"Andar ajao Naira", said Suvarna seeing her at the door, Naira walked in looking around, confused.

"I know tumhare mann mein bahut sarre sawal hai, jiss ke jawab tum mujh se chati ho, mein sab batungi", spoke Suvarna.

"Yeh Manish Goenka hai, Karthik ke papa", Naira's eyes widened in shock listening to what Suvarna said

"Suhasini Goenka Karthik ki Dadi, Kirti Karthik ki badi behn, Akhileshji Karthik ke chachu, Surekha Karthik ki chachi, Mansi Akhilesh aur Surekha ki beti, Luv Kush Akhilesh aur Surekha ke judwa bete" Suvarna continued she knew that Naira was getting confused but she had to introduce Naira to everyone.

"Aur yeh, yeh hai Soumya, meri badi behn aur Karthik ki maa", said Suvarna pointing to a picture with a garland.

"Saumya aur mein apni zindagi mein bahut kush the, humari love marriage thi, shaadi ke do saal baad humein ek gudiya jaisi beti huyi aur uss ke paanch saal baad ek chota sa raajkumar, humara Karthik humari zindagi mein aiyaa, jo hum sab ki jaan tha, har maa baap ki tarhe hum ne bhi socha ke hum apne bachon ko kabhi koyi takleef nahi denge", said Manish

"Humare Kittu mein hi humari jaan basti thi uski ek muskurahat mein, humein yeh nahi pata tha humari wajhe se hi humare Kittu ko itna dard hoga.", said Dadi in tears

"Dadi please khud ko sambhaliye app ki wajhe se kuch nahi hua, aur jitni galti aap ki utni hum saab ki", said Kirti consoling her grandmother.

"Kya hua tha",  asked Naira a hidden fear in her voice, she could not imagine her mendak in any sort of pain.

"Jab Karthik chaar saal ka tha bhaisaab aur bahbhi ka car accident hua tha, aur bhabhi uss accident mein baach nahi payi", said Akhilesh.

"Humein lagga ke bachon ko ek maa ki zarurat thi, issi liye hum ne Manish se baath ki", remember Dadi

---------------------------
Flashback

"Manish beta Saumya ko gaye huye zyada waqt nahi hua hai, sirf ek mahina guzar chukka hai, hum jante hai ke tum Saumya se kitna pyaar karte ho aur uski yaddon se bahar nahi apaye ho, lekin bachon ko ek maa ki zarorat hai, hum sab bachon ko bahut pyaar denge leking maa nahi ban payenge.", explained Suhasini

"Maa jo bhi ayegi woh sirf Karthik Kirti ki maa nahi iss ghar ki bahu meri patni ban kar ayegi. Aur mein Soumya ki jagha kissi aur ko nahi de paonga.", said Manish

"Beta ek baar bachon ke barien mein socho", said his mother

"Soch raha hun issi liye faisla liye hai, ke mein bachon ke liye ek governess rakhunga.", told Manish.

Flashback ends
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"Aur phir mein ne Radhika ko chunna. Jo purri tarhe se mujhe governess ke liye qualify lagge.", said Manish.

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Flashback

"Kirti Karthik yahan aao", Manish called out to the children.

"Papa", called out the two kids as they hugged their father.

"Bachon inn se milo yeh hai Radhika, aaj se yeh apka kahyal rakhegi jaise apki maa rakhti thi", said Manish

"Matlab yeh humari maa ki jagha leggi, humein nayi maa nahi chaiye", said a 9 year old Kirti

"Nahi gudiya yeh apki maa ki jaghe nahi leggi bas unki tarhe khyal rakhegi, apko subha uthaegi, school ke liye tayar karegi, breakfast karwaegi, sab kuch jaise tum dono ki maa karti thi, lekin kabhi unki jagha nahi leggi", explained Manish

"Saachi, ek maa ki jaggha nahi leggi",  Kirti asked Radhika
"Mein kissi ki jaghe nahi lunggi Radhika answered.

Radhika bent on her knees and hugged the children Kirti allowed herself got be hugged but Karthik pushed Radhika's hand away.

"Mujhe aap nahi chaiye", Karthik spoke running upstairs

Flashback ends
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"Hum sabko lagga ke dherre dheere Karthik Radhika ko accept karne laggega, but nahi, in fact things became worse", Akhilesh spoke.

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

Flashback

"Dadi inhe mujhse durr rakho yeh gandi hai", spoke the young child hiding behind his grandmother pointing a finger towards his governess.

"Kya hua Kittu, dekho tumhari favourite kheer banayi gayi hai, tum kha kyun kha nahi rahe ho",  asked Dadi

"Yeh inho ne banayi, yeh burri hai, yeh bahut chilati hai, yeh marti bhi hai, mujhe yeh achi nahi lagti", told Karthik

"Radhika yeh hum kya sunn rahe hai, tum ne humare Kittu se unchi awaz se baath ki uss par haath uthiya",  asked Dadi

"Nahi ma'am apko pata hai ke Karthik mujhe pasand nahi karta shayad issi liye woh jhut bol raha ho, app ko meri batoon par yakeen nahi toh Kirti se hi puch lijiye ke kya uss ne mujhe unchi awaz mein baath karte huye dekha. Aur agar marra hota koyi sujan marks kuch hota.", said Radhika

"Kittu jhoot bolna burri baath hai ne mera bacha", said Dadi.

"Karthik jhutta nahi hai", the young child called out his eyes briming with tears.

Flashback ends
-----------------------------

"Aise kahi baar hua, lekin hum ne Karthik par vishwas nahi kiya", spoke Akhilesh sadly.

"Ek saal guzzar janne ke baad Karthik ne Radhika ke khilaf complain karna bandh kar diya. Lekin Karthik Radhika ke pass tab bhi nahi jaata, woh hum se bhi dherre dherre dur honne lagga. Magar hum waqt rehte yeh samjh na paye", said Manish as tears rolled down and he quickly wiped it.

"Do aur saal bethh gaye Karthik ne kabhi Radhika ke barien mein burra nahi bola, humein lagga ke waqt lagg raha hai lekin Karthik Radhika ko accept kar raha hai, hum ne Radhika aur Manish ke shaadi ke barien mein bhi socha. Aur yeh sabse baddi galti thi", cried dadi

"Haan toh main ne hi kaha tha maa, mujhe lagga Radhika ek achi insan hai jo purre mann se bachon ka khiyal rakhti rahi hai", said Manish painfully.

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

Flashback

"Panditji ne 3 din baad ka muhrat diya hai, agla muhrat 11 mahine baad hai, iss liye hum ne teen din baad wale ke liye haan keh diya, waise bhi it will just be a small thing. I want to keep low about this wedding, only the family members will be there", Dadi told everyone.

"Ma'am, I mean Maa ji",  Radhika called out in her ever so sweet voice.

"Agar shaadi 3 din baad hogi toh Karthik uska hissa nahi ban payega kyun ke woh apne camp mein hai,  Aur woh camp ek hafte ka hai aur kal hi toh gaya hai", said Radhika

"Toh kya hua agar camp gaya hua hai, hum usse wapis bula lenge", said Surekha who had then only got married to Akhilesh few months back.

"Nahi please aisa mat kijiye baache ka bahut mann tha ke woh camp attend karre, Agar shaadi ke liye usse wapis buliya toh usse acha nahi laggega ke hum ne uss ka trip spoil kar diya", said Radhika.

"Manish mujhe lagta hai Radhika sahi keh rahi hai. Jab Kittu ayega hum pyaar se usse samjha denge", Suhasini assured.

It was decided that the ring exchange would be tomorrow, next mehndi and third day haldi and simple wedding.

Days passed and it was the day of the wedding. Manish had gone to the office after haldi, because some important work came up which he could handle, when he met a business friend who was also Karthik's best friend's father.

"Suraj tum yahan", asked Manish

"Actually Laksh's birthday is this coming week and he wanted to know if Karthik will come, because Karthik hadn't come to school for four days, I hope Karthik is alright. I was passing by so thought to drop in and ask you about the matter ", spoke Suraj shocking Manish.

"I am sorry I need to leave just remember something urgent", said Manish rushing away.

He drove to Karthik's school and enquired about the camp, but got to know there wasn't any.

"Karthik ne jhoot kyun bola (pause) camp ke barrien mein Karthik ne bola hi nahi, Radhika ne bola, chaar din pehle jab woh Karthik ko bina layye school se aayi toh uss ne hum se kaha ke ek camp trip school ne organize kiya tha, aur Karthik ne uss mein janne ki zidd ki aur woh usse manna nahi kar payi (pause) toh Kya Radhika ne jhoot kaha. But why was Karthik right about Radhika (pause) I don't know that I only know that my son is missing from the past four days and I need to search for him.

Manish went back to GV and started screaming for Radhika to come down.

"Kya hua Manish aise kyun chilla rahe ho", asked Dadi

"Kya hua Manishji", asked Radhika innocently

"Mera beta kaha hai", Manish asked sternly.

"Yeh aap kya pucch rahe hai, sab ko pata hai ke Karthik camp mein hai", she answered

"Jhoot there is no camp, I checked with the school authorities", Manish yelled

"Hahha, Haan there is no camp Karthik is with me, I have kidnapped him and if you want him you have to do what I want", Radhika said evily.

Dadi, Akhilesh, Surekha, looked very shocked listening to Radhika.

Flashback to be continued....

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Do vote and comment to tell me how it was. I know there isn't much Kaira but I needed to open Karthik's past.