Warning:- Swearing, just a tiny bit here and there though. But still, save your innocence- Oh forget it. The fact that you are aware of this site means your innocence is already dead.

~*~

Revenge is best served cold. Something Prachi had heard many a time, but never had she known it would be this sweet.

She has learned to prioritise her peace in the last few months, and if it were any other occasion, she would have been very unamused. But not now, for she has also taught herself to sit back and enjoy occasional drama.

Mrs Kohli, along with Rhea and Aliya Mehra (Aryan had had too much mental trauma and had asked Purab Chucks to get a divorce, who had, been the ever so sorted person, agreed without any fuss and had ended all ties with his bloodsucker of a wife) stood on her front porch. With a little battalion of policemen.

"Why are you here?" Prachi asked, eyes scanning the government official's hands for any document.

The police officer opened his mouth to say something, but Rhea cut him off.

"To ask you some questions!" She stepped up in front of Prachi, missing the look the inspector gave her.

"Which are?" Prachi prompted.

"Where is my husband?" Rhea demanded, her hands in tight fists.

"Last time I gave a flying fuck about you, you didn't have a husband." Prachi deadpanned.

"She's talking about Ranbir." Pallavi interjected, "Where is he?"

"Also last time I checked, you were his mother, not me." Damn, Prachi felt proud of herself for being able to not actually go frenzy. Self-care was helping.

"Drop the sarcasm, Prachi." Pallavi flared her nostrils, "Where is my son?"

Prachi waited a heartbeat to answer, "I don't know."

"Check her house inspector, why aren't you doing anything?" Aliya ordered and the man raised an eyebrow.

"Miss Mehra I don't think you are in a position to give me any order." He taunted but still stepped forward. "Miss Arora, Mr Ranbir Kohli left his house yesterday morning and hasn't returned yet, his cell phone has been going unanswered, do you have any idea regarding his whereabouts?"

"No sir," Prachi glanced at his nametag, Vijay Singh, "I don't know where he is."

"His family had complained about a missing report and has provided your name for a direct culprit. I have to inform you that they demand a house check." He seemed a newbie.

"Can I see the official paperwork, Mr Singh?" Prachi demanded.

"The complaint hasn't been registered yet." He said sheepishly, his eas turning soft pink on his slip-up.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I can let any of you in the house without a proper warrant." Prachi gave a tight smile.

She had closed the door halfway when Rhea pushed it open and sped past her, heeding no care to her words. The other two ladies and four policemen followed her leaving a fed-up Prachi on the threshold.

"Ranbir!" "RANBIR!" "RANBIR WHERE ARE YOU?"

Prachi dragged her feet towards the living room as the three women moved in a craze around her house. The policeman looked quite embarrassed and Prachi felt bad for him.

"Where have you hid him? You are trying to steal him from me. I know you are. You have done something to him." Rhea freaked out.

"No, she hasn't." Came a very confused reply from the hallway.

Ranbir walked through the conjoined corridor, looking very much out of place in the newly renovated house. Prachi could pinpoint the moment it hit him that this is where she was living. She was aware that Ranbir had hired a P.I. company to know her whereabouts the same day she had gone to his office for the meeting.

He was quite desperate to get information about her. He had spent quite some fortune on detectives after all, unaware that she was paying them five times the price to keep him off her tracks.

Damn, the things money can do.

All of that came down to this moment when he realised that she had been within his reach all this time.

"She hasn't done anything," Ranbir said, his secretary nodding at her in greetings behind him.

"Ranbir!" Pallavi rushed over, checking him for non-existent injuries.

"Mom!" Ranbir looked at her aghast. "What are you guys doing?"

"We thought she did something to you, Ranbir!" Rhea rushed forward.

"Are you serious?" He gritted his teeth, glancing at the police they had reached out to.

"Of course Ranbir," Aliya said, her voice sage-like. "And you weren't answering your phone. There was no contact with you how much ever we tried. So we had to get the police involved."

"You called the police instead of my office?!?" His voice barely concealed his anger and the three women shared dumb glances.

"What are you waiting here for now?" Vikram, who had followed Ranbir in, rebuked.

"Move along!" He pointed towards their end of the house.

"Oh no, not so soon." Prachi interrupted as they started moving.

"Sir," she addressed the officer, "I want to file a complaint against these three ladies for defamation and forceful intrusion in my house."

"Complaint?"
"Defamation?!" Pallavi and Aliya chorused.

"Of course," Prachi mentally thanked all the legal terms she had picked from Sushma Aunty and Felix, "You accused me of holding Mr Kohli hostage, do you know how much loss would have I had to attend if Ranbir had not come or if the word have gotten out."

"I'm sure you understand Mr Kohli." She turned to the man and couldn't decipher if he was at a loss for words or intentionally decided to keep quiet.

"Please sir, I want to have a complaint registered." This was not how she planned her Sunday.

"No, there is no need for that," Prachi quite liked the tinge of fear in Pallavi's voice, "right officer."

"Oh, but there is. I have already warned you guys to not enter my house. But you do not listen. A little punishment is deemed fit to make you learn." Ranbir's eyebrows raised at Prachi's words.

"Will you accomplish the deed or will I have to contact higher officials, sir?" She didn't try to hide the threat, "I can't promise if I'll be able to keep the fact that you entered my house without a warrant from slipping while I do so."

"I- I'll make your complaint soon ma'am." The young man stuttered.

"Ranbir, do something." Rhea pleaded.

"Ranbir..." Pallavi held his forearm.

Although some part of him didn't want to, Ranbir sighed, "Prachi, please don't." He stepped in front of her, "Please give them another chance. Don't do this."

"Beg for it." Prachi tilted her head

"Since when have you become so coldhearted?" Ranbir asked infuriated.

"Since when have you started taking Rhea's side?" Prachi breathed.

Ranbir gulped at the accusatory look in her eyes. He glanced at the girl in question, looking at him expectantly to get her out of the mess she singlehandedly created before shaking his head, sighing, turning around and leaving.

"Ranbir-" Pallavi called after him but he didn't spare a second glance at any of them.

Mortified at her son's ignorance, Pallavi turned to Prachi once again. Gulping in her pride, she folded her hands, her voice barely audible, "Please Prachi, do not make a complaint against us."

Prachi took a step closer, "I didn't quite hear you."

"Prachi you are crossing the line." Aliya screeched.

"And you crossed my threshold." Prachi's voice drowned out her aunt's. "Without permission."

"Prachi-" Rhea stated only to be cut off by Pallavi, who just shook her head.

Gritting her teeth, Pallavi sucked in a sharp breath. "Prachi, I- I'm Sorry-"

"Oh just forget it," Prachi waved off, "Just make sure to not even breathe in this direction from now on."

"Thank you, officer, I hope you will take your duty seriously from now on. Would you like me to show you the way out?" The guy did not waste a second before giving Prachi a small courtesy and almost bolting out of the house, his juniors closely following him.

Prachi couldn't hold back the small smile from her face, poor man, he was probably never going to step outside his station without a warrant again.

She turned back to look at the Terrible Three still there. Pallavi and Rhea shot open daggers at her while Aliya had the usual calculative look in her cat-like eyes. It sent shudders down her spine.

"Would you like to have some snacks?" Prachi smiled softly.

"As if!" Rhea scoffed.

The smile dropped, "Then leave."

~*~

Prachi stared at the passed-out figure that currently hogged her bed. Well, as good as she could stare while being on the brink of passing out from sleep herself.

Though she had hoped and waited for Aaliya to strike with something sinful, there had been no activity from the opposite side of the border. So, after much serious discussion with Shahana and Aryan over toasts and pancakes, they concluded that -Shahana's words not her's,- "tanks work on fuel."

Translated to, 'Money is bloody important to commit murder.' If you want to get away with it that is.

And so, Prachi counted herself safe from any possible attack in the near future, hoping that Pallavi Kohli doesn't decide to cover that area.

But not from her son apparently.

This was the fourth night in a row, in the last week, that she's been woken at an ungodly hour by Ranbir - very drunk, heavily emotional, stumbling all over his own feet, can't keep his shit together, ready to lick the floor if she asked him to- Kohli.

The first time around, he was a raging volcano. Roaring and yelling up and down as he trashed her living area down. Prachi and Shahana had to physically hold Aryan back from going Godzilla on the drunk man then and there. 'For the sake of the snow-white carpet! It's gonna be a chore to get blood off of it.' Prachi had answered when Aryan asked why.

The second and third times, he had been a crying and blubbering mess at her feet and then Shahana and Aryan had to pry him off her legs that he had been hugging. Asking for forgiveness. For a second chance.

Prachi would never agree to it but Shahana had caught her eyes tearing up for a second. She had worked so hard for this poker face, and a man on his knees wouldn't overpower the numerous nights she had spent curled up on her bedroom floor.

The aftermath of the chaos had been a simple routine. Really.

After Ranbir tired himself out and became limp, Aryan and Prachi would drop him off in his living room, making sure to have Rhea witness it.

But tonight, was different. Today it was a quiet attack. Ranbir had silently walked into the house and quietly slid under the covers beside Prachi. How he found her room, no one knew.

"How long has he been here?" Aryan asked. If looks could kill, it would have been a coffin Ranbir would be lying in.

"Not long," Prachi answered, she had always been a light sleeper and had woken the moment she felt the mattress on her bed dip beside her.

"So, what are we gonna do now?" Aryan asked, stifling a yawn. He had gotten dark circles under his eyes that Prachi was sure she twinned.

"Nothing, let him sleep here, I don't think he's gonna be up before noon anyway. We'll deal with him in the morning." Prachi sighed, her eyes trained on the man sleeping like a log.

"Guess you'll have to transfer that child today." She chortled, gesturing at Shahana who had promptly fallen asleep on her armchair.

Aryan chuckled, shaking his head. He went over to the asleep girl and slowly picked her up, making sure not to jostle her. He nodded at Prachi and carried Shahana out, back to her own room.

Something in her chest warmed as Prachi saw them leaving. Something she thought no longer existed in her body. She felt a wave of love for her cousin and best friend.

Prachi picked up a throw quilt from the armchair and settled on the lounger. Leaving the door wide open.

~*~

The following day came too fast for Prachi's liking. Her body had gone sore from sleeping in a weird position on the lounger. Her back ached and her head throbbed from lack of sleep. But none of them was the most hated part of her morning.

No, the most hated part was the loud screaming she had woken up to. Screaming that she'd recognise from her grave. Screaming that was becoming louder and louder by the moment.

Prachi narrowed her eyes and on a petty impulse, quickly kicked her quilt under her bed and sat on the empty side of her bed as if this is where she's been the entire night.

She stretched (regretting it soon when her neck popped), and duly kept her eyes closed as she heard a gasp from her doorway.

Good.

She pried her eyes open, trying her best to look confused when her eyes met with those of her twin sister.

"What are you doing here this early?" Prachi asked, her voice hoarse.

But Rhea didn't spare her a second glance, her eyes glued to the figure still dead asleep beside her. Behind her, Aryan had a questioning look on his face and Prachi turned to look herself and her eyes bugled out.

Her guess had been wrong. Ranbir hadn't 'slept like a log' as she had assumed. Apparently, he had gotten hot during the night and had got up to ditch his shirt. So now she had a very half-naked Ranbir Kohli in her bed.

Bloody Brilliant.

The comforter reached his belly button and she was sure he had his pants on. Or she hoped for it.

But to Rhea, who stood eerily silent on her doorstep, the scene looked exceptionally wrong.

Quickly schooling her features, she shook her head lightly at Aryan and he nodded, his alarmed expression returning to neutral.

Clearing her throat, Prachi stood up. Making her way over to the door, Prachi took a firm hold of Rhea's wrist and dragged her away from the room.

Just as they reached the living room, Rhea grasped what was happening. She pried her hand away from Prachi and dug her heels to the ground.

"What are you doing here?" Prachi asked, her voice crisp.

"WHAT THE HELL?!?" Rhea screamed. Her eyes were bloodshot and a vein throbbed on her forehead.

"What is your problem? Why do you keep barging into my house?" Prachi asked.

"WHAT IS MY PROBLEM?!? WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?" Prachi was sure the entire street would have heard that.

"What were you doing with my Ranbir?" She glared at Prachi.

"Nothing new, I assure you," Prachi smirked.

Oh look, another vein!

"I know you brought him here. I know you want to steal him from me. That's what a low-class person like you does. Buji is right, you can be rich but you can not buy class." Rhea spat. "You have been living here! claiming to have moved on, lying in everyone's faces that you hate Ranbir, while on the inside you had been scheming to get him again. That's why he's in your room!"

Prachi snorted, "He's not an object to be yours! And besides, if you had forgotten, let me remind you that I am still, legally and otherwise, Ranbir's wife."

"He can be in my room, or anywhere in general wherever I am. I do not need to scheme to get him to myself. You on the other hand have some nerve to come up to me and claim to have anything to do with my husband. Shame on you for drooling over your own brother-in-law Rhea. Ma and Papa would surely be disgusted by you!"

Rhea lunged forward with murder in every spec of her being. Aryan acted instantly, hooking his arms around Rhea's shoulders, her clawed fingers a mere foot from Prachi's neck.

"why don't you just diE? I DID SO MUCH TO KEEP YOUR INAUSPICIOUS PRESENCE OUT OF OUR LIFE! SO MUCH. BUT YOU HAVE TO CRAWL BACK INTO MY HAPPINESS LIKE A FUCKING LEECH! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LET ME HAVE MY RANBIR? YOU HAVE NO SPEC OF SHAME IN YOURSELF, HOW COULD YOU BE BACK EVEN AFTER RANBIR ACCUSED YOU OF ADULTRY??" She pushed forward, but her strength was no match to Aryan's.

"YOU KNOW HOW MUCH EFFORT AND TIME AND PLANNING IT TOOK TO BREAK RANBIR'S TRUST IN YOU? I HAD TO DO PETTY THINGS TO MAKE PALLAVI KOHLI HATE YOU. I HAD TO USE SIDHARTH TO GET HIM TO BELIEVE THAT YOU WERE CHEATING ON HIM. I BROKE MY OWN MARRIAGE TO HAVE HIM AND YOU THINK YOU CAN SHOW UP AND HAVE HIM BACK NO YOU CAN'T-"

"RHEA!" Aaliya's voice broke her monologue. Rhea turned to see her aunt looking at her wide-eyed. Behind her, stood the three people who she had deceived. Pallavi looked at her in disbelief.

"What did you say?" The hoarse voice that came from the stairway knocked the air out of her lungs.

A/N:- Hey cherry pops! How are you guys doing? Today I am going to give a golden piece of advice.

If you are not a morning person -much like myself- do NOT let your 7 A.M. self delete 2.3k words that you have written just because the grammar sounds funny. Grammar can be fixed.

Your 7 A.M. self doesn't know shit.

This chapter would have been posted ages ago. Like, so much time ago that it could have been the first thing an Archaeopteryx hatchling could have seen. But no, my early morning self underestimated my procrastination power.

But still, here is part two of Vengeance. I don't blame you if you forgot who I am or what the first part even was.

Take care.

Lots of Love,

Simran

P.S.- Do you want a part of Ranbir persuing Prachi back?