No proofread.

A week Later.
Leela Palace.

Aman and Payal sat on a swing in one of the private gardens of the hotel staring at the stars.

Aman stared at Payal smiling as she saw her admiring the stars and he looked mesmerized by Payal.

Payal felt a gaze on her and turned to find Aman staring at her and he looked away embarrassed making Payal giggle.

"How do you feel now that your mother has the DNA test come out positive? " Aman asked trying to divert the embarrassment he had just experienced.

"Happy...... Do you know Maa hugged me so tight I almost suffocated but I loved it........ For years I had wanted her to be my mother and not Garima and I have a secret to tell you, I have always jealous of Khushi for having her as her mother but look, I have my wish come true. " Payal replied enthusiastically but it dropped to a look of worry making Aman alert and concern.

"Payal?...... What's wrong? " Aman asked concerned as Payal sighed knowing she couldn't lie to Aman and him being a trustworthy man will be unfair if she hid it from him

"Maa may have gotten back the daughter she thought was die but it won't bring back my baby brother....... Last night, Maa told us she was going to have Garima arrested and charged for what she did and I don't care what happens to her but I care about babuji....... He loved her through it all and wasted years of his life for her...... He could have been a father to many children as he wanted but he accepted Garima couldn't conceive anymore because he loved her but what did she do, she hurt him,betrayed his trust and made a mockery of his pure unadulterated love he has for her....... This is the kind of hurt no one recovers from........ Last night, Khushi who had the same feelings and let maa know and she suggested we all have a vacation to cheer Babuji but I can't seems to shake of this feeling that something bad is about to happen. "

Aman held Payal's hand and kissed it making Payal blush.

"Don't worry to much....... We are all here for you and I won't let anything bad happen to you or you family. " Aman assured Payal and she smiled and placed her head on his shoulder making Aman blush with a smile on his lips as he laid his head on hers.

He was happy Payal was beginning to feel comfortable around him and he knew with time, she will open her broken heart to him and he will heal her with all his love and they could also be happy as Arnav and Khushi even though they were apart,their love was becoming stronger than they were together.

As much as happy he was in the moment, he remembered the presence of Lavanya and somehow felt she could be the cause of the uneasiness Payal and Khushi were feeling.

"I won't let anyone hurt you...... I have to keep a watchful eyes on Lavanya even though Arnav claims she is harmless...... I can't risk Arnav, Khushi or Payal getting hurt........ They are all I have and I would die if something happens to any of them. " Aman thought as he stroked Payal's hand.

Mohan gulped in fear and worry as he watched his aunt who had returned from Laxmi Nagar earlier than they thought she would watching both her daughters with men on opposite sides of the private garden.

She had a blank look on her face which made it difficult for Mohan to determine whether she was angry or unconcerned at her daughters with other men especially when she is against one and may be against the other for being friends with the one she is against.

"Mohan? " Isha called out. "What do you know about the best friend of Arnav? "

"Well he is an orphan who was abandoned after he was born because of some whack prediction by some fake guru about his birth........ He grew up at the Arya Orphanage here in Delhi......... Was always top of his class and refused to be adopted by anyone........ Won a full ride scholarship to Harvard just like ASR and that's where he met bhai. " Isha frown at his endowment of Arnav. "I mean Arnav. " Mohan laughed nervously. "They have been friends since then...... He is very efficient man and the right hand man of ASR and a good match for Payal di. " Mohan knew what he did was risky but he had to do it as he was on a mission to make Isha accept not only Arnav but Aman as well and it worked when Isha sighed and  nodded.

She turned and walked a few steps but halted and turned back to Mohan.

"When Arnav and Khushi are done, tell him to meet me in my study. "

Mohan smiled as she watched Isha walk away and he turned to find Khushi and Arnav in an embrace.

"Am so happy that you and your mother are getting along. " Arnav said as he broke the hug.

"Me too. " Khushi exclaimed in a not so enthusiastic tone which concerned Arnav as he knew how desperate Khushi wanted to have at least a cordial relationship with her mother and now that Isha had gone back to the mother she knew before, she didn't seem happy.

"Baby is something wrong? " Arnav asked concerned and Khushi sighed staring into his eyes.

"I know I might sound selfish and I honestly am but I want maa to accept you too......... I know you don't care if she doesn't as long as I have a relationship with her but I want her to at least be civil with you. " Arnav smiled at her response and cupped her cheeks as she held onto his arms.

"She will........ You just wait and watch after all no one can resist the charms of Arnav Singh Raizada. " Arnav joked making Khushi laugh.

"Oh........ You have to go now....... Maa might be on her way here by now. " Khushi exclaimed while staring at his watch.

"To late, she already here. " They both heard Mohan say as they turned to find a nervous looking Payal and Aman with a sheepishly smiling Mohan.

Khushi let go off Arnav and matched up to Mohan and pulled his hair making Mohan yelp.

"What was that for? " Mohan exclaimed rubbing and adjusting his messy hair.

"That is for not running back to tell us like we planned. " Khushi scolded.

"Sorry sis....... You know maa is like a ghost....... She can enter any room without you noticing and that's what happened........ She saw you and Arnav from the time you were both passionately kissing each other under the Cabana. "

Khushi gasped in shock as she realised her mother had been here for a long time now and she began to panic which made Mohan more nervous to reveal what Isha wanted but he knew he had to.

"Maa wants Arnav bhai to meet him in her study. "

Mohan dropped the bomb and immediately closed his eyes ready for yells to be thrown at him like Payal did but it didn't happen so he opened his eyes to find Khushi stunned with her mouth agape.

Arnav rubbed her back and she looked up at him.

"It's okay baby........ I want to met her...... It's about time I met my mother in law probably and something tell me it will end in our favor unlike the last time. "

Khushi sighed in relief trusting Arnav and they all entered their new family suite where they were living on the top floor of the hotel.

They reach the study and Arnav knocked as he introduced himself and Isha permitted him to enter.

Khushi held Arnav preventing him from entering and he smiled and turned to her and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

He mouth an I love you as Khushi watched him enter and closed the door behind him.

Isha signalled to the chair into of her and Arnav sat down staring at Isha who looked majestic and intimidating while exuding virgor and fierceness at the same time.

"Finally found were Khushi got her fierceness from. " Arnav thought staring at Isha who was staring back at him.

"Nimrat Ajay Gupta........ I hope o don't regret what am about to do. " Isha thought staring at Arnav.

Arnav shifted in his chair feeling uncomfortable by the eerie silence and Isha 's intimidated gaze and the sterness in her posture this made Isha smirk.

"So Mr Raizada, you know I don't like you and the reason you already know. " Arnav nodded. "My chutki deserves better. " Arnav closed his eyes knowing what was about to follow and a part of him felt hurt but the unexpected followed instead. "And you are the best for her. " Arnav 's eyes snapped open in shock as he stared at Isha who had a sincere look in her eyes. "For Khushi you are the best and you are yet to be the best for me but Khushi's perception of you matters more than mine......... I would be a liar if I say I don't know you love my daughter......... Your little quarrels reminds me of my relationship with Ajay before the greed of my sister and the list of Arvind Malik ruined everything........ I also know it was you made Khushi come to her sense when it comes to her opinion on why I did what I did........ As much as am not happy about how your relationship with Khushi started, I have to admit you changed for the better and proved me wrong....... I like to apologize for everything I did....... I was insecure and jealous of you. " Arnav looked stunned hearing Isha was jealous and insecure because of him and Isha chuckled seeing his expression. "Don't look shocked because I was........ I thought the blood of the Malik family were incapable of love but you proved me wrong and I hate being proven wrong....... Khushi also chose you over me even after all these years apart, she will chose you in a heartbeat and I know you will always chose her which broke the perception I had of you being a selfish man......... I wanted to punish your father and I thought punishing you will be enough since he was dead and I was wrong........ But I won't spare your grandmother and uncle...... They deserve to be punished for what they did........ I know your grandmother won't get the same punishment as your uncle but seeing her son in jail and being shunned by everyone will be enough punishment for her........ I will like to take this opportunity to apologize to you for what I did that nearly caused your death........ Believe,am not as heartless as you think."

"I know because you are my Khushi's mother and believe me you two have more in common that you think...... Don't let the innocent, guffy and chatterbox nature of hers fool you....... She is a ferocious tiger who is not to be messed with. " Arnav said in between chuckles and Isha chuckled in return. "Am sorry for what my paternal family put you through........ Am sorry for what I put Khushi through....... Am sorry for what Akash, Anjali and Mami put Payal through........ I hope one day you can see me as the best. "

Isha nodded as she stood up and Arnav followed.

She extended her hand and Arnav shooked it.

"I hope you won't disappoint me. " Isha said and Arnav assured her as the moved closer to the door.

Arnav opened the door and multiple grunts followed and he and Isha looked down to find Khushi, Payal and Mohan on the floor and Aman standing a few step away giggling.

The trio stood up and straighten themselves up.

"It was her idea. " Payal and Mohan exclaimed in unison as they pointed at  Khushi who stared at her siblings in shocked.

"What the!...... You two have some nerves blaming me...... Maa I am innocent. " Khushi exclaimed passing a charming and innocent look at her mother but Isha shook her head at her.

"Payal doesn't like ease dropping since children and if I remember clearly, you the queen of was dropping has always dragged her into it and now Mohan has followed. " Isha said and Khushi looked flustered twitching her mouth at being caught. "Well I guess you have heard everything we discussed....... It's getting late and I think it's time the men head home. "

Aman and Arnav nodded and Isha asked Khushi to escort them out intentionally leaving Payal out and dragged Payal to the kitchen to prepare some tea.

Isha stared at Payal and she looked disappointed but kept quiet.

"So it's not a one sided feeling. " Isha thought and after a few minutes Payal's phone binged and she smiled staring at it.

"Is that Aman? "

Payal looked taken aback but nodded and Isha smiled which surprised her and she went back to preparing the tea.

Next Day.

Khushi sprinted slowly to the dinning table and planted and loud kiss on her father's cheek making him smile.

She took the platter away from Mohan and started feeling her father.

"Where is maa? " Khushi asked not seeing her mother at the table.

"She had to visit one of the sites this morning....... She will be back soon. " Mohan replied while dishing himself some breakfast.

"Am soo happy about yesterday. " Payal exclaimed and Ajay stared at her confused which didn't go unnoticed by the trio.

They explained everything to him and Ajay smiled widely as his eyes teared up.

The trio hugged him laughing and he felt happy to have them all.

Mohan's phone binged and he excused him tand read it.

They all saw him smile and knew it was from a woman.

"Who is that? "

"His girlfriend. " Khushi teased as the both laughed seeing him blush.

"I have to tell you three something." they were all ears to Mohan's words. "You are right it's my girlfriend....... We have been dating almost a year now and I want to propose to her on our one year anniversary but I don't know what to do. "

The trio felt the frustration in his voice which made them feel sad for him.

"Does maa know about her? " Payal asked and Mohan shook his head no.

"Why haven't you told her yet?...... You know she will be hurt if she found out. " Khushi scolded.

"I wanted to but the atmosphere was way too tense to reveal my relationship to her . " Mohan explained which made the girls feel not sadness but guilt as well.

"Don't worry....... We will help you propose to her. " Payal exclaimed enthusiastically and Khushi nodded.

Mohan smiled and hugged them as the reciprocated.

RM.

The door bell rang alerting Mami who was sitting in the hall with Anjali, Nani and Akash who laying on the couch looked at each other confused as to who it could be.

Mami stood up and walked to open the door.

Immediately she did, a hand slapped her sending her to the floor and this shocked the others.

Mami looked up to find Isha and nearly soiled herself seeing the mad raging look in Isha's face and this made her shudder.

"Let me introduce myself....... I am Isha kundra, aka the mother of Payal and Khushi mother and I won't spare you wretched people for what you all did to my daughters. "

To be continued.

Precap: Good news for the family.

Lavanya in shock.

Next update is on Friday.

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