Chapter 41: Chapter 41

"Love is like a beautiful flower that we cannot touch, but whose fragrance makes the garden a place of delight just the same."

A sudden urge of smoking had come inside Dhruv and that's why he was busy puffing out the cigarette, here, towards the backside of his dwelling away from the masses. When Ayushi noticed Dhruv going towards the backyard, she too had followed him and now she could see him smoking, again. Enraged puffs of air were blazing from her eardrums too.

But before she could hinder his smoking session, she perceived someone near the bushes with a gun pointing at her husband.

"Dhruv," Ayushi shouted out aloud in despair.

The person behind the bushes became warned and hibernated properly, witnessing the ongoing fight of a husband and wife over the 'Cigarette'.

"Dhruv, there's someone near the bushes, please act like I'm scolding you for this cigarette," Ayushi whispered in a low voice, trying to make an impassioned face at him. "Why are you smoking again? Everyone is waiting to talk with you and here you are, busy in making your rings of the cigar," she trembled in fear, not knowing what to do. The shooter could shoot any one of them, even Dhruv was confounded now.

"Let's go," Dhruv held Ayushi's hands and started to go when they heard a gunshot. Both stilled at their respective places, with a look of panic on their profiles.

"Stop right there, I'll kill you both," a female voice squawked out venomously.

Ayushi and Dhruv exchanged a look of horror and turned towards the source of the sound.

"You thought that you'll just get away after destroying my brother's life?" it was none other than Ayushi's step-mother, pointing a gun at them.

"From childhood only, he had supported me, been a guardian to me, and because of you, he is behind the bars, I'll not leave you both," the lady had gone mad and blabbering useless things, pointing the gun at them.

They were shocked to hear that she was the sister of Probhakor Thakur.

"Choti Maa," Ayushi called her out, trying to get her attention, while Dhruv had secretly taken out his phone, to call his cop friend, Makshik. But unfortunately, his phone had no battery, he cursed under his breath.

"Shut up, just shut up, because of you we had lost all our wealth, my brother had lost his business, his life, today you'll breathe for the last time," Kamini, her stepmother, started laughing out humorlessly.

"Because of you even my husband is behind the bars, yesterday only he was arrested as all the associated workers of my brother are also being arrested, now I've only one goal of my life, to kill you both, mercilessly, in this loud noise, no one will hear you, no one will come to save you," Kamini continued her savage laugh, nonetheless, she had gone mad.

"Papa is behind the bars? He was also associated with them?" Ayushi was shocked would be an understatement after what she just heard now.

"Yes, he is, because of you bitch," she glared at Ayushi with abhorrence and venom.

"And now even you will be," Makshik came out of nowhere, and kicked the gun with his leg, which was now in his gloved hands. Now, it was Kamini's turn to be shocked and perplexed. Ayushi and Dhruv took a sigh of relief after seeing Makshik who had the gun now.

"You," she shouted at him while Makshik just looked at her boringly.

"I think as you love your husband so much that you want to accompany him even in the jail, then let me make your wish come true, Kamini (a profanity for a woman), oops sorry, Kamini( used as a name as well)Aunty," he was now pointing the gun on her forehead, which was sweating profusely now.

"I have not done anything, in which case will you put me in?" she smiled bitterly at him, not fearing the repercussions of her statement.

"Of course, you have not done anything," Makshik too played along.

"By the way, did I tell you guys that she had already shot two guards who were guarding the backside of our house?" Makshik disclosed while Kamini looked at him in distress.

"What? Where are they now?" Dhruv asked in concern for his employees.

"On the way to the hospital, Uday Singh, your bodyguard was inside the 'camera room', he had reported to me immediately about the incident, after which I had sent both the guards to the hospital and immediately came here after not finding you both inside the party," Makshik explained while still pointing his gun at Kamini.

"Anything more to save yourself?" Makshik glared at Kamini who was looking like she'd cry at any moment.

"Please don't arrest me, I have a daughter to take care of, even her father is not there with her, who will take care of her," she started playing the 'emotional victim card', which affected Ayushi as well, as she knew that her step-sister was innocent. She was not like them and she didn't deserve a life without a parent.

"Wow! I think you should've thought about this earlier, daughter and all," Makshik replied and dialled his junior, Tyagi's number as they needed to take this woman to the cell.

"Please, I beg you, please don't do this," Kamini was on her knees now, holding Makshik's legs, pleading with him.

"Shut up, you don't des.." before Makshik could speak more, Ayushi had jumped into the crime scene, shocking everyone.

Ayushi had seen a shiny thing in her step-mother's hand when she had sat on the ground. She immediately got what was the plan of this traitorous lady. Before Kamini could attack Makshik, Ayushi had kicked her right on her waist from the left which resulted in Kamini's falling on the ground, while her knife too was out on the ground.

"Snakes can never stop biting," Ayushi commented while picking up the knife from the ground which her step-mother tried to reach for.

"You little mice, how dare you hit me?" Kamini shouted at Ayushi, witnessing her courage which she had never seen in her, every time she had put her confidence and courage down, back in the old days. She had always terrorized her, had made dirty remarks at her and that was the reason behind Ayushi's meek and timid personality.

Ayushi smiled at her and without waiting for another second, she slapped her step-mother right on her cheek.

"How did it feel, Kamini?" Ayushi asked her impulsively pained step-mother who had now put a hand on her currently full-hand printed cheek.

"Earlier I used to fear you, father, because of your demonic behaviour towards me, but see the turn of the table now, you're lying on the ground and I'm the one who is slapping you, isn't it's your Karma biting you back?" Ayushi seethed at her in anger, remembering the bad old days when she was nothing but a punching bag for them.

"When did you become so courageous, bitch?" Kamini's eyes held anger, she was furious now.

"When I learned that the fear of being feared is fear itself, I faced the fear, I faced the people like you, who too were demons like you, beating and hitting innocents, I fought with them and eventually, I moulded myself into a whole new Ayushi," she spoke out, venting out all her emotions in front of her step-mother.

The police too arrived, although from the back door, as per Makshik's orders, as he didn't want to create a scene in front of all the guests.

"And this is for shooting those innocent guards," Ayushi slapped her step-mother once more, while Kamini could only glare back at her as her hands were handcuffed now.

Dhruv smiled at his wife's courageous personality, proudly. Even he wanted to slap this woman for being such a bad memory for his wife but he restrained himself, remembering about the promise that he had made to himself, that is, to never hit a woman.

"I will not leave you," she cursed them, trying to get away from the lady police who were holding her tightly.

"In your dreams. She's shot two persons who are critical now and even attempted to murder MrDhruv Singh Rajput. Put all the charges against her and one more thing, make sure she gets a lifetime residency at the jail with a jail partner much worse than her," Makshik ordered the sub-inspector who nodded at his boss' command. Kamini kept cursing all of them but ultimately, she was taken inside the police van, away from their lives, away from her comfortable life.

"Thank you so much, Makshik," Dhruv hugged Makhik while patting his back. Ayushi too smiled at him in gratitude, the gratitude of saving their lives and also for taking that cruel lady away from their lives.

"Mention not, dude, but enlighten me, why you were here?" Makshik looked questionably at Dhruv who was now just too quiet to reply.

"I was smoking here," Dhruv replied.

"Quit it, before it's too late. It's dangerous for your health, even though you know that" Makshik didn't give a lecture but his advice was apt for the moment.

"I will," Dhruv promised while looking at his wife who smiled back at him sadly.

"Let's go, before Dad sends a search party for us again," they chuckled and went towards the front part of the garden where the party was going on in full swing.

****

"Dadi, here take your medicines," Payal gave the medicines to Gayathri who was busy observing her granddaughter's sad eyes.

After swallowing the medicines, Gayathri called Payal to sit near her.

"Payal, I'm observing you from the past few days, you've suddenly become so silent, I mean you try to laugh but it doesn't reach your eyes, anything you want to share beta?" she asked Payal after taking her hands in her.

Payal looked at her grandmother in shock, even her old eyes had noticed her. She was so readable, she sighed.

"Dadi, you know about Makshik and me, right? How big of a best friend we were? How we used to play all day, doing notorious things here and there, although he's six years older than me still we shared such a great bond. But one day, he just went away, without even telling me where he was going and for how much time, he didn't even care to tell me. And now he's back, expecting me to be normal with him like old times like nothing happened," Payal was crying by now and Gayathri just sighed at her naïve granddaughter.

"He didn't even apologize to me for being such a dumb," Payal sobbed while wiping her nose with a tissue paper.

"You're in love with him," Gayathri concluded and Payal's eyes turned into saucers.

"No, I cannot, how can I love him, he's so bad, no," Payal tried to deny but her stuttering told a whole new different story.

"Okay, I get it, you don't love him then. By the way, I wanted to talk to you about a girl whom his parents had chosen for Makshik as his bride. Do you want to see? Bring my phone, it's saved in that," Gayathri's voice was serious, but Payal's face was worth watching.

"What? He'll be married?" she asked her grandmother in a perplexed tone.

"Of course, he's twenty-nine now, why shouldn't he be married?" Gayathri counterattacked while stifling a smile that was trying to erupt on her lips.

"Yeah, why should I care. I wish he gets the ugliest witch as his wife," Payal cursed while handing the phone to Gayathri who was trying not to laugh at her silly comment.

"Yeah, yeah, for what he did with my princess, he should really get the 'Ugliest Witch' as his wife," Gayathri too played along, hiding her smile.

"Here, his parents had selected this girl for him," Gayathri swiped her phone's gallery and looked at a girl's photo adoringly.

Payal made a face on that, she didn't even want to see that girl, she loathed her already.

"I don't want to see his future-ugly-wife," she spoke out in a stubborn tone and Gayathri laughed at her granddaughter, but in her mind.

"Oh! But you should see her, beta. She's so beautiful, see," Gayathri tried to persuade Payal but she had already turned her face away from her grandmother's phone which had her enemy's photo.

"I don't want to s.." before Payal could say anything, she was already tongue-tied. She couldn't speak a word. She was amazed, shocked, and whatnot.

In her grandmother's mobile, she could see her photograph in ethnic wear, when they had gone to Rameshwaram, she remembered nonchalantly.

Without her knowledge, a beautiful smile formed on her lips, which didn't go unnoticed by Gayathri.

"So, how's the girl?" Gayathri teased her granddaughter in a soft tone.

Payal looked at her grandmother in shock, how did they know that Makshik was her childhood crush, her man whom she had always wished to marry.

"We were well aware of your likings for each other. And Makshik had not informed about his sudden departure to his officer training to you, because he didn't want to see you in tears, he had told these words exactly to me on the same day when he was leaving for Hyderabad," Gayathri's words were like a sudden drizzle of the soothing, chilled river on her burning heart. She didn't have a word to say anything, she was again tongue-tied for the second time this night.

"And now, a few days back only his father had asked for your hand for marriage for Makshik and you won't believe, three days ago only, Makshik, unknown about his parents' decisions too had asked for your hand for marriage from us," she smiled while looking at the astonished face of her granddaughter.

"So, it's a yes from him, what about you, beta?" she asked her in a solemn tone.

Payal had no words to describe how ecstatic and delighted she was feeling now. She was feeling like she had won everything. So, she was Upset at Makshik for such a petty reason which was only for her wellness.

"Tell me, yes or no?" Gayathri again persuaded her.

In the pleasure of the thoughts of her marriage with Makshik, Payal was red like a tomato, her cheeks were burning with shyness and of course, the crazy smile that she was hiding in front of her grandmother. She nodded her head meekly and hugged her grandmother, smiling sheepishly.

"I love him, Dadi," she whispered against her Dadi's chest and Gayathri smiled brightly, finally she managed to make her granddaughter accept her love for Makshik.

"Come, we have another surprise for you," Gayathri stood up from the bed and walked with Payal towards the garden.

****

"So, ladies and gentlemen, I'm back again for another announcement. Tomorrow our son, Dhruv Singh Rajput will reoccupy his position as the CEO of our company, 'Aryavrata Pvt limited', give a huge round of applause for him," Dhiraj acclaimed loudly for his son and the guests too whistled and applauded for Dhruv.

Dhruv along with other family members was currently sitting around a circular table, with Aranya sleeping on his lap while Agastya was with Arjun on another table playing with Alka and Payal, the bachelor team.

Ayushi shared a smile with Dhruv after the announcement and put her hands on his, in a promising manner, the promise of always being with each other, the promise of love, and the promise of a better life.

Makshik too was sitting on their table with his parents, stealing glances at Payal who was on another table.

"And the last but the most important announcement, we have decided, we as in, me and my best friend Mr Sanjay Singh Chandra, to be no longer friends but relatives. Yes, you guessed it right. We have fixed the marriage of our daughter, Payal Singh Rajput with his son, Makshik Chandra, the engagement is just after a week, and you all are cordially invited to cheer," Dhiraj was on cloud nine. The guests hooted, whistled loudly for the couple.

Payal and Makshik looked at each other, shocked. They hadn't expected this. Although they loved each other but even before confessing to each other, their parents had already confessed about their marriage to the whole world. Nonetheless, they were beaming with joy, from inside.

It was Payal who looked down on the ground, because of a sudden tint of maroon forming on her cheeks. She was shy would be an understatement. Makshik grinned at her and stood up to ask her for a dance as all the couples were called on the dance floor with their partners.

How could Makshik miss a chance to be with his love!

Pratibha & Dhiraj, Ayushi & Dhruv, Payal & Makshik along with other couples, started dancing on the slow & soothing romantic songs while the kids were resting on Arjun's and Alka's lap.

"So, will you mind a coffee tomorrow at Barista?" Arjun asked Alka in a soft tone, sowing a seed of affection to begin another love story to blossom.

~**•**~

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