Yun Hi Tu Mere Saath Rehna - An Abhimaan x Mishbir Fanfic (C48 : P22) - Page 20

I've been waiting for the chapter for so long....read it just now....love all the insights.....

Waiting for moreee......

Hope some face off in the next chapter.... would love to watch it(imagine) while reading.....you have a great way of writing..

Chapter Thirty Eight

“Manish Ji, ek baar achche se soch lijiye,” Sanjay advised. “Kya aap sach mein yeh karna chaahte hain?”

“Isme sochne ki kya baat hai? Yehi sahi hai,” Manish replied. “Abhira ko uska haq milna chahiye.”

“Uska kisi cheez pe koi haq nahi banta, B-Nanu,” Ruhi protested. “Aap uski Maa ko ghar se nikaal chuke haina? Toh phir uss hisaab se, humaara aur unka koi rishta nahi hai. Aur Abhira bhi rishta nahi rakhna chaahti. Toh kahaan se aaya uska haq? Yeh mera haq hai, jo aap cheen ke usse de rahe hain!”

“Ruhi!” Manish exclaimed. “Apni choti behen ke baare mein tameez se baat kar. Aur agar nahi kar sakti, toh chup-chaap idhar baithi reh. Kuch bolne ki zaroorat nahi hai.”

Sanjay sighed, tiring of their drama. It was the same argument he'd seen Manish & Ruhi have for days upon days. Ever since the truth about Abhira's parentage had been revealed, Ruhi had been at loggerheads with Manish, firmly of the opinion that everything the Goenkas owned belonged to them and to her, that Abhira had no share in it because they'd broken all ties with her mother.

Sanjay didn't necessarily agree to that because there was legal documentation to prove otherwise, but siding with Ruhi benefited him, so he let her pick those fights. He needed a quick turn-around, an easy case where he walked off with a huge fee, and this would be the perfect opportunity. Abhira, the emotional fool that she was, would not be too keen on fighting her great-grandfather, no matter how much bad blood between them, and sooner or later would take back her suit, but in the meantime, Sanjay could easily make millions off the Goenka fortune in the guise of fees.

He had not let the family know, but things were turning around really fast at the firm and not in a good way. He had not realized just how much worth Armaan's mere presence was bringing to the business. A lot of clients had stuck around hoping that sooner or later, Armaan would take charge and demand his cases back, but even if he didn't, would step in where needed to make sure that the clients didn't suffer due to the internal tussle at the firm.

Now that Armaan had officially resigned and Rohit had been instated as their legal head, the smokescreen of Armaan's presence no longer existed. That had led to a lot of clients taking their business elsewhere, fed up as they were of the sub-par performance Rohit had been showing in court.

In such a case, the responsibility to make things better fell on Sanjay as the most experienced lawyer on the team. And Sanjay wasn't about to let the firm he'd poured his blood, sweat, and tears in, go bankrupt just because his nephew-in-law didn't know how to do his job well. However, he had had little luck so far.

Everyone who was someone knew about Armaan leaving the firm and were reluctant to work with Rohit or Manoj. Sanjay's reputation hadn't helped either. So, they had no big clients, having to make do with the smaller fish in the sea that their employees worked with. While there was once a time when Poddar & Associates only worked with the cream of the cream of society, they had to resort to working on petty disputes to keep them afloat.

Taking on Goenkas as a client, despite their familial connection, would work wonders. They were one of the oldest families of the city and had a lot of influence in society. Working their case might open up more avenues for the firm, something that Sanjay desperately needed.

He was not naive enough to think that things would get better quickly, but it would at least be a step in the right direction. Of course, if anything bad happened to the firm, he would be held responsible for it. Kaveri would never hold her beloved grandson accountable. Instead, Sanjay would be made the convenient scapegoat in the whole thing because after all, Rohit was just starting out while Sanjay had years of experience behind him.

“Mera faisla nahi badlega,” Manish stood his ground despite the tantrum Ruhi was throwing. “Maine bohot intezaar kar liya, yeh sochke ki aaj nahi toh kal tu samajh jaayegi ki jo main kar raha hoon woh sahi hai. Lekin, ab aur nahi, Ruhi. Abhira ko uske hisse ka haq milega. Akshu ki galti ki sazaa main uss maasoom bachchi ko kabhi nahi dunga.

Jab Aarohi ka accident hua tha, Abhira toh paida bhi nahi hui thi. Phir, iss sab mein uski kya galti? Main kyun usse rishta todu? Kyu usse uska haq cheenu? Woh yeh sab deserve karti hai, kyunki yeh hamesha se uska hi tha - yeh parivaar, yeh ghar, yeh property. Usme uska hamesha se barabar ka hissa tha, aur hamesha rahega. Bas, ab iss baare mein koi aur baat nahi hogi.”

“B-Nanu…” Ruhi tried to say something, only to be interrupted by Manish. “Maine keh diya na? Bas. Keh diya. Aur koi behes iss baare mein mujhe bilkul nahi chahiye.”

Turning to Sanjay, he added, “Chaliye. Aaj hi saare papers sign karke sab sahi karna chaahta hoon main.”

“Manish Ji, kya aapka faisla bilkul nahi badlega?” Vidya asked, feeling sympathetic to Ruhi. Yes, Abhira was not at fault in anything, yet, she did understand where Ruhi was coming from. For Ruhi, Abhira was the living representation of everything she had lost. That in itself was brutal, but to add insult to the injury, Ruhi was expected to sit quietly while her great-grandfather was so intent on giving Abhira a similar status in the family as Ruhi herself held.

Ashamed as she was, Vidya could admit in the recesses of her own mind that her loyalties lay with Ruhi in this instance. Abhira already had a large family, all of whom adored her endlessly, while Ruhi just had her great-grandparents. No one had said anything, but looking at the way Abhira was doted on by the Rajvansh family, Vidya was sure that she had a lot of funds and property earmarked for her. The same could not be said for Ruhi, whose only relatives were the Goenkas. If she had to share her inheritance with Abhira, wasn't it unfair? Abhira would already be set for generations with whatever Abir & Mishti would bequeath to her. Then, why did Manish want to take away from Ruhi to give to Abhira?

If Abhira didn't have anyone else to rely on, Vidya would understand Manish's compulsion to aid her. But, that was not the case. The Goenkas were old money, but so were the Rajvanshes. Vidya didn't understand the economics of it all clearly, but she was sure that the Rajvanshes were worth much more than the Goenkas or even the Poddars. So then, why should Ruhi get the short end of the stick?

“Vidya Ji, Abhira bhi utni hi meri hai jitni Ruhi. Toh Abhira ka bhi utna hi haq hai jitna Ruhi ka hai. Ruhi toh bachchi hai, par aap toh badi hain, samajhdaar hain. Aap aisa kaise soch sakti hain? Aapke liye bhi toh Ruhi aur Abhira ek jaisi hi hain, jaise mere liye hain. Haina?” Manish questioned.

“Ji… Ji, bilkul!” Vidya fumbled, caught off-guard by his direct line of questioning. “Ruhi aur Abhira alag thodi hain mere liye. Woh dono hi meri bahuein hain. Toh kya hua agar ab tak Armaan aur Abhira ki shaadi nahi hui. Ek na ek din toh hi jaayegi na!”

“Bilkul ho jaayegi,” Madhav echoed, stepping in before things got too ugly. “Manish Ji, aap bilkul sahi kar rahe hain. Kisike behkave mein mat aaiye. Jo Abhira ka hai, usse milna chahiye. Mujhe khushi hai iss baat ki aap yeh baat samajhte hain.”

“Ek baar galti kar chuka hoon, Samdhi Sa,” Manish replied. “Phir nahi karunga. Iss baar Abhira ko mere kisi faisle se takleef nahi pohonchegi.”

“Toh phir kis baat ka intezaar hai?” Madhav asked.

“Kisi baat ka nahi,” Manish agreed. Turning to Sanjay, he said, “Chaliye, Sanjay Ji. Hum chalte hain. Abhira ko aur intezaar nahi karayenge.”

Saying so, Manish didn't wait for anyone to comply, simply walking out the house to the Rajvansh Villa. Ruhi took off after him, still wanting to stop him, and with a subtle glare, Kaveri followed, leaving Sanjay no choice but to give in. Madhav & Vidya also deemed it necessary to go, though for different reasons. While Vidya wanted to support Ruhi should the need arise, Madhav's singular focus was making sure that the revelation about Aarohi's accident didn't create more issues for Abhira. Rohit made the tail-end of their little party.

They were welcomed by a sombre Kunal when they got to the Rajvansh Villa. “We've been waiting for you,” he said softly by way of greeting. “Aaiye.”

Abhira was the first person who Manish's eyes fell to as they stepped into the living room. She was perched on the sofa, anxiously wringing her hands together. He wasn't surprised to see Armaan beside her, sitting extremely close as he murmured softly into her ear. On her other side was Abir, his entire attention directed at Manish, a firm glare in place to greet him, giving Manish a pause.

Decades upon decades ago, when Akshara had still been a little baby, when she used to frequent her nanihaal often, Kartik would always come back with stories of Abir. He had, after all, been Akshara’s favourite uncle. The Abir from Kartik's stories was a playful and lively fellow, so unlike the man in front of Manish today, staunchly trying to will Manish dead by the sheer force of his scowl.

Manish didn't fault him his anger. They might've never met in person, but Manish knew how much Akshu meant to Abir, and to Mishti. Mishti had always been Kartik's favourite in-law, even when she had spent most of her life away from them all. The first time they'd met, Kartik had bonded with Mishti deeply, and the affection between them had only grown over the years, the distance making Kartik's heart only grow fonder and fonder of the girl. In turn, Mishti had adored Kartik's kids right back, and had always doted upon them. Many a time, Manish suspected that Kartik's trips to Rajkot had been so that Abir & Mishti could spend time with the kids, not Naira's grandparents.

So, he was very aware of how beloved his granddaughter was in this household. And, it never took a genius to figure out that Abhira was just as loved, if not more. Every single member of this family adored Abhira, a fact that both broke his heart and healed it at the same time. Anguished to know that he would never be able to shower all the love he carried for Abhira on her, yet at the same time, elated that there were people who would make sure she got all that love that she'd been deprived of for so long, that she'd always deserved.

“Good morning,” Sanjay greeted them all.

Abir snorted. The sheer audacity of this man to say something so mundane as if this was a meeting of two families over breakfast and not one of the most difficult things he'd ever done in his life. “Let's skip the formalities and get on with it, shall we?”

“Badi Maa!” Abhira exclaimed instantly. “Woh kahaan hain?”

“She's on her way, Heera,” Abir assured. “Woh mandir gayi thi, tere liye prasad laane. Bas aati hi hogi.”

Abir had wanted to go with Mishti too, but they'd both understood that at least one of them needed to stay behind for Abhira. She would need all their support. So, Abir had volunteered to stay back, always happy to spend more time with his daughter, even in such fraught circumstances.

“Jab tak woh nahi aayengi, koi baat nahi hogi,” Abhira stated decisively. She could not do this without her Badi Maa. She absolutely could not.

Kaveri scoffed at Abhira's words. “Ladki! Humein aur bhi kaam hain. Tumhaari Badi Maa ki raah nahi dekhte rahenge hum!”

“Abhira ne keh diya ki Badi Maa ke bina koi baat nahi hogi toh bas nahi hogi,” Armaan declared, stepping into the conversation. “Waise bhi, Abhira aapke jawab ka hafton se intezaar kar rahi thi. Toh aap log Badi Maa ke liye aadha ghanta toh wait kar hi sakte hain!”

“Bilkul,” Manish immediately agreed before anyone could say anything else, unwilling to let the situation get even worse. “Hum Mishti ka wait karte hain. Jab woh aayegi tab hi baat hogi.”

An awkward silence settled over once Manish stopped speaking, nobody knowing what else to say. Abhira sighed, melting into the couch, feeling guilty. Armaan, attuned as he was to her, immediately noticed. “It's okay,” he murmured. “Tumne kuch galat nahi kiya hai.” Abhira merely hummed, not saying anything.

Madhav watched the two of them, a small smile on his face, despite the tense situation they were in. It made him extremely happy to see that Armaan had found someone who he loved so much. Armaan had so much love to give, but it was not always appreciated by the members of their family. They didn't see how much care Armaan put in every gesture of his, taking him for granted. And then, there was Abhira, who saw Armaan's love for her as a blessing, and loved him just as much in return.

Watching the two of them together often reminded him of his own youth, when he'd fallen for Shivani. Shivani had stormed into his life like a tornado and had changed everything for the better. With her, Madhav felt like life was worth living. With her, he smiled brighter and laughed harder. With her, every dream seemed within his reach. He saw the same kind of awe reflected in Armaan's eyes whenever he looked at Abhira. Abhira was to his son what Shivani had been to him. He was ecstatic that the two of them had found each other. He just hoped that their story had a happy ending unlike his & Shivani's, that the two of them grew old together and when they watched their own kids fall in love, it didn't make them wistful like it made him, but only ever ecstatic.

“I'm sorry I'm late!” Mishti announced as she hurried into the room. Not paying attention to anyone else, she rushed to Abhira and Armaan, wrapping both of them in tight hugs before taking a seat next to her husband.

“Finally,” Sanjay quipped. “Shall we start?”

“Yes,” Mishti stated, a command more than anything else. “Immediately.”

Sanjay was taken aback by the authority in her voice momentarily. Not even Kaveri could infuse her voice with such dominance, and she was the most controlling person Sanjay knew. Suddenly nervous, he gulped furiously, helping himself to a glass of water that was thankfully placed on the centre table already.

He fumbled in his bag and produced the stack of papers that Manish had requested him for, and slid them across to Abhira. “This is what my client offers,” he said.

“What is all this?” Armaan demanded. “Abhira ne already papers bhej diye the. Bas unhe sign karke de dijiye, aapki badi meherbaani hogi.”

“Ek baar padh toh lo, Armaan,” Manish requested. “I know vishwaas karna, thoda nahi, bohot mushkil hai, lekin maine kabhi Abhira ka na bura chaha hai, aur ab toh main bilkul nahi chahta. Yeh koi scheme ya fraud nahi hai. Abhira se kuch cheen'ne ka iraada nahi hai mera. Yeh uska haq hai.”

Armaan turned to Abhira and gestured for her to pick the papers up. Reluctantly, Abhira did so, scanning the documents to make sure that everything was fine. As she read through, she was stunned to realize that Mr. Manish Goenka was transferring a heavy chunk of his estate to her. Property, jewellery, shares, and even cash, none of which she wanted or had asked for.

“Yeh sab kya hai?” She questioned, confused.

“Yeh tera haq hai,” Manish repeated. “Bhale hi tu humse rishta nahi rakhna chaahti, lekin main tera Par-nanu hoon aur hamesha rahunga. Mera sab kuch mere bachchon ka hai, aur unme tu bhi aati hai. Toh bas, tera hissa tujhe de raha hoon.”

“Kya maine aapse yeh sab maanga?” Abhira questioned.

Manish was left confused by her words and didn't respond, making her repeat herself. “Kahiye… Kya maine aapse yeh sab maanga?”

“Na… Nahi,” Manish responded.

“Toh aap yeh sab mujhe kyun de rahe hain? Mujhe nahi chahiye,” Abhira declared. She turned to Abir & Mishti, both of whom nodded approvingly at her statement.

“Yeh tu kya keh rahi hai, beta?” Manish asked. “Yeh… Yeh sab… Yeh tera hai. Tera haq hai.”

“B-Nanu, jab woh keh rahi hai usse nahi chahiye toh aap kyun zabardasti kar rahe hain?” Ruhi chimed in, not one to be left behind. “Isse inn cheezon ki koi value nahi hai. Yeh saari property, gehne… Sab aapne kitni mehnat se jode hain. Isse inki keemat kahaan pata? Toh yeh aapke gift ko kaise achche se appreciate karegi?”

“Shut up, Ruhi!” Abhira thundered. “Tumse kisine kuch nahi poocha jo tum beech mein pado. Har jagah tumhaara bolna zaroori nahi hai. Yeh baat tumse related hai bhi nahi. Yeh mera matter hai aur main apne tareeke se sort kar lungi.

Aur, aap… Mr. Goenka. Kis haq ki baat kar rahe hain aap? Meri Mumma se toh aapne saare rishtey tod diye haina? Toh phir mera kya haq banta hai aapki property mein? Kuch bhi nahi. Aur jo mera nahi hai, woh mujhe chahiye bhi nahi. Mujhe sirf woh chahiye jo meri Mumma ka hai, aur meri Nani ka hai.

Unpe mera haq hai, toh unki cheezon pe bhi hai. Aapki family aur mera iske alawa koi lena-dena nahi hai, toh better hoga ki ab aap koi naya rishta jodne ki koshish na kare. Aapki ek par-naatin hai aur aap uske saath hi khush rahiye.

Main nahi chahti ki kal koi uthke yeh bol de ki maine aapki property hadap li ya aapke gharwalon se unka haq cheen liya. Isliye aap yeh sab kuch apne paas hi rakhiye. Mujhe meri Nani ki academy waapas kar dijiye aur mera peecha chodiye!”

“Kya aap woh papers laaye hain jo Abhira ne bheje the?” Armaan decided to intervene, wanting to resolve things quickly.

Wordlessly, Sanjay handed it over. He was too stunned by whatever was happening in front of him to do anything but comply. Kaveri was in a similar state. No matter how paltry her inheritance from the Goenkas might look in the face of the Rajvansh fortune, Kaveri was still flabbergasted at the fact that Abhira had refused it when Manish was willing to hand it over to her happily.

“Sir, aap yehi sign kar dijiye,” Armaan requested.

“Lekin, beta…” Manish looked at Abhira, still hesitant. He had already taken away so much from Akshara, and in turn Abhira. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he wasn't able to do such a measly thing as transfer some money to her.

“Aap, please… Abhira ko force mat kijiye,” Abir said, seeing as neither Abhira nor Manish looked ready to back out. “Agar usse property nahi chahiye, toh aap zabardasti kyun kar rahe hain? Balki, aapko toh khush hona chahiye na?”

Manish chuckled, but it was void of any happiness. “Mere ghar ki Lakshmi toh kabki chali gayi, Abir. Aur main khada dekhta raha. Ab, agar main Abhira ke liye itna bhi nahi kar paaya, toh main kabhi khudse nazrein nahi mila paunga.

Mujhe pata hai ki tumhaare mann mein meri kya rai hai, lekin itna bhi besharam nahi hoon main ki apni beti ka sab kuch cheenke chain ki neend so saku. Haan, maine bohot galtiyaan ki hai, lekin unhe sudhaarne ka bas ek mauka chahiye mujhe.”

“Aur aap galti aise sudhaarenge? Paise phenk ke?” Mishti scoffed. “Mr. Goenka, iss tarah se maafi nahi maangi jaati. Agar aap sach mein maafi chaahte toh yeh baat samajhte, lekin aap ne nahi samjhi, isliye please… jab tak aap dil se sharminda naa feel karein, please mat mangiyega.”

“Yeh dharohar hai, paise nahi,” Manish protested. “Abhira humaare ghar ki bachchi hai, uski nishaani hai.”

“Main aapki kuch nahi hoon,” Abhira stated plainly. “Isliye aap yeh sab mujhe mat dijiye. Isse aap apni par-naatin aur uske bachchon ke liye sambhaal kar rakhiye. Iss tarah ajnabiyon pe apni saari daulat nahi luta te, Mr. Goenka. Aur dharohar toh bilkul nahi.”

“Abhira,” Manish whispered, tears streaming down his face, his voice thick with emotion. He didn't say anything else, seemed unable to. A part of Abhira wanted to take her words back, unused to being so cruel to anyone, but she held Armaan's hand and stood tall. This was about her self-respect, her mother's self-respect. It was about honouring the sacrifice her mother had made, while also distancing herself from the family who had only given her mother pain and heartache.

“Aap, please… Inn papers pe sign kar dijiye,” Abhira repeated, pushing the documents in front of a defeated Manish.

“Manish Ji, kar dijiye sign,” Vidya added. “Jab Abhira nahi chaahti, toh iss tarah zabardasti karke kya faayda?”

“Haan, Manish Ji,” Kaveri agreed as well. “Iss kisse ko ab bas yahin pe khatam kar dijiye. Sign kar dijiye.”

Manish looked at everyone in the room, and they all seemed to have non-verbally come to a consensus that he should sign the papers. He wasn't naive enough to think they were doing it because that's what Abhira wanted. He knew every last one of them had some agenda behind agreeing to it, most of which might become detrimental to Abhira in the long run, but in the face of so many supporters, he had little choice but to do as expected.

With shaky hands, he picked up the pen and signed the dotted line, the ink smudging over his wobbly signature as his hands trembled. It took him a minute, but he managed to sign the documents just as Abhira wanted.

When he slid the documents back, he saw Abhira's face visibly relax. She melted into Abir's embrace, her hand still holding onto Armaan tightly. “Thank you,” she breathed.

She managed to muster a half genuine smile his way and Manish drank the sight in, committing it to memory, knowing this would be the only piece of his great-granddaughter he would have. At least, he could rest easy knowing that she was in Abir & Mishti's very capable hands. They would never disappoint her like Manish himself had. And what more could he want for Abhira than a lifetime of happiness and joy? Both of which, he knew without a shadow of doubt, that the Rajvansh family & Armaan would whole-heartedly provide for her. He would have to content himself with that, for he had lost the chance to be to Abhira what Abir already was to her. He'd been a coward and now, he would have to reap the consequences of his actions.

Look forward to truth of accident coming out

Chapter Thirty Nine

“Waise, kehni ki zaroorat toh nahi hai,” Manish addressed Mishti. “Lekin, phir bhi… Abhira ka khayal rakhna. Jo pyaar main usse kabhi nahi de paaya, usse bhi zyada pyaar usse dena. Please.”

Mishti nodded, not saying anything. Yes, he didn't need to say those things. They all loved Abhira wholly and completely. She was a part of their family and always would be. Mishti would love her more than Manish was capable of. But, Mishti didn't say any of those things, letting Manish have that little moment. He was, after all, Abhira's great-grandfather.

Turned out, she didn't have to vocalize it because Abhira did it for her. “Aapko yeh sab kehne ki zaroorat nahi hai. Yeh meri family hai aur yeh sab mujhse bohot pyaar karte hain. Jitna aap karte hain, usse kayi zyada. Especially Badi Maa aur Bade Papa.”

“Abhira! Tumhaare Par-Nanu ka itna bhi haq nahi hai kya, beta?” Vidya asked, taken aback by Abhira's hostility. She'd always known Abhira to be a warm & welcoming person. This contrasting behaviour towards her own elders surprised Vidya.

“Woh sirf Ruhi ke B-Nanu hain, mere kuch nahi,” Abhira repeated for what seemed like the hundredth time. She didn't know how many times she'd have to say it till everyone understood. But, she would keep saying it without tiring for however long it took. It was absolutely imperative to her that there be no doubts about this. She did not claim them as family, never would.

“You're right,” Ruhi agreed. “Zindagi mein pehli, aur shayad aakhri, baar… Main tumhaari kisi baat se agree karti hoon. Tum humaari kuch nahi lagti. Tum sirf aur sirf ek murderer ki beti ho. Aur kuch nahi.”

Abhira stumbled at the insult, though she knew it had been coming. Yet, it always managed to shock her, how easily those words came out of Ruhi's mouth again and again without any repentance, with an ease that Abhira could never imagine.

Armaan steadied her and Abhira sent a thankful smile his way before turning back to Ruhi. “Achcha hua ki tumne yeh topic khud hi ched diya, Ruhi. Main abhi iske baare mein hi baat karne waali thi. Meri Mumma murderer nahi hai. Itne saalon se tumne aur tumhaare parivaar ne unke baare mein itni ghatiya baat sochi, but ab bas! Ab aur nahi. Mumma ke character pe iss tarah main kisiko ungli nahi uthaane doongi. Especially tumhe!”

Ruhi scoffed. “Sach hamesha kadwa hi hota hai, Abhira. Aur sach yeh hai ki tumhaari Mumma ne meri Matashree ki jaan li hai. Tum chaahe kitna bhi cheekho-chillao, kitna bhi jhagda karo, yeh baat sach hi rahegi. Tumhaare maan'ne ya naa maan'ne se sach nahi badlega.”

“Aur tum chaahe kitni bhi zor se bolke sabko yakeen dilaana chaaho ki meri Mumma ne aisi ghatiya harkat ki hai, sach usse bhi nahi badlega,” Abhira asserted. “Aur aaj main sach sabko dikha ke rahungi.”

“Abhira, yeh tum kya keh rahi ho? Akshu ne…” Manish trailed off, unable to complete the thought. Had it all been for naught? Had he punished his beloved granddaughter for a mistake she'd never made?

“Mumma ne kisi ki jaan nahi li,” Abhira finished. “Jaan-boojhke toh kabhi nahi, aur galti se bhi nahi. Aarohi Aunty ki death ke liye woh responsible nahi hain. Unhone toh balki Aunty ki jaan bachaane ki koshish ki thi, but sadly bacha nahi paayin.”

“Yeh kya bakwaas kar rahi ho?” Ruhi spit. “Jo mann mein aaya bol diya? Jis aurat ne meri Matashree ki jaan li, tum keh rahi ho ki unhone jaan bachaane ki koshish ki? Never. I don't believe you. Woh nafrat karti thi meri Matashree se. Woh kabhi unki jaan bachaane ki koshish nahi karti.”

Abhira rolled her eyes. “Mujhe pata tha ki tum kabhi mujhe believe nahi karogi. Isliye proof laayi hoon apne saath.”

Turning to Madhav, she requested, “Papa, aap please woh police report dikhaayenge?”

Kaveri and Vidya immediately turned to Madhav. “Madhav, tumhe yeh baat pata thi?” Kaveri asked, shocked.

“Jee, Maa Sa,” Madhav admitted. “Mujhe pata thi. In fact, mujhe sabse pehle pata chala aur maine hi Abhira ko sab sach bataya.”

“Iss gair ladki ko tumne sab kuch bata diya lekin apni bahu se kuch kehna tumne zaroori nahi samjha?” Kaveri questioned, her brows furrowed and her lips pinched, a tell-tale sign that she was pissed.

“Mujhse Abhira ne hi request ki thi,” Madhav answered. “Ki main uss accident ki sachaayi pata karun, so maine ki. Aur jab mujhe saboot mila, toh maine usse dikhaaya. Yeh baat mere baare nahi, Abhira ki Maa ke baare mein hai. Isliye, Ruhi ko sach bhi Abhira se pata chale, yehi sahi hoga… Yeh sochke maine usse kuch nahi kaha.

Aakhir, Abhira ko bhi haq hai, ki woh apni Maa ki begunaahi prove kar sake. Yeh haq usse cheen'ne wala main kaun hota hoon? Main aisa kabhi nahi kar sakta.”

“Thank you, Papa,” Abhira breathed softly, touched by his concern. Madhav flashed her a quick smile before reaching into his pocket and producing the police report, handing it over to Manish. “Isme saaf-saaf likha hai ki accident ke waqt kya hua tha,” Madhav explained.

Manish read through it, his eyes widening as he took in the contents. “Kya sach mein…” He looked up at Madhav & then Abhira in askance, hoping against hope that what he'd just read was false.

However, neither of them had any platitudes for him. “Haan,” Abhira stated plainly. “Aisa hi hua tha. Mumma ne yeh sab sirf aur sirf Ruhi ko protect karne kiya tha.”

“Mujhe protect karne?” Ruhi scoffed. “Woh aurat mujhse aur meri Maa se nafrat karti thi. Woh mere liye kyun kuch karegi?”

“Bas, Ruhi!” Mishti decided to intervene. She had been keeping quiet for so long, not wanting to aggravate the situation further. Ruhi was an adult, yes, but to Mishti she was still a child. And she didn't want to hurt Kartik's granddaughter any more than necessary. But, she could not stand by any longer, letting Ruhi insult Akshara.

“Aur kab tak aisa sochogi? Nafrat Akshu tumse nahi, tum usse karti ho. Bilkul waise hi jaise tumhaari Maa karti thi. Akshu ne sirf aur sirf tumse pyaar kiya. Tumhaare liye usne apni aur apne bachchon ki zindagi barbaad kardi, aur tum yahaan baithe usse taane dete nahi thakti. Aur jo rahi-sahi kasar thi, tumhaari harkaton ne woh bhi poori kardi.

Tum toh Abhira se tabse nafrat karti aa rahi ho jabse tum jaanti bhi nahi thi ki woh kaun hai. Aur kyun? Sirf isliye kyunki Armaan ne usse choose kiya? Kyunki Armaan usse pasand karta tha, usse apne dost maanta tha? Isliye kyunki Armaan ko usse pyaar ho gaya?

Toh isme Abhira ki kya galti thi? Abhira toh hamesha ke liye tum sabki zindagi se chali gayi thi na? Phir bhi, Armaan usse nahi bhool paaya. Shaadi ke mandap pe usne tumhe choda, kyunki woh Abhira se pyaar karta hai. Abhira ne toh usse aisa kuch karne ke liye nahi kaha tha na? Usne apni marzi se yeh faisla liya.

Lekin, phir bhi apni life mein aage badhne ke badle, tum wahin atki rahi. Tumne koshish hi nahi ki apne past ko bhoolke apne present mein jeene ki. Isliye aaj bhi tum Abhira se utni hi nafrat karti ho jitni pehle karti thi.

Kyun inn dono ka peecha nahi chodti tum? Rohit aur apne rishtey pe dhyaan do. Mere bachchon ki zindagi bigadne ki koshish karna band karo ab. Bas. Please. Unhe chain se rehne do. Tumhaari kadwahat ki wajah se unki life bhi kharaab ho rahi hai.”

“Inn dono ne meri poori zindagi ek mazaak banake rakh di lekin aap yeh sab mujhe keh rahi hain?” Ruhi shot back. “Jo hua usme meri koi galti nahi thi. Armaan ne jhoothe vaade kiye, lekin aapko kyun uski koi galti dikhegi? Right?”

“Wrong,” Abir countered. “Parents ka farz hota hai apne bachchon ko sahi aur galat mein fark sikhaana. Agar woh koi galti karde, toh usse sudhaarna sikhaana. Aur Armaan ne koi galti nahi ki thi.

Rohit se shaadi karne ka faisla toh tumne apni marzi se liya tha na? Armaan ne kaha tha tumse, ki chaahe tum Rohit se shaadi karo ya nahi, woh tumse kabhi shaadi nahi karega. Aur tumne hi decide kiya tha ki tum Rohit se shaadi karogi. Lekin, jab Rohit ghar chodke chala gaya toh tumne socha ki tum iss mauke ka faayda uthaake Armaan ki zindagi mein waapas aa jaogi.

Armaan ne tumhe apna dost samjha, tumpe bharosa kiya… Isliye usne uske aur Abhira ke rishtey ka sach tumhe bataya. Lekin, tumne kya kiya? Apne faayde ke liye tumne sabke saamne sach bata diya, yeh jaante hue ki jab sabko yeh baat pata chalegi toh kitna bawaal hoga.

Tumhaari harkaton ki wajah se, baat divorce tak pohonch gayi. Main maanta hoon, ki usse waqt jo hua, usme Armaan ki bhi galti thi. Aur uski sazaa usse mil chuki hai. Lekin, tum koi doodh ki dhooli nahi ho. Yeh sab karne mein tumhaara bhi barabar ka hissa tha.

Ek aurat hoke kisi doosri aurat ke saath yeh sab karne mein tumhe zara si bhi sharam nahi aayi, Ruhi? Tum jaanti thi na ki Abhira poori tarah se Armaan aur uski family pe dependent hai. Phir bhi tumne usse ghar se nikalwane ki saari tayyaari ki, sirf ek nahi do baar.

Ab tum yahaan khadi ho aur keh rahi ho ki Abhira ne tumhaari life kharaab kardi, lekin yeh sach nahi hai. Aaj tum jahaan ho, iski zimmedaar sirf tum khud ho. Apne saath-saath, doosron ki life bhi kharaab kardi tumne. Shukar hai ki Armaan waqt rehte sambhal gaya aur ab woh aur Abhira apni zindagi mein aage badh rahe hain, lekin iska yeh matlab nahi hai ki tumhaari galtiyaan maaf ho jaayengi. Arre, tumhe toh kisi cheez ka pachtaava bhi nahi hai, maafi maanga toh bohot door ki baat hai.

Aur, phir se keh raha hoon. Isse warning samjho ya jo bhi… Abhira ki life mein interfere karna band kardo. Aur aajke baad… Meri Akshara ka naam apni zubaan pe laane ki sochna bhi mat. Usne tumse bohot pyaar kiya, kyunki woh tumhe apna maanti thi, lekin tum meri koi nahi lagti, isliye main Akshu ki tarah khade-khade tumhaari baatein nahi sununga. Aur agar maine jawab diya, toh tumse saha nahi jaayega. Isliye tumhaare liye yehi behtar hai ki aajke baad kabhi Akshu ki koi baat nahi karna. Aur agar mujhe pata chala ki tumne phir se usse murderer kaha, toh mujhse bura koi nahi hoga, yeh vaada hai mera.”

Abir's words left everyone stunned and no one knew what to say for a moment. Even Kaveri was dumbstruck, not having a fitting comeback to Abir & Mishti's words. They had reduced Ruhi to dust in a matter of mere minutes, and none of them were able to say anything because in their heart of hearts, everyone knew that whatever the couple said was the truth.

“Mujhe pata hai aap logon ke liye accept karna bohot mushkil hai, and for that I am sorry. Lekin, meri Mumma murderer nahi hai,” Abhira repeated. “Agar aapko aur saboot chahiye, toh Papa ke paas CCTV footage bhi hai. Usme saaf pata chalta hai ki gaadi ke saath chedkhani Ruhi ne ki thi. Mumma ne sirf sab sahi karne ki koshish ki thi, aur kuch nahi.”

“What??” Ruhi screeched, coming back to life at Abhira's words. “Tum kehna kya chaahti ho? Maine apni Matashree ko maara? Main ek baar ko maan bhi loon ki Akshara Masi ki koi galti nahi thi, lekin main apni Matashree ko kabhi hurt nahi kar sakti. Woh mera sab kuch thi. Unke bina main ek pal nahi reh paati thi. Sirf main jaanti hoon ki unke guzarne ke baad bhi apni zindagi jeena mere liye kitna mushkil tha. Aur tum keh rahi ho ki maine unki jaan leli? No way!”

“I know it's hard to digest,” Abhira tried to comfort the other woman. “But yehi sach hai, Ruhi. Uss din tum gaadi chalaane ki zidd kar rahi thi aur bohot mushkil se Mumma ne tumhe driver's seat se nikaala. Lekin tab tak tumne handbreak disable kar diya tha aur gaadi seedhe jaake tumhaari Mumma ko lagi.

But, it was an accident. Tumne jaan-boojhke toh kuch nahi kiya. You were just a child. Tumhe itni samajh nahi thi. You didn't do anything on purpose.”

But, Abhira's words seemed to fall on deaf ears. Ruhi was not listening to anything or anyone, lost in a sea of grief of her own making. She frantically glanced through the police report which corroborated Abhira's story. She had killed her mother. She had been behind the accident that took her mother's life. And she'd spent her entire life blaming it on the woman who had loved her like her own.

Unable to believe the words she had read herself, she insisted on watching the footage. “Nahi,” she denied. “Yeh sab kuch bhi sach nahi hai. Maine kuch nahi kiya. This is all Masi's fault. Mera isme koi kasoor nahi hai. Aap footage chalaiye. Abhi sabko pata chal jaayega!!”

Madhav hesitated for a moment, not wanting to hurt Ruhi any more, but then decided that she deserved to know the truth just as much as Abhira deserved to say it. Ruhi needed to know about the sacrifice that her aunt had made for her. She needed to know the woman she'd spent so long hating was probably the one person in the world who had loved Ruhi more than anyone else.

With Abir's help, he played the video on the television in the living room. The video, though grainy, clearly showed what had transpired that fateful day that Aarohi Birla had met her death. Vidya watched, transfixed, unable to comprehend what she was watching. She had been feeling bad for Ruhi, what with Ruhi having to face her past so brutally, only to now realize that whatever Ruhi believed was everything but true.

Kaveri was just as shocked. She had hand-picked Ruhi to be her favourite grandson's bride. She had brought Ruhi home with all the pomp and fare, had favoured her over others time and again. Only to now discover that she was harbouring not just a liar, but a murderer in her home, in her family. Her thoughts were running in a million different directions, already wondering how bad the fallout would be if the truth ever saw the light of day. How would she explain this away? Yes, Ruhi had been a child, but what had happened was no small accident. It had ended in death. People would not be so forgiving when they found out. She would have to think of something, get ahead while she still could.

Manish sucked in a sharp breath as he watched the whole thing unfold, his worst fears coming to life in front of his own eyes. He had punished his Akshara for no fault of her own. He had taken her words at face value, and in a bid to protect his great-granddaughter, had committed the worst mistake of his life.

Stunned by the revelation, the video leaving no doubts about the accident, Ruhi fell to the floor, her cries echoing through the halls of the Rajvansh Villa. Rohit immediately steadied her, wrapping his arms around her in an embrace meant to comfort, but which only made her cry harder.

Abhira's heart broke for Ruhi despite everything. Yes, Ruhi had done countless things to make her life miserable, but no one deserved this. To know that you were responsible for your mother's death? It was haunting. The guilt would eat her alive and Abhira wasn't sure that Ruhi would be able to emerge from this heartache. However, there wasn't anything she could do about it. While Abhira could sympathize with Ruhi's pain, she also knew that her mother had deserved for the truth to be brought to light. She deserved to rest in peace. Abhira could only hope that finally, she would.

-------

There, you have it! The big reveal!! Hope I lived up to your expectations. Even if I didn't, ab jo hai yehi hai. I'm sorry, I can't do better than this.

Also going to take this moment to announce that the story is going on a two week hiatus cause I have to attend two back to back weddings and will be extremely busy till 14 Dec with no time to write. So, the next update will only happen on like 17/18 Dec.

Till then, keep reading, voting, and commenting! Thank you so much for all the love. ❤️

Abhira may feel bad for Ruhi but I dont. She deserves to suffer after harboring nafrat for everyone. And MG and the flipper poddars also should pay for their deeds.

Ahh I waited for this part it's amazing 😍 😍

Show main to kabhi dekhne na mile but this is best

Chapter Forty

The evening brought with it a welcome respite in the form of the Chorus Gang who came over to celebrate with their beloved Abhira Bhabhi. A worried Krish had called Armaan after Ruhi had come back home in tears, and Armaan had given him a short version of what had transpired. While Krish was sad that Ruhi was going through something so difficult, he was ecstatic for Abhira. She got her grandmother's academy and also proved her mother innocent. It was cause for celebration.

So, the four of them put together a small party with balloons and cake that they brought to the Rajvansh Villa. “Congratulations, Bhabhi!” They screeched in greeting when they spotted Abhira.

“Mere cuteness ke pitaron, aankhon ke taaron, sabse zyada dulaaron!” Abhira exclaimed, pulling them all in hugs. “Thank you so much!!”

“Bhabhi, aapko bohot bohot zyada congratulations,” Krish started. “Aapne finally Akshara Aunty ki innocence prove kardi. I know aap kitna badly yeh karna chaahte the. I'm so proud of you.”

“Thank you, Krish,” Abhira smiled, pulling him into another hug.

“Yes, Bhabhi!” Charu added. “Aur dance academy ke liye bhi bohot badhayi ho.”

“Thank you, Charu,” Abhira replied, hugging her too.

“Bhabhi, aap aaj bohot happy ho na?” Kiara asked.

“Bohot se bhi zyada!” Abhira cried.

“Toh yeh occasion toh celebrate karna banta hai!” Kiara cheered. “Aaj aap itne khush lag rahe ho, aapko dekhke mujhe itni khushi ho rahi hai!”

“Aap log jabse chit-chat hi kar rahe ho!” Aryan whined. “Yeh cake aapka wait kar raha hai, Bhabhi. Chalo, ab… Jaldi se cake cut karo!”

“Okay, okay. Main cut kar rahi hoon, Aryan Sa! Itna impatient mat ho,” Abhira chuckled. The entire family crowded around the coffee table as Krish set it up.

Armaan stood to the side, letting the Chorus Gang surround Abhira, happy to let them take the lead. It always delighted him to see how close Abhira was to his cousins. Even when him & Abhira had been going through their share of issues, his cousins had stood by Abhira's side, their relationship with her never resting on his own. They had all accepted Abhira as their own and it didn't matter to them if she was his wife. She had a relationship with them all of her own making. Things had been dicey with Charu for a while after Gangaur, but now, the two of them were solid as ever. No one who looked at them would ever think of them as anything but sisters. For Abhira, who had always craved family, finding a piece of it with his cousins, meant the world to him.

Abhira looked at him in question, making Armaan shake his head with a smile. Shrugging, she turned her attention back to the kids who were getting impatient for the cake. She finally cut the cake and fed a piece to each of the four of them first before turning to the other members of the family. She fed her other cousins first, Hrishi breaking a piece off to feed her as well.

After their mini celebration was done, they all occupied various spots in the living room itself, talking and laughing. Krish sat beside Abhira, deep in conversation with her about the academy.

“Bhabhi, aapne academy dekhi hai kya?” He asked her.

Abhira shook her head. “Abhi nahi. Maine decide kiya tha ki main wahaan tabhi jaungi jab woh meri hogi. So, main ab tak gayi nahi hoon.”

“Aap jab bhi jaoge na, mujhe zaroor leke jaana. Please,” Krish requested. “Maine wahaan ke bohot videos dekhe hain. Naira Ma'am was such a brilliant dancer. Unke performances itne mesmerizing hote the. Jab main chota tha na, main hamesha unhe copy karne ki koshish karta tha!”

“Achcha?” Abhira asked, pleasantly surprised. “Tum Nani Maa ko copy karne ki koshish karte the?”

“Haan,” Krish confirmed. “Unke bohot performances dekhe hain maine. Aur jab academy start hui thi, wahaan pe bohot videos bante the. Itne saal puraane videos bhi ab tak YouTube pe available hai. Main woh channel kaafi religiously follow karta tha. Ab toh kayi saal ho gaye, woh channel active nahi raha. But, puraane videos abhi bhi available hai.

Main hamesha sochta tha ki aisa kya hua ki channel inactive ho gaya. Isliye main kuch saal pehle academy bhi gaya tha. Tab pata chala ki wahaan itne students ya teachers nahi rahe ki woh kuch share kar sake. But, ab aa gaye ho na… I'm sure aap sab theek kar doge!”

“Mujhse kuch gadbad ho gayi toh?” Abhira asked, suddenly nervous. While Krish's words filled her with pride as she thought of the erstwhile glory of the academy, she was unsure that she would be able to bring those days back. It was a huge undertaking, one she felt ill-equipped to deal with.

“Aap koi gadbad nahi karoge,” Krish assured her. “Mujhe aap pe poora confidence hai, Bhabhi. Jaise aapne baaki sab handle kiya hai, yeh bhi ho hi jaayega! Aapne aaj tak koi kaam galat kiya hai kya jo ab karoge?”

“Lekin, baaki sab mein aur isme bohot difference haina, Krish! Yeh academy Nani Maa ki last nishaani hai. Aur main toh hoon hi badbad gadbad express. Mujhse ek nahi thousand galtis hui hain, aur iske saath main chance nahi le sakti!” Abhira exclaimed.

“Heera, tu akeli thodi hai,” Abir soothed. “Hum sab haina tere saath. Hum teri help karenge. Tu itni tension mat le.”

“Exactly,” Mishti agreed. “Naira Di ka sapna poora karna sirf teri nahi, hum sabki wish hai. Sab kuch manage ho jaayega. Aur koi gadbad nahi hogi.”

“Baaki sab baad mein! Ab tak toh tumne academy bhi nahi dekhi hai, Abhira,” Armaan stated. “Aur duniya bhar ka tension leke pehle baith gayi ho.”

“Yes!” Aryan cheered. “Yeh achcha idea hai. Ab toh sab sort ho gaya haina, Bhabhi. Toh chaliye na! Academy dekhke aate hain!”

Mishti checked the time, and nodded in agreement. “Abhi toh khuli bhi hogi. Last class chal rahi hogi shayad. Hum jaayenge toh class bhi dekh lenge, aur uske baad academy mein bhi sab check kar lenge.”

“Chalein, Abhira?” Armaan asked softly, wanting to know if she was ready. The day had been very overwhelming anyway. Adding this to the mix might be too much for her. He wanted to make sure she really did want to go.

Abhira hesitated for a moment, but with a sure smile on her face, agreed. “Haan, chalte hain. Mujhse bhi ab wait nahi ho raha. Mujhe dekhni hai woh jagah jisse sab itna pyaar karte hain!”

“Let's go, then!” Abir clapped his hands, bringing everyone to attention. The entire Rajvansh clan elected to go, and so they needed an entire fleet of cars to fit everyone in, which was an experience in itself. With so many people around her, so excited to celebrate with her, Abhira felt more confident.

Abir took the wheel, making sure Abhira sat beside him while Mishti & Armaan took the backseat in their car. “Wow, Ajeeb Rajvansh!” Mishti snorted as they started their journey. “Kal tum hi mujhe keh rahe the ki main bachchon mein itni busy rehti hoon ki tumhe time nahi deti, aur aaj tumne Abhira ke liye mujhe peeche wali seat pe bitha diya?”

“Thoda tit for tat toh banta hai. Right, Heera?” Abir laughed.

“Right, Bade Papa!” Abhira agreed, laughing along with him.

“Aur waise bhi, tumhe toh khush hona chahiye na. Tumhe apne favourite ke saath baithne mil raha hai. Aajkal Armaan ke aage hum sabki pooch kahaan?” Abir teased, making Armaan blush.

“Aisa kuch nahi hai, Bade Papa,” Armaan protested. “Aap bas har baar ki tarah mujhe ched rahe ho.”

“Main koi aisi-waisi baat nahi kar raha,” Abir argued. “Tum uske favourite ho!”

“Well, history does repeat itself,” Mishti teased. “Tum bhi toh ho… Badi Maa ke favourite.”

“That I am,” Abir answered, lifting his collar proudly. “Waise, sirf Badi Maa ka nahi. Tumne hi kaha tha, main Bade Papa ka bhi favourite hoon! Remember?”

“Hmmm, debatable. Dads and daughters, you know?” Mishti questioned.

“I do know,” Abir murmured softly, glancing over at Abhira, who was watching the entire debate with unabashed interest, her focus on Armaan's pink cheeks unwavering. Even in this moment, the urge to hug her close and protect her from the world warred with his desire to let her explore the world and make her own mistakes. He felt so much love and affection for her at any given time, it continued to surprise him. He'd felt such fierce protectiveness only for Misha, Raj, and Ramya before. Dads and daughters, indeed.

They reached the academy shortly after that. It was a massive three-storeyed bungalow. The entrance was paved alongside a lawn with a fountain to greet everyone. Once upon a time, it must've looked absolutely gorgeous and inviting. Now, with the lack of care, it looked old and mouldy.

“Kabhi yeh kitna khoobsurat dikhta hoga,” Abhira murmured as the entire family crowded around the entryway.

“Bohot,” Mishti agreed. “Di ne bohot pyaar se banayi thi yeh jagah. Aur iske har kone mein unki mehnat dikhti thi.”

“I wish, sabne iss jagah ka waisa hi khayal rakha hota,” Armaan mumbled.

“Hum haina,” Abir assured. “We'll look after it now.”

“Andar chal ke dekhein?” Krish asked, impatient as ever.

“Haan, haan,” Kiara laughed. “Andar chalte hain. Krish Bhaiya toh aise utawle ho rahe hain agar inhe ek minute aur wait karna pada toh pata nahi kya ho jaayega.”

The others chuckled at her words as well, and agreed. Inside, Mishti guided them to the aangan where most of the classes were held. The final class of the day was just wrapping up. It had a measly two students and one instructor. As the students gathered their belongings, the instructor turned to look at the family.

“Hello,” the instructor greeted. “I'm Vidhi. How can I help you?”

“Hi, Vidhi,” Mishti responded. “I'm Mishti. This is my family. We just wanted to see the academy. My daughter, Abhira, has just gotten possession of it, so she wanted to take a look.”

“I'm sorry, what?” Vidhi asked, shocked. “Mr. Goenka transferred it to someone else?”

“He didn't have much of a choice,” Mishti explained. “It belongs to Abhira.”

“The academy belongs to Naira Di's family,” Vidhi stated fiercely. “No one else. Mr. Goenka can't just transfer it to whoever he wishes.”

“I'm her granddaughter,” Abhira finally entered the conversation. “Mr. Goenka had no choice but to give it to me, because I'm the legal owner.”

“Oh,” Vidhi breathed, tears streaming down her eyes as she got emotional over the news. “I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to… This is such a big day for us. Thank you. I hope you love this place just as much as Naira Di loved it. It needs a loving hand.”

“I will try my best,” Abhira promised, stepping forward and pulling Vidhi into a hug. She didn't know why but this woman had impressed Abhira greatly. She must've been around the same age as her, Abhira mused, yet she commanded the room with a finesse that Abhira was yet to master herself.

“I'm so glad,” Vidhi murmured softly. “This place deserves better than what your family has been able to provide so far. I'm sorry to say, but… They don't love this place like it deserves.”

“You don't have to be sorry,” Abhira promised. “And they're not my family. I'll do my best to not let you down.”

“Would you like a tour?” Vidhi asked.

“We'd love one,” Abhira smiled, pulling back from the embrace.

“Come along then,” Vidhi smiled.

She turned to guide them through the halls, but lost her footing. She would have landed face-first onto the floor had it not been for two arms catching her waist and stopping her fall. Vidhi looked up to see a tall, lean boy staring down at her worriedly. “Are you okay?” He asked anxiously.

“I'm fine,” Vidhi replied. “Thank you.”

Slowly, the boy stood up straight, bringing her with him. When he was sure they both were steady, he let her go. “I'm Krish,” he introduced himself.

“Hi, Krish,” Vidhi smiled. “And once again, thank you so much.”

“It's no problem,” Krish smiled. “Be careful. A dancer's feet are too precious to be so careless with them.”

“You're right,” Vidhi replied, sheepish. “I'll be more careful.”

“Are you okay, Vidhi?” Abhira asked, surprising her. Vidhi had forgotten that they were not alone. The encounter with Krish, though short, was intense.

“I'm okay,” Vidhi murmured softly. “Let's get started with that tour.”

She guided the family through the halls, pointing out this place and that, reciting little anecdotes that she knew. Krish could not help but be swept away in it all. It was clear that Vidhi loved this place. She was extremely attached to it and her adoration dripped through every word she spoke. Through her words, Krish saw a different place than the ruins in front of him - a place full of music & laughter, a place to nurture your passions, a place where dreams could come true. He wished to restore this place to its former glory.

The academy was extremely important to Abhira, and Abhira was extremely important to Krish. So naturally, anything that she wanted, he wanted for her as well. But, it was more than that. This academy was more than Abhira's dream. It was the place that Krish had envisioned learning dance from. He had looped their videos countless times. He had been mesmerized and inspired by this place. And, he wished to give back to this place. After all, this academy also had a huge contribution in him becoming a dancer. Despite never being able to walk these halls as a student, it had been this academy that had inevitably made Krish fall in love with dancing.

As he listened to Vidhi talk, his mind started churning out a million different ideas that he could use to make things better. He would have to talk to Abhira and let her know. Maybe, she felt he could handle it, she'd let him be a part of the process and let him watch as this place came back to life.

They concluded the tour back in the aangan where they'd started from. “So, that's all of it,” Vidhi stated. “It's a shadow of what it was once upon a time. I'm sure agar aap koi bhi puraana video dekhengi toh aapko samajh aa jaayega ki kisi zamaane mein iss jagah ke kya maayne the.”

“Mujhe woh samajhne ke liye kisi video ki zaroorat nahi hai, Vidhi,” Abhira answered with a smile. “Iss jagah ki ehmiyat mujhse better shayad hi koi aur samajh sakta hai. Tum bilkul chinta mat karo. I'll start working on this place right away. Hum sab milke isse bilkul pehle jaisa bana denge.”

“Thank you so much, Abhira,” Vidhi choked out. “This place means a lot to me. Meri family ki har generation ki ladkiyaan yahaan aati hain dance seekhne. Iss academy aur mera bohot gehra rishta hai. Meri Nani, Mom, Masi… Sabne yahaan se dance karna seekha hai. Aur maine bhi yahin se shuruaat ki thi. Bachpan se iss jagah ki kahaniyaan sunnke badi hui hoon main. Jaisa Nani bataya karti thi, ab yahaan waisa kuch nahi raha. But I hope, ki tumhaare aane se sab phir se badal jaayega.”

“Abhira Bhabhi is the best,” Krish murmured. “Unke rehte tumhe kisi cheez ki tension lene ki zaroorat nahi hai. Woh sab kuch theek kar dengi.”

Vidhi grinned brilliantly at Krish's words. Krish's world brightened and he mirrored her grin with one of his own. “I'm sure,” Vidhi stated. “You'll do great, Abhira. Please, kisi bhi cheez ki zaroorat ho toh mujhe sabse pehle yaad karna. Abhi ke liye head instructor main hi hoon. And administration ke liye we have my idiot brother, Vidhaan. It's a little weird but my Nani is very attached to this place. Isliye, humaari poori family iss jagah se judi hui hai. Aur hum sab milke bas yeh koshish kar rahe hain ki yahaan sab pehle jaisa ho jaaye.

But, sadly… We never had the funds to make a difference. I don't know ki tum bhi iss jagah ko theek karna afford kar paogi ya nahi, lekin tumhe dekhke mann mein ek umeed jaagi hai ki shayad… Sab kuch better ho jaayega.”

Abhira stopped short at Vidhi's words. She hadn't thought of that. Where would she get the money to turn this place around? Even something as basic as painting the walls would rack up bills in lakhs and lakhs. She barely had a few grand to her name. How would she be able to afford such a huge undertaking? Her hopes shattered before they even had the chance to soar. It would be impossible to do it on her own, and what bank would give her such a huge loan when she had nothing as collateral but one dilapidated house and resort that was barely breaking even… All the way in Mussourie?

Abir noticed her crestfallen expression and decided to take matters in his own hands. He knew that she would never ask him, or anybody else for that matter, for the money. She was too much like her mother in that sense. When Akshara and Abhinav had started their life together in Kasauli, Abir had tried to support them financially countless times, but all his efforts had failed. The couple refused to accept any monetary help from him, no matter how much he explained to them that whatever he was offering would hardly make a dent in his fortune. But, he wouldn't let Abhira's stubbornness get in the way of this.

“Vidhi, funds ki bilkul tension mat lena,” he declared. “Nothing is too much. Hum yeh jagah pehle jaisi banake rahenge. I promise. I owe Naira Di so much. Unke liye itna toh main kar hi sakta hoon. Aur phir, Abhira is as good as my own daughter. Uske liye toh meri jaan bhi haazir hai. Yeh paise kya cheez hai?”

Abhira looked up at him, with that ardent smile on her face - the one that made everything else disappear from Abir's world, leaving behind just him and his little Heera. “Thank you so much, Bade Papa!” Abhira exclaimed, giving him a tight hug that Abir reciprocated enthusiastically.

“Family mein thank you nahi hota,” Abir replied instantly, making Abhira cling to him just a little tighter. She would have never asked, but when Abir himself was offering, Abhira found that she couldn't deny his help. After all, just as he had said, this wasn't just about her. It was about her mother, and her mother's mother as well. If she wanted to fulfil their dreams, she would have to lean on others. And who better to turn to than her Bade Papa and Badi Maa who loved her so fiercely?

She would make all their dreams come true, she decided. Her mother's and her grandmother's. And even her own. The dreams that were the only inheritance she had of the women of her family would one day soon become the reality of her life, she vowed to herself. It was a promise that she would keep at any cost.

Wao lovely chapter keish will also be help for abhira with armaan and rajvansh family for academy I guess

Glad to see academy will now be restored.

Waiting for Abhimaan moments too.

Thank you for update after a long time!

Chapter Forty One

The weekend saw Abhira in front of the Goenka Mansion, which was about the last place on earth that she wanted to be at. But, some things were more important. Such as her mother's memories, which were probably rotting away in some corner in this house.

When she had expressed her wish to bring her mother's things back, Abir & Mishti had readily agreed. What's more, they had immediately announced their intention to accompany her on the excursion. Abhira had been delighted at the fact that she didn't even have to ask them to accompany her. They just assumed they would go with her too. There was no way Abhira would be able to do this alone. She would need her family by her side, but especially her Badi Maa and Bade Papa. They would be the strength she needed. And of course, her Khadoosmaan. Him being there would give Abhira the courage to do what she wanted to, what she needed to.

Apart from the four of them, Abhira was also accompanied by Keerti and Naksh. The couple hadn't set foot in the house for close to two decades now, but had decided to be there to support Abhira. A fact that gladdened her immensely. She had so many people around her now, to support her and love her, to be her family. The one thing she had always craved since she was a child had been a big, happy family, full of people who loved her just the way she was, and now, finally, she had it.

Abir & Mishti had been with her, every step of the way, being supportive and kind. They understood her better than she could have ever hoped for, and did their best to be attentive and doting guardians. She couldn't believe that there had been a time when she felt skeptical about their love for her, when she felt that they might change their minds about her. It hadn't taken them very long to completely win her over and now she felt as if they had always been a part of her life. But most importantly, she knew that they always would be. They'd never leave her side. If she ever made a mistake, they would make her see the error of her ways. They might get disappointed, but they would never leave her because of it, would never say harsh or cutting words they wouldn't be able to take back. They'd never treat her like the Poddars had treated her. Like they still treated Armaan. And that made all the difference in the world.

“Ready?” Abir asked, bringing Abhira out of her thoughts. Abhira nodded, even though she felt anything but ready. She didn't think she would ever be ready for something like this.

“Don't be nervous,” Mishti advised, squeezing her hand in reassurance. “Hum sab yahin hain, tumhaare saath. Okay?”

“I love you, Badi Maa,” Abhira replied, hugging the elder woman.

“I love you too, meri Gudiya Rani,” Mishti answered, returning the embrace enthusiastically.

Armaan surged forward, taking the lead and guiding their party to the door. He rang the doorbell and they patiently waited for the door to open. A few minutes later, a sombre Surekha greeted them. “Namaste.”

“Namaste,” Abir replied, folding his hands in greeting.

“Bas, ek minute,” Surekha requested. She turned and called out, “Didi! Woh log aa gaye hain.”

Abir had called ahead to let them know of their plans and Manish had been all too happy to do the needful. The Goenkas had painstakingly gone through all of Akshara's things and neatly packed them up in boxes for Abhira to take with her. She was right. She deserved to have those things much more than they did.

What they were not prepared for, however, had been Keerti's presence at this meeting. When Surekha realized that Naksh & Keerti were standing at the tail end of their group, hidden behind Abir & Armaan's tall frames, she gasped out loud. “Ke— Keerti?” She whispered tentatively, unsure if it was just a figment of her imagination or whether Keerti was actually standing in front of her.

“Kaisi hain, Chachi?” Keerti asked, moving forward, coming to a stop beside Abhira.

“Main toh jaisi bhi hoon,” Surekha answered. “Tu kaisi hai? Itne saal ho gaye tujhe dekhe. Meri toh aankhein taras gayi thi.”

“Main bhi theek hoon,” Keerti replied.

“Keerti!” Swarna exclaimed as she entered the room with Manish, a veneration plate in hand.

“Keerti!” Manish echoed. “Kaisi hai, meri bachchi? Itne saalon mein humaari zara si bhi yaad nahi aayi tujhe?”

“Main theek hoon, Papa,” Keerti replied, and Manish exhaled sharply, the contentment of being referred to as a father for the first time in decades settling upon him. “Aap kaise hain?”

Wordlessly, he stepped forward and pulled Keerti into a tight hug. Keerti, feeling overwhelmed at seeing them after so long, went along with it, letting her father hold her close. It had been so long since she'd felt a father's embrace and it felt so nice to be wrapped up in his arms. But, as their shared history flashed across her mind, she stiffened, stepping back.

“Hum bas yahaan Abhira ka saath dene aaye hain,” she declared. “Aur kuch nahi. Aap yeh mat sochiyega ki aaj main yahaan hoon iska yeh matlab hai ki humaare beech ki problems ab khatam ho chuki hain.”

Disheartened, Manish stepped back. “Itne saal ho gaye, Keerti. Apno se aur kab tak naraaz rahogi? Kya hum family nahi hain?”

“Nahi,” Keerti stated. “Ab hum family nahi hain.”

“Keerti!” Swarna exclaimed. “Kya bakwaas kar rahi ho? Thoda toh sochke bolo!”

“Main bakwaas nahi kar rahi,” Keerti replied. “Aur yeh decision maine bohot soch-samajhke liya hai. Jo kuch hua uske baad main aapko kabhi maaf nahi kar sakti.”

“Aisa bhi kya kiya hai humne?” Swarna questioned. “Itni naraazgi?”

“Kya kiya hai?” Naksh scoffed. “Aap bhole toh aise bann rahe hain jaise aap nahi jaante aapne kya kiya hai. Actually, meri hi galti hai. Aapko blame karke bhi kya faayda. Karthik ke jaane ke baad, Akshu aur Kairav ko apne paas hi bula lena chahiye tha. Toh yeh sab nahi hua hota. Lekin mujhe kya pata tha ki iss ghar mein mere bachchon ke saath kaisa sulook hoga. Maine socha… Unke papa ka ghar hai, yahaan unhe sab pyaar denge. Lekin, aap sab toh…”

“Aap kis haq se yeh baat keh rahe hain, Jamai Sa?” Manish probed. “Aapke parivaar ne bhi toh Mishti ke saath yehi —”

He was cut off by Mishti. “Aap mujhe beech mein mat laaiye, Uncle. Jo mere saath hua aur jo aapne Akshu ke saath kiya usme zameen-asmaan ka fark hai.”

“Kya fark hai?” Swarna asked. “Devyani Ji ne bhi toh tumhe ghar se nikaal diya tha. Aur aaj tum unke gharwalon ke saath khadi ho.”

“Unhone mujhe raat ke andhere mein akele jaane nahi kaha tha, Aunty,” Mishti argued. She hadn't planned on saying anything, but she couldn't stand the thought of being made the scapegoat to let the Goenkas get away with what they did.

“Unhone mujhe mere Bade Papa aur Badi Maa ke saath bheja tha, jahaan woh jaante the ki main safe rahungi, jahaan log mujhe pyaar karenge, mujhe family ki tarah rakhenge. Aur aapne kya kiya? Akshu ko aise hi jaane bol diya. Itne saalon tak yeh khabar bhi nahi rakhi ki woh zinda bhi hai ya marr gayi. Aur ab aap mera example de rahe hain?”

“Aap humaare ghar ke maamlo mein naa hi jhaanke toh better hoga,” Naksh added. “Humaare ghar ki jo bhi problem hai hum aapas mein sort kar lenge. Haan, Choti Dadi ne galti ki hai, lekin iska yeh matlab nahi ki aapki galti maaf ho jaayegi.

Aap sabne Akshu ke saath bohot bura kiya. Uske saath kya, aap toh kabhi Naira ko bhi khush nahi rakh paaye. Har mushkil waqt mein aapne usse safayi maangi, uska saath dene se mana kar diya. Itne dukh diye aap sabne usse, phir bhi, Naira ke kehne pe maine kabhi baat aage badhne nahi di. Naira aap sabko apna maanti thi, lekin shayad aap sabne kabhi dil se usse apna nahi maana. Isliye, har kadam pe usse iss parivaar ke liye apna pyaar, apni loyalty prove karni padi. Har baar usse yeh yakeen dilaana pada ki woh Karthik se kitna pyaar karti hai. Agar mera bas chalta toh main Naira ko bohot pehle hi yahaan se le jaata. Lekin, usne meri kabhi nahi suni.

Phir, aapne wohi galti Akshu ke saath bhi dohrayi. Uska saath nahi diya, usse kabhi support nahi kiya. Aur ab aap chaahte hain ki main sab bhool jaaun? Keerti bhi sab bhool jaaye? Kyun? Hum sab kyun bhool jaaye? Naira meri jaan thi. Aur uske bachche mere liye kabhi mere Krish se kam nahi the. Unhone iss ghar ki wajah se bohot dukh dekhe hain. Mere poore parivaar ne aapki wajah se itna kuch saha hai. Aur woh sab kabhi bhulaya nahi jaa sakta.

Aapne toh kabhi maafi maangna bhi zaroori nahi samjha. Itne saal beet gaye, aapne kabhi ek phone kiya Akshu ko? Kabhi usse dhoondne ki koshish ki? Kabhi poocha Keerti se ki iss sabki wajah se usse kitna sadma laga hai? Kabhi Keerti se kaha ki aap sharminda hain? Kabhi Papa se ya mujhse maafi maangi? Kabhi nahi. Theek hai, Keerti aapse naraaz thi, toh aapne kabhi usse manane ki koshish ki? Itne saalon mein kabhi aap milne aaye? Aap jaante the na, ki hum yahin Udaipur mein hain? Phir aapne ek koshish nahi ki, kabhi bhi Keerti ki taraf waapas haath nahi badhaya. Toh phir hum kyun kare aapko maaf?”

“Naksh bilkul sahi keh raha hai,” Keerti supported her husband. “Itna sab hone ke baad, main aapko maaf nahi kar sakti. Aap please, yeh sab baatein bhool jaiye. Bhool jaiye ki aapki kabhi beti thi. Main sirf Akshu ki Mami hoon, aur kuch nahi. Aur aaj, main Akshu ki beti ke saath aayi hoon, uska saath dene.”

Manish, Swarna, and Surekha's tears fell unabashed at those words. They were disheartened at this turn of events, but also recognized the truth behind Naksh's words. He had every right to be mad at them. Keerti had every right to be angry. They'd all been the worst parents a child could ask for. Maybe that's why they had to live without them for most of their lives. Karthik, Keerti, and Shubham. Then, Akshara, Aarohi, and Kairav. And now, Abhir & Abhira. They had to live with the consequences of their actions, away from their children. Maybe, this was their penance.

“Ab chalein?” Abhira questioned. “Mujhe Mumma ka saara samaan chahiye.”

“Chaliye,” Surekha croaked. She guided them all to Akshara's room, the welcome they had planned for Abhira the last thing on their minds now. In all the years that Akshara had lived away from them, the room had remained the same. No one had the heart to change anything there, preserving Akshara's memories for all of time. Manish frequently visited the room late at night, away from Ruhi's prying eyes, and sat on the bed, reminiscing of easier times, happier times, when Akshara had still lived with them. She had been the sunshine of the entire family, bringing all of them so much happiness. When she had left, she had taken the home's warmth with her, and what was left behind was a house.

It was only in Akshara's room that Manish felt most at peace in the house. He would reverentially run his fingers through Akshara's things, hoping to feel her presence beside him, her bright smile there to fix every hurt in Manish's life. Sadly, that had never happened. Akshara had left never to come back again. She'd left this world and Manish hadn't even known for a whole year after that. In such a case, did he even deserve to see her smile even one last time? He did not.

He contented himself with seeing Abhira in the room, the first and, sadly, the last time as well, instead. Abhira had been in the same room before, but now, she looked at everything in a new light. This was her mother's room. This was the bed she'd slept on, the dressing table she'd used, the guitar she'd played. Everything was a memento of her mother and Abhira teared up as she imagined her mother's life when she lived in this space. Had she been happy? Sad? What were the dreams that Akshara Goenka had? Were they the same ones that Akshara Sharma saw? Abhira would never know, because her mother had never told her. Now, all she had were these memories to piece together some semblance of a story, but never facts.

She ran her fingers through every surface she could, soaking it all in. The blue bedsheet, the pastel walls, the wooden showpieces - all of these things made her mother the woman that she was. The woman that Abhira had never known. These were the relics of Akshara Goenka, a woman who was a far cry from Abhira's mother. Yet, she was still a part of Akshara Sharma, and so, Abhira would commit to memory every single detail.

She sat down on the bed and hugged a pillow. Her tears started falling unbidden as her body shook with sobs. Immediately, she felt herself being wrapped in Armaan's arms and she breathed a sigh of relief, resting her head on his chest. “Mummaaaa,” she sobbed, unable to say anything else. But, that seemed enough. Armaan, who always understood her without her having to say anything, murmured softly, “Akshara Maa hamesha tumhaare saath hain, Abhira. Kabhi yeh mat sochna ki woh tumhaare paas nahi hain. Tumhi ne kaha tha na, ki woh ab ek tara ban chuki hain, aur har waqt tumhe dekhti rehti hain? Woh ab bhi dekh rahi hongi. Aur unhe kaisa lagega agar woh tumhe iss tarah rota hua dekhengi? She always wanted you to be happy, Ira. Tumhe aise dekhke unhe bohot bura lagega.”

“I know,” Abhira managed to hiccup through sobs. “Lekin mujhe unki bohot yaad aa rahi hai.”

“Shhh,” Armaan shushed softly, not knowing how to console her. “I know, Ira. I know.”

As Abhira continued to cry, one by one, her entire family gathered around her, the circle of arms embracing her getting larger by the minute. As she found herself wrapped up in the arms of the people she loved most, those who loved her so much, she looked up at the sky through the open window. A star shone brighter than the others, as if smiling down at her. Feeling her mother's blessings shining on her, Abhira took a deep breath, allowing herself to find comfort in where she was. Armaan was right. Her mother would always be there for her.

-----

This brings us an end to the Goenka arc! Hope you guys had fun and think this was a good resolution to it.

I got the idea of this particular chapter after reading Love & Resolve by the absolutely amazing Mundanemusing! She was kind enough to let me use her work as an inspiration to write this one. So, big shout-out to you and thank you so much! ❤️

Thanks for reading, please keep commenting and voting. Your comments motivate me to keep writing more.

Love, Prags