*starts from Rhea-Ranbir and Abhi-Meera's engagement track after Rhea told Prachi that Ranbir used her*

Prachi didn't know whether she was supposed to laugh or cry when Rhea told her Ranbir was "pretending" to be in love with her. Well for one: Prachi didn't even take him seriously(his family was messed up, and she clearly wasn't ready to go down that rabbit hole), and for the other well...it was kind of heartbreaking because he was the only person who she liked to an extent of intimacy and love.

As for what she was doing right now, she was crying, partly because of how f**ked this entire situation was and partly because she regretted even coming to Delhi.

"Why? WHY! Why does it always HAVE to be ME! WHY! Like, genuinely.", uncalled tears started finding it's way down her cheeks. She felt like Apollo after he realised Daphne turned into a Laurel tree and Hyacinthus died. More specifically, she wanted to drown herself in acid.

"I was ready to do shit for that guy, and this is what I get in return, like, ARE YOU KIDDING ME!", she didn't know who she was screaming at or why she was screaming.

"It's easy really.", someone said behind her. When she turned, she saw the last person she wanted to: Aliya f**king Mehra. "You were timepass for him.".

Yeah, why was she here.

"And who called you? You're not even on my therapist list."

Aliya flared her nostrils and glared at Prachi. "Be glad someone's here.", she muttered.

"I'd take both, Rhea and Pallavi, over you, so yeah, I'm not exactly cheery seeing a fat cat who clearly doesn't like me."

"All I'm saying is that you are a middle-class girl, and Ranbir is richer than you can ever be, so obviously you were nothing but time pass for someone like him.", Aliya seethed.

"Depends. I'm a student. I've got my priorities sorted, and success is on the top of the list. How do you, some woman who lives on her brother's money, or any leeching plutocrat for that matter, even compare with someone who actually works hard to earn what they deserve? Answer: you don't."

Aliya sighed, annoyance flashed in her eyes, "Look, I feel bad for you. Someone tried to use you, and you don't even feel bad for yourself.".

"Why should I? Which part of this is my fault? Truth be told, I'm pity Ranbir. Firstly, he wasted his time on me. Second, he's born in a family like his who have the mentality of a toddler.", she held her gaze and confidence, "Actually, I take that back. Toddlers are smarter than someone like Pallavi Kohli."

Aliya smirked. "For once, I agree with you. That woman is an idiot.". Aliya laughed. "Looks like our mindsets are not so different, niece. If you grew up here with your entire family, you would've been better than everyone else."

She turned and hesitated before saying, "Even me.".

And when she left, so did Prachi.

Inside, the mansion was decorated in such a luxurious manner that Prachi felt sick. She preferred simplicity; she hated extravaganza. When she was a child, Pragya used to say, "If you were a princess, you would definitely be Moana.". There's a saying: the sea is always right. "The sea will take you where you belong.".

Looking at the fake smiles and breathing the artificial air from A/Cs, she shuddered.

This is not where you belong. This is not where I belong. This life is not for me.

The tight smiles, fancy outfits, marble furniture, grand halls and banquets, the loud music, the fake laughs and look of envy all of these had among them was anything but serenity.

They laughed in a manner Prachi clearly didn't understand. They laughed at uncomic jokes; their smiles so tight anyone could recognise the pretense; they took insults and veiled their emotions. In a way, they flaunted their wealth as if they were royalty. Mostly, they kept to themselves. The adults spoke only among themselves; most of the time, they were just judging everyone else. The children, on the other hand, were either standing alone or talking to new people.

Fake. All of them. Fake

That was one thing she never understood; growing up, everyone told them to be honest. However, the moment they told the truth, everyone would warn them.

Truth comes at a price. Keep your mouth shut and you'll be safe.

Why lie throughout your entire life is the truth is so bitter? Why preach and suppress? Why laugh and scream? Why smile and feign ignorance when you cannot tolerate it?

"Welcome, welcome to all.", through the mic, Pallavi sounded like a mouse. How weird. After all, in real life, she's a flipper snake.

Prachi halted when her eyes met Ranbir's. Sorrowful brown met malicious black, and if they wished, they could forget the world around them. In his eyes, brown rippled like disastrous waters, and in hers, black shone amidst the forgotten white.

To him, she was the world; the alluring stars burning making everything else dull.

To her, he was an unusual fantasy; a nightmare disguised as a daydream.

They were like day and night; opposites yet alike. Whereas he was as loved as the sun, she was forgotten and alone like the moon.

It was strange. Yes, it was. People differ among day and night, but in the end, they are the same; both too classified; both too loved; both too hated; both too poetic; both too beautiful; both too destructive; both too intoxicating.

When Pallavi announced Rhea and Ranbir's engagement, Ranbir was secretly trying his best to not drown himself in the shower. Rhea was his friend. Pallavi was his mother. However, Prachi was his love. She was the one he desired, and, if needed, he would burn the world for her. For her, he would go to Hell, and still call it Heaven.

And when Prachi came forward and grabbed Rhea's ring from Mishti to fulfill her sisterly duties, he was secretly questioning his parents' life decision about even looking at the Mehras.

He casted a grim look to Aryan, who had somehow managed to escape his mother's hold. Right now, he sat beside Shahana, not even bothering to look at the events going on. If anything, he was looking at the girl beside him with affection in his eyes, and Shahana, being the loveable idiot she is, was mindlessly scrolling on her phone. Both of them were clearly annoyed by everything that was going on.

It started now. The thing he dreaded the most started now.

If Prachi was annoyed, she did not want to show it, and if she was bored, she was doing a great job at showing that. She shoved the ring in Ranbir's hand the moment she walked up to dais. He stared at her, clearly confused by her act. Well...people always said she had a talent for pissing of the rich. Clearly, it was showing.

"What are you doing?", Pallavi glared at her. "The last thing I want is to see you at an important event of my life.".

From the corner of her eye, Prachi could see Aliya, smirking and delightful, raising a glass in a manner of toasting. She mouthed three words.

Get her, sweetheart.

"Bold of you to assume I'm interested in seeing your b**chy face at probably, one of the most depressing days of my life till now."

Pallavi's jaw tightened. "You..."

Ranbir caught a hold of Prachi's arm.

"It doesn't matter who you are.", he hissed, "No one, no one, gets to talk to my mother like that.".

"No one gets to talk to ME like that.", she countered.

Then, in a low voice so that only they could hear, she added, "And you most definitely don't considering what you did.".

He rolled his eyes. "Exactly what did I do?", he asked in a similar low voice.

"Did you or did you not bet on my feelings."

He paled. "I- Prachi, I can explain. Really, I-"

She didn't pay any heed to his words.

By the time exchange of rings was over, everyone congratulated the two new couples. Prachi grabbed a sweet from the nearby boxes and fed half of it to Rhea.

"Congratulations."

"Thanks..."

Then, she asked a question Prachi wasn't ready for.

"How're you holding up."

She took some time before answering it. "I don't think I am.".

Then, she fed it to Ranbir. He was still pale.

"I can explain.", he said with a shaky voice.

"And I'm not interested.", she replied. "Go on, eat it. It might be the last sweet of your life. Who knows?".

He kept quiet and ate it.

Mishti announced something about a couple dance(which no one was looking forward to), so naturally Prachi went outside after saying a screw it to her splitting headache. Fresh air was better.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Hey...".

"Aarohi?"

It was still weird to get used to Aarohi's face after her plastic surgery, but she didn't say anything.

"What are you doing here?"

Aarohi sighed. It had been six months since Deep dumped her for Tara. The traitor and the psychopath; what a classic.

"He's planning something. He's definitely planning something."

"Who?"

"Deep. Tara as well."

"Oh, so, Serial Killer Max and that asshole?"

Aarohi felt her lips twist into a smile. "Pretty much, yeah.".

"And...why are you telling me? I mean, yeah, I invited to this thing, but I never agreed to provide free therapy."

Aarohi laughed. Then, she tensed.

"Help me. This once, please."

Desperation, Prachi noted. She wanted to decline. She needed to decline. As much as she cherished their friendship, the last thing she needed was to get involved in a game this dangerous.

"I can't."

"Please", said Aarohi, "You don't need to meet any of them."

"What?"

"Yeah, you...you don't need to meet any of them, just - just-", she took a deep breath. "Just, when I tell you any kind of information about what's going on. Promise me that you won't reveal any of it."

"I won't, but why are telling me?"

"Right now, you're the only one who won't betray me, and I don't think I can hold everything in, anymore."

And Prachi understood exactly what it meant: Aarohi needed someone to listen. She needed someone who would stand by her side. 

"Fine"

Aarohi blinked. How could someone agree so easily? Anyone could betray anyone.

"Can I tell you something?"

Prachi nodded.

"You know he tricked me at the end. He told me loved me. A million times he said that. He feigned Tara's death, and he made her kill others. Many others. They killed everyone in my family, except Kia and my father. At one point, he tried to leave the country, but Randhir caught up with him. In the end, he went into hiding until I weakened. I felt foolish at one point; how could I get the idea that I could defeat him. He was genius - a mastermind. People loved him, even though they hardly knew him. It feels odd going up against him right now, but it feels right."

Prachi kept quiet. After all, how could she not. It frightened her knowing that Aarohi tried to go against someone like Deep Raj Singh. Someone as twisted and manipulative as him. It was like dealing with the Devil. Trading one soul for another, but there was no other.

"I got it.", she said with a smile, "Anything else you wish to speak of, my client.".

Aarohi laughed. "Not now, Doc."

They grinned. It was nice to forget things for a while. Then, Prachi noticed that people were leaving. They were heading out to their cars and vehicles.

The engagement was over.

Prachi hugged her friend. It felt nice to forget everything and just be a person.

"You should go.", she told Aarohi.

Aarohi nodded. "I know.". After a quick goodbye, she left, and Prachi did too.

Pragya and Shahana would come home, anyway.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

End of Part-1.

It's basically a re-written version of my story KKB: a mysterious love story on Telly Updates.

Also, it's not based on the current track of KKB(I left the fandom years ago), so new fans can be really confused.

Signing off

- Samaila