"Swara, are you sure we are on the right way?" Sanskar asked, maintaining his eyes on the deserted road. It was almost 10 pm. They had left their home 4 hours back to the venue they needed to reach to attend Swara's friend's wedding.

"You are asking me the same thing every 5 minutes in the last half an hour." Swara twitched her nose but her eyes were fixed on the google maps on car's screenplay.

"Yes, because it doesn't look like we are on the right path... I mean, I hope your friend has not planned her wedding in the jungle." Road was going through mountains.

"We are almost there... it says we will be reaching in 3 minutes." Swara pointed at the map screen.

Within 3 minutes, they reached the front iron gate behind which there was a small bunglow.

"Yes, finally we reached." There was a bright smile of satisfaction on Swara's face whereas Sanskar was gawking with raised eyebrows.

"Are you sure this is the address?" Confusion was all over in his tone as well as face.

"100% sure." His confident reply baffled him more.

"I am not." He mumbled.

Swara turned to him with a creased forehead. "Look at this place, Swara. Looking at this, no one will say that a marriage is going to take place in this house after two days."

Swara bit her tongue between teeth which she could not hide from her husband's inquisitive glare.

"Swara, spill the beans out." He ordered maintaining his glare.

"I know. I know. There is no marriage going to happen in this house, but the marriage which took place two years ago has to be celebrated." Finally Swara blurted out the truth, tightly closing her eyes.

A week back, she could not believe her workaholic husband to readily accept her demand to accompany her for her so-called friend's wedding. Friend's wedding was just a reason Swara gave to everyone for her sneaking out with her husband.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, her talks were adding more to his already confused brain. "Whoes marriage?"

Swara opened her mouth to reply back but her husband guessed, "Swara, for your kind information our marriage anniversary is in 2 months and..."

"I am not talking about our official marriage date. I am talking about the date when you filled my hairline in front of Kanha Ji in our house temple." She tried to remind him about the stormy night which changed the fate of two soulmates.

"That was not marriage..." He tried to contradict with a logical mind.

"For me it was our marriage Sanskar." She replied with surety. "Yes, I understood it later but..." She could not stare into his intense gaze. "Can we go inside?"

As she asked, there was a watchman who opened the gate for the car when Swara showed him her bookings over the phone.

Sanskar drove inside.

"I thought... I wanted some time for both of us. If I had told this to anyone at home, all of them would have brought problems from all over the world. And Dad also said that... I should not tell this to anyone, not even you. For you it should be a surprise."  She admitted hurriedly.

"Dad said this?" Of all his brain captured her last sentence. He could not believe his introverted father and his wife's planning behind his back.

"Yes. These days he is becoming my crime partner." She mumbled rolling her eyes. "Come on, let's go inside."

"And don't worry, this one I booked from airBNB. Dad also checked it so it's all safe and sound." She mentioned when he parked the car in the porch area.

"You will never lose the habit of surprising me, right?" He was taking out their bag from the trunk. He asked her casually but his one statement pushed Swara in puzzlement.

"This time I thought you will like this surprise." She asked, being sceptical of her own actions.

'Did I make this decision solely again?'

'Should I have asked him before?'

'He might not have liked the fact that I lied to him to bring him here.' Thoughts made their own way to her mind.

He realised his words had their own side effects on his wife.

"I loved your surprise. You should plan such surprises oftenly." He winked with a bright smile.

His shining eyes washed away nervousness, confusions or any insecurities from her mind instantly.

They both went inside. It was a very small house with a living area, kitchen attached with dining area on the main floor, two bedrooms along with a balcony on the upper floor.

"By the way nice choice Mrs. Maheshwari." Sanskar praised looking at the surroundings.

"Even after two years you still have some doubts about my choice?" She asked dramatically. She pointed at him.

Sanskar laughed his heart out looking at his dramaqueen.

Both had delicious non-veg dinner on their way. But their habit of drinking coffee pushed Swara in the kitchen.

"Happy 2nd marriage anniversary Sanskar." She handed over a cup filled with his favourite black coffee.

"I didn't know you'd want to celebrate the day like this." He took a sip.

"That day was the most beautiful day of my life. Yes, I learned this very late." Her sudden confession surprised Sanskar.

"I never thought you would consider that day as the best day of your life. Circumstances forced me to take a step against your wish. You were so mad at me." Till today, they had not talked about their past.

"Yes, I was infuriated to you because my own brain and heart was fighting their own battle." She concluded her own emotions after two long years.

Sanskar looked at her, clueless.

"It was the night when for the first time my heart saw more than a friend in you. I had accepted you as my friend long before but at that moment you cared about no one but me... I saw my knight in shining armour. Your eyes were glazing with determination to protect me. Your one action saved my respect in front of our family." She was talking her heart out with a bright smile remembering their blissful moment.

"You had confessed your love a few hours later on that night, which again baffled me. I thought... in fact I concluded, you were high on drinks and you had lost your control over your emotions. Even when Laksh asked you to fill my hairline with sindoor, I thought you won't do anything. I thought you would step back. But you didn't." Swara slipped in the memory line for a moment.

Same was with Sanskar, every moment of that night started replaying in front of his eyes.

"You didn't Sanskar, you held my hand, pulled me along with you in our house temple, and took sindoor dani from Kanhaji's feet and filled my hairline. Everyone thought you did that ritual to prove our so-called fake marriage in front of them. But I knew, it was your way to protect me, my respect. Apart from Dida no one has done anything like it before for me. That moment my heart started rejoicing when it realised that you are the one whom I was searching for everywhere." Tears started welling in her eyes.

"But your actions after that were exactly opposite to what you are saying right now." He mentioned wrapping his free hand around her shoulders. His puppy face earned a small chuckle on her face.

"Yes... because that time I was just listening to my mind. And my mind was not ready to trust anyone with my heart. But your one action ploughed the seed of unfathomable trust in my mind that whatever happens, Sanskar will be by my side." Her eyes glittered with her trust over him.

"You know after Ragini's truth came out you tricked me and took me out to meet Laksh. I got angry at you after listening to his nonsense. How could you do this to me? I am your wife. But when my anger subsided I realised, for you my happiness was your utmost priority." She snuggled in his arms.

"But you wanted divorce at that time..." He pointed out reminding her choice during those days.

"Because I was scared." Tears started streaming over her cheeks. Today, just a mention of that word brought fresh tears in her big doe eyes.

"Scared for what?" He turned hyper. Her tears were always his weakness. He cursed himself for mentioning it.

"Scared to lose you. There were so many things going around that I did not understand what I wanted to do. But one thing was clear... I never wanted to lose you. By that time... I had realised that you have become an integral part of my life. But I did not know what to name that feeling. These unknowns took a toll on me and I made more blunders." She shook her head confessing her state of mind.

"I was wrong to ask you about Ragini's kidnapping. Trust me Sanskar, I never intended to accuse you. But I also knew, you will not think about anything else when it comes to me. I just wanted you to be safe. But, maybe my way of asking was wrong... and for the first time I felt I would lose you. And that moment, I realised, this is not just a fear of losing you but a feeling of being in love." She admitted with glittering eyes.

"I took you for granted Sanskar. I am sorry."

"Swara, come on leave the past behind..."

"No. Let's sort out the past and then leave it behind." She wanted to give final closure to the disturbing past.

"I would never ever think of breaking our relationship, Sanskar. My heart, my soul, my breath, my existence everything belongs to you. I have no existence if you are not there. Your happiness, your pride, your respect is what matters to me. I went against your oath, but I thought you would want to get back to our family. I didn't know what was happening on your side. We both were fighting the same battle but in different directions." Tears started streaming over her cheeks with every word of her confession.

"Even I took you for granted, Swara." Now it was Sanskar's time to speak his heart out. His condition was no different than Swara.

"When I saw you for the first time I was blown away with the urge you had to fight for the rightful things. You always wanted to make everything right... bring happiness for everyone. You got hurt several times because of your selfless nature and you still did not budge from doing the rightful things. I fell for your nature, Swara." Sanskar accepted, pushing her hair strad behind her ear.

Swara could see unconditional, abundant love in his dark brown eyes.

"But when time came for me to support you, I stepped back. I turned selfish. I wanted you for my own self. I did not want to share your love with anyone. I wished to be your first and foremost priority. I forgot along with our relation, there are few other relations that are also running in parallel which need your attention as well." He acknowledged shrugging his shoulders.

"I was wrong to blurt out those nasty words on just a mere phone call. I should have talked to you, but I vented out all my anger on you. In my anger.... I even forgot what and to whom I was talking rubbish things. Whom I loved the most in this world. To whom I had promised to protect her honour, to support her till the end of my life, I did so much injustice to you." He cupped her face in his both hands, his apology filled eyes earned one more sob from Swara.

She nodded her head in negative, she could never see Sanskar in his vulnerable state.

"In those 6 months, I regretted every word I spoke on that dreadful day. But trust me Swara... I just wanted to stop you from leaving me. It was my foolishness to think that if I would stake our marriage, you would not leave me. But, later I realised, how much my every word would have broken you. I am sorry, Swara. I am so sorry." He pulled her and touched his forehead with her's.

"Trust me Sanskar, I knew you would never do anything to harm Laksh... but I wanted to shut everyone's accusing words. That's why I asked you about that event. I trusted you Sanskar the most. I wanted you to find Laksh and bring him in front of everyone so that they would stop blaming you but in all this I ignored you, I missed that you will also need my support." She tried to clear out.

Sanskar pulled her and wrapped her in his embrace, both cried their hearts out over those painful days.

"We both did blunders, Swara. We both were responsible for the pain we went through for those 6 months." After a long time Sanskar agreed, caressing her hairs.

"Dad was right. We both let others impact our relationship a lot. Think Sanskar, before the last 3 months we never talked about our relationship but we used to talk about just family, our siblings. We both took each other for granted. We thought about each other's happiness based on our own assumptions, we should have talked about it. We should have confronted each other then we would not have faced that killing separation." Both came to a conclusion.

"You are right Swara. I promise, I will never repeat my mistakes again. Whatever is there I will talk to you first. I will be vocal about my expectations from you and our relationship." He promised.

"Yes me too, Sanskar. And for me, you are the most important person in my life. I had learned it in a very hard way... but I understood, except you there is no one who could love me unconditionally. And today, I, Mrs. Swara Sanskar Maheshwari, promise you, no matter what happens in this big world, in our family or in our surroundings... I will be with you as your heartbeat till my last breath." She raised herself to give a peck on his lips to seal their promise.

When these two soulmates were reconciling their issues, repairing their bond, rejuvenating their vows, another couple of Maheshwari family was on the verge of fight and the reason behind was Mishka.

Three days back Mishka's school has sent a notice to Laksh and Ragini regarding their absence during Schools monthly PTMs.

"Listen Ragini, I cannot make it for her PTMs. I have a lot more issues compared to such a small meeting. And afterall this is in the afternoon, why can't you make it?" He was back from his work.

He had a bad day with his investors, they had started giving him a tough time after a new leakage of issues with the Badi Reconstruction project.

"Laksh, I don't sleep the whole day at home, I also have a lot of work to do. Do you know how many people are there in the house? How much work has increased since Ma and Papa have arrived here." Ragini rebuked when he started to escape from her questioning.

"I don't think there is much to do at home.  Just cook food, do some cleaning, and take care of the others...." Laksh contradicted and continued, "And it is not like... the entire work depends on you alone. How many servants are there in the house? And Ma, Chachi, Swara they also work along with you."

"Swara? Don't even take her name. I don't know what got into her. She thinks of herself only these days. If I ask for even a little extra help, she straightfully declines. Didn't she know that Ma and Papa are here, there are so many people at home, yet she went out. What was the need to go to the wedding? That too for two days!" It had come as a shocking surprise when Swara had declared her plans. Instant envious feelings engulfed her over her step sister.

"It's ok Ragini, it's just a matter of two days." Laksh tried to sort it out.

"And you know what Ma and Chachi can't even utter a single word in front of her. And ofcourse... How can they? Their favourite daughter in law is one of the major shareholders of the company. Her husband is running two companies all alone. After all, who are we, just living in this house on their earnings." Ragini ignored her temper, her jealousy had reached its peak.

"Ragini, you are overreacting."

"Exactly! I always talk nonsense. Why would anyone care about me? Who am I? I am just a daughter in law of this house. And ofcourse my husband is still struggling with his business so everyone can easily consider me as a servant of this house." She was frustrated as her husband was not able to establish himself as a successful businessman till today.

"Ragini, please enough. You just keep repeating the same routine every day. I am trying. It's not easy to become successful in a day. It takes time to establish. You are asking for my support but do you support me? When did you support me? Whenever I come home, I keep hearing your tantrums. You have your issues with Swara... then go and sort it out. If you are overburdened with household work talk to Ma and get more help. But no... You have your own personal husband on whom you just dump all your frustrations." Laksh's patience level was blown away because of her ranting.

"Support? Who is taking care of Mishka? Who is making her ready for school... her tiffin, her homework, her other extra classes. Who is managing that? Why should I alone look into it?" Ragini argued.

"I thought, I can depend on you with Mishka but no..."

"Mishka is not my daughter." Ragini declared.

"We are going to adopt her, Ragini. Our case is with the court. Once we get approval from the court she will be legally our daughter." Laksh reminded her.

"You decided not me." Ragini crossed her hands.

"Ragini, her father is in a coma because of my actions. I have to support that little kid." Laksh was perplexed with her recent stand.

"Support does not mean adoption. Dadi is right.... We should send..."

"Ragini I am tired..." Laksh took out his clothes from the closet and entered the washroom not letting her complete her sentence.

Thud sound of door, flinched Ragini at her place.

"Laddoo... this was not the way to react. You should have maintained your calm. See you made Laksh Angry." Ragini went straight to her Dadi's room to pour out her miseries.

"Dadi Ma what should I do then?"

"Laksh came back tiringly from work. He must have been frustrated. There is a way to tackle such things Laddoo. You have to learn them." Parvati caressed her hairs.

"Means? Dadi ma."

"Such things are not said just like that. First, control your husband with lots of love and affection. Get nicely dressed up for him, prepare food he likes, give him lots of time. Then when he started dancing on your fingers. Then gently seduce him with your sweet words and when he becomes completely desperate for you, then fulfill your words." Parvati was using all her skills to manipulate her granddaughter.

"But Dadi Ma, Laksh does not have any time for me these days."

"Because he is busy with the office and when he comes home. That orphan girl Mishka keeps on running behind him."

"I really don't know what I should do with her?"

"Send her to the hostel."

"Dadi?" Ragini was awestruck with her grandmother's suggestion.

"Yes, listen to me on this. If she is here, she will not let you and Laksh come close. And remember you need to give the heir to this family. This is a vicious circle Laddoo. Once you give an heir to this family, you will be the one who will have a louder say in this household." Parvati was back to her own agenda.

"You are right Dadi."

"And convince Laksh not to adopt her. But just be her guardian till the time her father awakens from coma."

"Dadi Laksh will never agree."

"You have to make him agree. You know what will happen if you both adopt her. When the property of this house will be divided, your child will have to share this legacy with that adopted kid." Parvati's words alerted Ragini.

"And Swara, do you know she flatly refused my request to adopt Ayush."

"What are you talking about Dadi?" Ragini's eyes came out of their sockets hearing her grand-mothers plans.

"Is this Sharmishtha and Shekhar's age to raise a child? I had asked Swara that like my Laddoo has adopted Mishka, you can also adopt your brother. This would have killed two birds in one stone. The responsibility of that child would have passed from Sharmishtha and Shekhar to them. Because of Auysh there is an increase in expenditure. Also Sharmishtha gets busy with him. All the household work I had to do. Secondly, when Swara and Sanskar had adopted Ayush, we would have  got our share in their wealth." Parvati's griddy brain was running with marathon speed.

"What did Swara say?"

"She flatly refused. She said, Ayush is my Ma and Baba's son. He will remain their son only. I will fulfill all responsibilities... but as a sister." Parvati made faces.

True, a few days back Parvati had broached another sensitive topic in front of Swara.

Swara's stand was clear. She would love the little boy, take care of his needs, and be responsible for his future but she would never accept to be his mother officially. That would be her mother's place.

One of the reasons behind Swara's stand was to avoid unnecessary interference between her married life.

It was a week for Swara and Sanskar's return. She brought afternoon tea for Sujata who was in the garden busy reading some magazines. Over the last few months, Swara had set up a routine to have afternoon tea with her mother in law. Earlier, Sujata tried to avoid but looking at her daughter in laws's efforts she gave in. Though both were not totally back to their earlier bond, there was a remarkable difference.

"Mom, your tea."

"Thank you beta."

"Mom, where is your phone? Masiji called me , when you did not pick up her phone." She sat in front of her mother in law.

"Ohh I think I forgot in the room."

Both got busy with routine talks, Sujata was telling her something when she saw the pale face of Swara. She has turned into a statue looking at the scene in front of her.

"Swara, what happened?" Sujata asked but turned to look at her back.

"Adarsh, Parineeta?"

Adarsh and Parineeta, eldest son and daughter in law of the family were walking inside the house behind Durgaprasad and Annpurna Maheshwari.

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