Chapter 50: A Difficult Decision

The room remained silent after Rhea's words.

"I don't want this child."

The sentence carried so much pain that nobody could ignore it.

Rhea sat with tears running down her face. Every time she thought about the baby, all she could remember was betrayal, fear, and the worst days of her life.

Ajay slowly sat beside her.

His voice was gentle.

"Rhea, are you sure?"

Rhea immediately nodded.

"Yes."

Her answer came without hesitation.

"I don't want this child."

"I don't want anything that reminds me of him."

Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Please."

The room fell silent again.

Everyone could see she wasn't speaking out of anger.

She was speaking from pain.

From trauma.

From heartbreak.

Poornima looked at Veeresh.

Veeresh looked at his daughter.

His heart was breaking.

No father wanted to see his child suffer like this.

Finally, he moved closer and sat beside her.

Taking her hand in his.

"Beta."

Rhea looked at him.

"You decide."

Her eyes widened.

Veeresh squeezed her hand.

"Whatever happens..."

He looked at Poornima.

Then back at Rhea.

"Me and your Ma will stand with you."

Poornima nodded immediately.

"Always."

For the first time that night, Rhea felt slightly lighter.

Not because her problems were solved.

But because she wasn't carrying them alone anymore.

The next morning, Veeresh, Poornima, and Rhea left for the hospital.

The journey was quiet.

Rhea sat in the back seat staring out of the window.

Poornima sat beside her, holding her hand the entire way.

Not saying much.

Just holding it.

Sometimes presence speaks louder than words.

Veeresh drove silently.

His eyes remained on the road, but his thoughts were with his daughter.

He wished he could take away her pain.

He wished he could undo everything that had happened.

But he couldn't.

All he could do was stand beside her.

And that was exactly what he intended to do.

After the examination, the doctor called them into the cabin.

The doctor's expression was serious.

Very serious.

Immediately, Veeresh felt uneasy.

"What happened, Doctor?"

The doctor looked at Rhea gently.

Then spoke carefully.

"Your daughter has already attempted to terminate the pregnancy multiple times."

Poornima's eyes widened.

Veeresh froze.

Both looked at Rhea.

The girl lowered her head.

Ashamed.

Unable to meet their eyes.

The doctor continued.

"Because of those attempts, there are complications now."

"The pregnancy is at a stage where termination could become very dangerous."

"Dangerous for her health."

The room suddenly felt smaller.

Poornima felt her heart sink.

Veeresh gripped the armrest tightly.

The only thing he heard was one sentence.

Dangerous for her health.

Rhea immediately started crying.

"I don't want this child."

The pain in her voice filled the room.

"I don't want it."

"I don't want anything connected to him."

She covered her face and cried.

Months of fear, guilt, and loneliness came rushing out.

Poornima immediately moved beside her.

Pulling her into a hug.

"My child..."

Rhea cried against her shoulder.

"I don't want this baby, Maa."

Poornima closed her eyes.

Hearing her daughter cry like that shattered her heart.

She gently kissed her forehead.

"Please understand, beta."

Her own voice trembled.

"Your health is important."

"More important than anything else."

Rhea continued crying.

"No..."

Poornima stroked her hair lovingly.

"You have already tried."

"Please don't do anything again."

"We cannot risk losing you."

Those words made Rhea look up.

For a moment she saw genuine fear in Poornima's eyes.

Not fear of society.

Not fear of shame.

Fear of losing her daughter.

Veeresh had remained silent until now.

He finally moved closer.

His eyes were moist.

Seeing Rhea like this was unbearable.

He knelt beside her chair.

The proud Sarpanch of Rajgarh.

The man everyone respected.

Today he was simply a father begging his child to stay safe.

"Beta."

Rhea looked at him.

His hand gently touched her head.

"Listen to me."

His voice was soft.

Painfully soft.

"You don't have to decide anything today."

"But please..."

His voice broke.

"Don't harm yourself."

Rhea started crying harder.

Veeresh immediately wiped her tears.

The same way he had done when she was little.

"You are my daughter."

His eyes filled.

"And right now, your health matters more than anything else."

Rhea shook her head.

"I don't want this baby."

Veeresh looked at Poornima.

Then at Rhea.

And for the first time, he said what had been forming in his heart since the doctor's words.

"Then don't."

Rhea blinked.

Confused.

Veeresh held her hand firmly.

"Listen to me carefully."

His voice was steady.

"Me and your Ma will take care of the baby."

Rhea stared at him.

The room became silent.

Veeresh continued.

"As our child."

Poornima immediately looked at him.

Her eyes filled with tears.

Not from sadness.

From love.

Because she knew exactly what he was doing.

He was trying to remove the burden from Rhea's shoulders.

Trying to give her a future.

Trying to save his daughter.

"You don't have to carry this alone."

Veeresh said.

"You don't have to raise the child."

"You don't have to stop studying."

"You don't have to give up your dreams."

Rhea stared at him through her tears.

Unable to believe what she was hearing.

Poornima moved closer and held both of their hands.

"We are your parents."

Her voice was full of warmth.

"And parents stand by their children."

"No matter what."

For the first time since entering the hospital, Rhea completely broke down.

Not from fear.

Not from guilt.

But from relief.

Because the two people she had been most afraid of disappointing were sitting beside her.

Not judging her.

Not abandoning her.

Not turning away.

They were choosing her.

Again and again.

And as Veeresh pulled his daughter into his arms and Poornima wrapped her arms around both of them, Rhea cried freely, knowing that even in the middle of her darkest mistake, she was still deeply loved.