Everyone at the Mehra Mansion were seated at the dining table for breakfast when Alia descended down the stairs.

"What a surprise! Why are you ready so early in the morning? Isn't it a holiday at your college today?" Alia asked Aryan.

"He will join our business from today." Purab answered.

"What is the need for that? You can sit back and enjoy at home. If you need more pocket money, I can increase it." Alia said.

"Mom, it's my wish. I want to work." Aryan answered with determination.

"Leave it Alia. At least your son is responsible and not idiotic like mine whom I had to force to join." Vikram spoke before Alia could open her mouth. "Learn something from him. He is younger than you."

"You can't complain. I go to office regularly now." Ranbir whined.

"As if you go to work. It's because of Prachi......." Vikram divulged the truth embarrassing Ranbir.

"Dad!" Ranbir cried out. "And I'm offended Aryan. Don't I matter to you now? Why didn't you inform me that you are joining our business?" he complained further.

"Oh hello mister! I tried to, but you didn't let me speak. You were busy narrating the events that had occurred between you and Pra......" Aryan retorted.

"Prachi? Ranbir, you were with Prachi yesterday? You said that you had gone to a friend's house to complete an assignment." Pallavi questioned in surprise.

"It isn't Prachi, it's Pra.....kash. Yes, it's Prakash not Prachi. I went to Prakash's house." he lied.

"Diwali is round the corner, isn't it?" Rhea, who was getting irritated by everyone talking about Prachi and Ranbir tried to change the topic.

"Yeah! We haven't planned anything till now! I forgot about it." Abhi said in a concerned tone.

"We will do something special this year too and shock everyone, won't we dad?" Rhea enquired.

"Of course dear. How can I disobey my princess."

"I have finished and I'm going." Aryan declared when he felt another long conversation starting.

"There's still a lot of time left. All of us can go together." Purab said looking at his watch.

"Umm.....Actually....." Aryan coughed. "I have to......go to pick up Shahana." he added the last part in a mere whisper.

"What's with her?" Alia said sternly.

"She has also joined our office as Aryan's secretary. For everyone's information, I have appointed her." Purab also replied in a tone which bore no argument.

Alia fumed in anger at the thought that Purab was supporting Aryan in his antics and liked that girl without even meeting her. She clutched her fists in anger.

"Calm down Alia. You have a plan, anger will spoil it." she said to herself and took a deep breathe.

"Ok. I think we should start Diwali preparations by making the guest list." she said nonchalantly.

Purab stared at her for a few seconds. He smelt something fishy as normally Alia would have made a fuss out of it. He kept quiet for the sake of Aryan as he didn't want his son to think that his father and mother had a strained relationship.

Everyone started giving suggestion on whom to invite when Alia spoke out of the blue.

"Let's invite Prachi and Shahana too." she said.

Knowing that Purab was looking at her suspiciously, she added "I mean invite them and their mother too as they are friends of Ranbir and Rhea likes Prachi's mother."

"I think that's a great idea!" Abhi agreed.

Rhea was shocked by Alia's statement and didn't waste a minute to message her.

Why did you say that bhooji? You know that I hate Prachi.

Don't worry darling, I have a plan. I have invited Sanju as well.

Oh! Thank you for helping me bhooji. You are the best.

Alia smirked to herself thinking how foolish Rhea was to think that she was helping her. She praised herself for her plan.

-----

Shahana was continuously looking at her phone since the morning.

"Will someone really call me or Aryan had joked with me? I swear that I'll not spare him if that was a joke." she murmured to herself.

"Are you expecting someone's call? Why do you look so disturbed?" Prachi, who was getting ready for office questioned her.

"Yes.....it's kind of important." Shahana spoke uncertainly as she had not informed anyone about the incident of the previous day.

That's when a message popped up in her phone.

Your appointment letter is waiting outside.

Shahana was confused and opened the door.

"You! What are you doing here and what about my new job?" she threw the questions at him.

"What's this? No wishing, no asking about my well being, nothing and you started showering questions on me?" he said dramatically.

"Aryan! You promised me." she reminded him.

"I know and I keep my promises. Here's your appointment letter." he said handing her an envelope.

She read the letter and her eyes glistened with joy. "Who's this Mr. Khanna?" she asked innocently.

"Mr. Khanna's full name is Mr. Aryan Khanna." he answered.

"Oh! So, I have to work for him. Hope, he is not a strict person." she said thinking deeply.

Aryan gave her a 'what-are-you-saying' look.

"Wait a minute......Aryan is your name and Khanna is you surname.......So that means......I have to work for you!" she shouted in excitement.

"Yes!" he was excited too.

"Thank You, thank you, thank you soooooo much." she jumped in excitement and hugged him.

Aryan reciprocated the hug too.

"Whom are you talking to?" Sarita ji came out of the house. "Shahana.....Aaaah!" she screamed seeing the scene in front of her.

Sarita ji's voice brought Arhana out of their reverie and they separated immediately.

"Sarita aunty......I.....We....Actually......" Shahana began to explain.

"That's not fair Shahana. You kept me updated only about Prachi but never mentioned that you have found a boyfriend too." Sarita ji said eyeing both of them.

"No! It's not like that! We are only friends!" both of them said at the same time.

They looked shocked but deep down, there was a bit of satisfaction too.

"So, do you hug all of your friends like this?" Sarita ji questioned.

"No, he is a special friend because......because he is Ranbir's friend!" Shahana made an excuse.

"Yes, I came with Ranbir once. Don't you remember me?" Aryan supported Shahana's statement.

"Oh yes! Now I remember. Why are you here now?"

"She has secured the place of my secretary and since it's her first day, I have come to pick her up." Aryan said. "Come on, we don't want to be late on our first day at work." he said to Shahana.

Both of them went together.