RM.

Akash knocked on the door of his father's study and entered after hearing his permission.

Manohar looked at his son and signalled him to sit down.

Akash looked nervous and Manohar knew the reason why.

He knew he was here to coerce him to let his mother accept Payal to work at the restaurant as a chef and he was on board until she explained why she will not hire her and it had nothing to do with her dislike for Payal.

No matter how much he disagreed with his wife, he knew after what her family did and Sonia did, she doesn't trust middle-class people and he couldn't blame her.

"Papa... I want you to please convince Maa to let Payal work at her restaurant..... She wants to try and fix her relationship with Maa but she is being difficult and unbearable. " Akash paused and gulped seeing his father frown in anger and he knew he went overboard by insulting his mother which he knew his father hated. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to say that. " He apologized and Manohar nodded.

"I get what you mean but I also understand your mother...... You have been at her restaurant and you know how rush hours can be and truth be told Payal is slow...... Look how long she takes to prepare food in the kitchen for us even with the help of the Prakash brothers and she is either having too much salt or pepper in the food and using way too many spices than needed and that can't happen at the restaurant...... Your mother built that place from the ground up and with financial assistance from anyone..... The restaurant and her pride and joy and I won't let anyone ruin it for her. " Manohar said sternly and Akash knew it was a lost cause and he was also right.

"No matter how much I disagree with your mother's dislike for Payal, I also understand her..... She has trusted way too many middle-class people and always got disappointed..... If Payal wants to be accepted by Manu, she has to stop playing the victim always because she is not....... As much as you want to deny it, she is no different from Anjali..... She is the Anjali of the Gupta family..... Everything is handed to her on a silver platter just like Maa forces us to do the same for Anjali and on countless occasions, she has been made the villain because she wants Anjali to be independent and stop relying on us for everything...... And one more thing, I heard what you said to your mother about how you will never allow her to see her grandkids if you have them...... It's the most disgusting way for you to blackmail your mother into accepting Payal and all that has contributed to her dislike for her without you even realizing it...... If you go through with that threat then the same will apply to me. "

Akash felt ashamed and finally understood he has been in the wrong and on several occasions he has threatened his mother just for Payal.

He thanked his father and was moving out when he saw his mother standing by the door which was opened and from her expression, he knew she heard everything.

Manohar looked at his son and followed her gaze to find his wife standing by the door and knew she heard everything.

She moved in and looked back from father and son and sighed.

"Akki....... I know to you I am the villain of the story. " Akash was about to retort when she raised her hand stopping him. "I won't argue with you and I will give your wife an opportunity but under one condition..... You will have an informant be with her because I know how good she is at playing the victim and she is capable of accusing me of maltreating her. "

Akash was stunned hearing his mother's accusation but kept quiet because he didn't want to upset and make her drop her offer.

"Okay..... I will do that if that is what you want. "

Immediately he was done, HP entered and told them dinner was ready.

They all got down and took their respective places.

The only ones missing from the diner table was Arnav, Anjali and Shyam who has just arrived.

Mami heard giggling and knew this sound was only when Shyam was around.

The couple got down and Shyam greeted everyone and sat down with the family.

"I am happy to see you damadji. " Mami said grabbing everyone's attention.

"Me too..... I have been gone for so long and miss all of you...... I  glad to finally be home. " Shyam said enthusiastically and everyone except Manohar and Mami smiled at him.

"Well good to know that..... But I have something to discuss with you since apart from my husband, no one is bold even to ask you. " Mami said looking straight into his eyes and Shy was taken aback by her tone.

"Mami not now. " Anjali retorted looking angry and Mami paid her no attention.

"We are becoming the laughing stock of society because of you and Anjali staying and Maaji's holier than thou attitude..... They are calling her a hypocrite and us enablers and you ghar jamai for staying with us even after nearly eight years of marriage...... As for me, I don't care but I hate other people's deeds affecting me especially if I have done nothing and am against it. .... You already have been building a house and I if it's not completed, tell me and I will help complete it..... I will hire maids to cater to you and Anjali's needs since she can't do anything herself because she is disabled but never disabled when it comes to shopping. " Mami haunted shocking everyone except Manohar. "I will also have your utility bills paid in full for two years as a departing gift for the two of you...... We need to uphold our honour and it starts with you and Anjali..... Am sorry if you are offended but I am protecting your honour as a man because people don't respect you and I am sure so do your colleagues and please don't know lie because we know...... You have compromised enough for Anjali and it's about time she does the same."

Mami ended up taking all of them by shock.

Anjali turned to Nani for support but she looked away and Anjali knew she was done for.

Shyam was also shocked by the turn of events and started wondering what had happened while he was gone to make Mami go off like that and their unbeatable support in the form of Nani was also quiet and engrossed in her food so much that she didn't look at them.

Just when he was done with the papers to take everything that belongs to Arnav and then look for Khushi, he has been hit by this storm and knowing how Arnav listened to Mami more than anyone, he was sure Arnav has already been informed about and finally understood his absence at the table.

Mami has carefully planned all this and had had purposefully made Arnav not join them so that Anjali's tears won't dissuade him from supporting her and her husband.

"I have to do something fast...... Thank God the money I use to steal from Anjali was able to finish the house I was going to live in with Khushi but unfortunately this bitch might be the first to see....... No..... No... No..... I can't let that happen but if I deny it, they will feel suspicious of me so I better agree with them. " Shyam thought and looked at Mami who was looking at him like an eagle's eyes on prey.

"Mami.....I accept your offer...... It's about time I and Anjali live alone and have our privacy but I already have everything ready and I need to finish up so can you give me about a month to get everything ready. "

Mami nodded and Anjali looked as pale as a ghost hearing Shyam's words.

Everything was falling apart, now Shyam will have a free chance to cheat and might even divorce her.

She will no longer have access to the money she use to because she knows for sure Mami will let Arnav cut them off and there is a possibility that it has already been done because Mami has a habit of always being prepared before a confrontation.

Nani looked at a sad Anjali but she knew she couldn't do anything about it.

She has to agree with her son and daughter in law no matter how much she hated it.

Flashback.

Nani was sitting in her room watching a movie when Hari Prakash knocked and entered to inform her Manohar needed her in the study.

She was confused but listened and walked to his study.

Immediately Manohar saw her, he signalled her to sit and she did with a confused look on her face.

"Hypocrite...... Liar..... Shameless..... I have to tolerate her because she is the grandmother of ASR but I can't stand her hypocrisy. "

Nani was shocked to hear these words from her son.

"That's what your so-called friends call you behind your back because you got around preaching morals and traditions to them when your own granddaughter's presence in her brother's house proves you never practice what you preach...... All because you have allowed it and I am no longer going to tolerate it spreading to us and them thinking we have the same mentality as you. "

Nani heard the voice of her daughter in law and was confused about where it was coming from.

Manohar turned his laptop and she found Mami looking pissed off on the screen.

"Anjali has been married for nearly nine years and still living in her brother's house and don't you dare give me the excuse that she is disabled..... Anjali is willingly disabled..... She can get an operation and be normal but no because, without her limp, no one will pity her anymore..... For a person who is always using her limp as an excuse not to work or help in the house chores, she never gets tired of wasting Chiku's money on shopping and useless things because after all, they are more to spend...... Enough is enough..... Enough of her using her useless tears to get what she wants..... Enough of her and you making us a laughing stock and being dragged into it...... Enough of her making her husband a ghar jamai and him compromising his honour just to please Anjali..... The poor man is a laughing stock and he is enduring it but for how long will his respect and honour be stepped over for him to snap I won't be surprised he has lovers in town because of this. " Nani gasped in shock at her last sentence.

"Maa don't be shocked because it's possible..... We will help them in any way but you won't support her again or I will make Arnav kick you out and you know own I can do it...... I am his mother unlike you who never supported..... I remember when he wanted to be a fashion designer, you taunted him saying it was a woman's job. " Nani bowed her head in shame remembering it. "You had the money and refused to give it to Arnav because you wanted to invest in your so-called friend's business only for her to be duped and I had to sell all my jewellery to give him the money needed...... I believed in him but today you are spending more than me and I am not in any way jealous but I am done watching undeserving people spend it and on top of it make a laughing stock out of him and us..... Enough is enough..... Anjali and Shyam will leave in their own home and you won't support them or else I will kick you out. "

Mami logout shocking Nani who looked at her son for support but seeing the stern look on his face, she knew he was bead serious and gave up but knew they were right.

Flashback ends.

Payal silently rejoiced to see the turn of events.

With Anjali gone, she will finally control the house and make her own decisions because she heard from Akash that Mami will start going to the restaurant more often and almost every day.

Her thought was broken by the ring of her phone and she received and her eyes widened hearing the person on the like.

"What? " She exclaimed in shock and all attention turned on her with everyone looking at her confused but Mami smirked knowing why she yelled.

To be continued.

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