Chapter 22 : "The Unspoken Hearts"
Sudhakar glanced toward the doorway, sensing movement.
“Mohan Rao and his family will be here any minute,” he murmured, trying to keep his voice steady. “Let’s stop this for now.”
But Amrutha’s heart was already breaking beyond words. Her eyes filled with tears as she turned toward her father.
“Appa… please,” she pleaded in a trembling voice. “You tell Big Father yourself. I love Surya more than my own life. Please… don’t separate us.”
Sudhakar couldn’t bear to look at her pain any longer. His head dropped in helpless silence.
Across the room, Surya stood frozen, his tears sliding silently down his cheeks. His eyes—filled with despair—lingered on the face of his dearest friend, as if searching for hope he could no longer find.
JK’s patience finally shattered. He stepped forward, his voice laced with anger and pain.
“Father, why are you silent?” he demanded.
But Shashidhar didn’t even look at him. Without a word, he turned and walked toward his room. JK clenched his fists and followed him, determined.
In the hall, Lakshmi sighed heavily.
“Ayyo… what’s wrong with this Shashi?” she muttered in frustration. “Sudhi, why is he acting like this? Can’t he see the tears in these children’s eyes? Shame!”
Shekhar, standing beside her, spoke in a serious tone.
“Aunty, this isn’t entirely Shashidhar’s fault. The mistake lies with them. If these two had confessed their love earlier, none of this would have come this far.”
Yashoda shot him a sharp look.
“So now you’re saying they should be punished for loving each other?”
Sudhakar sighed. “Yashoda, why can’t you understand? Enough now… please, just look at those poor kids’ faces once.”
At that, Surya turned toward Lakki granny and hugged her tightly, sobbing.
“Granny, please… you tell Uncle. If Ammu isn’t in my life, I—”
Before he could finish, Laksmi placed a finger on his lips and hushed him softly.
“Hey… don’t be scared, child,” she said firmly, her eyes glistening with both love and resolve. “We’re all with you. No one will ever separate you and Ammu—not while I’m alive.”
Kamala, Yashoda, and Sumathi stepped forward, standing beside them in silent support.
Madhav paced the corner anxiously.
“I don’t know what to do, Bhuvi,” he whispered.
Bhuvan placed a hand on his shoulder. “JK went to talk to Father. But I don’t think Appa will listen to him…”
Karthik, however, looked confident. “Just watch,” he said. “JK gave his word to Surya. He’ll convince Uncle. I know he will.”
The house fell into a heavy silence—each heart weighed down with fear and uncertainty.
Meanwhile, JK entered Shashidhar’s room.
“Father, please…” began Shashidhar tiredly. “Leave me alone for a while.”
JK’s voice turned firm.
“Staying silent won’t solve anything, Father,” he said, stepping closer. “First, forget about that promise you made. Think about your daughter’s life instead. Did you ever ask her if she even wants this marriage? You know very well that in this house, it’s never easy for us to speak before you or Appa. But tell me—are your so-called respect and pride more important than Ammu and Surya’s lives? You’re making a terrible mistake, Uncle…”
His words cut deep.
Shashidhar’s mind spiraled into conflict. For a moment, his heart softened. He saw flashes of Amrutha’s tear-streaked face and Surya’s pain—and slowly, a drop of tear slipped from his own eye.
When JK saw that single tear, his heart twisted painfully.
He had never once raised his voice to his Big Father before, and now… seeing tears in those eyes broke him completely.
Without a word, he knelt before Shashidhar.
In a trembling voice, he whispered, “Father… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Shashidhar looked down, shaken.
“JK, my boy… why are you bowing your head? You haven’t done anything wrong. Everything you said was true. I was blinded by my own pride and reputation. I never stopped to think about those poor children’s hearts. You’re right—I was about to make a huge mistake.”
JK’s eyes softened. “Father, please… don’t say that. You can never be wrong. I spoke harshly in anger. Forgive me.”
But Shashidhar smiled faintly, his eyes moist.
“Do you know, son, when a person is truly angry, that’s when truth escapes his lips. What you said was right. I should be the one thanking you—for opening my eyes.”
JK blinked, surprised. “Thanking me? But why, Father?”
Shashidhar chuckled softly.
“All my life, I’ve made important decisions after thinking a hundred times. But this time… I don’t know why, my mind failed me. I never even thought to ask Ammu if she agreed to this alliance. If you hadn’t stopped me today, I might’ve ruined her life. You were right, JK—this pride and prestige we cling to are nothing compared to our children’s happiness.”
He stood and hugged JK tightly. “Thank you, my son.”
JK, still half in disbelief, whispered, “Father… does that mean you’ve accepted Ammu and Surya’s love?”
Shashidhar smiled warmly. “Yes, son. Our Ammu has chosen the right man.”
JK’s joy knew no bounds. He threw his arms around his Big Father and kissed his cheek in excitement.
“Thank you, Father! Thank you so much!”
Shashidhar’s eyes went wide in shock, then a teasing smirk appeared on his lips.
“If you kiss this hard, your future wife is the poor one—how will she ever handle you?”
JK blushed, lowering his head. “Sorry, Father…”
Just then, Madhav appeared at the doorway, panting. “Father, Mohan Rao’s family has arrived. Appa asked you to come.”
Shashidhar nodded and walked out. Madhav turned immediately to JK, full of curiosity.
“So? What did Father say? Tell me, quick!”
JK smirked to himself. t's time for a little fun.
Putting on a sad expression, he said dramatically, “He didn’t agree, bro.”
Madhav’s eyes widened. “What? I thought you’d convince him!”
Before he could say more, Karthik ran in. “What are you two doing here? Come fast—Surya looks devastated!” He dragged them both toward the hall.
In the living room, everyone was already welcoming Mohan Rao’s family.
Even though the women of the house were still heavy-hearted, they hid it well—putting on brave smiles in front of their guests.
“Namaste, Mohan Rao,” greeted Shashidhar politely. “You said you’d come early, but looks like you got a bit delayed?”
Mohan Rao chuckled. “When we’re about to bring a daughter-in-law from such a respected family as yours, we must first take God’s blessings, right?”
Shashidhar forced a smile, though inside his mind was in turmoil. How do I tell him this alliance won’t proceed anymore?
Mohan Rao’s wife, Pavithra, their son Rohan, and his mother Sarala joined the gathering, greeting everyone respectfully.
JK, Madhav, and Surya soon entered the hall too.
Madhav and Bhuvan began speaking politely with the guests, while Surya stood quietly near JK, his heart pounding.
He grasped JK’s hand tightly, eyes full of worry.
“JK… what did Uncle say? Did he accept our love? Please tell me.”
JK gave a calm smile. “Everything will be fine.”
“Does that mean he agreed?” Surya asked hopefully.
JK winked playfully. “Just wait and watch.”
Understanding dawned on Surya’s face, and his eyes filled with tears of joy. The relief and happiness that flooded him glowed brighter than words could ever express.
Sarala looked around and asked, “Lakshmi, dear, where’s our bride-to-be? I don’t see her.”
Lakshmi smiled nervously. “She’s inside, getting ready.” But her eyes kept darting toward Shashidhar anxiously.
Mohan Rao laughed. “Our son kept asking all day yesterday, ‘When are we going to see her, Appa?’ Now at least he’ll stop pestering me!”
Rohan blushed. “Appa, please…”
Sudhakar smiled faintly. “Rohan seems like a quiet boy,” he observed. But his gaze—sharp and unreadable—remained fixed on Surya the whole time.
Shekhar chuckled to break the tension. “Let it be, brother. Once our Ammu starts speaking, even he won’t get a word in!”
Mohan Rao laughed heartily. “You’re absolutely right, Shekhar!”
Meanwhile, Surya leaned closer to JK and whispered, “In this love story, my biggest villain is my own father.”
JK grinned. “Guess fate wasn’t kind to you, my friend.”
Surya scowled and kicked JK lightly.
“Stop teasing me!”
Karthik frowned. “You both are impossible. Surya, your entire life is hanging by a thread and you’re playing around like kids!”
JK chuckled. “Relax, man. As long as I’m here, there’s nothing to worry about.”
Karthik’s eyes widened. “Wait—so that means Uncle agreed?”
The three exchanged a secret smile.
At that moment, Mohan Rao turned to Shashidhar.
“By the way, Shashidhar, I haven’t seen your younger son in years.”
Shashidhar nodded. “Ah, forgive me. Let me introduce them. This is my son, JK… and this is my nephew, Surya—Shekhar’s son. He’s a wonderful boy.”
Both JK and Surya greeted the guests respectfully.
But Rohan’s eyes… they never left Surya. His sharp, curious gaze followed every move Surya made, filled with something unspoken.
Sensing the tension, Mohan Rao frowned slightly.
“Shashidhar… you seem worried. Is everything alright?”
Shashidhar took a deep breath. His voice trembled slightly.
“Mohan… there’s something very important I need to tell you.”
To be continued…
🌸Author’s Note🌸
In this chapter, emotions spoke louder than words. JK’s courage melted Shashidhar’s pride, and love finally found a voice. ❤️
But with Mohan Rao’s family entering the scene, a new storm begins. Will love truly win this time? Stay tuned… 🌙
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