The Dr Kaira Chapter. - Page 20

Part 28: The Price of Status vs. The Touch of Trust

The silhouettestepped out of the shadows and into the golden morning light, revealing acheerful, chubby man with wild curly hair and stylish spectacles. He wore aheavy, royal blue velvet sherwani that screamed wealth and comfort in equalmeasure. A wide, confident grin played on his face as he adjusted his glasses.

It was VanshGoenka.

Behind him stoodhis wife, Reem Goenka, looking every bit the high-society wedding planner in apastel lavender sharara set, radiating elegance and efficiency.

Vansh (His voicebooming, jovial but commanding): "Vidya Ji! Rishte haaziri se nahi, dil senibhaye jaate hain. But since the Poddar family is so concerned about theheadcount..."

He walked straightup to the stunned Kaveri and Vidya.

Vansh: "I amVansh Goenka. Kairav's brother, Kaira's Tauji, and the Mama of Abhir, Abhira,and Ruhi.Also Muskan’s Rakhi Brother And I haven't come alone."

Reem (Steppingforward, smiling sharply at Vidya): "The Mayera is not just complete,Vidya Ji, it is overflowing. Goenka parivaar mein na pyaar ki kami hai, nauphaar ki."

Vansh gestured tothe mountain of silver and gold gifts the assistants were stacking.

Vansh (Looking atSanjay Bansal and Aaryan): "Naksh Mama sent me specifically. You see,while Kairav handles the Diamonds, I head the Goenka Edtech Division. Weeducate half the country online. We thought, why not teach the Poddars a littlelesson in generosity today?"

Kaveri Dadi Sa’sface tightened. The Goenkas weren't just "doctors"; they were anindustrial empire, and Vansh’s arrival was a heavy reminder of their financialweight.

Vansh turned to theyounger generation.

Vansh: "Comeon, Abhir, Abhira! Let's show them how a Goenka Mayera is done!"

Vansh and Reem,along with Abhir and Abhira, presented the grand gifts to Muskan and Kaira.

Kaira (Beaming,tears in her eyes): "Vansh Tauji! Reem Taiji! I'm so happy you arehere!"

Muskan (To thePoddars, her voice regaining confidence): "Maa Sa, please meet myJeth-Jethani (Brother and Sister-in-law). Vansh Bhaiya is our backbone, andReem Bhabhi... well, she planned Akshara Di’s wedding, she knows a thing or twoabout grand events."

As the ritualconcluded, Abhira bounced up to Vansh and Reem, her face glowing withexcitement.

Abhira (Clappingher hands): "Oh my God, Vansh Mamu! You made a Maha-Entry! Seriously! DadiSa was frying my 'Brain ke Bhajiye’ with her taunts! I was about to explodelike a pressure cooker, but you saved us from the 'Insult ki Ice Cream'!"

Vansh and Reemfroze. They stared at Abhira, then at each other, completely dumbfounded.

Vansh (Blinkingrapidly behind his specs): "Brain ke... Bhajiye? Insult ki IceCream?"

Reem (Confused,whispering to Muskan): "Muskan... is she okay? Yeh kaisi bhasha bol rahihai? Is this some new Gen Z slang I missed, or did she eat somethingwrong?"

Abhira (Oblivious,continuing): "Arey Mamu! It means you were awesome! Total Maha-Saviourvibes! Now these Poddars will keep their 'Attitude ke Aloo' in theirpockets!"

Vansh (Nervouslylaughing, patting Abhira's head): "Haha... yes, beta. Sure. Attitude ke...Aloo. Right."

After the ceremonyconcluded, Vansh and Reem made their way to the private lounge area with thecore Goenka family members.

Vansh immediatelyspotted Daksh (Ruhi’s son) and Maira (Abhira’s daughter) playing nearby.

Vansh (Hisexpression melting, rushing to the children): "Arey! My little champs,Daksh and Maira! "

He spent a momentwith them, showering them with affection, while Reem stood with Ruhi and Abhir.

Reem (To Ruhi,warmly): "Ruhi, your Mayera look is absolutely flawless. And Daksh isgrowing up too fast. It feels so good to be here with family."

Ruhi: "Reem Mami,it’s wonderful to have you. Everything feels much calmer now."

Abhir, who wasstanding nearby, approached Vansh.

Abhir: "VanshMama, I’m glad you came. Things were getting really heavy here."

Vansh (Putting anarm around Abhir, his tone serious but reassuring): "Of course, Abhir. Itold Naksh Mama, shaadi-vaadi sab theek hai, par agar humara koi bacchapareshan ho, toh hum pehle pahuchenge"

Kaira joined them,her earlier annoyance with the Poddars forgotten in her family's embrace.

Kaira: "Tauji,I'm so happy you're here. You always make things feel lighter."

Reem (TakingKaira’s hand, her expression one of genuine love, but maintaining secrecy abouttheir true motive): "Kaira, darling, we are here for you. Always. And asyour Taiji who is also a wedding planner, I promise the rest of the ceremonieswill be smooth and stylish. We just want to ensure your day is as happy andgrand as possible."

Vansh (Chuckling,addressing Kaira): "Yes! And remember, Kairu, we are the Goenkas. Wehandle family and business with equal dedication. Agar koi problem hai, toh humhain na. Just focus on being the most beautiful bride."

Vansh and Reemsuccessfully conveyed their support and influence without revealing to Kairathat their mission was to expose Aaryan and halt the wedding, keeping theconspiracy confined to the adults.

Following theinformal family huddle, Muskan steered Vansh and Reem toward the Poddar andBansal gathering, determined to solidify the new power dynamic Vansh hadestablished.

Muskan (Smilingsweetly but firmly): "Aunty, Vidya Ji, Sanjay Ji... I want you to formally meet VanshBhaiya and Reem Bhabhi. They’ve arrived to ensure Kaira's wedding isperfect."

Vansh offered awarm but brief nod to Kaveri, while Reem offered a cool, practiced air kiss toVidya, whose smile was strained.

Vidya (Attemptingto be gracious): "Welcome, Vansh Ji. We hear you manage the... educationalside of the Goenka empire."

Vansh (A smooth,corporate smile): "Yes, Vidya Ji. We believe in building knowledge andscalable success. Quite different from managing, say, a traditional LawFirm." The subtle dig at the Poddar Law Firm's stagnation was noted byKrish and Sanjay Bansal.

Kairav then steppedin to complete the introductions, guiding Vansh and Reem towards Aaryan’simmediate family.

Kairav:"Bhaiya, Bhabhi, these are Aaryan's parents: Manoj Poddar and ManishaPoddar."

Manoj (Steppingforward, polite but reserved): "Welcome, Vansh Ji, Reem Ji. We are honoredto have the entire Goenka family here."

Manisha (A gentle,nervous smile): "Yes, we are very happy for Aaryan and Kaira."

Reem (Warmly):"It's our pleasure, Manoj Ji, Manisha Ji. Your son is getting a lovelygirl."

It was then timefor Aaryan to be introduced. Muskan gestured toward him.

Muskan: "Andthis is our son-in-law, Aaryan Poddar, a brilliant young lawyer, soon to bepart of our family."

Aaryan, ever alertfor a chance to impress powerful connections, stepped forward quickly, his handoutstretched, his charm turned up to maximum.

Aaryan(Effusively): "Vansh Tauji, Reem Taiji! It’s an honour. I’ve heard so muchabout the Goenka EdTech’s valuation! I’ve always admired how you managed todiversify from diamonds. That vertical integration, that sheer scale—it’s whatI truly aspire to. I’m marrying Kaira, but really, I'm marrying into the Goenkaethos of global elite success."

Vansh and Reemexchanged a swift, knowing look over Aaryan's head. The Status Jaap had begunimmediately.

Vansh (PattingAaryan's shoulder, his eyes sharp): "Ah, a man who knows his metrics.Good, Aaryan. Zabaan pe toh sirf status aur success hai. (On the tongue, thereis only status and success.) We’ll see how well you translate that 'ethos' intorespect for our daughter."

While Vansh wassizing up Aaryan, Reem was scanning the room. Her eyes landed on Armaan andAbhira, who were busy debating whether the floral decorations were'Maha-Elegant' or 'Maha-Ordinary.'

Reem suddenlystopped talking, her mouth slightly open in disbelief.

Reem (Whisperingfiercely to Muskan): "Muskan! Wait! Woh Armaan aur Abhira hai na? The lasttime I saw Abhira, she had left Armaan, right? After he... ran away with thebaby Maira seven years ago! Everyone said she'd never forgive him!"

Muskan (Hissingback): "Yes, Reem Bhabhi! Wohi dono hai! She came back about a year ago.It's a long story. Armaan apologized, begged, cried, and now they are'Maha-Happy.' Don't ask. Just... don't look surprised."

Reem (Stillwide-eyed, watching Abhira nearly trip while demonstrating a 'Maha-Tango' stepto Armaan): "Mera sar ghoom raha hai. She's back with the man who took her child and she calls everything'Maha'? The Poddar family truly is a chaotic landscape. I need a strong coffeefor this."

Reem’s confusiononly solidified her resolve. If Abhira could survive and return to the centerof the Poddar family's madness, she and Vansh certainly had the firepower tosave Kaira from marrying a status-seeking lawyer.

The clock in theOberoi Udaivilas suite read 4:00 AM. The 'Save Kaira' team—Kairav, Muskan,Vansh, Reem, Abhir, Tanya, Ruhi, and Nikhil—were gathered in Muskan andKairav’s suite lounge, all still in their nightwear, looking simultaneouslystressed and absurd.

Muskan was thepicture of sleep-deprived panic: her nightgown was slightly rumpled, and herhair was sticking out at odd angles, completely devoid of makeup. Kairav wasslumped in an armchair, visibly struggling to keep his eyes open, occasionallyemitting small, sleepy sighs.

Kairav (Muttering,rubbing his face): "It's the D-Day, people. Haldi in three hours. Weddingat 3:30 PM. Ya toh aaj Aaryan ka band bajega, ya hum sab ka."

Vansh (Crisp andfocused, despite the hour): "Kairav, concentrate! We need the finaltimeline. Reem and I are handling the Poddars—we'll create enough corporatedistraction to pull Aaryan away from Kaira."

Reem (Adjusting hersilk robe): "Tanya and Nikhil, you two are the ground zero. You need tokeep Kaira isolated from Aaryan until she gets the final nudge."

The planning wasserious, but then Nikhil cleared his throat, adjusting his mismatched shortsand t-shirt. He looked uncharacteristically nervous.

Nikhil: "Wait.Before the final plan... I need to say something."

Everyone looked athim.

Nikhil: "I...I can't just stand by. I love Kaira, truly. Bachpan se.I'm going to tell herthe truth today. And... if she agrees, I want to marry her."

A stunned silencefell over the room. Kairav’s half-closed eyes snapped wide open. Muskan’sdisheveled hair seemed to stand even higher.

Muskan (Her voicecracking hilariously): "What?! Nikhil! Iss waqt?! You chose 4 AM, in yourshorts, with my hair looking like this, to confess your bachpan kapyaar?!"

Kairav (Yawning,but unable to hide the shock): "Nikhil! Arey, tu toh designer hai, thodatoh timing ka khayal rakh! "

Nikhil (Completelyearnest, ignoring the absurdity): "No, Kairav Uncle, Muskan Aunty, it'snow or never. I know Aaryan is wrong for her. Mujhe Kaira ka haath chahiye!"

He then did themost absurd thing: standing there in his shorts and t-shirt amidst the sleepingfamily, Nikhil folded his hands and looked at Muskan and Kairav.

Nikhil:"Muskan Aunty, Kairav Uncle, can I have Kaira’s hand in marriage?"

Tanya (Screamingsilently, jumping up and down in excitement): "YES! YES! YES! Oh my god!Meri bestie meri Bhabhi banegi! This isAwesome! I always knew you two were the real deal, Nik!"

Muskan (Suddenlyshedding her panic, a huge, relieved grin spreading across her face): "Oh,Nikhil! Tu toh sabse accha hai! Forget Aaryan and his property Jaap! Haan,beta! Haan! We happily agree! "

Kairav (Sighing,but with profound relief): "Haan, beta. Done. Ab shaadi rukwane ka tensionkam ho gaya. Just get her out of thatmess."

Abhir (Beaming):"Told you! No need for kidnapping! This is Simple!"

Ruhi (High-fivingTanya): "Okay, this is amazing. But we can't tell Kaira this yet. Sheneeds to realize Aaryan's truth first, or she'll never accept the switch.Tanya, we need to talk to Kaira immediately after the Haldi. Give her subtlehints about Aaryan's possessiveness and transactional view of theirrelationship."

Tanya: "Done.I'll plant the seeds of doubt about his 'Mumbai plan' and his need for herstatus. She trusts me."

Vansh (Shaking hishead, smiling at the sheer melodrama): "Alright, Goenkas. Plan confirmed.Subtle revelation, massive embarrassment for Aaryan, and a switch to the rightgroom. Let's get dressed. The Haldi awaits."

Kairav and Muskanexchanged a look, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten. They hoped,desperately, that Kaira would open her eyes and accept the wonderful, slightlyabsurd, and truly loving man who had just proposed to her parents at 4 AM.

The alarm onKaira’s phone chirped softly at 6:00 AM, signaling the start of her weddingday. The sun was just a promise of gold on the horizon. Kaira sat up slowly,her movements careful due to the heavy mehendi drying on her hands, which werenow wrapped loosely in thin cloth to protect the deep, dark stain.

She moved silentlyto the balcony doors of her suite and pushed them open. A cool, serene breezecarrying the scent of jasmine and lake water washed over her. She stood there,wrapped in a simple white silk robe, a picture of fragile beauty against the grandbackdrop of the Udaivilas.

She looked at herhennaed hands. They were beautiful, dark, and intricate—a perfect symbol of acommitment she was about to make. But as she gazed out, a profound, sickeninggut feeling twisted in her stomach: She was wrong about Aaryan.

The serenity of themorning was shattered by a flood of ugly memories, the cracks that Nikhil hadpromised would show, now widening into chasms in her mind.

The Punch and thePush: The most damning memory. The sheer, uncontrolled rage in Aaryan's eyeswhen he punched Nikhil at the engagement. And worse—the terrifying moment whenhe pushed her aside without a second thought, his priority not Kaira's safety,but his pride.

The Taunts: Hisconstant, casual taunts about her weight. It wasn't just teasing; it chippedaway at her confidence every time, especially now when she was supposed to befeeling her most beautiful.

The Dismissal: Herexcitement about launching her consultancy at Birla Hospital, a majorachievement, had been met with a bored shrug. He had barely listened, instantlyredirecting the conversation back to his own career prospects and the PoddarLaw Firm. He never cared for her opinions or her career goals, only how theyserved his.

The Transformation:The Aaryan in Udaipur was not the same person she had fallen for in the USA.The one abroad was charming, supportive, and seemingly independent. The onehere was possessive, obsessed with status, and constantly performing for thePoddar family.

Kaira suddenlyfocused on a particular detail, a knot tightening in her chest.

Kaira (Thinking):Aaryan insisted the only reason we need a share of the property is to start ourMumbai branch and secure my career. He promised he spoke to Dadi Sa about theshift. But Dadi Sa and Vidya Taiji keep talking about how we will live here andhow I will adjust to the joint family.

Kaira (Whisperingto the empty balcony): "Did Aaryan actually talk to Dadi Sa about theMumbai plan?Are Poddars dividing the property? Or is that just a story toshield his own desire for the property? Did he lie to me... to manipulate meinto supporting the split?"

The thought feltcold and sharp. Kaira closed her eyes, trying to will the feeling away, but therealization was stark: the man she was marrying was not the man she loved. Shehad dismissed the warnings, justified the anger, and ignored the arrogance, butstanding there in the stillness of her wedding morning, she knew she had made aterrible mistake. The Haldi awaited, but Kaira was no longer sure who she waspreparing to marry.

In his own opulentsuite across the Udaivilas, Aaryan woke up at the same hour, a smug, satisfiedsmile already plastered on his face. He stretched leisurely, taking in thegrand view of the lake—a view he felt was already half his.

This was it. Theday he secured not just a wife, but an asset.

Aaryan (Thinking,his internal monologue a testament to his controlling and toxic nature):Finally, D-Day. Today, Dr. Kaira Goenka becomes Mrs. Aaryan Poddar, and moreimportantly, the key to my capital.

He walked to themirror, adjusting his hair meticulously, admiring the reflection of theGroom-to-be, the man who was about to succeed where others failed.

Aaryan(Thinking):Kairais smart, yes, but easily manipulated by emotion and loyalty. She’s already soguilty about not finding my name in the mehendi.Once she’s my wife, she’ll becompletely under my control. Her career, her choices, everything will serve myelevation.

He remembered thetense conversation with Krish and Sanjay, where the property division had beenhalted by Armaan and Abhira’s emotional plea to Kaveri Dadi Sa. The memory ofhis fear vanished, replaced by a calculating excitement.

Aaryan (Thinking,the plan solidifying): The Poddars think they won by stopping the batwara .They don't know the real game starts today. Kaira doesn't know the split is offthe table. She still believes we are demanding our share to move to Mumbai forher career. Perfect.

The Scapegoat Strategy: He chuckled, a cold, unpleasant sound. I amuntouchable. I don't break the family; the Goenka Bahu demands her rights. ThePoddars—Dadi Sa, Armaan, Vidya—they will curse the new daughter-in-law for herambition, for breaking their joint family.* I simply stand by my wife, thesupportive, independent husband, shielding myself from all the blame whilegetting exactly what I want: my massive share of the Law Firm and the capital Ineed to finally outshine Armaan. This is genius.

He looked at hisown reflection one last time, a victorious glint in his eye. He was marrying abeautiful, intelligent woman who would be loyal and obedient, and she wouldunknowingly be the shield that delivered him financial freedom.

Aaryan (To hisreflection): "Enjoy your Haldi, Kairu. From now on youre going to live asper my rules."

He turned away fromthe mirror, ready to put on his final, most loving performance for the day.

The courtyard ofthe Oberoi Udaivilas was awash in shades of marigold and sunshine yellow. TheHaldi Ceremony was in full swing, with Kaira and Aaryan seated on adjacentbrass swings, surrounded by laughter that felt increasingly fragile.

Kaira looked like amodern vision of sunshine. She wore a stunning pale yellow ensemble featuring astrapless, gathered bustier top that highlighted her collarbones. Her skirt wasa flowing masterpiece of soft georgette with a finely pleated hemline thatswayed with every breeze. Instead of a traditional heavy dupatta, she wore asheer, shimmering yellow drape attached like a sash over one shoulder, givingher an ethereal, contemporary look. She wore long diamond danglers, keeping herneck bare for the Haldi.

The children, Daksh(Ruhi’s son) and Maira (Abhira’s daughter), were running around the floralarrangements, chasing each other with handfuls of flower petals, their gigglesproviding a sweet background score to the tension brewing among the adults.

While the guestsapplied turmeric paste, Ruhi found a moment to sit next to her mother-in-law,Vidya Poddar. Ruhi offered her a glass of thandai, feigning a casual air.

Ruhi: "Maa,I’m so glad seeing everyone together. I was so worried hearing rumors aboutthe... property division. Is everything okay? I hope Aaryan getting his sharewon't break the house."

Vidya (Sighing,shaking her head): "Arre nahi, Ruhi. Thank God for Armaan. He put his footdown. There is no division. The family is united. Aaryan was demanding it, butDadi Sa refused. He has accepted to stay in the joint family happily now. Why doyou ask?"

Ruhi’s heartskipped a beat. Aaryan had lied. He hadn't secured the Mumbai shift; he wasjust pretending to Kaira that he had.

Ruhi (Forcing asmile): "Oh, that’s wonderful, Maa. Just wanted to be sure."

She caught Tanya’seye across the room and gave a subtle nod. Confirming the lie.

As the Haldi wenton, the atmosphere shifted. Kaveri Dadi Sa, Vidya, and Manisha approachedKaira, flanked by assistants carrying heavy velvet boxes.

Kaveri (Sternly):"Kaira, since you refused to wear the bridal lehenga of our choice, thereis one tradition you must follow. The bride wears the jewellery given by herin-laws."

Vidya (Opening abox to reveal a massive, heavy gold set): "This is the Poddar familyheritage. It is heavy, traditional, and screams our status. You will wear thisfor the Pheras."

Kaira looked at thejewellery—it was undeniably opulent but lacked refinement, prioritizing sheerweight over design.

Kaira (Politely butfirmly): "Dadi Sa, Vidya Aunty... it is lovely. But... I have a wish. Iwant to wear my Dadi Naira’s jewellery. It’s a dharovar (heritage) that my Papakept for me."

Kaira signaledMuskan, who handed her a worn, wooden box. Kaira opened it. The gasp that wentaround the circle was instantaneous: the set was a masterpiece—a delicate, yetbreathtaking, arrangement of Polki diamonds and stones, set in fine antiquegold, reflecting a level of artistry and intrinsic value that far surpassed thePoddars' heavy, modern set. It was truly stunning and more elegant than thefamily heritage offered.

Kaira (Touching thenecklace): "This holds her blessings. I want to wear this.I will also wearthe Bangles from your Jewellery"

Manisha (Frowning,clearly envious): "But Kaira, that... it’s not what we expect. Our guestsexpect to see the Poddar wealth on you."

Before Kaira coulddefend her choice, Aaryan stepped down from his swing, wiping Haldi from hischeek. He looked into the wooden box and let out a scoff of derision.

Aaryan (Laughingcoldly): "Seriously, Kaira? You want to wear this? It looks like somethingfrom a museum, not a modern, high-class wedding."

Kaira (Shocked):"Aaryan! This is my Dadi’s. It’s priceless to me, and it’sbeautiful."

Aaryan (Leaning in,his voice low but audible to everyone, dripping with condescension): "Itmight be emotional for you, but for the Poddars? It’s old-fashioned and small.Look at it, it’s not the heavy, status-defining piece we need. It doesn't matchthe 'class' I’m trying to project."

He gesturedaggressively to the Poddar box.

Aaryan: "Youwill wear what Dadi Sa brought. Do not embarrass me in front of the media andmy clients by wearing that... sentimental nonsense. We are Poddars. We definestatus by scale. Wear the gold, Kaira."

Kaira stood frozen,humiliated. He hadn't just insulted the jewellery; he had insulted her legacy,her grandmother, and her impeccable taste, all while prioritizing his 'image'and 'class.'

Abhira (Steppingforward, furious): "Oye! Mr. Groom! That is Naira Nani’s necklace! Howdare you call a Goenka dharovar 'sentimental nonsense'? It is Maha-Precious!Kaira should wear what she wants!"

Armaan (Immediatelygrabbing Abhira’s arm, pulling her back): "Abhira! Shh! Stop it. This istheir family matter. Don't interfere."

Abhira looked atArmaan, frustrated, but silenced.

From the corner,Kairav and Muskan watched the scene unfold, a mix of satisfaction and pain intheir expressions. They saw the look on Kaira’s face—the shock turning intocold, hard realization. Aaryan had confirmed their worst fears publicly.

Kaira (Voicetrembling, staring at Aaryan): "You think my family's legacy is... anembarrassment to your class?"

Aaryan(Dismissively, turning away): "I think my image is more important. Wearthe gold, Kaira. End of discussion."

As Aaryan walkedoff, leaving Kaira standing with her grandmother’s rejected, exquisitenecklace, the second last straw snapped. The man she was marrying didn't justwant to control her future; he wanted to publicly humiliate her past to boosthis own status.

The Haldi ceremonywas nearing its end. Aaryan had left, already bored and annoyed after hisoutburst, leaving his parents to deal with the social fallout. Kaira satstiffly, the bright yellow paste on her skin contrasting with the icyrealization dawning in her eyes.

One by one, thefamily members offered their final blessings. Nikhil, waiting patiently, wasthe last. He approached Kaira, his heart pounding against the crisp,buttoned-down yellow shirt he wore, paired with slightly baggy linen pants. Hisgaze was fixed on Kaira's face, trying to convey a thousand apologies andpromises in one look.

He knelt beforeher, scooping a small amount of the fragrant haldi paste onto his fingers. Hishand moved slowly, deliberately, towards her cheek.

As Nikhil’sfingertips, coated in the sacred yellow paste, gently touched Kaira’s cheek,Kaira’s eyes snapped up to meet his.

The contact waselectric, shattering the fragile composure Kaira had maintained since Aaryan'scruel dismissal.

Kaira (Herexpression): Confusion, a desperate need for kindness, and a flicker ofsomething long forgotten—a deep, effortless connection. The image of Aaryan'scold, demanding face dissolved, replaced by the warmth, reliability, and simplesincerity she saw in Nikhil's eyes.

Nikhil (Hisexpression): Intense, vulnerable, and full of unwavering love. He didn't smile;he didn't dare speak. His eyes pleaded, asking her to look beyond the chaos,beyond the ceremony, and truly see him—the man who had loved her silently sincechildhood. His fingers lingered for a fleeting, intense second on her skin,depositing the final smear of haldi, a silent blessing, a soft promise.

The momentstretched, suspended in the golden light of the courtyard. It was straight outof a classic rom-com—the right guy finally connecting with the heroine, but atthe eleventh hour, right before the disastrous wedding.

Kairav and Muskanexchanged a silent, satisfied glance. This is it. The moment of truth. Kaira'sstiff posture had softened, and her eyes, moments ago filled with humiliation,were now searching, questioning.

Vansh nudged Reem,his spectacles catching the light. He nodded, approving of the raw honesty inNikhil's gaze. The switch might actually happen.

Abhir, sitting quietly with Ruhi, grinned. "See? Chemistry!" he whispered.

Nikhil finallylowered his hand, his eyes still locked with Kaira’s for one last agonizingsecond. He then gave a quick, respectful nod and walked away, leaving the heavysilence and the tingling warmth of the haldi on Kaira's cheek.

Kaira instinctivelyraised her mehendi-covered hand to the spot where he had touched her, her mindreeling with the sudden, powerful realization: Nikhil's touch felt likecomfort; Aaryan's touch only felt like control.

Part 28,29 is out too

What's this mayera

Ye tanya kya chahti hai, she wants to live her life taunting her husband for wearing sunscreen? Itna zaban hai to divorce dedo your Nikhil bhai will also stay in Udaipur lol

I am surprised Vidya taunted on muhfat dulhan not how dulhan ka male bestie running like a waiter at her service 🤣🤣🤣 Vidya open your eyes see. Shadi kisi aur ki dulha koi aur hoga

And now it's mehendi date not one person is asking kaira. Kya pagal family hai goenkas even ruhi abhir.

Part 29:Tick Tock

The time was 12:30PM. The wedding was just three hours away.

Across the OberoiUdaivilas, the Poddar clan buzzed with activity, each member focused on theirelaborate ensembles. Aaryan was in his own suite, getting ready. He stoodtaller today, anticipating the social elevation the afternoon would bring,already practicing his 'supportive husband' smile.

In the lavishbridal suite, Kaira sat before a brightly lit vanity, a picture of pre-weddingtension. She was dressed in a soft silk robe, her elaborate mehendi now a deepmahogany stain. Her hair was already styled—a loose, elegant bun adorned withsmall pearls.

The renowned bridalmakeup artist worked meticulously, applying a sheer layer of MAC foundationwith a delicate brush, followed by routine touches of Tom Ford bronzer andsetting powder.

The star of theroom, the wedding lehenga, hung enshrined in a custom garment bag. It was thebridal outfit Kairav and Muskan had gifted her: a breathtaking ensemble definedby a creamy, champagne-ivory base color that shimmered subtly. The fabric was aluxurious raw silk, giving it a rich texture. There multi-colored floral and nature-inspired embroidery The skirt wasvoluminous, heavily embroidered with intricate pastel floral bootis in shadesof rose pink, mint green, sage green, and lavender, depicting a serene gardenscene that included stylized birds and subtle architectural elements . Thelower edge featured a wide, densely layered scalloped border meticulouslydetailed with fine zardozi and threadwork in shades of maroon and deep pink,giving it a rich, timeless elegance. The accompanying dupatta, a delicaterose-pink tulle, was draped nearby, featuring similar elaborate aari embroideryalong its edges, with an additional sheer net dupatta (partially visible) meantto cover the head.

The suite dooropened, and Muskan, Ruhi, and Reem entered. All three were still in theircomfortable robes or house clothes, clearly not dressed for the wedding yet.Muskan, her hair loosely tied, immediately went to Kaira, her eyes worried.

Muskan (Softly):"Kairu... you look beautiful, my angel. But listen to me. I know whathappened at the Haldi."

Kaira (Avoiding hermother’s gaze): "Maa, please. Let's not talk about it."

Muskan: "Wehave to. For the sake of the afternoon, please, darling, wear the Poddarjewellery. Just agree to what they want."

Ruhi (Addinggently, adjusting her robe): "It’s easier to agree to the demand, Kaira.Just wear the full set and best of luck!I hope you take the right decision.I am with you always"

Reem (ObservingKaira’s defiant chin, still in her silk nightwear): "They are right,Kaira. Satisfy their ego completely. You have more important battles to fighttoday."

Kaira looked up ather mother, her eyes steely. She knew they were trying to smooth things over,but she had reached her limit on compromise.

Kaira: "Okay,Maa. I will wear all of the Poddar bridal jewellery—the heavy neck set, theearrings, the maang tikka." Her voice was steady, a clear acceptance ofthe sacrifice. "But," she lifted her mehendi-stained hands, "Iam wearing my Dadi’s bangles too. The intricate gold and diamond ones. They areGoenka legacy, and they are staying on my hands.? "

Muskan squeezed herhand, a flicker of pride mingling with her anxiety. "Yes, darling. Justthe bangles. You are strong, Kairu."

Muskan and Ruhishared a meaningful look with Reem and then left to get ready, leaving Kairawith the makeup artist and Tanya.

Tanya, dressed incasual lounging attire as she, too, was yet to begin dressing, moved closer,pretending to check Kaira’s lipstick (a application of Dior Rouge).

Tanya (Whisperingnear her ear): "Kaira, look at me. Are you happy? Truly? Look beyond thedress, look beyond the status. You deserve a partner who celebrates you, whodoesn't tell you to change every two minutes to suit his 'image.'"

Kaira’s eyes welledup slightly as she remembered Aaryan's cruel words.

Tanya: "Alwayschoose respect, Kairu. Remember all those years in USA? Who was the only onewho truly understood your crazy ideas and protected you when you needed it?Nikhil bhai... you two were such good friends. He cares for you more thananyone. Don't forget that today."

Kaira didn'trespond, but her focus shifted from the mirror to the raw silk lehenga, thecreamy fabric now feeling suffocating. Tanya’s words were the match ignitingthe tinder of her doubt.

Tanya gave Kaira'sshoulder a quick, tight squeeze, delivering her final subtle hint, and thenleft the room, the countdown to the wedding ticking loudly in the suddensilence. Kaira was now alone with the truth and a decision she could no longerpostpone.

In their suite,Kairav and Muskan were silently getting ready, a sense of urgency and nostalgiahanging heavy in the air.

Kairav, lookingregal in an emerald green and gold sherwani with a matching embroidered stole,fastened his cufflinks. He paused, catching sight of his reflection. It feelslike yesterday I was holding a tiny bundle in my arms, terrified I’d break her.

Muskan, draped in agorgeous powder-blue lehenga—an aesthetic color—was adjusting the fine netdupatta over one shoulder. The lehenga featured subtle silver and threadembroidery, radiating sophisticated elegance. She wore aesthetic, contemporarydiamond and sapphire jewellery—a delicate choker and matching elongatedearrings, eschewing heavy traditional gold. She watched Kairav in the mirror,her eyes softening.

Muskan (Her voicegentle): "Remember, Kairav Ji? When Kaira was born, you wouldn't letanyone else hold her for the first three hours. Meri Kairu, you keptwhispering."

Kairav (Turning toface her, his eyes moist): "I remember, Muskan. She was so small, soperfect. We promised then to always protect her." He took Muskan’s hands."And today... today we are praying that she protects herself. We've donewhat we can, Muskan. We have to trust that we raised a girl smart enough to seethe truth."

Muskan (Squeezinghis hands, her voice trembling): "I am praying to every god I know, KairavJi. Bhagwan kare meri beti ko sahi raasta dikh jaye. Just one moment ofrealization, that's all she needs."

In the bridalsuite, Kaira stood before the full-length mirror, a vision of traditionalelegance, yet her eyes held a storm.

She was dressed inthe stunning creamy-champagne raw silk lehenga, its pastel floral embroideryand rich zardozi scalloped border catching the light. The delicate rose-pinktulle dupatta was draped over her head and shoulders.

She had fulfilledher mother’s plea. The massive, heavy Poddar family necklace and earring setsat heavily on her neck and ears, its opulence undeniable but its weight aphysical burden. She wore the matching nath (nose ring), mathapatti withmaangtikka, and a large cocktail ring on her finger. This heavy, traditionaljewellery, while demanding, unexpectedly complemented the vintage richness ofher lehenga. Her hair was styled in an elegant bun, adorned with fresh, classywhite and pastel pink flowers (jasmine, miniature roses), a stark contrast tothe heavy jewellery.

But on her wrists,alongside the Poddar bangles, were her Dadi’s intricate gold and diamondbangles. She had put them on herself, the last act of defiance, a tangibleanchor to her past.

Kaira stared at herreflection. The woman looking back was a beautiful bride, ready to enter awealthy, traditional family. But the woman inside was screaming.

Kaira (Thinking,her mind a whirlwind): Aaryan’s words at the Haldi... "Sentimentalnonsense." "Old-fashioned." He punched Nikhil... He pushed me...He ignored my consultancy. He taunts my weight. And now, he insults my Dadi’slegacy for his 'image'.

Her gaze shiftedfrom the heavy Poddar necklace to her grandmother's delicate bangles. Which oneis the real me? The obedient Bahu wearing this heavy chain, or the strong womanwho honors her past?

Tanya's wordsechoed in her mind: "Always choose respect, Kairu."

A tear escaped hereye, tracing a path through her perfect makeup. Am I making the biggest mistakeof my life? Is this marriage, or just a merger where I am the asset beingacquired? The storm in her mind was reaching its peak, and the moment ofdecision was agonizingly close.

A tense silence hadsettled in the bridal suite, broken only by the soft whir of the airconditioning. Kaira stood motionless, the weight of the Poddar jewellery aphysical manifestation of her internal conflict.

The door gentlyopened, and the room was instantly filled with love and warmth. Kairav andMuskan entered first, followed by Vansh and Reem, Ruhi with her son Daksh, andAbhir. The men were dressed in regal finery, and the women in theirsophisticated wedding attire.

Kairav and Muskanstopped short, their breath catching in their throats.

Kairav (A chokedwhisper): "My Kairu..."

Muskan (Tearswelling up): "Oh, my darling. You look exactly like..." She couldn'tfinish the thought, too overwhelmed by Kaira’s beauty and the heavy emotion ofthe moment.

Kaira, however,remained withdrawn. She looked at her family, not with joy, but with a deep,unsettling sadness. She felt like a beautiful exhibit—ready for viewing, buthollow inside.

Vansh cleared histhroat, his usual booming voice softer than usual. Daksh, seeing his favouriteMaasi (aunt) standing so still and quiet, immediately started to cry, rushingtowards her.

Daksh (Wailing):"Maasi! Why are you sad? Don't cry, Maasi!"

Kaira kneltimmediately to hug her nephew, the child's genuine distress piercing herreserve.

While Muskan gentlysettled Daksh, Ruhi stepped forward, dressed elegantly.

Ruhi (HoldingKaira's face, her voice low and firm): "Kairu. Look at me. Whateverdecision you take today, always choose the one that lets you sleep at night.Always take the right decision, not the easy one."

Kairav, sensing themoment was ripe, brought forth a silver-framed photograph of Kartik and NairaGoenka. He placed it carefully on a small, silk-draped table in the corner.

Kairav:"Kairu, before you take the pheras, you need the blessings of your Dadaand Dadi. My parents were the epitome of love, but they were also a force ofchange. My mother, Naira Goenka, always challenged old traditions that didn'tmake sense. She made her own mark as a passionate Dancer and as a woman whofought for her truth, even if it meant walking away from a ready wedding."

He paused, lettingthe words sink in.

Kairav: "Lighta diya (lamp) for them. Take their strength."

Kaira walkedtowards the table. The heavy Poddar jewellery clinked, but her eyes were fixedon the photo of Naira, her beautiful, smiling Dadi. She took a deep breath,picked up the match, and lit the wick of the small earthen diya.

As the flameflickered, casting a warm, aesthetic glow, Kaira bowed her head. Her wrists,adorned with the cumbersome Poddar bangles and the delicate, intricate gold anddiamond bangles of her Dadi, were held close to the flame. The diamond dharovarcaught the light, sparkling fiercely against the dull gleam of the heavierPoddar gold.

Kaira (Whispering):"Dadi... give me the courage to choose my truth. Give me the courage tochallenge what is wrong, just like you did."

The family watchedin silent reverence. In that single, beautiful, and deeply aesthetic moment—astunning bride in a costly lehenga, lighting a small earthen lamp, with theheavy weight of expected duty on her neck, but the symbol of rebellion andself-respect gleaming on her wrist—Kaira finally understood the choice she hadto make.

The storm in hermind ceased. There was only clarity.

The bridal suitewas suffocatingly silent. The air conditioning hummed, but it did nothing tocool the heat rising in Kaira’s chest. She sat before the vanity, staring atthe woman in the mirror. The heavy Poddar necklace felt like a golden shackle,a cold weight pressing against her jugular. In contrast, her Dadi’s diamondbangles on her wrists seemed to pulse with a warm, defiant energy.

She was a queenprepared for a coronation she didn't want.

The door clickedopen. Kaira didn't turn, expecting the makeup artist for touch-ups.

But the footstepswere different—heavy, hesitant, yet familiar in a way that made her heart skipa beat.

She spun around,her heavy raw silk lehenga rustling like a storm of fabric.

Standing there wasNikhil.

He wasn't in asherwani. He wasn't ready for the wedding. He was dressed for an escape. Hewore a crisp, Light blue linen shirt ,sleeves rolled up to reveal his forearms, paired with rugged cargo pants. Hishair was messy, windblown, and he looked effortlessly handsome, anddevastatingly sad.

Kaira (Standing up,the movement sharp): "Nikhil? Why are you... why are you dressed likethat? The baraat is almost here."

Nikhil (Avoidingher eyes, his jaw clenched tight): "I came to say goodbye, Kaira.Something came up... an urgent design crisis at the Mumbai site. I have toleave. My flight is in 3 hours."

He forced a smile,but it was brittle, cracking at the edges. "You look... breathtaking,Kairu. Truly. Congratulations. Stay happy, and always choose the best foryourself."

He turned abruptly,his hand reaching for the door handle as if the room was on fire.

Kaira (Her voicerising, panic setting in): "You’re lying."

Nikhil (Freezing):"I'm getting late, Kaira."

Kaira: "Mybest friend doesn't miss my wedding for a 'design crisis.' You’ve been actingstrange since the engagement. You took the punch for me, you held my hand atthe Haldi... and now you're running away?"

She rushed acrossthe room, the heavy jewellery clinking, and grabbed his arm, spinning himaround.

Kaira: "Lookat me! Why are you running away?"

The physicalcontact was electric. Her hand on his arm—the hand wearing the mehendi thatrefused to take Aaryan’s colour—seemed to burn him. Nikhil flinched, not frompain, but from the sheer torture of being so close to her when she belonged tosomeone else.

He looked down ather, his resolve crumbling. The dam he had built for years began to crack.

Nikhil (His voicerough, barely a whisper): "Do you remember, Kaira? Third grade. New York.Mrs. Henderson’s class. It was a blizzard outside."

Kaira blinked, thesudden shift in topic catching her off guard. "What?"

Nikhil (Steppingcloser, the intensity in his eyes darkening): "You lost your mittens. Youwere crying in the coatroom because you were terrified your dad would scoldyou. Everyone else just walked past you. But I saw you."

Kaira (Softly):"You gave me yours. You walked six blocks home with freezing hands."

Nikhil: "Ididn't do it because I was nice, Kaira. I didn't do it because I was a 'goodboy.' I did it because even then, at eight years old, seeing you in pain feltlike my pain. I have spent my entire life trying to keep you warm, Kaira.Trying to stand between you and the cold."

The air in the roomgrew thin. The tension that had been building for twenty years—throughchildhood games, teenage secrets, and adult silences—was about to explode.

Nikhil grabbed hershoulders. His grip was firm, desperate, his fingers digging slightly into theraw silk of her blouse.

Nikhil: "I’mnot leaving for work. I’m leaving because I can’t watch this. I can't standhere and smile while you destroy yourself. I can't watch you shrink yourself tofit into Aaryan’s suffocating little box. I can't watch you become a trophy fora man who doesn't know the fire you hold inside!"

Kaira (Whispering,stunned, her heart hammering): "Nikhil..."

Nikhil (His voicebreaking, raw with passion): "I love you, Kaira. I have loved you sincethe snow in New York. I loved you when we were teenagers. I loved you when youleft for London. And I love you now, standing here in another man's bridalclothes."

He pulled herslightly closer, the space between them vanishing. His eyes searchedhers—yearning, pleading, burning.

Nikhil: "Itconsumes me. Every time he touches you, every time he disrespects you, it feelslike I'm losing a part of my soul. I wanted to tell you for so long. But I wasa coward. I thought friendship was enough. I thought seeing you happy was enough.But you're not happy, Kaira. And I... I am dying inside."

Kaira stood frozen,numbed by the sheer force of his words. The room spun. The puzzle pieces of herlife—his constant support, the safety she felt in his presence, the way herheart had raced when he applied the Haldi—suddenly clicked into a blindingly brightpicture.

Nikhil (Releasingher slowly, stepping back as if burnt): "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have...this is selfish. It’s your wedding day. I just... I couldn't leave without youknowing."

He walked to thedoor, pausing with his hand on the frame. He didn't look back, his shouldershunched with the weight of his confession. The silence was deafening.

He turned his headslightly, his profile sharp against the ambient light, his eyes red-rimmed butpiercing.

Nikhil: "Usethat mirror, Kaira. Ask yourself if Aaryan makes you feel like a Queen, or justan asset."

He looked at herone last time, his gaze lingering on her eyes, then her lips, then the spacebetween them that felt like a canyon.

Nikhil (Voice soft,trembling, switching to Hinglish): "Hum bachpan se dost hain, Kaira. Bestfriends. Par aaj jo maine bola... aur jo tumhare aankhon mein dekh raha hoon...yeh dosti se bohot zyaada hai. Mere dil mein jo toofan hai, aur tumhare dilmein jo confusion hai..."

He took a deepbreath, asking the question that defined their entire existence.

Nikhil: "Yehdosti nahi hai, Kaira. Toh phir... Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai?"

The question hungin the air, heavy, poetic, and unanswered.

Without waiting fora response, Nikhil opened the door and walked out.

Kaira was leftalone in the silence. She stared at the closed door, her breath coming inshort, sharp gasps. The heavy Poddar necklace felt unbearable now, choking her.The echo of his question—Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai? —bounced around the room,louder than the wedding drums beating outside. She fell back onto the vanitychair, her hand clutching the spot on her arm where he had held her, realizingwith terrifying clarity that the man walking away with her heart was not theone waiting at the mandap.

Kaira felt numb.The intensity of Nikhil’s confession and the weight of his final question hadleft her physically shaking. She finally managed to walk out of the suffocatingbridal suite and found her way to a relatively quiet, secluded courtyard near thehotel’s fountain, seeking refuge from the wedding bustle. The bright sunlightseemed harsh against the storm in her eyes.

She stood there,her magnificent lehenga and jewellery feeling like armor, trying to steady herbreathing.

Suddenly, a flurryof laughter and tiny feet interrupted her turmoil. Daksh (Ruhi’s son) and Maira(Abhira’s daughter) burst into the courtyard, deep in a game of chase.

Daksh (Rushing up,breathless, holding out a small phone): "Maasi! Maasi! Click a picture ofus! We look like royal champions, right, Maira?"

Maira (Bouncingexcitedly): "Yes! Take a Maha-Awesome picture, Kaira Maasi!"

Kaira managed aweak smile, grateful for the distraction. She took the small phone—it wasDaksh's old phone, used primarily for games and camera practice, which he oftencarried with him—and centered the children against the backdrop of the Udaipurpalace.

Click.

Kaira (Softly):"Perfect, champions. Here." She handed the phone back.

Daksh fumbled withthe device as he took it back. His thumb accidentally brushed a button on thescreen, initiating a media file—the most recent one saved on the device.

A faint, muffledmale voice instantly began to play through the phone’s tiny speaker. The soundquality was surprisingly clear, betraying the fact that the phone had beencarelessly left on the deep velvet sofa in the Poddar lounge.

Voice 1 (Aaryan,his voice furious and stripped of charm): "This is ridiculous! Absolutelyridiculous! —Dadi Sa—was actually going to divide everything! The entire PoddarLaw Firm, the properties… sab teen hisso mein bant raha tha!"

Kaira froze, herheart seizing. Property division? Off the table? Ruhi’s conversation with Vidyaflashed in her mind.

Voice 2 (Krish,cynical and dry): "Armaan bhai and Abhira bhabhi’s Maha-Emotional Dramasaved your hide. Who knew a few crocodile tears about 'Family Love' would stopa property division?"

Voice 3 (SanjayBansal, calculating): "Armaan is smart; he knows if the firm splits, hispower dilutes. Your anger, Aaryan, is justified. You promised the Goenkas you'dmove to Mumbai, remember? A grand statement to appear independent."

Kaira’s hands flewto her mouth, stifling a gasp. The Mumbai plan...

Voice 1 (Aaryan,cold and desperate): "Mera plan phuss ho gaya! I need the money, thecapital. And I am not marrying Kaira for her sweet nature."

The sound ofAaryan’s own voice, so cold and transactional, was a knife in Kaira's gut.

Voice 1 (Aaryan,the mask completely off): "I am marrying Kaira for her status, for theGoenka name, and their elite business contacts. Dr. Kaira Goenka’s marriagewill give me the shield I need."

Voice 1 (Aaryan, atoxic realization dawning): "The split is off the table. She doesn't know.I will tell her we need to shift to Mumbai immediately after the wedding,citing her career and my 'independence.' I will use Kaira to demand my share,shielding myself from all the blame of dividing the family. The Poddars cancurse their Bahu, not their son. I will control her life."

Voice 3 (SanjayBansal, a slow, approving nod): "Clever, Aaryan. Very clever. Using theBahu as a scapegoat for ambition. A classic power play."

Voice 2 (Krish, adry, mocking laugh): "Welcome to the club, Aaryan. We all marry up, don'twe? You want Goenka elite contacts; I married Tanya for her inheritance and theconnections... though her weight certainly make it harder."

The voices fadedout, leaving a thick, terrifying silence.

Kaira stood stunnedand shocked to the core, her face completely drained of color. Her beautiful,expensive bridal ensemble now felt like a cruel costume.

A pawn. Ascapegoat. He lied about Mumbai. He knew the division was off. He called mymarriage a "classic power play."

The Haldihumiliation, the cold dismissals, the transactional gaze—they were all threadsleading to this one, devastating truth: Aaryan was marrying her as a weapon tosecure his own financial greed and ambition, intending to use her status andthen control her.

The phone, theinnocent plaything of her nephew, had delivered the final, fatal blow. Shehadn't been wrong about Aaryan; she had just underestimated the depth of hiscalculated malice.

She felt the heavygold necklace suddenly tighten, no longer an ornament, but a trap. Nikhil’sdesperate warning—Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai?—screamed in her mind.

The answer wasclear: This relationship was a calculated lie, and she was the designated fool.

Kaira let out asmall, silent gasp, raising her trembling hands, her Dadi’s bangles flashing asshe reached up to touch the heavy, suffocating necklace. The wedding drums werebooming now, but for Kaira, the world had just gone silent. She was trapped, butthe key was now in her hands.

The courtyard ofthe Oberoi Udaivilas was shaking with the force of the Poddar Baraat. It waslavish, loud, and utterly suffocating. Dhol beats, professional dancers, and adisplay of wealth that screamed 'Status' echoed across the marble grounds.

Kaira watched theprocession from the main palace balcony, high above the festivities. She was asight of devastating beauty in her champagne lehenga and heavy jewellery, buther expression was wild—a forced, twitching smile that looked completely unhinged.The accidental recording had detonated a bomb in her mind, and the suppressedanger was manifesting as deeply bizarre behavior.

Down below, theGoenkas—Kairav, Muskan, Vansh, and Reem—executed the grand Baraat swagat(welcome) ritual with practiced ease.

Aaryan, seated on amagnificent white horse, looked like a triumphant conqueror. He was supremelyexcited, imagining the valuation of the Goenka contacts he was about toacquire.

As the welcomeconcluded, the Poddars and Bansals settled into the main hall.

Inside, Abhiraapproached her husband, Armaan. She was restless, sensing the immense tension,and worried about Kaira.

Abhira (TuggingArmaan’s sleeve): "Armaan, I need to go see Kaira. She looked... off onthe balcony. I need to make sure she's okay before the pheras."

Armaan:"Abhira, Darling, you know Dadi Sa doesn't like the bride and groom’sfamilies mingling right now. Just relax."

Abhira (Pouting,then switching to action mode): "I have a plan! Maha-Plan!"

She marchedstraight up to Kaveri Dadi Sa.

Abhira: "DadiSa! I just remembered! The auspicious gold coin for the Gauri Puja! I think Maa(Vidya) kept it in her purse for safe keeping! I must retrieve it right now!It’s highly important Shagun!"

Kaveri Dadi Sa,ever concerned about protocol, nodded immediately. "Go quickly, Abhira.Don't waste time."

Abhira winked atArmaan and dashed off towards the bridal suite.

Abhira entered thesuite and found Kaira pacing, her hands clenched.

Abhira (Rushingforward, concerned): "Kaira! Are you okay? You looked so tense on thebalcony. Relax, behen. Everything is going to be fine. This is the happiest dayof your life! You're marrying for saccha pyaar (true love)! Isn't that whatmatters?"

Kaira stoppedabruptly and turned, her eyes wide and glittering with maniacal energy. Shesmiled—a wide, unnerving grimace that made Abhira take a step back.

Kaira (Her voiceunnaturally high and chirpy, in exaggerated Hinglish): "Oh, saccha pyaar!Absolutely, Jethani Maam! Maha-Important factor! I mean, who cares about littledetails, hai na? Like, say, Trust ki Tijori !"

Abhira blinked."Kaira, what is happening? Why are you talking like... like me?"

Kaira (Tossing herhead back, the heavy mathapatti threatening to slip, her voice drippingsarcasm): "Oh, nothing, nothing! Just admiring your wisdom! I mean, youare the expert! You are the champion of forgiveness, yaar!"

She took a dramaticstep closer to Abhira.

Kaira: "Afterall, you proved that Love is Zyaada Important than... oh, I don't know... maybea Kidnapped Baby! I mean, who needs to worry about Chhote-Mote Dhokh when youcan just look at the Beautiful Family Photo later, right?"

Abhira froze, hersmile dissolving. The mention of Armaan running away with Maira seven years agowas a seismic shock.

Abhira (Stuttering,her own past shame surfacing): "Kaira... what are you saying? That wasdifferent! That was a mistake, and Armaan apologized!"

Kaira (Tilting herhead, looking utterly savage): "Oh, absolutely! Armaan Bhaiya ka SacchaPyaar made you forget everything! Seven years of missing your daughter? Poof!Vanished! Because Pyaar ka Power isstrong! So if a person lies, cheats, uses you, and treats you like a mereAsset... it's all okay! Just forgive and wear the gold! Kyunki Ghar ka Naam is important, aur Apna BankBalance is even more important!"

Abhira (Visiblycreeped out, backing away): "Kaira! Stop it! Tum theek ho? "

Kaira (Waving herhands dismissively): "I am Maha-Fine, Jethani Maam! Just realizing that inthis family, Sacchai ka Rate is very low! You just need to be a Good Bahu whodoesn't rock the Badi Family ki Boat ! Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go practicemy Obedient Bahu Look for the pheras! Bye-bye!"

Abhira stared,completely aghast. Kaira’s taunt was subtle yet brutal, referencing her owndark past to justify the coming disaster. Abhira hurried out, utterly unnerved,leaving Kaira standing alone, her face twisting from manic cheer to coldresolve.

The venue, thecourtyard of the Oberoi Udaivilas, was a spectacle of aesthetic beauty. Thedecor was dominated by a palette of blush pink, ivory, and soft peach, blendingseamlessly with the serene lake backdrop.

The Mandap stood ona slightly elevated dais, crafted from carved white wood, resembling a moderntemple. It was draped in cascading jasmine and exotic white orchids,interspersed with soft pink roses. The ceiling was a canopy of shimmering sheerfabric and crystal chandeliers that diffused the sunlight into a gentle,ethereal glow. The seating for the guests was arranged in elegant rows ofgilded chairs, all facing the mandap, symbolizing the purity and sacredness ofthe impending vows.

The time arrivedfor the Bridal Entry. The entire assembly—the Birlas, Goenkas, Poddars,Bansals, and a host of high-profile dignitaries and guests—fell silent, theireyes fixed on the entrance.

Kaira appeared,flanked by Ruhi and Tanya. She was a breathtaking bride, but the serene imageshattered upon closer inspection. She was rigid, her massive Poddar jewellerysparkling in frantic rhythm with her subtle, yet intense, fidgeting.

As they walked,Kaira was continuously muttering under her breath, a rapid, unintelligiblestream of logical yet hilarious Hinglish born of pure, furious realization.

Kaira (Mutteringrapidly, eyes wide): "Three hours left! Time is money, We must save on Phera costs! Fastest Wedding = Highest Efficiency! Woh mera time manage karega,toh main uska wedding speed manage karungi! Transaction ko jaldi complete karo!Status,Status and Status"

Ruhi (Whisperingfiercely to Kaira, holding her arm): "Kairu, slow down! What is wrong with your logic? We need to look graceful! Stop calculating!"

Tanya (Eyesdarting, terrified): "Kaira, you sound like a stock market trader! Please,bride bano, CEO nahi! !"

Kaira ignored them,her focus fixed on the mandap, where Aaryan stood waiting.

The music started.The pre-choreographed Bridal Entry song—the romantic Bollywood hit "ManvaLaage"—began, signaling a slow, graceful entrance.

As the musicsettled into a gentle rhythm, Aaryan, according to the choreography, raised hiswrist and looked pointedly at his watch, signaling to Kaira’s that she was lateand needed to hurry.

That gesture—apublic display of controlling the timeline and prioritizing punctuality overgrace—was the final trigger. Kaira's eyes blazed. The Pawn was done beingcontrolled.

Instead of thelight, slow dance steps planned for the entry, Kaira suddenly exploded intomotion.

She didn't walk;she sprinted.

Kaira broke awayfrom Ruhi and Tanya, launching into a weirdly fast and sharp, angularchoreography. Her movements were frantic, less like classical grace and morelike a combination of Zumba and speed-walking. The heavy PoddarJewellery set bounced violently on herchest, and her majestic lehenga skirt seemed to defy gravity, flying out withevery sudden turn.

The DJ, totallyblindsided, struggled desperately to keep the beat of "Manva Laage"fast enough to match the bride's insane pace, turning the soft melody into aridiculous, chaotic jingle.

The entire weddingparty was dumbfounded.

Aaryan (Eyes wide,struggling to keep his smug composure): He looked utterly confused. Heattempted to mirror her speed with an awkward, hopping jog in place, desperateto maintain the illusion of a coordinated entry.

Aaryan (Mutteringto his father, Manoj): "What is she doing? This is not in the Sangeetvideo! Mera Brand Image kharab ho raha hai!"

Kairav and Muskan(Exchange a look of profound horror):

Kairav (Whisperingto Muskan): "She's treating the aisle like a closing argument! Yeh tohcase band karke hi maanegi!"

Abhira and Armaan(Mouths agape):

Abhira:"Armaan! Dekho toh! She’s making a mockery of the sacred entry! SacchaPyaar is supposed to be slow motion!"

Armaan: "Ithink she’s running away, but forgot her direction! Yeh toh ulta mandap pe jarahi hai!"

Kaveri Dadi Sa andVidya (Horrified and furious):

Kaveri Dadi Sa(Voice booming): "Stop her! This is not a race! This is an insult to thesanskar of this ceremony! Manoj! Control your future daughter-in-law!"

Harshvardhan Birla(Leaning back, utterly amused): The Birla patriarch burst into roaringlaughter, finding the entire scene hysterical.

Harshvardhan (ToShivansh and Manjari, wiping a tear of laughter): "I say! This girl hassome spirit! Look at her run! Yeh isme Tuntunewali Bua ki aatma toh nahiaagayi! " He winked mischievously. I like her!"

Ruhi and Tanya(Finally catching up to Kaira at the mandap): They were hunched over, pantingheavily, utterly defeated.

Kaira finallyreached the mandap. She didn't slow down. She took one gigantic, aggressivestep onto the dais and planted herself directly in front of Aaryan, who lookedutterly perplexed.

The music came to ascreeching, awkward halt. Kaira stared at Aaryan, her eyes holding theterrifying clarity of a woman who knew she was walking into a trap, and was nowpreparing to spring it shut herself.

In the sudden,tense silence, seven pairs of Goenka eyes met across the hall, sharing thesame, single, hilarious realization.

Kairav, Muskan,Vansh, Reem, Ruhi, Tanya, and Abhir (standing near his grandparents) all lookedat Kaira’s aggressive stance, her defiant eyes, and her rapid, unhingedmovements.

Their minds, in aflash of communal Goenka intuition, screamed the same thought:

"SHE KNOWS!"

They burst intosilent, internal laughter, punctuated by a collective, horrified thought:Aaryan's scheme is about to become public domain, and Kaira is going to be theone to deliver the verdict. They realized the speed was not panic, but thecalculated haste of a woman about to expose a fraud before the deal was sealed.

Part 29 out too!

Will catchup soon🤗

Part 30: Lag Gayi Lanka

The chaoticmomentum of Kaira’s entry finally ceased. She stood before Aaryan, breathingheavily, but now perfectly still. The tension was palpable. The priest signaledfor the Varmala (garland exchange) ritual to begin.

Aaryan, stillrecovering from the public embarrassment of the "speed-run" entry,composed himself. He took his garland, eyes narrowed, ready for Kaira's nextunpredictable move—a punch, a sudden sprint, or perhaps a property deed demand.

He lifted thegarland. Kaira stepped back slightly, then suddenly threw her arms out wide inan overly dramatic gesture.

Kaira (Suddenlysweet, a blinding, fake smile plastered on her face): "Oh, my most honest,most loving, most non-transactional Aaryan! Come, come, my Future ofMumbai!"

Aaryan wasdumbfounded. This sudden switch from manic rage to saccharine affection wasdeeply unsettling. He awkwardly placed his varmala over her head.

Now it was Kaira’sturn. She took her massive, beautifully scented garland and, instead of simplyplacing it, she lifted it high above Aaryan’s head.

Kaira (Voicedripping with unnatural sweetness, eyes wide and unsettling): "Aaryan, myPrecious Pati Dev! Before I garland you, I want to perform a small Aarti!"

She proceeded toswing the garland in a circle above his head, like a priest performing a holyritual, all while giving him the most nauseatingly devoted smile.

Kaira (Coos loudlyfor everyone to hear): "Oh, my pati-dev (husband-God)! You are the onlyman in the world who loves me for ME, and not for my Goenka Connections or as aScapegoat for your Ambition! I am so lucky to be your Shield... I mean, your wife!"

She finally loweredthe garland, not just resting it on his neck, but pulling him into a tight,possessive hug that looked more like an attempt to choke him with roses.

Aaryan (Muttering,terrified): "Kaira! What is wrong with you? Let go! Everyone iswatching!"

Kaira (Pullingback, giving him a sickly sweet wink): "Why, my love? Are you ashamed ofmy Saccha Pyaar? Don't worry, Jaan. I know how to play the long game. Just waituntil we start working on our Joint Venture in Mumbai... I mean, our saatpheras"

The entirePoddar-Bansal-Goenka collective stared in confused horror.

Kaveri Dadi Sa(Whispering fiercely to Vidya): "What kind of bahu is this? She is eithermad or possessed! First, she runs like a racehorse, now she is acting like afilmi vamp!"

Madhav and Manisha(Blinking rapidly):

Manisha: "Sheis being too sweet, Madhav bhaisa. It’s unnatural. Like she’s trying to sell usa policy."

Manoj (Aaryan’sfather): "This is the Goenka training, Manisha. Too much emotion, too muchdrama. Don't worry, ab hum ise theek kardenge."

Krish and SanjayBansal (Exchanging knowing, unsettled looks): They knew Aaryan was up tosomething, but even they were creeped out by Kaira's performance.

Krish: "Papa,this is going to be a disaster. She's either planning to set the mandap onfire, or she's realized his game."

Sanjay: " Thisis... high drama."

Abhira and Armaan(Confused):

Abhira (To Armaan):"See! I told you she was weird! This is the same creepy logic she wasusing on me! She's acting like a caricature of a submissive bride!"

Armaan: "Sheis either trying to hide something huge or she has finally gone mad fromstress."

Ruhi and Tanya (Theonly ones who saw the speed-run, now see the sweet-run):

Tanya: "She'sdoing this on purpose, Ruhi. She knows! She's using his own language of 'asset'and 'venture' against him!"

Ruhi: "I haveto admit... this is Savage."

The priest, wearyof the unpredictable drama and eager to proceed, cleared his throat loudly.

Priest: "Now,let the bride and groom be seated.We will start with the rituals!"

Kaira, stillwearing her unsettling smile, gently took Aaryan's arm.

Kaira (To Aaryan,with exaggerated care): "Come, my Future CEO of My Happiness! Let's sitand start the Business of Marriage... I mean, the rasam! Hurry up! We must beon time for our Mumbai Takeover!"

Aaryan, rigid withanxiety and confusion, let her guide him to the mandap seats. As they sat down,the scent of the flowers and the sacred fire mingled with the cold, hardambition of Aaryan and the burning, calculated rage of Kaira.

The wedding ritualsbegan, but for everyone watching, the real drama had just moved from the aisleto the Mandap.

Kaira and Aaryanwere seated on the mandap, the priest chanting the Sanskrit verses for theGanesh Puja. The fire crackled, illuminating the gold and diamond sets, butcasting a deep shadow over Kaira's eyes.

Aaryan, stillreeling from the Varmala performance, leaned closer to Kaira under the guise oflistening to the priest, his voice low and urgent.

Aaryan (Hissing):"Kaira, what was that drama? Control yourself! We need to maintainappearances, especially with the Birlas here and the guests."

Kaira turned herhead slowly, her sweet, terrifying smile firmly in place. She leaned in evencloser, her hot breath touching his ear, delivering the final, devastatingblow.

Kaira (Whisperingwith chilling sweetness): "Aaryan, my pati-dev. You know, I've beenthinking about our future ... and I've decided something wonderful."

Aaryan’s eyesgleamed with instant greed. "Yes? What did you decide about the Mumbaidivision?"

Kaira (The smilewidening, her voice a deadly purr): "I've decided I will be the mostaagyakaari (obedient) bahu ever! I will not be leaving the family. I will stayright here, in Udaipur, under Kaveri Dadi Sa’s Sanaskar training! And... and Iwill not be shifting to Mumbai for my practice. We will live right here, withthe Poddars, just like Armaan Bhaiya and Abhira Jethani! Pura din aapke charnonmein! "

Aaryan’s facedrained of color. His entire carefully constructed plan—to use her "Mumbaicareer" as the shield to demand the property split and then pin the blameon her—had just been obliterated. If she willingly stayed, he had no grounds todemand the split and would remain under Armaan’s shadow, taking"peanuts."

Aaryan (Whisperingback, frantic and furious): "Kaira! Tu pagal hai What about my career? Ourindependence? We talked about this!"

That singleword—pagal (mad)—was the explosive trigger. The suppressed fury, thehumiliation, the memory of the recording, and Nikhil's departure all coalesced.

In the next moment,Kaira hilariously and dramatically stood up on the mandap, scattering the riceand turmeric in a glittering arc. Her eyes were blazing, but her voice wasloud, clear, and utterly unhinged.

She pointed atrembling finger directly at Aaryan’s stunned face.

Kaira (Screaming,her voice echoing through the silent courtyard): "HAA! PAGAL HU MEIN

The collectivesilence of the hall was deafening. The guests were traumatized.

The Goenkas(Kairav, Muskan, Vansh, Reem, Ruhi, Tanya, Abhir): Their eyes widened insimultaneous terror and realization—the explosion has arrived! Kairav choked onair. Muskan nearly fainted. Ruhi and Tanya ducked instinctively, preparing forthe collateral damage.

The Poddars andBansals (Kaveri Dadi Sa, Vidya, Manoj, Manisha, Krish, Sanjay): They wereutterly aghast. Kaveri Dadi Sa looked ready to spontaneously combust. Manojlooked like he might have a heart attack. Aaryan sat frozen, his jaw slack,staring up at the furious, magnificent woman who was now completely ruining hiscarefully laid plot.

The Birlas,however, reacted with pure, unadulterated entertainment.

Manjari (Coveringher mouth to hide a gasp): "Oh, my god"

Vaani (Grinningwidely to Shivansh): "I told you he was a kamina! Kaira figured itout!"

Harshvardhan Birla(Leaning forward, delighted, then throwing his head back and roaring withlaughter): The eccentric patriarch loved the chaos. He slapped his kneerepeatedly.

Harshvardhan(Shouting over the stunned silence, his voice booming): "HA! Thank GodKaira realized Aaryan's truth! Well done, Goenka girl! This boy is only fit forproperty deals, not for saat phera! Bravo!"

Aaryan’s entirefoundation—his reputation, his ambition, and his Poddar family defense—crumbledunder the weight of Kaira’s scream and Harshvardhan’s public, hilariousendorsement of her madness.

Kaira stood tall,her silk lehenga flowing, the weight of the Poddar jewellery finallyinsignificant against the freedom of her truth. The wedding was over before thefirst phera.

The silencefollowing Kaira’s scream—"HAA! PAGAL HU MEIN!"—was shattered by thethunderous voice of Kaveri Dadi Sa. Her face was crimson, her authoritychallenged in front of the entire high society of Udaipur.

Kaveri Dadi Sa(Bellowing): "What are you doing, ladki ? Have you lost your sanskar? Getdown! This is an insult to the Poddar name! Sit down, I say!"

Kaira, stillstanding tall on the mandap, turned her blazing eyes from Aaryan to Kaveri. Allpretense of obedience vanished.

Kaira (Her voicedangerously calm, yet sharp): "Chup kar, Budhiya."

The entire hallgasped. Kaveri Dadi Sa physically recoiled, her hand flying to her chest as ifstruck. The audacity was unprecedented.

Aaryan, shakingwith a mixture of terror and white-hot anger at the collapse of his plan andhis reputation, finally found his voice.

Aaryan (Shouting,pointing): "Kaira! You will regret this! You are ruining everything! Getdown, you selfish—"

Kaira (Cutting himoff, a look of profound disgust crossing her face): "Chirkut!"

The word, a casual,contemptuous Hindi insult meaning 'worthless' or 'insignificant', landed like aspit in his face.

Kaira (Her voiceringing with finality): "I know everything, Aaryan Poddar. Everythingabout your petty, miserable greed and your dirty little plan. I rejectyou."

She then turned toface the entire assembly—Poddars, Bansals, and Goenkas.

Kaira (Declaringloudly): "I reject Aaryan Poddar and his entire chirkut Poddar family!This marriage is off!Mein tumhe thukarati hu"

Ignoring the risingscreams and gasps, Kaira launched into a rapid, furious recap, ticking offAaryan's sins on her fingers, her voice moving from anger to cold logic:

Kaira: "Youthought I was a puppet, Aaryan? I heard every word you said. You dismissed myconsultancy work at the Birla Hospital because it didn't fit your 'image'! Youconstantly taunted my weight while pretending to love me! You punched Nikhil atthe engagement and pushed me when I intervened! You hated my Dadi’s oldjewellery because it wasn't shiny enough for your new money show! You eventried to use me as a 'SCAPEGOAT' to demand your property share!"

She lifted herDadi’s bangles high, their diamonds gleaming.

Kaira: "Myfamily's love is not your 'Asset'! And my respect is not your 'Shield'! This isnot a transaction, Aaryan! This is a farce!"

Vidya Poddar,unable to bear the public humiliation any longer and seeing the entire familylegacy crumbling, jumped up, desperate to silence the rogue bride.

Vidya (Screaming):"Bas, Kaira! Shut up! You don't know anything! You are misinterpreting!Sit down right now!"

Kaira fixed hergaze on Vidya. The final, most destructive piece of truth exploded into theaesthetic, horrified courtyard.

Kaira (Her voiceicy and sharp, leaning forward over the sacred fire): "Oh, I knoweverything, Vidya Poddar! Chup kar, Pati aur Bachcha Chorni!"

A chilling silencefell over the Poddar side. The term, meaning 'husband and child thief,' was adirect, brutal reference to the deepest, darkest secret of the family: Vidya’sbetrayal of Madhav's first wife, Shivani, and the kidnapping that led to Armaanbeing separated from his biological mother—a secret only the elders and Armaanwere supposed to know.

Kaveri and Madhavinstantly looked sick. Vidya looked like she had seen a ghost, her face whiterthan the white mandap.

The courtyard wasfrozen in a tableau of shock. Vidya was hyperventilating from the"Chorni" accusation, Kaveri was clutching her chest, and Aaryan stoodgaping at the woman who had just dismantled his life.

Kaira, standing inthe center of the madness, wasn't done. She raised her left hand, staring atthe massive diamond engagement ring Aaryan had placed there months ago—the ringhe had bragged cost "three crores."

Kaira (Scoffing):"Three crores? More like three cents of respect!"

She wrenched thering off her finger. With the precision of an Olympic pitcher, she hurled it.

PING!

It struck Aaryansquare in the middle of his forehead, bouncing off with a comical clink ontothe marble floor.

Aaryan: "Ouch!Are you crazy?!"

Kaira: "Keepthe change, Chirkut!"

Next, she grabbedthe heavy, suffocating dupatta from her head and threw it on the floor. Shereached for the elaborate Poddar Maathapatti and Maangtika pinned painfullyinto her hair. She ripped it out, wincing slightly, but looking liberated.

She locked eyeswith Manisha, her almost-mother-in-law.

Kaira: "Here,Manisha Aunty! Take your 'Khandaani Headache' back!"

She flung the heavygold headpiece like a frisbee. Manisha shrieked and ducked, the jewelry landingwith a heavy thud in her lap.

Then, Kaira touchedthe Nath (nose ring)—the symbol of a bride’s honor and subservience. Sheunhooked it, the relief evident on her face. She looked at Kaveri Dadi Sa.

Kaira: "Andyou, Budhiya! You love control so much? Here! Catch your Naak ki Izzat!"

She tossed theNath. It sailed through the air and landed directly in Kaveri’s lap. Kaverilooked down at the gold ornament as if it were a live grenade.

Kaira thenfrantically began shaking her wrists. Clatter, clang, thud.

One by one, theheavy, gaudy Poddar gold bangles hit the floor, creating a circle of rejectedwealth around her feet. She didn't stop until her wrists were bare ofeverything except the intricate, antique gold and diamond bangles of her Dadi,Naira Goenka.

She raised herhands, admiring them.

Finally, shereached for the piece de resistance—the gigantic, heavy, opulent PoddarAncestral Neckpiece. She unclasped it, holding the massive gold and diamondchain in her hands.

Aaryan (Eyesbulging, sensing the threat to the inheritance): "Kaira... no... that’santique! Don't damage it! That’s worth millions!"

Kaira (A cold,menacing smile): "Damage it? Never. It’s a symbol of your wealth and yourcontrol, Aaryan. It belongs to the one who truly cares about the money."

She marchedstraight up to Aaryan, who stood paralyzed by greed and terror. Withdeliberate, slow motion, she lifted the colossal necklace.

Kaira: "Here,Aaryan. Wear your true love."

She looped theheavy necklace over his head and tuggedit tight, pulling the weight of the Poddar family's legacy and his own failedambition right onto his shoulders.

Kaira (Hissing inhis ear): "Tumhe Paisa chahiye tha na? Now feel the weight of this gold!It will choke you just like you planned to choke my career and my life!"

Aaryan staggeredback slightly under the weight of the enormous piece of jewelry. He lookedutterly ridiculous—the rejected groom wearing his own inheritance like a heavy,golden noose.

In the midst ofthis chaotic scene—Aaryan stumbling under the weight of the ancestral gold,Kaveri holding a nose ring, and high-profile guests dropping their champagneflutes—a lone, cheerful voice pierced the air.

Ruhi (Pumping herfist in the air, jumping up): "WOOO-HOOO! YOU GO, KAIRA! CHOKE HIM WITHTHE GOLD!"

The silence thatfollowed was louder than any drum.

Kaveri, Vidya, andManisha slowly turned their heads to look at Ruhi—their widowed bahu.

Ruhi (Realizingeveryone is staring, slowly lowers her fist, but shrugs with a grin):"What? It was a Maha-Savage move! He deserves to wear his ambition!"

Daksh (Clapping hissmall hands): "Yay! Maasi is winning!"

Kaveri Dadi Salooked like she was going to faint. Her "perfect" family wasimploding in real-time. The rebellious bride had turned the family fortune intoa humiliating punishment, the groom was wearing his inheritance like a chain,and the widow bahu was cheerleading the destruction.

The high-profileguests sat with their mouths open, witnessing the most expensive, hilarious,and disastrous breakdown in Udaipur's wedding history.The atmosphere was thickwith the stench of humiliation. Aaryan, now literally weighed down by themassive ancestral necklace, had his forehead red where Kaira’s ring had struck.His frantic demands for order had stopped, replaced by sheer, blinding fury. Helooked at the wreckage of the mandap, the laughing Birlas, and the disgustedGoenkas.

He didn't careabout politeness or family secrets anymore. The mask was completely off,revealing a truly toxic, evil, and misogynistic core.

Aaryan (Eyesbloodshot, screaming at Kaira, the gold necklace bouncing with his rage):"You ruined it! You ruined everything, you ungrateful, emotional fool! Youthink I wanted to marry you for your saccha pyaar? Look at yourself! You’re aliability with too much weight and too much luggage!"

Kaira stoodmotionless, letting the venom wash over her.

Aaryan (Turning tothe stunned crowd, his voice high-pitched and hysterical): "Yes! I admitit! I was using her! Every single one of you Poddars is too busy protectingyour sanskari joint family and that brat Abhira bhabhi to give me what Ideserve! I am just as smart as Armaan bhai, but I get peanuts!"

He pointed atKaira’s former seat on the mandap.

Aaryan: "Iwasn't marrying Kaira for her good heart! I was marrying her for the Goenkastatus and the Goenka money! Her elite contacts would have opened doors for methat Armaan's honesty never will! This was purely a business merger!"

He walked towardKaira, his face contorted with rage, revealing the entire, vile truth of hiscontrolling intentions.

Aaryan (Spittingout the words): "I was going to push your stupid 'Mumbai dream'! I wasgoing to make you demand the property split right after the wedding, saying youneeded the capital for your clinic! But that clinic wouldn't have been yours,Kaira! Once we had the capital, I would have made sure you stayed home!"

He leaned in close,his voice dropping to a menacing snarl.

Aaryan: "Youwere never going to practice medicine! I would have controlled your career,your finances, your entire life! I needed a wife who looked good on paper, notone who actually worked! You think a Poddar bahu needs to compete with men?Lookat Abhira Bhabhi,her career is in the shadow of Armaan Bhai Your job was to bemy shield in public and my silent shadow at home!"

He threw his handsup in frustrated helplessness.

Aaryan: "Andwhen Dadi Sa refused the split, you would have been the one to fight them! Youwould have been the greedy bahu trying to break the family! I would have stayedclean, got my share of the Poddar Law Firm, and finally stepped out of Armaanbhai's shadow!"

He let out a harsh,bitter laugh.

Aaryan: "Youwere nothing but a shield and a weapon! A Pawn for my ambition! Now look!You've destroyed the weapon, and I get nothing!"

The sheer malice,misogyny, and greed in his confession hung heavy in the air. Kairav and Muskanrushed forward, horror-stricken, but Kaira raised a hand to stop them. Shelooked at Aaryan, not with anger, but with an immense, cold pity.

The courtyard washeavy with the weight of Aaryan's venomous confession. He stood sweating underthe burden of the ancestral gold, his face a picture of petty, exposed greed.Kaira took a deep breath, letting the silence hang for one final, dramatic moment.She was no longer the confused, weeping bride, but the fiercely logical,headstrong doctor who valued her self-respect above all else.

She stepped awayfrom the Goenka family, facing Aaryan and the stunned Poddar clan—Kaveri,Vidya, Manoj, Manisha, Krish, Sanjay,Armaan—who watched her with a mixture ofterror and disbelief.

Kaira (Her voiceringing with absolute certainty, addressing Aaryan): "Stop shouting,Aaryan. You think your confession broke me? Nahin. You just confirmed my ticketto freedom."

She gestured towardthe expensive, ruined setup.

Kaira: "Lookat this mandap. Look at these guests. You thought this was the biggest day ofmy life? This was just a business meeting for you, and the deal is canceled.Main tumhari property ya asset nahin hoon.”"

She took a slow,deliberate step back, her eyes burning with self-respect.

Kaira (To Aaryan):"You called me a liability with 'too much luggage.' Toh suno, AaryanPoddar. My luggage is not my weight; my luggage is my self-respect, my career,my ambition, aur meri Goenka family ka naam And I don't need a Controller likeyou to manage it."

Kaira lifted herchin, her gaze sweeping across the faces of the controlling Poddar elders.

Kaira: "Youplanned to clip my wings? You planned to stop my practice, control my finances,and make me your 'silent shadow'? You needed a wife who 'looked good on paper'?Toh suniye, Dadi Sa! "

She faced KaveriDadi Sa, whose face was rigid with fury.

Kaira: "I amnot a Ghar ki Murghi that you can tame! I am a high-flying bird. I am Dr. KairaGoenka. No one—not your grandson, not your family , and definitely not thisgold necklace—can bring me down or stop me from achieving my goals!"

She pointedscornfully at Aaryan.

Kaira: "Youneeded my status, my money, and my reputation to elevate yourself. But I don'tneed you. My value is already so high that a person like you cannot even standin my shadow.)"

Kaira (Standingtall, her voice ringing out for all the traumatized guests to hear): "Ireject this wedding. I reject your lies, your control, and your toxicdefinition of marriage.I reject our love of 2 years."

She turned andwalked towards her family, the Goenkas, who rushed forward, tears of pride andrelief filling their eyes. She had faced the fire, and she had flown free.

Just as Kairareached the welcoming arms of her family—Muskan and Kairav, Vansh and Reem—asudden, determined figure leaped into the small space between the Goenkas andthe retreating Aaryan.

It was Abhira. Shelooked distraught, her focus entirely on 'saving' her sister from what sheperceived as emotional damage, completely missing the fact that Kaira had justsaved herself from a lifetime of abuse.

Abhira (Teary-eyed,rushing forward, placing her hands dramatically on Kaira’s shoulders):"Kaira! Wait! Stop! Yeh kya kar diya tune! You can’t reject Aaryan justbecause he said a few harsh words! You are letting anger win!"

Kaira stood rigid,the sweet scent of the discarded varmala now cloying.

Abhira (Launchinginto a cringe lecture, her voice soaring): "Love is not aboutcalculations, Kaira! It's about forgiveness! It’s about sacrifice! Saccha pyaar(True love) means accepting the flaws of the person you love! You have toendure the storm, Kaira! If I had left Armaan every time he made a mistake, orevery time he hurt me, where would our family be? You have to trust yourlove!"

The Goenka familywatched their niece with a collective expression of annoyed bewilderment.

Muskan and Kairav exchanged a look of utter defeat. Kairav mutteredunder his breath, "Iska toh bhasan kabhi khatam nahin hota!Dekho MuskanBhaiji ki beti ka kamaal"

Vansh and Reem physically took a step back. Reem pinched the bridge ofher nose.

Tanya simply rolled her eyes so hard they threatened to get stuck.

On the Poddar side,even the humiliated elders were annoyed.

Kaveri Dadi Sa (Whispering venomously to Vidya): "This ladki ! Nowshe is giving sermons! She is the reason we are in this mess! She and Armaan’sdrama stopped the partition, which made Aaryan desperate and her sister Kairais such a bad mouth!"

Vidya (Clutching her pearls): "And now she’s giving free advice on'sacrifice' when her own marriage is built on chaos!"

Armaan stood utterly dumbfounded, watching his wife lecture the onlyperson who was logical enough to escape their toxic cycle

Ruhi, however, had reached her limit. Her sister's interference was thefinal straw. She subtly bent down, unbuckling the strap of her expensivewedding sandal.

Ruhi (Mutteringfuriously): "Maha-Pyaar! Maha-Sacrifice! I swear, if she says'Maha-Mistake' one more time, I will fling this heel at her head!"

Abhir, who wasstanding next to Ruhi, saw the dangerous gleam in her eye and the sight of thepointed stiletto. He quickly put a hand on her arm.

Abhir (Whisperinghilariously): "Ruhi, no! Mandap pe heel phainkna is Illegal! Wait until weget home! We can use a chappal then, it's more satisfying! Don't damage yourJimmy Choo!"

Ruhi reluctantlyput the heel down, but kept it off, ready to grab at a moment's notice.

Meanwhile, Kaira’sbody language screamed that she was judging Abhira. She kept her arms crossed,her antique bangles catching the light, and side-eyed her sister with anexpression of cold, intellectual disdain. She waited patiently for the bhasanto end, as if waiting for a minor technical glitch to resolve.

Abhira (Finishingwith dramatic flair): "...So, Kaira, you must go back! Go back and forgivehim for the sake of your saccha pyaar and your future!"

Kaira (Taking aslow, deep breath, delivering the final, savage taunt): "Done, Abhira?Good. I heard your whole monologue on 'Enduring Toxic Men 101.'"

She paused, lettingher eyes rake over Abhira's distraught face, then landed the brutal comparison.

Kaira (Scoffing,switching to sharp Hinglish): "You forgive a 'few harsh words,' Abhira? Iforgive a man for trying to use me as a 'Scapegoat' and destroying my career!Tum armaan ki sasti jogan ban gayi ho, toh tumhein lagta hai sab ko bannachahiye?”

Abhira’s facecrumpled, finally silenced not by a moral argument, but by a savage personaljab. Kaira turned her back on her sister, took her family's arm, and finallywalked away from the ruined mandap forever.

Abhira finished herpassionate speech about forgiveness, tears streaming down her face, expectingKaira to melt. Instead, Kaira stared at her sister with the cold precision of asurgeon about to dissect a frog.

Kaira (Slowly,tilting her head): "Done? Have you finished your audition for 'Star Pluski Maha-Mahaan Aatma'? Good."

She stepped closerto Abhira, her voice dripping with savage amusement.

Kaira: "Youcall me arrogant for rejecting a toxic man? And you are lecturing me on SacchaPyaar? Waah! Abhira, my dear sister, you are not a 'Lover'. You are ArmaanPoddar ki Sasti Jogan!"

The Goenkas(Muskan, Kairav, Vansh, Reem) winced. Tanya hid a smirk behind her hand.

Kaira raised herhand, counting off on her fingers, her voice rising with every ridiculouspoint.

Kaira: "Let'sreview your 'Love Story', shall we? It reads less like a romance and more likea Survivor Series where you are the only loser!"

The Beginning:"First, he abandoned Ruhi Di at the mandap to woo you. Then, he pressureda 23-year-old you to get pregnant when you barely had a law degree! Career gayabhaad mein, pehle Vanshaj lao! "

The Mommy Issues:"When Mummy Vidya was angry, Mr. Husband gave you the Silent Treatment forthree months! Teen maheene! You were living with a mute statue who only drankalcohol!"

The Baby Swap:"Then, the Great Baby Exchange! You delivered a stillborn, and instead ofletting you grieve, he swapped the babies like a defective Amazon parcel! Youdidn't even get to see your child one last time because Pati Dev decided youcouldn't handle it!"

The Resignation:"Oh, and remember when he slapped a Resignation Letter on your face? Hedecided you were quitting law! Control freak much?"

The Abhir Incident:"This is my favorite part! Vidya Aunty ran over our brother Abhir,paralyzed him, destroyed his life! And what did your Devta Armaan do? He blamedAbhir! He defended his mommy! And when you got angry, he slapped a fake bribeallegation on you to destroy your career!and you?Happily got this chudail outof Jail to Manao your Bhagwan armaan. Wah, kya pyaar hai!"

Kaira (Turning backto Abhira): "Fast forward to the Surrogacy Circus! He threw a vase at themirror to insult you! Then, during the delivery—a do-or-die situation for Ruhidi—Mr. Hero ran away because he was 'traumatized'! You handled everythingalone! But who took the credit? 'Meri Beti, Meri Beti' jaap started!"

Kaira (Laughingincredulously): "He didn't let you bond with the baby! He called youINCAPABLE because you didn't give birth! He brought a shady nanny, the baby gotstolen, and while you were bleeding and pasting posters on the streets, he wasbusy humiliating you!"

Kaira: "Andthen? The Grand Finale! He found Maira (Pookie), realized she was safe, andinstead of telling you, he kidnapped his own daughter for 7 years! He hid herfrom you! He uprooted that poor lady who cared for her and then He marriedGeetanjali for damage control only totorture her later!"

She leaned in, hervoice dropping to a harsh whisper that echoed in the silent hall.

Kaira: "He wasmarried to another woman, Abhira! And you? You were busy trying to mooch offhim, begging for scraps of attention like a Doormat Pro Max! You even landed injail for 3 months because of this obsession! And when Geetanjali died, you justsaid 'Jo hua so hua' and married him again? Are you a wife or a Recycling Binfor his mistakes?"

Kaira: "Andthe saddest part? You had Anshuman Raizada."

She pointed towhere Tanya stood.

Kaira:"Anshuman was 100 times better than this toxic sample! He loved you, herespected you, he wanted to give you the world. He was a Sone ki Katori handedto you by destiny!"

Kaira (Voicebooming): "But what did you do, Abhira? You are such a Bhikaran in lovethat you kicked away the Sone ki Katori just to go beg in Armaan’s Tambe kiKatori! You broke Anshuman’s heart, gave him false hope , all to chase a manwho treated you like a spare tire!"

Kaira shook herhead, looking at Abhira with genuine confusion mixed with disgust.

Kaira (Voicesuddenly rising to a dramatic, questioning shriek): "Do you even love him,Abhira? Or do you just have a... a HUMILIATION KINK? Haan! Batao! You need himto insult you so you can forgive him and feel like a Mahaan Devi ! You need thedrama! Tumhein to sukoon aata hi nahinhai simple life mein!"

She turned herfurious gaze toward her mother, Muskan.

Kaira (Shouting,betraying her own hurt): "Aur Mumma! Why are you so obsessed with Bhaijiki Beti (Brother's Daughter) Abhira? Pehle iski nautanki sambhaalo, phir mujhelecture dena! ("

She then lookeddown at Abhira’s feet, scoffing.

Kaira: "KaiseTaxiwale honge jo aisi Doormat paida kiye honge Tuntunewali Bua (Akshara) kesaath!”

Harshvardhan Birlain the audience immediately let out a loud, appreciative whistle, enjoying thelow-blow reference to Akshara and the 'Taxi driver' .

Kaira (Taking onelast look at Abhira, utter contempt washing over her face): "AAA THU!Kaisi ghatiya aurat hai tu! "

Kaira spat thedisdainful sound, turned her back on her speechless sister, and walked awaywith her proud, horrified Goenka family.

Nikhil stood on thetarmac of the Maharana Pratap Airport (UDR), Udaipur. The airport, known forits sleek, modern structure blending glass and local stone, was busy but notchaotic. The current section of the tarmac was relatively quiet, with only afew ground crew visible. The backdrop was the stunning Aravalli range, nowslightly softened by the afternoon haze.

Nikhil was standingat the base of the rolling stairs, waiting for clearance to board his Air Indiaflight to Mumbai. The air was hot and dry, making his crisp linen shirt clingslightly to his back. He clutched his small duffel bag, his eyes scanning thepristine white and blue livery of the aircraft.

Two hours. Twohours had passed since he had thrown the emotional bomb—"I love you,Kaira"—and fled the Goenka villa like a frightened thief. The truth was,he felt less like a hero and more like a massive idiot.

Nikhil (Thinking,annoyed): This is it. Nikhil, the great architect, reducing his love life to atragic Bollywood climax. 'I love you! I’m leaving forever! Goodbye, my love!'

He cursed under hisbreath, thinking of Kairav and Muskan.

Nikhil (Thinking,imitating Kairav’s dramatic tone): “Nikhil, Beta! If you stay, it will just beawkward! Leave now! She needs to realize your value in your absence! Thedramatic effect will be worth it!”

Nikhil (Thinking,arguing back): Dramatic effect? I confessed twenty years of secret love, calledher fiancé a suffocating pig, and then ran off like a coward! What if Aaryan isalready using her ‘confusion’ against her? What if she actually marries him now,thinking I was just being a jealous friend?

He felt a wave ofself-loathing. He should have stayed. He should have grabbed her hand, draggedher to the mandap, and let her make the decision then and there. This airportwaiting game felt utterly anticlimactic and profoundly stupid.

Nikhil (Thinking):I am standing on the tarmac in Udaipur, feeling like a side character who gothis one-minute spotlight and now has to exit stage left. No! This isridiculous!

He looked up at theplane, then back at the sleek glass entrance of the airport terminal. He saw abored-looking ground crew member fiddling with a reflective vest.

The image ofKaira’s stunned face, the tears in her eyes, and the question hanging betweenthem—Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai?—suddenly snapped his final thread ofcomposure.

Nikhil (Whisperingfiercely to himself): "To hell with the 'dramatic effect'! To hell withMuskan Aunty's serial plots! I'm not leaving And I need to tell her Aaryan's afraud before she takes those pheras!"

He took a large,determined breath, grabbed his duffel bag tightly, and instead of walking upthe boarding stairs, he suddenly turned 180 degrees.

He bolted acrossthe tarmac, dodging a luggage cart and startling the ground crew member, whodropped his vest.

Ground Crew Member(Yelling after him, utterly bewildered): "Hey! Sir! Where are you going?!The flight is boarding! You can't run on the tarmac!"

Nikhil, dressed inhis messy, windblown shirt and cargo pants, looked like a runaway groom, excepthe wasn't the groom. He was a runaway confession.

Nikhil (Runningtoward the terminal door, adrenaline pumping): "I am not running away, Iam running towards! This is my love story's climax, and I am rewriting thescript! Sorry, Air India, but my emotional baggage is too heavy for the cargohold!"

He burst throughthe security barrier door—meant for authorized personnel only—which triggered afaint, confused alarm. Nikhil didn't stop, sprinting through the airport loungeand towards the exit, desperate to find a taxi.

The dramatic exitwas canceled. The epic entrance was about to begin.

The dust fromKaira’s roast hadn’t even settled when Abhira, utterly decimated by the"Humiliation Kink" and "Tambe ki Katori" comments, let outa wail that rivaled a police siren.

Abhira (Coveringher face, sobbing loudly): "Mummmyyyy! (referring to Vidya) She is somean! Saccha Pyaar is dead here!"

She hitched up hersaree and sprinted away like a toddler denied candy, crying loudly as she ranpast a confused Armaan.

Armaan (Reachingout weakly): "Abhira... wait... let's discuss the copper bowlmetaphor..."

But she was gone,leaving a trail of tears and cringe behind her. Kaira watched her go forexactly one second, rolled her eyes, and then panic set in.

Kaira (Lookingaround frantically): "Nikhil! Where is he? He said three hours... oh god,the traffic!"

Kaira rushedtowards Kairav, grabbing his shoulders. Her heavy jewellery clinkedaggressively.

Kaira (Breathless,eyes wide): "Dad! Dad, listen! I made a mistake letting him go! Dad, Ithink..."

Kairav (Smilingsmugly, cutting her off instantly): "...Mein Nikhil se pyaar kartihoon."

Kaira froze. Herjaw dropped.

Kaira (Bewildered):"Dad? How did you... wait, is this a script? Did everyone know exceptme?"

Kairav (Winking atMuskan): "Beta, we are Goenkas. We practically invented complex lovestories. We saw this coming since you were five."

Suddenly, Muskanstepped forward. She channeled every ounce of Bollywood drama she had watchedgrowing up. She grabbed Kaira’s hand, looked deep into her eyes, and thendramatically let go, pushing her slightly towards the exit.

Muskan (Withintense emotion, channeling Amrish Puri): "Ja Kaira Ja! Jee le apnizindagi! (Go Kaira Go! Live your life!) Go get your Raj... I mean,Nikhil!"

Kaira (Blinkingrapidly): "Mom, seriously? DDLJ dialogue right now? In the middle of myfailed wedding?"

Muskan (Shrugging):"It's a classic! Now run! before he boards that flight and becomes adepressed architect in Mumbai!"

Kaira didn't needtelling twice. She grabbed her heavy lehenga skirt, bunching up the layers ofsilk and embroidery in her arms.

Kaira (Screaming):"ABHIR! JEEP! NOW!"

Abhir, lookingdashing in his sherwani, was already vaulting over a flower decoration, keysspinning in his hand.

Abhir: "Wayahead of you, Behena! The Open Jeep is parked at the valet! Let's go!"

Kairasprinted—well, waddled aggressively due to the 40kg outfit—towards the exit. Asshe reached the vintage open-top Jeep, Ruhi appeared out of nowhere, havingdiscarded her other heel as well.

Ruhi (Diving intothe passenger seat): " I am not missing this! This is the Chasesequence!"

Kaira (Climbinginto the back, struggling with the skirt): "Ruhi! Why are youcoming?"

Ruhi (Turningaround, grinning): "Moral support! And to throw shoes at traffic if theydon't move! Abhir, drive like you're in a Rohit Shetty movie!"

Abhir (Revving theengine loudly): "Hold onto your duppata!Lets go"

The Jeep screechedout of the Oberoi Udaivilas driveway, gravel flying, leaving the stunned guestschoking on dust.

Meanwhile, Tanya(Nikhil's cousin) watched the Jeep disappear. She looked at Kairav and Muskan.

Tanya (Sighing,pulling out car keys): "Okay, the kids are gone. Come on, Uncle-Aunty.I'll drive you."

Kairav: "Fast,Tanya! We need to be there to witness the confession! I need to record it forthe family group chat!"

Muskan: "And Ineed to make sure Nikhil doesn't actually get on the plane! That boy is tooobedient!"

Tanya (Rolling hereyes): "Get in the car. It’s going to be a bumpy ride. Why are Goenkaweddings always a marathon?"

They piled intoTanya’s luxury sedan and peeled out after the Jeep, turning the serene Udaipurroads into a high-stakes, high-fashion race to the airport.

The Poddars andBansals returned to the stately Poddar Villa in Udaipur, but the atmosphere wasfar from welcoming. The grand mansion felt cold and heavy, thick with thestench of public humiliation. The high-profile guests had witnessed the entiremeltdown, and the news would undoubtedly spread like wildfire through Udaipur'selite circles.

Aaryan stormed infirst, ripping off the heavy ancestral necklace Kaira had forced on him,throwing it onto a nearby antique table with a metallic crash.

Aaryan (Shouting):"This is all Kaira's fault! The madwoman burned my life! I losteverything! My investment, my reputation—"

SMACK!

A sharp, resoundingsound cut through Aaryan’s rant. Kaveri Dadi Sa, rigid with a terrifying fury,had crossed the hall and delivered a stinging slap across Aaryan's cheek.

Kaveri Dadi Sa(Voice shaking with rage and despair): "Shut up, nalayak (worthless)! Thisis your fault! You, with your cheap greed and foolish schemes! You thought youcould treat a high-status girl like Kaira Goenka as a pawn for property? Youhave disgraced the Poddar name forever!"

She paced, her silksaree rustling like dry leaves.

Kaveri Dadi Sa(Cursing Abhira, her voice laced with venom): "And it all started becauseof that disaster, Abhira! If that vakeel (lawyer) hadn't manipulated Armaaninto saving the partition, you wouldn't have become so desperate for yourshare! We would have dealt with the financial division quietly! She curses usevery time she breathes!"

The remainingwomen—Kaveri, Vidya, Manisha, and Kajal—suddenly locked eyes. They recognized acommon enemy, a shared scapegoat for the day's catastrophe: Abhira. After all,Kaira had been Abhira’s sister.

Abhira stood nearthe entrance, still reeling from Kaira’s brutal roast, looking pale anddefeated. She was instantly surrounded by the four furious women.

Vidya (Her eyesburning with the humiliation of the 'Chorni' taunt): "Look at her! Thecause of all our miseries stands here, still wearing that sanskari saree! Youbrought Kaira into our house! You were her sister! Why didn't you stop hermadness? Oh, wait! You encourage it!"

Manisha (Ventingher own humiliation of having the Maathapatti thrown at her): "She calledus 'Chirkut' and 'Budhiya'! And your bhasan about Saccha Pyaar was a joke! Tum toh khud hi sasti jogan ho! No wonderyour own sister humiliated you in front of the world!"

Kajal (Joining theattack, her voice shrill): "Your sister rejected our Aaryan and chosefreedom! But you, Abhira, you cling to Armaan like a leech! Why? Because youknow you are nothing without the Poddar surname! You have no career, no child,no future!"

Kaveri Dadi Sa(Delivering the final, brutal blow, her voice dripping with contempt):"Ladki! Tum sirf dukh aur apmaan laati ho iss ghar mein Get out of mysight!"

Abhira stoodcompletely frozen, the collective force of their hatred hitting her harder thanany physical blow. The toxic atmosphere of the Poddar Villa had officiallyreached its peak, finding its target in the easiest victim.

Amidst the brutaltaunts from Kaveri and the other women, a sudden, frantic realization broughtthe cruel verbal attack to a screeching halt.

Manisha (Suddenlychecking the rooms): "Maira! Maira kahaan hai (where is)? I haven't seenher since we returned!"

Panic instantlyseized the house. Maira, the child Armaan had fiercely protected (and illegallykept) for seven years, was nowhere to be found. The wedding chaos and thesubsequent screaming match had provided the perfect cover for a small child toslip away.

Armaan, who hadbeen standing rigid with defeat, suddenly snapped. The loss of Maira was thefinal, unforgivable transgression. He whirled around, his eyes blazing, all hissuppressed toxicity and misogyny focused entirely on Abhira.

Armaan (Screaming,his voice raw with fury): "Abhira! Yeh sab tumhari wajah se hua hai! (Thisis all because of you!) Tumhari ghatiya bakwaas! If you hadn't brought yourdrama and your sister's toxicity here, my daughter would be safe!"

He stormed up toher, his face inches from hers.

Armaan:"Tumhare saath hamesha kuch na kuch ghatiya hota hai! You bring chaos! Youare a disaster! You ruined your own marriage, you ruined Aaryan's wedding, andnow you have lost my daughter!"

Armaan (Loweringhis voice to a vicious, painful whisper, hitting her weakest spot): "Mainjanta tha! Main janta tha, Abhira! Tum uski maa kabhi ban hi nahin saktithi! You didn't give birth to her!Tumhari kokh toh usey jhel hi nahinpaayi! You are incapable of motherhood! That is why you lost her once, and nowyou've lost her again!"

The taunt about herfertility and not having birthed Maira—the ultimate, cruelest weapon inArmaan’s arsenal—landed with sickening precision. Abhira flinched as if struck,her eyes wide with shock and pain.

Armaan didn't waitfor a response. His rage was boundless and blind. He grabbed Abhira’s wrist ina punishing grip.

Armaan (Draggingher violently towards the main entry door): "You are not fit to be in thishouse! Tum is ghar ki badkismati ho! Getout!"

He dragged thetearful, whimpering Abhira across the polished marble floor.

Kaveri Dadi Sa(Clapping sharply, cheering him on): "Shabash, Armaan! Sahi kar raha hai!Throw this panauti out! This house needs cleansing!"

Vidya (Clapping andcheering, spiteful pride in her eyes): "Go! Go to your dead taxi-driverfather's house, where you belong! Armaan, finally! Mera sher beta! "

Armaan reached thegrand, ornate door. Without a moment's hesitation, he opened it wide, exposingAbhira to the evening sky.

Armaan (Hissing,shoving her out the door): "Niklo! Niklo yahan se! I don't need a wife whocan't even keep track of her own child! You are rejected, Abhira!"

He slammed themassive door shut with a deafening THUD, leaving Abhira weeping and alone onthe street outside the Poddar Villa, the collective cheers of his mother andgrandmother ringing in her ears. She was finally and brutally kicked out,carrying nothing but her pain and the weight of his toxic cruelty.

Nikhil was bouncingwildly in the back of an auto-rickshaw, desperately speeding along the narrow,winding roads toward Oberoi Udaivilas. He was yelling instructions to thebemused driver in frantic Hinglish, convinced he was minutes away fromdisaster.

Meanwhile, theopen-top Jeep driven by Abhir—with Ruhi cheering from the passenger seat andKaira clutching her lehenga in the back—was barreling in the opposite directiontoward the airport. Tanya’s sedan, carrying Kairav and Muskan, trailed closebehind.

The two paths,destined for collision, met near the Gangaur Ghat, one of Udaipur's most scenicspots, currently quiet in the late afternoon.

The auto-rickshawswerved suddenly, braking hard to avoid crashing into a large, oncoming vintagejeep that skidded dramatically to a halt.

Nikhil was thrownforward, clutching the safety bar. He looked up, furious, ready to yell at thereckless driver.

His eyes lockedonto the Jeep's back seat.

There sat Kaira.

She wasbreathtaking, but utterly transformed. Gone were the Poddar jewels, save forher Dadi's bangles. Her bridal hair was still intricately styled with flowers,but the expensive dupatta and heavy makeup stood in stark contrast to the raw,fierce relief in her eyes. She looked like a queen who had just walked out of apalace fire.

Nikhil (Standing upin the rocking auto, utterly shocked): "Kaira?! What are you doing here? Ithought you were—"

Kaira didn't wait.She leaped out of the back of the jeep, her lightened lehenga surprisinglyagile. She ran toward Nikhil, her face a storm of emotion.

Nikhil stoodmesmerized, his frantic airport escape forgotten. He braced himself for a hug,a tearful embrace, or perhaps a poetic, DDLJ-style run toward him.

Instead, as shereached him, Kaira’s hand shot out with blinding speed.

SMACK!

She delivered asharp, hilarious slap across his cheek—not of anger, but pure, frustratedexasperation.

Kaira (Screaming,shaking her head furiously): "Idiot! Dost ho ya Dushmaan? Why did you runaway? You confess your Love in the middle of a wedding and then flee thecountry? I had to expose Aaryan all alone, you coward!"

Nikhil (Rubbing hissmarting cheek, utterly bewildered): "Ouch! I... I’m sorry! I was... I wasshy!Also I was trying to…"

SMACK!

Kaira slapped himagain.

Kaira: "Shy?You’re twenty-eight, not eight! Why didn't you confess earlier, when Aaryanstarted insulting my career, my weight, my Dadi’s jewellery? Why let me walkthis far into the lion's den?"

Kaira didn't waitfor him to respond. She grabbed his light blue linen shirt with both hands,pulling him closer.

Kaira:"Anyway, Aaryan turned out to be a massive Red Flag—a controlling,misogynistic Chirkut. I rejected him, ruined his wealth, and shamed his entirekhandaan ! Now, tell me the truth. You, Ruhi Di, Abhir bhai, Vansh Tauji, ReemTaiji... even Mom and Dad..."

She narrowed hereyes, demanding the final piece of the puzzle.

Kaira: "Wereyou all planning together to expose Aaryan?"

The entire Goenkaentourage—Kairav and Muskan stepping out of Tanya's sedan, Ruhi, Daksh, Abhir,Vansh, and Reem standing by the Jeep—nodded simultaneously, grinningsheepishly.

Muskan (Calling outproudly): "Yes, Beta! We wanted you to see the evidence yourself!"

Kairav (Waving):"It was a collaborative project, Kairu! High dramatic value!"

Kaira (Dropping herhead back in a hilarious, theatrical breakdown): "Aaaaargh! I swear, myfamily is a cartel! I was the only honest one! I need a therapist!"

Kaira looked backat Nikhil, her fierce exterior softening, her eyes searching his.

Kaira: "Okay.Last question, and you better be honest. The love confession... was that real,or was that just part of the 'Dramatic Effect' to make me reject Aaryan?"

Nikhil looked ather, his cheeks still smarting, surrounded by the laughing, supportive chaos oftheir family. He blushed, a deep, unmistakable crimson coloring his neck andface. He opened his mouth, but only managed a choked sound.

Kaira (Smilinggenuinely, her heart full): "I see. It was real."

She finallyreleased his shirt. She looked up at the setting sun over the lake, then backat him.

Kaira: "Youasked me a question back there: Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai?"

She paused, thefamiliar, poetic line hanging in the air for the last time.

Kaira: "Patanahin. "

She took his hand,the one that had been slapped, and held it tightly.

Kaira: "But Ilike you, Nikhil. I like you bohot zyaada. And now that I'm free, we can findout Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai." (indicating she wanted to date himseriously.)

Kairav and Muskanimmediately launched into a celebration.

Kairav (Clappingloudly): "Yes! My daughter chose the right man! So, Nikhil and Kaira?!Shaadi kab"

Nikhil and Kaira(Simultaneously, screaming at the top of their lungs): "NOOOOOO!"

Kaira turned to herfamily, holding Nikhil's hand. "First, a lot of dating, a successful career, and anon-dramatic proposal! We are done with weddings for a long, long time!"

Nikhil squeezed herhand, grinning. He was finally home.

Kaira and Nikhilstood holding hands at the edge of Gangaur Ghat, surrounded by their laughing,supportive family.

Kairav (Stillbeaming): "Arey, shaadi toh karni padegi! ?"

Kaira (Rolling hereyes dramatically): "Papa, I just rejected the entire Poddar khandaan!Do you think I care about 'societal pressure'? Career first!"

Nikhil (Squeezingher hand, nodding vigorously): "Exactly! We need to focus on our careersfirst! Abhi toh bas dating shuru hui hai. (Right now, only dating hasstarted.)"

Nikhil’s eyesgleamed with ambition, mirroring Kaira's own drive.

Nikhil: "Ihave a massive project coming up. My designer label is already popular, but nowI'm working on introducing a high-end Indian jewellery line in the USA andEurope."

Kaira (Impressed):"Wow, that's huge! Global expansion!"

Nikhil: "Notjust that, Kairu. I’ve been invited to design for New York Fashion Week (NYFW)next season. My focus is entirely on that and making my label a globalpowerhouse."

Kaira (Puffing outher chest): "Good! Because I have my own targets! I’m going toaggressively expand the Dr. Kaira Hair and Skin Centre chain across India. AndI’m going to earn so much money as the Head Consultant at Birla Hospital that Ican buy the Poddar House and turn it into a high-end Elite Spa!"

Muskan (Proudly):"Mera baccha! (My That’s the spirit! Pehle financial freedom,phir shaadi ka bandhan.Kairav ji aap toh bass kijiye"

Vansh and Reem(Nodding in agreement): "This is the right move. Focus on professionalsuccess first. We support this 100%."

The mood was lightand celebratory when Ruhi’s phone rang. It was Kiara, Aaryan’s sister and theirniece (who had been at the wedding).

Ruhi (Answering,confused): "Kiara? What's wrong? You sound upset."

Kiara (Frantic, onthe other end): "Bhabhi! Maira kahan hai? The whole Poddar house isupside down! Armaan Bhai is screaming and blaming Abhira for losing her!"

Ruhi, Kaira, andNikhil exchanged wide-eyed looks. They had completely forgotten the child inthe chaos.

Ruhi (Lookingaround wildly): "Maira missing?! Wait—"

Suddenly, Tanya(who was still by her sedan) heard a giggle from inside her car. She looked inthe back window.

Tanya (Shouting toRuhi): "Ruhi! She’s here! Maira is in my sedan! She must have climbed inwhen we were all running after Kaira's jeep!"

Ruhi took the phoneaway from her ear, laughing hysterically.

Ruhi (To Kiara):"Relax, Kiara! Maira is safe! Woh Tanya ki gaadi mein chhipkar baitithi! She's fine! Tell Armaan to calm down and stop being an idiot! Andsomeone needs to go get Abhira!"

The relief wasinstant and immense. Kaira suddenly felt the full force of her adrenaline crashand remembered she hadn't eaten since the Haldi ceremony.

Kaira (Clutchingher stomach dramatically): "Oh my god! I'm starving! All this running,slapping, and rejecting has made me hungry! I need food!"

Nikhil (Smilingtenderly): "My Queen has commanded! Wait right here."

Nikhil quicklysprinted back to his auto-rickshaw driver and returned a minute later holding apaper plate piled high with piping hot, crispy Udaipur Kachoris and chutney,which he must have grabbed from a nearby vendor.

Nikhil: "KachoriKhao, Kairu! Aur gussa thanda karo! "

Everyone burst outlaughing. The sight of Kaira, still in her bridal attire, savagely munching ona street-side kachori right next to a famous ghat, encapsulated thebizarre perfection of the moment.

The Goenkas andtheir allies were enjoying the kachoris and their victory, exchangingjokes and making plans.

Kairav (Taking abite of kachori): "Finally, a happy ending, aur woh bhi itni jaldi!"

Nikhil (FeedingKaira): "Just the beginning, Uncle! Just the beginning!"

Just as they weretoasting their freedom, a sound broke through their joyous laughter.

It was a loud,desperate, and heartbreaking cry, rising up from the steps leading down to theGangaur Ghat. It was clearly the sound of someone deeply in distress.

Everyone instantlystopped laughing, their heads snapping toward the ghat steps. The celebrationwas abruptly halted by a fresh wave of raw human grief.

The loud, desperatecrying echoing from the Gangaur Ghat steps turned out to be exactly who theyfeared: Abhira.

She was sittingmidway down the grand stone steps leading to the lake, her saree rumpled, herface a streaked disaster of ruined makeup, tears.She was sobbinguncontrollably, her body shaking with theatrical, unadulterated despair.

The sound that rosefrom the ghat was less a cry of sorrow and more a primal, ear-splitting howl ofself-pity and devastation.

Abhira (Screaming,beating her fists on the cold stone steps): "Mera kya hoga! Oh, Armaan!You threw me out! You called me incapable! Mein Armaan ki Jogan hoon! Isacrificed everything! Mera pati, mera ghar,Mera silly boy"

She paused herscreaming to perform the classic Hindi serial gesture of tragedy: she beganviolently smashing the glass bangles remaining on her wrists against the stonesteps, the krrang sound mingling with her mournful wails.

Abhira (Wailing):"I will prove my Saccha Pyaar! I will get Armaan back! I will bethe Mahaan Maa! Why did you leave me, Armaan!"

The entire Goenkaand allied group—Kaira, Nikhil, Kairav, Muskan, Ruhi, Abhir, Vansh, Reem, andTanya—stood at the top of the ghat, watching the melodramatic spectacle with amixture of pity and severe second-hand embarrassment.

Ruhi (Muttering,covering Daksh’s ears): "Oh my god. Yeh toh next level nautanki hai!She's louder than a whole baraat band!"

Abhir (Shivering):"The sasti jogan is having a public meltdown. This is worse thanthe time she argued with the priest over the muhurat."

Nikhil (HoldingKaira, whispering): "Is... is she okay? Should we call a doctor? Or maybea director? This performance needs a good close-up."

Muskan (Her heartmelting slightly, despite the earlier taunts): "Aww, bechari (poorthing). Kairav, we should go down. She is still my brother’s daughter, and sheis genuinely hurt. She needs help."

Kairav (Rolling hiseyes so hard they almost clicked): "No, Muskan. Absolutely not. She ishaving a moment of realization or, more likely, preparing for her next Mahaansacrifice stunt. We don't interfere."

Kaira (Taking abite of the kachori, perfectly matching her dad's energy):"Exactly, Mom. Don't be a Doormat yourself! She will get up whenshe realizes her audience has stopped clapping. She literally just tried tosell me a subscription to her misery. We are out of the emotional investmentbusiness."

Kairav (Noddingproudly): "We will deal with her later. First, let my daughter eat her kachoriin peace and enjoy her freedom. Abhira is just a minor cleanup operation."

Tanya (Shaking herhead): "That poor woman is shouting about being Armaan’s Joganwhile sitting on the steps of a major tourist spot. The security guards aregoing to drag her out soon."

Kaira (Looking downat Abhira, taking a decisive final bite of kachori): "Let them.Right now, I choose peace and sanity. Let’s go, Nikhil. I need to plan my NYFWafter-party outfit."

Kaira, Nikhil, andthe rest of the group turned their backs on the wailing figure on the steps,their decision to prioritize their own happiness over Abhira's endless dramafirmly established.

Kaira and Nikhilwere walking away from the ghat, the sound of Abhira’s wailing slowly fadingbehind them. Suddenly, a figure materialized seemingly out of nowhere, runningtoward Kaira with surprising agility for a man his age.

It was HarshvardhanBirla (80), Kaira's formidable, eccentric boss, and the owner of the BirlaHospital. He looked immensely pleased, his white hair slightly askew from thesprint.

Harshvardhan Birla(Stopping in front of Kaira, catching his breath): "Kaira! Beta! I toldyou! That boy Aaryan was a snake! Thank God you didn't marry that nalayakchirkut! Best decision of your life!"

He grabbed herhands—the ones wearing Dadi's bangles—and shook them vigorously.

Harshvardhan Birla:"Congratulations! Aaj tumne sirf ek ghatiya rishta nahin toda, tumnemere hospital ka future secure kar liya! You are a smart girl, Kaira! Weneed sharp brains, not Poddar nautanki!"

Kaira (Smilinggenuinely, her respect for his bluntness showing): "Thank you, Sir! Itotally agree. No more distractions. Now I can focus completely on mywork."

Harshvardhan Birla(Waving his hand dramatically): "Exactly! You focus on your clinics, onbecoming the top consultant. Hum milkar itna paisa kamayenge ki yeh Poddaraur Bansal sirf dekhte reh jayenge! We’ll open three more branches nextquarter! Agreed?"

Kaira (Beaming,shaking his hand like a business partner): "Agreed, Sir! Full speedahead!"

Harshvardhanglanced back toward the direction of the ghat steps where the wailing was stillaudible. He caught sight of Abhira's figure huddled and sobbing dramatically.

A mischievous,almost cruel glint entered his eyes.

He quickly pulledout his latest iPhone, opened the camera app, and zoomed in on the distant,weeping figure of Abhira.

Harshvardhan Birla(Muttering to himself, adjusting the focus): "Ah, there she is. The Tuntunewaliki Beti (The Hummer's daughter), weeping and destroying Bangles! This iswhat happens when you don't use your brain, beta!"

He snapped a quick,clear photo.

Harshvardhan Birla(Checking the photo on his screen, a look of profound, wicked satisfactionspreading across his face): "Aha! Param Sukh! (Supreme Bliss!) Thisis perfect for my private gallery! A picture of true justice!"

He slipped thephone back into his pocket, his mood instantly uplifted by the sight ofAbhira's suffering.

Harshvardhan Birla(Clapping Kaira on the shoulder): "Come on, Kaira! Let's get you home. Andyou, Nikhil, you look like a decent lad. Come to the hospital tomorrow.”

Nikhil (Grinning):"Deal, Sir!"

Kaira, Nikhil, andHarshvardhan Birla walked off, discussing real estate and quarterlyprojections, leaving the chaotic emotional breakdown of the Sasti Joganbehind them.

Kaira and Nikhilwalked alongside their family, the laughter over the kachoris andHarshvardhan's antics slowly replacing the tension. Kaira, finally relaxed andfree, started noticing the details she had missed earlier.

She glanced at Tanya,who was walking beside her, looking remarkably serene despite the day’s chaos.Kaira’s eyes went to Tanya’s neck.

Kaira (Frowning):"Tanya, wait a minute. Where is your Mangalsutra?"

Tanya stopped,touching her bare collarbone with a calm smile. The sacred black and goldchain, the symbol of her marriage to Krish, was gone.

Tanya (Shrugginglightly): "Oh, that? Utaar diya. (Took it off.) Today's events werequite... clarifying. Aaryan's whole speech about women being 'silent shadows'and 'trophies' really resonated. I’m filing for divorce from Krish. Happily.Iam done with the taunts.He doesn’t know yet so I will go to my lawyer ASAP"

Nikhil (His facealight with pride): "That's my sister! Tanya, I'm so proud of you! Yehhui na baat! "

Vansh and Reem(Hugging Tanya): "We support you completely, Tanya. You always deservedhappiness."

The two youngchildren, Daksh (Ruhi’s son) and Maira (Armaan and Abhira’s daughter, nowreunited), held hands and skipped slightly ahead.

Ruhi (Walking up toMaira, her voice gentle): "Maira, listen. Your mom, Abhira, is a littleupset right now. She’s crying, but she’s okay. She just needs to cry out allthe bad things. Don't worry. She’ll come back strong."

The group waswalking down a beautiful, scenic road overlooking one of Udaipur’s shimmeringlakes. The setting sun bathed them in a warm, hopeful glow. Kaira and Nikhilwere discussing their first non-slap-related date.

Suddenly, Muskan’s phonerang. It was her brother, who was overseas. She answered with a cheerful,relieved tone.

Muskan:"Hello! Yes, the wedding was a Disaster, but Kaira is free! We areall fine, ... Yes, the Poddars were exposed... Haan, haan..."

Her smile slowlyvanished. Her eyes widened, and the color drained from her face. The phoneslipped slightly in her hand, and the cheerfulness was replaced by a look ofsheer, gut-wrenching shock.

Muskan (Whispering,her voice cracking): "Kya? Japan mein? Kaise? Nahin... yeh nahin hosakta... Bade Papa..."

Muskan let out ahigh-pitched, hilarious wail that instantly eclipsed Abhira’s earlier drama.She started to sway, the grief hitting her with the force of a tidal wave.

Muskan (Bawlingloudly, collapsing into Kairav’s arms): "Oh, mere Bade Papa! chale gaye!Manish Goenka! He left us! Woh hamesha ke liye chale gaye! "

The entire groupfroze. Manish Goenka—the patriarchal anchor of the family, known to them as BadePapa, Bade Dadu, or Bade Nanu—had passed away, miles away in Japan.

Kairav (Stunned,holding Muskan, tears instantly filling his eyes): "Papa? No... Yeh kyabol rahi ho, Muskan? "

Vansh (Dropping hishead, clutching Reem’s arm, his body shaking): "Bade Papa..."

Ruhi (Clapping ahand over her mouth, gasping): "Bade Nanu..."

Kaira (Her facepale, the joy draining away, the realization hitting her): "Bade Dadu...No. Hum abhi tak aapse mil nahin paaye the! "

The scenic road,which moments ago symbolized hope and freedom, was suddenly filled with theanguished, shocked bawling of the entire family. The laughter was gone,replaced by sudden, overwhelming grief.

The escape, thewedding drama, the love confession—all of it paled in the face of this immense,tragic loss. Kaira and Nikhil held each other, their future plans instantlypaused by the heavy weight of mourning.

Part 30 is out!This is the tentative Finale!

Let me know if you want a extension!

Give your ideas and suggestions in discussions thread!Please feel free to drop your thoughts and ideas

Also let me know how was the writing of these 30 chapters!I would love to hear your reviews!

I loved writing for all of you!

I hope you all had fun reading!

Yes I want an EXTN

What happens to ru abir tani

Do kai and nik have their happiness

What happens to maira ..if she stays with aba and ar full disaster ..plus she is already on her way coz of her disobedience