"Sona! Say something. Bhai is right in front of you," Suraj whispered while engulfing his sister in his arms.

"Bhai," was the only word that left her mouth.

She felt so broken by the turn of events. She wanted peace. She was never going to spare Dev for what he had done. He had broken the blood oath. His punishment would be death.

"Till now the news has not been confirmed by either of them. I suspect a conspiracy," Jatin said while looking at his best friend.

"The Dixits are influential. They never disclose their personal lives just like us. If this news is spreading it just means that they intentionally meant for it to spread. Why am I feeling that we are missing out on the big picture?" Aahana pondered.

"I don't care about the big picture Cherry. I need Devrath Dixit's destruction," Suraj growled, "I have seen tears in my sister's eyes due to him. I will not spare him."

"Don't rush Suraj. Ms Aahana, can you try to investigate this personally?" Tanya asked the inspector.

"Give me a case on Devrath," Aahana replied.

"Attempt to murder?" Tanya suggested.

"Make it believable at least," Jatin said shaking his head in disappointment.

"Abetment of suicide?" Tanya changed her suggestion.

"Not believable," Jatin shrugged.

"Funds embezzlement?" Suraj said.

"Pretty believable I think," Aahana nodded, "I'll register the case and start an investigation on this as soon as possible."

"Tell me each and every step of your plan Aahana. You will not keep me uninformed at any step. If you do, there will be no one worse than me," Suraj said.

"Let only the police do its job," Aahana said looking at the people in the room.

"What do you mean by that, girl cop?" Jatin asked, slightly irritated, "We just do nothing right now?"

"I feel like throttling that man. If he was in some problem, he could have approached me," Suraj gritted, "I would have helped him. I supported my sister and him."

All the people in the room, except Sonakshi, looked at him as though he had said something like humans lived on the Sun. Such words from Suraj were truly unexpected.

"Why are you all looking at me like that?" Suraj asked.

"You and approachable are like two parallel lines," Aahana said, breaking the awkward silence.

"Whatever!" Suraj scoffed, "Enough small talk. Your plan, Aahana."

"We use the media," Aahana giggled.

"I feel you are high, inspector," Tanya said, not understanding anything.

Aahana went and kneeled near Sonakshi and embraced her. She looked up at the rest of them and spoke, "See this ring. This businessman gifted it to me today asking to marry me. I think it is time we tell the world that Suraj Sharma is engaged to Aahana Khurana."

"How will that help?" Jatin questioned.

"Wait," A voice that had been quiet for so long spoke, "My brother proposed!"

Aahana flashed the ring towards her to be sister-in-law. Aahana wanted to distract Sonakshi from the pain that was killing her from the inside. The only way would be to distract Sonakshi with Suraj and her wedding. Sonakshi did not need to be told the details of her plan. She would tell Suraj in private.

"I am so happy for you," Sonakshi whispered, trying to hide her pain. She did not want to spoil such an important day for her brother. He had mustered up the courage and proposed to his love, and she was spoiling his day by putting up with her problems.

"Let's go home," Suraj said. Sonakshi nodded in agreement.

"Cheers Natasha!" The voice of Raven boomed into the whole room.

"Cheers Love! Devil is removed from the race. Sylvester is next," Natasha said pouring some wine.

"I remember how angry I was when I met that man. Now, soon he will be powerless. Sylvester seems tough and Songbird is mysterious. Any luck in finding out anything about them?" Ravit questioned her.

"Do you know Devrath Dixit personally?" Natasha countered.

"We share some common blood," Ravit replied, sipping some vodka.

"What?" Natasha choked on her drink, "Illegitimate child?"

"Do you watch all those Indian daily soaps that you get thoughts like these?" Ravit asked her.

"Um nope. I just had a wild guess," Natasha said.

"Your wild guess sucked," Ravit replied.

"Tell me the secret Ravit. You know that I love you," Natasha said rubbing his hand flirtatiously.

"Don't lie to me, Natasha. I know you fancy Devrath," Ravit gritted, glaring at her.

"Fine. I agree. That man is something different. He is a Devil. His dominance is just... how do I explain. Any girl would fall for him, but he fell for that girl," Natasha scoffed.

"Who is the mystery girl? Why did you not tell me? I sent a shooter without knowing who the woman he loves is," Ravit asked.

"Ah... Guilt would pool up in my chest if I took her name," Natasha sighed.

"Who is it?" Ravit asked.

"Sona," Natasha revealed.

Ravit's eyes widened in shock.

"Shocked?" Natasha quizzed.

"My Sonakshi loves Devrath?" Ravit asked, still absorbing what he had just heard.

"Your Sonakshi!" Natasha screeched, "Remember Ravit, Sonakshi is not yours. She never will be. She is better off being away from a disgusting man like you."

"You better wait and watch," Ravit smirked.

"You shall not go near Sona. I warn you Ravit. You shall not go near her," Natasha threatened.

"Sonakshi will be mine. I will finish the work that I left undone last time. I will make her body mine," Ravit chuckled.

"Over my dead body," Natasha yelled and clutched Ravit's collars.

"Oh. Now, I understand. The reason you joined hands with me was to save Sona from me?" Ravit queried.

"No. To keep my friend away from beasts like you and Devrath," Natasha gritted.

"Devrath was a beast earlier too. What did you realize that you became distasteful towards him again?" Ravit quizzed, grasping Natasha by the waist.

"Nothing you need to know," Natasha replied.

Arjun was sitting outside the Night24 bar drinking a strong whiskey. He could still remember the fight he had with Dev.

Dev fucked up big time! Arjun growled.

"Drowning yourself in the drink after you fought with your bestie?" A voice of a female he knew very well spoke to him.

"To whom do I owe the honour of meeting Songbird's secretary?" Arjun spoke with sarcasm dripping from his words.

"Well, the treatment you gave me when questioning me about the lady I can die for made me want to know you," Kriti said, sitting down next to him.

"Don't you think you should be scared of me after the way I treated you last time?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"I am not weak at heart. I don't keep hatred for people who mean nothing to me," Kriti spoke.

"What are you doing here? Stalking a handsome man like me?" Arjun chuckled at his own joke.

Kriti rolled her eyes in annoyance and answered, "I have a day off. I came here to chill out but then here I see a peculiar sight." 

"Peculiar sight? Have you not seen handsome men drinking?" Arjun grinned.

"You and handsome? It's like saying Penguins love living in the desert," Kriti said, making Arjun choke on his drink.

"I am handsome," He pouted.

"Drunk men are not handsome," Kriti teased.

"I am not always drunk, my lady," Arjun slurred.

"You are overdrunk," Kriti pointed out.

"Blame my best friend," Arjun chuckled dryly, pain evident in his voice.

"What did he do?" Kriti asked.

"He betrayed Sonakshi," Arjun revealed.

"He did what?" Kriti yelled, hearing the man in front of her.

"You heard right the first time. He betrayed Sonakshi," Arjun said.

"I am calling up Sona right now. How dare that man!" Kriti growled. She pulled out her phone and dialled Sonakshi's number.

"Kriti," the voice spoke when the call was lifted.

"Tanu? Are you with Sona? Is she fine? Where are you? Text me the address. Have you told Suraj? Why did you people not tell me?" Kriti screamed.

"Woah Kriti. Everything is under control. Suraj handled her. Much rather his fiance," Tanya said, a bit of distaste evident when she said the word, fiance.

"Tanya. You have not gotten over him?" Kriti asked.

"I can't. He is my best friend's brother. I love him, Kriti. I can see he loves the girl cop. I can't force him to love me. I can at least be happy for him that he will marry the woman he loves," Tanya sighed.

"Sona?" Kriti asked.

"Suraj has taken her home. I and Jatin are on my way now. Suraj and Aahana will get married in 3 months. The wedding preparations will begin. They plan to distract her," Tanya revealed.

"Fine. I will be at their house in an hour," Kriti said and hung up the call.

"You are leaving me alone?" A voice that had been quiet for so long spoke.

"Yes. My best friend needs me," she said while getting into her car, "You should figure out your friend too. Never judge a situation by looking at a picture."

Madhuri was perplexed. Suraj walked in with Sonakshi and Aahana. Madhuri could see Sonakshi trying to be genuinely happy for her brother. Her children were siblings who could die for each other.

"Congratulations on your engagement Aahana and Suraj," Madhuri took both of them in a hug.

"Well done my boy," Shekhar patted Suraj on his back.

"I will be back soon," Sonakshi said as she started walking towards her room.

"Sona," the voice of her father stopped her in her tracks.

Sonakshi turned around to look at her father. She was expecting him to start taunting her in a few seconds. She closed her eyes in anticipation of the harsh words. To her surprise, she did not hear a sound. She opened her eyes slowly to see her father standing with arms wide open. She could see that he was signalling her to embrace him. Sonakshi at once ran towards him and hugged him. She broke down in her father's arms.

As they say, a mother's hug gives us love and a father's embrace gives us security and protection. Shekhar Sharma, although a bad father at most times, cared for his children. He knew how important love was in the life of a human.

Suraj's jaw dropped to the floor seeing the father and daughter duo. His father had done a thing that he had not accomplished. He was able to break the protective wall that Sonakshi had created around herself.

"He did not deserve you, Sona. I don't want my favourite daughter to waste tears on a spineless coward," Shekhar said softly.

"You have only one daughter," Sonakshi corrected, with a small smile while her sobs were reducing.

"Yes. I have the exclusive Sonakshi Sharma as my daughter," Shekhar grinned at her.

"This is what I have been waiting for. A father-daughter reunion," Madhuri shrieked and hugged both of them.

"Me too," Suraj smiled. He was finally happy seeing his father open up to Sona.

"What's the plan, young man? When do we sue the Dixits?" Shekhar asked, turning to look at Suraj.

"That is what I initially intended but then I feel that the best way is to move ahead with silence. We will strike when the time is right," Suraj said.

"Sounds weird," Shekhar mused.

"I know. It's Aahana's idea," Suraj shrugged.

"Okay then. Sharmas shall refrain. We shall never forget this incident though. Revenge is necessary," Shekhar growled.

"Absolutely Dad," Suraj voiced.

Sonakshi looked around. All her close ones were standing with her. All of them loved her. Except him.

A strong woman doesn't seek revenge. She moves on and lets karma do her dirty work.

WORD COUNT: 1985 Words

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