Journey of Hope

CHAPTER:- 11

Pratyasha's Pov

When I entered inside, there was unusual silence. Ishaan was sitting on the drawing room sofa, and beside him Pratyush and Prajwal were sitting. Mom was serving snacks to three of them. She loved Pratyush and Prajwal a lot. After all they were her own son. While my biological mother had left the world giving birth to me. Only if she would have made everyone here as her own, I wouldn't have faced so many hate from my family.

No body had noticed me entering the living room. I thought it would be better if I will reach my own room before being noticed by someone here. Ishaan's presence was not giving me good vibes. I looked at him. He was sitting like a king and talking sweetly to Mom. Actually Ishaan's mother was the maternal cousin of Mom. And in this way Ishaan was the nephew of Mom. So she loved him dearly too. Everyone here loved each other, only I was the one born to be hated.

I was so lost into my thoughts to forget that I should have leave the hall room earlier. "Oh! Finally the princess blessed us with her presence! Our luck!" Aunt Anisha exclaimed in a fake enthusiastic voice. I mentally cursed myself for being so stupid. Only if I would have leave to my room, rather than witnessing the love between everyone here, then I might be safe from the glares I was getting at that moment from everyone.

Anisha Samantray was a known personality in the world of business. She lost his husband in a plane crash two years back and from then she had become the new MD of their family business. She was also the maternal cousin of Sarmistha Mom. Well, from my childhood she never liked me, though she love Pratyush and Prajwal a lot. I never complained because they were her own nephew, and I being their step sister had no place for love.

Her hate was always justified to me, but one year back her action did create a layer of confusion in my mind. On my 20th birthday, Baba had organised a huge birthday party like every year. After the cake cutting ceremony, Anisha aunty came in the middle, and asked for my hand from Baba. Well being the only sister-in-law, she had shared a joyful relation with Baba. Then I had no option other than accepting Aunt Anisha's proposal for her only son, Ishaan Samantray, who had returned to India after his father's sudden demise.

"Back to earth Queen Victoria! We are waiting here for your answers.", said aunt Anisha sarcastically. "Who give you the lift today?" She asked raising her eyebrow. "I am considering you to be my son's bride. And you are coming home with someone else's car."

Her accusations stabbed my heart for thousand times. I looked at Pratyush and Prajwal, who were giving confused look towards me. They were not like Mom and Dadi. They cared for me. Then like Baba, they too trusted Mom and Dadi. Thus they carried the looks of confusion, without supporting me there. Mom was sitting there on the sofa, now chopping the fruits for her beloved sons. She cared less about my misery, after all I was just a burden in the name of step-daughter for her.

"Like your mother, you have started your games to destroy others' happiness. Pray for seven lives, still you won't get a person like Ishaan as your husband. And here you are going around with other boys, defaming our status. While he is waiting for you here silently without complaining about these habits of yours." I confusedly looked at Ishaan to find him looking at me only. He immediately averted his gaze.

That means Ishaan hadn't told about my secret outing with Ashia to anyone. And Dadi and Aunt Anisha were angry because they have seen me coming out of Ashia's car.

"Are you mute? Or your silence is the approval of your low character? Who is inside that car? With whom you are talking?", asked Aunt Anisha jerking my arm, exactly at the place where Ishaan had hold me tightly in the college. I hissed in pain.

"Mom!" It was Ishaan who interrupted Aunt Anisha. Everyone gave him a look of confusion. He realised what he did. Being an obedient son, he had never questioned his mother. But for the first time he had interrupted her. "Actually I had some work outside the college. So I asked one of Pratyasha's classmate to drop her home. And she is a girl too. Ashia.. Her name is Ashia." Ishaan said in one breath to end his awkwardness.

I was shocked seeing him lieing to save me. I noticed his gaze fixed on my arm, which was held by Aunt Anisha. Maybe he was guilty for his earlier acts. Aunt Anisha left my arm in an instant. She was startled with Ishaan's interruption. There was moment of silence prevailed. I found it best to leave for my room. While crossing Ishaan, I looked at him to find his eyes softened. I went upstairs to my room. Throwing the bag on the bed, I went to freshen up.

The cold shower burned my scars. Still I rubbed them because the physical pain was nothing in front of the pain of heart. From my childhood, I had heard against my mother. I had never seen her, as she died after giving me birth. I didn't know anything about her. From the time I recalled about myself, Dad was married to Sarmistha Mom. They had twins - Pratyush and Prajwal, who were two years younger to me.

Dadi often said that my mother died because of her own needs. She was a curse to all of us. I never believed her. As a child I loved my dead mother a lot. Then one day Baba told me that, my mother betrayed him. She didn't tell him the truth about her health issues during pregnancy. Thus he couldn't save her. She took advantage of his trust and his feelings. He never wanted to remember her. I remembered that day clearly. For the first time I saw tears in my Baba's eyes. I hated my biological mother from that day. Only if she would have share her health issues with Baba, then we three would have a happy life. I wouldn't have to see my Baba's helpless state. While my Baba was my superhero. After my mother had done so much with him, still he told me about her and gave me her name. Yes my name was a ship name of my parents. Pratik and Adyasha, made me - Pratyasha.

Breaking the thoughts of past, I turned off the shower. Wiping my wet hairs, I went into the closet to find a cloth. The burning scars on my hand were itching, as I had worn the full sleeved dress throughout the day. So I decided to wear a comfortable cotton frock, and sleeveless too. After all the scars needed some fresh air to heal. I was not that much lucky that mom or dadi will apply ointment to heal these bruises. Well I was always deprived of love and care. And Baba had no idea about all this. I didn't want to spoil their relations. It must be my fault, so that Dadi and Mom never loved me, like they did for Pratyush and Prajwal.

I went out of my thought when someone knocked on the door. Must be a maid, I thought. "Yes, Come in." I said, while combing my hair down. I hoped that Dadi and Mom, along with Aunt Anisha would have calmed down. I was not in a state to bear the outcomes of their anger.

"Has Baba arrived? Is Dadi still angry?" I asked without looking at the person standing on the doorstep.

"Who has the audacity to be angry on the princess?" I turned around to find the most unexpected person there.