaking when we heard a giggling sound. I wanted to turn around and look at her daughter but I was afraid that I would face his wrath. His doubts were justified, but he cannot judge me like that.

I heard those two mumbling to each other, I could not understand what they were speaking about. Abhi came closer to me.

"This is my daughter Diya, would you like to meet her", he questioned me. I was nervous, I have many questions running in my brain. Can I be a good mother for her? I heard a small cry and I felt a stab in my heart.

"Why are you crying baby?" Abhi asked her. She answered while hiccupping.

"I-I d-don think p-petty l-lady l-liwes m-me." My heart soared after listening to her words. I cannot ignore her. I rushed towards them. I ignored Abhi's widened eyes and took her into my arms.

"Why is this beautiful angel crying?" I cooed at her. Her tears stopped and she was hiccupping. She snuggled into me. She is adorable, I sat on the bench with her in my lap. I ran my hand on her back to soothe her. I was protective of her and I didn't even meet her. When her hiccupping subsided, I gently pulled her face towards me. I felt like crying after seeing her tear-stained face, I was the reason she cried. I got hold of my emotions and cleaned her tears with my scarf.

"Now tell me why you are crying", I asked in a small voice not to frighten her. I looked into her blue eyes similar to her father eyes.

"You no look at me because I no pwetty", she said in her adorable voice. I chuckled at her adorable question.

"No, I was preparing myself to look at your beautiful face. I heard that you look like Rapunzel", I loved Rapunzel from all the Disney characters and I just said that name hoping she loved her. She gasped hearing the name.

"Dada, I am Rupunzee now. I love this new momma. Shall we keep her?" She begged her father leaving me surprised by her words.

Abhi

I tried my best to explain to my daughter that she was getting a new mommy. She asked me only one question.

"You no leave me dada?" I know where she got these questions. She watches daily soap operas with my mom. I shook my head, I should control what she watches.

"Where will I go leaving my baby alone?" She looked satisfied with my answer. She slapped her forehead as if remembering something. She got down from my lap and forced me to get down.

"Dada, come on. I get rweady and im- impw, she lowe me", she struggled to find the correct word. She was rushing me as if she was getting married on the second thought let me forget about her marriage.

"Ok, let's get you ready now", I scooped her in my arms and went to her room. Her clothes and other things were in her room, but she always sleeps with me. I bathed her. She kept rejecting all the dresses I pulled telling me she wanted to impress her new momma. Diya started loving that woman without meeting her, I just hope that she will not disappoint Diya.

"Yes dada, this good", she finally agreed to a pink gown. I dressed her and let her hair free with a headband as Diya ordered me to. My daughter even got my fashion sense. I handed her to my mom and left to get ready. I prepared myself for what to speak to Ms. Rajput. I came down and found all members in the living room with Anupama dadi. Damini aunty guided me to the backyard as I requested her to make Ms. Rajput wait there.

"Chachi(Aunty), please call Diya to come here in 5 minutes", she nodded her head with an unreadable expression on her face and left. I went and stood behind the bench where the woman sat. I cleared my throat and explained how our marriage was going to be and she kept her back towards me. She gasped when I told her about Diya. I stopped speaking when Diya came rushing towards me. I lifted her.

"I see her now", she asked me feeling excited. I nodded my head at her.

"I will introduce you to her"

"She is pwetty dada", she sighed dreamily. I can't understand the woman my daughter including.

I tried to introduce Diya but that woman did not respond and Diya started crying. I hated this woman more than anything. I tried to console Diya when she was out of my arms. I looked up and saw brown eyes looking at me. I was in a trance not able to understand anything. I came out of my thoughts when Diya called me.

"Dada, I am Rupunzee now. I love this new momma. Shall we keep her?" She begged me. I nodded my head in a trance. They started speaking all things and my daughter clinging to her. Avni is here sitting in front of me.

I was a myriad of emotions right now. I felt happy as I get to marry Avni and my daughter seemed happy with her. Betrayed as she cheated on me telling lies about her identity. Angry that I allowed another woman who came close to destroy me. Anger won out of all emotions. I controlled my anger and spoke to Diya in a calm voice.

"Baby go inside. It is late go and eat something", she denied clinging to Avni more and my anger increased. After some sweet words from her, Diya agreed to go inside. All hell broke loose as Diya left.

"How dare you?" I roared. Avni trembled with fear.

"A-Abhi, p-please listen to me", she stuttered pathetically.

"What is there to listen? You tried to join my company disguised as another person to get the position, now marrying me, as you cannot work hard. Now you are after my daughter. If you want a daughter then why don't you go and sleep with someone the", my words were cut when I felt a slap on my face and my face whipped to the side. I looked at her and saw tears in her eyes. I felt regret wash over me.

"Don't you dare go near my dignity. I thought you would understand my decision. But no you have to prove your arrogance. I pity myself that I will be married to a pathetic person like you who always degrades the other person to know his worth", she left me there. She turned back one last time and said the words that sealed our fate into something I never expected to have.

"I will make you pay for the things you said".

Unknown

I wait for my members to arrive and give me some good news. I was disappointed in them. They couldn't find that Avni Arya and Avni Rajput were same and top that her marriage to Abhi. How did I not know these things?

My men arrive and bowed in front of me.

"What is happening. How can you not know about all this including Mr. Goenka's health", I roar at them. My right hand man answered me.

"We don't think Mr. Goenka has cancer. I think he is doing that to make them both married. They know about us being behind Avni Rajput." I was shocked listening this. They can't know about me. My plans will be spoiled.

"We also got to know some details about Avni's will", he handed me some papers. I looked into them ans smiled.

"Let us wait some more days. Rudra Goenka you planned there marriage hopping that Abhi will save Avni. But you are wrong this time, Abhi will hate her that he will be ready to kill her". I laughed darkly.

Just some days after marriage and I will have everything I wished for.

--------------------------------

Heya guys,

Here is your update. Share your tgoughts about it.

Again unknown any guesses again?

Any chances for Avni being a badass?

How do you feel about Diya? Isn't she adorable.

Please vote and comment. It makes my day.

Vote. Comment. Share.