Hi! Good evening awesome people!

First of all,

Thank you! thank you! thank you!

Last chapter, A Test Of Trust, crossed 80+ votes in a day!
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I cannot tell you how happy and content it feels to have your fic appreciated by readers to such an extent.

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The only way I could think of thanking you was posting another chapter soon.

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I think all other writers would agree that when we writers get such motivations from readers, it encourages us to write more and think of new plots for y'all. Your support is like the engine to our systems.

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Thanks again buddies! Love you! Keep supporting as always. You're all just awesome!

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Moving on... 💃💃💃

"Words in double quotes" - Talking

'Words in single quotes' - Thoughts

Chapter 21 - Not Buried, But Planted

Sanskar smiled back and tightened the grip on Ragini's hand, holding it firmly. "We're leaving Ragini. Not for hours, not for days or years. But forever."

Ragini looked at him with wide eyes, while all the others got up from their seats in shock.

"This is madness! You can't be serious Sanskar." Shekhar shouted.

Sanskar glared at Shekhar. "Do I look like I give a damn? I don't care what you think. I'm not keeping my girl in a place that doesn't know how to respect her."

"Sanskar don't do this." Shekhar requested. "I admit we were wrong in doubting Ragini. But we're willing to listen to her now. Please, give us a chance."

"Then what? What, huh? You'll accept Ragini this time. But once something like this happens again, you'll accuse her once more. Then after that and so on. You ev-"

"We won't Sanskar. We won't! Just don't leave. Please! I beg of you. Don't take away our Ragini away from us." Shramishtha pleaded.

"Maa is right. Don't do this Sanskar." Swara spoke out. She looked at Ragini desperately. "I don't know what's the truth, what's not the truth. But whatever it might be, Ragini don't leave. Please don't leave! Ra-"

"Swara, what are you saying?! Let that wretched characterless girl leave!" Dida shouted.

"But Dida she's my si-"

"Not another word Swara! Listen to my advice. I knows what's good for you. Let this trash leave." Dida advised, looking at Ragini in disgust.

"That's it!" Sanskar stepped ahead and pulled Ragini along with him towards the door.

Shramishtha rushed to them and grabbed Ragini's shoulder, stopping them midway. "Ragini please. Ragini don't leave beta. Please Ragini!"

Ragini looked at her mother's eyes and could see true sorrow in them. She looked around and could see the same in Swara, Shekhar and her Dadi's eyes. Going away would mean she could be happy with Sanskar. But she didn't want to hurt her her family.

Ragini turned to Sanskar with moist eyes. "Sanskar? Maybe...maybe we should stay back. After all, they are our own loved ones. No matter what, they will always be family."

"Ragini, no. Simply sharing blood doesn't make family. Family understands and supports. But these people will never understand you or me. You have always lived for them, for their happiness. That is why they don't value you. Everytime they make the mistake of blaming you, they come and say sorry. It's like they have taken you for granted!"

"Sanskar please. Don't take my sister away from me." Swara pleaded.

Sanskar glared at her, the past events coming back to him in full force. "Why? So that you can hurt her again like you did back when you and Laksh were hiding the truth from her? How you thought hiding the truth that Laksh loves you and was using Ragini to cure me was just a trivial matter?"

"I did it because I didn't want to see her broken! Laksh also hid the truth for the same reason." Swara cried out.

Laksh, on the other hand, wasn't paying attention to her. He was totally bewildered by the turn of events. He didn't expect Sanskar to take such a decision. 'If they leave, they will be free to be together. They will even eventually become husband and wife!' Laksh gritted his teeth in anger as images of Sanskar and Ragini's happy domestic life flashed in his mind.

"Sanskar, mayb-"

"No Ragini. This time, I won't give you a choice. Since you won't fight for your own happiness, I, as your future husband, will decide for you from now on. And my decision to leave is final!"

Annapurna looked at Sanskar with tears in her eyes. Sanskar was like her own son. And in Ragini she found a daughter she never had. She was moved forward to stop Sanskar, but was stopped by Durgaprasad as he grabbed her hand.

"No. Don't even think of stopping him. He is no one to us."

"Simply saying such things won't remove the love I have for him as a son. You thought of him as a son as well, didn't you? Then doesn't he deserve a chance to repent for his lies, for his mistakes? Was you love and care for him that fickle?" Annapurna questioned.

However, Durgaprasad kept looking forward with an emotionless face. Although he did not show it, it hurt him to see Sanskar and Ragini go away as well. However, his ego and his anger on Sanskar prevented him from stopping them.

Swara went and held Ragini's shoulders. "Ragini, I swear. I regret my past decisions when I hid Laksh's love for me. But when I apologized, it was from my heart Ragini."

Sanskar snorted. "Something goes wrong, go blame Ragini! But if turns out false, just go say sorry! Ragini is an emotional fool after all. Isn't that what you think Swara? Isn't that what all of you think?!"

Ragini's family looked down in shame, while Dida glared harder at Ragini.

"Emotional fool or player of emotions? She just knows how to trap people through her evil schemes. Her innocent face is nothing but a facade. She's as disgraceful as you! You are a cheap liar and a money-digger!" Dida accused Sanskar.

From the corner of his eyes, Sanskar saw Ragini narrow her eyes and tighten the grip on his hand. 'Wow! She seems pissed off.'

Dida continued her rant. "I wonder what her mother was like. Maybe she was same disgraceful per-"

"Enough!" everyone looked at the owner of the voice in shock.

Never had they seen Ragini raise her voice at any older person. While everyone looked at Ragini in shock, Mani looked impressed. 'This is why you should never try to push one to their limits. When a person is backed into a corner, they can either become a quitter, or a lion. It's obvious which case this is.'

Ragini stepped before Sanskar and glared at Dida. "Insult me, that's okay. Kick me, I'll not protest. Try to kill me, I might forgive you. But if you try to say one word against my love or my mother, I promise you Dida, while I can be submissive to you, I can also become your worst nightmare."

"You dare talk to me in that tune witch!?"

"I will if you insult my mom or my man!"

'My man? She called me her man.' Sanskar smiled at her. 'That's my girl. That's the girl I'm gonna marry.'

In rage, Dida came and pulled both Shramishtha and Swara away from Ragini. "Let her go! No need to hold her back."

Shramishtha broke free of Shobha's grip and glared at her. "That's enough Maa. You're wrong. Our Ragini isn't evil!"

Dida looked at her in shock. "You are talking back to your own mother? You're arguing with me for the likes of her!?" she shouted pointing at Ragini. "That child of your sautan!?"

"Maa, I've never distinguished between Swara and Ragini. Both are my daughters and are equally important to me!"

Dida glared at Ragini. "You witch! Now, you're provoking my own daughter against me? Disgusting piece of shit! Characterless home brea-" Dida's sentence was cut off abruptly as she felt herself stumble back.

It took her a moment to realize that she had stumbled back from the hit to her cheek. She held her throbbing cheek with her hand and looked forward in shock at Parvati.

"One more word against my Ladoo, and I'll slap you again Shobha. I've heard enough of your nonsense." Parvati turned to Shramishtha with bloodshot eyes. "Shramishtha, tell your mother to shut up. Or else, I'll kick her out of the house."

"You can't! Thi-"

"I can and I will. This is my house, my home! Shekhar is my son and Shramishtha my daughter-in-law. But you have no right to claim your daughter's in-laws' house as your own. So either shut up, or be ready to pack your bags!"

Shobha stood there gaping like a fish as no one came to her defense, while Parvati stepped towards Sanskar and Ragini. "Sanskar, never would I want you and Ladoo to leave us. But I...I think that would be the best. I know will keep my Ladoo happy."

"I will."

Parvati smiled and placed her hands on their heads. "My blessings are always with you both. Stay safe and keep contact."

Ragini gave her a teary smile and hugged her. "We will Dadi." she turned to look at the rest if her family. "Goodbye everyone. You all mean a lot to me. But I think leaving would be best. Not only for me and Sanskar, but for you all to live without any drama." her eyes fell on Laksh. "I'm glad I met you. You know why? Because now I won't ever make the mistake of making friends like you."

Laksh tried to think of an excuse to stop them from leaving. "Ragini think about your family. What would the society say? That the daughter of Shekhar left with a boy to live alone with him. They will look down on your family with disgust!"

"You're right Laksh. But I dont think they will say anything if we say that they are all set to marry." Parvati pointed out. She smiled at Sanskar. "As for marriage, I will be more than happy to appear as witness in the court if you and Ragini decide to give your relationship a name."

Laksh looked at her in horror at her decision, while Sanskar smiled at Parvati in glee. "Never thought I would say this. But you aren't as bad I thought you were Dadi. I even named you Hitler once."

Parvati looked at him with hands on her hips. "You want me to hit you boy? Now get out before I kick you both out." she said with a playful glare.

Sanskar looked at Ragini. She smiled back and nodded. Together, both turned to the door and took steps towards it.

Swara and Shramishtha were about to rush after them, but we're stopped by Shekhar. "Don't. Don't stop them. I think...I think it's best we let them go." he said teary eyed. "I failed to be a good father. I failed to keep my daughter happy. But I know Sanskar can give her happiness."

"But Shekhar th-"

Shekhar held Shramishtha's shoulder. "Let them go." he advised as he watched them leave.

All of them watched both Ragini and Sanskar step out of the house...forever. Some looked on in sorrow, some in acceptance.

In the gloomy situation, the only one happy was Dida. "Good. Now you and Laksh can be happy together Swara. Ah, finally!"

Swara, however, glared at her. She looked towards Laksh with equal hate and uncertainty. "Excuse me. I...I need to be alone." saying that, she left for her room.

Dida chuckled. "I guess she's being shy. Don't worry Laksh, she loves you. She will trust you over Ragini."

However, Laksh on the other hand was in a world of his own. He was overcome by rage like no other. He felt like a trapped animal. Neither could he lash out at them in fear of his father finding out the truth. And neither could he go after Ragini. He balled his hands into fists, making his nails dig into his palms until it hurt.

Mani observed him critically. 'I may not know him much, but I don't have many good vibes about Laksh. When I first met him, he seemed like a good guy. But now...now I'm not so sure.'

Mani was broken out of his thoughts by Shekhar's voice.

"Mani beta, we are sorry you had to witness all this."

"It's okay uncle. It's not your fault."

Shekhar smiled at him gratefully. "Oh! I almost forgot. Your father told me to tell you to get home quickly."

"Oh. Thank you for informing me uncle. I'll take your leave now."

Shekhar nodded and bid him goodbye.

#Outside#

Sanskar and Ragini stepped out of the gate side by side.

Ragini looked back at her house with tear-filled eyes. 'My home. The place where I grew up. The place where I made so much memories. The place which I'm ...I'm leaving today.'

Sanskar turned her towards himself. "Hey, it's okay. No use crying over people who don't value you. I'm here now. And I'll try to make sure you never shed a tear again. At least not for the likes of them."

Ragini nodded and looked at him directly in the eyes. "I know Sanskar. I know you'll do everything to keep me happy. It's just that...its just that I feel like I'm suddenly being buried under darkness. But I'm glad I have you as my single source of light."

Sanskar rubbed away her tears. "You don't need to look for the light Ragini. You yourself are the light that brings happiness in everyone's lives. You're like the lantern that gives light to others." he smiled at her. "Besides, sometimes when you think you're being buried, it's not actually so. The bigger picture is that you're not buried, but planted."

"Aww... Couldn't have said it better myself." came a voice from behind them.

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Who is the one who said that?

Will RagSan get to live happily ever after?

Or will Laksh cook up another devious plan to separate them?

Will Swara and the rest find out Laksh's truth?

Stat tuned!

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To be continued...

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~ 🌹 Mona 🌹