Chapter-48 |•|

Double update!!

Enjoy reading.

I know the real Abhimanyu

Author's POV

All the younger Chowdary's along with Rishi-Adhira, Anish-Astha with their girls, Arjun, Riaan and Vikram reached Mumbai.

Tears filled in Sitaara eyes remembering how Viraj used to wait for her at the airport for her arrival, that lingering forehead kiss which he gives to make himself believe that his girl is back and standing in front of him, that tight hug to express how much he missed her, the way he nuzzles his nose in her neck inhaling her vanilla-strawberry fragrance and the way his eyes lock with her like seeing her soul, every detail rushed into her mind making a tear escape her eye.

Abhi removed his goggles and wrapped his hands around her shoulder.

"You fine, sweetheart?" He asked. She nodded wiping her tears.

"Nostalgia!! Though I was here only for 4 years it gave millions of memories" she whispered.

"This time I will make another million worthy memory to you" he whispered back smirking and putting on his shades. Ignoring the media that surrounded them, they got into cars.

"Though it gave me millions of memories it also gave heart-wrenching pain" she whispered.

"Then, let's recreate memories. A happy one. With a new person. i.e. me. That kicks out the pain you are in. Hmm? Shall we?" He asked flashing his heartening smile.

"What if my memories pain you and hurt you badly?" She asked.

"I will bear it," he said and looked at their intertwined fingers"...for you, love."

She smiled. Soon they reached the penthouse owned by the 5 friends. Riaan punched the password and entered inside. Everything was clean as they already asked the helper to clear everything.

Sitaara looked at the couch on which she and Viraj planned their life sitting on it.

Flashback

"Do you feel any cramps still?''Asked Viraj. Sitaara slapped him raising her head from his lap. He looked in shock holding his cheek.

"You asked me this 100th time in the past 15 minutes. You are fucking taunting our female thing.. isn't it? I will file a case on you that you are irritating me like a creep. I will complain about you to all the 'Mahila Mandal in our country about you taunting our period cramps" Sitaara yelled at him at top of her lungs.

"For asking you that do you still feel cramps you will complain about me? To Mahila Mandal and want them to roast me?" Asked Viraj bemused cupping both his cheeks to avoid further slaps. She bit her inner cheeks to stop herself from smiling as he was looking so cute just like a kid.

"Is that hurting?" She asked pointing at his cheeks. He shook his head in no.

"Do you feel cramps still?" He asked and hid his face behind the pillow making her giggle with tears.

"A lot. Prescribe any medicine. I can't take anymore" she cried resting her head in his lap snuggling into his stomach hugging his torso.

"I already gave you ibuprofen but it didn't help. Bear it for some time, Pumpkin. I brought chocolates, hot bag for you...they may help you..hmm?" He massaged her abdomen.

"No" she cried.

"Taara, my pumpkin, excess medications for these cramps may affect your motherhood in future" he whispered cooing.

"Man! Am still 19 and you are 22, from where this pregnancy has come from! You don't even try to kiss my cheek and here, you talk about pregnancy" she barked at him. He chuckled and kissed her forehead.

"You are 19 already and I would like to make you mom at 22 itself because we have to make a cricket team for a huge family. So there is not much time left for you baby" he said. She gasped blushing.

"Can I become a good mother?" She asked.

"You already behave like a mom! You take care of me from my wallet to my stethoscope to my outfits and everything since I moved in with you. You take care of your junglee friends and another junglee friend of mine Kabir, Samaria and Ishaan, Sometimes my parents too...you will be a great mother and I will be-"

"Great father like you are a perfect boyfriend now," she said smiling.

"Raj, when you will make love to me?" She asked sitting in his lap with a jerk forgetting her pain.

"Excuse me?" He asked coughing awkwardly.

"Why do you make such faces whenever I talk about intimacy? Like, am asking 9 years old? Leave that...tell me when you will make love to me?" She asked.

"We are going out of the track," he said wrapping his arms around her waist pulling her to him. She rolled his eyes.

''You feel that topic as taboo but plan everything that happens after 'it'" she said. He smiled.

"Well I planned much more," he said. She raised her eyebrow.

"At 21 we will get married. At 22 you will be carrying our first child and I'll complete my pg and you will be doing your masters. At 25 second child again; let's make our parents run behind them from dawn to dusk and by then we will visit 4 countries whichever you choose. At 28 third child again; this time we will make our firstborn, our daughter run behind our 1st son. i.e. our 3rd kid and we will complete visiting all the places in India. At 31 fourth and fifth children; twins, now your junglee friend's kids gonna run with ours 5 kids and Taara, by this time we will celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary in 20th country we are gonna visit. At 36 you will be pregnant again making our first kid embarrass in front of her friends to have a 15-day old sibling being 15 years old" he said and chuckled.

"Before we reach our 60's I'll take you to almost all the countries in the world, I'll drown you in my love so much that even Pacific ocean feel envious about the depth I let you drown in my love, I will take you to the heights in my love that even mount Everest feel envious about the height my love make you stand, I will make you get lost in my love so much that even Amazon forest feel envious for not being denser enough as my love to get lost and never come back, I will make you thirsty of my love more and more even after showering every second that even Sahara desert feel envious for not able to make thirsty like my love make you. Finally, I will make Romeo and Juliet envious of my love for you" he said and she burst out laughing.

"Damn these cheesy lines. Even the creepiest man in the world feel envious of your creepy and cheesy lines" she said laughing. He smiled looking at her.

"If a situation comes where all my cheesy lines stay cheesy forever without life in them, that day I will make even a painful death envious of my death because I won't forgive myself for hurting you and would receive painful death ever," he said. She stopped laughing and palmed his mouth.

"I make feel even word love envious for the way I described it through my actions than it is beautiful to hear," she said and connected her forehead with his "...dying with you the next second when you won't be with me"

He smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Seems your pain is gone now," he said.

"With you, it won't ever dare to even come," she said.

"Someone is being cheesy now," he said.

"To match my boyfriend's special talent I have to," she said.

"Acha? Toh yeh lo reward" he said tickling her and she started laughing.

Flash back ends

She sat on the caressing it, moving her fingers in the air as if feeling her Viraj, looking into space as if looking into his eyes imagining him with her flashing her a smile.

"What is she doing?" Asked Adhira.

"Feeling the memories she created back then," said Aarya understanding her friend's inner turmoil and wiping her tears. Abhi looked at her bemused yet painfully seeing tears in her eyes.

Sitaara stood up and walked ahead slowly as another memory flashed. She started running around the penthouse like a mental patient making everyone look at her confused.

"Aarya, you sure my sister in law isn't mad?" Asked Rishi earning a glare from Adhira and a punch in the stomach from Abhi.

Abhi tried to stop her but, no avail.

Flashback

"Taara, only one pumpkin, please" shouted Viraj as she ran out of their room.

"No Raj. Am scared of it. It pains a lot" she yelled running. He placed the syringe filled with fluid on the dining table carefully and started chasing her.

"Taara, you are burning baby. Tablets aren't gonna work, you need to take an injection. Please stop running pumpkin" he shouted running behind her.

"Please Raj, don't do it if you love me. You can't cause me pain" she yelled crying.

"Kabir Bhaiyya, Arjun, Vikram hold her" yelled Viraj.

"No" she screamed throwing apples at them.

"Chote no... it's hurting chote" yelled Kabir.

"Bhaiyya, tho mere rasthey se hatjao na" she yelled and threw another apple at him. Aarya and Riaan held her from behind. Viraj immediately came with injection. Others held Sitaara firmly and gently as they know how Viraj becomes. They were telling soothing words to her and Viraj injected her.

"Done: he said moving back. She looked at him with tears.

"Let's break up. I don't love you anymore. You caused me pain" she cried. He chuckled.

"Am sorry..am sorry. I wanted you fit and fine. Nothing else. And..and I can't see you in pain ever" he said holding his ears cutely.

"You stop making those faces man! I'll kill you" she yelled.

"Who will you get married then?" Asked Viraj.

"I won't marry anyone! I will go to kasi as a female hermit" she barked at him throwing whatever things she found, at him.

"Meri ma!! Maaf karo do na, taara. It's paining" he fake cried when she threw a metal glass on his head. She immediately ran to him with tears.

"Raj, am sorry" she cried cupping his cheeks and kissing his temple where he got hurt. He snaked his arms around her waist smiling looking deep into her eyes. She looked at him confused and he laughed.

"So, you were acting all the time. Buffalo! Caveman Raj!" She yelled at him.

He just smiled and hugged her. She too hugged back instantly melting in the warmth his embrace gave her. He nuzzled his nose in her neck.

"You need to take a rest. You are burning" he whispered and lifted her in bridal style making his way to their room.

Flashback ends.

"Taara.. sweetheart stop running," said Abhi and lifted her off the ground and made her sit over the dining table. Standing in between her legs he cupped her cheeks. He wiped her tears.

"Why this care? To hurt me again? Why are you building hopes in me? You will also leave me! Don't come to me! You all are very bad, you all hurt me" she cried holding his collar.

"I love you! I care for you. I could nerve hurt you and like hell, I will leave you. You are like my soul that in your absence am just a dead body. And..and I want to live. I don't want to be like a dead body, taara. I fucking don't want it. I will never leave you. I don't want to leave the person who pulled me out of darkness, the person who make my lips stretch into a smile with her presence, the person who taught me how to see the brightest side, taara. I will not leave you, love" he whispered caressing her hair hugging her to his chest.

Anish and Rishi smiled with tears seeing their best friend who just forgot to speak to people some days and now, expressing his hearts in front of nearly 15 people around him.

Arjun, Aarya, Riaan and Vikram smiled with tears seeing their best friend relaxing in Abhi's arms snuggling into him more and more.

Whereas others are looking at the couple dumb not knowing why she is crying and why Abhi consoling her but understood one thing, the broken souls are healing each other with immense love for each other.

"Water?" Asked Abhi. Aarya nodded and gave water to him in a glass. He brought it to Situ's lips and made her drink water.

"You fine now, baby?" He asked sitting on a chair that happened to be Viraj's seat once. Her eyes teared up again as another memory flashed in her brain like a light putting her in dark pain again with its going back.

Flashback

"Arjun! Vikram! Prepare something to eat. We are damn hungry" Yelled Sitaara and Aarya coming inside.

Everything was dark.

"Aarya switch in the lights! It's already 7:45 in the evening and everything is dark" said Sitaara.

"I guess, the main switch is off. It's turning on even after changing the switches into power mode" said Aarya.

"Might be electricity problem again, Aarya. You know what am not a state to even stretch my muscles to reach that main switch's height. Am tired. Let me get freshened up first and at least have a coffee to replace my drained energy" said Sitaara and went into her room.

She turned on the flashlight in her phone and placed it on the table. Placing her things back in their place, she removed her jacket. Picking up the towel, she walked inside the bathroom. Stripping herself she let the water push away her tiredness. Wearing her shorts and tee, she stepped out. She opened her door and started descending steps.

At the last step light, an artificial candle lit up. At every step, she takes that leads to the dining room to the dining table the candles lit up.

She grinned clapping her hands and looked up and found Viraj at the end of the dining table with a remote in his hand which he used to light up an artificial candle.

His face was glowing as the only source of lights in the darkroom falling on his face. His neatly shaved face is making him look like the 15 years old same boy in 10th grade who broke her heart into zillions going away miles from her. His eyes held the same intensity as the first day his eyes held for her when she was just in 3rd grade. The smile on his face is the same as innocent as he smiled at her when she made him fall in the middle of the ground.

"My boyfriend" she whispered.

"My Raj" she screamed running to him and he opened his arms as if getting a cue.

"Easy tigress," he said chuckling when she jumped on him like a monkey.

"You did all this?" She asked getting off him. He pulled her to him and brushed off her hair strands off her face.

"Yes!! I know you would be tired due to exams and it's just kind of refreshment to start our summer" he said.

"You know you are the best boyfriend ever," she said wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Woh tho hu mein! Aakhirkaar aapki jaisi mental patient waali girlfriend ko sambhal raha hoon" he said chuckling. She slapped his mouth pouting.

"You are so mean," she said. He smiled and turned her back hugging from behind sniffing her wet hair.

"I missed sniffing your hair. You were so busy or I am. You smell very good pumpkin" he whispered nuzzling his face in her nape. She shivered smiling.

"Ahem...Food is getting cold" Kabir, Aarya, Arjun and Vikram said. They both pulled back immediately.

Viraj served Sitaara, Arjun served Aarya. Vikram and Kabir looked at each other and back at couples who are not in this world.

"I wish we both got partners too" they both mumbled serving themselves.

"Raj instead of a doctor, you would have become a chef. Food is very...very delicious" said Sitaara feeding him. He smiled.

"After marriage, am not gonna step into the kitchen it's you who have to cook, pack food, wash vessels for us," she said.

"Mera Bhai tho shaadi se pehle hi gulaam bangayea! Kardhe te chote aap ki Raj, fikhar na kar" said Kabir making Sitaara giggle and Viraj roll his eyes.

"She is talking as if she is doing all these things now! It's Viru bhaiyya who even laundry her clothes, put clothes ready, pack her bags, arrange tiffin box and man! He even makes her wear her college bag like a mom does to her mother" said Aarya.

"Even I do those to him. Well, not kitchen chores, laundry chores but I do other things hai na Raj?" defended Sitaara. He nodded smiling feeding her.

"Usne kabhi aapko na kaha, chote?" Teased Kabir.

"Raj" she complained.

"Raj" they all imitated her and laughed.

Flashback ends.

"Sweetheart... sweetheart" she heard Abhi's voice bringing her out of trance. She looked at him and found only concern and love for her in his eyes. She smiled at him getting down the dining table.

"Well, guys, we have totally 5 bedrooms, 3 on the 1st floor and 2 down here. Abhi anna, Rishi anna and Anish bava(bil) will share Rio's room. Naman anna, Dhruv, Arjun, Vikram will share Vikram's room. I, Situ, Disha will share Arjun's room, Adhira akka, Aastha akka along with little girls will share my room said Aarya.

"Hello, Madam!! Where should I sleep?" Asked Riaan. Aarya smirked.

"You have lost the right to step into this penthouse itself. Still, we allowed you. So, arrange your clothes in Vikram's room and sleep here on the couch. No backing off if you want to spend some time with us" said Aarya pushing out her finger. Riaan nodded gulping.

"Aarya, Situ Vadhina's (sil) room is also there so, let's make three couples stay in one room and we boys and girls will share the other two rooms," said Naman

"No, Sitaara's room door has got stuck up. We are not able to open it. Let's leave it like that" said Aarya as her room is filled with her's and Viraj's pictures. Aarya looked at her friends who nodded their heads. They pushed everyone into their rooms to avoid further questions.

They got freshen up and had lunch. They planned to visit Pune after two days, Goa the day after Pune visit and till then explore Mumbai. Planning to go to the beach in the evening, they retired to their rooms for an afternoon nap while Situ and Abhi stayed back.

"Are you happy?" He asked. She hugged him.

"It's refreshing my memories making me feel both happy and sad but your presence is like filling the void I have in my heart...like there is someone am missing but you replacing them" she mumbled in his chest. He smiled wrapping his arms around her.

"Am very much happy" she whispered.

Just like I used to be with Raj she thought.

"Let's both of us go somewhere in the night hmm?" She asked. He smiled kissing her crown mumbling an 'okay'.

"You too take a rest" he whispered pulling back. She nodded and went inside the room

⟩ ‹‹›› ⟨

Abhi placed the laptop on the coffee table and stood up picking up his water bottle. Walking to the railing of the balcony that connected to the main hall, he drank some water. Keeping it on the floor, he stuffed his hands in his pockets thinking about Sitaara's earlier behaviour.

'Is she love failure?

It can't be because her brothers clearly told how she used to beat boys if they propose to her.

She has a bad past, I know that. Shall I ask her? No! She started trusting me little and even Sid told me to wait until she open up herself.

And..and there is something big they are hiding. I know Sitaara's room isn't stuck up. There is something in that room that can give a clue about her past.

What might it be? Why are you hiding things from me, Taara? Please open up, let me into your heart, shoo away every fucking pain in you' he thought.

'Even you are still hiding major secrets about you' Abhi said his subconscious.

'I agree! Am still hiding lot more things but...even they are mysteries to me. What explanation shall I give her? And..and they take her away from me if she comes to about those things. And...the pain those things caused me is something every second is even hard to remind myself again. I have valid reasons to hide it from her but I told her about the first girl in my life, to what extent I took my relation with her, how Samhith's family left me which is a blow to my life. It may be just a friend's story for others but me, he is like my brother, we both shared everything except the same womb. His parents were like my own, they used to love me more than they loved Sam... it's just they are my world and I told her that. So...I don't think she has to know my other secrets and leave me forever he thought.

''Yes! She has a past. A mystery one. There are many things she doesn't know but she was part of them'' he heard Riaan's voice. Riaan turned towards Abhi smiling.

''What happened to her, Rio? I mean I want to heal her or at least try but I don't know even a single thing except that her past connected with Mumbai. Please, Rio, am begging you, tell me about her past because I am not able to see her in pain like that'' he pleaded.

''I can't anna. I need some time. Everything is interlinked and her past is so much entangled that we can do nothing now. I need your help at some point and then, I'll surely tell you'' he said. Abhi nodded.

"Am sorry" said Abhi. Riaan looked at him confused.

"I saw few things that showed you love my wife and I saw all your secrets, your dairy, your sketches of my wife, your dreams and many more," said Abhi gritting his teeth at the thought of someone loving his wife.

"You came to know everything?" Riaan smirked and chuckled with tears.

"Yes! I loved her. Like serious love. I was so much into her that at some point, I left her for her sake. To see her happy. To keep her safe. I used to cry day and night since I left her" said Riaan wiping his tears harshly. Abhi's palms were bleeding as his nails dug into his skin.

"She married me, Mr Sharma. I love her. You can't have feelings for my wife. She is someone's woman now. My woman" Abhi yelled at him as he even started shivering, sweating and he looks like having an anxiety attack and could pass out soon. Riaan smiled and made him sit on the floor. He made Abhi drink some water and waited till he composed.

"But not anymore. I don't love her now. Neither I do in future. She is your wife. Eyeing at a married woman is the biggest sin according to me. I moved on from her and met a girl recently. She made me feel which I never felt at all in my life" said Riaan smiling. Abhi sighed in relief.

"Make her yours before an asshole like me grab your girl away," said Abhi.

"Is this suggestion to not harm your relationship with my best friend or make my relation strong with my girl?" Asked Riaan smirking.

"Both! I was in the dark since being born. I had many people around me but I was all alone. I was cheated by my girlfriend whom I loved with all my heart and she was first in everything in my life. My best friend who was like my brother was dead right in front of me, his family who is like my own were dead but I couldn't do anything except see them getting buried while I was doing their last rites. After losing many things, I got her. Your best friend. Sitaara Abhimanyu. She came into my life like a light. The way she made me feel in these 3 months were the things I never felt before. I used to hate myself, I used to feel lonely all the time, I used to be scared to be like myself, I used to feel to kill myself, but not anymore Rio. She made me feel the I have the world in my hands, she made me love myself, love others, made me be actual Abhimanyu, she made me shoo away that fear, made me feel to live, give chance to myself. After all these, she embedded a different kind of fear in me; what if she leaves me? trust me, Riaan this is the scariest thought ever. If Sitaara isn't mine then I will even kill myself" said Abhi with tears shuddering at the thought of Sitaara leaving him. Riaan smiled

"For the first time in my life, I got the love I carved, I got the attention I tried to create, I got the care that I deserved, I got the love I was thirsty for. After losing many things including myself, I got her and losing it again is the last thing I want now" he added wiping his tears.

"Will you hold her tight? She and her condition is like mud in your fist, the more you try to hold her the more she slips away" said Riaan.

"Then, I won't hold her, I will treasure her in a way to make her stay by herself turning into a gem in my hands," said Abhi.

"You won't lose her," said Riaan leaning on to the railing. Riaan fell silent while Abhi was smoking.

"I know the real Abhimanyu," said Riaan breaking the silence making Abhi shock.

"Yes! I know the real Abhimanyu. Do you think your wedding was an accidental one? I fucking planned it. I know who you are and what you are. I know how you used to hunt every bastard who was behind Sitaara. Even our deal? I was the one who proposed it if you remember. Everything that happened in the past three months was planned by me. I and Kabir Bhaiyya, my friend made Sisira run away assigning her the surgery in his hospital, though there are much more skilled doctors to treat that patient, we selected her under him and Kabir Bhaiyya arranged the conference so that she runs away from engagement as she was waiting for the opportunity. Being grown up seeing Shetty's family closely, I know them very well. Sisira is a selfish girl for her profession and Sitaara's family always like to impose their decisions on them even going against their will. Adhira Akka got married, Sisira ran away, Akhira is still 21 and Sitaara was perfect to replace the bride. Everything happened like exactly I wanted" said Riaan. Abhi chuckled taking out another Cigar.

"And...you think I don't know that? Whom do you take me as? I know all that was a trap. At our reception, I was on the dance floor, I immediately left Sitaara and met my PI who collected everything about you and Kabir within a week" said Abhi smirking and standing up. Riaan sat there shocked.

"Am not top businessman, youngest business tycoon ever who achieved many things at the age of 23 itself simply. It is a mystery and this is just a small puzzle for me" said Abhi.

"You know me?" Asked Riaan.

"I know you as Aarya's classmate, the mastermind behind this trap but I didn't expect you to be the bestfriend of my wife and sister until Arjun showed me your pic the week before we had a deal. But the only thing which I didn't understand is; why? Why did you do all these? Why not straight?" Asked Abhi. Riaan stood up.

"For Situ. We know you can make her happy. I know your desperateness to befriend my best friend. I know your crush on her. If the proposal was put up directly Sitaara would reject it. That's why we played a wicked game. If you still have 'why's' then let time give you answers: he said and walked to the door.

"Be careful anna. Your count down started" said Riaan smirking and went away leaving Abhi in confusion.

***************

How was the chapter?

So, finally a trip to Mumbai.

Will Sitaara finally talk about her past with Abhi?

Memory lane with Viraj! Trust me, I cried while writing this part.

Well, Abhi's and Situ's marriage was a plan. A trap to tie the broken hearts together. Did anyone expect it?

Riaan loved Sitaara once, being the heroine of the story she surely has a huge number of admirers😉

If anyone still have 'why's' then let time give you the answer😋

Surya.