Truths Unveiled and Bonds Broken"

Geetha, whatever it is, what you did was very wrong," said Paari.

"What wrong did I do?" asked Geetha. "Chaitanya was destroying his life thinking about Aadhira, unaware that she had deceived him. He didn't even go to the hospital regularly. Do you know how sad Grandpa felt every time I went instead? I was the one who helped my brother fall in love. I feel responsible for his condition too. If I hadn't introduced her to him that day, he would've forgotten her by now. When I think about how my actions led to this, I feel so guilty," she added.

Paari replied, "What you say is true, Geetha. But still, was it right to take the wedding invitation to Aadhira and lie that Chaitanya was getting married? Don't you think that was wrong? Did you think about what would happen if he found out the truth?"

At that very moment, like a storm, Chaitanya barged in. He glared at both of them, and they trembled under his gaze.

"You're a woman yourself, yet you toyed with another woman's life? Do you think that's right, Geetha? I trusted you so much," he shouted in anger.

Paari and Geetha stood frozen in shock. Geetha, now filled with guilt, spoke in a soft voice, "You were destroying your life waiting for Aadhira, even after knowing she wouldn't come back. That's why I told you she got married — hoping you would move on."

"No matter what your intentions were, a lie is a lie. Wrong is wrong," said Chaitanya, turning toward Paari. "And you, did you also deceive me along with her?"

Hearing the word "deceive" made Paari flinch. "No, Chaitanya, I told her not to do it. But we did it thinking it would be good for you." He extended his hand in regret.

Chaitanya replied, "Even if you did it for my good, it was betrayal. If you hadn't shown me the wedding invitation, I might've gone to Kumbakonam that day to find her. Now, it's almost been a year. How can I show my face and go looking for her now?" he cried in despair.

He looked at both of them angrily and said, "You two should never come into my life again. I can forgive anything, but not lies." With that, he stormed out of the room.

"Brother, please listen to me for a moment," cried Geetha, running after him. "Chaitanya, wait, buddy, it was all for your good! Just give me a minute!" pleaded Paari. But Chaitanya didn't even glance at them.

"From now on, you don't exist in my life. Don't come in front of me again, and I won't come looking for you," he said and walked out like a storm.

Getting into his car, Chaitanya's heart was burning with betrayal. "The people I trusted the most have deceived me. Even Aadhira, whom I believed in, left me. The ones who understood me best have hurt me the worst." He felt a deep loathing for his life.

In the days that followed, he recklessly participated in every car race he could find, expressing his anger and pain through the speed and danger. It was during one such race that the accident occurred.

Lying there, recalling everything with a deep sigh, Chaitanya thought, "The woman who left me is now standing in front of me with a child. Why? Maybe she realized she was pregnant after leaving me. Perhaps she didn't have the heart to abort the child and decided to keep it. Maybe that's why she's come back to me now. Anyway, she came back — that's enough for me," he thought and drifted into sleep.

The next morning, as Anvitha got ready to leave for the hospital, she remembered that her wedding was in just ten days.

She resolved to tell the full truth to both Lalitha and Vijayan before that.

Two days later, when Lalitha and Vijayan arrived at her house, Anvitha welcomed them and made them sit in the hall. She handed over the baby to Ambika and returned.

Lalitha and Vijayan stared at her intently. Unable to bear their gazes, Anvitha kept looking at her fingers in silence.

After a while, Lalitha broke the silence. "So, Miss Big Shot! You don't even appear before us anymore. You don't answer calls either. Did you go to Chaitanya for revenge? Or did you go to fall in love with him?"

Vijayan looked shocked and confused. He turned to Anvitha, "What is this, Anvitha? Lalitha is saying all sorts of things. I don't understand anything. Are you in love with Chaitanya?" he asked.

Anvitha remained silent.

"Say something! Vijayan is asking you. He is the groom chosen by your parents! You said you'd marry him — now you've fallen into Chaitanya's trap?" shouted Lalitha.

"No, Lalitha, please listen to what I have to say," Anvitha tried to explain.

"Don't try to justify anything now. You used to call me every day. Then suddenly, you stopped picking up. I asked Parvati Amma and Ambika, and I heard you're staying at the hospital, and treating Chaitanya. Someone even said you're being called his wife! What is going on?"

Lalitha was furious. She believed Anvitha, who had once sworn vengeance for Aadhira, had now fallen for Chaitanya's wealth and charm.

Hearing all this, Vijayan felt dizzy. "What is this, Anvitha? Say something clear."

Knowing that letting Lalitha speak further would not help, Anvitha said sternly, "Lalitha, if you're willing to listen, stay. Otherwise, please leave."

Seeing her anger, Lalitha stepped back. "Fine, tell us what happened."

Anvitha narrated the whole story, leaving both of them in stunned silence.

Vijayan was the first to speak. "So, your wedding is in ten days?" he asked in a trembling voice. "Does that mean you've been lying to me all along? Did you deceive me into believing you were going to marry me?"

Anvitha lifted her head and looked at him directly. "If I wanted to deceive you, would I have told you about Chaitanya at all? Tell me truthfully — did I ever say I loved you? Did I ever accept that we were in a romantic relationship?"

"My father chose you for me. He was angry with Aadhira and didn't want me to end up like her. I agreed to marry you just for him. You never really loved me. You were more interested in my profession and salary — that's what you loved. You planned to run your family on my earnings. I knew that. Still, I agreed for my father's sake."

"Tell me honestly, Vijayan — did you ever truly love me? Did you ever think your life would be ruined without me?" she asked.

Vijayan looked at her with guilt. Her questions were all true. He had never really loved her — he loved the idea of her profession and what she could offer. That's why he had agreed to accept even her child. Lowering his head in shame, Vijayan remained silent.