Family of Shaows

[sexonmind]

Chapter 15: Crossing Shadows

Babu hesitated outside Sunandha’s room before finally gathering his courage and stepping in. Sunandha, who was going through some papers, looked up and smiled.

“What is it, Babu?” she asked.

Babu took a deep breath. “Amma… I don’t want to marry Gita.”

Sunandha’s smile faded, and she placed the papers down carefully. “What?”

“I don’t want to get married,” Babu repeated, avoiding her gaze.

Sunandha’s brows furrowed. “Why? What happened?”

“There’s no reason. I just… don’t want to,” he muttered.

For a moment, Sunandha simply stared at him, processing his words. Then, her expression hardened. “No reason? Do you think this is a game, Babu? You agreed to this engagement. Gita and her family are counting on us, and now, just two days before the ceremony, you suddenly say you don’t want to marry?”

Babu remained silent, clenching his fists.

Sunandha’s voice rose with anger. “I have had enough of your recklessness! You’ve neglected your studies, you’re wasting your life without a job, and you have no sense of responsibility. You’re living off me without any plans for your future, and now you’re ruining an innocent girl’s life?”

Babu flinched at her words but still refused to answer.

Sunandha stood up, frustration evident in her stance. “You and Gita got intimate, Babu. Don’t think I don’t know. You crossed a line with her, and now you want to walk away as if it means nothing?”

Babu’s eyes widened slightly, but he quickly masked his reaction.

Unbeknownst to them, Aruna stood behind the slightly open door, listening intently. A satisfied smirk appeared on her lips as she observed the heated argument, waiting for the right moment to step in.

Babu clenched his fists, his patience running thin. Sunandha’s accusations kept piling up, and he could feel his anger bubbling over.

“Enough, Amma!” he snapped, his voice cutting through the air like a whip. “I haven’t done anything wrong. The relationship I had with Gita was consensual. No one can clap with a single hand.”

Sunandha’s face turned red with fury. “Are you even listening to yourself?” she shouted. “I am disgusted by you, Babu! Is this how you honor our family? How you honor your father?”

Babu’s eyes darkened, his expression unreadable. Then, in a low but firm voice, he said, “You cannot teach me about honoring my dad.”

Sunandha looked taken aback. “What do you mean?”

“I’m not blind, Amma,” Babu continued, his voice laced with bitterness. “Don’t you think I see what’s going on between you and that Prakash?”

Sunandha’s breath caught in her throat. For a moment, she just stood there, completely stunned into silence.

Outside the door, Aruna’s smirk faltered. Her eyes narrowed as she absorbed Babu’s words. Sunandha and Prakash? she thought, stunned. How did I miss that?

Her mind raced. This was unexpected… but also very interesting. A new opportunity. A new weakness. And Aruna never let weaknesses go to waste.

Sunandha took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. Babu’s words had shaken her, but she wouldn’t let them go unanswered.

“How can you accuse me like this, Babu?” she asked, her voice laced with disbelief. “Do you really think what you did to Gita and what I have with Prakash are the same?”

“Yes!” Babu interrupted abruptly, his voice sharp and unyielding.

Sunandha's eyes widened in shock.

“You are a hypocrite, Amma,” Babu spat out. “If you are right, then I am right too. And if I am wrong, then so are you.”

Sunandha felt something inside her snap. This was her son—the boy she had raised, the boy she had sacrificed so much for—and now he was standing here, throwing accusations at her as if she were some disgrace.

Her voice trembled, but not with weakness—with rage. “I have had enough, Babu. Get out of my house!”

Babu flinched but didn’t back down. He stared at her for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away.

Sunandha stood there, her chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. The house suddenly felt suffocatingly silent.

Outside, Aruna smirked. This is better than I expected, she thought. The cracks are deepening.

As Babu stormed out of the room, Aruna stepped into his path, reaching for his arm.

“Babu, wait! Please don’t go like this,” she pleaded, her voice laced with concern.

But Babu barely spared her a glance. He shrugged off her touch and walked away without a word.

Aruna turned back to Sunandha, her face painted with worry. “Amma, what is happening? Why are you both fighting like this?”

Sunandha let out a heavy sigh, shaking her head in exhaustion. “Let him go, Aruna. I have had enough of his antics. I’m done.”

Aruna lowered her gaze as if saddened, but the moment Sunandha turned away, a wicked smile curled on her lips. Everything is falling into place.

Few hours later, Babu stormed into Purushotham’s house, his face flushed with frustration. Purushotham, lounging on his cot, sat up straight at the sight of his friend’s distressed expression.

“What happened?” Purushotham asked, lighting a cigarette.

Babu ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. “I told Amma I don’t want to marry Gita. She lost it. Threw me out of the house.”

Purushotham scoffed. “What did you expect? The engagement is in two days, and you suddenly drop this on her?”

Babu ignored his tone. “I need your help, man. You know my mom listens to you. Talk to her. Make her understand.”

Purushotham took a slow drag, his eyes narrowing. “Understand what? That you’re backing out like a coward? That you’re ruining a girl’s life for your own selfish reasons?”

Babu’s jaw tightened. “It’s not like that. Gita herself has doubts—”

“Bullshit!” Purushotham snapped, throwing the cigarette to the ground. He stood up, his voice rising with anger. “You’re lying through your fucking teeth! I know why you don’t want to marry her.”

Babu took a step back. “What are you talking about?”

Purushotham laughed bitterly, shaking his head. “Don’t act innocent. I know you’re fucking Aruna.”

Babu froze.

Purushotham’s face twisted in disgust. “She’s your sister, man! Your fucking sister! How the hell can you do that?”

Babu’s hands clenched into fists. “Watch your mouth, Purushotham.”

“Or what?” Purushotham sneered, stepping closer. “You’ll hit me? Go ahead! But it won’t change the fact that you’ve lost your fucking mind! This isn’t just some cheap fling, Babu! This is sick!”

Babu’s breath was heavy, his mind racing. He had expected anger from his mother, but he wasn’t prepared for this confrontation.

Purushotham took another step forward, his voice lowering but still filled with venom. “You think people won’t find out? That you can keep this dirty little secret forever? Wake the fuck up! You’re playing with fire, and it’s going to burn you alive.”

Babu remained silent, his pulse pounding.

Purushotham shook his head one last time. “Go ahead with the engagement. Do the right thing. Or keep chasing that twisted fantasy of yours and watch your whole damn life collapse.”

Babu turned and stormed out without another word.

Purushotham stood there, breathing heavily, fists clenched. This is worse than I thought.

Babu paced along the dimly lit street, his mind in turmoil. Pulling out his phone, he dialed Aruna’s number. She picked up almost immediately.

“What happened?” she asked, her voice calm, almost expectant.

Babu exhaled sharply. “I went to Purushotham… asked him to talk to Amma. Thought maybe he could fix things.”

Aruna’s grip on the phone tightened. Purushotham is the only one who could talk to Sunandha and convince her to forgive Babu. If anyone could ruin her plans, it was him.

“And?” she asked carefully.

“He lost his shit.” Babu’s voice was laced with frustration. “He said he knows about us.”

Aruna’s eyes widened momentarily before she quickly masked her reaction. “He knows?”

Babu nodded as if she could see him. “Yeah. He was furious. Called me all sorts of things… said I was sick, that I’ve lost my mind.”

Aruna feigned concern. “What are you going to do now?”

“I don’t know,” Babu admitted, rubbing his forehead. “I can’t go home. Amma’s done with me.”

Aruna’s voice softened, laced with just the right amount of sympathy. “Listen to me, Babu. Go to a friend’s place for now. Just stay out of sight. Let me handle Amma.”

Babu hesitated before nodding. “Alright.”

“Don’t worry,” Aruna reassured him. “I’ll fix everything.”

As Babu hung up, Aruna lowered the phone, a slow smile creeping across her face. Perfect.

Purushotham had always been the biggest threat—the one person who could have defused the situation, who could have convinced Sunandha to take Babu back.

But now, Purushotham was out of the picture.

And Babu? He is completely under her control.

The next day, Sunandha sat on the living room sofa, her face pale, her hands trembling slightly as she clutched her phone. One by one, she called the relatives, her voice steady but heavy with disappointment.

"The engagement is canceled," she informed them, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Babu doesn’t want to go through with it."

Each call was met with shock, disappointment, and questions she had no energy to answer. The whispers would spread fast, she knew. The humiliation was inevitable.

Just as she hung up from the last call, there was a knock at the door. Sunandha turned, already feeling a sense of dread.

Srinu stepped inside, his usual cheerful demeanor absent. His eyes scanned her face, sensing something was terribly wrong. "Madam…" he began hesitantly.

Sunandha exhaled, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "Srinu… I’m sorry," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "The engagement is canceled. Babu doesn’t want to marry Gita."

Srinu froze. His lips parted slightly, but no words came out. He blinked, as if trying to process what he had just heard. His hands, which had been resting at his sides, curled into fists.

For a moment, there was silence. Then, slowly, his eyes glistened. A single tear escaped, rolling down his cheek.

He swallowed hard, nodding stiffly. "I… I understand, Madam." His voice was strained, thick with emotion.

Sunandha wanted to say something—anything—to ease his pain. But what could she say? Nothing would change the truth.

Without another word, Srinu turned and walked out, his steps heavy, his heart heavier.

Continued in the next part….