Shantivan.. Arshi room..

Arnav was about to open the door of his room when Anjali came in front of him and stood between him and the door. She grinned, showing her hand to him, "Won't you give something to your sister?"

"What now Di?" Arnav rolled his eyes.

"Money Chote! The groom's sister usually asks money to her brother and only then he's allowed to meet his bride!" Anjali shook her head at his lack of knowledge of the Indian marriage ceremonies.

"Why don't you ask money to your husband?" Arnav teased her as he took his wallet out of pocket and handed money to her.

Anjali smiled happily and pinched his cheek. She left from there, shouting to Nani and Mami, that she got money from Akash and Arnav.

Arnav smiled at her. He opened the door of his room and saw his wife sitting on his bed in bridal position.

Khushi glanced at him and without breaking their eyelock, he closed the door with his leg and walked towards her.

Khushi looked away when Arnav sat beside her.

"You already lifted your veil!" he said staring at her veil laid on their bed.

"What a miracle.. You know that you're supposed to lift my veil?" she asked with fake astonishment.

"I remember when Di got married to Jiju.. she was sitting like this.. and she told me that Jiju would come and lift her veil.." Arnav said, "Why didn't you wait for me?"

Khushi looked away with moist eyes.

Arnav caressed her cheek and made her look at him, "What happened? Aren't you happy?"

"You didn't marry me out of love.. How can I be happy Arnav ji?" she asked as a lone tear rolled down her right cheek.

Arnav wiped away her tears with his thumb.

"Bauji told me everything Arnav Ji.. How could you do this with me? Why did you even marry me when you're still not ready for marriage?.. I told you that I was willing to wait for you.. then why?" she asked.

"You're more important to me than my own insecurities Khushi.." he replied.

"You don't love me Arnav Ji.. If you married me without being clear about your own feelings, then it means I'm just a responsibility to you, a burden.. You just married me because you felt guilty that people are questioning my character once again because of you.. You didn't want our past to repeat again.. You didn't want people to speak ill of me.. You just wanted to save me Arnav ji.. This marriage is nothing but a responsibility you felt you have towards me, a way to protect me from the society!" she cried.

"Wrong.. I never said that I don't love you Khushi.." Arnav stare intently at her, "And if you remember properly, then in past.. I had said that trust is more important to me than love in a relationship.. And I said that I trust you.. You're not just my responsibility.. What I feel for you is way beyond Love.."

"Yes, I married you to save your dignity.. I felt the need of doing so.. It doesn't even matter to me what people say or not about us, but it matters to me what you and our families will face because of them.. I couldn't just leave you to face it alone Khushi just because I've my own insecurities.. I can't just think about myself all the time.. You're always selfless with me.. You always put me first in your life.. Then why can't I do the same for you?" Arnav asked.

"I already told you there's no Tit for Tat in relationships!" Khushi said.

"And I told you that balanced relationships always work better!" he pinched her nose with a soft smile playing on his lips.

"And the second and most important reason of why I decided to marry you is that Shashi uncle asked me to stay away from you.." he said, "I have already gone through the pain of staying away from you during our separation because of Lavanya.. I wouldn't be able to bear the same pain again Khushi.."

Khushi caressed his chest and he rested his head on her chest, hugging her tightly like a kid, "Khushi I wanted to be clear about my own feelings for you, I wanted to remove this fear I've of marriage, I wanted to make sure that I would be a good husband for you without letting shadows of my past haunt me before our marriage only.. but at the same time, I wanted to face my insecurities with YOU by my side, not away from you like Shashi uncle asked me to.. So before or after marriage doesn't matter now, I just want to face it all with You by my side, always close to me!"

"One should learn how to convince others with you!" Khushi said.

Arnav chuckled lightly.

"We will deal with this together!" she whispered and held his hand, squeezing it lightly assuring him that she is always by his side, no matter what.

************************************************************************

Payash's room..

Akash sat beside Payal on the bed smiling at her, she shyly stood up and ran towards their closet, hiding her face.

"What happened Payal? Do you want to pee?" Akash asked confused.

Payal hit her forehead and turned to him as she whined, "Akash Ji!"

"What? You just ran so quickly that I thought you wanted urgently to go to the bathroom.." Akash shrugged.

Payal rolled her eyes and walked back to him and sat on the bed frustrated, "I got married with such an unromantic man!"

"Should I change my clothes or we will just keep staring at each other like this all night?" Payal asked sarcastically.

"I don't mind staring at you all night.. but if you want.. You can go and change your clothes.. it must be heavy this lehenga, right?" Akash smiled.

Payal looked at him in disbelief, she looked away making crying expression.

"But I will go and change first.. As you might take time to remove all these jewelries and pins from your hair.." Akash said as he stood up to go to bathroom.

Payal held his hand and pulled him back.

Akash looked at her bewildered, "Payal.. wh.. what.."

"Do you even remember we got married today Akash ji? Tonight is our suhagraat.." Payal said frowning.

"Woh.. I thought you must be nervous.." Akash said smiling sheepishly.

"I am nervous.. but it looks like you're more nervous than me!" Payal pouted.

"That's true!" he whispered to himself.

"What did you say?" she asked. And Akash pecked her cheek making her blush.

************************************************************************

Arshi room..

Khushi walked out of the bathroom after changing her lehenga. Since she had no time to pack her clothes, she wore Arnav's shirt and his pant that didn't fit her completely.

Arnav was on the poolside, lost in his thoughts. She came to him and stood beside him, "Arnav Ji.. your pant doesn't even fit on me.. I've to pull it up everytime.."

Arnav looked at her from top to bottom, she looked freaking gorgeous with his clothes and that too with open hair.

"Just take it off then!" he smirked.

Khushi glared at him, "Shameless!!"

"I'm your husband now baby!" he pulled her closer to him, circling his arms around her waist.

"Don't even try this one.. I'm still angry with you.." Khushi looked away, smiling. Arnav pecked her cheek gently, tightening his hold on her so that she doesn't escape from him.

Suddenly they heard Nani's shouting in angry tone.

Arnav and Khushi looked at each other confused.

"What happened to Nani? Why is she shouting like this?" Khushi asked.

"Let's go downstairs and see what happened.." Arnav said taking Khushi with him outside their room.

************************************************************************

Once they reached downstairs, Arshi found the family members with a tensed look and staring at a particular side.

They also followed everyone's gaze and saw NK standing with Lavanya by his side.

Arnav and Khushi looked at them shocked.

Arnav approached them and Nani, "What happened NK? What are you doing with this woman here?"

"She's my WIFE Nannav.. She will always be with me now.." NK said.

"WHAT THE.." Arnav widened his eyes in shock staring at Lavanya's maang filled with sindoor.

Payal and Akash also reached downstairs and stood with Khushi, asking her what happened.

"How can you even get married with this woman? Have you gone insane NK?" Arnav shouted angrily.

"That's what I'm asking him.. This woman almost destroyed your relationship with Khushi by leaking that fake video.. and NK still has courage to bring this girl in our house.." Nani said disgusted.

"Nannav I've my own reasons to marry Lavanya.. If you all don't want to accept her, then it's ok.. I will go back to Sydney with her.." NK said.

"It's not about accepting Lavanya NK.. She just isn't the right woman for you.. Why you took this decision without telling us?" Anjali cried.

"Nannav also got married without informing us Di.. That time you didn't get angry on him and accepted Khushi wholeheartedly.. Then why is it difficult to accept my choice?" NK asked.

"Our cases are different NK.. You know very well what this woman is capable of.." Arnav gritted his teeth.

"Stop treating her like a villain Nannav.. She did wrong, I accept it.. but she's a human too.. she deserves a second chance.." NK said.

Arnav just sighed hard and turned his back to him, running his hand through his hair in frustration.

Khushi rushed to Arnav and caressed his back, "Calm down Arnav Ji.."

"Calm down? Just look at what he did Khushi.. He's spoiling his life by getting married to this woman! Recently she threatened me that she would end her life if I didn't marry her and now she is drastically changed, she accepted to marry NK with whom she had less contact here in the house and wants a bloody second chance?" Arnav shouted frustratedly. He was damn worried and scared for his brother, he didn't want his brother's life to be ruined by Lavanya.

Lavanya stare at Khushi. Her eyes turned moist seeing that Khushi wore Arnav's clothes. The jealously was killing her from inside.

Khushi looked at NK, she walked to him: Can I talk with you in private?

NK nodded his head, but Lavanya held his hand tightly and whispered to him, "Don't leave me alone.."

"I'll just be back!" NK said taking her hands off him. He left with Khushi to his room, upstairs.

Lavanya gritted her teeth angrily thinking, "Why does everyone likes her more than me?"

"Lavanya you should sit and rest for a while.." Shyam said in serious tone.

Lavanya nodded with an innocent look and sat on the couch.

Arnav glared at her. If eyes could kill, she would have been dead by now.

"Hello hi bye bye.. Cunningwa womanz.. You couldn't get our Arnav bitwa.. so attacked our poor and innocent NK bitwa.." Mami glared at Lavanya.

Lavanya looked down crying silently.

Arnav rolled his eyes at her drama. Anjali and Shyam looked at each other worriedly.

Today they were so happy with the double wedding and this terrible news of NK's marriage with Lavanya had to spoil their happiness.

************************************************************************

NK's room..

"Khushi I found her on roads, crying.. helpless and lost.. Everyone is ignoring her.. Her career is ruined.. No one will give her job here in Delhi because she dared to mess up with Nannav.. Her parents don't talk with her anymore.. Now Nannav also wanted to send her to New York.. She kept crying and sharing with me her pain.. I just couldn't bear it Khushi.. I admit she did wrong with Nannav.. But if I take her responsibility and make her live a new life away from all this mess.. maybe she will stop this obsession for Nannav and get her happiness back.. come on yaar.. We all are humans.. she failed.. yes.. but she deserves a second chance.. And I want to give her this second chance.. I want to free her from this messed up life.. otherwise she will ruin herself Khushi and she might end her life too.." NK explained to Khushi.

"I understand your point of view NK..Being selfless is good, but not when it destroys your peace.. I hope that you help Lavanya change herself and give her a new life but don't end up destroying your own peace for her.." Khushi blinked her eyes at him.

"Don't worry.. I will be careful.." NK smiled.

"You should call her upstairs.. Take rest you both and I will talk with our family calmly now.." Khushi said.

NK nodded, "Thanks Khushi.. And also say to Nannav that I love him!"

Khushi smiled widened, "Shaadi kiya Lavanya se, aur Pyaar karte ho apne Nannav se (You married Lavanya, but love your Nannav!)"

NK giggled, "I know he's doesn't show much but he truly cares and loves me a lot.. I saw the fear and worry he had for me in his eyes today when he got to know that I married Lavanya.. I felt proud to have a brother like him today!"

Khushi smiled emotionally.

"Tell him not to be worried about me.. I know how to handle myself.." NK said.

************************************************************************

After Lavanya left to NK's room, Khushi explained everything to the family.

"We can't change anything that happened.. but we have to help and give our support to NK.. He needs us also.." Khushi said staring at everyone who seemed still unsure about this.

"I don't know if Lavanya changed or not.. but I know that NK had a good intention with this marriage.. Not for Lavanya, I'm requesting you all to support NK's decision.. That's it.." Khushi said.

"If she hurts my brother.. then this time I will ruin her life completely!" Arnav said it clearly and left to his room.

"What can we do now.. other than supporting him.. I've to inform his parents about this.." Nani said worriedly.

Anjali and Mami accompanied Nani to her room. And Mama also left to his room.

Shyam, Anjali, Akash, Payal and Khushi looked at each other with tensed look.

************************************************************************

Sometime later..

Khushi walked in the kitchen and watched Arnav drinking one after another glass of water.

"Arnav Ji.. stop it.. How many glasses of water will you drink now?" she scolded him, and approached him, snatching the glass from his hand.

"Be thankful that it's not alcohol!" he replied sarcastically and took the bottle of water, drinking water from it.

"Arnav ji.." she whined, "Let's go to sleep.. you need to rest.."

"Tum jao (You go).. I'll be back in few minutes.." Arnav said.

"No!" Khushi nodded sideways, "I think you've forgotten that we married today only and you shouldn't leave your wife alone like this.. Don't think I don't know you want to go on a long drive.."

Arnav lifted her in his arms and took her to their room.

************************************************************************

NK walked out of the bathroom and saw Lavanya peeking outside the window of their room.

"Lavanya.." he called her confused.

Lavanya immediately turned to him and composed herself. Without staring at him, she walked to the bed and laid on it.

NK switched off the lights and slept on the couch.

Lavanya clutched her pillow crying as she had seen Arnav taking Khushi to their room, she was in his arms, she wore his clothes.. Did they consummate their marriage?

************************************************************************

Lavanya still loves Arnav.. she's still insecure of Khushi.. she still have an evil side.. but NK will change her! Let's see how!