Page 50 of Strictly Solo
Subodh took a deep breath, knowing that what he was about to say would be difficult for the Singh family to hear. “Naina wants to bring the baby with her when she marries Ruhaan. She wants him to be a part of your family, to raise him as her own.”
The room fell into a stunned silence. Ruhaan himself was unable to process what Subodh Kundra was saying. Naina wanted to bring Kriti’s child into their home? Into their marriage? It was a thought that hadn’t even crossed his mind, and he wasn’t sure how to feel about it. Before he could respond, Kaushalya’s voice cut through the silence.
“Absolutely not,” she declared, her tone leaving no room for argument. “Why would my son raise someone else’s child? I understand that Naina is attached to the baby, but she has to think about her own life, her future. She’s engaged to Ruhaan now, and she has responsibilities as his wife and as a daughter-in-law of this family. Bringing that baby here will only bind her to the past and keep her from moving forward. I won’t allow it.”
Subodh and Malti Kundra looked crestfallen, their earlier hopes dashed by Kaushalya’s harsh response. They turned to Ruhaan, hoping for a different answer, but Kaushalya quickly interjected.
“Ruhaan feels the same way,” she insisted, her voice brooking no dissent. “He understands the importance of focusing on his future with Naina. Bringing that baby into this house would be a mistake.”
Ruhaan’s heart pounded in his chest as he struggled to find his voice. He had never seen his mother so resolute. The Kundras, clearly hurt, still tried to reason with her.
“We’ve tried to explain this to Naina,” Subodh said quietly. “We’ve told her that we would take care of the baby, that she could still visit him and be a part of his life, but she refuses to leave him behind. Has she spoken to you about this, Ruhaan?”
Ruhaan shook his head, feeling a pang of hurt that Naina hadn’t confided in him. “No, she hasn’t mentioned anything to me.”
Kaushalya scoffed, “Of course not. She’s been too busy with that child to even speak to her fiancé. If this is how it is now, imagine what it would be like if we allowed her to bring the baby here! If Naina can’t change her mind about this, then perhaps this engagement should be reconsidered.”
The room erupted in chaos. The Kundras looked horrified, and even Ruhaan’s father seemed taken aback by his wife’s harsh ultimatum.
Ruhaan found his voice at last. He stared at his mother, shocked that she would even suggest calling off the engagement. “Mom, wait,” he said. “Let’s not jump to conclusions. We need to talk to Naina about this, understand what she’s feeling—”
But Kaushalya cut him off, gripping his arm tightly as she fixed him with an intense stare.
“Tell me honestly, Ruhaan. You’re not ready to lose Naina, I understand that. But are you ready to be a father right now? To raise a child that isn’t yours? You’re still young, with your whole life ahead of you. Are you prepared to sacrifice your dreams, your ambitions, your expectations of married life for someone else’s baby?”
He hadn’t thought about it in those terms before. The idea of raising another man’s child, of taking on that responsibility so soon, filled him with a sense of dread.
Seeing Ruhaan’s hesitation, Kaushalya pressed on. “This isn’t just about you, Ruhaan. It’s about both of you. Nainahas to understand that bringing this baby into your lives will change everything. It will place a burden on your marriage before it even begins. You deserve a chance to build your life together, to create your own family. If Naina can’t see that... then maybe this engagement isn’t meant to be.”
His mother’s words, harsh as they were, held a kernel of truth he couldn’t ignore. He wasn’t ready. The thought of becoming an instant father, of taking on such a massive responsibility when he was still figuring out his own life, terrified him. He liked Naina, but was that enough to overcome the challenges they would face?
As the silence stretched on, the tension in the room reached a breaking point. The Kundras looked devastated, realizing that their hopes for Naina’s happiness were crumbling before their eyes. Kaushalya stood firm, her expression a mixture of triumph and concern for her son. And Ruhaan....
Ruhaan just glanced at Subodh and Malti, their faces lined with worry, and knew they were waiting for him to say something, to offer some kind of reassurance. But all he could do was stand there, silent and conflicted, as the reality of the situation sank in.
Finally, Mr. Kundra spoke, his voice heavy with resignation. “We... we’ll speak to Naina again. Try to make her understand the situation.”
Kaushalya nodded curtly, “See that you do. And make it clear that this is non-negotiable. Naina has to make a choice. If she wants to be with Ruhaan, she needs to understand that bringing that baby into this family isn’t an option. If she can’t accept that, then this engagement will have to end.”
As the Kundras prepared to leave, their shoulders slumped in defeat, Ruhaan felt guilty. He wanted to say something, to offer some hope or comfort, but the words wouldn’t come. Hewatched helplessly as they walked out the door, feeling as if he were watching his future with Naina slip away with them.
Once they were gone, Kaushalya turned to Ruhaan, her expression softening slightly. “I know this is difficult, beta. But you have to think about your future. You’re not ready for this kind of responsibility.”
He nodded numbly, still unable to form a coherent response. He liked Naina, wanted a future with her. But a future that included raising her sister’s child? That was something he hadn’t bargained for.
Chapter 14
Present
Naina stepped out of the bathroom ready to begin her day. Her gaze fell on Neil, still fast asleep on the bed. His small, seven-year-old frame curled up beneath the blankets, his soft breathing filling the quiet room. A smile tugged at her lips. This was her routine—waking up to see her son’s peaceful face, a moment of calm before the day began.
She walked over to the bed and sat beside him, running her fingers through his messy hair, trying to coax him awake. “Neil, baby,” she whispered softly, “time to get up.”
But he didn’t stir, his sleep too deep, his dreams too far away to hear her. She chuckled to herself and ruffled his hair gently again, leaning down to press a kiss on his forehead. Neil, her world, her reason for everything. Watching him sleep, she was reminded of the first time she had held him in her arms, his newborn body tiny and fragile, filling the space her heart had reserved for him.
It had been seven years since Kriti’s death, seven years since the moment that changed everything. Naina could still remember the way her heart had shattered the day Kriti was gone. The grief had been unbearable, suffocating her every breath, but amidst the pain, there had been a desperate cry, the sound of a baby needing his mother. That cry pulled her from the darkness, reminded her that there was someone who needed her—Kriti’s baby boy.
The memory came flooding back as Naina closed her eyes, recalling the hospital room, the sterile scent, the eerie silence broken only by Neil’s cries. She had been numb, standing in the corner, consumed by her own grief, but as soon as she heard him, her legs had moved on their own. She had walked over to the crib where Neil lay, his tiny fists flailing in the air, his face red and wrinkled, searching for comfort.
