Hey folks.. Finally started with this story..

Also would like to introduce the new cover of this story. Which is made by my lil sis Nishu @ninishta15.

Isn't it awesome👌👌

Thank u so much Nishu. Love u sis 😘

Now here goes the update...

Hope you like it just the way you liked my other stories..

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Rani stop. Don't run or you will fall & hurt yourself. Stop Rani. The fourteen year boy was running behind his Rani, stopping her from running fast, scared she might fall & hurt herself.

No Raja. I won't stop & I won't fall either because you will not let me fall. You will hold me before I fall, I know Raja. Ten years old Rani shouted while running, laughing & turning back at intervals to see her Raja running behind her.

Raja was about to reach her but suddenly Rani picked up speed & she was running away, far far away from him. He too increased his speed to reach her.

He was scared of her falling down, getting hurt, going away from his eyesight & more over loosing her forever.

His heart was beating fast partially due to fear & partially due to running fast to reach her.

His fear was turning to be true when his vision started to blur. She was moving far & far from him. He kept on shouting, Rani, Rani. Wait please Rani. Don't go away from me. Rani please.

He tried his best to stop her. He increased his speed, shouted her name at the top of his voice but all went invain.

Ultimately she was completely out of his vision. He was frantically searching for her. Shouting her name. Asking her to not trouble him, scare him. Just come back to him.

But she neither listened to his pleads nor she came back & he collapsed on the ground crying hard for his Rani.

Rani. Rani. Rani. Calling her name he sat upright on his bed, breathing heavily & sweating profusely. He wiped his face vigorously with his hands & gulped the whole glass of water kept on the side table besides his bed.

After his breathing & heartbeats got even he held his head in his hands.

Again the same dream he thought. He slowly raised his pillow, took the glittering thing in his hand he had kept there.

It was shining & glittering brightly even in the early morning light.

He kept on looking at it for quite some time. Then he caressed it with his other hand.

I miss you so much Rani. He whispered & gulped hard trying to control his emotions.

He then looked at the time in his mobile. It was 6:00 a.m. Time for his morning jog. He got up throwing away his duvet, went towards his wardrobe, opened it & kept the glittering thing in his hand in the drawer carefully & closed it.

He then took his track suit & went in the bathroom to get ready for his jog.

As he entered in his house after finishing his jog & workout he saw all the ladies of his family gathered near the temple in the house for their daily morning pooja & arti.

He let out a loud sigh & marched up the stairs to his room to get ready for his office.

He is not an atheist. He does believe in God. How couldn't he? Afterall his mother has planted that belief in him. But he is not a hardcore devotee like the ladies of his family. He doesn't believe in daily prayers, pooja, arti etc. He believes that God helps those, those who help themselves. He believes in karma. Why to bother God daily with same stuffs? But he never tries to impose his thinking on his family. He values their feelings. The same way the family too knows his thoughts & understands him.

He was almost ready in his 3 piece grey Armani suit, was busy with the tie when there was a knock on his door. He very well knows who it is. His dii as usual with the arti & prashad.

Come in dii. Arnav shouted from inside the room.

His dii Anjali with a smiling face entered his room with the arti thal in her hand.

Looking at his dii's smiling face every morning gives him a serene feeling. It gives a good start to his day. But somewhere his heart pricks that this same real smile doesn't last on his dii's face all day long.

There are times she fakes smile to hide her pain from the world & her family. Specially her brother, her Chhote.

But nothing is hidden from her Chhote. He knows his dii is suppressing all her pain inside so that the family doesn't get sad, upset.

But the family also knows the reality. Still for her sake they keep on their charade.

Anjali came & stood infront of her Chhote & after circling her hand on the diya she touched the same hand on his head, closed her eyes chanted some mantra for a few seconds, giving him blessings of DM & then fed him some prashad from the thal.

Arnav lets her do all this as he knows this makes her happy & ultimately it makes him happy too.

Then after keeping the pooja thal on the dressing table she started folding the duvet on Arnav's bed, arranging his bed properly.

Arnav got busy with his tie but he knew through his dii's gesture that she will approach him with her regular topic.

Chhote!! How's everything going on in the office??

Arnav knew she was trying to build up the atmosphere to talk.

Dii you know everything as you too work in the same office. Nothing is hidden from you. So just out with whatever you want to talk. Pat came Arnav's reply.

Anjali bit her tongue getting caught. How can she fool THE ASR??

Anjali moved towards the pooja thal & then took out an envelope she had hidden beneath. She took out a photo from it & forwarded it to Arnav.

Chhote, how's this girl's photo?

There she goes thought Arnav smirking inwardly. He took the photo in his hand & was looking it closely.

Chhote she is mamaji's friend Mr.Tyagi's elder daughter. Her name is Priya. She is 23. She has done her MBA & helps her father in his business. But she is very homely & very beautiful too. Isn't she?? Anjali asked with a hope.

Yes dii she is indeed very beautiful. Arnav seconded his dii's opinion.

Anjali's face bloomed with a happy smile hearing him.

Really Chhote you liked her?? Anjali asked to reconfirm.

Of course dii. I like her. Infact she has a perfect face & body too. She will be perfect fit for our new lingerie collection. Infact I think she would be the best as the show stopper & I think you would agree with me as being the model co-ordinator of our company, you have more knowledge then me in this matter. What say dii??

Returning back the photo to Anjali he asked her tongue in cheek knowing very well the reason behind showing him this photo.

Annoyed Anjali almost snatched back the photo & kept it back in the envelope.

Chhote you very well know why I am showing you this photo. It's for your marriage alliance Chhote. Anjali said softly.

Dii you also know my answer very well for the same. Then why do you approach me with a new alliance & a new girls photo every other day?? Arnav replied in not so soft voice.

Arnav was angry & frustrated with the same circus everyday. He has strictly declared his refusal about marriage still his dii & nani keep on pestering him for the same. They very well know the reason too behind it then also they don't backout.

Seeing his dii's sad face Arnav felt guilty. But there's least he can do for her in this matter.

Dii you know the reason then why do you keep hoping of me changing my decision someday because that's never going to happen. So please stop hurting yourself & me too. He said with a tinge of guilt & anger in his voice.

Anjali cupped his face in her hands & tried to explain him again. Chhote, I know your reasons but just because you saw two marriages breaking down you can't berate the whole idea of marriage. It's not necessary that your marriage will face the same future.

Moving her hands from his face Arnav held her shoulders. Dii those two failed marriages are of my very own people. My very own family. I have seen my own parents marriage & your marriage crumpling down & meeting its dead end. That's enough for me to turn my face away from this so called institution called marriage. This time his voice was louder then before.

Anjali could see anger & helplessness in his eyes for witnessing their parents & her own marriage failure.

Chhote mumma papa's marriage.. but she couldn't complete as Arnav stopped her showing his palm. He hates to talk about his parents marriage.

Gulping the lump in her throat she held his forwarded palm & took him towards the bed & seated him, taking a seat herself besides him.

Chhote I know you feel helpless for not being able to save my marriage. But Chhote there's nothing you could do for that & neither its his fault.

Really dii. It isn't his fault. He asked sarcastically.

Just one report & he forgot all the promises of love, support, companionship, togetherness till eternity & sent you divorce papers. He said in pain filled voice.

Anjali's eyes were too filled with tears as she remembered the reason behind her impending divorce. But composing herself she tried to explain him.

Chhote, he is not wrong. He has all the rights to happiness & if I can't give him that then he has the right to decide for himself.

Now Arnav's anger reached heights & he stood up hastily.

What about your happiness dii?? If he is devoid of it then you are experiencing the same. Infact you are suffering the most. Tell me what is your fault if you can't conceive?? What is your fault if you can't give a heir to his family?? It's not like you yourself chose it. It's a medical defect any woman can experience or say it's your devimaiyya's wish as you always give her credit for everything. Then why are you getting punished?? Arnav was by now fuming in anger.

Tell me dii if he had that defect, he wouldn't have been capable to father a child then would the situation have been the same?? Would you too had left him, divorced him?? No you wouldn't have because I know how much this marriage & your relationship with him is important to you unlike him.

Chhote every person has his own responsibilities & priorities. Being the only son of the family its his duty to take their lineage forward & if I am unable to help him fulfill his duties then there's nothing wrong if he decides to move on leaving me behind. Anjali replied in a painfilled voice.

But Arnav couldn't bear it. He went to her & holding her elbow made her stand infront of him.

Stop it dii. Just stop being so selfless & forgiving. You have given him 5 precious years of your life filled with love & happiness, fulfilling all your duties of a perfect daughter in law & a doting wife. But what did you get in return?? He shouted on her face.

I got the same love & happiness in return all along from him & his family. But life is not only all that. Sometimes you need to make compromises & sacrifices for your loved ones & I am doing the same & believe me Chhote I am absolutely fine with it. If not from me then atleast from somebody else he can get his deserving happiness. She replied in a calm & composed tone but Arnav knew how much she was breaking from within while saying so.

He pulled her in his brotherly embrace, caressing her hair & dropping feathery kisses on her head replied I am sorry dii. I am so sorry. I couldn't do anything for you bounded with your promise of not doing any harm to him.

Pulling herself back she cupped his face & replied Chhote I am ok. I have my whole family with me & moreover I have my Chhote with me. So I am happy & contended with what all I have with me. You don't need to feel guilty for what you are not responsible for. There is nothing left which can save this marriage Chhote. So don't let your prejudice rule your possibilities of happy marital life.

Dii, not again. I am done with today's discussion on this rubbish topic. So lets just stop here. Rest we will continue when you will come back with another photo of another beautiful girl. He said with a lopsided grin & received a light punch on his shoulder by his dii followed by her tinkling laughter.

Once again Arnav was successful to divert the main topic of his marriage as always.

Ok Chhote for now I am dropping this topic but I am not leaving it. She said copying his lopsided grin.

Everybody is waiting for you at the breakfast table. Come fast after meeting mumma. Ok.

He nodded his head in affirmation & Anjali left his room taking her pooja thal.

Heaving a loud sigh of relief for one more escape Arnav tied the knot of his tie, opened his wardrobe took his hanky, wallet & then opened the drawer to take the most necessary thing without which he never leaves his house. He took that glittering thing in his hand stared it with a look of longing & then kept it in his vest pocket.

Closing the wardrobe, taking his mobile, car keys & his blazer he marched out of his room towards his mother's room to meet her before starting his day.

To be continued....

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So guys how was the first part??

Do let me know.

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Love.
Kavita - ❤️