On the way back from school, Anurag felt as if he had been completely shattered.
He had told them he would stay away from Sneha. But how could he? He couldn't live even a single moment without her. On the days she didn't come to school, he would go half-mad. And now he had decided to keep his distance from her himself.
It was like deciding to stop breathing. Still, Anurag tried to convince himself — *this is for Sneha's own good.*
The pain was unbearable. He had no idea how to make it stop. Sneha's tears, the Headmistress's words — everything kept replaying in his mind.
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_
_
Outside, the sky had turned grey. A light breeze rustled the leaves. Anurag reached his mother's house — he had been staying there for the past month because his mother couldn't bear to be away from him.
But the moment he saw the black Mercedes parked in front of the gate, Anurag froze.
He slowly opened the door and stepped inside.
His eyes were tired, his face blank.
As soon as he removed his shoes and walked in, he stopped dead.
A man was sitting on the sofa in the living room.
Mr. Arindam Banerjee — Anurag's father. He wore a dark suit, aged but still carrying the same commanding presence.
Leaning against the wall stood Mrs. Arundhati Devbarman. Beside her was Anirban Sir.
---
Half an hour earlier.
Mr. Arindam Banerjee (voice soft but trembling):
"Arundhati… you… you've really come back?"
Mrs. Arundhati Devbarman (looking straight into his eyes):
"Yes. I've come back. To my son."
Mr. Arindam Banerjee (letting out a long sigh):
"I… I made so many mistakes. So many. I doubted you, insulted you, never trusted your love. And our son paid the price for it."
Tears filled Mrs. Arundhati Devbarman's eyes.
Mrs. Arundhati Devbarman:
"I made mistakes too, Arindam. I left our son. I deprived a little child of his mother's arms. Every night I cried thinking of his face, but I never had the courage to return. I… I was a terrible mother."
Mr. Arindam Banerjee (voice growing heavy):
"No. You weren't a terrible mother. We were both terrible parents. I couldn't love you properly. Jealousy, suspicion… I tormented you with all of it. And you… you ran away to survive. The bigger fault was mine."
Both remained silent for a moment. Then Mr. Arindam Banerjee extended his hand. After a brief hesitation, Mrs. Arundhati Devbarman took it. Tears glistened in both their eyes.
Mr. Arindam Banerjee (eyes wet):
"I'm asking for your forgiveness, Arundhati. For everything. All the resentment, the fights, the suspicions… I want to forget them. No matter how bad a person I am, I can't live without you anymore. You are the only woman I have ever truly loved. Yes, I know I'm a terrible man — hot-tempered, difficult — but I'm telling you the truth: I love you very much. If you want… we can start over. For Anurag. For us."
Mrs. Arundhati Devbarman (crying):
"I'm asking for your forgiveness too, Arindam. I hurt you. But I hurt our son the most. If he forgives us today… then we can become one family again."
---
Present.
Anurag stood frozen.
For a few seconds, no one spoke.
The air in the room grew heavy.
Mr. Arindam Banerjee sat on the sofa.
Mrs. Arundhati Devbarman stood a little distance away — worry in her eyes, lips pressed tightly together.
Anirban stood quietly in the corner, watching the scene in silence.
Mr. Arindam Banerjee slowly rose to his feet.
His eyes met his son's directly.
Voice heavy.
Mr. Arindam Banerjee:
"Anurag…"
Anurag's gaze was cold.
There was no emotion in it.
Anurag (calm but distant):
"Why have you come here?"
The word "you" pierced Mr. Arindam Banerjee's chest.
Silence stretched for a moment.
Then Mr. Arindam Banerjee spoke softly —
Mr. Arindam Banerjee (stepping closer, voice trembling):
"I've come to you, son… You are my child, my own flesh and blood. Can't a father come to his son? How much longer will you stay angry with me, Anurag?"
Anurag gave no answer.
---
Mr. Arindam Banerjee took another step forward.
Mr. Arindam Banerjee (voice shaking):
"I've heard everything… what happened to you at your grandmother's funeral… how your uncles and cousins insulted you, called you illegitimate, fought over property… I called all of them. Everyone — from your eldest uncle to Ajay, Aritra… I punished them. I didn't spare them, Anurag. I cut their share of the property. I am my father's eldest son. Therefore, as my child, you have the greatest right over that entire property."
Anurag (trembling with anger):
"Property? I don't want your property. I don't want that money for which I was called illegitimate."
Mr. Arindam Banerjee understood the state of his son's mind.
Anurag (voice softening slightly):
"Besides, what good will any of this do?
What I needed most… you never gave me."
Mr. Arindam Banerjee (voice full of regret):
"I know… I know, son…
I could never love you the way a father should…"
The room fell silent.
A storm of emotions raged inside Anurag Sir, yet he remained outwardly calm.
Mr. Arindam Banerjee slowly stepped closer and said —
"I doubted you…
I insulted your mother…
I even refused to accept you as my own son…"
His voice broke.
Anurag's heart ached terribly; the old memories felt fresh again.
Mr. Arindam Banerjee (eyes wet):
"I was a terrible father, Anurag…
A very terrible father…"
Tears had welled up in Anurag's eyes, but he turned his face away.
Mr. Arindam Banerjee (dropping to his knees):
"Son… I'm begging for your forgiveness. I doubted you. I said you weren't my son. I insulted your mother. I left you alone. I was a bad father. But today I want only one thing — your forgiveness."
Anurag stayed silent. Tears filled his eyes, but he held them back. His heart felt like it was shattering! First Sneha, and now his parents!
Mrs. Arundhati Devbarman (stepping forward and taking her son's hand):
"Son… I'm asking for your forgiveness too. I left you. I destroyed your childhood. I thought of you every single day but never came back. I was a selfish mother. But today I only ask for one chance — to hold you in my arms again. To be your mother."
Anurag closed his eyes. He let out a long breath. Then, slowly, he opened his arms.
"Mom…"
He pulled Mrs. Arundhati Devbarman into a tight embrace.
Mrs. Arundhati Devbarman (crying):
"Yes, my son… my Anurag…"
She gently stroked his head.
Mr. Arindam Banerjee stood up, wiped his eyes, and stepped closer.
Seeing his father, Anurag froze for a second.
Then, carrying every emotion in his heart, he pulled his father into a fierce hug.
Sir's eyes were closed.
Memories flooded back —
childhood…
tears…
trauma…
loneliness…
But today — today he felt something he had never felt before.
Anirban Sir had been standing by the wall. Watching the scene, his own eyes filled with tears. He wiped them quickly. In his heart he thought, *Those who have no parents know how precious this moment is. Today Anurag has received what I never could.*
He stepped forward slowly.
Anirban (voice thick with emotion):
"Anurag… I… I'm so happy. For you. For both of you. You've finally become a real family!"
Anurag Sir released his father.
He walked over to Anirban and pulled him into a tight hug as well.
Anurag:
"You fool, why do you keep thinking you're separate? You are my brother. You are my family too."
**To be continued…**