Before we start the Chapter, here are the characters for the prequel. They are included in this chapter as well *Smiles*

Anaisha arrived first at the coffee shop where the trio was to meet. She had just ordered her tea when Yuvaan walked in. He flashed his best toothy smile, but Anaisha looked disinterested, and his smile dropped.

"Hey!" He sighed, slumping on the cushioned chair opposite her. Casually, he removed his sunglasses and tugged them into the pocket of his ivory shirt.

Anaisha took a small gulp of her tea, and he tilted his head, leaning back, - "Can I share?"

"Yuvaan, what is this?"

Yuvaan shrugged, - "How do I know, you have ordered it." He smiled cheekily.

Anaisha rolled her eyes, - "I meant, why are you being over-friendly?"

"We were always like that."- He paused leaning forward, - "Right?"

She looked away for a moment, - "Were, being the keyword, Yuvaan."- He blinked at her, - "Listen, this is the last time we are meeting. After this, if you want to go to the USA, then go. But please don't meet me again."

Yuvaan gaped at her, - "But why? Aren't we friends?"

Anaisha shook her head, - "I thought it would be okay but—it is definitely not a good idea to be friends with my ex."

Yuvaan shook his head and before he could say anything further, they realized Aryaman had entered the café.

Yuvaan forced a smile and politely greeted him. He looked at his daughter, Anaisha just gave a small smile.

"Good morning to you too, young man." Aryaman patted his shoulder. Yuvaan passed a look at Anaisha, while she kept a straight face.

Yuvaan took a deep breath and looked directly at Aryaman, - "My sources found out as much as they could. We didn't translate all the letters and diary entries. The letters started from the year 1955 mostly friendly types, but towards the end is when things got intense. Your mother and—Barrister Asif Khan were definitely lovers."- Yuvaan paused looking from Aryaman to Anaisha and back again. Anaisha drew in a breath, she avoided looking at her father. Aryaman was perfectly still and breathing steadily.

"The diary was mostly Anahita Agarwal's fantasies, like a normal teenager in those days, perhaps. The last letter exchanged was 12th December 1956."

"15th December 1956 was when my parents got married." Aryaman found his voice, though it betrayed him. He sounded relieved. Anaisha was amazed by his double standards. Though she absolutely hates infidelity for a man who cheats on his wife, his mother doing the same to his father shouldn't be a problem, right?

Yuvaan nodded, - "There was absolutely no contact after that. Nothing that there is proof of."

Aryaman was more confident now.

"We searched his family. His younger sister Nausheen shifted to Canada in the seventies, her family is there. His half-siblings are all over the place. Six sisters, all elder to him. One youngest brother, blood, he too is settled in Canada with his family."

"And Asif's?" Anaisha interjected.

"There is nothing on his family apart from this. We searched for his wife and children. But turns out he didn't marry."- He paused, - "After 1956, the next letter exchanged was between Nausheen and Anahita Devi in 1960. Bad news." Yuvaan shook his head. Aryaman's breath was caught in his chest once again, while Anaisha regretted having an idea of what was next.

"It was a letter requesting Anahita Devi to visit them in Bhopal." Yuvaan sighed, - "Asif Rahman Khan passed away a few weeks after this letter. Nausheen had mentioned he had some illness, didn't say what, and his last wish was to meet Anahita Devi. Now, I have no idea if she met him or not."

Anaisha knew this was coming, yet her heart sank. It was weird for her to feel emotional for her estranged grandmother. They had never even spoken to each other.

But she had not imagined Anahita Devi was keeping all that bottled up inside her. Did she meet her lover one last time? The pain of seeing the love of your life die in your arms, and still moving on with your life. As much, as Anaisha calculated Aryaman Singhaniya was already born by then. Does he remember anything? She looked at him. He seemed more relieved and a bit emotional.

Aryaman shook his head, - "I have faint memory, I was around 3-4 years old. I recollect,"- he furrowed his eyebrows, looking ahead. Anaisha noted the lines on his forehead as he traveled down the memory lane.

"Masa and Father going somewhere for—business trip—but I am not sure if it was in 1960 or if they had gone to Bhopal."

In her heart, Anaisha really hoped Anahita Devi had met Asif one last time.

"I have always seen mother and father so casual, always laughing together and talking with each other rather than being hostile—nothing about them seemed forced. Did they fall in love?"

Yuvaan shrugged but Anaisha shook her head, - "I think not. If Anahita Devi moved on from Asif Khan, she wouldn't be still hoarding his photos and letters and dresses, jewelry, and all. Nor would his photo be under her pillow on her death bed. So." Anaisha completed her point, leaning back, and held the handle of her ceramic white cup.

Aryaman sighed, - "Not under her pillow. When I realized she was no more, this one portrait of—As—him was in her hand. Anyway, I am happy mother was loyal to father."

"Not emotionally," Anaisha added. She didn't like the fact that even though he cheated on his wife, Aryaman was happy about his mother's loyalty.

"That wasn't cheating because I am sure, Father knew about this so—"

Anaisha bit her smile, - "Whatever makes you happy." She pushed aside her finished cup and gestured to the waiter.

After paying, she wore her sunglasses and took her leave. Yuvaan excused himself and followed her outside the café,

- "Anaisha I am sorry, I shouldn't—I should be more respectable to your No."

"Better late than never, Yuvaan." She was about to leave when he called her.

"This is going to be our last meeting then." He sounded dejected. Anaisha looked at him, took a moment, and then nodded.

"I wish all this hadn't happened."

Anaisha raised her eyebrow behind her glasses, - "You mean me catching you with Urvashi?"

Yuvaan was rattled, he looked around and aggressively placed his hand into his pocket, - "How many times I told you, that was a one-time mistake."

"One mistake, that's all for me, Yuvaan. You knew well how much I despised cheaters yet you—you thought you will get away with it. But—"

"Come on, Anaisha." Yuvaan huffed, tilting his head a little, - "I have clarified this too, why don't you believe me? It was just that one time, I swear."

"Yuvaan, clearly we can never be on the same page here. Even for being friends, we need trust. I don't trust you; you don't respect me. I am grateful to Hasan for making me realize, why I hated you in the first place. You sleeping with Urvashi wasn't a mistake, but we, Yuvaan, we were a mistake." She waved a little, flashed a sarcastic smile. Then, she swished the pallu of her yellow linen floral saree and urgently climbed down the rest of the stairs. She made sure she didn't turn back, nor did she want to.

Learning about Anahita and Asif, Anaisha felt lucky to have Hasan in her life. She decided to cherish him forever, no matter what. Not Anahita, not Aryaman nor Abhinav got the good luck to be with their lover, but she has, she has the good luck to be with her soulmate. Her lover, her destiny, her husband- her Hasan.

For a moment, she thought; she feared if she was jinxed too like her grandmother, father, and brother. The thought made her shudder.

She had to meet Hasan, confess her feelings to him, confess to him how she is lucky to have him and will never want to lose him, ever. 

Happily, Anaisha returned to her apartment but was surprised to find Sehrish and her Maternal Uncle at the door. She was crying, while her uncle was trying to console her. For some reason, Anaisha felt palpitations, with her heart beating faster and palms dampening.

"What—"
"Anaisha!" Sehrish hurried to her, - "How many times we tried to call you—" Sehrish said with tears running down her cheeks. Anaisha gulped hard, she had switched off her phone as she didn't want any disturbance during the meeting.

"Just tell me, what happened?" There was no good feeling about this. Anaisha was now sounding fanatic as well.

Sehrish swallowed a hard lump but before she could say, her Mamu revealed about Hasan getting into an accident at the college. His colleague Jamal and others got him to hospital and Mudassir took over from there.

"He is saying things are looking grim. His car was badly mutilated, it didn't have any strength anyway and Hasan beta's condition is very critical."

Anaisha felt her surroundings spin as she tried to grasp the fact that Hasan, her husband, her lover, and her lifeline was in a life and death situation. To steady herself, she placed her palm against the cold wall. Sehrish leaned and tried to embrace her, but Anaisha pushed away. The one thought that reeled in her mind, besides the numbness of the news, was the reminder that maybe her family jinx has gotten her and her love as well.

Oh No! The family jinx was true then. First Anahita, then Aryaman, then Abhinav, and now, our Anaisha *heartbreaks* 

So, guys, this was the Last Chapter. How was it? Drop your thoughts in the comments and Stay Tuned for the Epilogue, my lovelies *Smiles* *Lots of Hugs and Kisses*