Money, all because of stupid money.

Although I felt bad for my uncle's situation, the emotion bubbling inside me right now was rage.

Losing my identity, getting thrown out of my rented home, being scared for my and Rehaan's life; these past days were hell. We lived in a constant fear not knowing what was happening and why it was happening to us.

After going through all those trials, what it came out to be? -Money.

The money I never lived with. The money I never had for even one moment of my life. The fucking amount of money that I hadn't seen even in my dreams.

I was getting harassed for something that wasn't even part of my life even once.

Even if the outcome was deadly, even if I wished that it never happened, I could still understand the psycho situation. I readily accepted the part where I was lied to, where we had to hide and act poor. I even understood why uncle had to become a murderer, even admired the fact that he went down such a path to save us.

Our parents dying, Rehaan being forced to take on the contract to save our lives; it was a dreadful thing. But still, it was something that was out of our hands.

However, this- this was an absolutely unnecessary thing that they brought upon themselves.

If the grandparents readily gave uncle his fair share, nothing of this sort would have happened. If uncle decided to speak to me, instead of trying to destroy me, it would have still worked out.

"I seriously don't understand these people. If you could love both the children the same, then why can't you distribute the property equally?

"And uncle isn't thrown out of the house or business. He can still work around things. There's a lot of time pending for inheritance to be put in place. Considering the health of grandma, even more time than I am assuming..."

Rehaan chuckled hearing my remark about grandma, before covering it with a cough when the person in question turned her head towards us for a second.

I continued ranting in a low voice, so only Rehaan could hear my frustration. Although I don't think those two fighting heads had any interest in our talk. They were too busy blaming each other.

"He could have tried other ways. He could have buttered up his parents with some emotional things. Or asked to at least set the future for his children? Or even better told me to give up everything in return for killing the psycho. There were so many ways but no, he had to choose the worst option."

I threw my hands up in the air, not understanding the need and want to kill each other for inheritance. I had seen and heard about many such stories and always found it absurd.

I always thought that this was a problem I would never have to face because I had nothing to begin with.

How wrong I was😪!!

"How do materialistic things take priority over love for the family? Why can't they let it just go?" I asked Rehaan.

He shrugged his shoulders. "No idea, never thought about it."

I sighed, "Perhaps we will know when we grow old."

"Or probably not," Rehaan said, "at least I won't."

"Huh?"

"I don't have siblings to begin with," he laughed, "every penny or thing is mine and mine alone."

"Mwahahaha." I gave his line a finishing touch with my signature laugh, although my deadpan look told a different story.

He got humbled real quick, focusing back on my relatives who were still fighting over the same topic.

The traditions that didn't allow my grandparents to give anything to my uncle. The uncle who wanted to take what was his by hook or crook. And somewhere in between came the concern about my pregnancy. Surprisingly by both of them.

Stupid Uncle, stupid grandparents, stupid traditions.

Now they are worried about me. Why couldn't they think of my well being before? Because of their thoughtlessness, Rehaan and I had to suffer so much. Knowing that you could get killed anytime, any moment, it was not as easy as we made it out to be.

Between our banters, fights, and awkwardness, there had been so many unsaid moments where we wanted to hide and never come out of a protective embrace. So many moments where we just faked being alright for each other's sake. So many moments where we had no option but to stay strong. So many moments where we internally died bit by bit.

At least we had each other in this time of distress.

To think Rehaan was dealing with this scare alone for so many years. First from the psycho, then from my uncle, he was alone trying to protect both of us. That young mind was heavily burdened with a responsibility that wasn't even his to begin with.

It was all on me. Even though I wasn't aware of it, every single situation revolved around me and my family.

A warm hand clasped mine. I looked up to see Rehaan looking at me with soft comforting eyes, "It wasn't your fault."

Before I could deny, he spoke again, "The decisions the adults made aren't on us. Even if we need to face the aftermath of those decisions, they weren't our fault to begin with."

"But still-"

"The only mistake you need to apologize for is pretending to be my girlfriend and breaking my heart in the process," he said cheekily, placing his palms over his heart.

His expressions showed that he was joking, but why did his eyes say a different thing?

Like I really broke his heart that day.

"I..."

"And I will repent for lying and annoying you for the past seven years," he added, before I could speak up about the day my lie was caught.

The emotions I saw in his eyes vanished before I could even blink.

"Repent? How are you going to do that?" I asked to play along, not having the guts to open up the buried feelings.

Another time, I will ask him about that day another time.

"Why of course, by being your housekeeper. I told you, remember. I am going to do everything that I made you do."

I didn't think that it was going to last.

I really didn't think he would want to stay by my side after all this drama. Who would want to be a part of all this nonsense? Even Ananya Di left. Not wanting to assume, I questioned him directly.

"Even after all this, you still want to play housekeeper?"

"As long as you play my girlfriend."

And ever so smoothly, this jerk stole my heart. Again.

I ran my hand through my hair, totally flabbergasted by the sudden yet indirect declaration.

"Weird timing for confession," I laughed awkwardly, looking around the scared guests and fighting duo. "Wait! It was a confession, right?" I asked suddenly. "Or, you were just-

"It was," Rehaan said, placing his hands on my shoulders, stopping me from making any theory.

"Despite all this?" I asked, pointing towards the mess of my family.

"Despite everything." His eyes held a promise as he assured me.

"Let them fight. We are still young. We can start afresh. How about forgetting the past issues and forgiving each other for our petty lies?"

"It's not as easy as you are making it out to be," I said, knowing the past was too dreadful to just let it pass by.

"If you don't want to be my girlfriend then just say so," he said, shrugging his hands off my shoulders and turning away in annoyance.

"That's not what I meant," I said, turning him back towards me.

"So it's a yes?" He asked to confirm.

"Of course, it's a yes, but-"

Before I could come up with another protest, he shut me up with his lips.

It was a small peck, but enough to freeze me up for at least one hundred years.

Okay, that was an exaggeration, but still.

"Too soon?" He asked, suddenly looking worried.

Soon? This guy doesn't even know how long I was waiting for it.

I shook my head instantly, giving him a small smile, making him sigh in relief.

He moved forward again, but I stopped him by placing my palm on his chest, gesturing towards the elders with my eyes.

That jerk really has too many guts.

He rolled his eyes, as he muttered, "they are too busy fighting to notice," before closing the distance again and pecking me again.

"Then how about an actual kiss?" I asked, pulling him closer through his collar.

His eyes showed anxiousness and shyness, just like the time in hospital when I teased him about getting close. Smiling widely at him, I instead gave him a huge bear hug.

He was surprised at first, but soon he wrapped his hand around me.

The way his body visibly changed from a stiff form to a relaxed one, made me glad that I chose a hug over the kiss. I am sure that would have been great too, but the hug wasn't any less either.

The kiss could wait for some more time. We could take our relationship as slow or as fast as we desired. After all, we were still young and had lots of time in the world together. Especially since we weren't getting killed by the culprits anytime soon.

Although matters weren't completely solved, it wasn't as deadly a situation as before. We were finally free from the chains of someone else's plot.

Now that all the lies were out in the open, and the pocket was finally empty, we had all the time in the world to change the Pocket Full of Lies to the Pocket Full of Love and new Memories.

The End

Don't kill me yet 🙈🙈
Epilogue is coming soon😇😇