----------------------------------
Next Day,
Shantivan,

Mami and Nani were worrying about Arnav leaving the house along with Khushi, while there was regret written all over their faces.

" Were we right in stopping Chotte from getting married to Khushi Bitiya, Manorama?" Nani questioned suddenly while Manorama's head shot up to answer her mother-in-law's question,

" Maybe asking Babua to forget his love was rude on our part but it was for his own betterment."

Manorama and Devyani were still not ready to accept that they were wrong on stopping the marriage because Khushi was a rape victim. They only felt they were wrong because they had hurt their Arnav in the process.

Suddenly, Anjali descended down the stairs and started walking towards the main door without even greeting Mami and Nani, while Devyani asked Manorama to question what the matter was with her eyes, as Anjali was extremely close to Manorama.

" Where are you going, Anjali Bitiya?" Mami questioned Anjali who was decked up in Indian traditional attire and had a beautiful smile adorned on her face.

" I am sure Bhaiyya or Khushi wouldn't be happy while getting married without the whole family, so I thought that I will go there and reduce their despair by atleast a small fraction. After all, for me my brother's happiness matters more than what the society thinks because society will leave all of us one day but Bhaiyya will not us alone at any cost, and society will not feel hurt if I am not a part of it but if I are not a part of Bhaiyya's happiness, I know that he will be hurt beyond expression, after all pyaar jo karta hai hum sabse. In fact, Akash Bhaiyya, Payal Bhabhi and Mama Ji are also joining me, directly from AR Office and Parlor at the venue."

Anjali's words were meant to enlighten Mami and Nani, which they did effectively. They were tormented by the fact that they had abandoned their children for the sake of the society and its thoughts, ignoring their happiness. Society can give you money, fame and position but love, society only knew how to snatch the love of one's life and Mami and Nani finally realized it.

" Today is Chotte's marriage? He didn't even inform us about it." Devyani gasped in shock while Manorama stood numb after hearing Anjali's statement.

" What would he get by inviting you both? More taunts for his wife, more question about her virtue and more demands for explanations on the marriage? Nani, Mami, if two perspectives don't meet then they should not be forced to overpower each other and Bhaiyya believes in the same.

For you both, purity is just a materialistic bodily affair but for Bhaiyya and me, it is a state of mind and soul. And I can bet on it that Khushi has much more purity in her soul than many of the so-called sanskaari women of our society have. Why? Because even after your taunts, she wanted us and Bhaiyya to reunite at the cost of her love. Because she has dared to love and feel the pain of it, irrespective of the fear of the consequences, which even we may not be able to do. Because the lord of death had to bend down in front of her, and leave her in this world of badness and mortals. Who are we to even question the purity of a rape victim, when we don't even know the pain they endure, not just physically but also mentally due to this sick mentality of our society?

So I am going, and if you want to come, I am sure Khushi Bhabhi will welcome you both with open hands even if Bhaiyya remains angry, because that is how pure her heart is. " Anjali's serene and serious voice had realization dawning upon their heads as they realized how wrong they were to question the purity of Khushi and indirectly pointing her to be ineligible to get married to their son.

Anjali turned around to leave, when Nani and Mami spoke in unison,

" We are coming along with you, Anjali Bitiya. Not to see our grandson's marriage but to apologize to our granddaughter."

Smile adorned Anjali's lips as she mentally praised her brother to have such sharp intelligence to come up with this idea.

--------------------------------------------
Devi Maiyya's Temple,

" You assured me that your family will be here, Arnav. They are still not here and I am feeling immensely guilty that your family is not with you on your marriage, all due to me." Khushi held Arnav's hand in hers as she spoke looking into his eyes with love and affection.

" Pagli, what is the point of that family which doesn't stand by you in the most important decisions of your life and doesn't trust them? Still, for that promise which I gave to you, I have given my best to bring them here and if they still don't come, there is nothing much we can do because they will have to realize that they are wrong here, their thinking is wrong here. And till that realization happens, they will never be able to accept us." Arnav kissed her forehead affectionately while holding her hand tightly in between his assuring her of his love and his concern.

" And we realized our mistakes, Chotte. I hope it is not too late, but better late than never." Arnav and Khushi broke apart seeing Arnav's family in front of them, while Devyani moved towards Khushi, cupped her cheeks with her warm palm and questioned,

"Will you forgive your old Nani for her stupidity and accept her back in your life after all the mistakes she had done? I know no amount of justification can prove my stand as right, Bitiya and the only thing I want to say is that, we are wrong, our society is wrong, and your love for each other is correct.We were immensely wrong to even have our thoughts going in that direction, but after living in this foolish society for years, I have got some of its mentalities. But I want to change, after all happiness lies in changing for betterment and for our children. Will my grand-daughter forgive her grand-mother for her foolishness and give her a chance to love her grand-daughter again?"

Tears welled up in Khushi's eyes due to happiness that finally her in-laws realized her pain and took Nani in an affectionate embrace as she mouthed,

" Elders should not ask for forgiveness but should just give us love and blessings, Nani. It is my pleasure to have you back in my life, to fulfill the void of my own loving grand-mother."

" Am I not your grand-mother, Khushi Bitiya? I am your grand-mother as much as I am Chotte's, Anjali's and Akash's grandmother. Don't make me feel that you haven't forgiven us by saying this." Devyani affectionately caressed her back, while Arnav stood elated and rooted to the ground while Anjali side-hugged him in happiness, which he reciprocated while thanking her.

" Arnav Babua, KhushI Bitiya, I am extremely sorry for whatever I have done. If you don't mind, can we also get the fortune of being a part of our children's marriage?" Manorama's affectionate and remorseful voice touched Arnav's and Khushi's souls as they readily nodded their heads in an affirmative fashion, as the priest called out to them to begin with the marriage rituals.

||Tadeva Lagnam Sudinam Tadeva, Tara Balam, Chandra Balam Tadeva||
|| Vidya Balam Daiva Balam Tadeva, Lakshmi Pateh Teghri Yugam Smarami||

For a relationship which didn't require any name, Mangal Sutra was adorning their relationship of pure love while vermilion was decorating it in a way society accepts it.

Their heartbeats danced to the tune of love ringing in their ears, as they finally became legally wedded husband-wife for the society, which broke them completely.

Neither was there a need for those seven vows in their love which the haven of trust, concern, loyalty, understanding and respect, nor was there a need to fulfill any of the rituals, because whatever the ritual was, the sole aim was to unite two souls, and here Arnav and Khushi's souls were united not with the bond of marriage but the relationship of love.

Arnav's family shed tears of happiness seeing the joy in their eyes and the glow on their faces.

Finally love had won against Pride & Prejudice, which surrounded the society and overpowered it.

----