The sound of the slap resonated inside the whole room making her suddenly still. She went utterly silent but silent tears kept streaming down her cheeks. After a while, she started trembling in fear on seeing his brown eyes darkening with immense anger and...?

"Who the hell gave you the right to kill yourself? Who? This baby which is in your tummy gave you the right to kill yourself? How can you be so selfish,huh that the crime that someone else committed, you're punishing yourself and the unborn soul! I know that this child is the least of what we would like to expect but there are other ways to deal with it rather than taking your own life!",he replied raking his hand through his hair in frustration...

"Listen Aranya! My intention was not to hurt you and yes, when I heard the news than my first instinct was to kill the baby but I cannot be this selfish nor I have any right to decide the fate of the baby! It's upto you whether you want to have this baby or you wanna abort it but I'm not gonna let you kill yourself. And one more thing, believe it or not but I love you, not your body so If you've decided to accept it, then also I'll support you because the baby has your blood too and you're eventually the mother of the child. I'll keep it as my own child forever!",he replied sighing while scooting closer to her and embraced her trembling body in a tight hug...

He kissed her forehead and said "By the way, how are you so sure that you're pregnant? Have you done any tests?"

She simply shook her head while breaking the hug and scurried away from his touch as if it burned her. He exhaled a long sigh and said "You'll have to confirm the news first! How can you be so stupid to try to take your own life without seeing any result?",he groaned in frustration and started walking towards her while she started crouching herself in the corner.

"N-No d...don't co...Ah!!! L-leave me...",he immediately scooped her in his bulky arms and placed her on the fluffy mattress while indicating the maid to call the doctor. She nodded and Immediately left the room.

"What? Don't be a Crybaby now! First you did the most stupidest thing in the world and when I'm trying to help you, you're showing me angry tears!!",he replied sighing while holding her wrists firmly in his hand so that she doesn't try to run away or do something stupid...

After a while, a lady doctor carrying her briefcase entered inside the room and Aranya instantly relaxed on seeing her here.

"So how are you Mrs. Malhotra? How are you feeling now a days?",she asked instantly taking her by sudden surprise! Mrs. Malhotra? She immediately looked at Akshat to see him pinching his ear pinna and mouthing sorry...

"Mrs. Malhotra?",the doctor tapped on her hands lightly.

"Huh? Nausea and vomiting and m-my p... periods are also late!",she replied burning in embarrassment and shame.

"How many days late?"

"F-fifteen...",she replied while shutting her eyelids tightly.

"Okay! And how many days have passed since coitus? I mean after that have you taken any emergency birth control?",she asked but her question was enough to again break her in tears again...

"Umm...doctor! Can I answer instead of her? She's not comfortable to answer",he hesitantly asked and the doctor nodded in approval.

"Over a week and yes, the doctor had given her an emergency birth control pill",he replied looking for the doctor's response.

"In that case the chances of pregnancy are nill! The periods can be late due to stress also and even a patient can skip their whole period because of stress. And the medicines that you're taking may cause nausea and vomiting sometimes",she replied looking at Aranya whose body started relaxing and she sighed in relief...

Checking her pulse with the stethoscope, she replied "It's confirmed Mrs. Malhotra that you're not pregnant!",and stood up from the chair to leave when Aranya uttered "T-thank you" from behind and a serene and calm smile had plastered on her lips.

The doctor nodded her head and left the room with Akshat.

*

*

*

"Yes come in!", Akshat replied after hearing a knock on the door of his study room where he was busy with some files.

"You?",he instantly got shocked on seeing Aranya standing there with two cups of coffee in her hand.

"Who told you to go inside the kitchen? Your wounds are still fresh!!",he scolded with frown lines etching on his face.

"I...I wanted to d-discuss ab-about something i...important with you!",she replied stuttering while eyeing him with fear...

His tense body immediately relaxed on seeing her scared expression and he nodded, indicating her to come inside. She silently sat beside him on a chair and forwarded him the coffee with shaky hands.

"Relax first Aranya! I'm not gonna eat you",he replied sighing while holding the cup firmly in his hand and started looking at her innocent face with various emotions swirling in his eyes.

"I-I want to th...thank you for w-what you d-did today and the previous d-days for me and s-sorry for creating the m...mess but I-I was really scared...",he instantly cuts her off by saying "I can understand that you are suffering from great mental trauma this time and I did what I had to! No need to blame yourself here and no need of formalities like sorry and thank you!" and started sipping on her coffee like it was some divine liquid.

"I still haven't pa-pardoned you yet, A...Akshat",she instantly replied making his suddenly disappointed and he nods while gulping down the lump that has formed in his throat. His face became gloomy but he masked it instantly and passes her a weak smile...

The gloominess hasn't gone unnoticed by Aranya but shrugging away her thoughts instantly, she replied while taking a long breath to calm her palpitating heartbeat "You were no le-less than a monster for me Akshat a-and that was t...the reason f-for our divorce"

He closed his eyes to absorb her bitter words which were true but like a needle that was piercing his heart! He nods while maintaining a neutral expression on his face and gestures her to continue talking...

"But t-the things y...you did for m-me were far beyond the pain that y...you inflicted on my b-body and soul! You saved me f-from that hell and now you w-were ready to accept the imaginary c...child of a r-rapist a f-few moments ago just for th-the sake of m...my happiness...No m-man could do what you've done. Kn-knowing that I w-was the daughter of y-your enemy, you helped me and m...my family so I've decided to give th-this broken marriage...a ch-chance but...",his heartbeat stopped on hearing her words and Immediately he hugged her in response without thinking of anything. Her words were like an ointment on his bruised heart...

"But I w-want s...some time! I want confirmation that y-you'll not h-harm me in future. I w-want to h...have a fresh start w-with you from t-the beginning...I w-want to see what you can do to f-finally convince me for marrying a jerk like y...you again!",she replied in a broken voice while getting away from his embrace and immediately left the room and a lovesick puppy behind who was staring at the retreating figure with much love and adoration. His eyes were teary but they were filled with a really positive and vibrant energy 'Hope'.

Hope that he'll win her heart this time!

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