The scene that was present before really shocked Neil but not Arnav as it was not new to him. Arnav just laughed at Neil's shocked expression and said "It happens when there are kids in the house, especially with my little one" and proceeded inside. Neil could not believe his eyes this was not the home he left this morning, the entire house was a mess, things were scattered everywhere toys, books, even some home decors, it seemed as if it has been flipped over, it almost looked like the house has been robbed.

"Are you going to come inside or just going to stand there and gawk till your eyes fall out of their sockets" Arnav asked pulling Neil out of his shocked state.

"Did storm hit the house!" He wondered.

But before Arnav could say anything they heard their Di's voice calling out for them "You both go freshen up and come, we'll clean this mess before that"

They both came back down after they've changed and by now the house was back to its normal state. "Di where's my little one, shortcake and Aarav" Arnav asked as he came down.

"They are at Payal's, she came today and shortcake want to go there so all the three went" Anjali answered suppressing her laughter as she watched Arnav's reaction.

"What! She went, that too without informing me, she knows I can't sleep without talking to her, how can she do that" Arnav asked to which now Anjali, Kushi even Neil burst out into fits of laughter as Neil had never seen Arnav behave like this.

"And chote, a FYI the ladydon is angry with you." Anjali managed to spill this out in between her laughter.

That one word, 'ladydon' was all it took to pierce Neil's heart. He remembered saying the same about Avni to his Neelamaa.

"Mom if she does love me, then why don't she show me that, she's always behaving like a ladydon around me." He had complained to which his Neelamaa had laughed and advised him to talk to her.

The expression on Neil's face got Arnav's attention and, in that instant, he knows that he was reminded of something or rather someone. So, he diverted the topic and they all proceeded towards the dining room. Though Neil's appetite was long gone he could not refuse his Di, so he went along with them.

"Actually, I had made your favourite lady's finger, but unfortunately the ladydon in this house ate it all, so today you just have to adjust." Anjali informed Neil, he visibly grimaced at the mention of the name ladydon which did not go unnoticed by Arnav, What happened to you Neil? Who is causing you this much pain? What is it that is wanting you to not disclose it to me? Only if Arnav could know.

"But Di, little one hates lady's finger!" Arnav said.

"Yeah chote, she used to, that's why I had specially made her favourite along with Tillu's but today when she saw lady's finger, she just wants to eat it and it's quite common during this time chote, her tastes will change" Anjali informed.

"But Di, I've never seen her ignoring her favourite Poha and eating the thing she hates the most in the world that is lady's finger." Arnav replied and Anjali just shrugged

That was it for Neil, he could not sit there anymore everything reminded him of her, only her.

"You can also eat; I don't have the habit of keeping people hungry" he had said to which her face had twisted as if she has seen the most ugliest thing in the world and replied. "This! lady's finger! I just hate it; I'll have anything except this." She said making Neil laugh.

Neil just stood from his place, "Actually Di, I'm not feeling hungry I'll just go and sleep." He said and was about to go when he heard Anjali's voice.

"Tillu, are you alright, if you don't want Poha then I'll prepare some other thing, you wait." saying this Anjali started to the kitchen.

"Di no, I just didn't feel like eating that's it, don't worry." Neil tried to reassure her but both Arnav and Anjali know very well that Neil had never said no to her preparation and this was bothering Anjali so much. Neil could see that Anjali is starting to look sad and he doesn't want to make her unhappy. "But if my Di made it then I'll have anything" saying this he resumed his position and at the same time Kushi brought all the dishes and placed everything on the table.

Anjali served for everyone and Neil's condition was getting worse every second, this was the first time in these six months that he's eating Poha. He stopped eating it, as every time it reminded him about the first time, he made Poha for her after she returned from the jail. She had cried of happiness and hugged him to her. He just closed his eyes unable to bear the pain, Arnav is watching each and every move of Neil and nudged him lightly making Neil aware of his condition and surroundings. Neil quickly masked his expression and started eating quietly, the flavour was as same as the one his Avni used to make, the only difference is it does not have the taste that her's used to have, the taste of her love.

They all finished their dinner and were discussing in the living room about the upcoming party they've organized for wrapping their deal. And that's when Neil noticed his left hand which is empty, he was panicking and started searching for it everywhere, the thing that bound them together, the thing she cherished with her life, the only thing he was able to rescue on that fateful day, now it was what kept him sane, it was what made him endure his everyday life, the thing that has what remained of his soul in it, it would kill him if he were to lose it too. Everyone noticed Neil's state and how's he's scrambling around.

Arnav was the first one to ask the question that's been running through everyone's mind "What are you searching for?"

Neil was not in a state to comprehend anything, his mind and heart were solely focused on only one purpose 'her Mangalsutra', he did not respond to Arnav's question. Arnav this time got hold of Neil's arm "Neil!" Arnav called and made Neil look towards him. "What are you looking for?"

"Tha....that....my.... it.... it's missing.... that's.... that's all I have.... I can't.... lo.... lose it too...." Neil was stammering all the while unable to say anything, but when he showed his empty left wrist Arnav instantly know what he is talking about, 'The Mangalsutra'.

"Neil.... Neil! Look at me, when did you last saw it?" Arnav asked him holding his shoulders.

"In off.... office when we were leaving." Neil answered his eyes still looking around and by now tears were making its way down. Kushi too guessed what they were talking about when Neil showed his left hand, but Anjali was clueless. Arnav's suspicions were proving to be right if Neil's tears and words meant anything at all, and was worrying him to no end.

"It must be around I saw it in the car too, we'll look around, come." Arnav said and dragged Neil with him to look around. When Anjali was about to ask what's going on Kushi squeezed her hand and shook her head. Though Anjali was worried about Neil's reaction she kept quiet, but she could not shake off the feeling that whatever it was, it is not good.

They both looked around every place in the house, but there was nothing. Neil is on the verge of breaking down. When Arnav was about to proceed downstairs something caught his eyes near his little one's room, the Mangalsutra was lying near the door mat. He let out a sigh of relief, after picking it he examined it closely, it became clear that it was worn by someone, Arnav felt dread gripping his heart once again, and rushed downstairs to hand it over to Neil.

By now Neil was crying badly his heart twisting on the inside causing an unbearable pain. All the moments with her flashing before his eyes.

Their wedding day, the day in Coorg when he had tied it again while she was sleeping in oblivion, the surprise on her face when she discovered it on her neck "This Mangalsutra...." She had said to which he kept his finger on her lips to stop her talking and spoke. "Every broken thing can be pieced together, let it be a Mangalsutra or a heart, and this heart of yours is my responsibility, I'll never let it break" he had promised and she gave him a breathtaking smile the one which he always yearned to see on her face. The happiness and hope were visible on her beautiful face. He also remembered the day when she accepted it again after her return from the jail, forgiving him for what he did and had loved him unconditionally.

But he always broke his promise and her heart. He had lost her then and now he lost her precious memory, the thing she cherished with everything she had. He was cursing himself when Arnav came running down the stairs. "Neil! I've found it...." before Arnav even got the whole sentence out Neil had dashed towards him and took it.

Anjali was dumbfounded by seeing the Mangalsutra, she thought it must've been a valuable ring or something which either his mom or babe would have given but never in her wildest dreams she thought it was a Mangalsutra. Neil was now crying of relief. He clutched it to his heart and repeatedly said sorry. "Sorry baby I missed it, I was so careless please forgive your stupid of a husband, please wifey, I'm sorry.... what will I do without it...? it's all I have of you.... I'm so sorry baby" He repeated over and over again.

The moment the word wifey left his mouth Anjali gasped and clasped her hand over her mouth, when he said husband, she thought she had misheard him though the Mangalsutra in his hands said an entirely different story, Kushi was watching him with wide eyes, Arnav was completely stunned to realise that his theories were not far off the mark.

"Wi....wifey.... you were married?" Anjali asked and only now Neil became aware of his audience and what he had done. He closed his eyes in order to control the tears and secured the Mangalsutra to his wrist and turned towards his Di. On seeing Neil's face Anjali could not control herself and hugged him to her, this time Neil lost his control and let his tears flow freely. After a while Anjali took Neil to the couch and made him sit and caressed his hair. "If you don't want to talk, we can understand Neil." She spoke.

"She was my thief Di.... and I was her police, I was already talked for someone but she was all my heart could think of.... Her hauntingly beautiful face was all I could see whenever I closed my eyes...." Saying this he closed his eyes and started narrating his love story. He does not want to get into detail about everything as it made him feel more pain so he left out her childhood part where she was shot by Dayawanti and said only that she treated her badly and snatched her brother so she came to take revenge, he said how they met, and how they kept running into each other and how they fought over everything, every time. He relived every moment while telling them.

He said the way they got married, how she helped him to save his family, how they started to become close and how she started to win over his heart and had it before he knew.

"She was brave, selfless and lovable. She never thought of harming anyone Di, even though mom was harsh towards her, she never said anything to mom and always tried to win her heart. You know Di, how selfless she was, she went to save Juhi for me even though she knows that Juhi was my past, she ignored her love for me, put her life in danger just because I was living with guilt and she couldn't bear to see me like that. She risked herself to save the child which Juhi said was mine and hers. She was ready to accept my child, though it was not hers.... just because it was mine. But what I did, I left her in the Altar though it was a plan I left her.... I broke her heart.... I put her in the hands of that rakshas (devil).... I put her in jail, but she forgave me for every single thing, every single time. Because of me and my past she lost her Neelamaa.... we lost our Neelamaa, she lost her only family and I lost her to that devil, my past killed her Di, I killed her Di, because of me she died." he said crying, his heart bleeding every second.

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