6

Badla lene ka maza tab hai, jab dushman samjhe ke sab kuch thik hai.

Zakhm jitna gehra hota hai, badla utna hi zabardast hota hai.

After three years

Dhir's parents sat together in the living room. Randhir, who had an accident a year ago and is now in a wheelchair, entered the room with the help of arohi. Now Randhir is unable to walk or talk, communicating only through sign language.

Just then, the PA entered, delivering the news. "Sir, Ranvijay sir has returned and will be home by this evening."

Dhir's Mom gasped and started crying, overwhelmed with emotion. "My son... he's coming back after five years! Now both my sons will be with me."

Randhir signaled through sign language.

"Everything will be fine once Ranvijay comes, Dad."

"Cook all of Ranvijay's favorite dishes. He's coming back after five years, everything has to be perfect." Dhir's Mom ordered the cook.

The cook nodded and left to begin preparations. Meanwhile, Arohi moved closer to Randhir. She learnt sign language for him. "Are you okay, Randhir? You look a little worried."

Randhir paused and signed back.

"Nothing, just not feeling up to it."

"Stop thinking about your accident, Randhir. Your brother is coming home after five years. Try to live in this moment of happiness." Arohi told Randhir.

Randhir looked at her, though he's still haunted by the accident. After a brief moment, he responded in sign language.

"I'll try."

Just then moment is interrupted by the ring of Dhir's dad's phone. His expression quickly changed as he listened to the person on the other end, his face turned red with anger.

Dhir's Dad gripped the phone tightly. "What nonsense is this? How dare you let this get out in the media? I won't tolerate this!"

He slammed the phone down. The family, sensing something is wrong, looked at him. Arohi, worried, speaked up. "Papa, what happened? Is everything okay?"

Dhir's dad, still fuming, walked toward the TV. "Arohi, turn on the TV. Look at the nonsense they're showing!"

Arohi quickly grabbed the remote and switched on the TV. The screen lights up with a breaking news headline, and the family's smiles vanished.

"The downfall of the Oberoi Group continues. After Randhir Oberoi's accident, the company has struggled to recover, with continuous reports of losses."

The camera zoomed in on footage of Randhir in his wheelchair, followed by images of company buildings. The words hit hard, and the family is left in stunned silence.

News Anchor continued.

"Without Randhir Oberoi, the Oberoi Group seems unable to regain its former glory. Is this the end for the Oberoi Group?"

Randhir's face turned pale as he watched the TV, his hands clenched tightly on the armrests of his wheelchair.

Dhir's Dad frustrated at the news.

"These media people are making a spectacle of our suffering. Randhir, this is not your fault."

Randhir lowered his gaze, unable to hide the guilt and frustration swelling inside him.

"It's all my fault. If my accident hadn't happened, none of this would've happened." Randhir signed through sign language

As the news about the Oberoi company's downfall played on the TV, the tension in the room thickened. Randhir's mom, entered the living room with a maid by her side.

Dhir's mom walked sharply towards the TV. "Turn off the TV. The environment of the house should be good until Ranvijay comes. We can't let our sorrows affect him."

Arohi, sensing her seriousness, quickly switched off the TV.

Just then, the maid, who had been quietly standing beside Dhir's mom, spoke up, her voice low but clear.

"All this is happening because you played with Kahani madam's emotions. You tortured her and caused her so much pain."

Dhir's mom turned sharply, her eyes widened in disbelief. Her anger flared up almost immediately, and she yelled at the maid. "Stay in your limits! How dare you say something like that? Get out of here!"

The maid, startled by the sudden outburst, quickly left the room. Dhir's mom took a deep breath, trying to compose herself, but deep down, the maid's words hit a nerve, one she wasn't ready to confront.

Dhir's mom's mind flashed back to the moments when they pushed Kahani away, ignored her cries, and forced her to endure the unbearable. She tried to shake the thoughts away, but the seed of doubt has been planted.

She clenched her fists, pushing the thoughts away for now. But deep inside, guilt started to brew, and she found it hard to ignore the possibility that the maid might have been right.

Dhir's mom, still thinking about the unsettling thoughts about Kahani, shaked off her doubts. "Enough, no more talking about this. When Ranvijay comes, the house should be peaceful and happy. No one will discuss these matters in front of him."

Then Randhir signaled. "After Ranvijay comes back, maybe he'll be a better option to lead the company."

Arohi translated Randhir's sign language for the others, and his dad listend carefully, then nodded

"Yes, you're right, Randhir. Putting Ranvijay in charge of the company's matters will be the right move."

"So it's decided. Ranvijay will be the next leader of Oberoi Group. Until he arrives, we all need to work together to keep this family strong." His mom said.

■

After years of waiting, Ranvijay has finally returned, and the family eagerly gathered near the door. The sound of the car pulling up brought a wave of joy through the house, and the guard announced, "Sir, ranvijay sir has come."

Ranvijay stepped out of the car, adjusted his suit. He glanced at his reflection in the car window, ruffled his hair casually before turning toward the house. As he walked up the steps, the family stood at the door.

"Beta! Tum aa gaye!". His mom said.

(Son! You've finally come!)

She rushed forward, her arms open wide, and hugged him tightly, tears streamed down her face. His mother scolded him between sobs. "It's been five years, Ranvijay! You didn't answer our calls, didn't come home even once. Do you know how much we've missed you?"

Ranvijay gave a small smile, patting his mother's back, but his eyes soon shifted toward Randhir, sitting quietly in his wheelchair. The sight of his brother in such a condition caused Ranvijay's heart to sink. His smile faded, and he walked over to Randhir, kneeling down beside him. Tears fill Ranvijay's eyes as he hugged his brother tightly.

Randhir responded through sign language. "Where did you go, Ranvijay? Why did it take you so long to come back?"

Arohi translated it back to ranvijay.

Ranvijay wiped away his tears and responded. "I will never leave again, randhir bhai. I'll always stay by your side now."

After a few moments, Ranvijay noticed the woman standing nearby who is translating the sign language, watching them with a warm smile. He turned towards her, curiously. "Bhabhi?".

Randhir nodded his head.

Ranvijay stood up and walked over to Arohi, side-hugged her with a sincere smile. "Forgive me, bhabhi. I missed your wedding. But now I'm here, and I won't leave again."

Arohi smiled warmly, understanding the weight of his words. "It's ok ranvijay."

"Beta, come sit. You've come after so many days, we want to talk to you so much!"

Ranvijay hold up his hand, stopping everyone mid-sentence. He smiled, a twinkle in his eye, as if he's holding onto a secret. "Ruko... ek surprise hai. Tum sab ko kisi se milna hai."

(Wait... there's a surprise. There's someone you all should meet.)

Everyone, already excited, looked at him curiously. His mother, especially, is eager to know what this surprise is. "Who is it, son?"

Ranvijay, took a deep breath before revealing the truth. "Few months ago, I got married."

There's a moment of stunned silence. His mother's face lighted up with joy, and arohi exchanged surprised glances with Randhir. Everyone is thrilled to hear the news, especially Ranvijay's mother. "What? You got married? This is the happiest news! Who is she?"

Ranvijay turned toward the entrance, gesturing with his hand. "She's right here... look, over there."

Everyone turned to look at the entrance. But as the figure stepped in, a collective gasp filled the room. Standing at the entrance is none other than Kahani. The same woman they had wronged, the one who had suffered because of them. Shock rippled through the family. Randhir's mother stands frozen, her face drained of color.

Ranvijay, walked over to Kahani and took her hand, proudly introducing her to his family.

"This is my wife. Kahani Ranvijay Oberoi. The love of my life)

Kahani stood there quietly, her face unreadable, as the family tried to process what's happening. The past they thought they had left behind has now come back, standing in front of them as Ranvijay's wife.

"So, how do you all feel? The love of my life is finally in front of you all."

Arohi smiled gently. "This is wonderful news, Ranvijay. We're all very happy for you."

Ranvijay walked with Kahani towards his parents. His father, still frozen in disbelief, watched as they approached him.

Ranvijay and Kahani reached his father.

His father, struggling to keep his emotions in check, forced a smile. The Slowly, Ranvijay and Kahani bend down to touch his feet, seeking his blessings. He hesitated but eventually placed his hand over their heads.

"Khush raho."

(Be happy)

Kahani smirked slightly, her words carefully chosen as she spoke.

"It's nice to meet you, Dad. I've heard so much about you. How you're such a good person and a successful businessman."

Her tone is sweet, but there's an underlying sharpness to her words, almost as if she's testing him, reminding him of the past he's trying to forget. R

As Ranvijay and Kahani walked towards his mother, Kahani maintained her composure, but as they bend to touch her mother-in-law's feet, a flood of painful memories rushed back to her, memories of harsh words, accusations, and the emotional torment she had once been through.

Flashback in Kahani's mind.

"Tum jaise ladkiyon ka iss ghar mein koi jagah nahi hai! Tumne humara sir sharm se jhuka diya!"

(Girls like you have no place in this house! You've made us hang our heads in shame!)

Kahani winced slightly, the pain of those moments hitting her hard. But she quickly brushed it off, refusing to let the past overshadow the present. With a deep breath, she straightened up after taking the blessings, her expression calm and collected, hiding the storm within.

"So, can I call you 'Mom'?" She asked with a smirk.

Dhir's mother is taken aback by the question. Before she can respond, Ranvijay stepped forward. "Of course! You should've called her 'Mom' from the very first day."

Dhir's mother forced a smile,but she nodded slightly.

"Yes, of course... you can call me 'Mom."

Kahani's smirk deepened slightly as she tilted her head, her words dripping with irony as she responded.

Kahani with a devilish tone. "I'm really lucky to have a mother like you."

Then Kahani and Ranvijay turned towards Randhir, who is sitting quietly in his wheelchair. The woman who was once his wife, the mother of his unborn baby, the person who he thought he killed her, is back alive as his brother's wife.

Ranvijay, seeing the curious expression on Kahani's face, stepped in to explain Randhir's condition. "Kahani, my brother had a terrible accident a year ago. Since then, he hasn't been able to speak; he communicates through sign language."

Kahani listened attentively, then nodded her expression softening as she turned towards Randhir. She gently placed her hand on his shoulder and began communicating in sign language, surprising everyone in the room.

Kahani in sign language. "I'm very happy to be a part of this home, and most of all, to have you as part of my family. I've always respected a person like you."

Randhir, still in shock, watched her hands move fluently as she communicated. He wasn't expecting her to know sign language. He responded slowly, signing back to her. "I'm happy you're here too."

Ranvijay grinned. "Kahani knows sign language too. Now you two will be able to communicate even better. I think i should also learn sjgn language soon to communicate with you."

Kahani smiled back at Ranvijay, but behind that smile, there's something deeper at play he doesn't know. Poor ranvijay don't know about Kahani's past.

His mom turned towards ranvijay. "Beta, your room is ready. You both go and get freshen up and come down, we will have dinner together."

■

As Ranvijay and kahani went upstairs, his mom composure crumbled. She fell into the couch, her fingers trembling slightly as she exchanged nervous glance with Arohi.

"How can this be possible? How can Kahani still be alive? We... we destroyed her."

Arohi crossed her arms. "I guess she married Ranvijay for money."

Randhir, sitting silently until now, began to sign. "No, Arohi, it wasn't for money. She married him to take revenge on us."

Arohi narrowed her eyes, but said nothing as Randhir continued to sign rapidly. "Kahani has returned. She's here to witness our revenge. She is about to destroy everything."

Randhir shook his head his hands moving faster now. "Absolutely not. If Ranvijay finds out the truth, everything will be ruined. He won't be able to handle it. We have to keep this hidden for now. We need to act like we don't know anything."

Arohi scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. "And for how long? How long can you all keep up this act? Sooner or later, he's going to find out everything."

Randhir's signed. "The more time we get, the better. We need time to protect everyone. For now, don't tell him anything. Everything will be destroyed."

"But how can we stay silent? What is Kahani's reason for coming back? What does she want to ruin in our lives? Why does she want to destroy us?" His mom worried.

Randhir's expression softened as he signed again. "She has returned for Ranvijay. Her revenge is tied to her love. And she will do whatever it takes to get what she wants. For now, we just need to tread carefully."

■

Kahani walked into the room first, followed closely by Ranvijay, who looked around, taking in the changes. The house he had left behind. Everything seemed different, more distant.

She entered the room, the same room where she and Randhir used to be together, the same room where he had forced himself on her, the same room where he played with her emotions. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away.

Ranvijay saw her wiping her tears. He walked up to her and gently wrapped his arms around her.

"What happened wife? Is everything alright?"

Kahani forced a smiled and looked up at him. "Yes, everything's fine. I was just thinking how lucky I am to have married you."

Ranvijay smiled back, hugging her tightly, unaware of the real reason behind her words. "I'm the lucky one to have a wife like you. You've changed my life completely."

But deep down, Kahani knew the truth. She hadn't married him out of love or happiness. This marriage was her way of taking revenge on his family, the same family that had broken her, the same family she now planned to destroy.

She rested her head against his chest, as he held her close, completely unaware of the storm that was about to hit.

Ranvijay leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss on Kahani's forehead. He held her face in his hands and looked into her eyes.

"Go freshen up, then we'll have dinner together. After so many years, I'm finally having dinner with my family. This moment is so special for me, you can't even imagine."

Kahani forced a small smile, nodding in agreement, though deep down, her heart was conflicted. "I'll be back in just a moment."

Kahani stepped into the washroom, her breath shaky as she closed the door behind her. Without thinking, she splashed it onto her face, hoping it would wash away the tears, but they kept coming. The cold water trickled down her skin, but the storm inside her heart couldn't be calmed.

She leaned against the sink, gripping the edges tightly, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was wet, her eyes red, and despite her best efforts, tears continued to fall.

Kahani whispered to herself. "Why am I crying? Why does it hurt so much?."

Ranvijay loved her, he had always loved her deeply, but she hadn't married him out of love. No, this marriage was her weapon, of making his family pay for what they had done. Yet, as she thought of Ranvijay's genuine smile, his innocence, her heart ached. She hadn't expected it to hurt this much.

"Ranvijay loves me so much, but I married him only to take revenge. And now this truth is starting to hurt me."

She closed her eyes, memories of that day flashing before her. The day she lost everything.

Her hand instinctively went to her stomach as she remembered her baby, the one she had lost, the one they had ripped away from her. The tears came harder now, each drop heavier with the weight of her grief.

"My baby... if you were here, everything would have been different today." She cried.

She could still hear the cruel laughter, the sound of their mocking voices as they hit her, throwing her out of the house, treating her like she was nothing. That day, they had beaten her, abandoned her. left her to die, believing she was already gone.

But she had survived. They thought they had destroyed her, but she had lived through it. And now, she is back. She had returned, but not as the woman they had once known.

Kahani whispered to herself. "I didn't die... but I will take revenge for what you all took from me."

Her body shook with sobs as she remembered that dark night, the cold, the pain, the moment she had lost her child. And now, as she stood in Ranvijay's house, the same family responsible for her suffering, she couldn't help but wonder, what if he found out the truth?

"What if Ranvijay finds out the truth? Will he become my enemy too? Or will he ever understand why I did all of this?"

What would he do if he found out she wasn't the loving wife he believed her to be? What if he couldn't forgive her? What if everything fell apart before she could exact her revenge?

She straightened up, turning off the tap. With a deep breath, she looked at herself in the mirror. "I must take this revenge. There's no way to turn back now."

Just as Kahani tried to compose herself, she heard a soft knock on the washroom door. Ranvijay's cvoice broke through her thoughts. "Sweetheart, is everything okay? Are you alright?"

Kahani froze for a moment, quickly wiping away the remaining tears. She couldn't let him see her like this.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'll be out in a minute Jai."

After a minute, Kahani came from the washroom,. She had changed into a simple yet elegant kurti, her hair tied back loosely.

Together, they walked down the stairs, hand in hand, towards the dining room where the rest of the family was already seated.

As they reached the dining table, Ranvijay pulled out a chair for Kahani, but she quickly waved him off with a smile. "I'll serve everyone first, then I'll eat later."

Her voice was sweet and caring, but deep down, her heart was burning with hatred and pain. She started serving food to everyone, keeping a gentle smile on her face, though inside, every step closer to Randhir's chair made her chest tighten.

She walked toward Randhir, watching everything from his wheelchair. She bent down to serve him, she whispered in his ear. "I was the one in the car... the one who caused your accident. You're like this today because of me."

Randhir's eyes widened in shock, but his body was frozen. He couldn't respond, couldn't move, trapped in the prison of his own helplessness. Kahani straightened up, still smiling at the rest of the family, continuing to serve food like nothing had happened.

"You all think I've forgotten everything... but for what you all took from me, I will take my revenge every single day. This is just beginning Randhir."

To be continued