Silence reigned in the air after Lakshya uttered those words. Sanskaar stood stiff, his eyes boring into Lakshya's.

"You will tell them?" Sanskaar asked in a voice as cold as steel.

"Yes," Lakshya said bluntly

"You will destroy the family because you don't want to marry a girl?" Sanskaar asked firmly

"Not me. You," Lakshya replied.

Sanskaar felt anger prick him. "Me?" Sanskaar asked in a quiet voice.

"You," Lakshya said, "What happens from this point on, will completely depend on what you decide."

Sanskaar looked at Lakshya for a long time.

Lakshya meet his eyes squarely. This was one battle he was not willing to back away from.

"Every time I think I know you, you make me question my belief," Sanskaar said quietly.

Lakshya stayed silent as Sanskaar spoke.

"Blackmail. Emotional blackmail has always been your weapon of choice to get exactly what you want. All of us–the family–indulged you each time, stepping back from our wishes in favor of yours," Sanskaar said, "But those wishes were childish at best, not harmful." Sanskaar's voice had a sharp twang to it, "This one...This one is vile and destructive."

"It doesn't have to be," Lakshya said, "If you just do what I asked you to."

"Which is to destroy a girl's life for your happiness. Which is to shame the family in the society so that once again you have things your way," Sanskaar said.

"Her life will get destroyed if she marries me as well. Family will be shattered if they know the secret. And I will be stuck in hell," Lakshya said, "So which is better?"

"Your life will be hell? Really?" Sanskaar asked

"Do you know what I am going through right now?" Lakshya spat, "I am feeling suffocated. I feel like life is being drained out of me...slowly...painfully. If I didn't love myself enough, I would have killed myself by now just to get away from all this!"

"Killed yourself? Right?" Sanskaar shot shaking his head. "You said it right though. You love yourself. Only yourself."

"Think what you want. I don't care," Lakshya said, "The dare won't change because of your words. Neither will the punishment."

Sanskaar stared at Lakshya quietly. A part of him wanted to beat the hell out of his younger brother. Another wanted to shake some sense into him, bring him back and third wanted all this to be a bad dream. One that he would wake up from to find that Lakshya wasn't asking him to risk everything.

"I will give you till morning to change your mind and agree to do the dare," Lakshya warned, "If you don't, I will tell Papa everything tomorrow morning."

Sanskaar closed his eyes. He couldn't bear to look at Lakshya just then.

"You have till 8AM to make your decision. Choose wisely," Lakshya said before walking away.

Sanskaar remained on the terrace for a long time. How long, he probably wouldn't have been able to say himself. When he returned back to his room and went to bed, he could barely catch a wink. His mind was abuzz with thoughts, feelings, images and questions. Questions: they were the worst of all. Would Lakshya really do what he threatened? Could he be bluffing? What if he wasn't? Could he risk it–with what was a stake?

By the time sleep came, it had taken its toll. Sanskaar was late. Very late. 8:15AM kind-of disastrously late. He rushed down the stairs to the dining area only to find Lakshya in conference with Durgaprasad. Durgaprasad had a grave expression on his face. For a second, his attention moved to Sanskaar as he was climbing down the stairs. Durgaprasad stared at him for a long second before going back to his son. And then Durgaprasad called out to him, "Sanskaar!"

Sanskaar felt dread set in. His heart beats rose. He walked with trepidation towards Durgaprasad. "Yes, Bade Papa?"

"Is what Lakshya saying true?" Durgaprasad asked firmly.

"Bade Papa," Sanskaar said quietly feeling his hands go cold, "It's not...I...I mean..."

"What do you mean?" Durgaprasad asked

"It...I didn't mean..." Sanskaar tried to explain, but words were failing him. How could he explain what happened?

"You didn't mean to pull out of the Raheja tender at the last minute?" Durgaprasad asked firmly

"Raheja tender?" Sanskaar asked feeling almost numb

"Yes the Raheja tender," Lakshya said with a meaningful smile, "What were you thinking?" he asked raising his eyebrow.

"Well, yes I–," Sanskaar said almost on auto-pilot.

"That was wonderful!" Durgaprasad said with a wide smile as he patted Sanskaar's shoulder. "Kukreja won the tender only to realize that he was stuck in a contract that blocked a lot of his money. Now he cannot put his bid for any other tender the entire year. Well done!" he said before walking away.

Sanskaar took a breath of relief.

"Don't relax just yet," Lakshya whispered softly.

Sanskaar's head snapped up to look at him.

"I haven't told him yet. But make no mistake, I will. If you don't deliver on the dare," Lakshya warned him. "Choose wisely," he added before brushing past Sanskaar.

"You win," Sanskaar said quietly.

Lakshya turned around. "What? What did you just say?" he asked.

"Exactly what you heard," Sanskaar said glaring at him, "I will do the damn dare. I will break your wedding."

Lakshya smiled brightly at him, holding his shoulders, "I knew you would come around."

Sanskaar brushed Lakshya's hands away from his shoulders.

Lakshya shook his head. "So what are you thinking? How are you planning to break this wedding?" he asked.

"Does it matter how I do it? Just that I do," Sanskaar asked

"In this matter, yes it does. I want to be on top of everything. I cannot let a single mistake cost me my life," Lakshya said seriously.

"Your life," Sanskaar muttered quietly

"So what are you doing to do?"

Thanks for reading this chapter. A big thanks also for all those who have been voting and commenting on the past chapters. It means a lot to me.

Please do keep voting and commenting to let me know what I am doing right and what could be better.

Glossary of Indian terms:

Bhai /Bhaiya = brother

Maa = Mother

Bade Papa = Eldest uncle

Badi Maa = wife of the eldest uncle. An aunt

Chacha/ Chachu = uncle

Chachi/ Kaki = wife of a uncle. An aunt

Bhabhi = brother's wife