Hey guys sorry for the late update. But here it is finally hope everyone likes it. Please read the end note.
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Abhi stands there watching as Ritesh carries Akshara out of the room. Her hands around his neck as her head rests on his shoulder. He couldn't comprehend how he loved Akshara so much, but didn't have a clue as to what is wrong with her. He didn't know what just happened here. He has no idea how she knew Ritesh, one of the biggest and the youngest entrepreneurs in the world, or Vatsal, who apparently is her brother, along with being on of the biggest popstars in the world. He realizes that despite the attraction he feels for her, the care and the love that has taken place in his heart, he doesn't know her at all. He doesn't know anything about her life, her childhood, her work, her like and dislikes, or anything, other than a few things her learned about her along the way.
'Kahi humne shaadi ki jaldi to nahi kar di?' he thinks to himself.
The two families stand there watching Abhi after coming out of shock themselves. The Goenkas have finally understood that no matter what they do Akshara is never going to be carefree and the way she was before with them. They themselves pushed her away when she needed them, and now she is never going to need them in her life.
Manjiri was confused. She thought Akshara was a sweet girl, someone who was close to her family, knew the importance of it and respected it. But now as her relation with the Goenkas is coming to light that image of Akshara is being changed. She is still the person who loves and adores everyone around her, but the moment people like Ritesh, Vatsal, or Heer, who are a part of her unknown past come forward, she forgets everyone around her. And that's what real families feel like. Her behavior with the rest of them starts to seem less personal to everyone as they see interact with the others. Manjiri watches as her son stands there trying to make sense of the situation, lost in his thoughts, a sense of resentment forming in her mind towards Akshara for being this way. For getting so lost in herself to not notice all the others around herself.
Meanwhile, Ritesh puts Akshara down on the couch as they enter his room.
"Paani lau tere liye?" He asks her and goes to get when she meekly nods her head.
He sets the glass on a table after helping her drink it. He pulls her up lightly and takes a seat behind her. Her back pressed against his chest as he wraps his arms around her and pulls a blanket over them.
"How did this happen Ro?" She softly asks as she leans into him.
"I don't know," he replies, sighing as he realizes that at least she has stopped crying.
"I mean life kitni easier thi na pehle. At least forcefully dur to nahi rehna padta tha," she says. "You remember bachpan main kaise hum sab basketball tournaments rakhte the. Sats used to be the life of those. He used to love it jab bhi poori family sath hoti thi to. Aur humare long drives remember raat ko sneak out karte the sab aur subhe wapas aate the," Akshara says remembering all the good times.
"Of course yaad hai, and even I miss all that," he says.
"Sunn you cried enough for Sats lekin tu bhi janti aur main bhi he would hate for us to cry for him. Isliye no rona. Jab bhi yaad aye na remember the good, that's how all of have coped with it," he tells her.
They sit there for a moment. Snuggling closer to one another for the first time in four years. The comfort they felt with each other was unexplainable despite all the fights and issues amongst themselves.
"I know," she says after a moment of quiet. "I won't cry," she promises.
After sometime Vatsal and Heer enter the room.
"Kya hua tum dono gaye nahi?" Akshara asks, confused to see them there.
"Plan change hogaya. We thought teri shaadi ke baad hi jayenge," Heer replies as they take a seat on the other couch.
"Yea I didn't want to listen to you complain for life long that I wasn't their at your wedding," Vatsal teases her lightly.
They fall into an easy conversation by talking about the past and sharing memories and remembering everything.
Meanwhile both the families were still in shock as they went over everything that just happened. Just then the pandit ji enters with one of the hotel staff who guided him there.
"Namaste Suhasini ji," he greets her, bringing all of them out of their trances.
"Namaste pandit ji," Everyone greets him one by one and seeks blessing from him as they get him settled.
"Ji ab boliye kya samasya hai?" He asks as everyone settles down.
"Ji pandit ji," Manjiri begins. "Abhi aur Akshu ki shaadi ho rahi hai, lekin pata nahi kyu bich main itni saari problems aur issues aa rahi hai na. Pata nahi kya karna chahiye," Manjiri states.
"Kya hua hai?" He asks.
Manish then goes on to vaguely explain about everything that has happened since the first tilak till Manjiri's accident.
"Ji aap log chahe to hum ek pooja karwa sakte hai in dono ke liye, lekin uska mahurat in dono ke shaadi ke pehle nahi hai," he informs them after thinking and looking at a few things.
"To aap kya sujhaw denge?" Suhasini asks.
"Is pooja ka sabse accha muhrat 3 hafte baad hai aur ye pooja shaadi se pehle hi karni chahiye, to mera sujhaw ye hai ki aap ko shaadi us doosra wale muhrat par karni chahiye jo abhi ek mahine main hai. Mujhe pata hai aap logo ne soch samjhke un dono main se ye pehla wala muhrat chuna tha, lekin humari sunoge to ye pooja ho jayegi to bacho ki zindagi bhi khushi se beet jayegi," he suggests.
After a moment of silence and exchange of confusing looks amongst themselves the all share a nod and Harsh speaks up to announce their decision.
"Ji pandit ji chalega, hum waise hi karenge. Pehle hi shaadi main itni deri ho chuki hai, ek aur mahina hi sahi," he says and all the adults nod in agreement. Abhi also agrees as that might be for the best.
Aarohi who was standing there watching all of this, couldn't believe the situation. How could they even think about postponing Akshara's wedding without even asking her once if she is okay with it. It's not like she really cared about how Akshara felt, but she knew she would hate to be in Akshara's place.
"Ek baar Akshara se puchiye," she speaks up. Aarohi always thought that her family had been unfair to her, but ever since Akshara has come back she has noticed that they haven't been fair to either one of them. They sent of Akshara to some boarding school and fully deserted her, but kept her here and took control of her entire life. Agreed she was pampered, but she never felt valued. She was always taken granted, and they never really asked for opinion and instead took all the decisions for her. She always felt like a burden on them, someone they are taking care of because they have to.
The main reason for her dislike for Akshara grew from the fact that she left and Aarohi was the only one who had to go through that feeling. Also considering the fact that no one in the family ever got close enough to her for her to want to share her true feeling with them.
Ever since Akshara came back she has noticed how they are unfair to both of them. How they don't even notice that neither one of their granddaughters is genuinely happy. Even she noticed Akshara was not happy and longed for something, probably all these people in her life that they were now discovering. She tried her best to keep distance from Akshara and hold on to the grudge that has allowed her to get through all these years. Because if she had not blamed Akshara she would start blaming herself. And despite it not being fair and being really messed up, hating Akshara was an easier option than hating herself.
"Uski kya zaroorat hai? Ye sab uske bhalai ke liye hi to hai," Suhasini says.
'Of course it, jaise aaj tak sab kuch meri bhalai ke liye tha,' Aarohi thinks.
"Manish ji Akshara bohot ro rahi thi," Suwarna says after finalizing everything with the pandit ji and he left. "Hume ja ke dekhna chahiye wo thik he ke nahi. Aur Vatsal ke baare main puchna chahiye," she says, making up her mind to go talk to Akshara. The others agree, especially Manjiri who wanted answers to her own questions.
"Lekin wo dono kaha gaye hai?" Suhasini asks.
"Shayad Ritesh ke kamre main," Manish says.
"Tum logo ko pata hai na wo kaha hai?" Manjiri asks all the youngsters present who had spent the night there yesterday.
"Ji Manjiri aunty pata hai," Kairav responds as they all make their way towards Rithesh's room.
They all make their way towards the huge elevators that would lead them to the top floor of the hotel that contained the private suites that were very rare to be open for booking. Kairav lightly knocks on the door as they reach the room to find the door slightly open.
"Ye darwaza aise khula kyu hai?" Vansh questions to no one in particular. After recieving no answer from inside all of them walk inside. The quietness of the apartment was eerie as the slowly walk in, trying to see where Akshara is. Manjiri who walked in first was stuck to her spot once she notices Akshra, Ritesh, Heer, and Vatsal asleep on the couch. As everyone followed her and stared at the four sleeping people, their attention was stuck on Akshara and Ritesh.
Heer and Vatsal who had been sitting next to each other had passed out due to jet lag, were now leaning on to each other. Heer had her head tipped on his shoulder as his was leaned against her head. On the other hand Akshara and Ritesh who had fallen asleep in the same position they were sitting in. The only difference was that Akshara had turned round and instead of her back being pressed against his chest, her face was. She had her arms around him and his around her, their legs entangles together.
Vatsal wakes up due to the commotion of everyone entering, sleepily he shakes Heer, trying to wake her up. He notices all the people their, but he couldn't care any less about how they felt, but knew Akshara did, so he picks up a pillow and throws it towards Akshara, but unfortunately hits Ritesh on his face.
"What?" Ritesh snaps, without opening his eyes and hugging Akshara tighter.
"You might want to wake up," Vatsal says, before giving up on trying to wake anyone up and again going to sleep.
"What?" Ritesh asks and looks up to see everyone staring at them and then looks down to see Akshara sleeping on him.
"Akshi, wake up," he says, shaking her lightly.
"Noooo!" she whines softly.
"Akshi seriously uth ja," he says and tries to wake her up and when nothing works he says, "Uth ja or I am going to tell Mom about...."
Listening to that Akshara sits up in an instant and turns around to hit him.
"We promised we'll never talk about that," she says before turning around to see everyone present there. "Aap log yaha?" she asks them, getting up and making Ritesh stand up as well. Making space for them to sit. "Baithiye na," she says as she walks towards Heer and Vatsal. "Buddy, Heer, go sleep inside," she says softly as she wakes them up.
"I am so sorry, pata nahi kaise ankh lag gayi," Heer says as she stands up.
"No its fine. Jet lag hai, I get," Akshara says to them. She asks to go and sleep inside, but they decline and stand beside her and Ritesh as everyone else takes a seat.
"Akshara wo pandit ji aaye the," Suhasini asks.
"Unhone kaha hai ki ek puja karni hai aur shaadi se pehle hi honi chahiye aur uske liye shaadi postpone karni padegi," Manjiri says.
"What?" Akshara exclaims.
"Ha aur shaadi ki nayi date ek mahine baad ki nikli hai," Manjiri continued without paying attention to Akshara's expression.
Ritesh who noticed this was about to speak up, but Akshara silently stops him.
"Okay," she says calmly after seeing that no one else has an issue with this.
"Okay?" Everyone asks, shocked at her calm reaction.
"Yeah. If you guys think ye sahi hai to, I am fine with it," she says.
After finalizing everything about the pooja and the wedding date, everyone was sitting their talking amongst themselves.
"Main coffee lati hoon sabke liye," Akshara says, after seeing both Heer and Vatsal yawning due to their jet lag.
After she walked in Heer followed her.
"Tu itni shant kyu hai?" Heer asks her quitely as she takes a seat on the counter while Akshara makes the coffee.
"Pata nahi. In sab ke saath na ladne ka maan nahi karta. Wo bhi itne saalo baad mili hoon sab se, aur Abhi ki family bhi different hai, main nahi chahti ki mere wajah se koi problems ho," Akshara says softly, confused herself.
"I get the not wanting to create the issues wala reason, lekin tu aisi nahi hai. Wo Akshara kaha gayi jo apna koi decision logon ke hazar baar plead karne ke baad bhi nahi badalti thi. You are one of the most stubborn people I know. This is not you, teri shaadi ka itna bada decision tune itne easily kisi teesre ko lene diya," Heer states.
"Abhi bhi to kuch bol sakta tha na," Akshara says.
"Uska mujhe nahi pata, neither do I know him enough to say ki wo kya karsakta hai and kya nahi. I know you and this isn't you," Heer tells her.
"I don't know Heer. Pata nahi yaha aayi hoon tabse aise hi rahi hoon," Akshara answers.
"Aur pichle chaar saal jo tu sabse dur rahi hai tab bhi aise hi thi, ya ye sirf in logon ke samne hai?" Heer asks her. "Wo chod life long aise hi rehna hai? Abhi ko pata bhi hai tu kya aur kaisi hai reality main?" Heer continues, "Aur mujhe jawab mat de, you think about this for yourself," Heer tells her and helps her carry all the coffee cups outside for everyone.
Outside Vatsal and Ritesh had bought out more chairs so that everyone could take a seat. After both the girls take a seat Vatsal speaks up.
"Wait does this mean we don't have to stay here? Because according to everything I understood you are getting married in a month where as K bro is getting married in 16 days," he asks out loud to everyone no one in particular.
"He is right," Ritesh says, looking at Akshara to see what she is thinking.
"Isse yaad aya hume bhi to ek shaadi main jana hai," Harsh speaks up.
"Ji bahi sahb hum Abhi ke shaadi ke baad nikalne wale the lekin ab shaadi to postpone ho gayi hai to jaa sakte hai," Anand replies.
"Kiski shaadi Papa?" Anisha asks.
"Wo international conference main Shivanya Raheja mile the, unke family main se kisi ki shaadi hai," Mahima answers for him.
Akshara looks at Ritesh the moment she hears Shivanya's name.
"Aap log mom se mil chuke ho?" he asks them confused.
"Mom?" Mahima asks who didn't know a lot about Ritesh, where as Harsh who had suspicions was now sure the this is The Ritesh Raheja.
"Of course, Dr. Shivanya Raheja meri mom hai," he answers confused at this point.
"Hum wo ek conference main mile the and unke hospital aur humre ke bohot sare ties hai," Harsh answers.
"Right to aap jis shaadi ki baat kar rahe hai wo K bro ki hai," Ritesh concludes.
"WHAT?" Vatsal exclaims, not liking that they will have to spend more time with the Birlas.
"Ha aap logo ne abhi tak bataya nahi hum kiski shaadi main ja rahe hai?" Manish asks, remembering how Harsh had passed along the invitation stating that now that their kids are getting married they should show how happy and together the two families are.
Akshara shares a worried glance with Ritesh, Vatsal, and Heer who knew the person getting married is Krish Singhania.
"Uncle wo TV industry ki one of the biggest actresses main se ek hain. Unki shaadi hai, Tajasswi Prakash," Nikshita speaks up excitedly about actually attending a celebrity wedding.
"Ji unke ghar ka beta, uski shaadi is actress se ho rahi hai. Dulhe ka naam kya tha Anand?" Mahima asks, not recalling the grooms name.
"Singhania, Krish Singhania," he replies.
"Singhania matlab Naksh Singhania? Udaipur ke Singhania Diamonds ke owner?" Manish asks just to confirm after a moment of shock.
"Hoga pata nahi," Harsh answers weirded out by all of the Goenkas reactions.
"Tumhe pata tha?" Suwarna asks angrily, turning towards Akshara who avoided eye contact not knowing how to break the news to them.
"Of course she knew," Vatsal answers not caring about their feelings for even a second.
Akshara who didn't know what to do feels Ritesh take her right hand into his as he came to stand beside her. She looks up at him to see him give her an encouraging nod as if to tell her to finally tell them the truth. Akshara hesitantly nods and gives him a small smile before facing everyone.
"I guess its time aap sab ko sach bata doon," Akshara says softly as she looks up at everyone firmly. "Yaha pe sab ko pata hai Aarohi aur mere beech problems hai, aur bachpan se the, tab se jab se Kartik papa aur Sirat mumma ki death hui thi. Uske baad issues aur jhagdo ki wajah se mujhe boarding school bhej diya tha aap logo ne. Uske baad meri life main kya hua ye aap log nahi jante," she states.
"Nahi jante matlab? Of course jante hai, tu waha pe apni padhayi khatam kar rahi thi aur ab wapas ghar aa gayi hai," Suwarna says, stating it as if it were a matter of fact.
"Ji nahi," Akshara negates firmly. "Meri padhai chaar saal pehle hi khatam ho chuki hai. And let's just say aap logo ne kabhi koshish hi nahi ki mere bare main janne ki. Ki hoti to you would have known ki mujhe waha bhejne ke kuch hi hafto baad main waha se chali gayi thi," Akshara tells them.
"Chali gayi thi ka kya matlab hai? Hume kisi ne bataya kyu nahi aur itne saalon se teri fees ke liye jo paise bhej rahe the unka kya?" Manish asks her.
"Ji like I said, jane ki koshish bhi karte to you would have known ki jo paise aap ne aaj tak mere liye bheje hai wo aaj bhi unused usi account main pade hai," Akshara tells him. "Maine bohot koshish ki thi aap sab se contact karne ki, lekin baat ho hi nahi payi and then I thought, maybe yahi sahi hai. And I left. Life gave me an opportunity and I took it. And believe me it has me made into what I am today, it has made me the happiest, it has given me everything I could have ever asked for," Akshara says with a slight smile as she looks towards Heer, Vatsal and Ritesh who stood beside her.
"What opportunity?" Kairav asks, dreading to know the answer.
"Family ki. Khud ki family ki. Mom, Dad se mili, got a family of my own, people of my own, house of my own, name of my own," Akshara states proudly.
"Naam, konsa naam?" Suhasini asks.
"Akshara Kartik Singhania," The name falls out her lips instantly, sounding so perfect.
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And that's it guys. Let me know what you guys think.
I think it's time for me to ask everyone's opinion on wether this should be a Abhira book or not. Obviously it will be Ritesh and Akshara if not Abhimanyu and Akshara. You guys can comment down here or private message me but I would like to hear everyone's opinions.
Thanks,
Ruby S.