Page 106 of Reckless Hate

“I-I didn’t even know what my mother accused your father of. I just saw the kiss and told everyone of what I saw when I was asked.”

He nodded. “I realized just recently that you were also a victim of what your mother did that day,” he said.

“W-what actually happened?” she asked.

He sighed. “My father had just found out about my mother’s diagnosis. They didn’t want to tell anyone until after my aunt’s birthday event. My grandfather was quite upset about my aunt’s marriage alliance falling apart and this event was put together by my father and his brothers to cheer my grandfather and my aunt.”

Samantha recalled that it was Vaishnavi Simha’s birthday party.

“My father got drunk at the party to cover up his fear and worry about my mother. He was drinking alone, away from everyone so no one would see him and find out. That’s when your mother went to him. She asked him what happened, and in his drunkenness, he told her. Your mother pretended to show sympathy before she tried to seduce him. What you saw was my father trying to push her away.”

He looked at her. “I overheard my father and mother talking about this later on. My mother believed my father because she knew it wasn’t the first time your mother had made a pass at my father. You mother was desperate to catch his attention even during their university days. Your mother tried to seduce him many times, but he wasn’t interested. Even after your mother got married to your father, she never stopped attempting to catch my father’s attention.”

Samantha was stunned.

“When my father rejected her even when he was drunk, it made your mother angry. She vowed to get back at him for rejecting her for so long. That’s when she made a scene at the party and told everyone that my father forcibly molested her.”

“My God.” She could only imagine the shock that his father must have gone through, along with his worry for his wife.

“My grandfather believed your mother’s lie. He still does. He gave your mother a big settlement to not lodge a formal complaint or tell anyone about what had happened. He hasn’t talked to my father or made eye contact with him since that birthday party event.”

Her lips trembled. It was because of her. She was one of the witnesses who confirmed that her mother and Viraaj Simha were kissing.

“It is because of me.”

Ved cupped her cheek to look into her eyes. “I did blame you for the longest time, Sam. But it isn’t your fault. What you said was the truth from a child’s eyes.”

She knew that, but the heavy sense of guilt didn’t disappear.

“I-I want to apologize to your parents. I want to tell them I’m sorry, and I didn’t mean to hurt them. Please, let me speak to them.”

Ved fell silent.

“My parents never blamed you, Sam. You can speak to my dad if you want. But not my mom.”

“W-why?” She hoped his mother didn’t hate her because of what her mother did.

A look of pain passed through his face. “My mom passed away, Sam. She died of cancer.”

“No! No! Oh God, no!”

Pain constricted inside her chest. She wailed out loud to know the sweet, beautiful and kind woman she adored as a child was no more.

She couldn’t control her tears. “I-I want to tell her I’m sorry for what I did. I-I want to tell her I would never hurt her willingly. I want to tell her I loved her. She was the reason I love to cook. She was the reason my passion for clothes began.”

Even as she clung to him, she realized how selfish she was being in her grief. To her, Kavita Simha was a woman she adored and worshipped. But she was Ved’s mother. He had lost his mother in the cruelest way.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” she repeated as she clung to him.

He wrapped his arms tightly around her, offering her comfort while they shared the grief together.

“Ma died happy, Sam. Dad and I were with her every moment until the end. She recovered from the first bout of cancer. The chemo and radiation were brutal, but she always had a smiling face. Two years later, the cancer returned, and she didn’t want to go through it again. She said it wouldn’t help and wanted to pass away in peace.”

Samantha tightened her arms around him, offering him comfort in return.

“Ma knew I missed you a lot, and she told me many times not to be angry with you. You were like her daughter, Sam. She had missed you too.”

Samantha didn’t think she could ever get over the loss of his mother. She held on to him and cried. She cried for the sweet woman. She cried for having thought her father abandoned her all these years. She cried for having lost years of friendship with her best friend. And she even cried for the loss of friendship between their fathers.

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