"She mortgaged her children."
The moment those words left Om's mouth, the entire house fell into a chilling silence.
It was as if time itself had stopped.
Everyone stood frozen, staring at Om with wide, disbelieving eyes. For a moment, it felt like he had gone too far… like this accusation was beyond anything imaginable.
Their gazes shifted—first toward Om… then toward Savita.
Waiting.
Hoping… that this wasn't true.
Meanwhile…
Deep inside the cave, Kakbhushundi, Vipul, and Kagraj continued moving forward.
Vipul's eyes wandered across the walls, taking in the intricate carvings and mesmerizing artwork etched into the stone. The deeper they went, the more surreal it all felt.
Finally, unable to hold back, Vipul asked,
"It looks like you've spent these centuries on Earth decorating this cave quite beautifully."
Kakbhushundi smiled as he walked ahead, his steps calm and steady.
"Well… a home should feel like a home, shouldn't it?" he replied lightly. "And these carvings… they all exist for a reason."
He ran his fingers gently along one of the ancient patterns.
"You already know, Devdoot… beings like us carry responsibilities far beyond imagination. We barely have time for ourselves… let alone for things like this."
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"But yes… I created these with great love… and even greater patience."
Vipul nodded, impressed.
"Incredible… truly incredible."
After a brief pause, something crossed his mind.
"Kakbhushundi… if you don't mind, could you tell me a little about the person we're going to meet?"
Kakbhushundi chuckled softly.
"Meet? No, Devdoot… we're not going to meet him."
A pause.
"We're going to bring him."
Vipul's expression sharpened.
"That boy… will stand alongside the child of prophecy in the war to come. And his role…"
Kakbhushundi's voice deepened.
"…will be just as important."
"Because he understands pain."
"He knows what it means to lose everyone… to live alone… to fight death every single day."
"And most importantly…"
His eyes glimmered with something profound.
"He knows the value of hope… the value of saving life… of fixing what's broken."
Before Vipul could respond, Kagraj suddenly interrupted, curiosity written all over his face.
"But Kuldev… you never told us—how did he survive alone?"
Kakbhushundi laughed softly at Kagraj's innocent question.
"That's a simple one, Kagraj."
"Because… his time hadn't come yet."
"And because… he had a purpose."
A brief silence followed.
"His powers are the reason he survived. That's why the disease never touched him… even in a world worse than hell itself."
"He didn't just survive…"
"He was preparing."
"For a war… that must be stopped."
"A war upon which the fate of human life itself depends."
As they spoke, the three of them reached a staircase carved into the depths of the cave.
The path behind them was swallowed in darkness.
But as they climbed the stairs and pushed open a heavy stone door—
A blinding light burst through.
Vipul stepped out…
…and froze.
His eyes widened in absolute shock as he stared at what lay before him.
Back at the house…
Om's words had shaken everyone to their core.
No one could believe it.
A mother… selling her own children for money?
"Enough, Om!" Sharda shouted, her voice trembling. "This isn't true! You can't just say anything about your own aunt!"
She was furious… but somewhere deep inside, her heart refused to accept such a horrifying truth.
At that moment, Manoj—who had been silent all this time—slowly stepped forward.
Everyone's eyes shifted toward him.
Om… Isha… Harsh… all of them watched him in stunned silence.
Manoj stopped right in front of Savita.
His eyes burned with rage.
"Is this true?" he asked, his voice low… but shaking.
Savita looked into his eyes for a brief second—
…and fear consumed her.
In all the 30 years she had spent with Manoj, she had never seen him like this.
Never.
"I asked you something!" he roared, his voice exploding through the room. "Is this true?!"
Savita couldn't speak.
Not a single word.
But slowly…
She nodded.
That one gesture—
Was enough.
Something inside Manoj snapped.
Without a second of hesitation, he grabbed Savita by her hair, forcing her head up—and then, in a burst of uncontrollable rage, he slapped her again and again.
The sound echoed.
Each slap heavier than the last.
Tears streamed down his face.
It wasn't just anger.
It was pain.
Deep… unbearable pain.
Om stood there, feeling it all, even if he didn't want to.
Isha and Harsh broke down, crying as they watched their mother being beaten.
Sharda, Riya, and Soumya's eyes filled with tears too.
And yet…
No one stopped him.
Because somewhere… everyone felt that Savita had crossed a line that could never be forgiven.
But then—
Om stepped forward.
He grabbed Manoj's hand, stopping him mid-action.
Manoj looked at him, shaking his head, silently begging him to let go.
"Let me go, Om!" he cried. "Today I'll kill her! She's not a woman—she's a monster! No… even monsters wouldn't stoop this low!"
His voice broke as he continued,
"She was ready to sell her own children! Does she have no shame?! Is she even a mother… or a curse?"
Tears flowed uncontrollably.
"This is my fault! I spent my whole life trying to keep you happy… dreaming of a good life for you and our son… and you… you fell so low that you sold your own children!"
His voice turned hollow.
"I feel ashamed to call you a woman… ashamed to call you a mother!"
"You don't deserve to live… not after this… not after this!"
He clutched his head, pulling at his hair as he broke down completely.
Om slowly turned toward Harsh.
His voice was calm… but carried a deep, cutting truth.
"Harsh… I'm sorry. Don't misunderstand me."
He glanced at Savita.
"Aunt… no matter how bad I thought you were… you always managed to be ten steps worse."
A pause.
"Do you know… your son called me?"
Savita's eyes widened slightly.
"He told me he would go to jail in your place. He was ready to take any punishment… no matter how severe."
Om's voice hardened.
"No matter how flawed he is… he still begged me to save his mother."
He looked directly into Savita's eyes.
"Tell me… what answer should I give him?"
Then he turned back to Harsh.
"And you… you wanted to save this mother? The same one who traded your name away?"
His words grew sharper.
"Do you even understand what 'mortgaging children' means?"
"It means turning them into someone's property."
"After that… the owner can do anything."
"Make your son live like a dog…"
"…or force your daughter into things no one should even imagine."
The room trembled with the weight of his words.
"Do you even realize what you've done?"
"You didn't just make a mistake…"
"You threw your children into a hell worse than death."
Om's voice dropped, filled with quiet fury.
"What kind of mother dreams of her own life… while standing on her children's graves?"
Each word pierced through Savita like a blade.
But she couldn't respond.
Not even a whisper.
The rest of the family stood there, shaken to their core, unable to comprehend how a mother could fall so low.
Then suddenly—
Manoj grabbed Savita by her arm, dragging her forcefully toward the door.
Everyone snapped out of their shock.
"Manoj! What are you doing?!" Vijay shouted.
But Manoj wasn't listening anymore.
Without stopping—
He dragged Savita outside…
…and threw her out of the house.