Recap: Akshara and Abhimanyu are living their sham of a happy life in Kasauli and Udaipur respectively. Harshvardhan, Shefali and Nishtha have spied and investigated on Akshara and Abhir. They now know the truth with evidence to support their findings.

They fake Harshvardhan's sickness to lure Abhimanyu to Shimla but unfortunately Manish and Manjiri tag along. Abhimanyu is agitated to know about Harshvardhan's health scare was fake. Harshvardhan taunts Abhimanyu about Akshara. Manjiri pretends to panic at her name but before things escalate further, he shuts them up with the mention of Abhir's name.

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Harshvardhan: Abhir Abhimanyu Birla. Tera beta

'Abhir . Abhimanyu . Birla . Tera beta . TERA BETA! --------'

Abhimanyu felt numb. Harshvardhan's words were ringing in his ears. His son? His biological son? How is that even possible? He held onto the paper that was literally in his face. He tried to focus and there it was! Abhir Abhimanyu Birla was written in a neat hand. Abhimanyu's face scrunched in visible confusion. He clutched the paper and began reading further. His face turned as white as a ghost when he read the details.

Name: Abhir Abhimanyu Birla

Birthplace: Pathankot

Mother's name: Akshara Goenka

Father's name: Abhimanyu Birla

He had a son?! His baby? His own flesh and blood!? Abhimanyu's world was spinning. Nothing made sense to him anymore. Another person sharing his confusion was Manjiri. She was looking at her son's face. Trying to gauge his reaction. Having had enough, she snatched the paper. Reading it only added to her confusion. She hated the mention of Akshara's name but who is Abhir? Her son's son? Her Abhi's Abhi? Manjiri wanted someone to tell her that this was a prank so she could return to her 'frog in a well life' in Udaipur.

Manjiri: Harsh Ji? Ye kya mazak hai?!

Harshvardhan: Single to tum pichle 7 saalo se ho Manjiri lekin usse pehle to jaanti thi na mujhe! Dekha hai mujhe kabhi mazak krte? Specially aisi serious baat ko lekr?

Manjiri: Pr? Iska mtlb.... Ye kaise possible hai!?

Harshvardhan: sb possible hai! (taunting Manish) Kyu Manish ji? Apki shakal dekhr lg raha hai ki aap bhi bohot kuch jaante ho...

Manish: (wipes his forehead) kuch baaten raaz rahe, usme hi sabki bhalai hai.

Harshvardhan: Kuch baaten raaz rakhna apka haq nahi hai...

Abhimanyu: BS! Ye code word band kijiye aur clear boliye! Kya hai ye sb Sir?

Harshvardhan: Bs aise hi beta! Aise hi clearly 6 saal pehle baat ki hoti toh aaj ye naubat nahi aati!

Abhimanyu: Sir, mera dimag pehle se ghoom raha hai. Please, paheliyan mt sunaiye. (Broken) please...

Harshvardhan: Ye jo tere hath me hai na, ye sach hai. Tere bete ka birth certificate hai. Tera aur Akshara ka beta...

Abhimanyu fell on his knees. He started to recall how Akshara kept calling him after leaving Birla house. Tears started to pour out of his eyes as he recalled how she tried mentioning baby but every time he heard the word baby, it triggered the loss of his children and Neil in his mind. He lashed out at her and ordered her to stay out of his life.

Manjiri: KYA!? MERE ABHI KA BETA? AISA KAISE HO SAKTA HAI. AKSHARA KA TOH MISCARRIAGE HO GAYA THA..

Harshvardhan: Kayi baar doctors se bhi galti hoti hai Manjiri. Aur phir Akshara ko twins hone wale they. Yaad hai? Unme se ek bach gaya tha aur hum sbne samjha ki dono hi nahi rahe...

Manjiri gasped and shut her mouth in shock. Manish closed his eyes. It was done now. Akshara's peace was all set to be disrupted yet again. He knew the moment he saw Abhir that he was Abhimanyu's but held this information because he felt Akshara was better off away from the toxic Birla household.

Manish loved Abhimanyu like his own but he also realized that despite his love for Akshara, Abhimanyu always hurt her. He never prioritised Akshara in front of his family. Hell, he even prioritised Arohi's pain over Akshara's. As soon as Manjiri sheds a tear, Abhimanyu becomes her puppet and does whatever she wants. Abhinav wasn't half as educated or rich or physically fit as Abhimanyu but he trusted Akshara. Something Abhimanyu failed to do.

Manjiri: Abhir? Mera pota!? Mere Abhi ka beta hai vo!? Akshara ne usse hum sbse door kaise rakha!?? Ab kahan hai vo-

Harshvardhan: Mujhe pta hai vo kahan hai pr tum Akshara ke liye apni nafrat side me rakh paogi toh baat krna.

Manjiri: Mujhe...mujhe milna hai mere pote se. Mai kuch nahi kahungi uss ladki se..

Manish: Nahi!

Harshvardhan: aap ye decide nahi karenge. Bohot time se sach chupa rakha tha apne..

Manish: Sach chupana zaruri tha. Aur aap toh aise bol rahe hai jaise Akshara ne koshish hi nahi ki batane ki. Pr filhal mai isliye na nahi bol raha. Mai naa Manjiri ji ko bol raha hoon. Ab sach samne aa hi gaya hai toh mai kuch nahi kr skta pr better yahi hoga ki Akshara aur Abhimanyu apas me baat kare. Doosre logon ke beech me padne se hi unki baat bigarti hai...

Manjiri tried to make situation in her favour but Abhimanyu asked her to shut up. He was feeling very lost. He had a son! His own child that he had no idea about until today. His brain had shut down and now only his heart was functioning but at the moment- all it did was cry.

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Sharma Household

Akshara: Abhinav Ji! Abhinav Ji!!

Abhinav: Ji Akshara Ji

Akshara: ye jam ke bartan andar lane me help kijiye meri. Lagta hai toofan ane wala hai.

Abhinav got up at once and began helping her.

Abhinav: accha hai.

Akshara: isme kya accha hai?

Abhinav: ab dekhiye na. Toofan ke baad mausam accha bhi toh ho jata hai. Aur vo bhi toh dikhte hai...kya kehte hai? Rain-rainrow!

Abhir: (laughs) rainrow nahi! Rainbow!! Kya papa!

Abhinav was joined him, laughing at his own silliness and then proceeded to shut all the windows and doors. Akshara started to put away all the jam in containers and cleared the house. She could not stand an unorganized space. It was one of her pet peeves now. She sat with her law notes and made Abhir sit with his maths homework when Abhinav came out on phone.

Abhinav: Ji Madam Ji. Ji. Bs aap wahi rukiye...

Akshara: Kahan jaa rahe hai aap?

Abhinav: Arey vo parson jo Kerala se customer aaye they na? Jinhe mai ghar bhi laya tha hotel drop krne se pehle aur unhone apse jam bhi khareeda tha...

Akshara: Haan?

Abhinav: Unka phone tha. Vo log purane mandir darshan krne gaye they aur jis local gadi ko lekr gaye they, vo banda tufan dekhr ghar bhaag gaya.

Akshara: Toh? Unhone apko doobara hire kiya? Nahi na?! Ulta hotel se new cab mangwayi. Toh ye apki sir dardi nahi hai...

Abhinav: kaisi baat kr rahi hai? vo log fass jayenge. Aur tufan aane jaisa musam hua hai hai, abhi aya thodi hai...

Akshara: pr aap aise mausam me bahar jayenge?

Abhinav: aap chinta mt kijiye. Hum pahadiyon ko ye weather handle krna ata hai. Jaldi aa jaunga.

Saying this, Abhinav left. Akshara looked at him with worry before shutting the door again.

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Nishtha parked the borrowed car in front of Sharma household. Abhimanyu and Harshvardhan were with her. Harshvardhan kept a hand on Abhimanyu's shoulder to shake him back into reality. Abhimanyu had been going in and out of focus ever since Harshvardhan dropped the bomb. Manjiri was crying in Nishtha's flat but they did not bring her along. Nishtha only came to drop them in a borrowed car as they were finding it hard to find a cab and Nishtha knew the address.

Harshvardhan: I know tere bohot sawal hai aur mere pass jawab bhi hai pr abhi zaruri hai ki tum dono baat krlo...

Abhimanyu nodded. Harshvardhan turned to leave but Abhimanyu hugged him. Harshvardhan froze.

Abhimanyu: Thank you.

Harshvardhan patted his back awkwardly and Abhimanyu left him soon. He held his beating heart and proceeded to walk towards the house that called to him. Harshvardhan and Nishtha left. Every step that Abhimanyu took felt heavy. He tried to ease his nerves as he reached the small house in the middle of nowhere surrounded by lush green trees and other small houses. He looked around and smiled as he saw a small garden patch in front of the house. In the porch, there was a makeshift tent made from old fabric that was clearly meant for a child.

Abhimanyu: Meri Beta...Akshara. Meri wajah se mujhse door...

He raised his hands to knock and frowned a little as he saw the title Sharma written in front of the house. He shook his head and ran nervous fingers over his face and hair. Raising his hands, he finally gathered the courage to knock.

................

Akshara had her nose buried in her law notes. All the household work had been done. She was also checking the time, worried for Abhinav. Abhir was done was his homework and was playing around with his toys.

Abhir: Mumma! Aap baari baari watch ko kyu dekh rahi ho. STNM!

Akshara: Kya?

Abhir: Study time no masti!

Akshara: Chup kr! Mai masti nahi kr rahi hai. Time dekh rahi hoon. Mausam kharab hone se pehle bs tere papa aa jaye.

Abhir: vo toh aa jayenge. Pr usse pehle, PTM!

Akshara: Parents teachers meeting?! Kb hai? pehle kyu nahi bataya?

Abhir: uff Mumma! PTM mtlb pet me mouse. Mere pet me chuhe run kr rahe hai.

Akshara: (smacks her head) laa rahi hoon khana. Tu hand wash krke aa.

Akshara went inside the house and Abhir quickly washed his hands.

'Knock knock!'

Abhir: Papa aa gaye!! Yay!!!

He ran to the door and opened it happily.

Abhir: Papaaaaa

Abhir jumped into the man's arms with full force without really seeing who it was. In front of the door, Abhimanyu stood speechless as he felt the young boy, around same age as Ruhi, wrap his tiny arms around him. His eyes began to water as he held the boy closer. Abhir felt strangely warm but such feelings are not for kids to comprehend. He registered the touch was different. So, regardless of how much he liked it, he broke free.

Abhir: aap to papa nahi ho? Aap kon?

Abhimanyu: mai...mai...vo..

Abhir: bolo na sir? Kon ho aap?

Abhimanyu gulped. Unsure of what to say.

Abhimanyu: A-Abhir?

Abhir: apko mera naam kaise pata? Apko papa ne bheja hai? Accha! Mai samajh gaya. Tufan ane wala hai na. Aap raste me mere papa se mile hoge aur unhone apko yahan bhej diya hoga. Mere papa na bohot helping hai...

He held Abhimanyu's pinky-finger and pulled him inside hearing the thunder at some distance. Abhimanyu's eyes filled with tears. He turned his face away slightly, wiped his eyes with the muffler and let himself get dragged inside by a kid who only reached a little above his knees.

Abhir: andr warm lg raha hoga na? Bahar toh bohot thand hai aur mumma bol rahi thi tufan ayega. Papa kahan hai? vo kitni der me ayenge?

Abhimanyu was tongue tied. His heart was relishing Abhir's sweet voice but his mind was getting confused by the mention of this father. He suddenly recalled the phone call Akshara made all those years ago on Manjiri's birthday where she told Manish that she got married.

Did she really? She moved on? But she has a son with him? Is she really raising his son with another person? Is someone else his son's father? His son calls someone else papa?

He licked his lips as the questions and flashbacks of her moving on swarmed in his mind. Suddenly his eyes fell on the picture wall above the fireplace. It had a few trophies, all Abhir's and many pictures. Abhimanyu walked closer with a heavy heart. He could feel the heat from the fire but his heart felt chills. There were many pictures in the frame. Many had Abhir winning several awards, Abhir with Akshara and some unknown man. Resting above all this on the top of the wall were three separate frame. One had Akshara, another had Abhir but the center frame had the same man who was in all those pictures.

For a second Abhimanyu felt his mind play tricks on him and imagined himself in all those pictures. His heart twisted in pain and he could sense frustration, guilt and anger bubble in the pits of his stomach like poison.

Akshara: Abhir???

Abhimanyu closed his eyes as he heard the voice after 6 long years.

Akshara: Abhir? Khana laga rahi hoon. Papa kahan hai?

Akshara halted on her way out of the kitchen. She was heating the food and thought Abhir had let Abhinav in. She felt a strange tingling in her belly which she ignored. She had hardened her heart over the years. Now it only registered feelings that revolved around her son. No one else mattered. She kept the warm plate on the table and frowned. Her hands reached for the vase on the table.

Akshara: Hello? Aap kon ho bhaisahab? (to Abhir) Ye kisko andr le aya tu? Papa bhi ghar pr nahi hai. Arey Sirji mai apse baat kr rahi hoon!! Kon H-

Abhimanyu finally turned to face the face he had last seen many years ago. His tear-filled eyes met large doe ones that once made him weak on his knees. He studied her as she froze. Her eyes widened in surprise before a flash of fear shot in them. He could see her pinching herself, maybe checking if he was real or not.

Akshara was rooted for a long time before finally understanding that what was standing before her was her nightmare and wildest dream- both rolled into one. The only man she ever loved- her greatest love and deepest pain. Her eyes dashed to her son whose small face was scrunched in confusion. Her heart swelled. Abhir looked exactly like her when he scrunched his nose like that. Her eyes dashed between her son and Abhimanyu. Therefore, killing all thoughts at once, she composed her face and joined her hands.

Akshara: Namaste Sir...

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Here's reminding you that Harshali are real people who we love. Abhira ke sath makers jo bhi kare, please don't ruin your peace!
Loads of love ❤
xoxo