Manjiri's New Scheme

Just as things seemed to be settling down between Abhi and Akshu, Manjiri devised a new plan to drive a wedge between them. She decided to bring in Sona, Abhi's old friend from college, who had always harbored feelings for him. Sona was beautiful, charming, and knew exactly how to get under Akshu's skin.

Manjiri invited Sona to stay with them, under the pretense of rekindling old friendships.

"Abhi, I've invited Sona to stay with us for a few days," she announced one evening over dinner. "It’s been so long since you two caught up, and I thought it would be nice."

Abhi was surprised but didn’t see any harm in it. "Sure, Mom. It will be good to see her again."

When Sona arrived, she brought with her an air of sophistication and charm that immediately caught everyone’s attention. She greeted Abhi with a warm hug and a bright smile, and it wasn’t long before she was comfortably settled into their home.

Akshu tried to be gracious, but she couldn’t ignore the way Sona seemed to gravitate towards Abhi. Every chance she got, Sona was there, laughing at his jokes, reminiscing about old times, and creating a sense of familiarity that Akshu couldn’t compete with.

One evening, as Akshu was preparing dinner, she overheard Sona and Abhi talking in the living room. Sona's laughter filled the air, followed by Abhi's deep chuckle. Akshu's heart tightened. She walked into the room, a polite smile on her face.

"Sona, would you like to join us for dinner?" Akshu asked.

Sona looked at her with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. "Of course, Akshu. Thank you."

During dinner, Sona regaled everyone with stories from their college days. She talked about how Abhi was the most popular guy on campus, how all the girls were after him, and how they had shared so many good times together. Akshu felt like an outsider in her own home.

Manjiri watched with satisfaction as Akshu's discomfort grew. She could see that her plan was working. Sona was successfully driving a wedge between Abhi and Akshu, and it was only a matter of time before the cracks in their relationship became too big to ignore.

One night, after an especially long day, Akshu found herself in the kitchen alone with Sona. Sona took the opportunity to strike.

"You know, Akshu," Sona began, her tone seemingly friendly but with a sharp edge, "Abhi and I have so much history. Sometimes, it's hard to compete with that, isn’t it?"

Akshu clenched her jaw, trying to keep her emotions in check. "Abhi and I have our own history too, Sona. And we have a future together."

Sona laughed softly. "Of course, of course. But sometimes, the past has a way of coming back, doesn’t it?"

Akshu couldn’t take it anymore. She turned and walked out of the kitchen, tears stinging her eyes. She found Abhi in the living room and pulled him aside.

"Abhi, I can’t do this anymore," she said, her voice breaking. "Sona is trying to come between us, and I can’t stand it."

Abhi looked surprised. "What are you talking about, Akshu? Sona is just a friend."

"A friend who wants more," Akshu shot back. "Can’t you see what’s happening? Your mother brought her here to break us apart!"

Abhi frowned. "That’s ridiculous, Akshu. Sona is just here to visit. Mom wouldn’t do that."

"She would, and she has," Akshu insisted. "Please, Abhi, you have to believe me."

Abhi sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don’t know, Akshu. It just seems so far-fetched."

Akshu felt her heart sink. The doubts were creeping back in, fueled by manjiri and Sona’s manipulations. She turned away, feeling defeated.

That night, as Akshu lay in bed, she couldn’t stop the tears from falling. The thought of losing Abhi was too much to bear. She loved him with all her heart, and the idea of someone else coming between them was unbearable.

The next morning, Sona suggested that she and Abhi go out for a coffee, to catch up properly. Abhi agreed, not seeing any harm in it. Akshu watched them leave, feeling a pang of jealousy and insecurity.

While they were out, manjiri approached Akshu. "You see, dear, Abhi and Sona have a bond that you can’t understand. Sometimes, it's best to step back and let things take their natural course."

Akshu looked at Anjali, her eyes filled with determination. "I love Abhi, and I won’t let you or anyone else come between us."

Mnjiri smirked. "We’ll see about that."

Later that evening, as Abhi and Sona returned, they were laughing and talking animatedly. Akshu’s heart ached, but she knew she had to fight for her love. She approached Abhi as soon as Sona was out of earshot.

"Abhi, we need to talk," she said firmly.

Abhi looked at her, sensing the seriousness in her tone. "What is it, Akshu?"

"I can’t keep doing this," she said, her voice trembling. "I can’t keep pretending that everything is fine when it's not. Sona is trying to come between us, and if you can’t see that, then we have a problem."

Abhi sighed, feeling the weight of the situation. "Akshu, I’m sorry. I’ve been so caught up in the past that I didn’t see what was happening. But I promise you, you’re the one I love. Not Sona, not anyone else. Just you."

Tears welled up in Akshu’s eyes. "Do you mean that, Abhi?"

He took her hands in his, looking deeply into her eyes. "Yes, Akshu. I mean it. We’ll get through this together."

At that moment, Sona watched the shadow from the outside window seeing the intimate moment between Abhi and Akshu.

Sona couldn’t let go of her desire for Abhi. She realized that a more strategic approach was needed to win him over. Sona, determined to break Abhi and Akshu's marriage. Manjiri, still harboring resentment towards Akshu, welcomed Sona’s alliance.

"We need to be careful and calculated," manjiri advised, her eyes glinting with determination. "We can’t afford to be caught."

Sona nodded. "I understand. We need to create situations that make Akshu look bad in Abhi's eyes."

Manjiri and Sona began their subtle campaign against Akshu, planting seeds of doubt and orchestrating misunderstandings. They manipulated situations to make Akshu appear unreliable and deceitful, hoping to erode Abhi's trust in her.