TDBU #3 [An AR FF] - (Track 66 to 69 - Page 82/83) - Page 47

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Previously On...

Riddhima confronts Sid. Armaan & Riddhima have a little chat about Tamanna.

Track 48 - Never Grow Up, Taylor Swift

I don’t have any forgiveness left in me to give. Especially not to you. You already made sure of that 7 years ago.

Try as he might, Armaan just could not get those words out of his head. They played again and again and then again, like a never-ending loop, making it impossible for him to concentrate on anything else. What had happened? What could be so bad that Riddhima would say something like that to Sid? And seven years ago? That's when they'd gotten married… What had happened then?

Armaan had never really gone into the nitty gritties of Riddhima's relationship with Sid for obvious reasons. They were married when he got back. That's all he knew. Frankly, that's all he wanted to know. He didn't want to torture himself with the other stuff. He especially didn't have it in himself to sit down and listen to their love story. But had it been a love story? Hadn't Riddhima hinted to some circumstances leading to them getting married? Could it have been that he had it all wrong? That maybe Riddhima was trying to make the best out of a bad situation… That she didn't actually want to marry Sid?

Why did the thought make his heart flutter? Why did it even matter to him? Things were so different now. Nothing was the same. Nothing ever would be. Seven long years had passed since everything had happened. He'd closed the chapter of Riddhima in his life and moved on… Hadn't he? Yes, yes, he had. He was happy where he was. He had everything and everyone he could possibly want. He didn't need anyone else. Especially not Riddhima.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Minnie asked, pulling him out of his downward spiral.

"I like to think they're worth more than that," he smiled.

"Two pennies for your thoughts," she replied. Armaan laughed. He pulled her into a hug.

"Seriously," she pestered. "What's up? Is it Riddhima Di?" Because of course it would be about her. Minnie was old enough to understand that.

Armaan just shrugged. "It's complicated."

"When is it not with her?" She countered.

"You have a point," he agreed. "But this time… I don't know if I want to get involved."

"Hmmm. That's fair. But… Are you sure you won't regret it later?" She asked him.

"What's one more regret when I have a lifetime of them where she's concerned?" He murmured rhetorically.

"Okay, seriously. What's up? Did you guys fight? Did she say something to you?" Minnie pressed, concerned.

"I don't know. I'm sort of worried about her. Well, mostly her relationship with Sid. She said something and now I can't get it out of my head. I just think that things might not be fine," he told her honestly.

"Well, then you can just confirm that things are fine with them! What's the big deal?" She questioned.

"Big deal? Of course it's a big deal! I can't ask either of them about their relationship. They might take it the wrong way!" He burst out. Did Minnie not understand how many issues would crop out if he asked Riddhima or Sid about their marriage?

"So don't ask them," she answered. "Ask someone else. What's so difficult about this?"

And then… He remembered. His decision to talk to Anjali. And how he hadn't done that yet thanks to all the drama that had been happening around the house. Yes! Why hadn't he thought of it earlier? He'd speak to Anjali and sort everything out. He totally would.

"You're a genius!" He exclaimed, pulling Minnie into another hug.

"That I am," she agreed instantly.

"Where have you been? I haven't seen you since morning today," he asked her a couple minutes later.

"You're talking as if it's been a century. It's only been a few hours! And you were busy with Rahul Bhaiya and then Riddhima Di," she said. "And… I was hanging out with Navneeta. We had a tea party with Myra. Boyfriend… She's so cute! God. How am I supposed to go back to school when she's here?"

Armaan chuckled. "She is extremely cute, isn't she? You know… I read her a story last night before bed. She loved it so much, she even gave me a hug!"

In just a couple days, everyone had understood that if Myra offered you a hug, it was a big deal. She never denied if you asked her for one, but giving out hugs of her own volition? Yes. Pretty big deal!

"Minnie!! Did you ask him yet?" Navneeta called out as she bounded down the stairs where the two of them were standing.

"Ask me what?" Armaan asked.

"Navu and I were thinking we could go out for a drive," Minnie said. "It's boring… Being cooped up in the house all day!"

"Oh…" Armaan replied. "You did, did you?"

"Please, Bhaiyaaaaaa! Let us go na!" Navneeta pleaded. "I'm so bored at home!"

"Did you ask your mom if you could go?" Armaan asked Navneeta.

"She said it's okay as long as you agree," she replied.

"She did, huh?" He asked.

"Yes! You think I'd try to sneak out without her permission?!" Navneeta asked with the most heartbreakingly innocent expression on her face.

"Oh, Navu. I don't think, baby. I know. You'd definitely do that," he told her. "Let me ask your mom myself."

Navneeta shrugged and the two teens followed him as he looked for Dr. Keerti. He found her in the garden along with Anjali, Nikita, and Atul, as they told Samrat and Nikumbh about some plant or the other. The two boys looked wholly uninterested in the whole thing. When Rahul called out to them and invited them to play with Myra who he'd brought out to the garden, the two of them instantly ran away, laughing.

It was very rare to see Rahul without Myra. Since she'd come home, either Tamanna or Rahul were with her all the time.

"Hello, everybody!" He greeted, and everyone replied with a greeting of their own.

"Dr. Keerti," he started. "Did you tell Navneeta she could go out on a drive with Minnie as long as I said it was okay?"

"I did," Dr. Keerti agreed. "They're getting bored and I thought it would be nice for them to get out of the house… but the thing is that I'm not exactly sure how safe this area is, and so I told her to ask you. I mean… You wouldn't let Minnie go out alone if it wasn't safe, right?"

"Of course," Armaan instantly replied. "I was just confirming. Needed to make sure you were in the know."

"I knew," she told him. Armaan smiled.

He turned to Minnie and asked, "You'll just go around your usual route and come back, right?"

"Of course," Minnie replied instantly. "No straying from the designated path."

"Better not," Armaan advised. "I'll keep the GPS on to keep an eye on ya!"

"I promise, Boyfriend. Just the usual circle and nothing else," Minnie promised.

"Fine! Take the Ford," Armaan told her.

"Can I take the Bugatti?" She asked.

"In your dreams!" Armaan scoffed.

"The Royce?" She countered.

"Are you drunk?" He asked her.

"The Merc. Final offer," she announced.

"Fine. But the SUV. Not the Roadster," he agreed.

"You're the best!" Minnie cried. She gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek before bounding out the door. Navneeta was about to follow, but Armaan stopped her.

"Navu!" He called her.

"Yes Bhaiya?" She asked.

"Here," he said, pressing some bills in her hand. "Minnie's favourite ice cream shop is just round the corner, so treat yourselves to some, okay?"

"Thank you so much, Bhaiya!" Navneeta cried, giving him a hug. "You're the best."

Armaan laughed and returned her hug. "Just make sure she stays within the speed limit, okay? She gets a little too enthusiastic at times."

"I'll take care of it," Navneeta promised.

"Good girl," Armaan replied, pulling her cheeks.

Navneeta shook her head fondly and waved goodbye to everyone present before running away.

Armaan turned to the others. "Anjy?" He called.

"Yes, Armaan! What can I do for you?" She asked him.

"Can we talk?" He requested.

"Of course! What is it?" She questioned curiously.

"Alone?" He pleaded, holding out a hand for her to take, which she did.

"We'll be back, you guys!" Anjali said, pulling Armaan away.

"What happened, Armaan? Is everything okay? Why did you not want to talk in front of the others?" Anjali asked.

"Come sit," Armaan told her, helping her sit on the swings, away from the others.

"Armaan… what's up?" She enquired.

"Okay… Anjy… Look… What I'm about to ask… I want you to not take this the wrong way, okay? I promise… I'm not trying to start anything. This isn't some nefarious scheme or some stupid plan or whatever. I only have good intentions," Armaan began.

"Okay," Anjali responded. "Got it. You don't have to justify yourself so badly, Armaan. I know you won't do anything wrong."

Armaan smiled at that. "I know this is completely out of the blue… But… I… Did Riddhima want to marry Sid, Anjali? Please tell me the truth. She wanted it, right? She was ready to move on? Start a new life? No one pressured her, did they?"

Anjali was surprised at Armaan's questions. It was the last thing she'd expected him to ask, but she shouldn't have been. It was Armaan. Of course he wanted to know.

As she thought about it, for the first time Anjali realized she didn't actually know if Riddhima had agreed to the wedding of her own volition or not. She'd just gotten a call from her father saying Riddhima was getting married and she'd flown home to attend the ceremony. In between all the functions and relatives, she'd barely had two minutes to talk to Riddhima. And when she'd said that she was ready to marry Sid, Anjali had taken her words at face value, not asking her anything else. Had Riddhima really been happy? Why had Anjali not asked her that? Why had she not set time aside to get the whole story from Riddhima? Make sure everything that was happening was after Riddhima's consent?

The answer was pretty obvious, wasn't it? She was afraid. She was afraid that Riddhima didn't want to, but was doing it anyway, just to please their father. Like she always did. She didn't know if she would be able to do anything if that were true, if she would have the courage to stand up to her father, to stop the wedding, to take Riddhima away. So, she'd chosen to stay in the dark, believing that Riddhima was happy that she was marrying Sid and hadn't asked even a single question to anybody regarding anything.

But, she should have, right? She was Riddhima's elder sister. It was her job to protect her little sister from harm, to make sure she was happy. And she had failed, as she'd witnessed a year later when Riddhima's marriage had fallen apart. The court had granted her petition for an annulment as opposed to a divorce. That had to mean something. But, even all these years later, she hadn't been able to muster up the courage to find out what had happened. She still believed Riddhima had agreed to marry Sid because she wanted to, not because she was pressured into doing it.

"Anjali?" Armaan called, snapping his fingers in front of her face, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Yea… Yeah?" She mumbled.

"You okay?" He asked, worried.

"Fine," she muttered.

"So? Riddhima?" He pressed.

"Anjali! There you are!" Atul cried out. "I've been looking for you. It's time for your medicines."

Anjali smiled and took the medicines from him. Atul helped her with a glass of water as Armaan sat back and watched with a small smile on his lips. Atul and Anjali were so happy together. It showed in everything they did. He was extremely ecstatic that they'd found their way to each other, that Anjali had decided to give Atul a chance.

"So, what's cooking?" Atul asked, looking between the two of them.

"Nothing," the duo replied at the same time.

"That doesn't make me suspicious at all," Atul said, making the other two chuckle.

"No, really," Anjali insisted. "It's nothing. Armaan just had some questions."

"What questions?" Atul wondered.

"About Sid & Riddhima's wedding," Anjali answered truthfully.

"Oh," Atul sighed. His body stiffened at the mention of the wedding. Armaan could see the immediate change in his expression. It was wistful, but also regretful, as if he wished he didn't remember what had happened.

"Yes," Armaan agreed. "I was just… I wanted to know if they were happy then. If Riddhima had agreed to the wedding on her own," he stated clearly, watching Atul very closely. His Champ had never been a good actor. He didn't know how to hide his emotions. They were always plainly on display on his face, and Armaan could read the nuances very well. He was aware of every twitch on Atul's face, his every tell, that would alert him if something was wrong.

And something was very wrong, if he had to go by what Atul was emoting.

"Armaan… I think Riddhima was as happy as she could be back then," Anjali finally replied, keeping it vague. She couldn't be sure, and she didn't want to lie. "I'd asked her the same thing and she said she wanted to marry Sid."

There. That was truthful, but not concrete. Anjali didn't know if Riddhima had been happy, or if she'd agreed on her own, but when asked, she'd said she was. Anjali didn't know if it was true or if her sister had been lying, but she'd chosen to believe her then, so that's what she'd tell Armaan.

Armaan's eyes predictably dimmed at her words, but he managed a small half hearted smile that was definitely forced. "Thanks, Anjy," he murmured. "Take care of yourself, okay? And if you need anything, let me know."

Anjali smiled and nodded. He patted her head and then left.

"Anjali… take some rest. I'll be back in a while," Atul said, and immediately followed Armaan.

He found Armaan in his bedroom, sitting on the edge of his bed, caressing a photograph. On closer inspection, he saw that it was a black and white photo of a gorgeous lady with the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen. Armaan was looking at it as if it was his sun, his eyes shining with unshed tears, his mouth set in a heartbreaking smile.

"Armaan?" He called softly, not wanting to startle him.

Armaan looked up and smiled. "Hey, Champ."

"Can we talk?" He asked. Armaan nodded.

Atul shut the door behind him and sat beside Armaan on the bed. "She's gorgeous," he commented.

"That's Bua Maa," Armaan told him.

"She's really beautiful. I see that Jaanhavi takes after her a lot. They could pass for twins," Atul said.

They were quiet for a while, neither of the boys saying anything. Armaan sat there, waiting for Atul to break the silence, and Atul, at a loss of words at how to tell Armaan what he wanted to. Finally, fed up of waiting, Armaan said, "Anjali doesn't know, does she?"

"What?" Atul asked, confused.

"That Riddhima was pressured into marrying Sid," Armaan replied.

"You know?" Atul exclaimed, aghast.

"You've never been good at hiding stuff, Champ. I suspected," Armaan said. "You just confirmed it."

Atul sighed. He never had been able to lie, especially to Armaan.

"Well, since you know… yes. She was. Riddhima… She didn't want to marry Sid at all. But she didn't have any other choice back then. She was trapped from every direction with no way to escape. So, she just… she did what she had to," Atul confided in Armaan.

"What happened? How could things have gone so wrong in such a short time? One minute she was in my cottage, looking for me, and then she's getting married?" Armaan questioned.

"I can't," Atul replied. "I won't break Riddhima's trust like this, Armaan. It's been 7 years. She hasn't told anyone. Not even Anjali or Muskaan. I'm not telling you either."

"Please tell me it wasn't that bad," Armaan begged.

"Armaan… She got married to someone else even though she was irrevocably in love with you. You think she'd have done that if she had any other choice?" Atul asked rhetorically.

Armaan couldn't help it. The tears that he'd been fighting to keep at bay for so long, spilled when Atul reminded him of how much Riddhima had loved him. Enough to stick by him even after he didn't remember her. Enough to risk her entire career for him. Enough to take a bullet that was meant for him.

Atul pulled him into a hug. "I know it's difficult for you, but Armaan… Please remember that Riddhima has only ever loved you. Sid… He was just a compromise she had to make because of her parents. Nothing else."

"Dr. Shashank forced her?" Armaan asked, aghast at Atul's words. He'd thought it was something she'd done because of societal pressure, not because of her parents.

Atul nodded, breaking Armaan's heart. Armaan always felt that no one in the world loved Riddhima more than her father. That Shashank could do anything for his daughter's happiness. He'd accepted Armaan, hadn't he? Shashank's dislike for Armaan wasn't hidden from anyone, and yet, for Riddhima's sake, he'd agreed to their relationship. That same man had pressured Riddhima into marrying someone else? Why?

"Armaan… sometimes, it's better to let old skeletons rest. If you dig deeper, it will only hurt you more," Atul advised.

"But… Champ. It's… Riddhima," Armaan explained. "How can I just…"

"I know," Atul replied. "Believe me, I understand. But Riddhima has made her peace with what happened. You should too."

"Why doesn't Anjali know?" Armaan pressed, ignoring Atul's words. "Riddhima always tells Anjali everything. Why didn't she talk about this?"

"Riddhima didn't want to burden Anjali," Atul answered. "She didn't want to hold Anjali back or guilt her into staying in India or give up her dreams. She felt it would be better if Anjali wasn't bogged down by the weight of her decisions."

"But… But Anjali could have done something! Stopped the wedding… Supported Riddhima… I don't know! Something!" Armaan exclaimed. "And you!" He turned to Atul, pointing accusatorily. "You knew everything and yet you didn't do anything to help her!"

"I tried, Armaan," Atul sighed. "But what could I have done once Riddhima agreed? Look… I know you think I haven't been there for Riddhima in the past few years, and I agree that I could have done better, but I did my best, okay? Riddhima just agreed to it and then what was I supposed to do? I still tried but no one was there to listen. And… I know I failed her but the guilt of not being able to help her enough ate at me everyday, Armaan.

And the anger at her betrayal simmered ever second. Her marriage broke your heart, Armaan. You're my brother. How was I supposed to just sit down and not react to that? I know it wasn't Riddhima's fault that she had to get married, but you were heartbroken and it hurt me so badly!

The anger and the guilt just pushed me away from Riddhima. So much that… I just had a hard time finding my way back. But, I promise, I've been trying to be better ever since Anjali broke the news. My baby is not going to come into a world where her father and her masi aren't the best friends they're supposed to be. And… Well… You're happy. That helps too."

"I'm glad you're trying, Champ," Armaan said. "Riddhima adores you. And I don't need to remind you that she was your friend way before I became one, right?"

Atul nodded. "Riddhima is always going to be extremely special, Armaan. She always was. It just got a little difficult for me for a while there."

"I understand," Armaan replied. "Every relationship has its share of problems. The ups and the downs. The rough patches. But what's important is that we see them through and come out stronger."

"Absolutely," Atul agreed.

"By the way," Armaan added, a light bulb going off. "How do you know I think that?"

Atul chuckled. "Just because you think that Nikki hasn't been a good friend to Riddhima doesn't mean they don't talk, Armaan. Riddhima told her and she told me."

"She really took it to heart, didn't she?" Armaan asked rhetorically.

"It was really difficult for her back then, Armaan. And unlike me, she wasn't in the know. She just felt utterly betrayed by the fact that her best friend had ditched her other best friend to marry her brother - in - law. You understand how complicated that is, right?" Atul asked.

Armaan nodded. He did understand. And he appreciated Nikki taking a stand for him. It just hurt him to know that her loyalty to him had lost Riddhima one of her closest friends during a time when she needed Nikki the most.

"I missed you, Champ," Armaan murmured a few minutes later. The overwhelming feeling of just how much he'd missed the man sitting beside him engulfing every part of his body suddenly. Champ had always been his guy, his brother. It had hurt to be away from him for so long.

"I missed you, too, Armaan," Atul replied.

Shaking his head, Armaan stood up. "Let's go," he said.

"Where are we going?" Atul questioned.

"Boys Day Out," was Armaan's only reply.

"Let me tell Anjali," Atul told him.

Armaan nodded. "I'll grab Rahul."

"Perfect," Atul deduced.

10 minutes later, the three boys were sitting in Armaan's Bugatti and driving off. They spent the entire afternoon on the roads, just driving around and talking. Lots of talking. On silly topics. They didn't broach the hard subjects, the difficult subjects. No one said anything about how Armaan was still hurting from his and Riddhima's break-up, or how they had all missed being at Atul's wedding, or how they thought Rahul was an idiot for throwing a chance with Muskaan away.

They stuck to the stupid things. They argued about their favourite IPL teams, and about Federer and Nadal. They trash talked about each other's choices in movies and in music, and just about every thing the other liked. There was a lot of talk about the pranks they'd pulled (in Armaan & Rahul's case) and the pranks that were pulled on them (in Atul's case). When their throats got dry with all the talking and they were unable to speak anymore, Armaan put on some music and drove them to an ice cream parlour where all three of them ate their weight in ice cream before driving back home.

After years, the three of them felt normal again, the missing part of them finally restored. When they stepped back into the house after being gone for the entire afternoon, it wasn't Armaan, Atul, and Rahul who came back. It was TACOS.

____________

Armaan couldn’t stop thinking about what Atul had told him. He might not know the entire truth behind Riddhima & Sid’s marriage, but what Atul had told him had shaken him. What could have happened that had forced Riddhima to take such a drastic step? What was it that was so bad that she hadn’t told even her elder sister the truth? Questions seemed to crop up at every turn, but he had no answers to them, and he knew he wouldn’t be getting them either. It seemed like only Atul and Riddhima’s parents knew what had happened apart from Riddhima herself. Atul had already told him he wouldn’t betray Riddhima’s trust by telling him, and he couldn’t fathom seeking her parents out to question them, not about this. And well, Riddhima… if she wanted to tell him the truth, she would have by now. But, she hadn’t. So, she didn’t want to. And he wouldn’t force her to do it either. He didn’t have the right to ask her anything anymore.

But, his talk with Atul had unearthed another can of worms for Armaan, one that he could handle, or so he thought anyway. Riddhima hadn’t talked to Anjali. Anjali, who, once upon a time, had been Riddhima’s closest confidante. Did marriage change things so much? Would there come a time when even Jaanhavi would hide things from him? Not come to him with her problems? Would her wedding alienate her from him in ways he hadn’t even thought of?

He couldn’t have that, could he? Jaanhavi was everything. He wouldn’t be able to handle it if she distanced herself from him. He knew, and understood, that of course, there would be things that she’d never be able to discuss with him, especially where her relationship with Rohan was concerned, but he wanted to make sure that she would never lie to him, or hide important things from him. There were many things that she didn’t share with him even now, things she was more comfortable talking about with Tamanna, or even Shailee Di & Vedika, but she always came to him if she was upset about anything. He wanted her to know that he was always there for her, no matter what. Just because she was married did not mean that their relationship had to change in any way.

He didn't want them to get so estranged that she hide something as huge as what Riddhima was hiding from Anjali. Never. He wouldn't be able to handle something like that.

He found her curled up in bed with her headphones in. Audiobooks and podcasts were always her calling. And of course, music. Music played such a huge part in both their lives. But while Armaan preferred to see the words he was consuming, she preferred to listen to them.

He stood there for a minute, taking it in. Such a sight would not be something he could have everyday once she got married. It hit him like a ton of bricks then. He wouldn't be able to just walk into her room to talk to her whenever he felt like it. He wouldn't see her at breakfast everyday or nag her for eating dinner while she said five more minutes every time as she did something or the other. His life would be so different with her not around all the time. He was almost too afraid to let her go.

But, he had to. She was stepping into a new chapter of her life, spreading her wings, doing what she wanted to. Rohan loved her immensely. He'd keep her happy. That's what made it worthwhile. Everything would be fine as long as she was happy.

"Hey," he murmured softly, sitting on the bed beside her. The sudden movement startled Jaanhavi and she jumped up, opening her eyes.

"Oh! It's only you," she said.

"Yep. Plain ole me," he answered. "Now scoot."

Jaanhavi made a face but obliged, making room for him to get in with her. Armaan smiled and climbed on the bed, snuggling beneath the covers and sitting beside her. Jaanhavi immediately, as if on instinct, rested her head on his shoulder.

"So? Excited for tomorrow?" He asked.

"Oh god, yes!" She exclaimed. "Finally getting free of this!" She gestured to the braces on her arm.

"Yeah," he agreed. "Finally."

"You okay?" She questioned. "You seem too gloomy."

"I'm fine. I'm just gonna miss you when you're gone," he told her.

"But I'll always be a 10 minute drive away," she answered.

"It's not the same," Armaan protested. "You know it isn't."

"It isn't," she agreed. "But it's better than… I don't know… a 20 minute drive?"

Armaan laughed. "It is," he replied. "But it's still too far." He kissed the top of her head, hugging her tight. "I've gotten spoilt in these last few years, always having you around."

"I know. Me too," she muttered. "It's not going to be the same without you, Dada."

Armaan let the tears fall at that. Jaanhavi was his little sister, his baby, his first born really. He'd always treated her like his own kid instead of a sister, and she would be leaving him and their home for a new life and new home soon. He was going to miss her so very much.

"Now you're gonna make me cry!" She croaked as her eyes filled with tears too.

"I'm sorry," Armaan blubbered, making no move to stop crying, or letting go off her. "I'm going to miss you so much, Jaan."

"I'm gonna miss you, too," she answered, hugging him as she started crying too. Armaan immediately wiped her tears, never wanting to see her cry, making Jaanhavi giggle. She reached her hand up and wiped his tears too.

"This will always be your home, Jaan," Armaan vowed. "No matter where you go, this is where you belong. You always will. With Rahul and Tamanna and Myra and me. We'll always be a family."

"I know," she replied. "I know. This is my family. This is my home. You're my Malakh, my angel. And nothing is ever going to change that."

Armaan let out a watery chuckle at that and hugged her tight. "Promise me you'll always be happy, Jaan. You'll always surround yourself with people who love you. You'll always love yourself like you do now."

"I promise, Dada. I promise. I'll always be happy. Forever," she told him. "You'll also be happy, right? You'll look after yourself. And the others."

"Yes," Armaan replied. "I will. But… Promise me you'll never forget that we're your family, I'm your family. Promise me you'll never hide anything from me. You'll never think that you can't tell me something… because you can. If you're ever upset or sad or need any sort of help, be it big or small, no matter how silly it seems… You'll always come to me."

"Where else will I go?" She asked.

"Nowhere," Armaan answered. "Because I'll always be here."

"I'll always be here, too, Dada. You'll tell me if something is troubling you, right? You'll tell me stuff even after I'm married like you do now. I want to know everything. Always," Jaanhavi insisted. Feeling extremely overwhelmed, not knowing what to say, Armaan just nodded.

When the two of them hugged amidst sobs, neither of them tried to wipe their tears this time. Because they were happy tears, and they deserved those. 

______________________

As always, super sorry for the long gap between updates. It seems like the VM bug has bitten me these days because I've been uploading new VMs almost every other day but can't find it in myself to write. But today, I just shut everything else off and forced myself to type this up. The ending is a little eh, but I hope y'all still like the rest of the chapter!

Armaan is finally uncovering things and yay! I know y'all have waited a long time, so this is exciting. Just a few more chapters. Like 2-3 max and we'll have the big reveal! 

Till then, please stay tuned! :D

Your little hands wrapped around my finger

And it's so quiet in the world tonight

Your little eyelids flutter cause you're dreaming

So I tuck you in and turn on your favorite nightlight

To you, everything's funny

You got nothing to regret

I'd give all I have honey

If you could stay like that

Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

Just stay this little

Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

It could stay this simple

I won't let nobody hurt you

Won't let no one break your heart

No one will desert you

Just try to never grow up

Never grow up

You're in the car on the way to the movies

And you're mortified your mom's dropping you off

At fourteen, there's just so much you can't do

And you can't wait to move out

Someday and call your own shots

But don't make her drop you off around the block

Remember that she's getting older too

And don't lose the way that you dance around in your p.j.s getting ready for school

Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

Just stay this little

Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

It could stay this simple

And no one's ever burned you

Nothing's ever left you scarred

And even though you want to

Just try to never grow up

Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room

Memorize what it sounded like when your dad gets home

Remember the footsteps, remember the words said

And all your little brother's favorite songs

I just realized everything I have is someday gonna be gone

So here I am in my new apartment

In a big city, they just dropped me off

It's so much colder than I thought it would be

So I tuck myself in and turn my nightlight on

Wish I'd never grown up

I wish I'd never grown up

Oh I don't wanna grow up

Wish I'd never grown up

Could still be little

Oh I don't wanna grow up

Wish I'd never grown up

It could still be simple

Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

Just stay this little

Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

It could stay this simple

I won't let nobody hurt you

Won't let no one break your heart

And even though you want to

Please try to never grow up

Don't you ever grow up

Just never grow up

- Never Grow Up, Taylor Swift

wohooo finally an update after a long 16 days...nd the ghost of VM is on you nowadays that can clearly ab seen on your twitter TM.. anyways finally armaan decided to find out what happened 7 years ago that leads to sid nd ridhima's marriage...nd after read the armaan and anjali's talk...i can think riddhima's relation with her sister is not as good as they were before..its like now she doesn't confider in anjali anymore..not Anjali but i think she has completely changed herself towards her family...its like she did not trust them now...she knows they love her but past incidents make her believe that they did not understand what she wants neither they ask her if she wants that too before impose their decision on her(even armaan do that too some extent)...i really can't wait for that big reveal...nd hows gonna you do it... anxiety level is too high now for this story... hope you update again with less than 16 days hopefully... nd keep making VM's but please not forget this FF...its very close to my heart...until then bbyye

take care

Loved this update and how armaan found out something was wrong. Please update soon as I can’t wait for armaan to find out the truth

Armaan has learned part of the truth of Riddhima's marriage. But unless he and Riddhima talk, the whole story will not come out.

Finally a new chapter !

Love armaan and jahanvi's bond. 

Armaan will start feeling guilty as always once he knows the truth. But hopefully everything will be okay in the end.

Just loved this update!! So Armaan has finally found out some  part of  the truth. Really waiting for the time when he will get to know the complete truth.... 

Atul armaan talk.. finally he has learnt something..

The whole story to use ridhima se pata chal sakti.. 

Anjali's dilemma on not knowing her sister's reason was 😔. I hope she takes the truth well.

Jaanvi n ammy are❤️