"Pragya! PRAAGYAAA! PRAGYA! PRAAAGYAA!" he shouts from room which was alarming to elders and Pragya herself when she was in the living area playing cards.

Saritha ji, "Why is he shouting your name like this?"

"I don't know. Let me go and check." she told and rushed to see him after telling the rest if it's any emergency she will call them.

She reached the room.

"Is anything wrong? Did you hurt yourself?" she asked with concern by looking at him from head to toe to see whether he was hurt.

"No!" he answered casually which made her shocked.

"Then why did you shout my name? That too with different modulations?" she asked.

"For fun!" he replied by walking towards the shelf.

"For fun? Are you serious? Everyone was scared of your loud voice and they even thought you were in pain or something." she told in disbelief that he called her name for fun.

"Was my voice that loud?" he asked innocently.

"Yes! Very loud until all of us stopped playing cards." she replied and he looked sorry for his act.

"I am sorry. I thought it will be fun to call your name." he told genuinely.

"Unbelievable! I can't believe you have the time to have fun." she said sacarstically.

Abhi, "Well, I thought of having fun with my new friend."

"Sir, please.... It's okay to have fun with friends but you can't scare friends. That's not fun. Fun with friends means even the friend should have fun. What you are doing is you're having fun but your friend is in fear." she told which made Abhi look down in guilt.

"Now can I leave if you had enough fun?" she asked in a strict tone.

Abhi, "No! I need to make up for my mistake."

"So how do you want to make up for it?" she asked.

Abhi excitedly asked, "Shall we go out now?"

"Now? But... Elders..." she hesitated as she was having a good time with them and now he wants her to go out with him.

The elders who were gathered outside the room unanimously said, "We have no problem!"

Both Abhi and Pragya were taken aback and didn't knew the elders were outside all the while.

Ram ji, "Abhi, bring her out. Anyways, you have to get her forgiveness for your mistake."

Abhi nods his head as yes and looks at Pragya who was in her own thoughts.

"Pragya!" he called her and she was back to her senses.

"We can go but...." she said.

The elders then left seeing Pragya remaining silent and feeling hesitant to tell something.

"This is not right." she tells.

Abhi, "What is not right?"

"Why are you giving false hopes to them?" she asked.

Abhi, "False hopes? To them? I don't get it."

"Sir, please... Don't behave this way. You know we are not going to be together forever. But whatever you're doing, even if it's in the name of our friendship, it is like showing everything is normal between us and it's showing as if we are real husband and wife."she said.

Abhi," That's what we want. Remember our plan to fool Tanu?"

"Yes but...." she hesitated.

Abhi, "I don't know why you are again confusing yourself. I know my limits Pragya. I can assure you that I will never cross my line. Whatever I am doing is out of friendship and if that makes elders to believe we are husband and wife, then isn't it an advantage?"

"But....what if?" she asks and was unable to ask further.

Abhi, "Pragya, these are small things that I am doing to prove that everything is normal between us. Husband and wife fight, at the same time friends fight more. I don't know how to fight with you like a husband. But I can fight with you like a friend and if that makes them believe I am your husband then why not?"

"You're right!" she said after thinking for a while.

Abhi, "I am always right but you're the one who consider my right as left."

"Huh? Right as left?" she quizzed.

Abhi, "I meant my right is always wrong for you."

He said and left to his closet.

"I am sorry!" she apologised.

"You always say sorry! Why don't you record your sorry in phone and play it whenever you want?" he said

She smiles in response and Abhi said, "Stop smiling!"

"How does he knows I am smiling if he is inside the closet?" she wondered.

He then comes out changed and tells, "You don't need to change. You look fine with what you're wearing."

"Okay... Let's go!" she replied not wanting to ask how he knows that she smiled without seeing her.

Abhi drived to the same unknown place as last time.

"Sir, You like this place?" she asked as he parked his car.

Abhi, "Yes can say so. It's quiet and nobody is here too."

"Yes that's scary too." She replied.

Abhi, "Why are you scared for every single thing?"

"I am not scared for every single thing!" she retorted.

Abhi, "I see... Then why were you scared yesterday?"

"Yesterday?" she asked as if she don't remember.

Abhi, "Don't lie. Saritha ji told me that you were feeling scared yesterday and after she talk to you, you felt better."

"Did she told what I was scared of?" she asked.

Abhi,"Unfortunately no. She said that's a secret between you and her."

She smiled and steps out of the car.

Abhi too stepped out of the car.

"I can't believe you like this river valley view so much." she said.

"You didn't answer me. Why are you scared all the time?" he asked ignoring her words.

"Look there! There's a bird flying over the tree." she exclaimed like a child.

Abhi, "Fine! I got it. You don't want to answer my question."

Pragya looks back at him and smiles.

"It's not like that. It's just me. I am scared of a lot of things. But I do manage to handle my fears. I don't let it affect my life." she replied.

Abhi, "That's good. But you getting scared also affects you. I mean it's not good for your health."

"You're right!" she replied.

Abhi, "Well, now it's time for you to be scared again. Actually, I never bring you out for making up for my mistake."

"I know... It's about Tanu right?" she asked.

Abhi, "Yes. You guessed it right."

"What is she planning now?" she asked in fear.

Abhi, "It's not about what she is planning now. It's actually... Purab said that she is not alone."

"Not alone? What do you mean?" she asked anxiously.

Abhi, "He is not sure but the detective told that Tanu is doing everything with the help of someone. So..."

"Who is that someone?" she asked in a tensed tone.

Abhi, "Not sure. We have to find out. But it makes sense. As far as I know, Tanu is not a smart girl. She is good looking but I can't agree she is smart enough to do all the wrong things that she is doing now."

"Hmm..." she replied in a low tone.

Abhi looked at her and then at the river valley to divert himself from thinking Tanu's betrayal to him.

After a while, she looked back at him.

"Then what can we do now?" she asked in a tensed tone.

"Romance!" he replied playfully.

"Sir! What are you saying?" she asked in shock.

"Uffo! I told you many times I don't have any interest in romancing you."
he said.

"Not at all?" she asked without thinking which surprised Abhi.

Abhi, "Look who is now forgetting what was agreed to?"

"Wo... No... I mean..." She stammered.

"Well, I guess your hormones are in a haywire condition after seeing how hot I am. I mean now that you spent more time with me than you used to, I can understand how it affects your hormones." he replied teasingly.

"Sir! I blabbered just now. Now please stop teasing me. Think of what we need to do next." she said.

Abhi, "Why is it always me? Now you think of something to save your family from your Bhabi."

"But...but. You know her better." she replied

Abhi, "What? I know her better! No way! If not I wouldn't have been blaming myself after she ditched me."

"Sir... Let's not talk about past. You're my boss na. Please tell a idea to solve this problem."she told.

Abhi with pride," It's nice to hear that I am YOUR boss."

"Huh?" she asked.

Abhi, "Just kidding. I always feel nice to be THE boss!"

He then asks her to wait for a while he goes to his car to get something.

"What's this? Why am I still feeling he is getting closer to me? What was that? Even his teases hint that he is falling for me?" she thinks.

He comes back and passes his phone to her.

"Again?" she asked in disbelief.

Abhi, "What again?"

"Sheetal right? Did she called you again?" she asked making Abhi frown.

Abhi, "Sheetal case is settled that day itself. I can't believe you still want her to call and disturb me. You're so bad Pragya!"

"I am sorry! I thought... Okay I am very sorry." she apologised sincerely.

Abhi, "Leave it. So... Now we need to make a call to your house."

"What? My house? No way!" she alarmed and passed the phone back to him.

Abhi, "There's no way Pragya. We have to call and bring your family together with Tanu here. If they are at our house, it will be easy to trap Tanu and her partner in crime."

Pragya "Are you serious sir? You know how dangerous she is and you want her to stay with us and cause harm to elders? I can't let it happen. What if anyone gets hurt. I won't forgive myself if anything happens to my elders!"

Abhi, "Nothing will happen to them. I assure you on that. You see we are stuck now. We can't go there as we know she is ready to harm elders and you. At the same time, we can't be sitting idle over here by doing nothing to stop her. That's why I felt this is the best option. We have to bring her here to teach a lesson."

Pragya, "But what if we fail to teach her a lesson? What if the lesson becomes a disaster? Have you thought about that?"

Abhi, "No Pragya. You're getting scared a lot now. I am confident that we can solve this problem if she is here."

Pragya, "No sir. Just like how you don't want to take the risk of going to Delhi, I am also not going to take the risk of getting Tanu here."

Abhi,"Pragya... Try to understand yaar. We have Purab to help us. If you want I can increase the security for house, other than that I can install more CCTV cameras at house too. Everything can be handled from here. We can keep track of her movements at all times."

Pragya," But there are chances for her to stay low too right? Especially after she sees the security at the house."

Abhi," Yes but we can instigate her. She can definitely not stay low after seeing both of us together. You see, now her aim is not only to harm your family but also make us separate so that her route is clear. So if she is here, her ultimate aim is to somehow separate us first then get rid of your family."

Pragya was still not convinced. His idea was only making her to think of all the possible unfortunate incidents to happen.

Abhi," Alright. Let's do this way. Two weeks! Not longer than that."

Pragya, "Two weeks?

Abhi," Within two weeks, we will do everything that will reveal Tanu's true colours to everyone."

Pragya," But... "

Abhi," No more buts and all. This is final Pragya. Let's do this and end it soon. Both of us can't carry on like this forever. We have our own plans in life and we have to act fast before it is too late. You also want to end this fast right?"

She nods her head as yes and seeing his determined tone, she felt what if everything ends fast like he is saying.

"What? Am I getting worried now that everything ends fast and I will have to leave OUR house?" she thought and was taken aback to think his house as OUR house too.

Abhi, "Pragya..." he called her gently.

"Yes sir..." she replied.

Abhi, "Trust me! I will sort out everything and very soon you will be free from our fake marriage."

She could only smile lightly but felt some pain in her heart that she will have to leave him.

"Oh god! This is not right! Am I falling for him now? Why am I worrying more about leaving him? By right, I must be thinking about how everyone should be safe from Tanu!" she thought as Abhi signals her that they should leave now.

Abhi then tells, "I will call your family. I know something is bothering you to talk to them. Let's not make it worse if they don't like you to talk to them."

"Again? Again he understands my plight. How is he so understanding?" she felt when he said, "I will call your mum now. I managed to get her number."

"Ma..."she said in a yearning tone.

Abhi," Do you want to hear her voice?"

Pragya closed her eyes and shook her head as no trying to suppress her tears.

Abhi seeing her reaction could only wonder what happened between her family and her that she is scared to reach out to them.

He knows he will know what happened to her once her family is here as well. Now it is just that he needs to convince her family to come to his house.

He moves away from her and makes the call to Pragya's mother, Sarla ji.

After sometime, Abhi comes near Pragya. She looks nervous and asked, "Did she agreed?"

Abhi said, "She is okay to come on one condition."

"What's that?" she asked eagerly.

Abhi, "She wants you to stay away from them."

"But she is okay to stay with us right?" she asked happily.

Abhi, "What? You're happy that she is okay to stay with us! But she is not willing to talk to her own daughter!"

"That's fine." she replied sounding happy.

Abhi, "How can it be fine? If people are under the same roof means, they should be interacting with each other right?"

Pragya, "Now you're diverting from the focus of our plan. Our plan is to trap Tanu right?"

Abhi, "Yes but... You being staying away from your family is..."

Pragya, "Don't worry about me. Just now I was contemplating on this plan but now I am fine with it."

Abhi,"I know why you're fine with it. It's because of your Ma."

Pragya,"Yes and she will definitely be very loving towards you."

Abhi,"I don't get the point here. She is going to stay away from her daughter but she is okay to talk to her daughter's husband. Is that what you mean?"

Pragya, "Wo... You did spoke to her right? How did she sound?"

Abhi, "Not really happy but she agrees because of your brother."

Pragya, "Because of brother? What do you mean?"

Abhi, "I said he is not having a speedy recovery over there. If he comes to Mumbai, there is a specialist I know of who can quickly cure him. And I said I am offering this help as Tanu is a good friend of mine."

"It means she never agreed to get help from her daughter's husband." she said in a low tone.

Abhi, "Ya... She agreed because I am that Tanu's friend! What an irony! She adores the devil more than angel!"

Pragya didn't register his words in her mind as she was so lost in thinking of how would her family react when they see her.

Abhi, "Pragya!!"

Pragya, "Huh?"

Abhi, "You seem to be lost in thoughts."

Pragya, "Nothing. So..."

Abhi, "Okay...It's a relief that your mum agreed to come together with Tanu and your Bhai."

Pragya was about to tell something when he said," But I can't believe that I need to behave cordially with that Tanu now."

Pragya, "Just for two weeks...Hope everything ends well."

Abhi,"I really hope so."

They then decided to leave as it was getting late. Both headed back to house in silence as both were in deep thoughts of what will happen when Pragya's family arrives at their house.

Thank you for reading! 😊📖