Yun Hi Tu Mere Saath Rehna - An Abhimaan x Mishbir Fanfic (C48 : P22) - Page 22

Waiting for next. Kaveri was shock

Chapter Forty Six

Kaveri was going through the firm's financials and records from the past few months, troubled. Things had spiraled and not in a good way. She had never thought it would come to this. It had barely been a month since Armaan had resigned, and maybe three since Rohit had taken over his cases, but already, things were too dire. She had known that Armaan was an important asset to the firm, but had never realized just how much.

In the time that Armaan had not been working for the firm, Rohit had lost almost every single case he'd been assigned. He'd managed to win only three of the fifteen cases he was working on, and of those, two were last minute victories where he had gotten lucky. The fact that they were on the verge of winning eight other cases and were fighting hard on two others when Armaan was looking after them was worse. Rohit hadn't managed to win even the cases where Armaan had practically done all the work already.

Sanjay's mentorship didn't seem to be working at all. Kaveri wasn't even aware if Sanjay was actually mentoring Rohit or not. She wasn't born yesterday. She knew that Sanjay had designs of taking over the firm, but she also knew that he didn't have the courage to actually do it. He might siphon funds and think he was being oh-so-sly, but she had eyes everywhere and knew of the embezzlement. She just chose not to do anything about it because she needed him. After all, it was only Sanjay who she could trust to do her dirty work for her. Both her sons were useless.

And especially Manoj, who had not been able to make his mark as a lawyer even after so many years in the profession. He was hard-working, Kaveri would never deny that. In fact, she would argue that he worked harder than all of them. But, what use was his dedication if it did not bring in any tangible results? Even that girl, who had only been practicing for less than a year, was more competent than Manoj in court.

Everyone who had lost their cases had fired the firm as their representatives, seeking other lawyers. Many had left after they'd heard about Armaan's resignation. Overall, they had maybe five clients as regulars. The others were only one-off clients with petty disputes who didn't bring in a lot of money. She had hoped that Manoj would prove useful in convincing the clients to not jump ship given his amicable and easy-going nature but he had failed at that spectacularly as well.

Everyday, more doors closed for the firm than they remained open. If things continued like this, the once pristine reputation of their firm would be in the mud and their legacy would be a thing of history. All of Kaveri's life's work, all the work their family had put in, would be for naught. She could overcome everything, but even Kaveri Poddar had to admit that she would never be able to live with this stain on her person.

To turn things around, she needed to do something, and fast. Unfortunately, the easiest path for that was through that girl. “Abhira,” Kaveri sneered in derision. Never had she ever thought that her fate would rest in that girl's hands. But here they were.

The girl was somehow the heir to the Singhania legal empire, and who better to get their reputation back on track than the Singhanias? Krish Singhania had the backing of everyone who was someone in the city. His father had even more clout. Together, the two of them commanded both fear and awe. And they were both putty in Abhira's hands.

Kaveri had seen as such on Rakshabandhan. The way they doted on her, the way they hung onto every word from her, the way they orbited around her the entire time. They cared for Abhira a great deal, and she was sure that if Abhira so asked, would bring the entire world to her feet. She didn't understand their sprawling, complicated family tree well enough to know just how Abhira was related to them, or even the Rajvanshes for that matter, but that was of no consequence.

What mattered was that Abhira was extremely important. They would do everything to make her happy. And what would make Abhira happy? Well, marrying Armaan again, of course. Neither Armaan nor Abhira had made a secret of their vehement desire to be husband & wife. They had also not been secretive about the fact that they would marry only with her blessing.

And wasn't that just wonderful? If she gave them her blessing, they would marry, and Abhira would once again become a Poddar. It would be so easy to make her bend to Kaveri's will then. For all that the girl had the makings of a very brilliant lawyer, she'd always been an emotional fool. Kaveri had already manipulated her into perjuring herself once before. This would be a piece of cake in front of that.

She wouldn't even have to try too hard. Abhira, ever the bleeding heart heart, would want to help the firm out anyway. A few well-placed words here, a haphazard glance at the firm's accounts there, and Kaveri was sure she would take it upon herself to right things. In such a situation, who would be able to help her but her beloved Krish Mamu?

And, help her he would. He loved Abhira too much to ever turn her away. Wouldn't he be obligated to anyway? Once Abhira married into their family, the Singhanias and Poddars would become in-laws. And for all that the Singhanias claimed to be modern and broad-minded, she was sure they still were orthodox in some ways. It was inevitable. They were a staunchly Marwadi family after all. As the groom's family, the Poddars would always be above the Singhanias, an unspoken norm that Kaveri suspected even the Singhanias would adhere to.

If Kaveri asked for something, how would they ever deny her? If Abhira asked for help to revive Poddar & Associates, how would they turn her away? They wouldn't be able to. All she had to do was get Armaan married to that girl as soon as possible and the rest would work itself out.

She would have to be careful about how she set the plan in motion, because she could not make it look like she was agreeing to the wedding only for the firm. Armaan had already denied to make his marriage a bargaining chip once. She couldn't make that mistake again if she wanted to see this through.

She would have to be stealthy about it, play the doting grandmother who was giving in in the face of her grandson's happiness. She knew that everyone would be wary of her sudden approval of the wedding, so she would have to play her part very well. She would have to convince her entire family and the Rajvanshes and the Singhanias that she truly did want Armaan to be happy, and if that meant marrying Abhira, she would not stand in the way of that, no matter how difficult.

And she would have to start soon. She didn't have a lot of time. Every day that she sat idle, Poddar & Associates lost its lustre. The firm couldn't afford for her to take too long. Determined, she set aside the firm's financials and started penning down the speech she would give the family. This wasn't a game anymore, this was war. She might be losing a battle by having to accept that girl as her granddaughter-in-law, but she would win the war using that same girl as her pawn. And that made everything worth it.

_ _ _

Intent on setting her plan in motion, Kaveri found herself at the Rajvanshes' doorstep early the next morning. She knew that Armaan often went to work with Abir & Mishti Rajvansh, and she needed to speak to them before that. She rang the doorbell and waited. Soon enough, she was greeted by the girl herself.

“Dadi Sa?!” Abhira exclaimed. “Aap yahaan?”

“Kyun? Hum yahaan nahi aa sakte?” Kaveri questioned.

“Bilkul aa sakti hain,” Abhira immediately replied. “Andar aaiye na.”

She guided Kaveri to the dining table where the rest of the family had already assembled, breaking their fast with incessant chatter. It was a stark contrast from the dining table at her own house, Kaveri thought. Everyone in her family knew to take their meals quietly, without a lot of noise. Conversation during meal times was restricted to the very important topics and nothing else. The Rajvansh family, however, clearly loved a mess. Nothing else could explain why she could hear at least five people talking at the same time, making no effort to keep their voice down.

However, all chatter stopped as they stepped into view. She thought she saw someone's jaw drop and smirked internally. It was good that she could inspire such a reaction. But never from the matriarch of the family, who greeted her with a polite smile on her face, as if Kaveri gracing their dining table was a regular occurrence and not a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

“Good morning, Mrs. Poddar,” Mishti said, “Aap bilkul sahi time pe aayi hain. Hum bas breakfast hi kar rahe the. Aap bhi humaare saath kariye.”

Kaveri wanted to deny, say she'd never eat at such a noisy table, where people had no decorum or manners, but remembered that right now, it was she who needed them, not the other way round. So, she nodded and occupied the only empty chair on the table, beside Abhira.

She suspected it was where Armaan usually sat, given that the boy had taken to sharing his meals with this family more than his own. He only showed up to meal times at the Poddar Mansion twice a week now. Kaveri had no idea why he'd suddenly started eating at this house so often, when earlier he'd be home for more meals, but she had an inkling that it had something to do with Vidya. Ever since the day that Rohit had said he'd take over Poddar & Associates only if Kaveri agreed to marry Armaan to Abhira, Armaan's equation with Vidya had changed.

No one knew any details, not even Vidya, who was scrambling to understand why her son would put such a visible distance between them, but Kaveri had cared less. Armaan's petty issues with Vidya had never seemed important enough that she get into the middle of it. After all, that distance hadn't changed anything between Armaan and the other family members.

But, maybe she could also talk that girl into encouraging Armaan to mend fences with his mother. After all, Vidya was Kaveri's favourite daughter-in-law. If she could do this for Vidya, it would only make Vidya more grateful for her, and it'd be all the more easier for Kaveri to get Vidya to do her bidding.

Kaveri watched the girl from the corner of her eye as she ate her frankly too-oily paratha, and was momentarily taken aback by how different she was. The girl had always been too lively and vivacious, even as a Poddar bahu, but even then, Kaveri had never seen her so energetic. She was talking about everything and nothing all at once with everyone sitting with them. And they were all listening, indulgent smiles on their faces, as if it made them happy that she was talking such nonsense in front of them.

Kaveri rolled her eyes but didn't comment. It didn't matter to her what these people did. So long as she got what she wanted in the end, none of it mattered. And get it, she would.

Once breakfast was done, was when she played her first card. “Ji, actually aaj hum yahaan aap sabko apne ghar dinner pe bulaane aaye the.”

“Humein? Kyun?” Mishti asked, confused. They did not do that. Despite how close their families were getting - with the Chorus Gang, Manoj, Manisha, and Madhav being constantly over at the Rajvansh Villa it was inevitable - they did not do formal dinners with each other. The only time they had done that had been Rakshabandhan. And that was a festival. But Kaveri Poddar was inviting them over on a random Tuesday and that in itself was fishy, without everything else going on.

“Ab humaare parivaar ke bachche itna ghul-mil gaye hain,” Kaveri carefully enunciated, remembering the pointers she'd made the night before. “Toh humein laga ki badon ko bhi ek-doosre ko jaan-samajh lena chahiye. Aur phir, Rakshabandhan pe aap sabne humaari itni achchi khaatirdaari aur aao-bhagat ki. Humein bhi mauka dein.”

Seeing as she wasn't getting through, Kaveri played her trump card. “Armaan ko achcha lagega. Woh har waqt aap sabki itni baatein karta hai. Aap sab agar aayenge toh woh bohot khush hoga.”

The effect was instantaneous. Mishti grinned brightly at Armaan's name, and even Abir's eyes started sparkling. They clearly loved her grandson. And despite whatever problems she had with the couple, despite how much she detested Armaan's closeness with them, it felt nice to know that he had them in his corner. It was only a small part of her that felt that way, but it was there. However easily silenced it was by her pragmatism, it would rear its head occasionally.

“Aur Heera?” Abir challenged. Kaveri had expected that, had made peace with the fact that she would have to welcome the girl into her home and her family, if she wanted to preserve their legacy.

“Aap sab aayenge toh usse toh aana hi hai,” she responded tightly. Turning to Abhira, she added, “Ladki, tum zaroor aana.”

Predictably, the girl's eyes filled with tears at the proclamation and Kaveri shook her head. What an emotional fool, she reminded herself.

“Theek hai,” Mishti agreed after a moment of deliberation. “Hum sab zaroor aayenge.”

“Shukriya,” Kaveri replied, and then made a hasty exit after saying her goodbyes. That was the first part of her plan flawlessly executed. Now, she only had to make an announcement in front of both the families that she, the benevolent and loving grandmother, was giving up her anger for the sake of her grandson's happiness. They would all be licking out of the palm of her hand. She would insist on a short engagement, and once Armaan was married to that girl, would be when she would actually start playing her endgame.

She rushed home and instructed the cooks to prepare a hearty feast for dinner before telling her family. “Aaj shaam, humaare kuch khaas mehmaan ghar aa rahe hain,” she declared. “Iss parivaar ke har sadasya ko aaj raat ke khaane pe ghar pe hona hai. Samjhe?”

A chorus of agreements rang around the living room. Kaveri surveyed her family, happy with the reaction. They all looked appropriately chastised whenever they were in her presence, never daring to look her in the eye. Just the way she liked it.

Things might be going south with the firm, but Kaveri still had complete control of her family, and knowing that made things easier. Yes, Armaan had become too audacious these days, but no one else had followed in his path yet, which made her happy.

“Armaan, tum bhi,” she added, just to make sure he didn't get any ideas. After all, she was doing all of this for him. He needed to be there.

For once, Armaan decided not to argue. “Ji, Dadi Sa,” he agreed readily, surprising Kaveri a bit. What she did not know was that Abhira had already messaged him, informing him that the Rajvanshes had been invited to dinner. Of course, he had to be there to make sure his grandmother didn't do something untoward.

He didn't know what game she was playing, but he would be prepared. For now, he let her do her thing. If she didn't want to inform the family who these guests were, he wouldn't either. Anyway, if everyone found out, they would all start speculating about the sudden invitation, just like he was, and in chaos, he might miss some important detail that would give Kaveri the edge over him. Something which Armaan definitely did not want.

So, he kept his mouth shut and went about his day like he did not have a mounting feeling of dread pooling in his stomach as he thought about dinner. Abir & Mishti were not worried at all, which did bolster his confidence a little, but then… They did not know Kaveri like he did. His grandmother was much more vicious than she seemed at first glance. And yes, there was no one else in the world who could take her in a fight and win other than Mishti, but still, Armaan could not help but worry.

“Armaan, itni tension mat lo,” Abir soothed him as they ate lunch in the cafeteria. Abir & Mishti had a policy of eating with the rest of the employees, and never ate in their own cabins or meeting rooms. It boosted morale, according to Mishti.

“Everything is awesome,” Mishti added. “Tum itna kya soch rahe ho?”

“Iss tarah achanak Dadi Sa ne aap sabko khaane pe bulaaya, yeh baat aapko ajeeb nahi lagti?” Armaan questioned.

Mishti shrugged. “It's weird. Lekin, kya hi ho jaayega?”

“Tum toh aise behave kar rahe ho jaise woh hum sabko wahaan bulaake, tumhe kisi mandir le jaayegi aur tumse kahegi ki agar tumne Heera ko nahi choda toh woh Rohit ko ghar se nikaal dengi,” Abir laughed.

Armaan's eyes widened at the suggestion. “That was oddly specific,” he murmured. “But what if it's true? Agar unhone aisa kiya toh?”

“Toh bhi tum Heera ko hi chun'na,” Abir immediately instructed. “Rohit is a grown adult. Apna dhyaan woh khud rakh sakta hai. Sirf isliye ki woh tumhaara chota bhai hai, iska yeh matlab nahi hai ki tum khudki aur Heera ki khushiyon ka uske liye gala ghot do.”

“Abir,” Mishti whispered softly, running a hand up and down in his back, a gesture to calm him down as he got more and more agitated the more he spoke. Armaan didn't understand why Abir was getting so worked up about this very hypothetical situation, but he didn't have the time to untangle that. He was too worried about the evening already.

“It'll be fine,” Mishti declared, assuring both Abir & Armaan. “Kuch galat nahi hoga.”

To Armaan, she added, “Always remember ki hum tumhaare saath hain, Maani. You're never alone. Agar kal kuch bhi gadbad ho jaaye, agar Mrs. Poddar ne tumhaare saamne koi bhi ulti-seedhi shart rakhi, tumhe kuch aisa karne force kiya jo tum nahi karna chaahte, ya tumhaari khushi aur parivaar ki khushi mein chun'ne ko kaha… Tumhe unse darrne ki zaroorat nahi hai. Okay? Jab tak hum tumhaare saath hain, hum tumhaare saath kuch galat nahi hone denge.”

“Promise?” Armaan asked softly, taken aback by the fierceness of her words, by the way they settled in his very bones. No one had ever said something like that to him. Ever. But, here she was… This woman, who was his mother now, who loved him more than anyone else had ever loved him.

“Promise.” It was Abir who answered. He may not have said those words, but his eyes burned with the same intensity as Mishti's and Armaan knew he meant it too, just as Mishti did. They would always protect him and love him.

Suddenly, Kaveri's secret plans didn't seem so daunting. It didn't matter. Nothing he did. Because he knew that his Badi Maa and Bade Papa would never leave him, and that they would always protect him.

_ _ _

As promised, the entire Poddar family was right on time for dinner, all of them decked up to welcome these mysterious guests. It wasn't often that such random dinner parties were hosted by them, and even rarer for them to be with people other than close family. So, everyone was excited to see who it was, and why they were special enough to warrant this showcase that Kaveri generally reserved for festivities.

And sure enough, when the Rajvansh family arrived, similarly dressed up for the occasion, everyone was surprised. Kaveri smirked as she took in their reactions. So far so good, she thought. She still had the upper hand with none the wiser. Exactly as she wanted it.

“Abir Sa!” Madhav was the first to recover, greeting Abir with a warm smile and a tight hug. “Aaiya na!”

They welcomed the family inside, but Armaan's eyes remained stuck on Abhira. She was looking absolutely stunning in her yellow saree and he couldn't take his eyes off her. As she stepped inside the threshold, Armaan's heartbeat settled to a steady thrum.

It was a momentous occasion for both of them. The same Kaveri Poddar who had forbidden Abhira entry into the house was welcoming her inside today. She may have nefarious intentions, but in that particular moment, nothing mattered other than the fact that Armaan's home was finally in his house as well.

He'd always thought it cheesy when he heard people say home is not a place but a person, written it off as fanciful notions of the poets and the romantics, but only after meeting Abhira had he realized how true it was. Home really was a person. It was in her bright smiles and infectious laughter, in her warm hugs and beautiful eyes, in her mesmerizing scent and her incessant chatter. It was also in her hiccuping sobs and silent cries, in her anguish and heartbreak. Everything about Abhira was his home… Whether happy or sad.

As if sensing his thoughts, Abhira winked at Armaan, sending butterflies through his stomach. She softly grazed his hand with hers as she passed him to walk inside, but Armaan stealthily tightened his hold, taking her hand in his own. Abhira started, but didn't make any move to pull away, and Armaan, happy with the feeling of her sweaty palm in his, walked beside her.

The living room was alight with noise, everyone having broken off into groups and talking to each other. Yet, Armaan & Abhira stood in the sidelines, happy to observe, not wanting to participate. The silence between them was comfortable and solid. No words were exchanged, but there was no need for any. The two of them spoke enough with their gliding fingers, the upturn of their mouths, the twinkling of their eyes.

When Kaveri had deemed that enough time had passed with meaningless small talk, she advanced to the centre of the room, commanding everyone's attention. “Aap sab humaare kehne pe yahaan aaye, uske liye aap sabka dil se thank you,” she said. “Aaj ka din, humaare liye bohot khaas hai. Aur iss khaas din ko hum aap sabke saath manana chaahte the.”

“Aisa kya khaas hai, Mummy Sa?” Manisha asked, ever the impatient woman. Kaveri rolled her eyes at her eagerness, but replied. “Zara sa sabr rakho, Manisha. Hum sab kuch bata rahe hain.”

Addressing the entire room once again, she continued. “Aaj ka din bohot khaas hai, aur woh humse zyada khaas kisi aur ke liye hai. Armaan, beta… Idhar aao.”

Armaan was startled at her words, and unconsciously, tightened his hold on Abhira's hand. She looked up at him in reassurance and squeezed his hands - once, twice, thrice - before letting go and nudging him towards his grandmother. Armaan turned to Mishti, who also gave him an encouraging nod and gestured for him to step forward.

Finally, Armaan did. He walked on unsteady feet, somehow making it to where Kaveri was standing. When they were side by side, Kaveri said, “Armaan humaare ghar ka bada beta hai, aur usne apni saari zimmedaariyaan hamesha bakhubi nibhaayi hain. Ghar mein kabhi kisi ko koi bhi pareshaani hoti hai, toh unn sabko sabse pehle Armaan ki yaad aati hai. Kyunki woh sab jaante hain, ki Armaan unke liye sab theek kar dega.

Uski khud ki zindagi mein kitni bhi problems kyun naa ho, Armaan apno ka saath dene se kabhi peeche nahi hata. Usne har kadam pe, hum sabka saath diya hai. Lekin, iss ghar ka bada beta hona ek bohot badi zimmedaari hai, aur hum nahi chaahte, ki ab iss raaste pe woh akele chale.

Bohot mushkil se, Armaan ko koi aisa mila hai, jo uske saath kadam se kadam milake chal sakti hai. Aur jab do log ek doosre se itna pyaar karte hain, ek doosre ke saath itne khush hain, toh Kaveri Poddar itni bhi patthar-dil nahi hai, ki aise do logon ko alag karde.”

Turning to Abhira, Kaveri beckoned her forward as well. Armaan & Abhira, both looked at her, absolutely gobsmacked. Neither of them could believe what was happening. Was she really… Giving them her blessing? Just like that?

“Ladki!” Kaveri called out, impatient, when Abhira made no move to walk towards her. Mishti, understanding Abhira's surprise, took her hand and pulled her forward, standing beside Kaveri & Armaan.

“Humein pata hai ki pehle humne hi tum dono ke rishta se inkaar kiya tha, lekin Armaan ki khushi ke aage, humein apne ghutne tekne hi pade. Hum nahi chaahte ki humaari wajah se, humaare pote ki zindagi mein khushiyon ki kami ho. Isliye, aaj humne yeh faisla kiya hai ki hum tum dono ki jald se jald shaadi karwa denge.”

And then, all Abhira heard was the static of her own loud heartbeat in her ears as the world around her muted, leaving only Armaan and no one else, who was looking at her, just as she suspected she was looking at him - like this was a fairytale and they had finally found their happily ever after.

Kaveri is really a snake. I really hope Armaan and Abhira realise what Kaveri is up to. They are not stupid, hopefully Abhira figures out the change in behavior. Honestly Armaan and Abhira should just say no and marry without the Poddar blessing. Armaan, can't stand his character in the show, his a weak character for Vidya and will be a mummy boy for Shivani. Abhira is a fool to trust Armaan in the show but at least here, they are ok. Can't wait for the next chapter.

Hey when is the update coming.....

The story is going really well ...

Previously On...
Kaveri finds out the connection between Abhira & the Singhanias and decides to marry Armaan to her so that she can use the power & name of the Singhania family to revive the dwindling Poddar & Associates.

She announces the same at a family dinner with all the Poddars and Rajvanshes in attendance, making it seem like she is giving in for Armaan's happiness and has no ulterior motives.

Chapter Forty Seven

For a moment following Kaveri's announcement, there was pin-drop silence, and then… Pandemonium. Everyone was shouting, cheering, squealing. It was difficult to make out exactly what was happening.

The chorus gang rushed forward, pulling Armaan & Abhira into tight hugs. “Congratulations!” Krish screamed directly in both their ears, taking advantage of the fact that he was closest.

Armaan's hands instinctively went up to cover his ears even though Abhira laughed at his excitement, her grin matching hers. “Thank you, Krish!”

The rest of the kids took turns congratulating them, though they were a little muted as compared to Krish. Only a little, though. They still managed to make Armaan's ears ring. He would feel this for days, he was sure.

Manisha was next, pulling both of them into the tightest of hugs, followed by Manoj. As the two of them were blessing Abhira & Armaan, Krish started dancing around the living room, roping in the rest of his cousins, too keyed up to stand still. Laughing, Manoj & Manisha joined them, and they all performed ghoomar, delighting Abhira, who also stepped into the mix a moment later.

Armaan, happy to watch from the sidelines, stood still. He was still trying to process everything. It seemed easy. A little too easy. To get that approval he'd been craving for so desperately just like this? It felt like a dream. Any moment, he would wake up, and none of this would be true, and he'd still be struggling with everything going around him. He was sure that this couldn't be real, but then, Vidya was there, reaching up to kiss his forehead and bless him, and he was sure it was. Because, he knew that if he ever dreamt of this, it wouldn't be Vidya, but Mishti, who would affectionately congratulate him like this.

It had been weeks, yet Vidya's callous words had left too deep a mark to ever be forgotten. Armaan still didn't know how to behave around her, so he still kept his distance from her. Yet, it wasn't easy. For so long, Vidya had been the closest thing to a mother he had. He knew he deserved better than the kind of love she was capable of now, but there was a sense of duty towards Vidya that lingered still, too ingrained in his being to leave behind easily.

Perhaps, that was why, when she blessed him, Armaan didn't step away, no matter how much he wanted to. He wasn't able to hide the way his body flinched when she kissed his forehead, but he didn't step back, because that's what he had always done. He had always done his best to be the perfect son. And now, he'd gotten so good at it that this woman who claimed to be his mother in front of the entire world didn't even realize that her son couldn't stomach being in the same room as her.

Mishti, as attuned to him as she was, instantly noticed his discomfort and stepped up. Threading their fingers together, she squeezed Armaan's hand, grounding him. Armaan exhaled sharply, his entire body unclenching with her touch. He looked away from Vidya as he felt Mishti's presence, a calm settling over him instantly. Armaan hugged her tight, trying to erase Vidya's touch from his memory, seeking the solace only Mishti could grant him.

“Congratulations, Maani,” Mishti whispered softly. She reached up and kissed his forehead, the exact place that Vidya had kissed a moment ago, and lingered. Armaan smiled, amazed at how she understood what he needed without him ever having to say anything. He was so lucky to have her.

“Thank you, Badi Maa,” Armaan replied. He pulled away from the hug and they both turned to the scene in front of them. Abir had joined in the celebration and had talked all of them into doing the garba, so now, Abir, Abhira, Manisha, Manoj, and the chorus gang were circling the coffee table. A minute later, Abir had pulled Madhav into the fold as well. And slowly but surely, the rest of the Rajvansh family joined them, to the point that the coffee table became too small to accommodate their circle and they took over the entire living room.

Armaan & Mishti laughed at the display, content to watch from afar. Their entire family coming together to celebrate, being so happy and frolicking about… It was everything that Mishti ever wanted.

“Mishteeeeeee!!” Abir cried out, spotting her and Armaan, rushing to her side and pulling her into a tight hug, buzzing with excitement, as always, the person he wanted to celebrate most with being his wife.

Armaan watched the two of them together, alight with joy. His parents, celebrating the news of his wedding to the love of his life so exuberantly. He'd never thought he'd see the day, had thought that his grandmother would much sooner welcome death than welcome Abhira as her daughter-in-law.

Yet, she had. For him. She had accepted Abhira just for his happiness. Or so she'd said. And he wanted to believe her. He really did. All he'd ever wanted for his family to try - try to see him as a person, as someone with feelings, someone who experienced joy and grief just as they did. And today, Kaveri had done that. She had seen him, seen his love for Abhira, his desire to be her husband, and had granted his wish.

“Khadoosmaan!” Abhira exclaimed, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug. “Congratulations, pati!”

Armaan grinned, his heart skipping a beat at her words. “Congratulations to you, biwi!” He murmured, and was blessed with the beautiful sight of Abhira's red cheeks. Unable to resist, he kissed them quickly, mindful of their audience.

“Armaan!” She exclaimed, pushing him away. “Behave yourself. Sab hain yahaan par.”

“Matlab jab hum akele ho toh main yeh kar sakta hoon?” Armaan immediately asked.

“Tum kitne besharam ho!” Abhira cried.

“Aur tum meri ho,” Armaan stated, his voice breaking as he repeated the words he'd said to her countless times before. Today, those words rang truer than they ever had before.

“Aur tum mere,” Abhira smiled, hugging him once again. As she rested her head on Armaan's chest, she noticed that Abir & Mishti were still locked in an embrace and pouted.

“Aur inhe dekho! Shaadi humaari fix hui hai aur celebrate aise kar rahe hain jaise inki hui ho,” she complained.

“Mujhe sunaayi de raha hai, Heera,” Abir chuckled. “Behra nahi hoon main.”

“Achcha hai,” Abhira fired back. “Aapko sunaane ke liye kaha tha. Ek baar Badi Maa ko chodke mujhe aur Armaan ko bhi congratulate kar sakte ho aap!”

Shaking his head at Abhira's cuteness, Abir stepped out of Mishti's arms after a moment, taking that time to wipe his tears, lest anyone see, only to engulf both Armaan & Abhira into a tight hug immediately. “Congratulations! I'm so happy for you.”

“Thank you, Bade Papa,” Abhira murmured. “I'm happy for me too.”

“Me three!” Armaan cried, making Abir chuckle.

He kissed Abhira's head and then Armaan's, not letting go of either of them for even a second as he did so. He wasn't ready for it yet. It seemed like it had been just yesterday that Abhira had come into his life, and she was already so grown up. Enough to get married.

“Ajeeb Rajvansh,” Mishti soothed, running a calming hand up and down his back. “Itna emotional hone ki bhi zaroorat nahi hai. Inn dono ki shaadi aaj nahi ho rahi.”

“I know,” Abir muttered, still not making a move to let them go. Mishti noticed that everyone was starting to look at them now. Some of the family members still hadn't wished the couple, and they seemed to be eager to share their best wishes.

“Abir, chalo ab. Chodo unhe,” Mishti coaxed. Abir ignored her words, making no move to leave them.

“Abir, baaki sab bhi unhe wish karna chaahte hain. Come on,” Mishti tried. “Don't monopolize them like this.”

When her quiet requests didn't work, she shrugged, deciding on another approach. “I'm warning you, Abir. Agar tumne unhe choda, toh I won't be responsible for what happens next.”

“Kya karogi tum?” Abir snorted.

“Yeh!” Mishti exclaimed, her fingers finding that sweet spot on his waist and tickling mercilessly. Abir let out a shriek, letting go off Armaan & Abhira instantly.

“Stop it, Angry Chorni,” he requested breathlessly between chortles. “I can't breathe.”

Finally, Mishti let go, a smug smirk gracing her face. Abir rolled his eyes. “Ab apne bachchon ko gale bhi nahi laga sakta. Waah!”

“Abir,” Mishti warned. “Behave yourself. Warna main apne Omir ke paas chali jaungi.”

“Toh? Chale jaana. Achcha hai. Main bhi phir Charmi ko bula lunga,” Abir quipped back without missing a beat.

“Abirrrrrrrr,” Mishti whined.

“Mishteeeeeeeee,” Abir responded in the same tone.

“Stop it! Koi zaroorat nahi hai kisi Charmi-Warmi ko bulaane ki. Samjhe tum?” Mishti warned.

“Kyun? Tum mujhe apni magenta belt se maarogi?” Abir asked her.

“Brown belt,” Mishti corrected, whacking his arm. Abir looked at her and let out a laugh, unable to help himself. Their nonsensical conversation had definitely lightened his mood. His Angry Chorni always knew just how to deal with him.

“I you love,” he told her, wrapping his arms around her once again.

“I you love, too,” Mishti giggled.

Abhira & Armaan were watching the exchange curiously, unable to comprehend what their parents were talking about. It seemed like they were speaking a language only the two of them understood. If this was how marriage worked, it would be so much fun. A lifetime of inside jokes that no one but your partner understood. They couldn't wait.

_ _ _

Later that night, as the rest of the family continued with their merriment, Armaan approached Abir, pulling him away from his conversation with Manisha and Kiara. “Bade Papa,” he started, but then didn't say anything further, unable to actually put forth his request.

Abir stood there, waiting for Armaan to say something, but Armaan stood there silently, his eyes darting around the room, settling on Abhira, who was speaking to Mishti, Kunal, and Krish, her hands gesturing wildly. No words were exchanged, but Abir understood. He didn't need to be a genius to figure out that Armaan & Abhira would want some alone time with each other after the announcement. But of course, the entire family was too excited and neither Armaan nor Abhira had gotten a proper moment to breathe since Kaveri had said she wanted to get them married.

“It's okay,” Abir finally stated. “Kuch kehne ki zaroorat nahi hai. Main kuch karta hoon. Baaki sabko distract karunga tab tum Heera ke saath jaldi se yahaan se nikal jaana. Okay?”

A brilliant smile lit up Armaan's face at those words and he nodded enthusiastically. “Thank you so much, Bade Papa!” He cried, giving Abir a tight hug. Abir ruffled his hair in response.

He guided Armaan towards Abhira and the two of them seamlessly entered the conversation that Abhira's little group was having. Abir took the opportunity to siddle next to Mishti and quickly explain the situation to her. Mishti blinked reassuringly at Armaan, making Armaan feel even better about the whole sneaking out plan.

As Abir commanded the attention of everyone in the room, already switching into wedding planner mode, Mishti his trusty assistant, Armaan quickly pulled a confused Abhira out of the house. He helped her sit in the passenger seat of his car and then quickly got into the driver's seat, driving off before anyone could come looking for them.

“Armaan! Kya kar rahe ho? Hum kahaan jaa rahe hain? Kyun jaa rahe hain?” Abhira fired questions as Armaan manoeuvred the car through the streets of Udaipur.

“Tum sawaal bohot poochti ho, Abhira,” Armaan commented. “Tumhe mere saath akele rehne mein problem hai kya?”

“You know I don't,” Abhira rolled her eyes. “Lekin aise achcha lagta hai kya? Poori family wahaan thi aur hum aise aa gaye.”

“Poori family wahaan thi isliye toh hum aa gaye!” Armaan exclaimed. “Koi 2 minute akele nahi de raha tha. Mujhe bhi toh celebrate karna hai tumhaare saath!”

Abhira blushed at his words, settling into her seat. She didn't say much after that, content to go wherever Armaan took her. She, too, wanted to spend some time with him, and wanted to celebrate this happiness with him and him alone. Yes, having their families around was great, but Dadisa had just approved their relationship. They would be getting married. Married. It was a big deal.

Yes, they'd been married before, had been husband and wife. But that had been in name only. A promise neither felt they could get out of. Yes, they'd fallen in love during that time and so Abhira would never regret marrying Armaan the first time round, but it didn't change the fact that the marriage hadn't been what either of them had wanted. Now, they would get married because they wanted to, because they loved each other, because they couldn't imagine their lives without each other.

She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't even notice when Armaan parked the car and opened the door for her. It was only when he snapped his fingers in front of her to gain her attention did she realize they had reached their destination. She took Armaan's hand and stepped out of the car, realizing they'd come to Armaan's special place as she took in the surroundings. And what better place to celebrate, she thought.

Standing in front of the bench, Armaan pulled her into a tight hug. “Congratulations, Ira,” he whispered. “Aaj main bohot bohot bohot khush hoon.”

“But utne nahi jitni main hoon,” Abhira promised, returning the hug with just as much fervour.

“I love you,” Armaan declared, pulling back to bend down and capture Abhira's lips in a soft kiss.

“I love you,” Abhira mumbled against his mouth, her arms tightening around his back. Unbidden, a few tears fell from her eyes and Armaan's lips moved from her lips to her cheeks, wiping the traitorous streaks.

“I can't believe Dadisa maan gayi,” Armaan murmured. “Mujhe nahi laga tha woh itni easily ready ho jaayengi.”

“She loves you,” Abhira stated, hiding her face in his chest. “She wants you to be happy.”

Armaan doubted that was the case, but let it go, not wanting to think unpleasant things on such a happy day. Tomorrow. He would think and plan and speculate tomorrow. Today, he would just bask in his happiness and share it with Abhira.

“Tumhaare liye ek present hai,” he told her a few moments later.

Excited, Abhira pulled back, a wide grin on her face. “Dikhao!” She exclaimed.

Armaan chuckled, shaking his head fondly at her exuberance, before reaching into the paper bag he'd been carrying. With utmost care, he removed the plaque he'd ordered, with Abhira's name embossed into it. The one he'd gotten to replace the plank on the bench where he'd crossed Abhira's name out after they'd separated. It was a happy coincidence that it had been delivered the same day that their relationship got his grandmother's approval. Maybe it was a sign.

“Armaan,” Abhira breathed, her throat tight with unspeakable emotion. Armaan smiled, reaching up to kiss her forehead. Then, he kneeled down to place the plaque in its rightful place. Abhira watched silently as he went about his task with unparalleled concentration.

When he was done, Armaan stood up and presented it to Abhira with a flourish, adding in the jazz hands for the flair. Abhira's laughter echoed around them as he did so, making Armaan's grin widen. “Thank you,” Abhira said, wrapping Armaan into yet another hug.

“Ab tumhe meri thodi help karni hai,” Armaan told her. “So that we can complete this bench.”

“What?” Abhira asked, confused.

“Yahaan meri poori family ka naam nahi hai,” Armaan explained. “Tum sabke naam add karne mein meri help karogi na?”

“Kiska naam nahi hai?” Abhira wondered, her eyes frantically moving across the bench as she mentally checked off names.

“Badi Maa and Bade Papa to begin with,” Armaan stated. “Aur baaki sab bhi toh hain. We have to write everyone's names. Ab woh bhi toh meri family hain.”

“I love you,” Abhira declared helplessly, not knowing what else to say. It meant so much to her that Armaan had accepted the Rajvanshes as his own family. They had made her life so much brighter, and it warmed her heart to know that they had done the same for Armaan as well.

“I love you, too,” Armaan replied, kissing the top of her head. “So, shall we?”

Abhira nodded enthusiastically and they both got to work, carving the names of their family members into the wood. It took them a while to go through so many names, and they had to get creative as they started running out of space, but they kept at it, laughing and teasing each other as they went. When they were done, Abhira started to stand up, wanting to admire their handiwork, but Armaan stopped her.

“Abhi thode aur important naam baaki hai,” he stated.

“Ab kaun baaki hai?” Abhira wondered. “Humne sabke naam toh likh diye.”

“Mumma,” Armaan listed. “Akshara Maa, tumhaare papa… Woh sab bhi toh meri family haina. Aur unka naam bhi yahaan hona chahiye.”

Abhira reached forward, hugging him. “You're right,” she told him. “Unka naam bhi hona chahiye.”

“Ira, Mumma mujhse naraaz toh nahi hogi na?” Armaan asked her. “Maine itne saalon tak unka naam yahaan nahi likha… Jabki unka naam sabse pehle aana chahiye tha.”

“She would never be angry with you,” Abhira promised. “Woh iss duniya mein tumse sabse zyada pyaar karti thi. Balki aaj toh woh kitni khush hongi… Kyunki tum itne khush ho. Yeh sab negative baatein mat socho.”

“Promise?” Armaan asked, sounding more like a 3-year old than the 30-year old that he was.

“Promise,” Abhira vowed. She squeezed him tight and pulled back. “Chalo ab… Unka naam likhte hain!”

Abhira watched as Armaan carved Shivani's name in the middle of the bench, her eyes shining. She was so proud. Armaan had come such a long way in such a short time.

Armaan couldn't help the tears that fell from his eyes as his mother's name took shape, his fingers trembling wildly. Seeing him struggle, Abhira moved forward, steadying him. Together, they finished writing Shivani's name on the bench, and then moved onto Akshara and then Abhinav. In the end, Armaan encouraged Abhira to scribble in Abhir's name as well.

Finally done, the two of them stepped back, admiring their handiwork. Their entire family, smiling back at them, their names standing out in the night. “Perfect,” Armaan breathed.

“Absolutely perfect,” Abhira agreed.

“To a new beginning,” Armaan stated, pulling Abhira into his arms. “Ira, I promise, iss baar… Everything will work out. Pichli baar waali koi galti main iss baar nahi dohraunga. I will be the best husband I can be. I will love you and protect you and cherish you to the best of my abilities. Tumhe kabhi akela nahi padne doonga. I will be with you every step of the way.”

“I know,” Abhira replied. “And I promise too, Khadoosmaan. I will be the best wife I can be. I will support you and be your strength. I will always love you.”

Armaan grinned at her words, taking the opportunity to kiss the breath out of her. “I know,” he said, breathless, when they separated.

“Come here,” he said, making her sit on the bench. He knelt on the ground in front of her.

“I know it's a formality at this point, but I want to do this right,” he explained, as Abhira looked at him in question. “I'm sorry I don't have a ring, but I wasn't expecting this, aur main wait nahi kar sakta.”

Abhira sucked in a sharp breath at his words. Unable to help himself, Armaan pressed a quick kiss to her parted lips before continuing. “Tum jab meri life mein aayi thi, tab tum ek zimmedaari thi. Zimmedaari se kab tum mere liye zaroori bani, mujhe samajh hi nahi aaya. Phir, tum meri zaroorat bani. Aur aaj, tum meri zindagi bann chuki ho. Yeh safar asaan nahi tha. Mujhe pata hai ki maine tumhaara bohot dil dukhaya hai. I have made a lot of mistakes. I'm very lucky ki itna sab hone ke baad bhi, tumne mujhe maaf kiya, ek aur mauka diya. Main tumhe apna decision kabhi regret nahi karne doonga.

I promise… Main hamesha tumse utna hi pyaar karunga jitna main aaj karta hoon. Tumhaari khushiyaan dugni kar dunga, aur tumhaare dukh… Aadhe. Life mein koi bhi problem aaye, hum dono milke uska saamna karenge.

Abhira… Meri life mein aaj jo kuch bhi hai, sirf aur sirf tumhaari wajah se hai. Tum ho toh sab kuch hai. Tum nahi, toh kuch nahi. Tumne mujhe itni khushiyaan di hai jo main kabhi sapne mein bhi nahi soch sakta tha. Aur yeh khushiyaan, main saari zindagi sirf tumhaare saath share karna chaahta hoon.

So, Sharmaji… Kya tum apne Khadoosmaan ki Mrs. Khadoosmati banogi? Mujhse shaadi karogi?”

Tears streaming down her cheeks, the brightest grin lighting up her face, Abhira screamed, “YES! YES!! YES!!! A THOUSAND TIMES YES!” Before launching herself at Armaan with a force that sent them both tumbling to the ground but neither of them seemed to care, their shared mirth far greater than their discomfort.

“I love you,” Armaan promised. “Always and forever.”

“Always and forever,” Abhira agreed. Finally, everything was as it should be. They were getting married. And Abhira could have never asked for anything more.

------

We finally back! Woohoooo!!!

I'm sorry for the long wait but work was extremely hectic this past month. Hopefully, I will be able to update regularly now as things calm a little.

Anyway, happy anniversary, y'all! So hard to believe it's officially been a whole year since Rohit entered the show as Armaan. I am so ecstatic. Big congratulations to him for the work he's done in the past year and the way he has seamlessly integrated himself into the show and the fandom. Love you, Captain Sa! 💓

Please drop a line to let me know how you liked this chapter. Your words always encourage me and motivate me to write more!

Love, Prags

Originally posted by: ashsamik

Hey when is the update coming.....

The story is going really well ...

Hey! Sorry for the delay. I was super busy with work so didn't get a chance to write. But things are settled at work so will hopefully update super soon!

Nice update. I hope abhimaan figure out dadisa motive behind all this

Chapter Forty Eight

“I'm scared,” Abir admitted to Mishti as he sat down beside her, passing her a glass of chai. The city buzzed around them, but Abir & Mishti's little corner was mostly quiet apart from a few stragglers. It was late at night and the tapri that had become their preferred spot for their regular chai pe charcha was winding up for the day. The first thing that Abir had done after moving to Udaipur had been finding a roadside tea stall that served all their purposes - not too busy, secluded enough that they wouldn't be disturbed, but not too far from home, that had a comfortable place to sit, and most importantly, served piping hot chai just the way they both liked - cheeni kam, doodh zyada.

Since he'd zeroed in on this particular stall, Abir & Mishti had slowly become regulars to the point that they recognized not just the owner but also his other regular customers. They would visit often, talking about their day, about their families, about work, about everything under the sun, really, and unwinding.

It had been a few days since Kaveri had invited them to dinner & then announced her approval for Armaan & Abhira's relationship. The days had blurred since then as everyone was soaring on the high of Kaveri's declaration. All the kids in both the houses were over the moon. And especially the couple. Abir had spied Armaan lost in thought, grinning to himself, being absolutely useless at work more than once. And Abhira? She was a giggly fool - jumping around the house, dancing, singing, constantly blushing. Abir was sure he had never seen either of them as happy as they were.

Everyone seemed to have accepted Kaveri's words without a second thought, but the niggling feeling refused to leave Abir. It was simply too easy. After opposing the match for months on end, Kaveri Poddar had so easily given in? It just didn't seem right.

Abir couldn't help but remember - another time, another vehement refusal, the subsequent acceptance, and finally the startling realization that all of it had just been a ploy. His mother had done that to him. She had fooled him, fooled Mishti, both their families into thinking that she was genuinely ready to give her relationship with Mishti a try, was ready to accept Mishti as Abir's wife, as her daughter-in-law… But had shown her true colours soon enough after the wedding.

One thing that Abir had realized in all the very limited time he'd spent with Kaveri Poddar was that she was eerily similar to Meenakshi Rajvansh, perhaps even worse. Both of them would be willing to stake anything to satisfy their ego, even the happiness of their children and the peace of their family. Neither of them cared about who they hurt with their nefarious schemes as long as they got what they wanted.

But the question was, what did Kaveri Poddar want? Why was she doing this now? Suddenly, the very same Abhira who had been forbidden to even step foot inside her house, was the perfect choice for a daughter-in-law in her eyes? Nothing made sense.

He'd been trying to justify her behaviour, trying to come up with plausible reasons for this sudden change, but was coming up empty. He could not think of a single genuine, good reason that she would do this. She was not doing it for Armaan and she was definitely not doing it for Abhira.

Like his mother, Kaveri Poddar was also extremely selfish. Whatever she did, she did for herself. This little stunt that she was trying to pull by playing the loving grandmother who would do anything for her grandson's happiness was nothing but a sham.

Every instinct within Abir was loudly screaming that nothing would come off this entire situation. This would end badly for his kids, for both Armaan and Abhira. He just had to figure out how.

“I'm scared too,” Mishti admitted. “Kaveri Ji ne itne easily haan bol diya? Something doesn't seem right. Armaan itne time se unhe manane ki koshish kar raha hai, Abhira kitni koshishein kar rahi hai ki woh maan jaaye. Lekin unhone har kadam pe sirf unn dono ka dil dukhaya hai. Toh ab aise achanak woh kyun Abhira ko apnane tayyaar ho gayi?”

“Haina?” Abir echoed. “Kuch toh baat hai, Mishti… Jo humein nahi pata. Mrs. Poddar ka kuch alag hi maksad hai iss shaadi se.”

“Do you think it's because of the Singhanias?” Mishti wondered.

“Possible,” Abir admitted. “Main bhi yehi soch raha tha. Hamesha se unhone yehi kaha haina ki unhe Abhira kis ghar se aati hai isse problem hai? She always looked down on Abhira for her familial background. Ab unhe pata chala hai ki Abhira is related to the Singhanias… Aur yeh baat toh sab jaante hain ki unka kitna naam hai sheher mein. They're one of the most influential families in the entire city. Ho sakta hai unse naam judega yeh sochke Kaveri Poddar ne haan kaha ho?”

“Nahi, yeh baat nahi hai,” Mishti countered. “Agar sirf Abhira ki family problem hoti, toh yeh baat pehle hi sort ho gayi hoti na. They already knew that she's related to us and Goenkas. Aur humaari family ki unke mann mein kaisi bhi image ho, she already got Rohit married to a Goenka. Toh woh pehle bhi toh kuch keh sakti thi.”

“But Abhira very publicly denounced the Goenkas,” Abir reminded Mishti. “Usne sau nahi hazaar baar kaha hoga ki uska Goenkas se koi rishta nahi hai. Agar usne aisa nahi bhi kaha ho toh… woh already Ruhi ko apne ghar ki bahu bana chuki hain, toh ek aur Goenka ko ghar mein laake unka kya faayda? Iss tarah she would not have been able to tie herself to another influential family na.”

“Toh kya sirf isliye hi unhone haan ki hai?” Mishti questioned. “Kyunki unhe pata chal gaya ki Abhira is related to the Singhanias?”

“Shayad,” Abir stated. “Or maybe there's some other reason. Mujhe toh kuch samajh nahi aa raha. But yeh baat pakki hai ki yeh sab woh Armaan ki khushi ke liye nahi kar rahi hain. She has some other plans. Itne saalon mein unhone aaj tak ek baar bhi Armaan ya uski khushi ko prioritize nahi kiya hai toh ab kyun karengi?”

“Hum zyada negative toh nahi ho rahe na, Abir? What if she's really trying?” Mishti thought out loud.

“Toh karti rahein. Aise ek pal mein unpe bharosa toh nahi hoga na?” Abir answered. “If she's really genuinely trying, yeh baat toh unhe samajhni padegi ki sab aankhe moondkar unpe vishwaas nahi karenge. She has to earn that trust. Itna sab kiya hai unhone, Heera ko kya kuch nahi sunaaya hai. Uske baad agar woh expect karein ki hum unke change of heart ko itni easily accept kar lenge toh galti unki hai, humaari nahi.”

Mishti hummed in agreement. “This is so confusing. Mujhe kuch samajh nahi aa raha, Abir. What should we do?”

“Wohi jo hum hamesha karte hain… Yeh koshish ki humaare bachche woh galtiyaan naa kare jo humne ki hai,” Abir said.

“Matlab?” Mishti asked him.

“Matlab yeh… Ki humein Armaan aur Abhira se baat karni hogi,” Abir stated.

_ _ _

Madhav didn't say anything, quietly driving his car towards his destination, though he felt Armaan's eyes boring into him in question. Of course, his son was confused. He'd randomly walked up to Armaan as he was leaving for work and insisted on going out for coffee instead, without giving Armaan a proper reason for the request.

“Papa, aap batayenge baat kya hai?” Armaan asked for the umpteenth time.

“Thoda sabr kar, Armaan,” Madhav replied. “Pohonchke baat karte hain.”

Armaan huffed and sat back, annoyed. Every time he asked his father what was going on, he was met with silence. He didn't understand what was so important that they couldn't talk about it at the mansion. Why did they have to go elsewhere?

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, but in reality was less than half an hour, they reached their destination - a hole in the wall restaurant near his father's police station.

“Arre! Madhav Ji? Aaiye! Iss baar itne dino baad aaye hain!” The server greeted them as they took their seats.

“Haan, aajkal kaam se fursat hi nahi milti,” Madhav replied.

“Ab policewalon ka kaam hota bhi toh itna mushkil hai,” the server sympathized. “Par woh sab chodiye. Aaj kisse saath laaye hain?”

Madhav grinned proudly, introducing Armaan. “Yeh Armaan hai, mera beta.”

Armaan folded his hands in a namaste, confused about what was happening. The server greeted him back and then turned to Madhav once again. “Aapka order lagwa doon?”

“Haan,” Madhav stated. “Do plate lagwaiyega.”

“Jee,” the server nodded before scurrying inside.

“Papa, yeh sab kya ho raha hai?” Armaan finally asked, confused.

“Yeh mera aur teri maa ka favourite restaurant tha,” Madhav explained. “Thaane se itna nazdeek hai, toh hum bohot baar yahaan khaane aate the. Ab bas, jab uski yaad aati hai, main yahaan aa jaata hoon, uski favourite aloo-puri khaane.”

“Mumma ka favourite?” Armaan whispered, suddenly very interested in this small restaurant. He looked around, taking it all in. The mismatched tables and chairs, the faded wallpapers, the smell of stale oil wafting in the air. Mishti always joked that the more health hazardous a place looked, the tastier the food was. He could see now that his mother perhaps shared that school of thought.

It always surprised him how similar the two of them seemed - his Mumma and his Badi Maa. Was this why he'd been so drawn to Mishti? Did some corner of his heart still remember his mother even if his mind forgot? Why else would he have become so close with Mishti so quickly when it took him months to get comfortable around even Abhira? Yes, Mishti had always made him feel welcome, had been vocal about how much she loved him… But that alone wasn't enough. Because, the same could be said about Manisha. She had never made it a secret how much she adored Armaan. Yet, his equation with Manisha was nowhere near the relationship he shared with Mishti. This had to be why. She reminded him of his mother. His heart still remembered.

The food came in a bit and Armaan relished every single bite. He could see why his mom loved it so much. The food really was finger-licking good. Or maybe, he felt this way because he was eating her favourite. Every new tidbit of information about his mother seemed to change the way Armaan looked at life. It helped mould the image of his mother as a living, breathing person instead of a dream that was always too far out of reach.

“Armaan, main tujhe yahaan kuch bohot important baat karne laaya hoon,” Madhav announced once they were done eating.

“Jee Papa, kahiye na,” Armaan encouraged.

“Beta, please mujhe galat mat samajhna. Main sirf tera aur Abhira ka bhala hi chaahta hoon,” Madhav promised. “Tum dono ek saath raho, khush raho, isse zyada main kuch nahi chaahta. Lekin phir bhi, mujhe lagta hai ki mera farz hai tum dono ko sahi raasta dikhaana.”

“Papa, aap kaisi baatein kar rahe ho? Of course, mujhe pata hai ki aap sirf meri aur Abhira ki khushi chaahte hain. Aap hum dono se bohot pyaar karte hain aur agar aap koi salaah de rahe hain toh woh humaare hi bhale ke liye hogi, yeh main jaanta hoon,” Armaan replied.

“Armaan… Pichle kuch dinon mein Jo bhi hua… Mujhe sab kuch ekdum sahi nahi lag raha,” Madhav got candid. “Maa Sa ne itni easily tum dono ke rishtey ko manzoori dedi, yeh baat mere gale nahi utar rahi. Woh itne waqt se tum dono ke against hain… Pichli baar jab tum dono ne shaadi karne ka faisla liya tha toh unhe heart attack tak aa gaya.

Ab woh khushi-khushi tum dono ko ek hota dekh aashirwaad de rahi hain? Aisa nahi ho sakta… Mujhe isme unka kuch aur hi swaarth samajh aa raha hai.”

“Papa, yeh aap kya bol rahe hain!” Armaan exclaimed. “Haan, Dadi Sa pehle nahi chaahti thi ki main Abhira se shaadi karoon lekin ab toh unhone khud haan ki haina? Hum mein se kisine unhe force nahi kiya hai.”

“Haan toh unhone pehle bhi ki thi, Armaan,” Madhav reminded. “Jab Rohit ne unke saamne shart rakhi thi, toh woh maan gayi thi. Tab bhi unhone sirf isliye haan ki thi kyunki usme unka faayda tha. Toh ab kyun nahi?

Dekh, main samajhta hoon… Yeh phase teri aur Abhira ki zindagi ka bohot khoobsurat time hai. Tum dono bohot excited ho, kitne zyada khush ho. Main yeh time spoil nahi karna chaahta. Yeh bohot keemti waqt hai jo kabhi waapas nahi aayega aur yeh baat main bohot achche se jaanta hoon. Lekin, Armaan… Mujhe darr hai ki yeh khushiyaan bas pal bhar ki hain. Tum dono ki zindagi mein phir koi musibat aaye, yeh main bilkul nahi chaahta. Bas isliye, tujhe warn kar raha hoon.”

“Papa, lekin Dadi Sa ko yeh sab karke kya milega?” Armaan questioned.

“Armaan, tu itna bhi nasamajh nahi hai jitna ban'ne ki koshish kar raha hai,” Madhav said. “Tujhe dikh nahi raha kya ki kya ho raha hai?”

“Nahi dikh raha isliye toh pooch raha hoon aapse,” Armaan answered. “Main kabse Dadi Sa ko convince karna chaah raha hoon, Abhira bhi apni taraf se try kar rahi hai. Ho sakta haina ki humaari koshishein finally kaamyaab ho gayi hain?”

“Armaan, Maa Sa apna faayda dekhe bina ek ungli bhi nahi hilaati. Tujhe lagta hai itni badi baat ke liye maan jaayengi?” Madhav fired back. “Tune firm chod di hai lekin wahaan kya haalat hai tujhe pata nahi hai kya?”

“Mujhe pata hai iss waqt firm mein bohot problems hain,” Armaan agreed. “Main Chachu Sa ki help bhi karta hoon jo mujhse ho paata hai. Lekin iska meri aur Abhira ki shaadi se kya connection hai?”

“Tu nahi jaanta ki Abhira kiski bhateeji hai?” Madhav pressed. “Tujhe kya lagta hai? Maa Sa ne dekha nahi Rakshabandhan waale din ki kaise Krish Singhania apna sab kuch Abhira pe lutaane bas betaab baitha hai? Tujhe lagta hai Maa Sa yeh baat apne faayde ke liye use nahi karengi?”

“Haan toh theek haina… Agar Mamu ne firm ki thodi help kardi toh kya badi baat ho jaayegi?” Armaan snarked. “Kaunsa woh apna sab kuch Poddar & Associates ke naam kar denge! Thodi help toh log professionally bhi kar dete hain.”

“Aur unki thodi si help se Maa Sa satisfy ho jaayengi?” Madhav countered. “Tune socha kya hoga jab cheezein unke hisaab se nahi hongi? Jab-jab unhone jo bhi maanga, agar Singhanias ya Rajvanshes ne nahi kiya toh woh kya karengi tune yeh nahi socha?”

“Agar woh help nahi karenge toh Dadi Sa unhe force toh nahi kar paayengi na, Papa,” Armaan tried to reason, but his words sounded hollow to his own ears as well. Of course, she wouldn't force anyone directly. But she had ways to get people to do her bidding. She wouldn't care how unsavoury it got as long as she got what she wanted.

“Armaan, agar woh Maa Sa ke kehne pe nahi chale toh sabse zyada asar Abhira pe hi padega,” Madhav told his son. “Tujhe pata hai ki woh Abhira ka uss ghar mein jeena kitna mushkil kar sakti hain. Pehle bhi toh unhone kitna kuch nahi kiya Abhira ke saath. Tujhe lagta hai ab woh peeche hatt jaayengi?

Aur tu Abhira ko nahi jaanta kya? Family ke aage uske liye kuch nahi hai. Jo Maa Sa maangegi woh sab kuch karegi, unhe khush karne khudko hi bhool jaayegi. Aur ghar mein shaanti banaye rakhne, woh tujhse bhi baatein chupaayegi. Pehle bhi toh usne kiya haina aisa?

Uski poori zindagi barbaad ho jaayegi. Tu please yeh chance mat le.”

“Toh phir aap bataiye… Main kya karoon?” Armaan looked at him for guidance. Madhav's heart broke at the lost look in his son's eyes. He wished he could protect Armaan from everything in the world, but how to protect someone from their own family? Madhav could build the tightest fortress to keep the rest of the world away but what about his own mother? Armaan's grandmother?

Madhav always thought that grandmothers were the most doting presence in a child's life - always indulgent and loving. But, his mother had only made things tougher for his children, but especially so for Armaan. Everyone in the family knew that Rohit was Kaveri's favourite and because of that he got away with many things that no one else in the family did. Yet, since the day that Armaan had stepped foot inside the Poddar Mansion, he'd been stiffling under the weight of Kaveri's expectations and derision.

Armaan had already suffered enough to last ten lifetimes, and he'd barely lived half his life. But, this was it. Madhav wouldn't let this continue. The grief that had followed Armaan like a trusty shadow for so long would also have to dissipate to make way for happiness that would make home in his son's life when he married the woman he loved.

“Dekh, abhi jaisa chal raha hai waise chalne de,” Madhav said. “Mujhe nahi lagta ki shaadi se pehle Maa Sa kuch karengi. Agar unhone kuch bhi aisa kiya ya kaha jo Abir Sa ya Mishti Sa ko pasand nahi aaya, toh sab ulta pad jaayega. Isliye woh apna pehla kadam shaadi ke baad hi uthayengi.

Toh meri sabse achchi advice yehi hai ki shaadi ke baad tu aur Abhira alag raho, Poddar Mansion ke bahaar. Iss tarah se Maa Sa tum dono ko control nahi kar paayengi. Waise bhi, na toh tu na Abhira firm mein kaam karte ho. Toh unke paas mauke bhi bohot kaam aayenge kuch karne.”

“Par ghar pe sabko convince kaise karenge? Sabko toh hum hi galat lagenge na? Jab Dadi Sa bhi rishtey se khush hain toh alag rehne ka kya matlab?” Armaan questioned.

“Tu uss sabki fikr mat kar. Woh main sambhaal loonga. Lekin, Armaan… Jo galti maine ki hai tu please use mat dohra. Maa Sa ki manzoori ke peeche apni saari life barbaad kar dega tu. Main bhi teri tarah bas iss intezaar mein tha ki kis din Maa Sa Shivani ko accept karengi aur humaari life mein sab theek ho jaayega.

Aur aaj dekh, poori zindagi nikal gayi meri, Shivani ko guzre itne saal ho gaye lekin aaj bhi Maa Sa ke munh se uska naam bhi achche se nahi nikalta. Unki khushi ke liye maine apni aur Shivani ki zindagi pe utna dhyaan nahi diya jitna mujhe dena chahiya tha. Aur aaj regret ke alawa mere paas kuch nahi bacha hai.

Tu yeh mat kar. Abhira ke saath apni zindagi mein aage badh, woh sab kar jisse tum dono ko khushi mile. Maa Sa shayad zindagi bhar dil se Abhira ko nahi accept karengi. Iss wajah se apni khushiyaan qurbaan mat kar, aur Abhira ki toh bilkul mat hone de.

Family important hoti hai, Armaan. Lekin family wohi hoti hai jo tumhaari khushi mein tumse zyada khush ho. Aur phir, hum sab haina tere saath? Main hoon, Manoj, Manisha, saare bachche… Aur Abhira ki poori family hai tum dono ke peeche. Maa Sa ko itne sab rishton ke upar mat chun. Aage jaake pachtaave ke alawa tujhe kuch nahi milega.”

Dazed, Armaan nodded, not knowing what else to say. His father had indeed given him a lot to think about. His fears were not unfounded. Armaan was also confused by the sudden change of heart his grandmother had had, but had chosen to ignore it in favour of the happiness her decision brought him. But now that his father had plainly laid out all these facts in front of him, he couldn't feign ignorance. He couldn't ruin his and Abhira's entire life over a few weeks' worth of happiness. And he wouldn't.

_ _ _

Abhira knew something was up. Something big. Once again, the entire house had been emptied and Abir & Mishti had invited Armaan over. The last time this had happened, Abhira had found out about her mother's family. The revelations that night had changed her entire life. And now, it seemed as if her Badi Maa and Bade Papa wanted to drop some other bombshell on them, which is why they had arranged for this.

The moment Armaan arrived, Abhira turned on them. “Chaliye, jaldi se bata dijiye aaj kya kehna chaahte hain aap!”

“Heera?” Abir looked at her, confused. “Main kuch samjha nahi.” Abhira did not miss the way Mishti rolled her eyes at his words.

“Bade Papa, aap bhi jaante hain ki main itni duffer nahi hoon ki mujhe samajh naa aaye ki aap dono kuch zaroori baat karna chaahte hain. Isliye aapne sabko ghar se bahaar bhej diya hai. So, let's get this over with first,” Abhira insisted.

“Gudiya Rani, koi darrne ki baat nahi hai,” Mishti assured, but to Abhira, her words sounded like hollow placations.

“Badi Maa, please… Ab aap sach mein darraa rahe ho,” Armaan replied in her stead. Abhira could see that he was already tense, had been since the moment he had entered this house, probably even before that.

“Arreee, sach mein. Aisa kuch nahi hai,” Abir added. “Hum dono bas tum dono ke saath apne views share karna chaahte hain. Pichle kuch dinon mein itna kuch ho gaya, I'm sure we were all taken by surprise. Ab jab cheezein thodi settle ho rahi hain, maine socha ek baar tum dono se akele mein baat karna better rahega.”

“Kya hua, Bade Papa?” Armaan asked. “Aisa kya hai jo aap baaki sabke saamne nahi bata sakte?”

“Bata toh hum sabke saamne bhi sakte the,” Mishti stated. “But we thought it would be better agar koi aur iss waqt yahaan naa ho. After all, it's just about the two of you.”

“Lekin baat hai kya?” Abhira huffed, impatient.

“Dekho, tum please humein galat mat samajhna,” Abir started, and Armaan's heart dropped to his stomach. Them too? Did they also think that Kaveri's approval had some hidden agenda other than wanting his happiness?

“Kya aapko bhi lagta hai ki yeh sab Dadi Sa ki koi chaal hai?” He asked them bluntly, not wanting to beat around the bush.

Abir & Mishti were taken aback by his question. They turned to each other, dumbstruck for a moment, before Mishti replied, “Aapko bhi? Tu kiski baat kar raha hai? Kya hua?”

“Papa ko lagta hai ki Dadi Sa ne mere aur Abhira ke rishtey ko manzoori sirf isliye di hai taaki woh Singhanias ka naam use karke firm ko bacha sake,” Armaan informed them succinctly. For the past day or so, since he'd had that talk with Madhav, Armaan had been able to think of little else. Loathe as he was to admit it, his father's theory made complete sense.

“Oh,” Abir breathed. They weren't the only ones with such doubts? That was great. It meant something to him that even Kaveri's own son didn't trust her. That meant he wasn't being unnecessarily harsh on the woman.

“Kya firm ko bachaane ki zaroorat hai?” Mishti probed. Once Armaan had officially resigned and started working with them at Asha Kiran, nobody in the Rajvansh family had felt it important to keep up with Poddar & Associates and the goings-on of the place. So, this was a surprise.

“Haan,” Armaan admitted. “The firm has lost many cases, and even more clients in the past couple of months. Rohit apni position sambhaal nahi paa raha. Aur mujhe pata hai ki Fufa Sa toh kisi aur hi cheez mein busy honge, jaise woh hamesha hote hain. Chachu Sa try kar rahe hain, lekin woh akele kitna manage karenge? The firm really needs help.”

“Aur Papa ko lagta hai ki Dadi Sa woh help Krish Mamu se maangengi?” Abhira asked him.

Armaan nodded. “Papa feels that haan karne ki koi aur wajah nahi hai Dadi Sa ke paas. Itne time se hum sab unhe manane ki koshish kar rahe hain aur woh kabhi nahi maani, lekin jab unhe pata chala tum Singhanias se related ho toh unhone turant haan kehdi.”

“Sach kahoon toh, mujhe aur Mishti ko bhi aisa hi lagta hai... Ki sirf Singhanias ki wajah se woh maani hain,” Abir admitted. “Aaj hum tum dono se yehi baat karna chaahte the.”

“No! Aap sab galat ho. Aap sab aise Dadi Sa ko villain kyun bana rahe ho? She loves Armaan. Isliye unhone yeh sab kiya. Uski khushi ke liye. Nothing else,” Abhira protested.

“Abhira, please… Kamse kam tu toh aisi baatein mat kar,” Abir rebuked. “Itna zyada bura kiya hai unhone tere saath. Aur Armaan ko bhi kabhi woh pyaar nahi diya jo woh deserve karta hai.

Tu bohot achchi hai isliye tujhe har insaan mein sirf achchai dikhti hai. Iska yeh matlab nahi hai ki duniya mein sab tere jaise hain. Aur Mrs. Kaveri Poddar toh bilkul nahi.

Ho sakta hai iss waqt tum dono ko meri baatein harsh lagein, lekin jo maine dekha hai wohi keh raha hoon. Itne mahino se jaanta hoon unhe, itni baar unse interact kiya hai, unhe observe kiya hai. Uske baad hi bol raha hoon.

She's very selfish. Woh sirf apne guroor aur ghamand se pyaar karti hain, aur kisise nahi. Tum dono se toh definitely nahi. Aaj unhe tum dono ke saath mein apna faayda dikh raha hai isliye woh raazi ho gayi hain. Kal, jab unka kaam ho jaayega, uske baad kya guarantee hai ki woh tum dono ko alag karne ki koshish nahi karengi?

Pehle bhi toh woh yeh kar chuki haina? And she was almost successful. Baat mandap tak pohonch gayi thi. Agar Armaan ne apne-aap ke liye stand nahi liya hoti, apni khushi nahi chuni hoti, toh aaj tum chaaron ki zindagi barbaad ho gayi hoti, sirf aur sirf Mrs. Poddar ki zidd ki wajah se.

Apne yeh rose-tinted glasses hataake duniya dekhna seekh, Heera. Warna tujhe sirf thokrein milengi.”

“Aap dono ho na, mujhe sambhaalne,” Abhira pouted. “Toh main kyun aisa karu?”

“Hum hain, hamesha hain,” Mishti promised. “Aur hum tum dono ko pareshaan nahi dekh sakte. Tumhaari bhalaayi ke liye hi yeh baat keh rahe hain. Please, Mrs. Poddar pe itna blindly trust mat karo, warna end mein sabse zyada chot tum dono ko hi lagegi.”

“Tajurbe se keh rahe hain,” Abir stated. “Kisi zamaane mein, hum dono bhi bilkul tum dono jaise the. Meri Maa ko kabhi bhi mera aur Mishti ka rishta manzoor nahi tha. Unhone mujhe blackmail karke humaara break-up bhi karwa diya. Lekin, phir bhi… Jab unhone humaari shaadi ki baat chedi, toh maine unpe bharosa kiya. Bade Papa ne bhi unpe bharosa kar liya, mere bharose pe bharosa kar liya.

Aur uss hi bharose se, unhone Mishti ko uss ghar mein bhej diya, wahaan ki bahu ke roop mein. Unhone mujhe bohot zyada trust kiya tha… Lekin main unke bharose pe khara nahi utar paaya. Aaj jo tum yeh ghar dekh rahe ho, yeh parivaar dekh rahe ho, jo itna khush hai, hum sab ek saath hain… Hamesha se aisa nahi tha.

Maa ne kabhi apne ego ke upar kisiko nahi rakha. Shaadi ke baad unhone Mishti ke life mein itni problems create ki, aur main bhi Mishti ko uss tarah support nahi kar paaya jaise mujhe karna chahiye tha, kyunki main Maa ko jeetne nahi de sakta tha.

Inn sab mein, sabse zyada suffer, sirf aur sirf Mishti ne kiya…”

“Abirrrrrr!” Mishti interrupted.

“No,” Abir cut her off. “Aaj nahi Mishti. Tum har baar meri galtiyon ko maaf karti aayi ho, lekin iska yeh matlab nahi hai ki hum unhe nazarandaaz karein, main unhe nazarandaaz karoon.

Maine Maa pe bharosa karke apni life ki shayad sabse badi galti ki. Aur main nahi chaahta ki jo galti maine ki, woh tum dono dohrao. Kehna bohot asaan hota hai ki ek baar shaadi ho jaayegi toh sab theek ho jaayega, lekin aisa kuch nahi hai. Shaadi ke baad toh asli struggle shuru hota hai. Yeh koi fairy-tale nahi hai jahaan shaadi ke baad ek happily ever after ka board lag jaata hai aur hero-heroine hamesha khush rehte hain.

This is real life. Aur real life mein hamesha, shaadi ek nayi shuruaat hoti hai ek couple ke liye, lekin especially ek ladki ke liye. Ek nayi family mein adjust hona, apni jagah banana… Yeh koi asaan kaam nahi hai. Lekin, agar family supportive ho, toh raasta itna mushkil nahi lagta. But agar family ka saath nahi hona… toh yeh raasta ek aag ke bavandar jaisa ho jaata hai.

Aur mujhe darr hai, ki bhale hi Mrs. Poddar ki iss shaadi mein manzoori ho, lekin tumhaare rishtey mein unka support bilkul nahi hai. Iss wajah se tum dono suffer karo, yeh hum nahi chaahte.”

“Toh phir… Aap hi bataiye… Ab hum kya karein?” Armaan whispered, clearly troubled. He did see the merit in Abir's words, could see how their life post the wedding would be dictated by the whims of his grandmother, and he wasn't sure it would be easy.

It hadn't been for him, so far. He had been moulded into the perfect shield for the family, always thinking about everyone else before himself. He had already sacrificed so much for the sake of the family, and he continued to do so everyday that he spent away from Abhira. He didn't want this kind of life for her. He didn't want her to compromise at every turn, didn't want her to give up on her own self-respect to be the docile daughter-in-law his grandmother no doubt expected her to be.

Abhira's passion for justice, her zeal for life had been what had attracted Armaan to her in the first place. In her, he had seen an aspiration… The kind of life he himself wanted to live. To now snuff that fire out on his own, just for the sake of the Poddar name would be criminal.

Abhira had already been subjected to so many taunts in that house in the past. Who was to say this behaviour wouldn't be repeated once they married again? Kaveri's cutting remarks, her cruel words, her unnecessary comparisons were still fresh in his mind. He wouldn't let Abhira go through it again.

“Iss waqt toh mujhe sirf ek hi solution nazar aa raha hai,” Abir mumbled. “I know tu aisa nahi chaahti, Heera… Lekin sabke liye sahi yehi hoga agar shaadi ke baad tum dono Poddar Mansion mein naa raho.”

“What! Bade Papa yeh aap kaisi baatein kar rahe hain? Main aisa kaise kar sakti hoon? No way!” Abhira exclaimed. “Aapko yeh khayal bhi kaise aaya? Main iss tarah family se door nahi reh sakti.”

“Tujhe family se door nahi, sirf alag rehne keh raha hoon, Heera,” Abir explained patiently. “Agar tum dono uss ghar mein nahi rahoge toh Mrs. Poddar tum dono ko control nahi kar paayegi. Roz-roz ke tumhe uss Sanjay Bansal ke taane nahi sunn'ne padenge. Har din Ruhi aur Rohit se comparison nahi hoga tumhaara… Aur, har din tum dono Vidya Ji ke saath nahi rehna padega.”

“Hum tum dono ko kisi cheez ke liye force nahi karenge. Yeh baat tum dono bhi jaante ho,” Mishti said. “Hum sirf salaah de sakte hain. Aakhri faisla hamesha tum dono ka hi hoga. Aur tum dono jo bhi faisla lo, hum tumhaara poora saath denge.

Agar end mein, tum dono yeh decide karte ho ki uss ghar mein, Mrs. Kaveri Poddar aur Mrs. Vidya Poddar ke saath rehna hi sahi hai, tab bhi… We will give you our 100% support.

Whatever you two decide, we are always with you. But, please… Bohot achche se iss baare mein sochna. Jaldbaazi mein koi bhi decision mat lena. This is about the rest of your life.”

“Aap dono ne itna keh diya, yehi kaafi hai. Agar meri Badi Maa aur mere Bade Papa mere saath hain, toh main kabhi galat decision nahi loonga,” Armaan promised. “Thank you.”

He walked up to them and gave them both tight hugs, while Abhira sat back, still dazed about everything that had been said. Abir noticed and immediately pulled her into a comforting hug. He sighed in relief when she didn't resist. “I'm sorry,” he murmured. “I know maine yeh sab bolke tujhe bohot hurt kiya hai. But trust me, Heera… I only want the best for you.”

“I know, Bade Papa,” Abhira sighed into his embrace. “I know aap jo bhi karte ho, sirf meri khushi ke liye karte ho. Thank you. I love you.”

“I love you, meri jaan,” Abir vowed, kissing her temple.

Over the top of her head, Abir's eyes met Mishti's who was still holding Armaan close, comforting him just as he was comforting Abhira. They shared a look that said more than a thousand words. As long as they were together, they would deal with whatever life sent their way.

______

We back, besties! Hallelujah for the drama! Hope you guys enjoyed this.

Lots of high stakes drama coming up for y'all in the upcoming chapters. This is just the beginning.

Please drop a line and let me know what you think!

Love, Prags <3