All the occupants of the room had their eyes stuck on the pale face of Khushali Mehra. Even her husband Sidharth was staring at her with an unrecognisable emotion in his eyes. That only made Khushali gulp in fear, her husband's eyes continued to observe even the tiniest of the changes on her face and body language. She knew his thoughts were looming over suspicion.

"What are you saying, Sid? How can Khushali have that parcel with herself? She wasn't even aware of 90% of the things we've revealed to her, today," criticised Mayera, seeming unconvinced. But Sidharth didn't reply to her.

"I agree with Mia, no way can Khushali keep that package with herself," added Jay, giving Sidharth a disapproving glance.

"Exactly, if she had that package, she would've informed us about it, right Khushali?" asked Arjun gently, looking at Khushali. His wife Mayera nodded her head and turned to Khushali as well, waiting intently for her reply. Jay mirrored her action.

Khushali gulped the lump in her throat, she didn't know whether it was the right time or not for her truth to come out. The trepidation she felt for the mayhem that piece of truth would cause, was worrisome. She didn't wish to lose anyone's trust, yet she couldn't trust them either. That truth wasn't hers to reveal, it was related to someone else, that someone: her Sagar. She couldn't let the secret—he had trusted her with—out so easily in front of these people. Not yet!

"Y-Yes, I-I a-agree with you, A-Arjun," replied Khushali quietly, her eyes on the floor. But she could still feel Sidharth's distrustful stare on her. He was doubting her, she was sure. Yet, she couldn't confess anything to him.

"See, Sid, I told you na, Khushali doesn't know anything about the package. When she doesn't even know how Sagar was killed before that accident, how can she know about something so confidential like the ... p-package," said Mayera, immediately becoming quiet as she had spoken a thing she had promised to keep to herself.

"What ... what do you ... mean, Mayera? Sagar ... what ... he died ... killed before that ... accident ... h-how?" asked a visibly shaken Khushali. She couldn't believe what her ears had just heard. For a moment, her secret didn't matter, only the mystery of Sagar's death did.

The other four occupants of the room remained silent, unable to contemplate a way to disclose a pivotal point of the entire gamble that they all had unwilling decided to become a part of. This little piece of truth wasn't digestible for even them, something so atrocious—horrendous—that it made them wonder whether money can actually make someone so blind.

"Why aren't you all speaking anything? Why aren't you all answering me? Please don't hide anything from me now!" pleaded Khushali, her eyes scanning the faces of the other four people in hope that at least one of them would be courteous enough to not keep her in dark once more. Certainly, one of them was.

"Actually, Khushali, it's that ...." Jay began speaking, but Sidharth's glare made him gulp his words. Khushali noticed this.

"You don't need to follow Sidharth's orders this time. So you may go ahead with whatever ... you were saying," said Khushali, passing Sidharth a frown. Jay nodded, the other three seemed unassertive.

"Unfortunately, Sagar didn't die in that car accident, Khushali, he couldn't have died in it," said Jay grimly, looking at Khushali in a sympathetic manner. The look on Khushali's face was enough to make any kind human, empathetic toward her. Her face was blood drained, the palest shade ever possible.

"What ... what are you saying, Jay?" asked Khushali bewilderedly, unable to comprehend the information provided by Jay, just few moments later when she came to know the truth.

"He had died a horrifying death apart from it being untimely and undeserving, Khushali," whispered Mayera gently. "The car accident was only a show, which we came to know just a while back. It was staged to kill two birds with one stone."

Khushali still couldn't understand anything. So, far she was able to digest everything that these four people narrated to her, but this wasn't easy for her accept, though she herself had asked for it.
With her bloodshot eyes, she stared at Sidharth for an explicit explanation. But it seemed as if he had vowed himself from breaking the menacing silence that dominated his demeanour. Hence, he continued to stare at the wall with his undivided attention.

"He was already dead, Khushali, when that car collision took place. That car collision was only planned to make his death appear as a road accident, when the truth is ... he was murdered few hours before it," said Arjun, with either fury or pity, Khushali couldn't guess, nor did she care.

Because as soon as Khushali heard this revelation, her body froze and her heart started to bled for her deceased love. The only thing she could feel at this moment was despise and hatred for Vivan, of such intensity that she had never felt for anyone else ever before!
Is this what greed does to people? Make them inhumane and atrocious?

"Your this reaction was the reason, I never could muster up the courage to confide in you about Sagar's death," said Sidharth softly, finally looking at Khushali, who now seemed like a lifeless statue.

But it didn't bring any change in Khushali's state, because in this moment she was not Khushali Sidharth Mehra, rather she was again the bereaved Khushali Kapoor, the girl who loved Sagar irrevocably with her everything. The only thing that she could feel now—was all the love for Sagar—which she had locked in a chamber of her heart long back to accommodate Sidharth in her heart and her life.

"Khushali?"

"Khush?"

"Khushi?"

"Wifey?"

"I want to go home, Sidharth," a mere whisper escaped out of her lips. Her eyes watery, she didn't look up at anyone. "I need s-some time alone, p-please. It's too much for me to d-decipher r-rationally."

The other four stared at her for few seconds, before Sidharth stood up. He passed a small nod to his friends, and turned to Khushali.
"Let's go, Khushali. I'll drop you to your parents' house."

"No, not there. I want to go to our house ... Mehra residence." said Khushali unobtrusively, getting up. She picked her handbag and started to move toward the entrance of the apartment. Sidharth followed her out, silent as well.

Khushali went and settled in the passenger seat, Sidharth took the driver's seat. He started the engine, the car came to life. Soon, they were on their way to Mehra residence.

From the corner of his eyes, Sidharth glanced at his wife. Her face was blank, he couldn't make out even a quarter of what she was feeling at the moment, or maybe she wasn't feeling anything right now. Maybe she was numb, just like the time she came to know about Sagar's death. Or maybe Sidharth was really just intiuting.

The car ride continued to be a quiet one, Khushali allowed the silence to consume her being for at least it helped her avoid the prying glances Sidharth was passing her. She couldn't let him see her fragility, not now when her heart was home for a secret that she had been protecting as fiercely as a woman protects her child. Certainly, the secret belonged to Sagar, who Khushali knew had a very strong reason for trusting her with something so potent that it could either change or destroy the lives of all the people who directly and indirectly were involved in this bloody game of deception and greed.

With a screeching sound, the black SUV came to halt infront of the Mehra mansion. Khushali didn't wait for Sidharth to come out of the car, rather she rushed inside. The house was empty, the entire Mehra family was still at Kapoor's villa. This made Khushali vaguely relieved; she wouldn't have to answer any of the questions that her current state would've raised.

As she stepped on the staircase, her firm composure slowly began to dissolve. Her eyes could no longer hold back the tears, nor her heart wanted her to stop. Her pain was now becoming uncontrollable for her and she desperately wished to unleash it.

Hurriedly, she entered her bedroom and locked the door. But she didn't take a step more in the room. With her back taking support from the door, she stood there, still. Her mind replaying the events of this morning and of some time back. A terrible ache, her heart didn't wish to think about anyone now, except Sagar: his death in every sense was undeserving and brutal. Her heart couldn't help but feel sympathy for him.

Without her acknowledgement, her legs started moving toward the bed. She was devoured by the memories her heart had hidden safely in the deepest chambers of it. With a thud, she sat down on the bed. Tears continually rolling down her cheeks, she was transported back to the time when her Sagar was alive. She had no sense of her surroundings either, she couldn't even hear her husband banging the door of their bedroom, calling out to her. Her unresponsive behaviour, only made him leave. But still it had no affect on her.

For hours after she had returned from Mayera's house, she sat on the bed like a statue, completing numbed with grief. Only her eyes became puffer and redder with continuous crying. Yet, she neither could she accept the truth nor could she erase it from her mind. All she wanted to do was to find her Sagar—wherever he was—and hug him with all her might to bring him back to life, the life he deserved to live with her and his family, but instead, he was made to give it up ruthlessly at the hands of his merciless brother.

Having restrained herself from breaking down infront of Sidharth and his friends, Khushali broke down into hysterical tears, slowing making sense of her surrounding. It was this moment when she finally allowed herself to lament over Sagar's death, which she hadn't done before ever in a proper sense, partly because of her family and partly because she couldn't come to terms with Sagar's death. But now, there was nothing holding her back or her screams. With tears, came along her loud yells. She really couldn't take anymore pain. She had her share, no more could she take once again.

Minutes passed like that, her tears slowly slowed down. But her heartache only aggravated. She wished maybe there was a way she could remove her heart from her body, maybe that'd lessen her suffering. Yet, she knew it was a wishful thinking, a childish thought.

With the back of her hand, she wiped her tears. Though, it turned out to be vain. She didn't give it another try. Rather, she got up from the bed to move toward the cupboard. Her secret was still lying safe in her box, but she didn't know for how long.

Her body seeming like a corpse, she walked upto her closet. But before she could reach it, her eyes fell on the familiar figure in the mirror. The figure in the mirror was of a woman with dishevelled clothes and messy hair, her face paler than the cold snow. But there was something in the figure which resided the mirror-that angered Khushali-to such extent that she wished she could kill the woman. But only if she could!

It was excruciating for her, to see her own reflection and realise how ignorant she had been, not just now but since the very beginning. Maybe, had she tried to understand the plight of Sagar, his botherment, maybe she could've found a way to help him out, maybe he could've been alive. Or maybe if she had paid more attention to the numerous people around her—like her husband—she would've known the truth much before, certainly that would've changed the entire game.

Perhaps, you were too busy crying over your own wounds that you couldn't notice anything else, said her mind. And she knew it was right, her heart couldn't disagree either. It was bitter, yet absolutely true. The miserable condition she was in, it was self afflicted to a major degree. She was to blame as well, for whatever she was suffering through.

She stared at the mirror for few seconds, before striding over to the closet. Her heart and mind both were repeating the same thought in a synchronised manner, but it seemed cacophonous to her mayhemic self, nothing made sense to her. But she knew both her heart and mind were right: she had to let go of her past now or else it'd monopolise her to never free her again.

She opened the closet and moved her clothes aside. The brown wooden box was safely hidden beneath the piles of her ironed sarees. She took it out and moved back to the bed.

Opening the box, she started emptying it. The enveloped letters, key chains, her cellphone, and every other gift the box was home for, was now on her bed, each with a distinct memory. But she didn't wish to be reminded of any of those memories, her pain would only become even more unbearable. Her heart wanted her to relive her memories once more, but she didn't wish to again go back to her past, neither now nor any time again.

Right now, she only wanted to focus on the secret—Sagar's secret—and how long she'd keep it safe. But a voice in her told her that it was the right time for her to part with her past, i.e. it was high time for her to reveal her secrets. But the question that bothered her was to who should she confide in about it? She didn't seem to remember anyone apart from Sidharth who was more worthy of knowing this little yet crucial piece of information.

But she couldn't just share it with Sidharth as well, because Sagar did keep a condition, which if fulfilled, then only could she took the veil off of the mystery that she'd been hiding in her heart for past three years. Yet, she couldn't decipher why her heart and mind both wanted her to now come clean of her past and share everything with her husband, who not once but time again had proved to be worthy of every bit of trust she had in him. And probably, the love she shared with him, was forcing her to give her past a closure, for once and all.

A dilemma arose in her chaotic self. From what all she had come to know today, she knew her little secret would help Sidharth and her to come out of the quicksand like mess, which if not ended, would dissipate their lives. But, would she later regret it? She didn't know, nor could she think any further as noise outside her room, alerted her.

With the clicking sound of the door, Khushali frantically stuffed all her prized possessions inside the brown box. She didn't wish to let anyone come to know about the box, certainly until she wasn't sure of the consequences this little box was capable of creating.
She hurriedly rushed toward the closet, but stopped dead on the track when she heard what Sidharth spoke to her.

"How long are you planning to lie to me, Khushali? Don't you trust me enough to finally share your secrets with me, yet?"

Unlike all the previous times, Sidharth's voice was deprived of his usual liveliness. His voice seemed vanquish and doleful, which gobsmacked Khushali, who had never witnessed this Sidharth. She turned to look at him, but it only pierced her heart. And finally, it occurred to her how selfish she had been, right from the start.

The man infront of her wasn't the charismatic and happy-go-lucky guy, she had married and later learnt to love. He was a broken man, with only tears in his despair filled eyes and the palest colour of skin. He wasn't the ever-so-confident Sidharth, he was a miserable man, crestfallen and forlorn.

"I u-understand that i-it was h-hard f-for y-you to t-tell the t-truth i-infront of o-others ... but ... please don't t-torture me m-more now, Khushali. I g-gave up e-everything I h-had to g-get Sagar his justice, and y-you, a l-life which you deserved, but I never knew it would leave me empty-handed. I don't have anything with me, Khushali, not even your love. Because I know, even after your c-claims of loving me, the matter of the truth is ... you still love Sagar and not me. I don't fit anywhere in your life."

Although his words stabbed her heart pitilessly, it was his voice, the broken look on his face and the sobs that followed, which killed her, the wife in her at last taking the dominance. It hit her finally, the man she had considered as the strongest pillar in her life—from who she drew her strength—could also break and become weakest the human with the most disconsolate and wrecked heart.

Without her realising, she walked up to him, as the box was safe back in the closet. And moreover, her husband mattered the most to her. Maybe, for the time, he was the only one she cared for. Not even Sagar's possession with her could hold her back as her heart only wanted to comfort her husband, the man she loved more than anything in her life ... much more than she loved Sagar.

"Sidharth, p-pleass, don't talk like this. You know I love you, a lot. You're my strength. You are my world. You mean everything to me—" she cupped his face, trying to restore his faith in her. But, Sidharth didn't wish to let her speak.

"Please, Khushali, I don't want to hear anymore lies from you. My hopes are up now, please don't break my heart more. It's already in pieces," said Sidharth, jerking her hands off his face. His voice weaker than before. He had tried to control his emotions, but after months of suppressing his sentiments it all came out today. The way Khushali had reacted after learning the truth, he was sure of it beforehand. But even then it had pierced his heart, he didn't wish to ever see her lamentable. He wanted to comfort her, but she didn't allow him. This only confirmed his deepest fear: Khushali still hadn't moved on, she still loved Sagar. He had also concluded that he had been unsuccessful in making a place in her heart for himself, when all he had done was for her. Perhaps, there's always a little selfishness even in the truest form of love that raises our expectations, which when unfulfilled, only leads to an inconsolable heartbreak. This, certainly, unleashed his emotions, which he could no longer subdue.

Brutally, something stabbed Khushali's heart, making her eyes glistened. She couldn't see him like this, he couldn't break. He wad her strength, her strongest pillar of support. He wasn't supposed to be so miserable and woeful. Yet, she couldn't realise that there's a saturation point for everything, after which it's extremely hard to go ahead without breaking down. Sidharth had reached his saturation point, maybe she had too.

"Sidharth, I'm not telling you any lies. It's all true, no fibs. I love you, I really do. You're the most important person in my lif—" Khushali again tried to make him believe in her love. But Sidharth again interrupted her.

"More than Sagar?" he snapped rudely. There was a rage in his eyes, something that scared Khushali. "I don't think I'll ever be anywhere as important for you as Sagar is, even when he's dead for three damn years."

He pushed her arms off his shoulder and walked over to the balcony. Khushali repeated his action. She hugged him from behind, her arms wrapped over his chest. Sidharth tried to back free, but Khushali'a grip only tightened, which made both of them even more sombre.

"Sidharth, why are you comparing yourself with Sagar? Don't you know how much you mean to me, how much I love you?" she cried, burying her face in his back.

"No, I don't know. I don't want to know anything either. I'm tired, Khushali," he exhaled in an exhausted manner, stony-faced. "You believed what your eyes showed you. You doubted me of cheating on you with Mayera, without knowing anything about our plan. But haven't you been cheating on me since the very beginning of our marriage? For living in your past, with the memories of your first love hasn't done any good to our marriage. I knew about it, everything, shouldn't I consider it unfaithfulness? I really don't think it's less than infidelity, since it's only for your own selfish reasons unlike me and Mayera."

Taken aback with his words, Khushali's hold loosened. She couldn't believe her ears, had she heard the right words or was she hallucinating, she couldn't decide. Sidharth was doubting her faithfulness, because of her past. Though, she had done the same, hadn't she? So why did it sting her awfully now when he too doubted her love?

"How can you say that, Sidharth? You know how the circumstances wer—"

"Circumstances? Really?" he mocked her, now facing her. "The real reason is ... you're selfish, Khushali. You always have been. I can't believe that to ensure your safety, I left Mayera, the woman I was in love with for seven good years! Even then, neither me nor she has ever held you responsible for breaking us apart. But you? Just the mention of Sagar, and the rest of the world fades for you. Nine months of marriage and it has still been the same ever since the first day. Sometimes, I feel you don't even want to let go of your past, you just want to continue this stupid act of loving me while your heart only beats for Sagar; just this way no one will ever push you to forget him, though even if that shatters my heart."
He furiously wiped his tears, though it only made way for more tears.

He moved away from her and settled on the couch. Covering his face with his hands, he cried. He could no longer restrain himself nor his emotions; Khushali could sense that. But there wasn't an iota of truth in what he had just said. It wasn't even partially right.

"It's not true, Sidharth. If things were still the same, we would've never been here. It wouldn't have hurt you so much, it couldn't have because then we would've been two strangers, not how we are in this phase of our marriage. And I'm trying to forget Sagar, with honest attempts. But it's not easy, not at all easy when every single day I'm being pushed back to my past, that also with such intensity that even if I want to restrict myself I can't. It's not my fault, but then it's neither yours. We're both stuck in this quicksand, and the only way to come out is if we stick together rather than let our circumstances divide us. We've been through so much, you can't give up now. Please trust me, I love you so much, Sidharth," said Khushali soothingly, grasping his hand in hers.

This time, Sidharth rigidly held her hand as well.
"I don't know where we're heading, Khushali. I do—"

"Ssh, you don't always need to be have aware of everything. It's perfectly fine to be oblivious of certain things. You don't have to get worked up for it. Just calm down and relax. We'll sort everything ... together. Our lives will get back to normal soon. Don't worry," she pecked his hand. She blinked her eyes in assurance.

Sidharth nodded, he felt slightly better, though vague as well. Few more tears fell from his eyes, but Khushali quickly kissed them off. She wrapped her arms around him, trying her best to be his anchor when he needed her the most.

They stayed like that for few minutes. Soon, Sidharth engulfed her in his arms. She couldn't help but feel contended and unstressed in his secure embrace. Sidharth, too, cooled down and held her close to his heart.

"I don't want to lose you ever, Khushali. You can't imagine how terrible I feel with only the thought of losing you. Please don't ever leave me alone," whispered Sidharth wearily, as he and Khushali came out of the hug.

"I won't ever leave you, I promise. Though, I'm upset to know that you don't trust me enough. Not just this once, but even the preceding times," said Khushali, with the look of dour in her eyes. She walked to stand near the window of their bedroom, gazing out the black star less sky. Her heart didn't agree with her, perhaps she wasn't trusting him completely, as well. Isn't this hypocrisy?

"I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't doubt you, but ...." Sidharth tried to explain his predicament but couldn't. He stood mum near the bed, unable to stride close to Khushali.

"It's okay, Sidharth. I understand," said Khushali in an acknowledging manner. She passed Sidharth a small smile and started moving toward the closet to take out her night dress. But she stood rooted to her place when she heard what Sidharth asked her next.

"The package—Sagar's package—is with you, right? Just answer me in yes or no. I don't want know anything else, until you don't want me to learn your secrets," said Sidharth, sounding a little too hopeful. But maybe, he knew Khushali wouldn't stay silent again, at least this time.

But Khushali didn't answer. Rather, she turned back to face him. With slow steps, she moved to stand in front of him. With an ambiguous look in her eyes, she stared at him, which made Sidharth uneasy.

"I don't know," she answered shortly, her face unusually tranquil.

"Fine," replied Sidharth, dejection prominent in his voice. "Take your time, I'll wait, just like I've been waiting since the very first day of our marriage."

Khushali shook her head, striding toward the bathroom. But Sidharth held her hand, halting her on her tracks.
"Do you truly love me?"

"Yes, I love you," came her prompt response. She stared in his moist black eyes. "And you?"

"Yes, I love you, too," said Sidharth. He took a step ahead and leveled his face to Khushali's. Few centimetres apart, they could feel each other's breaths on their faces. Gradually, the distance vanished, as their lips found each other.

Maybe, it was the weakness of the moment, or maybe it was the desperate need of both Khushali and Sidharth to feel loved, that neither wished to let go of the other tonight.

With the rhythmic movement of their lips, the only thing they needed was each other. No truths and no lies, just each other and their unconditionl love. The rest of the world and its worries, didn't bother them now, nor did they wish to let it break them apart from each other.

Out of breath, both finally parted, yet not ready to let go of each other. With their glassy eyes and tear-stained faces, they stared at each other with their lips still few inches away. If Khushali was broken, so was Sidharth, and both of them knew they needed nothing but their love to fix each other up.

With few swift movements, both were on the bed now. Slowly, their lips found one another again, while their hands continued to explore each other. Their frenzy moans and breathlessness only made their self restrictions to seize from existence as their love overpowered them. For now, their surroundings, their situations, their conflicts and everything else faded away, it was just Khushali and Sidharth. They didn't need anything else, for becoming each other's completely and in every sense!

With the sun shining brightly in the sky, Sidharth stirred from his sleep as the sunrays fell on his face, waking him up. He opened his eyes, still sleepy. The events of yesterday didn't yet come back to him. He still felt exhilarated, but for what, he couldn't figure out.

Yet, he soon learned the reason when his eyes met the sight of his beautiful wife, who seemed deep in slumber, still cuddling to him. Like a quick recap, he was reminded of all the events that took place the previous day, along with the incident of last night that had led them to consummate their marriage.

He blushed a beetroot shade as the flashes of last night spiraled in his mind. His cheeks turned even redder as he felt it all replaying infront of his eyes. It brought a big genuine smile on his face, he couldn't be more elated.

Or maybe, he could.

"Good morning, Hubbyyyy," his wife yawned, stretching her hands. She didn't seem awake yet. This made Sidharth's smile go even wider and he couldn't subdue the euphoric feeling he felt right now.

"Good morning, Wifey," Sidharth wished her back, dropping a kiss on her forehead. "I'm going go to take bath, you sleep till then."

"Okay," said Khushali, yawning again. She turned to sleep on her stomach, looking just like a little girl. Sidharth grinned.

When he was done taking bath, he woke Khushali up. This time, she was in her senses and blushed shyly as Sidharth passed her a wink. To avoid further teasing, she swiftly took her clothes and rushed to bathroom to take a quick shower.

Some minutes later, she came out of the bathroom. Dressed in a blue kurta and white salwar, she blow dried her hair. Though, Sidharth's gaze on her made her clumsy. She tried to ignore him, but it only brought back the passionate memories from the previous night. Her cheeks turned red, again.

"Wifey, you should be happy that your husband knows how to cook. Otherwise like Meher Bhabhi, you too would've spent majority of your spare time in the kitchen," said Sidharth playfully, passing Khushali her breakfast and a cup of tea that he had prepared when she was taking bath.

"Yeah, yeah, Mr. Narcissistic," smirked Khushali, taking a bite of her sandwich. It was delicious, just like the tea, but she couldn't miss a chance to tease her self-obsessed husband.

"You better stay away from Mayera, she's a bad influence on you. I don't want you to become spoilt, it'll be extremely hard for me to handle six kids!" exclaimed Sidharth, sighing dramatically then acting all cool. He resumed munching on his cheese sandwich.

"What? Six kids?" Khushali choked on her tea. She stared at him unbelievably. "You really want six kids?"

"No, you stupid girl," said Sidharth, shaking his head at her foolishness. "I want five kids, but since I'm sure you'll be acting just like a kid, I'm counting you amongst the kids." He shrugged his shoulders and continued sipping his tea.

"We're not gonna have more than two kids, because I won't be able to manage more than two junior yous. Though, I'm sure handling our kids will be much easier than controlling you," said Khushali, grimacing. She took a bite of her sandwich.

"Huh!" huffed Sidharth, narrowing his gaze. Khushali scrunched up her nose to tease him more. And within few minutes, they both began bickering. They only stopped when Sidharth received a call from Khushali's mother who asked him to reach Kapoor residence for lunch along with Khushali.

"Sidharth, can I ask you something?" inquired Khushali, sounding both dubious and curious at the same time.

"Yeah sure, except my ATM pin and life, you can ask me for anything," he joked in a lighthearted tone, brushing his hair.

"How did you ascertain that Sagar left the package with me? You seem highly confident about this theory of yours," stated Khushali. She played with her hair braid, hundreds of questions flooded her mind. Yet, she chose to appear collected.

Getting no answer from Sidharth, she turned her gaze to him. He seemed astonished, in a state of suspicion as well. But, she had to get her answers, before she unveiled her secret and come clean of the biggest lie she had ever spoken in her life.

"Why are so quiet, Sidharth? Have I asked something I shouldn't questioned you about?" said Khushali casually, sounding just her usual self. But her heart was thumping loudly against her chest. If his answer turned out be satisfactory, then she'd have to tell him the truth. There was no way she couldn't trust him completely with Sagar's package, not after her heart knew he didn't have any ulterior motives. And also, she didn't wish to any longer be an emotional mess. She wanted to be happy, blissful in her marriage with Sidharth. Her secret was the key, but only if it fit the lock perfectly.

"I reached this conclusion after decoding Sagar's message that he had sent me before his death. It took me an year to realise who was the most trusted person in his life, but I think it was worth the time and my efforts," said Sidharth, vaguely exuberant, and his eyes on his wife, "you definitely have that package, otherwise you wouldn't be questioning me ... and my motives."

"True, and I don't wish to hide it from you ... now," said Khushali in a tone which represented both exhaustion and bitterness.

She strode to her closet. From beneath the piles of her clothes, she took out the same wooden box she had hidden there the previous night. An array of emotions played on her face as she moved back to the bed.

Settling down on the bed, she unlocked the box. One by one, she removed all of Sagar's gift from it. Sidharth stood in bafflement, unable to comprehend his wife's action. He couldn't figure out why was she emptying her treasure box, nor did Khushali speak a word.

"What are you trying to do, Khushali? The box's completely empty now, there's nothing in it. I thought you were going go to hand over the package to me. But I can't guess what you're doing," said Sidharth, confounded. The box was vacant now, adding to his confusion.

"Yet, I know what I'm doing, Sidharth. And don't work yourself up, you'll get the package soon," said Khushali, her voice pretty distracted. "Just be mum now."

Sidharth tried to speak again, but she shushed him, gesturing him to stay silent. Her undivided attention was on her unoccupied box.

She picked the box up, tactfully searching for a small knob, which she found soon, after tearing off the red velvet paper that covered the interior bottom surface of the box. A gasp escaped Sidharth's mouth on realising what was happening.
Khushali pulled the bottom surface of the box, revealing another inner surface which was blue in colour, seeming like paper envelop.

Keeping the box down, she removed the pseudo base, which made Sidharth finally decipher what she was upto so far. She then carefully removed the blue envelop, for which the box was home for last three years.

"This is the package Sagar left with me before he died," said Khushali impassively, holding the package in her hand to show it to Sidharth. "I don't know what it has that'll help you and others, but I want you to pass a simple test before I hand it over to you. If you fail the test, then no matter what happens, you won't ever get this package in this life." Her tone stern, which conveyed to Sidharth her certitude.

"Okay," he answered, unemotional. Khushali's condition had pricked the bubble of euphoria that he was in. But neither he nor Khushali knew whether he'd be able to clear this final condition of hers or he'd be back to square one.