"How could you treat your own granddaughter this way?" Dadi yelled at Nani in an arrogant tone, but Nani was unconcerned because she knew Anjali had told her a sanitized version of the family's events, portraying herself as victim.

"I should have treated her worse; perhaps this family would not have been broken, and how dare you criticize me." Nani yelled back and Dadi was shocked as she knew she always had the power to mellow her.

Dadi realized the angry woman in front of her was no longer a pushover like she had been in the past.

"You vanished after your son evicted your grandchildren...... Where have you been for the past two decades, and you have the audacity to stand in front of me and criticize me...... Consider looking in the mirror. Subi, you failed the same way I did...... I raised Ratna to make marriage her entire identity, and when that identity broke, she could not find another, so she chose death, leaving her children behind..... She even killed herself in front of a child, whom I had also subjugated to be his older sister's slave. I neglected him and spoiled Anjali when she should have been the least of my concerns...... I ended up raising her similarly to Ratna, but with her, she became more manipulative and devious." Nani uttered, staring at Anjali with disgust, causing Anjali to flinch and turn back to Dadi, who was furious because this was not what she had expected to happen.

She expected Nani to bow to her whims as she had in the past, but the woman in front of her was different, causing Dadi to realize her task would be more difficult than she had anticipated, but she was not backing down.

"Chote lost his wife and valuable time with his daughter all because of this demon spawn." Nani yelled in tears, pointing to Anjali, who bowed her head, embarrassed that the entire family was witnessing the confrontation.

"I was present when you weren't...... I failed as a mother and grandmother, just as you did...... You excused your son's infidelity and blamed Ratna for putting him ahead of herself and her children..... Your second son heartlessly threw out his own niece and nephew just one day after his brother's and sister-in-law's funerals...... And you like the coward you are left so don't you dare judge because I did my best even if it wasn't right....... I supported Anjali in ways you never did, so do not judge me."

Following Nani's outburst, the lounge became silent.

The sound of clapping interrupted their reverie, and they all turned to see Arnav clapping as he approached them.

Anjali prayed that Arnav would not throw Dadi out because she was her only source of support.

"Wow, Nani, I never imagined you would stand up to Subhadra Malik."Arnav exclaimed sarcastically, and Nani looked away ashamed. Arnav then turned his gaze to Dadi, who was scared internally but put on a brave face.

"And what the hell are you doing in my house?" Arnav asked coldly, sending shivers down her spine.

"I came to see my great grandchildren grandchildren........ I want to spend time with my family...... Is that so wrong." Dadi responded calmly, but she was terrified.

Arnav scoffed and rolled his eyes at her.

"Where is my other great grandchild......? Please arrange for her to be brought to me tomorrow...... I need to fix this family, and it begins with them....... I want her here early tomorrow morning." Dadi ordered, and Arnav took predatory steps towards her.

Nani realized this was going to end badly and moved closer to them in order to diffuse the situation.

Arnav leaned closer to Dadi, and the devilish look in his eyes terrified her, and before she could react, Arnav grabbed her throat and slammed her into the sofa behind her, eliciting gasps and shock.

Dadi struggled to breathe, and everyone backed away, not wanting to be next.

Manohar's in-law stared at him because he was the one who called Arnav, but he sipped his tea and looked nonchalantly at Dadi, who was struggling to free herself from Arnav's grip.

Manohar knew Dadi had awoken the devil in him the moment Dadi mentioned Lulu, so he was not surprised to see Arnav's reaction.

After a few seconds, Arnav let go of Dadi, whose neck appeared bruised and was gasping for air.

"If you ever speak or approach my baby girl or Khushi, this is just a preview of what will happen to you if I catch you saying their names or getting too close to them." Arnav warned, towering above a terrified Dadi.

Arnav turned and was about to walk out the door when Manohar called out to him.

"What shall I do with this old hag?"

"Let her stay; she came for her granddaughter and great granddaughter." Arnav smirked in response, and Manohar smiled as well, understanding Arnav's response.

He knew, like Arnav, that Dadi was looking for something more, and keeping her close was preferable to kicking her out.

Arnav walked out, leaving the family stunned by the unexpected turn of events.

A few minutes later, in the Arnav penthouse, Akash and Payal were furious after hearing about Dadi from Manohar, and what fueled their rage was the fact that Arnav had allowed Dadi to stay in RM.

"Bhai, what the hell were you thinking when you let that old hag stay? " Akash yelled, dissatisfied with Arnav's decision, but what made matters worse was Arnav's chuckle.

He had a video call from Arnav, who was on his way to Khushi's mansion and had to stop by the side of the road to answer it.

"Akash, please calm down." Arnav attempted to reason, but he and Payal were not having it.

"He won't calm down and neither will I....... Are you forgetting everything that woman did to you......? Are you forgetting that she abandoned you and the witch you refer to as a sister...... This is not right. You have got to kick that old hag out or you should have snapped her neck once and for all." Payal countered annoyed, and Akash nodded in agreement as Arnav chuckled.

"Then how will we know why she has come to  RM?

Akash and Payal frowned as they heard Arnav's words, realising he knew something they didn't.

"Bhai, is there anything you think we should know?" Akash asked and Arnav sighed.

"Dadi was never at the hermitage as she claimed...... She had been living with Anant Malik until I kicked him out over six years ago." Arnav revealed, leaving Payash stunned. "What she and Anant Malik do not know is that I have been keeping an eye on them since the day I kicked her out. She and Anant are planning something, and I need to know what it is...... Keeping her under my control is the most effective way to find out........ Hariprakash has at a few minutes ago left to met Aman who will guide him on how to bug Dadi's phone so relax....... In a few days, we will know what she and Anant Malik are planning. "

Akash and Payal sighed in relief hearing this and Arnav chuckled seeing their faces.

"Bhai, what if she and Anjali sneak their way into seeing Lulu and Khushi?" Akash inquired, expressing concern.

"It will not happen because Anjali will begin her trial for trespassing and violating the restraining order against her........ I have heard Siddharth is also planning to file for divorce and full custody of Naina."

"Well, it is about time he broke free from the cursed witch." Payal cut in as Arnav and Akash chuckled.

"I had the Prakash brother monitor Anjali's movements at the mansion until she settled everything, but I doubt she would waste her time......Anyway, take care. Do not go back to the mansion right now; I do not want Kiki to witness any unnecessary drama."

Payash nodded, Arnav ended the call, and they both turned to stare at each other.

"I have a bad feeling about this. " Akash sounded concerned.

"Me, too." Payal agreed.

A few minutes later, Khushi dashed down the stairs after receiving a call from security regarding Arnav's presence.

When she arrived at the lounge, Arnav appeared exhausted as he approached her and gave her a fake smile.

She knew he was tired and wanted her, but she wished he would ask.

"Is Lulu sleeping?"

Khushi nodded as Arnav ran his hand through his hair and sighed.

"You are welcome to go see her."

Hearing this, Arnav smiled at her and nodded.

He dashed into Lulu's room to find his princess sleeping peacefully in a taekwondo position, just like her mother.

"Like mother, like daughter. " Arnav whispered, and Khushi's glare caused him to chuckle.

He leaned in and kissed her forehead, and Lulu smiled in her sleep, prompting Arnav to give Khushi a teasing smile.

"She is my daughter; what do you expect?" Khushi said, then walked away, followed by Arnav, who closed the door behind them.

Arnav spread out on the couch as Khushi approached him and handed him the glass of water she had gotten from the kitchen.

She sat beside him as Arnav drank the water in one go and then set the empty glass on the center table.

"Are you alright?" Khushi inquired, expressing concern.

"I wish I could say that I am." Arnav responded while staring at her. " She is here for something, and I can not relax until I figure out what it is...... Khushi, I am about to ask you for something that may seem intrusive, and I know you have the best security, but please allow my men to join you..... They are well-trained men from the military, and I have complete trust in them.... I will only be at ease when I am not around, knowing that they will give their lives for you and Lulu."

Khushi agreed knowing his discomfort and agitation at Dadi's presence in their lives, and Arnav smiled.

"I envy you." Arnav spoke unexpectedly, and Khushi was taken aback. "It's true........ You were able to navigate through life with a smile on your face, spreading happiness wherever you went, despite such tragedies, and here I am, hurting people and making bad decisions....... Trusting those who don't deserve it and mistrusting those who do...... Khushi,you are truly an extraordinary woman, and I consider myself the luckiest bastard to have you as my wife and mother of our child."

Khushi smiled, and Arnav turned to lay on the couch, his head on Khushi's lap.

She massaged his scalp as Arnav closed his eyes, enjoying the soothing sensation of her soft fingers in his hair.

It had only been a few days, but the counselling had helped them navigate their emotions so effectively that the awkwardness and tension between them had vanished.

"As much as we have been through hell, I thank God you are the father of Lulu and my husband." Arnav smiled with his eyes still closed as Khushi continued to massage his head."I know our marriage was not a contract marriage like you made everyone believe."

Arnav's eyes popped open, and he jerked up abruptly, staring at Khushi in shock.

"I know we are still married," Khushi admitted.

"How? " Arnav asked in surprise.

"I overheard you and Sahil discussing how you will give me a divorce if I want it and if that will make me happy again." Arnav smiled hesitantly. "Do you resent being married to me?" Khushi inquired softly, as Arnav's eyes widened in surprise at the hurt in her eyes.

"What the?..... No I don't hate it...... You are the only woman I would want to marry..... I said what I said because I wanted you to be happy, and if divorcing me will make you happy, I will divorce you even if it hurts, because your happiness comes first." Arnav explained, and Khushi nodded and leaned back into the couch as silence fell over the room.

"So why didn't you tell the family it was a legally binding marriage. " Khushi asked wanting to understand why he lied to everyone about their marriage being a contract marriage.

Arnav sighed and knew there was no need to hide the truth anymore.

"I wanted all anger directed to me because if they found out that our marriage was legally binding even though forced, their anger towards me won't be as deserving of my atrocities against you...... I didn't want a situation where the legality of our marriage will be used to excuse my horrible behavior...... In fact our marriage may be illegal because of the forced aspect of it....... I you had proof I forced you, the court would have annulled it...... So technically, our marriage was illegal if you look at the way the papers were signed but to me,you will forever remain my legal wife whether we stay married or not. " Arnav responded and silenced followed after that.

"Can we try and see if it works out?" Khushi interrupted the silence, and Arnav was stunned for a few seconds to process what Khut had said and when he did, he smirked and nodded. "But I still believe we should continue with the counseling."

Arnav nodded, picked Khushi up, and made her lay on top him.

"I love you, Khushi," Arnav whispered.

"I love you too, Arnav."

Arnav smiled and closed his eyes, and Khushi smiled as their hearts synchronized, and peace enveloped both of them for the first time since their separation.

The next day, Mami arrived at RM early from the hospital, and Savita and Vijay appeared pleased to see their daughter.

Mami, on the other hand, burst into tears as she saw Manohar take her treatment seriously after seeing how involved he was, and regret overcame her.

"In my attempt to repay Ratna for being the only one who completely accepted me, I overcompensated and lost sight of what was important, but not anymore...... I need to get better quickly...... I am not sure why the doctor lied about me taking years to recover when I can now move my fingers, but whatever the reason, I can not tell anyone, especially Anjali...... I need to find a way to expose her." Mami thought with her eyes closed.

She opened her eyes when she heard the door open and caught a whiff of male cologne, which she recognized.

It was Siddharth sitting next to her and she  smiled seeing him.

"Mami, how are you feeling?" Siddharth asked sincerely, and Mami blinked, but he did not appear surprised, which confused Mami.

"Poor man, you deserve so much better..... I will get well faster and assist you in stopping Anjali." Mami thought.

"Anjali did this to you right? " The question startled Mami, who burst into tears and blinked, making Siddharth smile as he leaned in and wiped her tears away. "I suspected it, which is why I had the doctor lie about your condition..... I know you are not as serious as the doctor told the family, but I did it to protect you and get my daughter away from her." Siddharth's revelation surprised Mami, but she blinked and her lips curled into a smile, which pleased Siddharth. "Do not worry, I have installed hidden cameras in your room to keep you safe..... Get better soon, okay."

Mami blinked and smiled again, but it faded as she remembered Siddharth had asked for her phone, and she knew it would help speed up the process of exposing Anjali rather than waiting for her to recover.

Siddharth noticed her discomfort and saw her pinky finger pointing to his pants pocket.

He stared at it, realised Mami was pointing to his phone, and took it out.

"Would you like my phone?" Mami blinked quickly, confusing him, but it eventually dawned on him. "Your phone is with Anjali." Mami gave a quick blink and smile. "Do not worry, Mami; I will find it soon."

When she was finished, the nurse entered and Mami pretended to be motionless.

"Mrs Raizada, you can feel at ease around me..... I am fully aware of your situation and am working on behalf of Mr Kapoor to assist you in recovering." Mami was taken aback by the nurse's words, and she realized how far Siddharth would go to protect her, and she felt bad for always siding with Anjali.

"Do not cry, Mami; it is not good for you." Mami blinked at Siddharth, who turned to the nurse and instructed her to take excellent care of Mami.

He bid Mami farewell and exited the room as Mami lamented her regrets.

Laxmi Nagar.

Kiki ran across the veranda and into the compound to hug her big cousin.

"Kiki, where are you running off to?" Payal exclaimed as she walked, only to come to a halt when she noticed Khushi and Arnav approaching her, with Kiki and Lulu holding hands.

Arnav and Khushi had visited Laxmi Nagar to meet the family and officially introduce Lulu to Shashi.

Shashi, Buaji, and Garima emerged, stunned to see them.

Lulu ran up and hugged Shashi's leg, which made him emotional, so he picked her up and hugged her back, which she gladly reciprocated.

"Hello, grandpa Shashi."

"Hello, Lucrezia."

Lulu gasped in surprise, and Shashi laughed at her overdramatic behavior.She was indeed Khushi's daughter.

"Kiki told me everything about her big sister." Shashi revealed and looked down at Kiki, who nodded proudly.

"So you are going to teach me how to make and eat all of those delicious sweets you gave Mama?" Shashi smiled and nodded in surprise when he learned Khushi had kept the sweet.

"Please come inside."

He turned to Khushi, who had a neutral expression on her face, and Arnav appeared nervous because it was the first time he had been here since Shashi forbade any contact with him months after Khushi left.

Khushi and Arnav entered, but not before she glared at Buaji and Garima, who knew better than to mess with her.

They watched from the window as Payal hurriedly brought refreshments for Khushi and Arnav, while Akash hugged Arnav.

They wished they could be a part of it, but they knew better than to risk their luck.

Anant Malik was dragged into a house on the outskirts of Delhi and tied to a chair while screaming profanities at the men inside.

He removed the sack from his head and was about to yell when he noticed the man sitting in a chair, sipping wine.

"Aman? " Anant exclaimed, terrified, as Aman smirked at him.

"Mr Malik, welcome to hell."

To be continued.

This week will be the the final week for updates on this story.

Next update after Thursday will be after new year.

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