Yun Hi Tu Mere Saath Rehna - An Abhimaan x Mishbir Fanfic (C48 : P22) - Page 17

Originally posted by: shush22

What an amazing update.. you have shown pain of arman in this update. VV just pretends to love Arman, but she clearly doesn't want to give him anything over her own son. Finally Arman got to know about her true face. Rohit is also being selfish here. I always thought, why Arman is sautela for everyone. Only two person in the family are his step family. But everyone behaves as if he is the outsider. Just loved it that atleast in this ff he has people with him... Loved it 😍😍😍

Thank you so much. Yes, Armaan finally having a proper family who loves him means the world to me! And ofc Abhira. She deserves so much love. <3

Glad you're enjoying the fic.

Chapter Thirty

As the sunlight trickled in through the window, Armaan groaned, his eyes slowly fluttering open. He tried to chase sleep once more, turning into his pillow when his head knocked into something hard. Startled, Armaan looked up, coming face to face with a sleeping Abir. Armaan blinked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes to understand what was happening. Abir was sleeping on the floor, his head resting on the bed. He tried to sit up, but felt a weight on his stomach. Stretching, he saw that Abhira was draped across the bed, her head laying on his stomach. He shifted towards the other side, only to find Mishti there. She was sitting beside him, leaning on the headboard. Her fingers were tangled in his hair.

As he looked at her, the memories of the previous night rushed back. Kaveri's announcement, Rohit's condition, Vidya's derision. But, in the midst of it all, he somehow remembered most, Mishti's arms wrapped around him, her humming softly in his ears, and her warmth & affection making it easier for him to breathe. What did he care about when he had her? When he had Abhira?

Things really did look better after sleeping. What had he even gotten so worked up over? Kaveri giving his position to Rohit? But he'd always known it would happen. Rohit trying to play the good guy after helping Abhira's abuser win? He'd always known that Rohit needed to feel good about himself. He was only trying to make himself feel better by lobbying for his wedding. It wasn't something he was doing because he loved Armaan so much. It was purely for selfish reasons.

Was it Vidya's words that had broken the dam? But, hadn't he always known, in some corner of his heart, that she would never love him the way she loved Rohit? She had never verbalized it, that he was aware of, before last night. But, it had always been the unspoken truth of their relationship. Maybe she'd said it before as well and he just hadn't heard it.

These things had no power over him. He wouldn't let them. These were just little hurdles that didn't matter. He already had a new job, and he had a mother who loved him. He didn't need Kaveri Poddar's firm nor did he need Vidya Poddar's fake concern. His wedding… Well, he would marry Abhira some day. It just would not be according to anyone else's whims. It would be a decision they made together, as a couple. Whatever Rohit said or Kaveri decided had no bearing on him or Abhira.

The door clicked open, making Armaan turn his attention there. It was then that he realized he was no longer in Poddar Mansion but the Rajvansh Villa, a fact that surprised him a little. He didn't remember how he got here. Manisha stepped inside, confusing Armaan even more. Wasn't she dressed in the same saree she'd worn yesterday? Armaan couldn't be sure, but he thought she was. The details of the previous day were all blurry to him now. It felt like a lifetime ago.

Manisha tiptoed inside, not wanting to disturb any of the people in the room. As the night got darker, satisfied that Armaan's sleep would not get disturbed as he soundlessly slept, everyone had started vacating the room. Unwilling to leave Armaan, Manisha and Manoj had sat on the floor alongside Abir for most of the night, only leaving the room in the morning. Manoj had gone to check on the other kids, all of whom had also insisted on staying back and had ended up occupying other guest rooms in the house, while Manisha had gone to the kitchen, determined to cook Armaan's favourite breakfast - cheese sevayi upma.

It had been the first dish she'd ever made for him after he'd started living with them, because the staff would always serve regular upma or cornflakes for breakfast, which just so happened to be Rohit's favourite while also simultaneously being food that Armaan was not particularly fond of. His distaste for them had only gotten stronger as he was forced to eat them day in & day out, and fed up, Manisha had whipped up some sevayi for him one day, lathering it with cheese for good measure. She'd never forget the look on his face as he'd taken one tentative bite of the meal and his eyes had instantly sparkled. He'd gobbled the entire plate and even asked for seconds, a first in the household.

Since then, Manisha had tried to cook it for him whenever she could, but Kaveri hadn't liked it. She'd stated that as a member of the family, Armaan was expected to eat the same food that the rest of them ate and there was no need for such preferential treatment. Since that day, Armaan rarely ever touched his favourite breakfast food, if ever. She hoped that today, he would. Hopefully, in the confines of this loving abode that Armaan had managed to build for himself, with love of the people who were his actual family, he would feel liberated enough to enjoy his favourite meal without feeling like he was betraying his family for it.

Manisha had tried to be quiet, but the clinking of her bangles felt particularly loud in the silent room and had Mishti stirring awake. She came awake slowly, noticing Manisha by the door and passing her a smile. Manisha smiled back, gesturing outside, silently telling her breakfast was ready. Mishti nodded in understanding and mouthed for Manisha to leave, that she would bring the others there. Satisfied, Manisha stepped back outside.

Mishti turned to Armaan, who was already looking up at her and smiled, ruffling his hair. Seeing her smile, Armaan answered it with a huge boyish grin of his own. With sleep mussed hair, crinkled eyes, and that toothy smile, he looked like a child and Mishti couldn't help leaning down and pressing a kiss to his forehead. Somehow, his grin widened at that. “Good morning,” he murmured softly, his throat scratchy with sleep and also all the crying he'd done the night before.

“Good morning, Maani,” Mishti responded. “Feeling better?”

Armaan nodded. “Much better. Thank you. I'm sorry. Kal aap sabko daraa diya na?”

“Kaafi zyada,” Mishti agreed. “But it's okay. Mujhe tumhaari fikr karna achcha lagta hai.”

Armaan chuckled at her words. “Thodi ajeeb hobby nahi hai aapki?”

“Woh toh main hoon,” Mishti agreed proudly. “Mrs. Ajeeb!”

“Mujhe laga tha Ajeeb Rajvansh toh Bade Papa hain,” Armaan parried.

“Haan,” Mishti nodded. “Woh hai Mr. Ajeeb. Toh main automatically bann gayi na Mrs. Ajeeb.”

Armaan guffawed at that. “Aap bohot cute ho, Badi Maa!”

He had forgotten to control his volume so as to not disturb the other occupants of the room, and both Abhira and Abir woke up to Armaan's loud laughter, Mishti chuckling along with him. Ecstatic at the sight before her, Abhira immediately crawled up the bed, squishing herself between Armaan & Mishti. “Kis baat pe itni hasi aa rahi hai aap logon ko? Mujhe bhi batao!” She demanded.

“Aur mujhe bhi!” Abir added, jumping on the bed, not one to be left behind. Abir landed on Armaan, knocking the breath out of him.

“Ufff,” Armaan groaned. “Bade Papa! Laga mujhe.”

“Sorry,” Abir pouted. “Mujhe kya pata tha tum itne delicate darling ho.”

“Abirrrrr,” Mishti scolded. Abir raised his hands in surrender, making Abhira laugh. It was cute how scared Abir was of Mishti. The same man who had no qualms getting into arguments and fights with anyone else, would always give in to his wife the moment one word fell from her mouth.

“Chalo ab,” Mishti ordered. “Sab uth gaye ho toh naashta karle?”

She corralled the other three into getting up and pushed them all out of the room for breakfast. God knew when Armaan had eaten last. She was really worried about him. She hadn't known that Armaan also had a history of panic attacks, but last night, Abhira had informed her of the ones she'd witnessed. Both Manisha and Manoj had been surprised by the knowledge, never knowing that their beloved nephew had suffered so much but never breathed a word of it to anyone in the family. Perhaps, he didn't trust any of them to actually help him.

Belatedly, Manoj did realize that while he adored Armaan as if Armaan were his own son, he had not been there for Armaan like a father. Manoj knew that Madhav had always been absent, and had tried to fill that gap for both Armaan & Rohit when he could, but as the boys grew up, his involvement in their lives reduced. He got embroiled in his own problems at the firm and was busy raising his own kids, not having as much time for Armaan & Rohit as he did before.

It was Armaan who suffered the most because of his inaction, because of everyone’s inaction. He'd never been confident enough to actually voice his opinion in family matters, and had never made the effort either, knowing that him saying anything would not matter. But, maybe he should have. Maybe, if he spoke up enough times, it would have started to matter. After all, there had been a time when Armaan had been afraid to speak up too. Armaan had lived most of his life abiding by Kaveri's rules and not questioning her decisions, going out of his way to appease her at the cost of his personal happiness. Yet, after Abhira entered his life, he found the courage to stand up for what he believed in. And, him questioning Kaveri had yielded results. So, if Armaan could do it for his wife, why couldn't Manoj stand up for Armaan, who was as good as his own son? Manoj resolved to do better. He would support Armaan vocally henceforth, starting immediately. He would talk to Kaveri and make her see that snatching Armaan's position at the firm and handing it to Rohit on a platter was incorrect. Armaan had proven his mettle a hundred times over. He deserved to enjoy the benefits of his hard work.

“Arre, Armaan!” Manisha cried excitedly as she saw the quartet approach the dining table, pulling Manoj out of his musings.

“Good morning, Chachi Sa!” Abhira greeted, giving the woman a warm hug. Armaan looked at the exchange, confused. His eyes fell to the table where he could see the chorus gang and Manoj, looking at him eagerly, and his confusion deepened. What were all of them doing at the Rajvansh family's dining table so early in the morning?

“Sab tumhaare liye aaye hain, Armaan,” Abir explained softly, reading the question in his eyes. “In fact, raat bhar sab yahin the. Tumhaare paas. It felt like you needed all of us.”

“I did,” Armaan admitted, ashamed. He was a grown adult. He should not need the support of so many people because his stepmother didn't like him enough. After all, weren't stepmothers infamous for such behaviour? Why was his case any different?

“Stop it!” Abhira whacked his arm.

“Ouch! Stop what?” Armaan asked, rubbing over the place she'd hit in an attempt to soothe his skin.

“Jo bhi tum soch rahe ho jisse tumhaari shakal hundred times zyada buri lag rahi hai!” Abhira ordered. “Waise hi Khadoos Kumar dikhte ho. Aur aisi shaklein banaoge toh kitne bure dikhoge!”

“Excuse me? Main bohot handsome hoon!” Armaan protested.

“Kaunse angle se? Ramsay ki horror filmon waale?” Abhira scoffed.

“Ab yeh Ramsay kaun hai?” Armaan asked. “Yeh kahaan se aaya beech mein?”

“Tum… Tumhe Ramsay Brothers nahi pata?” Abir interrupted their banter, looking actually heartbroken.

“Yeh hai kaun?” Armaan wondered. “Aur unse itni attachment kyun hai aap logon ko?”

“Heera!” Abir whined. “Kahaan se dhoond ke layi hai iss namoone ko? Tujhe koi aur nahi mila kya?”

“Mumma ne choose kiya haina, Bade Papa!” Abhira complained. “Kya karoon main? Ab toh humein isko hi rakhna padega!”

“Abir! Abhira!” Mishti reprimanded. “Chup karo dono ke dono. Kaise baat kar rahe ho mere bete ke baare mein?”

“But, Mishteeeeeeeeeeee,” Abir howled, making the entire table crack up.

“Kya Mishteeeeee?” Mishti questioned. “Tum usse saari films dikhake educate kar dena na. Waise bhi tumhe toh mauka chahiye! Itna drama karne ki kya zaroorat hai?”

“Drama ke bina unka khana kaise hazam hoga?” Kunal asked. “Waise bhi yeh toh humaari family ka puraana tradition haina, Mishbha… Naashte ke saath drama serve hona bohot zaroori hai.”

Mishti giggled. “That's true,” she said, giving Kunal a hi5.

“Tum dono hamesha mere against team up karte ho!” Abir wailed. “This is unfair!”

“Bade Papa, main aapke side hoon!” Abhira immediately stated, hugging him around his waist. “Aur koi aapki side le na le!”

Turning to Mishti and Kunal, she added, “Aap dono mere cute se Bade Papa ko pareshaan karna band karo. Aur chup-chaap naashte pe dhyaan do!”

“Chalo, chalo,” Manisha agreed. “Bohot masti-mazaak ho gaya! Ab sab achche se naashta karo.”

To Armaan, she said, “Aa Armaan… Idhar baith.” She pulled out a chair for Armaan beside Manoj and made him sit. Once he was settled in, she scuttled inside and came back with a plate of the cheesy sevayi.

Armaan looked up at her, his eyes welling with emotion as she served him. Manisha looked at him and caressed his head. “Kya hua?” She asked, suddenly insecure. “Tujhe yeh nahi khana? Koi baat nahi… Main andar le jaati hoon waapas. Jo khana hai woh bata de. Main woh bana dungi. Ya abhi jo yeh sab yahaan rakha usme se khayega?”

She tried to pick the plate back up but Armaan held her hand, stopping her. He hugged her around the waist, hiding his face in her stomach as a sob ripped out of him. “Thank you,” he managed to choke out. “Thank you so much.”

“Aye, Armaan,” Manisha soothed, pushing his face a little back so that she could wipe his tears. “Isme thank you ki kya baat hai? Apne bachche ka favourite naashta bhi nahi bana sakti kya main ab? Chal… Kha ke bata kaisa bana hai! Woh, actually… Itne time se banaya nahi haina, toh practise choot gayi hai meri.”

Armaan immediately gulped a big mouthful of the food, savouring the taste of childhood on his tongue. Involuntarily, a huge smile lit up his face. “Bohot tasty hai, Chachi Sa!” He praised. “Mujhe toh lagta hai, hamesha se zyada achcha bana hai iss baar!”

Manisha smiled brilliantly at his words, serving him some more. “Chachi Sa!” Abhira whined from beside Armaan. “This is not fair! Aap yeh special naashta sirf Armaan ko khilaoge kya? Mujhe bhi chahiye!”

Armaan shook his head at her antics, and before Manisha could say anything, offered her a bite from his plate. She looked at him for a moment, surprised, but when he pushed the spoon in her direction, making her eat. “Hmmmm,” she mumbled around the mouthful. “Sach mein bohot zyada tasty hai, Chachi Sa! Mujhe bhi yehi khana hai! Please!!”

Manisha, heartened by the reception, eagerly served Abhira as well. It prompted everyone on the table to ask for a helping and Manisha had to quickly whip up some more to serve everyone at the table. They all ate the sevayi with relish, praising it effusively. “Arre, achchi kyun nahi banegi? After all humaare Armaan ki favourite dish hai!” Misha exclaimed. “Aur Armaan ki choice toh hai hi ekdum badhiya! Manisha Ji, agar aapko aitraaz na ho toh aap mujhe bhi recipe dena. Main bhi try karungi.”

Armaan got a little emotional over her words. It was so silly, crying over food, yet he couldn't help himself. No one in the Poddar family had ever done this for him. They all knew how much he liked Manisha's sevayi with cheese, yet Kaveri had explicitly ordered Manisha to stop making separate food for Armaan & had instructed the staff to make only Rohit's favourites. All his life, Armaan had only eaten food that Rohit loved, and here he was, sitting amongst a group of people who were eating his favourite food and loving it. Not just that, Misha Masi even wanted to try making it on her own. And that meant the world to him. Family was in these small gestures. He didn't need anyone to make any grand declarations for him, but even such small yet thoughtful things seemed too much for his grandmother to do. And his mother as well, for that matter.

Abhira squeezed his hand, pulling his attention to her. She looked at him in question and Armaan shook his head, turning back to his food. But, he didn't let go of Abhira's hand under the table. Abhira smiled, intertwining their fingers together.

After breakfast was done, Mishti gestured for the others to give them some privacy so that Armaan could talk freely. Everyone but Abir, Mishti, Abhira, Manisha, and Manoj quietly found things to keep themselves busy with.

Manoj, unable to help himself, started talking. “Armaan, beta… Tu zyada fikr mat kar. Sab theek ho jaayega. Mujhe pata hai Maa Sa ne jo kiya woh bilkul galat hai, lekin main unse baat karunga. Unhe convince karunga. Sab theek kar dunga main. Woh kursi, woh cabin, woh position… Woh sab tera hai. Rohit ka nahi. Maa Sa ko yeh baat maan'ni padegi!”

“Chachu Sa, aap aisa kuch nahi karenge,” Armaan instructed.

“Nahi, Armaan,” Manoj denied. “Main aisa hi karunga. Agar Maa Sa ne poori izzat se tujhe tera haq nahi lautaya toh main bhi woh firm chod dunga. Bas ab… Bohot hua. Maa Sa har waqt aise hukum nahi chala sakti.”

Manisha nodded in agreement. Manoj had already discussed it with her. While she was afraid of how they would survive if Manoj decided to leave the firm, she supported his decision. Armaan needed his family more than ever now, and they would not back down. Armaan was no different from Aryan for either of them, and it was time that they acted like the parents they always thought of themselves as. It was very easy to say that they loved Armaan like a son when it was convenient. But, it was in the hard times when their love was actually tested. They had failed so far, but they wouldn't repeat those mistakes.

“Chachu Sa!” Armaan exclaimed. “No. No. Absolutely not. Main aapko yeh sab kuch nahi karne dunga. Firm chodna toh bohot door ki baat hai. Aap kisise kuch nahi kahenge. Firm mein jo ho raha hai, hone dijiye. Mujhe nahi chahiye kuch.”

“Armaan, tu bohot achcha hai. Lekin iss tarah apna haq mat chod. Tu uss ghar ka bada beta hai. Yeh sab tu deserve karta hai,” Manoj coaxed. “Dekh, beta… Mujhe pata hai ki aajse pehle, maine tera saath kabhi nahi diya. Maa Sa ne itni baar tujhe ulti-seedhi baatein sunaayi, tere saath galat kiya… Aur main khada dekhta raha, yeh jaante hue bhi ki Maa Sa galat thi aur tu sahi. Lekin ab bas… Aur nahi. Tu kisi aur ke liye kuch sacrifice nahi karega. Aur koi tere saath ho ya na ho, tere Chachu aur Chachi hamesha tere saath hain!”

“Ek minute… Ek minute… Time please!” Abhira exclaimed. “Kya baat ho rahi hai? Kya kiya Dadi Sa ne?”

“Maa Sa ne Rohit ko firm ka legal head bana diya hai,” Manisha surmised.

“Kyunki usne woh ghatiya Khatri wala case jeet liya,” Manoj added, absolutely disgusted. He still couldn't believe that Rohit had gone ahead and represented the man who had assaulted Abhira.

“Lekin Rohit ne shart rakhi hai ki woh position sirf tab lega jab Dadi Sa humaari shaadi ke liye haan kar dengi,” Armaan concluded, shocking Abhira.

“Yeh kaisi shart hui!” She cried. “No… No way. Armaan, humaari shaadi koi deal ya transaction nahi hai. Rohit ko kisne haq diya ki woh yeh sab kare? I don't care. Dadi Sa kuch bhi kahe… Mujhe aise bina mann waali acceptance nahi chahiye.”

“I know,” Armaan soothed, pulling her into his arms. “Shhh… I know, Ira. Humaari shaadi aise nahi hogi, I promise.”

“Beta, shaadi ke liye toh waise bhi Mummy Sa sirf Rohit ke position accept karne pe hi maanengi na,” Manisha explained. “Par hum Armaan ko aise apni mehnat sacrifice karne nahi denge.”

“Chachi Sa… Aisi koi baat nahi hai,” Armaan replied. “Dekhiye, main aap dono ki bohot respect karta hoon. Aap dono ne hamesha mujhe sabse zyada support kiya hai har cheez mein. And I promise, mujhe aisa kabhi nahi laga ki aapne ek pal ke liye bhi mera saath nahi diya. Aap dono please guilty mat feel kijiye. Mujhe pata nahi hai kya uss ghar mein decisions kaise liye jaate hain? Aap dono kuch bole ya na bole, usse koi fark nahi padta. Mrs. Kaveri Poddar hamesha wahi karti hai jo woh chaahti hai. Baaki family kya sochti hai usse unhe koi matlab nahi hai. Isliye, maine kabhi aap dono ko blame nahi kiya kyunki mujhe pata tha ki aap agar kabhi kuch keh bhi dete, toh woh aapki baat nahi maanti. Ulta, aap dono ko uss ghar main chain se nahi rehne deti. So, I understand. Aap please khudko blame mat kijiye.

Aur jahaan tak firm aur position ki baat hai… mujhe woh sab nahi chahiye. Sach kahoon toh ab mera mann utar chuka hai uss jagah se. Mujhe na, wahaan waapas hi nahi jaana.”

“Toh phir… Tu kahaan jaayega, Armaan? Kya karega?” Manoj asked.

“Mere paas ek nayi job already hai, Chachu Sa,” Armaan told him. Turning to Abir & Mishti, who had silently been watching the exchange, Armaan asked, “I know maine bohot zyada time le liya sochne mein. But, is your offer still on the table? Agar aap dono ko koi problem na ho, toh main Asha Kiran join karna chaahta hoon.”

“Of course, Maani,” Mishti accepted immediately. “Humne tumse kaha tha… Yeh offer ki koi time limit nahi hai. It's always available for you. We'd be so happy if you joined us.”

“Lekin iss tarah?” Abir wondered. “Armaan, hum nahi chaahte ki tum yeh sirf isliye karo kyunki firm mein yeh sab ho raha hai. We want you to join us only if you truly want it. Tumhaare paas koi aur option nahi hai, isliye nahi.”

Armaan shook his head frantically. “Aisa nahi hai, Bade Papa!” He reached into his pocket and removed the contract he'd been carrying around since last night. He'd been planning to show it to Madhav & Vidya, but had never gotten the chance to. Now, he presented it to Abir & Mishti. Somehow, it felt like the better option. They were the ones who deserved to see it before anyone else.

Abir scanned the papers, his eyes zeroing in on Armaan's signature on every page. But, what caught his attention was the date he'd mentioned beneath his signature. Startled, he looked up at Armaan while giving the papers to Mishti to look through. Armaan shrugged sheepishly, suddenly embarrassed.

“Agar tumne papers humne offer jis din diya tha uske agle din hi sign kar diye the, toh ab tak bataya kyun nahi?” Mishti asked.

“Pata nahi,” Armaan confessed. “Actually, haan toh main aapne jab mujhse uss din baat ki thi tab hi kehna chaahta tha. Lekin family ke baare mein sochke ruk gaya. Itne time se sirf yehi soch raha tha ki maine agar ghar ki firm chod di, toh gharwalon ko bura lag jaayega. Lekin, aapne sahi kaha tha… Yeh mere career ka sawaal hai, toh decision bhi sirf mera hona chahiye, woh hona chahiye jo main chahta hoon. Not for anyone else. Bas, himmat jutaane mein thoda waqt lag gaya.”

“Well then… Welcome aboard, Advocate Poddar,” Abir grinned. “Asha Kiran is glad to have you.”

Mishti opened her arms for him and Armaan rushed into them. Abir & Abhira joined the hug, Abhira pulling in Manisha and Manoj as well. Finally, Armaan's heart settled, surrounded by the love of two sets of parents who truly cared for him, with the love of his life by his side. What more could he ask for?

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Chapter Thirty One

“Sirf Rohit wali baat nahi thi na?” Abhira asked Armaan as the two of them sat in the garden of the Rajvansh Villa. After accepting the job at Asha Kiran, Abhira had dragged Armaan away, wanting to talk to him. She knew that something big had happened. Armaan wouldn't have had such a bad panic attack over a job. Kaveri giving away his position at the firm to Rohit would have never affected him like this. It was something else.

“Nahi,” Armaan admitted. “Sirf woh baat nahi thi. Kal raat, maine decide kiya tha ki main firm chod dunga. Aur apne decision ke baare mein baat karne jab main Papa ke paas jaa raha tha…”

Armaan recounted the entire incident from the previous night, accidentally eavesdropping on everything that Vidya had said, and how much it hurt him. “Mujhe laga ki woh mujhe sautela hi sahi, beta toh maanti hain. Lekin, iss tarah se mujhe khudse alag kar dengi? Maine kabhi nahi socha tha, Ira. Rohit ke aage unhone mujhe kabhi nahi rakha. Meri feelings, mere sapne, meri khushi… Woh sab unke liye important hi nahi hai. Theek hai, ek baar ko main maan loon. Lekin, woh toh mujhe apna beta hi nahi maanti. Kitni asaani se unhone Papa se keh diya ki main sirf unka beta hoon. Jaise ki hum dono ke beech koi rishta hi nahi hai.

Itne saalon mein maine sabse zyada pyaar unse kiya. Unhe har rishtey se upar rakha. Unke liye apni saggi Maa tak ko main bhul gaya. Kabhi apni Maa ke baare mein baat nahi ki, unke baare mein poocha nahi… Yeh sochke, ki Mrs. Vidya Poddar ko bura na lag jaaye, taaki unka dil na dukhe. Tumhe pata hai… Mujhe toh yeh yaad bhi nahi ki meri Maa dikhti kaisi hai. Aur maine kabhi yaad karne ki koshish bhi nahi ki. Sirf unke liye.

Apna sab kuch maine unke liye luta diya, bilkul waisa bann gaya jaisa woh chaahti thi. Unki khushiyon ko hamesha khudki khushiyon se bhi zyada importance di. Sirf iss umeed mein, ki kisi din… Kisi din woh yeh baat bhul jaaye ki main sautela hoon. Sirf ek din, ek pal ke liye… Woh yeh kehde ki unke liye main aur Rohit ek hi hain.

Kitna gadha tha na main? Kitna paagal? Main toh bhul hi gaya tha… Jiss aurat ko meri Maa se itni nafrat hai, woh mujhse kaise pyaar kar sakti hai? Maine apni Maa ke saath bohot bura kiya hai, Abhira. Ek aisi aurat ke liye jo unse nafrat karti hain, main unhe bhool gaya. Shayad iss baat ki hi saza mujhe mil rahi hai. Jab main apni khudki maa ki qadr nahi kar saka, toh koi aur maa mujhse kyun hi pyaar karegi? Yehi deserve karta hoon main.”

“Armaan!” Abhira exclaimed, tears dripping down her eyes continuously. “Tum… Tum aisa kaise soch sakte ho? No, Armaan! Jo unhone kaha woh galat hai. Tum toh bohot achche ho, sabse achche ho. You're the best. Tum iss world ke best bete ho. Tum jitna achcha aur koi nahi hai. You deserve the entire world. Iss duniya ki har khushi tum sabse zyada deserve karte ho.”

Armaan hugged Abhira, sobbing into her shoulder. “Toh phir woh mujhse pyaar kyun nahi karti, Ira? Maine aisa kya kiya hai ki unke mann mein mere liye itni kadwahat hai?”

“Tumne kuch nahi kiya hai, Armaan,” Abhira assured. “Tumhaari koi galti nahi hai. Galti sirf unki hai. She's insecure, aur woh apni insecurity ki wajah se hi yeh sab kar rahi hain. Unka aur Papa ka rishta kabhi achcha nahi raha kyunki Papa se woh shaadi zabardasti karayi gayi thi. He didn't want to marry anyone after Shivani Maa. Lekin shayad Dadi Sa ke pressure ki wajah se unhe karni padi. Papa ne shaadi toh karli but woh dono kabhi khushi nahi the. And that always coloured her perspective. Papa ka gussa tumpe nikal raha hai. That's it. It's not your fault.”

“Kabhi kabhi toh mujhe lagta hai ki main pyaar ke layak hi nahi hoon. Tum bhi kyun mujhse pyaar karti ho? You can do so much better,” Armaan insisted.

“Shut up! Tum mere Khadoosmaan ke baare mein aisa nahi bol sakte! Main iss duniya mein sabse zyada sirf aur sirf tumse pyaar karti hoon. Samjhe tum?” Abhira argued. “Aur sirf main hi nahi, aur log bhi hain. Badi Maa, Bade Papa, aur baaki sab family wale bhi tumse pyaar karte hain. Aur phir… Chacha Sa, Chachi Sa, aur Chorus Gang bhi toh hai.

Tum aisa kaise soch sakte ho ki tum pyaar ke laayak nahi ho? Tum duniya ki har khushi deserve karte ho, Armaan. Tum duniya ka saara pyaar deserve karte ho. You only deserve good things.”

Silently, Abhira cursed Vidya Poddar for making her Armaan feel that he was unloveable. Nothing could be further from the truth. But, of course, Vidya and Kaveri's treatment of him had left deep scars that would not be easily healed. After all, years of conditioning could not be unlearned in a day. And, Armaan had been suffering for decades. Every single day, he'd been made aware of how little he meant to the family he would happily die for.

He deserved better than them, and thankfully, now he had it. They both did. The Rajvansh family was how a family should be. They had their clashes and arguments, but they never let their anger fester into resentment. They all truly loved each other and made sure that everyone in the family knew that they were loved.

In sharp contrast, the Poddar family was built on a foundation of fear and control, and nobody was truly happy there. They all pretended, for the sake of the world, but more than that, for the sake of themselves, deluding themselves into thinking they were a happy family, because that illusion kept them sane. But, the truth was that Kaveri's iron fist was slowly breaking the family instead of keeping it together. Her ego and pride would drive them into the ground one day, and she didn't even realize it.

“I love you, Abhira,” Armaan mumbled, hugging her tight. “Tum please, mujhe chodke kahin mat jaana. I know main stupid, idiot, gadha… Sab kuch hoon. I know maine tumhe bohot hurt kiya hai. But, I promise, main world ka best husband banke dikhaunga. Jaisa tum bologi waise hi sab hoga. But tum please, kabhi kahin mat jaana. Tum kabhi mujhse nafrat mat karna. Main marr jaunga, Abhira. Please.”

“Armaan! Tum yeh sab kya bol rahe ho?” Abhira asked. “Kuch bhi kehte ho. Main tumhe chodke kahaan jaaungi? Main bhi toh nahi reh sakti tumhaare bina. Tumhaare saath rehne poori family yahaan bulali maine. Tumhe chodne ka risk main nahi le sakti. Kya pata ek din bhi main tumhaare aas-paas nahi rahi toh woh ladkiyaan jo tumhaare aage-peeche mandraati hain, tumhe mujhse cheen ke le gayi toh? Yeh risk main bilkul nahi le sakti!”

Her comment pulled out a laugh from him, which made Abhira rest a little easier. “My silly boy,” she breathed, kissing his temple. “I love you. I will always love you, no matter what. Samjhe tum. Tum donkey, monkey, idiot, stupid, gadhe… Kaise bhi behave karo. Tum hamesha kehte ho na, ki main tumhaari hoon? Tum bhi mere ho, Armaan. Aur main tumhe chodke kabhi nahi jaungi. I promise.”

Armaan sighed, feeling a little better, content in Abhira's arms. “Tum hamesha sab kuch better kaise kar deti ho? You always know ki kab kya kehna hai.”

“Lawyer hoon, Vakil Sahab. Sahi waqt pe sahi baat karna pesha hai mera,” Abhira joked. “Aur upar se… Apne Khadoosmaan ko bohot achche se jaanti hoon main. Mujhe nahi pata hoga toh kisse pata hoga? Pados wali Joshi Aunty ko?”

“Sharma Ji! Aap bohot cute ho,” Armaan chuckled, pulling her cheek. Abhira grinned, reaching to cup his cheek, and wiping the stray tears that still remained. Armaan reached out to her, taking her hand off his face and wrapping it around his neck as he leaned down to rest his forehead against hers. He loved the way the bridge of his nose fit perfectly against her forehead, as if they were two missing pieces of a puzzle, always meant to be together.

Abhira's hands found purchase in his hair and instinctively, she grabbed them, the atmosphere suddenly becoming charged. They were close enough to feel the other's breath on their skin. Armaan's arms around Abhira's waist tightened and he pulled her closer, almost dragging her onto his lap. “Abhira,” he whispered softly, his eyes dropped to her lips. Abhira inhaled sharply at the silent question in his eyes.

There had been many a moment when they'd gotten too close recently. Yet, that had been the extent of it. At first, Abhira had been hesitant, her innate shyness stopping her from taking things a step further. And then, as she got more comfortable in her closeness with Armaan, there was always someone ready to interrupt them at the most opportune moment. Even today, they were sitting in the lawn in full view of the house, and anyone could find them any second.

Yet, neither of them were thinking of anything other than each other. They were unable to. The entire world had muted, and the only sound in their world was that of their breaths mingling together as they came closer and closer, helpless to fight the pull they felt. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Abhira pressed her lips to Armaan's. A tentative brush of lips as they explored this newfound intimacy.

Even the small contact left Armaan breathless and he pulled away, too overwhelmed. Abhira looked at him, confused. “I'm sorry,” she murmured. “I thought you…”

Armaan shook his head frantically, not wanting her to think he regretted what had happened. “I did. I do. I'm sorry. I got overwhelmed. Too many feelings.”

The frown on Abhira's face was immediately replaced with a wide smile. “How cute, Khadoosmaan!” She crowed, pulling his cheek.

“I'll show you cute!” Armaan exclaimed, clearly offended at the moniker. He hauled Abhira all the way into his lap and kissed her once more. There was nothing tentative about this one. Armaan's lips hungrily moved over Abhira's, exploring every inch. Abhira matched his fervour, kissing him just her fiercely. When it became too much, they reluctantly pulled apart, catching their breaths.

It was then that Abhira felt water falling on her back and she turned, confused. “Looks like you need it!” Ramya called out, using the watering hose to drench them.

“Ramyaaaaa!!” Abhira cried, shielding herself from the onslaught. “Stop it!”

However, her words fell in deaf ears as Ramya continued to throw water at them. Armaan shook his head, standing up and pulling Abhira up as well. He turned them around as he hid Abhira in his arms so that all the water fell on him. “Ramya! Bas kar!!” He called out.

“Sorry, Jeeju!” Ramya laughed. “Woh toh nahi ho sakta. Main toh sirf aap dono ki hi help kar rahi hoon!”

“Yeh aise nahi maanegi,” Abhira grumbled. She pushed Armaan aside and marched forward, intent on taking the pipe from Ramya. After a tussle, Abhira managed to snatch it from her cousin and used the opportunity to drench her.

And then, none of them understood how, but all the girls had found their way into the lawn and it became a game. And of course, their target of choice was Armaan. “Kya kar rahe ho, yaar!” Armaan complained as he tried to save himself from all his sisters-in-law and wife. “Ek mahine ka aaj hi naha liya maine! Please, stop it!”

“Boooooo!” Raj cried. “Itna sehlo, Jeeju.”

They continued to drench him, taking turns, till it got so bad that Armaan started shivering. Abhira put a stop to the whole thing after that, taking Armaan upstairs where she insisted he take a hot shower. She borrowed a pair of Abir's clothes for him and once they had both changed, helped him in drying off his hair.

“Abhira, main khud kar lunga,” Armaan told her as Abhira stood behind him on the settee she'd sat him, running the towel through his hair.

“Mujhe pata hai,” Abhira replied. “But mujhe achcha lagta hai.”

The sombre attitude from the night before had finally lifted by the time they both came out to the living room where everyone was gathered. Shreya and Prajakta were laying out beds and pillows on the floor while Raj brought out snacks.

“What's up?” Abhira asked, confused. “Yeh aap sab kya kar rahe ho?”

“Sleepover is back on!” Misha grinned, finding a seat for herself. “Kal beech mein reh gaya tha na.”

“Oh,” Armaan breathed. “I'm so sorry. Meri wajah se aap sabka plan kharaab ho gaya.”

Abir snorted on hearing that. “Mishti, aaj toh main permission deta hoon. Please, iss idiot ki kaan-khichai kardo. He deserves it!”

“Bade Papa?” Armaan questioned, confused, and then immediately screeched as Mishti did just that.

“Badi Maa! It hurts!” He whined.

“Good,” Mishti replied. “Tumhe sikhaya haina maine? Bina matlab sorry nahi bolna. Par phir tumne kaha!”

“Iss baar bin matlab kahaan tha?” Armaan complained. “Aap sabka sleepover ka plan kharab ho gaya na meri wajah se.”

“Iss baar toh sabse zyada bin matlab wala tha,” Mishti stated. “Tumhaari wajah se kuch nahi hua. Ab tum iss baat ke liye sorry bolo ki tum bina wajah khudko blame kar rahe ho for last night! That's what the apology should be for.”

“Tum sach mein ek number ke idiot ho, Armaan,” Abir added. “Zaroorat ke waqt family nahi kaam aayegi toh kaun aayega? Uske liye kabhi sorry mat kehna. We're here for you through everything, okay? Aise sorry bolke tum hum sabke pyaar ki insult kar rahe ho. Humein tumhaara sorry nahi, sirf tumhaari khushi chahiye. Samjhe?”

Armaan nodded, unable to meet Abir’s eyes. He felt ashamed at having made Abir feel that he didn't have the utmost respect for that man. Abir was the closest thing to a real father that Armaan had ever known. He would never want to make feel Abir this way. He had to keep reminding himself that this family was not like the Poddars. They did not hold his weaknesses against him. Instead, they were happy to help him.

“Sorry, Bade Papa,” he mumbled, chagrined. “I'm really sorry, everyone. Mera woh iraada nahi tha. I know aap sab mujhse bohot pyaar karte hain. I'm really grateful. Aap soch bhi nahi sakte utna. And I never wanted to make any of you feel that I don't see how much you love me, or that I think your love is not worth it. Aap sabke pyaar aur support ne toh mujhe itni himmat di hai.”

“Oh, Maani!” Mishti exclaimed, pulling him into a hug. “I know, baby. But you don't have to feel grateful. Jo humne kiya woh kuch anokha nahi hai. Har family karti hai apne bachchon ke liye. Yeh koi ehsaan nahi hai, jo tum iske liye grateful feel karo. Yeh pyaar tumhaara haq hai.

I know it's difficult. Believe me, mujhe bhi bohot waqt laga seekhne mein. But, Maani… Pyaar aur ehsaan mein fark karna seekho, beta. Iss family ne tumpe ek bhi ehsaan nahi kiya kyunki tum bhi iss family ka ek hissa ho. Sirf pyaar kiya hai. Aur hamesha, sirf pyaar hi karegi. I promise you. Iske liye kabhi thank you mat kehna.”

Armaan nodded slightly, not knowing what to say to that. He still felt so overwhelmed by the acceptance this family, his family, had shown him. He had never known such love before and it was still a little indigestible that he could be loved like this.

“Okay, okay! No more sentimental talks!” Shreya exclaimed. “It's time to party!”

Someone turned on the music and the girls all occupied their seats. Taking it as his cue to leave, Armaan started for the door, only to be stopped by Mehr. “Kahaan jaa rahe ho?” She asked.

“Yeh aap sabki girls night haina? No boys other than Bade Papa allowed?” Armaan questioned, confused.

“We'll make an exception for you. Do you like to put on nail paint?” Raj asked from her perch on the sofa.

“I don't like to put it on myself,” Armaan shrugged. “But I'm very good at applying it.”

“Perfect!” Prajakta cried. “You're staying. Warna sabko nail paint sirf main aur Mishu Masi lagaate hain. I will not say no to another pair of hands!”

Armaan laughed. “Your wish is my command.”

“Good boy. Let's get this party really started then!” Prajakta cheered.

Armaan stayed with them for the rest of the day, frolicking around. He applied nail paint to everyone because they all wanted to see if he really was good at it. Which he was. Growing up with two sisters, he'd learnt how to apply it for them. All of the boys had. Manisha had turned into a competition for them and he'd emerged victorious, but even Rohit and Krish were really good at it.

After they did their nails, they did some face masks. It was Armaan's first time trying one but he became an instant fan. It was extremely soothing. He knew he'd be applying those in the future.

And then, it was time for movies and games, followed by delicious snacks and dancing. The entire day seemed to pass in a jiffy in the company of his family and Armaan didn't even realize as the sun began to set. He hadn't spent a minute thinking about the firm or Rohit or Kaveri or even Vidya the entire day. He'd been having too much fun to do that. He didn't remember the last time he'd enjoyed himself so much and was immensely grateful for the distraction.

But, as night began to fall, it was back to reality, and he had to face the music. He had made his decision. He couldn't turn back now.

“Do you want us to come with you?” Abir asked softly when Armaan informed them that he was going to resign.

Armaan shook his head. “Thank you, Bade Papa. But yeh mujhe akele hi karna hai. Itni door aaya hoon, toh ab kaam adhoora nahi chodunga. I need to do this on my own.”

“But remember, we're always here for you, okay?” Mishti said. “Agar tumhe lage that you need us, toh bas ek call ki der hai. We'll be right by your side.”

“I know, Badi Maa,” Armaan grinned.

“Here,” Abhira said, producing a spoonful of curd in front of him. “Bohot zaroori kaam se jaa rahe ho. Dahi-shakkar kha ke jao, taaki sab achche se ho jaaye.”

Armaan smiled, eating the curd Abhira fed him. “Thank you, Ira,” he whispered softly. It was for more than her good wishes. He was thanking her for the endless support she'd always given him, making it possible for him to make this decision for his future. Without her, he'd never have found the courage to do what he was about to do. She was his strength. Would always be.

Determined, Armaan walked back to the Poddar Mansion. The distance of a few feet between the two houses felt like an unending chasm as he strode towards the house. Yet, his steps didn't falter. Armaan was finally breaking free from the shackles of his grandmother, making a choice for himself. After tonight, his life would be completely different. And he couldn't wait.

Lovely update... Finally, what we wanted is going to happen...But you just stopped when the best was about to start. We will have to wait till you update the next part. Just do that today itself

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Chapter Thirty Two

Kaveri Poddar was a formidable woman, always had been. She was not the only woman to lead her own law firm in the entire city for nothing. Yes, Poddar & Associates had been bequeathed to her by her late husband & she hadn't started it from the ground up, but she had led the firm successfully for decades. That was an achievement in itself, one that could not be undermined.

Kaveri prided herself in taking the firm to new heights, in the legacy she was building for her family. The legacy that she was going to pass down to Rohit, her heir, her beloved grandson. Ever since the day Rohit had been born, the entire family had known that Poddar & Associates would one day belong to him. He was, after all, the eldest. Armaan wasn't good enough, would never be, with that woman's blood running through his veins. He might be Madhav's son, but he was Shivani Damani's son as well, and Kaveri could never forget that. It was enough that Armaan had been accepted into the family. He would never be more than Madhav's elder son. He would never be Rohit.

Yes, Armaan was an extremely capable lawyer, but he had had years to hone his skills. Rohit was just starting out. With time, Kaveri was sure he would outclass Armaan easily and go on to become a better professional. Rohit understood the weight of the family legacy he had to carry forward, after all, he'd been made aware of it as a child. He would not disappoint her, Kaveri knew.

But, to take Rohit there, she would have to make a few sacrifices. She had always known that. Nothing in the world was free, and this wouldn't be either. She just hadn't expected to pay such a steep price. Accepting that girl as her daughter-in-law? Pigs would fly sooner.

That girl had no sense of decorum or discipline. She was raised by a single mother, whose origins might not be a mystery any longer, but were dubious still. Yes, she was Manish Goenka's great-granddaughter, but she had been raised away from family. She did not have any of the values that were imbibed in girls of families such as theirs. Instead, she was a career-oriented, free-thinking girl, who did not think twice before getting into fights with her own family members. That was definitely not the kind of person who Kaveri wanted in her home, poisoning the minds of other family members as well.

What guarantee did Kaveri have that her influence wouldn't turn others rebellious? Already, Armaan was following in her footsteps and talking back at every opportunity. Was this the same man she'd raised? The man she'd moulded into her perfect puppet who would not even breathe if she didn't give him permission? No, he was not. Swayed by that girl and her family, Armaan was now defying her. Together, the two of them might be able to cajole the rest of the family into behaving like them too.

And then, where would Kaveri be? She had spent her entire life in making this family what it was today. She had painstakingly raised all of them to be ideal kids in their own capacity. She had built a standing in society for herself and for her family. They had a stellar reputation. The perfect family that everyone looked up to. She could not let that image shatter.

But, at the same time, what else could she do? It was imperative that Rohit started taking his responsibilities as the heir seriously. He needed to accept his position and start working in that capacity. She could not wait any longer, because the longer she waited, the bolder Armaan became. It was important to remind him who the true heir was. Just because Kaveri had let him misbehave a few times with her and the rest of the family, writing it off something that would not be a regular occurrence, Armaan had taken her complacency as her weakness. He was determined to change the status quo and she could not let that happen. If things continued this way, there would be no need for Armaan to marry that girl. The other members of the family would be influenced anyway. But, maybe, just maybe, if she agreed to let Armaan marry that girl, they would both quiet down, so grateful to be accepted into the family that they would not create problems for her.

In such a situation, she had no choice but to accept Rohit's demands. After all, he was her successor. And, she might not have said it out loud, but everyone knew that Rohit was her favourite grandchild. She wanted to see him succeed, wanted him to achieve his full potential. For that, she needed him to focus on work and come into his own, command the respect he deserved. And for that, it was extremely important for him to assume the position that was always his.

She also needed to maintain her control over the family. She needed to reign Armaan in. She needed to remind him of his actual place in the family, which would never be more than an outsider who had been accepted out of the goodness of her heart, of his stepmother's heart. She needed Armaan to be the man he'd been before he'd met Abhira - that perfect grandson who would do what she asked of him when she asked of him as if it was his most sacred duty.

If, to do that, she had to accept that girl and get her married to Armaan, so be it. She would do anything for Rohit's sake. She would just have to make sure to limit Armaan & that girl's interactions with the rest of the family. It would be manageable. Determined, she decided to make the announcement after dinner the very same day. And then, starting tomorrow, Rohit would finally take his birthright.

“Armaan kahaan hai?” She asked as soon as she sat for dinner. That boy had been missing since the night before and it was grating on her nerves. Of course, if he wasn't at home, he would be at that girl's house, spending time with that godforsaken Mishti Rajvansh. Kaveri absolutely loathed the sight of that woman. Who was she to insult Kaveri at every opportunity she got? And how dare Armaan still favour her? Did she mean nothing to him? She was the one who had raised him since he was a child, not Mishti Rajvansh. Yet, he behaved as if that woman was his mother, and not her or Vidya. She would have to find a way to limit interaction between them too. But, one problem at a time. She would get Rohit his chair, and then, she would deal with Mishti.

Before anyone could answer, Armaan walked into the house, as if conjured by Kaveri's wish. She smirked, taking it as a sign. Her days were about to turn. She would have everything back in control soon.

“Armaan, aao,” she instructed him. “Hum tumhaare baare mein hi pooch rahe the.”

“Ji, Dadisa?” Armaan asked hesitantly, walking to the table. “Aapke liye kya kar sakta hoon main?”

The fact was that he was shaking in his boots. The idea of resigning from the firm had become very real over the past day, and he wasn't sure if he was ready to face his grandmother's wrath. He had never been strong like Abhira was, so unafraid in asking what she deserved. She had even managed to make Kaveri give into her demands on more than one occasion, and while back then, Armaan had been disgruntled by her audacity, looking back, the only emotion Armaan felt about those incidents was awe. Awe at his wife, who was so brave and righteous. Today, he would borrow from her strength, and ask for what he deserved too.

“Humne faisla kar liya hai,” Kaveri announced. “Hum chaahte hain ki Rohit firm mein apni kursi sambhaale, apni zimmedaari uthaaye. Lekin, Rohit… Apne bade bhai ke ehsaan chukaana chaahta hai. Toh theek hai. Hum itne bhi bure nahi hain ki apne ghar ke bachchon ki khushi ke baare mein naa soche. Hum Armaan ki uss ladki se shaadi karne ke liye tayyaar hain!”

Her announcement was met with thunderous applause. The family swarmed around Armaan, hugging him and congratulating him. Yet, Armaan's mind was far away. This was not what he had anticipated. He had thought that Kaveri would deny Rohit's request. But, he shouldn't have underestimated the love she had for him. Hadn't he seen this happen before? No matter how distasteful Kaveri found something, if Rohit wanted it, it happened. It was no secret in the family that Rohit was Kaveri's favourite grandchild and she would do anything to keep him happy. Even if it meant accepting Abhira as her granddaughter-in-law, apparently.

“Lekin,” Kaveri added, halting the celebration. “Hum yeh baat pehle hi saaf-saaf keh dete hain, ki sirf isliye ki hum shaadi ke liye maan gaye hain, iska yeh matlab nahi ki humein woh ladki pasand hai. Humein woh bilkul bhi pasand nahi hai, aur shayad kabhi ho bhi na. Lekin, Rohit ki zidd ke aage humein jhukna pada.

Hum chaahte hain ki Rohit kalse hi firm mein apni kursi sambhaale, apni saari zimmedaariyaan poori kare. Aur sirf isliye, iss rishtey ke liye maane hain.”

To Armaan, she said, “Armaan, tum uss ladki ko samjha do, ki agar usse tumse shaadi karni hai, toh yahaan ke saare niyam follow karne honge. Pichli baar usne har din naya tamasha khada kiya tha, lekin iss baar yeh sab nahi chalega. Usse ghar ke faislon mein bolne ka koi haq nahi hoga. Woh sirf tumhaari patni hogi, humaari bahu nahi.”

Armaan's heart broke at those words. For a second, even if he would have been contemplating giving in, those words would have stopped him. Abhira deserved nothing less than a loving family who doted on her. He would never bring her to this cesspool where she would have to be insulted every single day.

Taking a deep breath, he said, “Dadi Sa, mujhe yeh sab nahi chahiye.”

“Kya nahi chahiye?” Kaveri asked. “Itne dinon se yehi toh maang rahe the na tum? Tum yeh chaahte the ki hum tumhe uss ladki se shaadi karne ki ijaazat dein, toh dedi. Phir bhi tum khush nahi ho?”

“Dadi Sa, mujhe aur Abhira ko aapki ijaazat chahiye, magar aise nahi,” Armaan replied. “Hum sachche dil se aapka aashirwaad chaahte hain, yeh bemann se di hui manzoori nahi. Agar aap Abhira ko apni bahu nahi maanengi, toh iss ghar mein uska ek din sukoon se nahi bitega. Aur aisi dukhi zindagi main usse nahi dena chaahta. Isliye, yeh shaadi nahi hogi.”

Kaveri was stunned, not knowing what to say. She had not anticipated a denial from Armaan. She had thought that he would be so ecstatic about her agreement, so overjoyed at the prospect of marrying that girl that nothing else would matter.

“Aap kyun sabke liye mushkil badha rahe hain?” Rohit questioned, frustrated. “Dadi Sa maan gayi haina? Toh bas ab khushi-khushi shaadi kar lijiye. Jabse dekh raha hoon, iss ghar mein sirf yehi tamasha chalta rehta hai. Toh bas shaadi karke sab khatam kariye taaki baaki sab bhi apni zindagi mein aage badh sake! Aapki aur Bhabhi shaadi ho jaaye iss umeed mein sab baithe hain. Apna nahi toh unka hi sochke haan keh dijiye!”

“Yeh shaadi main baaki gharwalon ke liye nahi, apne liye karunga, Rohit,” Armaan answered. “Isliye kyunki main Abhira se pyaar karta hoon aur woh mujhse. Kyunki hum dono apni life ek saath guzaarna chaahte hain. Main yeh shaadi kisi aur ke liye nahi karunga.

Lekin, phir bhi… Tune mere baare mein, Abhira ke baare mein itna socha, uske liye thank you. Aur main sach mein kitna shukraguzar hoon, yeh saabit karne, main tere liye tohfa bhi laaya hoon.”

Saying so, Armaan reached into the pockets of his track pants and gave Rohit the resignation letter he had painstakingly typed that evening. Rohit looked dumbfounded for a moment but at Vidya's prompting, tore open the envelope, reading the contents.

“Aap… Aap firm… Firm se resign kar rahe hain?” Rohit breathed shakily, absolutely flabbergasted by this turn of events. He had never, even in his wildest dreams, ever imagined that Armaan would walk away from the firm. The firm was their family's legacy, and everyone knew just how important family was to Armaan.

“Haan,” Armaan said. “Main resign kar raha hoon. Toh ab, legal head ki position officially khali hai. Aur tujhe mera koi ehsaan chukaane ki zaroorat nahi hai uss kursi pe baithne ke liye. Kyunki ab… Main Poddar & Associates ka employee nahi hoon.”

“Armaan!” Kaveri thundered. “Yeh kya tareeka hai? Tum firm chodne ke baare mein soch bhi kaise sakte ho?”

“Toh aap hi bataiye main kya karun?” Armaan fired back. “Ek case nahi diya hai mujhe. Mere saare puraane cases Rohit ko de diye aur uske baad se ek naya case lene nahi diya. Firm ke koi decisions mein meri rai nahi maangi jaati, na mujhe kisi committee ka hissa ban'ne ka haq hai.

Aapko pata hai? Aaj almost do mahine ho gaye hain ki maine court ki shakal bhi nahi dekhi hai. Asha Kiran ke case ke baad maine kuch nahi kiya. Itne dinon se ghar pe bekaar pada hoon. Itne waqt maine kuch nahi kaha yeh sochke ki aaj nahi toh kal kuch change aayega. Lekin, mere patience ki bhi ek limit hai, Dadi Sa. Main iss tarah apna poora career barbaad nahi kar sakta. Isliye, ab samay aa gaya hai ki main aage badhoon. Agar aap mere baare mein nahi sochengi, toh mujhe khudko toh sochna padega na.”

“Toh tum humse aake baat karte. Iss tarah istifa dene ka kya matlab hai?” Dasi Sa pressed.

“Maa Sa, aap toh aise keh rahi hain jaise aapko kuch pata nahi tha,” Manoj piped in, determined to speak up for Armaan. He would make good on his promise. “Yeh sab aapke kehne pe hi ho raha haina? Aapne Armaan ka cabin Rohit ko de diya, uske saare clients de diye. Saare naye cases bhi Rohit ya Sanjay Jeeja Sa ke paas hi jaa rahe hain, kyunki aap yeh chaahti hain. Toh Armaan aapse kya baat karta?”

“Manoj!” Kaveri screamed, taken aback by his sheer audacity. That same man who had never once spoken up in any family or work related matters was now finding his voice. Only to defend Armaan.

“Maa Sa, aisa kya hi keh diya Manoj ne jo aap uspe chilla rahi hain?” Madhav stepped in, emboldened by Manoj's defence of his son. If Manoj could take a stand for Armaan, why couldn't he? He'd already let Armaan down countless times in the past and while he couldn't change that, he could start now. Vidya's words from last night still rung in his ears, adding to his edginess. Aapka beta.

Vidya had always fulfilled her responsibilities as a mother towards Armaan, but there had always been something mechanical about it, as if she was ticking a task off a mental checklist. She'd never cared for him the way she'd cared for Rohit. Madhav knew that, and to an extent he did understand. For Vidya, Armaan would always be a reminder that there had been someone before her, someone who Madhav had loved with all his heart and soul.

It was the grief of losing that piece of his life, of losing Shivani, which had started this vicious cycle. Madhav had married Vidya, but he continued to mourn the loss of Shivani, nursing his heartache away from the prying eyes of his family, who had never known Shivani, who didn't understand the love he had for her. In his grief of losing his wife, he never realized when he lost his son as well.

In his absence, while he chased his demons away by drowning himself in work, Vidya had nurtured some sort of a relationship with Armaan. Madhav never realized when Vidya became so important to Armaan. Disappointed by his constant absence, Armaan started preferring Vidya's company over Madhav's, and Madhav let it go.

By the time he'd realized his mistake, it had been too long to change anything. And so, he didn't, content to believe that Vidya loved Armaan in her own way. It was only now that he was realizing how wrong he was. Vidya still thought of Armaan as an extension of Madhav, someone she had no choice but to accept if she wanted to be with Madhav. After all, the sole condition Madhav had kept in front of his mother to agree to marrying again had been that Armaan be accepted into the family. Vidya had done that and Madhav had been none the wiser about the convoluted relationships that everyone was building with Armaan.

The blinders were finally off now, and he would do what he needed. He had defied his mother before, to become a police officer instead of a lawyer, and then again to marry Shivani. But after she'd passed, the fire within Madhav had died. He had become too complacent with the way things were, because how did anything matter if he didn't have Shivani? With time, he had managed to move on from her death, but by then had become too settled in the new normal to change his attitude. That had cost him his relationship with his son. Both his sons.

He would try to be better now. Even if neither Armaan nor Rohit ever trusted him the way a son should trust his father, he would do his best to do what he should have long ago. He would choose his kids' happiness. And right now, he could see, Armaan's happiness lay in making his own way in the world, away from the shadows of the Poddar legacy, away from the firm that would use him then spit him out as if he was nobody.

“Agar Armaan firm mein kaam nahi karna chaahta, toh woh nahi karega,” Madhav insisted. “Waise bhi, aap hi keh rahi thi na… Ki waaris Rohit hai. Legal head ki position bhi Rohit ki hai. Toh agar Armaan apne liye ek nayi shuruaat karna chaahta hai, toh usme kya buraayi hai? Usse haq hai apni zindagi ke faisle khud lene ka.”

“Mujhe lagta hai Madhav Bhai Sa theek keh rahe hain, Maa Sa,” Sanjay added, happy to jump in and manoeuvre the situation to his benefit. With Armaan at the firm, his designs of taking over would never materialize. Rohit & Manoj were both gullible and could be fooled easily, but not Armaan. Armaan was a shark. He would have realized what Sanjay was doing even before he had finished his first move.

Sanjay had thought he'd have to make do with pushing Armaan out of the inner circle of the firm so that he didn't have much knowledge about Sanjay's comings and goings. Never had he ever imagined that such a golden opportunity would land in his lap. Armaan leaving the firm altogether, completely unaware of what he was upto? It would make his job a walk in the park.

“Jamai Sa, aap bhi aisa sochte hain?” Kaveri questioned, surprised.

“Jee, Maa Sa. Armaan ka firm mein kuch khaas kaam nahi hai ab. Rohit ke aane se sab manage ho raha hai. Toh phir, Armaan agar chodna chaahe, toh kya buraayi hai? Armaan bhi humaare hi ghar ka bachcha hai. Uski khushi ka bhi khayal rakhna chahiye humein. Agar woh kuch naya try karna chaahta hai, toh karne dijiye. Waise bhi, firm mein sab kuch itni asaani se mil gaya toh usse qadr nahi hai. Bahaar jaake kaam karna padega tab samajh aayega ki ghar ki firm hone ka kitna faayda tha. Aur phir, kal agar Armaan waapas aana chaahe, toh hum mana thodi karenge,” he lied effortlessly, knowing full well that if Armaan left the firm, Sanjay would make sure he was never able to come back.

Armaan internally scoffed, but didn't say anything. He knew Sanjay was helping him out of some hidden personal agenda, but if it got the job done, Armaan would happily keep quiet. After all, it was not everyday that he had so many people speaking up in his favour. So what if he wanted to take a moment and bask in the feeling of having so much support?

“Toh ab hum apne ghar ke bachche ko kisi rival ke yahaan kaam karne de? Aur kal agar Armaan ne koi aisa case le liya jisme aap mein se kisi ko uske against ladna pada, toh kya karenge?” Kaveri probed.

“Aap uski fikr mat kijiye, Dadi Sa. Aisi naubat nahi aayegi,” Armaan promised. “Mere paas already ek job hai, aur woh kisi rival firm ke saath nahi hai.”

“Toh phir kya karoge tum?” Madhav asked, curious.

“As of,” Armaan began, checking his watch to count the hours, “10 hours, 12 minutes, and 31 seconds ago… I am the new legal head of the Asha Kiran Foundation.”

Madhav grinned brilliantly at the announcement, pulling Armaan in for a hug. “Yeh toh bohot achchi baat hai, Armaan! I'm so proud of you! Apni iss nayi shuruaat ke liye congratulations!”

“Thank you, Papa,” Armaan choked out, bolstered by the vote of confidence. It meant a lot to him that Madhav would support him so openly. He didn't even remember the last time Madhav had said the words I'm proud of you to him. Perhaps never. After last night, after finding out that his mother didn't consider him a son, it meant even more to him. His father had never been so vocal about his support for Armaan and seeing him take that first step? It floored Armaan. He had never thought that such a small gesture could mean so much.

Soon enough, the rest of the family crowded around him, congratulating him, hugging him, and patting his back - Manisha, Manoj, and the Chorus Gang were clearly ecstatic for him. Even Rohit seemed cautiously optimistic. But maybe that was because he was getting promoted at the firm. Vidya was happy too, but Armaan could tell it was more for Rohit than for him. Even Sanjay was looking on with his trademark smirk, happy with the outcome and Armaan didn't care to know his true reasons behind it.

It was only Kaveri, who stood there, motionless and speechless. She didn't know what to do, what to say, how to react. Armaan deciding to quit had been a huge blow as it is, but to find out that he was going to leave her behind to go work for Mishti Rajvansh? What Kaveri really wanted was to set the world on fire. She would take Armaan working for their #1 rival over this. She would take Armaan fighting every single case against Poddar & Associates. For a second, she thought that she would even be okay with Poddar & Associates losing every one of those cases. Just as long as it was not Mishti Rajvansh who Armaan spent every waking moment with.

As if he really needed to spend more time with her. As it is, he was over at her house more than he was ever home, and even then, he would constantly be texting or calling her. Armaan thought she didn't know, but nothing happened under Kaveri Poddar's roof without her knowledge. She knew about the long hours he spent on the phone with that girl before going to bed. She also knew how often he would speak to Abir Rajvansh or Mishti Rajvansh too, always giggling too loud, disturbing her sleep. He'd never laughed so much in her presence, but it seemed that Mishti Rajvansh had woven some magic and all Armaan seemed to do was smile and laugh whenever she was around.

She was sure it was Mishti Rajvansh's influence that was talking right now. The Armaan she knew, who she'd raised, her grandson, would have never taken such a step. He would have never left the family firm no matter what. Othering himself from the family like this? Throwing words like he had to think of himself? This wasn't her Armaan. No. This was Abhira's Armaan. That girl had turned Armaan's head and her family had only added fuel to the fire.

Leaving her for that woman? Oh, she would make Armaan rue the day he had had that thought. She might not have a choice now, with Armaan being so firm in his decision and the entire family backing him, but one day… She would make him regret choosing someone else over her. She was his grandmother, not Mishti Rajvansh. And no matter how hard he tried, Armaan would never be able to change that fact. Blood was blood, after all, no matter if it was tainted. And blood was always thicker than water.

Kaveri Poddar was a seasoned player. She wasn't naive. She knew all this bravado would last but a few days. How long would Armaan pretend that the distance from the family didn't affect him? Sooner or later, he would miss them, would realize his mistakes. He would want to come back to them, work at Poddar & Associates again. She was sure that Asha Kiran would never be a fulfilling experience for a seasoned lawyer like him. The man who was used to fighting cutthroat cases in court all day forced to sit behind a desk and file paperwork for the rest of his life? He would get bored in a matter of months.

And then, she would see how Mishti Rajvansh would react when Armaan would tell her he needed to do something else with his career. She'd see if the love and affection still lasted when Armaan wasn't useful to them any longer. And then, when Armaan would come back to her, defeated and remorseful, she would show him what it meant to cross her.

She was sure this was exactly how things would fall in place. Perhaps, this rebellion was a good thing after all. It would end in Mishti Rajvansh losing her hold over Armaan, and that girl too, perhaps. And Armaan would be under her thumb again, just as he was always meant to be. In the end, Kaveri would be the winner, because that's how it worked. She would remain undefeated and invincible as she had been all her life. No one could defeat her. Not that girl, not Armaan, and certainly not Mishti Rajvansh, no matter what husk of a woman believed. She'd never be as good as Kaveri. And in the end, when she won, Kaveri would bask in her victory and Mishti Rajvansh's defeat for the rest of her life.

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Happy Diwali, y'all. A longer chapter with lots of drama to tide you over.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to update over the weekend like I usually do cause of the Diwali helter-skelter but we'll be back next week for sure!

Thank you for the update! Happy Diwali!