Preeta turns back. She gets into her car and leaves.

Luthra House.

Preeta comes home and sees Shrishti, who is trying to bake a cake with Kritika. She smiles. She goes inside the kitchen.

Preeta: Kya kar rahe ho tum dono??

Shrishti (excited): Di, mein cake bana rahi hu!!!

Kritika (excited): Aur mein bhi!!!

Preeta (smiles): Mein kuch madat kar du??

Shrishti and Kritika nod, smiling. They start baking the cake. Shrishti takes some batter in her finger and applies it on Preeta's nose, who makes a cute pout. Kritika and Shrishti laugh. Preeta smiles and removes the batter. She then takes some batter in her fingers and applies it on both Shrishti and Kritika's nose. This time they make a pout and Preeta laughs. Sameer, Rakhi and Mahesh see them and smile.

Rakhi: Kitne dino baad meri bachchi khush lag rahi hai...

Mahesh: Sahi kaha Rakhi ji...sach me...teeno kitni khush hai...

Sameer: Ek baar unke gunegaar ko sazaa mil jaaye...toh woh roz aise hi khush rahengi...

Preeta brings the cake and all of them cut it together.

Preeta: Jeet ki taraf humare pehle kadam ke liye...I love you all...

Khanna villa.

Karan is on the terrace, drinking.

Karan: I hate her!!

Akshat is in his room, making a sketch of Kritika and looks at it lovingly.

Akshat: I love her...

Just then RK enters his room and Akshat pretends to sleep. RK kisses his forehead and smiles. He then sees the rope marks on one of Akshat's legs and gets shocked. He leaves from there.

RK: Ittefaq!! Koi murkh hi yakeen karega ki zindagi mein ittefaq hote hai. Aur mein kuch bhi hu, par ek murkh nahi!! Akshat ka dubna...the mark on his leg...Karan ka ghaav...yeh sab ek ittefaq nahi ho sakta!! Mujhe lagta hai koi mere bachcho ko target kar raha hai...aur woh jo koi bhi hai, zyaada time tak aisa nahi kar payega!!

Preeta's voiceover: Ittefaq ka dusra naam hai kismat...aur koi uske khilaaf ladh nahi sakta!! Zindagi se leke maut tak kismat hi saath deti hai...par kismat se aaj tak koi bach nahi paya...khud kismat bhi nahi...

Next day, KL publications.

Rishabh enters the office early and sees Karan already in his cabin.

Rishabh: Tu bar ka raasta bhul gaya kya??

He says, looking at the bottles lying here and there in his cabin. Karan looks up at him.

Rishabh: Ya tu iss office ko bar banana chahta hai!!

Karan glares at Rishabh. Rishabh sees Karan looking at a credit card statement.

Rishabh: Credit card statement dekhte rehne se paise nahi milenge!!

Karan: Haan, par yeh toh pata chalega na ki paise spend kaha kiye!!

Rishabh (annoyed): Woh toh mein bina statement dekhe bhi bata sakta hu!!

He says, picking up a bottle from the floor. He then notices Karan's hand, which was bandaged.

Rishabh (frowns): Ab tere haath ko kya hua??

Karan gets lost in his thoughts.

Flashback.

Karan bangs his hand on the table. The glass breaks and his hand starts to bleed. Preeta turns back and moves towards him. She takes his hand. He feels a sensation and looks at her, lost. His trance is broken when he feels his hand burning. He shrieks in pain. He sees Preeta pouring alcohol on his wound. He glares at her, while she smirks.

Flashback ends.

Karan: Aag mein apna haath daal diya tha meine...toh thoda sa jal gaya...

Rishabh (confused): Kya??

Karan (coming back to his senses): Our company is signing Preeta!!

Rishabh (scoffs): Ya right!! Hum usse contact kaise karenge!!?? Har taraf se no entry hai!!

Karan (smirks): Aur The Karan Khanna ko no entry mein enter karna bohot achche se aata hai!! Usne kal raat ko drinks offer kiye the...par mein usse aaj subah ki coffee offer karunga...

He calls someone.

Luthra House.

Preeta is seen exercising. Her phone rings. She smiles, but then comes to her senses. She let's her phone ring and doesn't pick it up.

On the other hand.

Karan gets frustrated when Preeta doesn't pick up his call.

Rishabh (sarcastically): Lagta hai uska coffee peene ka mann nahi hai!! Tu usse convince nahi kar payega!!

He calls her again, but she still doesn't pick up. He then decides to text her. Preeta recieves his text and stops exercising.

Meanwhile.

Kritika sends a text to Akshat.

Akshat (excited): "Let's meet" Yessss!!!

He texts her back, asking her the address and time.

Akshat: Finallyyy!!!

Meanwhile.

Karan sees that Preeta has seen his message.

Rishabh: Are you sure yeh Preeta ka number hai??

Karan: Mein pagal hu kya!!!

Rishabh (murmurs): Haan...

Karan glares at him.

Karan: Wait!! Yeh dekh...Preeta ne kal mere drinks ka bill pay kiya tha!! Mujhe wahi se uska credit card statement mila aur phir meine uska number trace kiya!!

Rishabh (shocked): Have you lost it!!

Karan: Not yet!! Lekin agar mein Preeta ko sign nahi kar paya toh I will lose it aur woh bhi RK se!!! Jo mein hone nahi dunga!!

He gets up to leave.

Rishabh (annoyed): Ab kaha jaa raha hai!!??

Karan (smirks): To win!!

Meanwhile.

Akshat too sees that Kritika had read his message, but has not replied.

In a restaurant.

Preeta is sitting on a table. A waiter comes to her.

Waiter: Ma'am what would you like to have??

Preeta: I would like to have a...

"Black coffee with no sugar and a slice of lemon cake!!"

Preeta looks up to find Karan there. He comes and sits opposite her, while the waiter leaves.

Karan: Waise mujhe ek baat samajh nahi aayi...jab coffee sugar free hai toh phir cake kyun??

Preeta: Tumne mere baare mein kaafi research ki hai...toh tum hi batao...

The waiter comes and serves her. She takes a bite of the cake.

Karan: Apni kadwahat ko mithaas se balance karne ki ek koshish!!

Preeta: Cake sugar free hai!! Aur tum mera time waste kar rahe ho!!

Karan: Tumhare paas ek hi mauka hai ek badi writer banne ka...

Preeta: Aur tumhare paas yeh aakhri mauka hai apni company ko bachaane ka!!

He looks at her, shocked. She smirks.

Preeta: Tum akele nahi ho jisse research karni aati hai!!

She turns to leave.

Karan: Koi tumhe nahi jaanta...

She turns back to him.

Karan: Kon hai Preeta?? Kaha se hai?? Kaha hai?? Kisi ko kuch nahi pata!! Kab tak chalega yeh sab!!

She moves towards him.

Preeta: Jab tak duniya ghum nahi jaati!! Aur aaj tak Preeta ko koi nahi samajh paya, kya hai Preeta!!??

Karan: Isliye I am asking for a chance. Tumhe samajhne ke liye...

She gets lost in his words.

Karan: Duniya ko bataane ke liye ki kon hai Preeta...kya hai woh??

She turns to leave.

Karan: Whats your price??

She gets angry hearing this. She closes her eyes in anger and opens them with a jerk.

Karan: Sabka ek price hai...Tumhara kya hai??

He signs a blank cheque and hands it to her. She takes it and writes the amount on it and gives it back to him. He sees the amount and gets confused.

Karan (confused): Teen din!!?? Kyun??

He moves closer to her.

Karan: Preeta Arora kya mein itna pasand aa gaya hu...

She glares at him. He chuckles seeing her cute angry face.

Preeta: Yeh dekhne ke liye ki jo mauka tumhe chahiye uske tum kaabil ho bhi ya nahi!! Will you be able to pay the price??

Karan remembers RK wanting to invest in his company.

Karan: Agar iss wakt tumne meri jaan bhi maangi hoti toh woh bhi de deta...

Preeta gets stunned hearing those words. He forwards his hand.

Karan: Deal??

Preeta smiles genuinely.

Preeta: Done deal...

She shakes his hand and feels something, but ignores it.

Karan (raising his eyebrow): Kya tum mera haath apne saath leke jaogi??

Preeta comes back to her senses and immediately leaves his hand. She immediately leaves, smiling, while Karan looks on. He too smiles, looking at his hand.

___________________________________________

End of this chapter. Please do leave your reviews and vote!!