As the car idled by the roadside, Rudra drew in a deep breath, as if steeling himself for a leap into deep waters. He knew it was time to lay all his cards on the table—no half-truths, no dodging the hard questions.
"Before I tell you more about Nand," Rudra began, his voice steady but carrying the weight of old wounds, "you need to know the story of his parents."
Abhi and Sashi leaned in closer, hanging on his every word. They could tell Rudra was about to drop a bombshell, and they weren't wrong.
"Nand is the son of Aakriti and Raghav," Rudra revealed, his eyes scanning their faces for the inevitable reaction.
Abhi's jaw dropped, his mind doing somersaults. "Aakriti? But she's Veer's sister!"
Sashi, equally floored, nodded in agreement. "We've known Aakriti for years. How is this even possible?"
Rudra gave a solemn nod, his expression as serious as a judge. "Yes, Aakriti is Veer's sister. Nand is her son."
Abhi's thoughts whirled like a tornado. A flicker of a memory surfaced—a snippet of an old conversation. His eyes lit up with recognition as he pieced things together. "Wait a minute… are you talking about the Aakriti who vanished into thin air years ago?"
Rudra's face softened, his expression one of quiet confirmation. "That's right, Abhi. Aakriti—Veer's sister—who was thought to be gone forever, is now with us in spirit through Nand."
The revelation landed like a thunderbolt, shaking Abhi and Sashi to their cores. Questions buzzed in their heads like an angry hive of bees, but they were at a loss for words.
As the car rolled back onto the road, Abhi finally broke the silence, his mind still a swirling storm of confusion. "Rudra, I don't get it. Aakriti and Raghav disappeared without a trace, and even Veer was left in the dark. How on earth did you find out about them? And if they're alive, why did you adopt Nand?"
Rudra's face grew somber, as if he were about to unearth a buried treasure of pain. "Abhi, Sashi," he said, his voice tinged with sorrow, "there's something you need to know. Aakriti and Raghav… they're no longer with us."
Abhi's eyes widened, his mind reeling. "What are you saying, Rudra? How is that possible?"
Sashi instinctively reached out to Abhi, her touch a silent offer of comfort as they braced themselves for what was coming next.
"They were in a tragic accident several years ago," Rudra explained, his voice heavy with regret. "Their deaths were kept under wraps. Only a handful of people knew the truth."
Abhi felt like the rug had been pulled out from under him. Sadness for Aakriti and Raghav's untimely end hit him like a punch to the gut, but confusion lingered like a shadow. "Why keep something like that under lock and key, Rudra?" he asked, his tone tinged with both concern and disbelief. "And if they're gone, why adopt Nand?"
Rudra's gaze softened, a mix of regret and determination shining through. "After the accident, Nand was left to fend for himself. He was just a boy, vulnerable and alone. I couldn't, in good conscience, leave him to the wolves. Adopting him wasn't just a decision—it was a duty. I had to give him the love and family he deserved."
Abhi and Sashi exchanged a glance, their expressions a mixture of understanding and empathy. They saw the depth of Rudra's compassion and the burden he'd chosen to shoulder.
Rudra's story hung in the air like an unfinished melody. Aakriti and Raghav's fate added new layers to their tangled web of relationships, but it also shed light on Rudra's character. The road ahead was as uncertain as ever, but they all knew one thing: no matter what twists and turns awaited, they'd face them together.
As the car wound its way down the twisting road, Abhi's mind was spinning like a top, trying to make sense of the bombshells Rudra had dropped. Unable to shake his curiosity, he finally turned to Rudra, his brow knitted like a piece of bad stitching.
"Rudra, does Veer know about this? And more importantly, does Nand know the truth about his parents?"
Rudra kept his eyes on the road, his face clouded with a mix of determination and sorrow. "Veer is in the loop," he said quietly. "But as for Nand, he's in the dark."
Abhi's confusion deepened, his thoughts running circles like a dog chasing its tail. "Why keep Nand in the dark, Rudra? Don't you think he'd be over the moon to know he has family?"
Rudra's voice was calm but carried the weight of the world. "It's not that simple, Abhi. There are skeletons in that closet that are better left undisturbed."
Abhi tilted his head, his curiosity burning brighter than ever. "But why, Rudra? Don't you think knowing the truth could help Nand find peace and a sense of belonging?"
Rudra let out a sigh heavy enough to sink a ship. "Some truths," he said carefully, "are like opening Pandora's box. Once they're out, they can't be undone. Trust me, it's better for Nand not to know—for now, at least. It's a matter of protecting him from potential dangers and heartache."
Abhi and Sashi exchanged glances, their faces etched with concern. They could tell this wasn't a decision Rudra had made lightly. The man had clearly weighed every angle and was keeping his cards close to his chest for a reason.
Abhi gave a slow nod, his curiosity giving way to understanding. "Alright, Rudra. I'll take your word for it. We'll keep this under wraps."
Sashi chimed in, her voice reflective. "You're right—it's for Nand's sake. If this is what's best for him, we'll play along."
Rudra gave them a grateful nod, the tension in his shoulders easing ever so slightly. "Thank you. Sometimes, silence is the only shield we have to protect the ones we love."
As the car hummed along the winding road, the air between them grew heavier with unspoken truths. Though their hearts were heavy with the weight of secrets, Abhi and Sashi silently vowed to respect Rudra's wishes for Nand's sake.
In the midst of all this, Abhi completely forgot about his earlier curiosity regarding Nandini and Nand, his thoughts now tangled up in the web of revelations Rudra had spun.