"Sometimes I feel like I know nothing about you" Manik said sarcastically. "Thanks I would take that as compliment" she replied. "Of course, bin bulaye mehmaan jaisa yaha aana bhi tumhare liye sahi hi hoga na?" he taunted her. "Mujhe tumse baat karni thi so aa gayi warna tum mujhse kaha milte ho Manik! I had to take time to meet you for Alya" she said.

***************************************
Abhimanyu had come near Mukti. He makes signs to Mukti so that she could see him. "Looking beautiful today" he said. "Yeah I'm actually loving sarees these days. Mom bhi yahi keh rahi thi ki I'm looking good in the sarees" she told him. "Tho ab se roz sarees hi pehnogi kya?" he asked her. "Ha, actually that's not a bad idea, however I learnt from mom how to drape the saree. See, how perfect it is!" she said flaunting her magenta pink saree. "Mukti, sarees! It's OK but what about nights? What will you wear at night? Saree is quite heavy for a night dress" he said.

"Ha, obviously I'll wear my night suits" she said casually. "Main bhi yahi bolne jaa raha hu, pehen ne ki zarurat hi kya hai?" he said seriously. Mukti's cheeks turned instantly red when she heard him. "Abhimanyu please mujhse aise baatein mat karo" she said turning away from him. "Not you! Then who?" he asked surprised. "Shaadi sirf first night ke liye hoti hai kya?" she asked raising her brows.

"Nahi but ye bhi important hai na!" she glared when he said that. "Abhimanyu hum dono pehle ache friends the, phir suddenly shaadi announcement and we both know that we're perfect for each other, but ye thodi jaldi ho raha hai na?" she asked him convincingly. He noticed mixed emotions in her face. She doesn't know how to face him. He cupped her face, "Mukti, look into my eyes. Kya dikh raha hai tujhe? Love or lust?" he asked her. "Abhi!" she murmured while he put his finger on her lips. "Mukti, sex is not just a gesture. It's an ultimate form of love. Koi isse zyada apna pyaar express hi nahi kar payega. Like marriage love ka beginning hai, making love is a beginning of our married life. And I promise I won't touch you until you want it" he said. Mukti hugged him and thanked for understanding her.

"Nandini, agar saari tayyariyaa ho jaye tho fresh hokar ready ho jaana beta. Sorry I couldn't help you because of my gains sprain" Nyonika told Nandini. "It's okay aunty koi baat nahi hai" she said smiling. "Aakhir humari ghar ki hone wali bahu hi hai na Nyonika" Shrikant added. "Main bahu se seva karwane wali saas nahi hu. Nandini, I promise you main saas banke nahi tumhari maa banke rahungi" she said. "I know aunty" she said.

"Waise, flower🌹 is already here but Nyonika where's the bee 🐝?" Shrikant asked her. "Living area mein decors dekh raha hai" she replied. "OK then you both should also go and get ready" he said.

***************************************
Aryaman, Cabir and Navya came to Manik's place. Nyonika welcomed everyone. Ishitha and Raman gets the gifts. "Ye sab kyu?" Nyonika asked her. "Ye ladkiwalon ki shagun hai" Ishitha said. "Aap se bahut kuch seekhna hai Ishitha ji, aap modern hoke bhi saare traditions follow karte hai" Nyonika complimented her. "We get only little time to follow all these things. At least we should be happy ki hum Shaadi rituals ke according kar sakte hai" she smiled.

"Raman, hum Mukti ko kaise batayenge?" Ishitha asked Raman. "Shaadi tho bina tension ho gaya and kal wo hospital join karegi tho usse pata chal jayega ki she is replaced" Raman worried. "Nahi hume Mukti ko pehle hi batana chahiye tha, if she comes to know about it through others, how would she feel Raman?" Ishitha asked. "I don't know if I'm right or not by doing this Ishitha, I just want her to be happy" Raman stopped seeing Mukti coming near them.

"Kitni khubsurat lag rahi hai meri beti" he said. "Hi dad" she wished him. "Hi papa, hi maa" Abhimanyu wished them. Raman and Ishitha looked at each other. "Its good to hear this from you Abhimanyu, we must say we're overwhelmed" they said whole heartedly. "Ishitha ji rasam shuru kare?" Nyonika asked her. Ishitha nodded and Mukti sat there. Nyonika and Ishitha fed sweets to the newly wed couple. Everyone gave their gifts to them. Aryaman's mobile rang with his screen flashing Sanju's name. "Abhi aadha ganta Pehle hi mil chuke ho tum dono, itni hi der mein phone calls, wah naya naya pyaar hai na" Cabir said. "Shut up, there might be some emergency" Aryaman said. "Yeah, it might be too urgent" Cabir said sarcastically.

"Hi Sanju, bolo" he asked. "Mukti kaisi hai?" she asked him. "Tum yeh puchne call liya?" he joked. "No, I'm serious" she said. "Sanju, kya hua?" Aryaman is concerned. "Aryaman, I was going through my mails when I was free. There was a board meeting at the hospital recently, the agenda of the meeting is that the board is looking for the new Asst. Dean for the hospital. They have even appointed someone I don't remember" she said. "That means is Mukti ma'am replaced?" he asked. "Mujhe bhi yahi lag raha hai, that's why I have called you to know about Mukti" she said. "Sanju, agar ye sach hai tho tum kuch kar sakti ho kya?" he asked. "Of course, Mukti is the best and wo tum logon ko ache se guide bhi kar rahi hai, I will try my best to convince the board" she said.

Aryaman noticed Mukti and Abhimanyu and understood that they have no idea about all this. After the ritual, Manik arranged for dining. Aryaman said to Cabir, Navya, Alya and Nandini about what Sanju had said about Mukti. "This can't be true, how can they just replace her?" Navya asked. "Guys, may be it was her decision, look at her she is looking so happy" Alya said. "No, she might not be knowing it" Nandini said. "Agar aisa hota tho Manik mujhe Pehle iske baare mein bata deta" she thought. "Exactly, mujhe bhi Nandini ka baat sahi lag raha hai" Cabir added. "Mukti ma'am ka theek hai par Raman sir and Ishitha ma'am, unko pata hi hoga na?" Navya wondered. Aryaman's phone beeped. "Sanju ka message hai, she is saying that they have even appointed someone else, Dr. Aditya is his name" Aryaman said. "Tho ye confirmed hai, but agar ye Mukti ma'am ko nahi pata hai tho hum mein se koi bhi usse abhi nahi batayenge, look how happy she is!" Cabir said and they all agreed to hide it from her.

"Nyonika ji, aaj hum Abhi aur Mukti ko humara ghar le jayenge" Ishitha said. "Of course" she agreed. "Mukti, Abhi shall we leave then?" Raman asked. "Ek second, I think I have kept my phone in the room for charging it. I'll go and get them" Mukti said and went upstairs. She saw few missed calls on her mobile. "Shaadi ke chakkar mein itni busy ho gayi ki phone ko bhul hi gaya" she thought and saw a few of her friends' messages who wished her on their wedding. Something had struck her mind when she opened a mail. She saw the mail regarding her demotion and the appointment of new Asst. Dean. It came as a shocker for her when she noticed that Raman had also approved of it. She came down as soon as she knew about it.

Raman and Ishitha looked at a distraught Mukti. All the guests had already left. Only Nyonika's family, Raman's family had stayed behind. Manik went out to drop Nandini. "Mukti, kya hua?" Abhimanyu asked on seeing her. "Yeh hum papa se hi puchenge Abhimanyu?" she said. Nyonika and Shrikant were shocked to see Mukti. Raman and Ishitha seemed to understand what must happened. "Ab tho bol dijiye, Dr. Raman Shrivastav, aap aise kaise hone diya?" she confronted him. "Mukti, please listen" Ishitha tried to talk, but Mukti interrupted her. "No mom, please let him speak today" she looked at Raman. "Mukti, I tried my best to not let it happen, but nothing was in my hands then" Raman said helplessly.

"Kya hua? Koi mujhe batayega!" Abhimanyu asked clueless. "Mujhe Asst. Dean ki position se nikal diya hai and dad ne bhi uske decision ko support kiya and mujhe bataya tak nahi hai, I wasn't even given a chance to prove myself" she cried. Raman and Ishitha failed to console her. "I will send them once they are fine, please let her be alone for now" Nyonika said to Raman and Ishitha. They left from there with a heavy heart.

           **********************
"So" Manik asked Nandini when he had dropped her home. "So! What Manik?" Nandini looked at him confused. "Main ghar tak aaya hu drop karne, raat ho gaya hai, ghar mein koi nahi hai, don't you think you should invite me home!" Manik asked. "No, kyunki aunty tumhare liye wait kar rahi hogi, chacha chachi raat tak aa jayenge" she said. "I'm worried about Mukti ma'am, pata nahi kya beetega uss par jab unhe ye pata chal jayega ki she is not our Asst. Dean from now" Nandini said.

"Wait a second! What are you saying?" Manik didn't understand. "Tumhe really kuch nahi pata hai?" she asked and he nodded no. Nandini told him everything she knew from Aryaman and Sanju. "Oh God, then even Abhimanyu might not know about it. Mukti was really a deserving candidate for that position, she dedicated much of her time to hospital. I clearly remember how she worked hard for that" he said.

"Yeah, she even handled us well, thodi strict hai but she had her ways with us" Nandini told. "OK main ghar jaunga, let me call Abhi first, they might have gone to Mukti's house by now" Manik said. "OK bye" she said. He stopped her by holding her hand. "Aise kaise bye bologi!" he asked making a face. She leaned on to him and kissed his forehead. "Bye" she said as her hair was all over his face. Her fragrance was all over his face and he kissed her behind her ear. "OK bye now" she said stopping him and he agreed to go.
    
            ***********************
Cabir drops Navya home. "Cabir, idhar hi ruk jao" she said. "Why?" he asked and she looked on. "I understand tumhare papa dekhega na, tum nahi sudhrogi" he said and was about to leave and then they saw a lady fell on the road. "Cabir, look there" she said. They rushed to see her and noticed few blood stains on her forehead. "She might have got hurt when she fell down" he said. "Pata nahi ye kaise gir gayi, let's take her home" she said. "Pagal ho gayi ho! Tumhare dad tumhe andar nahi aane deta hai and you want to take someone who you don't even know" he said. "Cabir, hum ye baad mein discuss karenge, help me first" she said. They take her to Navya's place.

Navya's father, Chandra Shekar opened the door. "Papa, move aside" Navya said and he moved. She and Cabir got her inside. "Kaun hai ye?" he asked them. "Cabir, fridge se paani lao" she said and he went in. "Hello, I'm asking you" Chandra Shekar asked. "Uncle, first aid box kidar hai?" Cabir asked him. "That's in dad's room, left side cupboard mein hoga" Navya said and Cabir brought it. They cleaned the wound and applied band-aid. "What the hell is happening here?" he shouted. "Papa she was lying unconscious on the road so we got her here for first aid" Navya spoke.

"This is not a charity house, you can't always have your ways here. And this boy, pata nahi kya chakkar hai isse tumhari, both of you get out of my house" he shouted. "See I already told you he won't allow her in your house but tumhe apni marzi karni hai, where would you go with this lady?" Cabir asked. "Papa please isko hosh aane tak isse yaha rehne dijiye please" she requested him and her father went out.

          **********************
Manik went home and Nyonika told him about everything had happened. "Ha maa, mujhe Nandini ne bataya abhi so I came home thinking they might have left but!" he said. "Mukti was upset so I asked them to leave" she said. "Where are they?" Manik asked.

"Mukti, please calm down. I talked to dad, he is feeling guilty. You can't accuse him. He really tried his best to defend you, it was really hard for you to take it but he isn't at fault too" Abhimanyu explained. "But meri galti kya hai! Kya kuch nahi kiya maine iss hospital ke liye. Dad was never on my side till now. He even recommended Manik for this position remember! Now that he accepted that I'm not fit for this role" she said crying.

"No Mukti. I know Dr. Raman had recommended me but board had chosen you for this role and he was happy" Manik said to her. "I'm sorry for whatever had happened but Raman sir humesha tumhare liye khada rehta tha, we both knew it. Abhimanyu aur main humesha un se tumhari tareef hi sunthe the. It's just that he never says that in front of you or anyone else because he doesn't want his power to get you opportunities but tum khud wo opportunities deserve karti ho" he said and she wiped out her tears.

"Yes Mukti, aaj tak koi tumse ye kaha ki tumhara dad dean hai aur tum asst.  dean isliye ho nahi na!" Abhimanyu asked. "No one said that because dad had not recommended my name for it" she said. "He was forced to choose me Mukti, because he can't take your name but andar hi andar wo bahut kush tha and even I was happy because I know I can't dedicate myself to hospital like you always did!" Manik said.

"Hum maa baap bachchon ki khushi hi chahte hai Mukti, even your mom dad did. They didn't inform you because it was your special day and they didn't want to spoil it" Nyonika said. "Thank you aunty" she thanked her. "Kya hum maa papa ke paas jaa sakte hai?" she asked Abhimanyu. "Of course jaayenge, go get ready" he said and she went on to get ready.

"Things are getting tough Abhi!" Manik said. "Yeah" he replied. "Kaun hai wo naya doctor?" Manik asked. "Dr. Aditya" Abhimanyu said.

"Aditya Verma? Wo yaha kaise?" Manik asked surprised.