Hi guys I'm back after a long gap but nothing was motivating for writing, but after a lots of self motivation I'm here

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Ishika POV

The silence in the dining room was a living, breathing entity, pressing down on me with suffocating weight. Behind me, I could feel the collective gaze of Avyaan's family, a mixture of shock, pity, and perhaps even judgment. But I didn't care. My world had imploded, and the only thing tethering me to reality was the faint, tantalizing promise of a new one.

I turned from Avyaan, leaving him standing amidst the wreckage of our shared past, a statue carved from his own deception. His face, usually a canvas of carefully constructed composure, was now a fascinating mix of dumbfounded surprise and a flicker of something unreadable. Good. Let him be dumbfounded. He had played his game, and now it was my turn.

My feet moved on their own, carrying me away from the opulent dining room, away from the echoes of my family's betrayal, and towards the one ray of sunshine in this storm - Akanksha. Avyaan had mentioned her room was next to ours. "Ours." The word tasted like ash in my mouth. There would be no "ours" anymore, not in the way he envisioned.

The corridor stretched before me, long and hushed. Each step I took was a deliberate act of putting one foot in front of the other, moving away from the pain and towards a hope I hadn't dared to dream of for four long years. The air, heavy with the scent of betrayal and tears, slowly began to give way to something softer, a faint, sweet aroma that hinted at a child's presence.

I stopped before a closed door, almost identical to the one leading to what was supposedly Avyaan and my room. A small, handcrafted wooden plaque hung on it, engraved with a whimsical bird and the name Akanksha. My breath hitched. Akshu. My little bird.

My hand trembled as I reached for the doorknob. What would she be like? Would she know me? Would she feel the connection that pulsed through my veins, a primal force pulling me towards her? Fear mingled with an almost unbearable anticipation.

The door opened silently, revealing a world bathed in soft, inviting light. The room was a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors and whimsical designs. Plush carpets, bright murals, and a menagerie of stuffed animals adorned every surface. And there she was.

She sat on the thick, cream-colored carpet, her back to me, utterly engrossed in her own private universe. Toys were scattered around her - colorful blocks, a bright red train, a small, well-loved teddy bear. Her tiny fingers meticulously arranged a line of miniature animals, utterly oblivious to the shattered world outside her door.

My gaze fell upon her hair, and a wave of raw, aching familiarity washed over me. It was exactly like mine - a cascade of silky, jet-black strands, glinting in the soft light from the window. The same texture, the same rich hue. It was a tangible link, a silent testament to the undeniable bond that flowed between us.

My heart swelled, a potent mix of tenderness and overwhelming love. The anger, the betrayal, the pain of my family's rejection - it all receded, pushed back by the sheer force of this profound connection. She was here. She was real. And she was mine.

I took a hesitant step into the room, then another, moving as if on hallowed ground. My voice was a mere whisper, a fragile offering in the quiet sanctity of her space. "Akanksha?"

Something stuck me in a lightening speed joy

Akanksha's little shoulders stiffened at the sound of my voice. Slowly, she turned, her movements as deliberate as an opening flower. Her eyes, wide and questioning, were the first thing I noticed. They were dark and liquid, just like my own, framed by thick, long lashes. A small, perfect replica of me stared back, and my breath caught in my throat.

She tilted her head, her gaze sweeping over my face as if searching for something she couldn't quite place. A moment of silence stretched between us, thick with unspoken questions. Then, a slow smile, hesitant at first, bloomed across her face, transforming her into a sunlit child. It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

"Hi," she said, her voice a tiny, musical chime. "Are you a new friend for Teddy?" She held up a faded brown bear with one button eye.

A fresh wave of emotion crashed over me, a tidal pull of love and longing so strong it threatened to undo me. My eyes welled up with tears, and I dropped to my knees, meeting her at her level.

"I'm not a friend for Teddy," I whispered, my voice thick with unshed tears. "I'm... I'm just a friend for you."

She giggled, a sound that was pure joy, and wiggled her fingers at me. "Come and play with me! These are my animal friends. This is Leo the lion, and this is Ellie the elephant, and this is-" she pointed at each one with great seriousness, "This is Babs the bunny."

I spent the next hour in her world, a world of tiny animals, wobbly block towers, and whispered secrets. We built a castle for Babs the bunny, with turrets and a drawbridge made of bright red blocks. I watched her little brow furrow in concentration, her tiny hands carefully placing one block on top of another. Every time she looked up and smiled at me, my heart felt like it was expanding, healing from the wounds of the past few days.

It was in the middle of a serious discussion about whether Ellie the elephant preferred pink or purple that the door creaked open. Avyaan stood there, his face pale and etched with an apology I wasn't ready to accept. His eyes, however, weren't on me. They were on Akanksha, a mixture of love and guilt swirling in their depths.

He cleared his throat, a sound that instantly shattered the fragile peace of our little world. Akanksha turned to him, her face lighting up. "Dad!" she exclaimed, scrambling to her feet and running into his arms.

He scooped her up, his gaze meeting mine over the top of her head. I felt a familiar ache, a sharp pang of betrayal and loss. The easy way he held her, the genuine affection in his voice-it was a stark reminder of all the years I'd lost.

He kissed her cheek, then gently placed her back on the floor, holding her hand. He took a deep breath, and his gaze found mine, steady and resolute. "Akanksha," he said, his voice soft but firm. "I want you to meet someone very special. This is your "Mama."

The words hung in the air, a bell tolling a truth that was both a blessing and a curse. Akanksha's eyes, those beautiful, deep eyes, widened in confusion. She looked from him to me, then back again. I could feel the tears I had been fighting back finally spill over, tracing a hot path down my cheeks. This was my daughter. And she had no idea.

I watched her face, a mix of childlike innocence and utter bewilderment, and my heart broke all over again. All the pain, all the years of not knowing, of being robbed of this profound joy, came flooding back.

To be continued....

Ab to chapter complete ho gaya do vote and comment guys ⭐