Sheetal sat outside the venue of the success party for the charity fashion show.

The show was a success, ranking among the most critically acclaimed fashion shows in the world, and people have been clamouring for more fashion shows to raise funds and awareness.

Her mind had been conflicted for the past week since the discovery and answer to her question, but she could not shake the suspicion that Anjali was deceiving her.

Not even her promotion to senior assistant made her happy, but the nagging feeling about her discovery consumed her thoughts, and she did not know who to speak with.

She could not speak to his brother because she knew his marriage with Anjali was in trouble, and if she was wrong and Siddharth took her side, it could cause irreversible damage to their relationship because he knew Siddharth loved Anjali from the moment he vowed to disown their mother, who was like a God to Siddharth.

She could not speak to Shruti because she knew her mother despised Anjali and wanted Siddharth to divorce her, and Shruti was capable of exploiting this to cause strife in their relationship, with her beloved niece Naina playing a key role.

She had a difficult time making friends because all of her friends from high school and university wanted to be her friend because of Siddarth.

They were all attracted to him and used her to get closer to him, which made her wary of people and led to her becoming a loner.

She knew she would have to suffer in silence as a result of this.

The sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted her reverie, and she looked up to see Aman holding a glass of wine, staring at her with concern.

"Are you alright?" Aman inquired, and Sheetal stood up and walked away, making Aman frown as she watched her leave, but she stopped a few steps away and turned to Aman.

She stared at him, perplexing Aman, and then approached him.

"May I confine something to you?" Sheetal asked, looking desperate, which surprised Aman but he did not respond. "Do not worry about Preeto; I know she is your girlfriend, and I will record our conversation in case speaking to me gets you in trouble."

"What the heck?"Preeto is a friend who is more like a sister...... "She is even dating Sahil." Aman revealed, and upon seeing Sheetal's widened eyes, he realized he had made a mistake." You didn't hear that from me. " Aman threatened, and Sheetal nodded vigorously, hands raised in surrender.

"I did not hear anything." Sheetal responded, and Aman signalled for her to follow him, which she did.

Sheetal shuddered as she felt the cold breeze when they arrived in the garden away from the noise.

Aman removed his coat and wrapped it around her as they sat down.

"Amanji, you have known the Raizadas for a long time." Aman nodded, and Sheetal paused for a few moments, unsure how to proceed. "Do you believe Anjali Bhabhi is capable of murder?"

Aman appeared stunned, and Sheetal regretted asking him, and he noticed this and changed his demeanour.

"Yes, I believe she is capable of murder and far worse things." Aman replied sincerely as he looked at Sheetal, who was taken aback.

"Why do you believe that?" She inquired with curiosity, and Aman chuckled.

"If she can destroy Arnav's life, she can certainly kill...... If she can use her pregnancy to blackmail her family into returning her criminal husband to RM rather than leaving with him, she is capable of murder. You know how far she will go to get what she wants..... She even steals from her own family. Look at what she did to Payal bhabhi. I know you love Anjali, but she is not who she pretends to be, and I can assure you that your brother sees through her but is holding back because of Naina."

Sheetal looked stunned after hearing everything, particularly about her brother.

"Bhai truly adores Anjali bhabhi." Sheetal defended, and Aman laughed, causing her to frown.

"Sheetal, you are so innocent...... Your brother did not marry Anjali because he loved her, but because she was pregnant........ He may have convinced you all that he loved her, but his actions do not reflect a person in love..... There are many things you do not know, and if I were you, I would stop defending Anjali because anyone who does ends up losing everything. That woman is cursed."

Sheetal shuddered as she remembered Mami's condition and Nani's current status in the family.

"By the way, why did you ask me if Anjali was capable of murder?"

Sheetal stood to leave, but Aman grabbed her hand and made her sit back down.

"I believe I found Mami's missing phone in Anjali's closet."

Aman's eyes widened with surprise as he looked at Sheetal, and he knew she was not lying.

"I gave Anjali bhabhi my charger a few days ago and wanted it returned, so I went to her room and asked for it...... She was changing Naina into her pajamas when she asked me to look through her closet, where I discovered a phone with a cracked screen."

Flashback.

"Bhabhi, who is this phone for?" Sheetal asked, and Anjali's eyes widened in surprise.

She stood up abruptly and snatched it from Sheetal, who was taken aback; Anjali smiled as she saw this.

"It is an old phone of mine, and I have been wanting to take it to the repair shop so that I can transfer some of the photos and videos on it to my new phone." Anjali replied, walking past Sheetal into the walk-in closet and returning a few seconds later with her charger.

Sheetal smiled and walked out of the room after saying goodnight to Naina.

Flashback ends.

"Since then, I have had a feeling Anjali was lying; I have known her for three years, and she despises that brand of phone and refers to it as an old people phone...... I remember her telling me once that she had never used that brand before. I have noticed that Mami and Nani are the only ones who use that brand, and Mami's phone has not been found until now...... I know her fall was deemed an accident, and Manoharji has revealed that Mami frequently misplaces her phone, but I can not shake the feeling that the phone with Anjali belongs to Mami, and her fall was an attempted murder."

Aman was taken aback by this news, but he was not surprised that Anjali could be to blame for Mami's condition.

"Why are not you telling your brother?" Aman questioned.

"What if I am wrong and this destroys their marriage? I can not let Naina grow up in a broken home where she is tossed from one home to the next...... I understand the stain it leaves on your mental health because I went through it after my mother divorced my cheating sperm donor....... I saw him be the father he could have been to us with his mistress's children, who were not even his. I know my brother will never marry if he divorces Anjali, but what if Anjali marries and separates Naina from us? I adore my niece and cannot bear the thought of causing her parents' divorce." Sheetal elaborated, and Aman was surprised to see this side of hers.

"What if you are right?"....... Don't you think Anjali deserves to be punished........ Don't you think Naina deserves better being away from Anjali." Aman asked and Sheetal was hit with that possibility Anjali could be responsible.

"What should I do?"....... I don't want Naina to suffer. " Sheetal cried out.

"Unfortunately, being born to a woman like Anjali will cause her to suffer in some way..... It will be difficult for her at first, but she will adjust over time...... Do one thing: get the phone and bring it to me..... I will have the technical department look into it, and do not worry, no one will find out...... Until we can confirm the phone belongs to Mami, this better stay between us. "

Aman smiled at her and walked away leaving Sheetal who smiled staring at him leaving.

A breeze blew, and she inhaled an intoxicating scent of cologne, which made her realize Aman had left his coat behind.

She inhaled it and felt relaxed, with a sheepish smile on her face, but she quickly returned to reality and shook any assumptions from her mind.

"Time to find that phone." Sheetal whispered and returned to the venue.

Nani sat in the dining room, eating her fruits for the evening, as Shruti looked at her, surprised, especially as the argument between Siddharth and Anjali echoed throughout the mansion.

Shruti expected Nani to intervene because Siddharth had warned her not to say anything, and she ran to ask Nani to stop them, but her nonchalant response continues to haunt her.

"They are adults and can handle the situation on their own."

She wished she had attended the success party when Sheetal invited her, but she preferred to stay and play with Naina in order to keep her away from Anjali.

"What is going on?" Manohar inquired, and Shruti and Nani looked up to see him with his in-laws, who seemed equally perplexed.

They returned from the success party early because Savita and her husband were exhausted, only to be greeted by Siddharth and Anjali's loud voices.

"You will not take Naina away from me...... Am I her mother?"

They all heard and watched as Anjali followed Siddharth, who appeared angry.

"Maa, take care of Naina. I need some space." Siddharth said and walked away, ignoring Manohar and the others.

An irate Anjali attempted to run after him, but Manohar stopped her.

"That is enough, Anjali." Manohar yelled, pulling her aside.

Anjali collapsed onto her knees as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Mama, he wants to divorce me and take my baby." Anjali cried out, and Manohar rolled her eyes at her, which surprised her because this was not the reaction she expected.

Because of her blind and selfish self-centered nature, she failed to realize that her emotional blackmail and manipulation were no longer effective on the family.

"Do you blame the man?"...... You brought this upon yourself by refusing to accept the consequences of your selfish behavior and conspiracies........ He is not going to put up with all of your nonsense, and a man of his caliber deserves an unproblematic woman...... You better get used to being single because that man is not going to come back to you........ Accept all of his terms or you will lose your daughter completely. I want you to know that none of us will lie for you during the divorce and custody hearings..... Either seek therapy, deal with your emotions, and accept what is to come, or prepare to be even more miserable." Manohar uttered, and his in-laws, who knew everything, nodded in agreement as Anjali sat on the floor, defeated.

Shruti smirked at Anjali's misery, and she was overjoyed to know that Anjali would lose everything, including Naina, because her own family was against her.

Nani, who was eating her fruits silently, gave her a disappointed look.

"I can not keep losing like this....... I must leave here with Naina...... Chote, all of this is your fault. If you had just forgiven me, this would not have happened, and Siddy would not have had the courage to leave me...... I will make you pay for it." Anjali thought.

"What's going on here? "

Except for Mami's parents and Shruti, the Raizadas recognized the voice and looked in the direction of the source, only to find Subhadra Malik standing in front of the door in her usual arrogant posture.

Anjali's surprise turned to a smile when she saw her, and she ran to hug her, which she reciprocated.

"I heard everything while I was behind Manohar and his in-laws......Good thing you fell into my trap...... I will not only be your shoulder to cry on, but you will also be the tool used to get those brats...... "After they are gone, you will be despised by everyone, including your family." Dadi thought, stroking her back as Anjali cried.

Nani and Manohar seemed irritated to see her as his in-laws, and Shruti wondered who the woman was.

Back at the success party, the voice of Arnav boomed through the speakers, followed by cheers.

Khushi, Payash, Sahil, Aman, and Preeto were all in attendance, along with the investors, designers, and entire staff of ARD, Lombardi, and Sinha designs.

"As of now, the charity's target has tripled, and other brands have promised to donate five to ten percent of their weekly profits to the cause....... More lives will be changed as a result of this, and I am grateful to all of you...... The bar and food court have now opened...... Please enjoy."

Everyone cheered as they went to get food and drinks to their liking.

Arnav approached Khushi and the others who were all standing in the same spot.

"We've done it guys. " Khushi exclaimed, to which everyone nodded and cheered.

"Khushi, can we talk privately?" Arnav's voice was free of nervousness, which made Payash and Aman smile, but Sahil and Preeto were quiet, which they noticed.

Khushi smiled as they parted ways from the group.

"Pardon me." Sahil said and walked away, leaving a depressed Preeto behind.

"I will be back shortly." Preeto smiled, but they recognized it as a ruse.

They watched Preeto follow Sahil out of the venue.

"Has something happened between them?" Aman asked concerned.

"It appears they are having problems," Akash responded.

"They are way too early in their relationship to have problems, but I am confident they will solve them soon because they look so good together." Payal gushed happily as Akash smiled, but Aman had a nagging feeling that whatever it was, it would not be resolved anytime soon.

Meanwhile, Preeto chased after Sahil, who was heading towards the parking lot.

"Sahil, please." Preeto pleaded in tears, causing Sahil to halt his steps.

He despises seeing Preeto in such a state because he genuinely loves her.

If someone had told him he would fall in love so quickly, he would have slapped them.

He was initially sexually attracted to Preeto because of her beauty, but as time passed and he learned how Preeto had been the rock Khushi relied on and all her help during Khushi's difficult times, he instantly fell in love with her and was pleased when Preeto felt the same way, but what he discovered two days ago shattered his perception of Preeto.

Flashback.

Sahil noticed Preeto distracted while they were taking an evening walk, which they both enjoyed and had been doing for the past two weeks.

"Have you noticed that, despite the fact that Arnav and Khushi have only been counseling for a few days, they have become more at ease around each other, and the tension that had previously existed between them has vanished?" Sahil exclaimed cheerfully, hoping to distract Preeto from whatever was bothering her, but her reaction surprised him.

Instead of being happy, Preeto appeared worried.

He paused and turned her to face him, but was taken aback seeing tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Baby, are you okay?" Sahil asked panicked but Preeto burst out crying more and he looked around and saw the park.

He picked Preeto up and carried her to the bench.

He kneeled in front of Preeto with a concerned expression on his face and waited for her to calm down.

"I do not want to be the reason for their hostility again if Khushi finds out," Preeto cried.

"Baby, I do not understand what you are saying; please explain."

Preeto then disclosed the entire truth. Sahil who was shocked hearing Khushi's presence and Lulu's demand was orchestrated by her and Aman.

"Sahil, please say something.... Tell me I am a terrible friend and sister...... Please. " Preeto cried out, but Sahil remained unresponsive.

"Let us head home."

That was all Sahil said, and they walked home quietly.

Flashback ends.

Since that day, Sahil has avoided Preeto, not because he is angry with her.

On the contrary, he had a habit of completely shutting down when confronted with shocking events, which he despised but had become a part of him.

He turned to see his love in complete despair, and he realized he was partially to blame.

He left her when she needed him the most, and he wondered how she had remained calm and composed since then.

He ran up to her and hugged her while Preeto wailed loudly, which he allowed.

"I am so sorry, Preeto; I should have left you alone that day......" I understand what you did, but I did not leave you alone for the past two days because I was angry; rather, I have a habit of completely shutting down when confronted with shocking news." Preeto pulled out of the hug, stunned by what Sahil had revealed.

"It's not because you hate me. "

Sahil shook his head no and wiped away tears.

"This is a delicate matter that must be handled carefully. Lucrezia will be the most affected, and now is the time to tell them the truth." Preeto attempted to retort, but Sahil interrupted her. "It is better for them to find out from you and Aman than from elsewhere...... They are both in therapy, primarily for Lulu and the state of their relationship, and it is all part of them...... Sure, Khushi and Arnav will be furious and may cut ties with you and Aman, but it is better now than later.... It will be difficult, but I promise to always support you." Sahil explained, and Preeto nodded, knowing he was right, and now she was no longer scared because Sahil was by her side.

She hugged Sahil again and he reciprocated  stroking her back as she sobbed.

Unbeknownst to them, Preeto's accomplice had overheard everything and knew Sahil was correct.

"I am ready when you all are." Aman's voice separated them, and they watched him approach them. "I am prepared to face the consequences of my actions, but I am committed to doing what is best. Perhaps our approach was incorrect, but it was for the benefit of Lulu, Arnav, and Khushi, and I will not regret my actions...... The only regrets I will carry is loosing Arnav and Preeto possibly loosing Khushi too...... She is innocent, in fact she didn't want to do this..... I coerced her, and I will make certain Khushi understands the truth."

Sahil nodded and shook Aman's hand as they walked back to the venue, planning how to tell Arnav and Khushi the truth.

Meanwhile, on the venue's terrace, Arnav and Khushi stared at the night sky.

"We have both come a long way." Arnav spoke up unexpectedly, and Khushi smiled. "So you will be returning to Italy, I assume." Khushi nodded, and she noticed a glint of sadness in his eyes, but he remained calm as usual.

"But I think I will stay a few weeks here before we leave." Khushi revealed, and Arnav appeared surprised.

Although he wished time could slow down, hearing Khushi's desire to stay for a few weeks made him happy and his expression changed to a smile.

Khushi blushed when she saw him smile, and he looked away to avoid making her feel embarrassed, which Khushi noticed and appreciated.

"Khushi about that day...... We didn't use protection. " Arnav expressed concern, and Khushi chuckled.

"Do not worry, I am on birth control." Arnav frowned when he heard her response. "After giving birth to Lucrezia, I was diagnosed with endometriosis. Apparently, my painful menstruation was caused by undiagnosed endometriosis, and Lulu is considered a miracle baby because it is difficult for women with these conditions to have children...... I have been taking birth control to alleviate the pain and medications to keep it under control so we are safe."

Arnav sighed in relief, and Khushi gave him a strange look, which Arnav noticed.

"Do not get me wrong.... I want children with you and no one else...... It is just that bringing a child into our situation is not appropriate." Arnav explained, and Khushi laughed.

"I understand, Arnav; I was just pulling your legs." Khushi laughed, and Arnav joined in following her revelation.

The ringing of his phone interrupted their reverie, and Arnav answered it, and what he heard changed his demeanour, perplexing Khushi.

"How dare Subhadra Malik come to my house." Arnav yelled on the phone, and Khushi knew it was not going to end well.

To be continued.

Precap: Arnav and Dadi face off.

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