Today, Raghav was set to leave for a business meeting in Mumbai, and though he tried to make it a simple goodbye, Pihu couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness at his departure.

Meanwhile, Ritu had grown closer to Ishaan over the past few days. They would chat late into the night on WhatsApp, sharing stories and laughter, their connection strengthening with each passing day. However, Anisha, one of Ritu's closest friends, wasn't pleased.

She knew Ishaan's reputation all too well and was convinced he wasn't the right person for Ritu. Each time she tried to warn Ritu, her words seemed to fall on deaf ears, leading to heated arguments that left a strain between them. Despite the friction, Ritu continued talking to Ishaan.

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"Be careful while going, Raghav... and call as soon as you reach, okay?" Reema says while feeding him curd.

"Yes, Mom... don't worry. I'll call as soon as I reach." Raghav said taking her blessings.

"Beta, did you take all the important files? Check once more... otherwise, there might be problems later."Rahul asked.

Raghav gives assuring smile, 'Yes ,dad I checked everything last night'.

'Then it's fine'. He nods blessing him.

Both Pihu and Ritu are standing beside each other...

Raghav goes over to his sister and hugs her.

Ritu's voice held a note of sadness as she called out,

"Bhaiya!" Raghav turned to her, his gaze softening.

"Take care these next two days, alright? And if there's any problem, make sure to call me," he reminded her gently.

Ritu nodded, trying to manage a smile. "You too, Bhaiya. Be careful in Mumbai-there's a lot of traffic. And good luck with your meeting."

Raghav reached out, caressing her hair. "Thanks, bacha," he replied.

Ritu brightened a little and asked, "And you remember what I told you, right?"

Raghav laughed, the familiar sound easing the tension.

"Yes, yes, I remember. You want me to bring something back for you, don't you? Don't worry, I'll bring it."

At this, Ritu's face lit up with excitement.

"Yes!" she exclaimed.

Nearby, Reema and Rahul exchanged glances, shaking their heads with a mix of amusement and exasperation.

Reema sighed, addressing Raghav, "Haa haa , aur bigar de isse. It's because of you that she's getting more and more pampered. It won't be easy to handle her later."

But Raghav only smiled. "Mom, if anyone's going to spoil her, it'll be me, and I'll be the one to handle her too. Just leave it to me. Besides, I have complete faith in my Ritu. She'd never do anything to upset me. Right, Ritu?"

Lost in thought, Ritu suddenly realized he was waiting for an answer.

"Huh?" she replied, a bit startled.

Raghav repeated, "You wouldn't do anything that would upset me, would you?"

Ritu rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh, Bhaiya, have I ever done anything like that? No, right?" She flashed him a reassuring smile, her love for her brother clear in her gaze.

Reema watched them with a fond but impatient smile.

"Now that you two have wrapped up your trust issues," she said, shaking her head, "you better get going, or you're going to miss your flight, Raghav."

Raghav chuckled, "Yes, yes, I'm leaving now."

All this time, Pihu hadn't said a word, her mood noticeably off.

As he reached the door, Raghav turned around and saw the sadness etched on her face. Unable to leave her like this, he pulled her into a hug, instantly feeling her sorrow.

Without a word, Pihu clung to him, tugging at his shirt as tears began to spill.

"Hey, why are you crying?" Raghav asked softly, brushing his fingers through her hair.

"I don't know," Pihu mumbled, holding him tighter.

Raghav wiped the tears from her cheeks, offering a gentle smile. "I told you, we'll video call every day, okay? And whenever you feel like talking, just call me."

"Don't go, Raghav..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.

He tried to lighten her mood, teasing,

"Oh my, look at what crying has done to you! You've got eyes like a little rabbit."

Pihu frowned, swatting his chest. "Here I am, crying, and you're making fun of me?" She pouted, her lips trembling.

Raghav chuckled and leaned down while lifting her cheek and gave her a quick peck on the lips.

Pihu's eyes widened as she quickly glanced around to make sure no one had seen. "Raghav! We're outside!"

"So what?" he said, smirking. "I just kissed my wife, not a stranger."

She blushed, her cheeks turning a delicate pink at his playful remark.

"Keep blushing like that all the time," Raghav murmured, "I hate seeing you sad."

"Come back soon, as soon as the meeting is over," Pihu pleaded.

"Of course." Raghav planted a soft kiss on her forehead, lingering for a moment, before finally stepping away.

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In her room, Ritu was working on her assignment when her phone buzzed. It was Ishaan.

"What are you up to?" he asked casually.

"Nothing much, just finishing an assignment," she replied.

"Oh, okay. Listen, there's something important I wanted to talk to you about," he continued, sounding a little hesitant.

"Go on, I'm listening," Ritu encouraged him.

"Well, tomorrow is a friend's birthday party, and I wanted to take you with me. Will you come?" Ishaan asked.

"Birthday party?" Ritu echoed, caught off guard.

"Yes!" he replied, sounding hopeful.

Ritu hesitated. She wanted to go, but she knew her family would never allow it. "My family won't give me permission... I can't go."

"But why not? It's just a birthday party," Ishaan pressed.

"Even so, they won't allow it," she replied, her voice tinged with disappointment.

"Please come. It's the first time I'm asking you for something. You can't do this for me?" Ishaan pleaded.

Ritu's mind raced, torn between what she wanted and what her family would say. "Where's your friend's place?"

Ishaan laughed, "Oh, come on. Who has parties at home these days? It's at a nightclub."

"What?! A nightclub?" she replied, surprised.

"Yes, of course! Why are you so shocked?"

"That makes it even harder. My family would never let me go," she explained, feeling a pang of frustration.

"Why wouldn't they?" Ishaan sounded genuinely puzzled.

"My family is very conservative. They wouldn't approve of something like this."

"Then just tell a small lie," he suggested. "You're not exactly going for a one-night stand, are you?"

Ritu froze, stunned by his choice of words. This wasn't the kind of thing she expected to hear from him.

"Please come, Ritu," Ishaan continued, sensing her hesitation. "I'll pick you up and drop you home. Can't you trust me that much?"

After a moment, Ritu sighed, "Fine, but I have to be home by 8."

"8 o'clock? That's when the party will just be starting! At least stay until 9:30."

She bit her lip. "Alright, 9, but no later. Please understand."

Ishaan sighed, a little disappointed. "Okay. Oh, and there's a dress code for the party."

"A dress code?" she asked, a little wary.

"Yeah, mini skirt and crop top-any color."

"A mini skirt?" she echoed, uncertain.

"Yes," he confirmed.

"Okay..." Ritu agreed hesitantly, her voice unsure.

"Great! I'll be waiting at ABC Road at 6 p.m. Be there."

"Hmm," she murmured before ending the call, staring at her phone thoughtfully.

Ritu sat on her bed, deep in thought. Alright, I've agreed to go, but how am I supposed to actually get there? I can't tell Anisha; she'd never support this. What should I do?

An idea sparked. I'll tell Bhabhi that Anisha's cousin is having a birthday party, and I'm invited. I'll say her cousin will drop me back home afterward. Bhabhi will probably be fine with that... especially since Bhaiya's not here. Yes, it's the perfect plan! She felt a small pang of guilt but brushed it aside. A little lie won't hurt, right? I'll be back early anyway.

Then, she remembered the dress code. What about that? She thought for a moment. I do have a skirt, but it's not exactly 'mini'... it's from class 9. That should work. And I can wear a sleeveless top with a jacket over it. I'll just take off the jacket once I'm there. She took a deep breath, nodding to herself, Alright, it's all set.

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Pihu paced around, glancing at her phone every few seconds, eagerly awaiting Raghav's call. Finally, the screen lit up with his name, and she quickly answered the video call.

"I've been waiting for your call, What took you so long?" she asked, her voice laced with impatience.

"Sorry, wifey," Raghav chuckled. "There was a huge traffic jam on the way, so it took a while to get to the hotel."

Pihu softened instantly. "Oh, it's okay. Just... whenever you're going to be late, please call. That way, I won't worry as much."

"I will," Raghav assured her.

"And make sure you eat something," she reminded him. "You've had a long journey, and you need to be fresh for the meeting too."

Raghav nodded, "I'll freshen up and have something to eat. I've already ordered food, so it should be here soon."

"Alright, you have food. I'll call you again later."

"Sure, call me anytime," he replied, blowing a kiss to the screen with a playful smile.

Pihu blushed, her cheeks warming as she cut the call. She couldn't help but smile, her heart swelling with affection. You're so lucky, Pihu, she thought, her grin growing. You've got yourself one romantic husband. She hugged her phone close, feeling a shy happiness bubbling inside her.

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