Morning time

All were ready for court hearing.

Prakash - Are you ready Avni ?

Avni - Yes. ( smiles ).

Prakash holds her hand and ties a wrist watch around her wrist, Avni was confused at this sudden gesture while Neil was smiling.

Prakash - This watch belongs to Shweta. She considered it as her lucky watch. I seriously don't know why but I always respected her views and preserved this memory after she left us. Today, I thought to hand it over to the most reliable person, to her daughter. You know Avni, she will be the happiest when we will win and she is showering all her blessings on you. ( smiles ).

Avni - I won't let her down. ( smiles ).

Prakash smiles and kisses her forehead while Neil admires them lovingly.

Prakash - Just few hours Avni, after that we will be free from all the past demons. ( smiles ).

Neil - And we three will form our own little world full of happiness and love. ( smiles ).

Avni nods.

Neil - We should leave now.

Avni and Prakash nods.

Neil wraps his arm around Avni's shoulder and pulls her closer.

Neil - Are you ready ?

Avni - Yes. ( with confidence ).

Neil - That's like my girl. ( smiles ).

_______________________☆☆

Court room.

The hearing begins.

Avni's lawyer - My lord my client Ms. Avni Mehta have been tortured badly during her childhood. She was beaten and faced mental harassment at very tender age. Her grandmother Dayavanti Mehta and stepmother Gyatri Mehta have introduced drugs in her life when she was way much broken, not only this Mrs. Dayavanti Mehta's bodyguard tried to molest her recently  when she went for her counselling session due to which my client tried to harm herself. For proving my points, I want to call my client Ms. Avni Mehta in the witness box.

Judge - Ms. Avni Mehta, kindly come to  witness box.

Avni looks at Neil who caress her hand gently and assures her through his eyes that everything will go well. Avni stands in the witness box.

Avni's lawyer - Ms. Mehta can you narrate your life history in front of everyone ?

Avni glances at Neil and Prakash and they assures her to go ahead through their eyes.

Avni - I am Avni Mehta, daughter of Late DCP Ashish Mehta and  Ayesha Haider. My lord, I was born out of wedlock that is why this society considered me as an  illegitimate child and Mrs. Dayavanti Mehta ( glares at Dayavanti while Dayavanti was shocked )  assured my dad that she will take care of me after my mother passed away, while  giving birth to me. Mrs. Mehta manipulated my dad to tie a knot with Gyatri Verma so that I can get motherly love. My dad married her for me but he wasn't aware of evil intentions and plots that his mother was weaving along with Gyatri. They both used to beat me harshly during my father's absence. Receiving tons of slaps without even a mistake of mine that too everyday was very common for me at a tender age. Mrs. Gyatri suffered a miscarriage and I was beaten with belt, my grandmother faced some loss in business and I was not provided with meals, my father argued with Gyatri and I was blessed with number of tight slaps, my stepsister felt inferior cos of my good  academic report and my fingers were burnt. My father wasn't aware of anything and I never had the courage to tell him anything because they both used to blackmail me that if I will tell him anything then they will punish me in more severe manner.

All the people present there were having tears in their eyes.

Avni - ( wipes her tears ). I somehow completed my education and wanted to live an independent life but they both brought my self confidence at zero level. I used to feel peace either with my dad or with Prakash dad who was our neighbour and best friend of my dad. One day Prakash dad came to know about my wounds and he  concluded what's happening with me. He told my father about the torture I am going through and my father confronted both the ladies. For some days everything was normal but then my father died and Prakash dad left the city. I was left alone in that hell. ( tears brimming from her eyes ). Mental harassment, physical harrassment these two terms are very common in my life. I was a broken teenager with no aim, I was having a friend whom I considered close but she was appointed by Gyatri so that she can make my life worse and she succeeded in her motive. She introduced drugs in my life via my friend and I was not in my rational senses during that phase so I got addicted and became a drug addict.

She looks at Neil and Prakash, both were having tears in their eyes.

Avni - ( wipes her tears ) I am not ashamed to accept that I was addicted, I was a drug addict because now I have recovered from that phase with the help of Prakash dad and Neil but these two ladies have made my life a living hell in all those years when my parents were not with me. ( sternly ).

Dayavanti was shocked after seeing her confidence level. She never expected Avni to be this much bold. Neil's words were ringing in her head continuously.

Avni will fight against me. Since childhood I have made her vulnerable and she will fight against me. She won't be able to stand against me.

Beware of Neil's Avni. She is not the same broken Avni whom you have tortured in her childhood, she is my tigress.

Avni's lawyer - Thanks Ms. Avni, you can go now.

Avni leaves.

Avni's lawyer - So, here is the life  story of my client my lord. She have suffered alot not only as a child but also as an adult and the credit goes to  Mrs. Dayavanti Mehta and Mrs. Gayatri Mehta.

Avni goes back and sits beside Neil, Neil wraps his arm around her shoulder and whispers in her ear.

Neil - ( whispers ) I have proud on you.

Avni was having tears in her eyes but Neil wipes it gently.

Dayavanti's lawyer comes forward for  keeping his viewpoint.

Dayavanti's lawyer - My lord, we can't believe Ms. Mehta as she herself claimed that she's a drug addict so what if she's saying lie ?  Do you have any proof regarding her health ?

Avni's lawyer - Yes, we have a proof. My client's counsellor Dr. Sneha is also present here. I want to call her in witness box.

Judge - Dr. Sneha kindly come in the witness box.

The lawyer handed over Avni's health reports to the judge.

Avni's lawyer - So, Dr. Sneha what views you have regarding my client's conditions ?

Sneha - Avni have really improved alot sir. When I met her in police station she was a broken girl who was immensely submerged into drugs. I told ACP Neil Khanna to admit her in rehab centre so that she can get proper treatment but he decided to take her responsibility and with my help Mr. Prakash Khanna and Mr. Neil khanna reformed Avni and now she's absolutely fine, you can check her reports.

Avni's lawyer- Thanks Dr. Sneha. You can leave now.

Avni's lawyer - Ms. Avni is completely fine  my lord and it have been justified through her health reports. Now, I want to call Mr. Prakash Khanna as he's the prime witness of Ms. Avni's sufferings.

Judge - Go ahead.

Prakash comes forward and stands in the witness box.

Avni's lawyer - So, Mr. Prakash Khanna, you are the prime witness of the torture undergone by Ms. Avni.

Prakash - Yes, I am. She didn't told me anything on her own. I saw wounds on her arm and concluded that something was wrong with her. I tried to ask her but she was too afraid to say anything and one day, I witnessed the scene where Gyatri and Dayavanti  were beating her mercilessly. I told Ashish about the same and he managed the situation but after few days he died and I had to leave the town due to some important work so Avni was all alone and suffered their torture. ( teary eyes ).

Avni's lawyer - Thanks, Mr. Khanna you can go now.

Prakash leaves.

Avni's lawyer - It's crystal clear my lord that Ms. Avni have been tortured in her childhood.

Dayavanti's lawyer - I object, my lord. I want to present a witness infront of you all who will tell us that everything is just a lie and my clients haven't tortured Ms. Avni.

Judge - You are permitted.

Dayavanti's lawyer - Thanks my lord. So I want to call Ms. Riya Mehta in the witness box as she also lived in same house, so she can tell in a better way that her mother and grandmother are innocent.

Riya comes in witness box. She saw Dayavanti and Gyatri smirking as if expecting that she will say lie for saving them, then she looked at Avni who was sitting there with little hope in her eyes. Hope that Riya will speak the truth. Riya sighs.

Riya - Avni have undergone severe torture in her childhood. My mother and grandmother had played with her life mercilessly. They both should be punished for their deeds.

Riya looks at Dayavanti and Gyatri whose eyes were throwing daggers at her but she didn't cared about them.

Riya - I was blinded with fake love of my grandmother and mother that is why I wasn't able to see Avni's condition and now I realised that a mother who can sell her daughter to a mid aged person as a bride just for the sake of money can cross every limit.

She looks at Avni who was smiling in tears, she smiled back at her.

Riya - Avni deserves justice and this is the least I can give here as I want to apologise for my mistakes and harsh words that I used against her.

Avni's lawyer - Here is one more proof my lord. Even Ms. Riya claimed that Mrs. Dayavanti Mehta and Mrs. Gyatri Mehta are culprits. Now, I want to call ACP Neil Khanna in the witness box as he have alot of proves against Mrs. Mehta.

Neil comes in witness box and the lawyer handover the pendrives and some papers to the judge.

Neil - Mrs. Mehta tried to harass Avni when she went for her counselling session. Her bodyguard tried to molest her and she played with her vulnerable self. The CCTV footage of Dr. Sneha's clinic is stored in the pen drive. Due to this incident, Avni tried to harm herself and I have provided the hospital reports regarding that. I met Avni in the police station when she was suffering from drug addiction. My dad insisted me to take her home and we both took her responsibility, now she is absolutely fine. There is one more pen drive which consists of list of crimes committed by Mrs. Dayavanti Mehta and Mrs. Gyatri Mehta. From drug deals to illegal business, everything is stored in pen drive my lord.

Avni's lawyer - Thanks ACP Neil Khanna, you may go now.

Avni's  lawyer - My lord, every proof, every witness depicted that Ms. Avni Mehta is a victim and she deserves a justice. I rest my case.

After sometime, the judge announce lifetime imprisonment for Dayavanti and Gyatri. They both were shocked while Avni was smiling in tears. Neil and Prakash hugged her tightly.

》》》》》》》》》》》

Outside court.

Dayavanti and Gyatri were taken away but Dayavanti stopped after seeing Avni standing there along with Neil and Prakash with a victorious smirk dancing on her face. Dayavanti comes towards her.

She raised her hand for slapping Avni but Avni holds her hand swiftly.

Neil's words again ringed in Dayavanti's head.

She have the guts Dayavanti. Guts to stand against you that too alone.

Avni yanks her hand away with stern look on her face.

Avni - I am not that broken Avni with whom you can mess easily. Mark my words. Mess around me and I will break you apart. ( sternly ).

The guards caught hold of Dayavanti and pulls her backwards. Neil's words were again coming in her mind.

Mark my words, she is capable enough to fight against you but you will need a support for protecting yourself from her burning revenge.

She is the daughter of Prakash Khanna, pride of Khanna family.

She's not alone in this battle. Her father and fiancee are standing beside her for guiding her. 

Dayavanti saw Neil and Prakash standing beside Avni as her support.

Dayavanti remembered how her business are shut down and now she have to spend her entire life in jail.

She will come like a tornado and will  destroy your world within minutes, you will keep on wondering about the happenings and she will play her card against you.

Indeed they all have played their cards and Dayavanti's world has been destroyed brutally.

Your world will destroy on the first hearing of court itself.

Indeed, her world had been destroyed in first hearing itself. She was shivering badly.

Get ready now you have to face Avni Khanna who is not a damsel in distress, she is a fighter Dayavanti Mehta. Mark my words. She is the pride of Prakash Khanna and Neil Khanna.

Today, she indeed saw Avni Khanna standing infront of her who crushed her and her arrogance under her feet.

Neil - Take her away.

With that Dayavanti and Gyatri were gone.

Avni, Neil and Prakash were standing there with smiling faces but they all turned around after listening a voice. They saw Riya standing there with guilty face.

Riya - Avni, I am really sorry. I know, my sorry can't justify my deeds still I will apologise for bothering you. I never understood your condition but today when I got to know that my mother can't love anyone even if it's her own daughter, I realised that .... ( tears were brimming from her eyes ). I am so sorry Avni. Please forgive me.

Avni wipes her tears and hugs her, Riya cries her heart out while Avni was patting her back lovingly.

Avni breaks the hug and holds Riya's hand.

Avni - Let's forget the past and move on in our life. ( smiles ).

Riya smiles.

Neil - Riya, just forget everything and start your new life.

Prakash - If you want you can live with us.

Riya - No uncle, I want to go to London for completing my MBA. Before leaving I wanted to seek apology and now I am very happy that I have people who will genuinely care for me.

All smiles.

Prakash - Avni we have a surprise for you.

Avni - Surprise ?

Neil - Yes, come with me.

💖💖💖💖💖

Longest chapter of this book. I hope,  you guys enjoyed this. I am not much aware of court and all so if it wasn't upto the mark then apologies.

2 updates are left, one chapter and one epilogue.

Do you guys want to see Avni's pregnancy track in epilogue as I am thinking of skipping it. Do tell me.

Much love.
Thanks 💕