''Annaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!'' Sona sang along as soon as she stepped out of the vehicle. Dev hugged his over excited sister as he watched his aunt, his jaw touching the floor.

''All love for your sister and nothing for me.'' Dipika asked with a raised brow. Dev stepped forward and bend down to touch her feet. She smiled moving her fingers through his hair, feeling love for her nephew.  Dev shut his eyes feeling emotional, he had longed for her blessings, but whenever they met, he carried the guilt of parent's deeds.

''You surprised me.'' He couldn't think of better words.

She stepped closer, watched him for a minute and then pulled his cheek hard. ''You are still a kid, and behave the same way.'' He smiled. ''My nephew is quite handsome.'' and he blushed making her laugh.

''If you keep blushing all your life, Aahana Rathore will swallow you alive. You need to be little tough to deal with her.''

''She likes me this way...'' he stopped realising what he just spoke making her laugh more.'' Her eyes met that for her mother staring down at her from the foyer. Dipika stared back, that was her way to convey that she hasn't forgiven anyone till now.

***

''What are these?'' Advay asked staring down at the envelope handed to him by Veer.

''To me they look like tickets.''

''Yes, but why two?''

''So you wish to go alone?'' That came from Ananya

''Will you guys stop interrogating me. Why do you want me gone? Am I being a burden?'' 

His words made all roll there eyes. ''If you took anything from Raksha, its her drama.'' Shivangi answered. ''About this, we want you to think about everything that happened and without being influenced by your family.''

Advay smiled hugging his grandmother. ''But why two?''

''In case you want to take a friend along.'' Ananya replied with a smile. Advay thought about a companion, and a pair of dark eyes flashed in his memories. He shook his head to get rid of the thoughts. He scoffed when a hard pat landed on his back. ''I will join you bro.'' Vansh butted in.

''No you will not. You have college.'' Ananya refused bluntly

''Mom, its my final year and I am prepared. I will get permission and take my assignments along, but I need this.'' He pleaded

''Please mami! I need company.'' Advay requested and after a moment Ananya gave in. Vansh took a breather. He had decided to put some distance  him and Chitra. Her indifference was killing him. He had decided  to treat her the way she was treating him. If she didn't wanted anything to do with him, he would do the same.

''Fine, you both leave in a day.'' She concluded walking away, her eyes giving Vansh a worried glance.

***

''Do you think we are going hard on Vansh and Chitra?'' She asked Ranvijay once they were alone.

''She is 19 , still studying and he is about to complete his final year. What do you expect me to do. Get them married knowing that none of them are focused on their future.'' She stayed quite. ''Ananya, we might come as strict as of now but they will thank us later. Love isn't just about being passionate and involved. Its about thinking the best for one and other.''

''Oh Really! Did you forget marrying me forcibly.'' She asked narrowing her eyes.

''Because you refused to answer my feelings. Above all, we both had more brains than all the three.''

''I am scared.'' She confessed

''Don't be. I won't let them take a wrong decision.'' Ranvijay made a promise.

***

Dipika stood by the window of her suite watching the clear night sky. She had chosen the her late grandmother's suite in order to stay close to her memories. The silver rays of Moon combined with silence made everything beautiful, but she knew the ugly intentions that lurked in dark.

''All preparations are done Hukum.'' Vishambhar informed. Dipika smiled , she had chosen the ones who once sided with her father. She nodded asking him to wait for her. She made her way to Dev's room and found him in Sona's. He sat next to her caressing the head of his sleeping baby sister. 

''Never knew she had you as mom.'' Dipika whispered. He smiled, leaned and pecked Sona's forehead. ''Sona and Sagar kept me human.'' He followed her out pulling covers over Sona's sleeping form

''Are we going somewhere?''

''Yes, its time for you to learn few lessons.'' He followed her out the waiting vehicle. Dipika once looked up, her eyes clashing with that of Neelamari. The older lady smiled, giving her a thumbs up.

After about half an hour, they sat in pitch dark. The only sound around them was that of crickets and few insects.  The silence of the night got disturbed with footsteps. The sounds went on and on and then the space of brightened with the vehicle  lights of the vehicle that surrounded the land, revealing the half a dozen culprits

Dipika picked her gun and aimed at the feet of the culprits. She didn't wait for them to plead of justify, she just went about shooting their legs.

''Bring them to Palace. They love being in dark, I will make sure they never see the light.'' 

Dev watched everything in shock. ''What was the need of this violence?'' Dev asked following Dipika in. Instead of responding she took two stairs at once moving towards the family suites. Dipika pushed the door hard and kept the gun on her mother's forehead. ''Ask her Dev. Since I refused to sell that land, this woman decided to take a different route. You hired men to mix salt in the soil. How could you forget that I am still alive.''

''No, grandma won't do this.'' Dev shook his head in denial. He knew his family did wrong with Dipika, but his heart still hoped that they weren't that selfish.

''Speak or this time I will lose my control.'' Dipika was fuming .

''I am sorry. I wanted that money.'' Vasudha shivered. Dipika stepped back, grabbing Dev's wrist pulling him next to her. ''You were indifferent to me because your son mattered. Then how can you wrong your own grandson. Have you ever loved any one of us.'' She questioned as Dev watched shocked and hurt. 

Dipika took Dev's hand dragging him away with her. He followed her without uttering a single word. She locked the door behind her, gently pushing him on to the bed. ''Dev, all good.'' Neelambari voice held lot of worry. She looked at Dipika who still looked agitated.

''Look at me Dev.''

He did, his eyes glassy. ''I am sorry Bua (aunt). I know now how hurt you must have felt all those years back. I never thought she could do this even to me. She knew how hard I have been working'

Dipika stared at the young man who looked like a small boy, hurt pained and  tired. Dipika cupped his face. ''Why are you sorry son? It was never your fault. You didn't do anything wrong and you cannot do anything wrong. Dev, I trust you and I know you are innocent.''

''I don't want to be here and I don't want any of it. Patti, take me back home.'' He pleaded. Neelambari hugged him, trying to calm his nerves. Dipika wanted to explain but Neelambari stopped her. Dev was deeply hurt and needed someone who would just listen to him. Dipika watched as Neelambari spoke soft words calming the young man. She nodded leaving him alone with Neelambari, her mind made up to turn Dev tough. 

***

Chitra buried herself completely  into her studies, yet her traitor mind kept going back to Vansh. His eyes had been accusing the last time they had encountered. Since the day,he had avoided her. She wiped the wetness at the corner of her eyes, it pained to stay away but she had promised Ranvijay her help and wasn't going to back out from that.

Chitra wasn't aware that the little trip Vansh was going to take was going to shake their lives forever.

***

 ''Take care of her for us.'' Nandini Chauhan made a request to Leela. She wasn't comfortable about Urvi going on a cruise without her family but had given up when she turned adamant. 

Urvi excitedly packed her stuff and that made her mother smile. Nandini patted Leela's cheek before walking out. ''That's quite an act.''

''What do you expect me to do?'' Urvi retorted throwing her dress in the bag.

''Why hide?''

''Leela, my pain will hurt them more than it hurts me. I just want to be some place where I can just throw him out of my head.''

Leela smirked. '' We will revisit this question at the end of the trip.''

''You are not going to give up on this, do you.''

''No, till you are ready to confess the truth about your heart.'' Leela replied with a smile.  Urvi turned quite. She would never let anyone know that her heart belonged to Advay and would remain his all her life.

Urvi huffed. ''I hope you find your Prince charming on his trip.'' Leela just rolled her eyes. Urvi promised herself , that after this trip she would lock Advay in her heart and never let anyone know about it. Little did she know that coming two weeks will prove to be most difficult yet exciting one for her.

***

Ananya walked into the garden to have some alone time. The breeze was pleasant and clouds filtered off the harshness of Sun. She took in a deep breath feeling the clean air. ''Perfect day.''

Ananya's feet halted  when her eyes fell on the figure seated on the bench. She frowned, Vikram wasn't the one to be defeated one. She took long steps to him and placed a comforting hand on his head. ''Hey Vicky.''

Vikram took a minute before masking his lines with a smile on his lips to greet his aunt. ''Hey A.''

Ananya pressed her lips, sat next to him. ''You really think you can hide your heart from me little Vicky.''

He smile. ''Do you thing I am a bad person.''

''Bad..in what sense. Please be more specific.''

''Am I a bad son, husband...''

''You forgot to mention bad brother, and grandson.'' Ananya joked. She watched him for  moment and she was back again to time when she saw him for the first time, called him Vicky and his cute responses to her words, ans his act to shoot Sona for  Ranvijay. She cupped his face. ''You are an amazing guy Vicky. Now, coming to your hidden question . Love and marriage are two different things. Romance, stolen glances, hot messages and gestures seems romantic but marriage just can't run on these. Vicky, you need to understand her a little more.''

''I try A. I am willing to give my 200% in this relationship but is she doing the same.''

''She is. Sona is getting herself involved with all of us. Vicky, she had lived a scared life under Netra, and now when she has a big family, she wants to be a part of it. You need to understand her need.''

''Then what was the need to go to Suryagarh.''

Ananya shook her head. ''Ranvijay married me against my will but after that day he never forced a single thing on me, not even his love. There was no need for me to complete my studies. Yet, he supported me. He allowed me to o everything I wanted to and now I thank my stars that he forced the relationship on me.''

''I don't understand.''

''My little Vicky, take one step at a time. You need to give first before expecting any return. And I want you to take the first step, make the first sacrifice and be the first one to apologize.'' Vikram sat thoughtful. Ananya move her fingers through his thick hair. ''Let me tell you a secret. Ranvijay had been apologising to me since we got married. I am never a fault and you can see how happy we are.'' Vikram blinked an then laughed . His mother was right, Ananya had the quality to change things around her.

''I promise, I will be the first one to mend the things.''

''That's like my boy. Now, tell me what did you two do on your wedding night.'' Vikram gaped at her in shock turning pale. She pulled his cheek harder laughing at his tortured state.

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