Rishabala One Shot Story Collections I

Best Friend's Sibling Duology 2 - Winds of Love

Previous story : Unakkena Venum Sollu/ Tell Me What You Need posted on 2– Jun – 2021. Some of you had some questions regarding that story and I have tried to answer it, please check at the end of that story to see them.

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

Madhu and Dipali walk into the coffee shop and they quickly spots Rishabh waving at them with a smile.

"I'll come fast." Dipali tells her.

"No problem, take your time. College office will be open till 3 today." Madhu tells her with a smile as she walked off to a table.

Dipali gently smiles at Rishabh as she walked to him.

Rishabh hugs her with a smile. "I missed you." he tells her.

Dipali smiles at him in reply.

"I've ordered your Mocha." Rishabh informs her as they sat down. "So, how is everyone at home?"

"Good." Dipali replies nervously.

"Why is Madhu with you? Do you have to leave fast?" Rishabh asks curiously.

"Yeah... we have to go to the college to collect our certificates. We have to submit at our offices." Dipali tells him.

"Yeah, Trish told me that Madhu also got placement through campus interviews. Same company?"

"No, different. She said she was going so I thought I'll go with her."

"Oh okay. I could have taken you."

"Yeah..." Dipali starts and stops when the waiter brings her drink.

"If you had told me Madhu was coming, I would have brought Trish too." Rishabh tells her as Madhu was Trishna's best friend, and Dipali was their friend.

Dipali drinks from her cup without replying.

"Okay, what is it? You seem nervous." Rishabh asks her with a gentle smile.

"That Rishabh..." Dipali nervously starts.

"Did your parents find out about us?" Rishabh asks her as he held her hand. "Don't worry, I'll talk to my parents and we will come meet your family soon."

Dipali takes her hand away from his. "I'm sorry, Rishabh."

"What happened?" he asks with a confused frown.

"I tried. My parents aren't agreeing."

"Dipali, I will come and talk to them." Rishabh tells her reassuringly.

"This whole month I have been trying to convince them." Dipali tells him as her eyes filled up.

"What issue they have?" Rishabh asks as his heart started beating fast in pain.

"They don't want me to marry a middle class guy." Dipali whispers to him.

Rishabh stops in shock hearing that.

"There was this proposal. I am sorry, Rishabh. I had to agree for it."

"What?" Rishabh whispers in shock hearing that. his heart breaking.

"I am sorry, Rishabh. I had to do it for my family. I tried fighting them for us but they are adamant. And this proposal, I just didn't have any reasons to say no. I'm very sorry."

"So, this is it for us?" Rishabh asks her softly as his eyes filled up with tears.

"I'm very sorry." Dipali whispers to him. "Please forgive me, Rishabh."

"Why didn't you tell me that this was happening at your house for last one month?"

"I thought I could handle it and I thought I could convince my parents. I didn't want to worry you."

"You should have told me, Dipali. We can still talk to your parents."

"There is no use, Rishabh. Next week is my engagement."

Rishabh sighs in pain as he looked away.

"I've to go. Madhu is waiting." Dipali tells him as she stood up.

Rishabh follows her out.

"You guys done?" Madhu asks curiously smiling as she stood up.

"Yes." Dipali replies.

Seeing Rishabh's eyes filled up, Madhu asks in concern. "Is everything alright?"

"Let's go." Dipali tells her.

"No, what happened?" Madhu asks then moving towards him, she asks him gently, "Are you okay?"

Rishabh nods, not knowing what to say.

"What happened?" Madhu asks in concern as she looked at Dipali and Rishabh in confusion.

"Let's just go, Madhu." Dipali tells her sternly.

Madhu looks at Rishabh and asks him gently, "Are you going to be okay?"

"I'm fine." Rishabh replies. "You guys carry on."

Madhu nods and takes her mobile while she collected her things.

"What are you doing?" Dipali asks seeing her dialing.

"Calling Trish."

"Don't." Rishabh quickly tells her.

Dipali quickly snatches her mobile. "What the hell is wrong with you, Madhu?"

"He is upset, shouldn't I inform his sister?"

"He is not a kid." Dipali tells her angrily.

"Madhu, please don't interfere. I'll talk to Trish when I get home." Rishabh politely tells her.

Madhu nods but still unsure of whether she should leave him like that, she turns to Dipali and tells her, "Why don't you stay with him then? I'll collect your documents, just give me an authorization letter."

"There is no need for all that."

"Can't you see he is upset?" Madhu asks her in shock.

"I am not a baby. please just let me be!" Rishabh tells her in an angry tone.

Madhu turns to him in shock, wondering if she had overstepped.

Seeing her looking at him upset, Rishabh felt even more bad, she was being caring towards him and he was being rude to her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. thank you for your concern."

Madhu nods. Then she tells again, "Dipali, I can collect your documents, you be with..."

"We broke up, okay?" Dipali tells her at her wits end.

"What?" Madhu turns to her in shock. "What do you mean by you guys broke up?"

"We broke up. Now, can we leave?"

"You dumped him?" Madhu asks her in shock, finally realizing why he was upset and why she was in a hurry to get away.

"You don't understand." Dipali tells her.

"Did you bring me with you, when you were going to dump him?" Madhu asks her in anger.

"Madhu..." Dipali starts.

"You know what I went through and how could you bring me with you?" Madhu asks her in shock.

Rishabh curiously looks at her wondering what she was saying.

"How can you compare what happened with you with this?" Dipali asks her in shock.

Madhu looks away having no answer because she had no details.

"My parents won't agree for this relation. So, I had to agree for another marriage." Dipali reasons with her.

Madhu turns to her in shock. "And you say, it is not the same?"

"What the hell, Madhu?"

"Aren't you dumping him for someone else?" Madhu asks her.

Rishabh looks at Dipali in shock hearing what Madhu had said. His heart breaking a little wondering whether it was Dipali who had chosen someone else over him or her parents.

"It is not the same. I couldn't say no. I couldn't counter argue with my parents. The guy was from a good family, well settled and my parents loved him. I didn't have any reason to say no."

"Your love for Rishabh wasn't reason enough?" Madhu asks her shocked.

"I'm leaving." Rishabh tells them in a whisper, unable to handle the pain.

Dipali nods and asks Madhu, "Can we leave?"

"I am not coming anywhere with you, Dipali. We are no longer friends."

Rishabh stops hearing Madhu.

"What?" Dipali asks her shocked. "Have you gone crazy, Madhu?"

"You know what I went through. You know my pain and still you are giving that kind of pain to someone else?" Madhu asks her as her eyes filled up.

"You won't understand, Madhu. there is no use explaining to you." Dipali tells her furiously as she walked out.

Rishabh and Madhu watched her leave. Then they turn to look at each other.

"I should go." Rishabh tells her softly.

Madhu nods. "Take care."

"Thanks." Rishabh replies and starts to walk off then stopping he turns to her, "Please don't end your friendship for me."

"I cannot be friends with her again." Madhu tells him softly.

Rishabh sighs and then walks out.

********

3 months later

Rishabh was sitting in his room as he thought of Dipali. He hadn't met or spoke to her after that day. he was finding it hard to get over her. he had loved her sincerely and had wanted to marry her. but looks like, her love wasn't that strong for him. He knew she had got engaged, Trish had told him. like Madhu, even Trish had stopped talking to Dipali.

Hearing a knock at the door, he walks to the door and opens it to find his father.

"I wanted to talk to you." Mohan tells him.

Rishabh nods and opens the door wide for him to enter.

"What happened to you?" Mohan asks him as he walked in. "So, what if that girl left you? She didn't deserve you."

"Trish told you?" Rishabh asks him in shock.

"I don't know the details and I didn't ask. I don't even want to know who the girl is. If she left you then you are better off without her."

Rishabh looks away having nothing to say.

"Radha and I were thinking of your marriage." Mohan gently tells him.

"What?" Rishabh turns to him in shock.

"We understand you are in pain and you are feeling lonely. You need a companion to share your pain."

"I don't want to get married now." Rishabh tells him.

"We were thinking of Madhu. Trish's friend." Mohan tells him.

Rishabh was surprised by hearing that.

"Trish said she knows everything and she would be an ideal partner to you."

"Marriage is not the solution." Rishabh tells him. "Madhu is a nice girl but I don't want to marry anyone now."

Mohan sadly sighs, "Just think about it once more."

Rishabh nods.

********

Few minutes later, Rishabh opens his bedroom door again and this time to his sister.

"If it is about marriage then I don't want to talk about it." Rishabh tells her sternly.

"I just wanted to talk to you. please?" Trishna pleads him.

Rishabh sighs and steps aside. "How many times do I have to tell you that you don't have to feel guilty about it? When you brought Dipali home the first time, you didn't know that I was going to fall in love with her or this was going to happen."

"But I still feel guilty." Trishna tells him sadly.

"Is that why you are trying to get me married to Madhu now?" Rishabh asks her in exasperation.

"You are depressed, bhai." Trishna softly tells him. "You are not like before."

"And marriage will solve it?" Rishabh asks her without arguing because he knew he wasn't like he was before.

"I feel Madhu can help you move on." Trishna tells him as she sat on the bed.

Rishabh scoffs in reply.

"I don't meet her like I did when we were in college but whenever I meet her or talk to her, she always asks about you."

Rishabh turns to his sister in surprise hearing that.

"She understands the pain that you are going through because she went through the same pain."

"She did mention something like that, that day." Rishabh tells her softly.

"Or maybe worse than what you are going through." Trishna tells him softly.

"What do you mean?" Rishabh asks her as he sat next to her.

"She was in a relation with Sultan. He was our senior." Trishna tells him. "He cheated on her and dumped her."

"Oh." Rishabh says softly as he looked down, his heart going out to Madhu, now understanding why she had reacted like that.

"In a lot of ways, she still hasn't recovered from it. I thought, you could help her heal her heart and she could help you. you understand each other's pain. You both can be each other's companion."

Rishabh thoughtfully looks away.

Seeing him thoughtful, Trishna tells him, "But bhai, if you are that type of a guy who thinks that wife's virginity is your birth right then you can forget this whole thing. Madhu is not a virgin."

"What?" Rishabh turns to her in shock.

"She is my best friend and you are my brother. I don't want one to be the reason for other's pain. So, I am telling you now itself."

Rishabh was still reeling from what Trishna had told him. he had always belonged to the old school of thoughts where sex came after marriage. even with Dipali things hadn't gone beyond kisses. But now, hearing about what Madhu went through, it suddenly felt like none of that mattered. What mattered in a marriage was a good companion who could share your pain and be your anchor when you are drowning. And right now, it seemed that he wasn't the only one who was drowning.

Sometime later, Rishabh knocks on his parents' bedroom door. his mother opens the door.

"What happened, Rishu?" Radha asks him in concern.

Rishabh looks at his mother and then his father who was standing behind his mother, "I would like to meet Madhu and talk to her."

********

"I was shocked when Trish suggested our marriage." Madhu tells him hesitantly.

"Even me." Rishabh admits.

They had met at a restaurant alone to talk.

"Trish told me that she told you about me."

"She did."

"Still I want to tell you." Madhu tells him.

"I don't want to know anything." Rishabh tells her.

"But I want to tell you." Madhu insists.

"Madhu, your past doesn't matter to me."

"I am what my past made me." Madhu tells him.

"If telling about it hurts you then I don't want to hear it. But if it eases your pain then, I will hear it." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods. "Sultan was our senior. We started going out on his last month of college. We were together for about a year."

Rishabh nods.

"Six months into our relation we started..." Madhu gulps as she looked down.

"Madhu, I understood. You really don't have to talk about it." Rishabh tells her gently.

"I really loved him." Madhu tells him as she looked at him with tears in her eyes.

Rishabh leans over and keeps his hand over her hand.

"One day, he came to me with full of regret and guilt. There was this office party and he got drunk. And he slept with his colleague, Ria." Madhu tells him as she wiped her tears with her free hand.

"I forgave him." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh squeezes her hand tight.

"Things went back to normal after a few days. But then I started noticing that he was lying to me. he wouldn't answer my questions and I started realizing that there was someone else in his life. we started fighting and one day the fight went out of hand and I confronted him about my suspicion and he told me he was cheating on me and wanted to end things with me and be with Ria."

Hearing her story, Rishabh's heart went out to her. his pain was nothing compared to what she had gone through. She loved that Sultan so much that she even forgave his cheating and he ended up dumping her instead of valuing the gem that she is.

"I thought he really loved me. I don't know why he felt he needed to... maybe he thought Ria was better than me.... that I wasn't good enough for him..."

"Madhu, he is an asshole who didn't deserve you. stop thinking that you weren't good enough. He isn't good enough for you." Rishabh tells her realizing her insecurities.

Madhu couldn't help smiling hearing that. "You are exactly like Trish."

Rishabh smiles hearing that, feeling proud of his sister for standing up for her best friend.

"You know everything about my relation with Dipali." Rishabh tells her. "I don't have anything to tell you that you don't know already."

Madhu frowns hearing that, everything I know... does that mean... "You both never...?" Madhu asks softly and hesitantly in shock.

"No."

"You...?"

"Never."

"Then why are you marrying me?" Madhu asks him shocked out of her wits.

"It doesn't matter to me." Rishabh tells her.

"But... why?" Madhu asks him shocked.

"I used to think that sex should be after marriage." Rishabh gently tells her.

Madhu goes pale hearing that.

"Not anymore."

"What do you mean?" Madhu asks him softly.

"I realize that it doesn't matter. It is not going to change anything in our life. marriage is more than that. When my family told me to get married, I thought marriage is not the answer to a heartbreak but when Trish told me what you went through, I realized that what you and I need are someone who would understand us and share our pain. I feel we can be each other's companions and humdard more than anything."

Madhu thoughtfully looks down.

"The truth is, I have been depressed ever since and it is now affecting my family. I don't think anyone can understand what I am going through more than you and I can understand what you are going through. Together we can build a life for us."

"Will you be able to love again?" Madhu asks him. "I don't know if I can."

"I am not looking for love now. All I am looking for is a partner who can be my friend and with whom I can build a life and family with."

Madhu slowly smiles hearing that.

*********

Since both Madhu and Rishabh didn't want to have an engagement the family decided to directly conduct their wedding. Their marriage was fixed to happen in two weeks.

"hello." Rishabh says as he joined Madhu, his family and her family for their wedding shopping.

Everyone greets him.

Madhu smiles at him.

"Sorry, I am late." Rishabh tells her as he joined her.

"It's okay. We finalized my dress." Madhu tells him.

"That's nice."

"Do you want to see?" Madhu asks him curiously.

"I thought the bride and groom aren't supposed to see each other's dress before the wedding." Rishabh tells her curiously.

"What difference does it make?" Madhu asks him curiously.

"I don't know."

"If that is the case then why are you both shopping together?" Trishna asks curiously.

"Because you insisted." Madhu points out.

Trishna rolls her eyes. "Come bhaiyya, we need to get your dress now. Madhu's is a pink, red and blue dress. So, we need to find a matching color one." Trishna tells him and walks off to the men's section.

Rishabh turns to Madhu and smiles at her seeing Trishna's antics. Madhu also smiles at him.

"Do you want to come?" Rishabh asks as he stood up.

Madhu nods and follows him.

"I like these two." Rishabh decides as he picked two sherwanis and showed them. "Which one should I go with?"

"I like this." Madhu picks one sherwani.

"I prefer this." Trishna tells picking other one. "What do you think, bhaiyya?"

Rishabh looks at Madhu and Trishna, and they were looking at him as they waited for his decision.

"Maybe you can ask everyone else too." Madhu tells him realizing that he wasn't sure which to pick.

"I really like this one though." Trishna tells him.

"Well, you aren't my bride, Trish." Rishabh replies as he dropped the one Trishna liked and asks to pack the one Madhu picked.

Madhu blushes slightly hearing that while Trishna cheekily grinned at her.

"You don't have to select that because I liked it. You should pick the one you liked best." Madhu tells Rishabh a little softly away from everyone else.

"I liked both." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods.

"We are going to be partners, so I want both of us to take decisions together."

Madhu smiles hearing that. "Okay."

******

Both the families had decided to have dinner together and they had gone to a restaurant. Once they had placed their orders, they were waiting for the food while they talked amongst themselves.

Madhu looks at Rishabh and sees him talking to his and her fathers. She takes her mobile and keeping it under the table she messages him. they have been mostly messaging each other in the last few days. They just message each other with casual enquiries and updating each other on their that day's plan, nothing more than that.

Rishabh takes his mobile hearing the buzz and seeing it is from her, he curiously looks at her for a second and sees her watching him. he quickly checks the message.

I want to tell you something.

Rishabh thoughtfully looks at her for a split second then he casually asks her, "Madhu, do you want go for a walk?"

For a second, everyone looked at them in silence. Then they all smiled at each other with her mother gently telling her to go while Trishna gaped at her brother in shock.

"Yes." Madhu replies and she quickly gets up.

They were walking outside the restaurant.

"What happened?" Rishabh asks her.

"I wanted to tell you something."

"Hmmm?"

"When I told Trish, she was pretty mad at me and screamed at me. I don't know how you are going to take it." Madhu worriedly tells him.

Rishabh smiles at her, "Better than Trish."

Madhu couldn't help chuckle hearing that.

"Trish seems to be pretty chill now, so I know it is not anything serious." Rishabh tells her smiling.

"I tried calling Dipali." Madhu confesses as she looked at him.

Rishabh frowns hearing that. he curiously looks at her without saying anything.

"A couple of times, Trish and I have come with you two when you were on dates, now we are getting married, so, I thought I should tell her that."

"I thought you were not friends with her anymore." Rishabh tells her confused.

"We are not. But I don't want her to think that I stole you from her especially when we are not friends because of you." Madhu explains.

"You are not stealing me from her. she left me." Rishabh points out to her.

"But I still feel it would be better if she found out from either of us."

"Hmmm... I haven't spoken to her after that day."

"Even me. she didn't answer my calls. Now I am not getting through. I think she blocked me."

"Blocked you?" Rishabh asks shocked.

"Maybe she already knows." Madhu tells him with a shrug. "Trish was pissed. She said we didn't owe her any explanations."

"I agree with Trish. But if you still feel that you should tell her..." Rishabh takes his mobile and offers her. "I don't think she has blocked my number yet."

Madhu looks at his mobile for a few seconds then she looks at him. "If you feel that we don't owe her an explanation then we don't."

"If you feel like telling her, then do."

"We are going to be partners. We take decisions together." Madhu reminds him.

Rishabh smiles hearing that.

*********

Days went in a blink of an eye, and they were married.

Rishabh walks into his bedroom and finds Madhu sitting on the middle of the decorated bed. He turns around and locks the door. he walks to her and he could see that she was nervous and gripping her hands together.

"Hi." Rishabh says softly as he sat opposite to her.

"Hi." Madhu whispers softly as she looked up at him.

She sees him sweetly smiling at her and her nervousness slowly left her. she smiles back at him.

"Are you okay, here?" Rishabh asks her.

Madhu nods in reply.

"It was a nice function, right?" he asks her.

They both had wanted to go for a court marriage but their parents had remained adamant on a proper marriage function. And they had a very small and intimate wedding with just their close relatives and hand full of friends.

"It was." Madhu tells him smiling.

"You are happy, right?"

"Yes. And you?"

Rishabh takes her hand in his. "Yes."

Madhu keeps her other hand over his hand feeling happy.

"Rishabh..."

"You should call me Rishu, Madhu." he tells her.

"Rishu..." Madhu says with a smile.

"Yes, Madhu?" he asks with a smile.

Madhu chuckles hearing that.

"You were saying?"

"This relation is not what we both had wanted and had dreamt of, and everything happened so fast too. But I promise, that I will my try to be the best wife for you."

"I married you because I believe you are the perfect partner to me." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods.

"And I promise that I will try my best to be the best husband and a friend to you." Rishabh promises her.

Madhu smiles hearing that then she jokes, "I want to say that I will be your best friend but Trish will kill me."

Rishabh laughs hearing that making Madhu also chuckle softly.

"You don't have to tell her. it will be our secret then." He tells her smiling happily.

"Yes." Madhu smiles hearing that.

"We'll sleep?"

"I want to change first." Madhu says as she started to get off the bed.

"That is the bathroom." He points the bathroom to her.

Madhu taking her night clothes goes to change while Rishabh quickly changed in the bedroom.

Madhu comes out of the bathroom and stops in shock seeing that he had changed. Then without saying anything, she walks to her suitcase to keep her wedding dress.

"This cupboard is for you." he tells her as he opened one of the cupboards for her. "Trish and Ma had got some clothes for you and have kept them in it."

"That was sweet of them." Madhu says smiling as she touched the clothes neatly kept in the cupboard.

"Trish was saying that since there wasn't much time, your trousseau would take time to be delivered."

"Just few dresses actually." Madhu explains. "Party wears and casuals."

Rishabh nods, "If you need anything let me know."

"Okay." Madhu smiles.

*********

"You are going to be okay, right?" Rishabh asks as he got ready.

"Yes." Madhu smiles as she sat on the bed while he walked around the room getting ready. "Trish has taken leave for a week just like me. So, I'll be with her mostly."

Rishabh regretfully looks at her, "The work load is too high, I couldn't take more leaves now."

"I understand, Rishu." Madhu tells him smiling. "It is not a problem."

"Thank you." Rishabh replies smiling, he was feeling really guilty, it was the third day of their marriage and he was already going back to work.

"Rishu..."

"Yes?" Rishabh looks at her curiously.

"Shut up."

He chuckles hearing that.

"Okay, I am ready. You coming down?"

"Of course, I am hungry. I was waiting for you." Madhu tells him as she jumped up from the bed and walked out of the room.

"You should have told me you were waiting for me." Rishabh tells her as he caught up with her on the stairs.

"I thought you would be done now... you'll be done now... I didn't know you were such a beauty queen who would take forever to get dressed." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh chuckles hearing that.

"Good morning." Madhu cheerfully wishes everyone.

They all were smiling as they looked at Rishabh chuckling.

"What?" Rishabh asks curiously seeing them all smiling.

"Come, breakfast is ready." Radha tells him as she walked to Madhu and lovingly kissed her forehead.

Madhu curiously looks at her surprised at the gesture. Mohan lovingly caresses her head and follows Radha.

Trishna walks to Rishabh and leaning on tip toes, she kisses him on his cheek. then turning to Madhu, she pulls her close to her, "Come, let's eat."

Madhu curiously turns back to look at Rishabh and sees him smiling as he followed them.

After a long time, he was able to give joy to his family, they were happy seeing him happy and they knew that Madhu was the reason he was smiling now.

**********

By the time, Rishabh got back home from work, it was night. Madhu who had been in touch with Rishabh during their short engagement was aware of his work timings.

"How was your day?" Rishabh asks Madhu as he served for himself.

"Good... Full day we were watching Netflix." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh chuckles hearing that. "She slept?"

"Yeah, Trish slept after we had dinner. Ma and Papa went to sleep just few minutes before you reached, I told Ma that I will give you your food." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh looks at her regretfully. "There is too much work load."

"I know." Madhu tells him smiling.

"I wanted to be busy after Dipali, so I asked and took on three projects."

Madhu nods understanding. "It is nice that you had work to keep you distracted."

Rishabh nods. "And now I am overloaded."

"You shouldn't over work, Rishu. Can't you ask your boss to relieve you from one project?" Madhu asks him worriedly.

"It's my responsibility, Madhu." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods understanding.

"I am sorry, I should be spending more time with you." Rishabh regretfully tells her.

Madhu smiles and keeps her hand on his, "We have our whole life for that. I don't want you to take too much stress."

Rishabh smiles and tells her, "I do enjoy work."

Madhu smiles hearing that.

They were lying on bed ready to sleep.

"Madhu..." Rishabh softly calls her.

"Yes?" Madhu turns to him curiously.

Rishabh turns to her and asks her gently, "How did you keep yourself distracted?"

Hearing the question, Madhu stops breathing for a second, remembering those horrible days. "Nothing." Madhu whispers softly.

Rishabh's heart break hearing the heartbreak in her voice.

"At first, Trish and our friends were there but for how long could they keep consoling me. Trish started getting furious seeing me sad that I started fearing that she would do something stupid."

"Stupid?" Rishabh asks confused.

"like send goons after Sultan." Madhu tells him with a soft smile.

Rishabh couldn't help smiling hearing that. "She should have or at least told me."

"You would have bashed him for me?" Madhu asks him surprised.

"Of course, you were my sister's best friend." Rishabh tells her and then he gently adds, "What he did to you was cruel."

Madhu sighs loudly hearing that.

"After that?" Rishabh gently prods.

"I stopped mentioning him and tried to put on a smile on my face. I think she knew that I was acting happy and she let me be." Madhu tells him. "I just kept it all in me. I couldn't share it with anyone and acted as if I am fine. And slowly, I started being less unhappy. I tried telling myself that I will be fine without him. that I had a life without him and I can still have a life without him. but when I was alone... it all came back to me and I couldn't..." Madhu stops as a sob escaped her.

Rishabh quickly moves towards her and without a word hugs her. "You are no longer alone, Madhu. you'll never be alone again." Rishabh whispers to her.

Hearing him say that, Madhu burst into tears and cries into his chest. Rishabh held her as she cried her heart out then he continued to hold her as she whimpered on his chest and then she had slept off in his arms. Once, she had slept, he had watched her sleep as he vowed to himself that he would take care of her and would keep her happy till he breathed his last.

********

"Are you okay?" Rishabh asks her as he cupped her face, the next morning.

Madhu nods her head as she smiled at him.

Rishabh hugs her. then he feels Madhu wrap her hands around his waist as she rested her face on the crook of his neck.

"Did I ruin your sleep? You had a long day and I..." Madhu asks him.

"No, you didn't." Rishabh cuts her off.

Madhu smiles hearing that.

Every time he thought of the pain that she went through, his heart broke a little, he had no idea how she bore it all. He didn't go through half of what she went through and he had a hard time breathing at times.

********

"Do you feel like seeing her?" Madhu asks Rishabh one night.

Understanding that she was talking about Dipali, he replies, "Yes."

Madhu nods understanding.

"There are some questions that I want answers to. These months, these questions it kept festering in me that..." Rishabh helplessly stops.

"That you lost confidence in yourself." Madhu whispers softly.

Rishabh takes her hand and squeezes it gently understanding she was talking about her own experience too.

"Was it all a lie? Was any of it real?" Madhu whispers as she looked at him.

"Do you want to meet him?"

Madhu looks away and then she shakes her head in no. "I am scared of his answer."

"You shouldn't. he didn't deserve you. and he should be the one who should be scared of facing you."

Madhu sadly smiles hearing him be offended on her behalf. "My pain is nothing compared to yours."

"What?" Rishabh asks her in shock hearing her say something so absurd.

"I had some inclination that something was wrong. Even before it ended, I started getting a premonition... but for you... it happened suddenly. You had no idea it was going to end. You weren't prepared for it. You didn't expect it."

"True." Rishabh whispers then he adds, "I didn't expect it. I had no idea that she was going to end things, but Madhu, however it was, Dipali did show some decency and respect. He didn't give you either. He betrayed you in the worst way and continued to do that, and might have continued on if you hadn't confronted him."

"He would have." Madhu agrees softly.

"I didn't go through the kind of pain that you went through." Rishabh tells her.

"You didn't come out of it unscathed."

Rishabh nods.

"Why didn't you try to meet her after that?" Madhu asks him curiously.

Rishabh shrugs in reply. "I guess, I didn't want to seem desperate."

"Closure, is important, Rishu."

"I know." Rishabh agrees.

********

Things were going in a comfortable pattern for Rishabh and Madhu. they were getting more comfortable with each other and as days went on, they talked less of Sultan and Dipali, and were talking more about each other. Everyone around them were noticing the positive changes in them and both of them seemed happier than they were before their marriage.

"Wow! That is a small book." Rishabh says with a smile seeing Madhu with a big book.

Madhu smiles hearing him. "I've been reading rave reviews about it. They even have a television show on this book."

"If it was me, I would have watched the show." Rishabh tells her.

"It seems half the things in the book isn't there in the show." Madhu tells him.

"So, how long have you been reading this?" Rishabh asks seeing that she was almost done with the book.

"A week now. I read after coming from office and before you get home. I'm almost done, and it is too interesting to be put down. So, I thought I'll finish it today."

"Okay, you read then." Rishabh tells her smiling.

They were silently sitting with Madhu reading the book and Rishabh busy online.

"OH MY GOD!" Madhu says in shock.

"What happened?" Rishabh asks her in concern as he turned to her.

"They just killed the hero." Madhu tells him in shock.

"Oh that's it?" Rishabh asks chuckling in relief.

"That's it? I was rooting for him and they just killed him." Madhu tells him pissed.

"Oh."

"For a week, I've been rooting for him and just like that he was killed!" Madhu tells him getting angrier by the second.

"Madhu, I didn't kill him." Rishabh thought it important that he point it out to her.

Madhu scowls at him. "If the author thinks that he can lure me in by killing off my favorite character to read the rest of the series then he is wrong!"

"Don't read it, Madhu." Rishabh quickly says realizing that his wife had a temper and a pretty bad one at that.

"Then how will I know who will become the king?" Madhu asks him in exasperation.

"Wikipedia." Rishabh answers her immediately.

Madhu scowls at him furiously and tells him in anger, "I hate spoilers."

Rishabh helplessly looks at her. "Maybe watch the series, then."

"And watch my favorite character be killed?" Madhu asks him in shock.

"There is no winning with you, Madhu." Rishabh finally says.

Madhu stops realizing that she was taking out her disappointment with the book with him. she sighs and helplessly says, "I am upset that he was killed."

"Awww coming here." Rishabh tells her as he opened his arms for her.

Madhu moves to him and hugs him. Rishabh wraps his arms around and hugs her. he gently runs his hands over her back to console her. feeling her snuggle into his arms, his hands slows down as his hands ran up and down her back sensuously. Feeling his gentle touch, Madhu snuggles into his arms as her hand gently ran over his chest.

A few seconds later, Rishabh realizes that he was caressing her, that he stops in shock. When he stopped, that brought her out of her trance and she realizing that she was feeling up his chest she stops nervously. Breathless they both remained like a statue for a few seconds then they both move back nervously. Looking at each other, realizes that they both had a moment and they both had royally ruined it.

"I think I'll sleep." Madhu whispers nervously as she moved back.

"Yeah, me too." Rishabh whispers nervously.

********

Madhu was waiting with her clothes to take her shower while she waited for Rishabh to finish his. Madhu was feeling a little nervous after what had happened between them. even though it was momentarily and unintentional, it had disturbed her and she was feeling nervous and awkward in facing him. hearing the door open, she nervously gets up.

Madhu nervously smiles at him and he awkwardly smiles back at her.

"I'll take my shower." Madhu softly says to him and hurries to the bathroom.

As the bathroom door closed, he sighs dejectedly. What happened the previous night was a little awkward and the strangest thing was he had no idea why. He knew and he knew that even she knew that they would be physically intimate one day, then why was what had happened the previous night suddenly made them nervous and uncomfortable? He hated being uncomfortable around her. she was his wife and friend, actually his best friend. Shaking his head, Rishabh starts getting ready.

Hearing the door open, he looks through the mirror to see Madhu come out after her shower. They awkwardly smile at each other then went on with getting ready for office.

"I'm leaving." Rishabh tells her.

"Okay, have a nice day." Madhu tells him as she looked at him.

Rishabh awkwardly looks at her as he hesitated for a few minutes, normally he would hug her before he left and today he felt nervous.

"Okay, bye." Rishabh says and leaves.

"Bye." Madhu says as she watched him walk off. she sighs after he left, she felt a little sad that they didn't hug like they normally did. She turns around and continue to get ready for office when she hears the door open. Curious she turns around and finds her husband at the door.

"Did you forget something?" Madhu asks him.

"Yes." Rishabh replies and he walks to her and hugs her.

Feeling happy and a slight blush creeping up her face, Madhu shyly hugs him.

Rishabh steps back and smiles seeing her blush a little. He chuckles softly. "Okay, now, I am going." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu chuckles happily hearing that. "Bye. Have a nice day."

"You too. I'll see you in the evening."

Madhu smiles as she watched him walk off.

********

"Hey..." Rishabh says with a smile as he looked at Madhu who was sitting with Trishna and watching TV that evening.

"Hey." Madhu says with a smile as she stood up and walked to him. "How come you are early?"

"Early?" Trishna asks surprised. "You know his work timings is till 6, right?"

"But he normally comes home later than now." Madhu replies.

"Work got over early today." Rishabh answers.

"That's nice. Go freshen up and come. today you can have dinner with all of us." Madhu tells him smiling.

Rishabh nods, he starts to go to their room then he stops and asks her, "Do you want to go out?"

"Out?"

"For a driver." Rishabh tells her. "We'll come back before dinner."

"Okay." Madhu says smiling then she turns to look at Trishna and asks her, "Trish, are you coming with us?"

Trishna looks at Madhu and then at Rishabh. Rishabh quickly shakes his head at Trishna from behind Madhu.

"No, you guys go. I had a long day." Trishna replies.

"Okay." Madhu answers then turning to Rishabh she tells him. "You go get ready and come. this episode should be over by then."

"Okay." Rishabh replies then he smiles at Trishna.

********

They were walking on the beach talking.

"You know, on our last day of college, my friends and me, we decided to party." Rishabh tells Madhu with a smile.

Madhu smiles hearing that.

"It was such an awesome time. exams over and everyone got a job, and we decided to party hard. We went clubbing the whole night and then once all the clubs closed, we came to the beach and had a blast here. And we passed out right here." Rishabh tells her chuckling.

"All of you?" Madhu asks chuckling.

"Yeah. First and last time. the hang over was horrible." Rishabh tells her shaking his head as he chuckled softly.

"Only once?" Madhu asks surprised.

"Yeah."

"Ha ha... we did it after every semester exam." Madhu tells him.

"What?" Rishabh turns to her shocked. "Every semester?"

"Not the last two... after Sultan... before that." Madhu tells him.

"Wow." Rishabh says as he looked ahead at the thought of Madhu partying.

"It was such a wonderful time. we used to have a blast. Once we even..." Madhu starts and realizing what she was telling him, she bites her tongue.

"What?" Rishabh asks her curiously as he turned to her.

"Nothing." Madhu says quickly shaking her head. "Old stories. Leave it."

Rishabh was surprised and a little shocked with the way she was changing the topic. It felt strange. She never shied away from talking about Sultan before. They had complete transparency when it came to Sultan and Dipali... then why? And realization was immediate. "When you said we, you didn't mean Sultan and you."

"No!" Madhu says shocked.

"You mean..." Rishabh starts and Madhu quickly cuts him off.

"Don't act as if you know. She will kill me."

"You and Trish?" Rishabh asks shocked. "But how? When?"

Madhu grins at him.

"How come we never found out at home?" Rishabh asks reeling from the shock.

"D'oh, we are not stupid!"

"How did you guys do it?" Rishabh asks shocked.

"She would say she was staying over at my place and I would tell my parents that I was staying over at her place." Madhu tells him grinning.

"And you guys used to stay out the whole night?" Rishabh asks her shocked.

Madhu nods with a grinning. "We used to get shit drunk and do shit things."

Rishabh shakes his head in shocked disbelief thinking Madhu like that. as he thought about it, he started realizing that Madhu was actually an outgoing person who lived life and enjoyed life till that Sultan had happened. Rishabh felt anger rising in him realizing that Sultan not only broke her heart and screwed up her self-confidence, he had taken a part of Madhu with him.

Madhu holds Rishabh's hand as she thought of their old wild days. "I feel like doing that once again."

He smiles hearing that. "With me or with Trish?"

"I have such a loose tongue when I am drunk, so definitely..."

He cuts her off, "Definitely with me then."

"No way! With Trish."

"No, with me. even I want to see crazy as shit Madhu." Rishabh tells her.

"You wish!" Madhu laughs hearing that.

Rishabh smiles seeing her laugh. "By the way, what were you going to say earlier?"

"What?" Madhu asks him.

"that once you and Trish even..."

"Ah that." Madhu grins and tells him, "We even went to Bengaluru once for one night."

"Oh My God! You girls were seriously out of control!"

Madhu laughs hearing that.

********

"How was your drive?" Trishna asks Madhu the next day.

"It was nice." Madhu tells her smiling.

"You are happy with bhai, right?" Trishna asks her softly.

"Yes." Madhu says with a smile. "He is amazing."

Trishna smiles hearing that. "Even he is very happy with you."

"He told you?" Madhu asks feeling elated and happy.

"No, I can see it."

"You can't see I am happy?" Madhu asks curiously.

"I can."

"Then why did you ask me that?"

Trishna cheekily grins at her, "Because I like to talk about how I saved both your lives."

Madhu scowls at Trishna then grabbing her cushion, she starts hitting Trishna, both laughing happily.

********

"Another book?" Rishabh asks curiously as he settled to sleep.

"Felt like reading." Madhu answers.

"The cover looks scary." Rishabh tells her seeing the book cover.

"It's horror."

"Wow! You like horror stories?" Rishabh asks her.

"I like horror and thrillers." Madhu tells him.

"So, how is it?" Rishabh asks her.

"If the heroine was a little good then the book would have been amazing."

"Why? She is not nice?" Rishabh asks curiously.

"She is such a TSTL!" Madhu says in exasperation.

"TSTL? What is that?" he asks confused.

"Too Stupid To Live."

Rishabh chuckles hearing that.

"The amount of creepy things and sounds in her house, if she had a little bit of intelligence, she would be changing house by now or at least, investigating. She is just ignoring it and staying on." Madhu says in exasperation.

Rishabh grins and tells her, "At first I thought you were a patient person, but I am starting to see that you have no patience for anything."

"You think I am being impatient? You should see me in office." Madhu arrogantly replies.

"Aren't you still on probationary period?" Rishabh asks her curiously.

"Yeah." Madhu replies.

"And your boss is cool with it?" Rishabh asks shocked.

"He hasn't seen the real me yet. Only my line manager has seen the real me. he had been having it coming it for a long time."

"Long time? you have been working there for only 7 months, right?"

"Yeah." Madhu nods.

"I really don't want to get on your bad side."

"You don't." Madhu arrogantly tells him.

Rishabh rolls his eyes as he chuckled though his thoughts went to Sultan, he wondered how Madhu had let him go scot free for what he did.

While Madhu got busy with her book, Rishabh had a hard time distracting himself from what that asshole Sultan did to Madhu. finally, to distract himself, he moves closer to Madhu and starts reading the book with her.

Madhu curiously turns to look at him.

"Felt like reading." Rishabh tells her.

"Will you understand? I am halfway through."

Rishabh shrugs. "I don't have the patience to read the full book."

Madhu grins and turns her attention back to the book.

Rishabh starts reading and within the first paragraph he was getting scared. He had no idea how nonchalantly Madhu was reading the scary shit.

"Aren't you getting scared?" Rishabh asks her.

"Ghosts aren't real." Madhu replies with a shrug.

Rishabh shakes his head and continues to read.

"I'll turn the page?"

"No, I am not done!" Rishabh tells her as he read with a frown. "Why the hell is she not running out of that house?"

"TSTL!"

"Of the highest order!" Rishabh declares.

"I am really hoping that the ghost would kill her and she becomes a ghost."

"Is it the same author like your other book?"

"No." Madhu says sadly. "Nobody was safe in that story, this one, how much ever of a TSTL she is, she is going to survive. And come out the hero in the end!" Madhu says in disgust.

Rishabh chuckles then he was too scared to even smile reading the story.

Madhu was a fast reader and Rishabh was a slow reader. Madhu finished both the sides while Rishabh would have reached the second paragraph. Soon, Madhu was bored of waiting for him to finish, and Rishabh was too curious to see what the heck was haunting that house that he couldn't stop. Waiting for Rishabh to finish, Madhu had slept off falling on his shoulder. The moment she slept off, Rishabh was shit scared to read the book, it suddenly felt like watching a scary movie all alone in the theater.

He closes the book and makes Madhu lie down properly. He also settles to sleep.

Five minutes later, he was twisting and turning in bed, trying to get the scary images out of his mind and every random sound was scaring the shit out of him. he turns to look at Madhu and sees her sleeping peacefully. How the hell can she sleep like that after reading that scary crap? He felt jealous seeing her courage.

Unable to sleep, he moves closer to her and hugs her to get some courage. Rishabh was about to settle on her pillow when Madhu turns around in his arms. Rishabh stops wondering if he woke her up. He wished she had woken up, then he can sleep peacefully knowing she was awake and watching over him.

Madhu turns to face him and then leaning up with a smile she kisses his cheek shocking Rishabh out of his wits.

"I love you, Mama." Madhu tells him in her sleep and hugging him, she continues to sleep.

All scary thoughts left his mind immediately and it was filled instead with Madhu. he touches where she had kissed him and he couldn't help the smile and a slight blush. He wanted to kiss her then but he didn't want his first kiss to her when she was sleeping. Madhu snuggles into his arms. Smiling, he hugs her as he went to sleep.

********

As he sat in his office, Rishabh couldn't get that innocent kiss out of his mind. he wanted more, and not anything innocent.

Rishabh looks at the pile of work that he had to finish but instead of getting back to work, his thoughts went on to Madhu. he wanted to see her. finally, shutting off his laptop, he decides to head home knowing Madhu would have reached by now.

His mother opened the door for him. he immediately heads to his room to meet Madhu. he was disappointed to see their room empty, sighing he decides to freshen up before he went to look for her.

**********

"Hello!" Madhu excitedly opens the door and walks in then stops in shock seeing Rishabh without his shirt and quickly turns around. "Sorry... Ma told me you had reached early, so I came to see you."

"Relax! It is just my shirt. I still have my pants on." Rishabh tells her laughing as he grabbed the towel and draped it over his shoulders, though feeling elated seeing that she had hurried to meet him when she found out he was home.

Madhu gasps in shock.

"You can turn around now."

Madhu turns to him and relaxes seeing him decent.

"I don't understand why you are acting like this." Rishabh tells her as he walked to her.

"What do you mean?" Madhu asks confused.

Rishabh wraps his hands around her waist and pulls her closer.

"Rishu!" Madhu gasps in shock.

"One day you'll have to see me without all of these too."

"Whaa... what?" Madhu asks in shock turning pink.

Rishabh kisses her cheek in reply. "Later, wife. Need a shower now." he tells her and walks off while Madhu stared at him in shock, and as what he had said and did sunk in, she turned completely red with blush. Happy and excited, Madhu runs out of the room.

*******

"You look happy." Trishna says with a smile noticing Madhu smiling happily.

Madhu happily hugs her feeling happy.

"What happened?" Trishna asks happily laughing seeing her so happy.

"I am happy." Madhu declares to her.

"And who is the reason?" Trishna asks her with a teasing smile.

Madhu laughs happily then noticing the rain she says excitedly. "It's raining."

Trishna chuckles seeing her excitement.

"Come, let's go out."

"No, I am not coming." Trishna tells her.

"I am going then." Madhu declares and runs out to the rain laughing happily.

"Where is Madhu?" Rishabh asks Trishna.

Trishna points out Madhu who was happily twirling around in the rain and playing to Rishabh.

"She is going to fall sick." Rishabh says in concern as he started to go out.

Trishna quickly stops him by holding him back. "Let her be, bhai."

"She will fall sick." Rishabh tells her again though he stopped.

"After a long time, I am seeing my best friend." Trishna tells him smiling.

Rishabh stops as he looked at Trishna then he turns his gaze to Madhu and watches Madhu.

"that bastard did really hurt her so bad." Trishna tells him softly.
Rishabh nods having heard extensively from Madhu what all had happened to her.

"She had lost her confidence in herself. She had become insecure."

Rishabh sighs sadly hearing that.

"Madhu... she was so different before. Not scared of anything or anyone." Trishna tells him then turning to him, she asks him with a chuckle, "Did you know, compared to her, I am a sweetheart?"

"What?" Rishabh asks chuckling at the absurd question.

"Sometimes Madhu can be so savage that... I could be considered a saint considered to her."

Rishabh looks at her surprised.

"How do you think we became best friends? We were the bitches!" Trishna proudly tells him.

Rishabh chuckles hearing that then sobering he asks her softly. "Why did she let him off after what he did to her?"

Trishna shrugs sadly, "I don't know. Maybe, when the one you trusted the most betrays you then it just..."

Rishabh sighs and looks at Madhu and sees her happily playing in the rain as she tried catching raindrops.

"If she is smiling now, it is because of you, bhai." Trishna tells him.

Rishabh turns to look at her and sees her eyes filled with tears. Rishabh gently smiles at her as he side hugged her.

"Thank you." Trishna tells him as she kissed his cheek.

"Thank you for Madhu." Rishabh tells her.

"Because she is the reason for your smiles." Trishna guesses with a smile.

"She is starting to feel like the only reason." Rishabh tells her.

"What a thing to say to your only adorable, darling sister?" Trishna asks in an offended tone.

Rishabh chuckles then turning to look at Madhu, he calls out to her, "Madhu, come inside, you are going to fall sick."

"Rishu, come here." Madhu calls him smiling excitedly.

"What? No! you come inside."

"Don't be like your sister, Rishu. come here!" Madhu tells him hands on her hips.

Shaking his head, he runs out then grabbing her hand, he drags her back inside, ignoring her disappointed protests.

"You are dripping wet!" Rishabh says seeing her soaking wet. "Come and dry yourself." He says as he led her to their bedroom.

Rishabh grabs a towel and starts drying her hair as she shivered hugging herself.

"God, Madhu, you are such a child at times." Rishabh lovingly scolds her as he wiped her hair.

Madhu happily chuckles hearing that. "I am so happy today."

"Why?" Rishabh asks her as he stopped and looked at her face.

Remembering his kiss, Madhu blushes as she shrugged.

Seeing her blush, Rishabh grins happily and wraps his hands around her waist and pulls her closer.

Madhu's eyes widen when he hugged her like that. "What happened to you?" Madhu asks a little nervous and a little excited.

"Someone kissed me." Rishabh tells her cheekily.

"WHO?" Madhu asks furiously, ready to murder.

Rishabh stops in shock seeing her possessive fury and tells her, "If you hadn't said, I love you, mama, then I would be asking you that?"

"What?" Madhu whispers in shock hearing that. "Did I..." Madhu turns pink.

Rishabh kisses her cheek then he kisses her cheek again and again.

"That many?" Madhu asks him in shock.

"No, just one."

"Then... why did you...?"

"Why? I shouldn't?" Rishabh asks her back as he gently rubbed his nose with hers.

Madhu blushes hearing his question.

Seeing her blush, Rishabh gently pecks her lips. Madhu blushes even more making him peck her again. then he feels her kiss him lightly. He pulls her closer to him and takes her lips in his, and they kiss hungrily.

*******

"Where is Rishu and Madhu? Aren't they getting late for office?" Radha asks at the breakfast table.

"Maybe they are still sleeping." Mohan guesses.

"Trish, just go check, otherwise both of them will be late for office." Radha tells her.

Trishna nodding, goes to check on them.

"Bhai? Madhu?"

Hearing Trishna's voice, Rishabh opens his eyes with much struggle. "Madhu..." Rishabh croaks with great difficulty.

Madhu groans.

"Bhai? Madhu?" Trishna knocks on the door. "Aren't you going to office?"

Rishabh with great difficulty drags himself out of the bed and walks to the door. hearing the knock again, he says, "Coming." and he opens the door as he leaned on the door tiredly.

"What happened to you?" Trishna asks in shock seeing him.

"I am not feeling good. I think I've fever." Rishabh tells her.

Trishna touches his forehead. "Yeah. What about Madhu?" Trishna asks him as she hurried to check on Madhu.

"She is burning up." Trishna says in concern. "I'll go get Ma, she will have medicine."

Rishabh walks to the bed and checks on Madhu.

"I feel sick, Rishu."

"You have fever. Even me."

"Oh, you should rest. Come lie down." Madhu tells him and pulls him towards her.

Trishna and Radha walk into their bedroom and stops in shock seeing Rishabh and Madhu snuggling on one corner of the bed. They both awkwardly look at each other wondering whether they should leave or take care of them.

Noticing them, Madhu tells them, "Rishu is sick."

"Madhu is also sick." Rishabh informs them.

"We know!" Trishna informs them exasperatedly as she walked to them. "Now, get away from each other."

*******

"How are you both feeling?" Trishna comes to check on them in the evening.

"Okay." Rishabh replies tiredly.

"Better." Madhu replies half dead.

"You can't even lift your head up." Rishabh points out.

"You are so cranky." Madhu grumbles.

"You both make the worst sick ever!" Trishna declares.

"She is the worst caregiver!" Madhu tells him.

"She isn't even a caregiver." Rishabh tells her.

"My God! You two!" Trishna tells them in exasperation.

"Stop disturbing them, Trish." Radha tells her with a frown as she walked in with their soup. "Rishu, Madhu, have your soup."

"I am not hungry." Madhu moans.

"You should have your food, Madhu." Rishabh tells her as he turned to sleep.

"Even you."

"I'll have later."

"Such fussy people!" Trishna declares.

"Ask her to leave!" Madhu says.

"Get out, Trish." Rishabh says.

"FINE!" Trishna declares as she left irately.

Once she left, Radha looks at Madhu and Rishabh, "You two." Radha says shaking her head.

"Our only entertainment." Madhu tells her with a half laugh and half sleepily.

Radha chuckles. "Sit up and have your soup."

Seeing that they were going to refuse she tells them sternly, "You have to have your medicines too, sit."

"What soup is it?" Madhu asks her as she sat up.

"Vegetable soup."

"Vegetable?" Rishabh groans as he falls back on the bed.

"I made mutton soup for you." Radha tells him exasperated as she pulled him up.

"Why two different soups?" Rishabh asks her as he took his bowl from her.

"because Madhu doesn't eat mutton." Radha tells him.

"Why did you trouble yourself, Ma? I would have had mutton soup." Madhu tells her feeling touched.

"Because my child was sick." Radha tells her offended.

Madhu's eyes fill up hearing that. "You are like Mama."

Radha smiles as she caressed her cheek.

Rishabh smiles and side hugs Madhu making her blush and smile happily.

*******

By next morning, Rishabh and Madhu were feeling slightly better.

"You guys are not going to office today, right?" Trishna asks them as she brought their food.

"No." Rishabh answers as he helped Madhu sit up.

Trishna gives them their food and curiously says, "I can understand how Madhu got fever. But bhai you were not even in the rain for a minute, how did you get fever?"

Rishabh and Madhu look at each other, Rishabh cheekily grinning while Madhu blushing a little.

"Such weak immunity, Trish." Madhu says shaking her head sadly.

"You gave me fever." Rishabh points out to her making her blush.

"Who asked you to run out in the rain?" Trishna asks him.

"He was worried I would fall sick. Now look at him." Madhu says chuckling softly making Trishna also chuckle and Rishabh gives Madhu a look.

After Trishna left, Rishabh turns to Madhu and tells her, "First kiss and you ended up giving me a fever."

"How can you be sure it is from the first? You were on a roll."

"And you were not?"

Madhu blushes hearing him. Seeing her blush, Rishabh with a grin crooks his finger at her.

"You mad?" Madhu asks him in shock as she moved towards him. "We both are half dead here."

"Then why are you coming close?" Rishabh asks her with a smirk as he took her lips in his.

*******

Couple of days later, Rishabh walks into their bedroom and stops in shock seeing Madhu reading another big book.

Noticing him staring at her, she quickly says, "Okay... don't judge me. I couldn't control myself. that author is too good; I really want to know who gets the throne."

Rishabh cheekily grins at her "I was just wondering how you can read such big books with so much interest. I had no idea you started reading the second book."

"Oh." Madhu bites her tongue.

"So, how is your favorite character doing this time?" Rishabh asks her grinning.

"I am too smart for the author. No favorite characters this time on!" Madhu declares arrogantly.

"Good for you." Rishabh tells her then he softly adds. "and for me."

Few minutes later, Rishabh comes ready for bed. "Let's sleep?"

"DAMN IT!" Madhu declares as she closed the book furiously.

"What?" Rishabh asks shocked.

"I have a favorite character!" Madhu tells him pissed.

"Oh no!" Rishabh whispers as he gets on the bed next to her. "Let's pray for your favorite character's long life."

Madhu scowls at him making Rishabh grin. "If something happens to him..."

Rishabh chuckles as he took the book and kept it aside. "Leave the book."

Madhu blushes as she moved close to him.

"For now, I want to be your favorite character." Rishabh whispers to her against her lips.

Madhu smiles and whispers as she took his lips in hers, "You are."

Rishabh grins against her lips hearing her as his hands went to her clothes.

*******

"Hmmm... I think we should take off today." Rishabh says against her lips.

Madhu chuckles against his lips. "Go. You'll be late."

Rishabh sighs as he hugged. "I don't want to go."

Madhu laughs as she pushed him to the door.

"Bye." Rishabh sighs as he halfheartedly left.

*******

Trishna had dragged off Madhu to watch Netflix in the evening.

"Madhu... I'm feeling sleepy." Rishabh finally had enough of waiting for his wife.

"Good night, bhai." Trishna says with a wavy of her hand as she concentrated on the TV.

Rishabh scowls at her, and then turns to Madhu who was grinning at him shyly. "Let's sleep?" Rishabh asks her with a suggestive smile.

"You go, we are watching." Trishna tells him in a dismissing tone making Rishabh glare at his sister.

Madhu grins seeing him glaring. Rishabh flicks his head, gesturing her to come.

Madhu stretches her arms up and yawns loudly. "We'll watch it tomorrow, Trish, I am also feeling sleepy."

Seeing her over acting, Rishabh bursts out laughing.

Madhu scowls at him for laughing at her. then glaring at him, she declares, "You know what, I am not that sleepy, we will finish this tonight."

"Awesome." Trishna smiles.

Rishabh scowls at her and she scowls back.

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

"Then go sleep by yourself." Madhu replies.

"That is no longer fun."

Madhu turns pink hearing him say that so loudly in front of his sister.

Trishna looks at him and Madhu in confusion. "What's up with him?"

Madhu shrugs.

"Did you watch some scary movie in office, bhai?" Trishna asks him. "Why do you watch it when you can't handle it?"

Rishabh rolls his eyes as he walked to Madhu and sits next to her.

"What?" Madhu asks him.

Rishabh shrugs as he got under her blanket and settled next to her.

Madhu was watching the series trying to ignore the fact that Rishabh was snuggling up next to her. then she feels his hand on her breast. She turns to look at him in shock and his thumb sensuously rubs her nipple, bringing it to life.

"Behave." Madhu whispers to him.

"Come." Rishabh whispers to her.

Madhu looks away as she pushed his hand off and tied her hands on her chest, protecting her breasts from him.

Rishabh with a smile softly kisses her cheek and a second later, she feels his hand on the waist band of her short.

Feeling his hand slide under her short, she shouts in shock, "RISHABH!"

"What?" he innocently asks her.

"what happened?" Trishna asks.

Madhu realizing that she had the undivided attention of Trishna, tells her husband, "Stop pulling the blanket."

"I was just getting comfortable."

"Go get comfortable in the room."

"You come."

"I am busy."

Rishabh sighs as he sat back. Once he was sure Trishna was sure engrossed in the serial, he whispers to Madhu, "Come, Madhu."

"No." Madhu replies in attitude. "You laugh some more."

"Don't make me carry you out of here." Rishabh warns her.

"You won't dare."

"I will. Whole day, I have been waiting for you."

Madhu couldn't control her blush and smile, "You were?"

"Yes." Rishabh smiles. "And you?"

"Yes." Madhu tells him blushing happily.

"Let's go."

"Trish, you watch. I am going to sleep."

Trishna takes the remote and switches off the TV. She gets up and walks off as she muttered, "Thank you. it was excruciating and embarrassing to watch bhai beg."

Rishabh and Madhu watches Trishna walk off in shock. then they turn to look at each other and seeing each other's expression, they burst out laughing.

*******

That weekend, Rishabh had a colleague's wedding to attend, and he and Madhu went for it.

"Are you getting bored?" Rishabh asks her in a soft whisper.

Madhu shakes her head in no with a smile. Rishabh smiles and holds her hand lovingly.

"Do you think we should have had a grand wedding like this?" Madhu asks him as she looked at the bride and groom.

"It is not going to make you any more or less of mine. And we aren't going to be any more or less happy with each other." Rishabh replies with a shrug. "Do you think we should have had one?"

Madhu shakes her head in negative "I was thinking what is the use of this grand a function. I can bet you that there would be at least 30 people here that neither the bride or groom know, they would be here because of some connection to someone connected to the bride or groom."

"Obviously, isn't every Indian wedding like that?"

"I liked our wedding. Only people that were close to our heart were there." Madhu tells him with a smile.

"Even me. but they might like a wedding like this. Who are we to judge?" Rishabh asks her as he pointed at the bride and groom.

"Yes, I shouldn't come to their wedding and start nitpicking. And the truth is that the bride and groom don't know me, they don't even know I exist in this world. I'm here because I am connected to you." Madhu tells him a little embarrassed.

Rishabh chuckles, "I was about to point out that to you."

Madhu chuckles as she looked around and stops in shock. For a second she thought she saw Sultan.

"What happened?" Rishabh asks her curiously.

"I thought I saw someone I know." Madhu says in a soft tone, her heart slamming against her chest.

"Why don't you go check?" Rishabh asks her.

"It's okay." Madhu says shaking her head.

"Go, my Boss is calling me, I'll just go see what he wants." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods and watches Rishabh walk off.

Madhu for a few seconds contemplates on whether to check if it was indeed Sultan, then she decides against it, even if it was him, what was the use? What was she going to talk to him?

So, Madhu remained where she was and was watching Rishabh chat with his boss.

"Hi." Sultan says gently.

Hearing his voice, Madhu's heart skips a beat and she turns to the sound to find Sultan stand next to her.

"Long time." Sultan says with a gentle smile.

"What are you doing here?" Madhu asks him.

"The bride is Ria's cousin." Sultan hesitantly tells her.

"No. what are you doing here? Next to me." Madhu clarifies.

"I saw you and I thought I would just... how are you, Madhu?" Sultan asks her.

"Happy." Madhu replies and doesn't bother to ask him how he was doing, because she realized that she didn't care how he was doing.

"I had heard that you got married. Was that your husband?"

Madhu nods.

"Trishna's brother, Rishabh Kundra, right?"

Madhu nods with a frown wondering how he knew all that, half her friends didn't even know she was married as she hadn't invited them all to their wedding, only when she spoke to them did she inform them about their marriage.

He was about to say something then looking behind her, he says, "Okay, I'll see you later." And he walks off making Madhu frown all the more.

"Sorry, it took time." Rishabh says as he joined her. "Who was that?"

Madhu shakes her head and turns to him. "Is it time to leave?"

"It is not, but if you feel like leaving then let's go." Rishabh tells her.

"Let's go then." Madhu tells him.

After bidding their bye to the groom, Rishabh and Madhu leave.

As they were leaving, Madhu notices Sultan watching her, she ignores him and turns to Rishabh. "What was your boss saying?" Madhu asks him.

"They are considering me for promotion." Rishabh informs her.

Madhu smiles happily hearing that, "That is awesome."

Rishabh smiles seeing her joy, "Nothing is finalized yet... let's see."

"I am sure you'll get it." Madhu tells him confidently.

Rishabh smiles hearing that.

*******

They were in bed, and Madhu was thoughtfully drawing patterns on his chest, her thoughts going back to her meeting with Sultan.

"Rishu... I want to tell you something."

"Tell me."

Madhu moves closer to him and hugs him tighter.

Feeling her do that, Rishabh hugs her tighter, "Was that Sultan?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me then?"

Madhu looks up at him and tells him, "I know how much you hate him. I wasn't sure what you would do to him if you realized it was him."

"Broke his leg or two."

Madhu smiles hearing that, she leans towards him and lovingly kisses his cheek.

Rishabh smiles at her, "I wasn't 100% sure it was him, otherwise I would have."

Madhu smiles and hugs him tight.

"So what was he saying?"

"He knows that I got married and I got married to Trish's brother and he knows your name too."

"So, he is keeping tabs on you?"

"Don't know. The bride is Ria's cousin."

"Hmmm. Are you okay, love?"

Madhu shakes her head in negative. "Seeing him, I remembered all that happened after our break up. You know, not just me, he had hurt everyone around me. my parents and my friends. Papa and Mama knew that I was unhappy. They kept asking me what had happened but I couldn't tell them." Madhu looks at him and asks him sadly, "what could I tell them? knowing, would have hurt them more. And I was so hurt and ashamed of myself that I couldn't bring myself to talk about it. I was such a fool that I couldn't see the reality and what was happening. How could I tell them that I was so blinded that I lost touch with reality?"

Rishabh cups her face and lovingly kisses her cheek, "I know, love."

"Papa and Mama suffered a lot, worrying about me. you know, there were nights, when Mama would come and lie with me, and hug me when she thinks I am sleeping. I would be awake but I would act as if I am asleep so I don't have to talk about it all. I knew she was hurting and still I would keep silent." Madhu guiltily tells him.

"You were just protecting them, Madhu." Rishabh tells her reassuringly.

Madhu nods and hugs him, "Thank you for coming into my life, Rishu. I don't know what would have happened to me if you hadn't come into my life. I might have withered away."

"You saved me, Madhu. you gave new meaning to my life." Rishabh tells her. "I have no life without you."

Madhu looks at him and tells him with tears filled eyes, "Please don't ever leave me, Rishu. I'll die without you."

Rishabh lovingly smiles at her, "It is a battle for me, every day to leave you and go to office in the morning, Madhu."

Madhu chuckles happily hearing that.

*******

Next day, Rishabh was getting ready while Madhu was taking her shower when Madhu's mobile starts ringing.

"Madhu, your phone is ringing." Rishabh calls out to her taking the phone and stops seeing Sultan Calling.

"Who is it? Just answer." Madhu says as she opened the bathroom door and poked her head out.

"Sultan." Rishabh informs her.

"Don't answer." Madhu says frowning. "Just cut the call."

Rishabh gives her a look and answers the call. "Hello?"

And Sultan quickly cuts the call.

"He hung up."

"Good." Madhu declares.

Few minutes later, they were getting ready when Madhu's mobile buzzes. "What is his problem?" Madhu mutters furiously.

"Sultan?" Rishabh asks her curiously.

"Yeah, he sent a message."

"He seems desperate, what did he say?"

"Hi Madhu, I wanted to meet you. when can we meet?" Madhu reads it out for Rishabh.

Rishabh thoughtfully looks at her and sees her irately throw the phone on their bed.

"Aren't you replying?"

"Why should I?" Madhu asks him frowning.

"You should meet, Madhu." Rishabh gently tells her.

"What nonsense? I don't want to meet him." Madhu tells him getting angry.

"You should, Madhu."

"He doesn't matter to me, Rishu."

"He does. You are still scared of facing him. there is still bitterness in you for what had happened. You still blame yourself for it."

Madhu looks away as she thought of it.

"You are scared of meeting when it is he, who should be scared of facing you."

"I don't care, Rishu."

Rishabh holds her shoulder and tells her, "You need closure, Madhu."

"Why does it matter?" Madhu asks him.

"Because it does." Rishabh tells her as he took her mobile and offered her.

Madhu takes her mobile and types into it.

"Take Trish with you." Rishabh tells her as he walked to the door.

"Why?"

"To make sure you don't cheat." Rishabh cheekily tells her.

"Don't you trust me?" Madhu asks him shocked.

"Not in this."

Madhu gasps in outrage. "You really think that I would not meet him and lie to you that I met him?"

Rishabh grins at her. then turning to look out the door, he calls out loudly, "Trish!"

"Rishabh Kundra!" Madhu furiously calls him, hands on hips.

Rishabh turns to her and tells, "That bastard hurt you really bad, so, I just want to make sure you have back up."

"You think I can't handle him?" Madhu asks offended.

"It is for my peace of mind." Rishabh clarifies. "I would have come, but the way he had ran off seeing me, I don't think he has the balls to talk to you with me around."

"Hmmm."

"Trish!"

"What?" Trishna asks as she opened her bedroom door and stepped out.

"Come here."

"You come here!" she replies offended.

"Come here!" Rishabh insists.

"This better be important, I've office." Trishna says irately as she stomped towards her brother.

"I don't love you so much that I am desperate to see your face every morning." Rishabh replies. "Of course, it is important!"

"what?" Trishna growls at him.

"Just go with Madhu today to..."

"I work in a different office!" Trishna reminds him in exasperation.

"How are you best friends with my wife with such low IQ?" Rishabh asks her shocked.

Trishna scowls at him. "Her IQ is worse than mine, she proved that by marrying you!"

"You got us married!" Rishabh points out then before she could say anything, he says, "She is going to meet Sultan, you go with her."

"What the hell?" Trishna shouts in fury. "Why the hell are you going to meet him?"

"I am not going; I am being forced!" Madhu tells her.

"How dare that asshole? His nerve to force you to..." Trishna furiously starts.

"Do you really think that prick has that kind of power over her to force her for anything?" Rishabh asks her in exasperation.

"Then which asshole is forcing her?" Trishna asks him furiously.

"You are staring at him!" Rishabh tells her in exasperation. "Do you really think that anyone else can make Madhu do something that she doesn't want to do other than me?"

"Me!" Trishna replies offended.

"You wish!" Rishabh scoffs.

"She is my best friend!"

"She is my wife!"

"Seriously?" Madhu asks the brother-sister duo in shock. "You two imbeciles are fighting over that? Now?"

"Imbecile? What does that mean?" Trishna asks confused.

"You should read, sister!" Rishabh tells her in a superior tone.

"You can just say truthfully that you don't know, you don't have to act." Trishna tells him.

"Stupid!" Rishabh tells her.

"You, moron!" Trishna calls him thinking he was calling her a stupid.

"TSTL." Rishabh says shaking his head in disappointment.

"What?" Trishna asks confused.

"I had enough!" Madhu declares. "I'll message you when and where when he replies." Madhu tells Trishna then turning to Rishabh she kisses his cheek. "Bye, if I listen to any more of this then I will have to leave for office without breakfast."
Madhu leaves as Rishabh and Trishna started arguing again about Madhu meeting Sultan.

*******

"He is already here." Trishna says in hatred noticing Sultan waiting for them.

Madhu looks at where she was looking and notices Sultan looking at them, he was looking at Trishna in shock.

"You sit there." Madhu tells her as she pointed at a different table.

Trishna nods as she glared at Sultan. "I will either kill that bastard or my own brother for this."

"To hurt my husband, you'll have to go through me first." Madhu tells her.

Hearing that, Trishna smiles at Madhu, "Go, make us proud."

Madhu chuckles hearing that and walks to the table Sultan was sitting.

"Why did you want to meet?" Madhu asks him without any preamble.

"I had tried calling you but your husband picked the call." Sultan hesitantly says as he stood up. "Did I cause any problem for you?"

"What do you want, Sultan?" Madhu asks him as she sat down.

"Why is Trishna with you?" Sultan asks her.

"What do you want?" Madhu asks him again irately.

"Madhu, I really don't want to create any problems in your marriage. that is not my intention."

Madhu disinterestedly looks away.

"But why is Trishna here? Did your husband send her with you to spy on you? Is everything fine between you and him?"

Madhu looks at him and reply chuckling, "Yes. He was worried that I wouldn't meet you and lie to him that I met you. so, he sent Trish to make sure that I meet you."

"He knows about us?" Sultan asks her in shock.

"He knows about our relation much better than you ever did."

Sultan looks away in guilt.

"Why did you want to meet?" Madhu asks him.

Sultan looks at her and tells her softly, "I miss you, Madhu."

Madhu watches him for a few seconds and realizes that her husband was right, she needed closure, just like how he had always wanted closure with Dipali. She asks him, "Did you ever love me, Sultan?"

"I did, Madhu. I still do." He tells her passionately. "I still think of you. our time together, our love..."

"Then why wasn't I enough for you?" Madhu cuts him off.

"Madhu... I am sorry for that."

"Why, Sultan? How did you easily choose someone else over me? how did you so easily ruin what we thought we had?"

"I am sorry, Madhu, it happened."

"After all this time, don't you think I deserve the truth?" Madhu asks him offended.

Sultan helplessly looks at her.

"Tell me, Sultan."

"Ria felt exciting then... adventurous... spicy... and we were..."

"We were?" Madhu asks him frowning.

"It's all in the past, right?" Sultan asks her hopefully.

"I was boring and mundane." Madhu finishes for him.

"I am sorry, Madhu." Sultan tells her regretfully. "I still love you, Madhu. don't you think of me?"

Madhu gets up and walks off.

"Madhu?" Sultan calls her but she ignores him and walks off.

"Done?" Trishna asks her as Madhu reached her table.

Madhu nods.

"Let's go then." Trishna says knowing that Madhu would want to share whatever happened with Rishabh first before she shares it with her.

Madhu nods.

"Madhu, please wait..." Sultan calls her.

Madhu closes her eyes trying to control her temper.

"Let's go." Trishna tells her.

"No." Madhu replies, then opening her eyes, she takes out her mobile and unlocks it and hands it to Trishna. "Take a video."

Then she turns around and walks to Sultan who had stopped a few steps away from them.

"I do think of you, Sultan." Madhu answers his question.

"Even I do, Madhu." Sultan tells her smiling lovingly.

"Since the moment I realized that I love my Rishu, I keep thinking of you, wondering how the hell did you convince me that I love you or how the hell did I believe that I love you. because if what I felt for you was love then what I feel for Rishu is nothing short of worship." Madhu tells him.

Sultan's face goes pale hearing that.

"And I have this desperate need to not disappoint him. and I know, if I don't do this then he is going to be disappointed in me and I can't have that."

"Do what?" Sultan asks her in confusion.

"This is not going to hurt you as much as it had hurt me when you had walked all over me and left me broken. But still, I will be satisfied with this because I am not greedy like you."

Madhu slaps his right across his face shocking him. before he could react, Madhu bends her knee and hits him on his manhood real hard making Sultan howl in pain as he fell to the ground.

"Please be satisfied with this, Sultan. Don't call me again." Madhu tells him and walks off.

Madhu grins seeing a wide eyed, grinning ear to ear, proud Trishna.

"Let's go?" Madhu asks her.

"I love you." Trishna shouts at her as she hugged her making Madhu laugh.

"I am so glad I got to witness that than Bhai."

"You got it on video, right?" Madhu asks her as they walked out.

"Yes, lucky for you that by the time, I got your video recording up and running, your cheesy worship line was over."

Madhu laughs hearing that.

"Don't know how he will be if he hears that, already he is so arrogant and boastful about you"

"Let him be." Madhu tells her grinning, "He is lucky to have me."

Trishna looks at her in amazement. "Finally my best friend is back." Trishna says jumping excitedly.

"Thank your brother for it.... Wait let me rephrase, thank my husband for that."

"You are no better than him." Trishna mutters.

*******

After meeting Sultan, Madhu had gone to her house as she wanted to meet her parents while Trishna had gone back to their house. now that she had completely put Sultan and the issues behind her, she wanted to see her parents and spent some happy moments with them like before.

"You look so happy." Padmini says lovingly as she caressed her cheek.

"I am, Mama." Madhu tells her smiling.

"I am so happy. Even Malik." Padmini says smiling in relief and joy.

"I caused you so much worry, didn't I?" Madhu asks her sadly.

Padmini smiles at her understandingly, "You might have had your reasons for not sharing it with us."

"I did, Mama." Madhu tells her.

"But now, you are happy, right?"

"Yes. Very." Madhu tells her smiling.

"We are so happy that you got someone like Rishabh. He is the reason that we have our old Madhu back." Padmini tells her as she hugged her happily.

"Yes." Madhu agrees then she adds, "And Trish too. She convinced Rishu and me that we are perfect for each other."

"And us too." Padmini tells her.

Madhu smiles hearing that.

Few minutes later, Rishabh had come to pick Madhu from there. since, Malik hadn't come back from work, Madhu and Rishabh had decided to wait to meet him.

"So, how did it go?" Rishabh asks her when Vasudhara had gone to make dinner and they were alone.

"It went well." Madhu tells him smiling.

Rishabh smiles, "You got all your answers?"

Madhu nods as she took her mobile, "Nothing was wrong with me. he is the one who couldn't be happy and satisfied with what he had. when he was with me he wanted Ria and now he has Ria, he wants me."

"What the hell?" Rishabh asks furiously.

"I took care of him." Madhu tells him as she passed him her mobile.

Rishabh curiously takes her mobile and plays the video.

"Wow..." he says when he sees the slap and then he sees the second attack. "Wohooo" he shouts in excitement as he sat up. Then he plays it again and burst out laughing seeing it.

"Did I make you proud husband?" Madhu asks him.

"Hell yeah!" Rishabh tells her as he turned to her kissed her soundly on her lips. "And you just made me all the more crazy about you."

Madhu chuckles hearing that.

"You know, we have only made love in our room... why don't we make love in your room here?" Rishabh asks her as he kissed her hungrily.

"What about Mama?" Madhu asks him, feeling excited and nervous.

Rishabh winks at her in reply.

Laughing, excitedly, Madhu grabs his hand, "Come."

*******

"It's our college reunion, will you come with us?" Madhu asks Rishabh.

"Do you want me to?" Rishabh asks her.

"Obviously, and you haven't met all my friends and most of them still don't know that I am married."

"Okay, I'll come." Rishabh tells her smiling.

"But, Dipali could be there." Madhu gently tells him.

Rishabh thoughtfully nods. "It's not a problem, Madhu."

*******

After meeting Madhu's friends, Rishabh and Madhu were standing together and chatting.

"You should be with your friends." Rishabh tells her pointing at her friends standing in a circle along with Trishna, chatting and joking around.

"You will be bored."

"I'll be fine. Lot of girls here, I'll be entertained." Rishabh cheekily tells her.

Madhu scowls at him.

"You go." Rishabh tells her chuckling.

"After that, I am definitely not going." Madhu declares making Rishabh laugh.

Madhu grins seeing him laughing.

"MADHU!"

Hearing Trishna call her, Madhu and Rishabh looks at her friends.

"Come here, we are taking photo." Trishna tells her waving her over.

Madhu turns to look at Rishabh and he says with a smile, "You go."

"Will you be fine?" Madhu asks him.

"Yeah, I liked that sandwich, I'm going to get one more piece." Rishabh tells her.

"I'll come soon." Madhu promises.

"Don't worry about me, love. I'll be fine." Rishabh tells her smiling.

"Yeah, I know, so many girls here." Madhu says rolling her eyes, making him chuckle.

Rishabh walks to the food counter and he stops and curiously looks at Madhu. He watches with a smile as Madhu posed with his sister and her friends for the photo, smiling happily and joking and teasing each other.

"Why are you here, Rishabh?" Dipali asks him from behind.

Frowning at the question, Rishabh curiously turns around his heart slamming against his chest. "What?" Rishabh asks her.

Shaking her head disappointedly at him, Dipali asks him, "Why are you here, Rishabh?"

"Dipali... I..." Rishabh starts and stops in confusion trying to figure out why she was asking him such a question.

"You are here to see me, aren't you?"

"What?" Rishabh asks her shocked. "I knew you would be here but..."

"What we had was amazing, Rishabh... but it is over now." Dipali cuts him off.

"What we had was kind of good." Rishabh agrees. "Amazing is what I have..."

"Rishabh, I know it is difficult for you to forget me. trust me, I still think of you and I would always love you but this is not right. you can't use your sister and come to my college reunion to see me." Dipali tells him in exasperation.

"Will you let me..." Rishabh starts to explain.

"Got your sandwich?" Madhu asks with a smile as she stopped next to Rishabh then noticing Dipali she stops in shock. "Sorry, I didn't notice you guys were talking."

Dipali nods.

"I tried calling you." Madhu tells her.

"You had decided we were no longer friends. Now, I'll decide if and when I want to be your friend." Dipali replies.

"I don't want to be your friend." Madhu clarifies.

"Yeah, right!" Dipali rolls her eyes. "Ever since people found out about my engagement they have been flocking me like birds."

Ignoring her, Madhu turns to Rishabh and tells him, "I just came to check whether you were bored."

Rishabh who had been gaping at Dipali turns to Madhu. seeing his shock, Madhu couldn't help but smile.

Rishabh smiles seeing her smile.

"He isn't bored. If you could just excuse us, we were in the middle of something." Dipali tells Madhu.

"Yeah, sure." Madhu replies. "Rishu, I'll be with Trish."

"Do you have anything important with her?" Rishabh asks her.

"No." Madhu replies.

"Then stay." Rishabh tells her as he offered her his hand.

"Sure?" Madhu asks him.

Rishabh nods. Madhu smiles and takes his hand.

"You guys are friends now? And did you call him Rishu?" Dipali asks shocked.

"Friends?" Rishabh asks with a smile. "Yeah, you could say that she is my best friend."

Madhu shakes her head at him with a smile. "Trish will kill you."

Rishabh chuckle then turning to Dipali, he clarifies, "Madhu is my wife, Dipali."

"What?" Dipali asks in shock.

"You should have answered her call. She called you to inform about our wedding." Rishabh tells her.

"You got married?" Dipali asks him in shocked whisper, her eyes filling up.

Madhu and Rishabh awkwardly look at each other seeing her tears.

"What the hell?" Trishna asks furiously seeing Dipali with them.

"Trish, stop." Madhu quickly tells her.

"How dare you come in front of my brother after what you did?" Trishna asks Dipali furiously.

"We were just talking." Rishabh tells her.

"Talking? You mad?" Trishna asks him angrily. "We are leaving!" Trishna furiously decides.

"What?" Rishabh asks her with a frown.

"We are leaving! Let's go." Trishna says and furiously holding Rishabh's hand she drags him out.

Not wanting to create a scene, Rishabh and Madhu follows her.

*******

"What the hell was that?" Rishabh furiously asks Trishna as soon as they reached home.

"After what she did, do you even have to ask me that?" Trishna asks him in shock.

"I wanted to talk to her!"

"WHAT THE HELL? How can you talk to her? You can't talk to her!"

"I don't need your permission to talk to her!" Rishabh tells her angrily. "I don't need anyone's permission to talk to her or anyone else. As long as my wife has no issue with it, I don't give a damn what others think about it!"

"You are with him on this?" Trishna asks Madhu angrily. "Did you forget his condition when she left him?"

"Make her understand, Madhu!" Rishabh tells her tiredly.

"Make me understand?" Trishna asks him furiously. "You make him understand, Madhu!"

Madhu looks at Rishabh and Trishna, and sees them both looking at her expectantly.

Madhu turns to Rishabh and tells him, "Trish feels responsible for what happened with you and she is concerned. She loves you and is worried for you."

Rishabh sighs and looks at Trishna.

"And Trish, Rishu is not a child. He can handle himself. And Dipali no longer holds the power to hurt him." Madhu gently tells her then holding Rishabh's hand, she reassuringly tells her, "And I am there with him. I'll not let anything hurt him. I'll take care of him."

Trishna nods giving in. she walks to Rishabh and hugs him. "I hate that bitch for what she did to you."

Rishabh hugs her and reminds her with a smile, "It's because of her that Madhu is with me now."

"Oh please, it is because of me!"

Rishabh and Madhu looks at each other and grin.

*******

"You okay?" Madhu asks Rishabh as she hugged him.

"Hmmm... I was kind of expecting to meet her there."

"She looked heart broken when she found out that you were married." Madhu tells him.

"I saw." Rishabh replies.

"Did you feel bad?"

"A little that she is sad."

"You don't have to feel bad."

"I am not so cold hearted like you and Trish." Rishabh tells her with a grin.

Madhu chuckles, then turning serious she reminds him, "Your heart break was much worse than hers."

"No matter what, you are never going to forgive her." Rishabh chuckles.

"Will you ever forgive Sultan for hurting me?" Madhu asks him back.

"Never." Rishabh says getting angry.

"Same!" Madhu replies.

Rishabh smiles hearing that. Rishabh leans down and takes her lips in his. "Then show me some love."

*******

Madhu was in her office when Rishabh calls her.

"Hi." Madhu says with a smile.

"Hey... how is it going?"

"Good... was just about to leave. What's up?"

"Dipali messaged."

"Haan... what did she say?"

"Just a Hello." Rishabh informs her.

"Hmmm."

"If I ask her whether we can meet do you think she would think more into it?" Rishabh asks her.

"It's not our problem what she thinks. You just ask. Anyway, you wanted to talk to her. see what she says." Madhu tells him.

"Okay... and yesterday she did act like she didn't want to talk to me." Rishabh points out.

"Yeah, but today she is saying messaging you. finding out you got married might have given her a jolt."

"Hmmm... I'll message her." Rishabh says and quickly sends her a message.

"Okay done." Rishabh says. "Anyway, leave all that. I think I'll also come home now."

"But isn't your final project handover next week?" Madhu asks him confused.

"It is... but I want to take a break. Let's go out somewhere."

"Okay." Madhu says smiling.

"Just you and me, okay?" Rishabh tells her.

"Okay." Madhu says with a chuckle. "And Trish said she would be a little late in coming home today."

"Ah okay. see you soon."

*******

Radha opens the door for Madhu.

"Hi Ma." Madhu hugs her with a smile.

"How was your day? I was about to call Trish, your friend is here." Radha informs her.

"Friend? Who?" Madhu asks curiously to the living room and notices Dipali sitting there.

Noticing her, Madhu walks to her and asks her confused. "Dipali, how come you are here?"

"I am here to meet Rishabh." Dipali clarifies.

"Rishu?" Radha asks confused. "Isn't she Trish's and your friend?"

Madhu nods in reply.

"Rishabh should be home by now, right?" Dipali asks Radha.

"He reaches late. He has some projects, so nowadays he comes home only at night." Radha tells her.

"Oh." Dipali smirks as she looks at Madhu. "he used to love to stay at home before. Now, he seems to..." Dipali shakes her head.

"Is everything alright?" Radha asks Madhu in confusion as she looked between Dipali and Madhu.

"Everything is fine, Ma." Madhu tells her with a smile. "And Rishu would be coming shortly. he is on his way."

"Oh okay. then you sit with her, I'll get something to drink." Radha tells Madhu and quickly goes to the kitchen.

Madhu walks to Dipali and sits opposite to her, "You shouldn't have come here. Trish wouldn't like it."

"I'm here because Rishabh wanted to meet." Dipali tells her arrogantly.

"Rishu told you to meet him here?" Madhu asks her not believing her.

Dipali takes her mobile and quickly shows her the message.

Madhu curiously looks at the screen. To Dipali's Hello, Rishabh had replied with a Can we meet?.

"He didn't ask you to come here. You should have coordinated with him before coming over like this." Madhu tells her frowning.

"He asked me to meet." Dipali repeats irately.

"I know. Do you really think I wouldn't know what my husband is planning? He told me before he messaged you." Madhu tells her irately.

Dipali turns a little embarrassed realizing that Madhu was aware of Rishabh's message to her. "So, you guys tell each other everything... huh?" Dipali asks her, "Does he know about Sultan?"

"How is that any of your concern?" Madhu asks her with a frown.

Dipali shrugs, realizing that Madhu was back to her bitchy self like before.

They hear the doorbell.

"Madhu?" Radha calls her from the kitchen.

"I'll get it, Ma. It is Rishu." Madhu calls out to her as she hurried to open the door.

"Hey!" Rishabh says with a smile then seeing her expression, he stops with a frown. "What happened? Is she coming with us?"

"Trish hasn't even reached yet." Madhu says rolling her eyes. "Dipali is here."

"Dipali?" Rishabh says with a confused frown as he followed Madhu to the living room.

"Hello Rishabh." Dipali says with a smile as she stood up seeing him.

"What are you doing here, Dipali?" Rishabh asks her shocked.

"You only said you wanted to meet." Dipali reminds him, her smile dropping a little.

"Yeah, but you didn't say anything. we should have fixed a place and time. you shouldn't have come over like this." Rishabh says frowning.

"When you said you wanted to meet..." Dipali says, no longer smiling.

"Yeah, but Madhu and I have made plans. we are going out." Rishabh informs her.

"Oh." Dipali says disappointed as she looked at Rishabh and Madhu.

"It's okay, Rishu. you guys talk." Madhu tells him.

"But Madhu..." Rishabh starts to refuse.

"We will go after that. anyway, this isn't going to take time." Madhu says with a general gesture in Dipali's direction.

Dipali turns pink with Madhu's attitude regarding her and her relation with Rishabh.

"You sure?" Rishabh asks Madhu softly.

"Yeah." Madhu replies smiling then she gently tells him. "You guys go upstairs. If Trish sees her, I really don't know how she is going to react. I don't want Ma to find out."

Rishabh nods. "We'll go to the terrace, Dipali." Rishabh tells her and gestures her to go with him.

*******

"How are you?" Rishabh asks her as they stepped into the terrace to break the ice.

"How are you?" Dipali asks him.

"Good." Rishabh tells her smiling. "Happy."

"How could you get married, Rishabh?" Dipali asks him sadly, her eyes filling up.

Rishabh was shocked at the accusatory question. "What do you mean?"

"You forgot me."

"You left me, Dipali." Rishabh reminds her.

"So, you would punish me like this?" Dipali asks him. "Don't you love me anymore?"

Frowning angrily, he asks her, "Did you forget that you are talking to Madhu's husband?"

"Madhu?" Dipali scoffs in disgust.

"Yes, who used to be your friend once." Rishabh reminds her angrily.

"Great friend she was! she stole you!" Dipali furiously says.

"Stole me?" Rishabh asks her in shock. "I was no prize! I was a broken man! She picked up the broken pieces that you had left behind and made me whole again!"

"I was helpless!" Dipali furiously argues.

Rishabh looks at her and shakes his head. "You were not. You had a choice and you chose another man."

"It was my mistake. I'll leave him, Rishabh." Dipali earnestly begs him.

"What?" Rishabh moves back in shock.

"I thought I can live without you but seeing you with Madhu... I can't, Rishabh. I can't see you with her."

"Have you gone crazy?" Rishabh asks her in shock.

Dipali moves to him and cups his face, "Nothing has changed, Rishabh. I know that. we can be how we were before."

"Everything has changed, Dipali." Rishabh tells her as he removed her hand from his face.

"No, it hasn't. otherwise why would you ask to meet me?" Dipali asks him.

"For closure." Rishabh tells her.

"Closure? What closure?" Dipali asks him back.

No longer wanting to have any more conversation with her, he says, "It was a mistake, Dipali. You should leave. We don't have anything more to talk about."

"You love me, Rishabh. I know you do." Dipali tells him.

"I don't, Dipali. I love Madhu." Rishabh clarifies to her. "You should leave." Rishabh says and starts to walk back.

Rishabh was about to step out when "Rishabh!" Dipali calls him.

Sighing, Rishabh turns to her and stops in shock seeing her stand on the terrace wall.

"What is wrong with you?" Rishabh asks her furious and scared seeing her do that.

"I know you love me. and I love you. I'll break my engagement, Rishabh. I don't care about money anymore. All I care about is you. I love you. please take me back."

"I am married!" Rishabh furiously reminds her.

"But you are mine!"

"I am not yours!" Rishabh tells her. "The truth is I am no longer mine... or my family's... I only belong to Madhu. she is my life."

"Stop it, Rishabh. I know you are saying all that to take your revenge on me. I lost, Rishabh. Please, tell me you love me." Dipali cries to him.

"Please step down." Rishabh tells her.

"Say you love me otherwise I'll jump. I swear I'll jump." Dipali tells him.

"Don't!" Rishabh tells her in panic, then turning around, he screams, "MADHU! MADHU!"

"Stop saying her name!" Dipali furiously tells him.

"Just come down, Dipali. Please don't do anything stupid." Rishabh says then not able to handle the panic, he screams, "MADHU!"

"Madhu! Madhu! Madhu! more than my name, you've said her name since you came!" Dipali furiously tells him.

"Rishu?" Madhu comes running.

"Madhu... Dipali..." Rishabh points her out in panic.

"What the hell, Dipali?" Madhu furiously asks her. "Have you gone crazy?"

"You made me crazy! You stole him and brainwashed him!" Dipali furiously accuses her.

"You mad?" Madhu asks her furiously as she started walking to the wall.

"Don't come near me!" Dipali warns her.

Madhu moves away from her but walks to the wall as she kept her eyes on Dipali.

"Dipali, just come down." Rishabh tells her. "Please don't be stupid. Don't do anything stupid."

"Then say you love me, Rishabh."

"I told you I love Madhu." Rishabh earnestly tells her.

"I love you too." Madhu nonchalantly replies.

Rishabh turns to her and sees her curiously looking down to the ground. "Seriously, Madhu?" Rishabh asks her in exasperation.

"Seriously, Rishabh?" Madhu asks him back as she looked at him. "Your first I love you to me, is to her?"

"Your first I love you to me, is to the ground?" Rishabh asks her back.

Madhu shrugs then she looks back to the ground.

"You are crazy." Rishabh tells her unable to control his smile.

Madhu chuckles a little.

"RISHABH!" Dipali furiously calls him.

Rishabh turns to her tiredly. "Dipali, Madhu..."

Dipali furiously cuts him off. "One more time you say her name, I'll jump!"

"Jump." Madhu tells her.

"Madhu!" Rishabh shouts her name in shock.

Dipali turns to look at Madhu and sees her looking down thoughtfully.

"You won't die, Dipali." Madhu says in a calculative tone as she tried to judge the damage looking at the depth to the ground. "This is just first floor. You will break a leg or two. Might become a cripple." Madhu says then finally she looks at Dipali in the eyes and tells her, "Even then, Rishabh would still be my husband."

Dipali stops in shock hearing Madhu.

"You will end up in the hospital. Rishu would still be my husband. Maybe you can get him arrested for abetment of suicide. It is another thing that you'll also go to jail for attempted suicide. Anyway, even if Rishu goes to jail, he will still be my husband. And I'll wait for him. when he comes out of jail, I would still be his wife. We would restart our life together from this point again. and I would still be his wife and I would always be his wife." Madhu tells her.

Dipali goes pale hearing that.

"Anyway, even if you don't go to jail, and he also doesn't go to jail, then also I would be his wife. And Dipali, what if you get a permanent scar or two on your face?" Madhu asks her. "You would need plastic surgery to get back your spotless skin. And you, me and Rishu, we all are middle class people, we won't be able to afford the best surgeon who can do a good job on an ugly scar. Then you would have to go to your fiancé to get you the best surgeon. But then, how are you going to explain to him how you fell. We won't lie for you. so, you will have to tell him that while being engaged to him, you threatened and tried to blackmail a married man to marry you, who you had dumped, so you could marry him for his money. I doubt he is going to want to be with you after that." Madhu tells her.

Rishabh watches in amazement seeing that Madhu, that his sister had told him about. Seeing the savage Madhu, he fell in love with her all over again.

"So, in the end, you would have scars on your face, might be crippled, might lose the rich fiancé and Rishabh would still be mine. Take my advice, come down." Madhu tells her calmly. "And just act as if this didn't happen."

Having no other option, Dipali comes down, defeated and ashamed.

"Go home, Dipali. My husband and I have plans." Madhu tells her in a dismissing tone and starts to walk off.

"Dipali..." Rishabh gently calls her.

Dipali and Madhu both look at Rishabh curiously.

"I wanted to meet you because ever since you left me, I had been wondering whether you ever truly loved me, whether whatever happened between us was genuine. After I married Madhu... I wanted to meet you because I have been thinking what if you left me because I had gone wrong somewhere. What if, a fault of mine is the reason you chose someone else." Rishabh stops and looks at Madhu, "I trust Madhu the most in this world. But still there has been this fear in me." Rishabh turns to look at Dipali and continues on, "I survived when you left me. but Madhu... the truth is, I have forgot my life that had no Madhu in it. I no longer know how to live without her." Rishabh looks at Madhu and with tear filled eyes, he tells Madhu, "If Madhu thinks of leaving me then I'll die."

Madhu smiles at him with all her love and tells him with tear filled eyes, "Then you are going to have a very long life, Rishu."

Rishabh smiles hearing that. then turning to Dipali, he tells her in finality, "Now, I know, it wasn't my fault. You loved money more. And there is no place for you in my life. we'll never meet after this, Dipali."

"Please..." Madhu tells Dipali as she extended her hand towards the door, silently asking her to get out.

Dipali walks out and Madhu and Rishabh follow her.

Dipali was walking down the stairs when Trishna notices her.

"What are you doing in my house?" Trishna furiously asks her.

"Trish reached." Madhu tells Rishabh tiredly as they followed Dipali down.

Rishabh chuckles and cups her face, "You okay, love?"

Madhu nods and asks him, "And you?"

And that was the last straw for Dipali. "I am the one who was going to give up my life for you and you are asking her whether she is okay?" Dipali furiously asks him.

Madhu tiredly closes her eyes and says, "Dipali, I don't think Rishu can make it any more clear to you that you mean nothing to him now."

"You think you are his everything?" Dipali asks her furiously.

"I know it." Madhu replies.

"What is happening here?" Radha asks curiously as she came out hearing Trishna and Dipali.

"It's nothing, Ma." Madhu quickly says. "Dipali is leaving."

"Yeah, get out." Trishna tells Dipali.

Radha curiously looks at them. "Isn't she your friend?"

"Was." Trishna replies.

Radha frowns hearing that and then glaring at Dipali, she asks, "Is she the one who hurt my son?"

Realizing that now, his family knew what she did, Dipali goes a little pale.

"Why didn't you all tell me that it was her?" Radha asks them angrily. Then turning to Madhu, she asks her, "Why didn't you tell me, Madhu? you should have told me. I wouldn't have let her into our home if I knew."

"Rishu wanted to meet her, Ma." Madhu tells her.

"Meet her?" Radha asks angrily. "Why, Rishu? How can you insult your wife by calling your ex-girlfriend home?"

"He didn't call her. she came by herself." Madhu quickly clarifies.

"Madhu knows everything, Ma." Rishabh tells her. "And I would die before I insult Madhu in anyway."

"Still this isn't done, Rishu." Radha tells him shaking her head in disappointment.

"Ma, it was necessary." Madhu tells her.

"Madhu... Madhu... Madhu... you all are so blinded by this bitch!" Dipali says in hatred.

"Talk of my wife with respect, Dipali." Rishabh furiously tells her.

"Respect? This slut?" Dipali asks him in disgust.

"Shut up, Dipali." Trishna furiously tells her while Madhu worriedly looked at Radha who was glaring at Dipali.

"You want me to respect her, who had been whoring herself out to a man for months." Dipali asks Rishabh in disgust.

Trishna furiously slaps Dipali hearing that.

"Madhu was in love." Rishabh furiously reminds Dipali. "And she was betrayed. She didn't sell herself for money. That's what you did. And everyone here knows, who the real whore is. Now, get out."

Trishna furiously drags Dipali out.

Rishabh turns to Madhu, and sees Madhu run back upstairs.

*******

"Madhu..." Rishabh follows her to the room.

"Rishu..." Madhu turns to Rishabh with tears running down her face.

"Why are you crying, Madhu?" Rishabh asks her hurt as he walked to her and hugged her.

Madhu hugs him and starts crying into his chest.

"You haven't done anything wrong, Madhu. you were in love. Why are you crying?" Rishabh asks her, his heart breaking seeing her tears.

"You know that and I know that..." Madhu tells him.

"Then what is the problem?" Rishabh asks her.

"Ma..." Madhu says as she broke into loud sobs.

"What about her, love?"

"What will she think? What do I tell her? How will I face her?" Madhu asks him.

"Like how you were all these days. And it is not her place to think about what happened in your life before we got married. You don't have to tell her anything."

"Madhu... Rishu..." Radha gently knocks on the door.

Rishabh opens the door while Madhu wiped her tears.

"Yes, Ma?" Rishabh asks her.

"You go down. I want to talk to Madhu." Radha gently tells him.

"Why?" Rishabh asks her with a frown.

"Go down, Rishu." Radha tells him again.

"You go." Madhu tells him.

Sighing Rishabh walks off.

"Mohan is home, don't go in front of him." Radha calls out to Rishabh.

"Why?" Rishabh asks her confused.

"Just don't." Radha tells him and turns to look at Madhu.

Madhu nervously looks down as she gripped her hands together worriedly.

Radha walks to her and holds her hand.

"Come sit with me." Radha tells her as she led her to the bed and sat down.

"Ma... what Dipali said..."

"I know it is not true, Madhu." Radha tells her smiling.

"No, Ma..." Madhu looks at her to explain.

"Rishu was right, Madhu. you were in love and Sultan betrayed you." Radha gently tells her.

"You know?" Madhu asks her in shock.

"Yes."

"How?" Madhu asks her shocked.

"Trish." Radha reminds her with a smile.

"But she didn't tell me that..."

"Because I told her not to tell you... she said you never shared it with your parents and I thought you would be uncomfortable if you knew Trish told us."

"When did she tell you?" Madhu asks her shocked.

"When Rishu had refused to marry you, Trish had insisted that you were perfect for him. that time, we asked her why she thought so, and she told us everything."

"You knew since then?"

"Yes, after hearing what you went through, we knew she was right, only you could understand Rishu's pain. So, I told her to tell Rishu everything and if he had no problem with your past then why should we have a problem with your past. Even he has a past. All we wanted was him to be happy again and you gave us our son back, Madhu." Radha tells her with a smile.

Madhu smiles in relief hearing that.

"Your past is what made you both the perfect life partners for each other. Don't be ashamed of it." Radha tell her.

Madhu nods hearing that.

They hear Mohan's furious voice and Radha sighs shaking her head. "I told him not to go in front of Mohan and when has he ever listened to me?"

"He always listens to you." Madhu defends her husband.

Knowing she couldn't do her motherly fuzz in front of her daughter-in-law who lived in the same house as her, Radha amends, "He listens to me only rarely."

"Most of the time." Madhu argues.

"Not as much as I want him to." Radha says.

Madhu chuckles hearing that. "What happened to Papa?" Madhu asks her curiously.

Radha embarrassedly smiles at her. "I accidently told Mohan what happened and he has been furious since."

"Oh, what is he saying?" Madhu asks her worriedly.

"He was screaming at Trish how random people can come into our house and insult our bahu like that. how did Rishu and Trish let that happen?"

Madhu couldn't help smile hearing that feeling so blessed to have such loving family.

"I'll go tell him that it wasn't their fault." Madhu tells her and hurries out.

Seeing her running down the stairs, Mohan hurries to her.

"Are you okay, Madhu?" Mohan asks her in concern.

"I am fine, Papa. It wasn't their fault." Madhu tells him.

Mohan hugs her and warns both Rishabh and Trishna, "Make sure this doesn't happen ever again."

Rishabh nods in yes.

"What did I do?" Trishna asks in confusion. "I was against them even talking to her."

"Have better friends. Both my children are such poor judge of character." Mohan mutters and walks off.

"Even your darling bahu was her friend." Trishna calls out to her father in outrage.

"Now, blame her!" Radha angrily scolds Trishna and walks off.

"How did I become the villain?" Trishna asks Rishabh in shock. "You, I can understand. Why me?"

Rishabh shakes his head and walks to Madhu and hugs her. "What did Ma say?"

"She knew." Madhu tells him smiling.

"Even Papa seemed to know." Rishabh tells her confused.

"Trish." Madhu tells him.

"Why did you let that bitch off easily?" Trishna furiously asks Madhu.

"I didn't know you had told Ma, I was worried about what she would think... if I knew she knew then I would have dealt with her."

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

"I have the best husband, best friend, best parents and best in-laws, how can I not be happy?" Madhu asks him with a smile.

Rishabh smiles and hugs her.

*******

"We should go partying like we used to." Trishna tells Madhu.

"Even I feel like going." Madhu tells her smiling.

"We should. We will tell everyone here that we are going to stay with your parents for one night as we want a girls' night together and go." Trishna tells her excitedly.

"What about Rishu?" Madhu asks her confused.

"Only you and me! ever since you guys got married, I feel like the third wheel." Trishna tells her frowning. "And he will faint if he finds out you and I drink."

"We were supposed go out." Rishabh tells her from the door as he scowled at her.

Madhu cheekily smiles at him.

"You guys go." Trishna tells them. "Tomorrow night, Madhu and I are going to her house."

"Why?" Rishabh asks her confused.

"We want a girls' night together." Trishna tells him.

"Even I want to come." Rishabh tells her.

"Are you a girl?" Trishna asks him back.

"But I want to see drunk Madhu." Rishabh insists.

"What?" Madhu whispers in shock.

"What?" Trishna asks him in shock then turning to Madhu, she asks her in outrage, "You told him?"

Madhu turns to her husband and angrily asks him, "What is wrong with you? it was supposed to be a secret!"

"Oh, I thought I am your best friend was the secret." Rishabh replies.

"WHAT THE HELL?" Trishna asks furiously.

*******

3 years later

Madhu walks in with Rishabh carrying their daughter with Trishna and Mukund following behind.

"They are here." Radha calls out to Mohan as she hurried to take her granddaughter in her arms.

Madhu and Rishabh watch with a smile as Mohan and Radha pampered their daughter, Suhani.

"Padmini was upset that you decided to come here from the hospital instead of going there and staying there as planned." Radha tells Madhu with a grin.

"Madhu wanted to come here, Ma." Rishabh replies.

"Yeah, because you wouldn't stop begging." Trishna replies in a mocking tone.

"I didn't beg." Rishabh tells her offended.

"It was nothing short of begging with the way you kept pestering her about how you can't stay without her, and office was too far from her house so you couldn't stay there." Trishna says. "Such cringe worthy desperation."

"Control your wife, Mukund." Rishabh tells him with a frown.

"Have been trying for a year now to do that." Mukund replies defeatedly.

Madhu chuckles hearing them.

"You don't have anything to say?" Rishabh asks her.

Madhu shrugs and says in attitude, "I am here because I wanted to be with you, husband."

Rishabh smirks at his sister hearing that.

"People should learn from you on how to say such desperate things in such bitchy attitude." Trishna says in shock.

*** The End ***

I hope you guys liked this story. please vote and comment.

- Lazy