He kneeled down in front of the little child. She moved back scared. She went and stood behind her mother and peeped to see him looking at her.

"Anika, I just want to apologize." Rudy said.

"Listen Rudy, there might be issues with you and Shivaay. And because of that I will never behave differently with you. That issue is just between you and Shivaay and I am out of it. But when it comes to my child, it isn't so. She was so happy seeing her Chachu for the first time. And what did you do? You spoiled my daughters birthday." Anika said.

Rudy looked down with guilt.

"See Rudy, this is a mall. Don't create a scene here." Anika warned him.

"Look Anika, I know what I did was wrong. I am really sorry about that. I was just angry and-"

"You were angry at Shivaay! Not at us! It's upto you about being angry at Shivaay. But you were not supposed to spoil her birthday party. Even Shivaay was angry. It was the first time I saw Shivaay talking angrily about you. Tej uncle was disappointed. The only person who defended you was Jhaanvi Ma. The one whome you hurted the most!" Anika said angrily.

Bhavya who was passing by saw Rudy standing and talking with Anika.

"Rudy! Here?" Bhavya wondered.

She saw Anika with Vaani.

"Isn't she Bhais receptionist? Why is she here with Rudy?" Bhavya wondered.

She walked towards them.

"Anika! I have my own justifications for that. I am here for apologizing to Vani." Rudy said.

"Rudy!" Bhavya called.

Anika and Rudy turned to Bhavya.

"Bhavya! You here?" Rudy asked.

"I was purchasing dress for Gauri. What are you doing here?" Bhavya asked.

"Vo.... mein-"

"We are leaving." Anika said taking Vani with her.

Anika left and Bhavya looked at Rudy.

"Kya hua?" Bhavya asked concerned.

"I did something wrong!" Rudy said with a guilty face.

...

"Om, pass me the ketchup." Shakthi said with a serious face.

Om looked confused at Shakthi and then at the ketchup bottle which was near Pinky.

"Mummy! Give the ketchup bottle to-"

"I asked you to pass me the bottle." Shakthi said.

"Ok" Om said and took the ketchup bottle and passed it to Shakthi.

"What happened to them?" Gauri whispered to Om.

"Patha nahi! They faught! I guess." Om said.

"How sweet!" Gauri said with dreamy eyes.

Om gave her a weird look.

"Are you serious? They faught and you find that sweet?" He asked.

"Arrey! Fight is an essential component in building a relationship. There will be fight only when there is love and loyalty. And simple fights make a healthy relationship." Gauri said.

"This is stupidity." Om said.

"Don't you and Bhavya fight?" Gauri asked.

Om nodded yes.

"Don't you and Riya fight?" She asked again.

He nodded yes again.

"Like that, Bhavya and Riya, you and Maa, You and Shakthi uncle, everyone has silly fights right? Me and Bhavya used to fight for the silliest things during our college days. But our friendship never broke. Where there is love, there is fights." Gauri whispered.

"Don't talk while eating." Riya said looking at them like a strict teacher.

"Sorry!" Gauri said pouting and started eating.

But Om was immersed in thoughts.

"She is right though! But I never faught with Ishaana after marriage. Isn't that good? We understood each other very much and that was why we never faught. Right? But when she was just my Ajnabi, it wasn't so. Everything was different. We used to fight and even that fight was beautiful. Then why didn't we have those silly fights after meeting each other in real?" Om thought.

"Dada, why aren't you eating?" Riya asked.

"Haa Om! Why aren't you eating?" Pinky asked.

"Kuch nahi Mummy! I... I am eating." Om said and started having food.

"We are leaving India next week." Pinky said after a long pause.

"Kya? You can't just leave now dadu dadi!" Riya said.

"Mummy! Whats the hurry? Stay with us for little more." Om said.

"Haa Maa, Shakthi uncle can't you both stay?" Gauri asked.

"What can I do beta? Your mother in law is more concerned about business than her own family." Shakthi said void of any emotions.

"Then who will take care of the business? You are not interested in that. And that's the reason I am working on it." Pinky said.

"Mummy! We never had a good childhood with our parents just because you valued business more than us. I thought you changed after my marriage with Ishaana. But now you are behaving the same." Om said.

Pinky looked down.

"She won't say anything Om. Even if she understands our point, she will still do the same." Shakthi said.

"Dadi! Please dont go." Riya said.

"Riya it's imp-"

"Maa, it's you who build this Oberoi industries. And i know you are worried if the business gets loss. But after achieving everything, you still may feel something missing. And that will be the moments you never spend with your family. The family moments you missed for the business trips and meetings. I know I am younger than you and I don't have the right to say this but still I felt saying this." Gauri said.

Om looked at Gauri admiring her. Gauri smiled at Om.

"Shakthi ji, let's cancel the tickets." Pinky said with a small smile.

"You aren't going? Yaay!!!!" Riya said happily.

Om looked at Gauri and mouthed a thank you to her. She smiled at him.

...

"Oh my god! You never said all these to me." Bhavya said shocked.

"I know you may find this weird. A step mother, step brother, a brocken family. I know it isn't right." Rudy said.

"There is nothing wrong with that. If something is wrong here, that's you. You family isn't broken Rudy. It's you who detached yourself from your family." Bhavya said.

"Bhavya it isn't like how you thi-"

"Listen Rudy, I understand your situation. You were immature then. You weren't ready to accept Jhaanvi aunty and her son. You lost your mother and your father married another lady. I know you might have felt that wrong at that time. But I don't understand why do you still feel the same? You yourself told me now that your step mom never treated you badly. She loved you like her own son. You step brother always tried to be a good brother for you without even caring about your attitude towards him. You understand all these things. The problem is your ego. Just take that away and everything will be fine." Bhavya said.

Rudy stood there thinking about what Bhavya told.

"I am going to have a coffee. Do you want?" Bhavya asked.

Rudy nodded no. Bhavya went to get a coffee for her.

"Bhavya is right. I don't have any problem with any of them. They all love me and it was me who was convincing myself that I don't love them. She never snatched my mothers position. He never snatched my position. It was me who was overthinking and I knew this from the very beginning. Then why didn't I go and apologize to them? Why does it make sense when Bhavya said all these? Why didn't it make any sense till Bhavya explained this?" Rudy thought.

He was taken back from his thoughts when someone called him. He turned to the other side to his past.

"Hi Rudy" She said with the most fake smiled she could put up.

"Soumya?!" Rudy asked shocked.

"Surprised?" Soumya asked.

"Shocked! After breakup also she isn't allowing me to live peacefully. God why her? That too now!" Rudy mumbled.

"You've changed a lot." Soumya said.

Rudy smiled.

"So, you are still treating patients?" Soumya asked.

"I am still a doctor but for now helping my father in handling family business." Rudy said.

"Oh nice!" Soumya said.

Bhavya was coming back to Rudy with her coffee. But the scene there made her blood boil.

"What is she doing here?" Bhavya thought angrily.

She quickly went to them. Rudy saw Bhavya approaching them. Seeing her expression Rudy knew it was a danger signal.

"Wow! What a wonderful situation." Rudy wondered. Note the sarcasm.

Bhavya went to Rudy and stood near Rudy.

"Ye kaun hai Rudy?" Bhavya asked like she didn't even knew Soumya existed.

Rudy looked at her confused. Bhavya actioned him to act along in a threatening look.

"Y...ye ye Soumya hai." Rudy said nervously.

Soumya also looked at Bhavya with a confused expression.

"Soumya? Who was that? Oh your ex!" Bhavya said dramatically.

"And you are?" Soumya asked.

"She is-"

"I am his fiancee" Bhavya said.

"You are getting married!?" Soumya asked surprised.

"Shouldn't he?" Bhavya asked.

"But I guess I saw you somewhere." Soumya said.

"Really? Such a small world." Rudy said nervously.

"Anyways congratulations both of you. I never knew he was getting married." Soumya said.

"Even I never knew." Rudy mumbled.

Bhavya held his hands tightly hearing this.

"I can't believe that you are Soumya." Bhavya said.

"Kyu? Didn't Rudy tell the correct description about me?" Soumya asked with a little attitude.

"Yaa he didn't. He told Soumya was beautiful." Bhavya said with a small smirk.

Rudys eyes widened hearing Bhavya. Soumya first stood there not understanding what Bhavya meant. After few seconds her expressions changed when she realised what Bhavya said.

"Oh! Sorry sorry. I never meant in that way." Bhavya said giving her a very innocent look.

"God! This girl!" Rudy thought.

"Actually Soumya! We are here for a date. So will you please excuse us?" Bhavya asked.

"Uh... Ya sure." Soumya said again putting a fake smile.

She walked from there.

"What was that Bhavya?" Rudy asked.

"I should be asking that question! What was that? Why did you talk to her?" Bhavya asked.

"She was my friend." Rudy said.

"She was your ex." Bhavya said.

"So what? Before becoming my gf, she was my friend. I was just talking to her." Rudy said.

"Are you blaming me? Your expression was like, god! Please save me and when I saved you why are you asking me such questions?" Bhavya asked.

"Bhavya, that wasn't the way to talk." Rudy said.

"You are my boyfriend and I don't like her talking to you." Bhavya said.

"Why are you talking like a toxic gf? Weren't you the one who was telling me about my family maturely. And where did your maturity go now?"Rudy asked.

"You find me toxic?" Bhavya asked hurt.

"I didn't mean it in that way." Rudy said.

"I am sorry." Bhavya said and started to walk.

"Bhavya, it's not like how you think. I never meant it in that way." Rudy said.

But without waiting for him to complete Bhavya went.

...

Om was sitting in his cabin checking some files.

"Ajeeb lag raha hai. It's not like I am coming to office for the first time but still it feels strange." Om wondered.

There was a knock at his door.

"Come in" He said.

Anika opened the door and went inside.

"Sir, my half day leave is over. So can I start my work?" Anika asked.

"Ya, wasn't it your daughters birthday yesterday?" Om asked.

Anik nodded.

"Tell my belated wishes to her." Om said.

"Sure sir. Tell my wishes to Gauri also." Anika said and Om nodded.

Suddenly the door was open. Rudy barges in.

"O!" Rudy shouted.

Anika was startled hearing him shout. Rudy saw Anika standing there. Rudy tried to smile at her.

"Good afternoon sir." Anika said.

Rudys face fell.

"Good afternoon." Rudy wished back.

Anika nodded and went out of Oms cabin.

"Kya hua?" Om asked.

"These girls are really weird." Rudy said.

"I agree." Om said thinking about Gauri. "Ek minute! Girls? Are you having another relationship? Are cheating on my sister?"

"Oh god! Both brother and sister are same. I should have talked to Gauri about this instead of you." Rudy said.

"O hello! You came here to talk to me about your problems and here you are praising her! That isn't fair." Om said.

"Fine! I am not praising her. I faught with your sister." Rudy said.

"Ithni si baath? Me and Riya fights with her daily. Don't worry" Om said.

"I don't feel good about it." Rudy said.

On seeing Rudy face Om understood he wasn't feeling right about this fight.

~~~

"Are you serious? They faught and you find that sweet?" He asked.

"Arrey! Fight is an essential component in building a relationship. There will be fight only when there is love and loyalty. And simple fights make a healthy relationship." Gauri said.

~~~

Om suddenly remembered what Gauri told.

"Rudy! Fight is an essential component in a relation. Fights will arise in a relationship when there is.... Uh... Ya when there is love and loyalty in it." Om said proudly like acheiving something great.

"But this fight happened because I felt like she doubted my loyalty." Rudy said.

"Did she?" Om asked.

"No." Rudy said with a crying face.

Soon there was another knock at the door.

"Why are so many people coming to my cabin today?" Om wondered. "Come in!"

The door was open and there stood her beautiful as always in her saree.

"Gauri!?" Rudy and Om chorused.

"Hi guys!" Gauri said and went inside.

"What are you doing here?" Rudy asked.

"What are you doing here?" Gauri asked back.

"I work here." Rudy said giving here weird looks.

"My friend is here." Gauri said.

"You came to meet me?" Rudy asked

"When did I say I was talking about you? I was talking about Omkara ji." Gauri said.

Rudys mouth went O.

"To meet me?" Om asked confused.

Gauri turned to him and winked. Involantarily Om blushed. Gauri noticed it but acted like she didn't see that.

"Bhavya said everything right?" Rudy asked narrowing his eyebrows.

Gauri closed her eyes understanding she was caught. She gave a sheepish smile to him.

"Vo, I didn't want you both to fight." Gauri said.

"Ek minute! Weren't you the one who said fights make a relationship healthy and fights are there only when there is love and loyalty during lunch?" Om asked.

"That was for silly fights. Their fight isn't silly." Gauri said.

"Wait a minute so were you telling me the dialogue which Gauri told you? I was also wondering why were you speaking like her." Rudy said.

Om smiled sheepishly.

"So Rudy, I've heard what Bhavya had to say. Now it's your turn. Tell me." Gauri said.

Rudy sighed and narrated what happened.

"Such a small issue?" Om asked.

"This isn't a small issue." Gauri said.

"He said it in a flow." Om defended Rudy.

"But what he said isn't a small thing. It hurted her. She was trying her best to be a good and sensible gf." Gauri said.

"That's right! She is toxic actually. But she never took that attitude towards you." Om said irritated.

"Omkara ji! Don't talk about her like that." Gauri warned.

"Guys! Instead of arguing, find a solution." Rudy said.

"Ask for her forgiveness." Gauri said.

"Why? No need. She is making a mountain out of a mole. You don't have to apologize." Om said.

"What will happen if he apologize? It's just a simple sorry. Rudy! Take the phone and apologize." Gauri said.

"Rudy! Don't! Don't spoil you image in front of her." Omkara said.

"She is your sister!" Gauri said.

"So? Rudy is my friend." Om said.

"He is my brother before becoming your friend" Gauri said.

"That doesn't matter now MISS AJNA-"

Gauris eyes widened listening what came out of his mouth. Rudy was also shocked. But he understood that even Om didn't realize what he actually said.

"What did I just say now?" Om asked shocked.

"You were just about to call her as MISS AJNABI!" Rudy said smirking.

#OkthanksBye