Besotted
Chapter 53

Sangavi Pov

How did my life become so beautiful?

Just yesterday I had a turmoil life, struggling to understand where my life was taking me but today I had the most amazing turn.

I am happy. I truly am. For I had an amazing partner who became my strength and has been supporting me as this while. I couldn't have asked for more. My eyes roamed in the room as I searched for Caleb. It was early in the morning and he was nowhere to be found. He remained with me last night in my hotel room and I slept hugging him tightly. My eyes fell on the clock which read nine in the morning.

He might have gone to work.

I got up from the bed to freshen up and ordered my breakfast and some coffee. I checked my phone multiple times as I thought about him when the door of my hotel opened and I took a glance and immediately choked on my food.

"Oh my god! Are you alright?" I heard her worried voice as she sat before me and I nodded, taking the glass of water and gulping it down.

"You should be more careful," she said as she caressed my hair and I looked back at her when Caleb walked in smiling at me. He leaned down and placed a kiss on my forehead and his sudden action before his mother caught me off guard. I remained staring at him and his mother who sat next to me with a smile on her face and in reply he just shrugged at me.

I signaled him if he told his mother about my pregnancy and he nodded and I closed my eyes embarrassed by the boy.

How can he?

Could he not wait?

Ruth looked absolutely pleased as she knew that I was pregnant. She was already there trying to make me comfortable. Soon I told her about my parents and even the part where the woman is after me wanting to kill me.

I had expected her to be hostile to me for her son's safety but she completely got me wronged as she grew more carefree and protective of me and demanded Caleb to use his power to get the Giselle no matter what. I couldn't even decipher the emotions that grew bigger in me. I was so touched by Ruth's kindness that I broke down crying. I couldn't control myself anymore.

All this while I had felt so lonely, so lost and troubled that I had lost to trust someone, to believe upon one another. All this while, the only thought I had was, I would always be alone, living on my own. But now when I see that people actually care and look after me, it was just too much for me.

I really appreciated it.

I was glad that I met someone like Caleb. He was the best thing that happened to me.

I had no idea why but I was actually looking forward to what life had for me. I was ready. I was ready to face difficulties if it meant Caleb would be right next to me.

"Don't worry, no matter how stupid my son is, I still believe upon him. I know that he loves you and he will go to any extent to save you. He will leave no stone unturned, to get that woman. Just have faith in him," Ruth told me as I wiped my tears and nodded smiling at her. "I know. I trust him," I told her and she smiled keeping her hand on mine as she gave it a reassuring squeeze. Such a small gesture filled my heart with happiness and leaned to her comfort watching Caleb who stood at the corner of the room with a smile on his face. I hoped this happiness and warmth to stay with me forever.

"Okay its the time," I said as I picked up my phone ready to post an update as bait for Giselle. But Caleb took the phone from my hand as he stared at my phone for some minutes. I looked back at Nathan who shrugged at me. It was what we had planned earlier, to use my social media accounts a bait to get a hold of Giselle.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I looked back at him. He looked tensed as he simply stared at my phone.

"I don't know," he said slowly.

"Caleb?"

"What's wrong?" I asked as I held his arm and he shook his head before he looked up at me and shaking his head he ignored me and Nathan as he went past me and simply walked out of the room leaving us confused.

I looked back at Nathan who gave me a small smile.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked and he looked down.

"You should be the one knowing this,"

"You are pregnant right?" he asked and then it struck me as I looked back towards the way where Caleb just walked out. Without any words, I walked out of the room searching for Caleb and finally found him in the lawn as he stood there under the sun, playing with my phone looking absent-minded.

"Caleb?"

My voice seemed to broke him out of his thinking state as he put my phone inside his pant pockets and looked up towards the sky.

"What's wrong?" I whispered and he shook his head inhaling deeply.

"You look in a state of confusion," I told him and that made him look down as he nodded.

"I am! You got it right!" he said and I made him turn towards me as I held his face. "Caleb, what's going on inside your mind?"

He got hold of my hand and placed a soft kiss as he squeezed my hands. "I don't know Sang! Yesterday, I thought I could do everything. I had you and I wanted to protect you. Today, we have got a baby. I have to protect it no matter what! It scared me when I think of what if something goes wrong? I don't want to lose either of you! I think it is better if you stay out of reach!" he said and I withdrew my hands from him as I looked up at him.

There was so much going on inside me as I stared at him. Never had I ever imagined that I would ever hear this from Caleb's mouth. He was not from the one to give up and he wanted me to stay out of reach from Giselle?

"Then?"

"You want me to run my whole life, scared every second that Giselle would eventually replace me and try to hurt me or my family? You want to be like this?" I asked and he shook his head.

"I understand. But you don't understand what I mean," he sighed looking anywhere but my eyes.

"Look at me," I told him as I made him look back at me.

He had a look of worry has he removed my finger from his chin and turned around not wanting to face me.

"Caleb," I whispered.

"You don't understand. Is this how you feel when you become a father? I am not feeling good about the idea of Giselle near you. She will hurt you and my baby," he told me and that made me sigh.

"Our baby," I said and he reply anything.

I stood there for some time as I watched his tensed back. Even in the mind, I had started to feel nervous as I thought about it. Somehow, I had stopped thinking about my own body but now when I feel that I had a life inside me, I couldn't think anything but just about my baby's wellbeing.

The mere idea of anyone trying to hurt my baby had me mad and I looked back at Caleb. I understood that he was scare thinking about what would happen when we face Giselle. She was clearly a criminal and she had already made her intentions clear to me that she wants to kill me.

Although, we still don't know why she wants to kill me after all these years. Whether she is afraid, I am the only witness and will have her in the jail or it is just personal because as much as I remembered she was clearly after my dad. So my face resembling my mother didn't go well with her and she wants to take it all out on me.

Whatever it was, I had already made up my mind and that was, I will not allow anyone near my baby. I will not let a woman, a murderer like Giselle to roam out free after all she did to my parents. If it were not for her then at this point in my life, I would have been with my parents enjoying my time of motherhood.

In fact, I realized everything that went wrong with me from the beginning was her fault. And I shall be damned if I play truce with such a vile woman like her. My baby is my strength, not my weakness.

"I am not going to lose," I said and he turned around as he looked at my eyes and then opened his mouth to speak something but I cut him off.

"It is about win and loss. She killed my family, Caleb. I won't let her hurt anyone. I promise I won't let her hurt me or our baby," I said and my words filled with determination as he stood there for some seconds and pulled the phone out. He was going through my phone for some seconds and then handed it back to me. I checked through my phone to replace, he used my social media site to have me check in a cafe in Paris.

"I trust you," he spoke as he went past me and I looked back at him confused with what he just did.

"But I'm just playing safe. You can't forget that I'm also in your life," he said and walked back into Nathan's house as I smiled and looked down at my phone.

"Your father is such a hot-headed man," I whispered as I patted my belly talking to my baby and cracked up realizing the way I was behaving.

-

"We will have to fly back to Paris?" I asked and Caleb shook his head.

"I will use your social media account and I'm the only one who is going back to Paris. The police have been trying their best to trace Giselle down in Paris and I am going to help them. Meanwhile, you will be staying with my mother. She will take care of you," he said and my eyes widened because he changed the plan.

"What? Are you crazy?" I couldn't but shout at him.

"I am not allowing to go there alone! Do you understand?" I yelled at him and he shook his head and looked back at Nathan.

"I think what Caleb is saying is a good option. She recognizes you, but she doesn't recognize Caleb. There will be no way she would ever understand if Caleb gets to reach her and looking at your condition the only thing you should have in your mind is to take care of yourself and your baby. This is a stressful situation and you have to stay away from all this chaos. We are here to handle this," Nathan told me and I shook my head.

"You don't understand. She can hurt Caleb. There is no way, I will allow you to go alone," I said and Caleb sighed.

"Don't worry. He is not going alone, I am also accompanying him and a senior officer is also going to accompany us to Paris for this matter. That lady is a criminal and even the police overseas are gonna help to trace her down," Nathan said and I looked back at Caleb who just gave me a look.

"Caleb please,"

"Don't argue with me Sang! I have already made up my mind. Don't worry about me. You were right! We can't keep running from this lady. I will trace her down no matter what and put her behind the bars where she belongs. I won't let her get near you," the way Caleb spoke to me, made me out of words and I buried all the worriedness I had for me inside me not wanting to have him diverted from what he has thought of.

The thought of Caleb facing her scared me, but I couldn't take the risk of losing on the only chance to get her. We knew she was in France and if she was really following me then we shall trace her down no matter what. But if we don't then she would have an idea that we are after her and then she would vanish and be out of our reach.

It is better to have our enemy before our eyes then invisible for they have the chance to attack from a blind spot, out of nowhere and we couldn't let that happen.

"Fine! If you have already made up your mind then I won't stop you," I told him and he gave me a small smile.

"But you have to promise that-" he cut me off as he came and sat next to me as he engulfed me in a tight hug.

"I promise," he said and that made me smile as he didn't even let me finish.

"Asshole! At least let me finish!" I laughed and he hummed in response while Nathan shook his head, a smile playing on his lips as he looked our way. I looked back at Caleb and placed a kiss on his cheek as he smiled down at me lovingly. If anything I want, I want you to be safe. To be there with me to fight off my loneliness and to be there as we watch as our kid grow.

-

True to what we had planned, Caleb and Nathan took the flight and went to Paris as he left me in his apartment with his mother who took extra care of me in everything. I was glad that someone was with me as I sat there worrying for Caleb's safety or I would have gone insane thinking about it again and again.

I hoped the plan we thought of worked and Giselle be in our hand at the end.

It was now her turn to go through everything that made me and Caleb go through.

I checked the time as it read six in the evening. Caleb would take more four hours to reach Paris and till that he is not going to be active to phonecalls. I enjoyed my time spending it with Ruth as she told me so many stories of how naughty Caleb as a kid was. She was expecting our baby to be a daughter so that she would get a chance to experience how wonderful it is to have a daughter.

She even told me about Caleb's past girlfriend and why things didn't work out between them. Thought it was uneasy for me to listen about any other woman, still, I heard everything wanting to know everything about him.

At the back of my mind, I just couldn't forget about Caleb. I was just waiting for the news patiently. I wanted Giselle's defeat.

As the time ticked by I started to get anxious with every minute that went by and Ruth played an absolute fairy as she treated me well. I thought I would have to divert my mind no matter what so I asked if I could go out to meet some of my friends and though she was reluctant she said yes in the end and I called a cab.

As I asked the driver to drive me off, I was reluctant about what I was feeling. If I really should meet the person for whom all this came back. The car came to a halt before Mrs. Lewis's house and I got out paying the driver. Soon some minutes later, another car pulled by and the person who got out brought a smile on my face.

"How have you been?" he said as he smiled and walked up to me and gave me a hug. I returned the hug and as we withdraw we smiled at each other.

"I am good," I told him and he nodded looking me up and down.

"You have changed a lot," he said and that made me shake my head as I nodded understanding that I was really looking different after my pregnancy.

"Have I really put on weight?" I asked and he pulled his jacked nodding as I sighed but nevertheless we walked into Mrs. Lewis's house.

It was Eden. He seemed the same as the way he looked when I last saw him. Clean-shaven, dressed elegantly and handsome as ever but not as much as my Caleb. I chuckled to the fact that recently, I have been comparing everyone with Caleb. "What's so funny?" he asked as he turned around and then looked down at his attire.

"Nothing. I just remembered something," I said and he looked unsatisfied with my answer but thankfully didn't say anything as he turned and pressed the bell.

Eden and I had been good terms as he came to visit me in the hospital and apologized to everything that he had done. Caleb didn't mind me meeting him but didn't really like it when I did. Eden had come to meet me in Paris and Caleb though pissed didn't utter a word to me scared to how I would react.

I was amazed how quickly he changed his ways with me but it was funny to watch Caleb holding in as I talked about Eden.

The door opened and I saw Mrs. Lewis as she immediately smiled and engulfed me in a hug.

"How have you been?" she asked and I returned the hug and felt her placing a kiss on the side of the head.

"I have been well. How about you?"

I asked as she withdraws her hands from me and give me a small smile.

"Not very good but not very bad," was her answer as I raised an eyebrow at her and then looked back at Eden who gave me a small smile.

She invited us in and it was the start of her sadness as she started to bawl her eyes out, showing her sadness as she talked about Giselle.

Giselle had hurt her bad. She played

with her emotions and killed her son. All the while Mrs. Lewis cursed Giselle saying how she ruined everything. She had a wish to confront her on why she had to kill Oliver when she could have just left him. Oliver loved her so much. He was blind to her love and tried his best to give her everything but she never returned his love but instead returned his love by killing him.

She was pathetic.

As we talked, more mysteries were revealed. And I understood that it was also Giselle who sold Mrs. Lewis property for money.

This woman was not only heartless but a pathetic fellow as a woman. She had hurt so many people that it was getting harder for us to forgive her no matter what. There was a point where I thought if it was the right punishment for her to send her behind bars. For a person who did so much wrong, there was no way, sending her behind bar was enough.

It was nice to interact with Mrs. Lewis as we opened our hearts to each other. We had similar pain of losing someone special to us and Eden all the while sat their quietly as he heard us.

It was the truth, we replace solemn in

sharing pain and it was already too much for us. I told Mrs. Lewis everything that happened to me and how Giselle killed everyone and I ended up alone in my life. She said she was devasted as she found nobody survived and her whole life she has been cursing herself for the fact that she couldn't join us or she would have been dead too.

She said at some point she realized that there was something wrong with Giselle but she shrugged it off every time and this was her mistake.

I told her about our plan and Caleb

went to Paris to trace her down. She

time

form

was happy as she got to know of our plan was scared for Caleb's safety. As the night came, it was me to leave and as I got ready picking up my stuff, I hugged Mrs. Lewis tightly assuring her that everything would be alright and she would get her property back and we would have Giselle behind bar no matter what.

She surprised me when she talked about my pregnancy glow and Eden seemed off guard as he looked between us two listening to our conversation.

He played a gentleman as he drove me back and in the car he finally spoke: "I'm really happy for you,"

I smiled as I nodded to him and looked out of the window.

"If I hadn't messed up th-"

"Eden!" I warned and he chuckled.

'Relax! I'm kidding and moreover I have already started dating again," he told me and I beamed hearing that.

"Really?" I asked and he chuckled.

"Of course! You don't expect me to remain waiting for you my whole life, do you?" he asked and I slapped his arm.

"Shut up!"

He laughed and drove me back to Caleb's apartment. The drive was peaceful and as we reached Caleb's apartment, I looked back at him and he gave me a small smile.

"Before you get off, I want to tell you something," he said and I nodded. "Go ahead!" I said.

His eyes held determination, as he held the stirring wheel tightly.

"I really loved you!"

"Eden-"

"No! Let me finish. I don't want to hold this in me any longer. I don't want to regret my whole life thinking that I didn't had the guts to let you know. So please Sangavi! Will you hear me out?" he asked and unsure to what I must do, I stayed quiet on my place. "What I did was utter rubbish and idiotic of me. I was jealous when I saw Caleb with you. You two looked so perfect. I wanted you to be with me. I had really loved you but I messed up big time!"

"If only I had acted more mature then I guess things had been different," he told me and I looked down.

"Eden, I understand what you mean but you must know this. I have always loved and will always love Caleb no matter what. I am really grateful that you had supported me but it was always Caleb. If it weren't for you then perhaps I would have never understood how much I loved Caleb," I told him and he smiled.

"I know and I am happy for both of you. I hope you will replace your happiness in him. And thanks for listening to me. I feel relaxed now, since it is all of my heart."

"Can I ask you one more thing?" he asked and I raised an eyebrow.

"Can I hug you?" he asked and that made me chuckle as I leaned forward and hugged him tight.

"Don't ever forget that I am always here for you no matter what. You are the best friend that I had and I will always stand for you and support you," he said and I nodded as I got back.

"You are talking as if we are meeting for the last time," I said and he smiled.

"I hope you invite me to your wedding," he joked and I rolled my eyes smiling as I got out of the car.

"Sure," I told him and he laughed. I waved at him and he drove up. A deep breath escaped my mouth as I watched him go.

So, this was it. I was all over my past and ready for the future.

This was how life went. To hold a new relationship, you have to let go of the previous, but it was not necessary to forget them. We learn something and it was necessary to hold them in as we go through life.

I walked back in and as I did, my phone rang and I saw the caller Id to replace it as Caleb. It was a video call from his side and immediately I picked it up wanting to see his face.

His face popped on the screen as he smiled and I noticed how it was daytime.

"Did you reach there on time?" I asked and he smiled and I watched as he turned the camera and the scene that came in front of me made me gasp.

Lots of police van and a turned car in the middle of the road. A lady was in the middle of the road, her hand-cuffed on her back as she was surrounded by police officers as they pushed her inside a car. Her face was visible and immediately I realized who it was.

My hand went up to my face as I couldn't believe what I just saw.

"You got her?" I screamed as tears pooled in my eyes and heard his laugh.

Nathan popped out of nowhere and I saw blood on his face but he gave me a victory sign as I gasped.

"What the hell happened?" I asked horrified to see blood on him.

"Caleb! Let me see your face," I demanded and he turned the camera. Now, I marked bruises on the side of his head as I gasped seeing his condition.

"You promised!" I couldn't help but cry as the elevator door pinged open and I walked out.

"You fucking promised!" I yelled at him and he gave me a laugh.

"It's over now baby! It's over! Get here! Don't you want to confront her?" he asked and though I wanted to scream at him on how could he still think about that when he was hurt, but chose to stay quiet as I pressed the bell to Caleb's apartment.

I nodded at Caleb happy to what I just saw but as the door opened and I looked up, my smile faded away as I saw the person before me, smiling evilly with a knife in her hand.

"Hailey," I whispered.

"You have got my mother there, I will get your girlfriend here, Mr. Caleb Theller," she smirked and before I could react someone hit me hard on my head as I lost my consciousness and fell to the ground, scared to death as I thought of my baby.000