Manvi is delighted to go out and visit the Max Plus Mall. It's the place where Vineet has called both Ruhana and Manvi. The former is still unsure but she wants to tell the truth to Vineet. He doesn't want him to be under the impression that Ruhana is nurturing someone else's child and he'd have to do the same. When he can be so sweet and caring towards her daughter, he has the right to know the truth. It might be hard for him to digest the news, but he must know it. Ruhana is lost in thoughts when Manvi nudges her. She slaps her own forehead.

"Mummaaa!" She shouts loudly and Ruhana applies the break suddenly.

"Aap kidhar ja rahi ho, mumma? Mall piche gaya." Manvi says.

Ruhana stops the car and realises that she has come a little far from the mall. Little Manvi gazes at her mom.

"Aap Mannu ko kuch nahi batati ho. Fir bhi sochti rehti ho. Mannu gussa hai." She encloses her arms and turns her face away.

"Sorry bacha! Mumma kuch soch rahi thi na isliye miss ho gaya. Lekin Mannu ne bacha liya na." Ruhana says softly.

"Aap hamesha aisa hi karti ho aur Mannu ko kuch nahi batati ho." Manvi glares at her mom.

"Acha sorry, abhi hum pani puri khayenge, okay?" Ruhana tries to comfort her daughter.

"Sachii?" Manvi's eyes lit up with joy.

"Yess! Lekin Mannu promise karegi ki wo aaj koi shaitani nahi karegi." Ruhana looks at her daughter as she stops the car.

"Yesh Mumma." The little girl agrees.

Ruhana parks the car in the parking lot, holds Manvi's hand, and the mother-daughter duo walks into the mall. Manvi spots a panipuri stall as they enter the mall. Also, there's a stall that sells sweetcorn. Manvi pulls Ruhana towards the panipuri stall. Her mom smiles at her antics and makes her feed with panipuri. She's small to eat by herself, so Ruhana feeds her. Little Manvi loves it when her mum feeds her with her hands.

The mother-daughter duo enjoy panipuri and then they stroll around. Meanwhile, Ruhana's phone rings and she attends the call. It's Vineet who's calling her. She picks up the call and he asks her to meet him at the restaurant on the first floor. She agrees and after disconnecting the call, Ruhana holds Manvi's hand, and they walk towards the lift and take it to the first floor.

As they walk out of the lift, Manvi spots Vineet at a distance. She leaves her mom's hand and runs towards her new friend. She holds Vineet's hand alerting him of their arrival. He lifts her in her arms.

"Good morning, uncle!" Manvi wishes him in her babyish tone.

"Good morning! Toh aap aa gayi? Aapne apni Mumma ko pareshan toh nahi kiya na?" He asks.

"Noo! Mannu Mumma ko pareshan nahi karti. Wo hamesha Mumma ki help karti hain." Manvi chuckles softly.

"Achaa! That's like a good girl. Acha, ab aap ek aur friend se miloge?" He asks her and Manvi nods her head positively.

""Yesh, Mannu ko new friends banana acha lagta hai." Manvi chuckles.

Vineet smiles and points in a specific direction. Manvi looks in that direction and finds a young girl, a year or two older than her. She's playing with another young lady. Vineet calls the girl and she comes running to him. It's Bulbul.

Vineet makes the two girls meet. Manvi and Bulbul shook hands and run to play towards the other direction. Ruhana is astonished to see how nicely Vineet managed with Manvi, but she's curious to know about the other girl.

******
Vineet and Ruhana greet each other. They sit at a table for two that he had already reserved. They're searching for some good words to initiate the talk. The latter smiles and initiates the talk.

"Vineet, mujhe aapko kuch batana hai." Ruhana says, coming straight to the point.

"Main bhi yahi clear karna chahta hoon Ruhana, maine aapko yahan bulaya, iske liye aap mujhe galat mat samajhiyega. Main bas ye chahta tha ki hum ek dusre ko jaan lein, saath hi main aapko ek sach batana chahta hoon." Vineet says politely.

"Main aapko galat kyun samjhungi, Vineet. Mujhe acha laga ki aap bhi meri tarah pehle ek dusre ko jaanne mein vishwas rakhte hain." She smiles.

"Ruhana, shadi koi khel toh nahi hain na. Yeh rishtey vishwas pe chalte hain. Sirf isliye ki hamari moms friends hain, hum shadi ke liye haan kardein, ye baat kuch sensible nahi hai." He says, gazing at her, trying to read her expressions.

"Bilkul thik kaha aapne. Jhooth ki buniyaad pe bane rishtey aksar toot jaate hain, Vineet. Aur main....main aapko ek sach batana chahti hoon." Ruhana says hesitantly.

Vineet looks at her confusingly and begins to speak but Bulbul comes by his side. She hides her face in his chest.

"Papa, save me! Mannu fir se mujhe dhundh legi." The girl says.

"Bulbul, beta, aap Bhua ke paas jao. Main aunty se baat kar raha hoon na." Vineet says pointing at Ruhana who's shocked at the moment.

"Papa? I mean...." She says but is not finding appropriate words to express her feelings.

So, he's a father to a daughter. What happened that left him and his daughter alone? Why didn't he bring her home yesterday? Is it some kind of secret? Ruhana watches as he pacifies the two girls and they begin to play with Kashish. Ruhana looks at them when his voice falls in her ears,

"Kashish meri behen hain, sagi toh nahi lekin usse bhi badhkar. Bulbul ko wahi sambhalti hai." He says.

"Bulbul aapki beti hain? Toh uski Maa...." She asks but pauses, unknown to his inner turmoil.

"Main tumhe yahi sach batana chahta tha, Ruhana. Mujhse shadi karne se pehle tumhe mere baare mein har baat pata honi chahiye. Main kya karta hoon, main kaisa dikhta hoon, ye toh tum jaanti ho, lekin mere mann mein kya hai, aur jo cheezein main kisi ko nahi batata, wo bhi tumhe jaanna chahiye." he says and she's awestruck to see him speak.

"Abhi toh hum ek dusre ko thik se jaante bhi nahi hai, Vineet. Aur aap...." Ruhana says but he cuts her in between and continues to speak.

"Vahi toh jaanna chahiye na hume, Ruhana. Tumhe pata hona chahiye ki mujhse shadi karke tumhe meri beti ko bhi apnana hoga. Usey bhi utna hi pyar karna padega jitna wo deserve karti hain." He says.

"Lekin aap kal usey leke kyun nahi aayi? Aur aunty ji ne bhi kuch nahi bataya." she asks.

Internally, Ruhana is elated to learn that it would be easy to tell him about Manvi as he holds the same thoughts about their wedding. He wants her to accept his daughter as her own and she wants the same.

She watches as Vineet takes a deep sigh after hearing her question. He holds her hands from over the table and says something that leaves Ruhana shocked.

To Be Continued.

What did Vineet tell her?

Stay tuned.