Rudra's Mansion.

In the study of his mega mansion, Rudra was sitting on his bed with a sketch book in his hand and he stared a his drawing with a smile on his face.

"Who are you?..... And why did you hunt my dreams last night? " Rudra whispered as he traced his hand over the drawing of a woman.

It was none other than Khushi his love in his previous life which none of them remembered but were connected in their dreams and soon in real life.

"Such mesmerizing hazel Green eyes will hypnotize any man. " Rudra chuckled but it dropped as reality set in for him. "But I know you a just an imaginary part of a dream...... You don't exist. "

He looked disappointed and stood up and closed the sketch book throwing it at the corner of the bed and leaving his room to join his mother down stairs.

Only if he knew he was about to meet his imaginary part of his dream soon and through the most unexpected person.

Rudra stared at his mother who was sitting in the enormous living room of the mansion knitting but totally lost in thought.

"Maa? "

Isha jerked out of her thought to find her son staring at her with concern.

"Are you okay? "

Isha nodded with a smiled and tapped the empty space beside her and Rudra sat by her.

"Breaking news ASR's car spotted with significant damage and was also spotted coming out of City hospital with his sister Miss Anjali Singh Raizada..... Was this attempt on his and his sister's life or just an accident....... Stay tuned for more. "

Isha and Rudra stared at the news channel broadcasting Arnav and his family moving out of the hospital.

"Poor boy...... If this is not an accident then it could be an attempt on his life...... He better be careful because it's not easy being a business man especially when he is gain popularity this fast. " Rudra said as he grabbed a handful of his mother's pistachio nuts and threw it into his mouth.

"You speak so proudly of him and am happy you don't hold any grudge against him for who his parents are....... " Isha uttered staring at Rudra who stopped eating and stared at his mother.

"You know I hold nothing against him but I don't know him enough to judge whether he is a good person or not..... Business wise I respect him but as a person he is his father and his mother's son. " Rudra utter with a hint of anger in his voice and popped some of the nuts into his mouth.

"I thought so too until I met him during a crisis yesterday. "

Rudra snapped his head back to his mother in shock and Isha revealed everything to him.

"From his expression I knew I wasn't he isn't someone to cover up evil and he also loves his sister immensely unfortunately I saw how greedy his family was and he looked like just an ATM for them..... I just hope he will wake up and put them in their place."

Rudra stood up and removed all the knitting equipment and yarn from her lap and threw it away and Isha shook her head giggling as Rudra grumpily sat in front of her and she started massaging his head and this brought a huge smile on his face.

RM( Raizada Mansion).

The entire family including Manohar who had taken the first flight back to India yesterday after Arnav called him sounding desperate to come back sat with the entire family.

He was shook to his core hearing Anjali tried to kill the woman who was in relation with her friend Mohit who's father was also his good friend and business partner.

"I can't believe you will stoop this low. " Manohar yelled and threw a pillow at Anjali hitting her right in the face. "Enough with the cheap tears. " Anjali flinched looking scared because she had never seen such an avatar from her ever calm uncle like this before. "And you Manu. " Mami also flinched. "Move away from her. " She immediately scotted away from Anjali who was left alone. "This is all my fault..... I was supposed to stir this family and yet I chose business and left my failure of a mother be the head of this family....... From now on Anjali has no say in this family...... She will not decided anything ever again and if I find you two supporting her then get ready to face my wrath. " Nani and Mami gulped looking afraid." She has decided to do her masters and will finish her degree in two months...... Until then she will get an allowance of one lakh a month and will manage it. " Anjali stared at her uncle in shock and Arnav who was surprised was thankful that his uncle was the one taking charge which he wished he had done in their past life. "All the jewellery she will purchase will come from her allowance...... Manu will from now be the one to cook every food in his house with no help from the cooks and Nani will help her........ Arnav I want you to pay all the helps apart from the cleaners a year's pay before we let them go..... We will also write very good recommendation letters for them. " Arnav immediately nodded and the three Musketeers stared at Arnav in shock." Just like Anjali, Mami and Maa will also get two lahks a month...... Cancel all their bank accounts and credit cards immediately. "

"It's already done. " Arnav said and Manohar nodded shocking the women.

"This goes to you Maa, stop coddling this grown baby...... If I find out any one of you had broken my command you will be out of this house and I dare not find out any one of you had dare blackmailed Arnav to give in. "

Arnav laughed hysterically making everyone stare at him.

"Uncle I am no longer the weak Arnav Nani and Mami will blackmail to fulfill Anjali's whim anymore..... This is the new and improved Arnav. "

The sterness in his voice proved that he was dead serious about everything.

"There is something I want to ask Mami? " Everyone stared at Arnav confused by the change of topic but Mami nodded for him to go ahead. "Do you love Akash. " Everyone was taken aback by the question especially Akash and Mami.

"Hello hi bye bye I love him. " Mami replied looking offended and Arnav scoffed and shook his head.

"If you really love him then why have you never told him you are proud of him...... Why haven't you said I love you my son...... Why did you think his dream of wanting to became a chef is useless...... You mocked him and told him you had no money to support his dream but when I wanted to become a designer, you didn't hesitate to sell your jewellery and give me the money to start AR...... I always hear about how you love Anjali and I and how you are proud of me but never Akash your own flesh and blood. "

Akash wiped the tears that had betrayed him by spilling from his eyes.

Mami sat in silence and shock at Armav's words.

"And you uncle...... You knew how Mami was and you never did anything to make it up to him but rather you were busy taking care of your upcoming car dealership business....... I am famous for my work it what if I tell you Akash is more famous than all this entire family combined. "

Everyone stared at Akash in shock and he also looked stunned as Arnav opened his laptop and started clicking on it and a video of a masked man cooking what looks like multiple delicious food popped up.

"Ten million subscribers and millions of viewers and likes in every single video he posts and do you know who is behind it. "

Everyone turned to Akash who was staring at Arnav.

"With a little help from us Akash would have been making millions like I am Mami but you mocked his dreams and we all made him so uncomfortable and made him feel he couldn't trust us and it's all our fault...... All that family knows is the use me as ATM and pamper this woman child....... Nk is the only one who knows about this and again I understand because they are the outcast of this family and it take one outcast to understand the other....... We have all failed him and it's about time we make it up to him."

Arnav stood up with a file in his hand and walked up to Akash who was crying and handed the file to him.

Akash was shocked seeing it content and his head snapped back to Arnav.

"It's a blank check....... Start your life and don't bother about what others think about you."

Akash smiled and hugged his brother and both cried as the family watched.

Manohar and Mami felt so ashamed for ignoring Akash and failing as his parents.

Nani was still confused whether to support Manohar's decision in regards to Anjali and seeing her all broken made her want to give against him but with Arnav supporting him she knew it will end badly if she defied his order so she kept quiet.

Anjali on the other hand didn't like the fact that she has been cut off financially and also Arnav was willing to send her to prison if Pihu was to decide she wanted her in jail.

"I have to do something fast....... Mohit's useless father doesn't like me because I am disabled and it was what I used to manipulate this family but it's of no use now..... I will beg Arnav to help me get surgery and I have to find a way to pressure Mohit to marry me and the only way to do that is to get pregnant right now before Pihu decides anything against me....... I know Mohit's father will do anything to have a clean reputation and he is also bigger than chote....... Aww Anjali you have such a genius mind. "

Arnav who's eyes was on Anjali knew she was planning something and he vowed to keep a constant eye on her.

Lucknow.
Midnight.

Payal woke up thirsty and found the jar closer to the bed empty and she turned to find Khushi fast asleep in her Taekwondo pose and she chuckled and shook her head.

She got up and picked the jar walking out for their room.

She was about to entered the kitchen when she heard distance yelling from a familiar voice.

She put the jar down and walked towards the voice which led her to the roof top of house and saw her father fuming in ways she had never seen before.

"Khushi would have been living a better life if you two hadn't gone behind my back and stolen the documents to access her trust fund which you both lost all of it in a ponzi scheme........ Ten crores which would have changed her life. "

Payal gasped in shock hearing the things her aunt and mother had done and more shocking was than they didn't look remorseful.

"It's not Khushi's fault her father who was your friend chose your adopted sister instead of you....... I thought my love was enough to make you forget him but you didn't,not even the birth of Payal made you change your hatred for your sister and Di,it not Shweta's fault that your lustful husband lusted over her and she exposed him...... Blame that bastard who lusted over Shweta's even though she was married to you...... Khushi will continue going to the culinary school whether you two like it or not and let me see who dare stop me. " Shashi fulminated and they all flinched and he waked away from there but halted seeing Payal.

Buaji and Garima stared at each other and gulped seeing the disgusted glare Payal threw at them.

Payal turned to her father and demanded to know the truth And Shashi having no other choice told her the truth.

"Before Advay married your aunt shweta, he was your mother's friend but he fell in love with Shweta and married her...... No one knew Garima was in love with Advay until after he left with Shweta to her honey moon..... Garima got drank and confessed it to your grandfather who slapped her and arranged her marriage with me...... I didn't know of all this until a year after our marriage when Shweta suffered and miscarriage and the doctor said Shweta could never conceive again and we all gather to make her happy because she became depressed....... Two months after the miscarriage, your mother got pregnant with you and during her baby shower , she cornered Shweta and told her God took away her ability to have children because she stole Advay away from her which we all heard because I, your grandfather and Advay went to the venue to deliver the sweets that was left behind...... They were both standing in the garden when it happened and Garima didn't know we were standing behind her when it happened...... She only realised it have she turned and found us and your grandfather marched up to her and slapped her and that was when he revealed that Garima had feelings for Advay and that is why he arranged our marriage because he was afraid Garima might guilt trip Shweta to give up Advay which she would have done to please your mother. "

Payal stared at her mother in disgust and Buaji stared at Garima in shock because she told her something else.

"I was hurt that I was used and left telling everyone I needed time and went to live with Happy Singh in Delhi...... Garima begged me to come back but I refused until three months after you were born. "

This hit Payal as she realised that was why she didn't have a picture of her and her father when she was born.

"That's why there was no picture of you and I at the hospital when I was born. " Shashi nodded with his eyes shimmering with unshed tears and feeling ashamed and Payal walked up to her father and held his hand shaking her head. "I want to hear the rest of it and please don't be ashamed because she is the only one responsible of it. " Payal said glancing at a shocked Garima with anger.

"You were three months old when your grandfather suffered a heart attack and I had to come home because Advay had cut ties with Garima and all of us and taken Shweta to Gujarat but due to your grandfather's illness, we all come together for the first time since the day of your baby shower....... Di also come to visit with her husband and we all lived her in this house which belongs to your grandfather....... We tried for months to get him the best treatment but I didn't work so we had to watch him live with constant heart and lungs diseases...... Even though we lived in the same house, Advay and Shweta never spoke to your mother but pampered and spoiled you rotten. " Payal smiled remembering all the pictures of her and her aunt and uncle. "When you were two years old, Shweta miraculously got pregnant with Khushi and we all were on cloud nine and after nine months Khushi was born and your grandfather was the one who named her Khushi but unfortunately our happiness didn't last long when three months after Khushi's birth your grandfather passed away leaving all of us devastated."

"But what does Buaji' deceased husband has to do with her hatred for Khushi? " Payal asked confused not understanding why Buaji hated Khushi.

"Shweta accused my late husband of trying to molest her a few months after your grandfather died and even though there were marks on her skin to indicate she was indeed molested, Garima manipulated me into believing he was innocent and Shweta was trying to get him kicked out of the house and I like a fool believed her....... My late husband couldn't stand the humiliation and committed suicide which I blamed Shweta for and harrased her until Advay took and Khushi and left back to Gujarat...... We never heard of them but they called to speak to your father and always sent you gifts all the time....... Six years later we heard the news that they and an accident on their way here and Khushi was the only survivor and I was happy thinking I got my revenge on her...... I and Garima even refused to go for the funeral and your father handled everything alone....... I thought I was free until he showed up with Khushi who was the splitting image of her mother but she inherited her father's hazel Green eyes and I directed my hatred to her...... I was against Shashi adopting her until I found out the money her parents had left and we agreed. "

Buaji looked down ashamed not being able to look at her niece who was staring at her in disgust.

Garima wished the earth could shallow her because now Buaji was surely going to turn against her.

What she didn't know was that fate was planning to cut her off from the lives of her daughter and Khushi because was the hindrance in their sisterhood and was the one who had influenced Payal to ignore Khushi but now which fate wanted to get rid off her and pave a clean situation where they will die for each other.

To be continued.

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