//Before I start this chapter, I just wanted to thank you all for your support with continuing this story! I LOVE YOU ALL!😍😍💕💕😄😄//

The next morning, both returned home. As Naira started to get ready for mehendi, her thoughts drifted off to last night and she shook it off.

They arrived at the mehendi and again were greeted by Manish and Surekha. Naira looked beautiful, which was hard for Kartik to ignore. As he walked down the stairs, his eyes lingered on her, before he was suddenly tackled in a hug.

"Hey BFF! Looking handsome!" Ashi winked letting him go, making everyone confused.

"Umm... everyone, this is Ashi, my childhood best friend." Kartik introduced and she greeted everyone. When reaching Naira, she also hugged her. Naira hugged her back and smiled at the over-excited girl.

"Hey Naira! Finally we meet! I've heard so much about you from Kartik, and from the looks of it you're just a pretty and beautiful as he described!" Everyone went dead silent at that and Kartik looked away. Naira smiled again.

"Thank you Ashi. You look beautiful as well."

"Comparing to you, i'm nothing-"

"Ashi-" Suvarna stopped her, sounding agitated. "Come. i'll show you around the house." She took her away, though Ashi's smirk said otherwise. On her way she winked at Manish who winked back and whispered something to Kirti who nodded.

As the mehendi started, Kirti and Naira both took Mansi's each hand, decorating it with beautiful mehendi designs. Kirti suddenly stood up. "Attention everyone!" She announced getting everyone's attention. "Since this is a celebration, we want to make it memorable. So, to do so, we have made up a challenge where the men put mehendi on their wives' hands."

"Ashi, why don't you let Kartik put mehendi on your hands?" Suvarna smiled. Ashi shrugged.

"Aunty, Naira is his wife, so he will have to put mehendi on her hands. Right Kartik?" She grabbed him and dragged him to where Naira was, and put him next to her.

Both stared at each other before Naira slowly held her hand up, and Kartik gently took it.

You were always so careful not to hurt me. Your soft touch always tried to keep me safe. She stared at him wistfully as he started to apply the mehendi on her hands. Then why? You chose your mother over me. I get it, we have forgiven each other, but something is still missing. Our LOVE is still incomplete.

I wish I could tell you how I feel my sherni. You are my life, someone I can't live without, but these two years have driven us far away from each other. Our LOVE is fading. He, unknowingly, wrote 'Kaira' on her hand.

"Okay okay everyone, time is up! Let's see who has the best mehendi!" Ashi announced and everyone stopped. She looked at everyone's stretched out hands, finally stopping at Naira's and grinning. "Ooh gave your relationship a name? I love it!"

Naira, confused, looked over her hands and noticed the name 'Kaira' neatly and beautifully written on it. She turned to stare at Kartik in surprise, and he himself looked surprised.

"Naira and Kartik are the winners! Everyone, taliyaan!" Everyone started clapping. They didn't pay attention, and Naira mentally groaned.

Stupid. Wrote it on my hand and didn't even give me a kiss! Before she realized what she had just thought. No Naira, you are still angry at him. Think about maa, stop it!

She quickly rushed off before Kartik could say anything. Kartik looked away again, this time upset. Why? Why are we doing this to each other. No, you're not the one, I am. I'm the one responsible for all this. He also walked away, and Ashi looked between them, grimacing. She had a lot of work to do.

Naira stopped and leaned against the pole. No one was around. Good. but as she turned to her right, she jumped back startled when coming face with the frowning Suvarna.

"Tumhe samajh nahi aati?" She hissed bitter. "Why can't you understand?! Why can't you just leave us!"

"W-what do you mean-"

"What do I mean?! Why can't you just leave my Kartik alone, why can't you just leave him so he can be free from the pain and misery you have caused him! Why?!" She took in a sharp breath. "Dekho, i'm warning you. Stay away from him, nahi to mujhse bura koi nahi hoga."

"P-per maa-"

"Don't call me maa! I'm not your mother, you were never my daughter the moment you had hid Shubham's secret!"

Silence. Something hit her. Right in the heart. She stared wide-eyed at Suvarna who differed to notice the tears in her eyes. She... didn't consider her her daughter?

"I beg you, leave my Kartik alone, you witch! He doesn't need you, he deserves someone better than YOU, Naira Singhania. And you know what, if you don't do as I say, then i'll push you out of this house like I did to you at the day of Shubham's death. And believe me, I won't hesitate."

"... this. This is what you call motherly love?" Suvarna stopped at Naira's words. Naira looked angry, upset and amused. "Or is it just revenge for Shubham's death? Revenge on ME?"

"HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE ME! MY LOVE FOR Kartik WILL KEEP HIM SAFE FROM YOU!" Suvarna shouted furious and raised her hand to slap Naira.

"MAA. PLEASE." Naira grabbed her hand and threw it away, glaring at the older women. "Your love is DESTROYING him. Can't you see it?!" By now all the family had gathered around at their shouting.

"How would YOU know. You have caused nothing but PAIN to my Kartik!"

What about me maa? Haven't I caused her pain? Was what Kartik wanted to say, but kept quiet not wanting to hurt his mother. Luckily Naira said it for him.

"What about him?! Hasn't he caused me pain?!"

"WHY YOU-"

"Suvarna! Behave!" Manish pulled her back before she could lash out at the girl, and Naitik rushed beside the trembling Naira.

"Princess? Are you okay?"

"... papa. I-I want to go. I can't stay here anymore." She shook and turned to Mansi, rushing over to her and hugging her. "I'm sorry Mansi, Anmol, but I can't. I wish you would forgive me."

"It's okay bhabhi, we understand." Anmol smiled and Naira let Mansi go, both smiling as well, before Naira rushed out of the house, grabbing the keys to her car and driving away just as Kartik ran out.

He watched Naira with upset and angry eyes. His anger was directed towards her because she had just left like that, but also towards her mother. Speaking of her, Suvarna had calmed down and walked up to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Maa, you really had to start a fight at this occasion, didn't you?!" he snapped. "She was right, i'm also to blame here! I hurt her as well!"

"Why are you taking her side?! She has hurt you-"

"No maa. No she hasn't." He turned and walked upstairs, slamming the door to his room shut and pulling out a bottle of alcohol from under his bed, momentarily forgetting the promise he made to Naira.

..... Yeah, okay, i'm going haywire with this chapter, I know. Naira finally somewhat confronts Suvarna, but Kartik is unable to support her still fearing that he'll hurt Suvarna. also, I miraculously burned my hand with that sandwich-maker-thingy (by stupidly putting my hand in it while it was heating up), so I won't be able to upload for a while.

Anyways, hope you like this horrible chapter and sorry for mistakes! Comment and let me know if I should continue!