A Few Days Later....

Location: Anika's apartment

Piya stood infront of the apartment door, both nervous and excited that she was about to meet her Mom.

"Okay Piya...the moment this door opens, you will be Kavya. So pls try to control your emotions." Gia reminded her. The next moment the door opened  and Anika stood smiling at who she thought was Kavya.

"Kavu...you're early, I thought you wouldn-" She got cut off as Piya jumped onto her. Surpised, Anika hugged her back until she felt her shirt get wet. "Bacha....are you crying?"

"Maar gayi...this is Piya controlling her emotions?" Gia thought to herself, as she hoped that Anika didnt think anything was wrong.

"Woh...no...I just mi...missed you." Piya wiped you.

"I missed you too. Its the first time we were apart na?" 

Piya nodded.

"Acha come inside...you too Gia." Anika brought the girls inside. Piya looked around and saw a wall that was filled with photos of Anika, Kavya & Sahil from over the years. One particular picture stood out to Piya. To anyone else is was just a mother taking a selfie with her baby but Piya recognized Oberoi Mansion in the background and it didnt take long for her to realize that this was prob the last picture Anika took before leaving...her way of saying goodbye to Piya.

"Kavya?" 

Piya turned around and saw a tall man standing behind her. From the picture Kavya showed her, Piya knew that this was Sahil. 

"Hi Sahil Mama." Piya smiled and hugged him. Unfortunately, neither Piya or even Gia realized at that moment, but Piya made a mistake.....and it did not escape Sahil's notice.

"Sahil Mama? Kavu never calls me Sahil Mama, she always calls me Mamu...."

"How was your trip?" Sahil asked.

"It was fun...I just missed everyone here." Piya replied.

"We missed you too Kavu." Simran came into the room with Anika, who had gone to get food from the kitchen.

"Here...you two girls must be hungry na?" Anika placed two plates down.

"Oh yes! Thanks so much Aunty!" Gia took a plate and startes shoving the food down her throat. 

"Mumma? Can you feed me pls?" Piya asked softly. Anika thought her daughter was acting differently but let it go thinking she just missed her but Sahil was already suspicious.

"Of course I can." Anika smiled and after taking a piece of roti and sabji, she reached forwards to feed Piya. Piya opened her mouth and watched her mom emotionally. When she was done, Piya lay her head down on Anika's lap, holding on to her tightly. Startles, Anika stroked Piya's hair. "Arre...feeling lots of love for your Ma today huh?"

Anika leaned forward and gave a kiss on Piya's forehead...pausing slightly when she suddenly had a strange feeling. Like the person she just kissed was a different person...but yet still someone close to her heart. But again, Anika just shook the feeling away.

***************

Location: Oberoi Mansion

"Eeeeek. Im so excited!" Kavya squealed as she & Isha pulled up to Oberoi Mansion in Isha's car.

"Ok but tone down the excitement. Piya isnt as hyper as you and remember to hug everyone...thats what Piya would do." Isha said.

"Yeahhhh....im not much of a hugger." 

"Kavya!" 

"Im joking, Im joking....relax. Ill be in character." Kavya laughed. "Lets go in now."

Getting out of the car, Kavya entered the mansion with Isha close behind. Inside they saw Nidhi laughing with some ladies while drinking coffee.

"See this diamond girls?" Nidhi held her hand out showing off a shiny large rock on her ring finger. "My dear hubby got me this for my birthday...like it?"

"What the bloody hell?" Kavya whispered to Isha, "Did...did she just refer to my papa as her hubby?"

"Yeah she has been living as Shivaay uncle's wife for years. They arent really married but she doesnt seem to care." Isha rolled her eyes. "All she cares about is having the image of a perfect life infront of her friends."

"Perfect life aye?" Kavya smirked. Seeing her, Isha got nervous.

"Kavya...what are you about to do?"

"MUMMAAA!" Kavya called out happily. Nidhi & her friends turned to look at the entrance while Isha stood there scared and in shock as Kavya ran to Nidhi with her arms wide open. 

"I missed you sooo much Mum- oh no!" Kavya put on a fake look of concern as she purposely knocked the hot drink right onto Nidhi's chest.

"AAHH!" Nidhi jumped up screaming in pain. 

"Mumma Im so sorry...here let me help. " Kavya took a glass of water that was on the table and splashed it on Nidhi...shocking her and her friends. Isha stifled a giggle.

"Why you little-" Nidhi raised her hand to slap Kavya but stopped herself as her friends were there. Nidhi forced a smile on her face and caressed Kavya's cheek. "Thats ok beta..."

Leaning closer to Kavya, Nidhi whispered, "What is this Mumma Mumma nonsense?"

"Arre, you are my Papa's wife na? How can I disrespect you by calling you anything else other than Mumma? What will your friends think?" Kavya whispered in a taunting voice but still kept the innocent expression on. Then she raised her voice so the others can hear. "Mumma...isnt that the diamond ring that Papa got from the garage sale last week? The one for $50?"

Nidhi's eyes widened as she looked at Kavya in shock wondering what happened to the timid girl she knew.

"Garage sale?"

"That means its prob not even a real diamond."

"I knew it...the liar!" 

Kavya watched Nidhi's face get more and more red as her friends whispered among themselves and laughed.

"Well...actually...I...I uh..lost yeah... I lost the real one." Nidhi tried to explain.

"Whatever." One of her friends scoffed, "Anyways we should go."

"Wait...girls.." Nidhi called out as they left. Furiously, Nidhi raised her hand again. "HOW DARE YOU!"

This time, Kavya grabbed Nidhi's wrist before she could slap her and agressively spins her around, twisting her arm back.

"AAAAHHH! LET GO OF ME YOU LITTLE BRAT!" Nidhi yelled out in pain. Kavya just tighened her hold. Hearing all the comotion, the Oberoi Family all came downstairs and were dumbstruck at what they saw.

"Piya.." Shivaay went to stop Kavya, in fear that Nidhi will do something terrible.

"One minute Papa." Kavya held up her other hand to stop him then looked back at Nidhi. "See this trip that I went on was a real eye opener for me....I made a new friend and she told something. You can only hurt me as long as I allow you to hurt me. So that shy, timid Piya that was so afraid of you? She is no longer here, the girl infront of you will bear your torture silently...instead she will fight back! Have I made my self clear?"

Nidhi didnt answer and glared so Kavya pulled harder on her arm. "AAH!"

"HAVE I MADE MYSELF CLEAR?" 

"YES! Yes...let me go." Nidhi flinched.

"Good." Kavya pushed Nidhi away. To say Nidhi was shocked at Kavya's behaviour was an understatement but she decided to just stay quiet for now...and make the brat pay later on, so she left.

"Piya? Are you okay?" Yug walked upto his sister and started felling her forehead, then he looked at Isha.  "Did she hit her head?"

"What? No of course not jiju, she is fine." Isha laughed.

"But...what was that? Piya you know how dangerous Nidhi is...and still you-"

"Papa.." Kavya interrupted Shivaay and hugged him. "I missed you."

"I missed you too princess." Shivaay smiled and hugged Kavya back. Still he was worried about what she had just done and was also confused because Piya had never done anything like that before.

"Di!" Manav & Shaurya jumped onto Kavya making her laugh. "We missed you too!"

"Also...that." Shaurya pointed to where Nidhi was a while ago, "was totally awesome!"

"Yeah Di...were did all this courage suddenly come from?" Manav asked.

Bhavya smack the back of Manav's head, "Our Piya was always courageous okay?"

"Chachi..Rudra chachu" Kavya gave her and Rudra a hug and then one bye one hugged everyone.

"Arre wah...I must say this trip was a very good Idea Jiju." Gauri said to Shivaay, "Our Piya looks so much more happier hai na? And I cant put my finger on it but something else is also very different."

"Maasi..." Kavya looked at the woman infront of her. Although she didnt even know she has a maasi until a few days ago, she does know that for Piya Gauri was always like a mother so of course how could Kavya not love her? "Nothing is different about your Piya...I just felt it was time I stood up to Nidhi Aunty."

"Well Im proud of you." Gauri smiled. "I know Jiju, you are worried about what Nidhi will do but we spent all these years worrying about that...what good did it do? I think what Piya did today was exactly what we should have done....but none of us had the courage."

******

Meanwhile...

Nidhi is pacing in her room holding her arm which was still sore. "How dare she...how dare she?"

"I thought this trip would be harmless but I was wrong...I dont know what happened on the trip but I need to remind her what I can do. I need to show the little brat what a big mistake she just did."

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Note: What did you guys think? Nidhi has a lot more coming her way....she has no idea.