Chapter 28: Chapter 28

*James Pov*

#Past Beginning#

“You should have come and meet her for a second.” Grace mumbled from beside me while I just concentrated on driving and ignore the report I placed in my pocket.

How can this be possible? I finally thought as the company is stable and I can think of my own life from now on but then… I was brought out of my thoughts by Grace’s question.

“You know that I am not good at consoling people. I didn’t want to react in a wrong way and end up hurting her. I will meet her later.” I promised wishing that she let go of the topic.

“I had to leave early because he came to visit her, but I didn’t see him. I hope everything is fine and at least they get back together. She is really sad to lose the baby.” I nodded hearing her words.

“Because of their decisions, an innocent life lost its life.” She added, sighing while I glanced at her wishing I can say something but my mind is still struck at the report.

“Where did you go? You were not there when I walked out.” She suddenly asked, but her phone rang before I can come up with some excuse.

“Shruthi? What is it? What? Okay! Calm down! We will return and just wait until we come back.” She hurriedly cut the call.

“We need to return, James. It seems he ended up causing her more stress and Shruthi is not able to calm her down. It is better if I stay there until her parents come.” She passed the message and I took a U-turn without giving much thought before travelling back to the hospital.

“How can he do this to her? He must be worse than I thought. What do you think?” she asked, sighing while I felt my hands shaking with the thought of returning to the hospital when I just escaped from that place ignoring their suggestion for further tests.

“James! Are you…” I don’t know what happened during the next few minutes, but I know the pain that is sweeping through my whole body.

“Grace!” I whispered, turning my head only to find her leaning over the dashboard before my eyes closed losing the conscious completely.

#Past End#

I know it was Prakash’s mistake of driving while in drunk state and hitting my car after losing his consciousness like that. Even Sandhya and Shruthi were apologizing for calling us back and I couldn’t fault them for sure. All I can think of is, what if I was concentrating completely on driving instead of my thoughts.

What if I told Grace about my report and we stayed back for further tests? What if… the questions were endless making me feel, I am the cause of it too. So, somehow I couldn’t blame him completely, but when the decision was to let him go, I wanted to take revenge.

However, knowing well I don’t have much time and the company is going to crumble soon because of Prakash and his father if I don’t take the necessary steps which could trouble my family, made me give up on all thoughts like those and concentrate just on the company.

But somehow I got involved in this revenge plan and now bearing the consequences of it. I know everyone is hurting because of this plan of Shruthi but I know there is one good thing and that is the baby.

The baby will be the one to console my Mom when I leave her and it will be the one I want to protect now. I know I ended up threatening Palak but I really can’t let her take the baby away from my family.

And I am more than glad that she chose the right option from the ones I gave her. If it was the other, then I would be trying to come up with some other plan.

“Mom?” I frowned when she stood near the door staring at me.

“I sent Jasmine away to spend time with her friends. She got really disturbed by the morning events.” She mumbled stepping into the room and sat on the chair still staring at me with questions covering her face.

“What is it, Mom?” I asked directly.

“Did you register the marriage?” she asked, to which I gave her a nod.

“Did David really gave up his parental rights?” this time I hesitated before giving her a nod and she sighed closing her eyes.

“It was either that or she would have left this place to struggle on her own, which could have harmed both the mother and the baby. He did the right thing, Mom.” I assured her and she slowly nodded.

“And you can always have contact with the baby no matter what. So, you need not worry at all.” I added, but she just sighed opening her eyes.

“Your brother is hurting, James. I somehow wanted to talk you out of this registration, but hearing her cries, I don’t know what to even think. However, I can’t see him in pain too. Am I thinking selfishly?” she asked frowning.

“Mom! Just give him some time and everything will be fine. You were never selfish and even if you are, it’s okay.” I assured her again.

I know all this is too much for her. She had to accept David’s marriage request with the family she doesn’t want to even think about and then all the drama happened.

Now, she witnessed the pain of the girl she didn’t want to accept and then got to know about the baby too. It must be too much for anyone and she will need time to adjust.

“Take care of her, Mom.” I mumbled to which she sighed.

“You need not tell me that I need to take care of her.” She said getting up while I glanced away not commenting anymore.

“Everything is kind of a mess now between three of you. I hope it gets settled soon.” She added before leaving the room and I sighed closing my eyes.

It is definitely a mess, but all three of us are doing this for one reason. It still scares me how will she be if she gets to know about my health condition when she is already tired with this matter. No! It is really better to hide the matter until the end.