"Dr Aarohi, these are photographs. It's from camp. I haven't seen them. Please check them and put them on the notice board." Harshvardhan Birla said to Aarohi who was worried that her lie would be out and Akshara will tell everyone.
"O..okay, Sir," Aarohi said coming out of her thoughts.
She took out the photos and looked at them. She started looking at the photos. As soon as the last photo came, her eyes widened and her grip on the photo loosened. All the photos fell and scattered on the floor. She started collecting them hurriedly and thought that she will look at them after going to her cabin, so no one else can see them.
Akshara's picked up her phone and she a message from Aarohi. She opened her messages and saw what Aarohi wrote.
"Akshara, please, don't tell this to everyone. I love Abhi. Please. You agreed to back off, right?" Akshara reached the message and clenched her fist.
Abhi?
Akshara rolled her eyes.
Her sister would never change. She will always try to manipulate her. But this time, she is not going to listen to her.
Aarohi didn't even ask about her health. She knew her condition got even worse than Abhimanyu and she even had burn marks but all she cared about was this.
She was about to close the app when she saw Abhimanyu's chat after Aarohi.
She didn't message him. Then who did? She opened the chat and was shocked to see the message. She never sent this to Abhimanyu.
Who send it?
"Duh! Who else? Your dear Aaru. Do you think anyone else is going to touch your phone? And remember you saw her with your phone and she was sweating?"
Her conscience reminded her.
What would be Abhimanyu thinking?
"That you don't want to talk to him."
Her conscience said in an obvious tone.
Ugh! This Aaru!
"Why? What happened? You didn't like what your Aaru did?" Her conscience mocked.
No! And she's not dear Aaru. Stop that!
"How can a sister be like this?" Akshara asked herself.
Akshara couldn't believe it. The sister for whom she is ready to sacrifice everything, every single thing can do something like this with her.
Does she even have a little, just a little love for her?
She was dreaming. This was a dream. Aarohi used to love her so much in their childhood. She has that love for her now too. She loves her.
Right?
"No!" Her conscience knew it was not like that. Akshara hoped for it to be a dream but unfortunately, it was not.
The reality was harsh and she needs to accept it even though it hurts. She remembered her Par Nani's word.
Aarohi locked her cabin and looked through the pictures. She looked through all the pictures but she didn't find the one she was looking for which panicked her.
"Where is it? It was there, where is it now?" Aarohi again looked through the pictures but didn't find the one she was looking for.
"Did I leave it there?" Aarohi asked herself.
"No!" She yelled loudly and hurriedly opened her cabin door. She looked at the place she was standing a few minutes ago but she didn't find it there and she cursed herself for the mistake.
No one can see it.
What if? What if Abhimanyu saw it?
No! No! She will become Birla Bahu. She will. She will be Dr Aarohi Birla.
She tried to search for it everywhere but didn't find it.
"Neil Sir, I found this photograph. It was under the table." The Nurse gave the photograph to Neil who looked at it shocked.
"Aarohi Ma'am didn't save Abhimanyu. Did she lie?" The Nurse asked him.
"Thank you for this." Neil ran towards Abhimanyu's cabin and barged inside without knocking.
"Bhai..." He stopped in the middle after not finding Abhimanyu there.
"Shit!" He put the photo in his pocket and waited for Abhimanyu in his cabin.
"Dr Aarohi, come to my cabin," Harshvardhan said through the phone and Aarohi went reluctantly.
"Yes, sir?" She said reaching his cabin.
"You saved Abhimanyu?" Harshvardhan asked her and Aarohi's face paled.
"I...I " Aarohi didn't know what to say.
"You lied to me?" Harshvardhan shouted.
"Sorry, Sir but I'm not guilty of lying. You said that a little bit of a lie is okay to achieve your dreams." Aarohi said looking at Harshvardhan.
"But this is such a big lie?" Harshvardhan Birla frowned.
"I love Abhimanyu. I want to be Dr Aarohi Birla. You want me to be your daughter-in-law? You know I'm more perfect to be your daughter-in-law than that Akshara?" Aarohi manipulated again.
"Okay, let's delete this video," Harshvardhan told Aarohi and she looked at him confused.
"I found this footage of the camp. We should delete it. So, no one knows your lie." Harshvardhan showed the video.
How can this little girl pull his Abhimanyu like that? She looks so fragile.
Harshvardhan thought.
Thinking that he deletes the video. Aarohi suddenly remembered the video and grew tense again.
"But, Sir..." Aarohi looked at him worried.
"What?" He looked at her frowning.
"I found the photo too and I...I lost it." Aarohi said nervously.
"Are you mad? First, you lied and then lost the proof?" He shouted and Aarohi flinched.
"You find it and I will help too," Harshvardhan said, calming down his anger.
They both came out of the cabin and searched at the same place. They were searching when Abhimanyu came there and he looked at them weirdly because they were practically sitting on the floor.
Before he could say anything, Harshvardhan spoke.
"Did you find that photo?" He asked Aarohi who denied it.
Abhimanyu looked at them silently, without speaking anything.
"If Abhimanyu found that your marriage with Abhimanyu won't happen. How can you lose it?" Harshvardhan shouted.
"Sir, please look properly. It will be there. Abhimanyu can't find that. We deleted the video but this photo will ruin everything. " Aarohi muttered concerned.
"What if Akshara herself told?" Harshavardhan enquired angrily.
"I don't know. She is suddenly so keen on telling Abhimanyu. I tried to manipulate her but this time she didn't agree. I even messaged Abhimanyu from Akshara's phone." Aarohi said looking down at the sofa.
"What? Find the photo." Harshvardhan searched every area and Abhimanyu looked at both of them angrily.
He went away from there angrily and reached his cabin. He saw Neil there who showed him the photo. He thanked him and told him something. Neil nodded.
"Aye, aye, captain! It will be done." Neil saluted and went away excitedly.
"I have thought about what I will do. Aaru you want me to do what you say, right?" Akshara wiped her tears and stood up.
"I will surprise you." Akshara smiled looking at the picture on her phone.
Akshara called someone.
"I want to tell you something," Akshara said on the phone.
Abhimanyu and Akshara smiled thinking about what they are going to do.
"Bhaishaab, I have talked to Harshvardhan Ji about Aaru's marriage with Abhimanyu. Aaru wants to marry him." Akhilesh informed Manish.
"Are you mad? Did you talk with him without talking to me? Since when did things start happening without me?" Manish looked at them angrily.
"But Aaru loves him!" Akhilesh exclaimed.
"What about Akshara?" Manish looked at him angrily.
"She didn't say anything about Abhimanyu but Aarohi did." Akhilesh reasoned out.
"She didn't say anything, didn't mean she doesn't love him and Abhimanyu loves Akshara, anyway," Manish said furiously.
Manish's phone rang and he picked it up.
"Yes?" Manish frowned.
"Okay." Manish hung up the phone.
"We will talk later. First, say to Swarna to prepare something. Some guests are coming." Akhilesh nodded and went away.
"Abhimanyu what do you want?" Harshvardhan looked annoyed by his son.
"What happened? Why are you so irritated? Did something happen that you didn't want to happen?" Abhimanyu looked at Harshvardhan sceptically.
"No, let's see what you want to show." Harshvardhan didn't have any other option other than to agree.
Aarohi was still searching for the photo but stopped when she got a call.
"Okay." She muttered and look at the place one time concerned.
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"Namaste!" Abhimanyu's voice boomed into the Goenka Mansion gaining everyone's attention.
Everyone stood up from their place and greeted Birlas. Aarohi looked at Akhilesh. She thought he talked about their marriage and that's why they are here. Aarohi was on cloud nine. Akshara was not present there.
Abhimanyu searched for Akshara and grimaced after not finding her there.
Akhilesh thought they were here for Aarohi's and Abhimanyu's marriage. Now, he was nervous.
What if his Bhaishaab declines it instantly? Aarohi will be heartbroken.
Neil smiled ear-to-ear. He was jumping like a kid. He is so happy that his Bhai's love problem will be solved. Manish was worried for Akshara.
Harshvardhan was anxious. He doesn't know what his son is up to, now. Manjiri was confused too. Anand and Mahima looked bored. Mahima was a little curious to know what was going to happen but she pretended as if she was bored. Parth and Shefali stood silently.
"Where is Akshara?" Abhimanyu asked and Aarohi's smile faded.
What happened? Did she tell him?
"I'm here, Abhimanyu." Akshara came down the last stair and looked at everyone nervously.
She fiddled with her hands nervously after feeling everyone's gaze on her.
"Calm down. It's okay. You have to do this to make everything right." She muttered to herself.
"I want to tell everyone something." Akshara's small voice came.
Aarohi looked at her scared and a little angry too.
"I want to tell everyone something too." Abhimanyu's voice echoed again in the silent living room.
"I want to speak..." Aarohi started but Akshara glared at her.
"But I don't want to speak to you, Aarohi Goenka." Akshara grew more confident than before.
"I will speak first before anyone speaks or blames me," Akshara said looking at Aarohi.
"I didn't speak on the day of Tilak because I felt that was the right thing to do and I was a little unsure about my feelings." Akshara started but Aarohi cut her off in between.
"What's the need to say about all this right now?" Aarohi asked annoyed.
"Today, I will talk and everyone will listen. And you Aarohi, you will shut up because I'm done with you and your baseless accusation. And I swear if you speak or interrupt me one more time, I will shut you up in my way." Akshara glared at Aarohi.
"I neither wanted to hurt Aarohi nor Abhimanyu. So, I thought to stay silent and I accept, that I was wrong. I shouldn't have stayed silent. I wanted the love of my sister and I was blinded by that. And Aarohi's manipulation didn't help. She knew the only thing I craved for was her love and the only thing which guilt-trips me was Sirat Ma's death. So, she used them in the best way possible." Akshara looked at Aarohi who looked down because she knew it was the truth.
"I realised my love gradually for Abhimanyu. I was the one who saved him from that fire and Aarohi lied to all of you. I didn't know that she lied. I got to know it when Harshvardhan Uncle came and told everyone. I was shocked and I confronted her but she tried to manipulate me again. I may have stayed silent for a few days if she wouldn't have sent Abhimanyu messages from my phone. So, I decided to tell everyone everything." Akshara confessed everything.
"I am sorry, Abhimanyu. I'm sorry for hurting you and rejecting you again and again." Akshara wiped the tears and looked at Abhimanyu who couldn't be any happier.
"I love you, Abhimanyu. I do. I was wrong to hurt you. I was wrong to think that this weird feeling for you will go away. It didn't go away. Instead, the selfless love for Aarohi went away. Thank you, Abhimanyu for helping me form my bond with myself. For making me realise my importance. " Akshara looked at Abhimanyu with all the love she had for him. Abhimanyu thought he couldn't be any happier but he was wrong. He was more elated than before.
He took a long stride towards her and pull her in his embrace. This what be wanted. Akshara to confess everything. To say that she loves him the same way he does.
Harshvardhan and Aarohi were shocked by the sudden turns of events. Goenka's were happy except Aarohi who fumed in anger and jealousy. Manjiri and Neil were the happiest. Everyone was happy except Harshvardhan.
"I love you!" Abhimanyu said tearfully. He didn't want to let her go.
"I wanted to say the same thing. Aarohi, why did you lied?" Abhimanyu's voice changed suddenly. The soft voice and the look he had for Akshara were gone suddenly and now in front was Dr Abhimanyu Birla who was famous for his anger. He glared at Harshvardhan and Aarohi who shuddered.
"I didn't lie. You assumed." Aarohi's idiotic excuse came.
"That's the same thing, Dr Aarohi Goenka." Akshara's voice echoed in the silent living room.
"You knew I hate lying. You still lied. And Sir, you knew that well too but still you helped her but the truth finds its ways. And see the photo is in my hand. Neil!" Abhimanyu signalled Neil to give the photo and he put it on the coffee table to show everyone.
"The thing you were trying to hide is with me. " Abhimanyu glared at two people who were frozen in their place.
Akshara can't take away everything from me. Aarohi thought to herself.
"Why did you come back? You said you were backing off! I wanted to marry Abhimanyu. He is mine. He is perfect for me not for you. You don't deserve this Birla Bahu title and all that. You don't deserve Abhimanyu." Aarohi yelled madly.
"He is not the toy you wanted in childhood. He is human and he has feelings too. And about being perfect, let me tell you no one is perfect not even you. And about me being deserving this or not. Then let me tell you, Dr Aarohi Goenka, neither he is a trophy which I don't deserve nor you are God or Abhimanyu Birla or Akshara Goenka. We love each other, we want to be together, then who are you to decide whether we deserve each other or not or we are perfect for each other or not? It would be better if you keep your unasked opinion to yourself. Thank you but no Thank you. About snatching everything from you then you, yourself know that I don't need to give justification on that because you are intelligent, you will understand." Akshara smiled sweetly.
Abhimanyu looked at Akshara proudly.
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I think there will be one chapter more as it's short. I'm sorry if it feels rushed!🥺
Hope you like it.