Two days ago:-

Aakarsh POV:-

"But, how did he escape, Chhote? Haven't you guys checked clearly, maybe he is hiding somewhere nearby?" I shouted at Vidyut on the call when he told me that Palash Roy had escaped and they couldn't find it anywhere.

"We did, Bhaiya, but there's no single trace of him on his recent data. Still, please don't worry. I'll chase him out to hell. He can't escape for long." He said, making me groan loudly. 

Frustration was flowing through my veins and I couldn't do anything to ease this. It was the same evening when Vidyut called me saying they did a raid on his location that my PI provided, but he said that Palash had run away before he and his team could catch him.

"I need you to find out about him before all the functions start. I can't get married peacefully until they are punished hard." I said sternly, making him believe how serious I am regarding the matter. I disconnected the call without listening to his answer as I was in no mood to get assurances and all. I just want results now and not the words of assurance. 

*He escaped… we need to change the plan.* — I texted Neev. 

*What for now?* — he asked back.

*I am going to focus on the wedding functions because if I don't,  Diksha will understand that there is something going on that's why I am not focusing and then she will get involved in all this which I clearly don't want. And by the way, till the functions start, Vidyut will get me his details and we can act accordingly then. As I said already, I won't get married before settling the matter.* — I replied, with a clear picture of my plan in my mind.

*Alright, I'll see you directly there. Bye!* — came his reply.

*Bye* — I replied and kept my phone on the table and leaned back in my chair.

I had just closed my eyes when my phone pinged with a message notification. I opened my eyes and saw what I was somewhere expecting. An unknown message with a puzzle was received on my phone. 

**Last time it was just you, 

Don't forget now you are two;

You are letting me get chased, 

No one knew 'you-who' will be erased!** 

I knew it!

I so damn knew it!

He wants it like this, be it this. Time to end things!

*You are most welcome!* I replied and smirked.

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Present:-

Writer's POV:- 

7:30 pm, Nikunj (Diksha's home), Patna:-

"Bahu to chand se bhi khubsurat dhundhi hai, Krishna. (You have found a daughter-in-law who is more beautiful than the moon, Krishna.)" Praised Gayatri sinha, Krishna's mother, as Diksha straightened herself after touching the feet of every elder. Gayatri patted her cheeks lovingly, making her smile shyly.

She blushed hearing her compliments and looked at Aakarsh with the corner of her eyes only to find him staring at her intently. 

He had a proud feeling on his face after hearing his grandmother complimenting his to-be-wife. 

He was content with whatever turns his life has taken and was even more excited to know and live the next chapter of his life with Diksha as his wife.

"Bilkul sahi kaha aapne, Maa, meri bahu chand se bhi khubsurat hai. (You are absolutely right, Maa, my daughter-in-law is more beautiful than the moon)." Krishna agreed with her mother's statement, raising Diksha's face by her chin. She was completely red by all the compliments and didn't know what to say.

"Anu…" Ramya Shrivastav, Annapurna's mother, called her. 

She has been lovingly staring at Aakarsh since the time he has come. His behaviour, his way of talking, the way he shows respect to elders… all this allured Ramya too much. She was so happy that her only granddaughter was getting married to such an amazing man.

"Ji, Maa (yes, Maa)?" Annapurna replied, turning to her. 

Everyone looked at her as she was the only one who was standing silently till now. Ramya walked to Aakarsh and caressed his head and face. Aakarsh bent his neck slightly to make it easy for Ramya to caress his head. 

"Tumne sahi kaha tha, humare damad bilkul Ramchandra ji jaise hai… (You were right, our son-in-law is exactly like Lord Ramchandra Ji). I can't express how happy I am to meet you, beta." She said to Annapurna and then to Aakarsh who smiled at her, not knowing what else to do. 

"I am also happy to meet you, Nani Maa (grandma)!" Aakarsh said in a soft voice. And his words made Diksha smile secretly.

It was the first time when someone's compliment made him red. He tried to hide his red face with a smile, but it still appeared somehow.

Yes, the great Hulk blushed! And he blushed hard! *Winking*

And, it must not be disclosed to Aakarsh, but Diksha saw her to-be-husband blushing like a shy kid.

"Exactly, Maa… that's why I told you." Annapurna smiled proudly. 

It was the day when Aakarsh, Krishna, Mrinal along with Aakarsh's maternal grandparents finally reached Diksha's house in Patna for their wedding. Diksha's parents and grandparents (maternal) were there to welcome them wholeheartedly. Neev and his family were coming tomorrow as he had some work. All the invited relatives of both sides were about to come from tomorrow as all the functions are starting tomorrow. Vidyut had some urgent work which he couldn't afford to skip, so he was also reaching tomorrow evening.

"Let us meet the kids too… you ladies have been surrounding them since then." Came Abhishek Shrivastav's voice. He was the father of Annapurna and maternal grandfather of Diksha. 

"Exactly… we are also in line." Rajveer Sinha supported Abhishek's statement. He was Krishna's father and Aakarsh's maternal grandfather.

Now, here is a common thing in our couple and that is they both don't have their paternal grandparents. 

The ladies shook their heads at their words and they stood aside. All the men, including Mayank and Mrinal, talked with both of them for almost twenty minutes. As Krishna and Annapurna are childhood best friends, their family know each other very well because they were neighbors before Krishna's father got a transfer and he shifted to Delhi permanently, two years after Krishna's marriage. 

However, the distance lessened the contact, they stayed in touch and hence are very comfortable with each other till now. But, unfortunately, they never get a chance to meet the kids of the second generation i.e. neither Aakarsh's grandparents met Diksha nor Diksha's grandparents met Aakarsh. All these years they just heard and knew about them. And, since it's their first time meeting the couple, that too as the supposed bride and groom of each other, the grandparents are so happy and excited.

"It's their (Aakarsh and Diksha) 'Haldi' tomorrow, we have to do so many preparations, and we still have to discuss many things. Why don't you guys rest for a while before we gather again to discuss the rituals they need to do tomorrow?" Said Mayank. 

It was 8:22 pm, almost an hour later, Mayank asked the Vermas and the grandparents from both sides to take a rest till dinner was served. 

When both the grandparents retired to their room and Mayank took Mrinal with him to show him something, Krishna and Annapurna walked to Diksha and Aakarsh and said what they were dying to hear.

"Diksha, go and show Aakarsh his room." 

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Writer's POV:-

"God, I missed you so much…" Aakarsh pulled Diksha, making her collide with his hard body, hugging her tightly as soon as they reached the room. He shut the door with his leg, tightening his grip on her. 

"I missed you too." Diksha circled her hands around his back and kept her head on his chest. They stood like that for a few minutes before breaking the hug; they didn't remove their hands from around each other though. 

"How are you?" She asked, when he kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes to feel that special gesture. 

"Happy as you are here in my arms now." He replied, pulling her closer from her waist and got a kiss on his cheek in response.

Standing in the circle of each other's arms, Aakarsh silently stared at her face when they were standing face-to-face. There were so many things to say but nothing came out of their mouths as the prevailing silence was much more peaceful and lovely at that moment than the noise of any word.

He caressed her face, touched her cheeks, and looked at her intently. Scanning her whole face. 

"What are you looking at?" Diksha asked, getting confused with his silent expressions. 

Aakarsh fluttered his eyes from her lips to her eyes and then back to her lips. 

"This…" with just this word, Aakarsh kept his lips on hers and initiated a kiss of passion. A kiss that said how much he missed her. A kiss that conveyed the bad state of his poor heart without her. 

Losing herself in the kiss started by Aakarsh, Diksha closed her eyes and responded with equal passion. She, too, missed him too much, and that was being experienced by Aakarsh by the way she was kissing him back. With closed eyes, they felt their heartbeats picking up the same pace. 

His hands roamed on her whole back and she pulled him more through his nape. He groaned in her mouth when she pulled his hair. They were getting intense with the kiss when the door flung open.

"Krish, I was telli... O, God… O, God… I'm so sorry…" 

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