As her sobs faded away, Prachi snatched a few glorious moments in the embrace of the love of her life, drawing strength to stay away for the rest of their lives. Gradually, she regained the much needed composure and drew back. She wiped her tears off roughly.

"Now that you know the truth, please help me in reuniting my parents by staying away from me." Prachi entreated.

"I will help you in reuniting your parents but not by staying away from you. In fact, I have made all the necessary preparations to achieve just that objective. But on one condition." Ranbir looked at Prachi steadily.

"What condition? I will do anything to give ma the happiness she deserves." Prachi replied.

"Good! Then come with me." Ranbir got to his feet and stretched out a hand to Prachi.

Prachi placed her hand on his and got to her feet too. Ranbir led her out of the house.

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Rhea strode into her home and ignoring Aaliya and others who were engrossed in a conversation, headed straight to her room.

"Now what happened to her?" Aaliya looked at Pallavi in exasperation.

"I don't know. But she seems to be very upset." Pallavi flicked a worried glance towards the stairs.

"Let's find out what happened." Aaliya suggested.

Aaliya and Pallavi headed to her room. As soon as they stepped into the corridor in the first floor that housed Rhea's room, a metallic clang resonated in the corridor followed by the shattering of glass. Both the woman hurried towards Rhea's room and opening the door found the room in a mess and Rhea in a destructive spree.

"Rhea! Rhea, calm down and tell me what happened? Rhea! Do you hear me?" Aaliya commanded.

"Yes, Rhea, darling, please calm down and tell us what happened." Pallavi implored.

"What happened? What happened is that Prachi is hell bent on snatching away everything from me and Ranbir can't see what, or rather who is good for him." Rhea shrieked.

"What did Ranbir do?" Pallavi inquired.

"And what has Prachi done now?" Aaliya demanded.

Rhea narrated the whole incident to the two women. They were stunned to hear it.

"Don't worry, Rhea, I will talk to Ranbir. This boy is going out of control." Pallavi exclaimed.

"Yes, make him understand, Pallavi, that Prachi is the worst thing to ever happen to him. His wedding is fixed with Rhea and will take place only with her." Aaliya instructed.

"Don't worry, Aaliya, Rhea is my choice and Ranbir will have to marry the girl of my choice." Pallavi replied smugly.

Before anyone could say anything else, someone called Aaliya from downstairs and asked her to come immediately.

Curious, all three of them made their way downstairs only to get the shock of their lives. All the members of both the Mehra and kohli household had gathered in the living room and standing just inside the threshold to the room was Ranbir in a cream Sherwani accompanied by a cream turban and a garland placed over his arm with Prachi in a red lehenga with the garland still adorning her neck beside him.

"What...what's going on? Ranbir?" Rhea spluttered as she looked from one to the other.

"Nothing much, Rhea Mehra. We have married and now Prachi is my legally wedded wife." Ranbir replied with marked indifference.

"NO. NO. IT CAN'T HAPPEN. YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME. YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO MARRY ME. YOU CAN'T MARRY HER. SHE CAN'T WIN. PRACHI CAN'T WIN DAMN IT." Rhea screamed.

"Stop screeching like a harpy, will you? God! You are not only a pain in the neck but also to the ears too. And you think I should marry you. I will take a flying leap down a mountain before even thinking about that." Ranbir retaliated.

"Prachi! You broke the promise. Now I will make sure that your ma can never unite with my dad." Rhea threatened.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, little monster. But you won't be able to do anything as I have come with full preparation. Please come inside." Ranbir called out.

Pragya, Saritaji and Sahana sauntered into the living room. Aaliya was furious to see Pragya there.

"How dare you come here again? Do you want me to throw you out again?" Aaliya growled.

"Before Pragya could answer, Ranbir stepped forward.

"Oh but you won't be able to do any such thing, Mrs. Aaliya Khanna. Pragya Ma is the wife of Abhishek Mehra and the owner of everything he has. And, before you begin your useless and repetitive protestations, I have come with enough proofs to prove my words. You may come inside now." Ranbir smirked.

One by one, the police, members of women rights commission and reporters sauntered into the living room.

"Now, my proofs and witnesses. Meera aunty, please bring the priest with you." Ranbir smirked looking at a stunned Aaliya.

Meera sauntered into the room, followed by an elderly priest.

"Without wasting any more time, Meera aunty, can you please tell the police and others about chief and Pragya ma's remarriage and show them the video you made of their wedding. Panditji, you too." Ranbir instructed.

Both Meera and the priest narrated the event and Meera showed them the video recording she had saved in her phone.

"So, it is proved that Mrs. Pragya Mehra is Mr. Abhishek Mehra's legally wedded wife. Mrs. Mehra, you have full right in your husband's life and over his property. If anyone troubles you or prevent you, just give me a call." The police officer declared.

"Thank you, officer." Pragya sighed in relief.

The police officer nodded and was about to leave when Ranbir stopped him.

"I have another video to show to you, officer." Ranbir fished his mobile out of the pocket of his sherwani and played a video. It showed how Aaliya was torturing Abhishek.

"Please arrest her for physical violence and ill treating a mentally unstable person." Prachi requested.

"No. No this video is doctored. Don't believe them. They are lying. Why would I do that to my own brother?" Aaliya cried out, trying to negate her hideous actions.

However, the police would hear none of it and dragged her away screaming and cursing.

"Thank you so much, Ranbir. You have done so much for us. And Prachi, you are the best daughter anyone can ever wish for." Pragya hugged both Prachi and Ranbir and blessed them.

"Mom! How could you..." Rhea approached pragya and began her recrimination.

However, Pragya slapped her, hard, interrupting her tirade.

"Don't you dare call me mom. You bargained with your sister to give up her happiness in return for uniting your parents? A selfish girl like you can have relation only with herself and no one else. Stay away from me, my husband and my daughter from now on." Pragya glowered at Rhea.

"Ranbir, how could you go against my wishes? How could you marry a girl who is not my choice? How could you not think once about me?" Pallavi demanded.

"When a mother doesn't care for her son's happiness and her ego and obstinacy becomes dearer to her than even the son is not obliged to humour her whims and obey her dictat." Ranbir retaliated.

Pallavi strode away with a huff.

Prachi turned to Ranbir with eyes brimming with tears of happiness and gratitude.

"Thank you, Ranbir. You have solved all my problems at once. Thank you for being there for me and than you for saving me from committing the worst mistake of my life of leaving you." Prachi sniffed.

"Hey. I am and always will be there for you and with you. And remember one thing, no one and nothing can defeat us as long as we are together." Ranbir took her hands in his and kissed her knuckles softly.

Prachi beamed at him with eyes full of love and happiness.

The End

Hope you all like it.