Rishabala One Shot Story Collections I

Married To A Stranger

​Thanks to all for voting and commenting on the previous story.

Previous story : You & Me

Missed me😊 ?

I am not back to full fledged writing, but this is a start 😊....

Important Note:

I have decided to post all new OS in one thread hence forth, so it is easier to find for you all😊

Anyone interested in making a book cover for this, please?

Note:

The starting is a little like DBO, I tried to think of different scenarios but nothing worked out for me, so I decided to just go with the DBO one. And I feel, because it is the only serial I am watching now, my stories are having an "Imlie" influence in them.

Lately, I've been writing stories with good guys because I like stories with good guys. I am at that head space where I think that the guy and girl should be worthy of one other from the get go. I don't want one to go through hell to be worthy of the other's love, specially a bad boy hero who is so not worth it. Saying all that, I just couldn't help with the way, how Rishabh in this story behaves like an ass and Madhu has to go through hell for him.

for a while now, I have been wanting to write a story where the city bred hero comes to a village and falls in love with the village girl, a completely light hearted story but when I started thinking of the story, I couldn't help with the way, this story was formed. So, I am with this almost of an ass hero and an all bearing heroine.

I do hope to write that lighthearted story one day😊

For now, I hope you guys enjoy this story.

P.S: I know, this hero is a lot like Shivaay but... 😉

Warning: this story is riddled with clichés, and it is long.

Forgive me: for the medical blunders in this story.

As the train came to a stop, Rishabh drops his bag onto the platform, then he picks up the second bag and drops it next to the first one, then picking up the third bag, he puts it on his right shoulder and jumps down the train. He stands on the platform as he looked to his left and right, trying to find a porter to carry his bags. The train honks to signal its departure. He unconsciously rubs his left arm which was still on a sling as he tried to figure out what to do next.

"MOVE! PLEASE MOVE! GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

Hearing the loud pleas, Rishabh looks to the sound and a sees a disheveled girl running towards him waving her hands frantically.

"PLEASE MOVE!"

Realizing she was intending to board the train, Rishabh moves to the side. Then realizing that his bags were a hurdle for her, he bends down and starts to move it out of the way.

Madhu, who had noticed the bags on the ground, had moved to the side taking a wider path to the train, when Rishabh without realizing that, throws his bag to the side, right on her path. Before Madhu could notice it, she had tripped on his bag and had fell flat on the ground.

Hearing her shout out in pain, Rishabh looks up and realizes what had happened.

"I am sorry..." Rishabh says as he tried to give her his good hand to help her up.

Madhu looks up and notices that the train had started. "No... no... I've to get on the train." Madhu says frantically as she tried to get up.

"Take my hand." Rishabh tells her feeling guilty for having caused her to almost miss her train.

Madhu keeps her hand on his and he pulls her up. Madhu was about to run to the running train which was picking up speed when she tripped again. Rishabh quickly wraps his hand around her waist to break her fall.

"DON'T LET HER GO!"

Hearing the furious order, Rishabh turns to the sound and sees a group of people coming hurrying to them.

"Leave me!" Madhu screams in panic seeing them.

Rishabh quickly let go off her and Madhu starts to run and trips again. feeling something heavy on her legs, she looks down and finds his bag's strap tangled up on her ankles. She frantically starts to kick her leg to free herself as she turned back to look at the angry mob and sees that they had reached her. by the time, she freed her leg the train had left the platform.

"GET HER!"

"They are going to kill me." Madhu tells Rishabh in panic.

Rishabh frowns hearing that. "What?"

He notices a man about to grab Madhu, and he quickly holds that man and pushes him away.

"What are you doing?" Rishabh asks them in fury.

"shehri, stay out of this." One elderly man orders him. "This is a matter of the panchayat."

"What are you going to do with her?" Rishabh asks him.

"She is an immoral girl and she is to be punished."

"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING." Madhu protests in fury.

"She is a liar!" one man screams.

"You are the liar!" Madhu accuses him. Madhu turns to the stranger who seemed to wanted to help her and tells him. "I was working in his house as a maid. He was troubling me for days. I told his family but they just ignored it. Then I left that job but he still continued to trouble me, so I complained to the panchayat and he brought fake witnesses and proved to them I was trying to seduce him. now, they have ordered to stone me to death."

Rishabh reels in shock hearing the girl. Her story was such a sore point for him that his eyes filled up with furious tears. Rishabh gently holds the girl and moves her behind him shielding her.

Noticing that, a man come forward to take Madhu. Rishabh furiously kicks him. seeing that a man comes charging with a sword aiming at Madhu. Rishabh quickly grabs on the sword. His palm started bleeding, but he doesn't let go. He kicks him and the man staggers back.

Seeing the man losing his balance, Madhu pushes him with all her might, and he falls back. His grip on the sword loosened, Rishabh quickly holds the sword and aims it at the mob.

"It is not your place to punish her." Rishabh tells them furiously.

"You don't come into our place and fight us." the elderly man says as he gestured to the guards.

Soon, there were about six people standing in a semi-circle in front of them with swords.

Realizing that he was out numbered, Rishabh tells them. "If she has done some crime then take her to the police. You have no right to take a life."

"This is our land and it is our panchayat. We are the law."

"Let her go." Rishabh warns as he pointed the sword at the man.

"Why are you getting in between all this? Who is she to you?"

"She is no one to me."

"Then step aside. You've no voice in this matter."

"What nonsense?" Rishabh asks in outrage.

"This is your last warning."

"You go otherwise they will kill you too." Madhu tells him as she fought her tears. Her heart breaking realizing that she was going to die.

"What?" Rishabh turns to look at her in shock. "They will kill you."

"They will kill you too if you interfere." Madhu tells him. "Thank you for trying to help me."

Seeing the girl trying to be strong as she fought her tears in the face of death, his resolve to protect her became stronger. He turns to the elderly man and tells him, "I can't let you kill her."

"Let?" the man asks offended. "Who are you to come in between all this? This doesn't concern you. move out of our way otherwise it won't be good for you."

Rishabh turns to the Madhu and asks her, "Are you married? Do you have any relatives?"

Madhu shakes her head in negative. "I am an orphan. I don't have anyone."

Rishabh sighs.

"Thank you for thinking for me. I don't want you also to get hurt. You go." Madhu tells him.

"You heard her. now, move."

Rishabh shifts the sword to his left arm and takes his bleeding hand and rubs it on her forehead. Madhu's eyes widen in shock.

Rishabh turns to the men and sees them all staring at him in shocked confusion.

"I married her. She is my wife now. now, this is my matter. However, my wife is, it is my personal problem, I'll handle it."

"This is no marriage!" the man she had accused says in fury.

"He filled her maang." The elderly man says.

"That doesn't mean they are married!"

"It does." He declares. "Now, it is his problem. The panchayat won't interfere." Saying that, the elderly man walks off, and the people follow him.

Madhu steps forward and stands next to the stranger as she glared at Mukund and Mukund furiously glares at her.

"Stop staring at my wife." Rishabh orders him.

Mukund furiously looks at Rishabh.

"Or do you want me to call all those people back here and do a panchayat on you?" Rishabh asks him.

Glaring at both of them, Mukund walks off.

When the last man also walked away, Rishabh drops the sword.

Madhu loudly sighs in relief and says a silent prayer thanking God for sending this man to save her. she looks at him and sees him shake his bleeding hand in pain. Madhu quickly grabs his hand to check on his hand.

"it's bleeding." Madhu worriedly tells him.

"It's okay." Rishabh replies as he freed his hand and shook his hand to ward off the pain.

"Come with me." Madhu tells him as she bends down and took his bags.

Rishabh starts to take the bag from her but she shakes her head. "Both your hands are hurt."

Not wanting her to carry all three bags, he takes the heaviest, and puts it on his shoulder.

Madhu takes Rishabh to a tap and helps him wash his hand. Then Madhu walks to the small medical store in the dilapidated railway station with Rishabh tagging behind her.

"Bhai saab, do you have something to dress his wound?" Madhu asks him.

He nods and hands Madhu a packet of gauze, cottons and medicine. Seeing the condition of the store, Rishabh quickly takes the items and checks the expiry date and manufacturing details.

"We sell only first quality items here." The shopkeeper says offended seeing Rishabh checking the items.

"First quality, this?" Rishabh asks him in a mocking tone.

"If you don't want give it back then."

"No... no... we want them." Madhu quickly says.

Rishabh pulls out his wallet from his pocket and takes out the cash and gives to the shopkeeper.

"Show me your hand." Madhu says as she opens the items.

Rishabh gives her his hand, and Madhu starts dressing his wound.

"Thank you for saving my life." Madhu tells Rishabh as she looked at him.

Rishabh shrugs in reply.

"You didn't have to do all that, but you still did. I'll never forget it. Thank you." Madhu tells him, her eyes filling up. The kindness he had shown her, no one ever did.

"What are you going to do now?" Rishabh asks her.

Madhu shrugs sadly. "I don't want to stay here. Whichever train comes next, I'll take that."

"When is the next train?"

"I don't know."

"Find out. I'll stay till then."

Madhu nods and walks to the station master to find out.

"Saab, when is the next train?"

"Tomorrow afternoon." He replies and walk off.

"Oh." Madhu whispers in disappointment, she turns and sees Rishabh behind her.

"What will you do now?"

"I'll wait here. You go." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh looks around the empty station and realizes that it was no safe place, especially for her. "If one of them comes back and finds you here alone, you could be in trouble again."

Madhu nods helplessly.

"You come with me. stay the night and then come back at the time of your train." Rishabh tells her.

"But..." Madhu whispers scandalized.

"You won't be safe here."

"It won't be decent if I come with you." Madhu tells him in shock.

"You'll be safe with me." Rishabh tells her, shocked at her looking at proprietary at such a time. "And they all think you are my wife now."

Madhu nervously gulps considering going with him.

"But if you don't want to do that then I'll stay here with you till tomorrow."

"No... no... I'll come." Madhu says not wanting to trouble the kind man anymore.

Rishabh nods, "Let's go then."

"Where are you going?" Madhu asks him.

"I need to find a place to stay actually." Rishabh informs her.

"There is a lodge outside the station."

"Let's go there then." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods and walks with him. "I am Madhu."

Rishabh turns to look at her and nods, then realizing she was waiting for him to tell her his name, he says "Rishu."

Madhu smiles and nods.

*********

"I'll do it?" Madhu asks gently seeing Rishabh struggling to hold the pen.

"Thanks." Rishabh says as he gave her the pen.

Madhu starts writing the details while Rishabh watched her write Rishu in the lodge register.

"Address?" Madhu asks him.

Hearing that question, Rishabh's heart skips a beat. What was he going to give as his address?

"Address?" Madhu repeats again.

"Is it necessary?" Rishabh asks the manager.

The manager who was staring at Madhu, looks at Rishabh. "Yes."

"I have no address."

"No address, no room." he replies then he turns to Madhu and asks her, "Is that blood on your forehead?"

Madhu touches her maang realizing she hadn't washed off his blood. Madhu nods and ignoring him, she starts writing in the register.

Curious, Rishabh looks at what she was writing, and sees that she had written C/Bhai Madhu and an address of an orphanage.

Madhu looks at Rishabh and sees him reading what she had written.

"That is where I grew up. Till I get a permanent address, the matron told me I can use the orphanage's address." Madhu explains to him.

Rishabh nods. "Thank you."

"Please don't say thank you to me." Madhu tells him.

"Are you two the ones who got married in the railway station today?" the manager asks curiously.

Madhu and Rishabh turns to him in shock, wondering how he had found out that.

"Are you?" he asks again.

Rishabh nods in yes.

"Do you even know each other?" he asks them.

"Your job is not to ask questions." a man furiously tells him from behind him.

The manager quickly turns back and look at the man.

"Did he give an address?" he asks him.

The manager looks at the book and says, "She gave an orphanage's address as her address."

The man walks forward and looks at the register book with a frown.

"She is the one they were going to stone to death today." the manager says in a loud whisper.

Rishabh was about to blast him when the other man furiously turns to the manager and asks him, "They were going to stone someone to death and you were simply sitting here? Why didn't you call the police?"

"You only tell me not to interfere." The manager worriedly replies.

"With the guests! Not with these things!"

"How can I go against the panchayat? Not everyone is like you!"

"Panchayat!" he says in disgust and curses under his breath. Then he looks at Madhu and asks her gently, "Are you okay now?"

Madhu nods her head in yes.

"Give them the key." He orders the manager then turning to Rishabh and Madhu, he tells them, "If you need anything let me know."

Madhu and Rishabh nods.

"Ask for Sultan."

"Thank you." Madhu tells him.

He nods. "I'll have someone bring your food to your room by dinner time."

********

"I've heard of him." Madhu tells Rishabh as they walked into their room.

"He is famous?" Rishabh asks her as he looked around the room disapprovingly.

"For a time. actually, infamous." Madhu tells him.

"Hmmm."

"A dispute regarding his father's last rites. He went against the whole panchayat."

"Why does this panchayat always interfere in everyone's personal issues?" Rishabh asks feeling disgusted.

"It's not like that. If you go to the panchayat with your problem, then they will take it up." Madhu explains to him.

"And look what that got you." Rishabh scoffs.

Madhu looks down hurt and heart broken. "I thought they would give me justice."

"Anyway, you are leaving this place. There is a world outside this place, where real law and order exists." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu sighs feeling anxious about going to a strange and unknown place.

Hearing him open his bag, Madhu turns to look and sees him taking fresh clothes. Rishabh closes the bag as he looked around frowning in confusion.

"Where is the bathroom?" Rishabh asks shocked.

"It might be outside." Madhu guesses.

"No attached bathroom?" Rishabh asks shocked. "What kind of..." Rishabh stops realizing what he was about to say. Shaking his head, he starts to take off his sling.

Seeing him struggling, Madhu walks to him and without a word, starts helping him remove it.

"Thanks. Lock the door." Rishabh tells her and goes for his shower.

*********

Noticing the heating rod, coffee powder and sugar on the table, Madhu walks to the table to make coffee.

"Madhu..." Rishabh calls her as he knocked on the door. "It's Rishu."

Madhu quickly opens the door for him.

"Do you want to take a shower?" Rishabh asks her curiously as he kept aside his dirty clothes.

"I don't have change of clothes." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh thoughtfully looks at her and then he asks her, "If you want I can give you my clothes. it will be loose for you but for the night, it would be fine."

"You won't mind?" Madhu asks him curiously.

"You can keep it." Rishabh tells her with a shrug as he pulled out a pair of t-shirt and pajama.

"Thank you." Madhu tells him as she took it from him.

"It's okay." Rishabh replies, as he took his sling to wear it.

"Give." Madhu says knowing that he would need her help. Rishabh hands it to her.

Madhu starts putting the sling for him while Rishabh bit on the knot on the gauze on his other hand to remove it. Madhu finishes off the sling then she helps him remove the gauze that had got wet when he took his shower.

"Do you want to change that too?" Madhu asks him pointing to the bandage on his forehead as she finished up his hand.

Rishabh nods as he pulled out fresh bandage.

"What happened to you?" Madhu asks as she gestured him to sit so she can see his forehead clearly.

"Accident."

Madhu nods as she removed the bandage and saw the stitch marks. Looks like his forehead was going to have a scar.

"Thanks." Rishabh tells her once she was done.

"I told you, you don't have to thank me." Madhu tells him.

"I was about to make coffee for me, do you want some?" Madhu asks pointing at the table.

Rishabh looks at the table and seeing the items kept there, he shakes his head in disgust. "That doesn't look hygienic."

"It is." Madhu replies shocked.

"I don't want." Rishabh replies with a shrug.

Madhu starts to make coffee by putting the heating rod inside the mug after filling it with water. She turns on the switch and waits for the water to boil.

Hearing a knock at the door, they curiously look at each other.

"It might be the food." Madhu tells him, as she opened the door which was right next to the table. She stops in shock seeing Mukund with two of his friends.

Madhu quickly tries to close the door at the same time, he pushes on the door to open it. "Rishu." Madhu calls him worriedly.

"Who is it?" Rishabh asks as he hurried to the door and sees Mukund at the door.

Furious, he runs to the door and kicks Mukund squarely on his chest. Mukund staggers back. Rishabh was about to kick him again when Mukund's friends hold him.

"Get her!" Mukund tells his friend.

Rishabh kicks him again and he falls down.

"Madhu, close the door." Rishabh shouts to her as he struggled to fight the men, his both hands were useless at present. Rishabh turns to the man on his right, and with all his might, he head-butts him.

The man falls down, and Rishabh kicks the other down. Then he moves to Mukund, his frustration and restlessness of the last one month, hitting a crescendo and he goes full berserker on Mukund, furiously thrashing him.

Suddenly he was pulled back by the two friends. Mukund staggers up, though he wanted to thrash Rishabh, he didn't have the strength for it.

"Madhu, close the damn door." Rishabh screams seeing that Madhu was still staring at them. "Don't you dare go near her, you bastard!" Rishabh screams seeing Mukund walking into the room.

Rishabh was about to push off the men when he hears Mukund howling in pain, all three stop in shock and look to the room, they see Mukund staggering back.

"You, bitch," Mukund screams in fury.

Madhu comes out of the room, holding the heating rod in her hand and the mug in her other hand. "Rishu." Madhu gestures him to come to her side.

Pushing off the two men, Rishabh moves near Madhu. When Rishabh moved away and she had a clear path, Madhu throws the hot water on the two men. They howl in pain. Rishabh take the heating rod from her and pokes it on Mukund's chest and he howls.

Since, Madhu had took the heating off the plug, Rishabh knew it was starting to cool down. He kicks the guy on the floor, when the other one grabs his leg to stop him.

"Let go off him!" Madhu screams as she ran to the men.

Rishabh noticing Madhu, quickly wraps his hand on her waist, and pick her up.

Madhu looks at Rishabh in shock.

"Kick him on his face." Rishabh instructs her, as he swung her around.

Madhu wraps her hands around Rishabh's shoulders and with all her might, kicks him on his face and he falls back screaming in pain. Rishabh swings her towards Mukund and she kicks him as she well.

"What the hell?" Sultan asks in fury seeing the scene before him. "Call the police." Sultan instructs the manager and runs to help Rishabh and Madhu.

Seeing Sultan joining them, Rishabh sets Madhu down and he fights the men. Seeing that, Madhu couldn't stay back, she also joins in the fight. Soon, all three men were a bloody pulp on the floor.

********

"You okay?" Rishabh asks Madhu after the police had left with the men.

Madhu nods her head as she rubbed her hands on her arms as she tried to ward off the chill from the scare she had experienced.

"I don't know what would have happened to me, if you weren't here." Madhu worriedly tells him.

"If I wasn't here, then you wouldn't be here." Rishabh points out to her.

"I would have been dead, if not for you." Madhu reminds him.

Rishabh sighs, not knowing what to tell her.

Hearing a knock at the door, Madhu goes white in fear.

"They are arrested." Rishabh reminds her and opens the door.

One of the staff brings in the food for them, after keeping it on the table, he leaves.

"Let's eat." Rishabh says realizing he was famished.

Madhu nods realizing she was starving. They sit together and eat in silence.

"didn't you want to take a shower?" Rishabh asks her curiously seeing her making no moves to take her shower after their dinner.

"It's okay, I don't want to." Madhu replies.

"Madhu, they are in jail now, no one is going to hurt you." Rishabh tells her realizing she was scared.

Madhu shakes her head, she was too shaken to think straight.

"Come, I'll stand outside the bathroom while you shower."

"No, it's okay."

"Come." Rishabh says and walks out.

Seeing him walk out, Madhu quickly grabs the clothes he had given her and hurries behind him.

"Thank you." Madhu tells him as she came out after her shower and found him leaning on the wall looking out the window in the corridor.

"They can't hurt you anymore." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods as she looked down.

"You should sleep, we have to go to the police station tomorrow morning. Then you have to get to the railway station also."

*********

"I will sleep on the floor." Madhu tells him as there was only a big bed in the room.

"It's a big bed, we can sleep on the bed." Rishabh tells her, he had chosen the room with double bed for that.

"What?" Madhu screeches scandalized.

Rishabh looks at her in amazement, wondering how the panchayat believed she was immoral?

"We can't sleep on the same bed." Madhu tells him.

"I can't sleep on the floor." Rishabh tells her in finality.

"I will sleep on the floor; you take the bed."

"Okay then." Rishabh replies and gets on the bed while Madhu took the pillow and got comfortable on the floor.

They both twisted and turned, trying to get some sleep. Madhu was worried about her future while Rishabh was thinking about his past, and more than that, he was uncomfortable with the hot room and the lack of AC.

Unable to lie down, Madhu sits up and wraps her hands around her legs. She rests her head on her lap, as she thought of the events of the day and her future.

She couldn't help wonder if the sarpanch was right and now she was married to Rishu. she knew that he had done it because he had no other way to help her. but still a part of her couldn't help wonder if she was his wife? Did she consider herself his wife? She had no answer. And what did she know about him other than his name? absolutely nothing. And he didn't seem to want to share more about himself. All she knew was that, she is alive now because of him and in no way, was she going to cause any trouble for him. she didn't even know if he had someone waiting for him. she had no doubts that he didn't consider them married. And that alone should be reason enough for her to not contemplate on this. Tomorrow, she was leaving this place and they would never meet each other again.

"I told you to sleep on the bed." Rishabh tells her as he sat up.

Madhu looks up at him in shock hearing him. she had assumed he had slept. "What?"

"You don't have to lie there uncomfortably. The bed is big enough for the both of us." Rishabh tells her.

"It's not that. I am used to sleeping on the floor." Madhu tells him.

"Then why aren't you sleeping?" Rishabh asks her confused.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" Madhu asks him back wondering what his issue was for lack of sleep.

"It's hot." Rishabh shrugs.

"It gets very hot during summer and very cold during winter." Madhu tells him. "We have got used to it."

"So, why aren't you sleeping?" Rishabh asks her.

"I was just thinking about tomorrow." Madhu tells him as she worriedly sighs.

"About leaving?"

"Yes. How long are you going to be here?" Madhu asks him as suddenly a thought struck her.

"Haven't decided." Rishabh replies looking away thoughtfully.

"If the panchayat finds out that I am not here, won't they realize that we didn't really get married? They could take you to trial." Madhu worriedly tells him.

Rishabh looks at her with a frown realizing that she was right. if anyone saw him without her then definitely questions will arise.

"You take my number, if anything like that happens, you call me immediately. Wherever I am, I'll come back." Madhu tells him urgently.

Rishabh nods and takes his mobile and save her number.

"If anyone asks for you, I'll tell them that I send you to my home as you were no longer safe here, especially with what had happened tonight." Rishabh tells her.

"Ah, that is a good idea." Madhu says smiling feeling relieved that he wouldn't be in any problem because of her.

"Why are you here?" Madhu asks him.

Rishabh looks at her for a few seconds then without replying he looks away, as he had no idea why he was there.

"If you don't want to tell me, then it is okay." Madhu quickly tells him.

"I'm a painter. I'm here for inspiration." Rishabh replies without looking at her.

"That is so nice." Madhu says smiling. "There are lot of beautiful places here." Madhu tells him.

"You love this place." Rishabh points out in amazement, seeing her talk nice about the place that gave her such a horrible experience.

"This is the only home I know." Madhu replies to him.

"Where are you planning to go?" Rishabh asks her.

"Wherever the train takes me."

"And then?" Rishabh asks her curiously.

"I'll find some work." Madhu replies with a shrug.

"Hmmm.... You take my number. Wherever you go, call me and tell me which city you are in. maybe I will be able to help you get a job." Rishabh tells her.

"You can?" Madhu asks unable to hide her excited smile and relief. She quickly grabs her phone and look at him expectantly to give her his number.

Seeing the smile on her face, he finally noticed that she was a beautiful girl.

"Rishu?" Madhu calls him seeing him lost in thoughts.

Shaking his head at his silly thoughts, Rishabh looks at his phone and dials her number, and her phone rings. "That's my number."

"Thank you." Madhu says smiling as she cut the call and saved his number. "It won't be a trouble for you, right?" she asks him in concern.

Rishabh shakes his head in negative. "I don't know whether I can help you for sure."

"I understand. I don't want to trouble you anymore."

Rishabh nods. "If you get to Mumbai then I'll definitely be able to help you. other places, it would depend."

Madhu nods. "Are you from Mumbai?" Madhu asks him curiously.

Rishabh looks away hearing her question. "You should sleep. it is late."

Madhu nods realizing he didn't want to talk about himself.

*******

The next day, Rishabh and Madhu reached the police station to give their statement against Mukund and his friends. While they were giving their statement, Sultan also reached to give his statement.

"What is your name?" the writer asks as he finished recording their statement. "And your Aadhaar Card too."

Rishabh's heart skips a beat hearing that, he knew he couldn't get away with just a Rishu here.

Taking a deep breath, he says, "Rishabh Kundra." He takes his Adhaar Card from his wallet and gives it to him.

Hearing his full name, Madhu turns to look at him in surprise realizing that Rishu was just a shortened version of his name.

After noting down the details, he hands Rishabh his card back and turns to Madhu. "Name and ID?"

"Madhu."

"Madhu what? Full name?" he asks as he wrote down Madhu.

"Just Madhu. no surname." Madhu whispers as she looked down feeling helpless. "I'm an orphan."

"oh... do you have any ID?" he asks her.

"Old one from orphanage."

"Give it."

Madhu takes her ID from her purse and gives it to him.

"You are no longer an inmate of the orphanage so you should be getting a proper identity proof." He tells her as he looked at it.

Madhu nods in reply. he quickly starts taking down the necessary details.

"Aren't you filing a case against the panchayat?" Sultan asks Madhu in a whisper.

Madhu shakes her head in negative. She wasn't going to be here to handle all that.

Sultan sighs furiously hearing that.

*******

"When there is a police station here, why did you go to the panchayat?" Rishabh asks her in confusion as they walked out.

"No one goes to the police here. Everyone goes to the panchayat. Police take forever and the court case. Panchayat is immediate justice." Madhu tells him.

"Of course, it would be immediate. they don't investigate, just give verdict." Rishabh says in utter disgust.

Madhu looks down realizing that he was right. sadly, she had to learn it the hard way.

"Rishabh!" Sultan calls him from behind.

Rishabh and Madhu stop and turn to look at Sultan. Sultan walks to them with a slight frown on his face.

"Yes?" Rishabh asks as he looked at Sultan.

"Why are you here?" Sultan asks him with a frown.

"What?" Rishabh asks frowning at the audacity of the man to question him.

"Why are you here? Are you related to someone here? Or are you here for something else?" Sultan asks him.

"Why do you ask?" Rishabh asks him.

Sultan shrugs with a frown.

"He is a painter. He is here for inspiration." Madhu answers seeing them staring at each other without saying anything.

Sultan looks at Madhu then he turns to Rishabh waiting for him to confirm.

"I don't know anyone here." Rishabh truthfully replies. "I don't understand why it is any of your business why I am here."

Sultan nods. "I was just curious." Sultan replies and walks off.

They both watched as Sultan left on his bike. Madhu turns to look at Rishabh and sees him frowning thoughtfully.

"I've to get my stuff." Madhu tells him.

"Where is it?" Rishabh asks as he turned to look at her.

"At the orphanage, Matron let me stay there till I find another work. So, I'll get it and go to the station from there."

"You are leaving?" Rishabh asks shocked, his heart skipping a beat not realizing why he was having such a reaction to her departure.

"Yes." Madhu tells him. "Thank you so much for all that you did for me."

Rishabh nods.

Madhu smiles at him, her eyes filling at the thought of leaving the one person who had gone above and beyond to help her. "If there is any problem, call me."

"You also, call." Rishabh tells her, his heart beat raising, panicking at the thought of her leaving.

"Bye." Madhu tells him with a sad smile.

"Bye."

Madhu walks off while Rishabh stood there and watched her leave.

*******

After collecting her stuff, Madhu was walking to the railway station in a hurry, praying that she doesn't run into any of the panchayat members. Though, she had decided that if they ask something, then she would lie that she had gone to collect her stuff and was meeting her husband at the lodge. As she reached the station, she heaves a sigh of relief for having got to the station undetected.

Seeing a now, familiar figure in front of the station, Madhu frowns as she hurried to him.

"You are also leaving?" Madhu asks Rishabh curiously.

"I wanted to talk to you." Rishabh tells her.

"Yeah, tell me." Madhu replies.

"I was thinking..." Rishabh nervously starts.

Madhu nods.

"Do you have to go?" Rishabh asks her, nervously gulping.

"I didn't understand." Madhu replies confused.

"Do you want to stay here with me?"

"You've some work with me? Do you need my help here?" Madhu asks him confused.

"No."

"Then?" Madhu asks with a confused frown.

"I don't know anyone here."

"But everyone thinks that I am your wife, and if I stay then..." Madhu reminds him feeling confused.

"That is what I meant." Rishabh explains.

"What?" Madhu asks shocked.

"I've no one. Even you don't have anyone. We could be together."

Madhu frowns hearing that. "Do you think we are married?"

"No." Rishabh replies. "That was a drama. We can get married."

Madhu's heart skips a beat hearing that. "But we don't know each other." Madhu reminds him in shock.

"I know that." Rishabh nods. "I've no one but when you said your goodbye, for the first time I felt alone."

Madhu looks down gulping, didn't she also feel as if she was leaving a part of herself behind when she left him earlier.

"Think about it, Madhu. Whatever you decide, I'll accept it." Rishabh tells her and he turns to leave so that she could make a decision without his presence.

"I'm alive because of you, Rishu." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh turns to look at her. "I didn't save you for this, Madhu."

"Still I'm alive because of you. there is no one I trust more than you in this world."

"Take your time and think, Madhu." Rishabh tells her.

"I'm alone and you are alone. Maybe that is why destiny brought us together." Madhu tells him with a loving smile and a hint of tears in her eyes, "You have no one and I have no one. So we could be there for each other. Maybe you filling my maang might have been a sign by God. So, we could be a family together."

Seeing her looking at him with so much trust, he couldn't lie to her. "Madhu..." Rishabh nervously takes a deep breath.

Madhu smiles at him as she looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

"I've parents, a brother and a sister." Rishabh tells her, his heart slamming against his chest.

"But you said..." Madhu starts feeling utterly confused.

"I am alone now. Things happened that I don't want to share with anyone. Including you."

"Oh." Madhu thoughtfully looks down.

"I know you might have your apprehensions and doubts on me hearing that, but I didn't want you to be in any misconception and I am also not comfortable sharing it with you. so, think well before you take a decision."

Madhu looks at him and smiles, "You could have hidden that from me but still you chose to be honest with me. you proved that you deserve my trust. I'll marry you."

Hearing her, Rishabh sighs in relief and happily smiles at her.

Seeing such a beautiful smile on such a handsome face, Madhu blushes and shyly looks down.

Rishabh smiles even more seeing her blush, he takes her bag and puts it on his shoulder. "Let's go." Rishabh tells her, as he took her hand in his.

Smiling happily, Madhu holds his hand and they walk together.

*******

By evening, Madhu took Rishabh to the temple and they got married there.

They walk out of the temple, as now true husband and wife.

"We'll stay at the lodge today too. Tomorrow, we will look for a house." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods as she shyly looked down. Feeling a blush creep at the thought of them as husband and wife.

"Why are you blushing?" Rishabh asks her with a chuckle.

Madhu blushes even more as she shook her head.

Rishabh chuckles seeing her being so cute. "Come."

They walk to the lodge without saying anything, both lost in thoughts though apprehensions for the new relation was there in both their mind, they were happy too.

Seeing the lodge, Rishabh stops in despair.

"What happened?" Madhu asks him seeing him stop.

"Is there a better place to stay?" Rishabh asks her.

"It is the best in here." Madhu tells him.

"That?" Rishabh asks her shocked as he pointed at the lodge.

"Yes. Why you think it is not good?"

"It doesn't have the basic amenities." Rishabh tells her still reeling from shock.

"Oh." Madhu thoughtfully looks at the lodge then she turns to him and asks, "You are from the city, right?"

Rishabh nods.

"There the lodges are better?"

"Yes." Rishabh replies thinking of all the 7-star hotels that he had stayed.

"Maybe because you are used to all that you feel this is not good. I found it very amazing." Madhu tells him.

"Once we leave this place I'll take you to a proper hotel so you can see the difference."

Madhu smiles as she thought of a life with him.

They start walking and Madhu tells him, "Here, the people aren't that rich and we don't have much tourists. So, maybe that is why we don't have the type of hotels like in the city."

Rishabh nods realizing that this low class lodge is the best place he could provide for his wife that night.

******

Madhu was looking out the window at the deserted road. There was a single street light that provided a little light. Rest everything was dark outside. Just like her life, how it was all dark and with Rishu, suddenly there was a glimmer of light. She feels Rishabh keep his hand on her shoulder. She turns to look at him and he gently smiles at her. she smiles at him.

"You are happy, right?" Rishabh asks her.

Madhu nods in yes. "And you?"

"Yes." Rishabh tells her with a smile.

Rishabh moves closer to her and Madhu shyly moves towards him. he leans down and kisses her forehead. Madhu closes her eyes feeling blissful and happy.

Madhu moves to him and keeping her face on his chest, she hugs him. Rishabh hugs her and holds her close.

"We should sleep." Rishabh tells her a few minutes later.

Nodding, Madhu moves back.

"Are you still going to sleep on the floor?" Rishabh asks her with a teasing smile.

Chuckling Madhu shakes her head in no. Chuckling, Rishabh leads her to the bed. After she got on the bed, he walks around and gets on the other side of the bed. Then they lay on their sides, facing each other, without talking much.

******

"Seriously, Madhu? you call this a house?" Rishabh asks her in exasperation looking around the one room house.

"You don't like anything!" Madhu replies in exasperation. this was the third house they had visited that day.

"I like you." Rishabh replies cheekily making Madhu blush.

Rishabh chuckles seeing her blush.

"You really didn't like this?" Madhu asks him.

"No. let's go." Rishabh replies as he walked out.

Madhu sighs and follows him out. "I don't know of any other houses. These are the ones, I found asking around."

"It's okay, we will find one." Rishabh tells her. "We will buy today's paper. Maybe there would be something in the classifieds."

"Classifieds?" Madhu asks him in shock.

"You don't advertise in the papers here?" Rishabh asks her confused.

"We don't even have a newspaper office here. We get the newspaper here at 11'o clock only."

"The more I get to know this place, the more I hate it." Rishabh mutters in exasperation.

"Then why are we staying here?" Madhu asks him confused.

Realizing he had said that out a little loud, Rishabh shrugs. He had no answer because he himself didn't know what he was doing there or why he had come there.

"Then how are things done here?" Rishabh asks her.

"Word of mouth." Madhu replies. "Then there are brokers but..."

"There are real estate agents? Then why didn't you tell me?" Rishabh asks her shocked.

"They are day light robbers. The commission that they take..."

"Let's go meet one." Rishabh cuts her off.

"But Rishu... they will ask for too much money."

"Madhu, I don't want to stay in a lodge indefinitely. Let's go find one real estate agent. Where is the office?"

"Office?" Madhu asks confused. "One of them would be there somewhere in the market."

Finally, Madhu found a broker in the market. While Rishabh spoke to him, Madhu sat back near the shade of a tree, tired after walking around in the scorching sun.

******

"Is this the best you have?" Rishabh asks unimpressed seeing the two-bedroom house with living room, dining room and a closed kitchen.

"This is the biggest house that is available for rent." The broker informs him with a frown. "And you said only two people are staying, right? this is more than big enough for two people."

Hearing that Rishabh stops in thought, it is true that the house was convenient for Madhu and him, but compared to Kundra Mansion this place was a dinge.

"Rishu!" Madhu calls him as she hurried to him.

"What?" Rishabh asks as he walked to her. "Is there something wrong with the house?"

"It is too big, Rishu." Madhu whispers to him in shock.

"Did you like it?" Rishabh asks her.

"I can't afford this big a house." Madhu tells him worriedly.

Rishabh gives her a look. "Madhu, I can."

Madhu looks at him in shock then confused, she asks him in a whisper. "Are you like a famous painter?"

"Shouldn't you have asked that before marrying me?" Rishabh asks her with a grin.

Madhu bites her lip hearing him.

Nothing had tempted him like that innocent action.

"So, are you?" Madhu asks him again.

Remembering the lie, he had told her, Rishabh quickly comes out of his haze and tells her, gently and remorsefully, "I lied to you, Madhu."

"What?" Madhu asks as she worriedly looked him in the eye.

"I haven't even sold one painting. Painting is just my hobby."

"Then why are you here?" Madhu asks him confused.

"I don't know." Rishabh replies shaking his head. "I had no place to go and this place came to my mind, so I just came here. I don't know why I came here or how long we are going to be here."

"Oh..." Madhu thoughtfully looks down.

"I don't want to lie to you, Madhu. but there are things that I am not comfortable in sharing. Please understand." Rishabh requests her.

Madhu nods her head and smiles at him reassuringly. Seeing her acceptance of him without any demands or questions, Rishabh couldn't help feel deeply for her. he leans down to kiss her forehead and Madhu pushing him, quickly jumps back.

"What? Are you angry with me?" Rishabh asks her confused and worried.

"No... there is someone here and this is someone else's home." Madhu whispers to him flustered.

Rishabh gapes at her and asks in outrage, "What the hell were those panchayat people thinking, calling you immoral?"

"Did you like the house?" Rishabh asks her.

"It is a mansion; why wouldn't I like it?" Madhu asks him in shock.

"This is not a mansion, Madhu." Rishabh tells her. "This is a house."

"You, city bred people have such extravagant life." Madhu tells him making a face.

Rishabh grins hearing that.

"Did you like the house?" Madhu asks him.

"Meh."

"What?" Madhu asks shocked.

"It is the best we saw so far and he is also vouching that it is the best. We'll take it then."

******

"TV." Rishabh says as he looked around the room thoughtfully.

"We'll buy important things first."

"TV is a necessity, Madhu." Rishabh tells her in shock.

"It is?" Madhu asks him back in shock.

Rishabh shakes his head at her. "TV."

Madhu writes TV in the list of things to purchase.

"Wifi."

"Don't you have net on your phone? Even I have net on my phone."

Rishabh rolls his eyes. "And what about for laptop and TV?"

"TV? Why does TV need wifi?" Madhu asks confused.

"To watch movie!"

Madhu chuckles hearing that, "Buddhu, you need cable for that, not internet!"

"You are such a know-it-all, Madhu!" Rishabh sarcastically tells her.

Madhu smiles with a mix of smug and blush.

"I'll explain about the TV and internet later. Let's finish the list now."

"Okay."

"AC." Rishabh thoughtfully says. "Wish we could have made it centralized AC, if I am to do that, then I might as well rebuild the whole damn house." Rishabh mutters as he looked around the house.

"What?" Madhu asks confused.

Rishabh shakes his head as he quickly made a count. "5 AC."

"5?" Madhu screeches in shock.

"Yeah, two bed room, living room, dining room and kitchen. 5. Did I miss any?"

"What is the need for AC in all the rooms?" Madhu asks shocked.

"You only said it gets very hot in summer."

"Yeah but... you only said we won't be staying here forever. So why waste money like that?"

"So, instead we bare the hot weather?" Rishabh asks her shocked.

Madhu starts to write it with a frown, then she looks up at him and asks, "Did you like rob a bank or something?"

"Shouldn't you have asked me that before marrying me?" Rishabh asks her with a grin.

"Erm..." Madhu looks down.

"I used to work, Madhu. I've savings."

"But till you find work here, shouldn't we use as little as possible?" Madhu asks him in concern.

"I haven't decided on work yet, Madhu."

"Oh."

Seeing her look at him in concern, Rishabh lovingly keeps his hand on her cheek. "You said you trust me. So, trust me, I can manage it."

Madhu smiles and nods in yes.

Rishabh smiles at her.

"What else?" Madhu asks as she wrote it down.

"Bed and mattress."

"But there are beds and mattresses in both the rooms."

"Somebody already used it, Madhu." Rishabh says in disgust.

"What?"

"Yeah... the previous tenant would have definitely been sleeping in them."

"We will get new bedsheets."

"write that too."

"The lodge bed also would have been used by other people." Madhu points out to him.

"That we had no choice. But we use the same bed, day in and day out that was already used by other people..." Rishabh shrugs in disgusts.

"How much money do you have?" Madhu asks him in shock.

"You know; you should have..." Rishabh cheekily grins.

"I just assumed that you are a painter... I didn't think of money and all when we decided to get married."

"What did you think of when you decided to marry me?" Rishabh asks her curiously.

"I thought about you."

Rishabh leans to her and kisses her cheek. "Very rarely people think of me for me."

Madhu was affected by the cheek kiss so much that she didn't think of asking him to explain more on it.

It took them nearly two weeks and 2 trips to the nearest town and tons of online ordering for them to set up their house.

******

Rishabh wakes up hearing a melodious voice singing. He turns to the side to look for Madhu and finds it empty. He sits up and sees Madhu singing a bhajan with her eyes closed and hands folded. He smiles listening to her sing. He couldn't remember the last time he had woke up feeling so peaceful and happy. Before his accident, he had been a workaholic that he had been too preoccupied and stressed to appreciate someone singing like this.

Madhu finishes her prayer and turns to check on Rishabh and finds him awake. "Did I wake you?"

"You did but it felt nice. You sing so well." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu smiles hearing that. "Why didn't you join me to pray then?"

"I don't believe in all that."

"You don't?" Madhu asks shocked.

Rishabh shrugs as he got out of the bed. He was walking to the bathroom when he hears Madhu's question.

"We had a religious marriage. if you didn't believe then..."

Rishabh turns to her confused. "What?"

"Why did we have a temple wedding?" Madhu asks confused.

"Court marriage would take days, Madhu." Rishabh explains.

"But you don't believe..."

"I don't believe in rituals. I believe in our marriage. and to get social acceptance to our marriage, we had to get married properly in some way, right?"

Madhu nods. "Normally, atheists prefer registered marriage... that is why I asked."

"Lot of paperwork for that, Madhu. and we have time to register our marriage. we'll get it registered."

Madhu nods.

******

Rishabh opens his laptop bag and pulls out all the items as he looked for his phone charger.

"Is that your diary?" Madhu asks curiously seeing a diary among the things.

Rishabh looks up curiously and sees his company diary on the table. He didn't even realize that he had one lying inside the bag.

"Do you write diary? I always wanted to start writing one but never had a diary."

"You can take it." Rishabh tells her.

"You don't need it?"

"I don't use it. The company gives it as complimentary. I use my laptop and phone to note all my appointments and schedule."

Madhu smiles and takes the diary. "It would be nice to write diary. Couple of years later, we can read about our initial days of marriage and how it was. what all we did... how we got to know each other..."

Rishabh smiles and turns around, sitting on the table and asks her. "How many years from now?"

"Hmmm 10 years?"

"That is too long, Madhu." Rishabh says cutely frowning. "And if you manage to keep the habit for that long then you would have 10 diaries."

"Oh then when?" Madhu asks him smiling, already feeling excited about that day.

"Hmmmm how about after first baby?"

Hearing about baby, Madhu couldn't help the blush and she quickly looks down.

"What say?"

Hugging the diary to her chest, Madhu shyly nods in yes.

Rishabh grins seeing that.

"Thank you for the diary."

"Do you have pen?"

"I'll get it when we go out."

Remembering, Rishabh opens the laptop bag and takes out the Montblanc pen. "Here, you can use this."

Madhu takes the fancy pen and looks at it.

"Keep it safe and use it only for the diary."

"Why?" Madhu asks confused at the strange instruction.

"It was a new year gift by Trish."

"Trish?" Madhu asks curiously.

"Trishna. My sister."

"Oh, then you should keep it." Madhu says offering the pen back to him. "Trish would feel bad if she finds out that you gave it to me."

"I don't think there is any better use to this pen than you writing about our life together." Rishabh tells her. "Keep it."

Madhu smiles hearing that. she moves to him and kisses his cheek.

Rishabh smiles and wraps his hand around her waist pulling her close to him. "Make sure you write that."

"Write what?" Madhu asks shyly knowing what he had meant.

Rishabh gently rubs his nose against hers and says. "Your first kiss to me."

Blushing, Madhu hugs him, hiding her face on his neck. Rishabh chuckles and hugs her.

"Will Trish feel bad that I am using this pen?" Madhu asks him as she moved back from him.

"No, she won't." Rishabh tells her with a reassuring smile.

"What is your brother's name?"

"Sunny." Rishabh says with a smile remembering his brother.

"Your parents?"

"Mohan and Radha." Rishabh replies as he looked down with a sigh, remembering his family.

"You miss them, don't you?" Madhu asks him gently seeing him suddenly going sad.

Rishabh nods. "I don't want to talk anymore on this, Madhu." Rishabh softly tells her.

"Okay." Madhu replies with an understanding smile.

Hearing her, Rishabh looks up at her in surprise. "Do you know what I like the most in you?"

"What?" Madhu asks him smiling.

"That you give me my space. You don't hound me for anything."

"I do want to know more about you, Rishu. but when you are ready. I'm happy with the tidbits that you share with me. and when the time is right, you can tell me whatever it is."

"What if I don't ever want to share?" Rishabh asks her worriedly.

"If you feel like telling me then you tell me, otherwise it is okay. our future is what matters, not your past." Madhu tells him reassuringly.

******

"Madhu, I'm running out of cash." Rishabh tells Madhu as he stood by the door.

"You are?" Madhu asks him as she turned to him in concern.

"Yeah." Rishabh tells her as he looked inside his wallet.

"It's okay, we will manage." Madhu tells him with a smile as she walked to him and held his hands.

Rishabh frowns hearing that and asks in confusion. "How?"

"I have been making Mata Rani's chunri for years. I can find a job. Don't worry, Rishu."

"Madhu..."

"But we should cut down our expenses a little." Madhu gently tells him. "Maybe, you don't put AC 24x7. We can use it only at night."

"It's so hot, Madhu." Rishabh tells her shocked. "And don't forget, every night after I go to sleep, you switch off the AC."

"But you wake up and switch it back on too." Madhu points out to him.

"Because it is too hot."

"Room would be cold by then that is why I off it."

Rishabh shakes his head. "Anyways, that is not what I am talking about."

"Then?" Madhu asks confused.

"I was saying my cash is over."

"I understood, Rishu." Madhu tells him reassuringly.

"Madhu, I was about to ask you where the ATM is." Rishabh clarifies.

"Huh?" Madhu's mouth drops open hearing that.

"The money I withdrew the last time we went to town is getting over. I haven't seen an ATM around here..."

"Oh... there is one here... but I don't know if it is the same bank as yours."

"That is okay, where is it?"

******

Madhu and Rishabh had decided to go for a walk one evening. They were walking as they talked about random things about each other.

"When is your birthday?" Madhu asks him.

"3rd November. Yours?"

"27th September." Madhu replies and noticing him flexing his fingers on left hand and asks him. "Are you excited to get out of the sling?"

"yes! Had enough!" Rishabh says in relief. "Can't wait for tomorrow."

"I've never broken a limb in my life." Madhu tells him.

"Even me till now." Rishabh tells her. "When we were small, Sunny was forever breaking his hands and legs. I used to actually crave to have a sling when I was a kid. Thought it would be fun, now I realize how frustrating it is."

Madhu chuckles hearing that. "I'm glad your head and hand wound also healed completely."

Rishabh looks at his palm and now it was just a line that was fading. "There is no scar." Rishabh tells her. then touching his forehead on his scar, he says, "This one won't go. Doctor said the scar would always be there."

"You survived an accident, you should have some medal to show that you are a survivor."

Rishabh rolls his eyes at her romanticizing his scar like that.

******

"One more set."

"No, Madhu." Rishabh replies gasping in pain.

"Doctor said three sets, Rishu." Madhu coaxes him. "Please?"

"It hurts, Madhu."

"The physio is as important as the sling. Do it, Rishu." Madhu makes cute faces at him.

He couldn't resist the cute faces she was making. Taking a deep breath, he does the hand exercise.

"Good boy." Madhu tells him as she ruffled his hair.

Rishabh makes a face at her making her chuckle.

"Do you need me for anything?"

"No. I feel like painting. I'm going to paint." Rishabh tells her.

He had converted the second bedroom into a small art studio.

"Okay... I'm going to write my diary."

"Then sit there in the studio and write." Rishabh tells her.

******

"Let's sleep?" Rishabh asks Madhu as he stood behind the couch.

"You sleep, I'll come after this episode." Madhu replies as she anxiously watched the TV.

"I'm very sleepy, Madhu. Come."

"after this episode. Everything going crazy! What is Professor going to do?"

"I shouldn't have introduced you to Netflix." Rishabh mutters irately as he walked around the couch and sat next to her.

Madhu cheekily grins at him. ignoring that, Rishabh lies with his head on her lap.

Madhu was surprised at the way he had laid on her lap. Rishabh gets comfortable and closes his eyes to sleep. smiling lovingly at him, she caresses his hair. Rishabh holds her hand, he takes it to his lips and kisses it. Then holding her hand, he goes to sleep.

******

Rishabh was painting when he felt Madhu keep her hands on his shoulder. He smiles as he continued to paint. Madhu leans down and hugs him from behind.

"You are so talented." Madhu tells him seeing the beautiful painting of the market place.

Slightly turning his head, Rishabh kisses her cheek in reply.

"Why haven't you sold any paintings?" Madhu asks him curiously.

"I never did any exhibition."

"Why didn't you?"

"Never felt like it." Rishabh replies with a shrug.

"Hmmm."

"Finished your chunri?"

"Taking a break." Madhu tells him.

"I thought you have to deliver it day after."

"I'll finish it by tomorrow." Madhu tells him.

"hmmm."

"Bitiya?"

"Kaki is calling, I think she is leaving. I'll come now."

"Okay." Rishabh replies with a smile.

Madhu walks out to check on her maid servant. When it came to her doing household chores, her husband had acted a little snobbish and insisted on hiring a servant. Though she had thought it waste of money to get a servant for a home with just the two of them, she had given in for him.

"I finished all the work. I've kept the food in the casserole. I'll come tomorrow."

"Okay." Madhu smiles at her and walks her out.

"For a man who hates this place, you do draw awful lot of paintings on it." Madhu tells him as she hugged him from behind.

"You love this place a lot." Rishabh points out. "And this place did give me you."

Madhu smiles hearing that.

"Would you have stayed on, if we hadn't got married?" Madhu asks him.

Hearing the question, Rishabh shudders.

"What happened?" Madhu asks him in concern.

"I was wondering how my life would have been if you had refused to marry me."

Hearing that, Madhu hugs him tight. Rishabh lovingly holds her hand as he leaned on to her.

The doorbell rings and they both part.

"Kaki might have forgot something. I'll check." Madhu tells him and hurries to open the door.

******

Madhu was taken aback seeing four strangers at the door. and they all looked at her in confusion.

"Yes?" Madhu asks politely.

"Rishabh stays here, right?" the elderly man asks.

"Yes. Please come in." Madhu says as she opened the door wide for them. "Are you his..." Madhu hesitantly asks.

"I am his father." Mohan replies.

Madhu's face breaks out into a big smile. "Please sit, I'll call him."

They walk to the couch and all of them sit.

"Rishu!" Madhu excitedly calls as she ran to his studio.

"Yeah?"

"Rishu! Come here." Madhu says excitedly as she ran to him.

"What happened? Who is it?" Rishabh asks curiously smiling seeing her excitement. He takes the rag and starts wiping his fingers clean.

"Come! look who is here." Madhu tells him as she grabbed his hand and pulled him.

Rishabh throws the rag on the side table and goes with her. "Who is it?"

"See for yourself." Madhu tells him as she pulled him out and gestured to his family.

Rishabh stops in shock seeing his family. Seeing them after a month, tears filled his eyes.

"Rishu..." Radha calls him as she stood up, her eyes too filling with tears.

Rishabh quickly looks away.

"Why did you go away like this, Rishu?" Mohan asks him hurt.

"We've have come to take you home, bhaiyya." Trishna tells him.

"You've to come with us." Sunny insists adamantly.

Hearing them, Rishabh quickly starts to walk out.

"Rishu?" Madhu calls him in shock seeing him about to leave the house.

Rishabh turn to look at her. his eyes filled with tears.

"Rishu, where are you going?" Madhu asks him as she hurried to him.

"I can't do this, Madhu."

"But Rishu..."

Rishabh cuts her off. "I just can't. Please, Madhu... I can't." Rishabh tells her trying his best to compose himself.

Madhu helplessly looks at him.

Rishabh turns to walk off, then stopping, he turns back to look at Madhu. he keeps his hand on her shoulder and says as he looked at her. "This is Madhu, she is my wife." Then without saying anything further, he turns around and leaves the house.

Madhu turns to look at his family and sees them staring at her in shock.

"You are Rishu's wife?" Radha asks her in shock.

Madhu nods her head in yes, still reeling from the shock of what Rishabh did.

"But how?" Mohan asks in shock.

"It's just been a month since Rishu left home." Radha says in a whisper.

"How long have you both known each other?" Sunny asks her in confusion.

"I met him the day he reached here."

"WHAT?" Sunny shouts in shock.

"Please sit, I'll explain everything." Madhu tells them, realizing his family needed answers and explanation. She proceeds to tell them what had happened.

******

"You were a maid?" Sunny asks her in shock.

"Yes." Madhu replies, feeling uncomfortable at the question.

"An orphan?" Trishna asks reeling from shock.

"Yes."

"And Rishu knew this?" Mohan asks her.

"Yes."

"Still he married you?" Sunny asks her shocked out of his wits.

"Yes." Madhu nods, feeling her heart break at their questions. She was starting to realize that her husband was much more well off than she had assumed him to be.

"Is my son happy with you?" Radha asks her with worried tears.

"Yes."

"Is he?" Radha asks her again.

Madhu nods her head in yes.

"Bhai is really happy with you?" Sunny asks her in an unbelievable tone.

Hearing them asking her the same question a third time, Madhu runs to the room and grabs her phone. She dials Rishabh's number as she put it on speaker and walked back to his family.

"Hello?" Rishabh answers the call in a dejected tone.

"Rishu..."

"They left?" Rishabh asks her.

Madhu looks at them and replies. "No."

"I can't come there, Madhu."

Madhu worriedly looks at them and they all looked hurt. "Rishu, you are on speaker."

Rishabh sighs, "Why are you doing this, Madhu? I..."

"It's not that, Rishu." Madhu quickly tells him.

"Then?" Rishabh asks her confused.

"They are asking whether you are happy with me."

"Ah so?" Rishabh asks still not understanding.

"I told them you are."

"Okay." Rishabh replies in a confused tone.

"They don't believe me, Rishu." Madhu worriedly informs him.

There was silence on the other end.

When he remained silent, Madhu tells him "They all are worried about you, Rishu."

"I'm very happy with you, Madhu." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu smiles hearing that, and she looks at his family. They were looking at each other thoughtfully.

"I love you, Madhu." Rishabh says.

Madhu's eyes pop out hearing him declare his love so randomly. She turns completely pink, blushing happily at the same time, she couldn't help look at his family and they all were looking at her in utter shock.

"Do you love me, Madhu?" Rishabh asks her.

"Rishu, you are still on speaker." Madhu quickly shouts to him turning pinker.

"Do you love me, Madhu?" Rishabh asks her again.

Madhu panicking she quickly presses the button to take off the speaker. Madhu keeps the phone to her ears. "Rishu, they are still here." Madhu hurriedly whispers to him.

"Do you love me, Madhu?"

"what happened to you?" Madhu asks in shock and turning pinker realizing his family was listening and waiting to hear her answer.

"Do you love me, Madhu?"

Realizing he wasn't going to give up, she covers the mouth piece, then turning around, she whispers "Yes, I do. Stop being so shameless."

Rishabh chuckles hearing her. "I love you. I'll see you later. Call me after they leave."

"Hmmm." Madhu wanted to ask him why he didn't want to spend time with his family that he missed so much but she didn't want to push him also.

"Madhu..."

"Yes?"

"Spend as much as time you want with them. don't worry about me."

"Okay." Madhu says and hangs up the phone.

She turns to look at his family, and sees them all watching her with an amused smile.

"I don't know what happened to him. he has never behaved so shamelessly." Madhu says flustered and too embarrassed to even look at them.

"Awww she is so adorable." Radha says as she caressed Madhu's cheek, chuckling happily.

Madhu blushes shyly as she looked down. She bends down and touches their feet to get blessings from them.

"Bhai has changed a lot." Sunny says in shock.

"He has." Mohan agrees as he took his wallet and took all the money. He blesses Madhu and he offers her the money when she stood up.

Madhu looks at him in confusion. "I don't..."

"It's shagun. Take it." Radha tells her as she removed her bangle from her hand.

"Thank you." Madhu says with a smile as she took it from him.

Radha takes Madhu's hand and slips in the bangle. "I didn't know that you both got married. If I did, then I would have..."

"It's okay." Madhu tells her smiling. "I am so glad to have met you all."

"Bhabhi... you might not know us..."

"Trish and Sunny." Madhu tells them smiling.

"You know us?" Sunny asks surprised. "Bhai talks about us?"

"Not much but he does talk about you all." Madhu tells him. "And he misses you a lot. It hurts him to be away from you all."

"Then why is he staying away like this?" Sunny asks her hurt. "Why did he leave home like this? Without telling anyone. He wouldn't even answer our calls. Do you know how worried we were with no news of him?"

"How did you find out he was here?" Madhu asks them curiously as she had no answer to his questions.

"He used his card to withdraw money. He used it in a nearby town. We were searching for him there that time, we found out that he withdrew money from here. And when we heard this place, we knew he would be in this village." Mohan tells her.

"Why did he come here?" Radha sadly laments. "Doesn't he care for us?"

"Did he find out anything?" Sunny gently asks her.

Seeing them looking at her for an answer Madhu replies, "He said he didn't know why he came here or for how long he is going to stay here."

"You know why he left home, right?" Sunny asks her confused.

Madhu shakes her head in negative. They all look at each other in shock and confusion.

"You should know, Madhu." Radha decides.

"No, maaji... Rishu said he wasn't comfortable with me knowing. If he wants to tell me, he will tell me." Madhu politely tells her.

Hearing that, Radha nods surprised and shocked.

"Come, Bhabhi... show us your house." Sunny tells her seeing that there was an awkward silence.

Madhu smiles happily seeing that his family had accepted her. Madhu spent hours with his family, talking and getting to know them. by evening, they left. Once they left, Madhu calls Rishabh home.

******

Madhu opens the door for Rishabh. Seeing her, Rishabh hesitates for a second then looking down, he walks in. he walks to their bedroom without saying anything.

Madhu follows him to their room and sees him agitatedly looking around, clueless and restless. Seeing him like that, her heart goes out to him. she walks to him and gently turns him around to face her. he turns to her but doesn't meet her eyes. Seeing his downcast eyes, Madhu leans up and hugs him, resting her head on his shoulder. Rishabh wraps his hand around her waist, pulling her close to him, he hugs her tight as he hid his face on the crook of her neck. He softly starts sobbing.

Madhu hugs him tight as she placed loving kisses on his head.

"I know I am hurting them... but I just can't..." Rishabh tells her as he sobbed.

Madhu nods as she lovingly rubbed his back to calm him down.

After some time, Madhu guides him to the bed and lovingly wipes his tears.

"Everything will be fine." Madhu tells him reassuringly.

Rishabh nods as he calmed down.

"You rest for some time." Madhu tells him.

"Did they tell you why I left home?" Rishabh asks her as he looked down.

Madhu smiles and sits next to him. she holds his hand and tells him lovingly, "I told them that you will tell me when you are ready."

Rishabh holds her hand, which she had kept on his.

She was about to get up when he tells her, "I was a very different man."

Hearing him, Madhu sits back down and looks at him.

"So different that you would have never loved me."

Madhu was about to argue that she would have loved him because she couldn't imagine not loving him.

Rishabh looks at her and tells her, "I would have never loved you also."

Madhu stops in shock hearing that. "You wouldn't?" Madhu asks him in shock.

"Everything that you are, I would have seen it all as wrong, would have hated every last bit."

Madhu looks down hurt hearing that.

"Nothing is wrong with you, Madhu. things were wrong with me." Rishabh quickly tells her. "I was a classist. Elitist. Status conscious. Prejudiced. I was arrogant. So blinded by my pride and small thinking that I believed that all poor were out to loot the rich."

Madhu nods.

"Madhu..." Rishabh gently calls her as he turned her face to face him. "I can't think of a life without you now. I love you a lot."

Madhu gently smiles hearing that. seeing her smile, Rishabh smiles a little in relief.

"Right after college, I joined Dad in business." Rishabh tells her as he looked away from her. "Succeed. Go far ahead than the rest of the world. Make money. Acquire more wealth. Go ahead in life, that was all that was there in my life."

Madhu quietly listens to him.

"My family is so different from me. they are so down to earth. Compassionate people. They go out of their way to help others. I hated that and I felt that I had to protect them from all those people."

Madhu was shocked to hear him say that, the one he was talking about was so different from her loving and caring husband.

"Few months back, my parents thought it was time for me to get married. We had a business associate, his daughter, Ria had been in love with me." Rishabh stops, even without looking at Madhu he knew that she had tensed up. He turns to look at her and tells her, "My marriage was fixed with Ria. I agreed for the wedding because we were of the same status, same family background, and it was good for business."

Madhu gulps hearing that.

Rishabh lovingly holds her and tells her, "I didn't love her, Madhu. I didn't feel anything for her. I've only felt for you ever in my life. with Ria it was just a business deal for me. I want to tell you everything, without hiding anything. please, Madhu?"

Madhu nods in yes.

"Thank you." Rishabh whispers with a loving smile.

"Tell me." Madhu tells him as she caressed his cheek.

Rishabh nods and continues, "Two months back, I had an accident. I needed blood, my blood group is O negative. My Dad is A positive and mom is AB positive."

Madhu turns to him with a frown.

"I am adopted." Rishabh tells her with a sad sigh. "I didn't know."

Madhu holds his hand her heart going out to him, she couldn't comprehend how he might have felt when he found out that his parents were not his parents, his siblings were not his siblings.

"Sunny and Trish found out, they both agreed to hide it from me. but Ria and her family who had come to the hospital had found out. Her father told me that they didn't want to associate with someone like me and called off the wedding. that is how I found out."

Madhu squeezes his hand realizing that he found out the truth in the worst way possible.

"I confronted my parents. They told me everything. Long back, they had come here. Dad was planning to make some investments here. One night they found a pregnant woman lying on the side of the road. She had been hurt bad." Rishabh turns to look at Madhu and tells her, "She was stoned and left to die."

Madhu's heart skips a beat hearing that.

"Her husband accused her of adultery. That the baby she was pregnant with wasn't his. He proved to the panchayat that an accident had left him incapable of fathering a child. They ordered her to be stoned to death. My parents took her to the hospital. She died giving birth to me."

Madhu gulps hearing that and she holds his hand tight to console her.

"When I saw you, it was like what had happened to my mother was happening again."

"That is why you did everything to save me." Madhu realizes loudly.

"Yes." Rishabh nods. "All the way to the hospital, my mother kept saying that I was legitimate and she never cheated on her husband. Her husband was lying as he wanted to marry someone else and said this to get rid of her."

Madhu leans to Rishabh and keeps her head on his shoulder.

"My parents took me and left this place. They told everyone that I am their son." Rishabh chuckles sadly, "Rishabh Kundra, the heir."

"They love you a lot, Rishu."

"I know but I just couldn't handle it, Madhu. I was everything I hated. I was everything that I couldn't tolerate in others. I was so proud of being an Kundra that I looked down on people, insulted them... when the truth is I wasn't an Kundra. I was so angry at myself. I was so ashamed of my past behavior. I was so angry with my family for lying to me all throughout my life. my whole life was a lie. I tried, Madhu... I tried to go on but at home, at the office, I couldn't find peace. The realization that I didn't belong, that none of it was mine... I stopped talking to my family... I stopped going for work... I felt like I was losing my mind and one night, I just packed up and left home. I just didn't know where to go.... All that was in my mind was this place and I ended up coming here."

"Are you here to find your birth family?" Madhu gently asks him.

Rishabh shakes his head in negative. "I don't know why I came here. I don't know what I expected to find here. I don't know why I am still staying here. I just don't know."

"You should tell your family that, Rishu. I think they think that you are here to find your family."

Rishabh scoffs, "How am I even going to find them? All I know is my mother's name, Varada, nothing else. And she died 28 years ago."

They remained silent for a while, both lost in thoughts.

"How do I find a family when I don't even know who I am." Rishabh whispers softly.

"Rishu, you are Rishabh Kundra."

"That is not my name, Madhu." Rishabh tells her with a sigh. "I have no right to that name."

"Your parents love you, Rishu."

"I know... but Madhu, if I continue to live on as an Kundra, then isn't that the biggest gaali to my mother, who vouched for her chastity and my legitimacy?"

Rishabh helplessly turns to her and asks her with tears, "If I take my mother's name, then doesn't that mean that I no longer consider my parents to be my parents? That I am not their son? That I am no one to Sunny and Trish?"

Madhu didn't know how she could answer and help him with that turmoil of his.

"But if I continue on as their son then isn't that like turning my back on my mother who had fought death so she could keep me alive? I don't know who I am. I don't know what I am supposed to do."

Madhu helplessly continues to hold his hand.

"When people ask me my name, I don't know whether I should say I am Rishabh Kundra or Rishabh Varada... I just don't know. So, I am now just Rishabh."

"that is why I still haven't registered our marriage. because how am I going to fill my name? that is why I still haven't got you any proper Identity proof, because every form I checked... even a bank form, asks for husband's name and I just don't know what to fill there." Rishabh helplessly tells her.

"Surname..." Madhu says softly. "I know what you mean Rishu... all my life even I craved for a surname. To belong. To have a family... I understand, Rishu."

"Madhu..." Rishabh quickly turns to her. "Madhu, you've a surname. No matter whether I am Rishabh Kundra or Rishabh Varada, you will always be Madhubala Rishabh. You have my name, and you'll always have that."

Madhu smiles through her tears and hugs him. Rishabh hugs her tight.

"However I am... whatever I am... however broken I am... I am all yours." Rishabh vows to her.

"I love you, Rishu."

"I love you, Madhu."

*******

Madhu was keeping the bangle and money that Rishu's parents gave her safely when Rishabh hugs her from behind.

"You didn't tell me anything about how it was to meet everyone."

Madhu turns to him happily smiling. "They all are so amazing and loving."

"I knew you would love them and they would love you." Rishabh tells her smiling.

"You knew they would accept me?" Madhu asks smiling happily, the difference in their social stature was too big.

"Who cannot love my darling?" Rishabh asks her as he kissed her forehead.

Madhu smiles with a slight blush.

"They gave me these as shagun." Madhu tells him as she showed him the bangle and money.

"That is Mom's favorite bangle. Dad got her this, she is always wearing it." Rishabh tells her surprised as he lovingly caressed it. "She might have loved you so much to give you this."

Madhu smiles hearing that.

"What are you going to buy with the money?"

"I won't buy anything. I'll keep this money safe."

Rishabh rolls his eyes. "Don't be such a silly emotional fool."

Madhu pouts hearing that.

"One demonetization and it will be worthless. Buy something with that money and keep that as a gift from Dad." Rishabh tells her.

"Hmmm what should I buy?" Madhu asks him.

"We'll see.... Buy some jewellery." Rishabh says with a shrug.

"Okay." Madhu says with a smile realizing that a jewelry she could wear as a blessing from her in-laws. "Do you think they would have reached home by now?"

Rishabh checks his watch for time and he mentally calculates. "They would have reached the airport now."

"Hmmm." Madhu thoughtfully looks down.

Rishabh couldn't help smile seeing her like that. "Madhu..."

"Yes?"

"They are your family. Whether I talk to them or not, you have every right to talk to them and build a relation with each one of them. I just need time to sort out my head... you don't have to wait for that. you can talk to them whenever you want."

Madhu smiles excitedly hearing that. "I can?"

"You don't need my permission. They are not just my family; they are your family too." Rishabh tells her.

"You should have told me. I would have taken their numbers. Maaji took my number but I wasn't sure whether you wanted me to talk to them as you don't talk to them, so I didn't ask her for her number." Madhu laments.

Rishabh chuckles and takes her mobile from the table. And turns the screen to scan her retina to unlock. Madhu widens her eyes for it to unlock making Rishabh chuckle all the more at her adorable action. he smiles remembering how shocked she was when he gifted her this phone, because it was beyond her understanding that when he was getting her such a big phone, what was the need for such a big TV? They could have watched everything on the humangous phone.

Unlocking the phone, he feeds everyone's number. Then he offers her the phone.

Madhu excitedly takes the phone and dials Radha's number. Rishabh watches as she happily spoke to his mother.

Later, Madhu was watching Rishabh sleeping. She gently caresses his hair as she watched him and processed all that he had said to her. hearing about his mother, she realized why he had fought so much to save her life. if he hadn't come, then she would also have died like his mother. Madhu sits up in shock, remembering hearing about a very similar incident not so very long ago.

*******

Madhu was finishing up the chunri when she hears the bedroom door open. She looks up and sees Rishabh walk out.

"Good afternoon." Madhu tells him.

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"You were sleeping so peacefully." Madhu tells him with a smile as she continued to sew.

"I slept well. Felt like a load off my chest." Rishabh tells her smiling as he sat next to her. he holds the one end of the chunri looking at her work and says "Beautiful."

Madhu smiles hearing.

"There are some things we have to discuss." Rishabh tells her with a grin.

"What?" Madhu asks curiously as she looked at him.

"Are you done with this?" Rishabh asks her.

"Almost done. Tell me."

"You finish this. I don't want you distracted." Rishabh tells her grinning.

"You seem so happy." Madhu says smiling. His smile was infectious.

Rishabh happily chuckles in reply. Madhu smiles and continues to sew while he simply watched her.

Seeing Madhu taking the scissors and cutting the thread very neatly, Rishabh holds the ends of the chunri realizing she was done. He stands up, and Madhu holds the other ends and they neatly fold it up. Rishabh hands it to her and Madhu securely keeps it in the cover to deliver.

"Tell me." Madhu turns to him.

Holding her hand, he walks to their bedroom. He closes and locks the bedroom. Madhu curiously looks at him.

"In all the big issues of yesterday, I forgot the biggest thing." Rishabh tells her as he walked to her.

"What?" Madhu asks feeling nervous and shy with the way he was looking at her.

Rishabh wraps his hand around her waist and pull her close to him. "That my wife loves me."

Madhu blushes as she shyly smiled at him.

Seeing her blush, Rishabh leans down and takes her lips in his. Madhu closing her eyes, kisses him back. Rishabh hungrily kisses her as his hand went up her back and gently started untying her dori.

Madhu stiffens feeling his hand.

Feeling her stiffen, Rishabh stops and says against her lips. "I want to make love to you, Madhu."

Breathing nervously, Madhu looks into his eyes, and says "I want to make love to you, Rishu."

*******

Madhu takes her diary, and opens to that day's page. She blushes at the thought of what to write. She turns to look at her husband and sees him in deep sleep. she blushes more thinking how they had made love. She turns to look at her diary, and she blushes at the thought of writing about it. She was feeling so shy to write it, they both were going to read it together one day. she couldn't write it. Madhu decided.

She just draws two interlinked hearts.

Blushing, she closes the diary, and keeps it on the side table safely with the pen. Then she turns to Rishabh and moves next to him. hugging him, she closes her eyes. Rishabh, sleepily, hugs her and pulls her closer to him.

*******

Madhu was talking to Sunny on skype when Rishabh walks into the room. seeing Rishabh, Sunny goes silent as he watched Rishabh.

Rishabh not realizing Sunny was on call, continues on and opens the cupboard.

"Madhu, where is the money I kept here?" Rishabh asks her as he turned to her in exasperation.

Madhu turns to him and asks him back, "Where did I ask you to keep money safely?"

"House owner is here for the rent, I kept it aside for that." Rishabh tells her as he opened the draw inside the cupboard and took the money from the small box Madhu had kept inside that.

"But you should safely keep it." Madhu tells him.

"How many times have I told you not to move things from the place I have kept them?"

"And I have told you a thousand times that everything has a place assigned for it."

"Not thousand, maybe three or four times." Rishabh tells her grinning.

Madhu smiles seeing him grin. Rishabh starts to walk off.

"Hello, Bhai." Sunny says gently.

Rishabh stops in his track. Madhu watches him as he hesitated. Madhu watches him close his eyes in pain then without looking at Sunny, he just walks out.

Madhu turns to Sunny and sees him looking down hurt.

"He just needs some time, Sunny." Madhu gently tells him.

Sunny looks at her and nods.

"He misses you all a lot." Madhu tells him sadly.

"I know, Bhabhi." Sunny tells.

******

"Was Sunny hurt?" Rishabh asks Madhu that night in bed.

"Yes." Madhu replies as she hugged him. "He understands."

"I don't know when I can be their old Rishabh." Rishabh says thoughtfully.

"They don't want you to be the old Rishabh." Madhu cheekily tells him.

Rishabh turns to her with a smile, hearing the laughter in her voice.

"They all like Rishabh 2.0 better." Madhu cheekily tells him.

Rishabh chuckles hearing that. "I was an asshole." Rishabh admits.

Madhu giggles hearing that. "By the way, Sunny was asking why we are renting a house instead of buying one."

"Hmmm?"

"How rich are you that you buy houses where you plan to stay just temporarily?" Madhu asks him shocked.

"You should have asked all that before marrying me." Rishabh cheekily tells her.

Madhu laughs hearing that.

"Right after college, I joined work. I made money then, then I have made lot of personal investments, I've shares, I've properties, I have regular incomes from a lot of these investments..."

"How rich are you?" Madhu asks him as she leaned up to look at him.

"You should have, love... you should have..." Rishabh cheekily tells her.

Madhu draws circles on his chest as she wondered about it.

"Even if I don't work, we can live a comfortable life." Rishabh tells her.

"really?" Madhu asks him shocked, eyes going wide.

"Actually, you would call it an extravagant life." Rishabh tells her grinning.

"How much money do you have in your bank, right now?"

"I would need to check for the exact amount." Rishabh replies.

"Do you have like 7-digit money?" Madhu asks him in shock.

Rishabh bursts out laughing hearing that and lovingly pulls her cheek. "You are so cute, love... so very cute."

Madhu falls on top of him, thoughtfully hugging him. "You have more money than I can imagine, right?"

"Tomorrow I will give you full details." Rishabh tells her with a grin as he hugged her.

"What was I thinking when I decided to marry you?" Madhu asks aloud in wonder.

Rishabh chuckles, "Seriously what were you thinking?"

"That I will take care of poor Rishu." Madhu says still reeling from her shock at having married a very rich guy.

Rishabh smiles hearing that. "That you do, love."

******

Hearing the bell, Rishabh opens the door and stops in surprise seeing Sultan.

"Sultan?" Rishabh says in surprise, he hadn't met him after Madhu and he had left the lodge and that was more than a month ago.

"Hello." Sultan says.

"Hi... come in." Rishabh tells him as he opened the door for him.

Sultan walks in. Rishabh gestures him to the couch and they sit opposite to each other. Rishabh expectantly looks at Sultan and Sultan also expectantly looks at him.

When he didn't say anything, Rishabh finally asks, "Why are you here?"

"What?" Sultan asks him confused.

"Why did you come?" Rishabh asks again.

Sultan looks at Rishabh utterly confused and offended. "What the heck? Madhu came to the lodge today morning and she asked me to come home in the evening."

"She did?" Rishabh asks surprised and confused. "She didn't tell me."

"She said it is important." Sultan tells him.

"Oh... Madhu... Sultan is here for you." Rishabh calls out to Madhu as he started to walk to the bedroom.

The bedroom door opens and Madhu comes hurrying out. "You are early." Madhu says nervously.

"I was free... so..." Sultan says with a shrug.

"What happened? You had some work with him?" Rishabh asks her confused.

Madhu nervously takes Rishabh's hand and leads him to the couch. "I wanted to tell you something."

"Hmmm." Rishabh nods with a frown.

"I didn't know, how else to tell you." Madhu tells him.

"What is it? Does it have something to do with him?" Rishabh asks confused.

Madhu nods and gestures him to sit. Then she nervously sits next to him.

"Remember, I told you that I had heard about Sultan bhaiyya before?" Madhu nervously asks him.

Rishabh nods.

"Bhaiyya?" Sultan asks in a shocked whisper.

Madhu nods then she looks at Rishabh. "He was called by the panchayat. His father had died and he refused to do his last rites. The panchayat told him that if he didn't pay his respect to the dead then they wouldn't let him inherit his father's wealth. He still refused to do it."

"Why are you discussing this?" Sultan asks as he stood up furiously.

"Please... just two minutes. This is very important." Madhu hurriedly requests him.

"Madhu, what are you doing?" Rishabh asks her in a shocked whisper. "It's his personal matter."

"He refused to do the last rites because on his father's death bed, his father confessed to him that he had lied to the panchayat that his mother was immoral and had his pregnant mother stoned to death so he could marry his second wife."

"What?" Rishabh asks in a shocked whisper as he looked Sultan, blood draining from his face. he sees Sultan furiously looking at him.

"You lied to me, didn't you? you came looking for him." Sultan furiously accuses him.

"He didn't come looking for anyone." Madhu quickly says.

Sultan scoffs. "Then why are you telling him about my father?"

"What is your mother's name?" Madhu asks him as she stood up.

"Why?" Sultan stops in confusion hearing that.

"Because 28 years ago, Rishu's parents found a pregnant woman left to die by the panchayat. She died giving birth to Rishu."

Sultan stops in confusion as he looked at Rishabh, his heart slamming against his chest.

"His mother's name is Varada and he was born on 3rd November." Madhu tells him.

Sultan's eyes fill up hearing that. "You are lying." Sultan accuses her.

"Madhu doesn't lie." Rishabh says as he stood up to defend Madhu.

"It's true?" Sultan asks him in shock.

"Madhu doesn't lie." Rishabh repeats in an assertive tone.

"You are my brother?" Sultan asks him in shock. "You survived?"

Hearing the question, Rishabh looks away, not knowing how to answer that. the thought that he had a big brother was so shocking.

"I thought you were his illegitimate son who had come to claim his rights." Sultan tells him still reeling from shock and tears falling from his eyes. "There were too many women in his life. I thought you were... I never thought that you could be you. everyone said wild animals took her body."

"Dad and Mom gave her a funeral." Rishabh tells him finally looking at him.

Sultan smiles in relief hearing that. "after maa died, Nani raised me, so I never got to see him much, that is why it took me a while to realize that you look like him."

"I look like him?" Rishabh asks unable to handle that shock, disgust and hatred.

"You look like how he looked in his younger days. You should be proud, Rishabh." Sultan tells him cupping his face.

"Proud?" Rishabh asks in fury.

"Yes, your face is the living proof that our mother was virtuous and pure." Sultan tells him.

Rishabh was taken back hearing that. his eyes fill up realizing that it was true.

"Your face proves that our father was an evil man who intentionally had our mother murdered. He was the immoral one."

"The panchayat killed an innocent woman." Rishabh says in suppressed fury. "Even now, they were going to kill innocent Madhu."

Sultan turns to look at Madhu and asks Rishabh with a smile, "That is why you married her?"

"No, I married her because I liked her. I was alone and she was alone. So we decided to be together." Rishabh says as he looked at Madhu then turning to Sultan he says. "our mother is the reason why I fought for her and saved her."

Sultan nods with a smile.

"We are really brothers?" Rishabh asks Sultan still not able to believe it.

Sultan smiles with happy tears. "Yes."

Sultan moves forward and hugs Rishabh. Rishabh slowly hugs him back.

"This is Maa." Sultan tells Rishabh as he passed his mobile.

Rishabh takes his mobile and looks at the screen, it was a photo of an old photo. Rishabh smiles seeing the slender woman. He gently runs his finger over her face.

Seeing Madhu move towards him, he shows her the photo.

"She is so beautiful." Madhu tells him smiling.

"How old were you?" Rishabh asks Sultan as he continued to look at his mother's photo.

"About 3. I don't remember her much." Sultan tells him.

Rishabh hands him the phone.

Sultan scrolls through the phone as he says gently. "I never believed that she was what everyone said her to be. Even nani. This is her and nanu."

Rishabh takes the phone and look at the elderly couple's photo. "Nanu passed away before I was born. Nani passed away 3 years back. She would have been happy if she knew about you."

Rishabh sadly looks at his maternal grandparents' photo. He feels a sense of loss for having not met his grandmother.

"I don't have his photo. I hate him so..." Sultan tells him. "I can look for it... there should be at least one somewhere at home." Sultan tells him.

Rishabh shakes his head. "I don't care for him. Don't bother."

Sultan nods. "So, you were raised by...?" Sultan curiously asks him.

******

Rishabh closes the door after Sultan left and turns to Madhu.

"Are you okay?" Madhu asks him as she hugged him.

"Hmmm." Rishabh says as he hugged her back. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was worried that you might say you don't want to meet him. that you might feel guilty that you were going away from your family."

"Maybe." Rishabh agrees.

"He is alone now. he has no family. We both know how it feels to be alone." Madhu asks him as she looked at him. "So, I did it for him also... he is your brother."

"Thank you, Madhu." Rishabh tells her feeling grateful to her.

"You are so lucky, Rishu." Madhu tells him smiling at him. "You have two families."

Rishabh nods with a smile. "Even you."

Madhu smiles hearing that.

******

Madhu was watching TV one afternoon when Rishabh walks to her and without a word, he lifts her up in his arms.

Madhu yelps in shock and laughs for having her husband cradle her like that. "What?"

"Why are you watching naked guys on Netflix when your husband is always excited and eager to strip for you?" Rishabh asks with a sexy smile.

Madhu blushes hearing him and wraps her hand on his shoulder. "What naked guys?"

"It is a Netflix show, someone will pop up naked sooner or later." Rishabh tells her with a shrug as he walked to the bedroom.

"Kaki is here." Madhu whispers to him understanding his intend.

"No, Madhu, I'll not strip for her. I'll only strip for you."

Madhu gaps hearing his outrageous comment and hits him on his shoulder.

Rishabh chuckles as he kicked the door shut and Madhu locks it.

******

Sultan drops in to meet Rishabh one evening.

"I know you said you didn't want to see him, but still..." Sultan tells him passing an old photo to him.

With hatred and disgust, Rishabh takes the photo and looks at it. He almost gasps in shock. In first glance people would just assume that he had dressed up in a dhoti and took the picture. That man looked almost like a mirror image of his. On staring he could make out the tiny differences but the similarities were too many.

He turns to look at Madhu and sees how she was reacting to it and sees her staring at the photo in shock.

"I always wanted to prove maa's innocence." Sultan tells Rishabh.

Rishabh looks up at him curiously.

"But I never knew how. Now, you are here... I want to get justice for maa."

"What do you want me to do?" Rishabh asks him in a determined tone.

"All those people died. Our father, his witnesses, his second wife, all those members of panchayat, but even today, there are people who still believe that maa was wrong. I want to file a case against the panchayat. Before I had no proof. Now, you are there and you are our proof."

"Let's do it." Rishabh tells him ready for battle.

******

"I want to have a puja at home." Madhu tells Rishabh that evening.

"Puja? Why?" Rishabh asks her curiously.

"So many issues. I want everything to go well."

"Okay, but you know I don't believe in all this."

"Yeah, but you'll attend, right?"

"Yeah." Rishabh agrees.

"We'll call Sultan bhaiyya also?" Madhu asks him.

Rishabh thinks for a second then he says, "yeah, I'll call him."

Madhu smiles hearing that.

"Madhu..." Rishabh hesitantly starts.

"Hmmm?"

"You told them everything... but it would be nice if Sultan and they meet and talk to each other."

Madhu happily smiles hearing that. "When Sultan bhaiyya comes for puja, I will get everyone to talk to him."

"Thanks, you are the best." Rishabh tells her as he lovingly kissed her cheek.

******

"You look angry." Trishna points out in confusion.

"This is the first puja I am having and why does he have to interfere?" Madhu asks pissed.

"What did he do?" Radha asks her with a humorous smile.

"He is an atheist. Why does he have to micromanage my rangoli? I was making rangoli, he came and ruined it!" Madhu complains.

"He messed it up?" Mohan asks shocked.

"Yes! Just because he is a painter, he thinks only he knows colors? Even I know color combinations!" Madhu says offended.

"Awww." Radha says.

"I got first prize in rangoli competition. He ruined my beautiful rangoli. I had such a beautiful idea. He came and started criticizing it, and one half of it, he did his stupid artistic design." Madhu says as she walked to the rangoli and showed them.

"That looks like a half and half pizza." Sunny says seeing the rangoli was like split in two with either side design that had no correlation or connection to each other.

"You tell me which side is better? His blending of color palettes or my design of vivid colors?"

They all worriedly look at each other wondering which one was which.

"Tell me!"

"Both are beautiful." Trishna tells her in an appeasing tone.

"You are his litter sister; you will say that only to please him." Madhu scoffs.

Sunny gasps in shock. "Mom, Bhai is rubbing off on Bhabhi."

"Tell me, which one is better?" Madhu insists stubbornly.

"Obviously the one you made, Madhu." Mohan tells her with a smile.

"Yes, even I liked yours the best." Radha tells her.

"Definitely yours, aesthetically beautiful." Sunny says.

Madhu nods, smiling satisfied.

Rishabh who was sitting opposite to her, gets up and walks past her muttering loudly, "Why don't you ask them which one they think is yours?"

Madhu looks at him in shock as she watched him walk off. then she turns to the screen and sees them all watching Rishabh.

"Which one is mine?" Madhu asks them frowning suspiciously.

"Lef... righ...?" Sunny says in a dragging way hoping she would choose the right answer herself.

"Rishu was sitting there?" Radha asks her feeling emotional. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"He is always near me when I call you all." Madhu informs them with a smile.

"Really?" Radha asks her eyes filling up.

"He misses you all a lot."

They all smile happily hearing that.

"Madhu, Sultan is here." Rishabh informs her as he walked back in.

"Sultan bhaiyya is here." Madhu excitedly informs them, as she got up taking the phone and hurried out to meet Sultan.

"Everyone, meet Sultan bhaiyya." Madhu tells everyone as she stood next to Sultan. "Sultan bhaiyya, this is maaji, papaji, Sunny and Trish."

"Hi." Sultan says with a smile.

"Yo Sultan bhaiyya." Sunny says with the yo sign.

"Hello, Sultan bhaiyya." Trishna says with a smile.

Mohan smiles at him and says, "You look like your mother."

"You remember maa?" Sultan asks shocked, he had met her for a short time and that too 28 years ago.

"She is our Rishu's mother, how can we ever forget her?" Radha asks him with a loving smile.

"Thank you for taking care of Rishu, uncle and aunty."

"You are our Rishu's brother, you should call us Dad and Mom, Sultan." Mohan tells him.

"You are also our son." Radha tells him.

Sultan's eyes fill up hearing that.

Madhu gives Sultan the phone and walks to Rishabh who was watching them talk. Seeing her come to him, Rishabh puts his hand over her shoulder and pulls her close to him. Madhu looks at Rishabh and sees him watch Sultan and his family talk with a smile on his face.

*******

Few days later, Sultan and Rishabh were called by the panchayat to discuss about the court case they had filed against the panchayat.

"We hear that you have filed a case against the panchayat." The sarpanch says.

"Yes, for murdering our mother." Sultan answers furiously.

"Your mother died decades ago. This panchayat had nothing to do with it."

"your predecessor, found our mother guilty and stoned her to death when she was innocent."

"That was the old panchayat and how can you say your mother was innocent when you were a kid and had no idea what was happening?" the sarpanch asks him. "That panchayat might have listened to both sides and made the decision."

"This is my brother. The doctors were able to save his life not our mother's." Sultan says pointing at Rishabh. Then walking to sarpanch he hands him a photo of their father. "You remember our father? That is his photo. Look at that and tell me that Rishabh is not his son." Sultan challenges him.

The sarpanch looks at the photo and Rishabh, scrutinizing.

"that man in the photo with our father died 13 years ago. So, you can't question the authenticity of the photo and say that is Rishabh only. That photo isn't morphed. We have submitted documents verifying the authenticity of the photo in court. Rishabh and I are biological brothers and we have submitted scientific proof of that too. I look like our mother and Rishabh look like our father, so it proves that we were born of same father and mother. Then how did you find our mother guilty of adultery?"

"Again, it was a mistake of the old panchayat."

"Mistake? You call murder a mistake!"

"There is nothing this panchayat can do..."

"We don't want you to do anything. we want to end this panchayat. We want our father's property that the panchayat has attached because I didn't do his last rites. Rishabh and I have legal rights on all his properties whether we do his last rites or not. You can snatch that from us. We don't want your rule on this land that runs on the prejudiced and narrow minded thinking of you all and giving death punishments and banishments as if you own this land. We don't need a parallel government here. Court might take time in giving a verdict but they don't do injustice like you all do in the name of law and order."

"We have always done justice!" sarpanch argues furiously.

"JUSTICE?" Rishabh shouts furiously. "Remember this girl?" Rishabh asks as he pointed at Madhu. "She had come to you asking for justice! And what justice did you give her? you ordered her to be stoned to death!"

"We had witnesses..." he says as he looked at Madhu.

"Where are your witnesses now?" Rishabh asks him angrily.

The sarpanch uncomfortably shifts in his seat.

"They are in jail. For attempted kidnaping, assault and attempted rape of Madhu. how did you find the criminals innocent and the victim as the criminal? What justice did you serve then? If I hadn't filled her maang then Madhu would be dead now. I had without her consent filled her maang and you who is all for justice had declared her my wife without even asking whether she wanted to be my wife."

Hearing everything the sarpanch and the rest, discusses among themselves for a while. Finally, a decision was made.

"This panchayat has come to the conclusion that the panchayat was wrong at the time of both Varada and Madhu. this panchayat apologizes to both and declare them innocent. Madhu, if you want then you can complain against Rishabh for forcibly marrying you. The panchayat already has Rishabh's confession regarding marrying you without your consent."

"He did that to save my life. after that he asked for my permission and with both our consent we got married. I have no complaints against him." Madhu informs them with a frown at their audacity.

The sarpanch nods and continues on, "Even though, Varada's case wasn't at the time of this panchayat, we still see the error in judgement and the loss to Varada's family. So, to honor the pious woman that she was, this panchayat will erect a statue of Varada to immortalize her. and your property will be returned to you both." the sarpanch declares.

Rishabh and Sultan look at each other in shock without saying anything.

"We hope the panchayat's verdict is to your satisfaction." One of the men says when both of them remained silent.

Rishabh turns to look at the elderly men and says furiously, "Fuck you!"

"See you all in court." Sultan furiously challenges them.

*********

"Are you nervous?" Madhu asks Rishabh as they waited.

"A little. You?" Rishabh asks her with nervous excitement.

Madhu shakes her head in negative.

"You are sure?" Rishabh asks her surprised.

"No... we've time... if not this time then next time." Madhu tells him smiling.

Rishabh smiles and holds her hand.

"Madhu?" one nurse calls out.

"Yes?" Rishabh replies as they got up and walked to her.

"Your test results." She tells them and hands the paper.

Rishabh and Madhu open the paper.

"What does all of this mean?" Madhu asks seeing some random details. There was no mention of pregnancy positive or negative.

Rishabh check the reference for the hCG levels and softly chuckles.

"Tell me... tell me... tell me." Madhu says excitedly seeing him chuckle.

Rishabh turns to look at her. his eyes filled with tears and a big smile on his face. he sniffs happily, "6 weeks."

"6?" Madhu asks smiling happily as her hand went to her stomach.

Rishabh nods happily, fighting his tears.

Madhu excitedly hugs Rishabh, laughing happily. Rishabh hugs her and kisses her on top of her head lovingly.

********

"If I ask you for something will you do it?" Madhu asks him.

"You have doubts?" Rishabh asks her lovingly.

Madhu holds his hands and asks him, "I never had a family, Rishu. I always wanted to have a family. But I never got a family to grow up with. I want our baby to have his family with him always, Rishu."

Rishabh's eyes fill up hearing that. "Even I want my family, Madhu."

Madhu smiles happily hearing that.

"Let's go home." Rishabh tells her smiling excitedly.

Madhu hugs him happily. "I love you."

"I'm sorry, I kept you waiting for so long." Rishabh tells her as he hugged her.

"I knew we would go home one day, Rishu. I had faith in you."

Rishabh smiles hearing that.

"I'll inform them we are coming. when are we going?" Madhu asks as she grabbed her phone to call home.

"Don't tell them about the baby." Rishabh tells her.

"Why?" Madhu asks shocked.

"I want to tell them." Rishabh tells her. "I hurt them a lot, Madhu. they all suffered because of me."

"They know that you love them, Rishu." Madhu reassures him.

Rishabh nods. "This joy, I want to give them."

"Okay." Madhu tells him smiling happily hearing that.

"Will you be able to keep it a secret till we reach home?" Rishabh asks her with a teasing smile.

"Yes!"

***********

Rishabh and Madhu were walking out of the airport when Rishabh's phone started ringing.

"Hello, Sultan?" Rishabh answers as they continued to walk out.

"Rishu, did you reach?"

"The flight was late. We just landed. Going out the airport now."

"Okay... call me after you have your reunion with your family."

"I'll."

"By the way, I'm getting married."

"What?" Rishabh asks in a surprised shout.

"Yeah." Sultan replies with a chuckle.

"Awesome, congratulations!" Rishabh says happily. "Who is it? Do we know her?"

"What is it?" Madhu asks curiously.

"Sultan is getting married."

"WHAT?" Madhu asks excitedly. "Why didn't he tell us before?"

"Because he proposed only today." Rishabh conveys what Sultan said. "Her name is Dipali and she is his neighbor."

"Wow." Madhu smiles excitedly. "When is the wedding? Is he planning an engagement or direct wedding?" Madhu eagerly asks.

"Will you let me talk to him to know all that?" Rishabh asks her exasperated.

Madhu makes a face and looks away making Rishabh grin.

"Rishu, they all are here!" Madhu says excitedly noticing the family getting out of the car. "Maaji, Papaji, Sunny, Trish!" Madhu excitedly calls them and runs to them waving happily.

"Madhu, careful!" Rishabh calls out to her seeing her running across the road to reach everyone.

"Yeah!" Madhu replies as she hurried to the family.

"Madhu!" Radha happily opens her arms to her.

Madhu runs to her and hugs her happily.

"I am so happy you both are finally home." Radha tells her hugging her tight.

Madhu happily hugs everyone and chats with them.

"Where is Bhai?" Sunny asks her.

"He is talking to Sultan bhaiyya. Sultan bhaiyya is getting married."

"Oh that is nice." Mohan says with a smile as he looked at Rishabh.

Seeing everyone looking at him, Rishabh starts heading towards them after hanging up the phone. His eyes filling with tears seeing them. fighting a sob, he happily waves at them.

"RISHU WATCH OUT!" Mohan shouts seeing a car heading his way.

***********

"He is awake; you can see him." the doctor informs them as he came out of the room.

Hearing him, Madhu quickly runs in. "Rishu..." she calls him seeing him half sitting and half lying on the bed.

Rishabh frowns seeing her.

Madhu runs to him and hugs him. "Rishu... are you okay?" Madhu asks him in between sobs and she showered kisses on him.

"WHAT THE HELL? WHO THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU?" Rishabh asks furiously as he pushed her away.

"Rishu?" Madhu steadies herself in shock hearing him.

"What are you doing, Rishu?" Mohan asks him in shock.

"Dad, who is she? Why are they letting such people in? Has the quality of the hospital come down so low that they are letting these kind of people roam free here?" Rishabh asks in disgust.

"Why are you talking about bhabhi like that?" Trishna asks him in shock.

"Bhabhi?" Rishabh asks shocked as he stood up all the while staring at Madhu in shock.

Madhu was staring at Rishabh in shock, not really understanding what was happening.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Sunny?" Rishabh asks furiously as he looked at Sunny. "You married this lowlife?"

"Madhu Bhabhi is your wife, Bhai." Sunny reminds him in outrage.

"My wife?" Rishabh asks shocked. "Have you lost it? This random girl will come and tell you that she is my wife and you all would believe it?"

"Random girl?" Radha asks shocked. "Madhu is your wife, Rishu."

"How many times I have told you all that these kind of people can never be trusted? See, what is happening now! This..." Rishabh looks at Madhu in disgust. "This comes and tells you that she is my wife and you all believed her?"

"You only told us that she is your wife, Rishu." Mohan reminds him.

"What?" Rishabh stops in shock. "She? My wife?" Rishabh asks in outrage and disgust. "I don't even know her!"

"Rishu..." Radha gently starts.

"And Ria?" Rishabh asks her cutting her off.

"What?" Radha asks in shock.

"Ria? You do remember that last week I got engaged to her?" Rishabh irately reminds them.

"That was months ago, Rishu." Mohan reminds him in shock.

"What?" Rishabh asks in confusion.

"You and bhabhi have been married for about 3 months now." Sunny tells him.

Rishabh looks at them in shock then turning furious, he asks "What kind of joke is this?"

"Go, call the doctor." Mohan tells Sunny.

Sunny quickly leaves the room.

"Rishu..." Madhu calls him as she fought her tears and walks to him. "Don't you remember me?" Madhu asks him, her heart breaking.

Seeing her about to cup his face, Rishabh furiously says, "Don't you dare touch me."

Madhu stops in shock as tears fell from her eyes.

"Get out. If I see you anywhere near my family, that will be the end for you." Rishabh furiously warns her.

Hearing him Madhu softly starts sobbing as she saw how her loving husband was treating her.

"I said get out." Rishabh tells her.

"Rishu, just calm down." Radha tells him.

Rishabh ignores her and stares at Madhu who was staring at him. "If you don't leave then I am calling the cops."

When Madhu didn't make any move to leave, Rishabh turns around looking for his mobile. Seeing that, Radha and Mohan gestures to Trishna. Trishna gently holds Madhu and leads her out of the room.

"Why are you going with her, Trish?" Rishabh furiously asks.

"Trishna is taking Madhu home." Mohan informs him.

"You are bringing that into our home?" Rishabh asks outraged as he pointed at Madhu.

"Her name is Madhu!" Radha furiously tells him.

"Mom?" Rishabh turns to her in shock at having her scream at him like that.

Fighting her tears, Radha tells him, "You might be still in the shock of your accident. You might be having memory issues. Whatever it is, I have told you a million times that you have no right treating another human being like this."

"You have always screamed at me for people like her." Rishabh accuses her in a softer hurtful tone.

Taking a calming breath, Radha tells him gently, "You love her, Rishu. we all love her."

"What kind of black magic did she do on you all that you all believe that I could love her?" Rishabh asks in shock.

***********

Madhu was lying on her bed and crying as she thought of what had happened. How did Rishu forget her? She keeps her hand on her stomach realizing that he would have forgot their baby too. That thought itself killing her. they were so happy. They were going to be with their family then how did everything turn into a nightmare?

Hours later, Mohan and Radha come to check on Madhu and finds her sleeping.

"She had been crying all this while." Trishna informs them sadly.

"Poor thing." Radha whispers as she caressed Madhu's hair. "She always spoke of coming home with Rishu and now..." Radha stops as her eyes filled up.

"Rishu's treatment started, everything will be fine soon." Mohan consoles her.

"He has become that old Rishu. I am scared, Mohan, he might refuse to accept her." Radha worriedly says.

"Tomorrow when he comes home, we will tell him everything." Mohan tells her.

Radha nods.

***********

Madhu hopefully looks at Rishabh as she walked to the living room. he had come home an hour back but she hadn't seen him till now. She looks for a glimmer of recognition on his face but all she saw was pure hatred. She looks down her heart breaking again.

"Before you say anything, just listen to what we have to say." Radha says seeing Rishabh opening his mouth to insult Madhu.

Rishabh furiously closes his mouth.

"RISHABH!" Ria calls him as she came running to the house.

Everyone stops in shock seeing her.

"Ria?? What are you doing here?" Radha asks furiously.

"I called her." Rishabh replies frowning at his mother. "Why are you taking that tone with her?"

"Rishabh!" Ria throws herself at him.

Madhu's heart skips a beat seeing that. everyone worriedly looks at Madhu. Madhu couldn't control her tears. Seeing that Trishna holds her hand to console her.

"He doesn't remember, Bhabhi." Trishna worriedly reminds her.

Madhu nods as she looked down trying to not break down.

"What the hell, Ria?" Rishabh furiously pushes her away. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Rishabh asks her in fury.

"Rishabh... I..." Ria stammers.

Madhu looks at him in shock, feeling a little bit of relief seeing that he had rejected Ria's hug.

"Good khandaani ladkis don't do all these." Rishabh furiously whispers to her.

"I was so happy to see you... I..." Ria says turning pink.

Rishabh nods with a frown. "Behave yourself."

"Why did you call her here?" Radha asks him.

"She is my fiancé."

"Rishu, you are married now." Radha tells him.

"Mom, I don't know why you believe her. I don't want Ria's family also to believe her lies. So, I called her here so that at least her family has no misunderstandings."

Radha turns to Ria and asks her in anger, "He forgot everything but you remember. You remember that Rishu got married. We told you that he is married and the engagement is off, then why did you come?"

"Mom! You think I am a cheat? That I would get engaged to one girl and marry another?" Rishabh asks her. "That I would decide this girl is a better wife for me than Ria? You think I am a fool? Marrying Ria was the best thing for business then why would I marry her? Ria has the perfect bloodline, perfect family, perfect social status... what does this girl have?" Rishabh asks her incredulously.

"Just stop, Rishu." Mohan says fed up and tired. "Listen to what we have to say before you keep insulting your wife."

Rishabh shuts his mouth and walks to the sofa and sit. Seeing that, everyone sits down and Mohan gently starts narrating everything.

"Wait a minute..." Rishabh interrupts him in disbelief.

"What?" Mohan asks him.

"I got down a train? Me? on a train?" Rishabh asks in utter disbelief. "Then she comes running because this so called village rulers decided to stone her to death because she is immoral? And I filled her maang to save her?"

"It is true, Rishu."

"How can you believe all this bullshit?" Rishabh asks shocked. "Why would I fill her maang? Why would I risk my own life to save a girl I don't even know? In which place on earth do they stone people to death?"

"It all happened, Rishu." Radha tells him.

"If I see something like that then I would call the cops on them. not get involved." Rishabh tells them. "And you!" he calls Madhu.

Madhu looks at him hearing him call her.

"Just because I filled your maang doesn't mean you are my wife." Rishabh tells her.

"You married her the next day, Rishu." Mohan tells her.

"What?" Rishabh turns to his father in shock.

"Yes. Just listen to what we have to say?"

"What the hell was I doing in that place?" Rishabh asks them still not believing.

Mohan and Radha worriedly look at each other wondering what to tell him.

"You said you were there for inspiration for painting." Madhu answers seeing everyone worriedly looking at each other.

"For painting?" Rishabh asks her in a mocking tone.

"That is what you said." Madhu tells him.

"I paint but that is just a hobby. I haven't taken painting so seriously that I would leave everything and go looking for inspiration." Rishabh tells her in an accusing tone. "I can't believe why you all are keeping her here after listening to all these."

"Will you listen to the rest, Rishu?" Mohan asks him.

"Fine!"

Mohan continues to tell him everything that Madhu had told them.

"I proposed her?" Rishabh asks incredulously.

"Yes, you did."

"A maid? An orphan?" Rishabh asks shocked out of his wits.

His family uncomfortably look at each other while Madhu looked down, trying her best to not burst into tears in front of all these people.

"What kind of catastrophe struck me that I thought I only deserved her?" Rishabh asks furiously as he stood up.

Madhu closes her eyes tight hearing his insult. Knowing the answer to his question, he found out that he was adopted.

"Stop it, Rishu." Mohan tells him furiously.

"Why are you not believing us?" Sunny asks him furiously.

"Do you expect me to believe that I picked a girl from the street and made her my wife?" Rishabh asks him incredulously. "How did you believe that?"

"Because you told us that she is your wife. We were there when you told her that you love her." Sunny furiously tells him.

"Why would I do that?" Rishabh asks him.

Everyone stops in shock, not knowing how to convince him without telling him the truth about his adoption.

Feeling someone standing in front of her, Madhu opens her eyes and looks up. She sees Rishabh staring down at her. Madhu slowly stands up.

"What kind of a girl are you? that you married a man that you didn't know? That too a day after you met him?" Rishabh asks her.

"You saved my life, you put your life in risk and fought for me. There was no one I trusted more than you."

Rishabh scoffs, "A girl from a good family wouldn't do that. but then you are..." Rishabh stops as he gave her a disgusted smirk.

Madhu looks down hurt unable to look into his face and see the disgust for her.

"If you are here for money then just tell me what you want to leave us alone." Rishabh tells her.

"I don't want your money. I never wanted your money." Madhu tells him.

"Yeah, right!"

"You used to make fun of me for marrying you without realizing how rich you are. You told me that I was one of the few people who had cared for you for you and not what you represent." Madhu tells him.

"I told you all that?" Rishabh asks her sarcastically.

"Yes."

Rishabh loudly sighs in exasperation. "So, you are my wife?" Rishabh asks her.

"Yes." Madhu replies.

"Do you have any proof of our marriage?"

"We got married in temple. It was just us and pundit."

"No wedding photographs? What about Marriage certificate?"

"We didn't apply for one." Madhu whispers.

"Seriously? We didn't? did we have a reason too?" Rishabh asks her in a mocking tone.

Madhu gulps hearing the question.

"Did we?"

"I didn't have any ID... we were going to get some ID proof for me first..."

"What do you mean you don't have ID?" Rishabh asks her confused.

"The orphanage I grew up in, didn't get me Adhaar card or voters ID..."

"You don't have any ID proof?" Rishabh asks her shocked.

"No."

"In short you don't even exist!" Rishabh declares. "Is your name even Madhu?"

"Yes."

"I don't believe you." Rishabh declares. "You are a liar." Rishabh accuses.

Madhu closes her eyes tightly hearing his accusation, she couldn't help remember the last she was called a liar, he had vehemently defended that she doesn't lie, and that was a time when he was given one of the biggest shock of his life that he has an elder brother, but more than that, what had affected him was the slander on her character. Where did that husband of hers go?

"We showed you the photos of you two bhaiyya."

"Two photos from three months of marriage?" Rishabh asks in exasperation. "I'm sure they were morphed."

"Rishu..." Radha starts but Rishabh ignores her.

"You know, in that whole story, the only thing I believe is..."

Madhu looks at him when he remained silent.

When she looked at him, he says, "That you are immoral. That is the only thing I believed."

Madhu gasps in shock as tears fell from her eyes.

"How dare you?" Trishna furiously asks him as she pushed him away from Madhu. "If someone says that to me then you would kill that person. Then how dare you say that to her?"

Hearing that Rishabh steps back feeling guilty and ashamed.

"If you can't talk to Bhabhi with respect then you will stay away from her." Sunny tells him as he came and stood by Madhu.

"I don't want her to stay in our home." Rishabh declares.

"This is her house, she will stay here." Mohan tells him in finality.

"Why aren't you believing us, Rishu?" Radha asks him hurt.

"Because I know she is lying and you all have fell in her trap."

"She is not lying, Rishu."

"I checked my room. there isn't a single thing of hers in my room." Rishabh points out.

"Because you were living with her in her village."

"Why?" Rishabh asks her.

"For painting..." Radha hesitantly lies.

"Why would I leave everything behind and go off like that to paint?" Rishabh asks shocked.

When everyone remained silent, he shakes his head. "You all are the champion of the poor and downtrodden that you believe her lies. I don't."

"Rishu..."

"If I stayed with her there then there might have been some reason. Some compulsion. And I'll find out what that is." Rishabh declares. "Maybe she was blackmailing me with something."

"You used to call me, Rishabh. You promised me and consoled me that you would solve everything and come back and marry me." Ria tells him.

"I did?" Rishabh asks shocked while everyone else looked at her in horror.

"Yes." Ria tells him.

"Did I tell you what the issue was?" Rishabh asks her eagerly.

"No but you assured me that we would get married."

"We will, Ria. I will solve this and we will get married." Rishabh promises her.

"You believe that?" Sunny asks him shocked.

"That is the only thing that made sense to me." Rishabh says then looking to a heart broken Madhu he declares, "Nothing else did."

Hearing him, without saying anything Madhu walks off.

***********

"We should tell Rishu the truth." Radha worriedly says to everyone.

They all had followed Madhu to Trishna's room.

"No." Madhu quickly says.

"Madhu, he is not believing us because he doesn't understand why he would behave the way he did." Mohan explains to her. "Without telling him the truth, he won't believe us."

"When he found that out, it had nearly broken him. he was hurt and it took a long time to make his peace with it." Madhu tells him.

"But he did make peace with it. He will do it again." Sunny points out to her.

"He left home when he found the truth last time. what if he leaves again?" Madhu worriedly asks them.

They all remain silent because everyone was worried about that possibility, Rishabh leaving again.

"And what if this time after finding out the truth he goes to Ria?" Madhu asks in fear.

"Her nerve!" Trishna mutters furiously. "How she lied about Bhabhi like that? and bhaiyya used to call her? when he was engaged to her also that time he called her father more than her. Mom used to beg him to make time for her!"

"Why is she here now? Rishu told me that she was in love with him but they had called off the wedding when they found out about Rishu." Madhu asks confused.

"It is our fault." Mohan laments sadly.

"How?" Madhu asks confused.

"When Rishu left home... we were searching for him... and we thought when he comes back he should have everything that he lost." Mohan tells her. "So we spoke to her family. Their main concern was that because Rishu is adopted that we won't give him properties and shares like we would give Sunny and Trish."

"So, Sunny and Trish signed off half of their stakes on all of our property in Rishu's name. they even made us promise that we should never disclose that Rishu is adopted. They agreed for the wedding after that. we came there to tell him all that and that is when we found out that you both got married. Seeing how he was happy with you and that you both loved each other, as soon as we got back, we told Ria and her family that Rishu is married and that engagement was off." Radha explains to her.

"How can she lie so shamelessly?" Madhu asks in shock as she looked down at her joined hands resting on her stomach.

"The moment Rishu remembers everything, she will be out of all our lives, Madhu." Radha reassures her.

Madhu nods. "I trust Rishu. I know he will set everything right."

Radha hugs her in relief. "Everything will be fine. Madhu."

"I'm calling her father and telling him what she is up to." Mohan says as he walked out of the room.

***********

"Did you call Ria's father and asked him to stop her from coming here?" Rishabh asks Mohan the next morning with Ria towing behind him.

"Yes. You are married. She has no right coming to our house or forming a relation with you." Mohan replies.

"Dad, how many times do you want me to tell you that I am not married. I would never marry her with my free will." Rishabh says pointing at Madhu.

"Rishu, you don't remember what happened in the last few months." Radha tells him.

"Yes! That doesn't mean I would believe her."

"So, till you get your memory back, stop this." Radha says gesturing between him and Ria.

"Bhaiyya, you never bothered about even talking to her before, now why are you insisting that she be allowed to come home?" Trishna asks him confused.

"Do you think I have time for all that?" Rishabh asks her in exasperation. "I've a million things to do at office, and I don't want to deal with these kinds of kitchen politics! So, stop with all these. I don't want to waste my time on consoling Ria and reassuring her that everything would be fine."

"Why are you so concerned about her? you were never this concerned before!"

"Because there was no issue like this."

"She is a liar!" Sunny tells him.

"What did she lie about?" Rishabh asks him.

"That you called her and reassured her that you will be marrying her."

"That is the only thing I believe because I am not a cheat. I would have reassured her that I wasn't cheating on her." Rishabh argues.

"You called her and told her that you were stuck in some situation that had forced you to marry Bhabhi... then why you never told us?" Sunny asks him.

"Maybe I didn't want to worry you." Rishabh replies.

"So, you would act as if you are in love with Bhabhi in front of us?"

"Maybe." Rishabh shrugs.

"Thank you for at least not saying yes to that. otherwise I would have thought that that blow to your head not only affected your memory but your intelligence too." Sunny tells him in irritation and walks off.

***********

Hearing a mobile ring, Madhu curiously turns to check, and sees Rishabh stopping midstride with a frown looking at the mobile screen.

"Hello?" Rishabh answers the call. "Who is this?.... Sultan? Sultan who?"

"That is for me!" Madhu screams and runs to Rishabh.

"What?" Rishabh looks at her confusion.

Madhu runs to him and snatches his phone from his hand.

"What the hell?" Rishabh furiously says as he walked to her to take the phone back.

Madhu quickly moves back, as she spoke on the phone. "Hello, Sultan bhaiyya?"

Rishabh stops hearing that.

"Madhu... just called to check how your reunion was going? How come you guys didn't call?" Sultan asks her.

"I forgot to call, Sultan bhaiyya." Madhu worriedly says her eyes on Rishabh.

"Ah okay... what happened to Rishu? he was behaving weirdly."

Madhu gently informs him as she moved away from Rishabh, "Rishu had an accident."

"Oh my God, is he alright?" Sultan asks worriedly.

"He is."

"Give the phone to him."

"Bhaiyya..." Madhu hesitantly says.

"What is it, Madhu? Is Rishu alright?" Sultan asks worriedly.

"He doesn't remember anything that happened after his last accident."

"What?" Sultan whispers in shock.

"He has memory loss."

"Last accident? Does he remember you?" Sultan asks realizing.

"No." Madhu whispers sadly.

"And he doesn't remember me also." Sultan says understanding.

"Yes."

"How is he with you?" Sultan asks her.

"He doesn't believe that I am his wife." Madhu tells him sadly.

Sultan was silent as he thought about it. "He said he was a different man before his accident... is he the Rishu we know?"

"No." Madhu whispers as she closed her eyes fighting her tears.

Sultan sighs hearing that.

"He thinks I am a liar trying to cheat him out of money." Madhu tells him as she sobbed.

"Madhu, you shouldn't be taking this kind of stress. It is not good for the baby."

"You know?" Madhu asks shocked. "We didn't tell anyone."

"Yeah, I know. Rishu told me."

"When? He didn't tell me." Madhu asks as Rishabh told her about every big and small thing.

"Last time I spoke to him, at the airport. he said that is the reason he was going home as he wanted to be with his family and he wanted you and your baby to have a family. That he wasn't abandoning me or leaving the court case halfway through." Sultan says.

"You know he loves you." Madhu tells him.

"I know, Madhu. we are brothers." Sultan tells her. "You come here, Madhu. Once Rishu remembers everything he will come and get you."

"No, Sultan bhaiyya. I can't leave Rishu."

"Okay." Sultan gives in. "If you need anything call me."

"I'll. He won't be able to come for your wedding."

"Marriage can wait. Let Rishu get well first." Sultan tells her.

Madhu smiles hearing that. "I'll call you later, Sultan bhaiyya."

"Bye Madhu. take care."

"Bhaiyya, I haven't told anyone here."

"You should." Sultan tells him.

"Later, bhaiyya."

"Hmm okay." Sultan hangs up the phone.

Madhu walks back and finds Rishabh waiting for her. She gives him the phone.

"Next time, don't touch my things without my permission."

Madhu nods.

"Why did he call?"

"just to see how I am doing."

"I asked why did he call on my phone."

"Because he has your number." Madhu shrugs as she looked away.

"And he doesn't have your number?" Rishabh asks her sarcastically.

"Maybe he didn't get through." Madhu says with a shrug.

Rishabh irately looks at her. "And you say you are an orphan, then where did this bhaiyya come from?"

"He is like my brother." Madhu tells him, then looking at him, she adds, "Like how Sunny is my brother."

"Sunny is my brother. Not yours." Rishabh warns her.

"I believe that is my decision and not yours." Sunny says as he stood by Madhu, protectively keeping his hand over her shoulder.

Rishabh looks at Sunny in shock. Then getting angry, he says, "She is breaking up our family."

"All she ever did was to try to keep the family together, and that is what you loved most about her and was grateful to her for." Sunny tells him.

"She? Keeping our family together?" Rishabh asks in astonishment. "And I was grateful to her for that? Sunny, we are family, we don't need anyone's help to stay together."

"Bhai, please stop." Sunny pleads to him. "When you remember everything, then you are the one who is going to be devastated for the way you treated Bhabhi. Don't bring this doom on yourself."

"Never." Rishabh replies arrogantly. "I don't care whether she lives or dies."

Hearing Rishabh say that, Madhu turns to Sunny and hugging him, she breaks into loud sobs. Sunny quickly hugs her.

Rishabh stops seeing Madhu break down in front of him like that, her sobs were like a stab to his heart. he steps back unable to take her sobs. He couldn't understand why he was having such a strong reaction to her crying.

"You should go, Bhai. just leave her alone." Sunny tells him.

Rishabh looks at Sunny and sees him glaring at him. he couldn't help, and he looks at Madhu.

"I'll take you to your room, Bhabhi." Sunny tells her and walks off with Madhu.

While Rishabh just stood back and watched them not able to understand why someone's tears were hurting him so much.

Sunny was right, he should stay away from her!

***********

After that, Madhu rarely saw Rishabh. He went early to office and came back very late. Her pregnancy was taking a toll on her and she was sleeping very early and waking up very late.

One day, Madhu was taking clothes out of her bag when she notices her diary. She takes it and lovingly runs her hand over it. She had stopped writing her diary. The last time she wrote it was the night before their travel. Even though she had promised Rishabh she would write in her diary daily, she couldn't bring herself to write on it anymore. Because if she wrote it, it would be about the pain she was going through because Rishu forgot her. When Rishu remembered everything, and when he reads her diary, she didn't want him to go through her pain. That would kill him. hearing someone walk in, Madhu quickly keeps the diary back in her bag. She turns to check and finds Trishna.

"You look angry." Madhu points out.

"That shameless creature is here!" Trishna says in disgust.

"Oh!" Madhu looks down. Ria didn't come home after that, but Madhu had no idea whether Rishabh was meeting Ria outside their house regularly.

"Rishu is home?" Madhu asks.

"No but I think he will be reaching soon." Trishna says with a shrug.

Madhu nods.

***********

Madhu walks to the living room and finds that Rishabh had reached and the whole family was there.

"Dad, it is Ria's father's birthday. They have invited the whole family. Why aren't you coming?" Rishabh asks his father.

"Her father is supporting her in this besharami. I don't want to see that shameless people ever and you expect me to go to his house?" Mohan asks him back.

"Dad, after all that happened they are still so understanding, and you are blaming them?"

"After what happened, Rishu?" Radha asks him.

Rishabh stops irately, then noticing Madhu, he tells his parents "You are insulting Ria and her family for this girl."

"You are insulting your wife for this shameless girl!" Radha accuses him.

"She is not my wife." Rishabh stubbornly says.

"Why is it that you don't trust us, Rishu? why wouldn't you believe us when we tell you that Madhu is your wife?"

"Because I will never believe that I married her willing. I would never do that." Rishabh argues.

"Bhai, trust us, even we were shocked. Even we didn't believe it. But you yourself said that you were very happy with her." Sunny tells him.

"Might have been out of some compulsion." Rishabh tells them. "You all were here while I was in that village, so obviously you were not there to know what was exactly happening. You believed what was said to you."

"Maybe you lied that you were very happy with Bhabhi when we asked, but no one asked you whether you loved her, it was you who said that you love her and you kept asking her whether she loved you till she said she did." Trishna tells him.

Rishabh stops in shock and confusion. He looks at Madhu and then his family confused, not understanding what was happening.

Seeing that, Ria, quickly asks him sadly, "Rishabh, will you at least come?"

Rishabh looks at her and then he turns to his family, "Will you all come?"

"No."

"Dad, you and mom made a promise to Ria and her family, seeing this girl you might have forgotten it, but I haven't."

"It is you who have forgotten the promises you made to me, Rishu." Madhu tells him sadly.

Hearing the pain in her voice, Rishabh couldn't even look at her face. her pain was starting to affect him and he didn't know why.

"Rishabh, let's go?" Ria asks him.

Rishabh nods and without a word he leaves.

***********

Rishabh couldn't get Madhu's hurtful face and accusation out of his mind. as much as he tried to keep himself busy with talking to the various business acquaintances or the possible business prospective, his thoughts kept going back to Madhu.

"Rishabh, Dad is going to cut the cake. Come." Ria comes and calls him.

Rishabh turns to look at her then he looks at her family gathered near the cake.

"Come, Rishabh." Ria tells him as she pulled on his hand.

It felt all wrong to join her family as a member of the family to him. he felt as if he took a step towards that direction then he would be betraying Madhu. he hated that feeling.

"Dad is waiting, Rishabh."

"You go." Rishabh tells her.

"You also come."

"I will be here. You go."

"You've to come, Rishabh. You are my fiancé." Ria insists.

"I told you twice that I am not coming. do you want me to leave this party before the cake cutting?" Rishabh asks her irately.

"Okay..." Ria gives in disappointedly and walks off to join her family.

***********

"You are back so fast." Sunny says seeing Rishabh walk into his bedroom.

"Will you be honest with me, Sunny?" Rishabh asks him.

Sunny nods his head in yes.

"At the party everyone was asking why I had disappeared without a word for months. Some even mentioned that I had been behaving very differently after my accident. Did something happen that caused me to leave?" Rishabh asks him.

Hearing the question, Sunny quickly looks away.

"Did Madhu have something to do with it?" Rishabh asks him.

"Of course not! You need to stop treating Bhabhi like this." Sunny vehemently tells him.

"Then why did I leave? It definitely is not for inspiration. Something happened because some even said I was depressed before I disappeared."

"Being so close to death, you realized the error in your behavior and you took the trip to become a better person. Then you met Bhabhi." Sunny lies as he looked around.

"What?" Rishabh frowns hearing that.

"You found God, Bhai. you became a believer."

Rishabh stares at Sunny in disbelief. "God?"

"Yes, Bhai."

"Maybe that is why I got married to Madhu in a temple instead of a register office."

"Yeah." Sunny eagerly nods.

"Is that the reason that you were not part of my wedding?"

"Erm.... Yeah maybe..." Sunny shrugs.

Rishabh looks at Sunny incredulously. "Don't you dare fucking bullshit me, Sunny!" he furiously shouts at him.

"It's the truth, Bhai."

"That is not the truth. But I realize there is a truth and I am going to find it." Rishabh vows and leaves the room.

Sunny quickly takes the phone and messages the rest of the family what he told Rishabh and asked all of them to stick by that story.

***********

Rishabh was leaving for office the next day when he notices Ria getting out of her car. He walks to her.

"What are you doing here?" Rishabh asks her.

"I came to check on you. you seemed upset yesterday when you left the party." Ria tells him.

Rishabh shakes his head thoughtfully as he leaned on the car.

"What happened, Rishabh? Tell me." Ria asks him. When he immediately didn't tell her anything, she keeps her hand on his shoulder. "We are getting married, Rishabh. We should be sharing everything. Tell me what is troubling you. you know how much I love you. I can't see you like this."

"Do you know why I left?" Rishabh asks her as he looked at her.

"What? No." Ria quickly says shaking her head nervously.

Rishabh frowns seeing her nervous. "You don't know?"

"No, Rishabh. How would I know?" Ria asks him.

"my whole family is saying some bullshit story. I know they are hiding something from me. You said I called you often to reassure you that we would be getting married. That time, I didn't say anything?"

"No, just that Madhu was forcing you and you were trapped. You were finding a way out."

Rishabh frowns hearing that. "Doesn't it matter to you that I was married to her? that if what my family is saying is true then we would have been living as husband and wife for the last three months."

"You are not a cheat, Rishabh. You told me that." Ria tells him.

Rishabh thoughtfully looks away.

"Even if you had to, then also it doesn't matter to me because I love you so much." Ria tells him and she kisses his cheek.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" Rishabh shouts as he moved away from her in fury.

"Rishabh... I love you."

"Don't be so bloody shameless!" Rishabh furiously tells her. "Stop behaving like a tramp."

"We are getting married, Rishabh." Ria tells him worried and hurt.

"We are not married yet!" Rishabh points out.

"What is wrong in kissing, Rishabh?"

"Because we are respectable people, we don't behave like trash." Rishabh tells her furiously.

"Rishabh, why are you so narrow minded and prejudiced?"

"Ria... you are being shameless and you are pointing fingers at me? if you behave like this one more time then I will break off the engagement." Rishabh warns her. "If you can't behave with the dignity of Kundra bahu then you can't be one."

Ria's eyes fill up hearing that.

But that had no effect on Rishabh, he tells her in finality. "I don't care about the business deal. I can find hundred other equally good or better alliance. Still I am fighting my family and standing by this commitment is because my parents made a promise to your parents. They might have lost their way, but it is my duty to honor their promise. I don't want anyone raising any finger at them, that is the reason I am still with you. if you want then you can call off the engagement I don't give a damn but if you can't behave yourself, then I might convince myself that maybe this time, I don't have to honor their word. Got it?"

Ria nods her head as she fought tears.

Without another word, Rishabh turns and walks to his car. He was about to open the door of his car when he sees his reflection in the glass. There was a lipstick mark on his cheek. furiously he looks at Ria and he sees her leaving. Cursing her under his breath, he walks back into his house to wash his face.

He was walking to his room when Madhu comes out of Trishna's room. they both stop in shock seeing each other unexpectedly. Rishabh was about to turn his face away when he sees her staring at his cheek. he sees her eyes fill up. His heart breaks seeing tears in her eyes. Then she looks at his eyes. Rishabh's breath gets caught in his throat seeing the accusation in her eyes. Seeing him uncomfortably looking at her, Madhu turns around and walks back into the room.

Madhu closes her eyes tight to get the image out of her mind. she wanted to cry out loud see that Rishu was going away from her like this.

"What the heck is wrong with you?" Rishabh furiously asks as he walked behind her.

Hearing him, Madhu turns to look at him and sees him so furious, she had never seen him this furious.

"You are acting as if I am a bloody cheat!" Rishabh accuses her. "How dare you act as if I committed a crime?"

"I just want to be alone, Rishu." Madhu tells him not having the strength to go through this, right now.

"I didn't kiss her. she kissed me!" Rishabh furiously tells her.

"Why did you let her come close to you to kiss you?" Madhu asks him.

Hearing her question, Rishabh steps back feeling guilty. He hated that she was making him feel things that he didn't want to feel. Hating feeling guilty for something he wasn't guilty off, Rishabh furiously says, "I don't owe you any explanations."

"Then don't give me any. Just leave, Rishu." Madhu tells him.

"Fine!" Rishabh says and walks out the room. he slams the door shut and was about to walk away when he hears her break down into loud sobs. Hearing her heart breaking sobs, his eyes fill up. It was starting to feel like he could bear anything but not her pain. Why was she affecting him like this? How could a girl like her affect him like that?

***********

Rishabh came back home earlier than usual that night. Rishabh couldn't stay in office. His thoughts kept going back to Madhu. it was the strangest thing, he wanted to avoid her but at the same time, he wanted to see that she was fine.

He couldn't help himself and he goes to her room and finds it empty.

"Where is everyone?" Rishabh asks one of the servant.

"Radha Madam is watching TV and rest everyone in their rooms, Sir."

"Everybody is not in their room." Rishabh replies to him irately.

"Oh you mean, Trishna Madam? She has gone for a friend's birthday party."

"What about everyone else?" Rishabh asks him getting irritated.

"Room, sir."

"They are not there." Rishabh tells him angrily.

"Who are you looking for, sir?"

"Get lost." Rishabh tells him and walks off.

He walks around the whole house looking for Madhu finally he decides to check the TV room, maybe Madhu might be watching TV with his mom, how she loved those Netflix shows!

"What happened, Madhu?"

Rishabh hears Radha's loving voice as he neared the TV room. He stops hearing that, with baited breath he waited for her answer.

"You have been quiet whole day." he hears Radha's voice again.

he waits for about a minute to hear Madhu's reply. When he didn't hear anything he walks in and stops seeing Radha sitting on the couch and Madhu lying on the couch with her head on his mother's lap. He felt emotional seeing them be like maa-beti.

Hearing him, they both look to his side. Madhu quickly looks away.

"You are early." Radha says seeing him with a surprised smile.

Rishabh nods.

"You wanted something?" Radha asks him curiously.

"No."

"Then?"

Rishabh shrugs as he looked at Madhu. but she wasn't looking at him.

"What are you watching?" Rishabh asks as he walked to the couch and sits on the floor leaning on the couch.

Radha and Madhu look at Rishabh sit on the floor instead of the lazyboy chairs and bean bags in the room.

Knowing his mother's eyes would be on him, Rishabh stares at the TV because he had no idea why he wanted to sit close to Madhu just then.

Few minutes later, he couldn't resist and he turns to look at Madhu, and sees her watching him with tears falling from her eyes. Seeing him look at her, Madhu quickly looks away. Rishabh looks away, as he couldn't see her like that.

"Oh." Radha whispers softly after a few minutes.

Rishabh turns to look at his mother and sees her looking at a sleeping Madhu.

"She slept?" Rishabh asks in a whisper as he leaned towards Madhu.

Radha nods. "She was upset the whole day. didn't talk to anyone. I don't know why." Radha tells him in a whisper. "Do you know? Did you talk about anything?"

Rishabh looks at Madhu and asks his mother, "Do you want me to take her to her room?"

"You would?" Radha asks feeling a little happy.

Rishabh nods.

"I don't want to wake her. poor thing, she is going through hell, Rishu." Radha tells him sadly.

Rishabh's heart break hearing that. "You love her a lot, don't you?"

"Yes. We all do."

"Is it because she kept the family together?" Rishabh asks her softly.

"She did keep the family together, Rishu. but we loved her the moment you said that you are happy with her and love her. and she said she also loves you." Radha tells him smiling with so much love.

Rishabh looks up at his mother and asks her, "If I left home to become a better person, why did that break up the family? I don't become a better person by cutting off my family. So, why did I leave? Why Madhu was needed to keep the family together?"

Hearing his question, Radha goes white realizing that Rishabh had trapped her.

When his mother remained silent, Rishabh gets up, and very gently lifts Madhu into his arms.

Feeling, someone lift her up, Madhu wakes up.

Seeing her waking up, Rishabh whispers as he left the TV room, "Sleep, love."

"Rishu?" Madhu whispers opening her eyes.

"I am here." Rishabh whispers as he cradled her.

"Rishu." Madhu says happily smiling as she wrapped her hand around his shoulder and hugged him tight.

Having her hug him and hold him so close to her, it suddenly felt to him like this is where she belonged, safe and protected in his arms.

He was about to place her on the bed when Madhu hugs him tighter, "No... no... no."

"Sleep, Madhu. you are tired."

"No, Rishu. Please don't leave me." Madhu pleads him.

"You sleep, Madhu."

"Rishu..." Madhu softly caresses his cheek.

"Hmmm?" Rishabh turns to her, stopping.

"You once told me that if we had met before your accident, then you would have never loved me. that you would have hated everything about me. And you said that even I wouldn't have loved you."

"I did?" Rishabh asks her shocked.

"Yes. but I still love you, Rishu. then why don't you still love me? you told me that however you are, whatever you are, however broken you are, you are all mine. Then why are you with Ria now? how did you forget me? how did you forget us, Rishu? how can you hate me?" Madhu asks him sadly. "Is it so easy for you to hate me?"

Rishabh couldn't help react to her pain and whispers, "I don't hate you, Madhu."

Madhu smiles in relief hearing that. she leans up and lovingly kisses his cheek. "Then I'll fight for you, Rishu."

Rishabh smiles feeling her loving kiss. "Now, you rest."

"Okay." Madhu gives in, and promptly goes to sleep.

Rishabh was putting the blanket on her when Madhu in her sleep, takes his hand and holding it, she keeps it on her stomach.

Rishabh couldn't help smile at her actions, he gently frees his hand from hers and turning off the light, he quietly leaves the room.

***********

Next morning, Rishabh decides to go for work late and joins everyone for breakfast, he looks around the table for Madhu. he felt disappointed that Madhu wasn't joining them for breakfast.

He was playing around with his food when he hears, "Come, Madhu." he looks up and sees Madhu.

Madhu stops seeing Rishabh at the table. She starts frowning seeing him.

Seeing her frown, Rishabh frowns wondering if she was still upset with him regarding that damned kiss.

"What happened?" Trishna asks her.

Madhu looks down and shakes her head. "I just remembered a dream I had last night."

"what dream?"

"It was a dream." Madhu says in a what's the use talking about it way.

Rishabh didn't know what to think about Madhu thinking last night was a dream.

Madhu sits down and the moment the food was passed to her, she was hit with a wave of nausea, she couldn't bear the smell. She quickly moves away and gets up.

"What happened?" Radha asks her curiously.

"I'm not hungry, I'll eat later." Madhu says quickly.

"Why? What happened?"

"I don't want."

Rishabh frowns hearing that, he thinks that she was so pissed with him regarding the kiss that now she didn't even want to sit with him at the same table.

"I don't feel like eating." Madhu says as she started to walk off.

Seeing her starting to walk off like that, Rishabh lost it. "You are the one who keeps saying that we should never disrespect food. About how many people are dying of hunger. Now, why are you showing fuss? Or those rules are only for me?"

"I am just not hung..." Madhu stops and asks Rishabh in shock. "How do you know that?"

"Know what?" Rishabh asks frowning. "Sit down and eat."

"Bhai, you just said..." Sunny points out in shock.

"Said what?" Rishabh asks frowning as he tried to recollect what he said. Then realizing what he said, the blood drains from his face, his heart starts slamming against his chest. "How did I know that?" Rishabh whispers in shock.

"This is a very good sign, Rishu." Mohan says smiling happily.

"But it doesn't prove anything." Rishabh says reeling from his shock as he stood up.

Tired and fed up, everyone just sighs. Madhu leaves the dining room not wanting to have another scene.

***********

"Why didn't you eat?" Rishabh asks Madhu as he followed her.

"I didn't want to eat." Madhu says as she continued on.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Madhu?" Rishabh furiously asks her.

Shocked, Madhu turns to look at him.

"I already told you that I didn't kiss her. she kissed me. why can't you get that into your head?" Rishabh asks her. "Stop thinking that I am a bloody cheat."

"Why do you care what I think about it?" Madhu asks him.

"Are you coming to eat or not?" Rishabh asks her as he had no answer to her question.

"I don't want."

"WHY THE HELL DON'T YOU WANT?"

"BECAUSE YOUR..." Madhu stops as she looked away in panic. She was going to say your baby is as fussy as you.

"Why don't you complete it? You are what?" Rishabh asks her getting angry.

"Stop it, Rishu." Madhu says tired.

"Why don't you say what you were thinking? That I am a cheat. Isn't that what you were going to say?"

"Why does it matter? Why do you care what I think about you?"
"I don't." Rishabh says as he looked away.

"Then leave it."

Rishabh turns to her in anger and says, "Leave it? You are calling me a cheater and you are saying leave it?"

"I didn't call you a cheater!"

"You are thinking it." Rishabh accuses her.

Madhu sighs tiredly.

"I am not a cheater, Madhu. You very well know that I am not like him! I'm not a womanizer." Rishabh furiously tells her.

Madhu stops in shock hearing him. realizing what he had said, Rishabh stops in shock.

"Who is him?" Rishabh asks Madhu in confusion.

"Huh... what?" Madhu asks gulping in panic wondering how she was going to tell him that him was his father.

"Whom did I mention?" Rishabh asks her in confusion. "I know I meant someone when I said that but why I can't I remember who that is?"

"You mentioned him, Rishu. not me." Madhu points out to him.

"But who is it? Don't you know?" Rishabh asks her getting restless.

"What makes you think that would I know?" Madhu asks him not knowing how to get away without blatantly lying to her husband which she didn't want.

"Because you are my..." Rishabh heatedly says and stops before he finished it. he stops breathing in shock realizing what he was about to say.

"Why don't complete that sentence, Rishu?" Madhu asks him unable to hide her hurt.

Rishabh looks away unable to answer her.

Madhu sighs and tells him. "You are fighting with me. screaming on top of your voice that you are not a cheater. But it is looking like you are standing in two boats. Your heart is telling you that I am your wife but your brain is telling you that Ria is your fiancé. Now, you are no longer being disloyal to me, you are being disloyal to Ria too."

Rishabh knew that what Madhu was telling was the truth. He couldn't fight her on what she said. Maybe he could turn a blind eye on things that he didn't want to believe but his actions were starting to speak louder than everything that he believed in.

When Rishabh remained silent, Madhu turns to walk off.

"I never cheater on you Madhu. I never crossed my limit with Ria. Forget Ria, I have never crossed my limit with anyone." Rishabh tells her, because he wanted her to know and understand him.

"Says the man who gave my place to another girl without a thought for me." Madhu whispers and walks off.

Rishabh stood rooted to the ground unable to handle that big an accusation, and he knew that it was the truth too.

***********

"I am so glad you called to meet." Ria says excitedly.

"I think we should take a break." Rishabh bluntly tells her.

"What?" Ria stops in shock hearing him.

"Till I clear my head and know for sure that Madhu is not someone I had willingly married; I don't want anything to do with you." Rishabh tells her.

"Rishabh, you didn't marry her willingly." Ria vehemently argues.

"I don't know that for sure."

"Why would you marry a girl like Madhu?" Ria asks him. "Just think, Rishabh."

"There is nothing wrong with Madhu." Rishabh vehemently defends her.

Ria was shocked to hear that. she reminds him, "Rishabh, she was a maid. She was an orphan. Why would the great Rishabh Kundra marry a girl like her?"

Rishabh furiously looks away. He had no answer to that. he fucking had no answer to that.

"Rishabh, just think what is happening... you are proving yourself right."

"What?" Rishabh turns to her in confusion.

"Madhu manipulated your family. Now she is manipulating you."

"Madhu is not manipulative." Rishabh argues frowning furiously.

"She turned your whole family against you."

Rishabh looks at her in shocked outrage. "My family is not against me. they are standing by Madhu."

Ria was shocked hearing that. "She is so manipulative that you don't even see that. If she is not, then how did you end up married to a stranger?"

Rishabh closes his eyes tired as he couldn't come up with a logical answer to that. "Till I sort it out, our engagement is off. you are free to move on or marry anyone you want."

"I love you, Rishabh." Ria tells him desperately. "I waited for you all these months."

"Ria... I..."

"You asked me to wait for you and I did."

Rishabh helplessly stops.

"You take your time, sort out your issues, but we will be together. I'll support you, Rishabh."

"I am not ready to leave Madhu right now." Rishabh tells her in finality.

"Don't. I'll stand by you."

"Madhu is not willing to share me with anyone. Why are you ready to share me with her?"

"Because I love you more than she ever could." Ria tells him as she held him by his shoulders.

"Don't touch me, Ria. I am starting to believe myself to be a married man." Rishabh tells her as he pointedly looked at her hand.

"She is manipulating you, Rishabh. You always protected your family against these kind of gold diggers. Now you are falling prey to them."

"Madhu, is not..." Rishabh starts vehemently.

"If you fall weak then who will protect your family, Rishabh?" Ria asks him.

And his family was Rishabh's Achilles' heel.

***********

Rishabh walks to his home with Ria and finds Madhu sitting and sewing.

"What are you doing?" Rishabh asks her curiously.

Madhu looks up and noticing Ria with him, she looks down at the chunri and continues sewing. "Three days later, Maaji is planning a puja at home and I am making Mata ki chunri."

"Okay." Rishabh replies as he remained there, not knowing how to share his decision to Madhu.

"Anything else?" Madhu asks him.

"I am not breaking my engagement with Ria." Rishabh tells her, his heart slamming against his chest.

Madhu's hand stills hearing that. then composing herself, she continues to sew. "Okay, I'll leave then."

"What?" Rishabh whispers in shock, his heart skipping a beat.

"Sultan bhaiyya had told me I can stay with him. I told maaji that I will help her with the puja I'll leave after that."

"Madhu, please don't make it so hard." Rishabh tells her hurt and panic hitting him at the thought of her going away.

"No, I'll make it harder on myself and stay here and watch my husband flaunting his fiancé."

"Have I ever flaunted Ria?" Rishabh asks her angrily.

Madhu looks up and looks behind Rishabh at Ria. "Oh husband, I think you didn't realize then, your darling Ria followed you into my home."

"Don't you dare ever call her my darling." Rishabh furiously tells her.

"What is she doing in my home then?" Madhu asks him as she stood up to face him.

"Your home?" Ria asks furiously, trying to overcome the insult Rishabh had rendered her. "This is not your home! This is Kundra Mansion."

"Don't you dare ever take that tone with my wife!" Rishabh furiously tells her.

"Wife?" Ria gulps in shock.

Realizing that he called Madhu his wife so openly, Rishabh turns to Madhu in shock and sees her smugly smiling at him.

Madhu leans up and pecks him on his lips. "I knew you wouldn't let me leave husband."

"What?" Rishabh whispers in shock.

Grinning Madhu starts to walk off, then stopping she says, "Oh and..." she turns back to look at Rishabh and asks him rather smugly, "How did I get to the bedroom from TV room?"

Rishabh gulps hearing that.

"I know it was no dream." Madhu tells him with a smirk. Then turning around, she sings and walks off. "Bhai bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao"

For a few seconds, Rishabh was so mesmerized hearing her sing.

"When I kissed your cheek you called me a tramp and when that..."

"Don't say a word." Rishabh warns her and declares. "Engagement is off, Ria."

Rishabh was about to walk off when she asks him. "What about your parents' promise?"

***********

"I don't go for these parties!" Rishabh irately tells Ria.

Madhu looks up from the chunri she was working on. After the scene yesterday, she hadn't seen Rishabh. She sees Ria following Rishabh into the living room. she looks at the family and they all were watching the scene with a fed up face.

"I know, Rishabh but this is a family function and you have to come with me." Ria tells him adamantly.

"I am busy." Rishabh replies.

"You don't even spend time with me." Ria complains.

"I am going through a million problems and you expect me to spend time with you?" Rishabh asks her.

"We decided that we sort out everything together, right?"

"Stop eating my brains and go home!"

"What is wrong with you, Ria?" Madhu asks her in shock as she stood up.

Rishabh looks at Madhu with a frown hearing her. Madhu had never confronted Ria.

"You don't talk to me." Ria angrily tells her.

"I just don't understand you, Ria." Madhu tells her completely clueless before Rishabh could say anything to Ria.

"What is your problem?" Ria asks her furiously.

"That is what I am asking you." Madhu tells her. "What is wrong with you? what are you lacking?"

"Lacking? Me?" Ria asks in fury. "Will you answer your so called wife, Rishabh?"

"Why? You can't fight your battles by yourself? You need him to fight it for you?" Madhu asks her in a mocking tone.

Rishabh's eyes widen in shock and his lips starts twitching into a smile seeing that Madhu was serious when she said she was going to fight for him. He looks to his family, sees that each and every one of them were smiling proudly.

"How dare you?" Ria asks her furiously. "How dare you talk to me like that? you bloody servant! You are hanging on to him for his money and you are insulting me?"

"Stop it, Ria." Rishabh tells her in an angry tone hearing her insult Madhu.

"You ask her to stop it! How dare she..."

"You are right." Madhu cuts her off. "I was a maid. I am an orphan. I don't know who my parents are. I am a pauper. I was at my most desperate moment. and that was the moment Rishu asked me to marry him. I had nothing to offer him. he knew that very well. all he wanted was me."

Ria scoffs hearing that. "Yeah right."

While Rishabh listened intently.

"It is true. I don't have a rich father or high society family. My father didn't have any business deal to offer Rishu. still he chose me. can you say the same for yourself?" Madhu asks her.

Ria turns red hearing that.

"If your father says he has no business to offer Rishu, he will dump you on the spot." Madhu tells her. "You see, it is pretty obvious to all of us here that you are not what he wants, it is your father's business."

"It is me that he wants." Ria says in fury.

Madhu looks at Rishabh and he was looking at her in astonishment. Without taking her eyes off Rishabh, she tells Ria, "Why don't you ask him to say that? I guarantee you that he won't say it. Because he had told me that he was an asshole but one thing he is not is a liar and a cheat." Then turning to look at Ria, she tells her, "I challenge you to ask him that."

Ria furiously glares at Madhu, her eyes filling with angry tears, not having the courage to do that.

"I thought so." Madhu replies. "So, that is why I am wondering... what is wrong with you? is there something the problem with you? that you are so desperate to marry a man who treats you like shit. That too a married man!"

When Ria remains silent, Madhu shakes her head, "Tsk.. tsk... tsk... even on the worst day of my life, I have lived with more self-respect than this."

"He is not marrying me for business!" Ria vehemently argues.

"Really? It is news to me because that is what he told me. he told me that he agreed for the wedding because you both were of the same status, same family background, and it was good for business. He never felt anything for you. it was just a business deal for him."

Rishabh stares Madhu in astonishment, because those were his exact thoughts when he had decided to marry Ria.

"He is not marrying me for business!" Ria argues.

"No?" Madhu asks her in a mocking tone.

"His parents promised my parents. And he is marrying me to keep that promise." Ria furiously tells them.

Madhu looks at Rishabh in shock.

"Is that true, Rishu?" Mohan asks Rishabh in shock.

"You both promised her, Dad." Rishabh reminds them.

"It was her father who..." Mohan starts.

"So not even for you?" Madhu loudly cuts him off.

Mohan stops realizing what he was about to say.

"So he is not marrying you for you or your family. He is just keeping a promise?" Madhu asks Ria in shock.

"You don't have to keep this promise, Rishu. we had broken it with her family." Mohan tells him.

"What about the promise Rishabh made to me?" Ria asks them furiously.

"A promise which only you are aware of." Madhu points out.

"Your marriage to him is also something only you are aware of." Ria points out.

"Really?" Madhu asks with a mocking smile.

"Yes!"

"They all know." Madhu says pointing at the family. Then she asks, "And what did Rishabh call me yesterday? I am sure you still remember that."

Ria looks away hearing that.

"Do you want to enlighten her, husband?" Madhu asks him.

Rishabh who was frowning, asks Ria with a frown. "What was the promise I made to you?"

"that you would marry me."

"When?" Rishabh asks her.

"After you sort out everything with Madhu." Ria replies as she glared at Madhu.

"So, you were aware of my marriage with Madhu." Rishabh points out.

"What?"

"You knew about Madhu's and my marriage. THEN HOW DARE YOU CALL MY WIFE A LIAR?" Rishabh furiously asks her.

"What?" Ria asks in shock. "Rishabh... she forced you..."

"How dare you come into our home and call my wife a liar?" Rishabh asks her again.

"she was accusing me... so, I..."

"So, you would call my Madhu a liar?" Rishabh asks her furiously.

"Calm down, husband. She doesn't know that you are fiercely protective of me." Madhu tells him as she gently ran her hand over his arms.

"Get out, Ria." Rishabh tells her.

"Rishabh, I..."

"What capacity, Ria?" Madhu asks amazed. "You still have the strength to take in more insults?"

Ria furiously glares at Madhu as she shook in anger, humiliation.

"Why don't you go home, recharge and come back tomorrow for your next round of insults?" Madhu asks her.

"Leave, Ria." Rishabh tells her. "And don't come back here."

"What about your promise?"

Madhu turns to Rishabh and sees him furious, as if he was biting down words from spilling.

"Say it... I know you want to." Madhu tells him with a teasing grin.

Rishabh turns to Madhu and gives her an exasperated look.

Madhu sighs dramatically. "Okay, you can do it tomorrow then when she comes back for more insults. For today, you did good." Madhu tells him as she patted on his biceps like a proud mother hen.

Rishabh scowls at her while Ria furiously left.

Sunny runs to Madhu happily hugs her and loudly kisses her on her cheek. "I told you Mom, Bhai was rubbing off on Bhabhi!"

Madhu chuckles then looking at Rishabh she says. "If I didn't stand up to her then my husband would have been very disappointed in me."

"Now stand up to your stupid husband too." Trishna tells her.

"He is coming around." Madhu tells her as she grinned at Rishabh.

Rishabh couldn't help smile hearing her.

Seeing him smile at her, Madhu grins even more.

"Let's dance." Sunny tells her as he pulled her for ball dance.

Chuckling Madhu holds his hand.

"Sing Bhabhi." Sunny tells her.

"Una mattina mi sono alzato, Bhai bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao, Una mattina mi sono azalto, E ho trovato l'invasor." Madhu sings as she danced with Sunny.

Rishabh closes his eyes in exasperation. she and her silly crush on that damned Professor. Then he stops in shock, frowning. Now, who the fuck is this Professor?

*******

"Aren't you tired?" Rishabh asks her as he stood next to her.

"I am used to it." Madhu replies as she looked up at him.

Rishabh sits next to her and looks at the chunri "This is beautiful."

"Thank you." Madhu says smiling.

"Do you want me to get you a sewing machine?" Rishabh asks her.

Madhu smiles and shakes her head in negative, "It is handwork."

"You make it often?"

"I used to make them for a shop to sell."

"You were a maid, right?"

"before marriage."

"And after marriage?" Rishabh asks confused.

"I used to make chunris for a store."

"And I allowed that?" Rishabh asks shocked.

"Why do I need your permission?" Madhu asks him.

"My wife doing such menial jobs..."

"You never demeaned any jobs, Rishu. you knew every job had a dignity." Madhu tells him frowning.

"This... Madhu... this... I don't understand." Rishabh tells her tired.

"Your thinking was small, Rishu but you did become the best version of yourself." Madhu tells him. "And I fell in love with that man."

"How did I become that man?" Rishabh asks her helplessly.

Madhu looks away hearing the question.

"Madhu, I just can't believe that I married you. I can't believe that I broke my parents promise like that."

"Do you believe that Ria was telling the truth about you calling her?" Madhu asks him.

"That was the only thing that made sense to me. that I at least did that."

"That you were this perfect gentleman that you want to believe yourself to be. That you wouldn't stain your perfect bloodline by mixing with someone like me? that you would never cheat on anyone? You are above all that."

Rishabh looks down in humiliation and disgust at himself for his way of thinking. "Yes."

Madhu looks away hurt.

"If I married you because I wanted to, then why do you still look like a lower middle class girl?"

"Because you had learned to accept people the way they were. You had stopped judging people by their bank balance, blood, family ties or clothes."

"What made me change, Madhu? how much ever I try to accept that I chose you, these things come and stick like a question mark. I don't have any answers to those, Madhu." Rishabh helplessly tells her.

"Does it bother you that your wife was a maid and an orphan? That she doesn't know her lineage?"

"Why did I leave home, Madhu?" Rishabh asks her instead of replying.

Hearing the question, she looks away. she knew he had been asking this question to every family member. She had been hoping he wouldn't ask her and had been relieved too when he hadn't made any moves to ask her, because she didn't want to lie to him.

"You said that I told you, however broken I was I was all yours. Why was I broken, Madhu? What happened that I left my family and went away?" Rishabh asks her helplessly. "What happened, Madhu? that you had to come and help us become a family again?"

Madhu nervously looks down wondering how to answer him.

"Please tell me... if you can give me an answer that I find remotely even convincing, I swear to you, I'll accept you as my wife." Rishabh tells her as he looked at her.

"Accept me? You don't have to do me any favor, Rishu. you don't have to make any sacrifices with your life. if you think I am not good enough to be your wife then I'll go. You can marry whoever you think..."

Rishabh furiously cups her face and tells her, "Don't you dare ever say that again. you very well know that I can't live without you. don't ever talk about leaving me!"

Madhu stops in shock, her heart skipping a beat, hope rising in her heart, "Do you mean that or..."

"Asshole Rishabh is telling you that, not the so called better version." Rishabh tells her.

"Rishabh 2.0 Sunny used to call you that." Madhu tells him chuckling, her eyes filling up with tears.

Rishabh chuckles hearing that.

"Please tell me, Madhu."

Madhu looks away helplessly.

"Whatever it is our family and I survived once, we can survive again." Rishabh promises her that.

"Please Rishu, I can't tell you that. please don't make me do it." Madhu pleads him as she cried.

"Don't cry, love... please don't cry." Rishabh tells her quickly wiping her tears. "You've always given me my space. You've always accepted me for me. you never forced me to do anything, and I will also not do that to you. you tell me when you are ready."

Hearing him say that, Madhu tells him hopefully. "Maybe like how all these are coming back to you, you'll remember everything."

"Maybe." Rishabh agrees as he looked away.

Madhu keeps her hand on his. "Rishu..."

"I am scared, Madhu." Rishabh confesses as he looked down.

"Why, Rishu?"

"That Rishabh was worthy of you. This Rishabh doesn't deserve you, Madhu. what if the journey for this Rishabh to become your that Rishabh take too long?"

"You are not the same Rishabh that I saw at the hospital or the next day. you have come a long way from that Rishabh." Madhu tells him.

"I hurt you a lot." Rishabh says his eyes filling up remembering the way he had behaved with her.

"It's okay. I forgive you."

"I was so cruel. Why didn't you leave me, Madhu?" Rishabh asks her as he looked at her.

"You should actually thank Ria for that." Madhu tells him chuckling.

"What?" Rishabh asks her shocked.

"If she wasn't there then I might have given up and left thinking I wasn't worthy of you. that you had married me because you really thought you couldn't do any better."

"Don't ever think like that. you are my blessing."

"Words like blessings from an atheist sounds strange." Madhu teases him.

Rishabh chuckles.

"Does it bother you that I am an orphan and was a maid?"

"You being orphan is not your fault, Madhu. And you were earning a living. You were living a life with dignity. You weren't robbing or stealing from others. You were self-reliant. I am proud that you are my wife. I love you, Madhu."

"I love you, Rishu." Madhu tells him smiling.

Rishabh smiles as he lovingly caressed her cheek. "So, you were all set to leave me?"

"But that Ria was here and I had to protect my low IQ husband from her."

Rishabh chuckles hearing that. "I think she was lying."

"Even now you are just thinking?" Madhu asks him exasperated.

"I know." Rishabh corrects himself. "She is a liar."

"If you weren't clouded by your prejudiced thinking then you could have proved her a liar in a minute." Madhu scoffs at him.

"How?" Rishabh asks her surprised.

"I am not going to spoon feed you everything. That is not how we roll." Madhu arrogantly tells him.

Rishabh bursts out laughing he moves to her and takes her lips in his.

*******

"Good morning, love." Rishabh whispers seeing Madhu wake up.

Madhu turns to look at him and smiles feeling happy and joyous. "I forgot the last time we woke up like this."

"It was the day we took our flight here." Rishabh tells her.

"You remember?" Madhu asks shocked leaning up.

"Just guessing." Rishabh cheekily tells her.

Madhu chuckles hearing that. "I missed you, Rishu."

"I am so happy that I found my way back to you, Madhu." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu moves to him and hugs him happily. Rishabh hugs her lovingly.

"There is something I want to tell you." Madhu tells him.

"Yeah tell me." Rishabh tells her as he snuggled her.

"Later. One at a time."

"Why? Tell me now."

"Actually you already know, you just forgot." Madhu cheekily tells him.

"Oh that's news to me." Rishabh says sarcastically.

Madhu laughs. "Come, let's go tell everyone that we are together."

*******

"Bhabhi, when did you wake up? I didn't see you when I woke up." Trishna asks Madhu seeing her walk in followed by Rishabh.

"Actually, I just want to tell you all something." Rishabh says not wanting Madhu to get embarrassed answering Trishna's question.

"What?" Radha asks curiously.

"I don't know whether you all remember it, I definitely don't." Rishabh starts.

"what?" Mohan asks confused.

Keeping his hand on Madhu's shoulder, he pulls her close to him, "Everyone meet my wife, Madhubala Rishabh Kundra."

"what?" Trishna jumps up in shock.

"Whom, I love very very much."

"You remember everything?" Sunny asks excited.

"Nope."

"Then?" Radha asks excitedly smiling.

"Then...? I am going to try being a worthy husband to Madhu." Rishabh happily vows.

"You were an amazing husband." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh grins.

Seeing them so happy together, everyone happily hugs them.

*******

"Sultan bhaiyya!" Madhu excitedly says as soon as he answers the call.

"Hello, Madhu... I was about to call you."

"Oh yeah, what happened?'

"You seem happy?"

"I am very happy." Madhu tells him excitedly.

"Rishu remembers everything?" Sultan asks excitedly.

"No, bhaiyya."

"Oh then?"

"We are together now." Madhu tells him happily.

"That is amazing, Madhu. I am so happy for you." Sultan tells her feeling relieved.

"I am very happy, Sultan bhaiyya."

"I hope he remembers everything soon."

Madhu's heart goes out to him realizing that Rishabh still didn't know about him.

"We got the date for next court so I need to submit another doctor's certificate about Rishu's condition to apply for extension." Sultan tells him.

Hearing him, Madhu started feeling guilty, in their bid to protect Rishabh and fear of his reaction they were doing injustice to both Rishabh's mother and brother.

"Sultan bhaiyya, tomorrow there is puja at home. Will you be able to come for it?"

"Will that be a good idea?" Sultan asks her worriedly.

"Yes, bhaiyya. You've to come."

"Okay, Madhu."

*******

"Come, sit here." Madhu tells Rishabh as she made him sit on the bed and knelt in front of him.

"What happened?" Rishabh asks her curiously.

"Rishu, why we didn't tell you about why you left home..." Madhu nervously starts.

Rishabh nervously nods realizing she was going to tell him what had happened.

"You had taken it very badly. You became depressed. You had left home... so, we were scared how you would react when you find out."

Rishabh nods. "You'll stand by me, right?" Rishabh asks her worriedly.

"Of course, Rishu. whole family will." Madhu promises him.

"Then I'll handle it, Madhu. I promise."

Madhu nods, and she nervously starts, "When you had your accident, you needed blood."

"Tell me." Rishabh says seeing her nervously stop.

"Your blood group and papaji and maaji's didn't match." Madhu nervously says.

Rishabh nods, "Yeah, it happens at times... genes... alleles..." Rishabh waves his hand brushing it off, "sorry, tangents. You tell me... so what happened?"

Madhu looks at Rishabh in shock, not knowing what to say just then.

"Madhu..." Rishabh gestures her to continue.

"Rishu, that is not the reason."

"Then?" Rishabh asks confused.

Madhu worriedly gulps, thinking of the gentlest way to tell him, his truth.

Rishabh frowns seeing her hesitation. "Madhu... you don't mean that..." Rishabh stops, not even able to finish that sentence, his heart breaking at the thought that his parents were not his parents, that Sunny and Trish were not his brother and sister.

"Rishu, please listen to me." Madhu quickly says cupping his face. "They love you a lot. You are their son. You are Sunny's and Trish's brother."

"How can I be adopted, Madhu? They are my family." Rishabh asks her his eyes filling up.

She hated that he was going through the same pain a second time. "Please, Rishu. please listen to me."

"There might be some mistake, Madhu." Rishabh tells her. "We'll do a DNA test and it will be clear that I am their son."

"Rishu, please... there is more. Please, Rishu, for me... just listen."

"What more, Madhu?" Rishabh asks her helplessly, his heart breaking at the thought of what else could be there.

"Your parents convinced Sunny and Trish to keep this a secret from you, so that you don't get hurt." Madhu continues.

Rishabh looks away hearing that.

"Ria and her family found that out."

Rishabh frowns hearing that and he turns to look at Madhu.

"Her father, told you about it and said that he doesn't want to have Ria to marry you because he thought that since you are adopted, Sunny and Trish would get major share. So he called off the wedding."

"He called off the wedding?" Rishabh asks frowning.

"Yeah, you were really hurt..."

Rishabh cuts her off and asks, "He called off the wedding?"

"Yes." Madhu nods, not understanding why he was stuck on that.

Rishabh furiously stands up, "So, he broke the promise? And that Ria made your life miserable manipulating me with that promise?"

"What?" Madhu asks shocked wondering why he was again going on another tangent.

"That bitch made me make you go through hell!"

Madhu stares at Rishabh in shock wondering how she forgot that he always only saw the slight on her, even when his life is in a turmoil.

*******

Ria walks into Kundra Mansion and sees the family gathered to perform puja. They all stood back as Madhu did the arti. Ria sees Rishabh standing by the end, unlike the rest of the family who had their hands folded and praying, Rishabh was standing with his hands tied at his chest. She walks to him and stands next to him.

Feeling someone next to him, Rishabh turns curiously and finds Ria smiling happily at him.

"What are you doing here?" Rishabh asks her.

"I wanted to talk to you and I knew there was puja here today, I thought it was the perfect time." Ria tells him.

"You should be doing arti with Bhabhi." Trishna tells him frowning seeing Ria there.

"I don't have to." Rishabh replies as he watched Madhu finish the arti.

Madhu turns around sees Ria. "Did you call her here?"

"No, but I was planning to." Rishabh replies

Ria smiles hearing that.

Madhu walks to her and offers her Prasad. Ria takes it with a smirk. Madhu walks past Rishabh without giving him Prasad and continues to give everyone.

Seeing that Ria breaks the ladoo and offers Rishabh. "It's okay, Rishabh. We will share our Prasad."

"He is an atheist. For him arti is just hand exercise and that is just a sweet, not a Prasad." Madhu tells her as she continued to give the rest of the family. "And he doesn't like ladoo."

"My wife is right." Rishabh tells her.

"Wife?" Ria asks in a clipped tone. "Again Rishabh?"

Rishabh turns to Madhu and asks her, "Is the puja done?"

"Yeah but step out of mandir area."

Rishabh nods and gestures Ria to leave the mandir area as he also stepped out. Madhu also walks to them and stands next to Rishabh. The rest of the family also curiously watches.

"Rishabh... I came here to talk to you privately and why is she standing with us?" Ria angrily tells him.

"Ria, wasn't it pretty obvious the last time you were here that for me, my wife is Madhu and our so called engagement was over?" Rishabh asks her.

"What about the promise you made to me?"

"Please, at least this time." Madhu pleads to him excitedly.

Rishabh looks at her grinning lovingly, then turning to Ria, he says, "No promise is bigger than Madhu."

"Whaa...?" Ria whispers in shock.

"What?" Madhu shouts in shock.

"What?" Rishabh asks her confused.

"I thought you would say promise gaya tel lene."

"Ewww what a tacky middle class dialogue." Rishabh replies.

Madhu rolls her eyes hearing him making him grin. "Yeah, for you the F word is high society."

"I thought for the great Kundra-s their promise was their life!" Ria accuses them.

"It is, Ria." Rishabh replies as he took his mobile and started scrolling through it. "And you, wife, exaggerates a lot. It took me ten minutes, not just a minute."

Madhu chuckles hearing that.

Rishabh looks at Ria, and shows her his phone screen. "That is my phone bill. Can you find that call in there, where I called to reassure you about marrying you?"

Ria goes white hearing that. "I... I called you... you didn't call, I used to call you."

"Oh." Rishabh thoughtfully looks at her. "I thought you said I called you."

"Yeah, I used to call you... I meant it as when we spoke."

"Oh okay." Rishabh nods.

"I used to call you, Rishabh." Ria reassertains again.

"Swipe left, Ria." Rishabh tells her.

"What?" Ria asks confused.

"Swipe left and find me that call from your phone bill."

"How did you get my phone bill?" Ria asks shocked as she looked at the bill.

"You forgot, I am Rishabh Kundra." Rishabh arrogantly reminds her. "and swipe left once more to find your landline bill."

"Rishabh, listen..." Ria starts.

"You made me hurt my wife." Rishabh furiously accuses her. "You made me hurt my family. My family went through hell because of you."

Ria gulps in fear hearing that.

"How did you think that you could get away after hurting my wife? You manipulated me and called my wife manipulative?" Rishabh furiously asks her as he stared down at her.

Ria looks at Madhu and sees her glaring at her, she looks to his family and sees them all glaring at her.

"Stop calling her your wife! I have loved you for the longest time!"

"You call that love?" Rishabh asks her. "Treachery and manipulation is not love."

"What were you even thinking, Ria? Did you think even if you get me out of his life or get married to him, he would remain yours? Didn't you even wonder that the moment he remembers everything he would leave you and tries to be with me?" Madhu asks her.

"Why would I look for Madhu when I have you, isn't that what you thought?" Rishabh asks her in a mocking tone.

Ria looks away as she gulped.

"Madhu is my wife. Kundra's bahu, did you think you could so easily replace her? and we all would allow that?"

"Kundra bahu?" Ria scoffs. "For that you've to be Kundra beta!"

"RIA!" Mohan furiously shouts.

"Get her out of here!" Radha tells Sunny worriedly.

Sunny was about to walk to her when Madhu holds him back.

"That is right, you are not their son!" Ria tells him venomously.

"Rishu, you don't listen to her!" Radha says worriedly as she tried to make him face her.

"Get out Ria!" Mohan tells her.

Ignoring them, Rishabh looking into Ria's eyes, says "I was, I am and I'll always be their son and Sunny's and Trish's brother."

"You are not! Just like how you picked her up from the streets, you were also picked up from the streets."

"I was picked up from the streets but Madhu is not. I requested her to marry me and she did. She honored me by becoming my wife."

"Rishu..." Radha worriedly keeps her hand on Rishabh's shoulder.

"I am okay." Rishabh tells her reassuringly.

"You remember everything?" Sunny asks him in confusion.

"No, Madhu told me everything."

"You did?" Mohan asks shocked and surprised.

"Sultan bhaiyya and Varada maa are also his family." Madhu tells them.

They nod smiling in relief at having everything out in the open and Rishabh not hurting like the first time.

Rishabh turns to Ria and accuses her, "Your father made my brother and sister sign off their properties to me. How did you even think that I would take what was their right? They forced my parents to agree that they would always hide the truth that I was not borne to them? who are you to demand that I disrespect my mother like that?"

"You should be thanking me that I was willing to take you even when you were this nobody." Ria tells him in outrage and fury.

"I am not a nobody." Rishabh proudly tells her. "I am the lucky one who has two families. I am the lucky one who has a wife like Madhu. I am the lucky one, whose every single family member, had happily made sacrifices for me."

"Leave, Ria." Madhu tells her. "We just want to be with family now, and you have no place here."

Ria turns to walk out.

"Ria!" Rishabh calls her.

Ria turns to look at him.

"You messed with my family. I promise you that I will make you all pay for it." Rishabh vows.

Once Ria left, Rishabh turns to his family.

"I'm sorry, I hurt you all. I shouldn't have left like that but if I didn't I wouldn't have met my Madhu, so, I don't regret it." Rishabh tells them with a sad smile.

"Even we don't." Mohan tells him with a chuckle.

"Sultan bhaiyya!" Sunny shouts seeing Sultan walk in. he runs to Sultan and hugs him happily. "Finally, we meet!"

Sultan happily hugs him and Trishna who had run to him.

Rishabh turns to look at Sultan, and seeing him, his eyes fill up.

"Sorry, I couldn't reach in time for puja." Sultan tells Mohan and Radha.

"We are just happy that you are here finally." Radha tells him smiling as she hugged him.

"Sultan bhaiyya, come meet Rishu." Madhu tells him as she held his hand and lead him to Rishabh.

"Hi." Sultan says smiling happily, not knowing how to behave now that Rishabh didn't know they were brothers.

"Do I call you bhai or Sultan?" Rishabh asks him smiling.

"You remember?" Sultan asks shocked.

"No, Madhu told me." Rishabh replies as he walked to Sultan and hugged him.

Sultan happily hugs him, "I missed you, Rishu."

"Everyone thought I was fragile. They didn't realize that I have my super woman Madhu with me." Rishabh tells him with a chuckle.

Sultan chuckles hearing that.

"Come, let's sit." Mohan tells Sultan.

"I'll get you Prasad, Sultan bhaiyya." Madhu excitedly tells him and runs to the mandir.

Rishabh turns and sees Madhu running. He asks her in exasperation, "For heaven sake, can you stop running around, Madhu? you are pregnant!"

Madhu stops in shock and turns to Rishabh and sees him staring at her in utter shock.

"Pregnant?" Radha asks in shock while everyone turned to Madhu and Rishabh in confusion and excitement.

Rishabh stares at Madhu in shock and asks her in bewilderment "Are you pregnant, Madhu?"

"How are you screaming out information like this when you have amnesia?" Madhu asks at her wits end.

*******

Couple of months later

"Why won't you let me go?" Rishabh asks Madhu in exasperation.

"Because you are pure evil." Madhu tells him as she rubbed her swollen belly.

"She accused you of being with me for money and now she was marrying him for money." Rishabh says in anger. "I hope, he at least made her sign the prenup."

"Why you never made me sign any prenup?" Madhu asks Rishabh curiously.

Rishabh cheekily grins at her, "You should have asked about all that before deciding to marry me."

Madhu chuckles hearing that. then she keeps her hand on his hand, and gently tells him, "Stop it, Rishu. this is enough."

"They could have stayed out of it. but they didn't and you all were hurt because of that. I was making it hard on you all, and they added to it. she egged me on, Madhu. She made you cry and her father supported her in it just because he knew I was the major stake holder in all our business."

"Now, it is enough, Rishu. I don't want her or her family to be ever a topic in our life."

Rishabh nods and gives in. he had gone after Ria and her family with such vengeance, he had attacked their business so much so that, just last month her father was trying to declare for bankruptcy. That was when Balraj Chaudhary had proposed Ria to be his wife. For money, she had agreed inspite of Balraj Chaudhary being elder to her father by 4 years, and his daughters were elder to her. the eldest daughter had two kids too.

Rishabh chuckles softly. "She is going to be a grandmother in half an hour."

Madhu hits him on his chest in exasperation. "Stop it."

"I really hope she will be the children's favorite grandmother." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu couldn't help but grin.

Seeing her smile, Rishabh hugs her happily.

"You are keeping me away from a sight I have been craving to see for months now. you need to give me something in return." Rishabh tells her.

"Can't you wait a little longer?" Madhu asks him in exasperation.

Rishabh keeps his hand on her stomach, "This one is taking too long, Madhu."

"I am just two days over my due date, Rishu."

"We won't know how many days more." Rishabh argues.

"But we decided to read it after our first baby."

"We are going to be busy with the baby. we won't have time to read your diary peacefully. And there are some things that I still don't remember. I just want to know every single detail of our life together."

Hearing him, Madhu gives in with a smile. "Fine, go and get it."

Rishabh grins happily and kissing her loudly, he hurries to get it.

Madhu smiles watching him go. Rishabh had accepted his reality much better and faster than the first time, maybe the main reason for that was the way he was told, and she had full information to give him, unlike the last time.

And he had accepted everything proudly. He had proudly proclaimed to the world that he was adopted and his mother was a brave and pious woman. Sultan bhaiyya and he had worn the court case the previous month. They even had two more people joining them against the panchayat, both their family members were stone to death, though one of them was guilty of the crime they were accused of, in the eyes of law it was still a murder. Now, panchayat had the right to only judge those crimes that were legally allowed to be tried in panchayat. The sarpanch and other members were now fighting legal charges of murder, assault and corruption.

They even got all their father's property. The next day, they had sold everything except for his house and a plot of land. Now, using that money and the house, they started a small scale industry that were run for and by women, with Dipali Bhabhi in charge to handle it. they have started construction of a school in the land that would provide the best education for free for all, and both were named after their mother. Sultan Bhaiyya would handle the running of the school while Rishabh would handle getting the funds for the smooth running of both.

"Let's start." Rishabh says as he sat next to her excitedly.

They both open the diary, together start reading it. it started with Madhu's brief explanation of Mukund and her going to the panchayat, the trial and the verdict.

Madhu looks at Rishabh as he read about his family's visits and how he had shared everything with her. Madhu turns to look at him and sees him calmly reading it.

"I'll turn the page?" Rishabh asks her as he finished.

Madhu nods.

They both stop in shock seeing the next page.

"What?" Madhu stops in shock.

Next to the two interlinking hearts she had drawn, it was written CHEATER!!!

"That is my handwriting." Rishabh says surprised the full page written with his writing. "You didn't tell me I wrote in this."

"I didn't know you wrote in it."

"You never checked the previous page?"

"We were supposed to read it together, so I never did."

"Let's read then."

"Yeah, give me." Madhu takes the diary from him, so she could read properly.

For three days, I was fighting myself, and was so anxious to know what you had written about the first time we made love and finally I decided this one time I'll cheat on you and you just drew two hearts? How can you cheat us like that? you were supposed to write every single detail!

I thought I'll write about it, but now even I am feeling shy. Can you believe it? I am shy! LOL.

Since, I started writing it, I want to write something, so we can read it when our baby is born together. You are sleeping next to me now, and it amazes me that I found you in my life. as I watch you sleep, it is these rare moments in my life when I feel that maybe there is a God, and he is watching over me. Otherwise, I would have met you before my accident, and you would have hated me for the man I was.

That night, at the lodge, after you had gone to sleep, I had watched you for a long time. I couldn't help admire the strength of character that you exhibited on the lowest point in life. in a way, we both were running away. I was from my previous life and you from the injustice.

You were looking at a bleak and scary future, still you had the two things that I didn't, hope and belief in yourself. You are a fighter and you had fought so valiantly, both physically and mentally. I think it is your strength of character that attracted me to you. when you left me the next day, I felt truly alone, I had left everything behind and I was alone, but I wasn't lonely. That I felt when you had left the police station.

The most impulsive decision I made in my life was to propose you and that was the most right decision I made in life. you are the most perfect wife and companion everyone hopes to find, only a lucky few like me, get them. I am so deeply in love with you, Madhu.

Your ability to be happy no matter what the situation is, amazes me to no ends, Madhu.

these two days, I have been watching how you are forming and building a relation with my family. It brings a sense of peace to my heart because your love right now, is washing away all the hurt that I gave them. you are no longer my relief and solace, you are our families too.

Other than my family, not many people have cared for me for me, they all cared for was the Kundra heir, Rishabh Kundra. I am starting to understand it was because of the horrible person that I was. it was not the other person's fault, but my own. you accepted me for me. never asked me questions. You never tried to change me. Even after you being such an ardent believer in God, you had accepted that I am an atheist without any questions. Even my family, had tried to change my believes. You never did. Just like how you were a believer, you accepted that I am a non-believer.

I am so glad that I found you after I became a changed man. It is a relief for me that you never knew me before that, because I still worry at times, if you realize how small and low my thinking was, you might not love me anymore.

I am so proud and happy that I am your husband. The proudest moment in my life is, when you come back after you deliver the chunris that you had worked so hard in making and you would so happily bring the little money that you made. I make thousand times more in a day than you did in a month, but I have never felt so proud in life as I feel when I see your smile and you show me the money. You prove to me again and again that every job has a dignity.

Without even trying, you are making me a better person, Madhu.

I love you, Madhu. and I am so grateful that you found me good enough to be your husband.

*sniff* Madhu wipes her tears reading it.

"So cheesy." Rishabh mutters.

Madhu turns to glare at him and sees his eyes filled up.

"I feel all that and more." Rishabh tells her as he looked her in the eye.

Smiling happily Madhu hugs him.

***********

3 years later

"Varad Kundra!" Madhu shouts in anger.

Laughing happily, Varad runs under the dining table and crawls to the opposite side.

"I said stop!" Madhu shouts at him.

Varad comes out from under the table and runs off, pushing a table, and the vase on top of it.

"THIS BOY!" Madhu screams in exasperation.

"What is it?" Rishabh asks as he walked in with Mohan and Radha hearing the sound.

"Your son!" Madhu tells him in exasperation.

"Oh!" Radha whispers seeing the broken crystals on the floor.

"I told you to have the Sunny's and Trish's roka function in some hotel." Madhu tells them tired.

"Function is tomorrow, Madhu." Mohan tells her in an appeasing tone.

"For that we need the house tomorrow. Since he found out that Aditya is coming with Sultan bhaiyya and Dipali Bhabhi, he is acting out."

"He is always acting out." Rishabh tells her.

"He has gone crazy now!" Madhu tells him angrily.

Rishabh grins hearing that.

"I'll have one of the cleaning staff, clear it." Radha tells her and walks off.

Mohan also leaves with her.

"You stop smiling." Madhu warns Rishabh.

Rishabh chuckles hearing her.

"You start being a believer. You should be praying hard for your son. Because I am sure, one of these days, one of the cleaning staff is going to give your son rat poison." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh laughs hearing that.

Madhu was about to blast him for laughing at such a time, she hears another loud sound.

"Stop it, Varad!" Madhu screams and runs out of the room.

Chuckling, Rishabh kneels down, and starts picking up the broken pieces.

"Sir..."

Rishabh looks up and sees one staff had come with the sweep.

"Sorry." Rishabh tells embarrassed, his son was breaking everything in his way always.

The staff nods and starts cleaning it up with Rishabh.

*******

Moaning in orgasm, Madhu falls on Rishabh. Gasping for breath, Rishabh hugs her.

"that was amazing." Rishabh whispers.

"As always." Madhu replies smiling as she looked at him.

Rishabh grins hearing that. "Shouldn't we be trying for another baby?"

Madhu glares at him in anger. "One of these days, my hips are going to break in two because the whole day I am running behind your son and bending down and picking up after him, and at night you have your cricket match with me."

"Isn't that a little hypocritical of you to say when you woke me up from my sleep and you are actually riding me?" Rishabh asks her with a grin.

"You and your son are too much for me." Madhu declares.

"This is too much, Madhu. I've been patient and tolerating it for so long." Rishabh tells her frowning.

"What?" Madhu growls at him.

"Your constant your son taunt."

"Because he is your son!"

"I was a very well behaved kid. We know, among the both of us it is you who always have springs on her legs, and always excited and hyper. My son might look like me, but he is completely taken after you."

"I am very mild mannered." Madhu defensively says.

"Yeah right!" Rishabh rolls his eyes.

"No more kids!" Madhu tells him in finality. "At least for another 5 years."

Rishabh also glares at her.

"Mama."

They both turn to the baby monitor and hear again, "Mama."

"Go, you are the one who wants more babies. Go, do your son's potty duty." Madhu tells him as she got off him.

Sighing, Rishabh gets off the bed and pulls on his clothes while Madhu laid back and watched him.

"Mama."

"Coming, Varad." Rishabh calls out as he walked to the adjoining room.

"Dada..." Madhu hears him from the baby monitor.

"Come, Varad. Dada will take you to bathroom."

Few minutes later, she hears them come back from the bathroom.

"Good night, Varad." She hears Rishabh say through the baby monitor.

"Dada, shtory."

"It is late, Varad."

"Shtory, Dada..." Varad adamantly insists.

"Okay... hmmm... once upon a time, there was a very rich prince. He had so much money but he had a poor heart."

Madhu smiles hearing that.

"Then a beautiful girl entered his life. she was poor but she had a rich heart."

Madhu happily hugs his pillow as she listened.

"Boring!" Varad declares. "Another shtory."

Madhu chuckles hearing that.

"I'm telling you a story."

"Always same shtory. Another shtory." Varad says as he jumped on his crib.

"Stop jumping... okay another story..." Rishabh says quickly.

"Hmmm... okay... there was this cute little Prince... like my Varad." Rishabh tells him.

"Prince Vaadu." Varad says happily.

"Prince Vaadu." Rishabh says lovingly. "And one day, Prince Vaadu wanted a little sister called, Princess Varada."

Madhu smiles hearing that, they had decided that they would name their children honoring his mother, while Rishabh would honor his family by keeping the name that they gave him.

"No!" Varad shouts in protest.

"Oh okay... then Prince Vaadu wanted a brother, Prince Varadhan."

"No! No shsishter and no brother. Only Prince Vaadu. Next shtory."

"What?" Rishabh stops in exasperation.

Madhu chuckles hearing that.

"Next shtory."

"Let me think."

"Shtory..."

"Wait!"

"Mama... Mama..."

Madhu quickly gets up and wearing her night gown she hurries to his room.

"I am here."

"Mama... shtory..." Varad says as he stood in his crib.

Madhu grins at Rishabh as she walked to their son. "Got your answer, husband."

"Mother and son are after me." Rishabh mutters.

Madhu grins then she tells him, "he will come around."

Rishabh grins seeing her give in. He kisses her cheek happily. "Thank you."

"NO!" Varad shouts as he ran to the end of crib, to Madhu. He quickly hugs her possessively. "Only Vaadu kisshee Mama."

Madhu laughs happily as she hugged him and kissed him on top of his head.

While Rishabh scowls at his son and mutter, "Not the cleaning staff, one of these days, I'll give him rat poison."

*** The End ***

I know this story had gone haywire through out. It is because this is not how I had planned this story. my initial story idea had, Rishabh being a little too stubborn, and fighting the truth that Madhu is his wife. He is too caught up in Madhu but Ria is able to manipulate him always. Ria is able to create a misunderstanding, that Madhu thinks Rishabh found out about her pregnancy and chose Ria. While, Rishabh is confused and not aware that she is pregnant. Finally, when Rishabh decides that it is Madhu that who he wants to be with, Madhu would have left home. Then Ria tells him that he is adopted when he says that he wants to be with Madhu. but that time, Rishabh is more affected by Madhu thinking he doesn't want her than his birth secret. Madhu disappears and Rishabh searches for her. he reads her diary at this time and he reads what he had written in it. Rishabh is broken at having hurt Madhu so much and her missing. Finally, he finds her after she had given birth. The conversation they had towards the end in thiss story, was supposed to happening as two conversations. One before she leaving, and one after they meet again. by this time, Rishabh and Sultan have won the case, Rishabh tells Madhu, all those mentioned in the part before the final leap. And Sultan and Dipali are now waiting for her to come back to get married.

Madhu shares her concern about Rishabh having married her because he really thought he couldn't do better, and Rishabh shows her what he had written in the diary.

That was the initial story idea, but this Rishabh just wouldn't stop screaming out Madhu is his wife... I tried to steer the story to the track I wanted a lot of times, finally, I stopped and let the story flow the way, it wanted, because I don't force the story to go the way I want, and let the characters take the story forward.

So, if you feel disconnect and illogical it is because of this reason.

But I do hope you guys liked this story.

Please vote and comment

- Lazy