After Divya Ji left, Jay quietly shut the door behind her. As Shivani reached out to pick up Aditya in her arms, Jay immediately stopped her, his voice gentle but firm. "Wait! The doctor advised you not to lift anything heavy," he said. He then gently lifted Aditya himself, carrying him to the bed with ease. Shivani followed, sitting beside them. Aditya rested his head on Shivani's lap, his tiny voice filled with longing. "Sister, when will Mom come back?" he asked softly.
Shivani's heart clenched at his question, and for a moment, she could not speak. Finally, taking a deep breath, she replied, "Son, Mom has gone very far. When you grow up, she will come back. Until then, you can call me 'Mom' or 'JeeMa.'"
Aditya looked up with innocent confusion. "But you are my sister. How can I call you Mom?" he asked.
Shivani's eyes softened with affection. "When someone has an elder brother, he is like a father. And when someone has an elder sister, she is like a mother. That's why elder siblings are just like parents," she explained gently.
Jay, sitting quietly on the bed, listened to Shivani's words, each one piercing his heart with guilt. He silently blamed himself for the loss of Aditya's parents. His eyes filled with remorse as he watched them, realizing that it was because of him that these two siblings were now orphans.
Aditya's face lit up with joy as he looked up from Shivani's lap. "Can I really call you Mom?" he asked, his eyes shining with hope.
Shivani nodded with a warm smile. Aditya's joy was evident, but soon, his face grew somber. "But when I miss Papa, whom will I call?" His question silenced Shivani, leaving her speechless.
Just then, Jay spoke up, his voice steady. "You can call me 'Papa' or 'JeePa.'"
Aditya sat up from Shivani's lap, surprise flashing in his eyes. "But...you are my uncle. How can I call you Papa?" he asked, puzzled.
Jay chuckled lightly. "I am your brother-in-law, not your uncle," he corrected gently.
Aditya's confusion deepened. "Brother-in-law? What does that mean?" he asked innocently.
Jay smiled. "Because I am your sister's husband," he explained simply.
Aditya's eyes sparkled with happiness. "Can I really call you JeePa?" he asked, his excitement clear.
Jay nodded, and Aditya threw his tiny arms around him in a tight hug. In that embrace, Aditya drifted off to sleep peacefully. From that day on, Aditya began calling Jay 'JeePa' and Shivani 'JeeMa,' and the house was filled with newfound happiness.
Time flew by, and a month passed. Jay enrolled Aditya in a prestigious school where only the children of elite businessmen studied. Every morning, Jay personally dropped Aditya off before heading to his office. His care for Shivani grew with each passing day. He became attentive to her every need, ensuring she ate well and rested enough. Slowly, both Shivani and Aditya began to rely entirely on Jay, finding comfort and security in his presence.
One afternoon, as Jay was caught up in a meeting, his phone rang. It was Divya Ji, her voice trembling with urgency. "Son...something has happened to Shivani! You must come home quickly!"
Without a second thought, Jay abandoned the meeting and rushed out of the office. He drove at full speed, his heart pounding with worry. About half an hour later, he reached the villa. Pushing open the door to the room, he saw Divya Ji lovingly blessing Shivani, who sat with her head lowered. Divya Ji kissed her forehead and said, "Thank you so much, my dear! You have given us such great happiness today. You have no idea how much joy you've brought into our lives!" She waved money around Shivani's head as a traditional blessing.
Hansika, who was sitting next to Shivani, noticed Jay standing at the doorway. She rushed to him with excitement. "Thank you, brother!" she exclaimed.
Jay looked at her with questioning eyes. Understanding his confusion, Hansika smiled and said, "Brother, you're going to be a father! And I... I'm going to be an aunt!" She playfully nudged him. "I didn't know you'd give me my 'negi' (a customary gift) so soon," she teased.
Divya Ji scolded Hansika lovingly. "You've become a mother, yet your childishness hasn't faded," she said, shaking her head. Then she turned to Jay and smiled. "Son, go sit with Shivani. We will take our leave," she said, guiding Hansika out of the room.
As soon as they left, Shivani's eyes brimmed with tears. Jay approached her, sitting down beside her. Seeing her cry, he asked gently, "Why are you crying? Did someone say something to you?"
Shivani shook her head in denial.
"Then why are you crying?" Jay asked, his voice filled with concern.
Through her tears, Shivani whispered, "Sir...everyone is so happy. But they don't know...this child in my womb is not yours. I feel like I'm deceiving them." Her voice cracked with emotion. "Please, tell them the truth...that this child is not yours."
Jay remained silent for a moment, then spoke firmly. "This child is mine."
Shivani's eyes widened in shock. "What?" she asked, disbelief clear in her voice.
Jay quickly corrected himself, "I mean...you are my wife. So, this child is mine too, right?"
He gently wiped her tears away, his voice softening. "Don't cry. Otherwise, it will affect our baby." He extended his hand to her. "Promise me you won't cry again."
Shivani nodded. "I promise I won't cry."
Jay shook his head. "Not like that. Put your hand on mine and promise me properly."
Shivani placed her hand over his and said firmly, "I promise I won't cry."
Jay pulled her into his arms, holding her close. In his heart, he whispered silently, I'm sorry, Shivani. I can never tell you the truth...that this child is not someone else's but mine.