The Dixit house, which had been bustling with the excitement and joy of wedding preparations, was now plunged into chaos and anxiety. The disappearance of Neha and the absence of Sonakshi had sent shockwaves through the family, turning what was supposed to be a day of celebration into one of frantic searching and unanswered questions.

Dev, his heart pounding with a mix of fear and anger, barked orders to the household staff. "Search the grounds, check every corner, every room. We need to find them. Now!"

Ishwari and Vishal joined in the search; their worry etched deeply into their faces. Workers and planners who had been busy with decorations and arrangements now found themselves part of the search party. The air was thick with tension and murmurs of speculation about what could have happened.

Meanwhile, Sonakshi and Neha were speeding away from the Dixit mansion, their hearts racing as fast as the car's engine. Neha, now dressed in simple clothes instead of her bridal attire, clutched Sonakshi's hand tightly.

"Are you sure about this?" Sonakshi asked, glancing at Neha. "There's no turning back once we reach Vikas."

Neha nodded resolutely. "I'm sure, Sonakshi. I can't live a lie. I need to be with Vikas."

Sonakshi gave her a reassuring smile. "Alright. We'll get through this together."

They arrived at a small, secluded temple on the outskirts of Delhi, where Vikas was waiting anxiously. He rushed to Neha as soon as she stepped out of the car, embracing her tightly.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Neha nodded, tears of relief streaming down her face. "Yes, I am now."

The priest, already prepared for their arrival, guided them through a quick and private wedding ceremony. With Sonakshi as their only witness, Neha and Vikas exchanged vows, binding their lives together in a simple yet profound ceremony.

Back at the Dixit house, the search had reached a fever pitch. Dev was on the phone, frantically calling every contact he had, from friends and family to the police.

"Where could they have gone?" Ishwari wailed, her voice breaking. "Why would Sonakshi do this?"

Vishal tried to console her, but his own anxiety was evident. "We'll find them, Ishwari. We have to."

Just then, Dev's phone rang. It was a call from one of his contacts at the local temple registry.

"Dev, I've got some news. Neha and Vikas just got married at a temple on the outskirts of Delhi," the voice on the other end informed him.

Dev's blood ran cold. "What? Are you sure?"

"Yes, it's confirmed. They had a private ceremony, and your wife was there as a witness."

Dev hung up the phone, his mind reeling. He turned to his parents, his face a mix of disbelief and anger. "Neha's married Vikas. Sonakshi helped her."

Determined to confront them, Dev grabbed his keys and drove to the temple with Ishwari and Vishal. The journey was tense, filled with silence and the weight of unspoken fears. When they arrived, they saw Neha and Vikas standing together, Sonakshi beside them.

Dev stormed out of the car, his face contorted with rage. "Neha, what have you done?"

Neha stood her ground, holding Vikas's hand. "I did what I had to do for my happiness, Dev Bhai. I'm sorry, but I couldn't go through with a marriage I didn't want."

Ishwari, tears streaming down her face, approached her daughter. "Neha, how could you do this to us? To the family?"

Neha's resolve wavered, but she remained firm. "I love Vikas, Maa. I couldn't live a lie."

Dev turned to Sonakshi, his anger spilling over. "And you, Sonakshi? How could you betray us like this?"

Sonakshi met his gaze, her own eyes filled with determination. "I did what I believed was right. Neha deserves to be happy. Forcing her into a marriage she doesn't want would have destroyed her."

Dev's anger bubbled over. "You think this is right? Do you think this is happiness? You have no idea what you've done. Crushing family pride does not give you respect."

Neha stepped forward, her voice trembling but strong. "Dev Bhai, please try to understand. I know this hurts you, but I couldn't live a lie. Vikas is my choice, my happiness."

Dev's eyes were cold, unyielding. "You've made your choice, Neha. You've chosen your happiness over your family's honour."

Neha's tears fell freely now. "I never wanted to hurt you all, but I couldn't sacrifice my love."

Ishwari spoke up, "Neha, we knew about Vikas. We knew you loved him, but we couldn't let you marry a man who can't provide for you. He doesn't have the means to support you the way you deserve."

Neha's face contorted with pain. "Mom, Vikas might not be rich, but he loves me. Isn't that enough? I don't need luxury; I need love."

Vishal shook his head. "It's not just about love, Neha. It's about your future, your security. How will you live a good life without financial stability?"

Neha's voice rose in frustration. "I've chosen love over money, Dad. Why can't you understand that?"

Dev interjected, his voice dripping with disdain. "You think love will pay the bills? Do you think love will give you the life you deserve? You're being naive, Neha."

Sonakshi stepped forward, trying to calm the situation. "Dev, Mom, Dad, please listen. Neha has made her choice. She wants to be with Vikas. We should support her, not condemn her."

Dev's anger turned towards Sonakshi. "Support her? She's betrayed us, Sonakshi. You've ruined everything. This is on you as much as it is on Neha."

Neha, feeling the weight of her family's disapproval, pleaded, "Dev Bhai, I love Vikas. Please try to see that. I need your support. Please don't blame Sona Bhabhi."

Dev's eyes were cold and hard. "You've made your choice, Neha. Now you have to live with it."

Ishwari's sobs grew louder, and Vishal placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Dev, we need to find a way to move forward."

Dev shook his head, his expression filled with bitterness, "There's no moving forward from this betrayal."

He grabbed Sonakshi's wrist roughly. "You're coming with us," he spat, dragging her towards the car. Sonakshi winced at his grip but followed, her heart heavy with the pain of the situation. She looked back at Neha and Vikas, who stood helplessly, their own hearts breaking.

Back at the Dixit house, the once joyous atmosphere was now heavy with grief. The grand wedding decorations were being taken down, and the staff resumed their usual duties with sombre expressions. 

As they returned home, Ishwari and Vishal immediately slipped into business mode. "We need to handle this PR disaster before it blows up in our faces," Vishal said, his voice tight with frustration.

Ishwari nodded, already thinking about damage control. "We'll need to prepare a statement. This will be in the papers tomorrow. We need to get ahead of it."

Dev, overhearing their conversation, felt his anger surge again. He pulled Sonakshi aside roughly. "How could you do this?" he spat, his voice low and dangerous.

Sonakshi winced at his grip but held her ground. "I did what I thought was right. Neha deserves to be happy."

"Happy?" Dev's laugh was bitter. "You've ruined our family's reputation. Do you understand that?"

"Dev, please," Sonakshi pleaded, her voice shaking. "Try to see it from Neha's perspective. She was suffocating."

Dev's grip tightened, and Sonakshi gasped in pain. "You think I care about her perspective right now? Do you think any of this matters compared to what you've done to us?"

"Dev, stop it!" Ishwari's voice cut through the tension. "Let her go."

Dev released Sonakshi, glaring at her one last time before storming out of the room. Sonakshi rubbed her wrist, tears of frustration and hurt brimming in her eyes.

Ishwari approached her, her own face a mask of conflict. "Sonakshi, you should have told us. We could have found another way."

Sonakshi nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know. I'm sorry, Mom. I just wanted to help Neha."

Vishal sighed, running a hand through his hair. "What's done is done. We need to focus on the fallout now."

Ishwari nodded, her face a mask of worry. "Yes, we must control the damage. This will be all over the news by morning."

Dev, overhearing their conversation, clenched his fists in rage. He grabbed Sonakshi roughly by the arm and dragged her toward the stairs. "Come with me," he growled, his voice low and menacing.

Sonakshi stumbled after him, her heart racing with fear. "Dev, please. Let me explain."

"Explain?" Dev's voice was harsh. "What's there to explain? You've ruined everything, and now you're going to pay the price."

As they reached their bedroom, Dev slammed the door behind them with a violent thud. Sonakshi winced at the noise, her eyes wide with apprehension.

"Dev, you're scaring me," she said, her voice trembling.

Dev's anger was a storm that couldn't be contained. He paced the room, his movements erratic and filled with fury. "Do you have any idea what you've done? You've betrayed us all! You've made a fool out of me and my family!"

Sonakshi tried to remain calm, but the fear in her eyes was evident. "I only wanted to help Neha. She needed us."

"Help Neha?" Dev spat. "You've destroyed our family's reputation for a love story! You think that's helping?"

He turned to her, his face contorted with rage. "You were supposed to support me, to stand by my side. Instead, you've chosen to undermine everything my parents have built."

Sonakshi's voice shook as she tried to reason with him. "I did what I thought was right. Neha was unhappy, and I couldn't just stand by and do nothing."

Dev's anger reached its peak. He grabbed a nearby chair and threw it against the wall, the crash echoing through the room. Sonakshi jumped, her eyes wide with terror.

"Do you see what you've done?" Dev yelled. "You've pushed me to this point! I'm furious, and you're the reason for it!"

Sonakshi backed away, her fear evident. "Dev, please. I'm sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen."

Dev's face was a mask of fury as he advanced on her. "Sorry doesn't fix anything. You've made a mess of everything. And now, you're going to have to face the consequences."

Sonakshi's tears fell freely as she tried to hold her ground. "I know I've made mistakes. But violence and anger won't solve anything."

"Violence is all I have right now!" Dev roared. He grabbed Sonakshi by the shoulders, shaking her roughly. "You've made a fool out of me, and I don't know how to deal with this anger!"

Just then, a knock on the door interrupted them. Ishwari's voice, muffled through the door, was filled with concern. "Dev, we need to focus on the crisis. The press will be here soon. We need to have a plan."

Dev looked at Sonakshi with a mix of fury and despair before turning to the door. He threw it open, his face flushed with rage. "Fine, I'll deal with this. But know that this isn't over, Sonakshi."

Ishwari stepped into the room, her eyes widening at the sight of the chaos. "Dev, we need to handle this situation carefully."

Dev nodded, his anger still simmering beneath the surface. "I know. But right now, I need to deal with this... mess."

BEEN TOO LONG SINCE I HAVE UPDATED!

HOPE THIS CHAPTER WAS GOOD!

CHEERIO!