The morning bought with it more drama;

"Ramona yeh tu kya kar rahi hai?" Rakhee asked as Ramona continued pounding on the door. Not getting an answer she looked at her mother-in-law who was equally confused "Ramona," she tried again this time pulling her away from the door.

"One minute Rakhee, pehele yeh door toh khole phir mein..."

"Aunty yeh kiska room hai" Sherlyn asked innocently.

"Tumhari 'Devrani ka' room hai yeh" Ramona replied.

"What? Yeh aap kya bol rahi hai? Karan aur Preetaji ka room yeh nahi hai, unka room..."

"Rishabh mujhe pata hai Karan ka room yeh nahi hai lekin meine khud Preeta ko kisi aadmi ke saath iss room mein jate dekha hai!" Ramona spat.

"Yeh kya bakwaas kar rahi hai aap!" Shrishti who had come out of her room with Sarla, at the sound of the commotion said catching what Ramona was spewing.

"Bakwaas nahi kar rahi hoon, tumhari uss characterless bahen ka saach aapni dost ko dikha rahi hoon!"

"Ramonaji aapni zaaban sambhal ke baat kijiye! Aap bhalehi Rakheeji ki dost hongi lekin isska yeh matlab nahi hai ke aap meri beti ke bare maine kuch bhi bolegi aur mein chup rahongi" Sarla snapped.

"Sambhalna toh tumhe chaahiye tha aapni beti ko!" Ramona replied "Pata nahi kitne larko ko..." Before she could finish Sarla's palm landed on her cheek causing her to stare open mouthed at the woman who had just slapped her.

"Yeh kya batameeze hai Sarla Arora!" Kareena roared seeing this as the perfect opportunity to get rid of Preeta by showing everyone what she still believed was Preeta's truth.

"Aap mujhe kahe rahi hai? Aur yeh aurat jo meri beti ke bare mein ittni ghatiya baate bole ja rahi hai usska kya? Usska kya Kareenaji? Preeta sirf meri beti nahi hai, aapke ghar ki bahu bhi hai!" she said emotionally. Rakhee moved to console Sarla and then furiously looked at Ramona,

"Meri bahu ke bare main aisi ghatiya baat tumne ki kaise?"

"Rakhee..."

"Nahi Ramona aab bohot ho raha hai tera aur teri beti ka bhi. Mein chaahti hoon ke tum aapni beti ko le ke yahan se hi chali jao! Mere ghar mein aab tum jaise logo ke liye koi jagha nahi hai!"

"Bhabhi app Ramona pe kyun ghussa ho rahi hai? Mujhe yakeen hai ke yeh saab uss Preeta Arora ne hi kiya hoga"

"Kareena Di bass kijiye!"

"Nahi Mummyji, agar Ramona Aunty itne yakeen se kahe rahi hai toh check karne main kya jayega"

"Sherlyn tum beech mein mat bolo! Maa neh bol diya hai..."

"Nahi Rishabh, Sherlyn sahi kahe rahi hai"

"Bua aap..." But Kareena refused to listen and herself started to bang on the door to room number 66. Sherlyn and Ramona glanced at one another and smirked before schooling their expressions so that no one noticed.

Karan groaned hearing banging on what he subconsciously realised was a door. As he tried turning onto his stomach he found something restricting his movement. Slowly opening his eyes he realised that someone was sleeping on his arm, being half-conscious he couldn't really make out who it was but it was definitely a woman. He reached for her exposed shoulder to turn her to face him when the banging outside once again caught his attention.

This time the noise seemed to irritate the woman too and she moved her hand to cover her ear. Karan carefully pulled his arm out from under her and made his way to the door and yanked it open ready to blast whoever was causing the ruckus.

The sound of the door opening with a bang caught everyone's attention. They all turn away from room 66 to the source of the sound only to find an irate Karan glaring at them. Sarla quickly looked away realising that Karan was standing in nothing but his boxers.

"Yeh kya ho raha hai subha subha?"

"Karan tu..." Rakhee started but she too looked away embarrassment seeing her sons chest covered in lipstick marks. Sherlyn smirked; she had been waiting for the drama with Preeta but this was going to be so much better she thought. The only thing she found strange was that Karan wasn't looking upset or guilty. "Whatever" she thought "Maybe Mahira showed him a really good time".

"Meine poocha yahan kya ho raha hai?" Rakhee looked at Dadi and then at Rishabh hoping he would take the lead but he seemed to be lost for words.

Ramona looked at Sherlyn suspiciously and realised that she and Mahira had gone ahead with their stupid plan of trapping Karan at the same time as Preeta. She cursed their stupidity; did they not realise framing both Karan and Preeta on the same night would raise suspicions? She needed to do some damage control.

"Tum? Tum yahan kya kar rahe ho?" she asked in a horrified tone.

"What? Mein kya kar raha hoon? Aap log kya kar rahe hai subha subha?"

"Meine poocha ke tum Mahira ke room mein aisi halat main kya kar rahe ko?" her statement causing the older women to gasp.

"Mahira ka room... yeh Mahira ka room nahi hai, yeh toh..."

"Aunty appko koi galatsahmi huwi hai, yeh Karan aur Preetaji ka room hai. Meine khud Karan ko yahan choda tha..." Rishabh tried to explain.

"Yeh Mahira ka hi room hai! Meine khud yeh room book kiya tha aur usse chodne aaiyi thi upar... oh aab samaj mein aaiya," she looked back at Karan accusingly "tumhari so called biwi tumhe chod ke kisi aur ke paas chali gaiyi tho tumne meri beti ko use kiya!"

"Ramona yeh kya bakwaas kar rahi hai tu?" Rakhee snapped

"Bakwaas nahi hai yeh Saach hai! Issne meri beti ko..." she started crying.

"Shut up! Aap pagal toh nahi ho gaiyi?" Karan snapped "Yeh Mahira ka room nahi hai"

"Karan yeh tumne sahi nahi kiya, tum aise Mahira ke saath... woh beechari tumse pyaar karti hai aur tumne usska faiyda uthaiya? Chee" Sherlyn added her two cents while pretending to comfort Ramona while the rest of the family looked between the two. "Tum se aisi umeed nahi thi..."

Sherlyn continued only to be grabbed by her arm and harshly spun around. Before she could react or say more a tight slap landed on her cheek not once by twice. She placed her hand on her cheek which was stinging from the impact and looked up at a furious Preeta who had stepped out of Karan's room after listening to the accusations being thrown at her husband.

Ramona looked at her in confusion, she didn't understand how Preeta came out of Karan's room when she had clearly left her in room 66. Rishabh and Sameer looked away seeing Preeta in nothing but Karan's shirt which barely reached her knees.

"Preeta tumhari himat kaise huwi Sherlyn pe haat uthane ki" Kareena tried to rebuke Preeta for slapping Sherlyn, but Preeta raised her palm to the older woman stopping her mid rant.

"Mein aap se baat karne ke mood main nahi hoon toh aacha hoga ke aap chup ranhiye!" she said without sparing Kareena a glance. "Himaat kaise huwi tumhari mere pati pe aise ghatiya ilzaam lagane ki?" she thundered. Sherlyn shivered never having witnessed this much anger radiating of Preeta.

"Mein.. woh... Preeta mein..."

"Kya mein? Abhi abhi toh tumhari zabaan kainchee ki tarha chal rahi thi aab kya huwa?"

"Preeta! Sherlyn se tameez se baat karo, woh Luthra parivaar ki bahu hai..." Kareena started again

"Aapko aapni bahu ki bohot chinta ho rahi hai?" Preeta turned her anger towards Kareena "Jab yeh larki aapke bet eke bare mein itni ghatiya baate kar rahi thi tab kya hogaiya tha aapko? Saap sung gaya tha kya? Tab toh aap isski baate chup chaap sun rahi thi! Aapki chupi ne aapse kuch bolne ka haq cheen liya hai toh bhatar yehi hoga ke aap beech main mat padiye!" her anger caused Kareena to take a step back.

Aur tum, tum toh iss ghar ki bahu ho nah 'bahi bahu' zaara si bhi sharam nahi hai tum mein? Hogi bhi kaise? Asi ghatiya aurat aur uski beti ke saath ghoomti jo raheti ho"

"Preeta!" Ramona shouted.

"Awaze neeche! Yeh aapke baap ka ghar nahi hai jo aap subha subha tamasha kar rahi hai! Aap ki koi izzat nahi hai lekin meri aur mere parivaar ki bohot izzat hai! Aur aap yeh jo aise hotel ke beecho beech kade rehe ke aisi ghatiya baate kar rahi hai uss se mere pati ki izzat pe daag lage yeh mein bardasht nahi karsakti" she said steeping into Ramona's personal space. "Aajke baad aapki zabaan se mere paati ke bare main eek choo bhi nikli toh mein aapka aur aapki us psychopath beti ka woh haal karungi ke aap zindagee bhar pachhataengee!" she threatened.

The fire in her eyes caused Ramona to shake in fear.

"Babydoll!" Karan gasped in shock causing Preeta to turn to him. "Yeh, yeh tumne kya pahena hai" he said realising she was standing around in his shirt where anyone could see her.

"Kya?" Preeta asked casually.

"What kya? Tum inn faltu logo ko chodo aur room mein chalo!" he ordered

"Tum! Tum mujhe order de rahe ho?" she pointed at him and then herself.

"Ha de raha hoon! Tum aise saab ke saamne nahi aa sakti!"

"Meri beti kahan hai?" Ramona broke the argument before it started and the duo glared at her for the interruption but Ramona who began to panic asked again,

"Mahira kahan hai?"

"Aap mere pati se yeh sawal kyun pooch rahi hai? Woh ghatiya larkiyo ki khabar nahi rakhta"

"Preeta!"

"Chiliye maat, meine aapse abhi abhi kaha hai ke mere aur mere parivaar ki kuch izzat hai aur aapki harkate hum par reflect karti hai. Aur waise bhi woh larki, kya naam hai uska? Ha Mahira, woh aap ki beti hai toh aap ko paata hona chaahiye ke woh aapna muh kahan kaala karti firti hai" Preeta spat, her anger still simmering at the words used for Karan.

Ramona looked at the room she had left Preeta in the night before and fear coursed through her. She rushed back to the door and began banging harder than before. The family members tried to stop her but she wouldn't listen. The only two people that remained ignorant were Karan and Preeta who were busy arguing with one another after Karan had forcefully taken Sameer's jacket and made Preeta wear it in a poor attempt to cover her up.

The commotion caused the hotel staff to call for the manager who tried to diffuse the situation with little success. A hysterical Ramona kept demanding that the Manager opened the room door and threatening to sue the hotel if anything happened to her daughter. As per hotel policy, the Manager continuously refused to open the door until Janki and Ramkishan Shergill arrived with their younger son and confirmed that Room 66 was Veer's room.

The Manager gave up and finally used the master key to open the room door when Ramkishan assured him that Veer wouldn't cause the hotel any problems if they entered the room without his permission.

Ramona pushed the Manager out of the way and rushed towards the bed and hesitantly pulled back the sheets only to widen her eyes in shock at the sight in front of her. Janki who had followed her into the room stumbled back into her husband's arms.

"Kritika? Veer?" she whispered causing the Luthra's who were still standing outside to rush into the room.

"Yeh... yeh..." Kareena was horrified at the sight. Her daughter was laying in bed with Rajveer Shergill, she didn't know what to say. Rakhee held her by the shoulder and began to pull her towards the door indicating Roo and Sameer to wake the duo up. After a few tries Roo managed to wake Kritika who screamed realising her situation. She jumped out of the bed so quickly that she tripped and landed on the floor. Roo tried to comfort her but Kritika slid backwards and pressed herself against the wall and burst into tears.

Karan who had managed to push his way into the room grabbed a still unconscious Rajveer off the bed and began punching him. Rajveer who had somewhat woken up was too confused to try and defend himself. Sameer and Rishabh rushed forward and pulled Karan off Rajveer while Aakash rushed to Rajveer to make sure that his brother was okay.

"Yeh saab kya hai?" As the whole drama played out, no one had noticed Akshay and his family appearing at the door until Akshay's mother spoke correctly assessing the situation.

"Arpitaji... woh..." Rakhee tried to take control of the situation but Akshay's mother raised her palm stopping her and then scowled at Kareena.

"Mujhe nahi paata tha ke meine mere bete ki shadhi aisi characterless larki ke saath tai ki hai" she stated scornfully.

"Arpita!" Kareena shouted but it didn't stop the other woman.

"Aur expect bhi kya kiya jasakta hai aap logo se, jiski Maa ne aapne pati ko chod diya" she looked at Kareena before continuing "Jiska bhai, biwi ke hote hue bhi aapni rakhel ko ghar mein rakhta hai aur usska parivaar usse kuch kahene ki bajaiya usse badhava deta hai aise paivaar ki beti bhi aisi hi hogi. Zaroor issi ne kuch kiya hoga, paise dekh ke isska maan badal gaiya hoga... soocha hoga iss ameer larke ko phassalu, nah phaasa toh Akshay tho hai nah."

"Yeh aap kya bak rahi hai? Aur tu..." Karan said looking at Akshay "Tu yahan chup chaap sun raha hai?"

Akshay looked at Kritika and then at Rajveer before looking back at Karan, "Mujhe iss bare mein kuch kahene ki zarurat nahi hai, teri bahen ki harkato ne saab saaf kardiya hai. Jaisa bhai, vaisi bahen"

"Akshay!" Karan roared, Arpita screamed as Karan's fist contacted with Akshay's face. Rishabh managed to pull Karan away with Sameer's help. He turned to Akshay hoping to control the situation but Arpita who was checking her son to make sure he was okay spoke before Rishabh could.

"Hai Bhagwaan, aab bas yeh hi rahe gaiya tha. Pata nahi kis manhoos gadhi mein humne iss parivaar mein rista kiya tha aapne bete ka?"

"Mom mein theek hoon. Aap tension maat lijiye, aap toh shukar manaiye ke hume iss larki ke aasliyat shadhi se pahele pata chaal gaiyi warna hum kahi muh dikhane layak nahi rahete" Akshay said wiping the blood off his lips.

"Sahi kahe raha hai tu"

"Arpitaji yeh aap kya..."

"Rakheeji humne iss rishte ke liye ha sirf aapke aur Maheshji ki wajay se ki thi, lekin hum aisi ghatiya larki ko aapne ghar ki bahu nahi banna sakte!" She stated heartlessly.

"Yeh aap kya kahe rahi hai?" Kareena who still hadn't recovered from the shock asked

"Hum yeh rishta abhi ke abhi tod te hai!"

"Aap aisa nahi kar sakti, meri...meri beti, app nahi, app Kritika ke saath aisa nahi kar sakti" Kareena almost begged.

"Jo aapki beti ne kiya hai usske baad toh usske saath isse bhi bura hona chaahiye, shukar manaiye ke yeh baat filhal hum saab ke beech hai warna koi aur hota toh aapki iss ghatiya beti ki kartut saab ke saamne bata ke rishta tod de ta".

"Nahi..." Kareena shook her head and took a step backwards worried about her daughters future.

"Akshay aab humare inlogo se koi rishta nahi hai! Chal yahan se" Arpita ordered and led her son and husband out of the room.

Rishabh tried to make one last attempt to stop them but he knew it was useless. In his heart he knew that his sister didn't deserve a pathetic man like Akshay but this is not how he expected things to turn out.

"Kritika..." Kareena moved to her daughter who was still sitting in the corner in Roo's embrace only to have Kritika push her away. "Kritika yeh tu..."

"Dur! Dur rahaiye mujse!" she shouted.

"Kritika?"

"Nahi, aap! Aap hai iss saab ke wajay!" she shouted at a stunned Kareena

"Kritika puttar yeh tu kya kahe rahi hai?" Rakhee asked

"Ha Mami yeh saab inki wajay se huwa hai. Kareena Luthra 'characterless, middle-class, mere beto ko phassa ne ki koshish kar rahi hai' yehi kaha hai nah aapne Preeta Bhabhi aur Shrishti ko? Toh aaj yehi baat koi aur aapki beti ko kahe ke chala gaiya." She laughed pathetically "Be happy Kareena Luthra, your bad karma has finally ruined your daughters life! Ruined my life!" she began sobbing as the Luthra's looked on.

Preeta who had been forced back into her room to dress had come back out of her room after getting ready to have Shrishti and Sarla explain the situation to her. She was mad at Veer but deep down she knew something was amiss – Veer would never do something like this. Nevertheless she made her way into the room and caught Kritika's outburst. Looking around the room she saw a guilty looking Veer staring at the floor – she would deal with him later she thought and turned her attention back to Kritika. Slowly approaching Kritika she took her into her embrace comforting her.

"Jab tak teri yeh Bhabhi zinda hai teri zindagi kabhi barbad nahi hogi!"

Kritika looked at her questioningly and Preeta smiled. She took her by the hand and led her to the other side of the bed where Veer was standing.

"Pari woh..." Veer broke the sudden silence but Preeta stopped him

"Tum jald se jald Kritika se shadhi kar rahe ho" she stated leaving no room for discussion. Sherlyn who was secretly rejoicing at the Luthra's predicament looked at Preeta in anger for ruining the fun. She then turned to look at Veer expecting him to shout at Preeta's audacity to order him, but to her surprise nothing of the sort happened, Rajveer simply nodded before looking at his parents.

Janki moved to stand beside Preeta and Kritika. Preeta moved back slightly so that Janki could give her full attention to Kritika.

"Meri hone wali bahu bohot hi pyari hai" she said smiling at Kritika. Kritika looked at her in confusion failing to understand why this woman was being so accepting especially after the way Akshay and his mother had spoken to her.

Seeing her questioning gaze Janki lightly patted her cheek and finally looked at her son.

"Veer..."

"Ji,"

"Jo huwa usske bare mein hum abhi baat nahi karenge, lekin tumhe nahi lagta hai ke tumhe aapni hone wali saasu maa se ashirvaad lena chaahiye?"

"Ji Maa" he walked towards a shocked Kareena who didn't know what to say and touched her feet not once voicing an opinion on what was being asked of him.

"Didi..." Rakhee placed her hand on Kareena's arm seeing Rajveer waiting for her blessing. Kareena placed her hand on his head but didn't say anything.

"Kareenaji, agar appko koi aitraaz na ho toh mein aapni hone wali bahu ko humara yeh khandani haar dena chaahti hoon" Kareena looked at Janki and then at Kritika who was once again looking at the floor.

"Hume koi problem nahi hai" Rakhee replied. Janki removed the necklace that she was wearing and asked Veer to place it around Kritika's neck. "Aajse tumpe koi umli nahi uthaeyga aur iss baat ka khayal mera beta rakhega!" She said with conviction. An overwhelmed Kritika threw herself into Janki's arms and once again started to sob.

"Bohot hogaiya yeh drama!" Ramona shouted. She grabbed Karan's arm and began shaking him "Meri beti kahan hai?"

"ENOUGH!" Preeta shouted back, her anger once again spiking. She took hold of Ramona's hand that was holding her husband's naked arm and jerked it away almost causing the older woman to stumble. She glared at Karan for not having the sense to have put on some cloths before opening the door but before her anger erupted on him Ramona once again drew attention to herself.

"Mein tumse nahi Karan se baat kar rahi hoon! Tum aapni aukad mein raho, you bloody midd..."

"Akaud meine toh tum aur tumhari woh nalayak beti nahi hai Ramona Khanna"

"Preeta!"

"Meri Maa ne mujhe bado ki izzat karna sikhaiya hai, issiliye aab tak tumse izzat se baat karti aaiyi hoon lekin tum baar baar haad paar kar rahi ho! Mere Pati se dur raho! Tumhari beti kya kam thi ke tum bhi chee!" Preeta insulted

"Yeh kya aanab shaanab bak rahi ho tum?" Ramona asked horrified at the insinuation.

"Preeta," Rakhee shook her head not wanting Preeta to stoop to Ramona's level.

"Sorry Maa" Preeta said looking at Rakhee before turning back to Ramona "Aapki beti kahan hai woh aap mere pati se kyun pooch rahi hai? Karan ko kaise paata hoga ke aapki beti kahan hogi?"

"Karan, Mahira ke saath shad..."

"Karan Mahira ke saath kuch nahi karne wala! Aapki beti mere pati ke peech padi raheti hai naki mera pati, toh usse kaise paata hoga ke usski pagal stalker kahan hai" she smirked

"Mind your words, Karan Mahira se shadhi karne wala hai..."

"App andhi hai kya?" Roo asked as she stepped besides Preeta "Nahi poochna toh nahi chaahiye lekin mujhe shaak hai ke aapki aankhe kamzoor hoi gaiyi hai kyun ke aapko meri yeh jo Bhabhi kari hai – Mrs Preeta Karan Luthra, woh shaayad dikh nahi rahi hai issiliye aisi betuke ki baate kar rahi hai aap" Roo laughed. "Aur haa app Mahira ko dhoond rahi hai right?" this garnered Ramona's attention "Appki beti ko maine dekha tha, kal raat ko, aapne boyfriend ke saath thi kisi kamre meine..."

"Shut up! Mahira ka koi boyfriend nahi hai!"

"Shaayad aapko bataiya nahi hai ussne, I mean aissi baate bataiyi nahi jati right?"

"Aapni bakwaas bandh karo!"

"Aare aap mujhpe kyun bardak rahi hai? Jo saach hai woh saach hai"

"Tum aapni yeh jhoothi baate bandh karo Mahira ne aisa kuch nahi kiya hai, nah hi usska koi boyfriend hai, woh toh Karan se pyaar karti hai"

"Toh?" Ramona looked at Preeta "Karan se kitni saari larkiya pyaar karti hai, so what? Un mein se kitni saari larkiyo ke boyfriend hote hai. Woh Karan ki fans hai lekin unnhe bhi paata hai hai ke Karan unka kahbhi nahi ho sakta"

"Tum chup..."

"Sahi toh bol rahi hai babydoll" Karan said wrapping his arm around Preeta's waist hoping to score some brownie points.

"Karan tum..."

"Yaar hum yahan time kyun waste kar rahe hai? Agar aap ko meri baat pe bharosa nahi hai toh khud chal ke dekh lijiye, meine Mahira ko paas wale room mein jate huwe dekha tha"

Ramona rushed out of the room, stepping into the corridor she looked at the room doors on either side of room 66 which she had just walked out of and then looked at Roo who was casually strolling out of the open door. Kareena ignored Ramona and took Kritika back to her room while the Shergill's remained with Veer.

"Kahan hai meri beti?"

Seeing her desperation Roo pointed at Room 98. Ramona was about to start banging on the door but the Manager who had been watching beat her to it and unlocked the door hoping to avoid further drama. The sight that greeted the group caused mixed reactions. Ramona began to panic, Preeta, Rakhee, Dadi, Sarla and Rishabh gasped, Karan, Shtishti, Roo and Sammy couldn't stop laughing but the one person whose reaction was worth a million bucks was Sherlyn – anger and betrayal coursed through her veins.

In front of them in a messy bed cosying up to one another lay Mahira and a very happy looking Privthvi Malhotra...