A woman in her late thirties stood at in front of a tombstone in a quiet cemetery with a man in his early forties and a boy.

She and the man and the little boy placed the flowers they were holding on the tombstone as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I miss you so much my friend...... You were the light in my darkness and the shoulder I could cry on forever without being judged...... I wish so much I could hate you for hiding you sickness from me........ Today is your nephew's birthday and you birthday if only you had been with us........ Happy birthday Nk...... From your bestie Khushi and all of us. " She kissed her hand and touched the tombstone.

The little boy moved closer and touched the tombstone.

"I don't know you uncle Nk but mummy and my grandparents tell me all about you and I feel like I knew you..... Today is our birthday and I will cut a clear in you behave. " The little boy said and his parents smiled at him.

"It's almost time....... We have to leave. " The man said and walked out of the cemetery as a man from above smiled down at them.

Flashback.

After Khushi left the prison after meeting Arnav, she drove to the airport and saw the entire family waiting for her.

She had got a scholarship to study at a prestigious culinary school in the UK and today she was leaving.

Everyone hugged her and bid goodbye to her as she boarded the plane to the UK.

Five months after she was gone Payal called her to come back urgently.

She knew it was serious because of the tone of her voice.

Immediately she arrived at the Mehra mansion, she felt and eerie fear spread through her entire body.

She saw that both Arjun and Sonia had lost a lot of weight and had dark circles under thier eyes.

They welcomed her joyfully even though she felt the tension.

"Jiji...... What's going on?..... Why did you call me back and why is Nk refusing to speak to me for the past two months and by the way where is that clown...... I won't spare him. " Khushi exclaimed in anger and with a cute pout.

On a normal occasion everyone would have laughed but not today.

Sonia who could no longer hold back her tears hugged Arjun and started wailing causing the other's cheeks to wet with tears.

Khushi panicked knowing something was wrong.

"Khushi dear...... Nk is dying. " Manohar said and Khushi gasped in shock as her eyes trared up. "He had kidney cancer for nearly two years now....... Unfortunately for him no transplant will ever work....... He may have looked healthy in the beginning thanks to his medication but now that is not also working for him. "

This revelation numb Khushi who was overwhelmed with emotions.

"Why didn't he say anything?....... And why did you all hiding this from me? " Khushi cried out bit got no response. She stood up and moved closer to a crying Payal who felt hurt seeing the disappointment in her eyes. "Even you knew........ I forgave you and this is how you repay me. " Khushi accused and Payal shook her head.

Shashi who had now gain his speech and mobility in his upper body but was still in a wheelchair wheeled himself closer to Khushi.

"Khushi please don't blame her........ I, Akash, Manoharji and her found out three months after you left and when we started noticing his rapid weight loss...... We confronted her and his parent and they told us the truth........ We really wanted to tell you but Nk made us swear not to become you had been through enough already and we couldn't let him down....... Please understand us dear. " Shashi begged seeing the accusing look she gave all of them.

"Where is he?" Khushi asked with a shaky voice and Sonia lead her to Nk's room.

Khushi broken down seeing him all wired up and looking pale and skinny.

She moved closer and stroked his hair and Nk slowly opened his eyes and smiled seeing her.

"Hi my friend. " Nk said with a whisper and in a meek voice.

"Why...... Why didn't you tell me?...... Was I a bad friend?....... Why did you shut me out? " Khushi cried out and Nk slowly lifted his hand and wiped her tears.

"You are the best thing that ever happened in my entire life...... You are my heat and my everything but I didn't want you to be sad because of me...... Promise me...... Promise me when you remember me you will only remember the good times and not the bad times..... Promise me. " Nk said in a meek voice and Khushi nodded and hugged him.

The whole family had tears in their eyes seeing them together.

Three days later, Nk finally took his last breath.

The family did fulfill his wish of celebrating his life instead of mourning his death.

Khushi left back the UK a week after Nk was buried after a lot of persuasion.

Khushi went ahead to graduate as an honor student never forgetting her best friend.

Payal and Akash made up and remarried three years later.

Arjun and Sonia on the promise of Nk keep the secret of his love for Khushi and loved Khushi like their own.

Four years after the death of Nk, Khushi meet Rudra Pratap Ranawat a famous hotelier.

They started dating and a year and half later married in an extravagant wedding like she always wanted.

Two years after their marriage a son was born to the couple on the exact day No was also born and he was named by his parent after his uncle.

Flashback ends.

Mehra Mansion.

Arjun and Sonia looked on as their grandson cut his cake in glee.

"We may have lost our son but he gave us a daughter and now our grandson. " Arjun said and Sonia nodded with tears of joy in her eyes.

Nikhil Pratap Ranawat run up to his grandparent and dragged them to the party and the all danced their heart out.

Nk watched from about with a smile seeing Payal and Akash finally happy with their five years old daughter Shreya.

Shashi and Manohar also remarried happy with their new wives.

His parent smiling at eight years old Nikhil who was as crazy as his mother dancing their heart out.

He felt at peace seeing all those left behind finding their own happiness.

And the evil that nearly destroyed thier lives pay for their sins.

Nani died alone in an elderly home and Mami and Anjali turned to prostitution to fend for themselves and had to deal with constant abuse and stigma from society.

As for Arnav, he lived a miserable live in prison until he passed away from a deep wound he sustained during a prison fight.

No one comes into our lives by mistake, some come to stay and some come to teach us a lesson whether good or bad.

How we let them affect us all depends on us.

The End.

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