Sameer tried to keep the simmering umbrage in control as he took Naina in his arms.

She had been punished all her life for no fault of hers. His anger at taiji had transformed into white hot rage... making him itch to go and confront the vile woman and her husband. How could they subject their own daughter like niece to such abuse, both physically and emotionally? He had himself seen the remnants of her brutality on Naina's body... the way taiji had pinched her when her alliance with some useless boy recommended by her could not be finalised.

His mother also slapped him a few times, shouted at him, forced him to do things he didn't want... but he had always shown the seething reaction, venting out in whichever way he could... be it breaking things, screaming at people around him, or throwing punches madly into the punching bag.

But Naina... he was sure she wouldn't have even whimpered in front of anyone... except the star that she considered her mother. The  void in her life was too deep to be filled easily. But he would do it one day... whatever time it takes. And he would make taiji pay for what she did to his Naina. His blood boiled again, making his resolve stronger.

His tightened hold made Naina aware of the turmoil within him.

"Sameer, agar tum soch rahe ho ki taiji aur tauji ne jo kiya uska sabak unhe sikhana chahiye toh yeh khyal apne dimaag se nikal do." Her words brought him back.

"Ky... kya matlab?" He looked down at her.

Lifting her head off his chest, she blinked her clear eyes, "Jo baatein khatam ho gayi unhe fir se nahi kuredana hai... taiji ko toh pehle hi bhagwaan ne itni badi sazaa di thi... shaadi ke kitne saalon aur kitne ilaaj ke baad Pralay paida hua tha... woh saal unke liye bohot dard bhare the."

Sameer did not feel an iota of sympathy for taiji, "Unke yahan toh koi aana hi nahi chahiye tha... jab unme aur unke pati mein kisi ko samajhne ki insaniyat hi nahi hai toh apne bachche se kya pyar kar payenge."

"Nahi Sameer, aisa nahi kehte... ismein Pralay ka kya kasoor hai." She implored.

He shook his head, "Pralay ke liye nahi, Naina... uske mata pita ke liye keh raha hun... main chahta hun Pralay unke saath aisa hi vyavhaar kare jaisa unhone kiya hai tumhare saath... tabhi unhe ahsaas hoga."

She tugged at his arm, "Shh... kisi ka bura nahi sochte."

Sameer looked at her in surprise, "Kya tumhe zara si bhi shikayat nahi hai unse? Thoda bhi dil nahi karta ki unhe unke kiye hue bure kaamon ki sazaa mile? Naina, kya tumne apne tauji taiji ko unn sab zyadatiyon ke liye maaf kar diya jo unhone tumpe ki thi... ya fir papaji aur Arjun pe?"

She lowered her head.

"Bolo Naina, itna sab hone ke baad bhi tumhare dil mein unke liye izzat hai?" He prodded.

She looked up with a hard expression on her face, "Nahi Sameer, koi izzat nahi hai unke liye... zara bhi nahi... jis din unhone tumhare baare mein galat bola tha ussi din se unke liye saare jazbaat khatm ho gaye... na apnapan, na izzat, na lihaaz, aur na koi darr... yeh bhi tumhare saath ki wajah se hua, tumhari di hui himmat ne mujhe sar uthakar unki taraf dekhne ka bharosa diya... Preeti ki mehendi wale din taiji ne jab dhamki di toh main unka saamna isiliye kar paayi kyonki mujh mein dahshat ki jagah aatm vishwas tha... ab toh sirf rishta hai isliye unse baat karni padti hai... main khush hun ki woh log yahan se jaa rahe hain."

Sameer was somewhat satisfied at her admission, but letting them go scot free for their misdeeds was not acceptable to him.

She could see his eyes shrouded with hatred.

"Main isliye tumhe nahi batana chahti thi... mujhe pata tha tum nahi sahan kar paoge... Sameer, jo beet gaya uske liye aaj ko kyon kharab karna hai." She dipped her head to the side, a pleading look in her eyes.

He held out his palm, "Naina, aaj ek waada karo... mujhse koi baat nahi chupaogi... apni khushi hi nahi, apna har dard bantogi mujhse... fir woh koi bhi kyon na ho, agar tumhe koi chot pohochayega toh mujhe bataogi... yeh soch kar ki main bardaasht nahi kar paunga, tum apne andar nahi rakhogi koi bhi baat... chahe woh tumhare baare mein ho ya mere... wada karo ki tumhare har dukh ka, har dard ka bhagidar rahunga main."

Gingerly, she placed her hand on his. He squeezed her soft palm, closing his other hand on it.

"Ab dhyan se suno... jo beet gaya usmein jin logon ne zeher bhara unhe uss zeher ka swad chakhna chahiye... woh jo tumhare bhagwan ji kehte hain na, ki koi ek gaal pe chanta maare toh doosra bhi aage kardo, woh main nahi maanta." He explained in a deep voice.

A spurt of laughter escaped her lips, making him frown. He didn't know what was funny.

Poking his forehead with her fingers, she said when she could speak, "Buddhu, bhagwan ji nahi kehte... woh Gandhi ji ne kaha tha... Ahmedabad mein rehte ho aur itna bhi nahi pata."

A sheepish smile played on his lips, but his heart filled up with warmth to see her unfeigned laughter.

"Achha theek hai... choti si galti ke liye mazaak toh mat udao." He lamented with a fake pout.

Still chuckling, she pinched his nose.

"Tum hamesha aise hi hansti rehna, Naina... ab toh main kabhi tumhe koi dard milne nahi dunga lekin jinhone tumhe zakhm diye hain unhe main maaf nahi kar sakta... kabhi nahi... tumhare jitna bada dil nahi hai mere paas." He said in a soft but firm voice.

She pursed her lips, and held out her palm, just like him, "Tum bhi waada karo ki kuch aisa nahi karoge jisse rishton mein kadwahat aaye, aur na... "

He didn't let her finish, closing her palm into a fist, "Rishte? Naina, tum inhe rishte kaise samajh sakti ho... unhone khud rishte ki izzat nahi ki... kadwahat toh unhone khud failayi hai... ab apne ugaye hue ped ka phal chakhne do unhe."

"Nahiii Sameer," she drawled, "rishta sirf mera nahi hai... chachaji chachiji ne itne saal sirf isliye sab kuch chup karke suna hai kyonki unhe rishta nibhana tha... ab agar tum aisa kuch karoge toh unhe bhi bhugatna padega."

Sameer closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Main yeh toh waada nahi kar sakta ki main sab kuch bhool jaunga... haan, lekin tumhari baat manne ki poori koshish karunga... jisse chachaji chachiji ke liye koi pareshani na ho." He accepted.

Naina nodded, knowing that this was the best she could get from him.

The shrill ring of phone made them look at it together.

She quickly got up to answer it.

Sameer watched as she smiled into the phone, talking animatedly. She looked breathtakingly beautiful and innocent. He wondered how could someone put her through so much.

When she turned around after the call, he was right behind her.

She drew in a sharp breath as he slipped one arm around her waist, pulling her against his chest, his mouth closing over hers.

The soft, comforting kiss spread a lightness in her, after the heavy confession. He was gentle, weaving his fingers in her hair while his other hand delicately rubbed the side of her waist. Her hands went around his neck, bunching his hair ends. Lifting her toes, she arched back, tilting her head behind.

Her inviting mouth and moulding form against him made the emotions change in an instant. His fingers dug into her waist... the kiss got deeper... her hand slipped to the side of his neck, going under the collar.

Suddenly, as if reminded of something, she broke away, pulling her hand out to place it on his chest.

"Kya hua?" He asked in a raspy voice.

"Uh Sameer... woh... abhi jaana hai." She stuttered, her hand clutching his shirt in a fist at the roughness in his voice.

"Jaana hai? Kahaan?" He furrowed his brows.

"Abhi Preeti ka phone tha... subah chachiji ka bhi aaya tha... woh aaj pagphere ke liye aa rahi hai toh chachiji ne bulaya hai hum dono ko." She informed.

"Oh... theek hai, tum taiyar ho jao." He turned abruptly.

And the top button of his shirt gave in, as the panel pulled in her fisted hand due to his sudden movement.

They both stared at his chest, where the shirt opened up now.

A mischievous grin on his face made her cheeks go pink. She quickly pulled her hand away.

"Der se pohochane ka iraada hai kya?" He hooked a finger under her chin, lifting her face, though her eyes remained veiled behind lashes.

"Hato." She turned her face to the side.

Sameer held her wrist as she tried to escape, making her breath hitch.

"Aaj raat ko red wali nighty pehenna." He whispered, his breath tickling her ear.

She shot a look at him, turning her eyes away from his heated gaze the next instant.

Preeti and Pandit had not arrived yet when they reached chachaji's house.

"Naina, teri tabiyat theek nahi hai kya? Chehra kyon utara hua hai?" Bela could see the shadows on her face.

"Nahi chachiji, main bilkul theek hun." She quickly patted her hair.

"Sach bata, beta, koi pareshani toh nahi hai na? Aaj kuch badli hui si lag rahi hai." Bela was not convinced.

"Woh itne dinon se shaadi ke liye saj dhaj ke rehti thi aur aaj wapas saade kapdon mein dekh rahi hain aap, shayad isliye." Naina flashed a bright smile.

"Haan, ho sakta hai... aisa kar, bindi aur kumkum laga le." Bela suggested.

Nodding, she picked up the kumkum from a small mandir in the kitchen and went towards the bedroom.

"Bela O Bela." Taiji sauntered in, carrying a tray of fine bone china crockery.

Seeing Sameer seated in the living room, she stopped in her tracks, gulping. Sameer heard her, but did not look up, keeping his eyes on the magazine he was holding.

"Ka... kaise ho beta?" Taiji said in a mellowed voice.

He glared at her... the images of Naina's story flashing in front of his eyes.

Sensing the resentment in his eyes, taiji called out again, "Bela, yeh le, sabse mehenge wale bartan hain... zara sambhal ke istemaal karna... ek bhi toot gaya toh set kharab ho jayega."

Bela came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on the pallu. Taiji did not move an inch from her place, holding out the tray to Bela.

"Laiye main rakh deta hun... itni bhaari hai... taiji ka toh theek hai, aapke liye yeh bojh zyada ho jayega." Sameer took the tray as Bela walked up to her sister in law.

He turned towards the kitchen... and had taken barely two steps when his foot banged against the dining chair on the way.

He stumbled and the tray went crashing down to the floor... the bone china shattering to pieces.

"Tumhe lagi toh nahi, beta?" Bela immediately held his arm, stalling his fall.

"Main theek hun, chachiji." He straightened, rubbing his hands.

Bela's eyes went to the floor... and the reality registered when she saw the shards all over the place.

She gave a dismayed look to Sameer.

And was astounded at the smug smile on his lips.

Her head slowly turned towards the door.

Taiji stood with open mouth... her eyes frozen in shock... her face turned white.

"Mubarak ho, taiji... ab aapka set kharab nahi hoga... kyonki set hi nahi bacha." Sameer shrugged, not showing least bit of remorse.

Next update tomorrow evening