Timeline - When Laksh says that he is Abhimanyu Khanna and not Laksh Maheshwari.

🌟 Swara and Sanskar never separated in this fic. 🌟

"Words in double quotes" - Talking

'Words in single quotes' - Thoughts.

(Words in braces) - Telephone conversations.

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Desperate times call for desperate measures.

In other words, jab ghee sidhi ungli se na nikle, to ungli tedhi karni padtihei.
😉😉😉
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Chapter 1

"I demand to see your marriage pictures!" Ragini demanded.

"They...they were lost when we shifted to this city." Mansi lied like a professional.

"As if! Admit it. The real reason is you both didn't marry in the first place!" Swara accused.

"I agree with her." Ragini went to stand before Laksh. "Laksh please. I don't know why you are doing this to me. But please come back to me. If not that then...then at least tell me why you're behaving like this!"

"We are a happily married couple like Mansi said. It's you who's causing problems for us. Please leave." Laksh, a.k.a Abhimanyu Khanna requested, adverting his eyes from her.

"You can't even look me in the eyes while speaking. It proves you're lying!"

Seeing things were getting out of hand, Mansi decided to employ a new tactic. She moved forward and pushed Ragini away from Laksh. "You want marriage proof. I told you we lost those pictures! But since you don't believe us, I think it will be best to show it to you...live."

Everyone, including Laksh and Nikhil, we're confused by her sudden utterance. "What do you mean?" questioned Laksh.

"I mean let's marry again. This time, in front of everyone."

Nikhil gasped at the suggestion. However, the others didn't notice it as they were too busy looking wide-eyed at Mansi. 'What are you thinking?! We are supposed to marry. You're supposed to marry me. Not him!'

"That's not happening!" Sanskar screamed. Until now he had remained calm. But he would be damned if he kept quiet on that suggestion. Ragini was his best friend as well as like his own sister. He would beat up even his own brother if he dared hurt her.

"It's okay Sankar." Ragini pacified. She smiled at Laksh. "You won't do it, I know. Whatever you may say, I know you're my Laksh, my Lucky. You won't marry another. You love me!"

'I do. I'll love you now and forever.' Laksh thought to himself. However, Mansi pointed towards Mishki. 'I'm sorry Ragini. But for this innocent child, I must refuse your love. I'm beyond forgiveness for hurting you and I know a sorry will never be enough. But I guess that's how it was meant to be.' Laksh grabbed Mansi's hand and looked at everyone. "Fine. We'll marry and prove it to you all."

#Maheshwari mansion, later#

"We shouldn't have left. We shouldn't have given up so soon!" Sanskar shouted. On Abhimanyu's statement, Ragini just broke down. Finally the last ray of hope she held seemed to have faded. After Abhimanyu agreed to marry, Ragini just gave up on insisting that he was her Laksh.

Sanskar punched the couch in anger. "We should have beaten some sense into him! That idiot of brother, with dim-witted sense of mind and ego big enough to match an elephant! I'll pound him int-"

"Sanskar, stop...please. Like I said. We'll do nothing from now on." Ragini stated in a flat tone.

Swara looked at her sister with tears in her eyes.

Ragini sat there with a dead look. It was like the life in her had left her. She was like a walking corpse, just living for the sake of it. "Ragini, don't give up. Ragi-"

"What's left to hope for Swara? Everything I hoped for is already lost."

"No. There's still hope." came a voice from the door.

It was Nikhil.

He looked devastated, as well as determined.

After everyone left, he tried to talk with Mansi alone, questioning her on her mad plan. However, instead of showing any remorse or worry, she brushed him off saying she was now bored of him. Instead, she now planned to marry Laksh truly and be with him forever. She believed he could give her a luxurious life.

Mansi threw away his love like it was trash. It made him realize how wrong he was. Up until now, whatever he had done was because Mansi convinced him it was all for love. And wasn't everything is fair in love and war?

However, now he could see the truth. He could see how wrong he was. She was just using him for her own ends all along!

For his fake love, he was making a innocent girl like Ragini suffer. Her and Laksh's love was true. He could see the love in their eyes for each other. Thus, he came to a conclusion. He would unite Ragini and Laksh, even if it meant that his own wrong deeds were revealed. That would be a fitting revenge on Mansi as well.

Nikhil came forward and stood determined. "I want to tell you all something."

Thus, he proceeded to tell Ragini, Sanskar, Swara and everyone else everything.

#Two days later#

As decided, the marriage preparations began to take place.

But Mansi was worried.

Not because something went wrong, but because nothing was going wrong. Even Ragini and her family were causing no problems. And Nikhil? He had stopped coming to her. Although she was thankful of it, she couldn't help but be suspicious. 'What's going on? What's going on!?' from the corner of her eyes, she noticed her phone and an idea popped up in her head.

She walked towards it and dialed a number. "Hey Kaira!"

(Hey Mansi! Long time no see. How are you?)

"I'm fine bestie. But I...I need your help. You're the only one whom I trust when it comes to evil schemes."

(Ahaha...you know I love scheming. Tell me about it, I'm all ears!)

"Can you come to Kolkata in a day? I can only explain everything once you're here."

(Alright dear. I'll leave in an hour. Come pick me up in the airport, alright?)

"I'll be there for sure!" saying so she cut the call.

"Maa! Papa!" Mishki's voice alerted her and she rushed out to the living room. There, she found Sanskar, Swara and Ragini standing there along with Annapurna and Nikhil. Laksh came out after a minute as well.

"What's going on in here? We told you we're getting married. Do you still need more proof that this is my husband Abhimanyu?!" Mansi shouted.

"Arre, you're mistaking us." Annapurna consoled. She went and placed a hand on Mansi's head. "Ji ti raho beti. We didn't come here to accuse you. Instead, we are here to forward a proposal."

Laksh looked at his mother in confusion. "What type of proposal?"

"We want to arrange for your and Mansi's marriage." Sanskar admitted. He came and patted Laksh's back. "Abhimanyu, we feel really bad for all the trouble we caused you. So we thought why not contribute to your marriage?"

"Exactly! That's why we want to hold the marriage in our mansion and make a grand arrangement with dance, lights, and what not!" Swara added.

Laksh was worried and sneaked a glance at Ragini. However, to his surprise, she was busy showing something to Nikhil. She seemed least bothered by what else was going on. 'But I know it will hurt her more if I marry in the mansion. I may have managed to convince them that I'm Abhimanyu, but I won't hurt Ragini further.'

"Yes or no? Say Abhimanyu beta." Annapurna questioned.

Laksh didn't know if it was him or something else, but he felt like his mother was teasing him. "Um I...I don't thi-"

"Of course it's a yes! We would love to marry in the mansion!" Mansi exclaimed, interrupting him. 'Such a grand celebration. That to for us? For...for me?! Mansi, you've just cracked the lottery!'

"But what about..." Laksh sneaked a glance at Ragini again. This time, she looked up.

Ragini came near him with a smile. "It's okay Abhimanyu ji. I'm sorry for causing so much trouble. My Laksh is gone. I should have listened to you."

Laksh flinched unconsciously at her words. Sure it was what he had wanted her to believe for Mishki's sake. But now that she accepted it, he didn't like it. He swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. "Um...yeah, I guess."

Ragini put forward her hand with a smile. "But I hope we can at least be friends."

'Be a friend? You're not only a friend to me Ragini. You're my everything!' Laksh thought in sadness. "Sure." he extended his hand forward and shook her hand. However, he didn't want to let go. It looked like she didn't either.

"Ragini, Come on! We have to visit your Maa and Baba, remember?" Nikhil spoke up.

"Right!" at once Ragini left his hand and went away, leaving Laksh to stand there and watch her go.

As Ragini neared Nikhil, he saw him place his hand on her shoulder as they walked out chatting amicably. The others followed close behind.

"Come on! Let's go have our lunch, shall we Abhimanyu?" Mansi suggested.

"You and Mishki go have it. I think I lost my appetite."

"Eh? You don't want to eat?"

"No. Only thing I want to do is hit something...hard."

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To be continued...

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~ 🌹 Mona 🌹