Chapter 29: Fareb
There is many a slip between the cup and the lip, Manthan Virani thought bitterly. No such thing as perfect happiness. Only an illusion of it. He had walked down in a daze reading KT's letter of apology addressed to his grandmother. He had looked at his family in utter disbelief and asked his dadi in a heartbreaking voice" Yeh jhooth hai na dadi?" And as Nakul entered the living room, savage fury replaced his initial nihilism. "Where are KT and Lakshya?" he asked advancing towards his cousin. " I don't know. " was Nakul's terse reply. " You bloody backstabbing son of a....". Nakul would have smashed his clenched fist into Manthan's face before he finished had Barkha not tactfully stepped between the two of them. " Nakul.....Manthan....Stop." Turning to Nakul, she pleaded, "Nakul...If you are aware of Lakshya's wherabouts, please tell us. We may still be able to convince them to return. Please Nakul....Mere khatir batado ....." "Mujhe nahi pata......Tumhari Kasam Barkha.........Iske alawa mujhe apni sachchai sabit karna nahi aata."
A sudden gasp from Tulsi caught their attention. Lakshya and KT stood at the doorway. Dressed in wedding clothes and looking like a picture perfect just married couple. Barkha and Bhumi caught Manthan's hand and shoulder respectively, preventing him from harming the new arrivals. Before anyone could say or do anything, Sahil walked up to Lakshya and gave him a resounding slap. " You had the guts to come back to this house after you disgraced us all? Get out....Right now......" he ordered fiercely. " Dad please.....Listen to him atleast once...." Nakul stepped up to his brother's defense. "Dadi...you made a decision 'in the best interests of your family' and assumed everyone would abide by it. You did the same for Bhumi and Joydeep......We don't deny you the respect you expect of us as an elder. Why then dadi are we denied the right to make decisions about our lives? I agree Lakshya did wrong by eloping but what other choice did you leave two people who love each other and want to be with each other? " Nakul ...Is this the way you....." "No Sahil..." Tulsi held up a staying hand, " Let him be.....Nakul....You accuse me of imposing my wishes on your generation....Tell me, " she said facing Bhumi and Barkha, " Do any of you regret your marriage?" They shook their heads. " I thought so. When I suggest alliances Nakul, it is because I feel those two people complete each other, compliment each other and in the long run, will love and cherish each other forever. And now ask your brother if he came to me .....asking me to reconsider this engagement even once.....No...he took the easy way out....eloped....without taking any of his own into confidence. And Krishna Tulsi you...."
she said turning to face her adopted grand-daughter. " I'm sorry Baa......" Tulsi just shook her head in disgust. "No its all my fault....I did expect better from someone with my upbringing."
Manthan had disengaged himself from his best friend and his sister. He walked up and looked at Lakshya with unmasked hatred. " I'll make you regret this Lakshya....For sure. Just wait. But before I deal with you, I need to find out who helped you with all this." "You don't have to look very far Manthan Virani..." a superior voice sounded from the doorway as a tall, bespectacled girl walked right up to him, gloating. " I did. "