Hello everyone...

How are you all?

Thanks to all for voting and commenting for the previous story. Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin... (Posted on 18. Aug. 2024)

Sorry for the long delay... had been super busy. But then I did try to write, and I would start a story then midway, I would either get distracted or lose interest. I have too many unfinished stories.

LOL when people who have never commented on my stories before, posts saying they miss me... I'm like...

MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR WARNING

Heroine is a doormat/ woe-is-me/ selfish

And this is the classic twin story, so please be ready for adultery and cheating!!!

The story is too long.

Word Count 28452

Madhu double checks everything and she closeso her bag. She checks her phone to check whether she was running late.

She has to leave to the airport in half an hour. She was going to travel around for a few months. She so needed the break from her home and her father. She was tired of living alone with him in their house.

Hearing the door open, she looks up.

"Hey..." Madhu says happily seeing her twin sister Nikita walk in. "I was going to call you. I was worried that you're going to be late and I'll have to leave before you reach."

"Is there anyway you can cancel your trip?" Nikita asks her as she dumped her luggage.

Madhu frowns seeing her luggage, her heart skipping a beat. "What's happening, Nikki?"

"I'm back. Rishabh has filed for annulment." Nikita informs her.

"What?" Madhu shouts in shock. "But why?"

Nikita sighs loudly as she looked away.

"Nikki... please go back home and work on your marriage." Madhu gently tells her.

"No... I hate him." Nikita tells her stubbornly. "I can't stand him."

"Nikki..." Madhu starts and stops hearing the door open and Malik furiously walks in.

"Daddy..." Madhu gently starts understanding why he is here.

"Rishabh told me." Malik furiously tells Nikita. "I told you to be good. Then why is he filing for annulment?"

"Because I don't want to be married to him." Nikita says furiously.

"I don't want to hear anything. You go to your house. You have no place here." Malik furiously tells her.

"I will not go there. I will not be with a man who married me for money and his career." Nikita says furiously.

"Did you think any other man would have had you? After the scandal you created with your affair with a married man who is 20 years elder to you?" Malik asks her furiously.

"I didn't want any husband." Nikita says furiously.

"Be grateful that I was able to buy you a husband. And Rishabh is perfect to take the company forward." Malik tells her furiously.

"You only care about the annulment because you are scared of losing Rishabh. Not for me!" Nikita furiously accuses him.

"YES! And he gave his resignation!" Malik furiously accuses her. "And you are going back to Rishabh and beg him to take you back."

"Daddy... please..." Madhu quickly starts as she knew, no way in hell her sister would beg Rishabh for anything. "Let's just talk to them and..."

"TALK?" Malik asks mockingly. "So, your sister didn't tell you the whole truth?"

"What truth?" Madhu asks curiously as she looked at Nikita.

Nikita guiltily looks away, unable to look at her sister's face.

"Rishabh caught her with her boyfriend. He has threatened that if Nikita doesn't sign annulment papers then he will file papers saying she cheated on him." Malik tells Madhu.

Madhu turns to Nikita in shock and asks him. "You didn't break up with him? How could you, Nikki?"

"Why should I? Rishabh hates me. I hate him. I don't see any reason to break up with him. And he is not my boyfriend. We just have fun." Nikita declares.

Malik furiously slaps Nikita. "You will go back to Rishabh, right away. When I come back, I don't want you here."

Madhu holds Nikita's hands and with her other hand, gently keeps it on her cheek that their father slapped.

"What are you doing, Nikki? Don't ruin your life like this." Madhu begs her

"I can't, Madhu." Nikita says as she breaks down. "I can't stand that Rishabh. I can't be in the same room as him. I just want to run away."

Seeing her sister crying, Madhu hugs her.

Madhu silently held her sister as she cried. She knew why her sister was like this. Their father never loved them. He wanted sons to take forward his company but was saddled with two daughters.

Their mother couldn't conceive again and their father threatened to divorce her. Post pregnancy depression and the emotional torture by their father, their mother ended up killing herself.

That didn't bring any change in their father. He just married another woman. Choti Ma was gentle and caring towards them. The only parent they ever had. But every time she got pregnant, and when their father found out that she was carrying a girl, he forced her to abort the baby. Finally when he did it to her a second time, she had left home, divorced their father and their father took his revenge by keeping them away from her. Few years later, she had married someone and relocated outside India.

Their father had made Nikki's opinion on the men population very low. Then Nikita had fell in love with a boy in college who had dumped her after he took her virginity. Ever since then, Nikki hates men and had become kind of a man-eater and she publicized all her affairs to humiliate their father.

Seeing her sister had calm down, Madhu gently tells her. "Rishabh is not bad, Nikki. It is true that he married you because Daddy offered him money and career but don't you think he deserves a chance?"

Nikita doesn't say anything to that.

"Has he ever held your past against you? Taunted you?" Madhu asks her.

"No." Nikita replies but she adamantly says. "I don't want to stay with him. And I already signed the annulment papers. He might have already filed them."

"Nikki... please, just don't do anything hasty." Madhu pleads her.

"I am feeling so trapped. I feel I have no one. No where to go." Nikita says as her eyes filled up. Then she helplessly says. "Now, I understand why Mummy killed herself."

Hearing that, Madhu panics and pleads her. "Nikki... please don't do any such things. Promise me, you won't."

Nikita cries as she hugs her. "I have nowhere to go. I can't be with Rishabh. I can't come home. I can't stay with Daddy. And you're going away. I am all alone."

As Madhu tried to brainstorm a solution, she asks her. "When will the annulment be finalized?"

"could take up to 3 months. That is what Rishabh said."

Taking a deep breath, Madhu makes her sister face her and holding her hand, she tells her. "You go for the trip in my place. You need this break."

"We can go together." Nikita tells her frowning in confusion.

"No." Madhu shakes her head and heart slamming against her chest, she tells her. "I'll go to your house in your place."

"WHAT?" Nikita asks her in shock.

"You have three months. Just stay away from Daddy and Rishabh. Clear your head, what if you change your mind?" Madhu asks her hopeful.

"Why do you have to go in my place for that?" Nikita asks her frowning then hopefully smiling, she tells her. "We will go for the trip together. We can be together. Just you and me."

Madhu shakes her head. "While you change your mind, what if Rishabh refuses to change his mind? I will go in your place and solve all the issues at your home."

"I will not change my mind." Nikita tells her.

"Let me just try." Madhu pleads her. "Please?"

"Rishabh is not going to let you enter his house." Nikita warns her.

"I will plead and beg." Madhu tells her then she says with a smile. "I will try to remove all bitterness from his side in the mean time. Hopefully when you come back, things would have fallen in place and maybe you and Rishabh can have a good marriage."

"It won't work out." Nikita declares. "You will be found out. We are as different as chalk and cheese and that Rishabh is no idiot. He'll figure it out in seconds."

"I'll manage it." Madhu tells her confidently. "How many times have we impersonated each other?"

Nikita looks at her unsurely.

"Only problem is if he tries to... er..." Madhu turns white, having just considered the possibility of Rishabh asking his wife for sex.

Understanding, Nikita scoffs. "That is one thing, you don't have to be scared of. On the first night itself, I made it clear to him that I will not let him touch me. He sleeps on the couch."

Madhu stares at her sister in shock realizing that her sister's marriage is not consummated.

Seeing her shock, Nikita says. "Before even he had the courage to lift his fingers towards me, I told him that he took money to marry me and if I have sex with him, then he will be nothing more than a prostitute in my eyes."

"You did not." Madhu whispers in shock.

"He disgusts me!" Nikita tells her then she admits. "Truth be told, I don't think even he was interested."

Madhu realized that to change the views of Nikki in Rishabh's eyes was going to be a very hard task. No sex, was a relief to her though. She didn't have to worry about how to avoid that.

"Let's leave. I will leave you to the airport and go to your house." Madhu tells her.

**********

"What the hell are you doing here?" Rishabh asks furiously seeing Madhu walking in.

"What is it, Rishu?" Radha asks curiously and stops seeing Madhu with her bags. "Nikita..." Radha whispers in shock.

"Why are you back?" Rishabh asks her furiously.

"I am sorry, Rishabh." Madhu says softly then she looks at his mother, and widowed sister-in-law, Dipali. "I am very sorry. Please give me one more chance."

Rishabh was going to refuse when Radha says. "Good that you came back, Nikita. You shouldn't give upon your marriage like that."

Madhu who was about to plead her case, stops in shock hearing Radha.

Radha turns to Rishabh, and says gently. "Give her a chance, Rishu. She wouldn't have come if this marriage meant nothing to her."

Rishabh takes a furious sharp breath then glaring at Madhu, he turns around and walks off.

Madhu watches him walk off.

"Go, Nikita. Go to your room and speak to him." Dipali gently tells her.

Madhu turns to the two women and says in relief. "Thank you."

"Just don't hurt him." Radha tells her softly.

**********

Madhu was about to knock on the door then realizing that she is supposed to be Nikki and this was Nikki's bedroom, she hesitantly opens the door.

Hearing her enter, Rishabh furiously turns to her and asks her. "What are you playing at?"

"I am sorry for everything, Rishabh. This time, I want to give our marriage a chance. Please give me a last chance. I will not do anything to..."

Rishabh cuts her off and asks her. "Your father refused to take you in. That is the truth, right?"

Madhu gulps hearing that.

"And now that your sister is also gone for her travel, you really have nowhere to go." Rishabh points out then chuckling he says. "What am I saying? You have your boyfriend... oops sorry... as you put it, fuck buddy. Why aren't you with him?"

Deciding to take the bait and also accept the truth, Madhu says. "I've no one. I am all alone. I don't have anywhere to go to."

"This is also not your house as you have so kindly pointed out all these months. And none of the people here, are yours." Rishabh reminds her.

"Please Rishabh, I promise, I will be loyal to you."

Rishabh loudly scoffs. "Please Nikita, if not anything, you used to be honest. Now, don't start being a liar."

"I am not lying." Madhu tells him.

"I don't believe you." Rishabh says shaking his head then giving up, he says. "I am not going to withdraw the annulment application. You can stay here till that is finalized only because I don't want to go against Ma. You have already hurt and insult them a lot. I am not going to hurt Ma by going against her."

"Thank you. I will not do anything to disappoint you or your family." Madhu tells him.

"Please I am not in the mood to laugh." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu sighs then she asks him hesitantly. "You didn't tell them about Mahesh?"

Rishabh gives her a disgusted look. "My family already hated that I was going to marry a girl like you. But still, once we had got married, they tried their best to accept my wife and be good to my wife. You couldn't even be bothered about them. Now, I don't want to hurt them by telling them that my wife is still like before."

"I am so sorry, Rishabh. I promise, I will be loyal to you. I was hurt by what my father did and I was acting out. And when to advance in your career, you agreed to marry me, my distrust in men..." Madhu explains Nikita's reasons as to why she is like she is.

Rishabh scoffs. "You didn't trust men to stay true to your marriage vows but you didn't distrust men enough to not sleep around."

Madhu knew he was right.

Seeing her silent, Rishabh says. "Anyway, you can stay here but it will be on my terms."

"What are they?" Madhu asks worriedly.

"I am done making adjustments for you. Compromising for you. Feeling guilty that to give my family a better life that I had married you for money and career. From now on, I will not compromise for you. If you so much as frown at my family, I will kick you out. You don't have to be good to my family. Just stay out of their way. Let them live in peace. If you see your fuck buddy... boyfriend, whatever, I will kick you out."

"I promise, I won't."

"I will not sleep on the couch anymore." Rishabh declares.

Madhu goes completely white hearing that.

Seeing her going pale, Rishabh says in disgust. "Oh please, I am not desperate for you. After what I witnessed, it disgusts me to even think of you."

Madhu nods hearing that.

"You'll sleep on the couch."

"Okay." Madhu tells him. Rishabh starts to walk off. "Thank you." Madhu tells him as she looked at him.

Rishabh stops and looks at her. "No matter how much I hate you, you are still my wife and it is my duty to give a roof over your head. Once the annulment is granted, you will be out of here. So don't get comfortable."

Madhu nods. Though worried but still realizing that whatever her sister thought, Rishabh was a decent man.

"I don't want my family to know about the annulment." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods.

**********

"He let you stay?" Nikita asks in shock.

"Yes. Even his mother and bhabhi." Madhu tells her. "They are nice people, Nikki."

Nikita ignores what she said and asks her. "Was he rude to you?"

"He is still angry." Madhu tells her.

"Madhu, if he so much as frowns at you..."

Madhu cuts her off. "Can you blame him? He saw you together."

"His friend saw us go to Mahesh's guest house and informed him. He barged in." Nikita informs her softly.

"Nikki, you have to end things with Mahesh and all the other men." Madhu warns her.

"Rishabh threatened to file for annulment citing adultery and name Mahesh in the petition. Mahesh ended it with me." Nikita informs her.

Madhu closes her eyes. "Just don't do anything that would jeopardise your marriage, Nikki."

"Hmmm... I am getting into the cab. I'll call you once I reach." Nikita tells her.

Madhu sighs. "Are you going to follow my itinerary?"

"Just for a day or two. I might won't travel with your friends. I might rent a bike and do a road trip and camping." Nikita tells her.

"But how will you travel alone?" Madhu asks her shocked.

"I will manage. I just want to be by myself for a bit." Nikita tells her.

"Okay. What will you tell my friends?"

"Just that I want to do a solo trip."

"Okay, just let me know where you are at." Madhu tells her.

Hearing the door open, Madhu looks up and sees Rishabh walk in.

Madhu cuts the call and seeing him looking at her, she tells him. "It was my sister."

"She reached?" Rishabh asks as he closed the door.

"Yeah. She is thinking of not travel with her friends and instead going on a solo trip." Madhu tells him, hoping to build a friendship with him.

Rishabh looks at her surprised. "Has she done that before?"

"No."

"Your father agreed? He had been so against her going on the group trip itself." Rishabh says shocked.

"He doesn't know." Madhu tells him then she asks curiously, "How do you know all this?" Definitely, her sister wouldn't be discussing this with him.

"When you were shouting at your father to give her permission to travel, the whole office heard." Rishabh tells her.

"Oh."

"Anyway, what does that have anything to do with me." Rishabh asks in a disinterested tone and starts to walk to the bed.

"You won't tell Daddy, no?" Madhu asks him.

"What your sister does is not any of my concern." Rishabh tells her as he got on the bed.

Madhu walks to the bed and takes the pillow and blanket.

"That is mine." Rishabh tells her frowning as he took the blanket from her.

"Sorry." Madhu says quickly as she picked the other blanket.

Rishabh ignores her and lies back.

Madhu walks to the couch and settles down to sleep. As she twisted and turned to get a comfortable position, she looks at Rishabh. He was lying with his back to her. The couch was so uncomfortable and small for her. She wondered how he used to sleep there for months.

**********

Madhu walks into the kitchen to see Radha and Dipali busy cooking. Seeing her, they look at her surprised.

"How come you are here?" Radha asks her.

"Do you mind, if I come in?" Madhu asks them.

"This is your house too. Your kitchen too. I never took anyone's permission. Then why are you asking permission?" Dipali asks her in shock.

Madhu smiles and walk in.

"What happened?" Radha asks her curiously. "Are you not well?"

"I am fine." Madhu tells her.

"You're not going to your health club?" Radha asks her.

Madhu shakes her head. Nikki started her day with half an hour in gym and then swimming for half an hour. That was how she stayed in shape. But that was not how Madhu stayed fit.

"What are you making? Can I help?" Madhu asks her.

Radha looks at her in surprise. "Nikita, you don't have to do all this to be a good wife or daughter-in-law."

"No, I want to do this. There isn't anything to keep me occupied." Madhu tells her.

"Okay then." Radha says.

**********

Madhu realized that Rishabh's mother and sister-in-law were actually sweet people.

From what Rishabh had said, she understood that Nikki's attitude towards them were not nice but still they were trying to be nice with her.

"Here, bhabhi." Madhu says as she passed the washed vegetables.

Dipali looks at her in shock.

"What happened?" Madhu asks curiously.

"You always called me by my name." Dipali reminds her.

"I want things to change. I want to be a part of this family." Madhu says hopefully. "If you could forgive me for my past mistakes and let me be a part of the family."

Dipali and Radha look at each other in shock.

"Please?" Madhu requests them.

Radha looks at her and tells her. "Then you should stop calling me Mrs. Kundra and call me 'Ma'."

Hearing that, Madhu smiles happily. "Okay, Ma."

Radha smiles hearing that. "Good." Then she says cheekily. "Mrs. Kundra made me feel like an English Madam."

Madhu chuckles hearing that. Seeing that both Radha and Dipali also chuckles.

Radha keeps her hand on Madhu's and squeezing it, she worriedly tells her. "Just don't hurt my Rishu."

Madhu nods her head.

"First Papa passed away then Dev's cancer treatment, he has suffered so much to manage everything. He even had to borrow money to keep things afloat. Then to pay off the debt, he was working day and night. He has been living for us. Just don't hurt him again." Dipali requests her.

"I won't." Madhu tells her.

"I understand that you are hurt that he married you for money. No girl wants to be married for that reason." Radha guilty says. "Even he knows that he was wrong to do that. But when you are drowning and someone throws you a rope..."

"I understand." Madhu says. Then she adds. "It was wrong of me to call him a gold digger."

"He was one." Radha admits. "We tried to talk him out of it."

"But now that you two are married, we want you both to be happy. Forget your past and your reasons for this marriage. Just try to keep each other happy." Dipali tells her.

Madhu nods, vowing to herself that she will do everything in her power to save this marriage.

**********

"Bhabhi..." Rishabh stops in shock seeing Madhu in the kitchen with them, laughing about something.

Madhu stops laughing seeing him, staring at her in shock.

"Yeah, Rishu?" Dipali turns to him curiously.

Rishabh turns to look at Dipali then he says, still lost in his thoughts. "I've paid the school fee."

"Okay." Dipali says with a smile.

Rishabh turns to look at Madhu and asks her. "What are you doing here?"

"Just talking and helping." Madhu says with a shrug.

Rishabh looks at her confused.

Seeing him so confused, Madhu politely smiles.

Rishabh frowns at her and leaves.

"Just give each other some time." Radha gently tells her.

Madhu nods as she smiled at her.

**********

Rishabh was in his room when he hears Asha crying. He curiously turns around and sees Madhu walking into the room carrying his baby niece.

Seeing him looking at her, Madhu tells him. "Bhabhi went to take a shower. Ma is in the kitchen and it is hot there, she was getting cranky. So, I brought her here."

Madhu walks to the window and starts pointing out random things to distract the baby.

"Give her." Rishabh says seeing be so unsuccessful.

Madhu turns to him and offers the baby to him. Rishabh picks her up and starts rocking the baby gently.

Seeing Asha calming down, Madhu looks at Rishabh and confesses. "I am not used to babies."

Rishabh doesn't say anything as he played with his niece.

"You might be used to babies with Asha and Akshay." Madhu says, referring to Dipali's elder son.

Rishabh turns to her and frowning in confusion, he asks. "What are you trying to do?"

"What?" Madhu asks him confused.

Rishabh waves a hand between them. "This. Trying to have conversations with me."

"I just wanted to be civil with you." Madhu tells him.

"Because your father kicked you out?" Rishabh asks her. "We both know why you are here. So, you don't have to do all this. Just behave yourself and you can stay here till the annulment."

Madhu sighs feeling helpless.

"You don't even have to do this fake relationship with my family. Just don't hurt them. I am not asking you for anything else in return for letting you stay here." Rishabh tells her.

"I am not faking anything." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh shakes his head and looks away.

**********

"Daddy said you resigned." Madhu gently says seeing Rishabh starting to leave for office. "Did you join somewhere else?"

Rishabh turns to her and asks exasperated. "Is that what he said?"

"Yeah. That you gave your resignation." Madhu replies confused.

"He refused to accept my resignation. He paid of my debts before our wedding. He is threatening me to work on this marriage and continue to work in office or else he will file a complaint that I took dowry." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu looks at him in shock. "I am sorry, he is blackmailing you like this."

"I am not going to be his pawn. I am still going to end this marriage and find a way out of his clutches." Rishabh tells her.

**********

"So, he is not letting you stay there out of the goodness of his heart. He is just following Daddy's instructions." Nikita points out.

"If that was the case, why would he tell me the truth?" Madhu asks her.

"He is a gold digger but he is not a liar." Nikita tells her.

"Daddy just used his desperate situation. If he wasn't in debt then he wouldn't have married you for money." Madhu defends Rishabh.

"He could have refused to be his so called heir." Nikita says in hatred.

Madhu sighs hearing that. She knew, the reason Nikki hated Rishabh so much was because their father, gave him the respect and acceptance that they never got from their father.

"How is your trip going?" Madhu asks her.

"Trek was amazing. You should have been with me. Leave all that nonsense, and you come with me." Nikita tells her.

"After we finish the trip, where will you go to then?" Madhu asks her softly.

Nikita was silent hearing that.

"These people are so nice, Nikki. You are so lucky." Madhu tells her gently.

"I've to go." Nikita says hearing that.

**********

Slowly, Madhu became a part of the family. She found a mother in Radha and a friend in Dipali. Even Akshay and Asha also started being close to her and she was their fun chachi. Though when it came to Rishabh, they were still strangers.

They shared the same room but didn't speak much. Every time, Madhu tried to converse with him, he would shut her down.

But Rishabh was noticing how Madhu was with his family and he was getting confused seeing these changes in her.

Dipali was sitting with Akshay on the dining table while she helped him with his homework.

"Bhabhi... Asha is hungry. You feed her, I will help Akshay." Madhu tells her.

Dipali smiles at Madhu as she picked up her daughter and went to her bedroom.

Madhu smiles and sits next to Akshay. "So, what are we doing?"

"Cursive writing." Akshay informs her as he smiled at her then he continues to write.

Once he was done with that, Madhu helps him with his maths homework. While he was doing the last sum, Madhu goes to the kitchen and comes back with a chocolate for him.

Rishabh reaches home just then. Seeing Akshay sitting alone, he starts to go to him when he notices Nikita take her seat next to him.

She checks what he had written and smiles proudly. "Well done."

Akshay smiles at her proudly.

"For doing all the sum by yourself, here is your prize." Madhu says as she offered him chocolate.

"Thank you, chachi." Akshay says as he hugged her.

He opens the chocolate and starts to eat. "You don't want?" He asks her curiously.

"No." Madhu says shaking her head.

"You don't like chocolate?" Akshay asks her curiously.

"I do. I love them." Madhu tells him, feeling nostalgic.

"Then why you don't want it?"

"I have to watch what I eat. I can't put on weight." Madhu tells him.

"Why?" Akshay asks her confused.

"I've to stay fit."

"I eat chocolate. And I am fit." Akshay says showing his biceps.

"Wow."

"I am very strong. I can defeat you in arm wrestling." Akshay says proudly.

"No way!" Madhu says in fake shock.

"I can."

Rishabh watches in shock as Akshay and Nikita arm wrestled and Nikita losing to a much delighted Akshay.

**********

"Why are you playing with my family like this, Nikita?" Rishabh asks Madhu the moment she walked into their bedroom.

"What?" Madhu asks in shock hearing that.

"What are you doing with them? At least, leave the kids out of this." Rishabh tells her.

"Rishabh... I am not playing anything." Madhu tells him in shock.

"They are kids, Nikita. They are going to be hurt when you leave." Rishabh tells her.

"I am not trying to hurt anyone, Rishabh." Madhu tells him in shock.

"Then what the hell are you doing with them?" Rishabh asks her pissed.

Madhu helplessly looks at him and says. "First time, I have a family."

Rishabh stops hearing that.

"It was always been my sister and me. We had no one else. We had Choti Ma, but she left us. We never knew what it is to have a family. To have their love." Madhu tells him.

Madhu looks at him and says. "The only family time, we had was when Daddy called us to his study and criticized us for disappointing him."

Rishabh couldn't help but feel sorry for both Nikita and Madhu hearing that. He couldn't believe how it was to grow up with that kind of a father.

"Here... I just wanted to have a cordial relationship with Ma and bhabhi. But when I took a step towards them, they took ten towards me." Madhu tells him, her eyes filling up. "I am not playing any game. I am just being part of a family, that I might not have for long."

Rishabh looks away hearing that.

"Now, I understand why you sacrificed your life for their better life, Rishabh. You just wanted to give them a better and comfortable life. I understand that. And they deserve all the happiness in the world." Madhu tells him.

Hearing her, Rishabh was feeling conflicted. At once, he was feeling touched but at the same time, confused. In the end, he nods his head, accepting what she had said. Because he knew, Nikita never lied. If she was saying something, then it is from her heart.

**********

Things changed from then on.

Rishabh wasn't rude or curt with Madhu. He wasn't over friendly with her but he was polite with her.

"You can sleep on the bed." Rishabh tells her as they got to sleep one night.

"No, it's okay." Madhu says feeling nervous.

"I know how uncomfortable the couch is." Rishabh takes cushions from the couch and keeps it in the middle of the bed, making a partition.

Rishabh turns to look at Nikita and sees her looking at the bed thoughtfully.

"I don't want to mess this up." Madhu tells him, unable to come up with any reasons to say no. her heart slamming against her chest.

"Nikita, I am just offering you half of my bed. Nothing else." Rishabh points out to her.

Madhu nods, feeling a little relieved. She walks to the other side of the bed and gets on the bed.

"And Nikita..." Rishabh calls her.

Madhu turns to look at him.

"Keep to your side." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu gasps in outrage hearing that then seeing him cheekily grinning, Madhu takes the cushion between them and hits him on his chest with it then she keeps the cushion between them as he chuckled. Hearing him chuckle, Madhu also smiles.

"Good night, Rishabh."

"Good night, Nikita."

Madhu lies on her stomach, resting her head on her hand over the pillow as she looked at Rishabh.

"Rishabh..." Madhu softly calls him.

"Yeah?" Rishabh turns to lie on his side as he looked at her, leaning up on his elbows.

"Will you be my friend?" Madhu asks him softly.

Rishabh looks at her as he thought about it.

"Just friends. Nothing more." Madhu tells him.

"Why?" Rishabh asks her.

Madhu confesses. "I never truly had a friend."

Rishabh lowers his gaze as he took in what she had said. Then he says with a sigh. "I don't know."

Madhu nods accepting his answer. Things between Nikki and him were horrible.

Seeing her disappointed, Rishabh couldn't help it. "Maybe." Rishabh says unsurely.

Madhu smiles in surprise hearing that. "Really?"

"You seem to have changed. You're so good with my family." Rishabh tells her hesitantly.

Madhu without thinking sadly confesses to him. "It breaks my heart when I think that one day I have to leave all of you."

Seeing the pain on her face and from what all she had shared with him lately, he tells her gently. "We are ending our marriage. That doesn't mean, you have to cut off ties with Ma, bhabhi and the kids. We'll always be here."

Hearing that, Madhu smiles in excitement and asks him. "You wouldn't mind if I come to visit you guys?"

"I won't." Rishabh tells her.

"Thank you, Rishabh." Madhu says smiling.

"My family loves you. I can see that, Nikita." Rishabh tells her.

Hearing that was like a wake up call for Madhu, for a few minutes, she had forgot that she was Nikita for him.

Madhu can never be a part of his family. This was Nikki's family.

And that broke her heart.

**********

They were going to sit for breakfast. Rishabh was about to sit down when he notices Nikita also coming to the table with the food. She keeps the food on the table and starts to sit when she sees Rishabh pull the chair for her.

Surprised, Madhu smiles at him as she sat down. Rishabh smiles at her as he sat next to her.

Madhu picks up the casserole and serves upma for him. Rishabh smiles at her seeing her serve for him. Madhu smiles and turns to serve for Akshay who was sitting on her other side.

Seeing Rishabh and Nikita smile at each other, Radha and Dipali smiles in relief.

**********

Rishabh walks into his bedroom after work. He was kind of curious too. He didn't see his wife when he walked in. Normally, she would be with his family when he reaches home and this evening she was missing.

It felt strange not to see her when he got home.

Seeing their bedroom also empty, he walks out of the bedroom. He sees the terrace door open.

Hearing some huffing and puffing, he curiously walks towards the terrace. He steps out and stops in surprise seeing his wife beating and kicking the crap out of a standing punching bag.

Seeing him, Madhu stops as she smiled at him, trying to catch her breath. "Hi, when did you reach?"

"Just now." Rishabh tells her then he looks at the punching bag. "This?"

"Finally arrived today." Madhu tells him happily. "Took forever to deliver."

Seeing Rishabh confused, she tells him. "I ordered it online. I wanted one with stand, so it was taking time for delivery."

"Why didn't you go to a store and get it, if you didn't want to wait?" Rishabh asks her confused.

"I didn't want to go out." Madhu confesses.

"Why?" Rishabh asks confused, realizing that after she came back, she hadn't stepped out of the house.

"I didn't want to give you any reasons to be suspicious about me." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh frowns hearing that. "That doesn't mean you should be a prisoner at our home."

Madhu looks at him surprised. "You said our home."

Rishabh looks at her confused then realizing he did say that, he became uncomfortable.

Seeing that, Madhu says to change topic. "I didn't want to go out also." She didn't want to run into people and accidentally reveal their secret.

Rishabh nods. "Is that why you stopped going to the health club?"

"I just didn't feel like going."

Looking at the punching bag, he says a little amazed. "I knew your sister is some kickboxing pro. Didn't know even you were."

Madhu felt nervous hearing that. Then she says, "We both learned together. She took to it while I just saw it as a form of exercise."

Rishabh nods then with an amazed smile he says. "If you are like this I wonder how your sister is."

Madhu grins hearing that. "She wanted to be a professional kickboxer."

"And why is she not?" Rishabh asks her curiously.

"Daddy." Madhu tells him then because he was her friend now, Madhu confesses her secret to him. Grinning happily, she tells him. "Without telling him, she sneaks off to take part in small tournaments."

"That is nice. And she won?" Rishabh asks smiling.

"Almost all of them." Madhu replies smugly.

"WOW! I should be careful to not get on her wrong side."

Madhu laughs hearing that.

Then using this opportunity to make him understand her sister a little better, she tells him. "Madhu took out her frustrations, loneliness and the mess at our home, physically through kickboxing. While I took it out emotionally."

"You were lonely?" Rishabh asks her frowning.

"We had each other." Madhu tells him. "But yeah, at times, it was just only us."

"How old were you when your mother...?" Rishabh asks her gently.

"4 months." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh sighs, feeling hurt for the sisters. "You both were newborns."

"Daddy married Choti Ma after that." Madhu tells him.

"How was she with you both?" Rishabh asks her.

"We have only good memories with her." Madhu says as she thought of her.

"I am glad that you both had her." Rishabh tells her.

"Then Daddy ruined it all. They got divorced." Madhu tells him sadly.

Rishabh's heart went out to her realizing, just how lonely she has been all her life.

**********

"Rishabh is very nice, Nikki. He treats me like a friend now." Madhu informs Nikita excitedly. "Rishabh, Ma and bhabhi are just amazing. Akshay and Asha are so adorable. Akshay is a darling. And Asha, you won't believe, yesterday I was just going to leave the room, and she started crying so much. She stayed with me the whole day. Bhabhi was saying I am Asha's favorite after Akshay. Even Rishabh is after me." Madhu tells her excitedly.

"That is nice." Nikita says softly.

"You should come back, Nikki. It is so perfect here. You are going to be so happy with them." Madhu tells her. "I am going to miss them so much when I go back."

"Hmmm."

"You come back fast." Madhu tells her.

Nikita doesn't say anything.

"Nikki, you there?" Madhu asks her.

"Yeah, I am here only."

"Why are you silent?"

"I just need more time." Nikita says hurriedly. "I will call you later." Saying that, she hangs up.

Madhu sighs and sadly looks at the phone.

**********

"How was your day?" Madhu asks Rishabh as he sat on the bed to sleep.

"Busy... usual." Rishabh says with a shrug as he removed his slippers then he glances at her and asks her curiously. "How was yours?"

"It was nice." Madhu tells him smiling. "We went out."

"Who all?" Rishabh asks surprised.

"Ma, bhabhi, Asha and me."

"Ah the Kundra ladies." Rishabh says.

Madhu smiles hearing that.

"Where did you guys go?" Rishabh asks her curiously as he laid down facing her.

"Mall. It was so much fun. You should have been there."

"Well, I wasn't invited." Rishabh reminds her.

"Would you have come?"

"Not today. It was a busy day in office." Rishabh tells her.

Hearing that, Madhu asks him gently. "How is it with Daddy?"

Rishabh shrugs. "Just professional. I don't give him space to speak of anything else."

"I'm sorry for what Daddy is doing to you." Madhu tells him regretfully.

"It is not your fault. You and your sister have no control over him, just like me." Rishabh tells her then he asks curiously. "That reminds me, how is your sister's trip going?"

"She is having the time of her life." Madhu tells him smiling. "She was staying in a tent in a forest kind of area."

Madhu takes her phone and swipes through it and shows him a photo of a tent. "She was staying in this."

Rishabh looks at the photo of a tent in the middle of the lots of trees.

She swipes the photo and shows a photo of "Madhu" sitting next to the tent with morning light streaming on her.

"Amazing photo, no?" Madhu asks him smiling as she took her phone back.

"Yeah." Rishabh replies frowning. "Is she with friends?"

"No, they split. She is doing solo trip. I don't know how she is doing it alone." Madhu tells him as she kept her phone on the night stand.

Rishabh frowns wondering why Nikita was lying to him. That photo was not a selfie. Someone was with Madhu. Then he mentally shook his head. Nikita had no reason to lie to him and she never lies. Maybe Madhu lied to her, or the photo was taken with the phone on a timer. Anyway, why did he care what Madhu did?

"What happened? You seem lost." Madhu asks him as she looked at him.

Rishabh shakes his head and asks her. "Would you camp like that?"

"No." Madhu quickly replies.

"Why?" Rishabh asks smiling hearing her immediate reply.

"No toilet. I'll have to go in the open. No privacy." Madhu says shuddering then she says, "and it won't be comfortable. The couch itself was so uncomfortable."

"Ah, I see." Rishabh says grinning. "I slept on that for months."

Madhu grins. "What about you?" Madhu asks him.

"I don't know. Maybe." Rishabh says. "It's adventurous."

"It will be too open and outdoors." Madhu tells him.

"I don't think I have a problem with that." Rishabh tells her.

"Yeah?"

"When Dev Bhai was hospitalized, I used to have insomnia that time." Rishabh says gently as he thought of his brother.

Madhu keeps her hand over his and squeezes it.

Wanting to share with her, he says. "Sometimes, I would just go out at night. Walk around. Few times, I ended up at the beach and I just lay down there on the sand. I've slept off lying there."

"I never asked Ma and bhabhi about your brother. I didn't want to hurt them." Madhu gently tells him.

Rishabh sighs remembering his brother. "He was 4 years older to me. He was so protective about me."

Madhu sadly smiles hearing that.

"Papa had a stroke and he was under treatment for a long time. Dev Bhai and I was managing everything. Then Papa passed away. Things were just getting back to normal. Bhabhi became pregnant with Asha. We were all becoming happy again when Dev Bhai's cancer was diagnosed." Rishabh tells her sadly.

Madhu keeps her hand on his cheek, her heart breaking hearing what they all had gone through.

Rishabh keeps his hand over hers and gently squeezes her hand. He gently smiles at her.

Madhu smiles back at him as she took her hand off.

"Did you know that Dev Bhai and bhabhi had eloped?" Rishabh asks her smiling.

"What?" Madhu asks in shock.

"Yeah. Her family was against the wedding. So they eloped. Bhabhi's family still hasn't forgiven her."

"Even after bhaiyya passed away?" Madhu asks him in shock.

Rishabh shakes his head. "No."

"Then her family is no better than my father." Madhu tells him frowning in dislike.

"Why is your father like this?" Rishabh asks her.

"He wanted sons." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh frowns hearing that. "Sons and daughters, what difference does it make?"

"To take his company and his legacy forward he wanted sons." Madhu tells him.

"What nonsense? What makes him think that you or your sister can't do that?" Rishabh asks outraged.

Seeing him outraged, Madhu leans to him and whispers to him. "My sister says, he thinks brains are located in penis."

Rishabh's mouth drops open then chuckling he says, "I never thought Madhu had that kind of wicked sense of humor. It is something that I expect from you. Not her."

"But you haven't even spoken to her." Madhu tells him surprised, though, she was surprised how accurate he was.

Rishabh shrugs. "I have been working in your father's company for years."

"But only I used to work there. Not Madhu." Madhu tells him confused.

"Office talk. I have heard so much about you both even before our marriage."

"Oh."

"Basically that you're the aggressive one and she is the people pleaser." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods hearing that.

"I never realized that your father was obsessed with sons." Rishabh tells her.

"Mummy killed herself because of that. Choti Ma left him because of that." Madhu then tells him what had happened to both her mothers.

"My God, how can someone be so cruel?" Rishabh asks in shock.

"I think he didn't marry again because he finally learned basic biology that it is the father's gene that determines the sex of the baby." Madhu tells him.

"Did you ever try to contact your Choti Ma?" Rishabh asks her.

"She has her own family. When you think of it, we are from the darkest phase of her life. We'll bring only bad memories for her." Madhu tells him sadly.

Rishabh holds her hand in his. His heart breaking for her.

"You both really had no one else growing up." Rishabh tells her, his heart going out to them.

"But we had each other." Madhu tells him feeling emotional.

Rishabh sighs. "I don't know how life would have been for you, if your were an only child." Rishabh says, he couldn't imagine how it would have been for his wife. He was starting to realize that beneath all the aggression was a gentle and lonely person who just wanted to belong.

**********

Hearing music and laughter from his mother's room, Rishabh curiously goes to check. He stops in surprise seeing his mother and Nikita dancing.

He felt overwhelmed seeing his mother dance after ages but then his gaze moves to his wife who was dancing so full of josh.

He couldn't help smile realizing his wife was doing the male bit while his mother was doing the shy female bit.

As the music ended, Radha stops gasping.

"Enough." Radha says holding her hips.

"Ma, one more." Madhu says excitedly.

"No... no." Radha says shaking her head. "I've work in the kitchen."

"Ma, just one more. Last dance." Madhu says as she quickly scrolled through her phone to pick another song.

"No, I am tired." Radha says then noticing her son at the door, she tells him as she walked by him and left the room. "Your wife has too much energy."

Rishabh grins as he looks at Madhu and sees her finally noticing him. "I know."

Madhu laughs as she complained to him. "You never told me that Ma dances."

Rishabh walks to her and takes her mobile as he scrolled through it.

Madhu looks at him surprised as he never took her phone.

"When we were small, she used to always dance. After Papa passed away, she had stopped." Rishabh says.

"Did you miss her dancing?" Madhu asks him.

"I did." Rishabh admits then looking up at her, he says. "Thank you."

Madhu was about to say something when he leaves her phone on the bed. A second later she hears music playing from her phone. Madhu looks at him surprised and sees him offer her his hand as the song 'Husn Tera Tauba Tauba' starts playing.

Smiling happily, she keeps her hand on his. They start to dance happily.

"Husn Tera Tauba Tauba." Rishabh sings as he looked at her.

Madhu laughs happily hearing him sing.

Rishabh keeps his hands on her waist and pulls her close to him as they swayed to the music.

Madhu blushes as she kept her hand on his shoulders.

Rishabh grins seeing her shyly look at him.

Madhu's heart skipped a beat seeing the way he was looking at her.

In his casual cotton shirt and work pants, with a day's old beard, Rishabh was looking out of the world.

Madhu was shocked to realize that she never noticed how handsome Rishabh is.

And every time, he smiled at her, her heart did a crazy jig.

"Even I want to dance." Akshay calls out as he ran to them.

Rishabh and Madhu smiling seeing Akshay. Rishabh leans down and picks up Akshay. Holding Akshay in one hand, Madhu on his other hand, they three dance together.

Seeing him holding Akshay in his hands as they danced, Madhu suddenly had an image of Rishabh and her dancing together with him holding their baby.

The image was too beautiful, that she laughs happily as she danced with them.

**********

Rishabh wakes up and frowns immediately seeing Nikita's side of the bed empty.

"Nikita." Rishabh calls out as he sat on the bed.

When there was no reply, he realized that she wasn't in the toilet. He gets off the bed confused. He always woke up first. She woke up after him. And today, she wasn't in bed like usual.

He frowns wondering where she went off to.

**********

Rishabh walked around his house as he looked for his wife. She wasn't in the kitchen or living room. He wondered whether she was with bhabhi then out of the corner of his eyes he sees some movement and he curiously looks out the window and sees his wife running.

Surprised he steps out and sees that she was running around the house.

"Good morning." Madhu says as she stopped in front of him. "What are you doing here?"

"I saw you running." Rishabh tells her. "When this did start?"

"Today. I hadn't checked my weight in a while. Yesterday I checked and can you believe I put on 2 kgs?" Madhu asks him.

"2?" Rishabh asks her exasperated.

"You don't understand. I've to be fit." Madhu tells him. "Do you have any idea how hard is it for me to lose weight?"

"You look perfect to me." Rishabh says.

Madhu was surprised to hear that, she asks with a grin. "Really?"

Rishabh looks at her realizing what he had said. Then he was surprised himself. Yes, his wife looks beautiful. She seemed perfect. But when did he start noticing all these things about her?

Earlier, he could see she was beautiful but he never felt any kind of attraction towards her and her attitude towards him had quickly made him hate her.

He had to admit to himself that, it had changed. Maybe because he was starting to realize what a beautiful person inside she is and it was starting to reflect for him outside too.

"You had coffee?" Madhu asks him, seeing him lost in thoughts.

"Are you done? We can have together." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu checks her watch. "Just 2 more kilometers."

"What is your target?" Rishabh asks her.

"10."

"How long have you been running?" Rishabh asks surprised.

Madhu turns her watch to show him.

"You're fast." Rishabh tells her. "I doubt I can do 8kms in that time." Then he says frowning. "I doubt I can run for 5kms even. You are so fit."

Smugly Madhu kicks his calf. "I'm a kickboxer."

Rishabh shouts as he bend down.

"Oh sorry.... Sorry." Madhu quickly says as she held him.

"Were you trying to break my leg?" Rishabh asks her in shock.

"Sorry... I didn't realize you were so weak." Madhu tells him.

"I'm not weak. You're too strong." Rishabh tells her offended.

"Yeah.." Madhu admits.

"You don't have legs. You've bricks." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu looks at him upset and hurt. "What a cruel thing to say to your wife? Am I so unattractive?"

Rishabh looks at her in shock then he quickly says. "I didn't mean it like that. Just that you have well developed legs. It was a compliment."

"Oh." Madhu stops in surprise then she smiles. "Then it is okay."

Rishabh shakes his head as he smiled at her. Then he keeps his hand over her scalp and shakes her head. "I don't know what I am going to do with you."

Madhu laughs hearing that.

"You finish your jog. I'll make coffee for us." Rishabh tells her.

"Can you bring it here? We can have it here."

"Okay." Rishabh says smiling.

"Do you know how to make my coffee?" Madhu asks him hurriedly.

"Black with no sugar." Rishabh replies.

"Yeah." Madhu says with a smile.

Rishabh frowns and asks her. "Is it because of your weight thing that you quit milk?"

"What?" Madhu asks confused.

"I just remembered, you used to ask for low fat milk earlier. Or is it that you never took milk with your coffee?" Rishabh asks confused, he had never really bothered with her earlier.

Nikki took her coffee with milk while she always stuck to black coffee. "I switched." Madhu lies.

"Ah okay." Rishabh nods.

**********

Trying to catch her breath, Madhu stops next to Rishabh. Rishabh smiles at her as he sat on the steps.

"Your coffee." Rishabh points to the cup next to him.

"1 second." Madhu says as she stretched.

Rishabh watches her stretch and as he noticed her toned body, he realized that his wife was so damn sexy.

She had well defined biceps, triceps, calf, thighs, hips, God that abs, chest... oh my those ass.

Rishabh stops in shock realizing that he was checking her out. He quickly looks away as he tried to calm his raising heart beats and the raising of other organ.

Madhu picks her cup then seeing that Rishabh was sitting to the side, leaving space for her to sit next to him.

She suddenly felt very conscious as she realizing how sweaty she was. "I will sit here." Madhu says and sits on the step where his leg was. "I am sweating like a pig."

Okay, that was a relief. "Good, my sense of smell is the strongest." Rishabh tells her with a grin.

Madhu swats his legs. "You're so cruel, Rishu."

Rishabh smiles hearing her call him 'Rishu'.

"Why didn't you go to your health club?" Rishabh asks her.

"I felt like running here." Madhu tells him.

"Fresh air." Rishabh says.

Madhu nods as she looked at the backyard.

"We used to have more plants. Bhabhi had a vegetable garden. Organic farming. she used to be obsessed with it and she used to sell those vegetables too." Rishabh tells her.

"Then what happened to it?" Madhu asks him shocked as she looked at him.

"Dev Bhai fell sick, she was pregnant. She just had no time or strength for it." Rishabh says softly.

Smiling excitedly, Madhu tells him, "Maybe we can set up for her a garden. Asha doesn't need her 24x7 now. Ma and I can watch her while bhabhi is busy with the garden."

Rishabh smiles hearing that. "Yeah, maybe we should."

"Do you remember what all vegetables she had? And where exactly was her garden?"

Rishabh starts answering her questions as he pointed out where everything was.

By the time, they finished talking about Dipali's garden, Madhu realized that her coffee was over. She leaves her cup on her side and she keeps her elbow on his knee as she slightly leaned on him. "Rishu..."

"Yes, Biwi?" Rishabh replies with a smile.

Madhu smiles hearing him call her 'Biwi'.

"I love your house." Madhu tells him as she looked at the trees and plants.

"it is not luxurious like your house. It doesn't have half the amenities that is there in your house." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu turns to look at him and smiles. "But that was never my home. This is my home."

Rishabh smiles and keeps his hand on her shoulders and squeezes it.

Madhu smiles and turns to look ahead. "I feel happy here."

"I know." Rishabh says smiling.

"You know, after my sister left, it was just Papa and me. It was hell. I was alone. I was suffocating." Madhu says shuddering in horror. She was about to tell him that is the main reason that she had begged her father to let her go for the trip.

"Where did Madhu go leaving you?" Rishabh asks confused.

Madhu stops in shock hearing the question, realizing that she was speaking to Rishabh about herself. Recovering, she quickly says. "Er... when she went for tournaments."

"Ah... so what would she tell your father when she goes for her tournaments?"

"Study tour. College excursion. Friend's marriage."

"Wow... so many lies." Rishabh says surprised. "I think that is one big difference between you and your sister."

"What do you mean?" Madhu asks him as she turned to look at him.

"You don't lie."

"You think I don't lie?" Madhu asks him surprised.

"You always spoke the truth to me. No matter what it is." Rishabh tells her with a frown.

Madhu nods as she turned to look ahead, Nikki never truly lied.

"Do you lie, Nikita?" Rishabh asks her confused.

"Yeah." Madhu admits.

"You do?" Rishabh asks shocked. He believed that Nikita would never lie.

"Only to my sister." Madhu tells him with a smile.

"I thought you were closest to your sister." Rishabh tells her in shock.

"True."

"Then why do you lie to her?"

"Because I don't want to disappoint her." Madhu tells him then frowning, she says. "Actually, Rishabh, not lies, it is more like, lie by omission. Same when I cover for her when she goes for her tournament."

"Hmmmm."

"I don't lie just that I don't speak the real truth. I just let my sister assume the painless lies."

"And when she catches your deception?" Rishabh asks her.

Madhu stops as she thought of the times, when Nikki had let her assume things, fearing she would be disappointed in her. Madhu sighs sadly. "It hurts, Rishu."

"You can be honest with her like you are with everyone else. She is the one who has been with you always, she deserves your honesty more than anyone else." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu knew, Rishabh was right but she understood her sister and defends her sister. "I can't help being myself. And that always hurts my sister. I want her to be happy always. So, I just can't help it."

"Sometimes we are just helpless when it comes to our loved ones' happiness." Rishabh admits.

"Yes." Madhu says with a sigh then she turns to him and asks him. "Are you happy, Rishu?"

Rishabh thoughtfully stops hearing the question. Thinking about it, he smiles gently. "Things had been horrible for a long time. But lately, it feels so peaceful." He looks at her and smiles as he gently caressed her cheek with his thumb. "I guess, now I am happy."

Madhu smiles hearing that. "I want you to be happy always."

Rishabh takes his hand off her face and slightly bends down, bringing his face close to hers and asks with a smile. "Really, Biwi?"

"Yes." Madhu tells him as she looked into his eyes. "Your happiness is as important to me as my sister's."

Rishabh's smile drops hearing that. His heart skips a beat. If he knew anything about these sisters then it was that, no one was as important as the other for them. And now, his wife just told him that he was as important to her as her sister.

Seeing him looking at her like that, made Madhu uncomfortable. "Er... I need a bath." Madhu says as she picked both their cups and went inside.

Rishabh watches her walk away, his heart slamming against his chest realizing that she is in love with him.

**********

"I've an interview day after tomorrow, so I'll be working from home." Rishabh informs Madhu.

Madhu went white hearing that. Why was Rishabh taking the interview at home? Did they need a photo with the family? Could she take a photo and publish it as Nikita? What if Daddy recognize her? What if someone they know realize the truth?

"What happened?" Rishabh asks frowning, seeing her like that.

"Will they want to take family photo?" Madhu asks him.

"Family photo?" Rishabh asks her confused. "Why would..." Rishabh stops then realizing he says, "Idiot, it is a job interview."

"Oh." Madhu says smiling. "When you said interview..." Madhu gives an embarrassed chuckle. "Daddy always have had people coming to interview him and I thought..."

"People know me, but I doubt I have reached that stage where they would come to me for interviews." Rishabh tells her shaking his head.

"You have." Madhu says loyally.

Rishabh grins hearing that.

"So, is it a good company?" Madhu asks him smiling happily.

"Yeah, it is." Rishabh tells her smiling.

"You'll get it definitely." Madhu tells him then she worriedly asks him. "But you said Daddy didn't accept your resignation."

"I submitted my resignation with the HR. It will not be my fault if they don't start the process." Rishabh tells her.

"Just be careful, Daddy can be very vengeful."

"I know." Rishabh says with a sigh.

"It is Director post, right?" Madhu asks him remembering.

Rishabh was made director after the marriage.

"Yeah." Rishabh replies.

"You will rock it." Madhu tells him excitedly.

"You're so confident." Rishabh tells her chuckling.

"I know you are good." Madhu tells him proudly. "If Daddy was impressed then you were awesome."

Rishabh smiles softly hearing that. Rishabh holds her hand and says. "You know, how it was after Papa and Dev Bhai passed away. I was drowning in debts. I worked hard. Day and night, I just kept working. And my hard work and dedication started paying off and I started getting promoted. I just kept climbing up quickly. It was happening so fast that your father actually started noticing me. when he started speaking to me one on one and talked in-depth about my business insights, future and all, I thought he was just impressed with my work and was guiding me. He started to even asking me about my family and I told him everything. Till he put the marriage proposal forward, I never realized that was his intention."

Hearing that, Madhu tells him the major issue that Nikki had with him. "Do you know why I resigned?" Madhu asks him.

"I thought you had a fight with your father." Rishabh tells her.

"It was my dream to take over Daddy's business. After college I told Daddy I wanted to work with him. He wasn't very keen but I kept insisting that he hired me. He made me start from the bottom. I wasn't upset. I thought with my hard work Daddy will give me deserving post."

Madhu sighs as she looked at Rishabh, her heart breaking for her sister. "I was always overlooked for promotion. Every time, someone else would be promoted instead of me. I was more deserving than all of them but I wasn't a man, so I didn't deserve a promotion."

Rishabh guiltily looks at her because the only reason he was made Director was because he had married her. By birthright and hard work, she should have been the Director.

"Then you became Director only because you agreed to marry me. Not because you deserved it. I resigned and all my attempts to find another job, Daddy ruined it."

"I am so sorry." Rishabh says holding her hand in his.

"I know you have the caliber, Rishu." Madhu tells him smiling.

Rishabh guiltily tells her. "I was struggling to keep my family safe from all creditors. At that time, you're father had come and gave me an easy way out. I knew it was wrong. Your Daddy told me you wanted to avoid the scandal. You were living this wild life. You had a very bad reputation but on the other side there was my family's safety and future. I chose the easy way. I stood to gain and I never realized what all you were losing."

Madhu sighs, a sense of relief rush through her that Rishabh finally understood her sister and her circumstances.

"I'm very sorry." Rishabh tells her.

"I am glad you understood why I was behaving the way I was." Madhu tells him.

Madhu realizes that what she had come here to do, she finally accomplished it. All the bitterness Rishabh and his family had towards Nikki was wiped out. It was time for her to leave.

The thought itself breaking her heart.

What will she do away from Rishu? From her family? How will she go away from them? Leaving Rishu?

"What are you thinking?" Rishabh asks her softly.

Madhu looks at him then she asks him nervously, "Do you regret this marriage?"

"I knew I was ruining my life, all chances of a good married life by marrying you." Rishabh tells her then smiling as he pulled her close, he says. "But now I know, I made the right decision. Not for my family. For myself."

Rishabh smiles and hugs her happily.

Madhu hugs him as her heart slammed against her chest, realizing that Rishu is in love with her.

The realization made her so happy that she hugs him tighter.

**********

Madhu was sitting on the terrace step with Asha on her lap as they watched the rain. When the breeze and water droplets fall on her face, Asha happily laughs.

"You like rain?"

Madhu turns back and sees Rishabh watching her with a smile. "Love it."

"Me too." Rishabh says smiling as he sat next to her.

"How did your interview go?" Madhu asks him.

"Really good." Rishabh tells her happily as he tickled Asha who had just noticed him and was excitedly smiling at him.

"I knew you would crack it." Madhu tells him proudly.

"You were not even a little worried about my interview." Rishabh says amused.

"No. I was confident." Madhu tells him then smiling she tells him. "I did pray for you though."

Rishabh smiles hearing that. "Thank you."

Madhu excitedly says as she clapped her hand. "I can't wait for you to get this job and kick Daddy's ass."

Rishabh chuckles seeing her excitement. "You're crazy."

Asha laughs as she bounced on Madhu's lap, drawing both Rishabh's and Madhu's attention on her. They both smile seeing Asha laughing.

Seeing Asha on Madhu's lap, Rishabh couldn't help the smile and longing. He smiles thinking of her holding their baby like that.

He wished they have a daughter, and she looked exactly like her mother. Then mentally chuckling, he wishes. And be a kickboxer like her mother.

"What?" Madhu asks him seeing him stare.

Rishabh shakes his head as he happily chuckled softly. "How did you get so wet?"

"When it started raining, Bhabhi, Ma and I had gone out to cover Bhabhi's garden." Madhu tells him. "Bhabhi and Ma had gone to change, so I brought Asha with me."

"Why didn't you change?"

"I didn't want to come into the room and distract you during your interview." Madhu tells him.

Hearing that, Rishabh sighs softly feeling so loved.

"You hold her, I'll go change and come. Otherwise I will fall sick." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh picks up Asha and kisses her cheek. Then he moves towards Madhu and kisses her cheek.

Madhu's eyes widen in surprise at his kiss.

Seeing that, Rishabh winks at her.

Madhu blushes seeing that. Then feeling shy, she starts to stand up.

Rishabh holds her hand and tells her. "Tomorrow evening, will you come with me somewhere."

"Of course." Madhu replies happily then curiously she asks. "Where?"

Rishabh chuckles and asks her. "Shouldn't you be asking me that first?"

"I'll come anywhere with you." Madhu tells him shyly.

Rishabh smiles hearing that. He kisses her other cheek and whispers. "I know."

Madhu blushes even more.

"It's for dinner." Rishabh tells her.

"Dinner?" Madhu asks smiling then disappointed she says. "But Akshay has class day after. Bhabhi will not agree."

Rishabh looks at her shocked. "Not everyone. Just you and me."

"Just us?" Madhu asks surprised.

"Yeah." Rishabh says. "Just us. It is a date."

"Date?" Madhu asks excitedly.

"Yeah." Rishabh grins. "Now, go change otherwise you're going to fall sick and ruin our very first date."

Madhu laughs happily as she walked to their bedroom.

**********

Madhu was happily wiping her hair as she thought of the way Rishabh had kissed her. She touches her cheek and blushes.

How she loved him.

And he also loved her.

How did she get so lucky?

Deep in her heart, she always believed that she would have a loveless marriage because Daddy would have married her off for some business deal or for some other motive, just like he did with Nikk...

Madhu stops in shock as she realized.

Her eyes fill up and her heart breaking realizing that she is in love with her sister's husband.

How did she forget that Rishabh was Nikki's?

Madhu falls down on her knees as she broke into tears.

**********

"Hi Madhu." Nikita answers the call happily.

"Nikki, you've to come back." Madhu tells her frantically as she cried.

"Why are you crying, Madhu? Did that Rishabh say anything?" Nikita asks angrily.

"You have to come back this instant, Nikki." Madhu tells her angrily.

"What did he do?" Nikita asks her furiously.

"If you don't come back now then I'll never be able to leave Rishu." Madhu tells her breaking down.

Hearing that Nikita goes silent.

"Nikki?" Madhu desperately calls out her name.

"So, he is also in love with you... huh?" Nikita asks her.

Madhu stops in shock hearing that. "How did you..."

"I'm your sister. The other half of you. I understood that you love him long back. Why did it take you so long to realize it?" Nikita asks her.

"What are you saying? He is your husband, Nikki!" Madhu asks her shocked.

"In name only." Nikita reminds. "Neither was I ever his nor he ever mine."

"But you both are married!" Madhu tells her.

"The Rishabh that you're seeing, I have never seen him." Nikita tells her. "I was with Rishabh for 5 months but he never even liked me. And in less than three months, he is in love with you. His hatred for me also couldn't stop him from falling in love with you."

"But this is wrong. I don't have any rights on him." Madhu tells her helplessly. "he is yours."

Nikita takes a deep breath and she gently tells her. "I told you I was planning a solo trip. I split up from your friends and started traveling alone. But I met this guy a week into my solo trip. I never told you. I just let you think that I was traveling alone."

"What are you saying, Nikki?" Madhu asks her in shock. "Are you cheating on Rishu again?"

"Yes."

"You don't deserve Rishu." Madhu says furiously.

"I came to clear my head. Not for me but for you. You had asked me to. But I couldn't be loyal to Rishabh. I don't think I can ever be loyal to him. I still hate him like I did when he agreed to marry me."

"I explained everything to you." Madhu reminds her furiously.

"He is sorry now. That doesn't change what he snatched from me." Nikita reminds her.

"Even you were in the wrong, Nikki. You treated him and his family like shit." Madhu reminds her furiously. "I am here trying to save your marriage and you keep ruining it."

"I never wanted this marriage. I never wanted you to go in my place and do all that." Nikita reminds her.

Madhu stops hearing that.

"You should stop acting as me, Madhu. Tell him the truth. I will never go back to Rishabh. He is yours." Nikita tells her and hangs up.

**********

"Why do you look so lost?" Rishabh asks her as they got on the bed.

Madhu nervously looks at him. "There is something I want to tell you, Rishu."

"Yeah, tell me." Rishabh says smiling.

"Rishu..." Madhu nervously gulps, fear gripping her heart. "I... I..."

Rishabh smiles thinking that she was going to tell him that she loves him.

Seeing him smile, Madhu felt fear engulf her. Will he forgive me for the deception? What if he leaves me? Refuse to accept me? What if he starts to hate me?

"Tell me, Biwi." Rishabh gently coaxes her.

"I will tell you tomorrow." Madhu gives into her fear and decides to tell him the truth tomorrow, during their date.

Hearing that, he couldn't wait anymore. He sits up facing her excitedly. "I can't wait till tomorrow."

"What?" Madhu asks, her heart slamming against her chest as she sat up.

Rishabh takes her hands in his and kisses her knuckles then looking at her, he says. "You know, how things had been so bad between us for so long."

Madhu nods.

"This time, things had changed between us. I wanted to cherish it. I wanted to cherish you." Rishabh tells her as he smiled at her.

Madhu smiles hearing that.

"I wanted to take things slow. Take you on a date. Court you." Rishabh then sadly smiles at her, "Help you get back everything that you lost because of me. Help you with your career."

Madhu nods nervously hearing that, knowing that he was speaking of Nikki and not her.

"I never withdrew the annulment petition at first I was adamant on the annulment as I wanted you out of my life. Then I felt that we both should just be friends and end this marriage. But then I fell in love with you and I realized even you love me. I wanted to do it right this time. End that farce marriage and do it the right way. Date you, build our love and get married again for all the right reasons. But now, when you were hesitating to tell me you love me, I realized that I didn't want to waste any more time. Tomorrow, first thing, I am going to withdraw the annulment petition."

Rishabh lovingly smiles at her. "Before, I couldn't be in the same room as you. Couldn't speak to you without either of us wanting to throw things at each other. I started hating you. But ever since you have come back, everything changed. I changed. You changed. We have changed."

Madhu gulps hearing that.

"I let you stay here but in the beginning, I was waiting for you to mess up. But you had truly changed. You genuinely wanted to make it up to my family. I couldn't keep hating you. Then we became friends and as I got to know you, I don't know when my hatred turned to like and to love. I didn't realize it. I didn't even fight it because of the way you made me feel."

Madhu smiles hearing that, her eyes filling up, her heart filling with joy hearing him tell her that he loves her.

"At first you were my friend, then you became my best friend. I could share with you things that I could never tell anyone. It felt so easy speaking to you. Being with you. So much so that, if I don't see you, I get restless." Rishabh tells her.

"When I married you, I knew everything about you. I genuinely wanted our marriage to work. I believed your past is in the past and we could build a future together but then within hours of our marriage, I realized that our marriage was doomed. But still I tried to make it work till you turned against my family."

Madhu looks down hearing that.

Rishabh cups her face and makes her look at him. He lovingly smiles at her. "When I gave up completely on our marriage, you had come back and you saved our marriage. You saved us. I love you, Biwi."

A sob breaks out of her hearing that.

Rishabh wipes her tears and tells her. "Now, tell me you love me."

Eyes filled with tears, Madhu lovingly caresses his cheek. Then cupping his face, she leans to him and kisses his forehead.

Rishabh lovingly smiles at her, his eyes filling with happy tears.

"I came here to save your marriage, Rishu." Madhu tells him. "To remove all the bitterness and issues." Then looking into his eyes, she says as she cried. "I never thought I would fall in love with you. I never expected to. I never thought it was a possibility."

Rishabh smiles as he lovingly wiped her tears. "Even I thought the same. Never thought love could ever happen between us."

"I wanted to save your marriage. But as I got used to this life. Got close to you and everyone here. You became my family. You all became mine. I didn't even realize it that I was forgetting why I was here. I just fell in love with you." Madhu helplessly tells him. "I love you, Rishabh Kundra."

Rishabh smiles happily hearing that.

"I love you so much, it hurts." Madhu tells him as she cried. "I don't want to lose you. You're the one I have waited for my whole life. You're the only thing I want from life."

"I'm yours." Rishabh tells her as he cupped her face.

"You'll never leave me, right?" Madhu asks him.

"Never." Rishabh promises her.

"Rishu, I want to tell you something." Madhu tells him, her heart gripping in fear.

"There is more?" Rishabh asks her grinning.

"Rishu, I.. I am... Madh..." Unable to say it, Madhu hugs him as she cried.

"What happened, love?" Rishabh asks her worriedly as he hugged her. "What is worrying you?"

"I am so scared." Madhu whispers to him as she cried.

"Why?" Rishabh asks her in concern, his heart breaking hearing her sobs.

"You'll leave me." Madhu tells him.

"I would never leave you." Rishabh tells her reassuringly, misunderstanding that her insecurities regarding losing both her mothers and her lonely life with her father was making her fearing that bad was just around the corner.

"Promise?" Madhu asks him.

Rishabh pulls her to his lap and make her face him. Then he tells her. "My life starts and ends with you."

Madhu smiles hearing that and she hugs him.

Rishabh held her like that for a while, letting her calm down.

**********

Realizing that she was sitting on his lap and how close they were, Madhu asks him shyly. "shouldn't we sleep?"

Rishabh hugs her tighter. Madhu snuggles into his arms, blushing happily.

"Can I kiss you?" Rishabh asks her.

Madhu blushing profusely looks at him.

"Why are you blushing so much?" Rishabh asks her chuckling.

"I don't know." Madhu tells him.

Chuckling, Rishabh leans towards her takes her lips in his. Madhu kisses him back.

They were hungrily kissing each other, when Rishabh stops hurriedly and turning to the bed, he takes the cushions in the middle, and starts throwing them on to the floor.

Seeing that, Madhu nervously looks at him.

Rishabh was going to kiss her when he saw her look pale. "What happened?"

"I'm nervous." Madhu says worriedly. "Will it hurt?"

Rishabh frowns hearing that. Why is she asking that like a virgin? He is the virgin amongst the two of them. Or is it that, she has been celibate ever since she got back, does it hurt to do it after a break? Rishabh frowns, he didn't know that. And he didn't want to think about her previous experiences. Of what he had seen.

Rishabh frowns. He had thought that he didn't care about her past. All the men before him. Then why was he suddenly feeling a blinding rage thinking of her with other men. Why was he jealous?

Madhu cups his face and takes his lips in hers. "I know, you will make it perfect for me."

Feeling her mouth on him, Rishabh forgot everything else but her.

**********

"Did I hurt you?" Rishabh asks Madhu as he leaned on his elbows and looked at her.

Madhu smiles. She didn't feel pain, maybe years of kickboxing had broke her hymen. Madhu shakes her head. "It was perfect."

Rishabh grins and leaning down he takes her lips in his.

**********

Rishabh smiles as he looked at Nikita sleeping dead to the world. He had kept her awake the whole night. They couldn't just get enough off each other.

He leans to her and kisses her temple and smiles seeing her sleep through it.

He lies down as he watched her sleep. He really should sleep. In about an hour, he has to get up and he hadn't slept a wink. He moves to her and keeping his head on her shoulder and hugging her, he tries to sleep. There was something that was keeping him awake and he just couldn't figure out what it is. Like something was screaming at him and he just couldn't hear it properly.

Forcing himself to sleep, he closes his eyes as listened to her even breathing.

He was dozing off when...

I came here to save your marriage, Rishu.

I didn't even realize it that I was forgetting why I was here. I just fell in love with you.

You'll leave me.

I'm nervous. Will it hurt?

I.. I am... Madh...

Madhu.

Rishabh sits up in shock as he stared at his wife.

No... no... NO!!!

That is not possible!

"Nikita... Nikita..." Rishabh shakes her awake in panic.

Madhu frowns hearing that, she opens her eyes sleepily. "Rishu, what happened?"

"Why did you say your marriage and not our marriage?" Rishabh asks her panicking.

"What?" Madhu asks him confused.

"Why were you worried that it would hurt like you were a virgin?" Rishabh asks her.

Hearing him, Madhu turns completely white, scared to death.

Seeing her like that, Rishabh whispers in shock and heart break. "Madhu?"

"Rishu... please let me explain." Madhu tells him as her eyes filled up.

"Explain what?" Rishabh asks furiously as he got out of the bed. "EXPLAIN WHAT?"

"Rishu... please, Rishu?" Madhu begs as she leaned on her knees going to him.

Seeing her naked, Rishabh turns around and screams in outrage. "WEAR YOUR CLOTHES!" Then realizing even he was naked, he picks his clothes and goes to the bathroom.

Breaking into tears, and filled with fear and guilt, Madhu starts wearing her clothes.

"Rishu...what happened? Why did you shout?" Radha asks as she knocked on the door.

Gulping, Madhu stares at the door, not knowing what to do.

"Rishu... Nikita... is everything okay there?" Radha asks worriedly when there was no reply.

Rishabh comes out of the bathroom as he furiously glared at Madhu.

"Rishu..." Madhu starts to go him.

"Rishu... Nikita..." Dipali worriedly calls them.

Hearing them, Rishabh opens the door. Radha and Dipali hurries in.

"What happened? Why did you shout?" Radha asks them.

"Is everything okay, Nikita? Rishu?" Dipali asks them.

Madhu walks to Rishabh and starts to keep her hand on him. "Rishu.."

"Don't touch me, you slut." Rishabh furiously says as he stepped away from her.

Madhu breaks into sobs hearing him say that. Her heart breaking. Her fears coming true.

Radha furiously slaps Rishabh. "Is this how you treat your wife? Treat a woman."

"Wife?" Rishabh asks furiously. "She is not my wife."

Madhu closes her eyes in pain.

"What happened, Rishu? Why are you behaving like this?" Dipali asks him in shock.

"She is not my wife!" Rishabh furiously screams.

"Rishu... Nikita, what happened? Everything was fine then..." Radha asks in shock as she looked at them.

"She is not Nikita. This is Madhu." Rishabh says furiously, his eyes filling up.

"What?" Radha whispers in shock.

"That is not possible." Dipali says in shock.

"What is he saying, Nikita?" Radha asks her in shock.

"i know i betrayed your trust. I cheated you. That was not my intention. I am so sorry." Madhu says as she cried.

"You're Madhu?" Radha asks her as she stepped back in shock.

Madhu nods.

"What are you doing here? Where is Nikita?" Dipali asks her in shock. "When did you come here? I spoke to Nikita last night also."

"Nikita never came back. It has been her, all this time!" Rishabh says furiously.

"What?" Radha looks at Rishabh in shock then turning to Madhu, and asks her. "But why would you do this? Does Nikita know that you are staying here?"

Madhu nods. "I came to solve the issues between Rishu and Nikki."

"By making me fall in love with you? By seducing me?" Rishabh asks her in furious disgust.

Madhu looks at him and tells him. "That was not my intention. But I didn't even realize, I just fell in love with you." Madhu tells him helplessly. Looking at him, Madhu confesses to him with helpless tears. "I forgot you were forbidden to me."

Rishabh looks away furiously.

"Acting as your wife, I don't know when I started living as your wife. I started believing you were my husband. This my family. I fell in love with you all. I love you so much, Rishu. Believe me, I wanted to tell you that I am Madhu. But when I tried, I got scared that you would leave me." Madhu tells him as she cried. Then she begs him. "Please don't leave me, Rishu. I will live my whole life as Nikki with you. please, don't leave me. I will keep you happy, always."

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Rishabh furiously shouts at her. "YOU ARE SPEAKING TO YOUR SISTER'S HUSBAND, MADHU!"

Hearing him say that felt like a dagger to her chest.

Rishabh furiously walks out of the room. Madhu turns to Radha and Dipali, without saying anything, they walk out of the room.

**********

"Hello?" Malik answers the call.

"Come and take your daughter away from here!" Rishabh furiously tells him.

"I married her off to you. She is your responsibility. I've nothing to do with her. Learn to handle your wife." Malik tells him dismissively.

"Madhu is not my responsibility." Rishabh furiously tells him.

"Madhu? What do you mean?" Malik asks him confused. "What is Madhu doing in your house?"

"Impersonating Nikita."

"What?"

"Do you have any idea where both your daughters are? What kind of father are you?" Rishabh asks him furiously. "Just come and get your daughter."

**********

"I want you out of my house. Never ever step foot inside my house again." Rishabh tells Madhu.

"Rishu..."

"I have called your father. He will come to get you." Rishabh tells her.

"You called Daddy?" Madhu asks him in shock. "You're sending me off to him?" Madhu asks him hurt.

Hearing her question, it felt like she considered that a betrayal from him. Knowing what he knew about her father, it did feel like a betrayal but he couldn't think of that right now, all he could think of was what she did to him.

"Stay away from me, Madhu. Don't ever come near me again." Rishabh tells her and leaves his house.

**********

Heart broken and scared, Madhu walks into her father's house. He hadn't come. He had sent the driver.

She sees him furiously waiting for her. Fearfully, she walks to him.

"Daddy..." Madhu fearfully calls him.

Malik slaps her.

Her cheek stinging, Madhu keeps her hand on cheek, her eyes filling up because of the physical pain.

Malik furiously grips her hair and makes her face him. "I thought you were better than your sister." Malik furiously says. "Why did you do this?"

Madhu winces in pain as she cried.

When she didn't answer him, he furiously pushes her to the floor. "If you step out of this house again, I will kill you."

Malik walks off leaving her alone.

Madhu, hugging her legs into a ball, cries lying there as she thought of Rishabh.

Hearing her phone ring, Madhu checks it to see that it is her sister calling. She answers the phone and keeps it to her ears.

"Did you tell him the truth? What did he say?" Nikita asks her worriedly.

Hearing her, Madhu wails loudly.

**********

"Hello?" Radha hesitantly says as she answered the call.

"Ma..." Madhu says softly as she cried.

"I don't know what to say to you, Madhu." Radha helplessly says.

"Please forgive me, Ma. I know I shouldn't have betrayed you all like this."

"You shouldn't have, Madhu." Radha tells her.

Madhu cries hearing that.

"Stop crying, Madhu." Radha gently tells her.

"I can't stay here, Ma. I want to come home. You all are my family. This is hell for me." Madhu tells her crying.

"If it was up to me, I would have asked you to come home. But it is not. What you did to Rishu is too cruel. I can't even imagine what he is going through now."

"Please ask him to forgive me, Ma. I can't live without him." Madhu tells her crying.

"I don't know, I think even if he ever forgives Nikita, he will never forgive you, Madhu." Radha tells her.

Madhu cries hearing that. "Why, Ma?"

"Because he never loved or trusted Nikita. He loved and trusted you, Madhu. I am sorry, I can't speak for you to him." Radha tells her.

**********

"I told you to stay away from me, Madhu." Rishabh says furiously seeing her walk into his home.

"Nikita." Nikita informs him.

Rishabh stops in shock, as he took in the woman in front of him. He was able to seeing the difference now. Though they had the same face, their body build was different. Why hadn't he noticed that before?

"You made my sister cry." Nikita furiously accuses him.

"You pimped out your husband." Rishabh furiously accuses her. "That too to your sister."

"Oh come on, don't tell me you never realized that it was not me. We might look alike but we are no way the same." Nikita accuses him. "I'm sure you knew it. You would have to be a fool to not know that was not me."

Rishabh felt uncomfortable hearing that. "I didn't understand the sudden change in character then she told me your father kicked you out and I thought, you were forced to mend your ways. I never thought it was Madhu."

"Madhu loves you." Nikita tells him.

"I don't care." Rishabh says furiously. "Anyway, our annulment will be finalized in a day or two. Then I don't want to see you or your sister ever again."

"Why are you acting so outraged?" Nikita asks him in shock. "You got money, career and the pure and better sister. What do you have to complaint?"

"I am not a toy." Rishabh tells her in disgust. "I am not something that can be passed around you both sisters! Get out."

**********

"How dare you come in here?" Malik furiously asks Nikita seeing her walking in.

"Did you forget? This is my house." Nikita reminds him.

"Your husband's house is your house." Malik tells her.

"He is not going to be my husband for long." Nikita informs him.

"He will not divorce you. I will not let him." Malik says arrogantly.

"I'm ending my marriage with him. You'll not be able to stop me." Nikita furiously tells him.

Then before he could say anything, she tells him. "Daddy, you have two options. Either you let me stay here."

"Or what?" Malik asks her furiously.

"There is this rich married man. I've been seeing him. If you won't let me stay here then I am openly going to be his mistress. Stay in the apartment he gives me. Let him flaunt me like a mistress. The choice is yours."

"You wouldn't dare." Malik furiously says.

Nikita steps closer to him and staring into his eyes, she tells him. "My sister needs me. And nothing else matters to me. Which means, I am no longer scared of you. So, whether you like it or not. Whether you give permission or not, I am going to stay here."

Malik knew when he was beaten. If Nikita was here for Madhu, then there was no way, he could control her.

Nikita starts to walk off then she stops. "I am done being under your thumb. I am going to look for a job. If you try to ruin my job chances then know this, I can live off a sugar daddy."

**********

Madhu was looking at her phone screen when she hears the door open. She turns to look and sees her sister at the door.

Crying she tells her. "Rishu blocked my number, Nikki."

Nikita walks to her and hugs her.

Madhu hugs her as she cried her heart out. "He hates me. He doesn't want me anywhere near him. I betrayed him. I cheated him. Why did I do this?"

Nikita simply holds her as she listened to Madhu cry, her heart breaking at her sister's pain. Her hatred for Rishabh increasing, because he did the one unforgivable crime, made her sister cry.

Madhu looks at her and tells her sadly. "Rishu doesn't want anything to do with me. Ma and bhabhi are upset with me. Akshay called me asking when I will come back. I didn't know what to tell him." Then fresh tears falling from her eyes, she tells her. "Asha is going to forget me."

"Just give it time, Madhu. If they love you like you love them then everything will be fine."

"Nothing is going to be fine. It is me. I can never be happy in life. Everyone I love will be snatched from me. One day, even you will leave me."

"I would never leave you." Nikita tells her sternly.

Madhu looks at her and says helplessly. "I don't know what to do. How to make it up to Rishu. How to undo all the hurt I caused Rishu and our family."

**********

"Did Daddy see you?" Madhu asks Nikita. "He is not going to let you stay here." Madhu tells her worriedly.

"I saw him." Nikita tells her.

"And?"

Nikita uncomfortably looks at her and says. "I told him I would stay with Prithvi if he doesn't let me stay here."

"Who is Prithvi?" Madhu asks her frowning.

"The guy I told you I was traveling with."

Madhu looks at her angry and fed up. "Why are you doing this?"

"Rishabh and my marriage will be annulled soon." Nikita reminds her.

Madhu looks down at her hands and whispers in regret. "We both ruined his life."

"He started it all." Nikita tells her.

"Daddy did. Not him. Daddy took advantage of his situation." Madhu argues.

"I really don't want to argue with you regarding him. I hate him and you love him, we will never agree on anything regarding him." Nikita tells her.

Madhu nods, she just didn't want a fight with her sister in the middle of all this.

**********

Soon, Rishabh's and Nikita's marriage was annulled. But none of them informed Malik about it. Just because they didn't want any drama.

"I am not going to tell him. Let him find out when he does." Nikita says on the phone.

Madhu curiously looks up wondering who she was speaking to.

"I don't know..." Nikita says tiredly. "How do you think Madhu is? Yeah... okay... yeah I'll see you later... okay, bye." Nikita says and hangs up the call.

"God! He asks too many questions, I should get rid of him." Nikita says irately.

Prithvi.

Madhu curiously looks at her sister. This is strange. If a guy irritated her, she would dump him on the spot without a thought or care in the world. But with Prithvi, she is hesitating. After all these years, has some guy become special for her?

"What?" Nikita asks her curiously seeing Madhu watching her.

Madhu didn't want to speak about it and then jinx it or make her sister conscious about it. So, she doesn't say anything about it. "Was it Prithvi?"

"Yeah... God.... He is so big into talking. It is irritating." Nikita tells her as she walked to her.

"Talking about what?" Madhu asks her curiously.

"About you, Daddy, Rishabh, past, future... he just wants to talk, talk and talk. Pesters me."

"And you tell him?" Madhu asks her.

"When I feel like it." Nikita tells her.

Madhu watches her sister in surprise hearing that. Nikita never shared anything with anyone other than her, if she was doing it with Prithvi then he has started to mean something to her.

"He is going through a messy divorce, deal with that first instead of my shit!" Nikita says irately and walks off.

**********

Madhu was in her room as she messaged Dipali.

Bhabhi...

Immediately she gets her reply.

How are you, Madhu?

Madhu's eyes fill up seeing that. Not wanting to tell her how miserable she is, she messages her. How is everyone there?

Rishu is really upset. He is not speaking to anyone of us. All he told is that the annulment is granted.

Madhu closes her eyes in pain.

Akshay and Asha keeps asking for you. I just keep telling him that you will Come back soon. I just don't know what else to tell him, he is too small and he will be really hurt if I tell him that you might never come back.

Madhu cries reading that.

**********

Couple of week later, Madhu and Nikita were in their bedroom when Malik furiously walks in.

"Did you know that Rishabh was planning to walk out of the company?" Malik asks Nikita furiously.

"Madhu mentioned that. Why?" Nikita asks him back.

"Madhu?" Malik asks confused as he looked at Madhu then turning to Nikita, he asks exasperated. "Your sister has to keep you updated about your husband?"

"Ex-husband." Nikita corrects him.

"What?" Malik asks frowning in confusion.

"Actually, not even ex-husband. Our marriage was annulled. That marriage doesn't even exist." Nikita tells him.

"Annulled?" Malik asks furiously. "Who gave you permission?"

"I don't need your permission. It's my life." Nikita tells him.

"Get out of my..." Malik stops remembering what Nikita had threatened him with. He furiously glares at his daughter, wanting to slap her senseless.

"I gave him everything. I made him my heir and that ungrateful dog walked out on my company and me!" Malik says furiously. "And saying to take all his end of service, gratuity as payback for clearing his debt."

"You misused his situation. Then you blackmailed him." Madhu furiously tells him.

Malik murderously glares at her. "Stop defending him. He was your sister's husband. He is no one to you."

Madhu sadly gulps hearing that. Then she warns him, "if you file a dowry case against him or do anything to slander him, then I will tell everyone how you made Choti Ma abort her babies."

"And forced me to marry Rishabh." Nikita tells him.

"You wouldn't dare." Malik says furiously.

"I will do anything to protect Rishu." Madhu tells him.

"I don't care about him but he matters to Madhu. So, I won't let you do anything." Nikita also warns him.

Malik furiously glares at them. "You think you can defeat me? That Rishabh can?" Malik then says with a smirk. "When he started acting smart with me, I knew this might happen. I've already found his replacement."

"Daddy, Nikki is good. Why are you always choosing outsiders over her?" Madhu asks him in outrage.

"She is good for nothing." Malik says in disgust and walks off.

"I'll kill him one day, Madhu." Nikita says, her eyes filling with furious tears.

**********

That evening, Madhu was called down to the living room by Malik. Madhu frowns seeing a man sitting with Malik.

"Did you call me, Daddy?" Madhu asks him.

"Madhu, meet Abhay. You'll be marrying him soon." Malik informs her.

Madhu stares at him in shock and says furiously. "I am not going to marry him."

"You'll." Malik tells her in a dismissive tone. "He will take over Rishabh's position in the company."

"I will not marry you." Madhu tells Abhay furiously.

"You will." Malik tells her furiously. "Before people find out how you have been sleeping with your sister's husband, I want you married off."

Madhu turns red hearing that.

"I think we should have the wedding soon before people start finding out about it. Maybe this week itself." Abhay says as he stood up.

"I said I won't marry you." Madhu tells him furiously.

Abhay looks at her for a second then ignoring her, he turns to Malik and tells him. "Before the wedding, you've to fulfill your part of the deal."

"I'll." Malik tells him irately.

"Then I'll see you in offi..." Abhay stops when a foot hit his cheek and he fell down to the ground.

Malik and Madhu turns in shock and sees Nikita stand with her leg up in the air.

Nikita lowers her leg and stands on both her legs as she looked at Abhay.

Abhay's mouth was bleeding and he was crawling back in terror.

"I am an amateur. She is the champion." Nikita informs him. Then says in disgust. "You're so pathetically weak that two days with her, you will die."

"Have you gone mad?" Malik furiously shouts at her.

Nikita turns and swings her leg up to his face but stops a breath away from touching his face.

Malik stares at her is shock and scared.

"Next time, you try to interfere in Madhu's life, I won't stop. Stay away from my sister." Nikita warns him.

Taking Madhu's hand, she walks off.

**********

"What is the use of being a kickboxing champion if you won't use it when you need it?" Nikita furiously asks her.

Madhu worriedly gulps hearing the question.

Seeing that, Nikita frowns. "What are you not telling me, Madhu? What are you hiding?"

Madhu nervously looks at her sister and confesses. "We made love."

Nikita glares at her furiously. "Rishabh and you had sex? Daddy was not just assuming?"

Madhu nods her head as she worriedly gulped. "Daddy assumed right."

"That asshole kicked you out after he had sex with you? And you say he is different? I was right, all men are dogs. They just want only one thing from us!" Nikita says furiously. "I am going to kill him."

"You have to stop blaming Rishu for everything." Madhu tells her angrily, her eyes filling up. "What we did to him is worser. We cheated him. We betrayed him. He has every right to behave like this."

"You are always defending him. And he hasn't looked back at you even once." Nikita accuses her. Then before Madhu could go into another defense of Rishabh, she asks her. "Why are you telling me this?"

Madhu whispers to her. "We didn't use protection."

Nikita furiously curses loudly. "And still your perfect Rishabh is acting as if you don't exist. The more I know him, the more I hate him."

"Please stop it, Nikki." Madhu tells her tired.

"Are you pregnant?" Nikita asks her gently.

"I don't know. My periods is supposed to be in three days." Madhu confesses. "Ever since I realized it, I have been testing every day."

"Maybe you are not." Nikita points out to her.

"What if I am? I don't want to harm our baby in any way." Madhu tells her.

Nikita sits next to Madhu and hugs her.

"This is why you haven't been practicing." Nikita says realizing. "I did wonder. For every small thing that upsets you, you beat the crap out of your punching bag. You deal with your stress physically."

"I wish I am pregnant. For the baby, I will deal with any kind of stress." Madhu tells her.

"What will you do if you are?" Nikita asks her.

"I will not force this baby on Rishu." Madhu tells her.

"And Daddy..." Nikita stops, worry gripping her heart. "We'll have to find another place to move to. I wish I get a job soon."

"I'll also look for a job." Madhu tells her.

"But if you are pregnant, can you do kickboxing?" Nikita asks her confused.

"I'll find another job." Madhu tells her. "I'll not do anything to harm our baby. I lost Rishu, I will not lose our baby too."

Nikita sighs furiously. The one... the only dream Madhu had in her life was kickboxing, she had struggled all her life for it and because of Rishabh, she was losing that too.

**********

"Ma?" Madhu answers the call happily seeing Radha calling.

"Madhu... how are you?" Radha asks her.

"I'm okay, Ma. How are you all?" Madhu asks her.

"Dipali and I have some shopping... do you want to come with us?" Radha asks her gently.

**********

Seeing Radha, Madhu runs to her and hugs her. Radha also hugs her. Madhu turns to Dipali and hugs her. Dipali also hugs.

Asha who was in Dipali's hands started crying to go to Madhu.

Madhu picks her up and kisses her all over her face. "I missed you all so much." Then she looks around and asks disappointed. "Akshay didn't come?"

"He went to school." Dipali tells her. Then hesitantly she tells her. "I didn't want to bring him. I didn't want to tell him to hide it from Rishu that we met you. He is too small, I didn't want to teach him all that."

Madhu nods understanding sadly. "How is Rishu? How is his new job? Is he happy?"

Radha and Dipali looks at each other sadly. Radha then tells her. "He is hardly home. He is working from morning to night."

"Like he had worked after Dev passed away." Dipali tells her.

Madhu's heart breaks hearing that.

"Let's sit somewhere. We thought we could have lunch together." Radha tells Madhu, trying to change topic.

They had spent the rest of day together. Soon it was time for them to leave.

"You didn't shop." Madhu reminds them in shock. They had just sat together and talked like they did earlier.

"We will do it another day." Dipali tells her quickly.

And Madhu understood that shopping was just an excuse to meet her.

**********

Just as they had reached home, Rishabh also reaches.

"How come you are early today?" Radha asks him in surprise.

"I had a meeting nearby. I thought I will work from home." Rishabh tells her. "Where did you go?"

Noticing Asha smiling and talking to him in gibberish, Rishabh picks her up.

"We just went to the mall." Radha tells him nervously.

Rishabh nods as he kissed Asha. Then he stops in shock, getting the faint fragrance. His heart skips a beat. He sniffs Asha's shoulder on her clothes. His heart starts beating fast as he took in the very familiar perfume smell.

"Where did you two go?" Rishabh asks them as he turns to them.

"Rishu... we.... To the mall." Radha says nervously.

Seeing them looking so nervous and guilty, his eyes fill up.

"Rishu..." Radha worriedly says.

"I am trying to move on." Rishabh tells them hurt.

Sensing the mood change in him, Asha starts to cry.

"You take her inside." Radha tells Dipali gently.

Dipali takes her daughter and walks inside avoiding looking at Rishabh.

"How could you do this to me?" Rishabh asks his mother. "How could you do this, Ma?"

Radha guiltily tells him. "Akshay was asking for Madhu today. Then Dipali and I started talking about her and suddenly we felt like meeting her. We were missing her and we just... I am sorry, Rishu."

"How could you forget what she did? How did you forgive what she did?" Rishabh asks her outraged, tears threatening to spill.

"Because we love her. Ever since she had come here, she has been a daughter to me. She is family." Radha tells him.

"It was all a lie." Rishabh tells her.

"After years, I saw you happy with her." Radha tells him.

Rishabh looks away hearing that.

"You are not happy, Rishu. Madhu is not happy." Radha gently starts.

"She and her sister betrayed me. Played me like a fool. Now my own mother is doing the same to me." Rishabh accuses her. "If I hadn't come home now, you would never tell me you had gone to meet her. First Nikita then Madhu and now my mother is cheating me now."

"I'll not meet her again, Rishu." Radha tells him, her eyes filling up, knowing how hurt he is.

Rishabh walks off without saying anything.

**********

Madhu wakes up in a hospital. She looks around in confusion.

How did she get here?

She had reached home after meeting Ma and bhabhi then everything seemed blank.

She was starting to sit up when the door opens and Malik furiously walks in.

"How long have you known that you are pregnant?" Malik asks her furiously.

On reflex, Madhu keeps her hand on her stomach. "I am pregnant?" But today morning also, the home pregnancy test had come back negative.

"I am pregnant?" Madhu's eyes fill up with happy tears.

"I spoke to the doctor. You are getting this aborted." Malik tells her.

"NO!" Madhu furiously shouts as she sat up. "I will not let you kill my baby. I am not Choti Ma."

"Do you think I will let you marry that Rishabh after the way he backstabbed me? Walked out throwing away all that I gave him?" Malik asks her furiously.

"I will raise my baby alone." Madhu tells him.

"Do you really think that I will let you have that bastard's bastard child?" Malik asks her.

"I'll not let you harm my baby." Madhu says furiously.

"How hard do you think it is for me to slip abortion pills into your food?" Malik asks her.

Madhu goes white in fear hearing that. "Daddy, please?" Madhu begs him.

"Either you abort the baby or marry Abhay. The choice is yours." Malik tells him.

Realizing that she had no other way, Madhu tells him. "I will marry whoever you choose."

"Good. Now, come with me. Till you are married you won't see that Nikita. You stay where I tell you to." Malik tells her.

Madhu nods.

Few minutes later, they were walking out. Madhu trailing behind Malik. As they stepped out and walked towards his car, Madhu sees a passenger getting out of a taxi. Madhu runs and gets into the taxi and closes the door without Malik noticing.

**********

"Madhu?" Dipali whispers in shock seeing Madhu at the door. "You shouldn't have come here. Rishu found out that we..."

"Where is Rishu?" Madhu asks as she ran in. "Rishu..." Madhu calls out as she looked for him.

"What are you..." Rishabh furiously starts then noticing how frantic she was looking, he hurries to her. "Madhu, what happened?"

"Rishu..." Madhu runs to him and throws herself at him. "Rishu, please help us, Rishu." Madhu begs as she cried.

"Madhu..."

Madhu tells him as she hugged him tight. "Daddy will kill our baby."

"What?" Rishabh whispers hearing that.

"He said if I didn't marry that Abhay then he will kill our baby." Madhu tells him then she looked at him and tells him. "He said he will put abortion tablets in my food."

Rishabh grips her arms in fury hearing that.

"I am scared, Rishu."

"I won't let him do anything to our baby." Rishabh promises her.

Madhu nods her head in relief. "Thank you."

"You should stay here, Madhu. The baby will not be safe in your house." Radha tells her.

Madhu looks at Radha then she turns to look at Rishabh, waiting to hear what he has to say.

"I don't want my baby to be born illegitimate." Rishabh tells her. "We'll get married, Madhu."

"We will?" Madhu asks him, her face breaking out into a smile, her heart filling with joy.

Rishabh shakes his head. "We will get a divorce after the baby is born."

Madhu's smile drops, her heart breaks.

"Marriage is no joke, Rishu." Radha scolds him.

"I am not the one who made it a joke." Rishabh reminds her.

Guilt fills Madhu's heart hearing that.

"Do you agree, Madhu?" Rishabh asks her.

"I will do anything to keep our baby safe. I promise, I will leave once the baby is born." Madhu promises him.

**********

Within hours, Rishabh and Madhu were ready to marry in a temple.

"Nikita." Madhu hears Dipali whispering.

Madhu turns to look and sees her sister walk towards them. She turns to look at Rishabh and sees him staring at her sister.

"She is my sister. I couldn't do this without her." Madhu whispers to Rishabh.

Rishabh turns to look at Madhu.

"Please, Rishu?"

"She will not step foot inside our home, Madhu. If you want to see her, you'll have to do it outside my house." Rishabh warns her.

Madhu nods.

By then Nikita had reached near Madhu. She kneels next to Madhu. "Do you really want to do this, Madhu? A baby can do just fine without a father's surname. Mother's surname is more than enough." Nikita asks her.

"Nikki, please?" Madhu begs her.

"If you have a problem with the reason for our marriage, you are always welcome to leave." Rishabh tells her.

"I am not here for your second farce marriage. I am here for my sister and my niece." Nikita tells him.

"Oh I see that your hatred for men also extends to a possible nephew. The only exception I guess is your boyfriends." Rishabh snubs at her.

"Please, stop it, you two." Madhu says tired. "Please, let's just get married before Daddy finds out."

Rishabh and Nikita didn't say anything to each other after that.

**********

After their wedding, they had come back home while Nikita went back home.

"I missed you so much, chachi. Don't go to see your Papa again." Akshay says as he hugged Madhu. "Ask him to come here to see you."

Madhu smiles at him. "Okay."

"It was so boring without you." Akshay tells her. "Even chachu was also busy in his office."

"Enough, Akshay. Chachi has to sleep." Dipali tells her son.

Akshay frowns at her. "But you only said I can speak to chachi after the marriage."

"Chachi is going to be here only. Chachi needs rest." Dipali tells him as she knelt down in front of him.

"Is chachi sick?" Akshay asks confused.

Dipali smiles at him. "No, she is going to have a baby. You are going to be a big brother again."

"Like Asha?" Akshay asks surprised as he looked at Madhu.

"Yes." Madhu tells him smiling.

"Is it going to be a girl?" Akshay asks then he tells her. "I already have a sister so I want a brother."

Madhu smiles at him. "That we won't know till the baby is born."

"Hmmm." Akshay thoughtfully looks at her, a little disappointed.

"Now, give chachi a good night kiss. And let her go and sleep. You can speak to her tomorrow." Dipali tells him.

Akshay kisses her.

"Good night. I have left my nightie on your bed for you." Dipali tells her.

"Thank you, bhabhi." Madhu smiles at her.

She had come here empty handed. Tomorrow Nikita will send her stuff with someone.

"You also go sleep, Madhu." Radha tells her.

"Chachi's name is Nikita. Madhu Aunty is chachi's sister." Akshay tells his grandmother frowning.

Madhu, Dipali and Radha look at each other uncomfortably.

"Chachi's name is Madhu, Akshay." Dipali gently tells her.

"Is it?" Akshay turns to Madhu in shock.

Madhu gently nods.

Akshay hits his forehead in shock and then embarrassed, he tells her. "I thought it was Nikita, chachi." Then he lovingly he holds her chin. "Sorry, chachi."

Madhu felt so guilty hearing him say sorry. "No, Akshay, please don't say sorry."

Akshay smiles at her. Madhu kisses him.

"Go sleep, Madhu." Radha tells her.

Madhu nods and goes to their bedroom. She walks in and finds it empty. She hadn't seen Rishabh after they had come home. She had assumed that he will be in the bedroom.

Madhu sits on the bed as she waited for Rishabh to come. But even after a long time, when he didn't come, she goes out of the room to check.

All the lights were off. everyone had gone to sleep. She curiously turns on the light and goes downstairs looking for him. The house have two rooms on the first floor, one their's and the other bhabhi's. Ground floor have just one bedroom which Ma used.

Madhu comes to end of the stairs when she notices him lying on the living room couch.

"Rishu?" Madhu softly calls him.

"Did you need anything?" Rishabh asks her.

Madhu shakes her head in no.

"Then go and sleep." Rishabh tells her.

And Madhu understood that he was not going to share a room with her.

"You can sleep in your room, Rishu. I will sleep here." Madhu tells him.

"You are pregnant. You need proper rest. Just go and sleep." Rishabh tells her as he turned on the couch giving his back to her.

Madhu goes back to the bedroom and falling on the bed, she cries her heart out. Her only prayer had been to be back with Rishu and it happened but like this.

**********

Rishabh had continued to stay away from Madhu and most of the time, he acted as if she wasn't even there. Even though Radha and Dipali took care of her and cared for her, Rishabh's indifference was hurting her and the guilt that she was ruining Rishabh's life was starting to take a toll on Madhu's mental health.

Malik had been furious when he found out about their marriage but there wasn't anything that he could do.

Madhu smiles seeing Asha walking around the living room as she pulled things down and Dipali and Madhu picks them up and keep them out of her reach.

"We have to child proof the space. She went straight to walking without crawling. So, I wasn't ready for this." Dipali says as she kept vase on top of the shelf.

"We should. Let her walk around freely without us snatching everything she take." Madhu tells her smiling.

"We should get your room also childproofed." Dipali tells her smiling.

Madhu's smile drops and she looks down. "We won't be here, bhabhi."

"Maybe things will change between you and Rishu, now. Babies have a way of bringing the parents together." Dipali tells her hopefully.

"Rishu will never forgive me." Madhu says, though Dipali's words had lit a ray of hope in her.

**********

For the next few days, things had been calm. Slowly the news about their marriage started getting out.

Then one morning, Nikita calls Madhu.

"Did you see?" Nikita asks her.

"What?" Madhu asks her.

"Social media has gone crazy." Nikita informs her.

"With what?" Madhu asks her.

"Yesterday, an article had come out saying Shamsher Malik's daughter married her twin sister's ex-husband." Nikita informs her.

"What?" Madhu asks her in shock.

"There are too many memes on social media about this. Don't get on social media. Just stay away from it." Nikita tells her.

But when someone tells you to stay away from something, the first instinct is to do that. So, Madhu goes on social media and the first troll she found was Rishabh's face on Akshay Kumar from Ajnabee where he is doing his famous exchange gesture with Nikita on one side and Madhu on other. The second one was, Rishabh with Malik, and Madhu on one side while Nikita on the other. With Rishabh telling Malik, "Father-in-law, I want to exchange her with her." And Malik's reply. "As you wish."

Madhu immediately throws away her phone, not daring to look at other trolls.

**********

One look at Rishabh and Madhu knew that he had seen the trolls. He looked so furious.

"You saw." Madhu whispers.

"Which one?" Rishabh asks her back.

"Rishu..."

"Which one, Madhu?" Rishabh asks her furiously. "Is it the one where I changed sisters as I change shirts? Or the one where I just couldn't make up my mind between you both because you both look alike? Or the one where I seduced my wife's sister? Or the one where we both were cheating on your sister? Or the threesome that I have been having with you both? Or the one I exchanged the sisters before the warranty period was up? Which one?"

"It will all just go away, Rishu." Madhu tells him. "When something else comes up they will stop."

"I made a mistake marrying your sister but I never thought I would have to pay such a big price." Rishabh says furiously. "Did I ever ask for you? Did I ever ask you to come here?"

Madhu's eyes fill up hearing that.

"I trusted you, Madhu." Rishabh accuses her. "And for that trust, you made me a laughing stock. A pervert who jumps from one sister to another."

"Rishu, please trust me, I never thought all this will happen. Please believe me. I didn't want to hurt you in any way. All I want is for you to be happy."

Rishabh scoffs. "And you made sure that I will never be happy again. That I can never walk out with my head held high. Every second, someone behind me would be laughing at me." Rishabh tells her, eyes filling up, he says. "How I wish that I send you away that day when you came. How I wish... that night never happened."

Something died in Madhu that second. Rishabh regretted their baby.

"I am sorry, Rishu." Madhu whispers as her heart bled. "I am sorry that my baby and I ruined your life."

Rishabh stops, his heart breaking hearing that. "Madhu, I didn't mean..."

Madhu didn't stay to hear the rest. "I am sorry, Rishu." Madhu whispers and walks off.

**********

Madhu lay on the bed as tears streamed down her face. The guilt of what Rishabh was going through because of her, killing her.

She should go away from here.

But where will she go? She had nowhere to go.

Her sister was still living with their father. She still hadn't got a job.

She was a burden on Rishabh. She should leave. But how will she take care of their baby? She had no job. The only thing she knew was kickboxing and that is something she couldn't do at this stage.

She was a deadweight on Rishabh.

She hears the door open and she stills.

"Madhu..." Rishabh softly calls her.

Madhu closes her eyes as she tried to feign sleep.

"Madhu..." Rishabh calls her again, and she understood he is standing next to her.

She couldn't speak to him now.

Rishabh sighs then he takes the blanket and puts it properly on her. For a few seconds he stood watching her sleep. Then gently he caresses her cheek with the back of his index finger. Then he just silently leaves the room.

Madhu opens her eyes after he left the room. Her heart feeling so heavy. She just wanted to scream out loud and cry. Closing her eyes tight, she tries to suppress her pain.

**********

Rishabh wakes up hearing Dipali's screams. She was calling out to him and Ma. He immediately runs up the stairs.

"Bhabhi... what happened?" Rishabh calls out as he ran up.

"Rishu, It is Madhu. Come fast." Dipali calls back in panic.

Rishabh's heart stops hearing that, he runs up faster and sees Madhu curled up on the floor outside Dipali's bedroom.

"Madhu..." Rishabh runs to her as he scooped her up in his arms. She was sweating profusely.

"She was knocking on my door. When I opened, she was on her floor." Dipali tells him.

"Dipali, what happened?" Radha calls out as she came hurrying.

"Madhu?" Rishabh calls her as he started carrying her down.

"It hurts." He hears a faint whisper from Madhu. "My baby."

"Nothing is going to happen to the baby." Rishabh promises her as he hurried down, praying hard for her and the baby.

**********

"For now, the fetus is safe. But she needs complete bed rest. She is really weak." Doctor tells them. "Don't give her any kind of stress or tension."

After the doctor left, Rishabh walks to the bed where Madhu was sleeping. She looked so weak. So pale. Rishabh takes her hand and holds it in his hands as he sat next to her.

Radha sat opposite to Rishabh and they both sat their in silence watching Madhu sleep.

**********

Hearing the door open, Rishabh turns back to look and sees Nikita walk in. Confused, he turns to look at his mother.

"I told Dipali to inform her. She is Madhu's sister." Radha tells him.

Rishabh doesn't say anything. Rishabh sees Nikita stand next to the bed and sees her keep a hand on Madhu's leg. Rishabh looks up at her face and sees her worriedly looking at Madhu. Seeing her so concerned for Madhu, Rishabh realized that he had to give her time with her sister.

He gently keeps Madhu's hand on the bed. Rishabh gets up and goes to the other end of the room and stood by the window.

Nikita walks to the chair that Rishabh vacated and sits there as she lovingly ran her hand over her head.

"Dipali said it is because of stress." Nikita says softly as she looked at her sister.

"That is what the doctor said." Radha tells her. "She said, the risk is still there."

Running her hand over Madhu's head, Nikita says. "You know Mrs..." Nikita stops then looking at Radha, she says. "Radha Aunty."

Radha looks at her in surprise hearing that.

Nikita by then had turned back to look at Madhu. "People think that Madhu is the stronger sister. She is always calm and level headed. So, everyone assumes she is the strong one. But she is not."

"I at least have outbursts. But Madhu keeps it all bottled up. She deals with all the issues through kickboxing. She overworks herself till her body gives up and shuts down. She never dealt with her pain. She just works her body till it tires out and numbs the pain in the heart." Nikita tells her. "She never learned to deal with her pain in an emotional way. She is physically strong but emotionally she is very weak."

Radha sadly looks at Madhu.

"She is going through a lot of stress now. But she has no outlet to deal with it. Her pregnancy is stopping her from physical exertion. She has no idea how to deal with it all." Nikita worriedly looks at Radha and tells her. "Please take care of her and her baby."

Radha looks at Rishabh and sees him watching Madhu.

**********

"Madhu, you stay with me in my room." Radha tells Madhu as they walked into their home.

Madhu starts to follow her to her room.

"It's okay,Ma. Madhu will stay in our room." Rishabh tells her.

"I don't want Madhu to sleep alone, Rishu. It is better she stays in my room." Radha tells him.

"I'll be with Madhu." Rishabh tells her as he walked to Madhu and gently lifted her up in his arms.

"It's okay, Rishu. I will stay with Ma." Madhu tells him in shock.

"Doctor asked you to be on bed rest. You are used to our room. You will be comfortable in our room." Rishabh tells her as he carried her to the bedroom.

"I don't want to trouble you." Madhu tells him softly.

Rishabh looks at her and tells her. "You are carrying my baby, Madhu."

Madhu lowers her gaze hearing that.

Rishabh gently places her on the bed, he puts the blanket on her and bending down towards her, he tells her. "I never wished away our baby, Madhu. Not even for a second. You have to believe me."

Madhu doesn't say anything hearing that.

"I never wished away our baby even when I wasn't sure there is a baby." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu looks at him in shock and asks him. "You knew about the baby before I told you?"

"I knew it was a possibility. We never used any preventive measures." Rishabh tells her. "Even then I never wished that you don't get pregnant."

"Why?"

"Because this is my baby." Rishabh tells her.

"You had decided to marry me before I told you I am pregnant." Madhu realizes.

"Yes. I took that decision the moment I realized that we didn't use protection that night."

"And divorce too." Madhu whispers as she looked down.

"Yes." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods hearing that.

"I love our baby just as much as you do. This baby is not a burden on me. As much as you, even I am waiting to hold our baby." Rishabh tells her.

"Thanks for telling me this." Madhu tells him as she looked at him. "It is a big relief for me."

"I don't want you to worry about anything. Just take care of yourself and our baby, rest everything I will handle." Rishabh tells her.

"Okay." Madhu says with a soft smile.

**********

"You can sleep on the bed." Madhu tells him seeing him picking up the cushions.

Rishabh stops as he looked at her.

"Keep the cushions in between." Madhu tells him then she promises him. "I will keep to my side."

Rishabh had no idea, how he was going to keep to his side.

Not wanting to give any kind of tension to her, Rishabh picks up the cushions and keeps it on the bed, giving more space to her, then he gets on the bed.

Madhu looks at him as he got settled, there was so much she wanted to talk to him about. So much she wanted to hear from him. She had missed him so much. But she wasn't going to force herself on him. This was temporary and they had no future together. So, she just softly whispers "Good night." as she closed her eyes to sleep.

**********

Rishabh started taking care of Madhu. He was attentive about her needs but was distant with her. She was on complete bed rest and was in their room for days while the family came up to meet her.

Madhu kept in touch with Nikita through calls only as she knew Rishabh didn't want her sister to come home. Nikita had got a job and had started looking for a place to move into.

At her last check up, the doctor had asked her to move around a little but to keep her activities to a minimum.

Mornings, before Rishabh went to office, he took her to the terrace so she would get fresh air and walk for a bit then in the evenings also after work, they would walk around the terrace.

They spoke very little and spoke only about the baby and nothing else.

**********

Rishabh had got a tv for their bedroom and got books for Madhu so that she won't feel bored being in the room whole day. She was watching a kickboxing video.

"You watch these things then your baby is going to be a wrestler."

Madhu curiously looks at the lady at the door who was smiling at her. It took her a few seconds to recognize her. "Choti Ma?" Madhu asks in a whisper.

"My baby." Padmini says as she walked to her with tear filled eyes.

"How did you... how are you here?" Madhu asks, her eyes filling up as she hugged her.

"Your husband got in touch with me." Padmini tells her as she hugged her. "I have been seeing your photos. Even Nikki's. But still in my mind, you two were toddlers."

"I can't believe you are here. I so badly wanted to meet you. Even Nikki." Madhu tells her.

"Your father got restraining orders against me. I thought you both will come to meet me when you turned 18. When you didn't, I thought you both forgot me." Padmini tells her. "I never thought, you would think, you would bring back bad memories for me. You two were my only good memories of that marriage." Padmini tells her.

"I had come to India two months back but I had been traveling around that Rishabh had a hard time tracking me. When he finally did, it is time for me to go back." Padmini tells her sadly.

"You are going back?" Madhu asks her sadly.

"My flight is tonight." Padmini tells her.

"You didn't meet Nikki." Madhu tells her.

"Rishabh knew I was coming. I thought Nikki would also be here." Padmini tells her upset. "I want to meet her before I leave."

Madhu nods. "She is dying to meet you. She is going to be so happy."

Padmini smiles hearing that.

"When will you come next?" Madhu asks her.

"I will be coming next year with the kids and my husband. They would love to meet you both." Padmini tells her.

"They know about us?" Madhu asks her surprised.

"Of course." Padmini replies surprised. "You both are their elder sisters."

"We would love to meet them." Madhu tells her smiling.

"When I get back, I will call you so you can meet them." Padmini tells her.

**********

"Thank you." Madhu tells Rishabh the moment he walked in.

Seeing her so happy, Rishabh smiles at her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Madhu asks him.

"I guess I wanted it to be a surprise." Rishabh tells her as he left his office bag on the bed. "You ready to go for a walk?"

Madhu nods and gets up from the bed.

"We have promised to call and be in touch always." Madhu informs him as they walked together.

"That is sweet." Rishabh smiles at her.

"When did you start looking for her?" Madhu asks her.

"From the first time you told me about her."

"That's months ago." Madhu tells him in shock.

"I didn't have much to go by. Just a name and that she was married to your father." Rishabh tells her.

"Thank you. You have no idea, what you have done for me." Madhu tells him feeling so touched.

Rishabh looks at her and tells her. "I know."

"Choti Ma had expected Nikki to be here." Madhu tells him. "She thought you would inform her."

"I didn't do it for her. I did it for you." Rishabh tells her.

"Why?"

"After what happened between Nikita and me, what makes you think that I would do anything for her?" Rishabh asks her exasperated.

"I asked why you would do it for me?" Madhu asks him.

Rishabh hesitates as he looked at her then looking away he says, "Let's just not get into the whys."

**********

"Bhabhi didn't come to see me today. Is she busy with something?" Madhu asks Rishabh as they got ready for bed.

"No, Ma was saying she is a little upset." Rishabh tells her.

"Upset? Why didn't you tell me?" Madhu asks him worriedly as she started to get up.

Rishabh quickly holds her. "Where are you going?"

"To check on bhabhi." Madhu tells him.

"She is fine now. You don't worry." Rishabh tells her.

"But what happened? I will just check on her."

"She would have slept by now."

"Oh... what happened? Why was she upset?" Madhu asks him.

"Ma's one friend had called her. Her nephew, Sultan, he is a widower with a child. She wanted to speak of an alliance with bhabhi." Rishabh informs her.

"Oh, and she got upset?" Madhu asks him.

"Yes. She is upset that Ma spoke to her of remarriage. How she thought that she will forget Dev Bhai." Rishabh tells her. "Ma had an inclination that she wasn't ready to move on, that is why she didn't tell both of us about it."

"It is not easy to forget your love." Madhu tells him.

"You move on in life, Madhu. You learn to live without your loved one. Sometimes, you will fall in love again." Rishabh tells her.

"Will you get married again, Rishu?" Madhu asks him softly.

Rishabh shakes his head. "Twice was more than enough for me." Then he looks at her and asks her. "Will you?"

"I will never be able to love anyone else." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh looks away hearing that.

Seeing that, Madhu softly tells him. "It is getting late. We should sleep."

**********

Madhu sits up feeling the baby kick. She excitedly keeps her hand over her belly and feel the kick again. She quickly picks up the phone and dials Rishabh.

"Hello, Madhu?"

Without saying anything, Madhu keeps the phone on her stomach and the baby kicks.

"Did you hear?" Madhu asks him excitedly.

"Yeah." Rishabh replies excitedly. "Was that the baby?"

"Yes."

"Does it hurt you?" Rishabh asks her in concern.

"No." Madhu replies, smiling.

**********

Rishabh walks into his bedroom hearing laughter. He sees Madhu laughing with Akshay who was lying on his stomach next to Madhu, his mother, bhabhi and Asha lying on the foot of the bed as she drank from her bottle.

Madhu notices him and smiles seeing him. Rishabh politely smiles at her as he walked in.

He felt a sense of loss filling him realizing that this was something he will not have in his life for long. He quickly looks away.

"It is late, we should sleep." Dipali says seeing that Asha had slept off.

Slowly, they all leave and it was just Madhu and Rishabh.

"All okay?" Madhu asks him seeing him looking lost.

"Yeah... you okay?" Rishabh asks her as he walked to the bed.

"Yes."

"Okay then, you sleep." Rishabh tells her as he adjusted her blanket on her.

Rishabh gets on the bed and switches off the light.

"Akshay was asking what we are going to name the baby. He was giving suggestions too." Madhu tells him smiling. "All names from cartoons."

Rishabh chuckles hearing that.

"We never discussed any names." Madhu tells him.

"You can name the baby whatever you want." Rishabh tells her.

"We could decide a name together." Madhu tells him hopefully.

Rishabh turns to her and tells her. "Madhu, you are on bed rest. You are going through discomfort. You are sacrificing a lot to bring our baby safely into this world. You will decide the name of our baby."

"I can name the baby anything I want?" Madhu asks him not liking that he is not going to be a part in choosing the name of the baby. "And you will accept the name whether you like it or not?"

"Yes."

"What if I decide to name the baby 'Pappu'? Madhu asks him.

Rishabh looks at her in shock, "you would do that to our baby?"

"You only told me to decide." Madhu reminds him.

"You will be the one to explain to him why his name is 'Pappu'." Rishabh cheekily tells her.

Madhu growls at him then she looks away irately.

They were silent for a few minutes then Rishabh tells her softly. "Actually, Pappu sounds cute."

"I will kill you." Madhu turns to him angrily.

Rishabh chuckles seeing her angry. "We can have that as a pet name."

"You will have to explain it to him then, not me!" Madhu tells him.

Rishabh grins then he asks with a curious smile. "You think it is a boy?"

"No... nothing like that." Madhu tells him smiling. "I just simply said. Do you want a boy or girl?"

"It doesn't matter." Rishabh tells her. "At first I wanted a daughter."

"And now?" Madhu asks him.

Rishabh looks at her and tells her. "I just want the baby to be healthy. You to have an easy delivery."

Madhu looks at him in shock and whispers. "You are worried about the delivery."

"You are not?" Rishabh asks her in shock.

"I am." Madhu confesses.

Rishabh holds her hand and squeezes it. "Everything is going to be fine."

Madhu nods and she turns to him and tells him. "Rishu, when I go into delivery, will you inform Nikki and Choti Ma? Choti Ma won't be able to come but I want her to know. And I know you don't want to even talk to Nikki but will you let her know?"

"There is time for all that. Two more months." Rishabh reminds her.

"That time, what if in the tension I forget to tell you or others?" Madhu asks him.

"I won't forget." Rishabh promises her.

"Thank you." Madhu smiles hearing that.

Rishabh hesitantly looks at her and tells her, "I would like to be with you during the delivery. Can I?"

Madhu looks at him surprised and touched and tells him. "I didn't think you would want to."

"I want to." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu smiles as her eyes filled up. "I will feel less scared if you are there."

"I am going to be shitting bricks." Rishabh warns her.

**********

One night, hearing her sigh, Rishabh turns to her. "What happened?"

"My leg is paining." Madhu tells him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Rishabh asks her as he sat up and moved to the foot of the bed. "Where does it hurt?"

"My calves." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh starts gently pressing her legs. "Better?"

Madhu nods as she sighed in relief.

Madhu watches as Rishabh pressed her legs. She was feeling conscious. She noticed how fat her legs had gotten. She had put on weight.

"I have put on weight." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh looks up at her then without saying anything, he looks back at her legs and continues to press her legs.

"You are silent." Madhu complaints.

"I am not getting into this, Madhu." Rishabh tells her.

"So, you agree that I have become fat." Madhu accuses him.

"I didn't say anything."

"You didn't deny also."

"What is the use?" Rishabh asks her as he turned to look at her

"Use?"

Sighing, Rishabh says. "You have put on weight but you look beautiful."

Madhu scowls at him.

"Then you would get offended and ask, was I not beautiful before?" Rishabh tells her.

Madhu stops in shock as she was going to ask him exactly that.

"Then I would say, you were beautiful before also. Then you will say I lied about you being beautiful now. Then I would say that you are beautiful now because you are pregnant with my baby. Then you will say I am a liar trying to just appease you. Why get into this tornado? Better I remain quiet." Rishabh tells her.

"So, if I don't lose weight after I give birth to your baby, then I will no longer be beautiful to you. That time, I would just be fat, not beautifully fat with your baby." Madhu accuses him.

"You can't drag me into that, Biwi. I refuse to fall into that volcano." Rishabh declares.

Madhu stops in shock hearing him call her 'Biwi' after so long.

"There is no winning with pregnant Women, I tell you." Rishabh mutters as he pressed her legs. "Where does it hurt?"

"Just above where you are pressing." Madhu tells him, feeling happy.

As Madhu watched him press her legs, she remembered the one night they had spend loving and touching each other like that. She felt her breathing labored.

Rishabh as he pressed her legs up, he couldn't help but caress her skin. How many nights had he laid awake aching for her?

He couldn't stop and he runs his hands up her legs, to her thighs.

Madhu softly moans feeling him touch her.

Rishabh freezes, realizing what he was doing. He turns to look at her and sees her looking at him passionately. He starts to move towards her then realizing what he was going to do, he stops in shock.

"You should sleep." Rishabh tells her as he quickly moved to his side of the bed.

**********

Tensed, panicking, nervous and worrying, Rishabh hands his phone to Radha. "Ma, inform Madhu's Choti Ma and Nikita. Choti Ma's number is there in my phone."

"Yeah, I will. You just look after Madhu." Radha tells him as she took his phone.

Rishabh nervously exhales as he hugged Radha and Dipali then he hurries after the nurse to the delivery room.

**********

"Do you have him?" Radha asks Madhu with an excited smile.

Madhu nods her head vigorously, so happy and excited without taking her eyes off her son. "My baby." Madhu whispers as she sniffed looking at her baby.

Radha moves back as she left her hand on her baby.

Once she moved away, Rishabh sits on the bed next to Madhu. Feeling him sit next to her, Madhu looks at him and smiles happily. Rishabh smiles at her then he looks at their son and leaning down, he kisses his forehead.

The baby crunches his face making his parents chuckle.

"When will I get to hold the baby?" Akshay asks.

"In a few days. Let the baby grow a little." Dipali tells him.

Akshay nods his head a little disappointed then he asks Rishabh, "What is the baby's name?"

Rishabh looks at Madhu and asks her excitedly. "What is his name, Madhu?"

Madhu looks at him, then she looks at Dipali, Radha, Akshay, Asha then again at Rishabh, then looking at their son, she lovingly calls him. "Dev."

Rishabh stops in shock hearing that, his eyes filling up.

"That is my Papa's name." Akshay tells her in surprise.

"I know." Madhu tells him smiling then she looks at Radha and Dipali and sees that even they were emotional.

"You never even met him." Rishabh tells her as his eyes filled up.

"But I know how much you love him. You all love him." Madhu tells him smiling.

"Thank you." Rishabh tells her softly, feeling so grateful.

Madhu smiles at him. "Do you want to hold him?" Madhu asks him.

"Of course." Rishabh says excitedly as he moved towards her and started to take Dev into his arms.

"Careful, okay?" Madhu tells him worriedly as she started to transfer the baby to his arms.

Rishabh gives her a look and reminds her. "I'm used to babies. You're the novice."

Madhu grins remembering her tell that to him when she had carried Asha for the first time.

Rishabh smiles as he held his son in his arms.

Feeling her sister move towards her, Madhu turns to smile at Nikita.

"Are you okay?" Nikita asks her.

"Just tired." Madhu tells her smiling.

Nikita smiles and kisses her as she side hugged her.

"I send a photo to Choti Ma." Nikita informs her.

"Did you tell Daddy?" Madhu asks her curiously.

"I didn't." Nikita replies confused. "Did you want me to?"

"No. I just asked." Madhu tells her. "He never cared for Dev."

Nikita nods then she asks Rishabh. "Can I hold him?"

Rishabh immediately looks at Madhu then he just nods and gets up and he walks around the bed towards Nikita.

Seeing that, Nikita takes an excited nervous breath. "I am a little scared. First time, I am holding a baby."

Rishabh stops hearing her worried. Then he looks at Madhu then at Radha. "Ma, I think you should help her."

Radha takes the baby from Rishabh and walks to Nikita, she helps her hold the baby.

Nikita looks at the bundle in her arms, her eyes fill up and excited, she says as she looked at the baby. "Oh my God, Madhu, I think I am in love."

**********

Much later, it was just Rishabh and Madhu with their son while Radha had gone out the room to speak on her phone, so as not to disturb Dev who was sleeping.

Hearing Dev crying, both Rishabh and Madhu turns to look at the baby.

"I think he is hungry, can you bring him here, Rishu?" Madhu asks Rishabh as she started opening her gown.

After picking the baby, Rishabh turns to look at her and stops a second seeing her boobs. For a second, he couldn't look away then realizing his son was hungry, he walks to her and helps her hold the baby close to her chest.

Madhu keeps her baby close to her nipple, the baby takes the nipple to his mouth then he push it out and cries. Madhu and Rishabh tries a couple of times to help the baby feed.

Seeing her son crying hungry and not able to get him to feed, and the high hormonal state, Madhu starts crying.

"Madhu, don't cry." Rishabh tells her as he tried holding Dev in a different way.

But Dev doesn't take to the nipple and continues to cry.

"He is so hungry, Rishu. Do something." Madhu says crying.

"Yeah... Madhu..." Rishabh says, feeling so helpless hearing both his son and his wife crying.

"What happened?" Radha asks as she walked in.

"Dev is hungry. I don't know what to do." Madhu tells her as she cried.

Radha hurries to her and starts helping her. "Sometimes, babies take a little time to learn to feed." Radha tells her.

Soon, Dev had started suckling. Madhu and Rishabh sighs in relief.

Radha wipes her tears and asks her lovingly. "We are here, right? Why do you have to get so worried and feel helpless?"

"He was hungry and I just didn't know what to do." Madhu tells her as she watched her son suckle on her.

"After he is done, don't put him in the cradle, hold him against your skin. Let him get used to you." Radha tells her.

"Okay.

**********

The day after Dev was born, Malik came to the hospital.

"Should I find from strangers that you gave birth?" Malik asks Madhu furiously.

Madhu, Rishabh and Nikita look at him in shock.

"Why should I have told you?" Madhu asks him in shock.

"You were going to kill the baby." Rishabh reminds him in fury.

Madhu who was holding Dev, holds him tighter to her.

"He is my heir!" Malik tells them.

"You are here because it is a boy, not because it is your grandchild." Nikita accuses him.

"We don't have your heir here. This is our son. You should leave." Rishabh tells him.

"You are asking me to leave?" Malik asks outraged. "Did you forget you were nothing before me?"

"If I was nothing, you would have never approached me." Rishabh points out. "And I am asking you to leave. Don't make me throw you out."

"That is my heir, Madhu." Malik warns her and turns and walks out. "You better raise him like that."

"Can you believe him?" Nikita asks her sister.

"I can't believe, he is saying a 2 day old baby is his heir." Madhu says in shock. "How? What is he even thinking? All Dev does is sleep and have milk. And he is claiming Dev as his heir?"

"He is insane." Rishabh mutters.

Nikita looks at a sleeping Dev and tells her sister. "Because he thinks, along with his head, Dev's 2 balls and 1 penis, are carrying brains. A total of 4 brains."

**********

"Ma was saying Choti Ma had sent a gifts for Dev." Madhu tells Rishabh. "She asked whether she should bring it here. I told her no. did you see them when you went home?"

"Yeah, there were clothes, then a small pillow it was filled with mustard seeds it seems, some toys, blankets. All with his name." Rishabh tells her smiling.

"Awww that is so nice." Madhu says excitedly.

Hearing a light knock at the door, Rishabh opens the door and sees a stranger at the door.

"Hi, Rishabh, right?"

"Yes."

"I'm Prithvi." Prithvi says as he extended his hand to him.

Confused Rishabh shakes his hand.

Seeing his confusion, Prithvi says as he left his hand. "I guess you haven't heard of me."

"No. Please come in."

Prithvi walks in and smiles at Madhu. "Hi Madhu."

"Prithvi?" Madhu looks at him in surprise.

Turning to Rishabh, Prithvi informs him. "By the way, I am dating Nikita."

Rishabh stops hearing that. He looks at Madhu in shock. Madhu also awkwardly looks at him.

"Ermm?"

Hearing Prithvi, Rishabh turns to him and warns him. "You should watch your back."

Prithvi gives him an amused smile. "You're much kinder than my ex-wife."

"Prithvi, does Nikki know that you have come here?" Madhu asks him in shock.

"Yeah, she knows." Prithvi tells her smiling. "It is finally so nice to meet you, Madhu." Prithvi tells her as he leaned down and kissed her cheek.

Rishabh glares seeing the stranger kiss Madhu.

"She let you come?" Madhu asks in shock, both at that and the kiss.

"She has been bragging about Dev so much." Prithvi tells her in an amused tone. "And showing off too."

Madhu grins hearing that.

"It's just been 3 days since he is born, and how many photos does she have already?" Prithvi says amused as he looked at the cradle to see the baby. "Can I?" Prithvi asks Madhu.

Madhu immediately looks at Rishabh, to see his reaction.

Seeing Madhu look at him, Rishabh tells Prithvi. "Sanitizer is on the table."

Prithvi nods and quickly sanitizes his hand and picks up the baby.

"Looks like he is gone after Daddy." Prithvi says with a smile.

"Bloody hell!" "No way!" Madhu and Rishabh whispers in outrage.

Prithvi looks at them then he clarifies with a chuckle. "I didn't mean your Daddy. I meant his Daddy." Prithvi gestures to Dev.

"Oh." Madhu smiles hearing that.

"It's Pa." Rishabh tells him.

Prithvi spend a few minutes with them and left.

"He is not the guy I saw." Rishabh tells Madhu.

"She met him while traveling. They have been together since then." Madhu tells him.

"She never told you, she was traveling with him." Rishabh tells her.

"I would never have covered up that." Madhu tells him. "I was going to tell you that. When she told me that she was with him, I decided to tell you that I am Madhu. And I was going to tell you everything."

Rishabh shakes his head. "It doesn't matter now. What difference is it going to make? Anyway, we are getting a divorce in a month or two."

Madhu felt her heart break hearing that. She knew they were going to get a divorce but somewhere in her, she had hoped that he would change his mind.

But he really didn't want her. He never did.

"We can file for divorce now." Madhu tells him as she tried not to show her pain.

"You need bhabhi and Ma now for Dev. We'll wait before filing." Rishabh tells her.

**********

Radha and Dipali helped Madhu and Rishabh with Dev. They taught them everything about caring for a baby.

Madhu concentrated fully on Dev. She and Rishabh dotted on Dev and spend most of their time caring for their baby. They mostly spoke of only Dev. Rishabh got busy with work while Madhu got busy with Dev, then immediately after she got discharged from the hospital, she started walking, then as her body healed, she started jogging then started exercising. Soon, she had lost all the weight she had put on during her pregnancy.

Once the news of their baby became public, again for a while all the social media trolling and speculation had started about whether Rishabh had divorced his wife and married her sister because he had got her pregnant.

Both Rishabh and Madhu knew about it, but neither spoke to each other about it. Rishabh immersed himself in work and Madhu in workouts.

Rishabh watches as Madhu played with Dev as she put diaper for him after his bath. Dev is three months old now and Madhu also seemed to be in the best of her health.

"Madhu, you can manage Dev alone now, right?" Rishabh asks her.

Hearing the question, Madhu immediately looks at him. Then she nods, turning her attention back to Dev. "Have you prepared the divorce papers?"

"Yes." Rishabh replies.

Madhu nods. She had been anxiously waiting for this day. "I'll sign them after I put him to sleep."

"There is no hurry." Rishabh says immediately hearing her say that. "We need to find a place for you."

"I'll move in with Nikki." Madhu tells him. "Nikki has already got everything ready for Dev in her flat."

Rishabh stops hearing that.

"Regarding child support and alimony..." Rishabh starts.

"I don't want anything." Madhu tells him as she looked at him. "You can give Dev whatever you want. I don't want anything."

"Madhu, you don't have a job." Rishabh starts.

"I've been applying to couple of places. I am sure I will get something." Madhu tells him. "What about Dev?"

"For now, he will be with you. I'll come and see him whenever I can. Once he is a little older then we will share custody." Rishabh tells her.

"Okay. We'll leave tomorrow then." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh's heart slams against his chest hearing that. "That is too soon, Madhu."

"It is already too late, Rishu. I already spoke to Ma and bhabhi. I've already explained to Akshay also. We'll leave tomorrow."

**********

Next day, Madhu bid her byes to Radha, Dipali, Asha and Akshay. As they cried hugging each other, Rishabh just hugged his son to his chest.

"You all will come to see us, right?" Madhu asks them.

"We will." Radha promises her as she cried.

Madhu smiles through her tears at them then turning she walks to Rishabh.

Seeing her coming towards him, Rishabh kisses Dev and hands him to Madhu.

Madhu takes Dev in her arms then looking at Rishabh, she leans up and kisses his cheek. "I'm sorry for all the pain I caused you, Rishu. Please forgive me."

Then without waiting for a reply, Madhu gets into the car and leaves.

Rishabh stood watching the car leave.

"Is it so hard for you to forgive her?" Radha asks Rishabh.

"Yes." Rishabh replies and walks off.

**********

Next day, Nikita opens the door to find Rishabh.

Seeing her, Rishabh mentally sighs. "Can you tell Madhu that I am here to see Dev?"

"So, finally you're able to tell us apart?" Nikita mocks him.

'Yes. I was married to both of you, it would be a shame on me if I can't tell you both apart." Rishabh replies to her.

"Do you really consider we were truly married and I was ever your wife?" Nikita asks him.

Rishabh hesitates for a moment then he confesses. "No."

Nikita nods. "Madhu is feeding Dev."

Rishabh was about to say, he will go to her then he stops remembering that they had signed the divorce petition.

"I will go check." Nikita tells him and walks to one of the bedrooms.

Few minutes later, Rishabh sees Nikita come with his son. He didn't like that Nikita was carrying his baby. He felt upset that Madhu didn't come to meet him.

Rishabh gets up and walks to Nikita to take his son.

Dev excitedly smiles seeing him and immediately jumps into his hands.

Rishabh spends time with Dev, pampering him and playing with him.

Seeing him with his son, Nikita asks curiously. "Would you have loved the baby, if it was a girl?"

Rishabh looks at her and sees that she was genuinely asking. So, he replies, "Yes."

"Madhu once mentioned that you wanted a girl."

"I did. But I don't love my son any less." Rishabh tells her.

"Madhu would have loved the baby no matter if it is a boy or a girl." Nikita tells him.

"I know."

"Daddy would have never loved Dev if it was a girl." Nikita tells him softly.

Rishabh gulps remembering the deprived childhood that Madhu had gone through.

"Now everyday, he is sending Madhu instructions on how to raise Dev, which school and college to send him. When he found out that she is staying with me, he is insisting her to go to his house with Dev."

Rishabh worriedly looks at her.

"Madhu said no." Nikita tells him.

Rishabh nods, feeling relieved.

They didn't say anything to each other after that.

**********

Rishabh decides to leave. He hands the baby to Nikita.

Seeing him leave, Nikita asks him worriedly, "Are you refusing to accept Madhu because of your hatred for me?"

Rishabh stops and turns to her in exasperation. "You really need to stop assuming that the world revolves around you. You don't hold any place in my life. What makes you think that I would take any decision of my life keeping you in mind?"

"Then why are you being so adamant?" Nikita asks him frustrated. "Hasn't Madhu begged and apologized enough for you to forgive her? You, who married a girl like me for money, why do you keep yourself so high up in a pedestal? Madhu had gone in my place hoping to save our so called marriage. But first time, being in the midst of a family and loving people, Madhu forgot everything. Madhu forgot that you were forbidden to her and she fell in love with you."

Rishabh gets uncomfortable hearing that. He doesn't want to hear all that. He was still too angry with Madhu for what she did. Rishabh starts to walk out.

Seeing him leave, Nikita calls out to him. "Madhu believed that you loved her. But now she knows that is not true. You never loved her. And I know that is true, if you truly love someone you don't turn a blind eye to their suffering."

Rishabh starts feeling guilty hearing that, but he just continues to walk off.

"But now Madhu has got it into her head that you love me. Not her. Whatever you felt for her, was actually for me. That you never ever loved her."

Rishabh stops in shock and turns to her. "What?"

Nikita nods, her eyes filled up. "Madhu thinks I am the one you truly love."

Rishabh stares at her in shock then he look towards Madhu's room, ignoring Nikita he runs to the room.

Rishabh opens the door and walks in.

Seeing him walk in, Madhu looks at him in shock.

"Do you really think that I love Nikita?" Rishabh asks her furiously.

Madhu cries and guiltily says, "I am sorry, because of me, now you can't get back together with Nikki."

Rishabh becomes even more furious hearing that and asks her as he marched to her. "Don't you believe that I love you?"

Madhu is shocked hearing the question and his fury, and asks. "Do you love me? But why would you love me?"

"Because you're my wife. You're the mother of my child. You're my best friend. Because you're the only one my heart has ever wanted." Rishabh tells her furiously as he gripped her arms.

"Then why don't you want me?" Madhu asks him, her heart breaking.

Rishabh stops as tears fell from his eyes. "Because I was angry. Because you betrayed me. Because you made a fool out of me. Because you made me a laughing stock. Because you hurt my ego and pride. Because I trusted you and you broke my trust. Because I am so hopelessly in love with you."

Hearing that, Madhu throws herself at him and Rishabh hugs her tight.

Madhu cries and asks him "How much more will you punish me for my crimes, Rishu?"

"I am sorry." Rishabh says as he cried. He wipes her tears. "Please don't cry. I can't see you cry."

"I am miserable without you." Madhu tells him.

"Sorry, love, I am sorry." Rishabh whispers as he took her lips in his. He kisses her. "I am sorry, Madhu. I was such an ass. Please come home. Even I am so miserable and lonely without you. I didn't come to just see our Dev. I came to see you too. But you didn't even come to see me."

"I thought you hated seeing me." Madhu confesses.

"I was dying to see you." Rishabh confesses.

"Then take us home." Madhu tells him crying.

"That is your home, Madhu. Your family. Even me. I'm yours, Madhu." Rishabh vows to her.

**********

Seeing Madhu walking in with Rishabh, and Dev on Rishabh's chest, Radha, Dipali and Akshay looks at them in shock.

Radha furiously goes to Rishabh and tells him. "You can't just keep bringing and sending Madhu out according to your whims."

Rishabh nods hearing that while Madhu grins.

"Madhu is our family and if she is coming then, she is going to stay with us forever." Radha warns him.

Rishabh smiles at her and tells her, "I will not let anyone come between Madhu and me now. Not even myself." Then he looks at Madhu and holds her hand. "I'll not let her go away from me ever again."

**********

Epilogue

Rishabh knew that he was going to get a migraine attack. The noise pollution was too much. Rishabh closes his eyes tired. He just wanted to go home.

"Rishabh, will you please make her understand?"

Rishabh opens his eyes and looks at the man who had requested that.

If anyone had told him that he was going to be the people pleaser, peacemaker, amicable and approachable boss, he would have... maybe laughed.

"What will he make me understand?" Nikita asks furiously.

"Nikita, please." Rishabh gently tells her.

Nikita stops irately hearing that.

Whatever the issues were between them, how much ever they hated each other, in front of a third person, they stood like a united team.

They were the face of Malik Group of companies now.

Two days after Madhu and he had got back together, Malik had met with an accident that left him paralyzed from neck below. And there is no hope for a recovery for him.

Nikita had moved back into her father's home and was taking care of him. Or rather, she is in charge of Shamsher Malik now.

Malik might have been too arrogant to think of a time when he isn't around, and hadn't got around to make a will. So, Madhu and Nikita both became his legal heir. And after he became incapable of handling his business, Nikita and Madhu legally got the rights to run the business.

Madhu transferred everything to Rishabh. Rishabh never asked for it and had actually asked for power of attorney when Madhu had asked him to take care of the business in her place, but Madhu without discussing with him or Nikita, had transferred everything to him.

That had actually, caused more friction between Nikita and Rishabh. Because Nikita strongly believed that Rishabh's eyes were always on the prize. But they agreed to work together and though strained, they worked well together. But outside work, they still behaved like bitter exes.

Rishabh, for the sake of Madhu had tried his best to be cordial with Nikita. Even though he still couldn't stand Nikita, begrudgingly, Rishabh admitted to Madhu that Nikita did have Malik's business acumen and ruthlessness. He even agreed with Nikita that, if Nikita had a penis, then she would have been Malik's pride.

"Can we continue this another day?" Rishabh asks tiredly.

"What? Why?" Nikita asks frowning at him.

"Because I want to go home!" Rishabh tells her.

Nikita sighs hearing that. "Fine!"

Without waiting for anyone to say anything, Rishabh gets up and leaves.

He was walking out when he notices Prithvi walking in.

"You need to leave." Rishabh tells him with a sigh.

"I am guessing the board meeting didn't go as well as expected." Prithvi asks grinning.

"Don't ask." Rishabh tells him. "They questioned some of the decisions."

"Oooh. The ones she suggested?"

"I suggested. She got pissed that they are asking questions." Rishabh says tired. "I really didn't have time for this today. I just want to get home."

Prithvi grins.

Rishabh advices him. "You should also leave. If you propose today, you are definitely getting a no."

Prithvi chuckles. "You guys were so sure that she would dump me ages ago."

"Today will be pushing the limit." Rishabh tells him grinning. Then he tells him. "And stop pestering my wife."

"She was so eager to help." Prithvi reminds him.

"Every time you both finalize a ring, within an hour you will send her another 10 ring options." Rishabh tells him. "Be careful, otherwise Madhu will tell Nikita to dump you."

Prithvi laughs. "I just want to get the perfect ring. Seeing that she should say yes."

"I would go with Madhu's advice. Don't rock the boat. Just keep going as it is." Rishabh tells him. Then looking around, Rishabh whispers to him. "Or knock her up. Though not intentional, it worked for Madhu and me."

"That is plan B." Prithvi tells him laughing.

Laughing Rishabh walks off. "All the best."

**********

Madhu was sitting on her bed as she took the ointment.

"Give me." Rishabh says as he sat next to her.

"When did you come?" Madhu asks him surprised as she gave him the ointment.

"Just now." Rishabh says as he took a little bit of ointment on his fingertips and looked at Madhu's knuckles. As he put the ointment on it, he gently blows. "Does it hurt?"

"No." Madhu says chuckling.

"Finished packing?" Rishabh asks her.

"Yeah." Madhu says with a sigh. "I'm nervous."

"You are going to kick everyone's ass." Rishabh tells her confidently.

"I wish I had half your confidence." Madhu tells him.

"You are a natural." Rishabh proudly tells her. Then he stops and looks at her. "I've been thinking."

"What?" Madhu asks frowning.

"I think it is best that you go alone." Rishabh tells her.

"But Rishu..." Madhu starts to argue.

"Madhu, Ma and Dev will have to stay in the hotel. They can come only during visiting hours. And you're going to be distracted thinking about them. You won't be able to concentrate." Rishabh tells her. "You will keep worrying whether Ma and Dev are fine."

Madhu knew that he was right. "But I have never stayed away from Dev."

Rishabh smiles at her. "I promise, I will take good care of him"

Madhu worriedly looks at him. "You and Ma will manage? Bhabhi is also not here."

Couple of months back, Sultan's proposal had again come for Dipali, and that time, they all had convinced her to meet Sultan. They had got married last month and Dipali had moved to his place, now visiting them every other week.

"We will." Rishabh tells her then smiling he cups her face. "You concentrate on your tournament. Bring the cup home."

"I will miss you and now without Dev also." Madhu worriedly says.

"Whenever you want to see us, we will be there. And for every match we will be there." Rishabh tells her. "You should only worry about your tournament. You are going to be a national champion."

Madhu grins. "Let me reach the venue at least before you start declaring me the winner."

Rishabh kisses her lips. "No one can beat my girl."

Madhu grins hearing that then she kisses him hungrily.

"You need to rest. You have to travel tomorrow." Rishabh says as he hungrily kissed her back.

"And I relax best when I am in your arms." Madhu tells him as she started unbuttoning his shirt.

"Pa... Ma..."

They both stop.

"Ma.. Pa..." they hear Dev hit the door in lieu of a knock.

They both chuckle as Rishabh got up and walked to open the door. "Coming, Dev."

"By the way, Prithvi messaged. He said he is going with Plan B. Whatever that means."

Rishabh laughs as he opened the door and picked up his son. "It means they are getting their Pappu."

*** The End ***

I hope you guys liked this story. Reason I didn't use Shiv is because usual twin stories, Shiv have some connection to Rishabh, and this one didn't, so I thought to make a new pair, and changed names to Nikita and Prithvi.

For those who felt Rishabh forgave Madhu too quickly or easily. All I can say is...

For those who felt Rishabh took forever to forgive Madhu and was cruel to her, then all I can say is that if the situation was slightly different, with Madhu married to Rishabh, and his twin brother comes in his place, and Madhu assuming it is Rishabh, falls for him and sleep with him, then some of you all would feel it is rape, because consent was dubious.

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- Lazy