Khushi sat down nervous and afraid that Mami was torturing Payal for hiding the truth about Shyam.

No matter how much Mami never pampered Anjali as Nani did, she still loves her and is capable of doing anything for her.

"We found out everything two days after you left. "

Flashback.

Mami with a sulking face got down from the car with the family except for Arnav who had left for London two days ago for a business trip.

No matter how she has dissuaded her son not to get married to Payal, he won't listen and to top it all off her husband and everyone was on Akash's side and dismissing her feeling that Payal was no different from Sonia but they didn't listen.

They all got down with the Prakash brothers behind them holding all the gifts they had brought to the family.

They all missed Khushi who had been absent for a week and they never bothered her knowing it was because of her father's illness but what they heard when they reached the Gupta house shocked them.

"You two a the evilest women I have ever met and Payal..... You watched the blackmail and force Khushi to marry Rudra whom she barely knows...... Khushi has always done anything to make you people happy but apart from Shashi, you all never saw her as a family...... First, you blamed her for Payal's broken marriage when she was only doing it to save the family from those leeches...... You taunted and maltreated her but she never complained and you got a perfect opportunity when you Madhumati forced her to be engaged to a man you barely knew all because he was nice only to be discovered he was already a married man and not even two weeks you had forced her to get married without any proper ritual and sent her away the same day...... You people will never be happy for what you did to Khushi...... If I had been around, I wouldn't have let others happen and so would Shashi...... God will punish the three of you. " Happy yelled at them and walked away leaving the family and a crying Shashi behind.

The Raizadas were shocked hearing this and never thought they could be this cruel and all of them started having second thoughts about Payal being their in law.

"Hello hi bye-bye. " Mami exclaimed and the Gupta turned to find the entire Raizada family standing behind them with a fuming Mami and disappointment wrote all over their faces. "You see the reason why I don't want this girl to be my daughter in law!..... She is capable of giving away her sister who worked and endure our ridiculous orders just to make them comfortable...... They shamelessly go her engaged to a married man... Chii."

Mami threw a disgusted look at them and Payal bowed her head in shame.

"I knew something was off about Khushi getting engaged and suspected she was forced and I was right but how could you do this to your niece Madhumati. " Buaji was numb with a shock that she couldn't speak. "And as if it wasn't enough, you forced her into marriage and sent her away...... Why didn't you let Payal get married instead?...... She is the eldest.  "

Garima and Buaji gulped in fear and shame knowing they have no justified reason for what they did and has been exposed.

"Mami, it's simple..... Better get rid of the orphan than our daughter...... Let's aim higher and better for our daughter because she will marry into a rich family and put financial problems will be over and if they don't do the same for Khushi then everyone will see their hypocrisy... So better get rid of Khushi first to avoid all suspicions right. " Mami said looking at them in disgust.

"It's not what you think Manoramaji. " Garima defended and Mami scoffed throwing a disgusted look at her. "We admit we were wrong to force Khushi to get engaged with that man...... He looked like a good man and we didn't know he was married...... We were afraid no knew will marry Khushi after that and even accuse her of being a mistress but Di's friend's son loves Khushi and didn't mind about what happened but he had to move to Mumbai for work and repair their family house that's why we did everything in a rush. "

"Rudra is a good boy because I have known his mother since childhood and I know Rudra will never do anything to hurt ...... Yes, I admit I blackmailed and forced her but I was in a tight corner..... People started gossiping and I knew it will hurt Khushi which I didn't want it to so I did what I had to do when Mohini brought the proposal. " Buaji cried out and they all except Mami believed and understood her.

"It's okay..... We better get in for what we came for. " Manohar said and Mami threw a glare at her husband.

"Count me out of this nonsense..... I will never accept their girl as my daughter in law..... You all can do whatever you want. "

Mami walked away leaving the family behind.

Flashback ends.

Khushi was shocked understanding now that Shyam was still roaming in the mansion playing the perfect son in law and even more shocking was the twisted lie of the Guptas because she knew it was to get rid of her and not because of Shyam because no one except them and Happy Singh knew and she was never taunted for it.

"I never agreed to the marriage but a few weeks after that, Akash and Payal eloped and got married and I had no other choice than to accept the marriage and get them married properly even though I haven't accepted her because she is not what you and everyone think she is...... She is far worse than Sonia. "

Khushi was surprised about the elopement but understood Mami's point of view.

She was just a woman protecting her son from a mistake she did once.

"I understand your concern Mami..... But please give Payal a chance to prove herself to you...... You may be wrong and later might end up regretting it. "

Mami sighed and nodded and Khushi smiled.

"So are we settled with that pay and Anaisha's schooling? " Mami asked and Khushi nodded and they shook hands on it and exited the office.

Anaisha run-up to Khushi and she scooped her up and kissed her cheek making her giggle.

Mami's heart warmed up seeing her granddaughter.

Khushi bid her and Kamala goodbye and Mami smiled watching them leave.

"You will help me bring your parent together soon. " She thought.

Khushi sighed and Rove out of the premises in her old Nissan Livina thinking about the first time mami opened up to her and apologised for her behaviour.

Flashback.

Khushi had had a bad day with a round of Arnav's insults and on top of it, all Lavanya was making her work difficult by not listening to her.

She was walking out of the house fed up about the treatment she has been receiving from the couple when HP rushed up to her and told her Mami wanted to see her in the garden.

She sighed knowing she was about to receive another round of insults from Mami who has made her hatred for her pretty open but she had to tolerate all of it just for her father and no one else.

She walked to the garden to find Mami sitting and sipping on some tea.

She signalled her to sit and she did but saw something she never thought she would see.

Remorse but for whom Khushi thought.

"I am sorry Khushi. " Mami said and Khushi was stunned especially seeing the sincerity in her eyes. "I didn't mean to taunt or make your life a living hell..... It's just that I have been deceived by people like us. " Khushi frown not getting what she meant. "I mean middle-class people like you and me. " Khushi was shocked hearing Mami was from a middle-class family but it made her angry to think she didn't sympathize with her knowing the struggle people like them face.

"You are middle class and yet you made me feel like garbage..... You are such a hypocrite for doing that to me especially when you know what we have to face when it comes to classist rich people like your nephew and family. " Khushi yelled at Mami and she was shocked that she was capable of taunting Mami but most shocking was her reaction.

She didn't seem angry or offended like she thought she would but rather she looked remorse which took Khushi aback.

"I understand you Khushi bitiya. " Another shock to her call her bitiya and that too softly. "I was never prejudiced about middle-class people like us until life made me do so....... I was a maid in the Raizada mansion and the daughter of the gardener and cook of the Raizadas..... My dream was always to become a chef but due to financial difficulties, I couldn't so I had to help my parent...... We lived in a poor colony but I was happy, unlike my parents who were envious of the Raizadas...... One day the son of the house arrived from the UK who was Manohar and it was love at first sight but I knew it was impossible, especially because of our differences in status but it didn't stop him...... We ended up against all odds and eloped because we knew his mother wouldn't have agreed and when we come back, Maaji had no other choice than to accept me because Manohar threatened to leave and never come back home...... My parents instead of being happy blackmailed the family to give them millions or they will have Manohar arrested for marrying a minor and getting her pregnant..... I was fifteen and he was nineteen by then..... This caused a huge fight and Maaji and Ratna called me names and it got so bad that I ended up miscarrying because of the stress, Manohar cut ties with them after that and we left Lucknow to Delhi where he continued with his education with the inheritance he got from his father when he passed away before his tenth birthday and after he was done, paid for me to go to culinary school....... Eight years later our Akash was born and we had to return to Lucknow because Maaji was sick and even though she accepted Akash she didn't with me and I didn't care because my husband loved me and that was all I wanted...... When Akash was twenty-two years old, I decided to arrange his marriage with my best friend's daughter named Sonia..... I thought she was a good girl but during her engagement to Akash, I was about to enter her room to give her a gift when I heard her and her parents talking about how they will get a lot of money from us after marriage and that was the only reason her mother Malini become friends with me....... I felt so betrayed, first by my own family and now by my best friend..... I immediately broke the alliance and vowed never to feel sorry for any middle-class people because they kept on disappointing me..... As if that wasn't enough, most of my friends were only friends will me because of my relationship with the Raizadas and they were all middle-class people and I only had them as friends because I thought they will be more understanding and easy to get along with but I was wrong and it showed when Manohar lost most of his money during the economic recession....... I thought you were the same too, that's why I treated you that way but now I realise you are different...... And I am sorry. " Mami cried out and Khushi felt sorry for her and stood up and hugged her as she apologized continuously.

Flashback ends.

Since then, they became best of friends and she always stood up for her against Lavanya and Arnav and always protected her from them.

She knew she would love working with Mami and was at peace knowing she will keep her secret of working with her from Arnav and everyone.

Back at the restaurant, Mami was sorting out a few things before she call it the day when her phone rang and she smiled seeing the name on display.

She received it and asked the person to come to her office.

She smiled seeing the private detective she had hired and signalled him to sit.

"Mohan...Do you have everything I asked for? " She asked and he nodded nervously which made her frown.

"I have ever thing Mrs Raizada but you are not going to like what I found out. " Mohan replied and gave her a file.

She opened it and read it and she was shocked by what was written and the papers attached to it.

To be continued.

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