Karan backed, and lights glowed again. Preeta too open her eyes. They both smiled seeing each other.

Clapping sound were heard from everyone present. Some were admiring and adoring them.

And, she was called to apply mehendi.

Rakhi : preeta beta chal, mehendi lagwa le.

Preeta : jii.

Preeta went and girls started applying mehendi on her hand. She was lostly seeing her hands. That time, someone tap in her right shoulder, she turnedbut no one was there. She again turned, and saw karan standing, preeta scared for a second. Karan giggled while preeta huffed.

Preeta : (annoyed) kya hai, kyu aaye ho yaha...

Karan : (smirks) kyu nahi aa sakta kya ? Meri hone waali biwi ki mehendi, meri marzi.

Preeta again got irritated and turned her face. Karan chuckled and caressed a hair strand in her face, then too she didn't pay heed.

Suddenly, his gaze went on preeta's hand, on his name. He was surprised. He took her hand on his.

Karan : (surprised) ye... mera naam.

Preeta smiled and nodded.

Karan : lekin tumhe to nahi pasand tha na haatho pe naam likhna, fir ??

Preeta : haa.....

She only replied and lowered her face with smile. Karan too smiled and went from there.

After some hour....

It was time for marriage in some time. Karan was roaming in his house, and preeta was in room, sat half ready.

She was looking her hands, and was deeply thinking something.

Preeta : (in mind) mujhe sachme yaaken nahi ho raha hai aaj meri shaadi hai, wo bhi unexpected insaan ke saath. (She looked in mirror) mujhe abhi nahi samajh aa raha hai mera faisla sahi hai ya nahi, aaj meri zindagi ka itna bada din hai, aur mujhe koi gam bhi nahi apno se door jaane ka, ye.... ye kaisi zindagi (a tear fell from her eyes) pata nahi kuch accha hoga ya nahi.....

Unknown to her, sarla keep her hand on her shoulder, preeta look bheind and saw her surprisingly, because she didn't knew her presence. Preeta stood.

Preeta : maa aap, kuch kaam tha ? Mujhe bulwaa lete.

Sarla : nahi nahi beta, kuch kaam nahi tha, aur dulhan aise bahar nahi aati hai. Wo to bas aise hi aai thi mai tujhe dekhne.

Preeta smiled fakely.

Sarla : (cupping her face) meri beti itni badi ho gai, aaj shaadi hai, bhagwaan khush rakhe.

She kissed her forehead, preeta closed her eyes. She wanted it from so long, but not for formality.

Preeta only smiled fakely and didn't said a word. Sarla understood it, but she never bothers to notice it, or she never bothers only.

Sarla : tu jaldi se taiyyar ho ja, muhurat hone waala hai. Fir kisiko bulaane bhej dungi.

Preeta : jii.

Sarla went from there, and preeta indulged in getting ready.

Rakhi was seeing pillars and flowers.

Rakhi : (to herself) ha ye bhi sahi hai, yaha bhi laga diya, shukar sab.....

Her gaze went on karan.

Rakhi : (going to him) karan puttar, tu yaha kya kar Raha hai ? Kamre me jaa beta, muhurat hone waala hai mai bulwa lungi tujhe.

Karan : nahi mom, rehne do. Dekhiye I am ready na, mai bas yahi dekh raha hu. Aap kaam continue rakhiye apna.

Rakhi : (widing eyes) hein ? Ye Kya baat hui karan, aaj shaadi hai teri, aur tu aise ghum raha hai.

Karan made an annoying face.

Karan : (annoying) mom please na, maine kaha na mujhe yahi rehna hai, aap please jaao na.

Rakhi : (glaring him) aree....

Karan started to giggle, rakhi slapped her forehead. She turned to go, but stopped. Karan's too gaze locked at the door.

They all saw aakash entering in hall with a smile cum smirk on his face. As soon he entered, he directly look at karan. Other side, mahesh, rakhi, lorraine got tensed seeing aakash. But karan seems don't affected.

Karan : (to rakhi) are mom, aap ruk kyu gai ? Jaaiye taiyyari kijiye, aapke bete ki shaadi hai aaj, wo bhi us ladki se jisse mai pyaar karta hu, to aapko sab sahi karna hoga na.... (Smirks)

Rakhi nodded and went. While aakash narrowed his eyes at karan, because karan's voice was loud enough to get into aakash's ears.

Karan moved towards aakash.

Karan : Welcome Aakash Singhania, hope you enjoy our marriage.

Karan smirk.

Aakash : yes, really hope so karan luthra.

He too passed smirk to karan.

Karan ignoring him, went from there.

Pandit : var aur vadhu ko mandap me bulaaiye....

Rakhi : ji pandit ji, lorraine beta preeta ko lekar aao.

Lorraine : ji aunty. (She went)

Asmina : karan, chalo tum bhi aa jaao mandap me.

Karan : ha dii, 2 minute.

In few minutes, everyone saw the bride. Descending stairs with lorraine.

She was having the glow of blush on her face, ornaments of smile, make up of her own beauty, and dressed up with love.

The most beautiful bride for him !

Surely he was thinking ways to off his eyes from her, but seems like he is not interested in those ways.

Preeta's eyes meet karan. His eyes was already locked. He adorned her with his smile, and complimented with his eyes.

Karan was standing at corner of stairs only. Preeta reached there. He offered his hand, she accepted.

Asmina : (to rakhi ; slowly) ab samjhe mom kyu Karan m ko ghumna tha, aur do minute ke baad baithna tha.

Rakhi : haa..... (Giggling)

The next moment, preeta's eyes fall on aakash. Her eyes widened, and her mind filled with tension. But, karan squeezed her hand, amd gestrued her to move further.

Both moved towards mandap, passing by aakash. They sat at their place.

Preeta : (tensed) karan....

Karan blink his eyes at her to assure her. She nods.

Pandit : acchaa, vivah ke liye baccho ki kundali...

Karan : (interrupting) me koi problem nahi hai na pandit ji...

Rakhi : karan, beta bolne do unhe... (Tensed) pandit ji, koi problem hai ? Kuch ho gaya ?

Pandit : are nahi nahi, aap chinta na kare, kundali to bohot acchi hai, bhagya me har kadam par saath likha hai. Badi acchi Jodi hai.

Rakhi : acchaa (happily) thik hai, fir rasme shuru karte hai.

While aakash's face turned to angry one.

Aakash : (in mind) ye kya bak Raha hai ye pandit, ise bolne ko kaha tha preeta karan ke liye sahi nahi hai, to ye bola kyu nahi....

Preeta looked at karan.

"After sarla left, preeta went to meet karan in his room, from where he was just about to go...

Karan : aree preeta, kya hua kuch kaam hai ? Tum taiyyar bhi nahi hui....

Preeta didn't said anything, karan sensed her being tensed.

Karan : (cupping her face) preeta, kya hua ? Tun tensed kyu lag rahi ho itni ? Kuch hua hai ? Tumhe... (Fearly) tumhe... Shaadii na..nahi karni ??

Preeta : (frowns) karan aisi koi baat nahi hai, bas....

Karan : bass ??

Preeta : bas mujhe....

Karan : dar lag raha hai ?

Preeta nodded. Karan felt relieved. He pulled her towards her.

Karan : offo sweetheart, tum kitna tension leti ho, apne is (hits her head, she widened her eyes) dimaag pe zyaada zor mat daalo, aur tension free raho.

Preeta : (not assured) pakka ??

Karan : pakka baba...

Preeta nodded, and karan giggled seeing her still confused.

Rituals started.

Mangalam Bhagwan Vishnu,
Mangalam Garuda Dhwaja...

Aakash stared karan angrily, while karan gave a smirk to him, then again engaged.

Mangalam Pundari Kaksham,
Mangalaya Thanno Hari...

Karan and preeta forwarded their hands, keeping on other.

Aakash angrily fisted his hands seeing them.

Mangalam Bhagwan Vishnu,
Mangalam Garuda Dhwaja,

Pandit : ab var vadhu fero ke liye khade ho jaaiye...

They stood up.

Aakash : (seeing them) koi baat nahi, ye plan nahi to dusra hi sahi. In dono ki shaadi to mai hone nahi dunga.

Mangalam Pundari Kaksham,
Mangalaya Thanno Hari,

Pandit : ab vadhu aage aaye fero ke liye.

Preeta came ahead.

Mangalam Bhagwan Vishnu,
Mangalam Garuda Dhwaja,

Unknown to everyone, aakash smirk seeing his gun in his pocket.

Aakash : (in mind) ab mujhse koi nahi bachega, aakash singhania ko tumlog dhoka de rahe the (smirks) lekin aakash koi choti chiz nahi hai, ab sab dekhenge...

Mangalam Pundari Kaksham,
Mangalaya Thanno Hari,

Pandit : var vadhu ki maang me sindur bhare.

Karan took the pinch in coin, karan asked for permission. Preeta smiled. Karan filled her hairline.

Pandit : vivah sampan hua....

And, everyone took a breath of relief.

A drop firmed in preeta's eyes, karan saw it. But preeta wiped it smiling nodding in no to karan. Karan too smiled.

Aakash : (in mind) isi ke saath is karan zindagi bhi samapt hui.

Smirking, he pulled the trigger unknown to anyone.

Precap : a last promise by karan.