[I don't believe this. This book got 2k reads already. :) Thank you so much my dear readers. It wouldn't have been possible without the love and appreciation you all shower on my work. Keep showering your love on this book. Once again a big thank you to all of you.]

[Now, @MalaPok06 @123khushiiiii  @candy54789 @thisuni21 all of you were correct about what made Abhishek so furious.

@sanyogitaprc Your one guess is right and the other is wrong. You will know when you read this part.]

As he looked up, everyone was stunned to see the raging fire in his eyes. He walked over to where Rhea was standing and before anyone could react, slapped her, hard.

Rhea staggered back with the force of the slap but Aliya steadied her. Petrified, Rhea looked at her father who had never raised a finger on her with her hand covering her cheek.

"Bhai! What are you doing? Have you...." Aliya began incredulously.

However, she couldn't complete what she was about to say as the next slap landed on her cheek.

The Kohlis, Aryan and Prachi were flabbergasted as they witnessed the scene unfolding in front of their eyes.

"Abhi! What are you doing? What's wrong?" Vikram was the first one to find his tongue.

"What is wrong? Everything is wrong. I was wrong to ever believe that Aliya can change. I was also wrong to believe my daughter is a good girl, the best there is. Tell me Rhea. How could you do this? Where have I gone wrong? When did you turn into such a monster?" Abhishek grabbed Rhea's arm and shook her.

"But what happened, chief?" Ranbir stared at Abhishek, perplexed.

"See this." Abhishek started the video in his phone that had been sent to him and showed it to the others present in the room.

Everyone was stunned to see Rhea, Aliya and Sanju's conversation outside the hospital.

"I can't believe this? How low can you stoop, Rhea? Are you even a human, let alone a girl? You have actually planned all these heinous attacks on another girl's honour? You are such a disgrace in the name of a woman as well as human beings. But, of course, if you can trap prachi in that fake drug case, you can do just about anything. There shouldn't be any surprise there. But the thing is in the ensuing chain of problems, I had forgotten that famous deed of yours. You can hate someone so much that you can actually play not only with their honour, career but also spoil their whole life? You know what Rhea, you disgust me. You are a disgusting creature, not even fit to be called a human because you have no humanity. I can't believe you are chief's daughter. I have never hated anyone. But I hate you." Ranbir looked away in disgust.

"Ranbir!" Rhea sobbed.

Prachi hurried over to Ranbir and held his arm gently.

"Please calm down, Ranbir! It's not good for you to get excited at the moment." Prachi tried to calm him down.

As usual Prachi's touch worked it's magic and Ranbir calmed down instantly.

"She was the one to trap Prachi in the drug case?" Abhishek asked quietly.

"Yes chief. Aryan told me about it." Ranbir nodded.

"Aryan!" Aliya looked at Aryan in disbelief.

"Wrong is always wrong, mom. Even if it is my mother and sister who are doing it." Aryan didn't even flinch while meeting Aliya's accusing gaze steadfastly.

"I just can't believe you are my daughter. Seems like you have more of Aliya in you than either me or your mother. However, Prachi is right. Ranbir shouldn't be excited right now. So, we will take this mess back to home. Prachi, take care of Ranbir and yourself too. And you, Rhea, will come with me." Grabbing Rhea's wrist in an unbreakable hold, Abhishek dragged her away.

"Bhai! Listen to me." Aliya too hurried after them.

Asking Aryan and Pranbir to take care, the kohlis left too. Aryan excused himself with a heavy heart. Pranbir exchanged glances, understanding Aryan's state of mind.

"Are you okay?" Prachi perched on the edge of Ranbir's bed and placed a hand on his arm.

"You are asking me that when you have been the one to go through all of that?" Ranbir looked at her dejectedly.

"And I always had you by my side throughout all of those difficulties. I don't know Ranbir what I would have done had you not ...." Prachi began but couldn't complete.

"I will always be there for you, Prachi. I will always do my best to protect you and to get you out of any difficult situation. I will always trust you over everyone and everything else, Prachi, even my own eyes and ears." Ranbir vowed solemnly as he placed a finger on her lips.

As Prachi stared at the amazing guy in front of her, tears formed in her eyes. She tried to blink them away. However, Ranbir noticed as he usually noticed every minute detail about Prachi.

"Hey, what happened? Why those tears? Don't you know that I hate tears, Pushpa, sorry, Prachi." Ranbir tried to cheer her up.

It worked and Prachi giggled. But then she sobered up and looked at him with some unnamed emotions swirling in her eyes.

"Thank you" Prachi smiled tremulously. 

"Nah, I don't want thank you with such a teeny weeny smile, I want a thank you with a wide smile. So come on. Give me that. Yes, it's coming. It's on the way. And here it comes." Satisfied and feeling exhilarated, Ranbir leant back as Prachi laughed softly.

"You are crazy." Prachi was still giggling.

"Crazy for you." Ranbir smirked.

Instantly, Prachi smile faded away but before Ranbir could think that he had offended her, a rosy hue surged up her throat and stained her cheeks. She let her eyelids shield her eyes from his direct gaze. 

"I...I will just go and check if all medicines are here." Prachi made a lame excuse still looking down.

She was feeling too shy to look at him. The tranquil environment and them being alone in the room were just adding to her increasing shyness.

Quickly getting to her feet, she began to walk away when she felt a tug in her dupatta. Bemused, she looked back only to find Ranbir holding on to the edge of her dupatta.

"Don't go. Don't ever go away from me, please." Ranbir was looking at her with gloomy eyes.

Prachi sighed. Those eyes can melt stone and she was only human. She just didn't have the heart to refuse him. She just wanted to erase the desolation from his eyes.

"I will always be by your side, Ranbir" Prachi vowed meeting his eyes.

"Promise?" Ranbir looked at her expectantly.

"Promise" Prachi smiled.

--------------------------------------------------------------

As the cars of the Mehras and kohlis pulled away, Sanju came out of his hiding place behind a tree's trunk not far away from the hospital.

"So, Rhea and Aliya Khanna, you wanted to leave me to either rot in jail or keep running away from police. I told you both, if I go down I will take both of you with me too. That's why before confronting both of you I had already called my friend and asked him to be ready and record our confrontation in a video and then, after you left, I met him and sent the video to your dad's mobile. I know you will ask me how I know your dad's phone number. I took it from your mobile without your knowledge to use for exactly this kind of purposes. I am not as much of a fool as you both think me to be and you both are not as cunning as you give yourselves credit for." Sanju smirked.

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Dining hall of Mehra Mansion

"Bhai, please listen to me. I can..." Aliya began tentatively.

"Explain away your crimes again? No way, Aliya. Never again. I am never going to repeat the mistake of giving you another chance ever again. Not only you haven't changed yourself but also you have made my daughter an exact replica of you. I too have my share of fault, of course. I trusted you with my daughter's upbringing. But don't worry, Aliya, I won't ever trust you again with anything that is even remotely important to me. Now, since you have committed crime, it's time for punishment. From now on, Aliya, you won't have any say in the matters of Mehra household. Also, from now on you will have to answer me for every single penny that you withdraw from the accounts and you will stay away from Rhea. I will ask every single staff of this house to inform me if you try to talk with Rhea. One more mistake, Aliya and I will throw you out of this house and this family." Abhishek warned.

"You can't do this, Bhai!" Aliya was disgruntled.

"Watch me." Abhishek glared at her and then turned to Rhea.

"And you. From now on you will have all your priviledges withdrawn, Rhea. Your television, laptop, desktop, music system, cell phone, everything will be taken away from you and I will stop your pocket money altogether. From now on, no sleep over or night clubs or parties with friends. You will meet them only at college and that will be it. I will drop you to the college on my way to office and I will pick you up at the end of the day. You will not have access to your car too. You took advantage of my unconditional love and pampering but now you will know what a strict father looks like." Abhishek glowered at his daughter.

Sobbing, Rhea ran away to her room, knocking a glass vase down on the way. 

"You need invitation? Get lost, Aliya." Abhishek roared.

Scowling furiously, Aliya strode away.

Tiredly, Abhishek shook his head. The only thought in his mind was had Pragya been there nothing of this sort would have ever happened. At least, Rhea would have been a better person. Someone like.... Prachi.

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City hospital

As the clock struck 2 am, a cloaked figure walked out of the lift and into the corridor that led to Ranbir's room. At that time of night, the corridor was totally deserted. 

The cloaked person began to walk furtively down the corridor to Ranbir's room. Soundlessly pushing the door open, he slinked into the cabin.

He looked around and found the room empty of anyone except a sole figure lying on the bed. The cloaked figure tiptoed towards Ranbir, who was asleep, and fished a dagger out. He raised the dagger and stabbed a sleeping Ranbir with all his might.

OMG! What will happen now? Socho socho :D

Btw, do tell me if you like Ranbir and Abhi's outbursts. ;) 

Hope you all like it buddies. Please don't forget to vote and comment.