Anurag rang the bell impatiently, and literally scowled when a more irritated Snigdha opened the door quite a few minutes later, a novel in her hand that she had been completed engrossed in. She frowned looking at him and then turned to look at the clock while he crossed his arms to stare at her, clearly miffed.

"What?", Snigdha asked, sensing the anger radiating her dear best friend,"I left early but only after finishing all the work", she broke into an explanation before he could even speak.

Anurag scowled at her, visibly getting angrier as he walked inside, past her and threw his blazer on the couch.

"Seriously? That's what you think I am angry about?", He asked, pouring himself a glass of water, while Snigdha shook her head watching him move around like he owned the house.

"If not that then what? Oh I did inform Anupam Sir before leaving-", she was cut off by an irritated Anurag who walked upto her and held her shoulders, jerking her as she looked into his eyes, startled.

"For God's sake woman, I don't give a damn about if you finished the work or if you informed Anupam. You did not care enough to let ME know? Have you had any idea how worried I was to not find you in office? Especially when I drop you home every damn day? So many thoughts crossed my mind, I couldn't-", his angry rant was cut off by Snigdha's arms that she wrapped around him, embracing him. He took deep breaths before hugging her back, finally relaxing in her hold as she rubbed his back.

"I am sorry, I didn't realise-", she stopped from saying further as her voice began to break.

"Realize what? That you are so important to me?", Anurag asked breaking the hug, and she stole her eyes away at his question but that was enough gesture for an answer.

"Singdha", Anurag sighed as he put two fingers below her chin and made her look up, "You are the reason I find it easier to breathe even. How can you not be important to me?", He spoke extremely vulnerable, "After what Prerna did, I never thought I would be able to smile ever again, but you make it easier being around", he smiled at her, but the tears she was holding back rolled down her eyes.

"Anurag - please, don't do this to me", she whispered, breaking away from his embrace and turned her back to him, holding the chair of the dining table tightly so much so that her knuckles turned white.

"I don't want to get used to your attention, your care Anurag, I have always been enough for myself. I don't want to get too attached because I know -", her voice broke as she tried her best to not cry, while Anurag who was already standing right behind her made her turn and face him, looking into her eyes.

"Know what?", He asked.

"Know that you will probably forget me once you find your way back to Prerna. I am easily replacable Anurag, maybe that's why my birth parents didn't think twice before dumping me", she finished, her voice shaking as she fixed her eyes on the ground.

"Snigdha!!!", Anurag gasped though, for the first time being aware of the insecurities he had never seen in her confidant and vibrant demeanor before. He held her hand and shook his head fiercely.

"You aren't replacable, drill it in your head. With or without Prerna in my life, your place, your importance doesn't change. I am never leaving you alone", he pressed, trying to comfort her but the small smile that she managed to give him was enough proof that she didn't really believe what he said.

But she also let it go for that moment, maybe it was better to live in the moment, especially when you are in love with Someone who is in love with someone else.

--------

Mr. Mehra looked at Rishabh signing the documents and sighed.

"Are you sure this is the right thing to do?", He questioned making Rishabh pause for a moment as he looked up.

"You know me Mehra. I do nothing if I am not sure", Rishabh answered, smiling smugly at the concern of his apparent employee. If he had to be true, Mehra had cared for him and looked after him more than his own people.

"But I thought you were proud of being the business shark, who wore his selfishness like a badge of honor, and who never felt embarrassed to accept his devil ways to get work done", Mehra asked again, but this made Rishabh laugh.

"I am and I still do. I still won't hesitate to snatch away or destroy anything if it's for my benefit. But Mehra you see, if there had to be one thing I did learn from my fucked up father, it was the fact that nothing of that applies to family. I will always walk an extra mile for my family - in a good way or in a bad way - and that includes Maasi as well as Prerna. Maasi needs this assurance, and I need to assure her that she and her daughter will always be happy and secure. And I don't think what I don't accept is hidden from you Mehra - you know Prerna matters. Back then, I destroyed her life for Kuki. Today I might as well destroy myself for her - a vicious cycle you see", Rishabh explained and Mehra had nothing to say anymore.

He very well understood and knew what had changed. His stubborn boss was in love, after all.

Rishabh sighed and closed his eyes after Mehra left closing the door behind him. He wondered why was all this such a mess?

Somebody was bound to be hurt again, no matter how much he tried to sort this out. He only hoped it would only be him, and not his daughter. Or the name sake wife.

----------

Prerna carefully pinned her Saree as she stood in front of the mirror, setting the pleats. Once again, she had overslept and Mr. Bajaj had already left for office, taking away her chance for any conversation, and that had hugely unsettled her.

But the phone call he had made to her almost an hour back, reminding her of the monthly checkup she had today had lightened up her day. She had forgotten, but he remembered and because she knew he would accompany her, Prerna was hopeful about a chance to talk to him. She picked up her file and walked down, checking her messages on the phone.

Shivani had asked her to come home later, her mother was cooking her favorites. Prerna smiled to herself, maybe it was time to let them know about the new addition to their family.

"And here she comes, Ms. Wannabe", Mohini Basu's comment stopped Prerna in her tracks, and she turned to look at the woman she had respected out of age all her life, but who probably didn't deserve it one bit.

To be honest, Prerna had never seen a more selfish person than Mohini Basu in her life.

At that very moment, Mehra entered the mansion and called Prerna out as "Mrs Bajaj", snapping Prerna out of her thoughts. Rishabh had sent him to safety escort Prerna to their office, from where he would accompany her to the hospital.

'Mrs. Bajaj' - the adjective reminded Prerna of Rishabh, and his words.

"Nobody will respect you until you respect yourself Prerna"

"And here comes their professional pet it seems. Such show offs to the world but underlying criminals -", Mr. Mehra was about to retort but Prerna's loud claps stopped him, and startled him instead.

"Oh really Mrs. Basu? Do I need to remind you of the stunts you pull every year at Durga Pooja to 'show off' your standards in your circle? And professional pet you said? Atleast Mr. Mehra is fiercely loyal to Bajajs, unlike you who change sides just to suit yourself!", Prerna spat, making Mohini see red.

"You low life Prerna Sharma-", Mohini pointed a finger at Prerna but was cut off by Prerna's finger as she put Mohini's down glaring at her.

"Mrs. Prerna Bajaj", Prerna's voice echoed in the room, "the very one you begged to rescue your son from jail, should I remind you? And next time, You will find yourself in jail if I press charges for manipulation and treachery Mrs. Mohini Basu, and your money won't save you because as my husband had reminded you - our net worth is far more than you remember?"

Mohini was stunned into silence while Mehra smirked proudly, finally seeing Prerna take a stand for herself. As Prerna walked out with him, he opened the door for her and then paused to say, "Today for the first time I saw Mrs. Bajaj in you. Please don't let this be the only one time".

Prerna only laughed, nodding, completely unaware of what he was implying.

---------

The Bajaj empire had to one of the best designed companies Prerna had ever seen, she acknowledged to herself.

"Mr. Bajaj will see you in his cabin, the last one to the left. I will just come", Mehra instructed and Prerna nodded, finally relieved to find some time with Mr. Bajaj. She really needed to ask him something.

She knocked on the door and entered, Rishabh nodded at her, asking her to sit down immediately. Prerna obliged.

"Mr. Bajaj, I wanted to ask something from you", Prerna began as soon as she sat, she didn't want to delay it any longer, "Will you fulfill my this one demand?"

Rishabh, though surprised, saw this as a quick opportunity to do what he needed too, so he nodded.

"I will, if you agree to one of my demands first. After all, that would only be a fair deal"

All colour blanched from Prerna's face as she contemplated that probably nothing had changed between them. Were they still a deal to each other?

But nonetheless, like before, she was desperate about what she needed, so she agreed, though the earlier smile completely off her face.

Rishabh smirked, and handed her a set of papers, and an ATM card - nothing out of which she was expecting.

"I want you to learn the basics of the business with me and Mehra, before you start with your own company - and before you deny Prerna I know you aren't fond of economics, but you were still willing to do all of that for your father. Now I need you to do that for yourself - for your child, so that never again in life are you at mercy of anyone else. These are the papers of your company, the one you will make from the scratch and these are your bank account details - this has a fixed amount deposited for the child. I am not doing you any favors - before you start taking this as pity, I only want you to stand on your own feet - be your own person. And also this will keep you busy and away from all the negativity of that house", he finished, handing her the papers.

Prerna was completely taken aback, she could not decide if she was ashamed of herself for always judging this man too quick, or embarrassed to know that he cared for her self respect and her child more than she did.

"Prerna? Say something", Rishabh urged after she sat silently staring at him for good ten minutes. Tears rolled down her eyes as she nodded to him, and found him giving her one of his rare smiles that lit up his eyes.

"I will if you agree to my demand. I want to move away from Basu Bari, let's have our own home Rishabh please", Prerna requested, and saw him go as surprised as she was at his demand, but he nodded too, agreeing to her.

The only difference - while she thought they would finally begin a new chapter, Rishabh knew that the day would not probably come.