Chapter 201 - It was as easy as breathing.

Meera was soo deep in thought that she did not really give attention to where she was or what was going on around until the person driving her knocked on her windows after reaching her home.

The whole way, Meera couldn't eradicate the restlessness in her mind. She was highly confused and agitated with what Zack said to her at last.

'Trust me, kid. Shreya never harmed you or your family. In fact, she is the one protecting you guys... from some very bad people.'

For her, Shreya was an existence she absolutely hates. She knew the major part of it was the fact that Shreya had the things she craved from every last fiber of her being… people… the love and care of people. People who could actually know her, understand her and accept her the way she was. She was most jealous of that. It had been there from when she was a little kid.

The way Akash and Adam would crowd around Shreya… or the way Bhavna would practically tail her where ever she went… she wanted that too… from as long as she remembered. They never singled her out and excluded her per se… but none of them ever made an effort to actually include her. And she had always been too shy to join… there was, of course, her own sister and brother cursing the whole bunch for being arrogant and brat, that made it impossible for Meera to approach any of them by herself. So, she always grew up feeling lonely, bitter, and envious.

And of course, there was also Shreya's parents. Whenever she saw Adithya and Susmitha pamper her to no end… make her food and groom her even when she was so much older than herself… She could only look at her with envy while her own mom discarded her to caregivers- one after the other.

Her own brother and sister were superficial in this regard. As long as both of them were given toys they want or the dresses they picked- they would be content. And when they grew up… they were greedy for making connections and showing off their own wealth with pride.

But Meera was the one odd person in the family… what she craved for simpler things… a family dinner… a pat on her back… a mother's touch… a father's care and protection… And she always saw Shreya have every single one of them.

But this had not been enough to make her hate her so absolutely. What really made her hate Shreya was the fact that she had hurt her family… She had watched her father succ.u.mb with shame for a better part of 6 months when he lost his position in Sri corp. All that time, all she ever heard from any people in her family was how ungrateful and vicious Shreya was… and it slowly engraved in her own heart.

Her family might be superficial… but she still loved them with all their dysfunctions. And she craved for their affection and approval with everything she had. After all, they were all she had. So, she always aligned her own thoughts with them with all of her bitter heart. So, hatred for Shreya came naturally to her. It did not take much effort. It was as easy as breathing. So she never thought beyond it.

But today… for the first time, she questioned that hatred.

If it had been anyone else who had told her this… she would have broken all hell and defended herself and her family with all her might… but the person who said was Zack…

Zack was that one person in her life who had given her the care and attention she always craved. The kind of care and attention she wished her own family had given her.

And that gave him a very special place in her heart.

If she had met Zack at the new year's party for the first time, she might have questioned his intentions. She would have thought he was being nice to her just because of her surname. But the night she had spent in his house… completely drunk out of her might. The next morning when she woke up, she knew Zack had no idea who she was or what her name was… and he still let her stay the night…

Nobody had done that for her before… cared for her for just who she was and not for who her family was.

Meera also knew that… if it had been any other person instead of her… Zack would have still saved her… he would have still let her sleep the night… And that it was not something exclusive or special for her.

Even when the thought left a sour taste in her throat… it also made her admire him more… it made him so much more special in her eyes.

And if such kind of a person holds so much respect and admiration for Shreya… it was so hard not to believe.

But more than anything… somethings he said hit a very vulnerable part of her heart…

Trust me, a family is not made with blood.

Stop trying to please your family... your family failed you doesn't necessarily mean everyone is going to fail you...

You can love your family… but that doesn't mean you should agree and accept with every right and wrong they do…

She had never stopped to actually think about these things before. She never knew she could.

All she ever knew was her family… her mom, dad, brother, and sister… and as far as they were concerned… Shreya was their enemy who had robbed them of the thing they valued the most… the power and status they had.

But then… thinking about it now… Meera realized that the power and statues that her family had always talked about had never been theirs in the first place. It was not something they had earned but it had been something that had been given to them by Adithya… something that was rightfully Shreya's in the first place.