It has been a week and her expectations were shattering. She called Deep and it was Arohi who picked up her phone "bhabhi bhai ko call mat karo aapko ghar aana hai toh pehle jisliye bhejha hai wo karo" she said straightly and ends the call.

Manvi sighed in disappointment. She had enough of this, she decides to speak to her parents now. She steps out of the room and comes to the hall. She sees her mother working on the monthly budgets and bills.

"lao main karti hun" she said

"nahi.. badi muskil se maine phirse karna shuru kiya hai bahut buri aadat lagake gayi thi tum.." Ruhana replied as before marriage she used to handle this.

Manvi smiles lightly, she eyed her "mumma.. wo"

Ruhana gave her a look "kya baat hai?"

"ek zaroori baat kehni thi" Manvi said

"Haan bolo" Ruhana closed the book and eyed her.

"darasal main wo.." she paused when she heard a loud sound from outside. Ruhana got up and rushed out to see what happened. Manvi followed her, they reached the house which was three doors away from theirs.

The neighbours had gathered and two families were arguing with each other.

"dekh Shranavi teri wajah se bahut jilat jhel chuke hai hum.. aana jaana muskil ho gaya hai hamara laut jaa apne sasural wapas" the mother said

"kyun apni zid mei humhe maarna chahti hai tu??" she further added. Shranavi was just left stunned her own parents are disowning her.

"pehle hi samjhaya tha zyda din beti ko mayke mein mat rakh" the secretary said. Manvi was just left in a dilemma seeing all this. She felt bad for the parents who were getting humiliated by everyone.

Manvi went back to her home and the moment she left Ruhana shouted "bas kijiye aap log! ek baar shranavi se puchiye wo wapas jaana chahti hai ki nahi?"

"jaana toh ise padega hi.. sasural iska pati iska ise khud sambhalna hoga" the father said.

"lekin aapki bhi zimmedari hai kuch" Ruhana confronted him.

"humne hamari zimmedari puri kardi beti ki shaadi karke.. ab humhe shanti chahiye" the mother said.

Ruhana sighed in disappointment. Shranavi helplessly left home while everyone else moved to back to their houses.

Ruhana walked towards home and thought "bechari Shranavi kitni umeed leke ghar aayi thi.."

She reached the entrance and found Vineet standing there. he had just returned from the office, he asked "kya hua?"

"kuch na kuch toh hota hi rehta hai.." she replied and both of them moved inside.

Manvi was shaken by the incident that happened as everyone was blaming Shranavi and her parents. She can't stay longer at her parents' house. The neighbors will now begin to gossip and question them which she doesn't want to happen. She decides to return to her in-laws' home without the money demanded by them.

"are mannu tum kuch kah rahi thi na?" Ruhana asked

Manvi nodded "haa.. wo ab wapas jaane ke soch rahi thi main mumma.."

"kyun itni jaldi?" Vineet asked

"Deep miss kar rahe hai" she made up the excuse.

Ruhana laughed "puch kaun raha hai jo khud mujhe phone kar karke do din mein wapas bula lete they damand ne toh phir bhi ek hafta rehne diya" she said eyeing him.

Vineet glared at her "haa.. haa thik hai.."

The next day, Vineet gets some sweets and Ruhana had some other gifts. She hands them to Manvi, she said "mumma ye sab ki zaroorat nahi hai"

"Sab kaam hi hai mannu.. Aur haan isme na tere liye samaan hai jo humne vaishno devi se liya tha" Ruhana said.

"Ruu lekin hum necklace ka isse puchne waale they na?" he asked.

"Nahi.. dono mannu ke hai.." Ruhana said and Vineet smiles hearing her.

Manvi hugs her parents tightly, Vineet asked "akeli jayegi? Deep?"

"Wo station pe milega mujhe.." Manvi lies.

Vineet sits on the bike and Manvi sits behind him. Chintu comes out of the house and gives her a small gift "khayal rakhna di.. Bye"

Manvi smiles at him, Vineet dozes off towards the local train station. "Ghar pahucke message kar dena main office mein rahunga toh phone nahi utha paunga" he said.

"Ji papa.." she agreed.

Within 10 minutes, they reached the station. Manvi hops off his bike, she looks at him. He asked one last time "sab thik hai na beta? Koi pareshani nahi hai tujhe sasural mein?"

Manvi wanted to tell him about the demand but remembered how he had struggled to arrange it at the last moment during the wedding. She smiles and said "haan papa.. Koi pareshani nahi mujhe.. Aapki mannu khush hai"

She said crossing her finger behind her. Vineet was satisfied hearing her words as he doesn't have any other option than trusting his daughter's words. Manvi gets inside the station and Vineet heads to his office.

Manvi takes the ticket to the station and boards the local. There wasn't a space for her to sit, and a man saw her carrying bags. He vacant the seat for her, and she smiled at him "bahut bahut sukhriya"

"Koi baat nahi hai" he said.

Manvi sits down and looks outside the window. The train leaves the station, she didn't know how her in-laws will react after knowing she came empty-handed. She recalls Ruhana's words and hopes Deep will still support her.

After 6 stations the train halts and she gets off it. She walks out of the station and walks towards the house which was just 10 minutes away.

She reaches the house, her heartbeat rising every second and every step she took toward the entrance of the house. She takes a deep breath to calm down her anxiety and rings the doorbell.

After a minute, Arohi opens the door and smiles seeing her. She noticed the bags in her hand and assumed she had brought the money. Arohi said "aayie bhabhi"

Manvi gets inside the house and Arohi closes the door. Yamini comes out of the room and smiled "Aa gayi wapas... kaise hai maa baap tumhare?" she asked

"Ji thik hai" Manvi replies.

She looks around, Yamini said "Deep office gaya hai..."

Manvi goes towards the room but Arohi stops her by holding the bags in her hand "bhabhi... ye toh laayi hai wo toh dijiye"

Manvi keeps the bags on the table, Arohi and Yamini excitedly open the bags. There were sweets, a saree for Yamini, Kurta pajama set for Ankush, a shirt pant set for Deep and salwar suit for Arohi.

Arohi stared at her and fumed in anger "ye sab?? Paise kahan hai?" she asked.

"Mere papa aap logo ko dahej de chuke hai! Isse zyada wo nahi de payenge aur na main unhe dene dungi... ye sab bhi maine unka maan rakhne ke liye le liya warna ye bhi nahi laati main" Manvi said straightforwardly and goes to her room.

Arohi eyed her mother "maa.. Dekh rahi ho inke tevar..."

"Dekh rahi hun.. Iski himmat bhi kaise hui khali haath wapas aane ki!" Yamini fumes in anger and decides to teach her a lesson.

Manvi takes out the accessories her parents had bought for her. She sees the silver anklet which she loves the most. She wears it on her feet and twirls around. "Kitni sundar hai ye payal"

Yamini shoutes "bahu..."

Manvi moves out of the room and sees Yamini sitting on the couch. She said "ji..."

"Chai banado ek cup aur phir khane ki tayari bhi kar lo" Yamini said.

Manvi nods and goes to the kitchen. Her anklets were making sounds, Arohi sits beside Yamini and said "Dekh rahi ho maa.. Apni beti ko chandi ki payal bheji hai aur hamare liye ye saste se kapde"

"Haa... dekh rahi hun ache se" Yamini said staring at Manvi.

Manvi prepares the tea and takes it to Yamini. She hands it to her and Yamini purposely drops the cup. Manvi screams as the hot tea splits on her hand "aah..."

She runs to the kitchen and turns on the tap. She places her hand under it, and Arohi comes and turns off the water. Manvi looks at her shockingly "Aap.."

"Pani muft ka nahi aata hai jo aap aise waste kar rahi ho" Arohi said.

"Lekin mera haath" Manvi spoke.

Yamini comes and places the tube on the kitchen slab "ye lagalo thik ho jayega" she showed fake concern.

"Aur haan.. Aaj mera mann malai kofte khane ka hai wo zaroor banana khane mein" Arohi spoke and went to her room.

Tears slips down Manvi's eyes, she applied ointment on her burned hand herself and then began to cook food.

She remembers an incident...

Manvi was studying and Ruhana went to the kitchen to prepare coffee for herself. Manvi followed her and ends up hitting Ruhana. The coffee slips and it lands on her hand. Manvi screams "Aah.."

Ruhana immediately places the cup and puts her hand under the cold water. She said "mannu.. Sorry..."

"It's okay mumma meri galti hai main hi aapke peeche daudke aayi" she replied.

After a minute, Ruhana applies the ointment on her hand "isse jaldi thik ho jayega"

"Lekin ab main padhai kaise karungi?" she asked making a face.

"Ek din padhai karogi nahi toh kuch ho nahi jayega.. Chalo rest karo" Ruhana said caringly.

Manvi smiles and sits on the couch. Her hand was still burning, Vineet returns home and sees her crying. He sits down beside her and asked "kya hua??"

"Mannu ka haath jal gaya" she said innocently.

He sees it and applies the ointment again on the burn "thik ho jayega... mannu brave girl hai na.. Rote nahi hai"

He wipes her tears and she places her head on his chest. He turns on the television to divert her mind from the burn. Manvi enjoys watching the film while Ruhana feeds food with her hands.

A smile appears on her face and sighed "tune kya socha mannu? Mumma papa jaisa pyaar aur aaram milega yahan? Sasural hai ye... bahu bahu hoti hai"

She began to work ignoring the pain in her hand.

Later in the evening, Deep returns home from the office while Ankush returns from his friend's home.

Deep saw Manvi in the kitchen and a smile appears on his face. He was pleased to find her back, he went to her and said "Manvi.."

She looks at him and gets angry because he had ignored her phone calls. Didn't even try to explain to his parents about her parents' situation. She turns off the stove and goes towards the room silently showing her anger.

Yamini tries to manipulate him against her "Dekh raha hai apni biwi ke nakhre! Khali haath lauti hai... khudke liye chandi ki payal laayi hai aur hamare liye ye mamuli se kapde..." she showed the gifts which were still present at the table.

Manvi comes out hearing her words and said "ye mamuli nahi hai.. Mere maa baap ka pyaar hai! Aur inn chandi ki payal se jo zyada hi mol hoga inka..."

"Mujhe ulta jawab deti hai" Yamini shouts and raises her hand at her. Manvi closes her eyes out of fear.

After a second she opens them and sees Deep holding his mother's hand "kya kar rahi ho maa.. Bahu pe haath utha rahi ho" he said.

A smile appears on her face, Deep spoke "sahi toh kah rahi hai manvi... aapko nahi pasand hai toh wapas kar dijiye..."

Yamini stared at him and gets teary eyes "Tune mera haath pakda.. Biwi maa se badhkar ho gayi hai tere liye?" she asked.

"Nahi maa.. Lekin aap jo kar rahi ho galat hai! 20 lakh diye hai papa ne aur jaane kitna kuch diya hai! Aur kyun chahiye aapko?? Please aur tang mat kijiye Manvi ko" Deep reuqests his mother and goes into the room.

Arohi said "maa.. Bhai toh bhabhi ki zuban bol rahe hai.."

Manvi moves into the room and a smile appears on her face. He had taken a stand for her like her father took a stand for her mother during her birth. She thought "maa baap sahi decision hi lete hai.. Jabtak Deep ka saath hai main khush hun"

She runs and hugs him from behind. He places his hand on her and apologizes on behalf of his parents and sister.

"I am sorry.. meri maa aur behen kabhi kabhi bahut zyada keh deti hai! kaam ki wajah se main nahi aa paaya aur maa ki kasam.." he made a sad face.

"koi baat nahi aapne abhi bahar jo kaha utna kaafi hai mere liye" she said with a smile on her face.

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