Who are you?" Manish asked, his voice steady, but his eyes betraying a hint of unease.

The stranger's smile grew wider, his eyes glinting with a fierce light. "You don't remember me, Manish Goenka?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. 

"I'm surprised. I thought you would never forget the face of the person you... wronged." The words were laced with venom, and the stranger's eyes seemed to bore into Manish's very soul.

Manish's eyes narrowed, his mind racing as he tried to place the stranger's face. But it was like trying to recall a memory from a past life. He couldn't quite put his finger on it.

The stranger's smile grew even wider, his eyes glinting with a fierce light. "I see you're struggling to remember," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Let me refresh your memory, Manish Goenka. My name is Abhir. And I'm the son of the woman you ruined."

The room fell silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of the people present. Manish's face paled, his eyes widening in shock as the memories came flooding back.

Abhir took a step forward, his eyes blazing with anger and hurt. "You destroyed my family, Mr. Goenka," he spat. "You took everything from us. And now, it's time for you to pay."

The air was thick with tension as Abhir's words hung in the air like a challenge. Manish's eyes darted to his family, his mind racing with thoughts of damage control. But it was too late. The secrets were going to be out, and there was no going back.

"Mr. Manish Goenka ko toh apni sagi beti bhi yaad nhi hai Abhir tum kese yaad hoge." The woman's words were laced with venom and hurt.

Manish Goenka's eyes widened, his face paling as he stared at the woman. "Keerti!" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

The woman's eyes flashed with anger, her gaze fixed on Manish. Abhir, however, seemed to find the situation amusing. He smirked a bit, his eyes glinting with curiosity.

Keerti's expression didn't change, but her husband placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Their son and daughter stood beside them, their eyes fixed on Manish with a mix of anger and hurt.

The air was thick with tension, the silence between them heavy with unspoken words. Abhir's smirk seemed to be the only sound in the room, echoing through the silence like a challenge.

Manish's eyes darted between Keerti and her family, his expression a mix of guilt and fear. He seemed to be searching for words, but they seemed to be stuck in his throat.

"Par nanu, yeh log kon hai, aur yeh ladka aapse aise baat kyun kar rha hai?" Abhira asked, pointing at Abhir, her voice filled with confusion and concern.

Manish's eyes fixed on his daughter, Keerti, her family, and his great-grandson, Abhir. A mix of emotions played on his face - guilt, shame, and regret.

"Abhir, tera bhai," Manish replied, his voice low and hesitant.

Abhira's eyes widened in shock, her gaze darting between Abhir and Manish. "Bhai?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

Keerti's eyes flashed with anger, her face set in a stern expression. "Haan, Abhira," she said, her voice firm. "Abhir is your brother. Akshara ka bada beta!."

The room fell silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of the people present. Abhira's eyes were fixed on Abhir, her expression a mix of shock, confusion, and curiosity.

"Par Akshara ma'am aur Abhinav sir ki toh Abhira ikloti beti thi na?" Armaan asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

Manish's eyes clouded over, a mix of emotions playing on his face. "Abhir Akshara aur Abhimanyu ka beta hai," he replied, his voice low and hesitant. 

Abhira's eyes narrowed, her voice firm as she asked the question that had been on everyone's mind since Abhir's arrival.

 "Abhimanyu kaun Abhimanyu?" she asked, her patience wearing thin. Manish hesitated, his eyes darting to Swarna, who placed a reassuring hand on his arm, urging him to reveal the long-buried truth.

 The room fell silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of the people present, as they waited for Manish to reveal the secrets he had kept hidden for so long. 

Manish took a deep breath, his shoulders sagging in defeat, as he began to recount the story of Akshara and Abhimanyu's marriage.

 "Akshara ki shaadi Abhimanyu Birla se hui thi," he began, his voice low and hesitant. "They were young and in love, and their marriage was a grand affair. But their happiness was short-lived, as Neil Ruhi's father death drove them apart, and they eventually divorced. But Akshara was already pregnant with Abhir when she met Abhinav." Manish paused, collecting his thoughts before continuing. The room remained silent, the only sound Manish's words, which spilled out like a dam breaking.

As Manish continued, the story unfolded like a tangled web of love, loss, and secrets. "Abhinav loved Abhir as his own son, and they built a life together. But fate had other plans. Abhinav's death left Akshara devastated.

Manish's eyes dropped, his voice barely above a whisper as he continued the story. "After Abhinav's death, we discovered that Akshara was pregnant with Abhira, Abhinav's daughter. Abhimanyu had been ready to accept Abhira as his own, and they were planning to remarry. But fate had other plans. Aarohi's death occurred, and Akshara was accused of her murder." Manish paused, collecting his thoughts before continuing.

The room fell silent, the weight of Manish's words hanging in the air like a challenge. "We were blinded by our grief and anger, and we outcasted Akshara from the Goenka house. Abhimanyu and Abhir also left with her, and we lost touch with them. We thought we were doing the right thing, but now I realize that we made a grave mistake. We let our anger and hurt cloud our judgment, and we lost our loved ones in the process." Manish's eyes were filled with regret and remorse as he looked at Abhira and Abhir.

Abhira's eyes met Abhir's, and she saw the same pain reflected back at her. It was as if they shared a deep understanding, a connection that went beyond words.

 She had always thought that she was alone in the world, that there was no one who could truly understand her pain.

 But now, as she looked at Abhir, she felt a sense of belonging, of being part of a family that she never knew she had. 

But the revelation was too much for her to bear. She had a family, a mother's family, a brother, and a sister who hated her for being the daughter of her mata shree's murderer. 

The weight of it all crushed her, and she felt her legs give way beneath her. 

Her eyes closed, and she began to fall, but before she could touch the floor, Armaan caught her, holding her close as she collapsed into his arms.

"Abhira, Abhira, are you okay?" Armaan whispered, his voice filled with concern. But Abhira didn't respond. 

She just lay there, her eyes closed, her body trembling with emotion. 

The room fell silent, the only sound Abhira's quiet sobs, as the weight of her family's secrets and lies finally caught up with her.