Mourning Bride – Season 2

Chapter 11: The Fear Within

The journey back home felt longer than usual.

When Abhina stepped into the house, everything looked the same—yet nothing felt the same anymore.

Mareena smiled as she welcomed her, but her eyes immediately caught something different.

A silence.

A distance.

Even Abhinav noticed it.

“You’re back, princess,” he said warmly.

Abhina forced a smile.

“Yes, Papa.”

But she didn’t hug him like before.

---

In the following days, the change became clearer.

Abhina spent more time alone in her room.

She avoided long conversations.

Avoided eye contact.

Avoided… home.

Only one thing remained constant—

Vedant.

She spoke to him every day.

Relied on him for everything.

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Every night, she took the medicines he had given her.

Without question.

Without doubt.

Believing they were helping her.

---

One evening, Hrithik noticed her sitting alone in the balcony.

Quiet. Lost.

He walked toward her.

“Abhina,” he said softly, “are you okay?”

She looked up briefly.

“I’m fine.”

“You don’t seem fine,” he replied gently.

She forced a smile.

“I’m just tired.”

Before he could say anything more, she stood up.

“I have some work,” she said quickly, and walked away.

Hrithik watched her leave.

Something was wrong.

And he could feel it.

---

Days turned into weeks.

And soon—

One month passed.

Then another.

---

Abhina sat on her bed one night, her heart racing.

Her hands trembled slightly.

She counted again.

Two months…

She had missed her periods.

At first, she ignored it.

Thought it was stress.

Travel.

Change.

But now—

The truth was staring at her.

Her mind went back to that night in Shimla.

The blurred memories.

The confusion.

The fear.

“No…” she whispered.

Her breathing became heavy.

“What if…”

Tears filled her eyes.

---

She immediately called Vedant.

“Vedant…” her voice shook, “I… I missed my periods… it’s been two months…”

There was a brief silence on the other side.

Then Vedant spoke calmly—

“Relax.”

“How can I relax?!” she cried softly. “What if… what if I’m—”

“Don’t jump to conclusions,” he interrupted smoothly.

His tone was steady.

Controlled.

“I’ll take you to a doctor,” he said. “We’ll check everything properly.”

Abhina wiped her tears.

“O-okay…”

“Trust me,” he added.

And once again—

She did.

---

But somewhere behind that calm assurance—

The plan was unfolding exactly as intended.

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