Chapter 247 - Regret has no pill after all.

"You know… I was a result of a drunken one night stand that completely ruined my mom's life… You can't probably fathom the amount of hate she actually held towards me. She, at last, called it quits when I reached 9 years… Probably the only good thing she had ever done for me." Zeenath said with a grave self-deprecating chuckle.

"Why did she have you then?" Srinivas asked without really thinking. But he bit on his tongues as soon as the words left her mouth. But it was too late by then.

But Zeenath did not really take offense to it. Because this was a question she asked the universe above all her childhood.

"Oh! You will love that part…" She started to answer. One can't miss the sarcasm in her voice from miles away.

"The jerk… or the s.p.e.r.m donor if put politely… he is actually a wealthy bastard who likes playing around. My mum was aiming to not only get into his bed but also into his house… but he was already married and he was looking for an heir and not a little girl. And thus, my mum had to endure excruciating torture in the name of a daughter that nobody wanted."

The bitterness in her voice cut him like a sword. He was someone who had seen war… but still, hearing to her was not easy.

Zeenath paused and actually pulled away from him and shifted her backs to him. But before Srinivas could protest, her voice continued.

"And she would do this whenever she will remember how much my presence had deprived her of…"

(Note of the author: I am really sorry but there should be some discrepancies when it comes to Zeenath's back story… Originally when I wrote, I think she never had any memories before she went to an orphanage. And there is also this… I mean I keep switching between university and school- the time Shreya and Zeenath will meet first. The final storyline is… they will meet in school and gets separated when Zeenath moves out for university. I will make the changes in the necessary places later.)

Her hand reached out and pulled her t-shirt presenting her bareback to Srinivas in all its glory.

Srinivas's breath stuck at his throats. Her back was completely covered in scars… whip marks, cut marks, and even some cigarette burn marks.

When he thought of a little girl barely old enough to understand the world enduring something like this… his whole being hurt.

Zeenath was the first one that entered his heart in all his life… she held a place in his heart that was completely hers… But seeing someone that dear to him and knowing she had been tortured at such a young age… and hearing to her cold emotionless voice recounting the same without an ounce of attachment.

His own emotions became a mess very quickly.

Srinivas scooped her over and actually sat her on his laps in one smooth move. And then he held her in his arms… at that moment, he did not even know if he was doing this to comfort her or himself. He wished he could somehow make it all go away for her. Or maybe just forget she ever said anything to him…

Because the helplessness of the whole situation was like cruel torture for him.

"You don't have to tell me anything… You don't have to remember them… You are fine now and here…" He mumbled against her neck. He did not feel like he could bear to know more… he was really scared of what more she could have gone through. Just thinking about it made every last muscle of his body go stiff.

Zeenath just smirked and asked sarcastically, "Weren't you the one who asked for a chance? Wasn't I being a scaredy-cat?"

The bitterness in her voice did no good to his already torn up emotions. He never would have imagined something so f.u.c.k.i.e.d up behind her cold mask…

"I'm sorry… I am really sorry…" Srinivas mumbled really regretting somethings he had said to her so carelessly without even knowing her situation. He actually dared to implicate that she was a coward… when he thought of it, he felt regret eating him alive.

If he had been in her shoes, he wasn't even sure if he would have survived for so long let alone be so brave. And somehow, he had actually asked her so arrogantly whether she was just sacred… Now he knew he never had to qualification to ask her something like that.

Regret has no pill after all.

But on the completely different spectrum, his emotions became so twisted when he thought of what she had gone through… all before she was 9 that too.

Zeenath pulled away to look at him when she heard him apologize. But when she looked into his dark eyes, she really did not know how to respond. He actually had unshed tears clinging on to his sockets precariously which shocked Zeenath to no end. She never knew this iceberg could actually melt.

She had always been afraid to be met with pitiful eyes staring back at her when she finally shared… but she never thought she would actually be met with anguished ones. Somehow, his eyes looked hurt… painful even… reflecting her own.

Srinivas pulled her all over again and buried his head against her body. He felt ashamed to look into her eyes. Not because she was seeing him tear up but because he kept remembering all the things he had said to her that one night…

"I am really sorry…" He repeated himself all over again.

Zeenath actually let out a chuckle at his behavior. Without his arrogance, he actually looked pleasing to her eyes.

"Aren't you the one being a scaredy-cat now?" She asked teasingly. Of course, she knew he was avoiding eye contact. So, she couldn't help but tease. But she was not really trying to mock him…

"You are probably right…" Srinivas replied chuckling himself. But he did not really elaborate on it. But his arms around her tightened.

Zeenath leaned over and actually pecked on top of his head…

She did not know what it was… but seeing this man who was always so calm and collected soo out of sorts… emotionally twisted over her… a sense of warmth spread. The fact that he seemed so hurt for her… that he had tears for her… a sweet sensation blanketed her hardened heart unconsciously.

He was probably the first person to tear up for her… that too knowing the kinda iceberg he usually is… it felt special.