Hello everyone... thanks to all for voting and commenting on the previous story, Wacko Series 1 : Toxic (Posted on 9. Aug. 2024)

I'm sorry, I haven't replied to the comments on the previous few stories. It is just that I am busy with some stuff. Inn Shaa Allah, soon.

This story is not inspired from Agni Natchathiram. Though I love the movie and love the brothers. But Ashok has my heart because Gautham had power while Ashok didn't but he still held his own.

And the way Ashok looks at Nirosha in the song Va Va Anbe Anbe, maaan his eyes...

And @lakshmi_priyanka_ had once said that she hates it when I make Jhanvi/Radha negative. You are going to hate me... this is the worst Jhanvi/Radha, I have ever written.

Please note that this is less of a love story and more of a family drama.

Word Count : 22691

[Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin from Agneepath. Courtesy bollymeaning]

Abhi mujh mein kahin,

Still, somewhere inside me,

baaki thodi si hai zindagi

there is a little life remaining..

Jagi dhadkan nayi,

A new heartbeat came up,

jaana zinda hoon main to abhi

I got to know that I am still alive..

Kuch aisi lagan

Some such tenacity

is lamhe mein hai

is there in this moment,

Yeh lamha kahaan tha mera

where was this moment of mine..

Ab hai saamne, ise chhoo loon zara

now it's in front of me, should I touch it

Mar jaaun ya jee loon zara

should I die or should I live a little..

Khushiyaan choom loon

should I kiss joys,

Ya Ro loon zara

or should I cry a little,

Mar jaaun ya jee loon zara

should I die or live for a while..

Ho abhi mujh mein kahin,

Still somewhere inside me,

baaki thodi si hai zindagi

there is a little life remaining..

Ho.. dhoop mein jalte hue tann ko,

(as if) the body burning down in the sun

chhaya ped ki mil gayi

got the shade of a tree,

Roothe bachche ki hansi jaise,

like the smile of an angry kid

phuslaane se phir khil gayi

came back on a little cajoling..

Kuch aisa hi ab mehsoos dil ko ho raha hai

something like that is what my heart is feeling now,

Barson ke puraane zakhmon pe marham laga sa hai

on the years old wounds, there is some balm applied

Kuch aisa reham is lamhe mein hai

some such mercy is there in this moment,

Ye lamha kahaan tha mera

where was this moment of mine..

Ab hai saamne, ise chhoo loon zara

now it's in front of me, should I touch it

Mar jaaun ya jee loon zara

should I die or should I live a little..

Khushiyan choom loon

should I kiss joys,

Ya ro loon zara

or should I cry a little,

Mar jaaun ya jee loon zara

should I die or live for a while..

Dor se tooti patang jaisi,

like a kite with broken string

thi yeh zindagani meri

was this life of mine,

Aaj hoon kal ho mera na ho

today I'm there, whether tomorrow takes place or not,

Har din thi kahaani meri

was my story everyday..

Ek bandhan naya peechhe se ab mujhko bulaaye

now a new bond calls me from behind,

Aane wale kal ki kyun fikar mujhko sataa jaaye

why does a worry for tomorrow trouble me,

Ik aisi chubhan, is lamhe mein hai

such a prickle is there in this moment,

Yeh lamha kahaan tha mera

where was this moment of mine..

Ab hai saamne, isse chhoo loon zara

now it's in front of me, should I touch it

Marr jaaun ya jee loon zara

should I die or should I live a little..

Khushiyaan choom loon

should I kiss joys,

Ya ro loon zara

or should I cry a little,

Marr jaaun ya jee loon zara..

should I die or live for a while..

7 yrs old Rishabh gets out of the car excitedly with Radha and 4 year old Trishna.

"Is this Papa's house?" Trishna asks in shock as she looked at the mansion.

"Yes." Radha replies smiling as she held her children's hands and walked in excitedly.

"Will Papa be here?" Rishabh asks her excitedly.

"Yes." Radha tells him smiling.

Rishabh smiles excitedly. "So many things I want to tell Papa."

"We'll be here for a few days." Radha tells him smiling.

They walk in and sees Mohan.

"Papa..." Rishabh and Trishna runs to him excitedly.

Mohan looks at them and smiles then he looks at Radha as he walked to her.

Rishabh and Trishna hugs him. Patting on their backs, he walks to Radha and hugs her.

He gives her a squeeze, while Radha gave a hearty laugh.

"Come." Mohan tells her as he held her hand and turned to head upstairs.

"Papa..." Rishabh starts.

"Why don't you and Trish go outside and play? Or watch TV? I've to talk to your mother." Mohan tells them.

Rishabh's face drops hearing that.

"You both go outside and play." Radha tells them.

Rishabh nods and takes Trishna's hand and walk outside.

**********

They were playing running and catching when they hear a car drive in. They curiously stops and sees few people come out. Noticing them, a lady walks to them curiously.

"Who are you two?" Meera asks them curiously. "What are you two doing here?"

"This is our Papa's house." Rishabh tells her.

"Oh." Meera smiles. "Where is your Papa?"

"Inside." Rishabh tells her.

Meera nods and turns to Malik and Padmini. "I think one of the servant's family has come to visit. I'll just go see who it is."

"You come fast. Otherwise we will miss the flight." Padmini tells her.

"Yeah, I'll just see whose family it is and get my passport and come." Meera tells her.

"I still can't believe you forgot your passport." Padmini tells her.

"I didn't forget, I got the old passport." Meera reminds her chuckling as she walked off.

"Papa, can I play with them?" Madhu asks eagerly.

"We'll leave now." Malik tells her.

"Till then? Sultan doesn't play with me." Madhu tells him, frowning at Sultan.

"Okay." Malik replies as he lovingly patted 9 yr old Sultan.

Madhu runs to Rishabh and Trishna. "I'm Madhu. What is your name?"

"Trishna."

"Rishabh."

"What?" Malik whispers in shock, as he worriedly looked inside the house.

Rishabh frowns seeing his reaction and notices that even the lady with him was worried.

"Do you stay here?" Trishna asks her curiously.

"No, Mohan Uncle and Meera Aunty are my Papa and Mama's best friends." Madhu tells her.

"That is my Papa." Trishna tells her happily.

"Our Papas are best friends? Then we will also be best friends." Madhu declares.

Trishna smiles.

"You'll play with me, right? Sultan doesn't play." Madhu says making a face at Sultan.

Sultan just frowned at her.

"You all stay here. Don't come inside." Malik tells them and runs inside followed by Padmini.

Just as they reached the house, they hear Meera's furious shouts. The kids runs in right behind Malik and Padmini.

"How dare you bring your mistress into my home?" Meera asks furiously.

They all see a disheveled Mohan and Radha being dragged by Meera.

"Shut up, Meera. You're making a scene." Mohan tells her irately.

"Scene? This is a scene? Then what do you call what I witnessed in my own bedroom?" Meera asks him furiously.

"This is not something you didn't know about. So, why are you acting all outraged now?" Radha asks her.

"You came here as a midwife and seduced my husband. And you dare say that to me?" Meera asks her furiously.

"I'm the mother of his children." Radha reminds her.

"You bloody slut!"

"Meera... the children are here." Padmini tells her in shock.

Meera turns to her son, and sees Sultan looking at her in shock, then she notices Rishabh and Trishna.

"How dare you come inside my house? Get out." Meera screams furiously at them.

Trishna immediately hides behind Rishabh in fear.

"This is their father's house." Radha tells her furiously.

"They are his bastard children and they have no right." Meera furiously tells her. "Get the hell out!"

"We won't." Radha replies.

"How dare you?" Meera asks her furiously.

"You were going for some vacation, right? Why don't you just go?" Radha asks her.

"Mohan..." Malik calls him.

Mohan looks at him and sees Malik making requesting faces at him.

Sighing, Mohan turns to Radha. "Radha, you go home."

"What?" Radha turns to him in shock.

"You go now. I'll come later."

Hearing that, Radha was appeased, she smiles as she looked at Meera. "You come home. There is no one to disturb us there." Radha says. "Come on, children. Let's go."

**********

Trishna gets down the school bus along with other children.

"Trishna..."

Hearing someone call her, Trishna turns to look and sees Madhu running towards her.

"Bhaiyya, that is Madhu. We met her at Papa's house." Trishna tells him excitedly and runs off to greet her.

"Hi Madhu..."

"I was waiting for you." Madhu tells her excitedly as she hugs her.

Trishna hugs her.

"Hi Rishabh." Madhu smiles seeing him.

"Hi." Rishabh replies then looking at his sister, he asks her, "You'll go to your class?"

"Yes."

"Okay then." Rishabh says and walks off.

"Which division are you in?" Madhu asks her.

"B"

"I am in A." Madhu informs her disappointed.

"Oh no." Trishna says disappointed.

Cheering up, Madhu tells her. "It is okay. I'll tell Papa to tell my teacher to put me in B."

And the next day, Madhu was shifted to B division.

**********

3 years later

"I am going to be a big sister!" Trishna excitedly informs Madhu.

"When?" Madhu asks her excitedly.

"In 7 months." Trishna informs her excitedly.

"Oh that long?" Madhu asks her disappointed.

"Hmmm."

"I don't have a sister or brother." Madhu tells her sadly.

"Don't worry, my sister will be your sister." Trishna tells her smiling.

"Reeeeaaaally?" Madhu asks her excitedly.

"Yes."

"Then I will also be a big sister." Madhu tells her excitedly.

And seven months later, Sunny was born.

**********

"When will Dad come to see Sunny?" Rishabh asks Radha as he changed the diaper of the baby.

"He is on a business tour. He'll come once he comes back." Radha tells him.

"But it's been three months." Rishabh tells her frowning.

"I've sent him Sunny's photos." Radha tells him.

"When was the last time Dad came here?" Rishabh asks her. "Even when he comes, he leaves in the morning."

"Your father is a busy man." Radha tells him. "He is working hard for us only, right? You don't understand that?"

"He stays with Sultan." Rishabh tells her as he looked at her.

Radha gets angry hearing that. "Hasn't he taken care of all your needs? He is helpless and has to stay there. Try to understand your father."

Rishabh furiously sighs. "You always say understand him... understand him... but he never comes here. Trish and I never see him. Sunny has never met him."

They hear a doorbell.

"Sunny is a baby! He doesn't even remember us. Now, go see who it is." Radha tells him furiously.

Rishabh drops the dirty diaper in the dustbin and walks to the main door. He opens the door and sees Madhu.

"Hello Rishu." Madhu says to him with a big smile.

"Hi Madhu. Trish is in our bedroom." Rishabh informs her.

"And Sunny?"

"Mom is putting him to sleep." Rishabh tells her as he closed the door.

"Oh... then I will see him when he wakes up." Madhu tells him and runs off to his bedroom that he shares with Trishna.

**********

5 years later

"Happy birthday, Rishu." Madhu wishes him with a smile.

"Thank you, Madhu." Rishabh says as he took the gift from her.

"It is a jigsaw puzzle. I hope you will like it." Madhu tells him hopefully.

He wasn't into games and playing, but seeing her looking so hopeful towards him, he says. "That is a nice gift, Madhu. Thank you."

Madhu smiles then she walks off to join Trishna and their other friends.

They were all invited for Rishabh's birthday party. More than Rishabh's friends, it was Trishna's and Sunny's friends that were in attendance.

They had cut the cake then there were a few games organized for them. Once those were over, they had formed into their friends group and had started playing games.

**********

Rishabh holds his breath hearing someone open the cupboard door. Then he sees Madhu get inside the cupboard.

"Rishu..." Madhu whispers to him noticing him slouching inside his cupboard as she closed the door. "Are you playing with us?"

"What are you doing here?" Rishabh asks her back.

"We are playing hide and seek. What are you doing here?" Madhu asks him confused.

"Please go from here, Madhu. Find another place to hide."

Madhu gasps in shock. "Are you crying, Rishu?"

"No." Rishabh quickly says.

Then he feels light on his face and he quickly turns his face as he squeezes his eyes shut. "Turn it off."

"Why are you crying, Rishu?" Madhu asks him in concern as she turned off the light from her phone.

Rishabh doesn't say anything as he looked away.

"Rishu..."

"Just go, Madhu."

"Are you mad at me?" Madhu asks him worriedly. Then she worriedly asks. "Didn't you like the gift I gave you? I'll get you something else."

Seeing her so worried, he quickly says. "It's not that."

"Then why are you crying?" Madhu asks him worriedly. "I'll bring Radha aunty." Madhu says as she turned to get out.

Rishabh quickly holds her hand to stop her.

Madhu turns to him.

"Please don't." Rishabh begs her.

"What happened, Rishu? Won't you tell me? I'm your friend, right?" Madhu asks him.

He didn't know that.

She always came to his house. His sister always went to her house. Sunny always ran behind her and Trishna.

But he and Madhu rarely spoke to each other. Because he always kept away from people.

"Rishu..."

"Dad didn't wish me." Rishabh confesses in a bare whisper.

"He didn't?" Madhu asks in shock.

Rishabh shakes his head.

"Maybe he was busy. Sometimes even my Papa doesn't call me when he is away because he is busy." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh takes his phone and shows her a photo. "He was there for Sultan's birthday."

Madhu looks at the photo of Sultan's birthday party. Madhu sighs, she was old enough to realize the difference between Sultan and Rishu, Trish and Sunny.

"Dad doesn't care for us." Rishabh tells her sadly.

Madhu didn't know how to console him, so she did the one thing that her father always did when she was upset. She moves to him and hugs him.

Rishabh doesn't hug her back or push her away.

"He loves you, Rishu. He is your father." Madhu tells him.

"He doesn't love us, Madhu. He doesn't call us. He doesn't come to meet us." Rishabh tells her as tears dropped from his eyes.

Madhu didn't say anything.

Rishabh leans his head on the crook of her neck and asks. "Why did he make me if he didn't want me?"

"We all love you, Rishu. Trish and Sunny loves you a lot." Madhu tells him.

"They don't care if Dad doesn't call or come." Rishabh tells her, lost in his own thoughts.

"Do you know, all my friends know that Dad didn't marry Mom?" Rishabh asks her, his heart breaking. "They all know that he has another family. I hear them whispering behind my back."

Madhu had never felt so helpless in her life. She didn't know how to console him. What could she say that would make his feel better?

"I told Mom that I don't want a party. She insisted on it. Because Sultan had a birthday party. I don't like having people around me. I begged Mom, but she didn't listen. And forget coming, Dad didn't even wish me for my birthday."

"My Papa is not friends with your Dad anymore. I will ask my Papa to call your Dad? He will call if I ask him to." Madhu asks him.

"No." Rishabh says vehemently. "I don't want anyone to force him to call me."

"I won't tell him." Madhu quickly says.

"Madhu... Madhu..." they hear Trishna calls her.

"You go." Rishabh tells her.

"Madhu... I give up. You come out." Trishna calls out. "Madhu..."

Madhu looks at Rishabh.

"You go." Rishabh tells her.

"Will you be okay?"

"Yes."

"You also come, Rishu." Madhu requests him.

"I'll come, you go."

Madhu nods and starts to get out then she stops and worriedly asks him. "Are you upset with me because I went for Sultan's birthday? He is also my friend."

"I am not." Rishabh tells her. "I know you are friends with Sultan. And you should go for his birthday party."

Madhu nods feeling relieved as she opened the door to step out.

"Madhu..." Rishabh worriedly calls her.

Madhu stops and turns to him.

"You'll not tell anyone that you saw me crying, right?" Rishabh worriedly asks her.

"I won't." Madhu tells him.

"And what I told you about?" Rishabh asks her worriedly.

"I promise, I won't tell anyone."

"Thank you." Rishabh says feeling relieved.

**********

Late at night, Rishabh wasn't feeling sleepy as he sat in his room. He walks to the couch to look at the gifts that he got.

None of the gifts excited him.

As he kept aside one by one, he picks up the one Madhu had gifted him. Remembering how she had stayed with him at his most lonely and depressing minutes, he opens her gift.

The jigsaw puzzles was of a fire breathing dragon.

He wasn't a dragon person because he knew they were not real.

Then on an impulse, he walks to his study table. He moves his books, and makes space. He opens the boxes and spreads the pieces on the box. He studies the photo on the box cover and starts to sort the pieces.

Soon, he was lost as he got engrossed in finishing the picture.

Rishabh had never felt so calm or peaceful in his life like this. He felt a sense of ease as he tried to figure out what pieces went where.

He didn't realize that the sense of peace that he felt was because the puzzle was stimulating his brains and heart that it diverted him from his constant thoughts of his parents.

**********

2 years later

Early in the morning, Mohan steps out of Radha's room and stops seeing Rishabh sitting in the living room. Radha follows him out.

"How come you are up so early?" Mohan asks him surprised.

"I didn't sleep." Rishabh informs him.

"Okay... go and sleep." Mohan tells him and starts to walk to the door.

"Next time, come during day time." Rishabh tells him as he glared at his father.

"What?" Mohan asks as he turned to him, frowning.

"I said come during day time. Stop coming here like a thief in the middle of the night." Rishabh tells him.

"Who are you to say all this to me?" Mohan asks him angrily.

"I'm your son, and this is my home, not a brothel." Rishabh tells him.

"How dare you speak to your father like this?" Radha asks him furiously as she slapped Rishabh.

Rishabh furiously glares at his mother. "You might not care if he treats you like a prostitute, but I do."

"Shut up!" Radha furiously screams as she slapped him.

"Is this how you raise your son, Radha?" Mohan asks her furiously.

Radha looks at Mohan embarrassed.

"Her son?" Rishabh asks him.

"I said shut up!" Radha tells him angrily.

Rishabh walks to Mohan, and he was as tall as Mohan, so he looks into his eyes and tells him. "From now on, you'll come here during the day time. Otherwise, don't bother coming."

Mohan slaps him angrily. "You're living off me. So don't give me orders!"

Rishabh furiously looks at him and tells him. "If you dare come during night then I'll call all our neighbors and show them how you have been coming here."

Then he walks off to his bedroom ignoring his mother's furious shouts. He carefully, moves the board that had his incomplete jigsaw puzzle. Jigsaw puzzle is where his pocket money went. His room walls were filled with framed jigsaw puzzles. All of it were sceneries of various places except one fire spitting dragon.

Once he had cleared his table, he keeps his laptop on the table. He logs on his laptop and starts looking for a job for him.

**********

10 years later

Hearing a knock at the door, Rishabh opens his door and sees Madhu.

"Hi, Rishu... are you free now? I just wanted to speak to you." Madhu nervously tells him.

"Yeah... what happened?" Rishabh asks her curiously.

"Can I come in?" Madhu asks him, her heart slamming against her chest.

Rishabh nods as he stepped aside.

"Where is Trish?" Rishabh asks confused as she walked in.

"In the shower." Madhu replies as she looked at the jigsaw puzzle she had gifted him.

It was the most amateurish puzzle amongst all his other collections, but still, it always warmed her heart to see that he cherished her gift as much as he did his other puzzles.

She had lost the count of how many times has she seen him bend over his table, working on a puzzle for weeks.

"Madhu?" Rishabh calls her when she looked lost.

"Erm..." Madhu turns to him then she nervously smiles at him.

"Yes?" Rishabh prompts as he politely smiled at her.

"Today, I overheard my parents speak of my marriage." Madhu nervously starts.

Rishabh nods, wondering why she was telling him that.

Madhu nervously gulps and tells him. "I don't know since when... but over the years that I've known you..."

Rishabh curiously looks at her, waiting for her to speak.

Taking a deep breath, Madhu blurts out. "I love you, Rishu."

"What?" Rishabh whispers in shock.

Madhu quickly says. "I know you don't feel like that for me. But will you give it a thought? Take as much as time you need."

Rishabh stares at her in shock.

"Please, Rishu? Will you think about it?" Madhu asks him worriedly.

Rishabh gulps and tells her softly. "I don't have such feelings, Madhu."

Madhu nods, gulping, as her eyes filled up.

"I'm sorry." Rishabh tells her.

"I understand." Madhu whispers as she started to walk out. Then she stops without turning to look at him, she asks him, "Will you tell Trish that I had to leave?"

Rishabh nods in reply but Madhu didn't wait for an answer and quickly leaves.

She didn't cry till she was in the safety of her car. Once inside, she bursts into tears, her heart breaking at Rishabh's rejection.

**********

A week later

"You seem so lost, nowadays." Malik says lovingly as he gently ran his hands over her hair.

Madhu forces a smile as she looked at her father. "Nothing, Papa."

"You were distracted during the meeting also." Malik tells her.

After her college, she had joined her family business.

"Just distracted with a few things." Madhu brushes it off. "I'm fine, Papa." Then noticing her mother too, Madhu asks, "Did you two want to speak to me?"

Malik smiles at her. "We did. When you're in a better mood, we'll talk."

Realizing what he wanted to speak to her about and wanting to get it out of the way, Madhu tells him. "We can speak now."

Malik nods and sits next to her. "Meera had called." Malik tells her.

Madhu nods, even though her father was no longer best friend's with Mohan Uncle, her parents were still very close to Meera Aunty and Sultan.

"Why did she call?" Madhu asks curiously.

"She wants you and Sultan to get married." Malik informs her.

"Sultan and me?" Madhu asks shocked.

"Yes." Padmini tells her smiling. "We also feel it is a good idea. You know Sultan. You grew up with him. Our families are friends."

"Sultan is just my friend." Madhu tells them in shock. She couldn't imagine marrying someone else and her parents were suggesting Rishu's half brother.

"Tomorrow, Sultan will come. Why don't you both speak?" Malik asks her.

"No, Papa... no!" Madhu says vehemently.

"Why, Madhu?" Malik asks her curiously. "Do you love someone else?"

Madhu nods.

Malik and Padmini looks at each other. Then Malik turns to Madhu with a smile. "Who is it? Why didn't you tell us before?"

"Rishu." Madhu tells them sadly.

"Rishu? Which Rishu?" Padmini asks frowning.

Madhu looks at her frowning. "Mohan Uncle's son... Sultan's brother... Rishu."

"No, Madhu." Malik says shaking his head, his smile dropping. "Not him."

Madhu looks at him in shock. "Why? What is wrong with Rishu?"

"Have you gone mad?" Padmini asks her in shock. "He is that Radha's son."

"That is not his fault." Madhu defends Rishabh angrily.

"I don't want anymore discussions on it, Madhu. You're breaking up with him!" Malik tells her in finality.

"he said he doesn't love me. We are not together." Madhu informs him.

"You're not?" Malik asks confused.

"Then why are we discussing this?" Padmini asks confused.

"I just want to wait... and see if Rishu will change his mind." Madhu tells them helplessly.

"No!" Malik says furiously. "I'll not allow this."

"Why?" Madhu asks him in shock. "It's not Rishu's fault that he is illegitimate."

"Madhu, you'll have to live with that woman in that house. Never!" Padmini tells her in finality.

"Whatever you say we will never agree for this. His parents are the worst humans we know." Malik tells her.

"Even Sultan is Mohan Uncle's son." Madhu furiously argues. She couldn't believe that her parents were judging Rishu based on his parents.

"His mother is Meera and that makes a world of difference." Malik tells her.

"Rishu doesn't speak to his parents anymore." Madhu tells them.

"Whatever you say, we will never agree, Madhu." Padmini tells her.

Malik looks at Madhu and declares. "You'll marry Sultan, Madhu."

"What? I won't agree." Madhu says outraged. "I'm in love with his brother, Papa!"

"That is why you will marry Sultan! I can't have you entertain anymore thoughts on that Rishabh." Malik tells her in finality.

**********

Radha smiles happily seeing Madhu.

"Hi, Radha Aunty... how are you?" Madhu says softly.

"Leave that... did you see Mohan?" Radha asks her excitedly.

Madhu mentally groans.

"Madhu di!" Sunny calls her excitedly as he ran to her and hugs her. "Come!" Sunny says as he dragged her off.

Radha looks at Sunny pissed as she watched him take Madhu away.

"Thanks." Madhu whispers as Sunny took her to his bedroom.

"You're welcome." Sunny says grinning as he sat on his bed.

"I don't understand why she doesn't understand that my father is no longer friends with your father." Madhu tells him sighing as she sat down next to him.

"But you are friends with his wife and son." Sunny tells her.

Madhu looks at Sunny in confusion. "How are you okay with this?" Madhu asks him, because Rishabh's whole life is a mess because of this.

Sunny shrugs. "I don't know him. After bhai banned him from our house, I've never met him. Mom sneaks off to meet him. Bhai stopped speaking to her when he found that out, but she doesn't care."

"Do you miss him?" Madhu asks him softly.

"I don't know him to miss him." Sunny tells her. Then he says softly. "Bhai never lets us miss him."

Madhu smiles softly. Rishabh played a father's role in both Trish's and Sunny's life. One of the reasons she fell in love with him.

Even though Radha Aunty insisted that all the luxury that Sultan got, even her children should get, Rishabh had worked two jobs and put himself through college. Now, he was working in a managerial post in a MNC.

Radha Aunty had thrown a fit when Rishabh hadn't joined his father's business like Sultan did. Rishabh had refused.

But then Madhu couldn't help but wonder what Mohan Uncle would have done if Rishabh had agreed to join the business.

"How come you're here? Trish di is not here." Sunny tells her.

"Yeah, she had told me. Is Rishu here?" Madhu asks him.

"Went to the gym." Sunny informs her. "He'll come now."

Madhu nods.

"You had some work with him?" Sunny asks curiously.

"I wanted to talk to him." Madhu tells him.

"He'll come now." Sunny tells her.

Few minutes later, Madhu hears the electronic unlocking of the door and quickly runs out of the bedroom to check whether it was Rishabh.

One look at him and she realized that he was furious.

He notices her immediately and asks her angrily. "What is Sultan doing here?"

"What? Sultan?" Madhu asks in confusion as she ran to the balcony and looks down.

She sees Sultan leaning on his car as he tapped on his mobile phone. He keeps it to his ears and within seconds she hears her mobile ring.

"Hello, Sultan?" Madhu asks in shock.

"Madhu, come down." Sultan tells her.

"What are you doing here?" Madhu asks him in shock.

"Your parents told me that you might be here. Come down."

Madhu sighs as she cut the call. She turns to look at Rishabh. He was furious.

Knowing that till Sultan left, Rishu was going to be in a bad mood, and Sultan wouldn't leave without speaking to her, Madhu decides to talk to Rishabh later.

Madhu starts to walk out when Rishabh calls her. Madhu quickly turns to look at him. "Yes?"

"I know Sultan is your friend, but you better keep your friend away from my home. If you can't do that, don't ever come here." Rishabh warns her and walks off.

**********

"Sultan... what are you doing here?" Madhu asks him in shock.

"Your parents asked me to take you home." Sultan informs her. "Give your car key to my driver, he'll bring your car."

"I'll go by myself." Madhu tells him.

"I want to speak to you." Sultan tells her. "Hurry up, Madhu. I'm feeling suffocated here."

Madhu gives her key to his driver and gets in his car.

Without a word Sultan drives the car.

"Papa told me you would be coming to meet me." Madhu tells him.

"And you went off to meet Rishabh." Sultan accuses her.

"How did you know?" Madhu asks him in shock.

"Your father told me." Sultan informs her.

Madhu shrugs helplessly and tells him. "I love Rishu, Sultan."

"If I am not mistaken, he doesn't love you." Sultan says.

Madhu sighs realizing her parents told him everything.

"He doesn't." Madhu admits. She remembers how rude he was just now, and it hurts. She had always kept her friendship with Sultan and them separate. But still he said that.

"We're thinking of having the engagement day after." Sultan tells her.

"What?" Madhu shouts in shock. "I am not going to marry you. I love Rishu."

"And he doesn't love you." Sultan irately reminds her.

"That doesn't make me stop loving him! How can you even think of marrying me when I am in love with your brother?" Madhu asks him furiously.

"He is not my brother." Sultan furiously tells her.

Madhu glares at him. "As long as you're Mohan Kundra's son, Rishabh, Trishna and Sunny are your siblings."

"They are his mistress' children!" Sultan furiously reminds her.

"And your father, fathered them." Madhu wasn't ready to back down.

Sultan furiously glares at her. He doesn't say anything till he reached her house.

Reaching her home, Madhu starts to get out.

"Madhu..."

"Yeah?" Madhu turns to him still pissed.

"After our engagement, you will not stay in contact with them. You'll end your friendship with them." Sultan tells her.

"We're not getting married!" Madhu furiously tells him.

"We are!" Sultan stubbornly replies.

**********

Her parents were adamant.

Madhu fought with them, begged them, threatened them but they remained adamant.

They had already started preparing and inviting people for the engagement.

Madhu had fought till the end to call off the engagement but her parents had panicked at the thought of Madhu marrying Radha's son. Mohan's son.

In their eyes, Rishabh's father was a narcissistic, cheating womanizer. And his mother a narcissistic, immoral psycho.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Malik was clear. He sympathized with the unfortunate children of Mohan but he will not marry his only daughter off to his child with his obsessive mistress.

**********

The insistent door bell ringing, woke Rishabh from his sleep.

Worried it was some emergency, he jumps out of his bed and hurries to open the door. He steps out of his bedroom and sees that the whole family had woken up. They all were coming out of their bedrooms.

"Who is it at this time?" Sunny asks sleepily.

"I'll check." Rishabh tells him as he walked to the door. He opens the door and sees Madhu standing there, with her bag.

"Madhu? What are you doing here? At this time?" Rishabh asks her shocked.

"Madhu?" Trishna asks in shock as she ran to the door.

"Madhu?" Radha panics as she ran to the door. "What is it, Madhu?"

Madhu was momentarily distracted seeing her panic.

"Is Mohan, okay? Is he hurt?" Radha asks panicking.

"He is fine." Madhu replies in shock.

"Then what are you doing here?" Radha asks, all panic gone, and she looks confused.

"Mom... keep quiet! Madhu di, come inside." Sunny tells his mother.

Madhu shakes her head as she looked at Rishabh, her eyes filling up.

"Madhu, tomorrow is your engagement, right?" Trishna asks her in concern. "Is everything alright?"

"Engagement?" Rishabh whispers in confusion as he looked at her.

"You're getting married? Why didn't you tell us?" Sunny asks her in shock and hurt that she wouldn't tell them such an important news.

"My friends told me. I didn't tell you all." Trishna confesses.

Rishabh looks at his sister in confusion. Madhu was Trish's best friend. Then why did she have to find out through someone else that Madhu was getting married.

"You both didn't know?" Radha asks her sons in shock. "Mohan told me yesterday."

Madhu looks at Rishabh and tells him as tears dropped from her eyes. "My parents are forcing me to marry Sultan. Tomorrow is the engagement."

"Forcing?" Trishna asks her in shock. "That is why you didn't tell me? Not because you're marrying Sultan bhaiyya?"

Madhu shakes her head.

"Madhu, why didn't you tell me? I would have spoken to Dad." Trishna tells her as she hugged her.

"Sultan knows I don't want to marry him." Madhu tells her.

"What are you doing here?" Radha asks her confused. "Do you want me to speak to Mohan?"

"They will not stop the engagement." Madhu tells her helplessly.

"Then what are you doing here?" Radha asks her.

She looks at Rishabh and tells him. "I won't marry Sultan. I can't. I am leaving the city."

Rishabh felt bad for her hearing that. He felt sorry for her that to escape from an unwanted marriage, she had to leave her home.

"Before leaving, I just wanted to see you once. To ask you if you changed your mind." Madhu asks Rishabh desperately.

"Changed mind?" Trishna asks confused as she looked at Rishabh and Madhu.

Madhu looks at Trishna and tells her. "I love him."

"You love Bhai?" Trishna asks her shocked.

Madhu nods then she looks at Rishabh. "Rishu?"

"NO!!!"

Everyone turns to Radha and sees her so furious.

"Have you gone mad?" Radha asks her furiously.

"If she loves Bhai what is wrong in that?" Sunny asks her.

"Bhai, do you love Madhu?" Trishna asks him hopefully.

"No." Rishabh replies softly.

Madhu closes her eyes, as tears fell down, her heart breaking once again.

"I told you before, Madhu." Rishabh gently says. "You shouldn't have come here."

"Yeah!" Radha says furiously. "And you better go back to your house. Do you have any idea how humiliating it will be for Mohan if you're not there tomorrow?"

"Humiliating?" Rishabh asks his mother in a thoughtful whisper, as he frowned.

"Yes! There will be media and all. It will be humiliating for Mohan if the bride is not there." Radha says angrily. "Sunny, go drop Madhu to her house. And make sure you tell her parents what she is up to."

"They are forcing her, Mom." Trishna angrily reminds her mother.

Madhu turns to walk off realizing there was no use staying there. Rishabh didn't love her.

"Madhu..." Rishabh calls her.

Madhu stops and looks at him.

"I want to marry you." Rishabh tells her.

"What?" Madhu whispers in shock.

"Why?" Trishna asks him frowning in anger.

"What?" Radha shouts in anger. "I won't allow it. Mohan will be humiliated. Why don't you understand that?"

"He has humiliated us all our lives." Rishabh reminds her.

"Do you want to marry her because it will humiliate Dad?" Sunny asks him outraged.

Rishabh looks at Madhu and replies. "Yes. Do you still want to marry me, Madhu?"

Madhu'S heart breaks hearing that.

"If you say yes then I will marry you tomorrow the same time you were supposed to get engaged." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu gulps hearing that. What she had craved for so long, was being offered to her, but all for the wrong reasons.

"You can't use her to humiliate Dad." Sunny furiously tells Rishabh.

"Say no, Madhu." Trishna tells her angrily as she glared at her brother. "He doesn't deserve you."

"Get out of here." Radha tells her furiously.

"I will always be loyal to you, Madhu. I will not look at another woman." Rishabh promises her.

"Is that a reward for agreeing to be your pawn?" Trishna asks him furiously.

"You don't have to listen to this, Madhu di. Come, I will take you wherever you want to go." Sunny tells her as he pushed Rishabh aside and stepped out of his penthouse.

"I will also come with you." Trishna says as she also stepped out.

"You better take her home." Radha orders her children.

Trishna holds Madhu's hand to walk but Madhu doesn't budge.

She turns to look and sees Madhu and Rishabh staring at each other. Madhu was crying, and Rishabh was calm.

Then they all see Madhu nod her head in yes.

"You have gone mad, Madhu." Trishna whispers in horror.

"I love him." Madhu helplessly tells her.

"But that doesn't mean you should be so desperate." Trishna tells her angrily.

"Madhu..." Rishabh softly calls her.

Madhu turns to look at him.

"Come inside." Rishabh tells her.

Radha starts screaming her protest.

Rishabh ignores her. Madhu walks inside.

"Take her to your room, Trish." Rishabh tells her.

Trishna takes Madhu to her bedroom.

Seeing that Radha takes her phone and starts to call Mohan. It rings for a few seconds and the call was cut. She dials again and the phone was switched off.

"That bitch Meera." Radha screams in fury. "She always does that when I call him!"

"Don't be so sure. Maybe it is him." Rishabh tells her and walks off.

"Why are you doing this, Madhu." Trishna asks her super mad.

"If I become his family, maybe one day he will love me like I love him." Madhu tells her hopefully.

"And what if he doesn't?" Trishna asks her.

"If I leave now, I will lose him. If I marry him, I would know, that I at least tried and lost. I at least fought for him." Madhu explains.

Trishna shakes her head in exasperation.

"What have I got to lose in trying?" Madhu asks her.

"Your dignity. Your self respect." Trishna furiously reminds her.

"Rishu is worth it all." Madhu tells her.

"After what he did just now, he is not." Sunny tells her.

"First time, I saw Dad in him." Trishna tells her in dread.

**********

"Do you like this?" Madhu asks Rishabh as she showed him one mangal sutra.

Rishabh looks at it then he looks at Madhu. "It is your decision, Madhu. Pick whatever you like. You're the one who is going to be wearing it."

Madhu nods as she turned back to the salesman and informs him. "I'll take this."

Trishna loudly sighs. "You still have time to change your mind, Madhu."

Madhu shakes her head. "I'll message Sultan and my parents."

Madhu takes her mobile and sends the same message to both Sultan and her parents.

Please don't come to the venue. I won't be there. I'm marrying Rishabh in a few minutes.

She switches off her phone after that. Her parents had been trying to call her for a while now. Since they had left early in the morning from Rishabh's flat, she didn't know if her parents had reached his place.

Within the hour, they got married in a nearby temple in a simple ceremony with his siblings and just a priest.

**********

Madhu stood behind Rishabh while he unlocked the main door using his thumb. He opens the door.

"She will not come into my house!" Radha shouts furiously as she came charging at them.

Madhu stops hearing her. Rishabh turns to her. Madhu notices him looking at her, then she realizes that he had his hand extended for her. She keeps her hand in his.

Holding her hand, Rishabh walks into his home.

"I said she will not stay here." Radha says furiously.

"My wife will stay here." Rishabh informs her.

"You get out of my house! After the way, you insulted my husband, you think..."

Rishabh cuts his mother off, and reminds her. "He is not your husband. His wife is someone else."

Radha turns red in fury hearing that.

"Come, Madhu." Rishabh tells her softly.

"Your parents came and screamed at me!" Radha accuses Madhu.

"I'm sorry about that, Radha Aunty." Madhu guiltily says.

"Just get out of my house." Radha tells her.

"Madhu will stay here." Rishabh sternly tells his mother and walks to his room.

"I'm sorry that Mom was rude to you." Rishabh gently tells her as they walked into his bedroom.

"It's not your fault." Madhu tells him as she looked at him.

**********

They hear loud shouting and comes out of their room to see Mohan, furiously shouting.

"You humiliated me!" Mohan accuses Rishabh and Madhu. "I was standing there like a fool in front of the guests, answering their questions."

"I had messaged Sultan not to go to the venue." Madhu tells him in shock.

"He didn't tell me! They didn't come. Not your parents. Not Meera and not Sultan! It was just me!" Mohan accuses her.

Rishabh chuckles hearing that. "How sad?"

Madhu looks at him in shock, seeing him enjoying this.

Mohan looks at Rishabh in fury then turning to Radha, he asks her furiously. "Look how happy he is. Is he even my son, Radha?"

Radha looks at Mohan hurt and says outraged and in pain. "I told him not to do it. But he was adamant. He wanted to humiliate you. And this girl knew he is using her, and she still married him! Just so, he can humiliate you."

"And you did nothing?" Mohan asks her furiously.

"I tried calling you last night. But that Meera cut my call and switched off your phone. I had no way of informing you." Radha argues.

Mohan stops in shock. "You called to inform me?"

"Yes!"

Damn it! He shouldn't have cut the call. He had assumed that she was calling to make another fuss about her children getting everything as same as Sultan. And he had thought she was calling him to pester him to find a better bride than Madhu for Rishabh. Bloody hell!

"Don't call me ever for anything concerning him. EVER!" Mohan tells Radha and turns around and walks off.

"Mohan... no... Mohan..." Radha runs behind him.

Rishabh looks upset and dispassionately as he watched his mother run behind his father.

"SEE WHAT YOUR DAUGHTER DID!" They hear Radha's furious shout. "Mohan is angry with me! Mohan... stop."

Madhu starts to walk out when her parents walk in.

"Papa... Mama." Madhu calls them as she stopped.

"Why did you do this, Madhu?" Padmini asks her as she cried.

"I told you, I didn't want to marry Sultan." Madhu reminds them hurt at their betrayal.

"So, you married him?" Malik asks her.

"I love him." Madhu tells them.

"We forced you to marry Sultan to protect you from his mother and him." Malik tells her.

"Rishu is not like his parents!" Madhu argues.

"His mother told us that he married you to humiliate Mohan, Meera and Sultan." Malik tells her in anguish.

"Just my father. No one else." Rishabh clarifies.

Malik looks at Rishabh in shock, his eyes filling up. "You used my daughter for your petty revenge."

Seeing his eyes fill up, Rishabh started feeling a gnawing pain in his heart.

"He doesn't love you, Madhu. He is using you." Padmini tells her crying.

"Just come home, Madhu. Forget everything and come home. Please?" Malik pleads her.

Seeing Madhu's parents crying, Rishabh started feeling guilty.

They were one of those parents who actually loved their child. Rishabh turns to Madhu and sees that even she was crying.

"If you want to go with them, you can, Madhu." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu turns to him in shock, her eyes filling up with fresh tears, her heart breaking hearing him say that to her, on the day he had married her.

Seeing her looking at him like that, Rishabh realized that he had said it wrong. What he wanted to tell her was not what had come out. He quickly tries to explain. "I meant to say is that it is your decision and I won't stop you."

"His revenge is done and now he wants to get rid off you." Padmini says in anguish.

"Why do you want to be with him, Madhu? Just come home." Malik tells her.

"No." Madhu tells them.

"You're our only daughter, Madhu. We can't watch you ruin your life. Just come home." Padmini tells her.

"If you won't come, then consider us dead, Madhu." Malik warns her.

Madhu looks at her parents helplessly, as tears fell from her eyes, her heart squeezing in pain. unable to look at them, Madhu turns around and goes to Trishna's bedroom.

"Madhu..." Padmini calls out to her.

"Lets go. She is too blinded in love." Malik tells his wife sadly.

Rishabh guilty watches them leave, then he turns to go to Madhu when he sees Trishna walk into her bedroom and close the door shut. He stops.

"Madhu..." Trishna sits next to her, seeing Madhu crying.

Madhu hugs her as she cried. "Rishu is not cruel, Trish. I have faith in him. I can't give upon him."

"It is true." Trishna agrees as she hugs her. "Bhai is nice and loving. He cares a lot about us. He is like this because of Dad and Mom."

"I know." Madhu agrees.

"But that doesn't give him the right to do this." Trishna tells her. "You should have gone with your parents."

"I couldn't." Madhu confesses as she hugged Trishna crying her heart out.

**********

They hear the doorbell ring. Few seconds later, they hear Rishabh's angry voice.

Madhu and Trishna runs out of the room and sees Sultan at the door.

"What the hell are you doing here, Sultan?" Rishabh asks him furiously.

"I want to meet Madhu." Sultan tells him then he looks at Madhu.

"Stay away from my wife." Rishabh furiously tells him.

"Wife?" Sultan scoffs. "I thought she was just a puppet for you."

Rishabh stops hearing that. His guilt starting to intensify, first her parents, now this.

Sultan glares at Rishabh and says. "In the end, you proved it. You proved that you are Mohan Kundra's blood."

Rishabh gulps hearing that.

"Just like him, you have no respect for women and you have no qualms in using women." Sultan accuses him.

Rishabh stops in shock realizing that Sultan was right. His heart starts slamming against his chest, realizing what he had done.

"I thought Madhu is your friend. But nothing is sacred for you. Just like our father." Sultan sneers at him.

Sultan turns to look at Madhu. "Come out, Madhu. I want to speak to you."

Madhu looks at Rishabh and sees him lost in thoughts.

"I don't want to come inside, so you better come out, Madhu." Sultan tells her and walks off.

**********

They were silent as they got out of the lift and walked to the car park. They walk towards his car.

Just then Sunny comes from outside. Noticing Sultan, he walks towards them.

"Sultan bhaiyya..." Sunny calls him smiling. "Why are you standing here? Why are you not coming up?"

Sultan looks at Sunny, feeling touched and uncomfortable seeing the way, Sunny was treating him with love and respect.

Seeing Sultan uncomfortable, Madhu gently tells Sunny. "Sunny, you go up."

Sunny nods, his smile dropping and he walks off.

They watched him walk off. Madhu looks at Sultan and tells him. "He really doesn't care about your family dynamics. He has been protected from it all. Away from all the toxicity that Rishu and to an extend Trish had gone through."

Sultan softly sighs hearing that.

"He is a sweet boy." Madhu tells him.

"I've seen him while we were in school." Sultan tells her.

"You never spoke to him?" Madhu asks him. She knew that he never spoke to Trishna.

"I was in 12th when he was in KG or 1st." Sultan says shrugging.

"But you recognized him."

Sultan stops uncomfortably for a second. Then he hastily says. "You have photos of him in your instagram. I'm not here to discuss that. Why did you do this, Madhu?" Sultan asks her furiously.

"I told you I didn't want to marry you." Madhu reminds him.

"You parents begged me!" Sultan tells her.

"What?" Madhu whispers in shock.

"They were worried that you were going to ruin your life!" Sultan tells her.

"Rishu is not like you all think." Madhu argues.

"Are you telling me that he didn't marry you to take revenge on Dad?" Sultan asks her.

Madhu looks down hearing that.

"Do you have any idea what a psycho his mother is?" Sultan asks her.

She did know.

"Your parents were worried that the moment she realizes that you love Rishabh, she would pester Dad to get the girl my mother wanted as her daughter-in-law to marry her son. So, she gets to win against my mother." Sultan tells her.

"She hates me. She doesn't want me as Rishu's wife."

"Because you humiliated Dad. Otherwise, she would have been happy for snatching my bride and Mom's bahu. Then lifelong she would have used you like she uses her own children. Your parents know how she is. They wanted to protect you from her. And they were worried that Rishabh is not like his siblings. So, they feared that Rishabh will turn out like his parents and he proved their fears right." Sultan tells her.

"Rishu is not like them. He is like this because of them." Madhu argues.

Sultan sighs fed up hearing that.

"If you get to know your siblings, Sultan then you'll realize that they all are victims like you and Meera Aunty." Madhu tells him.

Madhu sees a flash of pain in Sultan's eyes then looking away, he says. "I will not hurt my mother."

"My mother sacrificed her life and stayed with Dad for me. I will not hurt her." Sultan tells her.

Madhu nods accepting his explanation.

"All my life, I have seen how that woman tried to demean and win over my mother. Hell! She insisted that her children study in the same school and college as me. Her excuse that they should get every single luxury that I get. She didn't care how humiliating it would be for all of us to be in the same place with people whispering about the illicit relationship, all she cared about was that she doesn't lose over my mom." Sultan tells her. "She didn't even care for her children. Mom shifted my school and she changed her children to the same school! She is psycho, Madhu."

"I don't care how she is." Madhu tells him.

"You've to live in that house with her!" Sultan reminds her. "You better move out of that house."

"Rishu stays there for Trish and Sunny, otherwise he would have left home ages ago." Madhu tells him.

Sultan shakes his head. "God help you then, Madhu." Sultan tells her as he turned to get into his car. "Escape when you can from that mad house."

**********

Madhu knocks on the bedroom door and Rishabh turns to look at her.

"Rishu..."

"Why did you knock, Madhu?" Rishabh asks her confused. "This is your room now."

Madhu stops surprised hearing him say that. "I... out of habit."

Rishabh nods hearing that.

"I'm sorry, Sultan had come. I know you don't like it."

"He is your friend." Rishabh replies with a shrug.

"He is."

"Is everything okay between you both?" Rishabh asks her in concern.

Madhu nods.

Rishabh sighs hearing that. Then he starts to apologies to her. "Madhu... I am..."

They hear a knock at the door and turns to see Trishna.

"Your bag... in case you want to change." Trishna tells her.

Madhu looks at her wedding saree. They had bought this in the morning. She wasn't very comfortable in saree.

Madhu smiles as she took the bag from her. She keeps the bag on the bed, and opens it.

Seeing that, Rishabh tells her. "I'll clear my cupboard. You can unpack your bag."

Madhu nods. "Thanks."

"This is your room now. You don't have to thank me." Rishabh tells her and walks to his cupboard.

Madhu looks at Rishabh for a few seconds, surprised with what he said then she just grabs a change of clothes and walks to the bathroom.

Once Madhu had closed the bathroom door, Trishna turns to Rishabh. Rishabh was shifting things from his cupboard.

"What you did was not right, bhai." Trishna tells him.

Rishabh stops hearing that, his guilt intensifying.

"She is in love with you and you misused her love." Trishna accuses him in a whisper.

Even though, Madhu had told him that she loved me, and a part of him believed it, there was a part of him that didn't believe it. How could someone love him when his own parents didn't love him?

"Now, bhai... please don't hurt her." Trishna requests him. She keeps her hand on his arms. "She is a very sweet girl, bhai. She is still the girl who had innocently befriended us, bhai. Please, don't hurt her."

"I don't want to hurt her, Trish." Rishabh tells her.

"You already did, bhai. It is not a day since you married her that she lost her parents and was crying her heart out." Trishna tells him.

Rishabh's heart breaks hearing that. His guilt starting to eat him up. His guilt pushing him further into his shell.

**********

After dinner, they come to their bedroom. After Sultan had left, things had been calm in the house with Radha sulking in the bedroom.

"You sleep." Rishabh tells Madhu as he gestured to the bed.

Madhu nods and walks to the bed and gets on it. She lies on her side, giving her back to him and she closes her eyes.

Rishabh watched her sleep. With each passing second, he was starting to realize what a selfish and cruel thing he had done. He had used an innocent girl's love for him. For what? Get a five minutes victory over his father? What did he get by that?

Did Sultan and his mother deserve this humiliation?

Just like them, haven't they also been humiliated all through their lives?

Did Madhu's parents deserve that? Deserve to be separated from their only daughter?

Did Madhu deserve to be used like this?

Unable to handle the accusations in his head, Rishabh walks to the table and looks at the puzzle. He tries to do it and he couldn't even figure out a single piece.

Irately, he pushes the whole board to the floor.

Madhu sits up in shock. "Rishu..."

"Sorry." Rishabh whispers in shock, realizing that he wasn't alone in his room.

Madhu gets up from the bed and walks to him. "What happened, Rishu?" Madhu asks him.

"I'm sorry. I was just..." Rishabh whispers as he bend down to pick up everything.

Madhu also kneels down and starts picking up the pieces.

"Madhu, I'll do it." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu ignores that and starts picking up all the pieces.

"When the maid cleans the room, have to tell her to check for any pieces." Madhu tells him as she picked the last piece from the floor.

"I clean the room." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu looks at him then she nods her head. He had rejected his father's money ages ago.

Madhu keeps the pieces on the table then she looks at him. She says hesitantly. "I'll sleep in Trish's room. You be comfortable here."

Seeing her start to leave the room, he quickly says. "Madhu..."

"Yes?" Madhu turns to him.

"This is your room too." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu looks at him uncomfortably. Wondering the outburst he just had now, was because she was in his room or for something else.

"Whatever is mine, is yours. You've equal rights on everything that is mine." Rishabh tells her. Then he says softly. "You're my wife."

Madhu gulps hearing that.

"Why did you marry me, Madhu? You knew, I was using you." Rishabh asks her confused and feeling lost.

Madhu looks at him and says helplessly. "Because I love you, Rishu."

Rishabh's breath gets caught in his throat seeing her helplessness.

"We grew up together. I know you. You are not a cruel man. You're very loving towards Trish and Sunny and I have faith in you." Madhu tells him.

"Now that you married me, are you happy?" Rishabh asks her, worried and scared of her answer.

Madhu looks at him for a few seconds then she looks away and says. "I'm hopeful."

Rishabh sighs hearing that. Marrying him didn't give her any joy. And why should it? She knew very well that he had used her. Now, all he can do is give her all the happiness that is possible of him.

"Why do you love me?" Rishabh asks her, confused.

Madhu looks at him. Then she gently walks to him. "Remember your birthday?"

Rishabh nods. How could he ever forget that? The only time in his lonely life, he had someone there for him when he needed it the most.

"I felt that our hearts..." Madhu stops then she clears her throat. "I felt... my heart connect to yours... then over the years, that feeling just kept growing."

Rishabh sighs hearing that. His heart feeling heavy.

"I'm sorry, Madhu." Rishabh tells her.

"It is not your fault that you don't love me." Madhu tells him.

"The only love I have known is that of my siblings." Rishabh confesses to her. "But I didn't mean that."

Madhu looks at him questioningly.

"I shouldn't have married you like this to have my revenge on my father. You didn't deserved to be used like that." Rishabh tells her regretfully. "You lost your parents because of that. Sultan and his mother were humiliated."

"Do you regret marrying me?" Madhu asks him softly.

"I do." Rishabh confesses.

Madhu's eyes fill up. "You don't worry." Madhu tells him as she fought her tears. "I'll leave."

"Madhu... that is not what I meant." Rishabh helplessly says as he quickly walked towards her and held her hand.

Madhu looks at his hand on hers.

"I meant that I regret how I married you." Rishabh tells her helplessly.

God, why was it so difficult for him to speak what is in his heart? And when he tries, why does he make a big mess of it.

"That I hurt everyone around me." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods.

Seeing her silent, he pleads her. "Please be patient, Madhu. Please don't give up on me."

Hearing him say that, was like a cooling balm to her wounds. He wanted to make their marriage work. "I won't." Madhu tells him as she kept her hand over his, she smiles hopefully.

Rishabh smiles softly. "Thank you."

**********

Knowing that Rishabh wanted their marriage to work, had made Madhu hopeful and in a better frame of mind from the next day.

Rishabh had left for office in the morning. Sunny to his college. It was just Trishna, Madhu and Radha at home.

Radha had been rude to Madhu but Madhu just turned a deaf ear to her.

"Let's have dinner." Trishna tells her.

"I'll wait for Rishu." Madhu tells her.

"He has dinner from out." Trishna tells her.

"Every night?" Madhu asks her.

Trishna nods as she took her hand and lead her to the kitchen.

"Bhai makes his own food. Morning whatever he makes, he packs it for lunch also. Dinner he has from outside." Trishna tells her.

"He doesn't eat from home." Madhu whispers in shock.

Trishna shakes her head. "Dad said something to him once, after that, he hasn't taken anything from him. Except for staying here. And that is only because he wants to stay with us."

"Why didn't you tell me, Trish?" Madhu asks her in shock.

"Tell you what?" Trishna asks her confused.

"That Rishu doesn't eat from here." Madhu tells her.

Trishna passes her a plate. "It didn't come up before."

Madhu shakes her head. "No.. how can I eat from here when Rishu doesn't eat from here?"

"What?" Trishna asks her in shock.

"He is my husband, Trish." Madhu tells him.

"Don't be crazy, Madhu." Trishna tells her.

"He had said that whatever is his, is mine, so whatever isn't his, isn't mine." Madhu tells her.

Trishna looks at her incredulously. "So, whatever that is yours, that is not yours now?"

"Whatever is mine, is his too. What he forbids himself, I don't want that." Madhu tells her.

"Husband refuses to eat food that Mohan pays for and wife eats it?" Radha snubs at Madhu seeing her in the kitchen with Trishna.

"She is not eating from here." Trishna tells her pissed.

Madhu walks out of the kitchen and Trishna follows her.

"Madhu..." Trishna calls her.

"I'll order something." Madhu tells her.

"I'll ask Sunny to buy dinner and come." Trishna tells her.

**********

Hearing the door open, Madhu smiles as Rishabh walk in.

Rishabh gently smiles at her.

"How was your day?" Madhu asks him as she smiles at him.

"Usual." Rishabh replies as he walked to his room. "Yours?"

"Nice." Madhu tells him smiling as she followed him. "Did you have dinner?"

"Yeah." Rishabh replies. "You?"

"Sunny got me burger." Madhu tells him then excitedly tells Rishabh. "He calls me bhabhi now."

Rishabh smiles hearing that as he opened his cupboard then seeing Madhu's clothes, he closes it.

"That's mine now." Madhu tells him grinning.

"I forgot." Rishabh tells her sheepishly as he moved to the next one and opened it.

Madhu chuckles. She watches as Rishabh picked his night clothes from the cupboard.

"Rishu..."

"Hmmm?"

"From tomorrow, have dinner from home. Don't eat food from outside everyday." Madhu gently tells him.

"Madhu, I cook my own food here. Dinner, I don't get time." Rishabh tells her.

"I'll cook dinner, Rishu." Madhu tells him.

"Why?" Rishabh asks her.

"Because even I have to eat, right?" Madhu asks him back.

Rishabh frowns angrily and asks, "Did Mom refuse to give you food?"

Deciding not to tell him about her snubbing at her, Madhu says. "When my husband doesn't eat from here, how I can eat?"

"Madhu..." Rishabh gently starts.

"We're married, Rishu. What is forbidden to you, is forbidden to me." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh stops, feeling his heart fill with joy. No one has done that for him.

"I'm not a bad cook." Madhu tells him smiling.

Rishabh smiles hearing that. "Maid knows where my provisions are kept. If you need anything, let me know."

Madhu smiles hearing that.

**********

Next morning, by the time, Madhu woke up, Rishabh had left for office. She walks to the kitchen to make coffee for her when she notices casserole with a sticky note which just had Madhu written on it. She opens it and sees that it was her breakfast.

Madhu smiles realizing that Rishabh had made breakfast for her.

**********

Madhu smiles excitedly when Rishabh reaches home. He had come slightly earlier than last night as he hadn't had dinner.

Madhu and Rishabh have dinner together. Rishabh was as usual silent while Madhu kept talking. She had been telling him about how her day was and asked him about his while he kept giving monosyllable answers.

"Why did you send in your resignation?" Rishabh asks Madhu in shock.

"Papa said he doesn't want to see me again." Madhu reminds him, a little upset.

Rishabh keeps his hand over hers feeling guilty.

"He won't be angry with me for long. Once he sees that we are happy together, everything will be fine." Madhu tells him with a smile.

"Do you think we will be happy together?" Rishabh asks her softly as he looked away. Being happy, that felt so strange to him.

"I do." Madhu tells him.

"I really hope so." Rishabh confesses softly, starting to realize that it was becoming easier for him to speak his heart to Madhu, maybe because she was the one, he had only done that to in his life.

"Day after, our friend from college is getting married. Trish is going for that tomorrow." Madhu tells him.

"She told me." Rishabh replies then confused, he asks her, "You're not going?"

"No."

"Why?" Rishabh asks her as he looked at her.

Madhu shrugs.

"Is it because of our marriage?" Rishabh asks her in concern.

Madhu shakes her head. "The engagement and elopement was pretty publicized. I just don't want to be in a crowd so soon."

Rishabh guiltily looks at her.

"Even if we hadn't got married the whole engagement fiasco would have happened." Madhu reminds him. "And Rishu, you married me with my permission."

Rishabh gives her a small smile hearing that.

**********

"If anyone asks me then I'll tell them that you and bhai were in love and eloped." Trishna says as she walked to the car with Madhu.

"Okay." Madhu replies with a smile.

"What will you do here alone without me?" Trishna asks her worriedly. "Mom is going to eat your brains off. the maid also has gone home now."

Day time, it was just the three of them and the maid at home. "I'll just stay out of her way."

"Tomorrow why don't you go to office and work?" Trishna asks her. "I'll come back by evening tomorrow."

Since her face off with her parents, Madhu had send in her resignation and was working from home till she is able to finish off her work completely.

"If it gets bad, I'll go to some cafe and work." Madhu tells her.

"Okay." Trishna says as she hugged her. "Bye."

"Bye." Madhu says as she hugged her.

After Trishna left, Madhu walks back to their flat. She rings the bell. But no one opens the door. After a while, she rings the bell again. And no one opens the door.

Madhu knocks on the door and calls out. "Radha Aunty..."

She hears the TV volume increasing.

Madhu sighs realizing that Radha was purposely not opening the door.

She looks at the electronic lock at the door and sees that along with thumb, it could be unlocked with numbers too. She quickly calls up Trishna.

"Hello?" Trishna answers the call.

"Trish what is the code to unlock the main door?" Madhu asks her.

"Isn't it fingerprint?" Trishna asks confused.

"There is a number lock too."

"Oh... I don't know. Ask bhai... what happened?"

"Nothing... I didn't know it.. so asked..." Madhu says, not wanting Trishna to come back.

"Okay."

Madhu dials Rishabh's number. He cuts the call on the third ring.

Madhu dials Sunny's number and it kept ringing but he didn't answer. Since it was a friday evening, Madhu realized that Sunny might be out with his friends after class.

She waits for either Sunny or Rishabh to call back. To pass time, she starts playing Royal Match on her phone.

**********

"Madhu... Madhu..." Rishabh gently shakes her awake.

"Rishu..." Madhu sleepily opens her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Rishabh asks her in shock.

Madhu looks around and sits up realizing as she yawned. "I slept off."

"Here?" Rishabh asks her in shock.

"I didn't know the code for the door." Madhu says as she extended her hand.

Rishabh holds her and helps her up. "*7139#." Rishabh tells her. "I forgot to register your fingerprint." Rishabh tells her, feeling stupid.

"It's all your birthday months." Madhu says smiling. "I should have tried that."

"Is that why you called?" Rishabh asks her realizing.

"Yeah."

"I was in a meeting. I tried calling you back but it came switched off." Rishabh tells her feeling guilty.

"I was sitting and playing and my phone died." Madhu tells him. "Even Sunny didn't answer. Trish didn't know the code."

"I called you back, Madhu. I swear." Rishabh tells her filled with guilt.

"I believe you." Madhu looks at him surprised.

"I should have answered the call." Rishabh says filled with guilt, thinking of her sitting there for hours like that.

"It happens, Rishu." Madhu tells him as she watched him unlock the door.

Rishabh steps in and stops in shock seeing Radha. "Mom is home." Rishabh turns to Madhu.

Madhu uncomfortably nods.

Rishabh turns to Radha and furiously asks her. "You locked Madhu out of the flat?"

"This is my flat and I decide who stays here." Radha tells him furiously.

"This is not just your flat." Rishabh tells her furiously. "Did you forget this flat was registered in my name!"

"It was my stupidity." Radha says furiously as she looked away.

"Next time you do something like this with my wife, Mom, I will throw you out." Rishabh warns her.

"You think you can throw me out? My husband paid for this. And you refuse to take anything from him! You act as if my husband is beneath you and you shamelessly stay in the flat that he bought for me!" Radha furiously tells him.

"First of all, he is not your husband! You are nothing but a mistress to that man!" Rishabh furiously reminds her.

"How dare you? He loves me and I love him!" Radha says furiously.

"If he loved you so much, then you would have been his wife! But you are not! And don't expect me to treat my wife the way, he treats you." Rishabh furiously tells her and holding Madhu's hand he starts to walk to his bedroom.

"I should have aborted you." Radha says venomously.

"You should have." Rishabh agrees. "At least, I wouldn't have had to live this life."

**********

"Rishu..." Madhu worriedly holds his hand.

"I'm sorry, Madhu. I'm sorry Mom did that to you. It is my fault, I should have told you about the lock." Rishabh says agitatedly.

Seeing him like that, Madhu quickly hugs him.

Rishabh stops in shock feeling her hug him.

"It was not your fault. If it was then it is my fault too that I didn't ask about the code earlier." Madhu tells him. "Please let it go."

Rishabh felt a sense of peace engulf him, like it did the first time she had hugged him ages ago.

Madhu was starting to step back, when Rishabh hugs her. Madhu snuggles into his arms.

"Why is my mother like this?" Rishabh asks her in a bare whisper. "She sees nothing but that man. Not even us."

Madhu doesn't say anything. What could she say? Everybody knew his mother's unhealthy obsession with his father.

"If it wasn't for Trish and Sunny, I would have taken you and left this place." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu was surprised hearing that. She leans back and looks at him. "You would take me with you?"

Rishabh looks at her confused. "You're my wife."

Madhu nods hearing that, though feeling happy.

When she didn't say anything, Rishabh asks her worriedly. "You will be with me always, right?"

Seeing him so worried, Madhu couldn't control her joy and love, she leans up and kisses his cheek.

Rishabh looks at her in shock. His heart raising feeling her kiss.

Blushing happily, Madhu hugs him.

Rishabh hugs her and says softly. "You didn't answer me, Madhu."

"Always, Rishu. I will never leave you." Madhu promises him.

Rishabh hugs her tight. It was starting to feel to him that she was the only one who has truly loved him. He knew his sister and brother loved him, but Madhu's love, the way she left her rest of the world for him, was starting to bring him a sense of belonging and security that he had never experienced in his life.

Seeing his insecurity and his need for verbal confirmation, Madhu was starting to see that somewhere in him, Rishabh was still that small boy who had yearned for his parents love and approval. The one who had hid in the cupboard and cried.

**********

Since, she didn't cook dinner, Madhu had suggested to Rishabh that they will go out for dinner instead of ordering in.

After placing their order, they look at each other. They smile at each other.

Realizing that Rishabh was content to remain silent, Madhu decides to initiate. "Why do you work so late and leave so early? Is the work load very heavy?" Madhu asks him.

"I'm just used to it." Rishabh confesses.

Madhu looks at him confused.

Seeing that, Rishabh explains. "I don't like staying at home. So, I..."

"I thought you were always busy with work." Madhu says in shock.

"I do work... but yeah..'

"You don't have to stay so late or go so early." Madhu says realizing. Then she says softly, in disappointment. "I thought you were busy with work."

Seeing that, it finally dawned on Rishabh that he didn't change his life after his marriage, he wasn't giving his wife the time she needed from him. "I never realized." Rishabh whispers in horror.

"What?" Madhu asks him.

"That you would want to spend time with me." Rishabh explains in shock.

Madhu looks at him confused. "You didn't think I would want to spend time with you?"

"I...er... I never realized it, Madhu." Rishabh confesses. "It never occurred to me."

"Didn't you want to spend time with me, Rishu?" Madhu asks him a little hurt. "I thought you wanted to be married to me."

Rishabh leans forward and quickly keeps his hand over hers. "I do, Madhu... but spending time with people... it is something, I haven't done in a long time... it just didn't occur to me that we should be spending time together. It is just my siblings for me and they are busy with their things that... I..."

"You're a loner." Madhu says softly. "It is not easy to change that. I understand that."

"But we should spend time together. I'm sorry, Madhu. I should have realized that."

"It's been just days since we got married, Rishu. It is going to take us time to work it out." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh nods and tells her, "Madhu, I never had a normal family, a normal life... sometimes, the normal things... it won't be so normal for me. I want you to tell me what you want from me... I don't want to hurt you. Ever."

"I'll." Madhu tells him as she reassuringly smiles at him.

They had spoken about random things for the next few minutes.

As they started eating, Madhu gently broached the topic.

"You mentioned the flat is in your name." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh curiously looks up at her.

"How did it happen?" Madhu asks him curiously.

"Mom's competition with Dad's wife." Rishabh tells her. "It was before Sunny was born."

"Mom wanted a mansion like Dad's wife had. She made a huge issue about it. Dad finally agreed to buy a flat. He made up major excuses about how he couldn't buy or build a mansion like the Kundra Mansion. He told Mom, she can choose whichever flat she wanted. To sweeten her up, he even took her for an Europe work trip." Rishabh tells her.

"What do you mean took her?" Madhu asks frowning. "What about you both?"

"With the servants." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu looks at him in shock. If this was before Sunny then they both would have very young.

"She came back pregnant with Sunny." Rishabh tells her.

"I remember this now." Madhu says in shock. "Trish said you both couldn't go because you had school."

"Yeah, we were told that." Rishabh agrees.

"Hmmm so your Dad got the flat in your name?" Madhu asks him.

"He wasn't going to let that flat be in Mom's name. I don't know what he told to convince her. But he did convince her in the end." Rishabh tells her.

"You don't think he loves her?" Madhu asks him curiously.

Rishabh frowns at her and leaning forward, he says. "I am sure you have heard about all his flings."

Madhu looks at him embarrassed. "I've heard Meera Aunty and Mama discussing when they thought I wasn't around. About the affairs he has when he goes out of the country."

"He has made her believe it is all lies that Sultan and his mother is spreading to separate them." Rishabh says in disgust.

"He has been with her for decades now... I thought he loves her." Madhu confesses.

"He is trapped by her with us." Rishabh tells her. "And I feel somewhere he is scared of what she will do if he tries to end things with her. And she has made sure the whole world knows about his relationship with her and us. He can't easily end it. He wants to though. Sunny has seen him only a handful of times."

Madhu felt disgusted hearing that. "Sultan had said that your mother is always in competition with his mother."

Rishabh makes a disgusted face.

"What?" Madhu asks him softly.

"We used to call them Papa and Mama. She forced us to change because Sultan used to call his parents Dad and Mom." Rishabh informs her.

Madhu realized that Sultan and her parents were right, Radha Aunty was a psycho.

"Trish never told you all this?" Rishabh asks her.

"I never asked her about it. Whenever she felt talking she did. I didn't want to hurt her by asking." Madhu explains.

Rishabh nods then seeing Sunny walk in, he smiles. "Sunny is here."

"I didn't want to crash your date night, but since you two insisted, here I am!" Sunny declares.

Madhu and Rishabh grins.

"Where did you go?" Madhu asks him.

"Bowling." Sunny replies as he sat down and waves his fingers at Madhu. "My nails are gone. I need a manicure."

Rishabh and Madhu chuckles hearing that. Rishabh lovingly ruffles his hair.

"What is this tacky place?" Sunny asks as he looked around then frowning at Rishabh he asks, "Didn't you get a better place to take bhabhi on date?"

Madhu blushes hear Sunny calling their dinner, a date again.

"I'm not rich like you." Rishabh tells him shaking his head, though smiling.

Sunny shakes his head and turns to Madhu. "What a fool? Why would you turn your back on Dad's money? That is the only thing he is giving us."

Madhu grins and says. "Trish calls him, her open bank."

"And what will you do when he cuts off the money?" Rishabh asks him.

"You're there." Sunny tells him cheekily.

Madhu and Rishabh chuckles hearing that.

**********

Much later, they walk into their bedroom.

"Madhu..." Rishabh gently calls her as he turned to look at her..

"Yeah?"Madhu replies as she locked their bedroom door.

"The restaurant we went to... I know, you're used to better restaurants." Rishabh says.

"The food was amazing, Rishu." Madhu tells him smiling as she turned to him.

Rishabh relaxes hearing that. "I am making money. Nothing like what you are getting. Or like Sunny and Trish swipe away on their credit cards. I save most of it for Trish and Sunny, because I don't trust my father." Rishabh explains to her.

"Rishu, you know Sunny was joking about the money, right?" Madhu asks him. "He has his career planned out."

"I know, Madhu. But till he gets a job, I just want to look out for him and Trish." Rishabh explains to her.

Madhu nods.

"Sometimes, I might not be able to give you what you're used to..." Rishabh starts.

"Rishu.." Madhu cuts him off. "We were together today and only that matters to me."

Rishabh stops hearing that, his heart filling up, his breath stuck in his throat.

"Don't worry." Madhu tells him with a smile and turns to walk off.

Rishabh holds her and pulls her towards him. Madhu curiously looks at him.

Rishabh leans down and kisses her forehead.

Feeling the kiss, Madhu blushes. Filled with shyness and joy, Madhu hugs him happily.

Rishabh hugs her as he kissed her on top of her head.

**********

From the next day on, Rishabh started spending more time with Madhu. They slowly started getting closer. Rishabh tried his best to be an attentive husband as much as his loner nature could allow him to be. Madhu knowing his nature, knew the effort he has been putting in for her and their relationship and was happy.

Off days that they got, they went out together. Most of the times, they invited Sunny and Trishna with them. Since, Trishna was her best friend and Sunny was like her brother, Madhu was happy for their company and never felt that they were invading her time with her husband.

Seeing Rishabh doing the puzzle, Madhu walks to him as she wiped her hair after her shower.

"I was wondering why you were not doing this." Madhu tells him as she walked around the table to his side.

"Didn't feel like doing it." Rishabh says as he studied the pieces. "I was getting bored waiting for you to finish your shower."

Madhu leans on him as she playfully twirled her finger behind his ear. "Why were you waiting?"

Rishabh turns to look at her and tells her. "To sleep."

"Let's sleep then." Madhu tells him.

"Feel like doing this now." Rishabh tells her grinning.

"Ah... so your interest is back." Madhu says smiling.

Rishabh stops smiling as he looked at the puzzle. "It used to help me clear my head. Took my mind off my parents. I found it very relaxing."

Madhu wraps her hand around his shoulder, side hugging him. "But I haven't seen you do this after our wedding."

Rishabh turns to face her and tells her. "I think it is because I find you more relaxing."

Madhu smiles hearing that. Feeling so joyous, to express it, she holds his head and kisses his forehead.

"Okay, you do your puzzle. I'm going to sleep." Madhu tells him as she kissed him again.

Rishabh wraps his hand around her waist before she could move away and pulls her to his lap.

Madhu gasps and chuckles as she found herself on his lap. She blushes for sitting on his lap for the first time.

Rishabh wraps his hands around her as he pulled her closer.

Understanding his intentions, Madhu blushes as she moves towards him. He moves towards her and their lips touch.

Gently opening their lips, they take each other's lips in theirs and kisses hungrily.

**********

Rishabh watches as Madhu slept. Lately, he found himself watching her sleep. Watching her, made him feel peaceful.

He had never expected that he would get married or someone would love him. He always thought that he would be alone all his life. He was scared of love. He has been seeing what love can do to one's psyche with his mother. He never wanted to be like his mother. Obsessed and detached from reality.

Then there was his other fear, fear of being his father. So, he kept away from women and relationships all his life.

When Madhu had confessed that she loves him, more than anything, he had felt scared. So, he had shut her off immediately. Because he knew, if anyone could make him vulnerable like his mother then it was Madhu.

How many times, over the years, when things got tough for him, had he yearned to unburden himself with Madhu. Like he had done when he was 15 years old.

She had accidentally stumbled upon him that day, but she had been there for him that day. And he knew, even before he realized that she loved him, that she will be there for him whenever he needed her.

Rishabh sighs as he watched her sleep. The moment he had realized his mistake and decided to do everything to be worthy of Madhu, he had unknowingly started opening his heart to her. He realized that he wasn't just sharing his pain, joy and thoughts with her, he was falling in love with her.

Rishabh smiles, for a man who had been running away from love, so easily and deeply he fell in love.

He keeps his hand on hers.

Madhu pushes his hand off.

Rishabh smiles as he moved to her and hugged her.

Madhu pushes him off and grumbling, kicking him, turns around, giving her back to him continues to sleep.

Rishabh chuckles. For a loving person, Madhu hated to snuggle in sleep. She needed her space in bed.

**********

"Where is bhai?" Trishna asks curiously as she lay on her bed.

"Shower." Madhu replies, she was sitting on Trishna's bed. "Why aren't you working? Don't you get bored, having nothing to do whole day?" Madhu asks Trishna curiously.

"I do." Trishna admits disappointed.

"Then why aren't you working?" Madhu asks her confused.

Trishna sighs. "You know the racket Mom created when Bhai finished college? She wanted him to join Dad's company. Bhai refused. She pestered Dad because she wanted bhai to be in the same position that Sultan bhaiyya is in. But bhai found a job for himself and refused to join Dad's business."

"You are scared that she will insist that you join Kundra business." Madhu guesses.

"I don't mind joining but I don't think Sultan bhaiyya will like it." Trishna says sadly. "He has been humiliated all his life because of us. Be it school or college. I don't want to get into his work space also."

Madhu gently keeps her hand on Trishna's.

"If I tell her I don't want to join Dad's business then she will create a racket. Then bhai will fight with Mom for me. I don't want them to fight over me. Already, bhai doesn't speak to Mom unless it is to fight with her." Trishna tells her.

Then cheekily grinning, Trishna says. "I'm bored out of my wits. Can you tell bhai to find a guy for me and get me married then I can move from this city and work wherever I want? I'm so done swiping left."

Madhu grins realizing that Trishna was done talking about her family. She was starting to realize that Trishna spoke much lesser than Rishu when it came to their family issues.

"Don't go away so soon. I just got here." Madhu cheekily tells her.

Trishna laughs hearing that.

"You know, it's been a while since we went out together." Trishna tells her.

"We go out all the time." Madhu tells her surprised.

"I meant without my brothers tagging along." Trishna tells her. "When was the last time, we had a girls outing?"

"Yeah, true." Madhu agrees grinning.

"It is starting to look like bhai is stuck to you like a siamese twin."

Madhu laughs hearing that.

As if on cue, Rishabh comes at the door. They both look at him. Rishabh looks at Madhu with a smile and gestures her to come to their room.

Madhu blushes as he walked off. she turns to look at Trishna and sees her squinting at her.

"I'll go see what he wants." Madhu tells her as she got out of the bed.

"Just now, I told you." Trishna grumbles at her.

Madhu laughs as she ran out. "BTW our lunch is ready. Check whether yours is ready, then we can eat together."

**********

Madhu walks into her bedroom and Rishabh closes the door and locks it.

Madhu chuckles seeing that. "What?"

"I haven't seen you the whole day." Rishabh complains as he walks to her and pulls her close to him. He takes her lips in his and hungrily kisses her.

Madhu kisses him back. "Well, I had a busy day." Madhu reminds him, she had been cleaning their bedroom while he had been cooking.

"So busy that you had no time for me?" Rishabh asks her as he pulled her closer and kisses her neck.

Madhu moans as she gripped his shirt. Then hearing his possessive question, she stops. "Rishu..." Madhu softly calls him.

Rishabh stops and looks at her. Seeing the way she was looking at him, he looks at her. They looks at each other for a few seconds then, he moves towards her and gently takes her lips in his. Madhu also kisses him back as she felt him tug her t-shirt. Madhu lets him take it off.

**********

In their post coital bliss, they were snuggling each other as they placed light kisses on each other. Neither wanting to put a stop to their bliss or move away from each other.

"Do you want babies soon?" Rishabh asks her.

Madhu shakes her head in no as she shyly smiled at him. "You?"

"I don't mind." Rishabh tells her then smiling he tells her. "I don't mind waiting too. Whenever you are ready."

Madhu smiles as she happily hugged him. "I love you, Rishu."

"I know, darling." Rishabh says as he hugged her. "Thank you for loving me."

Madhu grins hearing that.

They hear Trishna asking Sunny something loudly.

"Shit!" Madhu whispers as she sat up.

"What happened?" Rishabh asks her then he was distracted seeing her naked form. He gently starts caressing her nipples.

Madhu turns pink feeling his touch. She leans down and kisses him hard on his lips. "Later, tonight." She sits up as she looked around for her clothes. "I told Trish that we'll have lunch together. She might be waiting for us."

"What?" Rishabh asks in shock as he sat up.

Madhu comes out and sees Trishna finishing her lunch.

"Did you two sleep in there or what? How many times did I call you? I was really hungry, so I started eating." Trishna tells her.

**********

Rishabh watched as Madhu slept. He leans to her and kisses her forehead. His heart brimming with so much love for her that he felt as if he was going to suffocate.

"Madhu... Madhu..." Rishabh gently shakes her.

"Hmmm?"

"Did you sleep?"

Madhu opens her eyes and sleepily scowls at him. "Did you wake me up to ask me whether I slept?"

Rishabh cheekily grins at her.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" Madhu asks him as she closed her eyes.

"I was watching you sleep."

"What? Why?" Madhu asks confused.

"I feel peaceful seeing you sleep."

"Rishu, you're being creepy." Madhu tells him. "Please go to sleep."

"I know." Rishabh cheekily says.

"The creepiness is increasing." Madhu grumbles.

"I love you, Madhu." Rishabh tells her excitedly.

Madhu looks at him and frowns. "Did you just figure it out now? I figured it out ages ago." Then turning to sleep on her other side, she says dismissively. "God, you're so slow."

Rishabh looks at her astonished, then unable to hold his joy, he moves to her and kisses her loudly on her cheek.

"Let me sleep, Rishu." Madhu groans.

"I love you, Madhu. You make my life worth living." Rishabh tells her then he lovingly kisses her cheek. "Okay, you sleep now."

Madhu turns to him, hearing what he had said. "How can I sleep now?" Madhu asks him as she moved to him and hugged him.

**********

It was Rishabh's birthday and Madhu had decided to take Rishabh for a dinner date.

"Today, I officially finished work." Madhu informs Rishabh.

"What next?" Rishabh asks her curiously.

"Job search from tomorrow." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh gently tells her. "We should go meet your parents."

Madhu smiles hearing that. "We'll. After you come back from your trip."

He had a work trip the next day and would be back in two days.

Rishabh smiles while he prayed in his heart that even if her parents didn't accept him, they should solve the issues between Madhu and them.

"Sultan." Madhu whispers noticing Sultan walking in with a few people.

Rishabh turns to look where she was looking. Seeing Madhu looking at Sultan, Rishabh gently asks her. "Why don't you go say hi?"

Madhu looks at him surprised. "But you don't like me talking to him."

"He is your friend, Madhu. You've every right to be friends with whoever you want. It isn't necessary that I be friends with all your friends." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu smiles hearing that. "I will just go say hi then."

Rishabh smiles at her.

Madhu walks to Sultan's table. Noticing her walking towards his table, Sultan stands up and walks to her.

"Hi, Madhu." Sultan says as he hugged her.

"Hi... how are you? How is Meera Aunty?" Madhu asks him as she hugged him.

"Fine." Sultan replies as he smiled at her. "I noticed you when I came in. Since you were with him, I didn't come over."

"Rishu has no problem with us being friends." Madhu tells him.

Sultan doesn't say anything to that and he asks. "So, how are you?"

"Good." Madhu replies smiling.

"How is your married life?" Sultan asks her in concern.

"We're happy." Madhu tells him smiling.

"I'm happy for you." Sultan tells her genuinely.

Madhu smiles and asks him in worry. "Is Meera Aunty still angry with me?"

"Initially she was heart broken. But then I told her. She knows that you never gave your consent for the engagement. We were forcing you." Sultan tells her. Then he tells her. "I was just watching out for you, Madhu."

"I know, Sultan." Madhu tells him smiling.

"How is his mother?" Sultan asks her.

Madhu shrugs. Radha was still rude to her. "Rishu, Sunny and Trish always stands for me."

Sultan nods hearing that then he looks back at his table and tells her. "I've to get back. It is a business dinner."

"Yeah, carry on." Madhu says smiling then she didn't know why, she tells Sultan. "It's Rishu's birthday today. So, we just came for that."

For a fleeting second, Sultan looks at Rishabh then he quickly looks back to Madhu. "Yeah, okay. See you around."

**********

First time being apart from Rishabh after their marriage, Madhu was finding it hard to fall asleep. She had spoken to Rishabh but since he had an early morning meeting, Madhu had asked him to sleep.

Tossing and turning, hugging Rishabh's pillow, she tries to sleep. She hears the main door unlocking sound.

Confused if someone was going out, at this late in the night, Madhu decides to check.

She opens her bedroom door and stops in shock. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

Radha and Mohan turns to look at her.

"Rishu has told you not to come here." Madhu says angrily as she walked to them.

"Who are you to tell him that?" Radha asks furiously. "He will come here whenever he wants."

"He will not!" Madhu shouts in fury.

Hearing the argument, Trishna and Sunny comes out of their bedroom.

"You get out of my house." Radha furiously tells her.

"This is my husband's house." Madhu reminds her.

"Which my husband paid for. My husband gave it to him!" Radha reminds her then turning to Mohan, she tells him. "Come, Mohan. You don't have to listen to her."

"Aren't you ashamed, Mohan uncle?" Madhu asks him in shock.

Mohan glares at Madhu. "Is this why you called me here, Radha? To be insulted?"

"No, Mohan." Radha tells him as she quickly hugged him. Then looking at Madhu she says furiously. "Shut up, you bitch."

"You don't respect Radha Aunty. Fine. But your daughter lives in this house. Don't you have any respect for her?" Madhu asks Mohan.

"Madhu, leave it." Trishna says in disgust. "Let them do whatever they want."

"NO!" Madhu shouts. "Rishu doesn't want this. The moment he is out of the house, they are doing this."

"Take your husband and leave my house!" Radha tells her furiously.

Ignoring Radha, Madhu tells Mohan. "Your daughter is of marriageable age. Don't you have any thought for her? Your daughter and daughter-in-law lives here. This is not a brothel that you can come in like a thief and commit adultery."

Pushing Radha away, Mohan tells her furiously. "Don't ever beg me to come here again, Radha! First your son, now your daughter-in-law insulted me!"

Furious, Mohan turns around and walks out.

"Mohan... please don't go." Radha begs him.

Ignoring them, Madhu turns to Trishna and Sunny. She cups their faces. "Are you both, okay?"

"I just don't care what they do." Trishna tells her.

"I'm seeing him after six years." Sunny mumbles a little hurt. "He didn't even look at me."

Hearing that, Madhu's heart went out to him and she hugs him.

Sunny hugs her and tells Madhu. "I don't care. I have bhai."

"MOM... WHAT ARE..." Trishna starts to shout.

Madhu feels a thundering pain on her head. She keeps her hand on her head and feels it gushing with blood. She turns around as Sunny and Trishna shouts out in panic, she sees Radha murderously looking at her with a vase in her hand.

**********

Seeing Rishabh running towards them, Sunny runs to him and hugs him.

"Where is Madhu? I want to see her." Rishabh asks as he panicked and tears fell from his eyes.

"She is under observation, bhai." Trishna tells him as she ran to him.

"I shouldn't have left her alone. I should have taken her with me." Rishabh says as he cried. "I want to see her." Rishabh says as he moved Sunny away from him.

He starts to walk to the observation room when Malik comes in front of him, blocking his way.

Rishabh stops seeing Madhu's father.

"I begged her to forget you. To come home. But she refused. I knew she would never be safe in that house." Malik accuses him.

Rishabh helplessly looks at him.

"You wanted to take revenge against your father! Why did you use my daughter for that? It is because of you that she is fighting for her life now." Malik accuses him.

Rishabh guiltily looks at him, realizing that if he hadn't married Madhu for his revenge then she wouldn't be in this condition.

"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have married her." Rishabh laments as he fell to the ground, breaking down.

"Are you waiting for her to die? Please go from here." Padmini tells him as she cried.

**********

"Where is Rishu?" Madhu asks as she looked around the room.

Padmini and Malik looks at each other.

"Papa... Mama... where is Rishu?" Madhu asks as she tried to sit up.

She winces in pain, the slight movement had caused her.

"Madhu, you need rest." Padmini tells her as she gently pushed her back to the bed.

"Where is Rishu?" Madhu asks them.

"He won't come." Malik informs her.

"Why?" Madhu asks shocked.

"I told him to stay away from you." Malik tells her. "Enough, Madhu. No more. You're coming home with us. You barely survived in that house."

"Please, Madhu. If anything happens to you, we will die." Padmini begs her. "Please forget that Rishabh."

"You told him to go away from me?" Madhu asks her parents hurt.

"Yes, Madhu. You'll not see him again." Malik tells her.

"And he left me?" Madhu asks her parents, her eyes filling up and her heart breaking.

**********

Madhu remained in the hospital for the next few days. The only visitors she had were her parents, Sultan, Meera and the police.

The police had come to take her statement.

"I fell down and hit my head on a vase." Madhu tells the inspector.

He frowns as he looked at her. "You fell down and hit your head on a vase?"

"Yes."

"Your husband, your sister-in-law and your brother-in-law said that you had an argument with your mother-in-law and she had hit you with a vase." Inspector tells her.

"It is true we had an argument but I slipped and fell. She didn't hit me. They might have misunderstood. She didn't hurt me." Madhu tells them.

The inspector leaves and Madhu could hear him speak to her parents. Then her parents come inside.

"Why did you lie, Madhu?" Malik asks her angrily.

"She nearly killed you, Madhu!" Padmini angrily reminds her. "Why would you want to save her?"

"What does it matter? I am not going back to that house now." Madhu reminds them as she closed her eyes and fought her tears.

**********

"Your dad was saying that you'll be discharged tomorrow." Sultan says as he sat with her.

Sultan had come to visit her after his office and her parents had gone to meet the doctor.

"Yeah." Madhu replies with a sigh.

"You might be tired of the hospital and just wants to get back home." Sultan tells her conversationally seeing her so depressed.

"Home." Madhu's heart breaks hearing that.

"Your dad told me that he asked Rishabh and his siblings to stay away from you." Sultan says softly.

"Just because Papa said so, how can Rishu stay away from me?" Madhu asks him hurt.

"You were almost killed by his psycho mother. He is going to feel guilty over it." Sultan gently says.

Madhu looks at Sultan and asks him. "Can you give me your phone?"

"My phone?" Sultan asks confused as he took his phone out.

"I want to speak to Rishu." Madhu tells him.

Sultan hesitates for a few seconds then seeing how sad Madhu is, and he could guess that Rishabh would also be equally sad, so he unlocks and extends his phone towards her.

Madhu takes it and quickly dials Rishabh's number.

"Hello?" Rishabh answers the call.

Madhu's eyes fill up hearing his voice after so many days.

"Hello?"

"Rishu..."

"Madhu?" Rishabh asks hurriedly.

Tears spill from her eyes.

"Say something, Madhu." Rishabh begs her. "Are you okay?"

From his sound, she could make out that he was crying.

"You left me, Rishu." Madhu accuses him as she cried.

"You're in hospital because of me, Madhu. If I hadn't married you..." Rishabh says helplessly.

"You rejected my love, Rishu. Then you used me to take revenge on your father. I lost my parents. I put up with all your mother's taunts. I lost my career. I lost a lot for you, Rishu. I gave it all up in the hope that one day, I'll have you. And when I was getting your love, you walked away, Rishu. Papa told you to leave and you abandoned me." Madhu says crying.

"You deserve better, Madhu. All I give you is pain." Rishabh tells her.

"How is it so easy for you to give me up, Rishu?" Madhu asks him sadly. "Is it so easy for you? Did you ever love me? Or was it all your guilt? I thought you couldn't stay away from me even for a second. You wanted me with you all the time. I thought you were possessive about me. But it was all a lie. You were just acting because of your guilt. You never loved me."

She hears him cut the call. She stares at the phone in shock.

"Madhu..." Sultan gently calls her.

"He hung up." Madhu tells him hurt.

Sultan moves to her and hugs her seeing Madhu starting to break down.

They hear the door open and sees Rishabh at the door.

"Rishu..." Madhu whispers in shock. "How are you here?"

"When you're here, where else would I be?" Rishabh asks her back.

Seeing Rishabh walk in, Sultan quickly walks out to give them privacy.

"You left me." Madhu accuses him.

"You thought I was acting?" Rishabh asks her back as he walked to her.

"You were looking for reason to ditch me." Madhu tells him. "I shamelessly came into your life and you couldn't wait to be rid of me."

"How can you say that, Madhu? You know how much I love you." Rishabh tells her as he sat on her bed and gently ran his hand over her bandage.

"I thought you loved me. But you don't. You wouldn't have left me if you did."

"I left you because I love you so much. I wanted you to be safe and happy." Rishabh tells her.

"You're my happiness. Haven't you realized it after everything?" Madhu asks him.

"Mom almost killed you, Madhu." Rishabh tells her as he cried. Then he asks her angry and helplessly. "Why did you lie to the police?"

"Because she is your mother." Madhu tells him.

"She should be in jail, Madhu."

"And you should have been with me." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh stops hearing that.

"I always wanted to be with you but you left me when I needed you the most." Madhu accuses him.

Hearing her, Rishabh hugs her. "I am sorry, love. I just wanted to keep you safe."

"Then you be with me and keep me safe. Without you, I feel dead." Madhu tells him as she cried hugging him.

"I promise you, I won't leave you. I will be with you." Rishabh tells her as he hugged her tight.

"If you leave me again then I will never ever look at you ever again." Madhu warns him.

"I won't." Rishabh promises her. He leans back and looks at her. He kisses her forehead. "Does it hurt?"

"It does." Madhu admits. "The pain killer is wearing off.

Hearing the door open, they both look and sees her parents at the door.

'What are you doing here?" Malik asks Rishabh angrily.

Madhu quickly hugs Rishabh tight.

"Madhu needs me and I need her." Rishabh tells them as he hugged Madhu.

"Your mother nearly got our only daughter killed." Malik accuses him.

Rishabh guiltily looks at them. "She will not come near Madhu from now on." Rishabh promises them. Seeing them starting to speak, he says. "But I will not leave Madhu. Madhu is my wife. She is mine and I am hers. I made the mistake of walking away once, I won't do it again."

**********

"It's a one bedroom apartment." Rishabh tells Madhu as he took her inside. "At such short notice, this is what I got."

"It's more than enough for us." Madhu tells him reassuringly.

Rishabh smiles in relief hearing that. "I'll take you to bedroom. You rest while I make us something."

Later, they were having their food when Trishna and Sunny had come. After Rishabh and Madhu had their reunion, Trishna and Sunny had met Madhu last evening.

"Here... all your stuff." Trishna says as she handed everything to Rishabh.

"And your jigsaw puzzle. I'll bring the rest soon." Sunny tells Rishabh.

"Only this one matters." Rishabh says as he took the dragon jigsaw puzzle and smiles.

Madhu smiles seeing that.

"Why is this so special?" Sunny asks curiously. "I like all your other puzzles better."

"This one changed my life." Rishabh says as he smiled at Madhu.

"Madhu gifted you that?" Trishna asks in shock seeing them looking at each other.

"Yes." Rishabh says smiling then leaning towards her, he kisses her. Madhu smiles at him.

"What is that bag?" Madhu asks Trishna curiously.

"I am staying here." Trishna declares. "When bhai goes for work, you need someone to take care of you."

Rishabh smiles in relief. "I was worried about that. Thank you." Rishabh hugs his sister in relief.

Madhu smiles. "I'm not an invalid. I just have slight headaches. That is all."

"Still I am here." Trishna tells her.

"But where will you sleep? It is just one bedroom." Sunny asks confused.

Trishna looks around and declares. "I'll sleep on the couch."

"You sleep with Madhu in the room. I'll sleep in the living room couch." Rishabh tells her.

"Sorry, no. I need my beauty sleep. So, you get night duties." Trishna declares.

Rishabh and Madhu smiles realizing that Trishna said that so Rishu could sleep in the bedroom without guilt.

**********

The next few days went uneventful while Rishabh and Trishna took turns in caring for Madhu. And Madhu was recovering fast.

One night they were sleeping when they hear the doorbell. They all wake up, and even Madhu comes out of the bedroom as Rishabh opened the door.

He stops in shock seeing Sunny at the door, his eyes overflowing with tears. A bag in his hand.

"Sunny, what happened?" Rishabh asks him in shock, as he held him by his shoulders.

"Dad came home." Sunny informs them. "They are disgusting. I can't stay there anymore, please can I stay with you?"

"You don't even have to ask, Sunny." Rishabh tells him as he hugged him.

"This is your home, Sunny. you're always welcome here." Madhu tells him as she lovingly caressed his hair.

**********

"Trish, you sleep in the room with Madhu. Sunny and I'll sleep in the living room." Rishabh tells her.

He had got a mattress for Trish and she has been sleeping in the living room floor on that.

"No, bhai... you sleep there. Sunny and I will alternate between couch and the mattress." Trishna tells him.

"Bhabhi needs you, bhai. We're fine here." Sunny tells him reassuringly.

Rishabh looks at his siblings, feeling touched and amazed. Just like Madhu, even they were used to the luxurious life. And now, they were sleeping in the living room. He should move to a bigger place.

"Bhai..." Sunny gently calls him.

"What is it, Sunny?" Rishabh asks him as he lovingly kept his hand on his cheek.

"I don't want Dad's money anymore. I won't touch it." Sunny tells him.

Rishabh smiles at him. "I'm here, right? You don't worry."

Sunny smiles and hugs Rishabh.

"Why would you give it up?" Trishna asks him confused.

"Because he is disgusting." Sunny tells her as he turned to look at her.

"For years, for me, Dad has been my credit card and money. I am not going to give up my Dad because that man is a disgusting womanizer." Trishna tells them.

Rishabh with a soft smile shakes his head hearing that.

Rishabh turns a little serious and tells them. "I have been trying to convince Madhu to change her statement. Mom deserves to be punished for what she did. I want you both also to talk to her."

"I've been trying. She is so adamant." Trishna complains.

"We'll convince her." Sunny tells them.

**********

Next day, they were surprised when Malik and Padmini had come to visit them.

"How are you now, Madhu?" Padmini asks her lovingly as she sat on her bed.

"Better." Madhu says smiling happily that her parents had come, then she says as she looked at Rishabh. "Just bored out of my wits that they don't let me do anything."

Padmini smiles as she looked at Rishabh.

Rishabh was surprised to see that Padmini was smiling at him.

Seeing his surprise, Malik tells Rishabh. "You left your mother for Madhu. Inspector told us that you are trying to file a case against your mother and has been trying to get Madhu to change her statement. We believe that you love her."

"I do. Madhu is everything to me." Rishabh tells him.

Malik smiles hearing that. "We have come to take you home. That is Madhu's house. She is the heir to all that we have. We want you to come home."

Rishabh looks at Madhu and sees her looking at him, she looked happy but thoughtful.

Rishabh turns to Malik and tells him. "It is not that we don't want to come. More than anything, I want Madhu to get her parents back. But my siblings are staying with us now and we can't leave them."

"Bhai, you don't worry about us. We'll be fine." Sunny tells him.

"We can stay here. Madhu and you go to her house. I know, for how long Madhu has been waiting for this." Trishna tells him.

Malik lovingly runs his hands through Trishna's hair. "We meant all of you, not just Madhu and Rishu."

"Start packing, we are going home." Padmini tells her smiling.

Within hours, they had again shifted home and this time, permanently.

**********

They quickly got settled into Madhu's home. Malik and Padmini were loving towards Rishabh and his siblings. They treated them as their family. For the first time, Rishabh, Trishna and Sunny were feeling the affection of parent figures. While Radha never bothered to call them or see them after all of them left home.

After dinner, Rishabh knocks on Malik's study door. Malik had told him that he wanted to speak to him.

"Come, Rishu." Malik tells him smiling. "Madhu slept?"

"Yeah." Rishabh replies as he walked in.

Malik gets up and walks to his liquor cabinet. "Do you drink, Rishu?"

"No." Rishabh says as he shook his head with a polite smile.

"Your father drinks like a fish." Malik says grinning as he poured himself a drink.

"I know. That is why I don't drink." Rishabh tells him.

Malik nods as he walked to the couch with his drink, gesturing Rishabh to sit. Rishabh sits down.

"I never had any issues with you, Rishu." Malik tells him gently as he sat down. "I did when I realized why you married Madhu. But now, when I see your love for her, that is also gone."

Rishabh nods. "I understand. I come from bad stock."

"The worst." Malik tells him bluntly.

Rishabh nods, agreeing.

"Do you know why Mohan and I stopped being friends?" Malik asks him.

Rishabh shakes his head. "You dissolved the partnership, I assumed it was a business decision."

"No. He was my best friend since school. Not like Madhu and Trish... senior years. I knew how he was. I just accepted him the way he was even though I didn't agree to his way of life." Malik tells him. "I just thought women were his weakness and he couldn't help himself."

Rishabh shakes his head in disgust.

"What happened at his house that day... Padmini and I knew, Trish and you didn't deserve that. We felt sorry for you. We pitied you. Even though we knew Meera would be upset, we didn't stop Madhu from being your friends. In my eyes, you were my best friend's children, just like Sultan." Malik tells him.

Rishabh sighs remembering the most horrible day of his life, but now thinking back on it, he realized that every darkness had a ray of sunlight, and that day had given him Madhu. Not jut to him, to his siblings too.

God did work in mysterious ways.

"Our friendship soured when I realized that I cared for his children more than he did." Malik tells him.

Rishabh sighs feeling his heart constricting.

"He was cruel to you all." Malik tells him.

"He stopped mattering to me. Now, even for Sunny and Trish." Rishabh tells him.

"And your mother wasn't any better. For years, we were seeing how she was using her own children. I couldn't think of sending Madhu to that house. And we knew, you would never leave that house. That is why we were so opposed to the marriage. Not because of you." Malik tells him.

"I know. You don't have to explain. I couldn't leave that house because I had to watch out for my siblings." Rishabh tells him. "It was not because of any love for my parents. That is all dead."

"Still you left that house for Madhu." Malik reminds him with a loving smile "Anyway, I called you for something else."

"What?" Rishabh asks him, curiously.

"Madhu is our only daughter. Whatever is ours, is going to be hers." Malik tells him.

Rishabh nods.

"Once Madhu is better I have asked her to come back to work." Malik tells him.

"I know, Madhu told me. She is thinking, once she feels slightly better then she will start working from home till she is completely fine." Rishabh tells him.

"That is good." Malik replies. "You are Madhu's husband and you're like my son. I want you to join our business."

"What?" Rishabh asks in shock.

"Once I retire, I want you and Madhu to take forward our businesses." Malik tells him.

"You want me to join your business?" Rishabh asks shocked.

"Yes."

**********

Soon, Rishabh had resigned from his job and joined Malik's company. Things were falling into place. Madhu was recovering well. And she had started working from home.

"Madhu, my resume is ready. Can you check it?" Trishna asks Madhu as she passed her laptop.

Now that she was away from her mother, Trishna didn't see any need to sacrifice her dreams and was starting her job hunt.

"You can join our office." Madhu tells her.

"I know, your father won't mind but I don't want to impose on him more." Trishna tells her.

"Hmmm." Madhu looks through the resume and sighs. "I wouldn't call you for an interview if I see this resume. There isn't anything catchy."

Trishna frowns hearing that then she orders her. "Then make it catchy."

"You know, sometimes you do behave like a bossy sister-in-law." Madhu jokes as she started making changes in the resume.

They were busy working on the resume when they hear the door open. They look up and sees Rishabh, Sunny, Padmini and Malik walking in.

"You three are home at the same time." Madhu says surprised.

"Papa asked us to come home." Rishabh informs her as he walked to her. "How are you?" He asks as he cupped her face.

"Fine. Just bored stuck inside the room. I just feel like running out." Madhu grumbles.

Rishabh chuckles then he smiles at his sister.

"Is everything alright, Papa?" Madhu asks him, seeing him restless.

"No." Malik says as he sighed as he walked in.

"What happened?" Rishabh asks him in concern.

Malik looks at Padmini then he looks at Rishabh, Trishna and Sunny. Taking a deep breath, he tells them. "Meera had called Padmini. She asked whether Sultan and she could come and stay here for a few days."

Rishabh and Madhu looks at each other in shock hearing that.

"What did you say?" Madhu asks him.

"That I will check with you all and tell her." Malik tells her.

"This is your home." Trishna tells him.

"You don't need our permission." Sunny reminds him.

"This is your home too. And I don't want you all to be uncomfortable in your own home." Malik tells them.

"They can stay here. We don't have a problem." Rishabh tells him then he asks in worry. "Is everything alright with them? Are they in some trouble?"

Malik looks at Padmini and they nervously gulps.

Seeing that, Rishabh asks in dread. "What did Dad do? Or is it Mom?"

"It is Mohan." Padmini tells him.

"What is it?" Madhu asks them, seeing them hesitating.

Malik worriedly looks at his old best friend's children then says. "We have this common friend. Madhu knows them. Ahuja."

"What happened to them?" Madhu asks curiously.

"They found out that Mohan is having an affair with their daughter. They have filed a case against Mohan." Malik informs her.

Rishabh shakes his head hearing that.

"SHE IS IN SCHOOL!" Madhu shouts in fury.

"WHAT??" Rishabh shouts in shock.

"She is barely 17." Padmini informs them.

"Younger than me." Sunny whispers in shock.

"How could he?" Trishna asks, her eyes filling up. "That is rape."

"He should die in jail." Rishabh says with furious tears.

Madhu holds his hand to console him.

"Meera and Sultan wants to get away from their home before the media and police get there." Padmini tells them.

"We should get them here immediately." Rishabh tells them urgently.

"Should I go and pick them up?" Sunny asks, realizing the urgency of the matter.

"No... I will ask them to come." Malik says as he took his phone to call them.

**********

Madhu and Rishabh were in their bedroom. Padmini had informed them that Meera and Sultan had come.

Seeing Rishabh lost in thoughts, Madhu keeps her hand on his. "What are you thinking?"

"Should I speak to them?" Rishabh asks her confused.

Madhu smiles hearing that. "Do you want to speak to them?"

"I don't know whether they would want to speak to me." Rishabh confesses.

"You won't know, till you speak to them." Madhu points out to him.

Hearing that, Rishabh nervously smiles at them.

**********

Seeing Meera with Padmini in her bedroom, Rishabh unsurely stood outside the door and knocks on the door, gently. They both look at him, both surprised to see him.

"Can I come in?" Rishabh asks Meera.

"Come, Rishu." Padmini says smiling happily. Then she stands up and tells them. "You both speak."

They remained silent as Padmini walked off.

Rishabh turns to Meera and sees her watching him. He nervously walks to her.

"I wanted to apologize to you for what my mother did to you." Rishabh regretfully tells her.

Meera looks at him for a few seconds then she asks him, "they call you Rishu, right? Your family."

Rishabh nods.

"Rishu..." Meera gently says. "I should be the one apologizing to you."

"You didn't do anything wrong." Rishabh tells her in shock.

"I shouldn't have treated you both like that when you had come home." Meera tells him. "You didn't deserve that."

"We shouldn't have come there." Rishabh tells her.

"How was you to know that?" Meera asks him then eyes filling up, she says regretfully. "I forgot that you both were as innocent and blameless as Sultan in our mess."

"You were hurt." Rishabh tells her gently as he walked to her.

"I was. And I wasn't fair to you all." Meera tells him as she patted the seat next to her.

Rishabh sits down.

"If I had divorced Mohan then you all might not have been illegitimate." Meera tells him.

"You can never know for sure." Rishabh tells her.

"Your mother would have made sure that Mohan married her." Meera points out to him.

"Maybe." Rishabh admits. "I am sorry we ruined your marriage and family." Rishabh guiltily says.

Meera shakes her head as she looked at him. "Radha wasn't the first woman Mohan cheated on me with. And she isn't the last. Only difference, she remained, unlike the other women."

"She clung to him. It is not because she was any special to him." Rishabh informs her.

"I know and that is why I knew that if he married anyone then it would be Radha." Meera tells him. "And I couldn't let that happen. I remained with Mohan, not because I loved him or I couldn't live without him. I stayed on because I didn't want Radha to get him. Her children to get what is rightfully my son's. As long as I am there, Radha will be nothing more than a mistress. My son the only legitimate heir."

Rishabh nods hearing that.

Meera looks at him and tells him. "I was only thinking of my son. I turned a blind eye on you all. What was the difference between Sultan and you all? Weren't you all victims of Mohan?"

"Even you were a victim. We always saw you as one. Never as a villain." Rishabh tells her. "You sacrificed your life, dignity, happiness and self respect for your son. We have never known such kind of love of a mother." Rishabh tells her. "Sultan is lucky to have you."

Meera smiles at him as she lovingly caressed his cheek. "I can't believe that Mohan and Radha have a child like you. I was so unfair to you and when we needed help, you were there for us."

Rishabh holds her hand and says with a gentle smile. "You are Sultan's mother. And it took me a long time to realize that he is my brother."

**********

Rishabh was telling Madhu about his conversation with Meera when Sultan comes to their room.

"I just came to check on you." Sultan tells Madhu.

Thinking Sultan wasn't comfortable with him around, Rishabh tells Madhu. "You guys talk." Then he walks out to the balcony.

Rishabh was standing in the balcony as he thought about his life when he hears someone open the door. He curiously turns back to see who it is and sees Sultan.

"Mom told me that you spoke to her." Sultan tells him as he stepped out and closed the door.

Rishabh nods.

Sultan sighs and says regretfully. "I am your elder brother. I should have watched out for you all but I didn't. I was scared it would hurt my mother. So, I acted as if none of you existed."

Rishabh shakes his head. "I didn't deserve it, Sultan. I saw you as my enemy. I was jealous of you. I hated you. It took me a long time to realize that I was projecting my hatred for our father on to you. You hadn't done anything wrong and I thought because of you, I didn't have my father. Only after my relation with Dad ended and after marrying Madhu did I realize that. By then, it had been too late."

"It is never too late." Sultan tells him as he stepped closer to him and kept his hand on Rishabh's cheek.

Rishabh didn't know what to say, so he simply hugged him. Sultan hugs him back.

"I had mom, but you three were alone. Nothing but orphans." Sultan says regretfully.

"We had each other." Rishabh tells him.

Rishabh notices Sunny and Trishna standing inside the room and staring at them in shock.

Rishabh gestures for them to come with a smile as he stepped back. He points them to Sultan. Sultan turns curiously and sees them. He smiles at them.

"What is happening?" Trishna asks in shock.

"What? Brothers can't hug?" Sultan asks her.

"What?" Trishna asks in shock as her face breaks out into a smile.

"I am also a brother." Sunny reminds them.

Sultan chuckles as he walked to them and hugged Sunny.

Then he moves to Trishna and kisses her forehead and hugs her.

"I am feeling left out." Madhu calls out as she got out of her bed.

They all chuckle seeing her walking to them. Rishabh hurries in to help her.

"She has been grumbling about staying home for so many days. Do you want to go out?" Trishna asks Sultan hopefully.

His sister was asking him for something for the first time, even though he didn't want to be in the public with their father's arrest, he couldn't say no. Sultan smiles. "We'll go somewhere private. Away from media and all."

**********

They had gone to a restaurant for dinner.

"Trish, why do you want to look for job elsewhere?" Sultan asks her. "You should join our company."

"Meera aunty might not like it, Sultan bhaiyya." Trishna gently tells him.

"Mom regrets shunning you all. And it is Kundra Group, you three have as much rights as me." Sultan tells her.

Trishna looks at Rishabh for guidance.

"You should. If that is what you want." Rishabh tells her smiling.

Trishna smiles hearing that and she turns to Sultan and says excitedly. "I should warn you, I have absolutely no experience."

"I will teach you everything." Sultan tells her lovingly. "After all you are my only sister."

"So, we think." Sunny dryly adds.

Trishna and Sunny chuckles at that while Sultan and Rishabh just look at each other. They both were too burned by their father to find humor in such a statement.

Seeing him upset, Madhu squeezes Rishabh's hand under the table. Rishabh looks at her and holding her hand tight, he smiles reassuringly.

"You will not join?" Sultan asks Rishabh gently.

"I promised Papa." Rishabh tells him. "And I like it there."

Madhu smiles hearing that. "We can renew the partnership."

Sultan smiles hearing that. "We should."

"Dad will agree?" Rishabh asks him.

"I doubt he is going to have much voice from the jail." Sultan tells them then he asks curiously. "Did you tell your mother?"

"No." Rishabh replies. "She is not going to believe us anyway."

"I doubt he can put this on Sultan's and Meera aunty's head this time." Madhu tells them.

"He used to blame all his affairs on us and she used to believe it?" Sultan asks shocked.

"Yeah, he used to tell her that it is all lies that you spread to separate them. But this time, he is good and trapped. She can't be delusional anymore." Sunny says. "I wonder what she will do."

"She might just kill him." Trishna says.

"Come on." Sultan says with a straight face. "She is never going to do that kind of favor on us."

They all stop in shock hearing him. Then everyone burst out laughing, except for Madhu who looks at them in scandalized.

"It's a joke, love." Rishabh tells her seeing her face, still laughing.

"Hi..."

They all stop and turns to look who it is.

Sultan sees a beautiful girl, standing close by and looking at them all, then finally her gaze ending on him. He was immediately smitten.

"Dipali." Madhu says smiling. "Long time."

Dipali walks to her and hugs her. "God... what happened?" Dipali asks her in concern seeing her bandage on her head.

"Fell down." Madhu quickly says. "How are you?"

"I'm good. How are you, Trish?" Dipali asks her smiling.

Trishna happily hugs her. "Great... after college, I never heard from you."

"Work... you know." Dipali mumbles as she looked at Sultan dartingly. "I was with my friends and saw you guys."

"Hi Dipali." Rishabh says with a smile.

Dipali looks at him in surprise. "You're smiling." Then chuckling she asks. "What happened to the angry young man?"

Rishabh chuckles as he looked at Madhu. "Marriage."

They all chuckle hearing that while Madhu happily smiled at Rishabh.

"Who is she?" Sunny asks Sultan in a whisper.

"I have no clue." Sultan replies as he ogled at Dipali.

"Oh my God... that is Sunny, right?" Dipali asks surprised.

"Hi." Sunny says with a curious smile.

"The last I saw you, you were in 1st or 2nd." Dipali tells him smiling. Then she looks at Sultan and asks him. "How are you?"

"Good." Sultan replies confused. Did she know him?

Seeing that Sultan didn't have anything more to say, she says. "It's so nice to see you all together." Dipali tells them smiling. "Anyway, I'll leave you guys to it."

Then bidding her bye, she walks off.

"Who is that?" Sultan asks curiously.

"Didn't you recognize Dipali bhabhi?" Trishna asks him in shock.

Sultan turns to Rishabh and asks him outraged and pissed. "Rishu, what is she saying?"

Cheekily grinning, Rishabh repeats. "She asked, didn't you recognize Dipali bhabhi."

"What?" Sultan asks confused.

"You have no clue who she is?" Madhu asks him in shock.

"No." Sultan replies confused.

"Oh my God." Trishna gasps in shock.

"What?" Sultan asks confused and feeling lost.

"She was in my class." Rishabh decides to help out.

"Oh. School or college?" Sultan asks, understanding why he didn't recognize her. He stayed away from anything and everything that connected to Rishabh, Trishna and Sunny in school and college.

"Both." Rishabh tells him surprised.

"Really?" Sultan asks shocked.

"She used to be all of our best friend." Trishna tells him. "Except for bhai, of course."

"Oh my God!" Sunny shouts in shock. "Now, I remember her, she used to come to see me in my class."

"Yeah." Madhu chuckles.

"She was a darling." Sunny says then he says with a dreamy smile. "I think she was my first love." Then he turns to look at Dipali with a goofy smile.

"Look here." Sultan orders him, feeling possessive.

"You've no idea about her." Rishabh states seeing Sultan looking so clueless.

"Should I have?" Sultan asks confused as hell.

"Are you really our father's son?" Trishna asks him in shock.

"What?" Sultan asks her in shock.

"Sultan... the whole school and college knew that Dipali was crazy about you." Rishabh tells him.

"WHAT?" Sultan shouts in shock then he curiously turns to look at Dipali and sees her curiously looking at him, hearing his shout.

"Oh God, you're so hopeless, Sultan. Just like how Rishu was." Madhu says shaking her head.

Grinning Rishabh leans to her and kisses her. "I wisened up faster than him."

"No way!" Madhu laughs.

"Sultan bhaiyya... go speak to her." Sunny tells him seeing that Dipali was paying the bill.

"What should I speak?" Sultan asks confused.

"Oh God, bhaiyya." Trishna says exasperated. "Just go say, Dipali, I didn't recognize you at first... then just ask some few casual questions... then just a little bit flirting.. like, my God, you look amazing... then ask her for her number. If she gives her number, then know, she is still interested."

Sultan frowns at Trishna.

"God, Sultan bhaiyya... just do as I say. And check her out. Not too openly. And don't ogle. Subtle but make sure she realize that you're checking her out so she knows that you're interested in her." Trishna explains to him excitedly.

"How the hell do you know all this, Trish?" Sultan asks her frowning at her.

"What?" Trishna whispers, feeling as if she was caught stealing.

"You said you were only swiping left. You told me you will tell me if you ever swipe right!" Sunny accuses her as he glared at her.

"You're on bumble, Trish?" Rishabh asks her, frowning in displeasure.

"Just for fun, bhai." Trishna says uncomfortably.

"You had tinder app on your phone. You're on bumble too?" Sunny asks her in shock.

Trishna looks at Madhu for help. Madhu was feeling sorry for Trishna but then she wanted to laugh at the situation too. Trishna's three brothers were ganging upon her.

"What is all this, Madhu?" Rishabh asks her.

"What?" Madhu turns to him and sees him looking at her.

"Did you know about all this, Madhu?" Sultan asks her.

Madhu looks at Sultan and sees him looking at her. She looks at Sunny and sees him also looking at her.

"No way! I am her best friend. You can't pull me into your brother-sister drama." Madhu says.

"Leave all that, bhaiyya. Dipali is leaving." Trishna tells him.

Sultan turns to look and sees Dipali and her friends starting to walk out. Sultan quickly gets up and takes a step and he stops unsurely.

"What should I say?" Sultan asks confused and lost.

"Just go, bhaiyya." Trishna tells him, irately.

Seeing Sultan lost and Dipali leaving, Sunny loudly calls out. "Dipali."

Dipali stops and turns back. Everyone turns to look at their plates while Sultan stood there looking at her. Assuming it was Sultan who had called her, Dipali walks towards him. Seeing that, Sultan walks to her.

They all slyly watch him.

"God, he is standing like a statue." Trishna groans. "Such a total waste!"

"Trish, when we get back home, I really want to have a talk with you." Rishabh tells her.

Trishna awkwardly looks at him then she says dismissively. "There is nothing to talk. Nothing went beyond first dates!"

"How many dates were there?" Sunny asks her curiously.

Trishna glares at him then noticing Sultan walk back, they all look at him.

"How did it go?" Madhu asks him eagerly.

"Did you ask her for her number?" Trishna asks him excitedly.

"No." Sultan replies lost.

"You didn't?" Rishabh asks him shocked. "Madhu, I am much better than him!" Rishabh declares.

"Yes, you're, my love." Madhu says patting his arm, like any loving wife.

"She asked me whether my number was still the same." Sultan tells them.

"Thank God for small mercies." Trishna says.

"For sure, Meera Aunty raised him under some rock!" Sunny declares.

**********

Epilogue

It was Meera's birthday and everyone had gathered at Kundra Mansion for that. Like usual, when the family came together, it was all chaos and laughter.

"It is so nice to see the children so happy together." Malik says smiling as he watched them.

"Yes. Touchwood." Padmini says smiling.

"Never thought, they will come this close." Meera says smiling.

They chuckle seeing Dipali and Madhu bullying and hitting Sunny regarding something while he was laughing, not far from them was Sultan and Rishabh joking with Trishna.

"Masi..." Mukund calls Meera, lovingly.

Meera turns to him and sees her nephew cheekily grinning at her. He was holding his 7 months old son.

"Give him here." Meera says grinning. "You go have fun."

"Love you, masi." Mukund says as he dumped his son on her and ran off.

They laugh seeing him joining everyone.

"I pray that whoever Sunny marries, should get along with them like Dipali and Mukund did." Meera says hopefully.

Mukund is her nephew and during Sultan's wedding with Dipali, Mukund and Trishna had met and fell in love.

Shockingly, Mukund was someone Trishna had swiped left.

"You said some guest is coming." Malik asks Meera.

"Not guest, exactly. It is just Dipali's parents. And Mukund's. Just the extended family. Dipali's one cousin is staying with her parents. She is coming." Meera explains.

"Oh the girl that had come last week?" Padmini asks curiously.

"Yeah."

"Bhavya is a sweet girl. She is the one, I told you will be perfect for Sunny." Padmini tells Malik excitedly.

"Really? We should introduce them then." Meera says eagerly.

Meera considered herself the parent of Rishabh, Trishna and Sunny now. Considering that both Mohan and Radha were no more.

Trishna's words had proved true.

It was murder-suicide. Radha had stabbed Mohan to death and then killed herself. It had been a shock to all of them, though they all knew how Radha was.

Rishabh had been the most affected. He had thought himself immune to his parents but their death had hurt him the most. But this time, with Madhu's and his family's love and support, he had recovered quickly.

**********

Rishabh stood in the garden as he watched the children playing around, laughing happily without a care in the world. He smiles as he watched though his mind was not on the children playing there.

Madhu hugs him as she joined him.

Rishabh smiles and pulls her close.

"It's so nice to see that they are as close as Sultan and you are." Madhu says.

Sultan's son and daughter and their son were playing together happily.

"Yeah, they are." Rishabh says smiling. "Aarav looks like me but he reminds me so much of you."

"I'm his mother. You should be remembering me." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh chuckles. "He is so innocent, eager and friendly like you."

'That he is." Madhu agrees.

"But I wasn't thinking of all that." Rishabh tells her.

"Then?" Madhu asks him curiously.

"I just realized how special and precious Kundra Mansion is to me." Rishabh tells her.

"Really?" Madhu asks surprised. He had stayed there only a handful of times.

Rishabh turns to her and smiling, he kisses her cheek. "It is because this is the place where I found you."

*** The End ***

I hope you guys liked this story.

I won't be posting anything for a while, I am going to be busy for sometime.

Please vote and comment

- Lazy