Hello everyone...

How are you all?

Happy Valentine's Day

Thanks to all for voting and commenting on the previous story. Memories... (Posted on 08. Feb. 2025)

The title is the title of a book by Mary Jo Putney

I got the idea for this story, while replying to a comment of lakshmi_priyanka_ on Twin Series 6 : Forbidden To Her. It was about how it would have been if Rishabh had told Madhu that he is not Krish and Madhu had married Rishabh knowing the truth in Hum Bewaafa Hargiz Na The.

This story is a drag fest that you guys are definitely going to be...

When it comes to this story, if story is the Cycle then logic is Salman Khan.

Warning!!!!

I guess my imagination has hit an all time low that I can't seem to write a story without...

Word count 25766

Haven't proofread it

Sneaking away from her family and relatives, Madhu quietly steps out of her flat. She looks around and sees Pranav standing at the end of the corridor, she walks to him as she nervously looked around.

"Hi..." Madhu says as she gently smiled at him. "Why did you ask me to meet you at this time?"

"Erm..." Rishabh nervously gulps.

"Is everything alright?" Madhu asks him, starting to get worried.

"I'm not Pranav." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu frowns hearing that. "You are not..." Madhu stops and says realizing. "Rishabh."

Rishabh nods.

"You're his twin brother." Madhu says in shock and confusion. "You messaged me from Pranav's phone?"

Rishabh nods.

"Pranav knows that?" Madhu asks frowning in outrage.

"No." Rishabh confesses.

Madhu gasps in shock. "How dare you..."

"For the last month, it was me." Rishabh confesses.

"What?" Madhu shouts in shock. "What do you mean?" Madhu asks in fury.

"Madhu, please just don't shout. Please listen to what I have to say." Rishabh begs her.

"You've been messaging me as my fiancé for a month and you want me to listen to you?" Madhu asks him in fury.

"Madhu, please don't..."

Madhu shakes her head in confusion and anger. "It was not Pranav? But how is that possible."

For the last one month, every day she had been exchanging pleasantries with Pranav, he had been busy with work, so didn't have much time to speak to her but they had been exchanging casual greetings. And it had all been Rishabh?

"Pranav won't come tomorrow." Rishabh informs her.

Madhu stares at him in shock. "Tomorrow is our wedding." Madhu whispers to him in horror. "If he didn't want to marry me why did he agree for the wedding?"

"If he could, he would have been here, Madhu." Rishabh tells her.

"Then why is he not here?" Madhu asks him furiously then turning around, she starts to walk back to her flat to inform her family.

Rishabh quickly holds her hand. "Pranav is in jail, Madhu." Rishabh whispers to her.

"What?" Madhu stops in shock. She turns to him, "he is in jail? What happened?"

"Remember, he went to Amsterdam?" Rishabh asks her.

Madhu nods, her brain screaming in confusion. Right after their marriage had been fixed he had gone to Amsterdam on a work trip.

"I was in Dubai that time, and we had made plans to meet in Dubai." Rishabh informs her.

"He had told me." Madhu tells him in shock. "He wanted to spend a holiday with you before the wedding."

Rishabh nods. "At Dubai airport, they found Marijuana in his bag and he was arrested."

Madhu gasps in shock hearing that.

"Madhu, trust me, he is not into weed or such things. Pranav never tried all those before." Rishabh hurriedly tells her. "It is legal in Amsterdam, and his colleagues were pressurizing him to try and he tried just once. That day, they had to shift hotel and one packet somehow ended up in his bag and he completely forgot about it."

"He had mentioned something like that. That everyone were telling him to try and he was feeling pressured and since it is legal there, he gave in, as it is not a crime there." Madhu tells him in shock. "Pranav was worried whether he would get addicted, and I told him not to do all that. But next day, he told me he tried and that he got high. But he was coughing so badly that he swore he is not going to touch it again."

"He swore to me that he tried it only once. He would never lie to me." Rishabh vouches for his brother.

"But he has been in Dubai for a month now." Madhu says in confusion.

"He has been in jail. I have been trying to get him out on bail but the law is too strict there." Rishabh helplessly tells her.

Madhu helplessly looks away as she thought of Pranav in jail in another country. She felt bad for Pranav. She didn't love Pranav but she had decided to spend her life with him and liked and cared for him. Then there was that worry regarding her future too.

"I called my parents as Pranav and lied to them that I lost my phone and there was an emergency at work in Dubai, so from Amsterdam, I was asked to report there." Rishabh explains to her.

"You told me the same thing." Madhu says in a whisper.

Rishabh nods.

"Why all this lie?" Madhu asks him feeling angry and helpless.

"I was trying to bring Pranav home without my parents finding out. He is their only hope. They trusts him a lot." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu sighs as she looked at Rishabh. Pranav had mentioned that Rishabh had been kicked out of the family ages ago. Pranav didn't go into details, he had told her that he will tell her when they met face to face, which never happened. Few days after their wedding had been fixed, he had gone to Amsterdam.

"But now, we will have to tell them." Madhu says softly. She couldn't imagine what hell it is going to create in her family.

"I was thinking..." Rishabh nervously says.

"What?" Madhu asks him.

"My parents think that I am Pranav." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu frowns hearing that.

"Tomorrow..." Rishabh worriedly looks at her.

"Tomorrow?" Madhu asks as she frowned at him.

"I will come as Pranav. We'll get married. As soon as Pranav is released, we will secretly file for annulment and you and Pranav can..."

"You think marriage is a joke?" Madhu asks him furiously.

"Madhu, we have no other option. I can't hurt my parents." Rishabh helplessly tells her.

"You can tell them the truth." Madhu angrily tells him.

"Madhu..." Rishabh starts then he stops noticing an elderly man walking towards them frowning at them. "I think one of your relative is coming." Rishabh whispers to her.

Madhu quickly looks back and sees her father walking towards them. "Papa." Madhu whispers.

"Madhu, what are you doing here?" Malik asks her angrily. "And Pranav what are you doing here?"

"I just came to see Madhu." Rishabh quickly tells him.

"What is the need for all that? Tomorrow is the wedding, right? Why do you have to meet like this?" Malik asks him angrily then turning to Madhu, he asks her. "Why did you come out to meet him secretly without telling any of us?"

"I asked her to come out." Rishabh quickly tells him.

"Even if he asks, why do you have to come out?" Malik asks Madhu. "Secretly meeting and all is wrong, Madhu. Haven't I told you that?" Malik asks her disappointed. "And we have house full of guests, if they see you like this, what are they going to think?"

"Papa... Pranav just wanted to ask me whether I was sure about the marriage. Whether I have any second thoughts." Madhu quickly tells him.

Rishabh looks at Madhu in surprise hearing her call him 'Pranav'.

"Is this the time to ask that?" Malik asks frowning.

"That is what I also asked him. I told him to go home and come for the wedding tomorrow." Madhu tells Malik.

Rishabh looks at Madhu in shock hearing that.

Madhu turns to Rishabh and tells him. "I told you, Pranav. My parents chose you for me, and I trust their judgement. I will meet you tomorrow at the mandap." Madhu tells him and walks off.

Rishabh watches as Madhu walked off. he couldn't understand why Madhu changed her mind so suddenly.

"Go home, Pranav. Even you will have guests at your home." Malik tells him disappointed at him.

*********

Next night, Rishabh walks into Pranav's bedroom and sees Madhu standing by the window. Hearing him, Madhu turns to look at him. Rishabh closes the door and locks it.

Madhu nervously looks at his hand at the lock.

"If someone walks in and sees me sleep on the couch, it will raise questions." Rishabh gently tells her.

Madhu nods as she looked away.

Rishabh walks towards her and tells her gently. "Thank you so much, Madhu."

"Your parents think that you are Pranav." Madhu says in confusion. "They can't tell you both apart?"

"They could." Rishabh tells her confused. "I came to tell them about Pranav but when they saw me, they called me Pranav."

Madhu turns to look at him.

"Maybe it is because they haven't seen me for years." Rishabh tells her.

"Why?" Madhu asks him.

Rishabh sighs as he leaned against the window and looked at her. "Pranav was always the good boy, the class topper while I was the bad one. I failed my 12th exam."

Madhu looks at him surprised.

"My parents were disappointed in me. Pranav was away in college. I was alone and they were always scolding me and telling me how I disappointed them. I wanted to show them that I can be good too. That time, I fell into one of those get rich quick scam." Rishabh says then he looks at her and guiltily confesses. "To make the payment, I stole my chachi's gold and sold it. I thought before they find out, I will be rich and buy it back and keep the gold back. Only after that I realized that it is a scam. By then they had found out that the gold is missing and they filed a police report. They found out that it was me who had stolen it, my parents begged them to take back the case and they agreed after Papa gave them his share in the family properties and sold Ma's gold and bought back all of chachi's gold and returned it to them. Papa and Ma were so furious with me, we had a huge fight and I left home."

Madhu looks at him in shock. "And you never came back?"

"All our relatives found out about it. My parents were humiliated." Rishabh says. "Pranav kept asking me to come back but I knew my parents will never forgive me."

"Pranav said that you are very successful now." Madhu tells him, Pranav had mentioned that Rishabh was well off now.

"Do you know what I do?" Rishabh asks her.

"Gambling." Madhu replies.

Rishabh nods. "Poker. I started off playing in the streets and moved my way up."

"So, it is true that you are an international poker player?" Madhu asks in amazement.

"Yeah. The only thing I understood were numbers." Rishabh tells her. "I started with the money Pranav secretly gave me." Rishabh looks at Madhu and sadly smiles. "His pocket money."

"And your parents disapprove of it?"

"I'll always be a thief in my parents' eyes. And now a gambler." Rishabh says with a shrug. "Initially all my money came from gambling then I started investing it. I have a healthy source of income now. Even if I don't touch cards in my life, I will be rich. I bought Ma jewelleries with my honest money and they refused to accept it. I never came home after that."

Madhu sighs hearing that.

"Why did you marry me?" Rishabh asks her curiously.

Madhu turns to him and sighs loudly. "I have a sister. She eloped."

"I did hear that." Rishabh says.

Madhu curiously looks at him.

Rishabh shrugs. "Your family overlooked the thief and gambler in our family and our family overlooked the disgraceful sister."

"Pranav said that?" Madhu asks him in shock.

"Pranav would die before he says something like that. I happened to overhear a conversation between my mother and her sister, yesterday." Rishabh explains.

Madhu nods. "After di ran away. It had been pretty humiliating for my parents and our relatives. Ever since then, I have been kind of under house arrest. I can't go out alone. I can't speak to boys. My parents are suspicious about everything. They didn't trust me. They expected me to elope like di did."

"That is so unfair." Rishabh says in shock.

Madhu shudders. "Do you know that I hold double MA?" Madhu asks him.

Rishabh shakes his head, impressed.

"It is not because I loved studying. My parents refused to let me work. I had nothing to do in my life. My life was at a standstill, so I just joined a course, waiting to be married."

Rishabh looks at her astonished.

"I was feeling suffocated. I agreed to marry Pranav because I just wanted freedom. I wanted to take a peaceful breath without someone breathing down my neck. Without having to keep updating someone about every breath I take."

"Pranav is a great guy." Rishabh tells her, with a smile. "You will be happy with him."

Madhu nods. "Yesterday, the way Papa was behaving when he saw me speaking to my fiancee." Madhu stops then sighing loudly, she says. "I couldn't imagine how my life was going to be if the marriage didn't happen today."

"I promise, Madhu, we will get the marriage annulled soon." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods and starts to walk to the bed. "Good night."

"Good night."

"Tomorrow you sleep on the bed, I will sleep on the couch. We will take turns." Madhu tells him.

"Madhu..." Rishabh calls her.

Madhu turns to him.

"I'll go back to Dubai soon. Pranav is in jail there." Rishabh tells her. "I already told my parents that I don't have leave and I will have to go back in a couple of days."

Madhu nods.

"I thought you would go to your parents' when I go." Rishabh tells her. "But if you prefer to stay here then you can. Whatever is comfortable for you."

Madhu looks at him thoughtfully. "I don't want to go to my parents'."

"Will you be comfortable with my parents? They are strangers to you." Rishabh asks her.

"Everyone is going to wonder why you didn't take me with you. Getting a visit visa to Dubai is so easy." Madhu tells him.

"You want to come with me?" Rishabh asks her surprised.

"If it is trouble for you, then it is okay. I'll manage here." Madhu tells him.

"No... no... if you want to come then you come. Being away from people, we won't have to pretend. And our truth will be hidden from all." Rishabh tells her.

"Will it be trouble for you?" Madhu asks him.

"No... no... you send me your passport copy, I'll apply for your visa. It will be ready in a few hours."

*********

Rishabh and Madhu walk into the hotel room. It had two bedrooms with a living room.

"You can take that room." Rishabh tells Madhu, pointing at the master bedroom.

Madhu nods and walks into her room to check. She leaves her handbag on the bed as she looked around. It was a grand room. She sighs seeing the extravagant room. She hears the doorbell and goes out to check.

Just as she came out, she sees Rishabh walk in with the bellboy.

"This one in this room and those two in that room." Rishabh tells the bellboy.

They remained silent as the bellboy went to both rooms and left the after taking the tip from Rishabh.

"This room looks expensive. I should be paying half the room rate." Madhu tells Rishabh awkwardly.

"There is no need for that." Rishabh tells her immediately.

"No, Rishabh... this is too expensive... I can't let you waste so much money for me..." Madhu starts.

Cheekily grinning he asks her"Madhu, you're my wife now. You're entitled to half my wealth. Forgot?"

Madhu gapes at him in shock hearing that.

Chuckling Rishabh tells her. "I was just joking. You're family now, Madhu."

"But still it feels wrong to take advantage of you like this." Madhu tells him.

"You know what I think is wrong?" Rishabh asks her grinning.

"What?" Madhu asks curiously.

"You don't know me. All that you know about me are not good. Then on what basis did you marry me and place your trust in me and came to a new country?" Rishabh asks her.

Madhu looks at him in shock, hearing him ask like that, she knew no sane person would have done what she did.

"You know, I could do anything with you and to you." Rishabh points out.

For a second, Madhu was shit scared then seeing the twinkle in his eyes, she realized that he was joking and actually making fun of her. "Be grateful that in spite of the infamy, I married you. Otherwise you would have died a confirmed bachelor."

Rishabh chuckles then sobering he tells her gently. "After Pranav, you're the only one who trusted me. I'll never break your trust."

Madhu nods then she tells him, because she wanted him to understand her. "Even though knowing they will spent the rest of their life on the run and hiding, why do prisoners escape from prison?"

Rishabh looks at her, his heart going out to her.

With a slight shrug, Madhu says. "Freedom. I wanted freedom."

"You'll have a good life with Pranav, Madhu." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu doesn't say anything to that.

"I told the lawyer that we will be reaching today. He said he will try to get permission to meet Pranav. Maybe we will get to meet Pranav today." Rishabh says hopefully.

"I really hope that he is released from jail soon." Madhu prays hopefully.

*********

Madhu stop in shock seeing Pranav. He looked so different now. His hair was trimmed off, he has lost a lot of weight and he looked so depressed.

"Madhu, what are you doing here?" Pranav asks her in shock.

Madhu worriedly looks at Rishabh.

"Rishu, I told you to tell everyone the truth. To call off the wedding. Then what is Madhu doing here?" Pranav asks him in shock then worriedly he asks. "How is Papa and Ma? Are they okay? Did they insist on coming here?"

"I didn't tell them, Pranav." Rishabh gently tells him.

"Why?" Pranav asks him, getting angry. "Why do you insist on covering this up? We can't hide this forever, Rishu. They will know one day." Then confused, he asks. "Then how is Madhu here? What did you tell everyone?"

Rishabh nervously looks at Madhu then he looks at Pranav, and tells him. "Everybody thinks Madhu is married to you."

"What?" Pranav asks in confusion. "How is that possible?" Pranav asks then he stops in shock, and he turns to look at Rishabh and says in shock. "You didn't."

"This was the only option, Pranav. Once you are released, Madhu and I will get the marriage annulled and you both can get married again." Rishabh tells him.

"You think marriage is a joke?" Pranav asks him in shock. "Madhu's life is a joke? That she takes turn in marrying us?" Then shocked out of his wits, Pranav turns to Madhu and asks her exasperated. "How the hell did he convince you to this nonsense?"

"It was my decision." Madhu tells him.

"What? Why?" Pranav asks confused.

"You two speak, I'll wait outside." Rishabh gently tells Madhu and Pranav.

They stood in silence as they watched Rishabh leave. Then they turn to look at each other.

"Madhu..." Pranav looks at her, and says helplessly. "I liked you, Madhu. I thought we will be together. But I didn't love you."

"I know. Even I don't love you, Pranav. You are a good guy. I thought we could be good together." Madhu admits.

Pranav nods and tells her. "I don't know what Rishu is thinking. I didn't ask him to do all this."

"I know."

Pranav looks at her helplessly and tells her. "I am in jail. I've a criminal record now. I lost my job. I lost my career. Honestly, Madhu, marriage is the last thing on my mind now. I don't think I will be able to think of marriage for many years now."

"I understand, Pranav." Madhu tells him.

Pranav looks at her and shaking his head determined, he says "Even if I get married, it will never be you, Madhu. You are Rishu's wife. Nothing beats that in my mind. No feelings will ever be greater than the truth that you are my brother's wife. Whether you and Rishu end this marriage or not."

Madhu sighs and confesses to him. "I didn't marry Rishabh to marry you, Pranav."

"Then why did you?" Pranav asks her in shock.

"I told you about my sister eloping. I never told you, after that, I was kind of under house arrest. I was suffocating in my home. I couldn't meet anyone, make friends, go to any friends' house, forget talking to, I wasn't even allowed to mention a boy's name. I couldn't imagine how my life was going to be if I had to stay at my home after a broken marriage." Madhu tells him helplessly.

Pranav sighs as he ran his palm through his face. "You should have left home then. What you did is crazy."

"I know that. Even Rishabh was surprised I did what I did." Madhu confesses.

"What were you thinking, Madhu? What if it was a wrong guy? You are lucky, it is Rishu. He will treat you with respect, and protect you with his life." Pranav tells her.

Madhu felt her heart skip a beat hearing that, and she felt in her soul that what Pranav said was true.

"I don't want to give you any false hope, Madhu. The moment Rishu and you got married, we are long over. We will never happen." Pranav tells her.

"I am fine with that, Pranav. Trust me, I am."

Pranav nods then he says gently. "Anyway, you two are married. Give this marriage a chance."

"I just want to concentrate on myself now." Madhu tells him.

"Rishu has been alone since he is 17, he needs someone, Madhu." Pranav gently tells her.

Madhu doesn't say anything to that, she just looks away.

"Please take care of my brother, Madhu." Pranav requests her. "he has been going through hell because of my arrest."

Madhu nods hearing that.

*********

They were silent on their way to the hotel. They didn't want to speak in front of a third person.

The moment they walked in to the hotel room, Madhu asks Rishabh. "Pranav sent you to call off the wedding."

Rishabh nods. "He is going through hell and he isn't thinking straight."

Madhu shakes her head. "When it comes to marriage, he has ultimate clarity. He told me he doesn't want to get married for years."

"Madhu, once he comes out of jail, things will change and he will change his mind. You please be patient." Rishabh requests her.

Unable to lie to him, Madhu tells him. "I didn't marry you with the hope of marrying Pranav, Rishabh. I just wanted freedom. I was only thinking of myself. Not Pranav. Not you."

Rishabh stops hearing that then he admits. "I understood that on our first night itself."

"I think it is better I leave." Madhu tells him.

"You are going back home?" Rishabh asks her shocked.

Madhu shakes her head. "I brought some of my gold with me. I can pledge or sell it and get some money. I will move to a cheaper place and I will start looking for a job here. I don't want to go back home. I can't think of going back there and telling them the truth. I hope if I get a job here then I can live my life here peacefully and we can get an annulment."

"Madhu, please don't do anything in haste." Rishabh requests her.

"You are a little too late in your advice, Rishu. I married you in haste." Madhu points out.

Rishabh looks at her in shock hearing that, then he couldn't help it and he chuckles. Madhu also smiles.

Rishabh shakes his head as he smiled. Then sobering he requests her. "Just wait till Pranav comes out. Then you both speak with a clear head and take a decision."

Madhu sighs hearing that.

"Please?" Rishabh requests her.

"Pranav has no desire to marry me. Even I just want to get control of my life back." Madhu tells him.

"Yes, I understand. But just wait till he comes back. Stay here... look for a job... do whatever you want to do." Rishabh tells her.

"There is no use, Rishabh. But I will stay here." Madhu tells him. "Because Pranav asked me to take care of you."

Rishabh looks at her surprised then feeling awkward he says. "He worries for me unnecessarily."

"Even you worry for him." Madhu tells him and ending the conversation, she walks to her room, deciding not to tell him the rest of what Pranav had said. She didn't want to make things awkward between Rishabh and her, and also she didn't want to think of what Pranav had said.

*********

Next morning, Rishabh comes out of his bedroom and sees Madhu sitting in the living room with her laptop and a cup of coffee.

"Good morning." Madhu wishes him.

"Good morning."

"I made coffee only for myself. I didn't know when you would wake up." Madhu tells him.

"I'll make for myself." Rishabh says with a smile as he walked to the coffee machine and started making coffee.

Seeing him, make the coffee, Madhu tells him. "It took me a while to figure out how to use the machine. They could have kept a manual. You look like a pro."

Rishabh smiles. "I have been living in hotels major part of my life."

"You don't have a house?" Madhu asks him curiously.

"I do have a couple of houses and flats." Rishabh tells her. "Majority of it, I have given for rent. I've a flat in Delhi. I've a place in Vegas. Then London too. These I stay when I go there."

"You don't have one in Mumbai?" Madhu asks him surprised. They are from Mumbai.

"No." Rishabh replies as he walked to the couch with his coffee. "To be so close to home and not being able to go home. I didn't buy a place there."

Madhu nods. "Pranav usually comes to meet you?"

"Yeah... or I just fly down to meet him, but I never stay in Mumbai." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods. "Your parents should have forgiven you."

"I humiliated them." Rishabh says softly.

"You were 17. Not even an adult."

"A crime is a crime, Madhu." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu sighs then to change topic, she asks him. "So, you have like lots of houses, flats and businesses?"

"Yeah." Rishabh replies as he sipped his coffee then grinning he asks. "Why do you ask? For annulment?"

"How did you marry me, Rishu? I can actually walk away with half your wealth." Madhu asks him in shock.

"I didn't think of that." Rishabh says a little shocked and surprised. Then he confesses. "I was thinking of only Pranav. I did it for Pranav."

"Lucky for you, for annulment I am not entitled to your half wealth." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh smiles.

"Don't relax too much, I am just guessing." Madhu teases him.

Rishabh chuckles. "What are you doing?"

"I am working on my resume." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh nods. "You want to go down for breakfast or order here?"

"We can go down." Madhu tells him.

"Okay, tell me when you are hungry." Rishabh tells her.

*********

They stayed in the room while Madhu continued to work on her resume and Rishabh got busy with his work on his laptop and calling the lawyer. They sat there in comfortable silence, busy with their stuff.

"You really need to stop pestering the lawyer like this. He is going to block your number." Madhu tells him.

"I'm just worried about Pranav." Rishabh tells her, realizing that he was indeed pestering the lawyer by calling him every hour.

"I understand, but Pranav is not his only client." Madhu tells him.

"I just want Pranav out soon." Rishabh tells her.

"I have been reading about the drug charges on the net. The rules here are pretty strict." Madhu gently tells him.

Rishabh sadly sighs. "I know, the lawyer is doing his best. I know I should be patient but the thought that Pranav is in jail... and what he is going through there..." Rishabh shudders.

"He will be out soon." Madhu tells him as she held his hand.

Rishabh keeps his hand over hers. "I really hope so."

Madhu looks at their hands as they held each other, then she takes her hand off.

Rishabh looks at her and says. "I am really happy you are here, Madhu. I was alone earlier. Now, at least I have someone to speak to."

Madhu smiles.

*********

"I found a video of you playing poker." Madhu tells him excited.

Rishabh looks at her surprised. "Were you looking it?"

"Yeah... just simply." Madhu say shrugging.

"They do stream some tournaments. You will be able to find lots online. Though, if you are not into the game, you will find it pretty boring." Rishabh tells her.

"I was just curious." Madhu says.

Few minutes later, Madhu curiously asks him. "Rishu, the amount that these commentators are mentioning, is it like chip value or actually money?"

"Mostly yes. But depends on the game too."

"This game, is it money?" Madhu asks as she turned her screen to him.

Rishabh squints at the screen. "Yeah."

"What?" Madhu whispers in shock as she turned the screen to check. Then she walks to Rishabh, "Rishu, I am not that good in poker, but isn't your hand the worst in the table?"

Rishabh grins as he looked at the screen. "Yeah."

"And you just threw in $5000!" Madhu says in shock.

"That's poker, Madhu." Rishabh tells her chuckling. "You bluff."

Madhu turns to watch in shock, when Rishabh threw in more money into the pot with a poker face that betrayed no emotions.

Rishabh chuckles as he turned his attention to his laptop.

"Oh my God, stop throwing money." Madhu shouts at Rishabh on the screen.

Rishabh chuckles. "Madhu, that is an old game. You remember, right?"

"Yeah.." Madhu starts and stops seeing Rishabh playing with his chips thoughtfully when the opponent raised. "No... no... fold... Damnit! What are you doing? You dumbhead, you raised!"

Rishabh found it so amusing, seeing her panicking for a game that happened ages ago. "You know, you can just forward and break the suspense."

"Maybe, I will...what the bloody hell! You deserve to be bankrupt for this!" Madhu shouts in outrage when he went all-in after his opponent raised again."

"Can't you see he is kind of nervous?" Rishabh asks her.

"But he has a good hand." Madhu argues then she gasps in shock, when the man threw in his cards, folding.

"What an idiot!" Madhu says in shock, then looking at an amused Rishabh, she puts up her hands and declares as she walked off. "Both of you!"

"I see you are not going to be a supportive wife to my poker career." Rishabh jokes.

"Maybe I should take half your wealth so that it will be safe from you." Madhu mutters.

*********

"What are you doing on your laptop whole day?" Madhu asks him curiously.

For the last four days, they have been staying inside the hotel room, only stepping out to go downstairs for food. She was starting to feel suffocated. She had finished working on her resume and have started applying for jobs.

"Mails. Updates on my businesses. I have people managing it, but I still oversee everything." Rishabh explains to her. "I physically go once in awhile to make sure everything is fine."

"You can actually work from anywhere in the world?" Madhu asks amazed.

"Pretty much." Rishabh replies then he adds, "Provided I have visa of that country to be there."

"Ha... ha... what a joke!" Madhu mocks him at his silly attempt.

Rishabh chuckles. "Don't be so jealous, Madhu."

Madhu makes a face then she curiously asks. "How many countries do you have visa?"

Rishabh grins. "You'll be jealous."

"Do you have UAE visa?" Madhu asks him.

"Golden visa. I made investments." Rishabh tells her.

"Why didn't you get an apartment here?" Madhu asks him curiously.

"I was here for that only." Rishabh tells her. "Then Pranav's arrest... I have to get back with the real estate agent."

"You get your apartment quick then." Madhu tells him.

"Why?" Rishabh asks surprised at her interest.

"Then you can give it to me for cheap rent." Madhu tells him. "I promise, I will keep your apartment neat and clean. And I will use it as if it is my own."

Rishabh looks away hearing that.

Seeing him turn serious, Madhu quickly tells him. "I was just joking."

"It's not that." Rishabh says softly. "You really have made up your mind regarding Pranav?"

"Yes. Even Pranav has made up his mind. I don't understand why you are still keeping hope on this." Madhu gently tells him.

"I just want Pranav to get back all that he lost." Rishabh tells her.

"Of all things that he lost, I am way at the bottom." Madhu tells him. "We hardly knew each other."

"But you two decided to get married too." Rishabh tells her.

"If that is your justification then we both got married." Madhu points out to him.

Rishabh stops in shock hearing that, his mouth slightly opening in shock.

Madhu stands up. "Anyway, I am just going out for a walk."

"You would be bored." Rishabh says in shock.

"Not bored... just need fresh air." Madhu tells him.

"I was so busy, that I didn't realize that you were stuck with me in here." Rishabh says as he stood up.

"It's okay, Rishu. You were busy." Madhu tells him.

"You said this is your first time here, right?" Rishabh asks her. "I'll take you around."

"Sight seeing?" Madhu asks surprised and excited.

"Yeah."

Madhu stops smiling and asks feeling guilty. "When Pranav is in jail, how can we..."

"We are doing everything we can. There is no need or use for us to simply sit here and fester. And it will be a break and change for us." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu smiles hearing that. "Okay."

*********

"Where are we going?" Madhu asks as they walked out of the room.

"Do you have any particular place in mind?" Rishabh asks her.

"I thought you were the tour guide." Madhu says grinning.

Rishabh grins hearing that. "Do you like flowers?"

"I love them. Why do you ask?" Madhu asks him.

"Then I know the perfect place to take you." Rishabh tells her with a smile.

**********

"WOW!!!" Madhu says in amazement as they walked into miracle garden.

Rishabh smiles seeing her reaction.

"My God, I don't think I have even heard of these flowers." Madhu says as she looked around.

Rishabh smiles seeing the brilliant smile on her face and he was happy that he had thought of this place.

"Do you come here every time you come?" Madhu asks him as she looked at the way different flowers and all the different shapes on display.

"This is my first time here." Rishabh tells her.

"What?" Madhu turns to him in shock.

"I have heard of this place. I am not a flower person, so, I was never interested in coming here." Rishabh tells her.

"I would come here everyday, if I got a chance." Madhu tells him. "My God, check that out."

Rishabh smiles seeing Madhu's excitement at seeing the flowers.

"Rishu, take my photo." Madhu tells him as she passed him her phone.

**********

"You know, I think they have repeated some flowers." Rishabh points out, already bored.

"So what, they are so beautiful." Madhu tells him.

He really was not a flower person. He was so bored out of his wits. It's been more than an hour, when will this end?

"Are you bored?" Madhu asks him, seeing him take out his phone.

Rishabh looks at her and shrugs. "I didn't think this would be so big."

"Do you want to go?" Madhu asks him realizing that he is bored.

"No, we will finish this."

"We can go, Rishu." Madhu tells him.

"Nah... nah.. we are not doing that. If you later crib that you couldn't see the whole place then we will have to come back and do this again. No way." Rishabh tells her.

"I never crib." Madhu cribs.

"Thanks for the demo, Madhu." Rishabh cheekily tells her.

Madhu glares at him then she walks off.

Rishabh chuckles and follows her, no longer bored.

**********

They walk back into their room after dinner.

"Tomorrow, we will go to the safari park." Rishabh tells her.

All through dinner, Madhu had been speaking about the miracle garden. Rishabh was happy that they did together, and Madhu's excitement about the place just made it all the more amazing.

Even though the place was boring as heck for a non-flower person like him. And he could see that for a flower person like Madhu, the place was close to paradise. So, it was really worth it.

"I am not much of an animal person." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh frowns. "I want to go."

"Oh.... I thought..." Madhu stops embarrassed. "Sure, let's go."

"Why? You thought we will go to place only you like?" Rishabh asks her then cheekily he tells her. "That is such a selfish attitude."

Madhu slightly blushes. "I thought you were taking me around the place."

"Yeah, but even there are places that I want to see." Rishabh tells her. They hear the bell and Rishabh tells her. "Get the door, Madhu."

Madhu was surprised at his order, because he was chivalrous to a fault. Madhu walks to the door as Rishabh walked to his bedroom. She opens the door, and was taken by surprise when a beautiful bouquet was extended to her.

Madhu takes it from the man and closing the door, she walks back in as she checked the card, it just had her name in it.

"I got flowers." Madhu calls out to Rishabh. "But there is no name..." Madhu stops as she looked up at Rishabh and sees him leaning on his bedroom door.

"You sent this?" Madhu asks surprised.

"You said you like flowers." Rishabh tells her smiling.

"Thanks, Rishu." Madhu says smiling. "These are beautiful."

"You are welcome." Rishabh tells her smiling.

"I love these. Do you know what these flowers are?" Madhu asks him as she walked to him.

"I don't know the names."

"Oh... these are yellow roses, hmmm alstroemeria, chrysanthemums..." Madhu starts pointing out the flowers.

"God, I regret this." Rishabh murmurs.

Madhu looks at him in shock. "How can you not like flowers, Rishu?"

Rishabh shrugs. "I don't know."

Madhu makes a face at him and looks around, "is there any vase for these flowers here?"

"Don't think so. Do you want me to check the reception?" Rishabh asks her.

"I will do it." Madhu tells him as she walked to the phone then she stops and turns to him in surprise. "Rishu, all these flowers represent friendship."

"I know, I told the florist that is what I want." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu smiles hearing that. Seeing her smile, he also smiles.

"I think I will hit the bed." Rishabh tells her.

"Okay, good night." Madhu tells him with a smile. "I will also sleep in a few minutes."

"Okay. I will book the safari tickets before I sleep, and message you what time we have to leave before I sleep."

"Okay."

"Call me if you need anything." Rishabh tells her.

**********

"Oh my God, Rishabh, let it go." Madhu says freaking out seeing Rishabh holding some reptile that she didn't even know the name of.

Rishabh laughs excitedly. "Madhu, you gotta try this. This is amazing."

"No, thank you." Madhu says.

Rishabh chuckles as he handed it back. He walks towards Madhu.

"I can't believe how you can touch these animals." Madhu tells him shuddering.

"Just like how I can't believe that you love flowers." Rishabh points out.

"Yeah, true." Madhu says smiling.

They had spent a while there, exploring the park, and to Madhu's chagrin, Rishabh jumping at the chance to pet all these animals.

"Are you bored" Rishabh asks her.

"No. You are having fun." Madhu tells him smiling.

"I am." Rishabh tells her. "Ever since, Pranav... I needed this break."

Madhu smiles, he had spoken to Pranav's lawyer that morning also, but there wasn't much updates yet.

"You know..." Madhu starts as she turned to look at Rishabh.

Rishabh looks at her waiting for her to continue.

"We are so different from each other. We are from different world. We like different things, still we are friends." Madhu tells him amazed.

"We are different, maybe that is why we sync together." Rishabh tells her with a smile.

**********

"Again flowers?" Madhu asks surprised.

Rishabh smiles at her in reply.

Madhu takes the flower and puts it in the vase. She puts the flower feed into the water.

She was admiring the flowers when she got a message from her mother. She checks her message and chats with her for a bit. Since WhatsApp call wasn't available in Dubai, they were mostly chatting only.

"Shit!" Madhu mutters as she hit her head.

"What happened?" Rishabh asks her curiously.

Madhu shakes her head. "Ma was asking me what I did and I was telling her that we went out. She asked me to send photos and I did."

"You sent my photo also?" Rishabh asks her.

"No, just mine."

"What is the problem then?" Rishabh asks her.

Uncomfortably Madhu says, "Ma was saying, good that Pranav had to go to UAE for work, we were able to turn it to a honeymoon."

"Oh." Rishabh murmurs. "It's okay. Let her assume whatever she wants for now. It is better that she is not suspicious."

"Hmmm.. when I tell them about annulment, they will bring the house down on me." Madhu says in dread.

"That will anyway happen, whether they think you are on your honeymoon or not." Rishabh tells her.

"I know." Madhu sighs.

"Your decision regarding Pranav is still the same?" Rishabh asks her.

"Yes." Madhu replies. "I am sorry, Rishu."

"It's your life. Your decision." Rishabh accepts it. "I will tell my lawyer to keep the annulment papers ready. We'll file it when we go back to India."

Madhu nods.

**********

"When are we going to see Burj Khalifa?" Madhu asks curiously as they walked out from the Bollywood park.

They have been exploring a lot of places in Dubai. They went to the frame, future museum, global village, the souqs, palm jumeirah and a lot of places. Since neither of them had any interest in opera, they had decided against it when Rishabh had suggested it.

Some days, they stayed in the hotel, while Rishabh had important work and she applied for jobs. She had managed to get couple of interview calls too. But she is yet to hear from them. And some days, they went out to see the city.

Only once, they got a chance to meet Pranav, but she didn't go in to meet him, she waited outside while Rishabh went to meet him.

Rishabh stops and looks at her. "I have been there a couple of times, i didn't think of it. I forgot you haven't been there."

"You don't want to go?" Madhu asks him.

"Tomorrow, let's do dinner there. You can see the fountain show too." Rishabh tells her.

*********

They had gone to At the Top, had seen the view from there. After watching sunset, they headed to Dubai Mall. There, Rishabh wanted to see the Aquarium in Dubai Mall. Then they had walked around the mall. Though Rishabh had asked Madhu whether she wanted to shop, she had declined because Rishabh insisted on paying for everything and she didn't want Rishabh offering to pay for her shopping, and she was a little tight on her money because she was going to start her life from scratch in Dubai.

They walk outside towards the fountain.

"Wow, it's crowded." Madhu says.

"It's always crowded." Rishabh tells her as he took her hand in his and walked towards the fountain.

They navigated their way, to the closest point to the fountain. Rishabh gestured her to stand in front of him, and then he stood behind her.

Madhu felt her cheeks burn, feeling him so close to her, and she knew, he was standing like that, so no one will accidentally brush up against her.

They waited for a few minutes, then the fountain show started.

Madhu watched with a smile as the water shot up to the music, and Burj Khalifa also lit up.

Rishabh freezes when Madhu, leaning back to see the show, was leaning against his chest. He was tempted to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her close. He shoves his hands in his pockets.

"That was amazing." Madhu says as she turned to him when it was done.

"Yeah, it was." Rishabh says looking at her.

Seeing the way, he was looking at her, she felt a blush creep up her face.

"Let's go?" Rishabh asks her.

"Yeah." Madhu replies and she follows him to their restaurant which again had the view of the fountain.

*********

They were having dinner and chatting when Rishabh's phone rings.

"It is Pranav's lawyer." Rishabh tells her as he quickly answers the call.

Listening to what his lawyer was saying, Madhu sees Rishabh's face break out into a smile.

Madhu smiles realizing Pranav was coming home.

Seeing her smile, Rishabh keeps his hand over hers and gently squeezes it as he thanked the lawyer profusely and agreed to some money issue.

Rishabh loudly sighs in relief as he hung up.

"He is being released." Madhu says even though she knew it is the case.

"UAE government is going to deport him." Rishabh tells her in relief.

"Deport?" Madhu asks him.

"Yeah... but till the papers are ready for that, he can be out on bail provided he put one of those ankle trackers. He can stay at the hotel with us." Rishabh tells her excitedly.

"That is great." Madhu says. "You did it, Rishu." Madhu says as she kept her hand over his.

Rishabh smiles in relief, his eyes filling up. "Tomorrow morning, I'll have to go to court, pay the fine and the charges. Then he can come with us."

*********

They watched in silence as the police gave instructions to Pranav and finally left the hotel room.

Once they were gone, Rishabh walks to Pranav and hugs him. Pranav hugs him tight and stays like that for a while.

Madhu leaves the room to give them privacy.

*********

Much later, Madhu hears a knock at the door. She opens the door and finds Rishabh at the door.

"How is he?" Madhu asks him.

"He is just silent." Rishabh tells her sadly.

Seeing him so sad, Madhu moves to him and hugs him.

Rishabh hugs her and says sadly. "Getting him out was only the first step. He was terminated from his job because of the criminal case. They knew he is innocent but the company policy and senior management... he doesn't deserve this, Madhu."

"He will be fine, Rishu. You are there for him. I'll also help in anyway I can." Madhu tells him.

They just stayed in each other's arms for a minute then they move back.

"Er... I actually... er came to talk to you about your plans." Rishabh says feeling awkward for the hug.

"What about my plan?" Madhu asks him.

Rishabh gestures her to come out and he walks to the couch where his laptop was. They sit down as he opened his laptop.

"I am thinking to take the same flight that Pranav will be going. I'll book for you also? Or do you want to stay back here till it is time for us to file the annulment?" Rishabh asks her.

"I think I will stay back here." Madhu says.

"Okay." Rishabh replies softly, his heart breaking at the thought of going away from her.

"No." Madhu says quickly. "My parents are going to make a huge issue if I don't come back. And when you tell them the truth..." Madhu shakes her head. "You guys don't need that kind of extra tension. Better I come. I'll clear things with my parents, then file for annulment and come back here."

"You have decided Dubai is the place for you?" Rishabh asks her softly.

Thinking of being alone in Dubai, without him, was starting to feel dreadful but she couldn't force him into anything, no matter how much she started to want it. "I've had couple of interviews... what if I get a job soon?"

"Hmmm."

"Will you come to Dubai?" Madhu asks him.

"Not any time soon. And I don't want to leave Pranav alone."

"And he won't get Dubai visa ever." Madhu says softly.

"For the near future, he won't. But there are ways for him to get visa, but it is a long process but for now, he doesn't have to be here." Rishabh tells her. "I might stay in Mumbai for a bit." Rishabh informs her. "Pranav needs me."

"You will stay at home?" Madhu asks him.

"Depends on what my parents say." Rishabh says helplessly.

Madhu keeps her hand over his and gently squeezes it.

Seeing him lost in thoughts, she tells him, faking a smile. "Look at the bright side, Rishu. Maybe we both we will get kicked out from our houses and we will again stay together in Mumbai."

Rishabh smiles hearing that. Then he started feeling guilty for hoping for that.

"I'll go pack my bags. Any time the papers will be ready for deportation, right?" Madhu asks him as she stood up.

"Yeah... I will send my travel agent your details also and have him book tickets as soon as Pranav's flight is confirmed." Rishabh says then he watches her walk off.

*********

Rishabh goes to his bedroom that he was sharing with Pranav now.

Pranav who was sitting on the bed lost in thoughts, looks up at him. "You look tensed."

Rishabh nervously goes to him. "I know this is not the time for this. But I don't want to lose time and be too late." Rishabh tells him.

"What is it?" Pranav asks him.

"I think I love Madhu." Rishabh informs him.

"Love her?" Pranav asks shocked. "How long have you two known each other?"

"Ever since our wedding, we have been together." Rishabh tells him as he sat down. "We just kind of clicked, like two puzzle pieces."

"She loves you?" Pranav asks him.

"I think so.... I didn't ask her." Rishabh tells him.

"Why are you telling me this and not her?" Pranav asks him confused.

"Because you know..." Rishabh tells him.

Pranav shakes his head. "Rishu, she is your wife. The moment you both got married, it is over between Madhu and me. And I can't think of another person, right now. I don't know what my life is going to be."

Rishabh looks at him and tells him. "Nothing is lost, Pranav. You'll get everything back that you lost. I'm with you."

Pranav nods and asks him. "If I said that you can't be with Madhu, were you going to just give me your wife?"

Rishabh looks at him then couldn't help his smile. "No. She is mine."

Pranav smiles. "Make sure, she is on the same page."

*********

As Madhu took her things to the bed to pack, she felt her eyes fill up. The realization that this was the end to Rishabh and her relationship was breaking her heart.

She was feeling so helpless. Ever since she left her home, for the first time, she was starting to feel trapped and helpless.

She hears a knock at the door. She quickly wipes her face and walks to the door.

"Hi..." Rishabh says nervously.

"Hi..." Madhu replies confused. "What happened?"

"I wanted to ask you something." Rishabh tells her.

"Hmmm?"

"Do you want to stay with me?" Rishabh asks her in a single breath.

"What?" Madhu asks him shocked.

"Do you want to be with me? I don't want an annulment." Rishabh tells her.

Hearing his question, Madhu's face breaks into a big smile and she quickly hugs him. "Why did it take you so long?"

"You didn't even ask me, Madhu." Rishabh points out as he hugged her.

"You kept pushing me towards your brother and I was engaged to him. It felt so twisted and weird." Madhu confesses as she hugged him.

"Not anymore." Rishabh tells her as he hugged her. "You're mine."

"And you're mine." Madhu possessively tells him.

"Always." Rishabh vows.

*********

Rishabh walks to their bedroom at night.

"What are you doing here?" Pranav asks Rishabh in confusion.

"To sleep." Rishabh tells him equally confused at the question.

"Go sleep with your wife." Pranav tells him.

"But..."

"Rishu, I don't need a babysitter." Pranav tells him. "And you both need to start prioritizing your marriage."

*********

Madhu was getting on her bed to sleep when she hears a knock at the door.

Feeling herself blushing, Madhu runs to the door and opens it.

"Erm... Pranav kicked me out." Rishabh nervously tells her.

Madhu blushes hearing that.

"He said we need to prioritize our marriage." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods and moves aside so he can come inside.

Rishabh steps in and tells her, "Madhu, I don't want to rush you into anything."

Madhu nods.

"You're okay with me sleeping here, right?" Rishabh asks her.

"Yeah, Rishu." Madhu tells him as she smiled at him.

Rishabh smiles at her.

They walk to the bed and gets on it. They lie down facing each other.

Happily smiling at each other, Rishabh takes her hand in his and he kisses her hand.

Madhu blushes as she caressed his cheek.

Seeing her blush and her caress, Rishabh moves towards her and gently kisses her on her forehead. Then he looks at her, and both of them move towards each other and takes their lips in each others.

*********

Rishabh and Madhu walk out of their bedroom together and sees Pranav sitting in the living room couch and looking out the window, lost in thoughts.

"Pranav..." Rishabh calls him as he walked to him.

Madhu follows him.

Pranav turns to look at Rishabh then looking out he tells him."I spoke to my Director. He says he is helpless and he was saying that if he took the issue up with higher ups, then my colleagues who were with me, could also end up losing their job for consuming drugs during a work trip."

"We'll think of something else."

"I am not going to get a good job in a good company with my criminal record." Pranav tells him disappointed.

"You should start your own business." Rishabh tells her as he sat next to him.

"I need money for that, Rishu. And I don't have it." Pranav tells him tired. "I doubt any bank will give me a loan if they ever find out about my jail time."

"I'll give you money, Pranav." Rishabh tells him.

Pranav turns to him and tells him. "Do you think I don't know how much you paid yesterday to get me out?"

"Pranav, you just forget about the money... I'll handle that." Rishabh tells him.

"No... I won't take any more money from you." Pranav tells him then turning to look at Madhu, he gently smiles at her. "I am happy you both are together, Madhu."

"Even I am happy, Pranav." Madhu tells him smiling.

Pranav smiles. "Take care of my brother. He is a little too emotional for his own good."

Madhu smiles as she sat next to Rishabh and held his hand.

Pranav stops smiling and asks them gently. "So, have you decided on how to tell everyone the truth?"

"First I feel it is better you tell your parents everything then Rishu and I will go meet my parents and tell them everything." Madhu tells him.

"Or you can ask your parents to come home and tell both the parents together." Pranav tells her.

"Yeah, maybe we should do that." Madhu says as she looked at Rishabh.

Rishabh turns to Pranav and asks him. "Have you decided on what to tell Papa and Ma?"

"The truth, Rishu."

"They are going to be really hurt, Pranav. We can come up with something else." Rishabh gently tells him.

Pranav shakes his head. "Today or tomorrow they will hear about this. There is no use hiding from them. They should hear it from me. And I lost my job, Rishu. I need to start looking for a new job. Look at me, look at the physical changes, they are going to be suspicious."

Then looking at Madhu, he asks Rishabh. "And what possible justification can we give for you marrying my fiancé?" Shaking his head, in finality, he tells him. "No lies. We'll tell them the truth."

*********

"Are you nervous?" Rishabh asks Madhu as they did the final packing.

Deportation papers were ready and they were to leave for the airport in a few minutes.

Madhu shakes her head. "You are there, right?" Madhu says with a smile then asks him. "Are you nervous?"

Rishabh shakes his head. "You are there, right?"

Madhu chuckles as she wrapped her hands around his waist and nibbled on her lips.

"You are such a tease, Madhu." Rishabh tells her as he pulled her close and kissed her.

"How am I a tease?" Madhu asks as she leaned back to look at him.

"I told you, till I take you home as my wife, we won't make love. And you've been such a tease." Rishabh tells her.

"All I am doing is kiss my husband." Madhu tells him as she kissed him.

Rishabh chuckles as he hugged her. Then he tells her worriedly. "Be with me, okay, Madhu?"

"We are together in this, Rishu. Facing your parents and mine." Madhu tells him as she hugged him.

*********

Madhu wakes up in the hospital bed, her whole body aching.

"Madhu..." Rishabh hurries to her as he took her hand in his. "How are you?"

"Rishabh..." Madhu whispers. "It hurts, Rishu. My whole body."

"It's because of the accident. But luckily you just have some scrapes, no fracture or anything."

"Accident... yeah." Madhu whispers remembering how their taxi had collided with another car. "Are you okay?"

"I am fine. The taxi driver, to protect himself, had swerved the car. Since I was sitting behind him, that side took the least hit." Rishabh tells her.

"And Pranav?" Madhu asks him.

Rishabh gulps and tells her. "He took the most hit. He hit his head and he is under observation."

"Don't worry, he will be fine." Madhu tells him as she held his hand. "You should be with him."

Rishabh lovingly caresses her forehead. "I wanted to be here when you woke up." Rishabh tells her as he kissed her forehead.

Madhu smiles. "You go, I'll be fine."

"I informed my parents. They will inform your parents." Rishabh tells her. "Your phone was damaged and I didn't have their number."

"Let's just wait till I stand up before we tell them everything." Madhu tells him in dread. "Otherwise I won't be able to even run. You'll have to run alone leaving me behind."

"I will carry you and run." Rishabh tells her chuckling.

"How romantic." Madhu says smiling.

Chuckling Rishabh kisses her forehead. "We have such nonsense sense of humor."

"I know. That is how we found each other."

Rishabh smiles hearing that.

"I'm feeling sleepy. You go." Madhu tells him.

"Okay. I will ask one nurse to stay with you. I'll come back in bit to check in on you." Rishabh kisses her forehead. "I love you, Madhu."

"Love you too, Rishu."

*********

"How are you feeling now?" Rishabh asks Pranav.

"Like my head is splitting open." Pranav groans.

They hear the door open and both looks at the door. They see their parents.

Radha comes running to Pranav. "Pranav..." Radha says in horror. "What happened to you?"

"Accident, Ma. I am fine." Pranav tells her.

"You look half your size." Radha says panicking.

Rishabh worriedly looks at Pranav, Pranav had lost the weight in jail, not because of the accident.

"he had lost weight. It has nothing to do with the accident." Rishabh quickly tells her.

"I lost weight?" Pranav asks confused.

"Yes." Rishabh replies confused at his question.

"Are you okay?" Mohan asks Rishabh worriedly.

Rishabh nods.

"Did you check with the doctor?" Radha asks him in concern.

"Yes, he said I am fine."

"What were you doing with them?" Mohan asks Rishabh angrily.

"We came together." Rishabh tells him.

"Where is Madhu?" Radha asks them. "Is she okay?"

"She is fine... her room is..."

"Who is Madhu?" Pranav asks curiously.

"What?" Rishabh turns to him in shock.

"Madhu... Ma mentioned her. Who is she?" Pranav asks.

"What are you saying, Pranav?" Mohan asks him in shock. "Madhu is your wife."

Rishabh gulps hearing that.

"Wife? I am not married." Pranav tells them in shock.

Mohan and Radha worriedly looks at each other.

"Pranav, what is the last thing you remember?" Radha asks him worriedly.

"It's all foggy." Pranav says confused turning to Rishabh, he asks. "Did we meet for lunch today? Or was that yesterday?"

"Where?" Rishabh asks shocked.

"Near the airport because you had a flight. I can't remember the restaurant name." Pranav says as he held his head, the headache was increasing.

"When was this?" Mohan asks Rishabh worriedly.

"Last year." Rishabh replies as dread filled him up.

"I am not married." Pranav says panicking. "Wouldn't I be remembering something like that?"

*********

"Amnesia?" Madhu asks Rishabh in shock.

Rishabh sighs and nods. "He doesn't remember the last one year."

"So, he doesn't know that he was in jail?" Madhu asks him.

Rishabh shakes his head. "Papa and Ma told him that he is married to you."

"Give me a break." Madhu moans hearing that.

"I just don't know what to do." Rishabh tells her. "When he found out he is married, he panicked because he doesn't remember it. I don't know how to tell him the truth now."

"Don't worry. Maybe he will remember everything soon." Madhu tells him.

"Hmm... Madhu, you know what this means, right?" Rishabh asks her worriedly.

"We can't tell anyone about us." Madhu says softly.

"Yes." Rishabh tells her. "Doctor said not to give him any stress."

"His health is more important, Rishu." Madhu tells him.

"Thanks, love." Rishabh tells her in relief.

"we are together in this." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh smiles at her. "I've to go. I slipped out while Pranav was being taken back to room. Papa and Ma will come anytime to see you."

"Okay... my parents have reached. They have gone to see the doctor." Madhu informs him.

"I'll see you later, okay?" Rishabh tells her.

"Okay."

*********

"It's because of you." Radha tells Rishabh with furious tears.

Rishabh doesn't say anything as he looked away hurt. After the doctor told them about Pranav's amnesia, and three hours later, when Pranav woke up with still no memory of his last one year, their parents had lost it.

"How is it his fault?" Pranav asks angrily. "Do you think if he wasn't in the car, we wouldn't have met with the accident?"

"All his life, he has hurt us." Mohan says upset.

"He was a kid then." Pranav says upset.

"You're giving him stress." Rishabh reminds his parents angrily as he moved to Pranav and gently held him.

Mohan and Radha stops hearing that, they guiltily looks at Pranav.

"Just stop blaming Rishu for everything, please. I am begging you." Pranav says then he stops hearing a knock at the door.

Padmini opens the door and Malik wheels in Madhu.

"What the..." Rishabh whispers in shock seeing them bring Madhu inside.

Madhu helplessly looks at him.

"We thought, if Pranav sees Madhu that might trigger Pranav's memory." Padmini tells them hopefully.

"That is Madhu?" Pranav asks Rishabh in a whisper.

Rishabh nods.

"Who is that hopeless romantic with her?" Pranav asks him.

Rishabh couldn't help chuckle hearing that. "I'm assuming her mother." Rishabh whispers to him.

"You don't know?" Pranav asks him frowning.

"I know that is her father." Rishabh tells him.

"Do you remember anything?" Padmini asks Pranav.

Pranav and Rishabh turns to look at their parents and all of them were looking at him hopefully.

Pranav shakes his head. "Sorry."

And all four of them were disappointed.

"It will return with time and treatment." Rishabh tells them.

"So, this is Pranav's twin brother?" Malik asks, looking down at Rishabh.

"Yes, he is Rishabh." Madhu tells them.

"Have heard about you." Malik tells Rishabh with dislike.

Rishabh nods.

Pranav frowns. "I don't care who it is, I will not tolerate anyone behaving antagonistically with my brother."

"Pranav, calm down." Rishabh whispers to him.

"Pranav, that is Madhu's father." Radha tells him in shock.

"That is why I said, I don't care who it is." Pranav tells her.

"He is right." Madhu says as she looked at her father angrily. "You are meeting Rishu for the first time, you should get to know him before you start being judgmental about him based on the stories that you heard of him."

"Thanks." Pranav says as he nodded at Madhu.

Madhu looks at Rishabh and says. "Rishu is one of the best guys I know."

Rishabh gently smiles at her hearing that.

"You guys are friends?" Pranav asks curiously.

Rishabh nods.

"All three of us were together in Dubai." Madhu tells him.

Pranav nods. "I'm sorry, I don't remember any of it." Pranav tells Madhu.

"I understand. You don't think about me. Just concentrate on your self." Madhu tells him then she looks at Rishabh.

Rishabh also looks at Madhu helplessly.

"Anyway someone has to stay here with Pranav. I am thinking Madhu should stay with him." Padmini says.

"Are you crazy? Madhu is admitted here and you want her to take care of Pranav?" Rishabh asks her losing it.

Padmini looks at him frowning. "Doctor said that she will be discharged today."

"Rishu, why do you have to speak between husband and wife?" Mohan asks him angrily.

Rishabh and Madhu helplessly looks at each other.

"Madhu, will you stay with Pranav?" Radha asks her.

"Her husband is hospitalized, of course she would want to stay." Padmini says.

"Erm... Madhu..." Pranav politely calls her.

Madhu looks at him.

"They all are saying you're my wife. I understand that but I don't remember you or our marriage. I'm sorry, right now, you are stranger to me and I am not comfortable with you staying here." Pranav tells Madhu.

Madhu quickly nods, feeling relieved. "I understand."

"Rishu will stay with me." Pranav tells their parents.

*********

"What are you doing here? Who is with Pranav?" Radha asks seeing Rishabh at Madhu's room's door.

"He is resting. I just came to check on Madhu." Rishabh tells her as he walked in and looked at Madhu. "How are you?"

"Better than when I woke up." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh smiles in relief.

"I'm going to my place for a bit." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh nods and asks her. "When will you come back?"

"In a couple of days." Madhu replies.

Rishabh nods. "The bags that were in the car. I sent it home. If you need anything important, I'll have someone bring to your place."

"No, that's fine." Madhu tells him.

"You will come back once Pranav comes home, right?" Radha asks her curiously.

"Yes." Madhu replies as she slyly looked at Rishabh.

"Mostly Pranav will be discharged tomorrow. There are some more tests that the doctor wants to do." Radha informs everyone.

Seeing Madhu standing up, Rishabh asks her worried. "Can you walk?"

"Yeah... I've body pain, but I can manage. Doctor told me to walk instead of using the wheelchair." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh nods.

"Let's go, Madhu?" Malik asks her.

Madhu nods. Holding Padmini's hand Madhu starts walking out. As she passed Rishabh, she holds his fingertips for a bare second and lets go, as she walked off, her eyes filling up.

Rishabh watched as Madhu left. He had hoped to speak to her in private for a second so he could give her his phone number. Her phone was destroyed in the accident and he knew she didn't know his number by heart.

*********

Madhu was lying in her bedroom when Padmini comes to her room.

"Madhu, did you call the shop for a new phone and sim?" Padmini asks her.

Madhu looks at her in confusion. "What?"

"One man has come from the shop saying you ordered a phone and sim." Padmini tells her.

Realizing Rishabh had sent it, Madhu says. "Yeah, I did. My phone is gone."

"Okay... how much should I pay him?" Padmini asks as she started to leave.

Knowing Rishabh, Madhu tells her. "It's already paid."

Padmini looks at her confused. "How?"

"Online." Madhu tells her.

"Ah okay."

Few minutes later, Padmini gives her the new phone and sim.

"I'm going to sleep, Ma." Madhu tells her.

"Okay... I'll wake you up when it is time for dinner." Padmini tells her with a smile and leaves.

After her mother left, Madhu quickly puts the sim in her phone and waits for it to ring.

Fifteen minutes later, her phone rings.

"Hello?" Madhu immediately answers.

"How are you?" Rishabh asks her.

"Feeling drained. I am fine. What about you?" Madhu asks him.

"I'm fine. I should have been with you." Rishabh tells her disappointed at himself.

"I'm fine here." Madhu tells him. "Pranav needs you now."

Rishabh sighs. "I sent your phone with all our stuff home. Keep this sim for emergency, I'll try to send your sim soon."

"It's okay. For now, I'll use this." Madhu tells him.

"Pranav will be discharged tomorrow. Will you be coming home?"

"Will you be there?" Madhu asks him.

"Pranav would insist on me coming home. He needs me, so I will. Papa and Ma won't like it but I will go home." Rishabh tells her.

"I'll come then. I want to be with you." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh sighs. "As soon as Pranav is better we will tell everyone the truth." Rishabh tells her.

"I understand, Rishu." Madhu tells him.

"I've to go now. Papa and Ma will be leaving soon. I'll message you later. Don't know if I can call you. You also need rest."

*********

Rishabh was lying on his bed later that night messaging Madhu while Pranav was sleeping.

"Rishu..."

"Didn't you sleep?" Rishabh asks as he sat up to look at his brother. "Do you need anything?"

"I was just thinking what all I might have forgotten." Pranav says as he laid back and looked at the ceiling.

"It will all come back to you. You just don't stress." Rishabh tells him.

"Anything important in my life that I forgot?"

"No." Rishabh lies as he laid back.

"Nothing happened in the last one year? Everything was stagnant?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"That is disappointing." Pranav says. "But I guess, it is good also that I didn't forget anything important." Pranav muses.

"Yeah."

"I need to inform my boss that I won't be able to come for work for a few days."

"Let's go home first and take care of all that later." Rishabh tells him.

First thing in the morning, he needs to get in touch with Pranav's director and update him on what happened. After what Pranav has gone through, he better cover up and lie.

"Did I love her?" Pranav asks Rishabh curiously.

Rishabh's heart skip a beat hearing that. "No."

"Why did I marry her then?" Pranav asks curiously.

"Arranged marriage."

"Hmmm... Rishu..." Pranav gently calls him.

"Yeah?"

"I know she is my wife. But I can't remember her. I can't believe that she is my wife. It is not easy, Rishu." Pranav tells him helplessly.

Rishabh felt guilty hearing that. "You don't worry about, Madhu. She'll understand."

"I'm glad you two are friends." Pranav tells him with a smile.

Rishabh sadly smiles hearing that.

"So, we didn't marry twins like you wanted...huh? Told you, I'll never do that shit." Pranav tells him smiling sleepily.

"Yeah." Rishabh replies with a small smile wondering whether Madhu had a cousin sister or some close relative that he could fix Pranav up with.

*********

"He will not come to our house." Mohan says furiously.

"I want Rishu with me." Pranav tells them.

"Because of him, we can't go anywhere. Everywhere we go, they call us the thief's parents." Radha tells them.

"For God sake, that was ages ago. He was just 17 then. Didn't he turn his life around?" Pranav asks them.

"As a gambler?" Radha asks in disgust. "He has been humiliating us for years now. First in school by failing for all his exams. Then stealing and now, a gambling addict."

"He is not an addict! He is a professional poker player! And he has other businesses too. Not because he finds joy in it or is interested in it, because he wants you both to be proud of him." Pranav tells them fed up.

"You are always fighting with us for him, Pranav." Radha tells him hurt. "You know, you are our only hope in life."

"You have two sons, why do you keep forgetting that? I wish I had died in the accident then at least you would start valuing him." Pranav says hurt.

"What are you saying, Pranav?" Rishabh asks him furiously.

"Every time you come..." Mohan starts, his eyes filling up.

"Stop arguing." Rishabh says tired. "Pranav is not supposed to take any stress and you two are giving him stress after stress!"

"It is because of you that he is here in this condition." Mohan furiously tells him.

"How?" Pranav asks him. "I was in Dubai for work. I came back after the work was done. Even if Rishu wasn't there this accident would have happened."

"Enough!" Rishabh says losing it. "Pranav is not well and I am not going anywhere. I am coming home whether you both like it or not."

"And who are you to decide that?" Mohan asks him angrily.

"If not, Pranav and I will go somewhere else." Rishabh tells them in finality.

*********

"So, you finally got inside as you?" Madhu asks him on the phone.

"Yeah, but Papa and Ma are not very happy about it." Rishabh informs her.

"Papa and Ma asked me to stay here for a day or two." Madhu tells him. "To get some rest and get better and go."

"Hmmm what did you decide?" Rishabh asks her.

"I'll just wait for a day or two. What if Pranav gets his memory back by then?" Madhu asks him.

"Hmmm okay... I'll try to come and see you." Rishabh tells her.

"No... I don't know how my parents are going to treat you." Madhu tells him. "I did think for a bit whether to tell my parents the truth."

"And you decided against it?" Rishabh asks her.

"Yes, I don't know what they will do once they find the truth. One thing for sure, they will come to your house and create an issue. They will scream out everything." Madhu tells him.

"God, don't tell them anything." Rishabh says in dread.

"Yeah." Madhu says sighing.

"Pranav is coming. I'll speak to you later." Rishabh says hearing the bathroom door open.

"Okay."

*********

Two days later, Madhu also comes to Rishabh's house.

Madhu smiles at Rishabh as she walked in with her parents. Rishabh smiles at her, feeling so happy to see her after two days.

"How are you now, Madhu?" Radha asks her as she hugged her.

"Better, Ma." Madhu replies as she smiled at her.

"Hello..." Pranav says as he came out of his room.

"Hi... how are you?" Madhu asks him politely.

"Better. You?" Pranav asks her.

"Good." Madhu tells him.

"You two didn't speak to each other in the last two days?" Padmini asks them as she looked at both of them confused.

"No." Pranav replies.

Padmini turns to Madhu and says confused. "When you got the phone in a hurry, I thought it was to speak to him."

Madhu forced herself to not look at Rishabh just then. She replies. "I didn't speak to him. He doesn't remember me, Ma. And I didn't know his number by heart."

"But you should be talking to each other and Pranav needs to get to know you again, right?" Malik asks her.

Madhu gulps as she looked at Rishabh and Pranav.

"I need some time. Please, I want you all to be a little patient with me." Pranav tells them gently. "This is not easy for me." Pranav says as he looked at Madhu.

"It's okay, Pranav. Let's just wait till your memory returns." Madhu quickly tells him, feeling awkward and uncomfortable.

*********

Madhu's parents had left a little after that. Madhu and Rishabh didn't get time to speak to each other alone.

They were having dinner and that was when Radha had casually told Rishabh to move to the guest bedroom.

"Guest bedroom?" Rishabh asks confused.

"Madhu is back, right? Why would you stay in Pranav's room now?" Radha asks him frowning.

Rishabh and Madhu immediately looks at each other in panic.

"Ma... I am telling you all that I need time and what are you even saying?" Pranav asks in shock.

"When Pranav is not comfortable then I am also not comfortable staying in the same room with him." Madhu tells her in-laws. "I'll stay in the guest room."

"If you were not here, then none of this problems would have happened." Mohan tells Rishabh furiously.

Seeing Mohan unnecessarily blaming Rishabh, Madhu lost it. "This talk is happening because I had come back. Maybe I should leave. I'll come back once Pranav's memory is back."

"What are you saying, Madhu?" Radha asks her in shock. "This is your home now."

"My home is where my husband is comfortable in and right now, he is not comfortable here." Madhu argues.

Rishabh goes pale hearing that.

"This is a hard time for all of us, Madhu." Mohan gently tells her. "We all have to be patient."

"That includes you both, Papa." Pranav points out.

Mohan looks at Pranav then he looks at Rishabh in anger but doesn't say anything.

"I've been meaning to ask something but I keep forgetting." Pranav says as he turned to Rishabh.

"What?" Rishabh asks him.

"You didn't know Madhu's mother. Her father was meeting you for the first time. How come? Didn't you come for my wedding?" Pranav asks him curiously.

Rishabh quickly looks away, he could never look at his brother's face and lie. And even if he did, Pranav would immediately realize it.

"Rishu?" Pranav calls him then he turns to his parents with a frown.

"He didn't come." Radha tells him.

"What?" Pranav shouts in shock. "Rishu was not there for my wedding?"

"He wasn't there." Mohan confirms.

"Am I even married?" Pranav asks them in shock. "Do you all want me to believe that I got married without Rishu?"

"You fought with us that you will not get married if Rishu is not allowed to come for it. But in the end, you got married without him." Mohan tells him.

"Why would I do that?" Pranav asks as he turned to Rishabh.

"I told you that I will meet you after the wedding. I told you to bring your wife and come to Delhi for a bit." Rishabh tells him honestly.

"And I agreed?" Pranav asks frowning.

Rishabh awkwardly looks at him and says. "I told you I was busy with a poker tournament on the wedding day."

Seeing the way, Rishabh was behaving, Pranav asks frowning. "Are you lying now or did you lie that day?"

"I messaged you with the tournament details." Rishabh says uncomfortably.

"You lied to me." Pranav says furiously. "And I believed it?"

"You were suspicious in the beginning." Rishabh confesses.

"How could you do this to me, Rishu?" Pranav asks him hurt.

"He did us all a favor by not coming. Be grateful." Mohan tells him. "Otherwise he would have ruined your big day."

"And we promised Madhu's family that he will not come for the function." Radha informs him.

Pranav turns to Madhu and asks her in anger. "Were you aware of that?"

Madhu nods her head in yes.

Pranav furiously gets up and says. "Finally, I understand why I don't love you. And why I don't feel anything seeing you."

"What are you saying, Pranav?" Radha asks him furiously.

"For him, you have always hurt us. You started back answering us for him. Now, you're hurting your wife." Mohan tells him furiously.

"Calm down, Pranav." Rishabh tells him. "You will not speak to Madhu like that."

Pranav furiously glares at Rishabh and walks off.

"Madhu, you don't take anything to heart what he says. When it comes to Rishabh, he is blind." Radha tells her guiltily as she glared at Rishabh.

"If you stay here anymore, it will cause more problems in your brother's married life." Mohan tells him furiously.

Madhu furiously gets up and walks off.

*********

Hearing the soft knock at the door, Madhu quickly opens the door. Rishabh slips in. They quickly hug each other.

"Are you okay?" Madhu asks him worriedly.

"I am fine, are you okay?" Rishabh asks her.

"I don't like the way your parents treats you." Madhu tells him sadly.

"I am used to it." Rishabh tells her as he cupped her face.

Madhu leans up and takes his lips in hers. They hungrily kiss each other.

"I'm sorry Pranav was rude to you." Rishabh tells her as he lovingly cupped her face.

Madhu shakes her head. "He was defending you."

"I'll explain to him that you had no voice regarding your parents' demands." Rishabh tells her.

"Even your parents demanded that my di also should not attend the wedding. We actually have no idea where she is. We haven't seen her or heard from her since she eloped." Madhu tells him. "So, it was an easy promise for my parents to give. Unlike yours."

"Even if they didn't demand it, my parents wouldn't have liked me to attend." Rishabh tells her.

"How did Pranav agree to it?" Madhu asks him.

"I don't think he knew your parents made that demand." Rishabh tells her. "My parents would never tell him that fearing he would call off the wedding."

"Even we never discussed it. I think he was in jail that time, I was getting the messages from you and we didn't speak much that time." Madhu tells him. "Did Pranav agree to get married without you?"

"No, he was adamant that he will not get married without me." Rishabh tells her.

"Hmmm."

"I've to go." Rishabh tells her. "Pranav is furious with me. I need to calm him down."

*********

"Madhu has no much voice in her family." Rishabh tells Pranav gently. "She was kind of under house arrest after her sister eloped."

"She has a sister?" Pranav asks curiously. "I didn't hear anyone mention it."

Rishabh quickly explains to him why Madhu had decided to get married in the first place.

"How did our families find each other?" Pranav asks in shock. "Both the parents are so alike."

"That is the reason this proposal happened in the first place." Rishabh tells him smiling.

Seeing Rishabh smile, Pranav asks him angrily. "Why didn't you come for my wedding?"

"I'll come for your next one." Rishabh tells him grinning.

Pranav gives him an exasperated look then shaking his head, he says as he looked away. "I am not able to connect to this Madhu, Rishu."

Rishabh's heart skips a beat. "Let your memory return. Then things will fall into place."

Pranav sighs as he nods then shaking his head, he says. "I still don't understand why I would get married without you."

"Stop unwanted stress and just concentrate on your health." Rishabh tells him.

*********

Madhu was coming out of her bedroom when she notices Pranav come out of his bedroom. Seeing her, he stops.

"I am sorry for the way I shouted at you yesterday." Pranav tells her.

"Please don't apologize to me for standing up for Rishu." Madhu tells him. "If I had known then..."

"Rishu told me about your family situation." Pranav tells her. "You are a lot like Rishu."

"I am?" Madhu asks surprised, with a smile. "I thought we were both very different from each other."

Pranav was surprised by that statement, then he says with a smile. "You both put up with all the unreasonable demands of our parents."

Madhu looks at him surprised then she smiles. "Yeah... maybe that is why you once said that I remind you of Rishu."

"I did?" Pranav asks surprised.

"Yeah." Madhu says with a smile.

"That might be the reason I decided to marry you." Pranav muses thoughtfully.

Madhu gets uncomfortable hearing that.

"Madhu..." Pranav gently starts. "I really don't remember you. I am trying..."

"It's okay, Pranav. Please don't stress about me." Madhu tells him.

"Thank you for being so understanding." Pranav tells her with a smile.

Madhu felt guilty hearing that.

"Can we be friends till then?" Pranav asks her.

Madhu smiles hearing that. "Sure."

Pranav smiles hearing that.

"Did you and Rishu speak? You seemed angry with him." Madhu asks him.

"Yeah... knowing that he lied to me..." Pranav says shaking his head. "But when I think of it, we were together in Dubai and so I obviously did forgive him. So, why dig it up? There are more important things that I need to deal with."

Madhu smiles and asks. "You can tell when he lies?"

Pranav chuckles. "Madhu, when he plays poker, his face is granite. No expression, or he will be mocking his opponents. But in real life, that guy gives off more expressions than a TV serial vamp."

Madhu chuckles hearing that. "Really?"

"He says it is because when he plays poker, his heart is not in it. But real life, it is." Pranav explains.

"So, you can't tell when he lies during poker?" Madhu asks him curiously.

"One day, I will." Pranav tells her.

Madhu laughs hearing.

"Did we play poker with Rishu?" Pranav asks curiously.

"No."

"Come, lets play." Pranav tells her.

"Now?" Madhu asks surprised.

"Yeah, come."

*********

Rishabh curiously smiles seeing Pranav and Madhu walk into the bedroom.

"We are playing poker." Pranav declares.

"I thought you didn't know that well to play." Rishabh tells Madhu.

"I've been watching some videos." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh grins hearing that.

They sit on the bed in a circle and Rishabh deals the cards and the betting starts.

When Rishabh raised again, Pranav folded his cards while Madhu called. Rishabh deals the final card.

Madhu smiles realizing that she had a pair of 4s. She raises.

Rishabh looks at her and smiling, he pushes all his coins in. "All-in."

"What?" Madhu looks at him in shock.

Rishabh sweetly smiles at her. "I said all-in."

Madhu looks at him in shock then she turns to look at the cards on the bed. There were two cards higher than 4. So, if he had either of those with him, then he will get this hand. Already she had half her coins in the pot. If she goes all-in and he has a higher pair then she will be out. But what if he is simply raising?

Madhu looks at Rishabh and he was calmly waiting for her to continue.

"If I fold will you show me your cards?" Madhu asks him curiously.

"No." Rishabh replies.

"Why?" Madhu asks frowning.

"My wish." Rishabh replies shrugging.

And Madhu remembered that during one of his game she had watched, the opponent had asked him whether he would show his cards if he folded, and Rishabh had declined. The player had thought Rishabh was bluffing had raised the bet and lost because Rishabh did have the best cards in that round.

"I fold." Madhu tells him as she threw in her cards.

Rishabh smiles and was dragging the coins towards him when Madhu quickly picked his cards and checked.

"That is not right, Madhu. I refused to show my cards." Rishabh warns her.

"These are crap." Madhu says in shock, realizing that she had folded the winning hand.

"Told you I won't show my cards. You shouldn't have checked." Rishabh tells her cheekily as he looked at Pranav. "Now, you live to regret it."

Pranav also chuckles seeing that.

Madhu glares at Rishabh, pissed at being fooled. "I'll show you."

"Can't wait to see." Rishabh tells her.

Hearing that, Madhu felt herself blush and she quickly looks down.

Pranav starts dealing.

Madhu picks her card and sees that she had an Ace and 7.

They start betting then Pranav deals two 2s and a 8.

Pranav folds when Rishabh raised. Madhu matches.

Pranav deals another Ace and he couldn't help mutter a 'damn' because he had an Ace.

Madhu fought to hide her excitement. She had two pairs, a pair Ace and a pair of 2s. She raises and Rishabh simply calls.

Pranav deals the final card, another Ace and he couldn't help himself and mutters 'damnit!'

Madhu couldn't hide her smile realizing that she had a full house. Three Aces and a pair of 2s.

Rishabh raises.

Madhu smirks and raises again.

"What, Madhu? You might have a 2 and it is a full house?" Rishabh asks her teasingly. "I'll tell you one of my cards. It is Ace. My Ace will beat your 2."

"Good for you." Madhu says, he had ace and she also had Ace, both of them will have the same hand and the pot will be split.

"I call and raise." Rishabh tells her.

Realizing he was doing what he did the previous round by trying to scare her off by raising, Madhu smirks and goes "All-in."

Rishabh gives Madhu a thoughtful smile then he looks at her coins, "I will call." And he throws appropriate coins.

Madhu grins. "I've Ace. Full house. We can split the pot."

"Pot is mine, Madhu." Rishabh tells her smugly.

"You have Ace, and I've Ace. It is same." Madhu reminds him.

"Awww did you really believe when I said I've Ace? Didn't you hear Pranav say damnit when Ace came? I knew he had one Ace minimum. Whether you had other Ace or not, it didn't matter."

"You don't have Ace?" Madhu asks him shocked.

Rishabh shakes his head. "I've 2."

"You've full house?" Pranav asks confused. "Madhu's hand beats your hand."

"I've two 2s. In total, I have four of a kind which beats your full house."

"You lied to me." Madhu whispers in shock looking at Rishabh.

"Necessity of the game." Rishabh tells her chuckling.

"He is so condescending when he has or doesn't have a good hand." Pranav says shaking his head. "It is so hard to tell."

"I can't believe you lied to me." Madhu tells him in shock.

Realizing Madhu was upset, Rishabh started getting worried. "It is just a game."

"Yeah, you won, and I am out of coins. You guys play." Madhu says and getting up, she walks off.

"Wow, why is she getting so upset because you lied in the game?" Pranav asks confused.

Rishabh worriedly looks at the door.

"She is so sensitive... huh?" Pranav asks curiously.

"I'll go say sorry to her." Rishabh says as he got off the bed.

"Yeah... you go."

*********

Rishabh walks into Madhu's bedroom and sees her standing by the window. He hugs her from behind.

"Why is my darling so upset?" Rishabh asks her.

"You lied to me." Madhu says upset as she tried to push him away.

"Awww sorry, love but it was in the game. You know, bluffing is normal in poker." Rishabh tells her grinning.

"But I never thought you would look me in the eye and lie to me." Madhu tells him pissed.

Rishabh turns her to face him. "I will never lie to you, Madhu. Game is different."

"But I didn't like it." Madhu tells him upset. "Whether in game or not, I don't want you to lie to me ever."

"Fine. I won't." Rishabh tells her.

"Really?" Madhu asks smiling.

"Yeah." Rishabh smiles seeing her smile.

Madhu happily hugs him.

Rishabh hugs her and tells her. "You do realize that, we are never going to play poker now."

"What?" Madhu looks at him confused.

"I'll never play you if I am not allowed to lie. So, that is decided." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu growls hearing that.

*********

Things were going fine for awhile though Radha and Mohan were still angry with Rishabh.

Madhu was coming in from the balcony when she notices Rishabh standing there and checking his mobile.

Madhu runs to him and holds his hand. "Rishu..."

Pranav turns to her with an amused smile. "It's Pranav, Madhu."

"Oh..." Madhu quickly leaves his hand. "From behind I didn't realize."

"I've put on weight, right?" Pranav asks her smiling. "I feel I gained the weight I lost."

"Yeah, you did." Madhu says smiling realizing. "Ma's food, maybe. Even your hair is grown. Though it is different from Rishabh's hairstyle."

"Yeah, it was cut really short, right? Normally I don't cut that short. When Rishu and I am together, we get the same haircut." Pranav tells her.

Madhu grins. "You know, you two behave like twins that are still in kindergarten."

Pranav laughs hearing that. "It is just fun. By the way, why was I on a diet?" Pranav asks her. "That day Rishu was telling Ma."

"don't know. You just decided." Madhu says shrugging.

"Health wise everything is fine, right?" Pranav asks her curiously.

"Yeah.. yeah... and they did check you while you were in the hospital, right?"

"Yeah... I forgot, did you need anything?" Pranav asks her curiously.

"No... no... I just simply..."

"Okay." Pranav smiles and walks off.

*********

"Why is your parents treating you like shit, Rishu?" Madhu asks furiously.

That night also, his parents had been rude to him.

"Madhu, you know everything." Rishabh tells her.

"They are treating you like you're not even their son." Madhu tells him pissed.

"I am as good as dead to them." Rishabh tells her sadly.

Hearing that, Madhu hugs him tight.

"Madhu, we are in the balcony, someone will see." Rishabh nervously whispers.

Madhu moves away feeling upset.

"Sorry, Madhu." Rishabh whispers softly.

Madhu nods as she looked away.

"All this will end soon." Rishabh gently tells her.

"What if Pranav will not get his memory back?" Madhu asks him worriedly.

"He will, Madhu." Rishabh tells her.

"What if he falls in love with me before he gets his memory back?" Madhu asks him.

"What?" Rishabh asks in shock.

"He thinks I am his wife. He can develop feelings for me." Madhu points out to him.

"He would tell me if he has." Rishabh quickly says, getting worried at the possibility.

"That will be after he develops feelings for me." Madhu points out.

Rishabh gulps worriedly as he looked away. "No, Madhu, at present he is only concerned about the missing parts of his memory."

"My parents keep calling me asking whether Pranav remembered anything. Whether I am spending time with him. They even started asking when Pranav will go back to work, they are worried he will lose his job if he takes anymore leave." Madhu tells him tired.

"Madhu, I understand this is not easy for you. But please be patient." Rishabh worriedly tells her. "I am scared how Pranav will take it all if we tell him. You remember, how depressed he was."

Madhu nods. "I was just asking." Madhu tells him. "You go, someone will see us together."

*********

Madhu's parents had come to visit her and Pranav one day. While Radha and Padmini were speaking, Malik was making conversations with Pranav while Mohan sat with them. Madhu was silently watching everything while Rishabh was in the bedroom working.

"Madhu, you didn't tell your parents that you and Pranav stay in different rooms?" Radha asks Madhu.

"Why didn't you tell us, Madhu?" Padmini asks her in shock.

"What is there to tell?" Madhu asks her frowning, feeling uncomfortable and awkward.

"Are you having problems in your marriage, Madhu?" Malik asks her worried.

"Problems?" Madhu asks them back.

"I told Madhu that I couldn't share a room with her till I got my memory back." Pranav tells them.

"And what if you never get your memory back? Is our daughter supposed to suffer all her life?" Malik asks him.

"Papa... Ma... please, stop this." Madhu tells them. "I am not comfortable with you both discussing this."

"Comfortable?" Padmini asks her in shock. "Your husband is keeping you in the guest room and your concern is comfort?"

"You both realize this is a personal matter, right?" Pranav asks them frowning.

"They are her parents, Pranav and they will be concerned about her happiness." Radha tells him.

"I'm happy here if that is their concern." Madhu tells everyone as she stood up and walked off.

"Look, how she is standing up for you, Pranav." Radha tells him. "You told her you need time and she is now fighting with her parents for your comfort."

"Isn't it high time that you also learn to adjust for your wife?" Mohan asks him frowning.

"You're being selfish by refusing to accept our daughter just because you don't remember." Malik tells him disappointed.

"Have you thought of a situation where you never remember or you'll take years to remember? Is Madhu supposed to stay in the guest room till that happens?" Padmini asks him.

"She married you with the belief that she will have a happy life with you, Pranav." Radha tells him.

*********

Madhu hesitates in front of Pranav's bedroom for a few seconds then she walks off. she wasn't in a mood to speak to Rishabh.

He should have been there with her but he had decided to hide instead.

In her heart, Madhu knew that Rishabh had decided to stay away because, her father had been rude to him, his parents are rude to him, and Pranav was picking fights with everyone defending him, and he didn't want to cause any more issues. And she also knew, he didn't want her parents to hate him more than they did now.

*********

Madhu hears a knock at her bedroom door and she hurries to open it.

"Can I come in?" Pranav asks her.

Madhu nods and steps aside.

"Your parents left. I told them that I'll tell you."

Madhu nods feeling relieved. "You just ignore what they are saying." Madhu tells him.

"Thanks for supporting me." Pranav tells her.

"Please don't thank me." Madhu tells him then not wanting him to feel indebted to hers she lies to him. "You don't remember me, so I am also not comfortable."

"But they are right, how long will this go on?" Pranav asks her.

"What?" Madhu goes white hearing that.

Helplessly Pranav sighs as he walked to the bed and sat down. "I've no recollection of what happened in the last one year, Madhu."

"Pranav..."

Pranav shakes his head. "No, Madhu... you can't understand what I am going through. No one can. Not even Rishu. Every time I try to think of what had happened in the last one year, what had happened on the morning of the accident, it is all dark. It is all blank. These holes in my memory, the feeling that I forgot something very important, it just drives me mad. I feel so helpless."

"Not knowing my own life... having a wife that I don't remember... it is not easy." Pranav says. "But I realize that I have been selfish. I was only thinking about myself."

"No, Pranav..." Madhu whispers going white as a ghost, realizing where he was heading.

"You should move back into the room, Madhu." Pranav tells her.

Madhu stares at him in shock, her heart slamming in her chest in panic.

"I understand even you've reservations. But we can't keep playing safe like this." Pranav tells her. "We have to restart somewhere. You move back into the room, Madhu. We are friends and we will stay friends but start sharing more of our life together. We'll take things slowly."

When Madhu just continued to stare at him without replying, Pranav tells her. "Why don't you think it over tonight?"

*********

Madhu was feeling suffocated in her room, so she had gone out to the balcony. As she stood there, she hears someone step in. She turns back and sees Rishabh closing the door.

"I looked for you in your room." Rishabh tells her.

"Pranav told you?" Madhu asks him.

"Yes." Rishabh tells her as he walked to her.

"Are you here to tell me that I should share the room with your brother because you trust me or are you here to tell me that we should tell everyone the truth?" Madhu asks him.

"I do trust you blindly, Madhu." Rishabh gently tells her.

Madhu furiously looks away, her eyes filling up.

"And I know that doesn't give me the right to ask you to do this." Rishabh tells her. "I'll never be able to forgive myself if I made you do that."

"Don't be so sure on the trust, Rishu. After all, now a days, he is starting to look exactly like you specially after the haircut."

"Madhu, I know you are angry with me. And you should be. But Madhu, this is not easy on me also." Rishabh tells her.

"So, what is your solution?" Madhu asks him as she looked at him.

"Do you want to go back to Dubai? You were looking for a job there. Your parents know that. You can say you got a job. Once Pranav's memory comes back, I will join you." Rishabh tells her.

"And what if Pranav's memory doesn't come back?" Madhu asks him back.

Rishabh helplessly looks at her, "What do you want me to do?"

"I'll tell Pranav that I'm having second thoughts about the relationship or whatever." Madhu tells him. "But we will tell our parents the truth."

"What truth?" Rishabh asks her in shock.

"Everything, Rishu." Madhu tells him angrily. "That Pranav was in jail and that time we had got married and now we love each other and we want to be together."

"Madhu..." Rishabh worriedly says. "I was 17 when I became a thief. And my parents hasn't forgiven me even a decade later. And Pranav tried weeds when he is 28 years old. They are going to see him like a drug addict and they will never forgive him. I can't do that."

"Pranav was going to tell them the truth." Madhu reminds him.

"I never wanted them to find out the truth, Madhu. It is going to destroy my parents. I don't know what they will do and whether they will believe me."

"That is their problem, not yours."

"I can't tell them, Madhu." Rishabh helplessly tells her. "Please understand."

Madhu furiously starts to walk off, and Rishabh quickly holds her hand.

"Madhu, please don't go."

"Leave me, Rishu." Madhu says furiously.

"No, not like this." Rishabh tells her.

"I don't want to hear anything. Just LEAVE!" Madhu shouts in fury.

"Madhu, don't walk away. Talk to me."

"Leave, Rishu." Madhu says furiously as she tried to pull her hand free.

"Madhu, no.." Rishabh holds her tight and pulls her towards him.

"Rishu..." Madhu starts and they hear the door open.

Both freezes and looks at the door and sees Radha at the door.

"Rishabh." Radha shouts in fury. "What are you doing?"

Rishabh quickly leaves Madhu's hand.

Radha marches to Madhu and holding her she asks her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Madhu nods.

Radha turns to Rishabh and slaps him furiously. "This is your brother's wife. How dare you, Rishabh?"

Madhu gasps in shock seeing that.

"What were you doing?" Radha shouts furiously at him.

"What is happening here?" Pranav asks as he came out.

Mohan had also come hearing their voices.

"How many times I told you that he doesn't deserve to be let inside our house?" Radha asks Pranav furiously. "Look what he did."

"Now, what did he do, Ma?" Pranav asks her fed up. "What big crime did he commit?"

"What did he do, Radha?" Mohan asks as he glared at Rishabh.

"I am ashamed to even say it." Radha says humiliated.

"What did he do?" Mohan asks furiously.

"He was misbehaving with Madhu." Radha says furiously.

"WHAT?" Mohan shouts in fury. "Is this true?" Mohan asks Rishabh.

"ARE YOU CRAZY?" Pranav asks furiously.

Realizing that Pranav was looking at her, Radha says. "I saw with my own eyes!"

"What we see doesn't always have to be the truth." Pranav tells her.

"You ask Madhu!" Radha tells her.

"I don't have to ask anyone." Pranav says furiously. "Rishu would die before he misbehave with any girl and you want me to believe that Rishu misbehaved with my wife?"

"So, you are saying I am imagining things?" Radha asks him furiously.

"Either that or misunderstanding things." Pranav tells her. "Don't you have any faith in your own upbringing?"

"Madhu, you tell him what Rishu did." Radha tells Madhu.

Madhu looks at Rishabh as her eyes filled up. Rishabh silently looks at her.

"Why don't you ask him?" Madhu asks her.

Seeing Madhu staring at him, and knowing that she wanted him to tell everyone the truth than take the blame of something so disgusting.

"Answer her, Rishabh." Mohan furiously tells him.

"We were just talking and Madhu was leaving in the middle of the discussion, and I was trying to stop her. That is when I held her hand." Rishabh explains.

"Heard him?" Pranav asks his mother furiously. "You've villanized him in your mind that everything that he does, you see it as a crime."

"Who is he to hold your wife's hand?" Radha asks him. "Why are you letting him take so much liberties with your wife?"

"Madhu and Rishu are friends. The truth is, Madhu is more friendly and comfortable with Rishu than she is with me. Haven't you guys seen it?" Pranav asks them.

"What is wrong with you, Pranav?" Mohan asks him in shock.

"Don't you realize that you are slandering your wife?" Radha asks him in outrage.

"Saying she has a friend is slandering now?" Pranav asks furiously. "I don't remember her. I am just getting to know her. I am not very comfortable with her. She knows all that. And she has got to know Rishu in the last two months, so she is obviously more comfortable with him."

"Why is your brother getting overly friendly with your wife?" Radha asks him.

"Now, you are slandering my brother and my wife." Pranav accuses her.

"Please stop. It was a misunderstanding." Rishabh tells them. "I'm sorry for what happened. Please stop fighting."

"Enough!" Madhu shouts in fury. "I'm done!"

"What?" Rishabh asks her in a whisper.

"I'm going to my parents'." Madhu tells them as she furiously walked off.

"Madhu... let's talk..."

"I am going to my parent's, and if anyone follows me, then I will not even go there. Leave me alone!" Madhu says as she walked out of the balcony.

Radha furiously turns to Rishabh.

"If you say 'it is because of you' then I will do some serious damage." Pranav warns her.

Rishabh runs behind Madhu.

"Madhu...." Rishabh calls her as she got into her bedroom.

Madhu looks at him and then slams the door shut.

Few minutes later, Madhu left the house.

*********

Next day morning, Pranav was hounded from both sides by their parents.

"You'll go and bring back Madhu home. You will promise her that Rishabh will not stay here anymore." Mohan tells him.

"I am not going to do any of that." Pranav tells them. "She misunderstood and she left. Even when Rishu apologized for no crime of his. Rishu had explained what had happened. Still she left."

"She left because her husband was supporting his brother instead of her." Radha tells him.

"She is a stranger to me. I know my brother. He will.." Pranav stops seeing Rishabh come out of the bedroom.

Without looking at them he walks out.

"Rishu, where are you going?" Pranav calls out.

"I'll explain after I comeback."

*********

"Madhu... Pranav is here to see you." Padmini calls out to her happily smiling at Rishabh.

"What happened?" Malik asks Rishabh. "She is not telling us anything."

"I want to speak to Madhu alone." Rishabh tells them without answering him.

"You go in to her room then." Padmini tells him just as Madhu came.

Seeing Rishabh, Madhu tells him angrily. "You'll not come inside."

"Is this the way to behave to your husband, Madhu?" Padmini asks her furiously.

"We let you come in because you had come at midnight. But I don't want you staying here any more. We got you married and that is your house now. You shouldn't keep coming here for every small fight." Malik tells her furiously.

"And he has come here to take you home and you are showing this attitude?" Padmini asks her angrily.

"Your daughter should be your priority." Rishabh tells them furiously. "Your son-in-law should come after your daughter for you. After all he is a stranger. If she has come home at the middle of the night like this, then you should be understanding there is good reason."

Malik and Padmini stares at Rishabh in shock.

"What happened last night?" Padmini asks Madhu.

Ignoring her parents, Madhu looks at Rishabh. "Come out." Then she walks off.

Rishabh follows her out. Madhu doesn't say anything as she took the stairs instead of the lift. Rishabh follows her down the stairs.

Madhu walks to his car and turns to him. "Go. Leave."

"What?" Rishabh looks at her in shock. "Madhu... please don't do this."

Madhu turns to him pissed. "Aren't you ashamed to come to see your wife using your brother's identity?"

"I came as Rishabh but they assumed I am Pranav. And I knew they will not let me in if I corrected them." Rishabh explains to her.

"You're my husband, no one has the right to speak between us. That includes my parents too." Madhu tells him pissed.

"No one knows that, Madhu." Rishabh helplessly reminds her.

"And I am telling you to tell everyone the truth." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh sighs and holds her hand. "Madhu, when I was kicked out of my home, Pranav was all I had. He has sacrificed a lot for me. I can't do anything to hurt him."

"What about hurting me, Rishu?" Madhu asks him, her eyes filling up. "I tried being supportive and understanding. But now, I can't. I can't tolerate this anymore."

"Madhu, do you think it is easy for me? It kills me every time someone says that you're Pranav's wife. But I will go through this pain because it is a matter of Pranav's wellbeing."

Madhu looks away hearing that.

Rishabh holds her hand to his chest and tells her. "It is not just the marriage, I will have to tell Pranav why I married his fiancee and that means, I will have to tell Pranav about his jail, he lost his job, his criminal record, that his life is a mess now."

"I am telling you to tell our parents, not Pranav." Madhu tells him, her eyes filling up seeing his pain.

"The moment they find out, they will attack Pranav and he will be accused and not given any chance to understand the situation." Rishabh tells her. "I will be pushing him to hell, Madhu."

Madhu sighs hearing that.

"Please, Madhu, come back home."

*********

Seeing Madhu come back with Rishabh, Mohan and Radha walks to her in relief.

"Good that you came back, Madhu." Radha tells her hugging her.

Madhu gives her an obligatory hug.

"I hope he apologized to you." Mohan tells her.

"Rishu hasn't done anything to apologize. I hope, we will never talk about this again." Madhu tells them as she walked off to the guest room.

Rishabh watches Madhu walk off then he looks at Pranav, Pranav was watching him silently.

"Madhu and I spoke and we have sorted it out between us. Just let this go." Rishabh tells him and walk off.

"How dare he ask you to not interfere between your wife and him?" Mohan asks shocked.

"You might not trust your son but I trust my brother." Pranav tells him.

"He stole from his own family. How can you trust him like this?" Radha asks him shocked.

"He did that because you two couldn't accept him with his shortcomings. You kept criticizing him instead of understanding him or loving him. You pushed him to do it." Pranav accuses them and walks off.

*********

At night, Radha comes to Rishabh.

"Did you go to Madhu's house as Pranav?" Radha asks him furiously.

Rishabh gulps hearing that.

"I spoke to Padmini and she was saying they were glad that Pranav came to bring Madhu back." Radha tells him furiously. "Did you go there as Pranav?"

Rishabh nods. "Madhu's parents doesn't want me going to their house, so.."

Radha slaps him furiously. "You disgust me, Rishu. Did Madhu also think that it was Pranav?"

"Madhu can tell us apart." Rishabh informs her.

"Then why didn't she tell her parents?" Radha asks confused.

"Because she knows how her parents see me." Rishabh tells her.

"And still you shamelessly went there. Do you even realize what would have happened if they realized your lie?" Radha asks him. "How would we face them?"

"It's all over, right? Madhu is back here." Rishabh tells her and walks off.

*********

Rishabh knocks on Madhu's door and she opens the door. He quickly slips in.

"How come you are early? Pranav slept?" Madhu asks him curiously as she closed the door.

"Papa and Ma slept. Pranav has gone for a walk." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods as she looks away. "You have to hide from how many people to come see me?"

Rishabh sadly looks at her. "I'm sorry, Madhu. But thank you for coming back."

"What's this?" Madhu asks frowning seeing the slap marks on his face.

Rishabh shrugs.

"Papa or Ma?" Madhu asks murderously.

"Your mother spoke to Ma, and she found out that I had come there as Pranav." Rishabh tells her.

"I'm going to slap the daylights out of your mother one day." Madhu mutters.

"She is my mother, Madhu." Rishabh tells her.

"Your parents and my parents are driving me crazy. I might lose it sometime soon." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh sighs, when her parents spoke against her, he had been furious and he could understand what Madhu was feeling seeing him being attacked by his parents daily.

Madhu gently runs her hand over his cheek, then she places soft kisses on his cheek.

Feeling her healing kisses, he holds her waist and pulls her close.

Madhu keeps kissing him as their bodies brushed against each other.

Rishabh gulps feeling his body react to her closeness.

Rishabh cups her face and kisses her hard on her forehead. Then he steps back. "You're my wife, Madhu but not like this." Rishabh tells her and leaves the room.

Pranav who had walked in stops seeing Rishabh come out of Madhu's bedroom.

*********

Rishabh comes out of the bathroom and sees Pranav.

"You are back so fast." Rishabh asks him as he walked to the bed.

"Yeah... I thought of speaking to Madhu. But then changed my mind." Pranav tells him.

"Hmmm." Rishabh gets on the bed as he lies down.

"Did you speak to her?" Pranav asks him.

"In the morning." Rishabh replies.

"Not after coming here?" Pranav asks him.

Rishabh shakes his head without looking at him.

Pranav watches him silently as Rishabh turned to sleep.

*********

Next day, Pranav couldn't help but watch Rishabh and Madhu. They didn't speak to each other much when someone was around them.

He just couldn't understand what reason Rishabh had to lie to him. He sees Madhu gesturing Rishabh and she walks off. a minute later, he sees Rishabh follow Madhu to the balcony.

He hesitates, he didn't want to doubt his brother. He felt furious at himself for thinking of doubting Rishabh. He knew, Rishu would never do anything to hurt him.

But in the end, he couldn't control himself and he walks to the balcony and sees Rishabh hug Madhu. He felt darkness filling his vision and he felt faint.

*********

"Everybody is here." Rishabh whispers to Madhu as he walked to her.

"Are you really planning to pack me off to Dubai?" Madhu asks him.

Rishabh hesitantly looks at her. "I know you are not happy here. Your parents will not give you any peace and you wanted to escape from there that is why I asked you to come back yesterday."

"So, you want me to go to Dubai?" Madhu asks him.

"Do you want to go?" Rishabh asks her back.

"I'm starting to feel suffocated here, Rishu, but if you want me to stay here then I will." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh hesitates hearing that.

"Remember that interview I attended? They mailed saying they are moving to the next stage and they have asked me for my convenient time for the final round interview." Madhu informs him.

"Is the interview through video call or..."

"Video call." Madhu tells him.

"So, you really don't have to go." Rishabh says softly.

"No."

Rishabh looks at her for a few seconds then he walks to her and hugs her. "I'll make arrangements for your stay in Dubai. You married me because you were feeling suffocated in your house. I don't want you to ever feel like that again. I'll come as soon as i can." Rishabh promises her.

"I'll tell everyone that I got a job and I want to take it up." Madhu tells him as she hugged him in relief then she worriedly asks. "You'll come soon, right?"

"My life is with you, Madhu. I'll come as soon as I can." Rishabh promises her.

They hear a sound from behind and turn back to look and sees Pranav lying on the floor.

*********

Pranav wakes up to find himself in the hospital bed with his family worriedly looking at him.

"What had happened, Pranav?" Radha asks him worriedly.

Pranav looks around and sees Rishabh and Madhu looking at him, both white as a ghost and looked so guilty.

"Call the doctor." Mohan tells Rishabh.

Rishabh goes out to call the doctor. Few minutes later, he comes back with the doctor.

*********

Once the doctor had checked him and gave instructions, he had left.

"What happened that you got stress and fainted?" Radha asks him worriedly.

Pranav looks at his parents and tells them "I want to speak to Rishu and Madhu alone."

Mohan looks at Rishabh and Madhu then looking at Pranav, he asks confused. "Why?"

"Please, don't ask anything. Just..." Pranav tells them.

Mohan and Radha leaves the room.

Rishabh moves closer to Pranav's bed.

"I saw you two hug. There is nothing wrong in you both hugging." Pranav tells them. "You two are friends. I saw you leave Madhu's room last night. If you tell me you just went to speak to her, Rishu then I'll believe you. Even though you lied to me you didn't."

"I went to speak to her." Rishabh tells him.

Pranav watches him for a few seconds then he says, "Why do I feel that you're hiding something from me?"

"I told you, Pranav. I just went to speak to her. Why are you taking unnecessary stress?" Rishabh asks him nervously.

"Rishu, I will never believe that you will intentionally hurt me, you will never do anything that will cause trouble for me. Tell me, what are you hiding from me." Pranav asks him.

"I am not hiding anything from you." Rishabh says as he looked away. "You're just taking unnecessary stress."

Pranav looks at Madhu and sees her looking at Rishabh worriedly.

"Madhu... at least you tell me what is he hiding from me." Pranav tells her.

"Rishu told you." Madhu says softly.

Pranav looks at Rishabh and Madhu then he asks Madhu, "Why do I get this feeling that your loyalty is more towards him than me?"

"Nothing like that, Pranav. You just relax and don't take any stress." Rishabh tells her fed up and getting angry.

Pranav looks at Rishabh then he looks at Madhu. "Rishu would never do anything to hurt me. But at the end of the day, he is just a man. Did you seduce him, Madhu?"

"WHAT?" Rishabh shouts in fury.

"You are richer than me. Obviously the better choice for you, Madhu." Pranav tells her.

Madhu furiously glares at him.

"Not another word against Madhu, Pranav." Rishabh furiously warns him.

"She is not comfortable about moving into my room but she is letting you into her bedroom secretly at night." Pranav tells him.

"Madhu is my wife, Pranav." Rishabh furiously tells him. "You insult her again then I will forget you are my brother."

"Your wife?" Pranav asks in shock.

Rishabh stops in shock realizing what he had said.

Pranav stares at Rishabh in shock then he looks at Madhu who was looking at Rishabh in shock.

"Are we both married to the same woman?" Pranav asks in shock.

"Of course not. Madhu is my wife. She is mine." Rishabh tells him in shock.

"Then I can handle any other shit, Rishu! Couldn't you just tell me that?" Pranav asks him then he turns to Madhu and tells her. "I'm sorry, Madhu. My gut told me that if I insulted you then Rishu would speak up. I don't believe anything that I said. I am very sorry."

"You are forgiven." Madhu tells him, smiling in relief. "If you hadn't done that, Rishu wouldn't have spoken up."

"You could have told me." Pranav tells her.

"I couldn't hurt Rishu." Madhu helplessly says.

"You two love each other." Pranav says in shock.

"We do." Rishabh tells him, his heart slamming against his chest, knowing what was going to come next.

"This actually makes a lot of sense." Pranav says thoughtfully. "I just couldn't believe that I would get married without you. But how did you two get married? And why does everyone think that Madhu is my wife?"

Rishabh gulps and says. "Madhu was your fiancee."

"And what happened?" Pranav asks confused. "You two fell in love and we decided that you get married to her in my place?"

"YES!" Rishabh quickly jumps on that. "That is what happened."

"You are lying." Pranav says looking at Rishabh. "And that doesn't make sense. I would have helped you both get married. Even helped you guys elope but never do this kind of fraud."

Rishabh gulps hearing that.

"What the hell are you hiding from me, Rishu?" Pranav asks him furiously. "You told everyone your wife is my wife. Why would you do that? What the hell did I do that you are trying to cover it up from me also?"

Rishabh doesn't say anything hearing that.

"You better tell me, Rishu. Otherwise I will find out. You know me, I won't rest till I find out. If you want me to find out from you, then you better tell me otherwise I will find out however I can." Pranav warns him.

Knowing that is exactly what Pranav is going to do. Rishabh gives up.

Rishabh sits next to him and holds his hand. "It is all over and it is in your past. You'll overcome this."

Pranav worriedly looks at Rishabh. "What happened, Rishu?"

"Right after your marriage was fixed, you had gone to Amsterdam." Rishabh gently starts and tells him what had happened.

"I am a criminal?" Pranav asks him in shock. "I was in jail?"

"It is all over, Pranav." Rishabh gently tells him.

"I lost my job?" Pranav asks Rishabh, his eyes filling up. "I'll never get a good job ever again."

"Pranav, you can rebuild everything that you lost." Rishabh calmly tells him.

"No..." Pranav whispers as he panicked.

*********

"I've given him sedatives. Let him sleep. And please don't give him anymore stress." The doctor tells them angrily.

They watch the doctor leave, Mohan furiously holds Rishabh's hand and drags him out of the room to the sitting area of the VIP room. Seeing that, everyone follows them.

"What did you tell him that he is lying like this now?" Mohan furiously asks him.

Before Rishabh could say anything, Madhu moves in between Rishabh and Mohan. "Enough, you need to stop blaming Rishu for every single thing. All he has done is try and take care of everyone."

"Madhu, stop." Rishabh tells her.

"You shut up." Madhu tells Rishabh then turning to Mohan, she tells him. "Enough is enough. He is your son and you better start treating him like that."

"Your husband is lying there like that and you are defending him?" Radha asks her furiously.

"My husband is standing behind me." Madhu tells her.

"What?" Mohan looks at her in shock.

"Do you even realize what you are saying?" Radha asks her.

"I'm telling you that Rishabh is my husband and I am his wife."

"Pranav is your husband!" Mohan furiously tells her.

"I am her husband." Rishabh tells them. "I married Madhu. Not Pranav."

"What do you mean?" Mohan asks in shock.

"You stayed here as Pranav and married Madhu?" Radha asks him in shock.

"Yes."

"That is a crime." Mohan tells him in shock.

"I knew who I was marrying." Madhu informs them. "I married him knowing that it is Rishabh and not Pranav."

"Why would you do that?" Radha asks her in shock. "You wanted to marry Pranav, right?"

"Madhu and I fell in love. We knew that none of you will agree for our marriage. So, we did this." Rishabh lies.

Madhu looks at him but doesn't say anything.

"I want you both to get out of here, this instant." Mohan tells them.

"I am not going anywhere. Pranav needs me." Rishabh tells them then holding Madhu's hand he takes her to Pranav's room.

*********

Pranav wakes up and finds the whole family there.

"Pranav, are you okay?" Radha asks him as she worriedly held his hand.

Pranav looks around till he found Rishabh. Rishabh walks to him and seeing him, Pranav's eyes fill up.

"I just want to be alone for some time. Can you all please leave me alone?" Pranav asks them.

"Pranav, we are here for you." Mohan tells him in concern.

"Please, just leave me alone. Even you, Rishu." Pranav tells them.

Rishabh nods and walks out with everyone.

As he reaches the door, Pranav worriedly calls him. "Rishu?"

"Yes?" Rishabh immediately stops and looks at him.

"You won't leave, right? You'll be here, right?" Pranav worriedly asks him.

"I won't go anywhere." Rishabh promises him.

Pranav nods as he curled up on his side and closes his eyes, tears spilling from his eyes.

Rishabh's eyes fill up seeing his brother like that, and feeling so helpless he walks out. He sits on the couch.

Seeing him like that, Madhu walks to him and sits next to him. She gently holds his hands.

Rishabh turns to her and hugging her, he softly starts sobbing.

"He is going to be fine, Rishu." Madhu gently tells him.

"He is so broken, Madhu."

Madhu hugs him tight as she let him cry.

Seeing them like that, Radha angrily tells Mohan. "Call her parents and ask them to come."

*********

Rishabh and Madhu looks up when they hear the door open and Malik and Padmini furiously comes inside.

"Is it true what we heard?" Malik asks Madhu.

"Is it about my marriage to Rishu, if so then yes." Madhu tells him.

"What do you mean by you got married to him?" Malik asks furiously.

Rishabh furiously stands up and warns him. "If you want to speak to my wife then lower your volume and talk to her."

"See the way he is speaking to your father." Padmini tells Madhu in outrage. "Who is he to say all this to your father?"

"I am her husband." Rishabh tells them. "I have had enough of you both bullying her."

"Bullying her?" Malik asks in outrage. "She is our daughter." Then turning to Madhu, he asks. "How could you marry him, Madhu? I found a good man for you and you married this thief? Gambler?"

Before she could say anything, Rishabh answers for her. "Yes, she did. You know why? She was feeling suffocated in your house. She decided that marrying a thief and a so called gambler is better than remaining in that house with you."

"What?" Malik asks in shock.

"What nonsense are you saying?" Padmini asks outraged.

"He is telling the truth." Madhu tells them.

"How can you say that, Madhu? We are your parents." Padmini says, her eyes filling up.

"After all that we did for you, this is what we get in return?" Malik asks her. "At least your sister was much better than you. She didn't stab us in the back. She stabbed us in the front."

"Yeah, definitely she is better. She didn't put up with you and ran for her life." Rishabh tells them.

"Rishu, enough, they are my parents." Madhu gently tells him.

"What parents? You are dead to us." Malik says furiously and walks off.

Rishabh looks at his parents, and sees them looking at him and Madhu in disappointment and anger. He simply ignores them, he holds Madhu's hand and sits back down.

*********

It was getting late and Mohan and Radha was starting to insisting on staying with Pranav.

Rishabh walks to the door and knocks on the door.

"Pranav, it's me." Rishabh gently says.

He waits for a few seconds, then he hears. "Yeah, open."

Rishabh opens the door and his heart breaks seeing Pranav sitting up as he wiped his face. He wanted to walk to him but Pranav wasn't ready for him, so he stops himself.

"It is getting late and all of us can't stay here." Rishabh tells him. "Who do you want here?"

"I'll stay with you, Pranav." Radha tells him. "Or if you want Mohan will stay here."

Pranav looks at Rishabh and tells him. "Madhu needs you, Rishu. You've been prioritizing me over her for too long."

"If I am staying here, then Madhu will stay here. I'll not send her alone with them or to her house." Rishabh tells him.

"Only one can stay here. You go with your wife." Radha snubs at him.

"I'll handle that." Rishabh tells her. He looks at Pranav and waits.

"You stay, Rishu." Pranav tells him.

Rishabh nods.

*********

Mohan and Radha had left after that and Rishabh had got a bed for the sitting room for Madhu and him.

"How did you manage to get this and get permission for me to stay?" Madhu asks him curiously as she laid on one end of the single cot.

"I am rich." Rishabh tells her as he squeezed in next to her.

Madhu chuckles softly. Rishabh smiles.

Madhu turns on her side lies with her back to Rishabh, and he hugs her from behind.

"Why did you lie to our parents?" Madhu asks him.

"He doesn't need them attacking him right now." Rishabh tells her. "And I told you, I never want them to find out about it."

"It will come out." Madhu warns him.

"I know." Rishabh replies then he leans up and kisses her cheek. "Thank you for being there with me, Madhu. I know I haven't been a good husband to you."

Madhu turns her head to face him, then she keeps her hand on his cheek and gently pull him down, she kisses his other cheek. "This was a decision we both took." Madhu reminds him.

"I love you." Rishabh tells her as he kissed her palm.

"And I love you." Madhu tells him smiling.

Rishabh lies back as he hugged her.

"Rishu..."

"Hmmm?"

"Go sleep with Pranav." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh stops hearing that.

"He needs you, Rishu. I am fine. Anyway, I am going to sleep. You go." Madhu tells him.

"He said he wants to be alone." Rishabh tells her.

"He has been alone for a while. You go." Madhu tells him.

"Okay." Rishabh whispers as he kissed her. "Love you."

*********

Rishabh gently opens the door and sees Pranav lying curled up on the bed. He walks to the by stander's bed and sits on it.

He sits there and watches Pranav for a long while. He knew that Pranav was awake. But Pranav hadn't looked at him. Rishabh starts to lie down then changing his mind, he walks to Pranav's bed and lies next to him.

The moment he laid down next to Pranav, he hears Pranav sigh. Rishabh turns to him and hugs him.

"Everything is going to be fine, Pranav. I am here. Trust me." Rishabh pleads him.

"My life is over, Rishu." Pranav tells him as tears spilled from his eyes.

"It is not, Pranav. Nothing is lost." Rishabh tells him, his eyes filling up.

"My career is over. I have a criminal record. No good company will hire me. I will have to go through horror to get visas to other countries now. This is going to kill Papa and Ma. There is nothing left in my life. How will I face people? They will think that I am a drug addict." Pranav tells him.

"When did you start caring about what people think?" Rishabh asks him. "And nobody knows about it. We can keep it hidden."

"For how long?" Pranav asks him. "I was sitting here and thinking about what my life will be like. And I started thinking of ending it." Pranav confesses.

"What are you saying, Pranav?" Rishabh asks in shock as he sat up.

"It was starting to feel like the easiest and quickest decision then I heard you shouting outside. Speaking to your in-laws I think. And I realized I can't do this to you." Pranav tells him.

Rishabh sighs in relief. "Pranav, I am here. Don't do anything like that. Please don't even think about such things." Rishabh begs him.

"I need help, Rishu." Pranav tells him. "I know, I am slipping into depression. I will have suicidal thoughts again. I need help."

"I'll get you all the help that you need, Pranav. Promise me you won't do anything..."

"We came together into this world. I won't leave you halfway through." Pranav promises him.

Rishabh hugs Pranav tight hearing that, tears spilling from his eyes. "We are in this together."

Pranav holds his hand tight.

"You sleep. I am here only." Rishabh tells him.

"Your wife is going to murder me in my sleep one day." Pranav tells him.

Rishabh chuckles hearing that. "She only told me to sleep with you."

"I still can't believe that you married my fiancee with the intention of divorcing her so I can marry her later." Pranav says perplexed.

"So, with or without your memory, that is the worst idea... huh?"

"Lucky that you fell for her." Pranav tells him.

"Pranav..." Rishabh nervously calls him.

"Yeah?"

"Did you fall in love with her?" Rishabh worriedly asks him.

"I was busy trying to regain my lost memories. My priority was that. Sorry, falling in love with your wife wasn't in my agenda." Pranav tells him.

Rishabh smiles hearing that then he confesses. "I did get worried about that but the truth..."

Pranav finishes for him. "Would is more devastating for me."

"Yes."

"I just need sometime before I speak about this to anyone else." Pranav tells Rishabh.

"We don't have to tell anyone. Our parents thinks that Madhu and I fell in love and got married." Rishabh tells him.

Pranav sighs hearing that. "Go to sleep, Rishu."

*********

Next day, Pranav was discharged from the hospital. Next couple of days, he had stayed in his room, not speaking to anyone else other than Rishabh.

Mohan and Radha were angry with Madhu and Rishabh, and they wanted them to leave their house. But Rishabh and Madhu had ignored them, as they knew Pranav needed Rishabh the most then.

"I got the job." Madhu informs Rishabh seeing the mail.

Rishabh looks at Madhu and he hesitates for a few seconds then he asks her, "When do you have to join?"

"Next month." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh nods. "I'll start making arrangements. Once Pranav is settled, I'll come."

Madhu nods hearing that.

Rishabh takes her hand in his and tells her. "Once I come, then I am all yours, Madhu."

"I know." Madhu tells him smiling then she sadly says. "You know, seeing you both so close to each other, I wish di had contacted me after she left home."

"Now you are not staying with your parents, you can keep contact with her."

Madhu smiles hearing that. "Maybe I will."

*********

One day, Malik and Padmini comes to their house.

"How come you are here?" Madhu asks her parents in surprise. Wondering if they had come to see her.

"I called them." Pranav informs her as he came out of the bedroom.

"You did?" Rishabh asks him in shock then realizing he says worriedly. "Pranav, I think we should talk."

"There is nothing to talk, Rishu." Pranav tells him as he politely asked Malik and Padmini and his parents to sit.

He sits opposite them. Rishabh and Madhu sits down.

Pranav nervously starts. "I've always walked the straight line, and because of that I was never scared to speak my heart. But now..." Pranav nervously stops.

Taking a deep breath, Pranav tells them. "Rishu lied to you all. Madhu and Rishu didn't get married because they fell in love with each other."

"Then why did they get married?" Radha asks in confusion.

"Who did she marry? You or him?" Padmini asks in shock.

"They are married." Pranav quickly tells them.

"Do you have any idea how we are going to tell everyone that you married him and not Pranav?" Malik furiously asks Madhu.

"I don't know how I am going to face my relatives." Mohan says in dread.

Pranav gulps hearing that. Rishabh gently holds his hand.

"Just let it go, Pranav. You don't have to tell them anything." Rishabh whispers to him.

"I wasn't on work in Dubai. I was in jail." Pranav informs everyone.

"WHAT?" Mohan shouts in shock as he stood up.

"Did you say jail?" Radha asks in shock.

"Did he steal something and they arrested you because you both look alike?" Mohan asks in fury.

Pranav furiously stands up. "He made 1 mistake in his life and you have been punishing him all through his life for that. He achieved great heights but all you remember is a desperate action of a teenager, that he committed in a bid to make his parents love him and be proud of him."

"You are blaming us for his theft." Radha says angrily.

"You are responsible for it. He wanted your approval." Pranav says furiously. "Even today, he is striving for that."

"If not his crime then why were you in jail?" Mohan asks furiously.

Pranav gulps and guiltily says. "They found marijuana in my bag in the airport."

"What?" Radha gasps in horror.

Pranav quickly tells them what had happened.

Mohan sits down in horror.

"One thief and other a drug addict. How did we go so wrong in our upbringing, Mohan?" Radha asks in horror as she cried.

"You didn't go wrong in your upbringing." Madhu tells them. "You went wrong when you refused to forgive your children for their mistakes."

"One is worse than the other." Malik says in horror. "What were we thinking getting our daughter married into this family."

"The biggest favor you did me is this. I got Rishu because of that." Madhu tells them. "And I will always love you for that."

"How are we going to tell everyone that Madhu married him?" Padmini asks in horror.

"Aunty, do you realize how rich he is?" Pranav asks her.

"Rich?" Padmini asks shocked. "He is a gambling addict. What is he going to have?"

Madhu looks at her mother in shock. "Ma... that ring that you are wearing..."

"What about it?" Padmini asks frowning.

"I have seen him, throw the worth of that ring away on a single hand and he didn't even sweat." Madhu tells her.

Padmini looks at Rishabh in shock, her eyes widening. She turns to look at Malik and even Malik was looking at Rishabh in shock.

"He has other businesses. He has rental properties." Pranav informs them. "If you didn't know, he is a billionaire with a solid income apart from his poker games."

"I stole once in my life. I can't change my past. Regarding poker, if my so called gambling is your problem with me then initially my main income was from playing poker, not anymore. Now, poker is just a hobby for me." Rishabh tells them.

"You are really rich." Malik says in shock.

"If Madhu tells him she wants to be covered in gold head to toe, then Rishu can do that without battling an eye lid." Pranav tells them.

Seeing her parents looking at Rishabh as if he was their personal miracle, Madhu dryly whispers to Pranav. "Nothing washes away a bad reputation like money."

"I did exaggerate about the gold bit though." Pranav whispers to her.

"Everybody says gold is a good investment, so I have been buying gold coins for ages now." Rishabh whispers to them both.

*********

Pranav was in his room when Madhu comes to speak to him.

"Hi..." Madhu says with a smile. "Can I come in?"

"Of course. Please come." Pranav tells her smiling. "Sit." He says patting on the spot next to him on the bed.

Madhu sits next to him. "My parents seemed to be happy about Rishu now." Madhu tells him.

"It is normal for a girl's parents to want their daughter married to a rich man." Pranav tells her smiling. "Nothing wrong in that."

Madhu nods. "I am sorry, if I caused problems for you with the lie that I am your wife."

"You did it for Rishu and Rishu did it for me." Pranav tells her.

Madhu smiles hearing that.

"I'm sorry if the lie caused you discomfort or pain." Pranav tells her.

"It was my decision also to lie though after a point I wanted the truth out." Madhu tells him.

"I understand." Pranav tells with her a smile.

"Rishu is upset that you refuse to take money from him to start a business." Madhu tells him.

"I have some money saved up. Hopefully I will get some loan, it is going to be difficult but I am sure I will get a loan." Pranav tells her. "Before that I have to make a business plan. I am definitely not going to get placed in a good company. So, my own business is my only option ahead."

"If you take loan then he will go behind your back and pay it off. Better you take it from him." Madhu tells him.

"He is a self-made man. And I want to be a self-made man." Pranav tells her.

"He has all this because you gave him money, Pranav." Madhu reminds him. "From your pocket money he made all that he has."

Pranav nods hearing that. "I know that. But..."

"Why don't you both start a business together? Whatever business you want. He will invest and you be the working partner." Madhu suggests to him.

"I'll think about it." Pranav tells her.

Madhu smiles hearing that.

"Rishu told me that you got a job in Dubai."

"I did. Are you planning to stay in Mumbai or are you planning to move?" Madhu asks him.

"Here only. Why do you ask?" Pranav asks her curiously.

"Then I will start looking for a job here." Madhu tells him smiling.

"What? But why?" Pranav asks her in shock.

"I know Rishu wants to be near you. He can work anywhere in the world or so he boasts." Madhu tells him.

"But what about you? What about the job that you got?" Pranav asks her.

"The job in Dubai was just an escape route. I don't need it anymore. I'm free now. i've the freedom that I craved so badly. So, the place doesn't matter. And the job I got, it is not a dream job. And now, I can take my time and find my dream job. I don't have to settle for any job." Madhu tells him.

Pranav smiles hearing. "Thanks."

"Anything for you. Because of you I got Rishu." Madhu tells him smiling.

"I know he prioritized me over you. It is because he was worried about me. He loves you a lot." Pranav tells her worriedly.

"I know." Madhu smiles. "He told you the truth because you insulted me."

"I am sorry for what I said."

"It's okay." Madhu says then smiling, she says. "Maybe I was a little insecure but he told you that if you insult me then he will forget that you are his brother."

"Yeah, he did say that." Pranav says in shocked realization.

"He did."

"He loves you more than he loves me." Pranav says with a frown.

"Yeah, I know." Madhu says with a grin.

"I don't think I am very happy about that." Pranav mutters.

Madhu chuckles hearing that.

Pranav smile seeing her chuckle. "Can I call you bhabhi?" Pranav asks her.

"What?" Madhu asks him shocked.

"People thought you were my wife, including me. It is all a little awkward actually." Pranav confesses.

Madhu nods understanding.

"If I call you bhabhi, I feel it will stop the whispers and the awkward stares that will happen when we are in front of relatives and all." Pranav explains.

"But you are elder to Rishu."

"Yeah, all of 9 mins." Pranav rolls his eyes.

Madhu chuckles. "Okay."

"Thanks, bhabhi." Pranav says.

Then both of them starts laughing.

"It is going to take a little getting used to." Madhu tells him.

"I know." Pranav replies.

**********

"So, we are staying in Mumbai?" Rishabh asks he leaned up on his elbow and looked at Madhu.

"Yeah." Madhu tells him with a smile.

"Do you really want to stay here?" Rishabh asks her.

"Yes." Madhu tells him smiling.

Rishabh smiles, "do you prefer a flat or house?"

"House." Madhu says excitedly. "I have never stayed in a house. Always in a flat."

Rishabh smiles. "Let's start looking for a house tomorrow itself."

Madhu smiles hearing that, she leans up and takes his lips in his. Rishabh pulls her closer and hungrily kisses her.

Breathless, Rishabh and Madhu parts as they looked at each other.

"Do you want to wait till we move to our own home?" Rishabh asks her.

Blushing Madhu shakes her head in no.

"Thank you, lord."

Madhu chuckles hearing that then his lips were on hers.

**********

Soon, Madhu and Rishabh had found a house that both of them loved, now that Pranav was also getting better, they decided to move out.

"You are leaving?" Radha asks in shock.

"I am moving to Mumbai permanently. Madhu and I found a house." Rishabh informs her.

"You can stay here. You don't have to move out." Mohan hesitantly says.

"What?" Rishabh and Madhu looks at each other in shock.

"We said so many hurtful things, even then you never said a word. When we accused you about Pranav and Madhu, then also you didn't say anything. You just silently took it for Pranav." Radha tells him, her eyes filling up. "We realize how wrong we were."

"We should have forgiven you." Mohan says guiltily.

"It's okay." Rishabh says, his eyes filling up.

"I don't know how we can make it up to you." Radha says sadly.

"What you did with me, please don't do the same with Pranav." Rishabh tells them.

"Never expected him to do such a thing." Mohan says softly.

Rishabh looks at Pranav and sees that he was hurt hearing that.

"He did it once. He decided that he would never do it again. Please believe in him." Rishabh requests them.

Mohan nods. "You stay with us."

"We will come and see you whenever we can." Rishabh tells them. "But now, Madhu and I want to start our life together. We want to build our own home and life."

Mohan and Radha nods.

Radha holds Madhu's hand. "You should come often, Madhu."

"We will, Ma." Madhu promises her.

*********

Epilogue

2 years later

Pranav, Radha and Mohan had gathered in Rishabh's and Madhu's home as their newborn babies, Vihaan and Arhaan were coming home for the first time.

"Rishu, who is that?" Pranav asks curiously seeing a beautiful girl, who looked so much like Madhu carrying one of the twins and walking around.

"I forgo to tell you, finally, we found Madhu's sister, Pranati." Rishabh tells him smiling.

"The one who ran off?" Pranav asks a little disappointed.

"Yeah." Rishabh tells him grinning.

"Why are you smiling?" Pranav asks curiously.

Cheekily grinning, Rishabh informs him. "She is not married."

"She is not?" Pranav asks surprised.

"After running away from home, she found out that her boyfriend was already married." Rishabh informs him.

"What?" Pranav asks in outraged. "Bloody asshole."

"I agree."

"Then why didn't she come back?" Pranav asks curiously.

"She had fought with her parents. It had been a big issue and then her boyfriend turned out to be a cheat. She didn't know how to face her parents and she didn't want to come back, because when they found out about her love affair, she had been on house arrest. So, she didn't come back." Rishabh tells him. "We found her, and she had been so eager to reconnect with Madhu."

"What about her parents?" Pranav asks him.

"Well, when we told them that she is going to be here, they said they won't come if she is there. We invited both of them and Pranati, it is up to them whether they come or not. Madhu's parents came early gave gift to the babies and left."

"Hmmm."

'By the way, Pranati was telling Madhu that she is planning to settle down. She actually created a profile." Rishabh informs him.

"Any idea whether it is tinder or bumble."

"More like a matrimonial site, actually." Rishabh tells him.

"Hmmm."

*********

"Hi bhabhi..." Pranav says as he sat next to Madhu.

"Hi." Madhu says grinning. "I hear that you've eyes on my sister."

Pranav looks at her in shock. "That guy is a gossipmonger."

Madhu chuckles.

"I came to check whether it is cool with you. You are the best. Love you, darling." Pranav says and kisses her cheek.

Madhu laughs as Pranav without any farewell had got up and walked off towards her sister.

"What is happening there?" Rishabh asks as he sat next to Madhu.

"Where are the babies?" Madhu asks him curiously.

"Papa and Ma." Rishabh tells her.

"Your brother is going to... I don't know... hit on my sister?"

They curiously watches as Pranav started speaking to Pranati.

"Hi, I am Pranav" Pranav tells Pranati.

"Hi, I am Pranati, Madhu's sister."

"I know, Rishu told. I am Rishu's brother, or you would rather know me as Madhu's ex-fiancee." Pranav tells her.

Madhu and Rishabh look at each other hearing that.

"What?" Pranati asks in confusion. "I understood that you are Rishu's twin brother. I didn't know about..."

"Ah okay."

"So, you were..." Pranati asks confused.

"Engaged to Madhu." Pranav replies nodding. "But we didn't get married because I was in jail in UAE. And Rishu with his some stupid brilliant plan, married her in my place."

"WHAT?" Pranati shouts in shock.

"They caught weed in my bag at the airport." Pranav explains.

Pranati looks at him in shock, not knowing what to tell him.

"It's a big story. I lost my memory after that. I still haven't got my memory back. But it made me realize that life is short, and I can lose anything at any time. So, live life to the fullest and be happy always." Pranav says.

Pranati awkwardly looks at him.

"Learned it at the therapy. I was kind of depressed and had suicidal thoughts." Pranav explains.

"Okay. Glad you came out of it." Pranati says feeling she should say something.

"Even you had a bad experience, right? Did you go for therapy?" Pranav asks her.

"How did..."

"Hold that thought... how about we discuss it all tomorrow for coffee?" Pranav asks her.

"Huh?"

"Great. It's a date then." Pranav says and turns to walk off then turning to her, he says. "Oh by the way, just putting it out there, I am rich now."

Madhu stares in shock watching Pranav walk off. "Is it any wonder that I never fell for your brother? He has no idea of wooing a girl."

Rishabh nods in shock. "I am wondering whether I should go as him for that date and try saving it."

Madhu turns to him in shock.

Seeing her staring at him, Rishabh says. "It was a joke."

Madhu shakes her head. "No, I was thinking even that is not going to make much difference."

Rishabh frowns at her offended. "What? I thought I was romantic."

As if in answer, Pranav opens the guest bedroom and calls out in shock. "God, What is this flower garden?"

Rishabh gives Madhu a pointed look.

Madhu gives him a look. "1 bouquet, 2, maximum 3 bouquets is romantic. Getting truckload of bouquets, it is not romantic, it is a pain in the ass. I have to find vases for all of them, have to take care of it before it withers away, find people to give off the flowers so it doesn't go to waste."

"What?" Rishabh looks at her in shock. "You love flowers."

"I have been in labor, I have twin babies, and you hit me with a tsunami of bouquets, it feels like more of punishment than a thank you for giving me two wonderful babies." Madhu glares at him.

*** The End ***

For a second, I did toy with the idea of Madhu having amnesia and forgetting she is married to Rishabh, and believes that she married Pranav, then I dropped the idea and decided to go with my original plan.

The reason, I named the twin brother Pranav was because I had no plans to bring in a pair for him, but towards the end, I wanted to go the cliche route of my twin series and bring in a pair for him.

I know the end and all were crap, I kind of lost plot and was confused as heck after a point, sorry about that. But I really hope, you guys got some kind of entertainment with this story.

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- Lazy