"P-Please father....tell me...w-who died?"
"Irya."
Viraaj stumbled and looked at his father with wide tear filled eyes. He shook his head, denying to accept her death. He pushed Kayan's hands away and stepped back.
Kayan stepped forward and tried to hold him.
"No.." Viraaj whispered.
"Viraaj... listen to me." Said Kayan to calm his son down.
"No!" Viraaj yelled and ran to his chamber. Kayan followed him.
"Viraaj!" He shouted.
Viraaj didn't heed his yells and ran inside his chamber. He closed the door and leaned on it. He held his head in his hands and slowly sat down.
"Ahhh!!!!" He yelled and pulled his hairs in anger. "Why?!!!!"
He continued to shout and break the things in his chamber. Dhishva was with his mother. Kayan was knocking on the door and asking for Viraaj to open it.
Viraaj was constantly screaming her name, due to which his throat started hurting. He didn't opened the door till it became dark outside. His father was sitting at the other side of the door, waiting for him to open it.
Viraaj sat on the floor, his back leaning on the bed. He was staring somewhere blankly. His mind was blank. His heart wanted to stop beating. He wanted to leave this world and go to Irya. His face was expressionless and he rested his head on bed, looking at ceiling.
He remembered her threat that she always used to give him. "I will kill myself if I can't live with you. I will kill myself." He understood that she committed suiside because she don't want to live without him. Tears fell down from the corner of his eyes.
He stood up and pulled the bedsheet off from bed. He stepped on the bed with a small stool. He stepped on the stool and hung the bedsheet to chandelier hanging from the ceiling. He made a noose to hang himself and leave this world, to go to his love.
He put his head in the noose and was about to hang himself when he heard his son crying outside the door. Hearing his voice, Viraaj came to his senses. He stopped, staring at door with guilt and pain. How can he leave his son alone in this world where everyone wants to kill him?
How can he make his son an orphan?
He ran towards the door. He opened the door and saw his mother holding Dhishva who was crying non stop. He quickly took him in his hands and went inside his chamber.
Kayan stood up and went inside the chamber as well, Adhisha following him. Kayan's eyes widened in shock and Adhisha gasped, seeing the noose hanging from the chandelier.
Viraaj sat down on the bed, trying to console Dhishva.
Kayan and Adhisha looked at eachother in fear and Adhisha hugged her son tightly, crying hard. Viraaj tried to hold back his tears but his mother's embrace made him breakdown
Since that day, his parents didn't leave him alone. Kayan and Adhisha continued to stay by his side alternatively. Even at night, Kayan didn't left Viraaj alone. He was scared that Viraaj might do something to himself at night.
After few days, Kayan asked Viraaj to get married, for Dhishva. He wanted to refuse but remembered Irya's last words where she asked him to get married for their son and never let him lack of a mother's love.
He agreed to get married. Kayan suggested one of the noble's daughter. Viraaj agreed as he don't care whom he marries. This marriage is just for his son. He only want that woman to give love and affection to his son as her own. Before marriage, he cleared up everything with her, Sadhya. And she didn't had any problem. She was ready to marry him and accept his son.
"I tried to give her...everything she wanted. My wealth....respect ....care and even my love...that I never wanted to give to anyone except Irya."
Viraaj said. Ira held his hand, tears rolling down her cheeks non stop.
"But she...she wasn't satisfied with it.....She wanted me to forget Irya....my only love. She don't like it....whenever I mention her. Don't know when her jealousy.....turned into hate...and she started instigating Dhishva against his own mother."
Viraaj closed his eyes, feeling pain that the child he and Irya sacrificed everything for, hates his own mother just because someone gave him half information.
"She told him that.....his mother left him.... because she didn't want to raise him.... She ran away from her responsibility.....she abandoned him.....and karma got her.....she died in a road accident..... according to people, Irya died in a road accident but.....only I know....." A tear fell from his eyes as he remembered his love's death.
"I-I know she...she killed herself.....she has told me....she will kill herself if.....if she can't live with me."
"I-Is that the reason.... father hates me? Because I look like his mother?" Ira asked, sobing silently.
Viraaj looked at her and nod "Yes. He sees his mother in you....He has never seen his mother.....but when you were born....he got to know that....you look like his mother.... Sadhya told him. He used to love you a lot....when you were born.....but when Sadhya told him.....that you look like his mother.....who abandoned him....he started hating you....."
He grasped Ira's hand who was breaking down in tears after knowing that her father once loved her.
"I tried to tell him the truth.....but he didn't want to listen to me...he thought....I can't see Irya's flaws...as I love her....and that's why I can't see that she abandoned him.....he was completely in.....Sadhya's control.... doesn't matter what nonsense she speaks about Irya.....he would believe her."
Ira looked down, crying hard and cursing her fate that why she is born with her grandmother's features. If she did not look like Irya, she would have had a better life where her father and everyone would love her.
"Ira...please don't hate your grandmother.." Viraaj requested. He don't want after Dhishva, Ira to hate Irya who was the love of his life. He sees Irya in her. She was innocent and sacrificed everything for him and his family but even after her death, she couldn't get the love and respect she deserve.
Ira looked at him and he wiped the tears from her eyes.
"She gave up on everything for us.... after her death, I didn't wish for anything....I didn't hope for anything....I was just living for my son....but the day you was born....I felt a hope growing in my heart....I felt alive.....for the first time I felt alive.....you brought the hope in my life again....to live a life with purpose and happiness."
"B-But I am not Irya. I am Ira." She said as she is getting to know that whoever loves her have a past with Irya. It's making her feel like everyone like her or hate her because they think she is Irya.
"I know my child...." He said and pulled her in a hug. She rested her head on his chest as he patted her back.
"Don't think that I love you because you look like Irya.... everyone have their own identity.....Irya was my love, my wife.....and you, you are my world....my dearest granddaughter.....you both have different place in my heart.....I can't replace anyone of you....no one can..... after Irya's death, I didn't wished for anything....but when you were born....the only thing I wished for is your health and safety.....not only your father, but I also wanted to....hide you from world.....I don't want anyone to harm you."
Ira sat up and wiped her tears. Whereas outside Viraaj's chamber, Raksheet was hearing everything, from the beginning to end. He had tears in his eyes and looked at Ajit who was looking straight infront of him with tears.
"Don't worry your majesty, I didn't heard anything." Ajit said. He sniffed and wiped his tears "My majesty had suffered alot. I don't want anyone to tarnish his name when....when he leaves." He tried to control his emotions but tears again fell from his eyes.
Raksheet nod and patted Ajit's shoulder before leaving from there.
Viraaj smiled and closed his eyes with a slight smile "I wanted to tell you everything....but didn't dared to....now that, I have told you everything.....I am feeling much lighter." He opened his eyes and looked at Ira "But....my heart is still aching."
"Why?" Ira asked worriedly.