CID Episode 63 - 26th July
Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai - 28 July 2025 EDT
CID Episode 64 - 27th July
WELCOME 🏠 MAIRA27.7
MAIRA IS SAD 😞28.7
YRKKH to take a generation leap!!!
Geetanjali vs Abhinav
Maa esi nahi hoti…
Has Kajol forgotten how to act?
Mohabbatein: one of the best scenes
Did she really say that?
Anupamaa 27 - 28 July 2025 Written Update & Daily Discussions Thread
Who is Best for gen 5
BALH Naya Season EDT Week #7: July 28-Aug 1
Anyone else born in the 80's?
Aneet Padda Next Movie With Fatima Sana Shaikh
Half Girlfriend: anyone watched it?
24 years of Yaadein
In the ruins....I found you ❤️-A Prashiv ss
If you had the power of vanishing one nepo kid?
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Chapter 25: Abandoned
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The noise moved in waves, breaking over him as the news spread across the ballroom.
"Her name is Geet Handa! She is Maan Singh Khurana's fiance. She's a murderer. A murderer! He's marrying a murderer! Do you think he knew? Did that gold-digger hide the truth from the great Maan Singh Khurana? Someone finally fooled him, huh?"
The whispers continued. The waves never ending. There was some glee . . . some shock . . . some pity. He couldn't bear any of it. He was surrounded by nosy onlookers, eager to hear gossip they could spread to those not here. Their avaricious gazes were focused on him and Sameera, their bodies eagerly pressing forward. Turning around, he met the gazes of each person in the crowd, singling them out one by one and silently telling them to back off. Most were intelligent enough to read the anger in his eyes and quickly retreated. For those not intelligent enough, he looked at the security stationed around the stage, pointing at those persistent stragglers. He also made a point of remembering those faces.
When he was alone in front of the stage, he folded his arms and glared at the woman who had been a blight on his life, hurting him and his loved ones, for far too long. But she wasn't looking at him. Her gaze was focused on something behind him. She smirked slightly, as if finding the sight pleasing to her eyes. Turning, he followed her gaze to Geet . . . surrounded by other members of the crowd. While he couldn't hear the words, he heard their lips moving. He saw how people began to move away from her, creating a circle of isolation around her.
He saw the desolation grow in Geet's face.
Realization slammed through him. He had left Geet there. His arms fell to his sides. What was he doing? Protecting Geet should have been his priority, not punishing Sameera. Turning without a second thought, he strode back towards Geet. He even ignored the delighted chuckle that Sameera let loose behind him.
When he was close enough to place a hand on Geet's shoulder, close enough to let her know he was there . . . she turned around, her body slamming into his. The breath whooshed out of him at the impact. He looked down. He saw her eyes closed and her lips trembling. Tears adorned her eyelashes like jewels. He wanted to make her pain disappear, but he couldn't work miracles in such a short amount of time. Raising his hand, he extended it towards those tears, hoping to at least make them disappear.
Geet pulled back and moved around him, continuing on to her escape. It was as if she didn't know it was him. But she wouldn't get away that easily. He reached out and silently grabbed her arm. When her head jerked up in response, he shook his head at her. Tightening his hold on her hand, he turned and moved across the ballroom. He could feel her fingers trembling in his hand, her touch ice cold.
They exited the ballroom. She followed along docilely when he tugged her towards the stairs. She said nothing when they reached the stairs and steadily went up. Once they reached the top of the stairs, Maan pulled her into the first room they encountered.
It was their storage room, a dark and dank place. Despite the dark memories it held for him, for the moment it was a safe haven. When he finally shut the door behind them, they were left with only the moonlight streaming in to illuminate the darkened room. Staring down into her beloved face, he looked for a hint of some awareness. But there was nothing.
Geet pulled her arm away from him and slowly moved away, her blank gaze moving over the dark environs of the room.
"Geet," he murmured, moving closer. His hand came out to touch her . . . to hold her . . . to hold on to her. His hand grasped empty air. She stepped back.
"Geet!" he protested, his heart clenching at the distance that seemed to be growing between them. The dreams that he had dreamt . . . they were all breaking down around him, and there was nothing he could do to save them. But no, he shook his head in denial. He wouldn't let this break them.
"Bhai!" Vicky's voice called out. "Bhai, where are you?" His voice faded as he moved off, as if unsure of where Maan actually was.
"Damn it," he muttered, angry at the interruption. "Why won't they leave me alone? I don't . . . " He thought darkly of siblings that could never do anything without him. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to give silent voice to the thought that had been pulling at him for some time . . . he was so tired of being the one in charge. He sighed heavily, his hands clenching into fists in frustration.
"Bro, I really think you need to come out here," Dev's voice said from the other side of the door. "We need to do something about Sameera, and the crowd is getting antsy. I think it would be better if we sent everyone home."
'Then why can't you send them home?' he silently thought to himself. Can't you see that I can't leave her alone? No, I don't want to leave her alone.' Maan stared at Geet, his frustrated eyes taking in the tears that had now begun to fall with a vengeance. Her expression was still glazed, as if she wasn't completely there. Reaching out a hand, he tenderly wiped those tears away. After a brief moment of indecision, he moved in, leaning his forehead against hers, taking comfort from that simple touch. She didn't back away, but he didn't even know if she realized that he was there. He wanted to stay, but the continuing knocks on the door were a deterrent.
She took a shaken breath when his brothers banged on the door once more. Her whole being began to vibrate with the emotions coursing through her body. He wanted to hold her close, but duty called once more.
"Stay," he ordered. "I'll be back." Moving back, he cupped her cheek, gazing into her eyes. They were still glazed. "Stay." With one final glance at her, he turned and left her alone in the room. Stopping at the door, he reached out and flicked on a light, leaving it to fight the near darkness surrounding her. Exiting, he shut the door softly behind him.
Maan stood outside those doors, glaring at his men standing on the other side. Dev and Vicky stood in front of him, their eyes worried and expressions unhappy. Maan's glare softened when he realized that his ex-girlfriend had just ruined his brother's engagement, but Vicky wasn't focused on that. He was worried about Maan and Geet.
"Bhai, is Geet Bhabhi okay?" he asked, glancing at the closed door over Maan's shoulders.
Maan's heart softened even further at that query.
"Geet will be fine," he said with an assurance that he could almost convince himself he felt. This was the same Geet Handa who had stood up to him multiple times. She had come here tonight and said yes to his proposal. She wouldn't let something like this defeat her. He took a deep breath. She couldn't.
He reached out his hand and clasped Vicky's shoulder. "I've asked her to stay in the room. Let's go deal with Sameera first. And then," he said with a smile, "We'll really celebrate." He strode down the stairs, closely followed by Dev. Looking back, he noticed Vicky still standing in front of the storeroom's doors. "Vicky?" he called out.
"Coming, bhai," Vicky said, rushing down the stairs to stand next to him.
The trio strode into the ballroom, and were immediately surrounded by curious onlookers, awaiting further tantalizing gossip. The crowd moved in closer when they saw the Khurana men entering the room. Maan ignored them all and walked towards the stage. Getting up onto the stage, Maan looked at the crowd standing in front of him. His eyes flickered over Sameera, standing by the side of the stage, her arm held by one of the security guards. He nodded his head approvingly at his head of security for having the forethought to keep Sameera here.
"Thank you for coming tonight," Maan began smoothly. "Unhappily, you were all a witness to some ugliness that should not have been exposed in this manner. For those of you who are our close friends, I ask that you not spread this information." Maan paused for a moment, his eyes moving over his audience. "For those of you who might not be so close to us, such that you might feel free to spread this news . . . remember who I am." He crossed his arms across his chest and raised his chin in challenge. "It will be a mistake to get on my bad side." Members of the audience shifted uncomfortably at that reminder. "Now, I apologize for cutting this event short, but I'm afraid we're going to have to ask all of you to leave now."
One by one, people began to disperse, whispering amongst themselves about what had happened today. Soon, only the Khuranas, Pari's family and Sameera were left. Maan had quietly ordered the guards to leave, as well.
Dadi Ma stood to the side, her face reflecting her unhappiness. Another family celebration had been ruined. She sat down, her legs no longer able to support her. Would her family ever have the chance for some happiness without scandal erupting in the midst of it all? What had her grandchildren ever done to suffer like this?
Meera brought her a glass of water and helped her to drink it. She gazed up when Dev came to stand by them. Dev said nothing, unable to move past his own guilt. Although it was Sameera that had ruined this event, but would things have been different if he hadn't run away all those years ago? Shaking those thoughts aside, knowing that they were useless now, he focused on what was important. Leaning down, he put a supportive hand on his grandmother's shoulder to offer what comfort he could.
Dadi Ma acknowledged his efforts by reaching up and patting his hand. Looking up, she smiled at him. She no longer blamed Dev for his actions so long ago. He had been young and in love. Could one really expect intelligent choices from a youth in love? She hoped that her smile conveyed to him that there was no need for further penitence.
Dev gestured to Meera, and the two helped Dadi Ma up. They escorted her from the room, knowing that staying would only further upset her. Maan could handle Sameera. The older woman acquiesced, feeling too old for this drama.
Pari stood to the right and watched Maan frowning at Sameera. Sameera looked back at him coldly. Pari sighed, knowing that she needed to get her parents out of here. Turning to them, she said, "Mom, dad, please leave for now. I need to stay here and make sure everything is okay."
"Pari! Leave with us. We don't want you staying in a house with a murderer!" her mother protested, gripping Pari's arm. "How could we just leave you here? That woman ruined your engagement party with her mere presence, and now you want us to leave you behind in the same house? We don't even know where she is or what she could do."
"Mother, you know nothing about what is going on here!" Pari protested hotly, her face reddening at such prejudice from her loving parent. She removed her mother's hand from her arm. "You have always been fair-minded. Don't take anything at face value. Geet is a wonderful person, and whatever happened . . . there has to be a reason for it. I will come home later." She quickly ushered her parents out, asking Nakul to see them to the door. That task completed, she looked around, only to wrinkle her brow in confusion. "Where did Vicky go?"
Maan glared at the woman standing at the foot of the stage, her arms crossed across her chest. She was tapping her foot impatiently, a pout on her pink lips. "What?" she whined, noticing the look he was directing towards her.
Maan stepped off the stage and moved over to tower over her. His eyes revealed the anger burning inside of him. This woman had broken Geet's heart, holding her past up in front of the world. She had ruined the life that Geet had so carefully planned for herself. She had brought trouble into their lives even before they had had a chance to enjoy the beginning of their lives together. A muscled tightened in his jaw, as he struggled to control himself. The way things were right now, the fury bubbling strongly inside of him, that he knew if he opened his mouth he would begin to yell.
"Look, I wasn't lying," Sameera asserted, and pulled papers out of her clutch. They were small scraps of articles, carrying the headlines of "Killer in Hoshiarpur!" and other similar things. "Look at these newspapers. She was infamous in her little town and the surrounding areas. She murdered her own cousin. And if that wasn't enough, her cousin was a serial killer. She has that blood running through her veins," she pointed out boldly. "Her grandfather died when the truth came out. Most people say that it was from the shame of having his name tainted, not because his grandson was a killer. Some even say that he might have known and encouraged his grandson's homicidal tendencies."
Maan stepped back at that revelation, his arms falling to his side.
"I revealed nothing that wouldn't have been found out in time," she argued, backing up to put some more distance between the two of them. "She was going to be your fiance. The world would have been rabidly curious about the Khurana heir's bride. I just pushed things along. It was so easy for me to find out, and I'm no special detective. You think others wouldn't have discovered the truth?"
"You knew about her before you even came into this house. You were prepared," Maan noted, his head tilted to the side. "How did you know?"
"It wasn't hard to pay one of your servants to disclose the goings on of this house," she revealed, throwing that nameless servant under the bus.
Maan silently made note of this, planning on ferreting out the individual. He wouldn't bother asking Sameera, since the woman knew his employees. What would stop her from naming someone else out of malice? "Why do you even care who I'm with?" he barked at Sameera, moving forward to lean over her threateningly. "You ran out on me!"
Sameera began to laugh incredulously, as she gazed up at him. "You really don't get it, do you?" She took a deep breath, visibly calming herself down. "You deserved some sort of payback!" she yelled in his face, incensed for some reason known only to her.
"Payback for what?!" he roared back at her. "I thought I loved you. You're the one who fooled me! I was about to propose to you when you ran off with my little brother."
Sameera's mouth fell open at that revelation, her eyes blinking in shock. It was as if she was unable to process that revelation. A moment of silence and one deep breath later, she shook her head and turned to glare around the ballroom. "I see your younger brother has disappeared. Again."
Maan looked around, surprised that Vicky had left at such a moment.
"He fooled me into leaving with him and then left me!" Sameera ranted. She began to pace back and forth. "You think that I didn't figure out what his grand plan was when he came running back home to you? Imagine how not surprised I was when I heard about this engagement!"
"Sameera," Maan pointed out, "Why are you changing history? He didn't leave you. You left him, remember? You thought that he no longer had any money and decided to move on to greener pastures."
"Well, he lied about not having money, didn't he? What makes it okay for him to lie to me like that?" she demanded, her arms crossing over her chest.
"Are you for real?" Pari cried out, unable to listen to this drivel for a moment longer. Striding over to stand next to Maan, she angrily stabbed her finger towards Sameera. "How deluded can you be? You made Maan believe that you loved him! He was going to propose to you when you ran off on him! You broke his heart. You ran off with the man you clearly knew was my boyfriend. Oh, don't act like you didn't know," Pari spat at Sameera. "You saw us! You ran off with him because you wanted his wealth. You thought that he was an easier mark than Maan Singh Khurana. You thought that he would be easier to manipulate. You made the wrong bet, didn't you?" Pari asked with a smirk.
Sameera silently rolled her eyes in reply.
"And now you say that they made a fool out of you?! What is wrong with you?" Pari asked, continuing her harangue at the woman standing in front of them, not missing a beat.
When Sameera only blew on her nails nonchalantly, Pari lost it. She reached out and grabbed the other woman by the shoulders, roughly shaking her. "You clearly wanted their money. Newsflash, babe. If you're that desperate for money . . . then work for it! You don't get to pull this sh--, you gold-digger!" Pari snorted derisively, making her disbelief patently clear.
Maan carefully pried Pari's hands off of Sameera's shoulders, and nudged her behind him, fearing Sameera's reprisal. He did it just in the nick of time.
"How dare you pass judgment on me?" Sameera screeched, lunging at Pari. Maan quickly grabbed her around the waist, holding her in place. "You have it easy. You have a man who loves you and worships the ground you walk on. You're getting engaged. And you dare to judge me!" she shouted, struggling against Maan's hold.
"Just who do you think you're talking to?" Pari yelled incredulously, looking over Maan's shoulder. "Did you get amnesia? Do you not remember that my boyfriend left me and ran off with you?"
Sameera paused at that. "He only did it to save his brother!" she shot back. "So really, how much did you suffer? Your love came back to you within months. You had to suffer nothing."
"Regardless of when he came back, I was ready to forgive and forget even before he explained anything to me," Pari responded. "I loved him. When he came back into my life, I got engaged to him. I will marry him. You had a second chance with Maan," she said pointedly, "and you threw it away. For what? Money? You didn't love Maan. You didn't love that wonderful little boy. You ruined your own life. Don't blame them for making fools of you. You were already a fool." Saying those words, Pari turned and walked out of the room.
Sameera stopped struggling in Maan's hold, standing their quietly. Maan let her go. She backed away, taking deep breaths to calm herself. She turned and walked towards the stage. Turning back, she looked around the ballroom, her eyes moving over all the preparations that had been made for this night. Her shoulders slumped. "Broke your heart?!" Sameera asked, laughing darkly. She gazed at him somberly and then smiled. "I guess you just got your what you deserved," she said.
Maan looked at Sameera in confusion.
"Did you even give me a second thought before you married Naintara? Did anyone think to ask while all of this was going, 'What about Sameera?' when you made that great, noble sacrifice?" She stopped talking when her voice trembled, biting her lip.
Maan stepped back at that display of emotion. It was surprising, as well as unwelcome. "Don't use your tears to manipulate me," he ordered coldly. "They no longer work on me."
"As your charm no longer works on me," she retorted. "We were in a relationship, Maan Singh Khurana! Do you even know what happened to me after you got married?" she demanded. "If anyone is to blame for what I've become today, it's you."
"I don't need to listen to your excuses. Bad things happen, Sameera. But that doesn't mean people let their bitterness turn them into inhumane beings. You took your bitterness out on my son, and I will never forgive that. You terrorized him. And you think a few crocodile tears will make it all okay?" he yelled, beginning to move towards her. He checked that motion, when he saw the surprising grief in her face. Was she playing him again? His brow wrinkled in confusion. It wasn't like him to be so indecisive. He had sworn to himself that if this woman came back into his life, he would make her pay for what she had done to his son. Coupled with what she had pulled today, his vengeance would have been doubly deserved. But he was hesitating.
She sat down on the stage, unable to stand any longer. "You weren't in love with me," she said to him. "Don't blame me for your stupidity. You brought me back into this house, not knowing what I had become." It was a shockingly honest admission, said in a moment of sincerity. She didn't know why being around Maan pulled her back toward a Sameera who used to be a better person. "You wanted to go back to a time where you were young and innocent. You wanted to go back to a time when you believed in good. You were just using me as the method of returning to your bygone innocence. I sincerely doubt you would have married me, no matter what you say."
"I was ready to propose," he pointed out through gritted teeth, continuing to keep his distance.
"Then more fool you." She allowed her shoulders to slump, resting her arms on her legs. "You left me high and dry because of your family honor. Do you even know the pain of being abandoned? Of waking up one morning and realizing that the person you loved and trusted to be there for you above all else has left you without warning. Of having to deal with that reality and to struggle to survive. Of being unable to move on, and being unable to do anything about it. Of letting the bitterness seep into your soul and let it warp you into a crazy being that even you come to hate in the darkest hours of the night. You have no idea," she said heavily.
Maan stared at her quietly, truly realizing for the first time there had been another victim in all that had happened years ago.
"You thought that just because you were conveniently free, I would just come back into your life and we would fall back into love and live happily ever after." She sprang to her feet. "That is not how it works, Maan! You don't get another chance to love the person you betrayed. It's not that easy."
"I don't need to hear this. You're making excuses for your behavior. Get out," he ordered. "Don't ever come back in our lives."
She began to laugh. "They're not excuses. Why would I excuse my behavior? Even I know what I did was inexcusable," she blurted out, her eyes widening when those words left her lips. More honesty. She needed to get away from this man as soon as possible. "I'm just explaining. When I heard that you were free, I decided that it was my turn to get something out of you. But knowing you, I had to bet on a sure thing when it came along. With our past history, how could I trust you to keep your word? How could I trust you not to run off and get married to someone else?" She shrugged her shoulders. "Ah well, you win some, you lose some."
"If that was your attitude, then why the hell did you come back and hurt my Geet?!" he shouted, striding forward to grab her by the shoulders.
"You don't get to fall in love and live happily ever after!" she retorted, pulling away from his grip. "You don't get to have those emotions, when that ability has been burned out of me! You don't get to live a carefree life now, when I can't. I wanted revenge," she finished simply. "You hurt me. I hurt you through her."
Maan stared at the woman before him . . . a woman he thought he had loved. And realized that she was right, he had never truly loved her at all. To see what she had become . . . partly because of him, saddened him. But even so, that was no excuse for what she had done to Rahul . . . for what she had done to Geet.
"We all have events in our lives that hurt us," he said, after a long pause. "It's how you handle them that reveals your character. No one has a carefree life. We all suffer. But that doesn't mean we let bitterness make us into monsters . . . like you. Even I, who came the closest to surrendering to my bitterness, found the courage to fall in love again. And she is worth it. She has changed me. And because of her, and because of the love I found, which you may never find, I will give you one chance. Leave now. I don't want to see you again. If I see you trying to create problems in my life or my family's life, I will make you pay."
Sameera backed up at his quiet promise.
"Would your family thank you? Would your future kids thank you for picking a murderer as their mother, when they will have to live with the stigma?" she asked, getting that one last zinger in.
"I know about Dubai, Sameera. And the Sheikh you defrauded out of billions of rupees. One more chance, Sameera."
Her face paled at that revelation.
"Get out."
She turned and fled.
"Nakul, make sure she leaves!" Maan called out.
He heard a noise near the door, and turned towards it smilingly. "Geet." His face fell. It wasn't Geet.
Vicky stood there, an unhappy expression on his face.
"Do you know where Geet is?" Maan asked.
"She's not here, bhai," Vicky revealed somberly. "She left."
Maan shook his head in disbelief. "She can't be gone. I asked her to stay."
'Do you understand the pain of being abandoned?'
Maan moved further into the storage room, looking around. Hoping to see some sign that explained Geet's absence. His eyes moved over the old, broken furniture . . . the trinkets . . . the pictures. He zeroed in on a picture that he had never expected to see again. It was a picture of him . . . smiling. So carefree.
'Of waking up one morning and realizing that the person you loved and trusted to be there for you above all else has left you without warning.'
"Bhai, you have to go after her," Vicky urged. "Don't you see? She ran away, but I'm sure she doesn't want to stay away. She's doing this to protect you. If you don't go after her, and she stays away . . . it'll become really hard for you both to come back to each other. She knows . . . if she's thinking at all, that she should have stayed. That she made a mistake. But she won't be able to admit it. So, you have to go after her."
Maan moved closer to the picture of his younger self, his eyes almost flinching from the happiness he saw in that gaze. That picture had been taken days before his parents had their accident. Days before his world imploded. His eyes fell on the other items on the table, and his heart froze upon seeing the ring she had laid so carefully in that box. His ring. She had left it behind. She had left him behind.
He exhaled sharply, finding it difficult to breathe. He brought his breaths under control, that lapse making him even more aware of what else he'd lost. She could not have left him. She could not have abandoned him. Why? Geet. He clutched the ring to his heart, unable to think any further.
"You're going to go after her, aren't you, bhai?" Vicky asked. "You love her. She loves you. What else is there to consider?"
'Of being unable to move on, and being unable to do anything about it.'
Maan put up his other hand, telling Vicky to be quiet.
"But, bhai!" Vicky exclaimed.
"Why wouldn't I go after her?" Maan asked hoarsely.
Vicky's eyes widened. "But you have never gone after .. . " his voice trailed off. How could he have said that Maan bhai had never gone after any of them? Did he . . . feel a little jealous right now? He shook his head quickly, shaking that petty thought right out of his head.
"I love her, Vicky," Maan said. "I know her. She didn't run away for selfish reasons. She ran away to save me. Why would I punish her for that?"
He stared down at the ring in his now open hand, and gently caressed the message he had the jeweler inscribe on it. Geet hadn't even had the chance to see that inscription. Unlike Sameera, he could and would do everything to get his love back.
Closing his fingers around it once more, he said reflectively, "She's my heart. I can't live without my heart now, can I?"
From the author's desk : Welcome to thread 6! I started to write this story years ago when the show was live and now when I look back on what...
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