Chapter 76 — A Mother's Heart

That evening, after Rishi had gone to his room, Arnav found Ritika in the living room.

She immediately noticed the seriousness on his face.

Ritika: Arnav, what happened?

Arnav sat beside her.

Arnav: Ritu, I spoke to Rishi today.

Ritika became concerned.

Ritika: Is he okay?

Arnav: He wasn't.

Ritika's expression fell.

Arnav: He told me what has been bothering him.

Ritika: What happened?

Arnav gently explained everything—how Rishi had genuinely loved someone, how he had wanted to introduce her to the family, and how she had betrayed him and told him that nobody would ever love him.

Ritika's eyes immediately filled with tears.

Ritika: My Rishi...

She covered her mouth.

Ritika: He was carrying all this alone?

Arnav nodded.

Arnav: Yes.

Ritika: That's why he stopped coming to breakfast... why he stayed in his painting room...

Arnav: Yes.

Ritika wiped her tears.

Ritika: I should have understood.

Arnav: Don't blame yourself, Ritu.

Ritika: I'm his mother. I should have known.

Arnav held her hand.

Arnav: He didn't tell you because he didn't want you to worry.

Ritika looked toward the staircase.

Ritika: He is still my little boy.

Arnav smiled softly.

Arnav: He's grown now.

Ritika: I know.

Her voice broke.

Ritika: But when someone hurts your child, it doesn't matter how old they are.

Arnav nodded.

Arnav: I know.

Ritika: What did you tell him?

Arnav: I told him that what she said isn't the truth.

Ritika listened.

Arnav: I told him that loving someone sincerely doesn't make him foolish.

Ritika wiped her tears.

Arnav: And I told him that one person's betrayal should never make him believe that he is unlovable.

Ritika looked at Arnav with gratitude.

Ritika: You did the right thing.

Arnav: He's my son, Ritu.

He paused.

Arnav: I may not have given him life, but he gave me the privilege of being his father.

Ritika's eyes softened.

Arnav: I'll stand beside him until he heals.

Ritika leaned against his shoulder.

Ritika: We both will.

Arnav kissed her forehead.

Arnav: Yes.

He looked toward Rishi's room.

Arnav: He doesn't need us to fix everything for him.

Arnav: He just needs to know that when he falls, his family will be there to help him stand again.

Ritika nodded.

Ritika: And he will stand again.

Arnav smiled.

Arnav: He will.

Upstairs, Rishi sat quietly in his room.

For the first time in weeks, he didn't feel completely alone.

He knew his father was there.

And he knew his mother was there too.