Laxmi Nagar.

Garima sat down in the living room lost in thought when buaji who was singing happily entered and smiled at a confused Garima.

"Our monthly wage is in...... Who would have thought we will be living comfortably because of that girl...... Finally, our years of having to tolerate that orphan have paid off. "

She sat down beside Garima who didn't look happy.

"What's wrong with you? "

Garima looked at her and sighed.

"Di.....We did wrong? " Buaji rolled her eyes. "After the Raizada found out about what we did to Khushi, Manorama has refused to accept Payal so imagine if they find out the real truth, then she will kick Payal out and Akash will also hate Payal and support his mother." Garima voiced her concern.

"Don't worry, she will never find out and because the only witness to all this is Shashi and we have been giving him the wrong medicine so that he doesn't recover and as for Manorama immediately Payal get pregnant she will love her you wait and see. " Buaji said confidently but Garima wasn't convinced because of the unnerving feelings she has been having for a few days now and she knew something bad was about to happen.

"I hope you are right and I hope Payal gets pregnant soon. " Garima said and Buaji nodded.

Both were silent for a moment before Garima spoke again.

"I think we should call Rudra and ask of Khushi..... We don't know anything about her since she left. "

"No, we won't...... She should stay away from us and we as long do the same...... I don't want anything to ruin our happiness and she will...... Rudra is being paid like us to tolerate her and am sure he gets more from her than we do. " Buaji said and Garima sighed. "Come on let's give shopping...... It will improve your mood. "

They both stood up and left the house leaving Shashi all alone.

Shashi who has heard everything they said had tears streaming down his face.

"Hey, Devi Maiya...... Please save my Khushi..... I can't do anything for her and my sister and wife are gradually killing me just for money...... I can't believe I accepted that adulterous woman after she cheated on me and had Payal..... I took her in together with Payal and made everyone believe she was mine only for her to betray me like this...... Please let a miracle happen and save my Khushi from them. " Shashi prayed as Devi Maiya smiled at him because she has set the incident for Khushi to be saved and all those who hurt her will face the wrath of Arnav and Mami.

Mumbai.

A woman in her late twenties hide in a dark storage room of a mansion and face timed someone.

She smiled seeing that perhaps so did the person also smile.

"How are you Jiji? " The woman on the other side asked.

"I am fine Khushi...... And how are you and my little cupcake doing...... I hope her fever is gone. "

"She is fine Jiji and she is running around the house as if she wasn't bedridden a few days ago. " Khushi said and she giggled.

"I am so happy for you...... Now you can start your life afresh without that devil trying to ruin you."

Khushi sighed and smiled at her.

"I have good news for you...... I got the job at the restaurant and I am meeting the owner in three days...... I don't know know why she doesn't want anyone to know her identity but I will know her soon. "

The woman smiled with tears in her eyes seeing her baby sister finally having the financial independence she has always craved for.

"I am so happy for you..... This year has been good for all of us..... My lawyer called and told me I can get the marriage annulled instead of waiting for the divorce....... I Maithili Ranawat will soon be Maithili Sharma again" She said happily with tears of joy falling down her cheeks and so did Khushi.

"I will make arrangements for you to join us immediately it's done but until then, be careful because those monsters will do anything to hurt you as they did to me because I divorced their abusive son. "

Maithili nodded but she looked nervous and didn't know how to ask Khushi the question she has always wanted to ask.

"Khushi, " Maithili called out and she hummed in response. "You do know there is a possibility you will meet him again and have you thought of giving a visit to your father. " Khushi looked away and Maithili hated to do this but I had to be done. "Your father is not getting better and maybe he will get well if he sees you...... You don't have to see or speak to those traitors but stop punishing him because of them. "

"I will think about it. " Khushi said and Maithili nodded.

"And what about him? " Maithili asked.

"He is a closed chapter of my life which will never be opened again..... If I see him, he will be like any stranger I meet on the way. " Khushi said sternly but deep down she knew she was lying and so did Maithili but she chose not to push anymore.

"Maithili." Khushi heard the voice of her annoying ex-mother in law and they both parted ways not wanting her or the family to know she was in touch with Maithili after she divorced their son two years ago.

Maithili moved out of the storage room after cutting the call and bidding goodbye to Khushi and went out to find her mother in law smiling at her and she rolled her eyes because she knew she was trying to make her stay.

"What do you want Maaji? " She asked rudely and her mother in law looked at her angrily but it changed to a smile and she handed her a beautiful black saree will intricate golden stitches in it.

"For you. "

Maithili cocked her eyebrow and saw her spineless husband moving towards them and he immediately bowed his head seeing her.

Maithili turned to her soon-to-be ex-mother-in-law with her arms crossed.

"Keep it for your next daughter in law..... I don't need it," she said arrogantly and walked away leaving her fuming.

"That witch..... Samrat, did you see how she behaved with me...... I am Mohini Ranawat and no one dare speak to me like that....... I will teach her a lesson she will never forget" She exclaimed angrily and her son glared at her.

"Don't you dare do anything that will already ruin the little that is left..... I want to win her over and you promise to help so please don't do anything that will ruin everything. " Samrat walked away leaving his mother behind and she rolled her eyes at how meek his son it.

"First it was that Khushi and now Maithili...... Two divorces will ruin my reputation for good...... Even if I have to bow to that Maithili, I will do it and not for my son but my reputation..... Where the hell is that Rudra? " She whispered to herself as she walked downstairs.

Outskirts of Mumbai.

A man sat in a drinking bar gulping down multiple shots of alcohol as the flashes of him abusing a woman flashed in front of him.

"Khushi...How dare you leave me?..... How dare you leave Rudra Pratap Ranawat like this...... It's been two years and yet you are the reason I am always taunted...... Who would have thought men will also be taunted for being divorced, it was always women but you humiliated me and now I am a laughing stock in the neighbourhood and now my timid bhabhi is also divorcing Bhai because you motivated her too..... So what if we deceived her into believing she was the one who couldn't conceive...... Her husband is her good and she is supposed to never defy him." Rudra thought as he gulped down another shot of alcohol.

The owner who had had enough of him drinking and never buying kicked him out.

"I have to call her for more money. "

He whipped out his phone and failed a number.

"Hello madam..... I need more money. " He said and smirked.

Delhi.

RM.
Midnight.

Arnav was pacing back and forth worried and shocked about what he had just heard especially it coming out of the most innocent of all people.

Flashback.

Arnav's insomnia has kicked in full load after his talk with Mami so he went downstairs for a bottle of water to hydrate his parched throat when he heard his sister whispering on the phone and from her posture, she looked angry which surprised Arnav because she has never seen her like this before.

He moved closer and behind the wall to listen to what she was saying.

"Don't you dare blackmail me...... I am capable of killing you and you better never repeat this..... I will get you the money...... Meet me at Nandini's Cafe in two days. "

She hung up the phone and threw it on the couch.

"How do I get money without raising suspicions from chote......if  I don't, then he is capable of exposing my secret. ...... I will tell him I have to donate...... Yes....he has never questioned me if it's for a donation....... I never knew getting rid of her will cost me so much." Anjali whispered oblivious to Arnav watching her shocked by her words.

"Did Di kill someone? " Arnav thought as she watched Anjali limp back to her room.

Flashback ends.

"I have to find out what di is hiding but how. "

Someone immediately came to mind and he took his phone and called his best friend and PA Aman Mathur.

Arnav was taken aback hearing his angry voice.

"Who the fuck is this? " He asked angrily making Arnav angry.

"It's your boss, Mr Mathur," Arnav replied and Aman checked his phone to see Arnav's name displayed on the screen and he bounced off his bed.

"Sorry, Arnav... I didn't know it was you..... Do you need anything? "

Arnav sighed and told him everything he heard and asked him to FaceTime.

Aman who saw through Anjali's facade of the innocent woman wasn't surprised and Arnav was taken aback seeing his neutral expression.

"I am not surprised because, unlike your family, I see through a fakeness and am sorry if I am being harsh but it so the truth....... I have a way to find out what she is hiding..... We place a camera on her. " Aman suggested and Arnav looked unconvinced. " Anjali loves jewellery right. " Arnav nodded. "I can have a friend of mine insert a hidden camera in a piece of jewellery and when she is about to leave, you trick her to wear it and even if she takes it off as long as it's closer to her, we will hear everything she says....... I can let them make one for you by tomorrow. "

Arnav nodded and bid goodbye to Aman.

He sat on his bed and stared at the picture beside his bed and picked it up.

It was a picture of Khushi when she had worn the red saree for the photoshoot.

He smiled and caressed it.

"Goodnight my love. " He whispered and kissed it and crawled into his bed holding the picture to his cheat like he does every night before going to bed.

Dilshad Garden, East Delhi.

A woman stood on her balcony looking at the night sky.

This was the city that once broke her in the past but gave her some irreplaceable experiences and things.

She is now here to heal away from the trauma she has been through.

She left the balcony and entered her two-bedroom apartment and looked at it.

She turned and was shocked to see a small figure sitting comfortably on the couch with her eyes on the television watching Frozen.

"Anu, " She called out and the little girl looked at her and smiled as she took the space beside her. "You are supposed to be in bed by now. "

She crawled on her mother's lap and placed her head on her shoulder.

"I couldn't sleep. " She replied in her cute babyish voice and her mother sighed and kissed her forehead as they both watch the cartoons together.

She looked down at her daughter who was engrossed in the cartoons with a smile on her face.

"I promise to always make the is smile stay on your face forever....... This is the promise of Khushi Kumari Gupta. "

To be continued.

End of this week's updates.

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