"Aur tum..." he said turning to Mahira "Himaat kaise huwi tumhari Preeta ke baare mein aise ghatiya baat karne ki?!"

"Kaa... Karan mein..." Mahira stuttered still in shock.

"Karan tum Mahira pe kyun ghussa ho rahe ho? Saari galti iss Preeta ki hai" Sherlyn butt in.

"Tumse pucha?"

"Mein toh..."

"Meine kaha, tumse pucha?" he said again, his eyes still fixed on Mahira.

Ramona who saw what Sherlyn was trying to do also started to blame Preeta

"Karan beta, yeh Preeta kabse tumhare aur Mahira ke beech misunderstandings paida karne ki koshish kar rahi hai aur dekho yeh kamyab bhi huwi... iske wajah se tumne Mahira pe aaj haat uthiya!"

"Really?" Karan questioned finally looking at Ramona. Sherlyn smirked at Preeta seeing her eyes beginning to fill with tears at the fact that Karan was once again coming under their influence and would soon be blaming her.

"Ha beta, yeh larki phirse tumhe phasane ki koshish kar rahi hai, yeh.. yeh tumhari daulat ke peeche hai!" she continued while Sherlyn nudged Mahira to start acting hurt

"Ha Karan yeh kabse mujhe dhamka rahi thi ke me tumse shadhi na karu kyun ke yeh janti hai ke jaab hum dono shadhi karlenge isse kuch nahi milega!"

Karan turned to Preeta who was standing slightly behind him and taking her hand pulled her beside him.

"Aacha toh yeh tumhe damka rahi thi... lekin maine toh tumhe sunna tha isse anaab shanaab bakte huwe!" his temper rising as he recalled Mahira's words. Sensing the tension and anger in his voice Mahira who was about to come closer to him in order to move Preeta away stopped where she was.

"Nahi... Woh... Woh mein..."

"Who mein ... Woh mein kya?!" he shouted making her tremble

"Woh to Preeta ne usse uksaiya tha" Sherlyn quickly spoke

"Ha issne... Issne mujhe uksaiya tha... isiliye gusse mein maine..."

"Aacha toh Preeta ne tumhe uksaiya tha..." Mahira nodded in agreement "Aur mein jaan sakta hoon ke issne aisa kya kaha tha, yah kiya tha jisne tumhe aisi ghatiya baat bolne par majboor kiya?"

Mahira was lost for a moment and then remembered the scene she had witnessed in the bedroom and mentally smirked – aab dekho mein tumhara kya haal karti hoon Preeta Arora, aab Karan tumhe intna zalieel karega ke tum khud aapne aap ko face nahi kar pauogi!

"Karan yeh kahe rahi thi ke yeh saab ko baatadegi ke yeh tumhari wife hai... I mean ke tumne isse shadhi ki hai aur aab tum uss shadhi ko nahi maante"

"Ha toh?" he asked "Meine isse shadhi ki hai aur yeh meri wife hai!"

"Karan... yeh tum kya kahe rahe ho?"

"Saach kahe raha hoon".

Preeta silently watched the exchange unable to leave as Karan was firmly holding her wrist preventing her from leaving. She had been expecting Karan to shout at her but this man never failed to confuse her.

"Karan... yeh tum... mein..."

"Bolo Mahira Preeta ne aisa kya kaha tha yah kiya tha jo tumne aisi ghatiya baat boli?"

"Issne jaan booch ke tum se matching kapre pahene ta ki logo ko lage ke yeh tumhare saath hai... aur meine kaha na yeh mujhe dhamka rahi thi ke mein tumse shadhi na karu" she said in desperation "Aur ha yeh kahe rahi thi ke yeh tumhe aapni taraaf attract karegi, aur phir saab se kahe gi ke tumne isse molest karne ki koshish ki hai taaki na chaahte huwe bhi tumhe isse aapnana pare"

Hearing the word molestation Preeta was reminded of the Monisha fiasco and she snapped. Before Karan could say a word she shook her wrist out of his hand and moved in front of him so that she was now standing face to face with Mahira.

"Yeh kya bakwaas baak rahi ho! Meine aisa kuch nahi kaha tha!"

"Karan issne aisa hi kaha tha, meine khud sunna hai, haina Sherlyn" Ramona supported her daughter's lie frustrating Preeta even more.

"Paheli baat toh yeh hai ke na maine aisa kuch kaha hai aur dusri baat yeh hai ke mein kisi ke peeche nahi paari hoon!"

"Yeh toh hum sab dekh sakte hai ke tum mere Karan ke peeche paari ho!" Mahira snapped back

"What rubbish..." Preeta said feeling like she was banging her head against a brick wall.

Mahira stepped around Preeta and started pulling on Karan's arm to get him to focus on her.

"Karan tum sunn rahe ho nah yeh larki hume aalag karne ki koshish kar rahi hai!" she said as she placed her palm on his cheek.

How dare she! Preeta's heart screamed and without a delay she grabbed Mahira by her free arm and pulled her backwards creating some distance between her and Karan. Before Mahira could move close to Karan again she protectively stepped in front of him.

"Ek toh tum aapni yeh bakwaas bandh karro aur yeh baar baar Karan ko haath lagana bandh karro!"

"Tum hoti kon ho mujhe yeh kahene wali?!" Mahira said trying to reach around her but Preeta grabbed her hand and flung it back at her

"Biwi hoon mein Karan ki!" she spat.

"Karan jaise kapre pahene se ya yeh bol dene se koi usski biwi nahi ban jati" Mahira snapped

"Tum bahari ho kya? Tumne sunna nahi Karan ne tohri der pahele kya kaha? Ussne kaha ke mein usski wife hoon – wife yaani biwi, got it!"

"Karan!" Mahira looked at him for some help

"What? Mujhe aise maat dekho, saach toh kahe raho hai babydoll, who meri biwi hai! Aur rahi baat isske dress ki toh yeh isski passand nahi hai yeh meri passand hai... yeh dress mein laya tha Preeta ke liye" he dropped another bomb on the three women.

"Karan... yeh tumhe phasarahi hai!" she tried again

"Tumhari record kharab hai kya? Ek hi jagah pe ataak gaiyi hai – 'Karan yeh tumhe phasarahi hai, Karan... yeh tumhe phasarahi hai'. God! Paak gaiyi hoon mein yeh sunn sunn ke! Mein Karan ki biwi hoon, mujhe usse phasane ki koi zarurat nahi hai kyun ke Karan mera hai!"

Karan felt immense happiness at her words

"Shut up Preeta Arora!" Mahira shouted "Tumhari himaat kaise huwi mere Karan ko aapna kahne ki! Sharum nahi aati tumhe kisi aur he fiancé ke peeche parte huwe?"

"Mein nahi you Shut up! Ek toh mere pati ko aapna kahe rahi ho aur upar se muje par char rahi ho! Aur kya kahe rahi ho ke me kisi aur ke fiancé ke peech paari ho... are kam se kam me toh aapne pati ke peech paari hoon lekin tum? Tum toh ek shadhi shudha aadmi ke peeche paari ho... thop rahi ho tum khud ko Karan par!"

Mahira again reached around Preeta and tried to grab Karan's arm but was stopped by Preeta who pushed her back.

"Haath dur rakh ke baat karo!" She warned

"Karan tum kuch kahoge nahi isse!" Ramona spat finally getting annoyed at Karan who stood smiling like an idiot behind Preeta.

Preeta turned to face Karan daring him to support Mahira

"Mein? Mein kya bolu?"

"Kya bolu matlab? Yeh larki tumhari hone wali biwi se aise batameezi se baat kar rahi hai aur tum chup chaap dekh rahe ho?"

"Mujhe nahi lagta ke babydo... I mean Preeta ne kuch galat kaha hai – Yeh meri biwi hai aur uska haq hai ke yeh dusri larkiyo ko mujse dur kare. Aur rahi baat mujhe phaasane ki toh mein to already issi ka hoon toh aab yeh kya mujhe phaasaiyegi?".

"Karan! Yeh kya bakwaas kar rahe ho? Tumhari sagai Mahira se huwi hai..." Sherlyn panicked listening to Karan's words.

"Ha toh? Sagai huwi hai shadhi nahi! And anyways meri shadhi already ho chuki hai – Preeta se"

No! No! No! she thought in her mind. All of her well laid out plans were crumbling in front of her eyes and all she could do was watch! If Karan didn't marry Mahira, then the threat named Preeta would forever be hanging over her head. She had to do something but what? Sherlyn thought and only one thing came to her mind,

"Lekin Karan tum yeh kaise bhool sakte ho ke Preeta ki wajah se Mahesh uncle coma me hai! Tum yeh kaise bhool sakte ho ke tumne isse shadhi sirf aur sirf badle ke liye ki thi!"

Mahira too joined in, "Aur tum yeh kaise bhool sakte ho ke yeh wohi larki hai jisne tumhari family ko jail mein bhej ne ki dhamki di thi – tumhe legal notice behga tha!"

"Notice? Konsa notice?" asked a confused Preeta

Sherlyn mentally cursed Mahira for bringing up the notice – this was not something she wanted to bring up in front of Preeta so she tried to divert the topic back to Mahesh Luthra

"Mahesh Uncle..."

"Ek minute Sherlyn..." Karan stopped her before she could continue "Tum kyun baar baar Dad ke accident ka blame Preeta pe daalti raheti ho? Dad ka accident Prithvi ne kiya tha Preeta ne nahi toh tum baar baar Preeta ka naam lenna bandh karo!" he then turned to Mahira "Aur rahi notice ki baat toh mujhe nahi laagta ke Preeta aisa kuch karegi – agar usse alimony hi chaahiye thi toh woh kaabka police ke paas yeh press walo ke paas jasakti thi yeh kahne ke liye ke meine uss se shadhi ki hai aur shadhi shudah ho ke tum se sagai! Lekin ussne aisa nahi kiya toh woh legal notice kyun bhejegi?"

"Nahi Karan tum phirse Preeta ke jaal mein aa rehe ho! Ussi ne Mahesh Uncle ki bazaati ki hogi jiski wajah se unka driving pe dhayan nahi gaiya hoga aur issiliye unka accident ho gaiya!" Sherlyn tried desperately to convince Karan.

"Jhoot hai yeh saab! Mahesh uncle mere ghar se khushi khushi gaiye the, unko ko tumhara saach paata chal gaiya tha aur unhone mujse khud kaha tha ke woh mujko aur meri family ko lenne aiyenge. Jaab woh mere ghar se gaiye toh woh Luthra family ko tumhara saach batane wale the! Mujse unhone bohot ache se baat ki thi aur maafi bhi maangi thi" Preeta burst out listening to Sherlyn's lies.

Karan looked at her in shock – could it be that his dad had found out Sherlyn's truth? Could it be that this was the reason Sherlyn had convinced everyone that Preeta was the reason his dad was in a coma? He looked into Preeta's eyes that spoke nothing but the truth and reflected the pain she felt at being blamed for the accident of a man she considered no less than her farther. He nodded his head reassuring her that he would handle Sherlyn and with that turned to Sherlyn while gently pulling Preeta closer to himself.

"Tum aapni bakwaas aur jhooti baate bandh karo!"

"Nahi Karan..."

He lifted his palm to stop her and glaring at her continued "Tum baar baar Preeta pe ilzaam lagati rahti ho lekin mein aache se janta hoon ke Preeta aisa kuch nahi karsakti! Ha Prithvi yeh karsakta hai, aur ussi ne kiya hai toh tum usska naam kyun nahi leti?"

"Nahi mein... Preeta..."

"Shut up!" he shouted "Prithvi! Sherlyn... Prithvi. Mujhe kyun lagta hai ke tum Prithvi ko bacha rahi ho? Saab ke dimag me Preeta ka naam daal rahi ho aur unnhe uksah rahi ho tah ke woh yeh bhool jaiye ke uss ghatiya Prithvi ne dad ka accident kiya hai? Kahi aisa toh nahi hai ke dad ki haalat ke peeche tumhara haath hai?"

Three women gasped and looked at Sherlyn, two sympathising with her for being blamed for such a heinous crime and one starting to connect the dots.

Karan who had just said it in anger really began to think of what he had said – could it be true? The more he thought about it, the more he realised that there was a real possibility that Sherlyn was involved. He had always suspected that there was something going on between Prithvi and Sheryln, the way she always supported him but he never really thought about it seriously. But now...

"Karan tum Sherlyn par yeh kaise ghatiya ilzaam laga rahe ho?" Ramona said disgusted. He didn't reply but observed how suddenly Sherlyn's eyes had widened and her face had lost all it's colour and his suspicions mounted further.

Normally he would have grabbed her by the neck and made her admit the truth but this time he consider what Rishabh had said to him before, when he had tried to prove to the Arora's that Prithvi was having an affair and was himself proven wrong. No, he wouldn't scream and shout or create a scene – this time he would silently find evidence and get rid of this wrench once and for all!

"Ha Mom yeh saab iss Preeta ne kiya hai! Issi ki wajah se Karan aapni Bhabhi se aisi ghatiya baate kahe raha hai!" Mahira to voiced her opinion, but only if she had stopped at that but some people need to learn the hard way!

Stepping closer to Preeta she continued, "Yahi chaahti ho nah tum! Iss puri family ko barbaad karna chaahti ho nah tum! Are tum jaisi ghatiya, doo paise mein bikne wali characterless larkiyo ko baato se saamaj nahi aata hai, tumhe toh..." and as she spoke she raised her hand to slap Preeta.

However, as expected she was stopped by Karan Luthra who had now had just about enough of this psychopath who apparently had short term memory loss! He twisted her hand backwards in the same way Preeta had done to Ramona earlier in the evening causing Mahira to scream in pain – there was nothing gentle in his hold!

"Tumhare iss khaalee dimak mein baat ek baar mein ghussti nahi hai kya?" he said in a murderous tone "Mrs Preeta Karan Luthra hai woh! Usske baare main aisi ghatiya baat soochna bhi maat bolna toh dur ki baat hai, aur galti se bhi agar Preeta pe haath uthiya toh yaad rakhna mujse bura koi nahi hoga!" jerking her hand he all but threw her into Ramona's arms.

"Karan!" Ramona shouted

"What Mrs Khanna? Bura laga? Are aisi larkiyo ke saath aisa hi hona chaahiye!"

"What do you mean... Matlab kya hai tumhara? Aur tumhari himaat kais..."

"Himaat ki baat na hi kijiye toh aacha hoga! Aur yeh kaab se Preeta pe ghatiya ilzaam lagarhi hai – yeh khud kya hai? Yeh iss baat pe akar ti hai ke isski sagai mujse – The Karan Luthra se huwi hai... lekin issne yeh sagai yeh jante huwe ki ke meri shadhi Preeta se already hogaiyi! Yeh meri biwi ko ghatiya naamo se bulati hai usski insult karti hai lekin saach toh yeh hai ke yeh ek nihiyti ghatiya aur matlabi larki hai jo kisi aur ke pati ke saath rishta banana chaati hai!"

"Karan!" Ramona shouted again unable to bare the taunts he was throwing at her daughter "Tum Mahira par ilzaam lagarhe ho lekin yeh bhool rahe ho ke duniya ke nazzar mein woh tumhari mangetar hai! Aur yeh larki kuch nahi!" she said glaring at Preeta

"Aacha toh yeh lijiye" and with that he took off his engagement ring and threw it at Ramona leaving her gapping "Aab nahi hai yeh meri mangetar!"

"Nahi Karan... Tum... Tum mere saath aisa nahi kar saakte. Please... Mein... Mein Preeta se maafi maang lungi... Please..."

"Tum kitni ghatiya larki ho ek shadhi shudha aadmi ke peech paari ho!" he taunted "Are mein bhi kisse kahe raha hoon? Uss laki se jo ke ek aise aadmi se sadhi karna chaahti thi jo nah sirf shadhi shudha hai par jisne ussko yeh kaha hai ke woh uss se pyaar nahi karta, nah hi kabhi karega, aur nah hi usse aapni patni ka darja de ga! Sirf issliye kyun ke ussko high status chaahiye. Sorry sirf status nahi Luthra's ke paise bhi right Miss Khanna?"

"Nahi Karan yeh jhoot hai! Mein... Mein tumse pyaar karti hoon!"

"Come on Mahira, why would any self-respecting woman marry a married man who doesn't love her and is being forced to marry her against his will?!"

Preeta was shocked with the revelation that Karan doesn't want to marry Mahira and has said this to her before. What the hell was going on here? she thought to herself.

"Now nothing will make me marry you Miss Mahira Khanna!"

"Nahi... tum... Karan..." she tried to think straight while trying to grab his arm but he once again jerked her away.

"Don't touch me!" he shouted "Mujhe choone ka haq sirf meri biwi ka hai, do you get that! Now get lost from here! Tumhe yahan kisi ne invite nahi kiya! You came as uninvited guests, so now you can leave!"

Ramona moved forward and grabbed Mahira who was once again trying to move close to Karan. Sherlyn who was looking for a reason to escape moved closer and held Mahira from the other side and together they started to drag a hysterical Mahira out of the hall.

"Ek minute..." Karan's voice stopped them in their tracks "Agar tum logo ke kurafati dimag mein koi bhi ghatiya plan aiya aur tum logo ne Mrs Preeta Karan Luthra ya mere parivaar ke kisi bhi aur insaan ko koi bhi nuksaan ponchiya toh mein tum logo ka woh haal karaunga ke tum khud aapne aap ko nahi pahchaan pauoge!" he threatened and then turned to Preeta and grabbed her hand and led her into the hall.