XXV. Drunk.

Abhi was tired from chasing Diya; Abhi realized that the most difficult task was to feed the children. They can be devil's spawn, they will make us work hard for the tasks and his daughter was being like that at that moment.

"Diya just one more spoon," Abhi begged his daughter and was tailing her. But Diya was not done, she was in full mood to throw a tantrum.

"No dada, tummy full." Diya placed her hands over her stomach.

"One last spoon, after this we will go and meet your mama." Abhi tried using the last card, and much to his disbelief it worked.

"Fast dada, I go and see mama." Abhi feed her the last spoon and scowled at her.

Diya noticed his expression and tugged his pants; Abhi sighed and knelt in front of her.

"Why owlin?" Abhi looked at her puzzled; he was trying to understand the words she spoke.

"What is it, baby?" Diya tapped her finger on the v between his eyebrows.

Abhi laughed at that, he just could not control his laughter. Now it was Diya's turn to scowl at her father. Abhi controlled his laughter and tried to please his now angry daughter.

"Now why are you scowling?" Diya turned her face in the opposite direction. Abhi sighed but there was a small smile on his face. He turned her face towards him.

"If you tell me why you are scowling, I will tell you my reason." Diya looked at his face and nodded her head agreeing.

"I angwry cause you laugh me. You big, you teach me not laugh on me." She stated and sighed as if he was a lost cause.

"You dipant (disappoint) me." She placed her hands on her hips, a thing she leaned and started doing more after watching Avni.

Abhi held his ears and bent his head ready to apologize to his daughter.

"Sorry baby, dada did not want to make you sad. I was just thinking of something and then I found you cute trying to say difficult words, I laughed at your cuteness. I will never do that again, will you forgive your dada?"

Diya looked lost in her thoughts; she was staring at the ground for a moment. Abhi was finding the total incident amusing but still kept his sad face on.

Diya looked at his face, her face was now mixed with sadness and anxiety. She slowly placed her hands on his hand with which he caught his ears.

"It is okay, dada. You no say sowry." Abhi smiled at the words and kissed her forehead in reply. He was about to stand when he felt her hands on his shirt tugging him down.

"No no, you tell me why you owlin?" Abhi sighed at the demand.

He knelt in his previous position, held her close, and observed her face. She was like a mirror image of him. Her stubbornness, anger everything in her was from him.

"That, it was an adult thing. Forget about it." But Diya was stubborn about it and started forcing him.

"Dada, you pwomis. Pwease, tell me." Abhi knew that she inherited his stubbornness but it was frustrating to him.

Abhi had no choice, knowing his daughter's stubbornness he gave in.

"That, dada was sad that you stopped loving me and was only loving your mama," Abhi complained in a small voice.

"Oh, dada! You are silly!" Diya giggled looking at him. Abhi was conflicted about what to do. He do not know whether he should feel sad that his daughter thought he was silly or angry at Diya for laughing at his worry.

He thought of himself as pathetic worrying about his daughter's love towards him.

"Stop making fun of me baby," Diya stopped her giggles listening to her father's words.

"Ok dada. But you are silly. You know that I lowe you this much." Diya showed stretching her arms to their full length. Abhi smiled at that gesture.

She held his face in her small hands.

"I lowe you dada, you no forget it. I happy that I got a mama, I want mama lowe me and not leave me like my first mama." Abhi was shocked hearing the words; he did not think Diya would remember anything about Seema.

He knew that Diya always wanted a mother, but to this level, he did not expect that. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her. Diya just snuggled into him.

"I know that you wanted a mother in your life, now you have her. And I promise you that your mama will never leave us," Diya pulled away from his embrace and looked into his eyes.

"Pinky powmis," Diya placed her pinky finger forward waiting for her father to make a promise.

Abhi smiled at his girl's cuteness and placed his pinky on hers, she twisted her hand and did a locking gesture. Abhi chuckled at that and started tickling her.

"Dada, no. S-stop d-dada." Diya struggled to speak in between her giggles.

When she was breathless from giggling, Abhi left her.

"Do you want this tickle monster to attack again?" Diya shook her head vigorously panting.

"Run to your mama before I catch you." Abhi extended his hands imitating to catch her.

Diya squealed and ran from there, Abhi shook his head at her and collected the bowl. He went in search of his father and have a serious conversation with him.

He went back into the banquet hall, he found Avni, who was still applying mehndi, and Diya was there with her. Avni was telling something to Diya. He returned his attention towards the hall and searched for his father.

Abhi found his father with his uncle and some relatives. He approached them. He noticed his father holding a glass of alcohol and scowled at him. Abhi approached the group.

"Here comes the groom," commented one of his distant cousin.

Abhi gave a tight-lipped smile in return.

"Hey man, why do not you tell us about your love story? We heard about it in the interview you gave." One person urged.

"Yes man, do tell us how you made a Rajput fall in love with you." Another person urged.

"It is nothing special guys, it just happened like a usual love story. If you will excuse me I need to speak to my father for a moment." His father excused himself and followed Abhi.

Abhi's cousins from his father's side were vultures; they always loved gossip and were always invested in their lives. Abhi found Rohan and dragged him along to the back of the building.

Abhi stopped walking in the garden, he searched his surroundings and found no one in the area. He turned towards his father.

"I have something to ask you." Rudra nodded his head.

"Go on son," Abhi started asking the questions which answer he hoped he could find.

"What exactly happened on the night, when the Rajput's accident took place?" Rudra sighed at that and took a deep breath before answering the question.

"That day, we worked usually. It was Friday so Meera, Avni's mother came to the office that day. They both left the office late that day, I stayed in the office even after they left. I got a call from Raghav Bhatt; he told me some vague details of what happened. He simply told me to rush to his home as soon as possible." He held his chest as if feeling the pain; Abhi rushed to his side and held him.

"Are you okay dad?" Rudra nodded his head.

"Yes, I am fine. When I remember that night, I feel like I am useless. I could not help my friends." Abhi stopped his father from continuing and placed his hand on the elder one's shoulder.

"Dad, do not feel bad about it. You did everything you could." Rudra snapped his head in his son's direction.

"No! I did not." Rudra shouted. Rohan and Abhi took a step back at his voice. They both looked at each other with worry in their voices. At his father's voice, they both looked in his direction.

Rudra held his head between his hands and his shoulders were shaking in silent sobs.

"What is happening here?" They heard his mother Meera ask.

Meera asked his son. When Abhi turned back, Meera saw her husband's shaking form and rushed towards him. She held him close and said some soothing words to him.

"Come on, honey. Let's get you in bed." Meera held her husband close. Abhi rushed to their side and placed his father's arm on his shoulder and Rohan helped by placing another arm on his shoulder.

Meera guided them, taking a private path so that they were no one present. Rudra was mumbling coherently, which Abhi could not understand. They reached the room, Meera opened the door and the men slowly guided Rudra towards the bed and laid him down.

Meera closed the door and followed them; she pulled the comforter over her husband, who was now out as a light. She kissed him on the forehead.

"You two, come with me." She led the other two outside into the living room of the suite.

"What were you discussing with your father Abhi?" Abhi was startled; his mother never raised her voice. It was the first time he witnessed her mother being angry.

"Mom that I," Abhi stopped when her mother started speaking again.

"Oh, no need to bother. I know what you could have asked. Same complaints all over again. Why do you treat your father like that?" Abhi became silent, he does not know how to answer her questions, and it was true that he was angry with his father.

Rohan came to his friend's rescue. "Aunty, we were asking him about the night Avni's parents' accident took place." Meera looked pale after listening to that.

"Y-you guys sh-should not have done that!" Meera exclaimed in a small voice stumbling with her words.

Abhi and Rohan were looking at each other with confused faces. They got the same reaction from both people. Abhi walked towards his mother, placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, and rubbed it.

"Mom, what happened that night?" Meera looked at his son; she was looking into his eyes gauzing the expression in it. She was satisfied with what she saw and narrated the story.

She slowly moved towards the window and narrated the incident.

"As you know we were close with both Meera and Arjun Rajput. We studied in the same college; we were planning to start a new business all by ourselves without any support along with Raghav Bhatt. We were from rich families, but we wanted to prove our worth by achieving something on our own. Then Meevin started as a small company with a different name." She took a deep breath and turned towards the audience.

"After I had you and Akky. I could not work because of you, I did not want to leave you both alone at home. Then came Avni and with her arrival, our company grew and was named Meevin." Her face was adorned with a small smile. And immediately it disappeared and there were tears in her eyes.

"That night of the accident, Rudra called me and informed me to get you both to safety and I dropped you near your grandma and left to Raghav's house." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her hands were shaking with anger or sadness, Abhi could not understand it. But when Meera opened her eyes, they were burning in anger.

Meera's thoughts were filled with violence when she thinks of the night, which changed their lives. She was a sensible person never getting angry but when she thinks of that accident, all she can see was red.

"I found that poor girl trembling in fear with her clothes covered in blood! She was shaking and kept calling for her mom. It was heartbreaking to watch that child like that." She placed her hand over her heart and shed some angry tears.

She turned towards Abhi, her face has stains of tears but there was anger directed towards Abhi. Abhi took a step back, he never saw her mother getting anger.

"And you, my son, we did not tell you anything about her because it was her choice and we kept the information to ourselves protecting her." She walked towards him and poked his chest with her forefinger.

"And what did you do? You hated her existence! You cannot even imagine the life the girl lived. To keep her identity hidden, with a different name! That girl gets her panic attacks even now thinking of her parents' murder! We knew that it was murder, even though they closed this case as hit and run." Abhi registered the last words, he did not know how her parents died.

"Were they killed?" He asked in a small voice.

Meera nodded her head confirming his doubts.

"Yes, that is the reason we kept Avni hidden. They are someone who is waiting for Avni to die. It is also a reason your father wants Avni to marry you." Abhi registered the words slowly.

He walked towards his mother, held her hands, and made a promise.

"Mom, I promise you that I will protect Avni. You take care of father, his health condition is not good and he needs to take rest. Please, take him abroad after this marriage is done, immediately." She nodded her head.

Rohan and Abhi bid her goodnight and left.

"I can't believe it, man. How come we did not know about this?" Abhi merely looked in his friend's direction and sighed. He rubbed his head feeling small pain in his head.

"I know. I am ashamed of myself. When that girl was struggling to be alive, I was jealous of her."

"I know Abhi, but it is not the time to think of the past. We need to find the culprit." Rohan stated anger lacing in his words.

"I know, I want you to get details of the accident, can you do that?" Rohan nodded his head with determination.

Abhi knew that Rohan started liking Avni as his sister, and he will do anything to get her justice.

"You will have it by tomorrow." With that, he left making a call.

Abhi knew his friend's capability, Rohan's dream was to become a police officer, but he could not because of his family, so he set up his security firm. His firm is famous and they even provide security from celebrities to politicians including Abhi's security.

Abhi wanted to see Avni, a moment later he found himself searching for her. He wanted to see her when he bumped into someone.

"Sorry," he looked at them and saw his grandmother.

"Munna, what is the rush! Are you looking for someone?" His grandmother, Kalyani raised her eyebrow and teased him with her hands folded.

Abhi did not want to be teased. "That dadi, I-I was looking for for D-Diya. I was looking for Diya."

Kalyani gave him a look but did not comment further on it.

"Your daughter is in Aarav's room sleeping. And before you can ask Aarav is there. I will go there in a moment and will take Diya to my room." Kalyani said and left him.

Abhi released his breath feeling relaxed. He again started looking for Avni discreetly.

His family members and relatives stopped him and congratulated him many times.

He escaped them and went in search of the washroom when he heard some whispering. He followed the sound and found Akky speaking to another woman whose back was to him. He approached them slowly and then he heard his angel's words.

"Fuck," he heard his angel speak and her giggles including his sister's cursing.

"What is happening here?" At his question, Avni whipped her head in his direction and squealed in glee.

"M-my prince charming," Avni came towards him and stumbled.

Abhi caught her in time, he placed his hand on her waist and pulled her towards him before she can fall on the ground. Avni kept staring at his eyes with a dreamy look.

"You are hic! Prince charming!" Abhi was confused with her as she placed her hands on his cheeks. He looked at Akky in question.

Akky sighed. "She is drunk. And she can be handful when drunk. All the best brother." Akky left her best friend in her brother's care.

She thanked the stars that she was safe from Avni, she just wished that her brother could handle her.

She was lost in thoughts when she colloid with a person.

"Hey, watch where you walk," she lifted her head and found herself staring at The Nihal Bhatt.

"Hey, Bambi! It was your mistake." Akky sighed in irritation at his nickname.

"Don't call me that," Nihal smirked at her in reply.

"What! Bambi!" Akky rubbed her forehead and sighed.

"Yes, I am not a deer. So stop calling me that." She tried to explain with gritted teeth.

"But you are a Bambi, with your doe eyes and beautiful heart. But why do you act like this in front of me? Like my charm doesn't affect you." He exclaimed placing his hand over his heart.

"You and charm, forget it Cochon." And she left leaving him stunned.

After a moment, he laughed and chased after her.

"Did you just refer to me as a pig in French, Bambi?"

Abhi was shocked after hearing his sister's words. Avni was drunk and she was hugging him now, which she never does.

"You smell good," Avni, said sniffing near his neck. Abhi looked around and found no one in the vicinity.

"Come with me Avni," he dragged her outside.

"Where are we going?" He ignored her question and dragged her, ignoring her feeble attempts to escape.

When they reached outside, he heard someone approach and he immediately pressed her into the wall and hovered over her.

He hid them in the dark that they can see their silhouette, he hovered above her in a way that it may look like they were kissing.

He observed the men who passed them without giving them a second glance. He breathed a sigh of relief when they left.

He turned towards his angel, but his words were stuck in his throat. Avni was staring at him with her brown eyes, which looked black in the dark. She was staring at him with an intensity he never saw.

She lifted her finger and slowly traced his facial structures. She placed her finger on his forehead and moved it to his nose. She slowly moved her finger on his jawline, she slowly traced the shape of his lips, his heart started beating fast when he caught the hooded look in her eyes and moved back before he can lose control.

"Come, we need to leave before others can see." He gave her his hand and she placed her hand in his without a second thought. He tightened his hold and pulled her towards the deserted part of the resort.

"Water," Avni removed her hand from his hold and ran towards the pool when she saw it. Abhi sighed at her, he did not whether to be amused by her cuteness or curse his fate.

Avni sat on her knees near the pool and started playing with water. Her giggles were enough to make his frustration towards her go away.

He went and stood beside her. "Avni enough. We need to go inside. You may catch a cold." Abhi did not want to spoil her fun but if anyone sees her like this, the result the next day might not be good.

"But let's stay some more. I wanna play." She pouted and him the puppy eyes.

He nodded unable to resist her, he sat beside her, folded his pants, and placed them in water.

Seeing him, Avni followed the suit but her dress was all wet.

"Do you love me, Abhi?" He looked at her in question, but she was staring into the sky.

"Why are you asking me this question?" Avni looked at him and nodded at him.

"Yes, I should have asked this question on our date. But with alcohol in my body, now I got the courage to ask this question, answer me!" She demanded softly looking at him.

"Will you remember the answer in the morning?" Avni nodded her head.

"I may not remember your exact words but my heart will know your answer." Avni smiled at him.

"Ok, listen carefully." He removed placed the hair, which fell on her face behind her ear, he caught her face between his hands.

"I love you Avni, I may not say the words, but I am falling in love with you each day." She placed her hands over his and nuzzled her face more into his hands.

"And I promise you that I will never leave you, I will stand by your side no matter what." And then he kissed her forehead softly answering his unasked question.

"Thank you," she smiled and kissed his palms.

"I want to show you something fun." Avni stood and ordered him to close his eyes. Abhi obeyed her request suspiciously.

Avni slowly sneaked beside him controlling her giggling and pushed him into the pool.

Abhi resurfaced from the pool and moved his hair from his face. He gaped at Avni, which made Avni laugh more.

"Avni!" Abhi shouted at her.

"Now I am happy!" Avni replied smiling innocently.

"What did I do?" Avni tapped her forefinger on her chin thinking for an answer and shrugged.

"Because I felt like it," she cheekily replied to him.

Abhi rolled his eyes at her. "Give me hand," he offered her his hand.

Avni slowly approached him, stopped a few feet away from the pool, and bent forward.

"Do I look like a fool?" And she stood and folded her hands over her chest smiling cheekily at him.

Abhi tried to splash water at her but she took a step back.

"You can't even reach me," she showed him her tongue.

"Oh, you will see what I can do. You wait there." Abhi warned her and came out of the pool. Avni's eyes widened in shock and tried to escape.

But Abhi was fast, he caught her by the waist before she can escape. He twirled her around, Avni squealed in glee. He placed her on the ground, with his front pressed towards her back.

"Abhi, no you can't push me into the pool. I still have mehndi on my hands." She protested feebly trying to escape from his hold.

"Oh, now don't search for excuses. You are not going to escape me." He lifted her in bridal style. Avni trashed in his hold, trying to escape from him.

He slowly approached the pool keeping a tight hold over her.

"Please don't Abhi." She tightened her hold on his collar not leaving him.

He took a swing and released her into the pool, he slipped because of the slippery floor and fell with her into the pool.

Abhi came up for the second time of the day and saw Avni trying to push the hair away from her face.

He slowly approached her like a predator waiting for his prey, he removed the hair plastered over her face.

He looked at her eyes searching for something he did not know. He slowly leaned down, his lips hovered above his waiting for her to make the first move.

Avni slowly placed her hands around his neck, she stood on her feet and pressed her lips to his. He deepened the kiss.

They broke from the heated embrace to take the air, Abhi felt glad that she was drunk and became very confident. He was about to kiss her again when she sneezed on his face.

"Goddamit!" He cursed wiping his face with his hand.

"Sorry," Avni rasped and sneezed into her hands.

Abhi sighed. "Come on, let's get you out of these clothes before you fall sick." He slowly guided her out of the pool.

They both left for Avni's room, they were no one present in the room. Abhi sighed and guided Avni to the bathroom.

He opened the tap on the sink and removed the remains of the mehndi. Avni was sniffing trying to control the sneeze.

After the mehndi was removed, he started a hot bath. "Take a shower and come out." He ordered her and placed a warm towel and a bathing robe for her.

He left for his room and took a fast shower. He changed into a t-shirt and sweat pants. He rushed back towards Avni's room with the mobile in his hands.

The lights were off in the room; he slowly closed the door and switched on the lights.

Abhi found Avni staring at the ceiling with her robe loosely tied, exposing her legs.

"Avni you need to dress." At his voice, she looked at him. She rushed towards him and hugged him. Abhi was shocked at her reaction.

He slowly hugged her and rubbed her back soothingly. "You came." He heard her state the two words.

"Yes, I came." He replied with the words not knowing how much they meant to the girl.

"I wanna sing," Avni mumbled the words in his neck. Abhi sighed and closed his eyes for a moment enjoying the feel of her in his arms. "Go on." He urged her. She lifted her head from the hug and smiled at him.

She cleared her throat, while Abhi sat on the bed making himself comfortable. He looked at her waiting for her to start the song.

"Twinkle twinkle little star-" She started her singing session making Abhi crazy.

Avni sang seven rhymes when Abhi stopped her. "Avni, enough singing for today. We need to wake up early tomorrow. So, let's go to bed." He gently told her, but she proved that she was more stubborn than him.

"No. I am not sleepy. Let's dance." With newfound excitement. She started twirling in circles. Abhi sighed at his fate for not having a good sleep.

"Avni stop, you will get dizzy." She stopped and caught her head as he spoke.

"Abhi, catch the earth. It's moving." She stumbled and Abhi caught her before she can fall.

"Close your eyes," he ordered her and pressed her face into his chest. They stayed like that for a while.

"Mmm, you smell good did I tell you that?" She said after sniffing his t-shirt.

"Are you okay now?" He questioned her ignoring her question.

She nodded her head in reply and yawned loudly. "I am sleepy." She rubbed her eyes with the sole of her palm.

Abhi took a glass of hot water and pulled her towards the washroom.

"Gurgle," he placed the glass in her hand.

Avni obeyed him and gurgled two times. Abhi forced her to do the same for the third time. She poured the water into her mouth and spit it on his face. Abhi was stunned at the stunt she pulled, he took a towel and cleaned his face ignoring her laughter. When his face was clean, he looked at her. He found her clutching her stomach in pain for laughing hard.

Abhi smiled at her, he was unable to get angry with her. He did not want to wipe that laugh from her, so he leaned against the door and watched her laugh. After five minutes, she was panting. Her chest was moving rapidly, which caused her robe to move aside that gave him a view of her cleavage. He scolded himself for being a pervert he cleared his throat. Avni looked at him, her cheeks were flushed giving them a rosy look making her more beautiful. He closed his eyes for a moment trying to gather his will in not to get distracted by her.

"Avni, please wear some clothes." He said with his eyes closed.

He heard some rustling and opened his eyes only to find Avni in front of him. He took a step back in shock.

Avni leaned forward. "But I don't want to." She left the washroom leaving him shocked and confused at her.

Avni was worse than their daughter at throwing tantrums. She is making him suffer. He followed her and found her jumping on the bed. He did not see this side of Avni, carefree and like a child doing silly things. He wondered how it would be if her parents' were alive.

"Avni come down." He ordered her sternly but she was not listening completely in a mood to jump on the bed. He sighed when he did not get any answer from her.

He tackled her legs and made her fall on the bed with a thud with him on top of her.

"Oomph, why did you do that?" Avni questioned him. "I was having fun." She pouted.

"Yes, I know. But don't you want to see the city tomorrow." Avni nodded her head. "If you want to see the city tomorrow, then you should sleep."

Avni squeezed her eyes close after listening to his words. Abhi laughed at her, she was being cute.

"But change your clothes, angel." She opened a single eye and looked at him. He gave her a stern look to which she sighed.

"Fine." Abhi moved away from her so that she could get up. But she sat on him and opened the buttons of his t-shirt leaving Abhi stunned.

"What are you doing?" Abhi caught her hands when she started to roll his shirt upwards.

Abhi did not want to take advantage of her when she was drunk, even though it was difficult for him. He will resist her.

"I want your shirt." Abhi looked at her as if she has lost her mind.

"What?"

"I want to sleep in your shirt, now gimme." She freed her hands and stretched her hands waiting for him to place his shirt.

Abhi sighed and did not question her, he slowly moved Avni aside and sat up. He removed his shirt from above his head and handed her his shirt.

She hugged it to her chest and inhaled deeply. She stood up and removed the tie of the robe when Abhi panicked and stopped her before she can proceed further.

"Go to the bathroom, angel." Avni looked at him but lucky for him she did not question him and went inside to change.

Abhi made the bed and waited for her when she arrived with only his t-shirt. It reached to her mid-thighs. She came towards him and kissed him on her cheeks, he closed his eyes savoring the feel of her lips on his skin.

When he opened his eyes, he found her sprawled over the bed and snoring softly. He pulled the comforter over her and slipped into the bed beside her.

He was grateful that the night ended early.

Hello everyone,

Here is the longest chapter. I couldn't believe that I wrote this much long chapter. *Patting my shoulder in appreciation*

How is the new cover by the way, all the credits goes to xCherryBlossomx__

How do you like this chapter?

Is the story pase good or do need to speed it. Share your views about it.

See you guys in the next chapter.

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