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"Words in double quotes" - Talking

'Words in single quotes' - Thoughts

(Words in braces) - Telephone conversations.

Chapter 7

Two individuals stepped in on Annapurna's words. Seeing them, Laksh and Mansi stood up from the mandap in shock.

It was none other than Ragini and Nikhil.

Ragini had a shy look on her face, while her lips were pulled up into a soft smile. Nikhil, on his part, had a look of a deer caught in the headlights.

Laksh stepped down from the mandap and walked towards them in hurry. He glared at Nikhil when he saw him holding Ragini's hand in his.

"Don't they make a great couple Abhimanyu beta?" Annapurna questioned, acting like oil to an already burning fire.

"Why are you forcing her to marry him? This...this is wrong!"

"No one's forcing anyone Abhimanyu." Sanskar spoke, coming near them. "In fact, it was Ragini who wanted to marry Nikhil. We just thought since one marriage is taking place anyway, why not just marry them together as well!"

At his words, Laksh looked over at Ragini in disbelief. "Ra-Ragini?"

"Yes Laksh?"

"What?"

"Oh I'm sorry. You're not him. Silly me!" Ragini feigned.

"Ragini you....you're about to marry Nikhil?"

"Yes Abhimanyu ji. I finally let go of Laksh and accepting the fact that he's not coming back. But I know he would want me to move on and be happy. And so...so I am ready to marry Nikhil."

'What the heck is Ragini planning now? What exactly is she thinking!?' Mansi tried to figure it out but couldn't understand anything!

Kaira on the other hand, didn't know if she should cry or pull her hair in frustration. All her plans were ruined! Her dreams were shattering before her eyes as she stood there, helpless.

"Ragini are...are you, are you really marrying this guy!?"

"Yes Abhimanyu ji, I am." Ragini assured with a gentle smile. "Look at me. I'm wearing the wedding dress and all ready. Nikhil is ready for the marriage. Why would we lie?" Ragini asked him, smiling.

'This...this Nikhil! I'm sure its he who has poisoned Ragini's mind.' Laksh thought looking at Nikhil in rage.

Nikhil smiled at him. However, Laksh just glared back.

Nikhil gulped 'Why do I suddenly feel like I'm about to be slaughtered?' once Laksh looked away, Nikhil let out a sigh of relief. He felt Sanskar poke him on the side.

"Be in character damn it!" Sanskar whispered to him.

"I can't be when he's keeps staring at me like the devil himself!" Nikhil defended. "Why? Why did you all have to put me here? Did you want to see me killed that much?!"

"Oh shut up! If one thing I cant stand, it's to see a grown man cry. Now, start behaving!" Sanskar chided. He moved away and kept quiet, lest Laksh caught them.

'If Laksh kills me, I'll be sure to haunt Sanskar for life! I'll be the betal to his Akbar.' Nikhil thought, getting miffed.

"Come on Abhimanyu! We're delaying panditji." Sanskar urged. "Lets go and begin the rituals to marry you and Mansi, as well as Nikhil and Ragini. What are you waiting for?!"

"Sanskar is right. Abhimanyu lets go! You don't want to keep the bride waiting, now do we?" Swara added, pulling Abhimanyu towards the mandap.

"Wait! I need to talk to Ragini once." Laksh broke free from Swara's grip and grabbed Ragini's hand.

Before anyone could object, he pulled her away towards the next room.

"What us this Nikhil?!" Kaira questioned in anger.

"Well, it's my marriage day."

"So soon?!"

"Yeah, that's life for you. Haha!"

"But you never told anyone you loved Ragini!" Kaira grit out.

"I myself didn't know of it until last night. Turns out, I loved her since months! A shocking realization, isn't it?" Nikhil uttered, glaring at Sanskar who looked away with a smirk.

#Elsewhere#

Once alone, Laksh pushed Ragini against the wall and looked at her in anger.

"What is this Ragini? You said you loved Laksh and now this!?" he shouted. 'You said you love me!'

"Arre...chill Abhimanyu ji."

"Chill? CHILL?! And quit calling me 'ji'!"

"Okay, okay sorry. But I don't get it. Why are you so angry?"

"Because I...I..."

"You're no better than someone I met a few days ago. A stranger in fact. Then wh-"

"Because I love you! I love you Ragini!" Laksh let out, no longer able to keep it a secret.

"What are you saying Abhima-"

"I'm not Abhimanyu! I'm Laksh. Laksh Maheshwari. Your husband who loves you dearly." Laksh admitted out of helplessness.

"You're...you're admitting it?"

"Yes. Yes I am. I can't do it anymore. I..." Laksh swallowed hard. "I started regretting my decision of marriage with Mansi the moment I agreed to it. But everytime I looked at Mishka's face I...I felt weak. I didn't have it in me to put that child at risk." Laksh looked at her with moist eyes. "Please try to understand my situation Ragini. Please!"

Ragini looked at him with a calm look. Finally, she sighed. "I know the truth Laksh. I knew it all along these days."

"You...you do?"

"Yes. Yes I do. I know all about it."

Laksh was overcome by a sudden burst of anger. "You know that I love you. But still you're marrying another now!?"

"So?" Ragini asked with a raise eyebrow in a calm manner.

"So? That's all you have to say? Just a 'so'after knowing everything!? My helplessness, my despair!"

Ragini broke of his grip. "Who doesn't have such problems?! See Laksh? This is your problem. This...this thought of yours that you have the worst problems in the galaxy on your shoulders! Any problem you face, you try to choose the path that would harm you the least. You always have to play victim in everything, don't you?!"

"I'm helpless because of the situations!"

"So what?! You aren't and won't be the first and last one to face such tragedies in life. What matters is how you deal with them. What matters is what you choose to do! As for you, you always try to choose the way that would make you least guilty. You put things the way that would make you seem like the victim!"

"You're missing the point! Mishka's condition might worsen!"

Ragini clenched her teeth in anger.

She could do it. She could tell him the truth that Mishka knows. She could tell him that and make it easier for him to decide. She could make him stop the marriage, now that he himself admitted his identity to her.

But she won't.

That's what he was expecting, wasn't he? For her to give him an easy way to escape the consequences of his actions?

For her to stop her marriage for him? For her to say she loves him dearly and would cancel the marriage to wait for him forever?

Maybe he was thinking she would give him a way out. He may be thinking she would find a way to save him.

Those were his options. He always...always had wanted the easy way out.

'If you love me, you need to earn it! I love you but that doesn't mean I'll keep sacrificing for you every single time.' Ragini refused to back down. "You're marrying for Mishka. Fine. Go and marry, I won't stop you anymore. But don't interrupt my marriage with Nikhil."

"This marriage isn't happening. If I remember, I'm still your husband."

"No. You made me sign the divorce papers before you left the house Laksh."

Laksh moved back and tried to calm himself. He looked back at her in distress. "You're missing the point. How could you go marry him? How could you do this to me?!" Laksh pulled her closer. "Ragini, please cancel this marriage. I love you...I truly do."

Ragini felt herself feel weak in his arms. However, she steeled herself and pushed him away. "I'm sorry. But this marriage is happening."

"How could you do this to me?!"

"Just like you did with me."

Laksh felt like someone slapped him in the face. "Wha-what?"

"Yes. Isn't this what you're doing with me? You say you love me, but you're marrying Mansi. So what's wrong in me marrying Nikhil?"

"I love you, but I have an obligation towards Mishka. Her life is at stake. That is why I have....no! I need to marry Mansi. But you? You don't have any such obligation. Then why? Was all that... all that you said about you loving me a lie?"

"If I didn't love you Laksh, I would hunt you down and rip you apart!" Ragini grit out in rage. "After everything I did, after every obstacle I took on just to get you, this is what you ask me? You still...still doubt my love, you ungrateful jerk?!"

Laksh stumbled back, taken aback by the bitterness in her voice. He knew he crossed the limit. "I...I'm sorry." Laksh flinched at his own words, knowing how shallow he must sound.

"I love you. I truly do Laksh. Even you don't dare doubt it!"

Laksh looked at her eyes and saw truth in them. "Then why? Why are you marrying Nikhil?"

Ragini spread herself arms dramatically. "What do you mean 'why'? Do you expect me to just cry all my life? Cry that I didn't get you? Cry that you are married to another? Cry that Mansi got you and I didn't? Is that what you want?"

"What, no! No way! I don't want to see you cry. I want to see you happy." Laksh admitted, grabing her shoulders. "Your happiness means a lot to me. It's just that..." Laksh adverted his eyes. 'It's just that I want it to be me who brings it to you.'

"Then why are you objecting? Nikhil has been beside me since you left. I may not love him, but he is my best friend. Someone whom I can count on."

'I am your love, but he's about to replace me. I'm was your best friend. But now he's replacing me as a best friend too? I'll kill him!' thought Laksh, fuming in anger.

"Nikhil loves me." Ragini uttered in a soft tone. "Someone once told me 'don't marry the one you love, but the one that loves you. You'll be happy forever.' I guess I'll just do that, since the one I love can't be mine. Besides, everyone in my family approves of him too."

"But....but he's not your type! Look at him! He's clumsy, old-fashioned, awkward and simple! You deserve better."

Ragini slowly removed Laksh's hands from her shoulders and looked him straight in the eye. "Yes, you are right Laksh. I deserve better. I deserve to be loved, I deserve to be treated like I'm of value and not something to be discarded when and whenever someone likes. Not someone to be treated like trash! Nikhil, no matter if he is simple or awkward or old fashioned...he treats me like I'm the most beautiful woman in the world. And I know he will keep me happy." Ragini turned to leave, but looked back at Laksh "Go Laksh, be happy with Mansi and forget the past."

"I can't forget our love. Ragi-"

"Why not? Isn't it you who told me that you're Abhimanyu? You were willing to forget everything. Wasn't it you who told me not meet you ever again? It was so easy for you to say, wasn't it? So go and do what you said." with that, Ragini turned around from him to hide her rltears from Laksh.

She couldn't fall weak. Enough was enough. Even love didn't justify Laksh always treating her like of second value. It was hard for her as well to say such harsh words at him. But it needed to be done.

Laksh just looked down in shame and guilt. What could he do?

Laksh fell to his knees. Even tears wouldn't come to his eyes. Only he could feel was numbness.

He felt ashamed of his actions. On one hand he had the threat of Mishka faliing into danger if he admitted the truth to everyone. And on the other, if he didn't, he would lose his Ragini forever.

He could only choose one.

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To be continued...

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~ 🌹 Mona 🌹