Sai and Virat come home together after fulfilling their respective duties, a spring in their step not missed by Pakhi, irking her.

She quickly runs towards Virat and linking her arm through his, gives him a saccharine sweet smile and enquires about his day. Sai who is standing aloof, notices the vicious glance Pakhi throws at her, reveling in her small victory.

At midnight though, a scream from Pakhi's room awakens everyone up. She is palpitating and hysterical claiming to have seen Samrat's ghost. Everyone else is shocked too, Mohit goes and checks only to find nothing. Pakhi is clinging to Virat like parasitic vine and Sai is standing away watching her antics. Without giving much time to anybody, Pakhi moves to SaiRat's bedroom and sleeps on Sai's side of bed.

Exhausted and exasperated, Sai and Virat quickly arrange something for themselves on the floor and sleep cuddling each other. Any request from Pakhi to join her on the bed is promptly ignored irritating her to no measure.

Pakhi's hysterics increase in the next few days but the events take a more sinister turn with Samrat's personal belongings like his Army uniform hat, his favourite shirt, his watch now turning up with the letters.

Bhavani Kaku is now severely distressed and on Sonali's prodding organizes a grihashanti pooja to ward off the evil to no avail. Pakhi now starts receiving phone calls from Samrat at odd hours.

Early one morning, on the breakfast table Virat has just come down with Sai and passing a glance at her and seeing her nod, discusses with Bhavani the need to consult a Psychiatrist for Pakhi which she begrudgingly agrees.

Pulkit just then joins in to see Pakhi coming down from the stairs.

Very calmly, so as to not upset her, Bhavani tenderly holds her hands and talks to Pakhi about visiting the doctor.

Hearing this, Pakhi frowns and walks over to Sai.

"Tum jaan bujh ke kar rahi ho na ye sab??? Taki mere aur Virat ke bacchhe ko alag kar sako???"

Sai looks at her for a moment, but then unable to control herself, bursts out laughing.

"Aapka na dimaag pehle se hi kharab tha Pakhi didi... lekin itna ye mujhe nahi pata tha.... chaliye bataiye phir.... ye baccha conceive kaise hua... when did you and Virat get intimate?"

Taken aback at Sai's mirth and the unfiltered question, Pakhi looks at Virat who just shrugs.

"Nahi pata na... kyunki ye Virat ka hai hi nahi... I trust my husband...." says Sai and looks at Virat who is proudly basking at the smartness of his wife.

"To ab ye bataiye... ki Virat ka nahi hai to kiska bachha hai aapke pet main?"

But before the fumbling Pakhi can form an answer, Bhavani interjects,

"Saiiii... ye kya behuda sawal hai.... agar Virat ka nahi hai to aur kiska ho sakta hai? Samrat ka hi hoga... vaise bhi bechari sadme main hai... isliye confuse ho gai hai"

Bhavani replies still nursing some love for her favourite bahu.

"Nahi... ye mera bacchha bhi nahi hai!!!!" comes a beaming voice making everyone turn to the its source.

Seeing Samrat standing at the door, drains the colour from Pakhi's face and she slumps on the nearby chair, her mind registering that her game is up.

Mansi and Bhavani are in utter shock, when Samrat comes and apologizes to them for keeping up the fake pretense. All of them look at Virat, who allays their doubt that he is indeed Samrat.

Now turning his attention to Pakhi, who is cowering like a thief, Samrat asks,

"Haan to batao Patralekha... ye kiska bacchha hai?"

Seeing no reply from her, Samrat moves towards her menacingly, only to be halted by Mansi.

"Ye tum kya bol rahe ho Samrat... tumhara nahi to kiska hai?"

"Vo to ye batayegi Maa.... kyunki mera aur iska to aisa koi rishta hi nahi tha"

A doom of silence falls on the room, except for the faint chuckle and "Dado sutto" from Karishma and Sonali.

"Vo... ye... main...."

"Kya bakri ke tarah mimiya rahi ho Patralekha... thik se batao"... It is Bhavani who has taken the reins in her hands now. Her anger rising several notches at the revelation.

"Vo... main... I am not pregnant" replies Pakhi.... in a voice slightly louder than a whisper.

Doubly shocked, everyone looks at Virat, Sai and Samrat who have a smirk on their faces.

"Chalo.. ek clear ho gaya... ab is letter ke baare main batao"

And Samrat holds up a half burnt letter in front of her face, with accompanied gasps from Bhavani and Omkar. Pakhi can only stare at it, her face turned as white as ice.

"Ye letter mujhe hamare cupboard main mila tha Holi se pehle.... aur mere dil main auraton ke liye bahot respect hai isiliye even though I hate you right now... main kisi ko nahi bataunga ki holi ki raat tumne mujhse kya kaha tha.... main kuch bhula nahi hun.... tumhe Sai aur Virat ki nazdikiyan dekh ke jo tadap ho rahi thi vo sab main notice kar raha tha... aur tumhara ye mere saath achanak se acchha bartaav mujhe khal raha tha... isliye maine marne ka natak kiya... taki mere jaate hi tumhe ye lage ki tumhara rasta saaf ho gaya hai.... and see I was right.... I don't want to do anything to do with you Patralekha... I pity myself that I gave you so many chances, I trusted you and you failed me. Maine tumhare Aai Baba ko bata diya hai... vo aate hi honge.... Apni safai main abhi bhi kuch kehna hai tumhe???"

Completely broken and lost, Pakhi can only shake her head in denial and looks at Bhavani Kaku who looks like she might burn Pakhi with just her eyes.

Virat and Sai are standing away from the group with Sai comfortably placed in his arms and hers around his waist, sharing the strength with each other, finally happy that the thorn in their life has been removed. Pulkit then quietly walks towards Virat and taps his shoulder. Nodding at him and shifting into his police mode, Virat speaks up,

"Pakhi ne jo bhi kiya... usme uska saath is ghar ke kuch logo ne diya hai.... As a police officer it is my duty to take actions against those. Isliye, I am arresting you Omi Kaka, Baba, Kaku aur Pakhi... for your involvement in kidnapping Pulkit and sending Harini to orphanage."

Loud gasps and sobs rake Ashwini and Sonali and they plead with Virat to excuse them and not to pursue a case.

Virat mentions his helplessness and they turn to Pulkit to ask him to not file one.

It is only when Devi asks him that Pulkit relents but Virat then lays down a few conditions.

"Kaku... aapko Pulkit ko dil se accept karna hoga... vo aapke damaad hai and its time you accord him the respect he deserves"

"Omi Kaka aur Sonali Kaku... aap bhi Pulkit se accha bartaav karenge... aur sirf Pulkit se hi nahi... aap Sai se bhi dhang se baat karenge. No more calling her names. Samajla???"

"Kaku... aapko jisko uttaradhikari banana hai banaiye... par aap apni bahuon main antar nahi karengi... and Sai ko kisi tarah ki roktok nahi karengi"

"Aur Pakhi... tumhare liye to mere paas koi shabd nahi hai... I wish I had never met you"

Hearing these words, Pakhi breakdowns completely but now has no one who will console her. Her parents arrive soon and Samrat explains the situation to them. Quite regretfully, they accept his decision to separate and take her home.

The atmosphere at Chavan Niwas rapidly changes once the vile woman is out of the door.

On backfoot and under the watchful eyes of Virat for even a slightest slip... Bhavani, Sonali and Omkar turn to their best behaviour .... Sai and Karishma turn friends and Sai and Virat go on to receive immense success in their respective careers, finally breathing in the freedom that they deserved for so long.

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This concludes the story. 

I wanted Samrat to be alive in the show as well. But they have completely obliterated a chance of his comeback from dead by showing a detailed funeral.

To me, his death is a major blow for Sai's character.

He was the only one who could keep Pakhi in check and even though there are other Sai supporters in the house, Samrat was the one who had a voice. 

With his death, Sai has truly become an orphan again.

This story is a tribute to Samrat and Yogi for being the nicest guy on the show, except a few instances in the Shruti track. 

Thank you all for giving so much love and encouragement.

This invigorates me to write more. Much Love :)

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