The last chapter had been edited, just check it once before reading.

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The next day morning Avneil reached Mehta Mansion as they were called there to have breakfast. Dayawanti welcomed them grandly and they were made to sit on the couch till the food was served. Dayawanti and Ketan were sitting with them, while Riya was busy in getting ready. Neil used this time to get Dayawanti pissed.

Avi, you sure you would stay here till noon? He was actually worried for her, as she was adamant on staying there till noon. He tried to make her drop the idea many times, but she was not listening at all. Finally he had given up, only after she permitted him to pick her up in the noon.

Haan, Neilu. Mujhe kya hoga yahan rehke? I used to stay here, remember?

Haan, yaad hai mujhe, par tab toh tum Avi nahi thi na? If you get scared or something happens to you, kya karega main?

Neil beta, agar woh yahan rehna chahthi hai toh, rok kyu rahe ho? Hum hain na, khyal rakhengi iski.

Wahi toh dar hain ki aap hai yahan. Ananya nahi, Avni hai yeh ab and Avni bahut hi innocent hai. Dar hai ki aap uski past ki yaad na dila de. She will get hyper then.

Woh daadi ji, bahut din baad mile hai ise, isliye fikr ho raha hai. Jaanta hun ki aap sab iska khyal rakh sakthe hai, par dar lag raha hai.

Neilu, bachha mat bano. Tumhare aur Riya ka outfits bhi matching karwani hai mujhe. I will look at her dress and phir hum shaam ko shopping chalege, sirf aur sirf tumhare liye, yaad rakhna Mr Neilu. She said pointing her finger at him.

Itna cute mat bano Avi, tumhe khaane ka man aata hai.

Neilu!! She whined pouting cutely.

Their acting, for them it was a time to be cozy with each other in front of others, was having the effect he desired. Dayawanti kept on looking at them talking, laughing and him pulling her cheeks and all, with a grave look on her face.

Yeh ladki ka bahut hi importance hai Neil ki zindagi mein. Agar isse mere vash mein kiya tho, ho sakta hai ki Prakash pura company hi mujhe de. I should also treat her like Neil does, so that he feels that we care for her and iss shaadi se back out na kare. Yeh Riya toh, iss shaadi ko todke hi rahenge, use bhi samjhana hongi ki yeh kitna important hai mere liye, yeh ladki aur yeh shaadi bhi. Shaadi hua tho main yahan se chali jaaunga apne Amol ke saath, bahut door aur ek nayi zindagi shuru karengi. Yeh ladki hi yeh shaadi ko bacha sakti hai. Dhyaan rakhna hongi iss ka.

Avi, tum office kyun nahi jaa rahi ho? London se aane ke baad tho baat hi nahi karti business ki?

Neilu, woh kya hain na, meri best friend ki shaadi hai. Main bas uske preparations mein busy rehti hun.

Best friend ki shaadi?

Buddhu, tumhara hi shaadi hai. Aur saara kaam mujhe karna padta hai. ACP saab to leave hi nahi leta. She said smacking his head.

Ananya beta, saari taiyaariyan ho gayi kya?

Sab ready hai daadi, is buddhu ke shopping ke alava. Aur aaj tum mere saath jaa rahi ho, nahi toh mein tumhara office aa jaungi, tumhe bulane aur commissioner se bhi milegi.

No no. Main aaj pakka aa jaunga. I promise. Avi Neilu wala promise, ki you will stay here till noon and then I will pick you up at sharp 1. Sharp at 1 I will be here. Phir hum shopping chalthe hai. And tum mera office bilkul bhi mat aana. Okay Princess?

Yes Prince. She said mockingly and then giggled out loudly, and he too followed her.

The food was served and all were settled on the dining table except Aman as he was out to spending the day with Neela and Ashish. Riya was still not down and when Avni volunteered to get her, Neil didn't let her go.

Please na Avi, woh aa jayengi. You sit here for breakfast. It's 9 already and hum to 8 ko hi breakfast karte hai na. Tumhe bhook lagi hogi na?

Ok Neilu. Main yahin rahunga. But promise that you will feed me with your hands today.

Yeh bhi kehne wali baat hai kya. I'm always ready to feed you Princess. He said lovingly and made her sit beside him properly.

The breakfast was a grand affair that day, with all of Neil favourite items prepared. Avni looked at the food and then at Neil. She knew that these were his favourites, but she didn't like them at all. Neil looked at her and understood what was going on in her mind.

Daadi, if you don't mind, can I order some poha?

Kya hua beta? Sab tumhara favourite hi banaya hai, Shweta ne bataya tha ki tumhe yeh sab bahut pasand hai.

Woh Avi yeh sab nahi khathi, toh main kaise kha sakti hun. Woh bhooki rahte hue khaana, mujhe achha nahi lagta.

Tum fikr mat karo, Riya  you go and make some poha for Avni. Dayawanti ordered Riya.

Par daadi,

Riya jaldi chalo, mein bhi teri madad karti hun. Saying this Dayawanti dragged her to the kitchen.

Kya bolne wali thi wahan, han? Pata nahi hai tumhe, Neil ka jaan hai woh. You should make her happy content, and satisfied so  that she will make sure ki yeh shaadi kisi bhi haalat pe ho jaaye. Shweta ne kal hi kaha tha ki Neil  was having second thoughts regarding this marriage aur jab main sab teekh karane ke liye use yahan bulaya toh, tum sab flop kar rahi ho. Neeche aane main bhi kitna time lag gaya..

Daadi mein make up kar raha tha, dark circles tha use cover karna tha, lipsticks choose karna tha,

Chup? Humesha iske peeche hi pade raho, tumhe pata hi nahi chalega ki Neil kab yeh shaadi todke gayi. Ab zyaada der mart karo aur poha banao, uske liye.

Ji daadi.

And with a lot of struggle and help from Bheema, the poha was finally ready. It was too much spicy, but riya didn't know it as The Riya Mehta never eats such low class food. Bheema warned her, but she did not care. She served it in a bowl and took it to the table, but the sight she saw made her fume in anger. Neil was dipping a piece of paratha in some curd and then was feeding Avni.

She was looking at them with pure jealousy. Neil noticed this and started to use some cute and cheesy lines while feeding her, making riya more jealous, but Dayawanti's glare made her forget everything and she put up a cheerful face.

Ananya dekho, maine tumhare liye poha banake laayi hu.

Lekin Riya mera tho pet bhar gayi na? She made a cute expression.

Lekin Ananya, Riya was about to burst out on her, but

Beta, thoda sa kha lo na. Usne itni mehnat se banaya hai tere liye.

Okay daadi. Main kha lunga.

Riya then served some in her plate. Avni was about to eat it, with Riya watching her curiously, to know whether she was impressed or not. But Neil stopped her and took some in his hands. Then he forwarded it to Avni's mouth. She happily had it, but the moment it touched her lips, tears formed in her eyes as it was way too much spicy, for her to handle.

Angel, kya hua? Yeh aansu kyun? Tum teekh ho? Neil panicked seeing the tears in her eyes.

He took a bit of poha and had it and it was very spicy.

What the hell Riya? Agar tumhe khana banana nahi aati toh sidha bol deti. Itna mirchi kon daalti hai khaane main. Angel ko rula diya tumne. Tumhe to main...

Neilu, mera muh jal raha hai, please kuch karo.

Wait a minute angel. He started searching his pockets and fished out a bar of chocolate. He then put a small piece of it in her mouth.

Avni did not intend to let Neil shout at Riya, but the poha was so so much spicy and she couldn't help it. The chocolate did some relief and the burning subsided a bit. Neil then made her drink some water and have some plain paratha so that the burning will stop.

After the breakfast, the two of them were on the couch. Dayawanti was asking Neil and Avni to forgive Riya and Riya too was shedding fake tears.

Daadi, main naraz nahi hu Riya se. In fact I'm sorry on behalf of him. Use aise chillana nahi chahiye tha. Neilu say sorry to Riya.

No Avi, not this time. She should have been careful, what if it was eaten by some child, kya haal ho jata uska. She should have accepted that she doesn't know to cook and must have backed out, but nahi, woh aise kiya hi nahi. And ab tum yahi nahi rahogi. I can't take more risks. Chalo mere saath.

Lekin Neil, tumne Avi Neilu wala promise kiya hai and tum usse tod nahi sakti. Main baat nahi karungi tumse agar tumne aisa kiya tho.

Par Avni,

I promise main poora khyal rakhungi apni. Sach main. Tum office jaao.

You promised. Bhoolna mat yeh. And I will be here by noon. Ready rehna.

Okay. Thank you so much Neilu. She said hugging him tight.

Apna khyal rakhna Princess. He said and kissed her cheeks and left from there without even sparing a glance at Riya. He had asked Dayawanti to take care of Avni.

In the noon,

Neil was back at Mehta Mansion to pick Avni up, as promised. He entered and saw that the hall was empty.

Ananya! He called out loudly.

Neil beta. Tum aa gaye.

Ji daadi. Ananya kaha hai?

Woh Riya ke saath hongi, uski kamre mein. I will aske them to come down. Tum baitho.

Dayawanti was about to go upstairs when she saw Riya coming down.

Yeh Ananya bhi na. Kitne der ho gaye, aur abhi tak nahi aaya. She was muttering to herself, but Neil heard it.

Kaha hai Ananya? He had stormed towards the stairs.

Woh Neil.....maine socha ki mein mera bachpan wali pictures insta pe post karu tho I asked her to get the old albums from the STOREROOM.

Hearing the word 'storeroom' Neil went blank for a second, but then the reality hit him. Avni was in the same place now, where earlier she was tortured. She had got the phobia of closed dark rooms just because of that room and right now she was in that room all alone,

STOREROOM? Himmat kaisi hui tumhari, use storeroom bhejhne ki? He asked, literally screamed, shaking Riya harshly.

All the family members except Aman, he was not back, gathered in the hall, hearing his loud voice.

Kaha hain storeroom? Just tell me where is it. Batao jaldi.....
He was getting very angry now and all the others got scared seeing this avatar of Neil.

Gaining some courage, Dayawanti spoke,

Main leke chalta hun tumhe wahan. And without waiting for Neil's response led the way.

Once they reached the door, Neil rushed inside like a maniac screaming Ananya. He was mad at Riya, he was not in his senses completely, but yet he knew that he can't take Avni's name here, as it will flop their plan. So he made sure that he used Ananya, Avi and some other names except Avni here.

He started searching for her in the room, running his eyes at all the nook and corner and finally saw her. She was sitting in a corner, curled up like a ball, and had her face buried in her knees. She was murmuring to herself and was looking very vulnerable.

Av....Avi.....  Neil rushed to her and immediately hugged her tight.

Neil, rats..... spiders....... mujhe...... dar....... lag....... raha hai......please mujhe...... mujhe.... bahar..... nikalo..... mujhe dar lag raha..... hai.... bahut... dar.... lag raha.... hai.... woh..... mujhe...... lock....kiya...... Maa..... Aman.......

Neil was scared now. She was hallucinating and it was not at all good for her health. The doctor had warned clearly that day and today, her past was in front of her. He hugged her more tight and then started rubbing her back. Her voice was low, she was murmuring and only he was able to hear it as none of the Mehta's dared to enter the storeroom then. He hugged her and lifted her up in his arms and carried her outside the storeroom.

He went to the hall and made her lay on the couch. She was unconscious now, or barely conscious as she was still murmuring. The Mehta's had followed him and all were shocked to witness this side of the fierce Ananya. All were standing there, gaping at Neil and Ananya.

Neil then called DD and asked him come there as he won't be able to drive seeing her like this. Then he went to Riya and started shouting at her. Nobody dared to stop or oppose him as it was the first time that they were witnessing an extremely angry Neil.

Why are you so dumb Riya? She is your friend and you don't even know about her phobia. Kabhi picha hai usse uskw baare mein. No chance at all. Tumhe apni makeup aur social media se fursat mile tab na. And how dare you? How dare you to send her to the storeroom? Maid dikhti hai kay woh tumhe, joh tum use use kare apne kaam karwane ke liye. Aaj subah bhi tumne galti kiya aur ab bhi. His anger was at the highest level now. He raised her hand to slap her and the others looked shocked as they never thought that Neil would be able to raise her hands on a woman.

Nahiiii........ Avni's scream stopped him and he rushed to her immediately.

Riya was shaken very badly and was shivering now.

Mujhe bahar nikalo.... please.... yahan.... bahut andhera... hai... mujhe... dar lag .....raha hai. Avni was murmuring. Neil hugged her tight, rubbing her back. He kissed her hairs, whispering nothings in her ears, consoling her.

Baby.... no one is there to trouble you now.... your Neilu is here right. Dekho, I won't let any harm reach you, okay. You are safe now. Don't cry, be calm okay. He was consoling her.

Soon DD came there and saw Avni in a vulnerable state. He coughed to gain his attention and Neil saw him. He picked Avni in his arms and left the mansion.

Yeh shaadi ab nahi hoga. He said to the Mehta's and left from there

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Hope the chapter is upto your expectations.

Thought about introducing possessive boyfriend here, but I will do that after this track gets over.

Hopefully, few chapters left for the completion of this track.

With love,
Shuraifa ❤