After spending the whole evening at Sharma Nivas, the Bajajs came home well after dinner. Kukki was tired and cranky, and was giving Prerna trouble getting to sleep. Since Rishabh hadn't gotten to do work earlier, he now had to do some work, leaving Prerna to put Kukki to bed.

He only left his study once he had wrapped up some work, then went to his bedroom. The window was open and both girls were sleeping together, Prerna hugging Kukki from behind. Rishabh closed the window first and then turned to go back to them.

Aahatein kaisi yeh aahatein
Sunta hoon aaj kal, aye dil bataa

Rishabh sat on the edge of the bed, staring down at his sleeping daughter. Never in his life would he had hoped to hear her voice again. Prerna was a miracle. Rishabh leaned over and kissed Kukki's head, feeling hair fall on his face.

Dastake, dete hai dastake
Kyun ajnabi se pal, aye dil bataa

He looked up to find Prerna's hair had slipped over her face. Nervously, he reached over and fixed her hair back over her ear. He would never be able to thank her enough for what she did.

Rishabh sighed and forced himself off the bed, heading out to the balcony. He went out and lit a cigar, blowing up into the sky. He wasn't supposed to be in this position. He never mixed business with personal, except for that one bit. Marrying Prerna was only supposed to be a business deal until Kukki was okay.

Jo hamare darmiyaan hai
Isko hum kya kahe

And now Kukki was okay. And their deal was done. He was now supposed to let her go. To free her. To live up to his part of the deal.

Ishq kya hai ik lehar hai
Aao ismein bahe

Rishabh looked to the stars for some guidance. He wasn't supposed to feel this way. He had no right to her. She was someone else's. She was going to be the mom of someone else's baby.

She wasn't Sia.

He blew out the last of his cigar and made up his mind. He was Rishabh Bajaj. He was a shark. Tomorrow morning, he knew what he had to do.

In the morning, Kukki woke up early, excited to go to the park like Prerna had promised. Prerna got her washed up and the girls went out to the dining room for breakfast.

"Wow, papa's still home!" Kukki noticed.

"Ji! Aaj Kukki itni jaldi uth gayi hai," Prerna commented. "Toh phir, kya breakfast karein?"

"Main papa ke saath breakfast karungi!" Kukki stressed, and bounced on her seat, waiting for her papa.

"Okay, let's see. Papa kya karte hain," Prerna smiled and sat waiting, passingly eating the fruits on the table.

"Good morning, ma'am," Mr. Mehra came in to collect his boss. "Good morning, Kukki beta."

"Good morning, MD!" Kukki said back.

"MD?" Prerna asked.

"Yes! Mehra dadu," Kukki explained.

"Mr. Mehra, I'll be down in a minute," Rishabh said from the upstairs balcony. "Prerna, meri coffee travel mug mein banwa dein please."

Prerna nodded, but Kukki shook her head.

"No! No coffee in the mug!"

"Kukki," Prerna sat beside her, "papa is getting late. Aaj jaane do na."

Kukki was still resisting by the time Rishabh was also downstairs. "Nahi, nahi. No! Main papa ke saath breakfast karungi. Or main bhi nahi karungi!"

Kukki went over and dragged Rishabh by the hand to his seat. "Aap Kukki ke saath khao!"

Kukki pulled on Prerna's arm, making her put food on the plate. Prerna smiled. "Aap ke bina aap ke bacche khaana nahi khaate, Mr. Bajaj," the words casually left her mouth as she made Rishabh's plate. "Please naashta kar ke jaiye."

Rishabh stared at Prerna, and Mr. Mehra smiled.

"Okay," Rishabh cleared his throat and took his plate.

"Aap ke boss toh breakfast kar rahe hain, Mr. Mehra. Toh abh aap bhi baith kar breakfast kar ke jaein."

"It's okay, ma'am," Mehra began to refuse. "Main ghar se breakfast kar ke..."

"Sit down, Mehra," Rishabh invited him. "In ladkiyon se koi jeet nahi sakta."

Mehra chuckled. "Thank you, sir."

Mehra sat on Rishabh's left and Prerna took care of the diners just as if she was the true lady of the house. Mehra couldn't help but be in awe. He was aware of the circumstances of his boss's marriage, and wished that perhaps this relationship could turn into a genuine one.

Finally breakfast ended and the two men went to work. The morning was busy for the businessmen, but around noon, Rishabh was left to his own thoughts. That's when he remembered what he had to do today.

"Yes, Mr. Bajaj," Mehra came when he was called.

"Mehra," Rishabh didn't look up from his papers, "Ms. Sharma ke release papers taiyyar karwa dein."

"S-sir," Mehra approached his boss like a fatherly figure. "I know yeh deal kis halaat mein hui. Lekin agar..."

Rishabh snapped his face up. "Mr. Mehra aap mere sabse puraane aur loyal employee hain. Aap jaante hain main deals ko zaroorat se pehlay yah der tak nahi rakhta," he turned back to his work. "Waise bhi, Kukki abh thik ho gayi hai. Ms. Sharma has no purpose to be here anymore."

"Sir aap aik dafa..."

"Aap ke paas two hours hain, Mehra. Warna I'll have the lawyers do it. You can go now."

"Ji, sir," Mehra said and left.

Rishabh tried to pay attention to work but he couldn't. He tossed his pen and leaned back in his chair. He understood what his employees were thinking. He respected the ones closest to him; they were like family. But he had to let Prerna go as soon as possible. When it was still easy for him. Because the more he would delay it...

He was starting to feel suffocated in the office and decided to go out for lunch. He went out to his usual place and got a table on the patio where he could smoke as well. He ate lunch and had some business calls too before he decided to leave.

As he was leaving, Rishabh was spotted by someone.

"Mr. Bajaj, aap!"

"Mr. Sharma, nice to see you," Rishabh forced a smile. "How's your new place?"

"Bohot acchi! Woh, kal main aur Suman usi ke liye bahar nikle hue the, warna zarur aate. Aap bhi aaiye na kabhi, Priyu ke saath," Shekhar extended the invite.

Suman laughed awkwardly. "Shekhar! Pehle set toh ho jaane do, phir puja pe sabh ko bulaein ge."

Rishabh smiled. "Mera aana shayad mushkil ho," Rishabh sighed. "Before you find out from somewhere else, main aapko batana chahta hoon. Kiyunki abh Kukki thik ho gayi hai, mera aur Prerna ka contract khatam ho gaya hai."

Shekhar looked stunned and Suman was confused.

"Contract... matlab?" She asked.

"Aap ne Priyu se baat ki pehle, ya khud ka decision hai aap ka?" Shekhar asked. "Aap aik dafa Prerna se puuch lein woh kya..."

"Aap ki behen Mr. Basu ko chahtin hain, Mr. Sharma," Rishabh quickly reminded them. "Aap sabh unke liye diye jalaae baithe hai. Main waise hi beech mein aa gaya," he wiped his thumb at his nose.

"Agar meri wajah se aap sabh ko koi problem hui ho," he held up his hands in prayer, "toh uske liye main dil se maafi maangta hoon. Shaadi main zaroor bulana. Kukki ayegi. Excuse me."

Rishabh left before he could be trapped in more conversation, but found himself in another tricky spot.

"Mr. Bajaj."

"Mr. Bajaj!"

"Is it true, Mr. Bajaj?" The cameras and reporters were crowding around him.

"Kya yeh sach hai ke aap ki beti kidnap hui hai?"