"It only has to make sense to you"..

Chandigarh, India..

As the Haldi ceremony began, the atmosphere in the room was a blend of festive cheer and underlying tension. The sound of laughter and traditional songs filled the air, but beneath the surface, emotions were tightly wound, ready to unravel at the slightest provocation.

Anmol, with a firm but gentle hand, took both Rishu and Reet with her, effectively separating the twins and creating a physical and emotional distance between them and Ruhi. It was a subtle but deliberate move, one that pierced Ruhi's heart like a thousand daggers. The pain of seeing her children, who were unknowingly caught in this web of complicated emotions, being taken away from her was almost unbearable.

Rishu, with his bright eyes and innocent heart, wanted nothing more than to be with Ruhi. He was thrilled to introduce his sister, Reet, to the woman he had come to love so dearly, the woman he had unknowingly claimed as his mother. But as Anmol led them away, he felt the distance growing, and it left him confused and disappointed. He tugged at his grandmother's hand, trying to make his way back to Ruhi.

"Grandma, I want to go to Mom," Rishu said, his voice filled with the pure, unfiltered longing of a child who simply wanted to be near someone he cared about.

Anmol stiffened at the word "Mom" but kept her composure. She crouched down to Rishu's level and spoke softly, yet with an edge of finality. "Rishu, dear, come with me for now. We'll see your... friend later, okay?"

Rishu frowned, not understanding the sudden distance. "But I want to be with her now," he insisted, his little heart struggling to grasp the complex emotions and adult decisions swirling around him.

Ruhi, standing not too far away, watched this interaction with a hollow ache in her chest. She longed to run over, scoop both Rishu and Reet into her arms, and never let them go. But she was rooted to the spot, forced to swallow her tears and keep up the facade of calmness for the sake of Abhay and the ongoing ceremony.

Reet, on the other hand, was quieter, more observant. She held her grandmother's hand but kept glancing back at Ruhi, as if sensing a connection she couldn't quite understand. Her wide, curious eyes lingered on Ruhi for a moment longer before Anmol gently led her away, further deepening the emotional chasm.

******************

Flashback...

Ruhi's life was a series of unexpected challenges, beginning with the loss of her parents in a tragic accident that left her alone in the world. Growing up in an orphanage, she found solace in academics, excelling in her studies despite the lack of familial support. She was a brilliant student with a promising future, but one night changed the trajectory of her life.

A night out with friends led to an ill-fated decision. At a pub, under the influence of alcohol, Ruhi had a one-night stand with Vidhant her friend's mutual friend. Both of them brushed it off as a moment of weakness, something they could move past and never speak of again. They exchange contact details or keep in touch. For them, it was a fleeting mistake in the heat of the moment.

However, life had different plans for Ruhi. She soon discovered she was pregnant with twins, a revelation that turned her world upside down. Vidhant, who was struggling with his career at the time, found himself thrust into a situation he was ill-prepared for. Despite the lack of a deep connection between them, he decided to marry Ruhi, seeing it as the only way to take responsibility for his actions. The marriage was hastily arranged, with neither of them fully considering the long-term consequences.

Vidhant, overwhelmed by financial struggles and career pressures, didn't inform his family about the marriage or the pregnancy. He kept it a secret from his mother, Anmol, and his sister, Pihu. The situation grew more complicated as Ruhi's pregnancy progressed. Complications forced her to quit her job and remain on bed rest, adding to their financial burdens.

At that time, Vidhant and Ruhi were living in Mumbai, far from his family in Delhi. The distance only added to the strain. Anmol, growing increasingly concerned about Vidhant's lack of communication and his frequent absences, decided to visit him in Mumbai. When she arrived and discovered that not only was Vidhant married, but Ruhi was also pregnant with his twins, she was shocked.

Anmol, who had always envisioned a different kind of life for her son, didn't take kindly to Ruhi. Although she was outwardly sweet and supportive in Vidhant's presence, her attitude toward Ruhi was far from kind. Whenever Vidhant left for work, Anmol's true feelings came to the surface. She would taunt and criticize Ruhi, making her feel unwelcome and unworthy. Anmol's monthly visits, often accompanied by Pihu, became a source of dread for Ruhi.

Ruhi tried to address the issue with Vidhant, hoping he would intervene and defend her. But Vidhant, already overwhelmed by his financial difficulties and career struggles, dismissed her concerns. He often brushed off her complaints, insisting that his mother's behavior was not something he could control and that Ruhi should just endure it for the sake of peace. He saw their marriage as a mistake-one that he was already paying dearly for-and didn't want to exacerbate the situation by confronting his mother.

This lack of support from Vidhant deepened Ruhi's isolation. She was left to deal with a difficult pregnancy, financial stress, and the emotional abuse from her mother-in-law, all on her own. The marriage, already fragile due to its hasty beginnings, started to crack under the pressure. Vidhant's inability to stand up for Ruhi, coupled with his financial woes, created a toxic environment that only made Ruhi feel more alone.

Ruhi's experience was one of heartbreak and betrayal. She had hoped that marriage would provide her with the stability and support she so desperately needed, but instead, it had trapped her in a life filled with disappointment and pain. The one person who should have been her partner and protector, Vidhant, had become a source of frustration and sorrow. As her pregnancy progressed, Ruhi found herself more isolated than ever, caught in a situation she couldn't escape.

The memories of those days in Mumbai were still fresh in Ruhi's mind as she stood at Abhay's wedding, watching Anmol and Pihu interact with her children, Rishu and Reet. The sight brought back all the pain she had endured-the loneliness, the taunts, the sense of betrayal. And now, with Vidhant can arrive anytime, those old wounds were being ripped open once again.

Ruhi clenched her jaw as the memories flooded back. She had survived those years of hardship and had built a new life for herself, but now, faced with the family that had once rejected her, she felt the old anger and hurt resurface. Anmol and Pihu might not recognize her, but Ruhi remembered everything. And as the Haldi ceremony proceeded, she knew that this reunion was far from the joyous occasion it should have been.

Ruhi's heart ached as she watched Anmol take Rishu and Reet away. The separation from her children, the reminders of her past, and the presence of the man who had once promised to stand by her side but had failed her so completely-all of it was almost too much to bear. Yet, she knew she had to remain strong. There was no room for vulnerability in front of these people. She had come too far to let them see her break.

Ruhi's dreams of furthering her education and securing a successful career were abruptly shattered by her unexpected pregnancy. Her ambitions, which had once been her driving force, were now overshadowed by the reality of her situation. The news that her life would be at risk if she attempted an abortion only added to the weight of her predicament. Faced with no other choice, Ruhi had to endure a pregnancy she never wanted, and this left her feeling trapped and resentful.

The negligence and lack of support from Vidhant only deepened her sense of despair. As she struggled through a difficult pregnancy, Ruhi found it impossible to form a bond with the twins she was carrying. Instead of feeling excitement or maternal affection, she saw them as a burden-a constant reminder of the life and opportunities she had lost. The thought of becoming a mother did not fill her with joy; it filled her with dread.

The depression that crept into Ruhi's life during this time was all-consuming. She felt utterly alone, with no one to turn to for comfort or understanding. Vidhant's indifference and preoccupation with his own struggles made her feel invisible, as though her feelings and fears didn't matter. The emotional disconnect between them grew wider with each passing day, leaving Ruhi to deal with her pain in isolation.

As the pregnancy progressed, Ruhi made a decision that she felt was the only way to reclaim some semblance of control over her life. She decided that once the twins were born, she would leave them behind. In her mind, this was the only way she could ever hope to escape the crushing responsibilities that had been forced upon her. She convinced herself that by walking away, she could finally start anew, free from the chains that had bound her to a life she never wanted.

But even as she made this decision, a part of her was conflicted. Deep down, she knew that abandoning her children would be a difficult and painful choice, one that might haunt her for the rest of her life. Yet, the thought of staying and continuing to live a life dictated by circumstances she hadn't chosen was too unbearable to consider. In her heart, she felt as though she was losing herself, drowning in a sea of obligations and expectations that she never wanted to fulfill.

Ruhi's internal struggle was a silent one. On the outside, she appeared to be just another expectant mother, but inside, she was grappling with feelings of guilt, anger, and sorrow. The depression she experienced made it nearly impossible for her to see a way forward that didn't involve some form of escape. The idea of leaving the twins behind wasn't born out of malice; it was a desperate attempt to save herself from a life she felt she couldn't endure.

As the days to her delivery approached, Ruhi's resolve hardened. She believed that once the twins were born, she would be free to pursue the life she had always wanted-a life of success, independence, and fulfillment. But beneath that determination was a profound sadness, a recognition that this decision would leave a lasting mark on her soul.

In her mind, Ruhi was preparing to make the ultimate sacrifice-walking away from her children so that she could reclaim her own life. Yet, she couldn't ignore the quiet voice within her that questioned whether this was truly the right path. As much as she wanted to leave, a part of her knew that the bond between a mother and her children was not something that could be easily severed.

Ruhi's decision set the stage for a future filled with unresolved emotions and unanswered questions. Even as she tried to distance herself from the life she was about to leave behind, she couldn't fully escape the weight of the choices she was making. The journey that lay ahead would be one of both freedom and loss, as Ruhi sought to reconcile her ambitions with the realities of motherhood.

As the ceremony continued, Ruhi struggled to focus. The colors, the music, and the joy around her felt muted, as if she were watching it all from behind a foggy glass. Her thoughts kept drifting back to Rishu and Reet, to the unbearable reality that her own children were so close yet so far from her.

Despite the festive surroundings, Ruhi's heart was breaking, piece by piece. She had thought she was prepared for this, for seeing Vidhant again, for facing the past she had tried so hard to bury. But nothing could have prepared her for the pain of being separated from her children, of being forced to watch from a distance as they were taken away from her once more.

But this was Abhay's day, and Ruhi knew she had to hold herself together. For him, for her Hitchhiker's family, and for the promises she had made to herself. The storm inside her would have to wait, just a little longer. But when it broke, she knew there would be no going back.

Tillthengoodbye
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