As the morning dawned, Aarav rose from his bed, replaying the events of the previous night in his mind. Did he really share a celebratory dinner with his daughter at the restaurant after his achievement? Shrugging off the lingering feeling of it being a dream, he got ready for the day.

Not finding Khushi at the breakfast table, Aarav assumed she was still asleep due to the school holidays. Lost in the memories of the previous night, he joined the breakfast table. Manvi, emerging from the guest room, noticed a calmness on Aarav's face. She pulled a chair for herself settling down on it and Jenny served her breakfast. 

"Kal sach mein Khushi aapke event pe aayi thi Aaravji! Usne aapko trophy lete hue dekha bhi aur phir aap dono ne dinner bhi kiya," Manvi remarked, sensing the peaceful aura around him.

Aarav smiled, acknowledging her statement, "Haan, jaanta hun main yeh baat."

Curious about his thoughts, Manvi questioned, "Toh phir kya soch rahe hai aap?"

Aarav, dismissing the importance of sharing his thoughts, replied, "Wo main... tumhe kyun batau main?"

"Khushi ki dost ban sakti hun toh aapki bhi ban hi sakti hun aur itne samay se hum ek dusre ko jante hai anjaan toh hai nahi," Manvi expressed, trying to bridge the gap.

Aarav continued eating, ignoring her. He got up and picked up his phone. He walked a bit and turned towards her "suno.."

"Ji..." she responded with hope.

Aarav admitted, "Main sach mein bahut sharminda hun apne bartaav ke liye," apologizing for his earlier behavior.

"Toh aap maafi maang rahe hai mujhse?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Nahi," he denied.

"S-O-R-R-Y," she spelled out, emphasizing the correct spelling. 

"What?" He asked

"Spelling.. Jo shayad aapko aati nahi hai" she replied

Giving her a stern look, he retorted, "Dekho tumse thik se baat kar raha hun toh sar pe mat chado mere..." annoyed, he left the room.

Manvi chuckled to herself, "Khadoos... Mr. Malhotra." 

She then playfully scolded herself for challenging the ruthless Aarav Malhotra. "Manvi kya ho raha hai tujhe? The Ruthless Aarav Malhotra se panga le rahi hai tu.. barbaad kar dega tujhe" 

Khushi, entering the room, joined Manvi. Laughing, she said, "Aapke paas aisa kuch hai nahi jisse Mr. Malhotra barbaad kar sake... So chill."

Manvi and Khushi engaged in a heartfelt conversation as Manvi probed, "Mera chodo, apna batao."

Khushi, with a sense of uncertainty, replied, "Kya batau?"

"Kal ke baare mein," Manvi added meaningfully, seeking details about the previous day.

Khushi, hesitating at first, opened up and shared everything that had happened.  

"Maine toh pehle hi kaha tha tumse... Toh aur samay bitaogi unke saath?" Manvi said showing curiosity in her voice.

"Bitana toh chahti hun par darti hun kahi phirse wo mujhe hurt na kare," Khushi admitted, revealing her apprehensions.

Manvi, offering support, held Khushi's hand and reassured her, "Pita hai tumhare Khushi, aur koi pita apni beti ka bura kabhi nahi chahega. Tum unse door bhaagti rahi ho itne saal kyuki tumhare darr hai, jaise unhone tumhari mumma ko hurt kia, tumhe bhi karenge hai na?" she questioned, delving into the underlying fears.

Khushi nodded in agreement. "Lekin yeh bhi toh ho sakta hai ki tumhare papa sirf tumhe pyaar de... Tum kaho Mr. Malhotra aap meeting cancel karke mere saath chaliye, wo chale. Main yeh chahti hun, wo chahte hai. Agar tum apna haq jatoagi toh hi toh tumhare papa tumhe pyaar de payenge Khushi," Manvi suggested with empathy, placing her hand on Khushi's cheeks.

"Aap nahi jaanti bachpan se..." Khushi trailed off, hinting at the complexities of her past.

"Aaj aur aane waala kal behtar karna hai tumhe apna bhi aur tumhare Mr. Malhotra ka bhi! Kal tumne unke saath sirf ek do ghante bitaye aur unhone koi drink nahi ki raat... Wo dard mein hai Khushi apni beti ki aankh mein nafrat unse bardasht nahi hoti hai... Wahi tumhe apne dil se mitani hai... Tab tum dono paas aa paoge," Manvi explained, urging Khushi to bridge the emotional gap.

Listening to Manvi's wise words, Khushi fell silent. "Lekin..." she began, expressing her reservations.

"Mujhpe bharosa karo dost hun tumhari galat salah kabhi nahi dungi tumhe," Manvi reassured, fostering trust.

Khushi, taking a deep breath, stood up and took her breakfast plate to her room. Deep in thought, she contemplated Manvi's advice. She picked up her phone and, looking at the blocked contract, unblocked it, revealing a history of more than 100 calls made on the day she left the house.

Contemplating whether to reach out, Khushi typed a text but hesitated and deleted it. Manvi entered the room and confronted her, "Call karo unhe."

Khushi glanced at her and firmly denied, "No."

"Main coaching center jaa rahi hun Khushi! Mera ghar lautna iss baat pe depend karta hai ki tum Aaravji ke saath aaj waqt bitati ho ya nahi," Manvi declared firmly, presenting an ultimatum.

Khushi, astonished, responded, "Yeh dadagiri hai aapki," resisting the pressure.

"Jaisa tumhe sochna hai socho..." Manvi smiled and left. In the corridor, Sharda stood with her medicines.

"Kaki ye... Main khud le leti," Manvi replied, appreciating Sharda's concern.

"Aarav ne tumhara khayal rakhne ko kaha hai toh apna farz toh nibhana hoga na mujhe..." Sharda insisted, highlighting the responsibility.

"Mujhe vishwas tha ek tum hi jo saalo se baap beti ke beech nafrat aur dard ki daraar ko gira sakti ho..." Sharda expressed her faith in Manvi.

Manvi smiled, acknowledging the sentiment. "Kaki rishte chahe khoon ke ho ya dil ke iss tarah toote nahi karte hai... Bachpan mein ek haadse ne shayad uske dil mein Aaravji ke liye nafrat paida kar di hai aur uss haadse wo abtak ubhar nahi paayi hai. Aur Aaravji jaise bhi toh lekin apni beti se bahut pyaar karte hai yeh baat Khushi ko samajhni hogi," she said, showing understanding for both sides.

Sharda smiled, acknowledging Manvi's insight, and blessed her. "Khud apne pati se pareshan ho aur yahan dono ko sambhal rahi ho."

"Dil ka rishta hai Khushi ke saath mera kaki... Uski har takleef door karna meri zimmedari hai, dost hun aakhir uski, chahe wo kitna bhi mana kare," Manvi replied with sincerity.

"Sahi kaha... Khushi ki nafrat ka ilaj bhi Aarav hai aur Aarav ke dard ka ilaj bhi Khushi hai," Sharda added, acknowledging the intertwined healing.

"Ji warna zindagi jeena muskil hai Shardaji... Janti hai Khushi jabse meri zindagi mein aayi hai main apne dard ko mehsus hi nahi kar paa rahi hun... Wo khalipan jo tha na usne bhar diya... Ab usse door jaana muskil hai," Manvi shared her own experiences, revealing a motherly love for Khushi.

Sharda could sense the depth of emotion in Manvi's voice.

Exiting the house with her bag, Manvi faced an unexpected challenge. The security blocked her way, "Aap..."

"Sir ka order hai aap kahi ghar se nahi jaa sakti hai," he informed her, following Aarav's instructions.

Manvi sighed deeply, took out her phone, and called Aarav. After a moment of waiting, he answered, "kahiye Miss toofan..."

"Toofan? Aapne mujhe toofan kyun kaha?" Manvi questioned, curious about his choice of words.

"Kyuki tum ek jagah ghar mein baith nahi sakti ho yahan waha bhatakna hai tumhe," he replied, emphasizing the restriction.

"Aur aapko bas apni manmani karni hai! Mujhe coaching centre jaana hai... Aur aapka yeh security guard nahi jaane de raha hai," Manvi complained, expressing her frustration.

"Tum shayad bhool rahi ho toh yaad dilau tumhe! Tumhare pati ko maine jail bhejha tha aur itna toh use jaan gaya hun main ek hi mulakat mein tumhe chain se jeene nahi dega wo samjhi! Toh chup chap ghar mein raho" Aarav argued with her.

Manvi was totally amazed at his knowledge. "Dekhiye mera jaana bahut zaroori hai mujhe kaam karna pasand hai ghar mein aise nahi baith sakti hun" she tried to explain.

"Fine.. kuch hua toh main zimmedar nahi! Car leke jao aur wapas bhi usi mein aana" He said and disconnected the call without listening to her.

Manvi sighed deeply and smiled "maine toh socha bhi nahi tha yeh itne caring bhi ho sakte hai itna samajh bhi sakte hai kisiko khadoos ko aajtak muskurate nahi dekha hai.. Hmm shayad beti jab unhe papa kehde toh muskurade.."

She sits inside the car and heads towards her coaching center.

Khushi had been pacing up and down in the room struggling with her thoughts. Her mind says she shouldn't give any chance to Aarav to hurt her again but her heart says she must listen to Manvi and spend more time with him. She took a deep breath and picked up her phone. "Nahi kiya toh dost ruthke chali jayegi aur main unhe kho nahi sakti.."

Malhotra Industries

Aarav had just concluded a crucial business meeting where a vital point was omitted from the contract. Tension hung in the air as everyone anticipated his reaction, knowing that any misstep could have severe consequences. Losing his composure, he grabbed the file and hurled it towards the responsible party, admonishing him, "How many times do I have to tell you? Ki mujhe kaam mein ek bhi galti pasand nahi hai.."

"Sor..ry So..r..ry Sir," stammered the apologetic employee, lowering his head.

"A sorry doesn't fix everything! Get out of my office," Aarav declared, firing him without hesitation.

"Sir, please no.." the employee pleaded desperately.

"I won't repeat myself.." Aarav spoke in a firm tone. His phone interrupted the tense atmosphere with a ring, and he looked at it with surprise at the caller ID.

Answering the call, he said, "haan.."

"Kya hum amusement park jaa sakte hai?" She questioned.

"Abhi?" he asked, curious about her unexpected request.

"Only if you have time," she replied sarcastically.

"Taiyar ho jao main 20 minute mein ghar pahuch raha hun," he said, ending the call and emphasizing her priority.

The onlookers were shocked as Aarav, known for prioritizing work above all, had just shifted his focus. "Meeting is over, ladies and gentlemen! Aur aaj mera mood thoda acha hai, so you have one more chance!" Aarav declared, tapping his cheek lightly, yet his gaze reflected determination.

Leaving the conference room, he signaled the manager to keep him updated on the work and departed for home.

Khushi hesitated as she got ready for the day, unsure about spending time with Aarav. Childhood memories resurfaced, haunting her with the echoes of her mother's words.

"Mumma dadda tyu nahi aaye?"

"Dadda humse pyaar nahi karte hai Khushi.. Wo sirf apne baare mein sochte hai!" The painful reminder of her father's neglect pierced through her thoughts, and she closed her eyes, grappling with the childhood trauma. 

"Wo nahi aayenge! He never loved me.." she murmured, allowing the past to cast a shadow on her present.

A message from Manvi interrupted her reverie, advising her to focus on creating new memories with Aarav.  "take a deep breath! Past nahi aajke baare mein socho.. Aaj tumhe unke saath nayi yaadein banani hai jo unn purani ko dundhla kar sake.." 

 A small smile tugged at the corners of Khushi's lips as she understood the intent behind Manvi's words. "Aapne camera lagaya hai kya?? Kaise pata chala aapko main kya soch rahi hun?" she texted back, half-teasingly.

"Tumhe main ache se jaanti hun! Ab chup chap apne Mr. Malhotra ke saath jao without any attitude samjhi," Manvi replied, nudging Khushi to embrace the day.

Khushi made a face but agreed. The sound of the car stopping reached her ears, prompting her to step out of the room and descend the stairs. As she sat inside the car, her gaze fixated on Aarav, engrossed in a work call. He instructed the manager to email him the report, emphasizing no delays.

Aarav got out of the car and dismissed the driver, sending him home. Addressing the driver's concerns, he asserted, "Ghar jaa sakte ho tum." It was evident that Aarav was determined to spend quality time with his daughter without any external interference.

As Aarav started the engine, Khushi got off and took her seat behind. His glance through the rear mirror captured a sigh, perhaps hinting at the complexities of the situation.

The journey led them to an amusement park, a destination chosen for the day's outing. Aarav parked the car, and they walked towards the ticket counter. Surprisingly, Aarav stood in the queue to collect tickets, choosing not to use his usual privileges. Confused by this deviation, Khushi observed him collecting the tickets with a smile.

"Chale? Tickets mil gaye hai," he said, the warmth of his smile inviting her to embark on this adventure.

Walking in front, Khushi led the way into the amusement park, Aarav following behind. The spectacular view unfolded before them. Aarav's enthusiasm was palpable as he asked, "Haan toh batao kaunsi mein pehle jaogi?" His excitement stemmed from years of anticipation for such moments with his daughter.

"Wo waali," she pointed towards a prominent ride.

Agreeing, they walked towards the ride entrance. In the queue, Khushi sensed a few guys staring at her, triggering a sense of awkwardness. Aarav, attentive to her discomfort, held her hand and guided her away from prying eyes. Khushi looked at him in amazement as he shielded her from unwanted attention.

Seated inside the ride, Khushi felt a twinge of fear. "Darr lag raha hai?" Aarav asked, his concern evident.

"Nahi.." she denied, attempting to mask her anxiety.

Aarav secured the seatbelt, firmly holding her hand. "Main hun kuch nahi hone dunga kabhi bhi.. Aur jorke chilao darr nahi lagega phir kahogi ek baar aur," he reassured her.

The roller coaster ascended, and with each passing second, Khushi's anxiety heightened. "Nahi.. Nahi mujhe wapas jaana hai," she exclaimed.

"Beta ab nahi jaa sakta hai.. Kuch nahi hoga," Aarav assured her, accompanying her through the twists and turns. Eventually, Khushi transformed her fear into enjoyment.

After the five-minute adventure, Aarav suggested, "Ice-cream khaogi?"

Khushi eagerly nodded, and they headed to the ice-cream parlor. Aarav ordered her favorite, prompting Khushi to ask, "Aapko kaise pata yeh mera favorite hai?"

Aarav smiled, a bit pained, "Hum ek hi ghar mein rehte hai Khushi.. Tumhe shayad mere baare mein kuch na pata ho par mujhe sab pata rehta hai."

Khushi, in a playful tone, challenged, "Acha? Par aapko yeh nahi pata yeh ab mera favorite nahi hai!"

"Tumne 10 saal mein pata karne ka mauka hi nahi diya," Aarav replied, expressing the years lost.

Khushi fell silent, taking the ice-cream and savoring its taste. As they walked, Aarav pointed towards a live performance, saying, "Chalo." He grabbed her hand, and they enjoyed the show together. Aarav explained a few things, making Khushi laugh.

As the show ended, Khushi found herself alone in the crowd. Calling for Aarav, she realized her phone was off. Frustrated, she sighed, "Yeh subah charge hi nahi kiya maine! Arghh..!"

Searching for Aarav, she couldn't find him. The familiar young boys from earlier approached, asking mischievously, "Kisiko dundh rahi ho?"

She turned around, but another guy blocked her way. Frustration building up, she pushed him away and hastily fled the scene. Joining the queue for the ride, she soon realized those same people were following her. Anxiety gripped her, and negative thoughts began to torment her mind.

Feeling the sting of abandonment, she murmured to herself, "Mr. Malhotra, you... don't care for me." The echoes of the brief moments of attention and care he had given her were now overshadowed by the loneliness that enveloped her in the queue.